Chapter 64: Call Me Handy

Zhao Bao shouted before reacting, "Could it be that some star lord did this? Just His Highness alone could move something this big?"

He rushed over, found a gap to peek inside, and discovered his lord sleeping soundly inside.

He breathed a sigh of relief, began moving some edge pieces, squeezed in and shouted for the king to wake up.

The king woke up this morning with a smile on his face, his dream full of gold, glittering brightly.

He lay on the bed, stretching out his chubby hand to gesture, "I've earned enough gold to fill a room, the walls I built are tall and sturdy, enemies can't even see the top when they look up~"

Zhao Bao: "... There will be such a day. Your Highness, what about these things?"

The king scrambled up and slipped out through the gap Zhao Bao had dug.

"Where's Zhu Ti? I have business with him."

Zhao Bao went to give an order, someone below would pass it on, then he came back and hurriedly shut the door, "Your Highness, what should we do with these things?"

The king blinked, "What do you mean, what to do? These are all things Wanxiang City is selling; I've taken a portion for myself to play with, don't make a fuss. Come, the small night lamps in this box—I'll give you three; pick them out and the rest you can reward Tong Chen and Guang with. Leave them in the sun for a while and they'll glow at night~"

Zhao Bao was forcibly given a hug-full of small night lamps—this is a bribe, right, right!

By the time Zhu Ti arrived, the king had already finished washing up.

"You today want to post a notice to recruit workers, right? Besides, help me recruit five hundred fishermen, need sea experience, need to be strong adults, also recruit a few young people who want to learn to operate big ships, preferably literate. Wages: meals provided, per day… two hundred wen. That's it, go handle it." Without Mengmeng to back him up, the king couldn't act arrogantly. But hearing that going to sea is also hard work, it can't be too few. He and the new ship have never gone into deep sea; who knows if they can catch fish? Two hundred wen is already a lot.

The king had thought about all these things during his idle time.

Zhu Ti agreed without a word, then stepped back; only Zhao Bao remained doubtful.

"Your Highness, you're just going to handle such a big matter so casually…?"

The king looked bewildered, "In Youzhou I'm the greatest; I just give orders, that ship is also mine—do we really need to hold a court meeting to discuss it?"

Zhao Bao: "……Quite reasonable."

The king is a king capable of great undertakings.

Two notices posted in Youzhou City set the whole city ablaze with excitement.

The king bought a big ship and took everyone out to sea, paid by the day at two hundred wen; working as an errand boy on the splendid Zhuque Avenue pays one tael per month—such a good opportunity must be snatched up!

Since Zhuque Avenue was built, every day people strolling up and down just to look at the houses come in endless streams. Now there's actually a chance to work there? And you have to manage the shop? At this point no one looks down on Zhuque Avenue being outside the city.

In this place of Youzhou, the economy is a mess; being able to find such work would make even one's ancestors laugh in their graves—this is what an old fisherman by the sea said.

Unfortunately, not many in Youzhou City have actually gone to sea; it's really the few coastal counties to the south and east that are buzzing, everyone spreading the word—the king may have set up a long-term job for the fishermen!

The surrounding trinkets kept the king lingering, he stopped going to the city to hunt for bargains, focusing on playing with his own merchandise, going to the homestead just to sell his own possessions.

Finally the day of recruitment registration and interview arrived; the king went eagerly to Zhuque Avenue to watch, and as soon as he exited the Southern Splendor Gate he saw the spectacle of the streets emptied by the crowd.

"I didn't realize Youzhou had so many people!"

Zhao Chuan: "Reporting to Your Highness, Wanxiang City's recruitment has no gender restrictions; in Youzhou, those who can barely count and able-bodied men who can go to sea… might all have come."

The king saw many children and elderly, "... and there are also those just here to watch the fun."

Today the king still wore his usual dusty gray outfit, planning to mingle with the common folk to watch the fun.

This guy thought his clothes were ordinary, blending in with the crowd. Actually not; the king's baby fat was plump, his lips red and teeth white, making him stand out among Youzhou's children. Only the king himself felt he was now a lowly commoner child of Youzhou.

The people on Zhuque Avenue stretched as far as the eye could see; the king suspected the line might already reach the old city gate. He gravitated toward any lively spot, able to strike up conversation with anyone. People found him pleasant, rarely ignoring him, and the king felt his social connections were excellent.

Walking along, he noticed there was actually a child in the queue for registration.

Looking again, he seemed very familiar.

The king quickly realized, isn't this the little brother who saved his hand by the sea?

This guy went up enthusiastically to acknowledge kin, "Brother Wan!"

Wan Qie looked at the king, astonished, "... Why are you still in Youzhou? Didn't you say you were studying abroad?"

The king made up an excuse: "My teacher found a temporary job at the Prince You's Manor; we're planning to stay here a while. Why are you queuing here? This recruitment is for adults only!"

Wan Qie also felt embarrassed, "I… I'm just here to try. My dad repairs the ferry by the sea; I'm standing in for him to try—he's fished for twenty years!" He spoke with his head down, not looking at the king. "Do you think I'm greedy? My dad's gone to work on the ferry, yet I still want him to sign up for the big ship?"

The king shook his head, feeling the lad was a bit down, quickly comforting: "How could that be! Just why not let other family members come?"

"Actually I came with my neighbors; yesterday I secretly followed them out. My dad went to the ferry, the family said they'd earned money to buy a new small boat next year, but I… didn't want to. Even a brand-new small boat would capsize in a big wave; I want my dad to go on the king's big ship. At home my grandfather is over the age limit, I have an older sister, my second uncle passed away, and his family are also sisters, so I came alone to sign up for my dad."

The king felt deep sympathy, "Did your second uncle die at sea?"

Wan Qie shook his head, "When I was little, the northern barbarians attacked; my second uncle was guarding the city and died there."

The king immediately empathized, "With Youzhou's crumbling walls, who could defend them?"

He grabbed Wan Qie's arm, "Come with me; my teacher works at the Prince You's Manor, I know plenty of people, I'll take you to register—what's one more among five hundred?" The more he spoke, the more justified he felt.

The king decisively pulled his savior—who had saved his hand—out the back gate, went straight to find Zhu Ti, and had her stamp a sea‑trial permit on the household register Wan Qie had sneaked out.

Wan Qie held the household register like he was dreaming; the king had pulled him far away before he realized, feeling embarrassed, he asked the king, "Is what we're doing not right? My dad didn't even come, yet he got selected, leaving one less spot for those waiting in line…"

By now the king thought the lad's character wasn't bad; living such a life in Youzhou without schooling, to think of these things from his perspective was already no small feat.

The king put his hands on his hips, "It's not us, it's you! My dad isn't going either."

Wan Qie: "……"

The king saw him dazed and finally couldn't help laughing.

"No problem, just joking! I heard the recruitment isn't exactly five hundred; there are a few dozen extra spots. Before the big ship sets sail there's training, and if you don't do well you'll still be eliminated—remember to tell your dad to work hard~"

Wan Qie nodded vigorously.

He let go of the weight on his heart, finally feeling a bit of joy at reuniting with a friend; the two stood in a quiet corner, whispering and occasionally laughing out loud together.

Zhao Chuan shook his head; the king was also rather pitiful—such a huge manor with no peers his age, making acquaintance with a commoner child was rare enough to be impressive.

When parting, the king also made an appointment with him: next time he comes to Youzhou, he'll go to the Prince You's Manor to find him.

"Just report my teacher Xu Zhi's name at the front gate and you'll find me! Anyway, if you have business, come to the Prince You's Manor to find me, Wei Taiping—call me handy~"

Zhao Chuan, hiding nearby, felt his pupils shake—no, Your Highness, when did you start calling him Wei… Taiping?

Does your dad know?!