"Because I am the final reviewer," Yun Shu explained calmly.
"In other words, every issue of the Capital Weekly must pass through my hands before it goes to print, which naturally makes me the first to receive it."
"...Fine, you can be first!" Yun Chuhuan begrudgingly accepted her precedence.
"But what about second? Why can't I be second?"
"Because that spot is already promised to Father Emperor," Yun Shu said seriously. "If Sixth Brother insists on being second, perhaps you could go and discuss it with Father Emperor. He might be willing to yield it to you."
Yun Chuhuan: "..."
He did not care enough to battle his own Imperial Father for a newspaper.
The indignant Sixth Prince immediately quieted down. Just then, the new Grand Preceptor arrived from outside. Yun Chuhuan quickly slipped back to his seat, as if nothing had happened.
"This humble servant greets Your Highnesses, the Fifth Princess and the Sixth Prince."
To everyone's surprise, this new Grand Preceptor was nothing like the elderly scholars such as Grand Preceptor Cui, whose white beards lent them the appearance of age-old pedants steeped in scripture. Instead, he was a refined young man, likely in his early twenties, with elegant features and a clear gaze.
Though he had already entered officialdom, he bore none of its weight or weariness. His presence was unrestrained, like one who wandered freely through rivers and mountains, untouched by the dust of the court.
Yun Shu searched her memory of the original book, only to find that such a person had never appeared.
That in itself was strange.
Unless, ten years later, this man had faded into the crowd… or was no longer part of the court at all.
Yun Shu instinctively dismissed the first possibility. After all, she could not picture someone with such an extraordinary bearing turning into a cunning bureaucrat worn thin by official life.
"Grand Preceptor appears rather young," Yun Chuhuan remarked, after giving the man a once-over.
"This prince does not believe we've ever met before."
"I was the Zhuàng Yuán in the Palace examination of the fifteenth year of Xuanwu," the man replied evenly. "It has been just two years since I entered court service. I was only recently transferred to the Ministry of Works. My rank is low, not high enough to attend court, which is why I have seldom entered the palace. It is only natural that Sixth Prince has not seen me before."
He spoke of his humble position without a trace of embarrassment.
But Yun Chuhuan frowned openly and offered no face. "If you are not even qualified to attend court, it means you are not particularly impressive. Why would Father Emperor appoint someone like you to teach me and my Fifth Sister?"
"To have received His Majesty's recognition, this humble servant must possess some quality worthy of his trust," the young man replied without flinching.
This was his first day teaching in the study hall, and already he faced direct questioning from his pupil. Yet his voice remained steady and his expression composed.
"Could it be that His Highness does not trust His Majesty's judgment?"
"When have I ever said that I do not trust Father Emperor? I clearly meant to say..." I do not trust you.
The latter half of the sentence died in Yun Chuhuan's throat.
After all, based on the man's reasoning, to doubt him would be no different from doubting the Emperor himself.
Stifling his frustration, Yun Chuhuan shut his mouth.
Only then did the young man speak once more, voice composed.
"This humble servant is Ye Qing'an. 'Ye' as in leaves rustling in the forest, and 'Qing'an' meaning a mind that remains tranquil and clear, unshaken by outward noise."
"May I ask if either of Your Highnesses has any questions?"
Yun Chuhuan said nothing.
Yun Shu continued lounging lazily in her seat, clearly uninterested in speaking.
Ye Qing'an's gaze swept briefly past Yun Chuhuan, then landed on Yun Shu. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"If Your Highnesses have no questions, then might this humble servant pose one to Her Highness the Fifth Princess?"
Yun Shu: "..."
What was it with Grand Preceptors and their habit of singling her out on the very first day?
She could understand it from Grand Preceptor Cui, who simply disliked her.
But what was Ye Qing'an's deal?
Had her brilliance truly become too dazzling to conceal?
Resigned, Yun Shu lowered her hand from her cheek and straightened her posture a little.
"What would Grand Preceptor Ye like to ask?"
"I would like to know, in the eyes of Your Highness, what is the purpose of reading?"
That question sounded oddly familiar. Something from a primary school textbook, perhaps.
But if she answered too passionately, it would hurt her dream of being a carefree little salted fish.
Better to play it safe with a standard, unimpeachable answer.
"Reading..." Yun Shu began, searching her memory for some lofty yet vague platitudes.
"It allows one to understand principles, absorb the wisdom of the ancients, gain spiritual comfort, cultivate character, broaden horizons, inspire thought, and drive innovation..."
"Innovation?" Ye Qing'an suddenly interrupted her. "Then, would Your Highness say the quill pen and printing press are products of such innovation?"
"I suppose so," Yun Shu said after a pause. "But why do you ask, Grand Preceptor Ye?"
"Curiosity," Ye Qing'an replied with a quiet laugh.
"The quill and the press carry profound meaning and influence, yet are both simple to create. The remarkable thing is not their construction, but the fact that no one thought of them before.
This humble servant has long pondered why that is. Now, hearing Your Highness's words, I realize the world lacks the mindset for breakthroughs and innovation.
Your Highness may not be well-versed in the classics, but in this regard, you far surpass the rest of us. It is a humbling realization."
Oh no. He really had noticed how brilliant she was!
Couldn't Ye Qing'an, like everyone else, just assume she was a mischievous child who happened to stumble upon her inventions by chance?
Why must he insist on seeing through the surface to the truth?
Yun Shu paused for a moment, preparing to downplay everything and shake his conviction.
But before she could speak, Ye Qing'an continued.
"For a nation like Tian Sheng, even if we produced ten more great Confucian scholars, it would not compare to cultivating a single youth capable of constant breakthroughs and innovation.
Since Her Highness possesses such a rare talent, We must not let it be buried under routine studies.
Henceforth, should Your Highness conceive new ideas, you may inform this humble servant at once. At that time, your usual lessons may be postponed."
Yun Shu: "..."
So if she created new inventions, she could skip her homework?
This temptation was far too great.
If need be, she could always claim her innovation was taking time, that she was deep in thought but had yet to make progress.
With this perfect escape plan forming in her mind, Yun Shu offered a sincere smile.
"Then it is settled."
Ye Qing'an returned the same warm smile.
"This humble servant awaits the day Your Highness astonishes the world once more."
===
The Palace Examination was the final and highest-level exam, held in front of the emperor himself. Passing this exam made the candidate eligible for the highest positions in the imperial government. The candidate with the highest score in the palace Examination was awarded with title "状元" (Zhuàng Yuán). It symbolize the pinnacle of academic achievement.
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叶 (Yè)
Meaning: Leaf
Symbolism: The leaf often symbolizes vitality, natural elegance, quiet resilience, and the passage of time. When used as a surname, it doesn't necessarily carry these poetic meanings overtly, but contextually, the narrative may hint at them.
In his self-introduction, he says:
"莫听穿林打叶声的叶" (Don't listen to the sound of leaves being blown by the wind.)
This references a line from a famous poem by Su Shi (苏轼):
"莫听穿林打叶声,何妨吟啸且徐行."
("Pay no heed to the sound of wind and rain striking the leaves through the forest, why not hum and stroll at ease?")
The line conveys a detached, free-spirited, unbothered-by-the-noise attitude — suggesting that 叶 here embodies calm resilience in the face of chaos or criticism. This hints at Ye Qing'an's personality: gentle on the outside, yet steady and composed beneath.
清安 (Qīng'ān)
清 (Qīng):
Literal meanings: clear, pure, tranquil
Symbolism: Often used to describe clarity of thought, purity of intention, or calmness in temperament.
安 (Ān):
Literal meanings: peace, safety, stability
Symbolism: Often associated with inner peace, serenity, or the wish for harmony.
Together, 清安 suggests:
Clarity and peace of mind. Unshaken inner composure, even amid external noise or turmoil
A scholar or official who embodies the ideal Confucian virtue of remaining clean in heart and steady in conduct regardless of the world's chaos.
"不须论许一,心目自清安的清安." ("There is no need to discuss Xu Yi, the peace of mind is peaceful and tranquil.")
or roughly mean "Even if others do not speak highly of me, my heart remains clear and at peace — that is the 'Qing'an' I embody."