Chapter 83 - 81: The Crown Prince Personally Welcomes

Chapter 83: Chapter 81: The Crown Prince Personally Welcomes

Clearly, Dachun severely lacked confidence at this moment.

"What are you afraid of? Your young master has money!" Zeng Anmin broke into a grin.

Before setting off from Liangjiang Commandery, he had already received four thousand taels of silver from Shen Jun. He figured that, never mind browsing the shops, it wouldn’t even be a problem to buy one outright.

"Huh?" Dachun looked at Zeng Anmin blankly.

"Tsk, look at you, acting like you’ve never seen the world!" Looking at Dachun’s dumbfounded expression, Zeng Anmin found it rather amusing. "Let’s go. Once we hit the streets, don’t try to save me any money. If you want something, just say it!"

"Let’s go!" Dachun’s eyes instantly lit up, and he hurried to keep up with his young master. He looked vigilantly at the strangers surrounding them, acting every bit the part of a competent bodyguard.

However, just as the two reached the front gates of the estate, a carriage pulled up steadily at the entrance, coming to a halt with a CREAK.

Soon after, an unfamiliar eunuch stepped out of the carriage and hurriedly walked toward them. Spotting the two, the young eunuch rushed over to stop them, bowed, and asked, "Pardon me, but is this Mr. Zeng’s estate?"

Zeng Anmin looked at the unfamiliar eunuch, frowning as he nodded. "Yes, it is, but didn’t my father enter the palace early this morning?"

The eunuch was clearly from the palace, so Zeng Anmin naturally assumed he had come looking for his father. Hearing Zeng Anmin’s words, the young eunuch’s eyes immediately lit up.

He asked urgently, "Are you Zeng Liangjiang, Young Master Zeng Anmin?"

He wondered, "Zeng Liangjiang? What the hell?"

Zeng Anmin furrowed his brows tightly. "I am indeed Zeng Anmin, but this Zeng Liangjiang..."

"Oh my, it really is you! You have no idea. Ever since His Highness heard your ’Two Rivers Ode’, he has been hoping day and night that you would fly over from Liangjiang Commandery!"

Clearly, two months had been more than enough time for the reputation of Zeng Anmin’s "Two Rivers Ode" to reach the capital.

The eunuch grabbed Zeng Anmin’s hand excitedly. Without leaving any room for argument, he dragged him toward the carriage.

"Stop, stop, stop! Sir Eunuch, which Highness are you talking about?" Zeng Anmin quickly pulled his hand free and looked at him in confusion. He wondered why on earth he should go see some prince out of nowhere for no reason.

Hearing this, the young eunuch quickly slapped his forehead. "Look at my terrible memory. I was so excited to see Zeng Liangjiang that I completely forgot to introduce myself."

After saying that, the young eunuch shed his obsequious expression, turning extremely serious and even exuding a trace of imposing authority. "Bearing an oral decree from the Crown Prince: ’Immediately invite the Imperial Tutor Zeng Anmin to see me at Qianyuan Hall. Ensure your attitude is respectful; you must not be impolite to him!’"

With that said, the young eunuch bowed respectfully and looked at Zeng Anmin with a chuckle. "Zeng Liangjiang, if you please?"

He thought, "The Crown Prince wants to see me?"

"Uh." Zeng Anmin looked left and right. Finding that no one was paying attention to them, he cleared his throat slightly, looked at the young eunuch calmly, and asked in a low voice, "Sir Eunuch, do you happen to know why the Crown Prince has summoned me?"

"Hehe, Zeng Liangjiang, there’s no need to be nervous. His Highness simply admires your literary talent and wishes to converse with you. You can relax," the young eunuch comforted Zeng Anmin softly, a friendly smile radiating from his face.

"Oh..." Zeng Anmin did not entirely believe the young eunuch’s words.

He wondered, "He summoned me to the Eastern Palace the moment I arrived in the capital? For my poetic talent? It’s just a few good poems; how could that command such high regard? Even Li Bai, known as the Poetry Immortal in my previous life, wasn’t valued this highly by the palace elites. Aside from my poetic talent, the Crown Prince probably cares more about my status as a Minister’s son, right?"

Thinking of this, Zeng Anmin folded the fan in his hand with a soft SNAP. He turned to Dachun and said, "Head back first. Your young master has important business to attend to."

After saying that, he stepped lightly and boarded the extraordinarily luxurious carriage. He figured that it was just a meeting, so there was nothing to fear. It wasn’t as if he was walking into a dragon’s den or a tiger’s lair.

Dachun was left alone to watch the carriage gradually disappear into the distance, looking pitiful and longing...

Just as he was about to turn around and return to the estate, he saw another carriage stop right in front of him.

"Hold on a moment, sir. May I ask if Zeng Liangjiang, Young Master Zeng, is at home? My Highness would like to invite him to Qianqing Hall for a chat." An old eunuch called out to Dachun with a smiling face. With a light flip of his withered, dry hand, an ingot of silver landed steadily in Dachun’s grasp.

Dachun instinctively looked up at the old eunuch. Feeling the weight of the silver in his hand, his expression was completely bewildered as he muttered, "Why is there another Highness?"

"What?" Hearing his voice, the old eunuch’s expression changed slightly, and he quickly asked, "What do you mean by that, sir...?"

"My young master was just invited away by a young eunuch. They said he was going to Qianyuan Palace..."

Before Dachun could even finish his sentence, he saw the old eunuch hurriedly turn and sprint straight for his carriage.

"Hey!" Seeing him leave, Dachun quickly chased after him. "Don’t go! Your silver is still in my hands! Your money..."

However, he could only watch the shadow of the hurriedly departing carriage fade further and further away. A hint of annoyance appeared on Dachun’s face as he mumbled, "This old man is so pitiful."

He decided that the next time he saw the elderly man, he definitely had to return the silver to him!

In the Imperial City, within the palace, Qianyuan Palace was the Crown Prince’s residence, known as the Eastern Palace.

In a secluded courtyard, two figures sat on the ground.

"Your Highness, the sunlight is perfect today. It’s an excellent time for reading." A young man in white clothes with a handsome face and a warm smile slowly pulled three Incense Sticks from his sleeve and gently placed them into the incense burner on the table. "As it happens, my father got me a little trinket yesterday."

The man in white was around twenty years old. His facial features were slightly rugged, and though he had thick body hair, he was groomed impeccably clean. He presented the image of a modest gentleman. He was the son of His Highness Prince Qi, the Northern Commander of the Imperial City Department—Wang Qianzhi. He also served as the Crown Prince’s Tutor.

The man in the loose robe sitting opposite Wang Qianzhi saw the three Incense Sticks in his hand, and his eyes lit up slightly. "Could that be the Clearing Incense, renowned for aiding clarity of mind and breath, making one read as swiftly as splitting bamboo?"

The man in the loose robe was slightly chubby with extremely clear, playfully attractive eyes. He wore an apricot-yellow, round-collared Coiling Dragon Robe and bore a clean smile on his face. His face was exceptionally round, making him a little fatty. He was the current Crown Prince of the Holy Dynasty, Wang Yuanzhen.

"It is indeed that incense." Wang Qianzhi’s face still carried a light smile as he took a Fire Stick from his chest pocket, blew on it gently, and began to light the Incense Sticks.

The moment the Incense Sticks were lit, a refreshing aroma that compelled one to take a deep breath wafted over. In an instant, the entire courtyard was filled with this clear fragrance.

"You are quite thoughtful," the Little Fatty Crown Prince praised.

However, despite the clear fragrance lingering by his side, he had no mind for reading. His gaze drifted frequently toward the courtyard entrance, making him seem rather absent-minded.

Seeing this, Wang Qianzhi maintained his smile and asked softly, "Is Your Highness waiting for Zeng Liangjiang?"

The Little Fatty Crown Prince sighed. "My fourth brother competes with me over everything. It’s hard to guarantee that he won’t get any ideas this time."

Wang Qianzhi remained silent. Clearly, he knew it was best not to involve himself in this matter. With each holding a copy of "The Book of Master Yi," he read silently without saying much else.

A short while later, a noisy clamor rang out. "Your Highness, Mr. Zeng has arrived," a young eunuch’s voice announced.

The Little Fatty Crown Prince’s eyes lit up slightly. He pushed himself off the ground, standing up, and hurried toward the courtyard gate without delay.

Seeing this, Wang Qianzhi’s eyes darkened slightly. He then looked at the three Incense Sticks curling with blue smoke, a cold sneer slowly tracing the corners of his mouth.

"This commoner greets Your Highness." Having transmigrated for some time, Zeng Anmin had already mastered most of this world’s etiquette. He crossed his hands, bowed, and then curiously looked up at the Crown Prince.

What met his eyes was a rather comical little fatty. Although he was wearing a Coiling Dragon Robe, it still couldn’t conceal that aura of... adorkable innocence?

Seeing this face, Zeng Anmin grumbled internally, "If you look like this... then I’m not afraid of you at all."

He knew full well that he shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but he still breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Even if the Crown Prince was faking this feeling of transparent innocence, it was far more comfortable than dealing with a sinister, manipulative schemer.

"No need for formalities, no need for formalities. Quick, please come in!" The moment the Little Fatty Crown Prince laid eyes on Zeng Anmin, a spontaneous feeling of joy welled up in his heart.

It was a joy akin to a platonic love at first sight. It felt as though the man standing before him was destined to be the trusted pillar of support he would rely on in the future!

Under the guidance of the Little Fatty Crown Prince, Zeng Anmin smoothly entered the courtyard. He was even somewhat overwhelmed by the Crown Prince’s sheer enthusiasm.

After entering the courtyard, before Zeng Anmin could even open his mouth, he felt a clear, fragrant aroma waft over him. This scent carried a refreshing coolness that instantly cleared away the lingering drowsiness in his mind.