Chapter 927: Wanderer of the Four Seas
The people of Gao Family Village had returned.
Li Daoxuan’s attention was no longer fixed on them.
That evening, Li Daoxuan ordered Squirrel Fish takeout, locking his view onto the bustling Xi'an. As he ate, he watched the miniature figures in the diorama box go about their lively affairs.
It was almost time for the daily Gaojia News broadcast.
The common folk of Xi'an naturally began to move towards Caishikou Square.
At this hour every day, the Prince of Qin’s Kulinan would also arrive.
Sure enough, today was no exception; the glittering Kulinan rolled up.
As usual, the heir sat in the driver's seat. On both sides of the vehicle, two rows of mounted princely guards rode alongside, creating an air of opulence.
What was different from usual, however, was a masked figure sitting in the Kulinan's passenger seat. They wore a Heavenly Lord-style knight's outfit, a large conical hat on their head, and a black veil obscuring their face...
The onlookers immediately began to murmur and speculate: “The heir is up to his old tricks again. Who knows where he spent money to hire some wandering knight to sit beside him, and even dress him in a Heavenly Lord-style knight's outfit. What’s he trying to pull?”
“You don't know the heir by now? He’s completely incapable of anything meaningful. How could he ever pull off a real trick?”
“That knight definitely isn't a good person.”
“He's surely helping the heir do his dirty work.”
“No... don’t say that... The heir hasn't really done anything *terribly* evil, just plays a prank or two now and then.”
No one knew, of course, that the masked knight was none other than the heir himself!
And the 'heir' sitting in the main driver's seat was the actor Zhao Si!
These past few days, Zhao Si had truly been reveling in glory and wealth. Living the life of such princely extravagance, he was almost at the point of 'enjoying this place so much, he forgets his home'.
He was incredibly busy, though.
Every day he had to study, learn to read and write, master the intricate rules and etiquette of the princely estate, use portraits to memorize faces, and familiarize himself with all the heir's former acquaintances. He had to know every official in Xi'an by name at first sight. He even had to learn the names of countless mountain delicacies, exotic seafood, and rare curiosities...
He also needed to develop a discerning eye for famous paintings, poetry, sculptures, and all sorts of other obscure cultural artifacts, lest he expose his true identity in high society.
Zhao Si hadn't realized it until he started learning, but the princely dandy wasn't quite the waste he seemed. The knowledge he'd acquired since childhood was indeed far greater than what ordinary poor folk like them possessed. It was just... the dandy hadn't applied any of it to proper pursuits. All of it was squandered on hedonistic pleasures, rendering it effectively useless.
At that moment, Zhu Cunji spoke in a hushed tone: “Keep your foot on the brake. There’s a crowd here. If you accidentally run over a commoner, the Heavenly Lord will smash you flat with one hand.”
Zhao Si was, of course, careful. He wasn't some high-and-mighty figure who 'didn't care about human lives.' He feared hitting the common folk even more than Zhu Cunji did.
His foot remained pressed on the brake, not daring to twitch a muscle.
The glittering Kulinan threaded its way through the streets, arriving beneath the 'Prince of Qin's Heir's Exclusive Viewing Platform'.
Once the car was parked, Zhao Si finally let out a sigh of relief.
But the moment he stepped out of the vehicle, he faced a major challenge. The Governor of Shaanxi, Lian Guoshi, approached, waving at Zhao Si from a distance: “Your Royal Highness, may this humble official also share your exclusive spot today?”
Zhao Si felt a surge of panic, sweat beading on his brow. He frantically replayed his training, again and again, desperately searching his memory for the man’s face.
Beside him, Zhu Cunji was equally terrified.
Finally, Zhao Si remembered: “Ah, Governor Lian!” He was about to speak courteously when he abruptly recalled the heir's strong disdain for civil officials. He swiftly adopted a sneering, sarcastic tone: “Governor Lian, you civil officials, with your boundless influence and connections, you even torment the Emperor until he's at his wits' end. Building your own platform to watch Gaojia News shouldn't be too difficult for you, should it?”
A perfect retort!
Beside him, Zhu Cunji was overjoyed: “What an excellent stand-in! Truly, he was born to be an actor.”
Lian Guoshi, having been 'roasted,' showed no anger. He knew the heir was just like this, and he'd grown accustomed to it. Without bothering to ask for the heir's permission, he simply lifted his foot and squeezed into the heir's exclusive spot.
Zhao Si huffed indignantly: “Hey, move over! Don't sit so close to this heir. I don't like you!”
Despite the dramatic display, the two still ended up sitting side-by-side.
Lian Guoshi glanced at the 'martial artist' sitting on the heir's other side, and asked curiously, “And who might this be?”
Zhao Si snorted, “This is my highly paid guard, known in the martial world as... known as... er, what was your name again?”
Zhu Cunji quickly lowered his voice: “Wanderer of the Four Seas, Zhu Piaoling.”
Lian Guoshi was utterly bewildered. What kind of outlandish name and ridiculous moniker was that? It sounded incredibly pretentious, but in reality, it was just plain silly.
Zhao Si beamed triumphantly: “With the esteemed Knight Zhu protecting me, I can boldly indulge in all the finest foods and drinks, and live my days in utter comfort.”
Lian Guoshi simply dismissed him as a madman. Never mind, just ignore him.
Just then, the screen flickered, and Gaojia News began.
These past few days, Gaojia News had been predominantly featuring reports from Luoyang. Gao Yiye appeared on screen, a faint trace of melancholy in her smile: “The Heavenly Lord, with his supreme divine power, has resolved the locust plague in Luoyang. The people of Luoyang have painted a ‘Locust Eradication Scroll’ for the Heavenly Lord...”
The camera then zoomed in on a painting, the very one Gao Yiye had purchased from the impoverished scholar in Luoyang.
Gao Yiye smiled: “Episode 13 of *The Legend of Dao Xuan Heavenly Lord: Exterminator of Demons* will detail the story that unfolded in Luoyang. Please look forward to it.”
Zhu Cunji gasped, “Ah, I truly wish I could go see Luoyang!”
Lian Guoshi looked at him quizzically. “?”
Zhu Cunji, realizing his slip of the tongue, quickly clamped his mouth shut.
But obsession, once it takes root, is not easily shaken.
Though he kept silent, his mind couldn't help but race.
Zhu Cunji watched as the screen continuously displayed scenes from Luoyang. Factories were springing up all over the city’s outskirts, and construction teams, composed of Luoyang’s own people, were bustling with fervor as they laid railway tracks...
“Not enough iron!”
A Blue Hat exclaimed, when suddenly, a colossal golden hand appeared in the sky. The Heavenly Lord, clutching a massive pile of iron spheres, slowly lowered them from above.
The workers below immediately erupted in loud cheers: “Thank you, Heavenly Lord!”
The scene shifted, cutting to a coal mine under the Prince of Fu’s patronage. Large groups of workers were bustling at the mine entrance, hauling out dark, gleaming ore. Every face was beaming with smiles.
The camera shifted again, showing Gao Family Village’s merchant ships, laden with handcrafted goods, sailing downstream on the Yellow River. On both banks, the majestic and magnificent canyons of the Yellow River unfolded, a breathtaking panorama.
Zhu Cunji could no longer contain himself. He sprang to his feet and cupped his fist at Zhao Si, saying: “Your Royal Highness, I must resign. I can no longer protect you. I am going to become a Wanderer of the Four Seas. Though mountains may not meet, waters always flow. We shall meet again.”
With that, Zhu Cunji strode purposefully down from the viewing platform.
The guards, completely unaware he was the genuine Zhu Cunji, made no move to stop him.
But his sworn bodyguards quietly followed him into the crowd...
Li Daoxuan watched the entire scene unfold. A faint smile played at the corner of his lips.
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