Chapter 75

The next day, Prince You's Residence issued a new notice. Because the feudal princes' fief commanderies were abolished, Secluded Prefecture lacked grassroots patrol officers, so it decided to re-recruit 200 to 500 regular Secluded Prefecture City Guard. Their main duties are to maintain order and safety inside and outside the city and to guard the city gates.

Requirements:

Secluded Prefecture native, loves Secluded Prefecture, willing to serve Secluded Prefecture.

Male, aged 14 to 25, healthy, no criminal record, martial artists preferred.

Plan to recruit 1000 people; after training, 80% will be eliminated, only those who pass the assessment will officially become Secluded Prefecture Guard, receiving regular military treatment. Secluded Prefecture's finances are tight, no redundancy kept.

Moreover, whether eliminated or hired, meals are provided during training.

Upon seeing the notice, the populace spread the word; this is an excellent job opportunity. Those who previously missed the seaman fisherman position due to lack of seafaring experience have been revived.

Patrolling and guarding city gates is a good job in the Great Jin; in Secluded Prefecture it's an even sweeter post.

The next day, the Great King took Wei Shen to Old Ferry to see the sea; the news of recruiting the Secluded Prefecture Guard spread even to the seaside.

Inlanders coming to Secluded Prefecture, the Great King taking them to see the sea has become a fixed tourist item.

The Old Ferry New Dock is in its final stages; hearing they were coming, Zhao Zhuge personally came to show them around, and Wei Shen opened the door to a new world.

The boundless azure sea, the brand-new imposing dock, the towering lighthouse—each is a novel sight unseen in the sand-eating Prosperous Prefecture of the southwest.

Wei Shen's soul wondered: 'They all say Secluded Prefecture is bitterly cold and impoverished, so why, after two days here, do I find everything quite nice?'

The Great King said more honestly: 'That's because you haven't entered Secluded Prefecture City. When I first went to the main street of Secluded Prefecture, I nearly got knocked over by the smell of sheep dung! Passing by homes, I didn't dare to gallop, fearing the wind I kicked up would knock down people's houses, and then I wouldn't be able to explain it…'

'Hahaha~'

'Everything I say is true! If you don't believe me, I'll take you to see the city when we go back…'

But speaking of horses, Wei Shen's eyes stuck on Little Date and couldn't look away. The Great King saw him being even more exaggerated than Baili Heng; along the way he was practically drooling.

The Wei family commands the army; Wei Shen grew up practically in the barracks, his love for horses is genuine, not something the spoiled second prince's possessiveness and collecting obsession can match.

The Great King fishes with a straight hook; he isn't trying to sell a horse to Wei Shen, he just can't bear to part with them. His maternal uncle hasn't been seen in three years; the relatives he could see in Secluded Prefecture in a short time might just be this boy before him.

According to Zhao Bao, this morning the Great King woke up with a smile on his lips; as soon as he got up he asked his cousin to have the kitchen prepare something tasty for breakfast together.

'After the New Year, our Personal Guard Battalion will hold a grand martial tournament; those who perform well will receive two steppe wild horses as prizes, and I'll tell you, their appearance is no worse than Little Date's~'

'Well, where are those wild horses now?'

The Great King felt his second older brother would definitely foot the bill, already planning to swindle him out of some money and use that to buy the other horses as well.

'Wait for my second older brother Baili Heng to reply; if he wants them, I'll go find that horse-selling wealthy merchant. I'll tell you, those horses are all a silvery white, several of them look alike, probably from the same breeder; they're tall and mighty, quite dignified. Just a bit haughty, ordinary people can't subdue them.'

Wei Shen nearly slapped his chest until it rang, 'What fierce horse have I not seen in Prosperous Prefecture? There's no horse I, Wei Shen, can't tame! Can I participate in your martial tournament? Hehe, I grew up with your maternal grandfather in the barracks, my martial arts are not bad~ I might or might not get it.'

The Great King said admiringly, 'Older cousin, you're still young—do you stand a chance against those adult ruffians? But it's fine; participation is what counts. Since you're my older cousin, if you make it into the top tier, I'll give you another horse, not taking up those two spots.'

Wei Shen's eyes lit up, 'Really?'

'As the Lord of Secluded Prefecture, would I still renege on giving you a horse?'

'Good! It's settled then!'

Watching the two go back and forth, the attendants from the Prosperous Prefecture Army couldn't help but remind him, 'Second Young Master, are we supposed to stay here until after the New Year? It's way too long…'

The Great King interrupted, 'Hey? Even if you set out now you couldn't make it back in time for New Year's; spending the holiday on the road wouldn't be good!'

Then, falling silent, he said, 'Originally I was glad my older cousin came at this time; in my first year as a fief holder I thought I'd have to spend New Year's alone in Secluded Prefecture, but finally my older cousin came, and yet he has to leave before the year's end…'

The Great King, hamming it up, thought he was doing well, but who knew Wei Shen didn't feel sorry for his younger brother's heartstrings.

He walked around the king, sighing, "Ah—! Yes! That's the downcast‑eyes angle; keep pretending, you look somewhat like my aunt!"

The king: ……

The king grew angry, decided to give him a lesson, not to lightly challenge imperial authority.

The king, hands on hips, snapped, "You must spend the new year in Youzhou before you leave, otherwise I'll go to Xin Changzhou and say you… splurged a thousand gold, using those five thousand taels to buy a horse!" Then we'll see if you can stand the blow.

Who would have thought those words couldn't threaten Wei Shen; he never wanted to leave anyway, and there aren't many curiosities here in Youwang. His first reaction was delight, "…! Is it really, truly giving me a horse?"

The king: ……

Oh no, I feel the urge to compete upon meeting a rival.