" Eunuch Cao, His Highness wishes to take away Wang Zhuangshi's calligraphy, frame it, and hang it in his study as a reminder. I wonder if Eunuch Cao would be willing to part with it?"
After her initial regret and resentment, Zhu Yijun expressed her appreciation for Wang Hao's answer.
This is genuine appreciation; after all, the other person's answer was truly amazing.
Originally, he, like others, had some reservations about eunuchs, but after Wang Hao's explanation, he realized that eunuchs were the most loyal subordinates of members of the royal family like himself, and would never betray them.
For a moment, he felt a greater sense of kinship with Eunuch Cao and the others.
"This servant had originally intended to do the same, but since Your Highness has spoken, this old servant is naturally obliged to give it away. Compared to this old servant, Your Highness needs it more!"
Cao Haisheng looked reluctant, but eventually agreed and gestured to Eunuch Wang behind him.
Eunuch Wang understood, and stepped forward with the wooden tray, presenting it to Zhu Yijun.
"Then I thank Eunuch Cao for his generosity... this... this calligraphy..."
Zhu Yijun thanked Cao Haisheng, but when she saw the four large characters written by Wang Hao, she was immediately dumbfounded.
This handwriting is absolutely hideous, it's reached a whole new level of ugliness!
He immediately felt a pang of regret. Would hanging those four incredibly ugly characters in his study seriously lower his social standing?
Of course, this strange look was fleeting, and Zhu Yijun calmly rolled up the paper and put it into his sleeve.
Since the words have already been spoken, even if it's with tears in my eyes, I should frame them and put them in my study.
Okay, I'll put it under the desk in the study!
This handwriting is really embarrassing!
However, Wang Hao failed to notice the fleeting eeriness on Zhu Yijun's face. He immediately picked up the brush again and wrote the four characters "The victor is king, the Prince Cheng " on the next piece of paper on the tray held by Eunuch Wang.
"There's no need for regret, Eunuch Wang. Writing four characters is nothing more than a small favor for this junior. Why don't you have one too, Eunuch Wang?"
Wang Hao was very excited to have finally met someone who appreciated his calligraphy.
"..."
This action left Zhu Yijun, Cao Haisheng, and the other two speechless, and they secretly complained about it.
Don't you have any self-awareness about how ugly your handwriting is?
"No need, we'll just write one ourselves and frame it when we get home!"
Seeing that Wang Hao was about to write again, Eunuch Wang quickly put the tray aside. He dared not accept Wang Hao's poor handwriting, otherwise it would be extremely embarrassing if it were framed!
"That works too!"
Wang Hao nodded regretfully. He had finally gotten such an opportunity, but it was over before he could even really start to perform.
This is really unpleasant!
"Your Highness, Eunuch, these are some local specialties I brought from my home. I hope you will accept them!"
Despite his regret, Wang Hao still took out the remaining nine Mystic Yang Fruit from his sleeve, divided them into two portions, and handed them to Cao Haisheng and the Three Sovereigns Zhu Yijun.
After all, these two are true big shots with extraordinary status, and befriending them would definitely not be a bad thing.
Cao Haisheng already knew from Eunuch Wang that Wang Hao possessed the Mystic Yang Fruit, so he naturally accepted the three Mystic Yang Fruit that Wang Hao offered. As for the other large one, he naturally gave it to the Three Sovereigns, Zhu Yijun.
Zhu Yijun initially didn't care about Wang Hao's so-called local specialties, after all, with his status, what kind of treasures hadn't he seen? But when he saw that the so-called local specialties were actually Mystic Yang Fruit, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.
He had seen Mystic Yang Fruit before, but he had only received one as a gift from his father at his eighteenth birthday ceremony two years ago. Now he actually saw six of them, how could he not be shocked?
After the initial shock came excitement. It was important to know that the cultivation technique he practiced was quite unique. Although it was incredibly powerful and had countless uses, it was very slow to cultivate in the early stages. However, it could be accelerated by using spiritual herbs rich in yang energy, such as the Mystic Yang Fruit.
The Mystic Yang Fruit that his father bestowed upon him two years ago saved him ten years of hard work. With these six Mystic Yang Fruit, he will surely be able to master the divine skill within three years.
" Eunuch Cao, Wang Zhuangshi has indeed rendered great service. Today, he has performed flawlessly in both the martial and literary assessments. I wonder how Eunuch Cao intends to reward Wang Zhuangshi?"
Satisfied, Zhu Yijun put the six Mystic Yang Fruit that Wang Hao handed over into her sleeve, then turned to look at Cao Haisheng and chuckled.
This was essentially him trying to get something from Wang Hao, and it could also be seen as a way of showing goodwill towards Wang Hao.
Although he couldn't bring him under his wing, he wouldn't mind trying to win over such a talented individual, at least to cultivate a good relationship.
Moreover, since they gave him such a generous gift, it would be unreasonable for him not to reciprocate.
"This old servant is also troubled by this matter. Does Your Highness have any good ideas?"
Cao Haisheng naturally understood Zhu Yijun's meaning and also spoke up to cooperate.
"I heard that Warrior Wang's sword was shattered during his battle with High Person Linghui at the Five Wheels Temple on the Great Snow Mountain. As a martial artist of Warrior Wang's caliber, he cannot be without a good weapon. How about we reward him with a divine sword?"
After some consideration, Zhu Yijun offered an opinion based on Wang Hao's situation.
"This is a brilliant idea. As the saying goes, a fine sword is a fitting match for Hero. A hero as rare as Wang Zhuangshi deserves a worthy sword. Fortunately, our Eastern Depot has a large collection of divine weapons. Why don't Your Highness and Wang Zhuangshi go to the treasury and choose one?"
Cao Haisheng, quick to flatter, immediately made a promise.
"Alright, Eunuch Cao, lead the way!"
Zhu Yijun nodded in satisfaction and gestured for Cao Haisheng to lead the way.
Although Wang Hao was reluctant, he still feigned delight and thanked Zhu Yijun, saying, "Thank you for your generous gifts, Your Highness and the Eunuch!"
In truth, he didn't really care much about divine weapons and such. After all, he was a Grandmaster craftsman who could forge so-called divine weapons and such on his own, so he really didn't lack those things.
However, since Zhu Yijun had personally spoken up, he couldn't refuse her request, so he reluctantly agreed.
The three quickly arrived at the Eastern Depot's treasury. Upon opening the treasury, they saw dozens of chests of gold and silver jewelry. However, none of the three were short of money, so they didn't even glance at the jewelry. Instead, they looked at the weapon rack on the east wall.
"Clang!"
"What a fine sword!"
Zhu Yijun picked up a beautifully crafted sword kept deep inside, drew it, and admired the cold light reflected from its blade.
This is a rare and divine sword!
Just as Zhu Yijun was about to recommend the sword in her hand to Wang Hao, she suddenly realized a rather awkward problem.
Looking at Wang Hao's imposing figure, which was at least ten feet tall, and then at the three-foot-long sword in his hand, the two seemed completely mismatched.
So the question is, what exactly was this guy's original sword?
He had only heard from his subordinates that Wang Hao's sword was broken, but he didn't know the exact shape of the sword.
Regardless of what Wang Hao's original sword was like, the sword he was currently wielding was definitely not suitable for his opponent.
Cao Haisheng, on the other side, also noticed the problem, and the two looked at each other awkwardly.
Unfortunately, the weapons he collected were all of the type used by normal people; there weren't any for someone like Wang Hao, who was an outlier.
However, ending things like this would be very awkward for both of them, since they had just made a promise and it would be too undignified for them to go back on their word so soon.
"Your Eastern Depot's resources are rather weak. Here's what we'll do: you take Wang Zhuangshi to the palace first, and I'll report to my father and have him open the secret treasury for Wang Zhuangshi. We must select a suitable divine weapon for him today."
Finally, Zhu Yijun made a promise with a hardened expression.
There was no other way; he had already accepted their local specialties, and if he couldn't even handle this matter properly, how could he face anyone?
Wang Hao, who had been following behind without saying a word, was overjoyed. The Eastern Depot's armory and the Da Ming Dynasty's imperial treasury were two completely different concepts.
He wasn't too concerned about finding suitable weapons in the palace armory; he just needed to find the best materials.
The Da Ming Dynasty lasted for two hundred years, and its foundation was exceptionally strong. Its secret treasury must have contained many treasures.
The local specialties we gave away earlier were definitely worth it!
"That kid actually has such insight?"
Emperor Mingde put down the memorial he was reviewing, looked up at his San'er standing below him, and looked somewhat surprised.
The San'er had just recounted Wang Hao's words, and in some aspects, even he was struck by their brilliance. His words were truly insightful, directly pointing out the key points of power struggles throughout history.
Honestly, emperors throughout history were all losers in power struggles; otherwise, their dynasties wouldn't have collapsed.
But now that kid is actually explaining these issues from a different perspective, and in a way that makes sense, that shows he has real talent.
" Wang Hao claims that these words were basically said by Yang Jingzhong, but I have a feeling that the fellow wasn't telling the truth; he seems to be intentionally hiding his true abilities!"
Zhu Yijun expressed his opinion, saying that he believed Yang Jingzhong was very talented, after all, he was a top scholar, and his knowledge and experience were top-notch.
However, he did not believe that those statements were all Yang Jingzhong's ideas; he simply did not understand how much of the other party's thinking actually represented his own.
Knowing how to conceal one's talents is a skill in itself; this person is truly talented!
Emperor Mingde smiled, also showing some interest in Wang Hao. After a moment's thought, he said, "I approve your suggestion. Take him to the armory to choose a weapon. This jade token can remain with you; you don't need to return it to me!"
He was quite satisfied with his San'er's performance in the Eastern Depot, especially the part where he thanked Cao Haisheng on his behalf, which pleased him greatly, so he was generous with his reward.
"Thank you for your generous gift, Your Majesty. I shall take my leave now!"
Zhu Yijun was overjoyed to receive the jade token. He suppressed his excitement, bowed to express his gratitude, and then slowly left the imperial study.
"Court officials! Confucian School!"
Emperor Mingde, sitting in his study, looked up and sighed deeply, feeling very troubled and bitter.
Before ascending the throne, when he was just a prince, he thought the throne was a symbol of supreme power. But when he actually sat on the throne, he realized that the Da Ming Dynasty was already in imminent danger.
He has devoted himself to this cause for the past three years, but he has only been able to barely keep it afloat.
The influence of Confucian School is simply too great, leaving him only able to Da Ming keep the Ming Dynasty afloat, and it's uncertain how much longer he can sustain it.
Leaving aside Emperor Mingde's troubled and chaotic thoughts, Zhu Yijun, who was holding the jade token, soon met up with Cao Haisheng and Wang Hao, who were waiting outside. The three of them headed to the Da Ming's secret vault together.
Throughout the journey, Zhu Yijun could not hide the joy on his face. His joy was not due to the usefulness of the jade token itself, but rather to the Emperor's reward.
This proves that his father thinks highly of him, which is especially important in the competition for the position of crown prince in the future.
After all, the Emperor has not yet established a crown prince in the three years since his ascension to the throne. With the Emperor's example as a precedent, although the eldest prince has a considerable advantage, they are not without a chance.
The Emperor's appreciation and reward for him this time is a very good omen. As long as he continues to work hard, he will eventually become the Crown Prince, or even the highest position!
Wang Hao and Cao Haisheng, who were following behind, also noticed Zhu Yijun's joy, but neither of them knew the secret behind it and dared not ask any questions. They continued walking in silence.
The Da Ming Imperial Palace was enormous, and it took Wang Hao a full Tokiomi to reach the location of the secret vault.
With the jade token shown by Zhu Yijun, the three of them entered the secret vault without any trouble.
This secret vault truly lived up to its reputation as a major treasure of the Da Ming Dynasty imperial family, containing countless rare and precious items. Wang Hao alone saw four or five thousand-year-old ginseng plants, as well as many other valuable medicinal herbs.
Wang Hao's eyes lit up at the sight, and he wanted nothing more than to swallow all the spiritual herbs.
Unfortunately, that's impossible!
Reluctantly turning his gaze away from the area where the spiritual herbs were placed, Wang Hao turned his attention to the area where the divine weapons and artifacts were displayed.
This truly reflects the profound heritage of the Da Ming Dynasty imperial family; the total number of various types of divine weapons and artifacts exceeds ten thousand, all of which are rare and exceptional.
He saw many divine weapons of the same caliber as the Mysterious Water Sword here, and he even saw a long spear that was made of Ten-Thousand-Refined True Steel.
His gaze swept over the Wang Hao only briefly before finally settling on a dark, heavy broadsword and a broken longsword placed together.
The material of these two swords is extraordinary; they are almost entirely made of pure Profound Iron, and judging from their size, they must weigh at least a thousand Profound Iron.
Wang Hao became interested in the two swords, but when he saw the words engraved on the hilts, his heart skipped a beat.
" Heaven-Reliant Dragon-Slaying!"