While Murong Yunshu was gossiping with Chu Murong, Chu Changge was amidst a heated debate among his ministers.
"That's enough." Chu Changge could not stand it anymore that he had to interrupt the crowd, "Old General Liu, since you think the top priority is to recover the territory, then first tell Zhen. Why did Emperor Tian and Emperor Ye insist on doing this when they knew that killing each other would only result in Zhen reaping the benefits?"
"They are not really at war." Old General Liu revealed, "According to the report from the spies sent by this General to have a lookout on the enemy's army, Emperor Tian and Emperor Ye have not at war. Those rumours are just to cover their act of secretly crossing the Wei River at Chencang. Their allied forces are already preparing to launch an attack on our dynasty's borders."
Chu Changge: "Alright. Zhen appoints you as the Grand Marshal of Military Forces to lead the army to the west and recover the territory. "
Old General Liu knelt on one knee and clasped his fist to receive the order, "This General obeys!"
"Your Majesty, now that the country's strength is hugely depleted and the plague is present, we must not go to war!" The Minister of Revenue said, "With the current strength of our dynasty, if we go to war, the treasury will be empty in six months at most."
"If we do not go to war, within six months, the allied forces of Emperor Tian and Emperor Ye will certainly attack north of the Huai River." Old General Liu argued forcefully.
The Minister of Revenue said, "You can propose a settlement."
Old General Liu shouted, "As long as this Liu is not dead, you people will not sign those treaties that humiliate the nation and forfeit its sovereignty! Unless the Emperor takes my head first, I will cut off whoever mentions the word 'settlement' again!"
The Minister of Revenue was also enraged and cursed bitterly, "Reckless, completely reckless!"
Old General Liu also fumed with anger and scolded back, "Coward!"
"Are you sure you want to treat Zhen words as a mere puff of wind passing your ear by continuing to argue?" Chu Changge's voice was very casual, as if he wasn't angry at all. But this translator will if she this chapter not at xinshou blogspot com.
The ministers immediately fell silent. No amount of righteousness could withstand His Majesty's breezy attitude.
"All of you try to cooperate with General Liu's needs, and as for the plague, Zhen will find a way. Yang Lian stays behind. The rest of you disperse." Chu Changge said
"My humble servant excuses himself." The crowd withdrew, with one following the other. The civil officials were reluctant, while the military officers were pleased.
In a short while, only Chu Changge and Yang Lian left in the room, with both of them silent.
After a long time, Yang Lian could not resist asking, "Your Majesty has requested this small official to stay behind. This small official wonders what instructions does Your Majesty have for this small official?"
Chu Changge pondered for a long time, as if it was difficult to speak, and frowned before saying, "Zhen would like to ask you, is there any precedent of the harem interfering in politics in all dynasties?"
"Yes. And they all caused great disasters." Yang Lian answered.
Chu Changge said, "Let's not talk about whether it will lead to a big disaster. You only need to tell Zhen now under what circumstances can Zhen disregard the ancestral rule of 'the harem does not interfere with politics'?"
Yang Lian frowned. "Your Majesty wants Her Majesty to participate in politics?"
"Does my dear courtier also think this is a very wise decision?" Chu Changge had a smug look on his face.
"This small official doesn't think so." Yang Lian spoke without giving Chu Changge any face.
"......what's wrong with having the Empress relieving Zhen of Zhen's worries?"
"A man of character can stand upright on his two legs between heaven and earth. What kind of a man is he if he meets a problem and looks for his wife?"
"......" Chu Changge had a guilty conscience after being scolded by Yang Lian. "Zhen wants to share the troubles with the Empress."
"Your Majesty just can't see Her Majesty being so idle, right?"
"......" This Yang Lian, sometimes one couldn't help but want to pull him out to the Meridian Gate and hit him up a few hundred times before pulling him back inside again. It was no wonder that since ancient times, an Emperor had loved and hated his officials. If he killed them, it would be a pity. If he didn't kill them, they became an eyesore. If he sent them to the frontier, there would be less fun in the future. If he let them stay with him, they would upset him.
What a dilemma!
However, Chu Changge was a person who had seen the world and grew up playing with people for fun. Hence, naturally, he would know how to deal with a mere Minister of Rites. Not afraid of death, are you? That doesn't matter. Many things in this world are more frightening than death.
"Minister Yang!" Chu Changge suddenly spoke with great enthusiasm, patted Yang Lian on the shoulder and said, "You haven't visited the brothel in Jinling, have you?"
The corners of Yang Lian's mouth slightly twitched. "Your Majesty is not afraid of contracting syphilis. Does this mean, Your Majesty is not afraid of contracting the plague as well?"
Good, those words are ruthless enough. The corners of Chu Changge's mouth were slightly hooked, and a few smiles appeared in his eyes, "Naturally, Zhen is afraid. But Lord Yang seems to be unafraid of neither Heaven nor Earth. Zhen guesses you must not have the plague in your mind."
Yang Lian smiled and immediately gave out an expression as if he had been stabbed with a knife. "This small official never goes to places where there are lovely spring scenes. This small official hopes Your Majesty will understand." There was an unmistakable tremor in his voice.
"Zhen knows." A harmless smile spilt out of Chu Changge's face as he patted Yang Lian's shoulder again and said, "A man of character can stand upright on his two legs between heaven and earth. What kind of a man is he if he doesn't even visit a brothel when he comes to Jinling?"
"......as the ruler of a country, Your Majesty should be able to tolerate the words of others." The implication was that waiting for revenge was not a gentleman's way of doing things!
"It's because Zhen was born with a small belly and chicken's gut, and Zhen has one person in Zhen's heart, so Zhen really can't tolerate anyone else." Chu Changge looked regretful.
The corners of Yang Lian's mouth twitched a few times ferociously. He was sure that any further confrontation would result in him being forcibly packed off to a brothel. Only God knew. He was not afraid of being killed or deported, but he feared the ruin of his reputation. Hence, Yang Lian decided to become a man who could adapt to circumstances. "In times of national crisis, the harem can participate in politics after the unanimous consent of the cabinet ministers." He said.
Chu Changge was overjoyed at his words, "My dear courtier is indeed Zhen's good loyal official."
Yang Lian hung his head in silence. He could not afford to be a loyal subject if he had to submit to the Emperor's 'abuse of power' in this way.
Chu Changge added, "On the cabinet side, Zhen also have to thank my dear courtier."
"Forgive this Minister for not being able to do anything about it." Yang Lian decisively refused.
"Is that so?" Chu Changge's dark eyes became deep as he said, "Zhen heard that the Flower Queen of Qinhuai Building was peerlessly gorgeous......"
"Your Majesty!" Yang Lian angrily interrupted Chu Changge's words. After a moment of silence, he painfully recalled the past with pangs in his heart as he squeezed out these words from his teeth in that tone of voice as if this act was worse than death, "This Minister, obeys, the decree." It was his bad luck that he had met such an unreasonable Emperor!
After Yang Lian left, Chu Changge took a chicken feather for a warrant to issue orders and wandered over to Murong Yunshu with a smile.
When Chu Changge appeared, Murong Yunshu said, "You're just in time. I have something to ask you."
"I also have something to tell you." Chu Changge said.
"Dad." Little Murong turned and greeted Chu Changge. Then he changed his sight forward again to continue painting.
Chu Changge glanced at the canvas and asked, "What are you painting?"
"People."
"......who?" Of course, he knew that Chu Murong was painting people with the already drawn nose and a pair of eyes.
"Me."
When Chu Changge heard his answer, he narrowed his eyes in wonder as he looked carefully and asked, "Are your shoulders that wide?"
"This is me ten years later." Chu Murong replied seriously.
Chu Changge was speechless, "You're only four years old. How do you know what you'll look like in ten years?"
"Mom knows. Mom said that ten years later, I will be a little younger, more handsome, kinder, more powerful and more pleasing than Dad's current appearance." Chu Murong spoke in dead earnestness. His expression was incomparably solemn and sacred like he was reciting an Imperial Decree. [+]
"......" Chu Changge looked at Murong Yunshu with hidden bitterness, "Madam, why is this husband of yours becoming inferior to him in every way in your eyes?"
"Because his mother is better than your mother." Murong Yunshu replied calmly.
Chu Changge was stunned for a moment, and then his face was covered with black lines. "Madam, it is a very immoral act to compare yourself with people who have already passed away."
Murong Yunshu raised her eyebrows, declining to comment. She hadn't done less immoral things anyway.
Chu Changge added, "What did you want to ask me just now?"
"Oh." I was so focused on bickering with him that I almost forgot about that. "Little Murong wants to know whether you chased me first or I chased you first."
Without waiting for Chu Changge to answer, Chu Murong, who was preoccupied with painting himself one second ago, immediately turned his head back, stared at Murong Yunshu with his clear, beautiful eyes and said. "Mom, I don't want to know at all."
"......" Can't he cooperate once in a while? Alas, what's the point of having him if he's so uncouth! Murong Yunshu gave Chu Murong a feeble scornful glance. "Don't interrupt when adults are talking."
Chu Murong looked at her innocently. "I honestly don't want to know."
"......" At this moment, Murong Yunshu very much wanted to have a daughter. A daughter who was even more eloquent than this tender green grass on top of the wall. Of course, the most important thing was to have the same mind as her.
Seeing that the mother and son couldn't agree with each other, Chu Changge laughed happily and then asked Chu Murong, "Do you think it was Dad who chased Mom first, or Mom who chased Dad first?"
"Of course, it's Dad chasing Mom first!" Chu Murong answered without thinking.
Murong Yunshu's jaw dropped. Do all children nowadays like to amuse themselves by striking their parents? He was indeed a grass on top of the wall. However, in any case, he had done her a favour by saying that in front of that someone. Although in her absence, he would hold another different view.
Not surprisingly, Chu Changge was deeply shocked. "Why would Dad be chasing after Mom first?" He asked viciously.
Chu Murong was utterly unaffected by the threatening look in his father's eyes as he turned around and continued to draw himself, answering in a very casual manner, "A great man knows when to yield and when not. Mom wants to be the one to be chased so much, so there is no harm in satisfying her vanity. And anyway, it's not like a piece of your flesh will fall off if you tell a lie."
Murong Yunshu was petrified. Is this what a four and a half-year-old child should say? Even though he has an old head on his young shoulders, he shouldn't be this experienced, right?
Unlike Murong Yunshu, who was in a mess, Chu Changge laughed heartily. "Son, you are getting more promising like your Dad's elegant demeanour back then!"
But Chu Murong turned around leisurely and cast a contemptuous glance at him. "Does Dad even dare to tell lies to Dad's Mom?"
"……"
"So it's the case of me becoming more vividly blue than indigo even if the colour blue is made from indigo."
"……"
This time it was Murong Yunshu's turn to gloat. "This is called the evil you bring on yourselves is the hardest to bear."
Chu Changge confessed. "It's my fault. I forgot to teach him to be humble."
Murong Yunshu said very understandingly, "I don't blame you for that. After all, you, yourself, don't even know how to be humble."
"......Madam, the external problems are still there, so it is not appropriate for us to fight internally at this time." Chu Changge said meaningfully.
Murong Yunshu also gave Chu Murong a look and nodded approvingly. "In addition to the external problem's best ability at striking water right and left, he's good at sowing discord between people."
"Mom. I'm still here." With a sad face, Chu Murong spoke out to remind a certain bad mother that the ears of that external problem were not yet broken.
Murong Yunshu smiled lightly. "I know. I specifically talked about them for you to hear."
"......" Chu Murong's hand holding the brush shook, and a drop of ink dripped onto the canvas, hitting the person's abdomen in the painting impartially.
This accident told Chu Murong that kindness and likability were all just floating clouds and that being black belly was the best way to go!
Noob Translator's Musing
This battle of wit between parents and child resulted in...
Murong Yunshu won in the end. Mothers always won. Always.
Ah, sorry. I promised to post this chapter yesterday, but I was swarmed with things to do at home yesterday that I forgot. Sorry again. 🙇♀️
Tags:
Black Belly Wife