The Emperor Reigns Them All

Chapter 81 The Banquet (1)

Although Li Ye and Shangguan Qingcheng came to the Manor on horseback, their speed wasn’t fast, because it was not allowed to gallop a horse without reason in Chang’an City. As a vice magistrate of the Chang’an Office, Li Ye, who was in charge of the security of Chang’an City, certainly would not gallop a horse. Therefore, Li Kerang had already arrived before their arrival.

The banquet in the hall had already begun. Li Kerang came with anger along the way, but in the face of the high ranking officials and dignitaries, he was unwilling to let others knew that he was bullied in Chang’an City. So he walked toward Li Keyong in a low profile.

“Elder brother!”

“Don’t you say that you can’t come?” Li Keyong glanced at Li Kerang who sat down beside him. He and Li Kerang had similar appearances and rough and rigid facial features. But his gaze was sharper than Li Kerang’s. Having a glance at Li Kerang, Li Keyong frowned. “Are you injured?”

Wu Hongshan on the main seat asked the servant to add a table next to Li Keyong as he saw Li Kerang. Li Kerang only cupped his hands and didn’t salute Wu Hongshan sincerely.

His face flushed with shame as he heard Li Keyong’s question. He said angrily, “Elder brother, I ran into a man in the street just now. He scolded our Zhenwu people for not knowing the rules and asked me to kneel to him. So I was angry...”

“So you were beaten up?”

“Elder brother! I have drunk a lot today, or else that guy... Elder brother, that guy was rampant. When he knew that I’m not from the Central Plains, he insulted me. It was really going too far. When have we been humiliated in the north? It’s hard for our Zhenwu Army to defend the border of the empire. In addition, we have participated in settlement of the Rebellion of Pang Xun and have made many contributions in the last two years. But now we’re humiliated by others in such way in Chang’an. Can you not be angry, elder brother?” Li Kerang was resentful.

Li Keyong drank a little wine and he didn’t speak. The official, who had been talking to him, patted on the table as he heard their conversation. He echoed, “Who dared to offend you? You and General Li both are important ministers of the imperial court and have made great contributions. You also have the talent of being a great general. How could you be slighted! Childe Li, tell me that guy’s name and his look, I will definitely stand up for you!”

The official was the assistant left minister of the Military Department. He had a close relationship with Li Keyong these days and they were familiar with each other.

“I didn’t ask his name, but I remember that guy’s appearance clearly!” Li Kerang immediately described Li Ye’s appearance to him in detail.

Li Ye’s appearance didn’t have any obvious features with no moles and scars. After Li Kerang’s description, the assistant left minister didn’t think of Li Ye.

The assistant left minister nodded as he patted on his chest. “Trust me. I have some relationships in Chang’an City. I will catch this person for your disposal within three days!”

Upon hearing this, Li Kerang was happy. He raised his glass and said, “Thank you!”

Li Keyong didn’t say anything more about it and he didn’t need to. Zhenwu Army was so powerful that many officials wanted to make friends with them. There must be someone who would help them to deal with the matter.

At this moment, Li Keyong didn’t care about the matter. He raised his glass to Wu Hongshan and asked, “I’ve heard that Duchess of Li is a gifted girl with the best talent for cultivation in the youths of the Imperial Clan, and she is extremely beautiful. I wonder if I have the pleasure of seeing her today.”

His table was next to Wu Hongshan’s, so he said in a low voice.

The reason that Wu Hongshan held the banquet today, on the one hand, was to let Li Keyong get acquainted with his clique and lead him into it, on the other hand, was to give him a chance to meet Wu You. If they were satisfied with each other, their marriage would be settled. Wu Hongshan was very embarrassed that Wu You didn’t come out at all.

“General, please wait a minute.” Wu Hongshan smiled and commanded a steward in a solemn voice. “Duchess has done makeup long enough. You go and ask her to come out soon!”

The steward took his order and hurried off.

The steward didn’t come back again and it was another steward that reported to Wu Hongshan. “Duchess is unwilling to come out... Steward He is beaten badly and given a treatment right now...”

Wu Hongshan took a deep breath. He was so angry that he almost broke a cup.

Li Keyong narrowed his eyes as he saw Wu Hongshan’s look. He hadn’t seen Wu You since he had arrived at Chang’an. The marriage promised by Wu Hongshan and Wei Baoheng was like a scam.

“Why doesn’t she come out? Doesn’t she know that she is old enough to get married? I seem to spoil her too much in daily life! You tell her that if she doesn’t come out today, she won’t be allowed to leave her courtyard in the future!” Wu Hongshan whispered to the steward angrily.

The steward looked anxious and stammered, “Duchess has said if you force her again, she will ruin her cultivation... She will do what she has said!”

Wu Hongshan stunned and his expression became gloomy. After a long while, he sighed and waved his hand to let the steward go.

He always doted on Wu You. Although the marriage of Wu You and Li Keyong was a well-matched marriage, he felt guilty to Wu You in his heart. Wu You was stubborn, so he could not push her too much.

“General Li... my daughter suddenly feels unwell and I’m afraid that she can’t come out to meet you today... However, parents have the right to decide their children’s marriage so your marriage with my daughter won’t be delayed.” Wu Hongshan promised to Li Keyong.

Li Keyong’s expression was abruptly severe. He snorted and no longer paid attention to Wu Hongshan as if he would leave immediately.

While at this moment, Li Ye had arrived.

Wu Hongshan felt confused and surprised as he saw Li Ye appear at the door. Before he could say a word, Li Kerang had patted on the table. He gnashed his teeth and said to the assistant left minister next to him, “That’s him! This is the guy who ran amok on the street and who insulted me and Zhenwu Army in public!”

As a senior official of the imperial court, the assistant left minister of the Military Department certainly recognized Li Ye. They would meet each other at the morning court. He was stunned as he heard Li Kerang’s words. “Today, Childe Li was...”

“Yes, it is him! Assistant left minister, didn’t you say that you are going to help me to deal with him? Now you can see him clearly. Remember his appearance and catch him now!” Li Kerang said angrily.

The assistant left minister opened his mouth and kept silent for a while. At last, he shook his head helplessly and hesitated to say, “Childe Li... I’m afraid that I can’t help with the matter...”

“What are you talking about? You’re not going to help me?” Li Kerang was stunned.

The assistant left minister sighed. “It’s not that I don’t want to help, but I’m unable to help...”

“You have promised to help. How can you change so quickly? Do you know what promise is?” Li Kerang raged.

The assistant left minister looked weird. “Childe Li, do you know who this person is?”

“Even if he is the emperor...” Li Kerang wanted to shout, but then he realized that it wasn’t in the jurisdiction of the Zhenwu Army, so he stopped immediately. “Who is he?”

“He is Prince An!”

“Prince An?”

“If he were someone else, I would definitely keep my promise. But he is the Grand Prince of the imperial court, how dare I, an assistant minister, offend him? Moreover, he is the vice magistrate of the Chang’an Office with real power and he is in charge of the security of Chang’an City. If I dispatch someone to catch him, does it mean that I send my men into prison personally?”

Li Kerang was shocked as he listened to him. “How, how could it be possible?! Someone that I casually met on the street turns out to be the Grand Prince? Such a young Grand Prince and a vice magistrate with real power?!”

The assistant left minister of the Military Department sighed and made eye contact with him. “Who is to blame? You are out of luck!”

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