"Ice Empress, Gu Yuena, Huo Yuhao, go to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy tomorrow. Luo Xu will help you take care of the enrollment paperwork." Xu Yanli gave the order casually.
As he spoke, Xu Yanli looked over at the guard who had been by his side since childhood. He walked up to him and patted his shoulder. "While you're at it, get me enrolled too."
"Understood, Your Highness. These are the court robes His Majesty sent over. You'll need to attend court at seven tomorrow morning." Not one word out of Luo Xu's mouth was what Xu Yanli wanted to hear.
Seven in the morning? How was he supposed to survive that?
Xu Yanli stared at Luo Xu, utterly speechless.
Then he went straight to his room and fell asleep.
He'd barely lain down when he suddenly sat bolt upright.
No, was the emperor crazy?
He was only twelve—well, almost thirteen—but didn't princes usually start attending court after they turned eighteen?
He didn't want to be emperor, so what was the point of being so eager?
Forget it. He'd better sleep first, or he wouldn't be able to get up when he got back.
Xu Yanli lay back down, calm once more, but the thoughts in his mind surged like the sea.
The next morning, birdsong rose from the courtyard.
Xu Yanli nestled under the covers. His eyelids fluttered, but he didn't open them.
He shifted again, still keeping his eyes tightly shut and pretending to be dead.
Getting up in the morning felt like an endless battle with himself.
"Your Highness." Luo Xu's voice drifted in from outside the door, unhurried. "It's quarter past five. If you keep lazing in bed, you'll be late for court."
The covers flew off. Xu Yanli sat up, his hair