The Little Princess said she came to gaze at Chancellor Yan.
After sitting down, she naturally kept staring at Chancellor Yan.
Therefore, Qingyang first looked at the official Chancellor’s hat on Yan Xizheng’s head, then at his wrinkled brow, the dull yellowish face, the tightly pressed lips, the beard about a palm long, and finally, the small black spot at the base of his right hand’s little finger holding the brush.
When the Little Princess noticed the black spot, that hand seemed to move back, covering it.
Just staring at a hand was boring.
Qingyang shifted her gaze upward, looking again at Yan Xizheng’s purple official robe, his shoulders, his neck…
She sized him up back and forth three or four times.
Not even half a cup of tea had passed before Yan Xizheng suddenly put down his brush and frowned at the Little Princess.
“I am not accustomed to being stared at this way.
If the Princess insists on sitting here, it is intentionally hindering my handling of official duties.
I believe when His Majesty bestowed the waist token upon the Princess, he also instructed you not to interfere with us.”
Qingyang: “Father Emperor ordered me not to cause trouble.
If I’m just sitting quietly like this, does that count as trouble?”
Yan Xizheng: “Disturbing my peace of mind is certainly causing trouble.”
Qingyang: “Fine then, Chancellor Yan, go report me to Father Emperor. Father Emperor separates public and private matters and will surely side with you. Though I may be punished, if it’s for stealing a few extra glances at Chancellor Yan, I think it’s worth it.”
From behind the Right Chancellor’s desk, a short, suppressed laugh escaped.
The Little Princess didn’t turn to look.
Yan Xizheng shot Dai Lun, who was covering his face with a memorial, a sharp glance, then looked back at the Little Princess, who showed not the slightest fear at his threat of telling the Emperor.
Yan Xizheng truly had a headache.
He certainly couldn’t go complain to His Majesty—the Emperor is burdened with state affairs, and as Chancellor, it is his duty to share in those worries.
To trouble the Emperor with such trivial matters would only make him appear incompetent as Left Chancellor.
“Princess, what will it take for you to leave?”
Yan Xizheng decided to resolve the matter himself.
But if the Little Princess wanted him to apologize and admit fault over the Listening Spring incident, that was absolutely impossible.
Of course, Qingyang didn’t want to spend the entire morning here doing nothing.
She thought for a moment.
“That day, Zhenzhen and I picked wildflowers on the grassland and only found five kinds. If Chancellor Yan can personally find nine kinds of blooming wildflowers for me before sunset today, I promise never to stare at you like this again.”
It was only picking wildflowers.
Though a bit mischievous, it didn’t sound too difficult.
Yan Xizheng agreed at once.
The Little Princess went off to play elsewhere.
At dusk, Yan Xizheng returned to his courtyard in the Palace Official Quarters.
Following the Imperial Palace was an honor; Yan Xizheng had brought his wife and his obedient, adorable granddaughter with him.
His son held a sixth-rank official position in the capital and wasn’t among those accompanying the Emperor.
His grandson was only five years old—bringing him would only add to the trouble for the old couple.
“Grandfather!”
Yan Xizheng hugged his granddaughter, whose smile bloomed like a flower.
He felt gratified.
“Did you miss Grandfather that much?”
In the past, when he returned, his granddaughter had never greeted him with such enthusiasm.
Yan Zhenzhen looked up, her little face full of anticipation.
“Qingyang Princess said Grandfather would take us to the grassland to pick wildflowers after dinner and that Grandfather could find nine kinds. Grandfather, hurry and eat—the food is ready!”
Yan Xizheng:
He felt half cold inside, but since he’d given his word, he couldn’t go back on it.
Forcing a smile, Yan Xizheng ate dinner with his wife and granddaughter, then, under his wife’s gloating gaze, took his granddaughter out.
Qingyang had dragged Third Brother along to watch the show.
The siblings and Yan Zhenzhen picked wildflowers together, chatting and laughing since there was no strict goal to achieve.
But for Yan Xizheng, it was a different story.
Unable to find nine types of wildflowers nearby, he had to walk further.
By the time the sun was about to set, the old Chancellor, nearly sixty years old, had walked almost a mile, heading toward the mountains.
Qin Ren looked up and whispered to his sister,
“Isn’t nine kinds a bit too difficult? Let’s not tire out Chancellor Yan.”
Qingyang had Yan Zhenzhen call the old Chancellor back.
Yan Zhenzhen shouted, but the stubborn old Chancellor insisted on fulfilling his promise.
Qingyang had no choice but to send Third Brother and Fuan to help.
At last, before nightfall, they managed to gather nine kinds of wildflowers for the old Chancellor.
“Shall I have someone bring a horse?”
Seeing the dust on the old Chancellor’s shoes, Qingyang asked considerately.
Yan Xizheng: “……I’m not that old yet.
It’s late; Your Highnesses should return.
I’ll escort Zhenzhen back as well.”
With permission, Yan Xizheng walked off holding his granddaughter’s hand, then, halfway, carried her on his back.
Seeing this scene, Qingyang finally relaxed completely.
Emperor Xingwu did not appear but sent people to keep watch over the grassland’s events.
When he learned Yan Xizheng had gathered nine kinds of wildflowers, Emperor Xingwu smiled and went to visit Consort Li in the rear hall.
At the Imperial Palace, only three days of reading per ten days were required.
Qingyang now had plenty of time to roam.
Sometimes she went climbing, boating, or riding with her second and third brothers, sometimes played with Yan Zhenzhen and the other young ladies who accompanied the Emperor, sometimes accompanied the Imperial Concubine, Noble Consort, and Official Ladies to admire flowers, and sometimes, with the waist token, took Fan Zhong to inspect the five military camps stationed outside the Western Gardens.
In mid-June, it began to rain early in the morning.
That day, Qingyang stayed with the Imperial Concubine.
After resting, she went to look for Third Brother but was told by a little eunuch that Third Brother had gone with Second Brother to the Palace Official Quarters to play.
In the capital, the Eastern Palace and the Western Palace where the two Consorts lived were separated by several palace walls, so companions like Zhang Su, who were tall enough, could stay in Third Brother’s palace.
But the inner palace of the Western Court was not as spacious, so companions like Zhang Su and Yuan Xiuli stayed in the Palace Official Quarters at the Outer Court.
Since it was far, Qingyang didn’t bother running over and went back to her own courtyard to practice calligraphy.
After practicing and reading for about an hour, just as Qingyang was about to walk to the window to enjoy the rain and relax her eyes, Jie Yu entered, looking uneasy.
“Your Highness, someone from His Majesty’s side just came and took all the palace staff from Second and Third Highness’s courtyards.
It seems the two Highnesses were caught gambling on crickets at the Palace Official Quarters by the Emperor himself.”
Qingyang: “……”
Emperor Xingwu resided in Han Yuan Palace within the Imperial Palace.
The palace staff serving the two princes were questioned by the Emperor’s trusted eunuchs.
Those qualified to be personally interrogated by Emperor Xingwu were now all standing outside the main hall of Han Yuan Palace, heads bowed, drenched by the steady rain.
At the very front stood Qin Bing and Qin Ren.
The second row was Yuan Qili and Zhang Su.
The third row consisted of several other high-ranking young nobles under twenty who had participated in the gambling.
Emperor Xingwu sat beneath the eaves, several small bamboo cages—some round, some square—arranged before him.
From inside, cricket calls sounded now and then.
“Speak.
Who started this?”
Emperor Xingwu casually flicked a bamboo cage, watching it roll between his second and third sons, and asked in a low voice.
Qin Ren shivered, lowering his head even further.
Qin Bing didn’t move his head but sneaked a glance backward, then gritted his teeth.
“Father Emperor, after leaving the palace, your son saw cricket fights on the street, bought a few to keep, and brought them to the Imperial Palace.
I encouraged them to catch crickets to relieve my boredom.”
Emperor Xingwu flicked another bamboo cage.
This time, it rolled between Zhang Su and Yuan Xiuli in the second row.
Yuan Chongli, lying on the ground, trembled all over, making Zhang Su, kneeling beside him, appear as steady as a rock.
Emperor Xingwu glanced at Zhang Su and asked his third son,
“You went to the Palace Official Quarters—why didn’t you take Zhang Su with you?”
Qin Ren’s mouth opened.
Rainwater streamed down his face, and he swallowed it rather than spit.
Guilt-ridden, he said,
“Your son knew Zhang Su was strict and upright.
From the start, I didn’t dare tell him.
Every time, I played behind his back.
Otherwise, he would have stopped me…”
Emperor Xingwu: “How many times did you play behind his back? And where did you get the crickets?”
Qin Ren: “……Three times.
The first cricket was given to me by Second Brother.
After it died, I caught two large ones myself on the grassland.
Zhang Su wasn’t present at the time.”
Emperor Xingwu: “Zhang Su, is what the Third Prince said true?”
Zhang Su: “This humble servant truly did not know of this matter.”
He only knew Yuan Xiuli kept crickets and would sometimes invite the Second Highness over to play.
But as for when the Third Highness secretly joined in, Zhang Su had no clue.
Emperor Xingwu had Zhang Su move under the eaves.
Zhang Su knelt, insisting,
“As the Third Highness’s Companion Reader, I failed to detect and prevent this in time.
I deserve punishment.”
Emperor Xingwu snorted, his gaze pausing on the trembling Yuan Chongli.
He addressed everyone.
“As for where the Second Prince’s first cricket came from, it will be clear as soon as I have someone investigate. But I’ll give you all a chance—so long as you confess honestly, I won’t punish anyone severely. Consider it the folly of youth. But if your words do not match the facts, do not blame me for making an example of you.”
At these words, even bold Qin Bing panicked.
Yuan Xiuli burst into tears, lowering his head.
“Your Majesty, this humble servant was possessed by foolishness and took crickets to the Second Highness to relieve his boredom. I know my mistake. I beg Your Majesty for mercy!”
He confessed himself.
Qin Bing could no longer help him, and raised his head to plead for Yuan Xiuli.
“Father Emperor, Xiuli only wanted to please me because I was troubled.
If you must blame someone, blame me.
Spare him this once!”
Emperor Xingwu hadn’t been very angry before, but upon hearing this, he picked up a bamboo cage and threw it at his second son’s head.
“Troubled? I granted you titles and gold, provided the top Literature Masters and Martial Teachers in the realm to instruct you, and you have time to be troubled?”
Qin Bing’s head was knocked sideways.
The cage’s lid loosened, and a large black cricket jumped out, only to be stepped on by the Crown Prince, who had rushed in to plead for his brothers.
“Father Emperor, Second and Third Brother are still young.
A moment’s mischief is understandable, you…”
Meeting his father’s cold gaze, Qin Hong shuddered and hurried to stand beside Third Brother, not daring to say another word.
Emperor Xingwu: “Didn’t Second Brother invite you to such amusements as well?”
Qin Hong couldn’t bring himself to lie.
He glanced toward his second brother.
“Second Brother did invite me, but I had no interest…”
Emperor Xingwu hurled another bamboo cage at the Crown Prince.
“You had no interest, so you did not play. As the eldest, knowing your younger brothers strayed, why did you not dissuade them?”
Qin Hong was at a loss for words.
Qin Bing, not wanting his elder brother implicated, spoke up bravely.
“Eldest Brother tried to dissuade me. It was I who refused to listen. Father Emperor, if you wish to punish, punish me alone!”
Emperor Xingwu looked up.
The sky was gloomy, and raindrops fell like strings of beads beneath the eaves.
Such were his three sons.
The eldest, too timid to manage his brothers; the second, stubborn but lacking judgment; the third, lacking resolve yet cunning enough to gamble behind Zhang Su’s back!
“As princes, you have failed in virtue by gathering to gamble, knowingly violating palace rules. All of you are to receive three lashes and transcribe texts in seclusion for a month.”
“Yuan Chongli, as a Companion Reader, led the Second Prince astray with trivial amusements—ten lashes and dismissed from his post.”
“Zhang Su is innocent. The rest are to receive two lashes and ten days’ confinement.”