Chapter 62: A solution that dissatisfies both of them...
Fortunately, similar incidents of Xiao Fusu being exposed or embarrassed in front of the emperor had happened many times before. This time, although he was caught suddenly, he was somewhat prepared.
What excuse can we use to get away with this?
Fusu's eyes darted around.
Just then, the Emperor's large hand stroked Fusu's head, whether to soothe him or to urge him on silently, it was unclear. But Fusu felt the hairs on the back of his head stand on end.
...Let's use that one, an excuse that can theoretically never be refuted.
"I have indeed worn clothes made of cotton. But not in reality, but in my dreams."
If dreaming of slaying a white snake or dreaming of the sun entering one's bosom is possible, then I certainly can too.
Fusu, suppressing his embarrassment, began to make up a story: "I don't know where I was in my dream. It seemed to be a place where an army was encamped. The wind was blowing outside and the snow was falling heavily. But I was wearing strange clothes and didn't feel cold at all. There was a fire burning in the camp, and I was sweating profusely."
The highest level of lying is the interplay of truth and falsehood.
Most of the dreams Fusu described were true.
He did indeed dream of a camp in the howling wind and snow—outside Shangzhou City where he committed suicide in his previous life.
He was indeed sweating from the heat—he was in a hurry to answer questions about his father's death.
In this story about dreams, the only lie woven into the narrative is the cotton-padded coat. But Fusu really did wear a cotton-padded coat, so when he lied, he not only didn't need to think before he told a story, but it also felt exceptionally genuine.
"In my dream, a vague voice told me what the clothes were made of and what benefits they had. At the time, I didn't think much of it, only that since I could only see them in my dreams, perhaps they were the creation of immortals? It wasn't until you, Father, mentioned the immortal herbs of the Honglu Temple that I realized that the materials used to make immortal clothes actually exist in the real world!"
"So, according to you, this magical herb truly lives up to its auspicious name?"
Fusu looked left and right: "Hmm..."
But the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies, who had been waiting quietly to the side, had already begun to flatter him.
What about "only in times of peace and prosperity can auspicious omens appear in the world," and "His Highness Prince Cheng is bestowed by Heaven and is destined by Heaven"... The Confucian tradition of the interaction between Heaven and humanity is executed flawlessly, starting from zero frames.
This made Fusu so embarrassed that his scalp tingled, and he wanted to tell him to stop talking.
Especially phrases like "destined by Heaven," which are absolutely ridiculous! He doesn't want to be the crown prince; Heaven doesn't favor him, it doesn't favor anyone else. Stop it, no, stop talking, please!
Perhaps Fusu's tearful expression was too obvious, for Emperor Renzong smiled and raised his hand, interrupting the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies' rambling. However, he was clearly in a good mood: "Since you mentioned being blessed by Heaven, then the Court of State Ceremonies must also be a blessed place. Why don't you think about what other undiscovered treasures there are? I imagine Su'er has obtained far more than one kind of treasure in his dream, hasn't he?"
Fusu's eyes suddenly lit up: "Exactly!"
"As far as I can see, there are several kinds of grain crops in my dream. One is buried in the ground, with a brownish-yellow skin, round like a bean. Another, although resembling a herb, grows tall and straight, with fruit on top, like rice or jade, full of juice, sweet and refreshing with every bite. The last one is also buried deep in the ground, but its leaves can also be eaten as a vegetable. The main body is similar to a common radish, but the taste is sweeter and more rustic. Oh, and there's another one with a flavor that's very similar to dogwood, with a pungent aroma, refreshing to eat, making you sweat profusely. Its appearance is a perfect bright red, oh right, there are also green and yellow ones..."
Fusu was imagining his dream lover and talking eloquently, unaware that his careless words today were all recorded by the historians, becoming irrefutable evidence that would later confirm him as a time traveler.
But he still noticed that Emperor Renzong's eyes were getting brighter and brighter, and the fine sweat on the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies' forehead was also increasing.
"If such a crop truly exists, why should we worry about the people of our Great Song not being warm enough or the population not flourishing?" the Emperor said. "Well, my dear minister, the Court of State Ceremonies is well-versed in all countries. Have you ever heard even a trace of the divine object that His Highness Prince Cheng spoke of?"
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty is filled with fear..."
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies was now drenched in sweat.
Clearly, Emperor Renzong was not fooled by this person's previous flattery. No matter how "gifted" or "blessed by Heaven" the young Fusu was, it could not change the fact that the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial had arbitrarily disposed of the defective tribute, almost missing out on superior seeds.
Seeds are also alive and active. If Fusu hadn't accidentally stirred up the competition among government offices to grow vegetables, it's unlikely that any of the officials in the Court of State Ceremonial would have bothered to scavenge the leftover scraps of this pile of tribute.
Such superior varieties as cotton would likely remain buried for centuries, only to see the light of day again at the end of the Song Dynasty and the beginning of the Yuan Dynasty.
Huh? Now that you mention it, it really does seem to be my own achievement?
Fusu was a little confused.
But the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies on the other side had clearly understood that what Emperor Renzong had just said, seemingly a demand, was actually a warning to him.
He was indeed hoping for a lucky break, because of the Emperor's good reputation. He wanted to make a splash, so he submitted a memorial about "auspicious omens" and praised Prince Cheng on the spot, thinking that he could please the Emperor and receive a reward.
As it turned out, the Emperor was not like the late Emperor; he was indifferent to auspicious omens and immediately saw through the man's ulterior motives. The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies was filled with regret—he should have submitted a memorial of apology from the beginning, using the "discovery of the immortal herb" to atone for his crime. At least he wouldn't have been so embarrassed by the Emperor's direct questioning.
It's too late for regrets now!
While hurriedly apologizing, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies thought to himself.
After a while, the official's voice finally rang out above him.
"Very well, the people in the Court of State Ceremonial have neglected their duties and disposed of the tribute at will, which is a serious offense. However, they have also accidentally discovered the immortal herb that King Cheng saw in his dream, which is a great contribution to the country and the state. The merits and demerits cancel each other out, so... let's reward the officials of all ranks in the court with three months' salary."
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies looked up suddenly, seemingly in disbelief, then burst into ecstatic joy—the Emperor had finally pardoned the Court of State Ceremonies this time! Three months' salary, though not a great achievement, was enough for them to swagger around in front of other government offices for a whole year.
His earlier apologies instantly transformed into a string of thanks for the Emperor's great favor. The speed of his change of heart astonished even Fusu.
He was utterly bored, poking at the cotton leaves with a finger; the leaves were covered in a layer of fuzz. He showed no interest in the scene before him. He didn't care about the fate of the officials from the Court of State Ceremonial, as long as the cotton could be successfully planted and promoted. Honestly, why did the officials have to make him come here to see this…?
……Um?
No way?
Fusu suddenly thought of a possibility, and his gaze toward the Emperor and the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial became strange.
The emperor seemed oblivious to his son's strange gaze: "Su'er, tell me, what should we do with this magical herb?"
"Of course, we'll send people to carefully nurture it, collect the seeds after it successfully flowers and bears fruit, and sow them again next season. Once we have enough seeds, we'll travel all over the country to test it out and see which climate is most suitable for planting..."
If I remember correctly, in later generations, besides Xinjiang being the main cotton-producing area, cotton was also grown in the North China Plain and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
It's a pity that Western Xia, despite having the most suitable climate for production, is not yet part of the territory of their Great Song Dynasty.
"Oh, right, there's also the issue of weaving. We need to find experienced embroiderers... Wait, Your Majesty, I have my own plans for this!"
Fusu confidently assured him, "Your Majesty, just wait for my good news on this matter."
Just now, he thought of Third Sister and the others at Xiangguo Temple. Didn't they just ask him to find them some work? And here they are!
Both San Niang and Apu had ample embroidery experience. More importantly, their social relationships were simple, and they were almost exclusively acquainted with Fusu. Just like that map of the Sixteen Prefectures, which was full of valuable information, it wouldn't be easy for Fusu to expose any tricks he might try to pull.
Of course, there's also the most important point.
Fusu suddenly became very serious and put on a stern face, but with his childlike, chubby face, he looked adorable no matter how you looked at him.
"Your Majesty, we must not let the cotton fall into the hands of Liaoxia."
The emperor frowned instantly.
After a moment, he nodded: "Su'er, you're right."
Mencius said, "When poor, one should cultivate one's own virtue; when successful, one should benefit all under heaven." Although the Han people in the north also suffered greatly from snow, once they were given cotton clothing and their living standards improved, they would actually become a force that harmed the Song Dynasty. This was not their intention, but rather the way things were between nations.
Let's focus on our own well-being for now.
Although the Emperor was known for his benevolence, he was not a rigid or pedantic person. He immediately ordered the Imperial City Guard to send people to strictly guard the official fields of the Court of State Ceremonial. He also ordered the officials of the Court of State Ceremonial not to leak any information.
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty, I will obey your decree. I will make sure that everyone in the temple keeps their mouths shut."
The cotton had been inspected and confirmed, and the follow-up arrangements had been announced. The Emperor had no intention of lingering and was about to leave, holding Fusu's little hand. The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies was just about to breathe a sigh of relief and wipe the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve when he saw Prince Cheng break free from the Emperor's little hand and run towards him with a "thump-thump".
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies then went on to explain the matter in one breath—
What's up with this little rascal this time?
He had clearly seen that although his attempt to flatter Prince Cheng had backfired, the Emperor believed everything Prince Cheng said regarding the handling of the immortal herb and followed all his suggestions. When Prince Cheng claimed to have his own ideas, the Emperor nodded and indeed did not ask any further questions.
What a great favor! What a great trust!
Seeing that the man seemed to have something to say, he certainly dared not be negligent.
"My lord, I have another favor to ask of you. If you have any leads on those crops I mentioned earlier, please keep an eye out for them!"
Fusu, fearing people wouldn't believe him, emphasized it again.
"It really exists, I'm not just making this up!"
Although corn, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and peppers are theoretically still far away in the Americas, cotton has appeared ahead of schedule. What if it's true?
It's always good to keep an eye out for it.
The Minister of the Court of State Ceremonial was on the verge of tears: "Yes..."
Today, no, he'll go rummage through the pile of offerings from before to see if there's anything that slipped through the net.
Even on the way back to the palace, Fusu was still pondering, constantly recalling the expression on the face of the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies.
"Am I that scary?" He looked up, his face completely innocent.
The official turned his head away, unable to suppress a laugh, but managed to keep a straight face—he had long noticed that Su'er often had a confused perception of himself. For example, when he put on a stern face, he thought he was serious enough. When he put his hands behind his back and pretended to be an adult, he genuinely believed he was an adult. In reality, with his fair, soft face, where was there even a trace of persuasiveness?
"Well, perhaps so."
Not wanting to shatter his son's good self-esteem, he changed the subject: "Su'er, what do you think of today's Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies?"
What are your thoughts?
Do you enjoy his comical face-changing antics?
Fusu narrowed his eyes. In fact, he had wanted to ask this for a long time: "Your Majesty, did you deliberately let me see this?"
A son of a wealthy family should not sit under a dangerous roof. The emperor could have simply sent someone to bring him a small sample of cotton for identification. Instead, he went to the Court of State Ceremonial in person, only to be subjected to an awkward and unhelpful display of flattery.
It's important to understand that the Song Dynasty officials Fusu had previously met were all renowned statesmen of the caliber of Yan Shu, Fu Bi, and Song Qi. Why would he need to get to know the "eloquent and flattering" Minister of the Court of State Ceremonies separately?
After being reprimanded by the officials, they quickly changed their tune again.
Among the people I've met, this person's character and abilities are considered inferior.
Fusu could not be said to like him.
Perhaps the emperor did this intentionally, using this man's change of attitude to teach him the true meaning of "the way of a ruler," and also to warn him against blindly trusting the flattery of his subordinates. The true principle is to combine kindness and severity, employing a blend of benevolent and tyrannical methods.
...No, perhaps even the initial "auspicious omens" were intentionally mentioned by the Emperor in front of Fusu. The purpose was to make him resistant to such supernatural phenomena.
However, the emperor did not expect that Fusu was a thorough materialist who had no faith in auspicious omens.
Having figured this out, Fusu felt a mix of emotions.
If he were the heir to the throne, then the Emperor's actions could be described as "parents who love their children plan far ahead for them." Yet, ironically, he is of no benefit to the position of Crown Prince…
The official didn't argue, but chuckled lightly: "Did you figure it out?"
His words seemed to carry a deep sense of emotion: "I originally thought that Su'er, you would only understand the true meaning after I gave you some pointers, or perhaps when you grew up a bit more."
Unexpectedly, he didn't even mention it, yet he could see through the clues on his own. He even guessed his father's intentions perfectly.
Looking back, Emperor Zhenzong was fond of auspicious omens and naturally wouldn't teach him how to discern them. Empress Dowager Liu was strong-willed and wouldn't tolerate the slightest dissent. He could only read the sage's books on "cultivating oneself and regulating one's family," and he had to figure out the ways of being a ruler little by little on his own while battling with the Empress Dowager and his ministers.
Unexpectedly, when it came to Su'er's generation, he intended to teach her, but Su'er was much more intelligent and... much more insightful than he had been back then.
The official suddenly smiled with relief.
He squatted down and cupped the round little face that was clearly filled with worry: "I will keep my promise to you and will never go back on my word."
Uh, is what he's thinking that obvious?
Fusu blinked twice.
"However..."
But what?
Fusu's heart jumped again.
Then he was mocked harshly: "I haven't finished speaking yet, Su'er, why are you so nervous?"
Fusu: = =#
The Emperor quickly composed himself and solemnly said, "However, first there is the map of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, then the immortal herb that can keep the world warm appears, and then there is you, Su'er... Perhaps I can also dream of completing the unfinished work of my ancestors in my lifetime."
"Su'er, what do you think? Is it just wishful thinking and delusions?"
Emperor Renzong's voice contained a deep uncertainty that he himself was unaware of.
After all, aside from Emperor Taizu, the Taizong lineage, spanning three generations, had suffered repeated defeats in their northern expeditions. By the time he came to power, even the Western Xia, which was as insignificant as a weed, was no match for him.
But when his gaze fell upon his son, he noticed a glimmer of light slowly welling up in Fusu's round eyes. Despite being just a child, he spoke with a firmness that even adults found hard to match: "No. Not just fantasies."
His gaze turned north.
That place was blocked by the imperial city of the Song Dynasty, but behind the imperial city, there were even more natural barriers, and city walls after city walls.
The emperor may not know, but does he not know?
Now that the cotton had fallen into his hands ahead of time, he was determined to plant it in the most suitable place in his lifetime.
Suddenly, Fusu wilted: "...Oh no."
The official immediately became very nervous, thinking that something had gone wrong with his grand ambitions: "What's broken?"
"It's not that." Fusu cried, his face contorted with misery. "Your Majesty, look at the sun!"
The sun... is very strong and scorching, what's wrong?
"Look at the sun, people's shadows are almost vertical, which means it's just past noon. I was thinking that if I missed the morning classes, I could sneak back to the Imperial College and pretend no one knew, but now lunchtime is over and the afternoon classes have already started, I'm going to miss it! Aaaaaaah!"
As it turns out, even the most ambitious person, who has their sights set on the north, must bow their head in the face of reality.
Despite the emperor's insistence that "even if you're late, you must eat lunch first," Fusu tearfully enjoyed a lavish lunch at the Song Dynasty palace. He barely managed to eat half a meal before heading straight to the Imperial Academy.
As a result, he was caught red-handed.
The complainant was a scholar from Fusu's study, who had also been making things difficult for him from the very first class, specifically by making him recite the "Book of Rites." He had been asked by his family to target Fusu. However, the boy's academic performance was impeccable; he had first caught the eye of the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy and then shone brightly before the Emperor, enjoying unparalleled prestige. This scholar, Wang, felt utterly helpless.
Having finally caught someone slacking off, of course I'll seize the opportunity to make a big fuss about it.
This complaint reached the chief priest.
Dr. Wang's reasoning is sound: shirking duty is already laziness, but unexcused shirking duty is an even more egregious offense. Although Zhao Xiaolang was admitted to the Imperial Academy by imperial decree, precisely because of this, we should be even more strict with him and not allow him to develop a lazy attitude; otherwise, we would be disregarding the emperor's appreciation for talent. He must be severely punished, shouldn't we?
Upon hearing this, Yang Anguo, the chief priest, showed no emotion on his face: "Young Master Zhao, where have you been today? Why can't even Young Master Su find you?"
Fusu shrank his head, behaving as obediently as a quail, but in his heart he thought: So it is with the emperor you just mentioned who loves talent.
However, he couldn't say that, and he certainly couldn't mention the existence of cotton. So he could only make up an excuse, saying, "There's something going on at home."
This answer, of course, did not satisfy Dr. Wang. He then combined this with Zhao Xiaolang's apparent status as a member of the imperial family, subtly and overtly mocking him. Fusu, who was already feeling guilty for his mistake, was further enraged by Dr. Wang's veiled criticism.
He immediately retorted, "The sages said: People have the virtues of filial piety and brotherly love. Doctors take prison discipline as the guiding principle, yet you expect me to abandon even human ethics?"
Dr. Wang was speechless: "How...how can you say that!"
"Alright," Yang Anguo said.
He didn't even look at Dr. Wang, but only at Fusu: "Young Master Zhao, how far have you progressed in completing the task of ascending to the fast that I assigned to you?"
"Ramadan? What Ramadan?"
Fusu blinked, feeling reassured—it seemed the Grand Master was going to back him up. He straightened his chest slightly: "Reporting to the Grand Master, I have finished memorizing the Book of Rites and am now on the Great Proclamation chapter of the Book of Documents."
The king said: "You are an old friend, you have been able to visit distant places, do you know how diligent the King of Ning is..."
The sentences were difficult to understand, but Fusu recited them fluently and without hesitation. The more enthusiastically he memorized them, the paler Dr. Wang's face became—others were preparing for the Shengzhai exam so well, which proved that his so-called "laziness" was a baseless accusation.
After Fusu recited a passage without panting, Yang Anguo nodded slightly: "It seems you've prepared well."
His gaze fell on Dr. Wang: "What do you think?"
What else could I possibly think...?
Dr. Wang gritted his teeth, thought about his family's instructions, and was willing to become a clown rather than give up his last hope: "Young Master Zhao is exceptionally talented and academically accomplished, which is obvious to all. However, Chancellor, the rules of the Imperial Academy cannot be broken. Since he skipped class, he should be punished."
You have a point.
The moment the words left his mouth, both of their hearts jumped.
"How about this, Zhao Xiaolang? Since you were well prepared but made a mistake today, I will no longer give you any leniency. Your entrance exam will be moved up to August to prevent you from becoming lazy and neglecting the rules."
Dr. Wang's face turned extremely ugly in an instant.
But Fusu felt that his face must look even worse than his.
Yang Jijiu, you've really come up with a solution that's unsatisfactory to both of you!
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Author's Note: My tenosynovitis has been acting up lately, this chapter was typed out with just my two pinkies... [melted][melted][melted]
This chapter will give out red envelopes to everyone!
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