Chapter 43

Last time, we mentioned that Yuchi Gong went to challenge Cheng Yaojin to a drinking contest, and the two were facing off.

The commotion caused by the warriors drew everyone's attention at the banquet, and Li Kuan heaved a sigh of relief. Being the center of attention had made him quite nervous, and now that someone else had taken the spotlight, he could finally relax!

Li Er also turned to look, and upon seeing the two burly figures, a wry smile appeared on his face. As expected, it was these two again. At every banquet, they would inevitably cause a scene, which had become a tradition. If they didn't, something would be wrong!

Yuchi Gong had been well-prepared this time. He had only been eating and hadn't drunk much. Moreover, he had secretly observed that Cheng Yaojin had already downed two large jars of wine. Their alcohol tolerance was about the same, so this time he was determined to get this "Cheng demon" drunk!

The two men stared at each other for a moment, then simultaneously reached out to break the clay seals on their wine jars. They tilted their heads back and drank, the wine streaming down their chins. Their Adam's apples bobbed up and down as they swallowed the alcohol.

"Good wine!" Yuchi Gong gulped down the remaining wine in his mouth, wiped his lips, and shouted at Cheng Yaojin, who was still struggling to drink.

"What are you shouting for? You're ruining my drinking mood!" Cheng Yaojin realized that Yuchi Gong was playing dirty this time. This guy must not have drunk much before, otherwise, with their similar alcohol tolerance, there was no way he would be so far ahead! Cheng Yaojin had already drunk a lot, and compared to the black-faced Yuchi Gong, who had been craving alcohol, he had no chance of winning!

"You're cheating! Take this punch from me!" Cheng Yaojin, unable to outdrink Yuchi Gong, swung his arm and threw a punch at Yuchi Gong.

"What, can't take a loss? I'm not afraid of you!" Yuchi Gong reacted quickly, blocking Cheng Yaojin's punch with his left hand and throwing a hook with his right, aiming for Cheng Yaojin's fleshy face.

"Don't hit the face! You're breaking the rules, you brute!" Cheng Yaojin grabbed Yuchi Gong's right fist with his free hand, stepped forward, and charged into Yuchi Gong's embrace.

"Throwing yourself at me? You should be ashamed!" Yuchi Gong pulled back his fist, sidestepped, and then punched Cheng Yaojin's back.

The two men exchanged blows, fighting enthusiastically in the main hall of the Qin王府. Li Kuan had anticipated this, knowing that such a scene would inevitably occur at these banquets. However, he hadn't expected the two to hold back at all. Fortunately, they had moved to the center of the hall, which was spacious. Otherwise, the hall would have been a mess of spilled wine and broken dishes.

Li Kuan took a few steps to the side and stood protectively behind a little girl who was watching the scene with confusion. "Lizhi, don't be afraid. The two uncles are just performing to liven up the banquet!"

"But they're so strong. Big Brother, will you be this strong when you grow up? Will you always protect Lizhi?" The little girl, though unable to practice martial arts herself, had a keen eye. Princess Pingyang, who adored her, often took her to the women's army camp, where she had seen many skilled warriors.

"Yes! Big Brother will be very strong and will always protect Lizhi!" Li Kuan nodded in response.

Hearing this, the little girl smiled, her dimples appearing on her cheeks, her lips curling upward, and her eyebrows forming a gentle curve, making her eyes narrow into a line.

Seeing this, Changsun, who was sitting next to Li Er, felt a mix of emotions. She was at a loss, unsure of what to do. She was usually decisive, but in this matter, she had no idea what to do. On one side was her own son, and on the other was her best friend's child, entrusted to her on her friend's deathbed, and also her daughter's favorite brother. She was torn and conflicted, and seeing Changsun Wujì, her brother, watching the fight with the crowd, she felt even more distressed.

Changsun knew her brother well, just as he knew her. She understood that in his heart, this six-year-old child had already become his enemy. To achieve his ambitions, he had endured and secretly accumulated strength, eventually breaking free from the clutches of his opportunistic relatives and starting to fight for the world with her husband. This time, he would likely do the same with this child...

Changsun's conflicted feelings were something she couldn't share with anyone, not even the man she loved most. She had to bear it alone, and for her, it was a cruel burden. But in such a family, such situations were inevitable.

As the banquet drew to a close, the long-awaited roasted whole lamb was brought out as the finale. Two chefs came to the hall to prepare the dish on the spot. Watching them sprinkle large amounts of pepper on the lamb, Li Kuan's anticipation gradually turned to doubt: Was this even edible? Would it kill someone if they ate it?

To his surprise, the whole lamb was not meant to be eaten. Inside the lamb was a whole goose, and the rice inside the goose was the real dish for the guests. Li Kuan, who had been rewarded with a large portion of rice for his two poems, saw the greasy rice and decided to give it to the little girl, who was looking at it with wide eyes. This act earned him more praise from the adults, but it also made Changsun even more worried.

As Changsun's mind was in turmoil, the banquet ended. Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong never did decide the winner. Their martial skills, like their alcohol tolerance, were evenly matched. They were eventually separated by the crowd, who were eager to see more.

The guests left the Qin王府, each going their separate ways. Li Er saw them off and then sent the children, who were covered in grease, to bed. He always did this himself when he was at home, never delegating the task to others.

After taking care of everything, Li Er did not return to his room to rest. Instead, he went to the study, the same room where the Tiance Mansion discussed state affairs. Changsun had been waiting there. Over the years, the two had developed a默契. Both felt that the other had something on their mind, so this night, they both needed to share their thoughts with the person they trusted most. However, Changsun was very conflicted about whether to tell the truth.

Before Li Er arrived, she had thought a lot and even tried to fabricate some lies. But she found that she couldn't lie to Li Er, as he knew her too well. Even the slightest hesitation in her eyes would give her away. So when Li Er entered, Changsun was still deep in thought and didn't notice.

Li Er sat down next to Changsun and reached out to cover her hand. They sat in silence for a while, neither breaking the peace, until Changsun withdrew her hand. "Big Brother, what's going on with Er Lang? Are you worried about him?" Changsun, who knew Li Er best, had hit the nail on the head.

"You're right. The situation with Kuan is complicated, and I'm not sure what to do!" Li Er, usually decisive, was now hesitant. "I can confirm that there is a secret school supporting Kuan, but their goal seems to be those coal deposits. What's puzzling is that they remain in the shadows, letting Kuan take the lead. It doesn't seem like a legitimate operation."

"So, which declining school is it?" Changsun had never heard of this before and had never gotten an answer from Li Kuan.

"It's not certain. All we can say is that they are very cautious and won't reveal themselves unless they are absolutely sure. What worries me most is their secrecy. Even the Tiance Mansion, which can uncover secrets in the Tang Dynasty, including the Emperor's private matters, has found no trace of this school. It's as if they suddenly appeared and found Kuan to be their spokesperson, then disappeared again." Li Er frowned, deeply troubled by this mystery. This secrecy made him feel very insecure, which was why he had been testing Li Kuan.

"Can you control this mysterious force? If you can, it would greatly benefit your position!" Changsun knew that Li Er's situation was difficult. He had to face the rebels, the Crown Prince, and Prince Qi, and Emperor Li Yuan's stance was unclear, making the situation very uncertain.

"It's hard," Li Er sighed. "Kuan has shown me some of the 'scientist's' techniques. They are similar to those of Daoism and Buddhism, but far more sophisticated. I've seen Daoism's 'Purple Qi from the East' and Buddhism's 'Buddhist Paradise in the Palm,' and I can understand them to some extent. But what Kuan does leaves me completely baffled. I can't figure it out at all!" Li Er wanted to win over this scientist because these techniques were incredibly powerful and would be a great asset in dealing with Daoism and Buddhism if he ever ascended to the throne.

"Daoism's 'Purple Qi from the East'—when my ancestor Laozi left the Hangu Pass, the purple qi stretched for three thousand miles. Now, Yuan Shoucheng's purple qi is only ten zhang, and Zhang Daogeng of Longhu Mountain has only three zhang. Buddhism's 'Buddhist Paradise in the Palm'—it is said that Amitabha Buddha has a paradise in his palm with ten thousand eight hundred disciples. But the Great Master Daohang only managed to conjure three small monks! These techniques are far inferior to the scientist's light show, which can melt a foot of snow!" Li Er explained.

"Do you think this scientist is a descendant of immortals?" Changsun was shocked. Her husband was not one to exaggerate, so if the scientist could really do such things, it was serious.

"No, Kuan says the scientist's motto is 'to do the work of gods with human abilities'! They deny the existence of all gods and Buddhas!" Li Er replied.

PS: Thank you, Lord of the Undead, for the 588起点币 donation!!!!

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