At 11:30 PM, in a spacious yet simple office in the Forbidden City of Beijing, the aging King of China was working at his desk under an old desk lamp. Zhang Zhuo, the secretary-general of the King's office, had repeatedly urged His Majesty, who was no longer young, to rest early.
However, His Majesty the King once again picked up a document from his desk and began to carefully review it.
Just then, a white, top-secret telephone on His Excellency's desk rang.
"King's Office, this is Zhang Zhuo," the Secretary-General said succinctly as he picked up the phone.
After a moment, Zhang Zhuo's gaze gradually became serious. He said, "Please wait a moment," and put down the phone. He quickly walked to His Majesty the King, leaned down, and whispered, "Your Majesty, there is an urgent, encrypted telegram from Xichuan. The Fifth Prince wishes to have you answer it personally."
"Chen'er?" Upon hearing that it was an urgent telegram from his youngest son, His Majesty the King's expression changed slightly, but he quickly regained his composure and simply said, "Take it." As he spoke, he put down the documents in his hand.
"Yes." Zhang Zhuo was a trusted confidant of His Majesty the King, so he naturally knew that His Majesty treated this young son differently. He was not surprised and responded in a low voice before quickly returning to his desk and taking over the call.
Concealing his worry for his beloved son, His Majesty the King spoke sternly: "What? Can't you bear the hardships of farming?"
"No, Father, I have something very important to report to you." The voice of the youngest son, Li Bingchen, came through the phone with urgency, no longer displaying his usual deliberate 'composure'.
"What could possibly warrant you calling me from the office of a high-ranking official in Sichuan Province in the middle of the night?" His Majesty asked.
It's very difficult to get through to the King's office by phone; only high-ranking provincial officials have access to dedicated lines, and encrypted calls can only be made through special methods. Li Bingchen also went through a lot of trouble to finally get through.
Of course, you could also use a regular phone to make the call, but that way, the news that the Fifth Prince had called the King would reach everyone who wanted to know in less than half an hour.
"Father, I want to report to you about a plan to increase people's income and export earnings."
The youngest son's voice came through the microphone again, and from his tone, one could tell he was serious, looking every bit the shrewd little devil he was. His Majesty the King's expression softened, and a look of satisfaction appeared in his eyes, but his words remained stern: "Li Bingchen, don't forget the purpose of your trial mission this year: to generate revenue and foreign exchange. That's for the adults to do, so stop daydreaming."
“Father! I’m not just having a wild idea; I believe it’s feasible, which is why I’m reporting this to you.”
On the phone, the youngest son's voice sounded somewhat anxious, and also carried a hint of grievance.
'This kid is still a bit impatient...' His Majesty the King couldn't help but think to himself.
However, despite his thoughts, His Majesty the King was still young and naturally wouldn't be too harsh on his youngest son. Instead, His Majesty softened his expression, but his tone remained stern: "Since you say you're not just daydreaming, then I'll listen to what you have to say. Keep it simple, I don't have time for your empty talk."
On the other end of the phone, Li Bingchen was slightly taken aback, but then a confident "Yes" reached His Majesty the King's ears. The next second, the little prince's words made His Majesty the King's expression become increasingly serious and solemn.
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