She asked Zhou Sui’an what was wrong, but he refused to tell her.

Her father’s expression remained iron-dark as he told Xie Youran that since she had married into the Zhou household, she was a Zhou family member now, and her husband would discipline her accordingly.

From now on, unless word was sent from home, she was not to keep running back to her parents.

Before Xie Youran could say a word in protest, she was hurried away by Zhou Sui’an.

Once back at the Zhou household, she had barely gotten out a few complaints about her father and mentioned wanting to visit her Aunt An to find out what was going on, when Zhou Sui’an suddenly flew into a rage, pointing at her and declaring that from now on she was forbidden from causing any further trouble for Chu Linlang, and furthermore, she was to have absolutely nothing to do with that troublemaking aunt of hers!

She asked Zhou Sui’an what her father had actually said, but Zhou Sui’an refused to tell her clearly, and retreated to his study to sleep alone, leaving her behind.

Xie Youran was both angry and distressed, completely bewildered. Unable to see her mother, she could only wait for an opportunity to visit Aunt An and get some clarity.

But what she never expected was that the maid she had managed to send with a message came back pale-faced and shaken, whispering that the An household had exploded into chaos!

At first things had still been tolerable — General Xie had gone to the An household to make trouble, claiming that the Xie family’s scandal had originated from within the An courtyard.

In the course of this, two concubines who had eavesdropped at walls and leaked secrets were dragged out, beaten with boards, and sold off by Aunt An.

But then Aunt An’s husband’s own nephew — An Feng, the one who managed the waterways — somehow, after being summoned and questioned by Xie Sheng, had fallen into a canal on his way home.

When he was found, his body had bloated beyond recognition. The authorities investigated briefly and closed the case as an accidental drowning.

But An Feng’s father — the younger brother of Aunt An’s husband — refused to accept it. He went to the An household repeatedly to cause a scene, insisting that his sister-in-law had stirred up the trouble and the Xie family had caused his son’s death, demanding that his older brother go to the Xie family to seek justice.

Aunt An, unwilling to back down, responded with cold, cutting remarks — without even stopping to think that the man had lost his son, and taunting him was like pouring oil on fire.

The result was that he struck her over the head with a floor brick, leaving her bleeding profusely.

He said that with his son dead, he had no reason to go on living either. His son had originally been an honest, law-abiding man — but for the scheming and temptation of that vicious woman An Su Shi, who had emboldened him into greater and greater recklessness, leading him to accept bribes, wave false flags, and bring catastrophe upon himself.

In short, that day the An household nearly saw multiple deaths, and in the end it took the clan elder’s intervention to bring the situation under control.

Immediately after, Aunt An suddenly “fell ill” and was whisked away by her husband overnight to the family’s rural estate in their hometown. Word was she wouldn’t be coming back for years.

When Xie Youran heard all this, she stood with her mouth hanging open for a long time.

With her level of understanding, she simply could not work out the connections between all these events.

And so she went to the study to find Zhou Sui’an, wanting an explanation.

But at the study door, she found that the little concubine Hu Niangzi was delivering a bowl of nourishing soup to Zhou Sui’an. Hu Niangzi’s body — slightly fuller now with pregnancy — was leaning far too close to Zhou Sui’an.

The jar of vinegar inside Xie Youran tipped and spilled instantly. She lunged forward and slapped Hu Niangzi squarely across the face.

Hu Niangzi stumbled backward in fright. She had been in the household for so long, always enjoying the favor of the elder Madam Zhao. Even the previous principal wife, Chu Linlang, had been kind to her and never made her observe all the formal rules — there had even been times when the better food was set aside first for her as a pregnant woman. This newly arrived wife was supposedly from a fine, distinguished family! What dreadful manners — barging in without a word and striking someone with her own hands!

Did she think a proper, good-status concubine like herself was some servant girl bought for a few coins?

Hu Niangzi could bear it no longer. Clutching her stomach and covering her mouth, she sobbed and knelt at Zhou Sui’an’s feet, begging him to let her go back to her family, lest she and her unborn child both be hounded to death in this deep household.

The commotion eventually brought in Madam Zhao and Zhou Sui’an’s younger sister. The sister helped Hu Niangzi up and took her back to her own room.

Madam Zhao, who had harbored resentment toward the new daughter-in-law from the very day of the wedding, now finally had a proper cause to take issue. She demanded to know of Xie Youran how she could be so harsh toward a concubine who was also with child — didn’t she have any compassion? Though the Zhou family might not be as distinguished as the Xie family, her son was still a proper sixth-rank official, and this was no way to ruin the family’s reputation.

Then Zhou Sui’an erupted in fury as well, berating Xie Youran for her jealousy in treating a concubine who had come before her and was carrying a child with such a complete lack of dignity befitting a principal wife.

Mother-in-law and son united in attack, driving Xie Youran, clutching her belly, toward a pillar in a fury. The maids and nannies barely managed to stop her, each trying to calm her down from their respective sides. In the end, Hu Niangzi was brought to apologize to the wife Xie Youran, and only then did each side find a way to step down from their respective high ground.

But as a result of all this, the newly married couple were locked in a cold war for yet another several days.

These days, Zhou Sui’an had practically taken up residence in the study, hardly ever returning to the marital bedroom.

By Zhou Sui’an’s rank alone, he would not normally have been eligible to attend a drinking party at the Fourth Prince’s residence.

Xie Youran had wanted to flaunt her connections to Zhou Sui’an, to prove that all those rumors had left her completely unscathed. She had specifically pulled in favors to obtain the invitation.

The Fourth Princess Consort had sent the invitation out of consideration for Lord Zhou’s status as the Sixth Princess Consort’s brother-in-law.

Seeing that she had obtained an invitation to such a popular prince’s residence, Zhou Sui’an had softened somewhat, and the two had finally been able to appear in public together with a semblance of dignity.

However, Xie Youran’s seat among the female guests had been arranged far away from the main table in a side section. She had been wanting to find a moment to speak with her older sister, but had never had the chance.

Who could have imagined that her older sister, who had been “too busy” to speak with her all evening, would suddenly be seen holding Chu Linlang’s hand, walking over chatting and laughing cheerfully — and heading together toward the main table.

Xie Youran’s eyes nearly fell out of her head.

Had her sister lost her mind? How could she treat Chu Linlang like a dear sister?

Had she forgotten all of Chu Linlang’s misdeeds? Besides, Chu Linlang was now nothing more than a servant in the Deputy Minister’s household. What merit or standing did she have to deserve a seat at the Fourth Prince’s main table?

Watching her sister and Chu Linlang holding hands and talking cheerfully, Xie Youran was so furious she wanted to overturn the table.

As for Chu Linlang herself — though she had been graciously given a place by the two Princess Consorts — she knew her own worth. She was no longer an official’s wife, and was not in a position to dine at the same table as Princess Consorts.

She didn’t dare sit. She simply stood beside the table, lifted a cup to toast the two royal consorts, stood in attendance at their sides, offered some polite pleasantries, passed along good wishes on Lord Situ’s behalf, and only then was finally able to take her leave.

Just as she was leading the maids toward the gate of the royal residence and nearly out the door, she heard someone call loudly from behind: “Chu Linlang!”

She turned to look — it was Xie Youran, trailing maids behind her, chasing after her.

Chu Linlang frowned. The last thing she wanted was to speak with this woman. She turned and prepared to board her carriage.

But Xie Youran had already caught up, and said with a voice full of grievance: “Why are you walking so fast? Are you running away because you have a guilty conscience?”

Chu Linlang had already boarded the carriage and said coldly through the curtain: “I haven’t stolen anyone’s husband — why should I be afraid to face anyone?”

Xie Youran’s face flushed red: “You… you took our family’s money and then ran around ruining my reputation everywhere! Get out of that carriage! If I don’t tear your mouth apart today, I’ll change my surname!”

Hearing this, Chu Linlang laughed out loud.

Zhou Sui’an’s new wife was already carrying a child! If she got too close and Zhou Sui’an’s wife twisted her ankle, it would be blamed on her. Of course she needed to keep her distance — only a fool would climb out of the carriage!

Linlang settled comfortably into the carriage and said lightly: “I barely even remember who you are when you’re not jumping around in front of my face — and I’ve been spreading rumors to ruin your reputation? That would only dirty my own mouth! Whatever your Aunt An’s household did, I wouldn’t dare steal credit for her work. If I were you, I’d stay curled up at home quietly. What are you doing screaming in front of a prince’s gate? Hurry back, now — Lord Zhou is a man who cares about his dignity. If you accidentally make him lose face out here, watch out for your husband sleeping in his study for days without speaking to you!”

With that, Chu Linlang tapped the wall of the carriage, and the coachman drove the horses and disappeared in a cloud of dust.

Xie Youran was left standing there, her cheeks quivering faintly with suppressed fury.

Everything else aside — how did Chu Linlang know that Zhou Sui’an had been sleeping in the study these past few days?

Could it be… could they still be in contact secretly?

At the thought of this, Xie Youran’s expression changed drastically. She gritted her teeth, determined to go home and settle accounts with Zhou Sui’an!

But when she turned, she found Zhou Sui’an standing not far away — his eyes following the departing carriage with a lingering, reluctant gaze.

Xie Youran walked over and said through gritted teeth: “What’s this? Can’t bear to see it go? Having regrets?”

Zhou Sui’an said nothing. He could hardly tell his wife of less than a month that he had been regretting this for a long time.

That day on their return wedding visit, Zhou Sui’an had not been given the treatment a new son-in-law ought to receive.

His father-in-law had pulled him aside into the study. Only then did he learn that the An family’s in-laws had caused a catastrophic disaster. Those petty officials, using the names of the Sixth Highness and the Xie family as cover, had managed to get entangled in the whirlpool of the princes’ struggle for power!

His father-in-law had specifically called him into the study alone because there were things that were not appropriate for women to know — especially not someone like Xie Youran, who couldn’t keep a secret to save her life.

As for his daughter, she had already been handed over to Zhou Sui’an. Xie Sheng felt as though a great burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Any future trouble Xie Youran caused would be the Zhou family’s problem.

He had laid out the stakes clearly to his son-in-law — and in doing so had formally transferred all responsibility.

Thinking of how his father-in-law had grabbed his shoulders with eyes like daggers, instructing him word by word never to allow Xie Youran to have any more contact with Aunt An — Zhou Sui’an felt cold sweat trickling down his back.

Having just taken a new wife, Zhou Sui’an didn’t know why, but he suddenly found himself missing Chu Linlang.

If she were here, at least the household would have been peaceful.

When he retreated to his study, he needed only to invent some vague pretext of hard work, and Chu Linlang would keep anyone from disturbing him. She would deliver tea and snacks at regular intervals, burn a stick of fragrance in the incense burner, and during those moments when he lifted his brush to rest, she would come over to loosen the tension in his shoulders, asking him softly what he felt like eating.

In those days, though his official rank had been low, his life had been incomparably comfortable and contented.

Linlang had never made him worry about the inner household, and his former father-in-law — though a rough, common merchant — would come occasionally to ask for some small favor, but at least brought peace and quiet, never dragging him into disasters that could burn him alive!

And now, though he appeared to have married the daughter of a high official, he felt a dejection that made him think he might have been better off remaining a merchant’s son-in-law.

These days, Xie Youran had been sulking at him for not taking her out to enjoy the scenery and outings, complaining he was not as refined and charming as he had been before their marriage.

Zhou Sui’an had privately wanted to point out that Xie Youran’s figure had changed since the pregnancy, and her face had lost its refined young lady’s quality and taken on an aggrieved, bitter look. But Lord Zhou was not quite so foolish as to let those words leave his mouth and provoke Xie Youran’s fury.

Watching Xie Youran gearing up to interrogate him again, he could only play the fool, claiming he had just stepped out for some air and had happened to stumble upon her and Chu Linlang.

Xie Youran didn’t believe him, and started to make a scene again.

But Zhou Sui’an was truly at the end of his rope with her endless tantrums in completely inappropriate settings. He was already regretting coming here at all. Because just now, with his former wife and his current wife appearing at the same place at the same time, those nearby had clearly been drawn by curiosity and were already stealing glances and whispering behind their backs.

Xie Youran truly loved to make a scene! She had insisted on dragging him here — did she not know that she had become pregnant before their wedding and ought to be keeping a low profile for a while?

With this thought, Zhou Sui’an said coldly: “If you want to keep arguing, then by all means go back inside and argue in front of all the guests. Either way, the Zhou family’s reputation has already taken enough of a beating — you might as well finish it off in one go, and I’ll finally have some peace and quiet!”

Having said this, he did not wait for Xie Youran, but took his manservant, boarded his own carriage, and drove off without looking back.

His father-in-law had made it clear she was not to return to the parental home. Zhou Sui’an wasn’t afraid of her running back to tell tales.

If he didn’t cool her down a little, she would keep putting on the airs of a general’s daughter before him.

His mother had been right — it was time to establish some ground rules with the new wife Xie Youran!

Xie Youran hadn’t expected Zhou Sui’an would actually leave her behind and go. What kind of gentle and considerate man was this? Had he been just the same with Chu Linlang before?

Xie Youran was so furious she stamped her feet and burst into wailing tears right there at the Fourth Prince’s gate.

In the end, it was the Sixth Princess Consort, hearing from a Fourth Prince household servant what her sister was doing at the gate again, who finally had her own nanny rush over with two maids to coax Xie Youran into the Sixth Prince’s carriage and have her sent back to the Zhou household.

As for Chu Linlang — she had never in her wildest dreams imagined she would receive such remarkable treatment at the prince’s residence today.

When she returned to Jicui Lane, even Xia He couldn’t help muttering: “Young Mistress, why doesn’t that Sixth Princess Consort hold any grudge at all?”

Chu Linlang didn’t know the reasons behind it either. She only felt that the Sixth Princess Consort’s excessive cordiality had left her vaguely unsettled.

That evening, Situ Sheng came home a little earlier than usual. When he entered, his face was drawn with exhaustion, as though he had worked through a great deal of official business.

Guanqi whispered to her that the presiding judge of the Court of Judicial Review had been replaced. The newly appointed Steward Cheng seemed to be at odds with the master and was affiliated with the Crown Prince’s faction.

The moment he had taken up his post, he had given the master a difficult task: within three days, Situ Sheng was to sort through all the accumulated case files from the past ten years and transcribe them all into fresh ledgers.

This was clearly work for low-ranking clerks, and yet it had been assigned to a fifth-rank Deputy Minister. Anyone with eyes could see this was pure deliberate harassment — not a shred of dignity left for Situ Sheng.

What surprised everyone was that Situ Sheng accepted the task without a word.

So tonight, the master would be burning the midnight oil again.

Chu Linlang heard this and felt a pang of guilt. She went in and quietly told him what had happened at the Fourth Prince’s residence that day, and worried that she might have offended the Crown Prince’s chief manager, causing the master to suffer for it.

But Situ Sheng just shook his head and gave a light laugh: “If you had that much talent for stirring up trouble, I’d put you on a pedestal and worship you as a plague god. Stop overthinking it — this has nothing to do with you.”

Chu Linlang looked at his tired face and asked: “What do you want for a late-night snack? I’ll make it for you.”

Situ Sheng said: “Don’t bother. Just make me a pot of that scorched rice tea you made for me before — the more bitter, the better.”

Chu Linlang hadn’t expected that the tea she had accidentally burned that one time would become Situ Sheng’s go-to stimulant.

The request was absurd, but seeing how exhausted he looked, she couldn’t bring herself to refuse. And so she made him another pot of scorched rice tea.

When she carried the tea into the room, Situ Sheng was sprawled back in the reclining chair, brow furrowed, pressing his fingertips against his temples.

Chu Linlang had meant to simply set down the tea and leave, but seeing the state of him, she could tell he was suffering from a headache brought on by poor rest.

He slept lightly. Once asleep, he was always plagued by nightmares, sometimes lying awake the whole night. Right now he was only getting by on youth and a strong constitution, pushing through by sheer will — but if he kept on like this, he would eventually damage his health permanently.

She couldn’t help asking: “Would you like me to… press some acupressure points on your head?”

Situ Sheng looked up at her for a moment, then closed his eyes: “Then… I’ll be in your hands, Chu Niangzi.”

And so Chu Linlang pulled up a stool, sat down at the side of the reclining chair, and reached out to gently press the acupressure points on Situ Sheng’s head.

She had been a wife, and her husband would rely on this same pressure technique to relieve fatigue when he was tired from studying, so her hands knew exactly what to do.

The only odd thing was that whenever she had done this for someone before, the person had grown more and more relaxed. Yet Situ Sheng, after only a few passes, grew more and more tense — and rather hard going for her wrists.

Situ Sheng lay with his eyes closed, feeling the light, gentle touch of fingertips pressing and kneading. It was as though a spring of fresh energy was flowing into the acupressure points, and the inexplicable tension in him eased considerably.

The faint, delicate fragrance from that slender wrist drifted naturally into his breath, and the restlessness in his heart dissolved without him knowing why.

Only those soft fingertips — like her lips that had inadvertently pressed against him that day — sent a tingling, numbing sensation through him each time they made contact…

Situ Sheng was truly exhausted, and yet still felt an impulse — to cup a handful of soft bean curd and drink it in. His body naturally tensed in response.

Only when Chu Linlang complained that he should relax a little, that she was finding it hard to press any further, did he make a determined effort to suppress the hidden and unspeakable strangeness within him, and try to let the muscles in his body loosen.

Chu Linlang also felt that the silence between them was somewhat awkward, and so she began to talk about recent matters at the official farmland. The day before yesterday when she had gone, she had happened to arrive just as certain officials were enclosing land — buying up nearby farmers’ fields and annexing them into the official farmland. But the two parties hadn’t agreed on a price and a dispute had broken out.

She had been curious as to why those farmers’ fields were priced higher than others, and why the official would still buy them at that price. Only later did she understand — it was so the land could be merged into the official farmland and thereby escape future taxation.

Situ Sheng listened in silence, then suddenly changed the subject: “The household has more people now, and things are getting crowded. My former superior has been transferred, and he has an old residence to sell. I went to look at it a few days ago and the layout is quite nice, just a bit expensive. I wonder if the household has enough funds to make the switch.”

In the capital, officials’ residences were either personally purchased, gifted by the Emperor, or — in the vast majority of cases — rented. After all, housing in the capital was extremely expensive, far beyond what most officials’ salaries could cover. Take Zhou Sui’an and Situ Sheng’s current residence, for instance — though it was officially assigned, they still had to pay monthly rent. If they weren’t satisfied, they had to find somewhere else and pay even more. Some officials of quite decent rank, if they were honest and lived frugally, couldn’t even afford to buy property in the city and ended up moving to the outskirts of the capital instead.

Chu Linlang listened to the price of the residence, did a quick mental calculation, and told her master with complete honesty: as long as he kept working diligently for another twenty years, he’d probably be able to afford it.

Situ Sheng fell silent at this, and who knew whether a man’s pride had taken a blow.

Chu Linlang was just smoothing out his thick, sword-like eyebrows with her fingertips, and looking down at the curling lashes beneath her palms, she almost couldn’t stop herself from opening her mouth and generously offering to lend him some silver to make up the difference.

Fortunately, just as the words reached her lips, rationality prevailed, and she managed to hold herself back.

Good heavens! They always said a beautiful woman could bewitch a man into spending every last coin he had. Apparently a handsome man could just as easily inspire a woman to fling away a small fortune.

But no matter how good-looking he was, he was not some low-ranking official she could afford to keep.

The master was planning to settle down and buy a proper home. What business did a subordinate like her have throwing money at the project?

That silver of hers was meant to buy her own house and land someday!

But after she had told Situ Sheng that his salary wasn’t enough to buy a house, he had gone quiet and seemed quite deflated.

Chu Linlang thought about it again — they were, after all, old childhood acquaintances. By the principles of camaraderie, one should lend a hand when someone was in difficulty.

And so she cleared her throat and said tentatively: “If you really do want to move, why not let me go and speak with the owner? If it’s just a matter of renting, it won’t cost as much. Even if your salary isn’t quite enough, I… could move some silver around and lend you a little…”

But of course, dear brothers still needed to keep clear accounts — even if they were childhood friends, she’d still need to charge two points of interest!

But before she could finish saying all this, a faint, gentle snoring sound came from Situ Sheng. At some unknown point, he had drifted off into a deep sleep under Chu Linlang’s massage.

Seeing that he hadn’t heard her mention of the loan, Chu Linlang immediately let out a quiet sigh of relief.

The relationship between master and employee was best kept simple and clean. Talking about money always risked putting a strain on feelings.

She left well enough alone and quietly tiptoed out of the room.

About an hour passed. She hadn’t even had the chance to eat dinner yet when she heard a knock at the door.

Chu Linlang assumed it was another visitor coming to intercede or deliver a gift, and had the doorman shout through the door that the master was out.

But before long, a visiting card was slipped through the gap in the gate. The doorman brought it to Steward Chu, and when she looked at it, it was a visiting card from the Sixth Highness.

This was not something she could decide on her own. She had no choice but to take it to Situ Sheng.

Situ Sheng had just woken from his nap and seemed considerably more refreshed. He glanced at the card and asked Chu Linlang to invite the Sixth Highness in.

Situ Sheng knew that the Sixth Imperial Prince had once looked down on him as a person of lowly birth. Their few months of teacher-student interaction had been spent half the time cutting down corrupt officials along the road, each harboring their own agenda — hardly the makings of a warm and meaningful bond.

As others had said, the Sixth Highness had been nothing more than a stepping stone for him. A fool, and now that they had parted on bad terms, there was no need to maintain a hollow show of friendship.

But since the Sixth Prince had come, he had at least to go through the social motions before sending him on his way.

Come to think of it, it had been quite some time since they had met privately. The Sixth Highness had also been drinking a little at the Fourth Prince’s residence today and was using the haze of alcohol as cover to come humble himself before his former teacher.

When they came face to face, Situ Sheng received the prince with appropriate deference, but the Sixth Prince abruptly dropped to his knees before Situ Sheng, his voice choked: “Deputy Tutor, do you truly no longer recognize me as your student?”

Situ Sheng saw that Chu Linlang had thoughtfully ushered the maids away from the door, sending them far off, before carefully closing the study door. Only then did he reach out a hand to help up his former beloved student.

“Sixth Highness is of the imperial blood — there is no need to kneel to a lowly official!”

The Sixth Highness remained on his knees and refused to rise, but he was so thin that Situ Sheng simply lifted him up with one hand and set him in a chair.

Liu Ling said with a choked voice: “The Deputy Tutor understands me well. That day, had I not been indecent with drink, how would I have said such words that offended my teacher? Every time I think of it now, I am filled with such regret that I cannot sleep. Has the Deputy Tutor refused to acknowledge me because he is still angry?”

Situ Sheng reached out and nudged the teapot: “My household manager brewed this scorched rice tea. Drinking it tends to improve one’s mood…”

The Sixth Highness hastily stood and served the Deputy Tutor a cup of tea with great eagerness. He poured one for himself as well and took a large mouthful.

Good heavens — how was it so bitter!

A lifetime of imperial upbringing would not allow the Sixth Highness to show poor manners in front of others. He could only gulp it down.

The teacher had been right. This tea was so bitter it truly dried up the wellspring of tears — his tongue went numb and he found himself barely able to get a word out.

Situ Sheng’s ears were finally blessed with quiet. He was preparing to wrap things up in a few words and send the foolish student on his way.

But as the words turned on the tip of his tongue, he suddenly recalled something Chu Linlang had once said to him.

She had said: if a person wanted to live well, it was best to give themselves more choices.

This Sixth Highness had just told him in confidence about the secret disposal of the An family’s waterway official. It seemed he was not entirely a fool after all…

With this thought turning in his mind, the Situ Sheng who had been prepared to send his guest packing changed his mind: “Does Your Highness believe I have been avoiding you in public because I am angry with you?”

Liu Ling blinked, puzzled: “Could it be… you are still angry with me over something else?”

Situ Sheng took a measured sip of the bitter tea and said evenly: “I would have thought Your Highness understood that for you and me to keep our distance is, in fact, most fitting for Your Highness’s benefit.”

Seeing that he still seemed only half to understand, Situ Sheng spoke more plainly: “His Majesty has long been intent on rooting out corrupt officials along the northern border. Your Highness served as that sharp blade most admirably — cutting away the rot, purging the festering growth, and curing a long-standing ailment. But now that you have returned to the capital, His Majesty does not lack for blades. If Your Highness does not know when to sheathe that blade and conceal its brilliance — I fear it may turn and wound your own sagacity and edge!”

Hearing these words, Liu Ling finally understood: his earlier sweeping and thunderous investigations had drawn out the Prince of Tai’s faction, and simultaneously tripped up the palace’s Lady Consort Jing — what a display of brilliant, unsheathed sharpness that had been!

If Situ Sheng had still been seen associating closely with him at that time, wouldn’t it have invited the jealousy and resentment of the Crown Prince and the Fourth Prince?

So the truth was — the way Situ Sheng had given him no face and kept his distance in public had actually been putting on a deliberate show for others, signaling to the other princes that this Sixth Highness had absolutely no ambitions toward the succession!

His teacher had only appeared heartless on the outside — but every bit of it was the deep and tender love of a parent for a child!

The love of a parent for a child plans far ahead for their future, and yet he had harbored bitter resentment toward his Deputy Tutor in secret, never appreciating the painstaking care and good intentions behind it all. At this moment, wave upon wave of remorse came crashing over him!