Chapter 3, the bad news brought by Li Ke

"Isn't Father too heartless? I'm only fourteen!" Li Yin said with a face full of indignation. "What does that mean for Mother?" Now he could only hope that Consort Yang would plead for him. During this time, Li Yin had noticed that his mother, Consort Yang, seemed to be favored by Li Shimin. In the past, many troubles he had caused were resolved by Consort Yang pleading with Li Shimin.

Li Yin was stunned by Li Ke's words, not expecting that his cheap father could be so ruthless, actually sending him to such a dangerous place. He thought that even if he didn't die, he would at least suffer greatly. However, upon reflection, it seemed quite normal; after all, Li Shimin was a man who had killed his own brothers. It was not surprising for him to be harsh on his own son. For instance, his elder brother, Prince Qi Li You, was granted death by Li Shimin a few years later. Thinking of this made Li Yin's neck feel a bit cold. It seemed that he needed to come up with some ways to win this cheap father's favor in the future.

"Yizhou? What a wonderful place!" Li Yin said with a face full of longing. Yizhou refers to what is now Chengdu, the Land of Abundance. Unique dishes such as spicy noodles, Long Chao Shou, and rabbit heads abound, especially the famous Sichuan hot pot known throughout the world. Unfortunately, chili peppers are still in the Americas, making it impossible to prepare many of these delicacies, which greatly disappoints the spice-loving Li Yin. However, it is of little concern, as the Sichuan Basin is indeed a land rich in resources, and tasting the Sichuan cuisine of the Tang Dynasty is also quite delightful. It seems that Emperor Li Shimin still cares for his unfilial son!

How about this: you write a confession letter immediately, and I will take it back to present to Father Emperor. Then I will try to plead on your behalf, hoping that Father Emperor might allow you to be relocated to a place closer to Chang'an, so that it would be more convenient for you to visit Mother Empress after the library affairs are settled. Li Ke thought for a moment and could only come up with this somewhat ineffective solution. Although the hope for success was slim, it was still better than doing nothing at all

What other bad news could there be?" Li Yun said nonchalantly

Li Yin finished speaking and sat down heavily in the chair. Generally, people in the Tang Dynasty would sit on their knees, and although furniture like chairs had already appeared, not many people used them. As a modern individual, Li Yin was certainly not accustomed to sitting on his knees, so he had craftsmen create several types of furniture from later periods, with the chair being one of them

Although he felt puzzled, Li Yin still immediately got up to welcome Li Ke. What made him feel most uncomfortable about returning to ancient times was the excessive etiquette. For instance, he and Li Ke were biological brothers; in Li Yin's view, if Li Ke wanted to come, he could just enter directly. However, Li Yin still had to personally go to the living room to greet him. The Liang Wangfu covered a vast area, and there were no cars or motorcycles, so every time he walked over, he would end up sweating profusely. The round trip was extremely inconvenient, but this was etiquette; even as biological brothers, one could not be negligent. The Liang Wangfu covered a vast area, and there were no cars or motorcycles, so every time he walked over, he would end up sweating profusely. The round trip was extremely inconvenient, but this was etiquette; even as biological brothers, one could not be negligent

"You... you really can't write anymore?" Li Ke was taken aback, suddenly standing up to scrutinize Li Yin from head to toe. Although he had long been aware that the loss of soul syndrome could lead to many unpredictable aftereffects, he never expected it to be this severe. If a prince cannot even write, it would undoubtedly become another laughingstock if it got out

Hehe, just a small trinket. If Third Brother likes it, I will have someone make more and send them to your residence, " Li Yun said generously

Prepare the ink and brush; write a few characters for me to see right now!" Li Ke commanded

"A good place?" Li Ke was utterly despairing of his uneducated younger brother, who could not even distinguish between good and bad. He could not help but exclaim loudly, "Yizhou is located in the Jianan region, where the people are fierce and miasma is rampant. Moreover, the roads to Shu are treacherous; it takes at least two months for a trip. Additionally, it is close to Tuyuhun. Although last year the army had already subdued Tuyuhun, to its southwest lies Tubo, which is growing increasingly powerful and is in constant friction with Tuyuhun, with the possibility of a major war breaking out at any moment. Do you still think it is a good place?"

"What news?" Li Dao was startled by Li Ke's serious demeanor, "Is it possible that the Xiao family wants to break off the engagement?"

"Forget it, I will think of other ways!" Li Ke said weakly. After that, he talked with Li Yin for a while, and then left the Liang Wangfu in a dejected mood

"Third Brother, didn't Father Emperor prohibit others from visiting me? Aren't you afraid of his punishment?" Li Yun directly asked as he entered the living room. Upon entering, he saw Li Ke already seated there, savoring tea. Having met Li Ke on the first day of his awakening, they were somewhat familiar with each other.

Hehe? The style of this hu chuang is indeed quite exquisite and novel!" However, Li Ke paid him no mind, merely surveying the chairs and tea tables arranged in the living room, and said with some surprise. The chairs of the Tang Dynasty, also known as hu chuang, could be used for sitting or reclining, thus they were generally large and cumbersome. The chair designed by Li Yun featured a backrest and armrests, a design that only emerged in the mid to late Tang Dynasty. Furthermore, the materials and craftsmanship of the chair were exceptionally fine, which naturally made Li Ke feel that it was exquisite and novel upon seeing it. The chairs of the Tang Dynasty, also known as hu chuang, could be used for sitting or reclining, thus they were generally large and cumbersome. The chair designed by Li Yun featured a backrest and armrests, a design that only emerged in the mid to late Tang Dynasty. Furthermore, the materials and craftsmanship of the chair were exceptionally fine, which naturally made Li Ke feel that it was exquisite and novel upon seeing it.

What can I do? You know very well that Father Emperor does not like me at all. No matter how much I plead, it is useless. Li Yin said with great frustration, as he had completely immersed himself in the identity of the King of Liang.

"Enough, no more jokes." Li Ke set down the teacup, his expression becoming somewhat serious as he said, "In fact, I came this time to discuss an important matter with you; this news is not good for you at all"

Thank you very much, Sixth Brother! Li Ke also did not stand on ceremony; he picked up the tea bowl, took a sip, and placed it directly on the tea table, quite conveniently

Li Ke felt more than half disappointed as soon as he saw Li Yin's posture while holding the brush, for Li Yin was using the grip of a fountain pen to hold a calligraphy brush, which was entirely incorrect. When Li Ke then saw the two characters that Li Yin had written, his disappointment instantly turned into despair. Initially, he had planned to write the confession letter for Li Yin himself and then have him copy it before submitting it. However, upon seeing the current situation, this plan was clearly unfeasible. The Emperor placed great importance on calligraphy, and Li Ke had earned the Emperor's favor due to his excellent handwriting. Presenting Li Yin's current writing to the Emperor would undoubtedly worsen the Emperor's impression of him.

"Do I have to write? This... this is a bit of a problem," Li Yin said hesitantly. In his previous life, he had at least attended university, but upon arriving in the Tang Dynasty, he had become a semi-literate person, unable to recognize most traditional characters. As for the brush, he had never touched one since childhood, so the moment he heard he had to write something, he immediately felt a headache coming on

You are already fourteen this year. According to the rules, you must serve as an official in a foreign region for one year. I have heard that Father Emperor intends to appoint you as the Governor of Yizhou.

"Third Brother, after I woke up, I found that I no longer recognized most of the characters, and I certainly couldn't write them. These two are the only characters I can barely remember," Li Yin said, her face flushed as she handed the characters to Li Ke. The main issue was that the writing was too ugly, with the strokes all crooked and uneven, and it was difficult to distinguish between thick and thin lines. It was probably at the level of a three-year-old child.

The illegitimate daughter of the Xiao family can become your princess; this brings honor to their family. How could there be a possibility of breaking off the engagement? If anyone were to break off the engagement, it should be us. How could you entertain such a ridiculous thought?" Li Ke furrowed his brow and said with displeasure. It was not a good look for him as the elder brother when his own younger brother married a daughter of a concubine as his princess. In this matter, he shared the same viewpoint as Consort Yang, both seeking an opportunity to annul the engagement.

Wen'er, standing to the side, immediately went out to prepare, and soon the ink and brush were ready. Although Li Yin was very reluctant, under the compelling gaze of Li Ke, he could only pick up the wolf hair brush, dip it in the ink, and then, trembling, write the simplest characters '人' and '大' on the paper. These two characters are written the same way in both simplified and traditional forms, so he was not worried about making a mistake.

Upon hearing that it was not a matter of breaking off the engagement, Li Yin immediately felt a sense of relief. He had unexpectedly gained such a beautiful fiancée. Although, from the perspective of people in the Tang Dynasty, she was merely a concubine's daughter from the Xiao family who had climbed up to him, Li Yin saw it quite the opposite. After all, he had not yet fully adapted to his current esteemed status as a prince, and his thoughts occasionally still carried the mindset of Li Tian from later generations, which is why he inadvertently blurted out such a ridiculous question

Li Yin felt a bit awkward due to Li Ke's words, chuckling twice without knowing what to say

Oh, today Father Emperor examined our calligraphy. I was fortunate enough to secure the first place. Taking advantage of Father Emperor's good mood, I earnestly requested his permission to visit you. Only after he agreed did I dare to come; otherwise, I wouldn't have had the courage like you. Li Ke said half-jokingly, feeling quite helpless about his younger brother: mischievous, overbearing, and audacious, combined with the indulgence of their mother, has turned Li Yin into a thoroughly spoiled young master. Sometimes, as the older brother, he finds it difficult to manage him. Fortunately, Li Yin still respects his older brother, so their relationship remains relatively good.

"What’s wrong? You’re not so beaten up that you can’t even write a word, are you?" Li Ke asked casually, somewhat annoyed. However, to his surprise, his good younger brother actually nodded, his face full of grievance.

"Third Brother, you haven't answered my question yet?" Li Yin couldn't help but remind his Third Brother again as he noticed him only focusing on examining the furnishings of the living room.

"Alas, you are already such a grown person, how can you always rely on the protection of your mother?" Li Ke said with a hint of frustration, "Although Father Emperor favors Mother, you also know his temperament. For some trivial matters, Mother can still plead for you, but in such significant matters, Mother has pleaded with Father several times to no avail. Moreover, due to the worsening condition of the Empress, Father is in a very bad mood, and Mother does not dare to overstep. The key still lies with you"

Li Ke also sighed deeply, fully aware of his father's attitude towards his younger brother. Not only did he dislike him, but it could even be said that he harbored a strong aversion. This was precisely why he had assigned Li Yin to such a distant place as governor, clearly wishing to keep him out of sight and out of mind