Zhang Tie felt neither particular fondness nor dislike for the Crown Prince of Xuanyuan Hill.
The reason he felt no fondness was that the Crown Prince's Grand Tutor was Meng Shidao. The Crown Prince and Meng Shidao were naturally on the same side, while Meng Shidao's relationship with Huaiyuan Hall meant that Zhang Tie, as a descendant of Huaiyuan Hall and the Zhang Family's Supreme Elder with Duke Huaiyuan's blood still flowing through his veins, was naturally not on the same side as the Crown Prince.
The reason he felt no dislike was that, even now, the Crown Prince of Xuanyuan Hill still enjoyed a good reputation throughout Great Xia. There had never been any reports of misconduct by the Crown Prince from Xuanyuan Hill. And now, with the Holy War underway and the Devil Race invading, as regent, the Crown Prince was able to shoulder Great Xia's burden, remain seated in Xuanyuan Hill, and stabilize the situation in Great Xia. Zhang Tie still held a measure of admiration for him. At the very least, Zhang Tie asked himself—if he were made Crown Prince, he would not have the patience or ability for such a role.
To Zhang Tie, the Crown Prince of Xuanyuan Hill felt like those wealthy tycoons and great figures from the Andaman City-State Alliance he had heard about back when he had still been a nobody in Black Flame City. Zhang Tie could not say he liked such wealthy tycoons and great figures, nor could he say he disliked them. But now that he had dealings with them, and now that he held value in their eyes, he could only brace himself and deal with them properly.
That was courtesy. Zhang Tie's mother had often told him that one must observe proper courtesy in life.
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