Sunlight dappled the moss as a gentle spring breeze rustled through the woods, casting shifting shadows. Ji Yichen watched from afar as Hua Qing and Li Shaoling stood together. Hua Qing, drunk, leaned against a tree trunk wiping away tears, while Li Shaoling stood with his hands behind his back, speaking in a low voice.
“You know your intentions. Not only is she my student, but even if she were a stranger, I would still intervene against such behavior.”
Ji Yichen froze, quickly hiding behind a tree and curiously peeking towards them.
Hua Qing’s usual docility vanished, her face contorting, “What behavior? What behavior! She admires you, and I admire you too. Why should I be beneath her? Why can’t I even wear sky blue?”
Li Shaoling frowned, “You insisted on coming here just to spite Her Highness?”
“I don’t understand. You have such a promising future, why must you get entangled with her!” Hua Qing looked up at him with tearful, hazy eyes. “Don’t you realize that if you become the Prince Consort, you’ll never be able to enter the imperial court?”
Li Shaoling fell silent.
Behind the tree, Ji Yichen trembled, suddenly realizing that her teacher was a man of great ambition. If he truly became the Prince Consort because of her selfish desires, he would be relegated to being her appendage for life, unable to enter the court or serve as an official.
Did he like her, or resent her?
Panicking, she held her breath and began to retreat.
Li Shaoling caught a glimpse of her dress from the corner of his eye—not because of his keen eyesight, but because the slender tree could hardly conceal Ji Yichen’s plump figure. Yet she thought she was perfectly hidden, carefully treading behind tree trunks and flower bushes as she made her way out.
Watching her, he couldn’t help but laugh.
Hua Qing glared at him resentfully, “You’re laughing? Weren’t you the one who talked about ten years of hard work for a moment of glory in the imperial court? Weren’t you the one who said a man of eight feet tall should serve the world, not be constrained by romance? What are you doing now?”
“Indeed, what am I doing?” Li Shaoling raised an eyebrow as he watched the sky-blue figure move away. “I’d like to know too.”
Getting close to her was forced by His Majesty. He was unwilling, even angry at the pressure of imperial power and her perceived tyranny. Who knew that upon interaction, he’d discover she was just an innocent girl experiencing her first love, who, due to her princess status, was used to getting whatever she wanted?
Including him.
When accepting his kindness, she surely didn’t know what he would lose. Now that she knew, would he still have a way out?
Ji Yichen, having lost her appetite for the feast, returned to the palace with a pale face.
She examined herself in the bronze mirror, asking herself honestly if her appearance was worth him giving up his promising future. The answer was negative.
She thought of her imperial parents and the love she had received, slowly understanding that her teacher’s sudden change was likely due to pressure from her father or brother.
Realizing this, she thought it must be quite unfortunate for him to have caught her eye.
She could go tell her father now to let Li Shaoling go, that she no longer wanted him as her Prince Consort.
But… but…
Tears welled up in Ji Yichen’s eyes.
She couldn’t bear to let go.
If she rejected her father’s wishes now, she feared she might never be able to speak to Li Shaoling again, let alone be close to him and hear his gentle words.
Her mind in turmoil, she hugged her pillow, overwhelmed with distress.
***
The next day, Princess Changle didn’t come to Yuan Shi Academy for class.
Li Shaoling raised an eyebrow at her empty seat, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. He thought she was a good girl after all, knowing how to restrain her desires for the sake of others.
However, his happiness only lasted three days.
Three days later, Changle returned to Yuan Shi Academy.
Not only did she return, but she also brought him a large plate of fire-roasted wild boar meat.
“This is the first dish I learned to cook,” she said, smiling so widely her eyes became slits. “Would you like to try some, Teacher?”
The smile in Li Shaoling’s eyes gradually faded.
Of course, a young girl’s first love is hard to let go of. As a princess, she could have anything she wanted at her fingertips. How could she give up so easily for his sake?
His expression was cold, but he still picked up a piece of meat to taste.
To be fair, it was cooked perfectly, neither dry nor tough, with a good balance of lean and fat. But he showed no signs of praise or joy on his face, only calmly saying, “Thank you for your kindness, Princess.”
Changle paused, lowered her gaze, and said nothing.
Afterward, Li Shaoling continued to receive gifts: the first outer robe she made herself, the first plate of snacks, and the first bowl of soup she stewed.
The meals at Yuan Shi Academy were standardized canteen food, and no one knew Li Shaoling disliked green onions. But Changle somehow found out, and from then on, she brought him breakfast and lunch every day, carefully prepared dishes without a trace of green onion.
Li Shaoling wanted to refuse, his face cold, but her culinary skills were exquisite and the food suited his taste perfectly. He could only force a smile and thank her.
Hai Lan noticed Changle’s attentiveness and frowned, pulling her aside, “You’re a princess. How can you lower yourself like this?”
Changle lowered her eyes and softly replied, “I don’t want to leave myself with regrets.”
Hai Lan didn’t understand, but Changle had already walked away.
Her actions made it clear to everyone that her heart belonged to Teacher Li. Li Shaoling was often teased: “Future Prince Consort, the Princess will be of marriageable age in two years, and we won’t be able to see each other then. While we still have the chance, come and have a drink.”
Sixteen was the legal age for marriage for women in Qing Yun, and given Princess Changle’s devotion, His Majesty would surely arrange the marriage as soon as she came of age.
Li Shaoling’s face darkened, and he didn’t respond.
He began to study frenetically, striving to master state policies and the ways of being an official, as if trying to fulfill a dream.
The more he studied, the more his discontent grew.
Change came to find him excitedly, knocking on his door to tell him, “Tomorrow is my birthday. Father and Mother are holding a banquet in the palace. Would you—”
“I’m not going,” he said coldly.
Slightly taken aback, Changle blinked, “Do you have other plans?”
“Yes, tomorrow is also Hua Qing’s birthday. I already promised her,” he looked at her chubby face scornfully. “My apologies, Your Highness.”
Her heart clenched, and Changle awkwardly stepped back, “It’s alright. I told you too late. Then you—”
She wanted to say, after you finish the banquet at Hua Qing’s, could you come by?
But before she could finish, Li Shaoling slammed the door shut.
Dust fell from the door, landing on her nose.
Changle was stunned for a moment but didn’t say anything. She left quietly, feeling dejected.
Li Shaoling realized she wouldn’t report his behavior, so he became increasingly open about his emotions toward her. He had already lost his prospects, so why should he keep up a facade of friendliness?
Tomorrow wasn’t Hua Qing’s birthday, but even if it wasn’t, he would still go spend the day with her.
Princess Changle was indeed favored; her birthday was celebrated throughout the entire palace city, with lanterns and decorations in the streets as if it were a festival.