Flipping through the thick account books, the Emperor felt both comforted and troubled.

His daughter had achieved merits for the court, which as the father made him proud, but his daughter was wealthy and esteemed herself, so any reward would just be icing on the cake.

If it were a son, the position of Crown Prince would suffice, but he was at a loss about what to reward his daughter.

Brocade, gold and silver jewelry... are all too mundane.

While the Emperor fretted over how to reward Su Jin for her achievements, Eunuch Fu took an opened letter to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.

Just like before, there was still no one greeting at the entrance of Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.

Eunuch Fu stepped inside, and after walking a few steps, he was attacked.

A chess piece flew towards him, unable to dodge, it directly hit him on the forehead.

It wasn’t very painful, but he was startled.

In the distance, Young Master Zhao saw Eunuch Fu touch his forehead and said to Ninth Prince, "You hit Eunuch Fu."

The Ninth Prince hurried over to ask, "Eunuch Fu, are you alright?" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝚠𝚎𝚋𝗻𝗼𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝚘𝐦

He still held a handful of chess pieces.

A pouch was slung across his body.

If Eunuch Fu guessed correctly, it probably still contained chess pieces.

Eunuch Fu’s cheek twitched, unable to guess what game the Ninth Prince was playing, trying to understand the bump on his forehead.

"What is this, Ninth Prince?" Eunuch Fu asked.

"We are practicing with hidden weapons," Ninth Prince pointed to a sandbag hanging on a distant tree.

"... ."

Practicing hidden weapons?

Eunuch Fu was a bit bewildered.

If he recalled correctly, a few days ago, Young Master Su and the others visited the palace to ask the Emperor to find a Grand Tutor to go to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion to teach Ninth Prince how to study, while they accompanied him.

Letting Ninth Prince stay at Dongxiang Marquis Mansion to accompany him in studying, this can’t be called mere accompaniment?

If Dongxiang Marquis Mansion calls it studying, then let it be.

Besides studying and practicing calligraphy, they also strolled the streets, called on various mansions, trained their stances, and practiced Meihua Pole, now they’ve added practicing hidden weapons?

At such a young age, learning so much, isn’t it too tiring?

Besides, practicing hidden weapons with chess pieces, how effective could that be?

"My mother tells us to use chess pieces," Young Master Su sighed.

"It’s good enough we’re not using soybeans."

Originally, Prince NanAn and the others trained their patience using beans; merely looking at them would drive one crazy.

Young Master Su was visibly frustrated, the Ninth Prince looked at Eunuch Fu and said, "Initially, we used pebbles, hit many passing maids and servants, then we weren’t allowed to use them."

Missing the sandbag but hitting the maids and servants; they hit them with precision.

The maids and servants complained to Mrs. Tang, and Mrs. Tang ordered Young Master Su and the others to use smaller stones.

Pitifully, they searched the mansion and found very few stones, later discovered the chess pieces in Su Chong’s room, solving the problem, then started practicing hidden weapons with the chess pieces.

Young Master Su and the others went to Mrs. Tang to buy more chess pieces, she thought they were going to play chess, but that wasn’t the case.

Young Master Su wanted to use chess pieces for practicing hidden weapons, Mrs. Tang didn’t oppose.

But the primary use of the chess pieces couldn’t be ignored; during the day they practiced hidden weapons with chess pieces, at night they had to learn chess.

Ninth Prince: "...."

Young Master Su: "...."

Young Master Shen: "...."

Young Master Zhao: "...."

The four unanimously protested.

Mrs. Tang dismissed their protest with a single sentence.

"If you win a game against me before your father returns, I’ll allow you to leave the mansion and play for half a day," Mrs. Tang said.

Beneath substantial rewards lies a brave man.

Winning a chess game, being allowed to leave the mansion and play, a wonderfully delightful matter.

Winning the chance to leave through their skill, far better than constantly begging their mother and hoping her mood was good.

Young Master Zhao asked, "How is your mother’s chess ability?"

"My older brother says mother’s chess skills are average," Young Master Su replied.

"Shall we agree?" Young Master Shen cautiously asked.

Agreeing meant not reneging.

Reneging would result in serious punishment.

Ninth Prince thought aloud, "Why not agree, since as a Prince, I definitely have to learn chess."

If Ninth Prince learned chess, they certainly couldn’t escape.

Even though they’ll agree, it couldn’t be agreed upon so lightly.

Young Master Su weighed his options repeatedly.

His parents both excelled at setting traps; otherwise, his older brother wouldn’t have grown up so well.

His elder brother was a chess master; his mother’s chess skills being average might not truly be so.

Moreover, none of them knew how to play chess, only he had watched a few times, and couldn’t finish watching due to impatience.

Young Master Su haggled with Mrs. Tang, winning against her was too difficult, especially at the start; being able to move a certain number of steps during a game would be considered a win.

Mrs. Tang didn’t dare underestimate her son, clearly not as easy to bluff as before.

It’s better to find something for them to do at night than having her son wanting to climb rooftops to watch stars.

Without giving them a ladder, he had actually chopped down bamboo in the garden to make a ladder.

The shoddy ladder he made, climbing it wasn’t something Mrs. Tang would allow Ninth Prince and the others to do.

Her son being too handy worried Mrs. Tang.

The ladder never got made, yet a swath of bamboo in the garden was nearly wrecked.

This was Duke Chong’s Mansion, not comparable to Qingyun Mountain, where railings could be installed on rooftops, which would be absurdly out of place.

Mrs. Tang thought playing chess would occupy Young Master Su, but she didn’t realize Young Master Su felt playing chess on the rooftop would certainly be full of curious thrills; otherwise, why did his father, brother, and sister enjoy staying on the rooftop at Qingyun Mountain?

This is the process of how Young Master Su and the others practiced hidden weapons with chess pieces, making Eunuch Fu unable to not admire them.

Young Master Su looked at Eunuch Fu with curiosity, "Why did Eunuch Fu come to the Marquis Mansion?"

Eunuch Fu replied with a smile, "To deliver family letters."

"Is any of the family letters for me?" Young Master Su asked.

"...."

Even the Emperor didn’t receive one, how could you?

Eunuch Fu internally grumbled, slightly shook his head.

Young Master Su looked disappointed.

But knowing the family letter was written by Xingxing, and neither the Emperor nor his mother received one, Young Master Su became delighted again.

The four busied themselves practicing hidden weapons, soon heading to the front yard.

Standing several meters away, perseveringly throwing chess pieces at the sandbag.

Once the pouch was emptied, they picked up the pieces scattered on the ground for a second round.

Distance grew, the sandbag dwindled, their accuracy improved, and hits on people became increasingly painful.

Whenever they practiced hidden weapons, maids and servants around would never pass by senselessly.

The Emperor mistakenly opened a letter from Xingxing to Mrs. Tang, naturally, Mrs. Tang wouldn’t blame the Emperor; reading the letter and observing Eunuch Fu’s expression, she could tell the letter must have distressed the Emperor.

Eunuch Fu delivered the letter and stayed for a while before returning to the palace, the bruise on his forehead still lingering. Upon seeing it, the Emperor asked, "Did you get hit?"

"The Ninth Prince accidentally hit me practicing hidden weapons," Eunuch Fu explained.

"Practicing hidden weapons?" The Emperor frowned.

Eunuch Fu explained the incident with the chess pieces, causing the Emperor to reflect.

The Ninth Prince, being his son, now with Marquis Dongxiang at the border, as the father he couldn’t just turn a blind eye.

Since Dongxiang Marquis Mansion taught them Meihua Pole and hidden weapons, he must make some gestures.

The Emperor ordered four small bows to be crafted and sent to Dongxiang Marquis Mansion.

The exquisitely crafted bows and arrows were cherished by Young Master Su and the others.

The Ninth Prince knew his father enjoyed hunting, having heard tales of how fun it was.

Once their archery skills were honed, come autumn, they could accompany the Emperor on a hunting expedition.

But Young Master Su’s impatient nature, could he wait until autumn for hunting?

Young Master Su suddenly had a bold idea, wanting to experience hunting first.

No conditions, create conditions.

The four ventured into the big kitchen to capture a chicken, then released it to wreak havoc.

The chicken remained unharmed, the garden ended up demolished.

Young Master Su: "...."

Holding the hen, chicken feathers swayed in the breeze from atop his head, observing the shattered flower pots.

Young Master Su felt fear gripping his heart.

"It’s over."

"This time, we’re surely getting punished."

He ran off with the hen in his arms, Ninth Prince confusedly asked, "Where are you going?"

"Before my mother returns, I need to beg the Emperor for salvation," Young Master Su shouted.

Ultimately—

That hen became the first in history to enter the palace and appear before the Emperor.

Young Master Su cradled the hen while seeking aid in the Imperial Study.

Emperor: "...."

Eunuch Fu: "...."