Gu Ningning lay on the bed, her snow-white skin warm and delicate like jade in the air.
Shen Que felt his temples throb just by looking at her. Gu Ningning, still tearful, clutched his neck and cried, “It hurts.”
Shen Que’s headache returned.
Earlier, he had thought that if Gu Ningning truly did not want to stay by his side, he could just teach her properly, let her go out and become a female official.
But seeing her so delicate and fragile now, how could she endure the hardships of being a female official? Most likely, she would end up in front of some young man again, whining coquettishly, “I’m tired.”
Just imagining it made him… the motions of applying the medicine grew a little heavier, and Gu Ningning, with tears brimming in her eyes, cried again, “It hurts.”
Shen Que adjusted the pressure of his hands. His fingertips were burning, while the medicine was chilling. The contrast of hot and cold, like rubbing medicated oil, made Gu Ningning…
Shen Que simply placed her on his lap.
Gu Ningning buried her face in his chest, struggling to push him away, her voice trembling with a hint of sobs, “It’s so uncomfortable…”
Shen Que did not stop his movements.
It was a novel sensation. He smelled her hair and asked, “How is it?”
Gu Ningning did not want to speak, wriggling in his embrace with soft whimpers. Yet her strength was no match for Shen Que.
He quickly received his answer, an answer that brought him satisfaction.
Gu Ningning glared at him in frustration.
Shen Que asked, “Can you dress yourself?”
She feared he might do something else to her and quickly nodded. Yet her hands trembled as she put on her clothes.
Fortunately, Shen Que had no intention of touching her. She finished dressing by herself, but a piece of paper hidden in her clothes slipped out.
The paper hit the ground with a faint sound. A sense of foreboding surged in her chest, and she hurried to pick it up. Shen Que’s gaze, however, was fixed upon it.
His voice was firm, leaving no room for denial, “What’s that? Give it to me.”
Gu Ningning’s little heart skipped a beat.
Those damn novel authors always wrote the male lead as naturally commanding, so intimidating without raising his voice!
A little cannon fodder like her had no chance of resistance under the male lead’s aura.
She slowly handed the note to Shen Que.
Shen Que only glanced at the poem on the paper and laughed angrily.
“I told you to learn poetry with Zhaoyi Bai, and you actually had her cheat for you?”
One small cheat sheet had triggered two huge scandals. This time, she did not even dare to act coquettish, standing obediently with her head lowered.
“This concubine doesn’t know how to compose poetry. Even if I attend countless poetry gatherings, I couldn’t produce anything. That’s why I begged Zhaoyi Bai to help this concubine write poetry.”
She assumed a defiant posture, “It’s all this concubine’s fault. Your Highness, if you punish, punish only this concubine.”
The person in front of her clearly had a delicate, charming face, yet acted rebelliously in every way—untouchable, untamable, even if scolded, she still dared.
Shen Que pursed his lips and observed her for a moment. Gu Ningning, as usual, could not discern his emotions, but by any rational intuition, he must be very angry.
After a long moment, he spoke, “Let this matter be. I did not expect you to compose poetry perfectly after studying for just two days.”
She breathed a sigh of relief. Then Shen Que added—
“However, Chang Yue said your study of The Great Learning is commendable. I want to see exactly how well you’ve learned.”
The sky was dimming. The poetry gathering at the marquis’ residence had long since dispersed. Shen Que could not linger here and had to take Gu Ningning back to the Eastern Palace.
Zhaoyi Bai and the others assumed it was Gu Jingchu who had called her. Gu Jingchu had probably guaranteed she would be returned safely, so the group had already left.
Gu Ningning had no choice but to board Shen Que’s carriage.
Shen Que’s carriage was clearly much more spacious and warm than the maids’ and concubines’ carriage. Yet Gu Ningning felt no comfort at all.
She felt like a student suddenly called upon by the teacher, weak, pitiful, and flustered.
Eunuch Chang stood nearby, sweating anxiously.
“What one values most is treated lightly, while what one regards lightly is treated with great importance—this has never been seen before. This is called understanding the fundamentals; this is called the utmost knowledge.”
“What does this sentence mean?”
He was quizzing her on The Great Learning. If she could not answer, Eunuch Chang would be docked half a month’s salary.
Why punish Eunuch Chang? Because he was the one checking her studies every day. If she had not learned it, it was his fault.
Gu Ningning cast a guilty glance at Eunuch Chang.
Because if the mistress’s stepwife had not studied, the boss would deduct the secretary’s pay in anger. If she were the secretary, she would be furious too.
Shen Que did not punish her but punished Eunuch Chang. This tactic was ruthless.
Chang Yue gave Gu Ningning a wry smile.
In truth, sitting in this position, the main income came from the rewards given by the ladies of the household to curry favor. Salaries were minor.
But since His Highness intended to use this to educate the child, he had to cooperate, feigning worry and distress, which made Gu Ningning feel even guiltier.
Even if Gu Ningning had studied seriously, she was the type who forgot quickly—learn a little, forget a little. “Snap,” and Eunuch Chang’s three-month salary would vanish.
Feeling guilty and seeing the consequences piling up, she climbed onto Shen Que’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, and whimpered softly,
“Your Highness, please stop quizzing. This concubine has never studied and has no grand ambitions. I only want to stay quietly by Your Highness’ side…”
Beautiful and fragile, she looked at him, pitiful and wronged, like the most delicate hibiscus.
Shen Que stiffened for a moment. Frustrated, displeased, he frowned slightly but still said coldly, “Answer.”
She did not want to study, but he could not truly ignore her welfare. Her mother had died early, her father, brothers, and sisters were unreliable. Life was already hard. If she had no status in the Eastern Palace, things would only get harder.
Yan Guo valued knowledge and status. At the very least, she had to read something. Moreover, he hoped to leave her with a child. If she had no literacy, neither the Empress nor the Mistress of the Household would agree to let her raise the child.
Gu Ningning had no choice but to continue,
“What should have been valued… was not valued… and what should not have been valued…”
When she finished, Shen Que’s cold expression softened slightly.
Gu Ningning had cursed him countless times in her heart and, after finishing, turned away, refusing to look at him.
Shen Que found it amusing. The one who had pitifully climbed onto his lap earlier was now ignoring him completely.
He now somewhat understood why people said, “A woman’s heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea.”
He did not force her to look at him, but calmly said, “Rewrite ten times what you got wrong earlier.”
As expected, Gu Ningning immediately turned back, changing her expression, clutching his arm and calling, “Your Highness~”
【Note: Quotation from The Great Learning】