The palace walls leading to the imperial study were particularly narrow, appearing even more gloomy in the winter. The Second Prince and the Third Prince walked side by side, discussing how they would prank Xiao Yanchen today.
Behind them followed a large, imposing entourage of eunuchs.
Just then, a grayish-blue figure hid on the second floor of the bell tower.
Swish—
A round stone cut through the air, shooting straight toward the Third Prince's forehead.
"Ah!" the Third Prince shrieked. A large lump instantly swelled on his forehead. He cursed loudly, "Who? Who dares to ambush me?!"
Before anyone else could react, another stone struck the ankle of the Second Prince, who had been watching the spectacle. The Second Prince winced in pain, his body tilting before he tumbled directly into a nearby snowbank.
A second later, the white jade crown on the Second Prince's head was knocked askew by a stone, leaving him looking utterly disheveled.
"Insolence! Hurry up and catch them! You bunch of useless trash!"
The Third Prince stomped his feet in anger, his entire face flushing red.
A figure vaulted out of the back window and stepped onto the roof ridge. As the wind blew, the snow covered the tracks once again, erasing any footprints.
The Third Prince and several guards ran over, cursing loudly. Nearby, a few low-ranking eunuchs were transporting blocks of ice.
"You there, did you see who hit me?" the Third Prince demanded, hands on his hips and panting heavily.
The eunuchs shook their heads meekly.
"Third Highness, we have been moving ice this whole time."
Furious, the Third Prince kicked the red wall beside him.
"If I catch him, I will torture him to death!"
The guards beside him kept their heads bowed, not daring to speak.
The young eunuchs moving the ice gradually walked farther away.
"Xiao Xizi, come over here and help me hold this."
"Coming!"
The imperial study was particularly noisy today. As soon as one entered, the Third Prince's cursing could be heard, and the Second Prince's expression was exceedingly grim.
A crowd gathered around the two of them, angrily discussing something.
The moment Xiao Yanchen walked into the imperial study, the lively chatter instantly quieted down. Everyone's gaze fixed upon him, and occasional sneers rippled through the crowd.
Xiao Yanchen lowered his eyes and sat in the corner without a word.
He was already used to their attitude. Ever since he had come to the imperial study, they had always treated him this way.
Whenever he went to ask the tutor a question, the tutor would never answer him.
Xiao Yanchen looked at his book but could not focus on reading at all. His fingers gently pinched the edge of the page.
Since no one would teach him anyway, he might as well stay in Ruhui Palace with Xiao Xizi...
He only wanted to play with Xiao Xizi; he didn't want anything else.
When it was time for the meal, several eunuchs carrying food boxes entered through the door.
The lead eunuch walked up to the Second Prince with a flattering smile. "Second Highness, this is the snow toad stew that Her Ladyship the Noble Consort specially ordered this servant to add for you."
He then trotted over to the Third Prince and placed a food box on the table. "Third Highness, this is your favorite. Please eat it while it's hot."
When the lids were lifted, rich aromas filled the entire imperial study.
The eunuch bowed deeply, smiling so widely that his eyes practically disappeared.
The food in the other princes' boxes was also to their liking.
When it was Xiao Yanchen's turn, the smile on the eunuch's face vanished instantly. He casually took a chipped food box from the side and slammed it heavily onto the table.
Xiao Yanchen said nothing. He opened the box to find only a bowl of leftovers that had long gone cold, with yellowed vegetable leaves floating in the broth, along with two broken pieces of a cold steamed bun.
"Seventh Highness, the kitchens have been busy these past few days. You'll just have to make do," the eunuch said in a mocking tone.
Xiao Yanchen showed no hint of anger. Under everyone's watchful eyes, he picked up the steamed bun and ate it slowly.
The Second Prince looked at Xiao Yanchen in the corner, feeling a wave of satisfaction. Although he didn't know why his mother had arranged for Xiao Yanchen to enter the imperial study, bullying him every day was certainly quite entertaining.
The imperial study was particularly quiet in the afternoon. Even the air seemed to grow thicker because of the person who had arrived.
The Second Prince stood up. Under everyone's gaze, he held his head high and answered the questions fluently.
The tutor standing in the corner nodded in satisfaction; the Second Prince had always been excellent.
"Your Majesty, the Second Prince is always very diligent with his studies," the tutor said cautiously to the Emperor.
A hint of a smile flashed in the Emperor's eyes. "Not bad."
Hearing the Emperor's words, the Second Prince couldn't hide the joy on his face.
If his mother knew that Imperial Father had praised him, she would definitely be thrilled.
The Third Prince still had some bruising on his forehead, and his performance was far worse than the Second Prince's. He kept his head down, stumbling over his answers.
Beside him, the Second Prince curled his lips into a smirk. Idiot, he can't even answer such a simple question.
The Third Prince kept glancing at the other princes nearby, hoping they would help him, but they all avoided his gaze.
When he finally managed to finish his answer, the smile on the Emperor's face had faded.
The tutor tried to smooth things over: "Your Majesty, these are newly taught subjects. The Third Prince has been consolidating older knowledge recently and perhaps hasn't prepared for this section yet."
The tutor's own expression was somewhat ugly; he truly didn't understand why the Third Prince couldn't answer something so simple.
What if the Emperor thought he wasn't teaching them properly?
Fortunately, the other princes answered relatively well, and the atmosphere in the imperial study finally improved a bit.
Xiao Yanchen did not participate, nor did he look at the man with whom he shared a bloodline. He merely kept his head down, using his cold, trembling hands to struggle to turn the pages of the classics in front of him.
The Emperor was preparing to leave, surrounded by everyone. Just as he stepped out the door, his gaze fell upon Xiao Yanchen in the corner.
Xiao Yanchen seemed not to notice him, not even sparing him a glance. That stubborn face suddenly reminded the Emperor of the Empress who had died in the Cold Palace.
A flash of disgust crossed the Emperor's eyes. He is indeed cut from the same cloth as his mother, both so utterly detestable.
The Emperor sneered coldly and stepped straight over the threshold.
In the afternoon, there was a horseback riding and archery class.
All the princes from the imperial study went to the royal hunting grounds. The other princes were already very familiar with the place, but it was Xiao Yanchen's first time there.
The north wind howled continuously, biting painfully at their faces.
On the vast, empty grassland, Xiao Yanchen led a scrawny horse with a mottled coat. Both boy and horse shivered in the cold wind.
He looked at the old horse in front of him with some hesitation.
If he mounted it, would he crush the horse to death? He didn't want this horse to die.
But he saw that all the other princes were already mounted, and the instructor was urging them on with a whip.
"I'll just sit for a little while, I won't hurt you," Xiao Yanchen said, looking guiltily at the old horse.
The horse was already unbearably emaciated, its eyes drooping. As soon as Xiao Yanchen got on, he immediately felt that the old horse was uncomfortable, and he scrambled to get back down.
Just then, the Third Prince galloped over on a magnificent blood-sweating steed. He was dressed in an exquisite riding outfit, looking worlds apart from Xiao Yanchen.
