CHAPTER 3

He got off the car and boarded the jade carriage, like a tourist at a scenic spot, and was taken to the Eastern Palace where the Crown Prince lived.

The sound of the horse’s hooves was rhythmic, neither fast nor slow.

Yue Yiwan quietly lifted the curtain and noticed that the attendants on both sides would bow their heads in salute when they saw the jade carriage coming.

He really felt like a little bride sneaking over to get married.

But which bride wears jeans, carries a computer keyboard and headphones, and is ready to play PUBG?

He wondered what the internet speed in the palace was like.

The three characters “Yuanyong Palace” on the high plaque looked quite ancient.

His luggage had already been sent to the room by the servants, and he was led into the Zhenxiang Building in the South Courtyard.

“His Highness is currently discussing matters with the Emperor. He will come to see you shortly. Please rest here for a while,” the old man bowed again and then left.

Yue Yiwan took the cup of hot tea handed to him by the attendant, took a sip, and then started to wander around with the tea cup in hand.

The Zhenxiang Building was a place for storing books, with the upper floor filled with ancient classics, mostly for display.

The books on the lower floor, however, showed signs of frequent use. Nearby, there was a long table not far from the floor-to-ceiling windows, a perfect spot for basking in the sun, reading books, and drinking tea.

Yue Yiwan leisurely walked around with the cup of golden lotus tea, causing the young attendant beside him to watch nervously, fearing he might drop it.

The young man paused and asked, “What kind of books does your Highness usually like to read?”

The young attendant was taken aback and didn’t dare to speak, so he took small steps over and pointed to two rows of bookshelves.

The quickest way to understand someone is by seeing what books they like.

Books carry thoughts and emotions; they are also places for forgiveness and empathy.

This method is quite classical, though nowadays it seems enough to follow someone’s Weibo and Douban accounts.

His gaze swept across the rows of books, pausing at certain spots.

Their tastes are quite similar to his own.

Classic literature from the East, reading both Lu Xun and Liang Shiqiu.

These two old men often clashed in the Republic of China era, one with a profound understanding of human nature and the other with a leisurely focus on birds and flowers, rarely discussing politics.

The bookshelves also held many poetry collections, from Hai Zi to Shu Ting, alongside selections of Pushkin’s poetry.

The Western novels were quite eclectic, with many overlapping with his own tastes.

There were signs that several of Jane Austen’s books had been read, and complete collections of Hugo and Shakespeare. The books by Alexandre Dumas were the most worn, likely having been thoroughly read, along with “Animal Farm” and “1984.”

“What are you smiling at?”

Hearing the voice beside him, Yue Yiwan turned around with the hefty “Dead Souls” in his arms, blinking.

He suddenly realized that there was a faint smile on his lips, though he didn’t know why.

“The books are really good,” Yue Yiwan said, casually handing the tea cup to the long-waiting attendant beside him, and carefully returning the book to its original place.

“There’s still plenty of time today. Shall I show you around the Eastern Palace?”

Hua Muzhi wasn’t wearing a suit today; instead, he was dressed in a loose, flowing robe like the other people in the palace.

It was summer, and the weather outside was still a bit stuffy. His smoky blue outer robe was light and airy, with embroidered ink cranes spreading their wings.

He didn’t have long hair, but his slightly long black hair fell gently by his ears, giving him a warm and elegant appearance.

“Sure,” Yue Yiwan replied, and followed him to look around.

The North Courtyard was where official business and meetings took place, usually handling correspondence and miscellaneous affairs.

The South Building, where he had been earlier, was the library. The upper floor housed many rare and ancient books, while the lower floor was for reading and socializing.

“The Xiqing Pavilion on the west side has already been prepared for you. You can stay there until the wedding,” Hua Muzhi said, gesturing for him to look over and explaining, “I am in the Chaoming Hall to the east, very close to you. If you need anything, you can find me anytime.”

“Wait a moment,” Yue Yiwan suddenly stopped and asked, “Where will I read and work?”

Hua Muzhi was slightly surprised and asked, “Is sharing the Baopu Hall in the north with me enough?”

“Not really,” Yue Yiwan thought carefully and said seriously, “This really needs some accommodation.”

He was a top student from the fashion design program at Central Saint Martins in the UK.

A full scholarship recipient, he had completed his master’s degree by the age of 22 and had been awarded the 2027 Design Award by a renowned brand.

“No offense, but that mint green little suitcase is actually the only luggage I can carry.”

Yue Yiwan wasn’t sure if this request was reasonable, so he lowered his voice a bit nervously, “There are still quite a few fabric books and mannequins that haven’t been moved over… I’m afraid there might not be enough space.”

Hua Muzhi clearly didn’t expect the conversation to go in this direction.

“So, you plan to continue your work as a fashion designer and have your own studio during the ceremonial training period, is that right?” he asked with a laugh.

Yue Yiwan nodded seriously.

Working overtime in the palace shouldn’t be any different from working overtime at home.

The attendants beside them looked incredulous, their surprise comparable to when they first saw Yue Yiwan’s wildly mixed silver hair.

Sensing that his request might be unrealistic, Yue Yiwan decided to compromise.

If it doesn’t work out, I’ll just have to make do somehow, he thought.

“How about this?” Hua Muzhi suggested, assessing the size of the two-story Xiqing Pavilion. “We can turn upstairs into study room, the downstairs into a studio, and add a small storage room for your fabrics.”

He really is accommodating, Yue Yiwan thought, his eyes lighting up as he nodded. “So, I’ll be living with you?”

It would be nice to have a roommate to drink beer, watch shows, and chat with in the evenings.

The ceremonial training teacher behind them promptly cleared her throat.

“Your Highness… Mr. Yue has not formally married into the palace yet, so this arrangement might not be appropriate according to the rules.”

Both young men turned to look at her, smiling.

“What’s inappropriate about it?” Yue Yiwan asked curiously. “Is it improper for two men to share a house?”

Hua Muzhi, who had been holding back his laughter, finally burst out laughing.

“If there’s only one bed, we can take turns sleeping on the sofa,” Yue Yiwan suggested uncertainly. “If that doesn’t work, we can always split the bed and blankets—we’ll be living together once we’re married anyway.”

He said this so openly and shamelessly that the ceremonial training teacher couldn’t find a way to rebut it.

“No need to sleep on the sofa. There’s a guest room in the Chaoming Hall. We can tidy it up and add a screen,” the Crown Prince said, seemingly accustomed to smoothing things over and being very accommodating. “The hall is spacious and quite lonely, so having another person around would be nice.”

The ceremonial training teacher was taken aback but did not argue, giving a slight bow in response.

She was quite puzzled. This was clearly his first time in the palace, and from what she’d heard, they had no prior relationship. So why was the Crown Prince so indulgent towards him?

In the future, if he continues to indulge him more and more, it might become even more challenging.

So, the small suitcase was moved from the west to the east and placed in the guest room.

While they wandered around, Hua Muzhi briefly outlined the schedule for the next three months.

“We’ll have morning and evening rituals, scheduled once a day, at 7 AM and 9 PM.”

Ah, the long-lost morning and evening classes.

Yue Yiwan lowered his head, counting the steps of the white jade stairs as they walked through the Moon Gate corridor.

He wondered if he could sleep in on holidays.

“In the morning and afternoon, there will be two classes each teaching palace etiquette, as well as the procedures for rituals and ceremonies,” Hua Muzhi said, noticing Yue Yiwan was walking slower and adjusted his pace so they could walk together. “You can wear regular attire most of the time, but on the first and fifteenth of each month, and during various special festivals, traditional attire is required.”

Yue Yiwan was quite fond of the fabric on Hua Muzhi’s attire, having been admiring the embroidery craftsmanship earlier. He nodded and said, “I’ll make a few more sets later.”

“I happen to have some free time in the next few days, so I can accompany you to classes to get familiar,” Hua Muzhi paused, gesturing ahead.

In the distance, a garden could be seen, with the sounds of chirping birds emanating from within.

“The harem has a crescent-shaped river winding through it, a garden in the west palace, and a bird garden in the east palace,” he said casually. “On ordinary days with nothing to do, you can also take a stroll there.

”Yue Yiwan followed his unofficial fiancé-turned-tour guide around and gave a fair assessment, saying, “It’s quiet and the environment is good here, suitable for further studies.”

They only toured a lap in the morning and then measured the size to prepare for making clothes.

For lunch, they had a light meal with fresh dishes elegantly presented, featuring a variety of subtly flavored options. However, the portions were a bit small.Although the Chaoming Hall had several centuries of history, its interior design blended tradition with modern elements seamlessly.

While it retained the classical beauty in its subtlety and fine craftsmanship in every detail, it also incorporated unconventional features like floor-to-ceiling windows and handrails on the stairs, which did not feel out of place.

Nearby, ancient trees stood so tall and old that they seemed impossible to wrap around. The larches and cypresses stood like quiet attendants, occasionally interrupted by squirrels poking their heads out and darting away in a blur.

During the lunch break, Yue Yiwan took a nap, and upon waking up, he almost felt like he had traveled through time.

After enjoying afternoon tea and snacks, they proceeded to the side hall of the Baopu Hall for the formal ceremonial training sessions.

Hua Muzhi sat with great dignity, looking every bit like a diligent student and assistant instructor.

During the day, the female teacher returned to introduce different titles, the royal family’s lineage, and distinctions among servants.

Female officials and male attendants were divided into four ranks, each with strict rules on attire colors and access to certain areas.

First-rank imperial attendants could assist with dressing and jewelry, handling personal items as needed.

The lowest rank, selected attendants, were tasked only with courtyard cleaning and room tidying, avoiding the main areas of the palace to minimize their presence — much like domesticated elves, Yue Yiwan silently quipped.

Wearing glasses, he attentively took notes throughout the session, his handwriting elegant and flowing. He made various annotations and highlighted key points, clarifying not only the hierarchy’s decorative patterns but also illustrating arrow diagrams for responding appropriately to different relatives in various situations.

Hua Muzhi appeared outwardly composed, ostensibly listening attentively to the teacher’s instructions while sneakily glancing at the two little figures Yue Yiwan had drawn in his notebook.

One figure was dressed in a cloud-patterned robe, and the other wore a windbreaker while holding a candied haw fruit skewer.

Quite adorable.

“Next, I will review with you once more,” the teacher coughed with authority, signaling Yue Yiwan to focus.

“I’ve already memorized everything,” he waved his pen. “Would you like to quiz me?”

The teacher hesitated briefly, then clapped her hands. Four attendants, dressed in different styles of attire, stepped forward to serve as living test papers.

Yue Yiwan answered promptly and confidently, without hesitation.

He had reviewed the material the previous night, diligently committing all the details in the booklet to memory.

Hua Muzhi initially thought he would be there to rescue the situation, ready to step in and assist if Yue Yiwan struggled. However, he was surprised to find that Yue Yiwan had grasped everything clearly, as if he had just missed handing in a challenging exam paper.

It seemed that the shorthand mnemonics written in his notebook were indeed effective… He couldn’t help stealing a few more glances at the notebook with the little figures.

“You see, he understood everything, hasn’t he?”

Indeed, every answer was correct, even pointing out details like the differences between types of shoes that hadn’t been discussed yet.

The teacher was perplexed for a moment and then hesitated, “But we’ve only been teaching for thirty minutes; there’s still nearly an hour left In the lesson.”

“We can proceed with the next topics,” Yue Yiwan flipped a page in his notebook, adjusting his glasses. “Please continue teaching, and I’ll remember it all.”