The Marquis Mansion's Elite Class-Chapter 236

Zong Jincheng rolled his eyes at him and retorted, “Are you crazy, or am I? I’m just a nine-year-old kid who hasn’t even learned martial arts. Do I really have the ability to kill all of you?”

He Zheng’s face fell even further. “So if you did have the ability, you’d actually kill all of us? You wouldn’t even spare me, your most loyal little brother?”

Zong Jincheng: “…”

The little demon pointed to his own head and said, “Go see the House Physician. I think there’s something wrong with your brain.”

He Zheng continued to tear up.

Meanwhile, Zong Jincheng had already bypassed his melodramatic little brother and went off alone to look up some books.

After his antics, He Zheng glanced at the trio of good officials in the distance and silently broke into a cold sweat for them. Jokes aside, his big brother was just too powerful; the good officials were definitely doomed.

Not long after, the little demon returned with a stack of books and continued reading about the lives of corrupt officials.

As he read, he muttered under his breath, “Zhao Gao, Liang Ji, Yuan Zai, Cai Jing… After these people died, their homes were raided, and so much money was confiscated. Where did all that money go?”

He Zheng also leaned in to take a look and then joined the discussion. “Of course, it went into the national treasury! It could be used for disaster relief, military expenses, or improving people’s livelihoods. There are so many uses for money. Those corrupt officials worked their whole lives to embezzle all that money, only to have it taken away. Serves them right! They must’ve been furious.”

The little demon pondered, “So, is there a possibility that they were just fattening the pig before slaughtering it?”

He Zheng’s eyes widened. “!!!”

“Big brother! That can’t be! What kind of decent person would deliberately let corrupt officials thrive? That’s just aiding and abetting evil!”

The little demon also felt that this was a bit unreasonable. What kind of government would intentionally nurture corrupt officials? He shook his head and said, “Let me think about it some more.”

This debate had all the children more engaged than ever. The trio of good officials, led by Zong Wenxiu, were deeply researching the lives of upright officials, while the other two, driven by their competitive spirit, joined in the discussion.

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Over on the other side, Zong Jincheng and He Zheng were being particularly bizarre. Zong Jincheng would occasionally blurt out some statement, and He Zheng would let out a loud yelp every now and then, seemingly shocked by whatever his big brother had said.

“If you keep yelling, go join those three over there,” the little demon finally snapped, issuing an ultimatum.

He Zheng quickly raised one hand in surrender while covering his mouth with the other, but his wide, shocked eyes still sparkled, round and unblinking.

Xu Wan, watching from outside the window, couldn’t help but laugh. When Jincheng was deep in thought, his face was serious, devoid of his usual playful demeanor. It was as if he had suddenly grown up, and one could imagine that when he reached adulthood, he would be someone who exuded a strong sense of security.

The feeling of pride in raising a child peaked at this moment.

The early summer evening breeze blew in, warm yet carrying a hint of coolness. Xu Wan turned to Cui Zhi and said, “Tomorrow is the day the Crown Prince visits the manor once a month. I wonder if he’ll give Jincheng some extra attention.”

Cui Zhi blinked and said, “Isn’t the Crown Prince just here to chat with Young Master Jincheng and listen to him boast?”

Xu Wan: “…”

Alright, you’re just too innocent.

However, this news delighted Wei and Shen. No matter how much Zong Jincheng boasted to the Crown Prince all day, he wouldn’t have time to prepare for the debate. They were sure to win the day after tomorrow.

The little demon woke up early the next morning, yawning, and then said to Pan Hongzhi, “Teacher, last night I dreamed that I became Liang Ji. All those upright officials in the court kept impeaching me, openly and secretly calling me a tyrannical general. Even the commoners threw rotten vegetables at my doorstep. It was so annoying, so I killed them all.”

Pan Hongzhi: “…”

Why are you dreaming about living the life of a corrupt official?

Zong Jincheng continued, “After I died, I saw the government raid my house and confiscate a ton of silver. They said it was 3 billion taels, half of the entire court’s tax revenue. I was so rich.”

Pan Hongzhi’s mouth twitched. “Get a grip. That was Liang Ji, not you.”

The little demon murmured, “What a fat pig…”

Pan Hongzhi: “?”

What’s this about pigs now?

After saying this, Zong Jincheng sprang out of bed, his face lit up with a grin, back to his usual arrogant self. “Time to get up, time to get up! The Crown Prince is coming to see me today. I’m so happy! Woohoo, haha, oh yeah!”

Pan Hongzhi: “…”

I often wonder if I’m getting old because I can’t keep up with your train of thought.

It was the same old routine. The little demon directed Shunzi to fetch him new clothes to try on. As he grew older, his clothes needed to be replaced every year, so he always had a steady supply of new outfits. Each piece was a style Pan Hongzhi had never seen before, making it feel like they were shopping at a tailor’s shop.

Today, the little demon chose a light green robe, simple yet elegant, making him look like a small green grape as he bounced out the door to wait for the Crown Prince.

Pan Hongzhi chuckled helplessly in the room. Watching this child so full of joy, even he, a bachelor, felt the happiness of raising a child. Pan Hongzhi began to look forward to the next two years, after which he planned to marry and have a child of his own to enjoy.

Not long after the dance hall case had concluded, Zong Jincheng had thought the Crown Prince would be too busy with the aftermath to visit him. But to his surprise, the Crown Prince arrived right on time. The Crown Prince really must adore him.

“Your Highness!” The little rascal standing at the entrance of the Marquis Manor excitedly ran over.

The Crown Prince, dressed in a moon-white robe, wore a faint smile as he stepped out of the carriage. He walked over and patted the little rascal’s head. “Why didn’t you wait for me in the study?”

Zong Jincheng grinned. “I missed you! I couldn’t wait to see you, not even for a moment!”

The Crown Prince’s smile deepened as he took the little rascal’s hand and walked into the manor. “You certainly know how to sweet-talk. But is it genuine?”

Zong Jincheng bounced along. “Of course it’s genuine! I don’t say nice things to flatter anyone. I just think that if you like someone or feel happy, you should express it boldly. That way, everyone feels happy!”

The Crown Prince nodded. “That makes sense. I should learn from you.”

“Sure, sure! I can teach you,” Zong Jincheng replied with an even bigger grin, completely unaware of the concept of humility.

With the Crown Prince’s arrival, everyone else acted as if it were nothing out of the ordinary. Wei and Shen, however, instinctively felt their legs go weak. Although Zong Wenxiu had already informed them that the Crown Prince had exempted everyone from kneeling during his visits, they still couldn’t help but gulp nervously.

The Crown Prince… That’s the Crown Prince…

Visiting Jincheng every month without fail—what else could it be if not a father-son relationship?

Shen Yibai, who had always harbored ambitions of overthrowing his big brother, finally felt a flicker of doubt.

Forget it, forget it.

I can’t do it. I really can’t. Big brother’s backing is just too strong.

Meanwhile, the two newly arrived tutors, who hadn’t been briefed by Zhao Yin about this, were now sprawled on the ground, half-dead from shock.

“The Marquis Manor Elite Class… is this intense?” Xu Jin stammered.

The Crown Prince himself, visiting every month.

That’s the Crown Prince—the future emperor!

Jiang Yan took a deep breath and slowly stood up, leaning on the table. “Calm down, calm down. I’ve participated in the palace exams before. Brother Xu, you need to stay composed. This is nothing. Get up.”

Xu Jin quietly added, “Brother Jiang, you’re holding onto my arm. I can’t get up.”

Jiang Yan: “…”

Sorry, I’m just too nervous.