I Built a Territory in Ancient Times Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Although the emperor had his own opinions, he was still greatly constrained by the court’s system and couldn’t act recklessly. For minor matters that didn’t cause much harm, he could make decisions on his own, but when it came to the interests of the nation, it had to be discussed with the officials in court. Otherwise, if a foolish emperor were to come along and do as he pleased, wouldn’t the country have already been ruined by the emperor’s actions?

When the emperor first began to rule, he was filled with youthful vigor and dissatisfaction with the previous emperor’s policy of peace and alliance with the barbarians. Upon taking power, he quickly dismissed the idea of peace with the barbarians, but few understood the difficulties involved.

At the time, Prime Minister Wen of the central secretariat had advised him to proceed cautiously, taking time to transition gradually over the years. But the emperor was eager. Every year, the tribute paid to the barbarians could have fed so many of the people, yet the barbarians were never satisfied. They still sent raiders to attack the borders, acting worse than wild wolves.

This, however, affected the interests of those supporting the peace treaty, and opposition from all corners of the court was strong. Despite his stubbornness and his use of force to suppress dissent, the emperor’s actions caused serious harm to the court, and it took many years for the court to recover.

Since then, the harsh attitude of the Great Yan towards the barbarians only fueled their resentment, keeping the borderland in a state of constant conflict.

Everyone knew that war drained both lives and resources, but with no way out, they had to believe that one day they could drive the barbarians back to the Western Kingdom.

Now that the emperor was older, he had lost the impulsiveness of his youth and sought stability and peace. Therefore, upon hearing Ming Yu’s plan, the emperor remained calm. He couldn’t just agree without considering the consequences.

“Moreover, with years of continuous warfare and natural and man-made disasters, the national treasury has been unbalanced. In these last two years, the finances have been stretched thin. If we suddenly propose the expansion and construction of the Western Qi Corridor, it will incur huge expenses, and there will likely be significant resistance from the court,” the emperor sighed. He didn’t want to disappoint his son, so he offered a further explanation.

Ming Yu naturally understood this, but as long as his father was willing to support him, he could handle the rest.

Ming Yu grinned and leaned closer. “I understand, Father. As long as you agree to stand by me, I’ll find a way to reduce the resistance.”

The emperor looked at him in confusion, but Ming Yu shrugged and said nonchalantly, “It’s just money, Father. Once we solve that, who would still oppose?”

The emperor couldn’t help but laugh at his son. It sounded so simple, but if it were really that easy, they wouldn’t be in this situation. “You’re a foolish boy,” the emperor thought to himself, smiling at how easily Ming Yu dismissed the complexities.

Ming Yu, however, was resolute, shamelessly begging his father to agree. The emperor, feeling helpless but sure that this wasn’t going to be an easy task, resigned himself. Even if he agreed, what could this foolish son accomplish?

Xie Yixiu was also puzzled. He kept glancing at Duan Wang, noticing that he seemed confident. But this was no small matter; where did he get the confidence to make such bold claims? He had never heard Ming Yu express such ideas before.

The emperor then dismissed Ming Yu and asked Xie Yixiu about other matters, gaining a thorough understanding. Once Xie Yixiu had finished his report, he took his leave, and the emperor waved him off.

Before leaving, Xie Yixiu exchanged a few quiet words with Ming Yu, telling him to follow the plan, and that he would come to see him once he had time.

Xie Yixiu nodded knowingly and left. The emperor observed their interaction, and once Xie Yixiu was gone, he commented with a half-smile, “Fourteenth and General Xie seem to be getting quite close.”

If anyone else had said this, it could have caused a huge stir. A prince and an external general growing too close could easily lead to charges of conspiracy.

Ming Yu, however, wasn’t concerned. He waved his hand dismissively and said with a grin, “Yes! General Xie is a good man, even you, Father, have praised him. Except for the fact that he always puts on a cold face and isn’t very approachable, everything else about him is fine. After all, he saved my life! I’ve been thinking about trying to find a girl who would be a good match for him and play matchmaker for him.”

This silly child probably doesn’t even understand the difference between internal and external officials, let alone the intricacies of the court. He’s so innocent, and it’s only because Xie Yixiu saved him that he treats him like a true friend.

Now that the child has grown up, he understands good and bad and will have his own circle of friends. As his father, I fear I’ll soon be forgotten. The thought makes the emperor feel a pang of sorrow in his heart.

“Nonsense! A general’s life matters—how can you meddle in it so recklessly?” the emperor scolded sternly. His foolish son always acts impulsively without thinking about the consequences. If things go wrong, it will be a public joke for the capital to witness.

But Ming Yu was unafraid of his father’s scolding. Instead, he walked over and gently massaged the emperor’s shoulders, making him feel incredibly comfortable.

“What’s the big deal with that? When a man comes of age, he should marry; when a woman comes of age, she should marry off. I’m only thinking about General Xie’s well-being. Besides, I’m not forcing him. He has to choose someone he likes, right?” Ming Yu had originally thought about asking the emperor to arrange a marriage, but after giving it some thought, he realized that it wouldn’t be appropriate.

Nowadays, forced marriages were out of the question, and that absolutely wouldn’t work. He had to choose someone he truly liked, and it should be a free relationship. After all, a fruit that’s forced to ripen doesn’t taste sweet, does it? So, he decided to abandon that idea and instead arranged a garden party or matchmaking banquet. That way, it would sound much more elegant.

The emperor sighed in resignation. “Fine, fine, just be careful and don’t cause trouble,” he warned repeatedly.

Ming Yu readily agreed but was already planning the details of his matchmaking event. He didn’t know many of the noble young ladies in the capital. Having spent most of his time in the palace, he’d never had a chance to mingle with these circles. Even after his time in the frontier, his knowledge of the court’s dynamics was still quite limited.

Before he could figure out what to do, the emperor suddenly said, “Speaking of which, you’re not a child anymore. It’s time I arranged a marriage for you.”

Ming Yu was the youngest among his brothers. His elder brothers had all married, and the others had concubines. But Ming Yu was still a solitary bachelor, without a family of his own.

This was because Ming Yu had been a mute and ignorant child, never involved in any matters of the court. After his health improved, his lively personality often got him into trouble, making people in the palace avoid him. Without a mother figure to manage these matters, his marriage was delayed.

As Ming Yu grew older and caused more trouble, the emperor became exasperated. Before he had the chance to choose a bride for him, others suggested sending him far away. And so, Ming Yu remained unmarried to this day. The emperor couldn’t help but feel guilty about this.

Ming Yu suddenly snapped back to his senses and hurriedly refused. “No, Father, I haven’t thought about marriage yet. Let’s not talk about it now.”

“Why not?” the emperor asked, puzzled by Ming Yu’s reaction. All of his other sons had been thrilled when their marriages were arranged. Whether by their father’s decree or their own choice, the idea of marriage was always a happy occasion. So why was Ming Yu acting as though it was a hot potato, eager to avoid it?

Ming Yu’s mind raced. He didn’t want his parents to arrange his marriage. The thought of living with a stranger under one roof was unbearable. He had thought about it carefully and realized that his ideal partner should share his beliefs, interests, and values. They needed to have mutual understanding, respect, and trust.

The world was structured in such a way that finding someone who truly resonated with him seemed nearly impossible. He didn’t want to wear a mask in society, and he certainly didn’t want to wear one at home, especially with the person he would share his life with. That would be too exhausting. Rather than spend his whole life pretending, Ming Yu decided it was better to avoid such a life altogether. Even if he couldn’t find someone who matched his ideal, he would rather remain single than force himself into a marriage that would ruin another person’s life.

Ming Yu decided it was time to be honest with the emperor about his feelings so he wouldn’t have to worry about this in the future.

“Father, I won’t marry someone I’m not happy with. If I were forced to live with someone I don’t like or don’t know, just the thought of it makes me uncomfortable.”

The emperor laughed, shaking his head at his silly son. “What does it matter if you don’t like or know them? After living together for a while, you’ll get to know and like each other. Look at your brothers—didn’t they become a family after marriage? They got to know each other over time.”

Ming Yu shook his head vigorously. “No, no, it’s not like that. I need someone who shares my interests and can talk to me. I need to find someone I like myself. Father, please don’t matchmake me with random people! Otherwise, I’ll cause a scene.”

The emperor laughed, exasperated. “You want to find someone you like, but when will that happen? Everyone else is married by their parents’ arrangements. Not everyone has the luxury of doing things your way.”

“It’s not a joke, Father! I’ve made up my mind. It doesn’t matter when I find the right person, and if I don’t find them in this life, so be it! I’ll just live alone!” Ming Yu said nonchalantly. “But don’t try to force someone on me! If you insist on me marrying someone I don’t like, I’ll just run off to a temple and live there for the rest of my life!”

“You… You… You insolent child!” The Emperor, enraged by Ming Yu’s words, blew out his mustache and glared.

Thinking about Ming Yu’s stubborn temper, the Emperor recalled that if it hadn’t been for his son’s persistence, he wouldn’t have agreed to send him to Liangcheng in the first place. This brat was always good at saying what he meant and acting on it. Since he had said this now, it was clear that his mind was made up. The Emperor couldn’t help but wonder where Ming Yu had inherited such a temper from. His mother was gentle and virtuous—so it must have come from him, right?

The Emperor fumed, but there was nothing he could do. He could scold, but Ming Yu wouldn’t listen. He could hit him, but he didn’t have the heart to do that either. He waved his hand in frustration. “Do whatever you want! Hmph! You think I’m eager to pair you with someone? Just don’t come crying to me later!”

Ming Yu grinned, taking the opportunity to sweeten things up. “I know Father is the best! Don’t worry, no matter what happens, I’ll always be filial to you.”

His sweet words made the Emperor glare at him. Annoyed, he said, “It’s a miracle I’m not dead from the way you’ve been aggravating me. And you expect me to trust that you’ll be grateful in the future?”

His father was angry—what should he do? He could only try to calm him down.

Ming Yu knew exactly what the emperor was thinking, so he didn’t bring up the matter again. Instead, he changed the topic and said, “I’ve brought many good things to present to Father  this time. I’ve already had someone deliver them. Would Father like to take a look?”

Seeing the emperor’s cold expression, Ming Yu could only muster up the courage to smile foolishly and circle around him. “Father? Father?…”

Unable to keep up his angry facade, the Emperor was starting to feel a headache from Ming Yu’s persistence. “Alright, alright. Sit down and let’s talk properly.”

Ming Yu sat down beside him, eagerly saying, “Father, do you remember the corn I mentioned in my last letter? I’ve successfully grown it! Right now, I’m preparing to plant more. This crop has an incredibly high yield and is very resilient. Once the seeds are ready, we can have the people plant it in large quantities. With this, they won’t have to suffer from hunger anymore.”

The Emperor became interested and asked several questions about the corn. Ming Yu had even brought two corn cobs with him to the capital, and had them brought in for the Emperor to see.

This was a matter of national importance, so the Emperor naturally cared. If the crop was as good as Ming Yu said, it would be a major boon for the country and its people once it was promoted nationwide.

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