Volume 2: Residence in the Capital Chapter 133 Zhu Ying Excites the Princess
Although the history lectures at Banshan Hall were never systematic and passed down from generation to generation, Zhang Shou seemed to be able to do it effortlessly, and even made a few unorthodox remarks from time to time, which made the few scholars who occasionally came to listen to the lectures very angry. However, both Zhou Jijiu and Luo Siye, seeing that the attendance rate of Banshan Hall remained stable, just gave up.
It was good enough to let those playboys come to class. The emperor didn't care that the third and fourth princes would be led astray because of this, so why should they worry about it? Even if Zhang Chen would inherit the title of Duke of Qin in the future, he might not occupy a high position in the court anyway. The third and fourth princes seemed to be waiting to be crowned kings, not to mention those noble children who only had family background but no real ability?
As for the second science class every day, no one would come to supervise it - the school officials were all afraid that they would be thrown into disarray by the weird and mysterious things they saw or heard.
But the students were the exception. After watching Zhang Shou demonstrate the double-slit diffraction experiment and the pinhole imaging experiment, the students, who had no correct outlook on life, felt like they had entered a world more magical than magic.
The third and fourth princes, the two little guys who were brought up to be somewhat naive by the emperor, are now so absent-minded when reading the Four Books and Five Classics. They are particularly resentful at noon every day that they cannot stay and continue to attend the two elective classes in the afternoon.
Although the Queen Mother had some complaints about Zhang Shou's curriculum, after two or three times of persuasion, the Emperor said it was okay, so she just let it go. As for the other concubines in the harem, and the eldest and second princes... Who cares what the two little princes who should not be able to inherit the throne learn? Most people wished that they would be spoiled.
However, this did not include Princess Yongping, who had heard too many rumors and felt that she could not just leave them alone.
So, this princess, who was supposed to be preparing for another Yuehua Tower literary gathering, changed into men's clothes for the first time that day, and then called Chang Ning, the most trusted steward around Concubine Yu, and quietly came to the Imperial College with only two guards. However, she thought she had been low-key enough, but she met someone unexpectedly under the university plaque at the gate of the Imperial College.
That was Zhu Ying, who was just like her, dressed as a man, but looked very heroic at first glance, and her temperament was completely different from hers!
Zhu Ying came to the palace every other day since she was a child. Princess Yongping could be said to have grown up with her. However, the more this happened, the more she felt out of tune with Zhu Ying. Even though she got along well with her other sisters, she never liked Zhu Ying.
Her nickname was Mingyue, which was given to her by her father, the emperor, who had favored her since she was a child. He did not even avoid the name of the country. However, Zhu Ying's name Ying means white as the moon, which just happened to be the same name as hers.
She likes simplicity, elegance and grace, but Zhu Ying prefers gaudy things and likes gold and jade.
She liked reading, playing chess, and music, and was known as a talented woman. She never spoke coldly to the men who admired her. Zhu Ying, on the other hand, liked riding horses and shooting arrows, and was unscrupulous in laughing, scolding, and was often followed by a group of admirers.
When they first met, Princess Yongping felt that all the old and new hatreds came to her mind, and her tone unconsciously became a little sharp: "Are you here to watch Zhang Shou's class? Are you so worried that he, as a teacher, can't control the situation?"
"What's it got to do with you? " Zhu Ying laughed without giving in. "The emperor allowed me to come over to supervise the class anytime, so I can come anytime I want. I came to see if my second brother is behaving well. As for how Ah Shou is doing in class, I don't need to worry about it. In the past few days, everyone in Banshan Hall has been present every day, and no one has been absent. Who would have dared to think of that in the past?"
Princess Yongping was stunned by the choking, and what made her even more dissatisfied was that after Zhu Ying said this, she ignored her and went straight to the direction of Banshan Hall. Even though she was very well-mannered in front of others, she was so angry that she ran after him. However, she always liked those elegant things, and with her delicate body, how could she catch up with Zhu Ying?
When she finally saw Zhu Ying at the entrance of Banshan Hall, she saw that she was talking to a boy who looked familiar. She thought about it and remembered that he was the boy who spoke very little and had a very low presence beside Zhang Shou, whom she had met once before at the Yuehua Tower Literary Meeting.
Princess Yongping would not take such a person who did not need to be taken seriously to heart. After everyone quietly left, she adjusted her breathing rhythm and then stepped forward. However, she did not expect Zhu Ying to enter the Banshan Hall, but turned directly to face her. His eyes were as sharp as a knife, as if he wanted to poke two small holes in her body. She was already unhappy, but she did not show weakness, and raised her head to look at the other party coldly.
"When Ah Shou and I encountered that group of rebels before, we encountered an assassin who shot arrows from the dark." Zhu Ying did not intend to beat around the bush and went straight to the point. "After the assassin was caught by Uncle Hua, Xiong Wei took him back to the capital. Now the assassin has spoken and said that you ordered it, just to scare Ah Shou."
Princess Yongping was so angry that her face turned pale: "This is slander, how could I be so boring!"
Zhu Ying stared at Princess Yongping, who was even trembling slightly, for a long time, and finally sneered, "Although you and I have disliked each other since childhood, I also think that you are not such a boring person. How do you feel about being framed for the first time in your life? You know, the assassin is still alive and well, and the emperor directly threw him into the outer court of the Silijian as a handyman."
Princess Yongping suddenly came to her senses. Even if the assassination attempt failed, given her father's past preference for Zhu Ying and his respect for Zhang Shou, a young talent, the assassin should have been severely punished. Why would he just throw him to do chores as a punishment? Moreover, if the assassin really confessed that she was the one who ordered it, why didn't her father say a word?
Maybe the emperor doesn't believe it at all; maybe the emperor already knows who is behind it; maybe the emperor can't just touch that person...but why should she take the blame!
Even if Zhu Ying said now that she didn't believe she did it, as long as the assassin was still alive, where would she put her face if such rumors got out in the future?
Princess Yongping was so angry that her teeth were itching, but Zhu Ying's words immediately afterwards were like adding fuel to the fire, making her furious again even though she had tried her best to calm down.
"The eunuch who used something to frame A Shou last time was said to have been handed over to Shuntian Prefecture Governor Wang Datou by the Emperor. Look, even the assassination was framed on you. For such a small matter, it is natural that some people may attribute it to your hatred for A Shou."
If it were any other day, Princess Yongping would definitely find fault with the idiom "hate the whole house and the whole dog" that Zhu Ying created, but she didn't care about it at all . Because what Zhu Ying said was indeed right, someone dared to throw dirty water on her for such a big thing as the assassin, let alone that little thing?
At that moment, she forgot that she came here for the studies of her two younger brothers, the Third Prince and the Fourth Prince, and forgot that she had worked late into the night to make a long list of must-read books to teach Zhang Shou, and she simply walked away in anger.
When she left, Zhu Ying smiled proudly, then snorted, "You've always let others take the blame, this time it's your turn!"
As soon as she finished speaking, she heard a faint voice behind her: "The young lady is really amazing!"
Zhu Ying tilted her head and saw that it was Ah Liu who appeared behind her again. She smiled and said, "If something like this happens again, remember to tell me directly! Ah Shou is really something. Even if the Imperial College is far from my home, it's very convenient to ride back and forth every day. He insisted on moving to that cramped and small cell. It's not convenient to pass on a message!"
As usual, Ah Liu showed no expression in response to Zhu Ying's complaint. It was not until she looked into the hall that he suddenly asked, "How is Minister Lu?"
Although she didn't know whether it was Zhang Shou or Ah Liu who wanted to ask, Zhu Ying still felt furious when she heard someone suddenly mention Lu Sanlang's father.
"Don't mention it, because Grandpa Ge, Grandpa Qi, and Grandpa Chu all heard it. I had to tell grandma when I got back, but she scolded me for being reckless and impulsive! Lu Wan really lied to me. What he said about Duke Qin Zhang Chuan coveting the positions of my father and Duke Chu, and what he said about Grand Secretary Zhang and Governor Zhang being in cahoots with each other and having a grudge against my father, it's all nonsense!"
"Grandpa Ge and the other three were there at the time, but he had the guts to lie with his eyes open!"
Knowing that this was in public, Zhu Ying had tried her best to control her voice when she spoke to Princess Yongping just now, and this moment was no exception. For Miss Zhu, who was used to doing things her own way, this was a very rare progress.
After complaining for a while, she didn't continue. Although there was still no news about her eldest brother, and the news from her father who had just led the troops out of the border was delayed for many days, she was always worried about him, but she didn't want to talk about it.
Zhu Ying turned and walked towards the Banshan Hall. She stood quietly at the gate and listened to Zhang Shou's class for a long time. She watched several experiments intently, and then turned quietly and went down the stairs. Seeing that Ah Liu was still waiting there, she smiled at him.
"Tell Ah Shou that the house that Grandpa Qi lent him and Aunt Wu has finally been quiet these days. Aunt Wu has moved back. I have found several suitable apprentices for her. Some are good at embroidery, and some are good at weaving, mending, and dyeing. She is very happy and said that before her family encountered misfortune, she had done weaving, mending, embroidery, and dyeing. She dreams of reviving the family business."
Seeing that Ah Liu nodded to indicate that he had taken note of her words, Miss Zhu smiled immediately: "As for the matter of someone delivering a sword to the door, Grandmother and Mother said that they would investigate it thoroughly. As for the assassin and the theft and frame-up of the enamel box, Zheng Mingyue will be watching over it. She hates taking the blame the most and will never let it go easily. Tell Ah Shou that he can rest assured that I will take care of everything!"
"But when he's free, he shouldn't always go to Grandpa Ge's place. Grandpa Ge will definitely catch him and ask him to help him count things..."
Zhu Ying couldn't help feeling guilty when she said this, but then she heard a laugh.
"I've been caught by the teacher deriving hydraulic formulas for two consecutive nights, and I really want to take a break."
Zhang Shou, who was standing on the podium, had already spotted Zhu Ying. Taking advantage of the opportunity when Zhang Chen was instructing others to do experiments, he sneaked out of Banshan Hall without any sense of slacking off. Instead, he said with a smile, "Yingying, Banshan Hall will be closed tomorrow. How about we go out of the city to enjoy the autumn?"
