The early years of the prince were relatively quiet, though lonely.
Shen's stepmother was aware of his mother's love for her son. However, motivated by hatred, she often subtly told him that his conception was actually an accident, that his mother wasn't ready and deeply regretted having him. "But your highness needn't worry about that; you have His Majesty and me. No one could love you more."
These comments made Shen distrustful since he had overheard the servants' conversations, mentioning his mother received cruel treatment from the current queen, spending much of her time in the coldest, most isolated pavilion.
He often visited that pavilion, sitting alone for long periods by a window overlooking a neglected small garden, gazing at the night sky, imagining his mother keeping him company or tending to the now withered garden. Perhaps if she were alive, he wouldn't be so lonely.
The prince excelled in various subjects and prepared thoroughly for the evaluation all nobles had to take at age eight. He achieved the highest score ever, leaving everyone astonished. Shen eagerly awaited his parents' reaction. The king, with his usual indifference, simply nodded upon hearing the news, seeming even to conceal some displeasure. The queen gave a short, insincere congratulatory speech.
Many nobles took the evaluation, and some were dissatisfied with the results, so a group of them planned to take it out on him. They approached the young prince when they saw no one around and surrounded him.
"We hope your highness won't mind playing a bit with us," said the tallest of them, named Rhino, with a smile. Ox pushed him, causing him to fall. "It must be sad not to have your mother to congratulate you on your excellent score, right?" he whispered mockingly. "Did you forget?" Croc interrupted, "He caused her death. How could her reaction matter to him?"
The trio laughed. Shen tried to get up only to be pushed down again. "Wait, your highness, are you not having fun? Where do you think you're going? Or... do you think we're so inferior... unworthy of your presence?" Rhino asked angrily.
Then all three kicked him. Rhino, confident, grabbed Shen's silky white hair to force him to look up, only to be met with an expression of anger, showing stubborn resistance against the tears forming in his eyes, which only made his gaze more beautiful. This sight captivated them so much that they didn't notice someone approaching.
Just as Shen thought he couldn't contain his anger any longer, he saw his attacker's face twist in pain before falling aside. It happened so quickly that he didn't see who hit the boy when the other two fell, surprised by the attack. Supporting each other to get up, they fled, fearing someone might see them bullying the heir to the throne.
A hand was then extended to him. He looked up to see a boy, soon to learn was ten years old, with messy black hair covering most of his face, allowing only his eyes to be clearly seen. Accepting the help, he noticed minor injuries on the boy's hands and arms. Dressed like a servant, though Shen had never seen him before, he assumed the boy was new since he had a prodigious memory for faces.
"Thank you," Shen said as he moved to evade him and continue on his way but stopped at the last second. Seeing him in that state and considering he helped, Shen offered, hesitantly, "Could you... accompany me somewhere?" When he thought about explaining the reason, he got nervous, "It's not that I care about him, not at all! It's just... a matter of... honor, it's what a prince should..." But the other boy nodded, interrupting his thoughts. "Anyway, it's not necessary," he thought, turning and starting to walk while blushing a bit.
They arrived at the prince's pavilion, which, as usual, had few servants, making it very quiet. Both entered his room, and Shen asked him to sit while he brought ointment, water, and a towel. "You can tend to your wounds here. Do you need anything else?" He got no response, so he assumed not, but his guest remained still. Shen got nervous and, just as he thought about explaining why he was helping, heard, "I'm Zhang, who are you?" Annoyed at not being able to explain again, he looked away and carelessly stated his name.
Finally, Zhang began applying the ointment, thinking, "He's not as the rumors say. He wasn't even offended when I didn't recognize the Prince of Gongmen." Then he looked at Shen again, who was standing by the window, gazing outside as if reflecting on immortal matters.
Seeing him like that, which was frequent, people in the palace felt uncomfortable, believing he looked too serious for his age, but Zhang found it very endearing, "Like a white cat looking outside: calm, elegant, and gentle."
Zhang thanked him and left. Shen then tended to his own wounds, having fallen on his knees when pushed. He changed clothes and continued his routine. What did he think about the vile scum who attacked him? Of course, he felt anger and would be the first to repay their actions a hundredfold.
But in such situations, which were not that rare, he believed it was better to say nothing. After all, he couldn't appear weak; he was the prince. How could he be weak? Besides, to whom would he say he was bullied? His parents? Impossible. They must never know. Thinking this way, he stubbornly endured throughout his childhood.
Unfortunately, Shen was part of a recipe that attracted bullying scum:
A prince disfavored by the king.Very cute and tender when he cried, making them want to see more of his reactions.The most skilled and talented noble, always standing out with his remarkable ingenuity, sparking envy.Never complained to anyone.
So it was normal for him to need ointments and medicine for minor wounds, swelling, and bruises occasionally. That's why he always had such medication in his room and sometimes carried some with him. Though it was initially difficult to obtain them, and he applied them clumsily, he got used to it and improved significantly over time, something he secretly felt very proud of.
"I just have to do it right now. I can't afford a single mistake. I will be king, reach the top, and everything will be fine," little Shen repeated to himself. "Then... maybe everything will be different." His parents would be proud of him; he would be the perfect prince and be happy, he thought as a smile, accompanied by a slight blush, covered his face. "Just a bit longer, I have to wait a little and grow up and be strong and perfect. Then everything will... be different," he said, taking a deep breath and wiping the tears that slowly ran down his rosy cheeks.