Li Ke noticed a significant change in the weather as soon as he entered the Guanzhong region.

First it's cold, then it's still cold.

Yesterday, while staying at the inn outside the city, he was woken up by the cold in the middle of the night.

Unlike other princes of the Tang Dynasty, Li Ke was a rare wise prince. After being awakened by the cold, his first thought was of the disaster victims outside the city.

He wanted to help, but he was powerless to change the situation.

After all, he couldn't possibly save tens of thousands of people.

After a grueling night, Li Ke set off early the next morning, eager to check on the situation of the disaster victims outside the city.

However, when he arrived at the north gate of Chang'an, all he saw was a vast expanse of white, devoid of any life.

Just when he thought the people outside the city had all frozen to death, he suddenly saw smoke rising from a chimney, accompanied by bursts of noise.

What kind of place is that?

"Your Highness, that should be the direction of Da'an Palace."

"Da'an Palace?"

On his way back to Chang'an, Li Ke heard that the Da'an Palace had been bestowed upon his nephew, Li Jue, by his father, the emperor.

Although this made him somewhat jealous, it was better for Li Jue to benefit than for someone else to benefit.

"Qingluan, let's go take a look over there!"

"promise!"

Li Ke rode a chestnut-colored steed, galloping ahead towards the Da'an Palace. Upon arrival, he saw many people coming and going at the palace gate.

If it weren't for the three brightly lit characters "Qin Prince's Mansion" on the palace gate, he would have thought he had walked into a tenement courtyard.

"Are you allowed to stay in Da'an Palace?"

"What Da'an Palace? This is the Imperial Grandson's Residence!"

"Did the imperial grandson allow you to stay here?"

"certainly!"

"The imperial grandson observed the celestial phenomena last night and knew that it would snow last night, so he summoned us to the mansion to take shelter in advance."

"Oh oh oh..."

Upon hearing this, Li Ke smiled slightly and said to the maid Qingluan beside him.

"I haven't seen my nephew for years, and he's really gotten quite capable! He can even observe the night sky now, hahaha!"

Li Ke walked into Da'an Palace with ease and was quite pleased to see the people cooking porridge in an orderly manner.

However, what they were burning was very peculiar; it turned out to be chunks of black stone.

"Is this coal?"

"This stuff can be used to burn?"

The disaster victims, who were cooking over a fire, shook their heads helplessly upon hearing this.

"Who knows? Anyway, the grandson of the emperor said it's okay, so let's give it a try."

Upon hearing this, Li Ke looked worried and said...

"The smoke from this stuff is toxic, so be careful when you burn it."

The disaster victim sighed upon hearing this.

"well!"

"We know it's poisonous, but it's better to die from poison than to freeze to death..."

Li Ke felt deeply saddened upon hearing the disaster victims' words. However, he also knew that the trees around Chang'an had long been cut down, and with the heavy snow blocking the mountains, buying firewood and charcoal was virtually impossible.

Just as Li Ke was about to ask someone where his eldest nephew lived, he suddenly saw a young man walk past him.

Although the boy's face vaguely resembled Li Chengqian's, he was so tall and strong that Li Ke hardly recognized him.

Only when the surrounding disaster victims knelt down in unison to thank their eldest grandson for saving their lives did he dare to conclude that the boy in front of him was his own nephew.

"Li Jue?"

Who called me?

Upon hearing this, Li Jue turned around and looked around. When he saw Li Ke wearing a mink cloak, a blank look appeared on his face.

"Who are you, and how dare you address me by my name!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ke looked on in disbelief.

"You don't recognize me?"

"I'm your third uncle!"

"Third Uncle Li Ke?"

"You brat, how dare you call me by my name? You deserve a beating!"

"Are you really my third uncle?"

Li Ke smiled upon hearing this.

"Genuine, guaranteed!"

Seeing Li Ke say this, Li Jue stepped forward and took Li Ke's hand.

"Uncle, please don't be offended. I had a fever when I was exiled to Qianzhou, which damaged my brain. I don't remember anything from the past or anyone, which is why I couldn't recognize you."

Originally, Li Ke had a little resentment in his heart, but after hearing what Li Jue said, not only did his resentment disappear, but he was filled with heartache instead.

"My child, you have suffered so much..."

"It's not bitter. Compared to my deceased father and mother, I'm already lucky..."

"well!"

Li Ke sighed deeply, lamenting the cruel twists of fate.

When he was young, he was very jealous of Li Chengqian. He thought that since they were both the emperor's sons, why could Li Chengqian become the crown prince at the age of eight, while he was only made the Prince of Wu and sent to the Jiangnan region to be a vassal king?

However, when he heard that Li Chengqian had been deposed for treason, he felt a deep sympathy for Li Chengqian.

Li Ke did not believe that Li Chengqian would rebel. Even if he did, it would only be a self-defense measure forced upon him by someone with ulterior motives.

Seeing his old friend's son again now fills him with a deep sense of melancholy.

"Li Jue, did you take in all these disaster victims?"

"yes!"

"I didn't want to take them in originally, but they would rather go to Uncle Jiu's place for porridge than work in my workshop."

“But Su Dingfang said that the people are innocent and that we should save as many as we can. So I ordered the palace to be opened and let them all in to take shelter from the wind and snow.”

Li Ke nodded in satisfaction upon hearing this, then smiled and patted Li Jue's head.

"well done!"

"Our Li family has finally produced a person with a conscience!"

"However, this matter is highly taboo. You should write a memorial of apology in a moment and then deliver it to your father-in-law through the Secretariat as soon as possible!"

"ah?"

Li Jue looked puzzled upon hearing this.

"Why? Didn't you just praise me for doing a good job?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ke sighed in frustration.

"If this were a few years ago, your third uncle would have been just as confused as you, wondering why someone who did a good deed would have to apologize..."

“It wasn’t until Quan Wanji assisted me and taught me history, telling me what a vassal king should and shouldn’t do, that I realized there are some things that I shouldn’t do, even if they are good things.”

As the saying goes, it's not as good as doing it right!

Upon hearing this, Li Jue suddenly realized what was going on.

"Oh, I see. Uncle San means he's worried His Majesty will think I'm trying to win people's hearts!"

Li Ke smiled with satisfaction upon hearing this.

"clever!"

"If your father had been half as smart as you, he wouldn't have ended up like that."

"You must remember one thing: the current Crown Prince of the Tang Dynasty is your Ninth Uncle. No matter what, you must never steal his thunder or have any conflict with him!"

"Only in this way can I ensure your lifelong peace!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jue nodded gratefully.

"Thank you for your guidance, Third Uncle!"

Just as the two were chatting, Li Jue suddenly saw a familiar figure at the door.

"Li Er?"

Upon hearing "Li Er," Li Ke froze, thinking to himself, "Is my nephew so bold as to call his father by his childhood name?"

However, what surprised him even more was his father's reaction. When his nephew called him Li Er, his father was only slightly angry.

"How dare you!"