Liu Bian at the start, so you're called Dong Zhuo, right?

Empress He immediately kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I thank you."

All the eunuchs and palace attendants in the hall bowed in unison: "Congratulations on the name bestowed by Your Highness."

"I thank my father, the Emperor, for bestowing this name upon me."

Emperor Ling of Han looked at Zhang Rang, his tone as casual as if he were assigning a minor task:

"Since you were the ones who verified it, you are also the ones who are familiar with the etiquette. From now on... you will be the ones to teach him the etiquette of the palace."

Empress He's eyes narrowed.

"The Empress should oversee the Empress's daily life. Etiquette should be taught by the Attendant-in-Ordinary. Neither side should be neglected."

Empress He kowtowed: "Your Majesty, I obey your decree."

Liu Bian kowtowed in response, but his heart was filled with mixed feelings.

He couldn't afford to neglect either side, which put him in a dilemma.

Getting involved in the factional struggles between the emperor's relatives and eunuchs too early was both a good thing and a bad thing for him.

When he looked up, he met Zhang Rang's smiling eyes.

"Among these eunuchs, there are some capable people."

"Well, though the reputation is bad, they have real power. There are many difficult things that can be done now."

As Liu Bian was thinking to himself, Empress He took his hand.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. Since His Highness has just entered the palace, I will take him back to the Empress's Palace to rest first, so as not to trouble Your Majesty's eyes."

"Go."

Liu Bian followed Empress He outside the palace. A gust of wind blew, and Liu Bian shivered from the cold.

Before long, the two returned to Changqiu Palace. Empress He pulled Liu Bian to sit in the main seat and breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"You did very well in the hall just now."

A half-smile crept across Liu Bian's lips, like a child suppressing their smugness:

"As long as my mother holds my hand, I'm not afraid."

These words sounded naive, but they struck a chord with Empress He.

She suddenly remembered His Majesty's words about having Zhang and his men teach Liu Bian etiquette, and a thought struck her:

"His Majesty sent them to teach you manners, but they can only teach you manners, not your heart. You must learn manners, but you must also learn books. The books are with me."

She paused, then looked at Chunjuan:

"Go and set up His Highness's desk. Bring all the old scriptures and bamboo slips. Also, bring my copy of the register of names—now that His Highness has bestowed a name, all future records of names and daily activities must be handled by the Empress's people first."

Spring silk flew away in response.

"Learn calligraphy?" Liu Bian was delighted: "To learn calligraphy, one must naturally find a teacher."

He thought of someone and then said:

"Then... Mother, could you find me a tutor?"

Empress He glanced at him: "What kind of gentleman do you want?"

"Didn't Mother say that I am a prince? A prince should be taught by the best scholars in the land. Otherwise... they will laugh at me for being raised outside the palace."

Empress He was slightly taken aback.

She was silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out and pinched his cheek, as if she truly treated him like a child:

"Very well. Since you desire all the talented people in the world, then your mother will grant you all the talented people in the world."

She looked up at the register of names that Chun Juan had just retrieved and said:

"Go and invite He Jin."

Chunjuan was taken aback: "Your Majesty, what was He Shifang just now—"

"Let him come," Empress He interrupted. "Just say that His Highness wants to establish a school, select teachers, and invite renowned scholars to the palace to give lectures."

A moment later, He Jin indeed entered the Empress's palace again. As soon as he entered the hall, he bowed and said, "Your subject He Jin greets Your Majesty and Your Highness."

This time, Liu Bian didn't call out "Uncle," but just sat obediently, like a dutiful prince.

Empress He got straight to the point:

"His Highness wants a teacher. Go and choose a teacher for His Highness."

He Jin was taken aback: "Choose... a teacher?"

Empress He stared at him:

"Bian'er has been raised outside the palace for seven years and has just returned. I want him to establish his official status."

He Jin was delighted to hear the name "Bian'er".

He knew that this meant Liu Bian had been completely accepted.

How should his status be established? Let the world know that the prince is not "Marquis Shi," but Liu Bian, His Majesty's eldest son, a person who will be educated by teachers and guided by etiquette.

He Jin understood in his heart: this was using "reading" as a pretext.

"Go and draft a memorial. Request His Majesty to issue an edict—ordering the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Court of Imperial Ceremonies, and the Imperial Academy Doctors to recommend several scholars well-versed in the classics to enter the palace as tutors to the princes. Also select one or two who are knowledgeable in current affairs and good at planning to serve as His Highness's left and right secretaries."

He Jin's heart skipped a beat: "Your Majesty, this... Zhang Rang's situation—"

"Zhang Rang wants to teach etiquette," Empress He said calmly. "Then let him teach etiquette. But what books His Highness reads, who listens to his lectures, and who records his daily activities—that's all within the Empress's palace."

He Jin was taken aback by this imposing aura and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, I understand. I will take care of it immediately."

"Don't be extravagant with the selection yet. Let's find someone for His Highness first—someone who can keep order and also guide His Highness."

He Jin hesitated, "Does Your Majesty have someone in mind?"

Empress He did not respond immediately, but remained silent for a moment.

Liu Bian's heart skipped a beat; he knew it was time.

"I heard from the people in the Shi family that... Yingchuan is full of virtuous scholars. The scholars of Yingchuan are good at studying, and also... intelligent."

"Go and investigate. Among the Xun family of Yingchuan, if there is anyone with early fame for their talent and who is capable of serving in the capital, bring one of them here to give it a try. The official title will be 'Lecturer'."

He Jin cupped his hands and said, "Your subject obeys." He then withdrew from the hall.

Liu Bian breathed a sigh of relief.

Xun Yu, Xun You, and even Xun Shuang.

Whoever comes first to join my burly man is welcome.

"Your Highness, Zhang Changshi has sent someone here, saying that he is acting on His Majesty's orders to first instruct His Highness on etiquette."

Empress He raised an eyelid: "Who was it sent to?"

"Two junior eunuchs and an old eunuch, supposedly to 'teach etiquette'—I think they're just here to keep an eye on things."

Empress He gave a cold laugh, but her voice was flat:

"Let it air dry for now."

Then, she turned to look at Liu Bian, her tone softening instantly:

"Bian'er, if those people talk to you about anything beyond the bounds of etiquette, then come and tell your mother."

Liu Bian nodded.

In the following days, Liu Bian followed Zhang Rang's men to learn etiquette every day.

He was very obedient, so obedient that the old eunuch couldn't help but laugh whenever he mentioned Liu Bian:

"Your Highness is intelligent and learns the palace rules very quickly."

A few days later, Liu Bian was paying his respects to Empress He.

Suddenly there were footsteps outside the door, and the announcement was made in a very low voice:

"Your Majesty, Attendant-in-Ordinary He has sent word that a letter from Yingchuan says that a member of the Xun family has recently been frequenting Luoyang and associating with students at the Imperial Academy, and his reputation has already grown."

Empress He's eyes flickered slightly: "Who is it?"

The palace maid hesitated for a moment, as if afraid of saying the wrong thing:

"Your Majesty... he is said to be the son of the Xun family, whose courtesy name is... Wenruo."

Liu Bian's heart skipped a beat, and a look of joy appeared on his face.

He suppressed the joy on his face and asked with a hint of curiosity:

"Wenruo...is that your courtesy name, sir?"

"Yes."

Empress He nodded:

"Have He Jin invite the people over."

"Give it a try."

She turned to look at Liu Bian:

"The master is not only here to preach to you, but also to pave the way for you."

Liu Bian lowered his head and obediently replied, "Your son will obey Mother."

But he was already laughing inside.

If it really is Xun Yu, then from the moment he returned to the palace, this situation was no longer just about "surviving".

Instead, it began to rewrite the world.

Three days later.

In a side hall of Changqiu Palace, a desk was set up, with old scriptures and bamboo slips laid out one by one.

Liu Bian knelt before the table, holding a bamboo pen in his hand, and slowly wrote the character "孝" (filial piety) stroke by stroke.

Empress He was resting with her eyes closed in the main seat.

Footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall. Chunjuan entered and whispered:

"Your Majesty, Attendant-in-Ordinary He is waiting outside the palace. Lecturer Xun has also arrived."

Liu Bian paused, and the bamboo brush left a very light ink dot next to the character "子".

coming.

"Let them all in."

"Summon He Jin. Summon Xun Shi Jiang."

Inside the main hall, He Jin entered first, bowed, and said:

"Your subject He Jin greets Your Majesty and Your Highness."

Liu Bian's gaze quickly passed over He Jin and landed on the second person at the door.

The man wore a simple blue robe, the fabric of which was not luxurious, but it was very neat. The jade pendant at his waist was not ostentatious, but it had a warm and gentle feel.

Only after He Jin finished his greetings did he step into the hall.

"Your subject Xun Yu pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress."

"Greetings, Your Highness."

Empress He stared at Xun Yu with a scrutinizing look:

"You are Xun Wenruo?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"I've heard you've already gained a reputation among the students of the Imperial Academy," Empress He said calmly. "I invited you to the palace not to promote your name, but to establish a school for His Highness. Are you willing?"

Xun Yu raised his eyes, his gaze clear:

"Yes. I have received the Emperor's favor and will do my duty accordingly."

"Very well." Empress He nodded. "Then from today onwards, you will serve as His Highness's tutor. There are many rules in the palace; if you are not used to them—"

"I am accustomed to it," Xun Yu replied quickly, but not frivolously. "I do not argue with rules and regulations, but only with right and wrong."

Liu Bian sat at the table, his face still displaying an obedient expression, but inwardly he was muttering to himself:

No wonder later generations called him "the king's advisor".

Stable, firm, and without breaking any rules.

Empress He turned her gaze to Liu Bian:

"Bian'er, do you have any questions for the master?"

Liu Bian raised his head, his eyes filled with a mixture of curiosity and awe, just like a child meeting his teacher for the first time.

He didn't ask about the meaning of the scriptures first.

He wants to test people first.

"Sir...did anyone advise you against coming to the palace before you did?"

The hall fell even quieter instantly.

He Jin's heart tightened: Why did this child ask this question as the first thing?

The old eunuch in the side corridor had a glint in his eye: Good question. A wrong answer would mean taking sides; a good answer would demonstrate true skill.

Xun Yu did not panic. He looked at Liu Bian with a calm gaze, as if he were looking at a child, or as if he were looking at a future path.

"Yes," he answered truthfully. "Some people advised me: 'The wind is strong in the palace; it's best to avoid going in.'"

Liu Bian blinked, as if even more curious:

"Then why did you come back, sir?"

Xun Yu remained silent for a moment.

This brief moment caused everyone in the hall to hold their breath.

Then he spoke slowly, his voice low but each word clear and distinct:

"Because I have heard that Your Highness has been away for seven years and has only returned today."

"When I read books, I read 'The ruler is the boat, and the people are the water,' and I also read 'A wise man does not stand under a dangerous wall.' But I also read a line: 'When one person is virtuous, all nations will be righteous.'"

He glanced at the old eunuch beside him, then looked directly at Liu Bian:

"Your Highness is back. This palace should not only have 'propriety' but also 'righteousness'."

"Propriety can bind people, and righteousness can establish a nation."

"Your Majesty is willing to use your knowledge to help you first establish yourself, then your reputation, and finally your power."