Chapter 80

Chapter 81: Renowned in the Capital (Part 2)

Zhao Cheng helped the old lady sit down, chatted for a while, and seeing that no one else came to pay their respects, he took the bowl of coarse rice porridge she handed him and started to eat. The people were even more puzzled, as there were so many different kinds of porridge on the side, and although not all were exquisitely made, they were far better than this bowl of coarse rice porridge!

"Your Highness, with so many fine porridges, why are you eating this one?" someone asked, mustering the courage.

"To me, all porridges are the same, with no distinction of good or bad. They are all the charity of everyone, and there is no difference!" Zhao Cheng smiled and said, "Today, I am deeply grateful for everyone's kindness and generosity. However, how can we eat so much? My father once taught me, 'One bowl of porridge, one grain of rice, think of how hard it is to come by; half a thread, half a filament, always remember the difficulty of production.' Wasting it would go against everyone's good intentions. Those who haven't eaten, please do me a favor and eat these extra porridges. Don't send so many tomorrow!"

As he spoke, he stood up and bowed to the onlookers. As for the wise words from the Emperor, he had forgotten which sage from which dynasty had said them, but he attributed them to his father. No one dared to ask.

After he finished speaking, of course, there was a chorus of approval, praising the prince's benevolence. Zhao Cheng, however, was embarrassed, as he chose this bowl of porridge mainly for safety reasons. With so many people sending porridge, it was difficult to check each one. If someone wanted to harm him and put poison in it, it would be undetectable. However, the person who wanted to poison him would surely consider that as a prince, he would choose the better porridge and would never think he would eat this coarse rice porridge. He never expected that his excuse would earn him a reputation for frugality and benevolence!

Although Zhao Cheng told everyone not to send more porridge, more people sent it in the afternoon. Not only from taverns, shops, and citizens, but also from officials and noble families. The literati and poets of the capital also came to the mourning tent in front of the palace, reciting eulogies and praising the queen's virtues and the prince's filial piety. It was as if the small mourning tent had become a holy place, and not coming would be a betrayal of the principles of a gentleman. Some even wrote poems and essays to record this "grand event," and for a while, the second prince, who had been out of the capital for two years and gradually forgotten, was once again in the spotlight!

As night fell, the north wind blew, and the temperature dropped rapidly. The crowd gradually dispersed, leaving only their group in front of the vast palace. Zhao Cheng rubbed his sore knees and his bruised forehead, lying on the ground, unwilling to move. He was exhausted, having just eaten two full meals, and his body was still weak.

"Second Master, have some porridge. I've tasted this one, and it's not poisoned!" Jianxi said, holding a bowl of porridge.

"You tasted it? Oh my, you're using yourself as a guinea pig again. If you really get poisoned, where will I find such a foolish companion?" Zhao Cheng touched Jianxi's face and said "affectionately."

"Second Master, if you really have an accident, I will die too!" Jianxi knew the prince cared for him and smiled bitterly. "With so many porridges and so many people, it's hard to ensure no one has poisoned them. I had to taste them to know."

"Hehe, pick the ones with knife marks on the boxes or bowls. Those are safe to eat. The ones without, I can't guarantee!" Zhao Cheng said with a smile.

"Oh? Have you already checked them, Second Master?" Pan Long and the others were worried about this, but they didn't expect the prince to have already thought of it.

"I was busy bowing all afternoon, so I didn't have time. But someone did it for us!" Zhao Cheng shook his head.

"Who?" Pan Long turned to the others, but they all shook their heads, puzzled.

"Don't ask. This person is like a dragon, unseen and unknown. He won't let us find out!" Zhao Cheng smiled.

Pan Long and the others were surprised and secretly relieved that this person was a friend, not an enemy. They had been on high alert all day, preventing anyone from harming the prince. Now, the food had been tampered with, and they hadn't noticed, showing the person's skill. Since the prince didn't say anything, they had their reasons. They didn't ask further and searched through the food boxes, finding the ones with knife marks, which were enough to fill their stomachs.

October 14th, the next day was the grand memorial service for the queen, to be presided over by the Right Minister of the Board of Civil Appointments, Zhang Shangying. He was currently discussing the details of the ceremony with the Emperor. Zhang Shangying was tall and slender, and although he was in his sixties, he still had a hint of his youthful vigor. Because he spoke his mind and was unafraid to criticize, Emperor Zhezong was somewhat intimidated by him. Now, he listened more than he spoke.

"Your Majesty, should we include Prince Yen in the ceremony? He has been guarding the palace gate for seven days," Tong Guan, standing by the Emperor, suddenly interjected.

"Absolutely not. Prince Yen defied the imperial edict to enter the capital, which is a violation of the law. The Emperor, out of consideration for his filial piety, did not punish him. If we allow him to participate in the ceremony, the officials will be dissatisfied, and the court will lose its authority!" Zhang Shangying stood up and said before the Emperor could respond.

"Hmm, is what Minister Zhang said necessarily true?" Tong Guan stroked his beard and said calmly. (Note: Tong Guan, despite being a eunuch, had a real beard, which was unusual for eunuchs.)

"Minister Tong, what is your opinion?" Zhang Shangying, who was irritated by the eunuchs, asked with a stern face.

"Life should be treated with propriety; death should be buried with propriety; and the dead should be honored with propriety. Does Minister Zhang understand this?" Tong Guan said in a literary manner, but it sounded a bit strange coming from him.

Zhang Shangying sneered, "This is from the Analects of Confucius, which means that whether parents are alive or dead, they should be honored according to the rules of propriety."

"Ha, Minister Zhang is indeed well-versed in ancient and modern knowledge. When a son hears of his mother's death, what should he do?" Tong Guan asked, ignoring Zhang Shangying's disdainful look.

"He should overcome any obstacles and return as quickly as possible, even if he is far away," Zhang Shangying answered without hesitation.

"Good, well said, Minister Zhang!" Tong Guan clapped his hands. "Then, how should Prince Yen act upon hearing of his mother's death?"

"This...!" Zhang Shangying was momentarily speechless, but as a prime minister, he wasn't stupid. After a moment's thought, he replied, "Although it is a natural human emotion, one cannot neglect the law for personal reasons. Prince Yen's actions are understandable, but the law cannot be lenient."

"Zengzi said: The foundation of the people's education is filial piety. Those who are benevolent are benevolent in this; those who are righteous are righteous in this; those who are loyal are loyal in this; those who are trustworthy are trustworthy in this; those who are courteous are courteous in this; those who act are acting in this; those who are strong are strong in this! Minister Zhang, as a graduate of the imperial examination, you don't need me to explain. This is the standard for all actions, and it cannot be equated with natural emotions!" Tong Guan said sternly, his words carrying a sense of authority. Zhang Shangying, not to be outdone, cited legal precedents, and the two argued intensely, much like a modern university debate.

The other officials and eunuchs involved in the discussion were stunned. What was going on today? Why was Tong Guan, who usually spoke in a straightforward manner, suddenly using literary and classical references, sometimes even stumping the well-educated Zhang Shangying?

Emperor Zhezong, who usually found court debates annoying, was now watching with great interest, neither interrupting nor stopping the argument, treating it like a show. Zheng Juzhong, the Chief of the Secretariat, occasionally interjected, seemingly impartial, but a keen observer could see his bias. He wasn't biased because of the conflict between civil and military officials but because he was related to Prince Yen. Tong Guan, who had no connection to Prince Yen, was now speaking up for him, so Zheng Juzhong felt he should support him as well. He Zizhong, who had just returned to the Secretariat after being played by the deceased Zhang Kangguo, was happy to see the two argue and closed his eyes, biding his time and not taking sides. Yang Jian, however, was uneasy, wondering if Tong Guan's support for Prince Yen had some hidden agenda.

The eunuchs on duty in the hall were busy running back and forth, passing messages. Of course, they weren't doing it for free; their sleeves were filled with gold ingots. The court debates were a barometer of political trends, and a wrong move could result in exile or even dismissal, so they were willing to pay the price. It was a win-win situation.

"Prince Yen, if he commits a crime, should be punished like any commoner. The law is the foundation of the state and the request of the people. As a prince, he should set an example and abide by the law. Defying the imperial edict to enter the capital should be punished!" The debate had reached a fever pitch, and Zhang Shangying's neck veins were bulging as he shouted, clearly agitated.

"The request of the people and the example to be set, Minister Zhang, you speak well. Do you dare to go up to the city wall with me to see how Prince Yen, adhering to propriety, has set up a mourning tent in front of the palace, not eating for five days, and is so emaciated that he looks like 'Cui Jiu in mourning, blown over by the wind'? He shared a bowl of porridge with his guards, and his filial piety has moved the capital. People have been coming non-stop to offer porridge, numbering in the thousands. Poets and scholars have been writing poems and essays to record this!" Tong Guan said, pulling out a stack of papers from his sleeve and placing them on the Emperor's desk. Everyone now understood that he had come prepared to plead for Prince Yen, while Zhang Shangying, who had been busy with the queen's funeral in the palace for days, had no idea about this "grand event" outside. It was clear that his relationships were not good, and he had no close confidants to inform him.

Seeing the documents, everyone understood that Tong Guan had come prepared to plead for Prince Yen, and Zhang Shangying had walked right into his trap. The Emperor, sitting on his throne, carefully read through the documents, muttering to himself, his face showing no emotion. "Gentlemen, follow me to the city wall to see for ourselves!" After a long pause, Emperor Zhezong put down the documents and stood up, saying.

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