Chapter 120: My Neighbor Is the Princess

According to the address on the deed, Zhou Shu found the county baron residence.

Unknowingly, he had become a man with two residences in the capital.

This was something he didn’t even dare to think about in his previous life.

In his previous life, how would he dare to think about someone giving him a house?

It was simply wishful thinking.

According to the position of this residence, in my previous life, this would be 1st Ring Road.

Zhou Shu stood at the entrance and clicked his tongue in amazement.

This place was only a street away from the Imperial Palace. It was definitely in the center of Chang’an.

The emperor was very generous. This mansion looked even bigger than the one Mi Ziwen had given him, and its location was even better.

This district, this area, belonged to the kind of luxury that people could never dream of buying in a lifetime if they couldn’t already afford it at birth. Unless—circumstances…

I can be considered to have entered the upper class now, Zhou Shu joked to himself.

A mansion in the center of the imperial capital was beautiful!

In his previous life, he couldn’t even become a house slave if he wanted. Zhou Shu’s feelings toward this mansion were much greater than the title.

He didn’t really care about the title of baron.

After opening the door with the key, Zhou Shu walked into the mansion.

The mansion was exquisitely built. There were richly decorated pavilions and buildings with all sorts of paintings and furnishings. Zhou Shu couldn’t find any flaws.

The only flaw was that it was too big…

It would cost a lot of money to maintain this enormous mansion.

Fortunately, I just won a lot of money from Shen Yue. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare to stay in this mansion.

The residence gifted by Mi Ziwen had a group of servants. But there weren’t any in this county baron’s mansion.

Speaking of which, why hasn’t that Shen kid sent the money to me yet? Is he trying to renege on his debt? I’ll rush him later!

Soon, he took a tour of the mansion.

He only had one word for this mansion.

Satisfaction!

After he got the 10,000 taels of gold, he would move here. The conditions here were slightly better than the residence that Mi Ziwen had given him. This place was close to the palace, so there wouldn’t be any audacious people causing trouble here…

As Zhou Shu thought this, he locked the door and prepared to leave.

Although this mansion was good, it wasn’t suitable for him to move in now. He still had to hire some servants and buy some daily necessities.

Zhou Shu was thinking about what items to buy for his new home while walking out of it.

“Grand Minister? Why are you here?” Suddenly, he looked up and saw a familiar figure.

Yin Wuyou was standing on a white jade staircase, her gaze meeting Zhou Shu’s eyes. She said calmly, “This is my home. Is it strange for me to be here?”

“Your home?” Zhou Shu raised his head in surprise. Under the sunlight, there was a plaque on the door behind Yin Wuyou, and a couple of large words were written on it.

Princess Residence!

What?

The princess residence is next to my county baron residence?

I became neighbors with Yin Wuyou?

Zhou Shu’s face darkened. The princess likes to take things without paying. Now that I’ve become neighbors with her, will she go to my residence every few days to take my weapons?

Yes! It’s possible!

I must add a few more locks to the storeroom!

Zhou Shu was on guard.

Yin Wuyou noticed Zhou Shu’s gaze and felt a little displeased. What kind of gaze was that?

Vigilance?

Why are you guarding against me?

In order to get this mansion for you, I even resorted to acting cute. I don’t expect you to be grateful to me, but you can’t do this.

“Where are you going?” Yin Wuyou proudly raised her head. “Shouldn’t you be working in the workshop right now? Don’t think that you don’t need to be on duty just because you’re the superintendent of the workshop!”

Zhou Shu: “…”

She’s indeed an evil princess who only knows how to oppress others!

Learn from your father. Look at how generous he is!

A baron title and a mansion!

You only know how to make people work. To think that you look like a fairy…

Zhou Shu couldn’t help complaining inwardly.

But he put on a respectful expression on his face. “Reporting to Grand Minister, I’m not deliberately slacking off. I entered the city to seek inspiration for forging.”

“Inspiration for forging?” Yin Wuyou asked doubtfully.

“Forging a weapon is not done behind closed doors. A sage once said that the appearance of a weapon requires 99% hard work and 1% inspiration. And this 1% inspiration is crucial.

“My job at the 0th Workshop is to develop new weapons. If I sit in the workshop all day, it will only limit my thinking.

“That’s why I have to come out often to stimulate my inspiration. Only then can I develop more new weapons.

“In the terminology of our forging industry, this is called a field survey.”

Yin Wuyou looked doubtful. “Field survey? Why haven’t I heard of it?”

“Grand Minister, you are high and mighty. It’s natural that you have never heard of such a small matter.”

Zhou Shu said in all seriousness, “That’s how I developed those standard long sabers.

“It takes brains to develop weapons, Grand Minister, not just the amount of time I work in the workshop.”

Yin Wuyou nodded as if she understood. “You’re right. Where are you going for your field survey now? Since I have nothing to do, I’ll go with you to broaden my horizons. Since I am the grand minister of the Forging Division, I should understand more about forging. Otherwise, how can I lead the Forging Division well?”

Zhou Shu: “…”

…

“You came here to do a field survey?”

Outside Chang’an’s northern gate, a man and woman walked side by side on the official road.

Yin Wuyou looked at Zhou Shu suspiciously.

In the previous two hours, she had been wandering aimlessly in the city with Zhou Shu. She didn’t know if he had found any inspiration, but her stomach was almost filled…

… with street snacks…

After wandering around the city for half a day, they left the city again!

“Grand Minister, I’ve already told you. A field survey is led by feelings without a concrete purpose. I may be inspired after eating candied hawthorn, or I may be inspired after seeing a beautiful woman like you, Grand Minister.

“Even a leaf might trigger my inspiration.

“This is something that doesn’t make sense. It’s like an epiphany in the Martial Dao.”

Zhou Shu was spouting nonsense.

Yin Wuyou blushed slightly and nodded thoughtfully. She understood a little about epiphanies in the Martial Dao. They were something that couldn’t be explained.

“Have you found inspiration?” Yin Wuyou asked.

“No!” Zhou Shu said confidently.

How could it be so easy to develop a new weapon?

Even if it took him a year or so to find inspiration, it wouldn’t be strange.

Yin Wuyou didn’t suspect anything and simply acknowledged.

“There’s a post house up ahead. Great Wei’s diplomatic mission stays there. Are you here to look for them?” Yin Wuyou said cautiously. She was glad that she had followed him today.

Those people from Great Wei were still trying to recruit Zhou Shu.

She couldn’t let Zhou Shu meet them alone!

“If you didn’t tell me, I would have forgotten. That Shen fellow still owes me money. Since I’m here, I’ll go rush him,” Zhou Shu said casually.

“By the way, Grand Minister, why is the diplomatic mission of Great Wei staying outside the city? Isn’t Great Xia being disrespectful?” Zhou Shu asked curiously.

No matter what the relationship between the two countries was, they had to be wary of diplomatic issues.

When the diplomatic mission came, Great Xia wouldn’t even let them in?

“There’s also a post house in the city, but they have to dare to stay there.” Yin Wuyou sneered.

There was a first-rank martial artist among Great Wei’s diplomatic mission. If he entered the city, he would have to worry about Great Xia killing him.

In addition, Great Xia was also worried that he would wreak havoc after entering the city.

After all, first-rank martial artists had already transcended mortality. The threat they posed was too great.

Similarly, if Great Xia had the confidence to kill Great Wei’s imperial preceptor, they would do it even if they had to give it their all.

However, it was not easy to kill a first-rank martial artist. If one wasn’t confident, it was best not to attack. Otherwise, the revenge of a first-rank martial artist would be very terrifying.

Therefore, both parties had a tacit understanding that even though Great Wei’s imperial preceptor had come to Great Xia, he would stay at the post house outside the city.

In the vast area outside the city, no one could kill a first-rank martial artist who wanted to escape. At the very least, no one in Great Xia could do it.

“Do you think they’ll hit us if we just go to their door to collect our debt?” Zhou Shu said.

Yin Wuyou looked disdainful. “They wouldn’t dare! If they dare to touch you, this princess will kill them!”

The princess had a domineering look on her face, which didn’t match her exquisite features. But this contrast made her look extraordinary.

Zhou Shu was stunned.

Noticing Zhou Shu’s expression, Yin Wuyou blushed and unconsciously turned her head away.

“No, this is Great Xia’s territory. If they dare to make a move, I, the grand minister, guarantee that they won’t be able to bear the consequences.” Yin Wuyou changed her form of address to conceal her unnatural behavior.

Zhou Shu was just trying to make conversation. After all, he was with his boss. He couldn’t let the atmosphere get too awkward.

Was he afraid that Great Wei would make a move?

If Great Wei’s diplomatic mission really dared to make a move, he wanted to see if he could snatch back the three heaven-grade weapons that he had thrown there previously!

Zhou Shu still didn’t know that Great Wei’s Imperial Preceptor Xiao Shunzhi had only managed to snatch one weapon, and the other two had fallen into the hands of Emperor Yuan Feng.

As they talked, they got closer and closer to the post house.

When they were a thousand feet away from the post house, they heard a sharp whistle. A moment later, Shen Yue led a few people out of the door.

Obviously, they had stationed scouts around the area.

“Brother Shen, long time no see.” As soon as they met, Zhou Shu spoke warmly. “I’ve missed you so much. A day apart feels like three years.”

Shen Yue was shocked by Zhou Shu’s enthusiasm. What does he mean?

Do I have such a relationship with him?

Yin Wuyou frowned. Is Zhou Shu so close to Shen Yue? That shouldn’t be the case.

“Your Highness!” Shen Yue paid no attention to Zhou Shu. How could the mere superintendent of a small workshop be worthy of his greeting?

So what if he’s won temporarily? He’s still just a tiny workshop superintendent! Shen Yue thought contemptuously.

He looked at Yin Wuyou and asked, “Your Highness, what brings you here?”

Great Wei’s diplomatic mission had a fixed procedure to negotiate with Great Xia. In theory, it had nothing to do with Yin Wuyou.

He was a little puzzled. The previous competition had come to an end, and both parties were waiting for the announcement of the Standard Armament Manual. Why was Yin Wuyou here at this time?

“I’m not the one who wanted to come. He’s the one who’s looking for you.” Yin Wuyou pointed at Zhou Shu. “I just accompanied him here.”

Yin Wuyou took a step back and didn’t usurp the host.

Shen Yue frowned as he glanced at Zhou Shu and said in a cold voice, “Your Highness, I am the deputy envoy of Great Wei’s diplomatic mission. Your country sent a ninth-rank official to discuss matters with me?”

When competing in forging techniques, he had lowered his status. Otherwise, how could a mere apprentice, even though he was a workshop superintendent, be qualified to stand in front of him?

After losing once, coupled with his hatred for Zhou Shu, Shen Yue seized this opportunity. It was impossible for him to be polite to Zhou Shu, right?

“Shen, are you planning to go back on your word?” Zhou Shu said angrily.

Shen Yue raised his head, disdaining to speak to Zhou Shu.

“Your Highness, if Great Xia has any problems, please arrange for people of equal status to come here. Don’t let any random plebeian come here to bark!”

“Who’s barking?” Zhou Shu said.

“Plebeian is,” Shen Yue said casually.

“Oh, so you’re a plebeian,” Zhou Shu said.

Shen Yue’s expression darkened. When had he ever argued so tastelessly with a commoner?

He, Shen Yue, was also someone of great status in Great Wei!

“Deputy Envoy Shen, if I remember correctly, your position in Great Wei is lower than the fifth rank?” Yin Wuyou said coldly.

The fifth rank was roughly equivalent to an assistant department head in Zhou Shu’s previous world. Someone in their twenties reaching the assistant department head level was considered quite an incredible feat on Earth.

“Zhou Shu is a county baron of Great Xia. In terms of official rank, he is half a rank higher than you!

“If you want to say that your ranks are not equal, then it’s because your rank is too low!” Yin Wuyou said bluntly.

Shen Yue’s raised head stiffened.

Zhou Shu was conferred nobility?

When did this happen?

Why didn’t I receive any news?

“Grand Minister, keep a low profile,” Zhou Shu said reservedly. “I’m just a mere baron. It’s embarrassing. Others may think that I’m green and inexperienced.”

“You’re right. You’re worthy of a title higher than a baron.” Yin Wuyou nodded in agreement.

Zhou Shu didn’t expect Yin Wuyou to have the talent to be a sidekick. He inwardly gave Yin Wuyou a thumbs up before looking at Shen Yue.

“Shen Yue, although my position is slightly higher than yours, we are not from the same country. I can’t be considered to be suppressing others with my power,” Zhou Shu said.

“You should pay back the debt you owe me. How many days has it been?

“If you really can’t take it out, then write me an IOU first. As a man, you can’t possibly not even have a little betting etiquette, right?

“If you are really that shameless, that’s fine too. I won’t take your money. I’ll even help you promote it for free so that others won’t fall for your tricks in the future.

“If you can’t afford to lose, then don’t bet. It’s not like there’s anyone forcing you. Not only are you incapable, but you don’t have any betting etiquette.. Why are you acting like a big shot all day?”