After the spring, there were several heavy rains in the continent, which eased the drought, and in May and June, there were some harvests in the fields from the south to the north. When the victims of Wei and Tang had food to eat, no one was willing to leave their homes to survive, and no one was willing to sell themselves into slavery. In the slave market of Dacheng City, except for the exiles who were exiled here, it is rare to see civilians selling their bodies, and in Nambu Village, there are only villagers from the neighborhood who come to sell their labor in exchange for payment.
This phenomenon continued until after the fall harvest, and the source of slaves in the valley had been obtained from the prison of Dacheng. After the frost, ragged refugees reappeared sporadically at the docks of Nambu, these refugees heard from merchants that Nambu was a place where they could sell their labor in exchange for food and pay, so they thought of taking the merchant ships to Nambu. When they arrived, they first reported their situation to the Wu Clan Chief, then built huts at the edge of Nambu Village and lived there, working in Nambu from morning to night to earn money.
Because of the shortage of labor in Nambu, Zheng Yuming has always been happy to see villagers from the surrounding areas come to work in Nambu. After the fall harvest, Nambu house building and water conservancy construction set off a peak, and along with it, the brick kiln factory is also busy day and night can not stop working. These places were the most short of labor, and the Wu Clan Chief, after having familiar businessmen as guarantors for the refugees, took them in and let them work in the brick kiln factories or on the construction sites and water conservancy sites. These were the most tiring and arduous jobs, and they were the ones that the local villagers were reluctant to do.
The few scattered refugees came to join, the Wu patriarch did not bother Zheng Yuming, and dealt with them properly by himself. But when the cold weather came down, the number of refugees coming to Nanbu by boat gradually increased, sometimes a boat carrying more than 20 people, a boatman even specialized in transporting refugees.
"Not loading cargo to specifically transport people to come?" Zheng Yuming frowned, usually the ship owners who came to Nanbu were merchants, and merchants couldn't possibly volunteer to carry them.
"These refugees all pay boat money to the boat owners." Patriarch Wu had specifically sought out the refugees to find out what was going on.
"So they came to Nambu of their own accord to make a living? Where are they all from?"
"Most of them are people from the Tang Kingdom, saying that they couldn't live in the area, and when they heard that Nambu could feed themselves as long as they had the strength to do so, some came alone, while others relocated their families." Patriarch Wu said these words with pride in his heart, what a great place Nambu was, making people from far away yearn for it.
"Not right ah, Tang and Wei two countries drought slowed down, how can they still not live?" Zheng Yuming focus on inquiring about the situation around, he often go to the port with the arrival of ship merchants to understand the situation around, know that Chu, Wei, Tang, the three neighboring countries of Wu, this year did not have a disaster.
"These refugees say that there is no disaster this year, but it is comparable to a disaster." Patriarch Wu spoke with sympathy on his face, and in his heart, he was glad that Nambu had two good masters.
"How?" Jung Yuming was surprised.
"Their fiefdom lords demanded that they pay last year's taxes back, and even this year's taxes were taken away at once after the harvest, and some of the refugees' homes had no more food left after they paid their taxes." These refugees had no more food, and were in a barren year with no harvest.
"So it's not a natural disaster, it's a man-made disaster." Zheng Yuming shook his head, how narrow-eyed was this fiefdom nobility, to do such reckless things without leaving a way out.
"It is said that those feudal lords collect more grain in exchange for jacquard cloth." Patriarch Wu's neck scrunched as he said this; the refugees didn't know that jacquard cloth could only be produced in Nambu. Speaking of this jacquard cloth, most of them gritted their teeth, deeply realizing that it was this kind of expensive stuff that attracted their feudal lords to go crazy and squeeze them, exchanging grain for this kind of exquisite cloth to make beautiful clothes.
"Eh..." Zheng Yuming stroked his forehead. "I see, take in any victims that come, men, women, and children."
In early spring, the refugees who came to Nambu and refused to sell themselves into slavery became temporary villagers in Nambu village, they did not have land, and survived in Nambu by working, and the straw huts built at the edge of the village were flipped into mud and grass houses, with a great sense of having landed on the ground. Because life in Nanbu is not bad, these people through the merchants to their hometowns to pass the message, tell their hometown friends and relatives of their life in Nanbu, when the peasants of Tang consciously in the local can not survive, they thought of the friends and relatives to survive in Nanbu, know that as long as they are willing to put in the effort to starve to death, in order to survive, one by one, they will be the idea of taking the boat to Nanbu to survive.
In order to make the shipowner willing to let them ride, these farmers sold the last bit of their family property to the shipowner to do the road money, there is a shipowner think that the profit of transporting people is more than the profit of transporting raw materials to the south port, so they specialize in transporting people back and forth to the south port.
"If the number of people comes too much, I am afraid that it is not good to watch over them." Patriarch Wu was troubled, there were already many outsiders settled in the village, these people did not know their roots in detail, Patriarch Wu was afraid that they would commit crimes. He was also worried that with too many laborers coming, there would be a surplus of working people.
"I'll dedicate someone to this." Zheng Yuming thought for a moment, for the matter of managing foreign refugees, it had to be taken out of the village affairs and managed by a specialized person.
The most reassuring thing for Zheng Yuming in Nambu Village was of course Wu Da, who was now the chief administrator in Nambu. He said that he was the chief administrator, but there were no specific affairs for him to manage. Village miscellaneous affairs have Wu patriarch is responsible for, ancestral hall students by the village literate two villagers to teach, textile factory has Wu Da wife as the person in charge, brick kiln and porcelain kiln has valley slaves masters to look after, wood factory and iron factory is Zheng Yuming personally responsible for. After the completion of Wu Da's work in the governor's residence, he had no concrete matters to do and appeared to have nothing to do.
When Zheng Yuming first explained this task to Wu Da, Wu Da was still unimpressed and didn't think it was important. Zheng Yuming knows Wu Da's limited knowledge, hastened to explain to him the key to the development of Nambu can not be separated from the labor force, the surrounding wasteland needs to be reclaimed, the various factories will be more and more open later, also need labor.
"And let them farm?" Wu Da felt that it was fine to take in the refugees for work, and letting the refugees go to open up the land represented letting them become villagers of Nambu, and Wu Da was afraid that the refugees would compete with the village people for the land.
"Now that the village people can't grow enough of their original land, they won't go back to reclaiming it, and the land around them is quite fertile, so it's a shame to waste it. When the refugees reclaim it, they can collect more taxes."
"Right oh, this can get more income." Wu Da slapped his head, blaming himself for only thinking about the interests of the village people, forgetting that the main income of his sworn brothers as the governor of Nanbu should be collecting taxes from the fields. But it seems like most of the income of his own two righteous brothers is not from the fields and acres.
"The new refugees don't have farming tools, you try to provide them with them. Explain to them that the first year is tax-free."
"Provide tools for those who come to clear the land? No taxes for the first year?" Wu Da's mouth opened wide.
"The tools are not provided free of charge, they are lent to them first, and the grain seeds are also lent, and when there is a harvest in the future they are allowed to pay it back year by year, and half of the tax is collected in the second year, and in the third year it is the same as that of the villagers."
"If that's the case, then the refugees won't rush to come here!" Wu Da muttered.
Zheng Yuming here only to arrange the influx of refugees, Dajiang will be covered in dust from the Wu capital city fast horse rushed back, brought back an urgent letter. Zheng Yuming took carrot peel liquid spray to show the words and read it, and then hurriedly rode to the valley barracks to look for Chu Chao Hui.
"Mr. Wu Yong is going to propose to the Chu King's concubine daughter?" Chu Chao Hui looked at Yu Kui's secret letter and raised his eyebrows, "This is a good idea, it seems that this Ripple Ji is a smart woman."
"Yes, by joining forces with Chu, there's no fear of Zhao's threats, this Ripple Ji is not dead set on the throne at all."
"Did the suitor waiter set out for Chu?"
"No, Ripple Ji just spoke to the King of Wu." Ripple Ji's son is only eleven years old, usually the male son will not meet the marriage until after sixteen, the King of Wu is getting old, Ripple Ji can't wait.
"Actually, this matter is quite good." Chu Chao Hui thought for a moment and suddenly smiled. "It can be solved at the root." Chu Chao Hui pointed his finger down to the west, which was the location of Chu.
Zheng Yuming tilted his head, recalling some of the Chu King's information, and couldn't help but smile, "It's quite a good idea, but I have to go to the Azure Mountain King's Mansion to get a feel for the situation first, so if Wei Shen and the others come up with a countermeasure, they won't need us to make a move."
"Then you go and look at it at speed, time is running out, they can't cope, let's do away with this secretly." Chu Chao Hui's gaze was soft, Zheng Yuming and him were getting more and more in sync.
After Dajang delivered the letter to the valley, the Ulsanjunfu also got the news from the King of Wu's capital. When Zheng Yuming had an audience, Wei Shen was about to discuss this matter with Gong Ziguang, Wei Ren, Wei Ci, and Patriarch Guo. Zheng Yuming and Chu Chaohui had already been categorized by Wei Shen within the scope of his heart, in Wei Shen's heart, Zheng and Chu both, like Guo, were relying on the Ulsanjunfu to be able to gain a foothold in Nambu, and their honor and disgrace had already been bound together, and were already closely related.
"Zheng Qing, come here and sit next to Guang." Gongzi Guang beckoned Zheng Yuming to sit next to him.
"Thank you, Your Excellency." Zheng Yuming knelt down to the right side of Gongzi Guang, and opposite him was Wei Shen.
Wei Shen waited for Zheng Yuming to sit down and waved his hand for all the attendants to go down and close the door of the room before he spoke the news of Wu Wangdu to the ones present to know.
"This bitch's ambition is not dead!" Wei Shen had just finished speaking when Gong Ziguang's face sank.
"What is the attitude of the ministers in the royal court? Didn't the Hussar General stop it?" Wei Ren was anxious, everyone knew what purpose Ri Ji was carrying with her marriage to Chu. Ripple Ji was using the situation to suppress Crown Prince Zhao.
"We don't know yet, the news will only come back in a couple days." As soon as Wei Shen sent his ears in the royal capital to learn that Ripple Ji was advising the King of Wu, he sent a letter first, and the attitude of the ministers of the royal capital had not yet begun to indicate that.
"We should send people to lobby more in front of the various ministers and not let Yi Ji's attempts succeed." The Guo Clan Chief looked anxious.
"Yes, especially from the Hussar General." Wei Ren had always believed that the Hussar General was the most powerful minister in the capital of King Wu, and with the Hussar General and most of the ministers opposing it, Ripple Ji's attempt at marriage would not succeed.
"Governor Zheng, what do you suggest?" Wei Shen had been nodding his head, his eyes glanced at Zheng Yuming's silence, remembering that the last crisis was the result of ideas provided by Zheng Yuming and Chu Chao Hui, he couldn't help but want to know Zheng Yuming's opinion on the matter.
"Eh, I don't really understand the relationship here, I don't have much advice." Zheng Yuming shook his head repeatedly, sighing in his heart that Azure Mountain Monarch's people were only thinking of countermeasures in the aspect of the King of Wu, how come they didn't try to find a way from the King of Chu. If it wasn't for the King of Zhao's army pressing against the border, Crown Prince Zhao had already been deposed by the King of Wu, and was now merely helping his youngest son to ask for a marriage in Chu, and with the ministers blocking it again, how could the King of Wu listen to it, and this time, the King of Zhao didn't have an excuse to go to the border and threaten it. Wu will surely send an envoy to Chu to ask for marriage.
Wei Shen glanced at Zheng Yuming and felt that asking him just now was really redundant, Zheng Yuming and Chu Chaohui had not even arrived in the city for a year, how could they understand the situation of King Wu's capital, it was really too much to ask.
Zheng Yuming excused himself from the Jun Mansion and went directly to Wu Mu's home. Wu Mu had just come back from selling goods in Chu to take a rest, and when Zheng Yuming came to find him, Wu Mu was counting the gold coins in the secret room. When he heard the butler informing him outside the secret room, Wu Mu hurriedly closed the camphor wood box containing the gold coins and went to the living room to entertain Zheng Yuming.
"Dongji Wu, we are in trouble." As soon as Zheng Yuming saw Wu Da, he split his mouth and said this.
"Woe is us? What woe?" When Wu Mu heard this, his face went white and his heart immediately lifted.
"Let's find a quiet place to talk." Jung Yuming looked around and there were domestic servants walking around outside the house.
"Good good good! , let's go to the secret room to talk." Wu Mu took out the key and led Zheng Yuming into the secret room, closing it behind him before wiping the fine sweat from his head. "Lord Zheng, what's the trouble with us?"
Zheng Yuming opened an unclosed camphorwood box and looked at it, closing it with a forceful 'snap'. The sound startled Wu Mu to the point of trembling.
"All of this may be lost." Jung Yuming sighed.
"Ah! Why? Did Ulsan-kun anger His Excellency?" Sweat continued to break out on Wu Mu's forehead.
"No, it's the King of Wu's third son, Yong, who's going to marry Chu."
"Oh, Gongzi Yong asked to marry Chu Ji ah." When Wu Mu heard, his heart relaxed, but it is a marriage between Wu and Chu, how is it that they are in trouble?
"Alas! King Wu favors Ripple Ji, doesn't he?" Zheng Yuming knew that this small businessman didn't care about politics.
"Right!" Wu Mu nodded his head, and all of Wu knew it.
"The King of Wu wants to abolish the Crown Prince, do you know that?"
"Ah! There is such a thing? This violates the ancestral system, it's not right." Wu Mu shook his head repeatedly.
"It's not good, but the King of Wu insisted on it, so this can come true, fortunately Prince Zhao has a state uncle, the King of Zhao heard about this and sent troops to the border to back up his nephew, so the abolition issue didn't come true." Zheng Yuming patiently tells Wu Mu about the situation in the King of Wu's court, he needs Wu Mu to understand the seriousness of the matter, he needs Wu Mu to go to Chu to do something.
"Oh, the even family understands!" Wu Mu's forehead started sweating again, this time the beads of sweat were a bit bigger. "Marriage with Chu or for the sake of abolishing the crown prince!"
"Not bad, Yong is not afraid of the threat of Zhao when he has Chu backing him up. When Prince Zhao is abolished, Duke Guang will be in danger, and when Yong ascends to the throne, the first one to clean up will be Dacheng, and at that time, we'll all be in trouble." It's public knowledge that Uisan Jun and Yi Ji don't have a good relationship.
Nambu has been labeled as a Gongziguang crony, and will be a partisan when the time comes.
"We have to think of a way to stop it!" Wu Mu exclaimed. The gold coins in this secret room were enough for him to live a life of luxury, he didn't want to lose his wealth, without Nambu and the protection of Gongziguang, it would all be someone else's.
"Wei Sherman and the others thought to go and lobby the minister to stop sending an envoy to Chu."
"What if it can't be stopped?" Wu Mu was worried.
"Let's start with Chu, as long as Chu doesn't agree, the union won't succeed." Zheng Yuming circled around for half a day and finally got to the point.
"Yes, we can start with Chu, I have a good relationship with the Right Honorable Doctor Chu, we can start with him! Your Honor quickly suggest it to the Duke!" Wu Mu eagerly suggested.
Zheng Yuming looked at Wu Mu with a smirk.
Wu Mu was first stunned, thought carefully for a moment, and bowed to Zheng Yuming, "The even family is so stupid! Surprisingly, I don't understand your honor's painstaking efforts, Mu will go to Chudu City to lobby the right doctor."
If you mention this suggestion to Gong Ziguang, you will expose the profiteering of Nangbu in selling brocade cloth in Chu, and if Nangbu's profiteering in cloth is to be made known, even if Gong Ziguang can tolerate not moving Zheng and Chu, Wei Shen will not tolerate it, and other nobles will not tolerate it either. Nanbu can only secretly and individually to solve this matter.
Wu Mu followed Yu Kui's advice and made good relations with the Right Honorable Doctor of Chu, and utilized the Right Honorable Doctor's power to develop his cotton market in Chu. The interests of Wu Mu and the Right Honorable Doctor have been tied together.
"No, you can't go to Chu to find the right doctor, you have to seek the left doctor!" Zheng Yuming was relieved that Wu Mu understood why Nambu could only sneak out alone.
"Looking for Doctor Zuo?" Wu Mu was dumbfounded again, Zuo Daifu was the King of Chu's favorite minister, but had no worldly roots in the royal court.
Zheng Yuming described the plan in detail to Wu Mu, so that Wu Mu understand the current situation of the Chu Palace Exam. Wu Mu listened carefully to the explanation while nodding repeatedly.
An hour later, Zheng Yuming left Dacheng to return to Nambu.
Wu Mu sat on the camphor box and contemplated for a long time, and in his heart, he admired Zheng Yuming to the core. Wu Mu thought that the people of the Ulsan Monarch's House were really not in the same level of intelligence compared to Zheng Yuming.
While the people of the Azure Mountain Monarch's House obviously didn't care much about the Chu King's Court, Zheng Yuming knew the Chu King's Court like the back of his hand. Compared to the Wu King's place, the Chu King's Court was a better place to start, as long as you chose the right path.
Wu Mu was wondering in his heart, Zheng Yuming and Chu Chao Hui, one in the valley and the other in Nambu, never traveled abroad for a week, how could they know about the situation of the Chu King's Court? Could it be Yu Kui? Yu Kui had disappeared since that day when he helped him solve the problem of the bundle of interests, could it be that Yu Kui had already defected to the valley? The more Wu Mu thought about it, the more this was a possibility.
The left doctor of Chu looked at the gift list offered by the merchants of Wu, and his face moved a little. The gift list was very expensive, there were two jacquard cloths, ten south port cloths, a stack of white paper, and a pair of porcelain vases.
"Call the merchant of Wu in!" The left doctor, on the face of the expensive gift list, asked the family servant to lead Wu Mu in, this Wu merchant was very close to the right doctor, and the left doctor was not comfortable in his heart.
"Wu Mu pays his respects to Dr. Zuo!" Wu Mu came in holding an exquisite box, carefully placing it to the side first before respectfully saluting.
"Get up!" Dr. Zuo frowned, what was this merchant doing coming in holding a box and being so careful.
"My lord, please hold back your left and right, I want to enter a rare treasure from my lord." Wu Mu took a step forward and wanted to walk in front of Dr. Zuo to speak quietly, but he was stopped by the house servant.
Dr. Zuo's eyes narrowed slightly. "What rare treasure can't be brought in openly?"
"My lord, this thing is the most precious in Great Qin. I only want to offer it to Your Excellency, I don't want to give it to others." Wu Mu took a few steps back and stood motionless next to the box.
Zuo Daifu sized up Wu Mu, a short and thin middle aged man, such a person would not be an assassin.
"Go down, all of you, and stand outside the door and wait!"
"Yes!"
The house servant promised and withdrew from the door, standing under the eaves of the house waiting for the call. Not long after, only heard a cry of alarm inside the house, the house servant, immediately turned back to rush into the house, but was stopped by Dr. Zuo.
"Don't even come in! Stand away!" Zuo Daifu's voice was stern, and the servant only saw Zuo Daifu protecting something with his sleeve, while the Wu merchant stood far to the side.
Zuo Daifu and the other household servants moved away, still guarding the box on the case table with their hands. "You talk to me inside!"
Dr. Zuo carefully held the box and brought Wu Mu into a secret room. (Why do people in this time and space like to build secret rooms?)
"Where did you find this treasure from?" After entering the secret room, only then did Doctor Zuo carefully open the box and appreciate what was in the box, what was placed in the box was a ball shaped crystal paperweight, the kind that was pure and colorless, with a rose flower type inside.
"It was an overseas person who went to Nambu to sell it, and I spent my entire family fortune to purchase it."
This thing is of course the valley villa to provide, Zheng Yuming originally also wanted to take the ashtray as a gift, was vetoed by Chu Chao Hui, because the villa has only two ashtrays, has been sent off one, and then send off the other, Chu Chao Hui smoking in the villa will not have an ashtray available. Zheng Yuming saw Chu Zhaohui muttering, then casually took out the crystal paperweight in the upstairs study, Wu Mu's head was dazzled for a moment after seeing it for the first time, this thing is too expensive, it can be worth a city.
"What do you want?" Dr. Zuo's eyes couldn't look away, no wonder this merchant asked him to hold back his left and right.
"My lord! Woe to the little man! Please help me, my lord!" Wu Mu fell to his knees with a plop.
"You say what it is." Zuo Daifu was mesmerized by the crystal paperweight and decided in his heart that as long as it wasn't treason, he would help each other.
"The villain has a gap with Dr. Wu Jiang."
"How can I help you when you are at odds with the great doctor of your country? Do you wish to move to Chu? If so, it's too good to be true; you can just move your family here, and I'll guarantee you a lifetime of wealth and prosperity."
"No, the villainous industry is in Wu and cannot leave."
"Then how can I help you?" Zuo Daifu frowned, it's not like he should encourage the King of Chu to attack Wu to destroy a scholar.
"As long as Duke Yong, whom Dr. Jiang has embraced, does not become the king of Wu in the future, I will be safe in Wu." Wu Mu was afraid that Zuo Daifu did not understand, and hastened to add. "Yong's mother consort cajoled the king of Wu to come to Chu to propose marriage for his son, wanting to beg to marry a Chu concubine."
"Oh, you mean to let Gongzi Yong's proposal fall through?" Zuo Daifu nodded his head, the King of Wu wanted to abolish his first son, the Court of Chu had heard about it.
"Good! Please help me, my lord!"
"This is but a small matter, don't worry about going back, with me here, Wu will not be able to beg for a marriage." Zuo Daifu was full of confidence, he did not have the talent to govern the country, but he had the ability to swim in the royal court.
Aimee, the King of Chu's favorite concubine, was sitting on the terrace watching the King of Chu teasing her son. Aimee was one of the King of Chu's favorite concubines in his later years, and the six-year-old son born to her was most loved by the King of Chu. Whenever the King of Chu was free, he would play with this youngest son.
"Madam! Dr. Zuo is here to see you!" The maid gently walked over to Aimee Ji to report.
"Invite him in!" Aimee Ji and Dr. Zuo were closer.
"I beg your pardon, ma'am!"
"Don't be polite, Dr. Zuo, please take a seat, the Great King will be here soon." Aimee Ji was polite to Dr. Zuo.
Zuo Daifu bowed and did not take his seat, but stood beside Aimee Ji and watched out towards the terrace. "The Great King really favors the young prince."
"They say parents love their youngest child!" Aimee Ji hid a smile, with smugness in her eyes.
"Last time, the Great King said again that he wanted to make the youngest son a crown prince." Zuo Daifu appeared to be chatting idly.
"Aren't there ministers against it?" There was despondency in Aimee Ji's eyes.
"The king insists on this, and I can only obey if I am a subject."
When Aimee Ji heard this, she raised her eyes to look at Dr. Zuo, and saw that Dr. Zuo's face was full of sincerity. "Doctor Zuo, if you help me, Aimee will not forget your favor!"
"I will definitely serve the King of Chu with my liver and brain!" Zuo Daifu was very cunning, talking about the King of Chu, but Aimee Ji thought it was the future King of Chu in her ears.
Seeing Aimee Ji's joyful face, Zuo Daifu took another step forward and said softly, "The King of Wu sent an envoy to Chu to seek a marriage for Gongzi Yong."
"Wu wants to marry Chu?" Aimee Ji's face changed when she heard this, there was only one unmarried Ji daughter in Chu, and she was the same mother as the first male son, Ur.
"Yes, the king is preparing to summon the Wu emissary tomorrow."
"Got it! Thank you Dr. Zuo!" Aimee Ji leaned down towards Dr. Zuo in appreciation.
Just then, there was a sudden cry of alarm outside the terrace. Aimee Ji looked outward, only to see the King of Chu flopping to the ground, his mouth full of blood, and the young duchess standing dumbfounded with a rope in his hand in front of him.
"Great King! Great King!" Aimee Ji rushed to the King of Chu, helped him up, and turned her head to scold her son.
"No scolding Missy!" The king of Chu waved his hand to stop, talking leakage. "Missy come, come to father, don't be afraid!"
When the little son was playing with his father, he had a whim to pull a cow with a rope. The king of Chu favored his son, so he held a rope in his mouth and let his son pull it, but he didn't want the little son to fall down and break the king's teeth.
"Father!" The young male instantly jumped into the Chu King's arms and cried loudly.
"The youngest child is not crying!" King Chu patted his son's back and softly comforted him.
The corners of Aimee Ji's mouth couldn't help but curl up as she helped King Chu wipe the blood from his mouth.
That night, the King of Chu stayed over at Aimee Ji's place, and when Aimee Ji undressed and went to bed in front of the King of Chu, the King of Chu suddenly frowned.
"Aimee-ji, why are you bruised at your arm?"
"Your Majesty!" Aimee Ji bowed her head and hung her eyes.
"What's going on?" The King of Chu's voice rose.
"Great King! Please, Your Majesty, stop favoring Missy!" Aimee Ji suddenly covered her face in tears.
"Hmm? What's going on? Is there anyone who won't allow me to love my son?" King Chu's voice was stern.
"O Great King! Please, Your Majesty, think of my mother and son and leave them alive!" Aimee Ji threw herself onto the King of Chu's knees and cried bitterly.
"Say, what exactly happened?" King Chu's forehead was bruised.
"When I met Mr. Ur the day before yesterday, my concubine was a little slow in avoiding him, and then she was pushed aside by Mr. Ur's men. When Mr. Ur walked past my concubine, he even laughed coldly. The Great King now favors the youngest son so much, when the Great King is a hundred years old and Prince Joel ascends to the throne, at that time, where will there be a way for my mother and son to live?" Aimee Ji cried miserably.
"Hmph! That rebellious son will never succeed the throne! I will leave the throne of Chu to the youngest son!" The King of Chu's ruthless voice.
"But Prince Ur will be powerful in the future, and my concubine is afraid." Aimee Ji's crying stopped.
"How can Ur be powerful?" The King of Chu was puzzled, he had always talked coldly about this first son and never gave him any real power, how could Aimee Ji say that he had become powerful?
"The Kingdom of Wu has sent an emissary to ask for marriage, and if Duke Ur's own sister marries the Duke of Wu, won't Duke Ur have something to fall back on?" Aimee Ji said while stealing glances at the Chu King's face with her eyes.
"Hmph! As long as I live for a day, Joel will never think of a day to lend his power!" The King of Chu laughed coldly and vetoed Wu's request for marriage before he even saw the Wu emissary.
What if the minister opposes? He is the highest authority in Chu, and the throne of Chu can only be inherited by the beloved youngest son in the future.
Author's comment: "Ru Zi Cow" is an allusion recorded in "Zuo Zhuan - Lamenting Duke Six Years": Duke Jing of Qi had a concubine son named Tuan, Duke Jing of Qi loved him very much. Once Qi Jing Duke and Tuan were playing together, Qi Jing Duke, as the king of a country, even held a rope in his mouth and let Tuan lead him. Unexpectedly, his son accidentally fell and broke Qi Jing Duke's teeth. Before his death, Duke Jing of Qi ordered Tuan to be the king of the country. After the death of Duke Jing, Chen Xizi wanted to install Duke Yangsheng. Bao Mu, a minister of Duke Jing of Qi, said to Chen Xizi, "Have you forgotten that the ruler was a child cow and broke his teeth? And you are carrying it on your back!" Therefore, the original meaning of "a child's ox" at that time was to express the parents' excessive love for their children.