Time Travel: Pampered by the Aloof Prince-Chapter 49 - Where Are You Going

“Really?” Li Ming’an was somewhat incredulous.

These two had survived falling off a cliff; could a mere Heifeng Village really trap them?

Heifeng, faced with his questioning gaze, did not get angry; instead, he laughed arrogantly.

“The Prince can rest assured.

Once they enter my Heifeng Village, even immortals would not return.”

Li Ming’an’s expression softened, and the boulder pressing on his chest finally eased.

Yes, Heifeng Village was surrounded by mountains on three sides, easy to defend and hard to attack, filled with vicious characters who could devour men whole.

If those two were sent there, it would indeed be a one-way trip.

“Hall Master, rest assured, this Prince will make sure the task is done!”

Heifeng nodded slightly and disappeared into the dark forest cloaked in the night.

The next day, when Qi Yu woke up and found someone lying beside her, she was startled.

These past few days, Li Mingjue seldom stayed in the same room with her, let alone slept on the same bed.

Looking at his sleeping face, Qi Yu still felt uncomfortable.

But she didn’t feel like getting up at all; instead, she lay there glued to the mat, staring silently at the Prince’s exceptional beauty.

“Have you had your fill of looking?” The person, who was supposedly sound asleep, suddenly opened his eyes and looked at her with a teasing gaze.

Qi Yu was startled, turned over, and sternly denied that she had been infatuated just moments before.

Li Mingjue watched her tightly curled up figure from behind, chuckled softly, and, in high spirits, let her be.

“Get up.

We have to pay respects to Father Emperor later.”

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Qi Yu, muffled in bed, grunted affirmatively.

Breakfast was served in their respective tents.

Qi Yu nibbled on the hard pastries with a face clouded by gloom.

Only on the second day and she already missed her days in the Prince Residence.

But she had to stay for another three days before she could return.

Li Mingjue, seeing her look of utter dejection, was about to comfort her when someone outside reported, “Prince, the Emperor urgently requests your presence.”

All he could do was put his thoughts aside and quickly exit the tent.

An issue requiring Li Tianze to send someone personally for him must be a serious matter.

“Scoundrels!” Li Tianze slammed some papers on the ground, his beard quivering with anger.

Li Mingjue and Li Ming’an, who had followed swiftly, exchanged glances, each with their own thoughts, as they stepped forward to pay respects.

“Father Emperor.”

“Father Emperor.”

Li Tianze raised his hand, signaling the two to rise, and instructed Zhou Fu to deliver the urgent letter that had come from the capital city.

Li Mingjue read the letter at a glance, his eyebrows deeply furrowed.

Li Ming’an, however, stepped forward furiously and said, “These bandits are so rampant that they dare to rob all over the capital city while the Emperor is away.

In my opinion, we must not let this go easily!”

Li Mingjue, however, sensed that there was more to the situation, and after taking another look at Li Ming’an, who was deliberately muddying the waters, he had guessed most of it.

Li Tianze cast a glance at the two of them, speaking with significant meaning, “At this time, there must be someone to maintain order in the capital.”

Li Ming’an was the first to kneel down, his tone resolute, “Your son wishes to share Your Majesty’s worries!”

Li Tianze looked at him with an approving expression, then turned towards Li Mingjue.

“Your third brother is willing to stand in for Us in the capital.

Do you have any thoughts on this?”

Li Mingjue, suppressing the unease in his heart, knelt and said, “Your son also wishes to share Your Majesty’s worries.”

Li Tianze, with his hands behind his back, displayed no discernible emotion on his face, “Since both royal sons are willing to share Our burdens, We cannot show favor to one over the other.”

With that, he turned to Cailin and inquired, “As for this matter, what does Minister Cai think should be done?”

Cailin, looking troubled at the two princes, felt it was difficult for him, a military officer, to make such a decision.

He could only reply, albeit hesitantly, “Your Majesty, I do not know.”

He was capable of leading troops in battle, but he was at a loss when it came to disputes of the court.

Seeing Cailin sweating bullets, Li Tianze did not press him further, instead asking Shen Xiheng, “Minister Shen has always been wise and just.

What is your opinion on this matter?”

Shen Xiheng, more astute than the burly Cailin who knew only warfare, had long seen the trap set by Li Ming’an and decisively responded, “Your Majesty, I believe that it would be best for the Third Prince to handle this matter.”

“Why?” Li Tianze asked dispassionately.

Shen Xiheng calmly laid out his arguments in a structured manner, explaining all the advantages of sending Prince Ming’an back to the capital, beguiling everyone present to the point of nodding in agreement.

Li Ming’an, sensing trouble, intervened as Shen Xiheng’s impassioned speech progressed, “Father, Minister Shen truly overpraises me.”

He looked at Li Mingjue, his tone earnest, “I believe that it would be most appropriate to entrust this task to my seventh brother.

He is still young and needs to build a commanding presence in the hearts of the common people.”

Li Tianze, detecting the evasion in his words and feeling somewhat displeased, could not openly express his disgruntlement.

He only looked towards Li Mingjue, his voice betraying neither joy nor anger, and said indifferently, “Your third brother also makes some sense.”

Li Mingjue had anticipated this; from the moment he entered the room, Li Ming’an had been steadily steering him towards the path back to the capital.

What he couldn’t understand was Li Ming’an’s ultimate motive.

Suppressing bandits, though arduous, was an endeavor that typically led to success.

Not to mention the acclaim from the common people, the mere possession of military power was enticing enough, and with the Emperor away from the capital, would it not be easy to manipulate the situation to one’s advantage?

How could Li Ming’an pass up such an opportunity?

He offered the credit to me and cloaked it as helping to establish my authority, which did not match his usual style at all.

But now, having reached this point, the only option he had was to accept the command, kneeling down to declare, “Your son will certainly not fail in his duty and will not disappoint Father and the people of the capital.”

When Qi Yu learned that Li Mingjue was to lead troops back to suppress the bandits, she was so shocked that she crushed the grapes in her hand, juice splattering all over.

“Princess!” Chunlan, who had just brought in a pot of freshly brewed Biluochun Tea, cried out as she witnessed her hurried departure.

Qi Yu, her long skirt dragging behind her, ran towards the hunting grounds.

Li Mingjue was already dressed in his military attire, with the Great General Cailin beside him conducting a roll call of the troops.

Upon seeing the flash of fiery red, he was momentarily taken aback before a smile surfaced on his face, “What brings you here so suddenly?”

Qi Yu, blinded by his gentle smile, felt a sharp sting in her eyes.

She glared at him with a touch of indignation and asked through gritted teeth, “Where are you going?”