Rising from the unbelievably soft bed, Yang Fei was still immersed in her dreams. Last night she’d had the sweetest dream—the beautiful life of her childhood left her intoxicated. With her hair loose, she sat by the window letting her maid comb it. Suddenly she stood up and pushed open the window. The icy morning breeze rushed at her face, making her so comfortable she almost moaned.
On that small stone path in the distance, two young men were laboriously carrying a large bucket of water. The slightly plump youth in front stumbled, spilling some water from the bucket, while the youth behind kept reproaching him.
The maid covered her mouth and giggled. The sight of two imperial nobles carrying water was truly laughable. The bucket was too big, as large as their bodies, and filled too full. To prevent dust from getting in, it was even covered with a layer of washed large leaves. Their bodies swayed like tumbler toys.
The two set down the bucket. Li Tai grimaced as he rubbed his shoulder: “Brother Ke, the bucket is too big. Even though I’m your elder brother, you can’t abuse me like this. Can we switch to a smaller bucket?”
Li Ke was even more tired than him. Li Tai had placed the bucket very close to him. Normally he would definitely object, but today he gritted his teeth and said nothing. Last time when the Empress came and stayed at the academy, she was naturally closer to the waterfall. Now that Yang Fei was staying in the small building, the water-carrying distance was fully twice as far.
Li Ke understood Li Tai’s character too well. He could manage one trip, but if asked to make two, he would definitely throw a tantrum. So Li Ke had ordered a new large wooden bucket early on precisely to prevent Li Tai from getting lazy.
“Brother Tai, hold on a bit longer. We’re almost there. At most, next time Mother comes, I’ll accompany you carrying water again. My mother rarely leaves the palace, so she needs proper care. Using the best water is the filial piety we sons should show.”
Li Tai did well on major principles. He nodded and was just about to bend down to continue carrying water when he suddenly stood back up. He struck himself hard on the forehead and said to Li Ke, “We’re two stupid donkeys! We clearly only need to channel the clean water from the waterfall here, yet we’re killing ourselves carrying water. Even that big fool Yuchi Baolin knows to think of labor-saving methods. You and I, as the two smartest students at the academy, actually don’t know this. We deserve to die of exhaustion, and no one would sympathize. Yun Ye is probably hiding somewhere right now watching our brothers make fools of ourselves.”
Li Ke’s mouth gaped wide. A one-mile distance wasn’t anything to him. The waterfall was high, the small building low—the water would flow by itself. They just needed to knock out the bamboo joints and connect them. Such a simple method, yet neither of them had thought of it.
Just now he’d mustered the courage to carry water, but suddenly discovering that all this exhausting labor should be attributed to their own stupidity, he lost all motivation at once. How could he have the strength to carry water?
“Xiao Yin, Xiao You, look—this is the fate of stupid donkeys. They’ve admitted it themselves. You two must never learn from them in the future.”
Whatever you worry about appears. Yun Ye emerged from behind that big tree leading Li You and Li Yin. The two brothers each carried a food box in their hands, apparently going to deliver breakfast to Yang Fei and Yin Fei.
Li Tai always prided himself on being clever. This time, caught red-handed by Yun Ye, his face flushed crimson, yet he had no retort. Li Ke was the same. Yun Ye stepped forward and patted Li Tai and Li Ke on the shoulders, saying, “However, your starting point was filial piety. Even the most foolish actions can be forgiven. After all, of all virtues, filial piety comes first. Wasn’t there someone who in the dead of winter lay on the ice surface and used his body to melt the thick ice to catch fish for his mother? Although using a chisel to break the ice would be faster, he just wouldn’t use it. This idiotic behavior truly has remarkable similarities to what you two elder brothers did.”
Li Ke and Li Tai now desperately wanted to bite Yun Ye to death. That poisonous tongue kept spewing venom. The academy had long questioned the stories in the “Classic of Filial Piety,” finally concluding they were all a bunch of liars spouting nonsense. Whether crying over bamboo to make shoots grow or lying on ice to catch carp—these were all things only brain-damaged people would do. Yun Ye comparing them to that Wang Xiang was undoubtedly mocking them as brain-damaged. Though they weren’t clear what “brain-damaged” meant, anything coming from Yun Ye’s mouth was definitely not a compliment.
Having carried the water halfway, they naturally couldn’t give up midway. Without a word, the two lifted the bucket and continued forward. All along the way, under Yun Ye’s verbal torture, the brothers carried the water to the small building in one breath.
Yang Fei and Yin Fei stood before the small building, tears already streaming down their faces. Was this the result of the academy’s education? Yin Fei was extremely envious. Yang Fei took out her handkerchief to wipe the sweat from the perspiring Li Tai and Li Ke, wiping while crying. Yin Fei even said elder sister had such good fortune to have a son as filial as Wang Xiang. Hearing this, the brothers felt nothing but dismay.
On this side, Li Yin suddenly burst into loud crying, kneeling on the ground and hugging his mother’s leg without letting go, just crying continuously. Tears and snot covered his face, so aggrieved he was choking.
Finally stopping his sobs, he pointed at Yun Ye and said to his mother, “Mother, I don’t want to study at the academy. Yun Ye is a demon! He dug out Xiao You’s heart and replaced it with a big sheep’s heart. Xiao You now only likes eating grass, not meat. He might have also dug out Uncle Prince Jia and the others’ hearts and replaced them with fox hearts. I saw it all with my own eyes. Mother, I don’t want my heart dug out. I want to go back to the palace.”
Yin Fei doubtfully pulled open Li You’s clothing and saw his chest was smooth as before without the slightest trace. Just as she was about to cover Li You’s clothing, unexpectedly Li You also began crying loudly, denouncing his own tragic experience.
Yun Ye stood to the side watching the brothers cry and complain with a smile. Li Tai laughed until he couldn’t straighten his back. Li Ke was so embarrassed his face turned red. He wished he could cover Li Yin’s mouth. Yang Fei wore an expression of disappointment in someone who failed to meet expectations. Yin Fei was the same.
The two had made up stories before, but never as vividly as this time. What person covered in scars, what digging out hearts and lungs—hearing it made the two consorts’ hair stand on end, yet they didn’t believe a single word.
Li Yin was first to realize things weren’t proceeding in the direction he’d anticipated. His elder brother was angry, but at him. His mother was angry, also at him. Even the victim Li You’s mother was dissatisfied with them both.
Upon seeing Yun Ye’s terrifying smiling face, he immediately stopped crying and said to his mother with resignation, “Just now was a nightmare your son had. I’ll never speak ill of the teacher again. Your son will study diligently.”
Li You looked back at Li Yin in confusion. They’d finally told the truth for once—how had it become a dream? He was about to implore his mother again when his mother slapped him on the back of his head with an expression of disappointed anger. Only then did he understand why Li Yin had lied.
Yun Ye bowed and consoled them, “Your Highnesses need not be angry. Xiao Yin and Xiao You have just arrived at the academy. Having to do everything themselves, they naturally feel unaccustomed. Given time, they’ll adapt. It’s inevitable for small children to be wary of strangers. Beating them won’t solve the problem. Only when they themselves believe they need to study can they absorb their books. Otherwise it’s just rote learning, reading dead books, with no use at all.”
While the two consorts returned the courtesy, Yun Ye avoided them and gave Li You and Li Yin an extremely sinister look, making both brothers shiver in unison. Seeing his goal achieved, Yun Ye picked up the two food boxes from the ground and handed them to Li You and Li Yin, saying to the two consorts, “When these two ate breakfast today, they found the academy’s steamed buns exceptionally delicious and wanted Your Highnesses to try them too, so they bought extra. It’s also the children’s sincere sentiment. Please try them, Your Highnesses.”
The brothers woodenly handed the food boxes to their mothers, then stood very politely behind Yun Ye, delighting the two consorts for quite a while.
Using the excuse that he still needed to assign classes for the brothers, Yun Ye took his leave, entrusting the task of entertaining the consorts to Li Tai and Li Ke, then led the two young ones toward the academy. Halfway there, just after turning around a hill, Yun Ye had just stopped when the brothers fearfully prostrated themselves on the ground, holding their heads and continuously begging for mercy, swearing oaths they would never dare leak the academy’s secrets again.
The effect was excellent. Yun Ye secretly speculated—with Li Yin and Li You like this, there was no reason they couldn’t be taught well. Now only Li Pengcheng remained as a troublemaker. When beating people up, he pointed at heaven and cursed earth without any sign of speech difficulty, but when reading books he stuttered and stammered, making people anxious. Could it be that only through fake surgery could he gain confidence? He’d observe a bit more. If it still didn’t work, he’d have to do that.
Yun Ye’s thoughtful expression terrified Li You and Li Yin behind him. They thought Yun Ye was considering some vicious scheme to deal with their brothers. Now even their own mothers didn’t believe them when they told the truth. With outside help cut off, only honest obedience was the sole path to survival. The brothers no longer held any hope for their own futures.
Liu Xian looked at Li You and Li Yin standing properly before him, every utterance expressing thanks, every statement conveying please, and was greatly astonished. Where were the two lawless tyrants from the palace? These were two refined and courteous young nobles. Combined with their blue robes, imperial bearing naturally emerged. Looking at Yun Ye behind them with his indifferent expression, he quietly gave a big thumbs up. “Li You, Li Yin, your student numbers are eight-seven-six and eight-seven-seven. You’re assigned to the Earth Building, third floor, room three-zero-six. Rise daily at the Hour of the Rabbit. You have one incense stick’s time to wash up. Exceeding the time will result in punishment. Run four miles, eat breakfast at the Hour of the Dragon, then have half a double-hour to handle personal affairs. The rest is class time. You’ll receive a class schedule. At noon, have lunch and rest for one double-hour before continuing classes. Afternoon classes are only one double-hour. The remaining time is free activity. Dinner is at three-quarters past the Hour of the Monkey—no waiting for latecomers. At one quarter past the Hour of the Pig, sleep promptly. No violations. Did you hear clearly?”
“We heard clearly.” Both answered simultaneously. Seeing Li Yin hesitate somewhat, Liu Xian continued asking, “Li Yin, do you have something else to ask?”
“Teacher, we have two double-hours of playtime?” He’d discovered this issue from the schedule and asked somewhat disbelievingly.
“Yes. You’re young, so your coursework isn’t heavy. Two double-hours is your own activity time. I suggest you play ball or participate in physical training. This will be very beneficial for your future, but it’s voluntary. If you don’t participate, no one will care. The academy produces all kinds of people—just not trash. Did you hear clearly?” Liu Xian specifically explained for Li Yin.
“We heard clearly!” The brothers’ answer was much louder. Perhaps the academy wasn’t as bad as imagined—except for Yun Ye!