Duke of Zhenguan

Chapter 112 The Desolate Li Yuan

Looking at the four burly guards opposite them, Zhao Fu and Zhao Gui twitched their lips and gripped their sword hilts.

Li Cang's face turned pale and then red, his gaze fixed on Lin Chuan. After a moment, his eyes hardened, and he waved to the guards behind him.

The moment Lin Chuan saw Li Cang wave, he pulled Yan Liu Niangzi and Er Ya back two steps and whispered, "Cover your ears! Don't look!"

Xu Laosan stepped forward, holding his sword and standing in front of the three men. One of the guards kept an eye on the surroundings, while Zhao Fu and Zhao Gui smiled coldly, drew their swords, and went to meet them.

"Bang!"

"what!"

The sound of clashing blades and Li Cang's scream rang out almost simultaneously. The two burly guards were just for show. Zhao Fu and Zhao Gui, both veterans of battle, saw through their opponent's strength at a glance. They didn't even use any special techniques; they simply grabbed their swords and charged forward.

The immense force not only cleaved the sword from the opponent's hand but also tore two large gashes in the opponent's neck.

Although they didn't sever the other man's neck, the two guards collapsed in front of Li Cang without even making a sound, clutching their necks in despair.

Li Cang, splattered with blood, screamed in terror, his crotch soaked.

Seeing Li Cang's disgraceful behavior, Lin Chuan disgustedly pulled Er Ya and Yan Liu Niangzi back a few steps.

"That's good enough!"

After whispering an instruction to Xu Laosan, Lin Chuan left the temple with Er Ya and Yan Liu Niangzi.

Standing at the door, Lin Chuan glanced at Er Ya, whose face was pale, and softly comforted her, "Don't worry, that old bastard will definitely never dare to show his face in front of you again!"

"Brother, have I caused you any trouble?" Er Ya asked nervously.

"Silly girl, what are you saying? It was that old beast who came to our door, how could it be you who caused the trouble?"

"Even if you were the one who caused this trouble, would I just ignore you? You're my sister, don't be afraid, I'll handle it!" Lin Chuan said with a smile.

"Er Ya, don't worry, we're in the right today. Even if things get to His Majesty, it'll be fine!" Yan Liu Niangzi comforted her softly.

Er Ya nodded timidly.

Seeing Er Ya's appearance, Lin Chuan couldn't help but recall the look of guilt on Er Ya's face when she told Li Shi that she had been sold a year ago, and he wished he could go in and kill Li Cang.

After waiting a while, Xu Laosan came out with Zhao Fu and Zhao Gui, and whispered to Lin Chuan, "Young master, two are dead, and the other two are probably scared out of their wits. I think the Marquis of Leping County was terrified. Is he alright?"

"fine!"

Lin Chuan shook his head.

After Li Cang's interference, Lin Chuan lost interest in the meeting and took Er Ya and Yan Liu Niangzi home.

Once inside, Lin Chuan whispered to Xu Laosan, "Old Xu, when Er Ya goes out, make sure two extra people accompany her!"

"Yes!" Xu Laosan nodded.

Yong'anfang.

After returning to the mansion with two guards, Li Cang took a bath with the help of a maid and sat in the room with a gloomy face.

A moment later, the butler came in and asked cautiously, "Master, Lei Wu and Zhou Gou'er's wives and children are crying and pleading about their funeral arrangements—"

Li Cang was instantly enraged. He picked up a teacup from the table and smashed it at the steward, roaring as he did so, "All of you are useless! You're dead, so what? And you dare to come and whine? Beat you to death and throw you into a mass grave!"

The steward dared not dodge, and stubbornly endured the blow, ignoring the pain, and softly advised, "Master, after all, the person is dead. Why don't you just kick him out and let it go?"

"So what I said doesn't count anymore, does it? Huh?" Li Cang asked the butler coldly, enunciating each word clearly.

"I'll go right away, I'll go right away—"

Watching the steward leave, Li Cang grew increasingly angry. He sat in the room for a while, glanced at the sky, then stood up and strode outside, shouting, "Prepare the horses!"

Upon entering the palace, Li Cang followed the eunuch to the palace where Li Yuan resided. As soon as he stepped inside, his knees buckled, and he knelt down, crying out to Li Yuan, "Your Majesty, you must avenge your nephew!"

She crawled towards Li Yuan on her knees while crying.

Li Yuan was groping two palace maids when he saw Li Cang. He released the maids, waved them away, and then angrily scolded Li Cang, "You're already in your forties! What kind of behavior is this, crying and sobbing like this! Get up!"

Li Cang obediently got up and stood hunched over in front of Li Yuan.

Li Yuan nodded in satisfaction and asked, "Speak, what happened this time?"

"Your Majesty, I went to Guangming Temple to pray for you today, but I ran into the Earl of Longmen County. I saw that the maidservant beside him was pretty, so I thought of asking for her to present to you. But the Earl of Longmen County, that peasant boy, drew his sword at me without saying a word, and my two guards were beheaded on the spot!"

This farmer's son not only killed someone, but also called his nephew a beast!

"Your Majesty, although I am a good-for-nothing, I still have the blood of the Li family flowing through my veins. How dare the Earl of Longmen County call me a beast!" Li Cang cried, his eyes brimming with tears.

"You failed to abduct a woman and even lost two people. Isn't that shameful enough?" Li Yuan grabbed a plate from the table and threw it at Li Cang.

"Your Majesty, please understand! The men around that peasant boy are all fierce and menacing, clearly elite soldiers. I don't know how they got them to be my bodyguards. How could I have dared to snatch him!" Li Cang knelt down again with a thud, pleading in a pitiful voice.

Li Cang was still performing when a palace attendant hurried in and whispered in Li Yuan's ear, "Your Majesty, the Emperor and Empress request an audience!"

"Let them in!" Li Yuan waved his hand.

A moment later, Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun entered the main hall one after the other, bowing to Li Yuan and saying, "Greetings, Father Emperor!"

"sit!"

Li Yuan waved his hand.

Li Cang hurriedly bowed to Li Shimin and Empress Zhangsun, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty! Greetings, Your Majesty!"

"No need for formalities!"

Li Shimin glanced at Li Cang and waved his hand dismissively.

Li Yuan glanced at Li Shimin, who was sitting obediently, and suddenly said to Li Cang, "The Emperor and Guanyinbi have just arrived. Why don't you tell them what happened?"

Li Cang's face turned deathly pale. He looked at Li Yuan with a pleading expression. Seeing that Li Yuan was unmoved, he had no choice but to repeat what he had just said to Li Yuan to Li Shimin, trembling with fear.

After listening, Li Shimin's gaze swept over Li Cang, and he asked, "Approximately how old is the maidservant beside the Earl of Longmen County?"

"Your Majesty, perhaps thirteen or fourteen years old—" Li Cang replied hesitantly, puzzled.

"As far as I know, the Earl of Longmen County has a younger sister who is exactly fourteen years old!"

The Marquis of Leping County is asking to bring the younger sister of a county earl to present to the Emperor. I wonder if this power was given to you by the Emperor, by me, or by yourself?

Li Shimin's tone remained calm, but Li Cang was so frightened that he collapsed to the ground, repeatedly saying, "Your Majesty, I know my crime! I know my crime!"

Li Shimin snorted coldly and shouted outside, "Guards, remove his imperial robes and give him forty strokes of the cane!"

"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me!"

A moment later, two strong eunuchs came in, quickly stripped Li Cang of his crimson crown robes, and dragged him outside.

Watching Li Cang's figure disappear through the doorway, Li Shimin cupped his hands towards Li Yuan and said, "Your subject acted presumptuously; please forgive me, Father!"

"That's enough!"

Li Yuan waved his hand dejectedly.