Chapter 8: Charges

However, what benefits can they gain from doing this? Is it to seize the property of the royal residence? Or do they have ulterior motives?

Under the deliberate orchestration of Li Fu, nearly all the residents of Anle Town gathered in front of the Wang residence, among them three esteemed elders, each over a hundred years old, who, supported by their family members, entered the Wang residence with trembling steps

Outrageous

Li Haoran nodded in agreement with Ye Lin's approach. He was not concerned about the possibility of his martial arts training being exposed; rather, he was worried that Li Fu and Ye Lin, in a desperate situation, might act rashly and take preemptive measures.

Within the front courtyard of the Wang residence, Li Haoran has already had the tables and chairs arranged, and Chun'er and Li Quan have also been assigned to their respective rooms

Bang

Li Haoran let out a cold snort, looking arrogantly at Ye Lin in front of him. His gaze fell on Li Fu behind him, and his tone was exceptionally cold

After the ancestor Li Xunkong of the Anle Wang lineage came here, the reigning emperor personally wrote a letter. This letter was originally kept in the Anle Wang residence, but later, in order to demonstrate his impartiality, Li Xunkong moved it to the ancestral hall in Anle Town and entrusted it to the three most respected elders in the town at that time.

Li Fu was knocked to the ground with a single punch, his left cheek swollen and red, staring in shock at Li Haoran, and shouted in disbelief.

The three elderly men exchanged glances, their eyes clear yet carrying a hint of solemnity. Before their words had fully settled, the descendants of the family presented the ancient sandalwood box containing the imperial edict.

As long as they wish to preserve their future and safeguard their wealth and lives, they cannot convict the Anle Wangfu without evidence and directly imprison and sentence the Li family members of the Wangfu.

In fact, Li Haoran's concerns are largely unnecessary. The reason the Anle Wangfu has endured for hundreds of years and survived numerous destructions is not due to luck, but because there are still some individuals in the court who pay attention to the Anle Wang lineage

Good! This is exactly what I mean!

Bang

Li Haoran looked up at the general, revealing a mischievous smile. His eyes widened slightly, carrying a hint of provocation as he lifted his foot and directly stepped on Li Fu's stomach

Looking at the numerous servants he had defeated lying on the ground, Li Haoran's lips curled into a faint smile. Although the pain on his face was still sharp, his heart was filled with a surge of excitement and joy

"... ... Esteemed gentlemen, I kindly request that you present the imperial edict personally inscribed by our Emperor from those years, to be read aloud for the benefit of the lineage of Prince Anle!"

A voice devoid of any emotion emerged. Although Li Fu felt somewhat flustered, he still harbored a sense of pride in his heart, for it was he who had exposed Li Haoran's cultivation of martial arts. It was also he who had driven Li Haoran to desperation, leaving him with no possibility of turning the tide. Furthermore, it was he who had led to the complete annihilation of the Li clan

Do you dare to take action

Bang

Bah! A group of worthless scoundrels

The bronze general's expression changed again as he stepped forward, drawing the iron sword from his waist with his right hand and thrusting it directly at Li Haoran in front of him

Before long, the main gate of the Wang residence opened

Do you have anything else to say

Ye Lin looked at Li Haoran's calm demeanor, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. He turned to Li Fudao and said: "Go open the gates of the Wang residence, invite the several old gentlemen from Anle Town to witness this, and let the townspeople come and watch. If you, Li Haoran, are guilty, the three-foot green blade in my hand will not show mercy. If you are wronged, I will restore justice to you"

However, Li Fu is also a perceptive person. Ye Lin's appearance is to determine Li Haoran's death sentence. As of now, the crime has not yet been established, and Li Haoran has not confessed. He cannot say much and can only silently rise from the ground, standing behind Ye Lin, hiding his hatred in his heart, waiting for Li Haoran to confess before he can properly frame him.

The thousand-character imperial edict arrived slowly, mostly filled with polite remarks. However, this particular passage deeply shocked Li Haoran, making him faintly feel that the great emperor, Xia Yu, seemed to have had reservations about the Li clan.

The Great Emperor of the Ding Tian Dynasty, Xia Yu, personally wrote: "Prince Anle, Li Di, seeks the void... I know of your integrity, but a family can be destroyed by termites over a hundred years. To prevent your descendants from tarnishing your reputation, I take it upon myself to decree that any descendant of the Li family who violates the ancestral teachings and shows no remorse shall be subject to the authority of the Zhenbingwei. Should there be conclusive evidence, actions will be taken according to the law and promises. If there is resistance, those who refuse to confess may be executed first and reported later"

Li Haoran had long anticipated Ye Lin's actions. At the moment the iron sword was drawn, he quickly retreated seven or eight steps, stopping within a safe distance

The intense pain caused Li Fu's eyes to bulge wide open, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Hmph? Just because you say I practice martial arts, I will practice martial arts? Then I could also say that you collude with the steward of the royal mansion, plotting something sinister to frame the royal family!

What secrets might there be within it

In the memory of Li Haoran, Ye Lin from Anle Valley is an exceptionally formidable individual. The valley has faced several waves of beastly calamities, and it was only thanks to Ye Lin that it was able to preserve itself.

Hmph! Li Haoran, you are quite capable, daring to practice martial arts! Have you forgotten the promise made by your ancestor of the Li family, Mr. Xunkong, to the court back in the day?

After the three elders entered the mansion, the townspeople also began to enter the interior one after another

Ten neatly dressed knights, with one hand resting on their swords and the other on their waists, stood in two rows, imposing and dignified, flanking both sides of the courtyard

Li Fu cast a resentful glance at Li Haoran and walked straight out.

Li Fu no longer exhibited the previous coldness; a hint of panic flickered in his eyes. There was no one left around him to rely on, and on the entire battlefield, only he and Li Haoran remained standing.

This also made the garrison in Anle Valley dare not neglect their duties, and further prevented individuals like Ye Lin and Li Fu from directly taking action against the Wangfu

Stop!

In the courtyard corridor, a general clad in bronze armor strode forward with great urgency, his expression extremely uncomfortable, and a hint of cold severity in his eyes as he glared at Li Haoran, who was about to make another move

Li Haoran remained unfazed, standing calmly in place. He glanced at the people around him and then looked at Ye Lin, speaking in a loud voice.

There is! I, as the king, can vouch in the name of my ancestors. I have absolutely not practiced martial arts. As for those so-called martial techniques and martial paths, they are nothing but baseless slanders. I demand the court to stand up for me and restore the Li family's long-standing reputation

What difference does it make if I hit again

Hmph! You little brat, your end is near!

Today, the three elders seated in this honored position are the successors of the three elders from years past. They have inherited the wishes of their ancestors and taken on the responsibility of safeguarding the imperial texts

Li Fu pretended to stand calmly in place, but in his heart, he was constantly calling out for Ye Lin. As long as Ye Lin appeared, Li Haoran would be as good as dead.

Does he still have any reliance, then

This is a step in the plan, as the saying goes, "the voices of the crowd can destroy bones." Now they have both witnesses and material evidence. As long as it is presented, it will be sufficient to prove that Li Haoran practiced martial arts. Thus, the entire populace of Anle Town will be witnesses. At that time, if Li Haoran attempts to resist or escape, he will have justification to directly execute Li Haoran.

Upon such thoughts, a sense of satisfaction arose in his heart

General Ye, what do you mean by this? Assassinating the royal family is a grave crime of exterminating families and clans. I trust you cannot be serious in this matter

Li Fu, who was behind him, had already regained his composure. After being punched and kicked by Li Haoran, his face was extremely awkward, and he was filled with an overwhelming rage, wishing he could devour Li Haoran alive

Ye Lin smiled, turned around, and scanned the crowd of citizens in Anle Town before finally looking at Li Fu and the group of black-clad servants behind him

Li Haoran threw punches indiscriminately, each strike landing with force. Relying on his immense strength, he knocked all the bodyguards to the ground.

Just as Li Haoran's fist was about to rise, a dignified voice suddenly echoed through the courtyard, resembling the roar of a tiger and the chant of a dragon, shaking the hearts of those present and causing the flowers and plants in the courtyard to tremble.

Puff

He was not worried that Li Haoran would escape; by the time he entered, he had already mobilized the elite troops of the town, surrounding the Wang residence so tightly that not a drop of water could leak through. Even if Li Haoran possessed extraordinary abilities, it would be impossible for him to escape from his grasp

Li Haoran smiled upon hearing the sound, and the hand he had raised did not lower; instead, it resolutely struck Li Fu's face.

Hmph! You little beast, I will make sure you die understanding!

During the scuffle, Li Haoran was also struck by the house servants with over ten punches. His clothes were tattered, and he had a bruise on his face, making him appear utterly disheveled.

Since it concerns the integrity of the Anle royal lineage, we shall certainly heed the general's wishes

Li Haoran, kneel down! You have already violated the ancestral teachings and further disobeyed the imperial edict. Your life is now in jeopardy, and any further struggle is in vain

Let us begin

This wooden box had long been taken out by these three esteemed elders when Li Fu notified them

His confidence soared with the achievement of defeating ten opponents single-handedly, and he experienced an unprecedented sense of fulfillment. The repression that had lingered in his heart was completely dissipated in this battle, allowing him to feel much lighter and significantly more self-assured

However, this person is stern and impartial. Since arriving at Anle Valley, he has been training soldiers and practicing martial arts all day long, never attending any banquets or socializing with anyone.

We can also testify that the young prince has indeed practiced martial arts

Li Fu, you may speak of all that you have seen, and I shall take it upon myself to make decisions for you!

Behind him, Li Fu timely spoke up: "I can testify that our young prince has practiced martial arts, and there are martial skills in his room"

As long as all the evidence is presented before him, he is not afraid that Li Haoran will not plead guilty

The three elderly men nodded slightly, glanced at Li Hao and Tu Shuran, who still had nothing to say, and spoke softly

After arranging for everyone to take their seats, Ye Lin explained the reason for inviting them, then clasped his hands together in a gesture of respect and said with a respectful expression

Ye Lin let out a cold snort, raised his hand to point at the numerous servants on the ground, and questioned in a stern voice

If he were to directly convict Li Haoran and execute him now, he would likely face impeachment from those with ulterior motives. Moreover, the Anle Wang lineage holds considerable prestige in Anle Valley, and even if it were said that Li Haoran practiced martial arts, it is unlikely that anyone would believe it

Stop!

At this moment, Li Haoran felt an unparalleled clarity in his heart. In Ye Lin's words, he further solidified his thoughts; Ye Lin must be in collusion with Li Fu. Their intentions were quite clear: they aimed to eliminate him, Li Haoran.

At this point, the three elders had finished reading the imperial edict. Ye Lin stepped forward and cupped his hands in salute to the edict, saying: "Today, the military guard of Anle Town, Ye Lin, acts upon the golden words of the imperial edict to examine the descendants of the Li family. If there are indeed violations of the ancestral teachings, I shall impose penalties according to the edict. If there are no such violations, I shall restore the Li family's honor."

Li Haoran swept a glance around and raised his head to look ahead

Li Haoran, who was moving forward, had calmed down. Upon hearing Li Fu's words, he slightly furrowed his brows, but his steps did not falter; instead, he clenched his fist and walked straight towards Li Fu, saying, "Do you really think I wouldn't dare to hit you?"

Ye Lin smiled faintly, casting a cold glance at Li Haoran as he asked in a deep voice

This general has witnessed it with his own eyes, and there are witnesses and physical evidence, leaving you no room for argument! Do not say that all the injured in this courtyard harmed themselves. If you had not practiced martial arts, how could you possess such great strength? To take on more than ten people, I fear that is not the kind of strength one would expect from a pampered prince

Upon hearing the sound, the crowd responded in unison.

Ye Lin cast a cold glance at Li Haoran, not mentioning anything about Li Fu, nor did he speak of the fact that he had drawn his sword. Instead, he directly addressed the matter of Li Haoran's cultivation in martial arts

After hearing this, Li Fu once again wore a smile, and a hint of pride flickered in his eyes