Chapter 76
After his trip to Shanglin Garden, Liu Ju went to a bookstore.
Today, the Han Dynasty bookstore industry has grown to a considerable scale. According to Liu Ju's original suggestion, the same method as glass was adopted, with private merchants responsible for sales and management, and the court providing "goods".
In this way, the core technology of papermaking and printing would be in the hands of the imperial court only.
Although the full liberalization of technology control will increase the output of paper and books, it will be more conducive to the dissemination of knowledge and the popularization of culture.
But Liu Ju proposed this method for his own reasons.
Firstly, the technology was available, but the price of paper and books was not very cheap, especially since reading required pens, ink, and inkstones as well as a teacher's guidance.
There were still very few people in the public who could afford to spend this much money on reading. In other words, the demand was not particularly great, and the court's production capacity could barely cope with it.
Secondly, it was a powerful tool for trade with the Western Regions. Today, "White Jade Paper" is as popular in the Western Regions as glass, and even more so.
With the technology released, it was no longer a secret. The Western Regions could easily acquire technology through money and manufacture it themselves. This reduced the Han Dynasty's advantage, and it lost a "weapon" that could be used to influence or even sanction the Western Regions.
But it is impossible to hold on to it.
Liu Ju envisioned a time limit: ten years. After all, patents also have an expiration date.
His plan was clear. Within ten years, he would rapidly boost the national economy, improve the quality of life for ordinary people, and lower the barrier to literacy. He would also use the same ten years to create more impactful items that could serve as "economic sanctions."
Only when new "weapons" continue to increase and more and more tools are available in their hands, can they try to selectively let go of some things.
Ten years have passed, three years have passed, and there are still seven years to go.
Liu Ju felt that he might be able to achieve this goal ahead of time.
As he was thinking this, the carriage had already arrived at Yunsong Bookstore.
As the current crown prince, he always had certain properties and privileges. For example, this bookshop was his exclusive and independently operated business, the only place in the Han Dynasty that was not restricted by the imperial court's technology.
Like all the properties in Liulijian, Liu Ju handed them all over to Qi Yuanniang.
After entering the bookstore, Qi Yuanniang came forward and led her into the back house.
Liu Ju sat down and asked with a smile, "I heard from Baishan that you are pregnant?"
Qi Yuanniang and Baishan were married two years ago, with Liu Ju officiating the wedding. It was a first for the crown prince to officiate a wedding, and it brought Qi Yuanniang and Baishan considerable honor.
Hearing this, Qi Yuanniang subconsciously touched her lower abdomen: "It has just been diagnosed. The doctor said that the month is still early and there is no feeling for the time being."
She called Yin Liu to her side and said, "I have already made all the arrangements. When the time comes for the birth, I will be unable to do so, so Yin Liu will take over."
In the past few years, Yin Liu has been following Qi Yuanniang and has learned 70% of Qi Yuanniang's essence and has adopted Qi Yuanniang's style of doing things. Liu Ju has no objection to this.
"I naturally trust the person you train. But there's no need to wait until you give birth. Don't be too stubborn and avoid overexerting yourself. Assess your own health. If you feel okay, then leave it alone. If not, hand the child over to Yin Liu immediately."
Qi Yuanniang bowed and said, "Yes, thank you for your concern, Your Highness. I understand."
After the chat, Qi Yuanniang asked Yinliu to take out the work log for this quarter and report on the recent work progress.
Her job was ostensibly to run the various shops, but in reality she also collected information from the capital and the various mausoleums.
Liu Ju listened one by one and nodded slightly.
Finally, Qi Yuanniang closed the book and said, "There is one more thing that has not been recorded in this book. It is about General Wei and Marquis Guanjun."
Liu Ju paused, his face filled with surprise. "You guys are so powerful now that you can even find out about my uncle and cousin?"
Qi Yuanniang froze for a moment, then said helplessly, "Your Highness, you're joking. The General and the Marquis of Guanjun are such important figures, it's impossible for us to easily find out about their affairs. This was truly a coincidence and a coincidence."
"Because I'm pregnant, I want to add more property to my family, so I want to buy some land and a house. The agent in Chang'an recommended several places, and I finally chose the suburbs of Anling.
"The fields over there are fertile, with a farmhouse nearby, and surrounded by mountains and water, making it a perfect place for horseback riding and outings. My subordinate and Baishan were very satisfied after seeing it, so we bought it, thinking we could stay there for a while in our spare time."
"There's another house near the village, not far away. When I passed by, I asked about it, and the agent said it was the residence of the Marquis of Ruyin. The Marquis of Ruyin also bought it from him. So he knows it very well."
"Ever since I took charge of all the news in the capital, I've been eager to get to the bottom of everyone I see, especially if they're high-ranking officials. So I've been paying a lot of attention and even stayed at the manor for a few days, observing closely. I've discovered something interesting."
"Besides the Marquis of Ruyin, General Wei and Marquis Guanjun have also been here. It seems that General Wei came with the Marquis of Ruyin, and it seems that Marquis Guanjun came with General Wei."
Liu Ju: ???
One after another, what's going on between uncle and cousin? Where are these nesting dolls?
Marquis of Ruyin... Xiahou Po...
Xiahou Po!
Liu Ju was shocked and suddenly remembered. Wasn't this the person that Aunt Pingyang had tentatively chosen for remarriage?
Could it be that my uncle’s behavior is related to my aunt’s marriage?
Liu Ju rolled his eyes and said, "Where is that house? Take me to have a look."
"promise."
Qi Yuanniang led the way, and the guards escorted the carriage forward. When they arrived at their destination, Liu Ju did not move, but remained in the carriage and waited, ordering Yan Sui to go and investigate.
But Yan Sui was forced to return not long after he left, accompanied by Huo Qubing, who asked him as soon as he saw him: "What are you doing here?"
"What are you talking about? Only you are allowed to come, but not me?"
Huo Qubing chuckled, "I have my reasons. At least I can guarantee that if I'm careful, my uncle won't notice. Can you? Can you, the guards?"
Liu Ju: ...
Over the years, his personal guards had grown from fifty to five hundred, but Yan Sui and his ilk were still at the head of the group. From top to bottom, no one else had the ability to do this.
Look, Yan Sui was caught not long after he left.
Yan Sui also felt ashamed and lowered his head, saying, "It's my incompetence."
Liu Ju sighed, waved his hand to let him go, and said directly to Huo Qubing: "Then you go. I will wait for your news here."
Huo Qubing: ...You really know how to order people around.
Just as I was about to say something to him, I heard a sound.
Huo Qubing frowned: "It's the sound of fighting."
Liu Ju raised his eyes, their gazes met, and they both understood what he meant, and immediately ran towards the courtyard. Huo Qubing grabbed Liu Ju and used the wall to gain leverage to leap onto the top. As soon as he landed on the wall, he saw what was happening inside the courtyard.
Wei Qing stood in the yard, his clothes neat and tidy. Xiahou, on the other hand, looked rather disheveled, lying on the ground, covered in dust. A woman huddled behind a tree, not daring to show her face.
Xiahou was furious: "General Wei, we have no past grudges, nor any recent hatred. I honestly believe I have never offended you, so why did you break into my house and assault me?"
Wei Qing frowned: "You were the first to do it."
"General Wei suddenly barged in, and I mistook him for a thief, which is why I attacked him."
Wei Qing looked at the hiding woman and asked, "Did you mistake me, or are you afraid that I would expose you and report this to His Majesty?"
Xiahou Po's expression changed, but he immediately returned to normal. "General Wei, what did you mean by that? Did you misunderstand something?"
Seeing Wei Qing's gaze fixed on the woman, Xiahou Po hurriedly said, "General Wei, things are really not what you think. I don't deny that I did have some connection with this woman, and that we behaved intimately.
"You and I are both men, and at this age we've both married before. It's normal to have a few concubines and maids around us. But now that I intend to marry the eldest princess, I naturally have to show my attitude and let the princess see my love and affection for her.
"I took this house out of my private property and planned to give it to her. She will live here from now on, and we will have no further ties. The hug I saw her in today was just a final farewell."
If this is true, there is really nothing wrong with it.
But Wei Qing's expression remained unchanged, and his tone was firm: "Is that really the case? Your desire to marry the princess has not just arisen in the past two days. During this period of time, while you were being attentive to the princess, you also continued to have sexual pleasure with this woman.
"What's more, Xiahou Po, do you really think I dare to come and stop you without finding out anything? Is she really your beautiful maid?"
The emphasis in the language is on the word "your".
Liu Ju was surprised and looked at Huo Qubing for an answer, but Huo Qubing also looked confused.
Xiahou Po's expression changed drastically, his voice trembling a little: "Wei... General Wei! You can eat whatever you want, but you can't say anything you want!"
"Whether I am talking nonsense or not, I will be judged by His Majesty when I appear before him."
Your Majesty's Judgment?
Xiahou Po's face turned pale. If this matter were brought before His Majesty...
Xiahou Po's heart tightened. "General Wei, this matter has nothing to do with you. I didn't lie. I did intend to give this house to her today to put an end to it.
"So... so, General, can you please turn a blind eye? If you don't arrest me to see the emperor, I won't pursue the charges of trespassing and assaulting the prince."
Wei Qing remained indifferent.
Xiahou Po also understood why. If this matter became public, he would be ruined and his life would be in jeopardy. But for Wei Qing, this minor charge was justified, and coupled with the emperor's deep love for him, he was afraid that he wouldn't even be reprimanded.
His expression flashed, and he stood up and walked to Wei Qing: "Apart from anything else, the general should always think about what the outside world will think?
"I know you stumbled upon this incident by chance, and given your past relationship with Princess Pingyang, I can't just turn a blind eye. But those who don't know are probably overthinking it.
"General, do you think they will think that you have feelings for the princess, so you are deliberately targeting me, or even deliberately framing me?"
As soon as Wei Qing said this, Liu Ju frowned before he could speak, and Huo Qubing snorted coldly.
The two of them thought almost at the same time: Who the hell is this guy? He actually dares to threaten my uncle. He is simply courting death.
How could Xiahou Po not know that this was a risky move?
But he had no other choice but to take a gamble. Even if Wei Qing didn't care about his own reputation, he would still consider the impact on Pingyang.
But don't be fooled by his calm appearance. In fact, he was very nervous and his back was already covered in cold sweat.
"The General is a genius, there's no doubt about that, and we all admire him immensely. He's truly deserving of his current position and achievements. However, some things in this world, once they've happened, can't be undone.
"The general's background... Of course, I don't mean to say that the general's background is bad. The general is no longer the same as before. But in his early years, the general did live in the Pingyang Marquis' Mansion...
"This may not be a problem for others, but it's different for the princess. If word gets out that you and the princess are having an affair, it will probably lead to widespread criticism. That's not appropriate, right?
"There are many gossipers in the court and the public. If the rumors spread too widely, the princess will be in a bad mood and will be overwhelmed."
Wei Qing's expression darkened, and his gaze towards Xiahou Po gradually turned cold.
He did not answer, but raised his gaze a little and fell on Huo Qubing and Liu Ju.
Xiahou Po looked over and froze.
"Too...Prince!"
After murmuring these words, Xiahou Po's legs went weak and he collapsed to the ground.
Wei Qing did not answer, but Xiahou Po already knew his answer.
If he had intended to let him off the hook, he wouldn't have allowed the Crown Prince to sit in on the entire proceedings. The Crown Prince's presence meant the matter was irreversible.
********
Wei Qing escorted Xiahou Po to Xuanshi Palace, and Princess Pingyang was also summoned into the palace.
Liu Ju and Huo Qubing were unable to squeeze in to see the scene, so they had to wait in the Pepper Room and let Feng He inquire about the news at any time.
"Your Highness, that woman is indeed not the maidservant of Marquis Ruyin, but the imperial maidservant of his father."
The imperial maidservant is the person who serves to warm the bed.
Liu Ju's jaw dropped. Holy shit, a woman who slept with his own father?
Is it so exciting?
"Your Highness, His Majesty is furious and has ordered the guards to take Xiahou Po to prison to await trial."
Liu Ju nodded, unsurprised. Committing adultery with his father's maid was already a grave crime, condemned by thousands and condemned by tens of thousands. To do it with Princess Shang was simply adding insult to injury.
It didn't matter whether Xiahou Po died or not, he would definitely be socially disgraced and his reputation would be ruined.
"Your Highness, the General and Princess Pingyang have already left Xuanshi Hall, but have not yet left the palace. Princess Pingyang seems to have invited the General to Weirui Hall for a chat."
Weirui Palace was Princess Pingyang's palace before she married. Because Your Majesty was close to her, and the palace had few children, there was no need for so many palaces, so it remained. During her years as a widow, Pingyang would occasionally stay in the palace for a night or two, and she still lived here.
Liu Ju looked up at Huo Qubing, and Huo Qubing happened to look at him too.
Curiosity glittered in both of their eyes.
Liu Ju: "Go take a look?"
Huo Qubing made a prompt decision: "Let's go!"
Outside the palace, Liu Ju stopped the maids' actions in time and sent them away. He and Huo Qubing approached stealthily, listening closely through the crack in the door.
Inside the hall.
Pingyang questioned Wei Qing, "General, do you have anything else to say to me?"
Wei Qing hesitated and said, "The princess already knew about Xiahou Po. She chose Xiahou Po on purpose and also passed the news to me on purpose."
"That's right," Pingyang admitted frankly. "Since the general understood this, why did he still want to leave?"
Wei Qing remained silent. Pingyang took two steps forward and looked him in the eye. "Because you're afraid of the worst, right?"
"The princess has been very kind to me. I naturally hope that she will have a happy and fulfilling life."
"A favor?"
"Yes. When I ran away from the Zheng family, it was the princess who took me in and arranged a job for me. When I showed talent in riding and archery, it was the princess who allowed me to practice with the horses in the palace and also rewarded me with many arrows.
"Especially when my sister entered the palace and gained favor, Empress Chen grew jealous and sent people to capture me and kill me. Everyone knew that it was Gongsun Ao who got wind of the news and rushed to rescue me.
"But where did Gongsun Ao's information come from? It was the princess who deliberately leaked it. It was also the princess who revealed this secret to Your Majesty, who finally saved me from this predicament.
"The past events here are still vivid in my mind, and the kindness shown here will be etched in my heart."
"What a memorable thing to remember." Pingyang sneered, "But is it just a favor? Maybe it was in the past, but what about now?"
At the time, Wei Qing was young and unaware of love. Pingyang was older, but she treated Wei Qing as an elder. With Cao Shou by their side, their relationship was warm and harmonious. Their love was truly pure, and there was no room for romantic thoughts.
Pingyang helped him many times because, firstly, she felt that this boy was capable of being molded; secondly, she wanted to give Wei Zifu a hand. If Wei Zifu succeeded, she could form an alliance with him and benefit herself.
When did you really start to think about it?
For Yu Pingyang, it was after Cao Shou passed away, and after Wei Qing's talent became more and more amazing, and his brilliance became more and more dazzling, even reaching heights she had never imagined.
She began to re-examine Wei Qing, and as she did so, she couldn't help but feel a certain amount of affection for him. The affection wasn't particularly profound, but it was real.
What about Wei Qing? About two years after his first wife's death, the emperor, drunk at a palace banquet, casually teased him about Pingyang. He brushed it off at the time, but for some reason, he subconsciously began to avoid contact with Pingyang.
However, both of them were favored by His Majesty, so they had many opportunities to meet. The General's Mansion and Princess Pingyang's Mansion were on the same street, only a few steps away. Pingyang was still the type of person who would go to you and tease you more if you tried to avoid me.
After so many interactions, Wei Qing didn't know when his mindset had changed. It was definitely different. But he always remembered the distinction between ruler and subject, and always remembered to uphold his duty.
"Wei Qing." Pingyang called him by his first name, no longer calling him "General." "You should understand that the matter between you and me is one that His Majesty is pleased to see accomplished. Given your personality, even thunder and rain are considered favors by the Emperor."
"If you had no feelings for me, you would have agreed last year when His Majesty asked the Queen to ask you privately. Why are you being vague and refusing to agree? Wei Qing, this is not your style."
Wei Qing's eyelids twitched and his hands tightened.
Indeed, given his approach, even though the question came from Wei Zifu, it was implicitly implied by the emperor. Once the emperor's wishes were made clear, he wouldn't overthink it and would simply comply with His Majesty's wishes.
"Wei Qing, what are you worried about? What are you hesitating about? As Xiahou Po said, are you afraid of rumors from the outside world, using your background to mock you?"
Wei Qing pursed his lips and said, "I never care about what others say."
Pingyang chuckled. "If you're not worried about yourself, then you're worried about me. You're afraid they'll ridicule me, right? You're worried it'll cause me trouble, or even that I'll regret it someday?"
Wei Qing opened his mouth and then closed it.
"Wei Qing, if you think so, then you underestimate me. You are not trapped by rumors, but I, Pingyang, am I? As for regrets? I, Pingyang, never regret anything I do."
Pingyang took two more steps forward, pushing Wei Qing back to the window. His eyes were firm. "Wei Qing, I don't want to drag this out, and I don't want to beat around the bush anymore. I only have one question for you today: are you truly heartless to me? If I want to marry again, will you marry me?"
Outside the palace.
Liu Ju was so shocked that he kept posting messages on his screen.
My uncle and aunt actually have a relationship, and Xiahou Po is just a pawn. No wonder my father said "temporary use" that day, so he was waiting for my uncle.
Oh my god, this is exciting! My aunt asked such a direct question. How would my uncle answer?
Ahhhh, following the live update is so frustrating.
Liu Ju was excited and unconsciously moved closer.
Squeak—Snap—
The door was pushed open and Liu Ju fell into the hall due to inertia.
Wei Qing and Pingyang looked over at the same time: ???!!!
Liu Ju was completely stunned:... Not only Xiahou Po was socially ruined, but I was too.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
