Chapter 114 Pretending to be confused
After exchanging pleasantries at the door, Sheng Hong invited Zhao Xing to the front hall.
Old Madam Sheng and the others chatted for a while, and then the female family members took their leave.
Zhao Xing looked at Sheng Wei and said in a reproachful manner, "Didn't I say that Chang Wu would go to the Eastern Palace to serve? Why hasn't there been any movement for so long?"
"Your Highness, my son has been learning martial arts before and doesn't know the rules. I have been teaching him some rules these days and was thinking of bringing him to meet Your Highness one of these days." Sheng Wei said as he asked Sheng Changwu to come forward to pay his respects.
"I, the humble servant Sheng Changwu, pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." Sheng Changwu bowed.
"No need to be polite!" Zhao Xing waved his hand, took a look and said, "It's better to do it now than to wait for a day. From now on, you should stay with Zhong Huai."
"Yes!" Sheng Changwu replied.
"Zhong Huai." Zhao Xing turned his head to look at Gu Tingye who was standing beside him, and said, "First arrange for him to be a captain, and you should teach him more often."
"Yes." Gu Tingye responded.
Sheng Wei was very happy to hear this, because he knew Gu Tingye's identity and he was deeply trusted by His Royal Highness the Crown Prince.
If my son follows him, his future will be good.
Zhao Xing looked at Sheng Changfeng standing behind Sheng Hong and said with a smile, "This is the second son of Sheng Zhongshi, right?"
Now Sheng Hong has become a fifth-rank Zhongshi Doctor.
"Your Highness, this is my second son Sheng Changfeng." Sheng Hong said as he gave Sheng Changfeng a look, motioning him to come forward and greet him.
"I, the humble servant Sheng Changfeng, pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." There was a hint of excitement in Sheng Changfeng's tone.
"No need to be polite." Zhao Xing had a gentle smile on his face and said, "Both sons of Sheng Zhongshi are very talented. I heard that both sons of Sheng Zhongshi are going to take part in the imperial examination this time?"
"That's right, but my two sons are too young and have little talent. They just need to adapt to the atmosphere of the imperial examination. I don't expect them to pass the exam." Sheng Hong said with a smile.
"Since you just need to adapt, let Zecheng go alone. I think Sheng Zhongshi's second son is too young, so let him join next time." Zhao Xing said lightly.
"Uh…"
The smile on Sheng Hong's face froze. He was just being humble and polite, but who would have thought that Zhao Xing would directly ask Sheng Changfeng to take the exam again next time.
However, Sheng Hong was also a smart man and he reacted quickly. He realized that Sheng Changfeng must have offended Zhao Xing in some way.
Perhaps this is the purpose of Zhao Xing's visit to Sheng's house today.
Not only Sheng Hong, but the rest of the Sheng family members in the hall were also stunned.
"Your Highness, I am a commoner..."
The most surprised person was Sheng Changfeng. When he heard Zhao Xing praising him, he thought that Zhao Xing would test his talent. He was thinking that when Zhao Xing spoke, he would read some poems he had written to Zhao Xing. Unexpectedly, Zhao Xing asked him to take part in the examination again next time.
He is only sixteen years old now, so it doesn't matter even if he waits for three years.
However, Zhao Xing's words expressed his dissatisfaction with him. If the news got out, he might not pass the exam in his lifetime.
He was about to ask, but Sheng Hong interrupted him and said, "Your Highness is right. My son is too young. He needs to stay at home for a few years."
Although he didn't know how Sheng Changfeng had offended Zhao Xing, Zhao Xing didn't say it directly, obviously not wanting to say it.
If Zhao Xing tells the reason once asked, the consequences may be even more serious.
"Yes." Zhao Xing nodded slightly, looked at Sheng Changbai and said, "Zhecheng, take me for a walk."
"Your Highness, please come this way." Sheng Changbai said.
Sheng Hong watched Zhao Xing leave, then turned around and looked at Sheng Changfeng with eyes full of anger.
"Tell me, what did you do to make His Royal Highness the Crown Prince so angry?"
"Dad, I don't know either. I study at home every day and rarely go out. I have never met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. How could I make His Royal Highness the Crown Prince angry?" Sheng Changfeng said bewilderedly.
"Rebellious son!" Sheng Hong angrily slapped him and said in a low voice: "If you hadn't made His Royal Highness the Crown Prince angry, why would His Royal Highness not allow you to participate in this imperial examination?"
"Brother Hong!" Sheng Wei hurriedly stopped Sheng Hong and said, "The Crown Prince is still at home now, this is not the time to teach your son. Changbai went with the Crown Prince, maybe the Crown Prince will explain the reason to him. After the Crown Prince leaves, it won't be too late to find out the reason and then teach him a lesson." "Humph!" Sheng Hong snorted coldly and said, "Go back to your room."
…………
Although the Sheng family mansion is not small, it is not convenient to take Zhao Xing to many places.
Sheng Changbai led Zhao Xing to the garden.
As Zhao Xing walked, he said, "Zhecheng, don't you want to ask me why you didn't let your brother take the imperial examination?"
"Your Highness must have done this because my brother did something bad." Sheng Changbai said.
"Your brother is talking nonsense to others outside." Zhao Xing shook his head slightly and told the story again.
"I am also responsible for this matter. Please punish me, Your Highness!" Sheng Changbai bowed.
"What does it have to do with you?" Zhao Xing waved his hand and said, "This matter ends here, but you should tell your father that your brother needs to be disciplined. You are my person, and your sister is also my concubine. The Sheng family is too deeply involved with me, so you should be careful with your words and actions."
"Yes, I will definitely tell my father and ask him to discipline my third brother." Sheng Changbai said.
"You must prepare well for this examination. After the imperial examination is over, I will take over as the prefect of Kaifeng. I will select some people from the new scholars to help me." Zhao Xing advised.
Although he knew that Sheng Changbai had passed the imperial examination this time, now that he had become a variable, he was uncertain whether Sheng Changbai could still pass.
"I will do my best." Sheng Changbai said.
Zhao Xing nodded, and seeing that Sheng Changbai seemed to be hesitant to speak, he said, "Just say whatever you want to say."
"Your Highness, my sister has a somewhat spoiled personality. My father is afraid that she won't be able to serve Your Highness well after entering the palace, so he wants to let a concubine's sister marry into the palace." Sheng Changbai said.
Zhao Xing was delighted when he heard this. He had been thinking about how to bring Minglan into the palace, but the Sheng family was so considerate that they actually took the initiative to propose that Minglan be given as a dowry.
Wait, is the illegitimate sister that Sheng Changbai was talking about his sister or Rulan’s sister?
If it's him, it could also be Molan.
Although Molan is beautiful, Zhao Xing doesn't like her personality.
Zhao Xing also didn't want his future harem to be like those palace fighting dramas, with all kinds of secret struggles.
As the Crown Princess, Zhang Guifen would also be his future Queen. With Zhang Guifen's personality, as long as the other concubines did not behave like demons, she would not do anything to them.
Among the concubines chosen for him by his father and Empress Cao, Yu Yanran was the kind of woman with a gentle personality and no scheming.
Although Rulan is a little spoiled and willful, she is not a scheming person.
Zhao Xing also knew that not all of his concubines in the harem could be like this, but he could not accept someone as scheming as Molan.
It can be said that Minglan is quite scheming, but she is a smart person. She will use some means to protect herself, but she will not harm others.
Molan is the type of person who is scheming but very stupid.
This is the most troublesome.
He didn't want to worry about world affairs in the future, nor did he have to worry about the struggles in the harem.
"Which sister does your father want to marry as a dowry?" Zhao Xing asked.
"It's my sixth sister." Sheng Changbai said.
Zhao Xing remained calm upon hearing this, but he was very happy in his heart. He said thoughtfully, "I understand what you mean. I cannot give her a name for the time being, but when she has a child in the future, I will give her a name."
Sheng Changbai: "..."
He really wanted to say, "Your Highness, you have misunderstood."
Last night, when his grandmother called him over and talked to him about this, she also told him the purpose of doing this.
Who would have thought that after he said it, Zhao Xing misunderstood him and thought he was asking for a status for Minglan.
(End of this chapter)