Chapter Forty-Four: Seeking an Opportunity

After Empress Zhangsun had left for the courtyard, Luo Tong excitedly helped Li Zhi up. “Your Highness, you were truly incredible just now…”

“Incredible how?” Li Zhi asked.

“You tore up a royal decree and nothing happened! Isn’t that incredible? I was sweating on your behalf!”

Ever since returning to Lizheng Hall, Luo Tong’s nerves had been tightly wound, not daring to relax for even a moment. He had even mentally prepared himself to face punishment alongside Li Zhi.

Yet, to his utter astonishment, such a grave offense resulted in nothing more than being told to recite the legal code.

Could this even be called a punishment?

“You don’t understand…” Li Zhi waved his hand dismissively. “Forget it. Go to the Ministry of Justice and bring me all the books on the law. I do need to take a closer look, or else I’ll be in real trouble.”

“Yes, Your Highness!” Luo Tong replied.

Li Zhi strolled slowly back to his room, a serious realization dawning on him.

The reason his father, Emperor Taizong, indulged him so, forgiving even the tearing of a royal decree without so much as a slap on the wrist, was entirely due to his supposed extraordinary intellect.

Even this punishment—to recite law books—was for the same reason. Everyone assumed he possessed a photographic memory.

But in truth, he knew very well he had no such ability.

If his real intelligence were ever exposed, if Emperor Taizong realized Li Zhi was just an ordinary child, the punishment would be far more severe. If he ever made another mistake, forgiveness would not come so easily.

“It looks like I need to boost my intelligence,” Li Zhi murmured quietly.

But how could he do this?

Just then, a crisp chime sounded in his mind: “Ding! Congratulations, Host. Task completed. You have been awarded 30 attribute points!”

Li Zhi’s eyes lit up. He quickly checked his attribute panel:

Host: Li Zhi
Gender: Male
Age: 3
Martial Prowess: 5
Intelligence: 89
Agility: 41
Politics: 66
Charisma: 72
System Function: Infinite Regeneration
Title: King of Cuisine (Increases culinary perfection by 10%)

There was now a title attribute on the system interface.

His intelligence was already at 89. If he added the newly earned 30 points, he would reach 119—surely an exceptional level.

Would that grant him a photographic memory? Li Zhi wasn’t certain, but he had to try.

“These 30 points—all into intelligence. Even if it doesn’t give me photographic memory, it should at least improve my recall,” Li Zhi decided, using them without hesitation.

The attribute panel shifted:

Intelligence: 119

“Congratulations, Host. Intelligence has surpassed the limit and reached a transcendent state!”

Host: Li Zhi
Gender: Male
Age: 3
Martial Prowess: 5
Intelligence: 119 (Transcendent)
Agility: 41
Politics: 66
Charisma: 72
System Function: Infinite Regeneration
Title: King of Cuisine (Increases culinary perfection by 10%)

Although he wasn’t certain what “transcendent” meant, it was clear from the literal sense that the system’s definition of human intelligence capped at 100. Anything above that was beyond the reach of ordinary people; hence, “transcendent”—beyond mortal limits.

Unable to wait any longer, Li Zhi rushed into Empress Zhangsun’s chambers and picked up the worn copy of the “Records of the Grand Historian.”

He had often read it before, but never truly memorized it, relying only on vague recollections from his past life to fend off his teachers’ questions.

This time, after just two or three readings, he found he had memorized over a thousand characters—and could read line after line at astonishing speed.

“Zhi’er… have you always read this quickly?” Empress Zhangsun looked at her son with concern as he flipped through the history book at lightning speed, almost as if time itself was slipping by.

This was beyond her imagination.

Li Zhi paused, smiled, and said, “Father says I’m a genius. For me, basic reading like this is simple. Surely Mother could do it too?”

“Heh…” Empress Zhangsun forced an awkward smile.

Her own memory was better than most—after reading something several times, she could usually remember it. Before Li Zhi was born, Emperor Taizong had often praised her for her sharp memory.

But that was only a little better than average. The kind of superhuman ability Li Zhi displayed was completely beyond her reach.

“My Zhi’er grows more remarkable by the day… This history book, Mother gives it to you.”

“Thank you, Mother!”

Just then, Luo Tong returned carrying a large stack of law books.

Li Zhi buried himself in the study, reciting them over and over.

And, indeed, after raising his intelligence by 30 points, his memorization speed increased exponentially. In just half a day, he had committed over ten thousand characters to memory.

“If I’d had this ability back in school, what university wouldn’t I have gotten into?” Li Zhi grumbled internally. Why hadn’t this system come to him sooner?

Time flew by.

Before he knew it, it was already late June. Summer approached, and the sweltering heat felt as if he were being roasted alive.

“How is the task your father assigned progressing?” Empress Zhangsun entered the room.

Li Zhi held a teacup in his left hand and a book in his right, reciting line after line. He hadn’t relaxed for even a day. He had nearly mastered the entirety of the Tang legal code. But the rising heat made him irritable, and memorizing grew ever harder.

“Mother, when will Father come?” he asked.

“Soon, I think. Prepare a bit more,” she replied.

“I’m afraid if this drags on, I’ll forget the earlier parts!” Li Zhi smiled wryly. This was his greatest worry. He had to find a way to complete the task sooner.

“These days, your father has been in the imperial study, discussing state affairs with his ministers. According to the chief eunuch, famine has broken out among the people, and your father is busy organizing relief. He likely has no time for you at the moment.”

In the early years of Tang, famine was indeed a grave problem—countless people starved to death.

Li Zhi wished he could help, but didn’t know where to begin. “Mother, I’ll review a bit more, then go see Father.”

“Very well,” Empress Zhangsun said, not stopping him.

Just then, a chime sounded: “Ding! The Mischievous Child System has triggered a main quest: In Emperor Taizong’s presence, steal the imperial jade seal and smash it on the ground. The impact must be at least strong enough to crack a walnut. Quest reward: one hundred jin of sweet potatoes!”

Li Zhi was about to head to the imperial study when the system’s message arrived. He froze, and burst out, “What kind of ridiculous task is this?! Stealing the jade seal? Smashing it? And I have to do it right in front of Emperor Taizong—how is that not courting death?”

“System, what’s your problem? Are you trying to get me killed for your own amusement?”

He ranted and raved, but the system remained silent.

This was a mandatory main quest. If he ignored it, there would never be another main quest.

“Steal the jade seal… that shouldn’t be too bad, right?” Li Zhi mused. Emperor Taizong had forgiven him for tearing up a royal decree; surely borrowing the jade seal for a bit wouldn’t be that much worse.

But to smash it right in front of the emperor? That was going too far. What if he really broke it?

“Where is Father? I want to see Father!” Arriving at the doors of the imperial study, Li Zhi was stopped by the chief eunuch.

“His Majesty is discussing state matters with the ministers. It’s best if Your Highness doesn’t enter, so as not to disturb him. Once the meeting is over, this old servant will inform him.”

“All right!” Li Zhi nodded obediently.

The chief eunuch was surprised—why was the prince so well-behaved today?

To smash the jade seal before the entire court would be far too reckless. Li Zhi resolved to wait until the ministers had all left before making his move.