The butler, seeing the young prince favoring Qu Xinwei over his advice, felt a twinge of displeasure and approached them.
"Your Highness, the sellers said they captured the horse on Mount Wangwu, which is a half-hour journey from here. Why not ride there?" he suggested secretly, thinking Qu Xinwei, who had arrived in a carriage, probably couldn't ride a horse and would embarrass himself.
The prince's eyes brightened at the mention of riding but hesitated, recalling his lack of riding skills. He turned to Qu Xinwei, "Can we ride together?"
Qu Xinwei, of course, would not agree. It would have been acceptable if the prince were only five, but at fifteen, it was inappropriate. "Your Highness, perhaps we should walk instead?"
After a moment's thought, the prince agreed, "I've never hiked a mountain in my life. Since it's still early, let's give it a try."
