6. Assignment

He picked up a piece of paper with crooked handwriting, his brow furrowed tightly. This was done by the youngest of the twenty-six princes, who had just started school. He was only seven years old, and when he saw the Grand Tutor holding his homework, his little face turned pale with fear. The Grand Tutor measured him up and then said, "After all, you are still young; it is indeed difficult for you."

With her green eyes glaring at him, she exclaimed, "What did you say! You... you, I will no longer help you, give me back my homework!" She stepped forward to snatch it, but the Crown Prince hurriedly stuffed the few pages of paper back into his embrace and said, "Don't snatch it, I will have you write my window assignments every day from now on, and I won't tell anyone that you like Li Fei!" He had finally grasped this girl's weakness, and it was truly delightful.

The prince glanced at the two of them, his eyes twinkling as he laughed: "Little girl! You are reluctant to leave Fei and face more beatings, aren't you? Hahaha, you are quite cautious for someone so young!"

With black ink on her hands, Qing Tong stood there in a daze, unsure of what to do. The Crown Prince, initially intending to rush over and wrestle with Qing Tong, saw this and pointed at her, bursting into laughter. Fueled by anger, Qing Tong jumped up and smeared the ink all over his face. The two of them grappled and rolled into a tangle, and even when the Grand Tutor arrived, they did not cease their struggle.

In the blink of an eye, Qing Tong has been attending school for over two years. Apart from a few prominent figures like the Ninth Prince, who are self-important due to their status, she has won the favor of most people. Only the Crown Prince remains at odds with her; every morning when they meet at school, they each let out a cold snort before turning to sit back in their own seats. Li Fei, being a few years older, finds it amusing to watch. These two awkward children stubbornly cling to a grudge that they have likely forgotten the reason for, and they have not spoken to each other at all. However, Li Fei and Qing Tong chat for a while every day, and the Crown Prince has long since stopped caring.

The prince jumped up in anger. Li Fei hurriedly gathered the books and papers on the ground, when suddenly he heard a scream from Qing Tong. Looking up, he saw a shadow descending upon him, which turned out to be the inkstone that had fallen when he pulled the rice paper. The small eunuch had just finished grinding a fresh batch of ink, and it splashed all over his head and face.

Qing Tong threw a few sheets of paper at him: "Take this, does it feel good to be scolded by the sir?"

On the second day, she arrived at the academy early and intercepted the Crown Prince as soon as he arrived: "Hey! Have you completed today's homework?"

The girl with the azure eyes was even angrier; in fact, she was not yet twelve years old. This vague feeling was most unbearable to articulate, and at this moment, she was so embarrassed and angry that she was on the verge of tears

The Grand Tutor continued to read, and suddenly exclaimed, "Whose is this?"

The Crown Prince's eyes were dark, and his blue pupils made his mouth look as if it had grown a mustache. As for Li Fei, there was no need to mention him; it would be better to simply rename him "Dark Black." The three of them exchanged glances, and Qing Tong was the first to burst into laughter. The Crown Prince could no longer hold back and finally joined in the laughter. Their tensions, which had been clashing, were unexpectedly resolved with a single laugh.

With her azure eyes filled with rage, she no longer felt like crying. Taking a deep breath, she charged forward a few steps and then lowered her head to fiercely collide with the prince's abdomen. The prince, caught up in his own merriment and unprepared, was taken aback by this fierce headbutt, momentarily choking on his anger. He rolled his eyes and staggered back several steps. Li Fei hurried to assist him, but it was too late; the prince had already fallen backward, crashing into the Grand Tutor's table, sending papers, brushes, and scrolls scattering across the floor like flowers.

The Crown Prince felt a sense of relief in his heart and submitted a piece of homework that Qing Tong had completed for him after being punished. Focusing solely on the matter at hand, although his anger had not yet subsided, he still received praise from the Grand Tutor for his work that day. Having not received compliments from his teacher for a long time, the Crown Prince was very pleased. From then on, every ten to eight days, he would have Qing Tong do his homework for him.

The Crown Prince exclaimed in shock, "Are you going to hit me?" He was not like the other princes; he was the heir to the throne of a nation. Although the Grand Tutor was a teacher, he was also a subject, and thus did not possess the authority to strike the Crown Prince.

One day, the Grand Tutor assigned particularly difficult homework, and Qing Tong spent a full two hours completing it upon returning home. The next day, everyone submitted their homework, and the Grand Tutor examined each piece carefully. After a while, he frowned and pointed to one sheet, asking, "Whose is this?"

The old master, upon seeing his beloved Xiaoxiang bamboo brush and the snow wolf hair brush broken into two pieces, the Ding kiln inkstone shattered into four fragments, and the ancient handwritten copy of "The Great Learning" torn into countless pieces, felt a darkness envelop his eyes and nearly fainted. He let out a loud shout from deep within his chest, causing several ink-stained little rascals to be chased out and made to stand in punishment, disregarding even the crown prince.

Grand Tutor said: "Are you feeling unwell? I shall go to the imperial physician to retrieve the records for examination"

The Crown Prince replied submissively: "No, I have just a minor illness and have not summoned the imperial physician."

Qing Tong also felt that she was being abrupt, so she tried to appear very calm, feigning indifference as she looked at the Crown Prince, but could not help stealing a glance at Li Fei. She saw Li Fei's gaze was intense and contemplative, fixed on her. That look was like a torch, instantly igniting her entire face, and she quickly turned her head away, her heart uncontrollably racing.

Everyone lowered their heads in unison, and after a while, the Crown Prince finally stood up, his face somewhat pale, indicating that he was also afraid. His mind was not particularly sharp, and he was somewhat playful. Yesterday, he had written a few characters but could not continue, thinking he would take a break to play for a while, only to end up forgetting to complete his work.

The Twelfth Prince stood up nervously. The Grand Tutor said: "The handwriting is sloppy, and the words do not convey the meaning! Go back and rewrite it!"

The four individuals left with their heads bowed. The Grand Tutor picked up the ruler and struck each of them heavily ten times. Since Li Fei was the nephew of the Duke of Ningguo, a distant cousin of the Crown Prince, and the eldest among them, he received an additional ten strikes. Tears welled up in the Crown Prince's eyes. The Ninth Prince remained expressionless, with only a slight cold smile at the corners of his mouth, while several other princes looked on with glee.

The Crown Prince saw that this was the homework assigned by his teacher yesterday, and the handwriting on this assignment was identical to his own, with a much better concept, indicating that it had been done with great care. He couldn't help but be astonished; how had this little rival suddenly become so kind to him? He stared at Qing Tong with suspicion.

He picked up a piece of paper again and exclaimed: "The Master said: 'A graceful and virtuous woman is the ideal match for a gentleman.' 'A graceful and virtuous woman is the ideal match for a gentleman'? When did the Master ever say this? You can't even remember the words of the sages; go back and copy the Analects three times! If you miss even one character, don't bother coming back tomorrow!" He threw the assignment directly onto the ground. The sixteenth prince, his face flushed, picked it up and returned to his seat in a dejected manner.

He discovered that this little girl was more inclined to respond to kindness than to harshness, so he often brought her delicious treats. Qing Tong, fearing that his neglect of her studies would affect Li Fei, was still somewhat tempted by the treats. Thus, when the Crown Prince offered her pastries and fruits she had never seen before, she was easily won over. This became a habit, and Qing Tong diligently assisted him with his studies, slightly exceeding his level. The Grand Tutor was overjoyed and never suspected a thing. This became a habit, and Qing Tong diligently assisted him with his studies, slightly exceeding his level. The Grand Tutor was overjoyed and never suspected a thing

Li Fei's expression changed: "Your Highness! Please do not speak like that anymore. Li Fei is merely a subject, how could I tarnish the princess's reputation?"

The Crown Prince was overjoyed to see the tears welling up in Qing Tong's eyes, and with such happiness, how could he easily hold his tongue? He then laughed and said, "What are you shy about? There are so many princes and grandsons of the emperor in the palace, even the serious master, my father, cannot attend to them all. A girl like you is unlikely to get married. This Crown Prince has a generous heart; I will not hold past matters against you. If you like Li Fei, just be good to me, and after four or five years, I will take it upon myself to marry you to him."

Qing Tong happily sat down. The Ninth Prince was taken aback and shot her a cold glance. The Grand Tutor finished reading everything, his face stern as he surveyed the crowd: "Fifteen princes, one princess, and four crown prince companions, totaling twenty submissions. Yet there are only nineteen here. Who has not submitted their homework?"

He picked up other assignments again and finally found one that made his brows relax, glancing approvingly at the Ninth Prince: "Your Highness, this piece is innovative in its concept and quite talented!" The Ninth Prince's expression remained unchanged, but a hint of pride shone in his eyes

The prince stammered, "I felt unwell yesterday and forgot..."

Qing Tong stood up nervously, and the Grand Tutor nodded, saying: "Although it may lack depth and contains unfamiliar characters, the entire piece is grand and magnificent, with lofty intentions, which is truly rare! Floating duckweed is inherently rootless; when people mention it, they often lament and feel sorry for themselves. Yet you say, 'Do not blame the shallow waters for drifting; I shall roam freely wherever I please.' Hmm, indeed quite remarkable!

The Crown Prince's complexion turned pale, and after a long while, he nodded. The Grand Tutor said: "The Crown Prince's companions in study are now his good associates as the heir apparent, and in the future, they will be good ministers in the court. They must not only protect the Crown Prince's safety but also supervise his diligent studies. Your Highness has not completed your assignments, and they share in that responsibility. Now, you will take the punishment on behalf of the Crown Prince. Extend your hands."

Qing Tong let out a sound of surprise, hurriedly stepped forward to grab the paper on the ground to wipe for him. After wiping a couple of times, she realized that she was actually using the Grand Tutor's book.

The board struck down on Li Fei's hand, causing Qing Tong's heart to flutter with discomfort. After returning to Gan Zhi Palace and completing today's window lesson, she tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep, her mind filled with the shadow of the ruler. She thought of each strike as a reminder of the first day she fought with the Crown Prince, and of Li Fei's glowing hand that reached out to her, the same hand that helped her carry coal and water without complaint, regardless of the dirt and toil. Qing Tong truly wished she could take his hand and massage it for him. She wondered if that insufferable Crown Prince had completed his homework today, hoping he wouldn't cause Li Fei to be punished again.

The Grand Tutor stared at him for a while and said: "Perhaps it would be acceptable if it were someone else, but the Crown Prince is the future monarch. His Majesty has entrusted the future of the nation to this old minister, and I must take on this responsibility." He stood up, bowed deeply to the Crown Prince, and then raised the ruler: "Your Highness, I have offended you."

The Grand Tutor's expression was serious: "I do not dare to presume, but does the Crown Prince know why the other princes attend lessons by themselves, while you have four companions studying with you?"

As they grew older, the lessons from the Grand Tutor became increasingly difficult. Only a few princes received praise, while the majority struggled significantly with their studies

Qing Tong found it increasingly difficult to sleep as her thoughts raced. Finally unable to resist, she got up and completed another assignment. Her handwriting was already very similar to that of the Crown Prince, and at this moment, as she carefully imitated it, it became even harder to distinguish between the two.

The prince believed she was deliberately mocking him and angrily said: "What does it have to do with you! Why do you care whether I do it or not!"

Grand Tutor said: "Crown Prince! You are the heir to the throne, a model for all, how is it that you do not even complete your studies?"