After parting ways with Chaolu at Youjian Teahouse, Ye Jingchen went to Linyuan Bookstore and Tiangong Pavilion for a stroll.
The bookstore was crowded with people, both those who read and those who could read. It looked lively, but it was actually very quiet, with only the sound of pages turning.
Tiangong Pavilion is also very quiet, but the quietness here is because it is almost deserted.
But Ye Jingchen caught a truant kid here.
Ye Jingning was intently assembling a model of a loft.
The attic was as tall as a person and already had a rough outline.
Ye Jingchen knew about this pavilion. About a year ago, someone exchanged a model of this pavilion for eight hundred taels of silver at Tiangong Pavilion.
Eight hundred taels of silver could buy a house in a relatively remote area of the capital.
But in reality, Ye Jingchen still made a profit from this deal.
Because this attic model didn't use a single nail, and all the joints were connected by mortise and tenon joints, it was even more stable than if it had used nails.
This exquisite craftsmanship left all the artisans in the Tiangong Pavilion in awe.
After receiving the attic model, they didn't dare to try to disassemble it, because they were worried that they wouldn't be able to put it back together.
After Ye Jingning learned about this, he set his sights on the attic and wanted to demolish it.
The people of Tiangong Pavilion naturally dared not let him take action, so Ye Jingning, who hadn't written to him for a year and a half, wrote him a letter for the first time, seeking his consent.
No matter how exquisite a loft model is, its core value lies in its mortise and tenon structure, and to understand the secrets behind it, you must disassemble the model.
Therefore, Ye Jingchen agreed to Ye Jingning's request.
Later, the people from Tiangong Pavilion sent him a message saying that Ye Jingning spent three months just dismantling the model of this pavilion, and after that, he spent several more months studying the mortise and tenon structure. He only started trying to assemble it a few months ago.
What you see before you is probably the result of his work over the past few months.
Ye Jingning was so engrossed in assembling the model that he didn't even notice someone approaching.
After watching for a while, Ye Jingning, annoyed that the newcomer's position was blocking the light, told the person to move aside.
When he chased people away, he didn't even raise his head.
"Little Jingning, shouldn't it be class time now? Can you tell your brother why you're at the Heavenly Craft Pavilion right now?" Ye Jingchen asked gently.
Upon hearing the familiar voice, Ye Jingning froze. After a long while, he finally raised his head and looked at Ye Jingchen.
Upon closer inspection, it was discovered that although the person in front of him had the emperor's voice, he looked completely different from the emperor.
Since she doesn't look like her elder brother, she'll just ignore it.
Ye Jingning's mind was completely blank except for the model of the attic in front of him.
He didn't want to talk to this person, but the other person was standing in his way.
"You're blocking my light!" he said again, displeased.
"You want to pretend you don't know me? Are you sure? I am the owner of this Heavenly Craft Pavilion. With just one word from me, you will be kicked out and never be able to come back!" Ye Jingchen threatened with a smile.
Ye Jingning stared in disbelief at the unfamiliar face before him, and had no choice but to submit.
"Classes are boring," he said listlessly, his head hanging down.
Ye Jingchen took the opportunity to reach out and pat his head, "That's no excuse for skipping class!"
"What excuse can I use to skip class?" Ye Jingning immediately looked up and asked sincerely, eager to try.
"No reason will do!" Ye Jingchen decisively extinguished his hope.
"Brother, may I not study?" Ye Jingning was not easily defeated and asked again.
"No! He must study until he is fifteen!" Ye Jingchen said.
Ye Jingning immediately wilted, looking utterly dejected.
"From now on, the people from Tiangong Pavilion won't let you in during class time," Ye Jingchen added with a smile.
These words were a complete shock; Ye Jingning felt as if the sky had fallen.
"Of course, don't even think about coming after class. By the time you finish class, Tiangong Pavilion will be closed."
The palace gates would be locked at dusk, and it was far too unsafe for a small child to be outside at night!
The sky collapsed, the earth caved in, and Ye Jingning was filled with despair.
"Brother, you can't do this to me!" Ye Jingning tugged at Ye Jingchen's sleeve, looking at him as if he were a heartless man.
"Your main task now is to study. Practice is important, but it also needs theoretical support. If you don't have a solid foundation of knowledge, it will be difficult to become a master craftsman!"
"Come on, let's go back to the palace! Before you turn fifteen, you can only enter the Heavenly Crafts Pavilion on your days off!"
Ye Jingning stared at the attic model that he had spent several months assembling and was only halfway done, his eyes filled with reluctance, and his feet seemed to be nailed to the ground.
"I will have this model sealed away. Only you can move it. Even if you're not here, no one can destroy it!"
Upon hearing this, Ye Jingning's expression finally softened a little.
Ye Jingchen took the opportunity to drag the person out of Tiangong Pavilion.
He had originally planned to go back later, but now that he had caught the truant brat, he had no choice but to take him back to the palace first.
When Ye Jingchen escorted Ye Jingning back to Wenhua Hall, the archery lesson had just ended.
He had already removed the masks from his face by this time. When Ye Jingyan saw him appear with Ye Jingning, she laughed loudly, her gloating expression on her face.
As for Ye Jing'an, he didn't laugh in front of them, but when his back was to them, his shoulders shrugged, which meant he was definitely chuckling to himself.
Ye Jingchen found Mr. Wu, who taught them archery and horsemanship, and told him in front of the three children that if anyone skipped class again, they could report it to the emperor or go to him.
Ye Jingyan's laughter stopped abruptly.
After dealing with the matter of his son skipping school, Ye Jingchen returned to the East Palace, just in time for dinner.
Ye Jinghe brought his revised drawings to the meal.
After reviewing the blueprints, Ye Jingchen realized that Ye Jinghe had indeed changed the style of the side courtyard and the main courtyard. However, the design of other parts of the mansion had also changed significantly, all revolving around the side hall and emphasizing it.
This layout is actually bad feng shui and will 'harm the owner', but Ye Jingchen knows that this is already the biggest concession Ye Jinghe has made.
The three-day holiday passed in the blink of an eye. Just thinking about having to get up early for court tomorrow made Ye Jingchen feel terrible, and he didn't even have an appetite for dinner.
"If brother doesn't want to go to court, he can't go. What can he do to him?" Ye Jinghe advised.
"That won't do. If I don't go, Father will be very angry."
In this era, the roles of ruler and subject, father and son, must always be prioritized over those of father and son.
That night, Ye Jingchen went to bed early. The next day, he still couldn't wake up on time and was woken up by Fangfei.
"Your Highness, Deputy Commander Xie arrived at the East Palace early this morning to take his duty and is currently waiting at the entrance of the sleeping quarters," Fangfei said as she helped him wash up.
It took Ye Jingchen a moment to realize that Deputy Commander Xie was referring to Xie Chang'an. He hadn't seen Xie Chang'an for three days and missed him terribly.
"Let him in," Ye Jingchen casually instructed.
Fangcao went to call for help, but not only Xie Chang'an entered, but also Ye Jinghe, who looked wary and on high alert.
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