Did The Young Prince’s Kingdom Get Destroyed Today? Chapter 183

The small white ball on the bed turned and saw Shui Shui, waving its little paws in greeting.

“Chirp!”

Good morning.

The energetic little white ball put Shui Shui in a good mood right from the start of the day.

“Good morning, Little Seven.”

Shui Shui quickened his steps, reaching the bed in a few strides. He bent down and scooped up the soft little ball in his arms.

The little white ball’s fur was soft, like the downy coat of a kitten.

The calm expression on Shui Shui’s face didn’t change, and his hands never stopped moving.

While petting the dumpling, he continued the conversation they had been having earlier: “A letter came from the capital. I haven’t opened it yet. Do you want to see it now?”

“Yes.”

The white dumpling nodded and leaned on Shui Shui’s arm as Shui Shui opened the letter they had brought.

The letter was from Ling Chen.

Ling Chen urged him to return in the letter.

“Big brother and them miss me.”

The white dumpling chirped, “They want me to hurry home.”

He chirped for a while, but Shui Shui didn’t understand what he was saying.

The two—one human, one dumpling—stayed close for a while longer, until the white dumpling pulled away his little paw.

With a pop, he shifted back, preventing Shui Shui from squeezing his paw again.

“I’m hungry.”

“Let’s go eat.”

Hearing he was hungry, Shui Shui took him to breakfast.

As the two ate, Lian Qing was still lounging in bed.

“Little Seven, have you made up your mind? When are you leaving?”

Although Shui Shui had already eaten, he stayed at the table while Ling Rui ate.

Ling Rui, pushing the rice around in his bowl, answered, “I’ll leave at the end of the month.”

There were still two weeks left until the end of the month.

Ling Rui planned to wrap things up in Yanzhou in that final half-month. He hadn’t announced his departure to the public, but he had set his schedule, detailing the last tasks he needed to complete.

The academy, the workshop, the relief institute, and the villages—he planned to inspect each place one last time.

He had done everything he needed to do in Yanzhou. All that was left was to check for any overlooked details before he left.

“Shui Shui, we’ll leave together when the time comes.”

Ling Rui looked up at Shui Shui and handed him a drumstick. “Eat a bit more. You look like you’ve lost weight recently.”

“I haven’t lost weight.”

Shui Shui denied it, saying, “I’ve been taking care of myself.”

Shui Shui always knew how to take good care of his own body.

While preparing antidotes and looking after patients, he also made sure to take excellent care of himself.

As they ate and talked, time slipped away unnoticed.

“Go wake up Uncle Lian Qing for food.”

After they finished eating and passed by Lian Qing’s room, Ling Rui insisted on waking him up too.

Once Lian Qing was awake, the two headed out together.

Time passed slowly but surely.

The last half-month wasn’t too long or too short.

When Ling Rui emerged from the last village on his list, his luggage had already been packed.

It was time to go.

The new governor of Yanzhou, chosen by Ling Chen, was a young minister, one of Ling Chen’s trusted aides.

Ling Chen had great expectations for this young man.

He had his sights set on opening trade routes by sea, and to the west of Yanzhou laid vast waters.

“Uncle Lian Qing, I’ve left everything in order.”

Ling Rui gave Lian Qing’s writings on sea trade as a gift to the new governor, who was highly favored by his elder brother.

With the gift delivered and the inspections done, Ling Rui cheerfully set off on his journey home.

As usual, he brought Lian Qing along.

He settled Lian Qing into a carriage and said earnestly, “You accompany me home, and I’ll take you back to Guan Shan Residence.”

After spending some time in the palace, he planned to take a vacation, visit his old teachers at Guan Shan Residence, and spend some peaceful time there with his Big Boss and Uncle Lian Qing.

“You don’t need to accompany me back. Just stay at the palace and relax.”

Sitting in the carriage, Lian Qing patted Ling Rui’s hand. “You’ve been away for so long; your father must miss you terribly.”

Lian Qing had met Emperor Ling before and knew that his love for Little Seven wasn’t just the care of an emperor for his son but the deep love of a father for his child.

Little Seven had been away for so long, and once he returned to the palace, everyone would surely want to keep him there.

“I want to go back to Guan Shan Residence.”

Ling Rui hadn’t been sitting in the carriage for long before he started to feel uncomfortable. After shifting in his seat, he leaned against Lian Qing and continued, “I haven’t seen my teacher and the others in a long time.”

Hearing Ling Rui’s longing to return, Lian Qing couldn’t deny him.

“Alright, if you want to go back, go ahead. You can even bring your father and mother next time.”

Lian Qing gave him permission to bring his family along next time.

“Mm! My mother hasn’t been to Guan Shan Residence yet. I’ll take her to see it.”

Once the two were together, the conversation never seemed to end.

They chatted happily, and the carriage sped along.

After several days of travel, the carriage finally arrived.

Lian Qing stretched his back with a sigh of relief. “If we hadn’t arrived soon, I really wouldn’t have been able to sit any longer.”

Sitting in the carriage for so long had been exhausting.

“Uncle Lian Qing, are you going to the palace with me or to my prince’s residence?”

Ling Rui’s prince’s residence had been completed, and it was close to the palace.

Although the residence was ready, Ling Rui still preferred to stay in the palace most of the time.

“I’ll go to your prince’s residence.”

Lian Qing didn’t hesitate in his answer—he had no desire to go to the palace.

Guan Shan Residence had no strict rules, but outside, things were different.

The palace had too many rules. If he ignored them there, it would put Little Seven in a difficult position.

So, it was better to avoid going.

Ling Rui hesitated for a moment, then agreed.

He personally escorted Lian Qing to the prince’s residence, and only after that did he return to the palace.

At the palace, everyone had long been prepared to welcome him back.

Emperor Ling and Ling Chen secretly competed with each other—one wanted to take the son away to talk, while the other wanted to catch up with his younger brother. The father and son stared at each other, and in the end, Emperor Ling brought up Ling Chen’s marriage issue, which forced Ling Chen to concede defeat.

“Little Seven.”

Successfully taking his son away, Emperor Ling was still huffing as he said, “Don’t be like your older brother. He’s this old and still hasn’t taken an empress or concubines.”

“Learn more from your fourth brother—his eldest son is already on the way.”

Ling Rui was stunned. “I’ve only been gone for six months, and Fourth Brother already has a child!”

When he left, there hadn’t been any news!

Speaking of the fourth brother’s child, Emperor Ling raised his eyebrows, visibly pleased.

“Your fourth sister-in-law became pregnant a little over two months after you left.”

It’s customary not to announce a pregnancy until after the first three months, which is why the news of Ling Hao becoming a father hadn’t reached Ling Rui yet.

Originally, Ling Hao had insisted on marrying an orphan girl as his main wife, but Consort De strongly opposed it. However, Ling Hao was determined and took his beloved to the frontier. Before leaving, he declared that unless Consort De accepted his main wife, he wouldn’t return. He also stated that they would live their lives outside and start a small family of their own.

In the end, Consort De had no choice but to relent, and soon after, Ling Hao became a father with impressive speed.

Ling Hao’s decisive actions left Consort De speechless.

The orphan girl didn’t want a grand wedding in the imperial palace, so she and Ling Hao had already bowed to Heaven and Earth at the frontier. Now, she was officially Ling Hao’s main wife—and his only wife.

“Daddy.”

It took Ling Rui a while to snap out of his shock before asking, “Where is Fourth Sister-in-law now? Is she still outside?”

“She’s on her way back. The frontier isn’t suitable for pregnancy, so Consort De is having her return to rest.”

Though Consort De wasn’t pleased with this daughter-in-law, now that there was a child involved, she couldn’t just ignore it.

“There have been a lot of skirmishes at the frontier lately, so Consort De is using that as an excuse to call your fourth brother back too.”

Consort De was concerned not only for her daughter-in-law but also for her own son.

“In a little while, you’ll be able to see your fourth brother and fourth sister-in-law.”

“Mm! I’ve missed Fourth Brother too.”

Ling Rui’s eyes curved with a smile as he started to think about what gift he should prepare for his future nephew.

When Fourth Brother’s child is born, his status will rise! He’s going to be a proud uncle soon.

“Your fourth brother is having a child, and your sixth brother is already discussing marriage…”

As Emperor Ling spoke, he shifted the conversation to Ling Rui.

“Little Seven, when do you plan to follow in the footsteps of your fourth and sixth brothers?”

By this point in the conversation, Ling Rui fully understood. His father had called him here to pressure him into marriage!

“I haven’t met anyone I like yet. I’ll think about it when I do.”

Ling Rui tried to placate his father. “Dad, don’t worry too much.”

Emperor Ling pinched his cheek and said sternly, “How can I not worry? What if you end up like your older brother—”

“Dad!”

Before Emperor Ling could finish, Ling Rui cut him off.

The two exchanged looks, and Emperor Ling’s face remained serious. “What your older brother is doing isn’t right. You’re always defending him.”

If anyone criticized Ling Chen, Little Seven would always get defensive. The two brothers had stayed close after all these years, never drifting apart.

“Older Brother is busy with state affairs. He’s already very tired. If he doesn’t want to marry an empress, don’t push him.”

Ling Rui spoke on behalf of his older brother, but his words didn’t seem to help much.

Emperor Ling still had opinions about Ling Chen’s refusal to marry.

As for the third son, Ling Yi, who was frail since birth, Emperor Ling never expected him to marry and continue the bloodline. He only hoped the third son could live a good life.

With no hope for the third, he had to count on the eldest.

Now, with both the eldest and Little Seven unmarried, Emperor Ling narrowed his eyes and issued an ultimatum—

“One of you two must get married.”

After giving his order, Emperor Ling looked at his youngest son, who pretended not to hear. Unable to hold back, he tapped Ling Rui on the head and reminded him, “It’s not that I’m forcing you both. The new emperor of Great Qing is about to fill his harem, and your older brother is an emperor too. He should also have an empress.”

“Both are emperors—there can’t be too stark a contrast.”

Ling Rui: “?”

Feigning ignorance, Ling Rui slowly raised his head, a puzzled expression on his face. “Who’s filling their harem?”

“The new emperor of Great Qing. All the kingdoms are selecting women to send to him, and we have to send some as well.”

Ling Rui: “!”

Ling Rui’s eyes widened in shock, and he reflexively blurted out, “We’re not sending anyone!”

He certainly wasn’t going to send anyone to Ah Wu!

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