Chapter 347: Li Tai: If Your Wife Causes Trouble, Who Will Repay It If You Don

"I remember, last time you urged me to stop."

Li Tai chuckled, "And now you're talking to me about breaking bones and tendons—are you about to say that if I withdraw now, you can guarantee the Crown Prince won't do anything to me?"

"Will you listen?" Chen Yan turned his head and asked.

Li Tai shook his head.

"Then I won't say it." Chen Yan didn't mind much, smiling it off.

"Now you should be able to understand me." Li Tai halted, looking at him expressionlessly, "When we reach a certain stage, it's no longer a matter of you wanting to stop and being able to stop."

"Because we ourselves are a massive network of interests, connecting far too many people."

"Take you, for example!" Li Tai said lightly, "If you decide to stop, do you think Du Gou, Fang Yizhi, Ma Zhou would agree?"

"You can't think that way." Chen Yan explained patiently, "Du Gou and Fang Yizhi's positions are there; they have the qualification and ability to influence me, so this is different."

"If you must use me as a metaphor, it should be about trade matters."

"Take those four wealthy merchants; their interests are also tightly bound with mine. If I choose to stop expanding and cease trade, they would certainly suffer huge losses."

"But if I must stop, what can they do with me?"

Chen Yan said jokingly, "Do they have to go all out against me?"

"They don't seem to have that right!"

"......"

"I have to say, you're really persuasive." Li Tai sighed lightly, "Honestly, I'm quite moved; I almost got persuaded by you."

"But the numbers don't add up like that!"

He smiled, "You just saw my queen and son, didn't you?"

Chen Yan nodded, "I saw."

"What do you think?"

"...... The queen's temperament is gentle, every move exudes elegance; the little prince's eyes are lively, and you can tell at a glance that he inherited your talent—he's a clever child."

"Indeed!" Li Tai said with a smile, "My queen is a fine lady, excels in every way, Xin Er has been smart since childhood, I like her very much."

"Putting other aspects aside for now, at least I'm satisfied with my current family, and I don't want anyone to ruin this, nor do I want my and my wife and child's fate decided by others."

"Do you understand what I mean?"

【5】 Chen Yan said silently, "You're worried that the Crown Prince's succession will settle scores with you?"

Chen Yan said silently, "Are you worried that the Crown Prince's succession will purge you?"

"I've already fallen out with him, haven't I?" Li Tai didn't deny, bluntly telling Chen Yan his thoughts.

Honestly, Li Tai has always been sincere toward Chen Yan.

He has never hidden his thoughts.

Moreover, many of his inner thoughts Li Tai also shares with Chen Yan.

He doesn't know why—perhaps it's been bottled up, or perhaps because of his brother‑in‑law status and his simple admiration for Chen Yan.

Whatever the reason, at least from the two encounters, Li Tai clearly looks forward to such conversations.

So, regarding his plans, Li Tai did not conceal them.

"Then what's your purpose in coming to see me today?"

Chen Yan added, "I don't believe you just want to chat; after all, last time I did urge you to stop."

"Moreover, you should know very well that you can't win me over."

Li Tai hadn't expected Chen Yan to ask so bluntly, which caught him a bit off guard.

After a silent pause, he said in a low voice, "So, you truly think I can't win?"

Chen Yan immediately replied, "Given the current situation, you truly have no chance of winning; to put it bluntly, unless the Empress… *cough cough*, and the Crown Prince and Li Zhi die simultaneously, you have not a shred of hope."

"Wanting to reach that position isn't just about how many people you win over or how much favor you have."

While speaking, Chen Yan looked around, confirming no one was nearby, and lowered his voice before daring to speak openly.

Li Tai, hearing this, thought for a long while, then with a self‑deprecating smile, "This situation reminds me of Hu Hai."

"He, like me, was favored, while Prince Fu Su was subjected to strict expectations."

Chen Yan was startled, thought it over carefully, and immediately laughed.

"Now that you mention it, it does seem a bit like that."

"Overall, Qin Shi Huang, like Li Shimin, also didn't know how to be a father, didn't know how to communicate with his children."

"Because he placed great expectations on his eldest son, he was harsh toward him, while he had little hope for the other child, so he spoiled him."

"But the two never considered replacing the Crown Prince, yet their own Crown Prince went astray."

Chen Yan clicked his tongue, "So, everyone spends all day shouting that we should learn lessons from history, but in fact they just absorb loneliness."

"The only lesson we can draw from history is that we cannot learn any lesson from history."

"History keeps repeating itself, which is the best proof."

Li Tai said seriously, "I will definitely pass this on to the Father Emperor!"

Chen Yan:???

"No, why?"

He didn't understand; aren't we quietly discussing the succession struggle?

Shouldn't such matters be kept from everyone?

And you damn it give me a line about having to pass it to Li Shimin?

"By saying that, aren't you implying the Father Emperor hasn't been a good father?" Li Tai laughed, "Of course I will pass it to the Father Emperor, so he can reform himself."

Chen Yan's face turned green, "Prince of Yue, if you keep doing this, we might find it hard to be friends, and won't be able to chat happily in the future."

"If we can't be friends, we can be relatives." Li Tai said nonchalantly, "With my two sisters involved, where can you run to?"

Chen Yan fell silent instantly.

He really hadn't expected Li Tai to also have an improper side.

We were just chatting nicely, but now we have to go expose ourselves.

This little fatty can't take a joke.

"Don't blame me either." Li Tai patted Chen Yan's shoulder, "After all, you are Gao Yang's Imperial son-in-law; you also know she once cut all my clothes, making me lose face."

"Gao Yang bears a grudge; when have I ever forgotten?"

"But I really can't take revenge on my own sister, or a pregnant sister; however, as Gao Yang's Imperial son-in-law, you two are husband and wife bound by hair, so taking revenge on you is justified, and I feel no guilt."

"So, if you want to blame someone, blame Gao Yang."

"If you don't answer for the trouble your wife caused, who will?"

Chen Yan: "......"

Damn it!

Why do I feel like what he says actually makes some sense?

What the hell.

Shouldn't you take revenge on Gao Yang?

Seeing Chen Yan's face as grim as if he'd eaten Shi, Li Tai gave a hehe laugh, turned, and prepared to leave.

However, Chen Yan suddenly said, "Everything I just said was sincere; I didn't deceive you—think it over carefully."

You are very talented—perhaps you haven't even realized it yourself—but you are a genius, and you shouldn't get caught up in the struggle for the throne.

Go find Sizi—I have the knowledge you're interested in.

If you're willing to give up, come find me anytime—I'll teach you all my knowledge.

Li Tai's steps paused, he lowered his head slightly, then said nothing and left.

"......"