TRBDM -Chapter 106 Leaving the Imperial Academy

Many people had seen the Princess of the First Rank, Zhao Lingchen, but few knew what she looked like at fifteen or sixteen.

The portrait in Zhao Jingheng’s hands was exactly of Zhao Lingchen at fifteen.

A bright and radiant girl, with a pair of striking peach-blossom eyes that drew immediate attention.

Zhao Jingheng placed the two portraits side by side.

If Jianxi were here, he would surely have gasped.

The resemblance between the two was uncanny.

Xie Yu’s features were slightly more rugged, but he had a boyish look that made him almost indistinguishable from Zhao Lingchen—as if they were cast from the same mold.

Zhao Jingheng recalled the few moments he had spent with Zhao Lingchen, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

“Eldest Sister of the Imperial Household, is Xie Yu your son?”

At midnight, a carrier pigeon flew over the princess’s residence.

Whoosh!

An arrow shot through its white chest.

The pigeon fell, but the guards caught it steadily.

One guard pulled out the paper tied to the pigeon’s leg.

Zhao Lingchen, deep in sleep, was shaken awake by her personal maid. “Princess! Princess!”

Zhao Lingchen opened her eyes, a flash of deadly sharpness in their depths.

“What is it?”

Her voice was languid, yet carried an edge of danger.

Zhao Lingchen had a sleeping disorder. Any maid daring to wake her, risking execution, could only be doing so for something urgent.

“Princess, someone sent a painting via carrier pigeon.”

Zhao Lingchen reached out her hand, and the maid quickly bent down to help her rise.

“Bring it over.”

A maid lowered her head and handed her the painting.

Zhao Lingchen unfolded it deliberately and slowly.

As the face in the painting gradually revealed its eyebrows, eyes, and nose, Zhao Lingchen’s breathing grew heavier.

When the entire portrait was fully revealed, her breath abruptly stopped.

In the lower right corner of the painting were four characters: Wu Shao Zhi Nian (The Age of Holding the Spoon).

Zhao Lingchen stared at the painting, disbelief laced with madness.

The Age of Holding the Spoon—thirteen years old.

Age, appearance, gender—all matched perfectly.

Who was he?

Could it be… he was still alive?

Impossible. She had personally sifted through piles of corpses, finding no trace at all.

Zhao Lingchen’s beautiful peach-blossom eyes filled with tears, almost obscuring the person in the painting.

After some time, she finally gave a trembling order:

“Dig three feet into the ground if you have to… find the person in this painting!”

“As you command.”

At the Imperial Academy, because Nangong Hai and other students had caused a disturbance and were punished with confinement, the academy became notably calmer.

Even the Ninth Prince and Crown Prince Zhao kept a lower profile.

The Dean was furious over the incident, warning all students that any future misbehavior would not just be punished with confinement but would result in immediate expulsion from the academy.

Thus, in the last few days at the Imperial Academy, things were peaceful. Xie Lan and Xie Yu immersed themselves in their studies and made great progress.

Ten days passed quickly—the study tour had come to an end.

The young attendants packed the luggage for the two gentlemen, and Xie Lan and Xie Yu waited with the other visiting students in the lecture hall for Master Dong.

Master Dong was speaking with the Dean.

“After the Flower Festival, our competition will begin. Master Dong, the students you favor are indeed exceptional.”

The Dean had observed the visiting students carefully over the ten days and found them all highly talented; even if they were not universally skilled, each had at least one subject in which they excelled.

In contrast, the regular students of the Imperial Academy were of mixed abilities.

Of course, the academy was not short of talent, and the Dean was confident about the upcoming competition.

“Dean, you flatter me. They are just a group of unruly children—how could they compare to the students of the Imperial Academy? Letting them participate in the competition is only to broaden their horizons.”

Both parties exchanged polite humility before leaving the lecture hall.

On the way, Xie Yu said, “Third Brother, I need to use the restroom.”

“Mm, go quickly and come back soon.”

Xie Yu jogged ahead, quickly finishing his business. Fearing he would hold everyone up, he kept his head down and hurried out.

Unexpectedly, someone suddenly appeared in front of him, and Xie Yu bumped right into them.

“Sorry! I didn’t mean to. Are you okay?”

After apologizing, Xie Yu looked up and realized it was the Tenth Prince.

“Your Highness,” Xie Yu stepped back and saluted, “I apologize for bumping into you. Please forgive me.”

“It’s fine. Are you leaving now?” Zhao Jingheng asked.

“Yes, my studies are over, and I’m going home today.”

At the mention of going home, Xie Yu’s face lit up with excitement.

The Mingde Marquisate was his home. At home were his mother, his eldest sister, and his eldest sister-in-law. He hadn’t seen them in ten days and missed them dearly.

“Have they been treating you well?”

“Yes, very well. Mother formally adopted me as her godson and sent me to study under Master Dong. My eldest sister picks out my clothes and cooks for me. My eldest sister-in-law is also very kind—she doesn’t say much, but she’s sent many things to Lan Courtyard.”

Speaking of their kindness, Xie Yu recounted everything in detail. Each memory was sweet.

“Before you were adopted as a godson, did anyone bully you?”

Zhao Jingheng’s question cut through Xie Yu’s pleasant memories.

The light in his eyes dimmed slightly, and the excitement in his voice lowered:

“With Third Brother protecting me, no one dared to bully me.”

Xie Yu knew better than anyone that back then, Xie Lan could barely protect himself, let alone him.

But the first thing Xie Lan did after coming out of the mud was pull him out from the Marquisate’s backyard.

From a book boy to a study companion, then to a godson of the Marquisate—without Xie Lan, Xie Yu wouldn’t be who he was today.

Zhao Jingheng quietly observed him, not exposing his little lie.

“I’ll lend this to you.”

“Huh?”

Xie Yu looked puzzled, seeing Zhao Jingheng holding a copy of Qilue.

“Your Highness, how did you take a book out of the library?”

The library didn’t allow borrowing; books could only be read inside.

“You don’t think Qilue only exists in one copy, do you? This book is mine. Since you haven’t finished reading it, I’ll lend it to you.”

Xie Yu couldn’t take his eyes off it. “Really? Your Highness, you’re too kind!”

Zhao Jingheng smiled indulgently. “Return it after you finish.”

“Of course I will. But Your Highness, you really are willing to lend it to me?”

In Xie Yu’s eyes, books were even more precious than silver; he could never bear to lend them.

“Of course I am. Oh, and I also have Wen Yi Zhi. Next time you can use Qilue to exchange for it.”

Heaven, Xie Yu felt so happy he might faint. After finishing Qilue, he could even read Wen Yi Zhi!

“Your Highness, really?”

“A gentleman keeps his word; a carriage of four horses cannot turn it back.”

Xie Lan waited in the lecture hall for a long time. Almost everyone else had left when he finally saw Xie Yu running over with a wide grin.

“Why did it take so long?”

Xie Yu whispered mysteriously, “I’ll tell you once we get in the carriage.”

The twelve traveling students bid farewell to the Dean and the instructors at the Imperial Academy gate, thanking them for their guidance over the past ten days.

Then, everyone boarded the carriages arranged by their respective households and headed home.

Once on the carriage, Xie Yu couldn’t contain himself and pulled out Qilue:

“Third Brother, look! Guess what this is!”

Xie Lan glanced at it and immediately covered it with his robe, panicking:

“You went to the library and stole a book?”

Xie Yu knew he had misunderstood and quickly explained:

“No, His Highness lent it to me. I’ll return it after I finish reading it.”

Xie Lan’s frown deepened.

Again with the Tenth Prince…

Why was he so intent on approaching Xie Yu?

Seeing Xie Yu so happy, Xie Lan suppressed his doubts.

Once they reached the Marquisate, he would make sure to tell their mother everything the Tenth Prince had done.