Chapter 104: The Abnormal Attribute Panel

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Zhu Hao sighed inwardly at his own meticulousness, then shook his head with a wry smile and left the Eastern Palace to pay his respects to his mother, Consort Liu. After the visit, he returned to his own chambers.

No sooner had Zhu Hao arrived than Wei Xiaobao entered with a mischievous grin and spoke mysteriously: "Your Highness, today your humble servant heard an amusing story. May I share it with you to lighten your mood?"

Zhu Hao, weary from the day's errands and eager to rest, instinctively sensed from Wei Xiaobao’s sly smile that this matter might concern him. Watching Wei Xiaobao clowning around, he grew impatient and snapped, "Enough nonsense! Speak plainly or be gone!"

Wei Xiaobao, sensing his master’s displeasure, quickly suppressed his grin and carefully explained, "Your Highness, outside the palace gate today, a scholar arrived asking to see you. The guards were diligent and wouldn’t permit this unknown person inside, so they sent him away. But you won’t believe this—he left a visiting card with his name and current address for the guards to deliver to Your Highness, claiming you would surely meet him. Isn’t that laughable? Who does he think he is? Your Highness, you’re the emperor’s favorite; why would you see some poor scholar? This man must be desperate to gain an official position, thinking he can use a back door through Your Highness. What arrogance!"

Curious, Zhu Hao asked, "Someone came looking for me and even left a visiting card? Why have I never seen it?"

Wei Xiaobao explained quickly, "Your Highness, people looking for shortcuts are countless. The guards dare not bother you with trivial matters. I only heard about this from friends among the imperial guards."

Hearing this, Zhu Hao understood the guards’ prudence—too many would pester the royal family if such requests were passed on. Yet, he instinctively felt something was amiss.

He instructed Wei Xiaobao, "Go fetch the palace guard on duty today. I want to question him about this matter."

Wei Xiaobao had intended to share the story as a joke, never expecting Zhu Hao to take it seriously. He quickly agreed and hurried toward the palace gate.

Left alone, Zhu Hao pondered who might have come seeking him. Suddenly, a name sprang to mind, and unease crept over him. “Could it really be him? Why come now?”

Soon, Wei Xiaobao returned with a young palace guard, no older than fifteen or sixteen. The boy’s ancestors had served the court, granting him entry into the imperial guards. Although the guard had never met a prince like Zhu Hao before, the royal aura emanating from him left the youth stunned and uncertain.

Seeing the guard frozen, Wei Xiaobao scolded sharply, "Are you blind? Snap out of it! His Highness is here—show your respects!"

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Startled by Wei Xiaobao’s reprimand, the guard knelt quickly and said, "I am Liu San, Your Highness. I pay my respects!"

Zhu Hao smiled gently and reassured the nervous guard, "You’re Liu San, yes? Don’t worry. I have no complaints; I just want to ask about the man who came today. What did he say or do?"

Relieved, Liu San recounted, "Your Highness, the man requested an audience, insisting you would see him but said nothing else. Since he was neither royal nor official, I sent him away. Before leaving, he left this visiting card for me to pass to Your Highness. I didn’t dare trouble you with such a small matter until Wei Gonggong summoned me, so here it is. I apologize for not delivering it sooner."

Zhu Hao exchanged a glance with Wei Xiaobao, who understood immediately and took the card from Liu San, respectfully handing it to Zhu Hao.

Taking the card, Zhu Hao did not open it at once but comforted Liu San, "You did well. I have no fault to find. I am merely curious. Continue to be as loyal and vigilant as today. Do not let anyone of unknown status enter the palace or disturb the nobles with trifles. Understand?"

Liu San’s face flushed with pride and gratitude. "I understand, Your Highness! I will serve faithfully and never allow unauthorized persons into the capital."

Zhu Hao nodded approvingly. "Very well. You may retire."

After Liu San left, Zhu Hao shook his head silently, pondering, “How easily contented are the small folk. A few words of encouragement from those above can excite them so. Is this simplicity or their sorrow?”

With that thought, Zhu Hao nervously unfolded the visiting card. It read:

“I, Qin Shun, a humble commoner, have heard of Your Highness’s eagerness to recruit talented men. Hence, I come to offer my service. Should Your Highness accept me, I vow to serve faithfully as your humble aide. I currently reside at the Yuelai Inn in the capital, where I burn incense day and night, earnestly hoping Your Highness will visit soon!”

Zhu Hao’s earlier unease had centered on this man. This Qin Shun was none other than Qin Hui, the infamous treacherous official of the Southern Song, who wrongfully caused the death of the loyal general Yue Fei. Due to his notorious reputation, the system renamed him Qin Shun. Initially, Zhu Hao had dismissed him, thinking him too disreputable to summon and had left him aside. Now, to his surprise, Qin Shun had come to him.

Angrily, Zhu Hao snapped the card shut, thinking, “Qin Hui, can you not leave me alone? I don’t wish to see you, yet you cling like an irritating leech!”

Feeling something was off, Zhu Hao recalled that when he summoned Lu Ban, the craftsman had been obedient and stayed quietly in his elder brother’s study, never acting so brazenly. Could Qin Hui’s loyalty rating be maxed out from the start? To verify, Zhu Hao cautiously accessed the system to check Qin Hui’s status:

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Name: Qin Hui (Qin Shun)
Star Rating: Three Stars (Upgradeable)
Type: Civil Official
Loyalty: 100
Special Skills: Calligraphy, Reading the Emperor’s Intent, Fabricating False Charges
Current Location: Yuelai Inn, Capital

This was the first time Zhu Hao viewed Qin Hui’s profile. The perfect loyalty score confirmed his suspicion, but the “Upgradeable” star rating alarmed him. Among all the talents he had summoned, this was the first time such an attribute appeared.

Zhu Hao thought, “What’s this nonsense? Could this treacherous scoundrel really become a four-star talent? That’s absurdly powerful.” Yet, he reasoned that Qin Hui’s notorious history—having caused the demise of a war god like Yue Fei—might justify a higher rating. Yue Fei himself would surely be at least a four-star, if not five, given the current three-star talents. Thus, Qin Hui’s potential upgrade made some sense.

Another surprising detail was that Qin Hui possessed three skills—unlike others, including five-star Lu Ban, who had only one. This intrigued Zhu Hao.

Reading the skills, Zhu Hao was almost ready to curse: “What kind of skills are these? Aside from the relatively useless calligraphy, ‘fabricating false charges’ and ‘reading the emperor’s intent’ are clearly villainous traits!”

Gazing at the list, Zhu Hao truly felt like strangling Qin Hui, unwilling to let him harm anyone else.