Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne-Chapter 172 - 146: Just as I Desire

Zhao Yao wrote in his letter to the middle-aged man, telling him that he had returned home. Starting tonight, he would write three letters to him every morning, noon, and night to keep him company. He also mentioned in the letter that the crow would be their messenger from now on.

After reading Zhao Yao’s letter, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but smile slightly. Seeing that the crow had not flown away, he asked, "Are you called Lai Wu?"

Lai Wu lightly cawed at the middle-aged man, as if to say: [Yes, I am called Lai Wu.]

The middle-aged man did not expect the crow in front of him to respond to his words and was slightly surprised. He then said, "This child has really raised a crow to be a messenger."

Raising a crow is already not something an ordinary person can do, and he didn’t expect this child to actually use a crow as a messenger. This child’s thinking is really... quite unique! Very much like Prince Yi Yong.

Prince Yi Yong often did things that others dared not do and never paid heed to worldly conventions.

The middle-aged man asked again, "Are you waiting for my reply?"

Lai Wu lightly cawed once more.

"Wait for me a moment." The middle-aged man picked up a pen and began to write a reply to Zhao Yao.

Lai Wu obediently stood on the table, quietly waiting for the middle-aged man to finish writing the letter.

Soon, the middle-aged man finished the letter. He didn’t write much, only advising Zhao Yao to study well and to read the "Spring and Autumn Annals" diligently.

After rolling up the letter, the middle-aged man tied it to Lai Wu’s leg.

Lai Wu looked at him once, then flapped its wings and flew away.

Watching Lai Wu’s figure disappear into the night, the middle-aged man couldn’t help but chuckle softly. This messenger crow has the same intelligence as that child.

After a while, Lai Wu flew back to Kunde Hall.

Zhao Yao had just finished his dinner and, seeing Lai Wu flying back, quickly went up to hug it and patted its little head.

"Lai Wu, you’ve worked hard."

[Not hard at all, not one bit.] Lai Wu said happily, [Yao Yao, the owner of that house doesn’t seem that strange after all.]

"Uncle isn’t a strange person to begin with." Zhao Yao untied the letter from Lai Wu’s leg and opened it. As soon as he saw it, his little face frowned, and he puffed up his cheeks saying, "Why is even Uncle telling me to study well?"

At this moment, Liang Zhaoyi walked in and happened to hear his words. She chuckled softly, "Because he doesn’t want to correspond with an idiot who doesn’t like to study."

Zhao Yao retorted defiantly, "Mother Consort, just because I don’t like to study doesn’t mean I’m an idiot."

"Not studying will slowly make you stupid," Liang Zhaoyi said, "Didn’t you say that the uncle you know is a very formidable person? He must have read many books. If you correspond in the future and he says something you don’t understand, what will you do?"

That was a question Zhao Yao hadn’t considered.

"Mother Consort has told you before, the more formidable a person is, the more they like to study," Liang Zhaoyi continued, "If you want to become good friends with that uncle, then obediently listen to him and study hard."

Zhao Yao pursed his lips, "Mother Consort, you’re turning around to persuade me to study hard again."

"You don’t have to listen to Mother Consort," Liang Zhaoyi said and then picked up a local gazette to read.

Very suddenly, Zhao Yao remembered something and hurriedly asked Liang Zhaoyi, "Mother Consort, do you know that Father Emperor allowed the people of Wusun to come to Great Zhou to do business?"

"I’ve heard about it, why?"

"Wasn’t Wusun occupied by the Xiongnu during the previous dynasty? How could the Xiongnu allow Wusun to associate with Great Zhou?"

"Wusun has separated from the Xiongnu, and due to internal strife, the Xiongnu split into seven tribes, each claiming kingship."

"Ah, the Xiongnu split?" Zhao Yao was initially surprised, then nodded with a sudden realization, "I thought something must have happened to the Xiongnu, otherwise where would Wusun get the courage to interact with Great Zhou."

"These years, the battles among the Xiongnu’s seven tribes have been fierce..." Liang Zhaoyi explained the situation of the Xiongnu’s seven tribes to Zhao Yao and the emergence of a new Modu Chanyu in the past two or three years.

After hearing it, Zhao Yao lamented, "No wonder Father Emperor wants to foster good relations with Wusun."

"Fostering good relations with Wusun is beneficial for guarding against the Xiongnu," Liang Zhaoyi said, "Wusun is next to the Xiongnu and can clearly grasp the situation of the Xiongnu."

"This new Modu Chanyu is ruthless and very ambitious. If not checked, he will eventually unify all the tribes," Zhao Yao said, his face becoming serious, "Once all the tribes merge into the former Xiongnu, this new Modu Chanyu will definitely invade our Great Zhou by heading south."

Liang Zhaoyi nodded lightly and then said softly, "Your Father Emperor should have made some precautions."

Thinking of the cruel things the Xiongnu had done to the people of the Central Plains in the past, Zhao Yao furrowed his brows and said with a solemn expression, "I will learn military strategy from that uncle." The Xiongnu, if not eradicated, will forever be a threat to Great Zhou. Currently, the Xiongnu are not in the mindset to invade Great Zhou, but the Xiongnu have always coveted the Central Plains and might soon invade. "Mother Consort, I won’t talk to you anymore; I’m going to read the ’Spring and Autumn Annals.’

He must diligently read the "Spring and Autumn Annals," then pass the uncle’s test to have the uncle teach him military strategy.

"Go on."

"By the way, Mother Consort, I’m afraid I’ll lose the jade token," Zhao Yao said, taking out the plain jade token given by the Emperor from his bosom and handing it to Liang Zhaoyi, "Mother Consort, you better keep it for me. I’ll ask you for it when I want to leave the palace."

Liang Zhaoyi asked in surprise, "You didn’t return the jade token to the Emperor?"

"I did, but Father Emperor said it was for me to keep well. He also said if I lost it, he’d spank me," Zhao Yao said, "Mother Consort, better you keep the jade token. I’ll ask you for it if I want to leave the palace."

"Alright, Mother Consort will help you keep it safe." Liang Zhaoyi frowned in her heart, what could the Emperor mean by this?

At this moment in the Imperial Study, the Emperor received the news of Zhao Yao’s correspondence with the middle-aged man.

"Using a crow as a messenger?" The Emperor raised an eyebrow lightly, "That rascal Xiao Shi has a really unique way of doing things."

Sun Kui remarked in astonishment, "A crow can deliver letters?"

"Using a crow to deliver letters, probably only that rascal Xiao Shi could think of such a thing." The Emperor said to the ordinary man dressed in a guard uniform, "Do not prevent them from exchanging letters."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

The Emperor waved his hand at the ordinary man in a guard uniform, who then respectfully retreated.

"Your Majesty, weren’t you worried something might happen to the Tenth Prince, so you wouldn’t let him appear before that person? Why are you now allowing them to communicate?"

"Do you really think he would kill Xiao Shi?" The Emperor chuckled, "Xiao Shi is the only one in this world like my older brother; he couldn’t bear to kill Xiao Shi."

"Your Majesty, aren’t you afraid that person will intentionally lead the Tenth Prince astray or use the Tenth Prince to do something disadvantageous to you?" Because of Prince Yi Yong, that person bears a deep grudge against Your Majesty. Moreover, that person has always shouted about avenging Prince Yi Yong.

That person is confined to that house and can’t go anywhere, unable to avenge Prince Yi Yong. Now that the Tenth Prince has appeared before that person, it’s possible that person might indeed use the Tenth Prince against Your Majesty.

The Emperor gave a meaningful smile, "That would be exactly what I intend."

"Ah?" Sun Kui was taken aback by the Emperor’s words, saying incredulously, "Your Majesty, do you want that person to lead the Tenth Prince astray to use against you?" Has the Emperor gone mad?

The Emperor didn’t answer Sun Kui’s question but instead said with a profound look, "He can teach something that I cannot."

Sun Kui wondered what that person could teach that the Emperor couldn’t.

The Emperor’s attitude toward that person had always been strange and was now becoming even more peculiar.

What exactly happened between the Emperor, Prince Yi Yong, and that person back in those days?

Sun Kui had only been serving by the Emperor’s side since the Emperor was the Crown Prince. He knew nothing about what occurred before the Emperor became the Crown Prince. However, from the Emperor’s usual demeanor, it was apparent that the Emperor missed his older brother Prince Yi Yong greatly and held a deep admiration for him. Moreover, their brotherly affection was very strong, making it impossible that the Emperor would have killed Prince Yi Yong as that person claimed.

As a servant, he dared not inquire about the circumstances of Prince Yi Yong’s death.

Sun Kui dared not ask further and stood quietly to the side.

The Emperor continued to review memorials, but before long, he became lost in thought, recalling the scene from Prince Yi Yong’s demise.

Upon receiving news of his older brother’s accident, he rushed there, but he was still a step too late, unable to save him. By the time he arrived, his older brother was gravely injured, hanging onto life by a thread.

His older brother knew that if he died, that person would undoubtedly hold a grudge against him and seek revenge. His older brother implored him not to kill that person and to spare his life, saying that the person was a prodigious talent and would surely prove invaluable in the future.

Even without his older brother’s advice, he wouldn’t have killed that person. However, that person harbored such a deep grudge against him that they would never willingly serve him, let alone be of service. Hence, until the birth of Xiao Shi, he could only keep that person confined in that house.

With the birth of Xiao Shi, who resembled his older brother, he knew how to arrange for that person.

Although Xiao Shi’s encounter with that person came much earlier than expected, it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. With that person’s guidance, Xiao Shi would certainly become outstanding in the future.

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