8
1585 Words
Classes start
Nearly two months had passed since Yuri and Jing arrived at the Palace.
The unfamiliar halls had gradually become familiar.
The servants no longer looked surprised when they saw Jing wandering through the gardens.
The palace guards greeted her with friendly smiles.
Even the Empress Dowager had grown fond of her frequent visits.
For the first time in years, life felt peaceful.
Early one morning, sunlight streamed through the windows of Jing's room.
The little girl was still curled up beneath her blankets when hurried footsteps echoed outside.
A moment later, the doors burst open.
"Jing!"
The familiar voice instantly shattered the morning silence.
Jing groaned and pulled her blanket over her head.
The Eighth Princess rushed into the room.
"Wake up! Wake up!"
"I'm awake..." Jing mumbled sleepily.
"No, you're not."
"I am."
"No."
"I am."
The princess placed her hands on her hips.
"You're still hiding under the blanket."
Jing reluctantly peeked out.
The princess nodded triumphantly.
"See? I win."
Jing sighed.
For some reason, Princess Meiling always had too much energy in the mornings.
After the attendants helped Jing get dressed, two young palace maids accompanied her as they left her residence.
As usual, Princess Meiling was also followed by her personal attendants.
The four maids walked several steps behind the children, allowing them enough freedom to talk while remaining close enough to intervene if needed.
"Why are you so happy today?" Jing asked as they walked through the palace corridors.
Meiling proudly lifted her chin.
"Classes start today."
Jing looked confused.
"Shouldn't that make you sad?"
"It does."
The princess paused.
"But it's also exciting."
Jing wasn't entirely convinced.
The palace tutors had already informed her of her schedule.
Since she was not a member of the imperial family and was still very young, she had been exempted from most lessons.
Instead of attending five classes each day like Princess Meiling, Jing was only required to attend three.
The remaining hours would be spent studying basic reading, writing, etiquette, and history.
To Jing, that already sounded like a lot.
The palace academy occupied a large courtyard within the inner palace.
Several young nobles and royal children were already gathered there with their attendants waiting nearby.
Some were reviewing scrolls.
Others chatted quietly while waiting for their tutors.
As Jing entered beside Princess Meiling, accompanied by their maids, many curious eyes turned toward her.
The mysterious girl discovered near the forbidden forest had become a frequent topic of discussion among palace servants.
Now many students were seeing her for the first time.
Jing instinctively moved closer to Meiling while one of her attendants quietly stepped forward to remain near her side.
The attention made her uncomfortable.
Fortunately, the princess seemed completely unconcerned.
"This is Jing," Meiling announced proudly.
"As everyone already knows."
Several children laughed.
Jing wished she could disappear.
Soon, the morning bell rang.
The tutors arrived.
Classes officially began.
The students quickly moved toward their assigned classrooms.
Since Jing and Meiling had different schedules, they were soon separated.
"See you later!" Meiling said cheerfully.
Jing nodded.
"See you."
As the princess disappeared down another corridor, Jing suddenly realized she was alone.
Well...
Almost alone.
Around her stood dozens of unfamiliar students, strict tutors, and enough scrolls to fill an entire library.
For some reason, surviving three years in the wilderness suddenly seemed easier.
Taking a deep breath, Jing followed the others into her classroom.
After the morning bell rang, the children entered their respective classrooms.
Jing's attendants quietly remained outside while the students took their seats.
The classroom was bright and spacious. Scrolls lined the shelves, and the scent of fresh ink lingered in the air.
The tutor, an elderly scholar named Master Chen, stroked his beard as he observed the children.
"Welcome, everyone."
The students immediately straightened their backs.
"Today marks the beginning of a new season of study."
His gaze swept across the room before stopping briefly on Jing.
The little girl lowered her head.
She still disliked being the center of attention.
Fortunately, Master Chen continued without comment.
The lesson soon began.
To Jing's surprise, she found reading and writing far more difficult than wandering through forests.
The characters seemed endless.
Every time she successfully remembered one, three more appeared.
By the end of the lesson, her head felt dizzy.
When the class finally ended, Jing let out a sigh of relief.
One of her attendants immediately handed her a small cup of water.
"Thank you."
The maid smiled.
"It is my duty, Miss Jing."
Just then, a familiar voice called out.
"Jing!"
Princess Meiling came running down the corridor.
Her own attendants hurried after her.
"How was your class?"
Jing thought for a moment.
"Very difficult."
Meiling nodded seriously.
"I know."
The two girls exchanged a look.
For perhaps the first time in history, they had reached complete agreement.
The next lesson took place in a larger courtyard shared by several classes.
Students from different age groups gathered there.
This was one of the few classes where Jing and Meiling attended together.
The courtyard buzzed with activity.
As the girls took their seats, Jing noticed several familiar faces from the royal banquet.
Among them was the Seventh Prince.
The prince was sitting beneath a pavilion, listening to one of the instructors.
Unlike during the banquet, he appeared surprisingly attentive.
Jing blinked.
"He's studying."
Meiling looked confused.
"Of course he's studying."
"I thought princes only played all day."
The princess gasped.
"If my brothers heard that, they'd cry."
Jing considered this.
"I don't think the Second Prince cries."
Meiling immediately burst into laughter.
Neither girl noticed that the Seventh Prince had overheard part of their conversation.
The boy turned slightly.
A smile appeared on his face.
The lesson continued peacefully until the instructor began asking questions.
Most students avoided eye contact.
Some stared at their desks.
Others suddenly became fascinated by the clouds.
The instructor sighed.
"Does anyone know the answer?"
Silence.
Then, unexpectedly, a small hand rose into the air.
Everyone turned.
Jing.
The little girl looked surprised that everyone was staring at her.
The instructor smiled.
"Yes?"
Jing answered carefully.
The instructor's eyes widened slightly.
"Correct."
Several students looked impressed.
Meiling looked shocked.
"You knew that?"
Jing nodded.
"Yuri taught me."
In truth, Yuri had spent years teaching Jing whatever knowledge she possessed during their travels.
Many lessons had been taught beside campfires and beneath open skies.
The instructor smiled approvingly.
"Very good."
Jing sat down again.
The Seventh Prince glanced at her thoughtfully.
Perhaps this strange girl was not quite as ordinary as everyone believed.
When the day's final lesson ended, the students began leaving the academy.
Jing stretched her arms.
She was exhausted.
Princess Meiling immediately grabbed her hand.
"Come on!"
"Where?"
"The gardens."
"What for?"
"I found a turtle."
Jing stared.
"A turtle?"
"Yes."
The princess nodded enthusiastically.
"We have to investigate it."
Before Jing could protest, Meiling was already pulling her away.
Their attendants quickly followed behind.
From a distance, the Seventh Prince watched the two girls disappear around a corner.
For some reason, he found himself smiling.
The mysterious girl from the forest had only been in the palace for a month.
Yet somehow, she had already made the palace feel a little different.
Princess Meiling dragged Jing through several winding paths until they arrived at one of the palace gardens.
At its center lay a beautiful lotus pond.
The water reflected the afternoon sunlight like polished jade. Pink lotus blossoms floated peacefully across the surface while colorful koi fish swam beneath them.
Jing immediately stopped walking.
"It's beautiful."
Meiling nodded proudly.
"This is my favorite place in the whole palace."
Several attendants stood nearby, keeping watch over the two children while allowing them enough space to explore.
The princess pointed excitedly toward the edge of the pond.
"There!"
Jing followed her finger.
A small turtle was slowly making its way across a flat stone near the water.
The girls crouched beside it.
"It looks old," Jing whispered.
"Maybe it's a thousand years old."
Jing looked doubtful.
"I don't think turtles live that long."
"How do you know?"
Jing thought for a moment.
"I don't."
The two girls burst into laughter.
The turtle, completely unconcerned by the discussion, continued its journey.
Nearby, the attendants exchanged amused smiles.
The palace had not heard such carefree laughter from children in quite some time.
As the girls watched the turtle, another figure entered the garden.
The Seventh Prince.
Having finished his lessons for the day, he had come to the pond to escape his tutors for a while.
The moment he spotted the two girls crouching beside the water, curiosity got the better of him.
"What are you doing?"
Both girls looked up.
Meiling immediately stood.
"Seventh Brother!"
The prince walked over.
Jing recognized him instantly.
Her face warmed slightly as she remembered the banquet.
The prince looked at the turtle.
"You're watching that?"
"Of course," Meiling replied.
"We're investigating it."
The Seventh Prince stared at the turtle.
The turtle stared back.
After a long silence, he nodded seriously.
"I see."
Jing blinked.
For some reason, he sounded as though he were discussing an important state matter.
The prince crouched beside them.
"What have you discovered so far?"
Meiling pointed dramatically.
"It is definitely a turtle."
"Excellent observation."
Jing couldn't help it.
She laughed.
For a moment, all three children forgot about lessons, palace rules, and royal responsibilities.
They were simply children sitting beside a lotus pond on a warm afternoon.
- Writer
