Chapter 57

The king can now use his chubby little hand to pull the heavy bow Zhang Tu uses and hit the scarecrow; Zhang Tu said he'll take him next year to practice mounted archery, and also made a small wooden sword for the king to play with the guards when free—just keep the sword in hand first. The king's steps returning to Yearfeather Hall are especially lively.

Hearing that the shark‑pearl bracelet made for him was finished, the king hurriedly summoned the artisan.

The bracelet made of eight shark pearls is not one, but two.

The craftsman said that if all eight were strung together, the current him would find it too big, so they were divided into two. Three were made into the bracelet he currently wears, and the remaining five were made into an adult-sized bracelet reserved for him to wear after he grows up.

The three-pearl mini version is more ornate and intricate; the five-pearl adult version is simple and noble.

The current king prefers the mini version, tried it on and couldn't put it down.

Polished gold and silver threads tightly wrap three radiant shark pearls; the design is quite unique, and wearing it on the king's fair, chubby little hand looks very nice. The king happily commented: "Sparkly! Praise!"

Bai Ze yawned; even the dragon among men can't help liking sparkly things? Really… flashy.

After everyone in the hall withdrew, the king again pulled Bai Ze to accompany him in appreciating it, knowing Bai Ze could understand; for things no one else could say, he would say them to Bai Ze.

King: "It really looks nice; next time I encounter that legless merperson in the manor, I'll give him a pen holder—the newly sent pen holder from the inner workshop is very pretty!"

Bai Ze: "Hmm."

King: "Actually… I really like sparkly things; saying it out loud might not be majestic?"

Bai Ze: "Hmm."

King: "Alas! I wish you were a chatterbox."

Bai Ze: "Hmm."

King: "Bai Bai, you say, outside You Prefecture's deep sea, will there be shark people?"

Bai Ze: "Don't give me random names; please call me Bai Ze or Lord Bai Ze, thank you."

King: "Oh~ oh!! Discovered the little trick to make Bai Ze speak! '... but your voice sounds smaller than mine, hahaha.'"

Bai Ze: ……

I knew it would be like this! It can't keep lying down like this.

The king routinely went to Poplar's place at night to collect the grain he had bought, then detoured to Phoenix Market to set up a stall. After a good night's sleep, the first thing he did upon waking the next morning was, as usual, to grab his beloved little Bai Ze and rub and pet him, but today…… the feel was a bit off?!

The king carefully rubbed Bai Ze's head again, not right!

His beloved Bai Ze grew a hard big bump on his forehead!

What does this indicate? His little companion is sick!

The king wailed aloud, scaring himself to death! "Wah~!! Bai Ze, don't die! I'll post a notice to find a famous doctor for you, I will surely cure you! Wah-wah~" So sad~ Such a big hard bump dug out of his little companion—can it still live? What companion and pet sent by Mengmeng still brings illness, not guaranteed to live? Wah-wah~

The king himself, since young, had been a vassal; even his older brother who always ignored him came and left, leaving the king feeling dejected for two days. Now his constant companion fell ill, and the king immediately became afraid. Afraid that his constant companion who sleeps with him every night would also die and leave him.

Bai Ze was also confused by him; only after he shouted the following words did he realize it was a misunderstanding, wanting to explain a couple of sentences, but the two little eunuchs standing guard outside had already rushed in.

Bai Ze felt moved seeing the little bear cub cry so sadly, but… this kid is really too fragile.

Yesterday, as soon as Bai Ze opened his mouth with his clear, childish voice, the king mocked him; the lazy Bai Ze adult finally decided not to lie down, abandoning infancy to start growing. He's just about to grow horns; what is this kid howling about?

After the little eunuch went out to find Zhao Ba, Bai Ze finally got a chance to speak.

"Don't howl; I am starting to grow horns, not sick, won't die."

King: "You're nonsense, what wild cat has horns!"

Bai Ze: "Who told you I'm a wild cat? I am Bai Ze."

The king reasoned with it: "I know you're Bai Ze, … I mean you're a kind of wild cat, Bai Ze is your name."

Bai Ze really wanted to roll his eyes, it's too damaging to his image. "What I am, I know better than you; Bai Ze is an auspicious beast born in the East Sea, not a wild cat; have you ever seen a talking wild cat?"

Right oh.

The king fell silent, not speaking, began glancing over and over; at a glance it's clear I have many things I want to say, but I don't know how to say them.

Bai Ze was speechless, seized the opportunity to communicate, urging him to speak quickly if he had something to say.

The king whispered: "Just one thing, you don't eat people, right?"

Bai Ze took a deep breath: "I only eat smart children, not stupid brats who don't do their homework."

King: ……

Although I don't know what a 'stupid egg' is, I know you're scolding me!

The two little eunuchs who rushed out earlier, one followed the king's order to go fetch a medical decree, the other ran to find Zhao Ba. When Zhao Ba hurriedly ran in, he discovered the king jumping about, grabbing his waist and arguing with his wild cat……

"Your Highness? Where does Your Highness feel uncomfortable?" Really can't tell; this again surprised and startled him.

"My chest hurts, it scolded me!"

This 'it', standing among a pile of blankets, blinked its deep purple large eyes at Zhao Ba.

Zhao Ba turned back, mysteriously lowering his voice: "Your Highness, speak frankly, are you again not wanting to go study?" This reason is really too absurd for my Your Highness!

Bai Ze: "Oh."

King: ……

The king went to school puffing with anger, after painful reflection decided to study hard today, to let that little Bai Ze see that the king merely doesn't like studying literature, not… stupid!

Just enough to make Grand Tutor Xu happy; returning to the previous dynasty, he even told Prime Minister Xue that the heir had opened his intellect, today he also proactively asked him about literary matters, and at the end he didn't immediately run away.

Afterwards, the king added a new daily routine upon waking: first touch Bai Ze's horn, compare how much it grew since yesterday. He had never seen a one-horned wild cat… oh, Bai Ze. A one-horned Bai Ze.

Before the commercial street was completed, the team sent to the south to buy grain finally returned.

The king eagerly rushed to hear the summary report, then went to look at the purchased grain, result was somewhat disappointing.

The quality can't compare to what Bai Ge bought, never mind; the weight also isn't enough.

The king, in the study, used his limited arithmetic knowledge, abacus and fingers together, discovered that the southward trip's trouble, overall, was more expensive than what Bai Ge bought.

Mainly, the southern grain is the same as You Prefecture's, sold with bran. Not as good as Bai Ge's white rice and white flour, which are cheap and clean. Overall calculation shows it's not very suitable. Not to mention the time spent, the guards he dispatched along the way also suffered losses, all returning with arms slung. This grain convoy didn't have a large army; bandits seeing so much grain surely all want to try their luck.

If it weren't for this group traveling mostly by water route, landing would be in You Prefecture's own territory, still flying the 'You' flag making people a bit wary; whether they could return or not is a matter.

The Great King worked out the numbers and lost!

The Royal Guard Battalion soldiers need training, but there's no need to use his provisions for training. He decided that the main expense would be to honestly buy from Bai Ge, and every now and then just send a team out to buy some and come back to provide cover—that'll do.

Bai Ge is right—we need to provide cover!