Chapter Six: This Stumble Was Worth It

After Zhu Biao left, the two princesses, Yilun and Jiangdu, also returned to their own courtyards.

Zhu Xiongying lay in bed, his consciousness stirring slightly as he opened the system interface.

Name: Zhu Xiongying
Age: 7 years old
Strength: 20 (normal person: 100)
Agility: 80 (normal person: 100)
Speed: 70 (normal person: 100)
Charisma: 90 (normal person: 100)
Lifespan: 9 months and 3 days remaining
Skills: None
Cultivation Method: None
Weapon: None
Mount: None

Besides extending his life, this system also occasionally rewarded him with tangible items and attribute boosts. This was why the originally frail shell of the host had rapidly recovered within a short span! Now, except for strength still lagging a bit, in all other aspects he was no weaker than an ordinary person.

“I wonder if the attributes will keep increasing even after they match those of normal people,” Zhu Xiongying mused, resting his head on his crossed arms.

If he could continue to allocate points, surpassing normal people in strength and agility, wouldn’t he become a martial arts master? Kicking fierce tigers and punching African elephants—just imagining it made him feel unstoppable!

But when he glanced at the remaining lifespan, he couldn’t help but frown. “This increase is too slow!” After all, he had managed to transmigrate once, and as a royal descendant no less—a solid, iron rice bowl. He must enjoy this life properly! Even if he couldn’t live a hundred years, at least eight or ninety years would be acceptable.

“No, I have to work harder to extend my lifespan!” he thought.

Suddenly, he realized that when he had tricked Zhu Yunwen, the rewards given to him were more generous than those given to Lü Ben—an entire extra month of lifespan at once.

“Could it be that the system’s lifespan rewards depend on the identity of the person being tricked?” he wondered. “I must find a way to test this.”

Having made up his mind, he pulled up the quilt and drifted into a peaceful sleep.

…

Because of the fine salt incident, Zhu Biao was so excited that he barely slept all night. He had planned to bring up the matter of the fine salt at the morning court the next day, along with his son's theory of regulating merchants by merchants. But thinking of the crowded and complicated court, where many officials were colluding with grain merchants, he realized that revealing it prematurely would be ineffective.

He had to hold back until after court adjourned, then sought out the old Zhu in the imperial study to speak privately.

After roughly explaining the situation, he took out the packet of finely purified, snow-white salt.

Zhu Yuanzhang’s pupils instantly dilated. “You say this was made by Xiongying?”

“That’s right!” Zhu Biao nodded confidently. “Not only that, Xiongying also proposed a method to regulate merchants by merchants, to curb price hikes!”

After a simple explanation, the old emperor grew even more excited. “So this fine salt can be mass-produced?”

“Yes!”

“And how is it done?”

“Uh...” Zhu Biao scratched his head awkwardly. His son hadn’t told him the purification method! He was too excited yesterday and forgot to ask carefully.

A father knows his son best. Seeing Zhu Biao’s expression, Zhu Yuanzhang understood immediately.

He turned slightly and said to the eunuch Yun Qi behind him, “Go to the Eastern Palace and bring my great-grandson here!”

“Yes, Your Majesty!” Yun Qi smiled and bowed deeply before hurrying off.

A moment later, Zhu Xiongying came bounding into the imperial study. Behind him, Yun Qi’s nose was red, and his face was smudged with dust.

Zhu Yuanzhang noticed and asked, “Huh? Why do you look so dusty after just stepping out?”

“Ah?” Yun Qi instinctively touched his nose and glanced furtively at the curious Zhu Xiongying.

Zhu Biao immediately caught on. “You little brat, you even dare bully the people near your great-grandfather…”

“N-no, no, no…” Yun Qi hastily waved his hands. “It was this servant’s poor eyesight that caused me to stumble over the young prince’s foot!”

“Besides… the young prince even rewarded this old servant with this…” Yun Qi pulled out a lighter decorated with a painting of a beauty bathing.

He was trying not to laugh out loud, but the effort showed.

“Ahem, ahem...” Zhu Yuanzhang cast a glance and awkwardly cleared his throat, quickly looking away.

Though this era was relatively open-minded—concubines came and went frequently—the mindset was conservative. Using a modern term, it was “quietly wild.”

Curious, Zhu Biao leaned over to take a look and quickly waved his hand, “Better put that away quickly!”

“No, no!” Yun Qi pressed the button, and a flame burst forth.

“Hmm?” This immediately caught the attention of Zhu Yuanzhang and Zhu Biao.

“Oh? This thing is actually a fire striker?”

As Yun Qi pressed the button repeatedly, the flame flickered on and off, astonishing the father and son.

“This is great! Much more convenient than a traditional fire striker!”

“Indeed!” Zhu Biao nodded enthusiastically.

“The young prince says this thing is called a ‘lighter’…!” Yun Qi said happily. “So this old servant has truly benefited from the young prince. Thanks for the gift!”

He bowed again toward Zhu Xiongying, who had moved over to a pillar.

Tripping and getting such a magical gadget in exchange was a good deal. If sold outside, it could fetch ten taels of silver from a noble!

Zhu Xiongying paid them no mind. At this moment, he was filled with curiosity about the imperial study.

The original host, being Zhu Yuanzhang’s favored grandson, must have been here before, but he had no memories of it. Probably because the original host grew up in the palace and was so familiar with everything that seeing it was like seeing nothing.

But Zhu Xiongying was different. A man from the future who seldom visited historical sites, he was fascinated by these ancient buildings.

He patted the pillar inside the hall, wearing a greedy smile. “If only I could sell this in the future… hehe! I’d be rich!”

“Great-grandson, great-grandson…”

Just as he was lost in thought, Zhu Yuanzhang, seated on the dragon throne, beckoned to him, calling repeatedly and shattering his daydream of fortune.

Reluctantly, Zhu Xiongying stepped forward and gave a stiff bow. “Great-grandfather!”

“Great-grandson! That lighter… ahem… no, that fine salt—is it truly your refinement?”

Zhu Yuanzhang’s mind was still filled with the novelty of the lighter, and the words slipped out before he could stop himself. Fortunately, he corrected himself quickly, hoping they hadn’t been heard.

“Ke ke ke…” Zhu Xiongying covered his mouth to stifle a laugh.

As expected, men remain boys at heart until the end!