...

Shouzhe's Small Courtyard was always like spring all year round, with various exotic flowers competing in beauty, a truly breathtaking sight.

At this moment, Wang Shouzhe was lying in a rattan grandmaster chair, tapping a fan in his hand, looking deep in thought.

Ever since he transmigrated, he had been living in this small courtyard, and even after getting married, he hadn't moved. His small courtyard and the old stories had accompanied the growth of generations of children in the family.

"Husband, try these spiritual crystal grapes." Liu Ruolan peeled a few grapes herself and fed them to him with her slender, fair fingers, her tone carrying a hint of coaxing, "These are a new variety cultivated by An'er at the Dara Oasis, specially chilled and sent for us to taste. Don't let the child's filial piety go to waste."

"I won't eat." Wang Shouzhe said with a proud face.

"Husband, I admit it was my fault this time." Liu Ruolan coaxed softly, making a difficult decision, "I won't play cards for the next three months, no, two months, okay, one month, and focus on staying home with you."

"Hmph~" Wang Shouzhe turned his head away.

"Alright, alright, I'll focus on accompanying you in the portable cave for a month, is that okay?" Liu Ruolan's eyes shimmered, a slight light in her gaze, "You can do whatever you want, and we can also advance the progress of the 'Golden Toad Manual' together."

Wang Shouzhe's expression changed slightly, hurriedly declining, "Forget it, forget it, I forgive you. I've been too busy with work lately, it's impossible to slack off for a month."

"Then twenty days."

"Ruolan, if you're really bored, just go play cards."

"Wang Shouzhe, what do you mean? Are you saying I'm old? Not attractive anymore? Ten days, no less."

Just as the atmosphere was getting tense, with a hint of domestic strife brewing, Prince An's voice sounded again at the courtyard gate.

"Shouzhe, is Shouzhe home?"

"..." Hearing this voice, not only did Wang Shouzhe not feel annoyed, but he seemed to hear celestial music, immediately invigorated, pressing on the armrest of the rattan chair to get up, "Wife, listen, it must be Prince An encountering trouble again. National affairs are important, wife."

"Wang Shouzhe, we've been married for nearly two hundred years!" Liu Ruolan looked at him, a cold aura suddenly rising from her body, "I know what you're thinking with just a blink of an eye. Just yesterday, you were complaining about Prince An's clinginess, saying he's more annoying than Liu Bei with his constant whining... By the way, who is Liu Bei?"

Wang Shouzhe's movement to get up suddenly froze.

Wang Shouzhe slowly sat back down, his expression calm, speaking righteously, "Wife, your criticism is correct. Without a small family, how can there be a big family? Prince An needs to be left alone for a while, lest he gets too demanding. I'll accompany you to the portable cave for a few days of leisure."

"A few days of leisure?"

"Five days, is that okay?"

"At least ten days."

"Seven days, no more than seven days. Teng'er is still young, we can't leave him with the Clan School and Lilong for too long, we need to be responsible as a couple."

Not long after.

Prince An, who had been left at the courtyard gate for a long time, was finally invited in by the maid.

"Where's Shouzhe?" As soon as Prince An entered, he began looking around, searching for Wang Shouzhe.

"Your Highness." The maid, accustomed to big scenes, gracefully saluted Prince An and explained, "The family head and the madam have gone on a journey, saying they'll be away for seven days."

"At a crucial moment, Wang Shouzhe is so disloyal." Prince An said indignantly, sitting down heavily on the grandmaster chair, "These seven days, I'm not going anywhere, I'll wait for him here."

"Your Highness..." The maid looked troubled.

"What Highness? Back then, it was that brat Wang Shouzhe who tricked me onto this pirate ship. Now, at a crucial moment, how can I let him be a hands-off manager?" Prince An waved his hand impatiently, "I won't make things difficult for you, just have someone set up a tent for me in the courtyard, and lay out a bedroll."

"…"

The maid was stunned by Prince An's shamelessness.

...

Wang's Clan School, Primary Class.

The so-called "Primary Class" is a class before entering the elementary clan school, where most of the children under ten from the Wang clan study.

Generally speaking, children's enlightenment can be completed by their parents. If the parents are too busy or don't know how to teach, they can also send them to a unified preschool class for unified enlightenment education.

At the age of eight, after the first round of aptitude testing, children who reach the age for formal study and cultivation are sent to the primary class to begin receiving clan school education and start learning how to cultivate.

To allow children to interact more with peers during their childhood, the primary class has never been divided into classes. Those of the right age join, and those who pass the assessment are sent to the elementary clan school for formal education.

As for those who don't pass the assessment, they naturally stay to continue learning.

As a result, the primary class has expanded again and again, now reaching a scale of over sixty people.

One of the teachers responsible for the primary class is the model teacher, Mr. Bear.

This Yao Earth Giant Bear, which Wang Shouzhe casually brought back on his way from the capital, looks clumsy and adorable, with a very strong affinity, and was therefore assigned to manage the children.

In addition, some young girls within the Wang clan, who are patient and loving, choose to join the primary class as teachers after graduation. It can be said that the primary class in the Wang's Clan School has the gentlest pretty young ladies.

Wang Zongteng, with a heart full of anxiety, was stuffed into the primary class.

In the past few months on the way back, he had already received enlightenment from his father, Wang Shouzhe, learned some basic addition and subtraction, recognized many characters, and could write, though his handwriting wasn't pretty yet.

According to his father, Wang Shouzhe, he could meet many little friends in the clan school, make many friends, and have pretty young ladies play games with them. It was a particularly interesting place, and he was full of longing for the clan school.

"Yiya yiya~"

Wang Zongteng's deskmate was a tree that looked very strange.

It wasn't large, but it was very beautiful, with a glaze-like luster all over, and each leaf looked like a gold coin, appearing very luxurious and noble.

This tree was naturally Wang Fugui's natal spiritual plant, Wang Bao Cai.

Seeing Wang Zongteng come over, Wang Bao Cai waved its branches, greeting him enthusiastically.

"Yiya ya~"

Wang Zongteng communicated with it somewhat timidly.

Low-level exotic spiritual plants couldn't speak yet, but they had their unique way of communicating, allowing other spiritual plants to understand their meaning.

In a way, this was like an encrypted channel among spiritual plants.

Besides them, there was another tree with an even stranger shape on the adjacent seat, with long, slender leaves, looking somewhat fragile.

Seeing Wang Zongteng and Wang Bao Cai, two fellow plant classmates, it occasionally glanced over, clearly interested, but didn't talk to them, appearing somewhat introverted.

This tree was naturally the Tree of Fortune, Wang Bao Fu.

At this moment, Mr. Bear was giving the children some simple basic lessons on the podium.

Because Mr. Bear was only at the sixth rank and couldn't speak human language, he used a small whiteboard custom-made by Wang Ningxi when teaching, controlling special black sand with profound energy to write on it, paired with emotional bear roars and flamboyant chalk writing on the board, achieving good teaching results.

For a bear, achieving this was not easy.

"Awoo awoo!" (Before class ends, let's have a classroom test.)

After finishing a section, Mr. Bear began distributing some simple test papers, giving the new students a ceremonial start.

Test papers were an eternal theme in Wang's Clan School, indispensable for checking gaps and consolidating knowledge.

Test papers? No problem!

Wang Zongteng was full of confidence.

His father had enlightened him, and he had learned addition and subtraction within a hundred.

Unexpectedly, after wrapping a pen with his tendrils and doing a few questions, Wang Zongteng was dumbfounded.

Didn't his father say the primary class basics were simple? How come eight out of ten questions were beyond him?

Wang Bao Cai, initially full of confidence, also felt devastated after opening the test paper.

He was still a child, was it appropriate to have such difficult exams?

However, Wang Bao Cai had his own skills. He quietly took out a few spiritual crystals, nudged a little girl writing diligently beside him with a root, and secretly handed them to her.

The little girl was clever, instantly understanding, quickly accepting the spiritual stones, then tilting her test paper to reveal the answers, allowing Wang Bao Cai to happily copy them.

Wang Bao Fu had his own way of dealing with it.

He didn't seek help from others but skillfully made a few paper balls after receiving the test paper, drawing lots to fill in the multiple-choice questions. For true or false questions, he simply tossed a coin.

As for the remaining fill-in-the-blank and big questions, he wrote based on feeling.

Soon, he finished the test paper and handed it to Mr. Bear.

Mr. Bear casually graded it, immediately showing an appreciative expression: "Awoo awoo, awoo awoo." (You did well, you can go back now.)

"Yiya yiya." Wang Bao Fu bowed respectfully, thanking the teacher for his guidance, then left gracefully.

Is this even possible?

Wang Zongteng was shocked, never expecting such a method.

He carefully pondered and compared, deciding to imitate the latter tree, at least it didn't cost anything. Spiritual crystals were for eating, he didn't have enough for himself, let alone giving them to others.

Then, he mimicked Wang Bao Fu's method, quickly finishing the test paper, confidently handing it to Mr. Bear.

Unexpectedly, as Mr. Bear graded, his expression gradually became serious, occasionally glancing at Wang Zongteng, finally writing two words flamboyantly on the paper: Call Parent!

What what what?

Why? Why could Wang Bao Fu do it, but he couldn't? Mr. Bear, this is too much!

Wang Zongteng was furious, his tendrils flying in the air, immediately causing a ruckus.

The primary class instantly turned chaotic.

...

In the portable space.

Wang Shouzhe's "happy life" ultimately couldn't last seven days.

As external pressure mounted, he finally convinced Liu Ruolan to leave seclusion on the third day.

In his small courtyard.

Mr. Bear was excitedly roaring, while Wang Zongteng was curled up innocently into a ball of vines, squatting aside.

"I understand, I understand." After listening to Mr. Bear's complaints, Wang Shouzhe apologized solemnly, "Mr. Bear, rest assured, I will handle this matter seriously and compensate for the losses suffered by the primary class."

After appeasing Mr. Bear, Wang Shouzhe looked at Wang Zongteng with a complex expression.

Unexpectedly, in just three days, this kid had caused a lot of trouble, damaging building structures, robbing classmates of spiritual stones, and if not stopped in time, he was ready to devour the spiritual vein beneath the primary class.

Although among the many spiritual plants in the family, Wang Zongteng's strength was not notable, only at the third rank, equivalent to the early stage of the Lingtai Realm for humans, in the primary class full of small ones, his cultivation was already formidable.

Not to mention, he was a half-true demon vine, with a bloodline advantage, his actual combat power far exceeded the third rank.

He must be disciplined, absolutely not allowed to develop a reckless personality. But how to discipline requires skill.

After a brief discussion, Wang Shouzhe and his wife called Wang Lilong over and gave her a good beating.

Firstly, it was a punishment for causing trouble just after entering the advanced clan school, and secondly, for not properly watching over her brother.

Wang Lilong cried bitterly, "Awoo awoo," screaming miserably. In the end, it started pouring rain in the courtyard.

Seeing the courtyard about to flood, and with Wang Lilong's sincere attitude in admitting her mistakes (begging for mercy), the couple finally stopped.

Wang Zongteng had never seen such a scene before, and was immediately frightened by this deterrent, becoming exceptionally obedient, tremblingly promising not to cause trouble again.

After dealing with family matters.

Wang Shouzhe finally had the leisure to entertain the lingering Prince An.

"Your Highness~" Wang Shouzhe poured him tea without any expression, "You spend all day hanging around my Wang clan, what about national construction? There are so many matters waiting for you to handle in the court."

"That's why I sent Shizhao back first." Prince An looked like he was planning to stay long-term at the Wang clan, "Rest assured, Shizhao has strong comprehensive abilities, cautious and meticulous, very suitable for handling trivial matters outside of major strategies."

"…" Wang Shouzhe gave him a sideways glance, "Shizhao and Yurou have just reunited for a few days, I was hoping they'd have a few more kids."

"That depends on whether you cooperate." Prince An chuckled, "As long as you give me enough talent, I'll immediately roll back to Guilong City and give Shizhao a six-month vacation."

"I've already lifted the restrictions, allowing you to recruit at the Wang's Clan School. Isn't that enough, Your Highness?" Wang Shouzhe looked at him with disdain.

"Enough? After all our hard work, we only recruited a few kittens, not a single top elite talent willing to join us." Prince An got angry at the mention of this, grumbling, "Competing for talent with Wang's various industries is one thing, but even having to compete with that brat Fugui!"

There was one thing he was too embarrassed to say, that the Great Qian court couldn't compete with Wang Fugui at all.

"Talent is limited and a precious resource." Wang Shouzhe suggested, "How about I open some enrollment slots for you, set up a few training classes?"

"The former, I would have mentioned even if you hadn't, but distant water can't quench present thirst. As for the latter, what good are training classes? The greatest strength of the top graduates from Wang's advanced clan school lies in their comprehensive thinking and knowledge, and their ability to solve various predicaments, able to stand on their own after a little adaptation."

Prince An's tone was indignant, but his expression was full of envy, jealousy, and hatred: "If you were willing to give me all the talents graduating from Wang's Clan School, I have confidence in surpassing the strength of the Celestial Dynasty's states within my lifetime."

"Your Highness, don't dream too beautifully." Wang Shouzhe mercilessly poured cold water on him, "Just picking the fruits without planting trees, the Great Qian will never become strong."

Why did he vigorously develop the clan school, spending decades or even a century to establish and perfect the clan school system? Wasn't it just to have a large number of talents available now?

"I don't care, I want people now." Prince An looked like a rogue, "If you don't give them, fine, unless you specifically let Xuanwei marry my Shengjun. Back then, both of my princesses married An Ye, isn't it reasonable for you to marry a legitimate daughter into our royal family?"

"Is this my problem? Didn't I help organize matchmaking?" Wang Shouzhe glared at him, "Wasn't it Shengjun's own fault? My Xuanwei is a literary young woman, saying she likes reading, and your boy starts talking about sensational novels! Xuanwei said she likes classical drama, and he takes her to see comedies."

"At his age, his dating skills aren't even as good as Wang Fugui's."

Even for family alliances, there must be mutual willingness, at least both parties must feel they can get along for further possibilities. Even for childhood sweethearts like Wang Zong'an and Xu Pingting, it was only after getting along well that they officially got engaged and married. If they really couldn't get along, there was a possibility of breaking up.

How can they spend a lifetime together with such different views and interests?

"Then, is there hope for Shengjun?" Prince An looked hopeful, "I really like Xuanwei, especially hoping she can become a princess consort in the future."

"Let's talk about the talent issue." Wang Shouzhe quickly changed the subject, "Last time I heard from Anyuan and Ningyu that the cooperation with Prince Shengjun was quite pleasant, and their personalities were compatible. How about I allocate these two high-end talents to the court?"

"Is it that 'Lonely Sword Saint'? 'White-clothed Phoenix King' or something?" Prince An couldn't help but chuckle at this, "Aren't those two a bit too…"

Wang Shouzhe gave him a look: "Just say whether you want them or not?"

"Want, want, want! These two are top talents of great prodigy B-grade, and have also received formal education from Wang's advanced clan school." Prince An nodded repeatedly, "With a little training, they can definitely stand on their own."

"I have to say some ugly words first." Wang Shouzhe reminded him seriously, "Since they're working for the court, their future cultivation resources and true method inheritance must be figured out by the Great Qian official."

Hearing this, Prince An's expression immediately became serious: "Wang Anyuan cultivates the sword path, I can shamelessly get a sword path true method from the Han Yue Wu Clan. But that White-clothed Phoenix King Wang Ningyu, awakened the signature of the Wang's Ancestor, the ice phoenix bloodline. Our Great Qian Wang's inheritance was used by Ancestor Long Yan, now we can only look to the Han Yue Wang's Clan!"

"But the Han Yue Wang's Clan has always guarded the ice phoenix inheritance tightly, my face isn't enough."

Wang Shouzhe also frowned: "The biggest problem now is that the Han Yue Wang's Clan doesn't have the Ice Phoenix Manual, otherwise if we could get a copy of the Ice Phoenix Manual, we could completely extend multiple ice phoenix inheritance grounds."

This problem also troubled Wang Shouzhe.

As the Wang clan members increased, the probability of awakening the Ancestor's main bloodline, the ice phoenix bloodline, also showed a trend of gradually increasing. Without the support of the Ice Phoenix Manual, many clan members' bloodlines would be wasted.

"If it really doesn't work, we can only help Ningyu find a random ice-type divine ability inheritance." Prince An, having just received two high-quality talents, was very happy and began to consider for them, "Not to mention the inheritance, regarding their arrangements, I can assign Wang Ningyu to the Western Sea Commandery as 'Deputy Commandery Governor', and Wang Anyuan to the Tianfu Commandery as 'Deputy Commandery Governor'. When they mature a bit and their cultivation advances to the Purple Mansion Realm, they can directly serve as Commandery Governors, guarding the two national gates for our Great Qian."

"You are the supervising prince, why ask me about such matters?" Wang Shouzhe said irritably, but was secretly pondering.

Specifically seeking the Ice Phoenix Manual was somewhat unrealistic, but Ancestor Long Yan, now with the Heavenly Daughter bloodline, might be able to deduce the Dao lineage of the ice phoenix divine ability when she reaches the Lingxu Realm.

Logically, it's possible, after all, no one knows the ice phoenix better than Ancestor Long Yan.

"Alright, alright, I won't bother you with such trivial matters." Prince An, having achieved his goal, was in a good mood, immediately saying seriously, "Regarding the grand plan you formulated last time, when do you plan to start?"

Wang Shouzhe looked at the sky, then at Prince An: "His Majesty, these days, is ostensibly guarding the 'Outer Regions East Qian Defense Zone', but is actually gathering and confirming various intelligence for me. The time is ripe, it's time for our Great Qian to contribute to the human race. After you return this time, start cooperating with Yao'er according to the plan."

"Good!" Prince An's eyes also shone with a dazzling light, "Working with Shouzhe is always so satisfying, either we don't act, or we aim to do something earth-shattering."

"After a long separation, you and I, ruler and minister, can finally join hands to do big things again."

"Save it~ Just focus on building our Great Qian, making it stronger and stronger." Wang Shouzhe gave him a look, saying seriously, "When our Great Qian develops to the point where everyone is at the Celestial Realm, why bother with such painstaking strategies? We can just push through directly."

"Everyone at the Celestial Realm?"

Prince An rolled his eyes dramatically.

Your plan for everyone at the Qi Refining Realm is enough to keep me busy, and now you want everyone at the Celestial Realm? Wouldn't that mean even the stars and seas would belong to our Great Qian?

...