You Rebellious Disciple

"Old Fang, look! I brought back all the melons from your county!"

At the gate of the Fang residence, Li Yuanzhao grinned, showing two rows of white teeth with a smug expression.

Liu Jin stood beside him, occasionally glancing at the watermelons with longing in his eyes.

Looking at the two carts of watermelons stopped at his front door, Fang Zheng was speechless.

He never expected Li Yuanzhao would really sell melons!

Speaking of Taoyuan County's watermelons, he really never paid much attention to them.

Almost all the crops in the Great Jing, from top to bottom, were quite different from the crops he had seen before transmigrating, even vastly different!

Later generations, after hundreds or thousands of years, or crops cultivated and domesticated through decades or even years of technological development, all evolved toward flavors suitable for human taste.

But these primitive varieties weren't like that! Their only instinct was to spread their seeds, completely disregarding their own taste. Truly detestable!

Especially those despicable fruits, led by watermelons, which greatly disappointed Fang Zheng.

Not only were they neither juicy nor sweet, they also had very little flesh, mostly hollow cavities!

So he never cared about these melons!

But the county's Agriculture Department and those country bumpkins seemed unusually passionate about melons.

Every year they would tirelessly plant melons.

These two carts of melons, who knows when they were planted... yet they were obtained by the Prince.

Ever since Li Yuanzhao got the idea of selling melons last time, he couldn't stop thinking about it.

Who would have thought this time he was playing for real!

Just thinking about the Prince selling melons in the palace gave Fang Zheng a headache.

Improper behavior, getting more and more off track!

What if this made the Emperor father-in-law unhappy? Would I still be able to marry the Princess?

Li Yuanzhao saw Fang Zheng standing there in a daze, not reacting for a long time, and couldn't help urging, "Old Fang, shall we go sell melons in the palace tomorrow?"

"Your Highness, did you take all the melons from my county? Did you pay for them?"

"I had Liu Jin buy them. He said he didn't spend any money, they were given for free!"

Fang Zheng looked at Liu Jin questioningly.

Liu Jin quickly explained, "I said Lord Fang wanted to eat melons, so they picked all the melons."

"........."

Using my name to trick my melons! And then taking them to sell for money!

Would a normal person do such a thing?

Fang Zheng said with a forced smile, "Your Highness, aren't you afraid of being beaten by His Majesty for setting up a street stall in the palace?"

"Didn't we sell eyeglasses together last time?" Li Yuanzhao widened his eyes and asked, "Did you forget?"

"Eyeglasses are eyeglasses! Those things are necessities! This is just food, something you can eat or not eat. Who lacks this one bite?"

"If His Majesty finds out, he'll definitely beat you! If Your Highness insists on selling, why not sell in the marketplace?" Fang Zheng asked.

"The marketplace? I'm planning to sell these melons for ten taels each. Who in the marketplace could afford them? Just tell me if you're going or not!" Li Yuanzhao urged.

Hearing the price, Fang Zheng pondered.

Ten taels wasn't expensive! Because his county sold them at this price. With scarce production, only wealthy people would buy them.

So it wasn't outrageous.

But why go through all that trouble? These were my melons anyway!

"Your Highness, just tell me how much money you're short of. I have some here, don't be polite!" Fang Zheng patted his chest.

Li Yuanzhao immediately frowned, walked forward and pulled Fang Zheng into the courtyard.

"Old Fang, I'm not short of money, and I don't have anywhere to spend money. I just want to sell melons."

"Why?" Fang Zheng was confused.

So obsessed with selling melons? Were you a fruit vendor in your previous life?

Li Yuanzhao seemed somewhat embarrassed, "Last time when we sold eyeglasses, didn't I feel pretty good? This time I want to try selling melons! I really want to sell!"

"I've been taught by those masters since childhood. Although they didn't say it outright, I could tell long ago that they think I can't accomplish anything! But I've always wanted to go to war and achieve great things! Unfortunately, I never had the chance."

"When I go out to do things, you're always standing behind me. This time I just want to sell melons to show them!"

Fang Zheng couldn't help but nod.

"But selling melons isn't a big deal. The ministers will have opinions!"

Li Yuanzhao stood in place silently for a while, then let out a long breath before explaining, "I've been in the marketplace for so long, and I've discovered it's better to start with small things! To be honest, those palace masters and ministers have been scolding me since childhood. Honestly, I'm somewhat afraid of them. They always tell me what a wise ruler is, how a wise ruler should act."

"I have to follow the path they've drawn for me. If I deviate slightly, I get scolded, even Imperial Father helps them!"

"But who can clearly explain what a wise ruler should be like? I've also read history, but the history books never clearly state that a wise ruler must be this way or that way."

"Last time when we went to sell eyeglasses, I discovered those ministers aren't that great either. Their vision is also limited. Weren't they fooled into confusion?"

"So I don't want to be arranged by them! Whether they have opinions or not, I'll treat it all as hot air!"

"I think doing business is actually another kind of strategy. If I can fool... sell my melons to them, I'll have won!" Li Yuanzhao said this with a gradually resentful expression on his face.

Fang Zheng immediately felt respectful, couldn't help but give a thumbs up.

The Prince had been trained by a group of old fossils since childhood, yet he could maintain his current temperament and way of thinking, which was quite rare.

By logic, people of this era matured very early. Being in charge at fourteen or fifteen was very normal.

Especially Li Yuanzhao, who had already reached adulthood, yet in some aspects still behaved like a child.

His unwillingness to admit defeat, rapid learning ability, vigorous curiosity, innocent personality...

This definitely wasn't immaturity. Fang Zheng was familiar with this state.

In his previous life, he had studied success extensively. Li Yuanzhao's state was very likely "neoteny."

This trait was usually innate and very difficult to cultivate.

People with neoteny characteristics were often more likely to succeed.

Observing and integrating into the world like a child, they were more willing to take risks and explore new fields.

Mencius once said, "The great person is one who does not lose his child-like heart." This means people who can achieve great things all have a pure heart like a child.

Although the Prince spoke well, Fang Zheng didn't intend to take this risk!

"Your Highness speaks excellently! I truly admire you from the bottom of my heart, but you can go by yourself. There's no need to bring me along."

"Without you by my side, I feel uneasy!"

"........"

"If Imperial Father beats me, you need to argue on my behalf."

"........"

"If you accompany me, I won't tell Miaohan about you fooling around with your maid."

Fang Zheng shuddered all over, "Wait! When did I fool around with a maid? You need evidence when you speak! Be careful, I'll sue you for slander! You're slandering me!"

Li Yuanzhao shrugged, "It was your inner voice. I heard it! Whether Miaohan believes it or not, I don't know!"

Damn! Let this be a lesson!

You little brat! You've actually figured out my tricks completely and the first person you use them on is me!

Fang Zheng was grinding his teeth in anger. You rebellious disciple! You learned my skills and the first thing you do is use them against me!