Because of the age differences, the three princes didn’t study in the same classroom, they only saw each other briefly during breaks.
Prince Yong, holding his little niece, went to see the Third Prince Qin Ren first.
It was a hot summer day.
The classroom doors were closed, but the windows were open.
Prince Yong stepped quietly to a window at the back of the classroom.
As soon as he stopped, Qingyang couldn’t help but lean against her uncle’s shoulder and peek curiously inside, just in time to see her Third Brother and Zhang Su sitting one behind the other at separate desks, books in hand, their backs to the window.
The tutor, however, had already noticed them.
He nodded slightly, his right hand placed behind his back, while his left hand continued stroking his graying beard.
Prince Yong whispered to his niece, “Watch, he’s about to ask a question.”
Sure enough, just as Qingyang finished scanning the room again, the tutor spoke: “‘In power but not arrogant, exalted yet not endangered; measured in conduct, full yet not overflowing.’ Third Highness, please explain this.”
Qingyang: “……”
She looked blankly at her uncle.
Prince Yong: “……”
He’d grown up poor and hadn’t even attended private school.
When the emperor was young, he used to eavesdrop outside a private school.
One day, the tutor caught him and dragged him in, giving him a desk of his own.
Prince Yong had no interest in books, spending his days playing around.
It wasn’t until he was thirteen or fourteen that his brother, who had started to build connections, sent him to the army to learn martial arts.
Prince Yong considered himself skilled in combat, but when it came to classics and history, he likely knew less than his nephews, let alone reciting or interpreting them.
At that moment, Qin Ren stood up and answered fluently, “These two lines mean that a noble who holds power and stands above others but remains humble will not face the danger of collapse. One who is frugal and disciplined, no matter how wealthy, will not face loss or excess.”
The tutor nodded in approval and motioned for the Third Prince to sit.
Prince Yong praised with a smile, “See? Your Third Brother clearly works hard and hasn’t been slacking off.”
He wasn’t interested in Zhang Su’s answers and went ahead, carrying his niece to the next classroom.
Qingyang, lost in thought, forgot about Zhang Su.
After Prince Yong had taken a few steps, she asked, “Uncle Wang, why is it that nobles who aren’t arrogant won’t fall from high places?”
Prince Yong stopped in surprise.
Looking down, he met his niece’s wide black-and-white eyes, filled with sincere curiosity.
Clearly, the little girl really wanted to know.
Prince Yong thought for a moment, then gave the explanation as he understood it: “People who are arrogant aren’t liked. If enough people dislike them, they might work together to bring them down. So we shouldn’t be arrogant, we should stay humble and respectful.”
Just like the corrupt lords and greedy officials of the former dynasty, those who held power but didn’t treat the common people as humans, were the ones his brother overthrew.
Qingyang asked, “Then what does arrogance look like?”
Prince Yong instantly regretted bringing her in.
Cute as she was, once she started asking questions, she wouldn’t stop, and he didn’t have that kind of patience.
“Shhh, we can’t keep talking in Chongwen Pavilion. If the tutors hear, they’ll get mad,” her uncle, now in his thirties, warned as he looked around cautiously.
Qingyang fell quiet, peering through the window and spotting her Second Brother Qin Bing glancing their way, then quickly turning his head and sitting up straight.
Prince Yong gave a snort.
“He knows I’m here. Otherwise, he’d be slouched over again.”
The tutor asked Qin Bing to recite a passage, but Qin Bing stammered his way through, scratching his head and fidgeting, needing more and more prompting from the tutor as he went on.
Qin Bing grew secretly frustrated, thinking the tutor had done it on purpose to embarrass him in front of Uncle Wang.
The tutor, on the other hand, silently waited for Prince Yong to scold the ever-unreliable Second Prince.
Prince Yong had a son who was exceptionally bright, self-disciplined, and well-behaved, he’d never had to worry about things like this.
So he was actually a little pleased to take the opportunity to play the stern father figure for once, and gave Qin Bing a thorough scolding.
In the end, he said, “How many times have I told you already? You act like you never hear a word. Fine, your father will be back in a few days. If you’re so bold, why don’t you try fooling him like this?”
Qin Bing muttered under his breath, “There you go acting again. Every time Father scolds me, he says I’m just like you.”
Prince Yong raised a brow.
“What did you say?”
Qin Bing immediately straightened up and shouted, “I said I’ve taken it to heart! I’ll definitely change!”
Prince Yong didn’t believe him but couldn’t be bothered to push further.
He carried his niece on toward the last classroom.
The First Prince, Qin Hong, and Prince Yong’s son, Qin Liang, were older, so their studies were more advanced.
Qingyang couldn’t understand the material, and Prince Yong didn’t want to risk her bombarding him with questions again, so he didn’t stay long and quickly left Chongwen Pavilion with her in his arms.
He planned to hand his niece off to the nursemaid and Jie Yu to return her to Consort Li, but Qingyang clung tightly to his neck.
“I don’t want to go back, I want Uncle Wang to play with me.”
Prince Yong frowned.
“Uncle has to attend court and listen to the two Grand Chancellors and the Ministers discuss state affairs. I really don’t have time today. Next time, alright?”
Qingyang said, “I’ll go with you. I promise to be good.”
Prince Yong’s expression darkened.
“No. You’re allowed at Chongwen Pavilion, but the Court of Affairs isn’t a place for children.”
Qingyang pouted. “Why not?”
Prince Yong ran out of patience.
He stuffed his niece into the nursemaid’s arms, face stern.
“Because I said so. Go find your mother and behave.”
With that, Prince Yong walked away in long strides.
Jie Yu saw that the little princess was still staring after Prince Yong’s back, her lips pouting high.
He smiled and said, “The Martial Practice Hall is just next door. There are big swords and spears the young masters use for training. Would the princess like to go see?”
Qingyang gave him a glance, then turned her eyes away gloomily.
Before the sun turned scorching, Jie Yu and the nursemaid brought the little princess back to Xianfu Palace.
As soon as her feet touched the ground, Qingyang dashed toward her mother’s bedchamber.
When she entered and saw her mother still lying down, she leaned over the bedside and asked nervously, “Mother, does it hurt a lot?”
Consort Li gave a soft smile.
“It doesn’t hurt. My back’s just sore. Lying down feels better. I’ll be fine by tomorrow.”
She turned onto her side and touched her daughter’s sweat-dampened, pale forehead.
“Where did Lin’er go to play?”
Qingyang immediately tattled on her uncle.
“He wouldn’t take me, and he was mean to me.”
Consort Li said, “Oh? What did Uncle Wang do to be mean?”
Qingyang puffed out her cheeks and imitated the way Prince Yong had glared at her.
Consort Li stifled a laugh and explained that the Court of Affairs was where officials handled state matters.
Not only were children not allowed, neither she nor the Noble Consort nor most high-ranking officials could go in either.
Qingyang asked, “Then how come Uncle Wang can go?”
Consort Li explained, “Because your father went on campaign, he issued a decree for your Uncle Wang to govern alongside the two Grand Chancellors in his place. With your uncle handling court affairs in the capital, your father doesn’t have to worry about bad people trying to bully us while he’s away.”
Qingyang seemed to understand.
“Mother and the Noble Consort have to listen to Father, Eldest Sister and the princes have to listen to Father, and Uncle Wang also has to listen to Father?”
Consort Li nodded.
Qingyang grew even more curious about this father of hers.
“Does Father really like me?”
Consort Li smiled.
“Yes. When you were sick, your father stayed by your bedside all night. He only felt at ease after you got better. Whenever he had time, he’d come see you and hold you.”
The emperor had five children.
The first four were all born during the years when Emperor Xingwu was recruiting soldiers and conquering cities.
He only had brief chances to return to the rear to see his family, with very little time or energy to spend on his young children.
At his busiest, he might only appear once every year or two.
By the time the situation had finally stabilized and he was ready to be more involved in their lives, the four older children were already too unfamiliar with him and didn’t dare grow close, especially the eldest, Princess Yongkang and the First Prince.
In that context, her youngest daughter was born, naive and unaware, letting her father hold and dote on her as she pleased.
Spending her early days under his watchful eye, she had already reached nearly two years old by the time Emperor Xingwu set out again.
No wonder he treasured her so dearly.
Qingyang believed her mother wouldn’t lie to her, and decided that when her father returned, she’d ask him to take her to all the places she wanted to go, let’s see who’d dare stop her then.
Because of that, even though the little princess couldn’t remember her father’s face, she began looking forward to his return more than even her mother did.