“Yes, the Tendon-Mending Muscle-Growing Powder is truly miraculous. Not long after arriving in Hedong, it completely healed. But because of the previous poisoning, despite Zhiyun’s medicine, there was still a trace of toxin that seeped into the bone marrow. Every time it rains, that leg would hurt so severely I couldn’t set it down.”
Li Shimin’s expression darkened as he said in a low voice, “Big brother, I’m sorry. I was careless and was deceived by the assassin for so long.”
Li Jiancheng patted his shoulder. “Big brother understands. This matter can’t be blamed on you. Big brother came here because there’s something I need to ask you. You must answer me truthfully.”
Li Shimin nodded. “As long as it’s something Shimin knows, I will tell big brother everything.”
“Good.” Li Jiancheng slowly pronounced this word, then said, “That day in the mountain forest, did you actually catch the assassin or not?”
Li Shimin hadn’t expected Li Jiancheng to ask about this matter immediately upon meeting. His eyelids twitched slightly as he lowered his head. “It’s all because of Shimin’s carelessness that gave Wu Laosan the opportunity to rescue the assassin. Because that mountain forest connects to the outside of the city, with rugged mountain paths and many routes, despite searching day and night, we still couldn’t catch the assassin.”
Li Jiancheng said in a stern voice, “Before returning to the mansion, I went to pay respects to Xuanba. When I left, he was still alive, seeing me off from the city together with you. In the blink of an eye, he’s already buried alone in the yellow earth. No matter how I call him, he won’t respond, and he’ll never call me big brother again.” By the end, his voice was involuntarily choking up.
“It’s Shimin’s incompetence for not catching the murderer who killed Xuanba. Please punish me, big brother!” Li Shimin said hoarsely. His hands hanging at his sides were clenched white. Although the matter with Li Xuanba had passed several months ago, every time he thought of it, his heart still ached as if being twisted. From childhood, the several brothers had the deepest feelings for each other. Yet Xuanba died tragically before even reaching adulthood, and he, as the second brother… facing the murderer, he couldn’t bring himself to act, and finally let the murderer go. He truly felt sorry for Xuanba.
Li Jiancheng looked at him deeply, his voice ice-cold. “If you truly didn’t catch her, big brother wouldn’t blame you. But I’m afraid… you deliberately let the assassin escape!”
Li Shimin’s chest suddenly tightened. Only he and Zhihong knew about this matter. How did big brother… Could it be that Zhihong told big brother? This thought was immediately rejected by him. Zhihong had always been loyal to him and couldn’t possibly do such a thing, otherwise he would have told Father right when he first let Yunyi go.
He suppressed his thoughts and said calmly, “Why does big brother ask this?”
Li Jiancheng stared at him. “I questioned the guards who accompanied the mountain search that day. They said you and Duan Zhihong were both searching in the east, but you two weren’t together, correct?”
“Correct.” As soon as Li Shimin finished speaking, Li Jiancheng immediately said, “But when I just questioned Duan Zhihong, he said he was always traveling with you. Shimin, tell me, who is lying? If it’s the guards, there were so many of them – why would they all lie with one voice? If it’s Zhihong, what would he lie for?”
Li Shimin hadn’t expected that even such a minor discrepancy would arouse Li Jiancheng’s suspicion. For a moment, he didn’t know how to answer. After a long while, he said, “Perhaps Zhihong misspoke in his haste.”
Li Jiancheng’s face darkened. “Is it really that Duan Zhihong misspoke, or is he deliberately protecting someone?”
On the other side, Duan Zhihong was filled with regret. His original intention was to provide testimony for Li Shimin, so he casually said they had searched together. He hadn’t expected Li Jiancheng to have questioned the guards first. His answer instead aroused Li Jiancheng’s suspicion – he had been too clever for his own good. But now it was too late to say anything.
Li Shimin met Li Jiancheng’s cold gaze, sharp as ice. “Is big brother suspecting me?”
Li Jiancheng didn’t answer his question, but instead took out the mountain range map Jirong had annotated from his sleeve. “According to those guards, the eastern area was a key search zone because it connects to outside the city, with literally one person every ten steps. So many people couldn’t find one injured assassin. Shimin, do you think that’s reasonable?” Without waiting for Li Shimin to answer, he shook his head. “No matter how I think about it, it doesn’t seem reasonable. Combined with Duan Zhihong’s lie, it finally made me think of a possibility – that someone deliberately let the assassin escape. And this person…” He raised his hand, pointing at the silent Li Shimin. “Is you, Shimin!”
What Duan Zhihong feared most had finally happened. He hurriedly said, “This humble servant can testify for Second Young Master – he absolutely did not let the assassin escape!”
“Silence!” Li Jiancheng suddenly roared, his handsome face becoming fierce and sinister at this moment, causing Duan Zhihong to not dare speak again.
After silencing Duan Zhihong, Li Jiancheng turned his gaze back to Li Shimin, saying coldly, “Do you still remember what Mother said before she died? She repeatedly instructed us two brothers to take good care of Xuanba and Yuanji. Yet in less than a year, Xuanba is dead, and you, as the second brother, not only failed to protect him but also let his murderer escape. Li Shimin, how can you face our dead mother and Xuanba? I ask you, how can you face them?” By the end, he had somewhat lost control, grabbing Li Shimin’s lapels and shouting loudly.
Duan Zhihong, regardless of whether he’d be scolded by Li Jiancheng, hurriedly said, “First Young Master, please calm your anger! Second Young Master truly did not deliberately let the assassin escape. Please don’t wrongly accuse Second Young Master!”
Li Jiancheng ignored him, staring deadly at Li Shimin. The latter’s body trembled slightly. After a long while, a low voice sounded in the room. “I… I thought about killing her to avenge Xuanba, but… I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Big brother, I really couldn’t bring myself to do it!”
Li Jiancheng said hatefully, “So you let her go, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I swore in my heart to let her go this once. If I see her again in the future, I will definitely kill her!”
“Definitely?” Li Jiancheng’s face was full of sarcasm. “I’m afraid next time, you’ll forget this oath again and let her go once more, until she kills everyone in the Li family!”
“No, I…” Before he could say more, Li Jiancheng coldly interrupted. “What did I tell you before I left? Don’t be soft-hearted like a woman. How did you promise me then? And what was the result? Xuanba, Feng Li, Chunxiu, and that mother and son who saved Feng Li – so many people died at her hands, yet you concealed this from everyone and let her escape. You—” He pointed at Li Shimin for a long while before squeezing out a sentence. “You’ve simply gone mad!”
Li Shimin knew this matter was his fault and let him scold him. After he finished berating him, he said lowly, “I’m sorry!”
Li Jiancheng waved his hand forcefully, his tone ice-cold. “These three words should be said to Xuanba, though I don’t think he’d want to hear them.” After a pause, he gritted his teeth again. “Beautiful women truly are disasters – this saying is absolutely correct. If I had made up my mind to kill her before leaving, none of the subsequent troubles would have happened!”