Chapter 597: Why Not Call Him the Obedient Prince?

After breakfast, Zhu Youxiao settled the Bumbutai sisters in. From today on, the two sisters would be by his side.

Zhu Youxiao went outside to stretch his body, and Wei Chao arrived.

"Your Majesty, there are two matters that require your instruction." Wei Chao looked at Zhu Youxiao and said cautiously.

"What matters?" Zhu Youxiao waved his hand casually and asked.

"Everything below is prepared, notices have been sent along the route, and the guard troops here are ready. When should we return to the capital? Please grant a time, Your Majesty." Wei Chao said from the side.

"You lot aren't slow." Zhu Youxiao said with a smile: "Then let's leave the day after tomorrow."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Wei Chao acknowledged, turned around, and walked out.

He had arrangements to make — the Emperor's return to the capital was no small matter, and not a single mistake could be made along the way.

After Wei Chao walked out, Chen Hong came in from outside.

Coming before Zhu Youxiao, Chen Hong said: "Your Majesty, Sun Chengzong, Lord Sun, requests an audience."

"Is that so? Let him in." Zhu Youxiao said in a casual tone, then walked over to the daybed and leaned back against it, waiting for Sun Chengzong to enter.

Before he left Liaodong, it would be good to see Sun Chengzong once.

Before long, Sun Chengzong walked in from outside.

Upon seeing Zhu Youxiao, Sun Chengzong moved to kneel and pay his respects.

Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and said in a casual tone: "Teacher Sun is of such advanced age, no need for that effort. Not just here — even in the palace, you needn't bother."

"Thank you for Your Majesty's grace." Sun Chengzong said with a smile.

"Someone, bring a seat." Zhu Youxiao said to Chen Hong at the side.

Chen Hong hurriedly moved a chair over.

Seeing this, Zhu Youxiao added another instruction with a smile: "Add a cushion."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Chen Hong acknowledged, and hastily fetched a cushion.

After the cushion was added, Sun Chengzong sat down, looked at Zhu Youxiao and said: "Your Majesty, things have now been largely sorted out. The Khorchin are willing to stand with the Great Ming. I believe the edict enfeoffing the Khorchin leader as a prince should now be issued, should it not?"

After thinking it over, Zhu Youxiao said: "Does Teacher Sun think it's more appropriate to give it now, or after this battle is finished?"

"Your Majesty still does not trust them." Sun Chengzong said with a smile.

"Then does Teacher Sun think I should trust them or not?" Zhu Youxiao also retorted with a smile.

In truth, this matter was hard for outsiders to judge. Even Sun Chengzong himself had some hesitation in his heart.

The Emperor had just slept with the daughters of the Khorchin leader — and two of them at once. This was not something that could be hidden from anyone. And the Emperor's conduct didn't seem intended to hide it either.

Under such circumstances, anyone would have to weigh things carefully.

Sun Chengzong looked at Zhu Youxiao, shook his head and said: "This, I would not know."

"We are both sovereign and subject, and also teacher and student — isn't this way of talking tiring? In your eyes, am I the sort of person who would let personal affairs delay matters of state?" Zhu Youxiao said, exasperated.

Sun Chengzong hastily shook his head and said: "I have no such meaning."

Zhu Youxiao couldn't be bothered to argue with him.

If you had no such meaning, you wouldn't have rushed over here at dawn to probe me. But since he wouldn't admit it, there was really no way to press the matter.

Sun Chengzong was in fact also worried — this kind of thing was truly hard to put into words. Even the most brilliant and sagely emperor, once personal affairs got mixed in, many things changed their flavor.

There was no shortage of such cases in history, and no shortage in the Great Ming either. When it came to arguing with an emperor over personal affairs, you simply couldn't argue it through. So this matter required caution at every moment.

"Go on, what do you want to do?" Zhu Youxiao looked at Sun Chengzong and asked.

"I believe we should apply both grace and authority, both firmness and gentleness. Although the Great Ming is not afraid of them turning their hand against us, we also cannot allow them to do so. I believe this prince title still must be given — given before the fighting begins." Sun Chengzong said matter-of-factly: "This will put their minds at ease, and also demonstrate our Great Ming's sincerity."

"If they become princes of the Great Ming and still rebel, then there is nothing more to be said. Our Great Ming will have done everything within reason, and it will also serve as some accounting to the two ladies in the palace."

"You've thought it through quite thoroughly." Zhu Youxiao gave a cold laugh and said with irritation: "I slept with them, so I owe them an accounting? There's no such principle under heaven. I don't owe anyone an accounting."

"Then what does Your Majesty think should be done about this matter?" Sun Chengzong said with a somewhat helpless tone.

"Just do as Teacher Sun says." Zhu Youxiao said after thinking it over: "Since this matter has been given to Teacher Sun, let Teacher Sun handle it. I won't interfere. Also, the day after tomorrow I return to the capital."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I know what to do." Sun Chengzong acknowledged.

"Then go ahead and act according to your own ideas." Zhu Youxiao nodded, stood up, and walked out.

After seeing Zhu Youxiao off, Sun Chengzong stood up, shook his head, and also walked out.

The Emperor was young and impetuous, not considering many things thoroughly, and being young, he was hot-headed and somewhat too fierce.

On his own side, he would have to be more tolerant — he estimated that it would still be several years before the Emperor mellowed out.

After handing the matter to Sun Chengzong, Zhu Youxiao did not interfere again.

He had already endorsed the routine memorial, to enfeoff the Khorchin leader as a prince.

Zhu Youxiao had no intention of opposing this matter — he just needed to stamp it directly.

Back in the room, Zhu Youxiao saw the Bumbutai sisters.

Seeing the two of them come up to greet him and move to bow, Zhu Youxiao reached out and helped them both up.

After the three sat down, Zhu Youxiao rested his head on Bumbutai's thigh, and laid his legs in Hailanzhu's embrace. One massaged Zhu Youxiao's head. One kneaded Zhu Youxiao's legs.

Zhu Youxiao closed his eyes and enjoyed it.

After a long while, Zhu Youxiao raised his head, looked at Bumbutai and said: "Just now Sun Chengzong came to see me and told me something — about your Khorchin."

Both sisters' hands stopped, and they quietly looked at Zhu Youxiao.

"Don't stop — if you stop, I won't say." Zhu Youxiao said with a smile.

The two sisters exchanged a glance, gave a coquettish humph, and continued kneading Zhu Youxiao's legs and head.

Zhu Youxiao said: "Sun Chengzong came and spoke of matters concerning your father. He wants to enfeoff your father as a prince. I've already agreed — it's just that the title hasn't been decided yet."

Hearing this, the two sisters exchanged a glance and both let out a breath of relief.

Once it was settled, that was good. As for the title — they didn't understand such things much. Even if they did, they wouldn't interfere.

"What do you two say — what kind of prince should he be enfeoffed as?" Zhu Youxiao looked at the two of them and asked with a smile.

"This matter is best decided by Your Majesty." Bumbutai said after thinking for a moment.

"Is that so?" Zhu Youxiao shook his head and said: "I've thought of two—one is Prince of Loyalty and Righteousness, one is Prince of Loyalty and Obedience. Which do you think is more suitable? Or should we just go with Prince of Shunyi?"

These titles were truly vulgar, yet they fit the conventions perfectly. But the last one—Prince of Shunyi—made both sisters freeze for a moment.

Because in the history of the Mongols, the Great Ming had once bestowed the title of Prince of Shunyi upon the famous Altan Khan, the grandson of Dayan Khan, a legitimate Great Khan of the Golden Clan.

Neither of them had ever imagined that the Great Ming Emperor would want to give this title to their father.

To say this title carried ill intent—well, it truly did carry ill intent. You see, once their father accepted this title, it would mean he was challenging the Golden Clan.

This Emperor of the Great Ming truly laid a trap at every step.

As for the first two titles, they were somewhat more proper.

"Have we two sisters not served Your Majesty well enough?" Bumbutai looked at Zhu Youxiao, her face showing a hint of grievance: "Or is our Khorchin not submissive enough? Why must Your Majesty treat us this way?"

"What is this talk about?" Zhu Youxiao looked at the two of them and said with a smile: "Do you think I'm harming your father with this title?"

"Who can say for certain whether things in this world are good or bad? Perhaps what is bad now will become good later; perhaps what is good now will become bad later. As for the title of Prince of Shunyi—if I were to take it and offer it to your father, do you think he would accept it?"

Hearing these words, Bumbutai fell silent.

Though this title seemed to carry many complications—and indeed it did—what it represented was far more. It represented the Great Ming's recognition of her father, the Great Ming's support for her father, even support for him to become the supreme ruler of the Mongols.

With such a condition laid before her father, it truly was not certain he would refuse.

"See?" Zhu Youxiao said with a smile: "You two don't dare guarantee it either, do you? Enough, I won't discuss this matter with you any further. Later I'll have Sun Chengzong go discuss it with your father. How he chooses will be up to him."

"But if he chooses wrong, Your Majesty will be displeased again." Bumbutai said with a coquettish pout from the side.

"You—now you're thinking wrong." Zhu Youxiao pinched her and said: "Don't worry, I'm not that petty. Once I return to the capital this time and settle a few matters, there won't be anything left in this world for me to worry about."

"Whether your father wants to become the lord of the Mongols, or wants to unify the grasslands and fight me to the death—to be honest, I don't care much either way. Because sometimes, when one's strength is great enough, certain things cease to be problems. The Great Ming's army is not strong enough yet, but it will grow stronger."

Bumbutai looked at Zhu Youxiao, knowing that this Emperor of the Great Ming was not speaking idly.

The Great Ming's achievements in Liaodong this time had frightened quite a few people.

She estimated that this battle on the Mongolian grasslands would make the people of the grasslands even more docile—including her father.

"As long as the grasslands can be peaceful and stable, my father will be content." Bumbutai said from the side: "After all these years, life on the grasslands has not been easy. As long as Your Majesty leaves us a path to survive, we will naturally be Your Majesty's obedient subjects."

"I hope so." Zhu Youxiao said with feeling: "I truly hope it will be so."