Chapter 346 The Tyrant
Chang Hao almost lost his smile. Was this a question of whether or not to accept it? You tyrant! The overall strength of the Yin Shang Dynasty was already declining. If you continue to act recklessly like this, he really won't be able to turn the tide.
"Father, I can't bear to part with you. I don't want to move out of Qiankun Palace and Zhaixing Tower. How about we don't build them?" Chang Hao tugged at Hongjun's sleeve, his eyes fixed on the ragged slaves, secretly plotting how to get these slaves into his hands.
"Alright, whatever you say, my son. If we don't want to build it, then we don't want to build it. But there's no reason for your father to take back what he's given you." Hongjun thought of his promise before descending to the mortal realm, and could only reluctantly abandon his grand plan to build a celestial palace in the mortal world, feeling sorry for his son.
Huang Gun's face changed, and he looked somewhat desperate. "Your Majesty, how can you change your mind so easily? Originally, I was able to build the Zhaixing Tower only because I had overpowered the Grand Tutor, the Prime Minister and other important officials in the court."
It's absurd that the Crown Prince could abolish the palace with a single word. All the initial investment, the waste of manpower and resources, etc., at least the Star-Picking Tower was built so that even if the Crown Prince didn't live there, it could still serve as an important place for sacrifices...
Chang Hao's heart, which had just been somewhat at ease, was raised again. There was no other reason than that this 'father' was too troublesome; the word 'tyrant' was practically tailor-made for him.
"The garden designated for building the Star-Picking Tower will be granted to the prince. The land is right next to the palace, and it's perfect for hunting and relaxation." Hongjun smiled as he looked at Chang Hao, who only reached his thigh. He was so clever.
Chang Hao pursed his lips, glancing at his 'father's' sincere expression, and secretly felt a headache coming on.
This 'father' may seem muddleheaded, but he is still a king. Why would he casually bestow upon him a garden adjacent to the palace? Isn't he afraid that the king will raise assassins in it? Or is he just waiting for the king to commit a crime?
His maternal grandfather, the Marquis of Dongbo, was always restless...
The other three feudal lords weren't necessarily truly loyal either; at least they had raised their banners. But the Marquis of Dongbo was different. He was disobedient every few days and would occasionally stage a minor rebellion...
As was customary, the 'Father King' first sent Grand Tutor Wen Zhong to quell the rebellion. After capturing the Marquis of Dongbo, he gave him a verbal reprimand and then released him, even rewarding him with a certain amount of grain, cloth, and treasures to appease him...
This operation left Chang Hao stunned. How could he not suspect that his 'father' was planning something big, to completely wipe out the territory of the Marquis of Dongbo?
“Father, since the Star-Picking Tower is not being built, what will happen to these slaves?” Chang Hao thought to himself that something was wrong. The higher he was praised, the more he tolerated, and the higher his demands would be. No, he had to test his father’s bottom line.
He's really having a tough time...
"Go back to where you came from." Hongjun never took these slaves seriously from beginning to end; they were just a bunch of tools.
"Seeing these slaves staggering along, barely making it to Chaoge, and knowing that countless more will die on the way back to their original homes, I cannot bear it," Chang Hao said slowly, making sure everyone around him heard him clearly.
"Then what does the prince want to do?" Hongjun sighed. Chang Hao was so kind and virtuous. He had spoiled him for two years, giving him whatever he wanted, yet he showed no signs of arrogance.
Not to mention selfishness and egocentrism, Hongjun felt that one of his plans had probably fallen through, which made him both relieved and disappointed.
Chang Hao glanced at Huang Gun, who was standing next to him. This general was known for his loyalty and integrity. If anything went wrong later, the general would definitely praise him for his "rare and precious childlike heart".
"Father, would it be alright to bestow these slaves upon your son?" Chang Hao said, then, worried that his father might become suspicious, he quickly added, "Your son wants to become a great general like General Huang Gun, fighting for your father in all directions, and even more so, like the Grand Tutor, able to suppress rebellions in various places. These slaves have come at just the right time. Your son wants to learn how to train an army. In the future, your father's safety will be protected by your son personally."
"It's good that you have the heart, my son," Hongjun had no doubt that Changhao was just saying nice things to coax him, and directly stuffed a token into Changhao's hand, "This is a token that can command all the guards in the palace. Take it. What's the point of training those slaves? They won't be a burden to you, my son."
Chang Hao was dumbfounded. "You can command General Huang?"
“Yes.” Hongjun nodded. With him, anything was acceptable.
Chang Hao glanced at Huang Gun, "General Huang, will you listen to me?" Power is earned, not given. You can't just command General Huang with a token. General Huang isn't stupid.
Huang Gun broke out in a cold sweat. "Your Majesty, what are you doing? No matter how intelligent His Highness the Crown Prince is, he's still just a child. Are you really not afraid?"
Chang Hao twitched his lips. He knew that even if his father gave him the token, he wouldn't be able to handle it. Who would listen to him? If it really needed to be used, he would have to wait until he came of age and won over most of the generals in the army.
“Father, you see, General Huang won’t listen to me. I still want to train an obedient army myself.” Chang Hao stared at Hongjun’s expression, not missing a single detail.
Hongjun glared at Huang Gun. He had already given him the token in person; wasn't that enough to show his intentions?
"If the prince wants to play, then let him play." Hongjun didn't consider any consequences at all. He waved his hand and ordered his deputy to convey the king's order to send the slaves to the garden he had just allocated to Chang Hao. He didn't even take back the token.
Holding the token that weighed over a thousand pounds, Chang Hao realized that his 'father' was truly willing to go to great lengths to flatter him to death. With Chang Hao's years of experience in the court, he couldn't detect the slightest hint of anything amiss in his 'father's' words.
It was one thing for him to obey his every word, but recently, after he learned to read, his father actually spread out bamboo slips in front of him and asked for his opinion.
Chang Hao tentatively suggested it once or twice, only to be shocked to find that his 'father' copied it without even thinking.
If all those who have been praised to death throughout history had encountered someone like the 'father king' type, then their deaths would not have been unjust at all.
Chang Hao solemnly warned himself to stay clear-headed and not let the honey, which was coated with deadly poison, cloud his judgment, lest he die without even knowing how.
Huang Gun hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself. So many slaves, their food, drink, and toileting were all huge expenses; how could His Highness the Crown Prince afford them?
"If you encounter any problems, Father will be more than happy to come to Father for help." How could Hongjun possibly think about the trivial matters of mortal life? It was already quite good that nothing went wrong.
Fortunately, Hongjun was the Great King, so it was normal for him not to understand human affairs. Since the gods did not intervene, the civil and military officials were still reliable at this time, and they managed to get through it.
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