Chapter 166 Pei Zhi Comes to the Door 2

Pei Zhi listened in a daze, but gradually relaxed.

He noticed that these young people spoke and acted with a spirit that was absent in spoiled brats.

Chatting with them is much more comfortable than chatting with those who only know how to compose poems and flatter others.

As Xie Sangning had predicted, the luncheon did not feature any delicacies. The menu was not extensive, but the portions were generous and the ingredients were of high quality.

A large pot of tender mutton soup, a few refreshing stir-fried seasonal vegetables, a plate of ordinary-looking but exceptionally soft baked flatbread, and a dish of pickled sand onions unique to Xihan.

The taste isn't exactly refined, but it's fresh, hot, and comforting to eat.

The atmosphere became much more lively during the meal.

The Lin brothers took the lead in toasting, and Pei Zhi also put aside his airs. After a few drinks, his face flushed.

Emboldened by the alcohol, he couldn't help but remark, "It's so nice here. It seems like there's something new every day, and I feel like I can learn so much. Unlike me in the capital, where I spend my days idly, wasting my time..."

Xie Sangning had been eating quietly, occasionally chiming in with a word or two. Upon hearing this, she looked up at Pei Zhi, whose face was slightly flushed, and casually interjected, "If Your Highness feels that you have wasted your time and now wants to do something meaningful, it's not too late. Daqing is a vast country; where can't you settle down? Where can't you contribute to the people? It all depends on whether you have the heart for it."

She spoke lightly, as if it were just a casual remark, as if she could see through Pei Zhi's confusion and self-doubt.

Pei Zhi paused, his hand holding the wine glass still.

Looking into Xie Sangning's calm and unwavering eyes, and then at the encouraging smiles of the Lin brothers beside him, he felt a surge of heat rush from his stomach to his head, a mixture of alcohol and impulsiveness.

“I…I do have the will!” he blurted out, his voice a little loud and excited. “This prince also wants to do something! Just like you! But…but where should I begin? Princess, could you please teach me?”

The question was direct, but it was somewhat beneath a prince's dignity.

The Lin brothers paused for a moment, then lowered their heads in unison, pretending to examine the mutton in their bowls.

Xie Sangning looked at the young prince in front of her, who was somewhat out of control due to his confusion, and saw the urgent yet bewildered sincerity in his eyes. She remained silent for a few moments.

She put down her chopsticks, picked up the handkerchief beside her, and slowly wiped the corner of her mouth.

"Does Your Highness really want to learn?"

"Then let's go back to the capital and ask the Emperor to find you a teacher."

After saying that, she didn't look at Pei Zhi's expression, picked up the warm soup bowl next to her, and took small sips of it.

She'll teach him? If she does, what will the Emperor think of her, and what will he think of the Ninth Prince?

If the Ninth Prince has no ambition to seize the throne, teaching him will only expose him to more crises in the future. The Emperor, who initially indulges and spoils the Ninth Prince, will feel betrayed and suspect that the Ninth Prince, like the other princes, is also eyeing his position. In that case, the paternal love that was exclusively for the Ninth Prince will vanish in an instant. In the end, he will neither receive the meager love he receives from the royal family nor have any desire to seize the throne, and will ultimately die in the struggle for succession.

But Xie Sangning actually quite approves of Pei Zhi. If there really had to be a crown prince, Xie Sangning would say that Pei Zhi was the most suitable. He was benevolent, kind-hearted, and could also care for the common people.

Pei Zhi was extremely disappointed. He didn't know why Xie Sangning was unwilling to guide him, but he had finally developed the ambition to improve and didn't want to be frustrated like this!

He took a deep breath, as if he had made a tremendous decision, and bowed deeply to Xie Sangning: "Princess Jianing! I... I, Pei Zhi, sincerely want to learn! I want to learn your way of governance, and your ability to bring happiness to the people!"

Xie Sangning paused almost imperceptibly in the hand holding the soup bowl.

She slowly put down the bowl, looked up, and her gaze fell on Pei Zhi's deeply bent back. She did not speak immediately.

The air froze.

Pei Zhi remained in the bowing posture, his heart pounding, and the sweat on his back instantly soaked through his inner garment.

After what felt like an eternity, Xie Sangning finally spoke, her voice cold and hard:

"Your Highness, this gift is too heavy. Xie Sangning cannot accept it, nor does she wish to."

Pei Zhi sat bolt upright, urgently asking, "Why?! I..."

Xie Sangning interrupted him: "You are a prince, and I am the daughter of an official, and moreover, the Princess of Jianing County. Our statuses are different, and the boundaries are clear. Does Your Highness want your father to think that Xi Han is plotting something, and that Xie Sangning is plotting something, and is trying to win over the prince?"

"Or do you want the Emperor to believe that you, Pei Zhi, also harbor ambitions to seize the throne?"

Pei Zhi opened his mouth, speechless.

He was so caught up in his passion that he forgot about his fatal identity!

Yes, he is Pei Yan's son!

Xie Sangning is the great-granddaughter of Lin Zhu, a supporter of the former crown prince, the actual controller of Xihan, and the daughter of General Xie Zhenting, whom her father, the emperor, fears!

These identities colliding are inherently fraught with tension! But...

Seeing Pei Zhi's face turn deathly pale, Xie Sangning sighed softly.

She is not entirely heartless.

The young prince's desire to serve the people is a great thing, and for Xie Sangning, not considering other aspects is also a good thing.

Furthermore, Pei Zhi had saved her life, and she remembered that kindness.

The Ninth Prince is not inherently bad; in fact, he is much more innocent and kind-hearted than his brothers.

The confusion and urge to change that he's showing right now are genuine.

But that's all.

Fine, consider it repaying the favor from last time.

Her tone softened, becoming less aggressive:

“Your Highness, I know you are confused, and I know you want to do something for the people. This heart is rare.” She paused, as if choosing her words carefully. “All I, Xie Sangning, can do is offer you a few words of advice. As for how much you can take in and how far you can go, that’s all up to you.”

Pei Zhi's eyes lit up again, and he asked eagerly, "Please enlighten me, Your Highness!"

Xie Sangning looked at him and said clearly, word by word:

“Go to the people, the real people. Not to ride in your splendid carriage with your retinue to observe the people’s lives. Take off your brocade robes, put in a few copper coins, go to the poorest village for a few days, work as a porter at the dock for a couple of days, set up a small stall at the market, or, right here in Xihan City, go to the most dilapidated alley and chat with those who are worried about their daily meals.”

“Go listen to what they were cursing the government at their most vicious times. Ask them when they felt life was the hardest. Touch the skin and bones of their children’s faces. See in their eyes whether they respect, fear, or… hate the court and the royal family.”

Pei Zhi felt as if an invisible hand was gripping his heart tightly, making it difficult for him to breathe.

“Princess…” His voice was a little hoarse.

“Remember, Pei Zhi.” Xie Sangning’s voice suddenly became extremely serious, even with a warning, “If you still think that the common people are subjects of the royal family and are born to serve the royal family and the court, then you should go back to your capital as soon as possible, continue to fight your cocks, walk your dogs, and be a rich and idle person. That would be better for you and for the common people.”

"The truth that should be ingrained in our bones is: water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it. The people are the vast ocean, the water that supports your dragon boat. Without water, no matter how magnificent your boat is, it is just a piece of rotten wood waiting to die on the beach."

"Does the water need the boat, or does the boat need the water? Which is the root? Which is the foundation? If you want to do something, then first learn to respect this water, understand this water, and understand what they truly need!"

The Lin brothers listened with utmost respect, their eyes filled with admiration for Xie Sangning.

Pei Zhi froze.

My mind was buzzing, those eight words echoing repeatedly: "Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it!"

His face turned deathly pale, and his forehead was instantly covered in cold sweat.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a single word; he felt as if something was tightly blocking his throat.

Seeing his distraught appearance, Xie Sangning knew how impactful these words were. In this era, there was no such concept; imperial power had always been supreme.

She picked up the now lukewarm soup bowl and took a sip:

"I have said my piece, and laid out my reasoning. If Your Highness feels you cannot do it, you may leave now and pretend I said nothing. If you feel... there is even a sliver of truth to it, and you wish to give it a try, then remember my words and go among the people. When you truly understand what water is and wholeheartedly agree that water is fundamental, then... you will surely be able to make a contribution to the people."

She paused, then looked up at Pei Zhi:

"But Your Highness must remember that once you begin to do things, you will lose your father's favor and be regarded as a rival for the throne by your brothers. You will find that all family ties are just fleeting clouds. You will be lonely, you will walk alone, and you will be attacked from all sides. From then on, you will never have the leisurely days of the past again. You must think carefully about whether it is worth it for the people."

After saying that, she stopped looking at Pei Zhi, picked up her chopsticks, took a pickled scallion, and began to chew it slowly.

Silence fell over the flower hall once again.

Looking at the woman before him, he realized for the first time with such clarity that there was an insurmountable chasm of understanding between them. Fortunately... fortunately, he could understand her.

Pei Zhi seemed to understand what Xie Sangning meant by his last words. He clenched his fist, his nails digging deep into his palm.

He looked at the half-full glass of cold wine left in the bowl, picked it up abruptly, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp!

The spicy liquid burned his throat, as if igniting a fire in his chest.

Then, he did something that surprised everyone.

Pei Zhi poured another pot of wine, lifted his robe, and knelt on the ground!

"Disciple greets Master! Today's words have greatly benefited Pei Zhi. Even if Master does not acknowledge it, in Pei Zhi's heart, you are still Master!"

Lin Ziyuan sprang up from his chair in an instant!

Hey! That's shameless!

Lin Huan's smile froze, his eyes filled with shock.

A prince taking a master? And it's his cousin Sang Ning? If this gets out, the court will probably be in an uproar!