"Mmm, a single man and woman, cultivating together in the Skyveil Hall. This is good," Li Wei thought.
He appeared beside Li Yunlin, watching with satisfaction as he and Fairy Hongxiu discussed the Dao. No wonder the drunken Kuanghua had let it slip that something was going on between them; looking at it now, it really seemed to be true.
Without meddling any further with the young couple, Li Wei returned to the family residence.
In the family's main hall.
Li Dalong sat in one of the guest seats. Across from him, the graceful and elegant Consort Shu was sitting with her granddaughter, Zishu Wandong.
Although they had essentially kidnapped Consort Shu and brought her here, Li Dalong still treated her with respect.
"Prefecture Lord Li, where is that rebellious son of mine?" Consort Shu asked, her expression pained.
Li Dalong instantly understood Consort Shu's intentions. She was a mother, after all; no matter what kind of beast Prince Qian was, she would still want to try and save him.
Li Dalong glanced at Xu Cuihua beside him. Only after she nodded did he speak bluntly, "Consort Shu, Prince Qian is currently imprisoned. However, we have received a letter from the Imperial Preceptor. He went to see His Majesty, and His Majesty has decreed that no one is permitted to see Prince Qian."
"But..." Consort Shu's face turned pale in an instant.
"It is His Majesty's decree," Li Dalong said. "I must ask for Your Ladyship's understanding."
Li Dalong let out a long sigh and told a lie. The Imperial Preceptor had indeed sent a letter, but it was to instruct him to execute Prince Qian. To speak of killing a son in front of his mother, however, was a bit too cruel.
He then said to Consort Shu, "Your Ladyship, we have greatly offended you by bringing you here this time. Please rest assured, the spirit ark to the Imperial Capital is already prepared. You and your clansmen may leave whenever you wish."
As for whether Consort Shu would reveal the kidnapping, Li Dalong wasn't worried. Besides, both the Imperial Preceptor and the Grand Tutor had a hand in it.
"Grandmother, you shouldn't return to the Imperial Dynasty," Zishu Wandong interjected. "It is a place of endless conflict."
When Consort Shu is about to leave, Zishu Wandong moved to block her path.
This caused Li Dalong's brow to furrow. Zishu Wandong then turned and bowed to him. "I ask that Prefecture Lord Li send a letter back to the Imperial Preceptor, saying that my grandmother has perished on the journey."
"But..." Li Dalong began, taken aback.
Li Dalong and Xu Cuihua exchanged a glance. "This is the crime of deceiving the emperor," Li Dalong said.
"Prefecture Lord Li, with the world in such chaos, my grandmother will not be able to survive in the Imperial Capital," Zishu Wandong pleaded.
Although Zishu Wandong detested her grandfather, in the days she had spent with her grandmother, she had truly felt a sense of family affection she had long been missing.
Xu Cuihua asked, confused, "But why is that?"
Consort Shu remained silent.
Zishu Wandong explained in a sorrowful voice, "My Lady, there is something you do not know. His Majesty's health declines year after year, and because of this, the imperial court is in turmoil, as is the rear palace. A woman's status in the palace is tied to her son's, but as for my grandfather... who knows how many enemies he has made. Given his current circumstances, if my grandmother were to return, she would be walking into a violent storm."
Hearing this, Li Dalong narrowed his eyes. It had been several years since he had last attended court in the Imperial Capital.
He recalled what the White Qilin had said upon returning to Duskwild Prefecture—that one should now call Prince Yu "Emperor Yu."
"Please rest assured, Your Ladyship," Li Dalong finally said.
Xu Cuihua saw the hesitation in Li Dalong's expression and immediately smiled at Consort Shu. "If Your Ladyship agrees, you could live in obscurity here with your clansmen. I believe young lady Wandong would be able to protect your family."
"Thank you, My Lady! Thank you, Prefecture Lord Li!"
Gratefully, Zishu Wandong led Consort Shu away.
Li Dalong frowned at his wife. "Cuihua, why did you have to leave us with such a troublesome matter?"
"My dear, Consort Shu's clan won't amount to much. We can just have someone keep an eye on them. Besides, young lady Wandong is a direct disciple of the Perennis Immortal Palace and is on good terms with Kuanghua. We ought to do her this favor."
Xu Cuihua's face was full of gentle kindness.
"Furthermore," she said, "young lady Wandong is a good, filial child. And look at our children—they've all been single and solitary for so many years. Now that we've finally become people of power and influence, with Duravia Trade Prefecture and Eternal Sun Prefecture at peace and no need to worry about the chaos in the rest of the world, it's about time our children..."
Li Dalong got the hint.
Li Wei, sitting in the main hall, also felt a sense of gratification.
At that moment.
A loud explosion roared. Li Tianming could be seen laughing wildly as he fled from the family compound, with Li Tianyi and Li Tianqi hurriedly chasing after him, only to drag him back, tied up.
"Damn it," Li Wei cursed under his breath.
No wonder those three little brats are still single.