CHAPTER 540: CHAPTER 288: WHATEVER MY LORD ASKS ME TO DO, I DO_2

Zheng Rang’s trip to Liangzhou was not of his own accord, nor did he support Prince Chu. After taking office in the capital, Zheng Rang, like Prime Minister He and others, was loyal only to the Emperor, not to any prince.

Two years ago, the Emperor suddenly decreed that Zheng Rang should go to Liangzhou to assist Prince Chu.

Regarding this decree from the Emperor, Zheng Rang naturally could not defy it, and had to dutifully go to Liangzhou. Before leaving for Liangzhou, the Emperor had summoned him and repeatedly urged him to assist Prince Chu well.

Zheng Rang couldn’t quite grasp the Emperor’s intentions at first. Before departing, he specifically consulted Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu, asking if the Emperor wanted him to serve Prince Chu.

Prime Minister He and Grandmaster Liu told him that he should do whatever the Emperor instructed. Since the Emperor wanted him to assist Prince Chu, he should do so with dedication and loyalty.

After Zheng Rang understood, he initially felt somewhat displeased because he didn’t want to be embroiled in the struggles among the princes; he only wanted to achieve his aspirations. However, after arriving in Liangzhou, he changed his view because he found that Prince Chu was a wise leader, and it wasn’t bad to assist him. Moreover, it was considered a great fortune to encounter a master like Prince Chu.

Two years ago, Zheng Rang’s appointment to Liangzhou caused quite a stir at the court.

Zheng Rang represented not just himself, but also Grand Commandant Zheng behind him. Of course, this was the view of the ministers. The fact that the Emperor sent Zheng Rang to Liangzhou to support Prince Chu was equivalent to having Grand Commandant Zheng assist Prince Chu.

Grand Commandant Zheng carried significant weight, which led the ministers to suspect if the Emperor favored Prince Chu as his preferred prince.

Because of this affair, a considerable number of ministers in the court began to support Prince Chu.

In recent years, many scholars and officials have been traveling to Liangzhou.

Even though Prince Chu was not in the capital, he garnered much attention from the court ministers. Occasionally during morning court sessions, ministers would praise Prince Chu, though there were also times when they criticized him.

Prince Chu, though not in the capital nor involved in court affairs, had a strong presence, turning the court dynamics into a tripartite balance. Of course, Prince Chu’s power was not yet at its peak.

Those supporting Prince Chu still couldn’t match the Crown Prince and Prince Dai.

The Crown Prince and Prince Dai knew that Prince Chu was the Emperor’s chess piece to keep them in check; they weren’t overly concerned but couldn’t completely disregard him either.

In the past two or three years, the Crown Prince and Prince Dai sent numerous people to Liangzhou. Moreover, their people tried many times to undermine Prince Chu.

Though Prince Chu wasn’t interested in the Crown Prince and Prince Dai’s matters, it didn’t mean he was easy to manipulate. He promptly expelled those sent by the Crown Prince to Liangzhou. However, he did leave some people behind.

Prince Chu couldn’t be bothered with what the Crown Prince and Prince Dai were doing against him in the court; he was focused on managing Liangzhou well, so the people there could have enough to eat, stay warm, and ensure that scholars could continue their studies.

Although Zheng Rang’s talents were not as great as his father’s, he was still outstanding compared to others. After going to Liangzhou, Prince Chu allowed him to fully utilize his abilities, and he finally showcased his talents. Therefore, Zheng Rang was very grateful to the Emperor for assigning him to Liangzhou.

After he arrived in Liangzhou, he wrote to Zheng Cheng, inviting his second brother to come to Liangzhou because Liangzhou needed talented people from the Mo Family, but Zheng Cheng refused.

Zheng Cheng had long accepted Zhao Yao as his lord. Initially, he didn’t acknowledge Zhao Yao as his lord, as his purpose for coming to the capital was to learn various mechanical and manufacturing techniques. However, after witnessing Zhao Yao invent the curved plow, he was completely captivated by Zhao Yao’s talent and shamelessly accepted Zhao Yao as his lord.

Zheng Qian was very pleased with Zheng Cheng recognizing Zhao Yao as his lord, thinking his second brother had the same insight as he did. He used to think his second brother was dull, but since his brother acknowledged Zhao Yao as his lord, he felt that his brother had become much smarter.

Zheng Rang was not dissatisfied with his two brothers accepting Zhao Yao as their lord, nor did he feel regret for them. On the contrary, he was happy for them and encouraged them to follow Zhao Yao closely. He didn’t oppose his brothers recognizing Zhao Yao as their lord because, as their elder brother, he had no right to interfere with their choices. Moreover, the tenth prince and Prince Chu were good brothers, and Prince Chu valued and cared for this younger brother greatly.