Chapter 367: Chapter 223: My Lord_3
"Master is indeed the smartest person in the world." Zheng Qian said proudly and confidently.
Hey, hey, hey, Zheng Qian, what do you mean by looking so proud? Did I agree to be your master? And who told you I’m the smartest person in the world? How come I didn’t know that myself?
"I am not, I didn’t, don’t talk nonsense." Zhao Yao shook his head vigorously, "I’m not the smartest person in the world you’re saying, I’m just an ordinary person!"
"Master, don’t be modest, you are indeed the smartest person in the world!" Zheng Qian looked at Zhao Yao with eyes full of fervor.
Zhao Yao felt a chill from Zheng Qian’s gaze, quickly stepping back a few paces to maintain distance.
"I’m not! I’m very dull at studying! I’m definitely not the smartest person in the world, don’t talk nonsense!" After saying that, he ran off.
"Master!" Zheng Qian hurriedly chased after him, but after just a few steps, Zheng Rang stopped him by the wrist.
Zheng Rang gave Zheng Cheng a look, and Zheng Cheng understood, quickly running after Zhao Yao.
"Your Highness, please wait."
Upon hearing Zheng Cheng’s voice, Zhao Yao stopped. He turned around to see only Zheng Cheng following and felt a wave of relief.
"Zheng Cheng, what’s up with your younger brother, how can he mistakenly recognize a master like that?" Zhao Yao was still startled by Zheng Qian’s earlier words, "If I had known your brother would wrongly recognize me as a master, I wouldn’t have come to play chess with him even if it killed me."
"Your Highness, I apologize." Zheng Cheng said with a remorseful expression, "My younger brother has always been a bit weird, don’t take his words to heart."
"No, I think your younger brother was serious just now, he didn’t look like he was joking."
"Your Highness, he was just acting crazy, don’t believe his words."
"Of course I won’t take his words to heart." Zhao Yao waved his hand at Zheng Cheng, "It’s getting late, I should get some rest, so I’ll take my leave for now."
"Your Highness, I truly apologize for scaring you..." Zheng Cheng said, his face full of guilt.
"It’s fine, I’m not upset." Zhao Yao said with a grin, "Zheng Zhengshi’s cooking was delicious, it wasn’t a wasted trip tonight."
Hearing Zhao Yao say this, Zheng Cheng felt reassured.
"I’m leaving now."
"Take care, Your Highness." Zheng Cheng didn’t pry about where Zhao Yao would be resting.
Zhao Yao hopped away, with Tong Xi quickly following behind him.
Seeing Zhao Yao’s cute back as he hopped away, Zheng Cheng couldn’t help but laugh. Then he remembered Zheng Qian’s earlier words, and the smile on his face froze, prompting him to rush back.
Zheng Rang didn’t know what to say upon seeing Zheng Qian’s seriousness.
Zheng Cheng quickly asked, "Little brother, are you serious?"
"Of course I’m serious." Zheng Qian thought he was being very earnest, wondering why his brothers would think he was joking. "The tenth prince is exactly the master I’ve been looking for!"
"Just because the tenth prince beat you in chess?" Zheng Cheng asked incredulously, "Are you saying the tenth prince is smarter than you just because he won a game?"
"Just because he beat you in two games, you think the tenth prince is more intelligent than you?" Zheng Rang asked, astonished, "You only lost to the tenth prince in military strategy, it doesn’t mean you would lose to him in everything else."
"Big brother, wasn’t it you who invited the master to play chess with me, and didn’t you both hope the master would beat me?" Zheng Qian looked strangely at his two elder brothers, "Now that the master has beaten me, shouldn’t you be happy?"
That sweet "master" was called so endearingly, much sweeter than when calling them.
"But we didn’t expect you to recognize the tenth prince as your master." Zheng Rang took a deep breath to calm himself. "Little brother, acknowledging the tenth prince as your master isn’t child’s play, don’t mess around."
"Exactly, little brother, you can’t be capricious!"
Zheng Qian frowned discontentedly upon hearing his brothers’ words, "Big brother, second brother, when have I ever acted childishly or capriciously?"
Zheng Cheng bluntly said, "Haven’t you done enough capricious and childish things since you were little?"
"What seems capricious in your eyes is serious to me!" Zheng Qian said solemnly, "The matter of my master is not a joke!"
"What is your status, and what is the tenth prince’s status?" Zheng Rang said with a cold face, "Do you know what consequences would arise if you recognized the tenth prince as your master?"
"What consequences?" Zheng Qian sneered, "Big brother, second brother, are you afraid that my recognizing the tenth prince as my master would bring trouble and danger to the Zheng Family?"
"Knowing this, you still acknowledge the tenth prince as your master."
"Big brother, second brother, you always say that I’m capricious, that I’m selfish, and that I don’t consider you, our father, or the Zheng Family. But aren’t you just as selfish?" Zheng Qian wasn’t oblivious. In fact, with his extraordinary intelligence, he understood everything; he just chose not to say it. "You came to the capital for your careers, so why can’t I do the same for mine?"