Chapter 404: The Young Emperor Sneaks Out of the Palace
Grand Tutor Xu resigned from his official position.
Ouyang Ye became the new Grand Tutor.
The political landscape of the court underwent subtle changes in an instant.
Chu Rui’s eyes darkened with displeasure.
Originally, among the five ministers assisting the state, four were his people. Now, the Grand Tutor had become Yun Chu’s ally, while Chief Li, a man of integrity, remained neutral.
Yun Chu had only expended a little effort—first eliminating Gongsun Ning and seizing the opportunity to govern from behind the curtain, then swiftly ousting Grand Tutor Xu from the game.
He had truly underestimated this woman.
After the court session ended, Yun Chu arranged a comfortable residence in the palace for Ouyang Ye. The elderly man was advanced in years, and traveling in and out of the palace daily would surely take a toll on his health.
If Ouyang Ye were a grown man, residing in the palace would naturally be improper. But since he was nearly ninety, even the most etiquette-conscious individuals could find little fault with the arrangement.
In the afternoon, at the appointed time, Ouyang Ye went to the Imperial Study to conduct his lesson.
As soon as he entered, the young Emperor and his eight study companions inside immediately straightened up and sat properly.
Ouyang Ye surveyed the children before speaking, "We won’t study today, Your Majesty. This old subject has a question for you: Suppose among your eight study companions, three are villains, two are spies sent by the enemy, and only three are loyal to you. How would Your Majesty go about identifying the bad ones?"
Chu Hongyu pondered deeply.
The other eight children joined in thinking about the problem.
Ouyang Ye stroked his beard. This question was meant to gauge the young Emperor’s aptitude—to determine whether he was mediocre or exceptional—so he could tailor his teaching approach accordingly.
"I am definitely loyal to Your Majesty," Lin Dongdong immediately declared his allegiance. "The villains are among the other seven."
Chen San, the third legitimate son of the Minister of Works, retorted impatiently, "The teacher said it’s a hypothetical scenario. Do you even understand what 'hypothetical' means?"
Lin Dongdong, stubborn as ever, insisted, "Anyway, I’m not a villain."
"Fine, let’s assume you’re one of the good ones," Chu Hongyu interjected, and the chattering children immediately fell silent. "And you, and you—the three of you are loyal ministers. You three are villains, and you two are undercover spies. But none of you know each other’s identities. Now, from your respective positions, what would each of you do? I’ll give you each fifteen minutes to think it over. Anyone who gives a perfunctory answer will no longer serve as my study companion."
When Grand Tutor Xu was the Emperor’s teacher, Chu Hongyu used to lead them in idle play every day.
Now, suddenly acting so serious, the children were somewhat intimidated by his demeanor and promptly promised to think carefully.
Fifteen minutes passed quickly, and the group of children reconvened.
Chu Hongyu spoke first, "If I know nothing, I would do nothing."
"There are three of us villains," Chen San began. "If the three villains join forces, we could directly overthrow the Emperor. So, I think I should stir up some trouble to reveal my identity to my allies. If the three of us attack the Emperor and the loyal ministers together, our chances of success are high."
"Not necessarily," another slightly older child countered. "We spies belong to another faction. We don’t want the Emperor to grow too powerful, nor do we want the villains to seize control. So, we would strive to maintain a balance..."
Because the Emperor was so young and had previously spent his time playing and roughhousing with them, the children had not yet developed a strong sense of the monarch-subject hierarchy and spoke rather casually.A group of children began debating fiercely, each voicing their opinions.
Ouyang Ye was quite pleased: "Excellent, truly excellent. Your Majesty's method is brilliant. This is merely the simplest technique in the art of rulership. In the future, this old minister will explain more in detail... That concludes today's lesson. You may all disperse."
Chu Hongyu glanced at the hourglass—only half a shichen had passed.
In the past, lessons lasted at least one and a half shichen, stretching through the entire afternoon, leaving him uncertain about what he had actually learned.
But now, in just half a shichen, he had gained immense insight.
"Thank you, Teacher."
Chu Hongyu bowed with clasped hands, expressing sincere gratitude.
Ouyang Ye stroked his beard: "Ahem, if Your Majesty truly wishes to thank this old minister, have the imperial kitchen prepare more fine wine and delicacies..."
Chu Hongyu naturally agreed without hesitation.
Since there was still plenty of time, Chu Hongyu didn't let his study companions leave. He announced, "I had some boats made recently. Accompany me for a lake cruise."
The palace contained a large artificial lake, covered with lotus blossoms in summer and withered lotus stems in winter. The water was very shallow, and as soon as the boats were launched, they immediately ran aground.
"Attendants!" Chu Hongyu declared, hands on hips. "I wish to go boating. Fill the lake with water immediately."
The palace servants broke into cold sweat: "Your Majesty, the lake is too vast. It would require a heavy rainfall to fill it. Relying on manpower is somewhat impractical."
Lin Dongdong stepped forward: "There's a large river in our village that doesn't dry up even in winter. If Your Majesty wishes to go boating, why not visit our village?"
"How could His Majesty, in his noble status, condescend to play in a village!" Chen San glared at Lin Dongdong before fawning over Chu Hongyu, "The imperial retreat does have a large lake, but the round trip would be too far. If Your Majesty truly wishes to play, we could sneak out of the palace and go to my house! Our backyard garden has an enormous lake!"
Chu Hongyu pondered briefly.
He was impatient.
It had to be done immediately.
Only by identifying the problems could further improvements be made.
He nodded decisively: "I'll have someone bring eunuch garments. Everyone change into them, bring these three boats, and we'll leave the palace discreetly."
He paused before adding, "Lin Dongdong, you're responsible for diverting those men under your father's command. If you succeed, I'll appoint you as First Attendant later!"
Lin Dongdong thumped his chest resoundingly: "Alright, leave this matter to me."
The group of children changed into eunuch clothing, somehow procured a large cart, and coerced several guards into pushing it. The youngsters rode in the carriage, smoothly exiting the palace before changing into ordinary young master's attire. They proceeded directly to the residence of the Minister of Works—the Chen Estate.
As the guards at the Chen Estate gate prepared to inquire about the visitors, a child leaped from the carriage—their own young master!
"Shh!" Chen San pressed a finger to his lips, whispering, "I've brought some friends to play at home. Don't tell my father. Make sure he doesn't find out, understood?"
"Yes!" the guards promptly responded.
The Chen Estate had three legitimate sons: the eldest served in court, the second was preparing for the imperial examinations, while the third showed no ambition whatsoever. Having finally become the Emperor's study companion, he was actually bringing riffraff home to play. If the Lord found out, the third young master would likely be skinned alive.
If the third young master suffered, they would suffer too.
Thus, the guards helped conceal the matter, opening a side gate to respectfully welcome the group of children into the estate, even assisting in carrying the three large boats inside.Behind the Chen residence, there was indeed a large lake that remained deep even in winter. Three boats were immediately launched.
Chu Hongyu spoke up: "Let's each take one boat according to our roles—loyal ministers, rebels, and traitors..."
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