Chapter 33
The New Year's Palace Banquet ended in this strange atmosphere.
The music ended and the audience dispersed. The spectators, satisfied with the wonderful performance, left the banquet one after another. Liu Che and others also returned to the palace one after another.
Mrs. Wang walked along the path, looking dazed and absent-minded.
That night she had a dream.
In her dream, she saw a rainstorm. The rain was torrential and pouring down, as if a hole had been broken in the sky. It was vast and unstoppable.
The river's water level continued to rise, and the raging flood surged like a long-starved and thirsty beast on the verge of collapse. It roared and rolled, tearing through the riverbed and sweeping across the land. Streets, houses, and trees were gradually obliterated and swallowed up.
She was immersed in the river, the water covered her mouth and nose, and she felt suffocated. She struggled continuously, but the harder she struggled, the deeper she sank.
Fear, panic, helplessness, despair.
Terrified, her hands and feet thrashed about, instinctively trying to grab onto something. Then she did, and then she was saved. Before the joy of rebirth could fully wash over her, the scene shifted.
This time, it was a vast expanse of mountains, forests, and grasslands. There were no floods or rainstorms. The sun was shining brightly in the sky, warm and brilliant.
A young girl was running and playing on the grass, her silver bell-like laughter echoing in the woods. Her eyes were clear and her smile was bright, more beautiful than the sun.
Suddenly, the girl turned around, her smile fading. The mountains, forests, and grasslands vanished, and flames suddenly surged all around her, a raging inferno sweeping across the sky. The girl was engulfed in flames, her clear eyes gone, now filled with terror, and she shed horrifying tears of blood.
ah--
Mrs. Wang screamed, sat up in bed, and gasped for breath.
"Madam, did you have a nightmare?"
Xueqing followed the sound and came forward to support her. Lady Wang slowly regained consciousness and glanced around, realizing that it was already daylight. This was the Magnolia Pavilion, her residence in the palace. There was no flood, no fire.
"Is Madam all right? Do you need a doctor?"
Mrs. Wang shook her head. "No, that's not necessary. It was just a dream. Just rest for a while. It's nothing serious. There's no need to make a fuss."
Seeing that her expression had relaxed, her pale face gradually regained its rosy complexion, and her slightly trembling body slowly calmed down, Xueqing breathed a sigh of relief, poured her a glass of warm water, and helped her wash up.
When everything was done, Mrs. Wang put on her coat, had breakfast, and sat in silence by the window for a long time. Finally, she said, "Let's go to the Music Bureau and take a look."
Xue Qing paused. Going to Yuefu? Was it because of the dancer yesterday?
Yuefu.
The dancers were practicing. But as the saying goes, where there are people, there's conflict. This dance was clearly not going peacefully. It had only just begun, less than halfway through, and Li Xiaomei had already stumbled three times.
It wasn't that her skills weren't good enough, but someone was making things difficult for her. Her dance partner was always squeezing, bumping, and pushing her while she was moving.
Li Xiaomei gritted her teeth and endured it. After being pushed down for the fourth time and falling heavily to the ground, her elbow was bruised. She finally couldn't help it and turned back to glare at them: "Why are you so aggressive?"
"We were aggressive? What happened to us? Didn't you fall down because you were not as skilled as others?"
Li Xiaomei's eyes were filled with tears, she was both hurt and angry: "It was obviously you..."
"What about us? Did we push you? Who can prove it? And even if we did, what's the point?"
"Little Sister Li, don't think we don't know what you're thinking. It would be fine if you could really soar to the sky. But you almost ruined everyone yesterday."
When the emperor is angry, corpses are scattered all over the place.
Although yesterday's situation wasn't quite right, if His Majesty truly punished them, Li Yannian and Li Xiaomei would be the first to bear the brunt of the consequences, and the dancers and accompaniments would also be affected, making it difficult for them to escape unscathed.
Fortunately, His Majesty was merciful and gently covered the incident, avoiding bloodshed on such a festive occasion as New Year's Day. However, thinking back to the situation at that time, everyone still felt a sense of fear and held a certain amount of anger towards the culprit who had caused all this.
What's more, they were already dissatisfied with Li Xiaomei.
"Little Sister Li, don't be so mean. We're not men and won't fall for your tricks. If you're not convinced, go find your brother, Li Yinjian, and see if he'll stand up for you."
"Even if Li Yinjian wants to make the decision for her, so what? The Music Bureau is not under Li Yinjian's control. If he wants to stand up for his sister, he needs the consent of the other officials in the Music Bureau and the Lingcheng."
"Because of them, our Yuefu lost face yesterday. The Yuefu Lingcheng is furious now and will not tolerate it any longer."
"Tsk, relying on your good looks and having a brother who's a music supervisor, you've only been in the Music Bureau for two months and you've already surpassed us who've been here for years, making us all serve as your foils. Why?"
"My thoughts were impure, and I dreamed of soaring onto the treetops and becoming a phoenix. In the end, His Majesty rejected me, and my beautiful dream was shattered. Ha."
…
The content became increasingly unpleasant, and some people who did not want to add insult to injury quietly pulled Li Xiaomei away and found an excuse to drag her out.
Behind the door, Mrs. Wang watched all this, did not come out, and turned around and walked back.
Xue Qing was puzzled: "Madam is not going in?"
"I was just curious about what the dancer looked like yesterday. Now that I've seen her, there's no need to go in." Madam Wang paused slightly, turning to look in the direction Li Xiaomei had left. "She was wrong."
Xue Qing was confused: "What?"
Mrs. Wang chuckled: "What do you think of her appearance?"
“Naturally outstanding.”
Facing Mrs. Wang, Xueqing couldn't praise her too much, but she had to admit that Li Xiaomei was indeed good-looking.
Madam Wang shook her head. "More than outstanding, she's truly exceptional. Delicate yet not weak, gorgeous yet not vulgar. Her eyes, nose, lips, every detail is exquisite, and together they're even more exquisite. Even among the beauties teeming in the harem, her appearance would rank among the best, truly dazzling."
Xue Qing agreed: "Fortunately, Your Highness's flurry of punches has eliminated a powerful enemy from the harem."
Mrs. Wang was not thinking about this. She continued, "She should have agreed yesterday."
Xue Qing: "Agreed? Madam, are you talking about His Highness's proposal for her to go to the Xiongnu? Her target is His Majesty, how could she agree to such a proposal?"
Madam Wang smiled. "Your Highness only mentioned it casually. Do you really think His Majesty would do such a thing? Moreover, if she agreed, and took the opportunity provided by Your Highness to volunteer, she would have the opportunity to see His Majesty alone."
"Your Majesty considers the Xiongnu a grave threat and values anyone who dares to confront them. If she possesses such determination and courage, Your Majesty will surely regard her with a different eye.
"Even if Your Majesty had previously been interested, would he still be willing to let her go once he saw her true appearance?"
At this point, Madam Wang snorted, even unconsciously, "Why should I enjoy such a beauty myself? Why should I give it to the Xiongnu?"
Xueqing was stunned. After careful consideration, she suddenly realized.
Madam Wang sighed softly, "It's a pity that the High Prince first accused her of being a stunning beauty, which disrupted their minds. Furthermore, the Xiongnu were known for their viciousness, so they had no time to think calmly. Even if they later realized this, the best opportunity had already been missed, and there was no turning back."
After sighing, Madam Wang's eyes moved slightly and she continued to ask, "What do you think of Li Yannian's appearance?"
Xueqing was puzzled and asked Li Xiaomei, saying that she could understand, but why was she asking Li Yannian?
Although he didn't understand, he still recalled Li Yannian's face when he apologized at the banquet yesterday, and answered respectfully: "He is handsome and bears some resemblance to Li Xiaomei. Brother and sister have different styles, but both are of superior appearance."
Mrs. Wang nodded slowly, her fingers moving slightly.
Yes, two points. That's too weak, but not all siblings in the world are alike. Take her and her brother, for example. Similarly, those who are similar in the world are not necessarily siblings.
Madam Wang's thoughts raced, as she walked and pondered. After a long pause, she instructed, "Watch closely. Don't get involved in conflicts like today's. But if anyone goes too far, find a way to secretly help. Make sure Li Xiaomei's life in Yuefu is not easy, but at the same time, her basic personal safety is guaranteed and she isn't expelled."
Xueqing was confused.
Huh? What does that mean?
Mrs. Wang didn't explain. She actually didn't think the last point was necessary. If Li Yannian and Li Xiaomei didn't even have this little self-protection strategy, then there was no need for her to worry about them. As for being expelled, Mrs. Wang felt that only Li Xiaomei could voluntarily withdraw from the Yuefu.
But is this possible? Impossible. She is a person with great ambitions, how could she give up because of one failure?
When the storm is over and everyone has forgotten what happened yesterday, there will always be a chance for her to make a comeback.
Madam Wang's expression changed slightly, her eyes flickering as she instructed again, "Go and give my brother a message, asking him to come see me when he has time."
A few months ago, she gave birth to Liu Hong, and His Majesty was particularly pleased and gave her many rewards. She took the opportunity to ask for an additional favor, asking for a mansion in the city for her family and a job for her brother.
My brother currently serves as an envoy, responsible for receiving and delivering imperial edicts. While this position is not high, he is a close minister to the emperor. While there are many envoys in this dynasty, because of her relationship, His Majesty still values my brother.
This is just the starting point; there will always be promotions in the future. For now, there are many benefits. For example, traveling to the palace to meet her will be more convenient than before.
There were things she needed to investigate. Xue Qing was needed, but she was trapped in the palace, making it difficult to do so. Furthermore, even though she trusted Xue Qing, she didn't want her to know too much. Ultimately, her brother would have to intervene.
******
Because Liu Che changed the reign title, after the New Year's Day, the time officially entered the first year of Yuanshou. ①
In mid-October, Chang'an had its first snow of the year. The snowflakes were like fine salt, mixed with rainwater, falling at night and stopping at sunrise.
After the light snow, the sky cleared up again, but the temperature did not rise much. Winter is like this, the sun loses its scorching heat and turns to warm, while the cold wind is chilling.
But none of this could stop the young men and women of Chang'an from enjoying outdoor activities. Ever since that polo match, they had fallen in love with the sport and had held several private matches.
Now that Liu Ju was organizing it again, the reputation of the Grand Prince and the Shanglin Garden were even more popular. Especially since Liu Ju had built a special stadium stand here.
The contestants in the field galloped on their horses, looking heroic and dashing.
Liu Ju set up a barbecue grill on the stage and happily flipped the fish and brushed them with sauce while watching the game.
Currently, the two teams on the field are all girls. One team is led by Wei Chang, and the other is led by E Yi.
The two teams were evenly matched. Although Wei Chang's team was temporarily ahead, the Eyi team was also closely following, making the game very close.
This situation surprised Liu Ju: "I didn't expect the second sister's riding skills to be so good. She is even better than the third sister and is almost catching up with the eldest sister."
This is not to say that E Yi is inferior to Wei Chang. Rather, Wei Chang's riding skills were taught by Liu Che himself, Wei Qing taught him in battle, and Huo Qubing was always there to practice with him.
Eyi was not valued. Although she was a princess of the emperor and had all the dues, Wei Zifu never treated her harshly and occasionally even gave her some care, but her resources were far from comparable to those of Wei Chang.
To achieve this level, I don’t know how much effort I put in private.
Huo Qubing nodded in agreement: "We saw that the Second Princess's riding and polo skills were good during the polo match that day, but at that time she was just a supporting player, mostly cooperating with the Chief of Guards and the various townsmen, and her own talents were overshadowed.
"Today, he's the team leader and the main force in the vanguard. His strategy and tactics are completely different from before. Not only is he sprinting bravely and using ingenious techniques, but he can also spare some energy to command the entire team, control the situation, and respond at any time. He's truly impressive."
The two of them looked up into the distance. They had not had much contact with E Yi, and their impression of her was the same: they all thought she was a delicate and weak girl, an inconspicuous girl in the harem. They were surprised to find that she had such a heroic, bright and outspoken side.
"Eh..." Liu Ju raised an eyebrow and pointed at the deputy captain next to E Yi: "That guy's skills are pretty good too, but he seems much older than the sisters. Who is he?"
Huo Qubing was stunned: "You don't know him?"
Liu Ju's face was full of suspicion: "Should I know him?"
Shi Yi looked at Liu Ju strangely, with a subtle expression in his eyes: "When did your memory become so bad? You don't remember what you promised me before, and now you don't even recognize your own relatives. Last year on your birthday, she came to celebrate with you and gave you a generous gift."
Liu Ju's expression changed for a moment and then he became confident and self-righteous: "We have so many relatives, I have to know everyone. I would be exhausted if I knew everyone. Who cares about such unimportant people?"
Shi Yi: ...Okay.
He was indeed not a very important person. Huo Qubing nodded, didn't take it to heart, and gave the answer with a smile.
"That's Xiucheng Jun's daughter, Guangyun, also known as Lady Yun. Your polo tournament has no age limit, so it attracts more than just young men and women.
"Chang'an and the various mausoleum towns all rushed to imitate it, and many people who had been married for many years liked it. Anyone who was physically strong enough and knew how to ride would follow suit and learn and practice."
In response to this, Liu Ju raised his head slightly, feeling very proud.
Shi Yi tugged at him and said mysteriously, "Do you know how she divorced Liu Qian?"
Guangyun was once betrothed by Emperor Wu of Han to Liu Qian, the Prince of Huainan, as his princess consort.
Liu Ju blinked, his face showing curiosity.
Shi Yi raised the corner of his lips. "It is said that Huainan is plotting a rebellion. With the precedent of Liu Ling's husband, they are worried that they will repeat the same mistake with Madam Yun. However, they cannot kill Madam Yun like they killed Liu Ling's husband, so they deliberately force her to beg for mercy."
Liu Ju understood clearly. This is easy to understand.
While the Yu family had some prestige, it was limited to Huainan. Furthermore, the Yu family was small, with a declining number of relatives. It would be easy for the King of Huainan to take action. Lady Yun was different.
Xiucheng Jun had only one daughter and one son in his life, both of whom he cherished like treasures. If Lady Yun died in Huainan, no matter how unexpected or plausible the death might have been, Xiucheng Jun would have found it difficult to accept it and would have dug deep into the matter, relentlessly pursuing the cause.
Although she wasn't of the imperial clan, she was Liu Che's sister, so he had to give her some face. Furthermore, the Empress Dowager was still alive at the time, and she felt she owed Xiucheng Jun a great deal and was determined to make amends. If Xiucheng Jun started to stir up trouble, things would inevitably get out of hand, and Huainan might not be able to recover.
Therefore, given Madam Yun's identity, she cannot be killed easily.
Liu Ju had another question, holding his chin and tilting his head: "How can I let her beg?"
Before Shi Yi opened his mouth, the barrage of comments gave the answer first.
I know this. It's in the historical records. Liu Qian deliberately ignored the Crown Princess, using all sorts of cold violence. The Crown Princess cried to her parents-in-law. Her father-in-law, Liu Xian, the King of Huainan, gave Liu Qian a stern scolding. Then, for show, he locked Liu Qian and her in a room, telling them to try and reconcile, and he wouldn't let them out until they did.
But Liu Qian refused to touch her. The Crown Princess was not without support and confidence, so she was naturally angry. You look down on me like this, what do you think I am? Who do you think you are? Do I have to have you? This kind of man, whoever wants him can have him. I can't live like this anymore. So she turned around, packed her bags, kicked Liu Qian out, and went home to be alone.
Shi Yi told the story in a way that was consistent with the content of the barrage.
Liu Ju: ...This operation is really a bit sassy. I am speechless.
"Because of the unpleasantness of the original quarrel. Madam Yun has always been angry and wished Liu Qian would suffer misfortune as soon as possible. When Lei accused Liu Qian, Madam Yun applauded. Later, when Liu Qian was executed, she happily invited a few relatives and friends to a banquet to celebrate."
After saying this, Shi Yi's expression became a little complicated.
Liu Ju was puzzled: "What's wrong?"
Shi Yi pursed his lips. "It would be fine if she always behaved like this. But when Liu Ling was at his peak, she said that what happened between her and Liu Qian was a matter between the two of them and had nothing to do with Liu Ling. She even persuaded Xiu Chengjun to join Shengping Tower to make money together. But when Liu Ling got into trouble, she ran away faster than anyone else."
Liu Ju thought this was perfectly normal: "The world is bustling with people all for profit, and the world is bustling with people all for profit. Assessing the situation and adapting to the wind may sound unpleasant, but it accords with human nature and reality."
After sighing, he raised his eyebrows and turned to look at Shi Yi: "Cai Qin is gone, how can you still find out so many things?"
As soon as these words came out, Shi Yi became unhappy: "What do you mean, I can't do it without Caiqin, right? It's not like Caiqin is the only one around me.
"As long as I want, there will always be someone to command me. Moreover, since Caiqin's position has been vacated, my mother has given me an extra maidservant. I can use her now. She is more useful than Caiqin."
Liu Ju was too lazy to argue with her and nodded perfunctorily: "Ah, yes, yes."
Inwardly, I thought: Sure enough, what I said about her being a gossip expert and a know-it-all was true. With such a strong curiosity, always looking for gossip and news, even without Caiqin, her personality would still be standing.
Liu Ju gave a thumbs up sincerely: "You are awesome!"
Shi Yi: ...I always feel that you are not purely praising me, your tone and expression are weird.
Before she could figure it out, the roast pork ribs on the rack were ready. Liu Ju stood up and happily took the plate to put the meat on.
One for my cousin and one for me; one for my fourth sister and one for me.
The rest. One for the eldest sister, one for me; one for the third sister, one for me; the second sister also has to keep one, so I will get another one.
Seeing him muttering as he finished dividing the pork ribs, Huo Qubing said: ...
Shi Yi rolled his eyes: "How can you divide it like that?"
Liu Ju said confidently: "I baked it myself, so I can divide it however I want."
Shi Yi blocked his reply with one sentence, and he began to chew it happily. But before it even entered his mouth, something spoiled his mood.
—It looks unappetizing, nothing like the barbecue we have today. Sigh, the ancient times were so miserable. Even the royals, the very top of the pyramid, couldn't solve the problem of a monotonous seasoning. There was nothing to be had. It's like traveling back to a time of scarcity. So sad. A moment of silence for the protagonist.
Liu Ju was holding the plate when his face suddenly fell.
In ancient times, it wasn't just about seasoning; it was also about the ingredients. In the early days of ancient times, pigs weren't castrated, so the meat had a stronger muttony smell, unlike the pork we eat today. Luckily, this is just a drama. Otherwise, if I really traveled back to ancient times, being the protagonist would be a tragedy. The lives of ancient emperors weren't as convenient as ours.
——So let’s just observe a moment of silence for the protagonist. Hahahaha.
——Okay, I will also observe a second of silence for the protagonist.
Liu Ju: ...
The pork ribs just came into my mouth, and it didn’t taste delicious anymore.
The polo match happened to be over. Liu Ju put the food aside with a sigh, and pulled Huo Qubing and Shi Yi up to greet them.
The guard general was pulling E Yi aside and said in surprise, "Your riding and ball skills are so good, why haven't I heard you mention it before?"
E Yi lowered his head slightly: "It's not that good, elder sister, you are too kind. I can't compare to you, elder sister, you are still better."
This time, the guard's team won again, but the guard shook his head: "That's because my third sister and I have a better understanding, and this is the first time you and Madam Yun have worked together."
Eyi felt embarrassed by the praise.
Guangyun laughed heartily: "Then let's play a few more times in the future and compete with them again. Then I will help you win back."
The guard chief was not annoyed: "Just send your horses over, we will wait."
Guangyun's mind raced, his gaze sweeping across the princesses before stopping at Eyi. "You're not bad at polo, so you're definitely good at horse racing too. Are you good at archery or pot-shooting?"
Eyi said softly, "I know a little."
Madam Yun clapped her hands. "That's great! From now on, you'll be able to master everything from polo to horse racing, hunting, and archery to pot-shooting. I'll ask you to join me from now on, okay?"
E Yi stared at her blankly, his eyes moving slightly, but he seemed to be hesitant: "I...I...can I?"
"Why not?" The guard held her back and said, "You are only a few months younger than me, and you are already fifteen. It's time for you to socialize with the ladies of the imperial family in the capital.
"Walking around more, making more friends, whether sitting around chatting or having fun, isn't it better than being stuck in the palace? If you're worried about the inconvenience of leaving the palace, that's easy to solve. I can just tell Mother later."
E Yi Fu Shen said: "Thank you, elder sister."
Seeing her agree, the guard was delighted. Lady Yun, also adept at taking advantage of the situation, immediately said, "Spring will be here soon, and there will be many flower banquets. Why don't I hold a few and invite a few princesses to be my guests?"
Wei Chang Zhuyi was fine with it. Eyi glanced at her, lowered his eyes, and with a gleam in his eyes, he said softly, "Okay."
Being able to make friends with the princess was beneficial to her, and Yun Niangzi's mouth curled up in joy.
The guard captain turned to Liu Ju and said, "Didn't you say before the competition that you would give us a prize, and that the prize would include a surprise? Now that the competition is over, where's your prize?"
"Of course, I've prepared it long ago."
Liu Ju waved for someone to bring a tray, and on the tray was another hot item of the day - a three-piece set of horse harness.
The guard was stunned and glanced at Liu Ju: "Is this the prize you mentioned, a surprise?"
"How can it not be a surprise? Nowadays, which young man or woman in Chang'an wouldn't want a set of horse harness? There's no demand for it even at a high price."
The commander was speechless. That was what he said, but the problem was that she was already pregnant. Liu Ju had given it to her when he first made it.
The guard chuckled and shook his head. "If that's it, I don't want it. Give it to someone else."
Zhu Yi followed suit: "I have one too, but I don't want it either."
There is also Eyi, but of course it is not needed either.
Liu Ju: ...It's such a good thing, why are you still rejecting it? What's wrong with that? You can never have too many things. You could buy it a horse, or keep it as a gift, or even just sell it.
The guard captain had no such intentions and suggested, "Let someone calculate who, excluding the three of us, performs the best and scores the highest, and give her the prize."
Liu Ju nodded gloomily: "Then I will give it to my sister when I get something more rare."
The guard smiled and patted his head. "Sister, do you still need a prize? It's just a joke, just for fun. Sister has already had a lot of fun."
The young men and women present were jealous: "Princess, you don't need this prize, but we do! We are desperately short of it!"
Everyone stared at the harness, waiting for the results to come out. The one with the best performance and the highest score, apart from the three princesses, was Lady Yun.
Guangyun was surprised for a moment, then laughed: "I just came to join in the fun, and I didn't expect there would be such a good thing. Logically, I am much older than you, so I shouldn't compete with you.
"But horse harnesses are hard to come by. The princesses already have them and don't want them any more. I can't bear to give them away, so I can only apologize. Today, I've taken advantage of you. I'll return them to you when I have the chance."
This was a simple and generous statement. Although everyone was envious, they also knew that their skills were inferior to others, so they could only accept it and congratulated him.
The young men had other ideas.
"Your Highness, the girls' competition has just finished, and ours hasn't even begun yet. Do we have a prize too?"
His eyeballs were almost glued to the harness.
Liu Ju laughed: "Of course!"
"Then according to the rules for girls, those who already have harnesses don't count?"
The abacus made such a clanging sound that it could be heard a mile away.
Liu Ju wasn't annoyed. "Of course. Not only does it not count, it doesn't even play. You guys play. After the game, everyone expresses their opinions. Regardless of whether it's the losing team or the winning team, the team with the best performance and the highest score will be selected."
Oh.
Everyone cheered, their blood pumping as if they had been injected with chicken blood. They were all rubbing their hands, eager to try.
With the prize of horse harness hanging in front, the arena immediately became lively again. The competition was more intense and the scene was more exciting than before.
In the stands, Liu Ju cheered enthusiastically. Huo Qubing glanced at him and asked, "Why do you still have the harness in your hand?"
Liu Ju raised his eyes and said, "I told my father at the beginning that I wanted to keep two sets for myself. My father agreed."
Huo Qubing pursed his lips, thinking that there might be some truth in what he said.
As soon as the thought came to his mind, Liu Ju turned to look at his personal guard Yan Sui. "It's time to return to the palace after today's competition. It's too late. You can have a competition another day. Draw lots to form teams. You lead one team, and Zang Hai leads the other. The one with the best performance will also receive a set of horse harness as a prize."
Yan Sui was stunned: "Can we too?"
Liu Ju pointed to the arena and said, "They can do it. You are my personal guards and have a closer relationship with me. Why can't you do it?"
Yan Sui was overjoyed, his eyes lit up.
Liu Ju chuckled, "But there's only one set of harness. If you want it, it depends on whether you have the ability. Show your strength and let me see a high-quality match. If you play too poorly, I won't give it to you."
Yan Sui's heart was filled with anxiety: "Promise, I will not let Your Highness down."
Liu Ju nodded, and returned his gaze to the arena. Looking at the young men vying for the prize, he sighed, "Sure enough, the horse harness can really motivate everyone.
"They used to love going to Shengping Tower to watch cockfighting. Wrestling was fine, and cockfighting was fine once or twice, but what's the point of doing it more often? Polo is better. It's good for both physical fitness and riding skills, while also fostering rapport and strengthening relationships. How wonderful."
Huo Qubing: ...Have you forgotten that you also watched cockfighting and found it very exciting.
Liu Ju propped up his chin, narrowed his eyes, and pondered: "Cuju isn't bad either. Let's organize a Cuju tournament later, and give out horse harnesses as prizes. We can also arrange horse racing and hunting, and use horse harnesses as prizes. Rewards are motivation. Okay, it's decided."
Huo Qubing's eyes were complicated: "You just said you kept two sets for yourself?"
Liu Ju nodded: "Yes, what's wrong?"
Huo Qubing: ...
He was speechless. Shi Yi spoke directly to him, "Two sets were taken today, one set will be used for the personal guard competition tomorrow, one set will be used for Cuju later, and another set will be used for horse racing and hunting. You can calculate how many sets you will need. You call this keeping two sets for yourself? Don't you know how to count?"
Liu Ju rolled his eyes. "You don't know how to count. You're stupid. I said keep two sets for yourself. Two is an approximate number, not a literal number. It's just like you always say you'll do something in two days. When you say two days, are you really going to do it for sure?"
Shi Yi & Huo Qubing: ...
What approximate numbers and real numbers? The vocabulary is really novel, but they understood it.
Huo Qubing's mouth twitched. "Your Majesty, do you know that what you are talking about is an approximate number, not a real number?"
Liu Ju tilted his head and said confidently, "How could my father be so stupid that he doesn't even know this?"
Huo Qubing: ...He thinks His Majesty is probably unaware. This isn't a question of being stupid or not, but rather that he never expected this kid to be so cunning.
This is indeed the case.
The result of Liu Ju's actions was that those who won the harness were overjoyed, while those who didn't were itching to get it back. They all went home to act like spoiled brats, trying all sorts of tricks to get their hands on their elders. The elders, unable to bear the fuss of their children, came to the palace one after another to beg for mercy.
"Your Majesty, regarding the harness, how is the production going in the workshop?"
"It's been over three months, so they must have made quite a lot. Can we release it now?"
"Of course he can. Otherwise, how could His Highness have so many of them?"
"Yes, Your Majesty. Now that the harness has been mass-produced, it should be released as soon as possible. Our cavalry must use it, and you should not forget us veterans. The only set Your Majesty gave us was not enough."
"Your Majesty, I consider myself loyal to the country. I wouldn't say I'm particularly capable, but I have made some contributions. I beg Your Majesty to consider my decades of dedication and hard work, and to award me one or two sets."
…
Liu Che was bewildered. The Harness Workshop had indeed produced a considerable amount, but he felt it wasn't enough. They were all hoarded. When had they ever released anything? And what did he mean by "His Highness already has a large quantity"?
Where did such a large number of them come from?
It took Liu Che a while to understand what was going on.
Polo matches, Cuju matches, horse racing matches, and hunting matches.
This brat is really good at stirring up trouble! He even uses horse harnesses as a prize!
After sending off the ministers, Liu Che pressed his temples, secretly grinding his back teeth, and called Wu Changshi over: "Go to Feixiang Palace and see what the Grand Prince is doing. Tell him to come here!"
You are actually playing word games with me. You are trying to trick me, right? You have become so capable!
Liu Che snorted coldly.
Changshi Wu bowed and went out. After a while, he came back alone, and there was no sign of Liu Ju following him.
"Your Majesty, the Grand Prince is not in Feixiang Palace. The maid in Feixiang Palace said that the Grand Prince has gone to seek the Imperial Eunuch's order."
Liu Che paused, his face full of confusion: "An order from the Imperial Household?"
The Taiguanling was also under the jurisdiction of the Shaofu, and was in charge of the palace meals, wine making, vegetable planting, poultry, livestock, and rare wild animals.
"Why is he seeking the Imperial Order?"
"Your Majesty, the Imperial Household has a dedicated area for raising livestock for the palace. I heard they raise not only chickens and ducks, but pigs as well. Your Highness asked someone and confirmed this, then found a junior official who specializes in castration and told them he wanted to castrate the pigs."
After saying this, Wu Changshi's expression was complicated and dazed, as if he had just seen the greatest absurdity in the world.
Liu Che even suspected that his ears were broken: "What did you say?"
Castrating a pig? Are you serious?
Wu Changshi took a deep breath and could only repeat it again, emphasizing: "I asked three times, and the maid in Feixiang Palace said exactly that."
Liu Che: ...
Silence, silence is Liu Che of today.
At this moment, he seemed to be paused, petrified in an instant, and questioning his life.
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