After the outcome was decided, the Imperial Guards at the finish line couldn't help but cheer, their voices faintly reaching Zhu Rui's imperial carriage.
Those accompanying the Ming entourage to watch the match were eagerly anticipating the event. Although they had heard some noise, they dared not be too happy too soon. Zhu Rui was quite nervous, his fists clenched beneath his wide robe sleeves. Zhu Yuluo was even more so, staring intently into the distance, his lips pressed together.
Soon, a messenger from the Ministry of Rites rode up to report, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince Lan Tan has reached the finish line first! The Ming Dynasty has won!"
On such a cold day, there could be no more exciting news. The soldiers escorting the emperor immediately erupted in cheers, far louder than the previous cheers from afar, sounding like a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing.
Zhu Yulu stood up excitedly, her hands trembling with emotion. But then she remembered she couldn't lose her composure, so she suppressed her emotions and sat down.
"Great! That's wonderful!" Zhu Rui's expression immediately relaxed, and a smile appeared on his face. "Tell me quickly, how did you win!"
The man then recounted the details: "...There was a small bridge along the way, only wide enough for one person and one horse to cross. When the two horses were racing across the bridge, Lan Tan blindfolded himself with a black cloth, and the Crown Prince of the Chagatai Khanate reined in his horse to make way for him... Lan Tan rode forward, and the Crown Prince of the Chagatai Khanate could not catch up. In this way, the horse of our Great Ming Dynasty crossed the finish line first."
Upon hearing this, a murmur of admiration immediately arose from the crowd. The officials exchanged bewildered glances, all impressed by the plan. Zhu Rui pondered for a moment, then couldn't help but exclaim "Brilliant!" before turning to look at Shen Qingchen beside Zhu Yuluo.
A humble young woman, a rising star of unparalleled talent in the Ming Dynasty, she was elegant and refined under the sunlight, her gaze still gentle and calm, unperturbed by praise or criticism. She truly was the talent he had personally discovered; she could devise such an unparalleled plan, always shining brightly in crucial moments. It had only been a short time since she offered him her advice, and now she had succeeded again. This showed that her cleverness was not merely a fleeting moment, but a true display of exceptional talent, accumulated over time.
Since he ascended the throne, the Ming Dynasty's tribute payments had always been more outflows than inflows. Each time, foreign powers would take away so much stuff; it wasn't that he didn't feel the pinch, but the dignity of the monarchy and the nation couldn't be lost. This time, thanks to her, the Ming Dynasty won 20,000 warhorses, finally allowing them to make a profit from this unprofitable tribute deal! She truly stood up for him.
The feeling of winning is so exhilarating!
Meanwhile, in stark contrast to the jubilation of the Ming Dynasty's people, the Chagatai Khanate delegation was somber. The dozen or so members looked at each other, seemingly unable to accept the outcome. Firstly, they possessed the best horses and riders, and had never feared competition. Secondly, internal strife had erupted within the Crown Prince's palace; someone had promised to help them win, and this round they were practically certain of victory… how could they possibly lose?
They were all elites who had traveled to various countries for many years, yet this strategy of riding blindly was unheard of. Who could have come up with such a plan, with such keen insight into human nature? Also, where were the people from the Crown Prince's palace who were helping them? The horses of the Ming Dynasty had no problems whatsoever and were running very fast... Why was everything so different from what they had expected?
Twenty thousand warhorses are no small number. They've actually lost out on this tribute mission! They used to think the Ming Empire was just a figurehead, throwing lavish banquets to save face, letting them eat and drink for free time and take home loads of good stuff. Now it seems the Ming Dynasty isn't lacking in intelligent people, they've just been overlooked. This person is truly not to be underestimated.
Harutimur returned on horseback, his face somewhat gloomy. The envoys of the Chagatai Khanate went to greet him and inquired in Mongolian. He simply shook his head, said nothing, and his gaze fell on Qingchen through the crowd.
He sensed something was amiss at the Lantern Festival banquet that day. And today, before the match, this same person handed Lan Tan a piece of black cloth—it was this very cloth that caused his defeat…
The soldiers of the Ming Dynasty welcomed Lan Tan back as if he were a warrior. Among the excited crowd, only Song Yue remained calm and composed.
The Vice Minister of Rites stood beside him and leaned closer, saying, "Your Excellency, this plan is brilliant. The one who offered this advice to the Crown Prince must be the newly promoted Lord Shen, right? Your Excellency's protégé is truly remarkable. I wonder if Your Excellency himself devised this plan. If it was his idea alone, then in the entire Ming Dynasty, there are few people in the entire court who can compare to him."
Song Yue looked at Qing Chen and simply smiled, saying, "She's smarter than me."
Although he knew she had a way to win the competition, he hadn't expected it to be this kind of scheme. This scheme was even more ingenious than he had anticipated, completely overwhelming the opponent both psychologically and tactically, leaving the Chagatai Khanate utterly powerless. From uncovering and thwarting Wang Lishun's plot to winning the competition the opponent thought was a sure thing, she proceeded with meticulous care at every step, yet her victory was so beautiful.
That slender body not only possessed a woman's delicacy and meticulousness, but also a man's composure and decisiveness; the more you looked, the more captivating it became.
Qingchen seemed to sense his gaze and glanced in his direction as well. Their eyes met, and without a word, they understood each other with just a look.
The Vice Minister of Rites clicked his tongue twice. "Your Excellency's words suggest that this Lord Shen is destined to occupy a pivotal position in the court."
Besides the Vice Minister of Rites, the Grand Secretary Xu Yan, who had remained silent throughout, also shared this thought. Having served in the court for so many years and met so many people, he had long known that Shen Qingchen was no ordinary person and had already begun to win over people. However, he was still taken aback today. In such a short time, the Crown Prince, who had clearly been in a dilemma, had been easily resolved by her. Just like the last time with the dike repair, what seemed like an unsolvable situation always turned out to be a turning point in her hands.
He had previously dismissed the historical descriptions of one person being worth three thousand strategists, believing that one person's wisdom was always limited, which was why so many followers were needed. But after today's events, he suddenly realized that perhaps Shen Qingchen was such a person. If his son could gain her assistance in the future, then no one in the entire court would be able to shake the Xu family, and he could then enjoy his old age in peace.
By now, his son should have arrived at Dali Temple.
...
The Qianqing Palace.
Zhu Rui sat on the dragon throne in a pleasant mood, looking at the people in the hall.
Crown Prince Zhu Yulu stepped forward to pay his respects and said, "Father, today's victory is entirely due to the strategies devised by my teacher, Shen Qingchen. Therefore, I request that Your Majesty reward Shen Qingchen for his contributions."
Zhu Rui nodded, "Yes, he should be rewarded."
He hadn't yet decided what to reward her with. Twenty thousand warhorses was a significant achievement. The Ming Empire was vast, with millions of people, yet the entire country possessed only a few hundred thousand warhorses. Now, she had won so many for him in one go, allowing him to build a powerful cavalry force in the northern frontier.
This powerful cavalry force could establish a solid defensive line to prevent attacks from the Tatars, Oirats, and other countries, greatly relieving the pressure on the border and freeing the Ming Dynasty from further appeasement and bribery. They might even launch a preemptive strike, driving these barbarian tribes that have long harassed the northern frontier even further away, restoring long-term peace to the border people.
As Zhu Rui thought about it, his excitement grew. The previous dike-building strategy had alleviated the pressure on the national treasury and saved the people from the danger of flooding; this time, winning the competition had relieved the pressure on the border and allowed the people to live and work in peace…
Since discovering Shen Qingchen, he has become increasingly eager for the title of "wise ruler." He never expected that after more than ten years in power, he would rekindle this hope he had when he was young.
And this hope was given to him by the person in front of him.
How could he not reward her?
She is currently dressed in a green robe, looking gentle and elegant, with a dignified air. One wonders what she would look like if she were to change into a scarlet robe.
He needs to think about it carefully.
At this moment, Qingchen spoke first: "Your Majesty, I have something else to say."
"Granted." Zhu Rui quickly raised his hand and smiled. "Just say what you want to say."
"Yes." She lowered her head slightly and said, "In my opinion, it is better to teach someone how to fish than to give them a fish. Twenty thousand warhorses can certainly alleviate the pressure on the border, but it is only a temporary solution. The reason why small countries like the Tatars dare to continue to harass our borders is because their cavalry is strong and they have many warhorses. And the reason they have so many warhorses is because their rulers attach great importance to the feeding of the horses. Those with strong horses are rewarded with wine, and those with weak horses are whipped."
"Over the years, our country's horse administration has not been implemented very well, so now, the entire Ming Dynasty only has a few hundred thousand warhorses left. Therefore, I believe it would be better to negotiate with the Chagatai Khanate, exchanging some warhorses, along with some gold and silver, for some of their breeding horses. With breeding horses, we can raise Mongolian horses. The late emperor once seized the Hetao region, which is rich and fertile, with abundant water and grass, perfect for raising horses..."
At the same time, Xu Silin arrived at Dali Temple.
He was wearing a dark green straight-cut robe with a fur collar around his neck. The wound on his right hand had not yet healed and was still wrapped in gauze.
He was just a commoner, yet he went directly to Shen Qian's presiding judge, the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review.
At this moment, he couldn't care less about superiors or subordinates; all he knew was that Shen Qingchen's second uncle was suffering. What better time to use his status as the son of the Grand Secretary?
Soon, without any hindrance, he met the Chief Justice of the Court of Judicial Review.
Before this, he had never realized that power was so important.
Without it, how can you protect your loved one?
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
