radicalducati Page 105
Page 105
Who was Ye Fan? Although Li Shimin didn't know much about him before, he didn't have a real concept of the legendary "Martial Saint of the Human World" that had been passed down through the land.
A few days ago, Li Shimin's impression of Ye Fan was at most that of a world-renowned martial artist whose high level of martial arts skills amazed the world.
Yet today, even after witnessing the nineteen strikes of Minister Nangong that triggered a cataclysmic change in the world, they still failed to harm the strange phenomena outside Ye Fan's residence in the slightest.
The sheer impact of witnessing it firsthand gave Li Shimin the feeling that Ye Fan might truly be a celestial being!
Li Shimin later consulted the Great Tang National Preceptor, the monk Shenxiu, and confirmed that Nangong Pushe's nineteen-stop strike was so powerful that even among the many powerful cultivators at the terrestrial immortal level, few could withstand it!
Even such a strike couldn't cause the slightest damage to Ye Fan's residence. Just how terrifying is Ye Fan's strength?
If he really helps Xu Xiao, the King of Northern Cold, then who in this world can stop him?
Such thoughts lingered in Li Shimin's mind.
However, this Heavenly Khan was not a good-for-nothing. His fear did not make him lose his mind. On the contrary, he was constantly thinking of a solution.
After thinking for a long time, Li Shimin suddenly had a flash of inspiration.
Recalling the various rumors circulating in the martial arts world not long ago, Li Shimin remembered that the rumors said that this martial arts saint Ye Fan was deeply infatuated with the second city lord of Snow Moon City, and even went to great lengths for him.
Under such circumstances, Li Shimin felt that such a devoted person would certainly not develop any feelings for Nangong Pushe in a short period of time.
However, being a man himself, Li Shimin knew that things might change over time.
With this in mind, Li Shimin came up with two decisions.
Firstly, like Emperor Li Yang, they would find suitable people to go to Wangjian Mountain. On the one hand, they would try to win over Ye Fan, and on the other hand, they could secretly hinder any progress between Ye Fan and Minister Nangong.
Secondly, he wanted to befriend Li Hanyi, the second city lord of Snow Moon City.
After all, if Ye Fan truly loves Li Hanyi so deeply, then if something really happens, Li Hanyi's intervention would give her a better chance of persuading Ye Fan not to interfere in the affairs between the Tang Dynasty, the Northern Han Dynasty, and the Li Yang Dynasty.
Chapter 70: A top-secret case involving two great dynasties, it is Ye Fan's secret!
After devising a plan, Li Shimin felt much more relaxed.
Through the Truman System, Li Shimin also learned just how high Ye Fan's standards were.
Thinking of the peerless beauty Nangong Pu, I realize how difficult it was to enter Wangjian Mountain back then. (The rest of the text appears to be gibberish and unrelated to the previous sentences.)
Even after entering the mountain, she only became Ye Fan's maid.
Li Shimin understood that the people sent to Wangjian Mountain must have been carefully selected.
Moreover, Li Shimin felt that he alone could not make a comprehensive plan regarding how to win over Li Hanyi and how to please Ye Fan.
After all, both Ye Fan and Li Hanyi are martial artists and people from the martial arts world.
Thus, Li Shimin had several eunuchs summon Ye Xiaoying, the monk Shenxiu, and Li Chunfeng.
These three men were all Li Shimin's confidants, and they also had some understanding of the various situations in the martial arts world.
Before long, three official sedan chairs with different color schemes, but all extremely luxurious, quietly arrived at the side gate of the Tang Dynasty Imperial Palace.
Similar to Emperor Li Yang, Li Shimin also thought that the fewer people who knew about the White Robe Case, the less risk there would be.
Thus, Li Shimin did not even inform the Tang Dynasty's prime minister, Changsun Wuji, of his thoughts.
Ye Xiaoying, Monk Shenxiu, and Li Chunfeng stepped out of the sedan chair almost simultaneously.
The three people who stepped out of the sedan chair looked at each other and were all taken aback.
The three of them bowed and greeted each other almost simultaneously.
Li Chunfeng and the monk Shenxiu didn't think much of it, since they had recently visited the palace to meet Li Shimin, and they already had a guess about the purpose of this summons.
In addition, since the two were both civil officials and had a close relationship, after exchanging greetings, they whispered to each other as they walked into the palace.
Ye Xiaoying, who was lagging behind, had very mixed feelings.
Ye Xiaoying held the position of Grand General of the Tang Dynasty and was a key figure among the Tang military generals.
Since ancient times, scholars and warriors have rarely interacted or even been at odds. Naturally, Ye Xiaoying did not have a deep relationship with Li Chunfeng and Monk Shenxiu.
Moreover, due to the special status of military officers, the emperor would almost never summon them to the palace for an audience. It is unknown why he was summoned this time as well.
After all, Ye Xiaoying's identity is quite special, even among ordinary military officers.
Ye Xiaoying was originally under the command of the Prince of Langya, but after various experiences, he was able to join the imperial court.
But precisely because of this relationship, Li Shimin seemed to always harbor resentment towards him.
Although he held the official position of Grand General, he actually did not have much military power; he only controlled the Ye Family Army under his command.
It was because of this relationship that, despite being in the Tang Dynasty court for so many years, Li Shimin never privately summoned Ye Xiaoying.
Yes, it was already so. At this moment, Ye Xiaoying was extremely uneasy.
Despite their trepidation, they had no choice but to follow the monk Shenxiu and Li Chunfeng into the palace.
The three arrived at Li Shimin's bedroom.
Upon seeing the three people, Li Shimin casually waved his hand and said, "Please take a seat."
"Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty."
The three returned the greeting in unison, and then sat down in front of Li Shimin.
After the three sat down, the monk Shenxiu spoke first, asking, "I wonder what His Majesty has summoned us to the palace for an audience at this time?"
"I presume that the three of you have also witnessed everything at Wangjian Mountain and seen the opportunity for Minister Nangong?" Li Shimin didn't mince words and went straight to the point.
Upon hearing Li Shimin's words, the three of them suddenly understood.
Ye Xiaoying secretly breathed a slight sigh of relief. This was the first time he had thought of something. He was Ye Fan's godfather, and since it concerned Ye Fan, Li Shimin probably just wanted to summon him to ask about Ye Fan's background and win him over.
But then Ye Xiaoying's expression became somewhat tense.
Ye Fan's background is of great importance.
Li Shimin is currently unaware of Ye Fan's background, which is why he has the idea of trying to win Ye Fan over.
But what if Li Shimin knew about Ye Fan's background?
Ye Xiaoying subconsciously clenched his fists. He had a premonition that in the near future, both the Tang Dynasty and Liyang would probably fall into turmoil because of this.
After all, that major case back then didn't just involve the Northern Cold Prince's Mansion; it also concerned...
That major case was created by Li Yang and the Tang Dynasty working together.
The monks Shenxiu and Li Chunfeng in front of him were explaining to Li Shimin the private analyses of Ye Fan by many martial arts masters of the Tang Dynasty.
Ye Xiaoying assumed that Li Shimin was focused on listening to the two's explanation and did not notice his own unusual behavior.
He never expected that everything he showed had been seen by Li Shimin without missing a single detail.
However, the shrewd Li Shimin naturally did not point it out, but secretly kept it in mind.
Seeing that Ye Xiaoying was still lost in thought, Li Shimin suddenly spoke up to probe, "General Ye, this martial saint of the mortal world, Ye Fan, from Wangjian Mountain, seems to be... your adopted son?"
"Ah?" Upon hearing Li Shimin's question, Ye Xiaoying was startled: "Ah...yes! Yes, Your Majesty, Ye Fan is my adopted son."
Li Shimin snorted lightly: "General Ye has an extraordinary destiny. He is truly a lucky general of our Great Tang. Your adopted son alone is quite remarkable."
"Look at that Northern Cold King Xu Xiao, who claims to have six adopted sons who have made the world civilized. But I think that all six of them combined are probably not even worth a single finger of your adopted son."
"However, I do not know where such a talented young man comes from, or whose family he once belonged to?"
The obvious probing intent, coupled with Li Shimin's imposing imperial aura, made Ye Xiaoying subconsciously swallow.
However, Ye Xiaoying quickly recovered and said, "Your Majesty, I have not met my adopted son much. When we first met, I only felt that we were compatible in nature. That's all... I don't know anything about his background."
A cold glint flashed in Li Shimin's eyes. Recalling Ye Xiaoying's strange behavior that he had just witnessed, he clearly realized that Ye Xiaoying was lying.
How could someone who doesn't know the truth be adopted as a son?
Shit!
However, the Ye family army was the elite of the Tang Dynasty's elite forces and the mainstay of the Tang army.
Ye Xiaoying was highly respected among the generals and soldiers, and Li Shimin could not afford to break off relations at this time.
Looking sideways at Li Chunfeng and the monk Shenxiu, and seeing that they both nodded in understanding, Li Shimin continued, "Is that so? That's quite a pity."
"But so be it. As a martial saint and an unparalleled genius, it's normal for Ye Fan to have some quirks."
"General Ye, you should return to your residence first. I only summoned you here to ask a few questions."
Ye Xiaoying secretly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, then cupped his hands and said, "Your humble servant obeys the decree!"
Then he hurriedly got up and left Li Shimin's palace.
Because it concerned Ye Fan, Ye Xiaoying was afraid that if he stayed too long, he would expose information about Ye Fan.
After Ye Xiaoying left, Li Shimin's eyes turned murderous: "This Ye Xiaoying is not right, he's extremely suspicious!"
Li Chunfeng stroked his beard and said calmly, "Ye Xiaoying was once under the command of the Prince of Langya, and His Majesty has never believed that he wasn't."
"That's true." Li Shimin said, but his expression did not become any more relaxed: "But... this concerns Ye Fan, and it is a matter of great importance, so there is no room for the slightest mistake."
"Ye Xiaoying is related to the Prince of Langya, could it be that this Ye Fan...?"
Hearing Li Shimin's words, both the monk Shenxiu and Li Chunfeng felt a chill run down their spines.
If Ye Fan is indeed connected with the Prince of Langya and Ye Xiaoying, then the situation becomes extremely complicated.
At this moment, discussing how to win over Li Hanyi and Ye Fan has become a secondary matter.