The Seventh Prince didn't care.

After rubbing, Qi Qi even lost his hat, and the small bun tied at the back of his head was also tugged a few times, ruffling out stray hairs. The Seventh Prince suddenly brought his face close and said, "Why do you look so much like a little girl?"

Qi Qi glared at him.

The Seventh Prince then said, "You look like a chubby little girl. Are you really a little eunuch?"

Qi Qi: "You're the little girl!"

The Seventh Prince chuckled, his strong personality already quite evident despite his young age: "Speak, why are you unwilling to be my page? Tell the truth."

Qi Qi: "I don't want to serve tea and water, I don't want to kneel down every day, I don't want to be beaten or scolded, I don't want to eat or sleep poorly."

The Seventh Prince found it utterly unbelievable: "Working is what servants are supposed to do, otherwise what's the use of servants? Is there any servant in the world who doesn't work and just takes money for nothing?"

Qi Qi said, "If there are so many jobs to do, can't I just choose one?"

The Seventh Prince had never seen such a lowly servant before: "Really?"

Qi Qi nodded.

Robots get daily rest time to recharge. According to Defu's godfather, their masters are always available, and robots don't get beaten up.

Seventh Prince: "...I think you're not acting like a servant, you're acting like a master."

Qi Qi: "If that's the case, that would be great..."

Very good, very interesting. The Seventh Prince was not offended; on the contrary, he felt persuaded. He took a few more steps and asked, "If I were to become your page, what kind of treatment would you like?"

Qi Qi said, "First of all, I want to sleep at least eight hours every day, not get up too early in the morning, then eat on time, eat good food, and as for doing things... I will do what others do, but I need to get enough sleep and not be beaten casually. Finally, I also want to leave the palace as soon as possible, preferably before I turn 16."

Seventh Prince: "Do you think the palace is a nursery? You're only 16 and you already want to leave the palace? What are you going to do there?"

Qi Qi: "Didn't you tell me to say it?"

Seventh Prince: "You should address me as 'you,' you little eunuch, you have no manners."

"I disagree with this. Eating well is no problem, and getting up early is not difficult either. Anyway, I often get up late. How about you stay in the quiet room and sleep during class?"

Qi Qi: "No."

Seventh Prince: "This won't do, that won't do, if you miss this opportunity, where else will you find a place as good as mine? You should be content!"

Qi Qi glanced at him, frowned, and began to fake cry.

The Seventh Prince panicked again: "What else do you want? This prince warns you to know when to stop!"

"But I don't know anything, I can't serve His Highness the Seventh Prince..."

“The page doesn’t need to learn anything, and grinding ink is simple…” The Seventh Prince went on to say a lot more.

Qi Qi said, "I need to think about it, okay?"

The seventh prince is about to lose his temper again.

Qi Qi grabbed his sleeve and tugged at it: "Please, Your Highness, let me think about it. This is a very, very, very big deal."

Qi Qi had to think about whether to kill the male lead later or coax Defu's godfather out of the palace. If he became the Seventh Prince's man... No, it seemed that the Seventh Prince would be going to fight on the border in seven or eight years. If he went with him, it would be difficult to take Defu's godfather away during the chaos.

The seventh prince, his sleeve tugged, could only say gruffly, "You need to think about this? Is your head full of water? Tell me your answer tomorrow!"

He flicked his sleeves and left.

Qi Qi ran back to the library to eat his lunch. It was already slightly cold, but it still tasted very good. He wondered if it was made in the same place. Qi Qi also had Eight Treasure Duck, which was a big duck leg.

Watching children eat is the most interesting thing, especially since Qi Qi is not a picky eater. He often just chews and chews, and when Chen Dianji sees him eating so well, he also has a big appetite.

"What does the Seventh Prince want with you?"

Chen Dianji couldn't help but ask.

Qi Qi: "He wants me to be his page. Teacher, is this job particularly tiring, getting up earlier than the chickens and going to bed later than the dogs every day?"

Chen Dianji immediately glanced around and said, "Be careful what you say!"

He added, "That's the truth..."

Seeing Qi Qi's expression immediately turn to blankness, he continued, "I've always heard that the Seventh Prince is arrogant, but I've never heard of him beating servants without cause. After all, he is the son of the Imperial Concubine, and his maternal grandfather is the Marquis of Ding'an. As long as he doesn't commit any crimes, this job is quite good."

Chen Dianji thought for a moment and decided not to reveal some of the deeper issues. The Seventh Prince was only nine years old this year, while the Crown Prince was already eighteen. There was not much conflict between the two.

If one lacks ambition, then being like this isn't so bad. With the protection of the emperor's seal, even a lowly official like myself has to give way.

Qi Qi then asked Chen Dianji about what he knew about the princes.

After taking another nap, the training ground outside the second floor was deserted. It was hot today, so they probably had indoor classes. Qi Qi saw that boy who was short of horses again. He walked alone under the scorching sun, his back still straight.

After class in the afternoon, Qi Qi immediately returned to the General Administration Institute and read a travelogue about the Great Xia Dynasty for a while. Qi Qi wasn't too flustered.

When Qi Defu returned, Qi Qi immediately told him about it.

Qi Defu showed no joy.

As a high-ranking official, it's a good thing for his subordinates to serve the prince. But as a father, it's not so good for his son to work for the prince. He has worked diligently in the palace for many years, walking on thin ice. How could he not know the difference between good and bad? The dangers that come with opportunities are far greater than he imagined.

Qi Defu knew more than Chen Dianji.

For example, the emperor is old and his health is deteriorating day by day; the empress and the imperial concubines appear to be harmonious on the surface, but in fact they have a lot of grudges from their early years.

For example, although the Crown Prince is eighteen years old and highly talented, his physical condition is average. His younger brother, the Ninth Prince, is also in poor health. It is said that he only caught a chill last night and has a high fever this morning.

For example, the Crown Prince's maternal family and the Empress's maternal family, the civil officials led by the Grand Tutor and the Marquis of Zhongyong's maternal family, have been secretly suppressing and excluding the officials led by the Marquis of Ding'an.

It doesn't involve civil or military affairs, because those in power cannot rise to power with just the loyalty of one faction; they must target everyone from opposing factions.

The Crown Prince is on good terms with the Grand Eunuch, and there are some similar signs on the Consort's side as well.

There are always warnings before a building collapses. It's already difficult enough to maintain a peaceful facade inside the palace; things are even worse outside.

Qi Defu sighed, unsure of how to pull Qi Qi out of this mess.