CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER 52: DO NOT DESPISE THE YOUNG AND POOR

Hearing the people chanting "Long live the Crown Prince, long live, long long live," Zhao Yao inexplicably felt his blood boiling. At this moment, he suddenly understood why his royal brothers were all vying to become the Crown Prince.

The Fourth Prince had been secretly observing Zhao Yao all along and, seeing his shocked expression, thought he was frightened by the crowd. He gently patted Zhao Yao’s back, comforting him, "Don’t mind them."

Zhao Yao looked blankly at the Fourth Prince, "Who does Fourth Brother say I shouldn’t mind?"

"The people by the roadside," the Fourth Prince replied soothingly, "They aren’t scary, don’t be afraid of them."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yao blinked blankly at first, then he understood that the Fourth Prince had misunderstood him. He smiled at the Fourth Prince, "Fourth Brother, I’m not afraid of the people by the roadside, I just think Crown Prince Brother is so awe-inspiring."

"Awe-inspiring?"

Zhao Yao nodded, "With so many people shouting long live for the Crown Prince Brother, isn’t it awe-inspiring?"

Only then did the Fourth Prince understand Zhao Yao’s meaning, and he chuckled lightly, "Tenth Brother, this isn’t awe-inspiring."

"Ah, it’s not awe-inspiring, then what is it?" The people along the roadside knelt in groups and saluted, shouting "Long live the Crown Prince, long live, long long live," such a grand scene, how can it not be awe-inspiring.

The Fourth Prince glanced at the people’s faces filled with awe and admiration, and solemnly told Zhao Yao, "This is the imperial majesty of the Heavenly Family."

In his heart, Zhao Yao said: Isn’t it the same.

The Eighth Prince said, "Only Crown Prince Brother would be welcomed so warmly by the people."

Zhao Yao, feigning ignorance, said, "Then Crown Prince Brother is truly amazing!"

The Eighth Prince laughed, "Crown Prince Brother is naturally amazing." After saying that, his gaze shifted to the crowd on both sides of the road. He saw fanaticism in many faces. He mocked internally, Marquis Xuanping spent so much effort to have all the citizens of the capital come out to welcome the return of Prince Dai, yet didn’t expect that the people only had eyes for the Crown Prince, he didn’t know if he regretted it now.

"Fourth Brother, Eighth Brother, it’s my first time seeing so many people, it’s really lively." Not only were the roadsides crowded with people, but the shops on both sides were also packed. Everyone looked excited, as if they were seeing a heavenly god. This is probably the charm of imperial power.

The Eighth Prince laughed, "This is nothing."

The Fourth Prince gently patted Zhao Yao’s shoulder, saying, "It’s good you’re not scared."

At these words, Zhao Yao pouted in dissatisfaction, saying, "Fourth Brother, you underestimate me, I’m not that timid."

"Yes, your courage is very great."

Zhao Yao felt that the Fourth Prince didn’t believe him and glared at him in annoyance, then turned away, not wanting to look at him anymore.

Seeing Zhao Yao’s puffed-up appearance, the Fourth Prince found him extremely cute and couldn’t help but poke his cheek.

Zhao Yao turned his head and opened his mouth to bite the Fourth Prince’s finger.

The Fourth Prince quickly withdrew his finger, letting Zhao Yao bite at air. Originally, the Fourth Prince wanted to tease Zhao Yao further, but then remembered they were on horseback, and if Zhao Yao fell, he would surely be injured, so he refrained.

Riding from the palace gates to outside the capital city took only an hour or so, but Zhao Yao and the others rode slowly, taking two hours to ride out of the capital.

At the city gate, a crowd was waiting. Ministers and Imperial Guards had long since gathered at the city gate.

Seeing the Crown Prince leading the princes, the ministers and Imperial Guards hurriedly saluted.

The Crown Prince sat quietly on horseback, waiting for Prince Dai’s return.

Zhao Yao and the others rode behind the Crown Prince on horseback.

The Fourth Prince noticed Zhao Yao curiously gazing at the ministers on both sides, so he kindly introduced each minister to him.

Among the ministers in the court, Zhao Yao didn’t recognize any. No, he recognized Duke Zhen and Marquis Xuanping since these two often entered the harem. Zhao Yao had seen them a few times. Other ministers, Zhao Yao didn’t know.

Zhao Yao knew many ministers by name, but couldn’t match names to faces. Now, with the Fourth Prince’s introduction, he could match them to faces.

The Fourth Prince’s introductions were very detailed, giving both names and official positions. When mentioning official positions, he also explained their duties to Zhao Yao.

Zhao Yao hadn’t learned about the ministers’ positions before, and hearing the Fourth Prince’s explanations, he just felt it was complicated. There were the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers, and Chief Assistants, secretaries, Grand Ministers...

The Fourth Prince saw Zhao Yao listening with vague understanding but didn’t, as usual, explain until Zhao Yao understood. In his view, Zhao Yao was still young, and it was okay not to understand these positions for now. Later, Zhao Yao would naturally understand.

"Fourth Brother, you are amazing, you know everything." Zhao Yao also told the Eighth Prince, "Eighth Brother is amazing too." Both Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother hadn’t even attended court yet, but they knew the court ministers like the back of their hands. Unlike him, knowing nothing about them.

The Fourth Prince smiled faintly, "When you grow up, you’ll know too."

Zhao Yao waved his hand, "There are so many ministers, I can’t remember them. However," he chuckled, "if a minister’s family cooks tasty meals, I’ll definitely remember."

The Fourth and Eighth Princes couldn’t help but laugh at this.

Zhao Yao curiously asked, "Fourth Brother, Eighth Brother, do you know which minister’s family cooks well?"

This question was outside the Fourth Prince’s knowledge, he couldn’t answer.

"I don’t know if any minister’s family cooks well, but I know there’s a minister who loves good food like you do."

Excitedly, Zhao Yao asked, "Who is it?"

"General Shen Hu, he loves eating meat just like you."

Zhao Yao grinned and said, "People who love good food and meat are good people and very capable."

The Fourth and Eighth Princes were amused by Zhao Yao’s "twisted logic," saying, "General Shen is indeed very capable, but Tenth Brother, you..."

Seeing that the Eighth Prince looked down on him, Zhao Yao retorted, "Eighth Brother, don’t look down on the young and poor. When I grow up, I will be as capable as General Shen."

"Don’t look down on the young and poor?" The Fourth and Eighth Princes were shocked to hear such words for the first time.

"Sure, I’m small now, without much skill. But when I grow up, I’ll surely become capable, so don’t underestimate me."

The Fourth Prince laughed, "Don’t look down on the young and poor, well said."

The Eighth Prince praised, "Tenth Brother, that was well said. I didn’t expect you to come up with such a good phrase."

He teased, "Seems copying the ’Analects’ these days wasn’t in vain."

Zhao Yao was astonished, "Oh, Fourth Brother and Eighth Brother haven’t heard the phrase, don’t look down on the young and poor?"

"First time hearing it."

Zhao Yao blinked, then remembered that the phrase was said by Zhao Yao in his dreams.

"Eighth Brother, I’ll take it as you complimenting me." Eighth Brother forgot that half of the copied ’Analects’ punishment was done by him.

"Of course, I’m complimenting you."

Embarrassed by the praise, Zhao Yao scratched his head and chuckled.

The Fourth Prince said, "You need to read more in the future." Tenth Brother was smart, but being young, he only thought about eating and playing and was inattentive to reading, resulting in being a bit slow with it.

Those words felt like a tight curse, making Zhao Yao’s head hurt. He quickly raised his hand in surrender, "Fourth Brother, you..." Before he finished speaking, his body suddenly tilted to the right. The Eighth Prince hurriedly steadied him, ensuring he sat upright with legs tightly gripping the horse’s belly.

"I won’t say it," the Fourth Prince said. Whenever reading was mentioned, Tenth Brother looked frightened.

Zhao Yao held the reins tightly with both hands, his legs grasping the horse’s belly. On either side of the horse’s belly, there was nothing, smooth, and if not careful, he’d slide off the horse.

He felt that something was amiss, like something was missing, but couldn’t quite recall what.

Zhao Yao lowered his head, staring directly at the horse’s belly.

The Fourth Prince saw him like this and asked, "What’s wrong?"

Zhao Yao shook his head at the Fourth Prince.

"Is there something wrong with your horse?" the Fourth Prince asked, glancing at Zhao Yao’s Hei Yu.

Hei Yu suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if a thorn was on its back, moved uneasily.

[Yao Yao, I’m fine, I haven’t been poisoned.]

Zhao Yao patted Hei Yu’s neck comfortingly and said to the Fourth Prince, "Fourth Brother, Hei Yu is fine, nothing’s wrong."

"Then what are you looking at?"

"I just feel it’s too slippery." When riding, he always felt something was wrong. Yet what was wrong, he couldn’t pinpoint. Just now, he felt it again.

Slippery...unable to grip...

While Zhao Yao pondered, suddenly a light flashed in his mind. In a split second, he finally realized what was wrong.

The stirrups on either side of the horse’s belly were missing!

In the dream, when Zhao Yao rode a horse, there were stirrups on either side of the horse’s belly.