Family Matters

The handle of the Si Nan spoon spun rapidly, sometimes pointing northeast, sometimes southwest, and occasionally wobbling back and forth, indicating that there were indeed many opportunities in Changsi City.

But no matter how much Li Fan circled the green walls of the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace, Shaozi never once pointed inside the palace walls. The meaning was quite clear.

On the other side of the wall, perhaps it was once 'Li Yi's' home, but now there is nothing left that belongs to 'Qingyue'.

Not a single one.

"Is the karmic bond severed...?" Li Fan scratched his head, glancing at the towering palace walls. He used his Divine Sense to probe, and clearly saw that the walls were painted with talismans and incantations for warding off evil, which blocked his view of what lay inside. The imperial guards at the nine gates outside were like a forest of swords and spears, clad in armor, exuding a chilling aura, leaving no chance for him to sneak in.

Moreover, there were two Golden Core cultivators in the sky, probably on duty at the Eastern Palace. They had already scanned Li Fan twice with their Divine Sense. If it weren't for the fact that he was dressed properly in his immortal robes and ribbons, making him look like a simple aristocratic cultivator passing by, they probably would have already pressed him down for questioning.

But who would have thought that 'Li Yi' really was a liar! And he even lived in the Li family that lived in the Liqiu Palace!

No wonder the Yu Family brothers harbored such deep prejudice against him, considering him a thorn in their side that could not be left unpunished. Even Li Fan himself would find it hard to believe that a member of the royal family of Li Country would betray the Wang Family and stand with Ink Bamboo Mountain!

This is outrageous! This is absolutely outrageous!! System, why did you choose such a terrible background?! This is impossible to clear my name even if I jump into the Yellow River! And what kind of melodramatic family drama is this?! What kind of tragic and vengeful family feud is this?! Can't we just cultivate in peace and quiet?!

'The host's reincarnation process is normal; the original body was randomly selected.'

Nonsense! Now you can randomly get a prince or nobleman?

'From among the children qualified to enter Ink Bamboo Mountain to cultivate the Tai Su Dao, the one with the best aptitude will be randomly selected.'

What kind of 'random' is this?!

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent, hey, what's there to be so upset about? The Immortal Palace has been around for so many generations, which Immortal King didn't have three thousand beauties in his harem? Every person from the Central Plains has some kind of clan bloodline, don't make a fuss about it, okay?"

As long as your name isn't listed in the Zongzheng Temple's genealogy of direct descendants, you're not considered a member of the imperial family. Those who are properly included in the genealogy require the imperial court's seal, the governor's approval, and the three palaces' vermilion approval. Do you think the imperial clan's stipends are so easily obtained...?

Huh? How come you're so skilled with sword intent...? Could it be that you're also...?

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent, ptooey! I am the true third-generation pauper, a cursed lone star, I didn't even have straw sandals to wear. My achievements today are all due to my own hard work, okay!"

Of course, the path to immortality is so long, starting from a slightly higher position only provides a slight advantage, but an advantage is still an advantage.

To be objective, after observing so many disciples, those whose bloodline is closer to the direct lineage of the Immortal Palace do indeed have better aptitude for cultivating immortal techniques. After all, the inheritance of the Postnatal Immortal Dao was originally summarized and compiled by the Immortal Venerable based on his own physique.

So when the Xuanmen (mystical sect) occasionally selects disciples, they'll also stop by the palace on their way and kidnap a few children with decent aptitude to raise. After all, they have a lot of children, and when the Immortal Palace comes knocking, they can just deny it to the death.

I had already guessed that you were probably from a noble family connected to the Immortal Palace, but I didn't expect you to be a member of the Li Country's imperial clan. With such excellent talent, it makes perfect sense.

Damn! He was the last one to find out!

Li Fan's emotions fluctuated wildly, going back and forth, leaving him feeling utterly confused and disoriented. It took him quite a while to calm down.

Now we can basically guess his background. Whether it's the 'Li Yi' mentioned by the system or the 'Li You' mentioned by Qingting Sou, he is at least a member of the royal family of Li Country. He might be too young and they might have mistaken him for someone else.

But since Si Nan had already determined after searching for a while that there was no opportunity for Li Fan on the other side of the wall, there was no need for him to force his way into the forbidden palace, fight his way through the ironclad defenses of the imperial guards, and enter the Eastern Palace to investigate some childhood anecdotes.

Although the Twelve Countries of Li Country are Human Dao, there is still a world of cultivation above the Human Dao. And what talk of wealth and glory? In an era before even sugary drinks and internet cafes, what kind of wealth and glory is it to be a member of the royal family confined within high walls? What's so appealing about this life of a caged bird or a pig in a pen?

Anyway, Li Fan didn't want to get involved with Li Country. This was just a way of finding out the root cause of the Fourteen Peaks' resentment towards him, and it put his mind at ease.

At worst, he could just do as Profound Heaven Sword Intent said and deny it to the death. After all, the destruction of the Li Country's royal family had nothing to do with him, a transmigrator. If all else failed, he could hide in a remote mountain valley and focus on cultivation, never getting involved in the conflict between the Northern and Southern factions. Would that be alright?

If there are still stubborn mules like the Yu Family brothers who keep bothering him, he can only assume they are deliberately looking for trouble, and he can simply shoot them in self-defense.

Besides, perhaps for 'Li Yi', escaping from behind such high walls and seeing the outside world was his long-cherished dream, a dream he never had the chance to realize before he died?

So why does Qingyue want to go back?

Having made up his mind, Li Fan naturally put on his veil and turned to leave the East Palace without hesitation. He now only hoped to stay as far away as possible from the grudges and feuds between these powerful forces...

Then the Si Nan suddenly turned and pointed behind Li Fan, towards the direction of the Eastern Palace.

"Holy crap... you're not kidding me, are you? What's going on now?"

Li Fan frowned and shook the spoon from side to side, but the handle remained firmly in place, showing that this was indeed a very good opportunity.

Helpless, he turned his head to look again. Fortunately, it wasn't pointing into the palace, but rather the palace gates were open, and some officials were filing out.

Li Fan then frowned, picked up the Si Nan and glanced at it. It was indeed not pointing to the East Palace, but to the people coming out of the palace.

It was probably the young man, about seven feet tall, fair-skinned and plump, with a broad waist and a square face, sparse beard but with a triple chin. He was wearing a light blue brocade robe and official boots, and was walking out of the East Palace. He was holding a gold-plated belt at the door, waiting for the East Palace guards to bring him a magnificent Western Regions steed.

Is this big fat man his destiny?

Li Fan waited by the roadside for a while, watching the young man ride past on horseback, and Si Nan followed him around, before he could confirm it.

Could he be an old acquaintance of 'Li Yi'? No, it shouldn't be. After all, 'Li Yi' is only ten years old and hasn't come of age yet. At most, he's the offspring of the former heir who was whipped to death by the Nangong Family. This fat guy is already an adult, and he looks like he should be an official in the Eastern Palace of the new heir.

Li Fan considered it for a moment, thinking that his current size had changed so much that even his Mother Zheng Mingzhu, wouldn't recognize him, so the square-faced fat man probably wouldn't recognize him either.

Since there's an opportunity, perhaps it's worthwhile to communicate with the other party and learn more about the situation Li Country. After all, his identity is awkward, so it's better to be prepared to avoid being misled by those with ulterior motives without knowing anything.

So Li Fan, carrying his compass, followed the fat man who was leisurely riding his horse, traversing the streets and alleys, turning a corner and arriving at the East Market of Changsi City.

In an instant, the town opened up, bustling with people and horses, a vibrant scene of dazzling lights, wine, singing birds, dancing butterflies, and colorful silk banners and paintings. Looking closely, one could see a wealthy family selling wine on the streets of Chang'an, their towers rising a hundred feet high. The verdant trees and delicate pavilions seemed to sway in the spring breeze, while silver banners and colorful pennants invited guests. The scene of such prosperity and abundance was like a poem or a painting.

For a moment, Li Fan was somewhat dazed. Fortunately, this "opportunity" was tall and imposing, making him stand out in the crowd, so he didn't get away. Li Fan hurriedly followed through the crowd and carriages, almost getting stepped on by many passersby who were completely oblivious. Luckily, the opportunity didn't linger in the crowd for long. After walking around the East Market for a while, Li Fan watched as the tall, fat man dismounted and decisively entered a luxurious restaurant filled with bright lights and singing voices.

Li Fan stopped to look around. He saw five large, gilded characters written in a flamboyant style on the vermilion building, "Phoenix Palace Paradise." He then looked at the beautiful women standing at the entrance, all dressed in a refreshing manner. There were two rows of eight women standing at the entrance, ready for you to choose from. It seemed that the high-ranking officials and nobles of this day were quite carefree, coming to the top-tier Kulab sauna in the city center as soon as they got off work.

That makes sense, really. After all, entertainment options are pretty limited these days; there's not much to do besides work...

"Profound Heaven Sword Intent, cough cough, Qingyue, although I told you to break your Yuan Yang, it's best to find a fellow practitioner well-versed in this art to guide you. These mortals don't have dual cultivation methods, so they miss out on many of the wonders and key points. Breaking it won't have any special effects, do you understand what I mean?"

"I don't understand! Li Fan at most just looks, touches, smells, and licks; he's never actually practiced dual cultivation! How could he possibly know all that grand theory! Xuan Tian, stop hiding and dawdling! If you have anything like the <Secret Swordplay Technique of the Beichen Sword Sect>, just bring it out already! At worst, I'll just shout three times in the street, 'Dual cultivation technique! I want to learn it!'"

' Profound Heaven Sword Intent, cough cough cough, no, no, my Beichen Sect really doesn't have that. You'll have to figure it out and develop it yourself.'

Wow! Being a disciple of the Beichen Sect is truly pathetic...

Fortunately, Li Fan a veteran of countless battles, and now that his body could finally unleash its full potential, his combat power had increased exponentially!

Without needing any of the old Golden Boy Profound Heaven Sword Intent advice, he immediately slipped into a nearby alley, removed the veil from his Unknown Face, put away his magic robes and changed into a brocade robe, swapped his Daoist crown for a flamboyant magpie-tail crown, performed some magic to alter his appearance, sculpting a pointed chin like Lü Daolian's, straightened his clothes, and walked confidently into the restaurant. From afar, he gave the largest entrance a half-smile.

The maid was quite experienced; one glance was enough for her to know she was the right person. She snuggled close to Li Fan like an old friend, leading him straight into the building. Hey, not bad at understanding. And quite soft, too. Alas, he's here seeking opportunity, not some romantic encounter. I'll have to make do with you for now, brother.

"Let's start with a fruit platter to cleanse our palates, and then a couple of cups of sake to soothe our throats. I have an appointment, so I'll bring a sister over to sing a song later."

After handing over two strings of cash and dismissing the girl, Li Fan sat down in the private room next to the tall, fat man in the East Palace. He focused his Divine Sense on probing the activity next door.

Fortunately, the people next door weren't there looking for a romantic encounter either. There were four people in the private room, all scions of noble families who had already Foundation Establishment. They were sitting around a table having a meal, without any female entertainers or dancers to keep them company. It seemed they were there to drink and discuss business.

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent, tch, so it's just about eating? I thought it would start right away...'

Huh? Really? Sword Intent, you're a sect leader, how come you only have this much knowledge? Doesn't anyone usually invite you to social events? Shouldn't this be the minimum social etiquette for a sect leader?

' Profound Heaven Sword Intent, sigh, I didn't even go through the proper channels to ascend to the throne back then, I fought my way up, okay? By the time I became the sect leader, it was already... Who, who said I don't understand! I understand everything, okay!'

Okay, okay, you get it. Hmm, it seems they're having a secret conversation using some kind of magical artifact. Is there any way to eavesdrop on their conversation without being noticed?

' Profound Heaven Sword Intent, humph! Summon the Kun! It's been jumping around stealing food; this kind of magic array or barrier won't stop it.'

Kun,??

So Profound Heaven Sword Intent cursed and sent two talismans, Li Fan to draw them. He swallowed one talisman with water and wine, and stuck the other talisman on the Kun's head, telling it to swim next door to investigate.

Then Li Fan withdrew his Divine Sense, remained silent, and heard the conversation coming from the next room through his skull.

"... The Crown Prince... I'm afraid it's no use. His Highness is by nature gentle and weak. He was so frightened by witnessing the Guangling Heir being harmed by Nangong Wushuang ill and his mind is still not healed."

Then recently, something happened: the ghost of Doctor Wen appeared to His Highness in a dream, urging him to prioritize state affairs. However, His Highness was terrified by the doctor's horrific appearance, screaming and unable to sleep for three nights. Even when people from Lou Guan Tower came to treat him, His Highness dared not see him. He only managed to take medicine and lie down yesterday...

My family consulted the Directorate of Astronomy, and according to their calculations based on the horoscope, they're afraid I won't survive this winter."

Li Fan stroked his chin. This fat man had been swaying leisurely the whole way, seemingly unfazed and calm. Anyone who didn't know him would think he was just a lazy bum who did his daily routine of slacking off. Who would have thought that he had such a huge matter as the 'Prince's Pill' hidden in his belly, yet he still swayed around without changing his expression? He was quite magnanimous.

There was a moment of silence in the private room, probably because the other three were processing the huge piece of information about the pills. It took a long time before someone spoke.

"Even Liqiu Palace won't do. Lou Guan Tower only gave the palace three Life-Prolonging Pills, saying they could extend life for three years, but His Majesty already took one after the Guangling Heir's murder. If something happens to the Eastern Palace... then I'm afraid he only has one year left..."

"Hmph, the Guangling Heir only installed the First Prince because he listened to Wen Jin's slander and was worried that we nobles would be difficult to deal with. Now look what's happened, he's actually scared to death. Where is the magnanimity of a member of the imperial family? He's become a laughing stock..."

"Yes, at a time like this, it's not just us in-laws who are worried about their family's affairs. Look at those poor students from the academy, they're the most unreliable. As soon as Wenjin died, they lost their backbone and all turned to the new master in the Nangong faction to wag their tails and beg for food."

"Alright, what's done is done, there's no point in saying more." The fat man cut them off. "The most important thing right now is to appoint another prince to succeed to the throne, and it has to be done quickly, because we might have to move to the Liqiu Palace in a couple of years. Who do you think should be chosen?"

The three on the other side didn't hesitate at all.

"What else is there to say?"

"Naturally, it's the Prince of Jian'an."

"Indeed, the Third Prince is the legitimate son of Consort Guo, so it is only right. We are all brothers, so why should Young Master Guo test him?"

Young Master Guo! The Guo Family that Qingting Sou mentioned? The Imperial Concubine? A relative of the Empress? Li Fan narrowed his eyes, smiled, and pulled the maid carrying the fruit platter into his arms, eating the grapes and tangerines she brought.

Then Young Master Guo said, "What nonsense are you talking about? How can I decide such a thing? Besides... I heard that the Commander of the Imperial Guards intends to support the Second Prince of An."

"Born by that little maid!"

"Shut up!"

Then there was a sudden silence on the other end.

"Bring another pot of wine," Li Fan said, gesturing to the maid to send her away.

After a while, the people next door continued talking.

"A bunch of eunuchs, do they also want to usurp the throne, seize control of the government, and oppose us?"

"Is the Imperial Guard... the Left Army or the Right Army?"

"Is it news about Dalang? Or news about the master?"

Young Master Guo said, "I guessed. My elder brother serves in the Crown Prince of East Palace, but I haven't been able to see him despite my repeated attempts to pay my respects."

This time, the silence in the private room lasted even longer.

"Did they order those eunuchs to isolate the inside from the outside world...?"

What does Lou Guan Tower say?

"They won't care about that. It doesn't matter if it's the second or third son. There are twenty princes in the Guangling Heir's mansion alone, and the king's grandsons are even more numerous. As long as they're not surnamed Nangong, to the people in the mountains to the south, it doesn't matter who it is."

"There's no need to pay attention to those pedantic scholars since no one is taking the lead. If the palace eunuchs win, they'll call for the eldest son to be chosen; if we win, they'll naturally call for the heir to be chosen. Either way, they'll be making noise, so we won't lose out no matter what they say."

"Then what else is there to discuss? Let's speak separately with our elders and ask them to join forces. As long as we capture the Grand Commandant, the matter will be settled."

We younger generation can simply go straight into the Eastern Palace, kill a bunch of the palace eunuchs, replace them with our own people to command the Left and Right Armies, and then invite Prince of Jian'an to the palace. Wouldn't that solve the problem?

"Good, Erlang, nod your head, pick an auspicious day, and we'll make the arrangements right away."

But Young Master Guo remained silent for a long while, then said, "... Well, there's another family matter."

He remained silent for quite a while, waiting so long that Li Fan was practically urinating from watching the drama unfold. Only then did Guo Er slowly speak.

"My nephew has been kidnapped, but my family is being watched, so I have to trouble you brothers to mobilize your resources and bring him back before the start of winter."

His sudden remark caught everyone off guard, and for a moment no one reacted.

"What, what time is it already...?"

"This is outrageous! Who dares to offend the Guo Family?"

"Which nephew of yours is it? What trouble has he gotten into this time?"

So Young Master Guo had no choice but to add another sentence.

"My nephew's name is Li You, the third son in his family. I heard he was abducted by people in the mountains to be a novice monk. I'm having someone investigate him. He's entered the Inner Sect of the mountains, and his Daoist name on his certificate is Qingyue. We must find him first... before someone can inherit the position of head of the Qing Palace."

"Puff--!!"

Li Fan had been eating melon seeds for a while, suddenly spat them all out.