Why Not Eat Meat Gruel

Having said that, she leaned close to his ear again and whispered:

"The Second Prince will also be choosing a tutor with you. He is different from the Crown Prince. Do your best, and fight for what you should. If you can outshine him, it will benefit you greatly in the future.

You may not understand this now, but once you're older, you will!"

In the mirror, Zhou Cheng curled his lips.

Not understand?

He understood all too well!

If he successfully chose a tutor in letters today and began his studies, there would be no need to wait for the future-he would have no future at all!

Just last night, he had fully awakened his memories of Earth and integrated all eight years of this body's experiences.

He was Zhou Cheng, and he was also Li Chengcheng, Emperor Qing's third son.

The gentle woman standing behind him was this body's birth mother, Noble Consort Li.

When he first learned his identity, he thought that unreliable system had finally dealt him a heavenly opening hand.

But after carefully sorting through his memories, he realized the system had screwed him over again!

This body was only a year apart in age from Fan Xian. In the original story, Fan Xian entered the capital at around sixteen.

Right now, he had only begun learning to read and write. He had never practiced martial arts.

What did that mean?

It meant that, even by the most generous reckoning, he had only eight or nine years to complete the system's first mission!

Back on Earth, eight or nine years would, at most, get him through nine years of compulsory education.

Now he was supposed to go from a young child with no foundation in martial arts to a martial arts Grandmaster-a veritable god walking among men-in less than ten years. What was that, if not a joke?

Fan Xian, the protagonist blessed by destiny, had cheats and heaven-defying luck, yet even he had topped out at upper ninth rank.

Leaving aside this body's martial aptitude, or whether he had the potential and opportunities, the most deadly problem right now was-

"Take a tutor in letters, study the classics and histories, learn etiquette... Emperor Qing is clearly steering me toward the scholarly path. Even learning martial arts will be a problem!"

Zhou Cheng's heart turned ice-cold.

What kind of man was Emperor Qing?

The supreme ruler of Southern Qing, a concealed Grandmaster, the final boss who treated everyone under heaven as a chess piece and whose desire for control bordered on the twisted!

In Qing, especially deep within this palace, Emperor Qing's will was the way of heaven! It was heaven's law! No one could defy it!

He could only obey. He did not even have the right to say no!

At the rate the story progressed, by the time he could establish his own princely household and staff, out from under Emperor Qing's direct gaze, Fan Xian's carriage would probably already be rolling leisurely into the capital!

There would be no time in the future.

Even now, the time he had was nowhere near enough!

"This... this opening is already a dead board!"

Zhou Cheng racked his brains, but could not find even the faintest lead.

He was merely an ordinary prince who received no special attention, whose mother's family held no great power. His life was so simple it was almost transparent, locked tight within the palace's rules without so much as a crack.

He could not count on himself, and he could not count on anyone around him either.

"You damned system! You brought me here, so pull yourself together and do something!"

Zhou Cheng seethed with resentment.

The moment he awakened, he had summoned the system.

But aside from displaying its panel, the system had gained no new functions.

As for the promised "multiple functional modules" and "assistance with the host's growth," there was not even a shadow of them.

When he communicated with the panel, the feedback told him that system functions could only be activated gradually after the prerequisites were met.

But when he asked what those prerequisites were...

There was no response whatsoever!

Was he supposed to guess?

Who the hell knew what those damned conditions were?

If he could not activate them immediately-or even after dragging things out for another eight or ten years-his mission would already have failed, and he might be cold in his grave. What use would activating them then be?

"Right!" Zhou Cheng suddenly remembered a crucial question.

"I almost forgot to ask the system: if I can't finish the mission and want to quit midway, what do I do?"

He had already spent eight years in this world. Even if he went back now, the penalty rules would deduct eight full years from his real-world lifespan.

But if the task truly proved impossible, cutting his losses in time would still be a wise choice.

This time, the system's feedback came quickly.

Upon receiving the reply, Zhou Cheng was dumbstruck.

Instinctively, he turned his head and looked around.

Beside him stood solemn vermilion brick walls a foot thick, and above him were heavy beams covered in intricate painted designs...

He withdrew his gaze, his little face scrunching up as though he had eaten bitter melon.

"That's way too hardcore! Isn't there... a slightly more dignified method?"

Chapter 2: Why Not Eat Meat Gruel

Zhou Cheng was perfectly dignified.

The ceremony honoring the Divine Temple was a state occasion in Qing, grand in its ritual and profound in its significance.

Emperor Qing's banquet for his officials was held in the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, in the palace's outer precinct.

Following a palace attendant's guidance, Zhou Cheng took his seat among those closest to the imperial throne.

The elevated position offered a broad view, with all the civil and military officials below spread out before his eyes.

The mingled scents of sandalwood, spices, and food drifted through the air, rich but not choking.

He looked to either side.

The Eldest Prince and the Second Prince sat to his left and right, while the Crown Prince and the Eldest Princess sat farther up.

The Eldest Prince had already undergone his coming-of-age ceremony. His expression was calm and composed, accustomed as he was to occasions like this.

The Second Prince was the same age as him. Perhaps because the palace consorts did not attend such occasions and his mother was absent, he seemed slightly ill at ease, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his robe beneath the table.

The low table was laden with candied fruit, fresh fruit, and all manner of pastries, their bright colors enticing.

With nothing to do, Zhou Cheng propped his cheek on one hand and looked around, casually picking up a piece of candied fruit with the other.

A cloying sweetness burst across his tongue. After just one taste, he tossed it back onto the platter and switched to a pastry, then to fresh fruit.

Sitting upright, the Second Prince glanced his way from time to time, surprise in his eyes.

Just then, a clear, melodious woman's voice came from farther up, like pearls and jade falling onto a platter:

"Chengcheng, you certainly look at ease. Being greedy in private is one thing, but this is a state banquet. Aren't you afraid of losing your manners before His Majesty?"

It was the Eldest Princess.

His cheeks working, Zhou Cheng looked up. Li Yunrui sat upright behind her table, soft light falling across her face, with a trace of casual mischief in her expression.

He spat out the fruit stone and unhurriedly swallowed the flesh before uttering two words:

"Not afraid."

Li Yunrui's fine brows lifted slightly in surprise. "Why not?"

Zhou Cheng tilted his head and answered as though it were perfectly obvious, "Father isn't here, so I'm not afraid!"

Li Yunrui laughed despite herself. "You certainly are frank."

"I'm only telling the truth."

Zhou Cheng said, "Father chose the character 'cheng'-sincerity-for my name. I imagine he wanted me to be sincere of heart and upright of mind, steadfast and true. That's why I only tell the truth and never lie."

"Oh?"

Li Yunrui's eyes shimmered, as though her interest had been piqued.

"If you never lie, then tell me-what do you think of your aunt?"

Zhou Cheng's gaze rested openly on her face, and he studied her earnestly for a moment.

He had to admit that the Eldest Princess's beauty was truly breathtaking. Her skin surpassed snow, her eyes were like dots of black lacquer, and every smile and frown held its own allure. No wonder she was called Qing's greatest beauty.

"Aunt, you're so beautiful," he said sincerely. "Of everyone I've seen, even Mother can't compare."

Li Yunrui covered her lips with her sleeve, her eyes and brows curving with her smile.

"You little child. So young, yet already so good at pleasing people."

Zhou Cheng neither agreed nor disagreed. He picked up a cherry so red it seemed ready to drip and held it up toward her.

"The cherries are the sweetest things on this table. Would you like to try some, Aunt?"

Li Yunrui lightly waved her slender hand. "None for me. If you like them, Cheng'er, have some more."

With that, she gestured to a palace servant behind her to carry the fruit platter from her own table over to Zhou Cheng.

Zhou Cheng did not stand on ceremony. He merely turned to those beside him and farther up. "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, Your Highness the Crown Prince, would you like these cherries?"

The Eldest Prince shook his head, politely declining.

The Second Prince glanced over, then quickly lowered his eyes again.

The Crown Prince, only six years old, still had a child's disposition. He reached out to take some, only to hesitate.

Zhou Cheng chuckled. "If none of you want them, I won't hold back!"

With that, he raised his voice and ordered an attendant to bring over the fruit platters from all three of their tables.

The Eldest Prince's eyelid twitched. The Second Prince's eyes went wide, while the Crown Prince's mouth hung open, wanting to speak but holding back, looking utterly aggrieved.