The turbulent winds of the imperial court had not yet blown into the inner palace.
Qu Dubian was busy delivering gifts throughout the palace.
They were all things he had brought back from outside. For his elder brothers, his elder sister Zhiyi, Consort Xuan, Consort Guo, the Empress... practically everyone he knew had a gift.
Even the eunuchs, Eunuch Yu and Eunuch Bao from the Zichen Hall, received theirs.
One's presence might be absent, but the gifts must arrive. Regardless of closeness, it was essential to let the recipients know he still remembered them in his heart. Building invisible goodwill was quite important.
Shunningning Palace.
Qu Dubian's bedchamber was in the palace opposite Consort Xuan's. Since Shunningning Palace only housed Consort Xuan, Consort Guo, and Zhiyi, many rooms were empty.
His room, chosen by Consort Xuan, had the best sunlight.
As it was the room he would live in for several years to come, Qu Dubian offered a few ideas of his own. Consort Xuan had the palace servants note them down and arrange the room according to his requests.
"And this," Qu Dubian took out the small wooden box Xie Jingshan had given him, "Little Uncle Xie asked me to give this to you."
Consort Xuan opened the box: "You've worked hard, making a trip to the Xie residence and still bringing something for me."
Qu Dubian: "It was nothing."
He tactfully added, "You can open it and have a look. I'll go play with elder sister in the courtyard."
Consort Xuan opened the box. Inside was a rolled-up scroll of boxing techniques, several large-denomination banknotes that were easy to store, and a sealed letter.
She opened it directly. Inside were a few lines of greetings. Judging by the brushstrokes, it was written by her brother, but the tone was that of her father. These words weren't the main point; the key was at the end.
Xie Jingshan had drawn an orchid.
Not the national flower, the cold orchid, but a rather common, ordinary orchid.
An orchid...
Consort Xuan pondered. So, the one who instigated Noble Lady Chu to poison Xiao Qi last time was... Consort Lan?
Unaware that Consort Xuan had grown wary of Consort Lan, Qu Dubian was chatting with Zhiyi. "I heard from Consort Guo that elder sister is about to start her studies. Would you like to come study with me?"
Zhiyi's eyes showed a flicker of longing, then she shook her head despondently. "Mother said female officials and nannies will come to instruct me in the afternoon. I am a princess; what I must learn is different from what you learn."
Qu Dubian: "What do you have to learn?"
"They sent some books over for me to look at first."
Zhiyi led him to her study. Inside were a zither, a guqin, and a stack of new books. Qu Dubian flipped through them: "Admonitions for Women," "Women's Virtues"... Several similar books were placed on top. There were other books further down, but they were all about poetry, rhyme, chess manuals, flower arranging, and such.
Studying this entire set would very much mold one into the ideal imperial noblewoman in the eyes of this dynasty.
Zhiyi: "Little brother, the look on your face when you see these three books is just like Consort Xuan's." The young girl pointed at them, somewhat apprehensive. "Are these three very difficult to learn?"
Not difficult to learn.
They would just erode a lot of things.
Qu Dubian casually flipped through them. Looking at his elder sister's clean, innocent eyes, he was unwilling for her to learn the things within.
He didn't know if the two young Xie girls had studied these three books, but at the very least, they also read classics and histories, studying alongside their male cousins in the clan school. Through such immersion, their perspective and breadth of mind would broaden.
But this was what princesses of every generation had to learn. How could he, such a young prince, persuade the adults otherwise?
Going directly to his nominal father would likely only elicit a dismissive laugh; he wouldn't take it seriously.
To allow his elder sister to live more freely and keep her away from these things before her proper worldview was formed, he needed to find another path.
Qu Dubian's eyes darted, and he suddenly chuckled. "Elder sister, when the female officials and nannies come this afternoon, can I stay here with you?"
"Huh?" Zhiyi said happily, "Of course!"
-
Noon.
Zichen Hall.
Emperor Chongzhao: "Xiao Qi stayed for a meal at Shunningning Palace?"
Eunuch Yu: "Indeed. Word came from there that the young prince won't be returning this afternoon either. He said he wants to accompany Princess Zhiyi during her lessons?"
"Accompanying Zhiyi to her lessons..." Emperor Chongzhao suddenly remembered. "I did instruct the nannies to go early to instruct the princess. She's about the right age; it's time she started learning everything. After Xiao Qi moves in, Zhiyi can also guide her younger brother in his studies."
"Xiao Qi isn't old enough for the formal school yet. I won't force him; before three, he can go or not as he pleases. After three, he won't have a choice. It's good for him to be immersed in his elder sister's learning atmosphere at Shunningning Palace."
Eunuch Yu: "Precisely so."
Elsewhere.
Shunningning Palace.
Inside Zhiyi's study.
"What?" The nanny responsible for teaching, Nanny Su, was astonished. "The Seventh Prince wants to learn too? Consort Guo, you must be joking."
Consort Guo: "Consort Xuan has also agreed. She said the young prince is bored, and it's fine for him to play along with his elder sister."
Hearing this, Nanny Su's expression softened slightly.
"If those are Consort Xuan's words, then we can simply place a small table to the side."
In the elegant, clean study, the palace servants placed a small desk next to Zhiyi's writing table, with a soft cushion.
Nanny Su said to Qu Dubian, "Young prince, you must not disturb Princess Zhiyi's studies, understand?"
Qu Dubian said obediently, "I understand. Please rest assured, Nanny."
He took out Emperor Chongzhao's small incense burner, lit some incense he had taken from Zichen Hall, placed it on the small desk, then properly took out a few books, arranging his paper and brushes neatly.
Nanny Su's gaze grew a bit gentler, and she praised, "As expected of one who has attended classes at the Eastern Academy. The young prince is small in years but already shows the air of a refined young gentleman."
After saying this, she turned her attention to Princess Zhiyi.
Zhiyi sat at her desk, also very proper.
Nanny Su smiled slightly: "Your Highness, we shall learn characters through reading, starting with this one." Her pointer tapped on the book "Admonitions for Women."
"Although you are a princess of noble birth and some rules need not be followed, many principles within must still be learned and understood. This book consists of seven parts: 'Humility and Weakness,' 'Husband and Wife,' 'Respect and Compliance,' 'Wifely Conduct'..."
"'Humility and Weakness, Part One.' In ancient times, three days after a girl was born, they would place her below the bed and give her a pottery shard to play with..."
The explanations were extremely dull. Nanny Su taught rigidly, wanting first to impart the meanings to Zhiyi, then follow with character recognition.
To Qu Dubian, this was utterly absurd. For proper childhood literacy, they weren't starting with the foundational primers like the 'Three Character Classic,' 'Hundred Family Surnames,' and 'Thousand Character Classic,' but with this kind of stuff that sounded headache-inducing and, upon closer thought, was utterly stifling.
Zhiyi was young and didn't understand yet; her eyes were almost closing.
Nanny Su repeatedly tapped her pointer on the desk to keep her from falling asleep.
"Your Highness, please adjust your attitude. I will quiz you on what I'm explaining later. If you cannot answer, I will truly have to strike your palm with the pointer."
Zhiyi rubbed her face: "I'm sorry, Nanny."
Nanny Su lectured for roughly half an hour before pausing for a drink of water. When she passed by the Seventh Prince's small desk and saw many things scribbled and drawn on the white paper, she couldn't help but stop.
The Seventh Prince hadn't made a fuss or disturbed the princess's studies, which was quite unexpected.
Being so serious, what was he looking at?
Nanny Su looked closely.
The Seventh Prince obediently moved his hand to show her. The book he was reading had two large characters on its cover: "Lessons for Women."
Nanny Su: "?"
She hesitated, "Your Highness, why are you reading this...?" She had thought the Seventh Prince was reading a storybook or something like the "Three Character Classic."
Qu Dubian: "Because you explain it so interestingly, Nanny!"
Nanny Su looked at Princess Zhiyi, yawning repeatedly at the desk.
She then looked down, meeting the Seventh Prince's bright and eager eyes.
Nanny Su: "..."
Holding the book, she felt not a shred of the satisfaction of teaching a student, instead sinking into a subtle silence.
She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something felt a bit off.
-
The entire afternoon.
Half was spent studying texts, half learning etiquette.
Walking, standing, sitting, and reclining were the most basic foundations, requiring practice from a young age so that, years later, an innate elegance and noble bearing would be etched into one's bones.
Qu Dubian also studied along for the whole afternoon.
As soon as Nanny Su left, Zhiyi immediately let her little face fall, collapsing wearily onto the table. "Little brother, you've worked hard..."
Qu Dubian: "Elder Sister, does Nanny Su come every afternoon?"
Zhiyi: "From what Mother says, Nanny Su also has to care for the Dowager Consorts in the Palace of Compassionate Peace, so she isn't free every day. She rests for two days every ten days."
Her little face scrunched up. Even though she had only just studied for one afternoon, she was already developing a resistance to learning.
"Starting tomorrow morning, we'll begin learning the zither. From now on, there will probably be very little time to play."
As she whispered her complaints, Consort Guo, having already bid farewell to Nanny Su, pushed the door open. "Come and eat, shall we?"
Qu Dubian: "Consort Guo, I won't be eating here tonight. I'm going to the Purple Palace Hall."
"Alright. If you're leaving, just let Consort Xuan know."
"Okay."
After informing Consort Xuan, Qu Dubian rode his little dog cart back to the Purple Palace Hall.
Hearing the noise from outside, Emperor Chongzhao put down his chopsticks. "Quite punctual. Fetch another bowl."
Eunuch Yu smiled, "Certainly."
"I'm back," Qu Dubian rubbed his hands together and adeptly climbed up to the table to eat.
"Why didn't you eat at the Palace of Serenity? Even if you don't like Consort Xuan anymore, it's too late to go back on it now."
"That's not it."
Qu Dubian elegantly picked up a spoon, raised his little finger, scooped some soup, shook his head and gently blew on it three times before taking small, delicate sips.
Emperor Chongzhao stopped eating, a question mark popping up in his mind.
His little son then picked up a handkerchief, dabbing it at the corner of his mouth where there was a bit of oil. Noticing his father watching, he flicked the handkerchief and covered his face.
Chin lifted, sleeve lightly flicked: "How dare you gaze directly upon a princess's countenance? Guards, take him away!"
Emperor Chongzhao: "..."
He wasn't angry, having built up some immunity by now.
After a moment of silence, he asked Ye Xiaoyuan: "What did Little Seven do today?" To be acting so strangely.
Ye Xiaoyuan's mouth twitched: "He studied 'Lessons for Women' with Nanny Su, along with the etiquette and rules for princesses. What His Young Highness seems to have remembered now is how a princess should respond when someone without manners stares at a royal princess..."
As soon as he finished, Qu Dubian whipped out a book.
Holding the book, he swayed his head and recited: "To be quiet and chaste, orderly and controlled, to be ashamed of any misconduct, and to have a regulated behavior in all actions—this may be called womanly virtue. I must not run about wildly, not shout wildly, not be shameless. Only then can I be a virtuous woman."
Emperor Chongzhao: "………"
He tried to snatch the book away, saying with a headache, "This is what your elder sister is learning. Why are you memorizing it? If you want to memorize texts, go to the schoolhouse. Memorize anything you like."
Qu Dubian held on tightly, refusing to let go. "No! I asked around, and only Elder Sister is studying this book. It must be a good thing!"
Emperor Chongzhao: "This is a book for women to study! Do you want to turn into a girl?"
Qu Dubian argued stubbornly: "I have to study it to know if I'll turn into one or not!"
Here we go again.
That stubborn, utterly unconvinced expression.
Emperor Chongzhao said wearily, "Let go of it for your father. You are a prince. How can you memorize such things?"
"This is definitely a good thing!" The more his father resisted, the more Qu Dubian insisted. "Otherwise, why would you only have Elder Sister learn it in secret? If I hadn't found out, all the good stuff would have been learned by Elder Sister alone! I want to learn it too! I can memorize it faster than Elder Sister!"
Emperor Chongzhao: "..."
This isn't about memorizing fast or slow!
