Because she didn’t stay long in Qianyuan Hall, Qingyang returned to Qiwen Pavilion for her arithmetic class and happened to finish at the same time as her eldest brother and Third Brother Zhang Su.
Qin Bing was absent, so Qin Ren became the most talkative one, asking his sister, “Where’s Second Brother?”
Qingyang replied, “Father Emperor punished Second Brother with house arrest for reflection.”
Qin Ren: “Yuan Xiuli?”
Qingyang: “He went home to recover from his injury. He’ll come back when he’s healed.”
Qin Liang: “Did His Majesty mention anything about the Marquis of Pingliang’s case?”
Qingyang: “That’s a major matter of the court. I can’t tell you. If you want to know, go ask Father Emperor yourself.”
Qin Liang: “……”
Qin Hong: “Enough. Let’s not gossip about court affairs. Let’s go eat.”
No matter the princes’ rank, they all returned to their respective palaces for lunch instead of dining in the Chongwen Courtyard.
After eating and resting a while, they headed to the Martial Practice Hall for martial lessons.
Previously, Qingyang always finished her classes early and went to eat with Father Emperor and Imperial Concubine.
But since they had all gathered today, she followed Third Brother.
Qin Ren asked, “Aren’t you going to see Imperial Concubine?”
Qingyang: “I’ll go after eating. I want to see how Second Brother is doing his house arrest.”
Qin Hong and Qin Ren: “……”
Qin Bing’s Jinghe Palace was just east of Qin Hong’s Chongyuan Palace.
Qin Ren, wanting to satisfy his sister’s curiosity, glanced at his eldest brother as they neared Chongyuan Palace and asked, “Big Brother, are you coming?”
Though fourteen and considering himself mature and sensible, Crown Prince Qin Hong was somewhat curious but restrained himself from agreeing and adopted a big brother’s tone of caution: “Just take a quick look. Don’t linger too long.”
Qin Ren: “Hey, we’ll just take a quick look.”
After seeing off their eldest brother, Qin Ren took his sister’s hand and walked ahead, with Zhang Su following three steps behind.
Qin Hong stood still for a moment, then turned and entered his own Chongyuan Palace.
Qin Liang, beside him, whispered, “After all that happened, I thought His Majesty would assign a new companion reader to Second Prince.”
Qin Hong said nothing.
When Qin Liang was his companion reader, Qin Hong had truly been close with his cousins for a time; they were inseparable and confided in each other.
But after Qin Liang carelessly leaked some of Qin Hong’s words to Father Emperor, who then scolded him, Qin Hong naturally became wary of Qin Liang—no need for a reminder from their eldest sister.
“Hungry? Let’s hurry and eat,” Qin Hong said, quickening his steps to go inside, cherishing every moment he didn’t have to face Qin Liang.
***
Jinghe Palace.
Idling around, Qin Bing had already finished lunch earlier.
Because the Grand Eunuch Chang Ji strictly followed Father Emperor’s orders to lock him in his inner chamber, Qin Bing couldn’t escape and could only lie on the bed to sleep.
But the bruises inflicted by Yuan Xiuli hurt even after medicine was applied, and the humiliation of house arrest made sleep impossible.
He kept replaying the morning’s events in his mind, eventually directing all his anger toward the two meddlesome little eunuchs.
Voices came from the courtyard—it was Third Brother and sister Qingyang arriving.
Qin Bing turned over, got off the bed, ran to the window, and pushed it open.
Grand Eunuch Chang Ji, who was in charge of attending to the two princes, said, “……”
Panicked, he rushed over to close the window, worried that the Third Prince and Little Princess might accidentally say something in front of Father Emperor, causing their father to blame the prince for not sincerely reflecting during his house arrest.
Qin Bing pushed his hand away, eyes blazing, and said, “Father Emperor only ordered me to reflect in seclusion. He didn’t forbid opening the window. Leave it open!”
Chang Ji gave the Third Prince and sister a meaningful look.
Qin Ren said, “Second Brother, don’t worry. Sister and I just came to check on you. We won’t tell anyone.”
Qin Bing waved them closer and said with a smirk, “Chang Ji worries too much. Don’t I trust you? Sister, forget about those two days for now. On the nineteenth night, go to Father Emperor and plead for me. If you can coax Father Emperor to agree to take me to see the Yellow River, Second Brother will be your big horse for two hundred paces.”
Qingyang: “I don’t like Second Brother hitting people. You even made Yuan Qili cry.”
She had seen Second Brother start hitting, and his angry expression scared her.
Qin Bing: “…Fine, I promise not to hit people easily from now on. But you have to remember to plead for me.”
Qingyang: “No way. Father Emperor is the Emperor. When he orders three days of house arrest, it has to be three days.”
Qin Bing: “What does that matter? To outsiders, the Emperor’s word is final. But we’re family; no need to be so serious. Remember when I made you angry? You even said you’d never talk to me again. But I was good to you, and you forgave me, didn’t you?”
Qingyang: “But you fought with Yuan Xiuli. Yuan Shenli is an outsider, and he heard that Father Emperor punished you for three days.”
Qin Bing couldn’t argue with his sister, his eyes flashing with threat: “If you don’t plead for me, I won’t talk to you anymore. I won’t be your big horse ever again.”
Qingyang didn’t care.
Since Second Brother wouldn’t play with her, she still had Third Brother, Zhang Su, and Jie Yu for company.
Sometimes Father Emperor would even be her big horse.
Qin Bing: “…Not helping, huh? Fine, I don’t want to see you then!”
The grumpy Second Brother was not at all likable, so Qingyang happily held Third Brother’s hand and left.
Zhang Su was still waiting outside.
Qin Bing: “…”
***
Morning of the twentieth.
Emperor Xingwu summoned Consort Li and the three children to Qianyuan Hall for breakfast, excluding the Second Brother, who was under house arrest.
Consort Li felt some guilt and warned Noble Lady about the situation.
After learning of the matter, she pleaded for Second Prince’s forgiveness.
During the meal, she quietly asked His Majesty, who calmly told her not to interfere.
She planned to plead again when His Majesty was in a better mood, but Emperor Xingwu simply patted her shoulder and told her to drop it.
Noble Lady smiled faintly in response.
There was no need to plead.
She fully supported His Majesty’s decision to punish his son.
Second Brother was wrong to strike someone.
Children meddling in state affairs was even more inappropriate.
The punishment was justified.
Meanwhile, the Little Princess ate her breakfast attentively, only thinking about the Yellow River and not about how Second Brother had scolded her earlier.
Since sister refused Second Brother’s request, and knowing she was not favored by Father Emperor, Qin Ren didn’t dare to speak up—he feared getting scolded.
Deciding not to intervene, Qin Ren ate his meal with full concentration.
Crown Prince Qin Hong, however, ate absentmindedly.
As the eldest brother, if he didn’t look after his younger brothers, would Father Emperor think he was too cold?
But if he spoke up, would Father Emperor really praise him as a good elder brother?
Hesitating, the family gradually stopped eating.
Seeing Noble Lady and Consort Li leave side by side, Father Emperor was about to depart.
Qin Hong wiped the sweat from his palms, took a few steps forward, and respectfully said, “Father Emperor, since sister mentioned last time that you wanted to take us to the Yellow River, Second Brother has been looking forward to it. Please, would you consider…”
Emperor Xingwu said, “I know he’s eager, which is exactly why I’m punishing him. If I rewarded him with outings despite his mistakes, he’d be more likely to misbehave again.”
Qin Hong: “……Yes.”
Quietly stepping aside, Qin Hong let out a small sigh of relief.
No matter what, he had fulfilled his duties as a brother and could feel no guilt.
***
The journey to the Yellow River was over fifty li away.
Emperor Xingwu took the three children in a carriage.
Peeking through the curtain, they watched the city streets and chatted about everyday matters.
After traveling some distance beyond the city, Emperor Xingwu held his daughter and posed a question to his eldest and third sons: “About Second Brother hitting Yuan Xiuli—tell Father Emperor, what mistakes has he made?”
Qin Hong tensed again.
Qin Ren was also a bit nervous, but with Big Brother there, he had time to think carefully.
Having heard Mr. Du speak about the rites of camaraderie and Father Emperor’s teachings on brotherly love and loyalty, the Little Princess, showing little interest, moved closer to the window to observe outside.
Emperor Xingwu, dividing his attention between caring for his daughter and instructing his sons, explained why he chose to show leniency toward the Marquis of Pingliang.
Qin Hong understood: “The realm is newly pacified. The Marquis of Pingliang controls military power. The court must focus on appeasement and try to avoid warfare.”
Emperor Xingwu nodded slightly.
Qin Ren sighed, “Everyone makes mistakes. I hope the Marquis of Pingliang understands Father Emperor’s good intentions and stops being so stubborn.”
Emperor Xingwu frowned.
Third Brother’s words were reasonable, but something about them felt off.
***
The Yellow River’s winter waters had receded, exposing large muddy banks on both sides.
It hardly looked like a great river.
Qingyang saw it once and never thought about it again.
***
At the Marquis of Pingliang’s mansion in the capital, Madam Hou, heartbroken and aggrieved, wrote a letter home to her husband, who was far away.
She detailed the beating their younger son endured and Father Emperor’s handling of the matter.
At the end of the month, Yuan Zhaoxiong, the Marquis of Pingliang, who was in Wuwei, finally received the letter.
After reading it, he took out a letter written by Emperor Xingwu to him a few days earlier.
Frowning deeply, he sent someone to summon his trusted steward.
Upon hearing that the young prince had been beaten, the steward speculated, “Could it be that His Majesty deliberately arranged for Second Prince to beat the Little Prince to threaten the Marquis into obedience?”
Yuan Zhaoxiong shook his head, “His Majesty is broad-minded and honorable; he wouldn’t take it out on children.
But hearing how he reprimanded Second Prince made me feel ashamed.
I shouldn’t have been so greedy and foolish, betraying the Emperor’s trust.”
Steward: “So, does that mean the Marquis really wants to surrender his lands? Wouldn’t that be admitting to corruption?”
Yuan Zhaoxiong was troubled.
He wanted to hand over the lands to make amends but didn’t want to bear the stigma of corruption.
After further questions, the steward confirmed the Marquis was determined to relinquish the lands.
He laughed, “It’s simple.
You can tell the local officials to report that you voluntarily handed over the lands as a test to uncover corrupt officials in Liangzhou.
That way, you give up the lands but keep your reputation as a loyal minister.”
Yuan Zhaoxiong: “…That’s good, but won’t officials be afraid to show you loyalty in the future?”
Steward: “…The Marquis doesn’t want to betray the Emperor’s trust.
This is the only way to resolve it.
Don’t worry; corrupt officials can’t all be eliminated.
When one batch dies out, another appears.
Next time, we’ll learn the lesson not to leave lands so exposed.”
Yuan Zhaoxiong smiled and handed over the list of corrupt officials for the steward to handle.
***
Early in the twelfth lunar month, Emperor Xingwu received Yuan Zhaoxiong’s explanation along with a list of corrupt officials in Liangzhou.
At the court assembly, Emperor Xingwu cleared the Marquis of Pingliang’s name and rewarded the Yuan family with thirty acres of fertile land and many jewels and silk.
***
The news reached the princes.
Yuan Shenli finally breathed freely, walking around proudly.
Qin Bing fully restored his closeness with Yuan Shenli.
***
In the afternoon, Qingyang sneaked into the Imperial Library.
“Father Emperor, is the Marquis of Pingliang really a loyal minister?”
Emperor Xingwu: “It’s a matter of expediency.
I don’t want to provoke him into rebellion.
He also fears my prestige and the great army.
Plus, there’s the old camaraderie from fighting side by side.
Since I have a hold on him, he can only pretend to be loyal.”
Qingyang: “Will he still be greedy in the future?”
Emperor Xingwu: “A leopard can’t change its spots.
He probably will.”
The Little Princess wanted to ask more, but Emperor Xingwu answered first: “He’s only mildly corrupt. I can tolerate that. If his greed seriously affects the livelihood of the people, I won’t tolerate it.”
Brothers are brothers, but sovereign and subject remain sovereign and subject.