After some effort, Huling ultimately could not drive away Hucan and his two companions.
Because he had just tumbled on the floor, after leaving Ganqing Palace, Huling went to Yushu Palace to freshen up before heading to the Imperial Study.
When Huling stepped into the Imperial Study, the day's lessons had already ended, but no one had left due to the absence of the crucial Crown Prince.
"Grand Tutor, I was delayed by something just now." Huling, always respectful toward his teachers, first apologized to Grand Tutor Wang Ancheng upon entering. "I'm sorry, I will make up for today's lesson."
Wang Ancheng, who had heard Huling's muttered "I'm wrongly accused," and noticed that he had changed clothes and tidied his hair, did not inquire further about how he usually interacted with the Emperor.
"It's fine."
Wang Ancheng had always been very satisfied with Huling's attitude, always thinking of him as a good child, so he easily forgave Huling for skipping class. He then gestured for Huling to come over after instructing him to make up for the missed lesson with twenty extra passages.
As Huling walked over, Wang Ancheng stroked his beard, hoping that he would get along well with the three companions. He directly acted as an introducer, "Your Highness, let me introduce your companions."
In fact, Huling already knew these three people. "Oh."
"This is Hucan from the House of Anle, skilled in archery."
Looking up, Hucan crossed his arms, leaned against the window, raised his eyebrows at him, and smiled, "Hello, Your Highness," Early on, when he learned that he would serve as Huling's companion, Hucan knew that one day, no matter what Huling did, he could only endure.
- Who made him bully Huling in the past, and now Huling was the Crown Prince.
Hucan was prepared, but Huling's attitude was completely different from what he had expected.
Apart from the fact that he, the former Crown Prince, had failed to retaliate, and that Huling always avenged any wrongs on the spot, when Hucan bullied him in the past, Huling found an opportunity to turn the tables on him. He was not as "resigned" as Hucan had thought. Huling bore a grudge against--
In a red robe, with a jade crown on his head, his sharp brows and eyes, towering with long legs.
Taller than him? More handsome than him?
Angry.
Subconsciously straightening his chest, Huling found that he was not leaning against the window beside Hucan. He coldly averted his gaze and looked at Gongsun Xun, who was sitting at the other end of the desk. "Grand Tutor, who is this?"
"This is Gongsun Xun, son of the Minister of Rites's house, proficient in musical instruments, chess, calligraphy, and painting." Recalling Huling's indescribable handwriting, Wang Ancheng, out of kindness, suggested further, "Your Highness, if you have any questions about your studies, and there is no time to ask me, you can consult with Gongsun, or Gongsun Xun for advice on how to improve your handwriting."
To spare Huling from embarrassment, Wang Ancheng did not voice the rest of his thoughts, but he believed that the intelligent Crown Prince would understand his implicit meaning.
Huling: ... Sorry, don't understand, don't comprehend, don't know.
Gongsun Xun, who was named, stood up from behind the desk and bowed to Huling. "Hello, Your Highness." After greeting him, he also bowed to Wang Ancheng. "Grand Tutor, I dare not. But if Your Highness is willing..."
Turning to Huling, he lightly touched his lips. "I hope Your Highness won't hesitate to instruct me."
Proper etiquette, humble attitude, not a trace of arrogance, coupled with a good appearance and esteemed family background, anyone would involuntarily praise him as the "Jade-like Son".
However, being treated respectfully by Gongsun Xun, Huling couldn't help but frown.
Huling usually acted on instinct, and he was not easily influenced by superficial appearances. Although Gongsun Xun seemed perfect, Huling still perceived his inherent unruliness and contempt towards him.
Sorry, he also looked down on those who were standoffish, using their mouths to try to control everything, thinking that everything should be under their control.
Huling directly sneered, "Huh."
Unsure of where he had gone wrong, Gongsun Xun suppressed the turmoil that arose within him due to Huling's disdain and innocently asked, "Your Highness, have I offended you in any way?"
"Your existence."
Look down on him?
Good, he looked down on everyone.
Gongsun Xun's gaze turned cold, "Your Highness, what do you mean by that?"
"Nothing. I'm just casually answering you." Unwilling to talk to him, and even less willing to continue watching his performance, Huling turned his head and pointed to Li Zhuang, who was standing a bit away from the others. "There's no need for the Grand Tutor to introduce him to me. I know him."
If the disdain between the powerful and the literati was just a clash of personalities, when facing a commoner, the powerful and the literati would unite – because they both looked down on commoners. Li Zhuang, who was born in a poor family, had proven his abilities with the title of "Second Wrangler," but his existence was his original sin.
Hucan openly disliked him, Gongsun Xun directly ignored him, even Grand Tutor Wang Ancheng occasionally forgot about him, and it was only when Huling arrived that Li Zhuang felt that he had finally seen hope.
Giving up the opportunity to join the Hanlin Academy, he wanted more than just being a companion.
When caught in Huling's gaze, Li Zhuang's eyes brightened, and he subconsciously straightened up.
Just when Li Zhuang thought his opportunity had finally come, Huling retracted his gaze and shrugged indifferently at Wang Ancheng. "A nobody from a commoner's background who was eager to teach me but failed. There's no need for introductions."
Before, when he was bossy and bossing people around, it was always the same, but he shouldn't think that Huling didn't know that Li Zhuang had once written poems cursing the dandy offspring headed by him – although he still didn’t understand those poems, it didn't stop him from knowing that Li Zhuang was cursing him. He thought it was beautiful to want to have a good attitude toward him like this.
Having failed to cling to the powerful and then being reprimanded, Li Zhuang said, "..."
Not knowing what to say, Li Zhuang pursed his lips in frustration. "Your Highness, you still remember me?"
"You explicitly wrote poems cursing me, do you think I'd forget you?" Huling looked at Li Zhuang leisurely and rolled his eyes at him.
Having written poems cursing Huling, Li Zhuang not only gained fame but also caught the Emperor's attention.
However, with advantages come disadvantages, and at this moment, Huo Ling is very disliked by him.
"Ah," Wang Ancheng clenched his fist, coughed lightly at the corner of his mouth, as if he hadn't noticed the dispute between Huo Ling and Li Zhuang, and then said, "Since Your Highness knows Li Bangyan, I won't introduce him more."
Wang Ancheng touched his receding hairline, trying to make an effort, not to maintain a "good relationship" between him and the three study partners, at least to maintain a stable appearance, otherwise how will he teach his future classes?
"Since everyone already knows each other, why not get to know each other more?"
At the suggestion of the Grand Tutor Wang Ancheng, the four of them looked at each other and all very graciously agreed to Wang Ancheng's proposal.
Huo Ling tilted his head, making Huo Can his first target for "getting to know", "Huo Can, it's been many years, why don't we get to know each other?"
With the thought of "finally, it's here", Huo Can bowed to Huo Ling, "I hope Your Highness will go easy on me."
"No problem."
Huo Ling offended two and a half of the study partners right from the start. After offending the remaining half, Huo Ling proved with his actions what it means to "offend you to the utmost."
In a situation where Huo Can was lenient, Huo Ling openly and thoroughly beat Huo Can. After beating him, Huo Ling sat on Huo Can's back, who he had beaten down, and arrogantly poked his head with his finger, "Call me Uncle."
Being forced to be beaten by Huo Ling was one thing—compensating for having bullied the other before. But calling Huo Ling, who was younger, "uncle" in front of so many people? Did he have no pride? Saying "uncle" meant lowering himself in front of Huo Ling.
With the thought that he couldn't afford to lose face for anything, Huo Can, covering his face, remained silent.
"Will you call?"
Huo Can remained silent, attempting to resist passively, with an expression of "If I don't call you can't do anything to me." The identity of the Crown Prince was a double-edged sword. Huo Can didn't believe that after Huo Ling beat him black and blue, he would still dare...
Before Huo Can could ponder what Huo Ling might do, a resounding "smack," accompanied by a sudden pain in his buttocks, vanished into the exclamation of the onlookers.
Huo Can: "......!!!"
"Crown Prince!"
Realizing what happened, Huo Can blushed and instinctively tried to get up, but Huo Ling sat on him firmly. When he tried to stand up, Huo Ling pushed down on his buttocks, making Huo Can have another solid contact with the ground.
At the same time, another "smack" rang out.
Huo Ling asked again, "Will you call?"
Huo Can gritted his teeth and remained silent.
Smack!
Another resounding smack, which made the onlookers' hearts tremble.
The people looked at each other, and eventually, as the Grand Tutor, Wang Ancheng stepped forward, attempting to rescue Huo Can from the situation. But not only did he fail to free Huo Can, but he was also handed a ruler directly by Huo Ling from his sleeve.
"I was just worrying that my hands would hurt after beating Huo Can." After playing with the ruler and realizing that it was not only very suitable but also had a good feel, Huo Ling sneered at Wang Ancheng, "Thank you, Grand Tutor."
Before Wang Ancheng could express his disapproval, Huo Ling, who was still sitting on Huo Can, firmly stated, "I am teaching my dear nephew what it means to 'respect the elderly and love the young'."
"This is a family matter, there's no need for you to worry about it, Grand Tutor. Why don't you and my uncle's study partners and Li's study partner go inside for a cup of tea, maybe chat for a while? After I have a good relationship with my nephew, I will get to know my uncle's study partners and Li's study partner more."
Under the guidance of Grand Tutor Wang Ancheng, Huo Ling not only made progress in his writing, but also became more polite in his interactions. However, Wang Ancheng looked at him and felt that something was not quite right about the polite yet authoritative Huo Ling at that moment.
Huo Can had already lost face in front of them, and they were just allowed to enter the house now?
After looking at Huo Can, buried in the ground, the inscrutable Grand Tutor Wang Ancheng, and the grim Li Zhuang, eventually Wang Ancheng took the lead and expressed their departure, "Your Highness, we won't disturb you in handling family matters."
"Hmm."
After Wang Ancheng and the others left, Huo Ling poked Huo Can's buttocks with the ruler, "Will you call?" If Grand Tutor Wang Ancheng's disdain for him was hidden deep down, then Huo Can's disdain for him was completely undisguised. His full face of "I have no choice because you're the Crown Prince", did he really think Huo Ling couldn't see it? Did he really think he was so important?
With a combination of new and old grievances, if he didn't let Huo Can know what "respecting the elderly and loving the young" meant, then he would not be Huo Can's uncle!
Huo Can: "......" Feeling hopeless, he didn't want to reply at all.
He knew that he would be retaliated against by Huo Ling, but he didn't expect this kind of retaliation.
If he had known earlier, no matter how he was coaxed by his father, he wouldn't have agreed to become Huo Ling's study partner in the palace.
Ashamed and anguished, and...somewhat gratified? Hard to describe his current feelings, Huo Can hugged his head, feeling completely ashamed.
For a long, long time, long enough for Huo Ling sitting underneath him to yawn boredomly. Huo Can's face turned red, and from between clenched teeth, he uttered, "Uncle."
"Hey, I'm here."
Extremely satisfied with Huo Can's "tact", Huo Ling casually tucked away the ruler in his sleeve, while the other hand rested on Huo Can's head, ruffling his hair heartily.
Huo Can: "..." At a loss for words.
After tousling Huo Can's hair to a tousled mess, Huo Ling "called it quits", getting up briskly from Huo Can's body.
Once on his feet, Huo Ling first brushed off the dust from his sleeve, and then extended a hand to the still-lying Huo Can, "Getting up?"
Under the scorching sun, even the faint light that filtered through the thin clouds was enough to make one feel disoriented and restless. With his face pressed against the ground, Huo Can, whether from his own body heat or the ground's, which was as hot as the sun, turned red as he lay there, half-closing his eyes to peep up at Huo Ling, who stood towering over him.
When he was young and didn't know better, he had beaten Huo Ling.
As he grew older, he couldn't bring himself to apologize, nor did he want to apologize to the renowned "dandy" of the capital, the "waste" among the princes, and the "invisible man" in their eyes.
Never in his wildest dreams did he expect Huo Ling to eventually become the crown prince.
In truth, Huo Can had never looked down on Huo Ling for seizing the opportunity, but now—when Huo Ling reached out to him, what rose in his heart was not hatred or shame, but a inexplicable sense of... gratitude?
Realizing the emotion that had arisen within him, Huo Can, utterly unable to believe it, blushed as if he could bleed, and with a quick swat, slapped away Huo Ling's outstretched hand, then he stood up himself.
After straightening out his hair, which had just been tousled by Huo Ling, Huo Can turned his head to the ground, avoiding Huo Ling's gaze, "Your Highness, I'll take my leave."
Without waiting for Huo Ling to say anything, Huo Can hobbled away from his sight.
Huo Ling didn't stop him from leaving, watching as Huo Can's back disappeared. He crossed his hands in front of his chest, pursing his lips slightly, not very pleased.
Completely unaware of the fluctuating emotions in Huo Can just now, Huo Ling was a little annoyed by his abrupt departure, but seeing that Huo Can had called him "Uncle", Huo Ling decided to forgive him for the time being.
However...
With Huo Can sorted out, who would be next?
Thinking this, Huo Ling stretched lazily under the scorching sun, feeling inexplicably excited as he walked towards the building where Wang Ancheng and others were.
As Huo Ling entered the hall, Wang Ancheng, the Grand Tutor, was chatting over a game of chess with Gongsun Xun, while Li Zhuang stood on the side, occasionally refilling their teacups.
When the sound of footsteps approached, Wang Ancheng, whose mind was not on the chessboard, was the first to notice Huo Ling's arrival. He called out, "Your Highness," and hurriedly stood up to give his seat to Huo Ling, "Your Highness, how about you play a game with Gongsun Prince?"
Even though he had just witnessed the "martial arts competition" between Huo Ling and Huo Can, Wang Ancheng did not give up on his original idea, sincerely hoping that the three companions specially arranged by the Emperor would become Huo Ling's right-hand men. Moreover... if the chess game did not end soon, he would really lose miserably.
Huo Ling didn't say anything. He glanced at Gongsun Xun, who was sitting behind the chessboard with his head down.
Gongsun Xun, as if sensing something, fluttered his eyelashes, then looked up at Huo Ling, lightly curling his lips, "I hope Your Highness can instruct me."
Since their first meeting, Gongsun Xun had been silently scrutinizing Huo Ling. At first, he thought the "martial arts competition" between Huo Ling and Huo Can was just a whim of Huo Ling, but as time went on, he found that Huo Can's state had subtly changed. Gongsun Xun felt that Huo Ling's ascension to the position of the Crown Prince might not just because of luck. Unfortunately, he didn't get to see more, or else his thoughts might have gone beyond mere speculation.
Just as Gongsun Xun was contemplating how to find an opportunity to probe Huo Ling, Wang Ancheng handed him the chance.
Watching a game of chess could give insights into a person. Gongsun Xun wanted to understand Huo Ling's strategy in chess to confirm his various guesses. More importantly,
——Let me see if you're worthy of my follow.
The meaning in Gongsun Xun's eyes was clear.
Did Huo Ling understand? Yes, he did.
But so what?
He grinned at Gongsun Xun, before speaking slowly, "On what basis?" Even Li Zhuang, who was on Wang Ancheng's side, felt confused by his words. Huo Ling simply took the seat Wang Ancheng had given him and swept the pieces off the chessboard.
The chess pieces made of white jade and black agate fell to the ground, creating a pleasant and melodious sound.
When the music ended, everyone present heard Huo Ling's voice.
"It's you. Let me see if you're qualified."
Yes, he was a dandy who was masterful at everything from wining and dining to ignoring conventions. But so what?
Now that he was the crown prince, it should be up to him to decide whether Gongsun Xun was qualified to be his companion.
One after another, did he really think he knew nothing? As the top dandy of the capital, it took skill.
In the midst of silence, Gongsun Xun laughed softly.
Just as Huo Ling was beginning to consider whether to flip the chessboard in front of him, Gongsun Xun stood up, bowed to Huo Ling, and sincerely apologized.
Huo Ling: "..."
Unable to determine if Gongsun Xun's apology was genuine or not, but if he continued to insist, he would be in the wrong. Therefore, Huo Ling graciously accepted the apology—whether to forgive or not, that was something he knew as well, and he returned the topic to the game, "Alright, let's play a game, but not go. We'll play Gomoku."
While Huo Ling was terrible at Go, he was a master at Gomoku. If they were going to play a game, it should be one in which he couldn't lose.
"Okay." Gongsun Xun gestured with his hand, "Your Highness, please."
And then, Huo Ling effortlessly and quickly lost to Gongsun Xun in the game, not even taking half an hour.
Watching Gongsun Xun put on a show about his mediocre skills in Go, then effortlessly losing to him, Huo Ling gritted his teeth, "I give up. I'd lose again even if we play more."
Resting his chin on his hands, Huo Ling looked at the intertwining black and white pieces on the chessboard, still not understanding why he, who could conquer any battle, would lose, and where he lost.
Perplexed, yet not wanting to ask Gongsun Xun for an explanation, Huo Ling continued to struggle on his own.
Immersed in the final game that had already ended, Huo Ling completely failed to notice the change in Gong Sunxun's gaze.
After being entangled by his aggressive chess moves for so long and not winning a single game, Huo Ling surprisingly did not get angry. Instead, he was single-mindedly curious about where exactly he had lost. Clearly not a "chess idiot," but behaving so "naive" and "pure," Gong Sunxun found himself increasingly unable to understand the new heir apparent.
- Interesting.
Thinking this, his gaze swept past the relieved Wang Ancheng, then over the Li Zhuang who tried to please Huo Ling but failed, Gong Sunxun suddenly had some expectation for his future life as a companion reader.
With this in mind, Gong Sunxun asked, "Your Highness, if you don't want to play Five-in-a-Row, do you want to play Go with me?"
"No." Huo Ling categorically refused, completely unaware of what being tactful meant, "I don’t want to play with you."
Hunger began to strike Huo Ling. He was not prepared to continue tormenting anyone, but leaving only Li Zhuang feeling targeted made him uncomfortable. Huo Ling simply turned to Li Zhuang and said, "For every poem you wrote cursing me, you will have to present me with the same amount of poems praising me tomorrow and recite them for me in front of me."
"Of course, if you can make those poems into stories that I can understand, it would be even better."
Suddenly being noticed by Li Zhuang: "..." Nowadays, Li Zhuang agreed as before, not only did he agree to write one hundred poems for him in a day, he also assured Huo Ling, "Your Highness, I will not let you down."
"Very well." Not knowing whether he had got through to Gong Sunxun, Huo Ling felt he had already dealt with Li Zhuang. Not wanting to continue getting to know them, he just wanted to go for lunch. Directly ushering them, "It's almost time for lunch. Today's class should end early, and you should leave the palace too."
Without waiting for Wang Ancheng and others to reply, feeling hungry, Huo Ling lightly raised his eyebrows, showing impatience. "If you don't leave now, do you want to stay behind and serve as eunuchs?"
Gong Sunxun: "..."
Li Zhuang: "..."
Wang Ancheng: "..."
Very good, whenever they felt that the crown prince was not simple, Huo Ling always managed to make them understand with unexpected methods that they were overthinking everything.
Observing the change in the expressions of everyone, Grand Tutor Wang Ancheng couldn’t help but feel worried. He always felt that if he allowed the juniors in his family to get close to the crown prince, his hair would fall out first because of the crown prince's inscrutableness.