For the first time, I met a real person who was inferior to one person and surpassed ten thousand people, Xun Shifei, the prince of the Xun family of the Kyushu Empire. Li Zhen observed him carefully without any hesitation. It was just that the prince was fair-skinned, but other than that, he couldn't see anything different from ordinary people.
It's not like the legendary dragon walking like a tiger, with lotuses sprouting at every step. There is a noble temperament like the liver of a dragon and the marrow of a phoenix in his calmness and self-power. No, none.
He is like an ordinary brother who leads the family, with a smile that makes people feel warm.
"Is this the junior fellow student? As expected, heroes come from young."
Li Zhen clasped his fists: "Li Zhen, who is in Xiahangcheng, met the Crown Prince Xun, the regent of the Jiuzhou Empire."
The full name of Prince is so long that most people don't know it. If Mingkang hadn't specifically told him on the way here that he should use his full name when speaking solemnly during the first meeting, Li Zhen would not have known that the prince's given name was so long.
There are many royal rules, and you cannot call a person by his or her name or rank. It is a courtesy to use the full name.
Xun Shifei smiled, clasped his fists and returned a salute to Li Zhen: "Junior, you don't have to be so unfamiliar. Call me Senior Xun to make you feel closer."
Li Zhen smiled: "The imperial gift cannot be revoked, let's still be the prince."
"Puch"
A maid behind Xun Shifei couldn't help but laugh, turned around and whispered to the maid next to him: "He is really like the legendary country bumpkin who came from a remote country. The prince even calls him junior, but he still insists on calling him prince. , Hahaha, as expected, everything outside Balong City is rural, and everything outside Zhongzhou is farmers."
Another maid also whispered: "I have never seen the world like this. When you see the emperor, wouldn't you be so scared that you will collapse on the ground?"
“…”
The atmosphere in the field became awkward.
The prince was extremely doting on the ten maids, and he usually did not have any superiority or authority with them. They just played like brothers and sisters, like lovers. These maids are not like the closed-minded feudal dynasties in ancient times. They are more lively and careless like girls, but they also have no rules and no attention to occasions.
Except for those who meet the royal family, everyone they meet looks like this.
Mingkang frowned slightly, but didn't say anything.
Li Zhen heard this and pretended not to hear it. Are the people of the imperial capital proud? Outside Balong City are all rural areas, and outside Zhongzhou are all farmers
Xun Shifei was also a little embarrassed. He naturally knew why his maid ridiculed Li Zhen like this in public, because his maid must be facing him. They don't care whether you are the top scholar or not, whether you are an official or not. They only know that if the prince doesn't like someone, they will ridicule him both verbally and subtly.
"Xiao Lian, please don't speak arrogantly."
The maid pouted: "Here."
Xun Shifei's expression was impassive, and he revealed it lightly: "Junior, sit down."
Li Zhen was shocked. Is he so doted on
People like Qi Lengzi, who are not very smart, also find this a bit strange. When the two masters are talking, the people below interrupt and ridicule. This is a kind of disrespect. When Li Zhen was talking to others, Qi Lunzi didn't dare to interrupt and talk randomly.
Logically speaking, the status of the maids behind the prince should be much lower than that in front of Li Zhen. They talked casually, uttered arrogant words, and passed by so lightly
Qi Lunzi couldn't understand. Isn't it said that there are so many royal rules? Why did you come to the prince the other way around
Li Zhen was not a small-minded person, so he sat down casually without taking it to heart, his butt just stuck to the chair. The maid named Xiaolian pursed her lips again and said:
"There are no rules. The prince didn't even sit down, but you sat down first. It's really uneducated."
Li Zhen was stunned for a moment, then stood up quickly and said with a somewhat ashamed smile: "It's my first time entering Zhongzhou. I'm rude. Please forgive me, Prince."
Xun Shifei smiled: "It doesn't matter. Xiaolian has been speaking openly, junior fellow student, please don't take it to heart."
"No, no, no."
As soon as Li Zhen finished speaking, Xiao Lian answered again: "Humph, I'm sorry he doesn't dare. He doesn't even take a piss to take a look at himself, but he also wants to compete with the prince in knowledge? He really thinks that his number one scholar is so powerful... "
"Xiaolian!"
Even if Xun Shifei doted on her again, he would be a little angry now. Some things can be said behind the scenes, but they can be said again and again to make people unable to step down.
Xiaolian pouted and looked at Xun Shifei with aggrieved face, meaning, did I say something wrong
Xun Shifei glared angrily, looked at it for a moment, and could only sigh helplessly, still unable to bear to scold her.
Li Zhen and others looked at each other, what the hell is this a maid? Are you so doted on
Doesn’t it mean that this is a royal family with many rules? Why does this maid have such a high status? Even the maids and servants of wealthy merchants would not dare to speak like this in front of their master, even when there are guests. Is this royal maid so courageous
Xun Shifei looked at Li Zhen with a wry smile: "Forgive me, junior."
What can Li Zhen say? He could only nod his head and say: "The prince is worrying too much, I didn't hear anything."
"Well, it's been a long and dusty journey, are you tired?"
"I'm a little tired."
"I have already arranged a place to stay. It's night. Let's rest. Haha, I have to see my junior's skills tomorrow."
"Then the grassroots please retire."
"please."
“…”
After entering the prince's residence in Jinzhou County, Li Zhen and others retreated to rest again without even drinking a cup of tea.
In the guest room, Qi Lunzi was stunned: "Is this a maid? Is she so expensive?"
Mingkang whispered: "Keep your voice down, don't let anyone hear you."
"Hey, I just can't figure it out. This...is this too unruly?"
"I heard that the prince is very fond of his maid. I didn't expect that he would be so fond of his maid. Alas."
Mingkang and Qi Lengzi chatted and complained about each other.
Li Zhen sat beside the bed and pondered, why did the prince seem to dislike him
It doesn't matter if the maids are outspoken, but if the prince likes her, will they still say that? Obviously the prince didn't like her, so the maid couldn't help but say some harsh words.
"Brother Ming, have I offended the prince unintentionally?"
Mingkang smiled bitterly: "It's not like I'm offended. The prince is not that petty."
"So what's going on today?"
"Because the prince announced that Jinzhou County will compete with you in knowledge tomorrow. He is using you as his opponent."
Li Zhen suddenly realized: "The prince regards me as his opponent, so his maid is 'outspoken' to me?"
"That should be the case. But it is true that the prince dotes on the maid too much, but it is Li Zhen who has been wronged. Don't worry about it."
"Won't."
“…”
night.
After dinner, Li Zhen took a walk in the mansion with a hungry stomach.
This Jinzhou County is not the prince's fiefdom, but there is a house for the prince here. He will come to visit and live here when he has time.
I have to say that the royal family is still rich. This is just a mansion similar to a rich man's country villa, which surprised Li Zhen.
Unfamiliar people like Li Zhen would get lost while walking.
night.
Xun Shifei also went out for a walk after dinner. He was extremely upset. I've been very irritable these days, especially when I'm being led around by others, and there's nothing I can do about it.
Xun Shifei was even more upset when he saw Li Zhen today. When I think about the knowledge competition with Li Zhen tomorrow, my mouth feels dry. This thankless thing is finally going to happen.
"well."
With a faint sigh, he felt that he was tired from being a prince. He stretched out his hand to hold up a summer flower and sniffed it. The fragrance filled his nose. He suddenly looked back and said with a smile:
"Is the top pick still satisfied with the food here?"
Li Zhen smiled and bowed, then sat down holding on to the pillars of the pavilion: "I am very satisfied."
The prince walked up to him and sat across from him, and said with a smile: "Please don't take it to heart what Xiaolian said this afternoon. She treats everyone like this. It's because I dote on her too much."
"it does not matter."
The prince nodded with satisfaction and suddenly remembered something: "I heard that you came to Zhongzhou from Hangcheng County and investigated the people's livelihood conditions in various places along the way?"
Li Zhen's pupils shrank, and he exclaimed in his heart: How did he know
Subconsciously, he touched the notebook he kept close to his body, where he knew the GDP of various places.
Could it be that... Mingkang told him
How could it be, how could Mingkang be so ignorant
The prince smiled brightly: "Don't be surprised. There were scribes recording your words and deeds along the way. Before you arrived in Zhongzhou, there were already scribes who recorded everything you did and said along the way and reported it to the court. I As the prince of Jiuzhou, I naturally understand. Haha, you can defeat Yanziji, you are so domineering. I obey you."
Li Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. It was okay. He just knew what he had done, but he didn't know whether he had done it or not. However, I was still horrified and had to be more careful in the future. I still underestimated the horror of the empire.
Is there a secretary? He didn't even know that there was a secretary accompanying the team. It's really... dangerous.
If the secretary discovers that he has such a notebook, the court will definitely be curious. If he turns it over to the officials, there will be a big disturbance.
"Yanziji... It's just that the common people have sworn to avenge their classmates and teachers."
"It doesn't matter. Many people die every day in Kyushu, and no one will care about how many horse thieves you kill. I'm just curious. You are a science student, but you investigate the people's livelihood conditions in various places along the way? Do you still understand people's livelihood?"
"Understand a little bit."
A look of surprise flashed in the prince's eyes: "Let's talk?"
"Tell me everything you know."
(End of chapter)