Daqing Reborn Prince, Intercepting Si Lili at the Beginning

Chapter 15: A Conflicted Sili Li! A Calm Li Chengyuan!

Early the next morning, Li Chengyuan had just woken up when a delicate fragrance wafted into his nose.

Turning his head, he saw the lovely Sili Li sleeping soundly.

Recalling the passionate night before, a smile unconsciously appeared on Li Chengyuan’s face.

He had to admit, as a courtesan, Sili Li was definitely up to par—she was incredibly gentle.

Yawning, just as Li Chengyuan was about to get out of bed, he suddenly remembered that he seemed to have heard the system’s notification sound last night.

At that time, he was too engrossed to check.

Now, it finally came to mind, and Li Chengyuan quickly summoned the system.

Immediately, a series of notifications popped up.

“Ding! Congratulations to the host for intercepting Sili Li’s first night! Reward: Personal maid ‘Qingniao’, one ‘Longhu Pill’, five ‘Huiyuan Pills’, and one confidential intelligence report!”

“Qingniao: From the world of ‘Xue Zhong’, a peak-level master of the ninth rank, a stunning maidservant from King Bei’s estate’s Wutong Courtyard. Quiet, doesn’t speak much, with a cold temperament and unwavering loyalty. Specializes in the weapon: Momentary Spear.”

“Longhu Pill: Increases one’s cultivation by one level without any side effects (effective for three days).”

“Huiyuan Pill: A sacred healing medicine that can treat any internal or external injuries!”

“Confidential Intelligence: Information about Zhao Wencheng, Deputy Minister of Personnel in Qing State!”

Hmm?

Seeing this string of prompts, Li Chengyuan, who had been a bit groggy, suddenly widened his eyes!

Are the rewards generous?

Is intercepting Sili Lii really this valuable?

Yesterday, the system gave him two invincible physiques; today, he received many rewards!

Is Sili Li truly that important?

At first, Li Chengyuan was confused, but after thinking for a moment, it did make sense.

Now that he had intercepted Sili Li, many future events would change.

Especially since Fan Xian would later go on a diplomatic mission to Northern Qi because Northern Qi wanted to exchange Yan Bingyun for Sili Li.

Now that he had intercepted Sili Li, the events that would happen later would be entirely under his control.

Of course, controlling Sili Li would not be easy.

This woman had been undercover in Qing State for so long and had even almost played Fan Xian. Her cunning and scheming were extraordinary.

Even though she had given herself to Li Chengyuan, he wouldn’t fully trust her.

Moreover, Li Chengyuan was, after all, a prince, while Sili Li was a spy for the empire.

On the surface, the two of them couldn’t be seen getting too close; otherwise, it would leave behind evidence that could be used against him.

So, unless something unexpected happened, he wouldn’t meet Sili Li again anytime soon.

Thinking of this, Li Chengyuan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of reluctance.

Turning his head, he gently stroked Sili Li’s cheek.

Unexpectedly, this movement woke her up.

Sili Li opened her eyes and, seeing Li Chengyuan’s face so close, a blush appeared on her delicate face.

Li Chengyuan, seeing Sili Li’s shy expression, felt his heart soften, and before he could resist, he leaned in again.

Sili Li could only manage a surprised gasp.

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After quite some time, the two finally bathed and dressed.

At the dining table, Li Chengyuan held Sili Li in his arms, eating breakfast affectionately with her.

Lying in his embrace, Sili Li, with her enchanting charm, said softly, “Your Highness, have you ever thought about…”

“About what?” Li Chengyuan lowered his head and looked at Sili Li.

“I mean, what if one day my identity is exposed? Aren’t you afraid of being implicated?”

“Not at all,” Li Chengyuan responded without hesitation. “I don’t know anything about any special identity of yours. I only know you’re the courtesan of Liu Jing River, and that Li Hongcheng brought me here to meet you. If any trouble arises, it’s his fault, not mine!”

Hearing this, Sili Li’s expression was complicated. “Your Highness is truly clever.”

Li Chengyuan instantly picked up on the bitterness in her voice.

However, he wasn’t moved. Stroking her smooth cheek, he calmly said,  “I know you have resentment in your heart, but you must understand, That we both have complicated identities. Getting too close to each other wouldn’t be wise.”

He continued, “Unless you’re willing to abandon your identity as a Northern Qi spy and completely cut ties with Northern Qi. If you can do that, I promise to redeem your freedom immediately and bring you back to the palace. But the question is, are you willing to give up your status as a spy?”

Sili Li fell silent.

Northern Qi had been good to her, and no matter what, she didn’t want to betray them. So Li Chengyuan’s proposal was one she couldn’t accept. However, she still felt unwilling.

Looking at Li Chengyuan, Sili Li’s eyes were filled with sorrow. “Is Your Highness simply planning to leave after having gained your benefits?”

“No, I wouldn’t do that,” Li Chengyuan shook his head.

“I’ve told you, there’s no enmity between us. Besides, I do like you. But the important question is whether you want to be with me or with Northern Qi. That’s crucial.

Of course, I know this isn’t an easy decision, and I won’t force you. You can take your time and think it over.”

He continued, “When you’ve made up your mind, you can send someone to inform me. And since you’re my woman now, if you ever run into trouble, you can always come to me. I’ll help you as best I can.”

He added, “But there’s one condition—you’re not allowed to let any other man on this boat from now on, even if it’s drug-related. This is my bottom line. I hope we can have a good outcome, but sometimes good things take time. It all depends on whether or not we’re fated to be together in the future.”

Listening to Li Chengyuan’s calm yet “heartless” words, Sili Li was filled with conflicting emotions.

In truth, she wasn’t sure what she felt for Li Chengyuan.

She admired his talent, his intelligence, his striking appearance, and his status. Coupled with the unforgettable experience of their first night together, Sili Li was undoubtedly falling for him.

However, when compared to Northern Qi, she found it difficult to weigh her feelings.

Seeing Sili Li fall silent once again, Li Chengyuan said no more and continued eating on his own.

The matter between him and Sili Li had only just begun—there would be plenty of opportunities in the future, so there was no rush.

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It wasn’t until the sun was high in the sky that Li Chengyuan finally managed to “escape” Sili Li’s clinginess and leave her boat, returning to shore.

At the bank, Li Hongcheng and Jian Jiu Huang had been waiting for him for quite some time.

As soon as they saw Li Chengyuan disembark, they hurried over to greet him.

“Your Highness, did you enjoy yourself last night?”

“Not bad!” Li Chengyuan chuckled, throwing an arm around Li Hongcheng’s shoulders. “This time, I have to thank you, Hongcheng. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have known who Sili Li was!”

Li Hongcheng laughed in response, “Your Highness is too kind. With your talent, women will flock to you wherever you go!”

Li Chengyuan smiled but said nothing.

His words were merely to shift all responsibility for meeting Sili Li onto Li Hongcheng.

In the future, if Sili Li’s identity were to be exposed and someone accused him of colluding with foreign nations, he would only need to implicate Li Hongcheng, which would naturally drag Li Chengze into the mess.

At that point, things would become so muddled that no one would dare to speak against him!

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