Did The Young Prince’s Kingdom Get Destroyed Today? Chapter 1

Chapter 1

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In the second year of Yuanfeng, the autumn was deep and the dew was heavy. Waves of cold wind beat against the window, and the chill seeped in through the tattered hemp paper.

There was no light in the room, only a little moonlight from outside, illuminating it slightly.

In the faint light, on the small bed against the wall, the quilt was trembling.

After shaking for a while, a small figure crawled to the edge of the bed.

“Momo, Momo.”

The tender voice rang out, accompanied by several coughs: “Water, need water.”

Ling Rui, who was cold and thirsty, opened his mouth to ask for water from the Momo.

But after calling several times, the Momo didn’t come.

Ling Rui looked at the door and then glanced under the bed.

After a few seconds.

He grabbed the edge of the bed with his small hands and carefully got off the bed.

The bed was too high, and he was too small.

“Plop—”

His small body fell straight down, hitting his forehead on the hard bed leg, immediately forming a small bump.

The sudden burst of intense pain made tears well up in Ling Rui’s eyes.

He touched his forehead, sniffled, and tried hard to hold back the tears.

He couldn’t cry.

Ah Wu wasn’t here, and no one would comfort him if he cried.

Three days ago, he transmigrated here. Before he came, he was a divine beast cub born less than three years ago in the Classic of Mountains and Seas. He had no parents, only Ah Wu to accompany him.

Ah Wu was a ferocious beast, but he was very good to him, finding him food and even sleeping with him.

After transmigrating, he became the little prince of this unfamiliar dynasty.

Still no mother, and his father didn’t care about him. He didn’t even have anyone to love him.

After thinking about Ah Wu for a while in his heart, Ling Rui’s eyes became even redder. He supported himself on the bed and slowly stood up.

His body was very small now, too small to even walk steadily.

Supporting himself all the way, Ling Rui staggered to the table, where there was a water kettle with half a pot of water inside.

Ling Rui climbed onto the stool first and then reached for the water kettle.

“Gulugulu.”

He drank all the overnight tea, finally relieving his hunger after three days of not eating enough. Ling Rui touched his belly, which was no longer empty.

He put down the tea kettle and wanted to go to bed, but without the Momo to carry him, he couldn’t get up.

After standing by the bed for a while, Ling Rui, with his pretty but somewhat dirty face, began to reach out and pull the quilt.

Pulling the quilt down, he climbed into it and slept on the ground like this.

The room was not soundproof, and the movement inside could be clearly heard in the neighboring room.

“Older Sister Li, the Seventh Prince is calling for you. Can you not go?”

Zhang Momo, who came to live with Li Momo tonight, touched her arm worriedly and asked her.

Even if the Seventh Prince is no longer favored, he is still a prince, and a little over one year old at that.

If something were to happen to him, the servants in the palace would likely be held accountable.

Li Momo sensed her worry and turned over in bed, lying face to face with her.

The two had a good relationship in the palace, so Li Momo didn’t mind being touched by her arm.

She opened her eyes and replied, “It’s okay, the Seventh Prince has a strong fate, nothing will happen to him.”

Zhang Momo was still worried.

Seeing that she couldn’t sleep, Li Momo comforted her: “Even if something really happens to the Seventh Prince, His Majesty won’t investigate. In a few days, it will be the anniversary of Consort Xi’s death, and His Majesty doesn’t want to hear any news from Zhaoxi palace during this time.”

Consort Xi was a beauty sent by a foreign tribe, with delicate features and captivating ice-blue eyes. She had once captivated the emperor night after night. 

But she later committed a great crime and fell out of favor with the emperor.

On the day she gave birth to the Seventh Prince, Consort Xi hung herself, leaving only a letter to the emperor.

No one knew the contents of the letter, but everyone knew that the emperor still hated Consort Xi. He hated her so much that he didn’t even bother with her funeral arrangements, nor did he allow anyone to mention her anniversary. He hadn’t even looked at Consort Xi’s child to this day.

The emperor’s attitude towards Consort Xi and the Seventh Prince was observed by everyone in the palace.

In this place where one is most skilled at elevating and lowering others, the Seventh Prince’s situation could be imagined.

Li Momo thought of the beautiful and soft little child in the room, but she felt no pity in her heart.

She just raised her lips slightly and added, “In a few days, I will be transferred from the Zhaoxi Palace. When the time comes, I’ll ask Consort Li to take you along with me.”

Li Momo mentioned Consort Li, and Zhang Momo’s eyes lit up.

Everyone in the palace knew that besides the empress and Noble Consort Yi, the most prominent figure now was Consort Li.

Zhang Momo immediately flattered Li Momo, and the two of them forgot about the little prince sleeping alone on the ground in the room.

As the night grew deeper, both Momos felt drowsy and fell asleep.

Before Li Momo fell asleep, the image of the Seventh Prince flashed through her mind for a moment.

With her eyes closed, she silently thought—

Since he’s just an unfavored little prince, it’s better to follow her plan and let him die in Noble Consort Yi’s hands at the Autumn Feast. That way, she could secure a better future for herself in front of Consort Li.

Thinking of Consort Li’s instructions, Li Momo reviewed her plan carefully in her mind.

After reviewing it, she felt satisfied and fell asleep contentedly.

The next day.

The sunlight outside seeped in, and Ling Rui in the bed felt the warmth, slowly crawling out of the quilt.

He rubbed his eyes, his head not yet clear, but his stomach growled first.

As usual, the Momo hadn’t come to attend to him.

Ling Rui no longer had any hope for the Momo. He touched his belly and decided to find food by himself.

In the Classic of Mountains and Seas, he used to find food for himself before he met Ah Wu!

He went out of the room, staggering to the palace gate. Along the way, he didn’t encounter anyone.

Since the death of Consort Xi, the Zhaoxi Palace had been no different from a deserted place.

The emperor never came here, but he didn’t revoke the palace either. He just let the Seventh Prince continue to live here, and let the palace people here continue to take care of him.

Originally, there were quite a few palace people in the Zhaoxi Palace, but now, Consort Li was taking one today, and tomorrow it would be another imperial concubine…

Gradually, there were only a few people left in the palace. These remaining people were busy finding a way out for themselves and couldn’t be bothered to take care of the little prince.

Ling Rui didn’t understand these palace matters. He stood at the palace gate for a while, then walked towards the south.

After walking for a while, he saw a patch of flowers and grass.

In addition to flowers and grass, there were also palace people busy working and arguing.

“You reckless little fool, I asked you to get some glass wine cups from the internal affairs department, what did you bring me!”

“Cui Er, take my list and go to the internal affairs department again!”

A big palace maid in a dark green dress stood in front of the flower bed, giving orders to people.

After arranging everything, the big palace maid stood in place and coldly said, “In a few days, it will be the Autumn Feast. At this critical juncture, if you dare to mess up, I will strip your skin!”

The Autumn Feast was a big event held once every three years. Concubines and Consorts from the palace and ladies from outside the palace would attend. In the past, it was always managed by the empress.

This time, the emperor handed it over to Noble Consort Yi.

Ling Rui saw the big palace maid giving orders to people and realized she was from Noble Consort Yi’s palace.

The Autumn Feast was a big deal. If she handled it well, there would be many benefits for Noble Consort Yi.

While the big palace maid was still talking, Ling Rui looked at her and cautiously walked away.

After walking for a while.

Before he could leave the garden, Ling Rui saw a small white rabbit on a patch of grass.

The little rabbit was fluffy and chubby.

Ling Rui’s eyes lit up: “Bunny!”

He took unsteady steps and pounced towards the bunny.

When the little rabbit heard footsteps, it turned its head and ran.

Seeing the rabbit run away, Ling Rui hurried to catch up.

A child and a rabbit, one running and the other chasing, formed a picturesque scene in the eyes of the onlookers passing by.

After watching this picturesque scene for a while, Qingdai, a palace maid with lowered eyebrows, respectfully introduced to the Noble Consort standing in front of her, “Niang Niang, the one chasing the rabbit is the Seventh Prince, and the rabbit is raised by Consort Li.”

The Seventh Prince, Consort Li.

As soon as Noble Consort Yi heard these two names, her eyes turned cold.

Everyone knew that she had a bad relationship with the Seventh Prince’s mother, Consort Xi. And recently, Consort Li, who was thriving, was also an eyesore to her.

With one being the child of Consort Xi and the other being the rabbit of Consort Li, and they looked so harmonious and friendly, Noble Consort Yi felt displeased. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly.

“Your Highness, I will bring the Seventh Prince away immediately.”

Qingdai, always quick to read expressions, spoke as soon as she noticed Noble Consort Yi’s frown.

“No need.”

Noble Consort Yi withdrew her gaze from the distance and replied calmly, “Let’s go back.”

With that, Noble Consort Yi continued down the cobblestone path, admiring the newly bloomed chrysanthemums.

The maids following her remained silent, not daring to make a sound that might disturb her mood.

As Noble Consort Yi walked on, little Ling Rui, who had been chasing the rabbit on the grass, tumbled a few times and ended up on the path ahead of her.

The rabbit, either due to its small size or its plumpness, had not managed to escape despite Ling Rui’s relentless pursuit.

After a while, the dizzy rabbit ran onto the path and bumped into someone.

Rabbit: “!”

Panicking, the rabbit tried to turn back.

But Ling Rui, seeing the rabbit stop, instinctively pounced forward.

“Thud—”

Ling Rui managed to catch the rabbit but also collided with Noble Consort Yi’s leg.

Qingdai, who was following Noble Consort Yi, turned pale at the sight.

The last person who dared to collide with the Noble Consort ended up with their grave overgrown with grass.

For the Noble Consort, who came from a military family, the impact of a little prince and a fat rabbit was negligible.

But Ling Rui, feeling dizzy from the collision, fell to the ground, still clutching the rabbit.

His dirty little face looked up just in time to meet Noble Consort Yi’s gaze.

Ling Rui didn’t recognize the Noble Consort. Holding the rabbit with one hand and rubbing his aching forehead with the other, he apologized softly, “S-sorry.”

The soft, obedient voice reached Noble Consort Yi’s ears before she could speak. Qingdai had already stepped forward.

“How dare you! Who allowed you to come here? You even dared to bump into the Noble Consort! How audacious!”

Qingdai scolded Ling Rui sharply. Though she had only served Noble Consort Yi for a year, she knew well about the Noble Consort’s past animosity with the late Consort Xi.

Now, the late Consort’s child had collided with Noble Consort. Surely, the Noble Consort would be displeased.

Qingdai believed reprimanding the Seventh Prince would please Noble Consort Yi.

Thinking she had grasped the Noble Consort’s feelings, Qingdai glared even more fiercely at the scared little seventh prince.

But before she could continue, Noble Consort Yi shot her a cold glance.

Qingdai: “….”

Qingdai immediately fell silent, her legs trembling under her skirt.

Noble Consort Yi shifted her gaze back to the timid little prince.

By her calculations, this little one was just over a year old.

His clothes were thin, and his collar was noticeably dirty, indicating they hadn’t been changed in days.

“A little dirty urchin.”

Noble Consort Yi commented lightly. Despite the dirt, she could see that—

This little urchin would be quite pretty if cleaned up.

After all, his mother was known as the most beautiful woman from a foreign land.

Being called a little dirty urchin, Ling Rui instinctively rubbed his face, “N-not dirty.”

He didn’t want to be a little dirty urchin.

The child and the adult locked eyes. Ling Rui, staring at the incredibly beautiful noble consort before him, felt a bit scared but couldn’t stop looking. 

He was a little one who adored beautiful things and liked looking at this stunning noble consort. 

But he was also a bit scared because he had heard the Momo say that the noble consort had a cruel heart and could kill without batting an eye.

They stared at each other for a moment, then Noble Consort Yi lost interest in lingering further.

“Take this rabbit and go to Zaochun Palace to find Consort Li. She prides herself on her kindness. If you beg her to take you in, you might just have a good life.”

Noble Consort Yi’s tone was indifferent, but her words seemed to be guiding the little prince.

Everyone in the palace knew that Consort Li had a compassionate heart. She would even cry over a dish of fried rabbit, feeling sad for the animal.

When the emperor saw Consort Li’s tears, he ordered the imperial kitchen never to cook rabbit again.

A pitiful little prince holding a rabbit would surely touch Consort Li’s heart.

Noble Consort Yi imagined the scene and smiled slightly.

Despite her advice, the little prince was not grateful.

Ling Rui, having finally caught the rabbit, stiffened his face and widened his eyes when he heard he should give it to someone else.

“The rabbit is mine.”

Ling Rui clenched his small hand, pressing the rabbit against his chest. After asserting his ownership of the rabbit, he swallowed and added, “Tasty.”

Such a delicious rabbit, he didn’t want to give it away.

Living as a small beast in the Classic of Mountains and Seas, Ling Rui had eaten rabbits before.

Not wanting the Noble Consort to take the rabbit away, Ling Rui hesitated but then lowered his head—

And bit the rabbit.

Noble Consort Yi: “…”

Watching the scene, the coldness in Noble Consort Yi’s eyes diminished a bit.

She bent down, her slender fingers pinching Ling Rui’s cheek.

“Like eating rabbit? Good taste.”

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