Silence fell over the study.
Li Ting was deep in thought, while Xiao Sheng sat quietly. How could a six-year-old child know what to do?
Now, the Li family is all he can rely on.
He believed Li Xingran, that young girl's heartfelt words, and he had an inexplicable trust in the Li family.
As for the Zhao family, no one from the Zhao family came to visit him after he turned six.
He did meet his maternal grandfather in Zhao Yunwan Palace, but his grandfather shook his head repeatedly when he saw him.
Xiao Sheng couldn't understand why the Zhao family members all looked at him with that expression.
But he's only six years old, and he only thinks about good food and fun things, and he doesn't know how to compete for attention.
The second prince could already compose poetry, while he couldn't even understand the rules of poetry. He simply thought the second prince was exceptionally intelligent, while he was too stupid.
It doesn't matter if he can't compose poetry. The palace servants said that since he would be the emperor in the future, many things would naturally be done by ministers and servants.
He believed it.
Now it seems that everyone in the palace was deceiving him. His second brother entered the Imperial Academy, while the emperor didn't even mention him.
Seeing his second brother leave early and return late every day, and Zhao Yunwan checking his studies every night, he couldn't help but feel envious.
But no one helped him plan, and Zhao Yunwan spoiled him so much that he became arrogant, disdainful of others, and unambitious.
No one had ever told him that princes had to start learning royal etiquette at the age of three or four and were not allowed to be too close to palace maids.
He spent his days in Zhao Yunwan's palace, led by several sycophantic palace maids and eunuchs, playing like a wild country child.
If it weren't for that day when an incredibly ugly eunuch tied him up and took him to an abandoned house, where he was verbally abused and told him many things he didn't understand, he wouldn't have known that the Crown Prince had a special tutor.
Although he had been spoiled, Xiao Sheng still felt that he should have a tutor. That's why he went to the emperor crying and said that he also wanted to go to the Imperial Academy.
The emperor then remembered the promise he had made to Zhao Yunshu.
Zhao Yunshu wanted Li Ting to become Xiao Sheng's tutor, which suited his purposes perfectly. This would make it much easier to pin a crime on Li Ting.
For the past three years, Li Ting has kept a low profile and rarely interacted with court officials.
His sons are studying at Tingquan Villa, and I heard they are all doing quite well.
We can't let the Li family produce any more talented people.
That's why, on the day Li Xingran was born, Eunuch Zheng led Xiao Sheng to the Li family to pay respects to the Grand Tutor.
Thanks to that ugly eunuch, he regained some clarity for a moment. And thanks to his visit to the Li family that day, he heard Li Xingran's innermost thoughts.
Otherwise, Xiao Sheng would have spent countless more years indulging in eating, drinking, and having fun.
I'm afraid that once Xiao Ding has gained enough power, he will really become cannon fodder.
Because the emperor's harem now only contains his two sons, him and his second brother. In his spare time, he had overheard the gossipy palace maids and eunuchs discussing it. He had never paid attention to it before, but now, thinking back, every single thing they had done was a scheme.
However, in the vast palace, he never heard a single word about his mother. Even if he had, he probably would have just laughed it off in his carefree state.
Xiao Sheng hated himself. He pounded his head and wept silently.
Li Ting had also made up his mind. Seeing Xiao Sheng's appearance, he came over and hugged him.
A poor child born into royalty, a lonely person with no one to help him.
This was the first time in Li Ting's life that he had taken on a student.
His literary talent was fleeting; Nan Chen estimates that no one remembers him anymore, even though he almost became the top scholar in the imperial examination.
If Ruan Ruan's words come true in the end, then the Li family really has to plan for the Crown Prince. For the sake of the Li family, they must find a way out!
However, this crown prince probably needs to be observed further.
If Xiao Sheng is truly hopeless, the Li family should withdraw as soon as possible and prepare a foolproof plan.
Li Ting held Xiao Sheng in his arms and gently comforted him.
"You are the Crown Prince, and your every word and action represents the royal family. Although it is too cruel for a six-year-old child to see the royal family clearly, I hope that when you are in the palace, you will walk on thin ice and think twice before you act."
"In addition, your mother must have had some useful palace servants during her lifetime. You should go and find them."
"I can't help you with these things. Because after your mother entered the palace, she rarely contacted your master's wife. I'm afraid you don't even know that your mother is your master's wife's junior sister, right?"
Xiao Sheng shook his head. He had almost no memory of his relatives, especially his mother's relatives.
It was as if, from the moment he was born, he considered the relatives of the second prince as his relatives, and no one from his mother's side ever appeared.
He suddenly thought of the strangely-looking eunuch.
"Grand Tutor, I know where to begin."
"I will leave the palace for ten days each month to study at your residence. During the rest of the time, please assign me tasks, and I will study hard."
"Hmm, no rush. You're only six years old, it's not too late to start your education now. Don't worry too much, with the Grand Tutor here, he'll help you."
"The students will go back first."
"Wait a minute. If someone arranges palace maids for you when you return to the palace today, leave them there for now! You really should rein in your temper."
"Treat your servants with a balance of kindness and strictness, and don't just drive them around and beat them. Focus your attention on your studies, and don't worry about anything else for now."
"The student will respectfully follow the Grand Tutor's teachings."
After Xiao Sheng left the Li family, Li Ting went to check if Li Xingran was asleep.
Finding the mother and daughter fast asleep, he sat in the study, recalling the thoughts he had heard from Ruan Ruan.
I have a feeling that Empress Zhao Yunwan, the Zhao family, and the Great Yue Kingdom are weaving a huge net, and the emperor seems to have become an accomplice.
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