The princess was ordained by Heaven.

Zhou Pengtao: It's not a misunderstanding.

He has grown a lot and is no longer the naive young man he once was.

Zheng Xun sighed and shut down the system, then walked up to him: "Do you know why I transferred you back?"

Zhou Pengtao's thoughts were still lingering on his earlier thoughts: "My new love... The New Year is approaching, could it be that the princess pities me for suffering outside?"

Zheng Xun: ?

What on earth is he talking about?

Zhou Pengtao: Actually, I don't know what I'm saying.

He slapped his forehead in frustration: "I was out of my mind. What I wanted to say was, forgive my ignorance, but I wonder if the princess could tell me?"

Zheng Xun opened the system again, looking uncertain.

[My IQ is definitely normal, is there something wrong with the system?]

Emperor: She really, she'd rather suspect the system is malfunctioning.

Zhou Pengtao: He was scolded but couldn't scold back, which was frustrating. Now he feels that Beijing isn't so great after all.

Zheng Xun cleared his throat and said, "I've taken a liking to you..."

"Ah!" Zhou Pengtao shouted, taking a few steps back in fear and wariness, looking at Zheng Xun as if he were a pervert.

Zheng Xun remained silent for a moment, then let out a heavy sigh.

The system must be malfunctioning! No wonder my report failed last time.

Unable to contain herself any longer, she quickened her pace and said, "I've got my eye on your pig-raising skills!"

Zhou Pengtao was somewhat confused: "What kind of skill is raising pigs?"

"There are 360 ​​professions, and every profession can produce an expert."

Zhou Pengtao asked cautiously, "So, the princess wants me to continue raising pigs?"

"Of course!"

Zhou Pengtao was in a dilemma. The reason he worked so hard to take the imperial examinations and climb the ranks was so that he wouldn't have to raise pigs and farm. But the princess actually wanted him to go back to the capital to continue raising pigs.

If his colleagues and old friends found out, wouldn't he be ridiculed?

However, he couldn't refuse Zheng Xun, so he could only look to the emperor for help.

The emperor silently looked away.

It's no use looking at him. Are they on good terms? Have they forgotten all the insults they used to hurl at him?

Besides, he couldn't make decisions for Yuan Jia...

Zheng Xun noticed his hesitation, raised his eyebrows slightly, and asked meaningfully, "What? You don't want to?"

Zhou Pengtao lowered his head, then suddenly wiped his eyes: "Does the princess intend to dismiss me from my post?"

Zheng Xun: "What nonsense are you spouting?"

"How can we be officials if everyone's raising pigs?" Zhou Pengtao complained in a low voice, having given up all hope.

"Can't there be officials specifically in charge of raising pigs?"

Zhou Pengtao: ?

How can a pig farmer become an official?

Zheng Xun looked up into his eyes and asked earnestly, "Tell me the truth, why do you want to become an official?"

Zhou Pengtao honestly replied, "It's so I don't have to raise pigs, and so I can make a name for myself."

"Then why don't you want to raise pigs?"

"In order to escape the fate of generations of poverty, in order to become a superior person."

Zheng Xun: I told you to be honest, but not that honest.

The emperor chuckled and said the truth: "You are not suited to be an official."

Zhou Pengtao: That hurts.

He retorted defiantly, "I am no longer as naive as I once was; I have grown up."

The emperor shook his head: "You don't believe me when I say you're not suitable. Don't you know that whether you're suitable to be an official or not is entirely up to me?"

Zheng Xun's voice remained calm, as if his rejection or not was unimportant to her: "Zhou Pengtao, whether he is suitable or not, you actually have the answer in your heart."

Zhou Pengtao's lips twitched, trying to force a nonchalant smile, but he failed.

He was silent.

“I have another path in front of you, a path that is more suitable for you than the one you are on now,” Zheng Xun said in a childish voice, but with an extremely serious tone. “If I force you to raise pigs, you will definitely resent it and you will not be able to do the things I have given you well. Therefore, I will not force you to make a decision.”

Zhou Pengtao was moved and said, "Princess..."

"I am simply telling you everything; the choice is entirely up to you."

Zhou Pengtao probed, "What if I still don't want to raise pigs?"

Zheng Xun's expression was gentle: "You can guess."

If he refuses, given his abilities, his career in officialdom will come to an end.

Therefore, Zheng Xun seemed to have given him two choices, but in reality, there was only one.

Although her soul came from another time and space, her domineering nature and uncompromising attitude were exactly like the emperor's.

Zhou Pengtao seemed to realize this as well. After a moment of silence, he suddenly cupped his hands and said, "Your subject is honored."

Since there's no way to refuse, it's better to accept it readily, lest the emperor and princess's anger and dissatisfaction accumulate.

He was somewhat dejected, but Zheng Xun was overjoyed.

She helped him up with her own hands and promised, "Pengtao, don't worry, as long as you do your job well, I will definitely not let you suffer any injustice!"

Zhou Pengtao forced a smile, revealing a smile that looked more like a grimace.

When facing his own people, Zheng Xun's attitude softened considerably, and he immediately changed his self-reference: "Then let's go. I'll go with you out of the palace to see where you'll be raising pigs in the future."

The emperor, who had been watching the spectacle unfold, suddenly stood up, his composure completely gone: "Wait! When did you prepare this place?"

Zheng Xun blinked: "What's so strange about a princess like me owning an estate?"

emperor:……

Just how much did she do in secret?

In fact, Zheng Xun didn't do much; she simply prepared a spacious estate in advance.

……

When Zhou Pengtao saw Zhuangzi, his face turned somewhat ashen.

"Isn't this place a bit too big...?"

"Big? I think it's not big enough!"

Zhou Pengtao asked suspiciously, "Princess... do you want me to die from overwork?"

Zheng Xun blinked innocently: "How could that be? Don't worry, I'll arrange some helpers for you. By the way, don't throw away the waste from those pigs. I'm also planning to set up a farm next door."

Zhou Pengtao: ?

Why would a princess choose to farm and raise pigs instead of being a princess?

Doesn't the Emperor care about her?

Zheng Xun seemed to have noticed the question in his mind and smiled brightly: "Pengtao, in the future, if the people can have enough to eat, your name will be on the list of merits."

She patted his shoulder, as if placing a heavy burden on it: "This place is in your hands now. Money, people, whatever you want, just say the word."

After making his promise, Zheng Xun waved his sleeve and left.

Zhou Pengtao was left standing there silently for a long time.

Can he really do it?

He asked himself this question in his heart.

No, he has to do it.

He was better at raising pigs than being an official. If he couldn't even do his best at something, how could he be a good official?

Seeing him in a daze, Zhuangzi's steward respectfully greeted him, "Sir?"

Zhou Pengtao snapped out of his daze, his agitated emotions gradually calming down. Seeing the empty manor, he said with high spirits, "Call everyone from the manor over; I need to make some arrangements."

There's nothing on the farm right now. He needs to go back and draw up a blueprint. To raise pigs, he first needs to build pens and troughs. Then he needs to find breeding pigs and piglets...

There were many things to do, and thinking of this, he even spoke much faster.