Chapter 50 The Fifth Prince The Fifth Prince
A tall figure slowly walked out from the darkness. He was dressed in green clothes with fire patterns on each shoulder and three fire insects on each sleeve. Even though it was casual clothes, it looked more exquisite than Lord Fang's court dress.
He was extremely handsome, with a face like a jade and eyes like bright stars. He had a smile on his face, but his eyes were extremely cold. He swept coldly over the people present, making people dare not look directly at him.
As soon as he came out, Fang Zhiwen immediately stood up and saluted: "Your humble servant greets His Royal Highness the Fifth Prince."
When the prefect revealed the identity of the visitor, the students present all stood up and saluted, with panic on their faces.
The Fifth Prince waved his hand, his attitude towards Fang Zhiwen somewhat casual. "Master Fang, why bother being so polite? You are a favorite of my father, the Emperor, and the chief minister of Qingzhou Prefecture. The governance of Qingjiang will require your assistance. I am begging you for help."
Fang Zhiwen's attitude towards the Fifth Prince was quite strange. He stood with his hands hanging down and said calmly, "Cooperating with the Prince is my duty as the prefect of Qingzhou. The Fifth Prince's request is truly humiliating."
The Fifth Prince scoffed, turned to look at the students who were still bowing, raised an eyebrow, and asked, "Master Fang, it seems that things aren't going so smoothly for you."
"I was listening in from behind just now, and it felt like this group of people were being hesitant and reluctant. Do they not want to serve our Great Zhou?"
After saying this, he suddenly looked at Su Fengzhang who was standing at the front. "Is this the top candidate this time? He's quite handsome. Tell me if you're unhappy about this?"
Su Fengzhang was inexplicably called out. He cursed inwardly and answered with a stiff upper lip, "I would be willing to die for the Great Zhou, for the Emperor, and for the people of Qingzhou Prefecture."
After hearing this, the fifth prince laughed and said, "There's no need to risk your life. I just want you to be able to read and calculate, and help look after the people."
"The case leader is worthy of being the case leader. At least he has awareness in his conduct."
The fifth prince praised him, but Su Fengzhang didn't think he was really satisfied with him. Rather than satisfaction, it was more like a mockery.
But he soon realized that the Fifth Prince was still polite to him. He walked up to a student and asked, "Your father is a juren, so your family is exempt from corvée labor. Don't you want to help?"
The student was so frightened that he broke out in a sweat. He kept saying, "Reporting to the Fifth Prince, my father is indeed a juren, but if..."
"Master Fang, why don't you send someone to investigate this scholar? If he can raise a son like this, I'm afraid he's not a good person."
The student suddenly knelt down and shouted, "Fifth Prince, I volunteer to serve."
The fifth prince said, "How can this be possible? The country has its own laws and the family has its own rules. We must follow the rules."
The next moment, his eyes turned to the second student: "I heard that you have an elderly mother waiting for you to return home?"
The student was quite clever. The next second he dropped to his knees and shouted righteously, "Your Highness, Fifth Prince, my mother has taught me since I was young to obey the law and be loyal to my country. If I can serve my country, I am willing to devote my life to it, even to my death."
He said this with great force, and after that he kowtowed three times.
Everyone present was stunned by his actions, probably because they didn't expect this man to be so grovelled.
The Fifth Prince laughed heartily and helped him up, praising him: "Ah, it's good that you have such a heart. Why kowtow and embarrass yourself? If you get hurt, there will be one less person to help you."
After saying this, he patted the boy on the shoulder, scaring him so much that he trembled all over.
After the Fifth Prince finished speaking, he looked at the remaining people and asked in a gentle voice, "My fellow students, do you have any difficulties that you would like me to solve? If so, please feel free to tell me. I am not someone who would force you to do anything."
The result was, of course, that no one dared to speak. Everyone wanted to lower their heads in their pants, for fear of being seen.
"Master Fang, you know me." The fifth prince turned to look at Fang Zhiwen, "Please ask him too. I'm not such an unreasonable person."
Fang Zhiwen's mouth twitched slightly, but he still asked patiently, "Do you have any other difficulties?"
"Everything is waiting for the orders from His Highness and the Lord." Su Fengzhang could only say this when no one answered.
"Okay, let's go. We will naturally have arrangements for tomorrow." Fang Zhiwen said lightly.
The rest of the students filed out, and only the one who was caught was trembling. In the end, two yamen runners came and dragged him out. It can be imagined that he did not have to participate in the military service, but it was still unknown whether his father's reputation could be preserved.
As soon as they left, Fang Zhiwen frowned and looked at the Fifth Prince: "Your Highness, I'm afraid it's not appropriate to requisition them so suddenly."
The Fifth Prince actually laughed: "Master Fang, I didn't originally want this group of students. They can't even lift anything. What use do I have for them? Didn't you push this person here?"
Fang Zhiwen's expression changed slightly, and he said, "I recommended them, but I didn't expect His Highness to be so brutal."
The Fifth Prince laughed heartily and said, "Fang Zhiwen, Fang Zhiwen, it's not the first day you've known me. Don't you know who I am? Haven't you heard the rumors in the capital? Why are you being so hypocritical now?"
"You are a favorite of our father, so I can't do anything to you. But who made me take on this mess? I have no one to turn to, so I have no choice but to ask you for help."
"Anyway, I'll be the one to bear the bad reputation in the end, so what do you have to be afraid of?"
Fang Zhiwen seemed to want to say something, but facing the Fifth Prince's see-through gaze, he just flicked his sleeves and left.
The fifth prince didn't care about his attitude at all. He picked up a pot of sake from the table and left leisurely.
Everything was peaceful here, but the students who left the yamen caused a storm.
Why do people respect scholars and rush to study and obtain official titles? Isn't it because of the wealth and honor that fame brings?
As long as you pass the examination to become a scholar, your entire family will not have to serve in the military from then on. This is the biggest benefit for ordinary people.
But now, with just one word from the Fifth Prince, although he didn't ask them to serve directly, what was the difference between that and serving? A group of students went to the banquet happily, but came back looking horrible.
Second Uncle Su had been leaning against the door waiting. When he saw that their expressions were not right when they came out, he became panicked. However, he glanced at Su Fengzhang and saw that he looked fine, so he suppressed his anxiety and did not ask.
After getting on the carriage, Second Uncle Su lowered his voice and asked, "What's going on? Everyone looks unhappy, and some of the students have turned pale. Did the prefect give them a hard time?"
"This is a long story, let's talk about it when we get back." Su Fengzhang added, "Don't worry, it's not a bad thing."
When Su Fengzhang returned home and told his uncle what had happened, Second Uncle Su almost burst into tears: "This isn't a bad thing. Everyone knows how heavy the corvée labor in Qingjiang is. What's wrong with the Fifth Prince? How could you, a scholar, be allowed to do this kind of work?"
Su Fengzhang quickly advised him: "Second Uncle, don't criticize the royal family."
Uncle Su's eyes turned red as he continued, "No, if someone in our family has to serve in the military, then I'll go. If that doesn't work, you can have your two brothers go in your place."
"Second uncle, this is not military service, and there is no such thing as one replacing another." As for ordinary corvee labor, there are many cases where people pay money to buy people to replace them. The people do not report it and the officials do not investigate it. Anyway, as long as someone serves in the end, it's fine.
But this time was different. The Fifth Prince and Prefect Fang had obviously reached an agreement long ago, and the prince personally came forward, so there was no way he would allow them to do evil under his nose.
Su Fengzhang sighed slightly and added, "Someone is unwilling today, and I'm afraid they will be thoroughly investigated later."
Wenzhu also frowned and couldn't help but say, "Fengzhang, you are so unlucky. How could you encounter such a thing?"
Mr. Wen didn't scold him this time, but comforted him: "Bad things are bad things, but you are scholars after all, and you have all passed the examination. I believe the Fifth Prince will not deliberately torment you."
"If you just do the work of an official, responsible for distributing food and counting people, it will certainly be harder, but your life will definitely be safe." Mr. Wen said.
Wen Zhu said, "Dad, you can't calculate things like that. The college entrance examination is in August. If Feng Zhang and the others go to serve, how can they have time to review? There are more than fifty people taking the exam. Wouldn't they be at a great disadvantage then?"
"It's endless, isn't it? I can't think of any of this. So what do you think we should do? Are you going to use your thin arms to fight against the Fifth Prince's thighs?" Mr. Wen roared.
Wenzhu was speechless for a moment, and lowered his head in silence.
Su Fengzhang said, "Actually, Lord Fang is right. Traveling ten thousand miles is better than reading ten thousand books. Governing Qingzhou is also a good thing that benefits the country and the people. Although it takes up time for studying, most people who can take the college entrance examination have already read it thoroughly. This opportunity to see how the court operates can also give you some experience."
When he said this, Mr. Wen nodded first. "That's the best. I'm most worried that you won't be able to let it go. If you just deal with it, you'll end up pleasing neither side."
Second Uncle Su didn't quite understand what they were saying, but since his nephew didn't have to work and was probably just responsible for the food and fodder, he understood. He felt a little relieved, but still said, "How could the people above be so reckless? This has never happened before."
Su Fengzhang frowned when he heard this, and said with some worry, "I'm afraid the Fifth Prince needs more than just fifty of us."
"You mean..." Mr. Wen thought of a possibility and his face changed drastically.
Wenzhu and Uncle Su were confused, but they found out the next day because Prefect Fang ordered the Fifth Prince to recruit all the registered students in Qingzhou Prefecture to rush to Qingjiang to jointly govern Qingzhou.
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