The Mute Wife Who Brings Prosperity-Chapter 548 - 515: He Has Grown Up and No Longer Needs a Companion
As soon as Yuanbao stepped into the gates of Yutang Palace with one foot, he heard Eunuch Sanbao rambling on.
Yuanbao’s attention was caught by the last sentence.
Eunuch Sanbao asked Zhao Xi if he was going to release him from the palace.
Taking advantage of no one noticing, Yuanbao quietly retracted that foot, pressing his back against the sun-scorched vermilion palace wall, ears perked up to listen to the commotion over there.
However, no one spoke.
Zhao Xi seemed to be in silence.
Neither Eunuch Sanbao nor the other servants dared to make a sound.
Eunuch Sanbao had merely asked casually, not expecting His Highness to react the way he did, feeling uncertain of his master’s thoughts, he stood there without daring to breathe heavily.
Zhao Xi remained silent for quite a while, long enough that Eunuch Sanbao almost suspected he had fallen asleep standing in place due to the heat, when he finally spoke, "Go find Song Hao."
"Right away, Your servant will go at once." Eunuch Sanbao wiped the sweat from his forehead, shaking his horsetail whisk, and trotted outside.
He had not yet stepped out when he saw Yuanbao appear at the palace gate.
Eunuch Sanbao immediately stopped, happily saying, "Young Master Song, His Highness has summoned you."
"Mm, I heard everything." As Yuanbao spoke, his gaze fell on Zhao Xi’s upright back, curving his lips as he approached him step by step, his tone lighthearted and casual, "Congratulations, Your Highness, on assuming your rightful place in the Eastern Palace."
Zhao Xi slowly turned around, his voice low, "Song Hao, I’m moving to the Eastern Palace."
Yuanbao raised an eyebrow, "For such matters, does Your Highness need to report to me?"
Zhao Xi fell silent again, after some time, he said, "Once the enthronement ceremony is over, my daily duties will be to assist Father in handling state affairs, I might no longer need a companion. You... do you wish to follow me to the Eastern Palace, or leave the palace and return home?"
Yuanbao murmured, "Your Highness no longer needs a companion?"
Zhao Xi seemed to sigh, "How about this, choose a day, I’ll have someone pack your things and send you back."
"Your Highness!" Yuanbao interrupted him, "Didn’t you promise to release me at eighteen? There’s still three years left."
Zhao Xi said, "Isn’t it good that I’m letting you go early after two years of restrictions?"
Yuanbao said nothing, looking down as he kicked the fallen leaves on the ground, then suddenly looked up at Eunuch Sanbao, "Remember to prepare my bed for me."
Eunuch Sanbao looked surprised, "Is Young Master Song leaving?"
"Yes," Yuanbao patted his shoulder, smiling as he said, "I’m leaving tomorrow."
The little eunuch, who had served him for two years, didn’t have the best impression of this young master, but upon hearing he was leaving, his eyes immediately reddened and his voice choked up, "Your servant was merely speaking offhandedly before, even if His Highness becomes the Crown Prince, Young Master Song can still follow us. Why leave just like that?"
Seeing that Yuanbao showed no sign of relenting, he began to cry, "Moreover, even if you have to leave, at least give us some time to adjust, tomorrow is so soon, boohoo～"
Yuanbao pinched his soft white doughy face, "I said tomorrow, so tomorrow it is, once this young master has spoken, when has he ever taken it back?"
Upon hearing this, Eunuch Sanbao cried even harder, continuing to wail.
"Stop bawling." Yuanbao kicked him on the buttocks, "Hurry up and start packing!"
Eunuch Sanbao ran toward the side hall while wailing.
Yuanbao yawned and looked at Zhao Xi, "Does Your Highness have any plans for the afternoon? If not, I’ll go have a nap first."
Zhao Xi moved his lips as if wanting to say something, but in the end, no words came out.
Another yawn echoed, and Yuanbao’s eyes were watering from drowsiness, "I’ll really go nap now!"
Zhao Xi stood in silence for a long time, lightly replying with a single "Mm," watching as Yuanbao returned to the side hall.
Six mechanical beasts were already dispatched, and the war with West Yue was imminent. Zhao Xi would head to the Divine Soldier Bureau in the afternoon to arrange transportation matters, not staying at Yutang Palace, and returned by evening.
With no one to disturb him, Yuanbao had a sound sleep, and when Zhao Xi entered, he had not long woken, lying lazily on the rocking chair in the palace garden.
Zhao Xi stopped beside him, "I’ve already informed Minister Song, you’ll leave the palace early tomorrow morning."
"Mm," Yuanbao nodded, his nasal tone lazy.
Zhao Xi asked him, "Do you have any unfulfilled wishes?"
"Wishes?" Yuanbao was taken aback.
Zhao Xi nodded, "Anything you wish for or want to do, you can say it. As long as it’s not excessive, I’ll try my best to fulfill it for you."
Yuanbao thought for a moment and asked, "Can this wish be deferred?"
"Deferred?"
"Yes, I currently don’t have anything I especially want or want to do, but I think I might in the future, so I’d like to keep this wish and come to Your Highness to fulfill it when the time comes, is that okay?"
Zhao Xi nodded, saying it’s fine.
Yuanbao asked again, "If it’s deferred until Your Highness ascends as Emperor, will it still count?"
"It counts."
Yuanbao was satisfied, curling his lips, "Thank you, Your Highness, for your grace."
...
Eunuch Sanbao brought Zhi Xia and a few other little palace maids to pack Yuanbao’s things piece by piece.
While packing, Eunuch Sanbao cried until his eyes were swollen.
Zhi Xia looked at his state and couldn’t help but giggle, saying that she didn’t realize that although Eunuch Sanbao usually seems indifferent to Young Master Song, he was the only one unable to hold back tears now that he was leaving.
Eunuch Sanbao spat at her face, "Get lost, if I want to cry, I cry, what’s it to you?"
Zhi Xia tutted, "Listen to how you speak now, you’ve completely adopted Young Master Song’s manner, and you always claim not to care for him. I’d say, in all of Yutang Palace, you’re the one who likes Young Master Song the most, just stubbornly refusing to admit it."
Eunuch Sanbao glared at her angrily, "The person is leaving, what’s the use of you shouting here!"
Zhi Xia said, "My shouting is useless, but you’re almost blind from crying, and you still couldn’t keep him here, right?"
Eunuch Sanbao, cut deeply by her words, let the tears fall even more. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢
Zhi Xia: "..."
Aside from Eunuch Sanbao being overwhelmed by tears, everything else in Yutang Palace remained the same. After dinner, Zhao Xi read for a while and rested at the precise hour.
As Yuanbao took a nap during the day, he wasn’t sleepy at night. He fetched a ladder and climbed up to the glazed tile roof to stargaze.
Unexpectedly, Eunuch Sanbao followed up at some point, still sniffling, and asked, "Young Master Song, could you not leave?"
In the moonlight, Yuanbao saw his eyes, swollen as if he’d been beaten, and laughed as he asked, "What, can’t bear to part with this young master?"
Eunuch Sanbao lowered his head and said, "His Highness needs your assistance."
Yuanbao lay back, staring at the brightest star, and slowly said, "I’m just the Eldest Prince’s companion. Now the Prince has become the Crown Prince, he’s grown up and no longer needs a companion."
