A new sun rose in the east, the fresh snow in the capital had just begun to melt, and a thin layer of frost had formed on the eaves, reflecting the golden morning light.In the market, people came and went, horse-drawn carriages came and went, and the morning bell rang forty-nine times, waking up the entire city. It truly was a scene of peace and prosperity, a beautiful landscape of a flourishing nation.
After three months, You Miao finally managed to wake up early once, planning to turn over a new leaf and seriously attend school today. After breakfast, he sat in the carriage with an impatient look, swaying his way to the Taixue. However, when passing by Zhuque Bridge, he suddenly lost interest and ordered the driver to stop, saying he didn't want to go to school today and instead wanted to hang out with his friends.
The carriage arrived at Changlong West Alley. You Miao, with his legs crossed, saw that the main gate of the Prime Minister's residence was closed and the second gate was unmanned. He hesitated to knock, thinking it wouldn't be good if he happened to run into the Prime Minister. So, he had the carriage turn around and head towards the back gate, seeking Li Yan.
Only extremely close friends can use the back door of Li Yan's house. The servants of the Prime Minister's residence all recognized You Miao, nodding and bowing to invite him in. There were not many people in the back courtyard, so You Miao walked straight to the east wing.Passing by the stable, a sudden, blood-curdling scream erupted, and a ragged monster lunged out from the woodshed, crashing right in front of him.
You Miao was walking when he was suddenly startled by such a terrifying sight, scared out of his wits, and fell to the ground. The servant following him was also startled, rolled up his sleeves, and shouted loudly.
"What are you doing!"
"Careful, our young master! You've scared him so much, I'll skin you alive!"
"Rebellion! Trying to kill someone, are you?"
The servants at the Prime Minister's residence were also frightened and all came forward with whips to strike.
You Miao steadied himself and seemed to see a bundle of tattered clothes.
At first, I thought it was some creature raised by a friend, but when I saw a group of servants surrounding the filthy figure, whipping and beating him with wooden sticks, I realized it was a person, and a man at that. The whip cracked down, and the man immediately had his skin split open, blood splattering everywhere.
The man had disheveled hair, looking like a madman, his whole body filthy, his hands bound. He was being beaten and howling in the corner. By chance, he and You Miao exchanged glances. The man's eyes were quite clear, but they carried a beast-like bloodthirsty look.
This was the first time You Miao had seen such a scene—about ten servants beating a half-dead man, to the point where the wooden sticks had broken. You Miao hurriedly said, "Stop, stop, what's going on?"
The servant followed up by shouting, "The young master told you to stop hitting him for now!"
The servants stopped their actions, and the man, barely conscious from the beating, was propped up by ten wooden sticks and thrown into the woodshed. The sound of his body hitting the ground echoed from inside.
The second steward from the east courtyard of the manor hurried over, put a new lock on the woodshed, and scolded, "Damn it! Luckily, Young Master You wasn't around!"
You Miao didn't know what this person had done wrong and didn't find it appropriate to ask further, so he headed towards the east wing. At that time, Li Yan had just woken up, looking bored as he ate breakfast at home, with a row of maids standing beside him. Seeing You Miao arrive, he gestured with his chopsticks to invite him to eat. You Miao sat down, had a sip of tea, and the two chatted while eating about where to go and who to play with today.
Who is this Li Yan?It turns out he is a friend Yu Miao met at the Imperial Academy, the young master of the Prime Minister's residence.
The current emperor is lazy and indulges in poetry, songs, and appreciation of flowers, birds, insects, and fish. This behavior trickles down, and the officials in the court follow suit, each one lazier than the next. The prime minister does not attend court in the morning, and the saying "a crooked beam leads to a crooked eaves" applies. The prime minister's son does not study either; instead, he spends his days at home raising hawks and fighting dogs, gathering friends and drinking. Two years ago, You Miao entered the Imperial Academy. Both he and Li Yan were young and carefree, and after meeting, they spent their days indulging in food and drink. Li Yan spent You Miao's money, and You Miao, in turn, used Li Yan's connections to meet a group of rich and unruly young men from the capital. They would casually stroll around, bullying the weak and oppressing women.
Speaking of You Miao, he is not as simple as he seems. His family is a large salt merchant in the Cangzhou area. His ancestors became wealthy by selling illicit salt, and over several generations, they accumulated enough wealth to become one of the richest families in the region. Twenty-six years ago, his father split the family business and began cultivating tea in the northern Jiangsu region, producing enough tea to make a fortune. This was no small feat.
However, among the four classes—scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—the merchant class was considered the lowest. You Dechuan, You Miao's father, decided to use his wealth to buy a government official title for his only son. In this day and age, it's easy to buy an official position with money, but such positions could not silence the gossip of others. Therefore, You Miao's father thought of sending his son to the capital with some money to study and prepare for the imperial exams, with the aim of securing a third-class position. This way, their family would be seen as a proper scholarly family.
When You Miao first arrived in the capital, he was only thirteen years old. He had been spoiled at home, and when he left, he was accompanied by ten large carriages filled with supplies, a group of maids, and servants. He arrived in a grand procession to seek an education.
His father, You Dechuan, had arranged everything for him, and after arriving in the capital, You Miao stayed with his uncle. He carried with him a silver note worth three thousand taels, and in the first year at the academy, he became friends with a group of young troublemakers, spending all his money in no time. When it ran out, he would ask his father for more, but his father scolded him harshly in a letter, sending only five hundred taels. By the end of the year, that money was spent as well, leaving You Miao to survive on nothing.
"Young You," said Li Yan, the son of the prime minister, glancing at him.
You Miao replied, "What?"
You Miao moved his chopsticks but didn't eat. Li Yan, eating porridge, spoke slowly, "I heard that the third prince wants to summon you to the palace to be his companion."
You Miao had no idea about this, but he understood immediately when he heard "third prince"—this referred to the emperor's youngest son, Zhao Jiong. Li Yan's father, Prime Minister Li, was part of the faction supporting the crown prince, and the third prince, though favored in his youth, was not of the direct line of succession, nor was he the eldest son, making him powerless in the palace.
However, You Miao did not rush to reply. He simply smiled and said, "Is that so? I think it's just a joke."
Li Yan said, "You never know. Someone from the court might come soon to ask you. I heard the third prince is playful and active. Do you remember when we went to the Lantern Festival during the Lantern Festival this year?"
You Miao hesitated and nodded, vaguely recalling the crowded streets and lanterns. It was so crowded that no one could recognize anyone.
Li Yan continued, "I heard the third prince spotted you from a distance at the lantern market and had the Grand Tutor invite you to the palace."
You Miao was handsome, dressed in fine clothes, with bright eyes and a good temper. His family was wealthy, and the young troublemakers liked to associate with him, sometimes even forcing kisses on him. It wasn't surprising that the third prince had taken an interest in him.
"Oh," You Miao said, "So who is this third prince?"
Li Yan's mood darkened, and he replied coldly, "What does it matter who he is? I'm asking you, will you go or not?"
You Miao, crossing his legs, smiled mischievously. To be suddenly chosen by the third prince to enter the palace as a companion was not an opportunity many could get. For most, this would be an enviable position, but You Miao was aware of his place. He often heard Li Yan and the others talk about the succession. The third prince might eventually be made a king, but the crown prince was the one who would eventually take the throne.
If he sided with the third prince, it would mean cutting ties with the crown prince, which would ruin his future prospects in the court. His father had sent him to the capital to study and secure an official position, and he couldn't throw away his future for a brief moment of favor from the third prince. Therefore, he would have to reject the third prince's interest.
You Miao smiled and said, "It's up to you, I've always listened to you."
Li Yan's expression softened a little, and he said, "If you go with him, then our friendship is over. You need to think carefully. Who has treated you better—me, your brother, or the third prince you've never even met?"
You Miao laughed loudly, saying, "Of course it's you! What kind of brotherly bond are we talking about? Do we even need to say it?"
After breakfast, a few young masters arrived, all looking as though they had just woken up. Li Yan had bought a landscape painting worth forty taels of silver and showed it to You Miao. When You Miao saw the seal on it, he knew it was a fake and said, "Tch, fake."
Li Yan replied, "How do you know what's real and what's fake?"
You Miao said, "My father has a real one just like this in his study. Look here, the seal on this one..."
The young masters chuckled. The son of the Minister of Revenue, who was present, tried to smooth things over, saying, "If you like it, then it's fine." Meanwhile, Li Yan and You Miao continued to bicker. Li Yan threw the painting aside, glaring at him, but You Miao just smiled nonchalantly and sipped his tea.
"What's the plan for today?" After a long silence, the son of the Minister of Revenue, Ping Er, spoke up. He was the second son in his family, and the troublemakers all called him "Ping Er." They knew how to flatter those in power and were eager to win favor. Naturally, they treated Li Yan well, but You Miao, the son of a wealthy salt merchant, held a certain subtle advantage in their eyes, even though his family had no official status in the capital. The fact that he was rich gave him a certain distinction.