Chapter 180 (The Hundred and Eighty Chapters) - Testing and Concealing One's Strength
From the moment he was preparing to enter the palace from his residence, Qi Chengming had already thought about how to steer the conversation to achieve his goal today.
The period immediately following his return is probably when Emperor Hongren is giving him the most face; try to bring up anything now.
—The other princes, regardless of their age, all lived in the palace, while he was the only one living outside. This was extremely disadvantageous for Qi Chengming. Even though the eldest prince had all his wives, concubines, and children, there was still no indication of him requesting to leave the palace and establish his own residence. He remained silent whenever asked.
With his vast Prince Rui's mansion and servants, Qi Chengming could no longer return to the palace and could only try to find opportunities to stay at the Second Prince's residence from time to time.
After the meal, Qi Chengming left the palace with a full sense of accomplishment.
The emperor's meals were indeed unlike any other; every dish was a delicacy, exquisitely prepared and delicious. Even Qi Chengming couldn't help but marvel at the ingenuity of the ancients. Before leaving the palace, he indeed managed to trick Emperor Hongren out of a head chef from the imperial kitchen, returning home laden with spoils.
At Prince Rui's residence, everything seemed normal. But as soon as Qi Chengming alighted from his carriage, Gan Tang and Xiao Chengzi excitedly rushed forward, their eyes shining: "Your Highness!"
"What's going on?" Qi Chengming asked with a knowing smile, walking along and seeing that the main courtyard had been completely renovated.
Xiao Dezi was still busy making records, too busy to speak. Gan Tang quickly walked to the wall and happily gestured to her master, "His Majesty sent someone to the manor today to replace all of these..."
The paper used to cover the windows was replaced with the finest gold-flecked satin, the windproof bed curtains were replaced with soft and exquisite Shu brocade, and the plain white vases were replaced with various plum blossom vases, gall vases, gourd vases, and thin-walled jade pots made by the imperial court. The bowls, cups, and teacups that Qi Chengming emphasized were also replaced with sets of exquisite pieces made by the imperial kilns according to official designs.
"The Imperial Eunuch specifically emphasized that," Xiao Chengzi recited fluently, word for word, but judging from his expression, the young eunuch's eyes were somewhat glazed over, clearly indicating that he didn't understand what he was saying.
"This batch of bowls and cups includes two types: sky-blue jadeite glaze and begonia tea-colored glaze. The interiors of all bowls and cups are inlaid with chased brocade patterns and lotus designs. They are exquisite sets treasured in His Majesty's imperial treasury..."
As Xiao Chengzi spoke, Gan Tang led several palace maids to carefully arrange the bowls and cups in a row for Qi Chengming to admire.
The young prince held his breath and looked closely.
Although he didn't understand these things very well, on the ship back, everyone gave him a crash course in the basics. The imperial kiln was a place that exclusively made utensils for the emperor, and the items produced all followed a specific standard according to the emperor's preferences, known as the official specifications.
Pure yellow glaze is the most grand and beautiful. When He Dajia was teaching this part, he unfolded the scroll and painted a cup for him at will. It was lifelike. Unfortunately, it was only supplied to the emperor, empress and empress dowager.
Secondly, the glaze colors and patterns were all made according to different preferences. For example, Emperor Taizu liked magnificent and colorful styles and preferred different colors mixed together to create a beautiful effect, while Emperor Hongren preferred gradient solid colors.
For example, the celadon jade glaze set we brought this time features bowls and cups that are entirely white with a gradient of blue, resembling the weather after a rain shower. The bottom, on the other hand, is a pure and translucent green, like jade. The lotus patterns and small characters on the surface are all subtly inlaid, just right, without vying for attention with the glaze color.
As Qi Chengming looked at them, he thought of He Dajia's teachings, and when he said this, he spoke in a low voice: "If it were the emperors of the previous dynasty or the founding emperor, the brocade patterns on the glaze would have been large areas covered with characters and lines, which would have made the rich glaze even more colorful and vibrant."
"So beautiful..." Qi Chengming couldn't say anything else, but he had eyes and couldn't help but sigh.
This time, the good stuff that Emperor Hongren had supposedly taken has truly returned.
After a delighted look around, Qi Chengming instructed Xiao Ju to tidy everything up. Until this moment, Gan Tang remained oblivious to what was happening. Then she heard her prince say with ease—his tone tinged with smugness:
"Gantang, Xiaoju, Xiaodezi, Xiaochengzi, you usually serve me tea the most. This time I got new utensils, so you can divide up the old bowls and cups."
Gan Tang and Xiao Ju were stunned for a moment, then looked at each other in shock and pure joy.
Xiao Ju was especially happy, not expecting to receive a share. She immediately expressed her gratitude, saying, "This servant thanks Your Highness!"
Qi Chengming smiled with satisfaction, keeping his achievements and fame hidden.
While in Liuzhou, they weren't strictly managed. As long as servants registered, they could buy any personal items that weren't considered taboo. But now that they're back in the capital, everyone has to be more careful. Palace maids and eunuchs can only use the tea and rice bowls that are within their own rank, and they can't do whatever they want as freely as before.
Now, things are going perfectly. Qi Chengming has brought all the good stuff from the palace, strengthened his relationship with Emperor Hongren, and achieved his goal of staying in the palace for a while. He can also take this opportunity to find a reason to bestow these favored bowls and cups upon everyone.
Everyone was happy.
The next day, Qi Chengming went to the palace again.
This time, he specially brought grain seeds and several kinds of harvested potatoes, sweet potatoes and corn, and went straight to the imperial kitchen. After making proper arrangements, he went to find Emperor Hongren.
Emperor Hongren was taking a stroll in the inner palace today. Upon hearing the news, he quickly returned to the front palace, ignoring his concubines' reluctance to leave. He teased Qi Chengming, "Weren't those things from yesterday enough to shut you up? What brings you here today?"
"Father, these were discovered by your son outside. I should have submitted a memorial to the throne long ago... but I wanted to wait until I had a result before submitting this memorial, which is why I delayed until now." Qi Chengming bowed his head respectfully, somewhat shyly trying to make amends, and presented the thick memorial he had written overnight.
Emperor Hongren turned the pages and read them, remaining silent for a moment; the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Qi Chengming felt a little uneasy, but he calmly waited for Emperor Hongren's attitude.
They all knew perfectly well that if he hadn't been summoned back to the capital, the matter of the three high-yield grain varieties would have remained unresolved for who knows how long before the imperial family took notice and brought it back to the capital.
Now that everyone already knows about this, Qi Chengming is only now submitting his report. This may sound like a futile effort, but it's actually a necessary procedure. As for the Emperor:
[I know secretly that you've done something meritorious, and now that you're back in the capital, if you don't report it proactively—what do you intend to do with this reputation?]
This is a matter of attitude.
So even though Qi Chengming compiled a list of his inventions and innovations in Liuzhou, and the list was shocking, he had no intention of hiding them. These had all been impeached in court before, and he had to hand them over immediately upon returning to the capital before Emperor Hongren had remembered them. Even if it aroused Emperor Hongren's suspicion, there was nothing he could do.
"……good."
Emperor Hongren read the memorial for a long time, and when he finally put it down, his voice was momentarily hoarse, but he quickly adjusted it back to the kind tone he had been using these past few days, "Since you say it's so useful, I will try those new flavors at my meal today."
Instead of focusing on the crucial issues of ration coupons and grain varieties, he started by joking about the new dietary recipes.
"I will not disappoint Father." As Qi Chengming replied, he saw the figure in the dragon robe lean forward slightly, unconsciously changing to a more imposing and oppressive sitting posture. He became alert and full of vigilance.
"Chengming..." When Emperor Hongren spoke again, he hesitated slightly, and his tone softened considerably, indicating that he wanted to have a heart-to-heart talk.
"I know that I was too busy with state affairs back then and neglected you... which is why you never dared to compete for anything." The old emperor sighed earnestly, his words carrying a hint of inquiry and probing. "I never knew that you, at the age of thirteen, possessed so much wisdom."
Qi Chengming's mind raced.
Emperor Hongren had a question: the original owner of this body grew up in the palace until the age of thirteen, and was always weak and incompetent. She couldn't protect the palace servants, and she couldn't compete with her brothers. Even when she was bullied, she could only swallow her bitterness and act dull and taciturn.
Upon arriving in the fiefdom, he transformed into a multifaceted genius, excelling in all aspects and innovating in every way. Historically, discovering even one important new crop is incredibly difficult, yet he was blessed with extraordinary luck, discovering several in quick succession. His life was incredibly smooth, as if any problem could be easily solved in his hands…
With such a drastic change, Emperor Hongren must have had some doubts.
Qi Chengming even suspected that Emperor Hongren might have already found a way to verify whether he was indeed the Second Prince. If Qi Chengming hadn't been a transmigrator, there would probably have been problems.
He now... needs to find a reasonable excuse for himself.
"Concealing one's shortcomings" is the main theme, but where should we give specific examples? Because he was bullied by the Third Prince since childhood? That's not appropriate.
Qi Chengming rejected the idea in an instant.
Even if that were the case, Emperor Hongren would not want to hear him say that.
What about the previous witchcraft incident? That also carries risks. By ignoring him, Emperor Hongren wouldn't feel he was at fault, and there's a risk of blaming Emperor Hongren...
A light sweat broke out on Qi Chengming's back. In the blink of an eye, he had his answer as Emperor Hongren awaited it.
The young prince, filled with shame, knelt down solemnly, bowing his head deeply to conceal his expression, and pleaded guilty: "To be honest, Father, it was truly your fault... your fault... that I went out and indulged myself, and became carried away..."
"oh?"
"Since childhood, I have been accustomed to enjoying the fine things in the palace, but I envy my brothers who have their mothers to support them. I can only live in my mind every day, thinking about things aimlessly. My nature is inevitably very... extravagant, and I really love to enjoy life. Now that I'm out here, I've become the eldest in the household, and I can have whatever I want. So I've started to mess around with those things."
Qi Chengming spoke as if he were very ashamed, but he was telling the truth, and his tone revealed an underlying sense of righteous indignation and injustice.
Indeed, he was someone who was used to the conveniences of modern life, and suddenly he found himself in an ancient world where there was nothing, completely helpless. If he didn't try to distract himself with something familiar, he would really suffer terribly.
He never imagined he could go three years without using his phone!
Emperor Hongren was somewhat taken aback, but after a moment's thought, he realized that what his two sons said made perfect sense.
Ever since he began to favor his second son, all the information about this son from childhood to adulthood has been collected and listed on an intelligence list, leaving Emperor Hongren completely puzzled, which led to his question just now.
He thought the second prince would mention the third prince's long-term bullying of him, or the empress's and his own indifference. If these weren't mentioned, a prince with deep thoughts wouldn't have become so resentful, only showing off in public... Thinking about it, it made him extremely embarrassed.
Who would have thought that the second son would think that way?
Emperor Hongren was a keen judge of character. He stared at the young prince for a long time without revealing a single lie. Perhaps there was something to hide—the bullying he suffered at the hands of the third son and his own indifference were undeniable factors, but these words were indeed what the prince truly thought.
Too.
Since Erzi went to Liuzhou, he has been impeached by the imperial censors many times. Each time, the crime was that he was spoiled and extravagant... This kid is actually a lazy good-for-nothing who only shows his talent when he is forced to.
Emperor Hongren chuckled:
"You, even your jealousy of your other brothers is expressed with such righteous indignation. You may have lost your mother, but don't you still have your father, the Emperor? Your father will back you up. If you want to do something, just let him know. We are father and son, so from now on, don't pretend to be so cautious and timid!"
He picked out a document from a stack of memorials on his desk and threw it to Qi Chengming: "Look, here's what you wanted... the coal stove factory, along with the hilltop and the Vice Minister of Works, I've approved it all, and I'm handing it over to you to run."
This means the conversation has finally ended.
Qi Chengming's legs felt weak, but he breathed a sigh of relief; there was an unexpected surprise.
He happily agreed, not even bothering to voice his inner complaints.
Emperor Hongren was so engrossed in playing the role of a loving father that he continued to instruct: "This is your first assignment, and you should have done it perfectly, but there's no need to rush. I sent the Vice Minister of Works to assist you. If anything goes wrong, learn from the experience and carefully observe how they did it correctly... The important thing is what you learn, understand?"
"Yes," Qi Chengming solemnly replied, but he didn't really care.
He knew that Emperor Hongren meant well, genuinely wanting him, as his son, to learn and improve. But… he was also a prince, and a prince without any backing, completely reliant on himself. There was no room for failure in his first task; it was either progress or regression.
However, on the surface... he can only rely on Emperor Hongren.
Qi Chengming made up his mind.
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