Chapter 74 Imperial Brother
Imperial study.
Xuan Yi looked up in surprise, a hint of doubt in his dark eyes.
"Are you going to Yuezhou?"
"yes."
Xuanchen nodded slightly and bowed. "Last summer, a drought struck the eastern part of Yuezhou. Although the imperial court sent officials to the area to provide disaster relief, rumors of riots by the victims persist to this day. I believe there must be something fishy going on."
"Just the other day, Prime Minister Song mentioned this matter at court. I went to the Ministry of Revenue and carefully reviewed the disaster report submitted by the officials. I became even more puzzled. The mountainous area east of the Ling Mountains is not a place where ordinary people live. Most of the population is scattered in villages. The imperial relief grain is more than enough to tide them over the cold winter. So why did nearly 40,000 refugees riot..."
Xuan Yi listened quietly, with admiration in his dark eyes.
He was the only legitimate son of his father, and he was not close to his brothers since childhood. Later, he was named the crown prince, and Prince Ning and Prince Jing expressed their stance to follow him. Prince Yu and Prince Kang were dispatched to their fiefdoms by his father, but only Prince Tai was a little confusing to him.
Actually, he and Xuanchen got along quite well, and he also admired this talented younger brother. But the last time Su Ci organized a poetry meeting, he secretly investigated and found that Xuanchen had arranged spies in the palace and hidden people in the capital.
He instantly felt wary.
Until that day I saw the news coming back from outside the city.
"Brother Emperor, please allow me to go to Yuezhou to investigate the truth."
“…”
Xuan Yi paused slightly and looked directly into Xuan Chen's calm eyes.
Before he appointed the crown prince, Xuanchen called him the third brother, and after that he called him the crown prince and Your Majesty.
"Approved. I order you to serve as the Deputy Envoy for Disaster Relief. Go to Yuezhou and assist in investigating the disaster. Your time limit is three months."
"Your Majesty, I obey your command. Thank you for your trust."
Xuanchen left the imperial study and walked towards Baorong Palace thoughtfully.
The Queen Mother had just woken up from her nap and was about to go see Su Ci. She was surprised to see Xuan Chen coming.
"What's the matter, King Thailand?"
It had been a long time since Xuanchen had looked at the man he once thought was his enemy so calmly.
"Nothing much. I just received the order from my brother, the Emperor. I will leave for Yuezhou tomorrow to comfort the victims. It will probably take me three months to return. I came here specially to pay my respects to you."
“…”
The Empress Dowager paused, then smiled and nodded. "Very good. You have often visited the common people in the past, and you are well-informed. You will surely be able to assist the Emperor in his mission. Be careful when you are out, and be mindful of the heat."
"Also, after I finish my business trip this time, I will also arrange a marriage for you. We can't put it off any longer."
Xuanchen smiled broadly, "Yes, I already have someone I like. When I finish my mission and come back, I'll ask the Queen Mother to help me find someone."
"really?"
The Queen Mother was delighted: "That's good. You are the only one among the brothers who has not found a place to stay. I am worried. Then go quickly and come back. I will prepare the betrothal gifts for you. When you come back, I will choose an auspicious day for you to get married quickly."
Xuanchen's eyes were slightly moved and he bowed respectfully.
"Yes, I obey your order."
Walking out of Baorong Palace, Xuanchen looked up at the clear sky and breathed a long sigh of relief.
The Queen Mother at that time was a qualified and graceful queen, but Concubine Sun was in favor at that time and secretly tortured him and his mother. Later, when he came of age, he was harassed by a eunuch one day. The nanny beside the Queen passed by and rescued him. Then the eunuch was punished by the Queen and sent to the Xinku. Not long after, he was given a mansion by his father and was named King of Thailand, and finally escaped from that hellish life.
He knew that it was the result of the Queen's instigation, but at that time he was blinded by hatred and believed that the Queen was guilty because she had killed his mother. However, he did not notice that in the entire palace, except himself, no one had heard the rumor that the Queen Mother had stopped the imperial physician and deliberately delayed his mother's death.
It turns out that besides his mother and Alan, there are other people in this world who care about him silently.
In the palace.
The Queen Mother thought for a moment before speaking: "Do you think the King of Thailand is acting strangely today?"
Nanny Yi nodded and said, "I think so too. This is the first time I've heard the King of Thailand address Your Majesty as 'Royal Brother'. His attitude towards you seems to be much more respectful and intimate."
"Alas, this child is pitiful. It was my negligence back then that prevented me from noticing the bullying he and his mother suffered. This led to him losing his mother so early and having to guard the mansion alone for so many years."
"This is not your fault, it's clearly that Concubine Sun's fault..."
“…”
The Queen Mother raised her eyes and slowly frowned: "Yuezhou, how could I forget this..."
Nanny Yi paused and said, "You mean, the King of Thailand went to Yuezhou to target Concubine Sun?"
"more than."
The Queen Mother stood up, her expression slightly solemn. "Prince Yu's arrogance and self-reliance are a hidden danger to the court. I'm afraid King Tai's trip isn't just for Consort Sun..."
"Prepare the sedan chair. I need to go to Jingming Palace."
…
Xuan Yi was not surprised by his mother's arrival.
"Is Queen Mother worried about a conflict between King Tai and King Yu?"
"The emperor has also thought of this."
The Queen Mother nodded. "Before the late Emperor passed away, he ordered Concubine Sun Gui and Concubine Rong to go to the fiefdoms of Prince Yu and Prince Kang to recuperate. This was not only to ensure a smooth ascension to the throne, but also for the peace of this palace city."
"Prince Kang of Shuozhou has been a well-behaved vassal and paying tribute over the years, managing Shuozhou very well. This is also due to Concubine Rong's good parenting. However, Concubine Sun is very competitive. Prince Yu is the eldest son of the late emperor and has been highly valued by him since he was young. He was denied the throne because he was not born of a legitimate wife, and he is unwilling to accept this."
Xuan Yi lowered his eyes and blew away the tea foam.
"Does Queen Mother think that Prince Yu will deal with King Tai, or will he win over King Tai?"
“…it’s possible.”
The Empress Dowager frowned slightly. "In the years since the Emperor ascended the throne, Prince Yu has neglected the people's livelihood and agricultural work. Instead, he has placed heavy emphasis on military power and increased taxes. He even casually returns warnings issued by the court, becoming increasingly unruly. If this continues, I'm afraid he will become a threat."
"What the Queen Mother said is very true."
Xuan Yi raised his lips slightly. "Now that the salt administration issue has been resolved, several corruption cases have been settled, and the court is stable, it's time to sort out things outside the capital."
"The Emperor already had a plan?"
"Yes, but I haven't figured out how to arrange for someone to start it."
The Queen Mother paused and looked at her son.
"King of Thailand?"
Xuan Yi nodded: "My son is very sure that King Tai will be able to seize King Yu's lifeline during this trip."
"Since the emperor has made a plan, I am relieved."
The Queen Mother breathed a sigh of relief and stopped asking questions. She smiled and stood up. "I went to Yufu Palace to see Concubine Shu. This girl is so lazy. When I sent her over, she dared to act like a spoiled child and yell at me. Her legs and back ached, and she made me laugh. But I couldn't hit her or scold her. This is the first time I've seen such a concubine in the palace."
"It's all because of you, the Queen Mother."
Xuan Yi couldn't help but laugh as he glanced at the sky. "She should be up by now. If she's still asleep, Queen Mother, please give her a good scolding."
"Oh, the emperor is willing to do that?"
The Queen Mother glared at her son with amusement: "I won't help you be the bad guy, lest my old bones be broken by that girl. You are young, so you should bear it."
“…Farewell, Queen Mother.”
Xuan Yi watched his mother leave the palace, his dark eyes dimming slightly.
He was puzzled as to why Su Ci knew all those old stories, and why she asked Ji Yun to help Xuan Chen resolve the misunderstandings that had plagued him for so many years...
…
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