Chapter 250
In the princess’s residence, within the garden, three children, one older and two younger, played joyfully. In a pleasant pavilion, Su Li observed Changle with some worry. At this moment, Changle’s face wore an expression of sorrow that was difficult to dispel.
It had been a month since Li Chengqian’s rebellion. During this time, Changle had tried to meet with Li Er several times, but Li Er consistently declined to see her. Even Zhangsun Wu Fei had only briefly spoken with her. After that visit, Changle cried for an extended period and hasn’t found happiness since.
Su Li had anticipated this outcome. He knew taking action would create an insurmountable divide between Changle and Li Er’s family. However, he never regretted his decision to eliminate Li Chengqian. After Li Chengqian’s death, some of his past wrongdoings had come to light. He had conspired multiple times to harm his teacher simply because the teacher had disciplined him firmly.
Su Li couldn’t believe sparing Li Chengqian’s life would lead to genuine repentance. If he had let Li Chengqian go, he would likely become even more ruthless in the future, bringing no peace to Su Li’s family.
Even though Changle was the person closest to him in the world, Su Li couldn’t provide her with any comfort. After all, he had ended Li Chengqian’s life with his own hands. All he could do was be there for her. He gently held Changle’s hand and was about to share something amusing with her when the sound of children playing echoed from a distance.
Su Li turned his head and saw little Su Che on top of a considerably taller boy, angrily holding him down. Beside Su Li was his seven-year-old daughter, who stood anxiously behind little Su Che, trying to pull him away. But with her limited strength, she couldn’t move Su Che and was on the brink of tears.
“What’s happening?” Su Li couldn’t help but be curious. At that moment, he heard little Su Che shouting angrily at the boy.
“Apologize! If you don’t apologize, I’ll make you cry today!”
In truth, there was no need for him to act because the boy beneath him was already in tears.
“I didn’t say anything wrong, did I? Your father killed my big brother and saddened my parents. Shouldn’t your father apologize to the palace?” The boy’s voice trembled with a sense of injustice.
Little Su Che was furious and responded, “That day, your big brother wanted to harm our entire family. If it were you, wouldn’t you defend yourself?”
The boy, although pinned by Su Che and appearing frightened, still found the courage to speak.
“Sir, a gentleman resolves disputes through words, not physical force. My big brother made a mistake, so I should reason with him. How can I just eliminate him outright?”
This reply caused Su Che to burst into laughter. “It seems you’re asking for trouble, huh? You want a good scolding!”
Despite their heated exchange, Su Che hadn’t taken any action yet, and the boy had started to regain his composure.
He struggled to turn his head towards Su Che and, equally angry, said, “Su Che, I’m your uncle! Would you dare strike me?”
Su Che sneered, “You can’t defeat me anyway, and if I hit you, my dad will scold me at worst. My dad says that as long as you can handle the consequences, you can do as you please.”
With that, he raised his small fist, threatening to strike. The little girl by their side, who had initially been crying due to the commotion, couldn’t help but laugh when she saw the boy crying again because of Su Che’s threats.
“Ninth Brother, you should calm down,” she said quickly. She then turned to Su Che and spoke earnestly, “Sister Changle hasn’t been in good spirits these past few days. If you create a disturbance now, it won’t end with just a scolding.”
Upon hearing her advice, Su Che paused momentarily and nodded in understanding.
“You’re right. Whenever my mother is upset, my father’s temper gets even worse,” he admitted.
With that acknowledgment, he leaped down from the boy, extended his hand, ignoring his objections, and firmly helped him to his feet.
“You’re lucky today. When you meet my mother later, observe your words. Otherwise, old and new grievances will come back to haunt you!” Su Che warned.
Although the boy was intimidated, he still maintained his stance.
“You owe me a favor for this,” he retorted, turning his head away in a huff.
Su Che raised his small fist and playfully waved it in front of the boy, saying, “Not hitting you is your reward!”
“Just now, you caught me off guard. If you dare to attack again, I’ll shout. If my brother-in-law and Sister Changle hear it, they’ll give you a thrashing,” the boy reasoned.
Surprised by this response, Su Che inquired, “Then why didn’t you shout earlier?”
The boy shook his head and explained, “If I had shouted before you attacked, it would have drawn the attention of your brother-in-law and Sister Changle, which might have saved me from physical suffering. But once you pinned me to the ground, even if I shouted, you would still humiliate me. More people would have witnessed it, and that would have been doubly embarrassing.”
Su Che was impressed by the boy’s insight.
After a moment, he said, “My father taught me that a man should remain composed and discern between what’s important and what’s not. Your ability to make such distinctions in that situation is truly remarkable.”
The young boy, Li Zhi, became even happier and asked, “I’ve given you a valuable lesson. How will you repay me?”
Initially shocked by Li Zhi’s demanding tone, Su Che didn’t mind.
He responded sincerely, “Today, we’ll have a barbecue at home, and I’ll give you the most succulent leg of lamb.”
Li Zhi’s face lit up with joy, and they reached an agreement. As the day grew darker, the three of them made their way from the lakeside back to the pavilion.
Su Li and Changle observed the interaction between Su Che and Li Zhi. Both had unique senses that allowed them to hear the children’s conversation clearly, even from a distance.
“So, that’s Prince Jin, the one people consider timid?” Su Li asked with a playful smile as she looked at Changle.
Changle’s mood had considerably improved by now. She glared at Su Che and sternly said, “This incident must not be spread around.”
Su Che nodded with a smile, agreeing to keep their conversation confidential.
Meanwhile, Su Li couldn’t help but ponder. Throughout history, those who became emperors were not ordinary individuals, just like Li Zhi. When Su Li first met him, he didn’t see anything particularly remarkable about Li Zhi. Stripped of his princely demeanor, he appeared as an ordinary child with a reserved nature. However, the events of today have made Su Li realize something important. Li Zhi might not possess a malicious heart, but he had thick skin. Unsurprisingly, after ascending the throne, he would be known for the Emperor Yonghui era’s cultural achievements and military successes, such as subduing Goguryeo and Western Turkestan.
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