CHAPTER 70: CHAPTER 60 "BELLOWS" KNOW-IT-ALL (7.3K)_2

Zhang Feng took a glance.

His father, the Emperor, was standing in front of a bookshelf, reading a book, his familiar back facing him.

Zhang Feng was already accustomed to this, and he greeted his father with the expected respectful gesture,

"Your son pays respects to Father Emperor!"

"Hmm." The Emperor didn’t shift his gaze from the book, "What brings you here?"

"Your son has returned," Zhang Feng spoke honestly, "and has come to pay respects to Father Emperor."

"Oh." The Emperor continued reading, flipping the pages quickly, his thoughts clearly not on the book.

The silence lingered for about a minute.

Finally, the Emperor spoke, "What brings you here?"

’Didn’t he just ask that?’ Zhang Feng paused for a moment but replied respectfully, "Your son has returned today and came to see Father Emperor."

"Oh." The Emperor closed the book and walked further into the imperial study, "Having been away for many years, why are you not resting in your residence today but wandering around the palace?"

After speaking, the Emperor disappeared behind the other side of the bookshelf.

Meanwhile,

The Emperor, whose temples were showing a hint of gray, was closely hiding behind the bookshelf, peeking through the gaps between books at Zhang Feng as he respectfully stood there.

’Life outside is still not as good as in the palace, this chubby kid has lost some weight, but he’s grown a lot taller.

A few years ago, from here he would only reach the fifth grid, but now he has reached the sixth grid.’

The Emperor thought to himself, and when he noticed Zhang Feng was about to look up, he casually picked up a book to read.

Seeing that his father, the Emperor, didn’t see him, Zhang Feng thought he might have angered him.

So, he just stood in the study for a while, waiting for him to calm down.

After waiting a while longer,

Zhang Feng didn’t mind and looked around.

But the Emperor, feeling sorry for his son who had traveled a long way and was now standing, couldn’t express those feelings and said with authority, "Don’t just stand there, I have some matters to attend to, you should return first."

"Yes." Zhang Feng cupped his hands, "Father Emperor, then I will take my leave."

Zhang Feng said as he walked.

Outside the imperial study.

"Little Master!"

Seeing Zhang Feng come out, Eunuch Zhao hurried over with quick steps, "His Majesty instructed this servant yesterday that after you meet him today, rest for a few days, and then you can go to the martial library to select suitable manuals."

As he spoke, he glanced at the direction of the imperial study and said softly:

"The Emperor actually had instructed earlier, if you returned three years ago, to let this servant take you to the martial library, but you... alas!"

Both Eunuch Zhao and the Emperor, currently unaware that Zhang Feng was already skilled in martial arts, mistakenly thought Zhang Feng still didn’t possess ’a skill to rely on.’

However, being of the royal family, they felt that it didn’t matter whether he learned martial arts or not.

Because what the Prince needed to learn was governance, not martial skills, and moreover, the Emperor didn’t believe that his beloved princes could just practice martial arts casually and become the best in the world.

As for the martial library, it is where forbidden books are stored within the palace.

The level of security there is as tight as around the Emperor himself.

Zhang Feng didn’t know it at first, but three years ago, in Hu City, he had heard about it from his eldest brother.

His eldest brother had also used the martial library to persuade Zhang Feng not to leave, not wanting to face their mother’s wrath alone, like ’What? You lost your brother? Why don’t you lose yourself?’

But at that time, Zhang Feng had a cultivation technique and was thinking of traveling abroad to find more Rock Fruits, so he wasn’t too interested in the family’s little treasure trove.

So, his decision to leave home was straightforward.

Because home was the guaranteed ’fallback,’ not the ’extra income’ abroad.

"Let’s go, there’s no better time than today," Zhang Feng recalled as he asked Eunuch Zhao to lead the way.

Currently, he had learned enough from the extra income, now he just wanted to see if there was any knowledge at home that could complete what he had.

For example, the ’Cloud Stepping’ of his brother.

"By the way,"

As Zhang Feng walked, he thought of his eldest brother, and looked at Eunuch Zhao, "Is my brother in the Eastern Palace today, or somewhere else? Does Eunuch Zhao know?"

"The Crown Prince is not currently in Lin City." Eunuch Zhao replied as he led the way, "I don’t know why, but since you didn’t return, the Crown Prince has rarely stayed in the palace.

Currently, he is on an inspection tour in Qingzhou."

"Is there any news of when he will return?" Zhang Feng sped up his pace a bit, "Or will he stay there for some time to supervise?"

"This servant doesn’t know." Eunuch Zhao followed closely behind Zhang Feng, unsure, "But based on the Crown Prince’s usual habits, he should return to court in about two months?"

"Hmm." Zhang Feng patted Eunuch Zhao’s shoulder, "Besides my Father Emperor, Mother Empress, and my Fourth Brother, has anyone else inquired about my brother’s whereabouts?"

"No." Eunuch Zhao assured, "Who dares to pry into the Crown Prince’s schedule without reason? What’s the point of that?

Moreover, even if they wanted to ask, others wouldn’t dare inquire directly from this servant."

As Eunuch Zhao spoke, he glanced back at a group of young eunuchs following at a distance, "And the people under this servant haven’t heard of anyone asking either."

"Good." Zhang Feng took a box of incense from his sleeve, "I’ve always remembered that Eunuch enjoys incense, this Qinghuang Incense from abroad is a rare and valuable item.

When burned, just a small grain fills the room with the fragrance of fresh grass and flowers."

"Qinghuang Incense?" Eunuch Zhao’s eyes lit up, "This servant has heard that a box of this costs 1,800 taels of real silver! It is difficult to refine, and has a price but no market!"

"Why should you and I discuss money?" Zhang Feng pressed the box into his hands, "When I was young, you fed me meals every day, how can we put a price on that affection?"

"Thank you, Master!" Eunuch Zhao was moved and grateful to hear the Seventh Prince speak with such fondness.

...

The Imperial Garden of the palace.

In the northern part of the palace, covering more than ten thousand square meters.

It features rockery, streams, flowers, and grass, and between two of the rockeries, there is a heavily guarded passage.