Chapter 0070: Gentle and Amiable Su Qinghe, Shallow-Talented Son of the Su Family
“I am indeed Lord Shen’s childhood friend.”
Su Qinghe’s body tensed as he slowly rose to his feet, silently wondering: Why is the Second Prince mentioning Brother Shen?
Behind the curtain, Xie Chengze secretly lifted a corner of the bed curtain, carefully observing the downcast-eyed Su Qinghe.
Su Qinghe’s mother was known as the foremost beauty of Jiangnan. Though a concubine, she was deeply favored by the current head of the Su Family, Su Zhongyue. Su Qinghe had inherited his mother’s beauty, his features gentle and refined, his eyebrows and eyes resembling willow leaves caressed by a soft breeze—serene and elegant, bringing a sense of comfort and refreshment to anyone who looked upon him, as if bathed in spring warmth.
His temperament was equally mild and amiable; he spoke softly and slowly, like a docile lamb with little temper. Though it was unclear how many friends he had, it stood to reason that someone of such gentle character would not be difficult to get along with. By using Shen Yuan as a conversation starter, Xie Chengze thought he could successfully befriend him.
With this in mind, Xie Chengze then asked him, “So, you and Lord Shen are quite close?”
Upon hearing this, Su Qinghe subtly tightened his grip on his sleeve.
He didn’t know how to answer, for he was uncertain of the relationship between the Second Prince and Brother Shen.
Brother Shen was straightforward and clear in his likes and dislikes, which easily drew the displeasure of the powerful. If the Second Prince had developed a grudge against Brother Shen during his mission to Yi Province and sought to uncover his weaknesses to bring him down, then he might very well be trying to extract information from Su Qinghe.
But what if the Second Prince wasn’t holding a grudge, but rather… harbored affection?
Su Qinghe still remembered how, in their childhood, Shen Yuan had once returned from the palace in high spirits, eagerly telling him how wonderful the Second Prince was—the most handsome, gentle, and intelligent younger brother he had ever met. He even said the Second Prince liked him very much and hoped he would often visit the palace to play.
At that time, Shen Yuan was his only friend, and Su Qinghe had felt quite jealous. Later, for some unknown reason, Shen Taifu suddenly resigned from his post, saying he would take Brother Shen traveling, and thus Brother Shen never had the chance to enter the palace again.
Over the years, Su Qinghe had discreetly inquired about the Second Prince, but the reports were invariably disparaging—describing him as “mediocre and incompetent,” “tyrannical and willful.” The most serious incident was the Tanhualang case at the Qionglin Banquet two years prior, which spawned rumors that the Second Prince despised male affections.
Regarding the latter, Su Qinghe dismissed it as exaggeration. He had read the poem in question; it did contain some intoxicated, ambiguous undertones. Even if the Second Prince favored men, being subjected to such speculation would naturally provoke anger—hardly proof that he detested male affections.
Moreover, when Brother Shen first returned to the capital, the long-unseen Second Prince had teased him with a storybook about male romance. Perhaps the Second Prince not only didn’t despise male affections but might even harbor special feelings for Brother Shen.
Otherwise, why would the Second Prince, who never left the capital on official business, suddenly abandon the capital’s luxuries to accompany Brother Shen to the harsh conditions of Yi Province?
Perhaps the process hadn’t gone smoothly, leading him to seek an alternative approach by contacting Brother Shen’s childhood friend—hoping to learn about Brother Shen’s preferences.
If the Second Prince… had designs on Brother Shen, what should he do?
Su Qinghe pressed his lips together tightly. He neither wanted to pave the way for Xie Chengze nor deny his close relationship with Shen Yuan. Torn by this dilemma, he didn’t know how to respond, yet he feared his silence would anger the Second Prince. In the end, clenching his fist, he uttered:
“Though… though we haven’t seen each other for many years, our relationship remains as close as in childhood.”
We were indeed extremely close, but if you ask me about his preferences—after years apart, even he wouldn’t know!
“Is that so? How wonderful~”
Xie Chengze’s voice from behind the curtain sounded genuinely pleased as he said, “This prince also shares an excellent relationship with Lord Shen. I often hear him mention how Brother Su is gentle, approachable, kind, and generous. Seeing you today, I find this to be absolutely true.”
Of course, these were all formulaic nonsense he concocted. When making conversation, one must always find familiar people and topics as stepping stones—how else could one bridge the distance between strangers?
Sure enough, in his line of sight, Su Qinghe’s lips quickly curved into a smile, clearly delighted by the remarks. The tense aura around him relaxed considerably.
But seconds later, Su Qinghe pressed his lips into a tight line, appearing deeply uncomfortable.
As Su Zhongyue’s favored son, Su Qinghe had encountered numerous young nobles seeking his friendship. They often praised him as gentle and approachable upon first meeting, yet after merely two days of interaction, they would inevitably declare him utterly mediocre—a waste of his handsome appearance and prestigious status as a scion of the Su Family.
First, the Second Prince claimed to be on excellent terms with Shen Yuan, then used this same rhetoric to probe him—was this a display of power or a veiled sarcasm?
Could it be that he intended to discuss poetry and painting later, hoping to witness him making a fool of himself…
Su Qinghe bit his lip slightly, his entire being beginning to radiate sorrow and self-mockery.
Sensing the atmosphere turning awkward, Xie Chengze inwardly wondered: Had he chosen the wrong topic?
Thinking further, what might Su Qinghe actually be interested in? Since he was from the Su Family, discussing refined matters should be appropriate, right?
Thus he said: “The Su Family is a renowned lineage of scholars. Surely Young Master Su’s literary talents are extraordinary? This prince has always admired those skilled in playing the qin and composing poetry. I wonder if I might have the honor of appreciating your skills?”
Su Qinghe’s face instantly paled.
Just as expected—the Second Prince had come today to humiliate him!
Who didn’t know that the Second Young Master of the Su Family was mediocrity incarnate? He merely relied on his mother—a favored concubine—and his inherited handsome features to enjoy privileged life in the Su Family, even growing up childhood friends with Sheng Yiren (daughter of a Ministry of Rites official) and Shen Yuan (grandson of Shen Taifu)?
Every Su family member held official positions at court—except him, who held none, making him the laughingstock of Jingcheng’s literary circles!
The Second Prince was making him recognize his place—warning him not to tarnish Elder Brother Shen’s currently soaring reputation at court with his own wretched notoriety!
Digging his fingernails harshly into his palms, Su Qinghe felt both desolate and humiliated. His legs suddenly buckled as he knelt toward the bed, kowtowing deeply. “This humble commoner’s talents are meager and unworthy! I fear offending Your Highness’ ears and beg for your magnanimous understanding!”
Xie Chengze: ?
What? Why is he kneeling now?!
What had he said wrong this time? He’d merely asked Su Qinghe to recite some poetry! All of Jingcheng knew this Second Prince lacked literary refinement—even if Su Qinghe composed the most mediocre verse, he wouldn’t be able to tell its quality!
Unless… these scholarly types were so arrogantly principled that they disdained discussing poetry with someone as uncultured as him?
Were they really that condescending?
Xie Chengze felt both disheartened and hurt. He never expected to face discrimination—especially from someone he wished to befriend. For a moment, he questioned his entire existence.
What should I do now? I thought using Shen Yuan’s name would help me connect with Su Qinghe, but it turns out I’ve failed before even starting—she doesn’t think much of me at all.
Ah, Shen Yuan, you’re so useless.
Xie Chengze refused to admit that he was the one who was useless. He pondered secretly: What if I sneakily use one of Li Bai the Great’s poems to impress Su Qinghe a little?
But this “poetry immortal” persona is so easy to crumble! And it makes me seem insincere!
Xie Chengze clutched his head and silently screamed for a while, before finally deciding to throw caution to the wind. He shouted at Su Qinghe, “Su Qinghe! This prince commands you! Today, you must—”
Become sworn siblings with this prince!
Unexpectedly, before he could finish, a loud and urgent voice suddenly came from outside the door, “Second Prince, your subject Shen Yuan requests an audience!”
Shen Yuan?
Why is he here?