DCPRT Chapter 53

“Still upset?” You Yusui released Huo Xiling’s eyes and looked with amusement at the young general, who had just been sulking and upset moments before.

Huo Xiling touched the corner of his own lip where it had been cut, and with ears turning red, he lowered his head and said, “I wasn’t upset. It was what they said that was too much.”

If those guards hadn’t teased him about being kissed by a little palace maid — and then refused to listen to his explanation while making a fuss — he wouldn’t have acted that way toward them.

You Yusui had known that young men were thin-skinned; a few teasing remarks and they would flare up in embarrassed rage.

The next moment, You Yusui took Huo Xiling’s hand and led him to sit down on the stone steps, then asked, “What did they say to you? Enough to make our little General Huo this upset — even this prince’s kiss couldn’t soothe it.”

“Nothing!” Huo Xiling hurriedly denied it. You Yusui’s kiss just now had chased away every bit of unhappiness.

“Oh?” You Yusui gave Huo Xiling a meaningful look, then reached out and lightly tickled him under the chin. “Then tell this prince — what exactly did they say?”

Huo Xiling lowered his head and said quietly, “They said I had my lip cut by some passionate little palace maid.”

Setting aside the fact that men from outside were forbidden to be intimate with palace maids, Huo Xiling had someone he cared for in his heart. Being told out of nowhere that he had been intimate with a palace maid — how could that not make him angry?

Beside him, You Yusui burst out laughing the moment he heard Huo Xiling’s words. This was far too adorable — getting angry over something like that.

Just as You Yusui laughed, Huo Xiling raised his head and met his eyes directly, saying, “But it was Crown Prince big brother who cut my lip. There was no palace maid at all!”

The intense affection in Huo Xiling’s eyes was like a sweeping blaze, breaking through the ice that had long surrounded You Yusui, filling him with a happiness and warmth he had never known before. It was a feeling he had never experienced across his previous dozen or more lifetimes, one that had pulled You Yusui in so completely he could not free himself.

“This prince is that passionate little palace maid, you know?” You Yusui’s fingers, pale as white jade, gently brushed the corner of Huo Xiling’s lip where he himself had caused the cut. His expression was one of unmatched tenderness. “Not angry anymore, all right?”

Huo Xiling had the distinct feeling that You Yusui was coaxing him like a child, yet he found he could not refuse.

Then You Yusui’s expression turned serious. “Those guards who teased you are truly awful! No extra rations for them today, and double training tomorrow!”

Huo Xiling hastily said, “Your Highness, that really isn’t necessary — please, let them have the extra rations.”

You Yusui laughed, reached out, and gave Huo Xiling’s cheek a light pinch. “My Xiao Huo is as lovely as he is kind-hearted.”

Huo Xiling said nothing. Hardly, he thought. Giving them extra rations is so I have proper grounds to increase their training load.

“All right — you’ve been tired all day. Come join this prince for a meal once you’ve bathed.” With that, You Yusui rose and walked back toward his own bedchamber.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Eastern Palace, the guards who had been gnawing on chicken legs were offering heartfelt thanks to the lovely and kind-hearted Crown Prince — completely unaware that, just moments ago, they had nearly lost those very chicken legs because of him.

And elsewhere, the hwamei bird that Jiang Yan had trained had already been delivered by Jiang Yan into the hands of Princess Wu, Su Yingying.

Earlier that day, Su Yingying had gone to attend a flower-viewing banquet in Chang’an, and when she returned, she had an extra bird with her — one whose call was melodious and graceful.

The hwamei sat in its cage, singing in lovely, fluid trills, drawing curious looks from every maidservant in Prince Wu’s residence.

“Where did that hwamei come from?” Prince Wu, You Yufan, spotted the cage hanging under the eaves of the bedchamber the moment he returned home. His Princess was hand-feeding the bird herself.

“I came across it on the way back and bought it. Its song is lovely — a pleasant little amusement.” Su Yingying withdrew her hand and smiled at You Yufan.

You Yufan gave a casual nod. He had no interest in such small creatures; if Su Yingying wanted to keep it, she could do as she pleased.

“I’m going to rest. Don’t come bother me unless it’s important.” With that, You Yufan walked into the bedchamber and lay down.

You Yufan harbored no real affection for Su Yingying. The respect and tenderness he showed her were all things he had forced himself to perform, and as time wore on, his performance had grown ever more clumsy, until in the end what he left Su Yingying was nothing but the dignity and privileged treatment due a Princess Wu.

Su Yingying showed no sign of discontent. She gave quiet, gracious instructions to the servants to prepare hot water for You Yufan, every bit the devoted and virtuous wife.

But once You Yufan had gone, Su Yingying stood before the birdcage alone and gently stroked the hwamei, then smiled as she coaxed it to sing. This was the means by which she would leave this cage of her own.

You Yufan did not yet know that every movement within Prince Wu’s residence would be carried outward by that small, harmless little bird.

****

Early the next morning, You Yusui finally gave himself fully over to skiving off. He went straight to bed claiming illness, and the sick note was written by Imperial Physician Cui — who had himself been forcibly dragged out of bed at the hour of Mao — and was therefore of the highest credibility.

Court. Who goes to court? Sleeping in with his Xiao Huo was the only thing that mattered.

You Yusui lay in bed in perfect contentment, utterly at ease.

“Your Highness, if you don’t let me up, morning training will be over,” Huo Xiling said, watching You Yusui, who had grabbed hold of his sleeve.

You Yusui opened his eyes and looked at Huo Xiling, then said, “Stay with me today. Isn’t giving them a day off a fine thing?”

Then, propping himself up on one hand, You Yusui leaned down to look at Huo Xiling and said, “Or are you still angry about yesterday — and want to make them pay for it?”

“Of course not.” That was what Huo Xiling said aloud; in his heart, he was absolutely holding a grudge.

“Then lie here with me.” As the words fell, You Yusui lay back down, eyes gently closed as though drifting in a light doze.

Huo Xiling reached out and drew him into his arms, then said to Eunuch Fubao, “Tell them to train on their own today.”

Eunuch Fubao smiled and said, “Of course.”

The guards who had received extra rations the night before and now heard that Little General Huo was giving them the day off let out a collective cheer, happy as though it were the new year.

Yet while You Yusui was savoring this rare, peaceful contentment, the Emperor You Fengyun, in his capacity as sovereign, formally proclaimed to all under heaven his intent to build a free academy for scholars throughout the realm.

The announcement crashed through the imperial court like a thunderclap, and every face in the hall shifted at once.

The First Prince and the Third Prince nearly had their smiles crack right off their faces. The assembled ministers broke into murmurs below, and within moments the great families had sent spokesmen forward in opposition.

“Such extensive construction undertaken by the Crown Prince will surely exhaust the people and drain the treasury — we beg Your Majesty to reconsider!”

“We beg Your Majesty to reconsider.”

After the first official of great-family background spoke, the rest followed in a chorus of agreement.

“The funds to build the academy will come from the Crown Prince’s own private treasury — no conscript labor, no national coffers. In what way does that exhaust the people or drain the treasury?” You Fengyun sat upon the Dragon Throne and asked with a smile.

Those who had moved to remonstrate were taken aback. It had not occurred to them that the Crown Prince had not drawn upon a single coin of state funds.

You Fengyun swept a calm glance over the official leading the objection and said, “Zhen recalls that Minister Zheng’s family estate features a garden of carved beams and painted rafters, built at tremendous expense — and yet that too did not exhaust the people or drain the treasury.”

The official broke into a cold sweat at once, quietly cursing his father for having been so ostentatious before the current Emperor’s accession — competing in displays of wealth and building that extravagant garden — and now that His Majesty had brought it up, he was genuinely afraid the imperial hand would come down and strip away half his family’s fortune.

“What the Crown Prince has done is a fine thing, done for the country and for the people — it is meant to give every scholar under heaven a home. With such breadth of heart, how can the honorable ministers reproach the Crown Prince?”

Prime Minister Su, hearing You Fengyun speak in this way, wore an expression of some difficulty. On one hand, he wished for scholars of humble birth to have more avenues to rise; on the other, he did not wish that avenue to be one opened by the Crown Prince. Whether to object or to stay silent was a choice he genuinely could not make.

While Prime Minister Su was struggling to decide, You Fengyun spoke again. “The Crown Prince, in a gesture of filial devotion, asked Zhen to name the academy. Zhen therefore designates Mei Mountain as its site — all land within ten li of Mei Mountain shall fall under the academy’s jurisdiction.”

Hearing this, Prime Minister Su understood that any objection was now futile. He opened his mouth and said, “Your Majesty is benevolent. Scholars throughout the realm will be grateful for Your Majesty’s grace.”

You Fengyun was thoroughly pleased at that. He then turned his gaze toward two men who had been standing in the court with their eyes closed, nodding off. “Lord Xie and Minister Gu, when you have the time, you ought to go to Lingchuan Grand Academy and give lectures to the scholars of the realm.”

When the words fell, silence spread through the hall. The assembled ministers looked toward Xie Yi and Gu Shen. Quite so — still asleep, snoring audibly enough to be clearly heard.

Truthfully, it was difficult for the others to watch.

Abruptly called out, Xie Yi and Gu Shen were poked by a considerate colleague behind them. The moment they opened their eyes, they said reflexively, “Yes, yes, of course — Your Majesty is absolutely right.”

The words had barely fallen before the great families cast a look of profound disappointment toward Xie Yi and Gu Shen. Right about what, exactly.

You Fengyun, seated on the Dragon Throne, smiled. “Zhen shall take that as the two of you agreeing.”

Xie Yi and Gu Shen were baffled. What had they agreed to?

The great families shook their heads. This is what you get for sleeping through court — His Majesty set a trap, and you fell right into it without even knowing!

You Fengyun finished and then looked toward Prime Minister Su. “Once Lingchuan Grand Academy is complete, Prime Minister Su is welcome to go and give lectures as well.”

“As Your Majesty commands,” Prime Minister Su could only say.

After court was dismissed, Xie Yi walked out of Xuande Hall, worked his old arms and legs loose, and said, “A man ought to know when to play the fool.”

“Tsk. I’d been meaning to find myself a post in my old age — one that draws a salary without any actual work.” Gu Shen rolled his own shoulder and said, “Your grandson is too restless. How many headaches has he caused me?”

“Come along. Let me take you fishing,” Xie Yi said with a laugh.

“The Crown Prince is out sick today, so let’s take the day off too — catch enough fish at Mei Mountain first and worry about the rest later.” With that, Gu Shen left arm in arm with Xie Yi.

At the same time, word that You Yusui was building an academy for scholars throughout the realm spread until everyone knew of it, and his reputation soared. Scholars of humble birth were unanimous in praising You Yusui’s virtue, deeply moved that he had given scholars across the realm a place to call home.

Back at his residence, the First Prince You Yuyi returned with a dark expression. The Menke of Prince Yan’s household saw this and understood at once that You Yuyi was furious over the Crown Prince’s announcement that day about the academy.

“Your Highness, I have a plan!” One of the Menke hurried forward.

“What plan?” You Yuyi asked, his expression cold.

“The Crown Prince is building an academy to benefit scholars throughout the realm. Why should Your Highness not build a library and open the collection to scholars everywhere?” the Menke said.

“Building the academy will take at least a year or two — but a library can be set up by simply purchasing a storefront in Chang’an and filling it with books. Your Highness could win the hearts of scholars from humble families at the fastest possible speed.”

You Yuyi listened and nodded repeatedly. An excellent idea — but there was one problem: he had no money.

The entire year’s revenue from his fief had been donated as military funds, and his maternal family were not great nobility, so the plan for the library had run straight into the obstacle of funds.

Still, You Yuyi recalled that Li Xiyue had apparently brought a very substantial dowry when she married into his household.

TL/N:

“門客” (ménkè)= 門客 literally means “retainer” or “household follower/attendant” — someone attached to a noble or royal household, often giving advice, handling errands, or assisting in official matters.