Troublemaker Prince C27 (Part 1)
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 27.1
You Fengyun had many unfilial sons, and You Yusui was merely an insignificant one among them. Therefore, there would be many more times when these unfilial sons would anger him. If he wanted to live a long life, he should not have given birth to them in the first place.
You Fengyun was very satisfied with the memorial You Yusui had submitted. After all, this memorial could select talents for him at the fastest speed and allow noble clan children and poor scholars to compete on the same starting line, enabling more poor scholars to enter the court, which completely aligned with You Fengyun's idea of suppressing the noble clans.
Moreover...
You Fengyun stared at the point in the memorial that changed the scholars' debates into written examinations. This was much better than the recommendation system. A person's character could be disguised, but a person's learning could not be faked. As long as they all took examinations in an environment where cheating was impossible, then those selected would all be talents useful to the country.
"The Spring Day Banquet matter shall be entirely under your charge," You Fengyun said. "If it goes smoothly, the Spring Day Banquet shall be conducted this way in the future as well."
Hearing this, You Yusui smiled and said, "This time it's an emergency measure. I fear if we continue this way, the noble clans will be unwilling."
This kind of selection method no longer used the noble clans' status and position as the standard. The noble clans had lost their advantage, so they would certainly be unwilling.
After speaking, You Yusui gently lowered his eyes to look at the bricks on the ground, waiting for You Fengyun to speak.
As a monarch, You Fengyun naturally knew that the noble clans' interests could not be touched too quickly, or it would provoke a backlash.
Thus, after thinking briefly, You Fengyun said, "Do it this way this time. Next year, it can be held together with the Spring Day Banquet."
What You Fengyun wanted to do was weaken the Spring Day Banquet's function of selecting talents, gradually making the procedures You Yusui had written become the court's method of selecting talents. Eventually, the Spring Day Banquet would become no different from the flower-viewing banquets that noble clans held daily. At that time, the method of selecting talents through examinations would completely replace the recommendation system.
You Fengyun, as an emperor who balanced all factions' powers, always had his ways of boiling frogs in warm water.
Hearing this, You Yusui said, "Then may Father Emperor bestow a name upon this banquet."
The emperor sitting above closed his eyes in thought for a moment, then opened them and said, "Let it be called the Qionglin Banquet."
The emperor's inner garden was called Qionglin. This not only selected the venue for holding the Qionglin Banquet for You Yusui but also represented that those who emerged from the Qionglin Banquet were favored by the emperor.
You Fengyun felt his crown prince was not stupid and should be able to understand his meaning without him specifically pointing it out.
"This son understands," You Yusui said. Upon hearing these three words "Qionglin Banquet," he knew what his good Father Emperor wanted.
Hearing this, You Fengyun couldn't help but curve his lips, clearly in a very pleasant mood.
Thus, You Yusui took the opportunity to say, "This son has one more matter to request."
"Speak," You Fengyun always showed some tolerance toward capable sons. As long as what they requested wasn't too improper, he could usually agree.
You Yusui lowered his eyes and said softly, "I wish to invite Lord Xie to preside over the Qionglin Banquet."
The Lord Xie that You Yusui spoke of was his maternal grandfather, the biological father of the late empress, also the capable person who single-handedly brought the Xie family into the ranks of top-tier noble clans. He was a figure who held sway during Emperor Xuan's reign, had quelled the vassal princes' rebellion, and severely damaged the foreign tribes that had been harassing Great Jing's borders. For his merits, he was enfeoffed as a marquis and respectfully called Lord Xie by the people.
However, after You Fengyun took personal control of government, he rarely appeared in public, living a carefree life. The entire Xie family also rarely interfered in politics. Xie Tan, the Xie family's future family head, only held the position of Junior Minister of the Dali Temple, which only managed judicial matters.
Therefore, the Xie family and the imperial family had always been able to coexist peacefully.
As soon as these words fell, You Fengyun's sharp gaze landed on You Yusui, as if wishing to see through him entirely.
You Yusui let him look as he pleased—if he moved or changed his expression, he would consider it his loss.
The emperor above casually picked up the tea cup beside him, took a sip of tea, then asked, "Why choose Xie Yi?"
Xie Yi was You Yusui's maternal grandfather's personal name. His name was Yi, courtesy name Rusi.
You Yusui raised his head and looked at You Fengyun with a sincere and earnest expression, saying, "As the saying goes, 'recommend the worthy without avoiding relatives.' This son believes only Lord Xie can control those noble clan children."
After speaking, You Yusui looked at You Fengyun with pitiful, expectant eyes.
You Fengyun, being stared at by You Yusui: ......
To smoothly organize the Qionglin Banquet, those noble clan children would indeed become the first obstacle impeding progress, and only Xie Yi, whom everyone called Lord Xie, could control those troublemaking noble clan children.
Thinking this, You Fengyun lowered his head. Having Xie Yi preside over the Qionglin Banquet would also be a good opportunity to see Xie Yi's own attitude.
"Then let Xie Yi go," You Fengyun said after pondering for a moment. "However, there will also be poor scholars at the Qionglin Banquet. Why not let Prime Minister Su go as well?"
Hearing this, You Yusui couldn't help but click his tongue inwardly. His good Father Emperor was an expert at playing seesaw.
However, You Yusui still put on an appearance of wild joy, saying, "If Prime Minister Su goes, that would be truly wonderful! Whether noble clans or poor families, they will surely flock to witness the elegance of Lord Xie and Prime Minister Su."
You Fengyun looked at his seemingly happy foolish son below and fell silent. Do you truly not understand, or are you pretending not to understand?
"This matter is entrusted to you then," You Fengyun began to dismiss him.
However, You Yusui would not work for free. You're making me work—how can you not give me benefits?
I need to go see my maternal grandfather and ask him to come out and help. Can you bear to let your son go to your father-in-law's house empty-handed? Surely not, so quickly hand over the antique calligraphy and paintings from your storehouse so I can buy my maternal grandfather's favor.
Also, I'm dragging my sick body to share Father Emperor's worries. Can Father Emperor bear to watch his son become ill from overwork? Surely not, so quickly bring out the tonics and precious medicines from your storehouse to nourish my body.
You Yusui spoke so persuasively that You Fengyun, annoyed by his pestering, gave him things and told him to hurry up and get lost.
Having obtained good things, You Yusui was satisfied. The antique calligraphy and paintings would go to his maternal grandfather, the jade pieces would serve as his burial objects, and all those good medicines would be kept for Huo Xiling.
Thus, for the first time in Eunuch Anhai's life, he saw someone leave Xuande Hall carrying large and small bundles of things.
The Crown Prince sitting on the sedan chair holding a long-handled pipe also seemed more vivid and bright—probably happy from getting so many good things.
After glancing at the departing Crown Prince's entourage, Anhai walked into Xuande Hall and poured freshly brewed tea for You Fengyun, then said, "Your Majesty truly dotes on His Highness the Crown Prince."
As these words fell, You Fengyun's slender fingers picked up the tea cup as he looked out the window and said, "Dote?"
It had to be said that the Crown Prince after waking up was his most satisfactory choice. Unfortunately, his body was too weak, and behind him was a noble clan like the Xie family. If he handed over the throne to him and he couldn't suppress the noble clans, then everything he had done in his lifetime would be wasted.
Though fine talent and beautiful jade, the material was too thin and couldn't withstand polishing.
Hearing this, Anhai lowered his head. He dared not randomly guess at the emperor's thoughts.
The news that the emperor had decreed for You Yusui to hold another Spring Day Banquet soon reached the ears of interested parties.
Upon receiving this news, the First Prince was furious. The brush he was using to copy the Analects was broken by him, and the writing implements on his desk were all swept to the floor.
"Why!" The First Prince pressed both hands on the desk, suppressing his fury.
The First Prince could no longer maintain his refined and scholarly appearance. He only wanted to vent the violent energy in his heart.
Being forced to marry the Li family's daughter Li Xiyue was one thing, but why, when he was falsely accused of ruining the Su family daughter's reputation, did Father Emperor not listen to his defense and even stripped him of all his positions, ordering him to reflect in the palace? And now he was handing the task of organizing the Spring Day Banquet to the Crown Prince!
And with Lord Xie, his maternal grandfather coming forward, wasn't this clearly giving the Crown Prince prestige and letting him take the opportunity to win over poor scholars?
With a "crack," You Yuyi smashed a white porcelain cup. He told himself to calm down—there would always be a way to make the Crown Prince botch the Spring Day Banquet.
Meanwhile, upon hearing this news, the Third Prince felt somewhat dissatisfied, but Consort Xian felt that even if it weren't the Crown Prince organizing the Spring Day Banquet, it wouldn't be their turn anyway.
"We come from consort families. His Majesty most detests us having too close dealings with court officials and is even more unwilling for us to contact poor families. Even if not the Crown Prince, it wouldn't be our turn," Consort Xian said while peeling an orange for the Third Prince.
"Should we just let the Crown Prince smoothly hold the Spring Day Banquet?" The Third Prince frowned.
Consort Xian put down the orange she had divided into three segments and said, "The ones most troubled by the Crown Prince holding the Spring Day Banquet are not us."
Consort Xian smiled slightly and pointed in the direction of Imperial Noble Consort's Jujiu Palace, saying, "That mother and son pair will certainly be unable to restrain themselves."
"You only need to prepare the wedding well. When you encounter matters, don't go running to His Majesty," Consort Xian instructed.
"I understand," the Third Prince said, half understanding.
After You Yusui returned to the palace, he called the newly appointed Crown Prince's Chamberlain Xie Ling to organize the things he had brought out from Xuande Hall—what should be selected as gifts would be given as gifts, what should be catalogued and stored in the warehouse would go to the warehouse.
You Yusui's young cousin Xie Ling looked at this pile of things and said, "Did Your Highness rob His Majesty?"
You Yusui shot Xie Ling a glance. What robbery? This was clearly his salary for working, although these things' value didn't even equal one percent of his fief's annual tax revenue.
Xie Ling, born into a great noble clan, was not moved by gold and jade trinkets. Only those few pieces of antique calligraphy and paintings made him reluctant to let go.
"Those are gifts for maternal grandfather. If you want them, you can only ask maternal grandfather for them," You Yusui said with a smile.
Hearing this, Xie Ling immediately put down the antique calligraphy and paintings, saying, "Then I dare not take them."
After speaking, Xie Ling pointed at the pile of precious medicinal materials, saying, "These should be sent to the small kitchen so they can make ginseng and old hen soup for Your Highness daily."
You Yusui: ...I suspect you're implying something about me, but I have no evidence.
"No need. Those are kept for Xiao Huo," You Yusui said, looking at Huo Xiling beside him.
Hearing this, Xie Ling couldn't help but look at Huo Xiling. What a beautiful disaster.
"Then what about these jade pieces?" Xie Ling asked.
You Yusui glanced at the most outstanding piece among the jade items—a white jade screen carving of a lady smelling plum blossoms—and said, "Keep this one as my burial object. The rest go into the storehouse."
Xie Ling: ???
Burial? Xie Ling felt his cousin might have some problems, and serious ones at that.
Just as Xie Ling was considering whether to tell his grandfather and elder brother about this, Huo Xiling's eyes beside him had already darkened.
Having followed the Crown Prince these days, he had heard the Crown Prince mention "burial objects" several times. Connecting this to the coffin he had seen in the Crown Prince's bedchamber on his first day and the nightmare he had, he realized something.
Actually, the Crown Prince had always known he didn't have many years left to live, which was why he had made arrangements for his funeral so early.
But...
If the Crown Prince's health was poor and he didn't have many good years to live, why didn't Imperial Physician Cui say anything?
It seemed he needed to find time to ask Imperial Physician Cui. No matter what price he had to pay, he wanted the Crown Prince to live to a hundred. Thinking this, Huo Xiling couldn't help but clench his hands into fists.