Li Yuan smiled bitterly, “His Majesty commands me to reach the capital within three months, how dare I not comply.”

Hearing this, Xia Houduan frowned, “Ever since I learned that His Majesty summoned Brother Li to the capital, I have been trying to gather information, but unfortunately I have never been able to discern whether His Majesty’s intentions are benevolent or malicious.” As he spoke, he lowered his voice, “Regarding the matter I discussed with Brother Li before, how is the progress?”

“It’s proceeding smoothly, but now is not the best time.” Li Yuan added, “A centipede dies hard, much less when it hasn’t died yet.”

Xia Houduan nodded, “Brother Li speaks correctly. This matter must be handled with extreme caution. Unless we have complete certainty, we must not act.”

Li Yuan set down his untouched cup of tea, “By the way, Brother Xia Hou deliberately sent someone to relay a message to me earlier, asking me to come see you first after entering the capital. What was this about?”

Li Shimin asked in surprise, “When did Uncle Xia Hou send a message to Father?”

Li Yuan smiled, “Do you remember on the road to Luoyang, one day when we stayed at an inn, someone bumped into me as we were leaving?”

Li Shimin recalled carefully and indeed remembered such an incident. He asked puzzledly, “Was that person acting deliberately?”

Li Yuan nodded, “Correct. He was sent by your Uncle Xia Hou. Using the opportunity of bumping into me, he whispered those words in my ear.” He turned his gaze to Xia Houduan, “What exactly is this about?”

Xia Houduan’s expression became serious, “Unable to fathom His Majesty’s intentions, I cast a divination for Brother Li. The hexagram was extremely peculiar, leaving me unable to decipher it, but it did remind me of something.” After a pause, he continued, “Brother Li, do you remember when I read your physiognomy several years ago?”

Li Yuan thought briefly, “Naturally I remember. What about it?”

Xia Houduan said gravely, “The alchemist An Jiatuo beside His Majesty is also skilled in physiognomy and fortune-telling. His Majesty is currently extremely wary of those with the surname Li. If An Jiatuo discerns that Brother Li possesses extraordinary bone structure, then given His Majesty’s nature of preferring to wrongly kill a thousand rather than let one escape, he will surely have Brother Li executed.”

Whether it was Li Yuan’s fortune or Yang Guang’s misfortune, although Li Yuan had previously attended court audiences with Yang Guang many times, he had rarely encountered An Jiatuo face to face. Even on the occasional meetings, they were merely fleeting encounters.

Upon hearing this, Li Yuan frowned deeply, “According to Brother Xia Hou’s words, am I unable to enter the Purple Forbidden Palace?”

Li Shimin interjected, “But if Father comes to Luoyang without entering the palace, His Majesty will likewise not spare Father. What can be done?”

“The Purple Forbidden Palace must be entered, but before that, Brother Li’s physiognomy must be slightly altered.” As he spoke, he took a brush used by women to draw eyebrows and drew Li Yuan’s eyebrow tips slightly downward.

Strangely enough, just these few strokes on the eyebrows made Li Yuan appear completely different, as if he had lost his previous vital spirit.

After setting down the brush, Xia Houduan recited a birth date and time, “Brother Li, remember this: tomorrow if anyone asks for your birth date and time, you must use what I’ve told you. Do not speak truthfully, otherwise An Jiatuo can still deduce your destiny from your real birth date and time. Remember this well!”

Li Yuan exhaled lightly and nodded, “I understand. Thank you for the reminder, Brother Xia Hou.” After his words, Li Shimin rose and bowed deeply to Xia Houduan, “Thank you, Uncle Xia Hou, for protecting my father so. Your kindness, Shimin will forever remember in his heart.”

Xia Houduan helped him up, “Nephew, you speak too formally. Your father and I have many years of friendship. Now that he faces trouble, how could I stand by and watch? Please rise.” As he spoke, his gaze casually swept across Li Shimin’s face. Just as he was about to look away, his expression suddenly changed, and he began examining Li Shimin carefully.

Seeing him staring at himself intently, Li Shimin asked puzzledly, “Uncle Xia Hou, what’s wrong?”

Xia Houduan did not answer his question. After asking for Li Shimin’s birth date and time, he rapidly calculated with his fingers. After a while, he exhaled lightly and released his fingers, saying, “Like father, like son, indeed… indeed…”

Li Shimin was completely confused by his words, “Uncle Xia Hou, what are you talking about?”

Xia Houduan ignored his question and asked, “Nephew, will you be entering the palace?”

Li Shimin nodded, “His Majesty had Eunuch Zheng come to relay the message, commanding me to enter the palace with Father tomorrow for an audience.”

Xia Houduan nodded slightly, “Remember, if asked for your birth date and time, you must also not speak truthfully, otherwise you may invite disaster.” After brief contemplation, he provided a similar birth date and time, “When the time comes, answer according to the birth date and time I’ve given you.” Without waiting for Li Shimin to respond, he continued, “Don’t ask too many questions. Just do as I say.”

Seeing him speak this way, Li Shimin found it inappropriate to ask more questions and nodded, “Shimin understands.”

Li Yuan’s eyebrows moved slightly, “Shimin, go wait outside. I’ll speak a few more words with your Uncle Xia Hou and then come out.”

After Li Shimin left, Li Yuan said quietly, “Brother Xia Hou spoke that way just now – does Shimin also possess the bearing of a ruler?”

Xia Houduan nodded, “Correct. Fortunately I discovered this in time, otherwise it would have been dangerous. If my assessment is correct, Shimin should be the second ruler after Brother Li.”

Li Yuan frowned, “But Shimin is only the second son. If I truly seize the realm, it should be passed to the eldest son.” Although he was also very fond of this second son, comparatively speaking, he undoubtedly valued Li Jiancheng more. Whether inheriting his title of Duke of Tang or the realm, it should rightfully belong to Li Jiancheng, the legitimate eldest son.

Xia Houduan smiled, “Whether Jiancheng or Shimin, both are Brother Li’s offspring. It matters not which one inherits – why worry about this? Besides, this matter is still many years away. There will be time to consider it then.”

Li Yuan nodded slightly. After speaking with him for a while longer, he rose to take his leave and returned to the relay station with Li Shimin, who had been waiting outside. After washing up, they each extinguished their lamps and went to sleep.

After the lights in both side chambers were extinguished, the relay station superintendent quietly emerged and came to a hidden, dark place, bowing respectfully, “This humble servant pays respects to Your Excellency!”

Following his words, a cold voice emerged from the darkness, “What did the father and son discuss?”

“In response to Your Excellency, there was nothing unusual. However, judging from Li Yuan’s words, he seems to have brought some rare treasure to present to His Majesty.”

The shadowy figure remained silent for a moment before asking, “Nothing else?”

“This humble servant has been following your instructions to eavesdrop from the adjacent chamber. There truly was nothing else, but… Li Yuan and his son did go out for a while. This humble servant doesn’t know where they went.”

“Very well, go back.” After dismissing the relay station superintendent, the shadowy figure moved through the darkness and quickly entered a magnificent palace – the Purple Forbidden Palace. After passing through towering vermillion palace walls, he arrived at Qianyuan Palace.