Chapter 29: From a Position of Superiority

"It was Jin'er!"

"The memorial submitted by Liu Jin only reached His Majesty this morning!"

Liu Ju took a long time to steady his emotions, suppressing the shock within, before speaking to Gongsun He.

"Good heavens!!!"

Gongsun He exclaimed aloud, his face filled with extreme shock and disbelief. During today's morning court session, the officials had glanced at one another, each harboring their own hidden thoughts. Which faction hadn't been secretly speculating about the identity of the person who had earned such high regard from His Majesty? He had been no exception.

Yet, he never imagined it would be Liu Jin.

It seems the relationship between Jin'er and the Old Master is growing closer by the day; the Old Master is placing more and more importance on this imperial grandson! He had turned a blind eye to the Crown Prince’s remonstrances, yet he held this imperial grandson's memorial in such high esteem.

Gongsun He cast a sympathetic look toward the Crown Prince.

Liu Ju looked at him in confusion, not understanding the meaning behind his uncle-in-law's gaze, which seemed to carry a hint of sorrow and pity.

"Good! Good, excellent!"

Gongsun He said, "To break the impasse using Jin'er—His Majesty's wisdom is truly profound!"

Originally, fearing the threat posed by the Crown Prince, Emperor Wu of Han had been unwilling to grant tax exemptions, as he felt cornered by Liu Ju’s pressure. By choosing to resolve the deadlock through Liu Jin's memorial, he could grant the tax relief to boost his own imperial reputation without allowing the common people to attribute the credit to the Crown Prince, Liu Ju.

Regardless of who he favors, Liu Ju and Liu Jin are father and son. If the Old Master isn't too fond of the elder, it’s fine as long as he cares for the younger one. They are both from the Crown Prince's palace anyway; what difference does it make? Gongsun He lost himself in thought for a moment.

Liu Ju squinted, soon feeling relieved, and smiled. "So that’s the reason. I actually thought Jin'er's memorial was so well-written that it earned the Old Master's praise. It turns out the Old Master simply wanted to grant tax relief but couldn't do it in my name, so he made Jin'er submit the memorial."

"That explains everything. So, it doesn't matter whether the memorial was well-written or not, haha. Come to think of it, how could a brat like him write a decent memorial anyway!"

After all, as Liu Jin's father, he still wanted to keep him grounded to prevent him from becoming arrogant.

Gongsun He replied, "That's not entirely true. Sang Hongyang and the others said the writing in Jin'er's memorial was also excellent!"

Liu Ju: "..."

He awkwardly changed the subject. "Uncle-in-law, why do I get the feeling that Father's attitude toward Jin'er has become somewhat ambiguous?"

"Is it because Jin'er's persistence moved Father?"

Gongsun He said mysteriously, "Isn't this a good thing?"

Liu Ju nodded. "Indeed, it is a good thing!"

Thinking this way, he stopped overthinking it. In any case, this was highly beneficial for the Crown Prince's palace and might make some petty individuals hold the palace in a bit more awe.

"Alright, I'm reassured." Gongsun He waved his hand. "I shall take my leave."

"I will see you out, uncle-in-law."

...

In the backyard of the Crown Prince's palace.

"Mother, this is for brushing teeth, not for brushing boots."

Liu Jin was instructing his mother on how to use a toothbrush.

Consort Shi only then realized it, and said with a smile, "Do you think Mother doesn't know that?"

"Then tell me, Mother, can it be used to brush boots?"

Liu Jin: "...I suppose it could."

Consort Shi shrugged, "There you go."

Liu Jin rubbed his forehead. He suddenly felt that his parents were truly a perfect match—one was a neat freak, and the other was incredibly stubborn.

"But that doesn't hinder my son's excellence!" Consort Shi said proudly. "Son, you are Mother's pride."

"Don't look at this as just a small toothbrush; no one else could have thought of it. What does this indicate?"

"It indicates that the people of the world are not as clever as my son, and only my son is willing to use his brains to think about such things."

"If a commoner had invented this small toothbrush, they could live without worry for food or clothing; if a merchant had invented it, they could make a small fortune. But since my son invented it, it benefits the country and the people."

Liu Jin blushed. He truly hadn't expected his mother to elevate a mere toothbrush to the level of benefiting the country and the people. As expected, when a mother looks at her son, she always thinks he is the best in the world.

"Jin'er, come over here quickly, my son."

Liu Ju walked over from a distance, interrupting his wife's endless praise of their son. This drew a roll of the eyes from her, but she didn't say anything more; after all, there were likely important matters between father and son, and it was better for a woman like her not to interfere.

"What is it, Father?" Liu Jin asked curiously. Thinking of something, he added, "Did something go wrong with the memorial?"

Liu Ju smiled and said, "Nothing went wrong. Your grandfather has followed your suggestion and exempted the agricultural taxes for the three commanderies most severely affected by the disaster. Although it doesn't cover the entire Guanzhong region, it is already excellent."

As he spoke, he bent down, patted the hem of Liu Jin's robe, and then went to wash his hands nearby.

"It seems your persistence truly moved your grandfather. This is a stroke of fortune. Thanks to you, I shouldn't have urged you to give up your persistence."

Liu Jin was also a bit surprised, thinking to himself that the old man in the Weiyang Palace was truly unfathomable.

"Ah."

"Father, is it possible that the Imperial Grandfather wanted to grant the tax exemption himself, but because you had pressured him with your previous memorial, he had me submit one so he could issue the edict in his own name? That way, the people would be grateful to him?"

Liu Ju's smile grew wider. "My son... is clever! You grasped it instantly!"

The two felt smug, believing they had successfully guessed the mind of Emperor Wu of Han.

Liu Ju stood with his hands behind his back, looking up at the sky, filled with concern for the country and the people. "To be able to let the people have a moment of rest—this is truly a delightful thing."

If anyone else had said this, Liu Jin would have thought it hypocritical, but he didn't think that of his father. He was a crown prince who genuinely cared for the people.

"Father, enjoy your reflections. I'm going out of the palace for a stroll."

Liu Jin waved his hand and left the Changle Palace.

He walked aimlessly along Hengmen Street. The commoners must have already learned that His Majesty had exempted the taxes for the three commanderies of Chang'an for the second half of the year. He could hear them discussing it in the streets and alleys, their faces beaming with satisfied smiles.

"Go to the western suburbs to see the coal mountain," Liu Jin instructed his servant, then mounted his horse and rode slowly toward the western suburbs. Passing by the ironworks of Zuofufeng, he sat high upon his horse and caught sight of Tian Guinong, the iron-smelting official of Zuofufeng, who was passing by.

Tian Guinong was being escorted by government officials toward him. The light in his eyes had faded, replaced by pure terror. Having been caught by the cruel official Du Zhou, he already knew his fate—how could he not be afraid?

He looked up and saw the young nobleman sitting high upon his horse, staring down at him without a word. When their eyes met, Liu Jin looked away, his expression indifferent, and he rode on, eyes fixed straight ahead.

Tian Guinong’s throat moved. Anyone who could ride a horse in the Han capital must be wealthy or noble; perhaps he could beg for mercy? But the other party clearly didn't give him the chance.

Tian Guinong knew this was the young man's retaliation for the disrespect he had shown, and the greed he had displayed, when he had sold him the coal.