DLWAV CH37
The little milk ball was even more excited: “Awesome, my host.”
”I originally thought the goal of snatching the throne I set was already very high, but you are directly heading towards becoming a generation of wise ruler.”
Hearing its voice, Ao Ruize raised his eyebrows: “Why did you suddenly come out? Did you finish reading all the collected storybooks?”
He only discovered later that this little thing was actually an otaku.
Little milk ball: “No.”
Mainly because it suddenly remembered that it hadn’t seen its wife for a long time.
It just so happened that it had recently read a lot of interesting storybooks, and it planned to share them all with Xia Jingyao, believing that Xia Jingyao would definitely like them too.
It asked excitedly: “So where is my wife now?”
Ao Ruize: “…”
Ao Ruize, who had just come down from Xia Jingyao’s bed, said without blushing or his heart skipping a beat: “He went back to the capital first.”
”He went back already?”
The little milk ball couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed.
But it didn’t matter. Although it couldn’t see its wife now, it could share those storybooks with him first.
The little milk ball immediately listed a book list and said: “These storybooks are all sold in the Huai’an Bookstore in the city. Remember to go buy a set and help me send them to my wife.”
Ao Ruize naturally agreed readily: “Okay.”
Little milk ball: “Then I’ll go back to reading my storybooks.”
Ao Ruize: “Go ahead.”
Then he turned around and followed the little milk ball’s instructions, went to the Huai’an Bookstore in the city to buy a huge pile of storybooks, and sent them to Xia Jingyao.
In his own name.
So by the time Ao Ruize and the others returned to the capital again, it was already March of the twenty-fifth year of Yuanxi.
This time, as usual, the Eldest Prince led a group of princes and princesses out of the city to welcome Ao Ruize and Xia Jingyao.
That’s right, the Eldest Prince and the Fourth Prince were back again.
To be precise, as early as the fourth month after Ao Ruize left the capital, they were released one after another.
Because at that time, the palace examination had ended, and the unsuccessful scholars who came to participate in the examination had already gone back. The remaining scholars, hearing this news, couldn’t make trouble even if they wanted to.
And the civil and military officials in the court knew perfectly well that this empire would eventually be handed over to one of the two, the Eldest Prince or the Fourth Prince. So to curry favor with them, before Emperor Yuanxi could even speak, they took the initiative to submit memorials requesting Emperor Yuanxi to release them both.
Upon seeing Ao Ruize, the Eldest Prince took the initiative to come forward: “Eighth brother, you’ve been gone for a whole year. You don’t know how much we missed you.”
While speaking, he affectionately punched Ao Ruize on the left shoulder.
As if the previous events had never happened.
Ao Ruize smiled.
It seemed that after going through this, the Eldest Prince finally made some progress.
”Sorry to make Eldest Brother, Mother Consort, and all the royal brothers and sisters worry.”
Seeing this, a look of satisfaction flashed in the Eldest Prince’s eyes.
He knew that Ao Ruize would eventually reconcile with him sensibly.
Otherwise, Ao Ruize wouldn’t speak to him so politely.
After all, the throne would definitely pass to him or the Fourth Prince in the future.
Ao Ruize was much smarter than those officials. If they could think of it, how could Ao Ruize not think of it?
Ao Ruize was ultimately afraid.
This was the best thing possible—
This way, those so-called upright literati wouldn’t be able to make an issue of the previous events anymore.
Most importantly, he needed Ao Ruize’s support now.
Even though he held a grudge against Ao Ruize for clearly promising Consort Xian and the Eldest Prince’s Consort that he would go to Emperor Yuanxi to plead for him, but ended up doing nothing.
But now was not the time to settle this score.
The Eldest Prince said again: “Father is still inspecting Bianzhou at the moment, so I’m afraid he can’t receive you now.”
”However, I have already set up a banquet in my residence to welcome you. Mother Consort and the others have all come too.”
”Then I’ll have to trouble Eldest Brother.”
Ao Ruize naturally wouldn’t refuse. Anyway, the ones forcing smiles were the Eldest Prince and his group, not him.
At the banquet, the Eldest Prince indeed pulled Ao Ruize in front of the civil and military officials to stage a show of brotherly love.
After the banquet, he even directly stopped Ao Ruize, pulled Consort Xian and the others together, and started chatting about family matters.
Soon, the Eldest Prince’s Consort brought her son over.
”The child was born on the fifth day of the fourth lunar month last year. He weighed fully eight catties. It took two whole days to give birth to him.”
”Next month is his first birthday celebration. Eighth Uncle must come to drink a cup of joyous wine then.”
”He really looks sturdy.”
Ao Ruize reached out and touched his chubby face.
Unexpectedly, the next second, he burst into tears with a “wah”.
The expressions on the Eldest Prince’s Consort and the Eldest Prince’s faces stiffened.
They tried to coax the child first, but the child cried even louder.
Consort Xian had no choice but to say: “Alright, take the child down first.”
The atmosphere inevitably became a bit awkward. The Eldest Prince’s Consort immediately explained: “This child is a bit shy with strangers. Eighth Uncle, please don’t take it to heart.”
Ao Ruize casually went along with her words: “This is normal. After all, he hasn’t seen me before.”
Consort Xian immediately smiled and said: “Then you must come to the Eldest Prince’s residence more often in the future. Otherwise, if the nephew cries upon seeing his uncle, people might laugh if word gets out.”
The atmosphere immediately became harmonious again.
Just at this time, Consort Xian gave the Eldest Prince a look.
The Eldest Prince immediately said: “Eighth brother, actually I kept you here today to discuss another matter with you.”
”I know, the previous matter was my greed as an older brother blinding me. I wronged you.”
After finishing speaking about Yufeng Salt, he raised his hand and pointed to a pregnant young woman sitting below the Eldest Prince’s Consort: “This is my secondary consort, née Li. The child in her belly is already five months old. The imperial physician said that this pregnancy is most likely a boy.”
”I mean, if this child turns out to be a boy in the end, I will submit a memorial to Father to adopt this child to you.”
”What do you think?”
Hearing this, Consort Xian and the others couldn’t help but look at Ao Ruize.
Consort Xian thought.
This way, Ao Ruize shouldn’t resent the Eldest Prince anymore, nor should he resent her anymore!
She knew this was unfair to Ao Ruize, but what could she do?
Previously, Prince An was in poor health, and the imperial physicians said he probably wouldn’t live past twenty-five.
Later, his health improved, but his foundation was ruined.
Who else could their family count on for future wealth and glory if not the Eldest Prince!
Meeting their gazes, Ao Ruize smiled: “Okay, as long as Father agrees.”
…
On the other side, at the Bianzhou Imperial Palace, Emperor Yuanxi was reviewing the memorials sent during the day.
Learning that Ao Ruize had led the army back to the capital, this time, Emperor Yuanxi unexpectedly didn’t show much joy.
On the contrary, every time he saw the battle reports sent by Ao Ruize, he became extremely irritable.
”Even eating a few dishes at night warrants a memorial. Why don’t you just report how much private property your family has?”
”Your son is getting married again? Your son has been married four times and you’re still quite happy?”
…
”Selection of consorts, selection of consorts… I’m almost sixty years old, what selection of consorts.”
In the end, Emperor Yuanxi threw the brush in his hand directly.
Seeing this, the eunuchs and maids standing by the side immediately lowered their heads even lower.
After a good while, Emperor Yuanxi finally calmed down.
He couldn’t help but take out Ao Ruize’s report from the box beside his hand again.
”…Killed more than twenty-three thousand bandits, captured more than thirty-five thousand bandits…”
He murmured: “Literary talent can stabilize the world with a brush, martial prowess can settle the universe on horseback…”
Because the more outstanding Ao Ruize performed, the more unwilling he was. Unwilling that the Zhao family finally produced a descendant with ability and boldness, yet he couldn’t entrust heavy responsibilities to him.
Especially in contrast to those two fools, the Eldest Prince and the Fourth Prince.
Thinking of this, Emperor Yuanxi’s face instantly became even darker: “Heard that the Eldest is planning to adopt the child in his secondary consort Li’s belly to Prince An?”
Chief Eunuch Yu Zan: “Is there such a thing?”
”Fool, fool.”
Emperor Yuanxi slapped the imperial desk fiercely again.
Originally, when the Eldest Prince volunteered to lead officials to welcome Prince An outside the city, he thought the Eldest Prince had finally made some progress. But in the blink of an eye, he did such a stupid thing again.
Because when ordinary people adopt an heir, they choose a legitimate son to adopt. Only when there really is no legitimate son will they choose a concubine’s son to adopt.
The Eldest Prince was good. He was clearly still young, yet he chose to adopt an unborn concubine’s son to Prince An.
”What does he mean? Does he think Prince An only deserves a concubine’s son?”
If he had a bit of brain, a bit of courage, he should have directly adopted his only legitimate son to Prince An to apologize to Prince An.
This way, why worry that Prince An wouldn’t forgive him? Why worry that Prince An wouldn’t help him?
Even he would look at him with new respect.
Chief Eunuch Yu Zan’s head also lowered.
Probably the Eldest Prince felt that he would definitely sit on the throne in the future. The Emperor’s son, even a concubine’s son, is more noble than a Prince’s legitimate son. So for him to adopt his own concubine’s son to Prince An, Prince An should already be grateful to him.
The more Emperor Yuanxi thought about it, the angrier he got.
Because compared to the Eldest Prince, the Fourth Prince’s recent performance wasn’t much better.
The Fourth Prince was now observing administration in the Ministry of Revenue.
In the past half year, the thing he did most was actually to banish all those new scholars from the four prefectures and officials from Yunzhou who spoke up for Prince An last year to remote corners.
It can be seen that up to now, they still haven’t realized their mistakes.
No, to be precise, they were sure that he didn’t dare to do anything to them now, so they became more and more unscrupulous.
How could this make him rest assured handing over the empire to them?
No, it should be said that if this empire were handed over to them, I’m afraid within twenty years, this world would change its surname.
Emperor Yuanxi reached out and rubbed his temples, feeling physically and mentally exhausted.
Thinking of this, he couldn’t help but think of his child who died prematurely last year.
When the Eldest Prince’s Consort was pregnant, a palace maid used tricks to climb into his bed.
Unexpectedly, just that one time, she got pregnant.
Most importantly, at that time, the imperial physicians said what was in her belly was a girl. Unexpectedly, she ended up giving birth to a boy.
It’s just that the child wasn’t very lucky. He died of an acute illness at only three months old.
Emperor Yuanxi couldn’t help thinking, how good it would be if that child hadn’t died prematurely. Perhaps he could have cultivated another qualified heir.
But soon he shook his head again.
He was already so old. To cultivate a child again, how could there be enough time?
Rather than pinning hope on these, it was better to pray for Prince An’s health to improve.
But just at this time, as if thinking of something, Emperor Yuanxi suddenly sat up straight, startling Chief Eunuch Yu Zan beside him.
”Your Majesty?”
Emperor Yuanxi didn’t pay attention to him.
He murmured: “Prince An can’t reproduce anymore, but I seem to be still able to reproduce…”
”Since that’s the case, then I can totally have a child for Prince An…”
Chief Eunuch Yu Zan: “…”
Have a child for Prince An?
Pupils trembling!
Emperor Yuanxi: “…Have an Imperial Younger Brother.”
Chief Eunuch Yu Zan breathed a sigh of relief instantly, but the next second, he couldn’t help but gasp again.
Only then did he realize what Emperor Yuanxi meant.
Emperor Yuanxi thought, since neither the Eldest Prince nor the Fourth Prince were suitable, why not choose Prince An?
Prince An only lacked fertility. Apart from that, he could be called a perfect heir.
Although spreading such a thing might cause ridicule from vassal states, especially those who already had disloyal thoughts towards Dayang, it was better than the country perishing, right?
It wasn’t impossible to establish Prince An as the Crown Prince first, then choose a child from the Eldest Prince or Fourth Prince to adopt to Prince An. But the Eldest Prince and Fourth Prince would definitely not be willing. They were the biological fathers of the Imperial Grandson. Once they caused some trouble, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Most importantly, they were really too stupid. This made Emperor Yuanxi have to suspect that the children they produced wouldn’t be much better.
So he’d better have one himself.
Thinking of this, Emperor Yuanxi’s gaze returned to the memorial requesting him to hold a selection of consorts.
Chief Eunuch Yu Zan: “…”
For a moment, he didn’t know whether to pity the Eldest Prince and Fourth Prince, or to pity Emperor Yuanxi.
Because the Eldest Prince and Fourth Prince originally thought victory was in their grasp. If they knew Emperor Yuanxi’s plan now, they would probably vomit blood on the spot.
As for Emperor Yuanxi, he was over sixty, his hair graying at the temples, yet he still had to strive for a twelfth child, or even more. Saying it out loud was also kinda sad.
By the way, Emperor Yuanxi is so old, will he have the will but not the strength when the time comes?
Heard there’s a medicine on the market now that can revitalize men’s prowess. Maybe he could stock up a bit first?
Chief Eunuch Yu Zan’s thoughts had already wandered far.
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Thanks for the chapter, also the emperor’s thinking is crazy. Hope you can translate it frequently if possible.