Chapter 91 The governance of the world has never been the work of one person alone…
Chapter 91
Shen Suining returned to the main hall.
The banquet was filled with singing and dancing, and clinking glasses. Everyone was preoccupied with their own thoughts, and no one noticed that Shen Suining had been away from her seat for so long. When she returned to He Hansheng's side, Jiang Yuchu was whispering something in his ear. When she returned, He Hansheng's gaze followed her until she sat down next to him.
Shen Suining didn't know what Jiang Yuchu said, but when she saw He Hansheng frowning, she replied, "I understand," and then gave a few more instructions.
After Jiang Yuchu left, Shen Suining asked him, "Do you know who did it?"
"Hmm." He Hansheng looked in Ouyang Lan's direction. Ouyang Lan was leaning back lazily in his chair, swaying his head as he listened to a tune. He ignored anyone who spoke to him, as if he didn't care about anyone except the emperor.
Ouyang Lan was the only son of the Ouyang family. His father, Ouyang Qi, was always busy with political affairs and only had this son in his old age. Whether he neglected to discipline him or spoiled him, the fact that this former prime minister, who was once on par with Xie Chang, had raised an uneducated son was a topic of conversation in Huadu.
However, Ouyang Lan was lucky. His father used to be the top official in the court, and now his daughter has become the Crown Prince's wife and the future Empress. Even if he himself is incompetent, he will still live a much better life than most people in the world.
"What are you looking at?" Seeing that he hadn't said anything for a while, Shen Suining couldn't help but follow his gaze.
He Hansheng withdrew his gaze and said softly, "Let's talk about it when we get home."
Shen Suining raised an eyebrow, turned her head, and looked at him with her chin on her hand. "I never said I was going back to spend the night."
He Hansheng chuckled and grabbed her hand under the table, pinching it hard.
Just then, the music and dance stopped. Li Bo, who was sitting in the very center at the top, looked at someone, frowned, and asked, "Third brother, the banquet is almost over. Why are you only arriving now?"
Upon hearing the sound, everyone looked over and saw that Prince Zhao, Li Yicheng, had been sitting in the seat next to the Crown Prince, which had been empty for a long time. He was wearing a royal blue robe with a matching gold ribbon around his waist and a crown inlaid with green and gold. His tall and slender body stood straight and upright, and his handsome appearance exuded an innate nobility, as well as a sharp and indifferent aura that kept strangers at bay.
Everyone who saw Li Yicheng today noticed that he had changed his clothes.
Before Li Yicheng could answer, He Quan, the eunuch standing next to the Empress Dowager, spoke up: "His Highness Prince Zhao accidentally fell into the water on his way here, getting his clothes wet, which is why he is a little late."
"I am speaking with Prince Zhao. Do you have the right to interrupt?" Li Bo roared angrily. The palace maids and eunuchs, including He Quan, immediately knelt on the ground, not daring to utter a sound.
He Quan stole a glance at the Empress Dowager.
Everyone in the palace knew that Eunuch He Quan was the head eunuch of the Empress Dowager's Shou Kang Palace. Li Bo's public reprimand of him was merely an excuse to embarrass the Empress Dowager.
The Empress Dowager was not angry. She calmly ordered the maid behind her, "Drag her away and slap her."
He Quan knelt on the ground to express his gratitude, but was still dragged away by others in public.
Li Bo's expression softened somewhat. When he looked at the Empress Dowager, he adopted the obedient demeanor of a filial son, "Your Majesty is indeed getting on in years, but these ignorant servants should be properly disciplined. If Your Majesty feels unable to manage, your son is willing to share your burdens."
His tone was gentle, yet it carried a hint of a son's tenderness towards his mother; every word he uttered was a reminder, even a warning.
If it were just the mother and son in private, it would be fine, but doing it in front of everyone caused the Empress Dowager to lose her composure for the first time. Her face turned ashen as she forced a smile. "The Emperor is right to remind me. I will naturally keep my people in check."
Li Bo smiled with satisfaction and did not continue to ask about Li Yicheng's falling into the water to change clothes. It seemed that he only wanted to use this as an excuse to warn the Empress Dowager's faction and did not care why Li Yicheng suddenly fell into the water.
He looked at Li Yichuan, his expression finally softening. "I played chess with the Crown Prince today and found that your chess skills have improved considerably. Among your brothers, I remember that Yunchu is the best. He has some free time to come to the palace today, so after the banquet, you should seize the opportunity to ask him for some pointers."
Aside from his own princes, Li Bo's most valued son was always his nephew He Hansheng. Especially in recent years, he had been favored by the emperor and was about to be put in charge of the military. Even though He Hansheng had lost all his internal strength and was being criticized, Li Bo still went against the opinions of the public to protect the city defense army under his command and promoted his father-in-law, Marquis Pinghuai Shen Yan, to the position of the head of the military generals.
Recently, the struggle between the two factions in the court has intensified. The faction of Prince Zhao has a strong influence over the Crown Prince. Li Bo first used this as an excuse to warn the Empress Dowager, and then subtly warned Prince Zhao, Li Yicheng, who was raised by the Empress Dowager. Now, he is openly creating opportunities for Li Yichuan to contact He Hansheng, who has military power. The deeper meaning behind this is self-evident.
Li Yichuan was quite pleased and immediately stood up, replying, "Your subject will definitely learn from your cousin."
Not long after, the banquet ended. After all the relatives and guests left, He Hansheng and Shen Suining stayed in the palace by imperial decree and played chess with Crown Prince Li Yichuan in a warm pavilion not far from Shengping Tower.
Among the younger generation, He Hansheng was the best at chess. Unlike other court officials who would deliberately let their opponents win due to their status, his chess style was always like his personality. He seemed calm and collected, but in reality, he was decisive and meticulous, leaving no room for his opponents to breathe. Li Yichuan was particularly serious when playing chess with him, afraid of losing too badly and losing face.
On the chessboard, Li Yichuan gained no advantage whatsoever, and the constant reminders and instructions from Li Bo weighed heavily on him. His palms were sweating, and as defeat seemed inevitable, his hand holding the chess pieces began to tremble slightly.
He Hansheng noticed and said gently, "Your Highness is tired. You should return to the palace to rest as soon as possible."
As he spoke, He Hansheng stood up, bowed, and prepared to leave the warm pavilion.
"Cousin!" Li Yichuan suddenly called out to him, the chess piece not yet placed on the chessboard, but was tightly gripped in his palm.
After holding back for a long time, Li Yichuan finally asked with a self-deprecating tone, "Compared to Third Brother, I'm pretty bad, aren't I?"
He Hansheng paused, then turned around. "Why would Your Highness think that way?"
"My third brother is virtuous and talented, and exceptionally wise. He has the magnanimity to embrace talented people and the benevolence to seek happiness for the people. In the past two years, he has gone south to provide disaster relief and control floods, and his achievements are remarkable. He is well loved by the local people. Even my father, who has never paid much attention to him, has praised him highly. Everyone says that he is the best candidate for the position of crown prince. Even Grand Tutor Xue often reminds me that I am only benefiting from the Empress's favor."
Li Yichuan lowered his eyes and smiled bitterly, "But I have already tried my best. My third brother gets up at dawn every day to study, while I start reading the classics of the ancients before dawn. Apart from helping Father with some government affairs, I spend the rest of my time reading, reading, and reading. Even in my dreams, I see the Grand Tutor hitting me with a ruler. I am so tired. No matter how hard I work, someone who is naturally dull can't compare to those gifted geniuses."
The warm room was brightly lit and well-lit. Nineteen-year-old Li Yichuan sat cross-legged on a futon, facing a game of chess that he was destined to lose. He hunched over, his hands resting on his knees, his head bowed as he looked at the game. His tired eyes were filled with helplessness and resentment.
He was clearly still a teenager, but he lacked the vigor that a teenager should have.
He was the Crown Prince, the legitimate son of the Empress, the heir apparent, and the future successor to the throne. His parents, brothers, civil and military officials, and even the entire nation held great hopes for him. It was as if a huge burden, invisible to others, was pressing down on his shoulders, making it hard for him to breathe.
He Hansheng's lips moved slightly as he couldn't help but recall his youth, when he entered the palace to study alongside the princes.
At that time, both Li Yichuan and Li Yicheng had only recently begun their studies. He Hansheng was a few years older than them and had strict parents who demanded a lot from him, as well as a teacher named Xie Chang, whose students were not lacking in geniuses. Therefore, He Hansheng had already learned and memorized the lessons taught by his tutor during his studies. As a result, while the other princes were still studying hard, he was already able to answer questions fluently with his tutor.
The teacher was quite surprised, the princes admired him greatly, and even the emperor and other court officials praised his exceptional talent. But only He Hansheng himself knew how much hard work he had to put in behind the scenes to satisfy the little vanity and self-esteem of a young man at that time.
He wasn't actually a gifted student; he just started learning earlier than them. Both Xie Chang and Zhang Xuanqing had countless gifted students. Even though they started learning at the same time, He Hansheng couldn't surpass them no matter how hard he tried. He, like Li Yichuan now, had experienced deep self-doubt.
But.
"Why must Your Highness compare yourself to others?" He Hansheng asked softly, as if advising Li Yichuan, or perhaps reconciling with his younger self. "You are the Crown Prince, the heir apparent, bearing responsibilities that no one else can match. You should not focus on Prince Zhao or anyone else who is more talented than you, but rather think about what you can do for the court, for the world, and for the people in your position. Prince Zhao is certainly good, but as a prince, there are limits to what he can do. Your Highness must also remember that the governance of the world has never been the responsibility of one person alone."
Hearing this, Li Yichuan finally slowly raised his head, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, "Then cousin... will you stand on my side?"
“If Your Highness becomes a wise ruler who benefits the people and cares about the world in the future,” He Hansheng did not answer directly, but gave a prerequisite, “At that time, those standing behind Your Highness will not only be your subject.”
...
After leaving the warm pavilion, He Hansheng only saw Jiang Yuchu and Mingke, but did not see Shen Suining.
He frowned and asked, "Where is Madam?"
Jiang Yuchu: "When the Marquis and His Highness the Crown Prince were playing chess, His Majesty sent an imperial edict, instructing the Lady to accompany Xiao Huizi to the palace's treasure pavilion to select a treasure to take back as a reward to the Marquis of Pinghuai."
Upon hearing that she had been taken away by the eunuchs beside Li Bo, He Hansheng's face immediately darkened. "His Majesty summoned the Lady. Why didn't you come to tell me about such a serious matter?"
Jiang Yuchu lowered her head, looking troubled. He Hansheng instantly understood and restrained his emotions, "Is it because Madam forbade you to say it again?"
Jiang Yuchu and Mingke remained silent, indicating their agreement.
"You guys are quite obedient." He Hansheng said coldly, lifting his foot to head towards the treasure pavilion. But after taking a few steps, he stopped, stood there for a moment, and then turned and headed towards the palace gate.
He kept telling himself that Ningning wasn't a clueless girl; she had her own ideas, and as her husband, he should give her the utmost respect and support, no matter what.
However, his increasingly hurried pace betrayed his inner anxiety. It was as if two little people were fighting in He Hansheng's mind. He could only quicken his pace and walk out of the palace to avoid being unable to resist going to the treasure pavilion to find her.
Jiang Yuchu and Mingke exchanged a glance, then hurriedly followed, asking, "Lord Marquis, aren't we waiting for Madam?"
"Go wait at the palace gate."
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