Chapter 63: The Awakened Fighting Spirit

"Second Brother..." Sometimes, Li Tai really had a headache dealing with Li Kuan, who could never grasp the main point of a conversation. "Is that really the point?"

"How is that not the point?" Li Kuan immediately looked displeased. "You and Xiao Ke have always been protected by me, your second brother. Only when I couldn't handle things would the eldest brother step in.

He is the crown prince! If he frequently shows favoritism toward us and causes his public reputation to plummet, what would become of us?

Therefore, you two had better stop causing trouble for the eldest brother. Otherwise, if you implicate him and he gets deposed from his position as crown prince, and Father forces me to take the throne instead, see if I don't break both your legs!"

"..." Watching his second brother talk eloquently while indulging in wild fantasies, Li Tai really wanted to say that his second brother was overthinking things.

Even if His Majesty kept having children until he was sixty, just like their imperial grandfather, he would never consider Second Brother.

After all, while you might be a fool, His Majesty is certainly not.

"And then?" Noticing his younger brother still in a daze, Li Kuan wore a rather unkind expression. After a moment of thought, the Prince of Chu, whose anger had yet to subside, didn't hesitate to raise his hand and flick his brother sharply on the forehead. "You only remembered me when you were at your wit's end, right? Speak, what on earth has happened? Otherwise, you wouldn't have come running to find me."

"Sigh..." Li Tai didn't even have the heart to reach out and cover his throbbing head. "Later... later I went to ask the eldest brother. Upon learning of the matter, he looked solemn and strictly warned me: *Never mention this to you.* Because those rumors were completely unfounded, and a cold-shoulder approach was the best remedy. Otherwise, once someone took them seriously, the one who would ultimately suffer losses would definitely be the third brother..."

"Fine," Li Kuan nodded. By this time, he had essentially guessed the direction the matter was taking. "Cut the chatter and tell me straight: which idiot in the court took it seriously?"

"Our dad... and our uncle..." Li Tai pursed his lips and looked at Li Kuan.

"Uncle is back? Tell me in detail." Li Kuan had already stepped out of his horse-stance and started lifting his calves in place, trying to loosen his slightly stiffened muscles.

"Our dad didn't know whose slander he listened to, so he invited a physiognomist to enter the palace and read Third Brother's fortune!" Li Tai phrased it very cleverly; everyone knew who "whose" referred to.

Zhangsun Wuji could certainly never accept his nephew's crown prince position facing even the slightest threat.

"Sigh..." Li Kuan let out a helpless sigh. "These adults who never let anyone have peace..."

Having made up his decision, Li Kuan shouted loudly toward the interior of Hongyi Palace: "Imperial Grandfather! Your grandson has matters to attend to today, so I'm heading back first. I'll come see you again tomorrow!"

"Get lost already!" The Retired Emperor, who was inside the hall pondering whether to drink tiger bone wine tonight to go on a rampage, was startled into a shiver by his grandson's roar.

"Who knows what that old man is fantasizing about while well-fed and warm." Li Kuan muttered under his breath, then walked out of Hongyi Palace along with his younger brother.

***

"Where is he now?" Li Kuan asked, stretching his arms as he began to figure out how to rescue his younger brother, Li Ke.

"In the Taiji Hall, probably." Li Tai scratched his head. "Changle said she would help me keep an eye on things. If the location changes, she'll definitely send someone to notify me."

"Even Changle seems more reliable than you." Li Kuan irritably reached out and ruffled his brother's hair into a mess before asking, "Who is the one coming into the palace for physiognomy?" Just which Taoist master was so bold?

"A senior master of the Taoist sect, Yuan Tiangang." Li Tai spoke with a deeply respectful tone.

Hearing his brother's words, Li Kuan's eyes narrowed. Of course he had an impression of this person; the legendary prophetic book *Pushibei* originated from him and his junior fellow apprentice, Li Chunfeng.

Of course, the reason this man enjoyed such high renown was naturally not because of the yet-unborn *Pushibei*.

The rise of Yuan Tiangang had to be credited to one person: Li Yuan.

In the first year of the Daye era, Yuan Tiangang had read the fortunes of three men: Du Yan, Wang Gui, and Wei Ting. Although his predictions for the three varied slightly, they all shared a terrifying conclusion: "Within twenty years, all three of you will reach at least the third rank in officialdom!"

Later, time flew by like a white steed passing a gap. Twenty-three years later, when Li Yuan entered Chang'an and became emperor, those three men who had previously sought Yuan Tiangang's fortune indeed rose rapidly in succession, attaining the third rank. (All three were exiled in the sixth year of the Wude era, only to be re-employed in the ninth year of Wude. Yuan Tiangang had foreseen all these details, and even estimated their lifespans. Later on, he even prophesied that Wu Zetian would become the ruler of the realm.)

Yuan Tiangang, the divine charlatan, became famous in a single battle.

Today, Yuan Tiangang's name was known far and wide, and vaguely, he was beginning to take on the aura of a leader within the Taoist sect.

Yet today, he was destined to suffer a crushing defeat.

Because Yuan Tiangang, who had achieved fame overnight, would from this day onward be repeatedly tormented by a certain brat, leading to endless misfortune for the rest of his life.

While conversing, the brothers Li Kuan and Li Tai arrived at the plaza outside Taiji Hall.

"Xiao Tai, I forgot something." Li Kuan looked at his younger sister Changle, who was waving at him, with a somewhat annoyed tone. "Before coming here, I should have stopped by Wude Hall first. I remember there was a serpent-spear about eighteen spans long in there that would have suited me quite well."

Without a proper weapon at hand later, how could he command the scene?

"Second Brother, why didn't you just say 'Fetch me my Fangtian Painted Halberd'?" Li Tai looked at his older brother, who still had the mood to joke around, and inexplicably felt a surge of worry for his third brother, who was treading on thin ice inside the hall.

"Why so serious?" Li Kuan gave his brother a sideways glance. "Just some stinky old Taoist priest, yet he has the guts to meddle in imperial family affairs. Watch me handle him in a minute!"

***

Having prepared himself to give Yuan Tiangang a reality check later, the Prince of Chu racked his brains while walking, trying to remember exactly where Emperor Taizong's beloved sword was kept inside the hall.

Lost in thought, Li Kuan opened his arms wide and caught his younger sister, Changle, who leaped straight from the steps into his embrace. "Be a good girl and stay put. No matter what happens inside later, Changle, you are not allowed to go in."

Tapping his sister lightly on the forehead and seeing her pout with a wronged expression, Li Kuan thought for a moment and then nudged his younger brother with his foot. "Xiao Tai, you aren't going in either. Stay right here and keep Changle company."

"Huh?" Li Tai, who was busy planning how to coordinate with his second brother, suddenly heard this bad news and wore an extremely reluctant expression.

"Listen to me." Li Kuan glared at his brother, then patted his shoulder. "Changle is still young. If things get too rowdy later, take her and leave. Remember that?"

"Oh..." Unable to refuse his second brother, Li Tai could only nod in agreement.

"Second Brother! I'm not young anymore!" Changle waved her small fists in protest from the side.

"Even if you were eighty, you'd still be my little sister." Li Kuan tapped Changle's forehead with his finger. "Be a good girl and listen to Second Brother, or the next time Second Brother leaves the palace, he won't bring you any gifts."

"Fine..." Unwilling to anger her second brother, the little girl had no choice but to squat down on the steps outside Taiji Hall alongside her fourth brother Li Kuan—whose mood was equally gloomy—left and right, nursing their boredom and grievances in silence.

"Your Highness..." Eunuch Yun Shang saw the little demon king approaching. Despite his fear, he mustered his courage and braced himself to block the path. "His Majesty is discussing matters with the ministers inside the hall..."

"Get lost!" Li Kuan used a single glance alone to make Yun Shang shrink back and clear the way.

"Remember, if the commotion gets too big later, make sure to take Princess Changle and the Fourth Imperial Prince and leave immediately. If I find out you failed to do this, watch out, I'll break your legs!" After issuing this parting warning to Yun Shang, the Prince of Chu, just as he was about to step through the gates of Taiji Hall, glanced back at the two small figures huddled together on the steps not far away. In that instant, his fighting spirit soared to its peak.

Are you kidding me?!

The younger siblings of me, Li Kuan, shall be bullied by no one except me!

If anyone refuses to believe it, let them try!