Wei Mingxiu put on a flattered expression, but still shook his head at Wei Zeyu. "I appreciate your kindness, Second Brother, but this is a private matter between Third Brother and me. There's no need to trouble Her Majesty the empress."
His tone and expression were so sincere that Eunuch Qin and Wei Zeyu's attendants all felt their hearts soften.
Standing nearby, Wei Chengye was so angry that his eyes turned red.
After all, he had seen Wei Mingxiu's covert provocation with his own eyes. That was enough to show that Wei Mingxiu had planned the whole thing.
Yet all these people had been kept in the dark by Wei Mingxiu and had willingly fallen for his lies!
He wanted to expose Wei Mingxiu, but the more he said and the angrier he got, the more it worked in Wei Mingxiu's favor.
It was as though Wei Mingxiu had him by the throat and was slapping him, yet he couldn't even strike back!
"Y-Your Third Highness, save... save me..."
The palace maid being held down and slapped had a mouthful of blood. She pleaded weakly with Wei Chengye.
But Wei Chengye was already in a foul mood. Hearing her cry for help reminded him that Eunuch Qin had made him lose face because of this servant, and he grew even angrier.
He stepped forward and kicked the palace maid in the chest.
"Shut up!"
"You embarrassing idiot!"
After berating her, Wei Chengye strode toward the exit, saying to Zhou Ye as he went, "Junior Preceptor Zhou, go ahead and teach my imperial brothers. I can't stay at the Imperial Academy another moment today!"
With that, he swept his sleeves and left. His attendants hurried after him, no longer as arrogant as they had been on arrival. They fled like dogs with their tails between their legs, unable even to hold their heads up.
Wei Yuanshi, who had neither understood what he heard nor what he saw, hesitated before finally scampering after Wei Chengye on his short little legs.
"Third Brother! Third Brother! Wait for me!"
"Your Highness! Th-Your Highness..." The beaten palace maid coughed up blood and stared in the direction the youth had gone, her face full of despair.
Eunuch Qin looked coldly at her face, swollen like a pig's head.
He waved a hand, and the eunuch stopped.
"You may go."
Granted permission to leave, the palace maid hurriedly scrambled to her feet and stumbled after Wei Chengye.
But Eunuch Qin knew that life would probably not be easy for her from now on.
After all, in this palace, how could someone live comfortably after following the wrong master and failing to read the situation?
Sighing inwardly, Eunuch Qin walked over to Zhou Ye with an apologetic expression.
"Junior Preceptor Zhou, I'm sorry for the trouble."
"It's nothing," Zhou Ye said. "I'll simply take it that His Third Highness felt unwell and took his leave. I saw nothing else."
His words favored neither side and maintained his neutrality, offending no one. Eunuch Qin was pleased to hear them.
"You're very thoughtful, Junior Preceptor." With that, Eunuch Qin walked over to Wei Mingxiu. "Your Sixth Highness, what happened today was not your fault. If anyone lays the blame on you in the future, I will report it to Her Majesty the empress and let her decide."
"Thank you for being fair, Eunuch Qin." This time, Wei Mingxiu did not decline.
After all, one show of false sincerity was enough. If he kept insisting that Eunuch Qin not report it to the empress, it would only seem too deliberate.
Finally, Eunuch Qin looked at Wei Zeyu.
His expression was complicated.
He started to speak several times before gently asking,
"Your Second Highness, were you frightened by what just happened?"
"I... was."
Wei Zeyu said, "I'm afraid of that bad Third Brother! I don't like his eyes!"
Eunuch Qin knew he was referring to the way Wei Chengye had looked at him.
After Wei Zeyu became simple-minded, malicious palace servants had abused and mocked him. Ever since then, he had grown increasingly sensitive, able to tell from people's eyes who would hurt him and who would treat him well.
And what had just happened confirmed that Wei Chengye was indeed hostile toward him.
So Eunuch Qin asked again,
"Then are you still willing to stay at the Imperial Academy?"
"I..." Wei Zeyu glanced at Wei Mingxiu beside him. "I like Sixth Brother's eyes. I want to play with Sixth Brother."
"All right, I understand." Eunuch Qin was a trusted and capable confidant of the empress, which was why she had put him in charge of looking after Wei Zeyu.
It pained him deeply to see what Wei Zeyu had become.
But he also knew that simply protecting Wei Zeyu was not the best solution.
Since His Second Highness had made a firm choice of his own today, Eunuch Qin would explain the rest to Her Majesty and take care of it.
With that in mind, he said to Zhou Ye, "Junior Preceptor Zhou, sorry for the trouble, but please look after His Second Highness for now. I need to return to Kunning Palace."
Zhou Ye nodded.
He watched Eunuch Qin leave.
When he turned back, his gaze met Wei Mingxiu's.
Zhou Ye raised a brow, took a specially made wooden sword from the weapons rack, and tossed it to Wei Mingxiu.
Wei Mingxiu caught it instinctively.
Zhou Ye swung another wooden sword and said, "I had planned to teach Your Highnesses some basic sword techniques today, then have you spar with one another. But since His Third Highness is absent, I'll have to be your opponent, Your Sixth Highness."
Wei Mingxiu's heart stirred. He raised his sword and looked at Zhou Ye, a trace of genuine amusement finally appearing in his eyes.
"Please instruct me, Junior Preceptor."
"Wow, wow, wow!!" Wei Zeyu watched excitedly from the side, holding Xuexue. "Are you and Sixth Brother going to fight like in the storybooks, Junior Preceptor?"
Wei Zeyu still remembered the storybooks Eunuch Qin had read to him, and his eyes lit up.
Zhou Ye thrust his sword at Wei Mingxiu, striking the youth's blade with a bang. Though he had used only thirty percent of his strength, the impact numbed the web between Wei Mingxiu's thumb and forefinger.
The youth knocked his sword aside and leaned forward to thrust at Zhou Ye, only for the man to suddenly duck. In the next instant, their swords pressed together, and they were face-to-face, so close that they were almost touching again.
"Your Sixth Highness, you did well today, retreating in order to advance."
The man deliberately lowered his voice, but it was still loud enough for Wei Mingxiu to hear.
"Your plan was a good one, Junior Preceptor." At the praise, Wei Mingxiu's usually cool features took on a more lively expression. He said softly, "I merely carried it out."
"You learn quickly, Your Sixth Highness," Zhou Ye replied. "One day, even without my plans, you'll be able to stand on your own."
Wei Mingxiu's heart jolted.
He could hear that Zhou Ye seemed to be hinting at leaving.
He was just about to ask more when Zhou Ye withdrew his sword and stepped back, putting distance between them.
He said, "This is your first time using a sword, Your Sixth Highness, and you're not yet proficient. If we continue, you might be injured. Let's end our spar here for today."
With distance between them and so many pairs of eyes around them, it was no longer convenient to say more.
Wei Mingxiu could only suppress his doubts and start by practicing his swings.
Meanwhile, Shuyue Palace had erupted into chaos.
Wei Chengye swept everything off the table and kicked over tables and stools, shouting at Noble Consort Shu, "Mother, you didn't see how arrogant Wei Mingxiu was today! Relying on that fool to defend him, he joined forces with the empress's people and made me lose face!"
"I really can't swallow this insult!!"