The father and son stood at an impasse, neither yielding, and the atmosphere in the hall grew tense.
Song Shihuan, her almond-shaped eyes darting between Emperor Yuanyou and Song Yu, swallowed the food in her mouth with difficulty. She suddenly felt she shouldn’t have been present in the Zichen Hall at all.
If only a hole could magically appear in the ground for her to disappear into...
"I don’t care!" Song Yu plopped down onto a chair with an air of defiance. "If I don’t have Ah Huan with me, in a place as remote as Ji'an Prefecture, far from the emperor’s reach, I’ll spend my days reveling in song and dance, indulging in gambling dens and taverns by day."
"By the time the imperial exams come around, I won’t even pass the county-level test. Then I’ll march straight to our ancestral graves and shout—"
"I am the son of the reigning emperor!"
This outburst sent Emperor Yuanyou leaping from his seat in fury. "You insolent brat! I’ll beat you to death today!"
With that, he yanked off his shoe and brandished it at Song Yu.
Song Yu dodged nimbly, still taunting as he evaded. "What’s the point of fame and fortune when even my own daughter is being taken from me? None of it matters to me in the slightest!"
Utterly infuriated, Emperor Yuanyou chased Song Yu around a pillar several times without even grazing his sleeve. Huffing, he planted his hands on his hips.
"Just say it—will you let Ah Huan come with me to Ji'an Prefecture or not?"
Song Yu wore the expression of a man who had nothing left to lose. It was no joke—if Ah Huan didn’t leave the capital with him... he’d be too heartbroken to eat, wasting away to skin and bones.
"A prince of the realm, yet you can’t bear to be apart from your daughter for even half a step. Have you no shame?" Emperor Yuanyou jabbed a finger at Song Yu’s nose.
"None at all."
Song Yu remained utterly unrepentant.
Seeing that the situation might escalate to the point of Emperor Yuanyou suffering a fit of rage, Song Shihuan steeled herself and stepped between the two.
"Imperial Grandfather, Father, please stop arguing."
Silence fell instantly. Both Emperor Yuanyou and Song Yu fixed their gazes on Song Shihuan.
"Ah Huan, you choose—do you want to leave the capital with your father?" Song Yu’s eyes burned with intensity.
"Yes, Ah Huan, think carefully. Wouldn’t you rather stay in the capital with me, living a life of ease?" Emperor Yuanyou looked at her hopefully.
Song Shihuan gulped.
What should she do?
After a moment’s hesitation, she reached out and gently tugged at Emperor Yuanyou’s sleeve. The old emperor’s face had just begun to brighten when his granddaughter’s hesitant voice reached his ears:
"Imperial Grandfather... I think I’ll go to Ji'an Prefecture with Father."
Plop—
The emperor’s heart shattered into a thousand pieces.
"I’ve never left the capital since I can remember," Song Shihuan added pitifully, softening Emperor Yuanyou’s expression—until her tone abruptly shifted. "But don’t worry, Imperial Grandfather. My main purpose is to keep Father in check. If he slacks off even a little, I’ll make sure he never gets a good night’s sleep!"
What a good child!
Emperor Yuanyou’s mood lifted instantly.
He shot a sidelong glance at Song Yu and snorted. "Ah Huan’s thoughtfulness puts you to shame."
Fine. He would magnanimously allow Ah Huan to accompany this rascal to Ji'an.
"But mark my words," Emperor Yuanyou warned, "Ji'an Prefecture is beyond my direct oversight. Hidden dangers lurk everywhere. If my granddaughter suffers even a scratch..."
"You needn’t worry in the slightest."
Song Yu beamed, clasping Song Shihuan’s hand triumphantly.
Emperor Yuanyou was so incensed that he skipped a bowl of rice that evening.
......
The next morning, during court assembly—
"Your Majesty, this subject has a petition. With the passing of Prince Ping, both Ah Huan and I are grief-stricken. After much deliberation, I humbly request permission to take Ah Huan to Ji'an Prefecture to pay respects at our ancestral tombs and inform our forebears of Prince Ping’s passing. I beg Your Majesty’s approval."
The moment these words left Song Yu’s lips, Censor Geng and his ilk looked as though they’d swallowed mud.
"Your Majesty, with such a virtuous prince in Great Qi, how can our dynasty not flourish?" Shen Mingwen’s impassioned voice rang through the hall, and soon half the courtiers were singing praises of Prince Qin’s noble character.
Emperor Yuanyou clenched his teeth, barely resisting the urge to hurl a memorial at the brat’s head. Forcing a pleased expression, he declared:
"Prince Qin’s devotion brings me great joy."
Joy, my foot!
He was practically fuming inside.
Shooting a covert glare at Song Yu, he added, "In that case, after the ancestral rites, you shall remain in Ji'an Prefecture for several months to oversee the renovation of the ancestral temple."
"This subject obeys Your Majesty’s decree."
Shen Mingwen’s face lit up with self-satisfaction—his plan had worked perfectly!
News of Song Yu’s voluntary journey to Ji'an Prefecture spread far and wide, earning him universal acclaim for his virtue.
Street performers and storytellers in the bustling markets tirelessly extolled Song Yu’s "exemplary deeds," and in no time, Prince Qin’s reputation among the common folk soared to unprecedented heights.
Seated among the audience at a theatrical performance, Song Yu listened, utterly enchanted.
Then, a sigh sounded beside him. "Prince Qin is exceptional in every way... if only he had been disciplined in his studies from childhood. Alas, his lack of scholarly refinement is a true pity."
"Indeed. Noble birth, virtue aplenty—but when it comes to learning..."
"Didn’t he compose a couplet at the Chrysanthemum Banquet? Surely that counts for something?"
"A few lines of poetry hardly make a scholar..."
Song Yu’s grin vanished. "Liuxi, back to the mansion. I’m going to study."
No ink in his belly, they say? Just wait until he topped the imperial exams—then he’d have the performers sing of his glorious triumph as the top scholar!
As he hurried off, Liuxi cast a grateful glance at the gossips.
Well said. Keep talking—just like that.
......
A few days before their departure, Emperor Yuanyou hosted a family banquet in the palace to bid Song Yu and Song Shihuan farewell.
By then, Song Ling had been laid to rest in the imperial mausoleum. The household of the Ping Prince’s Mansion still wore mourning white, while those from Prince Chu’s and Prince Qi’s mansions sat quietly in their designated seats.
In light of Song Ling’s passing, no wine was served—only tea.
During the banquet, Shen Hua'er approached Song Yu with Song Yanzheng in tow. "Elder Brother, for you to journey to Ji'an Prefecture on behalf of our prince... we hardly know how to express our gratitude. We can only offer tea in place of wine to toast you."
"Uncle, I toast you."
Song Yu raised a brow, drained his cup, then studied Song Yanzheng. "Yanzheng, I hear you’ll be taking the imperial exams next year?"
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle. I plan to attempt the county and prefectural exams next year, though the provincial exam will likely wait until the following year."
Song Yu’s smile deepened with amusement. What a coincidence—their exam schedules aligned perfectly.
"Then I wish you success, Yanzheng. May you overcome all obstacles and claim the top honors."
Such rare, gracious words from Song Yu left Song Yanzheng stunned. In his daze, he replied:
"Then I shall take your auspicious words to heart."
