Chapter 292: Misfortune and Fortune Have No Door

"Li Fei, walk with me."

Outside the Zheng Lan Hall, the Crown Prince said to Li Fei.

Subsequently, Ming Qi bid farewell to the two, and Li Fei accompanied the Crown Prince and walked to one side.

The Crown Prince raised his hand, and the eunuchs and maids waiting not far away all sensibly retreated, leaving space for the two.

"Li Fei, do you know why I personally went to the Daluo Sect this time and elevated Buddhism in front of True Monarch Qingxu?"

The Crown Prince opened his mouth.

Li Fei: "This should also be the meaning of the Emperor and the Chief Grand Secretary, right?"

The Daoists had not participated in party strife before; the Crown Prince actually didn't need to deliberately offend the Daoists in order to win over Buddhism.

After all, it was still the Daoists who were powerful, and even if the Crown Prince won over a Shangqing Sect, offending the Daluo Sect because of this was also somewhat not worth the loss.

So there was only one explanation; this was the meaning of the Emperor and the Chief Grand Secretary, and the Crown Prince was just acting on orders.

"Not bad, this game of chess is being played by Father Emperor and the Chief Grand Secretary; even if it is Gu, it is nothing more than acting as a knife to open the way."

The Crown Prince smiled self-deprecatingly.

Li Fei understood the implication of his words.

The other party was the Crown Prince and only qualified to act as a knife in this game of chess; what could he be considered?

Was it having royal blood? Or having a Grandmaster acting as a bodyguard?

"Li Fei!"

The Crown Prince turned around abruptly, gripping Li Fei's hand tightly, "You must listen to me; this time when handling the case, you must not think about investigating any truth; you go to the Daluo Sect to go through the motions, and then come back to report for duty, saying the case couldn't be investigated to a result, and no one will blame you."

Seeing Li Fei silent, the Crown Prince lowered his voice and said solemnly:

"Li Fei, Gu promises you that when Gu ascends the throne, I will definitely retry the case of your master and Junior Martial Aunt! Why must you be in such a hurry?"

Li Fei was startled; no wonder the other party wanted to dismiss the people around first.

These words indeed could not be heard by others.

He bowed to the Crown Prince again: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness!"

A flash of disappointment crossed the Crown Prince's eyes, but he quickly restrained it.

He helped Li Fei up, looking into his eyes earnestly: "Think clearly, don't be impulsive."

Subsequently, Li Fei bid farewell to the Crown Prince, went to retrieve the Ghost-Slaying Blade he had deposited, and was led out of the palace by the eunuch who had brought him.

After the other party led him out for a distance, a young eunuch walked towards them.

The two eunuchs looked at each other and nodded to each other.

The old eunuch turned to Li Fei and said: "My Lord, this old slave will lead the way to here; next, he will lead you out of the palace."

Now that Li Fei was already an Imperial Envoy, his address for Li Fei also changed from "Young Master" to "My Lord."

"Good, thank you for your trouble."

Li Fei did not belittle the other party because he was a eunuch, and was still very polite.

The old eunuch's gaze was gentle, smiling and nodding, then turned and left.

"My Lord, please this way."

The young eunuch was very respectful, bending his waist slightly, and walking in front with small steps to lead the way.

After walking for a while, Li Fei discovered that this route was different from the one he took when he came, and it was getting more and more secluded, with not even a single eunuch or maid to be seen around.

He glanced at the young eunuch leading the way in front, not worried at all.

In this Imperial Palace, who would dare to make a move on him?

Moreover, he had just been appointed as an Imperial Envoy by the Emperor; making a move on him at this time, wasn't that directly slapping the Emperor in the face?

After walking for a while longer, a black sedan car was parked beside a palace hall in front, and a maid with an ordinary appearance and an "ordinary" figure was standing beside the sedan car.

Li Fei narrowed his eyes.

He did not sense any aura from that maid, but "Danger Perception" still vaguely made him feel danger.

"My Lord, the Third Imperial Prince invites you."

The young eunuch turned around, bowed to Li Fei and said.

"Third Imperial Prince?"

Li Fei recalled the note he received last night.

It seemed his speculation was correct; that note was sent by the Third Imperial Prince.

He walked forward frankly and came to the black sedan car.

"Young Master, please."

That maid opened the back door of the car and made a gesture for Li Fei to get in.

Li Fei turned his head to look inside the car, only to see a man wearing a python robe sitting inside, smiling and signaling to himself.

The Crown Prince, the First Imperial Prince, and the Third Imperial Prince, the three all had some similarities in appearance, but their temperaments were different.

The Crown Prince had a clear noble air, but could always put down his status, making people involuntarily feel good about him.

The First Imperial Prince had a clear martial aura, possessing a heroic spirit.

As for this Third Imperial Prince before his eyes, he had a few more points of effeminacy, looking like a romantic and unrestrained noble young master.

Li Fei did not hesitate, drilled into the car, and sat beside the Third Imperial Prince.

The maid outside gently closed the car door.

"Nice to meet you, I am Qin Ziyuan."

The Third Imperial Prince had a smile on his face, saying to Li Fei very casually.

"Have met the Third Imperial Prince."

Li Fei cupped his hands in greeting.

"That note last night was sent by me."

The Third Imperial Prince got straight to the point.

Li Fei nodded: "I guessed it; why did the Third Imperial Prince remind me?"

"You are a peerless genius, First in History; of course I want to sell you a favor."

The Third Imperial Prince said as a matter of course.

Li Fei smiled self-deprecatingly: "Unfortunately, the First Imperial Prince doesn't think so."

The Third Imperial Prince turned to look at him: "The First Imperial Prince has a violent temperament, and can be considered a martial arts genius, but compared to you, he is too far behind. Seeing such a genius being used by the Crown Prince, it's hard not to feel unhappy."

Li Fei was startled: "Is the Third Imperial Prince saying that the First Imperial Prince would actually be jealous of me?"

"Hahaha!"

The Third Imperial Prince laughed wantonly, then said with profound meaning:

"Imperial Princes are also people."

Li Fei was silent.

"Actually, the First Imperial Prince publicly suppressing you in front of the hall today, the Crown Prince must have been happy to see it."

The Third Imperial Prince changed the subject and suddenly said.

Li Fei remained calm, not taking the conversation.

The Third Imperial Prince looked at him with a smile that was not a smile: "You are a smart person; if you think about it carefully, you can understand. The more the First Imperial Prince suppresses you, the more opportunities the Crown Prince has to defend you, help you, and make you owe more favors, making you loyal to him."

"So the Third Imperial Prince is also here to attack the heart."

Li Fei said calmly.

The Third Imperial Prince was startled, and laughed loudly again.

"Hahahaha!"

Others laughing might have a few points of affectation, but his wanton laughter made people feel very natural, possessing a kind of romance.

The Third Imperial Prince pointed at Li Fei: "If I guessed correctly, after the court meeting, the Crown Prince definitely found you specifically, telling you not to seriously investigate the case, just deal with it casually, and then come back to report. When he ascends the throne in the future, he will naturally help you retry the case."

It had to be said that this Third Imperial Prince indeed understood his two brothers very well.

First guessing that the First Imperial Prince would make things difficult for Li Fei today, and now accurately guessing what the Crown Prince said to Li Fei in private.

"Does the Third Imperial Prince have any advice?"

Li Fei asked.

The Third Imperial Prince restrained his smile: "Have you ever thought about why the Crown Prince went to the Daluo Sect this time? Why was it him who went to win over Buddhism, and it was him who publicly petitioned for Buddhism, speaking for Buddhism in front of the hall?"

"The Crown Prince might tell you that he was acting on orders, but actually these opportunities were all fought for by himself; he saw the benefits in this game of chess, so he rushed up head-on!"

"Our Crown Prince is an extremely smart person, seeing more than both me and the First Imperial Prince, so he grabbed the initiative in this game."

Li Fei fell into deep thought.

The Crown Prince previously said he was acting on orders, having to act as a knife in this game of chess, having to offend the Daoists and the Daluo Sect.

But listening to the Third Imperial Prince's version now, it seemed the other party was doing this actively, because there were huge benefits here?

The Third Imperial Prince sneered: "Duan Qi thought he threw away a hot potato, and had a chance to help the Lu family solve a heart-trouble, but actually he was being clever. If it were the head of the Lu family here today, he definitely wouldn't give you any chance at all to retry the case!"

Hearing this, Li Fei's eyes lit up, thoughtful.

The Third Imperial Prince looked at Li Fei: "The Crown Prince gave you the advice to not seriously investigate the case, just deal with it casually, and I also give you a piece of advice."

"Please speak, Your Highness."

"This is an opportunity; if you can grasp it, perhaps you can not only complete your wish but also take advantage of the situation to rise, soaring into the sky!"

The car fell silent.

Li Fei was silent for a while, looking at the Third Imperial Prince:

"The Third Imperial Prince specifically told me these today, is it to sell another favor?"

The Third Imperial Prince restrained his smile, rarely revealing a serious demeanor:

"I am different from my eldest brother; as long as you don't stand on his side, he treats you as an enemy. But for me, as long as you don't intervene in the struggle between us, you can harvest my friendship."

He did not try to win over Li Fei, only hoping Li Fei would not intervene in the struggle between the Imperial Princes.

Li Fei shook his head: "The Third Imperial Prince should be very clear that I have no intention of being drawn into this dispute."

If the Crown Prince hadn't said he would bring him to meet the Emperor, he wouldn't even have come to the Lanling City.

"I understand."

The Third Imperial Prince nodded:

"Sometimes not making a choice requires more strength than making a choice, but I believe you can do it, because you are the First in History!"

Li Fei walked out of the palace gate under the leadership of that young eunuch, left the Imperial Palace, and then took a car to leave the Imperial City.

At the same time, inside the Imperial Palace, the Third Imperial Prince was still sitting in that car.

After a while, the maid named "Xiaohua" opened the car door and said in a low voice:

"The First Imperial Prince has left the palace with people."

The Third Imperial Prince was startled, then laughed, "My eldest brother really never leaves grudges overnight."

He thought for a moment, and said to Xiaohua: "We are also leaving the palace."

Xiaohua sat in the driver's seat silently, started the car, and left.

After a while, that young eunuch who sent Li Fei out of the palace returned here full of joy.

Seeing that there was no car and no one here, he was startled.

Subsequently, a chill went down his back, and a palm force penetrated into his back, breaking his heart pulse.

That young eunuch opened his eyes wide and died just like that.

Soon, the place where Li Fei and the Third Imperial Prince had a secret conversation became clean, with no traces left.

On the car leaving the Imperial City, Li Fei had been thinking.

The advice given to him by the Crown Prince and the Third Imperial Prince was diametrically opposite.

One told him not to investigate in detail, go to the Daluo Sect to deal with it casually, and then come back to report.

One told him this was a very good opportunity, and he should grasp it well.

Who was telling the truth?

If the Third Imperial Prince was lying, then it was to incite Li Fei, letting him go to his death!

And if the Third Imperial Prince was telling the truth, Li Fei might miss a very good opportunity.

Whether this investigation was a blessing or a curse, in the end, it still depended on Li Fei's own choice.

Ten minutes later, the car drove out of the Imperial City.

Li Fei got off the car; next, he was going to the headquarters of the Zhige Pavilion located in the inner city to receive his mission.

Walking on the streets of the inner city of the Lanling City, Li Fei experienced the prosperity and bustle of the Imperial Capital.

The inner city was the "old city area," and the outer city was later expanded to accommodate and settle more commoners rushing from other places.

So the inner city could be considered the true Imperial Capital, and many inner-city commoners also had more superiority, thinking they were the authentic people of the capital.

Bicycles and rickshaws passed by Li Fei's side, and there were crisscrossing tracks in the middle of the street, and from time to time, one could see a tram driving on them.

High-rise buildings could be seen everywhere, as well as huge posters hanging on them.

Many shops had signs made of neon lights outside...

The origin of the Mingxin Reform was in the Lanling City, which was the place earliest influenced by "Westernization," so the Lanling City before Li Fei's eyes had already undergone huge changes compared to the Imperial Capital more than ten years ago!

Of course, many landmark buildings had also been preserved.

There were many cultures with the characteristics of the Great Lan Dynasty that could still be seen now.

For example—martial arts duels.

The Great Lan Dynasty was founded on martial arts, and the martial arts style was strong; the tradition of using duels to resolve grudges had been passed down to this day.

There were still many "Duel Platforms" left in the Lanling City; if martial artists needed to resolve grudges, they could go up to the "Duel Platform" to duel in public.

As long as both sides signed a life-and-death contract, there was no need to worry about the government pursuing it even if lives were lost afterwards.

Li Fei had just arrived near a "Duel Platform" at this time; it was a circular stone platform, about the same size as the "Long Hu Platform" where he publicly competed in the Datong Prefecture back then.

At this time, several children were holding tree branches, fighting back and forth on the "Duel Platform," having a lot of fun.

Li Fei smiled, preparing to leave.

A motorcade suddenly drove from the street on the left.

Two black "Flying Dragon" luxury sedan cars in the front and back, and

Only members of the imperial family may ride in a "Golden Dragon"!

Li Fei felt something and stopped in his tracks.

Pedestrians and vehicles on the street scattered to make way upon seeing the motorcade, and the surrounding crowd all looked over with curiosity.

The lead luxury Pegasus-brand sedan did not slow down, driving straight toward Li Fei, who was standing on the side of the road!

Li Fei stood calmly in place, holding his Ghost-Slaying Blade, with no intention of dodging whatsoever.

Seeing the car getting closer and closer, the surrounding crowd could not help but gasp.

Screech—

A harsh screech of friction rang out on the street.

The black sedan finally came to an emergency stop, its front bumper less than thirty centimeters from Li Fei's legs!

Yet Li Fei did not even look at this arrogant car, his gaze fixed entirely on the "Golden Dragon" behind it.

A guard stepped forward to open the door, and the First Imperial Prince, dressed in a golden martial arts uniform with red trim, stepped out, holding a large blade wrapped in deep green scales.

Seeing the First Imperial Prince step out, Li Fei smiled, unable to help but recall the words the Third Imperial Prince had said earlier:

"Imperial princes are people too!"

More to come tonight.

(End of this chapter)