Keeping a Low Profile, Liam Li’s Deadly Plot

Serena Feng had been hovering between life and death for so long that everyone’s patience wore thin. The first half of the month, people still remembered her name and occasionally gossiped about Serena Feng, the ill-fated beauty.

The Marchioness of Jinyang and Duchess Ning sent in their name cards several times, petitioning the Empress for permission to visit Serena at Feng Manor, but every request was denied.

Serenity, Princess Yara, and Su Wan would sometimes mention Serena in sympathetic tones. Even though Serena herself had vanished from the capital’s social scene, her name still echoed in everyone’s ears.

But by the second half of the month, nobody remembered Serena Feng anymore. The Emperor’s birthday was approaching, and whether you were normally obedient or not, everyone had to act properly now—no one dared cross the Emperor’s taboos.

The imperial princes with fiefs outside the capital only got this one chance each year to return, and could only stay for a month. In the past, they’d use the time to privately network with the ministers and keep up with the latest court trends.

The Emperor used to turn a blind eye to all this, but this year—even if he pretended not to see—the princes didn’t dare make any moves.

Second Prince Adrian Dongling (Prince Yong), Third Prince Victor Dongling (Prince Heng), Fourth Prince Colin Dongling (Prince Qi), Fifth Prince Eric Dongling (Prince Zhou), and Sixth Prince Felix Dongling (Prince Qing), who was still stationed at the Westlyn border, hadn’t even arrived in the capital yet but were already acting as meek as kittens. Forget socializing with the ministers—they barely even left their residences. Once in the capital, aside from formal palace visits, every prince kept his door shut and stayed out of sight.

Their obedience pleased the Emperor greatly, and he treated them all with a kindly face. Outwardly, the princes accepted this, tiptoeing around and acting with extreme caution. But in private, they cursed Serena Feng to high heaven—she was using them as stepping stones to cozy up to the Emperor.

Just like that, Serena Feng had accidentally become public enemy number one among all the imperial princes.

Liam Li was being pampered with fine food and drink, looking quite healthy. The only issue was his strange wound: every time it was about to scab over, it split open again the next day. The cycle repeated endlessly, and now Liam could only manage a few simple words.

"Quacks, the lot of them!" Frustrated by his lingering injury, Liam Li smashed things in the palace to vent his anger. Word got back to the Emperor, who summoned Sun Zhengdao for a scolding.

"Imperial Physician Sun, what’s the deal with Liam Li’s injury?" The Emperor knew Sun Zhengdao was close with Serena Feng, but also trusted his integrity and skill. Besides, Sun Zhengdao had no personal grudge against Liam, so why would he make things difficult for him?

Sun Zhengdao’s face was stern even on a normal day, but now he looked downright grim. “Your Majesty, I honestly have no idea about Young Master Li’s injury. Every time it’s about to heal, the wound splits open again. It keeps repeating—there’s no danger to his life, but I can’t say when he’ll recover.”

Sun Zhengdao met the Emperor’s pressure and scrutiny with a calm, unwavering gaze.

He had done his utmost to treat Liam Li, never played any tricks, and could withstand any imperial investigation. His conscience was clear.

The Emperor trusted Sun Zhengdao, but still ordered a secret investigation. It was true—Sun Zhengdao hadn’t lied. He did everything he could to heal Liam Li, but somehow the injury just wouldn’t get better. The Emperor was left feeling helpless.

“Imperial Physician Sun, find another top trauma specialist to examine Liam Li. I want him healed as soon as possible.” As long as Liam was sick, he couldn’t reveal the secret behind the thunder-blast grenade.

The Emperor knew Liam Li was a sucker for beautiful women. He’d tried the honey-trap more than once lately, and under their seduction, Liam had spilled a few secrets. But with his throat injured, he couldn’t say much, so the Emperor’s intel was always incomplete.

It drove the Emperor crazy. The Ministry of Works was already researching, and they’d come up with several formulas for the thunder-blast grenade, but none of them could get the proportions right. Either the grenades were too weak, or they wouldn’t ignite at all.

Sun Zhengdao knocked his head to the floor with a loud thud. “Your Majesty, my skills aren’t enough. Please assign another trauma expert to treat Young Master Li. I truly have no way to heal him.”

This was Sun Zhengdao throwing in the towel. He’d put up with plenty from Liam Li lately. In Liam’s eyes, Sun Zhengdao was Serena Feng’s ‘accomplice’—and the Emperor knew it too. Hearing Sun’s admission, the Emperor hesitated, then agreed.

Faced with his unhealed hand and throat injuries, Liam Li’s resentment toward Serena Feng only deepened. When news came that Serena was dying, Liam finally brightened up and eagerly plotted with Rosa Zhen about the Emperor’s birthday gift.

At first, Liam suggested putting on a dance. He gestured for ages, and when Rosa finally understood, her face turned as red as a boiled shrimp.

“Liam, what are you talking about—striptease, pole dancing? That’s not fit for public display. You could do it for the Emperor in private, but in front of everyone? He’d be furious.” Rosa coaxed him sweetly, but thought to herself, “What a rotten idea. The palace ladies’ private dances are way more seductive than any striptease.”

Liam was utterly bewitched by Rosa Zhen and found her reasoning sound. He kept gesturing, “Then what do you think I should give?”

A glint flashed in Rosa’s eyes, but before Liam noticed, she was back to her usual charm and allure. She traced circles on his chest with a slender finger. “Liam, the Emperor values you so highly, he’ll be happy even if you don’t bring a gift. But if you must, you should give him what he really wants.”

Liam nodded, kissed Rosa’s rosy lips, and gave her a sly look as if to say: What does the Emperor want?

Rosa couldn’t hide her excitement. She playfully pushed Liam away. “You’re so bad, Liam! You know exactly what the Emperor wants, so why ask me? Your thunder-blast grenade is the most amazing thing in the world. If you present it to the Emperor, he’ll be thrilled. Who knows—he might even make you a prince or a general. And I’ll get a share of the glory!”

Liam drew on the ground. “That’s a good idea. But those thunder-blast grenades—I was planning to use them to blow up Serena Feng, not to give them to the Emperor. By the way, when’s your father making his move? Serena’s half-dead already; if I toss a grenade at her, she won’t escape.”

Ever since Duke Zhen got his hands on those grenades, he kept making excuses that it wasn’t convenient to blow up Serena Feng. Joking aside, now that all the grenades were in the Emperor’s possession, where could he get more?