He is Li Yuheng!
A genuine legitimate son of the Li family in the capital!
Moreover... he is a martial arts master who is keeping his skills hidden!
As for why this pampered young master possessed extraordinary martial arts skills, and why he had fallen to such a state...
The former story begins when he was five years old.
The renowned martial arts alliance leader was forced to accept Li Yuheng as his last disciple because he owed his father a huge favor.
This matter was kept extremely secret. Even his parents only knew that the leader was teaching him to strengthen his body, but they did not know that he had already surpassed his teacher.
The latter story begins three months ago.
To escape the training in the southern border region arranged by his father, Li Yuheng successfully drove three groups of guards crazy by procrastinating, and also successfully... got separated from the main group on the fifteenth day.
He originally planned to travel around with his belongings on his back, perhaps looking for his legendary fiancé, before finding an opportunity to return to Beijing.
But after walking only a few miles, he stumbled upon the prince being besieged by assassins.
Isn't this a golden opportunity to return to Beijing delivered right to our doorstep?!
In a flash, he decided to stage a scene of heroic rescue but unfortunately getting injured.
So, while shouting "Your Highness, don't panic! Your subject is here to protect you!", he precisely controlled his internal energy and, in the instant he used the tree branch to block, secretly knocked himself unconscious.
His original plan was: amnesia → being sent back to Beijing → successfully escaping the trip to southern Xinjiang.
However, he overlooked one point:
Even after the prince escaped danger, the situation remained critical, with remnants of the assassins still roaming the area.
After checking, the head guard found that Li Yuheng was out of danger, but was unconscious.
Bringing him along would not only slow down their movements, but also increase the risk of the crown prince being exposed.
After weighing the options, the head guard made the decision that best served his duty: to house the young master in this secluded cave and leave behind some supplies and medicine.
They planned to escort the prince to a safe area first, and then immediately send people back to meet him.
But man proposes, God disposes.
Subsequent interference from pursuers, coupled with an unexpected flash flood that destroyed the road, completely disrupted the rescue plan.
The imperial court's later announcement of the disappearance of the young master stemmed from this.
Thus, our martial arts master, Li, woke up alone in the cave, still somewhat dazed from the aftershocks of his internal energy. Faced with a pile of haphazardly sorted stolen goods, he successfully fooled himself into believing he was a notorious thief.
After listening, Shu Bai straightened his torn cuffs with a blank expression.
"Oh—so, you're not an imposter at all. You are the real Li Yuheng, the eldest son of the Li family, who is skilled in martial arts and keeps his true abilities hidden."
"So, regarding your impersonation, and how you tied me up, locked me up, and did this and that... and all those other brilliant things—"
He made a sudden, lightning-fast move, grabbing Li Yuheng's collar again and pulling him out of the pile of bedding.
"Do you have any last words to say?"
Li Yuheng: "!??"
No, is that right?
This is not the script he had envisioned!
Logically, once identities are revealed, shouldn't there be heartfelt conversations, misunderstandings cleared up, and everyone happy?
How did it become his dying words when it came to him?!
Shu Bai's face was tense, his eyes sharp, as if he was about to carry out family discipline at any moment.
Li Yuheng held his breath, his mind racing.
At this tense moment...
"Pfft..."
A very soft laugh escaped from Shu Bai's lips.
He seemed to finally be unable to hold back, and his shoulders began to tremble slightly.
He loosened his grip on Li Yuheng's collar, then held his own forehead, laughing so hard he bent over, almost unable to breathe.
"Hahahaha... Li Yuheng... you, you..." He laughed so hard he couldn't even speak coherently, "You impersonated yourself... and even made yourself lose your memory... hahahaha... what kind of brain do you have?!"
Imagine this pampered young master, using his profound internal energy to knock himself unconscious, then waking up and, looking at his luggage and other belongings, solemnly concluding that he is a notorious thief...
The absurdity and ridiculousness of it all completely broke Shu Bai's defenses, and she laughed until tears almost came out.
Li Yuheng was taken aback at first, but when he saw Shu Bai laughing so unceremoniously, he touched the back of his head where he had just bumped it and couldn't help but laugh along.
"How was I supposed to know it would turn out like this..." he laughed as he tried to explain, but then realized that his experience was indeed outrageously absurd. "Who could have imagined this!"
Inside the cave, the tense atmosphere from before vanished, leaving only the two men's unrestrained laughter.
After laughing for a while, Shu Bai finally straightened up, looked at Li Yuheng, shook his head, and said with an indescribable sigh:
"Li Yuheng, you are truly... a talent."
…
On the way back to the capital, Li Yuheng rode his fine horse alongside Shu Bai.
“Look, young hero,” he said, pointing with his riding whip to both sides of the official road, “this road was built by my family.”
Shu Bai turned her head to look at his radiant appearance, and the corners of her lips unconsciously lifted slightly: "Oh, is Young Master Li trying to show off his family's wealth to me?"
“I’m telling you,” Li Yuheng urged his horse closer, his voice soft, “that wherever you want to go in the future, I will pave the way for you.”
His gaze swept over the spring flowers waiting to bloom by the roadside. "When we get home, I'll build you a garden for practicing swordsmanship. It can be as big as you want, and you can practice however you like."
Sunlight fell on Li Yuheng's smiling face, while Shu Bai looked away: "Thanks... but I don't need it. I can practice anywhere. You'd be better off draining the water from your brain with that money."
"What water are you draining?" Li Yuheng raised an eyebrow and smiled arrogantly. "This is filled with my deepest affection for you. You can't afford to pay for it if I drain it dry."
Shu Bai tightened his grip on the reins, and his ears involuntarily flushed red.
He suddenly spurred his horse forward, leaving Li Yuheng with only a tense back view:
"...Talking nonsense in broad daylight, you've completely disgraced the Li family."
Seeing his feigned composure, Li Yuheng spurred his horse to catch up and rode alongside him, leisurely adding:
"These are my heartfelt words, heaven and earth can bear witness, young hero."
…
On the wedding day, the procession stretched for miles in red.
Li Yuheng, dressed in his wedding gown, spun around in the room. Shu Bai finally couldn't help but ask, "Are you a spinning top that has come to life?"
"This is my first time getting married, I'm afraid I don't have any experience."
Shu Bai: "...Don't worry, you're very experienced at playing the fool, just follow along."
During the wedding ceremony, Li Yuheng's mouth was stretched from ear to ear the entire time.
When the emcee called out "Husband and wife bow to each other," he bent over so low that he almost kowtowed.
Shu Bai: "...That's enough for you."
Li Yuheng whispered, "Doesn't this show more sincerity?"
…
The bridal chamber.
“Young hero,” Li Yuheng pointed to the room full of red candles, “look, doesn’t it resemble my burning sincerity for you?”
Shu Bai unbuttoned the elaborate wedding dress: "It's like the water that filled your brain has finally caught fire."
“…”
Li Yuheng pounced on him and threw him onto the wedding bed covered with red dates and peanuts: "I'll show you right now what it really means to 'add fuel to the fire'."
Shu Bai raised her foot and pressed it against his chest: "Wait a minute."
"What are we waiting for?" Li Yuheng said impatiently. "A moment of blissful night is worth a thousand pieces of gold!"
Shu Bai gestured with his chin toward the table: "It's time to bring up that pile of pie in the sky and check it out."
Li Yuheng was taken aback, then burst into laughter and stood up.
He clapped his hands three times, and the door opened in response.
Ten people dressed in white chef's robes filed in, each carrying a dish, and the aroma instantly filled the bridal chamber.
“Top chefs from the eight major cuisines of Beijing,” Li Yuheng said smugly, “plus two pastry chefs from the Western Regions. Ten of them, no one missing.”
Shu Bai glanced at the dazzling array of dishes and nodded: "Not bad."
"This is just 'okay'?" Li Yuheng leaned closer. "Then let's look at this—"
He clapped his hands again, and the butler, carrying the land deeds and house deeds, bowed and entered.
"The largest house in the east of the city, with a martial arts training ground, will be transferred to you tomorrow."
Shu Bai picked up the land deed, looked at it, and put it down: "Hmm, good location."
Li Yuheng squinted and suddenly pulled out a full bag of peeled melon seeds from his pocket, dumping them in front of Shu Bai with a clatter.
"Here, as I promised you, I peeled it myself."
Shu Bai looked at the pile of melon seeds and couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth: "At least you still have some memory."
Li Yuheng immediately seized the opportunity: "Then can we test this 'husband' pie now?"
Shu Bai grabbed a handful of sunflower seeds and stuffed them into her mouth: "I'll have something to eat first, so I don't faint from hunger in the middle of the night."
…
A year later, Li Yuheng pulled Shu Bai into that clinic again.
The old doctor looked up and saw them, his beard twitching.
Li Yuheng sauntered to the examination table, rolled up his sleeves, placed his wrist on the pulse pillow, and raised his chin high: "Old man, take another look!"
The old doctor tremblingly took the pulse, and after a moment, his eyes widened even more: "This...this pulse is strong and powerful, the meridians are unobstructed...how is this possible!"
Li Yuheng proudly put his arm around Shu Bai's waist and raised an eyebrow at the old doctor: "I've already said, someone as handsome as me, even the King of Hell would offer me a cigarette, how could he bear to take me?"
Shu Bai said to the old doctor without saying a word, "His illness is mainly due to his thick skin, which makes him difficult to hurt by ordinary swords and knives, hence his longevity."
The old doctor: "..."
Li Yuheng leaned closer to Shu Bai and said with a grin, "Young hero, this is called good fortune coming your way."
“Yes,” Shu Bai nodded, “A scourge can last for a thousand years.”
Li Yuheng was not ashamed at all. He took out a few silver ingots and placed them on the table. He said loudly to the old doctor, "Here you go! It's not a consultation fee, it's a wedding gift! Thank you for your words back then, 'You won't survive the winter,' otherwise where would I have found such a tough-talking but soft-hearted wife?"
The old doctor held the silver and watched the two figures walk away side by side.
He shook his head and sighed with a smile, "Even a foolish child and a stubborn rock are made by nature."
Outside the clinic, Li Yuheng held Shu Bai's hand as they walked down the bustling street.
"Young hero, now that my memories have returned, I haven't lost my martial arts skills, and I won't die, the Guazi Mountain, the mansion, and the cook have all been promised."
He turned his head to look at Shu Bai, his eyes beaming with laughter, "In this life, I'll be dedicated to drawing you a pie in the sky and then personally feeding it to you."
Li Yuheng was smiling and waiting for Shu Bai's reply when he heard a voice say, "There's no need for you to make empty promises."
Shu Bai grabbed his wrist with her other hand.
"It's enough that you're here."
A breeze blew, causing the two men's overlapping sleeves to flutter.
Li Yuheng was taken aback at first, then chuckled softly, his fingertips sliding into the gaps between his sparse white fingers, their ten fingers interlocking.
“That won’t do,” he whispered in his ear, “You have to draw up a picture of the pie, and you have to be there too.”
"I am greedy; I want both the mundane world and the years to come with you."
…
Such is the nature of fate in this world.
It all started with a chance encounter.
It all started with a mistake that turned into something real.
When the real is made to appear fake, the fake also appears real.
The important thing is the person standing in front of you.
Always right.
(over)
OK, kids, our "if" side story ends here!
Actually, I've read every single comment on the side story collection point carefully, thank you so much!
However, there are some topics I really don't know how to write about, such as non-humans, cake forks, pseudo-incest, e-sports, and Zerg...
I'm really afraid I'll mess it up if I don't write it well (???? ???)
So I simply stopped writing.
That's how you clearly and explicitly eat food, haha.
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