As Li Huowang approached the entrance of the imposing palace, a tall, three-meter-tall guard blocked his way.
“Weapons are not permitted in the palace!”
The guard’s disproportionate build, with a large upper body and short legs, made him appear unusually awkward and bizarre. His face was obscured by a bronze mask, preventing Li Huowang from discerning if he was human or something else.
After seizing the Zihui Sword and the Copper Coin Sword, the guard retreated into the shadows, standing motionless like a statue.
Li Huowang stepped inside the spacious hall, noting it was supported by numerous red pillars. Each pillar was intricately carved with a twisting, lifelike golden dragon, making for a truly magnificent sight.
Such a grand design seemed unfitting for a sleeping quarters.
Before Li Huowang could observe more, a surprised voice from afar drew his attention. “Come here, come here!”
It was the young emperor of Daliang, dressed in a black and crimson imperial robe, waving continuously at Li Huowang. Had it not been for the eunuchs restraining him, he would have rushed over already.
Li Huowang stopped about ten meters away and bowed respectfully. “Erjiu greets Your Majesty!”
Ji Lin could no longer be held back by his eunuchs. He immediately dashed to Li Huowang, saying with urgency, “Erjiu! You must help me!”
Li Huowang was bewildered by this sudden outburst and remained silent, waiting for the emperor to elaborate.
“Father was right! My brothers, they’ve started making their moves! They want to steal my throne!”
Fear flickered in Ji Lin’s eyes. “I… I don’t actually have to be emperor. Being a carefree prince would be fine. But… but not only do they want the throne, they want to kill me!”
*That’s obvious. Are you really naive enough to think they’d spare your life out of brotherly affection?* Li Huowang thought to himself.
Since this trouble wasn’t his own, Li Huowang felt no urgency, merely observing with a detached amusement.
“Your Majesty, Erjiu, as a member of the Directorate of Celestial Observation, is bound by ancestral precepts: no one shall interfere in court politics.”
“You’re lying! How does Third Brother have people from the Directorate of Celestial Observation then?!” the Daliang Emperor immediately retorted loudly.
His voice then softened. “I’ve heard the eunuchs talk about you. They say you’re very capable, right? You’re the one who found that evil spirit, aren’t you? You have influence within the Directorate, don’t you?”
“Do you know? Besides these eunuchs, I don’t know who I can trust in court. They all have their own agendas. I don’t even know if they’ve secretly pledged allegiance to someone else!” The Daliang Emperor’s voice trembled slightly.
“Since you were able to warn me about that trick during the Shangsi Festival, your heart must be good, right? I beg you, please help me! I truly have no one else I can use!”
“And do you know anyone in the Directorate of Celestial Observation? As long as you can find people to help me, I can grant them titles and official positions!”
Li Huowang frowned at these words. Even he, unskilled in the art of emperorship, could tell the young emperor was too amateurish.
To seek allies among outsiders like himself, without even a single advisor, meant he would likely be the first eliminated in this internal power struggle. “Your Majesty, please forgive Erjiu’s inability to undertake such a crucial task.”
Upon hearing Li Huowang’s refusal, Ji Lin immediately grew angry. “I am the emperor! You must obey me! Otherwise, I’ll have your head!”
This remark ignited anger in Li Huowang’s heart. *Perhaps I should join his brothers and find a chance to get rid of this kid.*
Just as he thought this, Ji Lin’s tone abruptly softened. He clasped Li Huowang’s hands, almost pleading, “Erjiu, please help me, just this once! I truly have no other way, I really don’t want to die!”
Seeing the emperor wiping away tears, Li Huowang felt a fleeting pang of sympathy. However, involving himself in such a dangerous succession struggle meant utter ruin if he made even a slight misstep. Moreover, his own past wasn’t clean; if his true identity as a Xinshu were exposed during the process, everything would be over.
“Your Majesty, this matter is of great importance. Please allow me to return and consider it carefully.”
Hearing Li Huowang’s attitude shift from refusal to hesitation, Ji Lin immediately breathed a sigh of relief. “Good, good, good! Take your time to think! I won’t rush you. As long as you help me this time, once I secure my position as emperor, I’ll give you as much wealth and glory as you desire!”
As Li Huowang slowly walked out of the grand palace, he noticed from the corner of his eye that as the Daliang Emperor spoke, an old eunuch beside him nodded slightly and used a brush to circle a name in a book held in his palm.
The emperor was likely not just approaching him tonight for support. This man was truly desperate, blindly grasping at straws.
Li Huowang naturally had no intention of getting involved. His words earlier were merely to placate the emperor and extricate himself.
As for whether the Daliang Emperor would cause him trouble later, the emperor first needed to survive this internal power struggle.
Li Huowang felt that the emperor’s chances were slim, and he likely wasn’t the only one refusing to align with him.
By the time Li Huowang returned home in an eight-bearer sedan, it was already bright daylight.
He found a random beggar, projected his face onto him, and left him at home as "Li Huowang." With a new face, he then set off towards the city gate with Miaomiao and Li Sui.
As a Red of Zuo Wang Dao, Li Huowang was confident his illusionary arts could deceive those monitoring him.
Indeed, just as Li Huowang expected, as they approached the city gate, everything was calm and uneventful.
“You sit down, I’ll go buy breakfast. We can eat on the road,” Li Huowang said, walking towards a nearby stall.
Thin, yellowish dough was stretched and plunged into a steaming hot oil wok. It quickly bubbled and expanded, its color deepening from light to dark until it became golden-brown fried dough sticks.
Freshly pounded, warm mochi was rolled into balls and, squeezed from a stout man’s hand, mixed with black sesame and coarse sugar.
Crispy fried dough sticks were folded in half to sandwich the mochi wrapped in sesame and sugar. Gripping it with both hands, one could take a bite. The crunchy fried dough encased the soft mochi, and the rich aroma of sesame mingled with the savory fried dough, completely filling the mouth.
“Six of these,” Li Huowang said, tossing a copper coin into the bamboo basket on the stall.
Seeing the coin, the stout, middle-aged man, in his thirties or forties, smiled, his small, beady eyes disappearing into his plump cheeks.
“Alright! Six fried dough sticks with mochi, honorable customer, take care, it’s hot.”
Li Huowang took the food, bit into it, and after chewing twice, his walking steps halted.
He walked to the side of the stall, spat out a dice from his mouth, and quietly asked the warmly inviting vendor, “Boss, is something wrong?”
The stout vendor took the cloth from his neck to wipe away the fine sweat on his forehead from the heat of the oil wok. While bowing and inviting customers, he casually said, “Oh, what could be wrong? Just need a small favor from you.”
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