Chapter 17: Changing Seats

Perhaps it was also due to the guilt weighing on his heart—after all these years, he had never uncovered the true cause of Changle’s death. Thus, he wished to treat Changle’s child better, hoping that even if Changle watched from the underworld, she would find peace knowing her child was cared for.

Although Wen Qi felt somewhat dissatisfied, being allowed into the palace to study was already a great opportunity. She dared not complain further, especially since the room was filled with princes and princesses of the highest rank—how could she afford to offend any of them? So, she quietly took the seat at the back.

Unexpectedly, the Fourth Prince, seemingly swayed earlier by Xiao Yunshu, suddenly said something quite out of line before everyone: “Miss Wen Qi just entered the palace to study; she still doesn’t know much. Sitting all the way at the back is inconvenient. Why not take my seat? I don’t understand what the tutor is teaching anyway, so maybe you can learn more sitting here!”

His words not only slapped Xiao Yunshu’s face but also insulted the tutor. By saying he couldn’t understand the tutor’s lessons, he was essentially criticizing the tutor’s teaching. This made the tutor’s expression sour, and even Xiao Yunshu looked displeased.

This time, Xiao Yunshu was wiser; before speaking, she glanced back at Wen Qiao, who shook her head slightly, signaling that she need not intervene—someone else would handle this.

Sure enough, the tutor let out a heavy snort.

“Fourth Prince, this seat was specially arranged for you by Consort Qi, hoping you would make good use of it in the study. Yet you want to give it to the daughter of a newly arrived marquis’s household? Can you justify this to Consort Qi’s efforts? If you insist on swapping today, I won’t object, but you must return to explain everything clearly to Consort Qi, so she won’t blame me later for moving your seat to the back.”

The tutor’s face was stern, and the Fourth Prince’s expression darkened accordingly.

Consort Qi was deeply invested in her beloved son, almost to the point of control, which explained the Fourth Prince’s usual rebellion.

But with so many children in the lesson, and with interference from the palace consorts and occasional visits from the Emperor himself, the Fourth Prince had kept a low profile in the study.

Having impulsively offered his seat to Wen Qi, he found it difficult to backtrack now.

The tutor left no room for retreat and turned away after speaking. The Fourth Prince could only grit his teeth, nodding stiffly to Wen Qi and saying, “No problem.”

The morning passed quickly. Wen Qiao had no time to chat with Wen Qi, focusing instead on quickly reading and memorizing the materials in hand, as the tutor would test them in the afternoon.

Though she had learned much in her previous life, many things were different now. She had never studied inside the palace before, and the teachings here were deeper than those given by the tutors employed by the marquis’s household.

She wanted to learn as much as possible, so she would not stumble over questions outside or embarrass the Emperor and Empress Dowager.

Both cared for her sincerely, and she did not want to drag them down, so she studied diligently.

But Wen Qi saw the scene quite differently.

The Fourth Prince’s seat was not far from Wen Qiao’s, and now that Wen Qi sat there, she could easily glance over and see what Wen Qiao was doing.

She sneered disdainfully.

“Coming from the countryside, as expected, uneducated and inexperienced. She’s only just begun learning but already stares at her books constantly—probably because she’s too slow to catch on. Look at me, during class this morning, I understood almost everything and could even apply it.”

Wen Qi secretly felt proud.

A few days ago, after morning lessons, Wen Qiao had gone to dine at the Empress Dowager’s palace. Recently, Xiao Yunshu had invited her to eat at Chengfu Palace, but the Empress Dowager had already asked Wen Qiao to come to her palace at noon.

Today was about the time Xiao Yunshu had invited her, so Wen Qiao was thinking of visiting Chengfu Palace as well.

Soon enough, Xiao Yunshu came bounding over.

“Sister Qiao, a few days ago I invited you to dine with my mother consort, but the Empress Dowager called for you then. Now that we have time, I’ve told mother consort to prepare lunch for you. Sister Qiao, please come with me to Chengfu Palace today! No more refusals, or I’ll really get angry!”

Wen Qiao liked Xiao Yunshu—both shared a common enemy, and Xiao Yunshu’s straightforward nature appealed to her.

Since Wen Qi irritated her, Xiao Yunshu could help handle matters Wen Qiao couldn’t face herself, preventing Wen Qi from scheming against her.

Their common enemy was the Crown Prince, though he had yet to act against Wen Qiao and her family. Xiao Yunshu was unaware of the tense relationship between the Crown Prince and Wen Qiao’s elder brother, as she was well protected by Consort Cheng.

Thus, she regarded the Crown Prince as just an ordinary brother, not a foe.

Though she understood the rivalry for the throne, she knew little of the details.

In theory, Chengfu Palace and the Crown Prince were already at odds, but Consort Cheng suppressed any rumors.

It was better this way; Xiao Yunshu was but a naive girl who should not be involved in palace intrigues. If the Crown Prince did act against her, Consort Cheng would surely be distressed.

“Saying that, I’ll obey respectfully. I’ve been dining at the Empress Dowager’s palace these past days and noticed her fatigue. Today I’ll visit Consort Cheng instead, so as not to disturb the Empress Dowager further,” Wen Qiao replied briskly, gathering her things to leave with the Sixth Princess.

Wen Qi sat with a bitter glare following their backs.

After some thought, she decided to follow them and rushed out.

“Sixth Sister, I’ll pack up quickly this time, not delaying you like this morning. Where will you dine today? I just entered the palace and have no familiar friends. The princes and princesses either dine at their respective quarters or return to their consorts’ palaces. I don’t know where to go. If convenient, please let me join you.”

Though her initial target was the Crown Prince, the Fifth Prince was also a promising candidate. The final outcome was uncertain.

If she allied with the Fifth Prince, she would support him wholeheartedly, hoping he might become Crown Prince. If not, she would try another—better than gaining nothing from her time in the palace.

Wen Qi pondered this quietly, unaware that Xiao Yunshu’s eyes beside her were growing impatient.

“Miss Wen Qi brought two maids this morning, presumably to deliver her meals. So she need not dine with me at Chengfu Palace. Besides, I only invited Sister Qiao; mother consort only prepared for her. If Miss Wen Qi comes, there won’t be enough food!” The Sixth Princess spoke plainly.

Xiao Yunshu was favored in the palace, and most servants dared not contradict her.

It was Wen Qi’s first encounter with Xiao Yunshu’s bluntness. She expected Xiao Yunshu to show some courtesy toward Wen Qiao, but the latter simply turned and left with Xiao Yunshu, ignoring her.

This infuriated Wen Qi.

She felt the current Wen Qiao was different from the timid girl taken back to the marquis’s household recently.

Back then, Wen Qiao was meek; even when Wen Qi framed her, Wen Qiao could not defend herself, and no one believed her accusations of theft.

Also, Wen Zehan had bullied Wen Qiao, who never fought back.

But recently, Wen Zehan’s attempts to trouble Wen Qiao have failed, suggesting either Wen Zehan’s incompetence or Wen Qiao’s change.

Perhaps the problem lay with Wen Qiao herself. Even their interactions now seemed more complex; Wen Qiao’s gaze sometimes carried hostility.

Unaware that Wen Qiao had been reborn, Wen Qi sensed only a subtle but significant difference, which troubled her.

Originally, Wen Qiao had been easy to bully, even with the Emperor and Empress Dowager’s protection; her timid nature made her a powerless figure, unlikely to report abuses in the palace.

But now, Wen Qi sensed Wen Qiao had grown clever, no longer cowering before her, and adept at leveraging the Emperor and Empress Dowager’s favor, leaving her at a loss.

Wen Qi did not yet know Wen Qiao’s secret—if she did, more schemes would surely follow.

But for now, her primary concern was where to dine at noon.

Though she brought two maids, they had come hastily that morning, unprepared to bring meals.

Initially, Wen Qi intended to dine with Wen Qiao at the Empress Dowager’s palace to get closer to her, but Wen Qiao was heading to Chengfu Palace instead.

Seeing Wen Qiao so close to the Sixth Princess, it was clear she was doing well in the palace.

Still, Wen Qi was new and unsettled, unsure what to do.

Although Wen Qiao ignored her, the Fourth Prince, having seen her rejection, felt protective and hurried over without gathering his things, books, or homework.

“Since Miss Wen Qi isn’t ready to decide where to dine, why not come to the princes’ quarters with me? Better than starving. Did your two maids truly prepare nothing? That won’t do. Miss Wen Qi, you must speak to them firmly. If anything goes wrong, they’d be severely punished in the palace!”

His words caused Chun Tao and Xia Mei, Wen Qi’s maids, to shiver nervously.

The Fourth Prince appeared concerned but his eyes betrayed a greedy gleam.

Wen Qi noticed but, with no familiar friends in the palace, following the Fourth Prince was a reluctant last resort.

Besides, as a prince, he knew much more than she did.

With Wen Zehan protecting her at the marquis’s household and the Fourth Prince’s help in the palace, things might work out.

Her ultimate goal remained the Crown Prince or the Fifth Prince.

The Fourth Prince was merely a tool to be used.

Each concealed their own schemes, neither revealing their true intentions.

So Wen Qi accompanied the Fourth Prince back to the princes’ quarters.

Many palace maids whispered behind her back, mostly pitying her, saying she would soon be ruined by the Fourth Prince.

Yet no one realized this was entirely Wen Qi’s own choice.