Lin Feilu looked up, only to see a tall and sturdy young man walking towards them from behind. He had a look in his eyes somewhat very similar to Emperor Lin's but compared to her other brothers, his appearance was much more ordinary, except that the arrogance in his eyes was notably apparent.
When she heard Lin Jingyuan yelled "Second Brother", she instantly recognized him as Lin Jiwen, the second prince.
Lin Jiwen was the son of Consort Shu, one of the four Consorts. Lin Feilu had always heard that the Second Prince was born with a tendency to use brute force and was very good at martial arts. His foot was badly injured last year, and thus he had to stay indoors for a few months, so she never had a chance to meet him until now.
Now that she finally met him, it seemed that the rumors were true – he was born with a brutish look.
She stood up from the cushion and bowed in a respectful manner, "Little Fifth Princess greets Second Brother."
Although Lin Jiwen was recovering from his wounds in the palace during this period, he was still up to date with what happened in the palace. He knew that the Third Sister who always revered him in the past was punished to guard the imperial mausoleum, and he knew that the unknown Fifth Princess was now favored by the emperor, and had formed a good relationship with her brothers.
Before coming to the imperial school today, his mother, Consort Shu gave him special instructions to get closer to the Fifth Princess, since she was recently receiving a lot of His Majesty's attention and also the favor of the other princes.
That was why he came over after class.
He overheard the argument Lin Jingyuan and Xi Xingjiang had regarding the seat. Lin Jiwen had always looked down on the incompetent captive sent by the incompetent Song Empire, and felt that even speaking a word with him would be beneath his own dignity. He blurted insensitively when he saw Lin Feilu sitting with him, "Fifth Sister is a princess of the Great Lin, how can she sit with this person? It's an embarrassment to the royal family. I will let them rearrange her seat."
Lin Feilu was baffled, "?"
What kind of dumb thing is this?
I know that you think he's beneath you but isn't it too much to insult him right in front of his face? What's the difference between this and the dirty tricks concubines in the palace play just to fight for favoritism?
Lin Qing was the Crown Prince, and even if he didn't want me to sit here, he only persuaded me indirectly. Who are you to trample on my pretty boy right in front of me?
Lin Feilu's gaze suddenly turned dark.
Her lips still curled upwards, a smile plastered to her face as she looked at Lin Jiwen, asking, "So in the eyes of Second Brother, the face of the royal family of the Great Lin Empire could be humiliated so easily. I think Second Brother is underestimating our royal family."
Lin Jiwen instinctively felt that there was something wrong with what she had said. She seemed to be picking on him. He always had a well-developed physique rather than a sharp mind, yet he had very high self-esteem. For a while, he could not figure out a way to refute this sentence, but he still subconsciously replied, "I mean…"
Before he finished speaking, Lin Feilu interjected, "Then, as you say, sitting down here will humiliate the royal family, then isn't it the same if you looked at him? Isn't it the same if you study under the same mentor and learn together in the class? Isn't it the same when you drink the water from the same well, breathe the same air under the same blue sky, and look at the same moon under the night sky? If that's the case, Second Brother would have completely humiliated the royal family."
Lin Jiwen: "?"
Lin Jingyuan: "?"
Xi Xingjiang: "?"
The little girl still had a baby voice, but could still sound quite intimidating when she wanted to. However, they were more stunned by her amazing logic and smart articulation.
She was still smiling sweetly when she spoke, her eyes were sincere and naive, and Lin Jiwen was confused whether she was mocking him or was sincerely asking him about it.
On the contrary, Lin Jingyuan looked at his usual cute and gentle Little Lu before him brandishing her claws in front of others, and broke into a proud "I really am Sister Little Lu's favorite brother" expression.
Sister Little Lu's cuteness is all mine!
Her exclusive tenderness! Only for me!
Xi Xingjiang always knew that this little bean was slick. She was always cute and good in front of her royal brothers, yet quite the opposite in front of himself. Rejoicing that now there was finally another person who was treated the same as himself, he even hoped that she would continue her mean comments, so Lin Jiwen could have a taste of what he had experienced.
The intention of the two bystanders was too obvious, and Lin Jiwen, who was already frustrated, was even more frustrated. With his limited intelligence, he really did not know how to refute this statement.
He had always been someone who imposed upon the weak. He glanced at Song Jinglan, who was looking down silently. He commented irritably, "He's just an incompetent captive, and the Song Empire will one day surrender to Great Lin one day. By then, he will be a real prisoner of this country. Let alone attending an imperial school, he wouldn't even deserve to be in jail!"
As soon as he said this, even Lin Jingyuan's expression changed. He and Xi Xingjiang cautioned him in unison.
"Second brother, speak carefully!"
"Your Highness, speak carefully!"
Although the Song Empire was weak now, it was established much longer than Great Lin. Because it was located in the south, it had always been referred to an empire with legitimacy by scholars. Great Lin however, was regarded as lacking in legitimacy because it was due to treacherous ministers and traitors back then who schemed around to establish the country. It was many generations later when Great Lin became stronger from one generation to the next generation and equalled the Song Empire by boundaries by the Huai River, only then its situation and notorious reputation were reduced gradually.
In current times, when knowledge, reputation, Confucianism, and respect were placed so much emphasis socially and politically, Emperor Lin was even more eager to go down in history as a benevolent monarch. Therefore, even if he coveted the Song Dynasty's wealth, he never revealed his true intentions as an aggressor and always maintained an image of a benevolent and just ruler.
It was a big slap in the Great Lin's face when Lin Jiwen had spoken so blatantly in front of the captive prince of the Song Dynasty; he completely humiliated Emperor Lin, who had put in much emphasis on benevolence, and the Great Lin Empire which revered Confucianism and Buddhism.
Lin Jingyuan knew that no matter how rebellious and stubborn he was, there were some things that could never be uttered. There were many people in the imperial school, at best it would be a punishment if this reached Emperor Lin, but it would be much more detrimental to the royal family if it was spread to the commoners.
However, he was not very close to Lin Jiwen so he couldn't care less about his other brother at the moment. He grabbed his arm, half pushing and half dragging, "Second Brother, go back now. I think it's good for Fifth Sister to sit here, don't interfere with her studies!"
Lin Jiwen also knew that he had misspoke this time. With a face that blushed red, he flicked his sleeves and angrily strutted away.
Lin Feilu looked at his back with indifference, noticing Xi Xingjiang's gaze from her peripheral view. She turned her head and smiled at him, before she made a funny face behind Lin Jiwen's back.
As a fighter Green Tea Princess, her tongue was of a top-notch level and her ability in winning verbal conflicts was to the max. Her words could tear asunder apart women who put on facades and her martial arts skills could beat up scumbags. Her duality of being both adorable and able to hold her own in arguments were not traits of self-praise.
Xi Xingjiang also smiled sharply, cheering her on with a 'good luck' gesture.
The small conflict that occurred did not seem to have attracted the attention of others. Lin Feilu adjusted her skirt and sat back on the futon. Seeing Song Jinglan's notes in his book, paired with his calm and graceful demeanour, it was as if he did not mind the words that were directed at him moments ago.
Probably because he had already heard of it many times.
She sighed mentally and leaned against him a little, holding his small chin to comfort him: "Your Highness, please don't take those words to heart."
The tip of his pen paused and he turned his head to look at her. He gazed at her almost pitifully with his eyes slightly pale, as if he wasn't able to comprehend something and asked in a low voice, "Why was the princess willing to speak up for me?"
Lin Feilu blinked and explained sternly: "The mentor just explained it in class just now. If one wants to stand up, they should help another stand first; and if one wants to be successful, they should help others succeed first. It was second brother's fault anyway."
Song Jinglan looked at her innocent eyes, then he looked down at the book and said: "This sentence is on the seventh page of the book." Lin Feilu was taken aback and saw him chuckle: "The mentor had only gotten to the second page just now."
Lin Feilu: "…" She held her chin with her small fist, sighed faintly and said, "Sigh, I guess I can only blame myself for being too smart."
Song Jinglan couldn't help but to chuckle.
The Imperial School classes ended in the morning. Mornings were for the literature class and afternoons were for the martial arts classes. Forbidden Troops of the Imperial Palace usually train in the paddock and higher ranked nobles would also send their sons to join the troops for training opportunities. Besides practicing archery on horseback riding on normal days, the princes would join the army for martial arts training in the paddock.
But the princesses were not allowed to participate in the martial arts class. After all, there were very few girls in this era who became soldiers and Noble Consort Xi was regarded as the odd one out. Even though Lin Feilu was now practicing martial arts under her supervision, Emperor Lin did not permit his adorably cute Little Fifth Princess to run to the training ground, where it was a ground full of iron and blood, and easy for one to get injured; to suffer.
After lunch, Lin Feilu consciously went to the Jinyun Palace of Noble Consort Xi to report.
After a month of practice, she could finally stand on the plum blossom pile for half an hour without falling down, but Noble Consort Xi still thought that her standing posture was incorrect. Her legs were not straight enough and her waist was not strong enough either.
Most of the time, she would be drinking tea in her house and let the maids supervise, but she would occasionally come and observe in person, holding a whip in her hand. She would crack the whip to the ground casually with a crisp sound, which also left a cloud of dust fuming into the sky.
Lin Feilu: …
For a while, she thought that she was more like a military instructor in college, or the wicked lady of the chess club in "Huan Zhu Ge Ge (My Fair Princess)".
After hearing Lin Jiwen's words at class today, her curiosity piqued about the relationship between the two countries that she didn't pay much attention to before.
Noble Consort Xi used to grow up in the frontier, and Lin Feilu even once heard that the consort had even led soldiers to a skirmish. Lin Feilu stood on the plum blossom pile in the instructed manner, but she casted her eyes down and asked curiously: "Noble Consort, have you ever battled with soldiers from the Song Empire?"
Noble Consort Xi was flipping through a military book. She didn't look up when she heard the words, and replied in a plain and indifferent tone: "Yes."
Lin Feilu asked again: "Then, were they amazing?" She stood upright on the pile, but her small head shook as she whined childishly: "I was in the Imperial School today when I heard them say that the Song Empire and their soldiers were both very weak. Can Your Grace defeat ten of them individually all at once?"
Few people asked about her previous life at the frontier. The maids did not want to mention the sadness of her injury, whereas others were jealous of her. Lin Feilu was the first person to mention this in the palace after all these years.
However…
Noble Consort Xi closed the book and rebuked in a cold voice: "The battlefield is the very place where it is most forbidden to underestimate the enemy. The weakness of the Song Empire was caused by the desolate political affairs of the current ruling monarchs. They once dominated the Central Plains whose Emperor defeated 30,000 soldiers of the Yong Kingdom with an army of only 3000 on the banks of the Huai River. A person who has been a wolf will not truly become a dog!"
She coldly glanced at the little bean on the pile of wood: "Against amateurs of your level, this Noble Consort can indeed fight one against ten."
Lin Feilu: "…"
It's too hard for me.
In the second half, Lin Feilu remained silent. When she jumped from the plum blossom pile, she didn't know if it was just her imagination, but she felt that her body was a lot lighter than before.
Although Noble Consort Xi was merciless towards Lin Feilu, she really treasured her. When she was standing on the pile, the consort had ordered her palace maid to cook her some snow ginseng bird's nest porridge, which was also served alongside the sugar heart peach pastry recently developed by Jinyun Palace's small kitchen.
This crisp was a bit like the egg yolk cake she used to eat in modern times, but the egg yolk was replaced with peach blossoms. While eating, she didn't forget to even make a suggestion to Noble Consort Xi: "Noble Consort, you can ask your private kitchen to try replacing the filling with egg yolk, and then add some honey and milk."
The palace maid next to her smiled and said, "Even listening to it sounds delicious already, the princess's thoughts are indeed ingenious."
The Noble Consort Xi's complexion was faint, but she did relay the order.
After her hunger and thirst were sated, there remained two peach blossom crisps left on the plate. Lin Feilu thought for a while before she took out a clean handkerchief from her arms. She wrapped up the remaining peach blossom crisps and hopped away after bidding farewell to Noble Consort Xi.
From behind echoed the chilling cold voice of the Noble Consort Xi: "Not only did she feasted, but she even had a takeout."
Lin Feilu: "…"
If she had guessed correctly, the Empress would be here today.
As she couldn't afford to offend her, she slipped away.
When she reached the road with three junctions, the green bamboo forest not far away emanated a shallow glow under the setting sun. Lin Feilu touched the bulging peach blossoms crisps in her arms, hopping over and knocking on the door of Cuizhu Villa.
It was usually very timely for Tian Dong to answer the door on weekdays, but for some reason today, she had knocked three times before she heard hurried footsteps from inside.
With a squeak, the bamboo door opened from the inside, Tian Dong's complexion did not seem too good. Only when he saw it was only her outside the door did he barely form a smile and gave a bow: "Fifth Princess."
Lin Feilu took a peek inside and asked: "What's the matter?"
Tian Dong bit his lower lip, and his voice was low and angry: "His Highness is injured."
Lin Feilu was taken aback.
Wasn't he okay in the morning?
After taking two steps inside, she smelled the strong scent of medicine in the yard, and it was Tian Dong making a decoction. The door of the main house was ajar and she walked straight over with Tian Dong anxiously following behind her as he said: "Princess, His Highness was applying medicine just now…"
When he reached the door, Song Jinglan had already walked out of the house.
He was wearing a white coat, and his hair that was always tied with a hosta was now scattered, covering his slightly pale and sickly complexion.
Lin Feilu noticedthe wound on his face at a glance. His cheekbones were very red and swollen, covered with bruises. If the attack had been slightly higher, it was his eyes that would have been injured.
She heard her heart loudly beat twice and she felt it was going to jump out from her throat as it pulsed with anger.
But her voice was still calm as she looked at him and asked: "Who did this to you?"
Song Jinglan laughed and reached out to touch her head, as if he was comforting her: "Martial artists competing in the arena, just so that my skills just weren't as good as another, so it's not really a big deal."
Lin Feilu asked: "Was it Lin Jiwen?"
Song Jinglan was about to speak, but he coughed suddenly with his fists to his mouth. As he coughed, his complexion became even paler. Tian Dong hurried over to help him, gritted his teeth and said to Lin Feilu: "Our Royal Highness is injured all over. I called over an Imperial Doctor just now and he said his lungs were injured. He even coughed up blood just now!"
Lin Feilu had a calm expression as she took out the peach blossom crisps from her arms. She grabbed Song Jinglan's hand and placed the snacks into his hand, before she turned and left.
Song Jinglan held back another cough, his voice slightly muted: "Where is the Fifth Princess going?"
Lin Feilu said blankly, "I'm going to cut off Lin Jiwen's head to make amends for Your Highness."
A helpless smile broke from behind her.
Song Jinglan put the pastry that was wrapped in a small handkerchief into the cuffs of his sleeves. Then, he walked over and grabbed her delicate wrist.
In fact, he didn't use any force, but the little girl was still obediently pulled into the room by him.
There was also a smell of the Jinshuang medicine in the house.
He turned his head and saw the little girl behind him who was obviously very angry but pretended to be calm, and he couldn't help but smile.
Lin Feilu said, "Are you still smiling?"
Song Jinglan's smile widened even more as he stretched out his hand to rub her bangs that were chaotically blown by the wind.
He smiled and said: "Although I know that the princess was joking just now, I am still very happy."
I am glad that there is still one person defending me in such a place.
People like Emperor Lin who paid attention to reputation and image will not let the Great Lin Empire spread rumors of the contemptuous abuse of Song Empire's royal hostage. On the contrary, he had to let everyone know that the proton of Song Empire lived a superior life in the Great Lin Palace and was treated the same as the princes of the Great Lin Empire.
Therefore, he was given the opportunity to study in the Imperial School and to practice martial arts in the paddock. He would also be invited to attend any large-scale state banquets on weekdays so that everyone in the world would praise the Great Lin Empire as a benevolent and righteous nation that treated protons with courtesy.
The effort in maintaining a good image was done very well, but only the people involved knew what kind of evil intentions were hidden behind his good deeds.
Song Jinglan entered the palace at a young age. Surrounded by wolves, he had been long used to hiding his cleverness. Whether it was in the Imperial School or the paddock, he was the least conspicuous one.
Lin Jiwen was ridiculed by Lin Feilu in the Imperial School today, hence he was naturally blamed. When they were practicing martial arts in the paddock, Lin Jiwen challenged him by name to compete with him in the arena.
This was also a part of the daily practice, so Song Jinglan naturally couldn't refuse. In public, he could only be on the defensive as it was even more impossible to show that he could fight back by following the kung fu taught by Ji Liang. Brute force was a part of Lin Jiwen's nature and he made it clear that he was going to teach him a lesson as all of his moves were deadly attacks.
In the end, had it not been for Xi Xingjiang who rushed into the arena to stop him, he probably would probably end up in a worse state today.
Fortunately, he was not as weak as he seemed and his injuries were not serious. He coughed up blood just to smoothen out the congestion that was stuck in his chest and lungs. Tian Dong had always been known to make a fuss and even the little girl became concerned.
When she was angry, her soft little face was slightly bulging as if she was clenching her teeth. Her eyes always looked like there were blades hidden within them, fierce and adorable with a different kind of cuteness.
She was different from everyone in this palace.
Under her innocence there was not an ounce of scheming intentions concealed, but there was also stubbornness in her well-behaved attitude.
Those contradictory and complicated characteristics were perfectly integrated in her body, which resulted in the existence of a unique little girl.
Song Jinglan took out the bulging small handkerchief from his sleeves. Upon opening it, the two peach blossom crisps wrapped in it were a bit broken, but they smelled very sweet. He smiled and asked, "What is this?"
Lin Feilu still maintained her expressionless look, her small face slightly strained: "Sugar heart peach blossom crisp. It's a new variety and I brought it over for Your Highness to give it a taste."
Song Jinglan nodded before he picked up one of the crisps and took a bite. After eating, his index finger wiped the crumbs at the corner of his mouth and he smiled: "It's delicious."
No matter what happened, he would always smile like this.
The anger in Lin Feilu's heart suddenly turned into depression and helplessness with this smile.
What can I do? This is how he lives here.
Even if she knew that he was not truly happy, that he may not like to laugh, but being born in such an era, there wasn't anything that could be done. After all, wasn't she still trying to play her instance dungeons herself?
(T/L note: Instance dungeon is a gaming term where players have their own designated maps to conquer or play in so other teams can't cheat or give them assistance. Here, it probably refers to her unique 'map' that she has to clear as she was the one who transmigrated.)
Lin Feilu watched on as he finished eating the remaining peach blossom crisps and suddenly asked: "Your Highness, you are ranked seventh in the Song Empire, right? That means you have six older brothers?"
Song Jinglan, who was holding the tea cup, slid his fingers across the tea cup and rubbed it slightly: "Yes. My father has many concubines and I still have eight younger brothers."
"Then why was it you?" Lin Feilu asked: "Was it because just like me, your mother was not favored?"
After coming here, no one has ever asked him why he was chosen.
Everyone collectively acquiesced that he was the abandoned one.
A very strange smile appeared on the boy's beautiful and pale face: "No, my mother has the rank of a consort. Her family is very powerful as two Empresses have reigned from her family."
Lin Feilu was somewhat in disbelief: "Then why are you…"
He looked down at the slightly rippling water pattern of the tea cup in his hand, smiling, "The reason why I am here today is because my name was picked in the lottery."
Nonchalantly, he continued, "The concubine closest to my father proposed the idea of a lottery to choose the prince that was to be sent to the Great Lin Empire. My luck wasn't all that great and I was the one selected."
Lin Feilu had a perplexed look on her face.
Although she had long heard that the Emperor of the Song Kingdom was profligate and devoid of principles, she had never expected him to be this absurd.
She remembered that Noble Consort Xi had talked about the former Song Kingdom in the Jinyun Palace. The soldiers were brave and good at fighting, the generals were proficient in the formation of troops on how to take down the great ancestors of the Great Lin Empire, and they defeated 30,000 soldiers of the Yong Kingdom with just an army of 3,000 soldiers on the banks of the Huai River.
With such a glorious country now in the hands of a mediocre monarch, she estimated that it was not far from being subjugated.
Lin Feilu felt that her pretty boy was rather pitiful.
But it's useless to say any words of comfort now. After all, he was already here. She did not continue to speak of the topic, but looked at the wound on his face and asked: "Who was the Imperial Doctor who came to treat Your Highness just now?"
Song Jinglan said a name. Lin Feilu had never heard of it as she looked at the Jinshuang medicine in the house. She didn't know when the medicine had expired but she knew it had gone bad as there was even a ring of mildew on the mouth of the bottle.
It seems that the Imperial Hospital's perfunctory attitude was the same as before.
She worked so hard to play her instance dungeons for a long time, so it was natural for her to have gained a few things. Now she has more confidence in speaking and doing things compared to her previous performances. Pretending to be weak and pitiful was also no longer the only applicable skill at this stage as she should be tough at the right time.
She instructed the pretty boy to let his injuries heal properly. After leaving the Cuizhu Villa, she went straight to the Imperial Hospital.
The Imperial Hospital was also a place that did not separate from the concubines in the harem, where every imperial concubine had their most trusted Imperial Doctors. Lin Feilu doesn't have any social network connections in this area for the time being as Imperial Doctor Chen was the one instructed to provide her treatment as instructed by Consort Xian.
This place was a lot quieter than being in any other palace. The servants perform their duties and the Imperial Doctors that weren't summoned were studying medical books in their small rooms.
She kept venturing into the yard until she met someone who hurriedly saluted her: "Why is the Fifth Princess here? Do you need to summon an Imperial Doctor?"
Lin Feilu nodded and said gruffly, "I'm looking for an Imperial Doctor who is best at treating bruises."
The official asked, "Is the princess injured?"
Within expectations, the little girl said in anger: "Am I not allowed to ask for an Imperial Doctor unless I am injured?"
The little doll was also cute when she was angry. The official smiled and said, "Of course you can. Please wait a moment, princess. This official will summon an Imperial Doctor for you."
After he finished his sentence, he went in. A while later, a young Imperial Doctor came out carrying a medicine box. Lin Feilu looked at him and found him slightly familiar. Now that she thought about it, wasn't he the great doctor who treated her cold?
No wonder Consort Xian, the Eldest Imperial Prince, and the Eldest Imperial Princess sent the Imperial Doctors one after another to check up on her again. It turned out that the Imperial Hospital was indeed perfunctory— they actually sent an Imperial Doctor who was good at treating injuries to treat her cold.
The young Imperial Doctor saluted her: "Greetings to the Fifth Princess. Is Honourable Lady Xiao Lan injured?"
Lin Feilu behaved like a little adult: "Come with me."
After that, she turned around and walked forward.
The young Imperial Doctor trailed behind her. When she came to the intersection, the little girl suddenly turned her head and asked him, "Big brother, what is your name?"
The young Imperial Doctor had a frightened expression, "This lowly official Meng Fuji is unable to be addressed as such by a princess."
Lin Feilu smiled. The wind blew against her bangs as her eyes sparkled under her shrivelled hair, "Big brother, your name is really unique. To save the dying, heal the wounded and treat the stubborn illness, you must be an exceptionally skilled doctor!"
Meng Fuji said: "The princess is exaggerating, this lowly official is too lowly, too undeserving to receive such praises."
He looked up and glanced around, realising that this did not seem to be the road to Mingyue Palace. He was about to ask her, but then he heard the little girl say: "Big brother, I've read a saying in a certain medical book before."
Meng Fuji subconsciously asked, "What is it?"
He listened to her as she spoke: "As a doctor, whatever houses I may enter, I will do so for the benefit of the sick, remaining free of all intentional injustice, of all harm and in particular of all intimate relations with both females and males, bonded or free. What I may see or hear in the course of the treatment, as well as outside of the treatment in regard to the life of men, which on no account one should be spreaded abroad, I will keep to myself, holding such things shameful to be spoken of. If I fulfill this oath and adhere to it, may it be granted to me to enjoy life and art, being honored with fame among all men for all time; but if I transgress it and forswear myself, may the opposite of all this befall me."
(T/L: This is a modified version of the Hippocratic Oath. Doctors are supposed to take this oath, but factually variants of this oath are used, not the exact oath itself.)
Upon listening to her words, Meng Fuji was shocked to his core.
His Meng family has practiced the art of medicine for generations, and it was only in his generation was he finally lucky enough to enter the Imperial Hospital. Father Meng often preached to have the parental heart of a doctor, so he did not approve of his son entering the palace.
Father Meng stated that there was no shortage of doctors with superb medical skills around the Emperor. In fact, it was the subjects of the Emperor that needed them more as they were the ones with incurable diseases, hence the name 'Fuji' that he bestowed upon his son.
(T/L: 'Fu' in Chinese means something like 'help/aid'. 'Ji' means 'the sick or the ill'. So the name is literally something like 'to help the sick')
However, the youth always hope that they can pursue their ambitions. After entering the palace, Meng Fuji's father seemed to be a little disappointed in him, and the relationship between both father and son was not as close as before.
Meng Fuji's young age was naturally incomparable to the highly experienced Imperial Doctors in the palace. In fact, he wasn't really contributing much, and sometimes he wondered if the path he chose was really wrong.
But after hearing what Lin Feilu said, he was reminded exactly of the mindset he should have as a doctor, it coincided with the idea that his father taught him initially.
He didn't know which predecessor had such an admirable concept and enlightenment.
Meng Fuji hurriedly asked, "Can I know which medical book was read by the princess? Is it possible for this lowly official to have a look at it?"
Lin Feilu obediently said: "I'll go back to look for it. If I can find it, I will give it to you, big brother." She blinked a few times, tilted her head and asked innocently: "But big brother, as doctors, will all of you follow this oath just like how it was written in the book?"
Facing the little girl's sincere and admiring eyes, Meng Fuji was a little embarrassed, but he still honestly replied: "This lowly official is definitely not as good as this senior with noble medical ethics, but I will regard him as my role model and exercise strict self-discipline."
The little girl's beautiful eyes were starting to water. She looked around and found that there was no one around, so she quietly waved to him and whispered: "Big brother, get down, I want to tell you something secretly."
Meng Fuji couldn't help being amused by her cuteness, and leaned down as he followed her orders.
The little girl leaned on her tiptoes to his ear and whispered in a soft, petty voice: "Big brother, I just saw that the royal hostage of the Song Empire was injured. He looked so pitiful, but the previous doctors didn't give him a good treatment. Can you help him?"
After she finished speaking, she put her two small hands together and said softly, "Please, please."
Meng Fuji had just been stunned by the vow of a doctor and felt moved as he started to rethink the concepts of his life. At this time, he saw that although she was young, her heart was so kind. Hence, he immediately said: "Naturally! The benevolence of the doctors should be so!"
The little princess looked at him with glistening eyes without blinking, "Big brother, you really are a very good doctor!"
Meng Fuji was slightly embarrassed by her praises.
He didn't know that the Fifth Princess was close to the royal hostage. So, when he walked to the edge of the bamboo forest, he said: "Princess, this lowly official will go in and treat him. It would be inconvenient for you so please go back first. The princess can rest assured that this official will live up to your trust."
Lin Feilu nodded happily and bounced away.
Meng Fuji then straightened his clothes and knocked on the door of the Cuizhu Villa.
…
On the second day, Lin Feilu went to the Imperial School to attend the Imperial Classes. Song Jinglan didn't show up as he requested for a leave, unknown as to how long he had to stay in the house to recover. Lin Jiwen was still loudly boasting about his heroic deeds of knocking Song Empire's royal hostage down yesterday with a few punches.
Lin Jingyuan leaned forward with the book in his arms and sat next to Lin Feilu. Seeing her unhappy expression, he poked her and said, "Little Lu, what's the matter with you?"
Lin Feilu folded her hands on the desk, resting her chin on it and said angrily, "I don't like him!"
Lin Jingyuan glanced behind him: "You mean second brother? He is this kind of character after all, so let's just ignore him."
Lin Jingyuan glanced behind him: "You mean second brother? He is this kind of character after all, so let's just ignore him."
Lin Feilu pouted, her voice dull: "We shouldn't bully others, it is wrong. We should be good children."
Lin Jingyuan remembered that he previously had bullied Song Jinglan and felt slightly embarrassed, but he nodded repeatedly: "En en en, we should be good children!"
Little Lu is really well-behaved. She is kind and obedient, like a refreshing stream in this palace choke full of deceit and trickery! Such a kind sister must be the little angel sent down to him by the Gods.
In order to make his sister happy, Lin Jingyuan, who was always tired of studying, sat in the first row all morning to accompany Lin Feilu as they listened to the mentor's teachings.
The surprised mentor couldn't help but constantly tend to look over there. He thought in his heart: Did the Fourth Prince change his attitude?
Come then, I'll get him to try and answer the question.
As a result, Lin Jingyuan stood up and sincerely replied to his mentor, "Although I am sitting here, my heart still remains in the last row. It would be great if you can pretend that I am nonexistent."
Mentor, "…"
A change of attitude? What blasphemy!
When the morning classes ended, Lin Feilu packed up her little school bag and politely excused herself from her siblings one by one.
Lin Nianzhi's tsundere behaviour seemed to have gotten a bit more serious as she pretended not to see her Lin Feilu despite greeting her several times. This time, when she heard her say, "Goodbye, eldest imperial sister," Lin Nianzhi awkwardly turned around, giving a nonchalant wave of her hand and left.
(T/L note: Tsundere is a Japanese originated term that refers to someone who appears cold and sometimes hostile, but their inner selves are actually kind and a big contrast to how they appear)
In fact, it was her Fourth Sister Lin Wei whom she hadn't had much contact with that inwardly responded to her greetings.
Lin Jiwen was still bragging to the noble children that usually praised his name and gave him endless amounts of flattery. Upon seeing Lin Feilu approaching him with a small school bag on her back, he raised his head proudly, waiting for her to wave her hand and say, "Goodbye, second imperial brother".
After all, he had already seen her doing the same to his other siblings!
However, the little girl held her head high and walked past him, not even sparing him a glance.
Lin Jiwen was a little annoyed and he raised a fist towards her back, but his hand was caught by Lin Ting.
Although Lin Ting was not taller or stronger than him, he was the eldest son of the Emperor. Plus, his mother was a Noble Consort and had a very powerful authority in the palace. This led to Lin Jiwen being very well-mannered in front of him.
Lin Ting had a gentle expression as he warned him,"Fifth sister is young, you must not bully her."
Lin Jiwen thought to himself, you didn't say the same when she bullied me, as he nodded his head rather reluctantly.
After leaving the Imperial School, Lin Feilu went back to the Mingyue Palace. Her current life adhered to a certain schedule— she would attend the Imperial School classes in the morning, have martial arts training with Noble Consort Xi in the afternoon and have some free time in the evening. She felt like she was living a three-point-monoline life similar to clocking in and clocking out at work.
(T/L note: It means three points in life— you work, leave work and go home if you are an adult; for a child, it's three points of going to school, after school and going home. A scheduled, boring life with no entertainment.)