The small child was throwing stones fiercely. He knocked Jin Yuanbao to the ground and then took away Jin Yuanbao’s knife, ensuring he could no longer hold it.
If Jin Yuanbao held the knife, others would be in danger.
The small child’s actions of grabbing the knife and throwing stones made the hidden guards who had almost revealed themselves earlier hold back their steps.
They had been watching the small child closely, and if the knife came too close, they would have intervened immediately.
But their little prince was very capable. During the struggle for the knife, he didn’t harm himself at all.
“Sixth Brother.”
Ling Rui, holding Jin Yuanbao’s knife, approached to comfort Ling Fu: “Don’t be afraid, I’ll take him down!”
Ling Fu had truly been frightened earlier.
With a serious face, he took a few steps over and kicked Jin Yuanbao, who was lying on the ground, a couple of times.
“You’re so bad!”
Ling Fu pointed at him and said, “You’re the worst kid I’ve ever seen!”
Ling Fu nodded in agreement.
They had never seen such a bad child before.
Jin Yuanbao laid on the ground crying loudly, while Ling Rui and Ling Fu, seemingly ignoring his cries, continued to talk in front of him.
The man in the green robe, who had been asked to step aside by Ling Rui earlier, now approached them.
He asked the fierce little child, “Aren’t you afraid of this child still holding a knife?”
Ling Rui shook his head.
His guards were still around, so he wasn’t afraid.
The man in the green robe looked at him, somewhat impressed by his courage.
“You’re so small but quite brave.”
“Not small.”
The child, eager to grow up, didn’t like being called small. He tiptoed slightly, trying to make himself look taller.
The man in the green robe noticed his little movement and raised an eyebrow with a hint of a smile: “You’re quite interesting.”
As they were talking, Jin Yuan Er, hearing Jin Yuanbao’s cries, hurried over.
When she arrived, she saw Jin Yuanbao lying on the ground.
“Yuanbao!”
Jin Yuan Er hurried over, pulling Jin Yuanbao up. He was a bit heavy, and she almost couldn’t move him.
Seeing how hard it was for her to lift Jin Yuanbao, Chi Chi wanted to step forward to help but hesitated, suspecting there might be a reason for him lying on the ground.
While he hesitated, Jin Yuan Er gritted her teeth and managed to pull Jin Yuanbao up.
“Your hand is bleeding! And you have a bump on your head.”
Jin Yuan Er, sharp-eyed, noticed Jin Yuanbao’s injuries. Her eyes reddened, and her voice carried a tone of pain: “I was gone for just a moment. What happened to you? Who did this to you?”
As Jin Yuan Er spoke, Chi Chi instinctively glanced at his own two children standing nearby.
There were only a few people present, and his two children had just fought with Jin Yuanbao recently.
So it was clear who was responsible for Jin Yuanbao’s beating this time.
Chi Chi also noticed the knife in the small child’s hand.
The knife glinted with a cold light, looking very sharp. His expression changed slightly, and he took the knife away.
“Little Seven, who gave you the knife? It’s very dangerous. What if you hurt someone with it?”
Chi Chi took the knife away, and Jin Yuan Er, turning around, hadn’t even seen the knife clearly before her eyes were already red as she questioned sharply: “Chi Chi, did these two children beat up my brother again? They even had a knife. Do they want to kill my brother?”
Before Chi Chi could explain, the small child standing beside him tilted his face up and asked Jin Yuan Er: “Isn’t using a knife to fight just like trying to kill someone?”
“Otherwise?”
Jin Yuan Er, holding Jin Yuanbao, had a trembling voice that was either from grievance or anger. She said, “Using a knife to fight is intended to kill!”
“Chi Chi, you really won’t deal with these two kids? If you don’t handle it, the Jin family will.”
“Even if he’s young, he should be punished.”
Jin Yuan Er spoke with determination, unwilling to let Ling Rui and Ling Fu go.
Ling Rui patiently waited for her to finish and then, under her gaze, slowly spoke: “But this knife belongs to Jin Yuanbao.”
“He used the knife to try to harm me and Sixth Brother, so I took the knife away.”
Ling Rui’s words left Jin Yuan Er stunned.
Chi Chi’s face turned even darker than before, and he even started to tremble: “Little, Little Seven, you say you took Jin Yuanbao’s knife?”
He could see how sharp the knife was. To think that such a sharp knife had been taken away by Little Seven with his bare hands.
Just imagining the scene earlier made Chi Chi break out in a cold sweat: “You’re so small, and you still dared to grab his knife! What if he hurt you—”
The consequences were too horrifying for Chi Chi to imagine.
Little Seven was the emperor and Noble Consort Yi’s most beloved little prince. If he were hurt, the Jin family might not be able to protect themselves.
Today, Chi Chi had managed to keep his temper in check. Although he disliked Jin Yuanbao, he had not shown it on the way here. Even when arguing with Jin Yuan Er earlier, his tone was calm, just sticking to his principles.
But at this moment, his emotions were truly strained.
“There’s no need to say anything more. Let’s see the officials. Jin Yuanbao is nine years old. Even if he’s younger than these two combined, using a knife and intending to kill deserves punishment.”
There were laws in Qi Dynasty for dealing with crimes committed by children.
And when it came to harming a prince, the judgment would surely be more severe.
After saying this, Chi Chi didn’t even want to look at Jin Yuanbao again.
Jin Yuanbao didn’t understand the law, but Jin Yuan Er did.
She also recognized her family’s knife and understood what had happened.
But she still grabbed Chi Chi’s arm, pleading: “Chi Chi, although Yuanbao had the knife, he didn’t harm them, did he?”
“Look at Yuanbao. He’s the one who was beaten.”
“I won’t pursue what happened to Yuanbao. If you return the knife to me, we’ll let this matter go, okay?”
“No.”
Chi Chi, facing Jin Yuan Er’s plea, remained stern and unmoved: “Miss Jin, I cannot overlook this matter.”
The danger this time was to Little Six and Little Seven, not him. He had no right to forgive or overlook things on their behalf.
“Chi Chi, Yuanbao is still young. He didn’t do it on purpose. I will definitely discipline him when we get back.”
“He’s not a little one. I’ve said it before, he’s older than Little Six and Little Seven combined.”
Jin Yuan Er’s face grew pale. No matter how much she begged, Chi Chi remained resolute. She could see his determination.
“Chi Chi, if you’re so unforgiving to Yuanbao, how can I marry you?”
“Miss Jin, you can choose not to marry.”
As soon as these words left Chi Chi’s mouth, his tone faltered, and it felt as if his heart was being stabbed with a knife, causing great pain.
He was sincere towards Jin Yuan Er.
He knew his family didn’t like the Jin family’s ways, but he always believed that Jin Yuan Er was different from them.
He had been enduring the pressure from his entire family, refusing to give up on his marriage to Jin Yuan Er. He had already made plans. After the marriage, he would work hard to mediate the relationship between her and his family, ensuring she wouldn’t feel uncomfortable at home.
He had planned so much, yet the words to call off the marriage came out of his own mouth.
“Miss Jin, I will definitely pursue the issue with Jin Yuanbao to the end. As for our marriage, I don’t think it’s quite right anymore.”
Chi Chi’s tone was strained, “Let’s just end it.”
Jin Yuan Er was stunned by his words.
“Chi Chi.”
Jin Yuan Her eyes widened slightly as she looked at him, as if she had suddenly realized something: “You don’t even really like me, do you?”
“I was just being self-indulgent. I thought you would be a good match.”
Jin Yuan Er still believed that Chi Chi’s feelings for her were too fake. “You wouldn’t even spare my younger brother. How could you possibly like me?”
Chi Chi: “…”
At this point, Chi Chi no longer wanted to reveal the sincerity of his feelings to her.
He liked Jin Yuan Er, but his love wasn’t without boundaries.
And his father was right.
He and Jin Yuan Er had spent too little time together. The Jin Yuan Er he imagined to be gentle and understanding was not the same as the real Jin Yuan Er.
They had arrived as a happy couple, but now their relationship was falling apart as they prepared to leave.
As Chi Chi held the hands of the two children, he was about to turn and leave, but then he suddenly stopped and asked the question that had just popped into his mind: “When you agreed to marry me, was it because you had feelings for me, or because of my family?”
Jin Yuan Er didn’t answer.
Chi Chi felt even worse.
So, all this time, their relationship hadn’t been mutual. It had only been him who had feelings.
Chi Chi didn’t want to say another word.
He led the two children forward with heavy steps. As they walked, one of the little ones, holding his hand, timidly asked, “Uncle, where are we going?”
They had originally planned to stay here, but now the little ones weren’t sure if they would still be staying.
Chi Chi didn’t respond and just kept walking.
After a long while, he finally spoke: “Is Miss Jin still watching me from behind?”
The little ones: “…”
One of the children glanced back and then honestly replied, “No, Miss Jin already left with Jin Yuanbao. We can’t see them anymore.”
Hearing this, Chi Chi felt tears welling up.
The two children could sense their uncle’s sadness. They clung to his arm, trying to comfort him. “Don’t be sad. If this one didn’t work out, we can find another one.”
Uncle didn’t marry Miss Jin, but he could marry another beautiful lady!
Chi Chi, overwhelmed with sadness, squatted down on the spot.
He was both heartbroken and relieved: “Thank goodness… Thank goodness we ended it now. If we had married and then separated, it would have been even more troublesome.”
Now, he was absolutely certain he wouldn’t marry Jin Yuan Er. With the mess Jin Yuanbao had caused today, there was more trouble ahead.
“Uncle, don’t cry, don’t cry.”
The two children hugged their squatting uncle, trying their best to comfort him. They patted his back with their little hands and promised, “We’ll find you a wife, a beautiful one.”
Their scene caught the attention of a man in a green robe who hadn’t yet left. He casually leaned against a tree, watching them with great interest.
After a while, the two children managed to soothe their uncle’s emotions.
They decided not to stay at the temple.
Chi Chi no longer had the mood to take them sightseeing: “Next time, when things are calmer, I’ll bring you back.”
With that, Chi Chi took the two children back.
Once home, he went straight to Old Master Chi, handed him the weapon, and recounted everything that had happened earlier in full detail.
Old Master Chi was taken aback.
After listening, he became suspicious about the conversation between Chi Chi and Miss Jin. “Chi Chi, didn’t you notice? Before Jin Yuanbao brandished the knife, Jin Yuan Er kept asking you the same question during your conversation.”
Chi Chi: “…”
Chi Chi hadn’t caught on yet: “What question?”
Old Master Chi, with his years of experience handling cases, immediately sensed something was off after hearing their conversation.
“Jin Yuan Er kept asking you, if Jin Yuanbao committed a crime, would you protect him?”
“Yes, yes she did.”
Old Master Chi’s expression darkened. “For her to ask that question repeatedly, it pretty much confirms that Jin Yuanbao has definitely done something wrong.”
Chi Chi found it hard to believe. “No, it can’t be. I haven’t heard of Jin Yuanbao doing anything wrong.”
“His family has spoiled him too much. I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s done something.”
Old Master Chi added, feeling a sense of relief: “Chi Chi, it’s good that you ended your engagement with Jin Yuan Er.”
After their conversation, Old Master Chi sent someone to apprehend Jin Yuanbao.
The Jin family, of course, resisted, but there was nothing they could do.
Despite the uproar, none of this chaos reached the two little ones.
Ling Fu continued playing in the estate as usual.
Meanwhile, Ling Rui was still studying with Madam Chi, who was trying to discover his talents. Talent isn’t something that can be found quickly, so both the elder and the child were working hard.
Madam Chi was particularly focused on teaching the little one the “Music” component of the Six Arts. “Music” referred specifically to six ritual dances.
These dances were often performed during ceremonial events to demonstrate devotion.
In this era that greatly valued the Six Arts for gentlemen, mastering these dances was essential.
However, many of the six dances had been lost over generations, and now only two were known.
Most people only knew the “Two Dances,” but Madam Chi had accidentally rediscovered a third.
She planned to make this the little one’s secret weapon.
In addition to “Music,” there was also “Numbers,” which referred to mathematics.
Madam Chi was highly skilled in this and could personally teach the little one.
With such a packed schedule, other children might have given up after just a few days.
But the little one had written Ah Wu’s name and wrapped it around his chubby wrist.
With Ah Wu’s name close by, the little one was full of energy.
Whenever he got tired of studying, he would either touch his chubby wrist or randomly grab someone to make a prediction and connect with Ah Wu.
He was actually someone who can’t keep things to himself.
But this time, he kept to himself the fact that he was going to Guan Shan Residence and didn’t tell Ah Wu. He only said mysteriously, “Ah Wu, I have a big surprise for you.”
Ah Wu asked him, “What surprise?”
The little one wouldn’t say.
During his time studying in Jiangyu County, the little one witnessed the once wealthy Jin family being investigated and their assets seized.
Later, Jin Yuan Er tried her best to come to the Chi family. With resentment, she said to Chi Chi, “Chi Chi, your affection for me is completely useless!”
Chi Chi’s affection couldn’t save her family, nor could it protect her younger brother!
Her younger brother was just a child who made a small mistake, but the Chi family didn’t consider their past relationship at all and still ruined her once happy home.
Jin Yuan Er was soon driven out.
But Chi Chi remained downcast for a long time that day.
Seeing him so low, the little one went over to give him a prediction. In this prediction, Chi Chi was destined to marry a wife in the future.
Moreover, from her appearance, his future wife seemed very gentle!
“Uncle.”
After looking at Chi Chi’s prediction, Ling Rui exchanged some trivial words with Ah Wu, then patted Chi Chi on the shoulder and assured him, “Your future wife is really, really gentle.”
“She treats you very well. When you got bitten by a snake outside, she was the one who saved you.”
Chi Chi: “…”
Chi Chi: “Really?”
Ling Rui nodded without hesitation.
As they talked, Chi Chi’s bad mood was unconsciously lifted a little.
Apart from the incident with the Jin family, nothing significant happened in Jiangyu County.
Ling Rui and Ling Fu lived a simple and happy life there. During that time, they even returned to the palace several times.
Time quietly passed as the little one traveled back and forth between the palace and Jiangyu County.
In the blink of an eye, a year had gone by.
In the palace.
The Emperor had long known that the little one had been learning the Six Arts of a gentleman that year, and he was quite intrigued. He personally had a small bow and arrows prepared so the little one could practice the “Archery” course.
But the little one didn’t want the small bow and arrows; instead, he insisted on performing a “Music” routine for him.
The Emperor and Noble Consort Yi eagerly awaited his “Music” performance.
As the accompanying music began to play, the little one, dressed in newly made clothes, began to dance with a serious expression.
His chubby arms and thick little legs swayed and kicked on the open ground.
The Emperor watched and couldn’t help but call a painter to capture the moment.
The little one danced earnestly.
The others tried to stifle their laughter, but it caused them internal discomfort.
After the performance, the little one, exhausted, plopped down on the ground, feeling slightly dizzy.
“So… so hot.”
The little one wiped the sweat off his face and, sitting on the ground, said to his father and mother, who had been watching, “I’ve finished my dance.”
Although Noble Consort Yi didn’t quite understand the performance, she still clapped politely.
The Emperor pressed his fist to his lips to hide his smile. He nodded, “Not bad. Perform for us more often in the future.”
“Okay!”
The little one’s performances always brought a lot of joy to the Emperor.
But at the same time, word somehow got out that the Emperor’s health was failing.
The Emperor’s illness had flared up more frequently over the past year, prompting some officials at court to take the opportunity to petition—
To appoint the Eldest Prince, Ling Chen, as the crown prince.
The Emperor loathed the idea of appointing an heir, believing that bringing it up implied these people were waiting for his death. Or perhaps they feared he would die too suddenly, leaving no time to designate an heir.
The Emperor suppressed the petitions to appoint an heir.
And when the matter of appointing an heir became a heated topic, the Empress herself came to see him, declaring that she had no knowledge of the situation.
She said someone must be deliberately trying to push Ling Chen forward to provoke the Emperor’s displeasure.
“Your Majesty, you are in your prime, and Chen Er is still too young to even start a family. He is immature in many ways and could not possibly be pressuring you to appoint him as the heir at this time.”
The Empress lowered her eyes, speaking respectfully.
After the Empress made her statement, Ling Chen was attacked while on duty outside the palace.
After the attack, the Empress, dressed in mourning clothes and holding prayer beads, once again came to the Emperor’s palace.
“Your Majesty, as long as Chen Er is safe, I am willing for him to withdraw from the selection for the heir.”
The Empress knelt on the ground, performing a grand salute.
She even brought her Phoenix Seal: “This is the Empress’s Phoenix Seal, Your Majesty. I only have two children, Chen Er and Yi Er. Yi Er is often ill, and I have been eating vegetarian and chanting prayers just to hope that Yi Er can live a little longer. Now, not only is Yi Er at risk, but even Chen Er has encountered danger. If all of this is related to the position of the heir, I am willing to give up my position as Empress so that Chen Er can lose his status as the legitimate imperial son and live a peaceful life.”
The Empress’s actions caused the Emperor’s expression to change multiple times.
The Emperor did not take action against his eldest son.
Although he didn’t want to appoint an heir, this time, he truly had nothing.
Looking at the Empress kneeling on the ground, the Emperor thought of the Fourth Prince, Ling Hao.
Ling Hao’s arm had healed over the year, giving him hope of competing for the position. Now, the eldest prince was being roasted on the spit.
But a year ago, the medicinal herbs used to treat Ling Hao’s arm were snatched away by someone, and when the robbers were finally tracked down, they had all been cleanly killed.
These plots and schemes made the Emperor’s head ache once again.
“Empress, I believe you are innocent.”
The Emperor had no evidence to prove that the Empress was at fault, so he certainly could not take her Phoenix Seal.
The relationship between the court and the harem was closely linked. His decisions in the harem also had to consider the court.
Since the Empress was innocent, he absolutely could not depose her.
“Just tell Chen Er not to worry about anything and focus on recovering.”
Emperor Ling suppressed the discomfort in his head and comforted the Empress before having Lu Guang escort her out. But even after she left, the situation remained unresolved.
He still had no intention of appointing a crown prince. Yet, after Ling Chen was injured, Ling Yi also got hurt.
Apart from these two princes, Little Six and Little Seven were also being drawn in by the Li family.
The two young ones were unaware of their situation, simply enjoying their time with the young master of the Li family. Little did they know, their special status meant that anything they did would spark speculation.
Nowadays, many believed that the General’s Mansion supported the faction of the Fourth Prince.
These dirty affairs greatly affected Emperor Ling’s mood, and on top of that, his head condition worsened.
“Father.”
The little one hadn’t seen his father for several days and deliberately went to find him. As soon as he entered, he saw his father’s poor complexion.
“Let me massage it for you.”
Knowing that his father had a headache, the little one considerately started massaging his father’s head with his chubby little hands. His plump hands were quite soothing.
Emperor Ling, feeling the relief from his son’s massage, found that his headache seemed to ease up a bit.
“Little Seven.”
Maybe because of the recent troubles, Emperor Ling’s health had indeed taken a toll. With his eyes half-open, he looked at the little one sitting on his lap.
He asked, “Do you want to be the emperor? Like your brothers, to become the emperor?”
The little one was speechless.
He shook his head honestly and even added his reason: “I can’t wake up early.”
To be an emperor, one has to wake up early for court sessions. He couldn’t wake up that early, and there were also many memorials to review. He was a bit lazy and didn’t want to deal with that.
Waking up early for court sessions, reviewing countless memorials every day, listening to ministers talk about numerous matters, and giving out numerous decisions…
Just the thought of it made the little one pout, feeling wronged, “If I were the emperor, it would tire me to death.”
Emperor Ling was speechless.
Looking at the little one, Emperor Ling’s lips twitched.
“Alright, stop frowning.”
The throne, which so many others desperately fought for, was something this little one didn’t care about at all.
He pinched the little one’s cheek and lifted him up into the air, playing with him.
As father and son played around, a palace maid serving tea nearby took note of the conversation and memorized every word.
That night, the conversation between Emperor Ling and Little Seven about becoming the emperor reached the ears of both the Empress and the head of the Li family.
Unaware of this, the little one continued to try to comfort his father and diligently catch up on his studies.
Days passed, like the calm before a storm.
Amid this calm, the little one’s third birthday arrived.
He was eagerly anticipating this day, as it meant he could finally go to Guan Shan Residence Academy!
The little one, having prepared for a year, was full of confidence.
Half a year ago, Emperor Ling and Noble Consort Yi learned of his desire to study at Guan Shan Residence Academy.
At that time, the little one faced a mixed double beating.
But after the beating, the little one, while wiping away his tears, still stubbornly held on to his decision.
Even after wiping away his tears, he still presented his sore little bottom, daring his parents to continue the beating.
No matter what, even if it meant getting beaten to death, he was determined to go to school.
After the beating, Emperor Ling and Noble Consort Yi decided to give him the cold shoulder. They planned to prevent the little one from attending the academy when the time came.
However, plans never catch up with changes.
The waves between the First and Fourth Princes, and the ripples caused by an offhand comment from Emperor Ling, eventually dragged the little one into the fray.
Three days before his birthday banquet, the academy where the little one was supposed to study was set on fire.
The teacher fought to save the students, almost losing his life, only to be saved by Shui Shui.
Two days before his birthday banquet, the carriage the little one was riding in was struck on the street. Fortunately, the secret guards arrived in time, smashing the window and pulling the little one out.
The day before his birthday banquet, the little one, ordered to stay put, was crouching in the imperial garden, watching ants move when suddenly a poisonous hornet flew at him.
Once again, the secret guards saved him.
On the day of the banquet, during the grand event hosted by Emperor Ling, a bold person submitted a memorial.
This time, it was to request the appointment of the Seventh Prince as the crown prince.
Emperor Ling immediately ordered the person who submitted the memorial to be taken away. Though his expression remained normal, after the banquet, he took the little one, dressed in his red birthday outfit, back to his palace.
Noble Consort Yi, watching them leave, tightened her expression.
Back at the emperor’s palace.
The birthday boy showed no signs of happiness as he laid in Emperor Ling’s arms, looking downcast for days.
He had encountered trouble every day lately.
The workload of the secret guards had skyrocketed.
The little one clung to Emperor Ling’s neck, sniffled, and asked, “Father, will I be assassinated again today?”
Emperor Ling: “…”
Looking at his son’s pitiful little face, Emperor Ling replied, “No assassination today. Today is about being praised to death.”
The little one was even more upset, “How do they praise someone to death? Do they lift me up and then kill me?”
Emperor Ling was at a loss for words.
Looking at his heartbroken son, Emperor Ling finally asked, “Little Seven, are you still thinking about going to Guan Shan Residence Academy?”
Upon hearing the question, the little one first nodded, then released his hold on Emperor Ling’s neck.
He laid down and asked, “Are you going to beat me again?”
Go ahead.
Now that he was three years old, he wasn’t afraid of a spanking anymore.
Emperor Ling saw the little one’s chubby bottom sticking out and couldn’t help but give it a few smacks. Afterward, he picked up the little one and said, “It’s not impossible for you to go, but…”
Right now, both the palace and the capital’s inner court were rather chaotic.
In the past six months, he had gathered a lot of information about Guan Shan Residence Academy. He had also heard that Madam Chi had already established connections for the little one.
If his son went to Guan Shan Residence Academy, he would definitely be considered a well-connected student.
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