Chapter 13
Chapter 13: The Redemption Mission Emergency Escalation
Sweetie’s eyes widened. “Fine! If Tian Tian gets in, you’ll kneel and kowtow to Tian Tian and admit you were blind and looked down on Tian Tian!”
Princess Qing Yue grinned, delighted. “Alright. This princess will witness it.”
At the Imperial Study, Sweetie bowed obediently.
Li Hong Yuan stroked his beard and appraised her.
The little princess was delicate and lovely, and there was a bright spark in her eyes—sharp enough to make an old scholar’s heart itch.
The emperor smiled. “Minister Li, this is Ninth Princess Sweetie. She wishes to enter the Royal Academy. The entrance exam is half a month from now. I want you to give her her first lessons.” He glanced at Sweetie and added, “But Official Li is learned—and hot-tempered. Even the crown prince fears him. Whether you can move him depends on you, Sweetie.”
Li Hong Yuan casually tested her with a few beginner questions.
Sweetie blinked, perfectly innocent. “I don’t know.”
Li Hong Yuan’s brows knotted. He cupped his fists toward the emperor. “Your Majesty, the Ninth Princess is innocent and delightful, but she began too late and has no foundation. Half a month is like carving flowers on rotten wood. I fear—”
“Tian Tian isn’t rotten wood,” Sweetie cut in crisply, looking up at him with bright eyes. “Official Li, Tian Tian learns fast!”
Li Hong Yuan didn’t know what to do with that. Learning fast wasn’t something you declared. It was something you proved.
Sweetie continued, serious as a tiny scholar. “Official Li, isn’t there a saying: people are born good? Tian Tian thinks it’s true. Tian Tian hasn’t studied books, but Tian Tian knows I should protect Mother. That’s goodness too.”
She tipped her head, eyes clear. “Tian Tian wants to learn more ways to be good. Can I?”
Li Hong Yuan stared at her earnest gaze. His beard-stroking hand slowed… then stopped.
In the end, he relented.
“Fine. This old minister will teach for half a month. But whether you can truly enter the academy depends on the princess herself. I will not show favoritism.”
“Yay! Thank you, Official Li!”
Sweetie left the Imperial Study and immediately ran off to share the good news with Crown Prince Brother.
The moment she reached the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, a thick medicinal smell hit her in the face.
A palace maid stopped her, frowning with worry. “Ninth Princess, the crown prince is suffering from summer heat. He can’t eat anything and is very weak. The imperial physician ordered rest. Perhaps you should return first.”
“Crown Prince Brother is sick?” Sweetie’s voice wobbled. “But I want to see Crown Prince Brother.”
“Let Sweetie come in…” A weak voice drifted from inside.
Sweetie rushed in.
The young crown prince Chu Cheng Xuan lay beneath thick brocade quilts. His face was pale, his bangs damp with cold sweat, his breathing so faint it made the room feel colder.
“Crown Prince Brother…” Sweetie’s eyes reddened. She climbed onto the bed and gently pressed her chubby hand to his burning cheek. “You’re so hot. Tian Tian feels so bad.”
She pulled out a fresh, fragrant immortal fruit from her sleeve pouch. “Brother, eat. If you eat it, you’ll be better.”
“No!” The personal palace maid panicked and lunged to block her. “Ninth Princess, things from the cold palace aren’t clean. His Highness is precious—what if—”
“Insolence.” Chu Cheng Xuan’s eyes snapped open. His voice was weak, but the authority in it cut like a blade. “My sister—how dare you slander her? Get out.”
The palace maid dropped to her knees, then scrambled away in a hurry.
Chu Cheng Xuan’s expression softened. He gave Sweetie a faint smile. “Sweetie, don’t listen to her. Brother believes you.”
He took the immortal fruit and bit into it. “Mm. Sweet. Delicious.”
Almost immediately, color returned to his face. The heaviness in his body lifted.
“Huh… I feel comfortable,” he murmured, pushing himself up in surprise.
Sweetie giggled. She ran to pour water, then blocked the cup with her small body and secretly dripped in several drops of spirit spring water.
“Brother, drink water.”
Chu Cheng Xuan drank. A fresh clarity rushed through him, washing away days of exhaustion like dust swept off a table.
He flexed his hands and feet, eyes bright. “Sweetie, your fruit is incredible. Brother is completely fine.”
“Hehe.” Sweetie puffed up with pride. “Crown Prince Brother, Tian Tian is taking Official Li as my teacher. Tian Tian is going to the academy to study!”
“Official Li… Li Hong Yuan?!” Chu Cheng Xuan’s face changed instantly. He reflexively rubbed his palm, like it still ached.
“Sweetie… take care of yourself.”
Sweetie tilted her head. “Is he scary?”
“Scary doesn’t cover it,” Chu Cheng Xuan said, haunted. “His ruler is made of special purple sandalwood. If you miss one word, he smacks your palm once. It’s thick and heavy—one hit and you swell for three days. Last year I recited the Thousand Character Classic wrong twice…” He shuddered. “Just thinking about it hurts. He’s so strict he can’t tolerate even a grain of sand. Sweetie, whatever you do, don’t make him angry.”
Sweetie stiffened.
Oh no.
She kept wishing time would slow down.
But the next day still arrived way too fast.
Sweetie was sent to Li Manor.
A cold-faced boy about seven or eight received her. “Greetings, Ninth Princess. I am Li Zi Feng, second son of this household.”
He led her to the study and tossed out stiffly, “Ninth Princess, please sit. Father will teach here after court.”
Then he turned and left, his back practically spelling out: Do not approach.
Sweetie didn’t care. She sat on the chair and swung her little feet.
But the moment she pinched up a pastry—
[Ding!
Alert!
Redemption mission emergency escalation!
Because court historian Li Hong Yuan records you as a tyrant, you plan to execute him.
His eldest son Li Zi Yu, consumed by grief, hangs himself at the palace gate, triggering an uprising among officials and shaking the dynasty.
Mission upgrade: Stabilize Li Zi Yu, remove his obsession, make him feel grateful and swear loyalty to you—or the dynasty will collapse and assassinations will strike.]
Chu Tian Tian’s hand jolted. The pastry slipped and splatted onto the floor.
Her face wrinkled like dried bitter melon.
Heavens… twenty-years-later her really was a devil.
This mission was a hundred times harder than coaxing ten Prince Su Imperial Brothers!
Li Zi Yu… she’d never even met him. Where was she supposed to find him?
Her brain spun, then grabbed the first lifeline it saw.
Li Zi Feng!
She grabbed a nearby maid. “Sister, where is Brother Zi Feng?”
“The second young master? At this hour, he should be reading in the lake-heart pavilion.”
“Take me!” Sweetie didn’t waste a breath. She sprinted out on her short legs. Her life depended on it!
Inside the lake-heart pavilion, Li Zi Feng was reading. He frowned and asked quietly, “Brother, why won’t you go meet the Ninth Princess?”
Li Zi Yu—around twelve or thirteen—sat with a cold expression and disgust sharp enough to cut.
“Imperial heirs?” He let out a short laugh, sharp as ice. “All of them look like jade on the outside and rot on the inside. Spoiled and domineering, treating human lives like grass. Three years ago, that book boy fell off a horse and died—wasn’t it because he blocked some prince’s road?”
His voice dropped even colder. “Play nice with them? I refuse.”
Li Zi Feng’s face changed. “Brother, watch your words. Walls have ears…”
Just then, the little third brother—still barely steady on his feet—slipped out while his nurse dozed. Giggling, he wobbled toward the lake-heart pavilion.
“Brother! Hug-hug!”
Sweetie reached the lakeside at the same time.
Splash!
A scream tore through the air.
“Heavens! Something’s wrong! Third young master fell into the water!”