"Did a cat get your tongue now that you see us?" Emperor Li feigned sternness, staring at Mingting.
"Weren't you sweet-tongued before? When I was a prince, you could call me your foster father. But now that I'm the Emperor, it's no longer acceptable?"
"Father…" Seeing Emperor Li was making things difficult for Mingting, Li Sheng quickly stepped forward to intervene.
But before he could say anything, Mingting had already hugged Emperor Li's thigh: "Dad, did you forget to give me a gift? Last time I was too embarrassed to remind you, but this time you've got to make up for it!"
'I have never seen such a shameless person!'
The chief eunuch lowered his head, and the corners of his mouth twitched.
'Meeting the Emperor and not even calling him 'Foster Father', but directly addressing him as 'Dad'... Would outsiders believe the Zhuangyuan was this thick-skinned?'
Emperor Li's eyebrow twitched, but in the end, he surrendered to Mingting's antics.
He had originally wanted to intimidate him and see how Mingting would react, but who knew that this brat simply refused to follow common sense. It seemed like he was never at a disadvantage!
"What do you want?" Since it was rare to see Mingting asking for something, Emperor Li didn't refuse outright and even granted him a seat.
"My Junior Sister and I have been engaged for a long time. If Foster Father could bestow an imperial decree for our marriage, she'd be overjoyed. With your blessing, we'll surely have a harmonious and lifelong marriage."
Mingting didn't act reserved, nor did he feel any embarrassment about requesting an imperial marriage decree.
Emperor Li was well aware that Su Hengzhong still refused to let Mingting step foot in the Su Family's Mansion, guarding against his disciple like a hawk.
Since Emperor Li had always enjoyed watching the drama unfold, and now Mingting had come to him directly, he naturally agreed.
"Thank you, Foster Father!" Mingting smiled.
"My teacher said he wants to keep my Junior Sister at home for a few more years, which gives me plenty of time to earn a proper dowry. When the time comes, I'll make sure her wedding is grand and glorious."
The young man's blissful expression made Emperor Li momentarily lost in thought.
Many years ago, before he married the Empress, he had been just as happy.
'In the blink of an eye, so much time had passed, and even the Crown Prince had grown up.'
Seeing Li Sheng sling an arm around Mingting's shoulders to congratulate him, Emperor Li couldn't help but sigh, 'It was great to be young!'
"Besides that, is there nothing else you want to ask for? If the only gift for my foster son is just a marriage decree, wouldn't that make me seem stingy?"
Emperor Li laughed and teased.
"It's still Foster Father who understands me. There is indeed one more thing I want to ask for your approval."
Mingting then told Emperor Li that he was only 14 years old, young and inexperienced, and could only study hard and work behind closed doors. He felt he still had much to learn and wanted to slack off... study for a few years before entering the court as an official.
Bang…
When Emperor Li heard this, he flew into a rage and threw the memorial in his hand.
He could tolerate many things, but he couldn't tolerate slacking off and shirking duties!
"A few more years of 'studying'? You just want to laze around! Why don't you aim higher and ascend to heaven!!"
Emperor Li laughed angrily.
'Did Mingting think I didn't know about his photographic memory?'
'Su Hengzhong had provided him with countless books, all of which he had already mastered. There was no need for further study.'
'To put it bluntly, he just wanted to be lazy now!'
"This subject obeys the decree …" Mingting said, and dodged another flying memorial, then ran away with Li Sheng.
'He just… left like that?'
The new memorial in Emperor Li's hand couldn't be put down or thrown away.
"Unfilial son, both of them are unfilial sons…"
Emperor Li was angry.
The chief eunuch who overheard this was inwardly shocked.
'It seems that His Majesty really treats Zhuangyuan Jiang as his beloved son or nephew. I have served him for so many years and has never seen anyone receive this level of affection.'
In the end, Emperor Li still indulged Mingting's request and arranged an official position in the East Palace for him, with an official title. With that, he didn't have to report every day.
Over the years, Mingting had contributed much to the court. While he was busy inventing, he also had to prepare for the imperial examination, so he couldn't be pushed too hard.
Alternating between tension and relaxation is the way to govern subordinates.
However, Emperor Li felt he couldn't let Mingting off too easily, and he still needed to keep some pressure on him.
Not long after, Emperor Li conferred Ming Ting the title of Count Zhongyi, not only rewarding him with a mansion, but also granting him an imperial marriage decree.
Everyone was shocked when the imperial edict came out.
The title Zhongyi, which means loyalty and unyielding integrity, is not something that ordinary people can get.
Soon, Emperor Li announced Mingting's contributions in recent years to the public.
He even specially gifted senior officials and royal family members with white sugar, proudly showing off his 'Little Zhuangyuan Jiang' and emphasizing how Mingting had always served the nation selflessly, never hoarding his innovations for personal gain.
White as snow, sweet as honey.
The white sugar was sought after as soon as it came out.
But since the sugar refinery wasn't fully operational yet, the Emperor's gifts were limited to small boxes.
Those who received the sugar flaunted it proudly, while those who didn't grew restless, scrambling to get their hands on some.
Some tried pulling strings to reach the Count's Mansion, only to learn that Mingting had already taken his family back to their hometown to pay respects to their ancestors.
Seeing Mingting had personally secured an imperial marriage decree from the Emperor, Su Hengzhong and Mrs. Su were immensely pleased.
With their son-in-law now Count Zhongyi, their daughter would one day be a countess. The couple couldn't stop smiling whenever they met anyone.
Because He Gu came from the countryside and didn't know much, and since both Mingting and Wang Zhi had to go back to Xiaohe Village to pay respects to their ancestors, Mingting specially requested Mrs. Su's help in managing the affairs of the Count's Mansion.
The mansion bestowed by the Emperor was brand new, and this would soon be her daughter's home. Mingting even said everything should be arranged according to his Junior Sister's preferences, which pleased Mrs. Su even more. Naturally, she put her heart and soul into the task.
The Jiang Family now had two Jinshi, among whom Mingting was the Zhuangyuan and even enfeoffed as Count Zhongyi, which caused a sensation in the entire Chengchang County.
When the announcement arrived, the clan head of the Jiang Family laughed so hard he nearly choked from excitement.
Mingting's return to his hometown perfectly embodied the phrase, 'returning home in glory'.
After returning to his hometown to pay respect to his ancestors, Mingting donated a large sum of money to establish a clan school, and asked the clan leader to urge the clan members to study diligently.
Almost overnight, the locals were proud of studying, with many parents tightening their belts just to send their children to school.
The competitive atmosphere among students grew so intense that, for years afterward, Xiaohe Village became renowned for its literary culture, producing outstanding talents one after another.
By the time Mingting returned to the capital, it was already the golden autumn season.
Not long after he returned to the capital, he took the Crown Prince to the outskirts of the capital and disappeared from public view for quite some time.
It was during this period that Song Yi came knocking.
Song Yi had obtained Mingting's records, which stated that the Zhuangyuan was an orphan whose parents had passed away. He was later adopted by He Gu and became the son of Jiang Xiucai.
Song Yi refused to believe it.
Mingting looked so much like him, so it was an undeniable blood connection. He was convinced the top scholar was his long-lost eldest son.
Especially now that Mingting had been enfeoffed as a count at such a young age and enjoyed the Emperor's deep favor, Song Yi became even more determined to reclaim Mingting.
He even fantasized about how, once they were reunited, he would be the father of Count Zhongyi.
At that time, people would say, 'Like father, like son', and no one would ever mock him again for relying on his wife's connections or being a 'kept man'.
While sending people to investigate Mingting's background in both his hometown and Xiaohe Village, Song Yi personally visited the small two-courtyard house where Mingting currently lived, hoping to have a heartwarming father-son reunion.