Chapter 70: A Little Cunning Fox

Elder Bai shook his head dismissively, his pale face displaying an unquestionable air of deep cunning.

"Not at all!"

"We learned of this matter so quickly through a carrier pigeon. Others have no idea we possess such a method."

"Therefore, if we simply heard about the disaster in Daxu on our way back to the capital and immediately dispatched troops to return, we would have relied mostly on fast horses."

"However, once this seal is stamped, it leaves a trace."

"Someone observant and sharp-eyed, like Su Zhongjing, would see that the ink impression has long since dried and would surely deduce that the disaster had not yet occurred at that time!"

Chai Huo suddenly understood.

"Right, right, right! This seal must not be stamped!"

"Huang Zhongyong, hurry and take Elder Bai's personal written statement to issue orders to Huo Xiao!"

Huang Zhongyong took the document and ran off.

The Elder Black and Elder Bai exchanged glances, bowed to Chai Huo, and took their leave.

Chai Huo laughed and returned the bow.

"Take your time, elders!"

"I believe that before long, the game to depose old number nine will be played to the end!"

"At that time, I will surely petition His Majesty to confer upon you both the title of National Preceptor!"

"Just imagine, you two elders reunited with your beloved daughter, enjoying familial bliss together in the National Preceptor's Manor—wouldn't that be delightful?"

The faces of the two elders showed little expression as they offered a formal, ritualistic bow of gratitude.

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Once they stepped out of the Second Prince's carriage and reached a secluded spot, Elder Black spat on the ground.

"Beast! Shameless monster! One day, I will hack him into ten thousand pieces to relieve the hatred in my heart!"

Elder Bai sighed faintly.

"What use is hatred?"

"Leaving the seal unstamped means 'lacking vermilion'—and 'lacking vermilion' reversed translates to 'Vermilion Bird'."

"If Que'er sees this statement, given her cleverness, she will surely understand and remain on her guard. At least we have done our utmost!"

"It's just that to the rest of us, we still don't know where Yin'er is being hidden by them."

Elder Black clenched his fists.

"So, we still have to wait?"

Elder Bai looked ahead with an impassive expression, though a sound resembling a wild wolf grinding its teeth and swallowing came from deep within his throat.

"Wait!"

Upon receiving Huang Zhongyong's order, Huo Xiao was filled with perplexity and asked in a soft voice.

"Minister Huang, what kind of scheme is the Second Prince playing at? Sending condolences and offering disaster relief doesn't sound like his usual style at all!"

"Besides, the imperial guards and dragon cavalry are escorting this trip only because His Highness is acting as an imperial envoy, representing the imperial authority."

"Yet now, he wants us to represent him in participating in a martial arts competition to win a bride? That violates protocol!"

Huang Zhongyong stroked his two small mustaches and glared.

"General Huo, His Highness's orders are to be carried out, not questioned! Where did you get so many doubts?"

"As for protocol, don't forget that His Highness is currently winning the hearts of the people, and his mind encompasses the entire realm!"

"In just a few days, once we reach the capital, the Emperor will elevate the Ninth Pearl Crown Prince to be the future Son of Heaven. Are you still afraid of violating protocol?"

"Besides, as long as you win and His Highness marries the Vermilion Bird, she will become an imperial princess consort—no, the Crown Princess! Are you afraid there won't be generous rewards?"

Huo Xiao shuddered, quickly lowered his head, and acknowledged the order.

"Understood! Please report back to the Second Prince, Minister Huang, that Huo Xiao will certainly not fail his mission!"

...

Chai Xiao's retinue soon arrived before the East Drum Tower.

Instead of rushing to ascend the tower, he went first to inspect the stages erected for the martial arts bride-selection contest and the lion dance tournament.

Zhang Bao, following closely behind, glanced sideways at Consort Yun.

Consort Yun nodded slightly, knowing Zhang Bao was silently praising the sovereign for truly being different from before.

The former Ninth Prince could never keep anything in his mind, nor could he retain anything; he would frequently forget in the next instant what he had said in the previous one.

Yet the Ninth Prince of the present seemed to have miraculously opened his meridians of divine perception, changing completely.

To name just one example, he had recently instructed the Imperial Household Department to rush the production of admission tickets for the bride-selection event and the construction of the stages, even demanding personally to review them with Consort Yun.

Deputy Director Zhu Gui had immediately prepared the tickets, presented them for him and Consort Yun to inspect, and added the characters for Supreme Honor along with the Crimson Luan seal impression, which had already been block-printed.

At the time, it was said that the stage construction was also progressing smoothly, with the dragon-bone framework secured and only finishing touches remaining, ready to be inspected at any time.

Who would have thought he actually remembered? The moment he arrived at the East Drum Tower, he came to inspect it first.

An ancient sage had said: Great undertakings in the world must be forged in the details.

Was this Ninth Prince planning to conquer the realm through meticulous attention to detail?

Consort Yun, however, was harboring thoughts quite different from Zhang Bao's.

Was her son not imitating Sima Yi—treating heavy matters as if they were light, balancing centralization with decentralization, and avoiding the fate of becoming a "workaholic Zhuge Liang who exhausted himself to death"?

Why, then, had he bypassed the major task of ascending the tower to inspect such "trivial matters" as stage construction?

To her surprise, Chai Xiao's next actions completely overturned all their respective speculations.

They watched as this little ancestor strolled with his hands behind his back, exactly as if he were taking a leisurely walk in his own private garden.

First, he circled the southern side of the East Drum Tower, inspecting the large and four small martial arts bride-selection stages that the Imperial Household Department was about to complete.

Then, he circled the northern side of the East Drum Tower, inspecting the "Lion Dance Supremacy" stage already erected by two hundred mobile cavalrymen under Yao Jin's command.

He uttered precisely two words—"Very good"—and offered not a single additional comment.

Just like that?

Both Zhang Bao and Consort Yun stared in utter bewilderment.

One thought to herself: This isn't particularly "meticulous" at all! How could such a method conquer the realm?

The other thought: This doesn't look much like "treating heavy matters as if they were light"; rather, it feels rather perfunctory. Could the meridians he supposedly opened have closed up again? Had he put back on the fool's cap he had worked so hard to cast off?

Just as they were pondering this, they noticed Chai Xiao halt his steps and gesture for the two of them to come forward.

What medicine was this little ancestor selling in his gourd?

Consort Yun and Zhang Bao stepped forward, filled with lingering doubts.

Chai Xiao smiled and beckoned for Jian Dian to join them as well.

"Mother, Zhang Bao, and Jian Dian, you all witnessed me assigning the fifth major method—the 'Important Tasks Team That Doesn't Make Money'—right?"

The three of them were momentarily stunned, then hurriedly nodded.

Indeed, the final and most crucial task the sovereign had assigned in the garden had been given precisely to the three of them.

Chai Xiao tilted his chin toward the stages on the north and south.

"These stages are major tasks."

"I just inspected them roughly; they seem reasonably crafted!"

"However, what about their structural integrity? Can they withstand people fighting and risking their lives upon them? Especially the lion dance stage—dozens of people will be on it at once!"

"Furthermore, these two stages are funded by a mix of imperial funds and our own advanced capital. Regardless of whose money was used, there must be no corner-cutting."

"Therefore, I want you to trace along the dragon-bone frames and joints, count roughly how many bamboo stalks, rattan strips, and hemp ropes were used, and verify the quantities."

Zhang Bao and Jian Dian nodded repeatedly, accepting the assignment.

Consort Yun, however, was displeased. Frowning, she demanded,

"If we're doing all this, what about you?"

Chai Xiao smiled faintly and walked over to Su Zhongjing.

"The mister and I have even bigger, more important matters to discuss!"

Consort Yun let out a half-playful, half-scolding huff.

"Hmph! Little trickster, you've actually learned how to slack off!"

Yet despite her scolding, her heart was filled with delight.

If this boy had learned how to slack off, it showed profound wisdom; it seemed he truly might surpass the "exhausted Zhuge Liang."

Zhang Bao and Jian Dian, meanwhile, widened their eyes in shock.

Hitherto, Consort Yun had only ever used the terms "fool" and "idiot" when scolding her son.

She had never once called him a "little trickster"!

Why did it feel less like a scolding and more like a compliment?

Looking back at Chai Xiao, he had indeed walked up to Su Zhongjing, gesturing first toward the East Drum Tower and then pointing separately to the northern and southern stages.

Su Zhongjing smiled.

"Your Highness, if I guess correctly, you want to build yet another stage, but you're undecided on where best to place it, am I right?"

Chai Xiao feigned astonishment.

"How did the mister know?"

"Truly a modern-day Zhuge, whose foresight is divine!"

Su Zhongjing remained impassive, listening to the praise and watching the act play out, before pointing toward the southeast corner of the large and small martial arts bride-selection stages on the southern side.

"How about placing it right here?"