Chapter 26: The Argument Between the Tenth Brother and the Lazy Fourth Brother...

Yin'e's words were interrupted as a little boy of about six years old caught up from behind him.

He wore a light purple python robe embroidered with a four-clawed golden dragon. He had delicate features, a dignified appearance, and a majestic demeanor.

The boy's face was tightly closed, making him look somewhat serious, and he seemed a bit dull, lacking the usual liveliness and cheerfulness of a child, which made him less approachable.

Passing by Yin'e and Yin'tang, the six-year-old boy led a little eunuch to the Third Prince, frowning as he said, "Third Brother, why did it take you so long to get the homework you forgot from the Prince's Office? Since you haven't returned, Master Gu from the Imperial Study has already left the palace, so it's as if you didn't do your homework yesterday."

"What?" The Third Prince exclaimed in surprise, anxiously asking repeatedly, "Master Gu has already left the palace? And he also noted down the day of homework I missed?"

The boy in the purple python robe nodded: "Yes, Master Gu wants you to make up yesterday's homework and hand it in together with today's homework tomorrow."

Their teacher, Gu Badai, was a strict and aloof official who was not only strict with others but also with himself. Even though his students were princes, he never disregarded their status or showed them any leniency. He always acted in accordance with the rules and handled everything impartially.

"I did it! I really did my homework yesterday!" The Third Prince was clearly well aware of Gu Badai's serious and rigid personality, and immediately wailed, "I just missed it because I was in too much of a rush when I left this morning, it's not that I didn't do my homework yesterday!"

Logically speaking, the teachers in the Imperial Study are not qualified to discipline princes. Even if a prince makes a mistake, it is the attendant, Haha Zhuzi, who should be punished. The Third Prince should not be so panicked.

It's important to know that Emperor Kangxi was very attentive to his sons' education. When he was in the palace, he would visit the Imperial Study every day to check on the princes' studies. If the Third Prince was found to have missed a day's homework by the Imperial Study's teacher, Emperor Kangxi would undoubtedly punish him by making him copy books.

Yin'e, who had been eavesdropping on their conversation, blinked his large, dark eyes and struggled for a long time before managing to suppress the corners of his lips that were turning up. He glanced at the Third Prince and silently snorted: Serves you right for blocking us.

Looking at the homework held in his personal eunuch's arms, the Third Prince sighed, his annoyance evident. He couldn't help but roll his eyes at Yin'e and Yin'tang: "Sigh, it's all these two little rascals' fault, they made me forget about it!"

Yin'e: ? Are you out of your mind?

For the first time, Yin'e, who considered himself to have a pretty good temper, really disliked someone. He found the Third Prince's low emotional intelligence and his utterly awful temper extremely annoying.

I've never seen anyone so shameless and distorting the truth. I really want to shut the Third Prince's mouth so he won't say a word.

Yin'e did just that. He sneered, his gaze sweeping over the Third Prince, unable to hide his mockery and sarcasm: "Even a rat has skin, but a man has no manners!"

The Third Prince's eyes widened, and his face instantly turned bright red with anger: "Hey you—"

Somewhat surprised, the six-year-old boy ignored the jumping Third Prince and turned his gaze to Yin'e and Yin Tang, who were standing side by side. After recognizing their identities, he nodded to them in a friendly manner: "Are you Ninth Brother and Tenth Brother? I am your Fourth Brother."

This is much nicer than the impolite "Ninth" and "Tenth" that the Third Prince used. Are they even that familiar with the Third Prince? They start by calling them "Ninth" and "Tenth," making it seem like they're so close. How shameless!

Yin'e had already guessed the Fourth Prince's identity, so he suppressed his sharp tongue and openly looked the Fourth Prince up and down.

After satisfying his curiosity, Yin'e smiled brightly at the Fourth Prince, obediently cupped his hands in a bow, and said in a childish voice, "Yin'e greets Fourth Brother."

Yinzhen was still glaring angrily at the Third Prince, but after being quietly nudged by Yin'e, he reluctantly pouted, glared at the Third Prince, and awkwardly cupped his hands to the Fourth Prince, saying, "Greetings, Fourth Brother."

The Fourth Prince responded and looked up at the palace behind the West Third Palace: "Are you going to the Cining Palace? Don't delay on the way, go quickly."

"Understood, Fourth Brother." Yin'e replied, pulling Yin'tang along as he tried to bypass the Third Prince, while giving him a sidelong glance.

Yin'e scolded him. Yin'e and Yin'tang knew to bow to the Fourth Prince, but ignored him. The Third Prince frowned, his expression growing increasingly unpleasant: "He's the Fourth Brother, but am I not your Third Brother? You dared to talk back just now, where did you learn your manners?"

"You can't even greet your third brother? You caused me to miss my homework, and you didn't even apologize. You even talked back and cursed at me. Is this how you should act as younger brothers?"

"Third Brother!" The Fourth Prince suddenly interrupted the Third Prince, his brows furrowed and his expression displeased. "Ninth and Tenth Brothers are still young. Why are you making things difficult for them? It's your own fault for falling behind in your studies, Third Brother. How can you blame Ninth and Tenth Brothers!"

Just as Yin'e was about to roll up his sleeves and retort, he turned his head and glanced at the Fourth Prince with a surprised look in his eyes, and couldn't help but feel a bit astonished and shocked.

The Third Prince is the eldest, and they are the youngest; there is an order of seniority. If he and Yinzhen ignore the Third Prince, it can be said that they are just children who don't know any better. Moreover, if we really talk about what happened today, the Third Prince is not in the right. That's why Yin'e doesn't bother him much. Not only does he not try to make Yinzhen bow his head, but he also dares to curse back.

But the Fourth Prince is different. He entered the Imperial Study last year and has already learned the rules and etiquette. Even if the Third Prince is wrong and there is suspicion that he is bullying his younger brother, the Fourth Prince, as the younger brother, cannot violate the rules of seniority by talking back to the Third Prince.

The fact that the Fourth Prince dared to speak his mind and had the courage to tell the truth and confront others head-on demonstrates that he possessed an unyielding, fair, and just character.

Forgetting the annoying Third Prince in an instant, Yin'e looked at the Fourth Prince with bright almond eyes and couldn't help but give him a thumbs up in his heart: He really deserves to be called the Yongzheng Emperor who said "I am such a man". He really goes for it when there is a problem!

"Fourth brother, this has nothing to do with you!" The third prince was hit where it hurt and became angry and embarrassed.

The Fourth Prince softened his tone, saying, "Third Brother, the afternoon's riding and archery lesson is about to begin. Third Brother, you shouldn't delay any longer. Go back to the Prince's quarters to change your clothes."

Having been reminded of this, the Third Prince realized that it was indeed getting late and felt a little flustered. He stopped fussing over the trivial matter and turned to walk back to the Princes' quarters.

Watching the Third Prince's retreating figure, Yin'e, who had just come to his senses, felt a little regretful: the Third Prince left in such a hurry that he hadn't had a chance to retort! Moreover, the Third Prince had already entered the Imperial Study to study, so they basically had no chance to run into each other on weekdays, and it wouldn't be easy to get back at him.

As for complaining... emmm, it's not that Yin'e disdained to do so. Rather, the Third Prince was in the front court, and the harem couldn't control him. And Emperor Kangxi, who could control him, wasn't in the palace at the time. He couldn't very well let the Consort bully Consort Rong, could he?

The Fourth Prince gave a few instructions to Yin'e and Yin'tang's wet nurses, asking them to take good care of the young prince, and then hurriedly returned to the West Third Palace with his personal eunuch.

After the princes entered the Imperial Study to study, their lunch break was very short each day. If it continued to be delayed, he would have no time to rest after lunch.

Watching their retreating figures, Yinzhen puffed out his cheeks, pointed at the Third Prince, and angrily cursed, "You rascal!"