TPITWOHEF

Chapter 10

[I wonder how my Brother is doing?]

After lunch, Xiao Chuchu lay on the small bed, held by Lower Concubine Liu as they watched the rain fall steadily outside.

But soon, her thoughts drifted to the study room upstairs.

[Has Brother studied that passage thoroughly...]

[If the essay is poorly written, it might be presented before the Emperor Father for public punishment. This afternoon, several Grand Secretaries are meeting with the Emperor Father.]

Lower Concubine Liu looked a bit worried upon hearing this.

But she quickly let it go, patting her young daughter's arm.

She had already hinted to her son about her grandfather's examination earlier.

Although her son was not very expressive, he was intelligent.

He takes the slightest hint.

And whatever he said, he would always follow through - if he said he would return to the study room to review his lessons diligently, he would do so without fail.

Lower Concubine Liu had confidence in her son, as she had secretly asked Qiu Li to keep tabs on the Fifth Prince in the past, so she understood him well.

"Is Chuchu thinking about her Brother?"

"Your Brother is likely studying. He has been intelligent since young, not quite to the level of total recall after one reading, but his memorization has always been swift."

"Once he finishes studying and the weather clears up, he can come play with you."

Lower Concubine Liu gently coaxed her daughter.

Seeing Chuchu's tiny body, she could not bear to see the child's worried pout.

After a moment of thought, Lower Concubine Liu asked Qiu Li to prepare ink and paper.

"Chuchu, would you like Mother to teach you some characters?"

Xiao Chuchu: "..."

Learning at such a young age?

No way!

She was still just a baby.

She spread her hands and looked at the large characters, nodding off to sleep before long.

Lower Concubine Liu could only laugh and put away the paper and ink.

"It's almost the hour of the Dragon."

"The examination must have started, I suppose."

She gazed towards the study room upstairs, lost in thought.

*

In the Qianqing Palace.

Three Grand Secretaries were resting in the side room, drinking tea as they awaited the Emperor's summons.

They heard the report from the study room teacher, Chancellor Lu Zhen of the Hanlin Academy, from inside:

"Your Majesty, here are the essays submitted by the Princes today for your review."

Emperor Xiao Yunzhou, dressed in a dragon-patterned casual robe despite being in his early thirties, remained handsome.

He accepted the seven sheets of paper presented by the eunuch scribe and unfolded them one by one.

"Please have a seat, Chancellor Lu."

Lu Zhen was already sixty years old with graying hair.

Not only was he the highest-ranked Chancellor of the Hanlin Academy at the third rank, but he had also been the tutor to Xiao Yunzhou when he was the Crown Prince.