At first, Qi Yan was settled in the side hall, but the side hall was bitterly cold. Xiao Shao, afraid he would have problems, simply let him stay in the side room of the main hall, which also made it more convenient for writing policy essays at night.

Hearing this, Eunuch He squeezed out a smile. "Your Highness is joking."

Even if he had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare go to Xiao Shao's bed to teach someone.

Xiao Shao asked again, "What are the rules for teaching etiquette here?"

Eunuch He replied, "Naturally, we must teach every aspect. For instance, how to bow, how to kneel, including bowing and turning around, there are particularities for all of it."

Xiao Shao: "There are particularities?"

Eunuch He: "Of course there are... However, before we begin, I must also ask for your bottom line. If Close Attendant Qi does not perform well, which punishments are permissible and which are not?"

Xiao Shao turned his head: "What are they?"

Eunuch He listed them one by one: "The most basic ones, such as kneeling as punishment, forbidding food and water, ranging from two hours to eight hours, kneeling on black bricks or in the snow. If you cherish his appearance, then we will avoid the sun so he won't get sunburned or tanned. As for the rest, whips and paddles are also commonly used, but they easily leave injuries. If you don't wish to see these marks, you can also choose punishments with lighter marks, such as needle punishment, or those that leave no marks at all, such as water torture. We can handle all of these perfectly, without leaving a single scar on his entire body."

When he reached this point, the System popped up, its screen displaying coldly: "water torture is one of the teaching plot nodes. Please take note, Host. The completion time limit is within this month. Failure to complete it will result in a deduction of corresponding points."

Xiao Shao had only asked casually, but at this moment, his brows furrowed. The hand gripping his fan unconsciously exerted force, bending and deforming the fan ribs: "Water? What is that?"

Eunuch He said, "We bind the prisoner to the torture bed, then wet a silk handkerchief and cover their face with it. Then we continuously add water. As the handkerchief absorbs the water, the prisoner will be unable to breathe and will constantly remain on the verge of suffocating to death. But once the handkerchief is removed, everything returns to normal without any harm to the body."

He smiled and said, "Do not underestimate it, Your Highness. Although this water is simple to use, after repeating it several times, even a man made of iron would be terrified."

His tone was quite complacent, holding an ingratiating tone meant to curry favor.

Xiao Shao exerted force in his hand, and with a crack, the redwood fan rib, which was as thick as a finger, was forcefully snapped by him.

Eunuch He probed cautiously: "...Your Highness?"

An anonymous fire surged in Xiao Shao's heart, burning until his chest ached dully. He gritted his back teeth and endured it again and again before suppressing his churning murderous intent.

—This was the eunuch personally appointed by his imperial father, he couldn't touch him.

Xiao Shao took a deep breath, waving his hand to interrupt the director's words, and said calmly, "Tomorrow I will depart for Hedong. I won't be here."

Eunuch He smiled apologetically: "Please go ahead. By the time you return, I will have finished teaching here as well. It won't delay your affairs."

Xiao Shao abruptly turned his head, his tone extremely cold: "Qi Yan is coming with me. Who do you plan to teach?"

"..."

The Second Prince was notoriously temperamental and extremely difficult to serve; a gentle breeze and light rain one second, a violent storm the next. Eunuch He began to wipe his sweat: "Then what is your intention?"

Xiao Shao glanced at him: "You'll come with me. We aren't lacking a carriage for you."

Whether it was for the System's plot or Emperor Jianning's demands, he had to bring this eunuch along.

"..."

That glance carried a tremendous suppressive weight, three points sharper than the dim-sighted Emperor Jianning. Eunuch He trembled, nearly kneeling, and said profusely sweating, "Yes."

Early the next morning, the servants finished preparing the carriages.

When a prince traveled, naturally he couldn't be wronged. Four carriages were fully stuffed with food, water, and utensils. The foremost carriage was nearly four meters high, colorfully painted and gilded, carved with cloud and dragon motifs on all sides, magnificent and opulent.

Xiao Shao lifted his robe and was the first to board the carriage.

Eunuch He waited beside the second carriage. He waited and waited, but didn't see Qi Yan coming. Instead, he saw the carriage in front dip slightly as Xiao Shao lifted the curtain and reached a hand out from the carriage door.

That hand was slender and well-proportioned, the finger pads covered in a thin layer of calluses. Xiao Shao curled his fingers towards the front and said, "Come."

Eunuch He followed his gaze and saw a person wearing a thick cloak. The fluffy fox fur enveloped their entire body, making it impossible to see their face clearly. The person hesitated for a moment before reaching out to grasp Xiao Shao's hand. Xiao Shao pulled smoothly, and taking advantage of the force, the person boarded the carriage.

Eunuch He: "...?"

Although he hadn't seen the face, judging from the slender and tall figure, it was probably Qi Yan.

For a moment he felt it was absurd, but the coachman had already raised his whip and urged the horses to depart. Gritting his teeth, Eunuch He boarded the second carriage.

Meanwhile, in the lead carriage, Qi Yan dropped the curtain. Several times he hesitated as if wanting to speak but said nothing, simply sitting down beside Xiao Shao.

A charcoal stove was burning inside the carriage, so he untied the fox fur and hung it on the beam. Xiao Shao looked him up and down: "What do you want to say? Just say it."

Qi Yan paused slightly, but still asked: "The eunuch behind our carriage, what is he here to do?"

Xiao Shao smiled: "To take you back to the palace for teaching."

After speaking, he crossed his arms, watching Qi Yan at his leisure: Sure enough, little Tanhua Qi's face turned instantly pale. Qi Yan seemed to recall something terrifying; his fingers gripped the edge of the seat with silent force, and his lips began to tremble.

But Xiao Shao only watched for a moment before he quieted down, silently meeting Xiao Shao's gaze. The two paused for a long time. Qi Yan suddenly turned his face away, lowering his eyes so as not to look at him, and asked in a muffled voice, "If Your Highness wishes to send me back to the palace, just do so. Why must you tease me like this?"

Xiao Shao was just planning to tell him. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow: "How do you know I'm teasing you?"

Qi Yan looked outside the carriage: "The carriage has already set off."

The carriage had already departed, and the stalls and shops on both sides of the main street blurred into shadows. They had passed Liyang Gate and were driving towards the Hedong prefectural capital, which was in the exact opposite direction of the imperial palace. Naturally, it was impossible to be sending him back to the palace.

Xiao Shao fanned himself and chuckled: "The day before yesterday, you were pulling my sleeve, bitterly begging me not to send you back. Today Eunuch He arrived, and I saw your face turn white as soon as you saw him. The dream you had a few days ago, did you dream about him?"

He had just mentioned it casually. Dreams were illusory and ethereal, how could they be taken seriously? Yet Qi Yan gripped the seat, looking absentminded for a moment, before answering in a hoarse voice, "I dreamt of him."

Xiao Shao paused, pretending to smile easily: "Oh, then did you dream who he was and what his name was?"

Qi Yan lowered his eyes: "In my dream, his name was He Jin, he should be a Director in the Directorate of Ceremonial."

"..."

Xiao Shao's fanning hand completely stopped.

—Not a single mistake.

Qi Yan hadn't been in the palace for long. This Director was a trusted aide of the Chief Eunuch and not someone he could meet. So where did he learn He Jin's full name? Were these dreams truly prophetic dreams, or were they things that had already happened in a past life?

...Things that had happened in a past life?

Xiao Shao's tone was a bit stiff: "So in the dream, he was the one who taught you?"

Qi Yan had already recovered by this time. Those were all things in a dream. The dream had been interrupted by Xiao Shao, and later he had gotten a good night's sleep, so he didn't care as much anymore. He only replied, "It was him."

While speaking, Qi Yan even poured a cup of tea for Xiao Shao and adjusted the soft cushions on his seat, which counted as fulfilling his duties as a close attendant.

"..."

Xiao Shao's complexion was ugly. At this time in his past life, he had never paid attention to the right and wrong within the palace, nor did he know about the so-called rules and teachings. But if Eunuch He truly had taught Qi Yan, had the methods he spoke of also genuinely been used on Qi Yan?

Before that highly powerful Lord ascended the nine-tiered crimson steps, had he too suffered through such unbearable humiliation, such suffocating punishments?

Was the stunningly brilliant Tanhua of the previous life tormented step by step into being so cold and ruthless just like this?

Xiao Shao unconsciously exerted force in his hand, squeezing the fan until it creaked. The fan ribs couldn't bear the heavy load, looking as if they were about to snap again.

Seeing that his expression was amiss, although he didn't know the reason, Qi Yan still put down the teapot and changed the subject: "Your Highness has changed fans?"

He conveniently rescued the fan from Xiao Shao's hand and examined it for a moment: "Wumen's landscape paintings are indeed elegant and flowing, but in terms of mature brushwork, the previous Songjiang School of Painting one was still more beautiful."

Xiao Shao: "..."

He had snapped the previous one. The fan ribs were broken, completely beyond saving.

Xiao Shao felt stifled in his heart, but his face remained calm and relaxed, still maintaining the demeanor of a hedonistic young master. He merely said, "If you like it, take it."

Qi Yan: "One should not accept a reward without merit." He pinched the fan, looking at it from left to right, showing a bit of pity for it. "It's a good fan."

Xiao Shao scoffed. Remembering the one he had broken yesterday, he felt a bit uncomfortable and simply said, "Tomorrow, you write one for me too."

Since Qi Yan could become Tanhua, his calligraphy naturally wasn't bad. He hesitated for a moment: "In this eunuch's body, I am no bright moon or clear breeze, not a respectable figure. To use a fan I've written on, I'm afraid it would insult Your Highness..."

Xiao Shao grew even more irritable. He backhanded the fan to press against his lips, tapping the fan rib against them, and said fiercely, "Don't let me hear that again, do you hear me?"

Qi Yan swallowed his extra words. The hand pinching the fan rib paused for a moment before he suddenly smiled faintly: "If you don't mind it, then naturally it is fine."

The Hedong prefectural capital was not far from the capital city. Spurring the horses on, it was merely a few days' carriage ride.

Because Xiao Shao's identity was special, as they passed by the provincial and county government offices along the way, the officials, having long known he was coming to inspect, all entertained him with fine wine and good food, not daring to slight him in the slightest.

And every time they got off the carriage to eat, Eunuch He would try to find an opening to seek out Qi Yan, only to be lukewarmly blocked by Xiao Shao.

Xiao Shao now found this Director thoroughly displeasing to the eye. Whenever he was present, Xiao Shao would pull Qi Yan to his side and wrap him tightly in a cloak, not exposing a single bit of skin to the outside. Eunuch He repeatedly approached, but returned without success every time.

Bumping along like this, they eventually arrived at Anyi, the provincial capital of Hedong. The Prefect of Hedong, Song Luyang, hosted a banquet at his residence to entertain Xiao Shao.

This person belonged to the Crown Prince's faction. Xiao Shao couldn't appear overly brilliant in front of him, so he simply ate and drank, fully putting on the airs of a hedonistic playboy.

Before attending the banquet, Xiao Shao looked at Qi Yan with a smile, waving his fan: "Little Tanhua Qi, for this banquet, I have a play I need you to act in."

Qi Yan didn't understand the reason, but he lowered his head and complied.

Song Luyang also knew that Xiao Shao was an empty-headed fool, so he didn't discuss formal matters either. The banquet was held with the utmost extravagance, giving the Prince plenty of face. At the banquet, cups were constantly exchanged, and singing, dancing, and music never ceased. By the end, Xiao Shao repeatedly praised it, his cheeks flushed red. Half-collapsed at the banquet table, he appeared to be half-drunk.

Song Luyang clapped his hands, and unexpectedly, a delicate and beautiful young boy came up to the banquet, half-kneeling beside Xiao Shao, eagerly pouring wine.

Song Luyang smiled: "This is my adoptive son. He used to sing at the Southern Brothel. He has a beautiful appearance; I'll let him accompany Your Highness these few days."

It seemed that ever since he took in Qi Yan, Xiao Shao's reputation for loving men had spread across the lands north and south of the river.

The young boy smiled and was about to snuggle into Xiao Shao's embrace.

The hand with which Qi Yan poured wine trembled. Experiencing an inexplicable emotion, he quickly lowered his eyes and made no further movements. Although Xiao Shao's drunkenness had gone to his head, his hand was steady. He lightly blocked the young boy, keeping him at a distance.

Song Luyang froze for a moment, then immediately smiled: "Everyone says that the Second Prince's greatest love is to be romantic and cherish flowers, and that he is extremely fond of beauties. Looking at it now, the rumors are untrue!"

As he said this, the officials at the banquet all laughed. Only Song Luyang, using his wine cup as a cover, obscurely sized up Xiao Shao, his face revealing a probing look.

However, he saw Xiao Shao finish his wine, suddenly pull Qi Yan closer, and press him into his embrace.

He leisurely smiled and said, "A beauty also depends on what kind of beauty. Now that I've obtained this one, I no longer have eyes for mediocre beauties."

Song Luyang withdrew his gaze, nodding and smiling along.

Qi Yan froze and subconsciously wanted to struggle. Pressed stiffly against Xiao Shao's chest, his nose could almost detect the heat of his skin. The scent of incense wrapped around him, and unconsciously, his waist softened.

Xiao Shao held him down with one hand, easily stopping his struggles. Then, picking up a cup, he fed Qi Yan two mouthfuls of wine. Qi Yan didn't often drink. He pursed his lips and pushed back. Being held in someone's embrace in public in front of so many officials, his face burned intensely, and his resisting movements grew a bit larger. Yet he saw Xiao Shao lean in close to his ear and suddenly kiss his earlobe.

Qi Yan's ears instantly turned red. Xiao Shao practically kissed over his entire auricle, then nuzzled against his earlobe. Finally, he asked in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"This Song Luyang, are you familiar with him?"

Where was there even a hint of drunkenness?

Qi Yan paused: "I am familiar with him."

The one who submitted the memorial accusing his father of embezzling the treasury silver was precisely Song Luyang.

Xiao Shao held him down and once again pushed the wine cup to his lips. Biting and kissing his earlobe, he said softly, "Drink it. Later, we'll pretend to be drunk and leave the banquet, and I'll take you to explore the Hedong silver treasury by night."

The Hedong silver treasury was precisely the place where three million taels of silver had vanished into thin air.