Volume 3, Chapter 4: Shadows of the Past (1/2)

Volu the hall, Li An relaxed, glancing at Xia Jinyi If it weren’t for his desire to not lose this subordinate, there was no way he would have fallen out with Xiao Lan and Li Hanyou What’sthat those tomen did not consider his face If he allowed them to kill Xia Jinyi, wouldn’t he be a completely useless individual who couldn’t even protect his own subordinates? It see was correct He needed to be wary of the Fengyi Sect, otherwise it was likely he would beco of this, Li An warmly instructed, “Jinyi, call over Junior Mentor Lu We have soht, have your senior apprentice brother be on duty You ht as well take some leave outside the residence”

Moved to tears, Xia Jinyi acknowledged, “Many thanks for Your Ihness’s profound favor This subordinate would rather serve Your Iht”

Li An sht For this past year, you have not left my side Presu you for what happened today As such, I’ll give you the day off and enjoy the short holiday Be sure to bring plenty of subordinates to prevent soainst you”

Xia Jinyi iratitude, “Many thanks for Your Io invite Junior Mentor Lu”

Li An waved his hand and said, “Go … There are sos that even We have no alternative Don’t take what happened to heart”

Xia Jinyi’s gaze shi+fted In a low voice, he said, “This subordinate’s status is petty and low My fate is a shness’s honor and reputation has been stamped on by another If this can be tolerated, what cannot?”

His expression changing slightly, Li An replied, “Let it be… There is no need to speak further We will first go to see the Crown pPrincess Go invite Junior Mentor Lu”

Xia Jinyi respectfully withdrew His lowered gaze was filled with satisfaction

Sitting inside the study that he had not entered for quite so seated opposite hi time before he asked indifferently, “Do you also wish to advise this Prince to kill Xia Jinyi?”

“This subject does not care about Xia Jinyi’s fate,” responded Lu Jingzhong respectfully “It is only that if the Fengyi Sect becohness because of this incident, then the gains would not rievous losses This subject naturally does not wish for Your Iyi Sect because of this yi Sect truly takes this Prince lightly,” replied Li An enraged, “Xia Jinyi is no reat ambitions, he does not even have the qualifications to vie for authority and poith the out their anger on Xia Jinyi,” explained Lu Jingzhong with a shness’s conduct is only dissolute and lecherous To them, it is difficult to tolerate However, they can’t rebuke Your Ier out on Ihness has already preserved your face, Your Ihness should now take action to placate and appease theeous towards us Your Ith”

Li An nodded his head and agreed, “Junior Mentor speaks correctly Do you knoho killed Liang Jinqian that day causing Us to be unable to refute the bla of this ht it over After consideration, aside fro, there are two other individuals that are highly suspicious”

Curious, Li An said, “Last ti were the greatest, because the individual who benefits theHowever, today, you have said that there are two others who are suspicious Who are they?”

Lu Jingzhong casually re are both suspects”

“Although the Prince of Qing has a grudge against the Fengyi Sect, he has always been respectful towards Us,” replied Li An, staring back blankly “Why would he do such a thing? Moreover, the Prince of Qi and We are in the sa is suspicious because this subject has discovered that he has plantedwith a huinally a child of the iyi Sect was sent off into the distant Hanzhong region Although Yizhou¹ is rich and plentiful, how can it co’an? What’sone’s mother is absolutely irreconcilable² Now that the Fengyi Sect is guaranteeing Your Ihness Originally, when the Fengyi Sect was leaning towards the Prince of Yong, didn’t the Prince of Qing frequently ? Recently, this subject captured a spy fro Under torture, I was able to learn that during the ti’s best martial artist, Ye Tianxiu, was in the capital If he was not seeking to take advantage of the crisis for personal gain,³ ould the Prince of Qing allow his bodyguard to leave his side?”

Li An’s expression changed and he somberly asked, “If it really was him, how do you feel we should handle him? Should I speak a feords before Imperial Father to have hihnesshis head “It is i Therefore, Your Ihness should entice hihness will need to use the Prince of Qing to check and balance the Fengyi Sect How can we handle hi to his involvehness need only to be careful towards this ’s people have beco’an”

Li An nodded his head and inquired, “Then how did Junior Mentor also cohness, the Prince of Qi, was originally Your I “However, these last few years, Your Ihness has inevitably become aloof and distant towards hihness cannot be blah the Prince of Qi stands in opposition to His I, he has always refused to go overboard, always retaining some considerations It is proper and inevitable that Your Ihness would suspect the Prince of Qi Over this last year, the Prince of Qi has asked for an assignment to the frontier on numerous occasions All of these requests were rejected by Your Ihness In the Prince of Qi’s eyes, Your I hi hness’s eyes, the Prince of Qi is actually hoping to avoid a direct confrontation with the Prince of Yong In reality, this subject feels that neither Your Ih the Prince of Qi has not spoken it aloud, he truly fears the Prince of Yong Your Ihness refuses to allow hiness to perreater Your Iainst the Prince of Qi After all, soins⁴ Isn’t this how Concubine Lan has advised Your Ihness?”

Li An blushed “I also believe that Concubine Lan speaks correctly Moreover, the Prince of Qi is too arrogant This Prince feels that he is always disrespectful”

“Regarding this, Your I, stroking his beard “It is only that it would be better if the Prince of Qi is consoled After all, the Prince of Qi is a general ill help Your Ihness cannot offend him Without the presence of the Prince of Qi’s ar would have rebelled long ago”

Li An deeply understood this He stated, “You speak correctly In a few days, I will invite sixth brother over and soothe hi in the capital In the future, would he truly fear that there are no battles for hifully replied, “In reality, there is another person that Your Ihness also needs to pull over”

Li An looked at Lu Jingzhong Lu Jingzhong s”

Li An could not help but laugh “Xiahou Yuanfeng has long been a part of this Prince’s faction You already know this He and his father have pledged their support for this Prince long ago”

“At present, the th coriyi Sect only listens to the orders froyi Sect Master supports Your Ihness Tomorrow, if Fan Huiyao were to support the Prince of Qi or Prince of Qing, they would immediately dance a different tune Over this last year, isn’t Your Inificant nuhness’s ’s reatly favored by the Eain his sincere support, then he will becohness’s sharp blade At present, Commander Pei Yun of the Northern Barracks of the I’s faction Although he still esteems the Prince of Qi, he has no favorable i once defeated Pei Yun It would be a great pity if Your I as we respect the capable and wise, pulling Xiahou Yuanfeng onto our boat, when the tiMoreover, we can coyi Sect However, Your Ihness has kept your distance from him It would be a shame if this man slips away”

Li An was somewhat uneasy It was inappropriate for hi, if only because the h him Li An asked, “Tell aze lowered “I have heard that Your I anyjade, and is extre is the fondest of flexible swords Reportedly, he once dispatched people to all parts of the country to collect flexible swords”

“I thought that it would have needed a treasure,” replied Li An with a sh this flexible sword is precious, it is only a toy to this Prince Tozhong bowed and acknowledged, “This subject is endlessly grateful for Your Iness to accept criticisht Over this year, We have endured enough You have to think of a way to allow Us to vent Our anger”