A Little Pain Won't Kill You

In a second-floor guest room at the Yuelai Inn, Li Ziye came to visit the third prince, Mu Yao, his concern so apparent it was moving.

"I heard Your Highness was wounded in an assassination attempt. I've been wanting to visit, but I was afraid of disturbing your recovery, so I waited until today. Please don't take offense." Li Ziye raised his teacup and spoke softly.

"You're too courteous, Brother Li."

Mu Yao snorted inwardly, but let none of it show on his face. He smiled. "I'm delighted you could come."

Although he did not know who had struck that night, he could have guessed with his feet that the Li Family had something to do with it.

However, he had no evidence, and now was not the time to fall out with the Li Family.

"What are your plans, Your Highness? Will you return to the capital once your wounds have healed?" Li Ziye asked tentatively.

"There's no hurry."

Mu Yao smiled. "Since I'm here, I'd like to experience Yuzhou City's local customs. When the time comes, I'm sure I'll have to trouble you again, Brother Li."

At this, Li Ziye's eyes narrowed slightly. This idiot actually wasn't leaving.

"You're too kind. How could that be any trouble? I couldn't ask for anything better than for Your Highness to stay." Li Ziye spoke with a sincere smile.

"Thank you."

Mu Yao nodded, hesitated, then asked, "By the way, there's something I've always been curious about. Back in the capital, I heard that the Yuzhou Li Family's perfume, glass, and soap businesses all came from inventions you made as a child. Is that true?"

"Of course... not."

Li Ziye laughed heartily. "How could Your Highness believe such rumors? The Li Family has been selling perfume for ten years. Ten years ago, I was just a child who knew nothing. How could I have invented such things? Those are merely gimmicks storytellers use to fool ignorant commoners."

"Heh."

Mu Yao chuckled. "It seems those storytellers fooled me too."

At this point, Mu Yao picked up the teapot and personally poured his guest a cup, saying with seeming nonchalance, "Has the Li Family considered finding partners for its perfume and glass businesses?"

Here it comes!

Hearing the third prince's words, Li Ziye's gaze sharpened. This was the real reason the third prince had come to Yuzhou City.

The court did indeed want a hand in his family's businesses.

"Partners?"

Li Ziye lifted the tea the third prince had poured and took a sip, looking thoughtful. "I rarely involve myself in the family business, but I've heard my eldest sister say that our businesses have indeed reached a bottleneck. To advance further, we'll need suitable business partners."

At this, the corners of Mu Yao's mouth curved slightly. Over the past two years, the court had been suppressing the Li Family's businesses, sometimes openly and sometimes not. Though the results had been limited, it had still curbed their frenzied expansion.

However, this was merely groundwork. The court's aim was to seize the opportunity to get a hand in the Li Family's businesses.

And if the Li Family wanted to keep expanding its commercial influence, it would have to draw on the court's power.

"There are a few good choices in the capital, with ample financial resources and excellent connections. If you're willing, Brother Li, I could introduce you," Mu Yao said, seizing the opportunity.

"Oh?"

Li Ziye perked up. "Which ones might they be?"

"The Zhangsun Family, the Merchant Alliance, and the Yin Family Bank," Mu Yao answered.

Li Ziye's expression grew slightly grave. So these three commercial giants in the capital all belonged to the court.

With this information, the trip had not been wasted.

He knew perfectly well that the third prince's willingness to reveal this did not come without conditions. These three were the choices the imperial family had given the Li Family, and the Li Family had to choose.

At least until the Li Family and the imperial family openly tore off all pretense, the Li Family had to give the imperial family face.

"Your Highness, I must go back and discuss this with my father and eldest sister. Please give me a day or two. I will certainly give you a satisfactory answer." Li Ziye rose, his expression respectful.

"Very well. I'll wait here for your good news, Brother Li."

Mu Yao rose to see him off, smiling as he spoke.

Li Ziye nodded, then hurried away.

In the rear courtyard of the Li residence, in the study.

Li Baiwan and Li Youwei were checking the account books inside when Li Ziye pushed the door open and walked straight in.

"How... dare you."

Li Baiwan was just about to lose his temper when he saw who it was. His face immediately filled with smiles. "Son, it's you! You never usually come to the study."

"Sister Youwei."

Li Ziye ignored the nouveau riche before him entirely and greeted Li Youwei. "Do we have business dealings with the Zhangsun Family, the Merchant Alliance, or the Yin Family Bank in the capital?"

"Some with the Merchant Alliance and the Yin Family Bank, but hardly any with the Zhangsun Family. Why?" Li Youwei asked, puzzled.

"The court is behind them," Li Ziye said seriously.

"The court?"

Li Baiwan and Li Youwei exchanged a glance, their expressions darkening.

"Is the information reliable?" Li Baiwan asked gravely.

"The third prince said it himself. It should be true," Li Ziye answered.

"If that's true, it's troublesome."

Li Youwei said gravely, "All these years, we've kept the court's forces from getting a hand in our businesses precisely because we didn't want the court to have us by the throat. I never imagined its tentacles had already reached so far."

"You don't need to worry too much, Sister Youwei."

Li Ziye said seriously, "Every disadvantage comes with an advantage. The court is so eager to get a hand in our businesses that it's willing to reveal some information this time. We ought to return a peach for its plum."

"What do you mean, little brother?" Li Youwei asked, puzzled.

"Didn't the third prince give us three choices?"

The corners of Li Ziye's mouth curved slightly. "Our business is so large that those three must have been green-eyed for a long time. Unfortunately, the Li Family can only partner with one."

"You mean to let the dogs bite each other first?" Li Youwei asked.

"You're the cleverest, Sister Youwei. People chase profit. Even if the court stands behind all three, they can't possibly be completely united."

Li Ziye answered, then smiled. "All right, you two can decide these bothersome matters. I'm staying out of it. I'm a man who's going to become a sword immortal. How are preparations for my great medicines coming along?"

"They're nearly ready. I've also sent people to search the various cities for the remaining great medicines. Don't worry, little brother," Li Youwei said softly.

"Ha! You're still the best to me, Sister Youwei. Give me a hug."

Li Ziye stepped forward and threw his arms around his eldest sister, his mood immediately brightening considerably.

"All right, hurry off and find your wife."

Li Youwei lightly tapped his forehead and smiled.

"My wife?"

Li Ziye let go, then realized what she meant. "You mean Old Qin? Right, I'll ask her when I can start cultivating. I'm about to become a sword immortal! Hahahaha!"

Amid wild, arrogant laughter, Li Ziye left the study to find Qin Enuo.

Once her little brother had left, the kindly smile vanished from Li Youwei's face, and her tone turned cold. "Foster Father, I think his suggestion is good. Let those three imperial lapdogs bite each other first. While we sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight, we can look for opportunities to nibble away at their power and buy ourselves some time."

"It is indeed."

Li Baiwan nodded. "If necessary, have Qingzhi act in secret to deepen the suspicions among them."

"Second Brother?"

Li Youwei considered briefly, then nodded. "A great deal has happened at the residence lately. We should indeed have Second Brother return for a visit. But we should keep that card hidden if possible. After all, his true identity cannot see the light."

Everyone knew that the Li Family had three siblings, but of the second, Li Qingzhi, most knew only his name and nothing else. Even those in the Li residence rarely saw this second young master, much less knew his true identity.

But she, her little brother, and her foster father knew.

The foremost tower under heaven, the Misty Rain Tower, was the assassin organization whose power had risen fastest within the Great Shang Imperial Dynasty over the past ten years.

And Qingzhi was the master of the Misty Rain Tower.

The Li Family's wealth was unrivaled under heaven, so over those ten years, the Misty Rain Tower had recruited countless experts. Its purpose was to stand alongside the Li Family, one in the light and one in the shadows, and resist the court together.

And the original proposal to establish the Misty Rain Tower had come from her little brother.

At this thought, Li Youwei sighed inwardly.

It was precisely for this reason that Qingzhi's relationship with their little brother had always been poor.

Qingzhi was a true martial genius. Despite his youth, his cultivation was already approaching that of grandmaster-level experts. Yet because of their little brother's proposal, he had spent ten years in the shadows, his identity never able to see the light.

It was impossible to say Qingzhi felt no resentment.

She understood, and so did her little brother.

That was why her little brother, who otherwise refused to suffer even the slightest loss, always yielded time and again to his elder brother Qingzhi and never talked back.

In the rear courtyard, beside the lake.

After searching around without finding his fairy master, Li Ziye could not help asking, "Old Zhang, where's Old Qin?"

Beside the lake, Zhang Lata's lips curved into a cold smile. "Right behind you."

"You're fooling... fooling ghosts."

Li Ziye instinctively looked back. When he saw the woman behind him, a simp's smile immediately appeared on his face. "Fairy Master, when did you get here?"

"Just now."

Qin Enuo said flatly, "What did you want?"

"The great medicines are all ready. When can I start cultivating?"

Li Ziye was raring to go.

"Now."

With that, Qin Enuo walked toward the medicine room nearby.

"So soon."

Surprise crossed Li Ziye's face, and he hurried after her.

As he passed near the lake, Li Ziye even winked at Old Man Zhang and mouthed, "I'm about to become a sword immortal."

Zhang Lata did not answer. With a smile that never reached his eyes, he closed them. Kid, just wait for death.

People said women were creatures who held grudges. It could not have been truer.

He truly suspected that the method Qin Enuo had devised was purely revenge, its purpose to kill the brat.

Shatter every inch of his meridians, then repair them, and repeat it a hundred times. Heh.

Just thinking about it gladdened the heart and refreshed the spirit.

In the medicine room, a huge bathing barrel was already prepared. The household servants kept pouring scalding water into it, then tipped in basket after basket of great medicines.

"Strip."

Inside the room, Qin Enuo looked at the youth before her and spoke flatly.

"Th-this isn't appropriate, is it?"

Li Ziye looked troubled. Men and women should not have physical contact. Though a teacher for a day was a... a mother for life, he was already this grown, after all.

"Enough nonsense!"

Qin Enuo sneered. Without another word, she seized his arm, tore open his clothes, then struck with her palm, forcibly shattering the meridians in his right arm.

"Aah!"

At once, a pig-slaughtering scream rang through the room, so wretched that it sent chills down the spine.

The next moment, Qin Enuo lifted Li Ziye and threw him straight into the medicine barrel.

"Qin Enuo, damn you!"

Inside the scalding medicine barrel, Li Ziye was nearly mad with pain and cursed without restraint.

"If you can still curse, you're full of spirit. A little pain really won't kill you!"

Qin Enuo sneered again, stepped forward, and grabbed Li Ziye's other arm. She squeezed hard, her powerful True Qi surging forth, and shattered the meridians in his left arm as well.

"Aah!"

Another pig-slaughtering scream rang through the room, leaving the servants passing through the residence trembling with fright.

Beside the lake, Zhang Lata picked up his Drunken Blossom Wine, tilted his head back for a sip, and cheerfully hummed a tune.

"Apricot tree, oh, blooming white, an immortal came to my home today. The immortal stroked my crown, oh, bound my hair and granted me eternal life..."