"Didn’t you take the four little rascals to North Mountain for shooting practice? How’s their marksmanship?"
"Not great, just barely hitting the target." Zhao Yao said, "They’ve still got a lot to learn." After speaking, he looked at He Lianfang, "Uncle, how’s your marksmanship?" After creating the firearms, Zhao Yao immediately gave one to He Lianfang. He Lianfang loved it, and you could say he couldn’t bear to put it down.
He Lianfang replied modestly, "Never miss a shot."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yao promptly gave He Lianfang a thumbs-up: "As expected of Uncle, picking it up so quickly."
He Lianfang remarked casually, "That’s nothing."
"Uncle, you’ve been using the firearm for a while now, how does it feel? Is there anything you find lacking?"
He Lianfang replied, "It’s too big, hard to conceal." Just as he finished speaking, he suddenly recalled Zhao Yao mentioning something about a pistol before, "By the way, didn’t you say you wanted firearms the size of a dagger called pistols? Have you made them?" If a firearm were dagger-sized, it would be easy to carry and hide without being noticed.
Zhao Yao’s expression became stiff, and after a moment he chuckled awkwardly, "I forgot."
He Lianfang glared at Zhao Yao fiercely, and said with displeasure, "How could you forget such an important thing as a pistol?!"
Zhao Yao rubbed his nose awkwardly, chuckling, "I’ve been busy, and then I just got so busy I forgot." He’s been busy outside these days, juggling this and that, and the pistol just slipped his mind. "I’ve been busy with Zheng Cheng studying how to make cannons, so forgetting about the pistol is quite normal."
He Lianfang sneered, "Yet you didn’t forget to make white sugar?"
Zhao Yao confidently replied, "White sugar is for eating, of course I wouldn’t forget."
Sure enough, in this brat’s mind, white sugar is more important than a pistol! Eating is always the priority!
"You’d better get that pistol made quickly."
"Yes, yes, yes, I’ll work on it with Zheng Cheng tomorrow." It’s best to make the pistol quickly for an extra layer of safety.
Only then was He Lianfang satisfied. He was about to say something else when he suddenly remembered something very important, and looked at Zhao Yao with a strange expression: "You’ve never handed over the manufacturing methods for Black Fire, firearms, grenades, and hand grenades to the court, what are you planning?"
"I don’t plan to blow up the capital." Zhao Yao first defended himself, then said, "I plan to hand them over when I return to the capital next year." The methods for making hot weapons are too important, and he doesn’t feel secure unless he delivers them personally.
"What are you going back to the capital for next year?" He Lianfang asked, puzzled, "Did the Emperor ask you to return to the capital next year?"
"Uncle, you forgot, I’m getting married in the capital next year." Originally, Zhao Yao had forgotten about his uping marriage next year, until Lady Liang reminded him by letter.
Upon hearing Zhao Yao say this, He Lianfang finally recalled the matter.
"Who’s your future princess?"
Zhao Yao shook his head and said, "I don’t know."
"You still don’t know?" He Lianfang looked shocked, "Zhao Zheng hasn’t told you yet?!"
"No, not a word." He’s getting married next year, yet doesn’t know who his wife is. "Father hasn’t even told my mother."
He Lianfang could roughly guess why the Emperor hasn’t informed Zhao Yao of his future princess yet. It’s likely that the future Princess Han es from a plicated background. The Emperor fears that if Zhao Yao knew, the little son might be too frightened to return to the capital to marry.
"Uncle, why’s father being so mysterious about this?" Zhao Yao wondered aloud, "Could it be that my future princess is too ugly to be seen?"
"You wouldn’t want to marry an ugly wife?"
Zhao Yao pointed at his own face, saying, "I look so good, how could I marry an ugly wife?" If his future princess isn’t good-looking, being with him every day would surely make her feel inferior. "Father wouldn’t be so cruel, would he, to marry me to a princess who’s ugly."
"Your father probably arranged a remarkable match for you." He Lianfang speculated, "Your future princess is likely from one of those major ministerial families."
Upon hearing He Lianfang’s words, Zhao Yao’s brows twitched, and his expression stiffened, "Uncle, you mean father wants me to marry the daughter of Prime Minister He or Grandmaster Liu or one of the other important ministers?"
"Quite possible."
"No way, father wouldn’t be so ruthless." Zhao Yao said, frowning, "If I marry the daughter of any of these ministers, I’m doomed."
He Lianfang said, "Your father might be trying to ensure you’re protected from being bullied later, so he found you a powerful Yue Family."
Zhao Yao said with a bitter face, "Finding me a powerful Yue Family, are you sure it’s for my protection and not to harm me?"
"With a powerful Yue Family, your royal brothers wouldn’t dare bully you easily."
"They wouldn’t dare bully me, but they’d try every means to win me over." Zhao Yao said, looking terrified, "Then I’d be forced into the succession dispute. Father isn’t protecting me, he’s harming me." He felt that Uncle’s guess was likely, and it was terrifying!
"I’m not going back next year, I’m not getting married." This isn’t a marriage, it’s a death sentence.
"Just teasing you." He Lianfang thought the kid reacted just as he expected.
"Teasing me?" Zhao Yao glanced sideways at He Lianfang and said irritably, "Uncle, that joke wasn’t funny at all." The joke was too shocking; his little heart couldn’t take it.
"Your father knows your temperament and wouldn’t arrange a too conspicuous marriage for you." He Lianfang forted Zhao Yao, "Your future princess is probably from a humble background, which is why Zhao Zheng hasn’t told you yet."
Zhao Yao looked suspicious, "Really?"
"Your future princess might be humble in background, but she’s probably not bad."
Zhao Yao waved his hand, indifferent, saying, "I don’t care about the background, as long as she’s a good person."
He Lianfang said with a sarcastic tone, "You don’t have to worry about your future princess; Zhao Zheng, however insidious and cruel, won’t harm his precious son."
"Better be that way."
Father has always been unreliable; will he really not mess this up for him?
Marriage is a big deal in life, and however unreliable father is, he shouldn’t harm him in such an important matter.
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