Gu Mingliu and Yu Fan's grand wedding ceremony placed Song Yu at the head table.
Unlike before, when Yu Fan only began his loyalty to the Prince of Qin's household after being introduced by Gu Zheng, this time, Yu Fan knelt directly before Song Yu.
"Thank you, Your Highness the Crown Prince, for your aid to the northern frontier. Yu Fan is willing to dedicate all his abilities and pledge his loyalty to Your Highness."
Song Yu merely smiled and helped Yu Fan to his feet. "Are the people in your village all receiving grain now?"
Others only praised Song Yu for sending grain to the northern frontier, unaware that he had nearly exhausted half the Prince of Qin's household fortune to do so.
The grain sent north was enough to provide the frontier people with sustenance for a considerable time.
"They are," Yu Fan replied, his eyes glistening with tears. "Erya was nearly starved to death. She was fortunate to survive thanks to the grain you sent; now she's alive and kicking."
"As long as it was useful."
Song Yu thought for a moment before speaking again. "Your loyalty is not just to me, but to Great Qi. To become a general trusted by the people of Great Qi—do you have the confidence?"
"Can I... really become a general?"
"Yu Fan, you can."
Song Yu made a fist with his right hand and playfully thumped Yu Fan's chest.
Yu Fan's eyes, fierce as a tiger's, reddened. To receive such trust from the Crown Prince left him with no regrets in this life.
Song Yu was unusually drunk. Seeing his high spirits, no one stopped him. Song Shihuan had long been dragged off by Gu Mingzhu to buy all sorts of snacks on the street, so the inebriated Song Yu was escorted back to his residence by Shen Qingping.
"Shen the Third."
Song Yu looked at Shen Qingping. "Does it hurt?"
"Your Highness, that's a strange question. I'm not injured, why would I be in pain?"
Shen Qingping assumed Song Yu was drunk and turned to instruct Liuxi to prepare some sobering soup for him.
Song Yu buried his face in the pillow.
After the Qing Mountain Sect Leader awoke, he and Ah Huan had secretly asked if the Sect Leader knew about Shen Qingping's fate in their previous life. The Sect Leader had been stunned for a long moment before telling them.
Shen Qingping had died.
Like a moth flying into a flame.
As for the specific details of his death, the Sect Leader said he hadn't dared to ask.
Under those circumstances, he simply couldn't bring himself to ask a father grieving the loss of his child about the cause of Shen Qingping's death.
Ah Huan had cried for a long time that day.
She wept for their wretched ends in that past life—all three of them.
"Your Highness, remember to drink the sobering soup later. Otherwise, when the Princess returns and sees you in this state, she'll ignore you for days again."
"Also, all those court matters have been settled. The officials are now as meek as mice. If you wish to lead troops on a campaign, the opportunity is there."
Listening to Shen Qingping's chatter, Song Yu took a deep breath.
"Shen the Third."
"What is it?" Shen Qingping found Song Yu particularly odd tonight.
"Nothing. It's late, hurry back to your residence. Don't always worry so much; you'll age quickly."
"Your Highness is several years my senior. If anyone ages first, it will be you."
Song Yu laughed. He had known since childhood that this study companion of his was exceedingly clever.
He just preferred not to show it, his great wisdom appearing as folly.
Now, he would not let the moth fly into the flame again. Shen the Third would only become the Chancellor of Great Qi.
His trusted confidant, Ah Huan's tutor, would stand in a position second only to one, above ten thousand others.
......
In the ninth month, the new Crown Prince brought a completely revitalized atmosphere to the court.
The officials all behaved themselves, because Cheng Guang had formally entered the court and, upon Song Yu's strong recommendation, had been appointed as a Censor.
A single man censoring a hundred, he gave Emperor Yuanyou a headache so severe it became an ailment triggered merely by the sight of Cheng Guang.
In the Zichen Hall.
"Cheng Guang requested leave tomorrow? Excellent!"
Emperor Yuanyou had never approved an official's leave request so swiftly.
"It's just Cheng Guang, is it really such a big deal?" Song Yu remarked from the side, mimicking Emperor Yuanyou's previous tone.
Back then, when Cheng Guang had given him splitting headaches, the already-retired Emperor Yuanyou had fancied adding fuel to the fire, watching the commotion without concern.
It had infuriated Song Yu to the point of wanting to return the imperial seal on the spot.
This time, it was Emperor Yuanyou who was hopping mad.
"This Cheng Guang is nothing but a troublemaker! He even impeaches officials for spending a few extra nights in their concubines' chambers, forcing me to deal with such trivial nonsense."
"It's to prevent courtiers from favoring concubines over their wives. Nowadays, no one dares visit the Spring Welcome House anymore, Father. That's Cheng Guang's merit." Since the trouble wasn't landing on his own head, Song Yu was happy to play the good guy. "People with real talent often can't be treated ordinarily. Please bear with him a little more, Father."
"You're so magnanimous and tolerant. Why don't you take over as emperor?"
Emperor Yuanyou smiled at Song Yu. With this Cheng Guang around, not only were the civil and military officials cautious in their conduct, even he, the emperor, was on tenterhooks, fearing Cheng Guang might impeach him too.
"Father, you flatter me too much."
Song Yu suppressed a laugh. "I was just about to discuss with you my plans to lead a military expedition."
"Lead an expedition?" Emperor Yuanyou set down the memorial in his hand. "Who do you want to fight?"
"Great Yue and the Northern Di. Both."
"Great Yue is a match for Great Qi. Conquering them outright won't be easy." Emperor Yuanyou, an emperor who had risen through military campaigns, naturally understood how difficult a war with Great Yue would be.
Song Yu gave a low chuckle, then looked up at Emperor Yuanyou.
"Father, what if I could draw their defense maps?"
Emperor Yuanyou's breath hitched.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I can draw detailed defense maps of Great Yue and the Northern Di, precise down to the commanders of each prefecture and the number of troops stationed there. Wouldn't that make the fight much easier?"
Emperor Yuanyou felt he was dreaming. Of course, Song Yu must be dreaming too.
It wasn't until Song Yu summoned Gu Zheng and the other military commanders and, in front of everyone, spent a full half-hour drawing, completing the defense map of Great Yue, that Emperor Yuanyou fully snapped back to reality. He reached out and slapped his own face. It hurt. This wasn't a dream.
"You... where did you obtain such top-secret information?"
"During the years I pretended to be a wastrel, I sent spies to infiltrate Great Yue and the Northern Di multiple times. This defense map was gradually compiled from their intelligence."
Gu Zheng's eyes also burned with fervor. With this map, attacking Great Yue would be far too easy.
"Your Majesty, Heaven favors Great Qi!"
The assembled generals knelt and proclaimed loudly. Emperor Yuanyou was beside himself with joy.
"The campaign against Great Yue and the Northern Di is approved! Let the Crown Prince serve as the commander-in-chief. Depart on an auspicious day!"
With that, Emperor Yuanyou hurriedly left the Zichen Hall. He had to go offer three sticks of incense to the ancestors and to Fen'er, thanking them for granting him such an excellent son.
Basking in the admiration of all present, Song Yu gave a roguish smile.
To tell the truth, the defense map of Great Yue at this time was actually something Cheng Guang had later bragged about to him, just to show off how capable he was in helping Emperor Mingde ascend the throne.
He just happened to have a good memory, that's all.
For this performance to be so perfect, he really owed Cheng Guang a big thank you.
