Chapter 489: Balance

"Sister!" Xiaotao and Atang came back hand in hand after shopping.

"Where did you go to play?" Su Ying saw that her two sisters' faces were red, and it seemed that they were overheating.

Following behind him were the siblings Afa and Ahua, holding the small things they had bought. It was New Year's Day, and there were many vendors selling small lanterns, sugar-coated melons, persimmon cakes, and wooden toys on the street.

"Shopping!" Xiao Tao pouted, "I didn't buy any hawthorns!"

I only ate one string of candied haws last night, and the two girls were still craving for it when I got back, so we went shopping as soon as we got up in the morning.

I didn't see it inside the square, so I went to the street to look for it. I walked around Guangde Square for a long time, but I didn't see anyone selling hawthorns.

Yes, New Year’s Eve is only a day or two away, and not many people will buy this sour fruit.

"It's okay. I'm going out now. I'll buy it for you if I see it!" Su Ying moved the two little girls. "Be good at home!"

"Where is Lord Su going?" As he was speaking, the carriage of the Fourth Prince Li Tai arrived at the gate of the Su Mansion.

"Your Highness the Fourth Prince!" Su Ying saluted. "No classes today?"

"It's time to go home from school. I was busy with Gao Ming's work yesterday. It's my turn today, right?" The chubby Li Tai smiled naively.

"Uh, Your Highness, the tools and raw materials needed to make sugar are not ready yet.

I'm going to the inn to see how the Lingnan kids who came with me are doing. It's New Year's Eve, so we can't be careless about food, clothing, housing, and transportation." Su Ying didn't expect Li Tai to be so concerned and anxious.

"I will go with Lord Xiao Su!" Li Tai didn't mind at all. "Give me the list of tools and raw materials you need, and I will ask someone to prepare them first." Li Tai would not tolerate any refusal.

"A wooden barrel with a mesh bottom, a wooden barrel stand, a large wooden basin, a large iron pot, yellow mud, and activated carbon." Su Ying reported the details.

"Do you remember it?" Li Tai asked the eunuch beside him.

"Your Highness, what is activated carbon? I have never heard of it." The eunuch behind him was terrified.

Li Tai looked at Su Ying. He had never heard of it either.

"Activated carbon is made by crushing charcoal..." Su Ying was about to explain.

"Master Xiao Su, it just so happens that I will take you to see how the research institute is planned!" The carriage from the East Palace also arrived.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince! You're not going to school either?" Su Ying looked at the two brothers. She felt uneasy today.

Aren't the Crown Prince and the Princes supposed to have a tight schedule? Why are they just running off so casually?

"This is also part of our homework. Otherwise, how could we get out so easily?"

Two young men got out of the carriage at the back, one of them was about the same age as the crown prince and was also dressed as a prince.

The prince walked over to Li Chengqian and casually patted the crown prince on the shoulder. "Isn't that brilliant?"

"Greetings, His Royal Highness Prince Lu!" Su Ying bowed.

"Hey, how did you recognize me?" Prince Lu Li Yuanchang was very surprised.

This young Master Su is really as Gao Ming said, extremely intelligent.

"I guessed it!" Su Ying said seriously.

I originally wanted to say that the prince who was closest to the crown prince was none other than Prince Lu, but after thinking about it, I felt that this was inappropriate.

It is easy for people to misunderstand that Li Chengqian and Li Tai are not on good terms with each other, and to bring up some things is suspected of sowing discord.

More than a decade later, the Prince of Lu played a significant role in causing the Crown Prince Li Chengqian to become estranged from the Emperor and his son.

The prince's rebellion was also closely related to his instigation and encouragement.

Praising him for his close relationship with the crown prince at this moment not only embarrassed Li Tai, but also gave Li Chengqian the wrong impression that Li Yuanchang was trustworthy.

Then you will be committing a great sin!

Li Yuanchang, the seventh son of the retired emperor, was the same age as Crown Prince Li Chengqian. He was granted the title of Prince of Lu in the third year of Wude.

Since childhood, he was loved by his elder brother Li Jiancheng. After Li Jiancheng was killed in the Xuanwu Gate Incident, the emperor raised this seventh brother by his side and let him study and play with the crown prince Li Chengqian.

In the tenth year of Zhenguan, Li Yuanchang was named King of Han. He was quite accomplished in calligraphy and painting, and was good at running script and painting horses.

However, he often fanned the flames between Crown Prince Li Chengqian and the emperor, further straining the already tense relationship between father and son.

Instigated the prince to launch a second Xuanwu Gate Incident.

In the 17th year of Zhenguan, the prince's conspiracy was exposed after being betrayed by Hegan Chengji, and King Han Li Yuanchang was ordered to commit suicide.

"Haha, that's brilliant. Lord Su is indeed a wonderful person!" Another older man, about sixteen or seventeen years old, laughed.

"Master Xiao Su, guess who I am?"

"Mr. Du Erlang!" Su Ying said lightly.

"Gah!" Du He's smile froze. "Amazing! We've never seen him before, yet he recognized him instantly!"

Su Ying smiled and said nothing.

Du He, the second son of Prime Minister Du Ruhui, married Princess Chengyang, the daughter of the emperor and Empress Changsun. Princess Chengyang was the little princess born by Empress Changsun not long ago.

Du He is impatient and impulsive.

It was he who masterminded Li Chengqian's treason case, having the crown prince feign illness to trick the emperor into visiting him, subduing the emperor and making him the emperor emeritus.

The matter was exposed and he was beheaded. His wife, Princess Chengyang, remarried.

"Do you believe it now? Lord Su is no ordinary person!" Li Chengqian looked proud.

"Nice to meet you!" Du He bowed to Su Ying.

"Mr. Du Erlang, you're welcome!" Su Ying returned the greeting. At this time, these people were still young men full of vigor and vitality, carefree and enjoying their lives.

"I'm lucky enough to be here today to witness the wonderful ideas of Master Xiao Su!"

After Du He finished speaking, he pretended to invite Su Ying to get on the carriage, completely ignoring the Fourth Prince Li Tai who had arrived earlier.

"Wait!" Li Tai called out, "Master Xiao Su has something to do today. He promised to teach me how to make sugar!"

How could Li Tai, who had always been favored by the emperor, suffer such a loss? He was being robbed right in front of him!

"Your Highness, Gao Ming's matter is of great importance and cannot be delayed!" Du He, who was originally the prince's study companion, supported the prince.

The two sides were deadlocked in front of the Su Mansion, and the people of Jingzhao Prefecture were eating melons every day.

"Uh, Your Highness, I will go to the inn first to see if the children who are studying in Lingnan are properly accommodated.

The research institute's blueprints will not be available for the next two days. I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to deal with the Fourth Prince's affairs first. What do you think, Your Highness?"

Su Ying had to balance the two, maintaining the dignity of the Crown Prince and taking into account the face of the Fourth Prince, so as to prevent the two brothers from conflicting. In the end, she was the one who got tired.

"Yes!" Li Chengqian agreed. "In that case, I'll also learn how to make sugar!"

Following Su Ying, you can learn new things at any time.

So a group of people got on the bus.

"Master Su, please ride with me!" Li Chengqian invited.

"Your Highness, I have something that I haven't yet communicated with the Fourth Prince!" Su Ying was embarrassed.

He was originally explaining activated carbon to Li Tai, but was interrupted by the arrival of Li Chengqian's men, which was very awkward.

"Let's go together, Qingque!" Li Chengqian did not hesitate. In short, Su Ying had to get on the East Palace's car.

"Hmph!" Li Tai was not very happy, but he did not offend his brother in public.

"Your Highness!" A guard who was about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old stretched out his hand beside the carriage, and Li Chengqian used the force to get into the carriage.

Li Tai and Su Ying got into the car.

"Where are you going?" Li Chengqian asked.

"The Fulong Inn at the southwest gate of the town!" Su Ying replied.

"Hegan guards, Fulon Inn at the southwest gate!" Li Chengqian ordered.

"Yes, Your Highness!" the guard said respectfully.

"Hegan Chengji?" Su Ying exclaimed.