Eastern Palace, Crown Prince's Study.
Xiao Heng listened to the Shadow Guard's report, his expression revealing neither pleasure nor anger, only the vermilion brush in his hand slowing its pace over the memorials.
Only after the report concluded did Xiao Heng set down the brush with deliberate slowness, letting out a cold snort. "So, it was Rong'an who bullied her?"
The Shadow Guard lowered his head, not daring to comment on County Princess Rong'an's conduct as bluntly as the Crown Prince had, and only bowed his head submissively, saying in a respectful tone, "Your Highness judges wisely."
The Crown Prince had not yet come of age, and while at leisure in his residence, he wore only a pale yellow silk robe with wide sleeves and long skirts, carrying a touch more youthful innocence than on formal occasions.
But his expression at this moment was far from pleasant—his brows sharp, his bearing imposing, like a long sword poised to leave its sheath.
Having served the Crown Prince for many years, the Shadow Guard naturally knew his master was not in a good mood, so he did not disturb him and simply waited in silence.
Xiao Heng tapped his knuckles against the desk a few times, formed a plan in his mind, and waved his hand to dismiss the Shadow Guard.
"Your Highness, have a cup of clear tea to soothe your throat and cool your temper."
Beside him, Su Lin presented a cup of tea with a faint smile of persuasion.
Xiao Heng cast him a sidelong glance and said expressionlessly, "Do I look that hot-tempered to you?"
Even though Su Lin was an old servant who had attended him for years, Xiao Heng disliked being observed in such matters.
Even if Su Lin had not misjudged anything.
Su Lin immediately lowered his eyes and bowed his head, clasping his hands in apology. "This servant misspoke. Your Highness remains as steady as a mountain."
With that, Xiao Heng let the matter go, and instead took out the white jade Dragon Pendant, turning it over in his hands, rubbing it a few times, and murmuring to himself.
"The people from Grand-Uncle's family truly need to be properly disciplined."
After toying with it for a moment, Xiao Heng casually tied the jade pendant back to his waist and resumed reviewing the memorials.
From the time he could remember, his Imperial Father had kept him by his side, teaching him personally. At fourteen, Xiao Heng had begun handling state affairs under his father's guidance, and four years had passed since.
He was the undisputed heir to the throne—Xiao Heng had always known this.
…
Time could wash away sorrow, and it could naturally dissolve unpleasant matters as well.
After two days of working through her feelings, Liu Yun no longer felt as pained over the altercation that had occurred with Tanchun that day.
Though occasionally, when she thought of it, her chest would still feel tight.
County Princess Rong'an had always been arrogant and domineering. Over the years, Liu Yun was hardly the only one she had belittled—some young ladies had endured far more unbearable words, and some had even been physically disciplined.
Thinking of it that way, she had gotten off relatively lightly.
Liu Yun was broad-minded, and she had no choice but to be.
She had already swallowed most of the humiliation when Zhenzhen came looking for her to play, bringing a piece of good news.
"Shanshan, do you know what wonderful thing happened in the palace yesterday?"
The spring weather was growing warmer, and Zhenzhen had run over in a hurry, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead. Liu Yun wrung out a damp handkerchief to wipe her face, saying with a smile, "What wonderful thing could happen in the palace? Don't tell me both our families got promotions?"
In Liu Yun's view, that would already be the most wonderful news imaginable.
Her father was diligent and virtuous, having served as an official for many years with utmost dedication. A promotion would naturally be excellent.
But Zhenzhen shook her head, snatched the handkerchief herself and wiped her face a few times, wearing a mysterious expression.
"No, no~"
Liu Yun had Jin He prepare some iced drinks, and now grew curious as well, pressing with a smile, "Stop being so secretive—just tell me!"
Chen Wei broke into a grin and said cheerfully, "It's County Princess Rong'an—she got scolded and confined to her quarters, and it was the Crown Prince who did it, hahaha~"
To Chen Wei, Liu Yun was her best friend. An insult to her friend was an insult to her, and she could hardly help holding a grudge against County Princess Rong'an.
The moment she heard that County Princess Rong'an had been reprimanded—and by the Crown Prince no less—she was overjoyed. She didn't even bother with her afternoon nap and rushed straight to the Liu residence, eager to share this delightful news with her friend.
Hearing this, Liu Yun was first startled, then unconsciously broke into a faint smile.
"How did this come about?"
Chen Wei recounted the whole affair with great vividness.
Because Chen Wei's father served in the Court of Imperial Entertainments, responsible for supplying the palace kitchens, he had access to better information.
It began when a young palace maid, feeling unwell and dizzy, accidentally spilled tea on the dress of County Princess Rong'an, who had come to the palace to curry favor with her grand-aunt.
County Princess Rong'an—He Xiang—was who she was: the most spoiled and domineering woman in Yanjing. Relying on being the Empress Dowager's grand-niece from her natal family, she immediately slapped the young palace maid and launched into a torrent of abuse.
Her cruelty needed no elaboration.
As it happened, the Crown Prince passed by and witnessed Rong'an's cruel and overbearing behavior. He flew into a rage on the spot and gave her a thorough scolding.
Words like lacking virtue and kindness, devoid of moral character, unworthy of the title of County Princess of the imperial house.
He also confined her to her quarters for three months.
The Crown Prince was deeply favored by His Majesty and often acted on behalf of the state, so everything he said and did could be regarded as the Emperor's will.
Thus, no one dared to question or contradict the Crown Prince—not even Empress Dowager He.
And so, the arrogant and unbridled County Princess Rong'an lost all face, becoming the talk of Yanjing over tea and idle conversation.
After all, for the young ladies of Yanjing, being scolded in such a manner was equivalent to being branded with an invisible mark—a woman denounced by the imperial house as lacking virtue and decorum would find few families daring to take her as a bride.
What was worse, the one who had denounced County Princess Rong'an was the Crown Prince himself.
To be so reprimanded by the very man she admired—that was the most heart-wrenching blow of all.
It also meant that County Princess Rong'an could never marry into the Eastern Palace.
For the young ladies who had been bullied by County Princess Rong'an, this was nothing short of satisfying justice.
Liu Yun was no saint; she was not magnanimous enough to easily forgive those who had bullied and humiliated her.
Hearing that County Princess Rong'an had hit a wall and finally received her comeuppance, the last bit of resentment in her heart dissolved, and her spirits lifted considerably.
An eye for an eye—someone had finally put County Princess Rong'an in her place.
With her mood brightened, Liu Yun no longer shut herself away in her boudoir. She immediately decided to go out shopping with Zhenzhen.
…
After Tanchun came the Ministry of Rites examination—the spring imperial examination—which drew the attention of scholars across the realm.
The Liu family was not particularly anxious, because Liu Yun's younger brother was only fifteen this year, still far from sitting for the examination.
But the imperial exams were inevitable, and to help her brother prepare better, their father took the matter very seriously. Whenever he obtained past examination questions, he would discuss them thoroughly with his son.
Even if he was not a great Confucian scholar of the age, he had at least placed in the second tier of the jinshi examinations back in his day, so he was bound to be of some use.
At the examination hall, the entrance became lively as soon as dawn broke.
There were scholars waiting early for the examination, and examiners arriving one after another to oversee the proceedings.
The chief examiner was the Vice Minister of Rites, the deputy examiner was the Secretary of the Bureau of Appointments at the Ministry of Personnel, and four collating secretaries were responsible for the preliminary review of the examination papers.
Finally, a censor was tasked with supervising the fairness and integrity of the spring examinations.
The gates of the examination hall opened, and candidates filed in one by one to undergo preliminary inspection.
None of this had anything to do with Liu Yun, however, because she was going to follow her mother to the Imperial Academy to visit her younger brother.
Unlike Liu Yun, whose scholarly abilities were mediocre, her brother had shown a talent for study from a young age. Last year, he had passed the county-level examination and become a xiucai, surprising the whole family.
A fourteen-year-old xiucai was a rare achievement even in the capital.
Her parents said her brother would surely bring glory to the Liu family name in the future, and Liu Yun believed it wholeheartedly, taking pride in having such a clever, studious younger brother.
Likely due to the spring examinations, the Imperial Academy's usual one-day-off-every-ten-days schedule had been changed, and her brother had not been home for half a month.
The spring weather was changeable, and her mother worried that her brother might not have suitable clothes and catch a chill, so she had made two new sets to bring him, along with soup and dishes she had personally prepared.
Since Liu Yun had nothing to do at home anyway, and it was a visit to her brother, she went along as well.
On the way, she bought cherry biluo pastries—a treat both she and her brother loved—and followed her mother happily.
The Imperial Academy was located in Wuben Ward, directly facing the eastern side gate of the palace compound, in a bustling area.
But the Liu family lived in Yong'an Ward in the southwest of the city, which was some distance from Wuben Ward, so it took nearly half an hour to reach the Imperial Academy where her brother studied.
The Imperial Academy was exclusively for male students, so Liu Yun and her mother could not enter. They parked the carriage under a willow tree at the academy's entrance and sent her brother's page, Guanqi, to make inquiries.
This was not Guanqi's first time accompanying the family to the Imperial Academy to visit the young master. He knew the routine well, spoke with the gatekeeper, and went to fetch the young master out.
While waiting, Liu Yun huddled in the carriage with her mother, eyeing the cherry biluo and swallowing her saliva.
She really wanted to eat it.
But it was for her brother—she couldn't eat it.
Still, she really wanted to eat it.
No—if she ate it, what would her brother have?
She went back and forth like this for several rounds before finally restraining her cravings.
And then her brother appeared.
From a distance, the mother and daughter saw a young man in a white robe emerge, and they immediately got out of the carriage with smiles.
"Ying'er."
"Little brother!"
From far away, the mother and daughter waved at Liu Ying, beaming with joy, which made even the usually solemn young man smile despite himself.
"Mother, sister."
"Why have you come?"
The youth was slim and lean. Though only fourteen and just beginning his growth spurt, he was already half a head taller than Liu Yun.
The siblings bore a six or seven-tenths resemblance—both fair-skinned and delicate-featured—though Liu Ying, being male, had a more refined and handsome bearing.
Looking at her younger brother, who was now slightly taller than her, Liu Yun said with a hint of wistfulness, "Naturally, we missed you, so we came to see you and bring you some things."
Her little brother, who used to follow behind her like a little radish sprout, was now taller than her—it made her sigh with emotion.
What a pity. She could no longer pat him on the head like she did when they were children.
Liu Ying had no idea what his sister was thinking. He only heard the caring, affectionate words of his family, and his expression softened as he said awkwardly, "I was going to return in a few days anyway—there was no need for you to come all this way."
"And you brought so many things. Mother and sister have gone to too much trouble."
Looking at the pile of items the servants brought out, Liu Ying sighed.
Liu Yun grinned and pulled out the cherry biluo, saying playfully, "Take a look at this!"
The familiar wrapping, the familiar sweet aroma—Liu Ying immediately guessed what it was, his eyes brightening slightly. "Cherry biluo from the Xu family in Fengle Ward?"
Liu Yun nodded emphatically and answered crisply, "That's right! Your sister waited a long time to buy these, and I almost ate them on the way. If not for thinking how pitiful you are—having gone half a month without the Xu family's cherry biluo—hmph…"
The young boy suddenly smiled and, without hesitation, pushed the cherry pastry into Liu Yun's arms, generously saying, "Since Sister wants it so badly, then Sister can have it. I'm not craving it."
Liu Yun grew annoyed at this and pushed the cherry pastry back, raising her voice: "I'm not craving it either! If it's for you, then take it. I can just buy more later!"
As the siblings were shoving the pastry back and forth, the sound of horse hooves came from behind them, and Liu Yun inexplicably felt a sense of familiarity.
She instinctively turned around and saw the familiar pitch-black steed at the lead, along with the sharp-edged young man mounted upon it.
Crown Prince Xiao Heng.
Today he had only three attendants with him—one eunuch and two guards—no one else besides that.
He was still dressed in his usual flamboyant style: a crimson robe trimmed with red-gold, a red-tasseled lotus crown adorned with red-gold, a jade belt cinching his waist, and embroidered boots resting in the stirrups. His presence instantly seized everyone's attention.
Crown Prince Xiao Heng—just like his status—was impossible to ignore.
Just as Liu Yun silently hoped this exalted figure would quickly ride past without noticing their family of three, it seemed the heavens had not heard her plea.
The sound of hooves drew closer and closer, until Liu Yun could even smell the dust kicked up by the horse's steps.
"Whoa…"
Behind her, the clear voice of the young man reining in his horse rang out, and Liu Yun's heart began to pound along with it.
Unlike her younger brother, who had been buried in his studies at the Imperial Academy all this time, both mother and daughter had seen the Crown Prince's face on more than one occasion. The two exchanged a glance, their expressions tightening, and hastily bowed their heads in salute: "This humble wife and daughter pay respects to Your Highness the Crown Prince."
As she spoke, Liu Yun discreetly tugged at her younger brother's sleeve.
None of these small movements escaped Xiao Heng's notice.
"Student Liu Ying pays respects to Your Highness."
All scholars under heaven were students of the Son of Heaven, and since Liu Ying studied at the official Imperial Academy, while the Crown Prince was the future sovereign, referring to himself as a student was fitting enough.
"Mm, all of you, rise."
Dismounting from his horse, Xiao Heng's expression was indifferent, revealing nothing of his thoughts.
As he moved, the jade pendants hanging from his belt chimed softly. Liu Yun kept her eyes lowered and demure, but a glance caught sight of the white jade Dragon Pendant hanging at the Crown Prince's waist.
Seeing once again the very thing that had brought misfortune upon her, Liu Yun's expression shifted, and her heart gave a jolt.
Xiao Heng's gaze swept vaguely over the family of three, lingering for a brief moment on the young woman in the middle with skin as fair as jade.
The sudden pallor of the girl's face naturally did not escape his notice. Xiao Heng lowered his eyes and used his wide sleeve to cover the jade pendant at his waist, his expression turning slightly unnatural.
"What a coincidence—Father sent me to the Imperial Academy today to observe the bearing of our Great Yan scholars. I happen to need a guide, and I think Young Master Liu here is just the right fit. Come, let's go."
He did not bother to ask whether her brother was actually available, or whether he was willing to serve as a guide.
But with his status as Crown Prince, who would dare to object?
Just as mother and daughter had expected, Liu Ying, though somewhat surprised, dutifully accepted.
"Your student obeys."
Having answered, Liu Ying clasped his hands toward his mother and sister and said, "Mother, Sister, I'll head back now."
Liu Yun shrank behind her mother without a word, while Zhang Yuhua smiled and said, "Go on, then. Guide His Highness well."
Guanqi followed with the clothes and food box in hand, and their figures soon disappeared from mother and daughter's sight.