Chapter 40: I Am the Prince of Wei, You Cannot Lay a Hand on Me!

With Wen He's frail physique, if Li Shimin were to truly push him to the forefront to confront the aristocratic clans, he would undoubtedly be devoured without even a scrap of bone left.

Li Shimin gave him an exasperated sideways glance and retorted, "Cowardly. With this prince here, it is not your turn to charge into battle."

With those words, Wen He's suspended heart finally settled back into place.

The two walked along a covered corridor until they reached a lotus pond. A group of Black-Armor Guards had been waiting here for quite some time.

"I am entering the palace now. Stay within the estate for these few days. Once the dust settles, I will have the Secretariat issue an imperial decree conferring upon you the title of Baron of Gaoyang."

Nodding toward Wen He, Li Shimin reached out and accepted the riding crop handed to him by an attendant.

Just as Wen He had anticipated, he had been promoted from a Viscount of a County to a Baron of a County.

Only...

"Why Gaoyang? Your Highness, is it truly appropriate for me to use this title?" Wen He never expected Li Shimin to bestow such a title upon him.

Gaoyang was famous because of Zhuanxu, and given that such a historical figure was associated with it, one could easily imagine how prestigious the title was.

If Li Shimin gave it to Princess Gaoyang, it would signify his affection and favor, but what did giving it to him mean?

"This name bears too much bad luck, so it is better suited for you," Li Shimin snorted.

Ever since Wen He told him that his future daughter bearing this very title would have an illicit affair with a Buddhist monk, the two characters forming the name "Gaoyang" struck him as increasingly awkward and jarring the more he looked at them.

It was far better to simply dump it on Wen He. In any case, none of his own children would use it in the future.

Wen He had not expected this to be merely a manifestation of Li Shimin's morbid sense of humor. Infuriated to the point of grinding his teeth with nowhere to vent, he could only stomp his foot hard against the ground.

The following day.

The three young masters, wearing expressions of grievance and escorting their younger sister to class, walked through the door only to be greeted by Wen He's gloomy visage.

He narrowed his eyes, glaring menacingly at the three brothers.

"He seems to be in a rather foul mood," Li Chengqian whispered, nudging Li Tai as a reminder.

Just moments earlier, Li Tai had run a full circle around the estate and was nearly exhausted to the point of collapse, yet he had still been boasting fiercely about how he intended to teach Wen He a lesson today.

However, as he now looked at the rattan switch in Wen He's hand, for reasons unknown, his legs suddenly felt weak.

"Lizi."

Seeing her little companion arrive, Wenrou hurried over from inside the house.

The maidservant behind Li Lizi furrowed her brows, preparing to reprimand Wenrou for her lack of propriety, but she was pulled back by an older matron standing nearby.

"These siblings are honored guests of the Prince and Princess, so do not go stirring up trouble."

Taken aback, the maidservant turned her head to look.

There she saw Wen He wielding a rattan switch, herding the three young masters into the room.

"Today, each of you will memorize at least thirty stanzas! I have also prepared arithmetic problems for you all; anyone who fails to finish writing them out will not be permitted to eat today!"

A roar of fury echoed from within.

The three young masters could no longer restrain themselves.

"I am the Prince of Wei! You commoner, you cannot possibly—ah!"

Before Li Tai could finish speaking, the rattan switch lashed across his arm, stinging so sharply that tears welled up in his eyes.

"The Prince of Wei is nothing! Recite!"

***

Since he could not fight back against their father, he could at least whip the three little brutes into shape.

With the Prince of Qin and Princess Changsun backing him up from behind, the three of them had no choice but to obediently take orders.

Though Li Chengqian felt a pang of heartache for his younger brother, the sight of the rattan switch in Wen He's hand ultimately persuaded him to keep his mouth shut.

Li Ke, on the other hand, maintained a calm expression as he picked up the copy of the Three Character Classic transcribed by Wen He and quietly began reciting it to himself off to the side.

Deeply gratified, Wen He gently patted Li Ke on the shoulder before stepping aside to rest with his eyes closed.

"You always put on such an act."

Li Tai glared at him with resentment and let out a huff.

Li Ke glanced at him indifferently and said nothing.

In truth, he had no desire to study either, nor did he even wish to come here.

Yet last night, after listening to accounts concerning Wen He, his mother had instructed him never to act like Li Tai, and that regardless of what this Teacher Wen asked him to do, he must carry it out with absolute obedience.

Although he was young and did not understand why his mother demanded this of him, he still keenly sensed that something had changed within the Prince of Qin's estate over the past few days.

Upon waking up this morning, the servants and maidservants had become even more ingratiating.

Even his personal pageboy had begged to accompany him into the palace.

"Fourth Brother, do not be so impudent. Third Brother is your elder," Li Chengqian reprimanded him with a glare.

Unfazed, Li Tai let out another huff.

"You are no different! Just because you are going to be the Crown Prince, there is nothing so remarkable about it."

Seeming somewhat agitated, he raised his voice considerably.

Upon hearing this, the servants and maids inside the room lowered their heads uniformly, wishing desperately they could plug their ears on the spot.

Wen He, who had been dozing on a bamboo couch nearby, slowly opened his eyes.

Oblivious, Li Tai continued his aggrieved murmuring.

"We are all the Prince's children; who is more noble than whom? I am a Prince as well, at worst in the future..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a dark shadow materialized directly behind him.

His voice cut off abruptly, the corners of his mouth twitching uncontrollably as he turned around to find Wen He smiling at him with an expression of absolute "benevolence."

"At worst what in the future?" Wen He inquired.

Li Tai swallowed hard.

"I—I am the Prince of Wei, an imperial son of the future, I, I..." Overcome with a guilty conscience, he floundered in panic.

Wen He was entirely unlike the tutors he had had in the past.

This man genuinely struck people, and without the slightest hesitation.

Not to mention the fact that he possessed a younger sister who appeared frail yet wielded terrifying physical strength.

"Teacher, I was wrong."

Li Tai capitulated.

Reaching out, Wen He patted him on the head and chuckled warmly, "Good child, knowing when you are wrong is what matters. Teacher is not an unreasonable person either, but you see, making a mistake requires punishment, does it not?"

Both Li Chengqian and Li Ke were utterly bewildered.

Why did this Teacher Wen act so differently from yesterday?

He had been so ferocious previously, yet now he was smiling with such benevolence.

***

Wen He had been sleeping quite soundly when he heard the words spoken by Li Tai in his dream.

He snapped awake with a start.

A mere seven-year-old child had the audacity to utter such statements.

Someone must have been instigating this behind the scenes.

No wonder Li Tai and his brothers failed to live in harmony later in life.

Even Li Ji, who initially projected a harmless persona, was terrified out of his wits by him.

If he failed to discipline them properly now, would they not simply repeat history?

Would that not be a direct slap to his own face?

"No, this is completely wrong!"

Li Ke acutely sensed trouble and instinctively took a step back.

Li Tai, failing to perceive the danger, nodded naively.

"This student will not dare do it again in the future."

"It's fine, there won't be a future for you. Someone, drag him outside and tie him up!"

"You—how dare you! I am the Prince of Wei, I am the Prince of Wei!"

Naturally, the servants did not dare lay a hand on him.

However, there were also Black-Armor Guards stationed within Wen He's courtyard.

Their presence was not merely for Wen He's protection; it also served to signal the backing of higher authorities.

Just as Princess Changsun personally delivered the morning meal to the doorway, before she even pushed the door open, she heard the blood-curdling shrieks echoing from within.

"Teacher, I was wrong! I truly know my error—hahaha, stop tickling!"

"Eldest Brother, Third Brother, save me! I was wrong, I will surely respect my brothers henceforth—stop tickling, hahaha!"

Startled, Princess Changsun paused outside the door for a moment before collecting herself and hurriedly pushing it open.

Inside the courtyard:

Li Tai was bound tightly to a tree trunk, with his shoes and socks stripped completely from his feet.

A Black-Armor Guard was gently tickling the soles of his feet using a blade of foxtail grass.

Li Chengqian and Li Ke stood not far away, heads bowed as they recited their lessons.

Terror filled the eyes of both boys.

Frozen at the sight, Princess Changsun stood rooted to the spot, momentarily at a loss for what to do.

"Your Highness, should we have them stop?"

Noticing her trance-like state and assuming she had been shocked, her maidservant prompted her in a hushed voice.

Recovering her wits, Princess Changsun hurriedly gave the order for them to cease.

At that moment, someone inside the courtyard shouted aloud:

"Her Royal Highness the Princess has arrived!"

Before Wen He could even react, a piercing wail echoed through the air.