“May I ask where you two studied before entering the Hanlin Academy and after entering it, and from whom did you receive instruction?”

“Why are you asking about this?” Shen Xi was somewhat surprised, but regarding Su Shiyu, he had nothing to hide. “At three years old, I learned characters from the tutors in the residence. From five years old, I studied the Four Books and Five Classics with my father. After that, I read through all manner of books from the classics, histories, philosophers, and collections. At eleven, I entered the Hanlin Academy—”

He raised his forehead slightly, thinking, “Although there were many Hanlin scholars, in those years, only two regularly taught: Marquis Wenyuan and Grand Tutor Yan.”

At that time, Qi Boyuan was the director of the Hanlin Academy, and Grand Tutor Yan was the Crown Prince’s tutor, so it was proper for them to teach.

Liu Chaoming also didn’t understand why Su Jin was asking this. After a moment of silence, he said: “In childhood, I studied under the Liu family. At eleven, I took the old censor and Marquis Wenyuan as my teachers. At thirteen, I entered the Hanlin.”

At the founding of Great Sui, the distinction between the imperial family and the noble clans was not as clear as it is today. When the Hanlin Academy was first established, rather than calling it the Son of Heaven’s academy, it was more like a private school specifically for the sons of nobility to study.

In that first batch of students, although it included seven imperial princes, there were over ten sons of aristocracy.

Because Shen Xi and Liu Yun were young, they shouldn’t have entered the Hanlin with that first batch of students. But the brilliance of young people, if not deliberately suppressed, truly cannot be hidden.

In the twelfth year of Jingyuan, Qi Boyuan brought the two of them to Wenhua Hall to be recorded as Hanlin students.

Grand Tutor Yan, seeing that the childishness had not yet left the faces of the two young masters, couldn’t help but question Qi Boyuan’s judgment, saying: “How about this—this old man will pose a policy question. If you two can answer within half a shichen, it will suffice.”

Half a shichen later, Grand Tutor Yan was startled just by looking at the calligraphy on the two policy essays—characters like bamboo in frost. He returned home and read the essays carefully several times. Finally, he shed tears and said something the old officials of that year remembered deeply: “Great Sui’s future can be anticipated. A prosperous golden age can be anticipated.”

After hearing Liu Yun and Shen Xi’s answers, Su Jin thought carefully: “According to this, were all the older princes students of Marquis Wenyuan?”

No wonder she was puzzled. After Zhu Zhaowei, the imperial princes who entered to study were all taught by Grand Tutor Yan.

Liu Chaoming looked at Su Jin and understood: “You want to inquire about His Majesty’s private relationship with Marquis Wenyuan?”

Su Jin was startled, not expecting her thoughts to be penetrated so quickly. For a moment, she didn’t know how to answer.

Qiling had said that the reason Zhu Yushen was willing to preserve Zhu Nanxian’s life was because he was bound by a promise.

Su Jin went through all the people Zhu Yushen respected, who could make him give a solemn promise—and this person should have been involved in power struggles before, adding some assistance to Zhu Yushen to varying degrees—only Marquis Wenyuan remained.

So, was it Qi Boyuan who made Zhu Yushen promise that no matter what, he must preserve Zhu Nanxian’s life?

Why would he do this? Wasn’t he afraid of angering this ocean-deep Emperor and bringing disaster upon himself?

What kind of private relationship did he have with Zhu Yushen that would make him give such a solemn promise?

Su Jin could have directly asked Shen Xi, but she knew that although Shen Xi was Zhu Yushen’s brother-in-law, the two weren’t close privately. To learn the answer, she could only inquire from Liu Yun.

But asking directly wasn’t appropriate.

These questions seemed insignificant on the surface, but they constantly involved bloody pasts. Past kindnesses and resentments ran too deep. Some words were like walking on thin ice when spoken. She wasn’t afraid of breaking through the ice and seeing blood, but feared that before her meaning was fully expressed, both sides would be embarrassed. Later, it would be very difficult to bring it up again.

So she could only ask both Shen Xi and Liu Yun together, probing indirectly from bits and pieces of the past.

It was also curious—Censor Su was always decisive when encountering matters, but whenever she needed something from Liu Yun, she always started in a roundabout way.

Liu Chaoming, precisely because he knew this about her, saw through her thoughts one step before Shen Xi.

Shen Xi spoke openly: “His Majesty, like Thirteen, learned martial arts from Marquis Anding and General Luo. As for scholarly learning, as you said, he indeed mostly studied under Marquis Wenyuan. But as for his private relationship with Marquis Wenyuan,” he said, glancing at Liu Yun, “I’m also not very clear.”

Liu Chaoming said: “From the ninth to tenth year of Jingyuan, there was the Peach Blossom Flood in Jiangnan and natural disasters in northern Zhejiang. His Majesty accompanied General Luo and the old censor to inspect the disaster areas. After returning to the capital, he followed the army to provide disaster relief, delaying his studies for over a year. Later, it was Marquis Wenyuan who taught him bit by bit. It wouldn’t be excessive to call him his mentor.”

“Strange.” Shen Xi raised an eyebrow. “Why didn’t I know about this?”

Liu Chaoming fell silent again. Actually, there was nothing to hide. It was just that Zhu Yushen was willing to endure hardship. Every day before dawn, he would leave the palace and first go to Marquis Wenyuan’s residence to seek instruction, then proceed to the Northern Great Camp to practice martial arts.

The reason he knew this was precisely because that year, when Meng Liang went on inspection, he also entrusted him to Marquis Wenyuan.

Liu Chaoming was just about to speak when Chen Jinsheng from the Ministry of War arrived below the terrace.

“I was about to go to the Imperial Censorate to find Lord Su. Fortunately, I encountered Eunuch Wu midway, who said the three lords were still here talking.”

Su Jin said: “Does Lord Chen have urgent business?”

“Didn’t His Majesty earlier have this old man go to the Military Governor’s Office to find Dudu Qi, asking him to designate someone to take Lord Su to the Northern Great Camp to select Imperial Guards?” Chen Jinsheng smiled. “Dudu Qi happened to enter the palace and designated Commander Yao Jiang of the Metal Guard.”

Su Jin was startled. She had originally thought that although Zhu Yushen had approved this matter, coordinating among the various Imperial Guard units would still require three to five days. Who knew it would be so smooth, and the one helping to select people was Yao Jiang of the Metal Guard, whom she trusted most.

This way, starting tomorrow, the Imperial Censorate could draft official documents and thoroughly investigate the remaining forty-six garrison field cases.

The garrison field cases concerned the people’s livelihood across the realm. As long as they were handled well, in the future, whether military provisions or water conservancy projects, everything could be implemented properly.

This was the number one priority in Su Jin’s heart. Therefore, as soon as she heard this news, she said with joy: “Truly?”

Chen Jinsheng said: “Truly. Commander Yao is already waiting outside Zhengwu Gate. If Lord Su is available, please go to the Northern Great Camp now.”

The matter here wasn’t finished, but she couldn’t wait any longer. In any case, regarding Marquis Wenyuan and Zhu Yushen, she had roughly inquired into the situation.

The autumn light poured down. Su Jin said happily: “Good, I’ll go right away.”

Just as she was about to leave, she realized she had nearly been remiss in etiquette. She turned back and exchanged bows with Shen Xi and Liu Chaoming.

The three descended the terrace together, then each went in a different direction. Whether by coincidence or not, after walking a distance, they each looked back, as if unintentionally glancing at Jinshen Hall.

Que Wu, the guard at the entrance of Jinshen Hall, witnessed this scene. He withdrew into the hall and said to Zhu Yushen: “Your Majesty, the three Lords Shen, Liu, and Su have each departed.”

Zhu Yushen gave a faint “Mm.”

Que Wu hesitated again: “But they seem to have guessed that it was Your Majesty who instructed Lord Chen to dismiss them.”

Hearing these words, Zhu Yushen made no sound.

He didn’t need to guess—he knew what Su Shiyu wanted to inquire about from Liu Yun.

He didn’t care whether she knew the inside story, but he didn’t want her to be too presumptuous. As a subject, remembering the past showed loyalty, but remembering a former ruler was harboring treacherous intentions. Having Chen Jinsheng go interrupt their conversation had no other meaning—it was a reminder.

As for what should and shouldn’t be revealed, Liu Yun had a sense of propriety. He wasn’t worried.

In Zhu Yushen’s hand were several letters—urgent reports that the Ministry of War had personally delivered to him since June.

The urgent reports stated that the military situation in the northwest was critical. Since May of this year, the Chili had launched successive raids, and the battle situation was very tense.

At that time, after seeing the military reports, Que Wu had asked Zhu Yushen: “Should we summon the lords of the Ministry of War and the Military Governor’s Office to dispatch additional generals to campaign in the northwest?”

After long deliberation, Zhu Yushen only replied with three words: “Wait and see.” Then he forcibly suppressed all the urgent reports. Over a month passed, and no one in the Grand Secretariat knew about the northwest military situation.

Until this morning, the latest urgent letter said that at the end of June, the northwest army seemed divinely assisted, as if they had calculated the timing and routes of the Chili raids, struck first, and achieved decisive victory.

Whose handiwork this was, Zhu Yushen knew perfectly well.

“Que Wu, you depart for the northwest tomorrow.”

Que Wu was startled. It was already autumn. The northwest climate was bitterly cold and harsh. A round trip would take at least half a year.

“Your Majesty, on New Year’s Eve, the Empress will return to the capital to visit the two young highnesses. If this subordinate departs for the northwest tomorrow, I fear I won’t be able to return before the new year and won’t be able to take the two young highnesses to the Shen residence to see the Empress.”

After a moment of silence, Zhu Yushen said: “I will designate someone else to take Xuan’er and Jin’er to the Shen residence.”

Que Wu cupped his hands in acknowledgment and asked again: “Does Your Majesty have instructions for His Majesty Jin’an?”

Zhu Yushen’s gaze quietly settled on the military report in his hand: “I want you to tell Thirteen the true reason he was able to escape from the great fire at Minghua Palace. See how he chooses.”

“If he chooses correctly,” Zhu Yushen sighed, “in the future, his life’s wish will be fulfilled.”

Que Wu asked: “And if he chooses incorrectly?”

“Then take my sword ‘Shishangying’ with you. When all matters are settled, kill him as a rebel.”