Chapter 25: Charge Forward, Second Son of the Fang Household! (Part II)

The courtyard was deathly silent as everyone watched the bloated and unwieldy Li Tai saunter in. Observing that greasy, fleshy face, that air of looking down upon the world, and that posture with hands clasped behind his back, chest puffed out and belly protruding—it was truly one of a kind.

"Well, well, quite the gathering. All the fops of Chang'an are here. What is this, planning a rebellion?"

Li Tai walked with a duck-footed gait, his expression haughty and his eyes squinting with a disdainful, cynical tone.

It could be said that Li Tai’s personality was somewhat schizophrenic. In front of the Emperor, he was all submissiveness and charm; before high-ranking officials, he was the model of a refined and virtuous scholar. But in the eyes of those who had no connection to his ambitions, he was overbearing, vicious, and utterly unreasonable. The Emperor favored him for his vast learning, and many courtiers praised his gentle demeanor and loyalty. Yet, to the group of fops in Chang'an, he was a figure to be feared and kept at a distance.

Unaware of how he was perceived, Li Tai saw the silence of the crowd and smugly assumed they were cowed by his peerless charisma and overwhelming aristocratic aura.

These fellows were not easy to deal with. Aside from Li Zhen, who would inherit his father’s title, the rest were second or third sons, or even illegitimate offspring, who had no hope of inheriting titles and lived carefree lives. They were known for being reckless, fearing nothing, and acting with impunity—essentially the tumors of Chang'an. The fact that they were now standing before him like mute gourds, as docile as kittens, made him feel immensely satisfied.

Li Tai continued, "Look at you all, looking so penniless. I suppose your pockets are empty? In that case, just follow me. Food, drink, and entertainment—it’s all on me."

Is it possible to offend people by offering to pay for a meal? The answer is certainly yes, and Prince Wei, Li Tai, was one such person.

As he suspected, most of these men had no hope of inheriting titles and would spend their lives as wealthy idlers. With no political aspirations and family fortunes that could sustain a lifetime of debauchery, they had developed a rebellious, devil-may-care attitude. To them, if you want to treat us, then treat us—but what is with that condescending look? Do you think we can't afford our own food, wine, or women?

While they maintained a facade of respect for his status as a Prince, they were deeply resentful. He was too arrogant and petty; a single careless word could offend him, and he would turn on you faster than flipping a book. Who could stand that? How could one have any fun with a character like that?

When no one answered him, the atmosphere turned cold. Li Tai’s face darkened; he felt his pride bruised. Dammit, I’m offering to pay—do you have any idea what kind of honor that is? You bunch of useless wastes, not even a cheer? Are you looking to be snubbed?

Just as he was about to erupt, Liu Lei, who was standing behind him, coughed and said, "Aren't you going to thank His Highness, the Prince of Wei?"

In his view, while these fops lacked political influence, they were rebellious and unruly. If they could be brought under the Prince’s banner, they would be a useful asset. If the Prince were to lose his temper, it would offend them all. While they might be useless at accomplishing great things, their ability to ruin things was not to be underestimated.

Li Zhen felt nauseated. He thought to himself: Your Highness, if you want to go drinking and whoring, go right ahead; no one is stopping you. Why must you be so aggressive here and make everyone uncomfortable? Today was his birthday, and these friends had come to wish him well. As the host, he had no choice but to step forward.

Li Zhen bowed and smiled, "Today is my birthday. My brothers have come to my estate to celebrate, and the expenses are naturally my responsibility. I appreciate your gesture, Your Highness, but perhaps we can let you pay another time."

His words were measured and reasonable. Everyone had come for his birthday, so it was only proper that he should host. If Li Tai insisted on paying, it would be an act of usurpation, leaving Li Zhen in a difficult position.

Unexpectedly, whether a wire in his brain had crossed or not, Li Tai rolled his eyes and sneered, "At your age, celebrating a birthday? Aren't you afraid of shortening your lifespan? How ridiculous."

As soon as these words were spoken, Li Zhen’s handsome face turned the color of a liver. Shamed and furious, he stood stunned, not knowing how to react. Had it been anyone else, given his temper, he would have slapped the man across the face long ago. *Is that even human language?*

But the man before him was a Prince, the Emperor’s favorite son. What could he do? Despite such unprecedented humiliation, he had to swallow his pride, his bloodshot eyes glaring fiercely at Li Tai.

Li Tai realized he had gone too far. Cursing someone on their birthday was no different from insulting their mother. However, he was too arrogant to admit fault in front of this group of fops he looked down upon.

The others, all close friends of Li Zhen, were equally incensed by the insult. They shared a sense of solidarity but, like Li Zhen, dared not speak out, let alone strike back.

However, while they dared not speak against a Prince, someone else did. And this person not only dared to speak, but had already struck a Prince once before.

Fang Jun’s face remained cold as he said, "Your Highness, that was too much."

Aside from showing off his eloquence in front of Lady Lixue earlier, Fang Jun had mostly maintained his usual image of being dull and slow of speech. This was good—those who play the pig to eat the tiger always acted this way. Though his words were few, they were heavy, pointing directly at Li Tai’s error.

Li Zhen felt a warmth in his heart. What is a brother? A brother is someone who lends you money when you are broke, and someone who stands up for you when you are in trouble. But Li Zhen had not lost his senses to anger; he knew the consequences of offending Li Tai—a man who might very well replace the Crown Prince—would be unimaginable. He hurriedly held Fang Jun back and whispered, "Er-lang, be careful with your words!"

Yet, the "Fang the Fool" stiffened his neck, stared at Li Tai, and said word for word, "Your Highness, you should apologize!"

Li Tai was stunned for a moment, seemingly unable to believe someone dared speak to him like this, then flew into a rage. "Fang the Second, who do you think you’re talking to?"

Fang Jun’s face was dark. "To you, Your Highness."

Li Tai was nearly driven mad. "Are you looking to die?"

Fang Jun shook his head. "No, I just think you went too far, and you should apologize."

*This guy is truly an idiot.* Li Tai was furious, but he found himself unable to deal with this stubborn fool.

The others present were equally stirred. No one expected that while everyone else was too afraid to speak, this Fang the Second, who had always been known for his weakness and cowardice, would be the one to stand up for justice. When did he get so bold? Then, they remembered: this guy had already beaten a Prince once before.

Their eyes toward Li Tai began to change. If Fang the Second could beat Prince Qi, Li You, and suffer no consequences, why couldn't they beat Prince Wei, Li Tai? While their statuses and favor with the Emperor differed, they were both Princes—the essence was the same. They began to weigh the consequences in their hearts, wondering if this was something they could handle.

Li Tai did not know what they were thinking, but he could clearly sense the shift in their gazes. He shuddered. *What are they planning?*

Liu Lei, who was shrewd, sensed it too. Terrified, he stepped in front of Li Tai and barked at Fang Jun, "Fang Jun, you are truly bold! How dare you be so rude to His Highness..."

Before he could finish, Fang Jun shoved him aside. "Get out of the way, this is none of your business!"

With Fang Jun’s strength, the scrawny Liu Lei stumbled and nearly fell on his backside. Liu Lei’s face turned bright red. He was an Imperial Censor, and to be shoved around like a child in front of so many people stripped away his dignity. Humiliated and furious, he shouted, "Fang Jun, do you dare hit me again?"

Fang Jun looked at him, then bared his white teeth at Li Tai. "Your Highness, did you hear that?"

Li Tai was confused. "Hear what?"

Fang Jun smiled. "The Censor wants me to hit him."

Li Tai hadn't processed it yet. "Ah, I heard it, but surely you..."

Before he could finish, he saw Fang Jun’s agile figure pounce like a leopard. In a single stride, he was in front of Liu Lei, delivering a brutal uppercut to his face. In the next second, Fang Jun’s iron-like fist made intimate contact with Liu Lei’s nose.

"Aoooh..."

Liu Lei let out a miserable howl and fell backward, blood spraying from his nose like a fountain, instantly staining the bluestone floor.

Everyone was stunned. Lady Lixue’s mouth hung open in disbelief. This Fang Jun—he’d hit someone again!