Phoenix Cries Return to Court

As the hour of Shen (3-5 PM) approached, the sun began to wane, a gentle breeze stirred, and the cicadas' chirping subsided. The study in the Eastern Palace became lively again.

"You've practiced archery, had your snacks, and rested enough. Your Highness, shouldn't you have finished writing your article by now?"

Lin Xihe leaned back on the soft cushions of the rosewood chair, holding a cup of freshly brewed tea, and looked at the sullen-faced boy in front of her, his cheeks puffed out. She spoke leisurely.

"I've finished writing it." Fu Chen stretched lazily. "I've improved quite a bit these days."

Shen Jueyan chuckled softly, closing the ancient book in his hands. "Your Highness, praise is always more genuine when it comes from someone else. Why are you praising yourself?"

"This is confidence!" Fu Chen chuckled, already planning where to "relax" later.

Lin Xihe looked at the young man whose heart had already flown away, put down her teacup, and slowly said, "Why don't we listen to His Highness's masterpiece together, and see how much progress His Highness has made?"

"Ayan is busy with official duties every day, and he must be too preoccupied to listen to me read articles, right? How about another day?" Fu Chen subconsciously shrank his neck and looked at Shen Jueyan with pitiful, pleading eyes.

The man deliberately suppressed his smile and said seriously, "Your Highness, this is an essay you wrote after countless hours of hard work and dedication. How could I not want to hear it?"

Seeing the two of them working together so well, Fu Chen knew he couldn't avoid it today. He waved his hand dismissively, adopting a "what's the use" attitude, and said, "Fine, fine, let them read it. My writing will certainly not disappoint you!"

After saying that, he picked up the small blue notebook on the table, cleared his throat, and began to read aloud.

"My ministers often report that the people are the foundation of the world. As the Crown Prince, I am mindful of the suffering of the common people. Today, I will offer my humble opinion on the people of this world."

He paused, glanced at Lin Xihe and Shen Jueyan, and seeing that their expressions were calm, he continued reading, his tone becoming more and more forceful, but the content gradually went astray.

"To live, one must eat and drink; this is a matter of course. Men live to support their families; women live to sew and wash clothes to continue the family line; the elderly live to tend their meager land and spend their remaining years in peace; children live to grow up and support their families..."

Lin Xihe narrowed her eyes, and Shen Jueyan's lips twitched uncontrollably. The palace servants suppressed their laughter, trying hard to recall the saddest things.

A moment later, Fu Chen closed the small blue note and said loudly, "Is my writing good?"

"Your Highness has grown up in the Eastern Palace since childhood, living a life of luxury and never setting foot in the streets or alleys, nor experiencing the hardships of ordinary people. Your article speaks the truth, but it is somewhat shallow and one-sided, lacking in righteousness and depth. You cannot write an article that is insightful and profound by merely relying on your imagination." Shen Jueyan said seriously, his smile fading.

Lin Xihe nodded slightly, her gaze turning helplessly to the somewhat bewildered Fu Chen. After a moment of silence, she slowly said, "I've decided, tomorrow's class will be held outside the palace!"

……

As the sun slowly climbs the eastern mountains, it paints the earth in a golden hue. The morning breeze is cool, the dew is still wet, and a delicate fragrance fills the air. Birdsong breaks the dawn, and the morning glow paints the sky.

Shops lined both sides of the street, and pedestrians thronged the streets.

Smoke curled from the breakfast stalls, wafting the aroma of food. Fruit stalls were piled high with all kinds of fresh fruit, and vendors called out to attract customers. Children surrounded the sugar figurine stalls, chattering happily.

For a time, the sounds of buying and selling, and shouts of vendors, blended together.

Three figures walked side by side in the street, attracting much attention.

The woman on the far left is slender and wears a moon-white wide-sleeved ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress). She does not wear any jewelry or hairpins, and her black hair is tied into a simple bun, secured with only a wooden hairpin. Although she is dressed simply, she exudes a cool and gentle temperament that makes people take a second look.

The man in the middle was burly, dressed in a moon-white outfit with a jade belt tightly around his waist and a small dagger at his waist. He had a handsome face and looked quite well-matched with the plain and gentle woman standing together.

The person on the far right, dressed in a dark blue brocade robe, could not hide his noble air, but his eyes were looking around with great curiosity, presumably a young nobleman from some family who had sneaked out.

Fu Chen held a steaming hot glutinous rice cake in his hand, which Lin Xihe had bought for him when they passed by a breakfast stall earlier. The glutinous rice cake was soft, sticky, sweet, and had a faint fragrance of osmanthus. He ate it in small bites, looking at Lin Xihe with a muffled expression, and asked, "Master... why did we come here?"

"Your Highness, you have grown up in the deep palace since childhood, and what you have learned is all from books, and what you have seen is all within the palace walls. But you are the heir apparent of the Great Sheng Dynasty, and in the future you will be in charge of this vast country and shoulder the rise and fall of the entire Great Sheng Dynasty."

Lin Xihe paused for a moment, then continued, "Therefore, we cannot just talk about it on paper. If we do not experience it firsthand, we will eventually find it difficult to truly understand its profound meaning."

Seeing Fu Chen's bewildered expression, Lin Xi glanced around, her gaze settling on the breakfast stall from before. She asked thoughtfully, "Does Your Highness know the value of those glutinous rice cakes?"

"Ten taels of silver?" Fu Chen frowned and pondered for a moment before answering.

"One coin," Lin Xihe said calmly.

Fu Chen's eyes widened in confusion, tinged with disbelief. "One coin? What kind of coin is that?"

"Your Highness, one tael of silver can be exchanged for approximately six hundred copper coins. The ten taels you mentioned earlier would be six thousand copper coins," Shen Jueyan, who had been standing quietly to the side, said at the opportune moment.

Lin Xihe nodded and continued to explain, "The old man at the breakfast stall just now gets up before dawn every day to start a fire and works until noon, all to earn a few coins to support his wife and children."

"A single ordinary wolf-hair brush in your study can buy three hundred of these glutinous rice cakes, which is equivalent to more than a month's worth of food for an average family; and the ten taels of silver you casually mentioned is more than a year's income for an average family."

Fu Chen took a deep breath. The glutinous rice cake in his hand was still steaming, but he forgot to take another bite and looked at the scene in front of him thoughtfully.

"What I saw today when I left the palace was only a corner of the capital's streets. This world is vast, and there are countless people who may live in remote villages, or who may be starving and suffering from displacement. As the Crown Prince, you bear the hopes of all the people on your shoulders. You cannot be content with the riches and honors in the deep palace, you cannot be indulging in the comfort before your eyes, and you cannot close your eyes and ears and ignore the suffering of the people."

Lin Xihe continued.

Upon hearing this, Fu Chen's heart stirred slightly, and his brows furrowed even more deeply. But the next second, as if he had just thought of something, he looked at Shen Jueyan beside him and asked in confusion, "Ayan, you must often have the opportunity to leave the palace. Why did you come along to join in the fun today?"