She forced an explanation: “I didn’t know who he was at first either. I only found out later, otherwise why would I have changed my attitude toward him?”
Chen Jinbao looked at her: “He’s the son of a discarded consort—what qualifications does he have to be your noble patron? Besides, you’re the daughter of a princess, the emperor’s own niece. How much nobler could you get? Do you plan to become empress?”
He propped his head on one hand: “If you’re counting on that Little Wild Seed to make you empress, you might as well rely on dreams. If that doesn’t work, why don’t you persuade your mother to rebel with my father? That might actually succeed.”
Zhao Qingning was speechless.
Only he would dare utter such treasonous words.
Qiuhua approached, reminding her she needed to leave soon.
Chen Jinbao’s eyes lit up: “I smell roast chicken! How did you know I haven’t eaten?”
He looked at the food box in Qiuhua’s hand and reached for it, but Zhao Qingning stopped him: “This isn’t for you.”
Chen Jinbao froze, then understood after a moment.
She was going out, but the food wasn’t for him.
Then it must be for that Little Wild Seed.
His face darkened: “Zhao Qingning, I skipped class to come see you! Is it right that you won’t even give me a roast chicken?”
Zhao Qingning coaxed him like a child: “I’ll treat you to something better tomorrow, but not today. Be good and go back now.”
With that, she turned and left.
Chen Jinbao watched her walk away, filled with irritation.
That damned Little Wild Seed—why was he so detestable?!
Seeing the pastries on the table, his anger flared: “Take these and feed them to the dogs!”
He shouldn’t have come here.
Virtue and Abundance Academy.
Zhao Qingning waited boredly at the stone table.
After a while, Lu Jinghan appeared before her: “Greetings, miss.”
“You’re here? Quick, have a seat.”
She motioned for him to sit, and Lu Jinghan complied.
He casually observed Zhao Qingning.
The wounds on her body had mostly healed.
It was fortunate she hadn’t died—otherwise he’d lose his protection and life would become even harder.
Zhao Qingning laid out all the food. The enticing aroma was irresistible: “Try these. I prepared them especially for you.”
Lu Jinghan appeared somewhat reserved: “Thank you, miss.”
He still hadn’t let down his guard around her, but he knew Zhao Qingning wouldn’t tamper with the food.
She wasn’t that cunning.
He ate slowly and deliberately while Zhao Qingning studied him.
This was the first time she had clearly seen his features. Though still young, he was exceptionally handsome with deep-set features. Had he been properly raised from childhood, he might have resembled a celestial prodigy.
Admittedly, Lu Jinghan was quite remarkable. If she had never tasted such delicacies growing up, she would have lunged at them immediately, yet he remained composed.
The wounds on his face had completely healed. Though still pale, he looked much healthier than before.
What she didn’t know was that he had once been so starving in the palace that he fought for food, beaten until he couldn’t stand. Thus, he always instinctively took the last place in line for meals, never getting the good portions.
Her perceived composure was actually built upon unseen suffering and bloodied tears.
“Has anyone bullied you recently?”
She asked, and Lu Jinghan shook his head.
During Zhao Qingning’s absence, he was still occasionally assigned to wash dishes and clothes, but at least he didn’t have to work on an empty stomach, could rest when needed, and wasn’t beaten.
That was good enough.
Hearing this, Zhao Qingning felt satisfied. Suddenly remembering something else, she asked: “By the way, have you read the books I gave you? I did say I’d test your insights. So tell me, what truths have you grasped from them?”
She looked at him expectantly. Lu Jinghan paused, set down his chopsticks, and spoke hesitantly: “In response to the young lady, I… I didn’t read them.”
“What?”
Zhao Qingning was dumbfounded: “Why didn’t you read them?”
Could he have become so psychologically twisted that he couldn’t even read those books?
That couldn’t be—he seemed perfectly fine now.
Lu Jinghan pressed his lips together: “I don’t know how to read.”
Zhao Qingning: “??”
Wait, what was going on?
The future tyrant was actually illiterate?
In the original book, it was written that he executed one minister for every memorial he read—could it be because he couldn’t understand them?
Refusing to believe it, she opened a book and made Lu Jinghan read it to her. He recognized simple words, but anything more complex, he couldn’t manage.
Zhao Qingning widened her eyes—well, he really was half-illiterate.
The words he knew were at a level even kindergarten children could handle.
But she instantly understood: what kind of life had he led in the palace before? How could he possibly have been taught to read and write? She had overlooked this.
She sighed helplessly, an idea forming in her mind: “Do you want to learn to read and write?”
A future enlightened ruler couldn’t possibly be illiterate.
She would never allow such a thing to happen.
Moreover, studying broadens the mind. The more principles he understood, the less likely he would be to become a tyrant.
Lu Jinghan lowered his gaze, his hands tightening on the hem of his clothes.
Of course, he wanted to learn.
Back in the Cold Palace, he had tried hard to learn characters from those madwomen. Sometimes they taught him properly; other times they beat him harshly, saying he wasn’t worthy.
His voice carried a trace of bitterness: “Young lady, you jest. How could someone as lowly as me be worthy of learning to read?”
Zhao Qingning hated hearing such words the most: “Just answer—do you want to or not?”
Lu Jinghan gave an almost imperceptible nod.
Seeing him so pitiful strengthened Zhao Qingning’s resolve to teach him: “Since you do, starting tomorrow, wait for me in the side hall. I’ll teach you.”
Lu Jinghan fell silent.
Everyone in the academy knew Zhao Qingning was a good-for-nothing—at ten years old, she still couldn’t recite the Three Character Classic in full.
Could she really teach him?
He was deeply skeptical.
But he didn’t show it, merely nodding and saying, “Alright.”
Satisfied, she had him eat some more before leaving. Just as she was about to go, she suddenly turned back: “By the way, give me that dagger you’re carrying.”
Ever since he was bullied by the eunuchs last time, Zhao Qingning had considered assigning guards to follow him closely.
However, Lu Jinghan’s birth was tainted—he wasn’t even a prince, and his mother’s conviction for adultery was well-established. If she treated him too specially or conspicuously, the Princess Manor might find itself in the spotlight.
So after much thought, she transferred a few guards from the front courtyard to patrol the rear courtyard, ordering them to protect Lu Jinghan and report any trouble to her immediately, preventing the eunuchs from harassing him again.
The guards naturally obeyed her instructions.
Now, no one dared to bully him.
As for the dagger, she wanted it because she was afraid.
After all, her fate in the original story was to be slowly flayed to death by Lu Jinghan with a sharp blade.
She had even had nightmares about it after returning—blood pooling everywhere as she waited in agony to die.
That day, Lu Jinghan had already shown early signs of his murderous nature.
So, she wanted to disarm him.
Lu Jinghan instinctively wanted to refuse.
But his reason told him he couldn’t.
A moment later, the dagger was placed in Zhao Qingning’s palm.
It was a gift from a young eunuch back when Lu Jinghan lived in the Cold Palace.
It wasn’t really a good knife, and the blade wasn’t sharp either, but sometimes when he was starving in the palace, he could use it to stab snakes and rats to death, then skin and debone them to eat for survival.
Born into such lowliness, this was his only option.
This knife was precious property to him.
“I’ll keep it for you first and return it to you later,” Zhao Qingning said.
Lu Jinghan nodded in agreement, watching her leave.
He returned to the backyard and had just stepped into his room when he saw several eunuchs standing by his bed.
Lu Jinghan grew cautious, slowly backing away while maintaining a calm expression. “What instructions do you gentlemen have?”
The leader smirked maliciously. “Little Wild Seed, you’ve been living comfortably these days while we’ve been doing your work for you.”
The others cracked their knuckles, glaring at him fiercely.
Lu Jinghan’s brow twitched. “This servant has been occupied with tasks from Miss Zhao and couldn’t assist you gentlemen. I beg your forgiveness.”
Upon hearing this, the eunuch snorted coldly. “Don’t think mentioning Miss Zhao will make me spare you. You’ve angered an important person this time—you’re done for!”
With a wave of his hand, he ordered, “Teach him a proper lesson.”
Lu Jinghan instinctively tried to run outside where Zhao Qingning’s guards were stationed—they could save him!
But before he could reach the door, it was slammed shut.
His heart turned cold.
The lead eunuch sneered ominously. “Did you think those guards outside could save you if you ran out? Don’t delude yourself. Beat him!”
The eunuchs swarmed him, and after a month’s respite, the sounds of kicks, punches, and sharp objects tearing through flesh and bone echoed once more.
Outside the door, one guard said with some compassion, “Shouldn’t we intervene? Miss Zhao will be angry.”
“Nothing we can do,” another guard shook his head. “We can’t afford to offend the young master of Weiyuan Marquis Manor. That Little Wild Seed will have to fend for himself.”