A Precious Pearl in the Imperial City-Chapter 91

"Gentlemen, take a look at the memorials issued today." The duty officer flipped open the palace-distributed documents, his expression turning slightly peculiar. "It seems... another prince has drafted the responses?"

The Emperor had not explicitly stated which prince had reviewed the memorials, so even if they suspected it was Prince Chen, they couldn't voice it aloud.

After a brief silence, one of the ministers spoke up.

"The reasoning is clear and substantive. This prince... has done quite well."

"Indeed, ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‍the calligraphy carries strength. Judging by the handwriting, this prince must be... a man of action."

The ministers exchanged glances. They all knew whom they were praising, yet none dared to say it outright.

After all, this was someone they had once criticized. To praise him too openly now would be awkward. But to withhold praise entirely would weigh on their conscience.

Most scholars still held propriety and virtue in high regard.

"And this proposal to expand sericulture in the southwestern prefectures is also excellent. The southwestern regions are mountainous, and silk fabrics are both valuable and durable—far easier to transport and sell than ceramics or perishable goods."

"Adapting to local conditions, caring for the people's welfare... If only he could rid himself of his idle habits, he would truly be a blessing for Great Qing."

The other officials stared at the speaker, their expressions... indescribable.

Everyone had been speaking in veiled terms, but this remark, though avoiding direct titles, pointed far too obviously at one person.

For a moment, the Six Ministries' duty room fell silent again.

After a long pause, Official A cautiously suggested, "In my humble opinion, the princes and princesses have resided in the palace for many days now. Should we petition His Majesty to allow them to return to court?"

The fourth prince had been disgraced, but there were still other princes worth pinning hopes on.

Like... the one assisting the Emperor with memorials.

"This matter is for His Majesty to decide. We must not rashly submit petitions," Official B shook his head. "What appears to be state affairs is, in truth, also the Emperor's family matter."

All five princes were now adults. If unchecked ambition were to plunge the court into chaos, it would only harm the common people.

"Enough," Official A sighed. "Brother Wang is right. The older one grows, the greater one's ambitions become."

Though these ministers had their own private interests, none wished to see a repeat of the bloodshed and turmoil of the final years of the Xiande era, which had left the people in misery.

Just one day after the imperial decree to expand the civil examinations was issued, poems praising the Emperor, the Empress, and Prince Chen began circulating in the capital's streets.

The scholars of the capital, ever politically astute, knew better than to omit any key figures in their flattery, even in verse.

"Your Highness," Jiuzhu sat in the carriage, listening to the children outside chanting a rhyme that seemed to praise the Emperor, the Empress, and Prince Chen. "Do you hear what they're singing?"

"Clap one, I say one, Emperor Long Feng reigns under heaven."

"Clap two, I say two, the Empress is fair as morning dew."

"Clap three, I say three, Prince Chen stands strong as mountains be."

"Tch." Prince Chen narrowed his eyes at the children. While his father and mother were likened to heaven and art, he got... a mountain?

"Clap eight, I say eight, Fourth Brother is a child of hate."

"Your Highness, doesn’t this rhyme feel... off to you?"

"Hmm." Prince Chen lowered the carriage curtain. "Someone is deliberately stirring trouble."

The first half of the rhyme praised the Emperor, Empress, and himself, but the latter half suddenly targeted Yun Yanze, while the other princes weren’t even mentioned.

These children knew nothing—likely unaware of the imperial family’s surname, let alone the princes' birth order.

"These schemers are truly wicked, using children as weapons." Jiuzhu frowned. "Thankfully, His Majesty is a wise ruler who loves his people. Otherwise, spreading such rumors could endanger these children."

Matters involving the imperial family were never trivial.

"Hmm." Jiuzhu tapped her chin. "Should we compose our own nursery rhyme?"

"About what?"

"Something amusing, like the current capital trend—'The Overbearing Prince...'"

"Hmm?" Prince Chen shot her a look.

"Your Highness, as everyone knows, fictional tales are just that—fiction." Jiuzhu quickly reassured him. "We needn’t take them seriously."

Prince Chen rubbed his forehead. Ever since hearing those absurd "Overbearing Prince" stories, the mere mention of the phrase made him cringe.

If the storytellers kept embellishing, he’d soon be sprouting wings in their tales.

Elsewhere in the streets, an unassuming carriage stood still.

"Your Highness, these are just children’s thoughtless words. Pay them no mind." Sun Caiyao listened to the chants outside and summoned a eunuch. "Take some treats to coax the children into stopping."

"No need." Yun Yanze sat calmly in the carriage. "There are countless children in the capital. Even if you silence these, others will continue."

"Your Highness..." Sun Caiyao gazed at him with concern.

"It’s fine. I won’t take a child’s jest to heart." Yun Yanze smiled gently at her. "In a few days, they’ll forget this once they have a new rhyme."

The kinder his smile, the heavier her heart grew. She knew better—once such rhymes spread widely, his image in these children’s minds would be irreparably tarnished.

"Prince Chen... this is going too far," she couldn’t help but say. "He’s already won the scholars’ favor. Why must he slander you like this?"

Yun Yanze shook his head with a faint smile.

Yun Duqing, born with everything, was too arrogant for such tactics.

But the other three brothers—any of them could be behind this.

He didn’t explain to Sun Caiyao. Right now, he needed the Sun family’s support. The more indignant she felt on his behalf, the more she’d persuade her family to aid him.

"Your Highness, Your Consort." The eunuch Sun Caiyao had sent out soon returned.

"Did the children leave?" She lifted the curtain and saw the children holding candied hawthorns, no longer chanting.

"Reporting to the Consort, this servant encountered Yang Yiduo on the way."

"Yang Yiduo?" The name sounded familiar. "The steward eunuch of Kirin Palace?"

"Indeed."

"What was he doing here?"

The eunuch hesitated before answering, "Yang Yiduo said he was acting on Prince Chen and Princess Consort’s orders, instructing the children to stop singing the rhyme."

Sun Caiyao was taken aback. Their carriage bore no markings, and Yun Duqing and Ming Jiuzhu shouldn’t have known they were nearby. This couldn’t be a performance for their benefit.

"Could Prince Chen be uninvolved?" She pondered. "Your Highness, might someone be trying to drive a wedge between you and him?"

With Yun Duqing now holding significant influence, any conflict would only harm Yun Yanze.

"Fifth Brother doesn’t seem like the type to resort to such tactics." Yun Yanze gazed out the carriage window at the children munching on candied hawthorns, their faces smeared with sticky syrup. "Now that I’ve lost my standing—with no mother to rely on and no favor from His Majesty—anyone could come and kick me while I’m down."

"Your Highness, you still have me." Sun Caiyao clasped his hand. "That day, when I saw you from the high tower, dressed in white, reaching out from your horse to catch the child falling from the window, I knew I would marry no one but you."

Yun Yanze’s tender, expressive eyes lingered on her for a moment before he withdrew his hand from her grasp. "That was so long ago. I’d nearly forgotten."

"It doesn’t matter if you’ve forgotten. I remember."

Yun Yanze smiled.

"Your Highness, this servant just encountered a eunuch from the Sixth Palace of Zhang while coaxing the children," Yang Yiduo reported upon returning from his errand. "He didn’t say which prince he was accompanying."

"Let it be." Prince Chen waved dismissively. "Tell the coachman to keep moving. We should reach my wife’s family home sooner rather than later."

Visit ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com for the 𝑏est n𝘰vel reading experience.

"As you wish, Your Highness."

No matter who it was, nothing could delay his princess from enjoying her flower pastries.

Half an hour later, Jiuzhu sat at the Ming family’s table, savoring the sweet and fragrant flower pastries, while Prince Chen… found himself reciting texts under the watchful gazes of his father-in-law and Ming family’s elder uncle.

He hadn’t wanted to recite at first, but the thought of Ming Jiuzhu sitting barely five steps away made him relent.

Hearing her enthusiastic applause and admiring cheers, Prince Chen straightened his back imperceptibly.

A man must always pay the price for his past bravado.

But seeing the sparkle in her eyes, he felt that the bravado was worth upholding—just a little longer.

Fortunately, the Ming elders understood moderation. After a few passages, they changed tactics.

"Reciting texts is dull. Let’s play cards instead."

Prince Chen: "…"

Reciting had been just fine.

At least that only required mental effort. Playing cards with the Ming men, however, demanded not just his wits but also his expressions—every twitch of his brow and flicker of his gaze had to radiate sincerity.

"Your Highness." Jiuzhu settled beside him with a plate of flower pastries. "Play well. You must win."

"Of course." Prince Chen glanced at the Ming men and decided to exert thirty percent of his skill.

Half an hour later, Ming Cunfu was the first to toss his cards—his purse had run dry.

"Your Highness, how is your luck so good today?" he couldn’t help but ask. "Much better than last time."

"Perhaps because Jiuzhu is sitting beside me?" Prince Chen observed his brother-in-law’s empty purse and evenly divided his winnings. "Between family, winning or losing doesn’t matter. Let’s split the coins."

"Your Highness, why am I included?" Jiuzhu blinked as he placed two handfuls of coins before her.

"If you hadn’t been here, I wouldn’t have won." Prince Chen spoke with utmost seriousness. "So our little lucky pearl must have her share."

"Really?" Jiuzhu tucked the coins into her purse, eyes bright with curiosity. "Did I really help?"

"Absolutely." Prince Chen chuckled, tying her purse strings for her. "Ask your cousin. Last time, I lost every round."

Ming Cunfu, now cheerfully counting his reclaimed coins, nodded. "His Highness speaks the truth. Last time, he lost constantly."

"See? I didn’t lie." Prince Chen leaned close, his whisper sending a shiver down Jiuzhu’s ear. "Little Ming Pig, don’t ever stray too far from me."

His low laugh made her ear tingle.

"I’d hate for my luck to fade without you."

"Don’t worry, Your Highness." Jiuzhu squeezed his hand. "I’ll always stay with you."

The Ming men tossed their cards aside with stiff expressions and silently retreated.

Hah. As men, they all knew exactly what game he was playing.

But since their girl was happy with her husband, what could they do?

They could only pretend not to see.

"Mmm." Prince Chen stole a quick kiss on Jiuzhu’s hand when the Ming men weren’t looking. "I believe you."

"Father, what in the world is Prince Chen doing—"

Ming Jingzhou clapped a hand over his son’s mouth.

Ming Cunfu sighed. "Third Brother, there’s a reason you’re still unmarried."