In his previous life, Shu Changyu had been deceived by Emperor Qian Ning’s appearance.
Although he was physically weak, he had grown up in a military family. Everyone around him—men and women, young and old—spoke bluntly and directly, and there were very few who engaged in pretence and deceit. Thus, Shu Changyu had been raised with a pure, sincere heart. He treated others sincerely, and rarely doubted what others said.
Therefore, when he saw Emperor Qian Ning’s slow, gentle, jade-like appearance, he only felt it was kind and familiar, and had never suspected anything.
In his previous life, during the banquet, Emperor Qian Ning smiled and said, “The one I most dote on is my second son. It is a pity that this child was raised among commoners and had no proper teacher to guide him; otherwise, he would surely become a pillar of the nation in the future.”
Shu Changyu did not hear the deeper meaning in those words. Instead, he thought of how his mother and eldest sister-in-law had recently said how pitiful this child was. He thought to himself: the emperor rules over all under heaven; although he wishes to care for this child, it is inevitable that he misses things, allowing the child to be bullied. This child had also not received imperial education, so his situation in the palace must be the most difficult.
Thus, without much thought at the time, he stood up from his seat and voluntarily requested to become this prince’s Imperial Tutor.
He only thought he was doing a good deed—though it would be exhausting, it would at least save someone from hardship. Therefore, he did not notice the emperor’s subtly changed smile, nor the emperor’s words filled with deeper intent.
“The Shu Third Young Master has always been kind-hearted; he will surely get along well with my second son. The Shu family has been generals for generations; with Shu Third Young Master supporting my son in the future, I can rest easy. Good, very good.”
How could a general’s son “support” a prince? Yet Shu Changyu only felt the emperor’s words were improper, and did not probe further, nor did he notice the sudden change in expressions among those around him.
In this life, he was determined not to repeat the same mistakes—but unexpectedly…
Why was everything different from the previous life?
By reason, ever since Prince Jing Mu returned to the palace, the emperor had always ignored this son who had grown up outside the palace until age fifteen, treating him as nothing more than a small object brought back and raised casually in the palace. Yet in this life, why had he been brought to the Qionglin Banquet, and before the banquet even began, why had the emperor personally ordered Shu Changyu to become Jing Mu’s Imperial Tutor?
Shu Changyu’s whole body trembled. He no longer had the energy to investigate the reason, and was instead overwhelmed by fear of repeating the same path, his face turning pale at once.
In his previous life, everything began with him becoming Jing Mu’s Imperial Tutor. He did not take that old path in this life, yet still failed to avoid becoming Jing Mu’s Imperial Tutor… did that mean that in this lifetime, no matter what he did, he could not escape the fate of his entire household being destroyed and being cast aside by all?
Just this thought alone brought back the loneliness and coldness of his past life, freezing through his limbs and bones. He felt as if ice-cold needles were densely pricking his nerves, leaving his entire body cold and numb.
In his previous life, everyone said he possessed overwhelming power, that he had overshadowed the emperor and held authority over the world. Yet only he himself knew that such immense power felt like shackles, constantly locked around his throat, reminding him—
You have betrayed the Shu family, betrayed the clear order of heaven and earth. Those with conscience will not associate with you; you are unworthy of being human.
At that moment, the middle-aged second-ranked jinshi at his right—an imperial examination graduate from a humble background—carefully nudged his arm and timidly reminded him, “Shu Third Young Master, it is time to express gratitude for the imperial grace.”
Shu Changyu lowered his eyes and looked at the man.
In his previous life, it was this same face. After he became Chancellor in that life, his first act had been to purge those officials who had obstructed the emperor’s decision to send reinforcements to the Shu family army. This man had failed to stop them, and died by striking a pillar in the court hall, blood spilling across the floor and soaking into the soles of his boots.
That normally quiet and timid second-ranked jinshi had fallen with eyes fixed directly on him, glaring in rage, dying with eyes unclosed.
Shu Changyu came to his senses as if waking from a dream, hurriedly leaving his seat. He lifted the hem of his robe and knelt, bowing deeply as he said, “Your Majesty, this minister is lacking in talent and learning, and fears he is unworthy of such an important responsibility. I beg Your Majesty to withdraw this decree and not delay the Second Highness’s promising future because of me.”
After speaking, Shu Changyu remained bowed for a long moment before straightening.
After the emperor finished speaking earlier, he had been observing Shu Changyu’s reaction in secret. When he first saw his examination essays, he had thought this man possessed vast ambition and sharp insight into current affairs. Later, hearing that he had fallen from his horse during the procession, he had wondered whether this was merely a bookish fool who read himself into stupidity.
Now, it seemed this young man truly looked stunned and disbelieving, even taking a long time before responding—utterly wooden and timid, exactly as he had expected.
For others, the emperor would have been angered and might even have regretted awarding him the title of top scholar. Stripping it away would not have been impossible.
But he was not just anyone—he was Shu Changyu, descendant of the Shu family of founding merit, a family with generations of military achievements.
The emperor had long been wary of the Shu family, especially after Shu Changyu, the third son, passed the imperial examinations and shocked the realm. The Shu family’s power already threatened the throne; now they were entering the court through civil service as well. This had become a serious concern in the emperor’s heart.
Yet now, seeing Shu Changyu behave so foolishly, the emperor instead felt relieved.
After all, the Shu family guarded the northern frontier; if they were removed, no one could replace them, and the northern nomads would have the opportunity to invade.
Hearing Shu Changyu refuse in a trembling voice, the emperor grew even more satisfied. Stroking his beard, he smiled kindly and said, “Shu Third Young Master, if even you, the famed scholar who achieved the triple crown of first place, call yourself lacking in talent, then there is no one in the world who can read.”
It was meant as a light, teasing joke. But to Shu Changyu, it was another sudden shock.
So this old fox had long regarded him as a threat, and had always been displeased with his rise to top scholar status. Indeed, it was because he had been too sharp in his previous life and failed to conceal his edge that his entire family had met such a tragic fate.
“Your Majesty, I am young and inexperienced, my knowledge is only superficial and theoretical. I truly cannot bear the responsibility of teaching a prince,” Shu Changyu continued to refuse.
The emperor’s heart grew even more reassured.
He glanced sideways at Jing Mu. At this moment, Jing Mu had his head lowered, hands clasped over his knees, looking pitiful like an abandoned little stray dog. As if sensing the emperor’s gaze, he lifted his head. The emperor saw his lips pressed together, expressionless, though his eyes were slightly red.
For a rare moment, the emperor felt a trace of pity.
Indeed, everyone knew this second prince had been sent out of the palace and only brought back at fifteen, already past the age for proper education, merely returning to live a quiet life. The child was already self-conscious, and his only wish was to find a teacher to guide him. Now, this teacher was refusing imperial command outright—how could the child not feel hurt?
In the emperor’s eyes, both of them looked equally timid and unremarkable; placing them together made him feel entirely at ease.
The more he thought about it, the more he felt that appointing Shu Changyu as Jing Mu’s teacher was the correct decision. With a slight drunken laugh, he said, “As for learning, is it not all from nothing to something? Since you are worried, that is easily solved. The Ministry of Personnel currently lacks a Director; you shall go there instead.”
The hall erupted in shock.
By custom, newly appointed top scholars were assigned as compilation editors in the Hanlin Academy, and only after three years of service could they enter the Six Ministries. Although a Director of the Ministry of Personnel was of the same rank as a Hanlin compiler, the authority was vastly different.
Everyone turned their gaze toward Shu Changyu, re-evaluating this Shu Third Young Master.
And that Shu Third Young Master, who had suddenly risen in status, now knelt on the ground, his vision going white.
In his previous life, after he requested the position of Imperial Tutor to the Second Prince, the emperor had smiled ambiguously and asked gently, “Shu Third Young Master has solved a great concern for me; I should reward you. The Ministry of Personnel currently has a vacancy for Director—why not go there and assist me in governing the court?”
At that time, he was young and ignorant and failed to detect the hidden blade in those words. Accepting it had confirmed the emperor’s suspicion that he intended to interfere in court affairs.
Now, he had done nothing at all, yet the emperor still pressed him step by step toward a dead end.
Shu Changyu’s chest tightened. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the emperor say, “I have decided. There is no need to speak further.”
His single word “please reconsider” was forced back down his throat.
After a moment, he bowed again and said, “Then… this minister has a presumptuous request.”
“Speak.”
“This minister, when young, once accompanied my mother south and witnessed the suffering of people displaced by the Yellow River floods. From then on, I resolved to master the control of the river. Over the years, I have formed some ideas and wish to draft a policy proposal to present to Your Majesty. Therefore, I humbly request to be assigned to the Ministry of Works, so that I may fulfill this aspiration.”
The Ministry of Personnel governed appointments and promotions and was the most powerful of the Six Ministries. Neither the emperor nor those present had ever seen someone voluntarily request transfer from the Ministry of Personnel to the far less influential Ministry of Works.
The emperor thought: indeed a rigid and pedantic scholar who only reads classical texts. With that thought, he stopped arguing and nodded. “Very well. I also look forward to your policy paper, which may resolve a great concern of mine.”
Shu Changyu sighed in relief and bowed in thanks.
At least this time, things were different from his previous life. Once he drafted the proposal, he could go south to manage flood control. He could stay there for ten or even decades, far away from everything.
No one noticed that at this moment, Jing Mu’s hands resting on his knees had clenched tightly, his neatly trimmed nails almost digging into his palms.
—
At this time, the spring winds had not yet reached the northern Yanmen Pass. Outside the military tent, snow had not yet melted, and at night the wild wind howled like wolves.
“General, someone from the capital requests an audience,” a soldier said, lifting the tent flap and reporting.
“Whose people?” The general, around fifty years old, stood by the window, looking at a map on the wall.
“They say they are from the Jia family of the capital—the imperial consort’s maternal clan.”
“Tell them I am asleep. I will not meet them.” The general paused, then added, “Tell them to return from where they came.”
He then turned back to the map.
Outside in the cold wind, the visitor looked through the window and saw, under the lamplight, the general standing upright, solitary and firm.