Chapter 10, The Counterattack of the Shield!

Cao Bin, who was standing nearby, was quietly observing Zhao Xian. Most people tend to believe that the second-generation wealthy are mostly arrogant and unapproachable; however, in reality, the vast majority of these privileged individuals are much more astute than the average citizen. They have learned to assess the situation far too early from their parents.

The Zhao surname in the Qi state is truly a prominent family.

As he spoke, he cast a glance at the poetry collection in Zhao Xian's hand and scoffed, "I see that you are nearing the age of twenty, yet the things you read are no different from those of a child. It is truly laughable!"

The heir apparent of the First Rank Prince of the Great Qi, Zongxian

May I ask your esteemed name? I am Zhao, of the Gao surname, with the given name Zongxian, the heir apparent of Prince Su, holding the official title of a second-rank General of the Brave Cavalry

Zhao Xian glanced at the two, raised the book in his hand, and said with a wry smile: "Having been bored at home for a long time, I came out to buy a few poetry collections to pass the time."

Moreover, it was quite a coincidence that he ran into him

Xiao Ling'er glanced at the poetry collection in Zhao Xian's hands and found that it was filled with works from "The Collection of Famous Poems," "The National Dynasty Poetry Collection," and the poetry collections of several renowned poets throughout history. She couldn't help but express her surprise, saying: "Seventh Brother, these poetry collections can be read by even the youngest children; why did you buy these?"

Knowledge does not distinguish between high and low, yet there are depths and shallows

At this point, if he does not retaliate, not only will he be looked down upon by Xiao Ling'er, but he will also come to despise himself.

It is said that a higher official can oppress those beneath them. Although the two do not have a subordinate or hierarchical relationship, Xiao Anmin still had to show some respect to Cao Shuang. When Cao Bin came to visit, he could not directly drive him away and could only let things be.

Young Master Cao must be from an official family; does he not know what crime it is to publicly insult the heir of the current dynasty

As for Xiao Ling'er, it is remarkable that a little coaxing in the future will suffice; whether the coaxing is effective or not does not concern him

One who reads the books of children and schemes for the wealth of women, like you, is indeed a petty person

However, Xiao Ling'er was extremely annoyed by this dandy, feeling helpless to escape from him. At that moment, she caught sight of Zhao Xian ahead and felt a surge of joy in her heart. Cao Bin merely relied on his status to exert pressure, but if Zhao Xian stepped forward to help her out of the predicament, although Zhao Xian was only a son of a noble, he was the son of a first-rank prince. In terms of status, who could compare to him

As soon as Xiao Ling'er called out for Seventh Brother, Zhao Xian knew that something was amiss. He had seen this kind of scenario too many times in various stories, where the second-generation rich bully the weak, and the male protagonist steps up at a critical moment, pretending to be a hero in a grandiose manner.

Furthermore, if I do not severely bruise his face, where would the dignity of a time traveler be placed

Cao Bin stared at the badge for a moment, his expression fluctuating between dark and light. Considering his father's official position, there was essentially no one in the entire Suzhou Prefecture who could contend with him. He had calculated everything, yet he had not anticipated that there was a prince conferred in Suzhou Prefecture.

However, Zhao Xian felt embarrassed, as this statement left him at a loss for how to respond. He certainly could not tell Xiao Ling'er that he bought these few books to clear the way for future plagiarism actions

Cao Bin's expression changed as he saw the plaque in Zhao Xian's hand, which was engraved with several solemn characters depicting a dragon and a phoenix.

However, Xiao Ling'er could not concern herself with these matters. This Young Master Cao had been persistently entangling her, which had already caused her great annoyance. A few days ago, in order to dismiss him, she casually mentioned wanting the "Dream Yang Collection." Unexpectedly, within less than half a month, he managed to obtain this extremely rare and hard-to-find unique edition.

Zhao Xian furrowed his brow slightly; he originally did not wish to be this scapegoat for no reason, but it seemed that this Young Master Cao was indeed extremely narrow-minded, to the extent that he could not tolerate him.

Xiao Ling'er saw that he was not angry, and her mood improved as well. She waved her hand and said, "No rush, no rush, it's just some pocket money, I don't need it urgently."

Zhao Xian's expression was calm as he took his waist badge from his waist and waved it towards Cao Bin

Seeing Zhao Xian hesitating and unable to speak, Xiao Ling'er realized that she had misspoken. Her face flushed red as she explained: "Seventh Brother, please do not misunderstand. Three years ago, you were well-versed in all the poetry and historical texts..."

Zong is the generational title of Zhao Xian, and the current emperor of Qi State also holds this title. However, in Qi State, the generational title and name are only mentioned together in more formal occasions; on ordinary days, he is simply referred to as Zhao Xian

Zhao Xian's expression was devoid of emotion: "I have to admit, your ability to hold grudges among the officials is truly remarkable. You and I haven't even exchanged names, yet with just a few words, you can completely infuriate me."

Chen Mengyang often wrote poems that satirized the political situation, which angered the emperor of the time. His collection, "Mengyang Ji," was once banned. Later, with the change of the emperor, the restrictions were gradually lifted. Although it was no longer strictly prohibited, the publishing houses were still not allowed to reprint it, making it quite rare

Cao Bin cast a glance at Zhao Xian, who was still being tugged by Xiao Ling'er, and sneered in silence

Cao Bin let out a cold smile, unfastened a piece of white jade pendant from his waist, and handed it to Zhao Xian with a disdainful look in his eyes: "This jade pendant is enough for you to make a small fortune. I advise you to keep your distance from Miss Xiao Shi. Today, it is this young master who has seen it and can turn a blind eye. However, if Lord Xiao were to see you entangled with Sister Ling'er, it would likely not be so easily overlooked."

In Xiao Anmin's heart, although he did not have much fondness for Cao Bin, he also felt no aversion. If his daughter truly found a connection with Cao Bin, then there would be nothing inappropriate about forming this alliance.

At this point, he paused, cupped his hands towards Xiao Ling'er, and sincerely said: "On that day, I was greatly indebted to you, Sister Ling'er, for your generous assistance. The matter was urgent, and I did not have the opportunity to thank you properly. I will repay that sum of money to you as soon as possible"

For example, at this moment, in Cao Bin's eyes, Zhao Xian had completely become a worthless individual with no threat. Seeing Xiao Ling'er being affectionate towards him, a surge of anger arose in his heart. He raised his head and smiled proudly: "Not having read is simply not having read. As scholars, do we forget the principles just because we fell ill? My dear brother, your polite words are rather hypocritical."

However, at present, he truly does not wish to cause any trouble. He is currently in dire financial straits. Although he bears the title of a prince of the fief, firstly, the prince of Qiguo has no real power, and secondly, the residence of the prince of Su has fallen into decline, with not even a single household guard remaining. If he were to provoke this seemingly wealthy and noble Young Master Cao, it would only make his situation even more difficult

Zhao Xian shook his head and smiled, saying: "It's nothing, just browsing out of boredom. After being seriously ill for three years, I have forgotten many things from back then completely."

Zhao Xian lowered his head and glanced at Xiao Ling'er, who was tugging at his sleeve, and silently sighed in his heart. Three days ago, this Miss Xiao was not as affectionate as she is now

"Reading is about acquiring knowledge; what distinction is there to be made?" Zhao Xian spoke in a calm tone

Cao Bin wore a mocking expression and asked, "May I ask your esteemed name?"

Cao Bin is a typical man of the feudal society, and women have never been anything extraordinary to him. If it were not for his father's insistence on a marriage alliance with the Xiao family, how would he have eagerly come to Suzhou?

Her words were spoken impulsively, without any malice; she simply spoke her mind and expressed her thoughts without much consideration.

The children of officials are truly not to be underestimated

Xiao Ling'er ignored him and walked directly in front of Zhao Xian, grabbing his sleeve with a smile in her eyes: "Seventh Brother, it's been several days since we last met, and you look much better. What brings you here to buy books?"

In his view, a down-and-out young man who borrows money from Xiao Ling'er would, under no circumstances, have any remarkable background. Such a person, whether it be one thousand or ten thousand, Cao Bin is more than capable of dealing with.

Sister Ling'er, is this your elder brother? How come I have not heard that there are relatives of the Xiao family in this Suzhou Prefecture?

This waist token was handed to Zhao Xian by Lao Huang. It was the title of heir that Zhao Gong requested for his only remaining son, Zhao Xian, before his passing three years ago, along with a nominal position as a General of Cavalry.

Cao Bin is the son of Cao Shuang, the weaver of the Jiangnan Weaving Bureau. Cao Shuang, as the weaver of Jiangnan, holds a third-rank position, while Suzhou Prefecture is merely a relatively small administrative office. As the governor of Suzhou, Xiao Anmin holds only a fourth-rank position

Upon hearing the words "Seventh Brother," Master Cao's expression became somewhat unnatural. He raised his eyes to look at Zhao Xian, who was dressed in an ordinary blue robe, lacking any signs of wealth or nobility, which led him to feel a sense of disdain in his heart

Xiao Ling'er was furious and shouted: "Cao Bin! What do you mean by that? I have a clear and innocent relationship with Seventh Brother!"

Cao Bin's expression darkened, and he had no choice but to follow, standing beside Xiao Ling'er, his gaze fixed on Zhao Xian.