Joy of Life: Many Children, Many Blessings; Intercepting Si Lili

Upon hearing the line "The boundless forest sheds its leaves with a rustling sound, the endless Yangtze River rolls on," a look of great surprise flashed across Emperor Qing's eyes.

"Was this really written by the third brother?"

He chuckled and tossed the arrow back onto the table.

"He usually seems quiet and reserved, but I never expected him to have such literary talent and courage. I underestimated him."

Such a superb seven-character regulated verse stirred even the heart of the king.

As for who exactly wanted to assassinate Li Chengye...

Emperor Qing's mind was as clear as a mirror.

Apart from the Crown Prince, who couldn't tolerate his brothers, no one else had the guts or would use such crude methods.

"Since more than a dozen assassins went, and the third brother doesn't know martial arts, how did he escape?"

Eunuch Hou swallowed hard and reported the rumors circulating among the people on the street.

"It is said that a man wearing a straw hat appeared at that time."

"That person moved with incredible speed, killing without shedding blood. Rumor has it... that he possesses the cultivation of a Grandmaster!"

Upon hearing this, the air in the imperial study instantly became deathly silent.

The feigned concern on Emperor Qing's face vanished completely, replaced by extreme solemnity.

He sat up abruptly.

Grandmaster?

There are only a handful of grandmasters in the world, and all the various forces are keeping a close eye on them.

I've never heard of any grandmaster having a penchant for wearing straw hats.

Could it be that Si Gu Jian, who is far away in Dongyi City, has infiltrated the capital?

Emperor Qing's breathing became heavier.

Even if it were Si Gu Jian, how could it be such a coincidence that he stepped in to save Lao San just when he was about to be assassinated?

There's no such thing as a coincidence in this world.

A name that was extremely ancient yet unforgettable suddenly surfaced in his mind.

Ye Qingmei.

The third son is that woman's bloodline.

Could this be a contingency plan she left behind before her death?

The mere thought of that name stirred within Emperor Qing an intense, deep-seated dread.

That woman had too many trump cards up her sleeve, and they were terrifying.

If she truly left behind a hidden grandmaster to protect her son, then the safety of the Qing Kingdom's royal family would become a joke.

"Issue my decree."

Emperor Qing stood up and looked out the window at the night sky.

"Use all the spies from the Censorate and the Imperial Treasury to dig deep into the ground for me."

"We must find out the identity of that man in the straw hat!"

……

Inside a secret room in the Qi Prince's residence.

Li Chengye sat cross-legged on the jade bed, his eyes slightly closed, intently cultivating the newly integrated "Mingyu Gong".

The spiritual energy of heaven and earth around him flowed into his body through the major acupoints on his body.

His skin had a smooth, jade-like sheen.

The internal energy within the body no longer leaks out even a fraction.

Instead, it continuously contracts and condenses deep into the dantian along the eight extraordinary meridians.

He was like a deep pool, calm on the surface but containing a powerful force that could devour everything.

The methods of Mingyu Gong became increasingly refined and proficient under his practice.

As his true energy completed a full cycle, his bones emitted a series of subtle popping sounds.

Just then, Li Chengye's expression shifted slightly.

His incredibly keen senses detected a procession of carriages approaching outside the Prince's residence.

And it stopped right in front of its own front door.

Li Chengye decisively stopped circulating his cultivation technique, and with a thought, he suppressed all the vast fluctuations of true energy around his body back to his dantian.

In the blink of an eye, his otherworldly aura vanished.

He once again transformed into the gentle and refined Prince Qi.

"Your Highness."

A clear and respectful voice came from outside the door.

"The Second Prince has arrived. He said he heard you were frightened and brought some tonics to visit you."

"The person has been invited to the front hall for tea."

Li Chengye pushed open the door, a faint smile appearing on his lips.

"My second brother is quite well-informed."

He naturally knew what Li Chengze was planning by coming here in the middle of the night.

They're just taking advantage of the Crown Prince's foolishness to curry favor with me, hoping to win me over.

But this is for the best; in the game of thrones, having another stepping stone is never a bad thing.

Li Chengye straightened his clothes.

"Let's go, come with me to meet my second brother."

The front hall of the Prince of Qi's residence.

Li Chengye walked calmly through the corridor, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.

Li Chengze came over in the middle of the night, ostensibly to visit, but in reality to win him over; this intention was impossible to hide from him.

As for the details of the assassins on the street tonight, Yuan Tiangang had already handed him detailed information an hour ago.

Those men in black were all assassins secretly trained by Crown Prince Li Chengqian.

Seeing that he was stealing the show at the poetry gathering, the Crown Prince couldn't contain his anger and resorted to such despicable means.

Li Chengye kept this debt in mind.

The Crown Prince will pay the price for his foolishness sooner or later, and he will have to settle accounts with the Crown Prince sooner or later.

The moment he stepped into the hall, Li Chengye concealed all his sharpness, his face turning pale with shock.

Li Chengze was sitting in the guest seat with a teacup in his hand. As soon as he saw Li Chengye come out, he immediately put down his cup and hurried forward to greet him.

"Third brother, you're finally out!"

"Upon hearing that you were attacked in the street, my second brother rushed over without even putting on his outer robe properly."

Li Chengze looked at Li Chengye with concern, scrutinizing him from head to toe, afraid of missing even the slightest injury.

Li Chengye bowed slightly and returned the greeting with a cupped hand.

"Thank you for your concern, Second Brother."

"My brother was just a little frightened, but he didn't break any skin or flesh, so he's fine."

Upon hearing this, Li Chengze made a gesture of relief, patting his chest heavily as if to say something like, "I'm very relieved."

"It's good that you're alright!"

"The security situation in Kyoto is getting increasingly outrageous. Right under the emperor's nose, a thief actually dared to assassinate a prince in the street!"

He solemnly cursed the prefect of Kyoto a few times, then changed the subject, a mischievous smile appearing on his face.

"Third brother, since you've been frightened, staying cooped up in the mansion will only lead to more overthinking."

"Come on, your second brother will take you to a nice place to calm your nerves!"

Li Chengye feigned hesitation, raised his eyes, and asked:

"Where are you taking me, Second Brother, in the middle of the night?"

Li Chengze grabbed his arm and led him outside, laughing wildly.

"Naturally, it's the most notorious den of iniquity in Kyoto, Zuixianju!"

Unable to refuse, Li Chengye readily agreed.

Seeing that he agreed, Li Chengze's smile became even brighter, and he walked ahead to lead the way with great interest.

……

At Zuixianju, the lights were still bright and the sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air.

In the most secluded and luxurious boudoir on the top floor, a faint fragrance of incense burned.

Si Lili was reclining on the soft couch, her long, straight legs crossed, the silk skirt sliding down her skin, exuding irresistible allure.

Her alluring figure appeared even more enchanting in the flickering candlelight.

But she had no time to care about the noise outside; her mind was filled with the image of the woods on the outskirts of the city.

The white-clad youth, his superb archery skills that could shoot down the sun, and his domineering declaration that he would leave her to serve him.

Whenever she recalled the moments they spent together, Si Lili couldn't help but smile secretly, her face beaming with a touch of spring.