Huarong

After leaving the main hall, Li Yuanling brought Li Musheng to her room in Aurora Pavilion.

"Let's lay our cards on the table. Who exactly is Miss Li?"

Li Musheng casually sat down on a stool in the room, regarding the handsome young person before him with calm leisure.

Li Yuanling fell silent for a moment. Sitting opposite Li Musheng, she picked up the teapot on the table and poured him a cup of water, then propped up her chin and asked:

"How much do you know about the Seventh Prince?"

Li Musheng raised a brow.

"Which aspect does Miss Li mean?"

"For instance, do you know what kind of person the Seventh Prince's mother was? Or that he has an older sister, the current Eldest Princess? Or how much do you know about the Seventh Prince's maternal lineage?"

Hearing this, Li Musheng scrutinized her suspiciously for a moment before asking:

"Could you be Great Li's Eldest Princess?"

Li Yuanling rolled her eyes.

"She would never come to see you. Her Highness the Eldest Princess is busy running everywhere to save that fake prince in the Heavenly Prison. She even knelt outside Tianqian Palace for several nights some time ago."

Li Musheng's gaze shifted.

"Then who are you?"

"Guess?" A flicker of anticipation appeared in Li Yuanling's eyes.

Li Musheng rubbed his chin and narrowed his eyes.

"I guess... you should be the naturally beautiful, peerlessly talented Princess Huarong."

Li Yuanling froze at his words, then nodded with delight.

"Correct!"

As she spoke, she blinked again, looking unexpectedly pleased.

"And you're quite good at saying nice things."

Li Musheng wore an expression that said, Just as I thought.

He had naturally heard Cang Yinyue mention the Seventh Prince on the journey to Shangyang City.

The Seventh Prince's mother had been Consort Jing, though she had passed away three years ago.

He also had an elder sister, Great Li's Eldest Princess. Yet that Eldest Princess seemed unconcerned about finding her own younger brother, instead placing exceptional importance on that fake prince.

Not only had she repeatedly begged Emperor Yuanwu for mercy and the man's release, she had also been constantly devising ways to rescue him.

Besides that, the Seventh Prince had an adopted younger sister, originally the only daughter of Great Li's Prince of Southern Pacification.

However, after the Prince of Southern Pacification and his wife had died in battle at Tianqiu City ten years ago, Consort Jing had taken her in as an adopted daughter and kept her by her side. In consideration of the couple's meritorious service to Great Li, Emperor Yuanwu had specially issued an edict conferring upon her the title of Princess Huarong.

Consort Jing had cherished this adopted daughter deeply, and their relationship was no different from that of a true mother and daughter.

That was why Li Musheng had guessed her identity. Princess Huarong's name was Li Yuanling, similar to the young person before him. Moreover, given her personality, she truly would come to Aurora Pavilion to meet the adopted elder brother she had never seen before.

Still, after studying her for a while, Li Musheng asked curiously:

"You seem very certain that I'm the real Seventh Prince?"

Li Yuanling nodded seriously.

"The moment I saw you, I knew you had to be my adopted elder brother. Not only do you resemble His Majesty somewhat, you look sixty percent like my godmother."

As she spoke, she stuck out her tongue and smiled.

"You said before that you were handsome. That all came from inheriting my godmother's beauty."

Hearing that, Li Musheng touched his own face and suddenly recalled that Cang Yinyue had also been utterly convinced that he was the Seventh Prince.

Besides her confidence in her professional abilities, it was probably because of this face of his as well.

With that thought, Li Musheng truly believed a few more parts of this Seventh Prince business. After all, things like genetic inheritance held true everywhere under heaven.

"Enough. Now that you've seen me, go back to wherever you came from. Leave this troubled place, Aurora Pavilion, as soon as possible."

At that moment, Li Musheng waved a hand, rose to his feet, and prepared to leave.

Now that he had confirmed Li Yuanling's identity and cleared up the doubts in his heart, there was naturally no need for him to stay any longer.

To be honest, Li Musheng did not have many thoughts about this identity as the Seventh Prince, nor the web of relationships that came with it.

Having come to the Great Li Imperial Capital, what interested him most was still transcending through martial arts.

"You've met me, your younger sister, yet you aren't excited at all? Don't you want to stay and talk with me?"

Li Yuanling suddenly stood up and stretched out a hand to block Li Musheng's path, staring at him with a puzzled expression.

Li Musheng glanced at her, considered it, then shrugged.

"Miss Li, all this happened too suddenly. You need to give me some time to adjust. Everything has to be taken slowly."

As he spoke, he pushed her hand aside and walked straight out through the door.

Li Yuanling turned around suspiciously and watched Li Musheng's departing back, feeling that he was being somewhat perfunctory.

Too sudden, needing time to adjust—so he said.

Yet just now, she had not seen the slightest hint of surprise or happiness on Li Musheng's face.

"I'm not leaving. I'll stay here and protect you for my godmother."

Li Yuanling called out to Li Musheng's back.

Without turning around, Li Musheng waved a hand. He then went upstairs along the corridor and returned to his room.

After closing the door, Li Musheng glanced at the young armored guard beneath the bed. Seeing the man's flickering gaze, as though he had something to say,

Li Musheng remained unmoved and shook his head.

"I gave you a chance before, but you were useless. It's too late even if you want to talk now. Tonight, you'll have a good time of it."

With that, Li Musheng ignored him.

After all, even if the man was willing to speak, Li Musheng could not be sure whether his words were true or false. It was better to leave him to Cang Yinyue, lest he waste his time.

After that, Aurora Pavilion became lively. Not only did the Heavenly Brocade Guard arrive, but the Imperial Secret Police sent a large number of people as well.

The chief grand eunuch of the Directorate of Palace Ceremonial and a Vice Commander of the Heavenly Brocade Guard personally took command, taking over all matters concerning Aurora Pavilion.

All the guards of Aurora Pavilion were replaced wholesale, and the security became several times tighter than before. It could truly be said that not even a fly could get in.

The young people in Aurora Pavilion underwent another, even more meticulous inspection. Only after it was confirmed that there were no problems with them did the pavilion finally settle down for the time being.

At the same time, the Heavenly Brocade Guard and the Imperial Secret Police devoted all their strength to hunting down the escaped armored guard.

It was not merely because he had committed murder and caused chaos, leaving Northern Qi Meditation Qi within the bodies of those ten young people in Aurora Pavilion.

Yu Jin, the four chief eunuchs including An Quan, as well as Ji Feiyun and Gong Lishan had likewise been afflicted by that armored guard's Northern Qi Meditation Qi.

Although experts like Yu Jin could suppress it with their own true qi, it was still a major hidden danger. They needed to capture that armored guard before the problem could be resolved completely.

However, none of this had much to do with Li Musheng.

As time passed, night finally fell.