Chapter 16

“Highness should get up. It’s time to go to the Chongwen ¹ Hall.”

Hearing these words, Luo Huai Yuan’s expression immediately turned dark.

Although his expression darkened, he still had to go. Princes could be dumb and foolish, but they couldn’t miss a day of their required studies, even if it was just showing up.

Xiao An Zi brought over water and helped Luo Huai Yuan wash up.

There were quite a few servants in the Xianyun Hall, but they were either deaf or blind, or otherwise never around. Only Xiao An Zi, his personal eunuch, would follow him around all day. Breakfast had long since been brought over and left outside the hall gates. Xiao An Zi went to fetch it as usual and put it on the table.

Luo Huai Yuan leaned over for a look and basically wanted to say “F your mother!”

A single bun and a bowl of thin porridge. The bun was hard and the porridge was cold. Could this be eaten by humans?

Although he was cursing inside, Luo Huai Yuan still lifted the bowl of porridge up and swallowed it down before grabbing the bun and slowly munching on it. The food may have been mediocre and meager, but it was still better than not eating at all. Especially since he was already starving.

After eating, he took Xiao An Zi and went to the Chongwen Hall.

At this time, the high-ranked scholar responsible for teaching the princes had yet to arrive.

The crown prince’s chair was empty but there were two people sitting in the second row. They were precisely the second prince Luo Jin and the third prince Luo Qi. Luo Jin was fifteen this year and Luo Qi was thirteen. Their hair was done up and capped by a golden crown and they wore their prince’s outfits.

Luo Jin was born with crimson cheeks and pearly teeth, appearing rather elegant. As for Luo Qi, he took on after Emperor Xi, with his oblong face and round eyes, looking rather muscle-brained. Because of this, Emperor Xi favored his third son Luo Qi quite a bit, which spoiled him into having the domineering temper of only being second to the heavens.

Luo Huai Yuan’s beating last night was started by Luo Qi. He had just been scolded by Senior Concubine Xu and was in a gloomy mood. He happened to see old fourth looking fat and foolish and used him to vent his anger.

In theory princes in their teens would mind their actions and words, and wouldn’t be as undisciplined as they were in their youth. If Luo Huai Yuan hadn’t retaliated and had ignored Luo Qi’s words, Luo Qi would have at most cursed him a few more times. Unexpectedly, Luo Huai Yuan had been starved tragically during this period of time, and when someone flipped over his plate of treasured cakes that he couldn’t bring himself to eat yet, he lost his temper.

Seeing Luo Huai Yuan walk in, Luo Qi smiled nastily.

“Bro, look. The dumb fatty came again today!”

Luo Jin gave him a faint glance without saying anything. Luo Huai Yuan’s eyes turned red at seeing his enemy. Yet his gaze wasn’t on the “enemy” Luo Qi, but rather on Luo Jin.

Luo Jin, the Jin Prince in his past life, and afterwards the Jin Emperor.

The Jin Emperor had started off as a vassal prince, and had started dealing with the other vassal princes after he ascended the throne. Luo Jin’s thoughts were crafty and his methods were vicious. He didn’t even spare his own brother, who had helped him in his rebellion. The first one to be dealt with was Luo Qi, and afterwards was Luo Huai Yuan himself and old fifth. In his past life, his royal father only had these few sons. The Jin Emperor did not spare a single one.

Luo Huai Yuan had been a little angry hearing Luo Qi calling him dumb. However, the anger immediately faded after he recalled Luo Qi’s tragic outcome in his past life, being betrayed by his own brother.

This youngster will let you run your mouth for now. You’ll have plenty to cry about in the future!

Luo Huai Yuan pretended not to have heard and sat down in his third row seat.

At this time, the fifth prince Luo Jing arrived as well.

He was tall and thin, his face like jade. He had a pair of phoenix eyes that slanted into his ink-black brows. He was the most handsome out of these princes.

The only issue was that he wasn’t whole. Luo Jing was a mute.

The fifth prince Luo Jing was the only one who never bullied Luo Huai Yuan. In fact, he treated him pretty well. This sort of well treatment referred to him sharing food when they were younger, and also included the osmanthus cakes from yesterday. Unfortunately he was also a nobody in the palace, similar to Luo Huai Yuan. He seemed completely oblivious to the happenings in the palace.

He was mute but he wasn’t deaf. He was just innately a blockhead, and never involved himself with palace affairs. This gave others the impression he was both deaf and mute.

Luo Huai Yuan had wondered in the past if he was also faking it, but the two never interacted deeply enough for him to verify.

Before long, the princes’ instructor, high-ranked scholar Yu Si Mao arrived.

He was over sixty years old and had a long beard. His face was frail and he gave off a refined air. After arriving, he continued teaching where he left off the day before.

The crown prince never came. He had his own tutors and instructors, and after he turned twelve he didn’t learn with the other princes. It was due to the need to recognize seniority that his seat remained in the first row.

While Yu Si Mao lectured up front, Luo Huai Yuan lay prone on his desk in the back.

He had always been this way at the Chongwen Hall, and this time was no different. A foolish pig of a prince had no need to learn, even if he was truly listening at times.

Luo Huai Yuan’s thoughts slowly drifted.

There was no need to consider the crown prince. His mother was the empress and he also had the backing of his maternal family, the Jing Duke. He was also the first born, and had always been of high status since birth. As for Luo JIn and Luo Qi, they had Senior Concubine Xu who was the most favored out of the harem and whose methods were extremely good. The princes were still underage. After they came of age and left for their vassal states was when tigers and dragons would truly start fighting.

Of course, their struggles in his past life had nothing to do with him and old fifth. Only the senior concubine and the empress’s sides were engaged in struggles. But once the fighting died down, he and old fifth didn’t have a good ending either.

He had no maternal family and had always been hated by his father. He had no backing whatsoever. Once he turned twenty and left for his vassal state, what right did he have to change his fated demise?

At this moment, Luo Huai Yuan wildly tried to come up with a plan to leave this place. Only by leaving the palace would he not be constantly observed and have to worry about his safety. And only by leaving would he be able to do other things, and be able to see her…..

As he was spaced out, the instructor had already left at some point.

Only then did Luo Huai Yuan snap out of it. It was time for their break, but he remained unmoving and prone on his desk. He was just minding his own business, but some people still found it an eyesore.

“This damn fatty really disgraces our father’s name. No brains nor brawn, just a pile of useless meat!”

Luo Huai Yuan rolled his eyes. If this effing daddy here weren’t a pile of useless meat, would your dearest mother let this daddy off? Who doesn’t know how to mouth off!?

This eye-roll wasn’t discreet enough, and was seen by Luo Qi. He immediately raged: “You dare roll your eyes at this prince!?”

This daddy is precisely rolling his eyes, so what!?

No matter how he was roaring in his heart, Luo Huai Yuan knew he couldn’t afford to provoke Luo Qi. Although he was cursing in his heart, he put on a terrified expression.

However, just because you didn’t provoke others didn’t mean they wouldn’t provoke you. As mentioned earlier, Luo Qi was still angry at being scolded by Senior Concubine Xu, and he had never liked this fatty to begin with. That eye-roll lit up his fuse once again.

Palace maids and eunuchs weren’t allowed to observe the princes during their class. Luo Qi saw that there was no one around for him to command, thus rolled up his sleeves and stepped up to do it himself. Although Luo Huai Yuan was fat, his reactions weren’t slow. Seeing a dark silhouette pounce over, he agilely dodged to the side.

Thank the heavens. Although he hadn’t been very literate in his past life, he had secretly trained in martial arts. After reincarnating, he hadn’t forgotten his skills, and wasn’t without means to counterattack.

Luo Huai Yuan’s mind moved rapidly as he saw Luo Qi’s stirred up appearance. He suddenly pretended to lose his balance after dodging and fell onto Luo Qi who had pounced onto the desk. The two of them tangled up and fell from the desk. Luo Huai Yuan didn’t dare sneak any moves in, and only dared to use his body weight to crush Luo Qi.

Who said this mountain of flesh was useless? This granddaddy will crush you flat!

I’ll crush, I’ll crush, I’ll crush crush crush…..

Do you know the meaning of being suppressed by Mt. Tai?

It’s precisely this!

He cried with his mouth: “Third royal brother, don’t hit me…..” sounding rather tragic, like a cat whose tail was stepped on.

After tumbling on the floor, he pretended to try and get up. Luo Qi started pushing and hitting him, so he fell on top of Luo Qi once again. Luo Qi’s eyes immediately rolled to the back of his head after getting crushed again.

Luo Jin cried out: “Fourth brother, hurry and get up. You’re crushing third brother.”

Luo Huai Yuan agreed repeatedly, “I’m getting up, I’m getting up…..”

Before he could stand up, Luo Qi struggled, causing him to lose his balance and fall once again. Being heavily crushed once more, Luo Qi almost started foaming at the mouth.

Luo Jin couldn’t watch any longer and finally stepped forward to pull Luo Huai Yuan up. Luo Jin appeared scholarly but he was rather strong. He exerted himself to pull Luo Huai Yuan off before hurriedly helping Luo Qi.

Luo Qi finally stood up. There was some suspicious liquid stains around his mouth. Tasting the weird sour flavor, his stomach churned. He grew more enraged as he hollered and pounced over, unleashing punches and kicks at Luo Huai Yuan.

After brainlessly taking a few blows, Luo Huai Yuan finally turned and took the blows with his back. He secretly looked around and happened to see Luo Jing seemingly turn a blind eye as he walked towards the door.

He cried for help loudly, hoping that mute old fifth would find someone to save him. Old fifth, big bro’s life is in your hands, we have to be on the same wavelength!

It wasn’t clear how much time passed when Luo Huai Yuan heard footsteps ring out, before a few urgent cries of “stop!” sounded out. He relaxed his heart before tragically howling once again and falling “unconscious”.

……

The majestic princes of the Grand Xi actually started brawling in the Chongwen Hall. Only when the instructor ran over after hearing about it was he able to stop them.

The Chongwen Hall had been the place of study for generations of princes, and those who taught them were all high-ranked scholars. They had lost face in front such a scholar, and although he didn’t say anything, just his expression of disagreement embarrassed Emperor Xi to death.

After investigating he found out that the third prince had started beating up the fourth prince for no reason. No matter how the fourth prince had begged for mercy, the third prince never stopped. Because it was Emperor Xi who ordered the investigation, those responsible for carrying it out didn’t dare give false information.

The fourth prince Luo Huai Yuan was rather heavily injured, and had been beaten black and blue all over. Luckily, because he was very meaty, they were merely flesh wounds and there was no internal injury.

Luo Qi was ruthlessly reprimanded by Emperor Xi and punished with closed door reflection. Not even Senior Concubine Xu dared go ask for leniency. The crown prince and Empress Xiao both secretly cried “serves him right” and rejoiced at his misfortune. For the sake of maintaining the appearance of a compassionate father, Emperor Xi specially made a trip to the Xianyun Hall to visit Luo Huai Yuan.

Author’s notes:

Hehe, this author has a close female friend who is very, very fat. She is twice this author’s size.

Because she’s a close friend, she’s always very direct with her words. Once her husband was kidding around (this author is also very close with her husband. We’ve known each other for almost ten years) and said he can’t afford to provoke her. If she gets annoyed, she could kill me by sitting on me. (It must be noted that although my friend is fat, her husband is especially handsome, really quite handsome. 180 cm tall, a well-built fresh piece of meat. Well, he’s an old piece of meat now. The two of them don’t seem be a good match, but their relationship is very good.)

Ever since then, killing via sitting became my good friend’s specialty, also known as Mt. Tai’s suppression! Hahaha, I’ll go laugh by myself on the side.

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