After the incident in the Imperial Garden the day before yesterday, Qu Dubian stayed obediently in the Zichen Hall for three full days before finally seizing an opportunity to go out.
His father was terribly narrow-minded. Was it really necessary, just because of a rumor that had spread throughout the entire palace, to use the pretext of making him recuperate and keep him cooped up in his bedchamber for three days?
Really petty and lacking in magnanimity.
If he's this petty now, what will become of him in the future? He definitely needs more practice.
However, during those three days, Qu Dubian made discreet inquiries in various ways and finally understood the procedures behind the posthumous conferment of the title of Empress upon Consort Yun.
Emperor Chongzhao's move, at least on the surface, placed all the princes on the same starting line. "The outstanding tree is the first to be felled by the wind." For his current young self, this was both a restraint and a protection.
The court and the inner palace alike were filled with the art of checks and balances.
"Your Highness needn't think too much about it. On the day of the ceremony to posthumously confer the title upon Her Ladyship, arrangements will be made for you. You simply need to follow the procedures."
Ye Xiaoyuan thought the young prince was worried about making a mistake on that day, which was why he was paying such close attention.
Qu Dubian said, "I should know more about my mother's affairs. Attendant, have you found out clearly? Who will be there that day?"
Ye Xiaoyuan gently patted his head. "All the consorts and concubines of the inner palace, including the Empress, must be present. Her Majesty the Empress will personally light the lamp and present it into the hall. You only need to partake in the ceremonial meal within the hall that day."
"The Court of Imperial Entertainments is responsible for your meal. Speaking of which, the current Chief Minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments is, nominally, your maternal granduncle."
The Marquis Who Holds the Sword was the eldest of the Xu family. This maternal granduncle would be the Marquis's second brother.
The matter of the old Marquis nearly severing ties with his two brothers happened just a few years ago. Ye Xiaoyuan had a vague idea about it but, after some thought, decided not to mention it to the young prince. It was still far too early to speak of such things.
Even if ties were severed, they were still the young prince's relatives. Furthermore, this was an official duty assigned by imperial decree, so they surely wouldn't openly cause trouble for the young prince.
"Is there anything else?" Qu Dubian asked quietly. "What about those people who speak ill of me?"
Ye Xiaoyuan was taken aback, meeting the young prince's eyes. "Your Highness..."
Qu Dubian said, "That day is very important for Mother, right? I don't want them to speak ill of me on that day. I think Mother would be unhappy if she heard it."
Attendant Ye treated him like a child. Worried about his feelings, he wouldn't tell him certain things. If he wanted to get information, he could only approach it indirectly.
"Those people are all talking nonsense. Your Highness must never take it to heart, understand?" Ye Xiaoyuan's heart ached. The subtle influence of gossip had still affected the young prince. He needed to correct his young master's mistaken perception.
Ye Xiaoyuan said with a serious expression, "Your Highness only needs to remember that you are the best child in the world. Her Ladyship would never dislike you."
"Those who speak ill of Your Highness are the bad ones. The Director of the Astrological Bureau was caned by His Majesty a few days ago and made to walk the 'nail path.' He won't be able to leave his bed for months and is recuperating at home. The person currently in charge at the Astrological Bureau is the Deputy Director... the one who gave Your Highness the protective talisman last time."
"On the day of the ceremony... there isn't actually any need for the Astrological Bureau's involvement, but the date was chosen by them."
Qu Dubian fell into thought.
"Attendant Ye, is the protective talisman the Deputy Director gave last time still here?"
"It is. I've kept it safe."
"Bring it. I want to go thank the Deputy Director."
Ye Xiaoyuan was surprised. "Your Highness wishes to go to the Astrological Bureau?"
Qu Dubian said, "Yes. Let's go now!"
Ye Xiaoyuan hesitated, but he had little resistance when it came to Qu Dubian. He offered a token protest, then called Wen Xiaochun and several other palace attendants, and they all headed to the Astrological Bureau.
It wasn't that he wanted such a large entourage. The young prince was mostly very easygoing, but sometimes, when he became stubborn, not even the Emperor could win against him.
He was genuinely worried that the situation might get out of control and lead to a fight.
What difference was there between this and openly kicking down the door of someone who had been secretly gossiping about you behind your back?
-
Qu Dubian led a group of seven or eight people, walking ahead with his hands clasped behind his back.
Nowadays, unless he was truly exhausted, he generally didn't let people carry him. This body's physical fitness was still poor; he needed to increase his exercise.
Wen Xiaochun felt quite helpless. The young prince was too independent, leaving his own considerable strength with no outlet.
As they neared the Astrological Bureau, they ran into a patrol team up ahead. The leader bowed in salute. Although he had never met the Seventh Prince, at this hour, all the other princes were in the schoolhouse. The only child who could roam the palace with so many people in tow and remain unchecked was this one.
After the patrol guard finished his salute, he looked up and scanned the group behind the Seventh Prince. When his gaze fell on Wen Xiaochun, he suddenly let out a sound of surprise.
"Wait a moment."
Qu Dubian looked up. "Hmm?"
The patrol guard bowed again. "This humble officer finds the eunuch behind you familiar. I wonder if I could pull him over for a closer look?"
"Familiar?" Qu Dubian turned his head.
Wen Xiaochun stood there calmly with lowered eyes and a submissive demeanor, his palms tightening slightly.
He remembered. This was the patrol guard who had inspected his night soil cart that evening. It had been dark, and he had used a dark blue cloth to cover his nose and mouth. In theory, he shouldn't have been recognized.
Ye Xiaoyuan frowned slightly, shooting a discreet glance, his heart tightening.
The patrol guard said, "Yes. This humble officer has a good memory for people's builds. I saw him briefly on the day of the Astrological Bureau fire and thought they looked somewhat similar."
Wen Xiaochun let out a quiet breath and raised his head with a slight smile. "Of course, that's possible."
Just as he was about to step forward, he suddenly heard a firm, "Of course not!"
Qu Dubian's little face turned stern, displaying a princely air for the first time. "Xiaochun is my person. If I don't agree, you cannot look."
Wen Xiaochun stopped. His Highness had raised his hand to shield him. Even though, due to his small stature, that short arm only reached his leg, it was a solid, protective gesture.
[Name: Wen Xiaochun
Favorability: 50]
The patrol guard was troubled. "But..."
Qu Dubian heard the announcement of the increased favorability but didn't have time to feel pleased. His intention wasn't to gain favor but genuinely to protect.
Seeing the patrol guard still insisting, he turned and hugged Wen Xiaochun's leg. "Let's go quickly. I don't want them to look at you. Don't be afraid, Xiaochun."
Xiaochun only taught him Tai Chi and was ordered around by Attendant Ye. Couldn't he tell if someone this well-behaved was the arsonist who burned down the Astrological Bureau?
He muttered to himself, could this be someone trying to remove the people he trusted one by one, and then plant some spies by his side?
Following the usual palace intrigue drama plot, if Xiaochun left this time, he might never come back.
"Since the Seventh Prince has arrived, why not come in?"
Zhang Chansi emerged from the main gate of the Astrological Bureau. First, she bowed to Qu Dubian, then addressed the patrol guard, "How dare you block a prince's way and even try to take a palace attendant from his side?"
The patrol guard was immediately startled. "This humble officer wouldn't dare!"
Zhang Chansi said coolly, "Setting aside the fact that investigating culprits is not the duty of the patrol teams, our Director of the Astrological Bureau has already admitted that the great fire was a punishment for his lying to His Majesty. Are you refuting the Director's words? Shall we go before His Majesty to confront him?"
The patrol guard broke out in a cold sweat and quickly cupped his hands. "This humble officer knows his mistake. Thank you, Deputy Director, for the guidance. Your Highness, the Seventh Prince, this humble officer was most disrespectful earlier. I beg for Your Highness's forgiveness!"
Qu Dubian waved his hand magnanimously. "Hurry along now, it's so cold in the middle of winter."
Only then did the patrol guard lead his men away from the area.
A potential incident dissipated without a trace.
Qu Dubian released his grip on Wen Xiaochun's thigh and looked up. "Hey? Did you guess I would come?"
Zhang Chansi gave a light laugh. "I have some slight skill in divination. I calculated that a noble person would arrive. Your Highness, please."
She led Qu Dubian into the Astrological Bureau.
Behind them.
Ye Xiaoyuan shot a glare at Wen Xiaochun, silently moved closer, and viciously pinched the soft flesh at his waist.
The latter, knowing he was at fault, hung his head even lower, not daring to utter a sound.
The most eye-catching thing inside the Astrological Bureau was undoubtedly that fire-scorched stone stele. Although it had been cleaned, the marks remained.
"Observing stars is not peeking at ghosts, gods, demons, or buddhas; Calculating fate only sees fortune, disaster, auspice, and inauspice."
The sixteen large characters were carved into it as if by knife and axe.
Qu Dubian found it utterly ironic.
Ghosts, gods, demons, and buddhas—that Director, recuperating at home, had dabbled in plenty of that, he hadn't. Who knows how many people had been harmed by such rhetoric.
The other palace attendants remained outside the hall. Only Ye Xiaoyuan followed him inside.
Within, there was an exceptionally distinctive tea room.
Zhang Chansi poured him a cup.
Qu Dubian sat without any proper posture, cross-legged opposite her, bringing his nose close to the teacup to smell.
Hmm, not as fragrant as the tea in the Purple Zenith Hall.
His thoughts drifted. What to do, he was kind of craving milk tea now.
"What does Your Highness wish to ask by coming here?"
Qu Dubian propped his chin on his hand, blinked, somewhat surprised by this Deputy Director's attitude of not treating him like a child. "Aren't you afraid I won't understand?"
Zhang Chansi said, "Your Highness is precocious. I heard Grand Tutor Fang mention it once."
Was this Deputy Director's initial favorable impression of him due to guilt? Qu Dubian decided to test it.
He leaned forward, grabbed Zhang Chansi's sleeve, gave it a gentle tug, and lowered his voice: "I wanted to ask... if because of my influence, the weather on the day of my mother's ceremonial rites might turn bad."
"You..." Zhang Chansi was taken aback.
The child before her continued in a beseeching tone, "If it will, could you... make it better? I can give you His Majesty's small incense burner, incense, delicious food, boots, jadeite thumb ring... lots and lots of things. I'll bring them all to you, in exchange for good weather."
[Favorability +1]
Zhang Chansi was both amused and exasperated.
Even if the young prince dared to give them, she wouldn't dare accept! It would easily lead to punishment. She sighed inwardly.
Although it was childish talk, she could keenly feel the Seventh Prince's deep care and regard for his birth mother.
Zhang Chansi said earnestly, "Set your mind at ease. The Astrological Bureau has verified it multiple times; the day will undoubtedly be clear and fine. Moreover, Your Highness, do not heed the rumors from outside. The miasma will disperse one day."
Qu Dubian mentally noted these words.
Did the Deputy Director mean that the talk of sinful karma surrounding him would eventually vanish? There was no evidence now, but if this matter were truly proven false, a mere Director of the Astrological Bureau could not bear the Emperor's wrath.
That would be a crime punishable by execution of the entire clan.
Qu Dubian looked up, meeting Zhang Chansi's clear, calm eyes. He couldn't discern what she was truly thinking.
He simply smiled and said, "Good! Then I am reassured."
Having obtained the information that the Astrological Bureau wouldn't play tricks that day, his gaze fell on a few sheets of paper on the table. Qu Dubian glanced at them. "Huh?"
On it was actually a problem of solid geometry. Words like "qian du" (wedge) and "yang ma" (rectangular pyramid) caught his eye, instantly reminding him of the "Nine Chapters on the Mathematical Art" he had read in his previous life.
This problem was quite simple, though. If the correct formulas were applied, it could be solved in three to five minutes.
Ripples finally appeared in Zhang Chansi's placid, still-water eyes, as if a mannequin had suddenly come to life, her previously detached emotions settling into something tangible. "Your Highness is interested in this?"
A barely detectable excitement was hidden in the depths of her gaze, as if she could start lecturing him on the spot if Qu Dubian said he was interested.
Qu Dubian keenly sensed the key to winning over Zhang Chansi. He tested the waters, "...What if I said yes?"
Zhang Chansi's face instantly lit up. The image of the composed, self-possessed Deputy Director shattered. She directly turned the small low table around and, from who-knows-where, produced a brush.
"This humble official will explain it to you!"
The Great Zhou dynasty never placed importance on mathematics. The imperial princes were never interested either, considering it a skill only needed by merchants and clerks.
But Zhang Chansi understood that the principles of astronomy and mathematics were all contained within these shapes and calculations!
It was just a source of regret that no one in the world would explore this treasure trove with her.
Seeing that both this generation's and the next generation's emperors of Great Zhou would ignore this path, Zhang Chansi was also deeply frustrated. But if someone among the imperial family showed interest, once word spread, it would at least lead some scholars in Great Zhou to delve into it.
A prince's fondness for mathematics carried vastly different weight from a mere Deputy Director's fondness for it. Getting the Seventh Prince to like mathematics would be of great benefit to this field.
She unfurled the paper!
Worried about scaring off the little prince she had finally caught, who showed interest in mathematics, Zhang Chansi forced a gentle smile that didn't suit her usual demeanor.
"Your Highness, please listen to the explanation."
The lofty tea room of the Astrological Bureau instantly transformed into a Sunflower Class kindergarten.
Looking at the calculation problem on the paper, akin to 'one plus one equals two,' and recalling the half-solved geometry problem he saw earlier, Qu Dubian sighed inwardly.
Should he tell this Deputy Director that his level seemed sufficient to be her teacher?
