Did The Young Prince’s Kingdom Get Destroyed Today? Chapter 152

In such an event, security against assassins was very strict. The banquet had just begun, and with so many important figures present, it was nearly impossible for an assassin to be there.

The little prince, now shielded by his Sixth Brother, whispered, “The Empress just looked at me… she seemed a bit scary.”

Ling Fu’s expression grew even more serious upon hearing that.

Like a mother hen guarding her chick, he stood firmly in front of his younger brother, blocking him entirely with his chubby body. “Don’t be afraid. If she looks at you, just don’t look back at her.”

Ling Fu continued protecting his little brother, and soon, Jiang Yan and Chen Zhou squeezed in to join them.

As more friends gathered around, the little one began to feel safe again. Following his Sixth Brother’s advice, he stopped looking at the Empress and resumed searching for his Big Brother.

The Emperor hadn’t made an appearance yet.

He usually kept his presence minimal at such events. His presence put pressure on everyone, so he would only show up briefly before leaving.

After searching for a while, the little one finally spotted his Big Brother.

“Sixth Brother, Big Brother is over there!”

The little one pointed happily, a smile lighting up his face.

“I see him.”

Ling Fu also spotted their Big Brother, but he noticed something even more interesting.

“Little Seven, look.”

Ling Fu lowered his voice and said to his younger brother, “A lot of young ladies are secretly looking at our Big Brother.”

The young ladies qualified to attend this banquet all came from prestigious families, and they were meticulously dressed, each with a hidden agenda.

The Eldest Prince was handsome, refined, and most importantly, still unmarried.

Becoming the wife of the Eldest Prince was a dream that couldn’t go wrong.

The little one didn’t even need Ling Fu to point it out. He already saw how many people were sneaking glances at his Big Brother and cheerfully said, “Big Brother is really popular!”

Ling Fu nodded, then glanced at his Big Brother and looked down at his own chubby body.

“Little Seven, when I grow as tall as Big Brother, I’m going to lose weight and get fit!”

If he lost weight, he was sure he’d look just as handsome.

By then, when he looked for a Princess, she would definitely like the dashing version of him.

The adults’ small talk didn’t last long. Soon, everyone either took their seats for more conversation or paired off to stroll around the garden.

Avoiding the Empress’s gaze, the little one grabbed his Sixth Brother’s hand and headed to find their Big Brother.

Ling Chen, having expected his younger brother to come find him, was already getting up to leave.

As he passed by the Empress, she softly called his name.

“Ling Chen, what you said the other day, was it true?”

“It is.”

Ling Chen had spent two days testing the Empress with this matter. He hadn’t fully uncovered her intentions, but in that moment, he still instinctively answered, “Yes.”

After his response, the Empress gave him a deep look.

Their eyes met, but Ling Chen was tired of repeating what he had said countless times before.

No matter who became the Crown Prince, as long as the Empress kept calm and stayed out of things, no one would want to harm her.

Even if Ling Hao or Little Seven became Crown Prince, the brotherly bond between them would not change.

To put it more bluntly, the Qi Dynasty had not yet reached the point where princes fought to the death for the throne.

The dynasty had been weak for too long. If they didn’t focus on governance, it wouldn’t be long before the entire Qi Dynasty collapsed.

By then, there would be no throne left to fight for, and no prince or Crown Prince would be spared.

He had explained this to his mother countless times, but it seemed like she just couldn’t understand.

He faintly sensed that his mother’s desperation to make him Crown Prince and emperor had something to do with her own desire for power.

Without another word, Ling Chen strode away.

“Little Seven, hurry up, let’s follow Big Brother!”

“Mm!”

A group of children ran after Ling Chen, trailing behind him.

“Big Brother!”

The little one, who had only seen his Big Brother from afar today, hadn’t yet gotten close. He let go of his Sixth Brother’s hand, and with his short legs, rushed toward Ling Chen.

Ling Chen bent down and scooped him up into his arms.

“Big Brother, happy birthday!”

The little one joyfully wished him, hugging him tightly as Ling Chen effortlessly lifted him up.

“Why does Little Seven look so handsome today?”

Ling Chen looked down at the little one, thinking that no other child in the world could possibly be as adorable as him today.

“Second Sister made this new outfit for me,” the little one said as he touched his new clothes and shoes, showing them off to Ling Chen.

He was dressed head to toe in brand new clothes today—not only new clothes and shoes, but also a beautiful collar and other accessories. His attire was more elaborate than usual, but undeniably refined and beautiful.

“You look great,” Ling Chen praised his little brother. Then, turning to his chubby younger brother standing nearby, he rubbed his head and added, “Little Sixth, you’re adorable too.”

Ling Fu grinned widely. He winked at the little one, signaling him to take their big brother to see the gifts.

The gifts were already prepared.

“Big Brother, come on,” the little one squirmed in his brother’s arms, urging him to walk.

At six years old, the little one wasn’t very heavy, and Ling Chen carried him effortlessly. After a few steps, they reached a small room.

Inside were gifts prepared by the little one, his Sixth Brother, Jiang Yan, and Chen Zhou.

“Big Brother, these are from all of us.”

The little one wriggled out of Ling Chen’s arms, and as soon as his feet touched the ground, he pulled his brother over to look at the gifts.

Each gift was labeled with the giver’s name, making it clear who had given what. Among the pile, the most eye-catching one was from the little one.

Smiling, Ling Chen opened the little prince’s gift. But within seconds, the smile faded. Looking at the prize that clearly came from Guan Shan Residence, Ling Chen’s voice shook slightly. “Little Seven, have you just been leaving this gift out in the open here?!”

This precious gift—it hadn’t been hidden away properly but left out in the open for anyone to take! If someone had stolen it, Ling Chen felt like he would collapse on the spot.

“There are guards outside,” the little prince said confidently. “The gift won’t be lost.”

Truth be told, the children’s gifts didn’t need guards; the chances of them being stolen were slim.

“Big Brother,” the little one asked, glancing at his brother’s face with a hint of uncertainty, “do… do you like my gift?”

Ling Chen didn’t just like it—he treasured it beyond measure.

“Little Seven, this gift… did you show it to anyone else?”

“No.”

Ling Chen hadn’t expected his little brother to bring back so many wonderful things from Guan Shan Residence.

The item in his hand was something that could greatly benefit the people.

“Little Seven, your gift—Big Brother loves it.”

Ling Chen couldn’t help himself. He picked up the little one and planted two big kisses on his cheeks.

After kissing the little one, he glanced down to see the other children crowding around, their little faces filled with anticipation, waiting for him to open more gifts.

Ling Chen chuckled. Carefully, he put away the little one’s gift and began unwrapping the others.

“Thank you for your gift, Little Sixth,” Ling Chen said to Ling Fu. Seeing his younger brother blushing and staring at him, Ling Chen understood and gave him a kiss on the cheek too.

Jiang Yan, eager to join in the fun, offered his cheek as well, and he got a kiss just like the others.

Only Chen Zhou refused. He wasn’t that close with the Eldest Prince, so he didn’t feel comfortable doing something like that.

Time passed. After opening all the gifts, Ling Chen stayed with them for a little while longer before leaving to attend to other matters.

Having given their gifts, the group of children waved goodbye to their big brother and went off to play.

“Little Seven, I’m hungry,” Ling Fu said, rubbing his belly as he looked at his younger brother. “Let’s go get something to eat.”

“Okay.”

Together, they headed to the kitchen, where a smaller, separate kitchen was dedicated to making meals for the children.

When they arrived, the kitchen manager quickly came to greet them and asked what they’d like to eat.

The head maid, efficient and generous, soon handed each of them a plate of food to tide them over before the main meal.

With their plates in hand, the children found a quiet spot and sat down to eat. Being children, they couldn’t help but poke and tease each other as they ate.

While they were playing around, a few unfamiliar young boys happened to pass by.

“This garden is big. Do you want to play a game? We could play hide-and-seek. It’s more fun with a lot of people,” one of the unfamiliar boys said, inviting them to join.

The little one looked at him and tilted his head. “Who are you?”

“My father is Lu Yang, the Minister of Revenue. My name is Lu Zheng.”

Hearing this, Jiang Yan whispered a few words into the little prince’s ear. After listening, the little one nodded. “Alright, we can play together.”

Lu Zheng turned out to be quite energetic, and soon, the sound of children’s laughter filled the garden.

Ling Ti, the shizi to the Yongwang Residence, saw them having fun and wanted to join in.

But the little one, with a serious expression, refused. “I don’t want to play with you!”

His rejection was so straightforward that Lu Zheng, seeing the little one’s dislike for Ling Ti, patted him on the shoulder and sided with him. “If you don’t want to play with him, then we won’t include him!”

Ling Ti was rejected so thoroughly, yet he hadn’t left.

“Ling Rui, by seniority, I’m your older cousin. How can you be so cold to me?”

“And by status, I’m still a prince.” 

The little one wasn’t backing down either. “You should show me more respect.”

It was a battle of dominance, and the little one knew how to play that game too.

The tension between the two rose, but in the end, Ling Ti still didn’t leave.

He lingered around like a haunting shadow, sticking close to his so-called younger cousin, following him everywhere.

After being followed for half the day, the little one couldn’t take it anymore.

And it wasn’t just the little one who was fed up. Even Lu Zheng and the others were reaching their limits.

Lu Zheng, known as a local troublemaker in the capital, had long been curious about the little one in the palace. Upon seeing the little one’s beauty today, he wanted to get along with him. But Ling Ti, like a buzzing fly, kept circling them.

Annoyed to no end, Lu Zheng rolled up his sleeves on the spot.

“This guy’s pushing his luck!”

With a stern face, Lu Zheng said, “Brothers, let’s get him!”

Lu Zheng wasn’t just a leader in games, he was also a leader in fights.

Once he made the first move, the others quickly joined in, and soon both sides were locked in a brawl.

Outnumbered, Ling Ti was beaten badly.

In the chaos, the little one, while swinging his small fists, felt a sudden coolness on his neck.

Ling Ti had splashed something on him.

The little one, already on guard against Ling Ti, jumped aside immediately and asked his sixth brother to check his neck.

“Ling Ti spat on me!”

The little guy, hopping mad, had a flushed face, seething with anger.

He felt a wet sensation on his neck, and the only thing he could think of was spit.

Though not a germaphobe, the thought of being spat on made the little one want to jump into a pool and take a bath, disgusted.

Seeing his younger brother frantically trying to undress, Ling Fu quickly leaned over to check.

“It’s not spit, it’s not spit.”

Ling Fu reassured him, touching the wet spot on his brother’s neck. It didn’t feel like spit.

Meanwhile, Lu Zheng and Jiang Yan held down Ling Ti by his arms while Chen Zhou pulled a bottle out of Ling Ti’s tightly clenched hand.

The bottom of the bottle had traces of burnt yellow paper.

Chen Zhou frowned. “Talisman water.”

He’d seen this kind of water before. Some families, believing they were haunted, would invite specialists to perform rituals, and talisman water was always part of the process to ward off evil spirits.

But why was Ling Ti, out of nowhere, splashing talisman water on Little Seven?

“You’re protecting him so much, aren’t you afraid he’ll turn on you?”

Even as Ling Ti was pinned to the ground, he sneered. “I heard that if talisman water is poured on a demon, it will reveal its true form.”

He hadn’t heard this from just anyone. He had overheard it from the empress’s maid while passing by the palace. The empress had gone to Guanghua Temple and unintentionally obtained a bottle of talisman water for warding off evil spirits.

As he was about to leave after overhearing this, a young maid whispered about an old rumor in the palace that the little prince was once suspected of being a demon.

Ling Ti’s eyes flickered, and in the end, he sneaked in and took that bottle of talisman water.

“You think Little Seven is a demon?”

Jiang Yan, enraged by these words, punched Ling Ti in the face. “I think you’re the real monster!”

Ling Ti took a solid beating before being left on the ground by the group of kids.

Meanwhile, the little one, still trying to undress, tearfully told his sixth brother that he wanted a bath.

“I’ll take you for a bath,” Ling Fu said, his heart aching for his little brother.

He held his brother’s small hand and led him to a bath. The banquet was bustling, and all the servants were busy.

Ling Fu found an empty room and asked someone to bring water.

As they bathed, a pair of eyes were quietly watching them the entire time.

Nothing the little one did escaped the notice of Emperor Ling and Ling Chen.

They knew that Ling Ti had stolen the empress’s talisman water and splashed it on the little guy. Frowning, both father and son didn’t believe the talisman water would have any effect on their little one.

“Where is Little Seven now?”

“The little prince is still bathing.”

Although they found the whole talisman water situation absurd and pointless, they couldn’t help but feel sorry for the little one, and both father and son stood up, preparing to check on him.

As for Ling Ti, who had been beaten, both Emperor Ling and the Eldest Prince agreed he deserved it.

Their Little Seven was dressed so beautifully today, only to have water splashed on him by Ling Ti.

He got what was coming to him.

While the father and son made their way to see the little one, the little one in the bath felt hotter and hotter.

He rubbed his small arms, asking his sixth brother to add more cold water.

“Little Seven, the water’s not hot anymore. You can’t add more cold water.”

If more cold water was added, Little Seven might catch a cold.

“I’m too hot,” the little guy muttered.

His face was already flushed with heat.

He rubbed his arms, then his neck, recalling the talisman water Ling Ti had poured on him, and panic started to set in.

Unbeknownst to him, the talisman water, accidentally obtained from a wandering Taoist monk, wasn’t just ordinary water. It had a small stimulating effect on him.

“Sixth Brother, I don’t want to bathe in this water anymore.”

With a flushed face, the little guy scrambled out of the water.

He hurriedly dressed and rushed outside.