Chapter 164 - 165: Courting Death
Li Ji was listening to Bian Ziming report on grain consumption for the past few days.
When he saw Hua Manman rush in, her face pale with fright, he wrapped one arm around her waist and waved his other hand at Bian Ziming.
Bian Ziming tactfully withdrew.
Once they were alone in the tent, Hua Manman looked up, revealing eyes red and swollen from crying.
"Prince, I just ran into the Crown Prince again.
He was fine at first, but for some reason, his expression suddenly changed.
Not only did he say many horrible things to me, he even... even reached out and tore at my clothes.
In my panic, I accidentally kicked him.
I kicked him right in his vital area.
I’m so scared. The Crown Prince must be furious. He’ll definitely kill me."
Li Ji’s expression had darkened the moment he heard the Crown Prince had laid hands on her.
’That bastard actually dared to force himself on my woman? He must have a death wish!’
Li Ji asked, "Where did he touch you?"
Hua Manman choked out, "He pushed me... and touched me here."
She pointed to her chest.
Then she added,
"He also touched my sash, but that’s all."
Li Ji reached out, tore the sash from her waist, and threw it violently to the ground.
From his ferocious demeanor, it was as if he hadn’t just thrown down a sash, but the Crown Prince’s severed head.
Hua Manman could see he was in a terrible mood. She didn’t dare make a sound, merely nestling in his arms like a poor little rabbit seeking refuge.
Li Ji held her tightly, his expression terrifyingly grim.
’He had planned on waiting until they returned to Shangjing to deal with the Crown Prince slowly. Now, it seemed that would no longer be necessary.’
Once Hua Manman had calmed down, Li Ji told her to go change her clothes. He, meanwhile, personally wrote a secret letter and had a trusted subordinate deliver it quietly out of the camp.
After returning to his tent, Li Cheng immediately ordered the attendant Imperial Physician to be summoned for treatment.
Lin Qingzhi kept an anxious vigil by his bedside.
When the Imperial Physician finished his examination, Lin Qingzhi hurriedly asked,
"How is His Highness the Crown Prince?"
The Imperial Physician looked hesitant, as if debating whether to tell the truth.
Li Cheng, enduring the intense pain, slammed his hand on the bedframe.
"Spit it out!"
The Imperial Physician dared not hesitate any longer and launched into a long, complex medical explanation.
In short, the Crown Prince’s injury was severe. The Imperial Physician could do his best to heal him, but he would only be able to restore basic urinary function. As for bedroom activities, he could forget about them. Fathering children was nothing but a dream.
When Li Cheng heard this, he went berserk.
He violently hurled the pillow across the room and roared himself hoarse.
"Get out! All of you, get out!"
The Imperial Physician grabbed his medical kit and retreated in a panic.
Terrified the Imperial Physician would spread the news of the Crown Prince’s impotence, Lin Qingzhi hurried after him, stressing that he must keep this an absolute secret.
If word got out that the Crown Prince could no longer produce an heir, his position would surely be jeopardized.
The Great Zhou Dynasty would never allow a man incapable of continuing the imperial line to become Emperor.
Li Ji had his men keeping a close watch on the Crown Prince’s tent. As soon as he learned that the Imperial Physician had paid a visit, Li Ji immediately had the man summoned.
Li Ji didn’t bother beating around the bush. He asked bluntly,
"Is the Crown Prince’s ’equipment’ ruined?"
The Imperial Physician, startled, blurted out, "How did you know?"
The words were out before he realized he had just let the cat out of the bag.
Li Ji sneered. "This camp is only so big. Is there anything I can’t find out if I put my mind to it?"
’He had a point,’ the Imperial Physician thought.
Prince Zhao was in charge of the entire Tiger Roar Camp, and this encampment was filled almost exclusively with his men.
With a single word from Prince Zhao, any one of them could become his eyes and ears.
Since Prince Zhao already knew the truth, there was no point in concealing it further. The Imperial Physician simply told him everything, including the results of his diagnosis.
After hearing the full report, Li Ji felt a bit of satisfaction.
’It seemed his training of Hua Manman hadn’t been for nothing. That was one hell of a kick.’
He dismissed the Imperial Physician, then rose to find Hua Manman and share the good news.
Hua Manman, however, was not nearly as composed as Prince Zhao.
She asked, her voice fraught with worry,
"Now that this has happened to the Crown Prince, he’ll surely kill me! What am I going to do?"
Li Ji replied calmly,
"Don’t worry. As long as I’m here, he won’t be able to harm a single hair on your head."
Hua Manman said, "He can’t do anything to you now, but what happens when we get back to Shangjing? What if he goes to the Saint and the Empress to complain?"
’Even though the Crown Prince was the one who assaulted me, and I was only defending myself...’
’...in this era, there’s no such thing as self-defense.’
’Especially when the other party is the Crown Prince, the current Emperor’s only legitimate son.’
’I’d be facing a terrible fate.’
Li Ji smiled, his expression full of meaning.
"Then we just won’t let him return to Shangjing alive."
Hua Manman stared at him, stunned. A bold thought suddenly surfaced in her mind.
"You’re not... thinking of moving against the Crown Prince, are you?"
The moment the words left her lips, she clamped her mouth shut and glanced around, only relaxing when she was certain no one was nearby.
’Assassinating the Crown Prince is treason, a crime punishable by the extermination of nine generations of one’s clan!’
Li Ji reached out and stroked her long, soft hair. His touch was gentle, but his words were utterly ruthless.
"From the moment the Crown Prince ordered the ropes cut in an attempt to kill me, it was fated that only one of us would survive."
"Either he dies, or I live."
Hua Manman: "..."
’Don’t ’he dies’ and ’I live’ mean the same thing?’
After confirming he was now impotent, Li Cheng’s sanity completely frayed, and he plunged into a state of extreme agitation.
He summoned all of his personal guards and gave a vicious command.
"Go to Prince Zhao’s tent at once and seize Lady Hua for me.
If she dares resist, kill her on the spot!
Accomplish this, and I will reward you handsomely!"
Lin Qingzhi tried to reason with him.
"Prince Zhao’s tent is heavily guarded. Your men alone won’t be able to force their way in.
It would be better to be patient for now.
Once we return to Shangjing, you can petition the Saint and the Empress to act on your behalf.
With their intervention, not even Prince Zhao will be able to protect Lady Hua."
But Li Cheng refused to listen.
His mind was consumed by a single thought: he wanted that little bitch, Hua Manman, torn to shreds!
The Crown Prince’s guards, weapons in hand, charged toward Prince Zhao’s temporary tent, only to be blocked by Bian Ziming and his soldiers.
Bian Ziming announced, "His Highness Prince Zhao is resting. No one is to disturb him."
One of the guards stepped forward and shouted,
"By order of His Highness the Crown Prince, we are here to summon Lady Hua. Hand her over at once!"
Bian Ziming gave a perfunctory salute.
"Apologies, but Lady Hua has been feeling unwell recently. It is not convenient for her to leave her tent.
If His Highness the Crown Prince has a message for her, I would be happy to relay it."
...