Troublemaker Prince C26 (Part 2)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 26.2
Even though this matter was full of oddities everywhere, looking at the evidence and the emperor's expression, Prime Minister Su had to accept it even if unwilling.
"Father, just tell me what you encountered in the palace." Su Zhou pleaded.
The already over-sixty-year-old Prime Minister Su slowly opened his eyes, then looked at Su Zhou and said, "His Majesty said it was Hewan's people who ruined Yingying's reputation, forcing her to have to marry the Third Prince."
Hearing this, Su Zhou was shocked. "Sister!"
"How is that possible, unless she's gone mad!" Su Zhou quickly reacted—doing this brought no benefit to Imperial Noble Consort.
"I thought the same, but the evidence is right before my eyes, leaving me no choice but to believe." After Prime Minister Su finished speaking, he couldn't help coughing forcefully.
"Father!" Seeing this, Su Zhou hurriedly fetched water and patted Prime Minister Su's back.
Prime Minister Su pressed down on Su Zhou's hand and said, "This matter must not be let known to your wife and Yingying."
Madam Su had a fiery temperament and probably wouldn't think much about the doubts in this matter. If she knew, who knows what trouble she'd cause. And Su Yingying was young and couldn't keep secrets, so they absolutely couldn't let them know.
"Alas!" Su Zhou sighed to show he understood. "But His Majesty punished the First Prince, I'm afraid she'll guess it was the First Prince."
Prime Minister Su's fierce, hawk-like gaze fixed on Su Zhou. "Remember, the First Prince was only punished by His Majesty for bungling the Spring Banquet."
Su Zhou immediately lowered his head and said, "Your son understands."
After a moment, Su Zhou raised his head and looked at Prime Minister Su. "Must Yingying really marry the Third Prince?"
Hearing this, Prime Minister Su instantly aged considerably. He sighed. "Is there any way not to marry?"
Her reputation was already ruined, the imperial edict already issued—there was no choice but to marry.
"Go. Prepare more dowry for Yingying, and assign more servants to attend to her daily needs." Prime Minister Su said helplessly.
Meanwhile at the Li residence, when Li Xiyue received the imperial edict, she was overjoyed—she was the First Prince's consort! She could legitimately marry the First Prince!
"Let me out quickly! I'm the First Prince's consort now!" Li Xiyue pounded on the door and window, speaking to the servants responsible for guarding her.
"The master said before the wedding, you cannot be let out!" the servants outside said.
Li Xiyue instantly raged. "I'm the First Prince's consort now, you can't treat me like this!"
"Miss, please stop making noise. We're in a difficult position too!"
Just then, a sharp female voice said, "What First Prince's consort, what Little Prince's consort—how shameful! You've completely disgraced the Li family! I think once you become this First Prince's consort, the Li family won't have you as a daughter anymore!"
"Li Yaoyue! I'm the legitimate daughter! I'm marrying the First Prince, not someone a concubine-born daughter like you can compare to. How could the Li family not want me!" Li Xiyue shouted angrily.
Standing outside, Li Yaoyue sneered and turned to leave. Li Xiyue didn't know that after her scandal spread, how many unmarried cousins wished they could kill her.
At this time, having received the imperial edict, Minister of Justice Li was discussing Li Xiyue's dowry with Li Xiyue's father.
"Handle everything according to the standards for a prince's consort. Give her enough things, and after she marries over, she'll have no further connection with our Li family." Minister of Justice Li said while coughing.
Hearing this, Li Xiyue's father dared not contradict in the slightest and could only agree. However, the main wife of the Li family's first branch, who managed the household finances, resented having to spend money and effort to marry off Li Xiyue splendidly after she caused such a scandal. It was simply inauspicious.
At this moment, Li Xiyue still didn't know she had been abandoned by her family. She was completely immersed in the joy of becoming the First Prince's consort.
The First Prince and Third Prince's weddings were set for next month. Both the Su and Li families were preparing for the weddings, and Consort Xian was also busily delighted. Only the confined Imperial Noble Consort and First Prince had dark clouds on their faces—it didn't look like they were getting married, but rather heading to an execution ground.
After returning to the Eastern Palace, You Yusui, having gained his little cousin Xie Ling as Crown Prince's Chamberlain, lay in the Eastern Palace for another two days. After lying comfortably, You Yusui finally pretended his illness had improved and began busying himself with the matter his Father Emperor had entrusted to him—the Spring Banquet.
In the Eastern Palace's study, You Yusui held a writing brush and looked at the Spring Banquet itinerary submitted by the Ministry of Rites, feeling irritated and restless.
This itinerary was truly too complicated, and the management was too chaotic. The six arts began simultaneously, with idle onlookers surrounding them. Not only that, there was also the floating cup drinking ceremony, and noblewomen also had to search for gentlemen to their liking here, which greatly increased the difficulty of management. Moreover, the sons of aristocratic families and noblewomen also had to bring servants, which created a mixed crowd of people.
Otherwise, those ruffians under Huo Xiling's command wouldn't have been able to sneak in so easily and even knock out the Third Prince.
"Father Emperor just wants me to select talented people, right?" You Yusui muttered to himself.
Then Huo Xiling watched as You Yusui crossed out the noblewomen who could enter the Spring Banquet.
"Your Highness, then how will these noblewomen find gentlemen to their liking?" Huo Xiling asked.
You Yusui didn't even raise his head as he said, "Are there too few flower-viewing banquets held by the various aristocratic families in this Chang'an City? They don't lack this one Spring Banquet."
"Even if they absolutely must find gentlemen to their liking at the Spring Banquet, they can wait outside the Spring Banquet and go spring outing with their young lady friends. They don't need to come increase my management difficulties."
After speaking, You Yusui also crossed out the part about aristocratic family sons bringing servants, writing beside it that only one servant was allowed to enter.
Huo Xiling's eyelid couldn't help twitching. The Spring Banquet was a place for aristocratic families to display their wealth. If these aristocratic family sons were only allowed to bring one servant in, they certainly wouldn't be willing.
When Huo Xiling voiced this concern, You Yusui gave a cold laugh and said, "They can come or not!"
Anyway, what his Father Emperor most wanted to see was talented people from humble backgrounds appearing at the Spring Banquet. As for aristocratic family sons, they wouldn't be used unless necessary, unless there was no replacement.
After removing the noblewomen and the numerous servants, the composition of personnel at the Spring Banquet became much simpler. Adding identity verification and a guarantee system when entering the Spring Banquet, the probability of incidents like before occurring was already very low.
Next, You Yusui turned his attention to the several activities at the Spring Banquet.
Pitch-pot, crossed out!
The Spring Banquet was for selecting talented people, not for letting you play.
Floating cup drinking, crossed out!
What use was writing poetry well? Could it help with state affairs?
Huo Xiling watched You Yusui's actions with wildly twitching eyelids. This was simply crossing out all the fun activities at the Spring Banquet. Even scholars from humble backgrounds couldn't tolerate this.
Finally, You Yusui adjusted the competition times for the six arts, allowing students to participate in multiple competitions.
"Your Highness, this is no longer a Spring Banquet for people to enjoy." Huo Xiling pressed down on You Yusui's hand and said. This had completely become a competition among scholars.
"But isn't what Father Emperor most wants talented people from humble backgrounds?" You Yusui looked at Huo Xiling and asked.
The Spring Banquet was the only path for scholars from humble backgrounds to get ahead. Even if it became boring, as long as there was a channel for advancement, they would participate no matter what the Spring Banquet became.
"Besides, my health isn't good. The previous Spring Banquet was exhausting to organize. I don't want to be bedridden afterward." You Yusui touched his chest and said with a frown.
The next moment, Huo Xiling embraced You Yusui and said, "Your Highness's health is most important. Whatever Your Highness says, I'll do."
Hearing this, You Yusui curved his lips—that was really good. He only needed to move his lips and it would be done.
Afterward, You Yusui withdrew from Huo Xiling's embrace and changed the most important scholar debate at the Spring Banquet to: I'll pose questions, you write your answers on paper, whoever writes best will be first.
"Their debating is too noisy. I don't want to hear them argue." You Yusui said aggrievedly.
The scholars would definitely need quite some time to write their lengthy treatises, so You Yusui, who had to be present in person, could take a nap during this time.
After You Yusui voiced his thoughts, Huo Xiling looked at him deeply and said, "Your Highness, as long as you're happy."
Soon, You Yusui directed Huo Xiling to write down his ideas, then put them away to prepare to submit to his Father Emperor.
"Your calligraphy has improved." You Yusui looked at the completed memorial in his hand and said with a smile.
Previously, Huo Xiling's characters were extremely flamboyant, but now they were much more steady, with their sharpness hidden within.
"Come, accompany this prince to Xuande Hall." You Yusui put away the memorial and had someone prepare a sedan chair to go to Xuande Hall.
In Xuande Hall, sandalwood incense wafted about. The emperor looked up from his desk and said to You Yusui, "What matter is it? Speak."
You Yusui presented the memorial in his hand. "Regarding the Spring Banquet, this son already has some ideas."
You Fengyun gave a look, and Eunuch Anhai immediately took the memorial from You Yusui's hands and handed it to You Fengyun.
Looking at the memorial in his hand, You Fengyun quickly narrowed his eyes. This itinerary was much more streamlined than a normal Spring Banquet, the personnel were easier to manage, and it completely met his requirements. Moreover, if this process continued, it might even break the aristocratic families' monopoly on the court.
Just as You Fengyun was greatly shocked in his heart, he looked up at You Yusui standing below. Very good—his dear son was still daydreaming.
"You came up with all this, could it be to slack off?"
"In response to Father Emperor, precisely so." You Yusui was unexpectedly candid.
You Fengyun: ......
"How did Zhen produce such a rebellious son as you?" You Fengyun couldn't help laughing and scolding.
Father Emperor, not producing, not raising—may your celestial longevity be constant!