I Don't Want to Be a Charmboy【Quick Wear】

Chapter 374 His Highness the Crown Prince is Outstandingly Talented (2)

The afternoon at the East Palace was peaceful and serene.

Sunlight streamed through the carved wooden lattice windows, casting dappled shadows on the polished gold-brick floor, while the air was filled with the scent of sandalwood and the distinctive aroma of ink from books.

The gauze curtains hanging in the hall remained motionless, and the palace servants held their breath and moved with utmost care, afraid of disturbing the focused figure behind the desk.

Lin Shen was sitting upright behind a large rosewood desk, holding a book in his hands, engrossed in reading it.

His Majesty has long issued a strict order that all the dirty and bloody dealings that have recently taken place inside and outside the court must not be allowed to reach the Eastern Palace, lest they offend the Crown Prince's ears.

Therefore, in this realm belonging to the Crown Prince, the tranquility of the past remained intact, and no one dared to utter a single word about the bloodshed at Caishikou or the downfall of Prince Yu's mansion.

Lin Shen was naturally unaware.

His father, the Emperor, would take care of all the troubles and complications for him; he only needed to focus on his studies and cultivate his character.

The eunuch Li Mao tiptoed in, but before he could even announce his arrival, a series of hurried and somewhat reckless footsteps came from outside the palace gate.

Immediately afterward, a figure strode in with a proud and imposing air; it was none other than the First Prince, Lin Zhi.

Lin Zhi was not very old, just a teenager, and his deliberate display of a powerful and imposing manner made him look rather comical.

He was wearing a royal blue brocade robe with arrow-shaped sleeves, but his forehead was covered with a thin layer of sweat from walking so fast, and his hair was slightly disheveled.

Lin Shen looked up from his book, a hint of bewilderment in his clear eyes. He tilted his head and asked in a gentle voice, "Why are you here, brother?"

Lin Zhi didn't answer immediately. He coughed heavily first, as if trying to cover something up.

He circled Lin Shen's desk, which was filled with books and writing implements, his gaze seemingly casually sweeping over his younger brother. Seeing that his expression was normal and his clothes were neat, he composed himself slightly and asked, "Have you been staying in the East Palace these past few days and haven't gone out?"

Lin Shen nodded, finding his brother's question rather abrupt: "Of course I am. What is it, brother?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhi seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and his tense shoulders relaxed slightly.

His reason for coming today is quite simple—it's about Zhang Zhengyuan's case that has shaken the court and the public.

That old scoundrel has been beheaded, his crimes announced to the world—he was a despicable and vile pedophile! No wonder… Lin Zhi’s eyes darkened. No wonder his younger brother had killed him in his previous life.

In his opinion, his younger brother was too soft-hearted. If it were up to his nature, even being cut into eight pieces or subjected to slow slicing wouldn't have been enough to vent his anger!

However, the moment he learned Zhang Zhengyuan's true colors, an inexplicable panic gripped his heart.

As a scholar of the Hanlin Academy, Zhang Zhengyuan had the opportunity to come into contact with his younger brother, the Crown Prince!

What if... what if that disgusting old bastard had touched Lin Shen before?

This thought, like a venomous snake, made him restless and uneasy. He immediately smashed everything within reach and headed straight for the Eastern Palace without a second thought.

But when he actually stood in front of Lin Shen, looking at his younger brother's pure and questioning eyes, all the worries and questions got stuck in his throat, and he couldn't bring himself to ask them.

He could only pace restlessly around his desk like a headless fly.

Lin Shen was so dizzy from being swayed back and forth by him that he couldn't help but furrow his handsome brows, his tone carrying a hint of impatience: "Brother, you've made my head spin."

Lin Zhi clicked his tongue, as if he had made up his mind.

He suddenly leaned in, his face serious, even a little fierce, and reached out to pinch Lin Shen's fair, chubby cheeks. They felt wonderful, but he had no time to savor them.

"Hey," Lin Zhi lowered his voice, almost interrogating, "how many times have you met that old bastard Zhang Zhengyuan?"

Lin Shen felt a little pain from his pinch. He blinked his clear eyes, tried hard to recall, and then answered vaguely, "Once... but he didn't say much before Father arrived halfway."

Once? Only once? And he was interrupted by the Emperor?

Lin Zhi felt as if all her strength had been drained away, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

Once that tense nerve relaxed, what followed was a deeper sense of frustration and bewilderment.

What's wrong with me? When did I start caring so much about the younger brother who stabbed me in the throat in my past life?

The overwhelming panic I felt when I first heard the news, and the relief and weakness I feel now after confirming that he is safe and sound... something is very wrong!

He abruptly released his grip, looking at the faint red marks he had left on Lin Shen's cheek, and felt even more agitated.

I must be possessed! In my past life, he stabbed me in the throat. Could it be that my brain was also stimulated and damaged?

Lin Zhi frowned in annoyance, glared at Lin Shen who still looked bewildered, and without saying another word, turned around and rushed out of the East Palace Hall just like he had come, leaving only silence in the room.

Lin Shen watched his brother's figure disappear like a gust of wind, blinked in confusion, and turned to Li Mao, who was standing to the side: "Tell me, what's wrong with my brother?"

Li Mao knew perfectly well that the Crown Prince's loss of composure was definitely because of Zhang Hanlin's sordid case. He was worried that someone might have offended the Crown Prince's eyes, or even... touched His Highness the Crown Prince.

But he dared not say it outright, so he bowed and vaguely replied, "Your Highness, perhaps... perhaps the Crown Prince is tired from studying and came out to relax and take a walk."

Lin Shen neither confirmed nor denied this explanation, but felt that his elder brother's behavior had become increasingly strange lately.

He shook his head, putting the little incident behind him, and picked up the booklet again.

After an unknown amount of time, familiar, extremely light footsteps came from outside the hall.

When Emperor Qi walked in, he saw that small figure sitting upright behind a rosewood desk that was almost wider than him, with his back straight and his thick, curled eyelashes lowered, intently looking at the book in his hands.

The afternoon sun bathed him in a soft golden glow, and his earnest expression brought a warm feeling to Emperor Qi's eyes.

"What is Abao looking at?" Emperor Qi asked in a very soft voice, as if afraid of disturbing the tranquil scene.

Lin Shen raised his little face upon hearing the voice, and upon seeing that it was his father, he immediately broke into a bright smile and called out in a clear voice, "Father!"

He put down his book, nimbly jumped off the tall camphor wood bench, and pounced over like a joyful little bird.

Emperor Qi quickly stepped forward, squatted down, and gently picked up the young prince. He then sat down on the large chair and placed his son on his lap.

"Have you been studying diligently in the Eastern Palace lately?" Emperor Qi squeezed his soft little hand.

Lin Shen nodded vigorously and presented a notebook containing his notes from the desk to Emperor Qi as if it were a treasure: "Father, I read the documents about the floods in Jiangnan today."

Emperor Qi took the booklet and casually flipped through it. He saw that it contained not only neat copies but also many annotations and thoughts written in childish handwriting. He was very pleased and smiled as he patted the boy's head.

"Oh? My Abao is so capable that he's already starting to worry about the nation's welfare and people's livelihood? Then tell me, what are your thoughts on the floods in Jiangnan?"

Lin Shen tilted his head, organized his thoughts, and spoke clearly and logically.

"Your Majesty, I believe that flood control cannot be achieved by simply blocking without dredging. The previous dynasty's approach of simply raising the dikes was like building a wall to prevent flooding; the higher the wall, the stronger the water flow, and once it breaches, the greater the damage. We should emulate Yu the Great's flood control efforts, focusing on dredging. We can plant more trees upstream to consolidate the soil and reduce siltation in the riverbed. In the middle reaches, we need to widen and deepen the riverbed, remove silt, and open tributaries and build canals to disperse the water flow. Downstream, we need to reinforce the dikes and build sluice gates and reservoirs to store water during floods and release it during droughts, thus turning harm into benefit." He paused, then added, "We also need to appoint dedicated officials to be responsible for the year-round inspection and maintenance of the river channels, rather than waiting until floods occur before taking remedial action."

Emperor Qi was slightly surprised at first, then burst into hearty laughter, hugging his beloved son tightly in his arms: "Good! Good! What a brilliant 'turning harm into benefit'! My precious son is indeed a unicorn sent by Heaven to help me stabilize the country!"

As he spoke, he couldn't help but lower his head and kiss Lin Shen's fair cheek hard, leaving a little dampness.

Lin Shen felt a little itchy from his father's stubble and was even more disgusted by the saliva. His little brows immediately furrowed, and he stretched out his little hand to wipe his cheeks vigorously, making a dissatisfied "hmm" sound.

Seeing his adorable appearance, Emperor Qi couldn't help but laugh even more heartily, his chest heaving.

Just then, the eunuch Li Quan walked in hurriedly with his head down. He immediately saw the emperor holding the crown prince on the throne, a scene of father and son enjoying each other's company. He hesitated for a moment, but still braced himself and bowed to report: "Your Majesty, this servant has something to report."

Lin Shen looked over curiously.

Emperor Qi grunted in response, his arm still firmly around his son, seemingly unconcerned: "What is it?"

Li Quan lowered his head even further, his voice tinged with caution: "Your Majesty, someone from Yilan Palace just came to report that Consort Jin... is about to give birth, and has specially sent someone to invite Your Majesty over."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qi frowned immediately, his tone clearly impatient: "She's about to give birth, what does she need me for? I'm not a royal physician or a midwife, what help can I offer? Let her give birth on her own!"

Lin Shen narrowed his eyes, a hint of curiosity rising in his heart.

Jin Meiren... she is the mother of his fourth brother, and this fourth brother is the good younger brother who ultimately gave him a huge green hat in his previous life.

He really wanted to see what his "fourth brother" looked like when he first came into the world.

Li Quan was speechless, caught between a rock and a hard place, unable to move forward or backward.

Emperor Qi waved his hand impatiently, as if shooing away flies: "Get out of here! Don't stand around here. I still need to help Bao'er with her studies!"

Li Quan had no choice but to nod and agree, bowing as he withdrew.

Lin Shen pondered for a moment, then tilted his little face up and tugged at Emperor Qi's sleeve, his tone filled with childlike curiosity: "Father, I want to go and see. Fourth Brother... I wonder what he looks like."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Qi's face darkened further. He tightened his grip on his son's arm, his tone full of reluctance and disdain: "What's so interesting about a little baby, all wrinkled and red? He smells awful, don't let the stench bother my precious son. Be good, we won't look, Father will continue reading with you."