Chapter 67: The Battle of Sorcery Between the Two Monsters

  "Let's make one thing clear, I'll only teach the pipa, and that's if I have time!" Qin Mubai tossed out this sentence and walked away without looking back, not giving Princess Gaoyang any room to haggle.

  "Hey, stop right there, don't move! - Thief, stinky man!" Princess Gaoyang shouted a few times, but Qin Mubai didn't pay much attention. She stomped her feet in hatred and smiled slyly, covering her mouth with her hand, "Forget it, same old same old. This princess isn't in a hurry."

  Having said that, Princess Gaoyang hummed a tune and walked away with joy, jumping up and down.

  Returning to the government office, Qin Mubai had a belly full of resentment, but it wasn't suitable to express it to others.

  This is really a case of "random punches killing the master", for the first time I've fallen into a woman's trap, and it's still a 12 or 13 year old little loli... If this gets out, my reputation as Qin will be completely ruined!

  No, can't let this little demoness do as she pleases, otherwise she will surely make progress inch by inch. As the grand general of the Imperial Guard, if I am eaten to death by this little woman, how can I stand in front of the Emperor and in the harem in the future? Even doing things will be hindered everywhere.

  After some thought, Qin Mubai found a way to deal with it, and the resentment in his heart was swept away instantly.

  The next morning, Qin Mu Bai led a hundred riders to the rear palace as usual to escort Li Shimin's sedan chair.

  Before Li Shimin boarded the carriage, he patted Qin Mubai's shoulder: "Zhi Nu and Zuozi, I'll have to trouble you for a while. I'm quite busy during this period."

  "Your Majesty, there is no need to be like this. These are all within my duty as a subject, why mention being wronged? It's just that..." Qin Mu Bai bowed his head in response, and furrowed his brow, revealing a hint of difficulty on his face.

  "What's wrong?" Li Shimin asked.

  "I dare not conceal it," said Qin Mu Bai. "Yesterday, Princess Gao Yang personally came to the Hundred Riders' Camp to apologize and admit her mistake, with a very sincere attitude. Therefore, I released those four palace maids."

  "I already know about this matter." Li Shimin chuckled, "Knowing one's mistakes and changing for the better is a great virtue. I hope that in the future, no one will again rush into battle with a hundred riders against military orders. Isn't this good? What worries do you have, Miao Bai?"

  "Your Majesty, Princess Gaoyang said she wants to take me as her teacher and learn to play the pipa..." Qin Mubai replied with a difficult expression.

  Li Shimin slightly furrowed his brow: "Then do you want to teach?"

  "I dare not disobey." Qin Mu Bai bowed his head and made a gesture of extreme fear and helplessness.

  "What does this mean?"

  "Her Highness Princess Gaoyang said..." Qin Mubai hesitated for a moment, sighed and continued, "If I didn't teach her, she would report to Your Majesty that I... had improper intentions towards her."

  "This Gao Yang is really absurd, haha! However, Mu Bai, you can rest assured that I wouldn't possibly believe such childish rumors. Moreover, Gao Yang was probably just trying to scare you and wouldn't actually come to me to tattle. You don't have to take it seriously. She's always been like this, all bark and no bite."

  Li Shimin listened without getting angry, instead smiling, his hand unconsciously scratching his forehead, seeming somewhat speechless and helpless. He smiled and said, "So it seems that Gao Yang really wants to learn the pipa... Tell me, were you ever willing to teach her?"

  "This... I'm afraid of not teaching well." Qin Mu Bai said, "Moreover, once this precedent is set, if others in the harem make similar requests to me, what am I to do?"

  Qin Mubai's words were clear in their implication. In this vast harem, the majority of the women were either Emperor Taizong's concubines or his daughters. As a minister, getting too close to these women would lead to rumors and gossip, even if nothing improper occurred. Qin Mubai's words were also meant to consider the emperor's "face".

  As clever as Li Shimin, he naturally understood the emotions involved. He thought for a moment and nodded: "Your worries are very reasonable. Let's do this, I'll issue an imperial decree to allow you to teach Gao Yang while teaching the slaves and servants to play the pipa. Others, without my imperial decree, are not allowed to disturb you. This should be fine."

  Having said that, Li Shimin also didn't give Qin Mubai any room for bargaining, and he boarded the dragon sedan chair and left.

  Qin Mubai was stunned for a moment. He never thought that Li Shimin's "doting" on Gao Yang had reached such an extent. Originally, he thought that after listening to this speech, Li Shimin should be quite annoyed with Princess Gao Yang's nonsense and then help him block her. Unexpectedly, not only did he not get angry or block her, but he also actively helped Princess Gao Yang make excuses and issued a decree, making Gao Yang's apprenticeship "legitimate".

  "Indeed, like father, like daughter, I'm defeated!" Qin Mu Bai shook his head and sighed, thinking to himself: But it's also good. I've already made a small report to the Emperor, so High Princess Gao Yang's blackmail with the excuse of "humiliation" has automatically become invalid. Want to compete with me? Let's see who will be the one to suffer in the end!

  Now that the handle was in the hands of Princess Gaoyang, a stone in Qin Mubai's heart had also fallen to the ground. He arrived at Penglai Hall feeling relaxed, ready to "start work".

  Li Zhi and Li Mingda were running around on the bed in the bedroom, chasing each other while playing a game of "Happy Sheep and Grey Wolf". The nanny was treated as the grey wolf when she tried to catch them to get dressed, and she ended up sweating profusely but still couldn't control them.

  "Xi Yangyang, Mei Yangyang, aren't you going to get dressed and have breakfast?" Qin Mubai gave the order, Li Zhi and Li Mingda stopped smiling and started getting dressed voluntarily.

  "Listen to what the village chief says!"

  "Yes, yes, listen to what the village chief says!"

  The wet nurses were all speechless, while Qin Mu Bai couldn't help but smile secretly.

  Just after finishing breakfast, an unexpected guest arrived at Penglai Temple.

  Princess Gaoyang came with a few attendants, carrying a pipa.

  "Hehe, Ninth Brother, Nineteenth Sister, will you play with me today?" Princess Gao Yang said to Li Zhi and Li Ming Da.

  Li Zhi and Li Mingda seemed to be a little afraid of this Gaoyang Princess, her elder sister, and nodded obediently: "Okay..."

  "Then, shall we play the pipa today?" Princess Gao Yang said with a mischievous glint in her eye as she winked at Qin Mu Bai, her expression confident that she would get her way.

  "No, the pipa is not fun, let General Qin tell us stories about Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf..." Li Zhi muttered softly. Li Mingda didn't say a word, looking at Qin Mubai with a timid and pleading expression.

  The Princess Gaoyang's face flashed a trace of displeasure, and she turned to look at Qin Mubai: "Hey, say something! They all listen to you."

  Qin Mubai smiled slightly and walked forward, saying: "The King of Jin said he wanted to hear a story, so naturally I can only tell a story."

  "What do you mean?" Princess Gao Yang glared at him angrily, threatening in a low voice, "Believe it or not, I'll go to the Emperor..."

  "Are you going to report me?" Qin Mu Bai smiled calmly, "Go ahead, as you wish."

  "You!……" Princess Gaoyang was so angry that her teeth itched and her cheeks puffed out. Her eyes rolled around, and she glared at Qin Mubai, who nodded slowly: "Fine, you must have betrayed me to Father first? Shameless!"

  "Wow!...... The fierce and majestic Seventeen Sister, looks like the wife of Grey Wolf!" Li Zhi said in a low voice.

  "Shut up, you little brat!" Princess Gao Yang's anger was ignited, and she scolded.

  Li Zhi was frightened and burst into loud wailing: "Village head, save me!"

  Li Zhi cried, and Li Mingda also followed with loud wails. The two little guys' voices were always loud enough, and this time the bedroom was really lively.

  The princess Gaoyang's forehead almost drew a few black lines, her eyes wide with astonishment, muttering to herself: "It can't be, I didn't do anything to you..."

  "Princess Gaoyang, this is where you're wrong." Qin Mubai finally found her weakness and was secretly delighted, but on the surface, she was stern and righteous. "No matter what, you shouldn't vent your anger on Prince Jin and Princess Jinyang. They're still young, why must you stoop to their level?"

  "I, I didn't! I, I just..." Princess Gaoyang was at a loss for words. The fact before her eyes was that Li Zhi and Li Mingda, those two little rascals, were crying their hearts out in despair!"

  The Princess Gaoyang was very clear in her mind that her father, the Emperor, had always been haunted by the shadow of "Xuanwu Gate" and hated it when his sons accused and harbored grudges against each other, fearing that the Xuanwu Gate incident would be repeated among his own children. If he were to find out that she had intimidated Li Zhi into crying... this crime could be either big or small, but it would definitely leave a very bad impression on him!

  Seeing the expression and demeanor of Princess Gao Yang, Qin Mu Bai was overjoyed in his heart: Hehe, I've caught this little girl's weakness! —— To defeat Gao Yang, we must rely on Li Zhi and Li Ming Da!

  "Hmm, I actually have such a treasure in my hands, it's really wonderful!"

  "Your Highness Princess Gaoyang, please withdraw. Otherwise, the two young princesses will continue to cry and make a scene, which will eventually reach the Emperor's ears and won't be good." Qin Mubai took a deep breath, his expression extremely serious as he said, "Today's matter, I'll consider it as if I didn't see it, and I'll try my best to persuade the two young princesses not to tell His Majesty. From now on, please take care of yourself, Princess Gaoyang."

  "You, you... don't randomly pin crimes on me!" Princess Gaoyang was so angry that she started panting heavily, while Li Zhi and Li Mingda beside her were crying even more miserably.

  "Whether to go or stay, Your Highness will decide for yourself." Qin Mubai lightly threw out a sentence and turned around to comfort Li Zhi and Li Mingda.

  "Fine, I'm leaving!" Princess Gao Yang stomped her feet in anger and led a group of people away with a whoosh.

  "Haha, come and fight me!" Qin Mubai watched as Princess Gaoyang and the others retreated in defeat, feeling pleased in his heart.

  "Hey, if you cry again, there won't be any stories to listen to today." As soon as Qin Mu Bai's words fell, Li Zhi and Li Ming Da's crying sounds stopped instantly, just like a precise mechanism.

  "Has she left? Has Li Zhī's wife left?" Li Zhī's face still had tears on it, and with a somewhat timid look, he glanced at the door.

  "Hehe! Let's go, let's go!" Li Mingda wiped away his tears of joy and clapped his hands excitedly. "Village chief, Xi Yangyang, let's hurry to the Imperial Garden to tell stories!"

  Qin Mubai was stunned and couldn't help but admire the two little brats' quick change of heart and their outstanding acting skills.

  .??，！