Shen Ziqin’s approach as grand tutor was quite unconventional.
Historically, those who could become the crown prince’s grand tutor were carefully selected, not only extremely learned but often also of high moral character and strict self-discipline.
Shen Ziqin only met the first condition, not touching any of the others.
He attended court sporadically, and taught the same way.
Little curly king Dongning rose early and worked late, studying diligently. On days when Shen Ziqin attended court, he would teach him lessons afterward. The rest of the time, Dongning would accumulate questions to ask, or the crown prince would personally go to Prince Qin’s residence, patiently waiting for Shen Ziqin to wake up, eat, and have free time.
Traditionally, there could be lazy crown princes, but never a negligent grand tutor. However, with Shen Ziqin, this was completely reversed.
In the imperial study, the new emperor Chu Zhaoyu gestured for Shen Ziqin to look: “See for yourself, all these are memorials criticizing you.”
Shen Ziqin actually looked through them, casually flipping through two or three. Finally, he looked at one a bit longer, his eyes brightening: “Oh, this one has good writing.”
Shen Ziqin was a scholar who also served as grand tutor. Emperor Cheng’an had used eunuchs to organize memorials and draft edicts, but Chu Zhaoyu couldn’t do that. Thus, the Hanlin Academy, as the emperor’s chief secretariat, finally turned their situation around, returning to imperial service and becoming the emperor’s scribes.
Therefore, Shen Ziqin occasionally came to the imperial study for his rotation.
These memorials essentially complained about how a grand tutor could behave this way.
Previously, the entire Hanlin Academy had been forced to lie low, so Shen Ziqin’s “illness” and absence from court and duties was tolerable. But now that he had been appointed grand tutor, how could he still be so negligent? It was improper!
The central idea of these memorials was that if Scholar Shen’s health was truly poor and he couldn’t fulfill his duties, he should quickly step aside for someone more capable.
Who wouldn’t want to get closer to the iron-clad heir to the throne?
Everyone had their own calculations.
Chu Zhaoyu laughed: “They’re criticizing you in roundabout ways, but you’re just treating it as entertainment.”
Chu Zhaoyu now smiled much more, genuinely, not forced due to circumstances.
Having some work to do reduced his time for overthinking, but he couldn’t worry excessively, as that wouldn’t be good for his mental health.
He had talent for governing, and now the court had Grand Secretary Zhang, Bai Junxing, and other capable people, both new and old. Even with lingering ailments, they could be gradually addressed.
The reason Shen Ziqin and Chu Zhao decided to stay a few more years was for Chu Zhaoyu’s mental health.
Mental illness requires mental medicine. Seeing the court gradually being put in order and having close people to talk to, the worry between Chu Zhaoyu’s brows was slowly dissipating.
Shen Ziqin curved his lips, a mischievous light flashing in his beautiful eyes: “It’s not just for entertainment; something should be done about it.”
Seeing his expression, Chu Zhaoyu knew Shen Ziqin had another idea, and it was likely quite interesting.
Chu Zhaoyu had previously claimed that Shen Ziqin was his close friend, not just to conveniently disguise their connection, but because he genuinely found Shen Ziqin interesting.
Shen Ziqin and Chu Zhao were very similar. Though one was scholarly and one martial, they shared a unique quality that others lacked.
Sure enough, Shen Ziqin leisurely said while holding the memorials:
“Pick a few with real talent from these. Since they think I’m inadequate, let them regularly check Dongning’s schoolwork to see how he’s progressing. Dongning can also observe their scholarship and get to know them.”
Currently, Dongning primarily studied with Shen Ziqin and Grand Secretary Zhang, and also learned some things from Chu Zhaoyu. When Chu Zhao had time, he would also teach him about world situations, neighboring countries, and military texts.
Dongning now had strong discernment abilities. Not everyone could teach him, and he filtered the knowledge he learned-the more skills, the better.
Finding a few more teachers was like having specialists teach professional subjects-very scientific.
These people all wanted to be grand tutors, didn’t they? So let them do the work of a grand tutor, check the crown prince’s lessons, and offer guidance.
But they would work for free, with no extra salary, and no chance to gain any power in the process.
Chu Zhaoyu immediately understood his meaning.
They pressured Shen Ziqin, so Shen Ziqin would make them work. His calculations were precise-he would definitely not lose out.
Chu Zhaoyu’s smile deepened: “You use all your intelligence and wisdom to avoid work. What was that term you and Sixth Brother mentioned? Let me think… ah yes, ‘slacking off’!”
Shen Ziqin also smiled: “Right, slacking off!”
Chu Zhaoyu smiled: “So why are you in the imperial study today when Sixth Brother has the day off?”
Shen Ziqin was caught off guard and nearly choked.
…Well, so that’s what he was waiting for.
The military system in the capital had been reformed, and Chu Zhao was still helping with the reorganization, but on days off, he and Shen Ziqin would certainly go out to play and enjoy their time together.
But today, Shen Ziqin had, unprecedentedly, voluntarily come to work.
As a good brother, Chu Zhaoyu had to show concern: “Did you have a fight?”
Shen Ziqin denied it outright: “No.”
Under Chu Zhaoyu’s caring gaze that was waiting for the rest of the story, Shen Ziqin hesitated for a long while before finally muttering: “It’s just… Chu Zhao punished me by making me copy books.”
Chu Zhaoyu was surprised: “He made you copy books?”
Shen Ziqin: “It’s just an excuse he made up!”
A few days ago, during a debate at the Imperial Academy, Shen Ziqin thought that some talented individuals from the original story might be entering the academy soon, so he wanted to go see if they happened to be there.
Unexpectedly, he encountered two hot-tempered students arguing until they were red in the face, and they actually started fighting.
The scene was a bit chaotic, but the students were fighting with bare hands, and people were pulling them apart, so it wasn’t very dangerous. Shen Ziqin always had prince’s residence guards by his side, so he was very safe.
But after returning home, Chu Zhao insisted that this counted as entering a dangerous place and demanded he copy books as punishment.
Shen Ziqin could tell that wasn’t his real intention, because Chu Zhao’s tone was playful and smiling-he was just finding an excuse to play games.
Shen Ziqin thought, fine, let’s play.
But in Shen Ziqin’s imagination, at most they would sit with their hands close together copying books, and if they got closer, some natural developments afterward would be normal.
However, he didn’t expect that when the paper was laid out on the table, Chu Zhao would look at the paper, then at Shen Ziqin’s hand, and suddenly say-
“I think the paper isn’t as white as you.”
Shen Ziqin: “…”
Shen Ziqin: “…Have you been secretly reading some storybooks behind my back again?”
Chu Zhao: “No, you’ve read everything I’ve read.”
Shen Ziqin: Then where did you learn these tricks!
Chu Zhao reached out his hand to hold the brush, making Shen Ziqin the paper laid out on the table.
The agreement was for Shen Ziqin to copy books, but instead, Shen Ziqin became what was being copied on.
Writing emphasizes wrist strength, but everyone cares about whether the characters look good-no one considers the paper’s feelings.
Shen Ziqin truly empathized with the paper’s experience.
Chu Zhao picked up a new brush. The soft tip clearly glided across the snow-white, tender paper, sometimes light, sometimes heavy. The paper would tremble incessantly under the pressure and make beautiful sounds.
How intense! For the first time in his life, he heard paper cry out.
And it cried like heavenly music, particularly melodious.
Though not a drop of ink was used, the paper still seeped with a thin layer of moisture. In the end, it completely melted into a puddle on the table.
Not only was it written on, but it was also kneaded and manipulated by the hand holding the brush. The paper was quickly ruined.
Even now, thinking about it, Shen Ziqin’s fingers still trembled.
Chu Zhaoyu was puzzled: “He made excuses to have you copy books?”
Remembering that night’s sensations, Shen Ziqin covered his trembling hand with his sleeve, closed his eyes, and said with difficulty: “He wanted to copy storybooks.”
Chu Zhaoyu thought he understood: “Ah, the storybooks based on you two.”
Bai Junxing and Zhou Danmo had resumed their hobby, continuing the story of “Shen Xiaojin” and “Lin Zhao.” Not only did they write it as a series, but Zhou Danmo boldly began drawing the characters’ faces—who else could they be but Shen Ziqin and Chu Zhao?
The storybooks were popular throughout Great Qi, and even Chu Zhaoyu had a deluxe collector’s edition.
Shen Ziqin and Chu Zhao even received “royalties.”
Shen Ziqin’s voice became even more strained: “Yes, right. He said he didn’t finish copying last time and wanted to continue during this break.”
So Shen Ziqin had fled without stopping.
That sensation was too intense—what copying books? He couldn’t handle it at all!
Chu Zhaoyu was relieved. So they were just playing around, not fighting.
Shen Ziqin dawdled in the palace for half the day, even gave Dongning a lesson in the Eastern Palace. After doing everything he needed to do, he thought about staying overnight in the palace… but quickly dismissed the idea.
No golden or silver nest compared to his own. The Prince Qin residence’s bedding suited him best.
Though he didn’t want to be “copied” again, he was used to waking up with Chu Zhao beside him, and Chu Zhao was used to him too.
How uncomfortable it would be if he wasn’t there, leaving everything empty.
So after dawdling for half the day, Shen Ziqin still left the palace to go home.
Outside the palace, at the Prince Qin residence’s carriage, just as Shen Ziqin reached the carriage step, a hand reached out from inside and pulled him in.
Caught off guard, Shen Ziqin crashed into a familiar embrace, first startled, then delighted.
Shen Ziqin found his familiar comfortable position and settled in contentedly like a carefully tended cat: “How did you come here?”
Chu Zhao held him, nuzzling his forehead, his voice somewhat aggrieved: “You came to the palace on my day off. If I didn’t come to pick you up, I was afraid you’d abandon me today.”
Shen Ziqin’s heart softened, and he nuzzled back: “How could I?”
Chu Zhao didn’t say whether he believed it or not, just held him tighter: “I thought about it—last time the brush had no ink or water, so the sensation might not have been very good.”
Shen Ziqin’s newly softened heart instantly became alert.
Chu Zhao: “So this time I prepared honey.”
Shen Ziqin: “Don’t even think about it—”
Chu Zhao: “You do the writing.”
Shen Ziqin’s words caught in his throat. He was stunned for a long while before slowly saying in disbelief: “…You’ll be the paper?”
Chu Zhao nodded: “Right.”
Shen Ziqin didn’t quite dare believe it. He pulled back slightly to look into Chu Zhao’s eyes, confirming again: “Really?”
Chu Zhao was very serious: “It couldn’t be more real.”
He squeezed Shen Ziqin’s hand: “How about it?”
Shen Ziqin briefly imagined the scene of honey with abs…
His jade-like face instantly turned completely red.
How despicable, using a honey trap.
Such tactics were quite shameless.
But worse still, he was tempted.
Shen Ziqin had originally planned to absolutely defend his clothes tonight and do nothing, but with Chu Zhao’s move, Shen Ziqin hesitated, wavered for a long time, unable to decide—
After a moment, blushing, he tried to appear righteous as if he had no choice but to agree: “Ahem, then… let’s try.”
Chu Zhao happily pulled his hand over for a kiss: “At your service for writing.”
Men’s mouths are lying ghosts.
That night, Shen Ziqin had only written two or three characters when all the remaining honey was used on him.
Amid all the sweetness, Shen Ziqin was heartbroken—he hadn’t written enough yet!
Yet after Chu Zhao had his fill of fun, he asked: “Do you want to write more?”
Shen Ziqin: “…My hand is weak, no strength left.”
Chu Zhao’s eyes lit up: “Then next time—”
The strengthless hand lazily patted Chu Zhao’s cheek: “You still want a next time!”
Chu Zhao smiled and kissed Shen Ziqin’s palm.
They both knew there would be a next time.
Who told Shen Ziqin to be soft-hearted toward him?
This was the fearlessness of being loved.
##
OMG ❤️✨❤️ I love them!