Chapter 502: Chapter 271: Prince Chu Manages Liangzhou Very Well_2
The people of Liangzhou were deeply moved to see Prince Chu place such importance on food, and naturally, they put more effort into farming.
Besides emphasizing the importance of food, Prince Chu also valued education greatly.
Due to past rebel activities in Liangzhou, many scholars were killed, and numerous academies were destroyed. Before Prince Chu took over Liangzhou, the Liangzhou Governor did not pay attention to the matter of education. The governor was aware that Liangzhou would eventually become the fief of a Prince, so he felt indifferent about managing Liangzhou.
After Prince Chu arrived in Liangzhou, he not only funded the reconstruction of academies but also established an Imperial College in Liangzhou. As long as students could pass the exams to enter the Imperial College, they did not need to pay tuition fees and would even receive rewards.
Over the past two years, the literary atmosphere in Liangzhou has thrived much more than before. It is said that many students from other places have come to Liangzhou to study.
It is extremely difficult to enter the Imperial College in the capital, where only one out of ten applicants might succeed, but the Imperial College in Liangzhou is much easier to enter. For scholars across the nation, passing the exams to enter Liangzhou’s Imperial College and staying in Liangzhou to serve as an official in the future is considered great.
Even before Prince Chu was enfeoffed and came to Liangzhou, he had a reputation for wisdom among the common people. After arriving in Liangzhou, he treated the talented with respect and an eagerness to recruit them, which further enhanced his virtuous reputation.
In recent years, many people have gone to Liangzhou to seek opportunities. Prince Chu has recruited all talented individuals and treated them with respect and importance.
In just a few years after taking over Liangzhou, Prince Chu has greatly revitalized the area, and the people feel as if they have been given a new life.
He also revised the laws, personally reviewing accumulated cases in Liangzhou and overturning many wrongful convictions, earning the gratitude of the people, who call him "Lord Qingtian."
Today, the people of Liangzhou are deeply grateful to Prince Chu and commend him as a Virtuous King, a "Bodhisattva Buddha Beads" sent to save them.
He also diligently trained his soldiers. Because of this, some ministers accused him of harboring ill intent. However, rather than blaming him, the emperor praised him for doing well.
Although Prince Dai drove away the rebels a few years ago, there is no guarantee that Liangzhou will always remain peaceful.
Today, Prince Chu can be considered a Vassal King dominating his region. Of course, he currently has no intention of dominating. Everything he does now is what he feels he should do.
Even though Prince Chu has not returned to the capital, his achievements in Liangzhou over the years have made the Crown Prince and Prince Dai uneasy.
Prince Chu doesn’t mind this, but he is secretly wary of the Crown Prince and Prince Dai.
In his letter, Prince Chu also told Zhao Yao that his little nephew, Xiao Baozi, often thinks of his uncle, wondering when he will visit Liangzhou to see him.
Because Prince Chu often talks about Zhao Yao to his son, Xiao Baozi, although he has never met his uncle Zhao Yao, he always remembers him. Moreover, Zhao Yao often sends fun things to Xiao Baozi.
Xiao Baozi greatly likes and misses his uncle Zhao Yao, whom he has never met.
Seeing how much his little nephew wanted to see him, Zhao Yao was moved and came up with a plan. He wrote to Prince Chu, suggesting that Prince Chu ask the emperor to allow him to visit Liangzhou.
A few years ago, Zhao Yao was too young, and the emperor did not approve of his traveling to distant Liangzhou, but now that he has grown older, the emperor might approve his visit to Liangzhou.
Zhao Yao finished writing his letter and handed it to Dou Le.
"Your Highness, I plan to go to Liangzhou in a few days. May I take your letter directly to the Prince?"
"You’re going to Liangzhou? When are you leaving?" Zhao Yao asked hastily, "What are you going to do in Liangzhou?"
Dou Le had already anticipated Zhao Yao’s excited reaction when he heard he was going to Liangzhou. Holding back a laugh, he said, "Her Ladyship instructed me to visit the Prince in Liangzhou and deliver some items to him."
When Zhao Yao heard this from Dou Le, his first reaction was that something had happened.
"Is something wrong with Fourth Brother? Has something happened?" Fourth Brother only writes about good things in his letters and never mentions bad things. Zhao Yao knew Fourth Brother didn’t want to worry him. He had considered sending someone to Liangzhou, so if something happened to Fourth Brother, he would know right away. But, thinking it over, he realized this approach was inappropriate, and it would be awkward if Fourth Brother found out.
Seeing Zhao Yao’s worried expression, Dou Le quickly comforted him, "Your Highness, the Prince is fine, and nothing has happened in Liangzhou."
"Then why are you suddenly going to Liangzhou?" Zhao Yao asked suspiciously, "Dou Le, you can’t hide the truth from me."
"Your Highness, how would I dare hide anything from you? The Prince is truly fine. It’s just that Her Ladyship misses the Prince and the young heir." Dou Le said, "Her Ladyship has not laid eyes on the young heir since his birth. She’s considering whether to bring the Princess and the young heir to the capital."
"So that’s the reason." Zhao Yao pretended to believe Dou Le’s words, "But Xiao Baozi is only two or three years old. Can he endure a long journey to the capital?"
"Her Ladyship misses the young heir very much, so she instructed me to go to Liangzhou and see if the Princess and the young heir can come to the capital." Dou Le explained.
Zhao Yao asked again, "When are you leaving?"
Dou Le replied, "Five days later, Your Highness. I will set off for Liangzhou."
"Five days later?" Zhao Yao silently calculated in his mind. The Xiongnu would arrive in the capital in about ten days, so following Dou Le to Liangzhou would not be feasible for him. "Then I can’t go with you. Can you delay your trip to Liangzhou and leave after the Xiongnu have gone?"
"Your Highness, I can’t make that decision," Dou Le said with a troubled expression.
"Alright, then you go to Liangzhou first to see Fourth Brother, and I’ll visit later." Zhao Yao said, suddenly thinking of something, and quickly asked, "Are you taking anything with you to Liangzhou?"
"Of course, Your Highness. Her Ladyship has prepared many items for me to deliver to the Prince and the Princess." Dou Le replied, "I will be traveling to Liangzhou by boat."
Zhao Yao was shocked, "Princess Consort Li prepared an entire boatload of things for Fourth Brother?"
"Pretty much."
Zhao Yao marveled in his heart: My goodness, Princess Consort Li is truly wealthy.
"I’ll also prepare some things for Fourth Brother and Xiao Baozi. You can take them with you when you go."
"Yes, Your Highness."
After finishing his words, Dou Le left Xingde Palace.
Tong Xi noticed that Zhao Yao’s expression wasn’t very good and quickly asked, "Your Highness, what’s wrong?"
"Something must have happened to Fourth Brother, otherwise Princess Consort Li wouldn’t have sent Dou Le to Liangzhou."
"Your Highness, didn’t Dou Le just say that Princess Consort Li misses the Prince and the young heir?"
"Xiao Baozi is only two or three years old, and even if Princess Consort Li misses her grandson, she wouldn’t have Fourth Sister-in-law take Xiao Baozi to the capital now." Zhao Yao said with a slightly stern face, "Xiao Baozi is young and can’t withstand a long journey. If he falls ill or something happens on the way, it could cost him his life."
"That’s true, Your Highness." Tong Xi said anxiously, "What has happened to Prince Chu?"
"I need to investigate." Zhao Yao’s face showed a somber expression, "I hope it’s nothing serious."
If it weren’t something serious, Princess Consort Li wouldn’t have sent Dou Le to Liangzhou.