The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

Li Jinglong returned home looking exhausted.

As soon as I entered the back garden, I saw Li Zengzhi lying on a bamboo chair, sprawled out, his face covered with a lotus leaf, basking in the sun. There was a bowl of plum juice on a low table next to him, and a few pieces of fruit left on a plate.

Li Jinglong plopped down on the empty chair next to him, picked up the bowl of plum juice, and gulped it down.

"Brother, that's mine." Li Zengzhi lifted the lotus leaf.

"What's yours is mine." Li Jinglong lay down. "We were born of the same father, why distinguish between you and me?"

Li Zengzhi rolled her eyes: "Didn't you go to the palace? Why do you look like you've been hollowed out?"

"Don't even mention it," Li Jinglong said weakly. "His Majesty ordered me to investigate a case and even assigned me an assistant."

"Help? Who is it?"

"Hai Li".

Li Zengzhi sat up abruptly: "That pretty lady from the grasslands?"

"Um."

"Brother, you're quite the ladies' man."

Li Jinglong sighed, "His Majesty said that the principal wife must be a girl from the Yuan family. Sister Hai can only look on."

"It seems His Majesty values ​​you," Li Zengzhi clicked his tongue. "What do you plan to do?"

Li Jinglong shrugged: "Just muddle along, what a worry. His Majesty even said he'd personally train me."

"This is wonderful!" Li Zengzhi's eyes lit up. "His Majesty personally trained him; what an immense favor! My father was also personally trained by His Majesty and became a talent."

Li Jinglong looked utterly dejected: "Don't you know His Majesty's style of scolding people? I know my own limitations. I'd rather be scolded by the ladies in the brothel than by His Majesty."

Li Zengzhi thought for a moment and said, "Then why don't you just tell His Majesty the truth? Just say you don't want to be an official, you just want to be a wealthy and leisurely person."

"I told you."

"What did His Majesty say?"

Li Jinglong said with a long face, "His Majesty said that in that case, you can forget about the title of Duke of Cao."

Li Zengzhi blinked and said, "Then I'll inherit it."

Li Jinglong turned his head and squinted: "What did you say?"

"I'm saying, I'll inherit the title of Duke," Li Zengzhi said seriously. "Brother, look at this, which family doesn't have a good-for-nothing son? You're incompetent, but I can be. I'm ambitious, I work hard, I'll inherit the title, and you can just give up."

Li Jinglong slowly sat up straight.

"Li Zengzhi".

"Um?"

"You have big ambitions."

"It's all just for the Li family."

Li Jinglong started rolling up his sleeves.

Li Zengzhi's expression changed: "Big brother! Big brother! Children speak without thinking!"

"You're already vying for a title, and you're still talking about childhood?" Li Jinglong's sleeves were already rolled up to his elbows. "Today I'll show you what it means to be an elder brother who is like a father!"

"Big brother! I was wrong! I was wrong!" Li Zengzhi ran around the bamboo chair.

Just then, the steward trotted in: "Young masters, Vice Minister Pan Mei of the Ministry of Rites requests an audience."

The two brothers ate together.

Then Li Zengzhi started rolling up his sleeves: "This bastard dares to come here? Let him in! I'll beat him to a pulp today, or I'm not Li!"

Old Zhou stood there, looking at the second young master and then at the eldest young master.

Li Jinglong waved his hand: "Bring him in."

"That Pan fellow played the wrong music at Dad's funeral, and we haven't even settled the score with him yet, but he's already come to us!" Li Zengzhi snorted.

Li Jinglong sat back down in his chair: "Guests are welcome, so don't be so loud."

Li Zengzhi said with a face full of indignation, "This scoundrel has the nerve to show his face?"

"He had no choice in what happened at the funeral," Li Jinglong sighed.

Before long, Old Zhou led a person this way.

Pan Mei was dressed in a simple blue dress today. She had a thin face and walked with her head slightly down.

"Pan Mei pays respects to the Young Duke." Pan Mei bowed.

"Lord Pan, no need for such formalities." Li Jinglong gestured to the chair beside him, "Please sit down."

Pan Mei looked slightly embarrassed and sat down in the chair.

Li Zengzhi crossed his legs and said, "My lord, what brings you to the Duke of Cao's residence today?"

Pan Mei lowered her head: "I've come to apologize. It was my fault for playing the wrong piece of music at the funeral of Prince Qiyang."

"Lord Pan, His Majesty has already spoken to me about this matter. You were acting under orders, so it's no wonder," Li Jinglong waved his hand. "Uncle Yuan Hong also mentioned to me that you, Pan Mei, are most loyal to my father. What happened that day was to ensure my father's posthumous reputation."

Pan Mei's eyes welled up with tears: "Duke Xie understands. His Majesty personally promised that he would posthumously confer the title of Prince of Qiyang. The Commander-in-Chief has spent his life on the battlefield and deserves a princely title. So I accepted that decree."

"I understand," Li Jinglong said earnestly. "You did it for my father's honor. So, I don't blame you."

Li Zengzhi shook his leg: "Alright, alright, I've apologized and said my piece, Lord Pan, please."

Pan Mei sat in the chair, looking embarrassed, and hesitated to speak.

Li Jinglong sensed something was wrong: "Lord Pan, is there anything else?"

Pan Mei raised her eyes, her gaze darting around.

Li Jinglong was all too familiar with that look in his eyes. It was the same look from those first-time students at the brothel, who wanted to date girls but were too shy to ask.

"I want to borrow some money from the Young Duke," Pan Mei said in a low voice.

The courtyard was quiet.

Then, Li Zengzhi jumped up and yelled, "You son of a bitch! You apologize and then ask for money?"

Li Jinglong was also bewildered: "Lord Pan, what difficulties have you encountered?"

Pan Mei's face flushed red: "I just don't have money for food, my salary is all gone."

Li Jinglong: "..."

Li Zengzhi leaned closer: "You went out to have a good time?"

"No, no!" Pan Mei shook her head repeatedly. "Absolutely not! My salary is just not enough."

"How much is your monthly salary?" Li Jinglong asked.

"Thirty-five stones."

Li Jinglong quickly calculated in his mind how much rice 35 shi was.

"That's not enough," Li Zengzhi said speechlessly. "Thirty-five shi a month, what are you risking your life for? You'd dare do a job that could cost you your life?"

Pan Mei suddenly raised her head: "I'd die for Prince Qiyang!"

Li Jinglong felt a mix of emotions.

This Pan Mei is truly single-minded. He knew playing the wrong piece of music at the funeral was a capital offense, but he still did it to win a royal title for his father.

This person may be stubborn, but his loyalty is genuine.

Also, it's true that His Majesty was stingy; the salary during the Hongwu reign was the lowest in history.

"Steward," Li Jinglong called out, "bring ten taels of silver for Lord Pan."

Pan Mei bowed deeply: "Thank you, Young Duke!"

Li Jinglong smiled and said, "Lord Pan, to be honest, if other officials were short of money, they might embezzle. You, however, have the privileges of a vice minister and have humbled yourself to come to me for a loan. What does that show? It shows that you are an honest official."

Pan Mei gritted her teeth and said seriously, "Embezzlement will get you beheaded."

Li Jinglong: "..."

So you're not afraid to be greedy, but rather you don't want to be?

"So you just don't have the guts." Li Zengzhi rolled his eyes dramatically.

Pan Mei looked at Li Jinglong, her expression becoming serious: "Young Duke, I know His Majesty has ordered you to handle the case. If you encounter any doubts, perhaps someone can help you find the answers."

Li Jinglong raised an eyebrow: "Who?"

Pan Mei cupped her hands in greeting: "Duke Xin, Tang He, grew up with His Majesty and knows him best."

Li Jinglong was startled.

Pan Mei, are you here today to borrow money or to deliver a message?