Chapter 20: Shen Zhui’s biological father?

"Your Highness, thank you very much. How dare Shen Zhui sit down in front of His Highness? Your Highness should invite you first." Shen Zhui said flattered.

The Seventh Prince chuckled lightly and said: "There is no distinction between Your Highness and Marquis here. If you don't mind, we will treat each other as equals."

Shen Zhui was slightly startled and said quickly: "Okay, that's Shen Zhui's boldness."

Ji Chen laughed, stretched out his hand again and said: "Since there is no distinction between monarch and minister, let's just treat it as guest and host. You are the guest. Please take a seat, Brother Shen."

Shen Zhui thought to himself that these seventh princes were quick-thinking and quite intelligent, but they could not be stubborn and immediately gave him the upper hand.

The Seventh Prince Ji Chen is at the bottom, accompanying him as the master. What he was wearing today was just a gray jacket, which showed his elegance and chicness even more.

After the two sat down, the guards came to serve tea and then left. After the greetings, the two of them just drank tea and were silent for a long time. Shen Zhui wanted to ask the Seventh Prince why he had invited him alone, but he thought that the other party had even invited King Jianhuang to be his guest, but on the surface he remained calm and just drank tea.

Of all the princes Shen Zhui had seen, the seventh prince had the most prominent status, even the Princes of Liang and Zhao were slightly inferior.

Because of people like Emperor Ming, there have only been fourteen princes in the past eight hundred years. But she gave birth to more than three hundred princesses!

To ordinary people, this might be just a coincidence, but when it comes to an emperor, it's different.

When you reach the level of the Human Emperor, you can completely decide on your own about having children, and there is no mystery in the womb.

Which princess can give birth to a prince, either she is extremely favored, or her mother's family is powerful. Giving birth to a prince is a kind of comfort, indicating that if there is a chance in the future, the son of this princess will have the opportunity to inherit the throne. !

Of course, Anle Princess Ji Zixuan is an exception. Xuanyue Fairy Island is passed down from female to male, so Fairy Xuanyue can only be a biological princess.

Judging from the huge difference in proportions between the princes and princesses, it is enough to show the status of the seventh prince.

While Ji Chen was drinking tea, he was actually looking at Shen Zhui. When he saw that the other person looked at ease in front of him and showed no restraint at all, he immediately nodded secretly.

Anyone who can meet him, Ji Chen, has a strong desire to talk and want to express himself. Otherwise, he would be trembling and speechless.

But this Shen Zhui seemed to be really enjoying the tea and was extremely calm.

In the end, Ji Chen put down the tea cup and said with a smile, "Brother Shen, what do you think of this fragrant tea?"

Shen Zhui also put down his teacup and said calmly:

"Taking tea and meditating can cleanse the soul."

"The first taste is light, the second taste is slightly fragrant, and the third taste changes from light to strong, with a bitter and fragrant aroma."

"Watching the rolling leaves of tea is nothing more than ups and downs, and the posture of drinking tea is nothing more than picking up and putting down."

"Be calm when you are sinking, and be indifferent when you are floating. No matter who you are, if you cannot withstand the ups and downs of the world, you may not be able to taste the fragrance of life."

A glimmer of light appeared in Ji Chen's eyes, and he said with some surprise: "I didn't expect Brother Shen to be so stupid? It's wonderful. It's really wonderful. It's hard for ordinary people to have a compassionate life."

"To be honest with you, Your Highness, I don't know much about the taste, but my teacher often lets me drink tea. This is also what the teacher said. I just borrowed flowers to offer to Buddha to make Your Highness laugh." Shen Zhui chuckled. road.

"Uh...hahaha." This frankness made Ji Chen laugh.

The atmosphere was getting thicker, and the conversation between the two was no longer as restrained as before, and gradually became more relaxed.

Although Ji Chen looked gentle and gentle, he had a lot of experience in the military before, and he had a lot in common with Shen Zhui. As a prince, his vision and knowledge are naturally extraordinary. No matter what words are given to him, he can make one or two points and not leave them empty.

Even if it was market rumors or gossip, the prince was always interested in it and picked it up at his fingertips.

Talking to him, Shen Zhui felt like a spring breeze, extremely comfortable.

As for Shen Zhui, although he didn't speak much, he could always understand the other person's meaning quickly, and even occasionally responded with witty words. When it came to the border of Jiuyou Realm, this was a place Ji Chen had never been before. It was either thrilling or desperate. When Sheng Sheng heard this, Ji Chen was extremely happy.

The two of them did not talk about state affairs, nor did they get involved in party disputes. They just chatted for more than two hours.

"Brother Shen is so funny that I didn't expect it. The briefing from the Ministry of War said that Brother Shen was decisive in killing, and the portrait of the Ministry of Household also described him as ferocious. Now it seems that it is better to meet each other than to be famous. Fortunately, I am in the capital, otherwise I would probably have to I missed Brother Shen as a friend." Ji Chen said with a smile.

"Your Highness didn't let me think of it either," Shen Zhui said. "Originally, I thought His Highness was that kind of godly old monster, majestic and unsmiling. Now that I see it, I am totally wrong."

In fact, from the very beginning when he came in, Shen Zhui sensed that Ji Chen was at the peak level of a venerable person, and that the dignified seventh prince was actually a venerable person. This really surprised Shen Zhui.

When it comes to the realm of cultivation, Ji Chen also said with some emotion: "As a prince, I am busy with worldly affairs. In recent years, I have spent less and less time on cultivation. More than four hundred years have passed, and I am only at the peak of the venerable. Not as talented as Brother Shen."

"Your Highness smiled. You are right. Eighty-year-old magical power, hundreds of young masters. His Highness just took some time out of his busy schedule to reach the current state. It is already very good." Shen Zhui said.

Indeed, for the prince, it is too late to break through the magical realm at the age of eighty.

After all, with the powerful bloodline of the Human Emperor and the fact that their mother is also a master, some princes have their own inner fire and state of mind as soon as they take action. I started practicing formally when I was seven or eight years old, and I was able to break through to the Spiritual Bridge Realm very quickly.

With top resources and the guidance of famous teachers, it is not difficult to overcome the barriers to the magical power realm. Therefore, it is too late to reach the magical power realm at the age of eighty.

But becoming a venerable and a true god is different. Being a venerable involves the understanding of the origin of the earth, and it also draws the gifts from the world, makes them real, and breeds vitality. It is a completely reborn change.

The true god wants to fuse the three souls and seven souls into the physical body, which is full of danger.

So one hundred and twenty years to break through to the Venerable level is considered young. The Seventh Prince Ji Chen has been practicing for more than 400 years and can reach the peak of the Venerable. In fact, he is already a talent. After all, when the prince reaches adulthood, he will have to open a palace and build a family, so it is impossible for him to practice wholeheartedly.

"It's still not comparable to Brother Shen. According to the Ministry of Household Affairs, I heard that Brother Shen is only twenty-two this year?" Ji Chen asked.

"Yes." Shen Zhui nodded.

"It's really rare to see this." Ji Chen also sighed from the bottom of his heart. A twenty-two-year-old fifth-level venerable, even if one does not count the time acceleration in the hole, just counting the age in the world, he is a monster. You need to know that the time in the cave world accelerates your cultivation, and the rules of understanding are imperfect, so breakthroughs are usually made in the vast world.

After a pause, Ji Chen suddenly asked: "I wonder if Brother Shen has ever thought about where the feudal territory of the Hou Kingdom is located?"

"I have never thought about this." Shen Zhui said.

"Thousands of miles south of Yongzhou in the north, there is a treasure land, formerly known as Jiaodong. It borders the two regions of the North Sea and is backed by the Golden Snake Kingdom. It was discovered by the Northern Navy Regiment when it conquered the Northern Wilderness, but that was only part of the area. Because some sea monsters cause trouble from time to time. , so the area of ​​birth that was included in the territory of the imperial court was only as large as a princely state.

But the area around it is vast, as big as five princely states! "

"After Brother Shen comes out of Wuhou's secret realm, as usual, the Sixth Ministry will bring a list for Brother Shen to choose from. If you are interested, you can choose Cu as the fiefdom of the Hou Kingdom."

"If Brother Shen has the ability to get rid of the sea monster in the future, Chu may be used as the basis for becoming a king!"

Shen Zhui's brows twitched slightly, knowing that after chatting for so long, the highlight was finally here.

Yongzhou and Jiaodong in the north were backed by the Golden Snake Kingdom and had been conquered by the Northern Navy Corps... No matter how stupid he was, he understood that this was a hint from the seventh prince.

Because the Golden Snake King is the grandfather of the Seventh Prince Ji Chen, and the Northern Navy Regiment is where the Seventh Prince has been, it also falls within the Golden Snake King's sphere of influence.

If you choose to block Jiaodong, there is no doubt that you will receive great help!

Ji Chen even hinted to himself that if he cultivated Jiaodong and expanded into the surrounding areas, he could help use the strength of the Northern Sea Regiment to help him conquer the Northern Sea Monster, and even... he might even be able to achieve the title of king!

Hearing this, Shen Zhui's heart was beating fast.

It has to be said that although the Seventh Prince is at the peak of his venerable status, this kind of promise is definitely not groundless!

Even King Jianhuang can be invited by him as a guest, and his grandfather is the King of Golden Snakes. If he agrees, he might really hope to be crowned king in the future!

You know... in today's Great Zhou Dynasty, what the king lacks is not only combat power, but also the opportunity to make meritorious deeds!

If you live inland, you will be safe, but it has little to do with military success. You have to wait for another opportunity, and you don't know how long you have to wait.

The difficulty of this can be seen from the moment when Marquis Wuan was granted the title of King of Zhao.

However, Shen Zhui did not agree immediately. It was not that he wanted to wait for the price, but it was full of variables.

It was at least seven years since he came out of Wuhou's secret realm. Far from it, no one knew yet that he wanted to marry his concubine Zixuan, so the princes in the court were all friends with him, the champion, and rarely had any objections.

But what if I stand on the opposite side of Left Prime Minister Fan Wenhan?

The result might be completely different.

"His Highness's kindness, Shen Zhui understands it. However, the matter of sealing the land is still seven years away. It is too early to say anything. Moreover, although the title has been decided, it has not been officially announced. Shen Zhui should not consider the matter of sealing the land for the time being." Shen Zhui cupped his hands and said.

Ji Chen observed that Shen Zhui's face seemed to have something to hide, and immediately said: "If Brother Shen doesn't mind being rude, I want to get straight to the point."

"Your Highness, please speak." Shen Zhui said with a wry smile.

"Are you worried that they will make things difficult for you because of the Yang family's affairs?" Ji Chen asked. The account had been banned for a long time. The only thing missing was the process of sacrificial report. This was basically a done deal, but Shen Zhui seemed worried, so he simply asked directly.

"If this is the case, you don't have to worry. Mrs. Yang is not that ignorant. There may be challenges from the younger generation, but it is the same as normal competition and there will be no other thoughts." Ji Chen said with a smile. "And Yang Wenguang, the right minister of the court, is my father-in-law. If you can't bear to worry about him, this will also be a problem."

This was already considered very sincere, but that was not what Shen Zhui was worried about at all.

The person he asked to marry was Princess Anle, and it was a major matter related to the South China Sea Islands. This was absolutely impossible for the seventh prince to decide with just one word.

Seeing that Shen Zhui still didn't let go, Ji Chen knew not to act too hastily despite being confused. He immediately changed the subject and said with a smile: "...well, it's really too early to consider this now. I'll wait until you come out of Wuhou's secret realm." It’s never too late.”

"Thank you, Your Highness." Shen Zhui cupped his hands.

After chatting for a while, the seventh prince sent Shen Zhui off and left after the guards came in to remind him that it was getting late.

Watching the other party return to the fleet and go away, Ji Chen stood on Yu Linglong, staring into the distance, not knowing what he was thinking.

"Yinpu." Ji Chen suddenly looked at the guard next to him. "What do you think of Shen Chai?"

"Extraordinary magnanimity. If his realm were higher, he would be worthy of being named a champion." The guard replied. "However, His Highness is so courteous, but he is ignorant and a little arrogant."

Ji Chen did not comment, but asked: "I will benefit from good wine and beautiful people. Can I get this person?"

The guard shook his head decisively and said: "The Ministry of War briefed that this champion Hou Zeng rejected Lan Ling Hou Yunkang's proposal of marriage. He does not seem to be tempted by beauty."

"What if we use magic weapons and treasures to benefit it?" Ji Chen asked again.

Yin Pu thought for a while and then said: "When I watched him sit down at the table, he looked at ease in front of a room full of famous utensils. I am afraid that money and silk cannot move his heart."

Ji Chen smiled and said, "Then if you feel threatened, can you make him submit?"

Yinpu thought longer this time, and finally shook his head: "He traveled at a pace that was neither urgent nor slow, and his responses in front of the palace were measured. Even when His Highness hinted that he would go to Yongzhou and Jiaodong, he did not show any joy. Obviously, He is someone who has seen a lot of things in the world. Moreover, he comes from the military and is used to my lurking and assassinating people, so I’m afraid he won’t fall for this trick.”

"That's it." Ji Chen frowned and smiled.

"Money and silk cannot move people's hearts, fame and wealth cannot hide from their gods, and coercion and inducements cannot shake their ambitions."

"It can be seen that only like-minded people can achieve unity."

"Although King Jianhuang built a bridge and used the Yang family's reconciliation as a bargaining chip, I am still a little too impatient this time. After all, this is just the first time we meet. If I were not worried about the other princes taking the lead, I would never talk so quickly. Come up here." Ji Chen shook his head.

"And I'm afraid I still underestimated this champion. At the table just now, it seemed that he was still a bit embarrassed. It seemed that there was something big that even I, the seventh prince, couldn't accomplish."

"How is this possible?" Yinpu asked puzzled.

"Whether it's possible or not, we'll find out if we learn more about it." Ji Chen showed his white teeth. "Yinpu, let's go back to Beijing quickly and see who is causing trouble for this champion!"

"yes."

…………

After bidding farewell to the Seventh Prince, Shen Zhui returned to the warship team Zheng

To be honest, if you don't ask to marry the princess, it's not impossible to make friends with the seventh prince and cooperate with him to seek a future together. But with this secret, it is impossible for him to agree at present. Otherwise, once it is known and causes such big trouble, it will be a hidden danger for cooperation. Maybe not only would the cooperation fail, but it would also make Ji Chen feel that he was too unauthentic.

"Shen Zhui, you are doing the right thing. If the Seventh Prince knows that you have offended Prime Minister Fan, but does not do so beforehand, then the Seventh Prince will not be welcome here."

"But you don't have to be regretful. There's no such thing as a one-time deal. If the Seventh Prince really wants to make friends with you, he won't come here just this once." Zen Xin said with relief.

"I know that." Shen Zhui nodded.

"Hey, if there is a seventh prince, more princes will come. The seventh prince is just a venerable, but there are some princes who are at the level of true gods. Maybe they will be more helpful to you." Zen Xin said with a smile.

"It's not as simple as you think." Shen Zhui said angrily.

He is just a noble now. Although he is a champion, he is just a commander. He is noble, but he cannot be considered to have much power. After all, the imperial court has not yet assigned him an official title, a title of Marquis, Xinxin Wuhou, and he is only a fifth-level Venerable. In the eyes of a true god-level prince, a Wuhou who has controlled the army for hundreds of years may not be useful.

Some Wuhou are even at the level of true gods themselves, and he Shen Zhui? Now we are only at the fifth level of the Venerable. If there is potential, that will be in the future.

For the sake of possible future benefits, anyone would have to think carefully about offending the now prosperous Fan family.

…………

After returning to the warship, Shen Zhui quickly put the matter aside and concentrated on training. Before officially standing opposite the Fan family, one point of improvement is one point.

Don't look at the fact that there are many people coming to congratulate you now, they are extremely respectful.

When the marriage proposal breaks out, there will be no room for maneuver. I am afraid that the number of people you have made friends with will also be greatly reduced. Only your own strength is the last word.

I will go to Beijing in two days, so look for Shuyuan www. zhaoshuyuan.com Shen Zhui spent his time practicing and learning rituals, and occasionally met with King Zhao to receive guidance.

Just when Shen Zhui was preparing to deal with the troubles after entering Beijing, the day before entering Beijing.

A sudden news caught Shen Zhui off guard.

"Old Kong, what was so important that you came to me in such a hurry?" Shen Zhui looked at Kong Yangzhou who rushed in with confusion.

He was practicing hard, but just now Kong Yangzhou frantically sent messages to him, sending communication requests one after another, and now he even ran directly to his warship.

"Have you ever heard of the artifact Wanminjian built by the Ministry of Industry for the Ministry of Household Affairs?" Kong Yangzhou asked.

"I've heard a little bit about it." Shen Zhui nodded. "It is an artifact that records the origin of the population, making it easier for civil officials to govern the place, and for the people under the rule to learn about the appearance."

"Then do you know that before the appointment of Marquis Wu, his family background will be carefully investigated, and his family must be clean to prevent spies from getting in."

"I know, what on earth are you thinking..." Shen Zhui said impatiently. However, the next moment, his brows suddenly jumped again, his face changed, and he stared at Kong Yangzhou. "You don't mean to..."

"That's right." Kong Yangzhou nodded and said strangely. "Your biological father... was found by people from the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Affairs."

"..."