Chapter 182 Agreement
Although Su Fengzhang did not solve all the problems during this trip, Liu Wei was soon posthumously honored.
This was originally what Liu Wei deserved. Seeing Old Lady Liu holding Liu Neng with mixed feelings, Su Fengzhang felt mixed emotions and made up his mind to quickly implement the rewards for others.
Liu Wei's life was not very glorious. After he had made great achievements, he came to the capital from Qingzhou. However, he was marginalized and sent to Yunzhou. It was a promotion in name only and a demotion in reality. He also knew that Yunzhou was cold and bitter, so he did not bring his family with him.
After death, one can enjoy the glory of the world.
Not only Su Fengzhang, but Prince Cheng and Prince Xi also came in person to send off the funeral. With the two of them taking the lead, all the dignitaries in the capital seemed to appear all of a sudden.
There were so many people coming to pay their respects that they almost trampled down the threshold of the Liu family's house. However, how sincere were these people?
Su Fengzhang did meet several of Liu Wei's old friends, all of whom were heroes born in the military. They couldn't help but shed tears in front of the coffin. It is true that those who are unfaithful are mostly scholars and those who are righteous are mostly butchers.
Liu Neng walked at the front of the funeral procession holding the tablet. Now he finally knew that the father he had always admired and longed for would never come back.
The child's eyes were red, but he pursed his lips stubbornly and didn't cry.
Until the coffin filled with clothes was buried in the tomb, Old Lady Liu could not help but throw herself in front of the tomb and cry. Liu Neng finally couldn't bear it anymore and burst into tears.
The grief-stricken voices of the grandfather and grandson were heard far away, and everyone present felt heartbroken, yet had no way to comfort them.
After they cried for a while, Su Fengzhang went over to persuade them, "Old Madam, the doctor said you can't be too sad. Please take good care of yourself for Aneng. I'm sure Brother Liu, if he knew about this, would definitely not bear to see you so sad."
Mrs. Liu then hugged Liu Neng and said, "Aneng, stop crying. Let's go home."
Su Fengzhang helped them both onto the carriage and settled them down, then he breathed a sigh of relief.
Prince Cheng rode his horse to Su Fengzhang's side, riding alongside him. Seeing that Su Fengzhang had a rather gloomy look on his face, he asked, "Sir Su, are you worried about the compensation?"
Su Fengzhang nodded and said, "I never thought that the national treasury would be so empty."
Prince Cheng sneered and said, "The national treasury has always been like this, but outsiders just don't know it."
There was more to this than meets the eye. Su Fengzhang turned to look at Prince Cheng, only to see a mocking smile on her face. She quickly brushed aside the matter and said, "Don't worry, Lord Su. I will find a way to resolve this matter."
"I'm afraid it's not that easy." Although Lord Liu was a rogue, he was right in one thing: the national treasury had no money. What could they do? They couldn't pay for all the money themselves. Not to mention Su Fengzhang, Prince Cheng's family could not afford it either.
Prince Cheng said, "This is my duty. Even if my father refuses to use the private treasury, Prince Cheng's mansion still has some money."
It has only been a short time since Prince Cheng was canonized as a prince. In fact, before he went on the diplomatic mission, Prince Cheng was just a bald prince with a bad reputation who had always lived in the palace. The things he could use were really limited.
Su Fengzhang's eyes flickered slightly, and he smiled and said, "Perhaps things haven't reached this point yet. I will go to the Ministry of Revenue tomorrow, and then I will know the specific situation."
Prince Cheng wanted to say something else, but Su Fengzhang said, "If you need help, I will definitely ask Your Highness for help. I hope Your Highness will not refuse."
Prince Cheng laughed when he heard this: "Of course."
After saying this, Prince Cheng asked again, "Madam Liu, do you still insist on living here? This place is full of people of all kinds, and it's really not suitable for the elderly and children to live in. Even if you and I are here, we can't guarantee that we can keep an eye on them all the time."
After hearing this, Su Fengzhang sighed deeply and said helplessly: "I have also advised the old lady, but Madam Liu insisted on doing so and refused to move."
Su Fengzhang didn't understand Madam Liu's concerns. If she didn't want to move to the Su family, he could understand it a little, but Madam Liu was totally unwilling to move out of this place. You know, when Liu Wei was in the capital, he didn't live here either, so there was no question of nostalgia.
"Originally, I had already bought a small house not far from the Su family, so we could take care of each other. But the old lady had other considerations in mind. She was probably afraid of getting others involved."
Prince Cheng looked at Su Fengzhang and suddenly laughed.
Su Fengzhang turned around to look at him and asked curiously, "Your Highness, what are you laughing at?"
Prince Cheng said, "Lord Su, when I first met you, I felt you were utterly hypocritical. You're one of those cunning men who are always trying to trip others up with every word and every action."
Su Fengzhang raised his eyebrows, thinking that at that time, one of them was a high and mighty prince, and the other was a fledgling student. It was hard for this prince to still remember him. "Oh, this subordinate must be more careful in the future."
"Look at you, even now, you look so nonchalant, as if nothing bothers you." Prince Cheng continued, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is whipping you because he thinks you're so calm and composed, and you're stepping on his honor."
"This is my fault." Su Fengzhang said with a smile.
Prince Cheng continued, "In the past, I also hated people like you."
"But after a trip to Yunzhou, I realized that I was mistaken before."
"Lord Su may seem calm and indifferent, as if he doesn't care about anything, but he's much more loyal and righteous than those guys who talk about morality and justice."
"General Liu risked his own life to save more than just you. In the end, you were the only one running around for him, taking care of his elderly mother and young children, and always caring about his instructions."
Su Fengzhang shook his head and said, "Your Highness, I am too kind. I am only doing this to have a clear conscience."
"But how many people in this world can have a clear conscience?" Prince Cheng said.
Among those who returned to Yunzhou alive that day, how many of them really remembered Liu Wei's kindness?
Not to mention the Zhenbei Army, let’s just talk about the surviving envoys. The Fourth Prince disappeared without a trace, and he probably still thinks in his heart that it was his fault that Liu Wei didn’t stop the pursuers earlier. How could he be grateful at all?
He and He Jun were indeed grateful, but this gratitude was not enough to make them work as hard as Su Fengzhang.
As for the other members of the delegation, seeing that they were highly rewarded after returning to Beijing, but had not set foot in the Liu family before the funeral, we knew their intentions.
Even in the mind of the current emperor, it is natural for a Zhenbei Army soldier like Liu Wei to sacrifice his life for the country. If he had not saved two princes and a duke, he would not have thought of rewarding him.
After hearing this, Su Fengzhang sighed and said, "Other people are others, I am me. What I want to do has nothing to do with others, and what does it have to do with the rest of the world?"
Prince Cheng couldn't help but soften his gaze when he looked at Su Fengzhang after hearing this. He couldn't help but smile, "Well said."
She rubbed her hand that was gripping the saddle, then suddenly looked up into the distance, a few words floating out of her mouth: "In that case, Lord Su, do what you want to do, and I will lend you a hand."
Su Fengzhang's heart stirred slightly. Turning back, he saw Prince Cheng's sparkling eyes. He heard her continue, "Sir Su, since this Great Zhou isn't what you and I want, why not change the world and create a peaceful and prosperous era?"
"The world is for the benefit of all. Select the virtuous and capable, uphold trust and cultivate harmony, ensure that the elderly have a place to live, the strong have a place to work, and the young have a place to grow. The widowed, the lonely, the disabled, and the sick are all provided for. Men have their share, and women have their home. Goods should not be left lying around, so there is no need to keep them for oneself."
"how?"
If Su Fengzhang was just suspicious just now, he was shocked now. What was the difference between the words of the fifth prince, Prince Cheng, actually Her Royal Highness the Princess, and the direct statement that he wanted to change the dynasty?
Seeing Su Fengzhang's slightly shocked expression, Prince Cheng pressed on, "Why, Lord Su, don't dare? Or do you have doubts or concerns about me, so you refuse?"
Su Fengzhang frowned, shook his head and said, "It has nothing to do with Your Majesty. It's just that I have always wanted to keep myself out of trouble."
Prince Cheng sneered, "Lord Su is naive. Since he's already in the middle of this situation, how can he stay out of it? I'm sure Lord Su sees clearly what kind of person the Crown Prince is, and what kind of person His Majesty is."
"Lord Su only wants to protect his family, but he also has to be considerate. Some things are beyond his control."
Su Fengzhang naturally knew about this matter, especially the time when he was whipped by the prince. He felt humiliated. If he had not taken responsibility for it, Su Arong would probably have been beaten to death that day.
But after experiencing a thousand years, Su Fengzhang understood one thing more clearly: no matter how the court changed and time passed, it would all be in vain in the end.
Prince Cheng didn't rush for his answer. Instead, he said, "Sir Su, you have great talent and the ability to govern a country. Are you really willing to take one step at a time and waste your life with those mediocre people?"
Su Fengzhang looked at her and asked, "Why does the prince think so highly of me?"
Prince Cheng smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because whenever Lord Su encounters a problem, he always finds an unexpected way to solve it."
Su Fengzhang's brows twitched as he heard Prince Cheng continue, "Lord Su, there's no need to explain. If you say you have no grudges against the Crown Prince, I don't believe it. You've probably already thought of a dozen or eight ways to deal with him, just waiting for him to make a mistake, right?"
After hearing this, Su Fengzhang couldn't help laughing. This was right on the mark. He was holding back now only because of the huge difference in their status. There was no point in making a small fuss now.
The prince's reputation is getting worse and worse, and this is closely related to Su Fengzhang.
Finally, Prince Cheng said, "Lord Su, there is no need to rush into making a decision. I have plenty of patience and will wait patiently."
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