The young eunuch had nowhere to hide. His petty schemes completely seen through, he was utterly desperate.
But Zhou Zhi said, “Rest assured, I won’t make things difficult for you.”
Zhong Qing was startled. Zhou Zhi continued, “I’ve finally gotten myself an attendant. If he were to drop dead immediately, it would only further confirm that I am an ill-omened figure.”
“Thank you, Your Highness! Thank you for your mercy!” Zhong Qing hastily kowtowed again.
Zhou Zhi then pointed at the two corpses. “I recall there’s Yonghe Palace nearby… and a well somewhere around there, isn’t there?”
Zhong Qing’s eyes flickered. “Yes! There was a well here before, the one they fished a palace maid’s corpse out of… This slave will go at once…”
He scrambled up, walked over to the two bodies. Despite his slight size, he proved to have considerable strength, hauling one of the corpses up and turning to drag it away.
Zhou Zhi leaned against the wall and waited. He watched Zhong Qing make two trips back and forth, and soon the ground was clear.
Zhong Qing used his outer robe to smooth over the mess left on the snowy ground.
On his way back each time, he had walked while using the robe to erase his footprints in the snow. With another layer of fresh snowfall, it would be a seamless disappearance.
Having completed all this, his face was slightly flushed. He returned before Zhou Zhi and bowed. “Fifth Prince, it’s all been taken care of.”
“Put your clothes back on.”
Zhong Qing acknowledged and hurriedly threw the garment on, his face betraying a lingering unease.
Zhou Zhi waited until he’d tied his sash, then took a step forward. He paused, turning his head slightly. “Xiao Zhong… your name is a good one.”
“Thank you, Your Highness…”
Before he could finish, Zhou Zhi said, “I know those two men humiliated you, and you’ve long wanted revenge. You are also the first person by my side, so this time, I’ll overlook it due to extenuating circumstances. But only this once. If there is a next time—you know.”
A chill crawled up Zhong Qing’s spine. He hurriedly knelt again. “Your Highness! This slave absolutely would not dare to do such a thing again!”
Zhou Zhi raised his head, looking into the distance. The Palace of Cloud Construction lay ahead. He said, “You are also perfectly free to go and report that I killed them. But think carefully about who sent them. You likely know better than I. As for why those people would want to send someone to deal with me… if you go to report, you’ll inevitably have to reveal this layer of the story. Do you think those people would spare your life?”
Cold sweat nearly poured from Zhong Qing’s forehead. He pressed his brow hard against the snow. “This slave would never dare! This slave will obey the Fifth Prince in all things. From this day forward, this slave’s life is yours to command. If Your Highness wills me to live, I live. If Your Highness wills me to die, without a second word, I shall immediately die.”
When the two arrived at the Imperial Study, before they even entered, a clamor of noise reached them. It was extremely lively.
It turned out that the Emperor had recently decreed that the sons and younger relatives of the capital’s princes, dukes, and noble houses could also be selected to attend the Imperial Study. This was called a grant of favor, but in essence, it was also an opportunity to accompany the princes in their studies.
Those from wealthy and powerful families with official connections naturally jumped at the chance, vying with each other to be chosen.
Thus, the study hall was now far more bustling with activity than before.
As Zhou Zhi entered, he saw several youths gathered around Zhou Jin, chattering excitedly about something. All of them were beaming with delight, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
When they noticed Zhou Zhi walk in, their expressions shifted. They quickly dispersed.
Zhou Jin looked left and right. “Class hasn’t even started yet. Why is everyone suddenly leaving?”
A young nobleman of twelve or thirteen behind him peeked out and said, “I haven’t finished memorizing the text Grand Tutor Zhao assigned for recitation yet. And now, with a show-off like that here, it just makes the rest of us look even duller. If we don’t do some last-minute cramming, when the Grand Tutor calls on us later, we’ll be scolded again.”
Zhou Jin laughed. “You actually know about last-minute cramming? What were you doing earlier?”
The young man flattered him, saying, “If we were as brilliant as Your Highness the Third Prince, able to recite perfectly after just a few readings, we wouldn’t have to suffer like this.”
Another young lady chimed in with a coy complaint, “Does Your Highness have some secret to memorization? Please, do share it! Just yesterday, my palm was struck several times, and it’s still swollen now.”
Zhou Jin listened with glee, but his eyes kept darting towards the entrance. Finally, he saw a figure move outside the doorway. It was Yu Jun.
He promptly abandoned the group and rushed over to greet her.
Ru Ning was removing Yu Jun’s hat and unfastening her cloak, about to hand over her book-box, when Zhou Jin intercepted it. “Let me do it.”
Yu Jun said, “Thank you, Third Prince, but there’s no need—” She tried to take it back, but Zhou Jin had already carried it over to her seat, saying, “So late today? Any later and Grand Tutor Zhao would have arrived. Then you’d be reprimanded for sure.”
The young lady and gentleman who had been chatting with Zhou Jin earlier exchanged glances and hurriedly lowered their heads to study.
Yu Jun smiled. “I made it halfway before realizing I’d forgotten something. Had to go back and fetch it. At least I wasn’t late.”
“What could you possibly have forgotten?” Zhou Jin set the book-box down for her, showing no sign of leaving.
Yu Jun replied, “It’s nothing important. A lesson learned, I suppose. Just means I’ll be even more careful from now on.”
As she spoke, she glanced around. Seeing everyone was present, she specifically looked towards the back and noticed Zhou Zhi already absorbed in his book.
Yu Jun quickly took out her own book. Seeing Zhou Jin’s composed, confident demeanor, she asked, “Did you memorize all your texts? Everyone’s cramming. You should too. Don’t get called on later.”
Zhou Jin grinned. “I’m more afraid of not getting called on.”
Yu Jun looked puzzled. Just then, Grand Tutor Zhao entered. Seeing Zhou Jin standing out like a crane among chickens, he coughed pointedly.
Only then did Zhou Jin return to his seat. As expected, Grand Tutor Zhao decided to test the results of yesterday’s lesson. He called upon Zhou Jin to recite. Zhou Jin cleared his throat: “The lamb-skin coat, the leopard-skin cuffs! Self-important and arrogant you are. Are there no others? It is only for your sake…” He recited it with ease, calm and unhurried.
Zhou Jin had never been one particularly fond of book-learning, but recently—for some unknown reason—his attitude had completely reversed.
Second Prince Zhou Xiao smirked. Others might think Zhou Jin was naturally brilliant, but only he knew the truth: for this moment of glory, someone had been burning the midnight oil last night, yet pretended it was effortless.
And what had spurred Zhou Jin to such diligence? It was, of course, Zhou Zhi.
Since Zhou Zhi’s arrival, the various tutors had praised him endlessly. The others had all been comfortably slack, but compared against Zhou Zhi, they became worthless fools in their instructors’ eyes. How could Zhou Jin swallow that indignity? Especially in front of Yu Jun—how could he let Zhou Zhi steal the spotlight?
Consort De was fully aware of this transformation. In private, she couldn’t stop praising the Third Prince to the Emperor, calling him a prodigy who had finally found his drive. Before, she would scrape the bottom of the barrel to find something to praise about Zhou Jin—even if he just ate an extra mouthful of rice, she’d laud him for days. Now that he truly had merit, naturally she made sure word of it spread from the front court to the rear palace.
Zhou Jin finished his extended, flowing recitation and glanced around arrogantly, exuding the air of an invincible warrior.
But in the very next moment, Grand Tutor Zhao called on Yu Jun.
Yu Jun had been exhausted the previous night and gone to bed early. She had only memorized two lines. Standing up, she faltered and stumbled, her recitation choppy and halting, until finally, she herself couldn’t help but laugh.
Grand Tutor Zhao’s face darkened. He slammed his disciplinary ruler against his palm. “Disgraceful! You cannot even recite your text, and you dare to laugh!”
He badly wanted to chastise Yu Jun, but her status was special, beloved by both Emperor and Empress. He needed an ironclad excuse. Just then, he spotted Zhou Zhi sitting upright and prim in the back. “Even the Third Prince has learned diligence, yet you instead fall behind… Let us see how someone who entered the Imperial Study later than you performs.”
But Zhou Zhi, having barely started his recitation, stopped and said, “Grand Tutor, forgive me. This student was negligent.”
Grand Tutor Zhao’s scheme fell flat. Embarrassed, he turned anger into fury. “In one’s conduct and endeavors, the most taboo sin is pride and self-satisfaction. No doubt because you were praised before, you’ve become puffed up and arrogant. Truly deserving of punishment.”
He immediately summoned Zhou Zhi forward. Seeing his right hand still bore unhealed injuries, he delivered several harsh smacks to Zhou Zhi’s left hand. Zhou Zhi made not a single sound.
Yu Jun watched, heart in her throat. If it weren’t for Zhou Zhi, those strikes from the ruler would undoubtedly have fallen on her.
But… for the past several days, Zhou Zhi had always answered everything flawlessly. Today, of all days…
Zhou Jin also sensed something was off, but he was still grateful Yu Jun hadn’t taken the blows. Otherwise, his grand display today would not only have been for nothing—it would have been utterly wrong. A sense of disgruntlement lingered in his heart.
After class, Yu Jun looked back at Zhou Zhi. He seemed perfectly fine, still absorbed in his book.
She rose and walked over to him. “Does your hand still hurt?”
Zhou Zhi hastily stood up. “Fifth Sister, I’m fine.”
“Let me see.”
Zhou Zhi shook his head. Yu Jun tugged at his sleeve, and only then did he slowly extend his hand.
Grand Tutor Zhao had struck heavily, intending to make an example. Zhou Zhi’s palm was already somewhat swollen. Yu Jun stared at it and asked softly, “Did you truly not memorize it… or did you do it on purpose?”
Zhou Zhi lowered his head and laughed gently. “I… I truly didn’t memorize it.”
Yu Jun looked at his expression, and her heart understood everything clearly. “Why deliberately seek suffering like this?”
Zhou Zhi’s gaze fell upon Yu Jun’s slender, fair hand. “My skin is thick and rough. I’m not afraid of a little pain. Fifth Sister… is different.”
Outside the window, the young eunuch Zhong Qing stole a glance. Seeing the Fifth Prince’s gentle—almost bashful—smile, he could scarcely believe his eyes.
Earlier, in the snow, when he had killed that pair of brothers—what decisiveness, what ruthlessness! And afterward, how cold-blooded and unfeeling he had been.
Yet in front of this Fifth Princess, he was so obedient, so endearingly naïve, even carrying a hint of shyness.
The most remarkable thing was that there wasn’t the slightest trace of pretense. It was completely natural, as if this was exactly who he had always been.
A vague thought drifted through Zhong Qing’s mind: the new master he had stumbled into following was likely no ordinary figure.
As he was pondering this, a soft cough came from behind him.
Zhong Qing quickly turned. Behind him stood a man with a refined, scholarly appearance, resembling a middle-aged literary scholar. He wore a frost-blue cotton robe and black gauze boots, his temperament elegant and distinguished, his bearing utterly remarkable.
His hands were empty; he strolled as though through a leisurely garden.
Zhong Qing pressed himself against the wall and hastily lowered his head.
As the man entered the room, the previously noisy interior fell into a hush of silence.
Zhong Qing tilted his head and saw Ru Ning, who attended Yu Jun, standing opposite. She was holding a large cloak and gazing unblinkingly at the man who had just entered.
He quietly crept over to Ru Ning’s side and whispered, “Good day, Elder Sister. Who is that who just went in? What’s his background?”
Ru Ning glanced at him sidelong. “You don’t recognize him? It must be your first time here.”
Zhong Qing nodded eagerly. “That’s right. He carries such an imposing presence… Which great official is he?”
Ru Ning found his childish phrasing amusing and pursed her lips in a smile. “What great official? That’s none other than the famously renowned Top Scholar Li of the previous dynasty.”
Zhong Qing was shocked. “So it’s that one?”
Ru Ning appraised him. Noticing his delicate features, she asked, “Who do you attend? I haven’t seen you before either.”
Zhong Qing replied, “I serve His Highness the Fifth Prince… I’ve only been here a handful of times, so naturally, Elder Sister wouldn’t recognize me.”
Ru Ning almost failed to recall who the Fifth Prince even was. She paused a moment before it came to her. “Oh…” The single syllable was laden with meaning.