Wei Yang Palace.
The residence of the Third Prince’s mother, Consort Wen.
“If Big Brother passes the assessment this time and establishes his residence outside the palace, he will certainly gather support in court.” The Third Prince worried, “I’m two years younger than him and still have to wait two years before I can attend court to learn governance. Two years is like an unbridgeable gap…”
As he spoke, he heard one or two sobs.
The Third Prince looked up toward the window: “Mother, there’s no need to worry so much.”
Consort Wen raised her head from the storybook, tears in her eyes, “What did you just say?”
The Third Prince: “…”
Consort Wen: “I got this storybook from Concubine Xuan. Although it’s a story of common folk and the jianghu, it’s particularly moving when read. So sad.”
The Third Prince had no choice but to repeat himself: “Mother, please take my important matter seriously.”
Consort Wen put down the storybook and poured him a cup of tea.
“Whether one can pass the review depends entirely on His Majesty’s decision. It will combine the results of this examination with past performance, taking at least three or four days. Today, Grand Tutor Fang has just submitted the examination papers to His Majesty, yet you’ve already come to me. Being so anxious shows a lack of patience.”
The Third Prince: “Whether a prince is allowed to leave the palace and establish his residence is not something court officials can interfere with. It depends entirely on Father Emperor. Grandfather and the others can’t help.”
“Yes, I know that,” Consort Wen said. “Among those who can approach His Majesty and have a say, the imperial consorts are not worth considering. Besides them, there are only Head Eunuch Yu, Eunuch Bao, and a few others who serve closely.”
“None of them are easy to approach,” the Third Prince said. “If I do anything, Father Emperor will certainly see through it.”
Consort Wen: “You’ve forgotten someone—the Seventh Prince.”
“Seventh Brother?”
The Third Prince fell into contemplation.
Consort Wen: “The Seventh Prince often falls ill, perhaps due to a weakened constitution from his time in Ju’an Hall. His Majesty is quite accommodating toward him. The Zichen Palace even has his regular bowls and chopsticks. Weren’t you jealous before?”
The Third Prince laughed awkwardly.
How could three years ago be the same as now?
The older he grew and the more he interacted, the more he understood that his Seventh Brother was the youngest, had been physically weak since childhood, and was average in his studies. He couldn’t pose much of a threat to them.
By the time he left the palace, established his residence, and attended court, it was questionable whether he would even have a stable footing.
On the contrary, if they maintained a good relationship with him, the forces behind him—the Sword-Holding Marquis and the Xie family—could become their support.
Xiao Qi had a good temperament, lively and cheerful. Occasionally mischievous, he could anger Father Emperor, but he didn’t interact much with his brothers, though he was mostly friendly.
“I’ll go find him tomorrow,” the Third Prince said. “Mother, you should also visit Shunning Palace more often.”
Consort Wen: “I know. You don’t need to concern yourself with matters in the inner palace.”
The Third Prince, having made up his mind, bowed and bid farewell.
“Then, Mother, I’ll take my leave.”
Not long after the Third Prince left, the person Consort Wen had sent to inquire about the Seventh Prince returned.
“Just left Ci Ning Palace? Hmm… the Seventh Prince does often go there to visit the elderly imperial consorts,” she pondered for a moment, then instructed, “Bring some gifts. I’ll go to Ci Ning Palace with you.”
“To visit the elderly imperial consorts, and also… never mind, let’s go tomorrow. Tomorrow I’ll go talk to Concubine Xuan. The jianghu storybook she gave me last time was quite good. It would be nice to discuss it.”
Consort Wen took several gifts and gracefully walked toward Ci Ning Palace.
However, as soon as she reached the entrance of Ci Ning Palace, she heard a strange rhythm of boom-boom-boom-clang.
At the entrance of Ci Ning Palace, there was a familiar-looking palace servant—Chief Eunuch Liu from Consort De’s side.
Consort De was the Crown Prince’s mother. Her appearance at Ci Ning Palace now must also be due to having set her sights on the Seventh Prince.
Consort Wen smiled lightly: “Is Sister Consort De inside?”
Chief Eunuch Liu: “Consort Wen, you’ve come too.”
Consort Wen: “Am I not allowed to come?”
“Look at this broken mouth of mine. Of course you’re allowed. Consort De is inside.”
“It sounds quite lively in there. What’s happening?”
Chief Eunuch Liu hesitantly said: “Uh… it’s something the Seventh Prince has concocted. It’s hard to explain. Why don’t you go see for yourself?”
Consort Wen entered Ci Ning Palace, and the music immediately became clearer. When she saw the scene inside, she was stunned.
The entire palace—including the four elderly imperial consorts, palace maids, and eunuchs—were all dancing a strange dance.
Not only were they twisting around, but they were also clapping hands, raising arms and legs. Was this created by the Seventh Prince?
It was simply, simply…
Scanning the area, she didn’t see Consort De, and felt slightly relieved. Good, good, if Consort De wasn’t dancing, she wouldn’t have to follow the elderly imperial consorts in dancing.
But when she looked up, she glimpsed a familiar figure on the platform.
Looking closely, Consort De was leading the dance on the platform.
Consort Wen: “…”
No way, sister, you’re going too far.
–
The next day.
School.
As soon as the Crown Prince and the Third Prince entered, their gazes simultaneously fell on the second-to-last position in the left row.
Qu Dubian was unaware of Consort Wen and Consort De’s visit to Ci Ning Palace yesterday.
He was catching up on sleep, with black ink stains still on both hands.
The first dance he taught to the elderly imperial consorts in Ci Ning Palace had received a good response, so he planned to create a few more.
Last night, in the small study of his sleeping quarters, he had been researching the differences between Great Zhou musical notation and modern musical notation. Feeling drowsy, he accidentally spilled ink and spent a long time washing his hands.
It must be said that the ink stick he had taken from the Zichen Palace was of high quality. He washed for a long time without getting his hands clean, and finally gave up and went to bed.
Zhiyi sat behind him and skillfully covered him with a blanket she had taken from Ye Xiaoyuan.
This morning was Master Xi’s class. Three years ago, it was the class the Fourth Prince and others used for sleeping. Now, three years later, they could no longer sleep. The only one who could still sleep was Qu Dubian.
The Fourth Prince sighed deeply, “I really envy Seventh Brother…”
Zhiyi: “Shh, Fourth Brother, don’t wake him. Xiao Qi is still growing.”
The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes all choked—they were growing too.
Zhiyi took out her book, humming quietly to herself: “Even when Xiao Qi is sleeping, he knows a lot.” When she didn’t understand what the tutor taught in class, it was always Xiao Qi who explained it to her again after returning to the palace.
But her brother had said this was a secret between them.
She opened her book, waiting for Master Xi to arrive, but unexpectedly, it was Grand Tutor Fang who came to teach.
Grand Tutor Fang: “Master Xi was called away by His Majesty after court. His Majesty had some questions for him, so this old man will teach you today.”
The Crown Prince’s scalp tightened.
Master Xi being called away at this time was likely related to the examination papers he had submitted yesterday.
Grand Tutor Fang walked to Qu Dubian’s desk, glanced at the ink stains on his hands, and a faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He lightly tapped the desk with his discipline ruler, “Seventh Prince, Seventh Prince?”
Qu Dubian opened his sleepy eyes, “Hmm?”
He blinked, becoming slightly more awake, “Oh, Grand Tutor Fang, isn’t today Master Xi’s class?”
Grand Tutor Fang spoke in a tone so kind it could drip water, saying: “You’re awake. Today this old man is here. Get up quickly, don’t sleep anymore, or you might fall ill again.”
Qu Dubian: “…”
Everyone else: “…”
They all looked as if they had seen a ghost.
So the one who was usually cold-hearted when asking questions and mercilessly struck hands with the discipline ruler wasn’t you?
What had gotten into Grand Tutor Fang?!
Qu Dubian wasn’t sleepy anymore. He scratched the red mark on his face from sleeping, “Tutor, uh, has something good happened in your family?”
Grand Tutor Fang, remembering the Seventh Prince’s examination paper from yesterday, smiled and said: “Oh, no, I’m just concerned about you.”
After saying this, he began his lecture.
Zhiyi whispered: “Xiao Qi, is the tutor alright?”
Qu Dubian rubbed his arms, “I don’t know.”
Until the morning lecture ended, Qu Dubian subconsciously felt that Grand Tutor Fang’s expression wasn’t quite right. He pulled his sister, called Ye Xiaoyuan, and prepared to slip away.
Unexpectedly, before they had taken two steps, the Crown Prince and the Third Prince blocked his way together.
“Xiao Qi, in a hurry to leave?”
Qu Dubian: “Yes, yes, yes, Concubine Xuan called me home for lunch, and Da Hei is hungry too.” Da Hei cooperatively barked twice.
The Third Prince stepped forward and invited quite elegantly: “Xiao Qi, Third Brother has bought many delicious things from outside. Would you like to try—”
The Crown Prince bumped into him, his waist fiercely ramming to the left, sending him flying with a push of his hip.
The Third Prince fell into the nearby flowers and immediately broke down: “Big Brother, you!”
In the blink of an eye, Qu Dubian was scooped into the Crown Prince’s arms, who then criticized:
“Third Brother, not to criticize you, but you’re as thin as chopsticks. I feel like if I used a bit more force, you’d break. You should practice more in the future. I heard your mother is selecting a princess consort for you. With your current physique, how will you take care of your wife?”
Sometimes snatching someone was just that simple and brutal.
The Third Prince looked at his palm, which was slightly scraped and bleeding. He lowered his eyes: “Yes, I’ll remember Big Brother’s teachings.”
The Crown Prince was satisfied, “Come, Xiao Qi, go with Big Brother for a bit.”
Qu Dubian observed the dispute between the two and couldn’t help sighing at his big brother’s obtuseness. If he were the Third Prince, he would certainly go to Emperor Chongzhao with his injury, crying dramatically, crying as if the earth was collapsing and mountains were crumbling.
With the label of being unloving toward his brother, the Crown Prince’s chances of leaving the palace to establish his residence would instantly decrease by thirty percent.
He didn’t want to get involved: “Big Brother, let me go. I have things to do.”
Crown Prince: “What things?”
Grand Tutor Fang, who had been watching the commotion for a while, finally came over from behind, hands behind his back, and said: “This old man has business with him.”
“What, do you want to compete with this old man for him?”
The Crown Prince hurriedly waved his hands, “This student wouldn’t dare.”
He put Qu Dubian down, and even straightened his little brother’s clothes, gently pushing him forward, “As you wish.”
Qu Dubian: “…”
He said to Zhiyi: “Sister, you go back first. Tell Concubine Xuan that I might be a bit late returning.”
Zhiyi held Da Hei’s leash, “Mm, come back early. There are still things to do in the afternoon.”
Qu Dubian: “Mm.”
Between being fought over by his two royal brothers and being taken away by Grand Tutor Fang, he chose the latter.
Grand Tutor Fang led him to the side hall, which was where the tutors usually graded coursework and occasionally rested or changed clothes. When they returned from court to teach the princes, they changed from their official robes to casual clothes here.
This was Qu Dubian’s first time coming here.
He looked around and could see signs of daily life.
Such as the bamboo cups hanging on the wall.
Grand Tutor Fang seemed to really like drinking sweet milk tea, the extremely sweet kind. He had secretly seen Grand Tutor Fang adding lots of honey to his bamboo cup.
“Sit.”
They sat facing each other on opposite sides of a small table.
On it was an empty Go board, with the stones kept in a basket.
Qu Dubian: “Tutor, what did you want to see me about? I’m in a hurry to go back for lunch.”
Grand Tutor Fang took out a folded paper.
He pushed it toward Qu Dubian with two fingers, “This is your examination paper from yesterday.”
Qu Dubian: “What’s wrong? Is there a problem?”
“Open it and hold it up to the sunlight.”
Qu Dubian found it strange but did as told. However, when the sunlight penetrated the surface of the paper, he paused.
Grand Tutor Fang: “The paper for the examination is golden-layered paper. When ink is applied at different times, the ink marks, when viewed from the back against sunlight, will reveal the initial writing.”
He smiled and said: “Little one, you crossed out the correct answer and rewrote an incorrect one. Won’t you give me an explanation?”
Qu Dubian put down the paper, glanced at the old man’s smiling expression, and three words came to mind.
Old fox!
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
Turkish street food tour The Bosphorus tour was relaxing after walking. https://shoreexcursionturkiye.com/kusadasi-tours.html