TPATTHU Chapter 6

Chapter 6: This Prince Forbids Teacher From Getting Married!

“Why does Your Highness repeatedly force me to do things I don’t want to do?”

Hearing this, Shen Zhejiang opened his eyes and looked directly into Xiao Zhinian’s eyes.

The candles in the crane-shaped bronze lamp crackled, and the surroundings were silent. For a moment, no one spoke.

Xiao Zhinian was speechless and finally gave in, silently lying back under the covers.

He didn’t want to argue with Shen Zhejiang, so he had to be the first to lower his head.

After a long while, a muffled voice finally broke through the thick layers of earth, lightly spreading throughout the large hall.

“Because this Prince likes you.”

There was no response.

Xiao Zhinian refused to give up, determined to break through the last layer of window paper, and continued to talk to himself: “This Prince wants to be with you, just like Father Emperor and Mother Empress, who can enjoy the flowers and the moon together every day. This Prince wants that too.”

Still, no one paid him any attention.

“If Teacher is willing, this Prince will ask Father Emperor to grant us a marriage,” Xiao Zhinian propped himself up, unable to clearly see Shen Zhejiang in the dim light, and simply swept away the annoying gauze curtains, “Teacher could be this Prince’s…”

He looked at Shen Zhejiang, only to find that the other party had already fallen asleep, but he still habitually said the words that followed.

“Crown Prince Consort, how would that be?”

Xiao Zhinian was stunned.

Shen Zhejiang hadn’t heard a word of what he had just said. The Crown Prince’s high-spirited, youthful feelings had failed on their first reveal.

“Teacher is asleep?” Xiao Zhinian didn’t give up, and asked him again, “Are you really asleep?”

Shen Zhejiang had heard everything.

But he didn’t respond to Xiao Zhinian, intending to play dead to the end.

Because of nervousness, Shen Zhejiang’s eyelashes trembled slightly, and his fingers imperceptibly gripped the bed covers underneath. It was the first time he realized how torturous it was to pretend to be asleep.

He only hoped that Xiao Zhinian would retreat when faced with difficulty.

That way, he could choose to avoid the topic, choose to turn a blind eye, and they could still get along as before, maintaining that restrained and polite distance.

Thinking of this, he suddenly felt his body lighten.

He trembled even more violently.

“…”

Shen Zhejiang was certain that Xiao Zhinian had picked him up in a horizontal embrace.

For a moment, he wanted to disregard everything and use his imposing manner as a teacher to pressure Xiao Zhinian, warning him that he had better be sensible and put him down.

But, then what?

He didn’t know.

Shen Zhejiang had always been cautious and prudent, calculating the pros and cons of every step he took. But this time, he lost his composure and couldn’t think of anything.

To be precise, he retreated.

A heart stirred by emotions was hidden very carefully, not wanting anyone to see it, especially not Xiao Zhinian.

Xiao Zhinian placed Shen Zhejiang on the inner side of the bed, pulled the covers over him, and conveniently lay down next to Shen Zhejiang, unaware of how unsettling this action was for Shen Zhejiang.

“Teacher, sweet dreams.”

Xiao Zhinian said in his ear, the warmth tickling him.

Sleep if you want to sleep, what nonsense are you saying? Say another word and believe me…

Shen Zhejiang internally scolded Xiao Zhinian with bared fangs and brandished claws. Before he could even finish half of his thoughts, a soft touch landed on his lips, very light, very cautious.

“!!”

Boom, his mind was blown to pieces.

Xiao Zhinian dared to kiss him?! This disobedient disciple was already lawless enough, but he actually dared to disrespect his elders and recklessly… kiss him! He had to teach him a lesson!

Shen Zhejiang couldn’t bear it any longer, and then…

He heard Xiao Zhinian say.

“Shen Zhejiang, I like you,” Xiao Zhinian murmured, “If those noisy old geezers dare to say ‘no,’ I’ll just give up being the Crown Prince. I don’t care about it anyway.”

“…”

Shen Zhejiang’s heart was suddenly touched, and he stopped moving, quietly clutching the side of his clothes where no one could see.

He even thought sadly that Xiao Zhinian, being the Crown Prince, could always easily obtain whatever he wanted, and that he was just piquing the other party’s curiosity.

Shen Zhejiang was certain that once he agreed to Xiao Zhinian’s request, and his desire for conquest was satisfied, Xiao Zhinian would soon sneer at him and discard him like worn shoes, turning to pursue new things.

His heartbeat, which had been like a drum, gradually became dull.

Devoid of any more ripples.

–

The next day, before dawn, Shen Zhejiang woke up. At that time, Xiao Zhinian was using both his hands and feet to cling to him like a plaster, sleeping soundly.

Shen Zhejiang no longer hesitated, tearing him off of himself. He stepped out, straightened his clothes, and left directly.

Liu Bao was on duty in front of the hall door. Seeing him come out, he immediately stepped forward to greet him: “Shen…”

Shen Zhejiang gestured for him to be silent. With a cold expression, he brushed past him and hurried away.

Anxious to clear his relationship with Xiao Zhinian, Shen Zhejiang walked faster. Without paying attention, he ran straight into someone at the corner of the palace wall.

Shen Zhejiang took half a step back and saw the person’s face clearly. He cupped his hands and bowed, saying, “Eunuch Hai, I apologize for the offense.”

What bad luck, to actually encounter him here.

This old eunuch, who was over sixty years old, had experienced the ups and downs of three reigns. His temples were already frosted white. He wore a python robe bestowed by the Emperor and a round-topped eunuch’s hat. The hat strings, strung with beads, were tied under his chin along the two thick folds of loose flesh on his face, making him look dignified.

Hai Sanqing wasn’t angry. He carried a wind lantern, and his turbid eyes regained seven parts clarity when he clearly saw Shen Zhejiang’s face. He said slowly, “So it’s Lord Shen. Why is Lord Shen in the palace at this hour?”

“…”

Shen Zhejiang had a headache. The turmoil in his mind had actually made him unable to think of a reason for a moment.

Hai Sanqing was the Emperor’s personal attendant. If he saw him staying overnight in the palace, it would be the same as the Emperor knowing.

Just as he was racking his brains, Hai Sanqing blocked his path. The duster whisk hanging on his arm swept across between the two of them, pointing to another palace road.

“By the Emperor’s decree, please go to the Imperial Study to discuss important matters.”

Shen Zhejiang had an even bigger headache.

So the Emperor already knew everything. No wonder Hai Sanqing was here. He was here to intercept him.

Although Shen Zhejiang held the position of Crown Prince Taifu, and would become the Imperial Tutor in the future if everything went smoothly, nominally respected and admired by all officials, in reality, he had the name but not the substance. He didn’t even have the opportunity to attend the morning court.

To put it bluntly, “discussing important matters” was just a polite excuse.

Shen Zhejiang pondered for a moment and said, “This subject obeys the decree.”

“Please accompany this old servant, Lord Shen.”

Two pairs of shoes rustled on the bluestone-paved palace road. The surroundings were particularly quiet. It was too early, and no palace servants were sweeping.

Shen Zhejiang was lost in thought, thinking about how to deal with the Emperor next. His brows were slightly furrowed. At this moment, he heard an old voice like a broken gong.

“Lord Shen doesn’t ask why His Majesty is summoning you?”

“As a subject, I dare not presume to guess the Emperor’s intentions.”

Hearing this, Hai Sanqing’s eyes, which had been staring at the long, dark road ahead, moved slightly. He glanced at the tall figure next to him out of the corner of his eye and said with a smile, “To be honest with Lord Shen, this old servant came from a poor family since childhood. I was castrated and entered the palace at the age of ten. I struggled all the way from a low-ranking servant in the Directorate of Ceremonial to now, constantly by His Majesty’s side. What I rely on is the principle Lord Shen mentioned. I don’t look at what I shouldn’t look at, and I don’t do what I shouldn’t do.”

“…”

Shen Zhejiang always felt that he was intentionally or unintentionally reminding him of something.

Hai Sanqing took a breath and continued, “Speaking of which, the past few decades have been too embarrassing to recall. This old servant has never dared to hope for the glory of making a name for myself and returning home in glory. I only hope that I can have a good end and return to my hometown in the future.”

Self-preservation.

How could Shen Zhejiang not understand Hai Sanqing’s implied meaning? He had played these four words thoroughly.

So, following his meaning, he said, “It is up to people to act. Eunuch Hai has been dutifully serving His Majesty for decades. His Majesty is generous and benevolent and will certainly not treat you unfairly.”

“Lord Shen, you have always been exceptionally intelligent and understand things with just a hint,” Hai Sanqing said, “This old servant only hopes that you will use this cleverness in a comfortable direction. After all, His Majesty is magnanimous. If it’s not a major mistake, just admit it, and His Majesty won’t care too much.”

Shen Zhejiang was startled. The moon-white sleeves fluttered with his subtle movements.

Hai Sanqing was probably warning him not to get involved with the Crown Prince.

That’s right, after being by the Emperor’s side for so long, how could he not discern the Emperor’s thoughts at all?

Conversely, Shen Zhejiang couldn’t understand the reason. What was Hai Sanqing’s intention? If it was to preserve his final dignity, he could have kept his mouth shut. Why bother reminding him?

Just as he was about to ask again, the former suddenly stopped and gestured towards the wide-open door, saying to Shen Zhejiang, “Lord Shen, this old servant has said what I should say. The rest depends on your own fortune. Don’t keep His Majesty waiting.”