Chapter 76: The Free and Easy Young Marquis (9) part 1
“I will also ask the doctor to analyze the ingredients and effects of this pill. If it is safe, Mom could take it,” Huo Xian said, following his father’s lead.
Beside them, the Eldest Princessâs eyes lit up. There was no woman who did not love beauty. She was over thirty this year, and no matter how well she maintained herself, she was no longer in her prime. Yet, the pill Huo Yuan spoke of had erased all his scars and birthmarks, leaving his skin so smooth and flawless; it would be a lie to say she wasn’t tempted. But she quickly felt ashamed. The pill was something Huo Yuan had exchanged half a flatbread for; it was his possession. How could she, an elder, covet it?
In any case, the issue of Huo Yuanâs flawless skin was temporarily glossed over.
The next day, Huo Xian invited Doctor Du Hanxu, known among the people as the “Medical Immortal,” to the residence. First, he checked Huo Yuan’s pulse. After receiving the answer that he was healthy aside from being somewhat thin, Huo Xian scraped off a little bit of the Jade Bone Muscle Regeneration Pill for him to study. It wasn’t that Huo Xian didn’t want to give more, but he knew the pill indeed had beautifying effects, though perhaps not to the extent of removing birthmarks entirely.
While waiting for Doctor Duâs feedback, Huo Xian thought he might as well take Huo Yuan around openly. He simply assigned him the title of “book boy,” so even if he entered the palace, he could bring Huo Yuan along.
However, in other households, the book boy served the master. With Huo Xian and Huo Yuan, well⌠it would probably be the other way around.
Another day passed, and it was time for Huo Xian to enter the palace for his studies.
Although the entire court and all the common people knew the current Crown Prince was frail and unfit for heavy responsibility, he still held the title. Emperor Haoyuan had hired teachers for him, and the Emperor himself would take time to teach personally. This usually happened once every half month, and the instruction included the four princes together.
This palace visit happened to be a day for Emperor Haoyuanâs personal instruction.
Regrettably, the Crown Prince had caught a chill before bed and developed a fever shortly after lying down. The imperial physicians had stayed in the Eastern Palace all night, and the fever had only just subsided at dawn. The physicians were still guarding the Eastern Palace, so the only students who arrived at Wenyu Hall were Huo Xian and the Third and Fourth Princes. The Second Prince had nominally come as well, but he remained outside Wenyu Hall playing “ride the horse” with the eunuchs.
Huo Yuan had seen people riding others like horses in dramas before, but this was his first time seeing it with his own eyesâand it wasn’t a child doing it. Although, given the Second Prince’s mental state, his IQ might be lower than that of a normal five or six-year-old child.
Emperor Haoyuan was likely in a bad mood. Seeing this scene, his face immediately darkened, and he sternly scolded the attending palace servants and eunuchs. However, in front of the Second Prince, he remained a loving father. Faced with the Second Prince’s incessant crying, he comforted him for a while and gave him a jade pendant as a toy before finally coaxing him to calm down.
Before “class” officially began, Emperor Haoyuan’s gaze fell on Huo Yuan beside Huo Xian. It was unavoidable; Huo Yuan was exceptionally good-looking. Even dressed in ordinary book boy clothes, he was still incredibly eye-catching.
Not only Emperor Haoyuan, but Xiao Jinli had also noticed him early on. In his memories of his past life, Huo Xian did not have a book boy named Huo Yuan by his side, only a servant named Qingzhu.
Huo Xian briefly explained Huo Yuan’s identity, and Emperor Haoyuan asked no further questions.
Xiao Jinli, however, took a few more subtle glances at Huo Yuan. The Fourth Prince, Xiao Jinchi, also tilted his ear several times. There was no focus in his eyes, yet Huo Yuan keenly discovered that he looked in his direction several times.
He wants to use pointsâŚ
He wants to do a body scan on the Fourth Prince.
Thinking this, he went ahead and did it. After all, checking the health of someone other than the host didn’t cost many points⌠though seeing Huo Xian sitting properly, he still felt a tiny bit guilty.
Today, Emperor Haoyuan spoke of the “famous” bandits of Great Chang. As a monarch, one needed to understand the territory they possessed, knowing the climate and customs of each place, as well as border defenses. Nowadays, border troubles were frequent. The Hu people from the grasslands northwest of Great Chang frequently invaded and harassed the border city citizens in autumn to stockpile food for winter. Since the northwest was vast and sparsely populated, the grain and fodder there were insufficient for self-sufficiency. Therefore, grain had to be transported to the border every year. Not only was the journey long and difficult, but there were also bandit troubles. Those who became bandits ignored the law; let alone transport officials, they would dare to rob even if the Son of Heaven came in person.
“Currently, there is a bandit stronghold on Black Wind Mountain, entrenched in the area between Yongju Pass and Liangshui. Over the past few years, they have recruited countless thugs, burning, killing, and lootingâcommitting all manner of crimes. The Imperial Court has sent troops to suppress the bandits several times, all ending in failure. Two days ago, We received a report that the grain and fodder being transported to Liangzhou City were hijacked by these vicious bandits. Out of a hundred soldiers, only one survived. Now, pleas for help are being sent one after another. The ministers in the court argued for half a day, but it was all empty talk. We are overwhelmed with anxiety. Yi’er, you understand Our mind best; can you share this burden for your Uncle?” Emperor Haoyuan first poured out his grievances, then threw the difficult problem to Huo Xian.
Huo Xian felt a subtle strange feeling in his heart, but his face remained impassive, showing the appropriate reaction of shock. After a brief moment of astonishment, he asked back, “Since there is a bandit infestation, they should naturally be wiped out, should they not?”
Emperor Haoyuan’s breathing hitched slightly. Xiao Jinli took over the conversation, smiling bitterly, “What troubles Father Emperor is precisely the suppression of the bandits. The bandit stronghold on Black Wind Mountain has grown to a significant scale. If we need to suppress them, I fear we must dispatch a large army. The national treasury is currently not abundant; the consequence of lightly mobilizing troops will inevitably be a waste of money and manpower.”
Huo Xian raised his eyebrows, smiling yet not smiling: “If we don’t mobilize troops to suppress them, could it be that Uncle intends to offer amnesty to the bandits? If they were ordinary bandits who robbed the rich to help the poor and still had some kindness, amnesty might be acceptable. But recruiting heinous criminals? The common people wouldn’t dare agree to that. After all, it is easy to change rivers and mountains but hard to change a person’s nature, isn’t it?”
Xiao Jinli’s fist, hanging under the table, tightened slightly.
The words at the tip of Emperor Haoyuan’s tongue were forcibly swallowed back. He coughed heavily several times from the exertion. Once he finally recovered, he asked with an unreadable expression, “Then, in your opinion, what should be done?”
Huo Xian reasonably suspected that Emperor Haoyuan was getting old and his hearing or memory wasn’t good. He had just said “Since there is a bandit infestation, they should naturally be wiped out,” so why ask again?
“Wipe them out,” Huo Xian said concisely.
Xiao Jinli spoke up again: “The treasury is not abundant; we cannot lightly mobilize troops.”
So?
The problem went around in circles, only to return to the beginning. They wanted to destroy the bandit stronghold but didn’t want to send troops or spend money? Was there such a good thing in the world?
Xiao Jinli was left somewhat embarrassed by Huo Xian’s gaze, which seemed written with mockery. Just as he was about to speak again, Emperor Haoyuan cut him off. Emperor Haoyuan looked at Huo Xian and asked in a deep voice, “We intend to let the Marquis of Dingyuan lead the troops to wipe them out.”
The Marquis of Dingyuanâwasn’t that his father?
“Father Emperor?” Before Huo Xian could express an opinion, Xiao Jinli called out, unable to hide the urgency on his face.
Emperor Haoyuan glanced at him faintly. The words Xiao Jinli opened his mouth to say were swallowed back, and a shadow flashed in his eyes.
“Uncle, my father hasn’t led troops on the battlefield for many years. For years, he has only held idle positions to earn a living. If you let him lead troops, you might as well let me go. At least I’m young and run fast.” Huo Xian slapped a label of “useless” onto Marquis Huo, and casually blackened his own name as well.
Emperor Haoyuan glared at him grumpily. “Your grandfather was the Duke of Dingguo who conquered the empire alongside the Late Emperor, and your father was also known as the ‘God of War’ on the battlefield back then. Do not tarnish his prestige.”
Huo Xian shrugged: “Everyone knows that a knife not sharpened becomes dull. No matter how much of a ‘God of War’ my father was, after years of living like a prince, he has gained a large ring of fat. It’s uncertain if he can even lift a spear. You should pick someone else from among the generals.”
Emperor Haoyuan: “âŚâŚ”
“Pfft…” The Fourth Prince, who had been silent all along, laughed quietly. He quickly composed himself, blushing in embarrassment as he bowed to Emperor Haoyuan: “Your son was rude.”
“Fourth Brother, what are you laughing at?” Xiao Jinli asked, torn between laughing and crying.
The Fourth Prince said bashfully, “I remembered hearing palace maids discuss the Marquis of Dingyuan, repeatedly praising that although he is past thirty, his demeanor remains elegant and dashing like a jade tree in the wind. How did he grow a ring of fat in Cousin’s mouth?” The latter half of his sentence carried a hint of teasing.
Emperor Haoyuan also seemed amused by his words. He glared at Huo Xian with a mix of annoyance and amusement. “You and that mouth of yours, no filter at all. The next time We see Siyuan, We will definitely tell him to discipline his son properly.”
“Siyuan” was Marquis Huo’s courtesy name.
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