IDWBE -Chapter 327 Going Through the Motions

“Transporting the grain is the business of the Liang and Wang families. What does it have to do with us?”

Wang Xiaoshuan said casually.

“Not so fast. The north’s already short on food. I heard the soldiers complaining this morning—eating sweet potatoes every day, the smell from their… well, let’s just say it’s strong. They’ll probably have to pull more supplies from the south. If manpower runs short, don’t be surprised if they conscript us,” Sun Quazi said, puffing on his pipe.

His words were amusing, and the others couldn’t help but laugh.

Wang Xiaoshuan said, “You old man, you really know nothing. Tian Shiyou and Ge Laoshan’s merchant ships, plus Zhang Mian’s navy vessels, are all heading north with food. The caravans go east. Once they reach Jizhou, they can receive the supplies directly. No need to fetch them from the south at all.”

Sun Quazi said, “Jizhou isn’t our territory. You think we can just go in?”

“As long as us Sanhe men want to go somewhere, can anyone stop us?”

Wang Xiaoshuan said proudly, “Which lousy bastard would dare block us? Try it and we’ll beat him to death! Besides, General Kuang Daxiang of Jizhou is dead, the soldiers there are scattered. Who else can stop us?”

Huang Daoji waved his hand. “This is such a trivial matter, is it worth arguing over? If the food really comes through the sea, that’s perfect. But what worries me is the canal guild interfering. I’ve seen their arrogance firsthand—they’re all overbearing. I had only a small load, yet they forcibly took two taels of silver from me.”

Zhu Ruorong snorted. “Just watch. With the Prince’s temperament, he’ll deal with them sooner or later. Let them have their fun for now—too many people rely on that food. If you touch one person, a whole bunch go hungry. The world’s chaotic enough already; no need to make it worse for ourselves.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. There was no way the Prince would tolerate nonsense.

Wang Xiaoshuan looked at Li Sanniang and grinned. “This afternoon, your two guys had some nerve—daring to grab silver from the chests. Getting their asses beaten? Deserved it.”

“Stop bringing up these annoying matters. None of you men are worth a damn—always causing trouble. Not only do I lose face, I have to carry them out, treat their injuries, feed them, take care of… everything. It costs a fortune.”

Li Sanniang’s team had mostly women at first, but after the attack in Jinling City, she began hiring more men. Surprisingly, men were much harder to manage than women.

All of them were unruly, with few obedient ones.

“That’s because you’re too soft-hearted,” Zhu Ruorong said with a laugh. “On this trip back, we opened everything that needed opening—leave less trouble behind.”

Li Sanniang sighed. “True enough.”

The group drank and chatted, finishing two more jars of wine without realizing it.

There was only one bed. Li Sanniang took it without hesitation. The others sprawled on the table or the floor, making do.

Distantly, the sound of the night-watch drums could be heard.

The next day.

Before dawn, Lin Yi was woken by Xiao Xizi.

Annoyed, Lin Yi said, “Even sleeping, you have to bother me?”

“Prince, the palace gates have opened. It’s time for morning court.”

Xiao Xizi was exasperated. He had come three times already. If Lin Yi kept sleeping, he’d miss the court entirely.

But He Jixiang had repeatedly instructed that attending court was mandatory.

At the very least, he had to go through the motions in front of the officials.

“Ugh.”

Lin Yi could only get up reluctantly.

He stretched, sent Xiao Xizi aside, brushed his teeth, washed his face, and put on his robe.

After eating quickly, he got into the carriage. It was still dark outside.

The palace gates hadn’t opened yet.

Many ministers were already waiting at the entrance.

As Lin Yi’s carriage arrived, the gates swung open. Without stopping, the carriage drove straight in.

Yawning, Lin Yi said, “So many people… have all my relatives come?”

Over two hundred years since the kingdom’s founding, there were countless imperial relatives. Although his father had executed many, many still remained.

Xiao Xizi said, “All have come, Prince.”

Civil and military officials, along with nobles, lined up in a long row, following Lin Yi’s carriage into the palace.

Once inside the Golden Throne Hall, Lin Yi looked at the candles and sighed. “Court starts too early. Most people can’t handle it.”

Exhausted from standing, he sat on the steps, holding a teacup, watching officials slowly enter.

The officials felt nervous under his gaze, heads lowered, avoiding eye contact.

Yesterday, they had returned home, shocked to learn that the Prince’s troops had attacked the city without internal support.

Ankang City, an ancient capital for four dynasties, had been besieged countless times over a thousand years, but only a handful of times breached directly.

High walls, deep moats—hardly easy to overcome.

But the Sanhe soldiers were different. They breached it in less than a morning. Unprecedented!

And once inside, neither the Imperial Guard nor the capital garrison could resist.

“Prince,”

Xiao Xizi whispered, “The Emperor has arrived.”

Lin Yi stood and turned.

Emperor Delong, assisted by He Lian, took his seat on the Dragon Throne.

“Long live the Emperor!”

The officials knelt and kowtowed three times.

Silence returned to the hall.

Lin Yi glanced at He Lian. He flinched, quickly unrolled the imperial edict, and read aloud:

“By the Mandate of Heaven, the Emperor decrees:
I have a righteous heir, humble yet virtuous, shaping grand plans, following the ancestral guidance.
With the Three Spirits watching, prosperity and stability shall last for all generations.
My ninth son, filial and kind, gentle and respectful, his deeds noble, his conduct exemplary—worthy of the ancient kings’ traditions.
I hereby appoint you as the Prince Regent.”

Amid Lin Yi’s constant yawns, He Lian finished the reading with trembling hands.

Now, what to do with the edict?

“I, your son, receive the decree. Long live the Emperor!”

Lin Yi shouted, stepped forward, took the edict, and tossed it to Xiao Xizi behind him.

Emperor Delong said, “I am tired.”

Lin Yi bowed. “Farewell, Your Majesty.”

“Long live the Emperor!”

The kneeling officials kowtowed again, watching the old emperor leave.

Lin Yi sat back on the steps, sipping tea once Xiao Xizi refilled it.

Clearing his throat, he said, “Everyone, we meet again.”

“Long live the Prince!”

The officials shouted again.

“Less ceremony, more sincerity,”

Lin Yi smiled. “Many of you know my nature—I never let grudges linger overnight.”

The officials were simultaneously shocked and amused.

This was the court! Shouldn’t one keep some decorum?

You repay every slight, yet say it aloud so casually?