Chapter 588: Undercurrents (1)_1
The Sixteenth Prince had humble maternal relatives, with his mother being merely a Fifth-Rank Consort, making him the lowest-born among the many princes. However, he was adorable and had always been well-behaved and sensible, so Emperor Huian also favored him a bit. Because he was young and lacked backing, the older Princes did not see him as a threat, allowing him to lead a rather peaceful and comfortable life in the palace.
Such a young prince of modest status could have been easily refused by Xiao Ruiyuan if the request had been made in private, but in the presence of Emperor Huian, he could only remain silent.
Emperor Huian looked at the Sixteenth Prince, who had hopeful eyes, and revealed a faint smile on his face, "Little Sixteen, there are others here with exceptional archery skills, not just Xiao Aiqing. Why do you specifically choose him? I have heard that in private, you complained to your study mates, saying that Xiao Aiqing always has a stern face and looks quite frightening, that whenever you see him, you’re like a cat confronting a mouse. Are you not afraid now?"
Upon hearing this, the Sixteenth Prince’s round little face turned bright red. He glanced nervously at Xiao Ruiyuan and seeing no sign of anger, he heaved a long sigh of relief. With curving brows and eyes, he said, "Reporting to Father Emperor, it was because I was young and knew no better, that I found General Xiao terrifying. Later, after hearing many stories about General Xiao fighting bravely in battle, General Xiao became the great hero in my eyes, and of course, I was no longer afraid! I wish to follow General Xiao on the hunt this time in order to witness his archery skills and to learn from him. In the future, I too want to go into battle and protect the people and lands of our Great Chu, just like General Xiao!"
By the end of his speech, the Sixteenth Prince’s voice grew excited. Realizing that many were smiling at him, he embarrassingly scratched his head and glanced stealthily towards the great hero in his heart, only to be disappointed that the hero was not looking his way.
The child had such ambition and yet retained the innocence of a child. Emperor Huian’s smile deepened, "Little Sixteen has such aspirations, Father Emperor is very pleased. Since that’s the case, you may accompany Xiao Aiqing this afternoon. However, hunting is dangerous; you must be obedient and not cause any trouble for Xiao Aiqing."