Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne

Chapter 984: Chapter 78: Youzhou Is a Fine Place (Part 2)

"Why did you suddenly bring up Youzhou? Did Prince Han do something?"

"Sigh, I was just feeling a bit sentimental." Mentioning Prince Han, Zhao Yao showed a look of disdain, "Prince Han is clearly good at business, yet he stuffs all his earnings into his own pockets, not allowing the people of Youzhou to make money. What a waste of such a good place as Youzhou."

"Someone like Prince Han is just a typical royal." He Lianfang said, giving Zhao Yao a once-over and remarked with a hint of annoyance, "Someone like you is the unusual one."

Being told off by He Lianfang in this way, Zhao Yao incredulously pointed at himself, "Am I abnormal?"

"Isn’t your goal to travel the world and taste all the world’s delicacies?" He Lianfang said with a face full of mockery, "Look at what you’re doing now, does it have anything to do with your goal?"

Uh...

"One could say it has some relation, I did manage to taste some delicious Lingnan food."

"Someone like Prince Han who only cares about making money and living carefree, without regard for the common folk, is a normal royal. Someone like you, who cares whether the people can eat and live well, is rare."

"Uncle, do you think what I’m doing is wrong?"

"Not at all, you are doing the right thing." He Lianfang said seriously.

Hearing He Lianfang say this, Zhao Yao breathed a long sigh of relief inwardly.

"Uncle, then why do you say I’m abnormal?"

"Saying you’re abnormal doesn’t mean you’re wrong." He Lianfang smiled and said, "I don’t find Lingnan any worse than Youzhou, but if you were to go to Youzhou, I’m sure you could develop it well."

Zhao Yao, hearing this, smiled smugly, "Definitely, if I went to Youzhou, I would turn it into one of the largest granaries of Great Zhou."

"You wouldn’t mention Youzhou without a reason. Tell me, what happened in Youzhou?"

"It’s nothing major, just that General Deng from the Northern Garrison fell ill."

"Deng Xianyun fell ill?" He Lianfang asked with suspicion, "What illness, is it serious?"

"Not sure exactly what kind of illness, but it should be quite serious." Zhao Yao lightly tapped on Youzhou on the map, speaking thoughtfully, "I suspect Prince Han is colluding with people inside the Northern Garrison."

"Do you suspect Deng Xianyun has turned to Prince Han?"

"General Deng probably wouldn’t betray the Emperor and turn to Prince Han." Zhao Yao rested his left hand on his right elbow, rubbing his chin with the right hand, "But his son is another story."

"That’s not impossible." He Lianfang suddenly recalled something, his expression turning solemn, "You suspect Deng Xianyun’s illness is caused by Prince Han and his son?"

"Very likely." Zhao Yao crossed his arms and said, "Prince Han must be secretly in cahoots with certain people in the Northern Garrison; otherwise, he wouldn’t appear so clean on the surface." He couldn’t believe Prince Han genuinely only wanted to be a business-savvy Prince with no thoughts of the throne.

He continued, "Prince Han is a very cunning person, I suspect he has already won over most of the troops in the Northern Garrison."

"The Northern Garrison is not an ordinary military camp." He Lianfang furrowed his brows slightly, "The soldiers of the Northern Garrison are not so easy to buy."

"Uncle, ordinary soldiers have been stationed at the northern frontier for decades, living a monotonous and poor life. Do you think they feel no resentment? Do you think they don’t desire returning to the capital for a peaceful life?" Zhao Yao didn’t believe the Northern Garrison was an impenetrable fortress; people have personal desires and wants. "General Deng is an old subordinate of my father, loyal and willing to guard the northern frontier for life, but not all his soldiers are like that. Not to mention his son, I don’t think all of his sons are willing to stay at the northern border, disregarding fame and wealth."

What Zhao Yao said made some sense.

"You think Deng Xianyun’s son has been bought by Prince Han."

"Nine out of ten." Zhao Yao speculated, "It’s normal for Deng Xianyun’s son to want a life of luxury. It’s also normal for him to want to return to the capital, so it’s very likely he has teamed up with Prince Han. Besides, Prince Han is very skilled at business and has likely given Deng General’s son quite a fortune over the years. I guess Prince Han promised Deng Xianyun’s son that once he ascends the throne, he would summon him back to the capital, allowing him to live in wealth and luxury."

"If that’s the case, then it all makes sense." He Lianfang thought of the Emperor, curling his lip into a smirk, "Zhao Zheng, with all his plotting, didn’t foresee Deng Xianyun’s son would side with Prince Han."

"Not necessarily; with my father’s cunning, he couldn’t have missed Prince Han’s attempt to buy off Deng Xianyun’s son." Zhao Yao reminded He Lianfang, "Uncle, you did say the Northern Garrison’s duty at the frontier is very significant, and father couldn’t possibly overlook Prince Han."

He Lianfang snorted coldly, "As you say, Prince Han and Deng Xianyun’s son are merely playing into Zhao Zheng’s hands."

Zhao Yao nodded slightly, "The Northern Garrison is too important; I hope father won’t mess up." Although Prince Han was deep and unfathomable, Zhao Yao felt he was far inferior compared to the Emperor. Perhaps when Prince Han initially volunteered to go to Youzhou, his father had already started watching him. "Now that General Deng is ill, father wouldn’t just sit idly by. I guess he should send one of the Four Great Generals to temporarily manage the Northern Garrison on behalf of General Deng."

"If he sends someone like Song Dekang to the Northern Garrison, the collusion between Prince Han and Deng Xianyun’s son is bound to be exposed."

"Not necessarily. I don’t think it would be that easy to find evidence of Prince Han’s dealings with Deng Xianyun." Zhao Yao scratched the back of his head, "The situation over in Youzhou is very complicated. Regardless of which among the Four Great Generals is sent there, figuring this out won’t be easy." It wasn’t that he underestimated Song Dekang and the others; those four Great Generals were good at warfare but not skilled in political intrigue. Although warfare involves strategy, the trickery involved in combat is quite different from political conspiracies.

"If Prince Han has hidden this for so many years, being exposed easily would mean Prince Han isn’t very capable, nothing much to worry about."

"Do you believe Prince Han is a cut above the rest?"

Zhao Yao nodded lightly, "Mm."

"Now that you know what Prince Han is doing, will you still collaborate with him in business?"

"Sure, why not? I wouldn’t turn away money that comes knocking on my door." Zhao Yao said with a grin, "What does the matter between Prince Han and the Northern Garrison have to do with me? I have no reason to refuse money that comes right to me."

"Exactly because I know what Prince Han is up to, I feel at ease doing business with him." Previously, being clueless about what Prince Han was up to left him feeling uneasy. Now that he guessed his intentions, there was nothing to worry about.

"What if your guess is wrong?"

Zhao Yao stood dumbfounded for a moment before shrugging, "If I’m wrong, I still won’t lose anything since I’m not competing with Prince Han for the throne."