IDWBE -Chapter 439 Smog

No matter what, He Jixiang still left incense burning for the Fu family—he didn’t completely wipe them out.

In truth, he envied Chen Yan even more. Just because Chen Yan had once served as Prince Regent’s lecture officer, he was automatically granted respect and deference from Prince Regent!

He Jixiang and the others had no choice but to yield to him at every turn.

So, not to mention killing Chen Yan, even mistreating him was difficult, for it would damage Prince Regent’s reputation.

Reputation—something intangible, unseen—but absolutely necessary.

“Lord Gan!”

Chen Yan said angrily, “The Grand Tutor treated you well! How can you speak such words now, when life and death are at stake?”

Gan Mao’s old face flushed, and he sighed. “Lord Chen, if you had any honor, you would have gone to the execution ground today to remonstrate with Prince Regent in person, rather than making things difficult for me here.”

He was genuinely angry! He had said all the reasonable things, but it was useless! Who was he embarrassing here?

If you have the ability, go make a scene at Wang’s mansion! Shouting here achieves nothing. Is this picking on soft targets? And he wasn’t soft!

He, Gan Mao, was the Minister of Revenue!

“You—”

Chen Yan’s old face reddened as he sighed. “But… Lord Fu may have erred, yet it doesn’t warrant destroying the entire family!”

Gan Mao replied, “Lord Chen, treason threatens the state. Is that not enough to wipe out a whole family? Not executing the nine clans is already a mercy from Lord He.”

Chen Yan sighed long and deep, unable to argue further—he had to admit Gan Mao was right.

Prince Regent, nominally the Regency Prince, was in reality the true ruler.

Fu Yin had committed outright treason!

If one were truly calculating, the entire nine clans should have been exterminated.

He Jixiang had only executed the male members of the Fu family, sparing the women and children—a truly merciful act.

“All right, enough talk,” He Jixiang said with a small smile. “I’ll take full responsibility. Send the horses—go to Wang’s mansion.”

Night deepened.

The cold wind rose.

Lin Yi sat in the guest hall, tightening his robe, then stood and moved closer to the brazier, rubbing his hands together. “Rule by law, empty talk. Fu Yin was a high official—killed on a whim. A bit hasty, don’t you think?”

Chen Desheng, kneeling beside He Jixiang, glanced at him. Seeing He Jixiang with his head bowed and eyes closed for a long while, he grew slightly anxious and whispered, “Lord He?”

He Jixiang was old! Often falling asleep at inopportune times! He had to give a gentle reminder.

“Prince Regent,” He Jixiang suddenly spoke, “This execution serves as a warning to all, officials and commoners alike. That is the best strategy. I hope Your Highness takes note!”

“Killing is already done, what’s left to say?”

Lin Yi yawned. “Next time, just inform me beforehand. No need for so much bloodshed.”

He admitted that He Jixiang was right.

But to issue an order that wiped out an entire family was still terrifying.

Sometimes, it was hard to accept.

Hard to accept, and then what? He couldn’t argue with He Jixiang using his own ideals.

The great revision of the Liang Code had already stirred much debate—saying anything untimely would be deemed “sowing confusion.”

To be half a step ahead of the times makes one a genius; one step ahead, a wise ruler; two steps, a madman.

He couldn’t be sure that overreaching wouldn’t get him dissected by people like He Jixiang.

Sometimes, one had to learn to “go with the flow,” especially with officials like He Jixiang, who, once ordered, executed entire families without hesitation.

Who lived or died didn’t affect whether one could be a “wise ruler,” a “loyal minister,” or a “good general.”

“Understood!”

He Jixiang laughed, genuinely pleased. Prince Regent still listened to advice!

Lin Yi waved impatiently. “Rise. No need to kneel—I bear no ill will toward you.”

He Jixiang’s health was declining. Lin Yi sometimes had to speak softly—if he startled him, he might die!

His death would be bad, but worse would be leaving a mess with no one competent to handle it.

There were many capable officials, but few worthy of trust.

These old men were close in age; perhaps one dies today, another batch tomorrow. One could not let anyone set a precedent.

“Thank you, Prince Regent.”

With Chen Desheng’s help, He Jixiang shakily stood, then sat in a chair nearby.

Lin Yi said, “Send some cakes to the two elders, fill their stomachs, make a night snack. Don’t let them go hungry.”

He Jixiang hurriedly replied, “Prince Regent, I fear I cannot digest much food, so I dare not eat too much.”

“It’s fine. Eat more, drink less tea,”

Lin Yi smiled. “Even if tea, stick to green or lightly roasted tea. Avoid brick or compressed tea—it isn’t good for health.”

In both his past and current lives, he liked fermented teas.

Before, he tried buying from big factories to avoid hair, seeds, or feathers.

Now, he drank tribute teas—the finest in the land.

The mountain men handled it carefully, no debris mixed in, but bacterial overgrowth was still possible.

For safety, he drank sparingly.

Thus, he advised He Jixiang and Chen Desheng to drink more green tea, less fully fermented tea, or at most half-fermented.

“Prince Regent, roasted tea irritates the stomach; I cannot consume it,” He Jixiang sighed. “A little less fermented tea is no problem.”

“So many matters at hand, without you, I’d really be lost. I rely entirely on you,” Lin Yi spoke candidly. “Mr. He, Mr. Chen, don’t skimp or overwork yourselves. Eat well, drink well. If necessary, take a few more beautiful wives—I’ll pretend I didn’t see. Keep your spirits high, continue to shine for the revolution of our Liang Kingdom.”

Chen Desheng and He Jixiang were moved to tears by Prince Regent’s recognition.

The phrase “take more wives” at the end, however, extinguished their fiery excitement.

What did he mean, take more wives? They didn’t even have one!

Feeling helpless, they saw Lin Yi had nothing more to say and carefully withdrew.

After they left, Lin Yi paced out of the hall, looked at the thin mist under the faint moonlight, and coughed twice.

Who says the air in ancient times was always pure, free of smog?

Ankang City was a large city of nearly a million people.

People must eat, drink, defecate, and cook!

Countless woodcutter stalls and coal vendors supplied fuel for residents.

Coal vendors sold charcoal and anthracite coal.

At night, the sky would be gray and hazy.

Though it was nighttime, the autumn chill and recent harvest meant more fires burning for warmth; many households kept heated beds burning all night.

Coupled with severe dust storms, the air was nearly unbreathable!

He suddenly wished he could stay in the palace.

The palace always burned smokeless coal, and its large size meant little effect from the smog.

But it was just a thought.

His father and the Crown Prince still lived in the palace. One mountain cannot house two tigers—let alone three!

He had no reason to go to the palace casually—Wang’s mansion was safe enough.

But inhaling smog every day wasn’t healthy either.

Should he ban the burning of straw, wood, charcoal, and coal? He feared rebellion.

He could forbid cutting trees, but not prevent people from using fuel to cook.

If people couldn’t use fuel to cook, what good would a ruler like him be?

Ah, what a dilemma!

“Prince Regent.”

Mingyue saw him cough and gently massaged his back.

Lin Yi coughed, refused the offered tea, and sighed. “I’m too full of water. Likely Sanhe is the same—won’t be much better than here.”

Baiyun City had once been rich in forests, but after he became the regional lord, the population surged.

People burned forests—either to clear land or to make charcoal.

Lin Yi despised the devastation of the mountains. By the time he realized, all but Baiyun Mountain within a hundred li were stripped bare.

Sinful!

Now, Sanhe was at the peak of land clearing and charcoal-making activity—smoke everywhere.

“Prince Regent, I heard from Hong An that Lord Shan Qi issued new regulations prohibiting forest clearing around Baiyun City,”

Mingyue smiled. “This year should be much better than previous years.”

Lin Yi nodded in relief, then asked, “Has she bathed yet?”

“Prince Regent,” Mingyue glanced at his expression cautiously. “Though the princess is trained in martial arts, she hasn’t completed her confinement. She’s still weak—perhaps—”

“Perhaps what?”

Lin Yi snapped, “Even you think I’d harm her?”

Without antibiotics, getting wet could cause infections; he understood postpartum precautions.

But Hu Miaoyi already smelled sour and foul!

A simple bath with boiled warm water, no wounds, shouldn’t cause major issues.

Yet others thought he was being too harsh.

Even Chen Xilian and Yan Hong, who highly respected his medical methods, disagreed.

Mingyue smiled and said, “Prince Regent, the princess will soon finish confinement. No need to rush.”

Lin Yi sighed, “Fine. Good horse, good legs. Good person, good mouth. She herself isn’t afraid of the smell—why should I meddle and invite suspicion?”

Hu Miaoyi’s chamber was brightly lit; Yan Hong and Chen Xilian stood by the bed.

Lin Yi waved them off. “No need for formalities. You know I hate this.”

Kneeling would require telling them to rise.

Speaking was exhausting. Not speaking would make them think they erred—too nerve-wracking, maybe even causing heart trouble. Too inhumane.

Best for him: don’t let them kneel. Everyone relaxed.

“Thank you, Prince Regent.”

Chen Xilian and Yan Hong said in unison.

Lin Yi stayed far from Hu Miaoyi, afraid of the sour smell. When Zixia brought the child, he lifted the blanket, checked the elbow, and smiled. “Eczema subsided. Garlic extract applied today—don’t use it tomorrow.”

He grew up in an orphanage, seeing all sorts of skin ailments.

Little eczema was nothing to him.

The main issue: no antibiotics. Making sulfa and penicillin the old-fashioned way was unscientific.

So he made garlic extract himself—simple, and effective against fungi.

“Prince Regent is wise.”

Chen Xilian and Yan Hong admired him even more.

They knew of garlic extract, but didn’t realize it had such use!

Lin Yi waved. “It’s late. Go rest.”

“Yes.”

They bowed and left.

Lin Yi looked at Mingyue. “Once confinement ends, let her shower, not use a wooden tub.”

Mingyue nodded. “Prince Regent, don’t worry. I understand, infection can be avoided.”

“Mm.”

After checking on the child, he left the room.

Hu Miaoyi watched his figure fade, unclenched her jaw, and tears slipped from her eyes.

Zixia whispered, “Princess, don’t cry—it’s bad for your health.”

She understood why Hu Miaoyi cried.

Since entering with Prince Regent, he hadn’t properly looked at the princess.

But the pitiful must also be blameworthy—she had no sympathy.

They had been good to Prince Regent; she didn’t appreciate it and constantly angered him.

To them, Prince Regent not ruining her was already a blessing.

“I’m fine,” Hu Miaoyi sighed. “Prepare warm water—I want to bathe and change.”

“Your Highness—”

Zixia was startled by her sudden resolve.

Hu Miaoyi smiled. “I can’t stand this sour smell myself, let alone Prince Regent. Quickly, add some mugwort.”

“Yes.”

Zixia handed the child to the nurse and hurried to prepare.

“This weather’s really getting colder,” Sun Cheng sat in the side chamber, watching Liang Yuanzhi across from him. “You little southern barbarians, if you can’t stand the cold, wear more clothes. You, in particular, wear too little.”

“I’m ninth rank.”

“…”

Sun Cheng lowered his head and sighed. “No wonder Prince Regent said you excel in both civil and military affairs.”

His brother Sun Chongde had once listed people the Sun family couldn’t provoke—Liang Yuanzhi was one of them.

Liang Yuanzhi was a native of Baiyun City, distant relative of the wealthy merchant Liang Gen, and the favorite disciple of Xie Zan, now a seventh-rank official.

Both were the same age; Sun Cheng was just a gatekeeper.

As the old saying in Sanhe goes: comparing oneself to others kills.