The moment the door of the Right Prime Minister's residence opened, Ang Lee saw two familiar faces. The smiling Li Linfu was within his expectations. Beside Li Linfu stood a man with a scar on his face. This man was none other than Prince Qing, the eldest son of the Tang dynasty's Emperor, Li Tan.
Why was Li Tan at Li Linfu's residence? Moreover, he was welcoming him with Li Linfu. What were they doing? Even if he had made great contributions to the Tang dynasty, there was no need for such heavyweight Right Prime Minister and Prince Qing to personally welcome him. This was too much.
"Subordinate Ang Lee pays his respects to Right Prime Minister. Prince Qing is also here."
Ang Lee respectfully saluted Li Linfu and Li Tan.
Li Linfu's attitude was even more amiable. He looked at Ang Lee with a face full of smiles, "General Li, please come in. I was just talking about General Li with Prince Qing, and you came. Haha …"
Ang Lee smiled apologetically and said, "How could I not come when Right Prime Minister invited me so kindly? However, I didn't expect Prince Qing to also be here. I haven't seen Prince Qing for a long time."
Li Tan also grinned and exchanged greetings with Ang Lee.
After the three of them walked into the main hall, they sat down as the host and guest. Li Linfu sat in the seat of honor, while Li Tan and Ang Lee sat below, only a few steps away from Li Linfu.
After exchanging greetings for a while, Ang Lee asked why Li Linfu had invited him here. Li Linfu didn't say anything important. He only asked about some trivial matters. It was completely a chat.
This situation made Ang Lee quite puzzled. Did Li Linfu specially invite him here just to chat with him? Moreover, he even brought Prince Qing to chat with him. Was he muddle-headed from illness, or did he have an ulterior motive?
Ang Lee wanted to get up and leave, but Li Linfu's topics came one after another. Moreover, he was extremely enthusiastic, so Ang Lee couldn't open his mouth to say goodbye.
Of course, it wasn't just Ang Lee who was puzzled. Prince Qing, Li Tan, also frowned from time to time. He also didn't understand why Li Linfu invited Ang Lee here. Moreover, he also asked him to accompany him here.
Of course, Li Linfu was the current Prime Minister. Even if he had a fever, he would never do anything foolish....... Ang Lee and Li Tan didn't understand it.........
Four hours. They talked for a full four hours. Just when Ang Lee felt that he could finally get up and leave, Li Linfu enthusiastically asked Ang Lee to stay. He ordered a banquet to be held and asked Ang Lee and Li Tan to accompany him to eat a delicious meal.
Li Linfu enthusiastically and sincerely asked Ang Lee to stay. Ang Lee really couldn't find a reason to leave. At this time, if he refused, it would be slapping Li Linfu's face. It would make Li Linfu feel that his warm face was being snubbed. Ang Lee really didn't want to offend Li Linfu so decisively. After all, Li Linfu was still deeply appreciated by Li Longji and controlled most of the court. Ang Lee's own foundation was still very shallow. Falling out with Ang Lee wouldn't benefit him at all.
Of course, there was another reason. Prince Qing, Li Tan, was also here. If he insisted on leaving, Prince Qing's face would be lost. Thus, if he missed this meal, he would offend two people. Moreover, these two people had relatively high statuses and statuses. On the other hand, if he stayed, he wouldn't lose anything. He could even eat his fill. Why not?
Under Li Linfu's warm invitation to stay, Ang Lee stayed in the Right Prime Minister's residence and accompanied Li Linfu and Li Tan for dinner. This meal was extremely sumptuous. After eating for a full four hours, the banquet still hadn't ended.
Of course, Ang Lee's stomach was already full. However, new dishes were constantly being served. The banquet hadn't ended yet. Ang Lee naturally couldn't ask to leave.
Seeing so many delicious dishes that hadn't been touched being taken away, Ang Lee sighed at Li Linfu's wastage. However, he couldn't say anything. He could only watch helplessly.
When the banquet finally ended, the sky was completely dark. However, Li Linfu still didn't intend to let Ang Lee leave. He ordered the servants to serve tea and continued to chat with Ang Lee.
Ang Lee couldn't bear it anymore. He stood up and said, "I will remember the Right Prime Minister's warm hospitality. However, it's too late. It seems that I should take my leave."
Li Linfu's face was full of smiles. He continued to urge him to stay, "General Li, it's already nighttime outside. Why don't you stay in the residence for the night and leave early tomorrow morning? Oh right, Prince Qing should also stay. Although the Prime Minister's residence isn't big, it can still accommodate the two of you."
Ang Lee really didn't expect that Li Linfu would delay for so long in order to let him stay in the Prime Minister's residence. What was he trying to do? This enthusiasm was too excessive. Or did he have other motives?
Although the soldiers patrolling the nighttime didn't dare to arrest Ang Lee for breaking the nighttime rule, in front of the Right Prime Minister and Prince Qing, Ang Lee really couldn't break the nighttime rule.
"That's right, General Li. It's already nighttime outside. Since the Right Prime Minister is treating us so warmly, let's stay for the night."
Prince Qing didn't mind. He wouldn't lose anything if he stayed a night in the Prime Minister's residence. Moreover, if he wanted to defeat Crown Prince Li Heng, he needed Li Linfu's help. How could he dare to offend Li Linfu and insist on taking his leave? Moreover, he had to go along with Li Linfu's wishes and help Li Linfu persuade Ang Lee to stay.
Ang Lee was helpless. He could only pat his head and say, "Right Prime Minister is right. Looking at my memory, it's already nighttime outside. Even if I want to take my leave, I can't go back. It seems that I can only disturb the Right Prime Minister's residence for the night."
"Hahaha, General Li is willing to stay in this Prime Minister's residence because you think highly of this Prime Minister. This Prime Minister is truly happy. Come, send Officer Li to the guest room to rest."
Li Linfu was all smiles, as if he had achieved some sort of goal.
"Right Prime Minister should also rest early, Prince Qing."
Ang Lee responded to Li Linfu and slightly bowed to Prince Qing. Then, he followed a servant of the Prime Minister's residence and walked towards the guest room.
The size of the Right Prime Minister's residence was quite impressive. The decorations were also quite gorgeous. To be able to stay here, Ang Lee didn't feel wronged. However, Ang Lee didn't like this place. This was because he understood that Li Linfu was a treacherous official with a honeyed mouth and a sword in his heart. Li Linfu probably had ulterior motives for enthusiastically urging him to stay. Thus, he had to be careful. Even if he was sleeping, he had to keep one eye open.
"Right Prime Minister is so enthusiastically urging General Li to stay. Are you trying to rope General Li in?"
Li Tan wasn't afraid of Li Linfu and spoke more directly.
Li Linfu was all smiles as he looked at Li Tan. "This Prime Minister has the intention of roping in Officer Li. Unfortunately, Officer Li doesn't think highly of this Prime Minister."
Li Tan was slightly surprised. "If that's the case, why does Right Prime Minister still treat him like this? Could it be that Right Prime Minister feels that your persistence can exchange for General Li's change of heart?"
Li Linfu smiled gently. "It doesn't matter whether General Li has a change of heart or not. What matters is that he has stayed in my residence for so long. If this were to spread out, what would others think?"
When Li Tan heard this, he suddenly smiled. "Right Prime Minister is thoughtful. In this way, in the eyes of outsiders, the relationship between General Li and Right Prime Minister is extraordinary. In particular, the person in the palace will think so."
"Prince Qing knows my heart. Haha …"
###
Ang Lee was urged to stay in the residence by Li Linfu. This made Kun Xiong, Fei Yu, and the others anxious. They didn't know what was going on. However, they could only wait helplessly.
Yan Zhenqing was even more anxious than them. In the afternoon, he received the Crown Prince's order to let Ang Lee enter the palace. The Crown Prince's purpose was naturally to encourage Ang Lee. However, unexpectedly, Ang Lee was invited away by Li Linfu.
Helpless, Yan Zhenqing could only choose to wait. He had Kun Xiong and Fei Yu take turns to wait outside the Right Prime Minister's residence. As soon as Ang Lee came out, he would immediately go to the palace.
However, what Yan Zhenqing didn't expect was that ever since Ang Lee entered Li Linfu's residence, he had never come out. He didn't return even when night fell. This made him anxious and puzzled.
What was going on with Ang Lee? Why did he stay in Li Linfu's residence and not come out? Did something really happen between them? Would Ang Lee wallow in the mire with Li Linfu?
All these questions made Yan Zhenqing restless. He was more willing to believe in Ang Lee. However, the affairs of the world were unpredictable. Everything was possible. He couldn't help but have all kinds of doubts.
"What's wrong? Is Wuyang not back yet?"
Seeing Kun Xiong and Fei Yu walk into the room dejectedly, Yan Zhenqing asked.
"Uncle, we took turns to keep an eye on the Right Prime Minister's residence. Big Brother really didn't come out."
Li Kun Xiong felt very helpless. Of course, he was even more puzzled.
Yan Zhenqing sighed: "It's already been so long. He probably stayed in the Right Prime Minister's residence. It seems like we can only wait until tomorrow morning."
"Big Brother clearly said that he would be back soon. Why did he stay in the Right Prime Minister's residence for so long? He even stayed overnight. What could Big Brother and the Right Prime Minister talk about?"
Li Feiyu was also very surprised.
"Since it's already like this, we can only talk about it tomorrow. It's already late. Uncle can't go back. I'll stay here with you. Why did you buy a house so far away? It's too inconvenient."
Yan Zhenqing shook his head and went straight to rest.
Kun Xiong and Fei Yu had no choice but to rest first. They would wait until the next morning to find Ang Lee.
###
In the side hall of the Daming Palace, the Crown Prince of the Tang dynasty, Li Heng, was reading a book of Han Dynasty. It was already late at night, but he still wasn't sleepy. In the afternoon, he asked Yan Zhenqing to summon Ang Lee. However, Ang Lee was invited away by Li Linfu. Furthermore, he didn't leave for several hours. This made Li Heng quite angry.
Li Heng didn't particularly understand Ang Lee, much less trust him. He only felt that since Ang Lee was Li Wu's son and had a good relationship with Yan Zhenqing and Wang Zhongsi, he should be loyal to him. No matter what, he shouldn't have anything to do with a treacherous subject like Li Linfu. But the truth was that Ang Lee had been invited into Li Linfu's residence many times. Moreover, Li Linfu had received Ang Lee with the highest standards, personally opening the door to welcome him on both occasions.
This made it very difficult for him to believe that Ang Lee and Li Linfu didn't have a special relationship. Of course, Li Linfu was famous for his cunning, so this could also be one of Li Linfu's schemes. But regardless, Li Heng's trust in Ang Lee had indeed decreased. At the very least, he no longer regarded him as a trusted aide.
"Your Highness Crown Prince, it's getting late. It's time to rest."
Li Jingzhong, who had an ugly face, stepped forward and reminded him in a low voice.
"This prince isn't tired. If you're tired, you can rest first."
Li Heng coldly said.
Li Jingzhong squeezed out a smile that was even uglier than when he wasn't smiling. "If Your Highness Crown Prince isn't willing to rest, this old servant doesn't dare to rest. However, this old servant feels that Your Highness Crown Prince should prioritize your health. Staying up late will harm your body."
"How could this prince not know that staying up late will harm the body? But this prince just can't sleep."
Li Heng softly sighed. He knew that Li Jingzhong was sincerely concerned about him, so he wasn't angry.
Li Jingzhong gave an ugly smile. "Your Highness Crown Prince must be worried about General Li's matter. This old servant is willing to share Your Highness's worries."
Li Heng narrowed his eyes and looked at the Li Jingzhong who had served him for several years. He squeezed out a smile. "Li Jingzhong, even now, this prince doesn't know what sort of person you are. How could I dare ask you to share my worries?"
"It seems that Your Highness Crown Prince still suspects this old servant, but this old servant's sincerity toward Your Highness is real. Can Your Highness Crown Prince really not sense it?"
Li Jingzhong sincerely expressed his opinion.
After a few moments of silence, Li Heng softly said, "Li Jingzhong, this prince is just a downtrodden Crown Prince. It's truly difficult to predict what will happen in the future. What reason do you have to be sincere to this prince? What is your goal?"
After a few moments of silence, Li Jingzhong said, "Your Highness Crown Prince is a little too pessimistic. The Tang dynasty will last for many generations, and Your Highness Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the empire. Your Highness Crown Prince only has one future, and that is to succeed the throne. Your Highness Crown Prince must have confidence in yourself. This old servant will also assist Your Highness Crown Prince."
Li Heng's eyes were somewhat suspicious. "Li Jingzhong, Father sent you to serve this prince. Why are you saying these things to this prince? Are you not afraid that Father will punish you for your crimes?"
Li Jingzhong's expression was wooden as he sternly said, "Your Highness Crown Prince, this old servant is just an old and ugly eunuch with no family and no ties. What does the death penalty matter? Your Highness Crown Prince is the heir apparent of the empire. If I can help Your Highness Crown Prince ascend to the throne, the long annals of history will not forget this old servant, and Your Highness will not forget this old servant."
Li Longji couldn't help but feel that these words were reasonable. In Li Longji's eyes, Li Jingzhong was just a chess piece responsible for monitoring him. For so many years, he had been a minor character with a relatively low status. Compared to the Gao Lishi and the others, he was like the difference between the heavens and the earth.
And if he could help him ascend to the throne, once he became Emperor, he would definitely treat him well. At that time, he would be the next Gao Lishi.
Without power, a eunuch could not enjoy the warmth of a woman, could not enjoy the pleasures of human relationships. For this reason, he could only rely on money, power, and status to make up for his lost power and obtain a great sense of satisfaction.
Li Jingzhong's low status made it impossible for him to find any sense of satisfaction. And the only one who could change his fate was Crown Prince Li Heng. Only by helping Crown Prince Li Heng ascend to the throne could he obtain the same status as the Gao Lishi. With his status, he could crush all those who had once looked down on him and obtain everything he wanted.
"If Your Highness Crown Prince still does not believe this old servant, this old servant is willing to write a letter in blood to express my sincerity."
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