9. Great Instrument

She spoke lightly, as if joking, yet the expression on Emperor Jing's face changed several times. On that day, the imperial edict arrived at the Gan Zhi Palace, and Qing Tong was not only forbidden from attending the Taixue any longer, but at just thirteen years old, she was also required to cultivate her character like other princesses who had reached the age of fifteen, and was not allowed to leave the Gan Zhi Palace even a step.

He spoke with great enthusiasm, completely oblivious to the increasingly dark expressions on the faces of the two ladies. This pedantic old scholar had no idea that his words would bring calamity upon his proud students, yet he continued to shake his head and sigh with excitement

After they reconciled, Qing Tong began to help the Crown Prince with his window assignments again. Unfortunately, joy turned to sorrow; one time, Qing Tong, caught up in her own delight, had not finished expressing a point in her own window assignment and inadvertently added two notes as supplements in the Crown Prince's assignment. After nearly a year of ghostwriting, the truth was revealed, and Qing Tong was suspended for two days. After pleading desperately, she was granted exemption, and from then on, she no longer dared to play her little tricks.

This old master is renowned for his integrity and stubbornness. He does not flatter the Ninth Prince's mother out of self-interest, but genuinely cares for this disciple. Consort Situ has long been aware of her son's academic performance, and now she aims to elicit such remarks from him. Seeing Emperor Jing's gaze soften towards her son, she remains composed on the surface while feeling quite pleased internally. She humbly makes a few remarks, then casually shifts the topic, saying: "I only hope that Ning Xie can catch up to the Crown Prince to some extent, so that he will not be of little use when serving the Crown Prince in the future." Consort Situ has long been aware of her son's academic performance, and now she aims to elicit such remarks from him. Seeing Emperor Jing's gaze soften towards her son, she remains composed on the surface while feeling quite pleased internally. She humbly makes a few remarks, then casually shifts the topic, saying: "I only hope that Ning Xie can catch up to the Crown Prince to some extent, so that he will not be of little use when serving the Crown Prince in the future."

Yang Shufei felt that her words lacked sincerity, yet she could not pinpoint any flaws. She raised her head haughtily and snorted, "Your eyes are too shifty; go back and learn some manners before you look at me again!"

Gradually, Grand Tutor Sun noticed that the Crown Prince was making remarkable progress, often leaving him speechless, which greatly pleased him. However, the Crown Prince was somewhat slow in his responses and could not answer most of the questions posed to him on the spot, merely saying: "Let me think it over thoroughly before I respond." The next day, he would ensure that his answers were very comprehensive.

Shang Zhilin, with remarkable talent, encountered you in the academy. Though there is a sense of loss, there is no regret; one wave of cold rain follows another wave of wind

Emperor Jing and the Minister of State's concubine were both startled by the sudden scream. Following her gaze, they met the bright, sparkling eyes of Qing Tong. Seeing the three of them looking at her, Qing Tong did not feel afraid; instead, she smiled slightly and said, "It has been several years since we last met, Your Highness. Your grace is outstanding, even more so than in the past, and Ning Che admires you greatly."

This time, Sun Yanling did not fly into a rage as she did last time. One reason is that the Dàyuàn dynasty has maintained a tradition of valuing civil over military affairs for over a hundred years, and Sun Yanling has been influenced to regard military personnel with less esteem. She believes that the Crown Prince's ignorance of military strategy is not a significant issue; even in the event of war, it would not be appropriate for a sovereign to take the field. Furthermore, the discussion of military matters is a question-and-answer format. When the Crown Prince asks, her serious answers can be seen as a demonstration of filial piety. The Crown Prince can also gain knowledge from this, which is not the same as her doing his homework for him. Moreover, Qing Tong is one of his favored students, and without concrete evidence, he is reluctant to keep her from attending school.

Emperor Jing appeared somewhat distracted and asked the Grand Tutor: "How are the studies of the princes?" The Grand Tutor replied: "Your Majesty, the princes are diligent in their studies and have made some progress."

The Crown Prince had indeed been feeling down for a while, but how could he bear to waste such valuable resources? He had become accustomed to seeking out his younger sister whenever he faced difficulties. Finally, one day, he brought up the military strategies that troubled him in a conversation with Qing Tong. At first, the Crown Prince thought he was merely playing around, but to his surprise, Qing Tong's insights into military strategy were more profound than those in her literature classes.

Sun Yanling knew that his predictions were accurate, and that this strategy was mostly answered by the Qing Tong.

He took a deep breath: "Although Princess Seventeen is not skilled in archery or combat, she indeed possesses insights into the art of warfare, which is truly formidable. I believe her future is limitless; she can govern the country with her intellect and stabilize the nation with her martial prowess! Given time, she will surely achieve greatness!"

Three individuals entered, and after everyone had stepped forward to pay their respects, the Ninth Prince approached separately to offer his greetings. It was then that Qing Tong realized this was the Ninth Prince's biological mother, the virtuous Consort Si Tu Hui

The girl with blue eyes slightly bowed and said, "Yes." In her heart, she thought, what is there to look at? Even if it were given to me for free, I wouldn't bother to take another glance.

Suddenly, I heard Yang Shufei beside me exclaim sharply, "What are you looking at me for?"

The art of war is a matter of verbal response, and with Qing Tong not engaging in martial arts, there is no basis for comparison. Now, there is no need to worry about revealing any flaws. The Crown Prince has become even more unrestrained, and Qing Tong is extremely interested in these matters, often insisting on devising several methods to counter a particular formation before she is satisfied. This not only ensures that the Crown Prince's own studies are well taken care of, but at times, it even encompasses all four of his companions.

Emperor Jing was intrigued by this interlude and asked, "You, Ning... Che, right? You are still studying, are you getting along well with it?" He then turned to the Grand Tutor and inquired, "Can she keep up with her studies?"

Both individuals are dressed as consorts; the younger one is Yang Shufei, while the other, who is approximately thirty years old, is someone with whom Qing Tong is not acquainted.

He conveyed these words to Sun Yanling, who furrowed her brow and pondered for a long time. The next day, her gaze repeatedly flickered towards Qing Tong. The old tutor felt quite puzzled and attempted to discuss some military views with Qing Tong, but the young girl pretended not to understand. Sun Yanling then changed her strategy. A few days later, during a history lesson, she expressed some of her own opinions on military strategy, deliberately stating them with slight inaccuracies, glancing at Qing Tong from the corner of her eye. She noticed that a look of opposition immediately appeared on Qing Tong's face, yet the Crown Prince remained oblivious, failing to detect anything amiss.

Emperor Jing looked at the Crown Prince, who trembled slightly at his gaze and lowered his head even further. Emperor Jing already disliked this son, and his gaze immediately turned to one of disgust. Consort De observed this and felt a secret joy in her heart

Consort Situ suddenly stepped forward and performed a graceful bow, causing the Grand Tutor to panic and hurriedly return the gesture, saying, "Your Highness, why is this so?" Consort Situ replied, "Grand Tutor, Ning Xie is unruly and somewhat foolish, causing you trouble."

The Grand Tutor quickly shook his head: "Your Highness, you flatter me. The Ninth Prince is exceptionally intelligent, diligent in his studies, and truly has an unlimited future. In a few years, this old minister will have nothing left to teach His Highness. I have heard from Commander Sun that the Ninth Prince's skills in archery and horsemanship are the best among the princes, and his military strategy is also top-notch; he is indeed a talent worthy of a general"

Another six months passed, and a group of students were attending a lecture by the Grand Tutor, when outside they heard Yao Youde announcing: "The Emperor has arrived!" Following Emperor Jing was a pair of beautiful ladies dressed as palace concubines, likely wanting to inquire about their sons' studies

Emperor Jing, after being reminded by her, inquired about the Crown Prince's studies from the Grand Tutor. The Grand Tutor hesitated for a moment, and finally shook his head: "Although the Crown Prince is occasionally clever, he does not study very diligently, and his aptitude is also somewhat limited. This old minister has failed to meet the expectations of the Emperor, and I will certainly supervise him well in the future"

In fact, Qing Tong felt that as soon as Yang Shufei entered, there was a hint of disdain at the corners of her mouth, and her gaze towards each prince was filled with contempt, showing no signs of concealment. This sharp and willful demeanor was indeed more pronounced than in her earlier years

Sidu De Fei pondered the phrase "Given time, you will surely achieve greatness" and secretly scoffed, "How can I allow you the luxury of time!"

The Grand Tutor's face showed a flush of excitement: "Your Majesty! The Seventeenth Princess is truly a prodigy! Among my disciples, the Ninth Prince was originally the most intelligent, yet I did not expect the Seventeenth Princess to surpass him. Her literary talent often makes me feel inadequate, teaching and learning go hand in hand! Teaching and learning go hand in hand! I am truly fortunate to have such an excellent disciple in this lifetime!"

While she was contemplating countermeasures, Yang Shufei had already begun to sneer: "What use is a clever maid? Can she attend court and participate in governance? Can she lead troops into battle? It sounds as if the Great Yuan has lost its princes, making her out to be a great talent!"

Lady Situ Defei smiled as she embraced her, saying: "Sister, it is a good thing that the princess can achieve great things. Although she cannot openly attend court and participate in politics, she can still be involved privately. With her assisting the Crown Prince, our Great Yuan will prosper!" She rolled her eyes and continued: "Unfortunately, the princess will eventually have to marry. Once a woman is married, she will support her husband's family. Your Majesty, you must find someone trustworthy to arrange the marriage; otherwise, be careful that her future husband becomes powerful, as none of us princes would be a match for him!"