MTCCP Chapter 8

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        There were still so many classes to attend.

        Yue Yiwan had to bring several notebooks to jot down key points and take turns with each one.

        There were only two classes in the morning, but the content was dense. Not only did he have to record the royal family’s changes over the past century and the relationships among the royal relatives, but he also had to review the modern history of neighboring countries as a gesture of respect for national culture.

        In the afternoon, the classes varied. They could be etiquette lessons, speech correction, posture training, or even conversation and response skills.

　　Being the crown princess of this country, there is a high probability that you will become the empress in the future.

　　Even just being a “vase” figure was challenging.

        He had to remember the four major seasonal ceremonies throughout the year, as well as the procedures and intricate formalities for each event.

        He also had to be able to face journalists at any time, skillfully defusing loaded questions, and appear composed during live broadcasts on national television.

        Grace, elegance, and poise—all were essential.

        “Your pronunciation needs better control over F and H,” the elderly teacher with thick glasses said sternly. “Don’t drag your final sounds, control your pauses, and read this classical text again.”

　　Yue Yiwan had thought his Mandarin was fluent, but after constant corrections from the teacher, he felt as if he were a farmer who’d spoken a dialect for 20 years.

        As it happened, the royal family was attending a military event, so Hua Muzhi had accompanied the emperor and empress on an outing, leaving Yue Yiwan alone in the deep palace for training.

        Truly, a lonely and pitiful experience.

        After finishing four lessons in the morning and afternoon, with occasional makeup classes and reviews, he still had to take care of his own “Xiqing Pavilion” in the evening.

　　Yue Yiwan worked hard to decorate the study in his favorite style, adding a swing downstairs, a rocking chair and a bean bag sofa upstairs, and both floors have computers with Internet access and a full set of equipment.

　　——It must be said that the Internet speed of the palace is very fast, and it has a highly secure encryption system.

　　There is no frame lag or PIN loss when playing games, and it is very smooth and comfortable.

　　The front hall on the first floor was transformed into a semi-display stand style, displaying many of his works.

        A mint-green off-shoulder gauze dress, a mouse-gray Chinese-style jacket, and even Victorian-style tall boots.

        He had been planning to create his own brand for some time. Having worked for major brands for a few years and produced numerous designs, he was fairly experienced by now.

        The crown prince had been away for five or six days, reportedly visiting and exchanging with the navy, army, and air force, which was certainly exhausting.

        With the crown prince away, Yue Yiwan was also excused from the daily morning and evening greetings, leaving him with quite a bit of free time.

        With nothing pressing to do, little Yue started wandering around the Eastern Palace, much like a cat patrolling its territory. For now, he didn’t dare roam too freely within the royal palace itself—he was worried about getting lost and possibly encountering ancient ghosts.

        Mr. Cao, the head steward, was a stern old gentleman whom even the palace attendants were somewhat afraid of.

        Yue Yiwan had initially planned to ask him if he could have a BBQ in the courtyard, but suddenly he thought of Hua Muzhi. Their conversation the other day had been cut short when Hua left Shuming Hall at noon to accompany his father on an official tour.

        “Mr. Cao, the crown prince… what kind of person is he?”

        Mr. Cao’s response was cautious and polite, filled with careful praise and admiration.

        This wouldn’t do. Yue couldn’t learn anything meaningful this way.

        He pondered for a moment, then tried a more subtle approach.

        “Has he had to give up anything over the years?”

        Mr. Cao, who had watched the prince grow up, seemed to soften slightly at this question.

        “How could he not have sacrificed something?”

        He started recounting the prince’s relinquished hobbies and toys, mentioning the sandals and comic books that had been put away during his youth, as well as concert tickets that he’d eventually given away.

        The crown prince had been a lively child, but being lively could lead to disorder.

        He liked feeding stray cats around the palace and would play around with palace attendants his age, resulting in frequent scolding from his parents.

        As he grew older, he gradually restrained himself, making fewer mistakes and maintaining a polite smile in front of others—a smile meant for others.

        “In recent years, the crown prince doesn’t talk much when he’s alone and rarely shows any expression.” Mr. Cao sighed deeply, his expression resigned. “But there’s no helping it.”

        Yue Yiwan enjoyed his tea and almond cookies as he listened with great interest. “Is there more?”

        The normally stern Mr. Cao, having opened up, couldn’t help but continue talking.

        The prince had received an offer from his dream university, but in the end, he chose to remain within the palace, receiving one-on-one tutoring from domestic professors.

        What a pity…

        Yue Yiwan paused, beginning to understand the tone he’d heard in the prince’s voice that day.

        “Prince once wanted to study medicine, but how could that be allowed?” Mr. Cao continued. “A royal member working in a hospital? Handling such dirty work?”

        Studying medicine would require dissecting cadavers and interacting with patients. There would be all kinds of infections, boils, and wounds to deal with, not to mention helping with patients' bodily functions and intimate care.

        A royal family member could join the military or go into business—choices that matched both the times and society’s expectations. Even the British royals made similar decisions, where building a resume also meant maintaining an image.

        “In the end… he gave it all up?” Yue Yiwan asked, pausing as he remembered what he had seen on Baidu.

        Indeed… all those dreams had quietly faded away.

        How cruel, to watch one’s passions and aspirations dissolve into nothing.

        Sensing the sadness of the topic, Mr. Cao shifted the conversation. “Shall I take you to see His Highness’s study?”

        Yue Yiwan paused, surprised. “I can go inside?”

        “Before he left, His Highness said that, aside from official documents, everything else in the Eastern Palace is open for you to look through.”

        He really didn’t think of him as an outsider...

        Up until now, Yue Yiwan had been attending lessons in the newly arranged study he’d set up himself and hadn’t actually visited Baopu Hall.

        Situated on the northern side of the courtyard, Baopu Hall was a simple yet elegant building, used by the Eastern Palace for official business. The main building had a study, a formal hall, and a resting chamber.

        On the second floor, there was a space for receiving guests, decorated with a long landscape painting. While resting here, one could sit on the sofa and watch movies; the landscape painting would slide up along a hidden axis, revealing a television embedded in the wall. Just like in Chaoming Hall, where they both resided.

        Yue Yiwan wandered around Baopu Hall, noticing several calligraphy pieces handwritten by Hua Muzhi himself. The plaque at the entrance had also been inscribed by the prince on his coming-of-age day.

        The study was spotless, with an array of novels and classic books lining the shelves.

        As he strolled, Yue Yiwan suddenly spotted something unusual on one of the shelves.

        Between Vanity Fair and Call to Arms was a copy of Yaouzhou’s Study Abroad.

        “Study… abroad?!”

        Wait—wasn’t this a novel published on Jinjiang Literature City?!

        Yue Yiwan stared in astonishment, feeling like he’d just spotted a denim jacket hanging among a row of suits.

        He pulled the book out and looked at Mr. Cao with wide eyes. “Does the prince actually read this?”

        “These leisure books were once forbidden, but since he became an adult, he’s free to read them.”

        No… this was definitely not just an ordinary leisure book.

        Yue Yiwan flipped through Study Abroad and happened to open to the page where Li Xiaobai steals an ID card, sighing with admiration. This is a masterpiece.

        A sudden inspiration struck him, and he began searching the shelf for other novels. He found not only danmei fiction but also romance novels and collections of essays. There were popular novels like Tianxia Guiyuan’s Empire Phoenix and Han Han’s Chaos in Chang’an all tucked away on the shelf.

        The more he uncovered, the more it felt like he’d stumbled into a new world.

        He could almost picture it: the normally serious Crown Prince, attending the Double Blessing Ceremony alongside the emperor and empress, a figure of cold dignity on TV and in the square’s broadcasts. But once his duties were over, he’d sneak back to Baopu Hall to work late into the night—and perhaps to secretly read novels, holding back laughter. Maybe he'd even buy a stack of books during the Double Eleven sale, hiding them behind The Red and the Black after opening the packages.

        An idea flickered to life in Yue Yiwan’s mind as he connected the clues. Hua Muzhi didn’t seem very internet-savvy, rarely using his phone. Perhaps a court attendant or maid had recommended these books, even ordering them on his behalf. After all, the prince wouldn’t shop on Taobao himself; whatever he wanted could simply be arranged. Maybe he didn’t even know novels could be read online…

        Yue Yiwan, feeling a sense of shared delight in this discovery, quietly returned the books to their original places among the classics and followed the steward back to Chaoming Hall.

        Meanwhile, Hua Muzhi was accompanying his parents on military visits, inspecting naval ports and air bases, and attending a private banquet with the head of state. He was well-acquainted with such events and aware of shifts in government positions. The new Minister of Finance came by to toast, a cabinet elder distant from his father made small talk with others, and occasionally, a kindly old general would come by to ask after the royal family.

        The older generation valued culture and tradition, treating the royals with a sense of reverence, while some younger officials in the background wore expressions of disdain that could be sensed from a glance. The constant power shifts and politicking had little to do with the Crown Prince himself, who had long been stripped of political power.

        After six days, the group returned to Suoming Court. Hua Muzhi said goodbye to his parents and rode back to the Eastern Palace alone.

        As the soft lights illuminated the long road like fireflies, he suddenly remembered someone was waiting for him there—Yue Yiwan.

        He repeated the name to himself quietly, feeling an inexplicable sense of ease.

        When the carriage stopped, he stepped down with the help of an attendant, and immediately spotted Yue Yiwan waiting at Chaoming Hall with a dog beside him.

        Yue Yiwan, holding a gift, smiled warmly as he handed it to him.

        “This is for you.”

        “For me?” Hua Muzhi took the gift, slightly surprised, and, out of courtesy, unwrapped the ribbon and gift paper on the spot.

        The cover of a book appeared.

        It was Feitian Yexiang’s Crossing the Ocean: The Chinese Ship.

        “This is also a masterpiece,” Yue Yiwan said, winking. “Interested in reading it?”

　　

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