Chapter 14

Li Ang asked his grandmother if he could go. At this time, the second master, Li Ang's father, came back from work and came to pay his respects to his mother. After they sat down, the second master Li Tong asked what he had just said.

"Father, Xuan Duofu invited me to his home." Li Ang wanted to go, and thought about replacing "Dongchang" with Xuan Duofu.

Li Tong has been in high spirits recently and has become more confident and calm than before. He nodded at first when he heard this. After a while, he just brought the cup of tea in his hand to his mouth and choked on the tea when he thought about what his son said.

"Where are you going? Ahem."

"Father." Li Ang was a little scared.

Princess Changping sighed and shook her head in her heart, saying that her second son had become more open-minded after his recent promotion, but in fact he was still the same at heart. She couldn't help but say, "Ang'er, you should talk to Xuanyuefu in advance and bring some snacks with you when the time comes, so as not to be rude."

"It's grandma." Li Ang went to see his father again.

Li Tong covered his chest and coughed until tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. His wife beside him asked him with concern.

"How did you go to the Ministry of Revenue and how did you get Mingqie's position? All the officials in the court know about it. Now you want to avoid suspicion with the East Factory?" Princess Changping said indifferently.

Li Tong didn't want to avoid suspicion, his face turned red and he didn't know how to speak.

Seeing this, Princess Changping asked her two daughters-in-law to take their children back first. For a moment, the hall was quiet, with only the mother and son. Princess Changping then said, "I know you are not trying to avoid suspicion with the East Factory. As a mother, I know the true nature of my two sons."

Although I am timid and cowardly, I know how to be grateful.

"You are just scared when you first hear the East Factory."

Li Tong's mind was touched, and his face turned redder. He was indeed subconsciously afraid when he thought of the East Factory. After Ming Qi was arrested, many rumors spread in the court, saying how the East Factory Governor Xu tortured Ming Qi, and that Ming Qi was covered in blood and had no intact skin or flesh.

When the officials in the court heard this, they all appeared to be powerful but were actually weak. The brave ones would say that the Governor Xu was a terrible person, or secretly say that the East Factory was not a place for officials to go, and that anyone who went to the East Factory would be skinned alive if not killed.

Princess Changping did not want to embarrass her son, so she said in a gentle tone, "Ang'er and Xuanyuefu are both students of the Chongming Palace Academy. It's nothing for the two children to visit each other."

"Yes, son, I know."

"The emperor has transferred you to the Ministry of Revenue on the pretext of the Tian Ming case. It may be just what the emperor wants if Ang'er and Xuanyuefu play together more often."

Li Tong looked at his mother and finally responded that he still needed to think about it.

After her second son left, Princess Changping was amused. The nanny next to her looked at the princess with concern, hoping that she would not get sick from anger. Princess Changping waved her hands, "If she was angry, my two sons have the same temperament and would have died of anger a long time ago. Now that they are involved in the Nine Thousand Years Old family, it doesn't matter whether they are right or wrong. Fortunately, Li Tong is just an insignificant official. I said something today, and he still needs to think about it..."

"Let him figure it out. It's a good idea to be more disciplined and cautious."

He had just been promoted, and although the position was not high, it still attracted a lot of attention at that critical juncture.

Sure enough, the next day, Li Tong was much calmer and more cautious on duty.

Xuanyifu had no idea what was happening in the princess's mansion.

He woke up in the morning, washed and changed his clothes. Zhuyue combed his hair. Zhuixing brought him some jewelry, but only hung a sachet. Xuanyue smelled it and it had a faint scent of osmanthus.

“It smells so good.”

The star chaser said: "Young Master, osmanthus flowers bloom in abundance in autumn, but the fragrance of osmanthus flowers is too strong, so I dried the osmanthus flowers in the sachet and added some white tea."

Xuanyuefu sniffed it and could really smell the scent of white tea.

Smells good.

"Where is my father?" Xuanyuefu asked.

Zhuixing hesitated, "The governor hasn't come back yet."

Xuan Fu originally thought that it didn't matter what he didn't come back yet. Yesterday, his father was at home. Wait, he understood instantly. Sure enough, his brain wasn't working well this morning. He asked a stupid question. Now he pretended to nod and make excuses for his father: "Dad is so busy with work and so tired."

"Then I will go to school by myself today."

He looks like a well-behaved, sensible primary school student who knows nothing.

Star-chasing and moon-chasing all breathed a sigh of relief.

Wang Yuanyuan carried breakfast for the little boy, while Xuanyuefu carried his own schoolbag, a crossbody cloth bag with a light book in it. After playing with his father last night, Xuanyuefu told Sister Zhuyue about breakfast before going to bed.

Roujiabing is the kind of meat filling in steamed buns.

If you want to drink, ask for porridge, not too much rice, and more soup. Don't use a bowl but a cup. It would be great if there is a straw, but it's okay if there isn't.

Zhuyue was also curious and asked what a straw was.

Manyu Fu gestured a lot.

So today Xuanduofu had the breakfast he specifically requested, which was really a meat pie, but the kitchen staff had improved it and provided two versions. One was a soft and fluffy lotus leaf pancake made from leavened dough. It was the size of a palm and very easy to hold, and it was wrapped in paper so as not to dirty your hands.

The second is the unleavened pancake, which is slightly yellow in color. It should be brushed with a layer of oil, not much oil, and baked in the oven, making the surface crispy.

There are also two kinds of meat fillings, one is the fresh meat filling for the buns we ate yesterday, and the other is seafood filling, which also contains chili peppers. The seafood includes shrimps and squid. The chili sauce tastes spicy with a hint of sweetness, and there are grains in it.

Many blessings to chew.

“It looks like beef.”

Wang Yuanyuan followed with a cup of porridge in her hand and said with a smile: "Young Master, did you taste it? It's beef sauce."

"It's delicious." Xuanfu finished the delicious and crispy seafood sandwich in one big bite.

Wang Yuanyuan handed the cup over, and Xuanyuefu took it and took a sip. It had a faintly sweet millet porridge flavor of red beans and red dates. The straw was made of a thin bamboo tube, so it was a little difficult to suck from it, but it was very convenient to drink while walking.

After crossing the arch bridge, Xuanyufu had almost finished his breakfast.

It's another day of checking in to school.

Manyufu: Hehe, so clever.

Wang Yuanyuan stood outside the main hall waiting, thinking about how Duofu had a hard time slurping up the porridge in the morning, and wondered how the cook in the back cooked it, using a bamboo tube.

"What is Eunuch Wang thinking about?" Niu Dahai chatted casually.

This was not a big deal, Wang Yuanyuan just said it like that. Niu Dahai felt so distressed when he heard it, and said, "How can you use a bamboo tube? The young master is so famous, it would not be too much even if it was made of gold."

"That's right." Wang Yuanyuan nodded, "But gold is too conspicuous."

"Silver is good. Silver can also be used to test poison."

The two fathers-in-law were chatting about "parenting tips" outside with their hands in their sleeves, and they really could talk about the same thing. Wang Yuanyuan just felt that the newly appointed Niu Dahai was very tactful - mainly because the two of them had common topics, and they had endless discussions about raising little Duofu and how to take care of little Duofu's diet.

We talked about straws and yesterday's lunch, and how the little boy is easy to raise and not picky about food. He is a really good child. But since the little boy is not picky about food, we servants have to be attentive and try to fool him.

Wang Yuanyuan: Yes, yes, yes.

Where did you find Niu Dahai and Zhao Erxi? They are such great talents.

In the main hall.

Xuan Fu was sitting in his seat. He had sworn before going out that he would study hard today and not fall asleep or waste time. Coming here is a new starting point for him. He must work hard to become a top student and make his father proud. As the Internet says, students who have just finished the college entrance examination have the strongest knowledge.

He is now the strongest!

More than ten minutes later.

Xuanyun Fu began to feel sleepy. He could not understand what the master said. It floated into his ears and became today's breakfast. The porridge with red beans and red dates tasted good. The sweet-scented osmanthus sachet with a little white tea was indeed nice. This was the ancient perfume, right? His fragrant rice smelled good. What was he going to eat for lunch...

I can think of all kinds of trivial things, but I find it difficult to listen to ancient texts.

After a while of distraction, Fu Qiang perked up and tried hard to listen to the teacher's lesson.

But it's really difficult.

Finally, it was lunchtime. When the chime rang, Xu Duofu immediately became energetic. It was more effective than anything else. Xu Duofu: ...

Is he a poor student wherever he goes?

No, he still has to make his father proud.

"Le Ang, do you need to recite what you learned this morning in the afternoon?"

"Yes." Li Ang said.

Xuanyu Fu turned his head and looked at Li Ang affectionately. Li Ang was amused. He smiled and said, "I'll help you review your lessons."

"!!! Thank you so much, Leon, my good friend!"

Today's lesson was a bit long, and Xuanyuefu took a lot of effort to memorize it. At lunch, he found that there was a new snack for his lunch. Other students also had snacks, but his was different. In addition to the regular snacks, there was also a milk-flavored one, which tasted soft and sticky.

He looked at Li Ang, who understood instantly and nodded, saying, "I have one too."

"That's good."

The two of them finished their lunch happily. Li Ang thought Duo Xuanfu was going to take a nap, as he did yesterday, but who knew that Duo Xuanfu said, "Today's lesson is a bit longer, I'll read it before going to sleep."

"Then I'll accompany you."

"No need, you just helped me to recite it. I can recite it by myself now. You go to sleep, I can do it by myself." Xuanyu Fu took his textbook and went to the corridor outside to review his lessons.

Woo woo woo.

Li Ang stood there, realizing that Xuanyifu really treated him as a friend rather than a follower, and felt touched. Xuanyifu must have known that his father was promoted because of Jiu Qiansui. Everyone in the class had talked about it, and Xuanyifu must have heard it.

But--

"Li Ang, your young master doesn't want you to serve him anymore," Zhong Zikai came and said with a smile.

There were also some other children of the royal family around him, as well as a "cousin" that Li Ang knew, all of whom surrounded Zhong Zikai, laughing and looking at him with contempt. Li Ang was disdainful in his heart. Let alone the other people in the class, how could these people rely on him? He was blessed with many things, and his "cousin" also had Zhong Zikai's thighs long ago.

What's the difference?

Zhong Zikai's character is not as good as Haoyue's.

Li Ang did not confront Zhong Zikai directly, but only said: "Just serve Zhong Zikai well, Duo Futong and I are friends."

"Haha, my friend, Li Ang, you are quite good at saving your own face. You are really bringing shame to the royal family by praising the son of a slave." Zhong Zikai said with a smile.

Li Ang stood there, his fists clenched tightly.

"His last name isn't Zhong, so he can't be considered a royal face, Zikai."

"My cousin is trying to curry favor with many people so that his father can get a high position."

"The Li family is in trouble, and Li Ang is getting anxious."

Sometimes people have a point about studying: except for studying, it seems that everything is fun to do - except for the academic geniuses. So sitting in the corridor, many people who had just memorized the book had not yet entered the state, holding the book and looking around, and then saw a large group of classmates gathered not far away.

Hey, is there anything exciting to watch?

Many blessings came.

Go and take a look.

Then I heard that these royal family dandies bullied Li Ang because of him. Xuan Fu frowned and said, "I am the future crown prince of Da Sheng, and I have never bullied others. You really stole my show!"

"Wait!" Xuan Fu shouted loudly, attracting all eyes, and said in a particularly domineering manner: "Li Ang is my friend, I will protect him. If you continue to talk too much and bully Li Ang, you will be making things difficult for me. Do you want to see the sack of the East Factory?"

"Be careful that you might get put in a sack and landed directly in the East Factory on your way back from Youye Gate after school this afternoon."

"When the time comes, let those royal fathers of yours line up to come to the East Factory to redeem the people."

"Everyone bring silver."

"A young master with such delicate skin and tender flesh would cost at least one thousand taels each."

Wang Yuanyuan came over at some point, with a look of 'dead eunuch' on her face, and said in a thin voice: "Young Master, do you want to write down everything?"

Xuan Duofu was startled. When did Wang Banban come? He looked calm, like a great general. He hummed and looked at these people with his eyelids - he failed.

Because he is short and doesn't have that kind of imposing manner.

Fortunately, Wang Yuanyuan got the young master back on his feet. Wang Yuanyuan stood up straight, and glanced sinisterly at these young masters of the royal family from top to bottom, and laughed a 'delicious' smile, writing down everything.

"Li Ang, let's go." After Xuanfu finished packing, he took Li Ang to the garden corridor to sit down and relax.

The young masters of the royal family who stayed there were so frightened that they dared not move. They all looked at Zhong Zikai. Zhong Zikai straightened his back, but shrank back when Wang Yuanyuan glanced at him. Finally, Wang Yuanyuan made a "tut" sound and left first. Only then did the group of elementary school students run into the house as if they were running for their lives.

No one mentioned what had just been said, and no one even dared to curse behind his back.

On the corridor, Li Ang asked Xuanfu if what happened just now was true? The sack-covered man from the East Factory——

"Of course it's fake, I lied to them." Xuanyuefu laughed, "I frightened them. My father is an official, not the bandit leader of the Black Wind Village. How could he put a sack on someone and take him away, asking the family to pay money to redeem him?"

Li Ang nodded, but he wanted to say that after Duo Duofu finished speaking, the expression of the eunuch beside him did not seem fake, as if he really wanted to catch Zhong Zikai and put those people in a sack...

After Xuanyu Fu finished speaking, he looked at Li Ang, stretched out his hand seriously, and said, "Li Ang, are you willing to be friends with me? You are a good person. The Taifu asked for a debate before. They have prejudices and stereotypes about my father, but you are not. Maybe you have some, but not much, and now you don't have any. Let's be friends."

Li Ang didn't quite understand what Xuandufu said but he understood what he meant. Xuandufu knew everything but truly regarded him as a friend, so Li Ang solemnly extended his hand, imitating Xuandufu's behavior.

Two little hands clasped together.

"Okay, we are friends."

Wang Yuanyuan stood in the corner with her hands in her pockets, thinking about what Xiao Duofu said about putting the sack on the body.

It seems to work.

In the future, when corrupt officials and criminals were arrested, they were put into sacks and taken to the East Factory torture room. Once the sacks were opened and they saw that it was them, would they be happy or excited? Of course they were, because those officials would be so scared that their faces would turn green.

I have to tell Xu Xiaoman about it.

Little Duofu is so smart!

The clever and smart Xuan Fu successfully recited the article in the afternoon. It was another day of passing and excellent performance. However, Master Hu thought his nose was not a nose and his eyes were not eyes, and he was helpless with him.

Many blessings: ...

Don't take the initiative to carry the shackles. It must be that Master Hu himself is not feeling well.

It's none of his business.

After school, Daddy didn't come to pick him up, but Duofu was not disappointed. The adults were busy, so he went back with Li Ang. The two walked side by side, and Wang Yuanyuan followed behind with the little boy's schoolbag. Then she heard the young master of the Li family say in a low voice: "Duofu, did you notice that Zhong Zikai and the others didn't dare to leave the hall."

"..." Duo Nuofu knew the reason as soon as he thought about it, "Did they really believe that my father was going to put sacks on them?"

Li Ang and Xuanyuefu looked at each other and laughed.

On the other hand, the factory manager, Mr. Xu, did not come to pick up the children from school because he had something important to do and was kept by Emperor Ningwu. Because Emperor Ningwu said, "I plan to change a teacher for Duofu."

"Let's change him, but Master Hu is also good, just looks a little fierce." Xu Xiaoman is very concerned about the child's studies.

Zhong Yun handed the paper over and said, "I drafted the above. In addition to the son of Grand Tutor Yan, there are also the Liu family, the Wang family, the Li family..."

ah?

Master Yan——

"Your former teacher? Who is teaching Duoduo now?" Xu Xiaoman took the list and looked at it carefully. The more he looked, the more he frowned, because on the list there were also sons of generals who held heavy troops in various places. They were all from big clans, from Taizu to the present. "This..." He looked at Zhong Yun.

Zhong Yun was delighted. Could it be that Lengzi saw that he was training a loyal and capable minister for Duofu?

So, I can use this opportunity to talk it out today.

Xu Xiaoman frowned, then relaxed, put down the paper, and said seriously, "Zhong Yan, I believe you. You won't abandon me after I've done my job. Recruiting a few children to study in Shengdu must be for their own good."

"Zhong Yun, you are really a kind person, cold on the outside but warm on the inside."

Emperor Ningwu: ...

Hold your words back until your face turns blue.

Jiu Qiansui: He trusts his wife so much, she must be very happy.

This eunuch is truly the best man in the world.

The author has something to say:

Emperor Ningwu: ...What a great ancestor.