Chapter 150
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Chu Lishu endured the pain and raised his head, only to find Lin Qingyang staring blankly, just like the gaze in that secret room.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Chu Lishu felt that the distance between them seemed to be getting closer, and their breaths intertwined.
An invisible pressure enveloped them.
Chu Lishu remained silent, making no movements, just quietly gazing into Lin Qingyang’s eyes, as if everything depended on him.
Faint sounds came from the treetops, but Chu Lishu paid no attention, and Lin Qingyang couldn’t hear these subtle movements.
“Don’t move!” Lu Yi embraced Lu Shi, covering Lu Shi’s mouth with one hand, afraid that any noise would disturb the master.
Lu Shi resorted to biting Lu Yi’s hand. Lu Yi clicked his tongue, loosened his grip slightly, and warned, “The master hasn’t given any instructions, no random actions allowed.”
“Wuwuwu… Lin Qingyang is not human. The master is still injured, with fractures. What is he thinking! He wants to overpower the master, and the master even goes along with it. You lied to me. Didn’t you say the master is the person on top? No, I absolutely can’t stand for this!”
Lu Yi had no choice but to carry Lu Shi away, preventing any disturbance to the master’s peace.
However, once the two left, there was no one to stop the appearance of other interlopers.
“Oh, I remember! Young Master Chu, we can add another ingredient to the medicine… medicine, yo-yo-yo…”
A miserable scream, as if a duck had been stepped on its neck, echoed from the entrance of the hot spring pool, waking up the two and dispelling the atmosphere in the pool.
Lin Qingyang quickly stepped back, retreating to the opposite side of the pool, looking awkwardly at the old man at the entrance. Seeing the old man clutching his chest and almost fainting, it seemed he had been misunderstood. However, he didn’t notice that Chu Lishu on the opposite side had already darkened his face.
“I… I heard that soaking in this is also good for me, so I came down to soak. Hehe.” Lin Qingyang explained nervously.
The physician was in a dilemma, but eventually, with a cold face, he approached and sprinkled medicine powder into the pool, giving a disdainful glance at his young master. “Young Master Chu has a rib fracture, a fracture!”
Lin Qingyang quickly nodded.
The physician snorted, leaving with a cold hum, muttering to himself, “Young people don’t know how to control themselves. Fooling around at such times, if you get injured, don’t come looking for me later!”
Lin Qingyang pretended not to hear but suddenly remembered, saying, “Cousin, did you just touch the wound? Let the old man take a look.”
“No need, I’m aware of it. It’s nothing,” Chu Lishu’s tone was a bit stiff.
Lin Qingyang thought he was angry, so he didn’t dare to say much and quickly apologized. The atmosphere gradually returned to normal, as if everything just now was an illusion.
Afterward, Chu Lishu sat a bit away from Lin Qingyang, eating snacks and chatting casually.
“Lin Qingxu is truly foolish to have come to this point.”
Chu Lishu smiled, “It can be considered as reaping what he sowed.”
Lin Qingxu’s actions would undoubtedly bring reputation damage to Marquis An Nan’s residence, but what did it matter? Compared to what he had done to Lin Qingyang, Chu Lishu spared his life, which could be considered his good fortune. If Chu Lishu hadn’t been afraid of accidentally causing the death of this son, which would attract too much attention from Marquis An Nan’s residence, he wouldn’t have just induced Lin Qingxu to know about the buying and selling of exam questions.
Actually, every student involved in transactions with the Ministry of Rites, for their own safety and exclusive benefits, would never let outsiders know about cheating possibilities. However, when Chu Lishu learned about Lin Qingxu being here, he managed to make him detect this matter through subtle hints. Knowing Lin Qingxu’s character well, Chu Lishu was confident that he would willingly get involved in the cheating scheme, thus ruining his own future. After this, Lin Qingxu would no longer be an obstacle for Lin Qingyang, completing the revenge.
“Uncle still hasn’t mentioned the matter of the heir?”
“You ask the same question as my mother, he truly hasn’t mentioned it. His attitude hasn’t changed either. I think it would be unreasonable for him to suddenly change his stance and offer me the position of heir immediately after such a significant event. Perhaps he’ll bring it up after some time; after all, he doesn’t have much choice left.” Lin Qingyang said with a casual smile.
Chu Lishu frowned slightly, “If he stubbornly refuses to acknowledge you, there’s only one possibility.”
“If he doesn’t choose me even after this, I’ll start suspecting if I’m really his biological child. Why wouldn’t he want to pass the position of the Marquis to me?” Lin Qingyang said in a strange tone, “But considering how much we look alike, it would be impossible to find a substitute father.”
“The only possibility is that he’s hiding some secret from you, and this secret could lead to hostility between you two. That’s why he’s hesitant to elevate your status, always trying to keep you as a playboy. Being too outstanding might make him afraid.”
“What kind of secret could it be?” Lin Qingyang asked.
“I will investigate,” Chu Lishu said.
“Oh, it’s just some trivial matters, not worth your time. I don’t mind at all. Anyway, everyone is doing well now. Let’s focus on more important matters,” Lin Qingyang said, shifting the conversation to the cheating case.
“At first, I thought the upcoming Civil Servant Examinations might be canceled due to the extensive implications. But I just met Qi Yan, and he said it will continue,” Lin Qingyang sighed.
This group of around thirty examinees, accounting for one-fifth of the total number, was involved in the cheating scandal. The Emperor, placing great emphasis on talent selection, was furious. He ordered the case to be closed tonight, new examination questions to be drafted, and the Civil Servant Examinations to be postponed for three days before restarting.
Chu Lishu explained, “The reason the Emperor insists on the Civil Servant Examinations is that he lacks personnel and urgently needs talented individuals. If the Civil Servant Examinations fails to identify suitable candidates, many vacant positions will eventually be filled by members of the four major clans. This is not something the Emperor wants to see. He would rather personally cultivate new talents.”
Throughout history, emperors have been wary of the excessive power of clans. This approach serves as a means of balancing power, especially after the various designs by the male lead, which led to clans stepping back and leaving many vacancies. The Emperor couldn’t possibly let such a golden opportunity pass by.
“However, the Emperor’s methods this time are truly ruthless, and the Ministry of Rites has suffered greatly. When I returned, I saw many officials’ residences being searched.” Lin Qingyang said.
When the male lead took action, the Ministry of Rites officials underwent a thorough purge, and very few remained untainted. However, they were all promoted, with Prime Minister Li temporarily taking the position of Minister of Rites, becoming the chief examiner overseeing this Civil Servant Examinations.
“Sigh, since Prime Minister Li is temporarily overseeing the Ministry of Rites, will he directly promote personnel for the Fourth Prince?” Lin Qingyang, although aware that Yang Jin would eventually rise to power, couldn’t understand why Yang Jin could assume such a position.
“The Ministry of Rites is entirely controlled by the Emperor’s people, and he won’t easily yield to any faction. After all, it oversees the selection of talents throughout the empire, and one mustn’t take it lightly. At most, he might favor the Yue family, but currently, there’s no one from the Yue family in the Ministry of Rites, so the Emperor can’t manipulate it. Giving it to the Qingliu faction is the best choice, and therefore… Lord Yang Jin, who until recently managed the Yamo Garden, should receive the promotion.”
Lin Qingyang suddenly realized, acknowledging the remarkable foresight of the male lead.
Since the location of Chu Lishu’s broken rib didn’t significantly affect his general mobility, the two of them returned to the imperial palace on time to continue their life of study companions.
Soon, the Civil Servant Examinations proceeded smoothly, and Yang Jin’s competence in his duties gained recognition from the Emperor. He was directly promoted beyond the regular ranks to become the Minister of Rites, officially standing among the Six Ministries. This marked the successful placement of one of Chu Lishu’s chess pieces.
While nursing their injuries, the two of them continued accompanying the Fourth Prince in his studies. Time passed quickly, and before they knew it, it was June.
In early June, Lin Qingyang’s mind suddenly rang with a notification.
【Side Quest: Assist the male protagonist in gaining support from the Chen Lan Merchant Agency. Successful.】
The progress remained unchanged, but the points directly increased to 230.
Chu Lishu quickly received documents, seals, and more sent by Cousin Liu. During this period, Chu Lishu’s communication with Cousin Liu became increasingly close.
In mid-June, the summer flood began, triggering catastrophic floods in various southern regions. Such major disasters occur almost every three to five years. The last time was handled personally by Yuan Ran. However, this year, the court, still recovering from previous setbacks, had not returned to its former prosperity. The preparations for such disasters were also inadequate, and ultimately, they had to resort to using the same approach as Yuan Ran did back then.
In the latter part of the month, the transportation in the most severely affected river basins came to a halt, and the granaries were depleted. The government immediately opened its warehouses for relief, but despite these efforts, refugees continued to flow into the capital. In order to maintain peace in the capital, refugee camps had to be established outside the city for temporary settlement.
During these days of classes, the Grand Tutor continually spoke to the princes about such matters. The future rulers must understand that natural disasters, as well as human-made disasters, are equally dreadful. While it might be challenging to prevent human-made disasters, once natural disasters are well-prevented, the damage and impact can be minimized.
The youngest of the four princes, who was also the most compassionate among them, couldn’t help but feel pity upon hearing about the various difficulties outside. However, due to his young age, he could only stay within the palace.
The other princes became busy with internal affairs, offering guidance and suggestions, and externally, they worked on building a positive reputation. They supported the establishment of relief centers, occasionally visited refugee camps with their entourages, and tried to win the hearts of the people to earn praise from the Emperor.
However, none of them dared to leave the capital and directly go south to address the issues. It wasn’t that they couldn’t endure hardships, as princes on tours rarely faced hardships themselves. Rather, they were concerned that leaving the capital might expose them to potential backstabbing and plots, causing harm to their positions. Therefore, they preferred to stay firmly in the center of power, avoiding any risk of being pushed aside.
In contrast, during his time, Yuan Ran was different. He stood at the pinnacle of power, where no one could rival him. Consequently, he felt confident enough to head south and address the flooding issues with ease.
During this period, the Emperor was noticeably overwhelmed, seldom visiting the imperial harem. The royal treasury, strained during times of natural disasters, was causing him concern over financial matters. At such a time, a subsidiary of the Pei family’s business association made a generous donation, instantly lifting the Emperor’s spirits. On that day, he praised the Third Prince and, in the evening, promoted Consort Pei to Concubine Pei.
Upon hearing this, the Cheng and Wang families were naturally unwilling to be left behind. In terms of financial resources, Prime Minister Li’s side was inferior to them. Therefore, during this period, they could only watch as these three factions reveled in their success.
Lin Qingyang privately discussed with Chu Lishu, “The Emperor seems to be in a tough spot. It feels like he goes to whoever provides money, as if he’s sleeping with whoever donates.”
Chu Lishu raised an eyebrow, “That’s because he is ineffective.”
Lin Qingyang suddenly became curious about how Chu Lishu would handle such a situation. However, recalling from the original plot, Chu Lishu’s harem was not used to balance power; it was merely a playground for an arbitrary tyrant seeking revenge.
The three families’ attempts to curry favor with the Emperor would not last long. The benefits were limited, and they also needed to maintain their own development. Contributing too much would arouse suspicion and potentially lead to hostility, as people might think their family had immense wealth. The principle of keeping wealth private was well understood, and the donations were merely a symbolic gesture in the process.
The majority of wealth was still in the hands of the vast number of wealthy merchants and gentry.
Although the Emperor requested donations from them, the effects were minimal, and he couldn’t resort to forced seizure. Meanwhile, those merchants not only complied with the donations but also shamelessly raised the prices of goods to make excessive profits. It seemed as if the money given to the Emperor was forcibly taken from the suffering common people. The Emperor wanted to send people to rectify the situation, but it proved to be time-consuming and not worth the effort.
During the Emperor’s vexation, the Grand Tutor visited the study hall to check on the princes’ progress in their studies and, incidentally, to improve his mood. The issue of how to make the merchants willingly contribute money was brought up.
As a result, the Emperor heard his most beloved Fourth Prince speak up, “Father, offer them incentives! The Grand Tutor mentioned that gains come with losses.”
While everyone understood this principle, the challenge was how to implement it.
The other three princes were indifferent, as it seemed impractical to reward those who had already donated money. It didn’t make sense for the funds to circulate back. Furthermore, mere reputation might not be enticing. Perceiving that the Fourth Prince couldn’t come up with a practical solution, they listened to his somewhat unclear thoughts. However, gradually, the others seemed to grasp something from his ideas.
“How about reducing taxes for the donors in the future?”
“Um… we can let them do business with the palace.”
“Also… publicize their goodness to all citizens. This way, when they do business in the future, everyone will buy from their shops.”
Yes, the most likely reward from the court was… power.
It seemed that the Emperor grasped something, and before he could praise his children, he hastily left.
The Grand Tutor, stroking his beard, praised the Fourth Prince extensively. Although he didn’t explicitly mention the key point, he had indeed considered a lot and provided many insights, inspiring everyone.
The other three princes had unpleasant expressions. After the class, their gaze didn’t linger on the Fourth Prince’s face. Instead, a few people looked at the three study companions behind the Fourth Prince.
Especially Pei Jin’s eyes were almost fixed on Chu Lishu’s face, and that intense gaze made Lin Qingyang suspect whether Pei Jin had finally come to her senses and taken an interest in Chu Lishu.
However, they probably also guessed that the Fourth Prince’s brilliant idea was undoubtedly attributed to the three of them, especially Chu Lishu.
After all, it was a method he had considered before but hadn’t implemented yet. Back then, when he held power, those merchants were quite obedient.
The three princes and even the Fourth Prince’s supporters believed that this time, they were helping the Fourth Prince gain the Emperor’s favor and rewards, much like the previous strategy with the drawing.
But what they didn’t know was that everything was part of the plan discussed by Chu Lishu and Liu Jingchen in a run-down teahouse on the outskirts of the city during their first meeting.
As early as that time, Chu Lishu had already paved the way for the return of the Liu family to the capital.
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Ayyyyyy, almost is never enough.
Thank you for the translation.