Chapter 201: The Conspiracy Resurfaces (Bonus Chapter...)
Having traveled through time for so long, this was the most weighty sentence Qi Chengming had ever heard.
He was naturally excited, but in the next instant, a series of classical allusions involuntarily surfaced in his mind:
How did Zhu Di deceive his second son? And how did Li Shimin give his second son the wrong impression?
Qi Chengming, Qi Chengming, your current situation, let alone being described as being like being cooked on a hot stove, and having just gone to great lengths to dispel the old emperor's suspicions, is remarkably similar to that of a second son. Even though your elder brother has just passed away, making you the de facto eldest son... Shouldn't all these lessons from the past calm you down?
Qi Chengming was alarmed.
Before things are settled, nothing we say counts! It's all just empty promises!
Therefore, Qi Chengming's smile faded slightly. He respectfully and gratefully released his father, gently supporting him with his hand, without showing any excessive joy or excitement.
This composed and calm demeanor actually made Emperor Hongren, who had been deliberately observing him after his slip of the tongue, look at him with new respect.
"Good boy, let's go." Emperor Hongren also calmed down and walked with his son, telling him about what had happened outside during this time, before getting into the carriage to return to the palace.
This was the imperial carriage reserved for the emperor, spacious and comfortable. It was Qi Chengming's first time riding in it, and he couldn't very well refuse in this atmosphere—the emperor had come in disguise to welcome him back to the palace, and to insist on following the rules at a time like this would be a matter of emotional intelligence.
"Take good care of yourself during this time; your face has gotten so thin! Don't rush your studies; I'll have your tutors come later. But your study companions... you can play with them more." Emperor Hongren gave his kind and gentle instructions, displaying the demeanor of a loving father and son. "Your cousin has already inherited his title; you haven't visited him yet, have you?"
"Yes, I'll go and congratulate him in the next few days," Qi Chengming agreed, but in his heart he was worried about how his job was going.
It's not about doing good or bad; it's just that it's the dead of winter, and factories and shops can provide jobs for ordinary people, giving them some income during the colder months. The briquette factory can also offer internal discounts, providing them with broken coal or wood-burning stoves. The leftover meat and sweet snacks from pastry shops, pork and other food stores are luxuries for the people; they can take them home to nourish their bodies…
These things have already been done in Liuzhou. Even if he's not around for a while, Song Gu should still be able to keep an eye on things, right?
It's best to avoid any mistakes.
Emperor Hongren had also thought of these things, and praised, "You've been busy all winter, but you're nowhere to be seen when it's time to claim credit. The Ministry of Revenue says that the national treasury has received an extra 100,000 taels of silver. With such a great achievement, how do you want me to reward you?"
Qi Chengming did some mental calculations and was somewhat surprised.
The same method yields drastically different results when applied to a poor, remote place like Liuzhou versus a wealthy city like the capital. In the capital, the meager wages and reasonable expenses of ordinary people are excluded, as are the small sums of money officials skim off the top, and the commonly used but often fraudulently obtained banknotes…
How long has it been? Several properties have already yielded a profit of 100,000 taels.
The golden goose that lays the eggs—it must be because it's so fresh. And these fresh things aren't just one or two at a time; they're being tossed out of his head in droves, like a winter thunderstorm, one after another. That's why the powerful and wealthy flock to it, raking in fortunes.
While his mind wandered to this, Qi Chengming didn't slack off and gave a very smooth answer: "This was originally a job that Father Emperor granted me to gain experience. Whether I earn a lot or a little, it's what I deserve. The reputation is all mine to enjoy. Father Emperor has already treated me so well, what more could I ask for?"
Old Deng.
Qi Chengming cursed inwardly.
Although Qi Chengming originally intended to offer a huge sum of money to the national treasury to fill the numerous holes in this vast country and to appease Emperor Hongren's suspicions, he did so voluntarily.
But... he sensed from Emperor Hongren's words that he wasn't going to share any of the credit with him from the start; he even had to test his own merits.
What does this mean?
I don't need it because I think people in this era are suffering, and they need it more. But if you originally planned not to give anything at all, and didn't even make an effort, that's going too far! You're just asking for trouble.
really.
After Qi Chengming displayed the utmost respect, Emperor Hongren laughed heartily, "Hahaha, good! I have a fine son. Even so, it's not right not to reward him at all. Zhao Fuman—send the gift to Prince Rui's residence, and let him see it for himself when he gets back."
Qi Chengming's face was full of anticipation, but his heart was filled with little interest. Emperor Hongren was always stingy and indifferent; he could even give him his own mother's belongings as a reward. What could he possibly expect?
Thus, Emperor Hongren enjoyed a perfect dinner with Qi Chengming before the emperor, his face beaming with joy, a far cry from his gloomy demeanor of the past few days. He completely forgot about his other sons who were still suffering in the restaurant.
Leaving aside the others in the harem, Consort Shu's eyes were swollen from crying, and she had been bedridden for the past few days, unable to get up. Now, upon hearing that the Second Prince had recovered from his illness and was being treated so well by the Emperor, she said those words again.
Even with her strong heart, she couldn't hold back her resentment and cried, "His precious son is perfectly fine, he's completely forgotten that my son has closed his eyes... Who will cry for Xiao'er now? How am I supposed to live like this!"
These past few days, the imperial grandchildren have been sent to Consort Shu's palace for upbringing. Now, upon hearing this, they also burst into tears, creating a mournful and sorrowful atmosphere.
What can be done?
Having lost her support, Consort Shu could only hold her grandchildren tightly, and who knows what she was thinking in secret.
Once Qi Chengming recovered from his illness, the tense and stagnant atmosphere returned to normal as if rusty gears had been lubricated.
He returned to his residence after nearly a month's absence, where everyone was overjoyed to greet him. The place was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations, a perfect time to bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new.
"Your Highness, look at what the palace has sent!" Xiao Dezi rushed over and showered him with concern before regaining his composure and explaining the rewards from the palace.
There were gold-flecked paper, white jade cloud-patterned paper, porcelain blue paper, powdered paper, and water-patterned paper—all kinds of precious papers. There were also celadon landscape brush holders, square-shaped gold inksticks depicting auspicious symbols, various paperweights, brush washers, incense burners, seals, and more. A dazzling array of items, everything imaginable was available.
It was filled with precious curiosities from the study, worth a fortune, embodying the painstaking efforts of ancient people and resources.
Finally, it also came with three million taels of silver notes.
Xiao Dezi didn't understand these things, but he knew that this reward was a huge windfall, and his face was beaming with joy.
"...I've learned it." Qi Chengming couldn't help but mutter.
In fact, he understood Emperor Hongren's stingy behavior.
Although he found himself in a life of luxury and wealth after arriving in the capital, he hadn't forgotten the natural and man-made disasters he had encountered along the way: floods, earthquakes, locust plagues, and the chaos of war. Even near the capital, there were still so many refugees starving.
Qi Chengming will not be blinded by his current privileged environment.
Every penny in the national treasury must be used sparingly and properly. So what about rewards? These inanimate objects in private treasuries can be used as payment. However, he must never act like Emperor Hongren, who was so despicable.
With the same rewards and the same thoughts and actions, if only the methods were slightly different, he wouldn't be cursing Emperor Hongren in his heart every day.
"Let's put them all into storage as usual." Qi Chengming habitually glanced at everyone's faces, not seeing that they were interested in anything. His gaze then fell on Shishuang, who was obediently following behind Gantang, and added, "The main courtyard is still missing a head palace maid. Shishuang, fill the position."
"Yes." Shi Shuang smiled broadly, trying hard to keep her lips pursed.
The crowd dispersed, leaving only the people from the main courtyard to gather around and congratulate her. Chestnut stood listlessly a short distance away, watching. She knew that once the Prince returned safely… Shishuang would be incredibly lucky and her fortunes would soar to new heights!
Now that the vacancy is gone, should she...?
Chestnut pondered this over and over, but to no avail. "Forget it," she thought, "the prince has just recovered from his illness, he's weak and conspicuous, so I'll pass on that for now."
With tears in her eyes, Nanny Liu waited in front of the main room, holding in her hands the fruits of her labor over the past few days—several ready-made clothes, undergarments, and finely stitched boots and insoles.
"It's good that you're back, it's good that you're back," she said with lingering fear, without saying anything else.
Qi Chengming had had enough of being fawned over the whole way, but he felt both helpless and warm-hearted. He finally calmed the group down before letting Xiao Dezi, Song Gu, and He Dajia into the study. He asked, "Has anything happened during this time?"
Xiao Dezi thought for a moment and then offered a suggestion: "I think the wet nurse... seems to be entangled with her former husband's family."
Qi Chengming frowned.
Xiao Dezi quickly said, "They came specifically to apologize. They said a lot of nice things, and their son brought his grandchildren. They were crying and kneeling on the ground, sincerely wanting to take her back."
Qi Chengming had many guesses in his mind, and asked thoughtfully, "When did this happen?"
"Those two days, everyone outside was saying that Your Highness... ptooey! Anyway, we all thought you must be very lucky, and you really did manage to get through it all!" Xiao Dezi couldn't stand any bad luck lately, and kept shaking his head.
This was completely different from what Qi Chengming had expected. His brows relaxed slightly as he confirmed, "Oh? Not when we return to the capital? Nor after I recover from my illness?"
He had originally thought that his wet nurse's husband's family and children and grandchildren were ungrateful, and that his wet nurse was not living a happy life. He had long planned to have Zhang Xian, whom he recognized as a godmother, take care of her in her old age and keep her happy, while leaving that whole group of people alone.
Could there be some reasons he's unaware of?
“Yes, we also have our doubts. We’ve confirmed it several times.” Xiao Dezi glanced at Song Gu, who nodded in assurance. “They sent someone once when we returned to the capital. After we found out that Liu Wet Nurse was missing, they disappeared. The news was spreading like wildfire for the past two days. They only came when the situation was at its most dangerous.”
Song Gu had examined the situation and confirmed that the other party was not the type to take advantage of someone's misfortune. Perhaps the other party was just pretending too well, concealing their true intentions, and if they revealed them again, they would have to wait until the wet nurse returned home.
"But the wet nurse still said she wouldn't see him. However, after she returned, Miss Zhang secretly said that she had been restless." Xiao Dezi added, "Now that His Highness has returned safely, they have stopped making any moves."
Qi Chengming understood.
After all, they were her own flesh and blood, and she had sincerely welcomed them during a time of crisis, so Liu the wet nurse hesitated and softened. But the hardships she had endured before had made her wary, so she had been suffering greatly during this period.
"I'll ask the wet nurse for her opinion." Qi Chengming kept this in mind; he also planned to meet that family. The matter of the wet nurse's mysterious departure from the palace and her subsequent pursuit was still unresolved. Aside from the wet nurse herself, he wondered if they could recall any details.
Qi Chengming didn't intend to make the decision for the wet nurse; he felt that the choice of wet nurse was fine with her.
Even if she heartlessly abandons her family, she still has herself and the Zhang siblings to take care of her in her old age and keep her company.
Choosing to remarry doesn't mean forgiveness. Now that the Prince Rui's mansion has risen again, it will always be the source of strength for Nanny Liu. Her family can only pamper and coax her; there will be no more tormenting her.
When Liu's wet nurse got angry and sad, and remembered the past, she beat her husband and son and retaliated. It was all justified!
It all depends on how you choose.
Qi Chengming went to the small courtyard where Liu's wet nurse was and, without waiting a moment, told her everything he had to say.
After listening quietly, the nanny's expression softened, as if she had finally made a decision. She sighed with relief and said, "I'll go take a trip in the next couple of days. My son asked me to go back and check on things, so I'll grant his wish this time."
"Sigh." Before Qi Chengming could say anything, Nanny Liu spoke her mind: "Their behavior is so abnormal; they must be hiding something. I'll go test them on His Highness's behalf... who knows what kind of conspiracy they might be plotting? We can't let His Highness suffer any more harm!"
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Author's Note: Third Update
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