Dimensional Supermarket - Chapter 96

Ye Zhou explains until his mouth is dry, having already drunk two cups of tea. Chen Hou is like a curious baby with a hundred thousand whys. Ye Zhou’s head spins from the nonstop questioning, but he keeps a calm expression and continues answering.

Finally, Marquis Chen seems to have asked everything he wants to—for now. Even though he doesn’t understand most of Ye Zhou’s explanations, he can at least recognize that these are all man-made objects. He says to Ye Zhou with satisfaction, “Thank you, noble one, for your guidance. Your integrity and willingness to share your knowledge are truly admirable.”

Ye Zhou replies, “The wind and snow outside haven’t let up—you’ll likely have to stay here for a while. If there’s anything you need, just let the people here know.”

Only then does Chen Hou remember why he was crying earlier. He immediately steps forward and grabs Ye Zhou’s hand, clasping it tightly as he asks, eyes bright, “Master, will you come out? I’ll reward you with the position of prime minister. As long as you help me strengthen Chen, we can rule it together!”

Ye Zhou: “…”

Prime minister? That sounds like a high official…

Ye Zhou shakes his head slightly. “I won’t leave this place, and I definitely won’t come down from the mountain.”

Marquis Chen is stunned. He asks softly, “Why not?”

Now, every time Ye Zhou hears the words “don’t know” or “why,” he gets a headache. He feels that Marquis Chen was far more agreeable when unconscious.

Ye Zhou smiles and says, “This kind of reason isn’t for others to know. Just stay here peacefully, Marquis Chen.”

Not wanting to talk anymore, Ye Zhou stands up and opens the lounge door, gesturing for Chen Hou to leave.

Chen Hou understands the meaning but is reluctant. He moves toward Ye Zhou in tiny steps—not quite walking, more like inching forward. He stands in front of Ye Zhou, eyes full of affection. “Master, think about it again. If you come down the mountain, the Chen State will also be yours.”

Ye Zhou wants to ask: Are you seriously this generous? We only exchanged a few words and now you want to co-rule the country with me?

Am I too stingy, or are all Warring States monarchs this generous?

But he doesn’t say it out loud. He just watches Chen Hou leave the lounge and, without hesitation, closes the door in his reluctant face.

Finally, the curious baby is gone.

Ye Zhou leans against the wall and lets out a long breath of relief.

Chen Hou, after crying, actually feels refreshed. No one stops him as he wanders around, and as he looks at everything, he sighs, “So many rare treasures—probably once-in-a-lifetime sights.”

He circles the shelves a few times and walks over when he sees someone passing by.

It’s a tall young woman with striking looks. Marquis Chen doesn’t come too close, maintaining a respectful distance. He asks politely, “May I ask, young lady, what is this item?”

He holds a children’s toy in his hands, clearly full of curiosity.

Chen Shu looks at Marquis Chen like she’s seeing some sort of creature.

She’s already heard from Cao’er that this man is a master of asking questions. Not wanting to deal with someone like that, she quickly says, “I have things to do. If you have questions, go ask him.”

She points to Zou Ming, who is filling up a water jug. “He knows everything. Go ask him.” And with that, Chen Shu disappears in a flash.

Chen Hou finds her attitude odd, but he isn’t offended. In the past, during meetings between monarchs of various nations, he has often been treated coldly. If he got angry over people’s attitudes, he’d have died of rage long ago.

So he walks in the direction she pointed and stops in front of Zou Ming, bowing slightly. “Young man, may I ask what this is and what it does?”

Zou Ming doesn’t yet realize what kind of questioning monster he’s dealing with. He glances at the item in Chen Hou’s hand. “It’s a children’s play phone. It can only play music.”

Chen Hou continues, “Can it transmit sound?”

Zou Ming replies, “No, once you put in the battery, pressing the buttons will play songs.”

Chen Hou tilts his head. “What is a battery?”

Zou Ming: “…”

He doesn’t know how to explain it properly, but seeing Chen Hou’s eager gaze, he tries his best to put it in simple terms.

After learning about the battery, Chen Hou then asks about the toy’s shell: “I don’t know what material this is. It doesn’t look like anything I recognize.”

Zou Ming then explains plastic to him.

Even though Chen Hou still doesn’t understand much, he is touched by how seriously Zou Ming explains everything, so he asks warmly, “Brother, may I ask your name? I am Chen Ji, Marquis of the Chen State.”

Zou Ming is blank-faced. He really wants to throw this man out of the supermarket, but still replies, “Zou Ming.”

Chen Hou asks, “Do you have a courtesy name?”

Zou Ming: “No.”

Then he frowns. “I have things to do. If you have questions, ask someone else.”

With that, he leaves without giving Chen Hou a chance to follow.

Soon enough, everyone in the supermarket is fed up with Chen Hou’s constant questioning. Only the children don’t mind—but they can’t answer him either, because they don’t know much themselves.

Chen Hou holds a child in his arms, looks around to confirm no adults are nearby, and quietly asks, “Let me ask you something. What country are you from? If you answer, I’ll give you something good.”

The child blinks. “What good thing?”

Chen Hou pulls a jade hairpin from his sleeve. “This is worth a hundred gold. I’ll give it to you.”

The child gives Chen Hou a careful look, then says, “I’m from the Daliang Dynasty. That’s what my parents told me, but I don’t really remember.”

Chen Hou is stunned. “Daliang Dynasty?”

“Then who is your ruler?”

He suspects the child has mispronounced something due to his strong accent.

The child replies, “You mean an emperor? I don’t know who the emperor is.”

Chen Hou frowns slightly. “Emperor? You mean like the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?”

The child has just learned about this in school and nods. “Yeah, after the First Emperor unified the six states, they stopped calling themselves kings and started using the title ‘emperor.’ It means… something like surpassing the Three Sovereigns, and having greater virtue than the Five Emperors.”

Marquis Chen murmurs, “Emperor…”

He looks down at the child. The child doesn’t look like someone from Chen, Lu, or Zheng.

Finally, Chen Hou pieces it all together.

He rubs the child’s head, smiles, gently places him back on the ground, and solemnly hands him the jade hairpin. “Go play with your friends.”

Watching the child run off, Chen Hou makes his way back to the tent.

Earlier, Chen Yan managed to stay conscious. But upon seeing his lord awaken, he falls ill with a high fever and is bedridden. Fortunately, the physician takes good care of him. Though he can’t get up yet, he is now able to open his eyes and drink porridge.

When Chen Hou returns, he sees Feng Ling feeding porridge to Chen Yan.

Chen Yan flushes red from being spoon-fed and immediately lowers his voice when he sees Chen Hou enter. “Miss, please set the bowl aside. I’ve regained some strength and can eat by myself.”

Feng Ling doesn’t speak. She puts the bowl down and leaves the tent. As she passes by Chen Hou, she gives him a slight nod.

Chen Hou quickly steps aside in response.

Once she has left, he sits beside Chen Yan.

The two stare at each other in silence. Then Chen Yan lightly coughs. “Your Majesty… did you find something?”

Chen Hou nods slightly and whispers, “I now know where this place is and who it belongs to.”

Chen Yan’s eyes widen. He struggles to sit up and whispers, “Where is this? Who owns it? Please, don’t keep me guessing.”

Chen Hou leans in and says softly, “This must be a fairy’s palace. The one who owns this place must be an immortal. He can’t be anyone else.”

Chen Yan gasps, “How do you know?”

Chen Hou replies, “I met the master here. He told me a story—about the Qin State. If he had made it up, how could it be so seamless? And although he looks young, he isn’t impulsive. His words are meaningful, his manners gracious, and he’s neither arrogant nor condescending. I offered him the position of prime minister to come help us, but he said he couldn’t leave. This place is cold and remote—there must be a reason he can’t go. Also, I asked a child here. He said he was a commoner of the Daliang Dynasty. There’s no marquis in Daliang, only an emperor. How could a child make up the term emperor? And he even said it meant achievements like the Three Sovereigns and virtues like the Five Emperors. All these things—this must be fairyland, and this is a fairy’s residence.”

Chen Hou’s eyes gleam. “Brother Yan! You were right. After all our hardships, this is truly an opportunity for the Chen State! I shall treat the immortal as my own father, serve him with utmost care, and pray that he will grant me the wisdom to strengthen our nation!”