The entire evening.
Before Qu Dubian fell asleep, Emperor Chongzhao had no peace.
The book was taken away and hidden by Head Eunuch Yu, but that didn’t stop his little son from chattering endlessly in his ear.
This child indeed had a good memory and talent for reading, but—he wasn’t using it to memorize proper books at all.
Qu Dubian recited the contents of “Admonitions for Women[mfn]《女诫》 (Nü Jie): “Admonitions for Women,” a classic Chinese text on female conduct This refers to an ancient practice where newborn girls were placed under the bed and given tiles to play with, symbolizing their lowly status and future domestic roles This quote describes the traditional virtues expected of women: purity, tranquility, chastity, orderliness, self-discipline with shame, and proper conduct.[/mfn]” that Matron Su had taught, over and over again.
Of course, each recitation was different—some parts were jumbled, some phrases were vague, some required thinking, and then just when his cheap father was about to fall asleep, he would suddenly recite them.
Amidst the recitations of “womanly speech, womanly virtue, womanly appearance, womanly work, proper demeanor and conduct to serve one’s husband…”—Emperor Chongzhao lay awake, suffering insomnia until midnight.
Until Qu Dubian finally fell asleep.
Early the next morning.
Emperor Chongzhao’s edict flew to Shunning Palace.
It ordered that the Seventh Prince must not study with Princess Zhiyi in the study room. When Princess Zhiyi was studying, the Seventh Prince had to stay at least five steps away from the study.
In the afternoon, Matron Su entered the study again.
Qu Dubian squatted at the entrance of Shunning Palace, resting his face in his hands. He really couldn’t go in anymore.
Was his cheap father a sore loser?
When he couldn’t win, he started using his power to cheat.
He stood up, clapped his hands, and patted Da Hei’s head. “Let’s go, Da Hei. We’re going to pull off something big.”
Da Hei nudged him with his nose, indicating that the two-legged cub should get on the carriage.
The dog carriage passed by Xiuxiang Palace, and the Sixth Prince came out. The dog carriage passed by Funing Palace, and the Fourth Prince came out. The dog carriage passed by Chang Xin Palace, and the Fifth Prince came out.
The four princes finally gathered in the eastern side hall of the Zichen Palace for a summit. They were very considerate, not disturbing Emperor Chongzhao who was still working in the West Warm Pavilion.
Qu Dubian slammed “Admonitions for Women” onto the table with a bang.
“Brothers, I’ve discovered an earth-shattering secret!”
Sixth Prince: “What secret?”
Qu Dubian mysteriously said: “There might be supreme martial arts techniques in here.”
The three older brothers widened their eyes, and the eastern side hall erupted with exclamations. What child doesn’t dream of becoming a peerless master?
Qu Dubian: “I’ve checked it out thoroughly. In the entire inner palace, only Sister is learning this. It’s because Father Emperor is worried she might be bullied in the future, so he specially prepared it for her, but not for us.”
“I secretly learned a couple of moves, and that’s how I found out.”
Sixth Prince: “Brother! Then teach us!”
Qu Dubian: “I may forget others, but never my brothers. I’ll teach you everything I know.”
He pulled the Sixth Prince to the front position. Although the Fifth Prince felt something was off, he thought… if his little brother wanted to play, he should go along with it. As an older brother, he had the obligation to humor his younger brother.
So he also quietly took his position.
The Fourth Prince had only been alert for a second earlier. Upon hearing that training was involved, he immediately became drowsy. Qu Dubian grabbed his small pillow, “Fourth Brother, come on, if you learn this, I’ll sleep at Funing Palace for two nights!”
In less than a second, the Fourth Prince was immediately energized.
“Promise?”
The three princes of varying heights were being directed by their youngest brother.
Near evening.
Head Eunuch Yu went to the West Warm Pavilion, “Your Majesty, the consorts from Xiuxiang Palace, Chang Xin Palace, and Funing Palace have all sent people to call the princes back for dinner.”
Emperor Chongzhao: “They came to look for them here? I didn’t summon them.”
Head Eunuch Yu: “They’re all in the eastern side hall with the Seventh Prince… uh…”
“Speak.”
Head Eunuch Yu sighed, thinking of the scene he had glimpsed earlier, and immediately looked worried: “Perhaps you should go see for yourself.”
Emperor Chongzhao was unconcerned, rising with a smile: “He couldn’t possibly cause that much trouble.”
Two minutes later.
Looking through the window of the eastern side hall, Emperor Chongzhao’s face turned ashen.
Inside the hall, through the window:
His little son held a small branch like a discipline ruler, shaking his head and sighing: “What’s going on here? What’s going on? Your back needs to be straighter, your fingers—yes, pinky up.”
“Fourth Brother! Oh my, take a couple of steps. Yes, that’s it.”
“What was the mental cultivation technique I just taught you? Brothers, let’s recite it again.”
The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes recited in unison: “Serving one’s husband and teaching children is Heaven’s principle. Womanly appearance, womanly work, womanly speech, womanly virtue—these I must know.”
Qu Dubian: “Great! This is what Matron Su—the formidable master who teaches Sister—specially teaches to Sister. It must be an extremely powerful mental cultivation technique. Let’s recite it a few more times.”
“Qu Xiaoqi!!”
With a bang, Emperor Chongzhao pushed open the door.
Looking at his sons with their raised pinky fingers, performing feminine courtesies, it seemed they had transformed from princes into princesses in just one afternoon.
His vision darkened repeatedly.
With a stern face, he strode over and precisely caught his little son who was attempting to escape, tucking him under his arm and giving his bottom a smack.
“What have you been teaching your brothers!”
Qu Dubian let out a loud wail, indignant: “It’s not fair! If Sister can learn it, why can’t we?”
A vein throbbed at Emperor Chongzhao’s temple. “Yu Decai, escort them back to their respective palaces. Whoever dares to follow Xiao Qi’s nonsense again will have their studies doubled!” One after another, they really had nothing better to do than follow their brother’s mischief.
The little one tucked under his arm was particularly restless, squirming around.
A stubborn voice came forth: “Today you may drag me away, but tomorrow thousands upon thousands like me will rise up to spread the supreme martial arts to my brothers!”
“However many stand up, I will drag away just as many!”
The Fourth and Fifth Princes lowered their delicate hands with raised pinkies, sighing deeply.
Fourth Prince: “Seventh Brother has been deceived, hasn’t he?”
Fifth Prince also sighed: “Zhiyi has been deceived too. What kind of supreme martial arts is practiced like this?”
“But let’s not expose it, or our brother will be heartbroken. We should send some books to Zhiyi later,” the Fourth Prince yawned, “Tired, sleepy, I’m leaving.”
Zhiyi was the Fourth Prince’s sister and the Fifth Prince’s elder sister.
But their ages were very close, and they weren’t particularly close to Zhiyi. It was only because Qu Dubian often went there that they became somewhat familiar with her, so they usually just called her Zhiyi, without adding “elder sister” or “younger sister.”
Only the Sixth Prince broke down on the spot.
Tears welled up: “Seventh Brother was deceived, and I was deceived too. That wasn’t really a martial arts manual!”
Fifth Prince: “…”
–
For the next three full days.
Qu Dubian tried every possible way to eavesdrop on Matron Su’s lessons and learn princess etiquette to teach his brothers.
Emperor Chongzhao couldn’t keep watch all the time. To prevent him from eavesdropping, he could only have Zhiyi change locations, but with Da Hei around, Qu Dubian could find Zhiyi wherever she went.
Emperor Chongzhao watched helplessly as his little son became increasingly fluent in reciting “Admonitions for Women” and more skilled in princess etiquette, while his brothers’ behavior also started to deviate.
Finally, Grand Tutor Fang and Master Xi came to see him together.
Master Xi said: “Your Majesty, the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes have been behaving very… strangely these past few days. When I ask them to recite their lessons, they do recite, but they mix in passages from ‘Admonitions for Women.'”
Grand Tutor Fang was completely puzzled.
“Are princes now required to read this book as well? This old subject has also seen the Crown Prince and the others secretly looking at it. I don’t know if it’s out of curiosity or Your Majesty’s requirement…?”
Emperor Chongzhao tried repeatedly to calm himself, but failed.
He heaved a heavy sigh, pressing his thumb hard against his temple.
“This child…”
He explained what Qu Dubian had been doing these past few days. “I don’t know what’s gotten into him, but he insists that what Matron Su teaches are supreme martial arts techniques. I know he loves martial arts—Tai Chi, horse stance—these are all excellent and good for his health. But ‘Admonitions for Women’? He even learned his sister’s curtsy!”
When he demonstrated it for him at night, the Emperor nearly died of anger.
Grand Tutor Fang stroked his beard: “If it’s because Princess Zhiyi is learning ‘Admonitions for Women’ and ‘Women’s Instructions’ alone, without teaching others, and the Seventh Prince is upset about the unfairness, then Your Majesty could simply stop having the princess learn them. From what I see, the Seventh Prince is not one to give up easily.”
“Not give up easily?” Emperor Chongzhao said, “That’s putting it too nicely. He’s simply stubborn.”
He frowned again: “Zhiyi is a princess. When she marries in the future, she will represent the imperial family’s dignity. How can she not learn these? All women of Great Zhou read these in their chambers. As a princess, she should be an exemplar.”
Grand Tutor Fang: “Then this subject has no solution. Either you keep the Seventh Prince confined, or you stop the princess from learning.”
What is the little fellow up to now? He didn’t quite believe that the clever Seventh Prince would genuinely mistake a book for supreme martial arts.
Master Xi: “Actually, the princess is the Emperor’s daughter. When she takes a consort in the future, even if her etiquette is somewhat improper, it doesn’t matter much. Nominally, they are husband and wife, with the husband guiding the wife. But at a deeper level, the princess is the lord, and her consort is the subject—the lord guides the subject. The lower should follow the higher. Small errors in etiquette are inconsequential.”
Grand Tutor Fang raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Xi Shiqiu could actually say such things? Could it be that after his promotion to Minister of Justice, his tongue had become enlightened?
Emperor Chongzhao: “Then who should teach the princess, and what should she learn? The East Six Palaces, I’m afraid…”
“Father! Father!”
The affectionate call made Emperor Chongzhao instinctively alert. A small child came running in from the doorway. Qu Dubian had been eavesdropping at the door for who knows how long.
He ran over: “Sister can attend school with me! I’ll supervise whether she’s secretly learning martial arts without telling me.”
Emperor Chongzhao was very hesitant: “Your three elder brothers’ study companions are all boys. Although Zhiyi is young, it will eventually become inconvenient.”
Grand Tutor Fang cupped his hands: “Three years from now, the Crown Prince will leave the palace to establish his own residence, with the Second and Third Princes following soon after. Their study companions will naturally go with them. If other princes also wish to select study companions, we can discuss it then.”
It was certainly better than having the Seventh Prince drag other princes to learn “Admonitions for Women” and princess etiquette.
Master Xi, though not entirely in agreement, didn’t voice any objection.
After lengthy consideration, Emperor Chongzhao compromised.
“Let’s add another desk in the school… place it next to the Seventh Prince,” he tapped Qu Dubian’s head, “Then you can’t just go whenever you want and skip whenever you want. You’ll go with your sister.”
Qu Dubian casually responded with a couple of “mm-hmms.”
After bowing farewell to Grand Tutor Fang and Master Xi, he quickly darted toward Shunning Palace.
He shared the news with Concubine Xuan and Noble Lady Guo.
Zhiyi was rather confused, not quite understanding what going to school meant, but that didn’t dampen her excitement. What Matron Su taught was truly so boring!
Going to school with everyone would be best.
Noble Lady Guo’s expression was complex. Having come from a secluded upbringing herself, she knew all too well that the books her daughter had to learn were actually constraints. But she lacked the power to change things, was accustomed to compliance, and could only watch as Zhiyi gradually took on her past shadow.
What she hadn’t expected was that, thanks to the Seventh Prince’s disruption, Zhiyi wouldn’t have to learn those books anymore—at least as long as the Seventh Prince remembered this matter, Zhiyi wouldn’t have to learn them.
She stroked her daughter’s head, holding Zhiyi in her arms.
“Mother hopes you will always be happy.”
Zhiyi: “I hope everyone can be happy.”
Noble Lady Guo: “The Seventh Prince is close to you. You should look after him in the future.”
“I know, Mother. You’ve said before that brother had a very difficult time before.”
Noble Lady Guo gave a soft affirmative sound.
Zhiyi being able to live happily for a few more years was the good fortune brought by the Seventh Prince.
Meanwhile.
In the main hall.
Concubine Xuan was tending to a newly sprouted seedling of unknown variety.
“Concubine Xuan doesn’t believe that martial arts story of yours. What were you thinking, you little rascal?”
Qu Dubian rested his chin on his hands, sitting across from her, swinging his feet.
He said: “I just didn’t want sister to read those books. They don’t seem good.”
Concubine Xuan: “Without reading them deeply, how do you know they’re not good?”
Qu Dubian: “If they were good, why wouldn’t the tutors teach them to us, to His Majesty? Besides, sister is also Father Emperor’s child. The tutors teach several students and receive the same monthly salary. I don’t understand why he refused.”
Concubine Xuan put down the potted plant: “Yes, it’s simple logic. Some people are just rather dull-witted, not as clever as Xiao Qi.”
“…” Qu Dubian paused, “Concubine Xuan, have you read them?”
Concubine Xuan: “I’ve torn them up.”
Someone who hasn’t torn them up wouldn’t have the courage to say what she just said, Qu Dubian thought.
Concubine Xuan called out toward the window: “Xin Qing, are the pastries ready?”
“Almost!”
“Concubine Xuan, I want to eat some.”
“Not this time, I can only give you one piece,” Concubine Xuan said. “These are meant to be sent to Ci Ning Palace tomorrow for Matron Su. She’s been worn out by your antics these past few days. At her age, moving back and forth has exhausted her.”
Qu Dubian: “Ci Ning Palace?”
Concubine Xuan: “It’s where the few remaining imperial consorts live. Matron Su has always been responsible for that place. She’s actually not a bad person, just a bit old-fashioned.”
Qu Dubian said sheepishly: “Then I’ll go tomorrow too.”
“Didn’t His Majesty say you should go to school with Zhiyi?”
Qu Dubian: “Yes, he did say to go. I’ll wait until they finish the first section before going. It won’t cause any problems.”
Concubine Xuan thought for a moment and agreed, thus settling the matter.
It would still be five or six days before he could move in. Before leaving, Qu Dubian went to inspect the progress of his future room’s renovation. The room was a bit dark.
Turning his head, he spotted Yi Shi’er hanging upside down by the window.
He climbed through the window and, under Qu Dubian’s gaze, silently took out a book: “The Four Books and Five Classics.”
Yi Shi’er spoke softly, turning to the page Qu Dubian had seen on New Year’s Day: “Your Highness, how many characters do you actually know?”
The bold and romantic martial arts story printed on the paper—he had told the young prince this was a book of sage teachings.
He had deceived the young prince, but now looking back, had he perhaps been fooled by the young prince instead?
Qu Dubian: “…”
He looked up, politely but awkwardly scratching his head.
Yi Shi’er: “…”
Yi Shi’er blinked and disappeared from his superior’s presence.
Qu Dubian turned his head: “Did he get embarrassed?”
Ye Xiaoyuan remarked: “Your Highness, his ears were red.”
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
![Who Are You Calling A Canary? [Transmigration]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250108211651_200_280.jpg "Who Are You Calling A Canary? [Transmigration]")
