Chapter 728: February Plan

The Heavenly Capital had grown dark, and from within the Honglu Hall came faint clamor; Li Xu initially paid no mind, for many now lived here. Who would have thought the noise would persist, repeatedly disturbing his calligraphy practice, until he finally shouted for an attendant.

Before he could give an order, the attendant entered with a nervous expression.

"What's going on? What's the commotion outside?"

"Reply, Second Young Master, a notice has just been posted in the hall… it's supposedly written by the Prince of Jing. No, it's just signed in his name." He couldn't imagine the Prince of Jing writing such a thing; it must be using his name.

Li Xu frowned; Bai Li Hu had fallen into Bai Li Jing's hands, and he hadn't missed the rumors.

"Haven't you copied a copy yet?!"

"Reply, Second Young Master, Cheng San is already copying it."

When Li Er obtained this proclamation signed by Bai Li Hu, his usual composure shattered—how could this happen?!

He was certain it was the court's own doing, and he didn't believe Bai Li Hu had actually signed it; he thought the court under Bai Li Jing's leadership had become eerily adept at shaping public opinion.

Outside, discussions raged, yet he didn't believe a word of it. The Cui clan had schemed for years, employing more tricks than anyone; whoever abandoned Jing Prefecture would never give it up.

"Perhaps Bai Li Jing signed it for him."

He indeed shared the same thought as His Majesty, but this time it wasn't His Majesty's turn to act—Bai Li Hu signed it himself. He also wrote two letters back to Jing Prefecture, one for his mother and one for his uncle, and even sent his Mr. Wen back.

As long as Bai Li Hu himself doesn't leave, there's no one to stop Mr. Wen from departing You Prefecture.

Liang Ben had left, yet His Majesty still wouldn't sleep; the Purple Wei Palace hadn't reached lights-out time, and the gardens outside were ablaze with light, His Majesty in high spirits running parkour with Xiao Jin. It was already bedtime, but Zhao Bao still couldn't catch him.

He, with a group of little eunuchs, finally managed to corner His Majesty in a corridor, saying, "Your Highness, you should go rest and sleep; tomorrow you can play with Master Xiao Jin again, alright?"

Upon hearing this, Master Xiao Jin didn't like it, pretending to walk past and bumping him over.

Zhao Bao immediately seized the chance to play the victim, shouting that he was too old to keep up and could no longer chase His Majesty.

His Majesty insisted he was grown up, asking what it looked like to be chased and coaxed back to bed, yet he still gave Steward Zhao face.

Though he had promised, upon returning to Suiyu Hall he forgot it entirely, washed up, then pulled out his ledger and began writing furiously. Zhao Bao couldn't press him further, only worrying silently that if he didn't sleep tonight he wouldn't be able to get up tomorrow.

Bai Ze looked up and saw it wasn't a grudge ledger, but actually a work plan.

"Don't you see he's happily unable to sleep? Just let him be."

Bai Ze had already spoken, and Zhao Bao hurriedly asked His Majesty what happy event made him so cheerful. His Majesty, without lifting his head, casually replied, "I'm this happy every day~"

"Could it be because your brother doesn't have to die?"

His Majesty: ……

"Nonsense!"

His Majesty was indeed pleased about this; Fatty Four himself agreed to step back, so no matter how Jing Prefecture fares, he can keep that fatty.

And openly so.

His Majesty, for the ten-thousandth time, was puzzled; Bai Ze crouched in Suiyu Hall, and as for things he didn't know, well, guessing his thoughts was always spot-on.

He covered his grand plan and said, "Guess what I've written."

Bai Ze didn't even lift his head, thinking, then replied disdainfully, "All you think about is how to gather grain and make money. If you had even a little rice in your pocket, you'd already have marched to Mount Heng."

His Majesty raised a hand, looked at his grand plan, and the guess… could only be described as exactly the same.

"The grain shortfall is huge; Minister Dong Fu wants you to raise taxes, but you refuse. I thought, aside from setting up stalls, the only idea I have is to go to sea." That fellow, out of ideas, would surely go fish at sea and then monetize it through his estate.

His Majesty instantly glanced at Zhao Bao with suspicion and flatly denied, "Nothing of the sort!"

Zhao Bao was also wary, but thinking that the treasure ship had only just departed and couldn't return immediately, he relaxed a little.

Yet he relaxed too soon—who would have imagined His Majesty could contact the ship's captain from his bedchamber?

Liang Manor

Liang Ben had again obtained a day off from His Majesty, and early that morning he was mulling over inviting a couple of pals to go out, wondering who was free, when the doorman reported that someone was looking for him outside.

"Someone's looking for me outside? Who is it?"

"I don't know; they only said they're a friend of the young master. They're waiting at the gate, asking you to come out quickly to meet."

Liang Ben fell silent for a moment, a bad feeling rising—who shows up at the door without giving a name?

He crept to the door crack and peered out; he didn't see His Majesty, only a young man with his back to the gate, whose attire didn't resemble Wei Shen but rather Xie Tu, and he relaxed.

Liang Er instantly straightened up, waved at his attendant, and said, "Open the door."

He had just stepped out when he heard from beside him the very voice he least wanted to hear.

"Make this young master wait, Liang Er, you're putting on such airs~"

Liang Ben missed a step on the stairs, staggered forward a few paces before steadying himself, then snapped his head back to see His Majesty sitting at the foot of his family's stone lion, sucking on a lollipop.

He complained about the sun.

When that young man turned around, he was revealed to be the refined Wei Shen.

His Majesty was unusually enthusiastic: "Liang Er, I've come to play with you~ It's rare that we both have the day off; why don't I accompany you out of the city to visit Zhenhai Palace? By the way, may I borrow two horses from your home?"

Liang Er wanted to cry but had no tears.

"Accompany whom?!"