Shen Zhi had a sleepless night. The living conditions were simply too poor, worse than wandering outside where at least there were no earth-shattering snores or mixed odors.
Before dawn, he was called awake and assigned to chop wood and fetch water, as the kitchen was about to start preparing breakfast.
Shen Zhi looked bewildered. The kitchen manager, seeing him dazed, first cursed him soundly, then pushed him to work, not indulging him at all.
The kitchen in the morning was already very busy, so busy that he had no time to overthink.
After finally finishing his work, the manager gave him two steamed buns and a small plate of green vegetables; this was his breakfast.
Chu Yu intended to send him back, but she had no time these days, so she didn't bother with him. As long as he didn't starve to death, it was fine.
Several days passed, and Shen Zhi visibly thinned down a great deal.
… …
“Chu Yu really kept him? Then he can be considered to have gotten what he wished for.” Chu Ningzhao covered her lips and chuckled, liking this outcome.
This time, she wanted to help everyone achieve their dreams, so they would have no regrets.
Don't they all want to run to Chu Yu's side? One by one, no rush. Next should be that hostage prince, right?
It's time to enter the Palace… …
While Chu Ningzhao was thinking, Hua Zhuozhuo came in helplessly and handed her a stack of papers.
“What is it?” Chu Ningzhao took it and saw it was Sixth Prince Chu Yang's homework, still with terrible handwriting.
But this time, the writing seemed to have improved a bit from last time.
From childhood, Chu Yang had always been impatient. He couldn't sit still or calm down to practice calligraphy. As long as no one was watching, he would slack off.
Even with someone watching, it was the same. Chu Ningzhao changed the servants and maids who looked after him batch after batch.
As soon as someone couldn't keep an eye on him, Chu Ningzhao would immediately replace them.
Even with constant supervision, his terrible handwriting was only barely readable, and it remained that way until the very end.
“I remember I said there was no need to send it.” Chu Ningzhao disgustedly flung it aside; it was truly bad luck.
Her result of working herself to death was being sent off for a political marriage. This time, she didn't want to bother with anything.
Hua Zhuozhuo replied, “It has already been said, but this time, Sixth Prince sent it himself.”
“Where is he?”
“He went to Anyu Princess Residence.” Hua Zhuozhuo hesitated for a moment, then added, “Sixth Prince brought three whole boxes of gifts, including fabrics, jade, and even emeralds and corals, all for Princess An Yu.”
Chu Ningzhao scoffed, “He sends good things there, and this stack of terrible writing here to me? He wants me to do the work? And her to enjoy the blessings? Fine. Are the things he sent to Chu Yu's place perhaps some that I gave him?”
In the past, whenever Chu Ningzhao got something good, she would give it to him first.
She sympathized with his hard study and also wanted to encourage him to work harder.
Who was he studying for? Whether he wanted to learn or not, the Emperor and Empress washed their hands of it, yet she, his older sister, had to coax and persuade him. It truly served him right.
“No need to enter the Palace. Let's go to Anyu Princess Residence too.”
Taking her things to curry favor with Chu Yu, he truly was Chu Yu's good younger brother.
Chu Yang sat in the carriage, constantly urging them to go faster.
In his previous life, he had wronged Chu Yu, but he couldn't be blamed. Chu Ningzhao had always watched him, making him study diligently without slacking off. His daily homework was endless; how could he have time to play with Chu Yu?
He only learned later that Chu Yu had always been silently watching over him.
Chu Yu felt sorry for his hard study, so she often personally made him pastries and tea, sending them to the Palace.
He had eaten and tasted them, but he never knew they were made by Chu Yu.
Later, when he was made Crown Prince, Chu Yu finally told him everything. Chu Yu had also prepared many gifts for him, but it had never been convenient to give them to him, fearing Chu Ningzhao would discover them.
The gifts ranged from his childhood to his youth, and then to his adulthood. There were gifts for every age: kites, bamboo horses, and lanterns. Those things clearly had been preserved for a very long time.
If she hadn't been afraid of Chu Ningzhao finding out, Chu Yu would have given him these things long ago, and wouldn't have had to wait until he ascended the throne to dare to tell him.
Chu Ningzhao didn't like him playing with these things, so they all dared not let Chu Ningzhao know.
Reborn into this life, he couldn't let Chu Yu suffer such grievances again.
Upon arriving at Anyu Princess Residence, Chu Yang hurried forward to knock on the door, and then arranged for people to carry down several large boxes.
In the few days since his rebirth, he had been thinking about this matter: he wanted to give all the good things from his Palace to Chu Yu.
But for those few days, the Empress wouldn't let him leave the Palace. Today he finally had the chance to come out, and he had almost emptied his small storeroom.
The servants in the manor first invited him in, while simultaneously reporting to Chu Yu.
Chu Yu was bewildered. Chu Yang rarely came to her. Although they were siblings, he was clearly closer to Chu Ningzhao. Why would he come to her?
She thought this way, but as soon as she saw him, she immediately changed her attitude.
“Sixth Brother, why have you come? A few days ago, I wanted to visit you, but Mother said you were studying hard recently and it wasn't convenient to disturb you, so I had to give up.”
Upon hearing this, Chu Yang's face immediately fell. His excitement and enthusiasm instantly vanished, and he complained very unhappily, “Did Mother say that, or did she say that?”
“She?” Chu Yu was puzzled, “Your older sister?”
“Mm.” Chu Yang responded very reluctantly, “Only she could say something like that.”
It was Chu Ningzhao who had always obstructed their meeting as siblings.
Chu Yu merely smiled without denying it. In truth, she had no time to visit Chu Yang; it was just a polite remark.
Since he thought it was Chu Ningzhao, then let it be Chu Ningzhao.
Chu Yang didn't want to mention her anymore. He happily stood up and led Chu Yu to see the things he had brought.
“What is this for?” Chu Yu asked, puzzled.
Chu Yang put his hands on his hips and said with a slight hint of pride, “They're all for you.”
“For me?” Chu Yu wanted to ask more, but her gaze had already fallen on one spot and couldn't be moved.
It was a coral ornament, half a meter tall, which Chu Ningzhao had obtained from Prime Minister He. Chu Yu also liked it but hadn't been able to get it.
She hadn't expected that after Chu Ningzhao got it, she would directly give it to Chu Yang.
If she didn't want it, why did she ask Prime Minister He for it? And then turn around and give it away?
Chu Yu no longer liked it; more than that, she was annoyed. Chu Ningzhao was just trying to spite her.
Chu Yang noticed her gaze and quickly ran over to explain, “This coral was obtained by maternal uncle during his campaigns abroad. Don't you like it very much? It's for you.”
This was also what Chu Yu later told him: that there was a coral she liked very much back then, but Chu Ningzhao had forcefully taken it.
But in reality, it wasn't what Chu Ningzhao wanted; it was what he wanted.
He had begged Chu Ningzhao tirelessly to get this coral. He didn't know that Chu Yu also wanted it.
This time, he had specifically come to give her this coral.