Chapter 8

In the pitch-dark palace, the glazed lamps suddenly flared to life, flooding the room with light.

Zhao Mingzhu squinted against the brightness, dazed and disoriented. Before she could react, Qiao’er yanked her up. “Crown Princess, you can’t sleep anymore. It’s time to go to the academy.”

Without thinking, Zhao Mingzhu tried to burrow back under the covers. “I’m sick. Cough cough cough… I’m not going today.”

School? Not even a dog would go.

In the flower hall, Gu Qingheng was calmly sipping porridge. Zhao Mingzhu slumped into the seat across from him, listless and limp.

“Good morning. Have you eaten?”

Since their marriage, this was the first time they’d crossed paths in the morning.

Gu Qingheng gave a soft ‘Mm.’ “You’re going to the academy.”

Zhao Mingzhu collapsed onto the table like a boneless creature. “Yes.” Her heart was full of resentment. Whose brilliant idea was it to send someone her age back to school? May that person lose money for life!

Gu Qingheng set down his bowl. Today he wore a platinum-collared brocade robe, his ink-black hair tied with a jade crown, a dragon-carved jade pendant at his waist—elegant and regal, a living embodiment of nobility.

Zhao Mingzhu had to admit she was shallow. That face? She’d devour it. But after two glances, she sighed. Any man tied to the female lead was best kept at arm’s length.

When the hour arrived, Gu Qingheng prepared to leave for court. Just before stepping out, he seemed to remember something. “Crown Princess.”

Zhao Mingzhu lifted her droopy brows and gave a nasal grunt in response.

“There are no ranks or privileges at the academy. Think carefully before you act. Don’t be reckless. Even I cannot show favoritism there.”

Zhao Mingzhu nodded solemnly. This man was her client, after all. She raised two fingers in a mock salute. “I’ll study hard and make daily progress.”

But Chang He, standing nearby, saw she clearly hadn’t grasped the message and bluntly clarified, “Crown Princess, His Highness means—don’t bully the boys or the girls.”

Though the emperor had decreed that all academy students were equals, someone’s domineering nature was practically engraved in her bones.

Zhao Mingzhu: “…Got it.”

As the sky turned pale with the first light of dawn, the Eastern Palace carriage finally arrived at the gates of the Imperial Academy. Zhao Mingzhu stifled a yawn and stepped down, gazing at the bold calligraphy above. Since she was here, she might as well settle in. No maids were allowed inside the academy, so she trudged in alone.

She suddenly remembered—she had no idea where to go. Just as she was about to grab someone and ask for directions, she quickly noticed that all the students who saw her scrambled to get out of the way. Those who couldn’t dodge in time turned their backs and crouched down on the spot.

Zhao Mingzhu: “…”

Watching them act like she was some kind of monster flood, she finally understood the full weight of that phrase: “bullying boys and girls.”

Zhao Mingzhu took a deep breath and patted the crouching student in front of her. The poor thing trembled like a leaf and muttered to himself: “Ignore me… ignore me…”

She patted him a few more times, but he seemed to have entered a trance-like state. Clearing her throat, she said: “Quite bold of you—to dare ignore me!”

The student, seeing her angry, immediately shook his head and stammered, “N-no, I meant…”

Zhao Mingzhu cut him off with a stern face: “Enough nonsense. Take me to the classroom. I’ll let this slide.”

The student froze for a second, then quickly nodded and led the way.

Once they reached the classroom door, Zhao Mingzhu waved her hand. “Thanks. You may go.”

The student looked at her in disbelief—she’d said thank you. As if he’d seen a ghost, he bolted away.

But Zhao Mingzhu didn’t go in. Not far off, Gu Yu had just finished watching the fleeing student and turned her gaze back, frowning. “You standing here as the door guardian now?”

Zhao Mingzhu made a “shh” gesture and said, “Do you smell that?”

Gu Yu sniffed around. “Nope.”

Zhao Mingzhu clasped her hands behind her back, expression blank. “This classroom has a scent—woody notes… smells like a coffin.”

School feels like a funeral. We’re all the living dead.

Gu Yu was speechless at first, then somehow synced up with her wavelength. “Who do you think is to blame? You think I want to be up before dawn? It’s because of all your past misdeeds. The palace was worried you’d corrupt the others, so they created this one-of-a-kind girls’ academy.”

Zhao Mingzhu was stunned. So she was the culprit? She laughed awkwardly and waved it off: “Youthful ignorance, youthful ignorance.”

Then, she quietly revoked her earlier curse about someone losing money.

Once inside, they saw Su Lu crouched on the ground, picking up scattered sheet music. She looked like she was about to cry, but when she saw Zhao Mingzhu, she bit her lip and stiffened with stubborn defiance.

Zhao Mingzhu thought it over and decided to steer clear of Su Lu, stepping around her. But Su Lu suddenly stood up. “Miss Zhao, must you press me so relentlessly?”

Zhao Mingzhu stopped in her tracks, feeling utterly wronged. She spread her hands. “This really has nothing to do with me.”

The classroom fell silent. All eyes turned toward them—just as Gu Qingheng appeared. The students quickly bowed.

“Greetings to His Highness the Crown Prince. May Your Highness be well.”

So it turned out that Gu Qingheng was the one teaching their zither class.

Zhao Mingzhu’s eyelid twitched. She suddenly felt cursed.

Gu Qingheng walked between the two of them. Su Lu immediately knelt. “Your Highness, please uphold justice.”

Gu Qingheng’s gaze landed on Zhao Mingzhu. She shook her head frantically—this had nothing to do with her! She’d only just arrived!

Gu Yu spoke up. “She and I just came in. Miss Su, could there be some misunderstanding?”

Su Lu looked up. “If Your Highness and Crown Princess don’t believe me, you may summon the steward Xiao Shi. I swear I’m telling the truth.”

With Gu Qingheng involved, Xiao Shi was quickly brought in. Seeing how serious things had gotten, he immediately knelt and confessed. He pointed straight at the culprit—Zhao Mingzhu.

“Your Highness, I was acting under the Crown Princess’s orders! She came to me a few days ago and demanded I do it—or face punishment!”

Zhao Mingzhu’s eyes widened. It really was her?

Suddenly, a scene flashed through her mind—she had indeed threatened Xiao Shi, ordering him to find a way to ruin Su Lu’s sheet music. She was numb to these delayed plot reveals by now.

This whole setup was so childish that it was easy to sort out right from wrong. So Zhao Mingzhu got punished again.

Gu Qingheng looked at her. “Does the Crown Princess have anything to say in her defense?”

What defense could she offer? Zhao Mingzhu accepted her fate and replied weakly, “No.”

Gu Qingheng passed judgment and personally struck her five times on the hand. Zhao Mingzhu’s face twisted in pain as she clutched her palm and blew on it.

Gu Qingheng put away the paddle and said calmly, “Chang He, give my sheet music to Miss Su.”

Su Lu hugged the music to her chest, shy and pleased. She’d known His Highness would be fair.

Gu Yu looked at Zhao Mingzhu’s pitiful state and suddenly recalled her childish antics in the main hall. She couldn’t help but scold her bluntly, “How can you be this stupid?”

She truly didn’t understand how Zhao Mingzhu could be so naïvely foolish. Her schemes never changed—always hurting others by eight hundred, while harming herself by a thousand.

Zhao Mingzhu felt wronged. She muttered, “I’m already miserable enough. Princess, could you ease up a little?”

She wondered if the plot summary could show up earlier next time. Couldn’t she get a chance to fix things before disaster struck? Maybe heaven heard her plea, and another scene popped into her mind, showing how she planned to sabotage Su Lu. Today, of course.

Zhao Mingzhu shivered. She snapped back to full awareness. Her sore palm bumped the desk, and she bowed her head, inhaling sharply to ease the pain.

Gu Qingheng adjusted the zither strings. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw her shoulders trembling.

Was she crying?