Tang Dynasty, my wife Wu Zetian

Chapter 444 Li Lian's Plan

Mojiaxuan, a teahouse.

After Zhou Boyu entered the elegant room on the second floor, he immediately saw Li Xiao sitting inside.

Li Xiao didn't greet him and his expression was unfriendly, which made him feel uneasy.

He slowly walked over, bowed respectfully, and asked with a smile, "Your Highness, what brings you here today to invite me for tea?"

Li Xiao glanced at him, gestured for him to sit down, and said in a deep voice, "Boyu, is there anything you want to say to me?"

Zhou Boyu smiled and said, "I heard that Your Highness was in charge of logistics for the Goguryeo campaign, which shows how much His Majesty values ​​you. I congratulate Your Highness!"

With a loud "bang!", Li Xiao slammed his hand on the table.

"That's not what I want to hear. Confess to me honestly now, and I might be able to treat you leniently, understand?"

Zhou Boyu's heart sank as he thought, "It seems the Second Prince has already met that wretched woman. Those good-for-nothings are indeed more trouble than they're worth!"

"I'm asking you a question!" Li Xiao questioned him when he didn't speak for a long time.

Zhou Boyu took a deep breath, lowered his head to pour tea, and slowly said, "Your Highness, I don't understand what you mean."

Li Xiao shook his head and said, "Boyu, even now you still won't tell the truth. I've already met Xu Ling, and she told me everything."

Zhou Boyu kept his head down and said, "I don't understand what you're saying."

Li Xiaodao: "You sent people to falsely accuse the Flying Feather Class of being related to the Yanshan Society, causing them to be arrested by the Inner Guard. Do you think I didn't know?"

Zhou Boyu finally raised his head and said in a deep voice, "Your Highness, I have followed you for three years. The Flying Feather Clan is just a casual acquaintance of yours. I don't understand why you would help them to deal with me!"

Li Xiao angrily said, "We made a mistake back then, and I even made you apologize to Master Xu of the Flying Feather Class. Have you forgotten all that?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Boyu's face flushed red, and he could no longer remain calm.

"I will never forget such humiliation!"

Li Xiaoleng asked, "Humiliation?"

Zhou Boyu shrieked, "Of course it's humiliating! I am the son of a princess and the grandson of Emperor Taizong. My status is so noble! Yet you want me to kneel before a few peasants. This is not only a disgrace to me, but also a disgrace to the Tang Dynasty royal family. How can I allow them to continue living!"

Li Xiao shouted, "Wrong is wrong, and right is right. To make a mistake and refuse to admit it is to disgrace the royal family!"

Zhou Boyu sneered, "It's just a chicken, what's right or wrong about it? Even if I kill their worthless lives, it's not worth mentioning at all."

Li Xiao felt a chill run down his spine. He stared at him blankly and said, "If that's what you thought, why didn't you just say it back then?"

Zhou Boyu's face immediately turned red again.

He was terrified because his subordinates had offended three of Prince Li Xiao's sons, so he didn't think much of it and just did whatever Li Xiao told him to do.

Back home, he grew angrier the more he thought about it, considering it a great humiliation. He also harbored resentment towards Li Xiao and secretly sent people to monitor the Flying Feather Troupe.

When he learned that Li Xiao had left Chang'an, he could no longer contain himself and sent men to Jizhou to retaliate against the Feiyu Ban.

“I was giving you face back then, but since you don’t respect yourself, I won’t care about your face anymore!” Zhou Boyu slowly stood up.

By saying these words, he had already prepared himself to break ties with Li Xiao.

Everyone expected Li Xiao to fly into a rage, but to their surprise, Li Xiao picked up a cup of tea, stared quietly at the water in the cup, and said nothing.

His reaction, however, made Zhou Boyu feel uneasy.

"Your Highness, although you are of noble status, the Tang Dynasty governs by law. Without evidence, even you cannot do anything to me!"

Li Xiao said calmly, "You think I can't find evidence?"

Zhou Boyu laughed and said, "When I learned that the woman had escaped, I sent people to Jizhou to handle all the mess. You won't find any evidence."

"Aren't you afraid I'll go to General Wang of the Inner Palace?"

Zhou Boyu laughed and said, "The Inner Palace is only accountable to the Emperor. Even if you are a prince, without any evidence, how can General Wang believe you?"

Li Xiaodao: "What about Xu Ling's statement?"

Zhou Boyu said calmly, "She wasn't in Jizhou at the time, so what could she know? Besides, as a member of the Flying Feather Class, she couldn't be a witness in the first place!"

Li Xiao suddenly said, "If you tell me all this, aren't you afraid I'll tell my father?"

Zhou Boyu was silent for a moment, then said, "I won't admit it then. Don't forget, I know better than anyone what you did back then. I believe you wouldn't risk a bloodbath with me for a commoner's daughter, would you?"

Li Xiao said in a deep voice, "I am willing to accept punishment for any mistakes I have made. Boyu, why are you unwilling to do the same?"

Zhou Boyu said coldly, "Because I did nothing wrong. You did nothing wrong either, you were just misled by those lowly people and couldn't recognize your own identity."

Li Xiao shook his head and said, "Boyu, you said you wouldn't admit what you just said. Aren't you afraid that someone might overhear what we were saying?"

Zhou Boyu smiled and said, "Your Highness, you should know that I am always cautious in my actions. Before entering the house, I ordered people to guard the door, and the two rooms next door were also guarded by my men. No one will hear anything."

Li Xiao looked up at him and said, "It seems you came prepared."

Zhou Boyu sighed, "I never wanted things to come to this."

Li Xiao looked at him and said, "Boyu, I have to thank you. In you, I see another version of myself."

"Another one?" Zhou Boyu was taken aback.

Li Xiao stood up and patted him on the shoulder.

"Take care of yourself." He left the house. After leaving Mojiaxuan, Li Xiao got into a carriage. Inside the carriage were two people, Li Yong and Li Lian.

"Si Lang, Zhou Boyu has already confessed honestly, is that enough?" Li Xiao looked at Li Lian.

This meeting with Zhou Boyu was part of a plan devised by Li Lian.

Li Lian said, "That's fine. Now let's wait for news. I believe the people from the Inner Commandery will arrest Zhou Boyu and release Master Xu and the others."

Li Yong suddenly asked, "How can you be so sure that Mo Jiaxuan is definitely a spy for the Inner Commandery?"

Li Lian laughed and said, "The three of us weren't picked up by our father. He wouldn't just throw us into an ordinary restaurant. So Mo Jiaxuan must either belong to the Inner Court or be a secret agency of the Palace Administration Bureau."

"How do you know it's not the Sigongtai?" Li Yong asked again.

Li Lian said, "Since Xue Niang is a Hu woman, the Inner Commandery is responsible for external affairs, while the Palace Administration is responsible for internal affairs. Since a Hu woman is made the leader, this place should be the Inner Commandery."

Li Yong crossed his arms and snorted, "Si Lang, you probably figured it out a long time ago, but you didn't tell us."

Li Lian laughed and said, "I thought you two had thought of that too."

Li Xiao listened to their conversation but didn't interrupt, his face grave.

"Second brother, what's wrong?" Li Lian asked.

Li Xiao sighed, "I was just recalling some past events. When I first left the palace to establish my own residence, Aunt Linchuan often came to visit me. She was very kind to me, but now I have to deal with her son..."

Li Lian's expression was solemn as he asked, "Second brother, why do you think Aunt Linchuan suddenly came to see you and treated you so well?"

Li Xiao's expression changed slightly: "You mean..."

Li Lian raised his hand and said, "It's not convenient to talk here. Let's talk back at the manor." With that, he ordered the carriage to return to the manor.

Upon arriving at the Prince Yong's residence, Li Lian led his two brothers to a three-story watchtower in the backyard.

The area is open and spacious, offering a clear view from all sides, so you don't have to worry about being overheard, no matter what you say.

Li Yong was even more anxious than Li Xiao. As soon as he went upstairs, he asked urgently, "Si Lang, what did you mean by what you just said?"

Li Lianzai carefully checked the surroundings to make sure no one was there before speaking in a low voice.

“I never intended to say these things to anyone again. But you are my brothers, and I must tell you to prevent you from being used by others again.”

The two exchanged a glance and both swallowed hard.

Li Lian slowly said, "Back when my second brother had just established his own residence, Aunt Linchuan went to see him, actually wanting to win him over."

"Why is she trying to win me over?" Li Xiao asked, puzzled.

Li Lian then looked at Li Yong and said, "Third brother, you've always had a good relationship with the Wang family of Taiyuan, haven't you?"

Li Yong had heard Consort Yang mention this matter to him before, and knew that Wang Shi had her own motives for befriending him. He nodded solemnly.

Li Lian said, "At that time, I was still in the palace. The Xiao family arranged for a disciple in the Flying Dragon Stable of the Eastern Palace to let me go to see him often. He taught me many things that I could not learn from books."

"What is it?" they both asked.

Li Lian slowly revealed, "How to be a good crown prince!"

Both Li Xiao and Li Lian showed expressions of shock.

Li Lian said, "At that time, I understood that the Xiao family wanted to support me to become the crown prince, and sent people to approach you so that you would assist me in taking the throne."

Li Yong suddenly said, “This isn’t right. The Wang family behind me belongs to the Shandong aristocratic family, while the people around my second brother are all from the Guanzhong aristocratic family. They are not on good terms with each other!”

Li Lian glanced at him: "They are indeed at odds, because someone who connected them died. And because of that person's death, I was also abandoned by the Xiao family."

"Who?"

"Xiao Siye".

Upon hearing this, both Li Yong and Li Xiao showed thoughtful expressions.

Li Yong was stunned for a long time before he suddenly realized: "So that's why you gave up on yourself after Xiao Siye died?"

Li Lian nodded.

Li Xiao looked up at the sky, a hint of indignation on his face.

"It turns out that the three of us brothers have been used as tools by those aristocratic families all along. How hateful!"

Li Lian sighed, "This is the helplessness of being born into the royal family. Fortunately, Xiao Siye is already dead. It must have been my father who discovered his plot and ordered someone to deal with him secretly."

"Because the three of us were involved in this matter, our father neglected us for several years. Later, perhaps seeing that we hadn't done anything too outrageous, he started disciplining us again."

After hearing this, Li Yong and Li Xiao both felt a sense of lingering fear.

Li Lian continued, "In any case, it's all in the past. Second brother, you no longer feel guilty towards Aunt Linchuan, do you?"

Li Xiao sighed and said, "I don't feel guilty anymore, but I'm suddenly a little scared."

Li Lian reached out and grabbed his hand: "Don't be afraid, your third brother and I are here with you."

Li Yong also grabbed the hands of the two of them.

The three brothers gazed at each other, their unease gradually fading, replaced by smiles on their faces.

(End of this chapter)