Princess Zhaoyang initially planned to leverage her status to forcibly meet Zhang Fang and establish a connection. However, after seeing him, she was taken aback by his noble character. Such an upstanding person should never be tainted by power. Hearing that the second prince wished to befriend Zhang Fang, Princess Zhaoyang found it amusing.
The second prince, unable to comprehend her reaction, looked toward the stage and inquired directly, “Where is Zhang Lang? I would like to meet him.”
Princess Zhaoyang regained her composure, took out paper and pen, and registered information for the second prince: “Your Highness has probably never completed book fan points, correct? You must stay at the farthest corner over there.”
The second prince was taken aback. “Aunt, I am the second prince! How could you send me to such a distant corner?”
“Aunt…” The second prince attempted to use his royal status to persuade Princess Zhaoyang to arrange a closer position for him.
Princess Zhaoyang replied coolly, “Anyone who participates in the book lovers’ gathering must obey the rules. If the Emperor comes, exceptions can be made.”
Defeated by her words, the second prince had no choice but to obediently move to the far corner. The area was predominantly occupied by men, especially ordinary scholars. Unable to afford Zhang Fang’s works on normal days, their fan levels remained low.
Stuck among this crowd, the second prince felt extremely uncomfortable. Soon, his attendant began to grumble, “This Zhang Lang is so arrogant! Even royal relatives like us are treated with such disdain!”
Hearing this, the other scholars nearby shot disdainful glances at the second prince and his attendant. It was precisely because they were here that they had to abide by Zhang Fang’s rules. Even royal relatives and nobility had no special privileges, which earned Zhang Fang deep admiration from these scholars. After all, scholars pride themselves on not bending to wealth or power. Zhang Fang’s ability to stand firm serves as a model for them!
Sensing the hostile gaze from those around him, the second prince shot a glare at his attendant, urging him to quiet down.
He could feel that these people were protective of Zhang Fang, and the second prince understood. He came here for fun, not trouble! What if he incited their anger and got kicked out? That would be so embarrassing! The second prince was sure that Princess Zhaoyang would pretend not to know him at that moment!
Manager Wang arrived early, noticed the crowd size appeared sufficient, and ordered the entrance closed, allowing no more attendees. He then sent someone to fetch Zhang Fang.
When the carriage appeared, the fans erupted in excitement.
“Zhang Lang! Zhang Lang!”
“Only love Zhang Lang!”
Even the male fans were equally fanatical, astonishing the second prince. The atmosphere was so intense that he felt it was odd not to join in. His attendant, unable to hold back, quietly commented, “Your Highness, these people seem to have gone mad.”
Just as he finished his words, the second prince and his attendant were suddenly pushed forward by the crowd behind them. The attendant whirled around, ready to retaliate, but met the fierce gazes of the male fans, causing his heart to tremble slightly.
The second prince slapped his attendant on the back a few times and quietly scolded, “You talk too much! What nonsense! Zhang Lang is the best person in the world! I love Zhang Lang!”
Attendant:…
Your Highness, what has happened to you!
After speaking, the second prince noticed the scholarly crowd’s expressions toward him becoming friendlier, and he sighed in relief. Fortunately, he was clever enough! Otherwise, he might have been driven away by them!
Returning to his position, the second prince immersed himself in the atmosphere, chanting along, “Zhang Lang! Zhang Lang! The number one talent in the world! Zhang Lang! Only love Zhang Lang!”
His attendant’s face twitched at his antics.
Once someone blends into the atmosphere, it becomes exhilarating. The second prince found himself shouting more and more rhythmically, feeling sheer joy.
When a graceful, ethereal young man took the stage, the crowd’s screams grew louder. The second prince became especially enthusiastic, tugging at the hands of those around him and asking, “Is that Zhang Lang on the stage?”
“Yes! It is!”
The second prince felt as though he was witnessing a deity. Suddenly, he understood why these people were so crazily devoted to Zhang Fang. Seeing the author of the novel in person and thinking of the protagonist instantly created a sense of connection. He even had a wild thought that maybe Zhang Fang was a fallen celestial being who penned such stories! Perhaps this was Zhang Fang’s personal experience of trials and tribulations!
The second prince was filled with excitement and shouted desperately, hoping to attract Zhang Fang’s attention. Unfortunately, his position was too far from the stage, and Zhang Fang didn’t see him at all.
Looking over, he saw Princess Zhaoyang’s die-hard fans sitting right in front, so close to Zhang Fang. The second prince felt anxious, wishing he could throw money to buy an identity as a die-hard fan just to sit near Princess Zhaoyang, closer to Zhang Fang!
Zhang Fang made a gesture, and Manager Wang immediately rang the gong. The crowd instantly quieted down.
Only the second prince and the unaware low-level fans continued to shout.
Realizing that the higher-ranking fans had stopped chanting, the second prince and his companions quickly covered their mouths, silencing themselves.
Once the venue was quiet, Zhang Fang began to speak, smiling warmly as he greeted everyone.
The second prince was too far away to hear Zhang Fang’s voice; he could only see his lips moving, growing impatient.
“I can’t hear anything from over here! I don’t know what Zhang Lang is saying!” The second prince spoke anxiously to the scholars beside him.
Someone informed him, “Of course, we can’t hear Zhang Lang clearly from here, but the die-hard fans in the front row will record what he says. I heard there will be a fan interaction session where they will share what Zhang Lang says today.”
Even so, the second prince felt distressed. This feeling was truly torturous. He had traveled so far to find Zhang Fang, only to be so distant at the event. His identity as a prince was entirely useless here!
The content of this book lovers’ meeting was quite simple, merely casual chatting about life. Zhang Fang shared a brief recount of his life over the past few months with the fans.