Chapter 96: The Tenth Brother's Unbridled Indulgence...

The Ninth Prince wore a bitter expression, his lips pursed, his face almost contorted with despair: "I have to be at the Imperial Study at the beginning of the day, how am I supposed to get up? No wonder Fifth Brother has been complaining every day since he entered the Imperial Study. It's not that Fifth Brother is lazy, it's just that the morning reading time at the Imperial Study is too early."

It's the beginning of Yin hour! It's still pitch black in the middle of the night, a time when everyone should be sound asleep and resting, but instead they have to get up and go to the Imperial Study to study. How can life be so miserable?!

Yin'e slumped onto the table as if all his strength had been drained, his cheek pressed against the cool, smooth surface. He sighed along with the Ninth Prince's complaints: "Who told them to be so unlucky? They just happened to run into the patriarch of the family, Emperor Kangxi, who was known for his strict parenting!"

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and Yin'e sat up straight. He looked up at the Ninth Prince, his dark, clear almond-shaped eyes shining with extreme excitement: "Ninth Brother, I've thought of an idea."

"What?" The Ninth Prince, with a pained expression, subconsciously responded. He looked up at Yin'e, and upon seeing the excitement on his face, the Ninth Prince's eyes lit up, and he became excited as well. He moved closer to Yin'e, "Tell me about it!"

The Ninth Prince leaned in close, and Yin'e whispered a long string of words in his ear, making the Ninth Prince's eyes brighter and brighter, and the expression on his face kept changing as Yin'e spoke.

After hearing Yin'e's idea, the Ninth Prince rolled his eyes, still showing some hesitation: "Will this work?"

“Nobody said it wouldn’t work!” Yin’e pouted and started acting like a rogue. “At worst, we can just wait for Father or the tutor in the Imperial Study to say it won’t work and then we can actively correct it.”

They never deny being scolded. They readily admit their mistakes and actively correct them, but... they'll do it again next time!

Trying might get them stopped, but how do they know their idea won't work if they don't try? What if the Khan and the tutors in the Imperial Study don't notice or stop them? Wouldn't they be the ones who benefit?

Anyway, there's no harm in giving it a try. If you fail, you'll just get a scolding at most, but if you're lucky enough to succeed, you'll make a fortune!

The Ninth Prince, like Yin'e, was a reckless fellow, and was immediately persuaded by Yin'e. He deeply agreed with his words, nodding and echoing, "Tenth Brother, you're right. At worst, we'll just get a scolding!"

Their level of understanding, while not quite reaching the point of being completely unfazed, was certainly one of unwavering composure regardless of external influences.

Being free from desires makes one invincible; that's how bold he was, showing no fear whatsoever when Emperor Kangxi scolded or punished him.

As one of the princes of the Western Three Palaces, the Eighth Prince would certainly not have washed up and rested immediately after returning from school at 7 PM.

Even if he had to get up before dawn, the Eighth Prince would always study late into the night after school. He was always determined to excel in the Imperial Study and outdo his fellow students.

The palace servants sent by the Eighth Prince to invite Yin'e and the Ninth Prince to the banquet have returned. After bowing, the servants stand with their hands clasped in the hall and truthfully relay Yin'e and the Ninth Prince's reply to the Eighth Prince.

"Both Ninth and Tenth Brothers refused?" The Eighth Prince's smile faltered slightly. Perhaps his skills were not yet up to par. A crack appeared in the gentle and refined expression on his handsome and refined face, and his eyes darkened for a moment.

The palace servants standing in the hall with their hands clasped and heads bowed did not see the change in the Eighth Prince's expression.

Faced with the Eighth Prince's question, he honestly replied, "The Ninth and Tenth Princes said they appreciate Your Highness's kindness, but they have just moved into the Prince's Residence and have not yet adapted to the environment. They are busy tidying up their rooms and getting used to the schedule of the Imperial Study, so they really have no time to come to the Prince's Residence for a banquet."

Upon hearing this, the Eighth Prince fell silent. Of course, the Emperor himself didn't need to tidy up the house; the palace servants would do it for him. This excuse was probably just a pretext.

The curriculum arrangement of classes at the beginning of Yin hour and the end of Xu hour in the Imperial Academy is indeed not so easy to adapt to.

When the Eighth Prince first moved from Yanxi Palace to the West Third Palace and began studying at the Imperial Study, he was not used to the routine of arriving at the Imperial Study at the beginning of the morning to study. It took him quite some time to get used to the life of leaving the Prince's Palace at the beginning of the morning and returning at the end of the evening.

So it seems that his ninth and tenth brothers didn't intentionally neglect him, deliberately find excuses to avoid him, or look down on him and not want to associate with him...

The Eighth Prince thought about many things in an instant. His beautiful eyebrows relaxed, and he concealed the slight abnormality that had been inadvertently revealed earlier, once again showing a gentle smile that was as refreshing as a spring breeze.

With a slight nod, the Eighth Prince said gently, "It was my oversight that I didn't take into account that the Ninth and Tenth Princes have just moved into the Princes' Residence and are not yet used to the environment."

He waved for the palace servants who had just gone to the Third and Fourth Palaces to invite Yin'e and the Ninth Prince to leave. The Eighth Prince sat behind his desk, slightly distracted, holding a book but unable to read a single word.

Previously, the Eighth Prince had not had much contact with Yin'e and the Ninth Prince, and did not notice anything unusual when he was with them.

But this time, Yin'e and the Ninth Prince moved to the West Third Palace to be his neighbors, and they refused his invitation again. Although the reason was perfectly reasonable, the Eighth Prince had a feeling that his Ninth and Tenth Brothers were somewhat hostile towards him.

This vague, uncertain intuition troubled the Eighth Prince.

He wanted to befriend Yin'e and the Ninth Prince, which is why he extended the invitation to them. But the Eighth Prince never expected that his plan would fail so soon.

After moving to the Prince's Residence, Yin'e only had a few days to adjust. He had just finished unpacking his belongings when he had to report to the Imperial Study.

Because the Imperial Study stipulated that the princes should arrive at the Imperial Study at the beginning of the morning (3-5 AM), in order not to be late, and considering the distance between the West Third Palace and the Imperial Study, Yin'e should get up no later than the end of the evening (1-3 AM).

Getting up too early, still in the dead of night, so to ensure he got enough sleep the night before reporting to the Imperial Study, Yin'e washed up and went to bed before sunset, at 5 PM.

Even though he went to bed early the night before, when Xiao Linzi woke him up at around 2 a.m., Yin E was still so sleepy that he could barely open his eyes. He didn't feel like he had slept enough at all, and he was still groggy. He wanted to lie back down and sleep for a long time.

Yin'e struggled to get out of bed, his eyes still closed, letting his wet nurse dress him like a doll. He was dozing off, letting them do as they pleased, not fully awake at all.

After finally getting ready to leave, Yin'e became a little more awake. But he was still incredibly sleepy, his eyes were dry and swollen, and he couldn't even open them. He just wanted to sleep a little longer.

Yin'e did just that. In order to get a little more sleep in the morning—no, in the early hours of the morning—he had made preparations well in advance.

Two days ago, Yin'e selected a strong and powerful eunuch from among the palace servants of the three palaces.

Now that they were outside the room, Yin'e's book box was carried by Xiao Linzi, while he himself lay on the back of a strong eunuch, who carried him to the Imperial Study.

Although the journey from the West Third Palace to the Imperial Study takes only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, it is enough for Yin'e to take another nap.

When Yin'e and his party left the third residence, they ran into the Ninth Prince, who was coming out of the fourth residence.

Like Yin'e, the Ninth Prince was also being carried on the back of a strong eunuch, and he was also taking a nap with his eyes closed.

The two brothers were so sleepy they could barely keep their eyes open. Even after the two groups met up, they didn't notice each other at all, both immersed in their dreams of going back to sleep, without even exchanging a greeting.

The first residence was a newly renovated prince residence, and there was a second residence between it and the third residence.

Therefore, although the Eighth Prince left home earlier than Yin'e and the Ninth Prince, he went out from the first residence and passed through the second residence, but he bumped into Yin'e and the Ninth Prince's party at the gate of the third residence.

"Ninth Brother, Tenth Brother, what's going on..." The Eighth Prince, who was about to greet Yin'e and the Ninth Prince who were fast asleep on the back of a strong eunuch, froze in place.

The Eighth Prince stared in disbelief, his face contorted with shock. The gentle, approachable smile he always maintained, like a mask, froze completely as he lost his composure once again because of Yin'e and the Ninth Prince's loss of composure.

It should be noted that the Imperial Study was located near the Palace of Heavenly Purity, quite close to it.

In other words, it was very likely that Emperor Kangxi would catch Yin'e and the Ninth Prince being carried to the Imperial Study by strong eunuchs, and on the way, they would try to catch a nap.

The Eighth Prince's lips twitched slightly, completely puzzled: Aren't the Ninth and Tenth Brothers afraid of being scolded by their father if they find out?

If the Khan sees them in such a lazy and undisciplined state, even without punishment, it will greatly lower their standing in the Khan's eyes. Do they really not care at all?

All I can say is, you are not a fish, how can you know the joy of a fish?

The Eighth Prince was ambitious and persistent, with a strong drive to climb the ranks. As a prince who desperately wanted to rise in the Imperial Study and win the Emperor's favor, he would never understand the joy of being a lazy bum.

With mixed feelings, the Eighth Prince followed Yin'e and the Ninth Prince's entourage southward along the passageway between the Cining Palace and the Yangxin Hall. After passing the Longzong Gate, they arrived at the Qianqing Gate and entered the Qianqing Palace through this main gate.

At the beginning of Yin (3-5 AM), the day's classes at the Imperial Study began. The Third Prince, Fourth Prince, Fifth Prince, and Seventh Prince, who lived in the Fifth Palace of Gandong, all rushed to the vicinity of Ganqing Gate. They also saw Yin'e and the Ninth Prince, who were still fast asleep on the back of a strong eunuch.

Upon seeing the surprised expressions on the faces of the princes, the Eighth Prince, who stood neither too close nor too far from Yin'e and the Ninth Prince and appeared calm and composed on the surface, suddenly felt a surge of bitterness in his heart.

It turns out he wasn't the only one who was surprised; it turns out the problem really wasn't him, but rather his ninth and tenth brothers who were too unruly and lazy!

When the Third Prince saw this scene, he instinctively wanted to laugh out loud, but he quickly remembered that he was near the Qianqing Gate, so he swallowed the sarcasm that was about to come out of his mouth. However, he could not hide the gloating on his face.

The Fourth Prince frowned slightly, clearly disapproving. However, he simply pursed his lips and didn't say anything to reprimand anyone, remaining silent as he stood alone to the side.

The Fifth Prince and the Seventh Prince approached and stood with Yin'e and the Ninth Prince.

Looking at the soundly sleeping Yin'e and the Ninth Prince, the Fifth Prince was first surprised, then muttered regretfully in a low voice, "You can do that? Why didn't I think of that!"

The Fifth Prince was filled with regret and frustration. The distance from Gandong Fifth Palace to Ganqing Gate was much farther than the distance from Xisan Palace. If he had known earlier that this was possible, how much longer he could have slept in every morning!

It's no wonder the Fifth Prince didn't expect to be able to do it this way; the main reason is that ordinary people wouldn't have the guts to be so presumptuous in the Qianqing Palace.

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Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 15:50:25 on April 1, 2023 and 10:44:33 on April 2, 2023!

Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: ...Ruoxi... 8 bottles; ·w· 1 bottle;

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!