After ten years of accompanying me in my studies, the entire court begged me to shut up.

When Zhu Houzhao returned to the palace, it was already completely dark.

Just as the imperial guards on duty at the Meridian Gate were about to close the city gate, they saw a fast horse galloping towards them. They were about to step forward to stop him when they saw, by the light of the fire, that it was the Crown Prince. They quickly stepped aside to make way.

Zhu Houzhao jumped off his horse, shoved the reins into Li Chun's arms, and strode inside.

Li Chun called out from behind, "Your Highness, please slow down!"

Zhu Houzhao didn't look back and ran all the way to the Qianqing Palace.

Two palace maids were on duty at the entrance. When they saw him arrive, they quickly curtsied and said, "Your Highness, His Majesty is already asleep."

Zhu Houzhao was taken aback: "You went to bed so early?"

One of the palace maids said softly, "His Majesty has been working hard for days and said he was not feeling well, so he went to bed early."

Zhu Houzhao then asked, "Where is my mother?"

"Empress Zhang is personally overseeing the preparation of medicine for His Majesty in the imperial kitchen."

Zhu Houzhao looked down at the scarf in his hand, his expression hesitant.

He was impatient, so he didn't wait and walked inside immediately.

The two palace maids exchanged a glance, feeling helpless, but ultimately dared not stop them.

Zhu Houzhao tiptoed through the outer hall, lifted the curtain, and entered the sleeping quarters.

A small lamp was lit in the hall, casting a dim, yellowish light.

On the dragon bed, the Hongzhi Emperor lay on his side, covered with a thin quilt, fast asleep.

Zhu Houzhao leaned closer to the bed and tilted his head to take a look.

He then took out a scarf and carefully placed it around the neck of the Hongzhi Emperor.

But it looks really awkward no matter how you look at it; you have to wrap yourself in this.

He thought for a moment, then carefully reached out, lifted the Hongzhi Emperor's head, tucked the scarf behind his neck, and pulled both ends of the scarf to the front.

Next, we need to tie a knot.

He held the two ends of the scarf and brought them together.

Just then, the Hongzhi Emperor awoke.

A person who is sleeping feels someone moving their head in their sleep, and then a long object appears on their neck.

The Hongzhi Emperor suddenly opened his eyes!

In the dim light, he saw Zhu Houzhao lying in front of him, his hands grabbing something and slapping it against his neck!

"You unfilial son, what are you doing?"

The Hongzhi Emperor roared and sat up abruptly!

Zhu Houzhao was startled. He was still clutching the scarf, and as he sat up, the scarf pulled down—

"Cough cough cough!"

The Hongzhi Emperor coughed violently from being strangled, ripped off his scarf, and glared at Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao, still clutching his scarf, said blankly, "Father, did you sleep well? Your son has brought you a gift..."

Emperor Hongzhi was furious. He pressed Zhu Houzhao down on the bed, grabbed a scarf, and used it as a whip to lash him!

Snapped!Snapped!Snapped!

"In the dead of night! You come to my bedside!"

"Put something around your neck! What are you doing? Huh?"

Zhu Houzhao lay on the bed, wailing as he was beaten: "Father! Father! I was just bringing you a scarf!"

"A scarf? What scarf?"

The Hongzhi Emperor was so angry he was panting, and he held up the scarf and looked at it.

Zhu Houzhao wept, his face streaked with tears, and sobbed, "Your subject... Your subject received a scarf, it's warm... Father has been working hard these past few days, Your subject wanted to... wanted to bring it to Father... Father is asleep, Your subject wanted to... wanted to put it on for you..."

The Hongzhi Emperor held up his hand, momentarily unsure whether he should continue slapping the man.

Just then, the curtain was lifted, and Empress Zhang walked in carrying a bowl of medicine.

When she saw this, she was stunned for a moment, then quickly put down the medicine bowl and stepped forward to pull the Hongzhi Emperor back.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! What are you doing?"

The Hongzhi Emperor, holding a scarf, pointed at Zhu Houzhao, who was lying on the bed crying, and angrily said, "Ask your good son! He doesn't sleep at night, but comes here and puts this around my neck!"

Empress Zhang looked at the scarf, then at Zhu Houzhao.

Zhu Houzhao raised his head, his face streaked with tears, and said with a wronged expression, "Mother... I was giving Father a scarf... to keep him warm..."

Empress Zhang paused for a moment, then asked, "Where did you get this scarf?"

Zhu Houzhao then recounted the situation of the textile factory truthfully.

Empress Zhang picked up the scarf, examined it, and touched the fabric. She said, "It's made of wool. It's quite soft and warm."

Emperor Hongzhi paused, then looked down at the scarf in his hand.

Empress Zhang said softly, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is just worried about you!"

Zhu Houzhao nodded repeatedly, tears still clinging to his face.

Emperor Hongzhi looked at the scarf, then at Zhu Houzhao's tear-streaked face.

Finally, he said helplessly, "Couldn't you wait until I wake up before you tie it?"

Zhu Houzhao looked aggrieved and choked up as he said, "Your subject... Your subject can't wait..."

The Hongzhi Emperor took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

He looked at the scarf in his hand again and suddenly felt the tightness in his chest dissipate.

"Alright, stop crying."

Zhu Houzhao felt even more aggrieved and burst into tears.

Empress Zhang quickly took out a handkerchief and held him in her arms to wipe his face.

The Hongzhi Emperor sat on the edge of the bed, turned the scarf over and over to look at it, and then brought it to his nose to smell it. There was no strange smell, and it was indeed soft.

He wrapped the scarf around his neck again.

Empress Zhang smiled and said, "Your Majesty looks good in it."

The Hongzhi Emperor snorted but did not reply.

Zhu Houzhao whispered, "Father, shall we continue?"

The Hongzhi Emperor glared at him: "Go back to the Eastern Palace and sleep!"

Zhu Houzhao felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He scrambled to his feet and ran, but turned back at the door and called out, "Father, that scarf is a gift from your son!"

After saying that, he ran away in a flash.

The Hongzhi Emperor looked down at the scarf around his neck, lost in thought.

Empress Zhang picked up the bowl of medicine and handed it to Your Majesty, saying, "Your Majesty, drink it while it's hot."

The Hongzhi Emperor took the bowl, took a sip, and suddenly said, "This scarf... is quite warm."

Empress Zhang smiled and said, "The Crown Prince is very filial!"

But the Hongzhi Emperor was thinking about something else entirely; he was thinking about something much deeper.

"Wool can be made into scarves, and it can also be made into clothes, so couldn't it replace cotton-padded clothes?"

Upon hearing this, Empress Zhang immediately understood and exclaimed with delight, "In that case, Your Majesty, I must congratulate you!"

The Hongzhi Emperor raised his head and asked, "What brings you this joy?"

Empress Zhang said, "Wool costs five copper coins per pound. This scarf probably only used a little over a pound of yarn. If it were made into a garment, two or three pounds would probably be enough. The price is much lower than that of a cotton coat!"

The Hongzhi Emperor nodded and said, "This deal sounds good; it benefits the country and its people, and we even make money... No, absolutely not!"

Empress Zhang asked, "What's wrong?"

The Hongzhi Emperor said, "The Crown Prince only owns 40% of the business that Yang Shen and his associates are running; that's too little!"

Empress Zhang was speechless for a moment.

The Hongzhi Emperor said to himself, "I want to invest an additional 50,000 taels. In this way, I and the Crown Prince will hold 60% of the shares. Of course, I will help him manage his share."

Empress Zhang felt that her brain could no longer keep up.

She thought for a moment and then said, "Your Majesty, the imperial treasury has very little silver left, and I'm afraid there is no money to invest."

The Hongzhi Emperor raised his hand and said, "You don't need to worry about that. I just received a sum of money!"