Chapter 14: The True Face of the Unrivaled One

Li Ye was completely unaware of this, and the assassins did not expect their intelligence to be flawed. Not only had Li Ye become a top-tier master, but he was also accompanied by an incredibly formidable presence. Even if they sent a hundred times more men, their fate would be sealed.

Li Ye returned to his residence and went back to sleep, knowing he had to learn new techniques that night. Mr. Xiao continued to savor his wine leisurely, utterly at ease.

Qin Qingxue and Shi Wushuang were utterly infuriated. Li Ye seemed to be their nemesis, an unbearable thorn in their sides capable of driving them to madness.

Shi Wushuang’s face remained sullen. The moment he laid eyes on that treasured sword, he was captivated. Its design perfectly suited his swordsmanship—it could slice through iron like mud and withstand heavy weapon strikes. The craftsmanship was exquisite. Yet, such a precious sword was purchased by Li Ye, who knew nothing of martial arts, and was even directly given to a maidservant. Was this not a blatant insult to him?

“Li Ye, even if you are the Sixth Prince, I will not spare you,” Shi Wushuang said, dropping all pretenses when no one else was around.

As a direct disciple of Yunlu Pavilion and a man of exceptional martial skills and striking appearance, wherever he went, he was praised and respected. Even in enemy states, people tried to win him over rather than confront him.

But since arriving at the Dayuan Dynasty, he had encountered constant obstacles, all imposed by the same person. How could he tolerate this?

Though Qin Qingxue hated Li Ye deeply, she was startled by Shi Wushuang’s words.

“Don’t do anything foolish! After all, Li Ye is a prince. If you go against him, you’ll offend the emperor and the entire Dayuan Dynasty.”

Shi Wushuang chuckled lightly. “What are you thinking? I’m not foolish enough to confront the Sixth Prince directly. There are plenty of ways to deal with him.”

Curious, Qin Qingxue asked, “What ways could there be?”

“It’s simple. Yesterday, the Crown Prince already sent me an invitation, hoping to meet me. His intentions to win me over are obvious. If he wants to succeed to the throne, he will eliminate all threats. For a prince, his greatest enemy is his own brother. With a little nudge from me, the Crown Prince will be the first to deal with the Sixth Prince,” Shi Wushuang sneered repeatedly.

Qin Qingxue smiled bitterly and shook her head, disagreeing. “Everyone knows the Sixth Prince has no interest in power struggles. He just likes doing business. He poses no threat to the throne. I don’t think the Crown Prince would do something so thankless.”

Shi Wushuang’s face turned icy. “You’ve all been fooled! On the surface, he’s just a money-hungry merchant, embarrassing the royal family. But have you ever thought carefully? What does controlling such vast wealth mean? Even in our recent war against the barbarians, Li Ye was able to mobilize massive resources to supply the army. If he wished, that money is his greatest weapon. He can win countless people over, and even raise an army with ease. Does that not threaten the throne?”

Qin Qingxue was shocked. She had never considered this. From the moment she met Li Ye, his sole interest was making money. He never spoke of politics, only stepped in to support the court financially during shortages or disasters. But after Shi Wushuang’s analysis, she too sensed the terrifying power of wealth.

It was Li Ye who had petitioned the emperor to allow her to lead troops, and he had provided the best conditions for her campaigns. If Li Ye had ambitions for the throne, it might not be impossible.

The more Qin Qingxue thought about it, the more alarmed she became, her beautiful eyes growing even sharper.

“You make a good point. If the Crown Prince becomes wary of him, Li Ye’s troubles will multiply.”

“To seize the throne, you must have the support of all officials and military commanders. Besides having a chance to win, you need plenty of money to maintain those alliances. Whether or not Li Ye truly wants the throne, we must ensure the Crown Prince confiscates all his wealth and assets. Without money, Li Ye is a toothless, clawless tiger—not even as strong as a dog,” Shi Wushuang said with a fierce expression, determined to see Li Ye destroyed.

Qin Qingxue nodded. “Fine, let’s do it. Li Ye must pay the price for what he’s done. As long as we support the Crown Prince, he will secure the throne smoothly. Then our positions in the Dayuan Dynasty will be rock solid.”

“I’ll have someone deliver the money to Li Ye first, so we owe him nothing. When the emperor grants rewards, I’ll meet the Crown Prince. I won’t refuse him when he tries to win me over then,” Shi Wushuang said.

Qin Qingxue was puzzled. “If the Crown Prince is already trying to win you over, why not meet him now?”

A flicker of disdain passed through Shi Wushuang’s eyes, hidden from Qin Qingxue. He explained, “I am the senior disciple personally trained by the Master of Yunlu Pavilion. How could I just fall for a simple invitation and rush to meet him? That would make me look lowly. I must hold my ground, make him invite me several times to show his sincerity. At the same time, the Crown Prince must know winning me over won’t be easy. Only then, by joining his faction, will he value me more.”

Qin Qingxue suddenly understood. “I see! You’re incredible, grasping the personalities in the court so precisely.”

She looked at Shi Wushuang with even more admiration.

But Shi Wushuang sneered inwardly, feeling disdain for Qin Qingxue’s naive demeanor. A female general of the Dayuan Dynasty who didn’t understand such worldly wisdom would struggle in court politics and might easily become a scapegoat.

However, to Shi Wushuang, such a person was easier to manipulate.

“Just wait. When the Crown Prince acts, dealing with him will be too easy. But for now, don’t show obvious hostility toward the Sixth Prince,” Shi Wushuang instructed.

“Understood! Thank you, sir! I will repay this money someday,” Qin Qingxue said.

“I told you, no rush,” Shi Wushuang said, still refusing to decline.

Li Ye woke from his sleep, stretching luxuriously. It felt wonderful.

Xiao Cui heard the movement and hurried to attend to him, her face unable to hide her joy.

“What has made you so happy?”

“I was just about to tell Your Highness the good news! The Qin family sent silver notes totaling 189,000 taels. It’s a bit unfortunate, though, since we usually spend quite a lot on Qin Qingxue.”

“Oh? That is indeed great news! Now that the big money is back, don’t worry about the small expenses.”

“Yes! Your Highness, please wash your face. Dinner is already prepared!”

“Good. Eat well tonight. There will be another fierce battle after dark.”