Prime Minister.

Chapter 95, Section 094: [Father's Kindness and Son's Filial Piety]

The East Palace, Duanben Hall, East Warm Pavilion.

Crown Prince Jiang Xuan wore a crimson robe embroidered with gold dragons, its collar crisp and elegant, and the golden dragon on his shoulder shimmering in the shimmering light.

Her black hair was lightly bound by a black gauze hat and a jade belt around her waist, from which hung a mutton-fat jade hook.

He opened the book by the window, his sleeves narrowed, and a jade thumb ring between his fingers lightly tapped the pages.

Deng Hong, the chief eunuch of the Eastern Palace, stood respectfully to the side with his head bowed and eyes lowered. He glanced at the scroll in the Crown Prince's hand out of the corner of his eye and couldn't help but sigh inwardly: His Highness has been lingering on this page for almost a quarter of an hour.

He knew the Crown Prince was in a bad mood because Princess Yun'an, Jiang Li, had come by earlier.

As the Crown Prince's most trusted advisor, Deng Hong was able to overhear the conversation between the two noblemen.

Jiang Li's visit was naturally due to the five candidates who failed the imperial examination; she needed to give the Crown Prince an explanation.

She didn't try to exonerate Xue Huai, but simply recounted the events that had occurred in the examination hall, thus clarifying Xue Huai's situation at the time. He could only gain the trust of the two factions by first turning against himself.

The Crown Prince did have some dissatisfaction with Xue Huai's stubborn personality, but this time it was ultimately his turn to find Jiang Li indirectly, so he couldn't blame Jiang Li and Xue Huai no matter what. As the Crown Prince, he shouldn't lack even this much magnanimity. Therefore, he took the time to comfort the slightly uneasy Jiang Li and told her not to take it to heart.

After Jiang Li left, the Crown Prince fell into his current state.

After a long while, he put down the book in his hand and let out a soft sigh.

"Your Highness."

Deng Hong stepped forward, his face showing concern.

The Crown Prince turned to look at him, and hesitated before asking, "Grand Master, do you think I should confess this matter to Father?"

"This……"

Deng Hong thought for a moment and said cautiously, "Just now, Her Highness said that she would never leak the news. That Xue Shidu is not a gossip either, and he may not be able to guess that this was Her Highness's arrangement."

"That's true, but Father will surely see through the trick."

The Crown Prince looked gloomy. He had always been afraid of the Emperor, but he was unwilling to be confined to this Eastern Palace. So he could only use some subtle means, such as sending Jiang Li to persuade Xue Huai this time.

In the Crown Prince's mind, Jiang Li would never betray him, and Xue Huai wouldn't turn against Jiang Li over such a small matter, after all, she had saved his life. At most, Xue Huai would resolutely refuse Jiang Li, and the Crown Prince himself would not suffer much loss.

However, he did not foresee the dramatic changes that would occur after Xue Huai entered the examination hall. Had he known that Xue Huai would be involved in the struggle between Sun Yan and Yue Zhongming, he would naturally not have interfered in the imperial examination.

Just then, a hurried sound came from outside the hall.

"The Holy One has arrived!"

The crown prince's expression changed drastically. He exchanged a glance with Deng Hong, and fear instantly welled up in his heart.

He was made crown prince three years ago, and the emperor had never set foot in the Eastern Palace during those three years, but today he came so suddenly.

"Your Highness, do not panic, go quickly to greet him."

Deng Hong, being more mature, quickly offered a quiet reminder.

The prince swallowed hard and strode out.

Upon reaching the courtyard outside the palace, the imperial carriage appeared ahead. The Crown Prince strode down the steps and led the officials of the Eastern Palace who had rushed over to kneel and greet him by the roadside, shouting, "Your subject respectfully welcomes Your Majesty!"

By this time, the inner palace guards had taken control of the defense of the entire Eastern Palace.

The emperor stepped down from his imperial carriage, and the courtyard was solemn and quiet, with only the sound of the officials of the Eastern Palace trying their best to control their breathing.

The crown prince prostrated himself in worship, and all he could see was the tip of the dragon's tail, embroidered with gold thread, on the hem of the emperor's robe. In the spring sunlight, the robe cast a long, distorted shadow on the blue bricks with each step the emperor took.

He didn't dare to breathe.

The emperor stopped and turned to look at the two lush, century-old ginkgo trees. He said softly, "When I was a prince, I was most pleased with how well these two trees grew. Therefore, I have always felt that this Duanben Palace is a blessed place."

The room fell silent.

The emperor withdrew his gaze, stepped into the hall, and calmly said, "Rise."

"Thank you, Father."

The prince's whole body tensed as he slowly stood up.

A moment later, inside the warm pavilion, the emperor sat behind a rosewood desk and looked up at the Spring and Autumn Annals annotated by the crown prince. This made the crown prince, who was standing to the side with his head bowed, feel a tightness in his heart.

The emperor did not take advantage of the situation. He picked up the teacup that Deng Hong had personally served, and gently scraped the rim of the cup with the lid. The sound of the porcelain brushed against the crown prince's eardrum. "The chief examiner of the spring examination, Sun Yan, presented the 'Memorial on the Examination Hall' a few days ago. He said that there were several essays in this year's examination that were 'imperfect jade with flaws.' I think this comment is very similar to your essay 'On Duke Huan of Qi's Attack on Chu' when you were thirteen years old."

"Your Majesty flatters me. My childhood playful writings dare not compare with the essays of the newly appointed scholars."

The prince felt a few drops of cold sweat slide down his back.

The emperor's words were obviously pointed, and the crown prince quickly grasped the deeper meaning. The sentence was probably a comparison to his childhood, implying that his methods were still immature.

Regarding this matter, the Crown Prince had to admit that he had indeed been somewhat hasty in trying to interfere in the imperial examinations.

The Emperor placed the teacup back on the table and slowly said, "Seeing those two ginkgo trees, I can't help but think of the ancient cypress tree in front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple. Why do you think that ancient cypress tree is hollow inside yet has lush branches and leaves?"

Before the crown prince could answer, his Adam's apple bobbed, and the emperor continued, "Because its roots have long since gnawed away all the essence within, leaving only its skin to bathe in the emperor's grace and dew, don't you think so?"

This statement clearly has two layers of meaning.

One interpretation is that some people are incompetent and only attain high positions because of imperial favor. The other interpretation is a deeper question, implying that some people are stirring up trouble behind the scenes to cultivate their own power and thus undermine the foundation of the court.

The Crown Prince was able to understand it, after all, his teacher was also one of the Grand Secretaries of the Cabinet, and he usually had many learned civil officials to lecture him on classics and history, which helped to hone his understanding of those sensitive topics.

However, understanding doesn't mean one can answer calmly, especially since the Emperor first mentioned the imperial examination and then used the ancient cypress as a metaphor. Although his tone was calm, the invisible pressure almost made the Crown Prince's breath catch in his throat. He bit his tongue lightly, barely managing to calm himself, and said with shame, "Your subject... Your subject has failed your father's expectations."

The emperor leisurely stroked the Hetian jade dragon paperweight on the table, his slender eyes remaining completely expressionless: "What do you mean?"

The Crown Prince's forehead was already beaded with sweat. He lowered his head and said, "Father, please forgive me. Before the imperial examination, I received some of the candidates' essays. Because I admired their talent, I was momentarily blinded by greed and did something wrong."

He was well aware of the dangers of confessing, but this was the first time in three years that the emperor had set foot in the Eastern Palace. The profound meaning behind this trip was self-evident. In addition, he had gradually come to understand his father's likes and dislikes over the years—you can make mistakes, but you shouldn't try to justify them after making mistakes, or the consequences will be even more miserable.

The Crown Prince's remorseful and low voice echoed in the warm pavilion.

Aside from being vague about his initial intentions, the Crown Prince did not conceal any other details, including how he went to find Jiang Li and then had Jiang Li go to find Xue Huai.

The emperor listened calmly throughout.

After a long silence, the Crown Prince bowed and said, "Your subject was foolish, please punish me, Father."

"Foolish..."

The Emperor's nonchalant voice made the Crown Prince even more nervous. The next moment, the Emperor said, "I remember in the seventh year of Taihe, when you were just fourteen years old, at the end of the year when you were offering sacrifices to our ancestors, you asked me why there was a blank stele outside the Imperial Ancestral Temple."

The prince's face was shrouded in shadow.

The emperor continued, "Now I know that you are indeed my flesh and blood. After all, I also had this habit of leaving marks on the stone when I was young."

The phrase "carving marks in stone" likely refers to the fact that the crown prince acted without careful consideration, leaving too many loopholes in his plans.

The crown prince was slightly taken aback.

He had prepared himself for a storm, but the emperor remained calm and composed ever since he entered the Eastern Palace, showing no sign of anger. In particular, his words carried a hint of nostalgia and seemed to have no intention of blaming him.

The Crown Prince found it hard to believe; was this really the strict father he remembered?

“I understand… Now that you’re grown up and living in this Eastern Palace, it’s inevitable that there will be some sycophants around you who try to bewitch you. It’s not entirely your fault.”

The emperor sighed softly, then said earnestly, "Crown Prince, you are the heir apparent I have chosen. In the future, the Great Yan empire will be handed over to you. I hope you understand that a ruler should follow the righteous path."

"Father, I know I was wrong."

The crown prince appeared sincere, but a chill ran through him.

"It's good to admit your mistakes, and even better to correct them."

The Emperor nodded slightly, then changed the subject, saying, "You and Yun'an grew up together, almost like siblings. I'm happy to see you younger generation being close, but you should be mindful of boundaries. Over the years, because I've favored her, the officials in court have had to speak frankly and offer advice from time to time. And you actually let her do such a thing. If word gets out, won't she become the target of everyone's criticism? Is this how you love your sister?"

The crown prince lowered his head even further and said regretfully, "Father is right to teach me a lesson. I acted rashly this time and will never do it again."

"I believe you can do this."

The Emperor slowly rose and reminded him, "When my brother Prince Qi was on his deathbed, I promised him to his face that I would ensure Yun'an's life would be one of wealth and happiness. You must not involve her in the court again. Do you understand?"

"Yes, Father."

The crown prince readily agreed, but inwardly he was filled with doubt and apprehension about the word "you".

The emperor then walked outside, but stopped abruptly when he reached the palace gate. He looked up slightly at the plaque of the Duanben Hall and said leisurely, "Just now I mentioned your essay 'On Duke Huan of Qi's Attack on Chu' when you were thirteen years old. Although the language of this essay is immature, its literary style surpasses the memorials you have written in recent years."

The crown prince looked ashamed, but dared not defend himself.

Fortunately, the emperor did not continue the topic. He looked up at Zeng Min, who was standing not far away. Zeng Min then led the eunuch forward. The eunuch was holding a carved red lacquer plate with a peony pattern, which contained a sweet white glaze chrysanthemum petal pot from the imperial kiln.

"Your Highness, this is this year's new tribute, Snow-capped Jade Peak. I bestow upon you tea to calm your mind."

The emperor spoke in a gentle tone, as if he were a benevolent ruler or father.

The Crown Prince quickly bowed and said, "Your subject thanks Your Majesty for the reward!"

The emperor glanced at him and instructed, "The water temperature must be controlled to the level of crab eyes, and the cup should be filled with swirling green jade snails. If it is too boiling, it will be bitter; if it is too cold, it will be astringent. Remember this."

"My son, please remember your father's teachings."

The crown prince bowed again, and then followed closely as he escorted the emperor to the imperial carriage.

He watched as the imperial carriage left the Eastern Palace, surrounded by eunuchs and court guards. Looking back at the lacquer tray that Deng Hong had personally held, he felt a surge of bitterness and unease.

"Is Your Highness feeling unwell?"

Deng Hong approached and spoke in a very low voice.

The prince shook his head slightly to indicate that he was fine, but couldn't help but smile self-deprecatingly, his hands, hidden in his sleeves, clenched tightly.

"Let's go back."

The crown prince led the way, his steps unsteady.

Deng Hong was filled with worry, but dared not ask any further questions.

The Crown Prince went straight back to the warm pavilion, and Deng Hong wisely stood guard outside.

"A rough gem has flaws, not what it once was; brewing tea brings peace of mind..."

The crown prince slumped on the couch, his eyes flashing with resentment and anger.

"Isn't this all thanks to you, Father Emperor?"

(End of this chapter)