The Marquis Mansion’s Elite Class

"Is that child still alive?" the Little Demon King asked curiously.

The Crown Prince nodded, looking at the young boy before him with tolerance. "He is alive. And... living well. However, Luo Jingfeng already knows of his existence and has been searching for him for a long time. He should find him soon."

"Ah?" Zong Jincheng scratched his head. "Then we can't let Luo Jingfeng find him, right? Otherwise, that treacherous villain will surely rebel and harm Your Highness and His Majesty."

The Crown Prince chuckled softly and shook his head. "There's no stopping it. My maternal clan has long been gone, and the military power in the court is controlled by Luo Jingfeng. Whether I ascend the throne or not, we cannot contend with the Luo family."

A faint melancholy always lingered between his brows, yet he often smiled calmly, as if he had long accepted it.

Zong Jincheng grew worried as well. "No way to stop it... no way... Then what should we do, Your Highness? How can I help you? I don’t want Luo Jingfeng to harm you. He’s a treacherous villain—if he supports the young prince in usurping the throne, the court will be entirely under his control. He’ll kill whomever he pleases, embezzle as much as he wants, and the court and the people will be in grave danger."

He even traced the problem back to its source, grumbling, "It’s all Concubine Shu’s fault. If she hadn’t secretly given birth to the young prince, she wouldn’t have died, and she wouldn’t have brought such a crisis upon the court."

Hearing him speak of his mother this way, the Crown Prince’s brows instinctively furrowed as he tried to explain, "Luo Shu originally intended to secretly send the child away to live as an ordinary person. It was only by unfortunate chance that I discovered it."

"Your Highness spared the child?" Zong Jincheng asked in surprise.

The Crown Prince did not answer directly but instead countered, "If you had been the one to discover it, how would you have handled it?"

Zong Jincheng answered without hesitation, "Kill him."

"Though it may seem cruel to a child, if this child leads to imperial strife and the dominance of maternal relatives, the resulting disaster would be far worse. The court would suffer, the people would suffer—countless lives would be lost. We shouldn’t let compassion for a child cloud our judgment, or the consequences would be endless."

Some of these ideas came from history books, some from his tutors, and some from the Crown Prince himself, but they all shared the same principle: the smallest sacrifice for the greatest value. This was a truth that both rulers and officials must understand.

The Little Demon King’s voice was rational and devoid of emotion. At his age, it was difficult for him to empathize with Luo Shu’s maternal instincts—his mind was filled only with the rigid doctrines he had learned.

After a long silence, the Crown Prince finally chuckled softly and said, "Yes, you’re right. The people are more important."

Back when he was fifteen, he hadn’t thought as deeply as this ten-year-old boy. Though both had been educated in the art of rulership from childhood, he had learned far less than Jincheng.

Perhaps this was the best outcome.

He was never suited for that throne to begin with.

After ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‍finishing his thoughts, the Little Demon King suddenly looked up and exclaimed, "Oh, right! Your Highness mentioned earlier that Luo Jingfeng cares most about Luo Shu—would he also love the child for her sake? If that child could stand with Your Highness, could we overthrow the Luo family?"

The Crown Prince smiled and shook his head.

Zong Jincheng deflated with a disappointed "Ah," pouting.

The Crown Prince explained, "A child alone cannot accomplish such a thing, especially one who hasn’t yet grown up. But if he can distinguish right from wrong and avoid being controlled by the Luo family, he may at least lessen the crisis they bring."

Zong Jincheng perked up again. "So he is the key to breaking the deadlock, right? Your Highness, where is he? Bring him to our elite class! I’ll teach him to be a good person. My mother is amazing—we’ll make sure he grows up righteous and untainted by Luo Jingfeng’s corruption!"

The Crown Prince only smiled and did not respond. Instead, he reached out and ruffled the boy’s hair, instructing, "When this child eventually returns to Luo Jingfeng’s side, remember to conceal your brilliance. Don’t let Luo Jingfeng notice anything unusual too soon, lest he grow wary and make future actions difficult."

Zong Jincheng nodded eagerly. "Understood! If I ever meet him, I’ll be sure to pass on Your Highness’ words!"

The Crown Prince continued, "Moreover, to overthrow the Luo family, you must first have the power to oppose them—military authority, court support, and the people’s trust. None can be lacking."

Zong Jincheng kept nodding vigorously. "I’ve memorized it all!"

"Mmm..." The Crown Prince exhaled deeply, then wearily reclined in his rocking chair and closed his eyes. After a long silence, he murmured, "Jincheng, go copy the 'Great Unity' chapter of the Book of Rites. Recite it as you write—I’d like to hear it."

"Ah, yes." Zong Jincheng glanced around before settling into a chair in the study. He picked up a bright yellow brush, dipped it in ink, and began writing on paper, reciting slowly but clearly:

"When the Great Way prevails, the world is shared by all. The virtuous and capable are chosen, sincerity is cultivated, and harmony is fostered. Thus, people do not only care for their own parents, nor only love their own children. The elderly have a place to rest, the strong have useful work, the young have guidance to grow..."

His youthful voice echoed through the palace halls, and the Crown Prince’s thoughts gradually drifted away, returning to that unforgettable rainy night from his past.

Ten years ago, Crown Prince Chu Heng was only fifteen.

At that time, he was the Emperor’s eldest legitimate son, born to the Empress, and personally instructed by his father in the ways of governance. He excelled in both civil and martial arts, was upright in character, and devoted to the people. Thus, he was the undisputed choice for heir apparent in everyone’s eyes.

Recently, his father had even explicitly expressed his intention to name him Crown Prince. But then, news came from Huaishui—Concubine Shu had secretly given birth to a child.

Shocked, he quickly led his men into Concubine Shu’s chambers.

Not out of personal ambition, nor to secure his position as heir, but because Concubine Shu’s identity was special. The Luo brothers could not have a royal nephew—otherwise, the first to die would be him and the Empress’s clan, followed by his father. And beyond that, it would spark a power struggle between the throne and the maternal relatives.

The stifling heat of the summer storm pressed down as flashes of lightning illuminated Luo Shu’s beautiful yet deathly pale face—and the unconscious maids and eunuchs sprawled across the floor.

Weak from childbirth, Luo Shu had little strength left. When she saw Chu Heng and his men burst in, she knew it was over.

Her defenses shattered. She struggled to crawl from the bed, clutching Chu Heng’s robes as she begged desperately, "Your Highness, please... please spare his life. I have no desire for favor, no wish for my child to seize the throne. I only wanted to be like any ordinary woman, to have a child—a pure, untainted child. Please, let us go. My brothers know nothing. I swear he will never be an obstacle to your succession, never. Let me send him away from the palace. No one will ever know his identity. Please, I beg you, I beg you..."

Luo Shu pleaded while kowtowing on the floor.

Concubine Shu, long the most favored beauty in the harem, had always carried herself with grace and pride. Never before had she been so humbled—yet now, to save her child’s life, she cast aside all dignity.