Chapter 150: Acknowledging a Teacher

Cao Huachun was even more startled—His Highness Prince Hui rarely referred to himself as "this prince" in front of them, and when he did, something was surely wrong.

He looked at Zhu Xu cautiously and said, "Your Highness, has something happened?"

Zhu Xu looked at him, the blazing light in his eyes rapidly fading. He turned around, clasped his hands behind his back, and said, "Nothing's wrong. Let's go back."

Cao Huachun watched Zhu Xu's retreating figure, still finding it extremely strange, but he didn't dare press further.

Returning to Jinghuan Palace, Zhu Xu shut himself in the study and allowed no one to enter.

He sat at the desk, half-reclining in the chair, eyes narrowed, as if asleep yet not.

Zhu Xu was truly shaken by the thought that had arisen in his own mind—he needed ample time to calm down and sort through the tangled threads.

Outside Zhu Xu's study, Cao Huachun, Cao Wenzhao, and Yao Qingqing all stood there, exchanging bewildered glances, unsure what had happened. They had never seen such a grave expression on Zhu Xu's face before.

After a long while with not a sound from inside, Cao Huachun said worriedly, "What do you think—should I go to Kunning Palace and inquire what's happened?"

Cao Wenzhao furrowed his brow and shook his head. "Don't act rashly. Since His Highness hasn't spoken, it must be something we can't help with."

Yao Qingqing pursed her lips, listening to the two men, and said softly, "I'll go ask Lady Qing and Lady Rou about it."

Cao Wenzhao thought it over, nodded, then cautioned, "You must be discreet—absolutely don't let anyone notice."

Yao Qingqing turned and headed toward Kunning Palace. She was familiar with both Wu Qing and Wu Rou, so she could make inquiries quietly without raising suspicion.

Before long, Yao Qingqing returned from Kunning Palace and told the two men, "Lady Qing said nothing unusual happened—His Highness was perfectly fine when he left Kunning Palace."

Cao Wenzhao and Cao Huachun's expressions grew even more solemn as they stared at the utterly still study door, their hearts filled with unease.

Only in the evening did Zhu Xu push open the door, and the first thing he saw was the three of them staring straight at him.

Zhu Xu touched his face and asked, puzzled, "What is it? Is there something on my face?"

Cao Wenzhao, the highest-ranked among those in Jinghuan Palace, looked at Zhu Xu and probed with an impassive expression, "Your Highness, has something happened?"

Zhu Xu waved a hand and laughed. "Nothing's wrong. I was just thinking something over, and I've worked it out. Prepare dinner—I'm hungry."

Seeing this, Yao Qingqing's expression relaxed with relief, and she said with a light smile, "Yes, Your Highness. It'll be ready shortly—please go sit outside for now."

Zhu Xu stretched his arms as he walked out, saying, "For the seven days after the New Year, everyone should take it easy. Those outside the palace should also get their New Year's leave—give them a bit more silver, and some rice, grain, meat, and flour as well."

Cao Wenzhao followed behind, acknowledging the orders, but his heart remained uneasy. He had never seen Zhu Xu shut himself in a room so silently for so long.

"Your Highness, have a little something to tide you over—the meal will be ready shortly." Yao Qingqing set a plate of pastries on the table.

Zhu Xu sat down, quickly grabbed one, and said between bites, somewhat indistinctly, "There's no need for everyone to work in our palace. If there's nothing to do lately, you can all attend to your own affairs—no need to stay cooped up in the palace."

Cao Huachun exchanged a glance with Cao Wenzhao, then stepped closer and asked in a low voice, "Your Highness, are you truly all right?"

Zhu Xu turned to look at him, then shifted his gaze to Cao Wenzhao, and said with a smile, "Enough—there's really nothing wrong. Go attend to your own matters."

The two men studied Zhu Xu's expression until they were certain he showed no sign of forcing himself, and only then did their hearts ease. With the New Year approaching, they had much to do; after lingering a while longer, they each took their leave.

Zhu Xu watched their retreating figures and let out a long breath, thinking to himself, "It's not time yet..."

Zhu Xu spent this New Year under tremendous pressure. After the fifteenth, he personally paid a visit to Yang Lian.

Yang Lian had a long, lean face and cold, piercing eyes—one glance made it clear he was a man of upright integrity, somewhat cynical, and displeased with everyone he saw.

Heaven, earth, sovereign, teacher, kin—the teacher ranked even before kin, especially in the extremely distorted society of the late Ming, where no one dared defy this order in the slightest.

Zhu Xu respectfully offered tea and performed the ceremony of acknowledging a teacher.

In truth, a proper master-apprentice ceremony was extremely elaborate, but Zhu Xu had come with the intention of cutting every corner possible. Added to that, Yang Lian seemed none too willing himself, so the whole process went smoothly enough.

Yang Lian sat in the seat of honor with Zhu Xu below him. After they had both drunk their tea, the two regarded each other.

Yang Lian sat bolt upright, exuding authority without anger, and looked at Zhu Xu. "Your Highness, what books have you read?"

Zhu Xu replied cautiously and politely, "To answer my teacher, I have read some miscellaneous books, but I never received a proper foundation of learning."

Yang Lian looked at Zhu Xu and nodded slightly. "Very well. I will come to the palace five times each ten-day period to lecture Your Highness on the Twenty-Four Histories."

Of the classics, histories, philosophical works, and collected writings, the ancients valued the classics most, but they often began with history.

Zhu Xu understood Yang Lian's meaning. He stood and bowed deeply. "Yes. This student takes his leave."

Yang Lian nodded slightly, sitting there without moving.

Zhu Xu left the Yang residence and boarded the carriage. Cao Wenzhao, who had been following all along, said with a rather cold expression, "Your Highness, isn't this Lord Yang being a bit too presumptuous? Even if he is your teacher, he needn't show such a complete lack of respect for rank."

Zhu Xu smiled and shook his head. "You don't understand. In my teacher's eyes, I am already his student. Though one can't say 'spare the rod and spoil the child,' being strict is never wrong. From now on, whenever he comes and goes from Jinghuan Palace, you must show him proper respect."

Cao Wenzhao was, after all, a man of military background who hadn't read many books. Hearing Zhu Xu say this, he said no more.

Zhu Xu had come out this time solely for the purpose of acknowledging his teacher. Having gone through the motions, he headed straight back to the palace.

Just as he reached the palace gate and was about to step down from the carriage, the ground suddenly shook violently, and he nearly tumbled off.

Cao Wenzhao hurriedly steadied him, his face turning pale as he said, "Your Highness, it's an earthquake! Let's find somewhere to take cover."

Feeling the trembling of the ground, Zhu Xu quickly judged from his professional experience that this was merely a tremor reaching them—they were not at the epicenter.

"Hold the horses—it's fine." Zhu Xu stood beside the carriage, gripping the reins, his expression calm.

Inside and outside the palace gate, chaos had already broken out—people shouting and screaming as if the sky were falling and the earth were caving in.

Earthquakes near the capital were nothing new. As far back as Zhu Xu could remember, this was already the third one.

This "tremor" came quickly and went quickly; before long, the ground settled.

Zhu Xu waved a hand. "It's over. Let's go into the palace."

Cao Wenzhao led the carriage, following behind Zhu Xu, and asked curiously, "Your Highness, how did you know it would be over so soon?"

"Experience."

Zhu Xu brushed it off, while inwardly lamenting that the ground below was unstable, and the surface above was hardly peaceful either.

He had received word not long ago that a batch of vacant official posts at court would be filled in the coming days. As the most powerful faction at court, the Donglin Faction naturally stood to gain the most.

But the Donglin Faction was hardly monolithic—factions within it vied endlessly against one another. Moreover, the remnants of the Chu faction, the Zhejiang faction, the Qi faction, and the Kun faction outside Donglin were all stirring restlessly, not to mention Wei Zhongxian lurking nearby with covetous eyes.