Among the three princes, the First Prince Qin Hong had the most prestigious status, but also the roughest upbringing.
The year the Virtuous Empress gave her life to save the Grand Empress Dowager, Qin Hong was only half a year old.
So young and already motherless, he and his eldest sister, Princess Yongkang, were taken in by the Grand Empress Dowager.
But the Grand Empress Dowager was not blessed with longevity either; she passed away when Qin Hong was five.
Busy with his campaign to unify the realm, Emperor Xingwu had no choice but to entrust the siblings to a noble-born consort.
That consort, the Noble Consort, was dignified and gentle.
She cared for the siblings with great dedication and truly became their foster mother.
So even after entering the palace and receiving his own quarters, Qin Hong still went with the Second Prince Qin Bing on the proper days to pay respects to the Noble Consort.
Before leaving on campaign, Emperor Xingwu also entrusted both Qin Hong and Qin Bing’s education to her supervision.
The Noble Consort lived in Changchun Palace.
After walking partway together, Qin Hong and Qin Bing said goodbye to Qingyang and her brother and headed off toward Changchun Palace.
Qingyang happily held hands with her favorite Third Brother and didn’t even glance at the two older brothers as they left.
Though all three were her brothers, Qingyang had come to understand some things.
Third Brother shared the same mother as her, spent the most time with her, and treated her the best.
Eldest Brother and Eldest Sister were born of the late Empress.
Eldest Sister doted on Eldest Brother.
When Second Brother bumped into Eldest Brother during play, Eldest Sister would get upset.
If Eldest Brother gave her a piggyback ride, Eldest Sister would scowl.
As for Second Brother, he had the worst temper.
He’d snapped at Eldest Brother, at Third Brother, and even at her.
Only when he was in a good mood would he play with her.
In Qingyang’s heart, even Zhang Su was more likable than Eldest or Second Brother.
“Zhang Su, come on. Let’s walk together.”
Qingyang turned around and reached out her left hand to Zhang Su, who was walking alone behind them.
Nine-year-old Zhang Su had already begun learning the proper boundaries between boys and girls.
Whether in the palace or back home on rest days, he no longer needed maids or servant girls around him.
When encountering girls from other noble families, he would also keep his distance, so how could he possibly touch the little princess’s hand?
The princess, barely tall enough to reach the Third Prince’s waist, was met with a shake of the head.
Zhang Su then lifted his gaze toward the path ahead, standing tall and straight like the imperial guards he had seen before.
Qingyang thought this version of Zhang Su was so boring, so as long as Third Brother was willing to play with her, she wouldn’t bother with Zhang Su.
In Xianfu Palace, Consort Li was seated in the front hall waiting for the children.
Qingyang ran into her mother’s arms, watching as Third Brother and Zhang Su properly bowed to her.
Consort Li said gently, “How many times have I told you, when it’s just us, there’s no need for all that formality.”
Qin Ren smiled and looked at Zhang Su.
He hadn’t meant to be overly formal, it was Zhang Su being too rigid, dragging him into the routine as well, so he just went along with it without thinking.
In the side room, two basins of clean water had already been prepared.
Consort Li had the palace servants lead the two boys to wash their hands and faces.
Qingyang followed along to join the fun.
Qin Ren took the damp towel handed to him by a maid and pressed it to his face.
Zhang Su, however, dampened his own towel and turned slightly away, back to Qingyang, as he wiped his face.
An eight-year-old prince and a nine-year-old study companion, once cleaned up, both had fair skin and rosy lips, each quite handsome in his own way.
One just smiled more, the other stayed serious.
Soon enough, dinner was laid out in the main hall.
Consort Li dined together with the three children, five dishes and one soup.
Zhang Su actually didn’t want to sit and eat with Consort Li’s family.
He would have preferred to wait out in the courtyard.
But back when he first entered the palace at age six and tried to refuse, Consort Li had firmly picked him up and brought him in.
After several such times, Zhang Su realized that refusing was pointless, and so he quietly sat down each time without protest.
When he returned home during his rest days, he immediately told his father about it.
His father instructed him to follow Consort Li’s wishes.
When he was older, she would naturally begin to observe propriety and avoid such situations herself.
Looking at the braised chicken leg Consort Li had placed in his bowl, Zhang Su silently wondered: next year when he turned ten, would that finally be old enough for Her Ladyship to start avoiding him?
Consort Li had been watching Zhang Su all along.
Seeing the child finally pick up the chicken leg and begin eating, she smiled with satisfaction.
She was very pleased with Emperor Xingwu’s arrangement of Zhang Su as her son’s study companion.
Zhang Su was the son of Zhang Jie, the Duke of Wei.
One of the first major acts Emperor Xingwu undertook after founding the empire was rewarding the military.
Based on merit, he enfeoffed three Dukes and five Marquises.
The three Dukes were the Duke of Cheng, the Duke of Ding, and the Duke of Wei.
The first two had followed Emperor Xingwu from the very beginning, like his left and right arms.
Only Zhang Jie, the Duke of Wei, came from a prominent military family of the previous dynasty.
Though his entire household was known for their loyalty, they were falsely accused by treacherous officials.
Left with no choice, he switched allegiance to Emperor Xingwu, and since then had fought bravely and offered wise counsel, becoming one of the emperor’s most trusted confidants.
Every founding general had great achievements, but only Zhang Jie was known for his integrity and honored by the people of both dynasties, never drawing complaint or resentment.
Consort Li came from a humble background and had no confidence in her ability to raise her son properly.
Emperor Xingwu, busy with state affairs, could hardly spare time for any of his children, so she knew she couldn’t count on him either.
In that situation, having Zhang Su as her son’s study companion meant her son would naturally absorb the noble spirit and discipline of the Zhang family.
“In two days it’ll be time for your monthly exam again. Are you two ready?”
After they had eaten for a while, Consort Li asked with concern.
Zhang Su set down his bowl and waited for the Third Prince to respond first.
Qin Ren held his bowl in one hand and his chopsticks in the other.
After a moment of serious thought, he answered confidently, “No problem for a solid B in literature. I’ll aim for an A. For martial arts, definitely above C, I’ll try for a B.”
Having said that, Qin Ren resumed eating, clearly not taking the matter too seriously.
Zhang Su then said, “Your servant will do his best.”
His father had told him that the emperor had keen insight and saw everything clearly.
There was no need to hold back in his studies.
Besides, if he wasn’t outstanding enough, he wasn’t fit to be a study companion to a prince.
Qingyang, who had been quietly listening, recalled, “Last time during the ten-day test, Zhang Su got all As. He was first among the six of them.”
Consort Li said, “Not just last time. Su-ge’er has gotten top grades in every exam for the past few years. I’m not worried about him at all.”
After praising Zhang Su, Consort Li turned to warn her son, who had always gotten by with average scores yet still enjoyed good food and comfort: “Your father wrote in his letter, he should arrive in the capital around the fifth of June. As soon as he returns, he’s going to check your exam results for the entire year. You have to get at least one A in this month’s test. If it’s all Bs again with no improvement, be ready for a scolding.”
Qin Ren shrank his shoulders while holding his bowl.
He wanted an A too!
But what could he do if he couldn’t get one?
He had always finished the assignments exactly as the teachers required, never once slacked off.
Afraid that his mother might scold him more, Qin Ren sped up his eating, planning to leave with Zhang Su as soon as he finished.
Qingyang clung to Third Brother’s arm, unwilling to let him go.
Qin Ren sighed and patted his little sister’s head.
“These past few days have been too busy. There’s new homework and I have to review the old lessons too. Once the exams are over, Third Brother will play with you the whole day.”
Qingyang said, “I want to play hide-and-seek.”
Qin Ren replied, “Alright.”