Volume One, Chapter 17: The Marionette

It seemed that he would have to devise a method to make Emperor Zhou lower his guard against him. As for Steward Lin, he was likely no ordinary character either...

Steward Lin entered the room with a respectful smile on his face and began, “Your Highness, the medicinal herbs have been brought back.”

“Thank you for your trouble, Steward Lin.” Li Tianqing replied cheerfully, betraying no hint of anything amiss in his tone.

Steward Lin hurried a step forward and said, “It is no trouble at all. It is my honor to serve Your Highness.”

“Go summon Xue Tai and Lu Chuan to the training grounds. I’ll wait for them there,” Li Tianqing instructed, then strode out the door toward the training fields.

Steward Lin watched Li Tianqing’s departing figure, his gaze flickering, then bowed and answered, “Yes, Your Highness.”

Li Tianqing arrived at the training ground, found a shady spot, sat down, closed his eyes, and waited quietly.

Soon, Xue Tai and Lu Chuan arrived.

Li Tianqing began training with them in various martial arts: sword, spear, staff, fist, kicks, horsemanship, and archery.

He studied with utmost seriousness, striving to perfect every move.

Xue Tai and Lu Chuan guided him, frequently correcting his form.

Though Li Tianqing’s physique was weak, his perception was exceptional; whatever they taught, he grasped immediately and quickly mastered the essentials.

Seeing this, Xue Tai and Lu Chuan were secretly impressed—this Prince of Jing was truly a martial arts prodigy.

Time slipped by swiftly. By midday, the two instructors paused their drills.

“Your Highness, perhaps you should rest a bit,” they suggested.

Li Tianqing, drenched in sweat and utterly worn out, hands trembling, replied, “No need to rest. Let’s continue.”

Xue Tai and Lu Chuan exchanged glances, each seeing surprise and respect in the other’s eyes. This Prince of Jing was truly relentless with himself.

At that moment, Steward Lin, who had been standing nearby, stepped forward and said, “Your Highness, you’ve trained all morning. If you continue, you may harm your health. It’s best to rest now.”

Li Tianqing waved him away. “No need. I wish to practice a little longer.”

Steward Lin wore an expression of concern. “Your Highness, don’t forget the imperial physician’s advice. You must take care of your health.”

Upon hearing this, Li Tianqing paused, wiped his sweat, and, after a moment’s silence, finally nodded.

Steward Lin appeared to care for him, but in truth, he was monitoring him; every movement, every word, would be reported to Emperor Zhou.

Seeing him relent, Steward Lin quickly ordered the servants to prepare lunch.

Sitting at the table, Li Tianqing looked at the array of delicacies but found little appetite.

Just then, Steward Lin entered and spoke respectfully, “Your Highness, please eat a few bites. These medicinal dishes were sent from the imperial kitchen by order of His Majesty.”

Hearing this, a wave of irritation surged in Li Tianqing’s heart.

He kept his head lowered, his expression unreadable.

Emperor Zhou truly was… everywhere, leaving no gaps.

Li Tianqing took a deep breath, suppressed his annoyance, and picked up his chopsticks to eat.

He ate slowly, pausing after nearly every bite.

Steward Lin stood quietly by, watching without interfering.

The medicinal food was excellent—richly fragrant, the meat tender and flavorful. After eating, Li Tianqing felt his exhaustion lessen considerably.

He put down his chopsticks and gazed out the window.

Afternoon sunlight spilled into the courtyard; the wind rustled the leaves.

Li Tianqing watched quietly, lost in thought.

Seeing this, Steward Lin said no more and withdrew silently.

Li Tianqing rose and walked to the window, watching butterflies dance in the garden, lost in reverie, unsure how much time had passed.

Until the sound of footsteps approached, and Steward Lin appeared once more.

Li Tianqing came back to himself and turned to Steward Lin.

Steward Lin bowed and said, “Your Highness, it’s time to rest.”

Li Tianqing didn’t speak, merely nodded and walked toward his chamber.

Steward Lin followed, and only after Li Tianqing lay down did he quietly withdraw, thoughtfully closing the door.

Now alone, Li Tianqing lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling in a daze.

The bed was soft, the canopy fragrant, and the room silent, yet sleep eluded him.

His mind was awash with thoughts; every arrangement Emperor Zhou had made for him left him ill at ease.

Li Tianqing deeply disliked being watched and controlled—it felt as if a third eye had grown upon him, its sole purpose to monitor his every move.

The sensation was suffocating, but for now, he could not act rashly; he had to endure.

Li Tianqing rolled over, buried his head in the pillow, and forced his eyes shut, trying to sleep.

He needed to recuperate, for only then could he better face whatever might come.

After resting, Li Tianqing returned to the training ground.

Xue Tai and Lu Chuan were already waiting. Seeing him approach, they hurried forward.

“Let’s begin,” Li Tianqing said calmly.

Xue Tai and Lu Chuan exchanged a glance, a moment of surprise flickering in their eyes before they composed themselves and answered respectfully, “Yes, Your Highness!”

Thus, Li Tianqing resumed his afternoon training.

Time slipped by. By dusk, he had trained the entire day and was utterly exhausted.

He remained silent, sweat soaking his clothes, his face pale.

At midday, he had ordered Monk Yun Kong to hide nearby.

Yun Kong was a top master in the martial world, adept at concealing his presence. With the commotion in the training grounds, no one noticed his presence.

Li Tianqing continued practicing until night fell. Only when Steward Lin came to urge him to rest did he finally stop.

Steward Lin looked at Li Tianqing, a complex expression in his eyes, and said, “Your Highness, it’s late. You should rest.”

Li Tianqing said nothing, only gazed silently at him.

Under his gaze, Steward Lin felt uneasy, instinctively lowering his head and avoiding his eyes.

“I understand. You may leave.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Steward Lin bowed, turned to go, and glanced back at Li Tianqing as he left.

Li Tianqing forced his weary body back to his room, only to find Steward Lin waiting at the door yet again.

“Your Highness, your medicinal bath is ready.”

By now, Li Tianqing felt numb—he hated this sense of having everything arranged for him.

It made him feel like a puppet, with every move controlled by others.

He said nothing, walking straight into the room. Steam filled the air around the bath, a gentle fragrance wafting from the water.

Li Tianqing undressed and entered the tub, feeling warmth spread through his body.

He slowly closed his eyes, quietly savoring this rare moment of relaxation.