The next day, King Jing brought his obviously reluctant son to the Wanfulou for his appointment. Given his status, he should have booked the meeting at Wangxianju, a popular destination for princes and nobles. Thinking of the owner behind Wangxianju, King Jing decisively gave up. He didn't want to be disgusted by an insignificant person.
General Xiao had been waiting for a while, but after all, he was a prince! No matter how long he waited, he still had to politely say, "No, no, I just got here too." If he had the choice, he would have wanted to reduce the chances of interacting with the royal family.
The waiter gently pushed open the door of the private room, bowed with a smile and invited King Jing and his son in. The boss was so flattered that he was still confused by the two of them visiting Wanfulou!
General Xiao stood up and saluted, greeting him in a neither humble nor arrogant manner.
King Jing has a very good reputation in Kyoto because he is approachable, gentle and polite to others, unlike some powerful people who are arrogant and look down on others.
"Old General, I admire your character and your abilities, and I want to hand my son over to you to learn some skills. You can just treat him as an ordinary junior and punish him when necessary." King Jing said straight to the point. There was no need to be falsely polite when dealing with a straightforward and cheerful person like General Xiao. It was better to get straight to the point.
In order to impress General Xiao and narrow the distance between them, King Jing humbled himself and gave General Xiao enough respect. It must be said that he is a very competent father.
"Your Highness is too kind. It is a great honor for me to be able to teach the Crown Prince."
Anyone who dared to strike or scold the prince would likely be punished by the Queen Mother, even before the Prince took action. While teaching the royal children might seem glamorous and enviable, it was actually a thankless task, and the slightest misstep could lead to trouble. General Xiao had no idea whether others would take on the task, but he truly wished to stay as far away from it as possible.
"I know that it is difficult for you to make such a request rashly. Please check his muscles and bones carefully first. If you are still not satisfied, I will never force you to do anything."
General Xiao really looked Yun Yichen up and down, left and right, and then walked around him a few times, pinched Yun Yichen's tendons and bones, his eyes becoming brighter and brighter. This is an excellent physique for practicing martial arts, with long hands and feet, well-proportioned bones, and quick reactions. Very good, a good material.
Yun Yichen hated being touched the most, so he dodged quickly. General Xiao was just about to test his ability, and the two of them started fighting. How capable could a seven-year-old child be? He was easily defeated within three moves.
"Hmph." Yun Yichen was obviously not convinced. How old was General Xiao? How old was he?
He was actually not convinced. Good boy, although he is not likable and arrogant, he is better than being timid and cowardly. Since the emperor has ordered it and the prince is a rare martial arts talent, General Xiao can only agree.
"Can I make two requests, this old minister?" General Xiao had already thought of the conditions when he was at home. Of course, the great King Jing might agree to them or not, so he was just trying it out.
"General, please speak," King Jing said with a smile. The old general was truly unusual. If others had been offered such an opportunity, they wouldn't have put forward any conditions and would have readily agreed. But seeing the man across from him being extremely reluctant, King Jing wanted to ask, "Is my son not that bad?"
Yun Yichen also noticed the reluctance on General Xiao's face. It was the first time someone dared to express disdain in front of him, which made him very unhappy. If he was dissatisfied, it should be himself. An old man who looked bad-tempered, uncultured, and old really thought he was very likable!
"I know that I am not very talented and well-educated, and I can't teach much. I may mislead the students. I don't want the title of master and disciple. I just want to be an ordinary martial arts master. If you are willing, you can address me by my official title. If not, you don't have to address me at all."
"Since the old general mentioned it, why don't you let the children call you Grandpa? You don't have to call them Prince or Crown Prince all the time. It seems strange. Just call them by their names."
"Okay." General Xiao is a person who doesn't care about details. People will feel dizzy if they are confused by a long list of titles. It's better to just call him by his name. It will save trouble for everyone.
King Jing personally poured a cup of tea for General Xiao. There was nothing he could do as his son became stubborn again and looked unhappy. It was probably because General Xiao disliked him and was also unwilling to compromise himself. In this respect, the two of them were quite similar. It would be a pity if they did not become master and disciple.
"After all, I am old, and my energy and physical strength are declining. I may be able to teach for a year or two, but I'm afraid I won't be able to do it for a longer period of time!"
"Then let's set it at five years. What do you think?" King Jing said in a negotiable tone.
General Xiao almost choked on his tea. Five years!
I have to spend less time with my granddaughter. It takes too long. Can we discuss it?
"The old general is in good spirits and still going strong. He will definitely be able to do the job, right? That's settled."
You have finished talking to yourself, what else can I say? General Xiao had no choice but to nod in agreement.
The two sides also agreed on a study location. King Jing originally wanted to have it in the palace, but General Xiao refused, citing the palace's frequent gossips and rumors, and he didn't want to be involved. Finally, they settled on the Imperial Academy. The study session would be every other day, for two hours each time.
Yun Yichen was very upset when he saw General Xiao bargaining on everything. How much must this old man dislike him and the others? It was really too much. You look down on me, and I can't let you live comfortably. So the prelude to the showdown between Prince Jing and General Xiao officially began from this moment.
"The old general can also take his grandchildren to the Imperial College and let them learn martial arts together." King Jing not only wanted his son to learn martial arts from him, but also hoped that if there was a chance, he could let his son have more contact with the younger generations of the Xiao family.
The Xiao family's family tradition is absolutely enviable. When my son interacts with them, perhaps his temperament will change. I don't know who he resembles, being indifferent and unwilling to speak out about everything.
General Xiao thought that King Jing was just saying something polite, so he just responded casually. He didn't plan to let his little grandson interact with these sons of the emperor and the phoenixes. He didn't have the opportunity to teach the older grandsons himself, but when Ah Jun and Ah Qi are older, he can take them with him. If he can teach other people's children, he can also teach his own.
As for his granddaughters, he had never thought of letting them get to know these people. Perhaps others would have the idea of trying to curry favor with the rich and powerful, but General Xiao had never had such an idea.
Before parting, King Jing whispered a few words to General Xiao. It was unclear what he said, but General Xiao was silent at first, then he looked up and looked at Yun Yichen frequently, occasionally answered King Jing's questions, and then kept nodding.
He might have been betrayed by his father. Don’t ask why, Yun Yichen just had this feeling.
In the carriage on the way back to the palace, the father and son were talking about their meeting today.
"Don't you like General Xiao?"
"He is the one who doesn't like me." Do you really think that I am just a child and can't see anything?
"He... probably doesn't like that you still have the identity of the father."
Yun Yichen looked at King Jing in confusion, waiting for him to continue.
"Do you want to know why father insists that you learn martial arts from him?" King Jing put away his playful expression and explained the reason very seriously.
To be honest, Yun Yichen was really curious. What was the reason that made his father choose General Xiao?
"There are three reasons. First, it's because he has real ability. A person without any background or backing can be promoted from a soldier to a second-rank general in just a few decades. Who can do it if he is not a person with real ability?
Second, General Xiao's unique status is due to his life's countless hardships and injustices, yet he remained undefeated and rose through the ranks. This demonstrates his perseverance, determination, and indomitable spirit, a spirit that your father hopes you will emulate.
Most of the people around you are born into a life of luxury, living a life of mediocrity and drunkenness. Do you also want to live that kind of life?
Yun Yichen shook his head firmly. He didn't want to be that kind of person, not at all.
King Jing nodded with satisfaction, very happy with his son's reaction.
"And thirdly, Father hopes you can interact more with the younger generation of the Xiao family."
Yun Yichen looked at King Jing strangely. The first two points were easy to understand, but what was the reason for the last one?
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