Tang Dynasty: Starting at Xuanwu Gate, this prince is better off not being one.

After walking quite a distance, Cui Renshi looked back and saw that none of the group of pedantic scholars had followed, so he couldn't help but sigh.

He didn't understand why the teacher would let him hang out with this group of people, a bunch of blockheads.

However, the teacher was right about one thing: if Li Yu's hard work was to be ruined, Li Yu himself had to do it.

Even a fool could see just how much the emperor favored Li Yu. But this might not be a good thing for Li Yu. It's inevitable for a young man to have some ambition, but once that ambition swells to its extreme, that's when he'll send himself to hell.

Therefore, after understanding the emperor's intentions, his teacher Kong Yingda never went against Li Yu again, and even had himself lead a group of pedantic scholars to deliberately embarrass himself in front of him.

Cui Renshi believed that if this happened a few more times, the twelve-year-old prince would become so confident in his new knowledge that he would put forward theories that contradicted the emperor, the scholars, and even the common people. He did not believe that the emperor would still protect this boy and go against the people of the world at that time.

Thinking of this, he couldn't help but smile.

A tree that stands out in the forest will surely be felled by the wind.

.........

Feeling the cool breeze blowing in his face, Li Yu couldn't help but shiver.

Who said spring is warm? Li Yu felt a chill in his heart.

After witnessing those pedantic scholars make fools of themselves, he was indeed a little carried away, to the point that he forgot how to face his parents when he returned home.

Damn it! How come I get arrested every time I go to a brothel? Am I just born to be incompatible with "peach blossoms" (romantic encounters)?

With a heavy heart, he stepped into his home.

As soon as he entered the door, he saw his father being pushed by his mother, Dugu Jin. When they saw him come in, they both opened their mouths at the same time, but after stammering for a long time, they couldn't say anything.

"Um?"

Li Yu was somewhat confused.

He hadn't expected his mother's anger to come, nor had his father's slap landed on the back of his head.

"Father, Mother, what's wrong with you two?" he asked curiously.

When his son asked, Dugu Jin hesitated several times before finally stammering, "No...nothing, silly boy, go and rest in your room."

What's going on?

Li Yu suddenly felt that the atmosphere at home was a bit strange, or more accurately, his parents were acting strangely.

When Li Yu reached his room, he realized he was wrong. It wasn't just his parents who were strange; everyone in the palace was eerie.

First was his aunt, Liu. In the past, when this woman saw him, she would either roll her eyes at him or make sarcastic remarks. But today, she actually greeted him for the first time ever.

He didn't even have time to respond before rushing back to his room as if he'd seen a ghost...

As soon as Li Yu returned to his room, he breathed a sigh of relief. He was about to find Green Robe and ask her what had happened at home when he found her hiding in the room crying. No matter how he asked her, she just sobbed and refused to say anything.

There was no other way; crying girls are the hardest to soothe, so Li Yu had to turn to his number one lackey—Lai Fu.

"Don't say you don't know! Why has the whole family started acting strangely ever since I came back, young master?"

Could it be that my father has realized he made a mistake? That I'm not his eldest son? Or has my identity as a time traveler been discovered?

"Reporting to... Your Highness, this humble servant..."

Before Lai Fu could finish speaking, Li Yu saw Li Er's chief eunuch, Gou Da, swaggering towards him in the distance, shouting as he walked, "His Majesty has decreed that Prince Wu, Li Yu, must heed the decree!"

"Um?"

Li Yu was somewhat surprised to see the imperial edict in Gou Da's hand. He didn't understand why Li Er wanted to see him at this time, and why he was making such a formal scene.

"Your Excellency, Prince Wu, Li Yu, is still young and not yet of legal age. He has disobeyed his instructions, frequenting brothels and taverns, violating etiquette and disgracing the family. Family rules cannot tolerate this, and royal decrees are in place. If he is not punished, there will be no order. Considering his young age and frail health, I have granted him leniency, sparing him from severe punishment, and exiling him to a remote and desolate region as a warning to others. He will be exiled to various prefectures in Lingnan for a long period of service in the wilderness. He will be dispatched in ten days without delay. This proclamation is hereby issued throughout the realm so that all may know. The officials in charge shall carry it out..."

Holy crap!

After hearing Li Er's decree, Li Yu thought to himself, "Holy crap!"

He wondered why Emperor Li Er had only made the three of them stay in the palace for one night without punishing them at all. It turned out the old man had been holding back something big!

Li Yu snatched the imperial edict from Gou Da's hand and discovered that every word on it was exactly the same as what Gou Da had read aloud. In particular, the large, bright red seal on the left side, near Fang Xuanling's name, was dazzling.

I'm being exiled to Lingnan just for going to a brothel?

If it were just a verbal order, Li Yu would think that Li Er was trying to scare him. But this was an imperial edict drafted by the Secretariat and approved by the Chancellery, so Li Yu didn't think that Li Er was just making a fool of him.

"Your Highness, you haven't yet received the imperial decree to express your gratitude..."

Seeing that Li Yu had snatched the imperial decree from his hand and hadn't reacted after looking at it for a long time, Gou Da couldn't help but kindly offer a reminder.

Li Yu completely ignored Gou Da's reminder.

Thank you my ass! I'm about to be exiled to Lingnan, and I still have to kneel before a eunuch?

Seeing Li Yu glare at him, Gou Da dared not say anything more and could only shut his mouth in a huff, obediently waiting to wait for Li Yu to finish digesting the contents of the decree.

"That's not right!"

After studying the contents of the decree for a long time, Li Yu, who gradually calmed down, finally noticed the clues in the decree.

The imperial decree only stated that he had gone to a brothel before reaching adulthood, which was a serious crime that disgraced the royal family, and also mentioned his punishment of being exiled to Lingnan. However, it made no mention of his demotion or stripping of his title. This left him feeling utterly bewildered by Li Er's punishment.

With this question in mind, Li Yu looked at Gou Da, who was standing silently to the side, and asked, "Your Majesty, did you draft three copies of this imperial edict?"

Upon hearing this, Gou Da looked around and, finding no one else, nodded and said, "Your Highness, please forgive me. This servant was only here to deliver His Majesty's decree. As for the other matters you asked about, this servant knows nothing..."

Li Yu nodded, feeling relieved.

Since three drafts were prepared, it means that Li Tai, like himself, was to be demoted to Lingnan by his father, the emperor.

If that's the case, then it proves there won't be any danger on this trip to Lingnan. After all, he didn't believe Li Er would let his most beloved youngest son put himself in such danger. Even if he didn't send personal guards to escort him, he must have sent a large number of skilled fighters to protect him secretly...

.........