Chapter 67 - 63: Library Pavilion Token

After calming down, Empress Li regained her usual graceful and noble bearing. "Forget it," she said coolly. "I was already planning to have you formally recognized by the Imperial Family today. Although there was a small hiccup along the way, the outcome is still good..."

Here, her voice paused. A faint, unreadable smile touched her lips. "Since the twelfth Prince has now been formally recognized, you will come with me to Feihong Palace to meet His Majesty. I’m sure he will be overjoyed!"

This generation’s Emperor Yan was a great stud horse, famous far and wide for his numerous offspring. Li Chang’an had eleven older brothers, and as for his sisters... they were simply countless.

And that didn’t even include the Princes and Princesses who had died prematurely. If one were to count them, even the Emperor himself probably wouldn’t know the true number.

When he saw Empress Li offer to take Li Chang’an to the Emperor herself, Lou Qixiang, who was kneeling to one side, was startled. He scrambled to his feet. "This... there’s no need to trouble Your Majesty’s precious self with such a task! This servant... this servant can go in your stead!"

Empress Li’s smile didn’t reach her eyes. "What? Are you worried that your newfound little master might have an... accident... while in my care?"

Lou Qixiang wiped the cold sweat from his brow, secretly rolling his eyes.

’He wasn’t worried about Li Chang’an’s safety, of course.’

’He was worried Empress Li would taunt or use some other despicable trick to provoke Li Chang’an on the way, putting the little ancestor in a foul mood and causing him to go on a killing spree.’

’If that happened, everyone connected to the incident, aside from Li Chang’an himself, would likely be thrown into the Celestial Prison, their families executed, and their assets seized.’

His expression was as good as an admission in Empress Li’s eyes. She sneered, "Relax. Your precious little master can die anywhere else, but he won’t die in my carriage. This matter is settled. Now, get out of my sight!"

As she spoke, she shot a look at a nearby Palace Maid. Taking the cue, the maid walked over to Li Chang’an and carefully picked him up.

Li Chang’an remained impassive throughout the entire exchange.

’He had done so much today precisely for a chance to meet his father, the Emperor. As long as he achieved his goal, he couldn’t care less about these trivial details.’

Seeing him offer no resistance whatsoever, all the surrounding Palace Maids and eunuchs—with the exception of Lou Qixiang—had strange looks on their faces.

’It was obvious—the child before them was far too quiet. He didn’t seem like a normal child at all.’

This only further convinced Empress Li that Li Chang’an had been deliberately sent to her. It was a plot to saddle her with the infamy of murdering a Prince, creating an opportunity to oust her from the Empress’s throne.

’But this stupid child couldn’t even speak. He was no threat at all. How could she possibly fall for such an obvious trap?’

...

The Phoenix Carriage soon arrived outside Feihong Palace.

Empress Li picked up Li Chang’an herself and entered the palace hall.

Feihong Palace was the living quarters the current Emperor Yan had built for himself.

The palace lived up to its name. The walls and murals, as far as the eye could see, were carved with images of rolling clouds and scenes of sunrise and sunset. Just outside the bedchambers, a magnificent Flying Immortal Map stretching dozens of meters long was carved into the main hall’s wall.

The sun, moon, and stars on the Flying Immortal Map were all inlaid with gold foil. From a distance, the sight was magnificent and resplendent.

Since a eunuch had already gone ahead to announce their arrival, Empress Li quickly found the Emperor upon his bed. Kneeling from a distance, she said, "Your Majesty, I bring you tremendous good news! A Palace Maid whom you favored two years ago conceived an imperial heir and gave birth to a son last year. I have brought the child here to offer my congratulations!"

Hearing the commotion outside, Emperor Yan threw on some clothes, climbed off the beautiful woman in his bed, and called out, "Hmm? Has he been to the Ancestral Temple to be recognized by the ancestors?"

Empress Li nodded. "Of course!"

Emperor Yan was a man in his forties. His broad frame suggested he had some foundation in the Martial Dao, but years of indulgence and revelry had caused his figure to lose its shape.

Frowning, Emperor Yan thought for a good while before he seemed to recall something. His tone softened slightly. "It is rare for you to be so thoughtful. Since he is my son, have the Inner Treasury bestow some gold and silks, and promote his mother to the rank of concubine. You may handle the arrangements."

With that, he turned to get back into bed, not once even sparing Li Chang’an a glance.

Under normal circumstances, he most likely would have looked at Li Chang’an.

After all, Li Chang’an was his own flesh and blood.

But at the moment, Emperor Yan clearly wasn’t in the mood.

Seeing this, a smile touched the corners of Empress Li’s lips. She immediately nodded. "I understand. I will certainly not betray Your Majesty’s trust!"

As the woman who shared his bed, Empress Li understood Emperor Yan perfectly.

The sheer number of sons he already had was a source of considerable headache for Emperor Yan.

Furthermore, she had deliberately chosen to bring Li Chang’an here while the Emperor was engaged in his daytime dalliances, effectively stacking the deck against the boy.

Her goal was to ensure Li Chang’an would have no chance of making a favorable impression on the Emperor.

And now, she had clearly achieved her goal. Li Chang’an hadn’t caught the Emperor’s attention at all—he hadn’t even earned a single glance.

However, just as she was feeling satisfied and preparing to pick up Li Chang’an to leave, the boy in her arms, who had been quiet the entire time, suddenly spoke. "I don’t want gold and silks!"

Hearing his voice, Emperor Yan, who was in the middle of disrobing again, paused.

He then poked his head out from behind the bed curtains to glance at Li Chang’an.

Upon seeing the boy’s fair skin and handsome, well-behaved features, which reminded him of his own youth, the Emperor’s eyes lit up with interest. "You don’t want gold and silks? Then what do you want?"

Li Chang’an was neither servile nor arrogant, his expression calm. "I want to go to the Library Pavilion!"

"The Library Pavilion? You want to go to the Library Pavilion at your age?" Emperor Yan was taken aback, clearly not expecting such an answer. He stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before chuckling. "Did your mother teach you to say that? Or was it the Empress?"

Li Chang’an shook his head calmly. "No one taught me. I wish to go myself."

Emperor Yan clearly didn’t believe him.

Still, as a child of the Imperial Family, access to the Library Pavilion was a privilege he was entitled to.

So he nodded. "Then you may go to the Library Pavilion. I will grant you a Waist Token. From now on, you may access any area below the third floor!"

After receiving the Token, Li Chang’an bowed low. "Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Hearing such a formal and distant address, Emperor Yan was clearly a little displeased, but after a moment’s thought, he didn’t know what to say.

After all, he was the one in the wrong here. To sow a seed but never tend the field, yet still expect a harvest... even for an emperor, life wasn’t so kind.

So he could only ask sullenly, "What is your name?"

Li Chang’an thought for a moment before replying, "Your Majesty, I do not have a name. Perhaps you should ask my birth mother what I ought to be called!"

Emperor Yan never imagined he would be so thoroughly rebuked by such a young child that he was left speechless. But because he knew he was in the wrong, he couldn’t lash out. He could only manage an awkward laugh. "Is that so... Very well, very well..."

Having achieved his goal for this visit, Li Chang’an had no desire to continue the charade. He bowed to Emperor Yan one last time, then turned and walked out of Feihong Palace.

Watching the boy’s solitary figure depart, Emperor Yan felt a strange pang of regret. He even opened his mouth as if to call him back and say something more.

But in the end, he only let out a frustrated sigh.

Empress Li had watched the entire exchange. Her expression was as if she had just swallowed a dead rat, her face alternating between pale and livid.

Previously, because Li Chang’an had been completely silent, she had even assumed he was a mute.

She had never imagined he would suddenly start speaking, much less that he would be so sharp-tongued, leaving such a deep impression on the Emperor with just a few sentences.

Now, having been caught completely off guard, she was so furious she could have spat blood.

...