Last month in the Desert Palace, Zhao Mian had made up his mind that on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, he would prevent any possible accidents and calmly, elegantly and gracefully remove the poison from Wei Zhenfeng for the last time.
He and Wei Zhenfeng are the Crown Prince of Nanjing and Prince of Beiyuan respectively. There is no reason for them to always do this at strange times and places that are inconsistent with their identities.
—It's time to avenge the past.
Zhao Mian made a careful plan to ensure that the detoxification would be foolproof.
On the evening of the thirteenth day of the first lunar month, Zhao Mian invited Wei Zhenfeng to his room and spread out a map in front of him: "Take a look."
Wei Zhenfeng took a look and found that this was a map of Benquan Academy. He looked up at Zhao Mian and said, "I don't understand."
"Didn't you say that we must do it in the academy? I'll grant you that." Zhao Mian pointed to a point on the map and said, "We will remove the poison here tomorrow night."
This was the most remote Fengzhai. He had asked Zhou Huairang to clean it up in advance and replace all the things inside with new ones.
"You are so well prepared." Wei Zhenfeng leaned back in his chair and looked around. "But isn't this place good? Why do you have to go to such a remote place?"
"There's no one around there." Zhao Mian said, "If I make any noise, I don't have to worry about being heard, so I don't have to try to suppress it."
Wei Zhenfeng suddenly raised his eyes and looked at him: "What?"
Zhao Mian repeated what he just said. Wei Zhenfeng's expression suddenly changed. He didn't know what he was thinking about, and the teardrop mole under his eyes seemed to be a little redder.
Wei Zhenfeng said slowly: "Can I understand it this way? You mean you can scream louder there."
Zhao Mian didn't like Wei Zhenfeng's overly direct expression, but he did mean it. "Well, I won't do that here." Zhao Mian said expressionlessly, "I'm afraid of disturbing the sage."
"That's it." Wei Zhenfeng compromised happily, "I'll listen to your Highness."
After deciding on the location for tomorrow's detoxification, the two went back to their rooms early to rest and recuperate for the final detoxification.
However, the more Zhao Mian wanted to sleep well, the more he couldn't fall asleep.
He tossed and turned in bed, his mind filled with the scenes of the previous times he had removed the poison, and then with the scenes that might happen tomorrow. Thinking of all these, he lost all desire to sleep, and got up to drink water several times. It was not until dawn that he fell asleep because his body could no longer bear the exhaustion.
The next morning, when Zhao Mian opened his eyes, his first thought was: I have been waiting for a month, and today is the day.
His Royal Highness the Crown Prince was quite dissatisfied with himself for having his mind full of romantic matters, but when he thought that this was the last time, after this he and Wei Zhenfeng could put the matter aside and concentrate on business, it should be okay to indulge himself occasionally... Not bad
Zhao Mian finished washing up and sat in front of the mirror combing his hair. Zhou Huairang came in with breakfast and greeted him with a smile.
Zhao Mian looked at himself in the mirror and asked, "How do I look today?"
Zhou Huairang said hurriedly: "Your Highness is as handsome and graceful as ever today."
Zhao Mian pressed his forehead and said, "I didn't sleep well last night. Do you look a little haggard?"
Zhou Huairang didn't think so at first, but since His Highness asked, he looked at it carefully again and said, "It seems to be a little bit."
Zhao Mian: “…”
Zhao Mian walked out of Fengzhai with a low mood. Just then, the door next door opened and Wei Zhenfeng appeared in front of him, yawning.
The two looked at each other, and their hearts skipped a beat when they thought about what they were going to do with each other tonight.
Wei Zhenfeng: "Good morning, Your Highness."
Zhao Mian: "Good morning, Your Majesty."
Wei Zhenfeng: "Today's weather doesn't seem to be very good, it's overcast."
Zhao Mian: "Maybe it will rain."
After saying this, the two of them looked away in tacit understanding, with expressions of complete gentlemanly friendship.
Zhou Huairang didn't know why the two of them were so polite all of a sudden. He bowed to Wei Zhenfeng and said hello: "Little Prince, did you not sleep well last night?"
Wei Zhenfeng looked at Zhao Mian: "'Also'?"
Zhao Mian was about to speak when he suddenly heard someone calling him, "Mr. Xiao—"
Zhao Mian looked in the direction of the voice. The person who came was named Murong You, the one who clumsily dropped the book in front of him the day before and said shamelessly that he would condemn him. Afterwards, Murong You really brought a few senior brothers to "condemn" him, but when these students heard that he was not from Beiyuan but from Nanjing, their attitude suddenly changed, and condemnation turned into friendship. Zhao Mian also learned a lot about Ji Jinzhi from them.
Ji Jinzhi was a guest official at Benquan Academy. Unlike most teachers, he did not teach at fixed times. He always did what he wanted. He taught students when he was free and took a break when he was lazy. Sometimes he took a break for half a year. Whether the students of the academy could take his class depended on luck.
Murong You came to find "Master Xiao" in such a hurry just to tell him that Ji Jinzhi's class had finally started.
Zhao Mian's heart moved, and he asked, "When?"
"Half an hour later!" Murong You panted, "I have already secured a seat for Master Xiao."
Without waiting for Zhao Mian to respond, Wei Zhenfeng said, "Save a seat for me next to Master Xiao."
Murong You was stunned, looked at Wei Zhenfeng, then looked at Zhao Mian, and reluctantly bowed and saluted: "Yes, Your Majesty."
After Murong You left, Zhao Mian asked Wei Zhenfeng, "Do you want to attend classes with those students?"
Wei Zhenfeng raised his eyebrows: "Is it not possible?"
Beiyuan has a bad image in the minds of many scholars because of its emphasis on martial arts and neglect of literature. If Wei Zhenfeng could put aside his status as a prince and study in Benquan Academy like an ordinary student, it might become a good story of respecting the wise and humble, and after it spreads, it could also change some scholars' views of Wei Zhenfeng.
Zhao Mian nodded: "It's a good idea. A good reputation will be of great benefit to you in the future."
"I haven't thought about it that much." Wei Zhenfeng said with a smile, "I just think that if we take classes together, we can be considered classmates."
Zhao Mian was in a trance for a moment.
Being classmates with Wei Zhenfeng and attending classes together, and then going to bed with him after class? How disrespectful.
Zhao Mian was silent, and Wei Zhenfeng followed him in silence, not knowing what he was thinking about. After a while, he asked Zhou Huairang, "What time is it?"
Zhou Huairang said, "It's almost time."
Wei Zhenfeng felt suffocated. He calmed down and said to Zhao Mian, "I'm going to change my clothes. Wait for me and we'll go to the lecture hall together."
In order to show his humility, the young prince put on a full show and changed into the white school uniform of the academy students.
White is a color of nobleness, but it can hardly conceal the boy's flamboyant temperament and lively appearance. Even when he walks on a cloudy day, his eyes and eyebrows are still bright, making people unable to take their eyes away.
This was the first time Zhao Mian saw Wei Zhenfeng wearing white, and for the ninety-eighth time he was thankful that Wei Zhenfeng was not dark-skinned.
The lecture hall of Benquan Academy was built in an upright and grand style. Famous warnings for learning and books written by sages could be seen everywhere. Zhao Mian felt much calmer after reading them.
In the lecture hall, long tables were lined up side by side, and there were a number of cushions behind each long table. There were two steps from the stage to the stage, and there was an armchair on the stage. Sitting on the chair, one could see everything below with no obstruction.
At this moment, Ji Jinzhi was sitting on the armchair, holding a folding fan in his hand. He did not look like his real age of forty-one, but rather a young man in his thirties.
Ji Jinzhi had been told earlier that the young prince would come to the lecture hall in person. When he saw two handsome young men standing at the door of his lecture hall, he had to stand up to greet them.
Zhao Mian looked at his father's old friend calmly.
In terms of appearance, Ji Jinzhi was not particularly outstanding. However, he was well-read and elegant, and his every move exuded the beauty of calm classical elegance. He was a man whose temperament was superior to his appearance.
Zhao Mian thought that Ji Jinzhi was here to greet Wei Zhenfeng, but he didn't expect Ji Jinzhi to greet him first: "I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince." After Ji Jinzhi finished speaking, he turned to Wei Zhenfeng and said, "I pay my respects to Prince Beiyuan."
Zhao Mian looked at Wei Zhenfeng in confusion, and Wei Zhenfeng shrugged, indicating that he knew nothing.
He had never met Ji Jinzhi before and had not revealed his identity in the academy. How did Ji Jinzhi know that he was the Prince of Nanjing
Seeing his confusion, Ji Jinzhi explained with a smile: "I heard that a Lord Xiao from Nanjing came to Benquan Academy and said he was the nephew of Prime Minister Xiao. But your Highness's eyebrows and eyes are six points like Prime Minister Xiao and four points like your Majesty, how could he be a nephew."
Zhao Mian curled his lips and said, "Sir, you have good eyesight."
Ji Jinzhi looked ashamed: "Your Highness, if you want to see me, you can just summon me directly. It's really embarrassing for me to go through so much trouble."
In front of a smart person, Zhao Mian did not beat around the bush: "I am very curious why my father and the prime minister both favor Mr. Ji, so I want to test his true colors."
"I dare not." Ji Jinzhi made a gesture of invitation, "Your Highness, Your Majesty, please."
Except for the seats reserved for Zhao Mian and Wei Zhenfeng, all other seats were filled with students. Everyone was dressed the same, and many of them were also called "handsome young men". But once these two sat down, the others naturally became foils.
These students were well-known talents in their hometowns, and they were full of pride. They wanted to let the Little Prince of Beiyuan see the elegance and pride of the students from Benquan, and they also wanted to leave a deep impression on Young Master Xiao from Nanjing, so they held their heads high and were very active.
"Today we are going to talk about a commonplace topic." Ji Jinzhi stood on the podium and said leisurely, "Since ancient times, why has it been the way to chaos to depose the eldest and enthronize the youngest?"
The students were both surprised and delighted. They were happy because the teacher was obviously hinting at the young prince's intention to seize the throne; they were shocked because they wondered if the teacher's bringing up this matter openly would not anger the prince.
Many people looked at Wei Zhenfeng with expectation and fear. The young prince calmly picked up the pen on the table, dipped it in ink, and began to write on the paper.
"Why don't you say anything?" Ji Jinzhi said with a smile, "Don't worry, just express your opinions directly."
Everyone was encouraged. If their teacher wasn't afraid, why should they be afraid
Everyone spoke enthusiastically.
"'The heir apparent was deposed and his disciples were enthroned, and the disciples sometimes vied with each other to succeed him.'"
"The eldest son is born before the youngest son. He has innate advantages. The head of the family can focus on training him. His subordinates know the future and feel at ease. They can also fully assist the eldest son."
This topic is old, but it is always new. Most of the students in Benquan Academy agree that abolishing the eldest and enthroning the youngest is the way to chaos. Ji Jinzhi raised this topic to persuade Wei Zhenfeng.
There is no way Wei Zhenfeng would listen to these people's advice.
Speaking of which, he will be removing the poison with Wei Zhenfeng tonight.
As soon as this thought came to his mind, Zhao Mian immediately closed his eyes, drove out all the disgraceful things from his mind, condemned himself again, and then continued to listen to the students' speeches.
"The capable ones are promoted, the average ones give way, and the mediocre ones are demoted. Students believe that what is important is not to appoint the eldest or the youngest as the heir, but to appoint the most virtuous one."
This statement is the same as what his father thought in the past, that is, whoever is capable will be promoted, and everyone speaks based on their ability. These four words can not only be used in the selection of heirs, but also in the way of employing people or in bed.
Wait, what he was thinking just now was, or... what
Zhao Mian's body was frozen, and he felt as if he was beyond help.
How could this be? He was just going to sleep with Wei Zhenfeng at night, why would he be so uneasy all day and associate everything with that
Is he going to become like Ji Chong? Will he become a licentious and immoral monarch in the future
If his fathers knew that he had become like this, although they would not think of deposing the eldest and enthroning the youngest, because the "youngest" was too outrageous, they might regret having only given birth to him and Zhao Lin.
Zhao Mian was feeling disgusted with himself when his arm was suddenly touched. He came to his senses and looked to the side. Wei Zhenfeng was looking at him and handed him two pieces of paper.
There was a sentence written on the first one: How long will this class take? It’s so boring.
The second one is a painting of a cat wearing a prince’s crown, with a caption on the side: Does it look like you
Zhao Mian stared at the cat and wrote: Don't bother me.
This was undoubtedly a brilliant lecture, and even Zhao Mian, who was a critical person, could not find any fault with it. The main reason was that he did not listen carefully, so he had no right to find fault.
After finally waiting for the get out of class to end, the other students were still not satisfied and continued their discussion in groups of three or five. The first thing Wei Zhenfeng asked was, "What time is it now?"
Zhao Mian felt a surge of anger in his chest: "Wei Zhenfeng, can you please stop asking? We haven't even had lunch yet, what's the point of asking this?"
The little prince who was suddenly scolded was impatient and innocent: "I just asked what's wrong, I don't mean anything else."
"I shouldn't have brought you to class." Zhao Mian blamed, "You're too distracting."
Wei Zhenfeng retorted: "Don't put the blame on me. I didn't say a word to you, okay?"
"Do you think writing or drawing doesn't count as talking?" Zhao Mian said coldly, "You even touched me."
Wei Zhenfeng laughed: "I just touched it once."
After Ji Jinzhi finished his class, he personally escorted these two distinguished students out of the lecture hall. He asked Zhao Mian, "May I ask, Your Highness, are you really here to test my strength today?"
"Of course." Zhao Mian was guilty but calm, "Why do you ask this, sir?"
Ji Jinzhi said: "I just think that Your Highness and the Prince are not interested in this. I dare to guess, are you two anxious about something?"
Zhao Mian: “…”
Wei Zhenfeng: “…”
Ji Jinzhi looked at the two men meaningfully and said, "Wait until you have finished your urgent matters before you come to visit me. Otherwise, it will only be a waste of time."
The two walked back quietly.
Zhao Mian thought that this was not a solution. He would keep thinking about this matter before going to bed and would not be able to concentrate on other things. Wei Zhenfeng seemed to think so too and suddenly said, "What do you want to do with the remaining half day, Your Highness?"
Zhao Mian made his last struggle: "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince will try to do something serious and go to the Imperial Library to read more books of sages."
Wei Zhenfeng said "Oh", seeming a little disappointed: "Then I'll go back to my room to read the report - see you in the evening?"
"See you tonight."
(End of this chapter)