Chapter 15. The younger siblings, especially those close to the woman, clearly lacked discretion regarding the proper separation of men and women. ...

Yuan Chaolu recited the first chapter of "On the Qin" from memory. He could recite the beginning fluently, but after only a few sentences, he began to stumble.

"And then?" Xiao Zhuo gestured for her to continue.

Yuan Chaolu pursed her lips, her brows furrowed, and after a moment, shook her head at him.

Xiao Zhuo took her wrist and placed it on the table.

The ruler struck with a crisp sound, and Yuan Chaolu's bare shoulder trembled slightly. A sharp pain shot from his palm to his heart, and his five fingers curled up and could not be straightened.

"Listen carefully, I will say a sentence, and you will repeat it."

Yuan Chaolu's ears were ringing, and all she could see were his thin lips moving. His cool fragrance filled her nostrils, making her mind go blank.

This sudden change in role, as if she were a student being trained by him, was something she couldn't adapt to at all. In just a few moments, she was hit with the cane several times.

Seeing him reach out to hold her hand again, Yuan Chaolu pulled her sleeve back and hid her hand behind her back.

"It wasn't that I didn't want to concentrate in class today, but rather that I found it difficult to understand what Mr. Lu was saying."

"How is it hard to understand?" Xiao Zhuo asked gently, but his hand suddenly reached behind her waist to grab her arm. She instinctively tried to turn to the side to dodge, but he grabbed her wrist and forced her to lean against the table.

His voice descended from above: "Lu Xuanmo explained the first chapter of 'Treatise on the Qin' to you twice, explaining the meaning of each word, and he spoke very slowly, yet you still didn't understand it, did you?"

Yuan Chaolu pursed her lips and softly hummed in agreement.

"Your mind was wandering, and you weren't paying attention to your piano lesson. That's not an unjust statement, is it?"

He was far too harsh. The ruler was pressed against her palm, and even before it fell, it made her heart clench with tension.

How does she seem like someone who would forgive others?

“Young master, may I have a word to say?” She turned around and said, “Let me just say it is my excuse. Mr. Lu is a romantic and famous scholar, but his lectures are too profound. He often quotes classical texts, all of which are stories I have never heard of before. And today he was drinking wine in class. Does the young master really want to blame me for everything?”

She slowly raised her slightly red hands. "I've already been hit several times today. If you continue to beat me, how will I be able to play the zither tomorrow?"

The girl's eyes were brimming with tears, and her tone carried a hint of coquetry and grievance.

Xiao Zhuo said, "He is too careless, but you didn't listen attentively either."

"But you weren't there, so how would you know I wasn't trying? Is it just based on Mr. Lu's word? Why don't you believe me?"

"Alright." Xiao Zhuo released her hand, stood up, went to the bookshelf, took down a book, rolled it up, and placed it on the table. It was none other than the book "Treatise on the Qin" (琴论).

"I will explain the first chapter of the *Treatise on the Qin* to you again. If you lose focus again this time—"

He smiled faintly, but that smile carried a chilling aura that commanded respect, and his fingers touched the ruler on the desk.

Yuan Chaolu's breathing hitched slightly, and he said, "Alright."

Although he was strict, his voice was surprisingly gentle when he actually started lecturing. Unlike Lu Xuanmo, who talked to himself, he would stop and ask questions whenever he encountered something difficult, breaking down and explaining the obscure words one by one.

Her clear and melodious voice reminded one of the stream behind Chanxu Temple, and one's mind unconsciously calmed down.

"Zhou Aju." His voice suddenly rang in her ears, this time addressing her by her full name.

"I'm sorry, young master," Yuan Chaolu lowered her eyes and said softly, "I know I was wrong. Where were we?"

He said, "Let me see, Lu Xuanmo will teach you finger techniques today."

Yuan Chaolu respectfully did as she was told, and played the zither a few times. But then she felt him suddenly lean over and cover the back of her hand with his palm, reminding her, "You need to press your wrist down a little more here."

Yuan Chaolu's fingers were slender and graceful, which contrasted sharply with the man's hands, which had long joints and were used to drawing bows and arrows. The man's hands showed strength, and the jade thumb ring on his thumb brushed against her skin, stirring a cold sensation.

The two were now almost touching.

"Focus." His voice lingered in her ear in that small space.

Xiao Zhuo was only guiding her movements and didn't care about these things at all. However, Yuan Chaolu had distracting thoughts. From the moment he approached, she could no longer bear the faint scent of pine and bamboo on him, and she felt like she was sitting on pins and needles.

He placed his other hand on her waist, helping her straighten up, and she was enveloped in his shadow.

Yuan Chaolu felt her fingertips go limp, and the strings under her fingers produced an untimely trembling sound, which was particularly clear in the quiet room.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him with his eyes lowered, his fingertips plucking the strings of the zither.

He suddenly looked up at me.

Yuan Chaolu met his gaze, paused for a moment, and quickly looked away.

“You’re not listening to anything I’m saying, Zhou Aju.”

"I'm sorry, young master."

A string in Yuan Chaolu's mind was gently taut. When he uttered her name, his voice was deliberately lowered, carrying a hint of displeasure, but his voice was extremely magnetic, completely attracting people's attention, making it impossible to care about what he was saying.

In this torment akin to torture, Yuan Chaolu only wanted to escape, and her waist slumped down again, completely pressed against the man's palm that was supporting her waist.

The young woman's waist was already slender, and today she went to great lengths to tightly bind the silk skirt he had sent her, thus outlining her graceful figure—she had deliberately wanted someone to see it.

The man's warm hand suddenly withdrew.

This subtle movement made something that was originally nothing seem to have become something special.

Yuan Chaolu's eyelashes trembled slightly as he asked, "Young master, why must one practice finger techniques before playing the zither?"

Xiao Zhuo explained patiently, his voice steady.

"I see." Her voice was like a soft, gentle needle, and she leaned back, subtly tilting towards him, her waist brushing against his forearm.

This time, however, she couldn't wait for him to lean down and instruct her again.

Yuan Chaolu suddenly felt a burning sensation on her back, as if his gaze had pierced through her robes.

Xiao Zhuo's voice came from behind: "That's enough for today."

She suddenly turned around, "Why? Have I offended you, young master?"

But she saw him leaning against the backrest, half-closing his eyes as he looked her over, his knuckles tapping lightly on the armrest.

Yuan Chaolu suddenly held out her hands to him, "If I have done poorly, please punish me, young master."

Xiao Zhuo glanced at her indifferently and picked up the ruler from the table. She immediately withdrew her hand, and after a moment, met Xiao Zhuo's gaze. Yuan Chaolu said, "Young Master, I..."

"Weren't you the one who just said you were willing to be punished? You're quick to run away."

Yuan Chaolu blushed with embarrassment.

Xiao Zhuo put down the ruler and said calmly, "Go back and review your lessons. I'll check your work again tomorrow."

Yuan Chaolu whispered "Yes," slowly picked up her zither and stood up. As she left his side, the stagnant air around her finally began to flow again. She couldn't help but wonder if she had acted too hastily and that he had noticed her thoughts.

Yuan Chaolu took a few steps, then suddenly stopped and turned back, saying, "There is something else I would like to discuss with you, young master. I usually stay at home, so it is really inconvenient for me to come to Chanxu Temple. I wonder if I could stay here for the time being?"

She couldn't see his expression under the window, but she felt his gaze fall on her as if it were real. After a long while, she heard him slowly speak: "Okay, but if you live here, you have to behave yourself."

Yuan Chaolu said, "Of course."

**

Yuan Chaolu never expected that when the Prince of Yan told her to listen to him, he meant that her days would be filled with all sorts of lessons.

The zither lessons were just one of her subjects; in addition, there were lessons in poetry, calligraphy, and other subjects. The tutors that the Prince of Yan invited for her were all renowned masters in the court.

When Zhong Changjun brought the teacher over, he gently instructed her, "Young lady, you must listen carefully and not disappoint the young master's good intentions."

Yuan Chaolu lowered her eyes and smiled gently, replying softly, "Okay."

Why would the Prince of Yan seek out a tutor for himself? After much thought, it was probably because of the incident where his talent was ridiculed, which aroused his pity.

During this time, she went down the mountain to see Heyi and carefully told her not to worry. If the Yuan family asked, she should only say that she was practicing Buddhism and cultivating herself in the mountains.

For several days in a row, Yuan Chaolu stayed at Chanxu Temple, receiving lessons from the Master during the day and going to the Prince of Yan in the evening to have his studies checked.

However, those scholars kept complaining to the Prince of Yan, which dampened Yuan Chaolu's original intention to get close to the Prince of Yan.

However, although the Prince of Yan was strict, he was extremely patient when it came to teaching, and he patiently answered all her questions.

That evening, when Zhong Changjun entered the meditation room, Xiao Zhuo was discussing matters with Grand Marshal Cui Ming.

Zhong Changjun delivered the book recording Yuan Chaolu's academic progress to Xiao Zhuo's desk.

Xiao Zhuo casually took the book and turned the pages absentmindedly. Sunlight streamed through the window, and the dense annotations on the pages were faintly visible.

"I understand. This matter shall be handled accordingly. Minister Cui, you may now leave."

Grand Marshal Cui Ming bowed respectfully and quietly withdrew.

Xiao Zhuo turned a page with her fingertip, her gaze sweeping over the teachers' annotations. She was glad that she had been in a good mood lately; if these lessons were given to others, it wouldn't have been a matter of getting a few more beatings.

"Your Majesty, Miss Yuan has arrived," Zhong Changjun reported softly.

The last rays of the setting sun streamed in through the latticed window. As she walked, the tinkling of her jade pendants filled the air. When she reached him, she gracefully bowed and said, "Greetings, sir."

The young woman wore a light purple silk dress today, and her waist was as slender as ever. When she knelt down with her robes drawn up, the dress spread out like a flower bud opening.

However, her smile froze slightly when her gaze swept over the music book in Xiao Zhuo's hand.

She said, "I would like to go down the mountain this evening. Could you please grant me half a day off? I have some trivial matters to attend to. I am also grateful for your care these past few days. I brought you a gift."

Yuan Chaolu leaned closer. "I hope you will come closer, young master, so I can speak with you."

Xiao Zhuo remained unmoved, his eyes fixed on her.

She slowly approached, saying, "These words can only be spoken to you in private, young master. With Zhongshu here, I am truly embarrassed."

Zhong Changjun smiled knowingly and stepped aside.

As the figure gradually disappeared into the distance, she seemed to finally breathe a sigh of relief, her bright eyes blinking gently.

A pair of soft hands reached out and grasped his.

Just as Xiao Zhuo was about to pull his hand away, she had already placed his palm on her waist.

The two thin layers of silk offered no protection whatsoever; the woman's body heat was clearly felt. Under his palm, her lower abdomen gently contracted. But that wasn't all; she covered his hand with her own, slowly stroking downwards…

Her fingertips brushed across the silk, creating an invisible spark that made her body tremble slightly.

Xiao Zhuo lowered his gaze, staring into her eyes, never expecting her to dare to do something so bold.

Her hand suddenly stopped, and she took his hand and touched a sachet at her waist, then untied it.

Yuan Chaolu remained calm and presented the sachet to him with both hands.

“A few days ago after class, you checked my homework so meticulously. I was both grateful and ashamed. I noticed that you smelled wonderful. I suppose you must love fragrance. The flowers in this sachet were picked by me from the back mountain. You can wear it for several days to let the fragrance permeate your body. I hope you will accept it.”

It was as if that accidental touch just now was something she did without thinking.

Xiao Zhuo smiled slightly, his eyebrows raised, and anger already lurked in his eyes.

But her eyes were filled with the glow of the sunset, and she seemed oblivious to it, leaning forward and breathing softly.

"My robes, skirts, and even hairpins were all sent to me by your men, so naturally I must return the favor. Alright, the gifts have been delivered. May I descend the mountain today, young master?"

The last syllable rose slightly, carrying a hint of ingratiation and coquetry.

As she finished speaking, she stood up, the jade pendant on her skirt clinking against Xiao Zhuo's cheek, which he narrowly avoided. His gaze then fell upon the woman's slender waist.

Hanging from it was another sachet, from which wafted a rich fragrance, the same fragrance as the one he had given him.

Xiao Zhuo's thin lips were pressed tightly together, and his face showed a hint of coldness.

At this moment, Zhong Changjun came from outside to report that a minister was requesting an audience.

She quickly replied, "Then I won't disturb you any longer, young master."

Even after she left, Xiao Zhuo could still hear her gentle voice, and the rich fragrance of orchids lingered in his ears.

Such a frivolous act was truly offensive to him.

The customs of the Northwest are not as strict as those of the Central Plains. They lack a sense of propriety and have very little education on etiquette and shame.

Xiao Zhuo had already noticed.

Seeing the Emperor's cold and somber expression, Zhong Changjun's smile gradually froze.

Shortly after she left the meditation room, a tall figure entered.

The newcomer wore a crimson brocade robe, his face bathed in the soft glow of the sunset, and a jade belt gleamed at his waist. He was none other than Xiao Luozhi, the emperor's younger brother.

Since his last audience with the Emperor, His Highness the Prince of Yan has not dared to pay homage for several days. Today, upon hearing the news of the victory at the border, he waited for his elder brother's mood to improve before daring to come again.

He was filled with trepidation before he arrived. Only after Zhong Changjun hinted that the emperor looked pleased did he straighten his clothes and step in. However, when he looked up, he met the emperor's scrutinizing gaze.

A note from the author:

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Emperor: Keep a close eye on your fiancée.