Neither Scholar Nor Warrior (Part 2)

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Neither Scholar Nor Warrior (Part 2)

The collapse of his hopes for martial training left the count disappointed for several days. But with the comfort of the beautiful countess, he eventually pulled himself together. After all, this was his only son.

Although the Roland Family had established itself in the Empire through military merit, there had been one or two outstanding ancestors in its history who had become famous as intelligent strategists. These forebears had likewise been unskilled in martial arts, yet they had been able to coordinate the overall situation from the rear, deploy troops, and determine victory from a thousand miles away.

An outstanding general did not necessarily have to possess peerless martial skills and lead from the front on the battlefield. If he could become an exceptional overall commander, he could still add glory to the family's honor.

If he could not study martial arts, then he would study literature!

But how could a child who could not even speak learn literature? Even if they hired a learned scholar to teach him, the child had to be able to speak first.

Unlike the countess's kind and simple motherly love, Count Raymond harbored a strange thought: he always felt that his son was not unable to speak, but unwilling to speak!

The more often Count Raymond visited his son, the more he felt that the boy was not some idiot who understood nothing, but a child who rejected the world around him. The look in his eyes was clearly one of unfamiliarity and resistance, clearly revealing emotion. He was not a muddleheaded, ignorant fool.

Heavy rewards always attracted brave men.

The count immediately offered a huge reward throughout the entire Imperial Capital. Regardless of one's background or status, whether a learned scholar or a lowly farmer, anyone who could make his son speak would immediately receive a reward of one thousand gold coins!

This novel matter quickly spread throughout the Imperial Capital. All sorts of people came forward, including several traveling bards from afar. Their methods were even more varied. Some played a flute before Du Wei for an entire afternoon; some beat gongs beside his ears; others deliberately shouted behind him when Du Wei was not paying attention... One particularly audacious person even suggested throwing the count's son into the river, claiming that he would probably cry for help then... But the man who proposed this idea immediately had his legs broken by the count's guards and was thrown out of the count's manor.

What kind of joke was that?! Even if my son is an idiot, he is still my son! Throw him into the river? I'll throw you into the river first!

Just as the entire Imperial Capital was spreading the matter as a novelty, this greatest problem was accidentally solved by a servant in the count's manor!

And the one who solved it was Made, the servant "personally appointed" by Du Wei in his delirious sleep-talk.

This servant, who had once been a stablehand, was an honest and kind-hearted man. He came up with the idea of taking Du Wei to see the horses in the count's stables. Normally, a child that young would always be curious and happy upon seeing animals. Though the idea was rather crude, the count agreed to let him try.

As a result, Made carried his young master into the stables...

By sheer coincidence, the servant who had replaced Made as stablehand had been lazy that day and had not cleaned up the horse dung. The moment they entered the stable, a wave of unbearable stench hit them head-on. The smell was so strong that when Made pushed open the door while carrying his young master, he nearly staggered backward.

And at that moment, little Du Wei in his arms blurted out a sentence in a low voice, almost by reflex.

"God, it stinks!"

As a result, Made immediately received the reward of one thousand gold coins. Even the stablehand who had been lazy and failed to clean up the horse dung was not punished; instead, he received twenty gold coins.

But as he looked at his son's defeated expression, Count Raymond became even more certain of one thing: this brat had been deliberately refusing to speak!

"From today onward, he will be your teacher." Pointing at an elderly man in white robes beside him, the count looked at his son. "This is Mr. Rosiat. He holds the title of Imperial Astrologer and is also a scholar well versed in history. From now on, he will be your tutor."

At first, the learned and talented scholar Rosiat performed his task excellently.

After a year of instruction, Young Master Du Wei, who was only four years old, could already write in the Empire's script! A four-year-old being able to write was not particularly extraordinary among normal children, but it was still rather rare.

Even the count, who had never liked his son very much, could not help feeling moved. Could my son really be a genius?

But when Young Master Du Wei turned five, even the capable Mr. Rosiat encountered a problem.

When Young Master Du Wei was five and a half years old, Count Raymond spoke with Mr. Rosiat for a long time in the study one evening...

"Count, please find someone more capable." The old astrologer looked utterly dejected. "Your son is naturally intelligent, but an old man like me truly lacks the energy to teach such a disciple..."

Seeing the old scholar's expression, the count's heart immediately sank. Even an idiot could tell that the old scholar's words about "natural intelligence" were empty flattery... Could his son really be an idiot? Even Mr. Rosiat, so intelligent and learned, could not educate him properly?

"But, Mr. Rosiat..." the count began with a dark expression.

"No, no, esteemed Count." The old scholar looked deeply uneasy. "I beg you, please do not try to keep me. Such an arduous task is truly beyond my abilities!"

The old scholar's words were firm, and the count could not help but smile bitterly. Teaching my son was truly such an "arduous" task? If even the count's talented old astrologer could not accomplish it, then there was probably even less hope for anyone else.

Seeing the count's gloomy face, old scholar Rosiat was, in truth, also extremely terrified...

Sigh, if it had only been strange remarks like "the sun and moon are two giant balls," they could barely be dismissed as childish words from Young Master Du Wei. But when he heard a child barely over five say something like, "The excessive concentration of imperial power is the root cause of [***]," the old scholar was so frightened that his heart nearly stopped beating!

In fact, after teaching Young Master Du Wei for a full year, the old scholar had already understood that his student was not the "idiot" described in the rumors. On the contrary, the child was very intelligent, even somewhat smarter than children his age. But no matter how clever a child was, he should not be discussing such a profound subject as "imperial power"!

Thus, the old scholar naturally assumed that these shocking views had most likely been inadvertently revealed by the count at home, then carelessly repeated by an ignorant child! Count Raymond held great power. He was the second-ranking figure in military headquarters and had extensive connections in the Imperial Navy... For such an important man to privately criticize imperial power at home clearly meant he was dissatisfied with the royal family! And if one thought a step further...

He was merely an old scholar. He had no desire to be dragged into some political struggle! It was better to get away as soon as possible!

The count agreed to the old scholar's resolute resignation. Rosiat immediately packed his things and left the count's manor as though fleeing for his life. The count saw this behavior and could only smile bitterly.

Could his son truly be beyond saving?

Du Wei quietly watched the teacher who had accompanied him for over a year leave. He stood by the attic window, watching the old scholar pack his luggage, climb into a carriage, and depart.

"Young Master." Perhaps seeing that his young master did not look well, Made could not help calling out cautiously. After successfully making the young master speak, he had continued serving as Du Wei's personal attendant.

"Made." Du Wei did not turn around, but his low spirits were obvious. "Do you think ignorance is a kind of happiness?"

"Uh?" Made did not know how to answer. In truth, the former stablehand had little learning in his head. His young master's question clearly left him at a loss. Ignorance? Was Young Master troubled over himself? But Made did not dare respond to such a topic.

"Forget it." Du Wei turned around. He seemed to smile, but his small, childish face seemed to carry a trace of weariness.

Compared to the people of this world, I know too much.

I know why there are a sun and moon in the sky. I know why day and night alternate each day. I know why the seasons change throughout the year. I know why spring passes and autumn comes...

But it was precisely because he knew these things that he was troubled. Perhaps in this world, ignorance was a kind of happiness!

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