Rebirth of the Unloved, Sickly Prince - Chapter 7

Mu Jue was momentarily stunned. Before he could recover, the Ninth Prince had already slammed his own book box onto the desk Mu Jue had just chosen, and then casually swept Mu Jue’s brushes and ink off onto the floor.

“This desk is my seat. The one next to it belongs to my study partner.”

Mu Jue leaned over to pick up his scattered belongings and moved to a desk further to the edge.

“That is Second Brother’s seat.”

Mu Jue pursed his lips and changed places again.

The Ninth Prince sat at his desk, watching him switch from one table to another. By the time Mu Jue had moved to the furthest corner, a fine layer of sweat had broken out on his forehead. Only then did the Ninth Prince speak leisurely.

“Tsk, I forgot to mention. Actually, every desk in this hall is taken. There’s no empty spot for you. How about this—when the Grand Preceptor comes to lecture today, why don’t you just stand and listen?”

Finishing his sentence, the Ninth Prince and his two study partners burst into snickering.

Mu Jue silently picked up his book box, placed it on the floor in the corner of the room, and walked out.

On his first day at the Hall of Literary Brilliance, he didn’t want to cause trouble. He was different from the other princes; if they made a mistake, they were at most punished by copying a few books or receiving a few strokes of the paddle. But if a fault was found in him, he might never be allowed to study again for the rest of his life.

He carried a desk and chair over from another room. There wasn’t much space left in the classroom, so he had to huddle in his seat; he could barely even find the posture to spread out his paper for calligraphy.

The Ninth Prince sat in front, holding a book upside down and pretending to review, occasionally turning around to look at him with a few indecipherable laughs.

One by one, the other princes and study partners arrived. Most only gave him a sideways glance before quickly ignoring him.

The Grand Preceptor who lectured them was a renowned scholar of the court, over sixty years old with graying hair at his temples. He began by questioning them on yesterday’s homework, and the first person called upon was the Ninth Prince.

Before being called, the Ninth Prince had still been holding his book upside down, chatting with his partner.

“The Qu Li says… The Qu Li says…”

Mu Jue flipped through the Book of Rites to find the passage while looking up at the Ninth Prince. From his angle, he could only see the Ninth Prince’s flushing profile.

The Preceptor said sternly, “Ninth Highness, what does the Qu Li say?”

“The Qu Li says…”

A study partner sitting beside the Ninth Prince began to quietly mouth the words as a hint. The Ninth Prince squinted to see.

“The Qu Li says, ‘Let there be no lack of reverence; let the person be as if in deep thought; let the words be… be what?'”

The Ninth Prince couldn’t make out the lip-reading. He was so anxious his feet were trembling. The study partner was also panicking. According to Great Ning’s rules, the Preceptor, as a subject, could not use corporal punishment on a prince. Therefore, if a prince failed his studies, the partner would take the strokes on the palm in his stead.

Probably desperate to avoid the paddle, the partner exaggerated his mouthing: “Settled! Settled speech, Ninth Highness!”

The Ninth Prince stammered, “Let… let the words be salted fish?”

Slap! The Preceptor’s ruler struck the desk. It seemed the Ninth Prince failing to recite was nothing new, as the Preceptor’s expression didn’t show much disappointment.

“Ninth Highness, please copy the ‘Qu Li’ section of the Book of Rites three times and present it to this old official tomorrow.”

The Ninth Prince muttered a “Got it” and slowly sat down, watching from the side as his partner took the strokes for him.

When Mu Jue withdrew his gaze, his eyes met the Ninth Prince’s.

“Grand Preceptor,” the Ninth Prince grinned at the old man, his intent clearly malicious. “Grand Preceptor, today is my Sixth Brother’s first day. Shouldn’t you test him as well?”

The Preceptor frowned slightly and looked toward the corner. There sat a young man, huddled behind a cramped desk, with handsome features but a thin, frail frame. Having been locked in the side hall for too long, although he wore the robes of a prince, he lacked even a shred of the noble aura typical of the imperial family.

“The Sixth Prince has never had his formal schooling. He likely hasn’t read the Book of Rites. It is better that I lecture him separately on simpler texts after the class ends.”

The Ninth Prince waved his hand. “Preceptor, that’s not right. Since my Sixth Brother was chosen by Director Lu, he must have some extraordinary qualities. Maybe he already knows these texts by heart. Isn’t that right, Sixth Brother?”

The Ninth Prince emphasized the words “Director Lu” and “extraordinary qualities,” prompting a wave of low snickers from the surrounding students. Mu Jue didn’t immediately realize what the laughter was for.

“In that case, Sixth Highness… can you understand what this passage is saying?”

Mu Jue stood up, placing his book face-down on the desk. His voice was clear and resonant:

“The Qu Li says: ‘Let there be no lack of reverence; let the person be as if in deep thought; let the words be settled. Only thus can the people be at rest. Pride should not be allowed to grow; desires should not be indulged; the will should not be gratified to the full; pleasure should not be carried to excess…'”

The smile froze on the Ninth Prince’s face.

The youth’s pronunciation was perfect, his phrasing flawless. He recited the entire passage without a single stumble.

The Preceptor stroked his beard, nodding repeatedly. “Has the Sixth Highness studied the Book of Rites before?”

Mu Jue answered truthfully, “I was taught by the young eunuch at my side. I have read some of the Four Books and Five Classics.”

“Very good. Your phrasing is clear; it seems you understand the meaning. Ninth Highness, could it be that this old official’s teaching is inferior to a young eunuch, which is why you are unwilling to study properly?”

The Ninth Prince’s face turned from green to white. He turned to glare coldly at Mu Jue, falling silent.

At noon, the young eunuchs serving the princes brought their food boxes.

Mu Jue remembered that the Crown Prince had said he would visit, so he had specially asked Xia Ming to prepare an extra portion. Now that he didn’t have to spend his own silver, the food sent by the kitchen was very lavish.

The youth sat behind his desk quietly eating his lunch when a stone suddenly struck the side of his food box.

Years of having his food snatched by the eunuchs in the side hall made Mu Jue instinctively reach out to shield his box, like an alert young wolf.

The Ninth Prince, who had thrown the stone, burst into laughter. “When Brother Crown Prince took me out of the palace to play a few days ago, the way the beggars on the street looked when they found a steamed bun was exactly like Sixth Brother looks now!”

The mocking and indifferent gazes of the princes and study partners in the hall swept over him, mixed with an indistinguishable jealousy and hostility. Mu Jue lowered his eyelashes and continued eating in silence.

The Ninth Prince was the Crown Prince’s biological brother; he had surely been pampered since birth. For the Crown Prince’s sake, Mu Jue could treat him like a child acting out.

Seeing no reaction, the Ninth Prince pursed his lips in boredom. His eyes roamed over Mu Jue and landed on the second food box. His interest piqued again.

“Sixth Brother doesn’t even have a study partner. Why did you bring two lunches?”

That portion was for the Crown Prince. Surely, he would arrive soon? Fearing the Ninth Prince would knock it over, Mu Jue reached out and pulled the food box into his lap.

“Are you mute? When you were reciting for the Preceptor just now, your tongue seemed plenty sharp.” The Ninth Prince strode over and sat on the desk in front of him. “Speak!”

“Heng’er! How can you speak to your Sixth Brother like that? Have you forgotten the etiquette I taught you?”

Mu Jue turned his head and saw the Crown Prince standing outside the hall, watching them through the half-open window. The youth’s dark eyes brightened. He wanted to call out, but the words felt clumsy in his throat, so he simply stood up holding the food box.

Then he saw the Ninth Prince hop over like a rabbit, seemingly not caring at all about the Crown Prince’s scolding.

“Brother Crown Prince!” The Ninth Prince grabbed the Crown Prince’s sleeve, acting like a spoiled child. “Did you know I was working too hard and brought me some delicious pastries?”

The Crown Prince smiled gently, rubbing the top of the Ninth Prince’s head. “You… Mother has truly spoiled you. I did bring you something. I’ll join you for lunch today.”

The Ninth Prince cheered and pulled the Crown Prince toward the front to sit.

The light in Mu Jue’s eyes dimmed. As the Crown Prince passed him, he gave a slight nod. The Ninth Prince tugged at the Crown Prince’s sleeve with a dissatisfied expression.

“It’s not that I haven’t learned my manners. It’s that Sixth Brother holding a food box like that doesn’t look like a prince at all… it’s embarrassing. And Imperial Father clearly forbade him from studying, yet he secretly learned the Four Books and Five Classics from a young eunuch in the side hall.”

The Crown Prince raised an eyebrow in slight surprise. “Sixth Brother has studied?” His tone carried a faint, unreadable scrutiny.

Mu Jue’s hand hanging at his side clenched nervously. He gave a soft “Yes.”

“…It is no matter to have studied. Other princes begin their schooling at three or five. However, Imperial Father did issue a decree after all. If this matter is simply brushed aside, I will have no way to account for it to him.”

The smile on the Crown Prince’s face remained warm as he said casually:

“Someone, bring the young eunuch who defied the imperial decree and secretly taught the Sixth Prince. Give him twenty strokes of the paddle and send him to the Imperial Tombs to serve. Sixth Brother was young and ignorant then; it is understandable he was misled. He need not be punished.”

The guards outside bowed and immediately headed toward the side hall.

The food box in Mu Jue’s arms crashed onto the desk. The lid flew off, and the still-warm food spilled across the table. He lunged toward the Crown Prince in desperation.

“Crown Prince! It was I who wanted to study! There were no books in the side hall; that eunuch only used a branch to teach me how to write. You cannot punish him.”

Before Mu Jue could finish, the Crown Prince pressed a hand onto his shoulder.

The pale gold afternoon sunlight of winter fell into the youth’s eyes, which were filled with fractured points of light. His face was as white as paper, even his vivid lips turning pale. The Crown Prince squeezed his shoulder hard; the pain was sharp and clear.

“Sixth Brother, I know that eunuch has followed you for many years, and it is natural to be reluctant to let him go. But if we do not punish him, how do you plan to explain it to Imperial Father? The opportunity to study at the Hall of Literary Brilliance is not easily obtained. Do not be foolish.”

“I can give it up! I will never come back to study again!”

Mu Jue lowered his head, frantically stuffing his brushes and ink back into his book box. He repeated in a raspy voice, “I’ll pack my things and go back now. I’m never coming back. I’ll pack my things…”

“Sixth Brother.” The Crown Prince’s tone became stern. “What do you think the Hall of Literary Brilliance is? A place you can come and go as you please? This is Imperial Father’s decree!”

Several guards blocked the doorway, trapping him in that narrow corner.

In the silence, Mu Jue listened to his own heavy breathing. It sounded like a broken bellows, the fire burning inside threatening to consume him entirely.

In a daze, he seemed to hear Lu Shiting’s voice. It came from far away, cold and low, like a sinister god hearing the prayer of a believer.

“Sixth Highness, come here.”