Li Ming's face scrunched up at those words.
Something was wrong with the world if an 18-year-old referred to a 16-year-old as master.
Granted, Li Ming's mental age was 36 years, including the 20 years from his past life. But something about the word "Master" doesn't sit right with him. Maybe he isn't suitable to be a master.
But the person in question doesn't seem to feel that weird cringe. Ming Fei just smiled innocently.
Ming Fei is the crown prince of the current Ming Dynasty.
Li Ming first met Ming Fei about 4 months ago in Hangzhou.
4 Months Ago, Hangzhou.
The sky had been blanketed with shades of dark blue, waiting for the arrival of stars.The flickering warm lights of paper lanterns as well as the chirping of insects being the only thing keeping this world awake.
When Li Ming returned from dinner, he witnessed a figure at the front of his residence.
Li Ming approached the figure to find out their purpose.
"Hello! I am sorry to intrude on you, Scholar Li." The figure politely bowed when he saw Li Ming approaching him.
"Uhm! It's fine?" Li Ming was taken aback by his polite greeting.
"And you are?"
Since Li Ming doesn't interact with nobles much, he doesn't know much about etiquette and eloquence. So he directly addressed the elephant in the room.
"My name is Ming Fei, and I am an avid admirer of your work, Scholar Li."
At those words, Li Ming felt his world collapse. This Ming Fei person knew that he was the "Merit Seeker". In that moment, Li Ming felt like his second-year phase diary was exposed to his parents.
But how did he discover that I am the "Merit Seeker"? I mean, I blocked all routes of it being discovered. I transferred all the earnings that I had earned from selling masterpiece poems that Li Ming had heard in his past life to a merchant, who then transferred them to me after taking a small portion of my earnings.
"How did you know that I wrote them?" Li Ming inquired.
"Scholar Li, I understand that I may have overstepped my boundaries, and I apologize for it sincerely."
"How did you know that I wrote them?" Li Ming repeated.
"I learned about Scholar Li through the Yan Pavilion."
Seeing that Li Ming was insistent on knowing his particular source of information, Ming Fei relented and answered his question honestly.
After realizing that he had overreacted, Li Ming apologized and invited the intruding guest into his residence for tea.
After arriving in the guest room filled with elegant calligraphy, Li Ming seated Ming Fei on a futon in front of the smooth wooden table. Then Li Ming opened a cabinet in the kitchen and took out his precious tea set, featuring a pattern of a dragon carved in.
Li Ming carried his tea set along with water and tea leaves to the wooden table. After sitting on the futon opposite Ming Fei, Li Ming asked Ming Fei while making tea.
"Why did you come to visit me?"
"I have admired your works for a long time, Scholar Li."
"Mm," Li Ming nodded.
"I couldn't believe that a 15-year-old young man could write those brilliant poems. So I....uh...um..."
"So you came to confirm with your own eyes." Li Ming continued what Ming Fei was trying to say.
Everything now made sense to Li Ming. This Ming Fei had probably doubted the authenticity of the information he got, so he came in front of Li Ming's residence and referred to Li Ming as Scholar Li Ming despite the 2-year age gap that he had.
Just as Li Ming was lost in his thoughts, Ming Fei knelt down on his head.
"Scholar Li, please make me your apprentice."
Li Ming reflexively said no.