IDWBE -Chapter 27 I Really Don’t Love Money

Lin Yi also stood up and personally helped Prince Qing back to his seat.

Then he stepped into the middle of the hall and said with a smile, “I still remember, Imperial Uncle, that poem of yours, Po Zhen Zi.

Especially the last line:
‘Most hurried was the day of leaving the ancestral temple;
The court musicians still played farewell songs,
Tears falling before the palace maids.’

Wonderful, wonderful! It could be called an eternal masterpiece.”

“Prince He, I never wrote that!”

Prince Qing began trembling all over and hurriedly interrupted before Lin Yi could finish.

What did “the day of leaving the ancestral temple” mean? Wasn’t that the day a prince was sent to his fief?

This poem clearly expressed a feudal prince’s dissatisfaction and unwillingness about being sent away!

He admitted he had written many poems in his life—but he had never written this one!

“Not written by Imperial Uncle?”

Lin Yi scratched his head. “Did I remember wrong?
Then perhaps it was this one:

‘My heart in Ankang, my body in Qing;
Drifting like duckweed upon rivers and seas, sighing in vain.
If someday my soaring ambitions are fulfilled,
I would dare laugh at Lin Shan for lacking manly resolve.’”

Lin Shan was Prince Qing’s personal name.

“I didn’t write this one either!”

Prince Qing trembled even more.

Lin Yi looked even more puzzled. Without noticing Prince Qing’s expression, he pondered for a moment, then suddenly exclaimed, “Ah, I remember! It must be this one:

‘When autumn comes, on the eighth day of the ninth month,
After my flowers bloom, a hundred flowers perish.
Their soaring fragrance fills Ankang;
The whole city dons golden armor.’”

“Prince He!”

Prince Qing shouted hoarsely, his face nearly bleeding with agitation. “I have never written any of these!”

Lin Yi waved his hand. “Imperial Uncle must not be so modest. Along the road I heard people singing these poems and was delighted. When I inquired, I was told they were written by Imperial Uncle!”

“You mean… you heard these poems outside?”

Prince Qing’s expression gradually turned uncertain.

Lin Yi said in surprise, “Does Imperial Uncle think I wrote them myself?”

Prince Qing stared fixedly at Lin Yi’s face and eyes, trying to read something from them.

Was Lin Yi telling the truth or lying? He truly couldn’t tell.

Could these poems really have been written by Lin Yi?

Prince Qing shook his head unconsciously. Impossible.

Being an idle prince didn’t mean he ignored court affairs. Every feudal prince kept businesses in the capital—merchant houses, brothels, restaurants—ostensibly for profit, but in reality to gather information from the court as quickly as possible.

If they didn’t even know about court policies toward feudal princes, they could forget about inheriting their titles and living leisurely lives. They would be lucky just to survive.

Thus he knew the Emperor’s sons quite well. The one he thought least of was the Ninth Prince before him.

Calling him merely unlearned was already praise.

That such poems could be written by him? Prince Qing didn’t believe it in the slightest.

Then… were they truly heard from outside? Was someone using his name to frame him?

In all these years in his fief, though he had been somewhat overbearing, he had never offended anyone powerful.

“Prince He,”

Prince Qing took a wine cup from a maid, raised it, and said, “I offer you a toast.”

He drained it in one gulp.

Strangely, although drinking usually caused sharp pain in his chest, this time he felt nothing at all.

“Thank you, Imperial Uncle!”

After finishing his wine, Lin Yi boldly tipped the cup to show it was empty.

Putting the cup down, he said loudly, “Imperial Uncle, can you imagine how excited I was when I saw these poems? I’ve decided that in a few days I will present them to Father the Emperor to cheer him up! Imperial Uncle is still the pride of the imperial family.”

“No, no—Prince He, it would be better not to present them to His Majesty…”

Prince Qing’s face turned pale with fright.

Just the line ‘Their soaring fragrance fills Ankang; the whole city dons golden armor’—with the Emperor’s suspicious and ruthless nature, it would not only cost Prince Qing his life; his entire family line would be wiped out.

From the founding of the dynasty until now, his branch’s blood ties to the main imperial line had already grown so thin as to be negligible.

The current Emperor Delong was the kind of man who had executed even his own brothers without hesitation.

Once suspicion arose, dealing with him would take only moments.

What need was there for evidence? An excuse was enough.

The Emperor surely knew better than anyone that these feudal princes were burdens to the clan and to the state. They were kept alive only because eliminating them outright would look improper.

If an excuse appeared, he would be delighted.

That was why Prince Qing had lived so cautiously in recent years. The moment he heard of Prince He being “assassinated,” he hurried to invite him in—anything to avoid giving the Emperor an excuse.

And now these poems… he felt like dying.

“Why?”

Lin Yi asked in confusion. “Though I only know a little about literature, I can still judge good poetry from bad! Imperial Uncle must not belittle yourself.”

Looking at Lin Yi’s sincere face, Prince Qing finally became convinced: this Prince He didn’t merely “know a little”—he knew absolutely nothing about literature.

He simply didn’t understand the deeper meaning of these poems.

Though inwardly disdainful, Prince Qing still pulled Lin Yi to sit beside him, smiling warmly. “Prince He, His Majesty governs daily affairs of state—how could he care about such trifles?”

“That won’t do,” Lin Yi refused firmly. “Such fine poems, if not spread throughout the world, would be a pity.”

“Prince He,”

Prince Qing suppressed the urge to slap him and said patiently, “At my age, I care nothing for empty fame. I only wish not to be entangled in worldly reputation. Surely you can grant me this small wish?”

“This…”

Lin Yi looked troubled.

Seeing him sighing, Prince Qing hurriedly asked, “Well?”

Lin Yi let out a heavy sigh. “To be honest, Imperial Uncle, I was extremely unwilling to leave Ankang this time. The capital is such a splendid place—being sent to that sweltering region was never my wish.”

“That is only natural,”

Prince Qing nodded. This part, he was certain, was true.

Lin Yi said gloomily, “After reaching here, I regret it even more. A hurricane in Songyang nearly killed me!”

At this point he finally managed to squeeze out tears.

“Prince He, you have suffered,”

Prince Qing sighed sympathetically and handed him a handkerchief.

“Along the way, I kept thinking how to please Father the Emperor, how to make him change his mind…”

Behind him, Hong Ying and Song Cheng stared in astonishment as Lin Yi’s tears flowed more and more freely.

“Prince He, don’t cry, don’t cry…”

Prince Qing was somewhat at a loss.

If he weren’t truly aggrieved, how could he cry like this?

“Imperial Uncle, do you think my life is easy?”

Lin Yi sobbed. “Everyone knows Father doesn’t like me. I only want to give him a gift to make him happy. As long as I can return to the capital, I’ll pay any price! But all my personal funds were spent preparing to go to my fief. I am truly short of money. When I saw Imperial Uncle’s poems, I was delighted—if Father saw them and became happy, wouldn’t I have a chance?”

“So that’s it!”

Prince Qing suddenly understood and burst out laughing.

“Prince He, such a small matter—why didn’t you say so earlier? Though my finances are not abundant, I can still offer a little help. I will contribute twenty thousand taels as a token of goodwill.”

He even began to feel a little sympathy for this Prince He.

After all, he was still a child.

Lin Yi said indignantly, “Imperial Uncle, do you think I said all this to ask you for money? Do not look down on me! Though I may be down on my luck now, not to mention twenty thousand—even fifty thousand taels I could produce!”

He looked exactly like an impulsive, hot-blooded youth.

Prince Qing laughed heartily. “You misunderstand. Hearing your heartfelt words moved me deeply. Since the goal is to please His Majesty, the greater the gesture, the better. How about this—I will give eighty thousand taels.”

Lin Yi stamped his foot. “Imperial Uncle! You truly look down on me, trying to insult me with such filthy money! Do you think I couldn’t raise eighty thousand by selling my belongings?”

With a snort, he turned his head away and drained another cup of wine in wounded pride.

“Prince He, don’t be angry—anger harms the body,”

Prince Qing was even more pleased. Dealing with such a young hothead was entirely within his control.

“To tell you the truth, I also have my own motives. All these years in Qingyuan City, I’ve had no way to show loyalty to His Majesty. If I present a gift directly, His Majesty might reciprocate even more generously. I will give one hundred thousand taels—through your hands—to express my loyalty.”

“Really?”

Lin Yi asked doubtfully.

“Of course.”

“No,”

Lin Yi refused at once. “I still think Imperial Uncle’s poems are more valuable than a hundred thousand taels.”

Then he muttered almost inaudibly, “How could I take Imperial Uncle’s money? Have I no shame?”

Prince Qing heard clearly and said earnestly, “Prince He, please do not refuse again. One hundred and fifty thousand taels—I only hope you will fulfill this old subject’s sincere loyalty to His Majesty.”

While Lin Yi hesitated, a thick stack of banknotes was already forced into his hands.

Prince Qing turned to Hong Ying. “Come help your prince.”

Hong Ying stepped forward, and the money naturally ended up in his own arms.

Lin Yi was left sitting there, sighing gloomily, looking thoroughly dejected.

Prince Qing, however, was delighted. Money could not only make ghosts push millstones—it could also shut a prince’s mouth.

“Prince He, there is one matter I do not understand. What was this business about assassins?”

Lin Yi sighed. “The hurricane in Songyang was severe; many died or were injured. I barely escaped with my life and was still in shock. When I reached the gate, the guards not only refused me entry but left me waiting, even sending scouts to investigate. In a moment of anger, I naturally had to show them my authority.”

He added frankly, “Ah, I’ve made a fool of myself before Imperial Uncle. It would be best not to let this spread. If Father hears, he’ll certainly be displeased and blame me for disturbing you.”

Prince Qing patted his chest happily. “Rest assured, Prince He. What happened today—only you and I know, and heaven and earth know.”

For a time, host and guest were both thoroughly satisfied.