Chapter 23: The Yongle Emperor: My son stole my horse for his son to ride?!

"Thwack!" A teacup was slammed heavily onto the small side table. The sound was sharp, loud, and jarring within the vast, empty palace. The Yongle Emperor set his cup down with force, his sharp gaze fixed intently upon Little Snot.

Little Snot, kneeling on the floor with his head bowed, seemed to sense the Emperor’s piercing stare and could not help but tremble.

"Speak! What is going on here?!" The Yongle Emperor demanded, his tone filled with scrutiny, suspicion, and reproach. The Imperial Stables housed his most cherished steeds! A sense of foreboding grew stronger in his heart.

"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. It was due to our lax supervision and poor management that a horse went missing from the Imperial Stables," Little Snot said, prostrating himself on the ground and confessing directly.

"A horse went missing from the Imperial Stables? Which one? No, wait! I asked what horse the Heir of Han was riding on the battlefield. Why are you talking about a missing horse from the stables...?" The Yongle Emperor was initially confused. He had merely asked a casual question about the horse ridden by the Heir of Han, yet Little Snot was talking about a theft? Seeing the panicked state of his servant, the Emperor paused. He suddenly realized something and stopped mid-sentence. What was the connection between the two?!

The horse missing from the stables was the very one the Heir of Han was riding?! It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck the Emperor’s mind.

The realization hit him like a physical blow: Grandfather’s horse had been taken by his own grandson!

Could it be that his grandson had stolen his horse? Did the boy have such audacity? Or was it the work of his father, the Prince of Han?

Though the Yongle Emperor had recently gained a new appreciation for this grandson—and had even been quite pleased with some of the things he had said, such as, "Not everyone can become the Yongle Emperor" and "Not everyone has the ability to accomplish great things"—these words had greatly satisfied him. However, no matter who it was, no one could steal his horse. Absolutely not! Not anyone! Those were his horses—his precious steeds!

The Yongle Emperor squinted his eyes, his face full of genuine heartache for his beloved horses.

"Tell me, why did my Imperial Stables lose a horse, and which one was it?" With his thoughts organized, the Emperor took a sip of the scalding tea.

"Ssss!" Scalded by the hot tea, he rolled his eyes, set the cup down, and let out a long breath. He stared at Little Snot with an aggressive gaze, waiting for an explanation.

Little Snot was full of grievances, silently blaming the Prince of Han in his heart: *Your Highness, you have truly set me up. Your gold coins were too hot to handle. You promised to borrow the horse and return it as soon as you came back from the campaign. It has been two days since you returned, yet you haven't brought it back. That was a precious steed! Now I have been caught by the Emperor, and he is furious! You must not blame me for this.*

Little Snot carefully lifted his head, stealing a glance at the furrowed brow of the Yongle Emperor before quickly lowering it again.

"Your Majesty, a few days before you set out on your campaign against Arughtai, you frequently met with the Prince of Han and the Prince of Zhao to discuss important matters. One day, after finishing his business with you, the Prince of Han mentioned he wanted to visit the Imperial Stables," Little Snot said, occasionally peeking at the Emperor on the lounge.

That day, the Prince of Han had been discussing the campaign with the Crown Prince and the broad-minded Emperor. As evening approached, the negotiations concluded. The discussion hadn't gone smoothly, so the Emperor had not offered them a meal, instead dismissing them directly.

***

Just as they stepped out of the council chamber, the Prince of Han headed in a different direction than the Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhao.

"Second Brother, where are you going?" the Crown Prince asked, looking at the Prince of Han with confusion.

"Second Brother, what business do you have? Let us go together; I can help out," the Prince of Zhao added, watching his brother with interest.

"Eldest, Third, I am going to the Imperial Stables. There is something I need to handle. You two go on back," the Prince of Han replied, stopping his long strides and responding in a somewhat perfunctory manner.

"You two go ahead, you go ahead. I'll be back shortly. Father told me to check on the preparations for his Imperial steeds, and that is exactly where I am headed." The Prince of Han reacted quickly, cutting off any further questions from his brothers.

The young eunuch following him felt utterly lost. He hadn't heard the Emperor tell the Prince of Han to visit the stables! None of the other attendants had heard of this either. Had they forgotten? Or was the Prince of Han lying?

"Eldest, Third, I’m off to the stables now!" The Prince of Han didn't give them a chance to ask more, hurrying away as if fleeing.

"Hurry up! Take me to the Imperial Stables. What are you waiting for?" Ignoring the hesitant looks from the Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhao, he impatiently urged the eunuch to lead the way.

"Yes, yes, this way, Your Highness," the confused eunuch replied, unable to defy the powerful Prince, and followed with a bitter expression.

The Crown Prince and the Prince of Zhao were left behind, looking at each other in bewilderment before shaking their heads and leaving the palace.

***

"Your Highness, we have arrived at the Imperial Stables. I shall return now," the eunuch said, hoping the Prince would release him.

"Hmm, well done. You go back; I will go in and take a look." The Prince of Han entered, his eyes scanning the various fine horses with excitement. He loved them all, even if they weren't his.

"Greetings, Your Highness. May I ask what brings you to the Imperial Stables?" the elderly head eunuch asked, bowing respectfully.

"The Emperor is about to depart on his campaign. He sent me to see if the horses are prepared. Are they ready?" The Prince of Han assumed his regal posture, looking down at the old eunuch with an arrogant air.

"Returning to Your Highness, the horses are ready. You may inspect them," the eunuch replied with pride.

"Very well, let us have a look." The Prince of Han nodded.

The old eunuch led him through the stables, showing him the Emperor’s many mounts—solid-colored horses, spotted ones, Ferghana horses, and sturdy steppe ponies. They were all extraordinary, enough to dazzle the Prince.

"Good, good, good. Old Manager, these horses are well-prepared. I will report as much to the Emperor." The Prince of Han looked at the horses galloping in the courtyard with envious eyes.

"I thank Your Highness for your kind words," the old eunuch replied, knowing the Prince had something else in mind.

"Which horse in these stables has the most strength? Can you bring it for me to see?" The Prince of Han asked, his gaze sharp and his smile meaningful.

"This...? Since you ask, I must be honest. The strongest horse is the Emperor's personal mount, 'Racing Dragon.' It is muscular and taller than the average horse, with thick bones, immense strength, and great stamina. However, it does have some drawbacks." The eunuch pointed to a massive horse grazing nearby, hoping the Prince would show mercy and spare it.

"Tell me about them," the Prince of Han said, his interest piqued.

"Racing Dragon is strong and has great stamina, but its speed is relatively slow compared to others. Moreover, it hasn't been fully tamed. Even His Majesty can only manage it with the help of many guards; no one else can control it." The eunuch was clearly telling the Prince that he couldn't handle the horse and should give up the idea.

"Good, that is the one. Tie it up and send it to my Prince of Han's manor," the Prince of Han said decisively, his eyes lighting up.

He then walked deeper into the stables.

"Your Highness, please reconsider!"
"Your Highness, have mercy!"
"Your Highness, you cannot! This is the Emperor's favorite, Racing Dragon!"

...

In the end, amidst the desperate pleas of the eunuchs, the Prince of Han took the horse "Racing Dragon" back to his manor.

*My son stole my horse to give to his own son?!* Hearing Little Snot’s description, this thought flashed through the Yongle Emperor’s mind.