Did The Young Prince’s Kingdom Get Destroyed Today? Chapter 55

In the royal family, there had indeed been children with intellectual disabilities, and such children were generally not favored.

In the past, if someone had told Emperor Ling that his consort had given birth to a fool, he would have been displeased.

After all, the royal bloodline was the most noble, and having a child with intellectual disabilities was a disgrace to the emperor.

But now, looking at his son’s beautiful little face filled with tears, he suddenly felt that having a little fool wasn’t so bad.

“Even if you are a little fool, you would be the most respected little fool in the world. Father will have many people take care of you, and I will never abandon you.”

As he spoke, Emperor Ling lifted the little boy and gently shook him.

However, this comforting action didn’t completely soothe the boy.

Today, the little boy was hard to console. He clutched Emperor Ling’s arm tightly, and when he was placed back on his lap, he hugged his father’s neck, nestling himself in his arms.

“Father, Shuishui is being bullied. It’s very pitiful.”

“Everyone says he is a little fool, so they all bully him.”

“Father, why do people bully little fools?”

Ling Rui’s question left Emperor Ling momentarily stunned as he thought about how to answer.

After a few seconds, he carefully replied, “Fools are naturally the weaker group, and many people have a tendency to bully the weak. They can’t bully others, so they pick on someone who seems easy to bully.”

Ling Rui listened to his father’s explanation and shook his head, not quite understanding. “The weak should be protected.”

Shouldn’t the weak be protected?

His words made Emperor Ling laugh a little. “Little Seven, you are still too young to understand human nature.”

Protecting the weak happens far less frequently than bullying the weak.

Ling Rui might not understand human nature, but he had the stubbornness unique to children. He rubbed his tear-streaked face against Emperor Ling’s cheek and pleaded, “Father is the most powerful. Father should protect them.”

Emperor Ling: “…”

Emperor Ling: “Hmm?”

Ling Rui stopped crying and, as if a good idea had struck him, his tearful eyes brightened. “Father, please protect Shuishui and other little fools like him, alright?”

Emperor Ling fell silent.

After a long pause, he pinched Ling Rui’s little face and asked casually, “Little Seven, why did you want to form the Zaizai Gang? And why do you want to protect people?”

Ling Rui blinked and replied, “Because they are pitiful.”

“There are many Shuishuis who are pitiful and need protection.”

“Father, Big Brother says, with great power comes great responsibility.”

Ling Rui loved listening to his big brother’s discussions on various topics. He had heard his big brother say that as a prince, he would have a lot of power, and power was part of one’s abilities.

Having these abilities meant taking on many responsibilities.

“Father.”

Ling Rui looked at his father’s face with a serious expression. “Little Seven is too small and not very strong. Father is strong, so Father should protect Little Seven and Shuishui, okay?”

This time, Emperor Ling gave a soft “hmm.”

He looked at his serious little boy and, who knows what he was thinking, but eventually, he hugged him, his expression softening.

“Little Seven wants Father to protect?”

“Yes.”

Having said so much to his father, Ling Rui’s mood gradually settled. His little face brightened, and he smiled at Emperor Ling. “Father must protect Little Seven.”

He said this with conviction, and Emperor Ling’s eyes showed a hint of amusement.

He recalled that some courtiers had intentions toward Little Seven, hoping to support him while he was young and control him.

This Zaizai Gang might also be part of their efforts.

Before Little Seven came, these thoughts had crossed his mind, but once his son was with him, those thoughts dissipated.

Little Seven was still young, but the person he trusted and relied on the most was him, his father.

“Alright, Father will protect you and also protect your Zaizai Gang.”

When Emperor Ling mentioned the Zaizai Gang, he became interested. “Little Seven, tell Father about your Zaizai Gang.”

“Okay.”

Ling Rui was very talkative with those close to him. Sitting on his father’s lap, he told him all about the members of the Zaizai Gang.

He shared what the gang had been doing.

Ling Rui kept talking without stopping until Lu Guang reminded him to drink some water.

The little boy, who had been talking for nearly an hour, held his cup with both hands and drank the entire cup in one go.

After finishing one cup of water, he handed the cup to Lu Guang and softly said, “Another cup, please.”

He drank two and a half cups of water before stopping.

Emperor Ling wiped the water from the corner of his mouth, picked him up, and headed outside. “There is a hot spring pool in the palace that has just been prepared. Let’s go have a look.”

Ling Rui had never been to a hot spring before, and he was utterly amazed at his first experience.

“Father.”

The little boy, completely bare, soaked in the hot spring pool, his originally fair skin turning a rosy pink. He splashed the water with his small hands, enjoying himself immensely. “Let’s invite Brother and Sister to come too!”

“It’s too late today. They can come tomorrow.”

Emperor Ling had initially planned to bring Noble Consort Yi to the hot spring. He had soaked with her before, in a secluded natural hot spring in the wild.

Remembering the previous hot spring experience and seeing the little boy splashing water randomly, Emperor Ling’s mouth twitched. He realized he must have been out of his mind to bring the boy here.

“Father, look!”

Ling Rui, who loved playing with water, splashed water everywhere with his little hands, happily shouting, “Let’s have a water fight!”

Emperor Ling: “…”

Emperor Ling half-heartedly splashed a little water on him, not very interested in a water fight.

Ling Rui noticed his father’s lack of enthusiasm and silently swam away.

After a while.

Just as Emperor Ling was about to doze off, a little boy climbed up behind him.

Emperor Ling: “!!!”

Emperor Ling was startled. Seeing the wet little hand on his shoulder, his body stiffened.

“Father, come play in the water with me.”

The wet little hand and the soft voice took several seconds to register with Emperor Ling. He had almost fallen asleep and forgotten that there was a child in the pool.

The little boy’s actions snapped him back to reality.

“Little Seven.”

Emperor Ling felt his teeth itch with frustration.

The boy, called by name, was still splashing water on him.

Emperor Ling couldn’t hold back anymore and retaliated.

He cupped some water and splashed it on the little boy, who flailed and ran around the pool.

“Father, no more, no more.”

Unable to win against his father, the little boy’s legs kicked wildly in the water as he dodged, his small voice pleading for mercy.

But Emperor Ling, having been startled earlier, wasn’t ready to let him off.

Father and son chased each other in the pool until Ling Rui’s legs cramped, and he sank to the bottom.

At first, Emperor Ling thought he was hiding.

It wasn’t until he saw the boy’s hands flailing and bubbles rising from his mouth that he realized it wasn’t a game.

“Little Seven!”

Emperor Ling scooped him up, patting his back to help him expel the water.

The boy knew how to swim and wouldn’t drown, but he had been frightened and swallowed some water.

“Father.”

Ling Rui’s right leg wouldn’t move, his eyes red with fear. He clung to Emperor Ling’s arm, scared. “My, my leg, it’s broken.”

Emperor Ling: “…”

Emperor Ling: “What?”

Ling Rui felt it again and cried out, “My leg is broken.”

He was doomed.

Without his leg, he could never run and play again.

The hot spring outing ended with the boy’s mishap.

The imperial physician arrived and, after a few squeezes, fixed the boy’s leg.

“He’s fine, just a simple cramp. Some movement will relieve the pain.”

The physician urged the boy to walk a bit.

With his father’s support, the boy tentatively stepped out. After a few steps, he was delighted. “It doesn’t hurt.”

Ling Rui had exhausted Emperor Ling by now. Originally, the emperor had planned to send him back and call for a concubine to relieve his fatigue.

But the boy clung to him.

Seeing this, Emperor Ling realized he had no energy left.

“Alright.”

He rubbed his temples and called the boy. “Little Seven, come to bed.”

With the boy in the palace, it wasn’t easy to summon anyone at night.

The little one never announced his arrival and came at random times. Last time, he had just received a beautiful singer from an official when the boy arrived, making her sing nursery rhymes for half an hour.

By the time the singing was done, neither the beauty nor the emperor felt romantic.

The beauty was dismissed, and Emperor Ling ended up listening to the boy talk about catching loaches.

Catching loaches was difficult; they were slippery and hard to catch.

As the night deepened.

Emperor Ling looked at the boy sprawled across the bed. This time, he slept on the inside.

In the emperor’s bed, if a beauty served him, she would usually sleep on the outside to serve him easily, such as pouring tea.

But the boy never followed this rule.

His sleeping posture had become more and more unrestrained. By morning, he could be anywhere on the bed, sometimes even kicking Emperor Ling in the face.

Anyone else doing this would have been severely punished for disrespect.

The little one used his chubby foot to kick the Emperor’s face. After kicking, he woke up and even wanted the Emperor to help put on his little shoes.

That night, with the Emperor guarding on the outside, the little one slept on the inside, assuming all sorts of sleep postures, but at least he didn’t fall off the bed.

The next day, at dawn.

After freshening up and having breakfast, Ling Rui waved his little hand at the Emperor and went out to be the Zaizai Gang leader again.

This time, before leaving, he glanced at the Emperor and asked, “Daddy, do you want to join the Zaizai Gang?”

The Emperor: “…”

The Emperor pondered for a moment and asked, “At Daddy’s age, can I still join the Zaizai Gang?”

Ling Rui was stumped by this question.

The two of them looked at each other, and finally, Ling Rui made a decision: “You, you can be the Zaizai Gang’s external support.”

“In the future, our Zaizai Gang will also pay you a salary.”

Their Zaizai Gang only accepted little ones, not little ones’ dads.

But Ling Rui’s little brain was quite clever. He knew his daddy was the most powerful, so bringing daddy into the Zaizai Gang would make them even stronger!

Ling Rui’s suggestion actually piqued the Emperor’s interest.

“How much would Daddy get paid for being this external support?”

“Hmm.”

Ling Rui looked down and counted his pocket money on his fingers for a long time before saying, “Daddy, I’ll give you three taels of silver.”

He had five taels of pocket money in total and needed to keep some for himself.

The Emperor was aware of his pocket money and, seeing that Ling Rui was giving him more than half, he mischievously feigned dissatisfaction: “Three taels is too little; Daddy thinks it’s not enough.”

Ling Rui: “…”

With a pained expression, Ling Rui compromised: “Then, then four taels of silver, no more.”

As the leader of the Zaizai Gang, he had many expenses!

The Emperor, seeing him give an extra tael, finally nodded in satisfaction.

Ling Rui, after being ‘extorted’ by his daddy, walked out with oddly heavy footsteps.

Fortunately, after spending half a day outside, his heavy mood was lifted.

Their Zaizai Gang not only helped Shui Shui but also assisted many nearby kids. Besides that, they did other good deeds.

The group of kids felt fulfilled and satisfied.

In these past few days, the young master of the Li household had grown genuinely close to the two princes through their play.

“Little Six, Little Seven, I think we need a strategist.”

The third young master of the Li family suggested to Ling Rui, “In the storybooks, those who achieve great things always have strategists. Strategists can offer advice and are very smart.”

After he said this, Jiang Yan patted his chest and chimed in, “Why look for a strategist? I’m right here!”

Li San glanced at him and continued talking to Ling Rui: “With a smart strategist, if we encounter any crises, we can turn to them for help.”

Ling Rui, considering his words seriously, nodded: “Alright, let’s find one.”

They decided to look for a strategist, but how to find one, they were clueless.

Seeing Li San dismiss his offer to be the strategist, Jiang Yan muttered, “I don’t think we need a strategist. What crisis could we possibly face?”

Each one of them was no ordinary child, and Little Six and Little Seven had the Emperor behind them.

Anyone daring to create a crisis for them would probably be risking their life and property!

Ironically, Jiang Yan’s pessimistic prediction soon came true as their Zaizai Gang did encounter a crisis.

Unaware of the impending danger, the Zaizai Gang was heading up a hill.

Shui Shui mentioned that there were many medicinal herbs in this place. However, it was somewhat remote with few residents.

“Shui Shui, you know so much.”

Ling Rui held Shui Shui’s hand as they walked together. Shui Shui, being six years old, looked much younger due to malnutrition and frequent bullying.

Holding his sixth brother Ling Fu with one hand and Shui Shui with the other, Ling Rui asked, “Shui Shui, do you know there’s a divine doctor in Luocheng? My third brother is sick and needs to see the divine doctor.”

Shui Shui shook his head.

His reaction was a bit slow, so after shaking his head, he paused before speaking slowly: “If sick, take medicine. Taking medicine will make it better, no need for a divine doctor.”

Ling Rui sighed softly.

He tightened his grip on Shui Shui’s hand and said, “We need to find the divine doctor. Third brother has taken lots of medicine.”

In his premonition, not finding the divine doctor in Luocheng had dire consequences for his third brother…

But Ah Wu had told him he could change the fate of those around him.

So, as long as he tried hard enough, he believed he could find the divine doctor for his third brother.

Ling Rui remained steadfast in finding the divine doctor. Shui Shui tilted his head, seeming to want to say something but remained silent.

The group of kids continued walking forward, with the little one in the lead, remembering to find medicine for his fourth brother’s arm and a divine doctor for his third brother.

Though he was small, he carried big worries.