Hongjun was not happy during his time in the Imperial Study. He didn't like studying by nature, but he didn't dare to contradict the Fourth Prince. After all, he had won his father's favor and was specially sent to the Imperial Study, so he didn't dare to tell the Fourth Prince that he didn't want to study there.

The Crown Prince's two sons, Hongxi and Hongxi, also went to the Imperial Study. The Third Prince's eldest son, Hongwen, and the Fifth Prince's eldest son, Hongning, were also attending classes there. In addition, some children of imperial relatives were also sent in.

The tutor that Emperor Kangxi hired for his grandchildren and nephews was the renowned Confucian scholar Zhu Qingzhao. Already over sixty years old, Zhu had served as the first teacher of Han studies for the Fourth Prince and his contemporaries, and had long been a tutor to young children in the imperial family. He was known for his uprightness and incorruptibility; even in front of Emperor Kangxi, he dared to disregard him if they disagreed. Some said he was too principled and worried that the emperor might break him one day. However, Kangxi admired his integrity and his refusal to bow to power, and thus entrusted his sons, grandchildren, nephews, and great-nephews to him, asking him to teach Han studies to these future heirs of the Qing Dynasty.

"If you think without learning, you will be lost; if you learn without thinking, you will be in danger." The children read this famous saying of Confucius aloud under the guidance of Master Zhu.

"Hongjun, stand up and explain what Confucius meant by this statement?" Master Zhu pointed to the pointer and then to the Third Prince Hongjun.

Hongjun had never paid much attention to the famous quotes and sayings in these classics. He preferred horsemanship, archery, and military texts, and he would get sleepy whenever these famous quotes were read. He had just been dozing off, which is why Master Zhu called on him.

Hongjun slowly stood up, glancing timidly at Master Zhu. He hadn't heard Master Zhu ask anything, so he looked around for clues from others. Hongwen, who was on good terms with Hongjun, wrote Master Zhu's question down on a piece of paper and pushed it toward Hongjun!

Hongjun glanced at the words above, said "Oh," and quickly said to Master Zhu, "What Confucius meant was that if you don't think while studying, you will fall into confusion, and if you only think without studying, you will fall into exhaustion and danger."

Master Zhu had been teaching his whole life, and he had long since noticed these children's little antics. He didn't react, but pretended not to see them, nodding and saying, "Hmm, Hongjun is right. Sit down!"

Hongjun sat down and made a gesture of thanks to Hongwen.

These kids all have familiar code words that they use specifically for gesturing in class.

Knowing that Master Zhu had his eye on him, Hongjun no longer dared to slack off and had to concentrate.

The Fourth Prince, Hongshi, was also brought in by the Fourth Prince. He was moved from Song Shi's quarters to the front courtyard. The Fourth Prince didn't have time to look after him, so he came in with Hongjun. Because he was the youngest, he sat in the front row. If you were to ask who Master Zhu was most satisfied with, it would be him. Hongshi diligently followed Master Zhu's instructions every day.

Master Zhu was very satisfied with him and repeatedly asked Hongjun to learn from his younger brother.

Hongjun disagreed; he disliked his younger brother, who always had a somber expression. He knew they were actually brothers born of the same mother, both born to Lady Li, but he simply disliked Hongshi's tendency to act as if he were the legitimate son.

After class, Hongjun walked up to Hongwen, put his arm around his shoulder and said, "Hongwen, thank you so much this time! You like my slingshot the most, right? Here, it's yours!"

Hongwen was rather thin and looked malnourished. Among this group of clan members, he was one of the less favored ones. Within this group of young nobles, there were also factions, the vast majority of whom revolved around the Crown Prince's two sons, likely influenced by their upbringing at home.

Hongjun and Hongwen didn't surround Hongxi and Hongxi because neither the Third Prince nor the Fourth Prince had instructed them to do so. Furthermore, the Fifth Prince's son, Hongning, was also an anomaly; he didn't get close to anyone, and like Hongshi, he studied very diligently but was quiet.

"Fool!"

A burst of laughter came from behind Hongjun.

"Who!" Hongjun turned around angrily to find the voice that had just cursed. However, when he turned around, he only saw several clan members surrounding Hongxi, all looking at him with disdain.

"Tai'an, it's you!" Hongjun shouted angrily, staring at one of them. Tai'an's great-grandfather was a brother of Emperor Shunzhi, and his branch of the family held hereditary titles in the court, making them long-established noble families. This Tai'an had immediately started flattering the Crown Prince upon entering. Hongjun looked down on him.

"I didn't say anything! Did you hear me? Did you hear me again?" Tai'an said, looking completely bewildered.

“Hongjun, didn’t you say we should go outside and take a look at that beehive? Let’s go together!” Hongwen grabbed Hongjun and winked at him.

Hongjun glared at Tai'an and then ignored him.

The two walked together to the big jujube tree outside. Hongjun took out his horn slingshot from his pocket and said angrily, "You scoundrel!"

Hongwen stood behind Hongjun and said, "Hongjun, they are the Crown Prince's sons, we definitely can't compete with them. Anyway, my father told me that when I come here to study, I should try to be more considerate of them."

Hongjun curled his lip and said, "What's so great about it? We are all the Emperor's grandsons, why should we be subservient to them? I've always disliked that brat Tai'an's attitude, I wish I could run to carry Hongxi's shoes."

Hongwen smiled and said, "Hongjun, even if you don't get close to them, you shouldn't talk badly about them anymore. Otherwise, they will bully you again."

Hongjun bent down, picked up a small stone from the ground, attached it to the rubber band of his slingshot, then aimed at a beehive on the jujube pond and prepared to shoot.

"No, if you shoot them down, the bees will sting you! If Master Zhu finds out, you'll be punished again!" Hongwen stopped him.

"What are you afraid of? This place is so big, those bees might not be able to find us. Don't worry." Hongjun didn't seem to care, and then he released his index finger. The pebble flew out with a whoosh and hit the beehive right there.

The beehive had just been built and hadn't been built with much difficulty yet, but when Hongjun hit it with a stone, it immediately tilted.

"Stop hitting it, Hongjun, the beehive is about to fall down," Hongwen said.

"Hongwen, don't worry about it, I'm going to shoot it down." Hongjun said with a mischievous smile. After saying that, he picked up a small stone from the ground, attached it to the leather bullet, and fired it with a "thud." The beehive was broken at the base by the stone and fell straight down with a "thud."