Chapter 1521: Chapter 1521: Gaining the Initiative
After dinner, Zhou Shuren kept Ming Teng behind. The old man showed no expression, nor did he make a sound, focusing entirely on his book.
Ming Teng stood in the center of the hall, his grandfather silent as ever. The pressure mounted so much that sweat dripped down his cheeks from his forehead. He dared not move—couldn’t even bring himself to wipe the sweat.
Zhulan never interrupted when Shuren educated the grandchildren. Tonight, she made Ming Teng’s favorite dishes on purpose, reasoning that if his stomach was full, he’d endure the punishment better.
Time steadily ticked away. Ming Teng seldom faced punishments like standing, and now his legs, stretched straight, trembled and struggled to hold his stance. Still, he stubbornly endured it.
Zhulan overheard a minor stir, glanced up briefly, then continued cutting flowers and arranging them into a bouquet.
Zhou Shuren finally put down his book with noticeable noise. Ming Teng instinctively turned toward his grandfather, only to see him fixated on him. Ming Teng couldn’t help but swallow nervously, "Grand..., Grandfather."
"Consider yourself lucky that you’re heading to the Palace tomorrow. Did you notice that thing hanging on the wall there?"
Ming Teng’s eyes fell upon the feather duster and froze in place. His grandfather was going to use it, "Grandfather, your grandson will be more cautious in the future, and will absolutely not act recklessly again!"
Zhou Shuren tapped his desk, "Hmm. You may leave now—we’ll talk tomorrow."
Ming Teng understood. His grandfather merely made him endure standing tonight; he’d certainly get a thrashing after returning from the Palace tomorrow. He deserved it—he’d been negligent, coming close to causing trouble for the family.
Today, his great-grandfather had said that pulling one string could shake the entire structure. Ming Teng was both Rong Mingteng and Zhou Mingteng; his every action was deeply entwined with the Marquis Zhou Residence. Even a single misstep could ripple across the entire household.
Bowing his head, Ming Teng replied, "Yes, Grandfather. I will return now. I hope you and Grandmother rest early tonight."
"Hmm."
Zhulan waited until Ming Teng had left. "I thought you’d give him a lecture. Didn’t expect you’d jump straight to corporal punishment."
Zhou Shuren, thirsty from reading so long, poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip before responding, "His uncle has already lectured him. But his uncle feels reservations about laying hands on Ming Teng—I, on the other hand, have none. The corporal punishment is mine to handle."
Moreover, he’d tried lecturing twice already, and a mix of civility and force yielded the best results.
Zhulan thought about it and agreed. After all, Ming Teng was an adopted child living in the Marquis Zhou Residence. Given how much he could hold his ground independently, his uncle indeed carried many concerns.
The next day, after court concluded, Zhou Shuren remained in the Palace for a brief conversation with the Emperor. Ming Teng arrived shortly thereafter. Spotting his grandfather inside, he couldn’t help but swallow nervously again, dreading the beating waiting for him that evening.
The Emperor gestured for Ming Teng to rise. "Prince Qin has already submitted his letter of apology. You handled everything admirably."
Ming Teng’s face flushed red. "Your subject did not handle it well—your subject was reckless. I should have sent someone to report to Prince Qin immediately. Due to my miscalculation in budgeting, Prince Qin was delayed in rescuing me. My misdeeds—please judge them justly."
The Emperor was well aware of the situation on the grasslands. This ordeal was meant to temper his younger brother—a sibling who was not raised within the royal household and who had yet to witness much bloodshed. His heart remained too soft. Their father believed his brother needed more hardened experience; fortunately, his brother had grown effectively through recent skirmishes, suppressing several tribes through bloody measures. This, in turn, had kept other tribes quiet.
The Emperor gestured for Ming Teng, once again kneeling, to rise. "I said before—you handled it admirably. Your merits offset your faults."
Ming Teng couldn’t help but worry about his little uncle—even though his uncle was Prince Qin. Filing an apology letter like that was no trivial matter.
The Emperor saw right through Ming Teng’s thoughts. "The Prince has been managing the divided prefectures well lately. His merits offset his faults too."
Ming Teng breathed a sigh of relief but couldn’t help feeling joy that his minor position as an official remained intact. As someone under Rong Enqing’s tutelage, he bore the family’s honor and privilege. He was the only member of the household spared from competing in the imperial exams to hold office. With Rong Enqing living solely off Rong clan wealth, the royal household had directed all its resources toward Ming Teng instead.
He didn’t want to disgrace the Rong clan but to bring them pride. Despite his recklessness this time, the outcome had turned out fortunate.
While Zhou Shuren recorded notes for the Crown Prince, he listened to Ming Teng share his thoughts on the grassland situation. His gaze occasionally flickered toward Ming Teng with a trace of gratification—but he couldn’t deny a certain wistfulness too. Among his grandchildren, Ming Teng had the best resources, followed closely by Mingyun.
After another half-hour, Ming Teng went to visit the Retired Emperor. When he returned, Zhou Shuren was ready to leave the Palace, and the grandfather-grandson duo departed together.
Once outside the Palace, Ming Teng opted not to return to the residence, choosing instead to follow his grandfather to the Ministry of Revenue, swiftly climbing aboard the Ministry’s carriage.
Zhou Shuren asked, "You’re not going home to rest? What’s your purpose tagging along with me?"
Ming Teng flexed his arm slightly. "Your grandson’s arm has mostly recovered and doesn’t require further care. After not seeing you for so long, your grandson misses you."
"That sentiment won’t save you from tonight."
The implication was clear—the punishment awaited.
Ming Teng rubbed his nose awkwardly. "Even His Majesty the Retired Emperor mentioned tonight’s guaranteed beating to me earlier. Grandfather, it seems His Majesty knows you very well."
Zhou Shuren chuckled lightly. In the past, the Retired Emperor would travel outside the capital freely. Now he remained confined in the capital, occasionally visiting the large aviary to examine improved breeds, but otherwise spent his remaining time studying Zhou Shuren, determined to probe anything useful he could uncover from his mind.
Because of the pharmacy’s involvement, the Retired Emperor had insisted he discuss matters for four whole hours.
Zhou Shuren attempted to send his grandson away. "Shouldn’t you spend more time with your wife? Your grandmother mentioned that Lau Jia is naturally delicate and thoughtful. With you traveling often, she needs you to spend more time with her."
Ming Teng felt embarrassed his grandparents knew even these details. "My wife visited her family today. She understood I was entering the Palace and unsure of when I’d return, so she plans to eat dinner there before coming back."
Zhou Shuren nodded. "Well, when you head back, you should visit your in-laws too. Your father-in-law’s been troubled over your incident, and your mother-in-law has frequented the temple to pray for you."
"I’ve already discussed with my wife—I’ll visit them tomorrow."
"I predict you won’t make it tomorrow."
Ming Teng replied, "..."
Not only would he fail to escape tonight’s beating, he’d likely end up so injured he wouldn’t be able to walk!
At the Ministry of Rites, Chang Yi’s workload had lightened. This year’s outbound officials had already been selected, allowing him some time to focus earnestly on reading and study.
Sir Liu entered. "Reading, are you? Encounter any challenges?"
Chang Yi set aside his book. "None so far."
Sir Liu sat down beside him. "My eldest son will leave the capital next year—I was considering Zhangzhou Province. What do you think?"
Chang Yi squinted slightly. "You’re certainly shrewd. You’ve caught wind of my son-in-law’s success with medicinal farming, and now you’re eyeing Zhangzhou Province for its untapped potential in cultivating medicinal plants and avoiding interruptions to farming."
Sir Liu grinned broadly. "We’re in-laws! Your son-in-law’s stationed at the county; if my son goes to the prefecture city, his support could ensure Zhangzhou Province transforms from poverty to prosperity."
This would be major political capital—a remarkable achievement. With such merits, his son’s future official career could certainly benefit.
Chang Yi twitched his lips. "You’ve also taken an interest in the pharmacists and attendants my daughter and son-in-law trained to process medicinal herbs, haven’t you?"
Anything involving Liufeng, Chang Yi disclosed nothing. They were in-laws, after all, and he himself required some connections to ease his son-in-law’s challenges. Now, with the pharmacy operating well, this one had set his sights on it.
Sir Liu showed no shame. "What can I say—we’re all fathers here. It’s only right for me to plan for the future of the Liu family’s younger generation. Look, no one in the capital’s ventured ahead yet. I’m merely seizing the early advantage."