The bustling street was filled with endless shouts and noise as a black carriage moved slowly toward the imperial palace, its luxurious satin curtains shutting out the outside world.
Inside the carriage, Yun Wan sat upright on a sable fur cushion, her red lips pressed tightly together and delicate brows slightly furrowed above her watery eyes. Her makeup-free face was clouded with deep, lingering worry, and she paid no attention to the surroundings.
To be precise, she had no mind for anything else.
A Sui was in trouble.
Upon hearing the servant’s report, Yun Wan finally understood why her eyelid had been twitching uncontrollably since she woke up that morning.
She never expected that A Sui would get into trouble less than ten days after starting at Hongwen Academy.
On the way to the palace, Yun Wan’s mind raced through countless scenarios, each thought making her face grow paler.
Seeing her so tense she was nearly biting her lip raw, Lu Yuanduo poured a cup of tea and handed it to her.
“Don’t worry, A Sui will be fine. The Little Eunuch who delivered the message from the palace said it was about a brawl.”
“A brawl?”
Holding the teacup, Yun Wan’s eyes widened slightly in shock, her expression momentarily blank.
Lu Yuanduo nodded. He too had been quite surprised when he heard the reason.
While disagreements among children were common, this was the first time elders had been summoned to the palace over a physical fight.
This could only mean the matter was serious, possibly involving the two imperial princes.
Yun Wan stated firmly: “A Sui has always been well-behaved and sensible—he would never get into a brawl!”
As his mother, she knew her child better than anyone. A Sui was gentle, kind, and respectful—he had never even quarreled with anyone, let alone fought.
If not for the fact that the Little Eunuch had no reason to lie, Yun Wan would have thought Lu Yuanduo had been deceived.
Sitting upright across from her, Lu Yuanduo met her gaze and said, “I understand. To be precise, he was implicated. Changze is involved too. They weren’t the instigators, so set your mind at ease.”
Seeing his calm demeanor, Yun Wan’s anxious heart gradually settled. She lifted the teacup and took a small sip.
Misty steam carrying the fragrance of tea rose and blurred her delicate features.
Her slender, fair fingers rested against the Dingyao white porcelain cup, blending into its elegant beauty.
However…
A faint medicinal scent suddenly wafted through the air. Unnoticed, Lu Yuanduo had produced a small porcelain vial.
Removing the lid to reveal pale green ointment inside, he scooped some with a bamboo spatula and handed it to Yun Wan, his gaze fixed on the crimson cut on her fingertip.
Only then did Yun Wan notice the obvious wound on her fingertip, accidentally nicked earlier. She had hastily wiped it with a handkerchief before leaving, but dried blood remained around the cut—she hadn’t even noticed.
Taking the bamboo spatula, Yun Wan thanked him.
She absentmindedly smeared the ointment on the injured area.
Main Hall of Hongwen Academy
The magnificent hall was noisy and chaotic, the atmosphere strangely tense.
A row of youngsters knelt neatly on the green marble floor, all hanging their heads in dejection, their clothes disheveled. Upon closer look, each bore several scratches and bruises on their faces.
Clearly, the battle had been intense.
The Academy Head, scholars, and lecturers stood in a row on the left side, their faces dark with anger.
On the other side stood officials in court robes of varying colors, their faces flushed red as they glared with bitter disappointment at their kneeling juniors. Scolding voices filled the air, as if they were moments away from taking out canes for domestic discipline.
The youngsters didn’t dare look up, enduring the reprimands with bowed heads and burning cheeks.
Yun Wan and Lu Yuanduo arrived at this very moment. As soon as she stepped into the main hall, Yun Wan’s eyes swiftly searched for A Sui.
With a single glance, she finally spotted the small figure kneeling in the corner. Yun Wan exclaimed without thinking, “Sui’er!”
Hearing the familiar voice, A Sui turned his head. Unable to contain his excitement upon seeing Yun Wan, he cried out, “Mother!”
He wanted to rush over but remembered he was still being punished with kneeling, so he forcibly restrained himself and obediently called out, “Uncle.”
Lu Changze, kneeling beside him, flushed bright red. After greeting the two elders, he quickly lowered his head, overwhelmed with shame and indignation.
Lu Yuanduo patted his shoulder expressionlessly without saying a word.
Yun Wan lifted her skirts and hurried over, kneeling before A Sui and pulling him into her embrace. Her eyes filled with heartache as she said, “How did you end up like this after just a few days apart?”
On the way there, a young eunuch had informed her, so Yun Wan already knew the whole story.
A brawl.
To be precise, a mutual brawl.
It started during the midday meal when the Crown Prince and the Third Prince had a verbal argument. Suddenly, they came to blows. Their respective Study Companions stepped in to separate and mediate, but unintentionally ended up in physical clashes themselves, resulting in injuries.
It must be understood that all those admitted to Hongwen Academy were children of noble families, proud and spoiled, accustomed to privilege and still in their youth. How could they swallow such an insult?
In no time, united in anger, punches were thrown back and forth. What began as a fight between the Crown Prince and the Third Prince instantly escalated into a full-blown brawl, spiraling out of control.
By the time the Academy Head and other officials arrived, all hell had broken loose.
The scene was chaotic. Finally, after a furious roar, the Academy Head ordered everyone present to kneel in punishment.
And A Sui—he was punished alongside them merely for being a bystander.
After hearing this, Yun Wan was utterly exasperated.
She never expected her A Sui, a little child no bigger than a sticky rice ball, to get caught up in a brawl scandal on his very first day at the academy.
A Sui maintained a proper kneeling posture, sneaking a glance at Yun Wan before murmuring in a small voice, “I’m sorry, Mother. I’ve caused trouble…”
Realizing why his mother had come, his joy was replaced by shame, and he blushed with embarrassment.
Yun Wan shook her head. “Let’s not talk about that now. Let Mother take a look—”
Before she could finish, a eunuch’s loud voice announced:
“His Majesty the Emperor has arrived—”
“Her Highness the Noble Consort and Her Highness Shu Consort have arrived—”
With the arrival of the esteemed figures, everyone in the hall bowed and made way.
The Jing Xuan Emperor, dressed in a dark Gold Python Pattern Imperial Robe and wearing a Coiled Dragon Crown, strode in from the front court. His wide sleeves flowed like clouds, and his presence was as imposing as a mountain wherever he went.
Taking his seat in the main position, he slightly lifted his broad sleeves. His voice, both lazy and authoritative, reached everyone’s ears: “Rise.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty—”
The Noble Consort and Shu Consort took their seats one after another below him. Both looked displeased, not dressed in lavish brocade or adorned with golden hairpins, likely having rushed from their respective palaces in haste.
The hall fell into dead silence. Everyone’s hearts pounded like drums, filled with anxiety and unease.
The Emperor’s gaze swept over the people below, settling on the row of boys kneeling before him. His expression remained unchanged as he casually tapped his fingers, a gesture that sent shivers down everyone’s spine.
Not only were the officials present sweating profusely, but the two Consorts also sensed trouble, silently glaring at the two princes at the head of the group.
Useless fools!
“Explain. What happened?” The Jing Xuan Emperor’s tone was detached, his meaning unclear.
The Head of Hongwen Academy stepped forward boldly. “Your Majesty, this matter—”
As the Academy Head, responsible for all affairs within Hongwen Academy, he was the first to be held accountable for such a disaster.
However, the Jing Xuan Emperor did not wish to hear his explanation. With a single glance, the hall master immediately fell silent and retreated to the side.
Jing Xuan Emperor: “Crown Prince, as the elder brother, you speak.”