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

Si Lili's beautiful face instantly turned red, the blush spreading all the way down to her neck.

She was already beautiful, but now her radiant appearance made her even more captivating.

Seeing this, the madam quickly stepped forward to smooth things over.

"Oh, young master, you're up! Miss Li looks better and better."

The madam, waving her silk handkerchief, grinned from ear to ear.

The girls joined in with a few teasing remarks.

Si Lili was so embarrassed that she stomped her feet and urged them to leave.

The madam then told the girls to disperse and not disturb them any further.

Not long after everyone left, a commotion suddenly arose downstairs.

Immediately afterwards, a high-pitched voice pierced through the lobby and reached the top floor.

"Imperial edict has arrived!"

Eunuch Hou led several young eunuchs, carrying bright yellow scrolls, and hurried upstairs.

Upon seeing Li Chengye standing in the corridor, Eunuch Hou quickly stepped forward and bowed in greeting.

"This old servant greets Your Highness the Third Prince. His Majesty has decreed that Prince Qi be summoned to the palace for an audience immediately."

"Your Highness, please!"

Si Lili, standing behind Li Chengye, was suddenly startled.

The Emperor summoned me?!

A strong sense of worry immediately welled up in Si Lili's heart.

He was a spy from Northern Qi, infiltrated into the capital, and his identity was extremely sensitive.

Could it be that the emperor suddenly issued an edict summoning him at this time because he had left some clues that implicated him?

Thinking of this, Si Lili rushed forward and couldn't help but grab Li Chengye's sleeve.

She looked at Li Chengye with worried eyes, hesitant to speak.

Li Chengye stopped and turned to look at her. Meeting Si Lili's worried gaze, Li Chengye took her soft hand in his.

He gently rubbed his thumb twice on Si Lili's fair hand, his eyes calm and composed.

This simple gesture instantly calmed Si Lili's inner turmoil.

Knowing that Li Chengye was aware of the situation, she slowly loosened her grip, took a half step back, and watched Li Chengye follow Eunuch Hou downstairs and leave.

No sooner had Li Chengye left than the atmosphere inside Zuixianju exploded.

The eunuch Hou's voice was quite loud just now; most of the people in Zuixianju could hear it clearly.

The madam and the girls gathered together again, chattering amongst themselves.

"My goodness, that young master is actually the Third Prince!"

"Lili is actually so close to the Third Prince? Judging from how they held hands just now, could it be that she's really been won over by the Third Prince?"

A girl in a green dress frowned and muttered to herself:

"I've heard that the Third Prince is sickly and has never been favored in the palace."

"Besides reciting a couple of sentimental poems, she has no real power. Sister Lili is the top courtesan at our Drunken Immortal Inn; countless princes and nobles line up to see her."

"He's just a sickly prince who's only recently been crowned king; he's not worthy of even paying attention to Sister Li!"

These words immediately drew agreement from several girls.

Hearing these criticisms, Si Lili's pretty face darkened. She walked directly to the stairwell, her gaze sweeping over everyone, her voice crisp and clear:

"Listen up, all of you!"

"His Highness the Third Prince is a figure to be reckoned with; it is none of your place to speak ill of him. Anyone who dares to utter a single bad word about His Highness in the future will be refused service at Zuixianju!"

Upon hearing this, the hall fell completely silent.

Everyone was shocked and completely baffled as to what kind of bewitching spell the Third Prince had cast.

What could possibly make the usually aloof and proud courtesan Si Lili so devoted to protecting him in public?

The madam stood to the side, her eyelids twitching.

Si Lili is the biggest cash cow of Zuixianju.

Her attitude directly affected the brothel's income. Even if the madam had doubts about the third prince, she could only go along with Si Lili's wishes.

The madam hardened her face, turned to the group of girls and servants, and issued a warning:

"Are you all mute? Didn't you hear what Miss Lili said?!"

"From now on, anyone who dares to speak ill of the Third Prince will be ordered to pack their things and get out of Zuixianju!"

Everyone shuddered in fright and shut their mouths, not daring to utter another word.

……

the other side.

Li Chengye rode in a carriage and entered the palace without any hindrance.

After passing through numerous palace gates, he finally arrived outside the Imperial Study.

Eunuch Hou went in and announced the arrival. He then stepped aside to let Li Chengye enter.

Li Chengye stepped across the threshold and looked up to see Emperor Qing sitting upright behind the large imperial desk.

Looking at this man, Li Chengye felt a surge of murderous intent.

This is the man who, for power and the throne, personally plotted to murder his own mother, Ye Qingmei. He has never forgotten this blood debt.

However, on the surface, Li Chengye showed no emotion whatsoever.

He composed himself, slumped his shoulders slightly, and deliberately adopted a lazy, unserious demeanor.

"Your subject pays respects to Your Majesty."

Li Chengye casually cupped his hands in greeting.

He barely bent over, and his tone was light and casual.

Emperor Qing put down the memorial in his hand and slowly raised his head. His gaze, as if it were tangible, fell directly on Li Chengye, scrutinizing him from head to toe.

Emperor Qing's brow twitched slightly after just one glance.

He keenly sensed that the third brother seemed to have changed.

The sickly, pale-faced prince of the past is gone.

The man before him, Li Chengye, was tall and handsome, with an extraordinary and refined air about him.

This cannot be explained simply by growing up.

Emperor Qing was deep in thought. He immediately thought of the Grandmaster in the bamboo hat who had appeared out of nowhere last night.

Could it be that the third brother secretly practiced some advanced martial arts without telling anyone?

This change in temperament is precisely the outward manifestation of mastering martial arts.

Thinking of this, Emperor Qing did not speak, but silently circulated the domineering true energy within his body.

An immense aura of a grandmaster instantly emanated from him.

This aura was invisible and colorless, yet it carried an extremely strong sense of oppression, like a large net enveloping Li Chengye.

Emperor Qing attempted to secretly examine his body to see if there were any traces of true qi circulating within him.

The moment the aura struck, Li Chengye's Mingyu Gong instinctively reacted. He immediately sensed Emperor Qing's probing.

Li Chengye chuckled inwardly.

Emperor Qing probably never dreamed that the martial arts he cultivated were not a product of this world at all.

The martial arts in this world, whether it's the domineering true qi or the Heavenly Dao, are essentially cultivated by absorbing the residue of nuclear radiation.

The martial arts practiced by Li Chengye were all pure internal energy rewarded by the system, forming a complete system and extremely restrained. The two were not even in the same system.

He stood there calmly and didn't offer any resistance, letting Emperor Qing's aura sweep over him.

Emperor Qing's aura circulated within Li Chengye's body, but it was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, not even causing a ripple.

There was absolutely no fluctuation of true energy belonging to this world.

In Emperor Qing's perception.

The third brother's meridians were unremarkable, and even gave the impression of being weak for many years.