Too high to reach

Chapter 200 A blessing in disguise
The 29th, the last day of the morning assembly.

Li Jing returned in the afternoon and saw Consort Feng busy in the front yard.

"What are you busy with here?" he asked.

"Your Highness!" Consort Feng quickly bowed and said with a gentle smile, "We've received so many New Year's gifts that some things can't be stored. We've already given them to everyone we wanted to. So, I thought I'd share some with the tutors and guards in the front courtyard. Tomorrow is the 30th, so we'll have something to eat and use."

"You've put your heart into this." Li Jing nodded, noticing the pile of things on the ground. "Have you kept all the accounts?"

"I've written it all down. I'll put a copy on your desk later."

Li Jing hummed in agreement and went straight back to the backyard.

Consort Feng watched his retreating figure and sighed. Since their marriage, the prince had been returning to the inner courtyard quite frequently. She wondered who she had been working so hard for.

In the main courtyard, Mo Yi was reviewing her year-end plans.

Upon seeing Li Jing arrive, he quickly stood up and said, "Your Highness is back."

"doing what?"

"Looking at the schedule for the New Year, I'm busy almost every day."

Li Jing didn't speak. Mo Yi and Hong Yan helped him change his clothes, wipe his face, and sit down to drink tea.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Mo Yi asked, "Your Highness seems to have something on your mind..."

"Hmm..." Li Jing lowered his eyelids and hummed in response.

"Would it be convenient for you to tell me?"

Li Jing paused for a moment before saying, "Today, the Emperor kept me here to discuss something. Finally, he said that the matter of the grand martial arts competition next summer has been handed over to the Crown Prince."

Mo Yi sat down next to him. "I only recently heard about this grand martial arts competition. I don't know what it's all about yet."

"The imperial army has many types, stationed in different places. In addition, there are the Imperial Guards, city defense forces, and so on. Some belong to the imperial court, while others, like the Zhao family army and the Liang family army, are slightly different in nature. The Grand Martial Arts Competition is held once every four years. It is a competition in which officers and soldiers from each army are selected and brought together to compete."

There were approximately twenty teams, each with anywhere from a few dozen to several hundred people. The competition included martial arts, horseback riding, archery, and troop deployment, among other things.

Last time, I led the Zhao family army and won first place overall. In the past, such events were almost always presided over by the Emperor himself.

The Emperor is very busy, and it's impractical for him to handle everything personally, so he usually has several deputies to assist him. This time... the Emperor has entrusted this matter to the Crown Prince.

After saying that, he fell silent, lost in thought...

Hearing this, Mo Yi roughly understood. Moreover, she could guess what it meant that the matter, which had always been handled by the Emperor, had been handed over to the Crown Prince.

“The Crown Prince has been in the court for many years and has done many things. He has people both openly and secretly. The only thing he really wants is the army. Although he is eager to get involved, he doesn’t dare to get involved easily for fear of arousing the Emperor’s suspicion. But this time…” Li Jing reached out and touched his forehead.

Mo Yi couldn't say anything about these things either. "How many of the twenty teams representing your army are close to you?"

"Three branches are openly under my control. Two more are secretly under my control. Five branches are on good terms with me. Three are familiar to me. Two are hostile... that is, branches with which I have had conflicts of interest. As for the rest, the commanders are either not very familiar with them or do not know them at all."

"Will you be representing Zhao Jiajun again this time?"

"No, this time my cousin is acting as the substitute."

"The Crown Prince has never led troops before. Can he handle these things? Will he need assistance?"

"Organizing it is tedious, requiring attention to every detail, but it's not that difficult. There will be plenty of people to assist."

Mo Yi then asked, "Was it appointed by the Emperor, or personally selected by the Crown Prince?"

"There are plenty of people trying to get into this kind of thing. Everyone's using their connections to squeeze in." "Then we can send more people over..."

Li Jing smiled and said, "His Majesty told me about this today, and I immediately requested the Western Suburbs Camp for the Fourteenth Prince. The grand martial arts competition will be held at the Western Suburbs Camp!"

"...The Emperor would agree to your request?" Mo Yi blinked curiously.

"I made my stance clear: if he doesn't give it to me, I'll have a contest with the Crown Prince to see who's more suitable to host such a grand event! Father Emperor must have been speechless after hearing that."

"No matter how much the Crown Prince has done, it's absolutely impossible for him to surpass you in this regard! Is it because His Majesty has concerns that he spoke to you first?"

Li Jing looked at Mo Yi and smiled... then patted her head. "Hmm. He didn't wait until the beginning of the year to announce it directly, but talked to me first. Perhaps he was worried that I would make a scene, so he left some room for negotiation. However... now, outsiders will have too many questions."

"Your Highness, the fact that the Fourteenth Prince has managed to acquire the Western Suburbs Camp is a blessing in disguise! Think about it: the Grand Martial Arts Competition is just a grand event. After it's over, everyone goes their separate ways. Even if the Crown Prince manages everything perfectly... at most, he'll just build up some connections. But the Western Suburbs Camp is now in the Fourteenth Prince's hands... The Fourteenth Prince is in the Northwest, and you are in the Southeast..."

Li Jing laughed heartily and pinched her cheek again, "You know this too?"

He had a strong grip and was a bit rough, making Mo Yi frown. "How would I know? What's the planning involved in that grand competition?"

"It's not a simple matter. Think about it, several thousand people are coming all at once: all soldiers, and armed. This is no joke. First and foremost, security is the top priority. You have no idea how outrageous those soldiers can be. Last time, someone died in a brothel or theater. Some people will come early, wanting to broaden their horizons in the capital and enjoy themselves..."

Li Jing shook his head and smiled bitterly.

"They'll bring a lot of money, won't it cost them a lot?"

Mo Yi's mind was already working, but Li Jing was unaware of it. "That's for sure. Some teams are rolling in money, and they'll compete in that area... The imperial court will arrange all the accommodations and food. The arena and facilities for the martial arts competition... will cost a lot of money. So, it's not just about connections; you can also make money from it. People from all walks of life will have to be drawn from all directions, and some new ones will also be recruited."

"Your Highness, is the Crown Prince very capable?"

"How should I put it?" Li Jing narrowed his eyes. "He doesn't seem to have any particularly outstanding talents, at least he doesn't show off his abilities. However, over the years, he hasn't made any major mistakes. His grades are average, but he's steady and has a good reputation. Among the princes, he also maintains a friendly and accommodating attitude, always trying to uphold justice and smooth things over. As for the real situation... there are still many things we don't know."

"So, can you squeeze someone into this grand competition?"

"Who do you want to send?" Li Jing asked, puzzled.

Mo Yi blinked; there were plenty of people he wanted to plant...

Those people have money, so we need to arrange for someone to entice them to spend it! Qizhenlou, my uncle's fabric shop, my purses, accessories, and beautiful boots—they also have wives and girls they like, okay? If no one tells them where to buy these good things, how will they spend their money?

Yes, we need to do something special for this grand event.

Li Jing stared intently at his young wife without saying a word...

……

At this moment, the Crown Prince is in the Empress's palace, where mother and son are having a pleasant conversation...

With no outsiders present, the Empress set aside her usual reserve and composure.

Her laughter was joyful and unrestrained, making her radiant. "This shows that your careful, steady, and kind actions have won your father's favor. This matter is of extraordinary significance!"

"Your subject knows..." The Crown Prince drank a few cups of wine and became slightly tipsy. "Throughout our dynasty, this has been held twenty-four times. Twice it was presided over by the Regent, eight times by the Crown Prince, and three times by the Grand General due to various reasons... The rest were all presided over by the Emperor himself. This time, Father Emperor has asked his son to do it, so the significance is definitely different."

Mother and son share a drink.

"Ah... if Seventh Brother finds out, his face will be so sour!"

"He came from a military background, enduring hardships and living on the edge for so many years; this job should be most suitable for him. But Father... he just had to give it to me!" The Crown Prince rarely revealed such a harsh and arrogant expression. "I'll make him furious!"

"Exactly. We need to gather your people during the New Year and have a proper discussion. This is no small matter... In previous years, there hasn't been a single time without a mishap; we must ensure that everything goes perfectly!"

"Don't worry!"