Chapter 93
Chapter 93
Su Qinghe tossed and turned all night without sleeping.
One moment, he thought of the unsolved arithmetic problem. The next, he remembered what Jingmo had said in the carriage. Then he recalled the beautiful young man’s fierce resolve as he threw himself headfirst toward the floor – and the way he had tugged at Su Qinghe’s sleeve, his voice soft and coaxing as he called him Big Brother Qinghe.
No one had ever called Su Qinghe “big brother.”
He was younger than Shen Yuan, and though he and Sheng Yiren had been born in the same year, he was two months younger than her as well. That made him the youngest of them all.
And within the Su clan, even concubine-born younger kinsmen from the collateral branches looked down on him. They would not so much as address him as elder brother, let alone use a term as affectionate as “big brother.”
If the Second Prince merely wanted to use him, he could have forced Su Qinghe to comply through imperial authority. Why would he call a commoner “big brother”?
Unable to sleep no matter how he tossed and turned, Su Qinghe finally rose, dressed, and braved the midnight wind to reach the eastern kitchen, where he began making pastries to calm his mind.
By the time he came back to himself, dawn had already broken and the cooks were drifting in one after another. Su Qinghe hurriedly washed his hands, gathered up the pastries, and left the eastern kitchen.
Today happened to be a day off for the Hanlin Academy, and the Second Prince would be visiting the Su family. He needed to be waiting in advance. At the very least, if the Second Prince was treated harshly, Su Qinghe could shoulder some of the hostility for him.
The main hall of the Su Residence.
Though it was a day off, the Su clan’s direct descendants still rose at the customary hour and assembled in the main hall. Only after the family patriarch had tested them on their studies could they pick up their chopsticks and eat.
Su Qinghe ordinarily never came to the main hall for meals and invited humiliation, so when he suddenly appeared, the Su family patriarch, Su Zhongyue, was extremely surprised. “What brings you here, Qinghe?”
The Su family’s eldest legitimate son, Su Haichao, glanced coolly at Su Qinghe. “Don’t tell me you heard Third Brother was just promoted yesterday and came to curry favor in hopes of securing some idle post. Why else would you have the nerve to eat in the main hall?”
“Hmph. Then you may be disappointed.” Su Wenhao, the eldest son of the Su family’s third branch, sneered. “Our family has always conducted itself openly and honorably. We earn our court appointments through our own learning. We do not secure them through back doors!”
“Enough.” Su Zhongyue’s voice turned stern. “Qinghe has finally joined us for a meal. Both of you, behave yourselves!”
Su Haichao calmly looked away. Su Wenhao snorted, but said no more.
Su Qinghe lowered his eyes, his heart aching.
Affection? If his father truly loved him, why had the cutting voices in this residence never once fallen silent?
Because this was his father’s way of reminding him that he possessed neither talent nor virtue. If he lost even his final value as a marriage prospect, then what awaited him would be more than these barbed taunts… The clan would abandon him altogether.
Throughout the Su family’s history, no patriarch had ever relinquished any useful value a clansman might possess. Even a fool, when the clan required it, ought to remonstrate unto death and win the Su family another generation’s reputation for loyalty.
Even the women its sons married were selected with the utmost care, all to produce intelligent, learned descendants. That was why the Su family had endured for a thousand generations without declining alongside the rise and fall of dynasties.
Su Zhongyue was counting on him to make a fine marriage with Sheng Yiren, the capital’s foremost beauty and most talented woman, and give the clan useful descendants. That was the only reason his father was relatively indulgent toward him.
His heart heavy, Su Qinghe took a seat with the rosewood food box in his arms.
Su Zhongyue glanced at the box and frowned slightly. “Did you come so suddenly to bring your father pastries, Qinghe? I have little appetite today, so – ”
Before he could finish, Su Qinghe snapped irritably, “They aren’t for you.”
Su Zhongyue: ?
Su Qinghe had not slept all night and had far too much on his mind. The arithmetic problem he desperately wanted to solve continued to elude him as well, leaving him so irritable that his inner thoughts escaped before he could stop them.
Once he realized what he had said, he hurriedly explained, “A guest will be visiting later. I made them for him.”
Su Zhongyue looked as if he wanted to say something, but seeing Su Qinghe’s timid demeanor, he rubbed his brow instead. “Forget it. Let us begin today’s discussion. Our subject will be the principle of governance contained in the words, ‘Standing at the center without leaning to either side – how mighty is such strength.'”
Su Qinghe quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
The gathered descendants lowered their heads in contemplation. After a long while, Su Haichao was the first to rise and answer, his clear voice ringing through the hall. “To ‘stand at the center without leaning to either side’ means remaining just and impartial amid the complexities of worldly affairs – favoring no party and refusing to be swayed by temporary advantage. This is the cornerstone of a nation’s lasting peace and stability. ‘How mighty is such strength’ is the highest praise for that position. It reminds us to remain steadfast when upholding the proper path, no matter the hardship or danger.”
“For the nation, impartial laws allow decrees to pass unobstructed and win the people’s hearts. As an official, one must consider every party’s interests, resist the temptation of personal gain, and implement policies that benefit the people. In government, one must dare to draw the sword, punishing offenses severely as a warning to others. Such is my understanding.”
“Mm. Not bad.” Su Zhongyue nodded in satisfaction. Just as he was about to add something, an exuberant voice rang out from the doorway, accompanied by several claps. “Well said! Extremely well said!”
Who was speaking?
Everyone turned. A red boot embroidered with gold thread crossed the threshold first, followed by a tall, striking figure stepping into the hall.
His brilliant red robes were vivid as crabapple blossoms, and a faint smile curved the crimson lips of his breathtaking face. Amid the sea of white robes, he was like an enchanting fox spirit who had suddenly invaded a solemn, austere classroom – utterly out of place, yet so dazzlingly beautiful that he stole their breath.
For a moment, everyone stared in a daze.
At first, they failed to recognize that gorgeous visitor as the Second Prince. Few members of the Hanlin Academy were qualified to attend court, and most of the Su clan had only ever seen the Second Prince from afar at grand imperial banquets. Even on those occasions, his overbearing, spoiled manner had ruined his beauty and made others recoil from him.
That was why, when the Second Prince entered wearing such a bright, confident smile, the change in his demeanor left them unable to identify him. Only after recovering from their daze did they realize that the Second Prince had unexpectedly come to the Su Residence.
The wonder on their faces instantly shifted into subtle disgust. They rose in a ragged scattering and saluted him. “Greetings to Your Highness.”
“No need for ceremony~” Completely unabashed, Xie Chengze waved a hand and walked over to Su Zhongyue. Smiling, he said, “This prince just finished an errand and happened to pass the Su Residence when hunger struck. A quick calculation told me that delicacies awaited within, so I thought I would come in and cadge a meal. Surely Academician Su will not mind adding one more pair of chopsticks?”
Passing by? Su Zhongyue could not help glancing at the sky outside. What business could the prince possibly have finished this early in the morning?
He had clearly come straight to the Su Residence!
The corner of Su Zhongyue’s mouth twitched. He rose to surrender his seat. “Your Highness jests. Someone, bring another set of tableware.”
Xie Chengze sat down happily. As Su Zhongyue ordered another chair brought over, he turned toward Su Haichao. “This must be the Su family’s eldest son. I have long heard that despite his youth, the eldest son of the Su family already serves as a Hanlin Lecturer. Now that I see you today, you are indeed a man of extraordinary bearing, with profound insight into the principles of governance.”
Su Haichao replied coolly, “Your Highness flatters me. It is merely an ordinary ability, hardly worthy of mention.”
With that, he lowered his head and said nothing else, plainly unwilling to continue the conversation.
Su Qinghe looked anxiously at Xie Chengze. The Second Prince was a member of the imperial family and by no means mediocre, yet the Su Residence treated him with such disdain. He must surely feel hurt.
What could Su Qinghe say to smooth things over…
He was still racking his brain when Xie Chengze waved a dismissive hand and said unconcernedly, “I was only praising you for the sake of it. I say the same thing to everyone, so just take it however you like.”
Su Haichao: ???
Su Qinghe: Pfft.