BHBF Chapter 87.1

Boss, He’s Becoming a Father (Arc 4) Chapter 87.1: Playful Son (64)

Shao Jiashu: ???

But she soon said, “Dad, don’t lie to me. The rules in the palace are stricter than anywhere else. Can I climb trees randomly after entering the palace?”

Shao Jiashu is not a fool. She has only been able to be more relaxed in the past three years because Shao Yu has been an official in Lingnan. But after all, she grew up in the capital for the previous twelve years.

Xiao Han had been planning to marry the Seventh Prince for a long time, so she had put a lot of effort into her etiquette and even hired a nanny from the palace. Although she had not continued to learn etiquette in the past three years, Shao Jiashu did not really believe what Shao Yu said.

Shao Yu said: “The palace has a lot of rules, and they are not targeting you.”

Shao Jiashu said helplessly: “After entering the palace, how can I have my way with everything? It’s not my home.”

Shao Yu said, “Do you know what you should do and what you shouldn’t do?”

Shao Jiashu nodded.

Shao Yu immediately said: “Then you are very well behaved.”

Shao Jiashu looked at her father with suspicion and said, “The rules in the palace aren’t like this. Every movement, every smile, every step is measured. Everything is as if it were measured with a ruler. If I don’t follow the rules, I’ll probably get beaten by Madam.”

When she thought of this scene, Shao Jiashu felt like she was suffocating. The nanny she hired before was so strict when she taught her.

She had finally been able to relax a little in the past three years, but she didn’t want to go back to that life where she felt like she was trapped in a framework.

“So let you continue living your own life.” Shao Yu said.

Shao Jiashu shook her head and said helplessly, “I won’t learn the rules, but the princess has to learn the rules.”

Shao Yu knew very well that the princess was not a prince, so her education would not be very strict. Moreover, the old emperor was still trying to find a way to help the Seventh Prince win over the Shao family. Therefore, even if Shao Jiashu was a little less well-behaved, it would not have much impact. So he said, “If the princess learns, then you should follow her. If the princess doesn’t learn, then you don’t have to worry about it.”

There was still some disbelief on Shao Jiashu’s face. After all, Xiao Han had brainwashed her over the years into believing that the palace was a place that attached great importance to rules, with very strict requirements for every word and action. How could it be as casual as Shao Yu said?

“You entered the palace to be the princess’s study companion, not to learn the rules. Dad hopes that you can be happy before you get married and not be bound by the rules of the palace.” Shao Yu said.

Upon hearing this, Shao Jiashu felt Shao Yu’s kindness, but she was still afraid that her father would be implicated because of her, so she couldn’t help but express her concerns.

Shao Yu laughed when he heard this and said, “What kind of trouble can you possibly cause? Even if something does happen, you’re still a minister’s child. At most, they’ll punish you by making you copy books. Are they really going to hit you?”

Now that Shao Yu has returned to the capital, any discerning person can see that he is going to be given an important position. He is busy trying to win others over, so how could he possibly offend others?

Moreover, given Shao Jiashu’s well-behaved character, she would not do anything evil that would bring harm to the whole family.

After being comforted, Shao Jiashu felt relieved and was no longer so resistant to entering the palace.

However, after hearing this, Xiao Han felt a little uneasy, but she quickly realized that it might not be a great blessing for her daughter to marry into a wealthy family. So she gave Shao Yu a few more instructions, telling her to be careful with her words and actions in the palace and not to cause trouble.

The Shao family is now a simple family with not too many trivial matters. Xiao Han still remembers how the ladies in the capital who used to be on good terms with her changed their attitudes when she left the capital three years ago. Therefore, now that her husband has been reinstated, Xiao Han has no mood to contact them again.

Shao Yu suggested that Xiao Han could run a class again in the capital. Xiao Han had experience, so she started planning this time and gradually let go of her daughter’s affairs.

The next morning, someone from the palace came to pick her up.

Shao Jiashu was a study partner to Princess Rongjia, the old emperor’s youngest daughter. She was sixteen years old, one year older than Shao Jiashu.

Shao Jiashu was prepared to face a willful princess, but Princess Rongjia was very friendly when she saw her, and soon she became familiar with the princess.

The princess seemed to mention her previous study companion unintentionally. The previous study companion was a cousin from her mother’s family. The girl had been with her in the palace for two years and was now married to her fourth brother as a concubine. The means by which she married him seemed not very glorious.

The fourth prince is a popular candidate to succeed the throne because of his mother’s noble family.

Shao Jiashu naturally heard the warning in the princess’ words, so she pretended not to know and only asked if she had to learn the rules now.

The princess was already sixteen years old and had learned most of the rules. As she was the youngest daughter, the old emperor loved her very much and was reluctant to let her be bound too strictly by the rules. Therefore, even if she did something unruly, the two maids beside her did not dare to say anything too harshly, but only reminded her gently.

After learning that she didn’t have to learn the rules, Shao Jiashu finally breathed a sigh of relief and said, “It’s great that I don’t have to learn the rules. I’m just an unruly girl now, and I’m most afraid of these red tape.”

Shao Jiashu spoke frankly, and the princess found it amusing. She then asked, “Don’t you think your mother forces you to learn the rules at home?”

“My mother was detained a few years ago, but these years she has the same idea as my father.”

“What idea?” the princess asked curiously.

“My father said that rules should restrain people’s hearts, not cultivate their pride.”

The princess was slightly startled when she heard this, and her eyes fell on a group of palace maids walking in a line not far away.

The palace maids wore the same clothes, had the same hair styles, and even walked in the same uniform manner.

Just like what Shao Jiashu said, they are like shelves, exactly the same.

“Master Shao’s insightful comments are truly enlightening.”

Shao Jiashu was startled when she heard the sudden male voice, but the princess laughed and called out, “Brother.”

The princess has many brothers, but apparently only one is so close to her: the seventh prince.

Shao Jiashu hurriedly bowed her head and then planned to quietly leave.

But the Seventh Prince asked, “Where is Miss Shao going?”

Shao Jiashu paused in her retreat.

At this time, the seventh prince and the princess were staring at her curiously.

Shao Jiashu was a little embarrassed and said, “This humble servant does not want to stay here and disturb the two Your Highnesses.”

The Seventh Prince saw Shao Jiashu’s appearance clearly at this moment, a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes, and he said: “But I came here today for the girl.”

When these words were spoken, the princess and Shao Jiashu were both stunned.

The princess smiled and asked, “Brother, what are you talking about?”

Shao Jiashu lowered her head, feeling a little annoyed.

Shao Yu also explained some of the reasons why she entered the palace yesterday. Shao Yu did not explicitly say that the Seventh Prince was the crown prince chosen by the old emperor. He only said that the old emperor wanted to balance the power of the other princes and planned to marry her to the Seventh Prince.

Shao Jiashu understood very clearly that in the eyes of the old emperor, she was just a bargaining chip, a bargaining chip to help the seventh prince win the throne.

Shao Jiashu and Shao Yu had the same idea. They didn’t want their feelings to be mixed with too much politics. Therefore, although Shao Jiashu knew that the Seventh Prince, whom she had never met, had done nothing wrong, she still naturally felt a little dislike for him.

The Seventh Prince saw that Shao Jiashu had been keeping her head down and couldn’t see her expression clearly. He felt a little sorry for her, but he quickly explained to the princess, “You are my sister. You have a new study partner, so I had to come and see you.”

The princess became happy after hearing this.

Their mother passed away three years ago. The brother and sister have been dependent on each other in the deep palace, so they have a good relationship.

However, Shao Jiashu did not want to have too much contact with the Seventh Prince, so even if the other party mentioned her at this time, she just lowered her head and looked at her shoes without responding.

The princess said, “Don’t worry, brother. Jiashu is fine.”

The Seventh Prince was somewhat disappointed to see that Shao Jiashu always followed the rules and did not respond. He felt that even though she said something related to the rules, she still seemed to be a daughter who was completely bound by the rules, and he suddenly found it boring.

Even though he was disappointed, the Seventh Prince understood that Shao Yu would be given an important position this time, so he remained patient and said gently, “Miss Shao, my sister is naughty by nature. If she offends you in the future, please bear with me.”

The princess immediately said coquettishly: “Brother, why are you still saying bad things about me to outsiders?”

Shao Jiashu listened to the princess’s deliberate use of the word “outsider” and acted as if she hadn’t heard it. She simply said, “The princess is clever and intelligent. I’m probably afraid that my clumsy nature will upset her.”

The Seventh Prince became even more disappointed with this conventional answer, but he finally said a few gentle words of comfort before leaving.

As soon as the seventh prince left, the princess looked at Shao Jiashu back and forth several times.

“Princess, is there anything wrong with me?” Shao Jiashu asked softly.

The princess smiled and shook her head, saying, “No, there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s just that it seems that all the study partners around me are extremely capable.”

Shao Jiashu pretended not to hear.

The two girls originally had a good relationship and were about to become familiar with each other. However, ever since the Seventh Prince came for a visit, things became a little awkward between them.

The princess was not as proactive as before, and instead became less interested in everything. But even so, she did not make things difficult for Shao Jiashu, but seemed to be visibly distant.

Shao Jiashu did not enter the palace to make friends, so she did not admire her, but instead became her study companion sincerely.

Now, the only unmarried princess in the palace is Princess Rongjia. Although she still has daily classes, they are not as strict as those for the princes. They are all leisure courses such as music, chess, calligraphy and painting.

Shao Jiashu and the princess were at different paces, so she only understood half of what was being said. Fortunately, the teacher didn’t have any intention of testing her and ended the course as if the job had been done.

After the afternoon classes were over, Shao Jiashu left the palace. After returning home, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Although the princess was not embarrassed, the atmosphere was very depressing, not at all as relaxed and comfortable as she was at home.