Qu Dubian had something on his mind, so when he played with Zhiyi at Shunning Palace in the afternoon, he seemed distracted.
According to his thinking, both the Sword-Holding Marquis’s family and he should be keeping a low profile. He had expressed disinterest and even dislike towards his maternal grandmother, aligning with the current stance of the marquis’s family, planting a seed in his dog father’s subconscious.
And his maternal grandfather should have stayed quietly in the northern frontier.
If his maternal grandfather truly had thoughts of supporting a prince to seize power, he would persuade him to give up. Which path to power in history wasn’t filled with killing and bloodshed?
As someone with a modern soul, how could he engage in killing? At most, he could only protect himself.
If there were no such thoughts, even better, saving him the effort of persuasion.
But regardless of which idea, his maternal grandfather shouldn’t be returning now.
Without an imperial edict, a northern frontier commander requesting to return to the capital to report like other officials had a somewhat challenging flavor to it.
With his cheap father being such a petty person, who knows what he was thinking when he agreed to let his maternal grandfather return.
Consort Xuan said: “Why the furrowed brow this afternoon? Aren’t you happy your maternal grandfather is returning?”
Qu Dubian: “Consort Xuan, should I be happy?”
One wrong move, and what about his Xiaoxiaole game?
Consort Xuan didn’t know that at such a young age, his little head was filled with so many complex thoughts, all dark suspicions about imperial power.
She herself wasn’t that worried. Her interest in the Sword-Holding Marquis’s return was because once she formed a foster relationship with Xiao Qi, the Xie family and the Xu family would be tied together invisibly.
She didn’t explain these things to Qu Dubian.
“These are adult matters. Whatever happens, the adults will handle it.” Consort Xuan stroked his head, suddenly laughing as she pushed her thumb between his eyebrows, “Such a little person, why are you frowning?”
Qu Dubian’s eyes curved: “Hehe.”
Consort Xuan: “I’ll make you a pair of gloves in a few days. I met your maternal grandfather a few times before I entered the royal family. Your mother spent most of her time at the frontier. By the time she entered the palace, I was already secluded in Shunning Palace, so I never had the chance to meet her.”
Qu Dubian rested his chin on his hands, listening attentively.
“Your maternal grandfather’s character is very straightforward, and his temper is quite stubborn, but he loves your mother and maternal grandmother dearly and would only compromise for them. It’s said that before your mother entered the palace, he had a big fight with His Majesty. The reason isn’t clear, but it didn’t affect his relationship with your mother.”
“If the two of them meet again, you can try to mediate if you’re present.”
Qu Dubian sighed: “So I have to be the firefighter.”
Consort Xuan smiled: “This little one always comes up with fresh terms.”
“By the way, Consort Xuan, this is for you,” Qu Dubian took out strawberry seeds from his pocket, “There were strange plants growing in the corner of Ju’an Hall before, and I kept the seeds. Why don’t you try planting them?”
“They might grow into something very tasty.”
A few tiny seeds, which Qu Dubian held quite carefully.
If they were damaged, he would have to spend lifespan value to purchase more, which would be too costly. If these strawberry seeds grew well, they would become the ancestors of Da Zhou’s strawberries.
Consort Xuan was quite intrigued and accepted them well. Over the years, she had gained considerable experience in planting crops, flowers, and fruits, and she enjoyed cultivating rare plants.
Ju’an Hall was rarely cleaned, so it’s possible that birds had brought something new from afar.
“Consort Xuan will plant them well. Shall we go for dinner now?”
Qu Dubian stood up and patted his bottom, “Let’s go!”
–
Night fell.
Qu Dubian’s little dog cart stopped at the final station of Zichen Palace.
He climbed over the threshold and sneaked inside, secretly watching Emperor Chongzhao reviewing memorials at his desk from behind a screen.
The latter’s expression was calm, showing no emotion.
Emperor Chongzhao flipped a memorial and said calmly: “The wild one is back? It wasn’t you who was sick these past few days, was it?”
Qu Dubian: “…”
He stood up straight from his hiding spot.
“Not speaking, so you know you’re guilty.”
Emperor Chongzhao snorted coldly, stood up, and in a few steps was in front of his little son, lifting him up.
“It just snowed, and some palace paths haven’t even been cleared yet, but you’re riding your broken cart out wandering around. Who was it that was burning with fever and jumping like a shaman on the bed a few days ago? Do I need to name names? Look at what’s all over you.”
Emperor Chongzhao frowned and leaned in for a closer look, his other hand picking up a black strand: “Dog hair??”
Then he pulled something from his hat: “Flower petals?”
“Did you also go to the Imperial Garden? Or perhaps the flower house.” He gave a slap to his bottom, “You’re covered in dust!”
Qu Dubian angrily covered his bottom.
How annoying! When he grew a bit older, the old man would be older too. Then we’ll see if he still dares to do this!
“I wore a hat and dressed warmly. I won’t catch a cold.”
Emperor Chongzhao completely ignored what he said, continuing to assess the dirty spots on Qu Dubian’s body, “Since you’re so dirty, let’s take a bath together.”
“…?”
Qu Dubian turned his head and flailed in the air, his limbs thrashing, “No!!”
Seeing his little face scrunched up, Emperor Chongzhao finally found some sense of achievement in teasing his little son, venting some of his anger from when the little brat bit him.
He satisfactorily tucked Qu Dubian under his arm.
“Someone, prepare water.”
–
The father and son spent an hour bathing.
The insulation was excellent, with the floor heating making people inside flush red.
Qu Dubian viciously splashed water. Emperor Chongzhao choked several times, retaliating back. Seeing his little son looking like a drowned rat, he laughed heartily.
He didn’t seem angry, and he didn’t mention a single word about his maternal grandfather’s return to the capital.
Qu Dubian dried his hair, changed into new sleeping clothes, and sat cross-legged on the bed, looking as if he was in a daze, but actually reading a novel in his mind.
Emperor Chongzhao: “You go there to eat every day. Do you really like Consort Xuan that much?”
Qu Dubian came back to his senses: “Yes.”
“If you just like Noble Lady Guo’s cooking, I can have her make some and send it over every day.”
“No, I like being there.”
Emperor Chongzhao asked: “Compared to Zichen Palace, do you still prefer Shunning Palace?”
“…”
This wasn’t about which palace he liked; it was clearly comparing himself with Consort Xuan, asking him to choose one.
Qu Dubian mentally rolled his eyes. Did his cheap father really think that if he chose Zichen Palace, he would keep him by his side all the time?
It wasn’t good to say he liked either one.
Qu Dubian: “Father Emperor, I’ve never seen my mother, but I really want to have a mother.”
“Even if she might beat you in the future?”
Qu Dubian defended: “Consort Xuan is so gentle!!”
Emperor Chongzhao snorted with a laugh, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his assessment.
Then he pulled up the blanket to cover him, “I just wanted to confirm. Go to sleep.”
Time slowly passed. Qu Dubian pondered Emperor Chongzhao’s last sentence. Did it mean he agreed to him choosing Consort Xuan? Why not give a clear answer?
Was there any connection between asking him this question and his maternal grandfather’s return to the capital?
Overthinking made him unable to sleep. He flipped through the novel but couldn’t concentrate, so he decided to study the “Mian Shou Jue · Upper Chapter” instead.
The first sentence described exactly what Yi Shi’er had initiated today at his brow point, chest bone, and dantian.
Qu Dubian referred to the true qi circulation diagram, closed his eyes, and tried to find the feeling from the afternoon.
After an unknown amount of time, a mysterious itching appeared on his forehead. A bit of heat emerged from there, uncontrollably drilling downward, passing through his chest bone and dantian—
The small child under the blanket curled up.
He covered his stomach and started farting.
Qu Dubian: “…”
His ears secretly turned red.
He didn’t believe it and tried again, with the same result as before.
Qu Dubian shifted his position, raised his bottom, moved from his own blanket to his cheap father’s blanket, ensuring the gas bomb was transferred, and then felt relieved to start trying repeatedly.
Emperor Chongzhao slowly opened his eyes.
His legs were being attacked by waves of hot air.
After identifying the culprit, he was both angry and amused. All that cleverness was being used for sneaky, mischievous thoughts.
He secretly gritted his teeth, “Qu Xiaoqi…”
Qu Dubian didn’t even turn his head, pretending nothing happened.
He was asleep.
After this quiet threat, Qu Dubian didn’t hear any movement. He thought that was it. His ears twitched, and he secretly moved his bottom away from his cheap father’s blanket.
Unexpectedly, just as he moved, a large hand fished him out from under the blanket.
Emperor Chongzhao directly stuffed him into his own blanket, making the little son’s back press against his chest.
A warm palm fell on Qu Dubian’s stomach and even rubbed it.
Perhaps because he was tired, Emperor Chongzhao’s voice was a bit deep and hoarse, “Why didn’t you say if you got cold from the bath earlier? I could have just told them to add more charcoal.”
“I know you’re not asleep. Do you want me to call someone to bring in a hot water bottle?”
Qu Dubian was stunned.
He belatedly realized that his cheap father seemed to think he was farting because he had caught a chill during the bath.
He shrunk his body, “…No need.”
“Don’t get sick. I don’t like it when you’re sick. It’s very troublesome to take care of you.”
Qu Dubian didn’t respond.
After a while, he freely released another gas.
There was no reaction from behind. After listening carefully to the breathing for a while, he felt his cheap father must have fallen asleep, after all, he still had to attend court tomorrow.
Qu Dubian opened his eyes, initially with complex emotions, but then became clear and calm again.
His dependence and closeness shown to his cheap father were not purely genuine.
Being able to act convincingly, making his cheap father believe, pity, and step by step to today, was actually just taking advantage of his age and his original body’s mother.
Many people read various stories in novels, feel frustrated with the protagonist or supporting characters, and discuss with friends what they would have done differently if it were them.
But for the audience, the story is just a momentary pleasure; for the characters in the novel, it’s a reality lived day by day.
Some people act for so long that they truly become the character.
But Qu Dubian always reminded himself.
He could allow himself to give familial love to others, but not to the emperor.
Power can alienate people. Later history records countless lessons. Perhaps the warmth just shown was genuine, perhaps the father-son affection gradually developed through daily interactions was genuine, but under the influence of power, how many moments of affection are completely sincere?
Completely trusting in imperial familial love is truly naive.
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
