Ming Dynasty: I risked my life to teach the prince, the emperor begged me not to die

Chapter 356: Reacquaintance with Others
East Palace, school.

Zhu Houzhao was listening to Fei Hong's class bored, while Liu Jin stood outside the window and winked at Zhu Houzhao cautiously.

Zhu Houzhao quickly covered his stomach and said to Fei Hong: "Teacher, my stomach hurts."

Fei Hong said, "Go ahead."

Zhu Houzhao ran out anxiously and asked Liu Jin, "What are you doing?"

Generally speaking, Liu Jin wouldn't dare to disturb him during class unless there was something important.

Liu Jin hurriedly said, "My Lord, you should go to the Finance Bureau."

"Mr. Chen is the new proofreader!"

What the hell is going on? Zhu Houzhao was completely confused.

Liu Jin said, "Didn't I tell you last night that a new proofreader would be coming to the Imperial Library under the Imperial Household Department of the Eastern Palace? I just went to see the new proofreader."

"He, he is Master Chen!"

Zhu Houzhao finally understood this time and said excitedly: "Really? Little brother, you are coming to the East Palace to be an official? Quick, take me there!"

Liu Jin hurriedly reminded Zhu Houzhao: "Master, are you ready?"

Although you are aware of each other's identities, are you ready to change your identities and get along with each other?
Zhu Houzhao just remembered it and couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed, but he quickly waved his hand and said, "Forget it, whatever, take me there!"

……

The chief official of the Sijing Bureau is the Prince's Groom, and the second-in-command is the Secretary-General. However, the Sijing Bureau is relatively idle, and a group of officials have not yet reported for duty in the Sijing Bureau.

Chen Ce was reading a book alone in the library of the Sijing Bureau. Not long after, Zhu Houzhao came running over, his face flushed with excitement, and said to Chen Ce, "Little brother!"

Chen Ce was stunned for a moment before he bowed and said, "I greet His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."

Zhu Houzhao quickly pulled Chen Ce up and said, "What are you doing? Why are you still so polite? Just treat this place as your own home... Um, you actually already knew my identity, right?"

"I also know that you must have known it. You are so smart, how could I hide my tricks from you?"

"I was afraid that you would be like this, so I never told you that I was the prince. Are you not angry?"

Chen Ce smiled and said, "I'm not angry."

Zhu Houzhao scratched his head, then pulled Chen Ce to sit on the armchair next to him. Liu Jin tactfully poured tea and water. Zhu Houzhao asked Chen Ce, "Little brother, when did you realize that I was the crown prince?"

Chen Ce didn't think much about it and blurted out: "I knew it when you first came to my yard."

what?
You knew it the first time I saw you? Am I that clumsy?
I remember the first time I met my little brother was about two and a half years ago. At that time, he went to arrest Chen Ce as a Jinyiwei. He thought Chen Ce was leaking the questions for the imperial examination.

But after thinking about it, I didn’t think there was anything wrong with my behavior.

Chen Ce smiled and said, "How can there be such a young senior official in the Jinyiwei?"

"Later, I went to the Imperial Guard again, but I couldn't see you every time. You are so young, but you can still let the Imperial Guard help you lie. You must be a relative or someone in the royal family."

"My relatives don't have as much power as you, so I knew you were the crown prince."

Of course, these were all excuses. When Chen Ce heard Zhu Houzhao say his name was Zhu Shou, Chen Ce knew that this was the crown prince of the Ming Dynasty, the future Emperor Wuzong.

Zhu Houzhao looked dejected and said, "I thought it would be even later..." He really didn't expect that he would be seen through at the first sight.

Thinking of the scene when the earthquake occurred in Shuntian Prefecture, Zhu Houzhao went on a tour on behalf of the emperor to comfort the people and then went to Chen Ce's yard to show off, and ordered God not to bring disease to Chen Ce... Thinking of the past, Zhu Houzhao couldn't help feeling a little ashamed!
Chen Ce originally thought that he would feel somewhat awkward after Zhu Houzhao revealed his identity as the crown prince. He had not figured out how to get along with Zhu, and he also had to pay attention to other troublesome issues such as etiquette between the monarch and his subjects.

But the facts seemed different from what I thought. There was not much difference between here and in Huaihua Hutong.

Zhu Houzhao was still that unreliable child. He did not behave like a prince at all. He was heartless and careless. He did not become solemn and dignified just because he had become the prince.

Chen Ce did not become restrained because Zhu Houzhao became the crown prince.

Thinking about it this way, Chen Ce couldn't help but feel that he had indeed thought too much before. If he had known this would happen, he would have broken this window paper long ago.

Liu Jin reminded Zhu Houzhao that Fei Hong was still waiting for him to go to class. Zhu Houzhao then remembered and said to Chen Ce with a smile: "Little brother, don't leave when you are off duty. I will take you to the East Palace and show you around."

"I still have classes to catch up on, so I won't chat with you for now."

Chen Ce said, "Okay, go to class."

Zhu Houzhao chuckled and said, "To be honest, the teachers in the East Palace are not as good as you. But there is nothing I can do. If I don't teach, they will tell my father, and my father will nag me again."

Chen Ce: “…”

"Go quickly."

Zhu Houzhao nodded heavily: "Okay!"

……

The Prince's Groom in the Eastern Palace was named Zhao Zhongping, a Jinshi in his thirties. The Secretary was named Han Douyin, who was about the same age as Zhao Xima.

There was nothing to do in the Xunri Economic Bureau, so the two of them arrived very late. When Chen Ce saw them, he greeted them respectfully. The two of them did not show off their status and chatted and laughed with Chen Ce in a gentle manner.

This government office had little future, and the two men had no ambitions, so naturally there was less intrigue and deception in officialdom.

After they got to know each other, the two of them went to drink tea, read newspapers and slack off. They didn't let Chen Ce do anything and let him do everything freely.

I can sleep for an hour and a half during the lunch break, which is almost three hours. If I just hang out in the afternoon, it will be almost time to get off work.

Zhao Xima and Han Lingshi found Chen Ce with a smile and asked him if he wanted to go for a drink together in the evening.

Chen Ce: “…”

"Hehe, Principal Chen is still young and hasn't experienced these wonderful things. Please understand."

Han Lingshi was holding a cup of tea, with his legs crossed and a cigarette in his mouth, talking freely about everything, saying how this courtesan was pretty, how that courtesan was powerful and so on.

Finally, Han Douyin said to Chen Ce calmly: "Master Chen, we can do whatever we want in the Finance Bureau, but you must remember one thing, and you must keep it in mind. This is the taboo of the Finance Bureau, otherwise you may suffer a great loss in the future. Don't blame me for not reminding you!"

Hearing him speak so cautiously, Chen Ce's curiosity was aroused, but Chen Ce had no intention of staying in the Finance Bureau forever. Although he was curious, he was not particularly interested.

Han Douyin said calmly: "Don't provoke our Crown Prince. If you can avoid dealing with him, try not to deal with him."

Chen Ce: “?”

Does Zhu Houzhao leave such a bad impression in everyone's mind?
Zhao Zhongping also reminded Chen Ce, "Also, don't have any conflicts with those damn eunuchs in the East Palace!"

(End of this chapter)