Chapter 103 The Tenth Brother's Lazy Care During the Investigation
The Ninth Prince lowered his head, seemingly engrossed in studying the "Great Learning" under his master's tutelage, but Yin'e, sitting next to him, could clearly see his head nodding little by little, about to droop and hit the table.
"Ninth Brother... Ninth Brother—" Yin'e lowered his voice and softly called out to the Ninth Prince, who was gradually being pulled into a deep sleep.
Seeing that the Ninth Prince did not respond to his calls, Yin'e reached under the table with the Ninth Prince's hand and pinched the soft flesh on the Ninth Prince's waist without any politeness.
Startled awake by a sharp pain in his waist, the Ninth Prince shuddered and shivered, instantly waking up from his drowsy state.
Realizing he had almost fallen asleep, the Ninth Prince suddenly jerked his head up, which had been drooping lower and lower.
As if to prove that he hadn't dozed off, the Ninth Prince actively responded to the teacher who was instructing them on the Great Learning, echoing his teacher's words and enthusiastically participating in the teaching, frequently asking his teacher questions.
The Fifth Prince was startled by the Ninth Prince's unusual behavior and couldn't help but turn his head to look at the Ninth Prince, who had suddenly become so enthusiastic, with surprise and confusion.
Yin'e glanced at the Ninth Prince, but knew that his unusual behavior was nothing more than an attempt to make amends after feeling guilty.
The Fifth Prince, sitting in front, didn't see the Ninth Prince dozing off earlier. Of course, he didn't expect that even after being reminded in advance, the Ninth Prince still almost fell asleep in class.
As Yin'e glanced at the Ninth Prince, his peripheral vision suddenly caught sight of several figures outside the window, causing his heart to skip a beat—anyone who noticed the sudden appearance of people outside the window would be startled for a moment.
Turning his head, Yin'e looked out the window without flinching and saw Kangxi standing outside the school with his hands behind his back.
Alright, the case is solved. It turns out that the busy Emperor Kangxi finally took some time today to come from the Qianqing Palace to inspect the Imperial Study and examine the princes' scholarship.
Previously, Yin'e had said that his biggest nightmare during his school days was turning around to find his homeroom teacher's face pressed against the window. Now, he's reliving that nightmare again; the Kangxi Emperor standing outside the window is far more intimidating than his former homeroom teacher.
Turning back, Yin'e nodded to the Ninth Prince, then looked up at the teacher lecturing on "The Great Learning" with focused attention, listening intently and attentively. He looked incredibly dedicated and focused.
Upon receiving Yin'e's hint, the Ninth Prince sat up straighter, his back ramrod straight, his attitude meticulous, earnest, and devout. Even the most critical person could not find a single fault with him.
Outside the spacious and bright school, Kangxi, standing by the window, looked at Yin'e, who had turned his head away and picked up a book to study diligently. He was both annoyed and amused: "It seems that the Tenth Prince is not focused enough. He is distracted."
Standing behind Kangxi with a slight bow, Liang Jiugong discerned from Kangxi's tone that he was not truly angry, so he smiled and said, "The Tenth Prince has just started studying in the Imperial Study today, and I'm afraid he hasn't fully gotten used to the Imperial Study's schedule yet."
Liang Jiugong's words of persuasion coincided with Kangxi's thoughts. He laughed and stopped caring whether Yin'e had been distracted in class and only then noticed his presence. He strode into the study.
After Kangxi entered the Imperial Study, the princes who were seated in three groups in the classroom, as well as the three tutors who were teaching them, all stood up to greet him. Except for Yin'e and the Ninth Prince, everyone was used to this, which showed that Kangxi was a frequent visitor to the Imperial Study.
After dismissing the three inner attendants, Kangxi kept only his sons behind, intending to carefully examine their knowledge and check their learning progress that day.
Yin'e and the Ninth Prince followed behind the Eighth Prince, hand in hand.
Seeing the imposing manner of Kangxi, the Ninth Prince, who had just been dozing off in class and was feeling guilty, became somewhat flustered. He tightly gripped Yin'e's right hand with his left, wishing he could break the order of seniority and shrink behind Yin'e.
"Don't worry, Ninth Brother." Yin'e pulled the Ninth Prince to keep him from falling behind and whispered comforting words in his ear, "We only entered the Imperial Study today and haven't learned anything yet. Father can't test us."
Besides the introductory texts like the Three Character Classic and the Thousand Character Classic, Yin'e and the Ninth Prince studied the Great Learning from the Four Books and Five Classics, but they only learned the beginning, and their progress was limited to the first two hundred characters of the Great Learning.
Emperor Kangxi wanted to test the knowledge of Yin'e and the Ninth Prince, but even a skilled cook cannot make a meal without rice; after all, he could not test them on articles they had not studied.
What is this called? This is what it means to be invincible when facing an examination if I have an empty mind and nothing to my name.
The Ninth Prince was persuaded by Yin'e. Thinking that the two of them had just studied the opening chapters of "The Great Learning" with the Fifth Prince, the Ninth Prince calmed down and was able to observe Kangxi's assessment of the other princes' studies.
Emperor Kangxi considered the seniority of his sons based on age, with the third prince being the first among them.
Unlike Yin'e and the Ninth Prince, who were academic underachievers, the Third Prince was a rare all-around academic genius among the princes, apart from the Crown Prince. He was a well-rounded individual with no weaknesses.
Faced with Emperor Kangxi's question, the learned and talented Third Prince was confident and calm.
He answered all the simple questions fluently and meaningfully, without becoming flustered or nervous in front of his father, so that his mind went blank and he couldn't even recall the most basic knowledge for a moment.
Even when faced with more difficult questions that he couldn't answer immediately, the Third Prince remained calm. He pondered for a moment, quickly organized his thoughts, sorted out his ideas, and articulated his words with exquisite precision, readily recalling various allusions, and answered Kangxi's questions fluently.
The Third Prince's academic performance was top-notch in the Imperial Study, surpassing that of the other princes. This was not only because the Third Prince was older and had studied for a longer period, but also because he was indeed very talented.
But as Kangxi continued to test the Third Prince, Yin'e suddenly discovered that Kangxi was also very knowledgeable.
When Kangxi tested the Third Prince, he would ask questions off the cuff, all about what the Third Prince was currently studying. This shows that Kangxi had memorized the classics and historical texts thoroughly, which allowed him to assess the princes' learning progress in a targeted manner.
To achieve this, one must either have a photographic memory, still remembering the Four Books and Five Classics, histories, philosophical works, and literary collections he studied in his youth; or one must have been a voracious reader, never forgetting to revisit classic works and consolidate his previous knowledge despite his busy schedule and numerous affairs.
Yin'e believed that Kangxi possessed both qualities. He not only had a good memory but also frequently reviewed the classics and historical texts, which enabled him to maintain such a high level of literary cultivation and knowledge even after ruling for many years.
Yin'e always complained that Kangxi was a strict father who pushed his children too hard, but he never did to others what he himself would not have them do to him.
On the contrary, Emperor Kangxi always set an example by doing so himself – whether it was doing it three times seven times or one hundred and twenty times, he could do it when he was studying. Therefore, he naturally asked his sons to do the same, follow his example, and study diligently and attentively in the Imperial Study.
The Third Prince's performance was impeccable, and Emperor Kangxi was very satisfied. Overjoyed, he praised the Third Prince several times and rewarded him with many gifts.
This made the Third Prince beam with joy. When he stepped aside, he was as bright and radiant as if he were radiating light. Even the half of his bald head was shiny, which perfectly demonstrated what it means to be radiant and dazzling.
The Emperor Kangxi spent a considerable amount of time testing the Third Prince. Sitting in a spacious chair, he took a sip of Biluochun tea to moisten his throat before continuing to examine the Fourth Prince's scholarship.
The Fourth Prince's studies were considered to be of a high standard even in the Imperial Study.
He was not as talented as the Third Prince, but he was diligent, studious, and hardworking. Therefore, although the Fourth Prince was nearly two years younger than the Third Prince, his abilities were only slightly inferior to the Third Prince's.
The dragon has nine sons, each different from the other. Although the Fourth Prince and the Third Prince were close in age, brothers who studied together in the Imperial Study since childhood, their styles were worlds apart.
The Fourth Prince's words were as steady and upright as his character, and he was pragmatic. Unlike the Third Prince, who used flowery language and liked to quote classical texts when answering questions, the Fourth Prince preferred to use examples to support his answers.
However, the Fourth Prince had grown up in the deep palace since childhood and was not yet of age to go out of the palace to perform official duties. He lacked experience and could not give many examples, so although he answered many questions, his answers seemed dry and uninspired.
Emperor Kangxi was not as satisfied with the Fourth Prince's answer as he was with the Third Prince, but he did not blame him. He simply encouraged the Fourth Prince and provided him with a list of books to study in the future.
While he may have been known for his strict parenting style, Emperor Kangxi's ability to raise his children was undeniably exceptional. Of all the princes and princesses in the palace, only the Crown Prince was personally raised and taught by Kangxi, and the Crown Prince's outstanding qualities were evident to everyone both inside and outside the palace.
After the Fourth Prince, it was the Fifth Prince's turn.
When Emperor Kangxi tested the Fifth Prince's studies, the tone suddenly changed—no, it's not so much a change in tone as a sudden drop in the scope of knowledge that Kangxi was testing. Not only did it revert to the Four Books and Five Classics, but it was also the first chapter, "The Great Learning."
Seeing the Fifth Prince stammering and struggling to answer each question under Kangxi's questioning, Yin'e and the Ninth Prince exchanged a glance and saw the despair in each other's eyes.
They couldn't help but feel a pang of sorrow, as if they could see their own future reflected in it.
Many of the questions raised by Emperor Kangxi were unanswerable to them, as they lacked clear answers.
The Fifth Prince's learning progress was similar to theirs. Perhaps in a few days it would be their turn to rack their brains under Kangxi's test, but their minds were blank and they couldn't answer a single question.
Fortunately, Yin'e and the Ninth Prince don't have to suffer this hardship today. Not only is it their first day of school, but there are also the Seventh Prince and the Eighth Prince ahead of them in line. Kangxi might forget about them and not include them in the senior princes' line.
Yin'e had a bit of a jinx about him. Perhaps considering that the Fifth Prince, Yin'e, and the Ninth Prince were learning at almost the same pace, after the Fifth Prince got stuck again, Kangxi turned his attention to Yin'e and the Ninth Prince, signaling them to answer the question together with the Fifth Prince.
Whether it was Yin'e's imagination or not, he always felt that Kangxi treated him better than the Ninth Prince, always asking him to answer more difficult questions instead of the older Ninth Prince.
After a while, Yin'e belatedly realized that it wasn't a misperception; Kangxi was indeed giving him special "care."
But why? Yin'e was a little confused for a moment, until he inadvertently turned his head and looked out the window and realized: Kangxi did not notice that the Ninth Prince was dozing off in class, but he caught him looking around!
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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 2023-04-10 14:32:20 and 2023-04-10 23:10:47!
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