Only the three of them knew about getting their idol's autograph. Gou'er hadn't mentioned it to the young prince before, but now he was dragging Kang Tanhua to get the young prince's autograph. It really caught him off guard.
Seeing that Mr. Kang and his brother looked completely bewildered, Gou'er realized that he hadn't explained it to them yet, so he said, "Mother said that you can ask someone you admire for their autograph, it's a very valuable keepsake!"
Upon hearing that it was meaningful, the young prince immediately wanted it too. Although he didn't know what it meant, he didn't care; Aunt Jiu was always right!
"Mr. Kang, please give me your autograph!"
The young prince also stepped forward and hugged Kang Tanhua's leg, his face full of pleading.
"Absolutely not, young master... I..."
Kang Tanhua was in a dilemma. Logically speaking, signing his name was nothing, but the other party was the young prince, whose status and position were obvious, while he was just a newly appointed Tanhua who had not yet been granted an official position. Even if he were to obtain an official position later, there would still be a distinction between ruler and subject between him and the young prince, so he could not act recklessly.
Since ancient times, we have only heard that collecting the original works of famous artists is meaningful and valuable. How can you just ask for a signature?
If someone with ulterior motives finds out, who knows what kind of trouble they might cause.
Not only would it implicate him, but it would also bring disaster to the General's Mansion, which would be a huge crime for him.
No, no, absolutely not!
He looked pleadingly at He Jiuniang and Lu Baichuan, hoping they could help him.
Lu Baichuan and his wife clearly hadn't expected Gou'er to pull such a stunt; he'd really figured out the whole star-chasing drama.
If this happened to the emperor and the crown prince, it would be understandable, and might even become a legendary tale. But the other party is a newly appointed third-ranked scholar, so this is no joke.
"Dog, young master, you mustn't make things difficult for Mr. Kang like this, it will cause him trouble."
Lu Baichuan spoke, and Gou'er, somewhat puzzled, looked at He Jiuniang: "But Mother said..."
What bad intentions could children have? They just wanted to express their affection for Mr. Kang in this way.
But the adult world is not so simple; one wrong move and you can bring about a terrible disaster.
He Jiuniang thought for a moment and explained, "This method is certainly not a problem, but the situation is special now. There are always people watching us. They think this method is not advisable, and they might even frame Mr. Kang because of it. Do you want to see Mr. Kang being bullied?"
The two children shook their heads, clearly unwilling.
He Jiuniang added, "That's fine then. Mr. Kang knows you like him, so you can visit him often in the future. But let's not talk about the autograph. If you really want one, I'll reluctantly sign one for you."
As she said this, she genuinely looked quite reluctant.
The two children were amused and obediently took He Jiu Niang's autograph, went to find someone to frame it, and hung it in their room.
Kang Tanhua watched the two children run off with smiles, bowed to Lu Baichuan and his wife, and said with a smile, "Thank you both for getting me out of that predicament."
"We're all old friends, Mr. Kang, so please don't be so formal."
He Jiuniang smiled and gestured for Kang Tanhua to sit down and talk. Now that the child was gone, they could talk about their affairs.
When Kang Tanhua heard He Jiuniang say that they were old friends, he tightened his grip on his knees and felt a surge of excitement. Come to think of it, they had indeed known each other for several years, and he hadn't expected time to pass so quickly.
Furthermore, it is truly an honor to be their old friend.
In two days, he will be taking the imperial examination. Lu Baichuan will take this opportunity to talk to him about the current affairs in the court so that he can understand them and be mentally prepared. He can also do his homework when he gets back so that he can handle things more easily when the time comes.
Kang Tanhua listened very attentively. Although Lu Baichuan was a military general, he was not bad in literature. During those three years away from home, he did not waste a single day.
However, Lu Baichuan only briefly mentioned the incident without going into details, and he did not seem to intend to teach Kang Tanhua how to respond. Kang Tanhua saw his good intentions and said with a smile, "I originally thought that Third Master would teach me some speaking skills."
"Haha, Mr. Kang is a third-ranked scholar, and his abilities far surpass those of me, Mr. Lu. You have your own plans in mind. Besides, neither I nor His Highness will restrict your thoughts. Speak what you want to say and express the emotions you want to express. That is what the country truly needs as pillars of society."
Upon hearing this, Kang Tanhua's smile became even more genuine. He had been somewhat petty before; General Lu was even more righteous than he had imagined.
When he came to the capital to prepare for the exam, Lu Baichuan gave him a sum of money and made it clear that he was trying to win him over. So this time, he thought that Lu Baichuan would give him a hint and let him play according to that hint, but he didn't. Lu Baichuan refused to open that small door for him and instead led him directly to the main road.
"I, Kang, thank you very much, Third Master. From now on, I will serve Your Highness and Beiyan with my life!"
He said it was for His Highness, not for Lu Baichuan, which was also Lu Baichuan's original intention.
Kang Xiucai was not one of his men; he could only obey the Crown Prince's orders.
As for them, they were merely good friends and future colleagues who would work together for the country in the imperial court.
Finally, Kang Xiucai invited them to his small banquet the next day, inviting only some classmates and their family.
Lu Baichuan said, "I have something to do tomorrow night. Let Madam take the children to join in the fun."
Lu Baichuan is good in this respect; he doesn't go himself, but he doesn't object to his wife going. His wife is no less than any man.
Kang Xiucai said, "I will prepare a separate meal for Doctor He."
He Jiuniang didn't really want to go, but thinking that the two children would definitely want to join in the fun, and that the people of Dongting were restless, she was worried about not going, so she agreed anyway.
After leaving the general's mansion, Kang Tanhua was in a good mood. After so many years of hard study, he had finally made it. He was determined to use all his knowledge to make a difference in the imperial court in the future.
He came alone. It was still early, and he could have taken a walk around the streets and seen the prosperity of the capital. But when he turned into a small alley, he was knocked unconscious with a stick and taken away.
The man snorted and said, "You've only just passed the exam, and you're already eager to climb the social ladder. I don't believe you can keep having such a smooth ride!"
As he spoke, he kicked Kang Tanhua a few times, then prepared to drag him away like a dead dog.
The next moment, two men in black suddenly appeared and blocked his way.
"Who are you...?"
Before he could finish speaking, he collapsed, blood flowing from his neck, his eyes wide open in death.
The two men in black exchanged a glance, and one of them said, "Take him away."
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