Chapter Ninety-Five: Hardline

At the estate of the Duke of England.

By the rear gate of the inner court, Li Kong sat astride a stone with his long spear laid across him, his eyes half closed. The dozen or so guards had already recovered their senses, yet none of them had the courage to step forward. Apart from the difference in rank, the vast gulf in strength left them with a feeling of utter despair.

After sending Laifu to the Taiji Palace to find Li Shimin, Li Yue'e hurried this way as well. But she was, after all, only a woman, and her habitual hesitation made her all the more indecisive. By the time she arrived, the matter was more or less already over.

Second Madam!

The servants nearby hurried to bow when they saw Li Yue'e. Such treatment would never have been given to her before. If not for Li Kong's overwhelming display of force today, truly revealing to them what it meant for immortals to battle, they would never have behaved like this. After all, Li Yue'e now lived in the household of the Duke of England, yet held no formal status there.

But Li Yue'e had no mind to pay attention to the servants. She walked quickly up to Li Kong and said, "Kong'er, come back with me. We'll deal with this after your father returns."

"Mother, if you trust me, go back first. I know what I am doing with this matter."

Li Yue'e grew anxious. Grabbing Li Kong's hand, she said with resolute determination, "No, you must come back with me. We still have time. Cui Zhu will be fine."

"Mother, there are things you do not understand. In any case, I cannot leave today. Your son is already a grown man and knows exactly what he is doing."

"Kong'er..."

Li Yue'e murmured his name, then fell silent. She rose, let go of Li Kong's hand, and took a deep breath.

"Don't let your father lose face."

With that, Li Yue'e turned and left. The servants quickly followed. Unlike when they had come, their heads were now held high and their chests out. Though they knew nothing of struggles for power, they did understand that after today, no one in their courtyard would ever again have to swallow insults from others.

"My father?" Li Kong gave a cold laugh. He was already restraining himself from rushing straight to Taiyuan to find Li Ji. And now they still expected him to preserve face? One could only say that Li Yue'e was far too innocent.

Time passed quietly. A sliver of dusk had already appeared in the east, while the glow of sunset in the west still struggled desperately, trying to shine brighter and drive away the darkness.

In the rear courtyard, a thread of cooking smoke rose in wisps, drifting with the wind. A strange scent of gunpowder reached Li Kong's nostrils.

His mind shifted. He suddenly tightened his grip, and the shaft of the spear struck the ground with a heavy clang of metal on stone, jolting all the bowed servants awake.

"The hour is about right. Go ask Lady Wang what she means. If not, then do not blame me for being ruthless. I will kill the chicken to frighten the monkeys."

A cold voice came from Li Kong's mouth, calm and measured. The servants all looked up in terror. After a long while, one of them finally turned and ran toward the rear courtyard.

What enraged Li Kong was that after that person left, a full quarter of an hour passed with no response from the back courtyard at all. The cooking smoke still rose, and the smell of stewed lamb even drifted out.

"Hmph!"

With a cold snort, Li Kong stood up straight and swept the crowd with an icy glance.

"It seems Lady Wang has not understood the situation. I am going in now. Who among you will stop me?"

With a rustle, all the servants scattered to either side. If this had been someone from another residence, they might not have acted this way. But for now, Li Kong was satisfied with their response. At least they knew the difference between master and servant.

Just as Li Kong was about to step into the rear courtyard, a heavy voice suddenly rang out behind him.

"Li Yunfeng, what do you think you're doing?"

Li Kong shuddered all over and turned around. There, not twenty paces behind him, stood Li Shimin with a dark, stern expression. Laifu was cowering beside Li Shimin, his eyes darting nervously downward, clearly too afraid to face Li Kong.

Seeing Li Shimin, Li Kong understood that his plan for the day was more or less ruined. But since Lady Wang had dared to slap his face, this matter would have an ending no matter what.

So after a moment's thought, he turned and walked up to Li Shimin. Casually casting his spear aside, he cupped his fists.

"Your subject... greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed with peace and health."

"Peace and health, my ass. You’ll be the death of me sooner or later. Speak. What exactly are you planning to do?" Li Shimin fixed Li Kong with a fierce glare and growled, "Do you know the time is not right yet?"

"I know. But I must give these aristocratic clans a lesson."

Li Kong met Li Shimin's gaze without retreating. This was his principle, his bottom line, and it could not be crossed. Otherwise, once he yielded even once, there would be a second time, and before long those great clans would shatter every one of his plans.

"I'll give you an explanation. This matter will be pressed down for now. You are not allowed to object. Otherwise, I'll have you thrown into prison and call off your engagement to Changle!"

"Your Majesty..."

"Your subject's wife greets Your Majesty. May Your Majesty be blessed with peace and health!"

Just as Li Kong was about to argue, someone hurried out from the rear courtyard and dropped directly to her knees beside him.

"Your Majesty, Li Kong has acted above his station and humiliated your subject's wife. I beg Your Majesty to uphold justice for me."

Li Shimin gave a cold snort.

"You know better than anyone what you have done yourself. This was supposed to be your family's private matter. Even as emperor, I had no real right to interfere. But today I am telling you this: you have gone too far. As for Cui Zhu's marriage, it is canceled here and now. As for how you explain this to the Zheng clan, that is your own concern."

"Your Majesty, this... I beg Your Majesty to withdraw the decree. Your subject's wife cannot do that!"

Lady Wang's whole body trembled. She bowed hard to the ground and refused Li Shimin at once.

At this, Li Kong could not help but smile. He even winked at Li Shimin, the meaning unmistakable: Your dignity does not amount to much, does it?

Li Shimin was furious. His face turned cold.

"You dare defy the imperial decree?"

"I beg Your Majesty to withdraw the decree."

Lady Wang did not say it outright, but her meaning was already plain enough.

"Heh. Fine. Very well. Since that is how it is, then you need not be the Lady of England anymore. I will no longer concern myself with your family's affairs."

At that, Li Shimin turned to one of the eunuchs and said, "Go. Convey my order to Li Ji: strip him of his post as Commander of the Army in Hebei Circuit and tell him to return to the capital at once. Dock his salary for three years, remove the title of Duke of England, and instead ennoble him as Count of Changzi County!"

"Yes!" The eunuch answered and turned to leave.

"Your Majesty!"

Lady Wang was dumbfounded. Her face drained white as she stared at Li Shimin. She had never imagined that he would so forcefully intervene in her family affairs. What was Li Shimin trying to do? Was he not afraid of being reviled as an eternal tyrant by future generations?

Li Kong paid no heed to Li Shimin's handling of Li Ji. He simply stood to one side, quietly watching Lady Wang, while his thoughts were already racing.

Li Shimin's actions today were tantamount to slapping the aristocratic clans in the face. Perhaps some move would soon follow, and he had to prepare in advance.

After all, this was fundamentally different from their earlier struggle over the market. If the great clans wanted to continue their line, they could not retreat, for behind them lay only a sheer abyss, and no other road remained.