Chapter 9

Whenever an emperor acts, he must adhere to propriety and ensure that his actions are justified, hence, even though Zhao Hongrun had destroyed his favorite ornamental items, Emperor Da Wei Zhao Yuansi still had to suppress his anger and ask his son the reason for his actions, despite knowing the reasons all too well.

Indeed, though his heart was bleeding from the pain, Emperor Da Wei Zhao Yuansi still accepted the roasted fish his son handed over, accepting his son’s blatant malice, or rather, "goodwill."

"Golden scales and crimson tails..."

Recalling the precious golden carp that once swam joyfully in the fish pond and were now transformed into the roasted food in his hands, Emperor Da Wei took a deep breath and asked in a more gentle tone, "Does my son know the origin of this fish?"

"It is a tribute sent from the regions to the palace, I believe it is called 'Golden Scales and Crimson Tails.'" Zhao Hongrun wore an expression of great expertise.

"Oh? Hahahaha—"

A series of laughter erupted from Emperor Da Wei, though it seemed like he was laughing, the veins on his forehead were visibly pulsing, making his laughter seem very strange and out of place.

‘Deliberate! This rebellious son is indeed being deliberate!’

Though his face showed no change, he continued to laugh, deep inside, Emperor Da Wei was roaring with hatred.

Seeing the emperor in this state, the three familiar Secretaries of the Zhongshu Province were shocked, they could clearly see that the emperor was burning with anger and could erupt at any moment.

However, the bold Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun remained unperturbed, his composure greatly impressed the three Secretaries of the Zhongshu Province.

After a chilling laugh, Emperor Da Wei fixed his gaze on his son Zhao Hongrun and asked nonchalantly, "Knowing it is a tribute, why did you still destroy it? Are you harboring resentment towards me?"

Everyone present felt a chill at these words.

The emperor was challenging him. At this moment, if Zhao Hongrun’s answer did not satisfy the emperor, he would surely be sent to the ancestral temple to reflect on his actions.

However, Zhao Hongrun’s expression remained calm, and he asked with a puzzled look, "Father, what are you talking about? How could your son dare to harbor resentment towards you?"

"Just dare? So you have thought about it, then?" Emperor Da Wei’s eyes became sharper, his words more aggressive.

At this point, even the old eunuch Tong Xian shrank back, and the other two young eunuchs, unable to bear the emperor’s fury, fell to their knees with a thud.

But Zhao Hongrun remained unperturbed, smiling and responding, "Father, you are too suspicious. You are my biological father, and I am your son. How can there be any resentment between us?" He smacked his lips and sighed, "Your son has his own difficulties."

"Hmm?" Hearing this, Emperor Da Wei’s anger gradually subsided, and he became curious, "What difficulties do you have?"

"It’s like this..." Zhao Hongrun bowed to the emperor and said earnestly, "Recently, your son spent a considerable amount of money on the kite. Although I asked for forty taels from Father, you should understand that it was only the cost of the kite, not including the previous failed attempts. Alas, to make that kite, your son spent hundreds of taels, leaving the treasury of my Wenzhao Pavilion... oh, no, my Xiaoyao Pavilion, insufficient to support your son and the ten ancestral guards. As you know, even as a prince, if I want to eat something, I have to pay the kitchen, and I also have to give tips to the young eunuchs in the palace..."

According to the ancestral rules of Da Wei, the ancestral temple pays a monthly stipend to each prince. Do not think that princes do not need to pay for their meals in the palace. In fact, even princes have to inform the kitchen in advance and pay the corresponding amount for the dishes they want to eat. This is to control the princes' indulgence and prevent extravagance.

Additionally, if a prince uses the services of a young eunuch, he must also give a tip, which is an unwritten rule in the palace.

Therefore, unmarried princes are generally quite poor. As Zhao Hongrun put it, they are living in poverty to maintain their dignity. Even when they have little money, they still have to tip the young eunuchs, calling it the demeanor of a superior.

According to Zhao Hongrun, he spent almost all of his monthly stipend on the kite last month, leaving him with no money. Since he had not yet received this month’s stipend, he had no money to support himself and the ten guards, so he had to fend for himself.

Of course, this was just Zhao Hongrun’s one-sided account. Anyone present who knew the truth could guess that he was harboring resentment towards Emperor Da Wei for reducing his monthly stipend by twenty percent, and was deliberately causing trouble to irritate the emperor.

"Is this the reason you destroyed my 'Golden Scales and Crimson Tails,' my purple bamboo, and my tear bamboo?" Emperor Da Wei laughed, but his body was trembling with anger.

"How could it be?" Zhao Hongrun widened his eyes and said, "Your son feels ashamed!"

"Ashamed?" The emperor was puzzled and did not lash out.

"Of course! Father, you see, your son is already fourteen years old, yet I have always lived a life of luxury, wearing and eating what is provided by the ancestral temple. As a man, I cannot even support myself, how can I not feel ashamed? So your son decided to fend for himself!" Pointing to the fish pond, Zhao Hongrun said with a bright smile, "Just the other day, passing by the fish pond, your son saw the fish and had an idea. Your son has hands and feet, why can’t I catch fish like the people of Da Wei to feed myself?"

"Hahahaha—"

Emperor Da Wei laughed in anger and scolded, "What a fine self-reliance! With this excuse that even a three-year-old wouldn’t believe, you dare to..."

At this moment, Zhao Hongrun’s expression turned serious, and he interrupted Emperor Da Wei with a calm tone.

"Are they just playthings, then?"

"..."

Emperor Da Wei was taken aback, his anger frozen on his face.

At this moment, Zhao Hongrun looked up and said with a tone that was out of place with his youthful appearance, "In the Wenzhao Hall, Father scolded your son for indulging in playthings. Since Father teaches your son this, you surely would not scold your son over a few playthings. ... After all, the awareness of a prince is far more important than a few playthings, isn’t it?"

"..."

Emperor Da Wei narrowed his eyes, speechless in the face of his son’s argument.

Indeed, no matter how precious the 'Golden Scales and Crimson Tails,' the purple bamboo, and the tear bamboo were, they were ultimately just ornamental items. Zhao Hongrun could define them as playthings, and though his so-called self-reliance seemed like a mere excuse to Emperor Da Wei, he could not reprimand the prince after this argument.

Otherwise, it would imply that the awareness of a prince is less important than a few playthings in the emperor’s eyes, which would not be beneficial for teaching the other princes.

The three Secretaries of the Zhongshu Province watched in amazement as the emperor, clearly furious, could not lash out.

They knew that the Eighth Prince Zhao Hongrun had destroyed the emperor’s favorite items out of revenge, and if his reasons were not convincing, he would likely be sent to the ancestral temple to reflect on his actions.

But what was remarkable was that the Eighth Prince had a way to make the emperor speechless and unable to act.

Truly, he was skilled!

‘What a cunning mind! What a clever argument!’

The three Secretaries of the Zhongshu Province were in awe.

They had thought that the Eighth Prince would bring disaster upon himself, but instead, it left the emperor in a difficult position.

Now, it was up to the current emperor to handle the situation.

Under the silent attention of the three Secretaries of the Zhongshu Province, Emperor Da Wei Zhao Yuansi’s face changed from dark to light, and he suddenly burst into laughter.

"Good! Good! Good! Truly a fine steed! ... Come, let’s roast the fish together!"

Saying this, Zhao Yuansi put on a gentle smile and ordered the ten ancestral guards, including Mu Qing, "Quickly catch the golden carp in the pond, I want to roast the fish with your son!"

Emperor Da Wei’s words shocked everyone present.

Leaving aside the ten ancestral guards who had been trembling in fear from the start, the three Secretaries of the Zhongshu Province had already anticipated this.

After all, Zhao Yuansi was the emperor of Da Wei, and his magnanimity and grace were not something a few playthings could sway.

They looked at the Eighth Prince with a mischievous glint in their eyes and noticed that the Eighth Prince, who had been calm throughout, now showed a look of surprise.

Indeed, Zhao Hongrun was stunned.

According to his original plan, even if his father Zhao Yuansi did not punish him, he would not be so magnanimous and open-minded. After all, these playthings were the emperor’s favorite ornamental items.

But to his surprise, Zhao Yuansi not only did not blame him but also joined him in roasting the fish, which left Zhao Hongrun feeling a bit disoriented.

‘Truly worthy of being an emperor, this magnanimity and grace are unparalleled... but how long can you maintain it?’

Thinking this, Zhao Hongrun deliberately put on a dejected look and said to Emperor Da Wei, "Father, you truly are the emperor of Da Wei, with a broad and open mind. Your son can never match you..."

‘Trying to flatter me now? Too late!’

Zhao Yuansi snorted inwardly, but despite this, he was pleased to hear his son’s praise.

At this moment, Zhao Hongrun took out a wooden box from behind his back, presented it with both hands, and said, "Though Father did not blame your son, your son still feels uneasy. I hope this small gift can please Father."

‘Did this boy prepare a gift to flatter me?’

Zhao Yuansi was puzzled, took the wooden box, and opened it to find a very beautiful peony flower inside.

The only flaw was that the peony was not dug up with its roots but had been directly cut from the stem.

"Pity!" Zhao Yuansi, who knew how to appreciate flowers, frowned and taught, "Your son is too rash, such a flower should not be..."

At this point, Emperor Da Wei suddenly paused, wondering how his son, who could not leave the palace, had obtained this flower.

Upon closer inspection, the emperor found the peony increasingly familiar, as if it came from his favorite garden.

The familiar pain in his chest returned, and Zhao Yuansi pointed at the flower with his slightly trembling right hand, asking, "Son, where did you get this flower?"

"It’s one of the ones Father usually takes care of! ... Your son saw it blooming beautifully and was delighted, so I specially picked it for Father!" Zhao Hongrun said with a smile.

Emperor Da Wei felt a darkness cloud his vision, knowing that those flowers were his precious treasures that he tended to in his free time.

"Hmm hmm hmm, hahaha—"

Zhao Yuansi could not help but laugh again.

‘I, I naively thought this son would realize his mistake and kindly give me a gift, but I didn’t expect... I didn’t expect... hahaha!’

‘This rebellious son! Outwardly charming, but his heart is that of a demon!!’

The heartbroken Emperor Da Wei was thoroughly enraged.

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