Chapter 1554: Father-Son Talk

Inside the imperial garden of the Bian Palace, lush greenery flourished so densely it nearly blotted out the sky. Along the bluestone path shaded by green trees, two small figures chased each other, one ahead and one behind.

"Thirteenth Brother, wait for me!" Seeing Liu Ye disappear ahead, the Fourteenth Prince Liu Xin following behind grew anxious, and with his little legs, he hurried after him, a layer of sweat beading on his forehead.

Yet, when he reached the corner where Liu Ye had vanished, there was no trace of him—only a small path threading through the bamboo grove into the depths of the shade. Under the summer breeze, the bamboo rustled, but the unique coolness of the grove was something Liu Xin had no time to appreciate.

"Thirteenth Brother!" The crisp call carried a tearful edge, and Liu Xin's young face showed a hint of fear.

Just as Liu Xin was about to lose his composure, Liu Ye, hiding in the bamboo, sprang out like a young calf and ran up to Liu Xin. Startled, Liu Xin burst into loud sobs upon seeing it was his Thirteenth Brother.

Seeing this, the sturdy-looking Liu Ye grew nervous at once, at a loss for what to do, and hurriedly said, "Don't cry! Don't cry! I was just joking with you!"

Young as he was, Liu Ye sensed he had taken the joke too far. Though Liu Xin had insisted on following him, he was the one who had brought his little brother out, and making him cry—letting others think he had bullied his brother—would earn him a scolding.

Reaching out with a hand already roughened by years of martial practice, he clumsily wiped Liu Xin's tears and deliberately threatened, "Cry again, and I won't look after you!"

As he spoke, Liu Ye made exaggerated faces, but the threat carried little real weight. Noticing her Thirteenth Brother's expression, Liu Xin, tears still wet on his cheeks, laughed from the heart—a silly, endearing laugh.

"Come on, I'll take you to find Father!" Liu Ye, relieved, broke into a bright smile and patted his chest.

Summer light flickered through the shade as Liu Ye took Liu Xin's hand this time. The brothers walked off with light steps, their cheerful chatter echoing along the shaded path as they gradually receded into the distance.

Perhaps because they were close in age, or perhaps because of the similarity of their mothers' origins, the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Princes had always been close. Liu Xin loved to play with Liu Ye, and Liu Ye, as the elder brother, likewise took good care of his younger sibling.

Summer unleashed its heat without restraint; even by the tranquil lake, little comfort could be found. By the time the Liu brothers arrived, both were drenched in sweat.

Yet the hot weather did nothing to dampen the brothers' slight excitement. The figure by the lakeshore was their target.

Emperor Liu sat in the pavilion, the warm breeze stirring his hair and beard, sunlight making his bright yellow dragon-embroidered casual robe gleam with particular brilliance.

Of course, besides Emperor Liu, there were over a dozen figures of varying sizes before the pavilion—all princes, the Crown Prince among them—each sitting cross-legged on the ground with solemn expressions, respectfully listening to Emperor Liu's admonitions.

This was a rather private gathering. Apart from the attending palace servants and the guards on duty, only Emperor Liu and his sons were present—one might call it a father-and-sons symposium.

With the sun high in the sky, Emperor Liu, caring for his sons, had not only ordered several large canopies set up but also laid out fruits, pastries, and iced drinks.

"It's been some time since I called you brothers together to sit and talk..." Emperor Liu's address seemed only to have begun: "These past years, you've been enfeoffed, established your households, left the palace, and gained your freedom and independence. But how you've been faring—I haven't paid much attention these last two years. As your father, that is my neglect!"

"Father, you're too hard on yourself. We all know how much you care for us!" As soon as Emperor Liu finished, Liu Xu, as the eldest son, spoke up proactively, his face full of humility.

Emperor Liu glanced at him without comment, his gaze sweeping across the twelve sons before him without lingering on any one, and continued in a calm tone: "A while back, when I had leisure, I left the palace and visited your residences. As it turned out, I had one overwhelming impression—you princes of the Great Han, my sons, are all living quite comfortably. At least, more comfortably than this emperor..."

As he spoke, Emperor Liu's roaming gaze finally paused, settling pointedly on the Ninth Prince Liu Shu. Feeling that special look from Emperor Liu, Liu Shu grew uneasy—somewhat guilty, somewhat embarrassed. When his other brothers turned their attention to him, Liu Shu offered Emperor Liu an awkward smile.

During his surprise inspections of the princes, Emperor Liu had naturally visited Liu Shu's Chu Duke mansion in person. Among all the princes, this one enjoyed luxury the most; previously, for using a golden chamber pot, he had been called out publicly by Emperor Liu.

Though he had learned his lesson, his lavish daily life had not fundamentally changed. Caught red-handed again by Emperor Liu, he was immediately given a stern dressing-down on the spot.

At this moment, facing Emperor Liu's meaningful gaze, Liu Shu was utterly miserable.

When the gaze finally withdrew, Liu Shu breathed a slight sigh of relief. He feared nothing under heaven, but he dreaded this imperial father above all. Emperor Liu continued, his tone seeming puzzled, seeming disappointed, and tinged with regret:

"I ask myself—I have not been lacking in teaching and admonishing you, nor sparing in daily exhortations. Yet now it seems none of it has had much effect?

None of you strike me as dull or foolish—which of you didn't make your way out of the Wenhua Hall? From childhood to now, where have all the knowledge and virtues you learned gone?

What of integrity? Responsibility? A sense of duty? What do I see? Every one of you indulging in pleasure, content with the status quo, lost in song and dance and peace. Are you all like those courtiers, thinking this is the so-called flourishing age of Kaibao, and that this gaudy world exists for your unbridled enjoyment and indulgence?"

Emperor Liu was clearly firing a broadside. Among the princes present, some indeed wallowed in pleasure and lacked ambition, but condemning them all with one stroke was hardly fair.

However, the weight of Emperor Liu's rebuke clearly did not rest on that point.

Facing such a severe interrogation, no one dared to speak. Whether it was the Crown Prince Liu Yang or the Prince of Qin Liu Xu—the two eldest among the brothers—both wore grave expressions, heads slightly bowed.

"Why are you all hanging your heads? What is there to be ashamed of?" Emperor Liu's tone carried a sharp, biting edge.

Under the summer sun, both inside and outside the pavilion was warm, yet the atmosphere grew increasingly oppressive, and Emperor Liu's gaze chilled the heart even as it stirred fear.

The heavy atmosphere was temporarily broken by the arrival of the Liu Ye brothers. Toward these two youngest sons, Emperor Liu finally dropped his stern expression, revealing the gentle smile of a loving father, and beckoned to them.

"Father!" Liu Xin, summoning his courage, threw himself into Emperor Liu's arms.

Gathering up the small, thin body, Emperor Liu let out a few affectionate chuckles. Lifting his eyes to look at Liu Ye, who stood properly before him, he asked, "Why have you come?"

Though only ten years old, Liu Ye was always eager to show himself before Emperor Liu, so he answered respectfully, "We heard Father had summoned our elder brothers. Your son and Fourteenth Brother are also your sons, so we came to listen to your teachings together!"

"Little Thirteen, you're getting better and better with words!" Hearing Liu Ye's words, Emperor Liu's mood seemed to improve somewhat. He pointed and said, "Very well, it's good for you to listen too. Take a seat—the ground is your mat, find a place to sit!"

"Yes!"

Liu Ye hurried out of the pavilion with enthusiasm. Though he could sit anywhere, seeing his brothers sitting like statues, rigid and restrained, he was momentarily at a loss for where to sit. It was the Crown Prince Liu Yang who gestured to him, and only then did he sit down beside him, following his imperial brothers' example—eyes lowered, head bowed, listening in silence.

Liu Ye was older after all, not like the oblivious Liu Xin, who had no sense of the subtle gravity in the atmosphere. Once Liu Ye was seated, all fifteen sons were present—except for the Fifteenth Son Liu Xuan, who still wore open-crotch trousers.