Chapter Seven, the Unfortunate Lu Xiangsheng

Capital City, the residence of the Nine Thousand Years.

The Nine Thousand Years Return to the Mansion

It has been determined that this matter is not too difficult! Tomorrow, let’s first check if this person with the surname Lu is on the list. If not, we just need to instruct a few people to take care of this Lu fellow, then casually frame him with a charge and send him directly to Luoyang! As for passing the imperial examination? That’s simple; we can find some reasons to deceive the emperor. In any case, this 100,000 taels is a sure profit for our family! ... If Prince Fu finds it troublesome... we can also be good to the end and conveniently have him castrated. That’s also simple; we can find some reasons to deceive the emperor. In any case, this 100,000 taels is a sure profit for our family! ... If Prince Fu finds it troublesome... we can also be good to the end and conveniently have him castrated. Wei Zhongxian looked at the list of gifts in his hand and had already made plans.

"A trivial matter, indeed a trivial matter for Qiansui!" Xiao Changzi quickly conveyed the request of the Prince of Fortune, knowing that Wei Zhongxian held great power, and that there were countless people waiting in line daily to be received by him for business dealings. Having been here for several days, he could hardly afford to delay now that it was finally his turn.

Alright, alright, you little monkey, following Prince Fu has certainly taught you quite a bit. Your words are well-structured, yet they sound quite pleasant to the ear. Now, tell me, what is it that you want to say? After just two small bowls of the enchanted soup, Wei Zhongxian seems to be a bit dazed.

In light of all this, let alone cold sarcasm, even if it meant kneeling until his knees wore out and his head was bruised, or even sacrificing his life, he must fulfill the task entrusted by the prince. He must ensure that this nobleman named Lu Xiangsheng is brought back to safeguard the long-lasting fortune of the young prince

What is being said here, is it about taking people? Why not say it's about receiving goods? Dear, is it even free shipping? People have already given me the books, what more do I need? When Xiao Changzi saw Wei Zhongxian's unseemly gaze fall on his lower body, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he hurriedly said: "No need, no need! I am already deeply grateful for Your Majesty's great kindness and virtue!"

It must be said that this little Changzi is truly unfortunate; the journey from Luoyang to Beijing is so long that it took him more than half a month to walk. Although the Prince of Fortune later had a moment of conscience and arranged a special horse-drawn carriage for him just before he set out, bah! Don't even mention that carriage! It was so emaciated that it was nothing but bones, with only one large tooth left in its mouth, and a beast that could only pull a couple of taels of goods while constantly looking back every few steps could still be called a horse?

To accomplish this small matter... it depends on your sweet tongue and the favor of the Prince of Fortune, so we shall take care of it for you..." Wei Zhongxian pretended to ponder for a moment and decisively said: "How about this, you can go to Xizhimen to fetch the person in ten days. Additionally, does this person also need to..."

There is also that broken-down vehicle, with its roof nearly falling off. Throughout the journey, aside from the wheels often being stationary, the entire body was in constant motion. Oh, no, the wheels did move several times, with the left side flying off three times and the right side four times. The cargo compartment! The cargo compartment fell apart five times! The windscreen curtain had long since shyly escaped, and now it is still unknown where it is dancing in the wind. I truly do not know where King Fu found such a remarkable antique.

Ah! If it were not for the benevolence of the princess, who saved the entire family of the young Changzi fleeing to the capital back then, how could he have resorted to self-castration to join Wei Zhongxian's faction, and later returned to the residence of the Prince of Fu after going through countless servants? Over the years, although the Prince of Fu's family has been stingy, they have never treated their servants and maidservants with the same harshness as other princes, who would scold and whip them at the slightest inconvenience! Otherwise, how could it be said that a broad heart leads to a plump body? Over the years, although the Prince of Fu's family has been stingy, they have never treated their servants and maidservants with the same harshness as other princes, who would scold and whip them at the slightest inconvenience! Otherwise, how could it be said that a broad heart leads to a plump body?

Poor Lu Xiangsheng, Lord Lu, General Lu, you have been completely sold out by others, and you almost became ...? ... How about we ask so-and-so to observe a moment of silence for you? Not yet! Yes, your hard days are still ahead; this is just the beginning! Hold on, you must hold on!

Isn't this the little Changzi who followed Prince Fu to Luoyang? Wei Zhongxian doesn't seem to have dementia yet; his eyesight should still be good, as he recognized the person immediately without needing glasses. However, that sharp voice gives one goosebumps no matter how you hear it

This... this is a small token of appreciation that His Royal Highness the Prince of Fortune entrusted me to bring to Your Majesty. Little Changzi nervously pulled out a list of gifts from his bosom

Outside the hall, a desolate figure kept shaking his feet while clasping his hands in his sleeves. This person, who had traveled thousands of miles over mountains and rivers, seems a bit exaggerated, doesn't it? Well, it's about right, as he is not in a much better situation—the envoy of Prince Fu, Xiao Changzi.

The distant sound prompted Xiao Changzi to straighten his posture, carefully brushing off the snowflakes from his body, and standing respectfully to the side with his hands in a gesture of salutation.

"Is it just a single candidate? Is it really worth one hundred thousand taels? Could it be that you have not mentioned something?" Wei Zhongxian was perplexed; how could a single candidate be worth so much?

It is, it is, it is... For a thousand years, the light of the candle shines upon the heavens, revealing a clear view for thousands of miles; the rain and dew nourish all living beings, benefiting the vast lands! With the talent to govern the heavens and the earth, and the wisdom to stabilize the nation and ensure peace. Heaven bless our great Ming... Do not be fooled by Xiao Changzi's inability to recognize a single character; his memory is quite impressive, as he can recite texts flawlessly.

These are all trusted confidants. We know that you, little monkey, have come to the residence with a request; otherwise, you wouldn't have waited so many days

Really... this is just a trivial matter, I kindly ask Your Majesty to show mercy and grant us this favor! Is that too much? Then please refund me 99,500 taels, or at least an even 90,000 taels! If that is not possible, perhaps you could offer some discount or something! Goodness, had I known that giving you more would lead to all this fuss, I would have only given you 500.

Hehehe... You little monkey, you are quite sweet-tongued. Hurry up and get up! We can talk about anything inside! This flattery is quite good; it seems that Wei Zhongxian has naturally received it.

Our family is still foolishly helping others to seek the title of Jinshi, but what kind of income is that? The imperial examination only takes place once every three years, and if you encounter a difficult examiner, you have to put in a lot of effort to strategize! Not to mention seeking the Jinshi title, even selling a county magistrate at the eighth rank doesn't yield this much! If I had known, we could have just become human traffickers instead. One scholar for 100,000, and if you buy three, you get a 20% discount; buy ten and get one free! What, is a scholar too expensive? Then how about a licentiate? We can sell one licentiate for 10,000, buy two and get one free! One scholar for 100,000, and if you buy three, you get a 20% discount; buy ten and get one free! What, is a scholar too expensive? Then how about a licentiate? We can sell one licentiate for 10,000, buy two and get one free! And we offer a seven-day money-back guarantee and a one-year exchange policy! What, do you want something of higher quality? How about a Jinshi? Or a Hanlin? ... As for the price ...? ... It's negotiable, isn't it?

Upon entering the room at https://m.hetushu.com, Wei Zhongxian was sitting in the hall, staring at Xiao Changzi and saying: "Little monkey, why are you running around the capital instead of staying properly at the Prince of Fu's residence?"

While passing through Shunde Prefecture, Xiao Changzi made a special trip home to visit his elderly mother and his two younger brothers, who had already grown up, married, and started families, managing the secret business of the Prince of Fortune. From the very first day he made that decision, his mother never blamed him; she only shed silent tears many times, yet she always reminded him to remember the kindness of the princess and to serve her wholeheartedly. As for his younger brothers, they did not forget their elder brother either; this time, they insisted on having someone amend the family tree to adopt a son each for him. Originally, his mother wanted him to stay a few more days, but upon hearing that he was going to the capital to seek a noble for the young prince, she nearly drove him out of the house that very night. His brothers also stuffed him with all their savings accumulated over the years.

"Oh, Xiao Changzi, are you here in the capital because you couldn't get by at the Fuwang Mansion?" This kind of remark, suggesting that physiological defects can sometimes lead to psychological imbalances, has been heard countless times since the first day Xiao Changzi arrived in the capital. Fortunately, Xiao Changzi is exceptionally resilient and has long been able to automatically filter out such cold mockery.

Little Changzi bowed before the Nine Thousand Years! After many years, the Nine Thousand Years still possessed the sharp gaze of an eagle and the fierce demeanor of a wolf, moving with the grace of a dragon and the strength of a tiger, exuding an imposing presence of royal authority that was unmistakable, making one unable to help but bow down in reverence... Little Changzi lay prostrate on the ground, feeling as if he might vomit; he truly could not understand why the young prince would teach him such a passage, nor what this royal authority was all about

A month ago, the prince unexpectedly fell ill with a strange disease. Despite the efforts of numerous doctors in Luoyang, there has been little improvement. Therefore, His Highness the Prince of Fortune has petitioned His Majesty the Emperor to allow me to seek a national expert. Furthermore... " Little Changzi cautiously glanced around, not daring to continue speaking.

This person mentioned that they even provided ten taels of silver for travel expenses, so how can you bring it up? Ten taels of silver, not ten taels of gold! Even if it were ten taels of gold, it would still not be enough for the expenses along the way! Fortunately, what is most important in this day and age? Relationships! Traveling under the favored title of the current Nine Thousand Years, Xiao Changzi managed to avoid freezing and starving; relying on the relay stations along the way, he barely scraped by, enduring countless disdainful glances, yet he did not collapse on the road.

The heart of Xiao Changzi is bleeding... Wuwuwu... This is not the generosity of Prince Fu, but rather the hard-earned savings I have painstakingly accumulated over the years, along with my brothers' savings. If I were to truly give you that little amount from Prince Fu, wouldn't you immediately throw it back in my face and perhaps even reward yourself with an additional five hundred?

Oh? One hundred thousand taels? The Prince of Fortune is quite generous, it seems this matter must be significant? Wei Zhongxian truly hasn't lost his wits; upon seeing this list of gifts, he immediately felt a sense of alertness

Wei Zhongxian, who received a definite answer from Xiao Changzi, felt like slapping himself several times! Although the diplomatic offense of the vassal king is a serious crime, it is not a big deal for someone as high-ranking and powerful as Wei Zhongxian. Moreover, this is really not a significant issue; it is merely sending a scholar to be a caretaker for the young son of the Prince of Fu. Well, this caretaker is somewhat special; after all, he is a male caretaker.