Zhao Yān sat on the couch wrapped in bedding, her face peeking out like a silkworm cocoon, showing a somewhat pallid expression.

Liu Ying placed the freshly brewed bitter medicine on the small table, looking at her master with undisguised sympathy.

Prince Su had become the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor—no one had expected things to develop in the worst possible direction…

At this point, they could only take it one step at a time.

Liu Ying steeled herself and finally spoke: “Today, the Ministry of Rites will host the discipleship ceremony. Your Highness cannot be absent.”

Hearing this, Zhao Yān’s body slumped sideways as she listlessly blew at a loose strand of hair hanging over her forehead.

Despite her reluctance, it was impossible to truly disregard the bigger picture by shrinking back and avoiding her duties.

After several deep breaths, once she had prepared herself, she extended a slender arm from within the bedding, palm upward, and beckoned slightly.

Liu Ying understood and quickly placed the throat-soothing medicine in her palm.

Getting off the bed to change clothes, she usually complained that Liu Ying pulled too tightly, making her chest unable to breathe, but today she obediently gritted her teeth and endured the pain of chest binding without a word.

…

…

On the way to Chongwen Hall, Zhao Yān took out the booklet recording her brother’s interpersonal relationships and habits, studying it carefully.

The morning light filtered through the swaying curtains, gilding her eyelashes as she tightly pressed her cherry-shaped lips together. Her expression was more serious than ever before, as if she were heading not to a lesson but to an execution ground.

Her Highness was, after all, a young woman who had come of age. Despite her usual eloquence, when facing someone as scheming as Prince Su, she would inevitably show signs of timidity.

When the auspicious hour arrived, Wenren Lin finally approached unhurriedly, dressed in his formal vermilion official robes.

Liu Ying stepped forward to adjust her master’s robes and took the opportunity to lower her voice: “The Empress has arranged for Li Fu to attend you. Your Highness need not be nervous.”

Zhao Yān glanced backward with her peripheral vision and indeed saw a familiar young eunuch coming forward with ceremonial gifts, smiling to reveal a small tiger tooth.

Zhao Yān remembered this face—an attendant personally trained by her mother. Though young and appearing fair and tender, he was quite agile and clever in his duties, a trusted and loyal servant.

According to protocol, when the Crown Prince paid respects to his Grand Tutor, he needed to kneel and kowtow to demonstrate reverence for his teacher.

With mixed thoughts, Zhao Yān could only convince herself to treat the man seated above as a jade or stone statue—nothing was frightening about bowing to a statue.

“The Crown Prince is of noble birth. Let’s dispense with these elaborate ceremonies,” said Wenren Lin, breaking the silence as if he had seen through her thoughts.

Zhao Yān knew he harbored no good intentions, but she put on a grateful expression, folding her sleeves as she performed a proper student’s bow toward the hall: “This student thanks the Grand Tutor.”

If an ordinary minister received such a grand ceremony from the heir apparent, they would step aside in modesty.

But Wenren Lin couldn’t even be bothered to feign humility, accepting it without hesitation. Yet who would dare call him arrogant?

The ceremony official led the Crown Prince into the hall, while the attendant Li Fu presented the six ceremonial gifts.

Incense burned in the censers as Wenren Lin sat in the place of honor, dressed in vermilion silk robes, looking like a deity.

His eyes were extremely beautiful, but when he opened them to look at someone, they lacked warmth, displaying only a chilling pressure.

Zhao Yān remained extremely vigilant as she poured wine, raised it to her eyebrows, and bowed again, saying: “This student receives instruction from the Grand Tutor. Please drink this wine and bestow your teachings.”

Once the Crown Prince’s Grand Tutor drank this wine, the discipleship ceremony would be complete.

Zhao Yān held the cup for a while until her hands ached and her neck hurt. After a long moment, she finally heard Wenren Lin say: “This prince has received His Majesty’s favor—a crude person obtaining this empty honor is truly shameful. I hope the Crown Prince will study diligently and not be ashamed to ask questions.”

Though these were words of encouragement, he spoke extremely slowly, as if each character needed to be broken into several sounds.

Despite her internal grumbling, Zhao Yān still maintained an expression of receiving instruction on her face, pretending to say: “This student will remember.”

Her eyelashes trembled, and the wine cup she held high began to show fine ripples.

Only then did Wenren Lin condescend to raise his hand and accept the wine cup.

His fingertips inadvertently touched hers, evoking a coldness like jade. Somehow, once the cup was in his hands, the trembling ripples immediately calmed, turning into a clear mirror that reflected his unfathomably deep, smiling eyes.

Zhao Yān tightened her fingers, gently rubbing them inside her sleeves.

Wenren Lin acted as if he hadn’t noticed this small movement. He placed the wine cup to his lips, lightly sniffed it, and then drank it all in one go.

He raised his sleeve slightly and placed the wine cup upside down on the table, his gesture extremely elegant.

Zhao Yān gathered her sleeves and bowed again. The ceremony was complete.

The most dangerous rebel in the imperial palace had thus become the teacher who would accompany her daily.

Zhao Yān felt that her path ahead was like the deep winter mist outside the window—murky and unclear in direction. She somewhat missed her carefree days at Huayang Palace.

Her brother’s death would forever remain a thorn in her heart. Having chosen this path, even if it was covered with thorns and led to her destruction, she had to walk it with clarity.

As she gathered her composure, the ceremony official had already bowed and withdrawn from Chongwen Hall, followed by two rows of attendants carrying braziers who entered in an orderly procession.

Zhao Yān looked carefully and saw that all dozen or so braziers were burning smokeless silver-white charcoal, placed abundantly in various corners of the hall.

Two extra braziers had been thoughtfully placed near Zhao Yān’s desk.

The attendants opened all window panels a crack for ventilation before withdrawing in an orderly manner, never making any unnecessary noise. The entire hall was filled with warm air, making one’s skin feel dry.

“Grand Tutor, these braziers… aren’t there too many?” Zhao Yān murmured.

“Too many?” Wenren Lin remained motionless, raising an eyelid to look at the heavily wrapped little Crown Prince. “Yesterday, the Crown Prince mentioned the cold weather and physical weakness, so this prince specially ordered extra braziers to dispel the cold, lest the Crown Prince become dizzy again and unable to write.”

“…”

This was quite unnecessary!

With so many braziers, she feared she would be roasted with smoke coming from her seven orifices before she could even write her essay!

Zhao Yān even suspected that Wenren Lin was doing this deliberately.

Yet the man before her maintained a calm expression, his words showing concern, as if he were truly only considering the sickly Crown Prince’s needs.

Zhao Yān felt a fire within, her nostrils also hot and fiery, her palms sweaty from clenching them.

“The Crown Prince need not be nervous. Today I won’t ask you to write a policy essay,” Wenren Lin said, as if misunderstanding her resentment, tapping the table with his finger. “Come sit here.”

His tone wasn’t harsh; on the contrary, it had a gentle, rain-like quality. But Zhao Yān had already witnessed his methods.

She could only step forward slowly and reluctantly sit down across from the writing desk.

As long as she didn’t have to write essays, everything would be fine.

The charcoal fires roasted her from left and right. Zhao Yān, not truly a weak person, felt as if her body was on fire, wrapped in the heavy fox fur. She pressed her dry lips together.

Li Fu, who stood behind her with his head lowered, perspicaciously brought his master a cup of cool tea and pushed the window panels open a bit more, smiling as he said: “The Crown Prince suffers from coughing and wheezing; he mustn’t be stifled.”

Zhao Yān secretly gave Li Fu an approving glance.

However, it was like using a cup of water to put out a wagon of fire—the little airflow from the window crack couldn’t bring in much coolness.

She resisted the urge to tear off her fox fur and as a cover, picked up the tea and took small sips to moisten her throat.

Wenren Lin lifted the pear wood board on the writing desk, turning it over to reveal a grid of intersecting lines—a chessboard.

Zhao Yān was stunned: “Won’t the Grand Tutor continue explaining ‘The Six Secret Teachings’?”

Wenren Lin lightly brushed away a speck of dust from the chessboard, saying casually, “I’ve heard the Crown Prince is quite skilled at chess. Who was your teacher?”

Not even a fly entering the imperial city could escape Prince Su’s eyes, so how could he not know who had taught the late Crown Prince chess?

Perhaps he was suspicious of her identity and testing her?

Fortunately, Zhao Yān had memorized her brother’s interpersonal relationships, and she replied: “Several years ago, I was fortunate to receive a couple of pointers from the Left Prime Minister. I only know the basics.”

“Li Kexing’s chess skills rank among the best in the Great Xuan. Playing against a disciple he taught is not beneath me,” Wenren Lin nodded, making a gesture of invitation with his sleeve. “Then please, Your Highness, let us have a game.”

“…”

Zhao Yān’s hot sweat on her back began to turn cold. She said disingenuously, “I quite enjoyed the ‘Defending Territory’ chapter that the Grand Tutor explained yesterday, but there are still a few points I don’t quite understand. Perhaps the Grand Tutor could continue with the explanation instead.”

Wenren Lin casually picked up “The Six Secret Teachings” and pushed the jade chess basket toward Zhao Yān: “Chess is like a battle between two armies; its mysteries are no less profound than military strategy. Your Highness may ask questions—it won’t interfere with my chess playing.”

He had lightly countered her.

The charcoal braziers were blazing fiercely; using the excuse of cold weather and weak health wouldn’t work this time.

Zhao Yān’s cheeks burned hot as she swallowed her dry throat and reluctantly picked up a white stone.

As for playing chess, she could do that.

Previously at Huayang Palace, Zhou Ji had taught her a few moves.

The formal Zhou was a proud student of Left Prime Minister Li Kexing, one of the “Twin Treasures of Li’s School,” as Liu Ying called them, so his chess skills were naturally exquisite. Zhao Yān, however, being naturally restless, had used her cleverness to figure out how to take back moves instead.

But now her identity was Crown Prince Zhao Yǎn, a noble young man, so she naturally couldn’t reveal her previous habits.

She placed her first stone at a star point, choosing a conservative opening.

Wenren Lin, holding the scroll in one hand, didn’t even shift his gaze as he placed a stone in response.

After several moves, Zhao Yān’s stone-placing speed noticeably slowed, her face showing difficulty, with fine beads of sweat appearing on the tip of her nose.

Wenren Lin, appearing much more at ease, even took time to tease: “If the Crown Prince still can’t see the trap, you will lose.”

Then he lightly added, “And we’re only how many moves in?”

In chess, attacking the mind is most feared—if the mind is unstable, the game is lost.

Moreover, with more than a dozen braziers burning in the hall, the temperature was dry and warm, roasting her rationality like a steamer.

Li Fu wrung a handkerchief to wipe her sweat, but it was of no use.

Only then did Wenren Lin raise his eyes from behind the scroll and leisurely look at her.

The little Crown Prince’s face was flushed, covered with fine, glistening beads of sweat, and her breathing was slightly rapid.

Wenren Lin couldn’t help but recall someone once giving him a priceless piece of jade that was normally white as congealed cream, but once soaked in water, would display a rouge-like brilliant red.

It looked exactly like the little Crown Prince’s sweaty, flushed face at this moment.

Though there had long been rumors about his feminine appearance, he seemed excessively delicate and beautiful.

Wenren Lin pressed the scroll against his chin, making a surprised sound: “Why is the Crown Prince sweating so profusely?”

Asking the obvious!

Zhao Yān’s lips and tongue were dry, leaving her speechless.

Wenren Lin leisurely turned a page of his book, showing not a trace of irritation from the heat. The black jade chess piece rotated between his index and middle fingers, which had excellent bone structure. His handsome face remained cool and refreshed, without a drop of unsightly sweat. The entire person seemed as if carved from ice and jade.

Was he even human? Didn’t he feel the heat?

Just as she was inwardly complaining, Wenren Lin, as if with eyes on his forehead, added timely: “The room is warm. Why doesn’t Your Highness remove your fox fur winter coat? To avoid feeling stifled.”

This person appeared proper and kind, but even his internal organs were black, devising such a harmful trick.

Removing clothes in public—how could her identity remain hidden?

Seeing Zhao Yān not moving, Wenren Lin leaned forward.

“Very well, the Crown Prince is precious. This prince will serve personally.”

With a reluctant manner, he extended his hand toward her.

His long fingers touched the clasp of the fox fur. Li Fu froze, and so did Zhao Yān.

She instinctively dodged, and because she used too much force, she nearly fell backward, barely stabilizing herself by placing her hand on the floor tiles.

Their eyes met, and Wenren Lin’s narrowed eyes darkened slightly.

Zhao Yān simply continued the act, feigning weakness and exhaustion. She let out a hiss and swayed unsteadily: “Please forgive me, Grand Tutor. I am sweating from weakness—I lost my composure.”

Li Fu seized the opportunity to support her, hastily adding: “Indeed! The Imperial Physician instructed His Highness not to remove his clothing and catch a chill. This sweating is a good sign!”

Wenren Lin raised an eyebrow, and it was unclear whether he believed this nonsense.

He withdrew his hand and coldly watched Zhao Yān struggle to her feet, asking: “So, has the Crown Prince thought of the next move?”

“I’m thinking about it,” Zhao Yān murmured, lowering her head as her gaze moved back and forth across the chessboard.

“Minister Li’s original ‘Swallow Tail Formation’ can solve this situation,” Wenren Lin said, fingering a chess piece with deeper meaning.

Zhao Yān had never even met the Left Prime Minister, so how would she know any Swallow Tail Formation?

But Wenren Lin was staring at her—she had to make this move whether she wanted to or not.

But if she did, she might reveal her disguise.

Zhao Yān held the white piece, feeling her breath like fire, her cheeks burning hot. Her internal organs felt like they were about to burst into flames, and the chessboard before her began to waver and distort.

Suddenly, her nose felt wet and itchy, with something uncontrollably flowing down.

Li Fu, beside her, widened his eyes. Zhao Yān was bewildered, raised her hand to touch, and saw the bright red on her fingertips.

The extreme dryness and heat had caused her nose to bleed!

Zhao Yān’s eyelashes trembled, and she immediately took advantage of the situation, rolling her eyes and swaying forward.

Her forehead struck the chessboard, making a loud, dull thud. The black and white chess pieces instantly scattered like splashing water droplets.

“Help! The Crown Prince has collapsed!” Li Fu, quick-eyed and quick-handed, rushed over to protect her, shouting tragically.

“…”

Wenren Lin looked at the scattered chess pieces across the board, his eyelid twitching.