Chapter 83 (None)

Jiang Ling was initially unaware of what had happened at the school. The weather was cold, and she watched Wen Juan make knots in the side room.

Xiao Yunzan, who loved gossip, heard about it from somewhere and excitedly ran to Jiang Ling, saying, "Mother, Mother, my eldest and second brothers are fighting in the school! They've both bled from their heads!"

"You little myna!" Jiang Ling was equally curious, but she didn't press the matter. Instead, she reached out and pinched Xiao Yunzan's cheek, saying sternly, "Don't gossip and spread rumors!"

A gentleman should be upright and dignified. Judging from Xiao Yunzan's shameless behavior, Jiang Ling figured he would never become a gentleman. She still insisted on restraining his words and actions, trying to make him more composed and reserved.

"Mother, I didn't spread rumors." Xiao Yunzan touched his face and protested, winking at Xiao Yunlang who was following behind him. "If you don't believe me, ask Alang if I made things up!"

Xiao Yunlang immediately said, "Mother, Third Brother is right!"

Jiang Ling was almost amused by the two of them, and with a chuckle, he temporarily released Xiao Yunzan. The room was hot, so he removed their thick robes, and the two stood together in front of the bed.

"A-Zan, you said the Second Prince and the Third Prince got into a fight and their heads bled. Whose head was bleeding? What happened? How did you find out? Did you see it with your own eyes?"

Xiao Yunlang stood there looking bewildered, while Xiao Yunzan rolled his eyes and replied, "Both eldest and second brothers are bleeding. Eldest brother is thin and weak, and second brother broke his head open, leaving such a big hole!"

He gestured exaggeratedly with his hands, but Jiang Ling stopped him, saying, "Compare your head to his own and see how big it is."

Xiao Yunzan paused for a moment, raised his hand to his head to show his hand, then brought it to his chest. He seemed to realize his mistake, but he was thick-skinned and didn't care. He then used his fingers to show his hand again, trying to fool everyone.

"Stop!" Jiang Ling pressed down on Xiao Yunzan's hand and said, "First, explain the size of the hole in your head."

Xiao Yunzan stammered, and seeing that he couldn't fool her, he had no choice but to honestly say, "Mother, I don't know exactly how big the hole is."

"If you don't know, then don't speak recklessly. Your actions are a case of 'three men make a tiger' (a Chinese idiom meaning something false or misleading).

Neither of them understood the meaning of "three men make a tiger" (a Chinese idiom meaning something can become a myth or deception). Jiang Ling explained the story behind the phrase's origin: "A lie, when repeatedly mentioned and told by someone, becomes distorted and eventually leads people to believe it. What one sees with their own eyes is not necessarily true, let alone what one hears. If you want to tell something you've heard, you should at least investigate it thoroughly. First, determine if it's reasonable; to make people believe it, it must also be reasonable. The story you told earlier about the eldest prince being thin and having his head broken by the second prince has both reasonable and unreasonable aspects."

Xiao Yunzan frowned, deep in thought. He was too young to understand for the moment, so he pouted and hung his head in frustration.

Jiang Ling didn't press him further, but patiently guided him, saying, "The logical thing is that the Second Prince is stronger than the First Prince, and the First Prince couldn't beat him and got his head broken. The illogical thing is that there are teachers in the school, and if someone fights in the school, the teachers will stop them and they will be punished. Secondly, the First Prince is the elder, and for the Second Prince to hit the First Prince would be insubordination and a lack of brotherly love. Would the Second Prince do such a thing?"

Xiao Yunzan raised his head, suddenly perked up, and pouted, saying, "Second brother is very domineering and fierce. He doesn't care about these things, and the teacher doesn't dare to stop him."

Xiao Yunjue was indeed arrogant and domineering. Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang were young, and when they greeted him, he often didn't even glance at them. However, the Second Prince wasn't stupid; he would show some restraint in front of others.

Jiang Ling recalled that Xiao Yunrui had been reprimanded by Emperor Yuanming on his birthday, and guessed that their fight was related to that.

There is no kinship in the imperial family. Most royal brothers and sisters are half-brothers, and even among brothers, there is life-and-death struggle. Those who are truly harmonious are extremely rare.

There is a saying in later generations that discord between siblings is largely related to their parents.

Xiao Yunrui was only thirteen years old, a rebellious and sensitive young boy. Emperor Yuanming's reprimand was unlike that of an ordinary father, which would attract much speculation and be linked to the position of crown prince.

The atmosphere inside Chonghua Palace was relaxed, but the atmosphere outside was tense. Jiang Ling was unsure how Consort Lin had treated Xiao Yunrui, and how she would treat him afterwards.

However, Jiang Ling didn't have time to worry about these things right now; she also faced the challenge of educating Xiao Yunzan. Xiao Yunzan was a prince, and Jiang Ling would never treat him like an ordinary person, expecting him to simply grow up carefree and peacefully.

There is a conflict between a flesh-and-blood person with a compassionate heart and a person who holds great power over the world.

The *Zuo Zhuan*, a section of the *Spring and Autumn Annals*, quoted by Emperor Yuanming, states that Duke Xiang of Song "failed because of benevolence." The "benevolence" of those in power was out of step with the times.

The Records of the Grand Historian offers a different assessment of this battle: "Even after Duke Xiang was defeated at Hong, he still had a heart that cared for the people and still retained the legacy of the former kings."

The difficulty lies in striking the right balance.

Jiang Ling's head began to throb, but she ignored it for the moment and continued, "Alright, even if the teacher couldn't stop it, the Second Prince impulsively attacked the First Prince. There must be a reason why the Second Prince attacked the First Prince. What was the reason? Did you hear it?"

Xiao Yunzan was only focused on listening to the excitement and didn't think too much about it. He shook his head and said, "Mother, you can go and find out for yourself!"

“I will find out myself.” Jiang Ling glared at him and said, “Since you came to me to tell me, of course I have to ask you. In the future, if you hear someone tell you something and you have doubts but can’t ask them directly, you should use your brain to think about whether it’s true or not.”

Xiao Yunzan said, "I understand."

"You think you can hide your little schemes from me?" Jiang Ling knew what he was thinking just by looking at his reaction. She tapped his forehead and said, "Are you thinking of never telling me anything in the future?"

"Mother." Xiao Yunzan, having his little secret exposed by Jiang Ling, threw himself into her arms and began to whine, "Mother has so many questions, I can't answer any of them."

Jiang Ling rubbed his fair and rosy cheeks and said with a smile, "There's a question you can answer. Who told you that the First Prince and the Second Prince got into a fight?"

Xiao Yunzan cleverly tried to run away, but Jiang Ling grabbed him. He wailed in a drawn-out voice, "Mother, I heard it when I went to play."

"I'll count to three, one..." Jiang Ling smiled, raised his hand as usual, and began to count.

Jiang Ling set a rule for Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang: even if they made a mistake, the punishment for truthfully telling the truth would be lighter than the punishment for deliberately concealing it.

Seeing this, Xiao Yunzan could only tearfully confess: "I wanted to go to the school to play, but when I saw that the school was surrounded by guards and Father was there, I peeked at it with Alang at the alley. When the eunuch went to fetch the imperial physician, he was whispering and I overheard him."

“At this hour, you should be writing calligraphy.” Jiang Ling looked at the water clock and said with a half-smile, “I told you all this morning that it was cold outside and you shouldn’t go out to play. You’ve made two mistakes. Figure out the punishment yourself. I’ll write it down for you. Come back to receive your punishment after you finish writing calligraphy.”

Xiao Yunzan was completely deflated and replied with a "Yes." Jiang Ling then looked at Xiao Yunlang and said, "Alang too, you will be punished for disobeying."

Xiao Yunlang puffed out his chest with a strong sense of loyalty and said, "Mother, I will be punished along with my third brother."

Jiang Ling couldn't help but chuckle, looking at his thin frame, and said, "You need to eat more food, don't be picky about food."

Unlike Xiao Yunzan, Xiao Yunlang is not full of tricks. He is still young and only has a vague understanding of the principles. We will teach him properly when he is older.

After helping the two men put on their outer robes and waiting for them to return to the study, Jiang Ling summoned Wen Juan and said, "The eldest prince and the second prince have gotten into a fight. Go and find out what happened."

Wen Juan said in shock, "This servant will go right away." She had just stepped outside when Emperor Yuanming strode in. Wen Juan quickly turned back into the house and said, "Your Majesty, the Emperor has arrived."

Jiang Ling frowned, thinking to himself, "Why is Emperor Yuanming here at Fanying Pavilion when he doesn't care about his two fighting sons?"

"Don't go and ask around," Jiang Ling said to Wen Juan, then got up and walked outside.

Wen Juan agreed and hurriedly went to prepare tea. Jiang Ling arrived at the main room, where Emperor Yuanming had already crossed the courtyard and walked up the steps. He was in a hurry, and his expression was clearly displeased.

Jiang Ling curtsied in greeting. Emperor Yuanming grunted in response, looked around, and asked, "Where are A-Zan and A-Lang?"

"Write large characters in the study," Jiang Ling replied.

"Write large characters?" Emperor Yuanming said, walking towards the side room. "Have them bring the large characters here, I'll see if there's any progress."

Jiang Ling recalled Emperor Yuanming's reprimand of Xiao Yunrui and had no desire for him to teach Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang. Looking at his dark and sour face, she held back and sent A'ruo to deliver a message.

Wen Juan brought up the tea, and Emperor Yuanming picked it up and took a sip. Then, with a "bang," he put the teacup down and said unhappily, "The weather is so cold, how can it be lukewarm tea!"

"Go and boil some tea." Jiang Ling wiped the tea splashed on his sleeves and ordered Wen Juan expressionlessly, thinking to himself that he hoped it would scald him to death.

Wen Juan cleared away the tea and left the room. Emperor Yuanming noticed that Jiang Ling was angry. He had come to Fanying Pavilion to vent his frustration because of the matter involving Xiao Yunrui and Xiao Yunjue. However, he was met with a cold shoulder, which made him even angrier. He said, "I only complained about the tea, and you're already dissatisfied? How can boiling tea be edible?"

"Aside from cold tea and warm tea, there's boiling tea. What kind of tea would Your Majesty like?" Jiang Ling asked casually.

Emperor Yuanming was speechless. At this moment, Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang entered the room. He exhaled and called to them, "Come here, let me see the large characters you have written."

The two boys stepped forward, holding large characters. Xiao Yunzan, being playful, wrote characters larger than his fist, his strokes crooked and uneven. Xiao Yunlang, being younger, had blobs of ink on his paper, but the characters were barely legible.

Emperor Yuanming was immediately enraged. He slammed the large characters on the table and shouted, "This is considered large characters? I can write them neater with my feet!"

Xiao Yunzan's eyes widened in surprise. "Father can write with his feet? Father is amazing! Show me!"

Jiang Ling initially intended to stop Emperor Yuanming, but upon seeing the scene, she nearly burst out laughing. She suppressed her laughter and sat upright to watch the spectacle.

Emperor Yuanming was speechless again. After catching his breath, he pointed at the papers on the low table and said angrily, "How have I taught you all? Look at your handwriting! You haven't improved at all; in fact, you've regressed!"

Xiao Yunlang hid behind Xiao Yunzan in fear, but Xiao Yunzan was very determined and said confidently, "Father, I will go to school next year. I will learn after I start school."

Emperor Yuanming couldn't refute it for a moment, cursed the brat under his breath, and said in a deep voice, "You dare to disobey my words?"

"Listen," Xiao Yunzan replied casually. His eyes darted around, and he asked, "Father, why did my eldest and second brothers fight, and who won?"

"You're so young, yet you're meddling in so many things." Emperor Yuanming glanced at Jiang Ling secretly, thinking to himself that it was all her fault. Her precious son had been spoiled too much by her and now only knew how to play all day.

Xiao Yunzan pouted and remained silent. Seeing his little face fall, Emperor Yuanming patiently instructed him: "A gentleman uses words, not fists. Fighting is the act of a reckless man. As a brother, you should be concerned about whether your elder brother is injured. Brotherly love and respect are what matters."

Emperor Yuanming spoke harshly to his sons, and Xiao Yunzan disliked it the most, replying perfunctorily, "Father, I understand."

Seeing that he admitted his mistake, Emperor Yuanming's expression softened, and he said, "Go down and write ten large characters each. Write them carefully, as I will check them later."

Xiao Yunzan pulled Xiao Yunlang to bow and take their leave. The two huddled together, whispering to each other.

Emperor Yuanming watched them intimately, their backs turned in a gesture of affection, and felt deeply comforted.

Fortunately, Xiao Yunlang was raised in Fanying Pavilion, unlike Xiao Yunrui and Xiao Yunjue who were raised by their birth mothers. The two brothers grew up together and were truly like brothers.

Emperor Yuanming sighed and said irritably, "Alas, Arui and Ajue quarreled over trivial matters and ended up fighting in the classroom. Arui hit his head on the edge of the table and bled, while Ajue tripped and scraped his palm. I really have endless worries."

It turned out that in the classroom, Xiao Yunrui had recited a sentence incorrectly, and Xiao Yunjue was caught laughing at him. He immediately became furious and rushed up to punch him.

Xiao Yunjue, never having been insulted like this before, immediately retaliated with a punch. Before the teacher could even react, the two were locked in a fierce fight.

Xiao Yunrui was thin and weak. He was beaten so badly by Xiao Yunjue that he lost his balance and hit his forehead on the corner of the table, drawing blood. Fortunately, although his face was covered in blood, it only injured his skin. Xiao Yunrui was young, and it would heal after a while.

Even if the two were fighting over trivial matters, it was by no means as insignificant as Emperor Yuanming claimed.

Jiang Ling didn't know whether he was unwilling to face it or truly believed it, but he always felt that Jiang Ling was naively repulsive.

Whether someone was pulling the strings behind the scenes, and how Consort Lin and Consort Zhao would fight, Jiang Ling had no idea at the moment. He cautiously said, "They are at the age of youthful vigor, so it is not surprising that they would fight over a disagreement."

The number of memorials in the court requesting Emperor Yuanming to establish an heir apparent has increased. He has several sons, the eldest of whom is impulsive and reckless, while the younger ones have not yet begun their studies. Moreover, he is in his prime, and the heir apparent is crucial to the stability of the Great Yin Dynasty, so he must choose with utmost care.

The emperor was filled with resentment, as neither the emperor nor the harem was giving him any peace of mind. He looked at Jiang Ling and said, "After the New Year, A-Zan and A-Lang will both go to school. They can keep each other company and establish rules early on. After they start school, they can move to the palace of the princes in front."

Jiang Ling paused for a moment. The people of Dayin were considered open-minded and did not have the rule that children under seven should not sit together. Even so, Xiao Yunzan and Xiao Yunlang were not yet seven years old, so moving them out was a bit too early.

Emperor Yuanming's decision to have them move out suggests he may have ulterior motives.

Jiang Ling thought of Wu Jieyu and realized she was here.

Sure enough, Emperor Yuanming hesitated for a moment and said, "Your place is spacious. It will feel lonely after the two of them move out. Why don't you let Consort Wu move in? She can keep you company and help you pass the time."