The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 541 - 508: Living So Indifferently

Of the three in total, two are dead, and the last one is missing.

This left Song Yuanbao a bit desperate, "So is there one or not?"

Song Wei said, "Actually, inviting an illusionist to perform for the Imperial Concubine’s amusement isn’t quite appropriate."

On this point, Song Yuanbao was pretty clear. Currently, the position of Empress is vacant, and Princess Consort Qi has the most support but is also in the spotlight. Illusion techniques have been lost for so long, and to have an illusionist perform for her birthday seems overly grandiose. The Emperor is suspicious by nature, and one can’t be sure he won’t have some negative assumptions at that time.

But Song Yuanbao simply didn’t want to let Zhao Xi down.

Before coming, he promised Zhao Xi he would try his best to find the illusionist.

In the eyes of outsiders, the Eldest Prince, who can do anything, seemed quite pitiable to him, unable to follow his own desires. At fifteen, an age full of possibilities, he was instead bound by rules and regulations.

He pushed himself to the limit, and whether he could win the Emperor’s favor was uncertain, but Song Yuanbao knew that once Zhao Xi relaxed, he would quickly lose the Emperor’s only bit of trust in him.

A person who is spotless making the same mistake as the one with a bad reputation has a completely different effect.

Zhao Xi belonged to the former. His starting point was too high, appearing as a spotless white sheet in everyone’s view since childhood.

And when Zhao Xi’s excellence became a habit for the majority, the external attention destined him not to make mistakes or slack off. Otherwise, even a little bit could destroy the reputation he had accumulated over the years.

Song Yuanbao suddenly felt a bit regretful, regretting why Zhao Xi wasn’t a debauched idler in the past. That way, when he was tired, he could stop and rest, no one would care how long he slacked off, and if he worked hard, it would be as conspicuous as a drop of white paint in black ink, everyone would see it.

While feeling regretful, Song Yuanbao also felt a bit sorry for him, like an old father feeling sorry for his son.

"How about hiring an opera troupe?" Song Wei’s voice pulled his son’s drifting thoughts back: "An opera troupe seems more appropriate and is unlikely to cause any accidents."

Song Yuanbao lowered his eyes, nodding absentmindedly.

There were many banana trees planted in the backyard of the Divine Soldier Bureau, and the broad green leaves covered the place tightly.

Seizing the moment when no one was around, Song Yuanbao asked Song Wei, "Dad, can you tell me why the Emperor hasn’t established him as the Crown Prince?"

This wasn’t the first time Song Yuanbao asked this question. Previously it was out of curiosity, but today, it carried a personal emotion, an extremely strong emotion, wanting to vent dissatisfaction somewhere.

Zhao Xi once told him that when a prince turns sixteen, he must leave the palace and establish his own mansion.

At that time, Song Yuanbao still held onto a sliver of hope, thinking if the Emperor were to appoint him to the Eastern Palace within a year, he wouldn’t have to set up another Prince Mansion.

But now, Zhao Xi’s residence had already broken ground, and yet the Emperor remained indifferent, easily brushing aside the ministers’ suggestions to establish a successor with a gentle push.

There was a fire burning within Song Yuanbao.

He couldn’t understand why. Why?

Even if Emperor Guangxi favored Princess Consort Duan, the Second Prince Zhao Nuo had just learned to walk. He’s neither the legitimate son nor the eldest son, not having any particular strengths, what qualifications did he have to compete with Zhao Xi?

On what grounds does the Emperor compare Zhao Nuo and Zhao Xi, hesitating over who to choose?

The more he thought about it, the more Song Yuanbao couldn’t suppress that fire, like it was about to burst out of his head, his forehead veins bulged fiercely, and his temples throbbed again and again.

He looked like a fireball on the verge of explosion.

Song Wei poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, "Actually, you don’t have to look at the problem so narrowly. The Eldest Prince is only fifteen this year, even if he really were to be appointed to the Eastern Palace, other than having the title of Crown Prince, do you think he would be any different from now? The teacher teaching him is the Imperial Tutor, the Emperor’s teacher; the one who taught him archery was once a Martial Champion; and he manages the most secretive Divine Soldier Bureau single-handedly. What the Emperor has given him is already the best."

"And then?" Song Yuanbao growled, "He’s pushed himself into this state, everyone says he’s good and perfect, but what does he get? His father’s distrust, the Emperor’s hesitation over establishing a successor! What’s wrong with Zhao Xi? If you can pinpoint one or two things, I’ll go back and have him change!"

The young man had bloodshot eyes, teeth clenched in anger, seemingly as if he was the victim.

Song Wei felt Song Yuanbao was a bit extreme today, sighed, "It’s not suitable to talk about things when you’re angry. Calm down for a bit first."

Song Yuanbao clenched his fists, delivering a punch on the stone table, "I can’t calm down! As long as the Emperor doesn’t establish a Crown Prince, I’ll keep waiting. If in the end, the successor isn’t him, then I..."

"Then what will you do?"

"I won’t serve anymore!"

Song Yuanbao knew that he was to assist Zhao Xi in the future, but he only wanted to assist an Emperor. If Zhao Xi wasn’t the Emperor, then what’s the point of assisting anyone!

Song Wei chuckled softly and asked him, "Not serving, do you mean going home to seek another path, or do you want to completely withdraw to a place unseen and carefree?"

Seek another path? The entire kingdom belongs to the Zhao family. Even if he didn’t stay by Zhao Xi’s side, going to other government offices would still mean working for that Emperor he disapproved of. To truly not serve meant he could only hide deep in the mountains and forests.

But Song Yuanbao was never someone who liked to escape reality.

He furiously said, "I don’t care, I just want him to become Emperor."

The tone of a willful child made Song Wei shake his head.

——

Song Yuanbao left with great enthusiasm, only to return dispiritedly to Yutang Palace.

Zhao Xi was practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard. Seeing him looking downcast, he asked, "Didn’t you go to the Divine Soldier Bureau to find Minister Song? Did you not find out the illusionist’s whereabouts?"

Song Yuanbao lowered his eyes, remained silent.

Zhao Xi put away his sword, took out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead, and sat under a ginkgo tree.

Eunuch Sanbao hurried over to serve tea.

Zhao Xi tilted his head slightly, but Song Yuanbao still stood there, without any intention of coming over or saying anything.

Zhao Xi sipped his tea, "Are you sulking with me?"

He recalled the point of contention between them before Song Yuanbao left the palace, which was the Longevity Festival gift.

Song Yuanbao insisted on having the illusionist perform to please the Emperor, but he was firmly against using such superficial tricks.

The upcoming Longevity Festival was for Emperor Guangxi, his biological father.

Zhao Xi didn’t think there was much for Song Yuanbao to be angry about regarding this matter.

Since the other didn’t come over, he didn’t speak again. After finishing a cup of tea, he got up and prepared to leave.

"Your Highness!" Song Yuanbao suddenly called him, his voice low, like suppressing something, "I’m sorry, I couldn’t find the illusionist."

"You don’t have to apologize to me." Zhao Xi didn’t turn his head, "It was you who suggested finding an illusionist, and now it’s also you who couldn’t find one. The illusionist was never in my plan, I don’t feel much disappointment."

Song Yuanbao sighed, a sense of helplessness rising in his heart.

He suddenly felt like an outsider who couldn’t provide any help.

"Is there anything else?"

Zhao Xi slowly turned around, his gaze falling on him.

"No..."

"I can’t find the illusionist, I’m sorry," he said in a low voice, as if holding back something.

"You didn’t manage to find him, never mind," Zhao Xi replied. "The illusionist wasn’t part of my plan to begin with. I’m not very disappointed."

Seeing Zhao Xi’s usually straight back slightly slumped, Song Yuanbao seemed even more angry.

He didn’t know what had happened to Song Yuanbao at the Divine Soldier Bureau earlier or who he met there.

Eunuch Sanbao said, "Young Master Song is really strange today, like he’s become another person. I hope he didn’t run into Ye Ling while he was out."

Without knowing what had happened at the Divine Soldier Bureau, Zhao Xi looked at Song Yuanbao, who lowered his eyes.

"What’s wrong with you?" Zhao Xi asked when he saw Song Yuanbao looking defeated.

"Nothing..."

Song Yuanbao, with his usual upright demeanor, slightly slumped.

"Do you have anything else to say?"

Zhao Xi slowly turned around, his gaze falling on him.

"No..."

"There’s nothing..."

Song Yuanbao sighed heavily and rubbed his fists together, his voice low but full of repressed emotion.

"Whatever you do, it’s just for yourself, and not because of me," Zhao Xi said, heading back to the main hall.

Song Yuanbao stood up straight, squinting his eyes as he stepped into the ginkgo-shaded courtyard and looked at Zhao Xi practicing.

Eunuch Sanbao said, "Young Master Song is very strange today, like a different person. I hope he didn’t meet Miss Ye while he was out."

Having said that, Zhao Xi turned around slowly, his gaze falling on him.

Song Yuanbao let out another sigh, feeling an overwhelming irritation, especially when he saw Zhao Xi practicing swords as soon as he came in. He wanted to burst out, to tell him: No matter what I do, it’s all for myself, and I don’t care about anyone else!

But he couldn’t say that because Zhao Xi would definitely respond: No matter what I do, it’s just for myself.