Chapter Thirty-Six: The Royal Hunting Grounds
Just as Zhu Hao was venting his frustrations, the system's notification sounded once more:
“Ding!”
“Does the host wish to abandon this recommended talent?”
“If you choose to abandon, the system will immediately refund the summoning points deducted earlier!”
This time, Zhu Hao was truly stunned. If he gave up, it meant he would have no one at his side for tomorrow’s competition. Besides, it wasn’t certain he couldn’t raise Hua Rong’s loyalty to the maximum before the end of the month. If he managed it, he would be at an enormous advantage. Although the system rated Hua Rong as a three-star general, Zhu Hao calculated that even among three-star generals, Hua Rong was likely exceptional. To abandon him now would be a real pity.
With this thought, Zhu Hao gritted his teeth and muttered, “Damn it, I’ll take my chances with this damned system. I refuse to believe I can’t raise Hua Rong’s loyalty to the maximum before the end of the month! No refund!”
As soon as Zhu Hao finished his internal declaration, the system chimed in:
“Ding!”
“The host has abandoned the cancelation! Recommendation completed!”
“System closed. Host can no longer cancel.”
Though Zhu Hao had made this decision after careful thought, the system’s tone still made him feel tricked.
Despite feeling he’d been played by the system, with the hunt imminent, Zhu Hao couldn’t dwell on it. He hurriedly addressed Shi Qian, who was still kneeling on the floor: “Shi Qian, go and fetch your brother at once. Bring him before the prince. If you succeed, you’ll be credited with a great merit!”
Though Zhu Hao spoke thus to Shi Qian, his thoughts were elsewhere: “Shi Qian, you should thank the prince for the 500 summoning points. Otherwise, you’d surely return empty-handed this time!” Thinking this, Zhu Hao’s face grew troubled and resentful once more.
Shi Qian, heedless of Zhu Hao’s expression, responded immediately and vanished from the doorway. After Shi Qian left, Zhu Hao paced anxiously in his room. Fortunately, Shi Qian was efficient and didn’t keep him waiting long. About half an hour later, Shi Qian returned with a young man whose countenance was as bright as jade and whose bearing was heroic. Upon seeing Zhu Hao, Shi Qian knelt and said, “Your Highness, Shi Qian has fulfilled your command and brought his brother before you!” He gestured to the young man behind him. “This is my brother, Hua Rong. He possesses the skill of shooting arrows accurately from a hundred paces and is highly skilled in military formations!”
After Shi Qian’s introduction, Hua Rong followed suit, bowing to Zhu Hao. “Hua Rong, a humble subject, greets the Fifth Prince.”
Zhu Hao stepped forward, helping both Shi Qian and Hua Rong to their feet, and sized Hua Rong up. “Indeed, you are a man of remarkable presence. Shi Qian, you shall be credited for this merit! Go find Xiaobao, have a drink, and receive your reward!”
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After Shi Qian departed, Zhu Hao turned to Hua Rong. “Hua Rong, though we meet for the first time, Shi Qian is one of my trusted aides, and I have great faith in him. He spoke highly of you. I happen to be in need of a captain for my guard. When I mentioned this to Shi Qian, he recommended you. Now that I’ve met you, I see he did not misjudge. Would you be willing to stay at my side for now? If you distinguish yourself, I will surely recommend you to my father, and you will be entrusted with great responsibilities befitting your talents.”
Hua Rong smiled graciously. “Your Highness, it is my honor to serve you. If you entrust me with your safety, how could I refuse? I am willing to devote myself to your service.”
Seeing that it was already late, Zhu Hao smiled. “Very well. I entrust my future safety to you, Captain Hua. It’s late, and you have traveled far. Let my attendant take you to rest. Tomorrow, I will rely on you during the hunt.” Zhu Hao called for an attendant, who led Hua Rong away.
Hua Rong saluted once more and followed Shi Qian out. After they left, Zhu Hao quietly opened the system to review Hua Rong’s attributes.
Name: Hua Rong
Star rating: Three stars
Type: General
Loyalty: 30
Special skill: Hundred-Pace Archery
Current location: Imperial Palace
Talent profile: Ninth hero of Liangshan Marsh
After reading, Zhu Hao clicked his tongue. Hua Rong’s loyalty was only thirty points; raising it by seventy to reach the maximum before the end of the month would be no easy task. It seemed he must find a way based on Hua Rong’s character to accomplish what seemed impossible.
Zhu Hao’s determination was not merely to avoid wasting his five hundred summoning points, but also because his first impression of Hua Rong was excellent. Handsome men are not only lethal to women but also to their peers; outstanding appearance easily draws attention, and humans are visual creatures. Even Zhu Hao, possessed of the summoning system, was not immune to this.
With his favorable impression and the system’s task, Zhu Hao had no choice but to carefully analyze Hua Rong’s character, hoping to break through in loyalty. Because of this, he tossed and turned all night, barely sleeping. With the crow of the rooster at dawn, Zhu Hao, sleep-deprived, washed up in a daze and took Hua Rong to join his father Zhu Changluo for the journey to the royal hunting ground.
On the road, Hua Rong noticed Zhu Hao’s exhaustion and asked with concern, “Your Highness, you look very tired. Did you not rest well last night? Riding while fatigued is dangerous.”
Hearing concern from Hua Rong, whose loyalty was only thirty, Zhu Hao thought, “Truly a loyal and righteous man!” His mood improved, and he joked, “Don’t worry, Captain Hua! I’m an old hand at this!”
---
Hua Rong looked puzzled. “An old hand? What does that mean? I’ve never heard such a term.”
Hua Rong’s earnest inquiry left Zhu Hao momentarily speechless. His lack of sleep had dulled his wits, and Hua Rong’s concern had made him overconfident, causing him to accidentally use a term from before he arrived in the Ming Dynasty.
But since Hua Rong was asking, Zhu Hao had to explain. If Hua Rong thought he was being ignored, it could lower his loyalty—an utter disaster for Zhu Hao. He composed himself and replied, “Ah, well, an ‘old hand’ refers to someone highly skilled at riding—a term for those who excel.”
Simple-minded Hua Rong, unaware of any negative meanings of the phrase, nodded. “Then I suppose I could be called an old hand as well.”
Hearing this, Zhu Hao recalled the other meaning of the term and suppressed a smile. “Yes, you’re an old hand—come, old hand, guide me!”
Hua Rong, oblivious to its twenty-first-century slang origins, replied solemnly, “Rest assured, Your Highness. As an old hand, I will protect you well.”
Zhu Hao could not help but smile. Hua Rong had taken to the term so naturally, yet Zhu Hao couldn’t explain further, so he suppressed his laughter and nodded kindly.
Talking as they went, the group arrived at the royal hunting ground. Zhu Hao, astride a tall, swaying horse, gazed at the mountain gate before him. Though he had seen many wonders on television in his previous life created by “construction maniacs” throughout history and across the world, he was still deeply awed by the grandeur of the “Southern Garden” serving merely as the royal hunting ground.
The mountain gate stood over ten meters tall, symbolizing the thirty-three heavens; supported by five gilded columns entwined with nine five-clawed golden dragons each, with nine more dragons dancing across the lintel, representing supreme imperial authority. Beside the gate, a massive stone tablet carved directly from the mountains bore eight vermillion characters: “Imperial Forbidden Ground, Trespassers Die,” exuding royal majesty and grandeur.
Since the Yuan Dynasty, the Southern Garden had served as the imperial hunting ground. Its proximity to the city earned it the nickname “Descending from Horse, Swiftly Releasing.” After Emperor Yongle Zhu Di moved the capital to Beijing under the banner “The Son of Heaven Guards the Gates of the Nation,” he expelled all residents from the ponds, expanded the palaces, and built walls around the area, extending for sixty kilometers and naming it “Southern Sea,” multiplying its size many times over. Unfortunately, after the Tumubao Incident, later emperors seldom ventured from the palace. By the Longqing era, the Southern Garden had fallen into serious decline. When the Shenzong Emperor ascended, extensive renovations began, and the garden slowly revived. Twenty-four parks were established within, housing hundreds of birds and beasts, and fruits and vegetables were cultivated. The famous “Autumn Wind in the Southern Garden,” one of the Ten Scenic Spots of Beijing, was thus formed, surpassing all previous grandeur.
Upon entering, Zhu Hao felt only one thing—vastness. In his own words: “Damn, this is insanely big! If this land were developed in the twenty-first century, developers would fight tooth and nail for it!”
The hunting ground was not only vast; various animals occasionally crossed their path, though most were harmless herbivores. It was said that only deep within the grounds could one encounter fierce beasts, but that was not a place Zhu Hao would visit today.
At this moment, Zhu Hao felt very much like Granny Liu entering the Grand View Garden, and he simply stopped to admire the hunting grounds, pondering as he looked. Before crossing over, he had always envied those with mines, but now he had mountains—and his own zoo, no less. No, wait, everything in the world would someday belong to him!