Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Minister Yan Lun, in his sixties, walked briskly and soon stepped out of the office, thoughtfully closing the door for Prince Hui.

Zhao Sui sat in his wheelchair, looking at the closed door and then at the nearly empty lunchbox left by Yan Lun, thinking about the memorial.

Yan Lun probably didn't know that he and his wife had gone to Lingshan Town to escape the summer heat, so he couldn't speculate that he had been involved in the proposal to reclaim land in Lingshan. Father Emperor...

Zhao Sui gave a slight shake of his head.

According to his temperament before going to Lingshan to escape the summer heat, he rarely saw his father emperor, and when they did meet, his father wouldn't chat with him about trivial matters.

Originally, he could have kept his summer retreat in Lingshan a secret, but his wife said that before visiting her parents, they should pay respects to his father. She asked him if she should tell the truth if his father asked where they had gone to escape the summer heat. Of course, she should. He didn't want his wife to be accused of deceiving the emperor over such a trivial matter. Then, his wife mentioned giving his father some nine-processed Huang Jing.

Zhao Sui couldn't refuse because his wife had also prepared some for her parents. If her parents had it, but he didn't give any to his father, wouldn't that be unfilial?

At that time, Zhao Sui thought, just give it. His father had to deal with so many state affairs every day, and by the time Xu Dongyang submitted the memorial next year, his father might not remember this detail.

However, by October, under his wife's urging, he joined the Ministry of Works and began to appear frequently before his father.

Zhao Sui had instructed Yan Lun to keep Di Xian's canal project a secret, but at the banquet, his father asked Prince Kang and Prince Qing for their opinions but not him. Such deliberate neglect didn't match his father's usual attitude towards him, so Zhao Sui realized that Yan Lun had let it slip, and his father had noticed.

It had only been a month since recommending Di Xian, and now Xu Dongyang's memorial arrived, mentioning Lingshan Town and Huang Jing. Father Emperor...

In the afternoon, when the sun wasn't so harsh, a young eunuch from the imperial study came, saying that the Emperor had summoned Prince Hui to the imperial study.

Zhao Sui had no option but to switch to his four-wheeled wheelchair.

When Qing Ai pushed Prince Hui onto the straight palace road leading to the Chengtian Gate of the inner city, both master and servant saw Prince Kang, from the Ministry of Revenue, and Prince Qing, coming from the Ministry of Rites, walking side by side ahead.

Prince Kang, from the Ministry of Revenue, was the first among the three princes to receive the oral decree. As he walked alone, Prince Qing, coming from the Ministry of Rites, called out to him. Prince Kang waited for him for a while, guessing that their father was about to test them again. Prince Qing wasn't afraid of such situations, but Prince Kang was nervous. Unexpectedly, as they walked, there was movement behind them. Turning around, they saw that their father had also called for their second brother!

Now, Prince Qing was also nervous because if it were just him and his eldest brother, even if he didn't answer well, his eldest brother would cover for him. But with their second brother here, if he answered better, their father's look might say: Look, your second brother is better than you even in a wheelchair!

Prince Qing worried, but Prince Kang relaxed. After all, he was always at the bottom, but with their second brother here, their third brother wouldn't stand out.

"I'll take over."

After a short wait, when Qing Ai approached, Prince Kang took over the wheelchair again.

Prince Hui sat while Prince Qing had to lower his head to ask, "Second brother, do you know why father called us over?"

Zhao Sui: "I don't know."

He had thought his father wanted to ask about the land reclamation in Lingshan, but seeing Prince Kang and Prince Qing, Zhao Sui dismissed his earlier guess.

They arrived at the imperial study.

The three princes lined up outside the door. Eunuch Wang went in to announce them and then came out to invite Prince Kang in first.

Prince Kang: "..."

After Prince Kang entered, Prince Qing tried to listen carefully, but the outer hall and the study inside the imperial study were too spacious. Unless Emperor Yongchang was angry and scolding someone, or Prince Qing leaned under the window in front of the palace servants and imperial guards, normal conversations couldn't be heard outside.

After waiting for about a quarter of an hour, Prince Kang came out, looking relieved.

Prince Qing was somewhat disappointed, but since his eldest brother wasn't scolded, he was even safer.

"Second Highness, it's your turn. May this old servant push you in?" Eunuch Wang asked, bowing.

Zhao Sui nodded in agreement.

After Eunuch Wang escorted Prince Hui inside, Prince Qing whispered to Prince Kang, who was still standing there, "What did Father talk to you about?"

Prince Kang replied, "He just asked what I've been occupied with during the past few months."

Inside, Eunuch Wang pushed Prince Hui to the opposite side of Emperor Yongchang's desk and then withdrew.

Emperor Yongchang glanced at his second son and inquired softly, "Did you teach Xu Dongyang that method?"

Zhao Sui lowered his gaze and said, "Although I instructed him, whether he can or dares to proceed is his decision. I lack the energy to oversee it personally. If this succeeds, it will be County Magistrate Xu's achievement alone."

Emperor Yongchang said, "I'm not seeking to hold him accountable for deceiving the throne. I'm merely curious how you came up with it."

No matter how one looked at it, his second son seemed unrelated to cultivating medicinal herbs.

Zhao Sui thought for a moment and said, "That day, Old Qi, our neighbor, was celebrating his birthday, and I went with my wife to the banquet. My wife caught the women at the banquet discussing Huang Jing, saying that it used to be very common on Ling Mountain. But as medicinal merchants increasingly harvested Huang Jing, the villagers overharvested it, causing a sharp decline on the mountain, and now they have to search deep in the mountains for it."

"Inspired by my wife's words, I deduced that Huang Jing thrived on Ling Mountain, so I sent the accompanying physician to investigate whether Huang Jing could be planted under trees."

Emperor Yongchang said meaningfully, "Your wife truly shares everything with you, no matter how minor."

Zhao Sui replied, "...At that time, living in seclusion, I found her tales quite intriguing."

Emperor Yongchang said, "It wasn't mere interest; you recognized it as a solution to the locals' hardships."

Just as Zhao Sui was about to speak, Emperor Yongchang cut off his modesty and said calmly, "Don't dwell on it. I'm pleased to have a son concerned with the people's well-being."

The eldest son is indecisive. Even when he identifies an issue, he's easily influenced and fails to act decisively. The third son is haughty, even disdainful of the newly appointed scholars from the imperial exams. How could Emperor Yongchang anticipate the third son nurturing competent ministers and generals independently? He prefers to utilize established talents, yet which capable minister or general didn't ascend through experience?

Due to Prince Hui's brevity, he departed within a quarter of an hour.

This time, it was Prince Qing's turn to go in.

This year's civil and military exams proceeded without a hitch, and the selected scholars pleased Emperor Yongchang. He offered brief praise to the third son before presenting him with a memorial to review.

It was a memorial submitted by the Prefect of Tanzhou in Jingzhou, detailing how local bandit leaders Chen Wei, Wang Cheng, and Liu Siyi amassed over a thousand men to wreak havoc in the countryside, killing and looting merchants on land and water. The Tanzhou troops were deployed thrice, yet each attempt failed as the bandits concealed themselves in the mountains' depths, leveraging the terrain. The populace endured hardships and voiced grievances, prompting the prefect to petition the court for military intervention against the bandits.

Prince Qing's eyes sparkled. The Ministry of Rites had scant achievements beyond overseeing the imperial exams, and he had long yearned for a fresh challenge. These bandits emerged at an opportune moment!

"Father, I am willing to go to Tanzhou to suppress the bandits!"

Emperor Yongchang asked, "Then tell me first, how do you plan to suppress them?"

Prince Qing, well-versed in military strategy, thought for a moment and said, "When I arrive in Tanzhou, I will first consult with local woodcutters and hunters familiar with the mountain terrain to find out all the mountain paths and see if there are any small trails for the army to enter and attack the bandits. If we can't enter the mountains, I will arrange for a large merchant caravan to lure them out. If we can wipe them out in one go, that would be best. If not, we can capture a group and then coerce or bribe them to lead our troops into the mountains."

Emperor Yongchang asked, "How many troops do you think you'll need for this operation?"

Prince Qing replied, "Tanzhou has a thousand troops. If Father could allocate another thousand naval troops and a thousand infantry from the Jingzhou army, that should be enough. Any more might alert the bandits."

Emperor Yongchang looked at his twenty-one-year-old third son and said, "I'll give you five thousand troops. Don't underestimate the enemy just because the bandits are few in number."

Prince Qing felt a warmth in his heart and bowed, "I will remember Father's teachings!"

Emperor Yongchang continued, "Tanzhou has many mountains and rivers. If you encounter difficulties, consult with the local generals. Strive to suppress the bandits with minimal casualties. If things go well, that's good. If there are setbacks, it's not a big deal. Send a memorial, and I'll help you figure it out. Remember not to be reckless for the sake of glory. Gaining experience and occasionally stumbling over small matters can be a good thing. Learning from mistakes will make you more cautious and thorough when taking on greater responsibilities in the future."

Prince Qing understood. His father didn't fully trust him.

When his second brother was eighteen, he led troops to the south and achieved immediate success. If he, at twenty-one, failed to suppress a thousand bandits, even if his father didn't mind, he would be too ashamed to return to the capital.

Although the Emperor's instructions were a bit over the top, Prince Qing was still very pleased with this opportunity. As he stepped out of the Imperial Study, he was practically glowing with pride.

Seeing his two elder brothers waiting outside, Prince Qing smiled and said, "Big bro, second bro, you guys are still waiting for me? I thought you would have left already."

Zhao Sui: "..."

He really wanted to leave, but Prince Kang, who was in control of the wheelchair, insisted on waiting for Prince Qing, so he had to stick around.

When Prince Kang noticed the pride in Prince Qing's eyes, he felt a pang of unease. After they had moved a distance away from the Imperial Study, he casually asked, "Third bro, you look pretty happy. What's the good news?"

Prince Qing glanced at his much shorter second brother and sighed, "There's a bunch of bold bandits wreaking havoc in Jingzhou, burning and looting everywhere, totally ignoring the court. Father has ordered me to go and suppress them. Too bad, if I leave now, it'll be scorching by the time I get there. I bet the bandits will just hole up in the mountains to avoid the heat, leaving me with troops but no place to deploy them."

Prince Kang: "..."

Prince Qing: "Enough said, I'll go to the Ministry of War first to inquire about the situation of the Jingzhou army."

Leaving his two elder brothers, who had waited for him for what felt like forever, Prince Qing strode away with his long legs, like a racehorse finally set free, happily heading off first.

Prince Kang gritted his teeth secretly and said to his second brother in the wheelchair, "Third bro's still such a show-off."

It's just taking down some bandits; he could handle it if he got the chance. Unfortunately, his martial skills are not as good as Prince Qing's, so when it comes to such military tasks, the Emperor rarely thinks of him first.

His second brother remained silent.

In the eyes of Prince Qing's faction, this mission to suppress bandits was a tremendous opportunity. Even if the military achievements were not significant, they could still boast about them. What they feared was being like Prince Kang, stuck crunching numbers in the Ministry of Revenue, without even a chance to earn minor merits.

In just two days, Gentle Consort Shen, Grand Princess Fucheng, Minister of Personnel Shen Shiyan, and Qing Prince Consort Zheng Yuanzhen all gave Prince Qing detailed instructions, which got on his nerves so much that he couldn't wait to get out of the capital with a team of personal guards.

Prince Hui didn't bring up stuff that didn't concern their marriage with his wife. It wasn't until the Dragon Boat Festival, when Yao Huang accompanied Prince Hui to the palace banquet, that she overheard Empress Zhou and Gentle Consort Shen mentioning that Prince Qing should have arrived in Jingzhou by then. That's when Yao Huang noticed someone was missing from the Emperor's side.

However, compared to Prince Qing's mission to suppress bandits, Yao Huang was more curious about the bandits themselves. What kind of guts do they have to stir up trouble in such peaceful times?

Unfortunately, Empress Zhou and Gentle Consort Shen were too concerned about Prince Qing to discuss this.

It was time for the willow-shooting contest again, and Yao Huang quietly glanced at her Prince Hui.

Prince Hui sat upright without looking around. Even though his wife was eyeing the hundred taels of gold prize, he couldn't hog the spotlight every year.

Yao Huang, of course, wouldn't blame Prince Hui for this, but that didn't stop her from teasing him about it.

"We've only been married a year, and you're already slacking off on making me happy. You know I love gold, yet you won't go win it for me."

In the carriage back to the residence, Yao Huang sat in Prince Hui's lap, clinging to his neck and pouting.

In the thin summer clothes, Prince Hui couldn't handle his wife's flirting.

He closed his eyes and broke the good news early, "This year, Father is going to the North Garden to escape the summer heat. We'll set out in late May and stay until the grand military review in mid-September."

The consort immediately stopped pouting, "Are we going too?"

Zhao Sui nodded.

Yao Huang was overjoyed. Not long ago, she had lamented that Prince Hui, now occupied with official duties, could no longer accompany her on summer retreats. This year, they could actually go to the royal North Garden retreat!

"That's wonderful! Tell me quickly, what's the North Garden like?"

"...Sit still first, then I'll tell you."