Professional Ethics of a Concubine

"You, do you really think so? You are not just trying to fool me?" Zheng Xiangyang asked awkwardly, wanting to believe it but also wanting to believe it.

"What do you have that's worthy of my flattery?" Ye Qingzhi raised her hand and slapped him on the head. "Don't waste your brain on this kind of thing. Go in quickly."

If His Royal Highness the Crown Prince wants to be coaxed by her, he has to pay money, because her love potion is very expensive.

Zheng Xiangyang covered his forehead and stared. For a moment, he didn't know whether to classify Master Ye as a good person or a bad person. He had a headache.

"I'm very interested in this mechanical art, and I want to go in and play with it." Ye Qingzhi said to the others, "Those of you who don't want to go can stay."

Mingyan and the others had never seen it before, so naturally they wanted to go and take a look, and they all looked very excited.

Under the influence of Ye Qingzhi, their horizons and minds became much broader.

I like to try different things, learn to look at things from different perspectives, analyze the pros and cons, and recognize some ideas and concepts that are not accepted by the mainstream.

Although Zheng Xiangxin and others were indeed not interested, Ye Qingzhi and others had already gone in, and they did not want to be left outside.

I didn't want to be left out, so I followed along.

In this situation, the most difficult thing is to stick to yourself and follow your true inner thoughts.

Among them, Zheng Jiarong, the youngest at only ten years old, chose to stay, and he was the only one who stayed.

"Master Ye, I'll be waiting for you outside." Zheng Jiarong grabbed the hem of his shirt and said nervously, "Because I don't like the sound and look of the gears turning inside. I'll be scared."

"Okay." Ye Qingzhi gently touched his head, calming his nervousness and said with a smile.

"If you don't like it, don't force yourself. It's just a small thing. You don't have to force yourself to fit in, and you don't have to feel like you have to be like us."

Zheng Jiarong's eyes were instantly filled with tears. He felt that Master Ye was so gentle, and what he said was different from others.

He was always disliked and scolded for being timid. His mother would often look at him and sigh, saying that he was born with the wrong gender and did not have any of the masculinity of a boy.

And my father felt that his legitimate son could not bring him honor and instead often embarrassed him, so he was very mean to him.

On weekdays, he is very miserable because he cannot meet his parents' expectations and cannot be like other people!

He was struggling for a long time just now. Between choosing to go in and telling the tutor, he chose the latter. It was also because of Tutor Ye's attitude towards Brother Xiangyang that gave him a little courage.

Facts have proved that his choice was right.

Tutor Ye is really a very good and gentle person. She is different from others.

"Thank you, Master Ye." Zheng Jiarong wiped away his tears, took out a beautifully painted shell from his purse and handed it to Ye Qingzhi, saying,

"This is a fairy I drew myself, and I'm giving it to Master Taifu. I hope you like it. In my heart, Master Taifu is as beautiful and kind as a fairy."

"Wow! What a beautiful little fairy! Jiarong, your painting skills are so great!" Ye Qingzhi took it and looked at it, exclaiming in surprise.

He painted flying fairies on shells, and used the arcs and curves of the shells to draw the fluttering and wrinkled feeling of the fairy's skirt. It's really amazing!

Zheng Jiarong could clearly sense that Master Ye was truly amazed at his painting skills and admired him.

This almost made him want to cry with joy again.

Oh, I can’t cry. As a boy, if I cry so much, I will definitely be laughed at and looked down upon.

"Jiarong, I really like the gift you gave me, thank you. When did you learn painting?" Ye Qingzhi asked him with a smile.

"I learned it from a painter last year." Zheng Jiarong said, "My parents don't like me to play this, so I learned it secretly."

Ye Qingzhi praised him again and again, saying that she liked his gift very much and thought he was a very gentle and empathetic child.

When the eldest princess introduced Zheng Jiarong to herself, she only said that Zheng Jiarong was too timid, shy, and crybaby, and she hoped he would stop crying all the time and be more manly.

However, after getting in touch with him, Ye Qingzhi saw some shining qualities in him.

What a very good child!

Who says boys have to be tough and masculine, naughty and mischievous, and can’t be thoughtful, kind and cute?

"It's really beautiful. Do you have any more shells like this? Can you give me one?"

Mingyan also liked the shells after seeing them and asked with a smile.

"Sure, but I don't have it with me. Can I give it to you when I get back?"

Zheng Jiarong asked happily but a little nervously, afraid that Mingyan would be dissatisfied.

"Of course." Ming Yan said with a smile, "Good things are worth waiting for."

Zheng Jiarong's eyes lit up instantly, and his eyes were sparkling as he looked at Mingyan.

Wow! Princess Baozhu is so nice and gentle. She's so nice!

"I want one, I want one too!" Mingyu loved to join in the fun, and the painted shells were really beautiful, so he wanted to have one too.

"But I don't want a fairy. Can you draw me a puppy on the shell?"

Zheng Jiarong nodded vigorously, feeling so happy. It turned out that being recognized by others was such a happy feeling.

Zheng Xiangyang frowned as he watched this scene, and felt that Master Ye from the capital and these princes and grandchildren all had very peculiar hobbies.

Although he doesn't understand, he likes it.

-

After pacifying Zheng Jiarong, Ye Qingzhi and the others entered the courtyard of Qibao Tower. Led by Zheng Xiangyang, they threw twenty taels of silver into a box in the courtyard.

There were exactly twenty of them.

"Don't underestimate this box. It's also a box with a mechanism. Once the silver goes in, it will follow the mechanism to other places. There's no need to worry about it being stolen."

Zheng Xiangyang proudly introduced Ye Qingzhi,

"Someone once tried to steal this box or destroy it, but they were hurt by the mechanism inside the box because short arrows would be shot out from it."

"Wow! Awesome! Awesome!" Ye Qingzhi was also very supportive, without any airs of a tutor, acting like a little fangirl.

Zheng Xiangyang's lips curled up even higher. He led them to the front of the pavilion and asked them before pushing the door open.

"Are you going to follow me through the levels, or do you want to go through them alone?"

"Why aren't there any guys from Qibaolou here? Are they just going to let us in on our own?" Ye Qingzhi looked around and asked again.

"Master Ye, come here, throw in the silver, and go directly to the level. The owner of the Seven Treasures Tower will only see you after you succeed in the level."

Zheng Xiangyang explained.

Ye Qingzhi nodded, but in her heart she complained about how mysterious and arrogant he was.

Is this due to a backer? Or is this just the pride of the Mohist mechanical master?

"We are not familiar with the mechanism. Let's follow you through it first. We have three chances anyway." Ye Qingzhi said.

Others naturally have no objections.

Zheng Xiangyang took the lead and was about to lead everyone to push the door in, but at this time, a voice sounded,

"Only one person can go through the level at a time!"

Zheng Xiangyang's eyes lit up when he heard the voice, and he immediately responded, then turned to look at Ye Qingzhi and said to her,

"Master, you heard it too. We are not allowed to go through the level together. Why don't you go and try first?"

"No, I'm afraid of death. When I heard that I was not allowed to join, I started to worry that there was a conspiracy." Ye Qingzhi shook her head seriously.

"What if the soft arrow in this mechanism turns into a real arrow and I trigger the mechanism? I will be shot to death."

“……”Zheng Xiangyang.

Damn! That makes a lot of sense!

It scared him too!

If something happens to Master Ye, his head wouldn't be enough as compensation, and he would need his parents' heads as well. I guess even these wouldn't be enough for the prince to chop off.

Zheng Xiangyang quickly took a step back and did not let Ye Qingzhi get close.

"Master, you are right to worry. This kind of place is really potentially dangerous." Ming Yan also said with a stern face.

"Why don't you go in? If you are interested in these mechanisms, call the owner of the Seven Treasures Building to demonstrate them to us from beginning to end."

This attitude of a superior is absolutely appropriate.

Others also began to persuade Ye Qingzhi not to go in.

Ye Qingzhi weighed the options and felt that she could indeed follow Mingyan's advice, and that she should indeed cherish her life.

Although she just said that because she thought of some plots in movies and TV shows, it's better to be cautious just in case.

If something happens to her here, it's not just her own death, but it could affect the lives of many people.

For the safety of others, she also has to be cautious.

"You, you guys are simply... so dark-minded! I'll give you the silver back! Go away! You are not welcome in my Qibao Building!"

At this time, an old man came out of the building, threw twenty taels of silver directly to Zheng Xiangyang, and glared at them.

I could tell from the voice that it was him who told me the rules just now.

"Are you the owner of Qibao Tower?" Ye Qingzhi asked him.

"You distinguished people are not welcome here, please leave." The old man did not answer, but said very unhappily.

"Old man, can we sit down and talk calmly?"

Ye Qingzhi said,

“Whether you are the owner of this Seven Treasures Tower or not, you must be a descendant of the Mohist School.

Your Mohist School is now too lonely. Don't you want to revive your Mohist School, pass on your Mohist mechanical arts, and carry them forward so that they can be recognized and praised by the world?"

The old man's expression changed slightly, and he looked at Ye Qingzhi and said,

"You have such a loud tone, girl. You say such big words right away. Be careful not to slip your tongue!"

"If I don't brag, how can I attract your attention? I said I would give you 10,000 taels, but I don't think someone as noble and well-off as you would be interested."

Ye Qingzhi didn't mind his attitude at all and said with a smile,

"I am the prince's tutor. I have a noble status and I have the right to speak. You might as well put aside your grudges and listen to what I have to say. It won't take up much of your time."

The old man hesitated after hearing this, but he did not believe Ye Qingzhi's words, especially because he was suspicious of her identity.

"How come you are the tutor? You are so young and a woman. Tutor to the Crown Prince? That's outrageous."

"If you're asking me how I became a tutor, that's a long story. Anyway, I was appointed as a tutor by the Emperor and recognized by the Crown Prince, so it's absolutely genuine. Ask them if my words are effective?"