Xiao Yanchen's days in the imperial study were becoming increasingly difficult.
Yet, he vaguely realized that if he did not continue to stay in the imperial study, he would gradually fade from everyone's sight, and eventually vanish from the palace altogether.
The mere thought that Xiao Xizi might also forget him made Xiao Yanchen's heart ache terribly.
"Seventh Brother, can't you see my charcoal brazier has gone out?" The Third Prince propped his legs on the desk, his eyes brimming with malice. "Go fetch a new basin for this prince."
A burst of raucous laughter erupted around them. Someone pinched their throat to mimic a eunuch's voice, "Seventh Prince, hurry up and change the Third Prince's charcoal brazier."
Xiao Yanchen's hands were turning blue from the cold. He gripped his brush tightly. "I am not your servant. I won't go."
The tutor, who had just been acting as if he hadn't heard a thing, suddenly set down the classic text in his hands. With a darkened face, he said, "Seventh Prince, where has all your studying gone? There is an order between the old and the young, and one must respect their elder brothers. Do you have any regard for hierarchy in your eyes?"
Xiao Yanchen looked at the tutor in silence. If this had been some time ago, he might have felt sad.
But now, he did not feel that way at all.
The tutor and his imperial brothers simply disliked him. No matter how obedient he was, they would never like him, and there was no reason for it.
He could understand that, because Xiao Xizi treated him well without any reason, either.
"Go, change the Third Prince's charcoal brazier." The tutor frowned and walked up to Xiao Yanchen.
Xiao Yanchen kept his head down, working on his assignment without a word.
He absolutely refused to go.
Seeing Xiao Yanchen remain silent, the tutor's expression grew even uglier.
Just then, an inkstone was suddenly slammed down hard. Ink instantly bloomed across the rice paper, completely ruining all the characters on Xiao Yanchen's assignment.
"My apologies, Seventh Brother," the Third Prince said, his face full of smugness. "My hand slipped."
The ink flowed along the texture of the rice paper. Xiao Yanchen stared fixedly at the black puddle on his page, his eyes turning completely red. He gritted his teeth, refusing to let his tears fall.
An hour later.
The tutor, holding a wooden ruler, began to inspect the princes' assignments.
He walked expressionlessly up to Xiao Yanchen, looked at the ink-soaked paper, and spoke: "Assignment incomplete. Hold out your hand."
Xiao Yanchen kept his head down and silently held out his cold, reddened hand.
Smack—
The mahogany ruler struck his palm viciously, instantly raising a bloody welt. Xiao Yanchen gritted his teeth tightly, not letting out even a single muffled groan.
Smack! Smack!
After ten strikes of the ruler, Xiao Yanchen's palm was swollen from the beating.
The nearby princes could not stop snickering.
Xiao Yanchen lowered his eyes, his gaze somewhat unfocused.
Why did everyone have to bully him?
Hearing the sound of the tutor explaining the lesson to the Third Prince, he looked up slightly. The tutor, who had been expressionless just moments ago, was now much gentler.
Xiao Yanchen's gaze lingered on the hand the tutor had just used to beat him. The skin on the back of the tutor's hand was very thin, with blue veins bulging like a few earthworms.
Staring at those throbbing blue veins, Xiao Yanchen suddenly felt a spasm in his stomach.
He was going to be beaten to death by the tutor.
Just then, the quiet atmosphere of the imperial study was broken by a flurry of orderly footsteps.
"By the decree of Her Ladyship Consort Shu, the Third Prince's personal attendant, Little Shunzi, has encouraged his master to neglect his duties for idle play. He is to be sent to the Department of Punishments for strict interrogation!"
Eunuch Liu remained expressionless, carrying a bloody stench unique to the Department of Punishments. The eunuchs beside him held iron chains.
The air instantly went dead silent.
Ever since the incident last time when the Third Prince tried to bully Xiao Yanchen but ended up getting beaten by him instead, the Noble Consort had frequently used it to mock Consort Shu. Consort Shu had lost a great deal of face lately.
Later, Consort Shu realized that Ruhui Palace was so far away; why would the Third Prince always go there?
Upon investigating, they traced it back to Little Shunzi.
When the late Empress was still alive, Little Shunzi had been caned by her for stealing, which bred resentment in his heart.
After being transferred to the Third Prince's side, he would occasionally egg the Third Prince on to seek out the Seventh Prince.
Consort Shu was furious when she found out. Her imperial son had actually been used by a mere eunuch! She immediately ordered the Department of Punishments to arrest him.
"Your Highness, save me! Your Highness!"
Terrified, Little Shunzi directly hugged the Third Prince's legs, crying until his face was covered in tears, his body trembling uncontrollably.
Xiao Yanchen did not look up; he was still trying to redo his assignment.
Right then, he felt someone poke his back.
Xiao Yanchen froze for a moment and immediately turned his head. When he saw who the person beside him was, his eyes lit up at once.
Xiao Xizi!
He almost called out her name, but in the end, he held it back, merely staring at her with wide eyes.
Ji Zhaoxi was standing in the back row of the people from the Department of Punishments. She was wearing a Department of Punishments hat, holding an iron chain in her hands with a completely serious demeanor.
He secretly grabbed her sleeve and gave it a tug.
Ji Zhaoxi tossed the hand warmer from her arms onto him. Xiao Yanchen refused to take it and stuffed it back into her hands. He shifted his position restlessly, wanting to get closer to her.
"Third Prince! Third Prince! Please save this servant—" Little Shunzi cried and shouted, snot and tears streaming down his face.
"Third Prince, this servant has stayed by your side for so long..."
The other princes were watching the good show from the sidelines.
Hearing that it was his mother who called the Department of Punishments to arrest the man, the Third Prince did not dare say a word. He kicked aside Little Shunzi and said impatiently, "Since Mother Consort told you to go, just go."
"Third Prince... Third Prince! This servant cannot go, this servant will die if he goes!"
Under the desk, Xiao Yanchen secretly hooked his pinky finger around Ji Zhaoxi's, and all the grievances in his heart were swept away.
Just then, he noticed an unfamiliar gaze.
Xiao Yanchen followed the gaze and found that the Second Prince was looking at Xiao Xizi. He did not speak, but his eyes were full of amusement and interest.
Xiao Yanchen stiffened all over and subconsciously looked at Ji Zhaoxi beside him. She was holding the iron chain with a look of excitement, ready to rush up and tie someone at any moment.
"Tutor, then this old servant will take his leave first," Eunuch Liu said with a smile toward the tutor.
Little Shunzi was dragged away directly by the men from the Department of Punishments. His wails echoed throughout the imperial study.
Xiao Yanchen looked at the Second Prince and found that his gaze was still lingering on Xiao Xizi's back.
Xiao Yanchen lowered his eyes, his grip on his brush tightening.
The night breeze poured in through the window. The red walls were somewhat mottled. The dim yellow light shone only on the table, and the smell of medicinal ointment permeated the room.
The room was very quiet; only the faint sound of the wind and Ji Zhaoxi sniffling could be heard.
Xiao Yanchen held his hand out in front of Ji Zhaoxi. He stared at her with wet eyes, constantly tracing her silhouette in the candlelight.
"Xiao Xizi... hiss..."
When the ointment touched the wounds on his palm, Xiao Yanchen's face paled a bit. He gently leaned his head against Ji Zhaoxi's shoulder, his voice carrying a hint of grievance.
He did not want to go to the imperial study anymore, nor did he want to stay with those people, but that simply would not do.
"This tutor is even worse than me," Ji Zhaoxi frowned, carefully applying the medicine to Xiao Yanchen's hand.
Xiao Yanchen's other hand kept clutching Ji Zhaoxi's sleeve. His eyes were full of conflict; he still cared very much about what had happened this afternoon.
"Xiao Xizi, do you know my second brother?" Xiao Yanchen asked in a small voice.
Ji Zhaoxi thought for a moment, "I don't know him. I've only seen him once or twice."
"Xiao Xizi, Second Brother is so mean to me." Xiao Yanchen's eyes grew red. "Promise me you won't play with him anymore, okay?"
Seeing Xiao Yanchen's teary eyes, Ji Zhaoxi declared loyally, "I would never play with him. I'd sooner beat him up!"
Xiao Yanchen looked at Ji Zhaoxi pitifully. "Xiao Xizi, don't beat up Second Brother either. If you have to hit someone, just hit me, okay? I don't want you hitting anyone else..."
He just didn't want anyone else getting close to Xiao Xizi.
Ji Zhaoxi let out an exaggerated, grown-up sigh. "Fine. Kids are such a handful."
Overjoyed, Xiao Yanchen hugged Ji Zhaoxi's arm.
