"Of course I wouldn't be angry!" The Eldest Prince laughed heartily.
The lingering resentment from being punished yesterday because of Qu Dubian gradually faded. He didn't know if this younger brother was a good one, but anyone who could make the Third Prince feel stifled was a good brother in his book!
The Third Prince lowered the hand he had just stretched out to receive the dried fruit. His empty palm withdrew into the drooping sleeve of his robe as he raised a smile and said, "Naturally not."
"Exactly!"
The Eldest Prince, generous with others' kindness, said, "Seventh Brother is still young."
Having received the gifts, Qu Dubian temporarily placed them all on the shelf by the study hall, then, like the other personal eunuchs, quietly stood by the wall of the hall.
Right next to him was the Eldest Prince's personal eunuch.
That eunuch said with relief, "It's been a long time since I've seen His Highness the Eldest Prince so happy."
Qu Dubian also said with relief, "It's been a long time since I've seen my young master smile like this."
The two eunuchs exchanged a glance, feeling a sense of mutual understanding.
The Eldest Prince pressed the Third Prince down to sit, patted Qu Dubian's head, and actually found him quite agreeable now. This younger brother was good-looking, knew how to speak, and wasn't as annoying as he had imagined.
Although yesterday, because of the incident with the Seventh Prince, his homework load had skyrocketed and he had been made to kneel in punishment, compared to the satisfaction of today's moment, that was nothing.
He said cheerfully, "Big Brother said something he shouldn't have yesterday, but he's learned his lesson, so let's consider the matter closed. If anyone bullies you in the future, just come find me. Go take your seat now."
The Second Prince smiled at him and said, "If you need anything or are short of any supplies, you can also come to your Second Brother."
In just this brief encounter, Qu Dubian had managed to get a rough idea of the temperaments of these three older brothers.
The Eldest Prince was straightforward—in other words, not the sharpest tool in the shed. He didn't have many schemes and wasn't one for beating around the bush. As long as you stroked his fur the right way, he was a decent backer.
But he was probably quite easy to incite.
The Second Prince was all smiles, seemingly always playing the mediator between the Eldest and Third Princes. He got along well with all the princes and appeared very smooth and diplomatic.
The Third Prince...
Hmm.
Was a pot of tea, still young in years.
He had sensed it while listening to the lecture under the table yesterday, originally finding it quite amusing. But seeing it face-to-face today, this guy's subtle dislike for him was practically overflowing.
If he didn't give him a little taste of his own medicine, Qu Dubian wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
On the right-hand row, the Eldest Prince was at the very front, and the Third Prince was at the very back.
Qu Dubian was on the left-hand row. Interestingly, here, the Sixth Prince was at the very front, and the Fourth Prince was at the very back.
It seemed the left side was arranged by age, with the older ones further back. But Qu Dubian, clearly the youngest and shortest, was at the very end.
As he passed by the Sixth Prince at the front, the Sixth Prince snorted at him.
"?"
Qu Dubian was utterly baffled.
Had he offended him?
Kids were really inexplicable.
After sitting cross-legged in his own seat, Qu Dubian realized the table reached up to his chin. Resting his chin on the table, he sighed.
So short, he was so short.
The Fourth Prince in front slowly turned his head around. "Thank you, little brother."
The Fourth Prince was a bit chubby, very much like a doll of good fortune, with big eyes that always seemed too sleepy to open fully, and he carried a small pillow with him.
Qu Dubian: "You're welcome."
The Fourth Prince patted his little pillow and extended an invitation: "Do you want to sleep together later?"
"...Sleep? Doesn't the tutor mind?"
The Fourth Prince said honestly, "Tutor Xi doesn't mind us. He minds them." He pointed at the Eldest Prince's row.
Qu Dubian paused for a moment. "Let's see later. Fourth Brother, you sleep first."
The Fourth Prince then slowly turned his head back and gently, peacefully laid his head on his little pillow.
...He was a bit like a sloth.
Tutor Xi's full name was Xi Shiqiu, the current Chief Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He was well-versed in the Great Zhou's criminal laws, litigation procedures, and such. Teaching the princes here was just an extra side job for him; his official duties kept him very busy.
However, Emperor Chongzhao valued him highly and allowed him to come teach the princes after court sessions. He didn't come every time, and occasionally other tutors would substitute.
When he entered the study hall, Qu Dubian observed him very carefully.
This Tutor Xi wore dark blue, loose-fitting everyday robes, a white jade hairpin, and had a small goatee. He looked to be in his thirties, very handsome and refined.
No wonder the young palace maids were gossiping behind his back the other day about his concubine dying in childbirth.
Qu Dubian observed closely and even noticed thick bandages wrapped around Tutor Xi's wrist, as well as scattered bruises and scratches on his face.
In his past life, many people would stop to watch for a while if they saw two cats fighting on the street.
It was really hard not to gossip about someone like Tutor Xi.
Tutor Xi noticed the new small figure in the study hall, paused for a moment, gave a slight nod towards Qu Dubian, and then began the day's lesson.
He taught using recent cases recorded and filed by the Court of Judicial Review.
Qu Dubian listened for a while. In all fairness, Tutor Xi's teaching was quite interesting, but the content was too advanced for children like the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes.
No wonder Tutor Xi didn't bother with them. It was perfectly normal for them not to understand.
Tutor Xi's main teaching targets were the Eldest Prince and the other two. The rest were probably just incidental; it didn't matter if they didn't understand now, exposure would make it easier to comprehend later.
Today's legal text to study was about blood feud revenge.
"In Nanyang County, there was a butcher who went to a pig farmer to buy piglets. After bringing them home, he found the price was significantly higher than elsewhere and felt he had been cheated out of his money. Ten days later, the butcher secretly entered the pig farmer's home at night and killed him.
He took the corpse away, minced the flesh into filling, and mixed it into meat sold to customers. The pig farmer's son discovered this but did not report it to the authorities. Instead, he also secretly entered the butcher's home at night, killed the butcher along with his wife and children, and ate them raw."
After finishing the story, Tutor Xi asked, "What do you think? Was the pig farmer's son right or wrong?"
The Eldest Prince: "For those who seek revenge, if they first declare it in writing, killing is not a crime. A man of spirit should act thus! What crime did the pig farmer's son commit?"
The Third Prince: "Seeking revenge is not a crime, but he should not have involved the wife and children. They were innocent."
The Eldest Prince: "And how do you know the wife and children were not guilty of harboring the criminal? The hatred for one's father's killer is irreconcilable. A son who does not seek revenge is no son."
"If private revenge for blood feuds leads to the extermination of whole families, and if everyone acted this way, the state would cease to be a state," the Third Prince argued. "Father has taught us benevolence and love. Have you forgotten, Elder Brother?"
The Eldest Prince was stumped.
Tutor Xi: "And what about the Second Prince?"
The Second Prince smiled: "Both Elder Brother and Third Brother are correct."
Tutor Xi nodded, not surprised by their answers. Just as he was about to explain the Nanyang County court's judgment, he caught sight of something protruding a bit higher in his peripheral vision—
That little prince, at some point, had moved from sitting cross-legged on the floor to sitting on top of the table.
The child was resting his chin in his hands, seemingly listening with great interest.
Tutor Xi paused. As if moved by a whim, he asked, "Does the young prince have any thoughts?"
Qu Dubian answered without hesitation: "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, and Third Brother are all correct."
Tutor Xi: "..."
Truly brothers. They really knew how to balance things.
He did not raise any objection to Qu Dubian being on the table, probably having realized that the table was a bit too high for a child not yet three years old and exceptionally short.
At least it's a bit better than those sleeping, daydreaming, or secretly eating dried fruit in front. Mr. Xi's gaze swept over the Fourth Prince, Fifth Prince, and Sixth Prince in turn.
Mr. Xi: "The final judgment in this case was that the reason for the killing was understandable, but the wife and children should not have been implicated. The swineherd's son was sentenced to one hundred strokes of the cane and exile three thousand li."
After one hundred strokes and exile three thousand li, it's practically a delayed death sentence, unless the person has exceptionally robust health to survive it.
"If grandparents or parents are killed by others, and their children or grandchildren kill the perpetrator on their own authority, they shall receive sixty strokes of the cane. If the killer is slain immediately [in the heat of the moment], no penalty shall be imposed."
Mr. Xi: "If the swineherd's son had only killed the butcher afterwards, the maximum penalty would have been sixty strokes. Slaughtering his wife and children, implicating the whole family, constitutes another crime."
"The law is strict and severe. Your Highnesses must remember this well."
The First Prince reluctantly said "Yes."
If he could ever make the laws in the future, he would definitely change this rule. It was utterly frustrating.
After explaining the case study came the lecture on the legal statutes and provisions. Qu Dubian began to feel drowsy and, under the warmth of the charcoal brazier, couldn't help but start nodding off.
He was quite adept at sleeping during lessons. Even in his previous life when he was still a student, he slept in class. His rank wouldn't drop anyway, the teachers didn't bother him, and he enjoyed great freedom.
As long as he learned what he needed to learn, he could do whatever he wanted.
It was the same in this life. Once he learned all the characters he needed to write, he would stop studying! No one could make him!
Qu Dubian got down from the bed... from the desk, slipped over to the Fourth Prince's desk, leaned close, and gave him a gentle poke.
The Fourth Prince opened his eyes blearily.
Qu Dubian looked at his pillow and signaled with his eyes.
The Fourth Prince suddenly understood and generously yielded a section of the pillow. Though small, it was long, filled with buckwheat hulls, and felt very comfortable to the touch.
Qu Dubian climbed onto the Fourth Prince's desk, turned the pillow lengthwise, and lay down on the desk.
The Fourth Prince slept with his head on the desk. Qu Dubian was short, so lying sideways like this didn't take up any of his sleeping space at all. One lying down, one leaning over, it was a perfect fit.
"Little brother, you're so clever..."
Qu Dubian made a "shh" gesture.
Even when he sat on the desk, Mr. Xi didn't mind. Changing to a more comfortable sleeping position was just more pleasant.
The Fourth Prince covered his mouth and nodded, found a sheet of rice paper, and laid it over his brother's belly button area. Then he grabbed his part of the pillow and fell asleep again, even more peacefully.
The lecturing voice stopped.
The classroom fell into an eerie silence at that moment, all eyes focused on this spot.
First Prince & Second Prince & Third Prince: "..."
Darn it, they felt a tiny bit envious.
Mr. Xi's hand gripping the "Zhou Code" tightened. He had a good temper, but he wasn't without one.
Damn kid, if he really provoked him...!
Mr. Xi turned his head away. "Alright, let's continue."
Fine, as long as they don't snore.
The Fourth Prince's personal eunuch covered his eyes, unable to bear the sight. "Good heavens." He poked Ye Xiaoyuan and, seeing the other's identically worried expression, immediately felt he had found a kindred spirit.
"How come your master is like this too?"
Ye Xiaoyuan lowered his voice, chagrined: "You guys are more experienced. I should have brought a quilt and pillow if I had known. Sleeping like this must be so uncomfortable."
The Fourth Prince's personal eunuch: "..."
So that's what you're worried about?
-
He slept straight through until noon when classes ended.
When leaving, the Fourth Prince kept looking back, rather reluctant to part with his sleeping buddy. The little boat of friendship was thus initially launched.
Ye Xiaoyuan even sought advice from the eunuch serving the Fourth Prince, asking what was best to bring to class usually, and what materials were more comfortable for sleeping on.
The other princes' personal eunuchs were packing up.
During this break, Qu Dubian was alone with the Sixth Prince and Fifth Prince.
The Fifth Prince had been following behind the Sixth Prince with his head down the whole time. From what Qu Dubian could recall, he had never spoken up on his own initiative.
The Sixth Prince walked over, face upturned, and gave Qu Dubian a shove.
Qu Dubian didn't even budge.
Sixth Prince: "?"
Qu Dubian thought to himself, he had practiced Tai Chi for a while now, his foundation was gradually improving. If he fell over from just one push like that, it would have been all for nothing.
The Sixth Prince puffed out his cheeks. "Jerk."
Qu Dubian said with a serious face: "Then if you ate something given by a jerk, what does that make you?"
The Sixth Prince was stunned.
Qu Dubian leaned closer and whispered with a grin: "The jerk turned you into a jerk too."
One-hit KO!
The Sixth Prince ran off wailing loudly, crying as he ran: "Wahhh... I've become a jerk, wahhh!"
The Fifth Prince chased after him and accidentally tripped over a step.
Qu Dubian instinctively reached out to steady him, almost stumbling himself from the weight.
The Fifth Prince, having steadied himself, glanced at him quickly, whispered a thank you, and hurriedly ran after the Sixth Prince.
With them running off, the attending servants couldn't care about anything else and rushed after them, terrified their masters might fall or get hurt.
A chase scene ensued, a beautiful scenic line in the Eastern Gardens personally created by Qu Dubian.
Ye Xiaoyuan came over after packing up and asked, puzzled: "What are they running for?"
Qu Dubian explained what happened.
Looking at his mischievous expression, Ye Xiaoyuan burst out laughing.
"This servant thinks you're much cleverer than the Sixth Prince, Your Highness." He was quite pleased to see Qu Dubian's mischief. "Let's go! Time to eat. You must be exhausted from sleeping all morning, Your Highness. Need to replenish when we get back."
After today's brief interactions, Qu Dubian formulated his "Future Code of Conduct Regarding Older Brothers."
Adopting an attitude of avoiding offense whenever possible, striving for peaceful coexistence.
That way, no matter which brother became emperor in the future, they wouldn't treat him too harshly. Eating under one's father's rule was different from eating under a brother's rule, after all.
Establishing good relations with future meal tickets starts young.
From the looks of it now, the younger princes were still small, not yet at the age for such ambitions, easy to coax and fool.
The main contention was concentrated among the three older princes.
Although he had a bit of unpleasantness with the Third Prince at the start, it wasn't a big deal. He promised to be a textbook-perfect good younger brother from now on—provided no one provoked him again.
-
Main Imperial Kitchen.
Wen Xiaochun's current nominal position here was as a minor supervisor in charge of oils.
All types of cooking oil used in the Main Imperial Kitchen had to be approved and allocated by the supervisor. The daily amounts used were recorded—
Of course, these figures were also filled in by the supervisor.
The position in charge of oils was a lucrative one. The excess recorded often ended up in one's own pocket. But everyone knew the limits, only skimming a little bit. Taking too much would show up on the accounts.
This was an unspoken rule. Even though Wen Xiaochun only held a nominal position here, he couldn't break the convention.
However, he didn't take the money equivalent for the excess oil. Instead, he had the oil delivered directly to a disused storeroom in the Main Imperial Kitchen and left it untouched for now.
This way, if an investigation ever occurred, he could simply produce these items, and the matter would naturally have nothing to do with him. He was in this position to build connections, and he absolutely could not leave future pitfalls for the sake of petty gains.
In the Palace of Lasting Peace, the two young eunuchs were both steady and composed, each at their own post, planning and scheming for their young master—even though the master himself was not quite aware of it.
-
Fragrant Elegance Palace
The Sixth Prince returned all the way in tears, looking utterly wronged.
This pained Consort Lan terribly.
"What happened? Tell your mother what's wrong," she said, then glared at the servants behind him. "How could you let your master become like this? How do you do your duties?"
The Sixth Prince cried, "I'm not an annoying pest! Wuwu, Mother, I've become an annoying pest."
Consort Lan: "Yes, yes, you're not. How could my royal son be an annoying pest?"
The Sixth Prince let out a sob between tears. "I ate the dried fruit that annoying pest gave me, so I've become an annoying pest too..."
His words were muddled, and Consort Lan was utterly confused. She asked the little eunuch behind him, but the eunuch had no idea what had happened, as the children had been speaking very softly.
The eunuch racked his brains before replying, "His Highness the Sixth Prince must be referring to the Seventh Prince. He said the Seventh Prince is an annoying pest."
Consort Lan saw no problem with this at all.
"Right, he is an annoying pest, so what?" she soothed, patting the Sixth Prince's back. "My son is correct; he is an annoying pest."
Unexpectedly, the Sixth Prince cried even louder.
"No, he can't be an annoying pest! You're not allowed to say that!"
Consort Lan: "..."
In the Sixth Prince's mind, having accepted Qu Dubian's dried fruit meant he was now equated with Qu Dubian. If Qu Dubian was an annoying pest, then so was he.
Therefore—
His annoying seventh brother could only be a good person, just like him!
But the more he thought this, the more wronged the Sixth Prince felt. He had only eaten some dried fruit, so how had he become an annoying pest?
The Sixth Prince: "Wuwu, you have to say he's a good person."
Consort Lan: "?"
Never before had she doubted her son's sanity so intensely.
-
Astrological Bureau.
Emperor Chongzhao not only did not order the Seventh Prince to be moved to a detached palace, but instead issued a decree for him to enter the Eastern Academy early to study alongside the other princes and foster brotherly bonds.
To anyone in the rear palace or among the court officials, this was a signal that His Majesty was gradually letting go of his past grievances regarding Consort Yun.
Zhang Fanming, the Head of the Astrological Bureau who had previously advised Emperor Chongzhao to move the Seventh Prince, was naturally no exception.
In truth, when he went to offer his counsel that day, he had felt uneasy and apprehensive, sensing something subtly off about the emperor's attitude, different from before.
If it had been over two years ago, the emperor would likely have sent the young prince out of the palace that very day.
Could it truly be that Consort Yun had been dead for so long that his feelings had faded, making him think a dead woman was not as precious as a royal prince?
Zhang Fanming sat upright at his desk, slowly dropping a slip of paper into the charcoal brazier until the writing on it vanished completely.
The curling smoke was slightly choking in the sealed room.
Emperor Chongzhao's growing trust in the Astrological Bureau had begun with the matter of Consort Yun. If, for any reason, the emperor began to doubt the events surrounding Consort Yun, their bureau's status in the current Great Zhou dynasty would undoubtedly plummet.
Having tasted the flavor of universal respect, no one would wish to return to a past of obscurity. That respect was built upon the flesh and blood of Consort Yun and her son, and now it could no longer be separated.
—Therefore.
The son born to Consort Yun, that mother-scourge, calamitous fetus, must remain a mother-scourge, calamitous fetus for life!
These two stepping stones.
He, Zhang Fanming, would tread upon them for a lifetime.
He took a slow sip of hot broth.
If His Majesty had forgotten the young prince's infamous title and was hesitating, he would simply have to remind His Majesty and deepen the impression once more.
