Slag Shou Cultivating Manual Chapter 4

/ /

Jiang~~ Surprise chapter to make up. Enjoy!

After eating dinner, the little devil king was willing to leave.

When He Lang came to this world, he had been rushed into dealing with him before he had had time to adapt. Finally alone, he calmed down but felt that his head was still aching .

When he returned to the bedroom to wash up, He Lang discovered that he was carrying the manual that had threatened him after his resurrection.

As soon as he saw this manual, He Lang remembered that he had a mission to complete in this own world.

The manual was black and the cover was blank, but Helang knew that it was sentient. He talked to it and directly asked his question. “You said that you want me to help someone win success and recognition, who do you want me to help? How do you calculate success and recognition?”

The manual was very aloof, and it didn't stay much. It shook open and revealed a blank piece of paper with a name written on it: “Zhen Pu Yang”.

He Lang's calm dark pupil seems to contain a ripple. Sure enough, that boy is the subject of his mission.

Then another piece of paper opened, the handwriting as concise and succinct as before, only wrote “the power to rule all under the heavens".

He Lang was immersed himself in his thoughts. He felt that the task was a bit tricky. The power under heaven is the tasks, but regarding this, there is only one person who succeeds in the end. The difficulty can be imagined, and that position is not necessarily suitable for the disposition of that child, who was carefree and unruly. He worriedly asked: “If it can't be completed?”

[You will stay in this world until you complete it. 】

When He Lang read the small print on the booklet, his heart dropped, and had an impulse to vomit blood.

Compared with life and death, time and reincarnation could tormenting most people more. Repeatedly living a world over and over again, if he did not complete the task. It would be endless cycle which no one could endure.

The words from the manual made him depressed, which brought his thoughts back to the most basic point.
The purpose of coming to this world is not simple. Since he has already agreed, he has no room for remorse.

He was a selfish person. He was clearly knew that his future behavior will imprison a naturally free child in the golden cage of the luxurious palace, but he still has to do it.

In the next few days, Zhen Pu Yang did not come looking for him. He heard that he was being thought by Lin concubine and he did go look for him. It was just as well since it allowed him to ponder how to catch this devil incarnate.

After the morning court, he was cautious and spoke less, for fear of revealing his ident.i.ty.

At the same time, he also realized that he needed more information about this world. Hence, he specially mixed with a group of high-ranking officials during the next court session to talk with them about politics.

During this period, he even intentionally or intentionally gave some of the treasures in the warehouse to them. Even if he was a high ranking official, he still adress d them as his senior. This att.i.tude really pleased those officials.

They originally saw that he had become a high-ranking official in the prime of his life and nurtured a seed of unfairness in their heart. Not to mention that he was usually silent and rarely interacted with people. In their eyes he was n.o.ble and aloof.

When they interacted with him, they realized that he was actually humble and courteous. Furthermore, he was a high official, hence the other officials wanted to build a bridge with him.

He Lang was afraid that attract too much attention and  give others the opportunity to scheme against him. As such, he only met a few high-ranking officials whom he worked with. The rest were neither warm nor cold towards him, and they could only count as acquaintances. As a result, he gradually learned about the situation inside the palace.

For example, for the prince he's most concerned about, the situation is not complicated, but because of his honest disposition, it was not advantageous for him. Although Zhen Pu Yang is favored, the position of Crown Prince is not his.

The crown prince, Zhen Pu Jia, the prince, was the empress' son, and was also the emperor's first son. His maternal uncle was an important general in court, and his relatives had also taken over the government affairs of the dynasty.

Zhen Pu Jia himself, regarding his talent, seemed to appear mediocre. Even after taking over affairs of the government for four years, he did not step out of bounds.

Towards someone like this who confirms with the norms of society, no one could find any hole to exploit, so even if the other princes were ambitious, they would never be able to surmount this mountain.

He Lang carefully pondered. The other princes will fight against the crown prince, so Zhen Pu Yang must not join this battle to create unnecessary troubles for himself. It was best to wait and see, then profit from others' conflict.

The other princes did not have him in mind and he did not know whether there was anyone they needed to be vigilant against, so it was best to take their time.

Fortunately, Zhen Pu Yang, this spoiled prince, only acted arrogant and wilful, leaving others with the impression that he was merely a rich spoiled son and not interested in political affairs.

Although the rest of the princes was envious of him, they did not regard him as an opponent. It was the emperor who also subtly indicated that he did not intend to give him the throne. He only hoped that he would become an idle prince in the future.

This situation may not seem very advantageous right now, but He Lang feels that this was also the best protection for Zhen Pu Yang.

Even if He Lang racked his brains and thought of a scheme for Zhen Pu Yang, he remembered that he did not even know where said prince was right now gallivanting, and He Lang would be get depressed.

The emperor said that they should go to school to read and practice their writing every day, but this most doted ninth prince was really without limits. Even if he wanted to go out during schooling, no one would stop him.  Even if Zhen Pu Yang does not attend school, it's not a problem. Indulged to such extreme that he has only one tutor, really letting him do whatever he wants.

If he waits for the little devil to find him, chances of him showing up was too loo, but He Lang still didn't take the initiative to go to the palace to find him. His daily whereabouts were uncertain, and he didn't have the resources to look for him, so he has someone call Zhen Pu Yang. Finally after a few days, Zhen Pu Yang reluctantly came to his house. He was thoroughly stained with the smell of alcohol.

He Lang frowned slightly at Zhen Pu Yang whose cheeks was flushed and surrounded by many servants attending to him and still swaying. He did not have the appearance of a gentleman, more like a white silk pants son of n.o.bility.

(TN: white silk pants: from a rich family)

“Take the ninth prince to the washroom to take a bath.” He told the maid around him.

Zhen Pu Yang refused, he came here because the servants sent by Imperial Tutor were too annoying. He had come merely for perfunctory, but he was not so leisurely and carefree as to take a bath.
“What do you want? To study or practice writing, hurry and say it. This highness doesn't have much spare time.”

He Lang turned towards him, obviously in a bad mood. He thought to himself that this white silk pants, beside gallivanting, he had no serious duties and he still said that he was not available. “This servant dislikes the stench of alcohol on your body, so forgive this official for not being in a talkative mood.”

Zhen Pu Yang's eyes submerged in his astonishment. Imperial Tutor said he would not talk to him when he drank alcohol. Then wasn't coming here a waste of time? He gazed at He Lang's still indifferent face, there was a faint frown between his eyebrows reflecting anger, not hate, and his eyes seemed to be scolding him, unexpectedly distinct in appearance.

He immediately withdrew his gaze, frowned, and compromised to follow the maid to bathe and change clothes. He immediately tried to erase that appearance in his head. Imperial Tutor is a man, so why did he use the word 'scold'? He didn't know if he had had to much to drink but he suddenly felt overheated.

(TN: 嗔怪 to blame/scold – tried to look up
external meaning but there's none. Maybe he is referring to Chinese (universal actually) culture of scolding because you care for someone)

After the bath and feeling refreshed, Zhen Pu Yang dressed neatly and came out. He Lang satisfactorily nodded, and there was an inconspicuous smile in his eyes. This was the first step. Since he can make him compromise this once, he can make him compromise 100 times.

Zhen Pu Yang didn't know what He Lang was thinking in his head. He only thought that when his eyes crinkled, his pupils reflected fragments light and was very breathtaking. Zhen Pu Yang's anger also scattered, and defeated, he looked at the completely full bookshelf in front of him and impatiently asked: “What do you want this highness to do with those book?"

He Lang glanced at him, thinking that his character was really lacking, but he still didn't make a sound. He browsed through the books on the bookshelf and most of the felt familiar to him.

He was also a prince in his original world. Although he was not a favored one, he also received education for the royal household. Hence, these books had once been read by him so he knew, they contained many principles, but not much practicality.

He shook his head and put down the book.

He had not taught Zhen Pu Yang from when he was five or six years old. Now that he was twelve years old, if he saw these books again he feared that he would not want to again. He thought that for these few years, he would teach Zhen Pu Yang the way of the emperor,hiw to manage his men, and how to manage his capital.

He Lang handed him a heavy book. When Zhen Pu Yang saw the t.i.tle description of the way of the emperor, he didn't even bother to open it. He did not even bother to open it and refused. His tone was rather unyielding. “This is not to be seen by this Highness.” Everyone knew that he didn't like to join his brothers in this kind of fighting, so why did he give him this book? Did he want to provoke him?

He Lang frowned, if only he had known that the child would be so shrewd upon seeing the book. Giving him these books to read, his intentions was too obvious. He selfreflected and did not continue to force him to read. He planned to let him learn how to act more gentlemanly but those old books were too pedantic.

As he lightly swept through the books, finally, he picked a book that could not be considered orthodox. It was a book that could only be a miscellaneous book.

(TN: 杂书 means books not related to imperial examinations or profession. In that era it could be considered misc.)

The book was worn and incomplete, the binding was falling apart. It looked similar to those books circulating in the upper cla.s.s market. The content was thought provoking and exquisite reasoning similar to being enlightened. He Lang thought if he let Zhen Pu Yang read this light book. He might not be so against reading books.

Zhen Pu Yang had some doubts about the old book he had handed over. A pair of narrow eyes swept up it and down. When he saw the subject, he hesitated to pick it up and asked him slightly: “Don't want this highness to read the Book of Filial Piety?”

When he first went to school, the old man who taught him would ask him to read the book of filial piety and rituals, and he would have to copy the contents of it for a while. If he made a mistake, he would have to re-write it several times until he memorised it.

After a few times, even if his mother scolded him, he would never go back. But he also knows that all his brothers are learning those orthodox books. How can Imperial Tutor give him this kind of book to learn?

He Lang thought, although Zhen Pu Yang was arrogant and spoiled, but he was not an unfilial person. Making him read superfluous books was also a waste of effort.  and the bathroom replied so as to downplay. “No need. Everything you need to know is easy to remember. To repay someone's kindness in kind is only common sense.”

“Interesting, since when where your thoughts to penetrating? If it was known by others that you say that The Filial Piety book is one you don't need to learn, I don't know how many people will denounce you.”

The mouth of Zhen Pu Yang said quite mockingly. He picked up the old book and started turning over a few pages. It was not written in the way Cla.s.sical Chinese literature principles and the words were so blunt, perhaps in the eyes the n.o.bles and royals, could even be considered coa.r.s.e.

However, the more he read the more he find it interesting, so he follows his (HL) wish and reads it.

He throws a glance at Imperial Tutor and inwardly thinks that this person is getting more and more strange. Even dared to show him these miscellaneous books. If this was known by the other scholars, he would be ridiculed.

Although He Lang left him dinner, but Zhen Pu Yang did not forget about last time when mocked his slender body and refused to eat and went back to the palace.

On the way, he clenched his teeth and said to the attendant whi had come from the palace: “From now on tell the kitchen staff to prepare meat dishes!"

That day, the cook in the imperial kitchen cried tears of joy since the ninth prince stopped being picky with his meals.