CHAPTER 105: CHAPTER 73 BODY TRANSFORMATION! (PART 2)_1

"Thank you, Colonel Zheng."

"You’re welcome."

Chen Guangting received the food and wine from Zheng Fan, sat next to the tea table, and began eating.

Seeing this, Master Zhang, who was lying in the sickbed, licked his lips and said, "Share some with me... share some..."

But Chen Guangting shook his head, saying, "I didn’t get to drink any of the bone soup specially prepared for the wounded at the Earl’s Mansion tonight."

The household rules of the Earl of North Border were very strict, even harsh. Other than the ladies of the mansion, all the men ate the same daily meals as soldiers. The wounded got to eat the same meals prepared for the wounded in the camp, which included a bit more oil and substance. This also applied to guests. Because the Lord himself abided by these rules, the guests couldn’t complain.

The first thing the Lord did when he arrived in the capital was to consume five roast ducks in one sitting, demonstrating how bland his usual meals were.

Of course, in the eyes of the Censors, this was evidence that the Earl of North Border’s household was ’enduring hardships with great ambitions’ and ’scheming for something immense.’

"Chen Guangting, I want meat! I want meat! I want meat!!!" Master Zhang shouted at Chen Guangting.

Chen Guangting ignored him.

"Chen Guangting, believe it or not, when I can get out of bed, I will castrate you!"

Chen Guangting, wiping the oil from his lips, replied dismissively, "I’d welcome it. I come from a scholarly background. If I were really castrated and sent to the palace, do you think the Ministry of Rites would dare not give me a position?"

"COUGH, COUGH, COUGH..." Master Zhang coughed until his face turned completely red.

When a scholar starts acting shamelessly, even a eunuch can’t bear it. The eunuchs in the Ministry of Rites were indeed highly educated, but how could their learning compare to someone like Chen Guangting, a recognized seed of scholarship in Yan? If this Chen Guangting truly castrated himself and entered the palace, the Director of the Ministry of Rites would probably have to make a place for him. Leaving aside other factors, his status as potentially the most highly educated eunuch since Yan’s founding would alone command that respect!

Zheng Fan took out another lotus leaf wrap from his robes and gave it to Master Zhang, saying, "This was what I had reserved for my breakfast tomorrow. Please, Master Zhang, you have it first."

"Oh, how could I accept this?" Master Zhang said, feigning reluctance, yet his hands eagerly unwrapped the lotus leaf. He broke off a chicken leg from the roast chicken inside and began tearing into it with large bites.

One was a eunuch, the other a civil official. Although neither had a particularly successful career, they were accustomed to a comfortable life. Being suddenly reduced to a simple diet in the Earl’s mansion was naturally unbearable for them.

"Master Zhang, Master Chen, please continue eating. I’m going to patrol outside," Zheng Fan said.

"Thank you for your trouble, Colonel Zheng."

Leaving the room, Zheng Fan had just reached the courtyard when he saw the Sixth Prince leaning against the railing, peeling a tangerine.

"You were right, the tangerines here are indeed sweet."

"Your Highness, you should eat less of them, or you might suffer from excess internal heat."

"No matter. My constitution is weak; I actually need some of that ’heat’ to replenish my body."

Zheng Fan leaned against the other side of the railing.

The Sixth Prince continued eating his tangerine. While peeling a second one, he offered Zheng Fan a segment.

Zheng Fan opened his mouth and took the segment.

"Heh, you certainly don’t stand on ceremony."

"If I were too polite with Your Highness, it would create distance between us."

"That’s true. Although I am an idle Prince, in all these years, only two people have ever been truly at ease in my presence. One is the Princess, and the other is you."

"It is my honor to be mentioned in the same breath as the Princess."

"Sigh, it can’t be helped. Even with my eldest brother and Second Prince, she dares to show them her displeasure. Back when our Imperial Grandfather was vying for the throne and had temporarily lost power, our family was forced to leave the capital. It was the previous Earl of North Border who gave us shelter. At that time, we brothers were still young. Our father, Imperial Grandfather, along with the previous and current Earls of North Border, were all preoccupied with helping Grandfather reclaim the throne. We children played by ourselves in the Earl’s mansion, and she disciplined us more than a few times, haha. Sigh, why am I bringing up these old, forgotten stories?"

"Your Highness, you smell wonderful. What is that?"

"Oh, you noticed?" The Sixth Prince then took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket, handed it to Zheng Fan, and said, "It’s something made by Western merchants."

Zheng Fan took it, pulled out the stopper, took a sniff, and exclaimed in admiration, "The person who can create such a thing is truly extraordinary."

"Indeed. This thing is called perfume, but in my opinion, it’s hardly water; it’s clearly flowing gold."

"It seems Your Highness is truly well-versed in the ways of commerce."

"You’re too kind. Relying solely on the palace stipend makes for a difficult life. The daily social obligations and courtesies alone are a significant expense. If one doesn’t find other ways to procure funds to spend, life truly becomes unsustainable."

"Yet, no matter how much money you earn, it might all end up benefiting others in the end."

"Hmm, Colonel Zheng, we’ve only known each other for a day, and how many times have you tried to persuade me to rebel?"

"How can it be called rebelling? You are an Imperial Prince; you are inherently qualified to sit on that throne one day."

"But my father has already designated my Second Prince as his successor. For you to suggest I entertain such thoughts is to incite me to rebel. Very well, let’s concede that point for a moment. You’re instigating me to rebel, but where’s your capital? Where are your soldiers?"

"They are being recruited."

"And your funds for provisions and pay?"

"They are being earned."

"Do you take me for a complete fool?"

"No."