Chapter 700: Wasteful or Stupid?
The bright yellow candlelight illuminated Zhao Yunci's ashen face as he slammed a memorial heavily onto the dragon table.
The third prince Zhao Chenyu, who was kneeling below, trembled.
"Poetry gathering? Lanyue Lake? 1,000 taels of silver?"
"Zhao Chenyu, my soldiers at the border are still short of winter cotton-padded clothes, and yet you have the leisure to use the money from the national treasury to hold this romantic poetry gathering!"
Zhao Chenyu's forehead was pressed against the cold gold brick, and cold sweat soaked his temples.
"Your Majesty, please calm down. I...I know I was wrong."
"You know you're wrong?" Zhao Yunci laughed in anger. "Where did you go wrong? Was it your extravagance or your stupidity? You were used as a stepping stone, and you're still gloating over it?"
Crown Prince Zhao Chen'an, who was standing aside, bowed and spoke at the right time:.
Your Majesty, my third brother has lived in the inner palace for so long that he is unfamiliar with the hardships of ordinary people. It is also my fault as an elder brother that I failed to give him constant guidance."
These words sounded like taking the blame, but in reality, every word was like a slap in Zhao Chenyu's face.
Zhao Chenyu knelt there, clenched his teeth, buried his head even lower, and wished he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Zhao Yunci's gaze shifted from him to the prince, and finally stopped at Qian Zhenyun's face behind the prince.
"Qian Zhenyun, you were there too."
"Yes." Qian Zhenyun took a step forward, neither humble nor arrogant.
"How do you think this matter should be handled?"
This is the emperor's test.
Zhao Chenyu's heart was in his throat. He stared at Qian Zhenyun's back, fearing that he would take advantage of his misfortune again.
Qian Zhenyun didn't say another word about the poetry gathering. He simply bowed and said, "Your Majesty, punishing the Third Prince is only a temporary solution. To address the root cause, we should consider ways to increase revenue and reduce expenditure."
"Oh?" Zhao Yunci became interested. "Tell me about it."
"To save money, we must start with regulation. Currently, the accounts of the various princes' palaces are in disarray, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs only allocates funds but neglects to verify them."
"I believe that a special account can be set up, and all large expenditures must be reported with reasons and details, and then verified afterward to prevent extravagance."
He paused, then continued, "As for increasing income, there are several royal gardens in the suburbs of Beijing that remain idle year-round and are only used for autumn hunting."
"Why not rent out plots of land to reliable merchants, who could grow mulberry, hemp, or medicinal herbs? The annual income would be enough to cover military supplies and alleviate the urgent need at the border."
The words were so clear and logical that even Zhao Yunci fell into deep thought.
Leasing the Royal Forest Garden to merchants? This idea was unheard of, yet... damn feasible.
Zhao Yunci looked at the young man. His father was a good doctor and it was his father who cured Gu Junze's leg, but he just didn't like medicine.
As for his mother, Zhao Yunci had also seen her before. She was reckless...
Back then, the prince wanted Qian Zhenyun to be his study companion, but Zhao Yunci had tried to stop him. Now it seems that the prince has a good eye and is able to recognize and use people well!
"What a great way to increase revenue and reduce expenditure." The anger on Zhao Yunci's face gradually subsided, and she even showed some approval. "Let the Ministry of Revenue work with you to draft a plan for this matter. If you do it well, I will reward you handsomely."
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Zhao Chenyu knelt on the ground, listening to his father's praise for Qian Zhenyun, and felt a burning pain on his face.
The poetry gathering he took great pains to organize did not bring him any fame, but instead got him into trouble and became a stepping stone for others to rise to the top!
How could he swallow this?
After leaving the imperial study, on the long palace road, the afterglow of the setting sun stretched the shadows of the three people extremely long.
Zhao Chenyu finally couldn't help it, took a few quick steps, and stood in front of the prince.
"My Royal Brother is really good at this." He lowered his voice, his words laced with venom, "A good dog not only guards the house, but also bites people for the master to gain credit."
Zhao Chenan didn't stop, but just glanced at him lightly.
"Third brother, be careful with your words. What Zhenyun said was all about planning for the country and the people. If you could spend more time on the real business, you wouldn't be so embarrassed in front of the emperor today."
"You!" Zhao Chenyu's face flushed red from choking. "Stop pretending like that! Aren't you just relying on your status as the crown prince to always put me down?"
"Pressure you?" Zhao Chen'an finally stopped, turned around and looked at him straight in the eye, with a trace of condescending pity in his eyes, "It's your own fault."
"Governing a country depends on the ability to manage the country and benefit the people, not on a few sour poems, a few banquets, or recruiting retainers..."
"If you are truly capable, then demonstrate your achievements to convince Father and the entire court."
"Instead of being like a nagging woman who only blames others like she is now."
After saying that, he ignored Zhao Chenyu who was shaking with anger and left with Qian Zhenyun.
Zhao Chenyu stood there, watching their receding backs, his hands clenched into fists in his sleeves, his nails digging deep into his flesh.
Qian Zhenyun! Zhao Chenan!
I will repay you a hundredfold for the humiliation you inflicted today!
The turmoil at the poetry gathering, like a sharp thorn, pierced deeply into Lin Jiayou's heart.
Back in the guest room of the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion, he could no longer maintain that humble and elegant appearance.
Qian Zhenyun.
The taciturn study companion who only followed behind Gu Qingchen back then turned out to be so cunning and resourceful when he grew up.
Not only did he steal the show in front of the emperor, but he also made himself look like a clown who only knew how to sing to the wind and the moon.
What he could not tolerate the most was Gu Qingchen's unhesitating back as he pulled Qian Zhenyun away.
She didn't even look back at herself.
No, we can't wait any longer.
Late at night, when everyone was asleep, Lin Jiayou used the excuse of relaxing to avoid the patrolling guards in the mansion and slipped out through a remote corner door as if he was familiar with the route.
He walked through the winding alleys and finally stopped in front of a house.
Knock, knock, knock.
The door opened silently and he slipped in.
In the courtyard, the third prince Zhao Chenyu was standing under a locust tree. He had long since changed out of the brocade robe he wore during the day, and now he was wearing a dark casual suit, but even that couldn't suppress the hostility in his body.
"You still have the nerve to come see me?"
As soon as Zhao Chenyu saw him, he growled in a low voice.
"Didn't you say that Qian Zhenyun was just an insignificant dog by the prince's side? He almost bit my throat today!"
Lin Jiayou fell to his knees with a plop, his forehead touching the ground.
"Your Highness, please calm down. It was my incompetence that misjudged him. I never expected him to be so well hidden."
"Just one misjudgment and it's over?"
Zhao Chenyu kicked him on the shoulder, the force was not strong, but the insult was extremely strong.
"I have completely lost face in front of my father today. You, my chess piece, have not only been of no use, but have become a stepping stone for others!"
Lin Jiayou took the kick head-on and fell to the ground, but his voice remained steady.
"Your Highness, now that things have come to this, punishing me will be of no avail. The most urgent task is to turn this dead end into a viable one and make Qian Zhenyun and the Crown Prince pay for their actions."
Zhao Chenyu snorted coldly, said nothing, and waited for his next words.
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