On this day, Hongshi was writing a letter to the Fourth Master at his desk in the room, reporting his experiences along the way. Linlang was massaging him from behind. Linlang's fingers were soft and boneless, and Hongshi felt very comfortable. Suddenly, a servant announced that Magistrate Tong had arrived.
Hongshi put down his book and said, "Let him in." Then he gestured for Linlang to leave.
Linlang bowed slightly and walked out, where she happened to meet Magistrate Tong. The two exchanged glances and then went their separate ways.
Upon seeing Hongshi, Magistrate Tong bowed and said, "Your Highness, Lord Guan Bin, the Prefect of Kaifeng, has arrived and wishes to see you."
Hongshi exclaimed in surprise, "Prefect Guan has actually come! Quickly, let him in!"
But to everyone's surprise, Magistrate Tong said, "I was afraid that Lord Guan's arrival would disturb Prince, so I asked him to wait in the government office first. If Prince wishes to see him, I will send someone to inform him immediately."
Hongshi nodded, signaling him to quickly let Lord Guan in for a meeting.
Magistrate Tong turned to his servant and said, "Go to the prefectural office quickly and inform the prefect that the prince wants to see him."
The servant acknowledged and then quickly left.
Seeing that no one was around, Magistrate Tong walked to Hongshi's side and called out to the door, "Come in!"
No sooner had he finished speaking than two burly men carried in a large box. The box was placed on the ground with a dull thud. Magistrate Tong then ordered the box to be opened, revealing a box full of gold and silver jewels that made one's eyes dizzy.
Magistrate Tong bent down and said, "This is all prepared by Lord Guan to comfort Your Highness after your arduous journey. Please accept it." After saying that, he took out a stack of silver notes from his sleeve. Each note was worth a thousand taels, and this stack was worth at least ten thousand taels.
Hongshi was a little at a loss. Although he was a prince, he had never been exposed to such a thing before and did not know what to do.
Just then, someone outside announced that Guan Bin, the prefect of Kaifeng, had arrived with a group of officials.
Hongshi immediately went out with Magistrate Tong to meet with the local officials.
It turned out that not only Guan Bin had come, but also some other officials from Kaifeng Prefecture. When they saw Hongshi, they all bowed.
Hongshi stood up and said, "Gentlemen, there's no need for such formalities! My father sent me here to provide disaster relief, and I'll need your help along the way! May I ask which one of you is Lord Guan Bin?"
The middle-aged man at the head of the group spoke up: "This humble official is Guan Bin, greetings to Your Highness."
“I am already aware of Lord Guan’s concern for me,” Hongshi said.
Guan Bin continued, “Your Highness is a pillar of the nation, and you treat scholars with such respect. This is truly a blessing for the country and the people! It is thanks to the good deeds of my ancestors that I can serve you, Second Prince!” After he finished speaking, the other officials echoed his sentiments. Hongshi had never met the officials before, and he was momentarily overwhelmed by their flattery. But despite his overwhelmed state, he still did not accept the gifts.
Afterwards, Guan Bin suggested going to Zuihonglou to discuss the disaster situation, and Hongshi agreed. At the banquet, Guan Bin said that the disaster was not serious and that it was under effective control, and Hongshi nodded in satisfaction.
Hongshi asked, "Does Lord Guan know the Duke of England?"
Guan Bin replied, "I am able to hold this position today thanks to the support of the Duke of Ying. His kindness to me is immeasurable."
Hongshi then said, "Since that's the case, have you received a letter from the Duke of England?"
Upon hearing this, Guan Bin's eyes lit up, and he walked over to him and whispered a few words in his ear.
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