The entire night.
Before Qu Dubian fell asleep, Emperor Chongzhao found no peace.
The book was snatched away and hidden by Eunuch Yu, but that didn't stop the little son from chattering incessantly in his ear.
The child indeed had an excellent memory and a talent for learning, but—he applied none of it to memorizing proper texts.
Qu Dubian recited the contents of the "Admonitions for Women" taught by Nanny Su over and over again.
Of course, each recitation was different—some parts were jumbled, some phrases mumbled, some required a moment's thought before being suddenly blurted out just as his cheap dad was about to drift off to sleep.
Amid the murmuring of "woman's speech, woman's virtue, woman's appearance, woman's work; maintaining a solemn demeanor and proper conduct to serve one's husband and master...", Emperor Chongzhao lay with his eyes open, sleepless until midnight.
Only when Qu Dubian finally fell asleep did it end.
Early the next morning.
Emperor Chongzhao's decree flew to Shunning Palace.
It commanded that the Seventh Prince was not to study in the study room together with Princess Zhiyi. When the princess was studying, the Seventh Prince was to remain at least five paces away from the study.
In the afternoon, Nanny Su entered the study room again.
And Qu Dubian squatted at the entrance of Shunning Palace, chin in hands, truly unable to enter this time.
Hah, can't handle losing, cheap dad?
Can't win a game so he starts throwing his weight around with power.
He stood up, clapped his hands, and patted Da Hei's head. "Come on, Da Hei, let's pull off a big one."
Da Hei nudged him with its nose, signaling the two-legged cub to get on the cart.
The puppy cart passed by Xiuxiang Palace, and the Sixth Prince came out. The puppy cart passed by Fu'an Palace, and the Fourth Prince came out. The puppy cart passed by Changxin Palace, and the Fifth Prince came out.
The four princes eventually gathered in the eastern side hall of Zichen Palace for a grand martial arts summit. They were quite considerate, not disturbing Emperor Chongzhao, who was still working in the western warm chamber.
Qu Dubian slammed the "Admonitions for Women" onto the table with a thud.
"Brothers, I've discovered an earth-shattering secret!"
Sixth Prince: "What secret?"
Qu Dubian said mysteriously, "There might be a peerless martial art manual hidden within."
The three older brothers widened their eyes. The large eastern side hall was filled with a chorus of "Wow." What child doesn't dream of becoming a peerless master?
Qu Dubian: "I've found out everything. In the entire rear palace, only Elder Sister is learning it. It's something Father Emperor prepared specially for her, worried she might be bullied in the future, and he's keeping it from us."
"I only found out after secretly learning a couple of moves myself."
Sixth Prince: "Brother! Then teach us."
Qu Dubian: "I could forget anyone but you, my brothers. I'll teach you everything I know."
He pulled the Sixth Prince to the front. Although the Fifth Prince felt something was off... but if his younger brother wanted to play, he'd go along. He was the older brother; it was his duty to humor his younger brother.
So he quietly took his place as well.
The Fourth Prince had only perked up for a second. Upon hearing there was training involved, he immediately started to feel sleepy. Qu Dubian grabbed his little pillow. "Fourth Brother, hurry up and go. Once you learn it, I'll come sleep at Fu'an Palace for two nights!"
In less than a second, the Fourth Prince was instantly energized.
"You promise?"
Three turnip-heads of varying heights were ordered around in circles by the youngest brother.
As evening approached.
Eunuch Yu came to the western warm chamber. "Your Majesty, the ladies from Xiuxiang Palace, Changxin Palace, and Fu'an Palace have all sent people to summon the princes back for their evening meal."
Emperor Chongzhao: "Looking for them here? I didn't summon them."
Eunuch Yu: "They are all in the eastern side hall keeping the Seventh Prince company... uh..."
"Speak."
Eunuch Yu sighed, thinking of the scene he had glimpsed earlier, and immediately looked worried. "Perhaps Your Majesty should go see for yourself."
Emperor Chongzhao paid it no mind, stood up with a laugh. "What chaos could he possibly stir up?"
Two minutes later.
Peering through the window of the eastern side hall, Emperor Chongzhao's face turned ashen.
Inside the hall, beyond the window.
The little son held a small twig like a ruler, shaking his head and sighing. "What's going on, what's going on? Straighten your backs. Fingers, yes, pinky finger raised."
"Fourth Brother! Ai-ya, take two steps, yes, like that."
"What were the mental techniques I just taught you? Brothers, recite them once more."
The Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes chanted in unison: "To assist the husband and teach the children is the principle of heaven. Woman's appearance and work, woman's speech and virtue, I must know them well."
Qu Dubian: "Excellent! This is the incredibly powerful mental technique specially taught to Elder Sister by Nanny Su—Elder Sister's formidable master. It must be the most supreme technique. Let's recite it a few more times."
"Qu Xiaoqi!!"
With a bang, Emperor Chongzhao pushed the door open.
Looking at his sons—one holding up a delicate finger, another performing a feminine curtsy—it seemed an afternoon had transformed them directly from princes into princesses.
His vision darkened, then darkened again.
With a grim face, he strode over, accurately caught his attempting-to-escape youngest son, tucked him under his arm, and gave his bottom a slap.
"What have you been teaching your brothers!"
Qu Dubian let out a howl, indignant and unfair: "It's not fair! Why can Elder Sister learn it but we can't!"
A vein throbbed at Emperor Chongzhao's temple. "Yu Decai, escort them back to their respective palaces. Anyone who dares to fool around with Xiaoqi again will have their studies doubled!" Each and every one of them, they must have too much free time to follow their little brother's mischief.
The little cub tucked under his arm squirmed particularly restlessly.
A stubborn voice came through: "Today you drag me away, but tomorrow thousands upon thousands of mes will rise up to spread the peerless martial arts to my brothers!"
"I'll drag away as many as rise up!"
The Fourth and Fifth Princes lowered their delicate little hands and sighed faintly.
Fourth Prince: "Seventh Brother has been deceived, hasn't he."
Fifth Prince also sighed: "Zhiyi has been deceived too. What kind of peerless martial art is practiced like this?"
"But we better not expose it, or our brother will be heartbroken. We can send some books to Zhiyi later," the Fourth Prince yawned. "Tired, sleepy, I'm leaving."
Zhiyi was the Fourth Prince's younger sister and the Fifth Prince's elder sister.
But their ages were very close, and they weren't particularly intimate with Zhiyi. They had only become somewhat more familiar because Qu Dubian often went there, so they usually called her Zhiyi, without adding 'elder sister' or 'younger sister'.
Only the Sixth Prince was utterly devastated on the spot.
Tears welled up: "Seventh Brother was tricked, and I was tricked too! So it really wasn't a martial arts manual!"
Fifth Prince: "..."
-
For the next three whole days.
Qu Dubian tried every means to eavesdrop on Nanny Su's lessons, even learning the princess's etiquette, and teaching it to his brothers.
Emperor Chongzhao couldn't watch him every moment. To prevent his eavesdropping, he could only have Zhiyi change locations. But with Da Hei around, no matter where Zhiyi went, he could find her.
Emperor Chongzhao watched helplessly as his little son recited the "Admonitions for Women" more and more fluently, learned the princess's etiquette more and more adeptly, and along with him, the demeanor of his several older brothers also began to skew.
Finally, Grand Tutor Fang and Master Xi came to see him together.
Master Xi said: "Your Majesty, the Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Princes have been acting very... strangely these past two days. When I asked them to recite texts, they did recite, but they mixed it up with passages from the 'Admonitions for Women'."
Grand Tutor Fang was utterly puzzled.
"Could it be that princes are now required to study this book as well? This old minister also saw the three elder princes secretly taking a look, unsure if it was out of curiosity or by Your Majesty's request...?"
Emperor Chongzhao took a deep breath, then another, but couldn't quite settle it for a long while.
He heaved a heavy sigh, pressing his thumb forcefully against his temple.
"This child..."
He recounted what Qu Dubian had been up to these past two days. "I don't know what evil spirit has possessed him, but he insists that what Nanny Su is teaching are peerless martial arts. I know he loves practicing martial arts—Tai Chi, horse stance—those are excellent and good for his health. But the 'Admonitions for Women'? He even learned his elder sister's curtsy!" When he demonstrated it in the evening, the Emperor almost died of anger.
Grand Tutor Fang stroked his beard. "If the Seventh Prince is making a fuss because Princess Zhiyi is studying books like 'Admonitions for Women' and 'Instructions for Women' separately, without teaching the others, and he finds it unfair, then Your Majesty could simply stop having the princess study them. In my humble observation, the Seventh Prince is not one to give up easily."
"Not give up easily?" Emperor Chongzhao said. "That's putting it too kindly. He's plainly stubborn." He frowned again. "Zhiyi is a princess. When she marries in the future, she will represent the royal family's demeanor. How can she not learn these? All women of the Great Zhou read them in their chambers. She is a princess and should set an example."
Grand Tutor Fang: "Then this subject has no solution. Your Majesty must either keep the Seventh Prince confined indefinitely or stop the princess's lessons indefinitely." What mischief is the little fellow cooking up now? He found it hard to believe that the clever Seventh Prince would truly mistake a book for a peerless martial arts manual.
Master Xi: "In truth, the princess is the Emperor's daughter. In the future, when she takes a consort, even if there are minor errors in etiquette, it is not crucial. In name, they are husband and wife, with the husband guiding the wife. But on a deeper level, the princess is the sovereign, the consort is the subject; the sovereign guides the subject. The subordinate should yield to the superior. Minor errors in etiquette are of little consequence."
Grand Tutor Fang raised his eyebrows in surprise.
Xi Shiqiu could actually say such things? Could it be that since his promotion to Minister of Justice, his mouth has become more eloquent?
Emperor Chongzhao: "Then who should teach the princess, and what should she learn? The Six Halls of the Eastern Palace, I'm afraid..."
"Father! Daddy!"
The affectionate call made Emperor Chongzhao instinctively wary. He saw a child darting in from the doorway—Qu Dubian, who had no idea how long he had been eavesdropping outside.
He ran over. "Let Elder Sister attend school with me! I'll supervise her to see if she's secretly learning martial arts without telling me."
Emperor Chongzhao was very hesitant. "The study companions for your three elder brothers are all boys. Although Zhiyi is young, it will ultimately be inconvenient later on."
Grand Tutor Fang cupped his hands. "In three years, the Eldest Prince will leave the palace to establish his own residence, with the Second and Third Princes following closely. Their study companions will naturally leave with them. If the other princes also wish to select companions, we can discuss it then."
Surely that's better than the Seventh Prince dragging the other princes to study the Admonitions for Women and princess etiquette, right?
Master Xi, though not entirely approving, did not voice any objection.
After considering for a long time, Emperor Chongzhao relented.
"Just add another desk in the schoolroom then... place it next to the Seventh Prince's," he tapped Qu Dubian's head. "But from now on, you can't go or not go as you please. You must attend with your sister."
Qu Dubian casually grunted in agreement.
After bidding farewell to Grand Tutor Fang and Master Xi with a bow, he swiftly dashed towards Shunning Palace.
He delivered the news to Consort Xuan and Consort Guo.
Zhiyi was rather confused, not quite understanding what going to the schoolroom to study meant, but she couldn't contain her happiness—what Nanny Su taught was so boring! Going to the schoolroom with everyone was the best.
Consort Guo's expression was complex. Having come from a boudoir upbringing herself, she knew all too well that the books her daughter was supposed to learn were actually restraints. However, she lacked the power to change it. Accustomed to compliance, she could only watch as Zhiyi gradually took on the shadow of her own past.
But what she hadn't expected was that, thanks to the Seventh Prince's fuss, Zhiyi might not have to learn them—at least, as long as the Seventh Prince kept remembering this matter, Zhiyi wouldn't have to learn.
She stroked her daughter's head and held Zhiyi in her arms.
"Mother hopes you will always be happy."
Zhiyi: "I hope everyone is happy."
Consort Guo: "The Seventh Prince is close to you. From now on, you must also look after him more."
"I know, Mother. You said younger brother had a very hard life before."
Consort Guo gave a soft hum of acknowledgment.
That Zhiyi could live happily for a few more years was a fortune brought by the Seventh Prince.
Meanwhile.
In the main hall.
Consort Xuan was tending to a pot of newly sprouted seedlings of an unknown plant.
"Consort Xuan doesn't believe that bit about you wanting to practice martial arts. What were you really thinking, you little imp?"
Qu Dubian, resting his chin in his hands, sat opposite her, swinging his legs.
He said, "I just didn't want Elder Sister to read those books. They don't feel right."
Consort Xuan: "How do you know they're not good without studying them deeply?"
Qu Dubian: "If they were good, why don't the tutors teach them to us, or to His Majesty? And Elder Sister is also Father's child. The tutors teach several; they all receive the same monthly stipend. I don't understand why he refused."
Consort Xuan put down the pot. "Yes, it's a simple truth. Some people are just rather obtuse, not as clever as Little Seven."
"..." Qu Dubian paused. "Consort Xuan, have you read them?"
Consort Xuan: "I've torn them up."
Someone who hadn't torn them up wouldn't dare say the sentence above, even if they had the nerve, Qu Dubian thought.
Consort Xuan called out towards the window: "Xinqing, are the pastries ready?"
"Almost!"
"Consort Xuan, I want some."
"Not this time. At most, you can have one piece," Consort Xuan said. "They are prepared to be sent to Cining Palace tomorrow, for Nanny Su. She's been utterly exhausted by your antics these past few days. At her age, being moved back and forth has worn her out."
Qu Dubian: "Cining Palace?"
Consort Xuan: "Where the several surviving Grand Imperial Concubines reside. Nanny Su has always been in charge there. She's actually quite a good person, just a bit old-fashioned."
Qu Dubian said guiltily, "Then I'll go tomorrow too."
"Didn't His Majesty say you have to go to the schoolroom with Zhiyi?"
Qu Dubian: "He said I have to go. I'll wait until they finish the first session before going. It won't delay things."
Consort Xuan thought it over and felt it was acceptable, so the matter was settled.
It would still take five or six days before he could move in. Before leaving, Qu Dubian went to inspect the renovation progress of his future room. The interior was rather dark.
Turning his head, he spotted Yi Shier hanging upside down by the window.
Yi Shier flipped inside through the window and, under Qu Dubian's gaze, silently pulled out a book: The Four Books and Five Classics.
His voice was soft as he flipped to the page Qu Dubian had seen on New Year's Day. "Your Highness, how many characters do you actually know?"
The dashing and romantic wuxia story was printed on the paper. He had told the little prince this was a book of sages.
He had deceived the little prince. Looking back now, was he the one who had been fooled by the little prince instead?
Qu Dubian: "..."
He looked up and scratched his head politely, yet awkwardly.
Yi Shier: "..."
Yi Shier blinked and vanished from his superior's sight.
Qu Dubian turned his head. "Was he embarrassed?"
Ye Xiaoyuan sighed with feeling. "Your Highness, his ears were bright red."
