“Seventh Highness, you’re still young. Don’t act impulsively.”
Kou Chong wasn’t stupid. He had figured out what the kid was trying to do, but what he didn’t know was—
The little one could swim.
Even if the kid could swim, Kou Chong glanced at the slightly turbulent water and felt a chill run down his back.
No matter how good a swimmer, if a child falls into this water, it would be certain death.
“Do you understand? If you fall in, you’ll never see your father or mother again.”
Kou Chong tried to calm the kid down and bring him back.
Although he looked down on Emperor Ling in his heart, he was still in Emperor Ling’s territory, and this kid was the emperor’s favorite young prince.
He couldn’t let anything happen to this little prince.
“Seventh Highness, if you’re not ready to accept me as your uncle, you can take your time.”
The little one: “…”
The little one had been listening, but the moment he heard that, his face immediately soured.
“I’ll never let you be my uncle.”
“You’re finished!”
After saying that, the kid leaned forward a little.
Seeing this, Kou Chong didn’t hesitate for a second. He rushed over to pull the kid back.
But this was exactly what the kid had been waiting for.
If Kou Chong didn’t come closer, how could the guards clearly see—
That it was Kou Chong who pushed him into the water!
The moment Kou Chong came close, the kid tilted his head back and let out a loud scream.
Hearing the scream, the guards immediately rushed over.
They hadn’t gotten too close before because General Kou was standing near the little prince.
But before they could reach him, the kid suddenly fell from Kou Chong’s hands into the water with a splash!
The little prince flailed around in the water a couple of times before letting himself sink.
Once underwater, he kicked his short legs like a little frog and swam away.
This time, the kid wasn’t scared of everyone panicking.
He wanted everyone to panic.
For the sake of his eldest aunt, the little prince’s heart had become as hard as stone.
He kicked his little legs and swam away, indifferent.
The guards, seeing that the little prince was gone, felt their hearts drop. They stared daggers at Kou Chong, their eyes accusing him like he was the culprit.
The guards jumped into the water as fast as they could, but they couldn’t find the kid.
One of the guards hurried back to report the situation, saying—
“General Kou was talking to the little prince by the water when, for some reason, he grabbed the little prince. The prince cried out in alarm, and then fell from General Kou’s hands… into the water.”
“We didn’t expect this to happen. By the time we rushed over, the little prince was already gone.”
The guard’s report made Emperor Ling suddenly rise to his feet.
Emperor Ling stared at the kneeling guard, as if he couldn’t believe his ears. He asked, “What did you just say? Repeat it!”
The guard, sweating nervously, gritted his teeth and repeated the report. Afterward, he requested to dispatch boats and skilled swimmers.
Hearing it for the second time, Emperor Ling finally understood.
And with that realization, his head spun with dizziness.
He already suffered from headaches, and now this sudden shock nearly made him faint.
Fortunately, Lu Guang stepped forward in time to support him. Emperor Ling gripped Lu Guang’s wrist tightly, forcing himself to stay calm.
“Quick, send someone to search!!!”
After issuing the command, Emperor Ling pressed a hand to his temple. Once the dizziness subsided, he pushed Lu Guang’s hand away and hurried outside.
Emperor Ling walked quickly, and the urgency of his orders drew attention.
The eldest prince and Fourth Prince approached, confused, and asked, “Royal Father, what’s wrong?”
Emperor Ling didn’t answer, striding rapidly toward the riverbank.
The movement of so many people made the two princes feel uneasy. They exchanged glances and stopped someone to ask, “What’s going on?”
“Your Highnesses, we’re preparing to search the water. The little prince fell in, and we need to find him.”
After answering, the person saluted and ran off.
The words left the two princes in shock.
“Big brother, what did that person just say?”
Before the Fourth Prince could finish asking, the eldest prince’s face had already turned pale, and he rushed off in the direction the person had pointed.
Seeing this, the Fourth Prince quickly followed.
Ling Fu, who had been planning to find Little Seven to play with, was walking hand-in-hand with his fifth sister, accompanied by their study companions Jiang Yan and others. They were also out strolling around.
They hadn’t found Little Seven but saw a group of people running toward the river.
Ling Fu loved joining in on the excitement, so he tugged his fifth sister along, saying, “Let’s go see what’s going on!”
Even if Little Seven wasn’t there, after seeing the excitement, he could tell him all about it later.
Ling Fu excitedly ran over.
But when he got there, he saw his father, the emperor, along with his big brother and fourth brother.
Seeing his father, Ling Fu pulled back his eager little feet, deciding not to watch the commotion anymore.
But as he turned to leave, he overheard someone say, “Your Majesty, we’ve already checked the area, and there’s no sign of the little prince. The current here is strong; we should follow the flow of the water.”
“Then follow the current and search!” Emperor Ling ordered sharply.
More and more boats were appearing on the water, and Ling Fu, recognizing the familiar scene, realized something was wrong.
Little Seven had fallen into the water again?!
“Little Seven! Father, where’s Little Seven?!”
Ling Fu, who had been about to retreat, now rushed forward, running up to Emperor Ling and asking, “Where’s Little Seven? I want to play with him!”
Emperor Ling pressed his lips together, not responding.
Kou Chong was still at the scene, unable to leave.
Sensing the growing tension, Kou Chong spoke up again, repeating what he had already said: “Your Majesty, I swear, it wasn’t me who pushed the little prince. He was upset about my engagement to General Murong and jumped in himself.”
As soon as he said this, one of the guards, eyes red with anger, immediately rebutted: “General Kou, I’m not blind. I saw with my own eyes that the little prince fell from your hands!”
“General Kou has fought on the battlefield for years, but our little prince is only three. If you didn’t mean to, how could our little prince fall from your hands?”
“You’re a general, and you couldn’t even hold onto our little prince?!”
These questions made Kou Chong’s face flush with anger, and through gritted teeth, he responded, “I’ve already told you, the Seventh Prince deliberately broke free. He jumped into the water on purpose!”
“Our little prince may be young, but he’s not stupid!”
Hearing Kou Chong raise his voice, the guard grew even more agitated: “General Kou, look at this water. Do you really believe our little prince would jump in willingly? I’ve been with the little prince for a long time, and he’s never once tried to harm himself!”
With water like this, anyone with half a brain would know that jumping in would be deadly.
The little prince was smart and had never shown any signs of wanting to die.
There was no way he would have jumped in on his own.
The guard, staring at Kou Chong, voiced his own theory based on what had been said: “General Kou, could it be that you mentioned your engagement to the little prince, and when he, being so young, said something you didn’t like, you got angry and let go…?”
The guard, after stating his conclusion, found it very reasonable himself.
And his words reached Emperor Ling’s ears.
Earlier that afternoon, the emperor had been holding his little one while watching a competition. Now, Kou Chong was telling him that the little one had thrown himself into the river.
Emperor Ling thought that if he believed that, he must have water in his head.
“General Kou, you came as a guest to the Qi Dynasty, and I believe I have not treated you poorly.”
Emperor Ling’s gaze shifted from the calm water to Kou Chong’s face. Though his tone sounded calm, the calmness only made Kou Chong feel a deeper chill.
“You dared to harm my son. Is your next step to come after me?”
“Your Majesty, there’s truly been a misunderstanding. The little prince was not pushed by me; he—”
“Guards, take Kou Chong away.”
Emperor Ling didn’t want to hear another word of his defense. He had heard it too many times, and he didn’t believe it even once.
Seeing that the emperor’s men were coming to seize him, Kou Chong resisted.
But this was not his territory.
“I’ve told you, the Seventh Prince’s fall has nothing to do with me. Let’s see who dares to arrest me!”
“Xiang Wei! Take him away!” Emperor Ling coldly called out the name of the Imperial Guard commander. His gaze remained fixed on Kou Chong, filled with hatred.
“If my Seventh Prince isn’t found, General Kou, you will pay with your life.”
As Kou Chong was being taken away, guests from the Qi Dynasty had gathered, witnessing the scene.
Kou Chong, realizing that Emperor Ling would not let him go, cast his gaze toward his own people.
But the leading minister from Great Qi avoided his eyes, allowing Emperor Ling to take him away.
Even the Qi Dynasty saw Kou Chong as being in the wrong.
A general in his thirties, against a three-and-a-half-year-old child? They didn’t believe Kou Chong couldn’t hold onto a child.
In their minds, the guard’s explanation seemed more plausible—
General Kou, in a moment of anger, accidentally pushed the Seventh Prince into the water.
Kou Chong was taken away, but the search for the little prince continued.
Emperor Ling remained by the river.
Tears streamed down Ling Fu’s chubby face as he punched and kicked Kou Chong while the general was being led away.
Kou Chong, unable to hold back, kicked him in return.
This only made Ling Fu cry even harder, reinforcing the belief that Kou Chong, bold enough to strike the Sixth Prince, must also have had the nerve to throw the Seventh Prince into the water.
No matter what Kou Chong said, he couldn’t clear his name.
He could only grumble, “It was the Sixth Prince who clung to me first! I didn’t kick him; I just lifted my leg to make him let go!”
It was this little chubby kid who fell on his own.
Neither the Sixth Prince nor the Seventh Prince is a normal child.
Kou Chong, filled with rage, was taken away and imprisoned.
More and more people gathered by the river.
The news that the Seventh Prince had been thrown into the river by General Kou from the Qi Dynasty and was now missing spread further and wider.
Everyone who heard the news was initially shocked.
After the shock, there was only anger.
Even the ministers who had been advocating for peace had no face to continue pushing for it.
They looked at the detained General Kou, their mouths tightly shut, not daring to say a word.
They had previously advised Emperor Ling that General Kou was a good match and that even if General Murong married him, their dynasty could still rely on other generals.
But the only general capable of exchanging a marriage for territory and expanding their kingdom was General Murong.
Now, none of them dared to bring up what they had said before in front of the furious Emperor Ling.
Emperor Ling would never admit he was wrong. He would only blame others for this mistake.
It was the pro-peace ministers who failed to see Kou Chong’s malicious nature!
It was Kou Chong, with his hidden malice, who dared to harm even the emperor’s son!
“Your Majesty, please have some tea to soothe your throat.”
Lu Guang, watching Emperor Ling standing by the river, handed him a cup of calming tea.
Emperor Ling didn’t even glance at the tea, his eyes fixed on the water, as if wishing that in the next moment, he would see his son swimming back to him.
Time passed slowly.
The entire campsite was filled with a heavy and oppressive atmosphere, and both the capital and the harem had heard about the little prince’s accident.
The people had always had a favorable impression of the little prince.
Emperor Ling had once reduced taxes for the sake of the little prince, and Noble Consort Yi, the little prince’s mother, was from the Murong family. In the eyes of the people, this made the little prince even more beloved.
Now, news of the little prince’s sudden accident, caused by someone from Qi, enraged the people.
They refused to tolerate such a person, someone who harmed their beloved prince, seeking marriage with their General Murong!
The people were furious, shouting for Kou Chong to be executed.
No one in the court spoke of marriage with Great Qi anymore. Now, they only discussed how Kou Chong should be punished.
If he were sentenced to death, would Great Qi remain indifferent?
If he wasn’t sentenced to death, it wouldn’t appease the people’s anger, and both Noble Consort Yi and the Murong family would likely take up arms to kill Kou Chong themselves.
But even if we don’t mention Noble Consort Yi and the Murong family, Emperor Ling himself was still personally searching for the Seventh Prince.
The capital buzzed with discussions about the Seventh Prince’s fate. Meanwhile, Murong Xu, who had rushed back without rest, hadn’t slept in two days. His eyes were bloodshot, fearing that if he arrived too late, his older sister might already be promised to Kou Chong.
But when he rode into the city, instead of hearing news of his sister’s engagement, he heard something else—
His precious nephew had fallen into the river days ago and hadn’t been found.
Murong Xu knew the river where his nephew had fallen. He knew the waters were swift and dangerous, with almost no chance of survival for anyone who fell in.
Sitting atop his horse, Murong Xu listened blankly to this news. His body, exhausted from sleepless nights, seemed finally unable to bear it, and with a loud thud, he fell from his horse.
The bystanders were startled. When they ran over to check, they were shocked: “It’s the fifth young master of the Murong family!!!”
“The fifth young master has fainted! Quick, inform the Murong family!”
After fainting, Murong Xu was taken back to the Murong residence.
When he awoke, the first thing he did was grab a sword and head for the prison where Kou Chong was being held.
The city was in an uproar, but the little prince, who had already escaped, was aware of everything happening.
The little prince had transformed back into his small, fluffy form and was now strolling out in plain sight.
He was small and cute, and though no one recognized what kind of creature he was, he was still offered food.
Once his belly was full, he would return downstream to a branch of the river.
He had it all planned out—he would just lie there and wait for his father to come find him!
While wandering outside, the little prince kept his ears perked up, always listening for new information.
“Fifth Young Master is going to kill Kou Chong! I say, good riddance!”
“Kou Chong really deserves to die! His heart is too malicious!”
“Let’s hope the Fifth Young Master succeeds in killing him!”
The little prince heard this news too, but he couldn’t let his uncle kill Kou Chong.
So he went to find Shui Shui, who was out searching for him.
Shui Shui knew about his disguise.
And sure enough, as soon as Shui Shui saw him, he rushed over, scooped him up, and squeezed his little paw.
The little dumpling: “…”
The little dumpling: “Chirp chirp chirp!”
Stop squeezing my paw, we need to discuss important matters!
The little fluffy one had only sought out Shui Shui because he was the least noticeable. If he approached anyone else, his cover might be blown.
After some chirping, Shui Shui took him away to a quiet place to talk.
“Don’t let little uncle kill Kou Chong. Let Kou Chong die on his own!”
“Shui Shui, make me look a bit hurt. Otherwise, if I’m perfectly fine and Kou Chong dies, people will start talking.”
The little prince, having received an education, was already quite clever.
Shui Shui nodded at his words.
“Alright.”
Shui Shui agreed to everything. Afterward, he let the little prince return to his fluffy form, chirping away.
With one hand holding the little one’s paw and the other rummaging in his pocket, Shui Shui pulled out a few pills.
“These will make you look as if you’re beyond saving.”
“And this will leave marks on your body that look like bruises but don’t actually hurt.”
Looking at the things Shui Shui had taken out, the little fluffy one opened his mouth.
He thought that if Shui Shui ever decided not to become a little miracle doctor, he could easily become a poison doctor.
Shui Shui really loved cuddling the little fluffy one.
He lifted the stunned little fluff and buried his face in the little one’s soft belly, rubbing it.
The little dumpling: “…”
The little dumpling was thoroughly cuddled.
After the cuddling session, Shui Shui placed him on the ground and said goodbye.
Once Kou Chong was dead, the little one could return.
With this in mind, Shui Shui turned and went to find Kou Hui, who still had access to visit the prison.
That same day, Murong Xu was stopped by the eldest prince before he could enter the prison.
Seeing Murong Xu, red-eyed and ready to kill, the eldest prince tied him up and brought him back to his own palace.
Murong Xu struggled for hours, still shouting that he wanted to kill Kou Chong.
By evening, the eldest prince came in and informed him, “He’s dead.”
Murong Xu froze, trembling as he asked, “Who is dead?”
The eldest prince replied, “Kou Chong is dead. He committed suicide out of guilt.”
Murong Xu: “…”
After a moment of stunned silence, Murong Xu was both relieved and sorrowful: “He was bound to die! I just regret not being able to kill him with my own hands!”
Kou Chong was already dead in his cell.
But Murong Xu still wanted to get up from his bed and go whip his corpse.
The eldest prince held him down, not allowing him to leave.
If Kou Chong’s death had occurred earlier, Great Qi would have made a fuss, considering that Kou Chong had been an important general for them.
But now, with the Seventh Prince still missing, Great Qi had no way to reproach the Qi Dynasty.
The relationship between Emperor Ling and Noble Consort Yi had reached a freezing point.
Though they hadn’t spoken much, they were both searching for the Seventh Prince together.
On the third day, Emperor Ling finally spotted a small figure on the ground.
