Chapter 106: The Father Next Door

At first glance of Zhu Houzhao’s miserable state, Fang Jifan’s heart sank!

Two questions immediately sprang to his mind: Had something been discovered? And was it unrelated to him?

To be honest, Fang Jifan felt he understood Emperor Hongzhi well. In his view, though the emperor was a lofty ruler of the nation, he was also a loving father who would never resort to such harsh measures unless absolutely necessary.

Zhu Houzhao, hanging from the tree, was wailing loudly, crying out, “Imperial Father, it was really Fang Jifan who said it! He claimed that if he could grow melons, then they would surely grow…”

Hanging high up, one naturally had a broader view. Zhu Houzhao spotted Fang Jifan and quickly shouted, “Imperial Father, look! Fang Jifan is here! He’s here! If you don’t believe me, ask him! Oww… Stop hitting me, no more! Fang Jifan is really here!”

Emperor Hongzhi, his eyes red with fury, glanced back and indeed saw Fang Jifan standing behind him, looking ashen-faced.

Emperor Hongzhi’s expression softened slightly as he said, “Come here.”

Oh no, this can’t be good.

His heart filled with anxiety, Fang Jifan stepped forward, forcing a smile as he bowed to Emperor Hongzhi and said, “Your humble servant greets Your Majesty. Long live…”

“Enough!” Emperor Hongzhi exhaled white breath, as if from recent exertion, his body steaming with heat. “The Crown Prince says you encouraged him to plant these useless melons? Tell me the truth!”

“It wasn’t encouragement, it was cooperation!” Zhu Houzhao, still hanging from the tree, cried out again. “Fang Jifan’s abilities, Imperial Father, you’ve seen them before! Oww… He said he could grow melons, so he definitely can. Imperial Father, your son is wronged! I… I wasn’t fooling around, I…”

“Quiet!” Emperor Hongzhi spun around, glaring fiercely at Zhu Houzhao, his voice sharp and stern as he pointed the whip at him. “I refuse to believe Fang Jifan would advise you to do something so foolish! Not only were you fooling around, but you were also lying! If I don’t teach you a lesson today, how can I face our Imperial Ancestors?”

Fang Jifan’s heart felt heavy, but he still spoke up loyally: “Your Majesty, it truly was I who suggested His Highness join me in planting melons. This is called a greenhouse. As long as we maintain…”

Hearing this, Zhu Houzhao finally breathed a sigh of relief. Old Fang was still loyal! He quickly added, “Imperial Father, did I speak falsely?”

Little did he know, instead of a savior arriving, Emperor Hongzhi grew even angrier, trembling with rage more than before.

His hand swiftly raised the whip again, and with a crack, it lashed harshly against Zhu Houzhao’s body. Zhu Houzhao immediately burst into loud, pained sobs.

Enraged beyond measure, Emperor Hongzhi shouted harshly, “You truly are a rebellious son! Not only do you act absurdly and recklessly, but you also try to deceive me! And to make matters worse, you even drag Fang Jifan into covering your lies! What do you take me for? Do you think I’m that foolish? Do you think I don’t realize Fang Jifan is just trying to help you out? Planting melons in the middle of winter, destroying so many decorative stones—who in the world wastes things like you? And with all your lies! I… I’m still here now, but if one day I’m gone, who knows what you, this rebellious son, will do!”

Covering… covering lies?

Fang Jifan’s pupils contracted.

He had actually prepared himself to share the beating with Zhu Houzhao.

After all, they were brothers—they should share both fortune and misfortune.

But… what was this about covering lies?

Zhu Houzhao wailed for a while, but seeing that his Imperial Father showed no signs of softening—instead panting heavily and glaring at him with murderous eyes—his heart grew cold.

Emperor Hongzhi sneered, “As for planting melons in winter, do you think Fang Jifan is like you? Even if he acts recklessly or absurdly, he is ten, a hundred times smarter than you, this rebellious son! Otherwise, show me one Tribute Scholar you’ve taught! If you had honestly admitted your foolishness, that would be one thing. Given your youth, there might still be some excuse. But you stubbornly refuse to admit your fault, which only makes it worse! And you even try to drag Fang Jifan down with you! You… truly are my good son…”

Fang Jifan finally caught on.

He mostly understood: Emperor Hongzhi naturally did not believe that melons could be grown in such heavy snow. At the same time, he also did not believe Fang Jifan had encouraged it.

Why?

Probably because of the Metropolitan Examination. Ouyang Zhi and the other two had achieved outstanding results, shocking the Capital and causing Emperor Hongzhi to reassess Fang Jifan. It seemed the only way to describe Fang Jifan was as a genius.

The child next door.

Fang Jifan’s appearance had not calmed Emperor Hongzhi’s anger but had instead added fuel to the fire.

That alone was bad enough, but the most terrifying thing was…

Uh…

Fang Jifan thought deeper and suddenly realized: Didn’t the Metropolitan Examination further prove the theory that “talent comes from the rod”?

So why hadn’t Zhu Houzhao achieved success? Why was he still so absurd, reckless, and deceitful?

Naturally, it was because he hadn’t been beaten enough or harshly enough.

Add to that the cheating scandal in the Imperial Examination, which had already upset Emperor Hongzhi. And now, Zhu Houzhao had walked right into the line of fire. With all these factors combined, Zhu Houzhao’s severe beating was truly not the least bit unjust.

Poor Zhu Houzhao still didn’t understand what was happening. Furious and on the verge of passing out, he sobbed, “Imperial Father, it really was…”

“Scoundrel! Even now, you’re still making excuses? Do you want to anger me to death?” Emperor Hongzhi was completely enraged. He raised the whip and delivered another round of painful blows.

Zhu Houzhao howled in pain, his body twisting in mid-air.

Fang Jifan was so frightened that the back of his robe was soaked with cold sweat.

The father next door… was really ruthless.

But hearing Zhu Houzhao’s miserable screams, he couldn’t help but say, “Your Majesty, this matter is absolutely true. I truly encouraged the Crown Prince to do this. Please punish me. The Crown Prince is innocent…”

Before he could finish, a cold gleam swept across Fang Jifan’s face, making him shudder violently.

Unexpectedly, Emperor Hongzhi sighed, and the icy sharpness in his eyes softened. “There’s no need for you to cover for him. He is my own son—how could I not know him? Only he would do something so absurd! How could you be so incompetent? If you were truly incompetent, you wouldn’t have become the Mentor to three Tribute Scholars. I know the two of you share a deep bond, and you, Fang Jifan, want to take the blame for the Crown Prince. But this rebellious son, he truly…”

The more he spoke, the more flames of anger rose from deep within Emperor Hongzhi. The hand holding the whip bulged with veins, but he managed to steady his emotions and take a deep breath. “This rebellious son… he usually isn’t beaten enough!”

“…” Fang Jifan was left speechless.

He never expected that his image in the emperor’s mind had risen to a new level.

It seemed that in the emperor’s heart, he was no longer seen as the absurd ‘brat.’ Instead, he had become a talented person who had risen above vulgar interests. At the very least, in the emperor’s mind, Fang Jifan would never do something like destroying decorative stones, removing the Colored Glaze, and planting melons in such heavy snow.

What else could Fang Jifan say?

The only thing left to do seemed to be mourning for Zhu Houzhao.

Fortunately, Emperor Hongzhi seemed to have tired himself out from the beating. He threw down the whip and said, “Let the Crown Prince reflect on his actions properly. When he realizes his mistakes, he may come to beg for forgiveness. If he remains stubborn and unrepentant, hmph!”

But Zhu Houzhao was an extremely stubborn person. He shouted, “It was just planting melons! Your son and Fang Jifan planted them together! Fang Jifan said they would grow, so they will definitely grow! Imperial Father… your son…”

Fang Jifan let out a long sigh. With one less Crown Prince in the world, life truly felt lonely.

The outcome… was already predictable.

Emperor Hongzhi, who had barely managed to control his emotions, instantly flared up again. He bent down personally to pick up the whip, and immediately after, another round of wailing ensued.

The whip had one advantage, especially a soft whip: it could tear open the skin and flesh without damaging tendons or bones, so one could wield it freely. What followed was essentially an exercise in free combat.

Fang Jifan felt he could no longer save Zhu Houzhao. Covering his eyes—out of sight, out of mind—he thought, This Young Lord can’t stand the sight of blood!

…

A little while later, in the Minglun Hall of the Left Chunfang in the House of the Crown Prince.

After the severe beating, Emperor Hongzhi, having vented some of his anger, knelt there. The Hanlin Academicians from the Left Chunfang and Right Chunfang, who had come on duty, learned of the early morning incident and were all as silent as cicadas in winter, their expressions solemn. However…

Watching them mournfully apologize to Emperor Hongzhi and lament their negligence in educating the Crown Prince, Fang Jifan even wondered if, deep down, they were actually pleased.

Emperor Hongzhi felt deeply melancholy. He ordered tea to be served. When Liu Jin cautiously reported, “Your Majesty, the imperial physician has arrived. The Crown Prince is being treated in his Bedchamber. It seems… it seems… it seems he will be fine.”

“Hmm.” Emperor Hongzhi replied sternly, nodding slightly.

Yet, deep in his eyes, there seemed to be a trace of reluctance. But what could he do? It was just too absurd, too reckless! It was as if he took me for a fool! And on top of that, he stubbornly refused to admit his mistakes! Truly, he is full of bad habits. If he isn’t beaten, he won’t learn.

He looked up and glanced at the officials in the House of the Crown Prince, then suddenly said, “Minister Wang.”

Minister Wang was Wang Hua, the Junior Supervisor of the Household in the House of the Crown Prince, mainly responsible for the Right Chunfang, ranking below Yang Tinghe.

Wang Hua stepped forward and bowed, saying, “Your servant is here.”

Emperor Hongzhi took a sip of tea, exhaled, and forced a smile. A hint of envy flashed in his eyes as he once again thought of the child next door! Unable to help himself, he said, “I heard your son ranked fourth in the Metropolitan Examination? A young talent indeed—truly something to be admired.”

The fourth-ranked candidate was Wang Shouren. Emperor Hongzhi had personally read his exam paper and found it truly eloquent. Though it lacked the sophistication of Ouyang Zhi and Liu Wenshan’s essays or the cleverness in Tang Yin’s writing, he was nonetheless a fine talent.