The Marquis Mansion's Elite Class-Chapter 264

The Crown Prince paused in his steps.

His fingers trembled slightly before he let out a soft sigh, turning back with apparent resignation as he asked, “What’s the matter?”

The Little Demon King didn’t let go of his hand, instead asking worriedly, “Your Highness, your hands are so cold—are you ill?”

But the Crown Prince didn’t seem sick at all. In the past, he would cough occasionally, but now he hardly did. His health should have improved, shouldn’t it?

The Crown Prince chuckled lightly. “Don’t overthink it, child. I’ve always been sensitive to the cold—this happens every winter.”

“Really? But today’s only the start of winter… What will you do when the coldest days arrive?” The Little Demon King racked his brain, trying to recall the temperature of the Crown Prince’s hands last winter. Had the Crown Prince even held his hand back then?

The Crown Prince smiled warmly. “When the bitter cold comes, I’ll simply wear more layers. What are you worried about? That the palace won’t provide me with new robes?”

“No.” Zong Jincheng shook his head. The Crown Prince was the heir to the throne—no one in the palace would dare neglect him.

The Crown Prince reached out and gently ruffled his hair, his touch feather-light, as if afraid his icy fingers might chill the boy’s scalp.

Zong Jincheng seized both of the Crown Prince’s hands, pressing his own warm little palms against them, trying to share his heat. But it was like trying to extinguish a fire with a cup of water—even a child who burned like a furnace all day couldn’t warm the Crown Prince’s hands in just a few moments.

Watching the boy alternate between rubbing his own hands and the Crown Prince’s, desperately trying to chase away the cold, the Crown Prince felt a sudden sting in his eyes.

After a while, a faint warmth finally seeped in, and the boy beamed with delight. The Crown Prince’s heart softened in response.

Zong Jincheng declared, “Your Highness, next time you visit, I’ll have hand warmers ready for you, and we’ll place braziers all around the room. Then you won’t feel cold at all.”

The Crown Prince laughed. “Won’t you be too hot?”

Zong Jincheng shook his head vigorously. “Not at all! I can handle heat just fine. If it gets too warm, I’ll just take off some layers—no problem!”

The Crown Prince patted his shoulder before signaling his departure.

As the Little Demon King watched him leave, he noticed the Crown Prince tugging his sleeves down slightly, as if trying to preserve the lingering warmth.

“Your Highness…”

The moment he returned home, Zong Jincheng barked orders at Shunzi to prepare braziers, hand warmers, and every other heating implement imaginable, ensuring they’d be ready for immediate use.

“This early?” Shunzi scratched his head. Usually, they wouldn’t start preparing for another fortnight.

Zong Jincheng insisted, “Yes, exactly this early. I don’t want to catch a chill—it’d interfere with my studies.”

Shunzi: ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‍“…”

Young Master, no one in this household was less afraid of the cold than you. Last winter, you’d run outside to play in the snow without even wearing an outer robe, only to be scolded by Madam until you couldn’t lift your head for hours.

But it didn’t matter. Zong Jincheng was determined to take the blame.

Since the Crown Prince seemed reluctant to let him know about this, it was best to keep others from finding out as well…

On the day of the palace banquet, the children finally had their chance to cut loose, and their excitement was palpable.

Servants delivered newly tailored robes that glowed in the dark. Zong Wenxiu resisted vehemently, while the four little troublemakers preened in their flashy attire.

Wei Xinglu laughed triumphantly. “Hahaha! Finally, it’s my turn! Last year, Jincheng and the others wore these in the palace—what a spectacle! I was green with envy.”

Shen Yibai spun in a circle, puzzled. “They don’t look any different. Will they really glow at night?”

Zong Jincheng smirked. “Of course! The fabric’s woven with powdered luminescent pearls. You know what those are, right? They shine in the dark—it’s amazing!”

“Really? Let me test it!” Shen Yibai dove straight into Zong Jincheng’s bed, burrowing under the blankets before shrieking, “Ahhh! It really lights up!”

He Zheng cackled. “Told you we weren’t lying! These robes are fantastic. Last time, Pang Jing tried to snatch them from us—thank goodness Auntie Xu stood up for us, or we’d have lost them.”

Shen Yibai flung the covers off and leapt from the bed.

Only then did Zong Jincheng realize something was amiss. He screeched, “Damn you, Shen Yibai! You got into my bed with your shoes on!!”

“Huh? I forgot to take them off!”

“Change the sheets! Change the blankets! You’re sleeping on the ones you dirtied!”

“No, no, just have them washed—they’ll be fine… hehe.”

“Hehe my foot! Shunzi, after washing them, deliver them to his room for him to sleep on!”

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Shen Yibai: “…”

You petty, vindictive little…!!

Since the four troublemakers were bound to cause another scene, Xu Wan adamantly refused to let Zong Jincheng ride with her, pulling only Zong Wenxiu into her carriage instead. No matter how much Zong Jincheng whined about favoritism, she wouldn’t budge.

Smiling at Zong Wenxiu’s awkward expression, Xu Wan remarked, “You made the right call refusing to wear those robes. I wouldn’t have the nerve either.”

Zong Wenxiu scratched his head sheepishly. “I’ll join them next time they have another event.”

Xu Wan teased, “And write a ten-thousand-word self-criticism afterward?”

Zong Wenxiu: “…”

Let’s not go that far.

Upon arriving at the palace, Xu Wan had expected to sit alone again, but to her surprise, the other mothers flocked to her side, chorusing warmly, “Sister!”

Xu Wan: “…”

Their affectionate tone was eerily reminiscent of when they’d first sent their children to her.

“Lady Wei, Madam He, Madam Shen… greetings,” Xu Wan replied politely.

Madam He linked arms with her left side. “Sister, I truly don’t know how to thank you. Ever since my husband learned that Zheng placed first in Qingbo Academy’s Child Prodigy Class, he’s actually started asking about his studies! I’ve never seen anything like it—you’re our family’s greatest benefactor.”

Madam Shen seized her right arm. “And our Yibai—he’s transformed beyond recognition. Not only can he quote classics effortlessly now, but he even weighs in on official matters when my father-in-law discusses them. The old man was stunned! He told me to thank you properly—it’s like you turned lead into gold.”

Lady Wei wanted to grab an arm too, but both were already occupied. A philosophical question popped into her head: Why do humans only have two arms?

Xu Wan shared amusing anecdotes about the children’s studies and explained what the elite class curriculum entailed, leaving the women wide-eyed and marveling at how much their sons had improved.

Nearby, Xu Lian'er passed by, seething with jealousy as she watched Xu Wan surrounded by influential noblewomen. Her glare was venomous enough to kill.

Damn her. Damn Xu Wan.

What kind of sorcery had she used to make these women orbit her like planets around the sun?

Lady Wei spotted her chance to shine. Her husband was the Right Vice Censor-in-Chief, and after years of exposure to his sharp tongue, she wasn’t one to mince words either. “Oh? Isn’t this the Duke of Jin’s Madam Chen? You must be fuming over that concubine of yours—your eyes are twitching something fierce. Best take care of that before you develop a permanent facial tic. Wouldn’t want a brothel girl stealing your place, now—that’d shame every noblewoman in the capital.”