Chapter 1867: The Dispute

The willow branches along the street had only just sprouted new buds, not yet enough to form shade, and still looked somewhat bleak and cold. The imperial procession crossed the long street and slowly came to a halt before the gates of the Duke of Chu's mansion. Liu Xi stepped down from the carriage, looked up at the high-hanging plaque, then walked straight up the steps.

The guards bowed in salute, and the gatekeeper hurried forward to greet him, a fawning smile on his face: "Welcome, Great King!"

"Is the Duke of Chu in residence?" Liu Xi asked indifferently.

"He is! I'll have someone announce you at once!" the gatekeeper replied, eagerly ushering Liu Xi inside.

The Duke of Chu's mansion was naturally one of high walls and deep courtyards, with layer upon layer of halls and buildings. Had no one guided him, Liu Xi, who did not visit often, would surely have gotten lost. Passing through courtyard after courtyard until the central hall, Liu Shu, who had received word, was already waiting before the hall.

A trace of anger still lingered on Liu Shu's face, but upon seeing Liu Xi, he forced out a slight smile and clasped his hands in greeting: "Third Brother has come to visit, and I failed to welcome you from afar—please forgive me!"

"No need!" Liu Xi waved his hand, surveyed the scene before the hall, and said, "My sudden visit—I hope I'm not disturbing you!"

"How could that be? This residence of mine—Third Brother may come whenever he wishes, I'm always at your service!" Liu Shu laughed.

Before the hall, a child was kneeling—around seven or eight years old—none other than Liu Shu's son, Liu Wenyan. Liu Shu was already thirty years old, and Liu Wenyan was his only son, always treasured dearly. This sort of punishment by kneeling was quite rare.

Looking at Liu Wenyan, who was secretly turning his head to steal a glance at him, Liu Xi's stern expression softened somewhat, and he asked curiously, "What's this all about?"

"This little wretch is far too mischievous! I told him to study hard, and instead he snuck off to the garden to dig for earthworms..." At the mention of it, Liu Shu's anger flared up again, and he pointed at Liu Wenyan, saying, "This boy is sorely in need of discipline—he needs a good lesson!"

"What are you still kneeling for? When you see your Third Uncle, why haven't you paid your respects?"

Hearing this, Liu Wenyan's face lit up with secret delight. As if seeing a savior, he turned and respectfully performed a grand bow to Liu Xi. Seeing this, Liu Xi asked, "Wenyan, why did you go digging for earthworms?"

At the question, Liu Wenyan tilted his head up and replied, "My teacher taught a story about lying on ice to catch carp the other day. I can't be like Wang Xiang, so I planned to dig up some earthworms as bait, catch some fish, and make soup for my parents..."

Hearing his explanation, Liu Xi smiled, while Liu Shu fumed with bulging eyes and bristling beard: "Still trying to talk your way out of it! Don't think I don't know you—it was just for fun and games!"

"Now, now!" Liu Xi raised his hand to stop Liu Shu, saying, "Even if there's an element of childish play, this pure filial heart of his should still be acknowledged!"

Hearing Liu Xi say this, Liu Shu's lips still betrayed a smile he couldn't quite hide, but he put on a stern face and said to Liu Wenyan, "Your Third Uncle has spoken. For his sake, this punishment will be recorded for now. If there's a next time, it'll be dealt with all at once! Off you go—your Third Uncle and I have important matters to discuss!"

Liu Wenyan was overjoyed at once, grinning, and bowed to the two of them again before bounding off merrily. Liu Xi watched from the side as Liu Shu switched back and forth between doting father and stern father, and couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion—Liu Shu, now thirty and established, had indeed matured somewhat.

"I recall that back in the Wenhua Hall days, Ninth Brother seemed to hate studying the most. Now, you've placed all your hopes on Wenyan instead!" The two brothers entered the hall and took their seats, Liu Xi's face showing a look of reminiscence.

Liu Shu smiled at this and said lightly, "Third Brother is exposing my shortcomings! But there's one thing you've got wrong—I didn't hate learning, I just couldn't absorb it. I have only this one son now, so naturally I must invest some effort. Otherwise, if another Liu Shu were to appear someday, wouldn't that be a laughingstock?"

Hearing the self-deprecating tone in Liu Shu's words, Liu Xi looked at this brother with some surprise. Seeing his completely composed expression, he thought for a moment and said, "Ninth Brother, you've always been clever, and you see many things clearly. Why not discipline yourself properly? If you don't lead by example, how can you educate your children well?"

"Third Brother, those words are a bit harsh on the ears!" Liu Shu's eyebrows rose at this.

Picking up the tea a serving maid had presented, he took a sip, then looked at Liu Xi and said, "I naturally can't compare to Third Brother. Among the brothers here in the capital, aside from Second Brother, you're the one Father relies on most.

Third Brother now sits in the Hall of State Affairs, busy with official duties, with little leisure time. Since you've come to my door this time, what's your purpose? Speak plainly!"

"Does Ninth Brother truly not know?" Liu Xi countered.

Liu Shu was silent for a moment, then asked, "The Yangzhai matter?"

"What are your thoughts?" Liu Xi continued.

Liu Shu no longer maintained his earlier composure, and said with a sneer, "That Pan Chou'er—what airs he puts on, what power he wields, completely disregarding us princes. Without so much as a word, he just went ahead and handled the matter. Third Brother asks me what I think now? I want to take some men to Yingchang and tear down the Capital Circuit Office—how about that?"

"Ninth Brother, no reckless actions!" Hearing Liu Shu spout such nonsense, Liu Xi immediately put on a stern face and said severely.

Liu Xi truly couldn't gauge this brother's temperament. Though he probably wouldn't go so far as to actually do something that outrageous, it wasn't impossible that he might really dare. He had to nip this notion in the bud.

Seeing this, Liu Shu spread his hands and said, "Since it's not permitted, what's the point of Third Brother coming to ask for my thoughts?"

Faced with Liu Shu's somewhat uncooperative attitude, Liu Xi was momentarily irritated as well, but he still maintained his patience and said solemnly, "Ninth Brother, this matter is no ordinary affair—do not take it lightly!"

"Of course it's no ordinary affair! Someone has brazenly bullied a prince, treating the majesty of the imperial house as nothing—what an egregious act!" Liu Shu stared back at Liu Xi, saying coldly.

Hearing this, Liu Xi's brows knitted together, his face showing the word "troubled." Seeing this, Liu Shu smiled slightly: "Third Brother, just say it directly—what do you want me to do?"

At this question, Liu Xi stopped beating around the bush. After a moment's deliberation, he said, "Regarding this matter, the Hall of State Affairs has held discussions."

"And what was the result?" Liu Shu asked with an air of indifference, appearing not to care much, but his wandering gaze betrayed his inner concern.

Liu Xi said in a low voice, "No conclusion was reached—everything awaits Father's decision."

Liu Shu indeed had his sharp side. Sensing a hint of something unusual in Liu Xi's words, he looked straight at him and said, "How Father decides is one thing, but you ministers at the center must have discussed something out of it!"

Meeting Liu Shu's gaze, Liu Xi paused, then slowly said, "I submitted a memorial to Father alone, proposing that the lands of imperial descendants be brought under the court's tax system like everyone else in the realm, and pay taxes according to the law!"

At these words, Liu Shu could no longer stay seated. He stood up directly and said angrily, "Third Brother, isn't this going too far?! Are you trying to cut yourself off from all your brothers and sisters, to side with outsiders like Pan Chou'er against your own flesh and blood?"

Seeing Liu Shu escalate the rhetoric and widen the scope of attack, Liu Xi could no longer hold back either. His voice rose several notches as he said sternly, "I stand on the side of righteousness and justice—for the great interests of the state!"

"Heh!" Liu Shu let out a derisive laugh, saying contemptuously, "Bullshit righteousness and justice! Is that for you to decide, Third Brother? A reprobate like me, Liu Shu—since when could I possibly affect the great interests of the state?"

"This matter may seem small, but its influence runs deep—everyone up and down is watching! Those who suffered losses in the tax reform are all keeping an eye on this. If it's mishandled, it will surely stir up a huge uproar and provoke discontent both within and without!" Liu Xi analyzed for Liu Shu with earnest sincerity.

However, if he could take such words to heart, he wouldn't be Liu Shu. Seeing Liu Xi's solemn expression, he shot back directly: "I don't interfere in court affairs. I've been minding my own business behind closed doors—these troubles came looking for me on their own. Since you think it's so consequential, why did you let that Pan You run loose? At the root of it, it's still your poor choice of personnel.

Now that the problem has surfaced, you want me to voluntarily yield, and drag the entire imperial clan's interests down with it—where's the sense in that! I don't know what Father's stance is, but I absolutely cannot agree with Third Brother's proposal!"

Hearing Liu Shu speak thus, Liu Xi grew angry as well. He stood up, waving his hands, and said in a raised voice, "Where do you think the titles and honors you enjoy come from? They are bestowed by His Majesty, provided by the court! Father has said more than once that we who enjoy the glory of the imperial house must also bear corresponding responsibilities. You are a prince—you should set an example all the more, to win the people's hearts!"

"Father has also said that this state is the foundation of our Liu clan. If your policy were adopted, would this realm still be the Liu family's realm?" Liu Shu refused to yield in the slightest, replying with equal ferocity: "You want to cast us down to the dust, to make us like those common folk—you're digging at the very roots of our Liu clan's foundation!"

"The Liu clan's foundation is for us descendants to protect, not for you to take from as you please!" Liu Xi said angrily: "The law of the state is heavier than a mountain—no one may overstep it, and princes are no exception!"

The two brothers argued on the spot, their words growing increasingly heated, but Liu Shu never relented, and Liu Xi ultimately left in disappointment. Immediately afterward, Liu Shu instructed the stewards managing the Duke of Chu's estates that they could inspect the lands as they pleased, but the taxes would absolutely not be paid. At the same time, he contacted his other brothers and sisters, seeking to jointly resist Liu Xi, this "traitor to the Liu family."

Of course, no matter how the arguments raged below, in the end it all came down to Emperor Liu's attitude—one word from him outweighed ten thousand impassioned speeches.