Chapter 274: [Emperor's Story 26] Acting Impetuously

"Sixth Prince, answer this question!"

Inside the filled study room, Imperial Tutor Jiang suddenly put down the scroll and called out the name of the person sitting on the writing desk, who was evidently stuck in a trance, Jing Chen.

Jing Chen stood up, snapped out from his daze, but only lowered his head and didn't say a word.

The Third Prince and the Fourth Prince exchanged a knowing look, their gazes containing hints of amusement as if they were about to watch a good show.

"Say, do you think Sixth brother hit his head on something? Why does he seem like a bumbling fool lately, now he can't even say anything."

"If you ask me, he's been enchanted by that little eunuch! I heard that the eunuch attending to him was the one that got flogged last time, and he stole something from Consort Rong. But even after searching through the whole palace, they couldn't find a shadow of him. Sixth brother acted as if he had lost his mind, even going so far to Consort Rong's place to argue."

"I heard Mother Consort say that it's a trap, that the reason was not due to a simple thing such as petty theft..."

Jing Chen instantly turned his head and glared at them, and the Fourth Prince, who was just about to continue, paused, no longer opening his mouth to gossip.

"Openly dozing off and speaking during class! Is this a good way to treat your teacher!?" It was not as if the Imperial Tutor did not notice the princes' small movements, "Sixth Prince, go stand outside! Third Prince and Fourth Prince, for whispering during class, copy the book three times."

Jing Chen silently stood outside the study until the class ended.

"That's all for today's classwork, the others may leave but the Sixth Prince needs to stay!"

"It seems that the Sixth Prince is not going to have a good outcome again!" The Fourth Prince gloated openly, "Let's go and play cuju1Cuju (蹴鞠): Ancient Chinese football!"

*

Once everyone had left, Imperial Tutor Jiang looked at the dejected and gloomy young man in front of him, who had his head tilted down, "Jing Chen, you disappoint this teacher of yours excessively."

Jing Chen pursed his lips in sadness, "I'm sorry, Master..."

"You are too impulsive. He's merely a little eunuch, yet he has such a large impact on you!"

"She2He 他 and She 她 are both pronounced as 'ta,' so the gender distinction is still lost with the Imperial Tutor. is not just anyone!" Jing Chen would never allow anyone to speak of Chu Jiao that way, not even his respected master. He hung his head down sullenly and muttered, "She's not the same..."

Hearing his words of outburst, Imperial Tutor Jiang asked curiously, "Oh, how is he different?"

"You have no idea what my life used to be like!" Jing Chen started reminiscing about his past, "I used to gnaw on tree bark and ate dead birds to sustain myself. I lived just like an ant, easily crushed under other people's feet..."

"I often wonder... Why did my mother give birth to me but simply left... Why did it have to be me who had to suffer through this much pain..."

"..." A complicated look flashed across Imperial Tutor Jiang's eyes, feeling a little distressed as well as regretful.

"I want to survive, but I've always felt like it was easier to die..." Jing Chen raised his head, his eyes gleaming, "And just when I was about to lose all hope, she was the one who pulled me out of the dark abyss, otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to see the present me..."

"Without her, I might still be the Sixth Prince..." Jing Chen smiled coldly, "But I am definitely not the same person as you see today."

"But now, that person is gone," Imperial Tutor Jiang guided him patiently, "People can only look forward."

"No!" Jing Chen shook his head, resisting, "She must still be alive!"

He didn't know why, he was just sure of it. His intuition told him that his Ah Jiao couldn't have died just like that. If she had truly died, there would be no meaning... to continue living.

"Even if she were still alive, even if she had successfully escaped from the palace... Under this cruel vast world, would you be able to find her with your current ability?" Jiang Shan said insightfully.

Jing Chen felt a piercing pain stabbing his heart. That's right, he was just an unsightly prince whom people had always looked down on... What ability did he have?

"If you get depressed like this," Jiang Shan waved his hand reassuringly, "Then this master will not force you to change. Everyone has to take responsibility for their own decisions. Being a free and unfettered lord is also quite good. There will be a lot more people surrounding you in the future, and by then, you won't even remember him anymore."

"No! I don't want that!"

Jing Chen's eyes once again regained their focus. He lifted his robe and earnestly knelt down, "Please guide me, Master!"

[Completed]