Chapter 13
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“Is what Third Brother said wrong?” The Sixth Princess’ face darkened as she complained, “That so-called Wonderchild just wanted to fawn over Ninth Brother and show off his talent. Otherwise, why would he put so much effort into writing a strategy essay?”
“Big Sister, Master Xiaobai is not that kind of person!” Xie An explained, “It was Ninth Brother who actively asked Master Xiaobai for help in writing it.”
The Sixth Princess defended her younger brother, “Even in the past, Old Ninth never had someone else ghostwrite for him. Why did he suddenly take an interest in that child prodigy?”
Hearing this reasonable question, Xie An looked at Xie Duo with doubt. “Ninth Brother, why did you specifically ask Master Xiaobai to write that policy essay?”
This question touched a nerve with Xie Duo.
Who would have thought that a junior scholar-official who had never studied Legalism could write such a smooth strategy?
To be honest, when Xie Duo tricked that scholar into ghostwriting, he worried that the writing might be mediocre because the child prodigy didn’t seem smart.
When the child prodigy came to the study room for the first time, the Expositor-in-waiting asked him to take a seat. He initially wanted to sit next to Eighth Brother, but Eighth Brother politely declined.
Xie Duo glanced upward, catching the child prodigy stiffly turning his head towards the back row. When they locked eyes, the child prodigy’s face contorted as if he had seen a ghost.
Afterward, the child prodigy awkwardly made his way to the seat between him and Xie An. He reached for the chair, but it took him quite some time to pull it back just half an inch.
Xie Duo glanced at the child prodigy, intending to help him with the chair. Unexpectedly, the child prodigy made a “squeak” sound and forcefully pushed the chair closer to him, almost sticking to his side.
Xie Duo didn’t like dealing with strangers. Thinking this apprentice was trying to get close to him, he maintained a cold expression throughout the entire class.
However, the child prodigy didn’t interact with him, not even when Xie Jing turned to ask a question. The child prodigy looked bewildered and chose to talk to his brother, Xie An, without even glancing at Xie Duo.
Curiosity sparked in Xie Duo, and he began to pay attention to this peculiar young junior scholar-official. He noticed the young scholar furrowing his brows, earnestly… reading the silk book.
From that moment on, Xie Duo became convinced that this young scholar might be a bit simple-minded.
He originally wanted to speak up and ask the young scholar to relax, but every time he turned his head, the child prodigy would shiver and tense up.
It seemed like the child prodigy was afraid of him.
Xie Duo had a wicked idea. After class, he easily tricked the young child prodigy into asking him to write his homework for him.
Unexpectedly, he ended up digging a pit for himself.
The child prodigy, with unimaginable skill, cleverly turned the tables on him.
Xie Duo wasn’t sure if the child prodigy deliberately wrote such a paper to mess with him.
Although Xie Duo didn’t want the child prodigy to get into trouble because of the ghostwriting incident, it didn’t mean he wouldn’t investigate the young scholar’s intentions.
While he was still recovering from the injury and planning to settle the matter privately in a few days, the child prodigy dared to wait for him in the study room.
Taking the medicine prescribed by the imperial physician, Xie Duo excused himself due to fatigue. Once the Sixth Princess and the others had left, he got up and left Nansan Hall, heading to Hanlin Academy.
Han Jiao asked his colleague who was assisting the lectures today and learned that the Ninth Prince still hadn’t come to class.
He didn’t know the extent of the Prince’s injuries.
In the morning, Elder Lin came to the document room and brought several papers of strategies previously written by the three young Princes. He asked the apprentices to copy one for each of them to take back.
In theory, it was meant to familiarize everyone with the young Princes’ theoretical levels, making it easier to tailor their education. In reality, it was to prevent any dangerous incidents with ghostwriting again. “Tutoring assignments” must be adjusted according to each student’s actual abilities.
To put it simply, this thing was prepared solely for Han Jiao. Elder Lin really had his best interests at heart.
However, this action became a handle falling into the hands of Chen Yuanqiao and his group.
Chen Yuanqiao had always suspected that Han Jiao voluntarily acted as a ghostwriter for the Prince. But the kind Ninth Prince couldn’t bear to implicate him after the incident, so he completely cleared Han Jiao’s name of any blame.
Now, Elder Lin wanted everyone to be familiar with the Princes’ level of strategizing. Wasn’t it to prevent someone like Han Jiao from currying favor and overstepping boundaries?
So, those people around Chen Yuanqiao deliberately instructed Han Jiao to read through the strategies multiple times, so that the next time he tried to please them, he would be more cautious.
A few days ago, they were still worried that Han Jiao had caught the Princes’ attention. But now, Han Jiao couldn’t even step into the study room. The group that used to ostracize him rekindled their camaraderie and seized every opportunity to mock and ridicule him.
Fortunately, Han Jiao wasn’t as isolated as before. His talent gained recognition from the Emperor, and he even submitted a strategy essay to the Imperial Study Room. Many colleagues, either sincerely admiring him or trying to curry favor, rushed to befriend him and counter those who mocked him.
Though he was no longer alone, the atmosphere remained stifling. In a sour mood, Han Jiao took the Princes’ strategy essays and went to the library to find some tranquility.
Zhou Hao, who admired Han Jiao’s knowledge the most, followed him outside and shot a stern glance at Chen Yuanqiao and his group before leaving.
As the two left, Chen Yuanqiao immediately resumed his mocking, bluntly stating that Han Jiao’s flattery had backfired, losing favor with the Princes and ending up with a bag of medicine he couldn’t find a place to deliver, truly pitiful.
Just as he finished speaking, the voice of a eunuch’s announcement suddenly came from outside the courtyard: The Ninth Prince has arrived――
Chen Yuanqiao, who was lounging smugly in the round chair, immediately stood up with all the junior scholar-officials, anxiously and excitedly rushing to the aisle on both sides to welcome him.
This was a kind and talented young lord. They didn’t know the purpose of his visit to Hanlin Academy’s document room, but every junior scholar-official stretched their necks, ready to answer his questions and clarify any doubts.
The Ninth Prince, with his left hand still wrapped in gauze, stepped in with long strides. He quickly glanced at the faces of the junior scholar-officials on both sides, and in the end, he only said two sentences, “Masters, you’ve worked hard. Where is Master Han?”
Master Han was in the library.
Unlike a library with tables and chairs for self-study, this place had only rows of bookshelves and narrow aisles.
Han Jiao stood between the two rows of bookshelves, reading the Ninth Prince’s previous assignments together with Zhou Hao.
“This allusion is used incorrectly here,” Han Jiao pointed out a mistake in the paper.
Zhou Hao took a close look and nodded with a smile.
Completely unaware, the writer of this essay was now stepping closer, approaching this spot.
A junior scholar-official standing on the outskirts of the bookshelves noticed the newcomer and hurriedly bowed, about to pay his respects. But he saw the Ninth Prince place his index finger on his lips, silently ordering him not to make a sound.
He quickly nodded and stepped aside, making way for the Prince.
“Look at this passage, it was used in the previous paper.” Han Jiao immersed himself in Ninth Prince’s perfunctory homework, completely unaware of the approaching danger.
Quietly, Xie Duo walked behind Han Jiao, behind another row of bookshelves, and pulled out a book. Through the gap, he observed the child prodigy chatting cheerfully at the other end of the bookshelves.
“The last two pages are written so loosely, hahahahahaha.”
Han Jiao was certain that the young prince couldn’t wait to go play soccer. He found the big boss even cuter in his younger days, like a playful little fish. How could he be as dangerous as portrayed in the novel?
“Hahahaha, this part again. Look, it’s here again. His Highness is really good at padding his assignments.” Han Jiao sincerely found the young boss adorable and started treating this little prince as a buddy to chat with.
Though he had a vague sense of the chilling atmosphere and danger, Han Jiao’s survival instinct wasn’t triggered as he was engrossed in the young boss’ paper.
On the side, Zhou Hao suddenly remembered another matter and asked Han Jiao, “Xiaobai, the scent of the medicine you carry is quite strong. You bring it to the courtyard every day and can’t escape the gossip from that Chen guy. How about handing the medicine to the Expositor-in-waiting and asking him to deliver it to His Highness?”
Han Jiao was also worried about this. The smell of the medicine was so intense that no matter how many layers he wrapped it in, it couldn’t be hidden. Besides, he didn’t know when he would see the young boss again, making it indeed troublesome.
“I still want to deliver it personally to His Highness.” Han Jiao pondered and politely declined Zhou Hao’s kind offer. “No matter how difficult it is, I’ll find a way to deliver it directly to His Highness. It’s my way of showing my sincerity to him.”
Upon hearing this, behind the bookshelves, a certain dangerous boss’ gaze softened slightly.
Zhou Hao asked in confusion, “But if the medicine is kept for too long, its efficacy might be reduced.”
After all, the palace wasn’t lacking in such precious medicinal herbs. Han Jiao calmly shook his head. “The efficacy doesn’t matter. It’s more about expressing my sincerity.”
Behind the bookshelves, the gaze of a certain boss turned icy.
Seeing Han Jiao put away the paper, Xie Duo silently and swiftly walked out of the aisle. With his surviving right hand, he grabbed the arm of a junior scholar-official standing in the aisle, and almost lifting him straight up, turned him to face himself.
The junior scholar-official had just seen the Prince come to the library for reading and was ready to serve him. However, he never expected this person to be so silent in his movements and yet so abrupt in his way of seeking knowledge, leaving him stunned and dumbfounded.
“Now,” Xie Duo whispered close to the junior scholar-official’s ear, instructing him quietly, “Greet me.”
The junior scholar-official took a while to come back to his senses. With a puzzled expression, he quickly adjusted his disheveled clothes, then respectfully bowed and greeted him with clasped hands.
The sudden greeting startled Han Jiao and Zhou Hao. They both turned their heads to look outside the bookshelves.
“How did His Highness come here?” Zhou Hao asked in a hushed voice.
Han Jiao couldn’t believe his luck to unexpectedly encounter the young boss here. Excited, he quickly walked out to greet him.
But the young boss didn’t respond.
The library fell into silence.
Han Jiao cautiously stole a glance at Xie Duo’s expression and was surprised to find Xie Duo’s gaze fixed on him, showing neither happiness nor anger.
Han Jiao lowered his eyes.
He felt uneasy again, unsure if the boss held any grudge against him, especially with the boss’ left hand still wrapped in layers of bandages.
“What is Master Han holding?” Xie Duo finally spoke.
His tone was calm.
Han Jiao felt relieved, and with joy, he looked up to glance at the young boss more. He smiled and answered, “These are the essays Your Highness wrote before.”
“The Master seems amused.” Xie Duo approached a few steps, glanced at the papers in Han Jiao’s hand, and looked up at him. “I wrote poorly. It must have been laughable for the Master, right?”
Seeing the young boss’ calm demeanor, Han Jiao guessed that his injuries weren’t severe. The worry that had lingered for days finally dissipated, so he praised with sincerity, “Your Highness is too modest. The essays are beautifully written. I can’t compare to them!”
“Is that so?” Xie Duo observed Han Jiao and asked, “Why do you smell of medicine?”
“Oh!” Han Jiao quickly took out his precious medicine pouch from his pocket and happily handed it to the young boss. “I searched all the pharmacies in the capital and learned that this formula for pain relief and bruise healing is highly effective. I specially prepared a half-month’s worth, though it might not match the imperial physicians’ prescriptions. If Your Highness doesn’t mind…”
“I don’t mind,” Xie Duo’s gaze sharpened, and he spoke softly, “The main thing is that it allows Master Han to express his sincerity. Whether my hand heals or not doesn’t matter.”
Han Jiao: “……”
In an instant, the gentle and handsome young prince before his eyes merged with the extremely dangerous and ruthless boss from the novel!
Han Jiao’s radiant smile froze on his face. Though his body stood before the boss, his soul felt like it had ascended to the heavens.
Xie Duo turned his head to the other two and said, “You may go back.”
“We take our leave,” the two nodded and saluted.
Han Jiao’s survival instinct finally kicked in. He forced himself to bow with the other two junior scholar-officials. Then, he tried to escape by following behind Zhou Hao, attempting to get away from the boss. However, his arm was firmly grabbed, dragging him back to where he stood.
It seemed the original description of the boss’ terrifying strength in the novel wasn’t an exaggeration. Despite being left with only one usable hand, it didn’t hinder him in the slightest from trapping Han Jiao.
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