"Right, ’roadshow’—just hearing it, you know it’s not a decent name. Mingyuan isn’t usually like this; it must be that spooky Wang Family egging him on in the dark." Emperor Longchang snorted coldly. "An embarrassment, he’s thrown away all the Royal Family’s face. Look at these impeachment memorials, they’re piled up to almost fill a whole desk. It’s just a big project—couldn’t he have brought it up properly in court and let the ministers all discuss it together?"

"Er, Your Majesty..." Old Yao’s mouth twitched; with a hint of awkwardness, he gently reminded, "Decades ago, Prince Anjun actually did bring up the Great Desert reclamation project in open court, and ended up getting besieged by all the ministers. Among them, the one who cursed him the fiercest..." 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

At this point, he opened his mouth, but in the end didn’t dare say it out loud.

Emperor Longchang’s face froze in embarrassment as he recalled what had happened back then. The one who’d scolded the fiercest at the time—wasn’t it precisely himself?

But that couldn’t really be blamed on him. Back then, first, he felt Wu Mingyuan was being far too fanciful. So many Noble Families had failed to reclaim the land before; the chances of success for Wu Mingyuan’s plan seemed extremely slim. Second, he himself was already old, and his desire for expansion had long since been worn away.

On top of that, Prince Kang Wu Chengsi’s faction had been heckling and fanning the flames, so he decided Wu Mingyuan was just trying to use this plan to draw people to his side, to seize the chance to boost his Quasi-crown prince status and struggle on in vain.

He’d never imagined that brat Wu Mingyuan had actually been serious about opening up the Great Desert. And after several dozen years, he had really managed to turn the desolate Anbei Guard into an excellent experimental zone, faintly taking on the appearance of a granary.

On this foundation, bringing up reclaiming the Dara Desert again was naturally a completely different matter.

Detailed data, a clear development roadmap, the future risks and returns—all of it was built on facts. Compared to Wu Mingyuan’s original development plan that was stuck at the bragging stage, it was undoubtedly countless times more convincing.

On top of that, this matter had Great Celestial Pride Liyao, Great Celestial Pride Zong’an and others lending their names to it, so its credibility and feasibility rose yet again. Even Emperor Longchang felt that as long as Prince Anjun was willing to put in the hard work, this thing had a high chance of actually succeeding.

"Hmph, and yet he dresses it up so nobly, claiming this time he just wants everyone to make money together, that it has nothing to do with the Struggle of the Imperial Sons." Emperor Longchang was secretly displeased, and as if he’d remembered nothing at all, he naturally shifted his line of attack. "In the end, Wu Mingyuan and the Wang Family are just trying to gather hearts and minds. Otherwise, why aren’t they going to Prince Kang’s Mansion for investment?"

"Well... Your Majesty, Prince Anjun has already gone to Prince Kang’s Mansion." Old Yao’s mouth twitched again as he lowered his voice. "It’s just that Princess Consort Kang Zhao Yijing gave them a perfunctory reception, then used the excuse that Prince wasn’t home and that she couldn’t make decisions on her own, and politely showed them out..."

At this point even he couldn’t help feeling embarrassed on Emperor Longchang’s behalf. It was only thanks to nearly a thousand years of professional self-control that he forced down his laughter and didn’t lose composure.

He understood the Great Emperor very well and knew that in his heart, the Great Emperor actually already somewhat approved of Prince Anjun’s plan of expansion; he wasn’t truly angry. He was just annoyed that Prince Anjun had gone around him, the Great Emperor, to get things done, which left a thorn in his heart and made him grumble.

"Putting on an act. He only waited till Prince Kang went to the Outer Domain Battlefield and wasn’t at home, then put on his little show to flaunt his own selflessness." Emperor Longchang’s mouth also twitched, and then he once again feigned amnesia, automatically shifting to the next point of attack. "If Prince Anjun were really whole-heartedly serving the country, why didn’t he come and discuss it with me? What, in his heart, am I that kind of unreasonable, muddle-headed Emperor?"

"He must have held a grudge over the few little scoldings I gave him back then, and is now fixated on proving that I was wrong."

Judging others by himself, the more Emperor Longchang thought about it, the more convinced he became that this had to be the case.

But no sooner had he finished speaking than he heard an eunuch outside come to report: "Reporting to Your Majesty, Prince Anjun and Changning Wang Family’s Great Celestial Pride Zong’an request an audience together."

Emperor Longchang’s face went stiff.

That brat Wu Mingyuan was really giving him no face at all. He had just finished calling the boy narrow-minded, and the boy actually came running over to request an audience? Was Emperor Longchang someone who didn’t care about face?

"Old Yao, that stinking brat Wu Mingyuan is coming to see me now mostly because his grand expansion plan has hit some obstacles." Emperor Longchang fell silent for a while, finally finding himself a justification. He pretended to ponder. "Tell me, should I see him or not?"

Old Yao knew the Great Emperor’s intentions all too well. Bowing his head with a fawning smile, he said, "Your Majesty has always been benevolent at heart and cares for the younger generation of the family. No matter how little you favor Prince Anjun, he is still the direct descendant of Princess Qingluo’s line and the father of Princess Yiluo. Besides, this time the newly emerged Great Celestial Pride Zong’an is accompanying him. Naturally, Your Majesty would not refuse to see them."

"Hmph, you old fox, daring to presume to interpret My will—I’ll settle accounts with you later." Emperor Longchang cursed with a laugh, then lightly coughed and once again put on a serious, contemplative air. "But for the sake of Yiluo and Great Celestial Pride Zong’an, I suppose I must give them some face. I also want to see what exactly that brat has to say. Old Yao, summon them~"

Old Yao laughed obsequiously and begged for mercy, then went out with a solemn expression to announce, "His Majesty summons Prince Anjun and Wang Zong’an to an audience."

Old Yao’s voice did not sound loud, but it was precisely transmitted all the way to the gates of the Imperial City.

About the time it takes one stick of incense to burn later, Prince Anjun and Wang Zong’an were led by eunuchs into Zhuozheng Pavilion and together sought audience.