People are pragmatic by nature. The news of the Marquis Who Bears the Sword returning to the capital had stirred an undercurrent of excitement throughout the city.
Qu Dubian, however, decided to stop dwelling on it. No matter how turbulent the winds blew outside, it was beyond his reach. Since his grandfather was already on his way back to the capital, he might as well let things take their natural course.
These past few days, he had incorporated horse stance training into his daily routine. After completing one round of Tai Chi, he would practice his horse stance. At most, he could hold it for ten minutes, his legs trembling uncontrollably afterwards.
He borrowed a chart of the human body's meridians and acupuncture points from the Imperial Hospital.
He even managed to lure an imperial physician along with it.
The physician was an acquaintance, Imperial Physician Yang, the one who had attended to him during both of his previous illnesses.
He even stripped down to just his shorts and had the physician use a brush tip to mark the acupuncture points on his body, so he could recognize them better.
A young child, clutching a medical text, listening to the physician explain the points while engaging in this bodily "performance art," was like a scholar who hadn't even passed the preliminary exams aiming directly for the imperial examinations—it was a comical sight no matter how you looked at it.
Even Emperor Chongzhao was amused and teased him: "I've noticed you often visit the Astrological Bureau, taking on the arithmetic problems set by the Deputy Director is one thing, but now you're interested in medicine? Do you intend to become a little doctor who calculates with an abacus in the future?"
Qu Dubian answered truthfully, "I want to practice martial arts. Studying medicine can help with lightness skills, flying through the air. It's very useful."
With more practice, perhaps his physique could become healthier. Not wanting to crush the child's confidence, Emperor Chongzhao said, "Practicing Tai Chi and horse stance every day, I'll have to see if you can grow up to become the Great Zhou's great general, guarding the people."
Qu Dubian shook his head. "Getting stronger isn't about protecting the people."
"Hmm?" Emperor Chongzhao, seated behind his desk, glanced at the little one curled up on the heated kang.
As Imperial Physician Yang explained the points, Qu Dubian turned a page in his book. "Getting stronger is because I want to protect everyone who is good to me in the future."
Emperor Chongzhao: "Oh... and who might that be?"
Qu Dubian: "Father, you just want to ask if that includes you, don't you? Of course it does."
"No respect for your elders."
Emperor Chongzhao lightly scolded, a slight smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Qu Dubian focused on memorizing the key acupuncture points mentioned in his internal cultivation manual. Using his own special little brush, dipped in his father's vermilion ink, he drew circles around them.
After the lesson, he personally saw Imperial Physician Yang out, thoughtfully presenting him with a box of pine nuts as a token of thanks. Then he returned and said, "Father, I'm going to sleep at Fifth Brother's place tonight."
Emperor Chongzhao: "What for? Don't disturb your fifth brother's studies."
Qu Dubian: "Don't worry, I just want to play with Fifth Brother for a while."
The main reason was that the time he agreed upon with Yi Shier had arrived. If he stayed in the Purple Zenith Palace, Yi Shier wouldn't be able to enter and circulate his vital energy within him.
Emperor Chongzhao thought for a moment, then nodded in agreement. It wasn't as if he hadn't slept at the fifth prince's place before. Forcing him to stay would only make it seem like he, the emperor, couldn't bear to let him go.
So, after finishing his evening meal, Qu Dubian had Dahei pull him in his little cart to the Palace of Lasting Trust.
The Palace of Lasting Trust felt much quieter, but Noble Consort Rong seemed to live more comfortably. Although she still didn't think much of the seventh prince, she was even more effusively welcoming on the surface.
Hearing he was coming, she had specially prepared many little pastries.
What was quite amusing was that after sending them over, she herself ate several pieces and also had the fifth prince taste them. "Young Eunuch Ye, I'm not like that scheming Noble Lady Chu. You can all eat these things with complete peace of mind."
Ye Xiaoyuan offered a helpless smile, dealing with Noble Consort Rong's exaggerated attempts to prove her innocence.
Finally, when everything settled down, the fifth prince did not go to bed to rest. Instead, he sat at his small desk, silently reviewing his lessons.
Qu Dubian listened to him reciting for a while, then said, "Fifth Brother, you can't finish memorizing all this in such a short time. Let's sleep. Would Grand Tutor Fang really assign such a long memorization task?"
The fifth prince shook his head. "It's what Sixth Brother was assigned to memorize by Grand Tutor Fang the day before yesterday. He couldn't memorize it himself, so he told me to memorize it all to give him prompts later."
"He won't get the cane from Grand Tutor Fang, but you will, Fifth Brother."
"But Sixth Brother will be unhappy. If he's unhappy, Mother will know and she'll be unhappy too."
The fifth prince had recited it many times but still stumbled. By the end, his eyes were slightly red, perhaps thinking about the scolding or punishment he might face tomorrow for failing to recite it.
Qu Dubian sighed, not quite knowing what to say. Sixth Brother clearly had a habit of bullying Fifth Brother, and Fifth Brother was used to being bullied, with Noble Consort Rong's pressure on top of that.
Fifth Brother didn't even know where to escape to.
With such immense pressure at such a young age, what if he became depressed later?
Qu Dubian jumped down from the bed and took the fifth prince's hand. "Fifth Brother, let's sleep."
"But—"
"Tomorrow I'll go to the study hall with you. We'll switch seats. Sixth Brother won't trouble you."
Fifth prince: "That won't work, little brother."
The little brother holding his hand immediately let go, his small back full of dejection. He turned to look at him, a pitiful sight.
"Fifth Brother doesn't believe in me?"
Fifth prince: "...!"
"No!" He quickly waved his hands.
Oh heavens, was he about to make his little brother cry?
Qu Dubian immediately broke into a beaming smile. "Then let's sleep, come on."
The fifth prince, full of worries, fell asleep as soon as he touched the bed. After he was asleep, Qu Dubian struggled to put on his shoes by himself, avoided the fifth prince's personal eunuch, left the bedchamber, and went to a deserted corner.
Ye Xiaoyuan and Wen Xiaochun didn't know Yi Shier's former identity as a shadow guard, but they knew about Qu Dubian's plan to sneak out tonight. Though puzzled, they didn't ask questions.
They each kept watch in separate locations.
Qu Dubian lowered his voice. "Liu Liu, Yi Liu Liu."
Yi Shier appeared soundlessly. Just as he was about to bow, the child grabbed his hand. "You've worked hard. Here, have something to eat first."
Qu Dubian pulled him to sit on the steps in the rear courtyard of the bedchamber.
Moonlight poured down, the sparse shadow of a red plum blossom tree cast upon the stone steps.
The child wrapped in a thick cloak pulled out two small cushions from his robe, one for himself and one for Yi Shier.
"Your hands are cold, Liu Liu. Eat something first."
The pastries were still warm. Yi Shier was taken aback for a moment, then sat down following the downward pull on his hand. His legs were long, and sitting on the cushion on the step felt slightly awkward.
Was it really okay to eat?
This was technically work time.
Under the child's encouraging gaze, Yi Shier opened the oiled paper and picked up a pastry to take a bite.
Qu Dubian clapped his hands. "Right, and this too."
He reached into his sleeve, rummaged around, and pulled out a large money pouch, stuffing it into Yi Shier's hand.
"Your monthly allowance. Is it enough for a year?"
The pouch jingled and clinked; it sounded like it contained more than just silver and copper coins... Yi Shier opened it. Indeed, it wasn't silver. Besides two small gold Ruyi ornaments, it was mostly gold dust, crushed gemstones, jadeite, jade pieces, and so on.
It looked very familiar.
-
Meanwhile.
Purple Zenith Palace.
Emperor Chongzhao finished reviewing the memorials and lay down on his bed. Rolling over, his gaze suddenly fixed.
His understated yet luxurious innermost bedpost... Emperor Chongzhao leaned in for a closer look. He saw that someone had diligently and persistently scraped off a layer of gold dust from the coiling dragon on that bedpost using some tool, and had also pried off the decorative gemstones and pearls inlaid on it.
Not only that, but a winking, tongue-sticking-out smiley face was also drawn on the bedpost.
Emperor Chongzhao: "..."
This blood pressure-spiking move, you didn't even need to think to know who did it.
"Qu Xiaoqi!"
Is this kid that desperate for money?
-
"Your Highness, this month's allowance...?" Yi Shier spoke haltingly.
Qu Dubian wore a look of righteousness: "I earned all this through my own hard work and labor, use it without worry." Since the old man wouldn't tell him where he hid his money, he had no choice but to take matters into his own hands to ensure his own prosperity.
"He still owes me my monthly twenty percent milk tea allowance. I can afford to support you, so you teach me well, okay?"
Yi Shier: "This amount of money is already more than several years' worth of my monthly allowance."
Including overtime pay.
He finally wouldn't have to scrimp and save to buy those storybooks.
He quickly ate a few more pastries, then looked at Qu Dubian, his eyes questioning.
Qu Dubian's small face turned serious. He sat cross-legged on the cushion. "Let's begin."
Yi Shier gave a slight nod.
In truth, circulating true qi through the body once didn't have much effect. But since the young prince said he wanted to experience it out of novelty, he would just do as instructed.
Yi Shier grasped his wrist. A stream of warm energy passed through the meridians, slowly moving past various acupoints. Qu Dubian could match some to the diagrams in medical texts, but others he could not.
This warm current eventually converged in the dantian.
His dantian was unopened, so the true qi naturally dissipated.
Although it was said to be one cycle, since Qu Dubian didn't say to stop, Yi Shier circulated it two more times before ceasing. He withdrew his hand, palms facing down, and regulated his own true qi.
Qu Dubian's entire body felt warmed up.
No wonder Yi Shier wore such thin clothing in the cold weather. With true qi circulating inside, one would start sweating.
"So amazing. I will definitely open my dantian in the future!" Qu Dubian opened his eyes, his gaze towards Yi Shier even brighter.
Yi Shier: "Opening the dantian is very dangerous."
Qu Dubian: "How dangerous?"
"Everyone's meridians are different. No one can precisely predict how much true qi they need to impact the dantian. Too much, and the dantian ruptures; too little, and it fails to open. Both can damage or even sever the meridians," Yi Shier said. "Throughout history, very few members of the imperial family have dared to attempt opening their dantian."
Qu Dubian: "Oh..."
Then he should be okay. If he failed, the simulator could convert it into a disease type. He could just try a few more times.
"I will definitely become a master who can fly around in the future."
At his current age, anyone saying they wanted to practice martial arts and open their dantian wouldn't be taken seriously. Yi Shier also just nodded, humoring the child.
Qu Dubian said in a big-brotherly tone, "Go back and rest now. When you go to the palace gates or the main kitchens to buy milk tea, just give my name. It'll be free for you."
Yi Shier inclined his head, though it was unclear if he took it to heart.
After he left, Qu Dubian sat by himself on the cushion for a while. Yi Shier's favorability had increased by several points when he was fed snacks and given silver.
He opened the simulator and summarized his recent achievements.
[Wen Xiaochun Favorability: 51]
[Xie Mingxuan (Consort Xuan) Favorability: 30]
[Zhang Chansi Favorability: 21]
[Yi Shier Favorability: 14]
[Martial Practice Check-ins: Tai Chi, Horse Stance (starting from ten minutes)]
[Simulatable Disease Types: Fever (Level 1, 2, 3), Drug Overdose. Newly added [Coughing Illness], [Rhinitis], each with three subtypes.]
[Backpack: Strawberry Seeds (0 remaining, purchasable), Storybooks (3 remaining), Prank Dream (0 remaining, purchasable), "Mian Shou Jue · First Volume" True Qi Circulation Diagram.]
Qu Dubian let out a breath, psyching himself up. He could do this.
Yi Shier had taken his cushion, so Qu Dubian only needed to carry his own. He beckoned to Ye Xiaoyuan and Wen Xiaochun, who were standing guard at either end, to go and rest.
Wen Xiaochun: "Is Your Highness very familiar with that person from earlier?"
Qu Dubian: "Hmm... sort of. Barring any accidents, he'll be by my side."
Wen Xiaochun seemed thoughtful.
If he was someone trustworthy, then perhaps he could feel more at ease about going to the Inspection and Transport Office.
-
The next day.
The Fifth Prince woke his younger brother, who was still sleeping.
Qu Dubian rubbed his eyes, pushed himself up to change clothes, yawned incessantly, and went to the academy with the Fifth Prince.
