abcnovels
Chapter 240
Chapter 240
Chapter 240
In the depths of the night, a lavish carriage journeyed northward along the Vermilion Phoenix Avenue, making its way towards the Eastern Palace. Within the carriage, Princess Changle gently held Su Li’s hand.
“Husband, I could have gone alone,” Changle whispered softly.
A few days earlier, Crown Prince Li Chengqian had extended an unusual invitation to the Princess’s residence, inviting Su Li and his wife to the Eastern Palace for an evening gathering. This marked the first time Li Chengqian had taken such an initiative since their marriage.
Over the years, as Su Li’s stature had grown, Li Chengqian’s jealousy and resentment towards him had become increasingly evident. Even before Emperor Li Er restricted Li Chengqian’s movements, he had often displayed his displeasure with Su Li in public. This strained the once-close sibling relationship and created a growing rift.
Changle had felt saddened by this situation for some time. She cherished the hope that their family could live harmoniously. After all, Li Chengqian had once loved her deeply as his elder sister. If she were ever forced to choose between them, she would unhesitatingly side with Su Li. However, the chance to mend their relationship was too precious to let slip away.
Now that Li Chengqian had extended the invitation, it suggested a willingness to mend their bonds. Changle was unwilling to decline. Initially, she considered attending alone, recognizing her elder brother’s pride and somewhat impulsive nature. His initiative to invite them was already a rare gesture. However, her husband was not an ordinary man. Even in the Emperor’s presence, he remained composed and dignified, with no intent to curry favor. Changle was cautious, knowing she might unintentionally create the wrong impression, which could be counterproductive. Repairing their relationship required a gradual and systematic approach.
Yet, Su Li declined Changle’s suggestion. When Li Chengqian extended the sudden invitation, Su Li sensed something was amiss. He doubted Li Chengqian’s genuine desire to reconcile. He knew Li Chengqian’s temperament well—stubborn and arrogant, appearing shrewd but lacking true wisdom.
In the history that Su Li was familiar with, Li Chengqian’s rebellion ultimately led to a tragic end. The motivation behind his rebellion was his fear that Li Tai would supplant him as the heir. Su Li believed this line of thinking to be delusional. Li Er had never seriously considered changing the heir. He had even appointed Wei Zheng as the Crown Prince’s Tutor, a sign of his support for Li Chengqian as the heir.
However, Li Chengqian failed to grasp the true intentions behind Li Er’s actions. He stubbornly believed that if he didn’t act preemptively, he would lose the crown prince position to Li Tai. Consequently, he decided to emulate Li Er’s tactics without careful planning. He hastily devised an assassination plan, recruited individuals, and hurriedly formulated a strategy. When met with resistance, he abandoned the plan, leaving those involved, including hired assassins and military contacts, in a precarious situation.
Once set in motion, the plan became difficult to halt. Despite his misgivings, Li Chengqian felt compelled to proceed. Yet, he underestimated Li Er’s influence over the Tang Dynasty. Even before the plan could be executed, Li Er got wind of it.
Could someone as impulsive as Li Chengqian truly have an awakening? It was a situation where Li Chengqian misinterpreted his father’s intentions, rushed into drastic actions without proper planning, and lacked foresight, leading to his eventual downfall. Consequently, Su Li had doubts about Li Chengqian’s sincerity and trustworthiness.
Su Li had accompanied Changle to this meeting primarily to ensure her safety, just in case anything unexpected were to occur. Whether Li Chengqian genuinely sought to mend their relationship held little significance to him. Su Li didn’t consider Li Chengqian a true rival. Whether Li Chengqian attempted to be friendly or spoke ill of him had no bearing on Su Li. Even if Li Chengqian harbored hidden motives, Su Li believed that nothing in this world could outwit his strategies.
“It’s probably because the Crown Prince would be suspicious if you went alone, given his personality,” Su Li said with a smile to Changle.
Changle sighed, acknowledging that this was indeed her concern. “Let’s view it as an opportunity to relax. As for the Eastern Palace… I’ve never been there,” Su Li said softly.
Changle pouted and replied, “There’s nothing particularly appealing about the Eastern Palace. After my older brother was named Crown Prince, he refused to live there for quite some time because of what happened back then.”
Su Li smiled in agreement without saying a word. The Eastern Palace of the Great Tang was not known for its desirability.
They chatted during the journey, and before long, the carriage stopped. Through the carriage window, they heard Li Chengqian’s somewhat awkward laughter.
“Su Li and Li Zhi have arrived! Quickly, come in with me!” Li Chengqian’s voice could be heard.
As they exited the carriage, Li Chengqian approached with a warm smile. Changle teased him gently, suggesting he could have sent a servant to inform them.
“How could that work? We’re no longer children from our younger days. We can’t be so casual,” Li Chengqian laughed heartily. Then, he turned to Su Li.
“Brother-in-law, in the past, I listened to malicious gossip and did some foolish things. I hope you won’t hold it against me. After all, we’re family, and in the future, we should support each other,” Li Chengqian said.
Su Li nodded slightly, offering neither confirmation nor denial. He sensed a sincere tone in Li Chengqian’s words, but something about his demeanor made Su Li uneasy. It was as if Li Chengqian was overly excited, and to Su Li, it resembled the behavior of a madman. What could be going on?
Furrowing his brows, Su Li followed behind as Li Chengqian and Changle continued ahead. As they approached the grand hall entrance, Su Li’s steps involuntarily slowed. His heightened senses picked up on the faint, densely packed breathing sounds surrounding the hall. In the dim night, the hall before him seemed to transform into a menacing, bloodthirsty maw ready to devour someone.
By this point, Su Li had already deduced Li Chengqian’s intentions. He glanced at Changle, who remained engrossed in conversation with Li Chengqian and sighed inwardly. Su Li wasn’t concerned about Li Chengqian’s setup. In his eyes, any supposed deadly trap was child’s play, not worth mentioning. His primary concern was for Changle.
When the invitation from Li Chengqian arrived at their residence, Su Li saw the genuine happiness in Changle’s eyes. He knew how much she must have looked forward to this gathering. However, he suspected she might be deeply hurt after this night’s events.