“Yes, I want to go!”
When the little one heard that his father had relented, his eyes lit up, and he stopped pouting. He straightened up and hugged his father’s neck again, saying, “Daddy, you’re the best!”
The little one showered his father’s handsome face with kisses, visibly delighted.
Emperor Ling was covered in the little one’s saliva and frowned in disgust. Despite his irritation, he didn’t push the little one away. After letting the little one finish his antics, he wiped his face with a handkerchief and then settled the little one on his lap to discuss the related matters.
“If Noble Consort Yi disagrees, you’ll stay in the palace, and I’ll assign more people to protect you.”
“If Noble Consort Yi agrees, you can go, but you need to be prepared.”
“Mm-hmm!”
The little one nodded vigorously, patting his chest confidently, “Noble Consort Yi will agree!”
She loves me the most. If I insist on going, she won’t refuse.
Emperor Ling wasn’t sure if it was the mood or if he found it relaxing to talk with the little one like this. He leaned back slightly and spoke more lazily.
“Besides preparing, you need to agree to a few conditions.”
“First, you’ll go for a few months and then come back.”
“Second, if you encounter any insurmountable difficulties, come back immediately.”
“Third, keep a secret guard close by at all times and don’t let him be shaken off.”
The little one accepted all these conditions without hesitation.
“Okay!”
He said, “I remember them all.”
Looking at the little one’s chubby face, Emperor Ling noticed that even though they had just discussed everything, the little one seemed to waver a bit.
“Little Seven, you need to think it over. At Guan Shan Residence Academy, there won’t be any palace servants attending to you, no small kitchen to provide you with food at any time, and no sedan chair for travel. Most importantly, if you miss me and your mother, you can only think about us and won’t be able to see us.”
The little one could accept the first things Emperor Ling mentioned. However, the latter points made his previously excited face droop more and more.
“I don’t want to leave Daddy and Mother.”
But he also wanted to see Ah Wu.
Caught between both desires, the little one sniffled, almost on the verge of tears.
Emperor Ling, who had raised him for so long, was very familiar with his little expressions. Seeing him sniffle meant he was about to cry.
“Alright, Daddy has a headache already. Don’t cry, or you’ll just give me a headache too.”
Emperor Ling said, squinting his eyes slightly and instructing the little one, “Come here and massage my head again.”
The little one leaned in and diligently massaged his father’s head.
After spending quite some time in the inner chambers, Emperor Ling had the servants call for Noble Consort Yi.
When Noble Consort Yi arrived, Emperor Ling was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep.
“Your Majesty?”
Noble Consort Yi’s call was interrupted by the little one.
The little one “shushed” her, climbed out of bed, and stretched out his small arms to be held by Noble Consort Yi.
“Daddy is asleep. You need to be quiet.”
The little one’s expression was proud as he bragged, “I’m the one who made Father fall asleep.”
“Little Seven is wonderful.”
Noble Consort Yi flattered him, playing along.
After the praise, the little one wriggled in her arms, asking, “Can a wonderful little one like me get a reward?”
Noble Consort Yi: “…”
Noble Consort Yi: “Yes, you can.”
She realized the little one wanted to make a request, so she asked generously, “What do you want?”
“I want to go to Guan Shan Residence Academy to study.”
Upon hearing this, Noble Consort Yi’s face instantly darkened.
Holding the little one in her arms, she glanced at Emperor Ling, who was sleeping on the bed. The next moment, she sat on the edge of the bed and nudged the sleeping Emperor Ling.
“Did you agree to let Little Seven go to school?”
Noble Consort Yi pushed and asked, and the previously feigning sleep Emperor Ling could no longer keep up the pretense.
Emperor Ling opened his eyes and sat up, locking gazes with Noble Consort Yi.
The little one looked at them, his little ears perked up, eager to hear what they were saying.
But after a few seconds of eye contact, Emperor Ling and Noble Consort Yi simultaneously looked at Lu Guang. “Lu Guang, take Little Seven to play somewhere else.”
The little one: “!”
No.
He didn’t want to play now; he wanted to listen to the adults.
Despite his protests, the little one was eventually carried away by Lu Guang, his chubby feet dangling.
Once the little one was gone, Noble Consort Yi and Emperor Ling began discussing his situation.
“Your Majesty, are you sending Little Seven away because you think it’s unsafe here?”
Previously, if Noble Consort Yi had seen Emperor Ling sending Little Seven away, her only thought would have been that Emperor Ling had doubts about Little Seven.
Sending Little Seven away would definitely not be out of goodwill.
However, this time, when Emperor Ling said he wanted to send Little Seven away, Noble Consort Yi knew that it was for Little Seven’s own good.
Although Noble Consort Yi might not fully understand her relationship with Emperor Ling, she was both smart and sensitive when it came to the little one she had cared for so diligently.
When the little one was still unsteady on his feet, Noble Consort Yi had him cling to Emperor Ling.
She knew that Emperor Ling had many children. However, among all the children he raised, only the one from her side had been cared for personally by him.
With Little Seven, Emperor Ling wasn’t the exalted emperor; he was just an ordinary father who enjoyed both the joys and troubles of raising a child.
He experienced the full range of a father’s emotions through Little Seven.
“Your Majesty, sending Little Seven away might not be safe.”
Noble Consort Yi didn’t want the little one to leave her sight. Although there were problems in the palace, she could ensure Little Seven’s safety as long as he stayed within her view.
“Yi Er.”
Emperor Ling could immediately see her concern. “At Little Seven’s age, he’s energetic and loves to run around. If he wants to go out and play, the dangers outside will be hard to guard against.”
“We can’t keep him confined forever.”
Noble Consort Yi remained unconvinced. “Your Majesty, I don’t trust Guan Shan Residence Academy. If you must send him away, you could consider sending him to the Murong residence or to my elder sister’s place; he has been there before.”
Hearing Noble Consort Yi’s suggestions, Emperor Ling’s expression grew slightly cooler.
He took Noble Consort Yi’s hand and spoke calmly, “It wouldn’t be safe to keep Little Seven at the Murong residence either. General Murong’s environment isn’t suitable, and Little Seven might not adapt well.”
Noble Consort Yi noticed Emperor Ling’s resistance and pursed her lips, choosing not to press further.
“Yi Er, it’s not that I want to send him to Guan Shan Residence Academy. It’s that he wants to go himself. Just now, he even pouted for me and let me hit him to agree to let him go.”
Emperor Ling tried to speak lightly about the arrangements he made for Little Seven. After a moment, Noble Consort Yi finally nodded in agreement.
The arrangements Emperor Ling made were all about the travel itinerary. He needed to ensure his son’s safe arrival at Guan Shan Residence Academy.
Noble Consort Yi kept a close eye on his arrangements, checking for any oversights.
For two consecutive days, Little Seven was under Noble Consort Yi’s watchful eye, hardly leaving her sight. When he wasn’t with her, others came to visit him.
Ling Fu and Shui Shui visited the most frequently.
After Ling Yi had Shui Shui in his care for a while, the Empress noticed something was amiss. Before the Empress could react, Ling Yi sent Shui Shui to live with Ling Fu.
Ling Fu also enjoyed spending time with Shui Shui, and they got along harmoniously.
“Shui Shui, I don’t want spicy.”
Seeing Shui Shui coming over with various items, explaining, “This one is toxic, don’t open it.”
“This antidote is useful.”
“This water, if spilled, will corrode.”
Although Shui Shui didn’t speak much, every word he said was profound.
After examining the items, Ling Rui shook his head and chose to refuse them.
The corrosive liquids, the poisonous smoke that would cause instant unconsciousness if inhaled, and other items were all meant for protection. However, Ling Rui was afraid of accidentally using them on himself.
“There will be guards on the road, and Ah Wu will be there too.”
Ling Rui wasn’t worried about his trip.
He asked Shui Shui to pack away the items and said while swinging his short legs, “I don’t need to bring these.”
Though he said he didn’t need them, he still ended up packing some into his luggage.
After Shui Shui packed the items, he looked at Ling Rui and asked, “Aren’t you taking me with you?”
He would be useful to take along.
Ling Rui jumped off the chair, hugged Shui Shui, and patted his back like a little adult, reassuring him.
“I’m not taking you. You’ll be more comfortable here.”
The Imperial Medical Academy in the palace had many herbs and prescriptions. There were fewer restrictions in Ling Fu’s palace, and Shui Shui could do anything he wanted there. Moreover, in the past year in the palace, Shui Shui had grown taller and gained some weight.
Now, Shui Shui looked more refined and attractive.
Ling Rui had grown a little taller too, but his growth was slower than Shui Shui’s. So now he drank goat’s milk diligently before bed.
One cup in the morning, one cup at night, two cups a day.
He vowed to grow taller!
With all preparations completed and an additional number of guards accompanying him, Ling Rui said his goodbyes to the members of the “Zaizai” group.
In the past year, Zhuzi and the others had had the chance to learn and gained a lot of knowledge and skills. They were very grateful to Ling Rui for their subtle education in Chenzhou.
“Little Seven, we’ll wait for you to come back.”
Zhuzi sincerely said, “When you return, continue leading us in doing good deeds!”
Ling Rui nodded seriously, “I will.”
During the farewell, the young master of the Li family looked at him as if he had something to say, but in the end, he merely moved his lips and said—
“Little Seven, we play with you not for any other reason. We just really enjoy playing with you.”
“I know.”
Ling Rui knew that Li San and Li Si simply enjoyed playing with him.
After saying goodbye to all his good friends and the teachers who had taught him, the little one boarded the carriage with his bags and waved goodbye to everyone.
Although he had been looking forward to this trip, as soon as he sat in the carriage and it had not even moved a few steps, the little one began to cry.
He already missed his father and mother.
This time, he would have to sleep alone.
While staying in the palace, he didn’t often sleep apart from his father and mother.
The little one was crying in the carriage, while Emperor Ling, who was following behind the carriage, frowned tightly and repeatedly asked Lu Guang, “Has he brought everything? Are there enough people assigned to him?”
The people he arranged might not be able to enter Guan Shan Residence Academy, but at least they could take good care of his child on the way.
Lu Guang understood that the Emperor was worried about his child and patiently reassured him, “Your Majesty, the young prince’s belongings are all packed, and there are enough people. More than half of your personal guards have been assigned to him.”
The Empress also came to see him off.
She looked coldly at Emperor Ling’s worried expression, an expression she had never seen directed at her own child.
Yet her child was the Emperor’s first child and should be the one he favored the most.
The Empress’s gaze lingered on Emperor Ling’s face for only a moment before she looked away. She turned the Buddha beads in her hand and offered comfort to Noble Consort Yi and Emperor Ling.
The comfort from the Empress was not something Emperor Ling and Noble Consort Yi could absorb at the moment.
The Empress, sensing this, made a few more soothing remarks before excusing herself to perform her Buddhist duties, for her own palace.
Emperor Ling watched her retreating figure and thought about what had happened between the First and Fourth Princes.
A tinge of melancholy crossed his eyes, and his heart felt even more reluctant to part with the little one who had just left.
The fiercer the competition among the princes, the more he felt that—
Among all these children, only Little Seven, whom he personally raised, was the most affectionate.
They all wanted to compete for his dragon throne.
Yet Little Seven didn’t want the throne; he just diligently massaged his head, his little chubby hands growing tired but not stopping.
Only when he said his head felt better would the little one finally relax and stop.
The more Emperor Ling thought about these things, the more agitated he became.
If it weren’t for the current unhealthy atmosphere, he wouldn’t have sent Little Seven away.
“Yi Er, when Little Seven comes back, let him go straight to the capital.”
Emperor Ling walked back with Noble Consort Yi and said calmly, “We’ve been staying in the palace for so long; it’s time for us to return.”
He had come to the palace to recuperate, but if he stayed any longer, he feared his health might worsen.
Noble Consort Yi replied with an “Mm” in agreement.
The carriage on the road kept moving.
The little one hardly got out of the carriage and continued to cry inside.
Jiang Yan and Chen Zhou, who were accompanying him, tried their best to comfort him.
But they couldn’t calm him down at all.
“Little Seven, we’re almost at Guan Shan Residence Academy. Do you want to come out and get some fresh air?”
Jiang Yan tried to cheer up the little one, hoping to improve his mood.
The little one raised his chubby little hand, rubbed his eyes, and said in a hoarse voice, “I don’t want to go out.”
“Alright then.”
After sitting in the carriage for a bit longer, they finally arrived at Guan Shan Residence Academy.
Upon arrival, the carriage was stopped.
Everything representing their identity had to be confiscated, and entering Guan Shan Residence Academy meant adhering to its rules.
Here, one’s identity could not be revealed, nor could it be used to assert dominance.
On a conspicuous large stone at the entrance was carved the words—
Equality for All.
The little one was already familiar with the rules before arriving, so despite the expensive and numerous belongings he brought, none were prohibited.
With no prohibited items but still quite affluent, the little one successfully found a place to rest.
He rubbed his face with his little hands, gathered his spirits, and finally stepped out.
Students arriving for the Guan Shan Residence Academy assessment had started arriving one after another, and he needed to find Ah Wu!
“Little Seven.”
Jiang Yan and Chen Zhou, knowing he was looking for Ah Wu, asked, “What does Ah Wu look like? We need to know his appearance to find him more easily.”
Ling Rui: “…”
Ling Rui suddenly realized that Ah Wu had always appeared before him in a majestic beast form.
Ah Wu had never taken a human form.
He was momentarily stunned in the middle of the road when a carriage came barreling towards him without braking.
Chen Zhou quickly pushed the little one aside, but they still got brushed by the carriage.
The carriage only brushed them lightly, but it left them both feeling a bit sore.
The little one snapped out of his daze, and his previously blank expression turned fierce.
He marched with his short legs and chased after the carriage.
He saw the carriage clearly, then stopped running and went back to draw a picture. He wanted to draw the carriage that bumped into him to show Ah Wu!
The carriage that bumped into him stopped after turning two corners.
“Huo Qinwu, your carriage is returned!”
Before the people in the carriage even got out, laughter could be heard. “I just ran into a particularly pretty child on the road. It’s really interesting, such a little child coming to join the fun.”
“Huo Qinwu, I’m planning to find that child and play with him. Do you want to come along? Or should I bring him to you?”
“No need.”
Huo Qinwu, dressed in blue, had a handsome face devoid of any emotion. He looked coldly at the visitors and directly ordered, “The carriage has been returned; you may leave.”
“Why are you in such a hurry for me to leave? We haven’t finished chatting yet. You really don’t know, the child I just saw— I guarantee you’ve never seen such a pretty child.”
Huo Qinwu: “…”
Huo Qinwu: “Not interested, don’t bother me.”
