Chapter 159 Wicked Stepmother, Poor Child 52

Shen Ci took the beautifully bound collection of essays. The paper used was the most expensive Chengxintang paper, and as soon as he opened it, he smelled the fragrance of pine soot ink. All of these were very valuable materials.

The King of Qin's family is quite wealthy; if his own child becomes his student, he will surely reap many benefits in the future.

The system rated her as a genius. Such a high evaluation should be accurate. She looked up at the King of Qin. Ever since she learned that he was the owner of Tianxiang Tower, Shen Ci had inquired about him.

This King of Qin was incredibly powerful and influential, making him the most suitable candidate. He was second only to the emperor and held a very high position. His family background and abilities were both outstanding.

Gu Hongjian tried every means to get promoted, but her daughter and son were soon offered positions by princes. She couldn't refuse them, and she had no choice but to accept them. There was no more powerful patron than these princes.

Such a good relationship is rare and hard to come by!

"The prince is both a man of great talent and skill, and his willingness to teach young children is truly a blessing for them."

Shen Ci cupped his hands in acknowledgment, thus formally acknowledging the teacher.

When the King of Qin saw that she agreed, he was very tempted by the thought of the reward that would be as high as mountains of gold and silver, and he raised the price again.

“Madam Gu, if you are willing to offer these five thousand taels of gold, I might even make an exception and adopt your two children as my godson and goddaughter.”

These words carried immense weight, meaning that Gu Mingzhang and Gu Mingzhu would no longer be ordinary sons of officials, but rather half-royal relatives who could walk under the title of Prince Qin.

The fact that the King of Qin said this means he approves. These two children can claim this status much faster than Gu Hongjian could achieve through years of hard study and effort. It is a level of prestige that even 18 generations of their ancestors could not match.

In the capital, a single shovel strike could hit a whole host of high-ranking officials and nobles, but the adopted sons and daughters of the King of Qin were a rare sight.

However, after pondering for a moment, Shen Ci slowly shook his head.

"Your Highness's kindness is deeply appreciated by this humble woman."

But water overflows when it's full, and the moon wanes when it's full. The children are still very fortunate; to have the prince as their teacher is already a stroke of luck, and they dare not ask for more.

"As the prince had previously stated, I offer five thousand taels of gold, begging for your protection and guidance."

They've already received so many benefits; asking for more would be too much. If they were to become godchildren, they would be completely bound to the royal family. If something were to happen to the King of Qin, the master and disciple could sever all ties, but the godfather would have a hard time explaining himself.

She refused decisively, and a hint of surprise flashed across the King of Qin's eyes, which quickly turned into admiration. This woman was not a money-grubber; she was truly remarkable.

"Madam's thoughts are thorough."

"Alright, as you wish."

As long as the gold is paid in full, she'll do whatever she wants. In this day and age, how many people can easily produce five thousand taels of gold? Even the emperor wouldn't find it so easy.

But she, a woman from the Shen family, only hired a tutor for her child, and a tutor at that!

"Three days later, at Tianxiang Tower, we await Your Highness."

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

This time, Shen Ci brought two children and a group of guards. More than a dozen heavy wooden boxes were carried into the private room. When the boxes were opened, the light emitted by the gold ingots and the silver notes complemented each other, making people almost blinded.

“The quantity is enormous, and moving it all at once would likely attract attention, and it would also be inconvenient for Your Highness to store it.” Shen Ci took out a small seal and placed it on the table.

"The remaining funds have been deposited into Tonghui Money Shop. Your Highness can withdraw them at any time with this seal."

The well-known Huitong Money Exchange in the capital was actually owned by her maternal family, the Shen family, though few people knew this. The Prince of Qin glanced at the gold and silver in the boxes and then looked at the seal.

"Madam's arrangements are very appropriate."

"In that case, let's perform the apprenticeship ceremony."

At their mother's prompting, Gu Mingzhang and Gu Mingzhu stepped forward, straightened their robes, and respectfully performed the three kneelings and nine kowtows ceremony before the Prince of Qin.

"Student Gu Mingzhang greets teacher."

"Student Gu Mingzhu greets teacher."

The two children had childlike voices, but their manners were impeccable. They were not the kind of naughty children; on the contrary, they were so sensible that they didn't seem like children at all, and they were also very cute.

The King of Qin's expression softened slightly as he accepted the full ceremony, thus formally establishing the master-disciple relationship.

He raised his hand, and the attendants behind him presented two gifts. The gift for Gu Mingzhang was a short sword inlaid with gemstones and gleaming with a cold light, while the gift for Gu Mingzhu was a beautifully carved purple jade inkstone that felt warm to the touch.

Anything produced by a prince is guaranteed to be of the highest quality; even the King of Qin couldn't produce something cheap and shabby.

"I hope you two will study diligently and make the most of your time."

"I will follow the teacher's teachings."

After the ceremony, Shen Ci thought for a moment.

"After I finish dealing with the household chores and divorce the Gu family, I will allow the two children to formally study with His Highness."

"In the meantime, would Your Highness be willing to move to another residence to continue your instruction?"

Now that the system has issued this task, it means that the two children have reached the age where they should start studying. It's time for them to begin their education.

The King of Qin had received so much gold that he would grant any request, but when he heard about divorce... This money tree was so rich, how could anyone be willing to divorce her?

They're truly unaware of their good fortune, but since this is someone else's family matter, he can't say anything.

With everything settled, Shen Ci now held an imperial edict of pardon bearing the seal of the Imperial Seal, as well as the Qin King's personal jade pendant—everything that could save his life. With these things in hand, he should be able to roam freely in this era without any problem.

After the divorce, the daughter can still get a princess title.

Five thousand taels of gold, though a lot, can give the child another chance to survive. Money alone is not enough. The royal family has plenty of ways to get your money. It's better to play along and find a powerful backer.

The five thousand taels of gold were quickly taken from the bank by the King of Qin's men, and a system notification sounded.

"Ding-dong!"

The limited-time mission "Protection from a Renowned Teacher" has been completed.

Consuming 5,000 taels of gold yields a 100-fold return, totaling 500,000 taels of gold, which has been deposited into the system space.

The reward of 2 Intelligence Pills has been issued.

Successfully secured a solid backing for the villainous cubs, effectively mitigating major risks to their future fate.

Salvage value +10%, current salvage value 50%.

Without making a sound, Shen Ci took out the two seemingly ordinary pills from her sleeve, which were actually from her system space, and gave them to the two children.

"These are sweets that your mother prepared for you. They're good for your health."

The two children, unsuspecting, obediently swallowed it. They now love to cling to Chen Ci the most. If the father figure cannot provide positive guidance, then it's better to have none at all.

The pill melted instantly in his mouth. After a short while, Gu Mingzhang suddenly blinked and tugged at Shen Ci's sleeve.

"Mother! I, I suddenly remembered the poem 'Reed Catkins' that the teacher taught us before!"

"The reeds are green and lush, the white dew has turned to frost..."

I didn't expect these pills to work so quickly. The system's products are all high-tech. They can be torn apart right after being swallowed. But looking at the child's eyes, they seem to be clearer and brighter. I'll just treat them as a health supplement!