IDWBE -Chapter 569 Cultivating One’s Temperament

Both of them were still angry, and even after drinking it all in one gulp, they felt lingering resentment.

Especially Mei Jingzhi!

He was an old minister from the Yongguang era. It was thanks to his loyalty and service that Emperor Delong could ascend the throne smoothly! Afterwards, he fought in campaigns north and south for decades, achieving brilliant military feats. And yet today, he was humiliated by Lin Yi, a mere greenhorn!

He couldn’t accept it!

From any perspective, this so-called Prince He wasn’t someone fit to rule the world!

Forget about literary talent or military strategy—after all, the founding emperor Lin Baozhi was nothing extraordinary either, just a cowherd. By comparison, he himself was far superior in background.

But those who achieve great things in history not only have extraordinary talent but also unyielding willpower.

And Prince He?

Comparing him to Lin Baozhi in terms of perseverance and determination was an insult to the latter!

As for discernment and tolerance toward others—what a joke!

Look at Shi Quan before him, how humble he looked in front of Prince He.

Was this befitting a high-ranking official?

Even Emperor Delong, at this moment, would surely offer kind words to reassure and show the magnanimity of a wise ruler.

But Prince He?

What’s with that sideways glance?

This is dog meat; it doesn’t belong on stage!

“Sit, sit,” Lin Yi said warmly, “I mean no offense. As the saying goes, the speaker bears no guilt, and the listener can take it as caution—just speaking frankly with you all.”

Even Yang Changchun’s mouth twitched involuntarily this time.

“The speaker bears no guilt, the listener can take it as caution”—could that really be used like this?

Shameless!

The thickness of this face probably even surpasses Emperor Delong!

At least the emperor would mask it a little.

Yet Yang Changchun still said politely, though insincerely, “I shall heed the Regent Prince’s instructions with care.”

“Northwest mutton is still the best, you all should try more of it,” Lin Yi glanced at Yang Changchun and smiled, “Don’t hold back, Minister Yang. Eat well, drink well.”

Now, he was genuinely a bit confused about Yang Changchun.

If he was loyal to Emperor Delong, why did he follow Prince Yong around, serving diligently, and end up like this?

If he wasn’t loyal, then back when Lin Yi led troops into Ankang City, this man and his uncle Yuan Qing kowtowed in front of Emperor Delong, bleeding from head to toe, insisting on punishing this “traitor” to death.

Truly the most loyal minister in the world.

And his temperament was unpredictable—he often advised Emperor Delong bluntly, yet in front of Lin Yi, he suddenly became obsequious.

No trace of his usual combative nature.

Could it be that he truly had a turtle-like spirit?

“Thank you, Regent Prince.”

Hearing Lin Yi’s words, Yang Changchun felt like he was eating his own beheading meal.

Lin Yi continued, “Last time, General Yang said you wished to remain in Jinzhou?”

Yang Changchun hurriedly replied, “I hope Your Highness grants your favor.”

“My word is absolute. Whatever I promise you will not change,” Lin Yi put down the chopsticks with peanuts, “But there’s one thing—you must agree to a task of mine.”

Yang Changchun hastily cupped his hands, “Please, Regent Prince, command me.”

“Jinzhou has just been pacified, everything is in disarray. We need someone of your literary and martial talent. Currently, Jinzhou is plagued by bandits gathering in groups, robbing travelers and doing all kinds of evil, seriously disturbing the peace and prosperity of Jinzhou. I vow to let these lawless scoundrels taste the iron fist of the people,”

Lin Yi stood up and stared at Yang Changchun, “I will petition my father to appoint you Vanguard Against Rebellion, leading Jinzhou’s constables to suppress the bandits. What say you, General Yang?”

This was a spontaneous idea after seeing Yang Changchun.

Originally, he planned to have Shen Chu’s troops handle the task, but on reflection, the army was too valuable to deploy casually—it could cause panic.

Besides, suppressing bandits was naturally the constables’ duty.

Yang Changchun was capable, so Lin Yi wanted him to train a dedicated constable force to maintain peace in Jinzhou.

Everyone else, except Shen Chu and Shi Quan, was stunned.

“Peace and prosperity? When has Jinzhou ever had that? And the ‘iron fist of the people’? What nonsense is that?”

No one explained.

“I am dull; I humbly await the Regent Prince’s instruction,” Yang Changchun was completely bewildered.

Vanguard Against Rebellion? What kind of official is that?

And leading constables?

“The Vanguard Against Rebellion, as the name implies, is to suppress rebels—beat them so thoroughly their parents wouldn’t recognize them,” Lin Yi paced back and forth, hands behind his back, “That’s the situation. As for the details… we’ll see as we go.”

“Regent Prince is wise!”

Yang Changchun bitterly smiled.

Listening to the prince, it seemed like he hadn’t studied at all—both laughable and exasperating.

The rumors about Prince He being eccentric were true!

Then he heard Prince He continue slowly, “If you do well, I’ll make you Chief Constable of the Pingcheng Prefecture, a permanent civil post, no exams required.”

In Da Liang’s civil system, aside from generals, constables were one of the only two ironclad positions not requiring exams.

“Your grace, Regent Prince, I am most grateful!”

Yang Changchun forced a smile but inwardly ground his teeth in fury.

He, Yang Changchun, once commander of three armies, undefeated in hundreds of battles, a general whose name could silence children in the frontier, and now offered a mere chief constable position as charity?

How infuriating!

No knife in hand, he could only endure.

But thinking of his late wife, and four sons not yet able to carry the family line, he had to survive, nurturing his grandchildren.

“Ah, good, that’s understood,” Lin Yi patted his shoulder, pretending to be considerate, “Do not fail my expectations.”

“Yes.”

Yang Changchun felt like crying but had no words.

If you can’t speak, just don’t!

Someone like this holding supreme authority could be a disaster for the people!

Seeing Lin Yi glance at Mei Jingzhi, he finally relaxed, slowly sitting down, also staring at Mei Jingzhi—don’t just watch my jokes, the wheel of fortune turns, now it’s your turn.

He saw Prince He walk to Mei Jingzhi and pat his shoulder. Perhaps out of excitement or anger, Mei Jingzhi’s snowy white mustache twitched.

At this moment, Yang Changchun no longer felt schadenfreude, but a bit of sympathy.

This was Mei Jingzhi, broad-chested and invincible, once feared across the battlefield!

Back then, armies clashed, thousands fell under his blade, blood red over a thousand miles, even gods and demons trembled.

Even Emperor Delong respected him.

Prince He, patting him on the shoulder, was more like slapping his face.

With a sudden motion, Mei Jingzhi stood up, loudly declaring, “Regent Prince, give your orders, and I shall go through fire and water, willing to die a thousand deaths.”

“What dying? Not to that extent yet,” Lin Yi sat back down, lifting his teacup, eyes half-open, “Zhen Sanbei is your old subordinate. He’s now in the northern deserts, and you know him—sluggish, not efficient at all. You should send him a letter to reassure him.”

He didn’t kill Yang Changchun, simply because there was no great grudge.

He didn’t kill Mei Jingzhi, because this old man had deep roots in the army.

People leave, tea gets cold—natural law. People don’t leave, tea gets cold—that’s human nature.

Zhen Sanbei indeed went against expectations. After reportedly negotiating Pingcheng’s surrender and detaining Mei Jingzhi, he became lazy. This was unexpected.

Is loyalty and righteousness really that important?

Would offending him benefit Lin Yi?

For a moment, he wanted to have Zhen Sanbei executed.

But he calmed down.

Remembering the man’s skills and the Western barbarians to face later, killing him would be wasteful.

Da Liang should minimize internal strife; even the incompetent could be useful.

He wanted to unite all possible forces.

“Yes, by your order!”

Mei Jingzhi was stirred.

Zhen Sanbei had once been his personal guard!

He had trained him personally!

As expected, it didn’t disappoint!

Lin Yi said, “It’s cold; I won’t keep you any longer. Servants, escort them back.”

“I take my leave.”

Yang Changchun and Mei Jingzhi led the way out of the hall.

Lin Yi looked at a bewildered Shi Quan, smiling, “You’ve had a long journey; go rest. We’ll talk tomorrow if anything arises.”

“I take my leave.” Shi Quan left Prince Jin’s residence under the guidance of a servant.

At the door, he saw his carriage. His attendant, Liang Tian, was dozing on it, sleeves folded. He coughed heavily.

Liang Tian startled, jumped down, helped Shi Quan into the carriage, “Master, have you been drinking?”

“We’ll talk on the way.”

Shi Quan forbade further chatter.

Once in the carriage, it didn’t go far before stopping.

Liang Tian helped him down, smiling, “Master, Pingcheng isn’t much bigger than Baiyun City. I just took a casual round; didn’t take an hour.”

This was a reconnaissance of local geography, culture, and customs. Shi Quan was about to praise him when a group shouted, “Greetings, Minister of Finance!”

He looked up to see people kneeling before him.

Startled, he barked, “Stand up! Who told you to kneel?”

As a minister of finance, a first-rank official, he could command kneeling, but Prince He promoted fairness; no one, not even Prince He himself, was to be knelt to casually.

Seeing others follow suit, even He Jixiang and Hong Ying only had their disciples kneel according to etiquette.

Shi Quan was formerly a seventh-rank official, exiled for offending someone, then returned with Prince He, eventually holding a fourth-rank post in the bureaucracy.

To jump from fourth-rank to first-rank was rare historically.

He Jixiang and Xie Zan made it clear: not due to lack of people, but lack of trustworthy people.

They told him to be cautious in Jinzhou, not to disgrace Prince He.

The so-called upright “great families” were more like Prince He’s house-born sons, sharing in all gains and losses.

The attendant said hurriedly, “Master, these are Jinzhou prefecture officials, specially coming to greet you.”

The officials were confused—kneeling was a mistake?

“Stand!”

Shi Quan shouted, “Anyone kneeling to me from now on will not be spared!”

“Yes!”

They responded in unison, even more confused.

Still, they stood, layer by layer.

This minister was certainly strange.

Shi Quan strode into the office. An old gray-bearded man, likely a clerk, followed, chattering, “Master, our office has fifteen courtyards, over 170 rooms. Here is the Workhouse Six and main hall; ahead is the Criminal Court; behind are the Eastern and Western treasuries. Shall I take you to the rear?”

“Who are you?”

Shi Quan snorted.

“I am Tian, clerk of this office, master.”

“I see.”

As a former prefectural official, Shi Quan knew everything about the office, from grain transport to litigation.

He could judge sharply: “Not one good man among the clerks.”

Any good man couldn’t survive in this corrupt place.

Seeing the dilapidated chambers, gray skies, he followed the clerk, passing the flower hall, looked in at the women playing and singing, and asked, “What’s this about?”

Perhaps he hadn’t been a good man before, but now he just wanted to be.

Jinzhou had decayed so much; this was intolerable.

He had to restrain the urge to chop off their heads.

The clerk quickly said, “Master, as you’re new, we meant it as a small gesture.”

“Dismissed.”

Shi Quan sighed, walking on without looking back.

Evening came.

Snow began to fall.

Lin Yi, guided by Prince Jin, entered the warm room, fully revived; the wine in his hand no longer felt cold.

“Good of you to care,” After the meal, Mei Jingzhi and Yang Changchun left; even Prince Nanling didn’t linger.

Prince Jin shamelessly asked to stay, under the pretense: to lead him to the warm room.

Prince Jin could only laugh and cry.

“To serve the Regent Prince gives me great comfort,” After hesitating, the Prince Jin finally said, “In this warm room, spring blossoms, fine wine, and dishes abound, but there’s no music. I find it incomplete.”

“What do you suggest?”

Lin Yi asked casually.

“My concubine, Suxin, as you’ve seen, is a music expert. I dare request her to perform for you, Prince He.”

Prince Jin lowered his head.

“Approved.”

Lin Yi, drunk with spirit, shouted.

The warm room, unable to sleep anyway, might as well enjoy some music and cultivate one’s temperament.