Chapter 417: Chapter 241 Brother’s Token_2
"Return home."
"Fourth Brother, I’m heading back now." Zhao Yao said, bouncing away happily.
Just as he walked out of the History Compilation Hall, he encountered Zheng Rang.
Zheng Rang quickly bowed to Zhao Yao, and immediately after, wished Zhao Yao a happy birthday.
Seeing Zheng Rang carrying a food box, Zhao Yao asked excitedly, "Zheng Zhengshi, what delicious food have you brought me?"
"It’s just some pastries. I hope Your Highness won’t find them lacking." Zheng Rang had gone home after work last night and personally made the pastries that Zhao Yao liked.
"I don’t mind at all, not at all." Zhao Yao said joyfully, "The pastries you make are the best. Thank you for the pastries."
"It’s my honor that Your Highness likes them." Zheng Rang replied to Zhao Yao, "Your Highness, inside the food box, there’s also a letter and a birthday gift from my younger brother for you."
The Lord’s birthday, why didn’t Zheng Qian do anything at all?
"I understand. Thank your younger brother on my behalf and tell him he’s very thoughtful."
"Your Highness, I have things to attend to."
"Go ahead."
Zhao Yao left Lanyuan Pavilion with Tong Xi.
"Your Highness, why did you say those things to the Fourth Highness earlier?" Tong Xi hesitated before speaking, "It felt a bit ominous, considering today’s your birthday." Luckily, the Fourth Prince didn’t take those words to heart.
"What’s ominous about it?" Zhao Yao took out the Black Fish Jade Pendant from his pocket, his expression turning serious, "Do you think I was joking? I wasn’t joking. I meant it."
"You meant it?"
"But, I hope Fourth Brother never has to use that White Fish Jade Pendant in the future."
"Your Highness, didn’t you say it’s a keepsake?"
"It is a keepsake." Zhao Yao said, "If Fourth Brother comes to me with that White Fish Jade Pendant in the future, it means he’s in trouble, so I hope he never has to use it."
Hearing this, Tong Xi finally understood Zhao Yao’s words. He was shocked and said, "Your Highness, you’re..."
"In the future, I’m going to Lingnan. By then, I’ll be far away from the capital and from Fourth Brother and the others." Zhao Yao thought of using the Taiji Fish Jade Pendants as a token when the Fourth Prince gifted them to him, "By that time, Fourth Brother and the others will be fighting fiercely. I’m afraid Fourth Brother might not be a match for the Eighth Brother in the end." Though their strategic acumen might be equal, when it comes to ruthlessness, Fourth Brother definitely isn’t as competent as Eighth Brother. Furthermore, Fourth Brother has weaknesses that Eighth Brother doesn’t. The Li Family is both Fourth Brother’s strength and his weakness.
Tong Xi hadn’t expected Zhao Yao to think so far ahead and exclaimed, "Your Highness, you did it on purpose, didn’t you?"
"It was just a sudden thought."
"Your Highness, the Fourth Prince didn’t seem to take your words seriously."
"Fourth Brother certainly won’t take my words seriously now, but he’ll understand in the future." Zhao Yao said, lightly sighing, "I really hope Fourth Brother never has to use that jade pendant."
Tong Xi said with full admiration, "Your Highness, you’ve thought it all through so well."
Zhao Yao shook his head, saying nothing more on the matter.
"Return home."
"Your Highness, perhaps the Emperor has sent someone with a gift for you."
"I don’t have much anticipation for a birthday gift from Father. It might just be another pile of books." Considering Father’s mischievous nature, he definitely won’t send a ’normal’ gift. Perhaps Father will take this opportunity to play a prank on me.
"Your Highness, today is your birthday. The Emperor might gift you another manor." Tong Xi recalled that the royal villa previously bestowed by the Emperor to Zhao Yao was quite nice.
Zhao Yao gave Tong Xi a sidelong glance and said irritably, "Do you think manors are like cabbages, abundant everywhere?"
"Aren’t there many?" Tong Xi asked, "Aren’t there plenty of manors in the suburbs?"
"Most of those manors have already been given away; not many are left." Since deciding to go to Lingnan, Zhao Yao lost interest in the royal villas outside the capital, as he can’t take them with him or sell them for money. Wait, he can sell them to Third Brother and the others; they might buy them since they don’t have any manors yet.
Seeing Zhao Yao squint with a crafty smile on his face, Tong Xi felt a tremor inside.
"Your Highness, who are you plotting against now?" Every time the prince had that expression, it meant he was up to no good.
"Third Brother and the others."
"The Third Prince?" Tong Xi nearly cried out in surprise but quickly lowered his voice and said, "Your Highness, are you planning to deal with the Third Prince and the others?"
Zhao Yao looked at Tong Xi inexplicably: "When did I say I’m going to deal with Third Brother and the others?"
"You just said it yourself."
"What I meant earlier was that before I grow up and go to Lingnan, I’ll sell the manors Father gifted me to Third Brother and the others."
"Huh?" Tong Xi was shocked, "Your Highness, can you sell the manors that the Emperor bestowed?"
"Selling them to others definitely won’t work, but selling them to Third Brother and the others shouldn’t be a problem." Zhao Yao said, chuckling mischievously, "Third Brother and the others haven’t received any gifted manors. If I sell mine to them, they’ll definitely want them." Planning to extort a hefty sum from Third Brother and the others.
"Your Highness, if the Emperor finds out you’ve sold the manor he gifted you, he’ll be very angry."
"I’ll secretly sell it to Third Brother and the others."
Tong Xi silently thought: Your Highness, do you really think you can keep it a secret from the Emperor?
Zhao Yao returned to Kunde Hall and received the birthday gifts from Yu Meiren and others.
Yu Meiren and Pan Cairen both made new clothes for Zhao Yao. The Fifth Princess made a sachet for him.
Empress Xie sent a young eunuch with a birthday gift, which was two writing brushes.
As Empress, she sent gifts for the princes’ birthdays every year.
Consort Li also sent a gift, which was two poetry collections.
The other concubines did not send gifts, as Liang Zhaoyi wasn’t familiar with them.
As for the Emperor, he hadn’t yet sent anyone with a gift.
At that moment, the Emperor was in the Imperial Study discussing affairs with Prime Minister He and the others.
During the morning court today, Prince Dai finally attended court and was no longer pretending to be ill. He proactively asked the Emperor if he could assist the Crown Prince in hosting the envoys from Annan, Johor, and other countries. The Emperor agreed.
"Lao Her, Lao Liu, what do you think of selecting a girl from the Wang Family, Xun Family, or Yuan Family as a concubine for Prince Dai?"
As expected, the Eighth Prince guessed correctly.
Neither Prime Minister He nor Grandmaster Liu showed any surprise at the Emperor’s words.
"Your Majesty, are you finally going to start?" It seemed that Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu had known the Emperor was going to do this for a while.
The Emperor propped his face with his right hand and said with a faint smile, "Don’t you think the Duke Zhen has been overly complacent lately?"
"When has the Duke Zhen not been complacent?" Grandmaster Liu said sharply.
With a smiling face, the Emperor said, "Then I shall indulge him further, so he can be even more complacent."
Prime Minister He quickly asked, "Your Majesty, what do you plan to do?"
"What do the Duke Zhen and the Crown Prince most desire?" The Emperor did not directly answer Prime Minister He’s question but asked them instead.
Without hesitation, Grandmaster Liu said, "Military power."
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister He was surprised and asked, "Your Majesty, you don’t intend to give the Duke Zhen military power, do you?"
Grandmaster Liu instantly understood the Emperor’s intentions and agreed, "Giving the Duke Zhen military power would make him even more complacent, and then he’s more likely to make mistakes." People who are usually extremely cautious make mistakes only when they’re complacent. To make the Duke Zhen err, give him what he most desires.