The fool has become a spirit, and she can speak

Chapter 1797 Greyhound

"That's right, it came from Basho!"

Wan Lianxing rummaged through the bookshelves next to the throne, as if looking for some important documents.

"Uncle, what are you looking for? Do you need to call a worker, or can I help you find one?"

Wan Lianxing said, "No need, I can find it!"

"Uncle, seeing how busy you are, I'll go home for dinner!" The letter from the Southern Yan Kingdom was no small matter; his uncle would likely have to summon some ministers for an audience soon. Therefore, Cheng Feng didn't want to linger and disturb them!

"Why go back! Isn't your home too crowded for you? Stay and keep me company!" Suddenly, Wan Lianxing smiled and stood up, a small jar appearing in his hand!

Cheng Feng leaned closer to take a look, "Jingmi, Uncle, you're not going to be a glutton, are you?!"

"It's hungry, can't you see?"

It really was bird feeder!

"You were rummaging through everything, I thought something terrible had happened! Turns out you were just looking for a jar of rice to feed the birds?"

Wan Lianxing said with a smile, "Look at this little messenger. It doesn't look like much, but it has to eat rice every time it returns from delivering a message. Its taste is quite different from that of other messengers."

As he spoke, Wan Lianxing poured the rice onto his imperial desk, then picked up a small teacup, poured half a bowl of dew into it, and the little bird, as if starving, began pecking at the rice on the table.

Only these few messengers could be personally served meals by Wan Lianxing!

"Uncle, where are the servants who serve you?" When did Wan Lianxing ever bend down to look for something on his own?

"Are you asking about the attendants and the retinue? They've had too much to drink; I've sent them to rest!"

"Where is the old butler?"

"That old man is getting on in years and is busy helping others choose wives. He's tired, so I've let him rest!"

"There must be a few maids and palace servants, right? This is way too aloof! It's like there's no one left in the palace!"

Wan Lianxing smiled at the little bird eating on the imperial desk and said, "Why make such a fuss? I rarely get a moment of peace and quiet."

Cheng Feng took one look and realized that this was a completely lonely person!

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it's already the 28th day of the first lunar month!

Envoys from various countries arrived in Fengying City in the past two days. Some envoys brought princesses, some brought treasures, some brought mythical beasts, some brought rare minerals, and some brought exotic flowers and trees.

The 28th day of the first lunar month is the day for princesses to pay their respects. Inside the main hall, the emperor ascends the throne, and all the officials stand in attendance. Princesses from various countries are led to the main hall one by one by the master of ceremonies to perform the ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows. Then they present their country's memorials and tributes!

Having seen many fine things, Cheng Youning paid no attention to the tributes from various countries; he didn't even glance at them. Only the gift from the princess of the Southern Yan Kingdom caught his eye: a greyhound. This dog had a slender waist and a long snout, clearly a master rabbit hunter, and Cheng Youning took a liking to it at first sight. The dog's light yellow fur was mixed with some stray hairs, and its chest and belly were mostly white. With just one glance, Cheng Youning knew what to name this hunting dog.

rhubarb.

After the princesses and envoys from various countries paid their respects, Wan Lianxing hosted a banquet in a side hall for the princesses and their entourage, bestowing upon them gold, silver, brocade, jewelry, and other gifts. This concluded the ceremony.

Shang Xi waited at home, trying to convince herself not to think about it, but she couldn't let go of her worries, fearing that some bad people might move into the Crown Prince's residence.

Upon seeing Cheng Feng return, Shang Xi pulled him down to sit. "How were things? How are those princesses?"

"Once you change into our begging clothes, you'll look no different from the people here; you'll all have the same nose and two eyes!"

Before Cheng Feng could finish speaking, Yu Hua complained, "Isn't that obvious? Don't all people look pretty much the same?"

Shang Xi wanted to say that different races make a huge difference! Just as Shang Xi was about to confidently ask, the impatient Yu Hua asked, "Among the princesses this time, has You Ning taken a liking to any of them?"

Cheng Feng thought about his son's reaction, "It's still hard to tell whether he's taken a liking to the princess or not. That kid is always putting on airs, but he's taken a fancy to a dog!"

"A dog?" Shang Xi and Yu Hua said almost in unison.

"What kind of dog?" Yu Hua asked!

"The Southern Tobacco Kingdom presented us with a greyhound, with little yellow fur, and it looks quite docile!"

Yu Hua asked, "Wait a minute, what is a greyhound?"

"A dog! A hunting dog, a hunting dog that runs incredibly fast!" Cheng Feng stared wide-eyed at Yu Hua, wondering if the man was not quite right in the head.

After hearing this, Yu Hua sighed, "This child only knows how to tease cats and dogs all day long. He has turned the Crown Prince's residence into an animal farm! Now there is another dog. I guess this child will play with the dog all night tonight."

Yu Hua is right.

Having eaten and drunk his fill, Cheng Youning was pestering Wan Lianxing in the Hall of Mental Cultivation! "Grandpa, can I have Big Yellow?"

"Rhubarb? Where is rhubarb? What is rhubarb?!" Wan Lianxing pretended not to understand!

"It's that dog that the Southern Tobacco Kingdom presented as a gift!"

"That's obviously an adult dog, it can't be tamed. My grandson likes hunting dogs, so tomorrow I'll have Suiying find you a good-quality greyhound puppy. You can raise it from a young age, it'll be easier to train!"

Cheng Youning's tiny, pincer-like hands rubbed and pinched Wan Lianxing's shoulders, trying to coax his great-uncle into giving him the hunting dog.

In the end, Wan Lianxing couldn't resist and let the child take the hunting dog away.

Cheng Youning not only played with the dog for half the night, but also took the dog to the Imperial College the next day.

Those who studied at the Imperial Academy could be roughly divided into two categories: the sons of officials and the students from various prefectures and counties who came through their own merits. These students, who came through the examinations, came from different backgrounds, but regardless of their social class, everyone was familiar with dogs.

Many nobles, high-ranking officials, and wealthy people keep dogs in their homes; very few do not. Dogs can not only be used for hunting in the mountains but also for guarding the house and property, offering numerous benefits.

For ordinary families, dogs are kept to guard the house and protect their owners.

So when these students saw the dog that Cheng Youning brought, they weren't surprised, but their eyes were filled with enthusiasm, surprise, and flattery, as if the dog was some rare breed. In fact, these high-ranking officials and nobles liked to keep this kind of dog, and not just one, but in groups of all sizes.

Even if the dog that the prince leads out is the most rustic or the ugliest, everyone will praise it for its noble lineage and that it is a rare breed in the world.

But Cheng Youning, who had never owned a dog before, thought his dog was unique and unparalleled. When everyone praised his hunting dog, Cheng Youning couldn't help but smile! He didn't doubt for a second that everyone was flattering him!

Just as Cheng Youning was feeling quite pleased with himself, his brother-in-law popped out from the crowd and asked, "Brother-in-law, you have a dog?"