"'First comes the country, then the family, and then the individual,' is that really how His Highness answered?" In the study, the old lady asked Xie Chang'an.

Xie Chang'an nodded.

"Your Highness is only a child, yet you have such insight. You will surely become a wise ruler in the future. Dayuan is blessed, and our Zhenguo Duke's Mansion and Xie Family Army are also blessed." The old lady's expression was somewhat excited.

Xie Chang'an didn't speak, but just quietly looked at the old lady.

How could a child in his early teens possibly utter such profound words?

Old Madam, don't you have any doubts at all?

It's understandable that the emperor doesn't suspect anything, given his biased view of the family. But the Dowager Empress, you are a woman of great wisdom, why don't you suspect anything either?

"Grandma, don't you think the Crown Prince is too intelligent?" Xie Chang'an couldn't help but ask.

"Chang'an, remember never to harbor suspicion towards the monarch you will serve in the future, or you will repeat the mistakes of your father! In any case, a wise and far-sighted crown prince can only benefit Dayuan, not harm it, can't he?" the old lady admonished.

What if everything they're showing now is just a facade?

In any case, Xie Chang'an will not let his guard down against this only variable after his rebirth.

The fact that he could so easily subdue the little madman and make him obey his every word was enough to make him extremely wary.

Similar conversations took place in the residences of the Minister of Rites and the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy. Both families were extremely satisfied with the Crown Prince's performance that day, having learned about it from their own children.

The crown prince is still young and not yet involved in factional disputes, but becoming his study companion is the first time their family has chosen to take sides.

Despite the many unsavory rumors about the Crown Prince that had circulated, making it difficult to distinguish between truth and falsehood, they were all very clear about one thing: the Emperor favored the Crown Prince.

The emperor's favor towards the crown prince can be seen from the matter of the censor-in-chief. Anyone with discerning eyes knows that no matter how those with ulterior motives spread rumors and cause trouble behind the scenes, as long as the crown prince himself does not make any mistakes, his position as the crown prince is secure.

So when they heard that the Crown Prince was going to choose a study companion, each family actively selected a suitable candidate. At this time, the candidate was just a study companion, but in the future, he might become a trusted minister.

Fortunately, their child was chosen. Even more fortunately, the Crown Prince was not as incompetent as rumored. He was courageous and insightful, and he valued their family highly. Both families were overjoyed.

But the Marquis of Loyalty and Valor was in a rage at that moment.

"Since you say His Highness the Crown Prince is good in every way, why don't you want to become his study companion? If you don't give me a reasonable reason today, I'll beat you to death!" Marquis Zhongyong roared, holding a feather duster in one hand and restraining Yun Shu's fat hand with the other.

His shouts attracted the old lady and the lady of the house. Seeing that their beloved grandson/son was about to be beaten, the two ladies rushed into the study to stop them.

"My lord, the child is still young and doesn't understand. Please calm down!"

"You unfilial son! If you want to hit my precious grandson, you'll have to hit this old woman first! If you dare to hit me, I'll go and cry in front of your father's memorial tablet!"

Stopped by his elderly mother and wife, Marquis Zhongyong was even more furious!

If he hadn't been spoiled by his mother and wife, this unfilial son wouldn't be so good-for-nothing!

"Being chosen to be the Crown Prince's study companion is such an honor, a privilege that other families would kill for. And yet he says he doesn't want to go. Do you think he deserves to be beaten?" Marquis Zhongyong asked angrily.

"Shu'er, didn't you say His Highness the Crown Prince was very good? Then why don't you want to be his study companion? Have you been bullied by the Crown Prince and are afraid to tell us? It's alright, even if he is the Crown Prince, he can't bully people at will—"

"Mother, be careful what you say!" Marquis Zhongyong interrupted the old lady before she could finish speaking.

"No, His Highness the Crown Prince is very kind. He takes good care of me and hasn't bullied me," Yun Shu quickly said.

It was his own business if he didn't want to be a study companion, but he couldn't let his grandmother and mother misunderstand His Highness the Crown Prince.

"Since His Highness the Crown Prince is so good, why are you unwilling to become his study companion?" Lady Hou asked, puzzled.

“His Highness the Crown Prince himself said that he will not force us. If we do not want to be his study companions, we can tell him tomorrow, and he will tell His Majesty himself that his family will not be punished,” Yun Shu said.

He fully expected that his grandmother and mother would be happy to hear him say that, and that they would be on his side. After all, his grandmother and mother did not want him to suffer in the palace, but they had no choice but to send him there for fear of the emperor's wrath.

Unexpectedly, after he finished speaking, his grandmother and mother were indeed very happy.

"It seems that His Highness the Crown Prince is indeed a good child."

"Now I can rest assured that Shu'er is with him," the old lady and the lady of the Marquis said happily.

Yun Shu: ...

This is not what he imagined.

grandmother!

Mother!

Do you change your minds that quickly?

"His Highness is being kind, but you can't be ungrateful! Come on, tell your father your reasons for being ungrateful. Why don't you want to be a study companion?" Marquis Zhongyong raised his eyebrows, glared, squeezed Yun Shu's chubby little hand, raised the feather duster in his hand, and questioned her.

Before the feather duster even landed, Yun Shu felt her bottom start to hurt.

What legitimate reason could he possibly have? It's nothing more than not wanting to get up early and not wanting to go to class!

He originally thought that with the Crown Prince's guarantee, and since his grandmother and mother didn't want him to suffer in the palace, he wouldn't have to be a study companion.

Who knew that his grandmother and mother would change their minds so quickly? He was left alone and had no choice but to speak his own reason.

Although he was young, he still knew this much. If he really told his father the truth, he would definitely get a beating!

He glanced at his grandmother and mother with a resentful look before reluctantly saying, "I know I was wrong. I am willing to be His Highness the Crown Prince's study companion."

"I haven't even hit you yet, did you do this voluntarily?" asked the Marquis of Loyalty and Bravery, brandishing a feather duster.

Yun Shu had no doubt that if he said he wasn't doing it voluntarily, the feather duster would immediately come down on him.

“I really did it voluntarily!” he cried.

"You're smart enough to know your place! Don't you dare spout nonsense in front of His Highness the Crown Prince tomorrow!" Only then did the Marquis of Zhongyong release his hand with satisfaction.

Yun Shu immediately hid behind her grandmother and mother.

But then he immediately realized that it was because they suddenly changed their minds that he had been scolded and frightened for no reason. He silently hugged himself tightly with both arms.

From that moment on, in the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion, he was a pitiful little man with no one to rely on and no one to love him.

"Now, tell your father everything that happened to you in the palace, and I'll see if you've brought shame to the Marquis of Zhongyong's mansion!" The Marquis of Zhongyong sat down with an imposing air and waved for Yun Shu to come to him.

Yun Shu walked over hesitantly, trying hard to recall, but all she could remember was—

"The pastries at the East Palace are so delicious!"

"The lunch at the East Palace is so lavish!"

"His Highness also asked us what we liked to eat and told the kitchen to make it for us tomorrow!"

Thinking about it this way, being a study companion to His Highness the Crown Prince doesn't seem so bad after all.