Chapter 1452: 709 The monarch’s indulgence_2

The class tyrant of the Genius Class, little Jingkong, said solemnly, “Don’t bully the new student, or I’ll have Xiaojiu bite you!”

Could little Jingkong have become the class tyrant just because his own little fists were tough?

Of course not.

Who wouldn’t have tough fists with a fierce Hai Dongqing following behind them?

Everyone quickly dispersed.

Little Jingkong returned to his own seat.

The Little Princess was rescued from the panic of having her face pinched, and she looked at little Jingkong with admiring eyes: “Wow, you’re so impressive!”

Little Jingkong, who had once been among the three scoundrels of the Guozijian, casually waved his little hand like a boss, and said with boundless pride, “It’s nothing, in the future if anyone bullies you, tell me, and I’ll cover for you!”

The Little Princess nodded cutely: “Who’s Xiaojiu you mentioned?”

Little Jingkong replied, “My pet bird.”

The Little Princess said excitedly, “I have birds at home too!”

Little Jingkong thought for a moment, gauging her excited tone, and asked, “Are you challenging me to a bird contest?”

The Little Princess’s eyes widened: “Can I?”

“Of course,” little Jingkong nodded gravely, “Then it’s settled. Bring your bird over tomorrow.”

“Okay!”

As someone with experience, little Jingkong felt it was necessary to give her a heads-up: “But you have to bring it secretly, don’t let the master find out, or he might confiscate your bird.”

The Little Princess agreed readily, nodding: “Alright, I’ll remember that!”

Because she was quirky enough, little Jingkong decided not to tug on her pigtail today, and continued to remind her: “Also, if I’m not around and those stinky boys come to bully you again, you can be a bit fiercer.”

The Little Princess shook her head decisively: “I can’t be fierce to them, I can’t bully the younger ones.”

Bullying Mingjun King does not count, as he is just one generation apart, and he is not a cub; these classmates are about the same age as her little grand-nephews and grand-nieces.

As someone of grandparent age, she needed to maintain the dignity of an elder, and she knew she had to love the young ones.

Thus thought the four-year-old Little Princess Grandmother.

…

The Genius Class at Lingbo Academy had a day off every ten days, and often only had classes for half a day before the break. Today, the Little Princess caught a lucky break.

After the national sovereign left the morning court, he traveled incognito to the Lingbo Academy to wait for the Little Princess, as she had requested, otherwise she refused to come to class.

The sovereign rode in a carriage pulled by two horses and only brought two attendants, one was the head steward Zhang Dequan from within the palace, and the other was the coachman.

The carriage was parked very discreetly, in a congested alley directly opposite the Lingbo Academy, with numerous other carriages stopped both in front and behind it. However, it was so swelteringly hot at the moment that the people from the other carriages had all gone out to find cooler spots.

The area was relatively quiet.

The sovereign had arrived a bit early and had already been waiting for two hours.

He had approved quite a few petitions during that time.

Zhang Dequan, seeing there was no one around, carefully hung up the curtains and picked up a small woven fan to gently fan the sovereign.

Even so, the sovereign was still drenched in sweat, soaking through his collar.

Zhang Dequan too was suffering from the heat; even though there was a teahouse right next door, the sovereign just wouldn’t go there.

Zhang Dequan couldn’t help but be reminded of the past.

When had the sovereign last braved the cold and the heat to pick up a child like this? It seemed to be when the Princess was little.

Come to think of it, the Princess was also once a student in the Genius Class, though she had earned her place there on her own merit.

Although the Princess carried the bloodline of the Xuanyuan family’s god of war, she also inherited the sovereign’s wisdom and was the most intelligent among all the princes and princesses.

Setting aside her legitimate birth and powerful maternal family, Zhang Dequan truly believed she had the talent to govern the country and was the most suitable candidate for succession.

What a pity.

“What are you thinking about?” the sovereign asked, seemingly distracted while reviewing the documents.

“Ah,” Zhang Dequan realized he had been so lost in thought that the speed of his fanning had slowed down.

Lying in front of the king has no good outcome; only fools treat others as fools.

Zhang Dequan thus said, “This servant was momentarily distracted and remembered that the Princess once studied at the Lingbo Academy.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhang Dequan secretly pinched himself.

What kind of talk is that?

The Princess had already been demoted; she could no longer be addressed in that manner.

Yet, it seemed the king did not realize the impropriety in Zhang Dequan’s reference, as he placed the memorial he had just reviewed onto the stack of imperial decrees to his right and picked up another from his left to open, asking, “What are people saying outside?”

Zhang Dequan asked, “Your Majesty refers to what matter?”

The king said indifferently, “The matter of Shangguan Yun’s return.”

The Princess had been demoted to a commoner; indeed she should be referred to by name, but why does it sound so strange to my ears?

Zhang Dequan considered his words carefully before replying, “There has been considerable discussion.”

The king commanded, “Speak.”

Under such circumstances, there should be no concealment, for the king loathes it when others try to outsmart him in his presence.

Zhang Dequan said, “Some say that Shangguan Yun has returned to undergo investigation; as long as the case of the Imperial Mausoleum remains unsolved, she must not leave Shengdu. Others speculate that Your Majesty is using this opportunity to bring Shangguan Yun back to the palace for protection, and only after the assassin is apprehended will she be sent back to the Imperial Mausoleum.”

As the king reviewed the memorials, he said, “Anything else?”

Zhang Dequan continued, “Others say… for all these years, Your Majesty has not executed Shangguan Yun because Your Majesty cannot bear to part with her…”

The king let out a faint “Hmm,” indicating to continue.

How do you know I wasn’t done speaking?

So, one really should not try to play games in front of the king; those who tried are all dead.

Zhang Dequan has survived up to this point precisely because he is the most honest one.

Zhang Dequan went on, “After such a huge incident that befell the Xuanyuan Family, you still did not depose the Empress, merely confining her to the Cold Palace. Furthermore, the Empress has been deceased for years, and Your Majesty has yet to take a new Empress. Some are guessing that Your Majesty still harbors affection for the Empress of the Xuanyuan Family and might one day out of her regard… pardon the demoted Princess.”

If she were pardoned, considering the king has not established a new Empress, Shangguan Yun, even if no longer the Princess, would still be the king’s only legitimate heir.

To say her status would not be revered would be a lie.

The expression on the king’s face was very calm, as if he was hearing of someone else’s affairs, “Who exactly are saying these things?”

Zhang Dequan thus said, “Many, from the various Prince’s residences, the officials of the six ministries, and the consorts within the Imperial Harem, are all talking about it.”

The king did not seem surprised, “No word from the Crown Prince’s residence?”

Zhang Dequan said, “The people around the Crown Prince have always been cautious; no words detrimental to Shangguan Yun have been heard.”

The king hummed indifferently, “He is just too cautious. The person who most wants Shangguan Yun to meet with misfortune is undoubtedly him.”

Zhang Dequan’s face changed, “Your Majesty!”

The king said, “I am not saying the Crown Prince is definitely the culprit, but the Crown Prince’s secret guard did indeed injure Shangguan Yun in the palace. What do you think?”

Zhang Dequan responded with genuine trepidation, “This servant dares not make unwarranted speculations.”

The king sneered and continued to immerse himself in reviewing the memorials.

Zhang Dequan broke out in a cold sweat.

It’s not the king not telling you that you should fear, but rather him telling you everything; the more you know, the quicker you die, and he understood this principle well.

Just as he thought the king would continue to ask him “Whether you think Shangguan Yun has truly lost her memory or is feigning it,” the king suddenly changed the subject, “Is there still no news from Shangguan Qing?”

Shangguan Qing, Shangguan Yun’s flesh and blood, was older than the Prince of Ming by only half a month and had successfully taken the place of the Imperial Grandson.

Zhang Dequan replied, “Not yet. According to the little palace maids from the Imperial Mausoleum, His Highness Changsun is roaming the mountains and playing in the waters; he won’t return for half a year.”

The king fell silent.

The king was very fond of that child, even though the child’s blood carried the lineage of the Xuanyuan Family. But, because the child was frail and the National Master had said he would not live past twenty, such an Imperial Grandson destined to die young could not become a puppet for the Xuanyuan Family. Perhaps for this reason, the king’s treatment of Shangguan Qing was even more genuine than that of the other children.

The king had been furious when the young Shangguan Qing wanted to go with the Princess to the Imperial Mausoleum.

The king truly liked that child, even more than the Little Princesses.