Yuan Bi remained outside the main door, staring ahead. Fu Yi glanced at him, noting the sword at his waist and wondering about his position in the palace. Although Zishangtang was part of the Purple Gold Palace and separated from the inner court, it still permitted private guards to carry swords, though it was uncommon.
Yuan Bi noticed her gaze and turned to meet it. Fu Yi quickly lowered her eyes, aware of the need for discretion in the presence of men.
To avoid suspicion during morning classes, Ning Wanwan was strategically seated in the first row, left side of the hall, separated by two silk screens depicting butterflies, which obstructed the view of her full face from the other attendees.
Zishangtang classes generally began at the fifth hour and ended before noon.
Ning Wanwan arrived early today; besides the crown prince who had just entered, she was the only one in the hall.
Shortly after she sat down, she sensed movement behind her and turned to see Si Zhan elegantly lifting his robe and sitting cross-legged.
“Your Highness,” Ning Wanwan greeted softly, her eyes sparkling.
Si Zhan looked up and met her lively gaze, his heart skipping a beat. He smiled warmly and nodded.
Just as Ning Wanwan was about to chat with Si Zhan, other princes and dukes entered, stretching and yawning. To avoid gossip, she turned back to sit properly.
The princes and dukes took their seats, and Ning Wanwan noticed that around Si Zhan, only her seat in the front was occupied; in contrast, the seats around Crown Prince Si Yizhou were fully filled.
Soon, the princes began to notice the additional person in front of Si Zhan, hidden behind a screen.
They started whispering.
“Who is sitting in front of His Highness?”
The Fourth Prince craned his neck for a closer look. “Looks like a woman from the silhouette.”
“A woman?”
The Sixth Prince exclaimed, noting that throughout Zishangtang’s hundred-year history, only the late Princess Yu Yao had ever been seen in the hall.
His reaction prompted others to stretch their necks to glimpse the source, but Si Zhan’s figure effectively blocked their view, causing frustration.
