Chapter 139: You Two Are Impossible

The plow—what a marvelous way to make money, yet it was confiscated by that "benevolent ruler" Li Shimin through a series of tactical maneuvers.

Although Li Shimin promised generous compensation, Liu Yitiao felt a lingering sense of having been played. It was infuriating, but he was completely helpless to do anything about it.

After bidding farewell to Li Shimin, Liu Yitiao was led by an attendant back to the quarters of the Left Imperial Guard. Li Jihe had been waiting for some time. Seeing him, Liu Yitiao remembered that the Crown Prince was still waiting for his services at the East Palace.

Glancing at the sky, he saw the sun had drifted to the west without him noticing. It was dusk.

"Jihe, is Daoist Priest Sun still at the East Palace?" Liu Yitiao sat in a chair, picked up a teapot, poured himself a cup, gulped down two mouthfuls, and asked Li Jihe.

Seeing Liu Yitiao act so casually, Li Jihe relaxed a bit and replied with a bow: "Daoist Priest Sun and his disciple left the palace not long after the Divine Physician departed. They are not currently in the palace. His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to wait for you here, Divine Physician, to ask when you intend to perform the surgery on his foot and what preparations are needed. I want to be ready so I don’t panic when the time comes."

Li Jihe then added with a conciliatory smile: "His Highness has suffered from this foot ailment for a year, enduring all kinds of overt and covert humiliation. He is deeply bitter. Now that he hears a Divine Physician can cure him, he is naturally anxious. If he has been impolite or discourteous, I hope you will not take offense."

Li Jihe had been promoted by Li Chengqian himself. Having risen from a common soldier to an official imperial guard over the past five years, he understood the Crown Prince well. The Prince was intelligent, kind-hearted, and filial, and had shown him great favor. Thus, even though some things were not his place to say, he said them anyway.

"It is only human nature," Liu Yitiao nodded indifferently. He pondered for a moment and said, "Let us set the surgery for tomorrow. We must invite Daoist Priest Sun to be present. Without him there to assist, the surgery carries many risks, and I would not dare to operate lightly. As for the instruments needed, I will write a list for you in a moment. Just see that everything on it is prepared."

"Understood. Thank you, Divine Physician." Li Jihe bowed, his eyes filled with gratitude.

Liu Yitiao nodded and instructed Xiao Suo to prepare some ink, paper, and an inkstone. He picked up his brush and wrote: "Boiling water, strong spirits, small knives, silk thread, fine needles, linen cloth..."

After jotting down a long list of surgical supplies, he handed it to Li Jihe. "Jihe, prepare everything written here. For now, keep them in the Crown Prince's bedchamber. He will be bedridden for a long time after the surgery; performing it in his bedroom will save a lot of trouble."

"As you command, Divine Physician." Li Jihe stood up, took the list with both hands, and bid farewell: "I will go make the preparations now and leave you to rest."

"Very well, go safely, Jihe." Liu Yitiao nodded, stood up to see him out, then returned to his room to lie down. He was truly exhausted after running around all afternoon.

"Young Master, dinner is ready. Shall I serve it now?" Not long after Liu Yitiao lay down, Xiao Suo walked in carrying a food box and asked softly.

"Yes, set it on the table." Liu Yitiao sat up and watched as Xiao Suo brought out dish after dish—four courses, one soup, and a small pot of wine, the standard diet for an imperial prince. Thanks to Empress Zhangsun's care, his meals were prepared by the imperial chefs, and the taste was exceptionally exquisite.

With fine wine and delicacies, Liu Yitiao took a sip before waving Xiao Suo away. He was never used to having someone watch him eat, and Xiao Suo was stubborn; no matter what Liu Yitiao said, he refused to eat at the same table because of those "darn rules." Annoyed, Liu Yitiao would always shoo the lad out of the room during meals just to have some peace.

"Young Master," today was destined to be a busy day. Before he had taken more than a few bites, Xiao Suo pushed the door open again and whispered, "Attendant Xiao Dezi from Lizheng Palace is here."

"Oh?" Liu Yitiao popped a piece of chicken into his mouth, chewed it slowly and deliberately, and then said to Xiao Suo, "Invite him in."

"Master Liu, greetings from Xiao Dezi." As Xiao Dezi entered the room and saw the barely touched meal on the table, he looked embarrassed and smiled apologetically: "I am sorry to disturb your meal. It is quite rude of me; I beg for your forgiveness."

"Not at all," Liu Yitiao stood up and smiled. "It is I who have eaten late. Pray, do not take it to heart. What brings you here, Xiao Dezi?"

Xiao Dezi said: "The Empress has something to discuss with you and has specially sent me to invite you over. However, seeing as you are eating, perhaps I should wait until you have finished? I am sure the Empress will not mind."

*As if,* Liu Yitiao thought. Even if the Empress truly didn't mind, did he have the nerve to make the mother of the nation wait? How many heads did he have on his shoulders?

"No, no, I wouldn't dare make the Empress wait, no matter how much courage I had," Liu Yitiao said, feigning panic. "Xiao Dezi, let us go now."

"Very well." Xiao Dezi nodded with satisfaction. This Master Liu had not let his recent achievements go to his head; he still remembered his station. Not bad.

"Please follow me, Master Liu." Xiao Dezi bowed and led the way out of the room.

Inside Lizheng Palace, Empress Zhangsun was sitting on the platform bed playing with a jigsaw puzzle with little Zhi Nu and little Si Zi. Princess Yuzhang was there as well.

"Mother, what kind of person is this Master Liu, really?" Princess Yuzhang asked, sliding a wooden piece into place. "His medical skills, his calligraphy, even this game—everything is so extraordinary. I have played with this puzzle several times and even made one myself. Although I have completed it before, I never tire of it. It feels much more interesting than cuju or archery. It is hard to imagine how he came up with it."

Empress Zhangsun glanced at Yuzhang and said softly, "Master Liu is a man of great talent. He is proficient in calligraphy and skilled in medicine. He saved your brother the Crown Prince, and he saved me. That I have the strength to sit here and play with the three of you today is largely thanks to him. However, despite all that, Master Liu is still a merchant."

The Empress continued, "No matter his purpose in business, and no matter how capable he is, he cannot shed that identity. So, Ru'er, stop thinking about him."

"Yes, Mother, I understand." Yuzhang lowered her head, looking a bit depressed, and replied softly, falling silent thereafter.

Seeing this, Empress Zhangsun sighed lightly. "Ru'er, although you are not my own daughter, I have raised you since you were little. I can guess what you are thinking even with my eyes closed."

"Listen to my advice: forget him as soon as you can. Even if he weren't a merchant, do you really think that just because of some calligraphy and medical skills, he could marry a princess of the Great Tang? Your father would not agree, and neither would I."

"Wow, Mother, we finished it!" Little Zhi Nu and little Si Zi placed the final piece, revealing a complete picture. The two little ones clapped in celebration, completely oblivious to what the Empress and Princess Yuzhang were discussing.

"Yes, Zhi Nu and Si Zi are so clever!" Empress Zhangsun smiled and patted their heads affectionately to encourage them. The two children laughed triumphantly.

"What is wrong, Sister Ru'er?" Little Si Zi noticed that Princess Yuzhang seemed upset, so she crawled over to her side and tugged at her hand. "Are you unhappy, Sister?"

"No," Princess Yuzhang gathered Si Zi into her arms and forced a smile. "Sister is not unhappy. I am happy for you and Zhi Nu for completing the puzzle. You two are amazing!"

"Thank you, Sister Ru'er!" Hearing the praise, Si Zi laughed again, crawled out of Yuzhang's arms, and began fiddling with the puzzle again with Zhi Nu.

"Your Majesty, Master Liu has arrived and is waiting outside the hall," Xiao Dezi reported softly as he entered.

"Very well." Empress Zhangsun straightened up and waved at Xiao Dezi, "Invite Master Liu in."

After Xiao Dezi left, Princess Yuzhang stood up from the bed, bowed to the Empress, and said, "Mother, I shall go to the side hall."

"Go ahead," Empress Zhangsun nodded without further comment.

Just then, Liu Yitiao followed Xiao Dezi into the hall and caught a glimpse of Princess Yuzhang’s departing figure. He felt a sense of familiarity—she reminded him of someone he had seen during his first visit to Lizheng Palace—but it didn't seem quite right either. Strange.