Chapter 68: Deep as the Sea
His own elder brother was standing right in front of him, expression cold as ice.
Han Min froze for a moment, then pinched his own thigh hard. He asked uncertainly, “Brother? Are you really my brother?”
Han Shi himself didn’t even know how he managed to stand up. Face stiff, he glared at him. “If I’m not your brother, then whose brother am I? Answer me first—what storybook?”
“But…”
Han Min stood up, looking him over from head to toe.
Han Shi was a little taller than him. It had been a long time since he’d seen his brother standing like this.
Just then, the main gate sounded with knocking. Han Min quickly said, “Brother, sit down, quick. Don’t hurt your legs again. I’ll ask Physician Liang to come check on you in a moment.”
He went forward to open the door, while Han Shi’s hands were already gripping the arms of the wooden wheelchair, preparing to sit.
Physician Liang stood outside with his medicine box. The moment he saw Han Shi, his jaw dropped, unable to speak for quite a while.
“Y-you… how… how did you… stand up by yourself?!”
Han Shi replied calmly, “Because of Han Min.”
Han Min hid behind the old physician. “Nonsense. How could it be because of me? I hover around my brother every day—what’s different about today?”
He pushed Physician Liang forward. “This is a good sign. You should continue treatment. My brother’s recovery is just around the corner.”
Finishing that, he turned and ran back to his room.
Physician Liang examined Han Shi’s legs with excitement. “In all my years of practicing medicine, I have never seen such a case. A miracle! Come, come, Young Master Shi, let me take your pulse again.”
Han Shi let out a soft laugh.
If Fu Xun had been the one bringing Han Min back today, not only would he be able to stand—he’d be able to run.
Han Min ran all the way back. Passing by the study, he noticed the window was open. Little Jizi was squatting outside, holding paper and brush.
He stopped. “What are you doing here?”
Little Jizi immediately stood. “Master.”
When Han Min stepped closer, he understood.
Grandpa was inside teaching little Pei to read, and Little Jizi was squatting at the spot where one could conveniently eavesdrop on the lesson.
“Why don’t you go in and listen?”
Little Jizi simply pressed his lips together and looked at him like that.
Han Min laughed and patted his shoulder. “If you want to go in, just go in. Why wait out here for me? Are you performing for me?”
“I… I didn’t dare. You’ve been leaving early and coming home late lately. I didn’t dare disturb you.”
“Then let’s go.”
Grandpa Han heard voices outside and told Han Pei to take a look.
The child opened the door and peeked his head out. “Who’s talking outside?”
Seeing Han Min, he pushed the door fully open and ran toward him with his short legs, tugging on his hand.
“Second Brother, take me out to play today! I don’t want to study. Every time I study, my head hurts.”
“Second Brother is not taking you out today.”
Han Pei’s face immediately drooped. He let go of Han Min’s hand. “Huh?”
Little opportunist.
Han Min held his hand again. “After you and Brother Little Jizi finish your lesson, let Brother Little Jizi take you out.”
“Huh? Brother Little Jizi studies too?”
Han Pei tilted his head toward Little Jizi, who smiled at him.
Han Min told him, “Wait here. I’ll ask Grandpa.”
“Okay.”
Han Min pulled the child inside and saluted Grandfather.
Just like Han Shi earlier, the first thing Grandfather said was—
“You finally decided to come home?”
Han Min smiled. “It was an urgent situation, so…”
Grandpa Han’s goat-like beard twitched. “Fine, fine. Who were you talking to outside?”
“Grandpa, I took on a disciple recently…”
Before he finished, Grandpa Han laughed. “You? A disciple?”
Han Min pretended to be angry. “Grandpa, don’t laugh. I’m being serious.”
“All right, all right. Speak.”
“It’s just… I’ve been busy with government matters lately and haven’t had time to teach him. He’s eager to learn, but with nowhere to study he ended up squatting outside to eavesdrop on lessons. Grandpa, what do you think we should do?”
Grandpa Han thought for a moment, then understood.
“The one you’re talking about is our household’s servant boy, Little Jizi, right?”
Han Min nodded earnestly. “Grandpa?”
Grandpa Han smiled. “Let him come in and listen, then. Since he wants to study so badly, he can set an example for little Pei. Maybe it’ll stop the boy from thinking about running off to play every day.”
Han Min agreed and went to bring Little Jizi inside.
Han Pei stroked his chin, looking confused.
Besides Grandpa Han and big brother… someone actually enjoys studying?
When Han Min left the study and returned to his room, he found Han Li standing outside holding a scroll. Thinking he wanted something, Han Min waited—but Han Li didn’t speak. So he went inside.
Han Min had just taken out his manuscript and had not even begun writing when something fluffy launched itself into his arms, startling him.
It was the fattened white cat.
“System?”
Seeing the cat reminded him—last night, he had slept together with Fu Xun, and had muted the system.
He immediately let the system out. The system, furious, shouted: “What were you doing with Fu Xun again?! What were you doing again…”
Just then, someone knocked. Han Min grabbed an unrelated scroll to cover the manuscript and said, “Come in.”
Han Li entered with his paper and brush. “Little Brother Min, are you free?”
“What is it?”
“I gave an essay to Elder Scholar Liu a few days ago. After his critiques, I revised it a little. I want you to look over it first.”
“Sure, I’m free.”
Han Min scooted aside and pulled over a cushion for him to sit. He accepted the essay and read carefully.
“This is last year’s palace examination question?”
“Yes.”
Han Min said casually, “I was supposed to sit for last year’s palace exam too, but didn’t. I had prepared a few answers—one was similar to this.”
Han Li’s lips twitched, letting out a tiny cold hum. “Is that so?”
Han Min said it casually, then fell silent.
Han Li saw him quiet for a long time, thinking he was stunned by the brilliance of the essay. His smile became genuinely pleased.
“It’s not very good, I wrote it casually one night. Don’t hold back—just say it.”
Seeing he seemed sincere, Han Min cautiously pointed out one issue: “This reference here… seems incorrectly used.”
Han Li leaned closer, argued with him for a bit, but eventually lost. His face cooled. “I’ll revise it.”
Seeing Han Li’s expression darkening moment by moment, Han Min felt baffled and didn’t want to speak anymore.
But Han Li kept pressing him for more critique. Unable to shake him off, and eventually annoyed, Han Min simply listed every flaw he found.
“This opening isn’t good—it doesn’t lead into the topic.”
“This sentence—your teacher must have told you to revise it. But it’s still not good.”
“This part also isn’t good…”
Han Li’s face turned steel-blue. He snatched the essay back, forcing a smile, “Thank you, Little Brother Min. I’ll go revise.”
Han Min nodded, “All right. Since you said not to hold back, I didn’t. Don’t be upset.”
“I’m not.”
Han Li left, returned to his own room, and threw the essay onto his desk.
Who did Han Min think he was? Someone who never even sat for the palace exam, pretending to be a top scholar? How dare he critique my writing?
He packed his things, preparing to visit the Liu residence again.
Han Min, also annoyed, pushed everything aside and continued writing “A Few Tales of His Majesty and the Chancellor.”
The system, inhabiting the white cat, started morning exercise and said, “Why even teach him? That kind of person only wants praise.”
Han Min replied mildly, “I can’t bring myself to flatter him. And he’s the one who told me not to hold back.”
“He’ll be unhappy anyway. Don’t bother with him next time. Better to offend a gentleman than a petty man. The scholars around you are all gentlemen—you’ve barely seen petty people. You don’t understand yet.”
“All right, next time I won’t bother. I’ll just praise blindly.”
“That’s better. Drive him away sooner so you can have peace.”
“Enough, I’m writing.”
Han Min wrote two or three more lines. Then the system suddenly remembered something: “By the way, why did you mute me last night?”
“Of course I’d mute you when bathing.”
The system let out a cold laugh. “Is the palace bath big?”
Han Min seriously thought about it. “It’s quite big.”
“And how was Fu Xun—naked?”
“What nonsense? I didn’t look.”
“Really?”
Han Min swore, “Really. I squinted the whole time. From beginning to end.”
The “little white pig” screamed, jumping into his arms and thumping his chest with its fat paws.
“How dare you! You’re not even an adult! I forbid this! You’re not allowed to mute me again!”
“It wasn’t anything like that, and we were far apart.”
If Han Shi found out about this… he wouldn’t just stand up. He’d run. He might even be able to leap across rooftops.
—
Han Min’s coming-of-age ceremony was approaching, and the elders were busy preparing.
Choosing a courtesy name, preparing gifts, arranging ceremonial clothing.
His clothes had already been tailored earlier. Today the tailor brought assistants for him to try on everything, and if anything didn’t fit, they’d take it back for alterations.
Han Min tried all the outfits, had Grandfather inspect them, and once everything checked out, he paid and escorted the tailor to the door.
The old tailor cupped his hands. “Congratulations, young master, on your capping ceremony.”
“Thank you.”
“Young master, you may return now.”
“All right. Take care.”
As the tailor left, Han Min turned back—and saw several carriages approaching.
From the last carriage, Chu Yu lifted the curtain and waved. “Han Min! Come over! Let’s go play!”
Han Min walked closer, puzzled. “Zhuoshi, aren’t you on duty today?”
“I am. But His Majesty is taking us out to play.”
He lifted the curtain wider. “Bianzhang is here too.”
It was extremely rare for His Majesty to bring them out.
Han Min asked, “Where are you going?”
Wen Yan said, “The Duke of Xin fenced off land outside the city to build a polo field—some trendy sport from the Song. It seems interesting, so he invited His Majesty to go have a look. We happened to be in the study and got lucky, so we’re coming along.”
Chu Yu smiled, pulling out his notes “A Few Tales of His Majesty and the Imperial Record Official.”
“Unlike you—we’re the lucky ones. His Majesty said you might enjoy it, so he came to fetch you himself.”
Han Min frowned slightly. Wen Yan nodded to confirm Chu Yu was telling the truth and added,
“Hurry up and get in. Don’t block the road.”
“All right.”
He lifted his robes and prepared to board.
But from the front carriage, another hand lifted the curtain, “Han Min, their carriage is full.”
Han Min acknowledged this and went to the front carriage.
The step stool was already set out, waiting for him.
He climbed up and sat beside Fu Xun. “Your Majesty.”
“Mm.”
Fu Xun glanced at him helplessly.
Silly child. No awareness at all. He didn’t even know which carriage he should get into—someone had to remind him.
Wen Yan and Chu Yu stared for a long while, then exchanged looks, eyeing the very spacious carriage.
Wen Yan chuckled. “Indeed, we were just tagging along.”
Chu Yu clenched his fist. “I can already see the glorious future where ‘A Few Tales of His Majesty and the Imperial Record Officer’ becomes a bestseller!”
He took out a thick stack of notes, turned to a new page, and began recording the latest events.
“I’ve already recorded so much—and that’s not including the official court diary. Bianzhang, did you know? In the court diary, the person mentioned the most besides His Majesty is that little Master Han.”
“At this rate, future historians will drown in the ocean of affection between those two.”
Author’s Note:
Word order affects meaning
The system sneers:
“Is the palace bath big?”
“Nonsense, I didn’t see.”
“How does Fu Xun look naked?”
Han Min seriously thinks:
“It’s quite big.”
Han Shi is sharpening his knife.
