dmims Chapter 471 Extra: Not Wasting Youth, Only Regret for You
Chapter 471 Extra: Not Wasting Youth, Only Regret for You
Li Yuanke stepped through the palace gate, and the eunuch at the entrance announced, "The Eighth Prince has arrived!" He then heard his mother's voice from inside, "Quickly, your imperial brother is here!"
Li Yuanyin was leaning against Consort Xiao's chest, eating cherry pastries. Crumbs fell all over Consort Xiao. Yang Tingyue glanced at him with disgust. When she saw Li Yuanke come in, she stood up excitedly.
There was a scratch on Li Yuanke's face, not deep, but very noticeable. After he bowed, Consort Xiao hurriedly asked, "What happened?"
Li Yuange dodged his mother's hand, "It's nothing!"
Consort Xiao was very displeased. "You child, if you don't want to answer when your mother asks, fine, but you still give your mother attitude."
Before Li Yuanke could speak, she continued, "Did you see your father today? What did he say about your brother hiring a tutor?"
Consort Xiao wanted to invite Li Dun, a great Confucian scholar from the previous dynasty, to be Li Yuanyin's tutor. She had mentioned it herself before, but Emperor Zhenyou rejected it. However, she was not giving up and asked Li Yuanke to ask his father, the emperor.
Li Yuanke had just returned from Qianyuan Palace. He had asked his father, the emperor, for permission, but was beaten up by Li Yuantai as soon as he left, leaving him with bruises on his face.
Li Yuantai scolded him for being like a woman, saying he only knew how to play the victim to soften his father's heart and succeed in doing so.
He wasn't trying to gain sympathy; he simply said he had read Li Dun's recent articles and found them quite good. He also mentioned that it would be excellent to invite him into the palace to teach his younger brothers, and his father had granted his request.
But his father gave him a deep look, probably understanding why he said that. His father was indeed soft-hearted and agreed.
Li Yuanke didn't want to say more, and returned to his residence after finishing his meal.
Li Yuanqian personally brought him medicine and told him to treat the wound on his face, saying, "It wouldn't be good if it left a scar!"
Li Yuanke dared not use it, nor was he bothered to find the imperial physician. He also didn't trust anything he got from the imperial physician.
The wound isn't deep; he should be fine as long as he doesn't get it wet.
The next day, Emperor Zhenyou came to Chongxian Hall to check their studies. When it was Li Yuanke's turn, he asked about the injury on his face, "Have you asked the imperial physician to take a look?"
Li Yuanke understood that his father was aware that Li Yuantai had hurt him, but he had done nothing about it.
He was only ten years old, while Li Yuantai was seven years older than him. Right now, he couldn't beat Li Yuantai.
Li Yuantai was not afraid at all, and even smiled at him with contempt and sarcasm, as if to say, "If you have the guts, go and complain to the Emperor!"
Li Yuanke calmly withdrew his gaze. "My elder brother, the Crown Prince, sent me medicine. I took it last night, but I overslept this morning and forgot about it in my haste to leave."
Emperor Zhenyou was quite satisfied, after all, he loved this son dearly, and ordered the imperial physician to come and apply medicine to him.
Only then did Li Yuanke receive treatment for his injuries.
A few days later, the teacher changed to Mr. Li Jizhong, who was known as "Li in the South and Shen in the North". He was a very rigid and stubborn old man.
Li Yuanke had absolutely no interest in reading. It wasn't that he couldn't get into it; he just didn't know what the point of reading was. He found the things his teachers talked about utterly boring and even extremely awkward.
Who can truly live a life of gentleness, kindness, humility, and modesty?
Even if someone like him is very "hardworking" and "self-reliant", can he escape the arrangements of fate?
If he were truly kind and compassionate, he wouldn't be alive today.
He felt that the principles in those scriptures were death warrants that would hasten his demise.
In the past, he didn't study, and his teachers didn't care at all. Since the crown prince had been established early, the more hardworking these princes were, the more they were resented.
The teachers dared not teach them much.
The teachers and students both tacitly understood that life wasn't easy for them!
But Li Jizhong was different; in Li Yuanke's eyes, this old guy was a madman.
In class, Li Jizhong was so long-winded that Li Yuanke kept dozing off. Then the old man slapped him with a stick, and Li Yuanke was so frightened that he trembled all over.
He was too lazy to memorize, so Li Jizhong could lecture him endlessly for two hours and then punish him by making him practice calligraphy for thousands of pages.
If he doesn't write it, Li Jizhong will go to Qianyuan Palace and kneel down and cry.
Li Yuanke was extremely annoyed, and several times he wished he could just push the old man over and kill him.
Li Yuanke was scolded by Emperor Zhenyou several times as a result. In the end, Emperor Zhenyou seemed to be very disappointed in him and ordered him to kneel in front of Qianyuan Palace as punishment.
Li Yuanke hated Li Jizhong even more. You see, he had worked so hard to please his father, the emperor. If he were to be disliked by his father, he and his mother would have no good days in the palace.
After kneeling on the blue bricks for two hours, Li Yuanke's knees were in great pain, and his fifth brother, Li Yuanyou, helped him back.
Seeing the ruthlessness gleaming in his cold eyes, Li Yuanyou smiled and said, "What's wrong? Old Master Li is only doing this for your own good. It's been almost a year, and you're still so stubborn, refusing to listen to him and insisting on going against him. How can Father not be angry?"
Eleven-year-old Li Yuanke realized the trap in Li Yuanyou's words, but he was too young to handle the situation and couldn't resolve his resentment. He was also at a rebellious age, so he said angrily, "That old man, I'll make him pay sooner or later."
The next day, a venomous snake appeared in Li Jizhong's book box and almost bit him.
Li Jizhong was quite frightened and went directly to Qianyuan Palace to request to retire and return to his hometown.
Li Yuanke was summoned to Qianyuan Palace. Seeing Emperor Zhenyou's furious expression, and without even asking him a question, he didn't want to say anything more.
He had always been afraid of death, but when he was no longer afraid of death, nothing could control him anymore.
Since we'll all die sooner or later, what difference does it make whether it's a day earlier or a day later?
He didn't release the snake, but the news spread throughout the court and the public that it was him.
His reputation plummeted.
Li Yuantai blocked his way on the palace road and laughed, "Why don't you explain to Father Emperor that you didn't do it? Aren't you always so eloquent and persuasive?"
Li Yuanke glanced at him and left without saying a word.
Li Yuantai raised his foot to block him, glancing sideways at him, "You dare leave before I finish speaking?"
Li Yuanke stopped in his tracks. Li Yuantai said, "None of your brothers want you dead, but your maternal grandfather was the last emperor of the previous dynasty, a tyrant. Back then, many people wanted him dead!"
Li Yuanke clenched his small fists, wanting to punch Li Yuantai, but he didn't have the right to act impulsively, and just stormed off.
Back in the palace, he locked himself in his bedchamber and cried silently by himself.
I feel like I'm wearing heavy shackles, which only get heavier with age.
Li Jizhong insisted on retiring to his hometown, and Li Yuanke's rebellion gave him the opportunity. Emperor Zhenyou was very unhappy. Even though he did not place his hopes on this son, as an emperor, he would never allow Li Jizhong to use his own sons as an excuse, but he was helpless against such a person.
Emperor Zhenyou summoned Master Shen to the palace. He had served as a tutor to the last emperor of the previous dynasty, a lecturer to the late emperor, and had also taught Emperor Zhenyou, which is why he was granted the title of Grand Tutor.
Upon meeting, Emperor Zhenyou poured out his grievances, "The Eighth Prince is utterly unruly. I'm sure the Grand Tutor has heard of his disgraceful deeds. Does he have any good ideas?"
Grand Tutor Shen said, "Your Majesty is too kind. The Eighth Prince is of noble birth and exceptionally intelligent. Such a child cannot be taught by ordinary people. Even this old minister cannot tolerate Li Chunzhi's temper, let alone the Eighth Prince."
The relationship between teachers and students is also a matter of fate. Those who are destined to be together will meet, while those who are not will only harbor resentment. I believe Your Majesty should consider choosing another good teacher for the Eighth Prince; it will surely have a remarkable effect.”
Chunzhi was the courtesy name of Li Jizhong.
Grand Tutor Shen was old and had long since left the court, living a secluded life. He was unwilling to come to the Chongxian Hall to work and clock in. When Emperor Zhenyou invited him, he politely declined, saying, "This old minister has a grandson who is only three years old and extremely unruly. If this old minister comes, she will definitely come as well. This old minister is worried that she will corrupt the princes!"