Chapter 6: What Is Meant to Come Will Surely Come

When Crown Prince Li Chengqian appeared in the Ganlu Palace dressed in his ceremonial robes, holding a section of scorched Xiangfei bamboo, the expression on Li Kuan’s face was one of total collapse.

As for Li Tai, he looked utterly horrified.

The reason was simple: the Xiangfei bamboo in the Crown Prince's hands was the very same fishing rod that he and his second brother had fashioned in the side hall of the East Palace. Li Tai had even crafted that specific rod for his eldest brother as a gesture of gratitude for letting them use the space as their secret workshop.

Who would have thought that, in the end, their eldest brother would sell them out?

Sure enough, when Li Er’s gaze fell upon the bamboo in Li Chengqian’s hands, he paused significantly. He then shifted his eyes to Li Kuan and Li Tai.

Well, the mystery was solved.

"That cluster of Xiangfei bamboo I worked so hard to cultivate—it was you two little brats who ruined it!"

"Father, Mother!" The naive Crown Prince, completely unaware that he had just backstabbed his two younger brothers, maintained a earnest expression. "My second brother intimidated our third brother, nearly causing him to fall into the water. It is because I failed to guide my second brother properly in my daily duties that this farce occurred. Therefore, I have come specifically to confess my sins to you both. Please, Father and Mother, punish me!"

As Li Chengqian spoke, he knelt onto the floor with a loud thud, holding the rod—which looked suspiciously like a fishing pole—high above his head.

*Damn it...*

Li Kuan and Li Tai exchanged a glance and simultaneously closed their eyes in agony. *Oh, my foolish eldest brother...*

That thing you’re holding isn’t an instrument of penance; it’s the fresh evidence of our crime.

Of course, in Li Tai’s mind, if he had been there at the time, he wouldn’t have let anyone mess with his second brother. What did it matter if the third brother was involved? If his second brother had merely intimidated him, he would have let it slide, but if his second brother had actually laid a hand on him, he, Li Tai, certainly wouldn't have hesitated to join in the beating.

"Heh... hehe..." Li Er let out a cold laugh, glancing at the two little rascals bowing their heads beside him. "Good, very good. As expected of my 'good' sons. I was wondering who had hacked away at the cluster of Xiangfei bamboo in the Imperial Garden, and here is the culprit."

"Father, I cannot allow you to speak of my eldest brother that way," Li Kuan, ever quick-witted, immediately stood up to defend Li Chengqian with righteous indignation. "My eldest brother is not someone who would play around like that."

"Ah? ...Ah, yes, exactly!" little fatty Li Tai chimed in from the side, "Eldest brother is not that kind of person at all."

"Am I talking about your eldest brother?" Li Er glared at the nonsensical Li Kuan, then reached out to ruffle Li Tai’s head. "And you—stop learning from your second brother!"

Li Chengqian only then realized that the bamboo in his hands shouldn't have appeared there. But holding the heavy "evidence," he found himself in a difficult spot.

"Enough!" Li Er glanced at the honest-hearted Li Chengqian and shook his head helplessly. "Get up."

"Thank you, Father!" Li Chengqian stood up obediently. Then, feeling his hands grow light, he looked up to see that the clever and quick-witted Princess Changle had already claimed the little fishing rod as her own. She grinned at the somewhat stunned Li Shimin, "Daddy, Changle likes it!"

Princess Changle’s overt cover-up of her brothers’ "crime" did not incite Li Er’s anger; instead, it stirred his affection. Li Er bent down to scoop up his sweet, sensible daughter, then turned to glare at the certain "rascal" and "little fool." "If you do this again, I’ll break your legs!"

"Daddy, which time are you referring to?" Li Tai once again displayed his talent for touching on the wrong subject.

"Daddy, I understand!" Li Kuan quickly pulled Li Tai behind him and flashed what he considered an innocent smile at Li Er, only to be met with a sigh of resignation.

"Sigh... the misfortune of my house." Li Er, holding his daughter, swept his gaze over his three sons and felt that he should really make more of an effort with Empress Zhangsun.

"Alright, Erlang," Empress Zhangsun, seeing the moment was right, stepped in to smooth things over. "Since Kuan’er already knows his mistake, there certainly won't be a next time. You don't need to stay angry."

"Yes, yes," Li Kuan nodded repeatedly. "There definitely won't be a next time."

He certainly wouldn't be so careless as to do it himself next time. After his near-death experience, not only had he gained vague memories of a past life, but he had also inexplicably gained a summoning space. He had three thousand immortal shadow assassins at his beck and call. It was only because he was young that their combat power was comparable to the palace guards; once he grew stronger, wouldn't anything he wanted to do be a piece of cake?

"Hmph, you won't do it yourself next time, is that it?" Li Er saw through Li Kuan’s little thoughts at a glance.

"Daddy," Li Kuan’s eyes widened in shock. "Are you a roundworm in my stomach?!"

"You brat!" Li Er, still holding his daughter, shook his head in frustration, too tired to engage with this blockhead. Could he admit that when he had conflicts with Li Jiancheng and Li Yuanji back in the day, he had thought the exact same thing?

"Alright, let's prepare to dine." Empress Zhangsun looked with amusement and helplessness at the pair of father and son who seemed destined to be at odds, deciding it was best to turn a blind eye.

...

"Second brother," when the family was gathered around the table for the meal, Li Tai leaned in cautiously to complain, "you always say I'm dim, but I don't think your brain is very sharp either... how could you blurt out your innermost thoughts to Father like that?"

"Be quiet and eat your food! Otherwise, I'm not taking you fishing in the Imperial Garden later!" Li Kuan picked up a piece of braised beef and placed it in his brother's bowl. This silly kid didn't know a thing; was there anything the two of them could hide from Li Er at this moment? Confessing was the only way to avoid physical punishment.

"Brother Kuan, try this," Li Chengqian, seeing that his father had noticed the two brothers whispering and fearing that his father’s anger might lead to his brothers being punished, quickly interrupted their secret conversation. He placed a shrimp he had peeled himself into Li Kuan’s bowl, constantly signaling him with his eyes.

"Eldest brother, what’s wrong? Why are you twitching?" Li Kuan frowned at his brother’s facial spasms until Li Er gave a light cough, at which point he finally understood.

"Oh! Thank you, Eldest Brother!" Li Kuan suddenly said in a loud, dramatic voice, "It is my great honor to receive a shrimp peeled by you!" As he spoke, he handed the shrimp to the pouting Li Tai.

Afterward, Li Kuan reached out to pat his brother’s head, signaling him not to take it to heart. He then took the platter of shrimp and began peeling them for everyone. Naturally, the first one he peeled was popped into the mouth of the expectant Princess Changle.

Li Er and Empress Zhangsun watched their second son, who was acting like a master of balancing family relations. The two exchanged a glance; the former shook his head with a wry smile, while the latter couldn't help but chuckle.

With a son who understood how to be a devoted brother, perhaps even if he committed some minor faults, it didn't really matter.

Just as Li Kuan was laughing and peeling shrimp for his family, the palace lady Yulin arrived to report, "Your Highness, Empress, Consort Yang and the Third Prince are outside requesting an audience."

As soon as she finished speaking, Li Kuan, who had been lecturing his eldest brother, immediately stood up, intending to climb out the window. He wasn't afraid of that little punk Li Ke, but his birth mother, Consort Yang—a gentle, delicate beauty who had always been very good to him. Since he had just beaten up Li Ke, whether she was coming to hold him accountable or to apologize, Li Kuan felt incredibly awkward.

"You brat, get back here and sit down!" Li Er never had a kind face for his most rebellious son. He scolded him with a dark face, but Li Kuan remained unmoved, busy gauging which window behind the screen was at the right height.

In the end, it was Empress Zhangsun who spoke, causing Li Kuan to abandon his escape plan: "Kuan’er, sit down properly. Avoiding problems is not how a man should behave. Besides, your father and I are here."

"Mother," Li Kuan sat back in his seat, looked up at Li Er, and rubbed his nose, "the problem is exactly that Father is here..."

He was the real trouble.