Chapter 16: Don't You Dare Drag Me Into This!

Hearing Zhao Kuangyin ask about this, Li Cheng couldn’t help but silently grumble—Zhao the Elder really knows how to ask questions! This matter was tricky to answer; one wrong move and it could drag in the Candlelight Axe Sound incident, along with many other messy affairs caused by Zhao the Second. At the moment, it was not appropriate to reveal these to Zhao Kuangyin. Yet, faced with the elder’s inquiry, he couldn’t avoid responding.

“The Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun have naturally been reclaimed, though it took a bit longer than expected,” Li Cheng said with a composed expression. He wasn’t lying—some of those prefectures were indeed retaken by the Song dynasty. However, the way they were reclaimed greatly diverged from what Zhao Kuangyin imagined, and shortly after, they were lost once more. The actual reclamation happened much later, around a hundred years later when the Northern Song was nearing its fall. Still, in this matter, he had not spoken falsely. After all, had the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun truly been reclaimed or not? Receiving this clear answer, the usually stern Zhao Kuangyin’s dark face revealed a trace of a smile.

Ah, the Sixteen Prefectures of Youyun! Ever since they were handed over by the child emperor Shi Jingtang, subsequent rulers had long aspired to regain them. Shi Chonggui thought so, and so did Liu Zhiyuan, Guo Wei, and Guo Rong after him. Yet none had succeeded. The Khitans were a formidable force. Though many wished to reclaim the lands, none had managed it—until now, when the mighty Song had succeeded. Naturally, Zhao Kuangyin’s mood brightened. But upon reflection, it was only fitting. Only after the Sixteen Prefectures were recovered could the northern defenses be truly complete, preventing vast northern territories, including the capital Bianliang, from being vulnerable to the Khitan’s iron hoof.

Without reclaiming the Sixteen Prefectures, how could the Song dynasty have lasted 319 years and been revived after its fall? As for Li Cheng’s claim that the reclamation happened somewhat later, Zhao Kuangyin found it reasonable. The Sixteen Prefectures were vital both to the Song and to the Khitans. They were a shield for his own land, but in Khitan hands, they served as their shield too. Moreover, the region contained fertile lands suitable for cultivation, produced ample grain, and was home to many Han craftsmen—resources the Khitans dearly needed. They would never relinquish it easily. To reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures, a decisive battle with the Khitans was inevitable, and thus, taking more time was natural.

Seeing that Zhao Kuangyin accepted his words without pressing further, Li Cheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The immediate crisis and dilemma had been managed—otherwise, if Zhao Kuangyin had kept digging, he would have been hard-pressed to answer. Even if the timing was inappropriate, he might have had to reveal incidents like the Candlelight Axe Sound...

“This place is relatively quiet. Li Xiaolang can stay here a little longer,” Zhao Kuangyin declared as he rose, clearly signaling the end of their conversation. “From now on, I will have others stay here with you. What happened with Qian Cheng won’t happen again. I’ll issue orders—if you need anything, just speak to them; as long as it’s not excessive, they will fulfill your requests. It’s not that I distrust Li Xiaolang, but his identity is too special for me to treat lightly. He’ll have to endure some discomfort for a while.” Zhao Kuangyin showed a hint of apology as he spoke to Li Cheng. Compared to before, this was a complete turnaround, a shift of 180 degrees. His sincere demeanor reaffirmed Li Cheng’s earlier judgment—one who could emerge from the brutal chaos of the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms and establish such a foundation was no ordinary man.

“Understood, understood, Your Majesty. Rest assured, I am not someone who confuses right and wrong. Before receiving your permission, I will not leave this courtyard nor reveal to anyone that I am a time traveler,” Li Cheng replied. Zhao Kuangyin was quite pleased with this answer. Though Li Xiaolang could be ill-mannered and quick-tempered, often unwilling to endure grievances, he was mostly reasonable and easy to get along with.

“Just... could someone else be assigned to keep watch? Please don’t send a eunuch. I’m afraid that might cause some conflict,” Li Cheng requested, looking at Zhao Kuangyin. It wasn’t that he bore any grudge against eunuchs, but his recent experience with Qian Cheng had been so unpleasant that he couldn’t help but worry. Furthermore, not all eunuchs around Zhao Kuangyin obeyed him fully. Take Wang Ji’en, for example—he played a major role in the Candlelight Axe Sound incident and had long become a formidable figure. If he raised objections and was then assigned by Zhao Kuangyin to watch over Li Cheng, things wouldn’t be good.

Given Zhao the Second’s ruthlessness, if Wang Ji’en sensed anything amiss and acted against him, the consequences could be severe. Although the possibility was slim, caution was necessary.

“Qian Cheng’s actions were an accident. Most of the eunuchs around me are quite reliable. For instance, Wang Ji’en is very capable,” Zhao Kuangyin explained, urging Li Cheng not to condemn all eunuchs because of one bad apple. Li Cheng twitched inwardly. Was Zhao Kuangyin serious? Wang Ji’en was far more notorious than Qian Cheng. He hoped that after learning about Wang Ji’en’s role and efforts in the Candlelight Axe Sound incident, Zhao Kuangyin would still remain so composed and speak well of him. Yet he worried this might be a case of inviting trouble.

“Nevertheless, what Qian Cheng did was truly improper. Since Li Xiaolang has spoken, I will not make things difficult for him. No more eunuchs will be assigned. Instead, those four imperial guards who executed the sentence just now will stay here with Li Xiaolang. They are utterly loyal to me and killed Qian Cheng right before Li Xiaolang’s eyes. I will instruct them not to mistreat Li Xiaolang. I believe they won’t be as foolish or rude as Qian Cheng,” Zhao Kuangyin said, showing his generosity and meticulous care after initially believing Li Cheng was indeed a time traveler and not deceiving him. His demeanor was like a gentle spring breeze.

“Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness,” Li Cheng said, cupping his hands in gratitude. Now this was more in line with Zhao Kuangyin’s reputation for kindness. Zhao Kuangyin waved his hand, dismissing it as a small matter, and prepared to leave with Zhao Dezhao.

“Father, please wait a moment,” Zhao Dezhao, who had been hesitating for a while, finally spoke at the last moment. Facing his father’s questioning gaze, with his heart pounding rapidly, he mustered his courage and said, “Child... child has something to ask Li Xiaolang.”

Li Cheng’s heart twitched sharply. Big brother, no! Please don’t do this to me!