Upon hearing this, Zu Feng’s expression instantly turned grave, worry clouding his eyes. He wanted to inquire more from Zhu Yu, but Lu Qing interrupted him before he could speak.
"This is not the place to discuss at length. If you still have doubts, Second Young Master, you can co to our tent after dinner for a conversation.
There are many details to discern, and it’s not just you who is troubled; I also have unresolved questions," he said to Zhu Feng.
Zhu Feng was montarily taken aback, thought for a mont, then nodded, "Alright, I’ll bring a pot of tea over and have a chat with the Prince."
The three of them couldn’t just stand around talking forever, so after agreeing, they each went their separate ways.
Since neither craftsn nor locals had handy tools, and the ground near Risun Ridge was full of loose rocks, digging beca even more difficult, and progress was slow. Zhu Feng was quite anxious about this, so upon leaving Zhu Yu and Lu Qing, he imdiately found a trusted confidant and instructed them to inquire along the way about any skilled blacksmiths and see where they could be found.
Once an appropriate blacksmith shop was found, they were to quickly purchase a batch of handy tools and confirm which other places also lacked blacksmiths.
Zhu Feng’s confidant was puzzled as to why the people around Risun Ridge were using such rarely seen, crude iron tools. With the owner’s command, they imdiately accepted the order, arranged personnel, and set off.
Lu Qing left the rune with Zhu Yu and quietly slipped away sowhere unknown. Until dusk, Zhu Yu did not see him again.
anwhile, Zhu Yu was not idle. She also went to help the craftsn and locals with their work.
She couldn’t handle heavy labor, and those already unwieldy pickaxes and hoes beca even more troubleso in her hands, so she didn’t overestimate her strength by adding to the chaos. Instead, she chose to work with a few elderly folks, sifting through piles of dirt that others had dug up to pick out stones and toss them aside.
Zhu Yu intentionally found this job for herself, partly because it was within her physical capacity, and partly because while squatting or sitting among a pile of dirt, she could work with her hands while chatting.
And those older folks who did this job were often the ones who loved to chat the most.
When Zhu Yu first joined to help, the others didn’t pay much attention. After all, this area was scarcely populated, and those who ca to work were gathered from all around. Seeing unfamiliar faces wasn’t unusual. Seeing her dark yellow complexion and her hard-working deanor, just like any ordinary young lad from nearby villages, no one gave it much thought.
The guards in the Prince Shuo Mansion uniforms were all helping dig canals, not nearby. So, the few elders in their fifties and sixties beca bold, gathered together, picking stones while chatting. As they talked, the topic gradually shifted from how much more grain the fields could produce each year after the canal was opened, to Prince Shuo’s Second Young Master, Zhu Feng.
"Have you seen that Second Young Master? Do you know what he looks like, and if he’s particularly handso?" An old man with a white beard lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously to the others.
"Look at what you’re saying, handso is of course handso. I heard our Prince Shuo is born with a full forehead and a square chin, very dignified. How could his son not be good-looking?" The old man with a red face chuckled, "But I haven’t seen which one is the Second Young Master. After all, he is the Prince’s son. Would he co and dig dirt with the young lads?"
The white-bearded old man also laughed, "That’s true. I’m just curious to see what the noble offspring looks like."
A black-faced man across from Zhu Yu snorted. He was the youngest besides Zhu Yu among them, and because of a la leg, he couldn’t stand for long to work, so he was compelled to pick stones.
His disdainful snort imdiately drew the attention of the others, and Zhu Yu, curious, also looked at him, wanting to hear his different perspective.
"You really don’t understand anything. The real noble offspring in the Prince Shuo’s family is the Prince’s eldest son." The black-faced man proudly told the others, "I used to work around Du City. If not for my la leg, I wouldn’t have returned ho here.
In the capital, who doesn’t know that the most distinguished is their eldest son in the Prince’s family?
For any major event in Prince Shuo Mansion, it’s basically the eldest son who represents them, and sotis the tasks assigned from above are also handled by the eldest son for the Prince.
Take this canal construction, for example. Why is it that in this backwater place, Second Young Master ca with the people instead of the eldest son?"
The others, being ordinary folk, hadn’t considered this question before. At his inquiry, they all looked at him curiously.
The black-faced man enjoyed the feeling of being the center of attention and raised his eyebrows proudly, saying, "Because this water is to be drawn from the Jin Country’s territory to our Shuo Land!
It’s equivalent to negotiating with Jin Country for their water, sothing not everyone can manage. Of course, it requires the eldest son’s prestige to accomplish!"
"Oh..." The red-faced old man nodded in deep agreent, "I rember! Before, the Prince’s eldest son seed to have co here once, leading a team to transport mined iron ore back to the capital. We saw their convoy from afar.
I couldn’t see clearly what the eldest son looked like then, but I could see him riding a tall horse, wearing a purple-red robe, looking very imposing!"
Zhu Yu, who had been listening intently, frowned slightly at this.
If the red-faced old man didn’t rember incorrectly, then Zhu Jie’s attire was indeed inappropriate.
According to the rules set by Jin Country, not all colors could be worn freely. So colors were strictly off-limits to those without sufficient rank.
The red-faced old man’s reverent praise for Zhu Jie’s deanor was undoubtedly related to that purple-red robe.
According to the court’s protocol, only those of the third rank or above are qualified to wear purple-red.
As a princely heir, Zhu Cheng naturally has this qualification. If one day he decides who will be the Heir of Prince Shuo, then the heir wearing a purple robe is also appropriate.
However, when it was still uncertain who the title of Heir of Prince Shuo would go to, Zhu Jie’s attire was quite intriguing.
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