IDWBE -Chapter 356 Don’t Want to Work Hard Anymore

Lin Yi’s forehead relaxed even more under Mingyue’s hands, and he couldn’t help but sing, “I just want a simple life, find a rich lady, don’t want to struggle anymore. She buys me a BMW, builds me a mansion.”

“Prince, what kind of lyrics are those? Too strange,”

Mingyue burst out laughing, bending forward and back, almost wanting to ask which woman in the world could even afford him.

The Regent Prince of Liang, master of the Nine Provinces!

“Simplicity is truly the best. I heard that in the far western lands, there’s a queen, stunningly beautiful, with countless jewels on her crown. In short, she’s extremely rich. Compared to her, I feel inferior,”

Lin Yi mused. “If I went to ask her to be my patron, would she agree?”

He didn’t know if this world had a British-style queen, but he knew there must be queens somewhere.

Any queen should hardly be poor, right? One must have hope.

“Prince, with your heavenly presence, any queen in the far west, if she dares to be blind to you, I’ll send someone to cure her eyes,”

He Hong teased. “Just hope the big ship can reach there—if it does, that’s perfect.”

Zixia said, “Why couldn’t it reach? When I was in Sanhe, I heard the natives of the southern seas say that those big-nosed foreigners came from the far west. If they could come, we can go too. Prince, rest assured, though I’m just a woman, I am no less capable than any man. If you command it, no matter how far, I will go to meet this queen for you.”

He Hong laughed, “Miss Zixia, that won’t work. Sailors and boatmen won’t allow women on board. Unless you know how to sail yourself, the far western lands are unreachable.”

“Wasn’t Du Yinnian a woman?”

Zixia protested, “If Du Yinnian could sail the ship, why can’t I?”

He Hong was momentarily speechless.

Zixia proudly said, “See? You can’t even answer. Maybe in the future, the seas will belong to women.”

“You have spirit, miss,”

He Hong reluctantly complimented.

A hen ruling the roost? Unless all the men in the world were dead.

“Life is hard in three ways: rowing boats, forging iron, grinding tofu. Sailing isn’t simple—it’s not for ordinary people,” Lin Yi yawned. “So don’t boast. Leave sailing to professionals like Tian Shiyou and Du Sanhe. You three should rest early.”

“Prince is wise.”

He Hong, Zixia, and Mingyue said in unison.

Lin Yi glanced at Jiao Zhong and asked, “Wasn’t the Yuan household open today? There’s been no news yet.”

Jiao Zhong replied, “Reporting, Prince. Early this morning, Lady Xue led the women of the household to the Huguo Temple to offer incense, praying for the Yuan family members in the army.”

Curious, Lin Yi asked, “How many Yuan family members are in the army now?”

Though the Yuans were his maternal family, he didn’t know them much better than anyone else.

The only ones he knew well were the women—his mother often summoned them to the palace, so his cousins were familiar to him. The male cousins, he had met only a few times. Some uncles he didn’t even recognize.

Jiao Zhong looked awkwardly at He Hong, since as a guard, he wouldn’t know these details.

He Hong replied with a smile, “The first, third, and fourth sons, and the eldest grandson of the pillar of the state, went north with him twenty years ago and died on the battlefield. Now the second son, General Yuan Qing, commands troops with fellow Yuan scions, totaling probably over ten men. The rear forces in the capital are commanded by Yuan Zhen, with seven Yuan family men. When we entered Ankang City, they fought to the death under him, were injured by General Shen Chu, and imprisoned in the Tingwei Bureau. General He Jixiang tried to persuade them thrice as per your orders, but they spat insults. They are men of iron will—truly admirable.”

Lin Yi snorted, “Iron will? That’s blind loyalty. If not for my mother, I wouldn’t feed them or provide for them daily—that’s money down the drain.”

He couldn’t understand why Yuan Ang and Mei Jingzhi’s families differed so much in devotion.

Mei Jingzhi had poured her heart out for the Seventh Prince of Nanling!

He Hong continued, “The seventh son of the Pillar of the State is far away in Chuanzhou, now its commander.”

Lin Yi laughed bitterly, “Truly generous imperial favor. My father hasn’t wronged the Yuan family at all. Back then, in court, the pillar should have sacrificed himself for the state, cursing me all the while. I couldn’t see his loyalty, but it made me seem magnanimous.”

He was clearly kind—helping the elderly, returning lost money—but still, few treated him well, including his own relatives.

He Hong said with a smile, “The pillar is old and senile; naturally, he can’t understand your intentions, Prince.”

Lin Yi thought for a moment and said, “Release Yuan Zhen. He’s my uncle, so I should show some goodwill. If they remain stubborn, I won’t hold back later. First, let Yuan Zhen eat well, drink well, restore his spirits, and in a few days, the Empress must be informed.”

In short, he was doing it for his mother.

Now that she was in Ankang City, it was better to release his uncle proactively than wait for her to intervene. The attitude had to be right—nothing should upset her.

“He is wise, Prince,” He Hong replied.

That afternoon, Yuan Zhen was transferred from the dark, sunless Tingwei Bureau prison to the better conditions of the Ankang Prefecture Office. He bathed, changed clothes, got a private room, and enjoyed three meals of fine food and wine.

Everyone knew this was a head-spared feast!

Even the two prison guards felt sorry for this brave general.

Speaking of this general, everyone in Ankang City admired him!

And now, he’s heading to the execution block?

Good men really don’t live long!

“General, drink a little more,” A thin, forty-something prison guard poured wine, tears streaming down his face uncontrollably.