Chapter 176 The Noble Young Master of a Marquis's Family (Fifteen): The Noble Young Master's Revenge and Love...
In recent days, the most prominent figure in the capital has been none other than Song Ce, the heir of the Marquis of Weiwu's mansion.
After the court session ended, the ministers who rarely associated with the Song family gathered around with smiles, bowing and congratulating him, saying, "Congratulations, Lord Song! Congratulations, Lord Song! The young master Song is exceptionally intelligent, achieving the top rank in the provincial examination at such a young age. His future is sure to be bright!"
Song Zhixiao stroked his beard and nodded, trying his best to appear humble, but the joy in his eyes was impossible to hide. He smiled and said modestly, "My son is only slightly literate, how can he compare to the sons of you gentlemen? You are all too kind."
Several ministers who were on good terms with Song Zhixiao couldn't help but glare at him angrily upon hearing this. Looking at that smug smile, he was clearly acting innocent after getting the benefit!
Following behind Crown Prince Zhao Xuanzhang, Zhao Xuanhong could only grit his teeth and force a smile as he stepped forward to congratulate Song Zhixiao, listening to the flattery and praise from the crowd behind him.
When Zhao Xuanhong finally returned to the prince's residence after the court session, his face was terribly gloomy. He picked up his favorite set of white jade flower-shaped cups and smashed them to pieces on the ground.
"Huaijing, is there still no news about Sun Qing'er?"
Seeing Zhao Xuanhong's unfriendly expression, Huai Jing hurriedly knelt down to beg for forgiveness: "Your Highness, the people of the Three Dark Divisions have all been dispersed to search carefully, but so far they have not found any trace of Miss Sun. It's as if she... vanished into thin air."
"Keep searching! Even if we have to dig three feet into the ground, we must find her! How can such a grown woman just disappear like this? Send more people and search quickly!" Zhao Xuanhong said through gritted teeth.
"Yes! Your Highness, please calm down."
"Alright, you can leave now! You're useless! You can't even handle this simple task!"
Upon hearing this, Huai Jing's eyes darkened slightly, and he bowed and withdrew.
While Zhao Xuanhong was raging in the palace, Crown Prince Zhao Xuanzhang looked at Song Ce, who was smiling gently beside him, sighed deeply, and shook his head self-deprecatingly, saying, "Young Master Song, I have been the Crown Prince for almost ten years. For you to choose the Eastern Palace as your master and pledge allegiance to me now, I'm afraid you've chosen the wrong person. You've wasted your talents!"
Upon hearing this, Song Ce smiled slightly and bowed again, saying, "Your Highness is too modest. Your Highness is benevolent and wise, which is evident to all the officials. My choice to follow Your Highness now is merely to follow my heart."
Zhao Xuanzhang hurriedly rose and personally helped Song Ce to his feet. His gaze drifted to the grayish-brown mulberry tree outside the hall, and he forced a smile: "Young Master Song, you may not know, but Father has become increasingly suspicious of me lately. A while ago, when the Ji River flooded, I merely submitted a few suggestions for flood control, and Father reprimanded me, saying that I had lived in the deep palace for too long and was unaware of the people's suffering. Yesterday in court, he even spoke harshly to me in front of all the officials, angrily accusing me of being overly self-serving and acting arrogantly. But if even offering advice is met with reprimand, then I, as the Crown Prince, am truly..."
At this point, Zhao Xuanzhang quickly stopped talking and gave a bitter smile: "If you follow me, there is really no future for you."
Looking at his somber expression, Song Ce felt a pang of emotion. Having experienced many ancient worlds, he naturally knew the hardships faced by successive crown princes and could understand his helplessness and resentment at this moment.
"Your Highness, I believe that His Majesty's current dissatisfaction with you may not stem from any wrongdoing on your part, but rather from..."
"And what?"
Song Ce paused, looked up at Zhao Xuanzhang, and said softly, "It is because His Majesty is getting old and values the power in his hands more and more. He cannot tolerate anyone overstepping his bounds in the slightest, including Your Highness. All the civil and military officials know that Your Highness is wholeheartedly devoted to the country. Your Highness's proposal on flood control was well-intentioned, but it has been misunderstood. This is truly due to His Majesty's doubts."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuanzhang's expression hardened, and he said in a low voice, "Please be careful with your words, Young Master Song!"
Song Ce smiled and continued, "Although Your Highness is in a difficult situation now, you are not without opportunities. I am willing to offer suggestions to Your Highness to help you overcome your current predicament."
Zhao Xuanzhang looked at the newly appointed top scholar before him, his expression complex. He naturally understood that Song Ce's statement represented not only himself, but also the entire power of the Marquis of Weiwu's mansion, all willing to become his support as the Crown Prince. Such a young talent, with a bright future in sight, there was no reason for him to refuse.
"good."
Several days later, Song Ce arrived at the East Palace mysteriously, carrying a food box, to request an audience with Crown Prince Zhao Xuanzhang.
"What does Your Highness think of this item?"
As he spoke, Song Ce opened the food box, and a sweet aroma immediately filled the room. He took out a plate of steaming sweet potatoes from the box and solemnly placed it in front of Zhao Xuanzhang.
Zhao Xuanzhang's gaze fell on the sweet potatoes on the plate, and he couldn't help but feel puzzled. He picked up his silver chopsticks and gently poked at the soft skin, asking curiously, "What is this?"
"Your Highness, why don't you try it?" Song Ce said with a smile.
Zhao Xuanzhang nodded slightly, took a deep sniff of the sweet potato's aroma, then carefully picked up a piece, hesitated for a moment, and put it in his mouth.
"This stuff... has a wonderful aroma, and is soft and sweet when you bite into it. Although it's a little dry, it has a unique flavor."
Song Ce smiled and explained, "This is called sweet potato. In our Great Yue Dynasty, it can be grown for multiple seasons. Sweet potatoes are highly adaptable, thrive in warm climates, are drought-resistant, and are very easy to grow. Their yield is so high that one mu (approximately 0.16 acres) can produce dozens of shi (approximately 1.5 tons) of grain, far exceeding other grains. Most importantly, sweet potatoes can be steamed, boiled, roasted, and used to make cakes and soups. In those foreign countries, there is a saying that sweet potatoes provide half a year's worth of food."
Zhao Xuanzhang froze upon hearing this, his hand holding the silver chopsticks trembling slightly. His gaze was fixed on the sweet potatoes on the plate. The yield of dozens of bushels per mu (a Chinese unit of area, approximately 0.16 acres) meant something that the future Great Yue Dynasty would hold for him all too well, as the crown prince.
Although the Dai Viet Dynasty had a vast territory, many prefectures and counties suffered from famine every year. The fact that farmers worked hard but could not even get enough to eat was always the most painful and distressing thing for Zhao Xuanzhang.
This summer, the northwest suffered a severe drought, with granaries in many areas running dry and people displaced. Refugees have begun to flock to the capital. If these sweet potatoes can truly yield such high yields, and their cultivation is widely promoted, it will surely solve the food and clothing problem for the people of Dayue.
"Young Master Song, where did you find this item?" Zhao Xuanzhang's voice was low, but he could not hide his urgency.
Song Ce cupped his hands and said, "Your Highness, I obtained these sweet potatoes by chance from a foreign merchant. I have tried planting them in my own backyard, and the harvest is quite bountiful. The yield is indeed as that man said, extremely high."
As he spoke, he took out a booklet from his sleeve and handed it to Zhao Xuanzhang. "This is a record of the planting and management of sweet potatoes. When to plant, how to plant, how to water and fertilize, I have recorded it all."
Zhao Xuanzhang hurriedly took the booklet and eagerly began to read it. The more he read, the more excited he became, exclaiming "Good!" three times in a row.
"Good! Good! Good!"
When Zhao Xuanzhang turned to the last page, he clapped his hands together, holding the booklet in his palms. The warm sunlight dappled his eyes, making them glisten with tears: "Truly, Heaven blesses our Great Yue! With such grain, our nation will surely endure for ten thousand generations!"
Looking at the excited Crown Prince, Song Ce suddenly said, "Your Highness, you should present this to His Majesty."
Zhao Xuanzhang was taken aback by Song Ce's words, seemingly not expecting him to say such a thing. Wasn't this man secretly offering him the sweet potato to gain favor and recognition?
What do you mean by that?
Song Ce lowered his eyes and smiled: "Your Highness, do you know that if we want sweet potatoes to be planted all over the world, we cannot do without His Majesty's golden words? Changing rice to sweet potatoes and allocating seedlings, how can we do without the supervision of the court? A lot of manpower and resources are needed. I'm afraid it will be difficult to accomplish this by Your Highness alone."
"The other day, Your Highness had a long talk with me, frankly saying that His Majesty's mind is unpredictable and that he is worried about his own situation. In recent years, His Majesty has favored sycophants, which has inevitably caused him to have some distrust of Your Highness. But if you offer this sweet potato, which can solve the problem of food and clothing for the people, His Majesty will naturally be happy to play the role of a wise ruler. In this way, His Majesty's suspicion of you may be alleviated, and your situation in the court will be greatly improved."
Zhao Xuanzhang put down the planting booklet and sat up slightly: "Can I... truly break this predicament?"
"Your Highness will know once you try it."
Just before dinner, Zhao Xuanzhang arrived at the Dongyang Palace with a food box containing sweet potatoes in both hands, requesting an audience with Emperor Jian'an.
Emperor Jian'an frowned as he looked at the respectful Crown Prince, his gaze sweeping over the sweet potatoes on the plate. His tone was unreadable: "What does the Crown Prince mean by this? Do you think my daily meals are too refined, and that's why you've specially found these wild mountain foods to fool me?"
Zhao Xuanzhang knelt heavily, his forehead touching the ground with a muffled thud on the blue bricks: "Your Majesty, this is a grain from a foreign land, called sweet potato. It is drought-resistant and highly productive, yielding dozens of bushels per mu. I have already ordered people to try planting it, and indeed the yield is quite abundant, several times that of ordinary crops. If it can be promoted and planted as soon as possible, it will surely alleviate the famine of the refugees in the northwest. Therefore, I dare not delay and have come to present this to Your Majesty."
Upon hearing this, the Dongyang Palace fell silent.
Emperor Jian'an abruptly stood up, took two steps to the steps, and stared intently at the sweet potatoes on the plate. After a while, he finally picked up his chopsticks, took a piece of sweet potato, and put it in his mouth. Soon, a soft, sweet, and fragrant taste spread across his tongue.
"Good, very good..."
A ripple appeared in Emperor Jian'an's aged eyes, and he said gently, "Crown Prince, you are thoughtful. These days I am worried about the affairs of the state and have been increasingly strict with you. Do not hold any resentment. All that I have done is to temper you so that you can become a wise ruler in the future."
At this point, Emperor Jian'an's voice lowered: "You are the Crown Prince, so naturally I will consider your needs more."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuanzhang quickly bowed again, his face full of emotion, and said, "In my heart, Father Emperor's achievements are comparable to those of Emperor Taizong of the Song Dynasty. I only ask that Father Emperor be healthy and well, and I have no other requests."
"Good boy, get up quickly. Gao Xuan, summon the Minister of Revenue and the Vice Minister of Works to see me immediately!" Emperor Jian'an first helped Zhao Xuanzhang up, and then ordered the eunuch beside him, his voice filled with barely suppressed excitement.
"Since Father has matters of state to attend to, I will proceed..."
Before Zhao Xuanzhang could finish speaking, Emperor Jian'an stopped him, smiling as he said, "Zhang'er, you shall stay. As the crown prince of a nation, how can you shirk your duties?"
Zhao Xuanzhang knelt on the ground and responded loudly.
That night, the candles in Dongyang Palace burned until midnight.
Zhao Xuanhong stood by the study window, listening to the person behind him whispering a secret report, his fingernails digging deeply into his palms.
"Your Highness, news has come from the palace that the Crown Prince entered the Dongyang Palace with a food box and has not come out since. Immediately afterwards, His Majesty summoned the Minister of Revenue and the Vice Minister of Works for an overnight meeting."
"A food box?" Zhao Xuanhong sneered. "It seems our Crown Prince is getting restless." With that, he turned and walked towards the dark room in the study. The dim candlelight cast his shadow on the flower and bird screen. "Has the Crown Prince seen anyone recently?"
"Your Highness, the Crown Prince has been getting quite close to Song Ce, the heir of the Marquis of Weiwu's mansion, these past few days, and it seems he intends to recruit him."
"Fine, send someone to keep an eye on Song Ce. I want to see what they're up to!"
"Yes, Your Highness!"
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Author's Note: (Facepalm with gratitude) [Cat emoji]
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