WK Chapter 44

Qu Dubian was completely unaware that he had been brought to court.

 

He only felt that the buzzing sounds in his ears were sometimes soothing, sometimes noisy, making his sleep uneasy.

 

To say he was sleeping wasn’t quite accurate. He still subconsciously remembered the feeling of being level 3 sick. Occasionally, when he couldn’t bear it, he would whimper, and his mouth would be covered.

 

He found this very annoying, and after it happened several times, he didn’t hold back anymore and bit directly.

 

A morning court session that should have been solemn and serious in condemning the Chu family ended in hushed tones.

 

In the end, Noble Lady Chu was ordered to die, those involved in smuggling with her brother would be executed in three days, the rest of the three clans would be executed after autumn, and within nine clans, three generations would not be allowed to hold official positions. Various details were reported and filed.

 

After the court dispersed, the officials bowed and left.

 

Only when they were far away from Qianji Palace did the familiar officials start to discuss among themselves:

 

“Just now in the hall, did His Majesty bring a child?”

 

“It must have been the Seventh Prince. I heard he was frightened ill yesterday, it was very dangerous. The lights in Zichen Palace didn’t go out all night.”

 

The person he was talking to couldn’t help but click his tongue, “But he still shouldn’t bring him to court. What kind of example does this set?”

 

Xie Jingshan passed by and, hearing this, cupped his hands, “Oh, this official, if you find it unacceptable, you can go to the Censorate to file a complaint. The censors can criticize, and His Majesty might just admit his mistake.”

 

“What are you saying, Deputy Minister? Hahaha,” the person laughed it off, “We didn’t hear or see anything, we’re just talking privately.”

 

The Seventh Prince was sick, His Majesty surrounded him with a screen and brought him to court.

 

It was clear that he didn’t want them to know, and they weren’t fools. Moreover, even if this wasn’t according to the rules, it was His Majesty’s loving heart for his son, a father’s compassion.

 

If they were blind enough to criticize, wouldn’t they be disliked?

 

The censors in the Censorate had all turned blind and deaf, so what was the point of them rushing forward?

 

As subjects, sometimes they had to turn a blind eye.

 

Xie Jingshan watched the two hurriedly leaving and shook his head.

 

It was indeed eye-opening. His Majesty would one day be like an ordinary father, caring for his child without even taking off his clothes.

 

He didn’t think this was excessive favoritism towards the Seventh Prince. After all, he was the youngest and couldn’t compete with his older brothers. The ministers all focused their attention on the three older princes.

 

He just felt that if this continued, other young princes might become psychologically unbalanced because of it.

 

People’s hearts naturally lean towards one side. The more His Majesty invested in the Seventh Prince, the more he would unconsciously turn his gaze towards him.

 

–

 

“Quick, quick! Help me!”

 

After court, Emperor Chongzhao rushed all the way from Qianji Palace to Zichen Palace. Once inside, his composed expression suddenly changed, and he extended his hand in distress, “Help me get his mouth off.”

 

Head Eunuch Yu hurried forward, took a look, and his face twisted: “Oh heavens, how did he bite you like this??”

 

The little prince’s eyes were tightly closed, but his mouth was firmly biting the tiger’s mouth of Emperor Chongzhao’s right hand. Not to mention saliva, there were also bite marks on his thumb and index finger, and the marks were very deep.

 

He quickly cleaned his hands and, together with Ye Xiaoyuan, rescued Emperor Chongzhao’s hand from Qu Dubian’s mouth.

 

Head Eunuch Yu looked at it painfully: “Your Majesty, why didn’t you say something earlier?”

 

Emperor Chongzhao shook his hand, “…I was in court at the time! How could I say anything? Ouch, he bites with such strength.”

 

Caring too much about his image and suffering for it, he had waited until all the court officials left and he returned to Zichen Palace before saying anything.

 

Imperial Physician Yang came in to wrap Emperor Chongzhao’s pitiful hand with gauze. Emperor Chongzhao instructed, “Wrap my fingers too. How can I face the ministers with these bite marks?”

 

“Yes,” Imperial Physician Yang did as told, covering them up. After showing him, he focused his attention on Qu Dubian.

 

“The temperature still doesn’t seem to have dropped much. Your Majesty, has the little prince not woken up at all?”

 

Emperor Chongzhao said: “He almost woke up once during court when it got noisy.”

 

Imperial Physician Yang was very troubled. In all his years of medical practice, he had seen all kinds of difficult cases, but why couldn’t the Seventh Prince’s temperature be brought down?

 

It seemed to be the same last time.

 

At this temperature, he should be delirious with fever.

 

“The prince shouldn’t be covered too thickly. You can use some alcohol to wipe his body. This official will brew another dose of medicine later. If the prince wakes up, remember to have him eat something, so he has strength.”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, Qu Dubian’s ears twitched.

 

The child who had been sleeping soundly on the bed suddenly slowly crawled up, his fever-dazed eyes looking at Emperor Chongzhao.

 

“…Eat.”

 

Emperor Chongzhao: “…”

 

He quickly called out: “Go prepare some food that the Seventh Prince likes.”

 

Qu Dubian lowered his head, about to fall forward. Emperor Chongzhao reached out to support him, and the child leaned on his support, not using any strength himself, and yawned.

 

“Eat… food made by Consort Xuan and Noble Lady Guo…”

 

He still remembered his meal buddy agreement with Consort Xuan.

 

An image of an ugly-looking soup popped into Qu Dubian’s mind, and after thinking for a moment, he added: “That day, Ceremony Day, food, want to eat too.”

 

His forehead was so hot it could warm hands, yet this child was still thinking about food.

 

Emperor Chongzhao: “Go, have someone make a trip to Shunning Palace. As for the food from Ceremony Day…”

 

Ye Xiaoyuan, still holding a grudge, said: “It was prepared by the Imperial Kitchens.”

 

“That wasn’t prepared by the Imperial Kitchens, it was the Xu family’s Mai Xian Geng, a sour soup for children,” Emperor Chongzhao explained, then pondered for a moment, “Bao Youfu, you go make a trip, find Xu Jianyan… No, his isn’t authentic enough, it looks too ugly. Go to the Sword-Holding Marquis’s mansion, ask Old Madam Hou for a bowl.”

 

Ye Xiaoyuan: “?”

 

His grudge turned to embarrassment, and he silently crossed out a line in his little grudge notebook.

 

Eunuch Bao: “This servant will go right away, ensuring the little prince gets the hottest soup!”

 

One group went to Shunning Palace, while Eunuch Bao left the palace on a fast horse, heading straight for the Sword-Holding Marquis’s mansion.

 

–

 

Xu Manor.

 

Xu Tingfeng didn’t know his culinary skills had been dismissed by the emperor. He sneezed several times in a row, wondering if he had caught a cold due to the bad weather today.

 

Last night, he received a message from his elder aunt at the Sword-Holding Marquis’s mansion, which vaguely mentioned the Chu family’s affair.

 

The Chu family’s fate had been decided. The family’s destruction was the end for them, but for others, it was a beginning.

 

The Chu family had businesses in Baojiang District along the Eastern Sinking River. The people were gone, but the wealth remained.

 

His elder uncle was in the northern frontier, and his elder aunt couldn’t openly intervene. His second uncle’s family was foolish and ignorant, only interested in climbing the social ladder, and didn’t seem capable of avenging his little nephew.

 

Since the Chu family had made their move, they couldn’t blame others for kicking them while they were down.

 

Baojiang District was far from the capital, but the economy along both banks of the river was developing well. This was an opportunity to acquire a few clean business lines, consolidate them, and save them as pocket money for his little nephew in the future.

 

Outside the window, bamboo branches swayed. Xu Tingfeng set up a game board.

 

Sitting opposite him was a young man in purple robes, about the same age as him.

 

“I’m about to leave, and after helping you like this, you still set up a game to bully me?”

 

Xu Tingfeng smiled and said: “Let’s play something different this time, Gomoku. Have you heard of it?”

 

The young man in purple went from listless to energetic in just a second: “Oh! I know that game, let’s play, come on!”

 

Xu Tingfeng smiled without speaking.

 

A minute later, the young man in purple went from grinning to not grinning.

 

He flailed his hands, annoyed: “I lose even faster at Gomoku!! You did this on purpose, didn’t you? You must have!”

 

Xu Tingfeng: “Go is too slow. Your journey to the Eastern Sinking River requires speed.” He sat in his wheelchair, cupped his hands, and laughed heartily, “I gift you this quick game, wishing you a safe journey and swift arrival at Baojiang.”

 

The young man in purple snorted.

 

“You’re all talk. Don’t worry, I’ve got this.”

 

–

 

Wisps of smoke rose from the Sword-Holding Marquis’s mansion.

 

Old Madam Hou was personally cooking.

 

She was very skilled at this. Due to the time constraint, Madam Fang also came to help. Together, they prepared a pot of authentic Mai Xian Geng fresh from the stove.

 

Old Madam Hou almost wanted to shove the pot directly into Eunuch Bao’s arms.

 

“I can’t eat all this, really can’t.”

 

Old Madam Hou: “I’m worried the Seventh Prince might be hungry, take more. Oh, right, there’s also this.” She hurriedly rummaged out a package of pills in small green bottles. “If you can’t feed him medicine, these pills will do. I heard from the Gonggong that the Seventh Prince was frightened, and caught a chill from the wind. This medicine is often used by border troops, it’s effective.”

 

“After you return, show it to the imperial physicians and ask them about the dosage suitable for children.”

 

Eunuch Bao: “Yes.”

 

“There are a few more things…”

 

A quarter of an hour later, Eunuch Bao was laden with packages, his hands full. Under Old Madam Hou’s encouraging gaze of ‘you can do it’, he struggled to mount his horse.

 

He returned to the palace exhausted.

 

Qu Dubian was already eating the food sent from Shunning Palace.

 

Noble Lady Guo’s cooking tended to be sour and spicy, which Qu Dubian loved. Although the Imperial Kitchen’s food was delicious, it was on the sweet side and could become cloying if eaten too much.

 

Eunuch Bao presented the sour soup, still hot.

 

Qu Dubian leaned in and took a deep breath, savoring the sour and fragrant aroma.

 

Emperor Chongzhao: “Did Old Madam Hou give any other instructions?”

 

Eunuch Bao took out and arranged everything on the table, “She gave some pills for treating fever, a small herbal pillow for various ailments, some assorted snacks. She only gave these items, no other instructions.”

 

Emperor Chongzhao: “Mm.”

 

His gaze fell on the small herbal pillow for various ailments. He remembered that Yueqing had also made something like this, personally directing the preparation of herbs, but hadn’t finished it.

 

Old Madam Hou was alone in the capital, probably lonely. The pillow must have been prepared long ago, and she took this opportunity to send it in.

 

“Your maternal grandmother cares for you very much. In the future, when you have time, you can go visit her.”

 

Qu Dubian: “?”

 

He slowly reduced his simulation level to zero, allowing his brain to think clearly.

 

The Xu family was considered his maternal family, naturally related to him, so he had to pay some attention. He had gradually extracted quite a bit of information from Ye Banban.

 

This emperor, his cheap father, cared too much about his image and was petty. His maternal grandfather held military power, guarding the northern frontier. His cheap father couldn’t help but be wary.

 

The reason for maintaining peace was that his maternal grandfather had no heir.

 

If he wasn’t mistaken, his cheap father would later choose new people to go to the northern frontier, gradually replacing his maternal grandfather, smoothly transitioning military power.

 

But if he, a prince, became close to them, causing the old marquis to neither relinquish nor share power, harboring thoughts of seizing the throne while controlling the northern frontier, wouldn’t his cheap father be unable to sleep at night?

 

Preventing him from getting close to the Marquis’s family was probably what the petty old man would do.

 

If he were to get close, it would have to wait until someone capable of replacing the old marquis appeared in the northern frontier.

 

He didn’t believe that the affection developed in just a few days of interaction could make the emperor yield to power.

 

So was this his dog father’s test?

 

Thinking of this, Qu Dubian kicked away the small pillow, saying disdainfully: “Who cares about this, it’s all tattered.”

 

“…” Emperor Chongzhao couldn’t believe it, “This was made by your maternal grandmother! Your mother’s mother!”

 

“Ugly, dirty.”

 

He even patted his little feet.

 

“Maternal grandmother, don’t know her, don’t want to use it, I have better ones.”

 

Emperor Chongzhao stared at the kicked-away pillow, remembering Yueqing’s efforts in making pillows while pregnant, recalling Old Madam Hou’s urgent visit to the palace when this little brat first fell ill, kowtowing and begging him… An inexplicable anger welled up inside him.

 

The veins on his forehead throbbed visibly.

 

“Do you know how old your maternal grandmother is? She prepared this for you early on, don’t you feel any gratitude?”

 

Qu Dubian yawned sleepily, “I’m full, want to sleep.”

 

“…”

 

Emperor Chongzhao had someone pick up the pillow, casually patted it, threw away the pillow Qu Dubian was currently using, and replaced it with this herbal one.

 

He said sternly with a dark face: “You’ll use this from now on!”

 

“Oh,” Qu Dubian grabbed a piece of paper and a charcoal pencil, pretending to draw while lying on the bed, “Whatever, it’s all the same.”

 

No matter what you say, he showed no reaction.

 

But it was the lack of reaction that was most infuriating.

 

Emperor Chongzhao choked for a moment, then said earnestly: “Old Madam Hou is your maternal grandmother. Although you’re a member of the royal family, you should visit her in the future. She’s good to you, you should show her filial respect.”

 

The child nodded perfunctorily: “Mm-hmm.”

 

He yawned again, “But can’t I just send some gifts back later? Father Emperor is going to choose a new mother consort for me anyway.”

 

Emperor Chongzhao took a deep breath. So the original one wasn’t important anymore?

 

Originally, in Emperor Chongzhao’s plan, after a few years, Xiao Qi could be allowed to get close to the Sword-Holding Marquis’s family. After all, every prince had a maternal family, which would help balance things in the future.

 

But if he got too close to the Sword-Holding Marquis’s family, he would definitely intervene before the military power was reclaimed.

 

The herbal pillow reminded him of his longing for Yueqing. Thinking that Xiao Qi was often ill, he felt it wouldn’t hurt to let him get close to the lonely old lady. He didn’t expect this child to say such things today. If he treated his maternal grandmother like this, how long would he remember his deceased mother consort?

 

But no matter who he thought of, Emperor Chongzhao felt more and more heartbroken. Looking at the small pillow that his little son was using as a footrest, he even felt a hint of sympathy in his heart.

 

Maybe he should let this little brat visit Old Madam Hou during the New Year.

 

After all her efforts, she only received disdain. It must be hard for her too.

 

 

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