After savoring the flavor for a long time, Jiang Wang said, “It’s indescribably delicious!”

Jiang Wuhua, intending to bridge the gap between them through their shared love of cooking, smiled and said, “This century egg is made from the eggs of the Snow Bamboo Chicken, the meat is from the Pearl Hog, and the rice is from the Little Jade Orchid. I selected these three ingredients from thousands of possibilities to find the most harmonious combination. It must be boiled in a Sandalwood Pot and served in a Azure Jade Bowl to preserve its original flavor. It’s best to simmer it over a low fire fueled by charred orchid pine for three hours – not a minute more, not a minute less.”

There was a hint of self-satisfaction in his smile, indicating considerable confidence in his culinary skills.

While Jiang Wang was truly captivated by the deliciousness of the porridge, upon hearing these words, his first thought was, *A dignified Crown Prince, and he has such leisure?*

A simple bowl of porridge, from the ingredients to the pot, the bowl, the heat source, and even the firewood used – all were time-consuming and laborious. Where did the Crown Prince find time for cultivation? Where did he find time for political studies?

They say “governing a great nation is like cooking a small dish,” but you can’t truly govern a country by simply finding a cook!

However, it wasn’t his place to comment on the Crown Prince’s affairs. On the surface, he naturally said, “Your Highness is truly dedicated. I seem to have learned a new dish today.”

“It’s nothing. The Snow Bamboo Chicken, Pearl Hog, and Little Jade Orchid are unique to the Eastern Palace. Qingyang Zi can take some with him when he leaves later.” Jiang Wuhua smiled brightly, raised his hand, and said, “Let’s eat in silence. Please enjoy the porridge first.”

So, they began their breakfast in the Changle Palace.

Jiang Wang didn’t hold back, drinking two bowls in succession. At the same time, he silently memorized Jiang Wuhua’s method, thinking he would make a bowl for An An when he had time in the future.

Seeing that Jiang Wang had no intention of having another bowl, the Crown Prince also put down his Azure Jade Bowl and wiped his mouth with a handkerchief.

The attendant eunuch silently cleared away the dishes, and another served fragrant tea.

Amidst the subtle fragrance, the Crown Prince smiled and said, “I’ve always known that Jiang Qingyang likes to visit pleasure houses…”

Jiang Wang, who had just taken a sip of tea, almost choked and spat it out.

He then heard the Crown Prince continue, “…to savor fragrant tea. My Misty Smoke Tea is also not inferior to Eight Sounds Tea.”

Taking such a long pause while speaking? Was he doing it on purpose?

But it must be said, this slight hint of teasing from the Crown Prince made him appear more approachable.

“Good tea, good tea,” Jiang Wang echoed awkwardly, though in reality he hadn’t tasted the flavor of the Misty Smoke Tea at all.

The Crown Prince’s smile lessened, and the atmosphere instantly became much more serious. He looked at Jiang Wang and asked, “How much do you understand about the path of officialdom?”

The main topic had arrived.

Jiang Wang replied truthfully, “Not much.”

He had worn the seal of Qingyang Town, which indeed benefited his cultivation, but the improvement wasn’t significant. Purely in terms of cultivation progress, the time spent governing the area would have been better spent focusing solely on cultivation for quicker results.

Furthermore, he had seen the seal of Jiacheng City Lord and understood a bit about the relationship between the people’s will and the city seal. But regarding other matters, he truly didn’t know much.

His humble origins in a small town in Zhuang State were no secret to the high-ranking officials of Qi State.

Therefore, the Crown Prince wasn’t surprised and said slowly, “The path of officialdom, it is the integration of various philosophies like法 (Legalism),儒 (Confucianism),兵 (Military), and 墨 (Mohism)… a blend of all schools, the system of the state. It has existed since ancient times, but its true flourishing and widespread adoption came after the new era of the Dao.”

Jiang Wang was quite interested in these historical anecdotes buried in time and listened attentively.

“Let’s not talk about these historical matters for now.”

Perhaps seeing Jiang Wang’s interest, and perhaps with intentional teasing, the Crown Prince’s tone suddenly shifted, and he looked at him meaningfully: “You currently hold only honorary titles, so I imagine your understanding of the path of officialdom isn’t very deep.”

A third-rank Golden Melon Warrior, of course, was as honorary as could be.

A fourth-rank Azure Badge Constable was actually a substantive position, but Jiang Master was considered to have connections within the Capital Patrol Office, and the Patrol Office rarely assigned him any duties. Jiang himself found investigating cases and apprehending criminals quite troublesome, and thus rarely performed his duties.

Ultimately, he had entered the Azure Badge system by being assigned to it in an honorary capacity and fundamentally did not regard the Azure Badge as his career.

So the Crown Prince saying he held only honorary titles was not wrong.

But because of the other party’s status as the heir to the throne, Jiang Wang couldn’t help but feel a bit awkward, like he had been caught slacking off. Especially since he still received his full salary, not a single cent less.

“Ahaha, before I was focused on competing for the championship and busy with cultivation…” He quickly explained, indicating that he was also striving for the honor of the country, and then awkwardly laughed, “It is indeed not very deep.”

The Crown Prince’s smile was very gentle: “Actually, before the Outer Tower realm, the path of officialdom doesn’t significantly benefit cultivation. Especially for a talent like Qingyang Zi, the assistance from officialdom isn’t particularly needed.”

Jiang Wang understood his meaning: “It’s different after the Outer Tower realm?”

“Exploring the starry sky and erecting a star tower is most feared when one gets lost. The divine soul wanders outside the heavens, with no return date in sight. This is actually similar to a Dragon Realm expert entering the Inner Mansion. The Dragon Realm requires clearing the fog of ignorance before one can find the Inner Mansion. When the divine soul wanders outside the heavens, it also needs to penetrate the ignorance in this world before one can find one’s true Dao.”

Jiang Wuhua spoke eloquently, explaining cultivation matters very clearly: “Erecting a tower outside the heavens is like a probe in the sea, difficult to find and difficult to return. A cultivator’s single thought is a thread in the world. But the path of officialdom can be connected by ‘human energy.’ The focus of one person’s thought is naturally different from the thoughts of thousands or tens of thousands of people. The path of officialdom uses this to help cultivators anchor themselves in the real world. Of course, you are the world’s foremost Inner Mansion expert, with the light of your divine ability shining within the five mansions and illuminating the starry sky, so you are not easily lost.”

These matters had never been explained to Jiang Wang before.

At this moment, he truly felt a sense of sudden enlightenment.

In ancient times, one could not reach the Outer Tower without a divine ability. It must have been extremely difficult to penetrate the ignorance of the world.

However, later generations had the help of ancient sages who explored the Four Spirits Star Domain and passed down their Dao, assisting later generations in building their towers. Later, the state system was established, and the path of officialdom provided this kind of assistance, helping cultivators escape the peril of their divine souls being lost outside the heavens.

This was why more and more Outer Tower cultivators appeared, and the human race grew stronger and stronger.

“One could say that the initial creation of the path of officialdom was to help those with insufficient talent cultivate.” Jiang Wuhua smiled mockingly.

It was as if he was saying he was one of those with insufficient talent.

One who reached the Outer Tower without a divine ability was the Crown Prince before him.

But Jiang Wang did not dare to underestimate him in the slightest.

Many people said the Crown Prince only benefited from his age, but what kind of formidable ruler was the current Qi Emperor? Could one simply rely on being older to sit in the Eastern Palace?

Then there would be no need for the Ninth Prince and the Eleventh Prince as competitors. After the Third Princess, the Fourth and Fifth would suffice.

But in reality, Jiang Wang, who hadn’t been in Qi for long, didn’t even know the names of those two, whether they were princes or princesses. As members of the royal family, they were obscure and nameless, even more so than the Fourteenth Prince Jiang Wuyong.

Furthermore, Jiang Wang had interacted with Jiang Wuyou, Jiang Wuxie, and Jiang Wuqi, and could say they were all exceptional individuals, each one dazzling.

How could Jiang Wuhua sit securely in the Eastern Palace under their pressure if he were inferior?

Just looking at the present, being able to explain cultivation matters so clearly meant that the Crown Prince’s strength was by no means simple!

“The path of cultivation is long and winding, and the Outer Tower is just one step.” Jiang Wang said seriously, “Before reaching the highest point, who knows who is higher?”

Jiang Wuhua was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter: “Well said, ‘Before reaching the highest point, who knows who is higher’! The one who understands me is Jiang Qingyang!”

Jiang Wang: …

This Crown Prince was excellent in every way, except for one thing: he would always, inadvertently, and in just a few words, pull you to his side. One moment you were fellow travelers, the next you were lifelong confidants. Looking at this scene, who would know that this was Jiang Wang’s first visit?

I was just explaining my personal cultivation philosophy, what do I understand about you, Your Highness?

Jiang Wang simply smiled lightly and said nothing in response.

Jiang Wuhua did not appear awkward.

He rested his hand on his knee and leaned slightly forward: “Do you know—”

He asked, “The Holy Emperor’s cultivation is world-shattering, his might encompasses the six directions, and he possesses extraordinary longevity. Why does he still need to establish a Crown Prince?”