Although Xie Chang'an enjoyed teasing the little madman and watching him lose control, he had no interest in playing the jealousy game with him.
After all, the little madman is only a four-year-old cub, and his mind is not mature yet. He is not really only six years old. There is no need for him to compete with a little cub for attention.
Moreover, Ye Jingchen is so cunning; who knows if his kindness towards the little madman is genuine or if he just wants to use him as a tool?
"Young Master Xie, I heard that someone was beheaded at the execution ground on West Street of the Imperial City yesterday. Did you go to see it?" After comforting Ye Jinghe, Ye Jingchen asked Xie Chang'an calmly.
"I saw it." The soup tasted a bit strange. Xie Chang'an also took a piece of peach blossom pastry, but he didn't like sweets. He only took one bite and didn't want to eat any more. He just held it in his hand and played with it.
"After seeing such a terrifying scene, did you have nightmares last night?" Ye Jingchen asked curiously.
"No wonder you look so haggard today, it turns out you had a nightmare! Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, a person will die without a head. Even if he becomes a ghost, he will only seek revenge on the person who cut off his head, not on you!" Yun Shu thought she had found the truth behind Xie Chang'an's haggard appearance and comforted him considerately.
He had intended to not only offer verbal comfort but also pat Xie Chang'an's head. However, before his hand could even touch Xie Chang'an's hair, he withdrew it under Xie Chang'an's watchful gaze.
As the two behind-the-scenes manipulators who indirectly caused the prefect's son to be beheaded, Ye Jingchen and Xie Chang'an both thought that this consolation was worse than no consolation at all!
"Didn't Young Master Xie go to fetch his father home yesterday? Why did you go to the execution ground? Did your father take you there?" Ye Jingchen asked again.
"Your Highness seems quite interested in this matter?" Xie Chang'an asked warily, not answering the question.
Ye Jingchen is so cunning; his persistent questioning is definitely not just out of simple curiosity.
"Of course I'm curious! I sent the Eastern Palace Guards yesterday to urge the Prefect to close the case as soon as possible, but I didn't expect it to be closed today. The criminal was even beheaded! It's a pity I can't be there to witness it!" Ye Jingchen said with a regretful expression.
"Wouldn't the people be very happy if a villain like the son of the prefect, who has committed so many evils, were beheaded? Would the execution ground be lively?" Ye Jingchen sighed, then asked Xie Chang'an.
"It's lively! The people are all praising His Majesty's wisdom." Xie Chang'an cautiously replied.
“Father is indeed wise. If it weren’t for Father’s urging, the Prefect would definitely not have been willing to convict his son! Father has rid the people of a scourge. Young Master Xie, do you and Young Master Xie also think Father is wise?” Ye Jingchen asked.
With so many eyes watching, would Xie Chang'an dare to say no?
"Your Majesty is wise," Xie Chang'an said perfunctorily.
The next lesson was supposed to continue with the Analects, but before class, Ye Jingchen first contacted the tutor who was supposed to be teaching them.
Qin Feng is the tutor in charge of teaching them today.
"Mr. Qin, are you aware of the case that was decided by the Jingzhao Prefecture government yesterday?" Ye Jingchen asked.
"Yesterday's case caused a sensation throughout the capital. The people are cheering for His Majesty's wisdom in ridding them of a scourge!" Qin Feng said excitedly.
"In the next lesson, Mr. Qin, would you please use this case as an example to explain the laws of the Great Abyss?"
Qin Feng's eyes lit up. "Your subject—accepts the order!"
In the next lesson, Qin Feng used the crime committed by the son of the prefect as an example to explain in detail to Ye Jingchen and the others the laws that the criminal had committed and the punishment he should receive.
This lesson was packed with useful information.
When get out of class ended, not only was Qin Feng still talking with great enthusiasm, but the children also seemed to want to hear more.
Explaining the law in isolation can be dry and children may not enjoy it, but combining it with real-life examples makes it much more interesting.
"Dayuan has a long history of wrongful convictions, strange cases, and miscarriages of justice. From now on, we will arrange a law class every ten days. As the saying goes, there can be no order without rules. Even princes are subject to the same laws as commoners. We should understand and abide by the law and set an example for all people!" Ye Jingchen wanted to strike while the atmosphere was good.
"I will obey Your Highness's command!" Qin Feng was overjoyed and quickly replied.
Qin Feng was the most excited after hearing Ye Jingchen's words.
The law exists to protect the weak and restrain the strong. Only when the nobility acknowledge and abide by the law can the personal safety and property security of ordinary people be guaranteed!
Of course, Ye Jingchen didn't just want to add law classes to the Wenhua Hall; he wanted to add law classes to the Imperial Academy as well. After all, those who could take classes there were either members of the royal family or the descendants of high-ranking officials and nobles. Compared to the common people of Dayuan, they were the ones who should know the law the most!
However, he had no say in matters concerning the Imperial Academy; the emperor had to speak on his behalf.
After class that day, Consort Xian came to pick up Ye Jingyu as usual.
Since Ye Jingyu started attending classes at Wenhua Hall, she has personally picked him up and dropped him off every day without fail, making her a model of a good mother. The entire palace praises her greatness.
Since she wanted to create this kind of persona, Ye Jingchen let her have it.
He genuinely wanted to be good to his brothers and sisters, so naturally he could tolerate a mother who genuinely cared for them. However, if Consort Xian wanted to use Ye Jingyu to cause trouble, Ye Jingchen would not let her have her way.
"Your Highness, my elder sister and I would like to take Jingyu and Jinghe to pay our respects to Father Emperor today and have dinner at Chengqian Palace. Is that alright?" Ye Jingchen asked the Consort Xian after seeing off the attendants.
Consort Xian would be more than happy to have Ye Jingyu appear before the Emperor, so how could she possibly refuse?
Consorts were not allowed to go to Chengqian Palace without a reason. The emperor was not obsessed with women and would not choose consorts every day. There were so many concubines in the palace that even a virtuous consort would only see the emperor once or twice a month at most.
Moreover, sometimes the emperor would arrive at Yichun Palace too late, and Ye Jingyu would already be asleep, so it was not appropriate to wake him up.
Therefore, although Ye Jingyu was a prince, he was still too young and had few opportunities to appear in front of the emperor, let alone try to win the emperor's favor.
"Your Highness, Jingyu rarely has the opportunity to see his father, the Emperor, so he may feel a little awkward. I'll have to trouble you to take good care of him in front of the Emperor," Consort Xian said with a smile, patting Ye Jingyu's head.
"Your Highness, please rest assured. The Emperor is also Jingyu's father, and I am Jingyu's elder brother. We will both take good care of him," Ye Jingchen said with a smile.
"Jingyu, don't be nervous when you see your father. Learn from the Crown Prince how to get along with your father, okay?" Consort Xian squatted down and said gently to Ye Jingyu.
Ye Jingyu nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.
"Then you may go. Your mother will be waiting for you at Yongchun Palace." After giving her instructions, Consort Xian left with her palace servants.
"Brother, it's so late, why do we still need to go and pay our respects to Father?" Ye Jingshu asked in confusion after Consort Xian left.
As the eldest princess and the daughter of the Empress, Ye Jingshu was also greatly favored by the Emperor. She could go to Chengqian Palace whenever she wanted, and the Emperor would occasionally visit Chaoyang Palace to see her. Therefore, she had many more opportunities to see the Emperor than the other concubines.
In her view, it was perfectly acceptable to pay respects to the emperor in the morning, so why did she suddenly have to do so late at night?
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