Chapter 116 - 84: My Wife, the Fairy, Every Strike a Critical Hit

Chapter 116: Chapter 84: My Wife, the Fairy, Every Strike a Critical Hit

As far as he could remember, this was the first time Zhao Ci had left the directly administered area of Lingge.

But as a former corporate drone who had been beaten down by the system for many years, he was all too aware of the world’s wickedness.

Even in a place like the Great Yu, where the people were united in their hope of reclaiming the Northern Domain, he had never held much hope for grassroots officials—especially with the existence of a fundamentally flawed region like the Northern Three Prefectures.

It was just...

’I’m the one who secured these pills for you, and I made it clear that seven thousand of them were to be distributed to the grassroots officials who desperately need Qi Cultivation Pills. So why are you still eyeing my five thousand?’

’Using a prince’s pills to curry your own favor... isn’t that going a little too far?’

Zhao Ci felt a surge of indignation.

’In my last life, assholes beat me down.’

’In this life, there are still assholes trying to beat me down.’

’If I really let myself get beaten down again...’

’...then didn’t I transmigrate for nothing?’

He looked at Zhang Delv and saw the man still wore a faintly apologetic expression, so he didn’t press the matter. Instead, he just cupped his hands and said, "Then I will have to trouble Brother Zhang."

’As much as I’d love to just smack Zhang Delv across the face, I’ve only seen his desire. I can’t just attack him without any real evidence.’

’At the very least, I need to figure out his game plan first.’

Besides, the Northern Three Prefectures were heavily populated. It wasn’t some place where he could just unleash a bit of his "overlord aura" and make everyone bend to his will.

Zhao Ci asked about a few more details.

Zhang Delv answered each question fluently, having clearly anticipated the issues Zhao Ci might raise.

The back-and-forth made it seem as if he had truly exhausted himself preparing for this matter of the Emperor’s Gift Pills. His thoroughness was so impressive that even Zhao Huan would have had to praise him.

Zhao Ci couldn’t help but curse silently. ’As expected of an old fox who has held his ground in the Northern Three Prefectures for over a decade. Finding a flaw in his act is going to be difficult.’

True enough. If mere words were enough to make him reveal his entire hand, he would be a terrible Prefect indeed.

After another round of toasts, Zhao Ci used the excuse of being unable to hold his liquor and asked Zhang Delv to arrange lodging for him.

With the principal envoy gone, the welcome banquet was due to end.

Zhao Yong didn’t try to overplay his own importance. He offered a few pleasantries and brought the banquet to a close.

The crowd of officials dispersed.

The Governor’s Mansion, which had been bustling with activity moments before, immediately grew much quieter.

Zhang Delv sighed with feeling. "The Tenth Prince truly loves the people as his own children, just like His Majesty."

’Loves them my ass!’

’He’s obviously just doing it to suck up to Kan Luotang, okay?’

Though indignant, Zhao Yong’s smile remained serene. "Our tenth brother has a peculiar temperament. Among the princes, his methods are unconventional. None of us can ever figure out what he’s planning."

Zhang Delv nodded. Zhao Ci’s earlier probing had been quite subtle, but they were all thousand-year-old foxes here. After Zhao Ci had shown such interest in the distribution list, how could he not understand the underlying meaning?

He just didn’t understand. Zhao Ci had already secured the fame, so why was he so insistent on getting the pills into the hands of the common people?

’Sucking up to the common folk, who are utterly useless.’

’And in the process, he might make the low-level officials who actually get things done harbor resentment.’

’Even if he truly does love the people as his own children...’

’...this is just far too unwise, isn’t it?’

He smiled and cupped his hands. "To show more consideration for the common people is, of course, a good thing. Speaking of which, I must thank Your Highness for this matter. If we only had the five thousand Qi Cultivation Pills that the Tenth Prince is giving to the people, I truly might not have been able to placate my subordinates."

"Not at all!"

Zhao Yong waved his hand with a smile. "The stability of the Northern Three Prefectures is a matter of national importance for the Great Yu. It is already a great sacrifice for you all to come and serve as officials here. Our tenth brother doesn’t always think things through. His thoughtless actions can sometimes discourage our comrades. As his older brother, it’s only natural for me to help patch things up for him."

Zhang Delv was quite moved. "I originally thought only the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince could withstand His Majesty’s draconic aura. But now it seems Your Highness is also a rare hero among the young generation. If you were just a few years older, perhaps..."

He quickly shut his mouth as if realizing he had misspoken.

But the meaning had been conveyed: if he were a few years older, he would have the strength to contend with the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince.

"Lord Zhang, you must watch what you say!"

Zhao Yong warned him with a stern face, but his heart was ablaze. He truly didn’t believe he was any worse than the Crown Prince.

Those sycophants of the Crown Prince all hailed him as a master of medicine and agriculture who, at a young age, had increased the yield of Qi Nourishing Grass several times over, making him the undisputed choice to enrich the state and strengthen the people.

’But Zhao Yong knew that this "master of medicine and agriculture" crap was complete bullshit. The Crown Prince was not even twenty at the time. How could a young man like that, who had cultivation and all sorts of other studies to pursue, possibly have such profound accomplishments in medicine and agriculture?’

’The Crown Prince’s improved method for cultivating Qi Nourishing Grass and his own Yonghe Pill Workshop were, in fact, cut from the same cloth.’

’They were simply products created by the Zhu Clan and the Feng Clan, who had joined forces, relying on their years of accumulated knowledge. It was all just to give the Crown Prince more bargaining chips in his struggle against the Fourth Prince.’

’Otherwise, how did the original Crown Prince Consort die?’

’And how did the Feng Clan’s legitimate daughter, who was originally just a consort to the Crown Prince, so smoothly get promoted to be the Crown Prince Consort?’

’And me...’

’Zhao Yong didn’t think he was exceptional, but he was certainly no worse than the Crown Prince had been at his age.’

’It was just that he was too young and his birth was not prestigious. His mother had only recently been promoted to Noble Consort, and she wasn’t even a legitimate daughter of the Zhu Clan.’

’So, he was destined to be nothing more than the Crown Prince’s right-hand man.’

He had long since accepted his fate.

But being ordered here by the Crown Prince to help kill Zhao Ci still left him feeling resentful.

He chatted with Zhang Delv for a few more moments.

He confirmed that the man could indeed control where the pills went, ensuring Zhao Ci would lose both the pills and the favor he sought.