If they intended to let His Highness suffer any losses, the Emperor must be here to witness it... that being said, the Emperor was most likely nearby.
For this reason, she could not do anything. If she did, the opponent would change their plans accordingly. At that point in time, His Highness would still be the one who had to suffer the consequences.
One was the son of a powerful general; one was a prince that the Emperor did not favor long ago.
Based on her understanding of the Emperor, to weigh up the situation, he would definitely prevail justice at the cost of his blood relations, which would bring harm to his own son.
There was not much time to consider any further. Two of the masters were approaching. They lifted and swung their right legs. Looking at the strength of their swings, it was evident that they had learned martial arts before.
Helian Wei Wei did not hesitate to shield His Highness with her body. She suffered three powerful kicks from the back. A metallic taste then exploded in her throat. Nevertheless, she did not let go of His Highness and continued to endure tremendous pain from the kicks. She swore under her breath. D*mn, it hurts!
When Baili Jia Jue witnessed this scene, his fingers c.a.r.e.s.sed her pale face and his eyes shimmered with tears. He could not stop the tears from rolling down his cheeks!
Chapter 611 - An Alliance Of Two, Time To Strike Back
At that moment, he wanted to kill all of them.
To kill everyone who got close to her!
The young noblemen seemed to have felt something odd. A sudden ominous breeze from nowhere whirled up the dust and snow on the ground, spreading on the noblemen's faces, making it difficult to even keep their eyes open.
"What's going on?" The little bully named Li yelled and held up a hand to cover his eyes. When he opened his eyes, Baili Jia Jue who was supposed to be on the ground stood right in front of him. His face was smiling, but his eyes were bloodshot.
Master Li stared at him with a pale face. "D-Don't come near! If you come one more step closer, I-I will..." Master Li surveyed left and right and bent over to pick up a brick.
However, when he least expected it, the boy in front of him grinned, as if he was prey that could never escape that boy's grip no matter how hard he struggled.
Master Li was horrified, but the others could not see the expression in Baili Jia Jue's eyes.
Looking at the person before him walking toward him step by step, he could no longer hesitate. He aimed at the corner of Baili Jia Jue's eye and swung his hand!
Bang!
The brick made a noise.
The wind stopped.
Blood trickled down from Baili Jia Jue's face onto his robe. The scene was immensely appalling. In contrast, his eyes had never shone so brightly before. It was so bright until it could send chills down one's spine.
Master Li was the one who injured him, but he acted as if he was the victim. Fear filled his eyes. "Y-Y-You..." He could have dodged the attack! Why did he take the hit?!
"What's happening!?"
A commotion was aroused by the noise.
Not to mention, the Emperor was brought to the scene by the Eldest Prince.
The Eldest Prince heard a cry so he thought his plan had worked. He immediately pretended to panic and said, "Did something happen to Li Yu? Father, let us go check it out."
The Emperor was not anxious at all.
The one who truly panicked was General Li. Upon hearing that it involved his child, he rushed to the scene.
Baili Jia Jue stood with his back facing the rest of the people. The Eldest Prince saw his posture from afar and shouted, "Third Prince, are you being naughty again? You're still a child. How could you be so cruel! I didn't say anything when you hurt my eunuch, and now, how dare you bully Li Yu!"
General Li heard this and turned furious. "Third Prince, our Li Yu is still imm.a.t.u.r.e due to his age, yet he has never done anything wrong. Why are you keeping him there like that? Shouldn't you give me an..."
The word 'explanation' got stuck in General Li's throat as Baili Jia Jue suddenly turned his face over.
It was gruesome. Half of his face was covered with blood, whereas the other half still appeared cool and distant. Every part of his robe was wrinkled, without a smooth spot.
Everyone was shocked, especially the palace maids and eunuchs who trod on his heels. The cuts on the boy's face were too terrible to look at. How hard was he being hit to cause him so much bleeding?
The Third Prince was not an adorable kid. Even when soaked in his own blood, he did not blink, not even once. He just stood there like Lord Yama who was ready to take lives.
The servants could not bear to see the sight in front of them, but they felt ominous at the same time.
The Eldest Prince stood dumbfounded. H-How did it happen? Did I not tell them to merely punish him a little, and not to cause any injuries?
Even if someone had to get hurt, it should be someone on their side.
Why was that br*t, the Third Prince, hurt instead!
The Emperor frowned, and asked in a solemn voice, "What exactly happened here?"
"Father!" Master Li quickly rushed into General Li's arms, intending to snivel about what happened.
A loud thud disrupted the commotion.
It was Helian Wei Wei.
She only had one thought at that moment.
No one would be able to escape unscathed after beating up Baili Jia Jue!
That Li br*t hurt his head.
She would take the life of his family in return!
Thinking of this, Helian Wei Wei closed her eyes, but her words stirred their hearts. "Your Majesty, I do not know if Master Li has any misunderstandings with His Highness. Once His Highness reached the school, Master Li brought along the other young noblemen and forced His Highness to swallow the earthworms in his hands. Master Li said that it was a revenge for the Eldest Prince's eunuch, Eunuch Zuo. Your Majesty ought to know that the Third Prince is not a sociable person. It's true that he had rubbed Eunuch Zuo the wrong way, and it is understandable for him to be doubted by others. However, even if they had their suspicions, it should be investigated by Your Majesty. Master Li must have felt indignant, hence he wanted to punish the Third Prince. I was surprised when I witnessed it. How dare a nobleman not of royal blood bully the Prince? How insolent are they, having no respect toward the Prince? As I wanted to stop him, I heard him say…"
Helian Wei Wei stopped talking. She hesitated as she took a peek at Li Yu…
"What did he say!" The Emperor's eyes dimmed, and his face was void of any emotion.
The Eldest Prince beside the Emperor knew that his father was raging. He glared at Helian Wei Wei.
D*mn it!
Where did this servant come from! Such a big mouth!
Helian Wei Wei felt the Eldest Prince's stare. She shivered as she was intimidated by him.
The Emperor turned over and looked at the Eldest Prince with indifference.
Just that one look, the Eldest Prince was completely petrified. "Father, d-don't listen to that palace maid. She's spouting nonsense. She's always beside the Third Prince, of course, she would side with him..."
"Shut up!" Emperor growled. Then, he took a deep breath and looked at his son whom he was most cautious about. "Third Prince, tell me, what did Li Yu say just now?"
The boy held up his head, blood was still flowing from the corner of his eye, staining his entire face red. "He said that he had come to take my eldest brother's revenge on me. He also said that I should listen to him. Or else, with his father's army that even you will fear, I, the unfavored prince, will be punished if I touched him."
The little boy's tone was dull and emotionless, yet he skillfully added in 'take my eldest brother's revenge on me'.
These were the words that mattered most to the Emperor!
But now, it was fairly obvious that the Li family had severely deviated from the right path...
Emperor sneered. He did not look at the Li family, instead, he loo
ked at his eldest son beside him. He thought he's all grown up now and he wants to take my throne?
"F-Father…" Cold sweat dripped down from the Eldest Prince's forehead when he saw his father glaring at him.
Chapter 612 - Tacit Torture
After all, Master Li was still young, how would he know how to handle the situation? So, he acted like himself and cried loudly. He wanted to help the Eldest Prince, and his tone was full of grief, "Father, I didn't want to hit Baili Jia Jue. He could have dodged it. But before I knew it, his head was hit! Father! Waaa! Didn't you see his murderous look? He's gonna kill me! You must claim my justice!"
He acted this way because every time he did, he would get what he wanted.
Therefore, Master Li had no scruples when it comes to whining.
However, his whining did not calm the situation. Instead, it tensed up the atmosphere even more.
The Eldest Prince signaled General Li desperately, trying to get him to shut Li Yu's mouth.
General Li's expression changed and the color drained from his face. He quickly covered his son's mouth with his hands.
Master Li had no idea which part of what he said was wrong. He did not even know why his father reacted this way. So, he tried to struggle away from his father.
The Emperor smiled, and the smile seemed gentle. "Baili Jia Jue? Oh, little Li Yu, should you be calling his name, Baili Jia Jue, directly?"
General Li shivered upon hearing it. He pulled his son down and kneeled together. "Your Majesty, my son is young and ignorant. He does not know the rules of the palace. Please have mercy on us, Your Majesty!"
The Emperor did not allow General Li to stand up immediately. Rather, he turned over and looked at Baili Jia Jue. "Third Prince, you are the victim. How do you want to handle this?"
"Death sentence." These two words were fitting for his style.
Of course, the Emperor would not follow his judgment. He was merely investigating how true the event was. The more murderous Baili Jia Jue was, the more truthful he was.
"You're still the same old you, too cruel." The Emperor spoke lightly, but he benefited from that attitude of the Third Prince. If not for that weakness in the Third Prince's character, he would have been a threat to the Emperor.
A cruel prince would not get far no matter how talented he was. So, the Emperor was not worried about this son at all.
However, he should teach his other son a lesson!
The Emperor lifted his eyes, looking at the Eldest Prince. "Feng, what do you have in mind?"
The Eldest Prince panicked. He was afraid that the Emperor might harm the Li family, so he immediately begged for their lives. "It is indeed Li Yu's fault in this case, but General Li has served us for so many years. Li Yu is his only son, so it is understandable for him to spoil his son. His upbringing has turned him into an imm.a.t.u.r.e boy, which had caused him to hurt the Third Prince out of desperation. It takes two to make a quarrel. I cannot tell what happened exactly, but since Li Yu has injured someone, he must accept his punishment. Ground him for half a month. Let him ponder his mistakes. This should help him get himself together!"
The Eldest Prince thought his words would make a difference in the Emperor's decision to some extent, but he did not expect that his begging led to a murderous intent in the Emperor's mind.
The Emperor could almost confirm that the Li family was no longer serving him, but the Eldest Prince instead.
A general, who held great power, formed cliques and factions for his own interest. Why would the skeptical Emperor keep such a general under him?
However, he had his worries. After all, the Li family was a noble family.
The Emperor closed his eyes while vexedly flipping around a thumb ring in his hands...
"Your Highness, your head…" Helian Wei Wei whispered softly. "The brick smashed right onto your head. Fortunately, Your Highness is still alive. Otherwise, the palace would have one prince less for no reason, and we would not know who would be the next one…"
The Emperor was still hesitating, but Helian Wei Wei's words were the very last straw that caused his hesitation to topple down.
The Emperor knew who was behind today's incident. Before this, he did not want to be involved in the princes' quarrels. There was no loss in letting them fight amongst themselves.
But this time, it was different.
From his speech, it was obvious that Li Yu did not revere the Emperor.
He was just a young nobleman. How could he say something so horrible, and even wanted to murder the prince?
The man behind this incident must have been eyeing on the Emperor's throne, plotting to replace him!
At this thought, the Emperor squinted his eyes and said, "One still dares to feel wronged after hurting a prince. I did not know that a general has become more powerful than me! Come, take both the Li's father and son away. Bring all of the members working under the Li family to the Ministry of Official Personnel Affairs. If they are still loyal to me, keep them. If they are like the disrespectful Li Yu, off with their heads!"
That was the Emperor's true nature. He would rather kill thousands by mistake than missing out one by accident.
Since he wanted to wipe out this faction, he should uproot them completely to prevent trouble in the future!
General Li did not expect that the fighting between two children would cause such an end. He took on a ghastly expression and flopped onto the ground.
General Li had been fighting for years, but he never expected that he would taste defeat in that instance.
He knew about this plan of the Eldest Prince. It was supposed to be a surefire plan.
Yet, the ending was a complete loss to the Li family.
Where did it go wrong?
Was that the big mouth palace maid, or the Third Prince whom nobody took notice of?
Li Yu did not know what happened to his father, but he seized the chance to talk. Struggling away from his father's grip, he protested. "Your Majesty, why are you imprisoning us? My father is a great general of the War Dragon Dynasty. A general who fought for you! You shouldn't capture us!"
"Slap his mouth." This sentence came from Baili Jia Jue. His face remained elegant and noble as usual.
The imperial guards who seized Li Yu slapped him in a split second!
Slap!
The slap landed on Lu Yi's cheek.
Li Yu's entire face was swollen. He stomped his little feet angrily. "How dare you order them to hit me!"
Usually, he was the one bullying others. He had never suffered before, so he turned around and shouted at the Eldest Prince, "Cousin Feng, kill him, help me to kill him!"
A kid would say anything and everything when provoked.
The Emperor could bear no more. He instantly kicked Li Yu down!
That kick was so hard, Li Yu immediately flew up and fell to the ground. Blood dripped down from his nose, turning the place messy.
The Emperor's expression was ruthless. "Saying to kill someone in front of me, it seems that the Li family is extremely audacious. Drag them away!"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
The imperial guards were startled. However, the little boy who stood not far away curved his thin lips upward.
This was just the beginning…
Chapter 613 - The Wrath Of The Little Prince
Next, the little boy turned his head over and stared at the pale-faced Eldest Prince.
The Eldest Prince continued to beg for the Li's lives, "Father, the Li family has always been loyal and honest to you. Simple because of this trivial matter..."
"Trivial matter?" The Emperor interrupted him coldly, "Plotting to kill a prince is a trivial matter? Enlighten me then, what would be considered serious to you?"
"I...I…" Life had been smooth-sailing for the Eldest Prince in the past few years, as everything was planned out for him. Outside the palace, he had the Li family's support. When he was inside the palace, he had his mother to shield him. As such, he suddenly panicked as he d
id not know how to handle this situation.
After all these years, the Eldest Prince was the only prince that the Emperor favored. Even if he made any mistakes, the Emperor would allow him some leeway.
The Retired Emperor would return sooner or later, so the Emperor had to use the Eldest Prince to keep the Third Prince in check.
Thinking of this, the Emperor waved his sleeves. "Eunuch Gao, pass on my message! The Eldest Prince is mentally unwell, so from today onwards, Fengxiao Palace's stipend will be halved. Additionally, the Eldest Prince will be confined for three days!"
"Father! Father!" The Eldest Prince watched the Emperor's silhouette helplessly as he was leaving. He clenched his teeth and turned his head around, viciously glaring at Baili Jia Jue.
Blood was still dripping from Baili Jia Jue's face. His elegant and noble appearance did not seem like it belonged to a commoner on this earth.
The Eldest Prince sneered as he walked toward him, "You're all grown now, eh?"
The little boy remained silent. In his eyes, the Eldest Prince was only a witless and brainless pig, oblivious to its ruin.
If it was not for the Emperor's preferential treatment, he would have long become a lifeless corpse.
The Eldest Prince absolutely detested Baili Jia Jue's attitude. He was just a little brat, yet he dared to act superior and looked down at him.
"Good, very good!" the Eldest Prince exclaimed, as he attempted to grab Baili Jia Jue by the collar.
A wise eunuch was tagging along the Eldest Prince. He knew that the incident today was complicated, so he held out his hand to stop the Eldest Prince, "Your Highness, the Emperor is still near. You should not be so impulsive!"
The veins on the Eldest Prince's forehead bulged, yet he had no choice but to give up as he stared fixedly at Baili Jia Jue. Then, he turned over and when he saw Helian Wei Wei standing on the side, he smirked and said, "Third Brother, although you're nothing much, it seems like every new palace maid who serves you is more charming than the last."
Upon hearing it, the little boy clenched his jaw.
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