Chapter 454: Bai Li·Sensible Child·Jing

Oh? He's your brother, and also the Minister of Justice's?

A close nephew.

Oh, the Great King understood.

He saw Lu Xiu staring at him with shining eyes, as if he had realized something.

The Minister of Justice's new nephew… then this king ought to pull him in a bit more? The Great King worries about pits—no, worries that the ties between the Minister of Justice and the Northern Border aren't strong enough.

"Spring River Flower Moon Night" has a new piece, and I just bought some dancers from the Western Regions; the day after tomorrow, let's go join the fun—this king will take everyone, you come too.

Lu Xiu was overjoyed, his words incoherent with happiness: "Really? Really can? Really take me… I mean, it's an honor, thank you, Your Highness! Thank you, Your Highness!" Lu Xun couldn't bear to look.

The Lu brothers all came down; Lu Tong knew the Great King had arrived and couldn't pretend not to see, so after a hesitation he pinched his nose, came down to greet the Great King, addressing him as "young master". Since people sometimes came into the shop, he could slack off on formalities, but right now speaking wasn't convenient, and the awkwardness was reduced.

But maybe only he thought that way; the Great King smiled throughout, as if he had never in his life done something like kicking someone out.

"Youzhou has been lively lately—not only did the Minister of Justice come, but many talented people have also come to Youzhou. I heard the Youzhou guards say a Daoist has strong opinions about the gate's couplet; coincidentally, this young master is somewhat interested in Daoism, so I invited him to discuss the Dao tomorrow—you should come too! Besides him, there's the divine doctor Zhang Tonghe, plus Mr. Xie and the Minister of Justice—more people, more liveliness."

Lu Tong could only smile and agree.

In the past, for such informal occasions, Lu Xun would insist on going along too, but he had just escaped from the big farm in Anding Commandery and really didn't want to join any event the Great King hosted. He always felt there were pits ahead, uneven ground.

After the Great King took his bracelet and left the shop, Lu Tong finally relaxed his mouth. Lu Xing teased his second uncle: "Why didn't you firmly refuse this time? You agreed without a word—so eager!"

Lu Tong snorted, turned and left; he was already standing under someone's eaves—what more could be said?

That snort showed he was a bit annoyed with himself, but the Great King's newly minted "brainless fan" objected: "Second Uncle, isn't your attitude a bit improper?"

Lu Tong: ……

On the third day after the Great King returned to Youzhou, he finally appeared in Chengguang Hall; this day was indeed worth remembering.

After a long absence, the Great King attended court; the hall now had more Commandants of the Guard and Ministers of Justice, and the Ailao Kingdom announced a formal uprising against Jin.

Even if Ailao rebelled, it wasn't a small matter, but the Great King only sighed: "Fortunately, we'll just lose some tribute; I doubt they'd dare attack Chang'an. It's just that Bai Li Jin's reputation would suffer—he'll get used to it."

Dong Fu: ……

Lu Tong: ……

The two newcomers, facing the Great King's style for the first time, couldn't help but be startled.

The Grand Tutor wiped nonexistent sweat from his forehead, using it as cover to glance at another of the Great King's advisors.

Xie Yuan couldn't let the Great King's image collapse before newcomers that day: "Your Highness, do you think this doesn't matter? If Ailao Kingdom were a vassal of the Northern Border…"

The Great King blurted: "They really have the gall of a bear and leopard! They rebelled this morning, and this king will mobilize troops to punish them this afternoon! I heard Ailao's agriculture is developed, abundant in grains; if they don't want to be vassals, this king will certainly grant them that!"

Officials: ……

That's how it is.

The Great King has already gone off track: "The coffin board of the Bai Li ancestors might not hold down much longer. Ailao Kingdom, that loose alliance of small states, dares to tweak the Great Jin tiger's whiskers—no longer a tiger, just a wildcat's offspring; Bai Li Jin's chair is really meaningless."

Seventy or eighty tribes probably finally united like this? It would be great if Ailao bordered the Northern Border; the Great King got intel that Ailao not only has copper and iron mines, but also gold! Those people don't even know it themselves, sigh!

Lu Tong was totally surprised—does he even know about Ailao's gold mines? His hand has already reached that far?

The Great King then sighed: "…Unfortunately, this king hasn't gathered enough grain."

Officials: ……

The Great King's encyclopedia went online: "Do you know the three major secrets to a successful rebellion?"

Dong Fu: ……Even if they knew, would anyone speak up bluntly?

Lu Tong glanced at the people around him—no one stepped forward to chirp in agreement with the Great King?

The Great King needs no one to feed him lines; he can perform the whole play himself: "Build high walls, stockpile grain, slowly proclaim yourself king!"

Got it—of the three, you're left with just stockpiling grain.

Now it was the Chancellor's turn to bring the Great King back: "Your Highness, what attitude do you think Chang'an will take toward this?"

The Great King: "They'll surely beg Wei Ting Marquis to send troops to suppress the rebellion! But he can only daydream—this king has already sent the Wei Ting Marquis away."

Even the Chancellor, who is close to Changzhou, didn't know this; he asked in surprise: "Sent where?"

"With constant natural disasters, just eating is a struggle; those people only think about fighting all day! This king found a good spot for farming and sent the Southwest Army to cultivate it." That was also thanks to Baiyang's satellite map; the Great King got to see a later-generation '3D full terrain map', everyone got a copy.

Chancellor: ……Not bad, you.

Eating is indeed the Great King's top priority.

Xie Yuan: "Your Highness, aren't you afraid that if Chang'an doesn't achieve its goal, you'll then move against Changzhou?"

The Great King smiled: "No way. Since they used to live together in the palace before the fief, Bai Li Jin knows best what his maternal clan means to this king. If he moved against Changzhou, that would give this king a legitimate excuse to go south—he wouldn't do that. Even if he were foolish, the Wang family wouldn't stand by. He'd only secretly send assassins from behind." The Great King gave no concrete examples, like when his uncle left Chang'an years ago, the Great King cried so hard the whole imperial palace knew.

Lu Tong: ……What level of genius is this!

Dong Fu felt relieved—this shows the Great King isn't someone who would act recklessly in major affairs!

Before the corner of his mouth could settle, the Great King asked Changli: "…Without knowing the imperial palace's defenses, how many people would be needed to assassinate Bai Li Jin with confidence?"

Dong Fu: ……

Xie Yuan spoke up, opposing, saying now isn't the time to kill Bai Li Jin. Changli thought and said: "Leader Ling's level could do it; others couldn't withdraw safely… unless they charged head‑on with armor." That would become an assault.

The Great King sighed: "Tsk! With the outside in such chaos, Bai Li Jin surely wouldn't dare leave the palace—then this king will think again."

Officials: ……

After court dispersed, Ling Yin voluntarily said: "As long as the Great King stays put in the Northern Border Prince's Residence and doesn't go out, I can make a trip to Chang'an."

The Great King shook his head: "Actually, it's not the time yet."

Bai Li Jin is now dead—not a good thing; Chang'an will become even more chaotic, and the world might totally descend into disorder. No one knows which rebel king will act to break this delicate balance and march north. Bai Li Jin has no son; his old ministers might not easily give up; the old six and seven in the palace will become cannon fodder. Humph! Just because he repeatedly sent people to assassinate him, this king is angry—but now isn't the time for him to die.

Zhao Bao following behind almost teared up: "Your Highness really has grown up! There's excitement and relief—before he could calm down, he saw the 'already grown‑up' Great King suddenly stop ahead."

He ordered: "Tonight there's a banquet; the kitchen will surely serve presentable, nice dishes. So, at noon, bring this king a… fried giant squid～"

Zhao Bao: ……