Fierce Consort

Chapter 16

"Highness should get up. It's time to go to the Chongwen 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.