Yun Ye very much wanted to proceed immediately. He wanted to know how this demon monk deceived people. But Li Er refused with a smile, saying the contest would be held half a month later, giving both Yun Ye and the barbarian monk time to prepare.

There was no need to prepare—this was Yun Ye’s thought. Immortality was first and foremost a false proposition. No matter how the barbarian monk performed or how much commotion he created, to Yun Ye it would just be a show. He’d seen plenty of miraculous performances. What tricks could a native from India possibly pull off? He wasn’t some country bumpkin like Li Er who’d be dazzled by a few light and sound effects.

The Court of Judicial Review’s people took away the corpses. The Emperor casually said something about not being negligent and hastily wrapped things up. The atmosphere in the great hall clearly became more relaxed. Fang Xuanling’s old face even showed a smile. Zhangsun Wuji’s face, nearly drowned in sweat, finally stopped perspiring. Niu Jinda chuckled and, to lighten the atmosphere, disregarding protocol, openly requested that the Emperor and Empress bestow some favor upon his pair of twin grandchildren three days hence, so the two half-grown children could benefit from some imperial blessing. Li Er magnanimously agreed and even gifted the Niu family a set of imperial calligraphy from his desk.

After such matters, the atmosphere in the hall became even better. No one mentioned the huge pile of corpses outside anymore, as if nothing strange had ever happened in the imperial palace. The Emperor also became amiable and kind, ordering the Censorial Inspectors to properly comfort the citizens who had been frightened last night.

However, Yun Ye and Li Tai felt very uneasy, because the Emperor’s gaze toward the two of them was extraordinarily fierce.

Exchanging glances, they planned to leave together with the other generals and nobles, leaving Wanmin Palace as a space for Li Chengqian and the Emperor to communicate privately. With matters having reached this point, trying to hide things from someone like Li Er was practically a pipe dream. So the two brothers turned a blind eye to the pleading looks Li Chengqian showed them, pretending to discuss matters half a month hence with very serious expressions.

Just as the two brothers’ figures were about to step through the gates of Wanmin Palace, Li Er’s sinister voice rang out: “What, you two think you can still stay out of this?”

Hearing these words, Fang Xuanling, who had been walking alongside Yun Ye and Li Tai, immediately quickened his pace. As for Zhangsun Wuji, who had already stepped outside Wanmin Palace, he walked even faster.

Li Tai and Yun Ye sighed simultaneously. The Emperor had no intention of letting this matter be glossed over so easily. He’d merely narrowed the scope of handling the affair to the three brothers. Li Chengqian had long since knelt there with his head pressed to the ground, saying nothing, looking like he’d already decided to accept his punishment.

Yun Ye looked left and right but couldn’t see Zhangsun. Even when walking back, he deliberately peered behind the curtains but still found no sign of Zhangsun. Today there was an eighty percent chance things would go badly.

Looking at Li Er’s face, black as the bottom of a pot, he felt the probability of misfortune was at least ninety percent. Li Tai had the same thought. Dawdling as he walked back to the hall, he hoped that Mother Empress could save them at the last moment.

“The Empress was frightened and has returned to Liangyi Hall to rest. Don’t count on the Empress to save you. Over two hundred assassins fought and killed in my imperial sleeping quarters—ha! What magnificent audacity you have!”

Hearing Li Er’s roaring in his ears while watching that bastard Duan Hong tightly close the gates of Wanmin Palace, Li Tai and Yun Ye could only close their eyes and prostrate themselves beside Li Chengqian. However, both very tactfully retreated a step backward. The great disaster was Li Chengqian’s doing—at most the two of them were accomplices after the fact. It was better to let him take the front position.

“Father Emperor, this matter is all because your son’s heart was momentarily clouded by confusion. It has nothing to do with Qing Que and Yun Ye. Please punish your son alone. Your son has absolutely no complaints.”

Li Er’s laughter was as grating as a crow’s: “Ha ha ha! What a fine son I’ve raised! Don’t you wish your father emperor a long life? Are you so eager to become emperor?”

With a “bang,” Li Chengqian was kicked flying by the Emperor. His body crashed into a pillar and then fell to the ground. After coughing twice, blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Of course I know this was your doing. No one else has the ability to bring assassins into the imperial palace, and only you would be so foolish. If Qing Que and Yun Ye had helped you, those monks would have died without a burial place long ago. Not using firearms is the only reason I’ve been able to tolerate you until now.”

While loudly cursing Li Chengqian, his feet showed no mercy whatsoever. Yun Ye couldn’t understand why the Emperor was scolding Li Chengqian but kicking him instead. And with such force too.

His body slid a full five feet across the smooth jade-like floor of Wanmin Palace. With an “ouch,” he collided with Li Chengqian. Though the soft armor he wore meant it didn’t hurt too much, he still had to put on an act. He quickly bit his tongue so blood also seeped from the corner of his mouth. Only this way was it reasonable, and only this way could Li Er’s fury quickly subside.

Pretending to rub his shoulder, he quietly shifted aside two feet to make room for Li Tai, otherwise when that fellow’s corpulent body came sliding over, he’d be in trouble again.

Sure enough, Li Tai also came sliding over. Li Chengqian actually tried to block his brother, but ended up being hit in the chest by Li Tai’s body, causing blood to flow from the corner of his mouth again.

“Hmph! You have two good brothers! One helped you muddy the waters afterward, the other helped you handle the mess. Three people conspiring together to deceive me—what magnificent audacity you have!”

“Now you’ve all grown up, each one delicate and precious. One is the Crown Prince, one is a Prince, and the least of you is the Minister of War commanding all the troops under heaven for my Great Tang. When you were young and caused mischief, I could let it pass. But this time, you tell me yourselves—what crime is this? Those who draw weapons within the imperial palace shall die!”

The more Li Er spoke, the angrier he became. His final roar had already distorted with rage.

Hearing the word “die,” Li Chengqian was startled with terror. He quickly crawled over and embraced Li Er’s legs, pleading: “Father Emperor, this time it’s all your son’s fault. If kicking your son to death will ease your anger, so be it. I beg you not to vent your anger on those two.”

This was idiotic behavior. When an emperor-type creature becomes enraged, there are no boundaries. It’s said that when an emperor rages, a hundred thousand corpses fall and blood flows for a thousand li—applied to Li Er, this was no exaggeration. In his fury, he had no rationality. Killing one or two people meant nothing at all. Yun Ye even remembered a famous painting from later generations depicting a brutal monarch who, in his rage, beat his most beloved son to death with his scepter, then showed an expression of infinite regret and terror.

After Li Er kicked Li Chengqian flying once more, Yun Ye felt Li Er would be like that in the future.

Perhaps seeing his elder brother beaten so miserably that he’d vomited a large pool of blood, Li Tai sat on the ground and said loudly: “Father Emperor, in our family’s imperial palace, the first one to draw weapons wasn’t my elder brother!”

“Damn you!” Yun Ye roared in his heart. Though everyone under heaven knew your father wasn’t a good bird, was it really appropriate to mention such things at a time like this?

Sure enough, these words were too destructive. Li Er completely lost it. He grabbed a still-smoking copper crane and with a single swing beat a trembling eunuch to death. Perhaps subconsciously feeling it wasn’t appropriate to use this thing to hit Li Tai, he furiously threw it out—not toward empty ground but straight at another eunuch’s head, smashing the eunuch’s brains out.

Seeing the situation was bad, Yun Ye dragged Li Tai and ran. All the firepower had been attracted by Li Tai’s one stupid remark. Li Er kicked and broke one of his folding screens, gripped two short sticks, and in two or three moves caught up with Yun Ye and Li Tai, who never practiced martial arts. He rained down blows on their heads and faces with the wooden clubs.

Yun Ye felt his wisest decision today was wearing full-sleeved soft armor. Protecting his head with both arms, his back and shoulders were beaten by Li Er like drums. Li Tai’s body transmitted the same sounds. Finding an opening to look at Li Tai, he discovered the bastard still had the leisure to wink at him—he was also wearing soft armor.

Li Chengqian crawled toward them vomiting blood, constantly begging his father to beat him to death and spare his brothers. His appearance was extremely pitiful.

At this moment, a shrill cry came from behind the curtains. Zhangsun rushed out disheveled, spreading her arms to cover Li Tai and Yun Ye’s backs, crying as she shouted at Li Er: “If you want to beat them to death, beat your consort to death first! We’ll journey to the Yellow Springs together and at least have each other’s company. You can stay alone in this world and be your emperor!”

Li Er’s complexion changed from iron-blue to white, then to waxy yellow. Swaying unsteadily, Li Tai and Yun Ye quickly helped him lie down. Zhangsun began crying for her husband again, desperately stroking his chest to help him regulate his breathing.

After quite some time, Li Er finally exhaled a long breath of foul air and roared: “You’ve angered me to death!”

“Please calm down, please calm down. Your consort will help you discipline these three wayward sons.” Zhangsun raised her hand and delivered a slap to Yun Ye, who was closest to her. This slap was extremely vicious—even his nosebleed came out. Caught off guard, Yun Ye was stupefied. Zhangsun had never laid a finger on him before. Only when Zhangsun’s slap landed on Li Tai’s fat face did he immediately come to his senses. He ran over and dragged the constantly blood-vomiting Li Chengqian before the Emperor to show him, meaning he was already miserable enough and the Emperor’s anger should have subsided. He didn’t expect Zhangsun to show no mercy whatsoever—one slap caused Li Chengqian to start vomiting blood again.

Li Er weakly waved his hand: “Enough. My anger has also subsided. Send these three wayward sons to the Imperial Clan Court prison. Without my edict, they are not to be released.”

The terrified Duan Hong waved his hand and over a dozen eunuchs rushed in, carrying the three of them out.

“Erlang, it’s all your consort’s fault. I was too indulgent with them in daily life, which led to today’s great disaster.”

“Hmph! Actually, Guanyin Maid, my heart isn’t that angry. Qing Que’s words were correct—the first one to draw weapons in our family’s imperial palace wasn’t Chengqian, it was me!”

“Chengqian simply didn’t want me to achieve immortality. He worried that in the future he’d never have the opportunity to realize his ambitions. This is standard Crown Prince psychology—I understand it very clearly. But what comforts me is his approach. He never thought of dealing with his father, only of killing that barbarian monk to achieve his goal.”

“Qing Que and Yun Ye didn’t know beforehand. Qing Que obtained a blank edict, Yun Ye received an improper troop deployment order. I deliberately didn’t specify which prefectures—he could have completely mobilized his old subordinates to come to the capital. But neither of these two children did so. Qing Que privately returned that edict to me, and Yun Ye rejected that edict. This filled my heart with joy.”