Fire Captain

The day after Bai Ziyang returned to Tokyo, he rolled into the palace to pay his respects.

The emperor was reviewing memorials in his study in the palace when a eunuch walked in and whispered, "Your Majesty, Young Prince Zhao is here!"

The emperor was concentrating on reviewing the memorials. He was stunned for a moment when he heard the words. In Bianjing City, the only one who could be called the Little Prince Zhao was Bai Ziyang. After he reacted, he put down the memorials, raised his head and said, "Let him in!"

Bai Ziyang walked in quickly, bowed happily and said, "Ziyang pays respects to the Emperor's uncle!"

The emperor laughed and scolded, "You kid still remember to come back? Once you are released, you will be like a bird out of a cage, flying away without looking back! All right, get up!"

The reason why the emperor likes Bai Ziyang so much is not only because he is polite and sensible, but also because of his vigor and vitality. There are not many descendants of the Zhao family, and even fewer who stay in Tokyo City. Those who are seen on weekdays are either extremely cautious and fearful, or they are full of greed and flattery. Therefore, there are very few who can get along with Bai Ziyang as easily as he does.

Bai Ziyang stood up and said in a cute and obedient manner: "Uncle, how can that be possible? I am just a pet bird. No matter how far I fly, I will always come home by myself!"

The emperor smiled and said, "You are the only one who can talk... Stay for lunch in the palace later, and we will go to the Queen's palace to tell her about your experiences along the way. The Queen was still talking about you a few days ago!"

Bai Ziyang said with a grin: "Yes!"

The emperor had always been diligent in handling state affairs. While talking to Bai Ziyang, he picked up the memorial and started reading it. As he was reading, he suddenly remembered and asked, "You have been traveling abroad for two years. Don't slack off in your studies! Look at your father... um, your eldest brother. I heard that he studied very hard and is doing quite well!"

Bai Ziyang said: "Don't worry, Grandpa Emperor, I have been reading a lot during this time I have been out here!"

The emperor looked up at Bai Ziyang with an expression of disbelief, and said, "Really? Do you want me to appoint a teacher for you? I think Master Zheng..."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ziyang said hurriedly, "Uncle Grandpa! Let's not trouble Old Tutor Zheng, Ziyang..." Bai Ziyang said in a hurry, "Ziyang has already found a teacher and will visit him in a few days!" He stretched out the last two words with a flattering and coquettish expression on his face.

The emperor looked at Bai Ziyang and smiled. He also knew that Master Zheng was a strict person and took learning very seriously. No wonder Bai Ziyang was afraid to meet Master Zheng. He said, "Well, I will summon your elder brother in a few days to ask if you have studied seriously!"

Bai Ziyang breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Yes, yes, yes..." He really didn't intend to be so ambitious and strive to get on the list or something. In the future, the world will be in chaos. Bai Ziyang didn't intend to take the imperial examination to become a civil servant. If he was placed under the emperor's nose, would it be okay? ...

After Bai Ziyang slipped out of the palace, he went straight to his mother and shouted as soon as he entered the door: "Mother, help me!"

Princess Zhao put down the embroidery needle in her hand and said helplessly: "What's the matter with you?"

Bai Ziyang said: "I just want to ask my mother for something..."

Princess Zhao raised her hand first and said, "If you want to go out and play, forget it! Your father just said that he will personally urge you to study!"

"Ah!" Bai Ziyang screamed, "No!" Bai Ziyang was very depressed. Why was the literary atmosphere in the Song Dynasty so strong?

Bai Ziyang pulled Princess Zhao and said, "Mother, I remember my uncle seems to be working in the Ministry of Rites, right?"

Princess Zhao said: "Yes, it's amazing that you still remember it!"

Bai Ziyang said happily: "Great, I plan to go to Sheng's house to study, and I want to borrow your uncle's name!"

Princess Zhao asked in confusion, "Isn't it good to study at home? Why do you have to go out to study? And what about the Sheng family? Which Sheng family?"

Bai Ziyang said, "It's the family of Mr. Sheng, a fifth-rank official!"

Princess Zhao then remembered and said, "Oh, I see. He came to Beijing two years ago! His eldest wife was from the Wang family."

It's no wonder that Princess Zhao didn't know. Firstly, Princess Zhao usually stayed at home and rarely went out, and seldom attended banquets and events. Secondly, the events that Princess Zhao attended, of this level, rarely invited the wife of a fifth-rank official. Of course, the most important thing was that this fifth-rank official was not favored, otherwise, let alone the fifth-rank official, even the seventh-rank official would have to be invited.

Seeing that Princess Zhao had remembered, Bai Ziyang continued, "When I was traveling, I happened to meet Sheng Changbai, the son of the Sheng family. We got along quite well. At that time, he invited me to study at his private school. I didn't agree to it, and it's not good to go back on my word!"

Princess Zhao was very open-minded about Bai Ziyang's study. There were already two bookworms in the family, so strictly speaking, they didn't need a third one. So she had no objection to Bai Ziyang going to Sheng's private school. She just asked in confusion, "If you want to go, just go. Why do you have to borrow your uncle's name?"

When talking about Bai Ziyang's uncle, we have to talk about Bai Ziyang's mother's background. Bai Ziyang's mother's real name is Bai Wan. She is the legitimate daughter of Duke Qin. She and Bai Ziyang's uncle Bai Xuewen are siblings from the same mother. There are only the Duke Qin and his wife in Duke Qin's family, and there are no concubines or the like, so there are not many children. There are only two siblings in the family. Bai Xuewen is a scholar who has passed the imperial examination and has now become the Minister of Rites. Although he has the help of his family, Bai Xuewen's own ability and knowledge are also indispensable.

Bai Ziyang said "embarrassedly": "I heard that the young master of the Qi family is also studying in the Sheng family. If I go there as an ordinary merchant's son, what if I get bullied?"

Princess Zhao had a "horrified" expression on her face when she heard this. She clasped her hands together and said exaggeratedly: "Will you be bullied? I will be thankful if you don't bully others!"

Bai Ziyang said obediently, "Mom, you are exaggerating. I am such a good child!"

Princess Zhao ignored Bai Ziyang's tricks and said, "Why don't you go there in the name of the young prince?"

Bai Ziyang said directly: "I'm afraid of scaring them!"

Princess Zhao rolled her eyes and said speechlessly: "Then what identity do you plan to go there with?"

Bai Ziyang said excitedly: "How about just saying he's a distant relative of my uncle's family?"

Princess Zhao said, "Speaking of the Qi family, Qi Heng seems to have seen you before. Aren't you afraid that he will recognize you?"

Bai Ziyang said nonchalantly, "I only saw him at a banquet in the palace when I was a child. There were so many people there at the time that he might not remember me. Moreover, his mother has looked at him like an eyeball all these years and he never plays with us. We haven't met many times in the first place. After so many years, I must have changed a little. It's normal that he can't recognize me. But even if he recognizes me, it doesn't matter. I will warn him then!"

Princess Zhao quickly said, "Yuan Ruo is a good boy, don't bully him!"

Bai Ziyang: … … I just said I was afraid of being bullied, and then I was accused of bullying others! What should I do when I was slapped in the face?