WK Chapter 31

“Greetings to His Highnesses.”

 

A veritable army of consorts descended upon them gracefully—but for three small children like them, these women seemed far too tall. As they approached closer, all Qu Dubian could smell was a confusing mix of different perfumes.

 

Some clever ones crouched down slightly and spoke gently: “Seventh Highness is so adorable! What a coincidence running into you here—it must be fate.”

 

“What fate? Sister clearly came here on purpose by taking a detour! I happened to pass by naturally,” another retorted sweetly.

 

Pushing and jostling ensued as everyone scrambled for attention—each determined to secure their promotion.

 

Qu Dubian stood frozen in place, blinking.

 

What was going on?

 

Wasn’t he supposed to be considered unlucky? Weren’t these consorts supposed to avoid him?

 

Unbeknownst to him:

– The Emperor had decided to select a foster mother for him.

– News of abolishing outdated ancestral rules hadn’t yet reached his ears.

 

At this moment, he only saw it as an excellent opportunity—to test whether any of these consorts could provide him with goodwill points!

 

Lady He Changzai smiled warmly: “I’ve prepared a small gift for Seventh Highness.” She pulled out an exquisite golden tiger no larger than her thumb. “Look at this—isn’t it cute?”

 

Noble Lady Yu gritted her teeth silently—she knew that golden tiger had been part of He Changzai’s private collection! How had it suddenly become a specially prepared gift? Ridiculous!

 

Not wanting to fall behind, she quickly added: “I’ve prepared something too!”

 

Once gifts started being offered, there was no stopping it.

 

“I have one as well!”

 

“Here too!”

 

The Sixth Prince was utterly stunned.

 

Since when was Seventh Brother this popular?! These consorts barely spoke to me before—and now there are even gifts?!

 

Wen Xiaochun grew slightly worried and moved forward as if wanting to pull Qu Dubian back.

 

But Ye Xiaoyuan gently tugged him back with a soft laugh: “His Highness has his own plans.”

 

Qu Dubian flashed a bright smile showing eight teeth as he gestured toward a nearby pavilion while walking toward it himself. Raising his hand high like a little host inviting guests over: “Pretty sisters! Come over here~”

 

“Oh my, little Highness, you should address us by our titles or as ‘Your Ladyship,’ not call us ‘sisters.’ We absolutely can’t bear such an honor.”

 

The consorts covered their mouths, laughing as they followed him toward the pavilion. Despite their modest words, their smiles nearly reached their ears. The Seventh Prince might be young, but his sweet words were truly delightful.

 

He was clearly complimenting them on being young and beautiful—what consort wouldn’t enjoy such praise?

 

Qu Dubian guided them to the pavilion in the Imperial Garden. The pavilion was quite large and could barely accommodate everyone.

 

He then struggled to climb onto a stone bench and declared, “Thank you, sisters… I mean, Your Ladyships, for your gifts. I can’t accept them without giving something in return.”

 

“There’s no need! We gave them willingly—how could we expect a return gift from the Seventh Prince?”

 

“No way,” Qu Dubian said seriously. “My tutor always said that even when dealing with elders, one must observe proper etiquette.” He turned to his brothers. “Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, don’t you agree?”

 

The Sixth Prince couldn’t recall if their tutor had ever said that, but he instinctively trusted that his younger brother was more knowledgeable than him. He nodded immediately. “Little Brother is right.” The Fifth Prince naturally followed suit.

 

He Changzai hesitated. “Then… then whatever the little Highness wishes to give will be fine.”

 

“Xiaochun!” Qu Dubian called.

 

Wen Xiaochun stepped forward. “Your Highness.”

 

“Take these gifts from the consorts and set them aside. I’ll prepare return gifts.”

 

“Understood.”

 

Qu Dubian knew full well that these consorts were clearly here for him. If he didn’t accept their gifts today, he probably wouldn’t make it out of the garden. Since he wasn’t sure of their intentions yet, he figured it was better to accept everything and offend no one.

 

One by one, the consorts approached to present their gifts.

 

In truth, they were a bit confused themselves about how things had developed to this point. Their original plan had been to coax the Seventh Prince into visiting their palaces so they could entertain him and win his favor.

 

By the end, a whole table was filled with gifts. The last consort touched her hairpin and removed a plain silver hairpin—it was clear she didn’t have anything suitable for a child left to give.

 

As each person approached, Qu Dubian repeatedly asked his simulator whether they could provide lifespan points.

 

‘Fate and encounters are the keys to unlocking goodwill,’ he thought. ‘I can’t just wait passively—I have to take initiative. If there’s no fate, I’ll create it.’

 

But alas, by the end of it all, the simulator remained silent as if it were dead.

 

“Seventh Highness, what will you give in return?” Noble Lady Yu asked curiously. After all, neither of the eunuchs by Qu Dubian’s side seemed to be carrying anything for him.

 

Qu Dubian sighed inwardly, cursed at the simulator in his heart, then raised a cheerful smile and said: “This.”

 

He held up the small incense burner in his hands.

 

Climbing down from the stone bench, he began distributing small amounts of ash from the incense burner to each consort. They had no choice but to use handkerchiefs to catch the tiny amounts of ash being doled out.

 

The consorts exchanged glances. “This…”

 

Qu Dubian explained with utmost seriousness: “This is Father Emperor’s beloved incense burner. The ash left behind from burning his favorite incense is naturally ‘beloved ash[mfn]Beloved ash sounds like beloved consort in Chinese due to a pun on pronunciation.[/mfn].’”

 

The left all the consorts momentarily stunned before they burst into laughter so hard they nearly fell over. Heaven knew how dull life in the harem could be—they rarely had opportunities for such hearty laughter.

 

If at first they had approached him purely for potential promotion opportunities, now some of them genuinely found themselves liking this clever little prince.

 

After handling the consorts, Qu Dubian walked over to his Sixth Brother, who was pouting unhappily.

 

The Sixth Prince grumbled: “Everyone got some—I’m not special anymore!”

 

“Yours is imperial ash; theirs is beloved ash—completely different,” Qu Dubian whispered conspiratorially. “Don’t be upset, Sixth Brother—I’ll tell you a secret about Father Emperor.”

 

The Sixth Prince’s ears perked up immediately. Though his lips were still pursed in a pout, his body leaned closer eagerly. “What is it?”

 

Qu Dubian tiptoed and hooked an arm around both his brothers’ necks before whispering mysteriously: “Father Emperor needs someone to whistle when he pees~”

 

The Sixth Prince was so shocked he even leaned back slightly. “What?! Father Emperor needs someone to whistle when he pees?!”

 

The pavilion fell silent.

 

The attendants: “……”

 

The consorts: “……”

 

Qu Dubian: “…………”

 

He silently took two steps back.

 

‘Sorry, cheap father,’ he thought miserably. ‘I only meant to say it quietly to comfort Sixth Brother—I didn’t expect him to be this dense.’

 

The Sixth Prince clamped a hand over his mouth.

 

The Fifth Prince muttered: “Oh heavens…”

 

Is this something we’re allowed to talk about? Idiot brothers.

 

Noble Lady Yu murmured under her breath: “No wonder His Majesty doesn’t visit the harem often… Could it be…”

 

Some kind of hidden condition… or peculiar habit?

 

Qu Dubian had already retreated to Ye Xiaoyuan’s side and tugged at his sleeve with a troubled expression. Tilting his head up, he asked: “Ye Banban, do you think we’ll still be allowed back into Zichen Palace today?”

 

Ye Xiaoyuan pressed a hand against his forehead helplessly.

 

Your Highness… truly…

 

He consoled him gently: “At worst, we won’t be without a place to stay.”

 

Qu Dubian urged quickly: “Let’s leave—let’s leave now.” This place wasn’t safe for lingering any longer.

 

As soon as their group stepped out of the pavilion, Noble Lady Yu called out behind them: “Seventh Highness! Why don’t you come visit my palace? Don’t leave in such a hurry!”

 

Forget about His Majesty for now—the most important thing is securing this child.

 

Another chimed in: “My palace is nice too—we have delicious snacks!”

 

A third added: “My earlier gift was too plain—come back with me and pick something you like!”

 

The consorts surged forward even more enthusiastically than before—some even reaching out toward Qu Dubian’s cheeks or backside.

 

Terrified by this sudden onslaught, Qu Dubian leapt onto Wen Xiaochun’s back and shouted urgently: “Xiaochun! Quick!” If they stayed any longer—not only would there be no lifespan points gained—he’d lose both his dignity and innocence!

 

Without even bothering with the gifts they had just received, they made a hasty escape from the Imperial Garden.

 

—

 

In the Pavilion

 

The Sixth Prince shivered slightly and rubbed his arms before muttering: “Maybe it’s not so bad that I’m not popular with them…”

 

—

 

They fled all the way to a small garden behind Jingyang Palace.

 

This garden was barren—there were no flowers in sight. Only a few small patches of cultivated land remained where some radishes were still growing sparsely.

 

This was Guangshu Garden.

 

After founding the dynasty through conquest, Taizu had loved farming so much that he encouraged even his consorts to join him in cultivation. This area had been specially set aside for palace consorts to grow crops.

 

By Emperor Chongzhao’s reign, however, none of the consorts came here anymore. Half of Guangshu Garden had fallen into disuse and become overgrown with weeds.

 

Consort Xuan was currently selecting soil in Guangshu Garden.

 

She appeared to be around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, dressed in simple and elegant attire. Her brows were delicate, like distant mountains, and her demeanor was reserved and calm.

 

At the moment, she held a miniature hoe in her hand. After finding suitable soil, she would scoop it up and place it into a wooden bucket carried by a palace maid behind her.

 

When she heard the sound of footsteps, she was quite surprised. Did someone else actually come to this place?

 

Looking up, she saw a strange little child standing right in front of her.

 

Qu Dubian smiled with crescent-shaped eyes. “Hello!”

 

[Character: Consort Xuan

Favorability: 1]

 

‘The winding path led to a secluded spot; after searching thousands of times, there she was, wielding a hoe in the field.’

 

Consort Xuan paused for a moment. “The Seventh Prince?”

 

Ye Xiaoyuan stepped forward. “Yes, may I ask who Your Ladyship is?”

 

The palace maid holding the bucket replied: “This is our Consort Xuan.”

 

Ye Xiaoyuan and Wen Xiaochun bowed. “Greetings to Consort Xuan. We wandered in here by mistake. If we’ve disturbed you, we hope for your forgiveness.”

 

Consort Xuan lowered her head slightly. “It’s no bother.”

 

Consort Xuan.

 

They had indeed heard of her before.

 

She resided in Shunning Palace, right next to Noble Consort Lan’s Xiuxiang Palace. Even before Emperor Chongzhao ascended the throne, she had always lived a reclusive life. Rumors suggested that there was significant discord between her and the Emperor.

 

Many had expected that after Emperor Chongzhao took the throne, he would casually demote her to the rank of Noble Lady at most. Surprisingly, he had directly conferred upon her the title of Consort.

 

She had held this rank for years without change but never met with the Emperor or attended any formal gatherings or banquets. Over time, she became almost invisible within the harem.

 

After waiting for a while and seeing that the Seventh Prince showed no intention of leaving, Consort Xuan finally said: “It’s too cold here to stay for long. You should take His Highness back.”

 

Instead of leaving, Qu Dubian squatted down in front of her, rested his chin on his hands, and looked at her expectantly. “Consort Xuan, you’re so beautiful. It’s almost noon—can I come to your palace for lunch?”

 

Consort Xuan asked: “You’re not going back to Zichen Palace?”

 

Qu Dubian hesitated and mumbled: “If I go back, I might get scolded.”

 

Consort Xuan: “?”

 

—

 

Zichen Palace

 

After court ended, Emperor Chongzhao heard that Qu Dubian had gone out to play but didn’t summon anyone to bring him back. He thought it was good for the child to go out and have some fun.

 

He had been very busy lately—managing both the posthumous recognition ceremony for Consort Yun and preparations for reopening the study hall.

 

One of the six halls in the Eastern Courtyard had been burned down, but the princes couldn’t remain out of school indefinitely. For now, Halls Two and Three had been cleaned up and were ready for classes to resume.

 

When lunch was delivered from the imperial kitchen, Emperor Chongzhao remembered how that child had brought his bowl over yesterday asking for food. Instead of eating immediately, he looked toward the door.

 

“Xiao Qi hasn’t returned yet?”

 

“Not yet,” came the reply.

 

Emperor Chongzhao frowned slightly. “Where did he go that he can’t even bother with lunch?”

 

Head Eunuch Yu was also puzzled. “Indeed… His Highness has always been very enthusiastic about meals, especially since he used to be mistreated by the main kitchen.”

 

“If you don’t speak,” Emperor Chongzhao said coolly, “no one will mistake you for being mute.” He waved his hand dismissively. “Send someone to find him and bring him back for lunch.”

 

Head Eunuch Yu nodded silently.

 

Just then, a palace servant entered carrying a food box. “Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress has sent something over.”

 

“The Empress?” Emperor Chongzhao raised an eyebrow slightly in surprise. Although they were husband and wife in name, there was no affection between them. He only visited Fengwu Palace on the first and fifteenth days of each month.

 

She was well aware of this arrangement and rarely bothered him otherwise—she was more invested in managing palace affairs than interacting with him. And now she’d sent something?

 

“Yes.”

 

When the food box was opened, Emperor Chongzhao froze momentarily before carefully examining its contents—all tonics meant for health restoration.

 

The attendant from Fengwu Palace kept their gaze lowered respectfully and said: “Her Majesty mentioned that she didn’t wish to disturb Your Majesty but felt compelled because this represents the collective concern of all consorts in the harem for Your Majesty’s well-being.”

 

“……”

 

Emperor Chongzhao’s voice turned slightly stiff: “…Do they think my health is poor?”

 

The attendant replied tactfully: “The consorts simply wish for Your Majesty to take care of yourself. That is all they asked me to convey. If there’s nothing else, this servant will return now.”

 

Emperor Chongzhao waved them off and stared at the box of tonics in front of him, falling into self-doubt.

 

Strange… very strange.

 

“Go find out if anything unusual happened today,” he ordered.

 

Head Eunuch Yu signaled with his eyes, and after a while, a young palace maid entered nervously.

 

“Speak—what happened in the harem today?” Head Eunuch Yu prompted.

 

The maid practically buried her head into the ground as she stammered: “His Highness… His Highness encountered several consorts in the Imperial Garden… They gave him gifts… And His Highness returned their gifts with… with ash from Your Majesty’s incense burner…”

 

Emperor Chongzhao: “Ash?”

 

“The Seventh Prince said that since Your Majesty loves incense so much, gifting its ash would be… ‘beloved ash.’”

 

Emperor Chongzhao choked several times as his expression twisted slightly. “He said that? And then what?”

 

The maid grimaced painfully before finally reaching the main point.

 

Although she didn’t dare repeat it verbatim, Emperor Chongzhao immediately recalled what his stubborn little son had said yesterday afternoon while covering his mouth with laughter:

 

“If you don’t give me my big black moth, I’ll tell everyone that His Majesty needs someone to whistle when he pees!”

 

Emperor Chongzhao felt darkness descend upon him.

 

I gave him his big black moth! I just didn’t tell him outright! That little rascal wouldn’t have actually gone around spreading it across the entire palace… right?!

 

With great difficulty, he asked: “So… why did Her Majesty send these tonics?”

 

Head Eunuch Yu’s eyelid twitched violently as he exchanged glances with Eunuch Bao.

 

Eunuch Bao quickly chimed in: “Your Majesty! Don’t worry—perhaps not everyone knows about this yet!”

 

Emperor Chongzhao: “……”

 

Head Eunuch Yu: “……”

 

Emperor Chongzhao closed his eyes deeply before gritting out through clenched teeth: “Qu Xiao Qi!!”

 

“Bring him back immediately!!”

 

 

 

---