The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity

Chapter 342 - 310: That Young Prince

Inexplicably chosen to become the companion of the Eldest Prince, Su Yaoqi walked out of the Qianqing Palace with a blank mind. He turned to Empress Su and asked her, "Aunt, why did the Eldest Prince choose me?"

Empress Su smiled and explained to the young man, "Because you are outstanding enough."

Outstanding enough?

Is it just because his surname is Su?

Su Yaoqi didn’t quite understand the intrigues within the palace, but he could vaguely smell the scent of scheming and plotting.

Returning to the Duke Mansion, his father immediately pulled him aside for questioning, "Did you see the Emperor?"

"I did."

"What about the Eldest Prince?"

"I saw him too."

Seeing his son in low spirits, Lord narrowed his eyes, "Did you get hit by frost or something?"

Su Yaoqi thought for a moment and looked up at his father, "Didn’t you always not want me to get involved in family matters?"

Lord widened his eyes, "When did I ever let you get involved?"

Su Yaoqi muttered under his breath, "Not involving me yet letting me become the Eldest Prince’s companion?"

"That’s because the Eldest Prince has the insight to recognize talent and picked you from among three hundred students at the Imperial College."

"He spotted a Su at a glance; his eyes must be lame, right?" Su Yaoqi countered.

Lord’s face changed color with anger, "What’s wrong with being a Su? Aren’t you yourself a descendant of the Su Family? Have the face to say that?"

Su Yaoqi puffed out his chest, speaking with righteousness, "I’m different from you all!"

Lord: "...Someone, bring me my whip. — You little brat, if you dare, don’t run, come back to your father!"

Already having slipped away, Su Yaoqi stood on the corridor, pouting, "Only a fool would go back to get beaten."

Despite being mad, Lord could never really bring himself to lay a hand on his son who grew up eating plain rice soup.

After all, raising a child outside of the dye vat in the Su Family is not easy.

——

On the first day as a companion in the palace, Su Yaoqi ran to the Imperial College early in the morning but didn’t go in, just waited outside the big door.

When Song Yuanbao arrived and saw him, he asked why he was standing stiffly like a post.

Su Yaoqi said, "I won’t be studying at the Imperial College anymore."

Song Yuanbao feigned ignorance, "Thinking of dropping out?"

"No, going to the Study Room." Su Yaoqi said, "To be a companion for the Eldest Prince."

Song Yuanbao gave an "oh," "That’s nice."

The tutors in the Study Room are a notch above the scholars at the Imperial College, the quality of teaching speaks for itself.

Being able to be a companion for a Prince is probably a dream come true for many students.

"That day I actually invited you to a gathering on a painting boat, but you couldn’t make it, are you mad at me?"

Looking at the little boy standing in front of him, clearly not as tall and younger, but many times when they stood together, Su Yaoqi always felt like he was the child.

Song Yuanbao was nonchalant, "Couldn’t go, couldn’t go, no big deal. Am I such a petty person?"

Hearing this, Su Yaoqi quietly breathed a sigh of relief, "It’s good you’re not mad."

Coming early just to personally tell Song Hao about his new role as Eldest Prince’s companion, Su Yaoqi didn’t stay long and headed towards the Imperial City in a carriage.

When he arrived at the Study Room, it was just 5 a.m., and the tutor had already started the lesson.

In the large Study Room, only Prince Zhao Xi was sitting inside.

Not wanting to interrupt the tutor’s lecture, Su Yaoqi quietly went to sit beside the Eldest Prince.

Zhao Xi glanced at Su Yaoqi, showing no expression on his face. He quickly turned his attention back to the book.

Until the class ended at noon, the Eldest Prince hadn’t said a word to him, not even a whisper.

Su Yaoqi, being inherently introverted, felt somewhat at a loss seeing the Eldest Prince not paying attention to him, pondering how to start a conversation.

When the tutor left, Zhao Xi closed the book, turned slightly, and for the second time looked at Su Yaoqi, this time not silent, "Daily early reading starts at 3 a.m., classes at 5 a.m., ending at noon, practice riding and archery in the afternoon. Don’t get it wrong next time."

"3... 3 a.m.?" Su Yaoqi’s mouth dropped open in shock: "Even the rooster hasn’t crowed yet!"

Is this being a companion? Is this coming to be an ox or horse for others?

Clearly, the fourth Young Master Su, raised in a honey pot, didn’t understand the hardships of being a Prince.

The Prince he imagined was the kind of supreme noble whose mere stomp could make commoners tremble, never considering that they had to get up in the dead of night when the sky was still dark to come to the Study Room for early reading, followed by classes until noon, with horse riding and archery in the afternoon.

All year round, besides each major festival with a day off, they had to stick to this schedule.

If there are any benefits to mention, during the height of summer, due to the heat, only morning classes are held, and afternoons are for rest.

At the Imperial College, morning reading is entirely voluntary for students, with formal classes starting at 5 a.m. For a young master like Su Yaoqi, who is accustomed to ample sleep, getting up at the crow of a rooster is simply unbelievable.

Zhao Xi started attending the Study Room at the age of six, and it has been almost seven years to date; he has long gotten used to staying up late and rising early.

Outsiders envy him for being part of the Royal Family, enjoying rich food and luxurious clothes. In reality, even dreaming of sleeping in is a luxury for him.

Whenever there’s a holiday, as long as he’s not summoned for rituals or similar activities, he’d prefer not to go anywhere and just spend the whole day sleeping in his chamber.

...

Seeing Su Yaoqi’s reaction, Zhao Xi laughed without saying anything, stood up and walked out, returning to his chamber to have lunch.

In the afternoon, he went to the Upper Garden Stable, still accompanied by Su Yaoqi.

Zhao Xi led his mount over with a quiver on his back and held a heavy Black Gold Bow when he saw Su Yaoqi standing still. He asked, "Can’t ride a horse?"

Su Yaoqi shook his head twice; he could ride, but his riding skills were not very good.

"Can’t shoot arrows?" Zhao Xi asked again.

Su Yaoqi nodded in embarrassment.

His family was a scholarly household; apart from his Seventh Uncle, few people ever touched weapons like bows and arrows.

Zhao Xi understood, "In that case, don’t get on the horse. Stay down here and help me gather the game later."

"Okay." Su Yaoqi readily agreed.

After finishing his words, Zhao Xi performed a graceful and swift move, mounting the horse and adjusting his seat.

Su Yaoqi looked up at him and couldn’t help but ask, "The Black Gold Bow is so heavy, why doesn’t His Highness switch to a lighter bow?"

Zhao Xi smirked, "How would you train your arm strength if it’s not heavy?"

Su Yaoqi found himself at a loss for words.

By the time he came to his senses, Zhao Xi was already galloping off into the woods.

Su Yaoqi hurriedly jogged to catch up.

Following the sound of hooves, he picked up quite a bit of game along the way, then discovered that all the game was alive, Zhao Xi hadn’t killed them with a single arrow.

At first, Su Yaoqi thought His Highness wasn’t a skilled archer, but gradually, he realized that wasn’t the case.

The game either had one foot pinned to a tree by an arrow or had wounds that bled...

In short, they all shared one thing in common—they couldn’t run away.

During the mid-session break, Su Yaoqi took the opportunity to ask Zhao Xi, "Why didn’t His Highness kill the game with his arrows?"

Zhao Xi responded with a question, "What do you think?"

Su Yaoqi spoke candidly, "I think, Your Highness harbors a kindness, protecting these animals."

Zhao Xi said, "That’s about half the reason."

"And the other half?"

"When the arrow is released and the game is captured, Young Master Su, which do you think indicates higher archery skills—when the game is alive or dead?"

Instantly, Su Yaoqi understood, and the realization was profoundly shocking.

He was eighteen; the young prince before him was thirteen.

The prince’s remarkable dedication to study and proficiency in horse riding and archery completely shattered his perception of what a "prince" entailed.

It’s not the smooth sailing he imagined.

Not the carefree life he had in mind.

The prince has more books to read, more complex subjects to learn.

He wakes up earlier and sleeps later than he does; even practicing horse riding and archery involves constantly challenging his own limits.

At thirteen, those still immature shoulders already carried far more than what someone of that age should bear.

Compared to Zhao Xi, Su Yaoqi suddenly felt worthless, having been spoilt and nurtured from a young age.

After Zhao Xi took a brief rest, the instructor for horse riding and archery arrived. During the earlier session, the instructor had observed most of it and pointed out a few concerns.

Su Yaoqi sat on the grass, turned his head, and observed Zhao Xi’s profile.

Backlit, the young prince appeared especially earnest in his response to the instructor’s guidance, making Su Yaoqi feel self-conscious once again.

——

Su Yaoqi fell off the horse after serving as a companion for half a month.

During this period, he was so stimulated by Zhao Xi that one day he insisted on riding personally, but once in the woods, he couldn’t control the horse. After struggling a bit, he fell backward, hitting his head, causing a bloody wound, and fracturing an arm.

When he was sent back to the Duke Mansion, Lord nearly fainted at the sight.