In the afternoon, Yun Wan first went to the imperial kitchen and, after calculating the time, headed to the Hongwen Institute with the token given by Consort Shu.
Carrying items along the way, Fuling followed behind, her heart brimming with quiet excitement.
Back then, Eunuch Jiang had noticed her lively yet unobtrusive demeanor and assigned her to the Perfumery Bureau, saying she would serve a lady from outside the palace.
At first, Fuling didn’t know Yun Wan’s identity, only sensing from Eunuch Jiang’s tone that this lady was someone of great importance.
Later, she witnessed the Emperor’s personal concern for this lady and suddenly understood—it was all by His Majesty’s will. That explained everything.
What truly shocked her, however, was that this lady was not only the sister-in-law of Consort Shu but also the mother of a child who served as the Third Prince’s study companion!
Such tangled connections... Fuling was both thrilled and exhilarated, though she dared not breathe a word of it to anyone.
"Auntie, I’ve inquired—today the young masters should be at the training grounds, so we don’t need to go to the schoolhouse," Fuling whispered.
The Hongwen Institute’s training grounds were a scene of bustling activity.
Beyond scholarly pursuits, Sui and the others were required to master the Six Arts of a Gentleman, one of which was archery.
Children under eight were taught by martial instructors, who were no ordinary men—they hailed from the imperial guards, often the commander or deputy commander themselves, all highly skilled in combat.
When Yun Wan arrived at the training grounds, it was during a half-hour break.
Freed from discipline, a group of exhausted little boys sprawled haphazardly on the soft grass, their faces flushed, drenched in sweat, and their round cheeks scrunched in discomfort.
Yun Wan spotted Sui immediately among the crowd, dressed in an indigo martial uniform and sitting cross-legged on the grass.
It wasn’t that her eyesight was particularly sharp—it was just that among the group of sweaty children, Sui stood out like a pristine white steamed bun, especially next to the sun-darkened Pei Qian.
The sight made Yun Wan chuckle.
As if sensing her presence, Sui, who had been listening to Pei Qian’s dramatic complaints, suddenly looked up. His eyes brightened instantly.
"Mother!"
With that, he sprang up from the ground and dashed toward Yun Wan at full speed.
All traces of exhaustion, dignity, and grace vanished the moment he saw her, and he bolted forward like a launched marble.
Yun Wan was prepared. Though excited, Sui controlled his momentum, avoiding crashing into her and knocking her over.
Wrapping his arms around Yun Wan’s waist, Sui tilted his head up, revealing his flushed, delicate face. "Mother, why are you here?"
Overjoyed at the sudden reunion, his voice softened into a sweet, coquettish tone.
Yun Wan adored it. She leaned down to kiss his forehead and said gently, "Mother has the day off today and missed our precious boy too much, so I came to see you."
Sui shyly rubbed his forehead and muttered, hands behind his back, "Mother, I’m all dirty... my face is sweaty and smelly..."
Yun Wan laughed. "Mother doesn’t mind."
Fuling, standing beside them, couldn’t help but smile too.
Truly, her aunt was beautiful, and the young master she’d given birth to was as lovely as jade—more exquisite than any child Fuling had ever seen, a delight to behold.
Taking out a handkerchief, Yun Wan wiped the sweat from Sui’s face and led him to a shaded spot. "Did Mother interrupt your training?"
Sui shook his head, standing obediently beside her. "No, Commander Wei gave us half an hour to rest."
Commander Wei was their martial instructor for archery that day—a burly, rough-mannered man who, given his young pupils, was unusually lenient, granting them a half-hour break after every hour of training.
Relieved, Yun Wan said, "Good. Are you tired? Mother brought some cooling drinks and snacks—share them with your classmates."
No sooner had she spoken than Pei Qian, whom Sui had left behind, came running over, his clothes still flecked with grass from rolling on the ground.
"Auntie Lu! Did you bring us treats?"
His skin was tanned a ruddy brown from the sun, but his bright, tiger-like eyes gleamed with anticipation as he stared at Yun Wan.
Yun Wan bent to brush the grass off his sleeve and nodded with a smile. "Young Master Pei, you’re just in time. There are thirst-quenching teas here—see which one you’d like?"
Besides Fuling, two young eunuchs carried the refreshments. When the lids were lifted, a refreshing aroma wafted out.
Pei Qian’s face lit up. "There’s chilled fruit too!"
The commotion had already drawn the attention of the other boys. Hearing his words, the children, led by the Third Prince, swarmed over like a flock of noisy chicks:
"Where? I want some too!"
"Me too, me too!"
"I want bean water!"
"I want iced milk pudding!"
"........."
At the mention of treats, the boys sprinted over from the grass, chattering and craning their necks, no different from boisterous chicks in an ordinary household.
Watching the scene, Yun Wan’s gloom from the previous day melted away.
Fuling, now surrounded and busy, called out helplessly, "Young masters, don’t rush! One at a time—tell me what you’d like, and I’ll serve you!"
Though these children came from noble families where such refreshments were commonplace, eating them at home and enjoying them during martial training were entirely different experiences.
At home, a mere order would bring servants running, but here, under the blazing sun, the treats tasted all the more satisfying!
A young boy in green robes suddenly appeared, holding a bowl of iced milk pudding and studying Yun Wan curiously. "Are you Lu Changsui’s mother?"
Seeing that the child was a few years older than Sui, Yun Wan smiled warmly. "Yes. You can call me Auntie Lu, just like Young Master Pei."
The boy obliged. "Auntie Lu, I’ve had your pearl glutinous rice balls before—they were delicious! Lu Changsui shared them with me."
Yun Wan’s smile deepened as she patted his head. "If you like them, I’ll have Sui bring you more next time."
Another boy sidled over and asked eagerly, "Auntie Lu, how come Lu Changsui never forgets anything? Did you give him some kind of memory-enhancing medicine when he was little?"
Before Yun Wan could respond, he was shoved aside by a classmate, who pleaded, "Yeah! Do you have any more of that medicine? Can I buy one? I want a perfect memory too!"
"I asked first—get out of the way!"
"You looking for a fight?"
"........."
Yun Wan broke into a sweat at the absurdity.
Meanwhile, Sui, sipping his sour plum drink quietly, scowled.
I should never have shared with them. They’ve clearly eaten too much and lost their minds!
From the distant viewing platform, Commander Wei, standing behind Emperor Jingxuan, watched the children’s wild imaginations at play, his lips twitching.
Glancing at the Emperor, who stood with his hands behind his back, he gruffly asked, "Your Majesty, shall I go and—" (assign them extra drills).
Before he could finish, Emperor Jingxuan’s eyes glinted with amusement. He turned and said, "Let’s go take a closer look."
