Li Yuanying patiently waited for his new friend and a few days later Zhang Jianzhi joined them at the Academy. He joined “Tai Xue” where many low grade official’s children or talented poor kids joins too.

With Kong Yingda sharing his article to the Emperor, Zhang Jianzhi made a small impression. Whether he will make a name for himself in the future is yet to be known but at least his initial presence is made known, a step ahead of many students.

Li Yuanying didn’t think so much, all he wanted was a new friend. Hearing that his new friend is here, he send someone to go pick him up.

Meeting for the first time, the young boy looks fairly normal with ordinary feature and normal stature. Good thing the young prince will not judge a book by its cover anymore, he quickly invited him to sit down and have a discussion on his article.

Zhang Jianzhi initially didn’t understand why Prince Teng would want to meet him but soon understood. He was made aware that the Prince was royalty but he wanted to be friends with him not because of status but because Prince Teng is a friend that is worthy as he has done great things like opening a library and so on.

Zhang Jianzhi was also an interesting fella that was very different from Li Yuanying. He spoke calmly and ate calmly, giving off a sense of slowness. But the things he spoke about and his actions were able to get one’s attention and Li Yuanying often found himself hook to listening to him.

Within just a few days, Zhang Jianzhi assimilated well into the group and got along well with everyone.

The Academy was a sea of calmness but the outside world not so much. The book about WenCheng was quickly published by Li Chunfeng and was passed to Dai Ting for distribution.

Dai Ting followed the young prince’s instructions and distributed it according to a list he had received. He got varying reactions from different people; some empathized and agrees that marriage is indeed hard, some wanted to visit the Tibetan Empire for leisure and some thinks that foreign customs were barbaric. As the book was distributed, the advantage of it being written in a simple manner is apparent. Everyone from young to old is able to understand its content making it a hot topic for discussion.

During this same time, Li Er picked his first Royal candidate for the first Royal envoy to the Tibetan Empire.

Prince of Wu, Li Ke.

Naturally the Crown Prince cannot participate in this trip. The next son in line is 3^rd Prince Li Ke. The Emperor is not overly fond of this son but his conducts were satisfactory. If they wanted to send a royal out for a mission he is a good candidate . Li Ke is now 23 and is of the right age to do some travelling.

After making up his mind, the Emperor summoned for Li Ke to return to the Capital and prepare for his trip overseas. As the tax money from tea sales is collected for the government, many officials were no longer against tea trading with foreigners. This is because not only do they collect cash, they also received livestock that helps with agriculture and military training, giving them a much needed relieve in the issue of having labour shortage.

To ensure long term continuity of the trading business, tea trading is now a long term plan and everyone is agreeable to the Emperor sending out his son for a royal envoy to the Tibetan Empire. Not their child anyway, so what’s there to disagree with?

Before the officials could finish with their silent thoughts, the Emperor quickly read out a list that encompasses of all Chang’an rich children with a reputation of being spoilt brats. All of them were skilled in eating and playing and nothing else.

The Emperor dictated that these children should be send out to foreign lands for training so that they can become useful citizens like their fathers.

Instantly the smiles on the officials were frozen including Fang Xue Ling. The first on the list is his son Fang Jun and following that his bunch of bratty friends. Not sure whether he should laugh or cry as Du He and his friends are also on it. All candidates on the list were well deserving to be there.

Fang Xue Ling didn’t dare to share this news but his wife still found out from her friends that their beloved son is on the list.

She immediately started shouting at him . “What use are you as a minister? Your son have to live with  such difficulties! Why is it like this? Why must my Jun’er travel so far? He has never left my side!” She started crying.

Fang was deeply troubled by his wife’s outburst but he didn’t dare to react. Being a minister, his children doesn’t need to do hard labour. Isn’t that already a blessing? The normal citizens who wanted to escape this had to chop off their “blessed hands and feet”. All the Emperor wants is for them to travel a little, how is this hardship?

Initially the ministers supported the Emperor’s decision to send out the Royal families as envoys, so how can they protest this initiative now just because it involves some of their children? Shameless things like this only the 2 Li brothers are capable of, they still have their pride to maintan!

Fang Xue Ling comforted his wife for hours. Both secretly cursed at the as*hole culprit who send such a list to the Emperor.

That person is naturally Li Yuanying. To be a successful student at the Academy he not only needs to be smart but must also be good at collecting gossip. Who is friends with who, who has beef with each other, Yuanying can easily list out everything that is happening.  

Hearing that brother is in agreement to his proposal and that Li Ke is being send out, he quickly wrote a list of candidates who can spread bad influence to others.

He only shared an appropriate list to not be overly obvious as he wants this plan to continue long term.

After sending a name list, Yuanying sent across another letter a few days later. The content is to recommend another list of useful people so that the whole plan will not go sour. You should pick from disciples of Yu Zhi Ning, Zhang XuanSu and Kong Yingda.

The boy mischievously shared his thoughts: This 3 person is awesome. Yu Zhi Ning was just scolding others and then he wrote a book about it, followed by multiple more volumes. Zhang XuanSu is someone who can find fault with everything. And then there’s Kong Yingda. He’s good with him now so he will refrain from saying anything bad . These people are all quite senior in age so they can’t be travelling far but their disciples can. It would be best if they could organize masterclasses in the Tibetan Empire and not return home so fast.

Li Er almost has a stroke reading this.

It’s very obvious that his younger brother is trying to give these men a hard time. In the past these people were tasked heavily in teaching the royal children and Li Yuanying used to always challenge them.

While Li Yuanying has obvious motive for picking these people, his reasoning were sound and the Emperor was quite convinced. When Emperor Qin Shi first unified China, the first thing he did was to make sure things were unified and executed the same way everywhere. If he could send some people to Tibetan Empire to teach them Tang’s custom and knowledge then trading and travel will be free. This way wouldn’t the 2 countries be somewhat identical?

Li Er made up his mind and called for his men to share the second name list. To completely follow Li Yuanying’s recommendation is not possible but the boy indeed make sense in his suggestion. If he wanted to choose someone with good knowledge, it has to be someone on Kong Yingda’s team!

Just like that, the Royal Travelling Group, oh nope, the Royal Envoy was expanded gradually. The mix of personnel chosen became more and more complicated but were made up of 2 conflicting units : One group is made up of clan members who love to eat, drink and have fun. When it comes to making trouble they are the crème de la crème. The other group is made up of old academics with old-fashioned ideas who have spent half their lives buried in books. They follow the laws and rules strictly and so are the best people to criticize others.

Li Ke didn’t know what was waiting for him. He just came back to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Hearing that the Emperor wants him to visit Tibetan Empire, he was confused. Then hearing who he will have to bring along he was even more confused. What is going on?!

On such a happy reunion day, Li Yuanying also returned to the palace. He took Li Ke’s hand and expressed his jealousy and sighed: “Why won’t brother let me go? I really want to go too!”

Li Ke didn’t expect this incident to be related to Li Yuanying, in fact it could even be said that he was the mastermind behind this. But Li Ke still respected Li Yuanying, his young uncle, mainly because he has heard many stories about the consequences of disrespecting Li Yuanying.

Is Li Tai not favored by their Lord Father? But when both fought, father’s decision was to send Li Tai away to his fiefdom. Even Princess Yan’s pregnancy could not change father’s mind!

Although this young uncle was only father’s half-brother, he was brought up personally by the Emperor and was a noisy child so he was naturally treated differently by the Emperor. Now it seems that those who has crossed path with uncle will end up miserable. For example, some of the teachers that had taught him were included in this “Royal Mission” to give lectures in Tibetan Empire. They are all scholars who have immersed their heads in books for half their lives. This trip travelling so far will give them much hardship!

Although Li Ke is going to suffer a terrible disaster, he knew it was because he was next in line in seniority so he took it on with a peaceful mind.

“Young uncle, you are still young. Father is reluctant to let you endure hardship.”

“How can you say it’s hard work? It’s so fun!” He excitedly introduced the tour route to Li Ke, telling him all the things he must try and all the things he must do. Come back and share with me if it was indeed fun.

Hearing these yearning words, Li Ke understood that young uncle really just wanted to go out and play. He did not intentionally want to give people a hard time. Li Ke quickly agreed to help him try out everything and to share improvements on the travel route.

Yuanying was happy hearing this. He went to the Emperor praising that third nephew knows him the best!

Chenqian heard young uncle praising Li Ke and thought that his position as the best nephew is going to be replaced soon . But this “best” is nothing to fight for, after all QingQue will always be placed last!

The Royal mission was set. Since the group intends to visit the Tibetan Empire, they had to inform its  ruler Songtsen Gampo. Since a Tang Princess was married into their tribe it is only natural that the in-laws would want to visit. Isn’t this the most natural flow of events?

His Majesty also mentioned that he would send a group of scholars over to engage in cultural and educational exchange. Now that the price of paper has dropped, he will also sponsor books so that people will get the opportunity to study about the Four Books and Five Classics, as well as poems and songs. If your men study well, they are welcome to study in Tang. We will even welcome international students with the opportunity to take the imperial examination!

Li Yuanying had the opportunity to read the letter and very satisfied with it. It was written well with both grace and intention which reflected really well on the image of Tang! Yuanying wanted to tease Li Er so he asked:  “Will you let me go next year?”

“When you have passed all your exams then you can go.”

“If I want to, I can pass it next year!”

Li Er responded slowly: “Talk to me again after you have done it.”

Li Er didn’t give him any chances and Li Yuanying also let it go and changed the topic.  “Didn’t I ask for the dragon bones to be excavated earlier? It’s up and I’ve also got someone to arrange it nicely. It’s really big! There won’t be a court meeting tomorrow, do you want to visit Sunflower Garden to have a look?”

Notes from the Author:

Young Prince: Those who want to go can’t go, those who don’t want to go is forced to do. The world of adults is so complicated! (whining)