Chapter 143 This is my good eldest son
Emperor Ren was beyond excited.
Rebellious psychology!
This Shen Yulou is simply a genius at manipulating people's hearts!
Emperor Ren's admiration for Shen Yulou rose another level.
He left the Imperial Library Pavilion with He Shun, feeling very satisfied, afraid of disturbing his son who had finally shown some ambition.
Back in the Imperial Study, Emperor Ren was in a great mood.
He took a sip of tea and casually asked, "How is Ninth Prince doing?"
He Shun's expression instantly became a bit strange.
He bowed and replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, Ninth Prince was publicly spanked by Lord Shen in the East Market yesterday.
Since then, he has been working for street vendors to pay off his debts.
It is said that he is suffering immensely."
"Pfft..."
Emperor Ren nearly spat out his tea, his mouth twitching uncontrollably.
Publicly spanked?
This Shen Yulou, his audacity is too great!
He deliberated for a long time, then finally straightened his face and slammed the table.
"Serves him right!"
Emperor Ren said in a deep voice, "Ninth Prince's actions are far worse than Eighth Prince's!
Eighth Prince is at most fond of pleasure, but Ninth Prince bullies people and exploits the common folk by relying on his power!
Being strict with him is a good thing!"
He Shun lowered his head.
His Majesty's words sounded nice, but why did he sound a bit gritted?...
Meanwhile, Ninth Prince, Ninth Imperial Prince, hadn't even woken up from his beautiful dream when Song Hu picked him up from the bed like a little chick.
"Your Highness, it's time to work."
Shen Yulou sat in the outer hall, sipping tea with his legs crossed, looking like an overseer.
Ninth Imperial Prince just wanted to curse.
This Prince is a Prince!
Not your family's long-term laborer!
But looking at Shen Yulou's half-smiling eyes and Song Hu standing beside him like a door god, all his resentment could only be suppressed.
He groggily put on his clothes, then suddenly remembered something.
He turned and picked up a food box from the table, stuffing all the exquisite pastries and fruits he had packed from Drunken Immortal Tower yesterday into it.
Today's job was to feed the dogs of Old Boss Zhang on Antique Street.
Upon arriving at the East Market.
Boss Zhang nervously brought a basin of something, which contained bran mixed with a few rotten vegetable leaves.
"Your Highness, you can feed the dogs after stirring it."
Making a Prince work, even with Shen Yulou backing him, still made him a bit apprehensive.
Ninth Imperial Prince glanced at it, his brows furrowed so tightly they could trap a fly.
"Dogs eat this?"
Boss Zhang's face was full of embarrassment: "Reporting... Reporting to Your Highness, my humble dogs eat this."
Ninth Imperial Prince scoffed, "Ridiculous!
The dogs in this Prince's manor eat fresh bones and chicken every meal!
Why don't you feed them something good?"
Boss Zhang's face grew even more awkward.
He rubbed his hands and whispered, "Your Highness, for us common folk, it's rare to eat meat even once a month.
We can't even afford to eat it ourselves, how can we give it to dogs?"
Ninth Imperial Prince froze, and subconsciously asked, "Why don't you eat it?"
Boss Zhang opened his mouth but didn't know how to answer.
Shen Yulou, who was beside him, slowly spoke up, "Your Highness, it seems you need to truly experience what it means to suffer among the common people.
This afternoon, you will eat at a commoner's home."
Ninth Imperial Prince was unconvinced, "This Prince spends every day in the market, how could he not know how the common people live?"
"I'll eat then, whatever the common people eat, this Prince will eat!"
As lunchtime approached, Ninth Imperial Prince, carrying the food box, found the old woman who sold hawthorns yesterday and handed her the pastries and fruits inside.
When the old woman saw the exquisite food she usually wouldn't even dare to dream of, she was so frightened that she immediately knelt down, kowtowing repeatedly.
"Thank you for your Highness's grace! Thank you for your Highness's grace!"
Ninth Imperial Prince was a bit uncomfortable with her grand gesture.
He waved his hand, "Just some leftovers, no need to thank me.
Later, this Prince will come to your house for a meal."
The old woman suddenly looked a bit flustered.
"Your Highness... this old woman's home has nothing good to eat, just those steamed buns and wild vegetables from yesterday, and it's dirty and dilapidated, I'm afraid it will soil Your Highness's body."
Ninth Imperial Prince said, "It's fine, you don't need to prepare anything special.
Whatever you usually eat, this Prince will eat."
The old woman looked troubled and quickly went home with her basket to prepare.
After a busy morning, Ninth Imperial Prince and Shen Yulou arrived at the old woman's house.
As soon as he entered, Ninth Imperial Prince was stunned.
He simply couldn't believe that beneath the Son of Heaven, within the prosperous imperial city, there could still be such a dilapidated house.
The adobe walls had large cracks, and the thatch on the roof was sparse, as if it could collapse at any moment.
A thin little girl peeked out from the inner room, wearing a faded, patched-up dress.
Her large eyes curiously stared at Ninth Imperial Prince's beautiful brocade robe, full of envy.
Ninth Imperial Prince looked at the little girl's clothes, marveling at the colorful patches.
If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he truly wouldn't have believed there were such families in the imperial city.
When it was time to eat, the table was still set with yesterday's stewed wild vegetables and steamed buns.
The only difference was a bit of yellow Crumbs in the wild vegetables, which was a broken egg.
However, Ninth Prince had never seen an egg broken so finely.
As soon as the little girl sat down, she carefully picked up a small piece of egg with her chopsticks.
Just as she was about to put it in her mouth, the old woman slapped her hand with her chopsticks.
"Slap!"
"Greedy girl! This is for His Highness!"
The little girl burst into tears, feeling incredibly wronged.
Ninth Imperial Prince was furious, slamming the table: "It's just an egg!
Why did you hit her!
Just get her another one!"
The old woman looked distressed, her voice trembling.
"Your Highness, there's only this one egg in the house, and this old woman exchanged two catties of coarse grain for it.
This girl hasn't tasted an egg in almost a year.
Please, Your Highness, do not blame her."
Ninth Imperial Prince was completely dumbfounded.
An unidentifiable anger burned fiercely in his chest.
"What is the Imperial City Governor doing!"
He roared, "Under the Son of Heaven, in broad daylight, how can the common people live in such misery?!"
Shen Yulou said indifferently from the side, "The Imperial City Governor is already an exceptionally capable official, one in a hundred.
Even so, wanting all common people to be well-fed and clothed is as difficult as ascending to heaven."
Ninth Imperial Prince didn't believe it: "The capital is the richest place in the entire country, it can't be so poorly managed, can it?"
Shen Yulou said, "The more a place is like the capital, the greater the gap between rich and poor.
The rich spend money like dirt, while the poor go hungry.
There are many families like this old woman's."
"I don't believe it!"
Ninth Imperial Prince slammed the table and rose in indignation.
"Someone! Go and summon the Imperial City Governor for this Prince!
This Prince wants to ask him face to face how he performs his duties!"
Not long after, the Imperial City Governor rushed over, sweating profusely.
Upon seeing Ninth Prince, he first performed a grand bow.
Ninth Imperial Prince, like a lit firecracker, immediately launched into a barrage of questions.
The Governor's face was full of helplessness, and he could only explain with a bitter smile to this Prince who was out of touch with reality.
The capital is a gathering place for powerful nobles, and wealth is highly concentrated.
Ordinary common people can only sell their labor to barely make a living; changing this is extremely difficult.
After listening, Ninth Imperial Prince was impassioned, like an angry youth.
"Can't it be changed?!"
The Governor smiled bitterly and shook his head: "Your Highness, making all the people of the world prosperous is the grand ambition of past sages and wise rulers, how can it be easily achieved?"
"This Prince insists on trying!"
Ninth Imperial Prince said, sticking out his neck.
Shen Yulou looked at him like this, and a smile flashed across his lips.
A teachable child.
Ninth Prince's nature isn't bad, just a bit eccentric.
If he is properly guided, he can achieve something in the future.
He said to the Governor, "Since that's the case, why not let Ninth Prince follow you for a day of experience.
All the difficulties Governor encounters, let Ninth Prince think of solutions first, how about that?"
The Governor looked troubled: "Lord Shen, this humble official is busy with official duties, and His Highness is of noble birth, I'm afraid..."
Before he could finish, Ninth Imperial Prince readily agreed.
"This Prince is a Prince, can't I even do the job of a mere Governor?
It's settled then!"
Looking at Ninth Imperial Prince's spirited appearance, Shen Yulou felt very pleased.
This is a good son...