TPATTHU Chapter 5

Chapter 5: This Prince Wants to Share a Bed with My Teacher

Xiao Zhinian said, “Someone, investigate who has carried a knife inlaid with jade.”

The guards obeyed and immediately began searching.

Shen Zhejiang gave all the cloud slice cakes to the little beggar. Seeing him grabbing them with his hands to eat, he quickly slapped the back of his hand, saying, “Wash them clean before eating. Liu Bao, take him to wash and change.”

“……”

The little beggar stared at Shen Zhejiang in shock. He was wearing a moon-white silk robe, looking so spotless and clean. Yet, such a person was willing to touch his dirty hand.

A faint pain came from the back of his hand where he had been hit. The little beggar stared blankly at Shen Zhejiang’s hand and asked, “You don’t think I’m dirty?”

Shen Zhejiang shook his head and said, “Go on.”

Dirty? What is dirty?

Perhaps nothing in this world is dirtier than the human heart.

Before the Shen family fell from grace, Shen’s father was the Grand Secretary of the Cabinet. People who fawned and flattered him broke down the threshold of their door, all to seek their own benefit. Even he was elevated to the altar for a trivial matter. But what happened later?

A tiger fallen in the plains is bullied by dogs.

The Shen family suffered a precipitous decline, and Shen Zhejiang survived to become a rat crossing the street, avoided by everyone. He begged every family that had once benefited from the Shen family, hoping they could plead for the Shen family, but they were all turned away, even kicked while they were down.

In the end, only Han Zitang took him in.

Shen Zhejiang was accustomed to the fickleness of the world, and only felt that maintaining a pure and innocent heart was a rare thing in this world.

After Liu Bao led the little beggar away, Shen Zhejiang retracted the deep meaning in his eyes. Xiao Zhinian was unhappy because he had been lectured twice, so he turned back to coax him.

“What has Your Highness learned?”

“Ah?”

Xiao Zhinian was momentarily stunned. What learn what?

Shen Zhejiang repeated it, saying softly, “The art of controlling subjects that I taught you, has Your Highness seen anything?”

“Uh…”

Xiao Zhinian usually only stared at Shen Zhejiang’s face when he was studying. As for what he said, it went in one ear and out the other. How could he have learned any great principles?

Now, caught off guard by Shen Zhejiang’s question, his mind was blank and he couldn’t answer a word.

Shen Zhejiang had expected this, so he moistened his throat with Pine Needle Emerald Robe tea and explained, “To make people sincerely submit, appeal to their interests and lure them with benefits. Does Your Highness understand?”

Xiao Zhinian realized that Shen Zhejiang had been teaching him a lesson earlier, that’s why he didn’t let him interrupt. Shen Zhejiang was actually protecting him.

Thinking this way, he visibly brightened up.

He pondered and said, “What if it’s a person who is not moved by profit?”

Shen Zhejiang seemed to recall some past events, and his expression appeared to be shrouded in gloom, but he quickly concealed it and said indifferently, “No one in this world has ever been noble enough not to seek petty gains. There will always be flaws. Your Highness must observe carefully. But everything has its limits. Keep control in your hands and do not let others lead you by the nose.”

Xiao Zhinian suddenly understood, and oh-ed in a drawn-out tone, his eyes shining. He leaned close to Shen Zhejiang’s side and asked mischievously, “Then what are your flaws, Teacher?”

“My…” Shen Zhejiang thought he was asking seriously, and was about to answer when he suddenly came to his senses, “Your Highness, find them yourself.”

He didn’t intend to tell Xiao Zhinian.

“Alright, alright,” Xiao Zhinian lay on the table, tilting his head to admire Shen Zhejiang. He didn’t believe he couldn’t find them. Thinking of that little beggar, he asked, “What does Teacher plan to do with that beggar? You’re not really going to keep him, are you?”

“Of course.”

Shen Zhejiang meant what he said.

As they spoke, Liu Bao returned, followed by the little beggar. Perhaps because he had never worn satin clothes and was now clean, he seemed extremely embarrassed, twisting his sleeves and at a loss.

Shen Zhejiang asked, “Do you have a name?”

The little beggar replied, “People call me A Mao.”

“Would you like me to give you a new name?” Shen Zhejiang thought for a while and said, “I have a servant in my house named Huai Wen. One Wen, one Wu. How about calling you Huai Wu?”

The little beggar looked shy but also excited: “Good!”

Xiao Zhinian was like being soaked in a jar of vinegar, pickled through and through.

Good, good, good, what’s so good about it! Is getting a name that exciting? Really!

As dusk approached, Shen Zhejiang saw that the sky was dark and got up with Huai Wu, saying, “We have disturbed Your Highness for too long. We will leave now.”

Xiao Zhinian didn’t want him to leave, and an idea struck him, “It’s so late, it’s dangerous on the road, and someone is watching Teacher’s movements. Why not stay overnight?”

Huai Wu raised his fist, his eyebrows dancing, “What’s there to be afraid of? I’ll protect the master!”

Xiao Zhinian looked him up and down with feigned contempt, and suddenly reached out and pinched Huai Wu, hurting him so much that he grimaced and shouted. Then he sneered, “With your mediocre skills?”

Huai Wu was unconvinced: “I want to practice martial arts! I will definitely be able to beat you! You wait!”

“Alright, this Prince will wait.” Xiao Zhinian pushed him away and gestured to Liu Bao behind his back.

Liu Bao understood and stepped forward, saying, “Shen Zhejiang, the hour for locking the palace gates has arrived. There’s no way to leave the palace now. Why not stay overnight and make plans tomorrow?”

Shen Zhejiang pondered for a moment, thinking he was right, and finally agreed.

Yanqing Palace is the Eastern Palace of the Crown Prince, named for the meaning of the river being calm, the sea being clear, and the country being prosperous. As the only legitimate heir to Yan Country, Xiao Zhinian naturally received unparalleled favor in the world.

Shen Zhejiang, as a descendant of a disgraced official, even if he was exceptionally talented, should not have been involved in politics in the slightest. However, the Wu Kun Emperor arranged him to be by Xiao Zhinian’s side, but who knew what his intentions were.

Naturally, there was no answer to this question.

In the past few years, Shen Zhejiang would still delve into this reason, but over time, he did not think of a reason that could convince himself, so he gave up and took things as they came.

But tonight was different. He lay on Xiao Zhinian’s bedding, wide awake. The things he couldn’t understand before seemed to come rolling in through the dusty years, making it even harder for him to sleep.

After a while, he heard a soft laugh floating through the gauze curtains.

“Is Teacher not used to this Prince’s bedding?”

A teasing tone.

Shen Zhejiang heard it and followed his words, “Yes, please don’t make things difficult for me anymore, Your Highness.”

As soon as he finished speaking, with a rustling sound, the golden gauze curtains were lifted from the outside.

Shen Zhejiang was startled, but still pretended to be calm and said, “What are you doing, Your Highness?”

Xiao Zhinian burrowed into the quilt, only showing a pair of eyes to look at Shen Zhejiang and said, “Coincidentally, this Prince can’t sleep either. Let’s talk.”

This was against the rules.

“No.”

Shen Zhejiang lifted the brocade quilt, about to retreat, but he heard Xiao Zhinian’s pitiful voice in his ear.

“Teacher, it’s so cold on the floor.”

“I’ll sleep on the floor, Your Highness sleep on the bed.”

Shen Zhejiang rustled out, looked at the warm mattress laid on the floor, lifted it up, and lay down.

Without the floor heating, even if the bedding underneath him was thick, it didn’t seem to be able to resist the penetration of the cold air. Shen Zhejiang was afraid of the cold, and before long, his hands and feet, which had warmed up, gradually turned cold.

Even though he was shivering all over, he could only force himself to close his eyes.

Xiao Zhinian turned over and looked at Shen Zhejiang with his eyes closed, the flickering light and shadow intertwined on his face.

A burst of irritability rose inexplicably, and Xiao Zhinian sat up, “Why does Teacher always refuse this Prince’s kindness again and again?”