Li Jieyu wasn't the least bit surprised.
Her Xiao Qi was blessed with profound fortune, able to turn misfortune into blessing whenever trouble arose.
She reached out to pat Zhao Yan's head and said with a smile, "His Majesty already has Xiao Qi in his heart. When you go to study tomorrow, our Xiao Qi must work even harder."
Zhao Yan made a bitter face and turned to sit at the dining table. Then he channeled his sorrow into motivation, eating his meal in large mouthfuls.
What did it mean to have him in his heart? He still didn't even know what his cheap Father Emperor actually looked like.
Seeing him wolf down his food, Li Jieyu patted his back with concern. "Eat slowly, no one's competing with you."
This meal was just the beginning – every meal from now on would surely be better than this.
After finishing the meal, Zhao Yan, afraid that Li Jieyu would make him study, put down his bowl and chopsticks and immediately ran to his room.
In fact, Li Jieyu didn't have time for him all afternoon.
She was waiting for the sedan chair and attending palace servants that Feng Zongguan had mentioned, but no matter how long she waited, no one came.
It got to the point where she wanted to send Chen Xiang to the Imperial Household Department to inquire.
Chen Xiang comforted her, saying, "Don't be anxious, Meiren. Feng Zongguan is His Majesty's close attendant. Since he said so, it must be true. Let's wait a bit longer. At most, we'll just walk Seventh Prince to the Imperial Study tomorrow as before."
Li Jieyu found this reasonable: now that she had been promoted in rank, she ought to learn to be more composed.
She waited and waited until the next day at Yin hour, when Jingfu Pavilion's main gate was finally knocked upon.
Ban Xia hurried to open the door. Standing at the entrance was a young eunuch in a light blue round-collar robe, with two lower-ranking eunuchs in gray round-collar long robes standing behind him.
They were carrying a simple sedan chair on their shoulders.
When Li Meiren approached, the light blue round-collared eunuch stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying, "Li Jieyu, this humble servant is Xiao Luzi under Feng Zongguan's command. From now on, I will be serving at Jingfu Pavilion." He then pointed to the two behind him and said, "These two gentlemen have been assigned by the Imperial Household Department. They will be responsible for carrying the sedan chair to take Seventh Prince to his studies."
Suppressing the corners of her mouth, Li Jieyu asked Chen Xiang to wake Zhao Yan.
Xiao Luzi quickly said, "Sister Chen Xiang, no need to hurry. His Majesty previously instructed that Seventh Prince may go to the Imperial Study half an hour later. We must not disturb Seventh Prince's sleep before the appointed time."
Tianyou Emperor's thinking was that he should at least be able to get down from the Dragon Bed smoothly.
Chen Xiang looked surprised and turned to Li Jieyu.
Li Jieyu said, "In that case, we'll trouble Eunuch Xiao Lu to wait."
"Not at all." Xiao Luzi waited properly until after the second quarter of Yin hour before Zhao Yan finally appeared.
Seeing him rubbing his eyes as he walked, still not fully awake, Xiao Luzi immediately stepped forward, wanting to help carry his schoolbag.
Zhao Yan was startled and cautiously stepped back.
Then he remembered what Li Jieyu had just told him and realized who this was.
Had his cheap Father Emperor actually assigned him someone from Feng Zongguan's side?
Zhao Yan looked up at him: he appeared to be about the same age as himself in his previous life, seventeen or eighteen years old, but his eyes already showed shrewdness and worldly wisdom.
"Your name is Xiao Luzi? Is that the 'lu' for deer?"
Xiao Luzi shook his head. "Replying to Your Highness, it's the 'lu' for road, as in the road stretching to the sky."
Zhao Yan was surprised. "You're literate?"
Xiao Luzi nodded. "I'm literate, and I know some martial arts too." He pointed to Zhao Yan's schoolbag. "The schoolbag looks heavy. Allow this servant to carry it for Your Highness."
Zhao Yan shook his head. "No need. Just help me onto the sedan chair." His schoolbag contained tanghulu, sugar figurines, and dough figurines that he had brought from outside the palace – these were all gifts for his imperial brothers.
Xiao Luzi stepped forward and crouched down, effortlessly picking him up and placing him in the sedan chair. He then instructed the two eunuchs carrying the sedan chair, "Let's go, be steady."
The sedan chair began moving, with Chen Xiang and Xiao Luzi closely following alongside.
Zhao Yan nestled himself into the sedan chair, comfortably narrowing his eyes: from today onward, he too had a 'means of transportation'.
When they arrived at the Imperial Study, Xiao Luzi lifted him down from the sedan chair and reminded him, "Seventh Prince, please stay close to Sister Chen Xiang. This servant will come to pick you up when classes are nearly over." Sedan chairs were not permitted to remain parked outside the Imperial Study for extended periods.
Zhao Yan nodded, reaching into his book bag and fumbling around until he pulled out a string of tanghulu, raising it high to offer it to him: "For you."
The tanghulu glistened vibrantly, shimmering under the sunlight.
Xiao Luzi was slightly surprised: "For… for this servant?"
"Mm." Zhao Yan smiled cheerfully: "You carried me, hard work." He pressed the tanghulu into Xiao Luzi's hand, then pulled out two sugar figurines and handed them to the other two young eunuchs.
The two young eunuchs were incredulous: they received some too?
Wasn't it only natural for servants to attend to their masters? How could there be rewards?
The Seventh Prince said—they had worked hard.
All three felt somewhat moved. Xiao Luzi stored away the tanghulu, his attitude suddenly much warmer than when they had arrived: "Thank you, young master."
The other two eunuchs promptly expressed their gratitude as well.
The Seventh Prince might be a good master.
Zhao Yan waved at them, then took Chen Xiang's hand and stepped into the Imperial Study.
After Zhao Yan entered, the two guards at the door exchanged a glance.
The Seventh Prince had truly turned misfortune into blessing. Just by going out of the palace for a turn, he now even had a sedan chair, and his attendant had been replaced by Xiao Luzi, who was personally trained by Eunuch Feng.
Zhao Yan didn't feel there was anything different about himself, as usual carrying his small book bag into the classroom.
As soon as he entered, all eyes focused on him.
There was curiosity, inquiry, and disdain.
Zhao Yan immediately grew nervous. After scanning the room, he waved and greeted everyone in the classroom: "Hello, brothers…"
The atmosphere fell into an eerie silence. Zhao Yan quickly pulled several strings of tanghulu from his book bag and said softly, "I brought some treats for my brothers…"
The vibrant tanghulu immediately caught Sixth Prince's attention.
He was the first to patter over, take the tanghulu from Zhao Yan's hand, and take a bite. His eyes widened with a satisfied expression: "Mm, so sweet, so delicious!"
Second Prince in the front row sneered: "How good could commoner food possibly be? Only Little Six has such coarse taste, eating anything that comes his way."
Crown Prince was the second to step forward, helping to smooth things over: "You can't say that. Sometimes commoner food is more delicious than what comes from the Imperial Kitchen." He also reached out and took tanghulu from Zhao Yan's hand, imitating Sixth Prince by biting off a whole piece, then followed with praise: "It really is delicious, but most importantly it's Little Seven's thoughtful gesture. Third Brother, Fourth Brother, come try some too."
Hearing the Crown Prince's words, Third Prince and Fourth Prince also stood up and approached.
Delighted, Zhao Yan immediately reached into his book bag again, pulling out both sugar figurines and dough figurines: "There are also animal-shaped sugar figurines here, and dough figurines too."
Third Prince gazed at the rabbit sugar figurine in his hand and exclaimed in admiration, "So adorable, just as cute as the rabbit I drew." After praising it, he turned to look at the tiger sugar figurine in Fourth Prince's hand and complimented, "Fourth Brother's sugar figurine is quite majestic too."
Fourth Prince couldn't care less about whether it was majestic or not. He took a big bite and devoured half of the sugar figurine in one go, rarely uttering a word: "Delicious."
The sweet aroma of the sugar figurine filled the air, making Second Prince, who had just been disdainful, swallow his saliva.
Zhao Yan silently handed over a dough figurine. Second Prince stubbornly refused, "I won't eat it!" He had earlier claimed that only those with coarse tastes could eat such things. If he ate it now, wouldn't that mean he was just as uncultivated as them?
Zhao Yan whispered, "This is a dough figurine, not tanghulu."
Second Prince raised his chin high and still refused to take it.
Sixth Prince immediately ran over. "If Second Brother doesn't want it, give it to me. I like it." He reached out to take it, but before he could even touch it, Second Prince snatched it away.
Sixth Prince widened his eyes in disbelief. "Didn't Second Brother say you didn't want it?"
Second Prince snorted coldly, "Even if I don't want it, I won't give it to you!"
Sixth Prince was speechless and muttered under his breath, "If you want to eat it, just say so…"
Second Prince's ears turned red with embarrassment. "What did you say?" he threatened, raising a fist. Sixth Prince, frightened, hid behind Zhao Yan. Zhao Yan quickly changed the subject and asked, "Second Brother, where is Fifth Brother?"
"How should I know?" Second Prince snorted, turning his head away and sitting up straight with a stern expression.
Zhao Yan then looked at Sixth Prince, who promptly replied, "Someone from Yunxiang Palace came early this morning and said Fifth Brother is sick."
Sick?
Zhao Yan recalled how angry Fifth Brother had looked when he entered the palace yesterday.
Could it be that he had made him sick with anger?
Although Fifth Brother could be annoying at times, he was still just a six-year-old child.
Having had no siblings in his previous life, Zhao Yan cherished this bond in his current life.
So, after school ended.
Zhao Yan brought gifts and went to Yunxiang Palace. When he arrived, Consort Yun happened to be away. The servants at Yunxiang Palace didn't dare to stop him and directly led him to Fifth Prince.
At that time, a palace maid was trying to coax Fifth Prince into drinking his medicine. The medicine was dark and had a pungent smell. Fifth Prince was throwing a tantrum, pushing the medicine bowl away and crying loudly, "All of you, get lost! I don't want to drink this medicine!"
The medicine bowl nearly tipped over, and the attending palace maid was at a loss.
Just then, a tanghulu squeezed its way through the crowd.
Fifth Prince, captivated by the vibrant, glossy sugar coating, reached out to take it. But when he spotted Zhao Yan behind the crowd, he immediately withdrew his hand and snapped, "What are you doing here?"
This person must be here to mock him.
Zhao Yan extended the tanghulu toward him again and said earnestly, "This is tanghulu. It's very sweet. If you eat this while drinking medicine, it won't taste bitter at all. Why don't you try it?"
Fifth Prince didn't reach for it. Zhao Yan then pulled a sugar figurine out of his bag and handed it over. "And this—it's a tiger sugar figurine. It's also very sweet. Didn't I promise to bring one for you?" His eyes were clear and sincere as he pushed it forward. "I brought them all for you."
"You brought them especially for me?" Fifth Prince's attitude softened considerably.
The tiger sugar figurine was both exquisite and fragrant. How he wanted to take a bite!
Fifth Prince wanted it but couldn't bring himself to accept it outright.
He let out a light humph, turned his face away, and ignored Zhao Yan, though he kept stealing glances out of the corner of his eye.
It was as if he were saying, "Offer it one more time. If you offer it one more time, I'll definitely take it."
What a stubborn child.
Zhao Yan's friendly gesture was measured and brief. He placed the tanghulu and sugar figurine on the table: "Remember to eat these before they melt." With that, he rose and left.
Only when the sound of footsteps faded did Fifth Prince turn his head, darting a quick glance toward the doorway before swiftly snatching the tanghulu and sugar figurine into his hands.
Xiao Qi didn't seem quite so detestable after all.
Just as he was about to lick the tanghulu, Consort Yun hurried in from outside. She strode quickly toward him and reached for the tanghulu in his grasp.
"Mother!" Fifth Prince bolted upright, his small hands clutching the tanghulu tightly to prevent Consort Yun from taking it.
Consort Yun sat beside him and coaxed, "Do you think that wretched boy from Jingfu Pavilion has any good intentions? He's just here to flaunt his advantages."
Fifth Prince's little brows furrowed as Consort Yun continued, "He flaunts what you don't have, and you stare with craving eyes. Who knows how he's laughing at you behind your back."
Fifth Prince's eyes widened: "He wouldn't dare!"
Regardless, he just wanted to eat the tanghulu.
Consort Yun said irritably, "Weren't you disgusted by him? Are you really so easily bought over by mere snacks?"
Fifth Prince mumbled, "He doesn't seem that hateful anymore." With that, he snatched the tanghulu back and took a big bite.
The sweet flavor spread through his mouth, and he smiled with curved eyes: Tanghulu is truly delicious!
Seeing his easily pleased expression, Consort Yun felt such frustration she could have poked this disappointing little rascal to death.
But ultimately mindful of his illness, she suppressed her anger and patiently fed him his medicine.
After Fifth Prince fell asleep, the matron serving Consort Yun lowered her voice: "Your Ladyship, I heard Seventh Prince went to the Imperial Study in a sedan chair today, attended by Xiao Luzi – that favored eunuch from Feng Zongguan's staff. Could that wretched Li Jieyu be making a comeback?"
When Li Jieyu had fallen from favor previously, Consort Yun had frequently added insult to injury.
Recently, the two sides had clashed again.
If Li Jieyu were to regain favor, Consort Yun would be the first to suffer.
Though anxious inwardly, Consort Yun maintained a disdainful expression: "What is there to fear? His Majesty only promoted her because of Seventh Prince's merit in conducting prayers. All these years, he hasn't summoned her once. Without genuine favor, she can't cause any real waves. I suspect her position as Jieyu has reached its limit."
However, fears often manifest what we dread most.
That very evening, the entire rear palace learned that the Tianyou Emperor had summoned Jingfu Pavilion.
His Majesty was going to favor Li Jieyu again!
The court ladies were incredulous: But hasn't His Majesty abstained from the rear palace for so long? Wasn't he… incapable in that aspect?
How could he possibly summon Li Jieyu?