Volume 1: The Initial Appearance of Beauty Chapter 5: The Demeanor of a Prince

  Ruo Chen returned to the back garden of Qingning Palace every night to receive martial arts guidance from Ruan Cui. Previously, there were only a few people in Qingning Palace, and they didn't have to worry about anything. Now, with ten more people added, Ruo Chen felt somewhat stifled. When practicing martial arts, Ruan Cui taught her, while Qing Hong kept watch from a distance, paying attention to any movements around them.

  "The princess is making rapid progress; if she could cultivate her inner power, she would be even better." Soft Jade said with a smile.

  She wiped the sweat from her forehead with a towel that had been placed on one side, "Not knowing internal skills is nothing, I don't rely on martial arts to make a living." She secretly said in her heart, I will use other methods to make up for it. In the 21st century, she didn't feel it was a problem, but now she realized that not knowing internal skills meant she couldn't learn qinggong, which was quite troublesome.

  Qian Hong walked over and said: "The princess has school tomorrow, so let's get some rest early tonight."

  Ruò chén nodded his head, "I know."

  Qing Hong smiled and said, "Princess, don't think too much, or you won't be like a little kid anymore." Ruo Chen seemed to have something on her mind, and Qing Hong was reminding her that she usually appeared too calm. Qing Hong pulled Ruo Chen up and laughed, saying, "It's naturally good that the princess has exceptional talent. But since the princess doesn't want to draw attention, let's be like little kids."

  If Dust Heaven really smiled and said, "I understand."

  At dawn, Ru Xuan got up early and dressed herself to go out for a run. In ancient times, people didn't have the habit of running, but she had persisted in this habit since she was four years old. Qing Hong and Ruan Cui also turned a blind eye to her going out, after all, she usually only ran around the Qingning Palace.

  "What are you doing here?"

  As soon as she stepped out of the room, Yu Ru stopped in her tracks. She stared at the two people standing upright in front of her. Qin Shuyan was also slightly surprised to see Yu Ru come out, but he still replied respectfully, "The two of us have been waiting here for Your Highness to go out."

  If dust wrinkled her slightly faint small eyebrows, these two people have a problem with their brains. She should leave at least an hour later, what is she doing waiting here now?

  "Have you had breakfast?"

  The two were shocked and looked up to see the little princess climbing onto a high chair by herself. Lin Shen walked over, squatted down, and said, "Princess, please step on me to get up." Ruocheng gave him a white eye, "Go away, carry me up." She didn't have the habit of using people as stepping stones. Lin Shen hesitated. Ruocheng ignored him and continued to climb up by herself. What's the point of this chair being so high anyway?

  A pair of hands reached out and wrapped around Ruo Chen's waist, lifting her up. Then immediately withdrew his hands, "I have offended the princess." It was Qin Shu Yan. He lowered his head with a expressionless face.

  "Do you not have names?" Yu Chen was somewhat angry, her big eyes staring fiercely, "Then I'll just call you Servant One and Servant Two, is that okay?" These few years of being a princess had also made her develop some minor bad habits. Lin Sheng and the others exchanged a glance, somewhat puzzled as to why the little princess was so angry so early in the morning. "The princess can call us whatever she likes." Qin Shuyan gritted her teeth, no one wanted to be called a servant in front of others, unfortunately...

  He let out a low, rumbling hum.

  "What's wrong with the princess so early in the morning? Why is she so angry?" Qing Hong entered with two palace maids, carrying toiletries and breakfast for Ruoxuan. Ruoxuan turned away, holding out her small hand to Qing Hong, who smiled and wrapped her up, instructing a maid to wash her face and hands, and fix her hair. Only then did she turn to the two people standing aside: "What just happened? Why did you make the princess angry?"

  The two men remained silent. Yu Fen had already sat down at the table to eat, took a couple of bites, then stopped and swept Qin Shuyan and the other man with a glance. "Leave! Come back in half an hour."

  Qing Hong smiled and pulled the two of them away, saying: "You two go down and have breakfast. From now on, as long as you come here before the princess leaves, it's fine." Lin Shen looked at Ru Chen in surprise, who was already eating. The slaves in the palace usually had to wait until the princess had eaten before they could eat, and sometimes the master would be busy and wouldn't even have time for a meal.

  Qin Shuyan remained expressionless, but with a hint of sparkle in her eyes, and respectfully said: "Thank you, Princess. Qin Shuyan takes her leave." Ruocheng, who was eating breakfast, hummed a response without looking at her. Qin Shuyan quietly exited. Lin Shen hastily said: "Princess, Lin Shen takes his leave."

  Qing Hong stood on one side taking care of Ruo Chen eating, and smiled: "This Qin Shu Yan is indeed clever." Ruo Chen nodded silently.

  After breakfast, Yu Chen led the two new followers - Qin Shuyan and Lin Shen to the study room. The school was located in the Qingyun Temple in the southeast direction of the imperial palace. The princes and princesses were together, but they were separated during class hours. The princes were taught by scholars from the court, while the two princesses were taught etiquette, piano, chess, calligraphy, and painting by female officials in the palace. After school, they could play together, under the name of cultivating the feelings of royal siblings. It's probably useless, otherwise, this Longteng country has been established for more than 80 years, with five emperors, and the struggle for the throne has never been lacking from generation to generation.

  As soon as they entered the Qingyun Institute, a female official who specialized in teaching the princess came forward with a smile and said: "I am Liu Yan, at your service, Seventh Princess." Ru Chen sized up this woman named Liu Yan, who looked to be twenty-eight or nine years old, with some charm. She seemed pleasant enough... but Ru Chen furrowed her brow, instinctively disliking the woman.

  "Mr. Liu."

  The masters who taught in Qingyun Academy, regardless of whether they were male or female, and whatever their status was in the imperial court or palace, all had to be addressed as "Mr." by the princes and princesses.

  "The princess is being polite, the empress has instructed me to take good care of the princess." Yu Chen nodded slightly, as if she had been betrothed to Shen Yu last night, which was exactly what the empress wanted. "The princess can go inside, the other few princes and the crown prince are playing in the courtyard, the princess can join them. There is still half a time before class starts." Liu Yan also looked at the little princess in front of her, really couldn't understand how this quiet and even somewhat dull little princess had entered the empress's and General Shen Yu's eyes.

  In the courtyard, several younger princesses and princes were playing. The older ones were in twos or threes with their study companions or close brothers. Yichen caught sight of Princess Long Ruo Lan at a glance. Since she stepped into the courtyard, this elder princess had been staring at her fiercely. As if feeling a little afraid, Yichen unknowingly leaned towards Qin Shuyan behind her and immediately received the elder princess's disdainful gaze. Actually, this elder princess was also quite lovely.

  "Princess?"

  Qin Shuyan asked in a low voice. Then, following the little princess's line of sight, she happened to see the elder princess. Lowering her head again to look at the little princess's pitiful appearance with her lips bitten and trembling slightly, Qin Shuyan suddenly had a strange thought - was she afraid or secretly laughing? She shook her head, shaking off this ridiculous thought, and softly comforted: "Princess, don't be afraid. It's okay."

  Ruò Chén silently walked over to Qín Shūyán's side, stretched out a small hand and tugged on his sleeve. The other princes and princesses also saw them come in, their facial expressions varied. A thirteen or fourteen-year-old youth came over, smiling warmly, saying: "Little Seventh, I am your Fourth Brother Lóng Yán, if you have any matters in the future, just tell Fourth Brother." Ruò Chén called out Fourth Brother, Lóng Yán looked at her expressionless face but didn't get angry, still smiling sincerely. Ruò Chén glanced over at the yellow-robed, gloomy Crown Prince Lóng Yuè and the resentful Eldest Princess, sighing inwardly, this grudge was probably set in stone.

  Several other princes and princesses came over to greet her, but Ruoxuan felt annoyed in her heart and perfunctorily pretended not to hear them. Anyway, others may not necessarily have a few points of sincerity to interact with her. The royal family has no affection, this simple truth she would not not understand.

  After sending away a large group of brothers and sisters, Ruoxuan sat under the artificial hill on one side to bask in the sun. This morning was delayed by Qin Shuyan's two, and she was somewhat unhappy. It seems that I need to change my exercise routine from now on. After all, it's said that a princess running around wildly every morning is not very dignified. Qinghong had already hinted to him several times in a subtle way.

  The stone was very hard, and Dust leaned against the body of Qin Shu Yan, drowsy. The stimulation she received last night was a bit too much. Even she, who usually had excellent adaptability, couldn't sleep well.

  "Princess."

  "Huh?"

  "The Northern Jin prince has arrived."

  As soon as Ruò Chén lifted her head, she saw Xuán Yuán Líng wearing a white robe, slowly walking in. Behind him was a young man. He didn't look like the Crown Prince, dressed in luxurious brocade, nor did he resemble Long Yán, fanning himself with an elegant folding fan; he just wore a simple white robe. Ruò Chén furrowed her brow, thinking that white robes didn't suit this person at all.

  Xuanyuan Ling stepped inside, and immediately saw that some people were hostile towards him, while others looked at him with disdain. No one was willing to approach him to chat. He didn't mind, and quietly walked alone to the side corridor and sat down. His gaze was distant, as if staring at something unknown.

  The originally lively atmosphere in the courtyard became somewhat strange due to his arrival. He also seemed to know nothing. The expressions of several other princes changed, presumably because they were irritated by this arrogant Northern Jin prince, and just as they were about to go forward... Class began!

  Along with Ruò Chén in class were Fourth Princess Lóng Ruò Xīn and Sixth Princess Lóng Ruò Yún, who are ten and eight years old this year. The lecture was naturally about the kind of norms that girls should follow. Ruò Chén reluctantly listened for a bit before starting to feel drowsy. Fortunately, the female teacher lectured for a segment before beginning to teach them how to write characters. Ruò Chén had already mastered calligraphy after three years of study, but she only learned with her left hand and never used her right hand. At that time, Qīng Hóng was still very puzzled, only now did she understand the reason.

  The husband, Fu Zi, thought that Ruo Chen was a beginner, so he let Long Ruo Xin and Long Ruo Yun teach him personally, guiding his hands. Ruo Chen himself never practiced with his right hand in daily life, so the characters he wrote were naturally not good-looking at all. However, since he was a beginner, he still received an evaluation from Fu Zi that he had some talent.

  After class, Ruo Chen packed up her things and left on her own, walking through the courtyard when she saw several princes surrounding Xuan Yuan Ling with unfriendly expressions, but she didn't know what they were saying. Xuan Yuan Ling's face was calm and expressionless, not uttering a word. Ruo Chen hesitated for a moment, uninterested in meddling in other people's business, and was about to leave when the people over there had already spotted her. "Seventh Sister, come over here."

  "Second Brother." Dust slowly floated away.

  "The second prince, Long Ji, smiled and said: 'Seventh sister, this is the Northern Jin's hostage, he and General Shen Yu are also familiar with each other.' Wu Chen felt a strong dislike for Long Ji's tone, which was both teasing and sarcastic. She looked up to see Xuan Yuan Ling, whose face was calm, without even a hint of ripples in his eyes. 'I've seen the Seventh Princess.'"

  "Your Highness is well." Even the usually calm Xuan Yuan Ling gave Ruo Chen a feeling of extreme danger, was she too sensitive or were these princes too dull?

  Xuanyuan Ling's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, and the corners of his lips curled up into a faint smile that was almost imperceptible.

  Ruoxuan listened to the princes and princesses' sarcastic remarks about the Northern Jin prince with a hint of impatience, but carefully observed every subtle change in his facial expressions. It wasn't as if he was completely unaffected. Ruoxuan smiled inwardly. Every time the princes mentioned General Shen's bravery, the Northern Jin prince's expression would undergo an extremely slight change.

  "Seventh Sister, you didn't know, did you? This time when General Shen Yu greatly defeated the Northern Jin, the Northern Jin's hostage was also in the army. He must have seen General Shen's heroic appearance." Yu Chen smiled perfunctorily, so that's how it is?

  "Not bad." Xuan Yuan Ling raised his head, calmly and composedly saying: "At that time I was indeed in the army, my skills were inferior to others and I was captured by General Shen." When he said this, there wasn't a hint of shame or humiliation, just a frank acknowledgment of the fact that his skills were inferior.