Chapter 34

Chapter Thirty-Four: Regaining Control

Zhao Cheng smiled as he circled around the few monks. They didn’t know what this child wanted, but they now understood that the little guy had an extremely high status in the mansion. Whether they could gain any advantage today depended on him. Zhao Cheng tugged at the robe of the leading monk and touched the Buddha statue he was holding, saying, "Look at you all, wearing new clothes and holding a Buddha statue that’s worth hundreds of strings of cash. But you don’t produce anything, you don’t farm. Where do all these things come from? Could it be that you stole them?"

"How can a monk violate the precept against stealing? These are all offerings from believers!" the monk immediately replied.

"Hah, that sounds good, but aren’t they just sweet talk to deceive people? Who would give you anything for no reason? You’ve just turned open theft into covert robbery!" Zhao Cheng pointed at the night workers and said, "Look at those people! They work hard all year but can barely cover their bodies or fill their stomachs. They have to resort to all sorts of methods to earn a living. You are even worse than them. The Emperor has already granted temple fields to support you, but you are still greedy and find ways to amass wealth. Your faces are incredibly thick. You complain about not having enough white rice, do you want to keep concubines outside?"

"Amitabha, young benefactor, you disrespect the Buddha and the monks, you will surely suffer retribution!" The monk’s face turned red with anger and embarrassment.

"Hehe, just because you shave your heads, you call yourselves monks. I want to argue with you in front of the Buddha. Monks should avoid greed, anger, and hatred. The Buddha wore simple clothes and walked the world with a bowl and a staff, experiencing the suffering of the people and saving all beings. You dare to use the Buddha to scare people. Even the Buddha, a deity, would be angered by you, his unworthy disciples!"

"Ha!" Everyone laughed, criticizing the monks, saying they were less reasonable than a child. The situation was clear: the man was giving out porridge, rice, and money, clearly not a miser. He just didn’t like the monks’ behavior, and it was understandable if he didn’t give them anything.

The monks were left speechless by Zhao Cheng’s arguments. Moreover, in people’s hearts, children are the weak, and protecting the weak is a natural instinct, making it easy to gain sympathy. Several aunts and sisters, their maternal instincts flaring, began to criticize the monks for their harsh words. The night workers, feeling grateful, cheered even louder. Zhao Cheng had the advantage of time, place, and public opinion, and he received high praise from the "public." The monks, now exposed as parasites, were forced to flee, covering their faces with their robes.

By now, it was already dark. The cold moonlight bathed the entire courtyard, and the north wind whistled, making the lanterns under the eaves sway. It was the coldest time of the year, and even cats and dogs had retreated to their nests, curling up to stay warm.

In the summer courtyard, Guihua stood by the second gate, stomping her feet and blowing on her hands, her eyes fixed on the door. It was already this late, and the second master had not returned. This was the fifth day, and he had been leaving early and returning late every day, no one knew what he was doing.

"Clippity-clop." Just as Guihua was getting anxious, the sound of hooves came from the darkness. Two lanterns lit up, and a group of people approached.

"Second Master, be careful, let me help you down!" Meng Tao jumped off his horse first and held Zhao Cheng’s horse by the reins.

"Thank you, Master Meng!" Zhao Cheng said with a smile, but his face was frozen, and his smile turned into a grimace. With Meng Tao’s help, he managed to dismount, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he let out a pained cry, his body swaying.

"Second Master, what’s wrong?" Guihua hurried over to support him.

"Second Master has been riding for a long time, his feet must be numb from the cold!" Meng Tao explained.

"Sister Guihua, it’s fine. Master Meng is right. I’ll be fine after a few steps!" Zhao Cheng hobbled a few steps.

"Let me carry you in?" Fengxi heard the commotion and ran out, seeing the state of the Second Master.

"No need!" Zhao Cheng waved his hand. "Fengxi, tell the kitchen to prepare some hot food and warm some wine. Everyone has been running around all day and must be tired. Let’s have a few drinks to warm up!"

"Second Master, you don’t need to worry. Their families have already prepared everything, the beds are warm, and they are just waiting for them to return, right?" Meng Tao smiled at the guards behind him, his eyes glancing at Guihua, who was supporting Zhao Cheng.

"Hehe, we should thank Second Master for his concern. Bringing our families here allows us to have a happy New Year!" one of the guards said with a smile.

"Sinful, sinful, I forgot about that. Everyone, go back quickly and apologize to your wives. We won’t go out tomorrow. Rest and spend time with your families. I’ll visit your homes another day!" Zhao Cheng bowed to the group.

"Second Master, you are too kind. Serving such a master is our blessing. They can only be grateful and would never dare to blame you!" the guards quickly replied.

"Alright, go back quickly, or your wives will really scold me for being inconsiderate!" Zhao Cheng laughed. "Fengxi, give everyone two packs of pastries to take home, so they don’t have to kneel in punishment!"

"Thank you, Second Master. We’ll take the horses back first. You should rest early!" The guards bowed as they escorted Zhao Cheng into the courtyard. Their thanks were heartfelt. After several days of running around, even these men, who trained daily, felt exhausted. The Second Master, being a child, must have been even more tired, yet he still thought of everyone, which deeply moved them.

After watching the guards leave, Zhao Cheng limped into the house. In his previous life, he had ridden planes, tanks, and submarines, but never a horse. Now he realized that while riding a horse looked impressive, it was also very painful. As a beginner, he had no experience and had learned to control the horse over the past two days, but his buttocks and inner thighs were chafed and sore, causing him intense pain with every movement.

"Second Master, have a cup of hot tea to warm your stomach before eating!" Zhao Cheng entered the room, looking exhausted, and slumped onto the soft couch. Seeing the pastries on the table, he grabbed one and stuffed it into his mouth. Guihua quickly took it from him, helping him remove his cloak.

"I’m starving, I need to eat something!" Zhao Cheng let Guihua remove his boots and used the towel she brought to wipe his hands and face. He then grabbed another pastry and mumbled with his mouth full.

"Second Master, warm yourself by the fire. Your face is blue from the cold. The kitchen is making ginger soup, it will be ready soon!" Huahua brought the brazier over and placed it at his feet, concerned.

"It’s really cold today. I’m frozen to the bone!" Zhao Cheng warmed his hands and feet by the brazier, drank a cup of hot tea, and gradually felt his body warm up, his face regaining some color.

After arranging Zhao Cheng, Guihua and Huahua went to the kitchen to hurry the food. When they returned with the food boxes, they found the Second Master had already fallen asleep on the couch, still holding half a pastry in his hand.

"Second Master, Second Master!" Huahua called softly, but there was no response.

"Don’t wake him. He’s exhausted. Let him sleep!" Guihua covered him with a light blanket and whispered. When she gently pried open Zhao Cheng’s hand to take the pastry, she saw that his hands were chafed and raw, revealing fresh, tender flesh. "Huahua, go to Doctor Wang and get some medicine. The Second Master’s hands are chafed!"

The two women warmed the food by the brazier and quietly left. As they reached the main hall, they saw Jianxi enter, looking tired. "Jianxi, you really should advise the Second Master more. Look how exhausted he is. What have you been doing these past few days?" Guihua said with a hint of blame.

"Sigh, the Second Master insisted on going out. What could I do? These days, he has walked every inch of our estate and visited every household. Today, we followed the White Water River all day. I don’t understand what he’s trying to do," Jianxi said, having just finished a task with the second steward. He was also exhausted.

"Jianxi, are the things I asked for ready?" Zhao Cheng, hearing the voices, called from the inner room.

"Second Master, everything is ready. I’ll bring it in!" Jianxi quickly had the little eunuchs carry in a pile of items.

"Take it to the small study. I’ll take a bath first, then we’ll eat. We have a busy night ahead!" Zhao Cheng walked out, rubbing his eyes. "Sister Guihua, find me a set of silk undergarments and put it in the changing room!"

"Second Master, you don’t usually like silk clothes. Why are you asking for them today?" Huahua asked, watching the Second Master waddle into the bathroom.

"Second Master’s thighs must also be chafed. Cotton clothes would rub and hurt," Jianxi said with a bitter smile. He had also been riding for days and his buttocks were sore.

Steam filled the bathroom as the little eunuchs from the boiler room continuously poured hot water into the bath. Zhao Cheng lay in the tub, letting the warm water envelop his body. The cold slowly left his body, and a fine layer of sweat appeared on his face. His tense muscles relaxed.

He touched his chest and pinched his arm, a bitter smile on his lips. Sometimes, people are just masochistic. Lying in bed, being served good food and drink, one becomes weak like a blade of grass. Now, he practiced martial arts and worked the fields with the servants, pushing himself like a donkey, but his body had not only not collapsed, it had become stronger. Truly, a prince’s body was meant for hard work.

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The story continues.