Chapter 68: You Won't Even Call Me Uncle

Li Qing was actually pondering whether to postpone the visit to see Li Longji. After all, his mood was indeed rather poor, and the consequences of adding insult to injury could be quite severe.

However, since Li Qing brought it up himself now, he decided to wash his hands of the matter.

Go, of course he had to go.

Naturally, Li Qing did not refuse his proposal and readily agreed. But they still had to wait a few days; after all, Li Chengqian's leg was still broken, and they needed to leave him a contact method.

The mobile phone provided by the system could send messages across time and space, which could be said to be extremely convenient.

Old Li, when visiting Li Chengqian once more, was no longer in a towering rage and out for blood. Instead, in an uncharacteristic display, he gently comforted Li Chengqian, telling him to focus on recovering and not worry about other matters.

Li Chengqian did indeed show genuine remorse and pleaded for leniency for the guards, asking his imperial father if he could show mercy to them. After all, he was the Crown Prince, and since he had given the command, how could those guards dare to disobey?

After Li Qing produced a forgetfulness pill, Li Shimin went along with the flow and agreed to Li Chengqian's request. However, while capital punishment was spared, lesser punishments were unavoidable; in short, it was impossible for them to ever serve as his personal guards again.

Li Chengqian was already quite satisfied with this outcome. He secretly made a mental note to take some money from his private treasury to subsidize those guards' households so they could make a small living.

Witnessing this truly harmonious scene between father and son of the Li family, Li Qing felt quite gratified, knowing his efforts had not been in vain.

It was also about time to bring Empress Changsun back; he couldn't keep doing her job for her... With Empress Changsun around, at least he wouldn't have to worry about the relationship between this father and son.

Before parting, Li Qing repeatedly urged Old Li that now he had to play the roles of both mother and father, and he couldn't always maintain the strict persona of a stern father, but should appropriately try to be a loving mother.

Good grief, a male mother, was he?

It was already late at night when he returned to the Prince of Qin's Mansion. Wu Meiniang, in her teenage version, was still meticulously mopping the floor, while Shangguan Wan'er, in her mature version, was earnestly supervising her work.

"Still working? Take a break, what time is it?" Li Qing handed his cloak to Shangguan Wan'er. "Go to sleep, little Wu."

"And you too, Wan'er. Little Wu is clearly still growing, don't wear her out."

Shangguan Wan'er gave Li Qing a reproachful look. So you get to play the good guy, while I'm the bad guy, is that it?

But there was no helping it; who told Li Qing to be the master?

Wu Meiniang thanked him repeatedly, a surge of heartfelt gratitude welling up in her heart toward Li Qing.

She had had such a miserable time, waking up earlier than a rooster and sleeping later than a dog for over a month. Finally, someone had spoken a fair word!

Watching her retreating figure, Li Qing smacked his lips and whispered to Shangguan Wan'er, "Look, she still has to thank us."

Shangguan Wan'er gave him a charming, sideways glance and hung the cloak aside. "Your Highness, the Prince of Wei has been waiting for you in the living room. What are your instructions?"

"Qingque? What is he doing here?" Li Qing asked instinctively, then realized and shook his head with a smile. "This kid has a nose as sharp as a hound's. All right, I know."

It seemed this Li Tai was not honest either; he had planted informants in the Eastern Palace.

In the living room, Li Tai was pacing back and forth. Seeing Li Qing approach, he immediately stepped forward.

"Immortal Master, please, you must help Tai!"

Li Qing instinctively frowned.

"Help you with what?"

"Tai has already learned of it—the Crown Prince has lost his virtue, actually impersonating Tujue people and plundering the commoners' farming oxen..."

Li Tai's voice was extremely excited, his eyes seemingly radiating light.

Li Qing pulled a can of cola from the system, popped it open with a snap, and interrupted the excited Li Tai. "Who did you hear that from?"

"Tai has his own channels. I implore the Immortal Master to lend Tai a helping hand!"

Li Tai's attitude was respectful to the extreme, his etiquette flawless, leaving no room for criticism.

Li Qing sat in the main seat, placed the can he was holding on the table beside him, looked deeply at the expectant Li Tai, and said expressionlessly, "I cannot help you."

"Once the matter is accomplished, whatever you desire, Tai will grant it at the Immortal Master's request!" Li Tai promised sincerely.

Li Qing reached out to tidy his hair. He knew Li Tai had always harbored great ambitions, but he had not expected him to be so blinded by greed as to reach this stage.

"Qingque, in the time we have known each other, this is the first time you have asked me for a favor. I can't even remember when the last time was that you took the initiative to chat with me, even though I am your father's sworn brother."

"To be frank, Qingque, you have never wanted to be close to me at all."

"Tai simply did not wish to cause trouble for the Immortal Master," Li Tai immediately defended himself.

"I understand," Li Qing smiled indifferently. "You feel that your rise to power requires those scholars and literati, and the support of the aristocratic clans. You believe they are your backbone, and you don't need a so-called Immortal Master like me who is out of step with the aristocracy."

"Yet now you come here and say to me, 'Immortal Master, you must help me seize the Crown Prince's position,' without showing the slightest bit of respect for me."

At this point, Li Qing pointed his index finger at Li Tai. "You have never thought of sharing your true feelings with me. You are not even willing to call me Uncle."

"On the night your eldest brother met with disaster, you came to my house, asking me to help you snatch something that belonged to him..."

"The Crown Prince's seat belongs to the capable! The same goes for Tai's father!" Li Tai retorted instinctively.

"Taking advantage of someone's misfortune is not capability. I hope you can understand this." Li Qing extended his finger and tapped it gently toward Li Tai.

"Then Tai will openly and squarely compete with the eldest brother. I ask the Immortal Master to assist me. Once the matter is done, whatever the Immortal Master asks for, Tai will do his utmost!"

Li Tai's expression looked utterly sincere, so much so that even the fat on his face was trembling.

Hearing this, Li Qing felt the utmost disappointment in Li Tai.

However, since Li Tai was also Brother Li's biological son, he would give him one last piece of advice. If he still could not wake up, then it would be better to let him turn into spring mud sooner to nurture others.

"Qingque, oh Qingque."

Li Qing sighed as he stood up, walked over to Li Tai's side, and said in a melancholy tone, "What on earth have I done to make you disrespect me to this extent?"

"If you had come to my house today and said to me, 'Uncle, I need your help. I need a stage to fully display my talents and prove that I am no worse than the eldest brother,' for the sake of your father, I could not have abandoned you."

"But now, look at what kind of attitude you are holding."

"Just like that?" Li Tai's voice trembled. In his view, whether it was Li Qing or his father, everyone had their own desires.

How could he have imagined that all Li Qing wanted him to do was simply call him Uncle?

"Uncle?" Li Tai asked hesitantly.

Li Qing reached out and patted Li Tai's fleshy shoulder, smiling lightly. "There's still hope for you. I know you pride yourself on your talents, believing you are no inferior to Gaoming, and you want to prove yourself. I can give you this opportunity."

"Really?" Li Tai's chubby face instantly lit up with anticipation.