"You've lost weight."
"Let mother take a look at the wound on your arm.”
"Mother has almost recovered. Don't look anymore. Didn't I come back alive and kicking?”
……
In Yang Ruyi's bedroom, Li Ke avoided his mother's action of wanting to see his arm injury. He didn't want his mother to see the hideous wound so that she wouldn't worry.
As Yang Ruyi spoke, tears fell from her eyes.
"Mother, you love to cry now, so your little brother or sister in your stomach will also love to cry in the future.”
Puff!
"Damned child, how rude!" Yang Ruyi was amused. She stretched out her hand and gently hit Li Ke.
Even so, he was still at ease and asked,"Did you get the imperial physician to check on you after you came back?”
"It's fine. I'll go and find the imperial physician to take a look. Mother, sit down and talk.”Li Ke helped his mother, who was already six months pregnant, sit down.
"Mother, have you been feeling unwell recently?" he asked. I heard the news from Tumen Pass that you have abdominal pain?”
Li Ke learned of this news from the steward when he returned to the prince's mansion.
"It's fine. The imperial physician saw it. Mother was just too worried about you.”Yang Ruyi said casually.
When she heard the news that Tumen Pass was surrounded, she almost died of worry.
Li Ke knew that it was not as simple as his mother said.
He didn't ask too many questions and only comforted her,""Mother, don't worry about me in the future. I'll take care of myself.”
Yang Ruyi rolled her eyes at her son and stuffed a piece of preserved fruit into Li Ke's mouth. She said unhappily,""If you don't want Mother to worry, then you should be safe and sound. Don't cause a ruckus all day long. You're getting on in years. This time, you'll be choosing a consort for the Crown Prince, and you'll also be choosing a consort for the princes and relatives…"
"Mother, where's that little bastard Li Yin?”Li Ke felt a headache and hurriedly asked.
"Don't change the topic." Yang Ruyi patted Li Ke's head, who was pretending to look around, and said in a bad mood,""I asked him to go play because I wanted to have a good talk with you.”
"Alright, go ahead and nag. I'm all ears, but I can't guarantee that I won't listen to you.”Li Ke looked defeated.
Yang Ruyi felt helpless.
When he opened his mouth again, he suddenly asked,"Why didn't you visit the Empress first when you entered the palace this time?" Back then, when you were trapped in the Earth Gate, the Empress was very worried. She brought all of us and your younger siblings to the Mercy Temple to pray for your blessings. No matter what you do, you must have a conscience.”
Li Ke could not help but feel a headache.
It was because he had a conscience that he was unwilling to meet Zhangsun Wugou.
It could be said that he didn't know how to get along with this mother who treated him well.
This problem arose the moment they entered the city.
"Mother, I'll be there in a while, I'll be there in a while."”
"Don't play dumb."
"Never, never!"
……
In the afternoon, after leaving Yang Ruyi's bedroom, Li Ke arrived outside the Empress's bedroom. He hesitated for a long time and stood outside the door of the courtyard. In the end, he did not step in.
He only bowed deeply and left silently.
What he didn't know was that Li Shi Min was in the Empress 'bedroom.
Sigh!
After Zhangsun Wugou heard the report from the maid outside, he sighed.
Li Shi Min snorted and said,"He's so young, but his thoughts are heavy. It seems like he's carrying a lot of things in his heart.”
Zhangsun Wugou naturally understood what Li Ke was carrying.
The lives of tens of thousands of brothers.
"Second brother, isn't it a good thing that the child is kind?”Zhangsun Wugou consoled.
Li Shi Min snorted coldly.
She changed the topic and said," Green Sparrow seems to have changed a little after the incident at Earth Gate Pass. He's become more mature and actually wants to take that bastard as his own. Guanyin, do you think Green Sparrow will succeed?”
"Ke 'er is the most opinionated person among all the princes. No one can influence him. Ke' er will probably give Green Sparrow a test, but I feel that Green Sparrow will not satisfy Ke 'er.”Zhangsun Wugou said with a smile.
"You're right. That bastard is the most opinionated among all the princes and has his own set of knowledge. This is also what I admire most about him. He can not be swayed by external things. As for tonight's banquet, let's wait and see.”
……
In the evening.
In the Eastern Palace.
"Your Highness, Wu Wang and the little duke have gone out.”
Li Chengqian waited quietly in the royal study and finally got the news he wanted.
He stood up.
He quickly walked to the door and ordered,"Set the carriage to the Wei Manor!"”
"Yes, sir!"
Both the Wu and Wei residences were close to the Imperial City, one on the east and the other on the west.
Li Ke and his brothers went out together in a mighty manner. Although they did not deliberately make a big fuss, it was also almost curfew time.
However, at this moment, countless people were staring at this group of youths.
"Big brother, I'm afraid that today is not a trap banquet, right?”
"What are you afraid of!"
“……”
Facing the discussion of his brothers, Li Ke, who had his hands in his sleeves and was lazily moving forward, remained silent.
"Chumo, did you bring the brothers I asked you to call into the city?" he asked suddenly.”
"Yes, they are waiting not far from the Wei Prince's Mansion. When we go, Chu Bi will bring them out.”Cheng Chumo patted his chest and replied.
"Big Brother, why did you ask your brothers in the army to come?" Niu Lu asked in confusion. Were they preparing to wipe out the Wei Manor tonight? But those brothers are all injured. If we want to mobilize troops, we can directly mobilize them from the Black Knights stationed in the Royal Guards camp.”
"Don't spout nonsense and cause trouble for Eldest Brother!”Qin Huaiyu turned his head and glared at Niu Lu.
"What are you going to do, Big Brother?" Niu Lu scratched his head.”
"Right, Big Brother, the old brothers in the military camp have been clamoring to leave and go home these days. They all say that the Imperial Court has given them a reward and they can't drag Big Brother down anymore.”Zhangsun Chong said.
4,000 wounded soldiers had survived two months of near-death struggle.
However, he was also completely disabled.
He would never have the chance to go to the battlefield again in this lifetime.
Moreover, even being an ordinary citizen had become a difficult problem.
According to the rules of the imperial court, after the compensation was given, the imperial court would no longer bear the cost of food and pay.
After returning, he was temporarily placed in the training camp by Li Ke.
However, there was no food and salary from the court, and all the expenses were paid by Li Ke himself.
The men in the army bled but did not shed tears. None of them were cowards, and no one was willing to accept charity from others.
Moreover, they were even more unwilling to become a burden to Li Ke.
Li Ke didn't say anything. Some of his brothers still wanted to ask, but they were stopped by Qin Huaiyu's gaze.
"Big brother."
When Li Ke arrived at the Prince Wei's mansion, Cheng Chu Bi came out from a nearby alley.
Behind Cheng Chubi were hundreds of disabled brothers.
"Your Highness, young dukes." A group of rough military men bowed to Li Ke and the others.
" Your Highness," one of them said." We know your intentions, but we want to leave. Your Highness…"
" Yes, Your Highness. Your Highness, you don't owe us anything, and the Imperial Court doesn't owe us anything…"
"To be able to guard Tumen Pass with His Highness in this lifetime, we brothers will be proud of this for the rest of our lives.”
……
Facing the pleas of the men, Li Ke silently cupped his hands. Just as he was about to speak, a passionate welcome came from the Wei Prince's residence.
"Imperial Brother is finally here. Green Sparrow is late. Imperial Brother, please forgive me!”
Li Tai led a group of officials from the Wei Estate. To put it bluntly, they were just aides that Li Tai had privately recruited. They walked out with smiles on their faces and grabbed Li Ke's hand, as if they were brothers.
Li Ke smiled and pointed at the hundreds of comrades beside him."Green Sparrow, see if there are any brothers who fought alongside you?”
In fact, Li Tai already knew that this group of people was outside the Prince's mansion.
It was just that until now, he still did not know what Li Ke wanted to do.
Li Tai swept his gaze across the men in the army.
"I remember you. On the first day of guarding Earth Gate Pass, you blocked an arrow for me and injured your right arm, right?”
"I remember you too. We threw the fire oil bottle to burn the Tibetan soldiers together. Your face was burned by the Tibetan soldiers throwing the fire oil bottle back, right?”
……
As each and every one of them was recognized, the smile on Li Tai's face gradually faded. In the end, his smile became a little forced.
These people were all soldiers who had once fought alongside him.
Many people were injured because of him.
"Green Sparrow, you recognize them, right? They're all Earth Gate's Guan Yiyao, your fellow brothers. Today, I've brought them to eat with you. You won't not welcome them, right?”Li Ke grabbed Li Tai's hand and asked with a smile.
"Your Highness, we are all crude people. How can we wait for the elegant hall with Your Highness?”
"Your Highness, we will go back first.”
……
Without waiting for Li Tai to speak, the brothers in the army looked embarrassed and waved their hands.
"We are brothers who have gone through life and death together.”"What do you think, Green Sparrow?" Li Ke said with a straight face.”
"Of course, of course." Li Tai quickly replied with a smile.
"The Crown Prince has arrived!"
When Li Tai heard this voice, his expression instantly became ugly. Today, he wanted to rope in Li Ke. Li Chengqian also came. Wasn't he just trying to cause trouble?
"Second brother, third brother, I came to ask for a cup of wine from you. You won't mind, right?”Li Chengqian got off the carriage and said with a smile.
"Welcome, of course you're welcome. Royal brothers, please come in.”Li Tai pinched his nose and admitted it.
……
"Teacher, why did Prince Ke bring a group of injured veterans to the Wei Manor?”In Li Jing's residence, Su Dingfang asked in confusion.
Li Jing smiled and then said emotionally,""This is the test that His Highness has given the King of Wei.”
"Keep an eye on Li Tai. Report to me immediately any attitude Li Tai has towards these remnants!”Hou Junji coldly ordered.
Liu Rengui, who was sitting at the side, said in a low voice,""General, are you worried that Li Tai will pass Li Ke's test and the two of you will join forces?”
"That's right. Once Li Tai gets Li Ke's support and the two of them join hands, the Crown Prince's position will be in danger!”
In the harem.
Li Shiming waved his hand, and Wang De left. He smiled at Zhangsun Wugou and said,"Wugou, look. Perhaps you're wrong. At least Green Sparrow didn't do anything wrong now. Those brothers in the army who once protected him have entered the Wei Manor.”
"Green Sparrow has really changed after going through Earth Gate Pass. You can't always stay in the impression that he liked to complain.”
Zhangsun Wugou smiled gently and shook his head."Green Sparrow has changed, but as his mother, I can see very clearly that his change is only on the surface. His arrogant and selfish heart that has been read by sages has not changed.”
"Then why don't we make a bet?”
"What do you want to bet on, Second Brother?"
……
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。