Chapter 93
"My dear ministers, please stand up."
Emperor Chongzhao went to the front and sat down.
Qu Dubian also sat down. The princes sat closer to the ministers.
The dishes on the table were okay. Qu Watanabe was not picky about food. He ate silently and then thought about how to improve Yu Ruo's favorability.
Heart to heart? Heart to heart?
How is that possible? They were forced to come here. He rushed up to them and said he wanted to make friends with them. I don’t know how many years it will take to break through their psychological defenses.
While thinking, he secretly reached out to take the fruit wine on the Fourth Prince's table.
Emperor Chongzhao coughed heavily.
Qu Watanabe withdrew his hand as if nothing had happened, lowered his head to pick up the vegetables, and poured himself a glass of milk.
Emperor Chongzhao then looked away.
"It's the same as in previous years. Everyone can eat and drink as they please and say whatever they want. Don't pay any attention to me."
The ministers responded one after another, and then looked vaguely at the prince of Nanning.
The Third Prince put down his wine cup with a click, and then said with a smile: "I heard that people in Nanning are good at dancing, sword dance, flute dance, and even fan dance. I have long heard that His Highness Yu Ruo is very talented. Now that he has entered our Great Zhou, it is a great time. Why don't you perform a dance for him?"
The atmosphere suddenly became a little subtle.
Qu Dubian raised his head and slowed down his eating.
It doesn’t matter whether people from Nanning are good at dancing or not, and it doesn’t matter whether Yu Ruo can dance or not. What matters is that this request was already insulting the moment the third brother made it.
If Yu Ruo jumped, Nanning would lose all face. If he didn't jump, he would have to find a suitable reason to refuse.
Emperor Chongzhao gently rebuked: "Third brother, don't be rude."
But he didn't say it directly, telling Yu Ruo not to jump.
Yu Ruo studied the wine glass in his hand for a moment, then said with a smile, "Of course I am willing to dance, but dancing alone in such an occasion would be too monotonous."
"Since the Third Prince has suggested it..." He pondered for a moment and invited the First Prince, "I heard that the First Prince is also good at sword dancing. Why don't you join me? It can be regarded as a gesture of filial piety to Your Majesty."
Yu Ruo stood up and saluted: "But I only know how to dance to one song, which happens to be a famous song of the Great Zhou Dynasty, called "Cangshan Huihunqu"."
Emperor Chongzhao narrowed his eyes instantly.
"The Revenge of Cangshan" is a famous song from the previous dynasty. It tells the story of a general who became arrogant and proud after winning a battle, and was finally captured in Cangshan and became a prisoner.
This song was included in this dynasty's collection and was used as a warning.
Pulling his eldest son to dance to this song was a blatant irony.
The eldest prince was about to retort when Shu Wenxin pinched his waist. His face twisted for a moment, and the words on his lips suddenly turned around in his mind and became: "Oh, my filial piety to my father has been shown in the New Year's gift. Today is Prince Yu Ruo's home court, and I will not compete with you."
Yu Ruo was distressed: "Is there no prince of the Great Zhou who can dance in the palace to show his filial piety?"
He put on the hat of "filial piety" and transferred his difficult situation to the prince of Da Zhou.
The attendant sighed in his heart and recorded the scene one by one.
It’s not right to jump now, and it’s not right not to jump either.
If he did, the historian would record that "the Nanning hostage and a certain prince of the Great Zhou danced together to "The Soul Returning Song of Cangshan Mountain", which would be a mockery right in his face.
If you don't dance, all the princes will find excuses to refuse to show their filial piety. How can Your Majesty be proud?
If Your Majesty interrupts at this moment and lets Prince Yu Ruo not jump, it would be like trying to intimidate others but instead being tricked and still being at a disadvantage.
No matter how you look at it, it's embarrassing. No one wants to be someone who brings shame to the emperor.
Yu Ruo was selecting princes, and the princes who were swept by him cursed their bad luck inwardly.
A few seconds later, he suddenly looked at Qu Watanabe.
"How about... Seventh Prince? I heard that you have been weak and sick since childhood. Last time, Duke Lu of my dynasty even knocked you down. I believe that you have caused your Majesty a lot of worry since childhood. In order to thank your Majesty for his kindness, I wonder if you are willing to dance with me to show your filial piety?"
“…”
“…”
Concubine Xuan frowned, "Your Majesty, Xiao Qi just recovered a few days ago, how can she perform in the palace?"
The Fourth Prince held down Qu Duanbian's wrist and shook his head, signaling him not to go to this shady place.
The fifth prince cast a worried look. The sixth prince didn't quite understand the situation, but everyone seemed reluctant to go, so it would probably not be a good idea to go dancing.
Seventh brother is so unlucky.
Emperor Chongzhao looked at his youngest son. There was still some oil on the boy's lips, and it seemed that he had just eaten with great relish.
Qu Dubian swallowed the food in his mouth and looked into Yu Ruo's eyes——
There was a hint of amusement in those eyes.
Was it revenge for ruining his plan to blackmail someone?
The second person who came up to him made things difficult for him, thinking he was a vegetarian? Don't think he would be anyone's grandson just for the sake of goodwill.
He doesn't need any more.
It is difficult to increase the favorability of the enemy's prince, so at worst he can just give up on him.
Qu Watanabe would never wait until the next day to take revenge if he could do so on the spot, unless he would take an even more ruthless revenge later.
He wiped his mouth with a handkerchief, stood up, and bowed solemnly to Emperor Chongzhao.
“…”
Emperor Chongzhao moved his body uncomfortably.
"Prince Yuruo always talks about being filial. It seems like something is missing in the palace without filial piety. Father, this matter is actually very easy to handle." Qu Duan put her hands behind her back.
The corner of Emperor Chongzhao's mouth twitched. He was very familiar with some of his youngest son's actions. Every time he pretended to be serious, he was either trying to cheat or harm others.
This brat, he wouldn't betray his father in such an important occasion, would he?
He could only secretly worry and said, "Tell me, what should we do?"
Qu Dubian: "As the saying goes, ruler is ruler, subject is subject, father is father, son is son. Since Nanning was defeated, they are naturally subjects. Since they are subjects, then you, father, are their ruler and father."
"Now that Prince Yu Ruo has come to our Great Zhou, isn't that equivalent to a marriage alliance? Why don't we strengthen the relationship and simply let Prince Yu Ruo worship you as his godfather and make him your son? That way, no matter what dance he performs or what song he sings, it will be an offering of filial piety."
The smile on Yu Ruo's face faded.
Emperor Chongzhao was stunned, and then burst into laughter.
Qu Dubian wondered, "What are you laughing at? We are not petty people. We are not jealous of our father having an extra son."
"Hahaha, great, great," the Minister of Revenue was overjoyed. "Although the Seventh Prince's words were a bit blunt, his words were true."
The fourth prince couldn't help but laugh and said, "You are amazing."
Qu Duan sat down and asked: "Does Prince Yuruo recognize him?"
After Emperor Chongzhao regained his dignity, he came out to smooth things over: "Alright, alright, we have our father. Let's all be friendly. Your Highness Yuruo, Xiaoqi is still young, don't bother with him. You should also sit down and eat. Eat and drink enough so you can go back and rest."
Yu Ruo bowed and sat down.
He glanced at Qu Watanabe again.
Qu Dubian poured himself a glass of milk and sighed, wouldn't this favorability rating be reduced to zero?
Next second.
[Yu Ruo's favorability +1]
Qu Watanabe: “?”
He couldn't help but look up at the opposite side.
Isn't it you, big brother?
Yu Ruo smiled and raised his glass towards him.
Qu Dubian finished drinking the milk, wiped the milk residue on his mouth, and went to talk to the Fourth Prince without even looking at him.
This is so weird, could he be a pervert?
Halfway through the annual banquet, Qu Dubian left early. He always felt that Yu Ruo's smile was malicious. He had already caused two investors to fail. Who knew what tricks he would play in the second half?
After the New Year banquet.
Yu Ruo returned to his mansion.
Thinking about what happened at the banquet today, I smiled.
"That Seventh Prince is really... quite interesting."
Gu Xin: "Your Highness, do you have a better impression of the Seventh Prince? But it was the Second Prince who came to the mansion to pick you up and showed you kindness."
He was still quite indignant. After all, his prince had suffered losses twice, both at the hands of the Seventh Prince of the Great Zhou.
Yu Ruo: "That second prince is too smooth and never leaks anything. He seems to be noncompetitive, but when he came to me today, he told me in a subtle way that the first prince and the third prince don't get along."
"Do you really believe that the Great Zhou royal family will be kind and gentle to us? It's just that they can gain something from me."
There is one more thing he didn't say.
He didn't believe that the Seventh Prince had really discovered his plans twice by accident, nor did he want to attribute the Seventh Prince's words in the palace to the child's talk that happened to break the situation -
There are not so many coincidences in the world.
-
After the annual banquet, all officials took a vacation.
Qu Watanabe no longer had classes, and this was a rare period of leisure and relaxation.
He planned to stay in the Marquis' Mansion for two days and Shunning Palace for two days after tomorrow.
Then he went out of the palace with Xia Fuyang and Xi Zixing to have fun together and enhance their friendship.
His life is peaceful and quiet.
The other side.
East Factory.
Wen Xiaochun has been going out early and coming back late these days, and the work of the Inspection and Transportation Department has basically been handed over to his deputy.
His face became uglier and paler day by day.
Until the night of the New Year's Day, when fireworks were set off outside, he returned from the East Factory and went straight into his room, locked it, and did not let anyone in.
He was holding a wooden barrel and felt like vomiting, but after holding it for a long time, nothing came out.
Bloody and cruel scenes kept flashing back in my mind.
Back to the night after the Nanning envoy left, Cui Rong, the head of the East Factory, met him:
[“Are you interested in working for the East Factory? You’ve reached the top of the Transportation Department as the general manager. If you move up, many positions will have less power than the Transportation Department.”
"You have a good foundation in martial arts, and you can recognize words, read and write. You have a lot of knowledge, so it would be a waste of time if you stay here."
"If you have some ambition, come to the East Factory and test your courage and psychological defenses first."]
After thinking about it, it didn't take him much effort to agree.
Then he spent most of the past few days in the Dongchang prison.
From watching an execution to personally carrying out the execution.
Today he executed three death row prisoners using three different types of criminal law. Cui Rong said that he was very good, and if he wanted to come, he could immediately join the East Factory after quitting his job at the Inspection and Transportation Department.
Wen Xiaochun, however, had an indescribable, subtle fear.
He didn't feel it when he was watching the execution, but after he had executed someone and his hands and body were covered in blood, he suddenly saw the little prince standing in front of him.
I looked at him with a bit of disgust, covering my nose, then turned my head and vomited.
Your Highness hates the smell of blood.
He sat there like this until dawn, without a clear thread in his mind.
When the sky was slightly bright, his deputy knocked on the window: "Butler, your customary New Year's gift has been delivered to you again."
Wen Xiaochun moved to the window and brought in the small box.
After he came to the inspection and transportation department, His Highness and Xiaoyuan would prepare gifts for him every year and deliver them to him at this time every year.
As soon as he opened it.
Inside the small box was a white star-shaped gemstone and a familiar little note that read:
There is a natural internal crack on the gemstone, which is very similar to the small scar at the end of Xiaochun's eyebrow. This morning we had round cabbage and pork dumplings~
Wen Xiaochun moved out a box and placed the gems inside. Inside were all the gifts he had received over the years.
He placed the box on the table and gently pushed it forward, letting the morning light from outside shine on the box. He stood in the unlit room and said to his deputy who was still guarding outside the window:
"You should familiarize yourself with the matters that the steward will deal with as soon as possible."
-
[Ding! Wen Xiaochun's favorability has reached 60. ]
[Congratulations to the host for gaining one year of lifespan. ]
[Total remaining lifespan: 7 years and 75 days.]
Qu Watanabe was at his grandmother's house at the time.
After hearing the news, he was still stunned. How come it was suddenly full? Could it be that the gift he sent was just what Xiaochun liked? No, it wasn't. He usually sent the same thing.
He opened the favorability list and took a look.
I found that Wen Xiaochun's column has become like this:
【Name: Wen Xiaochun
Favorability: 60 (has reached the upper limit, any further increase will not be counted in the simulator)]
He asked the simulator why the upper limit was not 100. The simulator said that it was difficult for humans to admire, like and expect someone without any selfish desires. 60 was already a difficult number to reach.
Wu Siwan poked his grandson, "What are you doing? You're daydreaming."
Qu Dubian pulled himself back to his thoughts: "It's okay, grandma, come on, just sew a few more stitches and our Dahei will have new clothes to wear."
Dahei has been feeling more and more afraid of the cold these days, and really hopes the weather will warm up soon.
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