Inside the grand hall, the two continued to chat.
They chatted happily, talking all the way after lunch until the sky outside turned into dusk again, and Cheng Zheng reacted.
"Time really flies by without us realizing."
He was a bit surprised, then looked at Chen An with some emotion, "Talking with you, Chang'an, is truly a rare pleasure."
"The ancients said that it's hard to find a confidant, and I think they were referring to someone like you."
"I'm just a mere mortal, not worthy to be a confidant of Your Highness."
Chen An smiled modestly.
"You don't have to be like this."
Cheng Zheng also smiled, "Humility is good, but too much humility isn't good."
"Your talents, others may not know, but can't I not know?"
"What do you know?"
"How can I not know what talents I have?"
Chen An inwardly complained and showed a polite smile, feeling a bit embarrassed.
However, at this moment, Cheng Zheng seemed to interpret his smile differently, reading some approval in it.
"Chang'an, you are a clever person, let's not beat around the bush."
Watching the sky outside, Cheng Zheng's expression gradually turned serious.
Seeing his serious expression, Chen An understood that the real deal was about to come.
Indeed, in the next moment, Cheng Zheng's expression changed, and he said, "I lack someone like you by my side. Are you willing to come work for me?"
As he said this, his gaze was fixed on Chen An, looking a bit nervous.
Although Cheng Zheng could guess Chen An's choice based on his previous actions, he still couldn't help but feel nervous at this moment.
After all, such matters were never certain.
What if the other party refused?
Wouldn't that be an awkward situation?
In his heart, Cheng Zheng truly admired Chen An and sincerely hoped he would work for him.
So, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous and anxious.
The so-called fear of failure probably felt like this.
In the end, Chen An didn't disappoint him.
Facing Cheng Zheng's gaze, Chen An stood up quietly and respectfully bowed to Cheng Zheng, "If Your Highness doesn't reject me, I'm willing to offer my loyalty and service."
"I've seen the Lord!"
With these words, Cheng Zheng was overjoyed.
He quickly approached and instinctively grabbed Chen An's hand, his face full of joy, "Good! Good!"
"By becoming your ally today, great achievements can be achieved in the future!"
Feeling Cheng Zheng grabbing his hand, Chen An felt a bit awkward, but on the surface, he showed a touch of moved emotion.
There was no choice, this seemed to be the routine in this world.
If he pushed the person away, others might get the wrong idea.
So, after some hesitation, he chose to cooperate.
Under Cheng Zheng's gaze, the smile on Chen An's face gradually faded, and his expression became serious.
"Although I am just a martial artist, I value loyalty and righteousness."
"As they say, like birds choose good trees to nest, servants choose righteous masters, my lifelong vow is enough."
"From now on, my life is your command, my body is at your service. If there is a wish, just command me, I will never have a second thought!"
With a solemn expression, Chen An held Cheng Zheng's hand tightly, speaking with a forceful and resolute tone, "I swear to share weal and woe with the Lord, to accompany you for life, to be together in life and death!"
"With this oath, it is destined by heaven and man!"
The words sounded like the thundering beat of war drums, resonating in the mind, combined with Chen An's heartfelt and powerful voice, stirring the emotions and moving others.
"Chang'an, you..."
Cheng Zheng was deeply moved, and at this moment, looking at Chen An, he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but his mind went blank, unable to say a word.
After a while, he regained his senses, holding Chen An's hand tightly, "Chang'an, I will not let you down in the future!"
This statement also appeared to be misunderstood.
It sounded like a husband swearing never to disappoint his wife.
Looking at their intertwined hands now, if ten time travelers came, nine of them would probably misunderstand.
Chen An secretly complained and then looked at Cheng Zheng's awkward attempt to say something, remaining quiet, feeling the importance of reading and education.
Without reading, one couldn't even come up with a witty line at a critical moment.
Looking at the Third Prince in front of him, it seemed that he could only think of those few sentences.
If Chen An were in his position, things would be different.
Chen An's thoughts wandered.
If he were in the Third Prince's position, would he say something like "I would rather be a scourge to the world, than let the world be a scourge to you"?
Changing Cao Cao's words slightly for this occasion seemed quite interesting.
At the moment, he felt that his words lacked force, significantly different from Chen An's earlier words. After thinking for a moment, Cheng Zheng quickly added, "If I break this oath, may I be pierced through the heart by ten thousand arrows!"
Wow.
Chen An was a little surprised as he looked at Cheng Zheng.
You didn't know Cao Cao's quote, but you seem to understand Sun Jian's quote all by yourself?
But this quote didn't sound very auspicious.
What was Sun Jian's fate in Romance of the Three Kingdoms again?
Chen An pondered silently.
Cheng Zheng looked very pleased, hearing this.
"I still have a problem with my little sister."
Standing in place, Chen An looked at Cheng Zheng in front of him and couldn't help but remind him, "There are still some issues with the Fourth Princess."
Right, there was still the issue with the Fourth Princess.
After Chen An's reminder, Cheng Zheng finally remembered this.
After all, in name, Chen An was still the Fourth Princess's guest minister, serving under someone else.
Of course, in this world, being a guest minister didn't have many obligations, and in a straightforward analogy, it was like the relationship between an employee and an employer, rather than a servant.
If the guest minister was unhappy with the master, they could just leave and find another employer.
Similarly, if the master wasn't satisfied with the guest minister, they could dismiss them and find someone else.
But generally, not many people would do that.
It wouldn't sound good, especially in Chen An's case.
He had just joined the Fourth Princess not long ago, and now he was already switching to work for the Third Prince. That reputation wouldn't sound very good.
"That indeed is a problem."
Thinking about the issue with the Fourth Princess, Cheng Zheng felt a bit of a headache, but he decided to handle the matter himself.
"My little sister has a hot temper. If you directly confront her to demand something, it might backfire."
After a moment of thought, he shook his head, seeming to have no clear solution regarding his sister, deeply beloved by the Emperor.
After all, in name, she was his sister, and he couldn't use force against her.
Wouldn't that tarnish his reputation?
He knew his sister very well. If he tried to forcefully demand something from her, she would likely report it to the Emperor.
But he understood his sister very well. Soon, he thought of a solution.
"My sister has a quick temper. If you try to force her to do something, she will surely resist, but if you go along with her, she will soon lose interest."
"During the past time, she had many guest ministers and guards by her side, mostly arranged by my father, but only a few stayed at her side for a long time. Essentially, she pushed them aside every few months."
"If you are willing, Chang'an, you can stay with her for a while. When the Fourth Princess forgets about you, you can leave without any trouble."
He said, showing his understanding of his sister's character.
Chen An nodded in agreement with his statement.
But as he recalled the Fourth Princess's mysterious gaze towards him earlier, he was skeptical if she would behave as Cheng Zheng described.
What if he miscalculated?
But he didn't voice these concerns.
To Chen An, staying by the Fourth Princess's side for the time being had its benefits.
At least, he could use the Fourth Princess's status to conceal his relationship with the Third Prince.
In this way, outwardly, he would still just be the Fourth Princess's guest minister with no strong ties to the Third Prince.
This could avoid many troubles and keep Cheng Zheng low-key, not attracting attention or exposure.
Cheng Zheng also agreed with Chen An's idea.
"It looks like in the future, I will need to be careful when I come to the Lord's residence."
Standing in place, Chen An smiled.
"It's not a problem to come openly."
Cheng Zheng smiled and said, "Even if they can guess, what does it matter?"
"My two elder brothers have never paid much attention to me."
"Avoiding some troubles is always good."
Chen An kindly reminded, "As the Lord is still accumulating strength, it's best not to draw attention."
"I understand."
Cheng Zheng nodded.
They smiled at each other, sharing an inexplicable understanding.
"It's getting late, so I won't have you stay overnight here, Chang'an."
Cheng Zheng looked at the sky and then said with a smile, "You can go back now. If you have time in a few days, come find me."
"Yes."
Chen An respectfully bowed and then turned to leave.
Cheng Zheng's gaze remained on Chen An until his figure disappeared from view. Only then did Cheng Zheng turn around and return to the mansion.
Returning to his quarters, it was already approaching night time.
The sky was darkening.
Chen An didn't mind, returning to his room and lay down to rest.
In the following days, Chen An lived calmly.
After officially joining forces with the Third Prince, Chen An's life seemed to have not changed much.
Apart from occasionally contacting the Third Prince, his life didn't have many differences from before.
Oh, there was one change.
At least, his salary increased.
For Chen An, the Third Prince Cheng Zheng seemed generous, not only bestowing many things in one go but also providing a monthly salary.
In terms of the salary, it was much more lavish than what the Fourth Princess had given Chen An. For the relatively less favored Third Prince Cheng Zheng, it was definitely considered a big gesture.
Inside the grand hall, the two continued to chat.
They chatted happily, talking all the way after lunch until the sky outside turned into dusk again, and Cheng Zheng reacted.
"Time really flies by without us realizing."
He was a bit surprised, then looked at Chen An with some emotion, "Talking with you, Chang'an, is truly a rare pleasure."
"The ancients said that it's hard to find a confidant, and I think they were referring to someone like you."
"I'm just a mere mortal, not worthy to be a confidant of Your Highness."
Chen An smiled modestly.
"You don't have to be like this."
Cheng Zheng also smiled, "Humility is good, but too much humility isn't good."
"Your talents, others may not know, but can't I not know?"
"What do you know?"
"How can I not know what talents I have?"
Chen An inwardly complained and showed a polite smile, feeling a bit embarrassed.
However, at this moment, Cheng Zheng seemed to interpret his smile differently, reading some approval in it.
"Chang'an, you are a clever person, let's not beat around the bush."
Watching the sky outside, Cheng Zheng's expression gradually turned serious.
Seeing his serious expression, Chen An understood that the real deal was about to come.
Indeed, in the next moment, Cheng Zheng's expression changed, and he said, "I lack someone like you by my side. Are you willing to come work for me?"
As he said this, his gaze was fixed on Chen An, looking a bit nervous.
Although Cheng Zheng could guess Chen An's choice based on his previous actions, he still couldn't help but feel nervous at this moment.
After all, such matters were never certain.
What if the other party refused?
Wouldn't that be an awkward situation?
In his heart, Cheng Zheng truly admired Chen An and sincerely hoped he would work for him.
So, he couldn't help but feel a bit nervous and anxious.
The so-called fear of failure probably felt like this.
In the end, Chen An didn't disappoint him.
Facing Cheng Zheng's gaze, Chen An stood up quietly and respectfully bowed to Cheng Zheng, "If Your Highness doesn't reject me, I'm willing to offer my loyalty and service."
"I've seen the Lord!"
With these words, Cheng Zheng was overjoyed.
He quickly approached and instinctively grabbed Chen An's hand, his face full of joy, "Good! Good!"
"By becoming your ally today, great achievements can be achieved in the future!"
Feeling Cheng Zheng grabbing his hand, Chen An felt a bit awkward, but on the surface, he showed a touch of moved emotion.
There was no choice, this seemed to be the routine in this world.
If he pushed the person away, others might get the wrong idea.
So, after some hesitation, he chose to cooperate.
Under Cheng Zheng's gaze, the smile on Chen An's face gradually faded, and his expression became serious.
"Although I am just a martial artist, I value loyalty and righteousness."
"As they say, like birds choose good trees to nest, servants choose righteous masters, my lifelong vow is enough."
"From now on, my life is your command, my body is at your service. If there is a wish, just command me, I will never have a second thought!"
With a solemn expression, Chen An held Cheng Zheng's hand tightly, speaking with a forceful and resolute tone, "I swear to share weal and woe with the Lord, to accompany you for life, to be together in life and death!"
"With this oath, it is destined by heaven and man!"
The words sounded like the thundering beat of war drums, resonating in the mind, combined with Chen An's heartfelt and powerful voice, stirring the emotions and moving others.
"Chang'an, you..."
Cheng Zheng was deeply moved, and at this moment, looking at Chen An, he opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but his mind went blank, unable to say a word.
After a while, he regained his senses, holding Chen An's hand tightly, "Chang'an, I will not let you down in the future!"
This statement also appeared to be misunderstood.
It sounded like a husband swearing never to disappoint his wife.
Looking at their intertwined hands now, if ten time travelers came, nine of them would probably misunderstand.
Chen An secretly complained and then looked at Cheng Zheng's awkward attempt to say something, remaining quiet, feeling the importance of reading and education.
Without reading, one couldn't even come up with a witty line at a critical moment.
Looking at the Third Prince in front of him, it seemed that he could only think of those few sentences.
If Chen An were in his position, things would be different.
Chen An's thoughts wandered.
If he were in the Third Prince's position, would he say something like "I would rather be a scourge to the world, than let the world be a scourge to you"?
Changing Cao Cao's words slightly for this occasion seemed quite interesting.
At the moment, he felt that his words lacked force, significantly different from Chen An's earlier words. After thinking for a moment, Cheng Zheng quickly added, "If I break this oath, may I be pierced through the heart by ten thousand arrows!"
Wow.
Chen An was a little surprised as he looked at Cheng Zheng.
You didn't know Cao Cao's quote, but you seem to understand Sun Jian's quote all by yourself?
But this quote didn't sound very auspicious.
What was Sun Jian's fate in Romance of the Three Kingdoms again?
Chen An pondered silently.
Cheng Zheng looked very pleased, hearing this.
"I still have a problem with my little sister."
Standing in place, Chen An looked at Cheng Zheng in front of him and couldn't help but remind him, "There are still some issues with the Fourth Princess."
Right, there was still the issue with the Fourth Princess.
After Chen An's reminder, Cheng Zheng finally remembered this.
After all, in name, Chen An was still the Fourth Princess's guest minister, serving under someone else.
Of course, in this world, being a guest minister didn't have many obligations, and in a straightforward analogy, it was like the relationship between an employee and an employer, rather than a servant.
If the guest minister was unhappy with the master, they could just leave and find another employer.
Similarly, if the master wasn't satisfied with the guest minister, they could dismiss them and find someone else.
But generally, not many people would do that.
It wouldn't sound good, especially in Chen An's case.
He had just joined the Fourth Princess not long ago, and now he was already switching to work for the Third Prince. That reputation wouldn't sound very good.
"That indeed is a problem."
Thinking about the issue with the Fourth Princess, Cheng Zheng felt a bit of a headache, but he decided to handle the matter himself.
"My little sister has a hot temper. If you directly confront her to demand something, it might backfire."
After a moment of thought, he shook his head, seeming to have no clear solution regarding his sister, deeply beloved by the Emperor.
After all, in name, she was his sister, and he couldn't use force against her.
Wouldn't that tarnish his reputation?
He knew his sister very well. If he tried to forcefully demand something from her, she would likely report it to the Emperor.
But he understood his sister very well. Soon, he thought of a solution.
"My sister has a quick temper. If you try to force her to do something, she will surely resist, but if you go along with her, she will soon lose interest."
"During the past time, she had many guest ministers and guards by her side, mostly arranged by my father, but only a few stayed at her side for a long time. Essentially, she pushed them aside every few months."
"If you are willing, Chang'an, you can stay with her for a while. When the Fourth Princess forgets about you, you can leave without any trouble."
He said, showing his understanding of his sister's character.
Chen An nodded in agreement with his statement.
But as he recalled the Fourth Princess's mysterious gaze towards him earlier, he was skeptical if she would behave as Cheng Zheng described.
What if he miscalculated?
But he didn't voice these concerns.
To Chen An, staying by the Fourth Princess's side for the time being had its benefits.
At least, he could use the Fourth Princess's status to conceal his relationship with the Third Prince.
In this way, outwardly, he would still just be the Fourth Princess's guest minister with no strong ties to the Third Prince.
This could avoid many troubles and keep Cheng Zheng low-key, not attracting attention or exposure.
Cheng Zheng also agreed with Chen An's idea.
"It looks like in the future, I will need to be careful when I come to the Lord's residence."
Standing in place, Chen An smiled.
"It's not a problem to come openly."
Cheng Zheng smiled and said, "Even if they can guess, what does it matter?"
"My two elder brothers have never paid much attention to me."
"Avoiding some troubles is always good."
Chen An kindly reminded, "As the Lord is still accumulating strength, it's best not to draw attention."
"I understand."
Cheng Zheng nodded.
They smiled at each other, sharing an inexplicable understanding.
"It's getting late, so I won't have you stay overnight here, Chang'an."
Cheng Zheng looked at the sky and then said with a smile, "You can go back now. If you have time in a few days, come find me."
"Yes."
Chen An respectfully bowed and then turned to leave.
Cheng Zheng's gaze remained on Chen An until his figure disappeared from view. Only then did Cheng Zheng turn around and return to the mansion.
Returning to his quarters, it was already approaching night time.
The sky was darkening.
Chen An didn't mind, returning to his room and lay down to rest.
In the following days, Chen An lived calmly.
After officially joining forces with the Third Prince, Chen An's life seemed to have not changed much.
Apart from occasionally contacting the Third Prince, his life didn't have many differences from before.
Oh, there was one change.
At least, his salary increased.
For Chen An, the Third Prince Cheng Zheng seemed generous, not only bestowing many things in one go but also providing a monthly salary.
In terms of the salary, it was much more lavish than what the Fourth Princess had given Chen An. For the relatively less favored Third Prince Cheng Zheng, it was definitely considered a big gesture.
