Sheng Tang: What is Liu Jianjun going to do today?

Chapter 156 Confrontation Between the Two Kings
Liu Jianjun understood what he meant, so he nodded: "Okay, remember, stick to the point of taking care of your sister-in-law. If you encounter any problems, use delaying tactics and I'll figure out a way to handle them."

Li Xian nodded, straightened his robes, and said to the gatekeeper, "Lead the way."

……

Inside the guest room, two elderly men sat upright.

The elderly man at the head of the table was about sixty years old, with a thin face and sharp eyes. He wore a purple round-necked casual robe and had an extraordinary demeanor. He was Li Xian's fourteenth great-uncle, Li Yuangui. The man at the foot of the table was slightly plump and had a friendly smile, but there was a shrewd glint in his eyes. He was Li Xian's eleventh great-uncle, Li Yuanjia.

The embroiderer sat at the lower end of the table, looking slightly reserved. When she saw Li Xian enter, she visibly relaxed, stood up, and said softly, "Husband, our two great-uncles have been waiting for quite some time."

Then, she gave Li Xian a somewhat worried look and gracefully withdrew.

Li Xian stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying, "I, your grand-nephew Li Xian, pay my respects to my fourteenth and eleventh grand-uncles. I apologize for keeping you waiting so long."

Prince Huo, Li Yuangui, nodded slightly, his voice steady yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible authority: "Prince Pei, there's no need for such formalities. It is we who have come without permission. We heard that you have returned from Luoyang, so your eleventh grand-uncle and I have come to visit you."

King Li Yuanjia of Han smiled and replied in a much more amiable tone: "The last time I saw you, Uncle Wang, was at the clan assembly a few years ago. Mingyun still looks as dashing as ever!"

Li Xian looked at the two Uncle Wangs, whose expressions and attitudes were quite different, and wanted to laugh.

Back when my father was still alive, these two were among the countless people wearing masks in Chang'an.

When I saw them again now, they were still wearing those masks.

Li Xian cupped his hands, maintaining proper etiquette: "Since returning from listening to my mother's teachings in the Eastern Capital, I have been indulging in pleasure every day. With fewer worries, I can naturally maintain my demeanor, though I am not as vigorous as my two uncles, which I envy."

He spoke lightly, but the two old men's expressions changed slightly when they heard the words "mother's teachings".

After another round of meaningless pleasantries, the two kings exchanged a glance, and Prince Huo, Li Yuangui, spoke first, asking, "Has my worthy grandson heard any news from the capital recently?"

Li Xian's heart was filled with alarm bells, but he pretended to be confused and cautiously replied, "What does Uncle Fourteen refer to? I have seen nothing unusual on my way back from Luoyang."

The portly Prince Li Yuanjia chuckled, seemingly trying to smooth things over, but actually leading the conversation to a deeper level: "Mingyun, why be so modest? You are in Chang'an, in charge of Yongzhou. Are you completely unaware of the political climate in the court? The Empress Dowager has moved to the capital, and the court is in turmoil. It is indeed a time of great turmoil."

He said earnestly, "As descendants of Emperor Gaozu and members of the Li Tang imperial family, how can we sit idly by at this critical moment for our nation?"

Before Li Xian could speak, Prince Huo, Li Yuangui, snorted coldly and continued, "When the Wu clan ruled, it was like a hen crowing at dawn; the imperial regency was almost lost to them!"
"Xu Jingye of Yangzhou is nothing more than a minor ailment; what he fears is the heart of the Li Tang imperial family! Now, undercurrents are surging in Luoyang, and the plot against my Li family members has probably already begun. Prince Pei, you are the eldest son of the late emperor and the elder brother of His Majesty. Are you willing to sit idly by and wait for your death?"

These words were an extremely blatant provocation.

Li Xian suddenly realized that these two Uncle Wangs were no longer someone that Chi Li could handle. One of them played the good cop and the other the bad cop, advancing and retreating in an orderly and measured manner.

His mind raced, wondering what Liu Jianjun would do in such a situation.
Liu Jianjun has always been a rule-breaker; if he were to encounter such a situation…

Li Xian's eyes suddenly lit up.

Liu Jianjun is never afraid to make things bigger!

Just like when they encountered that gang of bullies who threw excrement in Bazhou, Liu Jianjun directly accused them of stealing excrement and openly arrested them!

Because he was certain that those bullies wouldn't dare to make a big fuss!
And this very moment is just like that moment in Bazhou.

Since it involved treason, the two grand-uncles dared not escalate the matter. All this was decided in a flash, when Li Xian suddenly hardened his face, his tone filled with anger: "Grand-uncles! This grand-nephew cannot agree with this!"

Both King Han Li Yuanjia and King Huo Li Yuangui showed a hint of astonishment on their faces.

Li Xian said indignantly, "Although my nephew is not talented, he knows loyalty, filial piety, integrity and righteousness!"
"However, with His Majesty on the throne and the Empress Dowager assisting in governance, the world appears peaceful. But if there is any unrest, it is not out of loyalty to the emperor, but rather a conspiracy to rebel, which would only cause pain to loved ones and joy to enemies, plunging the country into greater turmoil! Such a crime is something I, your grand-nephew, cannot bear! Moreover, Xiu Niang is about to give birth, and I only wish for peace in the household and for my wife and children to be safe. I beg my two grand-uncles for their understanding!"

The words of the two uncles were practically teetering on the edge of treason.

Li Xian, on the other hand, simply brought the word "treason" into the open.

They're using these words to put me down, so I might as well just bring the topic up directly!

The smile on Li Yuanjia's face faded, while Li Yuangui's eyes flickered as he scanned Li Xian's face back and forth.

Li Xian met their gazes without flinching.

The atmosphere in the entire living room was so heavy it seemed like it could drip water.

Just then, the embroiderer came in carrying a bowl of ginseng soup and said softly, "Husband, please have some soup with your two uncles."

The deadlock was broken quietly.

Li Xian breathed a sigh of relief, glanced gratefully at the embroiderer, took the soup bowl, and said softly, "Now that you're pregnant, you can leave these things to the maids in the manor."

Li Yuangui watched Li Xian take the soup bowl with a blank expression, and said nothing more.

Li Yuanjia smiled again, but his tone was much calmer: "It's only natural for Xian'er to care about his family. Very well, just take what I said today to heart."

Li Xian understood the unspoken meaning behind Li Yuanjia's words.

Keeping it in your heart means not saying it aloud.

He cupped his hands and said, "The two of you, my great-uncles, have come to visit today, just for a casual chat."

Li Yuanjia continued to laugh and said, "That's right, Mingyun. Now that you have established your own government and are in charge of Yongzhou, you have a great responsibility. If you have any difficulties, just ask. Although your fourteenth grand-uncle and I are old, we can still say a few words within the clan."

Then he looked at Li Yuangui beside him and said, "Fourteenth Brother, we two old bones have troubled our nephew for so long, it's time to head back home!"

Li Yuangui gave Li Xian a deep look, but ultimately said nothing, only nodded slightly, and stood up first.

Li Xian respectfully escorted the two princes to the gate of the mansion. They remained silent the entire way until their carriage rumbled away and disappeared into the end of the street. Only then did Li Xian's tense nerves relax slightly, his back already soaked with cold sweat.

Suddenly, from the opposite direction behind us, came the sound of horses' hooves.

Li Xian subconsciously turned his head, his face showing astonishment.

Wu Youji was galloping over, his clothes unbuttoned and his boots loosely worn. Upon seeing Li Xian, he looked nervous and asked urgently, "Cousin? I heard from Wang Bo that my brother Liu got drunk last night and fell into the lake?"

……

(End of this chapter)