These past few days, Zhao Yao has been a bit troubled. It’s almost the Eighth Prince’s birthday. If it were just an ordinary birthday, Zhao Yao wouldn’t be so worried about what gift to give. But this year is the Eighth Prince’s coming-of-age ceremony, so giving the usual birthday gifts doesn’t seem appropriate. Back then, for the Fourth Prince’s coming-of-age ceremony, Zhao Yao made a curved plow for him.
Zhao Yao originally planned to make sothing similar to the curved plow for the Eighth Prince, but since the Eighth Prince doesn’t have any land, such a gift would be of no use to him. Moreover, if he actually made sothing similar and gave it to his eighth brother, the eighth brother might imdiately present it to the Crown Prince, thereby earning the Crown Prince so prestige.
In fact, Zhao Yao had already planned what to give the Eighth Prince as a gift a year ago. At that ti, he thought that after the Eighth Prince’s coming-of-age and being granted a title, the Emperor would "dispatch" him to so desolate location. He had even thought of several places for the Eighth Prince, such as the Northern Frontier or the Southern Border.
If the Eighth Prince were to have land in these areas, he could make a Water Wheel for him, solving the irrigation issues of the Eighth Prince’s land. However, now that the Eighth Prince has no land, he doesn’t need to go to the places Zhao Yao had in mind. The Water Wheel he had intended to give can’t be sent out.
Zhao Yao has been pondering what the Eighth Prince might need, but after much thought, he feels that the Eighth Prince lacks nothing.
"Tong Xi, what do you think the eighth brother lacks?"
"What does the Eighth Prince lack?" Tong Xi was taken aback by Zhao Yao’s question and asked in bewildernt, "Your Highness, why are you asking this?"
"It’s almost the eighth brother’s birthday, and I’m trying to figure out what gift would be good for him." Zhao Yao frowned deeply, his expression very conflicted, "Can you help think of a suitable gift?"
"Oh, right, it’s almost the Eighth Prince’s birthday." Tong Xi stroked his chin, earnestly helping Zhao Yao think of a gift.
"What do you think the eighth brother needs the most?"
"Your Highness, isn’t it obvious? The Eighth Prince most likely needs..." Tong Xi raised his index finger and pointed to the sky.
Upon seeing Tong Xi’s gesture, Zhao Yao instantly understood what he ant, and his expression froze.
"That gift... is beyond my ability to give."
"Your Highness, it seems the Eighth Prince really does need that the most. As for anything else, the Eighth Prince probably has it all." Tong Xi thought for a mont and suggested to Zhao Yao, "Your Highness, why not just give the Eighth Prince sothing random? As long as it’s from you, the Eighth Prince will surely like it."
Zhao Yao glared at Tong Xi and said, "This year is the eighth brother’s coming-of-age ceremony; can I give sothing randomly? Besides, for the fourth brother’s coming-of-age ceremony, I made a curved plow for him. Now it’s the eighth brother’s turn; I can’t show favoritism, otherwise the eighth brother will get jealous." In his heart, both the fourth brother and the eighth brother are equally important; neither is above the other. If the birthday gift for the eighth brother isn’t as good as the one given to the fourth brother, it would be unfair to the eighth brother.
"That’s true, your curved plow was quite a grand gift," Tong Xi said, "Then why don’t you make sothing similar to the curved plow for the Eighth Prince?"
"Easier said than done," Zhao Yao responded irritably, "The eighth brother has no land, so giving him sothing like the curved plow is useless. The eighth brother might even give it to the Crown Prince."
Tong Xi agreed that Zhao Yao was right. After racking his brains for a while, he still couldn’t co up with anything good.
"Your Highness, this servant can’t think of anything. You’d better think of sothing yourself."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Yao gave Tong Xi a look of disdain and then waved him away like he was swatting at a fly.
"Scram, scram, don’t interrupt my thinking."
Tong Xi skittered away.
Zhao Yao propped his face up, wrinkling his nose in deep contemplation.
Overly practical items, like the Water Wheel, can’t be given to the eighth brother for now. Once the eighth brother has land in the future, he could make one and give it to him then. And when the eighth brother has land, perhaps by then, he might even sit on the throne, and the whole world will belong to the eighth brother, and Zhao Yao can then present the Water Wheel to him. Or perhaps the eighth brother will never have any land in his lifeti.
If practical gifts are no good, then it seems only impractical ones can be given.
But there are so many impractical things, he can’t just give the eighth brother sothing gaudy and flashy.
Zhao Yao scratched his head in frustration. These past few days, he’s been so worried he feels like he’s going to scratch all his hair off.
Perhaps he should make sothing fun to give his eighth brother, to amuse him?
Uh... But compared to the curved plow for the fourth brother, it’s just not the sa level.
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