Qu Dubian's life of learning was quite colorful and varied.
Yesterday he had Tutor Xi's class, today it was Grand Tutor Fang's.
This old man was much more interesting than Tutor Xi. He clearly had known Qu Dubian's identity from the start, yet during the morning lesson, he looked at him with great surprise and said:
"Oh my! So you are the young prince!"
Qu Dubian: "..."
Of course, Qu Dubian played along with the act.
The two of them being so cryptic left the other princes utterly confused, but no matter how much they asked, there was no way this matter would be told to them.
This was a little secret between him and Grand Tutor Fang.
Over the next half month,
Qu Dubian's life fell into a very regular pattern: classes in the morning, practicing calligraphy in the afternoon. He had mostly mastered the commonly used characters and played dumb in response to Grand Tutor Fang's overt and covert attempts to probe his knowledge.
These days, he was eagerly gearing up for his first "Insight."
During this time, the second prize he drew from the lottery was: [Strawberry Seeds x 10 grains]
His beloved strawberries!
Strawberries were only introduced to China in the late 19th century; there were no strawberry varieties in the Central Plains now.
Strawberries are suitable for planting in spring and autumn. For spring, the period between February and April is more appropriate. The New Year festivities were almost here, and February was drawing closer.
He would save them for now and plant them in February.
Later, when he grew up and got his own prince's estate, he would definitely plant it full of fruits and vegetables, and raise chickens, ducks, cattle, and sheep. The farming genes were awakening.JPG
He had also become quite familiar with the several brothers in the school. Qu Dubian felt a bit regretful—why didn't the simulator show the favorability of people related to him by blood? Otherwise, he could see how much of the three elder brothers' care for him was genuine and how much was fake.
Apart from that, he had forged a deep revolutionary friendship with the Fourth Prince, becoming nap buddies in Tutor Xi's class.
They brought each other small snacks and treats.
He discovered that his fourth brother truly loved to sleep, or perhaps it wasn't just sleep—there was a kind of aesthetic to lazily refusing to open one's eyes to this ugly world.
If I just close my eyes, I can't see it.
Very interesting.
The Sixth Prince was still being prickly and awkward, but under Qu Dubian's deliberate and skillful coaxing, every single one of them was charmed and won over. Even the usually quiet Fifth Prince could exchange a few words with him, let alone the Sixth Prince, a kid whose brain occasionally failed to make the turn.
Royal children mature early, but no matter how early, there's a limit.
The Sixth Prince shared some pastries he brought today from Xiuxiang Palace.
"Here, you can have some. That dried meat you shared with me last time was... passable."
He and the Fourth Prince both gathered around Qu Dubian's desk, which was covered with food, resembling a children's tea party.
Qu Dubian: "Here, Sixth Brother, try this. Attendant Ye just came up with a new recipe."
The Fourth Prince was eating too, but his movements seemed twice as slow as everyone else's.
"You don't live in the rear palaces, so you wouldn't know," the Sixth Prince said. "I heard from the guards at the palace gates that you carry bad luck, that you bring misfortune, and that I shouldn't play with you."
He lifted his chin, seeking credit: "But I still play with you. So from now on, you have to listen to me."
The speaker might have been careless, but the listener took it to heart.
Qu Dubian took a bite of the dried meat. "Who said that?"
Sixth Prince: "Everyone's saying it."
The Fourth Prince also added slowly, "Oh, I think I've heard that too."
The Fifth Prince in front turned around, looked into Qu Dubian's eyes, and gave a slight nod. Meaning he knew too.
Qu Dubian: "For how long?"
The Fourth Prince thought about it. "Hmm..."
His speech could drive one mad with impatience.
The Sixth Prince stuffed a pastry into his mouth: "For several days now. I kept forgetting to tell you."
"Little brother, don't worry," the Fourth Prince said after swallowing a bite. He understood that 'bad luck' wasn't a good term. He wrapped his chubby arms around Qu Dubian. "Fourth Brother won't stop playing with you."
Qu Dubian, moved, hugged the Fourth Prince back, nuzzling against him.
"Fourth Brother, you're the best!"
The Sixth Prince was furious: "I said it first!" In his heart, the new seventh brother was an interesting, somewhat annoying toy. But now the toy wasn't close to him; instead, it was closer to someone else.
A child's innate possessiveness instantly surfaced.
He let out a strange cry and pounced on them too.
Qu Dubian instantly became the meat in a sandwich, looking to the Fifth Prince for help.
The Fifth Prince silently used his book to cover his face and turned his head away.
Over in their corner, it was noisy and boisterous, while the three elder princes were engaged in verbal sparring and sarcastic remarks, each group having their own kind of commotion. They only properly separated when Grand Tutor Fang arrived.
Qu Dubian took note of what the Sixth Prince had said, planning to have Attendant Ye and Xiaochun look into it when he returned.
Unexpectedly, a problem arose halfway through the class.
A swarm of gray rats, coming from who knows where, rushed into the schoolroom from the doorway, squeaking and chattering in a cacophony, causing screams in the classroom.
The eunuchs frantically shielded their respective young masters. Grand Tutor Fang shouted, "Out! Everyone out!"
Not just the others, even Qu Dubian himself got a fright. Rats carry many bacteria; if bitten, infection was highly likely. With the medical standards of ancient times, one could easily be done for.
Ye Xiaoyuan scooped him up and rushed outside.
Only when they reached a safe spot did he calm his wildly beating heart and soothe the child in his arms.
"How could there be rats in the Eastern Lodge? And so many all at once."
Qu Dubian had a bad feeling but joked, "Maybe the food here is too good."
Alarming the princes was a grave offense. All the palace staff responsible for the Eastern Lodge rushed over upon hearing the news, their faces pale, shouting and driving the rats away.
Finally, the rats were driven off, but classes couldn't continue. Qu Dubian returned to the Jü'an Hall. That same day, Emperor Chongzhao issued an edict ordering a thorough search of the schoolhouse to ensure no trace of rats remained.
After returning, Qu Dubian recounted what the Sixth Prince and others had told him using a child's words and asked Wen Xiaochun to quietly inquire about the palace rumors calling him unlucky.
However, before any cause could be found,
the very next day during class at the schoolhouse, a major fire broke out right near the study hall. The water vats outside the doors were frozen over in winter, and the rescue was not timely. The fire destroyed more than half of the schoolhouse.
Now, even the place where they most frequently had classes was gone. With incidents happening one after another, even the dullest person could see something strange was afoot. Classes had to be suspended for a few days.
-
Not far from the Jü'an Hall, there was a separate garden provided for the princesses to admire flowers and swing. It had become quite overgrown now, with withered lotuses in the small pond topped with frost and snow.
Qu Dubian was leisurely swinging on a swing here.
Ye Xiaoyuan stood guard not far away. Soon after, Wen Xiaochun hurried over.
Ye Xiaoyuan walked a few steps farther, pulled him aside, and lowered his voice: "Well?"
Wen Xiaochun: "The whole palace is spreading that it's the bad luck and baleful influence from the young prince causing these disasters. They say when the young prince stayed in the Jü'an Hall, everyone was fine. As soon as he started going to the Eastern Lodge, frequent incidents began."
"The Eastern Lodge is closer to His Majesty. The baleful influence is nourished by the dragon's aura, growing stronger and stronger."
Ye Xiaoyuan was furious: "What utter nonsense!"
Wen Xiaochun: "I went to the Eastern Lodge to investigate quietly today. Some palace staff were there cleaning up after the fire. I impersonated a eunuch, slipped in, and took a careful look around."
"Did you find anything?"
Wen Xiaochun shook his head. "But I caught a whiff of something unusual—oil. I'm in charge of oil matters in the Grand Kitchen, so I know a bit about the smell of different oils. When I went in to clean, there was a faint, barely noticeable astringent odor in the air."
"It seemed like tung oil."
A few days prior, the Grand Kitchen had taken in a batch of tung oil for refinishing wood. Since he was in charge of oils, he had gone to take a look and had even received two extra barrels stored in the warehouse.
He had smelled that scent, and this was somewhat similar.
Ye Xiaoyuan said with hatred in his voice, "Someone must be trying to harm His Highness!"
Wen Xiaochun replied, "The schoolhouse is mostly burned down. After the air cleared, what was already a faint smell would certainly be undetectable. No one would listen to us."
It was quiet here. They kept their voices low, so to Qu Dubian's ears, it was just indistinct chattering.
He swung his feet, increasing the sway of the swing.
Tsk.
As one might guess, the news Xiaochun had found out was not good at all.
The sound of footsteps crunching on snow came from afar. Qu Dubian looked up and saw a female Daoist priest in black robes, holding a book, walking towards him from near the pond of withered lotus flowers.
The female priest stopped before his swinging swing.
"Your humble official, Zhang Chansi, Deputy Director of the Astrological Observatory, pays her respects to the Seventh Prince."
[Character: Zhang Chansi
Favorability: 7]
Someone he'd never met—how could she have an initial favorability rating towards him? And the Astrological Observatory...
Qu Dubian had no good impression of that place.
What intentions could she have, seeking him out at this critical juncture when the entire palace was filled with rumors unfavorable to him?
Ye Xiaoyuan came over. "Director Zhang. Director Zhang, have you come here on business?"
Zhang Chansi said, "Observing the celestial phenomena at night, I discerned that the young prince is due to face a calamity. I came specifically to deliver a talisman of peace." She took out a thumb-sized wooden plaque from between the pages of her book, carved with Daoist patterns.
Qu Dubian reached out and took it. It felt pleasant to the touch, just a wooden plaque of good material. There was no cord attached, seemingly freshly made.
Ye Xiaoyuan asked, "What does Director Zhang mean by 'calamity'?"
Zhang Chansi did not answer his question directly, instead uttering something profound and cryptic: "The affair, ignited by fire, shall also be concluded by fire."
Having said that, she bowed once more to Qu Dubian and left the place.
Wen Xiaochun wondered, "What did she mean by that?"
Qu Dubian toyed with the peace plaque, thinking to himself that it meant this matter was probably instigated by the Astrological Observatory after all.
This Deputy Director was likely privy to the information but not the executor. She did not agree with the method of slandering a child but could not directly expose the mastermind behind it, so she could only use this method to specially deliver a warning.
Ye Xiaoyuan fell into deep thought.
The child on the swing, still unaware of worries, scratched his head and reminded them as if by accident, "The schoolhouse caught fire. Attendant Ye, will other places catch fire too? Will the place we used to live in?"
The place they used to live in.
That was the palace where Consort Yun had lived before her passing.
Yongning Palace!
Ye Xiaoyuan suddenly seemed to grasp something, his heart skipping a beat.
Qu Dubian worried, "Fixing Mother Consort's house... will that cost a lot of money?"
Ye Xiaoyuan patted his head.
"It won't cost Your Highness's money. His Majesty will cover it all," he said. "The sky is dark and the wind is picking up. Shall Your Highness return? We can come again when the weather is better."
Qu Dubian: "Mm!"
Ye Xiaoyuan then took him back to his residence. He was mostly silent along the way. After settling Qu Dubian, he immediately pulled Wen Xiaochun aside to discuss matters in secret.
"Do you know where Yongning Palace is?"
Wen Xiaochun: "I do."
Ye Xiaoyuan gritted his teeth: "If the mastermind is aiming to make His Highness unable to stay in the palace, Yongning Palace is definitely the target of that villain. Tonight, you go keep watch around Yongning Palace and see if you can find anyone."
"Be careful in all things!"
"Don't worry, I understand. You take good care of the young prince."
Wen Xiaochun pressed down his eunuch's hat and disappeared around a palace corner against the wind.
-
Yongning Palace.
Since Consort Yun's departure, the entire palace had been left vacant, silent and uninhabited, with only palace servants periodically entering to clean.
With no consorts or ladies residing here, the guards were lax. After Wen Xiaochun slipped in, he hid in the thick bushes, maintaining the utmost vigilance towards his surroundings.
Late at night.
A strange, rustling sound suddenly arose.
Wen Xiaochun narrowed his eyes and moved towards the source of the sound. Upon reaching the vicinity of the main hall, he smelled the bitter odor of oil. He saw a shadowy figure blow on a fire starter.
Unable to stop it in time, Wen Xiaochun abruptly shouted, "Audacious villain!!"
The figure didn't even pause, directly throwing the fire starter onto the ground.
The flames rose with the wind! Fire tongues licked at the wooden carved beams and painted rafters. In the winter's cold wind, a pungent smell spread.
The figure leaped using qinggong, directly flying over the courtyard wall.
This person's martial arts were far superior to his!
No wonder he hadn't detected any presence when the person entered.
Wen Xiaochun desperately gave chase, shouting as he ran, "Fire! There's a fire at Yongning Palace!!" Soon, more and more palace servants noticed the black smoke rising from Yongning Palace. Commotion broke out, the noise growing louder, making his shouts unnecessary.
He then focused solely on pursuing the figure, his gaze fixed dead on the person's silhouette. However, before encountering a patrol, the figure simply vanished.
Ahead, a patrol team was rushing rapidly towards the fire.
"Hurry, hurry!!"
"Send one person to report to His Majesty!!"
Amidst the chaos, Wen Xiaochun immediately hid in a corner, holding his breath.
For a non-duty palace servant to be running without reason at night was a capital offense. He was from the Residence of Peaceful Rest; appearing here at this critical moment would be hard to explain.
After the patrol passed, he followed the direction from memory where the black-clad figure had disappeared.
He stopped before a large hall. He glanced sideways; a massive stone tablet stood at the entrance, inscribed with—
Astrological Observatory.
-
The burning of Yongning Palace caused an uproar in the rear palace.
Emperor Chongzhao was furious, personally arriving at Yongning Palace late at night. Every palace and hall in the entire imperial city lit their lamps.
Fortunately, it was discovered early. Only the exterior was burned, with the interior suffering minor damage. Consort Yun's belongings were largely unharmed.
Even so, he remained there until the wee hours of the morning.
"Your Majesty..." Eunuch Yu called softly, "Director Zhang of the Astrological Observatory has arrived and is waiting at the Purple Palace Hall."
Emperor Chongzhao, draped in his robes, stood before the slightly charred beams. "The night she left me was just as deep as this one."
The first time he didn't believe the words of the Astrological Observatory, he lost Consort Yun. The second time, thinking the child was almost three and might be safe staying in the palace, Yongning Palace was almost burned down.
In his heart, he had once suspected the Astrological Observatory of colluding with others to harm Yueqing. After sending the young child to the Residence of Peaceful Rest, he had people watch the Astrological Observatory for two years, a full two years, without any movement, before he truly accepted the Astrological Observatory's explanation.
Eunuch Yu glanced at Emperor Chongzhao's expression and sighed softly.
-
By this time, Wen Xiaochun had already returned to the Residence of Peaceful Rest.
Qu Dubian was asleep.
Ye Xiaoyuan had been waiting for him all along.
"Indeed, someone set fire to Yongning Palace." Wen Xiaochun's eyes gleamed coldly. "I was only somewhat sure before, but now it seems ninety percent certain the Star Observation Bureau is behind this."
Ye Xiaoyuan: "They built their current status by stepping over the Lady and the Young Prince. Were you seen?"
"I covered my face when I chased him. It was late, he couldn't see clearly."
Speculation was one thing, but they had no concrete evidence.
Wen Xiaochun said, "This matter isn't without a solution. They slander the Young Prince as an ill-omened star, a cursed child..."
Ye Xiaoyuan sensed the dangerous turn in his words and warned, "This is the imperial palace. Don't act impulsively and end up implicating the Young Prince at this critical juncture."
"In the end, it all depends on what His Majesty thinks."
Wen Xiaochun turned his face away, pressing his lips together in silence.
Soon enough, they learned the emperor's decision.
The next day.
After Qu Dubian finished his tai chi and was having his meal, Eunuch Yu arrived in person, holding an imperial decree.
The decree was unrolled. The beginning was all formalities; the crucial part came later: "...The Seventh Prince, Qu Dubian, bearing his mother's legacy, shall leave the palace to pray for blessings, returning after half a year. So it is decreed."
From heaven to hell in a single day—it was precisely that.
Ye Xiaoyuan asked, "His Majesty... did His Majesty say when he must leave?"
Eunuch Yu's eyes held pity. "There is a three-day period for preparation. Carriages and all necessary eunuchs, maids, and matrons are being arranged."
After receiving the decree, Ye Xiaoyuan saw Eunuch Yu out and asked one more question: "Last night, did anyone have an audience with His Majesty?"
"The Master of the Star Observation Bureau came once. His Majesty did not sleep all night. With Consort Yun's palace burned, His Majesty is in poor spirits," Eunuch Yu said. "He will not forget the Young Prince. It is only half a year, after all."
Ye Xiaoyuan: "Take care on your way, Eunuch Yu."
He looked up at the sky. No matter how cold his heart felt at that moment, upon returning to the palace quarters, he immediately arranged a smiling face once more.
Speaking gently to Qu Dubian, he said, "The temporary palace isn't so bad either. I will follow you, Young Prince. Think of these six months as an outing for fresh air—other princes don't get this opportunity. When you return, you will see His Majesty again."
Even now, he was still crafting an image for the young master he had cared for, the idea that the father-emperor actually cared for him, protecting the child's sensitive and fragile heart.
Qu Dubian swallowed a small wonton.
He seemed genuinely not to understand, smiling as he said, "Alright."
Ye Xiaoyuan: "Xiaochun, do you wish to remain in the palace?"
Wen Xiaochun: "Where the Young Prince is, there I will be."
[Character: Wen Xiaochun
Favorability: 43]
They were quite determined.
But Qu Dubian had absolutely no intention of leaving.
Just as his living conditions had begun to improve, and he planned to take things step by step, the Star Observation Bureau now wanted to step on his head to boost their own fame once more. If he tolerated this, with resentment festering inside, wouldn't that hinder his overall well-being? Hindered well-being is bad for health.
Poor health—how could he live long!
Of course, that was just one point.
More importantly, he knew that if he left, far from the emperor's reach, at his age, anyone with ill intent could snuff him out more easily than crushing an ant.
If he offered no resistance this time, then his image as a cursed child would truly be set in stone. Henceforth, whatever the Star Observation Bureau said would be taken as truth, his life and future completely in the hands of his enemies.
In an era of supreme imperial authority and rampant superstition, that would indeed mean never having a chance to rise again.
He not only had to resist, but he had to do it quickly.
In his previous life, this would have been a battle of public opinion, where the golden window for clarification was only 24 hours. Who knew if the Star Observation Bureau had further moves? He had to make his cheap father change his mind before the news spread far and wide.
After finishing his meal, Qu Dubian wiped his mouth and hopped down from his chair.
"I'm going to practice calligraphy now. Ye and Xiaochun are not to disturb."
He closed all the windows.
Qu Dubian sat at his small desk.
It was time to write his first reflection. With only one day's worth of lifespan remaining, if some accident later interrupted his check-ins, wouldn't his little life be over?
While his mind was still clear, Qu Dubian opened his backpack, edited a dream, and used the second 'Prank Dream' on Emperor Chongzhao.
After using the Prank Dream from his backpack, the remaining count below showed 0/0, and a purchase button appeared next to it. One Prank Dream cost 5 lifespan points.
Highway robbery!
After editing the dream, Qu Dubian found a blank sheet of paper and a charcoal pencil, gripping it with his left hand.
His right-hand writing was too ugly and slow; his left hand was faster and clearer.
"Show me the format for the reflection. Also, are there really no specific word count requirements?"
Simulator: [Reflection essay, format displayed. Host only needs to write their genuine feelings. The program will determine how many lifespan points to award.]
"I don't have time to polish it slowly now. If, by the submission deadline, I've only spent half a day on it, how many lifespan points will be deducted during review?"
Simulator: [Without experiencing a full day, the maximum obtainable lifespan drops from 90 to 45. On that basis, the program's assessment then multiplies by the percentage of authenticity. Given the host's young age, the program review will be relatively lenient.]
When it came to protecting the young, this simulator was quite humane most of the time.
"Begin." Qu Dubian made his selection.
Simulator: [Fever - Level Two, 100% simulation initiated. Selected duration: three days.]
Simulator: [Wishing you a pleasant experience, and a long, healthy life.]
The well-wishes were truly hard to comment on.
Qu Dubian clearly felt his body temperature rapidly rise, and his mind began to grow foggy. He thought, if he really had such a high fever without the simulator's protection, prolonged exposure would surely turn him into a fool.
There were a few sheets of previously used practice calligraphy paper on the desk. If anyone came in, he could immediately cover up the one he was currently writing on.
Qu Dubian shook his head, his left hand lowered the pencil, and he smoothly wrote the first character.
