343: Chapter 292 343: Chapter 292 Liu Xu, in making such a statement that turned enemies into benefactors, felt like he was about to vomit blood internally, yet he still had to plead with the gleeful onlooker.
He was actually very angry with the King’s approach, which seemed designed to pit the two families against each other for his own benefit.
Liu Xu’s hatred for the Ye Family deepened.
If it weren’t for the Ye Family blocking his way over the years, he would have seized the throne by now.
Colluding with outsiders was solely for the sake of the throne, and even more so, he wished to drag the incompetent King from the Dragon Throne.
Yet he never anticipated that those useless individuals would cause such terror and panic.
After hiding for so many years, not only were they exposed, but they had also implicated him.
Today, Liu Xu learned of Ye Tian’s formidable abilities.
The Ye Family’s talented members were on the rise, surpassing his own family’s men.
This was an ominous premonition; would the Liu Family even have a place in the future?
“Lord Liu, rest assured that your son’s grievances will be cleared.
Keep calm, don’t be anxious, and wait for the Young General to uncover the truth.
By then, your son’s innocence will surely be restored, and he will be released.”
“Your Majesty, I can’t even visit my son in prison; I have no idea how he’s faring in there.”
When Liu Xu spoke, he glanced at Ye Tian, wondering if his son would be beaten out of shape by Ye Tian’s personal vendetta.
Long Hong listened to Liu Xu’s plea with a humble tone and couldn’t help feeling pleased.
Normally, in his presence, Liu Xu spoke with considerable arrogance, never considering that he was speaking to the King.
“Lord Liu, if your son is innocent, I trust the Young General wouldn’t mistreat him.
You can rest easy about leaving your son in prison.”
“Your Majesty, but that’s prison.
My son has never suffered before; I can’t imagine how much hardship he will endure there.
Alas, my poor son!
If it weren’t for the sake of the nation, for the investigation of the truth, he wouldn’t have suffered this unwarranted disaster.”
As Liu Xu lamented, everyone knew he was feigning his tears.
He knew full well whether he had done wrong.
After all, his son was his offspring; if the father committed misdeeds, would the son be innocent?
“Prime Minister, I haven’t done anything to your son, but his mental state isn’t good.
An adversary used a spell on him, resulting in his disoriented mental state.
If you wish to see your son, you may, but I can’t release him just yet.
I’m concerned he might harm innocents once out,” said Ye Tian.
Ye Tian’s words weren’t false.
Liu Tao had been ensnared by an illusion technique, exhibiting a constant frenzied demeanor, as if languishing in love every day.
Girls would surely accuse him of acting indecently, while men would say he’s gone mad.
All alone, he was caught up in his performance, bereft of a clear mind.
“What?
What have you done to my son?
Is this a personal vendetta?” Liu Xu could imagine from Ye Tian’s words that his son’s mental state was poor.
“I haven’t done anything to him.
He fell victim to an enchantment spell from a terrorist.
It’s said that during his visit to Immortal Venerable City, a woman from the terrorists became his concubine, and she used illusion techniques on him, leaving him lost in a perpetual state of amorous delusion,” explained Ye Tian.
“How is that possible?
My son has eyes only for the Princess; why would he take a woman from the terrorists as a concubine?
Don’t slander my son.
His devotion to the Princess is deep-seated,” Liu Xu insisted.
Ye Tian just chuckled and shook his head in response to Liu Xu’s declaration.
Whether it was true or not, it wasn’t simply his own fabrication—there had been witnesses.
Tang Feiyang was one of those witnesses.
When Liu Tao was first overcome by poison gas and subsequently rescued, he continued to act out in madness.
It was unbearable for the other men to watch.
In order to prevent him from engaging in indecent acts, they had knocked him out and locked him in the prison.
Long Feifeng, who was outside the main hall, grew angry upon overhearing their conversation.
How could Liu Xu declare in front of Ye Tian that Liu Tao was deeply in love with her?
“Father Emperor, don’t listen to Liu Xu…
I love Ye Tian,” declared Long Feifeng.
Long Feifeng’s shouts could be heard throughout the palace; even during the recent fight, her voice stood out.
Yet King Long Hong did not instruct the guards to let his daughter in.
A lady proclaiming her affection for a man like Liu Xu before other men was already considered unseemly behavior.
Impressed by Ye Tian’s prowess, King Long Hong also wished for Ye Tian to become his son-in-law.
With Ye Tian’s status as Consort Prince, it might further safeguard the Liu Family men in their eternal reign as kings.
King Long Hong, too, had heard about the Supreme Elixirs in the Cultivation World and that Ye Tian was one of the shareholders.
The royal treasury was depleted, and the cost of purchasing large quantities of Supreme Elixirs was substantial.
He wanted to leverage Ye Tian to invite a top Alchemist to perform alchemy here, offering them a nominal position within the governmental authorities to control this Heavenly Master.
At the moment, King Long Hong’s inclinations were tipping towards Ye Tian—in pursuit of the Supreme Elixirs, longevity, and the prospect of Ascension.
Outside, Long Feifeng continued to shout, but Ye Tian acted as if he heard nothing.
A domineering and foolish woman was not the partner he envisioned for himself.
At this moment, Yan Weiwei appeared before his eyes, and if not for official business, he would have returned to the North City Immortal Sect.
To handle this matter and to prevent those terrorists from striking back, while investigating those terrorists, he could not return to the North City Immortal Sect either.
Liu Xu insisted that he had done nothing wrong and had certainly not betrayed his country; it was others who had wronged him, and his child had been harmed by someone.
Lamenting that his son was in the prison, suffering untold hardships.
“Prime Minister, I don’t know whether your son has suffered, but I do know he’s been asleep all this time and hasn’t been tortured,” he said.
“Ye Tian, I haven’t seen my son; whatever you say is just your word,” retorted Liu Xu.
“You’re free to see him, but without me opening his acupuncture points, he will remain unconscious, and it will be useless even if you take him out,” Ye Tian pointed out.
“I’ve said my son is innocent; how can you be so inflexibly stubborn…”
Liu Xu shouted and screamed, his expression a bit crazed, his eyes bulging and fierce.
He didn’t consider for a moment that this was the palace; accustomed to arrogance, he didn’t restrain himself at all at this moment.
Listening to Liu Xu’s shouting, a murderous intent flashed in Long Hong’s eyes.
It was just a pent-up murderous intent, not yet the right moment to kill Liu Xu and exterminate his nine clans.
“Minister Liu, calm your anger.
Since Minister Ye has allowed you to see your son, you should go and see him first!” suggested the King.
“You are right, Your Majesty; you are most wise,” Liu Xu responded, though it was unclear whether his flattery hit the mark or missed the point.
“Minister Ye, please accompany Minister Liu to see his son.
After all, his son is still young.
If he truly has done no wrong, then let him go!” commanded the King.
Long Hong appeared as if he were an incompetent king, causing others to overlook his ruthless side.
Ye Tian, who had lived two lifetimes and had watched many television dramas, knew this type of behavior – playing the fool to catch the wise, concealing one’s true nature – was even more dangerous than those who openly displayed their ferocity.
People like that were the most despicable, flaunting their power without regard for the safety of the people.
He was assigned to investigate terrorists and had caught a contact person, but Liu Xu had managed to assert his innocence with just a few words.
Liu Tao hadn’t left that residence, thus incurring the guilt of harboring and abetting.
This time, father and son had colluded to cause trouble.
To exonerate their association would not be easy.
However, at present, he still needed to find clues from them, as those people would surely contact them.
At that time, he would capture all the terrorists in one fell swoop.
Ye Tian left the Imperial Palace; Long Feifeng wanted to grasp his hand and speak with him.
“Ye Tian, you’ve finally come back.
Why did you send me away?
Otherwise, I could have fought side by side with you against the villains…”
“Princess, if I hadn’t sent you back, you might have been poisoned even more deeply.
Whether I could have saved you, I wouldn’t dare to guarantee,” Ye Tian replied.
With a wave of his sleeve, Ye Tian avoided her grasp.
As he moved to leave, Long Feifeng watched him go.
“Ye Tian, I want to go too…”
“Princess, do you wish to visit the Prime Minister’s son?
Then, please, go ahead!” Ye Tian said.
The prison at the military camp was not close to the Imperial Palace, and although they were all skilled in martial arts, unlike them, the Princess needed to travel by carriage with a guard for protection, which delayed the journey somewhat.
As they exited through the palace gate, they purposefully avoided the entrance where officials gathered to watch the palace.
Their departure was convenient, not followed by any extra company.