Chapter 100 The Bitter Studying At just before 3:30 AM, Hongyan was...
Before 3:30 a.m., Hongyan was woken up from his bed. He groggily got up, dressed, and put on his shoes. Someone quickly brought in water and a handkerchief to help him wash his face and rinse his mouth. After he finished getting ready and went to the outer room, breakfast was already laid out.
Hongyan began to eat, first drinking a few mouthfuls of porridge, then having some steamed buns and side dishes. While eating, he heard Jiang Zhong report that his two older brothers, Hongxi and Hongjin, in the front yard had already gotten up and were probably having their meal as well. After finishing his porridge, Hongyan wiped his mouth, took the small schoolbag that was brought to him, and went out the door.
It was quite windy outside today; as soon as he poked his head out, he felt his hat was about to be blown away. Hongyan shivered involuntarily and hurriedly moved to the front.
As soon as he stepped out of the backyard, he heard his elder brother Hongxi's voice coming from the east wing. Listening carefully, it sounded like he was reciting a text. He didn't go in to disturb him, but turned and went to the west side. When he saw Hongjin, he immediately called out, "Second Brother."
Hong Jin had just finished breakfast and was wiping his hands when he saw Hong Yan coming over. He asked, "Have you finished eating? Are you full?" From morning reading to class, it lasted until noon. There was no time to eat in between. He couldn't hold on if he didn't eat a full meal.
Hongyan nodded and replied, "I'm full." He then patted his small backpack, adding, "It's okay if I get hungry, I have some snacks inside."
Hong Jin was amused, but before he could speak, the eunuch San Tang beside him said, "Your Highness, the eldest prince has come out." He interrupted him, stood up, and beckoned Hong Yan to go out, saying, "The eldest brother is out, let's go."
After the two brothers came out, they saw Hongxi standing in the courtyard with his men. They exchanged greetings and then hurried towards the Qianqing Palace. Because they had set off early and it wasn't yet spring, it was still dark outside. Led by a eunuch carrying lanterns, the group made their way to the Imperial Study in the south wing of the Qianqing Palace at a leisurely pace. Hongxi and Hongjin were not in the same room as Hongyan, so the three parted ways.
Hongyan's classroom was in one of the side rooms. Walking in, I found a few little ones already there. Soon, almost all the students had arrived. Most of those studying there were Hongyan's cousins, such as Hongjing from the Third Prince's family, Hongshi from the Fourth Prince's family... There were also a few members of the imperial family accompanying him. They all greeted Hongyan when they saw him.
Hongyan smiled and cupped his hands in greeting before beginning his reading. The morning reading session ended around 10 PM. Soon after, classes began—three periods in the morning with only a 15-minute break in between. During this break, Hongyan took out the box he had brought from his bag. Upon seeing it, the boys all gathered around him.
This box contained bite-sized pastries, such as baked cookies and small red date cakes. Today, Hongyan brought thumb-sized, milky-flavored steamed buns. The kitchen staff packed two boxes for him. He instructed a eunuch to send one box to his two older brothers next door, and he ate the other box himself, one by one. After eating a small handful, he generously shared them with the others. Having eaten these, he felt full and could concentrate on the rest of the lesson.
After morning classes, it was time for lunch. If their father asked about their studies, Hongyan would happily follow his two older brothers to Yuqing Palace, where they would have lunch and take a nap. If their father was busy, they would return to the east courtyard of Xiefang Hall. After their midday nap, it was time for martial arts practice.
Despite the freezing weather, a group of people were still practicing horse stances and boxing at the arrow pavilion, listening to Anda explain the key points of kung fu. And you know what? After a few shouts and movements, they warmed up in no time.
The martial arts training sessions continued until 3 p.m., at which point the day's classes were considered over.
But that wasn't all. Even though class was over, there was still homework to do. Many students started packing up their things, taking their books to go home and do their assignments. But Hongyan wasn't in a hurry to leave; instead, he stayed and started practicing calligraphy. He didn't want to go home alone, but his two older brothers wouldn't leave!
Hongyan took a deep breath and calmly began to do his homework. He wrote several pages in Chinese, Manchu, and Mongolian, with two more rounds of Mongolian writing left unfinished. He felt tired; his wrists ached from practicing martial arts and writing, so he decided to go back and rest before continuing.
Thinking this, Hongyan packed his small bag and went to find his brothers. Sure enough, when he entered the next room, he saw his two older brothers writing. Hongyan ran over to Hongjin and peeked over, only to find that Hongjin wasn't writing, but painting ink flowers and birds.
Hongyan's eyes widened in surprise: ?!
Hongjin:......
Hong Jin was a little embarrassed. His younger brother had seen him secretly drawing these pictures, so he chuckled awkwardly, coughed in a mock manner, and then covered his drawings with the paper.
Hongyan asked in a low voice, "Second brother, is this the homework the teacher assigned you?"
Hong Jin, afraid that he would expose Hong Yan's secret, quickly changed the subject: "The snacks today were delicious, but they were too small." Unlike Hong Xi, he didn't care about rules, so he ate the whole box of round little steamed buns. Afraid that Hong Xi would hear, he whispered to Hong Yan: "I'll bring Sachima tomorrow, and we can take turns eating it."
Hongyan nodded immediately upon hearing this.
After a while, Hongxi, who was writing, stopped writing, looked up and said to Hongjin and Hongyan, "Alright, let's pack up and get ready to leave."
The three brothers then left the Imperial Study. Unfortunately, Grand Secretary Li Guangdi had just come out of the Qianqing Palace and bumped into the three of them. They exchanged greetings.
Li Guangdi immediately made way for the three of them. However, Hongxi said, "Please go first, Lord Li."
Li Guangdi said, "Your subject dares not, Your Highness, please go first." After several rounds of refusals, Hongxi finally left with Hongjin and Hongyan.
Li Guangdi watched the retreating figures of the three princes in the Eastern Palace and couldn't help but let out a long sigh. Although many outsiders felt that the Eastern Palace was currently unstable, in his opinion, the more the Crown Prince favored the Emperor, the more stable the Eastern Palace would be. He thought of the Lantern Festival gifts that the Crown Prince had recently sent, which were rumored to have been given because the Crown Prince saw his youngest son enter the Imperial Study and was reminded of his own school days.
Tsk, it seems the Crown Prince has finally realized his mistake; even when bestowing favors, he'll find a legitimate reason. It's just a pity, though; now anyone who dares to curry favor with the Eastern Palace is doomed.
Li Guangdi shook his head slightly. However, he had once served as the Crown Prince's teacher, so there was no need to rush to get closer to him.
Thinking of this, he chuckled softly: "Xu Yuanmeng, Xu Yuanmeng, you really weren't born in a good time." But then he considered that the Emperor had become increasingly benevolent in recent years, and who knew he might remember him and use him again someday. However, this might damage the Crown Prince's reputation. Although it was the Emperor's will to punish Xu Yuanmeng back then, it was indeed the Crown Prince who carried out the punishment.
Alas, Your Highness...
At this moment, Hongyan followed his two older brothers to Xiefang Hall. After entering the outer courtyard, Hongyan bid farewell to his brothers. He hadn't been to the west front courtyard for several days, and he missed his younger siblings and mother. But as soon as he entered, he overheard his mother lying to Hongchao and Moyaqi!
Cheng Qianyue: "Going to the study to read is something only older children can do. You are still young, it's too early for you to want to go to school."
Hongyan felt that these words sounded so familiar! After thinking about it carefully, he realized that this was what his mother had told him when he was a child. At that time, he thought that going to the Imperial Study was a very fun thing, but now he had been studying outside for quite some time and had seen the true face of studying.
Cheng Qianyue waved to Hongyan eagerly as he entered from outside. Hongyan had been practicing martial arts, and despite his sore and aching legs, he had persevered and come this way. After that, Cheng Qianyue stopped him from coming back so often. He was already tired enough outside; if he didn't have anything else to do, he should rest well in the east side. He could just come over every few days to talk and chat with her.
Cheng Qianyue asked him, "Are you still hungry after class this morning?" Last time Hongyan came back, he complained to her that he ate breakfast early and was hungry before the morning classes were over, so he couldn't finish the last class and was both hungry and sleepy. So after that, Cheng Qianyue asked the kitchen to make some snacks that could be stored for a while in the morning, such as dry and hard biscuits or some easy-to-eat square cakes, so that Hongyan could take them to the study.
Hongyan replied, "I ate something along the way and didn't feel hungry anymore."
At this moment, Hongchao asked excitedly, "Third Brother, is the study room fun?" Moyaqi also stared at Hongchao with great curiosity.
Under Cheng Qianyue's tense gaze, Hongyan smiled slowly: "It's fun. There are many brothers of the same age, we learn a lot of languages, and we even practice boxing outside." As he said this, he started speaking in a foreign language and even gestured a few times in front of Hongchao and Moyaqi.
I must say, it actually looks pretty convincing.
Hongchao and Moyaqi were immediately captivated and applauded their brother enthusiastically. Cheng Qianyue breathed a sigh of relief and exchanged a glance with Hongyan. Both mother and son seemed to have done something wrong but remained silent about it.
After the family of four finished their meal, Hongchao and Moyaqi returned to their rooms. Hongyan then said to Cheng Qianyue with a particularly resentful tone, "Mother, you are really too mean."
Cheng Qianyue had long forgotten what had just happened and asked in confusion, "What happened?"
Hongyan muttered like a ghost: "Studying and practicing martial arts are no fun at all!"
Cheng Qianyue quickly realized what was going on and, in the blink of an eye, turned the tables on Hongyan: "Who was it that just said going to the Imperial Study was fun? Not only did they say it, but they also gave a lot of examples."
Hongyan: ......
Cheng Qianyue smiled broadly, and after she finished smiling, she gently asked him, "Did something happen outside? Tell your mother, and your mother will help you find a solution."
Hongyan waved his hand dismissively, "It's nothing at all." Everyone he studied with treated him extremely well; no one ever competed with him for anything in the Imperial Study, and even when the teacher called on him to answer questions, he was always the first to be called. Hongyan confidently declared, "I am the best student in the room."
Cheng Qianyue thought to herself, "You really dare to say that. Maybe it's someone else who's been taught by their family not to mess with the children of the Crown Prince." But she wasn't in a hurry to point it out. She wanted the child to figure it out himself. If he couldn't figure it out, then it wouldn't be too late for her to expose him. She couldn't let Hongyan develop an arrogant personality like his father.
He nodded casually a couple of times and said, "You think I'm bad? I think you're pretty much the same. Who was it that helped me coax your younger brother and sister just now?"
Hongyan couldn't help but chuckle: Brothers and sisters, we'll share joys and sorrows!
Cheng Qianyue continued, "Have you finished your homework for today? If not, go back and finish it. The sooner you finish, the sooner you can rest."
Hongyan agreed and walked outside, but before leaving, he said, "The teacher said there will be a private exam at the end of this month, and I guarantee I will come back with first place."
Cheng Qianyue said "okay," patted his shoulder to encourage him, and said, "Then your mother will be waiting for you to get first place." Then she saw Hongyan nod confidently, his eyes shining.
When the last day of the month finally arrived, Hongyan returned home dejectedly, like a defeated general. He said unhappily, "Mother, I broke my promise. I came in second place."
Cryo(╥﹏╥)o
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