Chapter 115: The Great Han's Number One Father‑Pitfall

In Xuanshi Hall, above the imperial court.

Civil and military officials in formal dress stood respectfully on both sides, quietly awaiting the emperor Liu Ju's instructions.

Chancellor Tian Qiuqiu stepped forward first, his voice loud and firm as he reported:

"Your Majesty, the Southern Great Development Campaign and the construction and site selection work for the secondary capital and economic special zone are progressing steadily according to plan, with departments cooperating seamlessly, the overall direction clear, and preparatory work proceeding in an orderly manner."

"I believe we will soon be able to break ground in earnest, and I hope Your Majesty will personally visit the site to convey the imperial decree."

Liu Ju nodded slightly; leading the ribbon‑cutting on site is an old tradition.

Minister of Revenue Su Wu stepped forward next, bowed, and spoke clearly: "Your Majesty, the relocation of the populace is proceeding smoothly. Through widespread announcements and vigorous promotion of the policy, many people have actively responded to the call, willing to go south to participate in construction. We have also properly arranged their settlement, ensuring they can live happily and securely in their new homes."

Liu Ju nodded and said: "There must be no negligence in the populace's resettlement work; those who heed the call and leave their homeland are all meritorious subjects of the Great Han."

Minister of Works Sang Hongyang stepped forward and said: "Your Majesty, rest assured, the Works Ministry has been working overtime to repair roads, and other infrastructure is proceeding in an orderly fashion; we will certainly ensure the populace is properly settled."

Liu Ju gave a slight nod; having served as Minister of Works for so long, Sang Hongyang is still trustworthy in his duties.

General Wei Qing stepped forward, his tone steady and forceful: "Your Majesty, regarding security, I have dispatched elite troops to coordinate with the Southern Military Region, strictly controlling the floating population and cracking down on all kinds of illegal and criminal activities. Currently, security in the development zone is good, and the people's lives are stable."

Minister of Personnel Jin Ridi followed, reporting in an orderly manner: "Your Majesty, the assignment of personnel is basically complete. We have selected experienced, capable talents from various departments to go south and handle concrete construction and management work; they will surely contribute to the southern development."

Liu Ju listened attentively to the ministers' reports, his heart full of confidence in the prospects of the Southern Great Development Campaign.

But he was most concerned about the Works Ministry's work, after all, it directly relates to the planning and implementation of the entire construction project.

He turned his gaze to Minister of Works Sang Hongyang, his expression solemn as he asked: "Beloved Minister Sang, how is the Works Ministry's progress? Especially the bidding process for the overall planning and design—how is it now?"

Sang Hongyang's heart tightened; the bidding matter immediately surged to the forefront of his mind.

His mind kept flashing images of Sang Qian winning the bid and Xu Wei being wrongfully imprisoned; although they seemed unrelated, he knew his son too well, and felt that something must be linking the two.

Sang Hongyang's inner turmoil was immense; he knew he ought to report truthfully to His Majesty and not conceal the truth out of personal feelings.

But thinking that if he spoke the truth, Sang Qian would inevitably be implicated, and it would hinder the progress of the Southern Great Development Campaign—given the emperor's methods, he would certainly not show mercy, and the Sang clan has only this lone sapling.

He hesitated repeatedly, thinking that he would later investigate privately; if Xu Wei's matter truly involved Sang Qian, he would compensate the other party.

At the same time, entrusting the project planning to a reliable person would also be a sound solution; thus he ultimately chose to conceal the truth.

Sang Hongyang drew a deep breath, forced composure, and replied calmly: "Your Majesty, the bidding process is proceeding in an orderly manner. We have already received several excellent design proposals, and we are organizing professionals to evaluate them; I believe we will soon determine the final winner."

Liu Ju keenly noticed that Sang Hongyang's answer was slightly off, his brows furrowed slightly, a flicker of doubt crossing his eyes.

He fixed his gaze on Sang Hongyang's expression, trying to spot any flaw.

Yet Sang Hongyang remained extremely composed, with no flaw to be found.

Liu Ju thought, perhaps he was overthinking; after all, Sang Hongyang had always been loyal and reliable.

Thus he merely nodded and said: "The Southern Great Development Campaign is of great importance, concerning the future prosperity of our Great Han. All departments must not slack in the slightest; they must exert their utmost effort."

"Chancellor Tian, from now on we must continue strengthening inter‑departmental coordination to ensure all work connects seamlessly."

"The Ministry of Revenue must continue monitoring the populace's relocation, promptly resolving any difficulties the people encounter, so they can settle peacefully in the south."

"Prince Wei, security work must never be relaxed; we must remain vigilant at all times to create a stable environment for the southern development and construction."

"Minister Jin, personnel training and management must keep pace; we must ensure that those sent south are fully capable of their duties."

All the ministers replied in unison: "We obey your decree!"

Liu Ju then turned his gaze back to Sang Hongyang, his expression solemn as he emphasized: "Beloved Minister Sang, the bidding for this project's architectural planning is of paramount importance to the Southern Great Development Campaign."

"An excellent design plan can not only make rational use of the south's land resources and optimize the urban layout, but also enhance the city's functionality and aesthetics, laying a solid foundation for the south's long‑term development."

"It determines whether the secondary capital can become the Great Han's political and cultural secondary center, whether the economic special zone can fully exert its economic driving force to attract more merchants to invest and do business. Once planning goes awry, it will not only waste resources but may also jeopardize the stability and development of the southern region."

"Therefore, in the evaluation process you must strictly enforce standards, selecting the plan that best serves the Great Han's interests, is most forward‑looking and feasible. Do not go through the motions, nor engage in favoritism or fraud. If there is any dereliction of duty or malfeasance, I will certainly punish it severely."

Sang Hongyang's heart shuddered, a cold sweat beading on his forehead, and he hurriedly knelt, saying: "Your Majesty's wisdom is clear; I will surely keep your teachings in mind, work diligently, conduct strict evaluations, and never betray your trust."

Liu Ju gave a slight nod, saying: "Rise; I hope you follow through. Court is dismissed."

"Long live the emperor, ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years!"

The ministers all knelt in salute, seeing Emperor Liu Ju off as he left the court.

Sang Hongyang rose to his feet, yet his heart was a tangle of mixed emotions.

Sang Hongyang returned to his manor with a heavy, angry heart, hurrying through the courtyard; the familiar pavilions, towers, flowers, and trees that once comforted him now appeared as vexing clutter in his eyes.

He strode straight to Sang Qian's quarters; along the way, the solemn expression of Emperor Liu Ju from the court and his emphasis on the importance of the bidding work kept surfacing in his mind, stoking his anger ever higher.

Upon entering Sang Qian's room, Sang Hongyang saw his son lounging on the bed, idly playing with an exquisite jade pendant, a carefree smile on his face.

This sight caused Sang Hongyang's anger to spike instantly; he slammed the table with a loud 'bang' that echoed in the room, startling Sang Qian so that the jade pendant in his hand nearly fell.

"You're still lounging here at ease! Do you have any idea how serious what you've done is?"

Sang Hongyang glared, eyes wide, and shouted: "At court, His Majesty places utmost importance on the bidding work for the Southern Great Development Campaign, repeatedly stressing that it concerns the rise and fall of the Great Han."

"Tell me the truth—is the matter of Xu Wei's imprisonment connected to you or not?"