Chapter 1886: Tempering and Trial

The Eastern Palace, Hongde Hall.

The aroma of food filled the air. Liu Yang held his bowl and chopsticks, quietly eating his evening meal, though his eyes were constantly fixed on the scene within the hall.

There was Liu Wenhuan, kneeling with his head bowed, stubbornness written all over his forehead, while Consort Zhao stood there with an earnest, long-suffering air, scolding him: "How could you casually agree to go to Anxi? Do you know how far away it is? Do you know how much hardship you'll suffer along the way? Why didn't you think it over more, even if only to let your father help you weigh the options..."

"The Imperial Grandfather issued the order—how could I refuse? Wouldn't that be defying the sovereign's command?" Seemingly irritated by Consort Zhao's nagging, Liu Wenhuan looked up and retorted.

"Your grandfather was only jesting with you..."

"The Son of Heaven makes no jest!" Liu Wenhuan said gravely. As he spoke, the image of Emperor Liu's majestic and unassailable bearing involuntarily surfaced in his mind—that kind of overwhelming authority was both fearsome and aspirational.

Seeing Liu Wenhuan refuse to be disciplined, Consort Zhao grew angrier and was about to speak when Liu Yang finally reacted. He set down his bowl and chopsticks with force, and the clattering sound instantly drew the attention of the mother and son locked in their argument.

Liu Yang's gaze swept over the pair twice before settling on Consort Zhao. He said flatly: "Enough! Can't I even enjoy a quiet evening meal?

If you haven't finished scolding, you may return to your own quarters and continue. In Hongde Hall, I wonder—are you scolding Wenhuan, or are you scolding me?"

Hearing Liu Yang's words and noticing his gloomy expression, Consort Zhao realized that her display had angered the Crown Prince. She bent her graceful figure and begged forgiveness: "I was momentarily anxious and spoke rashly, offending Your Highness. I beg Your Highness to forgive me!"

At this, Liu Yang stared at her: "If not for considering your deep love for your son, do you think I would have allowed you to rage freely in this hall?"

Liu Yang's calm words were filled with authority, utterly different from his usual gentleness. Consort Zhao sensed it and instinctively restrained herself, no longer daring to lash out.

"Wenhuan, rise!" Turning his gaze to Liu Wenhuan, Liu Yang waved at him, a hint of approving smile even appearing on his face: "You performed well at Chuigong Hall today!"

Hearing his father's praise, a smile immediately bloomed on Liu Wenhuan's young face. He rose nimbly and bowed to Liu Yang: "I merely acted according to the teachings Father imparts on ordinary days!"

Consort Zhao had calmed down, but seeing Liu Yang still praising Liu Wenhuan, she couldn't suppress her worry and said: "Wenhuan has never even left the capital region in all these years, let alone gone to Anxi? Anxi is so far away, and there's fighting there—how can he possibly go?"

Liu Yang clearly did not like hearing this. He immediately rebutted: "Why can't he go? This is the land of the Great Han. As a member of the Great Han's imperial clan, is there any reason to fear hardship or shrink from distance? So many soldiers are fighting the barbarian bandits at Suiye, bleeding on the battlefield, and you make such a fuss when he's only being sent to escort a batch of supplies!"

Consort Zhao said: "He's not yet sixteen—he's young and inexperienced!"

"Ambition knows no age!" Liu Yang said flatly: "His Majesty joined the army and commanded troops at sixteen! The Sixth Brother went on a long expedition into the great desert at sixteen, galloping thousands of li across the vast sands! Even we brothers went out with His Majesty on tours multiple times before we were ten, and we've been on battlefields too. Compared to that, Wenhuan is already sixteen, and you still coddle him like this—aren't you ashamed?

Being raised in the deep palace is no good for him. It's time he went out to gain experience. This is a fine opportunity. Only by weathering trials can he become a man of substance in the future!"

After this lecture, Liu Yang looked at Liu Wenhuan again and said with heartfelt sincerity: "Consider this journey of several thousand li a test for you. Don't disappoint your Imperial Grandfather or me!"

Seeing how solemnly Liu Yang spoke, Liu Wenhuan's expression also turned exceptionally serious. His young face tightened, and he clasped his hands in a bow: "Yes!"

Consort Zhao clearly still had more to say, but Liu Yang no longer wished to hear it. He said to her calmly: "Do you think His Majesty was merely making a joke? If he didn't want to cultivate the boy, why would he specifically raise this matter? Think more deeply on this well-intentioned effort."

Though Consort Zhao was overanxious, she was not without wisdom. Hearing Liu Yang's explanation, she couldn't help exchanging a glance with Liu Wenhuan, joy impossible to conceal in her eyes.

"Your Highness's instruction is engraved on my heart!" Consort Zhao respectfully bowed to Liu Yang.

Liu Yang, however, seemed rather unenthusiastic. He waved her off: "He departs within the next two days. Whatever care and instructions need to be given, the two of you can discuss back in your quarters!"

"Yes!"

After Consort Zhao led Liu Wenhuan away, exhaustion quickly spread across Liu Yang's face. It had to be said—in his eyes, Consort Zhao no longer possessed that gentle, virtuous quality she once had. The years of rivalry between the two consorts of the Eastern Palace had also worn his patience thin.

Like Emperor Liu, Liu Yang was still very fond of Wenhuan. After all, he was his eldest son. Back when heirs had been hard to come by, Liu Wenhuan's birth had held special significance for Liu Yang. Because of this unique bond, Liu Yang subconsciously harbored extremely deep expectations for Liu Wenhuan.

Over all these years, he had paid particular attention to his upbringing and education, and Liu Wenhuan's performance had not disappointed Liu Yang—at the very least, he possessed the most basic qualities expected of an imperial clansman.

Though the distinction between legitimate and illegitimate sons often troubled Liu Yang, that was a matter that arose only after the legitimate son was born. Before that, Liu Yang had clearly placed great hopes on Liu Wenhuan.

But now, with the open strife within the Eastern Palace and the increasingly blatant rivalry between the two consorts, the irritation in Liu Yang's heart kept growing. And Consort Zhao's recent behavior had begun to make Liu Yang worry—if Liu Wenhuan continued to be raised by her and influenced by her, it would have adverse effects on his development.

Therefore, separating mother and son, letting Liu Wenhuan go out and make his own way, endure some trials, and see how he performed without his mother's influence—whether he could bear great responsibility...

In fact, even without the escort mission Emperor Liu had suddenly assigned, Liu Yang had already planned to arrange some duties for Liu Wenhuan and formally begin tempering this son of his. The imperial clansmen of the Great Han these days did not have an easy life—from childhood they underwent rigorous elite education, and with Emperor Liu watching from above, an easy existence simply did not exist.

Even someone as carefree as Liu Yun, or as dissolute as Liu Shu, had endured over a decade of training in the Wenhua and Wuying Halls. The same applied to Liu Wenhuan's generation—education had never been relaxed. Every imperial prince and grandson, regardless of temperament, had to obediently submit to the established system of schooling.

The path Liu Yang had walked back then, he now intended to apply to Liu Wenhuan. As he had said, this was both a trial and a test.

Sitting in the hall, pondering for a long while, Liu Yang looked up and called out: "Someone!"

"Your Highness!" The palace eunuch Wang Yue hurried forward, awaiting orders.

Liu Yang instructed directly: "Summon Murong Yongren and Zhao Defang!"

Zhao Defang was the son of the late Duke of Rong, Zhao Kuangyin, while Murong Yongren had no relation to Crown Princess Murong—he was the eldest son of Murong Chengde, Duke of Luan. Both were descendants of meritorious officials, relatives of the imperial house. One was a civil official, the other military, and both currently served in the Eastern Palace.

Though he intended to temper Liu Wenhuan, that didn't mean completely letting go of the reins. After all, this involved military matters and was no trifling affair. Therefore, providing Liu Wenhuan with capable assistants to help him complete the escort mission was both a necessity and a responsible approach.

Murong Yongren and Zhao Defang were clearly the assistants Liu Yang had prepared for Liu Wenhuan.

The autumn night was cool. Draped in an outer robe, Liu Yang wandered through the palace gardens with a heavy heart, strolling aimlessly—yet before he knew it, he had arrived at Consort Xiao's Yuehua Courtyard...