Wu Wanning gazed at the Sixth Prince, Dantai Lin, with a face full of pity. She could not help thinking that his good days were over.
The Sixth Prince had probably been deceived by the idle Rongrong.
The Sixth Prince was prone to tears, and she was truly afraid that once he arrived at Wenchang Academy, he would cry there every day.
Before long, they arrived at Wenchang Academy.
Apart from the several princes and princesses seated at the front, the Heir of Prince Guang sat behind the other princes. His seven-year-old younger brother, the Second Son of Prince Guang, had joined them this year, along with the eight-year-old Commandery Princess Leyang.
Rongyao led her younger brother, Dantai Lin, into the hall.
“Greetings to Grand Princess Fuxi. Greetings to the Sixth Prince.” Gu Shen’an was the first to rise and salute.
The other companions, including the two sons of Prince Guang and Commandery Princess Leyang, promptly stood and saluted as well.
Rongyao waved away their greetings and turned to her other younger brothers.
The Second Prince, Dantai Chang, rose first and bowed. “Greetings, Eldest Imperial Sister.”
The other princes stood and saluted in turn.
Rongyao nodded, accustomed to such formalities, then patted Dantai Lin on the head. “Greet your imperial brothers.”
Dantai Lin hurriedly raised his arm, clenched his little hand into a fist, and said to his older brothers, “Greetings, Second Brother, Third Brother, and Fourth Brother.”
The Second Prince, Third Prince, and the Fourth Prince returned his greeting.
“Why have you come here, Sixth Brother?” The Fourth Prince, Dantai You, approached and asked curiously.
Dantai Lin puffed out his chest. “Lin’er has come here to study!”
The Fourth Prince asked curiously, “Did your mother consort force you to come?”
Dantai Lin tipped up his little head and blinked his large eyes. “Lin’er wanted to come by himself!”
Dantai You: “...Are you stupid?”
Dantai Lin blinked and replied in his childish voice, “Lin’er isn’t stupid! Wenchang Academy must be lots of fun. Otherwise, why would all of you be here? I heard that Third Brother and Fourth Brother started studying when they were three. Lin’er is already four, so I can study too.”
Everyone fell silent.
Dantai You lowered his voice. “I was forced to come by my mother consort!”
Dantai Lin looked at him in confusion.
Dantai You patted Dantai Lin on the shoulder and shook his head. “Sixth Brother, you’ll regret this.”
“Perhaps Sixth Brother is as clever as Eldest Imperial Sister.” The Third Prince, Dantai Yi, approached with a smile.
Dantai You looked at Dantai Lin, a hint of uncertainty flashing in his eyes. “That’s true. You share the same mother as Eldest Imperial Sister. Perhaps you’re more intelligent than the rest of us.”
Dantai Lin nodded eagerly. “Mm-hmm!”
Seeing him nod so seriously, everyone could not help but take another look at him.
When it was nearly time for class, they finally took their seats.
The new Sixth Prince, Dantai Lin, obediently returned to his own seat as well.
Before long, the Grand Tutor entered.
After the princes and princesses paid their respects to the Grand Tutor, he returned their greetings.
The Grand Tutor clearly knew that a new prince would be joining them today.
The moment Grand Tutor Gao entered the hall, he eagerly looked toward Dantai Lin. Even during the formal greetings, he scrutinized the boy several times, unable to stop himself from nodding in approval.
“You must be the Sixth Prince.” Grand Tutor Gao regarded Dantai Lin kindly.
Full of energy, Dantai Lin immediately stood up and looked at the Grand Tutor with shining eyes. “Yes, I’m Lin’er!”
Grand Tutor Gao glanced at the unruffled Grand Princess, then at the Sixth Prince, who bore four parts resemblance to her. The more he looked at Dantai Lin, the more pleasing he found him.
He had been looking forward to this Sixth Prince for a long time.
Although the palace had never circulated any stories of the Sixth Prince’s intelligence, he had an exceptionally clever sister like Grand Princess Fuxi. Surely, he could not be ordinary!
For years, he had fervently hoped that Great Zhou would produce another prodigy prince like the Grand Princess.
Compared with Grand Princess Fuxi, the Second Prince had only average aptitude, the Third Prince was merely passable, and the Fourth Prince could be called downright hopeless.
Now, as he looked at this Sixth Prince, Grand Tutor Gao felt that beneath the boy’s small frame lay an immense surprise.
He hoped the Sixth Prince would astonish everyone just as the Grand Princess had five years ago!
Suppressing his excitement, Grand Tutor Gao looked at Dantai Lin with eager anticipation. “Have you studied the Thousand Character Classic?”
Dantai Lin blinked his innocent, wide eyes. “What’s that?”
Grand Tutor Gao stiffened. In disbelief, he asked, “Then have you studied any primers?”
Dantai Lin shook his head.
The Grand Tutor hurriedly asked, “What about the Three Thousand Poems or the Hundred Family Surnames?”
Dantai Lin scratched his head. “Lin’er... Lin’er doesn’t know.”
The Grand Tutor felt dizzy, and even his breathing became labored.
What did this mean?
What was going on?
“You... You haven’t even begun your education?”
Dantai Lin thought for a moment before answering, “Mother Consort said Lin’er should come to Wenchang Academy to begin learning!”
The Grand Tutor refused to believe it and turned to Rongyao.
“Grand Princess, has the Sixth Prince truly never received any instruction?”
Rongyao replied, “Mother Consort said that you should help him begin his education, Grand Tutor.”
The Grand Tutor felt as though his head were spinning.
So the Sixth Prince did not know a single character—not to mention the Thousand Character Classic, the Hundred Family Surnames, or the Collection of Poems.
Still unwilling to accept it, the Grand Tutor summoned the court instructors to teach the several princes and princesses. He then took the Sixth Prince aside and patiently instructed him, hoping to discover some extraordinary potential in the boy.
Yet the Grand Tutor soon became drenched in sweat. At last, he managed to teach the Sixth Prince several characters—and finally recognized the truth.
A prodigy like the Grand Princess was not something one could find everywhere. Compared with ordinary children, the Sixth Prince possessed only a modest degree of cleverness.
Grand Tutor Gao hurriedly drank some tea to calm himself and began working through his disappointment. However, by the time he had collected his thoughts and returned, he found the Sixth Prince sprawled across the desk. His chubby cheek was pressed against the book, and drool trickled from the corner of his mouth as he slept soundly.
The Grand Tutor clutched his chest and reminded himself to stay calm. He walked over and slapped the desk.
There was no response.
He slapped it again. Still no response.
Only after the fourth slap did the Sixth Prince finally wake up.
The Grand Tutor stared at him coldly.
The Sixth Prince rubbed his eyes and looked around. “Where’s Mother Consort? Where’s Sister?”
“Sixth Prince, this is Wenchang Academy. You came here to begin your studies.”
As though he had remembered something, Dantai Lin hurriedly sat up straight. “Lin’er was wrong.”
Only then did the Grand Tutor’s anger ease somewhat. He tapped the desk and continued teaching the Sixth Prince how to read.
Yet after learning only a few characters, the Sixth Prince once again propped up his head and began nodding off.
The Grand Tutor laughed in exasperation and closed his eyes.
Then he abruptly rose, clasped his hands behind his back, and strode out of Wenchang Academy. He went straight to Wenyan Pavilion, where the Emperor handled state affairs.
“If a son is not taught, the father is at fault!” He was going to bring the matter before the Emperor!
He had taught countless students, but he had never encountered a child like the Sixth Prince, who was utterly unafraid of him.
Never had a child dared to sleep so soundly right under his nose.
It was a complete disgrace!
Thus, news that the Sixth Prince had slept openly under Grand Tutor Gao’s watchful eyes on his very first day at Wenchang Academy soon spread throughout the imperial palace.
It was said that the Emperor had gone to Changle Palace earlier than usual that day and given the Sixth Prince a stern reprimand.
The next day, the Sixth Prince still went to Wenchang Academy. Who would have thought that news would soon spread once again that the Sixth Prince had dozed off during class?
Grand Tutor Gao was furious. However, the Sixth Prince made amends by reciting a poem from memory, and only then did the Grand Tutor decide not to complain to the Emperor again.
After lessons ended that day, Dantai Lin hurried to his elder sister on his little legs. Clutching her arm and blinking his reddened, oversized eyes, he pleaded, “Lin’er doesn’t want to come to Wenchang Academy. Wenchang Academy isn’t fun, and Grand Tutor won’t let Lin’er sleep. Elder Sister, please tell Mother and Father the Emperor not to make Lin’er come to Wenchang Academy.”
