News from Luoyang reached Chang’an in waves. As Li Yuanying had promised, they had only meant to frighten Duke Xun Guo. However, the scope of their intimidation was quite broad. They smashed flower pots in front of people or made them fall into pit toilets, which seemed a bit excessive.
Yet, the targeted Duke Xun Guo, also known as Duke Yun, remained completely undisturbed. It was as if he hadn’t been threatened at all, and his businesses continued to operate without any noticeable pressure. Luoyang appeared calm and serene on the surface.
But this tranquility was merely an illusion.
Duke Yun wasn’t known for his fiery temper. After basking in the joy of the secret map left by the fortune-tellers, he sobered up and realized he shouldn’t have let them go. He immediately summoned trusted individuals, instructing them to quietly eliminate the fortune-tellers without leaving any trace.
The fortune-tellers, also sobering up and realizing the gravity of what they had heard, were struck with fear. They had only flattered Duke Yun with pleasantries in exchange for his lavish hospitality. Who would dare to join him in a rebellion?
One fortune-teller, sensing impending doom, secretly penned a sealed letter to his friend, detailing all the shady dealings he knew of Duke Yun. He concealed it within a hidden compartment they used for exchanging letters. His friend was a wandering swordsman and fellow fortune-teller, often moving about. Their method of communication was to leave messages in this hidden compartment at their respective residences.
In times of peace, all was well. But in times of crisis, this friend would ensure that Duke Yun would pay the ultimate price!
After leaving the letter, the fortune-teller fled under the cover of darkness.
However, he hadn’t traveled far before he was intercepted and killed by Duke Yun’s men. Sadly, his greed for Duke Yun’s lavish meals, fine wines, and gold led him to blindly utter flattering words and live a carefree life, only to ultimately perish under Duke Yun’s hidden ambitions!
Dai Ting quickly discovered this silent massacre. His sharp intuition warned him that it was unwise to stay in Luoyang. He discreetly withdrew from the city.
Even without delving deep into the matter, Dai Ting was certain that Duke Yun’s vast collection of adopted sons was not a fatherly whim. The fact that he had ruthlessly eradicated even his close-knit fortune-tellers indicated a hidden agenda—most likely, an insatiable desire to transcend his status as a duke and ascend to greater heights!
Li Yuanying had repeatedly cautioned against getting involved in such affairs, so Dai Ting decided to step back and avoid any further interference. He silently withdrew from Luoyang and raced back to Tengzhou without stopping day or night.
Tengzhou, once a distant and unfamiliar place to them, had become their home. Upon entering Tengzhou’s territory, Dai Ting slowed down, even spending a day in a nearby county before returning to the city.
Outside Tengzhou City, peace and tranquility reigned. Farmers rested under the shade of trees or toiled in their fields. Inside the city, bustling cries of vendors filled the air, creating a vibrant and lively atmosphere.
The Tang Dynasty didn’t encourage citizens to engage in commerce. Land was considered the foundation, with sufficient grain production being the key to sustaining a larger population. Merchants, viewed as merely profit-seekers, contributed nothing to grain production. However, Li Yuanying had a different perspective. He believed that merchants played a crucial role in facilitating trade between the north and south, east and west. Their presence was essential for Tengzhou to control the flow of goods from across the vast land, enriching the city. Therefore, the Tengzhou Academy didn’t prohibit merchants’ children from attending, even promising them a promising future if they excelled.
As for grain, Tengzhou wouldn’t lack it as long as there was money. Its granaries were always overflowing, and old grain was regularly replaced with fresh supplies. Li Yuanying had never slacked off in this regard.
Dai Ting, wearing a face veil, strolled through the city. Although he didn’t recognize a single person he met, he felt a deep sense of homecoming. Tengzhou was their home, and they would make it increasingly prosperous and vibrant. Every individual would yearn for and envy this place, and no one would dare to underestimate those who hailed from here!
Reaching the Government Office, Dai Ting presented his identification token and entered without obstruction. He proceeded directly to find Li Yuanying.
Li Yuanying was lounging back, leisurely reviewing documents, seemingly unconcerned with matters of formality. Upon hearing that Dai Ting had returned, he sat up, instructed someone to brew tea, and beckoned Dai Ting to sit beside him.
Dai Ting removed his face veil, revealing a flawless face like polished jade.
He obeyed Li Yuanying and settled down beside him.
Months had passed, but there was no sense of estrangement between them. Li Yuanying, with a carefree air, inquired about Luoyang. When he heard how Dai Ting had intimidated Duke Yun, Li Yuanying was amused and delighted. After his laughter subsided, he asked, “You didn’t do anything else, did you?”
Dai Ting replied, “No.” He then brought up the matter of Duke Yun’s assassination of the fortune-tellers. The fact that he had resorted to murder suggested that his ambitions were far-reaching. His unwavering patience was telling; anyone else under constant pressure and threats would inevitably crack. But Duke Yun had remained unfazed!
To endure what others couldn’t, one must have a grand scheme in mind!
Li Yuanying’s expression turned serious. He nodded, “You came back at the right time.” After a moment of contemplation, he said to Dai Ting, “Recently, I received some merchants from Champa. They mentioned a type of rice there that yields significantly higher harvests than the varieties we currently cultivate. It produces several times the amount of grain. Why don’t you lead a team to investigate?”
This was a way for Dai Ting to leave the country and avoid potential trouble.
Dai Ting readily agreed.
Sailing the seas was nothing new to Dai Ting. After a two-day rest, he assembled his team and set sail for Champa. The journey was quite long. Li Yuanying personally saw them off at the port before returning to the Government Office to write a letter to Emperor Li, informing him about Dai Ting’s findings and his decision to dispatch Dai Ting to seek the Champa rice.
In his letter, Li Yuanying also wrote that he had made Dai Ting swear an oath that he wouldn’t return unless he found the rice!
Upon finishing the letter, Li Yuanying immediately sent a courier with the fastest horse to deliver it to Emperor Li at Cuiwei Palace.
Duke Yun was so careless! How could he keep allowing Dai Ting to uncover his schemes? He was determined to seal his own fate, and he even dragged others down with him!
Fortunately, it was a stroke of luck that he had heard about the high-yielding rice from Champa.
If Dai Ting couldn’t find this rice, Li Yuanying would simply claim that he hadn’t returned. His imperial brother would have no grounds to punish him. But if he succeeded in securing the rice, it would be a monumental benefit to the nation and its people. Dai Ting would be hailed as a hero. His imperial brother wouldn’t dare to harbor any murderous thoughts towards a loyal servant who had rendered such extraordinary service to the Tang Dynasty, would he?
After sending the confidential letter, Li Yuanying stood by the window for a while, feeling uneasy. He sat back down at his desk and began writing again. He penned a second letter to Emperor Li, filled with comforting words, expressing the hardships of being an emperor. He said that being a ruler was truly a thankless task; the moment one gained power, one’s true friends transformed. Being a prince was far more enjoyable, with a brother above to protect him and a nephew below to support him.
After lamenting the challenges of being emperor, he painted a brighter picture of the future, saying that once they found this high-yielding rice, a single acre could sustain as many people as several acres used to. The Tang Dynasty would undoubtedly grow stronger and more prosperous. In the years to come, generations would remember him as a wise and deserving emperor.
Li Yuanying sighed, sealed the comforting letter, and dispatched a courier to deliver it, hoping to catch up with the previous one.
It wouldn’t matter if he didn’t make it in time. The important thing was to get it delivered.
He had to protect Dai Ting. But he also didn’t want to disappoint his imperial brother. Sadly, there was no solution that would please everyone. He had already made the decision to send Dai Ting overseas to escape potential trouble, and a single letter wouldn’t change much.
Li Yuanying paced around his study for a while, ultimately deciding not to reveal Dai Ting’s return to anyone else. No matter how Emperor Li decided to deal with the rebellious Duke Yun, he hoped that those close to him would remain uninvolved, avoiding any entanglement in this matter. Ideally, they wouldn’t even be privy to the information.
With his mind set, Li Yuanying instructed Wu Mei to make preparations for Tengzhou’s first-ever selection of recipients for the “Tengzhou Currency.” Once they were chosen, they would start construction projects upon the completion of the autumn harvest—building roads, bridges, and irrigation systems, combining the efforts of the entire prefecture to improve infrastructure in those three counties.
Come spring, they would take turns residing in those selected counties, personally overseeing local affairs and evaluating the capabilities of the county magistrates. They would see if they were worthy of further promotion, offering them opportunities for advancement. If they proved incompetent, they would be replaced with their own people.
It was foreseeable that they would all be quite busy in the coming months.
As summer approached, Lu Zhaolin set out for Chang’an to prepare for his wedding to Gao Yang. Li Yuanying had yet to receive a reply from Emperor Li, sensing that his imperial brother might genuinely be upset with him. But that old Zhang’s rebellious plot was completely unrelated to him, and it wasn’t instigated by Dai Ting. He had only sent Dai Ting overseas out of fear that Emperor Li would punish him for Dai Ting’s actions.
After all, Duke Yun had been one of Emperor Li’s earliest followers, with a bond forged over many years. Whether Dai Ting’s actions were linked to Duke Yun’s rebellious heart or not, they shouldn’t have gotten involved, and they certainly shouldn’t have exposed the truth.
Before Lu Zhaolin departed, Li Yuanying held his hand and said, “Keep an eye on my imperial brother. Make sure he’s eating well and not losing weight. He’ll be your father-in-law soon. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to see him. Just take a sneaky peek every now and then, but don’t let him know.” He sighed, “He hasn’t replied to my letters. I guess he doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.”
Lu Zhaolin naturally agreed without hesitation.
Li Yuanying’s dejection lasted only a short while before he urged Lu Zhaolin to treat Gao Yang well and bring her back to Tengzhou as soon as possible. He had already built a princess mansion for her. When they returned, they could live in that residence and continue to serve, or rather, contribute to Tengzhou!
Lu Zhaolin, who always enjoyed seeing Li Yuanying’s energetic and enthusiastic side, readily agreed and galloped away from Tengzhou towards Chang’an. His parents had already arrived in the capital, and wedding preparations were underway. All he needed to do was show up. Once they completed the necessary procedures after the wedding, they would return to Tengzhou together!
After seeing Lu Zhaolin off, Li Yuanying complained to Wei Jiu with a tinge of envy, “When will my imperial brother and your grandfather allow us to get married? They’re both married, but I’m still living alone.” He really wanted to cuddle up with his wife and sleep. It must feel incredibly comfortable!
Wei Jiu, hearing his words about “living alone,” couldn’t help but squeeze his hand hard. Was that how he spoke about himself? A man of his stature should be ashamed to utter such things!
But Li Yuanying didn’t care about being ashamed.
What face did he need in front of his own wife?
…
Emperor Li was in a rather foul mood, partly due to the stifling summer heat, but primarily because of Li Yuanying’s confidential letter.
Li Yuanying’s two letters arrived in Chang’an one after the other. Emperor Li read the first one and was instantly furious.
He was angry at both Zhang Liang and Li Yuanying.
Zhang Liang, with his adopted sons and superstitious reliance on fortune-tellers, had been under surveillance since Li Yuanying initially reported him. But as Zhang Liang had remained inactive, Emperor Li had turned a blind eye.
This sudden attack on the fortune-tellers, whom Zhang Liang had always held in high regard, clearly indicated that these individuals had learned something—suggesting that Zhang Liang was indeed harboring treacherous intentions.
As for why he was angry at Li Yuanying, it was simple. Upon learning about this matter, Li Yuanying had sent Dai Ting overseas to avoid trouble, demonstrating his lack of trust in Emperor Li’s ability to tolerate someone who had discovered Zhang Liang’s treachery.
While he had indeed contemplated harming Dai Ting, Li Yuanying’s assumptions were simply wrong!
Emperor Li, incensed by the letter, threw it aside. But soon after, he received Li Yuanying’s second letter.
This letter was pure gibberish. Even through the paper, Emperor Li could imagine Li Yuanying scratching his head as he struggled to write this comforting note. Yet, it was this utterly pointless letter that effectively extinguished Emperor Li’s burning anger.
The kid did have some conscience after all. For now, he could let him off the hook.
After two days of consideration, Emperor Li dispatched Ma Zhou to Luoyang to thoroughly investigate the matters Li Yuanying had mentioned in his letters.
However, before Ma Zhou even reached Luoyang, someone traveled to the capital to accuse Duke Yun of plotting a rebellion!
Li Chengqian, upon hearing this news, immediately rushed to Cuiwei Palace to report it to Emperor Li.
**Author’s Note:** Our little prince has a big conscience! It’s huge!
Update!
Today! Still one chapter! It’s almost the end of the month! And “Little Prince” is also just a little short of 300,000 words! Sweet Spring hopes the nutrient solution can be returned at the beginning of the month! This will help us climb the charts! If you have nutrient solutions that are about to expire, you can give them to “Little Prince” at the end of the month. If they haven’t expired, you can give them to “Little Prince” on the first of next month along with the nutrient solution returned to him. Then “Little Prince” can climb the charts again! Sweet Spring has safely returned home! Plenty of updates next month!
Note: I noticed a typo in the previous chapter and corrected it. They look too similar, it’s not my fault!
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