Chapter 44: The Emperor's Heart

"So, the Ninth Prince has truly recovered from his illness and returned to his former self."

By the lotus pond, Liang Cheng stared at the float in the water, his mind racing.

This Ninth Prince had been a fool for three years, yet he had recovered after only three months in Yan Commandery; this truly caught him by surprise.

Although it was not his arrangement for the Ninth Prince to go to Yan Commandery.

But Zhang Han was his arrangement, and the mansion in the capital was also sold by him.

Could this Imperial Prince not know?

Since he knew, yet still sent gifts to his door, it showed that after the Ninth Prince recovered, his mind had become sharp, and he had developed schemes.

He could distinguish what was important and what was not, and would not hold a grudge against him just because he sold the residence.

"The servant saw it with his own eyes; it cannot be false." Guan Zhong bowed his head.

With a gesture, two servants immediately brought the silver over and opened it before Liang Cheng.

"My Lord, these are some humble gifts from His Highness. Ten thousand taels of silver; firstly, it is for Liu Fu to thank you for your past care while in Jingshi, and secondly, it is to hope you will look after His Highness's business in Jingshi."

Liang Cheng's reputation for greed was known to everyone in Jinling.

Therefore, people looking for Liang Cheng to handle matters with silver almost broke down his door.

As long as there was silver, one could buy connections through him, and even buying an official position was not a problem.

"Business?" Liang Cheng revealed an interested expression.

Guan Zhong nodded.

This was also one of the instructions Yan Wang had given him.

Liang Cheng, a close minister to the Emperor, had seen too much silver and treasure.

Ten thousand taels of silver meant nothing to him at all.

Relying on this alone would likely be difficult to move him.

Therefore, after the people from the Huang and Du families were expelled from the firm, Yan Wang took out the shares of the two families, preparing to test Liang Cheng.

"The ice-selling business currently popular in Jinling belongs to His Highness, and His Highness is prepared to give two percent of the profits to you, My Lord," Guan Zhong said.

Hearing this, Liang Cheng finally turned his head back and looked at Guan Zhong directly.

Putting down his fishing rod, he stood up. "So this is Yan Wang's business. Rare, truly rare."

He had heard a little about this matter.

Although his mansion did not lack ice, others in Jinling City lacked it greatly.

This business was truly profitable; it was said that many powerful officials had set their minds on it and were inquiring from all sides.

Currently, as far as he knew, the ice from this firm was not transported from Yan Commandery, but produced by the firm itself.

That made it even more interesting.

If there was a method for making ice, who wouldn't want to claim it for themselves?

He wanted it, but he was unwilling to compete with others and offend people.

After all, not everyone gave him face.

Now, with Yan Wang delivering it to his door, it was naturally for the best.

Furthermore, with Yan Wang's reputation, this silver would be earned even more securely.

"Also, His Highness wishes for you to pass a letter to Noble Lady Mi, and he says that there will be even more profitable businesses in Jingshi in the future; he will not treat you poorly," Guan Zhong offered the letter.

Liang Cheng smiled as he accepted it. "Yan Wang is truly generous. Please tell His Highness that this small matter is not worth mentioning."

"Many thanks, Chief Steward." Guan Zhong thanked him, bowed, and withdrew.

Liang Cheng nodded. After Guan Zhong left, he tore open the envelope, saw it was merely words of longing for Noble Lady Mi, and put the letter back in.

"These days, the Emperor is troubled by the Yuan Family's reliance on their troops. If he learns that the Ninth Prince's mental illness has healed on its own, he should be happy, right? Heh, this can be considered an unintentional act that bore fruit," Liang Cheng murmured. "Someone, change my clothes. I am going into the palace."

Zijin Gong, Nan Shufang.

Emperor Zhao Heng looked at the map of the Great Song on the wall, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

The Great Song had been established for over two hundred years, with sixteen emperors succeeding one another; by the time it reached his hands, the deep-seated, redundant ills had made the once-powerful dynasty gradually difficult to control.

When he ascended the throne, he was only twenty-six years old, and he had once thought of working diligently to govern and revitalize the Royal Clan.

But at that time, he discovered that the resistance was overwhelming.

In these years, during countless border wars,

The Forbidden Army directly under the Great Song Royal Clan suffered heavy losses time and again, and its strength was greatly damaged.

The massive consumption of war made the national treasury gradually empty.

Facing such a predicament, the two emperors before him had no choice but to rely on the power of the Shizu to resist foreign threats.

And this gave the Shizu an opportunity to control military power.

This resulted in the current situation where the Great Song Forbidden Army and the Shizu Army stood in opposition to each other.

At the same time, the loss of military power gave the Shizu confidence in the imperial court.

Since he ascended the throne, his actions were constrained everywhere; he could not move an inch, acting like a puppet on strings.

In despair, he indulged in wine and women, beginning to neglect the affairs of state.

More than twenty years had passed; he had become accustomed to this life and had completely forgotten his responsibilities as a member of the Zhao Clan, seeking only to enjoy himself while he could.

Dropping his imperial brush, he was too lazy to review any further.

In any case, Prime Minister Dou Wei had already made the decisions; it made little difference whether he approved them or not.

It would be better to think about which Imperial Concubine he would share a pillow with tonight.

Just as he was about to return to his palace, he saw Liang Cheng approaching with a fawning smile.

Zhao Heng said, "Are you not off duty today? Why have you come?"

Liang Cheng had served him back when he was still an Imperial Prince.

When he ascended the throne, Liang Cheng had contributed great effort, which was why he had always been close to and trusted Liang Cheng.

"Hehe, Your Majesty, good news, there is good news." Liang Cheng came to Zhao Heng's side and whispered in his ear.

"The Ninth Prince's brain ailment has recovered?" Zhao Heng was slightly surprised.

"This matter is true." Liang Cheng took out Zhao Xu's letter.

Zhao Heng took it and glanced at it; it was indeed Zhao Xu's handwriting.

Before Zhao Xu became insane, Zhao Xu had always been the most diligent in his studies among all the Imperial Princes, and his handwriting was the most beautiful.

"Very well." After being stunned for a long while, Zhao Heng could not describe the feeling in his heart.

Within the Hougong, his Imperial Concubines almost all came from the powerful families of the Great Song.

Only his mother had been noticed by him for her beautiful appearance during the selection of palace maids and taken into the Hougong.

At that time, he had indeed shared an intimate time with Zhao Xu's mother, but she was soon replaced by others.

After all, as an emperor, he considered himself to distribute his favors equally throughout the Hougong.

As for Zhao Xu, he indeed did not value him very much.

Given the current state of the Great Song, an Imperial Prince without the support of powerful families lived in a miserable situation.

Even he himself had only ascended the throne back then with the support of the Dou Family.

Such an Imperial Prince, to him, would at most be an idle person in the future, of no great use.

Therefore, he simply turned a blind eye to the other Imperial Princes bullying Zhao Xu.

He knew deeply that while he was alive, he could help him for a time, but after he died, Zhao Xu still would not be able to escape the bullying of other powerful Imperial Princes.

After Zhao Xu became insane, he happened to see him being humiliated by other Imperial Princes once.

He thoroughly loathed him and sent him to Yanzhou, ordering him to fend for himself.

And now, Liang Cheng was telling him that the Yan Wang's brain ailment had recovered.

"Then let him stay in Yan Commandery and behave himself." Zhao Heng stuffed the letter into Liang Cheng's hand and walked toward the Hougong again.

Liang Cheng kept a smile on his face, "Your Majesty, the Yan Wang's illness has healed, which is a good thing, and it is said that His Highness the Yan Wang has recently taken control of Yan Commandery and even recruited twenty thousand Personal Army."

Zhao Heng's footsteps stopped abruptly, looking incredulous.

"This was said personally by His Highness the Yan Wang's servant," Liang Cheng said cautiously.

"Really?" Zhao Heng felt suspicious and uncertain in his heart.

In that case, this ninth son of his truly surprised him too much.