Chapter 39: Drowning in a Sea of Books, Sorrowful Death of a Scholar

  After the three men sat down, a palace maid brought up a copper basin and asked them to wash their hands. After washing, they used white towels to wipe themselves clean. Then, three palace maids stood behind the three men.

  Madam Shen looked at Qin Lei with a kind expression and smiled: "Your Highness, just point to what you want to eat with your chopsticks, and the girls will serve it for you."

  Qin Lei smiled gently at the kind woman and said, "Auntie, you don't have to be polite, just call me by my name."

  She apologized to Concubine Jing again: "I'm late, I've delayed Mother and Aunt's meal."

  Jing Fei seemed a bit tired, smiling faintly and shaking her head: "This child, actually says strange things. When has a mother ever been late for her child?"

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  Three people ate in silence, Jin Fei had a small appetite, drank some soup and ate a few mouthfuls of vegetables before getting full. Madame Shen accompanied Qin Lei to the end, but didn't eat much either, mainly because she ate slowly.

  Qin Lei finished eating three bowls of pearl rice and drank two more bowls of soup, but he really couldn't eat anymore. He stared blankly at the full table of dishes that were almost untouched before being taken away, feeling a great waste in his heart.

  Madam Shen saw his disappointed look and smiled: "Leave these for the palace staff to have a midnight snack. If you still want to eat, there's more tomorrow."

  Qin Lei smiled and said, "It's just that I'm used to the austerity of the Qi state, so it takes some getting used to." Seeing that Jin Fei looked a bit tired, he stood up and said, "The night is already deep, please mother rest early."

  Jing Fei straightened up, and the palace maid behind her gently massaged her shoulders. She smiled wryly at Qin Lei: "Ever since that year when your younger brother was born and I was injured, my spirit has been declining day by day."

  The palace maid helped Concubine Jin get up, and Qin Lei and Madam Shen also got up. Madam Shen looked at Concubine Jin, who smiled back at her, then turned to Qin Lei and said softly, "All princes above 14 years old are not allowed to stay overnight in the inner palace, so you should go back to your uncle's house with your aunt, and we'll talk again tomorrow."

  Qin Lei apologetically smiled at Madame Shen and said: "I didn't know Aunt had already made arrangements, I agreed with Second Brother before coming, tonight I'll go to his place to rest."

  Madam Shen sighed and her face couldn't hide her disappointment. Concubine Jin pulled her hand and smiled: "Lei'er won't be leaving this time, there will be plenty of opportunities in the future."

  Mrs. Shen also smiled and said: "It's just me being too impatient."

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  Qin Lei and Madam Shen walked out of the Jin Yu Palace together, Qin Lei was heading to the East Palace, while Madam Shen was returning to her residence, they were not taking the same route. Before parting ways, Madam Shen tightly grasped Qin Lei's hand and said: "Go visit your grandfather's house soon, everyone in the family misses you." In the dark of night, Qin Lei couldn't see Madam Shen's expression clearly, he only heard that her tone was somewhat strange, but he didn't think much of it. He just thought that his grandfather's house indeed held a special place for him.

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  Returning to the East Palace, it was almost midnight. The gatekeeper saw his own carriage returning and didn't ask much, opening the door to let Qin Lei in. A guard had already gone in to report, and when Qin Lei entered the main hall, the Crown Prince and the Third and Fourth Princes came to greet him with sleepy eyes.

  Lao San rubbed his eyes and chuckled at Qin Lei: "I knew you little devil wouldn't be back early, looks like I can only welcome you again tomorrow."

  Lao Si said in a strange tone: "If you come back a bit later, we can have breakfast together."

  The crown prince glared at the fourth elder and scolded, "As the fifth younger brother enters the palace for the first time, he naturally has to have a detailed conversation with his grandmother and all the ladies, how can he be in charge of the timing himself?"

  Lao Si pouted and patted Qin Lei's shoulder, saying in a deep voice: "Old Five, don't take it to heart, that's just how Big Brother is."

  Qin Lei patted the hand on his shoulder and smiled warmly without saying a word.

  At this time, the drum on the city gate tower sounded, and it was midnight. The prince yawned and said to several of his younger brothers: "It's too late today, you guys don't have to go back. Sleep here."

  Lao San nodded, but Lao Si shook his head and said, "No way, Second Brother. I always can't sleep when I change beds. Let's go back to the mansion instead."

  The crown prince sneered: "I'm afraid it's not just a matter of changing beds and being unable to sleep."

  Lao Si smiled and said: "Only Second Brother understands me." After finishing speaking, he nodded to Lao San and Lao Wu, humming a little tune as he walked out of the main hall.

  The crown prince saw Lao Si going out and said to Lao San: "If this thing is not controlled, when the emperor returns, he will definitely be implicated by him."

  Lao San remained silent, and after a brief moment, Lao Si's oval face with the birthmark resembling a Buddha reappeared at the door. His gaze swept across the people in the room, humming, "Don't gossip about others behind their backs." Then he disappeared again.

  Lao San let out a bitter laugh and got up to go to sleep. The only ones left in the room were the Crown Prince and Qin Lei. The Crown Prince also gave Qin Lei a bitter smile, saying: "Look at these two lazy bums, I've been waiting for you to come back and help me discipline them."

  Qin Lei smiled and said: "Second brother, I'll listen to you completely. However, now let me go back to sleep." He stretched his waist.

  The crown prince sneered, "Originally I had hoped to return to a decent one, it seems that I will be greatly disappointed." He said to the inner attendant beside him, "Send the fifth prince to Shuxiang Pavilion to rest."

  Qin Lei furrowed his brow and chuckled: "Second Brother? Shu Xiang Pavilion is a restaurant name, right?"

  The Crown Prince said: "It's a book that has read through ten thousand volumes, not Shu Road is difficult in Shu."

  "Oh. Shuxiangge? Sounds like a study or something."

  The Crown Prince smiled and said: "That's right, the Shu Xiang Pavilion is a place where the East Palace stores its books. From now on, the imperial gift in front of your residence will be your home."

  Qin Lei listened, his sleepiness completely gone. The conscience of heaven and earth, after coming to this world, what he hated the most was reading books. Firstly, they were all in complex characters, although he could basically guess them by association, but there was no pleasure at all. Secondly, the words were all printed vertically, still from right to left, which was really depressing. Thirdly, and most importantly, as a military academy science student who sought knowledge through reason, he had an innate allergy to classics, history, and philosophical works.

  It seems that in this era, nine out of ten books are inseparable from Confucian classics, history and philosophical works.

  Apart from forcing himself to read Li Guangyuan's "New Three Kingdoms" and relevant historical classics at the time in order to understand that era, he hasn't flipped through another book since.

  Qin Lei almost groaned: "Second brother, I haven't read a book since I was young, and I don't even recognize a few words. If you put me in the ocean of books, wouldn't I drown?"

  The crown prince said seriously, "Fifth brother, it's because you've been neglecting your studies that I let you move into the Book Fragrance Pavilion to cultivate yourself. After a few days, I'll invite a Hanlin scholar to teach you properly, so you can make contributions to Father Emperor in the future."

  Qin Lei's five features were almost squeezed together, and he sighed: "Bitter ah~~~~~~"

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