Chapter 25 I’m Praising You

Chapter 25: I'm Praising You

Jiang Yanzhou returned to the temporary palace early with the little bird, preparing water and crushed nuts for it.

He ate his own meal while watching it eat. Seeing it eat happily, its leg injury not affecting its appetite at all, the injury likely wasn't severe.

After finishing, Jiang Yanzhou spread out his writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. Feng Lan intended to move the little bird aside, but Jiang Yanzhou said it wasn't necessary, letting it stay on the table.

Jiang Yanzhou and the little bird looked up at Feng Lan simultaneously—one large, one small, both pairs of eyes pure, clear, and lively.

This scene was truly a feast for the eyes.

It was quite soothing. Xiao Yunlang, seeing him spreading paper and holding a brush, asked, "Practicing calligraphy?"

Jiang Yanzhou shook his head. "Brother Liu... Ziyu taught me a bit of painting technique while teaching me calligraphy. I think the bird is cute, so I thought I'd give it a try."

Oh?

Xiao Yunlang became interested and walked to the table to look at Jiang Yanzhou's paper—

A very forced circle with two dots in the middle.

The brushwork seemed steadier than before, but where was the bird? Where was the titmouse?

Looking left and right, the rest of the paper was blank.

...So this circle was the little bird??

Feng Lan lowered his head gravely beside them. Xiao Yunlang stared at the paper, silently for a moment before slowly speaking, "...It's quite good. With just a few strokes, you've captured seventy to eighty percent of the tit's spirit."

Feng Lan: !

He could even praise this!

However, Jiang Yanzhou was very self-aware. He glanced at Xiao Yunlang in surprise, hesitated to speak, then finally put down his brush, rolled the drawing paper toward himself, and muttered softly, "...You don't have to force a compliment."

Since the praise came from Xiao Yunlang's mouth, if Jiang Yanzhou heard too many such compliments, what if he started believing them himself?

Xiao Yunlang's expression remained unchanged, very steady. "It's not flattery. It truly captures some of the little bird's liveliness."

Feng Lan stood silently to the side, thinking to himself that he must be blind then.

Xiao Yunlang changed the subject. "You can go to sleep now. When things stir up tonight, the Emperor will likely summon everyone."

At this hour, it might be difficult for others to sleep, but Jiang Yanzhou had already taken a calming draught in advance. He stood up. "Then Your Highness should also rest for a while."

But Xiao Yunlang didn't move. "I'll just borrow your couch to lean on for a bit."

Ah, right. Jiang Yanzhou understood. Tonight, the Jiang family and Consort Li would make their move and certainly wouldn't spare Xiao Yunlang's room. Leaving the room empty would make perfect bait.

But how could the Crown Prince deign to use a mere couch? Jiang Yanzhou immediately said, "Take the bed, I'll..."

"Sleep in yours." Before he could finish, Xiao Yunlang walked toward the couch. "I'm not sleepy, I'll just sit for a while. During military campaigns, I could manage affairs even after three days without sleep. You've finally regained some energy; this is precisely when you need to be careful."

As he spoke, Xiao Yunlang casually picked up a book from the side, clearly intending to read to pass the time.

If he truly wasn't sleepy, then forcing him to sleep was indeed impossible.

Jiang Yanzhou hesitated for a moment. Seeing Xiao Yunlang sitting calmly and unmoving like a mountain, he tentatively asked, "Then I'll go rest? If you want to sleep, you can swap with me."

Xiao Yunlang nodded, indicating he heard. Jiang Yanzhou then went to the bed and obediently lay down to rest.

The little bird was taken to the outer room to stay with Feng Lan, so it wouldn't disturb its master's rest.

After hearing Jiang Yanzhou's even breathing in the room, Xiao Yunlang closed the book in his hand and lay down on the couch.

He wasn't sleepy, but during military campaigns, rest times were often irregular. He had developed the habit of being able to sleep briefly whenever needed, as long as he lay down calmly.

The couch was narrow; lying flat, it couldn't accommodate his long legs. Xiao Yunlang didn't bend his knees either, simply crossing them and resting them on the edge.

He seemed to have found a way to deal with Jiang Yanzhou.

Little Young Master Jiang's habit of always thinking of others first might not change anytime soon. In such cases, there's no use reasoning with him; tricking him a little is actually more effective.

Xiao Yunlang was magnanimous toward his own people, while Jiang Yanzhou was exceptionally soft-hearted toward his.

Xiao Yunlang had never had someone like this around him before. Now that Jiang Yanzhou had appeared, he had gained a new insight.

The Crown Prince closed his eyes for a light nap.

The setting sun melted into gold, flowing over the vermilion tiles of the temporary palace in smoky, rosy hues. Shadows stretched longer and longer on the ground until the Golden Crow carried away the last glimmer of light, and all things sank into the night.

When a slight sound came from beside him, Xiao Yunlang immediately opened his eyes, fully alert.

Feng Yi inclined his head. Xiao Yunlang glanced at the still-sleeping Jiang Yanzhou, made a gesture, and indicated they should talk in the outer room.

Feng Yi lowered his voice. "We caught an Imperial Guard in the act of tampering with your room. We caught him red-handed."

Xiao Yunlang: "Has he been interrogated? What has he confessed?"

"He only said he was blinded by greed and refuses to say anything else."

Those chosen for such tasks have their weaknesses firmly in their masters' hands. Even under torture, they might not reveal much.

Xiao Yunlang instinctively wanted to tap his fingers on the table but stopped himself, not letting the table make a sound.

"Attempting to harm the Crown Prince is punishable by extermination of the nine clans according to law. I am merciful; I only want his life."

"Knock him out, find a secluded lake, and throw him in." The Crown Prince could be mindful of not disturbing the Crown Princess's sleep with noise, yet also coldly ruthless in matters of life and death. "Make sure the Embroidered Uniform Guard discovers his body first."

"The Jiang family wants to deal with the Wei family; how can they escape unscathed?" Xiao Yunlang's eyes were dark and unfathomable. "I want the Imperial Guard to go down too."

The Commander of the Imperial Guard is connected to the Jiang family. This incident at the temporary palace alone isn't enough to shake him, but it can erode the Emperor's trust in the Imperial Guard.

To maintain balance, the Emperor will turn his attention to others.

Among the Emperor's close ministers, aren't there the Embroidered Uniform Guard, who have been sidelined since the beginning of the Yonghe era?

Otherwise, why would Xiao Yunlang help the Embroidered Uniform Guard stand out in the disaster relief case?

Just give them a chance to bring down the Imperial Guard. Without needing to say much, Sui Yedao should know what to do.

Feng Yi accepted the order and left.

In the dead of night, all was silent until a cry of "Fire!" tore through the false peace.

Half-asleep, Jiang Yanzhou heard chaotic noises—confused voices, the clatter of armor. He stirred, wanting to open his eyes, but a low voice sounded by his ear: "It's fine. It's not time yet. You can go back to sleep."

...It was Xiao Yunlang.

Xiao Yunlang's voice always brought Jiang Yanzhou calm. He burrowed deeper into the covers and actually fell back into a deep sleep.

When Jiang Yanzhou was awakened again by the noise, the voices outside had become clearly audible.

"The imperial lodge is on fire! To ensure the safety of all esteemed guests, His Majesty urgently summons everyone to the Jade Tree Hall. Why has the Crown Prince not come out to receive His Majesty's oral decree?"

The voice boomed like thunder. Jiang Yanzhou's fingers twitched under the covers, yanking him completely from his dreams.

He threw the covers off and sat up, blinking several times to adjust to the dim candlelight. He figured he'd probably slept enough, but being forced to leave a warm, comfortable bed in the dead of night...

Hmm, can't move... just five more seconds...

Xiao Yunlang sent Feng Lan to help Jiang Yanzhou get dressed, telling him not to rush, while he himself turned and opened the door.

The clamor from the Imperial Guards confronting the Crown Prince's household guards outside fell silent.

The leader was none other than Consort Li's brother, a Company Commander. Gaping in shock as Xiao Yunlang appeared, he glanced toward what should have been the Crown Prince's quarters, then whipped his head back to look at Xiao Yunlang.

He turned so sharply he nearly strained his neck.

"You—Your Highness—why are you coming out of the Crown Prince Consort's room!?"

Xiao Yunlang, fully dressed, crossed his arms and lifted an eyebrow lazily. "Since you know it's the Crown Prince Consort's room, what of it? Can I not be in his room at night?"

"No, but..."

The Company Commander's voice gradually trailed off.

Indeed, the Emperor, Empress, and Consorts might scheme against each other, but did that stop them from sharing chambers? No.

Sharing a bed while dreaming different dreams—at least they shared the bed.

Previously, everyone assumed Xiao Yunlang wouldn't touch Jiang Yanzhou because they didn't know the Crown Prince preferred men. But hadn't Xiao Yunlang admitted it before all the officials yesterday?

He liked men, and Jiang Yanzhou had a face capable of toppling kingdoms. The more he disliked the Jiang family, the more likely he was to mistreat him in the bedchamber.

It made sense.

But when quarters were assigned, neither the Crown Prince nor the Crown Prince Consort objected, and the patrols hadn't noticed when Xiao Yunlang left his own room...

Wait.

The Company Commander's heart suddenly clenched. Had Xiao Yunlang deliberately avoided the Imperial Guards to go to Jiang Yanzhou's room!?

Could it be the Crown Prince had discovered their plan long ago!?

That's why the Crown Prince's courtyard remained calm and undisturbed tonight.

Then what about the Imperial Guard sent to act in the Crown Prince's courtyard? Had he returned?

The Company Commander's Adam's apple bobbed, his hand gripping the sword hilt already beginning to sweat.

Jiang Yanzhou arrived leisurely amidst the tense atmosphere, yawning softly, drifting into the undercurrents like a cloud.

Yet not a single gust of wind seemed to touch him, standing serene and unperturbed.

Listening to the rustle of Jiang Yanzhou's sleeves and watching the increasingly uneasy Company Commander, Xiao Yunlang raised an eyebrow. "Isn't it an urgent summons from His Majesty? Why aren't we leaving?"

The Company Commander, guilty and now fearful at the sound of his voice, no longer dared to shout. He stepped aside. "Your Highnesses, please."

When Jiang Yanzhou and Xiao Yunlang arrived at the Jade Tree Hall, it was already bustling.

The senior ministers had all gathered. Awakened in the dead of night, some of the older ones had been granted seats and were drinking tea to keep themselves awake.

The Prince of Jin and Minister Wei had likely already pieced it together, both hanging their heads in silence. However, Jiang Linque's expression was unusually grave as well.

Of course, he hadn't intended to kill the Prince of Jin tonight, as the Prince's death now would bring him no benefit.

But judging by the commotion of the firefighting, the blaze had clearly exceeded his expectations.

Emperor Yonghe, dressed in a bright yellow informal robe, had a slight twitch in his cheek muscles. His face was darker than the night, his brow locked in a brewing storm about to unleash.

The Commander of the Imperial Guard entered from outside, not daring a single wasted word. "Reporting to Your Majesty, the fire has been extinguished. Fortunately, there were no casualties. Investigation reveals a eunuch accidentally knocked over a candle in the small Buddhist chapel in the West Garden. By the time he returned with water, the fire was beyond his control and had spread to the Prince of Jin's residence."

"The eunuch has been apprehended. A corner of the small chapel collapsed, rendering the West Garden temporarily uninhabitable."

Under normal circumstances, the Prince of Jin would have already jumped up, exaggerating the severity, claiming it was an assassination attempt, and so on.

Emperor Yonghe narrowed his eyes. "Wasn't it said the fire wasn't severe? How could a building collapse so easily?"

The Commander of the Imperial Guard turned and had someone present a cloth bearing several pieces of burnt wood.

"Your Majesty, these were retrieved from the fire site. This humble official has some knowledge of timber. In my personal opinion, this is pine wood from Wuzhou. To avoid error, I request the Ministry of Works officials to also examine it."

Minister Wei of the Ministry of Works closed his eyes and remained motionless. Seeing the Emperor's gaze, the Vice Minister had no choice but to step forward bravely.

Even if he lied now, there were many others who could identify the wood, so he had to tell the truth.

The Vice Minister's lips trembled. "It... is undoubtedly pine wood."

At this moment, an official from the Ministry of Revenue spoke up in well-timed surprise. "Pine wood? But during the previous renovation of the Fenglin Palace, the Ministry of Works' report clearly stated sandalwood!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall was shocked.

The true target of tonight's scheme finally surfaced.

The price difference between pine and sandalwood was astronomical. For a palace renovation, it could amount to at least tens of thousands of taels of silver.

Jiang Linque immediately cupped his hands. "Your Majesty! To dare deceive in a palace renovation project, moving silver right from under the royal eyes! The Ministry of Works' handling of water transport, irrigation, and those projects far from the capital over the years must be even more lawless!"

Minister Wei stepped forward, but before he could speak, Jiang Linque continued righteously with his earlier momentum. "Minister Wei has overseen the Ministry of Works for many years, diligent and conscientious. It must be his subordinates acting recklessly, deceiving their superior. I implore a thorough investigation of the Ministry of Works' accounts over the years to catch these vermin of the state and uphold the law!"

Minister Wei cursed Jiang Linque vehemently in his heart: So you get to say everything, good and bad, is that it!?

"Your Majesty!" Minister Wei's beard quivered, his voice choked with emotion, genuine tears immediately welling in his eyes. "The Ministry of Works has handled affairs diligently all these years, never daring to slacken. Just take the canal projects launched across various regions the past two years, benefiting countless common people—this is witnessed by all!"

"My loyalty is clear, heaven and earth can attest! The palace timber matter should be investigated! But we also meticulously checked the account books with the Ministry of Revenue. Everyone knows how troublesome it is to get funds allocated by the Ministry of Revenue! Instead of focusing solely on the palace matter, Minister Jiang immediately demands branching out to investigate years of accounts. Fine! Then shouldn't the Ministry of Revenue's accounts also be completely examined!"

When it came to bookkeeping, officials from every ministry inevitably made their records smooth and presentable on paper.

But they themselves knew how fake those accounts were, how much water was mixed in. Once a detailed investigation against actual items began, with various parties accusing each other, whether through false accusations or genuine issues, problems would undoubtedly be found.

Then it would no longer be a matter of sacrificing one or two individuals to stop it.

The veins on Emperor Yonghe's thin, dry hand bulged, trembling with anger as it rested on the desk.

He felt this spring hunt wasn't for leisure. From the Crown Prince to the ministers, it seemed they had lined up specifically to infuriate him.

Water too clear breeds no fish. Expecting every subordinate to be upright was a delusion. But there were degrees of corruption—more and less.

Repairing the palace—a matter that even the inner court must account for—and they dared to embezzle tens of thousands of taels. What about other duties?

Jiang Linque's words pierced right to the core of Emperor Yonghe's fury.

But the full accounts of the Ministry of Works... Emperor Yonghe truly did not dare to let the Jiang family scrutinize them line by line.

For one, it also involved prefectural projects. Merely looking at the paper accounts might not reveal anything, and if everything had to be verified on-site, the allocation of personnel would become another battleground for them to fight over.

Secondly, Emperor Yonghe himself had also cooked the books under certain pretexts to accumulate silver for his private treasury.

Some high-ranking ministers were aware of this, but could it be brought up openly? No!

What a Chancellor Jiang, what a Minister Wei!

To remind Emperor Yonghe that the Wei family's appetite was even larger than he imagined, Jiang Linque's move could be considered highly successful.

Emperor Yonghe was truly apoplectic with rage.

Jiang Yanzhou, who had been drowsy, found this more effective than tea at waking him up and was utterly amazed.

You people in the court... your hearts are all so dirty.

Except for Xiao Yunlang.

Because he acts for the good of the country and its people, while these others only serve themselves.

Emperor Yonghe's chest heaved violently, yet the matter was far from over.

Jinyiwei Assistant Prefect Sui Yedao strode through the door: "Your Majesty, the envoys from various countries have been appeased and have not caused any disturbance. Additionally, the Jinyiwei retrieved a male corpse from the pond in the rear garden. The identity has been confirmed as a soldier of the Palace Guard, who died from drowning."

*Thwack!*

Emperor Yonghe slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacups to rattle. The ministers stopped arguing and immediately knelt in unison: "Your Majesty, please calm your anger!"

Only Jiang Yanzhou and Xiao Yunlang remained standing, leaning to one side.

The advantage of the Crown Prince's habitual defiance was now clear—even if he did not kneel, no one could say a word.

Emperor Yonghe seized on a pretext to vent his fury. The slightest mistake by the Palace Guard could now be magnified infinitely. Emperor Yonghe roared, "It was just said there were no casualties, so how did that Palace Guard soldier die!?"

The Commander of the Imperial Guard was also shocked, knocking his head against the ground: "Your Majesty, forgive this crime! There truly were no casualties in the fire scene. The patrol in the rear garden has not yet reported, perhaps..."

"Perhaps? I entrusted the safety of the palace to you, and you dare to speak to me of 'perhaps'!?"

The Commander's forehead was nearly bruised from knocking: "This subject dares not!"

Sui Yedao bowed his head respectfully. He was neither arrogant nor proud, nor did he show his usual casual demeanor. He appeared exceptionally reliable, and compared to the Commander of the Imperial Guard at this moment, the contrast was stark.

"Investigate, all of you, investigate! The Jinyiwei, the Three Judicial Offices! Investigate how that Palace Guard soldier died, and investigate the palace repairs!"

Emperor Yonghe gritted his teeth, sweeping a hateful gaze over Jiang Linque and Minister Wei. In the end, he did not mention the accounts. He then glanced at the Crown Prince, who looked completely detached, and felt his chest tighten with anger, his headache nearly flaring up.

But he still had to say: "...Order the Crown Prince to oversee the investigation from the side."

Xiao Yunlang: "This subject obeys the decree."

With this case falling into the hands of Xiao Yunlang and the Jinyiwei, the Palace Guard would be stripped of a layer of skin.

How did that Palace Guard soldier die? In any case, the Crown Prince's residence was above reproach—it definitely had nothing to do with them.

As for the palace repairs, since they couldn't touch the past accounts, they would see what kind of scapegoat the Jiang family could force the Wei family to produce. In any case, someone too low in rank would certainly not be enough.

The inner layer of the emperor's residence was quickly garrisoned by the Jinyiwei. Fuming well into the night, Emperor Yonghe likely wouldn't sleep at all.

Everyone bowed their heads and filed out of the hall. Once outside, free from the emperor's wrath, even the air felt fresher.

Earlier, fearing assassins, many people had indeed been summoned for protection, including the female family members. However, everyone had risen too hastily and dressed in a hurry. They had been straightening their attire in the side rooms earlier and now emerged to leave with their families.

Princess Consort of An was also there.

Prince of An recounted the events to her, and Princess Consort of An listened in terror. She couldn't help but glance toward Jiang Yanzhou.

If the Prince of An's residence had been involved tonight, they would have died without knowing why.

Princess Consort of An was conflicted and hesitant the entire way. When they reached the fork in the road where they had to part ways, she finally made up her mind, mustered her courage, and approached.

"Crown Princess."

Princess Consort of An curtsied, and both Jiang Yanzhou and Xiao Yunlang stopped.

"Thank you for watching over my son during the spring hunt. This is a great kindness. On another day, the Prince of An's residence will surely send a substantial gift to express our gratitude."

Jiang Yanzhou originally wanted to say it wasn't necessary, but considering that Xiao Yunlang would later select the next emperor from their family, it wouldn't hurt to interact a bit now.

So he politely returned the courtesy, uttering some official phrases like "you are too kind."

Prince of An was probably still confused at this moment, unaware of what had happened.

After everyone else had left, as Jiang Yanzhou and Xiao Yunlang approached their courtyard with no outsiders watching, Xiao Yunlang spoke up: "She was thanking you for your guidance, which kept the Prince of An's residence out of trouble."

The sedative was still working. The energy Jiang Yanzhou had mustered earlier faded after walking for a while in the night, and drowsiness set in.

He pulled his robes tighter, his eyelashes slightly lowered, and said softly, "I think she was also genuinely thanking me for protecting her child. The young heir is quite adorable."

Xiao Yunlang tilted his head to look at him. Jiang Yanzhou's head nodded occasionally like a pecking bird, his steps soft, his eyes half-closed into crescents, misty with sleep.

Xiao Yunlang's voice also softened: "Do you like children?"

Jiang Yanzhou exhaled softly: "I suppose so. Everyone likes innocent children."

"Then after the dissolution of the marriage, you could..." Xiao Yunlang originally wanted to say, "you could have your own child," but then he remembered that Second Young Master Jiang was very likely cut-sleeve, so he changed his words: "You could raise a child of your own."

An adopted child is also one's own child.

But Jiang Yanzhou slowly shook his head: "I can't. I wouldn't raise a child well. I wouldn't want to fail the child."

He didn't grow up in a normal family. How parents should cherish a child—he never experienced it, didn't know it, and didn't think he could shoulder the responsibility of raising a child.

Those with no home to return to never waste time fantasizing about illusory things.

Xiao Yunlang stopped walking.

Jiang Yanzhou's shadow swayed forward several steps before he seemed to notice the person beside him was no longer there. He turned around, struggling to lift his eyelids, and glanced back, not fully awake.

His eyes asked: Hmm? Why aren't you walking?

Jiang Yanzhou and Xiao Yunlang truly had different temperaments. Jiang Yanzhou never thought too highly of himself, while Xiao Yunlang, even for things he had never done, never believed he was inferior to anyone.

Even if his current temperament was inseparable from being born into the royal family—if it was fate—he never bowed to fate.

"You're wonderful, don't sell yourself short," Xiao Yunlang said in the night breeze.

Jiang Yanzhou was so sleepy his brain was barely working: "Hmm?"

Xiao Yunlang stepped forward: "You wouldn't really take it in right now anyway. We've got plenty of time—let's go back and sleep first."

Perhaps only the word "sleep" registered with Young Master Jiang, as he shuffled along behind him.

...Jiang Yanzhou actually heard it, but his reactions were just a bit slow at the moment.

The three words "you're wonderful" kept echoing in his head.

Jiang Yanzhou felt he was being realistic, not putting himself down. He never thought he was particularly bad, but... let's just say not *that* great either.

But counting up, Xiao Yunlang had praised him quite a few times already.

And that was excluding the obligatory compliments about his paintings.

...If this kept up, he might actually start to believe it.