Li Shimin tightly clenched his hands hanging at his sides and said painfully: “I…”

He had only said one word when Wang Fu entered and said quietly: “First Young Master, Second Young Master, the Governor has arrived.”

Both men were startled at these words. Li Jiancheng was about to speak when a servant walked in with lowered head. When he raised his head, both Li Jiancheng and Li Shimin exclaimed in surprise: “Father?”

The person who came was indeed Li Yuan. He smiled as he stroked his long beard and said: “Well, did I give you quite a shock?”

Li Jiancheng steadied his emotions and said: “Yes, somewhat. Father, how did you… get this appearance?”

Li Yuan looked around at his own attire and said with a smile: “If not for this, how could I come to see you?”

Li Jiancheng probed: “Father, is there something you wish to instruct your sons?”

Li Yuan glanced at the two men and said: “I’ve already heard about the Wu Meixue matter. I’ve also come today regarding this. I’ve dealt with Wang Wei before and know he’s a lustful man, but I didn’t expect his lust to reach such extremes.”

Li Jiancheng said: “Father need not worry. Your son will have someone send Wu Meixue over shortly, then say a few pleasant words. That should satisfy Wang Wei.”

Li Yuan didn’t respond, turning his gaze to Li Shimin, who hadn’t said a word: “You don’t agree with doing this, do you?”

Li Shimin lowered his head and said: “Yes. Your son can accept summoning courtesans to serve them, and can also accept spending entire days accompanying them in cockfighting and dog racing, drinking and making merry. But… this kind of behavior that’s almost like forcibly seizing women from the people—your son truly finds it difficult to accept.”

Li Jiancheng was most unwilling to hear such words and immediately shouted: “One general’s success is built on ten thousand bones! If you want to accomplish great things, you cannot have the compassion of women. You pity her today—but when the Li family faces catastrophic disaster in the future, who will pity us?”

“Enough.” After stopping the two brothers’ argument, Li Yuan clapped his hands. Immediately, two young women of beautiful appearance walked in. Surprisingly, each had a hawk perched on her shoulder.

Li Yuan smiled and said: “Jiancheng, Shimin, take a look at these two hunting hawks—how are they?”

Li Jiancheng examined them carefully and said: “Their feathers are lustrous and they look fierce. They should be two fine hunting hawks. Father, where did you get them?”

“These two hawks were captured and tamed from when they were young. From small to large, they’ve eaten and slept with the hawk trainers, and have become the finest hunting hawks. No matter where they fly, as soon as the hawk trainer’s whistle sounds, they immediately return.” Saying this, Li Yuan changed the subject: “Wang Wei is a smiling tiger—his face always wears a smile, making it impossible to guess his thoughts. As for Gao Junyan, he’s quite the opposite, always wearing a stern expression that makes him difficult to approach and please. However, these two men have one common preference, which is…”

Li Shimin smiled bitterly and picked up the conversation: “Women—your son has already experienced this firsthand.”

Li Yuan shook his head: “Lustfulness is human nature. Those who don’t desire women are few and far between. The preference I’m referring to is…” He pointed at the two hunting hawks: “This!”

Li Shimin was silent for a moment, then said: “Does Father intend for me to give these two hunting hawks to them? To make up for the Wu Meixue matter?”

Li Yuan smiled: “Do you think that could make up for it?”

Li Shimin thought for a while, then shook his head: “It would be difficult. Your son can see that both Wang Wei and Gao Junyan are men with extremely vengeful hearts. Once they don’t get their way, they’ll try every means to destroy what they can’t have.”

Hearing this, Li Jiancheng said unhappily: “Since you know this, you should have handed Wu Meixue over to them early on, rather than delaying and delaying like this, making them angry. You do everything else quite well, but this one matter…” He sighed, somewhat at a loss for words.

Li Yuan saw through his thoughts and said: “Actually, what Shimin thinks isn’t entirely wrong. We should indeed try to avoid such things as much as possible.”

“But this is also something that can’t be helped.” Facing Li Jiancheng’s words, Li Yuan said: “These past years, Wang Wei and Gao Junyan have relied on the Emperor’s favor to extort many treasures. Even the tribute items meant for the Emperor, they’ve withheld much of for themselves.”

Li Shimin nodded: “Your son has also heard a little about this matter. I heard that during this period, some ministers who couldn’t stand it memorialized to impeach them. As a result, they were fine, but instead the ministers who submitted the memorials were dismissed and punished.”

“Correct.” After dismissing the two hawk-training women, he said: “Tell me, if I have them present this pair of hunting hawks and the hawk trainers as tribute to the Emperor, what do you think they’ll do?”

“Both of these things are their favorites…” Li Shimin frowned and pondered for a moment, then said: “I’m afraid they’ll quietly keep them for themselves.” At this point, his heart stirred and he said quickly: “Could it be that Father intends to use this matter to make the Emperor dissatisfied with them, or even lose trust in them?”

Li Yuan clapped his hands and laughed: “Exactly! As long as they quietly keep these two things for themselves, I’ll have a way to make them lose the Emperor’s trust and be utterly disgraced.”

Li Jiancheng thought about it and shook his head: “Wouldn’t this be too risky? In your son’s opinion, it would be better to send Wu Meixue to Wang Wei.”

Li Yuan shook his head: “I’m afraid it’s already too late. Moreover, rather than placing our fate in others’ hands, it’s better to firmly grasp it in our own!”

While Li Jiancheng was frowning in thought, Li Shimin asked: “Father, will those two hawk trainers be willing?”

Li Yuan understood his meaning and said: “They were originally bought from brothels by the hawk breeders, so it’s no matter.”

“What if Wang Wei and Gao Junyan don’t act as Father predicts? Wouldn’t our situation become very dangerous?”

Li Yuan was silent for a long while, then sighed: “There is indeed this possibility, so we must prepare for the worst.”

All of them understood clearly in their hearts that with insufficient preparation at present, rashly raising troops would be too risky. One mistake would result in total annihilation. Li Jiancheng was particularly resentful—they had finally gotten past the hurdle of Imperial Physician Zhu, only to be ruined by a small dancing girl. It was truly unbearable.

He glared at Li Shimin, then turned and said: “If that’s the case, once Wang Wei and Gao Junyan leave, your son will immediately set out for Hedong. It would be good to recruit a few more men.”

“But your foot…” Before Li Yuan could finish, Li Jiancheng had already said: “Father, rest assured. I will be careful.”

“Very well then. Take more people with you and be careful in all things.” After the matter was settled, Li Yuan quietly left Qingchun Garden. When only the two brothers remained in the room, Li Shimin spoke up: “Big brother…”

Before he could continue, Li Jiancheng said coldly: “I hope that when I return from Hedong, you will have gotten rid of this old habit of feminine compassion.”

“I understand.” Li Shimin responded, then turned and left. As he stepped out of Qingchun Garden, he looked back with a complex expression. Had he… truly done wrong?

When Wang Wei hinted at wanting Wu Meixue, should he have done as his big brother said and present it without hesitation, using a mere woman to secure the Li family’s safety?!