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

Upon hearing Li Yu's instructions, the musicians immediately perked up.

The group exchanged glances and then mentally started clapping along.

After three beats, the musicians almost simultaneously picked up their pipa and began to pluck the strings.

They were all musicians from the palace, and their pipa played in unison with a clear and harmonious chorus, without the slightest discord.

However, as Xu Jingzong said, the music lacked some of its grandeur. Although it was much better than before, it still had a soporific quality.

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Li Yu quickly called for a stop, then his gaze fell on the war drum standing to the side.

He walked up to the war drum, picked up the drumstick and tapped it twice, then looked at the group of people.

"Among you, is there anyone who can play the drum?" he asked.

Upon hearing this, the group shook their heads.

"Sigh!" Li Yu shook his head helplessly.

Just as he was hesitating whether to go to the palace to invite a drummer, Xu Jingzong unexpectedly volunteered, saying, "Young Prince, beating the drum is my specialty!"

"Huh?"

Li Yu's expression changed drastically, and he was overjoyed.

"You're a genius, Lao Xu! This task is entrusted to you! Just insert drumbeats into the 'Breaking the Formation' music, and everything will be perfect!"

After saying that, he gave Xu Jingzong a thumbs up.

"Your Highness, then..."

"Me? Of course I have other things to do," Li Yu replied.

Upon hearing this, Xu Jingzong looked troubled and said, "Your Highness, what if this humble official doesn't revise it well? Wouldn't that be..."

"Don't worry, if anything happens, I'll take responsibility!"

Seeing that Xu Jingzong still looked worried, Li Yu raised a hand and patted him hard on the shoulder twice, saying, "Keep it up! Do a good job! Promotion and advancement are just around the corner!"

"..."

.........

After leaving the mess to Xu Jingzong, Li Yu went to the inner quarters.

At this moment, Dugu Jin was tending to the flowers and plants in the back courtyard. When she saw Li Yu coming over, her pretty face was filled with joy and smiles.

Since the family started earning income from liquor and tea, the financial power has basically been handed over to Li Yu, and she has stopped worrying about anything at home.

"My child, I heard that your royal grandfather was given something called... mahjong. What is that?" she asked curiously while tending to the flowers and plants.

"Mahjong!" Li Yu took the watering can from his mother's hand and answered while watering the tiles, "It's a toy similar to leaf games. I saw that Grandfather was too bored, so I presented this to him."

"Isn't that something you only find in gambling dens?" Dugu Jin asked in surprise.

Li Yu did not deny it, "That's right, but Grandfather is not short of money. Even if he spends all his time in the gambling den, it probably won't be a big deal."

"That seems to be the case." Dugu Jin thought about it and agreed, so he stopped caring about it.

"Your father's leg ailment has recently flared up. He often wakes up at night, saying that his leg is in unbearable pain. Mr. Sun examined him, but he still doesn't know what's wrong with him," she sighed.

Upon hearing this, Li Yu frowned: "Didn't even Master notice?"

"Mr. Sun only said that because the bone was broken not long ago and the tendons and bones are still healing, some discomfort is inevitable." Dugu Jin shook his head helplessly, "I don't know when he will fully recover."

This is clearly a mental illness!

Later, Li Yu heard of a psychological illness caused by limb amputation, something like post-traumatic stress disorder, commonly known as "phantom limb pain".

This disease is not difficult to treat. As long as you gradually accept your severed limb, you will gradually recover.

But this is a long-term process, and to get quick relief, you need to release your emotions. And the best way to release emotions is to have a good cry…

.........

He explained the relief method to Dugu Jin, but she looked at him strangely after hearing it.

"You know your father's temperament; getting him to have a good cry is impossible!"

"..." Li Yu was speechless.

Indeed, given Li Xuanba's personality, even with a knife to his throat, he would never do something so shameful.

But that would make relieving Dad's phantom limb pain very difficult...

Seeing her son's worried face, Dugu Jin felt a pang of heartache and comforted him, "Don't worry, your mother is watching over your father. He's fine."

"Besides, you yourself said what kind of mental illness it is. With your father's personality, he would forget about the grievances he suffered today tomorrow. He can still bear this little bit of pain."

After saying that, seeing that Li Yu still looked worried, Dugu Jin pretended to complain, "Look, you were in so much pain last night, and today you've gone off somewhere wild. You're already inconvenient to move around, and you're still running around aimlessly!"

Upon hearing his mother mention this, Li Yu suddenly remembered and casually replied, "Father went to Peach Blossom Pavilion..."

"..."

.........

It's over! It's all over!

Looking at his mother's face, which was as black as the bottom of a pot, Li Yu regretted it and wanted to slap himself.

"What did you say!" Dugu Jin asked, his face grim, enunciating each word clearly, "Your father went to a brothel?"

Pressed by his mother's questioning, Li Yu had no choice but to nod, thinking to himself: Father, please don't blame your son for being so disobedient...

Upon hearing Li Yu's admission, Dugu Jin immediately flew into a rage, threw down her work, and headed out.

Halfway there, she seemed to have noticed something amiss, so she stopped and stared at her son with a suspicious look, saying, "How did you find out that your father went to a brothel?"

"..."

Upon hearing this, Li Yu's heart sank instantly. It's over! He'd forgotten that he'd also gone to a brothel…

"Mother, please let me explain..."

.........

Li Yu was still punished according to family rules.

The sound of the paddle hitting his buttocks was so rhythmic that he forgot he was being tortured.

With his head buried in his arms, Li Yu stubbornly remained silent.

I feel so wronged!

He went to a brothel, did nothing, but instead brought trouble upon himself.

"Young Master..."

The voice of a family retainer came from behind, interrupting Li Yu's grievances.

"Um?"

Li Yu turned around in confusion, a questioning look on his face.

"We've...we've finished fighting," the servant said guiltily.

"oh."

Li Yu responded and then scrambled up from the bench.

He reached out and rubbed his buttocks a couple of times, finding that apart from some soreness and numbness, he felt no pain.

"Ouch!"

Just as he was about to praise the two servants who were beating him, he noticed that Dugu Jin was standing in the distance watching him. So Li Yu immediately groaned and walked towards his room.

"stop!"

My mother's stern voice rang out from behind me.

Hearing this, Li Yu, who was limping forward, immediately turned around and said with a wry smile, "Mother, I really didn't do anything at the brothel, you have to believe me!"

"Hmph! At such a young age, instead of learning good things, you choose to go to brothels!" Dugu Jin sneered. "Once I find your damned father, I'll settle accounts with you all!"

.........