Chapter 42: I’ll Reward You with Two Slaps!

"Brother Li! Brother Li!" Li Qing hurried over to help Li Shimin up.

Good heavens, I didn't push him too far, did I? If I accidentally anger Brother Li to death, where am I supposed to harvest my emotional value points in the future?

Just as he reached out to steady him, a panicked voice rang out from behind.

"Father, Father..."

Li Qing turned his head to look; it was Princess Jinyang, Li Mingda.

The little girl looked terrified, her small face pale with fright. She scrambled over on her chubby legs, stumbling as she ran, and threw herself onto Li Shimin.

"Father, what’s wrong? Don't scare Sizi, waaaaah..."

"Ah, this..." Li Qing didn't know where to put his hands. Heaven knows, the thing he feared most in this life was children crying, especially well-behaved and sensible ones.

A wave of guilt involuntarily welled up inside him.

Did I push Brother Li a bit too hard?

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Li Zhi hesitating at the doorway. It was clear he was conflicted—worried about his father’s health on one hand, but truly fearful of his father’s imperial authority on the other.

"Brother Li?"

Li Qing leaned toward the old man, but before he could speak, Sizi spread her arms to block Li Shimin, her small body trembling. With reddened eyes, she declared, "Bad Uncle! Stop making my father angry! Sizi has already lost her mother; I don't want to lose my father too!"

"..."

Li Qing felt deeply wronged. Good grief, I wasn't the one who angered old Li! Besides, if your father dies of anger, there’s no benefit for me either. What did I do wrong? I was just trying to practice sustainable resource management—no, I just wanted to contribute to the long-term development of the Great Tang!

"Sizi, be good. It really wasn't Uncle who upset your father..." Li Qing reached out to pat Li Mingda’s little head. "Let Uncle see how your father is doing, okay?"

"No!" Li Mingda shook her head like a rattle.

Li Qing felt he couldn't explain himself. Facing a little girl so protective of her father, he hadn't the heart to say much, so he turned to shift the focus, shouting, "Zhinu, come here!"

Hearing Li Qing's call, Li Zhi finally shuffled over.

"Uncle," he said, bowing obediently.

"Help Sizi move away from your father," Li Qing sighed, patting Li Zhi’s small head. "If you two keep blocking me, I can't help him."

Li Zhi didn't answer, looking instead at Li Mingda.

Li Mingda continued to shake her head, looking like she wouldn't let any "bad person" near her father.

"Zhinu, be good. Sizi, be good..." Li Qing tried to put on his kindest expression. "Look, do I look like a bad person?"

Li Mingda hesitated for a moment before shaking her head. But Li Zhi nodded without a second thought.

Hey, you little brat...

Li Qing finally understood. The reason Li Mingda was so guarded against him was because of this little rascal, Zhinu, stirring the pot.

No wonder he would grow up to favor anthropomorphic creatures like Li Yifu and Xu Jingzong—the roots were right here!

"Uncle was a fool to be so fond of you," Li Qing chuckled, pointing a finger at Li Zhi.

At that moment, Li Shimin slowly regained consciousness. The first thing he saw upon opening his eyes was Sizi with her arms spread wide to protect him.

Old Li was deeply moved. He called out emotionally, "Sizi..."

"Father? You’re awake?"

Li Mingda immediately turned back, throwing herself onto Li Shimin like a swallow returning to its nest.

"Is your body alright? Should I call the imperial physician to take a look?"

"Father is fine, don't worry, Sizi." Li Shimin stroked her little head, his heart overflowing with paternal love.

Li Zhi asked worriedly from the side, "Father, did you faint because Uncle made you angry? Or perhaps..."

His scheme was well-laid. He wanted to sow discord against Li Qing, hoping to see this "bad uncle" punished—after all, the severe beating he’d received the first time was surely due to his uncle’s interference. He wanted his uncle to taste the sting of slander this time!

Upon hearing this, Li Shimin flashed a benevolent smile. He reached out to pat Li Zhi’s head and asked with a laugh, "What does Zhinu want to say?"

"Ah... uh, Zhinu doesn't know."

Li Zhi hadn't actually decided how to phrase it; he just wanted to stir up a little trouble for him.

Li Shimin stroked Li Zhi’s head while saying to Li Mingda, "Sizi is truly a child of pure filial piety. Father grants you an increase of 1,500 households in your fief!"

"Hm?" Li Mingda tilted her head; being so young, she didn't quite understand what a fief grant meant.

Still, she instinctively thanked Li Shimin.

Seeing Li Mingda receive a reward, Li Zhi’s eyes darted around, and he immediately leaned in. "Father, Father, look, maybe you could reward Zhinu with something too..."

Li Shimin looked at Li Zhi. At first, he thought the boy looked quite cute with his lingering baby fat and chubby, festive face.

But suddenly, his peripheral vision caught Li Qing, and a reel of images flashed through his mind—things he had witnessed himself, and things Li Qing had told him: the blood pressure-spiking events of the future.

Marrying Wu Meiniang, murdering his brothers, forcing his uncle to his death, alienating virtuous ministers, employing sycophants, having his throne usurped by the Wu clan...

And this disappointing son of his, cowardly and incompetent...

Most importantly, this brat was actually inciting Sizi to bad-mouth his own virtuous brother!

Thinking of this, Li Shimin took a deep breath.

He stood up abruptly, grabbed Li Zhi, and raised his hand high, bringing it down hard on the boy’s backside.

"Fa... Father?" Li Zhi was stunned, having no idea why he was being beaten again.

Could it be that Uncle really is my nemesis? he wondered.

But soon, he couldn't wonder anymore.

"One slap isn't enough, I'll give you two more!" Li Shimin finished, and with a backhand motion, slapped Li Zhi twice more on the backside.

"I'll teach you to smear your uncle! I'll teach you to favor sycophants and alienate the virtuous! I'll teach you to force your brothers to their deaths! I'll teach you to marry your stepmother!" Li Shimin scolded while continuing to swat Li Zhi’s backside.

Li Zhi yelped in pain. Li Qing quickly pulled Sizi away and, with practiced ease, covered her eyes, just as parents cover a child's eyes during a kissing scene on television.

"Good children shouldn't watch