A few years ago, Xiao Shen, who was much younger, didn’t understand what he had done wrong.
His Emperor Father never came to the cold palace to see him, as if he didn’t have this son. His Mother Concubine often wanted to drag him to death with her. When she was awake, she kept cursing and crying, regretting why she didn’t kill herself by hitting her head against a wall when she was pregnant with him.
Later, he gradually realized that it was not that he was not obedient but that he had been abandoned by everyone since he was born.
But at this moment, his master who was in front of him looked at him gently and solemnly promised him that he would never easily abandon him.
This scene has been deeply imprinted in Xiao Shen’s eyes and heart ever since, so much so that even after so many years, he can still clearly recall every detail in his mind.
There are stars scattered in his eyes, the corners of his eyes are raised, his soft and moist lips were opening and closing, his breath is as clear as the crisp morning dew, his fragrance is as strong as the lush winter plum, he is so pure and beautiful, there is no one like him in the world, and the bright moon behind him is even eclipsed.
“Alright, it’s so cold, don’t stand in the wind here like an idiot.” After a moment, Shen Qingzhuo withdrew his hand and patted his little disciple’s thin shoulder as if to comfort him. “Go back to sleep, and come to the lecture as usual tomorrow.”
“En.” Xiao Shen responded indifferently, turned around stiffly, and walked forward.
Shen Qingzhuo called him: “Hey, where are you going?”
Xiao Shen paused, a look of bewilderment on his face.
“The palace gate is over there.” Shen Qingzhuo raised his hand helplessly and pointed in another direction. Suddenly he remembered something: “Have you not had dinner yet?”
Xiao Dezi reported that when he went into the small study during dinner, the person inside had already disappeared. He guessed that the person was hiding in some corner waiting for him to come back, and he must be hungry now.
“Ah?” Xiao Shen finally came to his senses and subconsciously denied, “I’ve already eaten.”
As soon as he finished speaking, a protesting gurgling sound came from his empty stomach, which was extremely real in the silent night.
Xiao Shen: “……”
The young version of the little tyrant frozen on the spot, looking at a loss.
Shen Qingzhuo laughed dumbly and considerately found a way out for his little apprentice. “I am hungry, do you want to accompany Master to eat something?”
A barely perceptible blush crept up on the snow-white little face, and Xiao Shen nodded reluctantly.
The small kitchen was tidy, with ingredients and kitchen utensils neatly arranged, forming a sharp contrast with the environment of the cold palace.
In order to prevent the master from hunger at night and it will be too late by the time the small kitchen prepares it, midnight snacks were usually prepared early and kept warm in the steamer.
Shen Qingzhuo opened the lid and found a bowl of sweet and sticky red bean porridge, a plate of emerald shrimp dumplings, and crispy radishes in the pot. It was exquisite and appetizing.
He brought out all the midnight snacks and placed them on the stove, motioning his little disciple to eat them while they were hot.
Xiao Shen didn’t hesitate to pick up the hot bowl and swallowed a mouthful of red bean porridge. He felt his whole body warm up.
Shen Qingzhuo leaned aside and said softly, “Eat slowly, don’t get burned.”
“Master, you won’t eat?” Xiao Shen asked, holding the bowl.
Shen Qingzhuo smiled and said, “Seeing you eating so happily, Master is full.”
Xiao Shen was a little confused: “Why?”
“Master will teach you another idiom today.” Young Master Shen joked in a nonchalant tone, “A feast for the eyes1A feast for the eyes (idioms) gorgeous, graceful. Basically, what he means is that this beautiful scenery makes people forget about hunger..”
In fact, he had eaten a lot at the Crown Prince’s mansion tonight, and now he couldn’t eat anything anymore.
“A feast to the eyes?” Xiao Shen blinked twice and secretly memorized the idiom in his heart.
The next day, which was Young Master Shen’s birthday, all the gifts prepared by the various palaces were delivered to his door.
The original owner was just a hostage living under someone else’s roof, but Emperor Guangxi had always treated him gently and warmly in order to demonstrate his benevolence and generosity, especially the grand rewards he bestowed yesterday. All the palaces heard the news and sent carefully prepared birthday gifts.
Shen Qingzhuo had no interest in these gold, silver, and jade artifacts, but since he was in the palace, it was always good to have enough wealth to support himself, as you never know when they might come in handy.
So, he handed the matter over to Xiao Dezi, who recorded the gift list and sorted them out for safekeeping.
Only when there is give and take is it called a favor, and these will have to be repaid in the future.
At noon, Shen Qingzhuo received a letter from home in Youbei.
The wax used to seal the envelope showed obvious signs of being damaged, but he didn’t care and opened the letter directly.
The characters that come into view are as agile as a startled dragon and graceful as a flying wild goose. It seems that one can get a glimpse of the style of the person who writes through the brush tip that penetrates the back of the paper.
The person who wrote this letter was the eldest son of King Zhenbei, the great general Shen Fenglan, who was also the original owner’s elder brother.
The letter contained nothing but some casual conversation, reporting that everything was fine at home. Third Brother, you are all alone in Shengjing, so you must take good care of yourself. Big Brother will visit you when I have the chance to come to the capital.
Shen Qingzhuo glanced at it briefly and put away the letter with a dull look.
The book rarely describes the relationship between the original owner and his family. When the news of the original owner’s death reached Youbei, no one dared to come to Shengjing to attend the funeral and collect the original owner’s body.
But there was no body to collect either.
“Young Master, Empress Dowager sent someone to deliver some calming incense.” Xiao Dezi came in holding the sandalwood incense box in both hands. “We can continue to light incense tonight.”
Shen Qingzhuo glanced at it and said, “Did Empress Dowager send it?”
Xiao Dezi replied, “Yes, last year, after Young Master fell seriously ill, you could not sleep well at night, so the Empress Dowager gave the tranquilizing incense tributed from the Western Regions over. The incense ran out some time ago, and now, just in time for Young Master’s birthday, the Empress Dowager has sent new incense.”
“Really?” Shen Qingzhuo looked at the box of incense with a thoughtful expression.
As far as he knew, the Empress Dowager and her relatives behind her in the original book were always playing power games with Emperor Guangxi in the dark.
The reason why she proposed to start education for the Seventh Prince was not out of the grandmother’s love for her grandson, but just to take the opportunity to test whether Emperor Guangxi still listened to her and whether he took her, the Empress Dowager, seriously or not.
So, the Empress Dowager would kindly give him calming incense to help him sleep for no reason?
He’s afraid that it’s not that simple.
Shen Qingzhuo was just thinking about it when he heard the eunuch’s announcement from outside the palace gate: “Young Master, Junior Preceptor Pei has sent someone to deliver a gift, and they are waiting outside the palace.”
“Let him in.” Shen Qingzhuo collected his scattered thoughts and stepped out of the inner hall.
It seems that the ambiguous words he said to the Crown Prince yesterday took effect. Junior Preceptor Pei wanted to avoid suspicion and only sent someone to deliver gifts today.
“Greetings, Young Master.” The person who came presented the gift. “These are the four treasures of the study that Lord Pei sent as a gift.”
Shen Qingzhuo raised his eyebrows slightly. It seemed that this Junior Preceptor Pei was more interesting than he had imagined.
The wolf-hair brush, Songyan Hui ink, Qingtan Xuan paper, and Bingwen Duan inkstone, the four treasures of the study, are all top-grade, and it’s obvious that some thought went into the selection.
“Thank your Young Master for me.” Shen Qingzhuo took the gift in person and said with a smile, “By the way, please tell him that I like this birthday gift very much.”
The visitor replied in a serious tone: “The subordinate will convey your message truthfully.”
Shen Qingzhuo tilted his head, signaling Xiao Dezi to give him some rewards, and he slowly walked back to the hall holding the four treasures of the study.
Not long after, a thin figure suddenly rushed in, “Master!”
Shen Qingzhuo raised his eyelashes: “What’s wrong?”
Xiao Shen took a deep breath, his eyes fell on the inkstone in his hand, and his tone was filled with undisguised joy. “I understand that poem now.”
Early this morning, his master asked him to recite and understand a brand new poem on his own, and he did it.
“I even thought it was something else, you scared me.” Shen Qingzhuo laughed, “You came at the right time, Junior Preceptor Pei sent someone to deliver the best four treasures of the study.”
Hearing the words “Junior Preceptor Pei”, the excitement in Xiao Shen’s eyes disappeared instantly.
“What are you standing there for?” Shen Qingzhuo waved to his little disciple, “Come and take a look.”
Xiao Shen walked over hesitantly and saw his master’s hand resting on the rice paper, which was even whiter and more translucent than the delicate white paper.
“This is my favorite gift among all the gifts I received today.” Shen Qingzhuo said with a smile, “When your handwriting becomes better, I will give you this set of four treasures of the study.”
Xiao Shen stared at his fingers and said, “I don’t want them.”
“You little fool, you don’t know how valuable this set of four treasures of the study is.” Shen Qingzhuo thought he didn’t know the value of it and gently patted the back of his round head. “Forget it, let’s go and check your homework first.”
He turned and walked out. Xiao Shen followed him silently, his little face wrinkled in misery.
That night, Xiao Shen lay on the bed in the cold palace, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep.
His mind kept echoing what his master said during the day, as well as the look in his eyes when he looked at the set of four treasures of the study.
Today is his master’s birthday, and the Jiyue Pavilion was filled with gifts.
He originally wanted to give his master a birthday gift as well, but after thinking it over, he realized that he had nothing to give.
He had nothing, empty hands.
The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt. He raised his hands and embraced the lamb fur coat that his master had given him. He buried his face in the soft wool and smelled the rich plum fragrance that was becoming increasingly faint.
Plum fragrance, wait!
Xiao Shen suddenly jumped up from the bed, grabbed his cotton coat, put it on, and quickly walked out the door.
He remembered that there was a plum forest near Jinhua Palace. He had heard from the people in the palace that because Concubine Shu loved plum blossoms, his Emperor Father ordered people to plant a large plum forest.
Taking advantage of the moonlight, he carefully avoided the patrolling imperial guards in the palace and headed towards the Jinhua Palace.
It was the coldest time of winter, but the red plum blossoms on the trees were blooming like flames.
Xiao Shen stood under the plum tree, gazing up at the gorgeous plum blossoms on the branches, and the smiling face appeared before his eyes.
Without thinking, he climbed up a plum tree, picked a few of the best-growing plum blossoms, and then jumped down swiftly.
However, just as he was about to return the same way, a drunken voice shouted from behind him: “How dare you! Which little flower thief dared to sneak into this highness’s palace?”
Xiao Shen’s steps froze, his thin back suddenly arched, and his whole body entered an attacking state.
“Yo, isn’t this Seventh Brother?” Xiao Shaoyuan’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Why are you not sleeping in the cold palace in the middle of the night but running to my palace to steal flowers?”
“I didn’t steal the flowers.” Xiao Shen turned around and replied stiffly, “I just picked two flowers.”
“Is there a difference?” Xiao Shaoyuan asked the eunuch serving beside him, “Do you think he is a flower thief?”
“Yes, yes, yes! Your Highness the Fourth Prince is right!” How dare the young eunuch say no?
“Seventh Brother, who did you learn this bad habit of stealing from?” Xiao Shaoyuan became interested. “Also, didn’t Emperor Father forbid you to run around in the palace?”
It is better to have less trouble than more. Xiao Shen bit his back teeth and whispered, “I will go back now.”
“Wait!” Xiao Shaoyuan would never let the fun go easily when it came to him. “Did I let you go?”
The fingers holding the plum branch tightened little by little, and Xiao Shen watched him approach.
Xiao Shaoyuan stopped and slapped his brother’s face with his big hand, saying, “Look at you, you are so timid and afraid to see the light. How are you like a member of our Xiao family?”
Xiao Shen lowered his eyes and said nothing.
According to past experience, as long as Xiao Shaoyuan has had enough fun, he will naturally let him go.
“By the way, I heard that Emperor Father gave Shen Qingzhuo to you as a tutor?” Xiao Shaoyuan continued to pat his brother’s face, “How is it? He is the Crown Prince’s guest of honor, and he must have tortured you a lot, right?”
Xiao Shen’s pupils suddenly shrank, and he clenched his teeth.
“Pei!” Xiao Shaoyuan spat, “This highness despises him. He acts like an inviolable flower on the mountain top all day long. But in the end, he just climbed into the Crown Prince’s bed. He is a male pet who is not presentable!”
A fierce kick hit him right in the crotch, and Xiao Shaoyuan let out a scream like a slaughtered pig.
Xiao Shen stared at him with unprecedented coldness and disgust, “Shut up!”
“Xiao Shen! You’re crazy!” Xiao Shaoyuan recovered from the initial piercing pain and rushed towards him like crazy, “I’ll kill you, you little beast!”
Xiao Shen ran away, Xiao Shaoyuan chased after and cursed him, and the eunuch who was accompanying him also hurriedly after him.
In the dark palace corridor, Xiao Shen relied on his thin stature to maneuver around and soon led him to an abandoned garden near the cold palace.
There is a pond in the garden, which is extremely remote and sparsely populated. If someone finds two more bodies in the pond a few days later, what does it have to do with him?
Xiao Shen stopped in front of the pond with gloomy eyes, then turned to face Xiao Shaoyuan, who was chasing him breathlessly.
He has tolerated this idiot for a long time, and since he can no longer tolerate him tonight, he might as well get rid of him in advance.
“Little, little beast!” Xiao Shaoyuan hadn’t run so vigorously for a long time. He was so tired that he was out of breath. He bent over and supported his knees and cursed, “Today, today I will beat you until you cry for your parents!”
“Heh.” Xiao Shen suddenly revealed a strange smile and walked towards him step by step. “Fourth Brother, do you know where people who drown will go after they die?”
Xiao Shaoyuan looked at the dark eyes, and suddenly a strong sense of uneasiness surged in his heart. “What do you want to do?”
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Shen rushed forward, hugged him around the waist, and dragged him to the edge of the pond.
“What are you doing!” Xiao Shaoyuan reacted and immediately struggled back.
But Xiao Shen was already murderous. He was like a hungry wolf cub that had been released from a cage. Once he bit his prey, he would not let go and was determined to kill it with one bite.
Xiao Shaoyuan could never have imagined that his seventh brother, who usually accepted everything, would dare to kill him. After only a few struggles, he was knocked into the pond.
With a “plop” sound, a huge splash of water was created.
At the same time, a clear and anxious voice cut through the dark night: “Xiao Shen! Xiao Shen, where are you?”
The little wolf cub standing on the shore was stunned, and the blood color in his eyes suddenly faded away.
The next moment, his legs went limp, and he fell headfirst into the pond.
“Master, save me!”
The author has something to say:
The Little Wolf Cub: I’m so scared… Master, save me!
Shen Qingzhuo: Don’t be afraid, dear disciple, Master is here!
T/N: Sorry, I went out yesterday so there was no update xD two chapters today <3
