The Marquis Mansion has no eunuchs; only the Royal Family has such attendants. However, if a noble family secretly keeps a few little eunuchs as attendant students, no one would say anything.
Dingyuan Marquis Mansion strictly follows the ancestral laws, so the mansion is only staffed with guards, footboys, and maids.
Zipei cannot be taken into the palace.
But that's alright; she originally just wanted to bring the fragrant and soft Zijin.
Aunt Fang, leading Gu Lan and another, said, "Xiefang Palace is the chamber where the Prince resides before being granted a princely title and establishing his own family. Given your noble status, you two may also reside here."
Xiefang Palace, also called the South Hall, is outside the harem, between several palace gates. Crossing the white jade arch bridge, one reaches a three-span entrance styled like a Prince Mansion.
Following Aunt Fang inside, the entrance reveals three quadrangles, each with front, middle, and back courtyards, east and west annexes, dining rooms, and duty rooms, totaling nearly a hundred chambers. Any single building is several times larger than the Step Lotus Hall at the Marquis Mansion, truly befitting a residence for a Prince.
It is now class time at the Imperial Family school, so only a few palace attendants are stationed inside Xiefang Palace.
Rong Yunhao chose a courtyard according to his preference, while Gu Lan declined the young prince's "cohabitation" request and moved next door.
"I'm your companion reader; if I live in a separate courtyard, it shows you've got some prestige, doesn't it?" Gu Lan said, tossing a golden piece of preserved fruit to the Young Master, "Here, is it tasty?"
"Delicious, delicious! Brother Lan, what you say makes sense." Rong Yunhao nodded while savoring the fruit, finding Gu Lan's words quite reasonable.
The earlier market visit left Rong Yunhao admiring Gu Lan and wanting him to teach martial arts.
The two walked north from Xiefang Palace, hearing the sound of study emanating from a nearby blue-tiled palace.
"Heaven and earth are not benevolent, treating all things as straw dogs. The Saint is not benevolent, treating the people as straw dogs.
Is the space between heaven and earth like a bellows? Empty, but inexhaustible, and even more productive when set in motion..."
Aunt Fang said, "Here is the Maoqin Hall where the Imperial Family school resides. The teacher should be reading and explaining the texts now. You two young gentlemen may come in and listen for a while."
Gu Lan thought, earlier, Rong Heng was moving, so he's likely not inside now either.
The group came to a pause in the surrounding corridor of the palace.
On the dark green wooden gallery, pots of blooming vibrant roses were placed, in shades of violet or pink, their fragrance filling the air, casting bright floral shadows and warmth onto those standing outside the entrance.
The man tied a deep purple headscarf, tall and slender, his face slightly reddened by the sun, with gentle and delicate features. His long, narrow eyes resembled willow leaves of glass, their corners tinged with a delicate red hue, exuding a vulnerable aura that invoked pity.
Gu Lan: Finally met a man more effeminate than myself.
Seeing him, Aunt Fang whispered, "This is Yuan Lang, the Crown Prince of Wei Country, now serving as the Second Prince's companion."
Gu Lan raised an eyebrow, pretending not to notice, while Rong Yunhao scrutinized Yuan Lang carefully and said, "Just this?"
Yuan Lang's gaze met theirs, and suddenly, he dropped to one knee, loudly proclaiming, "Yuan Lang, Crown Prince of Wei Country, greets the Princely Heir of Prince Rui!"
His voice, contrary to his delicate appearance, carried a hoarse edge, abruptly silencing the classroom teachings.
Rong Yunhao didn't expect him to shout suddenly, his face changing as he wondered what this Crown Prince of Wei intended, startled enough to take two steps back.
Halfway through his retreat, he suddenly remembered Yuan Lang was personally captured by his father, then strove to straighten his small frame, waving his hand.
"Dispense with, dispense with the formalities; why shout, truly frightening."
Yuan Lang remained kneeling, silent with his head lowered.
Gu Lan narrowed his eyes, gazing down at the jet-black top of the Crown Prince of Wei's head.
The next moment, the door opened from inside, and an elder with graying hair stepped out, twisting his beard, and asked unhappily, "Who is disturbing the order of the Imperial Family school?"
Gu Lan looked beyond the elder to the vast classroom of the Imperial Family school visible to her.
Inside, only six or seven youths were seated in front with scrolls and desks, among whom she recognized the Second Prince and Rong Baoyi, while the others were unfamiliar.
—Sure enough, Rong Heng was absent.
She recalled the chill on the youth's fingertips, involuntarily curling her index finger into an arc.
Is Rong Heng still moving? Poor thing.
Before Aunt Fang could explain, Yuan Lang interjected, "Teacher, Yuan Lang saw the Princely Heir of Prince Rui and, as if seeing Prince Rui himself, was startled into saluting, interrupting your lecture, for which I seek your forgiveness."
At these words, Gu Lan saw the Second Prince's face instantly turn cold, his gaze towards Rong Yunhao turning extremely sullen.
A young man behind him tugged at his sleeve but failed to hold him back, as the Second Prince had already spoken: "Why is it that when you see a princely heir, you seem more frightened than when meeting me?"
Yuan Lang timidly explained, "The prince personally captured Yuan Lang at the front lines, valiant and mighty, like a deity descending. Naturally, I was afraid."
This statement implied that Prince Rui was more illustrious than the current Emperor.
Gu Lan sensed a hint of tea, thinking, Yuan Lang's attempts at sowing discord were clumsy but perfectly suited to the Second Prince's impulsive and irritable nature.
The Second Prince was indeed displeased, angrily saying, "Teacher, Rong Yunhao was loud outside Maoqin Hall, ignoring palace rules, and disrupted the class, truly unruly."
As his words fell, a hint of anxiety appeared on Rong Baoyi's face, clearly worried about her younger brother, while the other two girls inside the hall curiously looked at Gu Lan and the young prince.
The young prince, still a child, blushed and quickly explained, "I—I was listening to the teacher reading and studying seriously. It was he who suddenly saluted me, so I—"
The Second Prince promptly asked, "Studying? Then tell me what you've learned?"
The teacher stroked his white beard, turned his gaze around, and also said, "Since the princely heir and the Young Master will soon enter the Imperial Family school, I shall boldly examine them today."
The young prince nodded stiffly.
The teacher then asked, "Can the young prince explain what is meant by 'Heaven and earth are not benevolent, treating all things as straw dogs; the Saint is not benevolent, treating the people as straw dogs'?"
The young prince became pensive.
Gu Lan glanced upward, seeing the Second Prince winking conspicuously at her.
The Second Prince was of similar age to the original protagonist. According to Zijin, they had previously played together, fighting cocks and feeding birds.
In reality, this person, to slander Rong Heng, had used the original protagonist as a tool, and now still regarded her as a fool.
At this moment, the Second Prince mouthed silently:
"Pretend not to understand, don't tell Rong Yunhao."