Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 1065: Chapter 115: Sending Away a Living Buddha Is Hard _2

Alas, what a pity, Grand Commandant Zheng is a dangerous character, he must stay away.

Zhao Yao spurred his horse back to the Han Prince Mansion and asked the guard to invite Zheng Qian over.

"Zheng Qian, your father hasn’t left, why didn’t you tell me?"

Upon hearing Zhao Yao’s question, Zheng Qian was taken aback, then said with a puzzled expression, "Your Highness, my father left Lingnan long ago, what do you mean by this?"

Seeing Zheng Qian’s confused look, Zhao Yao asked in surprise, "You don’t know your father hasn’t left Swamp Prefecture?"

"Your Highness, have you seen my father?" Zheng Qian asked with a slight frown, "Where did you see him?"

"By a Wild Pond outside Swamp Prefecture, Grand Commandant Zheng was fishing there." Zhao Yao asked somewhat dumbfoundedly, "You really don’t know your father hasn’t left?"

"A month ago, my father wrote to say he had returned." Zheng Qian’s expression turned very ugly as he thought of his father deceiving him.

"It seems Grand Commandant Zheng is intentionally keeping from you all that he hasn’t left." Zhao Yao became even more puzzled, why would Grand Commandant Zheng do this? Also, what is his purpose in staying at Swamp Prefecture, is he assessing him? Didn’t the old man long cease to bother with court affairs, why now have the leisure to be curious about his matters?

"I will drive him away now."

"You come back." Zhao Yao called Zheng Qian back, "If you go now to drive away Grand Commandant Zheng, won’t that expose the fact that I know him?"

"Master, my father cannot stay in Swamp Prefecture."

"I know your father cannot stay in Swamp Prefecture, but you cannot just go like this, you have to pretend to inadvertently find out that the old man hasn’t left." Zhao Yao seriously instructed Zheng Qian, "You must not reveal that I know your father, otherwise things will become more complicated."

Zheng Qian understood Zhao Yao’s concerns, "Master, rest assured, I will handle this matter well, and I will never let my father know that you know him."

"Did your father ever tell you why he came to Lingnan, it can’t really be for leisure, can it?" He refused to believe Grand Commandant Zheng came to Lingnan for eating, drinking, and merriment. If it was really for leisure, then why didn’t he come earlier, why did he choose to come right after the trade conference?

"He said he came for leisure." Zheng Qian also didn’t believe his father’s explanation, "I think he purposely came to Swamp Prefecture to see the trade conference hosted by you, Master."

"I guess this is just one of his objectives, the old man probably has other purposes too." Maybe as he had guessed, after all Grand Commandant Zheng was a founding meritorious official. "I really hope the old man is not here for me." Although the Emperor had chosen him as the heir, he had not accepted.

"Master, he must have come for you."

Hearing this, Zhao Yao sighed helplessly, "I also suspect so." He rubbed his forehead, troubled, "Zheng Qian, think of a way to send your father, this living Buddha, away. If he stays in Swamp Prefecture, those in the capital will surely find out, by then I won’t be able to clear my name even with a dip in the Yellow River."

"Master, rest assured, I will send him away." Even if his father doesn’t want to leave, he’ll tie him up and take him away.

"Actually, chatting with your father this afternoon, I gained a lot. But your father’s status is too significant and too sensitive, I dare not deepen my relationship with him."

Zheng Qian said disdainfully, "He is just trouble."

Zhao Yao spoke with Zheng Qian for a while longer before letting him leave.

By evening, Zhao Yao learned that Zheng Qian had accidentally run into Grand Commandant Zheng.

At this time, in Zheng Qian’s residence.

"Prince Han indeed knows me." Grand Commandant Zheng didn’t believe his son had run into him by chance.

"Don’t flatter yourself, His Highness doesn’t know you." Zheng Qian not only lacked any kindness in his tone towards the much-revered Grand Commandant Zheng, but he also showed no kindness on his face. His disdain for his father was brightly displayed. "If His Highness knew you, he’d wish to drive you away immediately."

"Aren’t you driving me away now?" In the afternoon chat, Grand Commandant Zheng noticed Zhao Yao’s wariness towards him. Later, when he had deliberately asked those questions, Prince Han avoided answering, which let him know that Prince Han recognized him.

"Did you stay for His Highness?"

Grand Commandant Zheng said ambiguously, "Yes, and no."

"His Highness is not interested in the throne, your assessment of His Highness is a waste of effort." Zheng Qian spoke with contempt, "You really are hypocritical."

Grand Commandant Zheng, who was drinking tea, was choked by the tea upon hearing his youngest son call him hypocritical in such a direct manner.

"Cough cough, you rascal, what did you say?"

"Utterly hypocritical."

Grand Commandant Zheng pointed at Zheng Qian angrily, "Explain, how is your father I, hypocritical?"

"Didn’t you claim to have no interest in court affairs and didn’t want to meddle anymore, then why did you come to Swamp Prefecture to test His Highness?" Zheng Qian scoffed, "You put up an appearance of being unconcerned with worldly affairs, yet you are still concerned with court matters, tell me, aren’t you hypocritical?"

Grand Commandant Zheng laughed from anger, "Just because I come to Swamp Prefecture to see your master, I become hypocritical?"

"Isn’t it?" Zheng Qian said sharply, "Don’t use your own standards to measure my master, furthermore, my master has despised the thought of inheriting the throne from the start."

"I’ve noticed." Grand Commandant Zheng said amusedly, "Your master, like his father, scorns the thought of becoming emperor." Truly like father, like son.

"Since you have found out that my master despises being emperor, then you should return." Zheng Qian said coldly, "Don’t force me to tie you up."

"Ungrateful son, is this how you talk to your father?"

Zheng Qian replied with a face full of coldness, "You can cut ties with me as father and son, not recognize me as a son."

Grand Commandant Zheng was infuriated by his younger son’s words, but he was helpless against this troublesome son.

"You little brat, have your wings grown tough?"

"My wings have always been tough." In this world, everyone, including the emperor who stands above millions, has to be polite to Grand Commandant Zheng, but only Zheng Qian has no respect for his own father. "I don’t care what plans you and the emperor are concocting, if you put my master in danger, I will sever our father-son relationship."

Grand Commandant Zheng bristled with anger, "Prince Han must be your true father." How could he have given birth to such an unfilial son, just here to anger him.

"Your presence in Swamp Prefecture will bring danger to my master, you must leave first thing tomorrow."

"I won’t leave, tomorrow I will formally pay a visit to Prince Han."

"My master has said he doesn’t want to see you and that you should go back the way you came."

"Those are your words." Grand Commandant Zheng cast a glance at his younger son, "I have serious business with Prince Han, take me to see Prince Han tomorrow."

"I said my master won’t see you, leave early tomorrow, don’t force me to tie you up." Zheng Qian was too lazy to say anything more to Grand Commandant Zheng and turned to leave.

"You rascal... you rascal... you rascal..." Grand Commandant Zheng called out several times, but his younger son didn’t look back at him once.

Zheng Qian didn’t know what the serious business of Grand Commandant Zheng entailed, but he had to inform Zhao Yao.

"Serious business looking for me?" Zhao Yao asked, "What do you think it might be?"

"Nothing good, there’s no need for you to meet him, Master."

"Since Grand Commandant Zheng has already found out that I recognized him, and he still has business with me, I cannot not see him." Zhao Yao sighed inwardly, being too smart really is not a good thing. "Besides, I have some words to make clear to the old man, only then will he willingly leave Swamp Prefecture." The urgent matter is to quickly send away this living Buddha.

"I will visit your house now to see him, clarify things, and avoid long nights filled with dreams."

When Zhao Yao appeared before Grand Commandant Zheng, Grand Commandant Zheng cast a sidelong glance at his younger son. Zheng Qian directly gave him an eye-roll.

"Your Highness, indeed recognized this humble commoner."

"Old Zheng, you pretended not to know me, so I could only cooperate with you." Zhao Yao was too lazy to beat around the bush and asked straightforwardly, "I don’t know what business you have with me, Old Zheng?" Please let it not be the matter he was worried about.

Grand Commandant Zheng didn’t answer Zhao Yao’s question, but asked, "What does Your Highness think?"