It is often said, "Extreme wit must cause harm."
There is also a saying, "Heaven is jealous of talents."
Since ancient times, those extremely intelligent individuals have seldom lived long lives.
He Lianfang was somewhat worried about Zhao Yao’s excessive cleverness. However, fortunately, Zhao Yao knew how to conceal his talents. Otherwise, this child surely wouldn’t survive to adulthood. Tʜe sourcᴇ of thɪs content ɪs novel⁂fire.net
After Zhao Yao explained how he made the aristocratic families fight among themselves, he saw He Lianfang looking at him with a complex expression. Thinking he had said something wrong, he quickly asked, "Second Uncle, was I wrong in what I said?"
He Lianfang came back to his senses, dispelled the complexity in his eyes, and gave Zhao Yao a gentle smile: "What you said was very right!" Even he was not as astutely perceptive as this child, Xiao Shi, in political affairs.
The method Xiao Shi just mentioned to set the noble families against each other was too astonishing for him; he could never have thought of such a brilliant scheme.
"But Second Uncle, your expression earlier didn’t look so good, I thought I might have been wrong."
"Xiao Shi, the method you mentioned earlier, was it your own thought, or did someone tell you?"
"I came up with it myself, no one told me." Zhao Yao said with a puzzled look, "Besides, no one would ask me such questions. I would only say this to you. If I told others about it, wouldn’t that be courting death?"
Indeed, it was the child himself who thought of it.
He Lianfang once again sighed in his heart: This child is born with the potential to be an emperor.
"Xiao Shi, when you grow up, it is best to request your father, the emperor, to send you to a faraway place." He Lianfang thought for a moment and said, "It’s best to go to the Southern Border."
"Ah, to the Southern Border?" Zhao Yao had never thought of going to the Southern Border, "Second Uncle, where I want to go when I grow up is Qingzhou."
"Qingzhou?" He Lianfang asked with a perplexed expression, "Why Qingzhou?" This kid had even thought about his future fief. With his temperament and intelligence, he probably had already made arrangements in Qingzhou.
He Lianfang really guessed it right.
"Qingzhou is small and located by the sea, and it’s poor, so no one would vie with me for it." Zhao Yao added, "When I grow up, all the good places will have been taken by my royal brothers. I suppose only Qingzhou will be left that they won’t want."
"Do you think Qingzhou is an insignificant place?"
Zhao Yao retorted, "Isn’t it?"
He Lianfang chuckled, "Qingzhou is not an insignificant place. Currently, throughout the entire Great Zhou, only Qingzhou has not fully implemented the maritime ban. Did you know about this?"
"I only recently found out..." Zhao Yao suddenly thought of something, and his eyes widened with surprise, saying with open mouth, "I can’t go to Qingzhou anymore." Ah ah ah ah, why didn’t he consider this? In the whole Great Zhou, only Qingzhou had dealings with foreign nations overseas. Just on this point alone, Qingzhou was not for him to claim.
Seeing Zhao Yao understand, He Lianfang teased him, "How could your clever little mind not think of that point?"
"I didn’t know Great Zhou had a maritime ban." Zhao Yao replied with annoyance, "I only found out about it recently."
"Did you already send people to arrange things in Qingzhou?"
Seeing He Lianfang hit the mark, Zhao Yao didn’t hide it and told him about his maternal uncle opening a tavern in Qingzhou.
Although He Lianfang guessed that Zhao Yao surely made arrangements in Qingzhou, he did not expect Zhao Yao to have made such meticulous plans. This child really could anticipate ten moves ahead.
"You truly planned ahead!"
Embarrassed, Zhao Yao smiled, "I was just preparing for when I go to my fief, so I can lead a leisurely life as a prince." It’s over. He can’t go to Qingzhou now, and everything he did was for nothing.
Seeing Zhao Yao’s expression as if he were about to cry, He Lianfang couldn’t help but laugh, then comforted him, "Even though you won’t be able to go to Qingzhou in the future, everything you did there was not in vain."
Zhao Yao said with a bitter expression, "Second Uncle, you don’t know what else I had planned."
"What else did you arrange?" How many things did this boy arrange in advance?
Zhao Yao said, looking miserable, "I was planning to establish a fleet, then sail to the Western Ocean for sea trade."
He Lianfang: "..." He was wrong, this boy was thinking twenty moves ahead. How could Zhao Zheng have such a prodigious son? "Great Zhou has not lifted the maritime ban."
"I know, but eventually, Father will surely lift it." Zhao Yao thought the emperor was not a fool and would understand how much benefit lifting the maritime ban would bring to Great Zhou, "I’m preparing in advance, so when the ban is lifted, my fleet can immediately go to the Western Ocean and earn a lot of money."
He Lianfang: "..." This boy, if not a prince, would surely become the wealthiest merchant under the heavens.