Chapter 79

Xue Xiang returned with clipped wings, and no one else struggled either.

The Chancellor and Grand Tutor and Zhao Ba started to nag Zhang Tu, today having him pick those good at water to accompany and protect the Great King, tomorrow saying they should still look for those good at martial arts, the day after coming to make up for deficiencies by seeking the most loyal.

Just like that, they wasted time until the day before departure, no matter how nervous everyone else was, only the Great King and Wei Shen were excited.

On the treasure ship there were water storage facilities; Chen Cang personally led people to store enough water for a thousand people to sail twenty days, after all they had agreed to return before the year's end.

The Great King again personally instructed Tong Hui, the steward in charge of the ship's vegetable reserves; Chen Cang said that at sea they couldn't just eat fish, they needed to bring vegetables and fruit to supplement the vitamins the body needs.

Vitamins are some kind of substance the Great King doesn't understand, but in Youzhou there is no fruit in winter; vegetables, well, are the white radish, carrot, and Chinese cabbage he stored in his manor for winter. The Great King even couldn't bear to take out the potatoes to eat; the potatoes grown from the seeds Meng Meng gave must be kept for planting next spring.

The Great King urgently went to find his exclusive supplier Bai Yang, what fruits are there in the winter of later times?

Bai Yang, turning around, brought from his supermarket's cold storage a……stack for the Great King.

After the Great King's surprise, only heartache remained.

Life in later times is really good; in winter there are so many fruits he has never even seen. This isn't the main point; the main point is that after so long, he never thought to get something to eat himself? The dazzling array of tropical fruits opened the Great King's eyes.

Bai Yang also felt guilty; the brats there only love all kinds of snacks and the junk food parents forbid, they don't like proper meals or fruit at all, so he didn't think to bring the Great King any fruit……

Bai Yang brought the most apples and pears that are easy to preserve onto the ship; the rest of the tropical fruits he casually gave to the Great King to keep in the storehouse to eat.

The Great King's little brain suddenly turned to the way of making money, and then quickly he nipped it himself.

Chang'an Road is far off; by the time the transport arrives, it'll be about time to rot. Brother Bai said that in Youzhou most things can't be stored. Before Youzhou's economy improves, opening a fruit shop is hopeless.

After the Great King went out, he went to the garden, taking the familiar route to the 'old place' to take out some fruit and shouted for Zhang Tu to send people to transport it to the seaside.

When Zhang Tu arrived, he didn't encounter any attending palace servants along the way. The whole garden was quiet; he was wondering, and upon pushing the door open he saw the King and Wei Shen sitting on a fruit crate, both focused on peeling bananas. After peeling, they tapped the bananas together like a toast, then began to show off.

Wei Shen swallowed a banana in two or three bites; fortunately the King was more refined, his cheeks puffed as he ate like a little squirrel. After swallowing a mouthful, he mumbled a reminder to his cousin: "... uh can't... too many... tomorrow... still need to crude door~".

Wei Shen: "It's fine? I only ate a bunch, just a little..." At his feet lay a pile of banana peels like a small mountain...

Zhang Tu: ．

It is necessary to clear the area.

When the day of departure arrived, not to mention the families of the fishermen he hired, even the unrelated citizens of Secluded Prefecture came out to see them off.

The sky had just barely lightened; the King was still dazed sitting in the carriage. Winter in Secluded Prefecture makes getting up early utterly unreasonable.

The King struggled to keep his eyes open; just after leaving Vermilion Bird Avenue he felt it was still lively outside, hearing many voices.

The King also thought these citizens were really diligent; in winter Secluded Prefecture had nothing much going on, yet they got up this early! Not everyone is like him, suffering fate that forces early rising to study!

As he silently complained, a loud greeting came from outside, startling the King and dispelling his drowsiness.

"What the hell?!"

Zhao Bao leaned close to the curtain to remind the King, "Your Highness, the roadside ahead is filled with people kneeling to see you off."

Upon hearing that the royal ship was setting out to sea with the King himself aboard, not only did the families of the five hundred fishermen feel more reassured, but the safety of this new ship was also greatly guaranteed. Even the urban populace felt moved, as rumors spread that the King had hired fishing experts to seek new catch varieties for Secluded Prefecture. To find a new route for Secluded Prefecture, the King personally put himself to the test.

This time the citizens spontaneously took to the streets to see the King off, without official command or rehearsal; their chaotic greetings startled the King.

After a moment of silence, the King signaled Zhao Bao to convey his order, telling everyone to disperse.

Let the King say, don't bother with uselessness; only by truly regarding me as your lord in your hearts will it be good. Moreover, to make such a fuss without even catching a fish—when the harvest comes, do you think I, the King, would care about face?

By the time they reached the dock, Zhang Tu had already cleared the area; the seeing-off citizens were far in the periphery. Besides the five hundred fishermen, this expedition also brought three hundred imperial guards and the King aboard the ship.

The fishermen were already at their stations; only the three hundred guards stood neatly in formation before the treasure ship's dock. The King alighted from the carriage, performed no other elaborate ceremony, simply set off a few strings of firecrackers as an offering to the sea, then boarded the ship.

Chen Cang personally led the King to his quarters on the ship, seeing that the King also had quite a bit to store; he wore a small, fully embroidered satchel on his person, its contents unknown, but it was stuffed full.

Naturally, the King's quarters were the owner's cabin—a large bedroom located forward on the second deck.

Wei Shen was convinced; the King's cabin on the ship was no worse than his quarters in Changzhou. Although lacking the splendor of the You Prince's mansion, it still had all the essential organs—everything one could need.

He approached with small steps, saying, "A new environment—does Your Highness need someone to keep watch at night?" The bunk in this room looks decent; he could grudgingly do it.

As Zhao Bao turned, the King flung open his cloak and tossed it aside; hearing this, he clasped Weini with his left hand and forcibly grabbed the hind leg of the trying-to-escape Bai Ze with his right, declaring in a left‑right embrace: "I have divine beasts guarding the night, so I look down on humans!"

"Hmph!"

Bringing up those two little pets, Wei Shen reminded the King, "That bear is just plain stupid—I won't say more. As for this wildcat, what sort of creature is it? Do you want to summon a skilled physician to examine it? Who ever heard of growing a horn and then another one!"

Bai Ze struggled to keep from shouting at him—so rare, yet so strange!

Reminded to release Weini, the King seized Bai Ze's head and stroked it repeatedly; its horn had grown over an inch, greatly boosting Bai Ze's appearance. At first it seemed odd, but the King, accustomed to it, now found it more imposing.

As for his cousin saying Weini is stupid… he automatically dismissed it—isn't that a fact?

"It's really beautiful, so white and warm‑glossy!" the King couldn't put it down.

Bai Ze shook the horn on his head, thinking, "At least you have some taste."

Just as he gave the bear cub an approving glance, he heard it continue: "... When it grows up, breaking it off to carve into a delicate sphere will surely be valuable!"

Bai Ze strained to break free of his claws, leaping out of his embrace, and not forgetting to "pass by" the King's foot, he stomped on it twice before leaving.

"Hahaha!" Wei Shen's laughter echoed throughout the room.

Having provoked Bai Ze, the King could no longer sit still in the room—no need to rest, don't delay his watching the excitement.

Changing into ordinary clothes, he and Wei Shen rushed to the deck; in a short while the treasure ship had already pulled away from the dock, turned south, and sailed far out.

Upon emerging, all the King could see was an endless sea surface, far from land.

From the shore, the ship's speed was not slow; the King, unfamiliar with navigation, only felt the vessel was quite steady—just the wind on the deck was a bit strong, blowing his cousin mute.

The King, whose body was as hard as steel and impervious to blades, felt only refreshed and delighted; before him lay a new vast expanse awaiting his conquest.

The subsequently arriving Grand Tutor Xu saw his reckless disciple dressed in thin robes, arms spread wide, laughing uproariously at the bow. Behind him, two young eunuchs and several guards were advising, but were waved away by his impatient gesture…

"Your Highness, even if you rely on your weight, you can't stand so far forward—with such wind, what would happen if you were blown over?"

The King glanced back gloomily, "Grand Tutor, are you implying something about me? I'll note you down in my little book!"

Xu Zhi: ……