Daily Intelligence System: Don't Kill Me, Honey!

All around the great hall, All Court Officials sang and danced in celebration. Watching the Martial Arts performance before him, his heart felt exceedingly pleased, and on the high platform not far away, Old Hama was raising a cup to Your Majesty.

Just then Mr. Zhao reached the doorway and said, "Your Majesty, the Prince has arrived!"

Hearing this, the Emperor, who had been drinking, instantly perked up, and right after that he saw the Ruyang King at the door.

He immediately stood up, spread his arms, and said, "Brother Wang!"

Seeing this, the Ruyang King strode forward at once, and the palace maids had already ceased their dancing. At this moment, the Ruyang King was seen taking a few steps to the foot of the steps, dropping to one knee and saying, "Your subject Cha Han pays respects to Your Majesty!"

At this moment the Emperor hurried down the steps in quick, small strides, then came to the Ruyang King’s side and said, "Brother Wang, quickly, rise. We haven’t seen each other for so many years, I’ve missed you terribly!"

The Ruyang King looked at the Emperor and said, "This humble minister is deeply apprehensive."

The Emperor said, "Elder brother, don’t be like this. We brothers haven’t met for years, truly there are a thousand, ten thousand things to say. But today is My birthday—elder brother, let us first celebrate the birthday together."

"Come, come, let us drink."

The Emperor directly took the Ruyang King by the hand and led him up onto the Emperor’s dais.

He then invited the Ruyang King to sit at the same table with him. The Ruyang King said, "How could your subject dare to sit at table with Your Majesty?"

Hearing this, the Emperor said, "Brother Wang, when we were children, didn’t we always sit together at the same table? How is it you’re so distant now? I know that this time I’ve caused Brother Wang some grievance—elder brother won’t bear a grudge against Me for this, will he?"

"If that were truly so, My five viscera would burn up! I would be wracked with guilt and unease!"

Hearing this, the Ruyang King said, "How would I dare, how would I dare."

"Then sit at table with Me and drink together."

Having said this, without giving him a chance to refuse, he pulled the Ruyang King down to sit at the table. At this time the Emperor said to Mr. Zhao at his side, "Pour a drink for Brother Wang."

Hearing this, the Ruyang King said, "How would I dare, how would I dare."

Mr. Zhao was no ordinary person—he was the pen-holding eunuch of the Imperial Study Room, serving the Emperor alone. In Daqian, there was a Prime Minister to act as a check and balance; otherwise, if this were in the Great Ming founded by Old Zhu, he would very likely have become a Nine Thousand Years, second only to one man and above ten thousand.

To have him pour one’s wine—needless to say, ordinary people truly could not bear such favor.

But these were the Emperor’s orders, so Mr. Zhao, smiling broadly, came to pour the wine. The Ruyang King, however, kept pushing it away. Mr. Zhao could take the initiative to pour, but he himself could not take the initiative to drink; otherwise, if anyone pursued this later, it would be a troublesome matter.

The Emperor now picked up his cup and said, "Brother Wang, this time the whole business was because I failed to perceive in a timely fashion, which allowed that Tuotuo to turn the heavens upside down. My heart is most ill at ease, so today, regarding this matter, I must raise it and apologize to Brother Wang."

The Ruyang King said, "That must not be, must not be. It is your subject who should toast Your Majesty."

The Emperor said, "It’s all the same, all the same."

With that he downed the wine in one gulp, then continued, "Brother Wang, the realm is restless now—you have no idea. Just yesterday those bandits already fought their way into the Imperial Palace. If I hadn’t fled into the Ancestor Tower, I would have lost My life. I have pondered over and over, and this realm still must be guarded by us of the Borjigit Clan."

"So, Brother Wang, I am very much inclined to keep you in the Capital for a few days. But the situation in Jiangnan is known to all—Jiangnan must not fall into chaos!"

The Ruyang King said, "Then I will return to Jiangnan once I have finished this drink."

The Emperor said, "No need to be in such a rush—leave tomorrow, leave tomorrow."

"Brother Wang, My days are bitter. This Emperor must approve memorials every day, and the people of the world still do not understand Me. Tell Me, how can these rebels be so wicked? Why must they rebel against Me?"

The Ruyang King said, "It’s all because of that crowd of corrupt officials and petty officials, leaving the people with no way to live, with no food to eat. That’s what allowed the Demon Sect to exploit the gap. But the common folk themselves are still good."

The Emperor said, "Rats—truly a swarm of Rats!"

Whether he was truly drunk or not, the Emperor did not know. At this moment he stretched out his hand and pointed at the civil and military officials below. One by one the civil and military officials lowered their heads, thinking, We’re the Rats? Emperor, you should talk about yourself. Your yearly expenditure alone reaches nearly Ten thousand taels of silver.

That’s equivalent to one-tenth of the revenue of the state treasury. We only embezzle a bit of money.

Any lavish building you casually decide to construct is enough to cover several years of graft for an entire department.

Thinking thus, the officials naturally would not lay it out plainly. At this time they could only lower their heads, looking like a crowd of ostriches.

After the Emperor finished speaking, he looked at the Ruyang King and said, "Brother Wang, fortunately there are you Vassal Kings overseeing the realm. Otherwise, My world would be ruined by this swarm of Rats."

"So, Brother Wang, after you return, you must be sure to appease the various princes of Jiangnan on My behalf. Tell them I have already dealt with the wrongdoers; they can loyally guard Daqian for Me!"

Hearing this, the Ruyang King looked at the Emperor and said, "Your Majesty, be at ease. Once I return, I will certainly properly inform them on Your behalf, have them guard the borders with peace of mind and not give rise to other designs."

The Emperor said, "Mm, Brother Wang is a loyal minister."

"It’s only a pity that We were unable to become in-laws with elder brother. By the way, Brother Wang, has your Princess Xiangning been found?"

Mm!

Hearing this, the Ruyang King, already three-tenths drunk, sat up straight at once. Though his expression remained calm, inwardly the waves were surging. What did the Emperor mean by this now?

To bring up Yaya at a time like this!

The Ruyang King calmed his mood and said, "That bandit is exceedingly arrogant. In addition, your subject was tricked into the Great Capital by Tuotuo, and the unrest in Jiangnan has cut off all trace of that bandit."

Pa!

The Emperor slammed his palm heavily down on the table and said, "Brazen bandit, truly wildly audacious—he snatched My Empress. How could I possibly let this go!"

At this point the Ruyang King said, "Your Majesty, quell Your anger. It is also that little girl’s fate that is thin, not bearing the destiny of an Empress!"