Through countless dynasties, I can summon the heroes of Chinese history.

"Mother, are you alright?"

At this moment, Jiang Ce's heart was filled with longing for his mother.

Although Xia Shi left his side when he was six or seven years old, he could never forget the little things from his childhood. In particular, Jiang Ce, who had the soul of an adult, remembered those years very well.

The guards and maids along the way were all astonished to see Jiang Ce running out without even putting on his boots. They looked at each other in surprise and hurriedly knelt down on the ground, their hearts filled with doubt and uncertainty.

At this moment, they had no idea what major event had occurred that had caused the usually composed and dignified Prince of Laiyang to lose his composure in such a state.

Outside the gate of the mansion, Fan Li stood quietly waiting, his heart filled with turbulent emotions.

Will he believe his own words?

Especially when he learned that his mother had not died, but had left him when he was very young.

What if Jiang Ce gets stuck on a rut?

Looking back, he was only a teenager when he went to Xiazhou with his family to sell goods. On the way, they encountered bandits. If his adoptive mother hadn't happened to pass by, his whole family would probably have died at the hands of the bandits.

Because of this incident, Fan Li was extremely grateful to Xia Qingyuan and would visit her during festivals. Over time, they developed feelings for each other.

During this process, Xia Qingyuan discovered that the young man before her was no ordinary person. So she took the opportunity to recognize Fan Li as her adopted son and used her connections to get Fan Li into the Jixia Academy, where he became a disciple of Ji Ran, which is how Fan Li achieved his current abilities.

This is why Fan Li respected Xia Qingyuan so much, which is why he was somewhat nervous when he was about to meet Jiang Ce.

Before meeting Jiang Ce, he and his friend Wen Zhong conducted an investigation into him and found that although he came from the Cangming royal family, his behavior was completely different from that of other royal children.

He was strict and disciplined in governing his army, and his soldiers obeyed his orders without question. Especially after the capture of Changyang, his troops did not commit any offenses against the people, and the city remained peaceful as before. He not only implemented the policy of returning wealth to the people, but also opened granaries to distribute grain and provide relief to displaced people.

It was this act of loyalty that earned him praise from the people of the city, and the streets and alleys were filled with eulogies for the Prince of Laiyang.

Now, he has issued this unconventional decree to seek out talented individuals, demonstrating his commitment to meritocracy and his determination to take root in this place and work diligently to govern it. This has already deeply resonated with the people.

That's why Fan Li gradually put aside his concerns and prepared to see him.

Even if the person in front of me is not the ideal master in my heart, I will still choose to be loyal to him. Of course, how much effort I put in depends on our relationship.

Just as Fan Li was lost in thought, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from inside the mansion, accompanied by the low exclamations of the servants. Clearly, the people in the mansion had also been alerted by the commotion and were turning their heads to see what was happening.

The next moment, the vermilion door was suddenly pulled open from the inside.

Fan Li looked up and saw that the young King of Laiyang was being personally greeted by his sworn brother.

His hair was slightly disheveled from the journey, with a few strands falling across his forehead, and the corner of his princely robe was still wrinkled.

What's most astonishing is that he was barefoot, stepping on the cold bluestone slabs, his feet even covered in dust, but he didn't seem to care at all!

At that moment, Jiang Ce's gaze instantly locked onto the scholar in blue robes outside the door. His breathing was slightly rapid from walking so fast, but a genuine smile of surprise bloomed on his face.

Before the person even got close, a loud voice had already rang out:

"Is it Mr. Fan Li? I have been longing to hear from you for so long!"

Jiang Ce immediately stepped forward, giving Fan Li no chance to bow.

He grabbed Fan Li's arm, the warmth of his palm seeping through the fabric, his voice filled with undisguised fervor, and his eyes shining with an astonishing light.

"It is a great honor to meet you today, sir. With your humility and presence, my Prince's mansion can finally be considered truly established. There is no need for others to announce our arrival. Please come inside!"

Jiang Ce gripped Fan Li's arm with a steady yet not domineering force, intending to personally lead him into the palace. He completely forgot that he was barefoot, stepping on the cold bluestone slabs, with a few shallow footprints left by the dust on his feet on the smooth stone.

Fan Li was completely stunned, as if the blood in his body had frozen at that moment. Before coming, he had imagined countless scenarios for the meeting, such as being dismissed and questioned alone, being placed in a side hall and treated coldly, or even being beaten out with sticks.

But I never expected to encounter such a situation.

The young prince before him, the eighth prince of the Cangming royal family, didn't even bother to put on his boots to welcome him, an ordinary commoner, and stood barefoot in the cold wind.

There was not a trace of royal arrogance in his smile, only genuine joy.

"Is it because I brought news of my adoptive mother?"

Looking at the barefoot young prince with a sincere and warm smile, Fan Li felt that his adoptive mother's secret help to him over the years had indeed been worthwhile.

Even after so many years, hearing news of his mother today still evoked a warm and affectionate feeling in him, something that couldn't be faked.

Upon thinking of this, Fan Li immediately took a half step back, gently freed himself from Jiang Ce's hand, raised his hand to straighten the slightly wrinkled hem of his robe, and then lifted the hem and solemnly bowed.

His back was bent into a neat arc, and his voice was strong and clear, carrying a hint of barely suppressed emotion.

"Fan Li, a student of the Jixia Academy, pays his respects to His Highness the Prince of Laiyang!"

"Sir, there's no need for such formality!" Jiang Ce quickly reached out to help him up, still holding the other's arm tightly, as if afraid that if he let go, this great talent would gracefully depart.

At this moment, Jiang Ce's gaze was sincere and ardent, and every word he uttered was heartfelt.

"Sir, you have come from afar, which I am deeply grateful for. This is not the place to talk. Please come in quickly."

As he spoke, he pulled Fan Li into the palace, his steps light and quick, saying repeatedly, "Please come in quickly, sir. I have many difficult problems, one after another, that I wish to ask you for advice!"

Just then, a crisp system notification sound rang out in Jiang Ce's mind, carrying a pleasant rhythm.

[Ding dong, congratulations to the host for successfully achieving the special achievement 'Welcoming without wearing shoes', reward: permanent +1 to all five attributes;]

The current host's five attributes have increased to: Command 97, Strength 98, Intelligence 95, Politics 95, and Charisma 99.

As the system previously stated, the first person to achieve this will receive a permanent +1 to their five attributes, or a skill enhancement.

This time, Jiang Ce's reward was a permanent +1 to his attributes, instantly elevating his politics and intelligence to the Heavenly level.

In the past few days, many people have come to the recruitment hall to serve the country, so many that they are shoulder to shoulder and almost break down the threshold. However, most of them are just mediocre people.

Or he's an ignorant spoiled brat.

Or they're just mediocre people looking for a dead-end job.