Chapter 45

Li Li Chengqian stumbled backward in near-madness, denying it hysterically.

How could he possibly accept this?

From birth, he had lived in luxury, revered by thousands, with everyone bowing and scraping before him.

But now, to be told he was the son of a lowly peasant—did that not mean he would never again enjoy such supreme treatment?

No!

None of this was true!

They were all lying to him!

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, do you know what this is?"

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji had long anticipated that Li Li Chengqian would deny it with all his might, so he pulled the phoenix-patterned jade pendant from his sleeve.

"What is that thing?"

Li Li Chengqian stared blankly at the jade pendant, shaking his head in a daze.

"This jade pendant is an heirloom of our Empress Zhangsun family, and it was also tucked into the swaddling clothes of the Empress’s son when he was born."

Empress Zhangsun Chong chimed in from the side.

"What? Why didn't I know about this?"

Li Li Chengqian asked blankly.

"Of course you didn't know. This jade pendant was indeed in the swaddling clothes of a child, but that child was not you—it was the child snatched away by your biological mother!"

"And this jade pendant was privately taken by your biological mother and given to the child she snatched."

"With this jade pendant as proof, it is ironclad evidence that you are not the biological son of the Empress and the Emperor!"

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji shook the pendant in his hand, maintaining his smile and composure.

"Uncle, Uncle, I beg you, do not tell the Emperor and Empress about this!"

"I don't want to be a peasant's son, I want to be the Crown Prince!"

Li Li Chengqian was terrified to the extreme; he fell to his knees before Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji, clutching his thigh, and began to cry with snot and tears.

Empress Zhangsun Chong sneered from the side, his face full of disdain.

This was it?

He still wanted to be Crown Prince?

But he was merely the pot calling the kettle black.

Empress Zhangsun Chong’s arrogance was based on nothing more than the hollow title of Top Graduate.

In the end, that was only thanks to Qin Mu!

Neither of these two fools had any right to mock the other.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, no need to panic, please rise."

Seeing Li Li Chengqian weeping on his knees, Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji knew his goal had been achieved and helped him up unhurriedly.

"Uncle, have you agreed to help me?"

Li Li Chengqian was timid and trembling all over.

It seemed this matter had dealt him a heavy blow.

"Of course!"

"After all, I watched you grow up from a child. Even without blood ties, the bond between us will not change."

"As long as you listen obediently, I guarantee you will inherit the throne and become the Son of Heaven of Great Tang!"

Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wuji patted Li Li Chengqian’s shoulder and laughed heartily.

"Good!"

"Uncle, I will listen to everything you say! As long as I can continue to enjoy wealth and glory, I am willing to do anything!"

Li Li Chengqian agreed without the slightest hesitation.

He had no bottom line!

"Hahaha! That's right!"

"Come, keep playing the music, keep dancing."

With bursts of hearty laughter, the pleasant sounds of strings and flutes rang out once more in the main hall of the Prefecture of Zhao Guo.

A dozen days passed in the blink of an eye. Looking at this piece of his homeland, Lu Lu Dongzan felt moved.

Qin Mu and his party, after enduring thousands of hardships, finally crossed the Turkic border and returned to Tubo!

It is worth mentioning that even now, Qin Mu remained in disguise.

The purpose was to prevent Li Li Xueyan from knowing that he was a wanted criminal of the imperial court.

"Your Majesty, we have finally returned!"

Looking at the homeland before him, Lu Lu Dongzan’s eyes grew moist.

It felt Wu Li Ke a lifetime ago!

"Indeed, we have returned."

Gazing at the landscape before him, Qin Mu simply nodded silently, his face showing no emotion.

This, after all, was not his true homeland.

Great Tang!

That was his ultimate destination!

No matter what, he had to go back!

Qin Mu tightened his grip on the reins of his warhorse, secretly resolving himself.

"Your Majesty, there is one thing this minister has never understood: why did we go to such great lengths to travel to the Langjuxu Mountain within the Turkic borders?"

Recalling their experiences within the Turkic borders, Lu Lu Dongzan still felt a lingering fear.

Their party had encountered attacks from multiple cavalry units within the Turkic borders.

These attacks could have been avoided, but Qin Mu was headstrong; after entering the Turkic borders, he continued to push north instead of immediately detouring west to enter Tubo.

It was precisely because of this decision that they encountered multiple attacks.

If not for Qin Mu’s god-Wu Li Ke martial prowess, they would likely have been buried in the desert long ago.

"Lu Lu Dongzan, do I need to report to you where I intend to go?"

Qin Mu cast a glance at Lu Lu Dongzan.

With just that one look, Lu Lu Dongzan was terrified out of his wits, hurriedly rolling off his horse and falling to his knees before Qin Mu.

"This minister would not dare!"

"Enough nonsense, let’s get moving. We must reach the Budalagong before dark."

Qin Mu did not blame Lu Lu Dongzan further and walked forward on his own.

Lu Lu Dongzan stood up, wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, and let out a long sigh.

Serving a monarch is Wu Li Ke sleeping with a tiger!

In fact.

Qin Mu did indeed have his own reasons for traveling to the Langjuxu Mountain in the Turkic lands.

That reason was the system check-in task!

The first check-in was upon entering the Tubo border, and the second was at the Budalagong.

And the third check-in was at the Langjuxu Mountain within the Turkic border!

This time, Qin Mu’s trip to Great Tang, besides the goal of marrying the Princess, had the most important purpose of checking in at Langjuxu Mountain.

Regardless of whether he had abducted Empress Zhangsun Zhangsun Wugou and Princess Changle, he had to go there to check in!

Fortunately, everything went without danger.

Plus, with an invincible warrior Wu Li Ke Li Li Cunxiao by his side, who could fight ten thousand, everything was well within his control.

A few hours later.

Qin Mu finally appeared outside the city of Luoxie.

At this moment, at the gates of Luoxie.

Countless commoners stood quietly, their eyes filled with piety and anticipation.

They...

Were waiting for their King!