Did The Young Prince’s Kingdom Get Destroyed Today? Chapter 96

The little child seemed rather bold. He noticed an empty seat at their table and plopped down uninvited.

“Why aren’t you talking? My name is Kou Hui, what’s yours?”

“I’m Little Seven.”

Finally responding to Kou Hui’s chatter, the little one gave him his name.

Kou Hui smiled and asked, “What are you doing here?”

Neither Jiang Yan nor Chen Zhou cared to answer him. Only the little one replied, though without giving away his true intention. “We’re here to have a meal.”

Kou Hui clicked his tongue. “Eating vegetarian here? You guys must be crazy! The food here isn’t even properly washed.”

The little one: “???”

The little one’s eyes widened. “The vegetables aren’t properly washed?!”

These vegetarian dishes, which cost over two taels of silver, weren’t even cleaned properly!

“Yeah, I noticed the kitchen workers here are a bit lazy. Their meat dishes are decent though, you should try some of those.”

The little one had no money left.

He glanced at Kou Hui and reluctantly said, “I don’t feel like eating meat right now.”

Kou Hui found this odd. “A kid who prefers vegetables over meat? Really?”

He was skeptical.

He waved his hand and called over the waiter, ordering a few signature meat dishes.

The little one had seen these dishes on the menu earlier—they were all very expensive!

While the meat dishes were being prepared, Kou Hui chatted with them. Most of the conversation was Kou Hui talking while they just listened. Occasionally, the little one would respond.

With this unfamiliar kid around, the little one couldn’t keep watch as discreetly, nor could he continue whispering with Jiang Yan and Chen Zhou.

Soon, the meat dishes arrived. Kou Hui, showing generosity, invited the group, “Come on, dig in!”

At first, the little one didn’t want to eat.

But the difference between the vegetarian and meat dishes was immense. The inn’s signature meat dishes were fragrant and looked and smelled amazing.

Kou Hui, still inviting, said, “Go ahead, eat. I can’t finish all of this by myself. Don’t be shy, I just want to be friends.”

“I’ve just arrived here and don’t know anyone. It’s so boring.”

Under Kou Hui’s repeated invitations, the little one pushed his plate of vegetables toward him. “You can have some of my food too.”

Kou Hui wasn’t interested in the vegetarian dishes.

With his own plate offered, the little one finally took a bite of the meat.

“Delicious!”

As soon as he tasted it, the little one’s eyes lit up. He shared some with Jiang Yan and Chen Zhou too.

After sharing the meal, the kids started warming up to each other.

While chatting, Kou Hui, resting his chin in his hand, tried to join the conversation. “This inn is so dull. I’ve been staying here for days, and there’s nothing fun to do.”

The little one’s ears perked up. “You’ve been staying here this whole time?”

Kou Hui nodded. “Yeah.”

Hearing this, the little one scooted his chair closer to Kou Hui, speaking with more familiarity. “Since you’ve been here a few days, do you know the people around here?”

“I probably know most of them by now.”

Kou Hui asked, “Who are you trying to find?”

The little one hesitated but asked, “I heard there’s a general staying here. Do you know who he is?”

“Of course.”

Kou Hui, always chatty and with a cheerful smile, replied, “What do you want to know? I’ll tell you.”

“I want to know what he looks like.”

The little one put on a curious face. “I’ve never seen a general from another country before.”

Kou Hui nodded eagerly. “I can point him out to you. I even know where he’s staying. He’s in the room on the east side of the third floor. He claims to be staying in the west suite, but actually, he’s in the east.”

“He’s tall and skinny, with a dark complexion, and he has a scar on the inside of his right wrist.”

Kou Hui spoke with such detail that the three kids all looked at him in suspicion. They stared at him silently, as if asking how he knew so much.

“I’ve had a lot of people asking me about him these past few days, so I’ve gotten familiar with the details.”

Kou Hui smiled calmly. “I’m from Great Qi too, and I really dislike him. I figure if you’re asking about him, you’re not up to anything good.”

“But if you’re not doing something good, then that’s a good thing for me.”

Kou Hui said this so frankly that the three kids were left speechless.

The little one retorted, “I’m just curious and asking casually. I’m not planning anything, so don’t talk nonsense.”

Kou Hui: “Alright, alright, I won’t say anything.”

As they continued eating and chatting, Kou Hui suddenly pointed to the second floor. “Look, there he is, talking to someone on the second floor.”

The little one quickly craned his neck to look.

On the second floor, he spotted the tall, thin man Kou Hui had described. The man was lean, with a weathered face that made him look older than his actual age.

The little one locked his gaze on the man and quickly memorized his features.

But he didn’t stare for too long. His aunt had once told him that if you stare at someone for too long, they’ll notice. This general was rumored to be formidable, and staring too long would definitely get him caught.

The little one wisely pulled his gaze back.

Kou Hui smiled and said, “Alright, I’ve pointed him out for you. You should remember his face by now. I’m going out to buy something, but if you ever want to hang out again, just come find me here.”

After saying that, Kou Hui waved goodbye and left.

The little one was relieved to see him go. Now they could finally talk freely.

Once Kou Hui was out of sight, the little one turned serious. “That general looks imposing. We can’t just act rashly. We need to be cautious.”

Jiang Yan and Chen Zhou both nodded in agreement.

Today, they were only here to identify him and gather information.

Now that the little one had memorized the general’s face and gathered enough intel, they were ready to leave and think about their next steps.

As they stood up to go, the waiter approached. “Young masters, you haven’t paid for these dishes yet.”

The little one: “…”

The little one opened his mouth, flustered. “But we didn’t order these dishes!”

The waiter smiled politely: “It was ordered by the friend sitting with you. He left without paying, so now, of course, you have to settle the bill.”

The little one glanced at the dishes and then toward the door.

Kou Hui had already disappeared, and even if they wanted to find him, they couldn’t.

“I didn’t order this,” the little one continued to argue, but the waiter replied, “I saw you eat it, too. Since the food is on your table, you’re responsible for the payment.”

The waiter blocked their way, making sure they wouldn’t run off without paying.

The kids looked up at the waiter, bewildered and helpless, with a touch of grievance: “We don’t have any money.”

The waiter said nothing, but his meaning was clear—no money, no leaving.

After an awkward standoff, Jiang Yan said, frustrated, “I’ll write an IOU again!”

He had already written so many IOUs today, his mother was definitely going to be furious.

Chen Zhou, standing quietly beside them, didn’t even dare to write an IOU, knowing he couldn’t come up with the money either.

The little one didn’t want Jiang Yan to take all the responsibility, so he stepped up: “Let me do it, I’ll write the IOU for us!”

Jiang Yan objected: “No way.”

Having the little prince write an IOU would be incredibly humiliating if word got out. He couldn’t let the young prince take the fall for this.

In the end, Jiang Yan wrote the IOU again.

When the group of kids left the inn, their mood was heavy.

Though they came from good backgrounds, they didn’t have much spending money. Now, not only was their allowance gone, but they also owed a huge sum.

“Jiang Jiang, are you going to get a beating?”

“Yeah, but it’s fine, it wouldn’t be the first time.”

The little one still felt guilty. They all ate the food, but only Jiang Yan would be punished.

“Jiang Jiang, I have an idea.”

The little one thought hard and came up with a plan. He took Jiang Yan back with him and found a cotton cushion for him.

The little one padded the cushion on Jiang Yan’s backside.

“Alright, now when you get spanked, it won’t hurt as much.”

The little one and Chen Zhou worked together to carefully position the cushion on Jiang Yan’s bottom, doing their best to make sure it wasn’t noticeable.

After finishing their task, the little one let out a sigh of relief, exhausted from the day’s adventures.

Having been out all day, the little one needed to return to the palace.

He said goodbye to Jiang Yan and Chen Zhou, then got into the carriage that would take him back to the palace. Not long after he left, Jiang Yan returned home to the Duke’s residence.

However, the IOU from the inn arrived at the Duke’s residence even earlier than Jiang Yan.

The Duke had already settled the bill from the IOU. He took family honor very seriously, and there was one rule in his household—

No family member should owe money outside.

The Duke’s favorite example was of a certain family’s child who got so used to writing IOUs that eventually, they lost half the family’s fortune!

In short, writing IOUs was strictly forbidden, no matter the circumstances.

When Jiang Yan returned home and saw his father’s expression, he knew he was in for a beating. He sniffed and bravely approached his father.

His father had already prepared the small bench for him.

Jiang Yan, unafraid, laid across the bench and said to his father, “Go ahead, spank me.”

The Duke: “…”

The Duke was almost taken aback by his son’s boldness.

The Duchess, watching from the side, frowned. She had been about to intercede, but seeing how unbothered her son was, she hesitated.

The Duke looked at his son’s little bottom on the bench, his face darkened, and he gave him a swat.

He didn’t hit him too hard—after all, it was his own son, so the scolding was fiercer than the actual punishment.

Jiang Yan, not knowing that his father was going easy on him, was eager to test whether Little Seven’s cushion was working.

When the slap landed, Jiang Yan’s eyes lit up, and he broke into a grin: “Hehe, that didn’t hurt.”

Little Seven really is amazing!

Jiang Yan’s laughter was audible, and he didn’t even realize he had laughed out loud.

His father, who had been feeling a bit soft-hearted, now saw his son laughing and saying it didn’t hurt, and his face grew even darker.

“Oh, it doesn’t hurt, huh?”

The Duke rolled up his sleeves, now visibly irritated. “I’ll show you whether it hurts or not!”

He gave him another slap.

Jiang Yan, startled by his father’s sudden seriousness, felt the impact, and his mouth blurted out before his brain could stop it: “Still doesn’t hurt.”

The Duke: “…”

The Duchess: “…”

This time, the Duke’s patience ran out.

He grabbed a proper paddle.

Little Seven’s cushion had been effective, but even the best cushion couldn’t withstand this kind of punishment.

By the end, Jiang Yan finally let out a loud wail and burst into tears.

“Mom, help me!”

The cries of the young heir echoed throughout the Duke’s residence, but the little one, now back at the palace, couldn’t hear them.

At this moment, the little one was in Fenghua Palace, reading a book.

When he came back from Guan Shan Residence, he had brought some books with him.

Even after returning to the palace, the little one didn’t forget to study.

Noble Consort Yi sat beside him, accompanying him as he read, though it was clear she was distracted.

The news about Murong Xue had reached her ears.

She couldn’t let her older sister be married off, but would Emperor Ling choose her older sister over the cities and promises from Great Qi?

“Little Seven.”

After spending some time with the little one, Noble Consort Yi stood up. “Keep studying well. When you get tired, let Ji Yan take you to bed.”

“I have something to take care of, so don’t wait for me to come back.”

The little one nodded.

He glanced in the direction she had left, knowing she was surely going to find his father.

The little one rubbed his small face, holding his book, and waited for Noble Consort Yi.

Noble Consort Yi returned late at night. When she came back, her face looked grim.

The little one had already been carried to bed by Ji Yan, and he was sleeping lightly. As soon as Noble Consort Yi returned, he sensed it.

“Be good, Little Seven, go back to sleep,” said Noble Consort Yi, looking at the little one on the bed who stirred slightly, not fully awake. She hurried onto the bed, pulled the little one close, and gently patted him.

The little one smelled the familiar scent and heard Noble Consort Yi’s soothing voice. Though he had been about to open his eyes, they slowly closed again.

Noble Consort Yi softly patted his back and hummed a lullaby until the little one fell soundly asleep.

As she stopped singing, Noble Consort Yi looked down at the little one in her arms. In that moment, with his company, the pain in her heart eased a little.

She had quarreled with Emperor Ling.

She had demanded that Emperor Ling drive the people from Great Qi away, insisting that he clearly tell them it was impossible for them to marry her older sister.

But Emperor Ling hesitated.

During his hesitation, he explained that Great Qing might not be reliable anymore, and their dynasty’s military strength was still weak, so they might need to rely on larger nations.

And Great Qi, which could offer them cities and many other things, was a nation no less powerful than Great Qing.

This could be a new option.

Noble Consort Yi had rejected his reasoning.

In her view, there was still a fundamental difference between Great Qing and Great Qi. If a choice had to be made, Great Qing was the safer bet.

Noble Consort Yi and Emperor Ling had different opinions, which naturally led to an unpleasant outcome in the end.

Thinking back to the scene earlier, Noble Consort Yi closed her eyes and hugged the little one tighter.

If it had been the emperor holding the little one, he might have already kicked him in protest. But with Noble Consort Yi, the little one seemed to recognize her scent and nestled quietly against her, letting her hold him tightly.

Noble Consort Yi hardly slept at all that night.

When the little one woke up in the morning and saw Noble Consort Yi’s face, he rubbed his eyes, then reached out and touched her face.

“You didn’t sleep well?”

Noble Consort Yi’s complexion clearly showed she hadn’t slept well, or rather, hadn’t slept much.

Noble Consort Yi didn’t admit it, forcing a smile as she said, “I had too many dreams last night and slept a bit restlessly. It’s nothing; I’ll just rest more today.”

Hearing this, the little one cupped her face and warned her with concern, “You need to sleep well! If you don’t sleep well, you’ll get sick.”

The tutor at Guan Shan Residence had said that staying up late was harmful.

For children, it could stunt their growth. For adults, it could cause hair loss, or even sudden death.

In short, you must sleep more and stay up less.

Noble Consort Yi listened to her little boy’s advice, nodded in agreement, and prepared to help him get out of bed.

But the little one pressed her back down and covered her eyes with his little hands.

“Sleep a little longer, just a little longer.”

His small, soft, and warm hands covered her eyes, causing Noble Consort Yi to actually relax.

She closed her eyes, and soon, without realizing it, fell asleep.

When the little one heard her steady breathing, he carefully removed his chubby little hands. He quietly climbed out of bed and went outside to wash his face and change clothes.

“Let Niang Niang sleep a bit longer,” he instructed, ensuring no one would disturb Noble Consort Yi.

He hadn’t yet visited Fifth Sister yesterday, so today he wanted to see her.

When he arrived at Consort Shu’s palace, Consort Shu was kind when she saw him.

“I’m here to see Fifth Sister,” the little one said to Consort Shu. After getting a nod of approval, he ran off to find Fifth Princess Ling Ning.

Ling Ning was a little surprised to see him.

“Little Seven.”

Ling Ning knew that her younger brother Little Seven had visited their other siblings, but she also knew she didn’t stand out much. So, she wasn’t surprised when he didn’t come to see her.

But now, Little Seven had come.

“Fifth Sister, I came to see you. I brought you a gift.”

The little one sat down in front of Ling Ning and spread out the gifts he had brought.

The palace was carpeted, so Ling Ning sat down across from him.

The two children sat facing each other as the little one presented the hairpins and clothes he had brought back from Guan Shan Residence.

“These are from Guan Shan. They’re all very pretty,” the little one said with a smile. “Fifth Sister, when you wear these new clothes and put on this hairpin, you’ll look even prettier.”

Ling Ning looked at the gifts, instinctively waving her hands. “It won’t look good on me. You should give them to Second Sister instead.”

“But these are for you,” the little one replied, frowning at her lack of confidence. “Fifth Sister, you are very pretty. Why would you say you don’t look good?”

Ling Ning couldn’t respond.

Seeing her hesitation, the little one said seriously, “We’re all good-looking. We’re Daddy’s children, and Daddy is handsome too.”

As for Consort Shu and the other ladies in the palace, none of them were unattractive.

“If the parents are good-looking, the children will be too,” he confidently assured her that she was a beautiful little princess.

Hearing his certainty, Ling Ning clenched her fists, her small face showing a hint of confidence.

Ling Ning was quiet and had become even more introverted compared to before.

The little one didn’t know why, but while sitting with her, he encouraged her as much as he could.

After spending the morning with Consort Shu and Ling Ning, the little one didn’t stay for lunch. He was planning to go have lunch with his father.

Along the way, take a look at the situation.

Ling Ning escorted him outside the palace, still reluctant to part.

“Fifth Sister, you’re really beautiful.”

Before leaving, the little one held the Fifth Sister’s hand and said, “Next time, I’ll take you to the streets again. We’ll go shopping and watch the lanterns.”

“Alright.”

Ling Ning’s eyes lit up at the mention of shopping and watching lanterns.

She still remembered how relaxing and happy it was to go out back then.

“Fifth Sister, I’m leaving now. I’ll come see you again.”

“Mm, goodbye, Little Seven.”

The siblings said their goodbyes, and Ling Ning watched the little one’s back for a long while before withdrawing her gaze.

As soon as she did, her collar was grabbed by Consort Shu, who then threw her back into the palace.

“You’re quite affectionate with him.”

Consort Shu looked at her daughter on the ground and pinched her arm harshly.

“Why are you so close to him? Don’t you know, he’s just a little brat!”

“In this palace, only I am your real mother. Everyone else is hateful!”

Consort Shu made no effort to hide her disdain for everyone else in the harem in front of her daughter.

Big or small, she despised them all.

She didn’t originally only have Ling Ning as a daughter. She was supposed to have had a prince too, but in the end, all she was left with was a useless daughter, and her son was not born.

After this daughter was born, Emperor Ling didn’t particularly like her.

To be precise, Emperor Ling never really cared much about any of his children.

With only a daughter, neither she nor her child ever won Emperor Ling’s favor.

As a result, her family’s influence grew weaker and weaker, and Emperor Ling didn’t bother to intervene.

When she entered the palace, she had sacrificed the man she loved, hoping that once in the palace, she could strengthen her family’s power by giving birth to a prince and vying for the position of eldest prince.

She had given up so much, but since she hadn’t gotten what she wanted, naturally, her heart was filled with hatred.

She hated everyone in the palace equally.

Since she had lost her son, she was determined to make those who had sons suffer as well.

After venting her anger on her daughter, Consort Shu finally let go and turned to leave.

Ling Ning watched her mother walk away, then got up and returned to her small room.

She carefully hid the gift Little Seven had given her at the bottom of her chest.

There wasn’t much opportunity for her to use these gifts.

But she appreciated Little Seven’s kindness.

Thinking about the time she had spent playing with Little Seven, although it was short, Ling Ning felt that it would be enough for her to reminisce for a long time.

After leaving his Fifth Sister, the little one was still a bit worried about her on his way.

Fifth Sister was so introverted, and he didn’t think that was very good.

As the little one thought about it, he unknowingly walked to Chengming Hall.

At this moment, Emperor Ling was resting in the palace, with two beauties dancing while palace musicians played.

Emperor Ling was massaging his temples, his eyes closed as he relaxed.

The little one walked over, going right up to Emperor Ling and climbed into his lap.

Emperor Ling: “…”

Emperor Ling was startled and opened his eyes, looking down to see the little one in his lap, staring unblinkingly at the dancing beauties.

Emperor Ling glanced at him and asked, “Do you think it’s beautiful?”

The little one leaned closer, whispered in his ear, and said softly, “Not as beautiful as my dancing.”

The little one had learned some music and could perform several dances.

With him sitting on Emperor Ling’s lap, the dancers’ previously flirtatious gazes had to be restrained.

Emperor Ling didn’t seem too interested in the performance either and waved the beauties away.

Seeing the dancers leave, the little one jumped down from Emperor Ling’s lap and insisted on performing a dance for him.

With his chubby little body, he wiggled his bottom and waist, making Emperor Ling’s face relax, and even the corners of his lips turned up into a smile.

“Alright, alright, that’s enough. Stop wiggling around.”

Emperor Ling stopped the little one’s dance. It was so bad he could hardly watch.

“Daddy, who danced better, the aunties from before or me?”

The arrogant little one thought he had danced wonderfully. He lifted his chubby face, waiting for his Daddy’s praise.

Although Emperor Ling didn’t really want to praise him, looking at the little one’s eager expression, he couldn’t help but give him a few half-hearted compliments.

The little one was full of energy.

After dancing for Emperor Ling, he then asked his father to play with him.

Emperor Ling was almost worn out.

By the end, Emperor Ling pinned the little one down, not letting him move. “Stay still for a bit. If we keep playing, you’re going to tire your father to death.”

“Daddy won’t die!”

The little one covered his father’s mouth, not allowing him to say such things.

Emperor Ling was particularly sensitive to anything related to death.

In any other situation, if someone had brought up death, he would have felt uncomfortable.

But teasing the little one, the word slipped out of his mouth without thinking.

After saying it, seeing the little one cover his mouth, Emperor Ling laughed and no longer cared about the word.

“Little Seven, do you prefer living in the palace or outside?”

“I like both! I like living with Father and Mother!”

The little one wasn’t picky about where he stayed, as long as he was with the people he loved.

Emperor Ling pinched his chubby little face and said, “Tomorrow, we can stay outside. The construction at Cang Mountain is finished, so we’ll go camping.”

The little one: “!”

The little one was thrilled. “I love camping!”

Emperor Ling knew it would excite him. “This time, you can bring your study companions. The area is big, so you can all run around.”

“There will also be guests from Great Qi this time. You can run around, but don’t disturb the guests, understand?”

The little one, hearing that the guests from Great Qi would also be there, was even more delighted.

Great! Now he could find a chance to get rid of the general from Great Qi up close!

The little one was excitedly looking for opportunities, while Murong Xu, who had rushed back from the frontier, had already changed several horses, racing toward the capital without rest.

He came back with the same thought as the little one—

Whoever dares to forcibly marry his sister, he’ll kill them.

While Murong Xu was still racing back, the little one had already come up with 123 plans.

All these plans had one goal: to either eliminate or drive away the General of Great Qi, ensuring he didn’t stay in the capital.

“Daddy, how long will we be staying outside?”

“Two days and three nights.”

“What fun things are there outside?”

“There’s a competition. The guests from Great Qi want to compete with us.”

When Emperor Ling mentioned the competition, there was a bit of reluctance. He wasn’t keen on competing with Great Qi.

However, since the people of Great Qi had proposed it, it was difficult for him to refuse.

The little one was extremely excited about this outing.

He counted the days of his break on his fingers, and with the extended holiday, he figured he’d be able to stay home for a few more days.

During those days, he planned to wait for his uncle to return and to resolve his eldest aunt’s marriage issue.

Thinking about all the things he had to do, the little one scratched his head in frustration.

He was still so young, yet already had so many worries.

All day, Noble Consort Yi and Emperor Ling hadn’t seen each other, nor had they passed any messages.

But the little one didn’t know they had quarreled. In the evening, he went to see the Fifth Princess, Ling Ning, again.

He was worried about his Fifth Sister, and after some serious thought, decided to come and give her a reading.

Ling Ning had seen him twice that day, and her eyes were filled with smiles.

“Little Seven, why are you here again?”

“I came to bring you flower cakes. These flowers can be eaten.”

The little one handed the flower cakes to his Fifth Sister, then grabbed her hand and, without warning, began to give her a reading.

After the reading, his little face froze.

In his vision, he saw that his Fifth Sister wouldn’t grow up. She would die at the age of six.

When she died, her expression was one of relief.

She wasn’t afraid of death at all.

She drowned, letting herself sink without resisting.

After foreseeing so many deaths, the little one finally felt sad.

“Ah Wu, is Zai Zai a jinx?”

During his vision, the little one called for Ah Wu.

Upon hearing his question, Ah Wu immediately responded, “No, Little Seven is a little auspicious beast, not a jinx.”

Ah Wu then explained what an auspicious beast was: “You bring peace and good fortune to people, and have nothing to do with being a jinx.”

“But when Little Seven predicts someone’s fate, if I predict one, one will die.”

The little one sniffed, feeling like he wasn’t bringing any good fortune.

Ah Wu comforted him, asking, “The people you’ve given readings to—have any of them died yet?”

“No.”

He always tried to intervene after his visions.

So far, none of the deaths he had predicted had come to pass.

“Little Seven, they were originally fated to die, but they met you.”

Ah Wu’s voice was calm, carrying a certain conviction: “Meeting you changed their fate. You protected them, which is why Little Seven is a very powerful little auspicious beast.”

Hearing Ah Wu’s comforting words, the little one’s sadness finally eased.

“Zai Zai isn’t a jinx?” he asked for reassurance one last time.

Ah Wu replied firmly, “No.”

With Ah Wu’s certainty, the little one adjusted his mood.

“Ah Wu, wait for me, okay? Once I’m done here, I’ll come back.”

“Alright.”

After cutting off communication with Ah Wu, the little one looked at Ling Ning in front of him and spoke firmly with his small voice: “Fifth Sister, tomorrow we’ll go camping together. I’ll teach you how to swim!”

He wouldn’t come out of the water until his Fifth Sister had learned how to swim!

Ling Ning was a bit surprised, not knowing why he suddenly said that.

But she still nodded and agreed, “Okay.”

After nodding, she glanced around, and seeing no palace servants nearby, she whispered, “I might not be able to go camping. If I can’t go—”

“I’ll make sure to take you with me!”

The little one said, and then even fed his Fifth Sister a piece of flower cake.

After he left, Ling Ning, like a little squirrel storing food, hid the flower cakes he brought.

Her mother despised everyone in the palace.

Ling Ning used to follow her in hating them too.

But, but Little Seven was so sweet.

Ling Ning had tried many times to hate him, but each time, she couldn’t.

That night, Emperor Ling didn’t visit Noble Consort Yi either.

The next day, as they prepared to leave the palace, the little one was stunned to see that Noble Consort Yi showed no intention of leaving with them.

“Mother isn’t feeling well.”

Noble Consort Yi made an excuse as she gently rubbed the little one’s head, coaxing him: “Little Seven, you go and have fun. When Mother feels better, I’ll come and find you, alright?”

“Mother, did you and Daddy have a fight?” The little one was no longer so easily fooled. He looked at Noble Consort Yi, who wasn’t leaving the palace, and suddenly asked.

Noble Consort Yi was momentarily stunned but quickly denied it: “No, Mother just isn’t feeling well. Little Seven, don’t overthink it.”

She continued to say comforting words, but the little one didn’t believe her.

If it weren’t for all the things he had to do on this outing, the little one would definitely have stayed behind.

“Mother.”

The little one moved closer and wrapped his arms around Noble Consort Yi’s neck. He pressed against her and whispered softly, “Little Seven loves Mother the most, much more than Daddy.”

If Mother and Daddy were going to fight, he was firmly on Mother’s side.

He loved Daddy too, but he loved Mother more.

Hearing his words, Noble Consort Yi’s eyes almost filled with tears. She kissed the little one’s cheek several times before saying, “Mother’s love for you hasn’t been in vain.”

The little one was glued together for quite a while, and finally, he got on the carriage heading out of the palace for the camping trip.

Inside the carriage with him were a group of children, including Ling Ning, Ling Fu, Jiang Yan, and Chen Zhou.

The children were all around the same age and knew each other. Although Ling Ning didn’t talk much, the others’ chatter eventually got her talking too.

They had been sitting in the carriage for quite some time before arriving at their destination.

At the destination, the tents were already set up, and they were nothing short of luxurious. Staying in such a tent certainly wouldn’t be an inconvenience for the Emperor.

The little one jumped down from the carriage, and throughout the journey, he hadn’t gone looking for the Emperor.

Father and son did see each other, and while the Emperor could sense the little one was upset, since he was surrounded by other children, the Emperor didn’t call him over.

Once at the campsite, the children immediately started exploring the unfamiliar area.

The little one had already looked at the map back in the palace, so he knew there was a stream here and had a general idea of the layout.

Many people were already there.

The guests from the Great Qi Kingdom had arrived too, but they were in the camp meeting with the Emperor, so the little one hadn’t seen them yet.

He hadn’t met the important guests from Great Qi, but he did run into their children.

Upon seeing the children from Great Qi, the little one, along with Jiang Yan and Chen Zhou, were momentarily stunned. Then, with a silent understanding, they all rolled up their sleeves and charged forward.

This was the same kid who had ordered food and hadn’t paid for it!

The little one remembered the beating Jiang Yan had taken and was fuming, letting out a howl as they rushed at the kid.

Kou Hui was taken aback by the attack.

“Wait a minute! This is all a misunderstanding! Stop hitting me! If you don’t stop, I’m going to fight back!”

“If I fight back, I’ll make you all cry!”

After hearing this, the three kids only hit him harder.

In a desperate attempt to avoid a worse beating, Kou Hui covered his head and played his trump card: “Do you still want to know about that general? If you want to take him down, I can help you!”

The little one froze: “…”

“Stop!” he commanded.

As soon as he said it, the other two stopped hitting immediately.

The little one stood in front, exuding an air of authority despite his size.

He raised his small chin and looked down at the beaten-up Kou Hui, asking, “How can you help us? And what’s your relationship with that general?”

Kou Hui hesitated for a moment.

After a pause, he replied, “He’s my father.”

The little one: “…”

The little one’s face froze in disbelief. “Are you messing with me?”

If they were father and son, how could Kou Hui possibly help them take down his own father?

Feeling like he was being tricked, the little one rolled up his sleeves again.

Kou Hui, exasperated by the fierce little prince, who he now recognized, thought to himself how different the little one was from what he’d heard. Rumor had it that this prince was sweet, soft, and kindhearted.

Yet here he was, vicious and domineering!

There was nothing sweet about him except his chubby cheeks—this prince was anything but soft.

“I’m not messing with you! I really want to take him down!” Kou Hui declared.

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