The Dumb Prince of the Ming Dynasty

At the foot of Zhongshan Mountain.

The brothers Li Jinglong and Li Zengzhi stood in front of a manor.

Looking up, a stream flows through Zhuangzichuan, its water crystal clear.

On both sides of the stream, there is a flat area with a few small houses scattered around.

"Brother, this place is amazing!" Li Zengzhi exclaimed happily. "If we tidy it up properly, we can build a few pavilions with upturned eaves and a few luxurious tiled houses. It will be a perfect summer resort."

Li Jinglong was also very satisfied: "We set up a table in the middle of the stream, and we soaked our feet in the cold water while having hot pot. Hey, it's cool down below and hot up inside, a perfect contrast of ice and fire."

"We'll get a group of beautiful girls to dance and entertain us, and then the two of us will drink together—it'll be the life of gods," Li Zengzhi said with longing.

Li Jinglong blinked: "They should jump directly into the stream, splashing water everywhere, their clothes getting wet, tsk tsk, revealing glimpses of their bodies, pure and alluring."

"Brother, this is even more exciting than King Zhou's wine pool and meat forest!" Li Zengzhi said.

Li Jinglong waved his hand: "Let's go in and take a look."

The two brothers entered the village, and a small path paved with gravel wound its way forward.

As Li Zengzhi walked, he looked around and said, "Brother, look at this location. It's backed by Zhongshan Mountain and faces the plains. The feng shui is amazing. If we could fix it up properly, plant flowers in the front yard, fruit trees in the back yard, and build a pavilion by the stream, you could sit inside in the summer and feel the breeze. It would be like living in paradise."

"The scale is too small," Li Jinglong said. "If we're going to build something, let's build something big. Let's build a three-story pavilion by the stream, with the first floor for dining, the second floor for tea, and the third floor for sleeping."

Li Zengzhi nodded frantically: "We'll invite all the girls in the capital then."

The two walked around again and arrived at the highest point of Zhuangzi.

Looking down from here, the entire village unfolds before your eyes: winding streams, lush bamboo groves, scattered wooden houses, and the undulating silhouette of Zhongshan Mountain in the distance.

Li Zengzhi sighed, "Brother, if our father were still alive, he would be so happy to see that we have such a wonderful estate."

"If our father were still alive, he'd probably hang you from a tree and beat you if he saw you eating mutton hotpot in the stream while watching dancers," Li Jinglong said irritably.

Li Zengzhi spread his hands: "Brother, once the estate is built, let's grow old together."

"Ugh, I'm sure I'll grow old with your sister-in-law." Li Jinglong said with a look of disgust, and started walking downstairs.

Li Zengzhi caught up with him: "Brother, we promised each other last time that we would be each other's angels."

The two brothers rode away from the village.

Not far ahead, we saw a cluster of low, dilapidated houses.

"There's still such a run-down place in the capital?" Li Jinglong reined in his horse. "This is an eyesore."

Li Zengzhi looked up and said, "Brother, those are all beggars living there."

"Beggar households? Beggars? Have all the beggars in the capital gathered together?"

"The beggar household is a type of household registration, also called the degraded people. It includes the Mongols left over from the previous dynasty, the former subordinates of Chen Youliang and Zhang Shicheng, as well as the vagrants who have drifted over from various places. They cannot participate in the imperial examinations, cannot own land, and can only engage in lowly occupations, such as carrying sedan chairs, shaving heads, castrating chickens, collecting coffins, playing musical instruments and singing for a living."

Li Jinglong blurted out, "Your Majesty was once a beggar, why don't you treat these people better?"

Li Zengzhi glared at him: "Brother, you'd better watch your words in the future, or I feel like I'll be implicated by you sooner or later."

Li Jinglong laughed it off and changed the subject: "When we renovate our estate, we can hire people from here."

"Brother, don't underestimate the beggars. Their leader is richer than most wealthy merchants," Li Zengzhi said.

Li Jinglong asked curiously, "How could that be?"

Li Zengzhi explained, "The beggar community is very large, and without restraint, it would definitely cause unrest. Therefore, the government tacitly allows beggar leaders to manage the beggar households. The beggar leaders have the right to extract money from the beggar households under their jurisdiction and manage their territories. Some powerful beggar leaders collude with the government to run gambling dens, brothels, and other businesses, and become very wealthy."

"I see," Li Jinglong praised. "You know quite a lot, kid."

Li Zengzhi tossed his head back and gave a haughty snort.

The two brothers hadn't gone far on horseback when a group of people emerged from the intersection ahead, blocking their path.

Li Jinglong reined in his horse and took a closer look.

These people were dressed in rags, with unkempt hair and dirty faces; they were typical beggars.

The leader, a burly man, clasped his hands in a fist salute to Li Jinglong: "Are you the Young Duke?"

Li Jinglong and Li Zengzhi exchanged a glance, their expressions wary.

"Do you know me?" Li Jinglong sized up the other person.

"I am Zhang Lao Jiu, the head beggar of this area." The burly man grinned. "I have been waiting for the Young Duke for quite some time."

Li Jinglong raised an eyebrow: "What are you, a beggar leader, waiting for me for? Want some reward money?"

"I would like to ask the young master to do something for me," Zhang Laojiu said, bowing slightly.

"What is it?" Li Jinglong asked.

Zhang Lao Jiu stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Help us rescue Princess Hai Li."

"Are you from the Scouts?" Li Jinglong asked in surprise.

Old Zhang waved his hands repeatedly: "No, no, no, Young Duke, you misunderstand. We are not scouts. Let me put it this way, back in the Yuan Dynasty, we were all government-employed. After the Yuan Dynasty fell, we were all registered as beggars. Princess Haili helped us several times, which is how we survived. She was kind to us."

"Why would you think I would help with something like this?" Li Jinglong asked suspiciously.

Zhang Laojiu laughed and spread his hands: "The whole capital knows that the Young Duke is coveting the beauty of Princess Haili."

"Who the hell spread this?" Li Jinglong sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Everyone says you're lusting after Princess Haili's body," Zhang Laojiu added.

"You believe it too?" Li Jinglong asked.

Zhang Lao Jiu shook his head with a smile: "I don't believe it, but I believe that the Young Duke can help save Princess Hai Li. As long as the Young Duke is willing to help, we brothers will help you matchmake. Who knows, you and the princess might really become a couple."

"I believe you guys, I'm such a fool." Li Jinglong was speechless.

Zhang Lao Jiu wasn't angry. He smiled and said, "I knew the Young Duke wouldn't agree so quickly. It's alright, we'll meet again."

"Can you get out of here now?" Li Jinglong's face turned cold.

With a wave of his hand, Zhang Laojiu led the group of beggars away.

Li Jinglong watched their retreating figures, lost in thought: "This isn't right. His Majesty bestowed this estate upon me, and when I came to check it out, I was blocked by this group of people."

"Brother, you're famous, they can all recognize you," Li Zengzhi said.

"That's even stranger," Li Jinglong said, spreading his hands. "How could they possibly know me by such a coincidence?"

Li Zengzhi nodded: "Something is wrong."

"I have a feeling that the emperor with the long face in the Qianqing Palace is trying to trick me again," Li Jinglong frowned. "His heart is truly as unfathomable."

Li Zengzhi blinked: "That rumor, did His Majesty really spread it?"

"It's definitely him!" Li Jinglong said speechlessly. "At his age, he still has such a perverse sense of humor."

Li Zengzhi chuckled: "Your Majesty can joke around? I thought he only knew how to kill people."

"They're just teasing me, who knows what their real purpose is?" Li Jinglong sighed.