Chang Mao, on the other hand, looked relaxed, as some things seemed to have nothing to do with him. After all, his nephew had become emperor, so he naturally felt at ease.
Showing excessive concern for the Crown Prince is not a good thing. One needs to learn to be content and maintain a proper distance. One cannot act with impunity simply because of one's status as the Emperor's uncle; that would be counterproductive.
Ignoring the overly enthusiastic civil and military officials, Chang Mao called out, "Duke Cao, let's discuss this. This matter of accumulating merit is no small matter."
Li Jinglong hurriedly added, "We were just about to go and find the Duke of Kaiguo. Since His Majesty trusts us, we should do our utmost and not let this important matter be delayed."
“The soldiers in the army are risking their lives for promotion and wealth, and we can’t stand in their way!” Chang Mao said bluntly. “If we don’t handle this well after they’ve made a contribution, it will not only discourage the soldiers but also damage the reputation of the court!”
Although Chang Mao's words were very rough, even blunt enough to be hard to listen to, many people understood the principle. It's just that people wouldn't usually say it so directly; they still needed to be a little more discreet.
In fact, this is not just a matter for soldiers; many scholars are in the same boat. Years of hard study are often for the sake of getting ahead, for promotion, wealth, and bringing honor to one's ancestors, rather than necessarily for inheriting the teachings of sages.
Li Jinglong didn't say much, mainly because he was facing Chang Mao, the most reckless and unruly man in Yingtian Prefecture. Ordinary people really couldn't do anything against Chang Mao.
Moreover, Chang Mao has done more than one or two outrageous things, and everyone is actually used to it. What he just said wasn't really considered being unrestrained; everyone just thought the Duke of Kaiguo was rude and straightforward.
Then let's get on with our duties. After all, assessing military merits and awarding rewards are no small matters, and they can't be taken lightly.
Looking at Chang Mao, Li Jinglong said, "You should go and ask about the matter of the Duke of Kaiguo and the Imperial Son-in-Law."
Chang Mao was taken aback and instinctively refused, "Of course you should ask. His Majesty's decree is for you to handle this matter. We're just your assistant. If you don't assign us any tasks, we'd be even happier!"
Faced with this slippery Duke of the Founding, Li Jinglong could only say, "Duke of the Founding, please don't joke. His Majesty's decree clearly states that you are in charge of this matter. We are just assisting His Highness and the Duke!"
In other matters, it would be perfectly acceptable to seize control and take charge; doing so would naturally bring certain benefits, making it worthwhile. However, this time is different, so it's best not to try to stand out too much.
This isn't necessarily because they're worried about stealing Fu Youde's thunder, or about being too deeply involved with the military's merits. It's simply because the Crown Prince is involved this time, and what he's done has put everyone in a difficult position!
Although everyone knows that the Crown Prince couldn't possibly be the one to actually handle this matter, nominally the Crown Prince is still in charge. Chang Mao and Li Jinglong are merely assisting His Highness the Crown Prince.
Just thinking about the trouble His Highness the Crown Prince has caused, and who exactly is that Imperial Son-in-Law Li Qi? Whether or not to summon him, I have no idea.
If you were to go and ask His Majesty for his opinion, you might get implicated. A smart person would definitely choose to protect themselves at this time and avoid provoking trouble!
Since we're all ancient fox spirits, there's no need to talk about Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio.
Whether it's Chang Mao or Li Jinglong, they are all intelligent people, very intelligent indeed.
They all have their own tricks for protecting themselves or avoiding getting involved in trouble. Moreover, they know how to promptly shift blame; as long as there's someone to pass the buck to, there's no need for hesitation.
Chang Mao, in particular, is a classic example of a non-stick pan. Even if it were Li Jinglonglong, with whom he had little interaction and only maintained a superficially friendly relationship, or even his father-in-law, Chang Mao's first reaction after causing trouble would be to throw the pan away.
Chang Mao wanted to be the non-stick pan, but Li Jinglong certainly wouldn't allow it. In his view, Chang Mao was the emperor's uncle and had always been highly favored, so now that he had encountered some trouble, it was naturally Chang Mao who would step in.
As for his own position, he was trusted by the emperor, in charge of the military academy, controlled military officers, and managed businesses. He was even recommended by the then-Crown Prince to serve as a general in his early years. All of this is enough to demonstrate his extraordinary status.
But it's different. I can't use all my favors on these kinds of things. I'll let Chang Mao take the lead!
They all use non-stick pans and are all smart people. They know when to show off and when to play it safe. They're all very clever.
The main issue is that this matter involves the Crown Prince and even the Emperor Emeritus, putting the officials in a difficult position. Of course, they need to consider the feelings of the current Emperor and cannot get too close to the Crown Prince, partly because the current Crown Prince is just that—the Crown Prince—and they don't have any significant vested interests in him.
Furthermore, one must consider the thoughts of the Hongwu Emperor, who, after all, has abdicated and has rarely appeared in court in recent years. But regardless, he was the founding emperor; who would dare disobey his decrees?
The civil and military officials were all preoccupied with their own thoughts, and it was difficult for many to guess what they were thinking.
Little Zhu, however, naturally took Zhu Yunying's big hand and said, "Dad, weren't we smart today?"
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