Chapter 32

Li Er looked at everything before him, his mind blank, and he didn't even react to the fact that Li Chenggan and the other two had been hiding and eavesdropping just now.

Seeing this scene, Li Kuan felt a heavy burden lift slightly from his heart, but he hadn't expected that there would be three more people who knew about it, which was indeed a problem.

Li Er didn't remain dazed for long. Having experienced many things, he quickly recovered. Initially, he couldn't accept everything at once, but now, after a moment's pause, he could calm his mind. Seeing the four young boys before him, Li Er's first reaction was that this matter must not be spoken of: the miraculous scientist was one thing, which could be understood as just a remarkable skill, similar to those of Daoist and Buddhist practices. What shocked Li Er was that he knew the secrets behind these skills, and he knew that a child couldn't possibly do such things, especially his own son, who had always been weak and sickly. Most importantly, the explanation about dragons must not be spread, or the entire Qin王府 might be in danger.

"Three of you, what are you doing here?" Li Er's face turned stern, and his dark expression showed that he was very angry.

"Father!" The three young boys lowered their heads, not daring to look at Li Er. They had been arguing about right and wrong, and when Li Er and Li Kuan suddenly appeared, they felt as if they had been caught doing something bad, so they hid. They didn't expect what would happen next.

"Whatever happened today, not a single word can be said outside, understand? If anyone hears even a hint of it, the entire Qin王府 might cease to exist! Including your father, your mother, and your aunts, as well as your brothers and sisters! Understand?" Li Er said to the three young boys in the most serious tone. He didn't know how to prevent the news from leaking, and he couldn't harm his own sons, so he had to make them understand the threat, hoping it would work.

"Father, what do you think? Can't all this prove that the scientist indeed has extraordinary abilities?" Li Kuan knew that the matter was mostly settled, but without Li Er's confirmation, he couldn't be sure.

"Your father has indeed seen it, but can you be sure that this 'scientist' can truly serve our Tang Dynasty? With his abilities, why would he choose you as his successor? And can our Tang Dynasty really control such a force?" Li Er was very skeptical about the 'scientist's' intentions. In the entire empire, there were few things that Li Er didn't know about, but this 'scientist' left no impression, not even a trace. This was simply impossible, especially in a place he cared about deeply, involving his son.

"Father, your son knows a lot about this! My master's sect, though mysterious, has never shown its extraordinary abilities to the secular world. However, because they have always lived in seclusion, they have a very light view of secular power and have no desire for it. This is certain. Otherwise, with their power, they could cause a great upheaval in any dynasty," Li Kuan explained.

"How can you be so sure, Kuan? Perhaps some historical events were caused by your 'scientist' under a different guise?" Li Er still couldn't let go of his doubts.

Li Kuan was speechless. Should he tell him that there was no 'scientist,' just a junk system in his body? If he really said that, Li Kuan would surely become a lab rat, waiting to be dissected and studied. He still wanted to improve his health and make a big impact in the Tang Dynasty!

"Father, I can't guarantee everything, but I can guarantee that I will never do anything to harm the Tang Dynasty. Even if some of my seniors in the sect do something harmful, I will stop them!" Li Kuan had no choice but to follow Li Er's line of thinking.

"Alright! You should be able to contact your master, right? Tell him that your father wants to talk to him and see if they can help treat your Aunt Pingyang." Li Er knew that his son had done everything he could. For such a mysterious organization, this outcome wasn't bad. As for the rest, Li Er wouldn't tell Li Kuan; he would make his own arrangements. He had little confidence that the 'scientist' would be benevolent and was always ready to suspect the worst.

"Alright! I'll contact my master!" Li Kuan said, but he didn't move, just staring at the three young boys.

By now, the three young boys had finished feeling guilty. They were indeed scared when Li Er spoke so seriously, but they quickly realized that if they didn't say anything, nothing would happen. Growing up in such a family, they knew what could and couldn't be said, and to whom. Even the youngest, Li Tai, resolved to keep this matter to himself, not revealing a single word. They also began to feel a bit of awe for Li Kuan, though they didn't realize it. They just thought it was enviable that Li Kuan had been accepted into such a mysterious academic lineage. Li Tai, the chubby one, even reached out his fat little hand to grab Li Kuan's hand, wondering how he could hide such a large bag. After looking left and right, he was disappointed because he also wanted to learn, so he could bring his favorite beef jerky to school.

Seeing Li Kuan's hesitation, Li Er knew he didn't want his three brothers to know more secrets, so he sent the three young boys back, personally escorting them out of the small garden.

Once the three young boys were far away, Li Kuan pretended to close his eyes and sat cross-legged on a stone by the roadside.

When Li Er returned and saw Li Kuan like this, he knew he was contacting the mysterious 'scientist.' So he didn't disturb him and waited quietly.

"Are you Kuan's father?" an old voice came from Li Kuan's mouth.

"Hmm? Who are you?" Li Er was surprised when Li Kuan spoke in such an old, hoarse voice, like that of a man in his seventies or eighties.

"Didn't you want to talk to me? Now I'm using Kuan's body to speak to you!" Li Kuan continued.

"Are you Kuan's master? The mysterious scientist?" Li Er didn't doubt that Li Kuan would speak to him like this, so this voice must be his master. But how was he speaking through Li Kuan's body?

"Yes, I am the twelfth-generation successor of the scientists! And Kuan is the thirteenth!" Li Kuan's mouth continued to speak in the old voice, deceiving Li Er.

"May I ask for your name, sir?" Li Er's attitude became more respectful. Such skills were similar to those of the legendary immortals, making him unconsciously more respectful.

"My name has probably been forgotten by the world over the years. I am Chen Tuan!" Li Kuan didn't know what name to give his master, so he borrowed the name of Chen Tuan, the legendary figure who played chess with Emperor Zhao Kuangyin on Mount Hua.

"Chen Tuan?" Li Er was puzzled; he had never heard of this name.

"It seems people are forgetful. Perhaps my name was deliberately erased! In my prime, I was a formidable figure. Emperor Liang Wudi once gambled with me and lost a mountain. I thought he would be grateful, but he turned to Buddhism, hoping to use those bald monks to deal with me. How laughable. Could those who only hide money in temples really deal with me?" Li Kuan made up a story, recalling that Emperor Liang Wudi was known for his devotion to Buddhism.

"This..." Li Er had to think more. Emperor Liang Wudi's devotion to Buddhism was well-known, but no emperor was as fanatical as he was, even becoming a monk three times and being bought back by the court. This created the absurd story of "monks selling the emperor."

Li Er didn't want to believe it, but it seemed to make sense. Emperor Liang Wudi, deceived by this hidden 'scientist,' might have turned to the all-powerful Buddha to remove this great enemy from his heart. But why was there no record of this 'Chen Tuan' in history?

"I know you have doubts, but look at what's in that bag, and you should be able to make a decision!" Li Kuan pointed to the bag on the ground, which contained the items exchanged for the remaining twenty energy points after the fifty points were used to exchange the voice-changing skill.

Li Er squatted down, picked up the bag, and opened it, seeing the golden grains inside: "What is this?"

"This is Champa rice, produced in a place called Lin Yi, south of our Tang Dynasty's Jiaozhou. This rice can be harvested twice a year, and in Yuezhou or even further south in Guangzhou and Yongzhou, it can be harvested three times a year. I believe it could be very helpful to our Tang Dynasty!" Li Kuan had used the remaining twenty energy points to exchange for Champa rice. He had originally wanted to exchange for hybrid rice, but the Tang Dynasty's productivity couldn't meet the demands of hybrid rice. So he exchanged for Champa rice, which existed in this era, though it was expensive, with one energy point for one pound.

"This..." Li Er was speechless again. He looked at the rice seeds in his hand, feeling a mix of emotions. The Tang Dynasty lacked everything: people, money, food, and horses. If this Champa rice was as good as claimed, and could be harvested twice or even three times a year, it could greatly increase the Tang Dynasty's food production. But were the seeds too few? And what about the yield?

"May I ask, sir, what is the yield of this Champa rice?" Li Er asked.

"Yield? It should not be lower than wheat. However, compared to wheat, Champa rice requires more water, and only a few areas in Guanzhong can grow it." Li Kuan wasn't sure if rice could be grown in Guanzhong, but the Han people were the best farmers in the world. No matter where they were, they would plant something and do it well. So he left it to the old farmers in Guanzhong to figure it out.