Although Emperor Chongzhao was displeased, he wouldn’t specially summon Tutor Fang for a scolding over such a small matter.
If he scolded him, how would the princes be disciplined in the future?
However, he had already prepared for when Qu Dubian returned and showed him his hand, knowing how to respond—give him some jade and jewels.
To prevent him from further damaging the bed posts in Zichen Palace.
But Emperor Chongzhao waited and waited, never hearing the sound of the little dog cart happily racing outside. He couldn’t help but wonder: “At this time, they should have finished dinner at Shunning Palace. Why hasn’t he returned yet?”
Soon, a palace servant came to report: “Reporting to Your Majesty, news from Xiuxiang Palace says that the Seventh Prince is with the Sixth Prince today. He won’t be returning tonight.”
Emperor Chongzhao: “…”
He, who had been waiting for his little son to return so he could comfort him, felt like a fool.
The next day, a palace servant reported that the Seventh Prince had stayed in Fu’an Palace with the Fourth Prince.
On the third day, a palace servant reported that the Seventh Prince had stayed in Xiuxiang Palace, but when the Fourth Prince had a nightmare and cried, the Seventh Prince rushed from Xiuxiang Palace to Fu’an Palace to stay with the Fourth Prince.
On the fourth day, a palace servant reported that the Seventh Prince had stayed in Changxin Palace with the Fifth Prince.
On the fifth day, a palace servant reported that the Seventh Prince had stayed in Xiuxiang Palace, but when the Fourth Prince had a nightmare, the Seventh Prince again rushed to Fu’an Palace.
For seven consecutive days, he didn’t return to Zichen Palace. Since he didn’t return, Emperor Chongzhao also stubbornly didn’t send anyone to call him. Father and son inexplicably became obstinate with each other.
The palace servants became increasingly nervous.
On this day, Emperor Chongzhao finally snorted coldly:
“He’s quite popular. Let him sleep wherever he wants!”
“The Fourth Prince has nightmares, find an imperial physician to examine him. Xiuxiang Palace and Fu’an Palace are on opposite sides, one in the east and one in the west, yet he doesn’t mind running back and forth.”
He flicked his sleeves and left.
The New Year was three days away. Tomorrow evening there would be a New Year’s banquet, inviting all officials, including those who had returned to the capital to report on their duties. It would be a grand feast.
At noon today, he needed to coordinate with the Empress, consorts, and princes and princesses over six years old to personally sweep and scatter at Fengxian Hall, offering heavy incense that would burn for three days.
Three days later, when the incense was exhausted, it would be the New Year’s grand sacrifice, when new incense for the new year would be offered.
–
Fu’an Palace.
Elegant incense mist permeated the small Buddha hall.
Today, half of the back palace was empty, as everyone had gone to Fengxian Hall.
Qu Dubian had stayed with the Fourth Prince for several days but had barely spoken with Consort Yi. This consort, after returning from paying respects at Fengwu Palace each day, often stayed in the small Buddha hall beside the main hall.
Otherwise, she would be adjusting spices to make incense.
Just like Emperor Chongzhao.
But his cheap father made incense as a hobby, making all kinds, while Consort Yi only made incense sticks for offerings. The scents varied, but they were all elegant and didn’t cause headaches when smelled.
Since he came to Fu’an Palace, Consort Yi had only said three things to him:
“Hmm?”
“Have the palace servants prepare it.”
“Don’t make loud noises to disturb me, otherwise do as you please.”
She spoke so little that it was impossible to even make small talk.
From Qu Dubian’s observation, even with her own son, Consort Yi didn’t talk much, at most inquiring if he had slept well.
He wondered if the Fourth Brother’s love for sleep was cultivated this way.
At noon.
Qu Dubian sat on the doorstep, turning back to call out of boredom, “Fourth Brother, are you ready? We agreed to go out with Sixth Brother.”
After a while, the Fourth Prince’s figure emerged from the misty small Buddha hall. He held a delicate small box in his hand.
“Mother went to Fengxian Hall. Before leaving, she told me to give you this welcome gift. It’s a few days late, please forgive us.”
“Welcome gift?”
Qu Dubian curiously opened the box, which contained a set of exquisite paper notes, or flower notes, similar to square bookmarks in later times.
There were twelve in total, corresponding to the twelve months. Each had the seasonal flower of that month, with patterns outlined in gold powder.
Upon careful sniffing, there was also a faint mixed floral fragrance.
“Your mother is amazing. Did she make these herself? I really like them.”
The Fourth Prince yawned: “Mother made them for fun. If you like them, I’ll get you more in the future.”
“Alright, let’s go, let’s go.”
He pulled Qu Dubian along to the kennel.
The Sixth Prince and the Fifth Prince had been waiting at the kennel for a long time.
The Sixth Prince had been envious of his brother’s little dog cart for a long time and had long ago implored Noble Consort Lan to find craftsmen to make him a small cart just like the Seventh Brother’s.
So when Qu Dubian stayed at Xiuxiang Palace, Noble Consort Lan awkwardly asked this prince, whom she had once and a half times framed, for permission to observe the structure of the little dog cart, with gentle kindness.
Then, after the cart was made, the Sixth Prince invited them to come to the kennel together to pick a dog.
He didn’t like Da Hei’s type, all black and old, and was eager to pick the best one for himself.
Fourth Prince: “Xiao Liu.”
The Sixth Prince’s smile froze, and he reluctantly extended his hand to help the Fourth Prince out of the carriage.
Qu Dubian walked to the Fifth Prince’s side and whispered: “Is Sixth Brother still bullying you?”
The Fifth Prince also said softly: “Fourth Brother is keeping him in check, it’s better than before.”
That’s good, it’s working.
Qu Dubian: “Fifth Brother, aren’t you making a little dog cart?”
The Fifth Prince smiled shyly and shook his head: “I’ve ridden your little dog cart. There won’t be a little dog cart that makes me happier than that time.”
He wanted to preserve that feeling.
Qu Dubian patted him: “In the future, if you want to ride, just come find little brother.”
The Fifth Prince nodded.
The Sixth Prince, running wild in front, was going crazy with excitement.
He ran from outside one cage to outside another, and finally shifted his gaze outside the kennel. He turned his head and resolutely charged in.
Qu Dubian’s pupils shook, and he quickly called for someone to chase after him: “Sixth Brother! You can’t go there!”
Tigers, leopards, black bears… the Sixth Prince’s eyes lit up, imagining how cool it would be if his mount became one of them.
Through the cages, these wild beasts were occasionally starved, preserving their wild nature to the greatest extent. Now, seeing the little fellows outside the cage, they slowly approached.
Sixth Prince: “I’m not going in.”
The tiger suddenly approached, separated by just one cage, “Roar—!”
The Sixth Prince was fine, but the large wooden cage behind him had loose chains. Inside were four docile, crouching great birds, which suddenly became agitated.
In their panic, they actually broke open the wooden cage and, under the terrified gazes of the palace servants, kicked with their long legs and ran out!
The great birds of Da Zhou were what would be known as ostriches in later times.
They could grow up to about 2.5 meters tall, had gentle temperaments, and generally wouldn’t attack humans. They could run about 70 kilometers per hour, and with their long legs in stride, ordinary people really couldn’t catch them.
“Be careful! Everyone be careful, protect the little princes!”
The palace servants each protected their own masters.
In the midst of the chaos, Yi Shi’er appeared in a flash, ahead of Wen Xiaochun, and placed him in a safe, open area.
Wen Xiaochun was slightly stunned.
Yi Shi’er tilted his head to look at him, nodded slightly, handed the child to him, and disappeared again.
Wen Xiaochun immediately came to his senses and asked worriedly: “Your Highness, are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” Qu Dubian went to check on the others. Just now there was only a moment of panic, the palace servants were just shouting loudly. Actually, if the ostriches didn’t attack people, they were quite safe.
Besides him, the three princes were also fine.
The Sixth Prince watched the panicked silhouettes of the ostriches fleeing with a “ga-ga” sound, patted his chest, and said with lingering fear: “The cage for the great birds was too loose. But they look so funny when they run away.”
The Fifth Prince, however, turned pale, “It’s over.”
Qu Dubian: “Fifth Brother, what did you say?”
The Fifth Prince tremblingly pointed in the direction where the ostriches were racing, “Th-that’s the direction of Fengxian Hall. Father Emperor, Mother Empress, and the consorts are all there…”
The Sixth Prince’s smile abruptly stopped.
The Fourth Prince quietly hugged his small pillow and said softly: “Should we chase them?”
The Sixth Prince covered his face and screamed: “Why are you all standing there? Hurry and chase them!”
He and Qu Dubian quickly sat on the little dog cart, the two of them charging ahead, while the Fourth Prince and Fifth Prince behind were each carried by palace servants, barely able to keep up with their speed.
Along with the eunuchs and palace maids from the kennel, they all chased after them in a flurry.
–
Fengxian Hall.
To show filial piety, the emperor, empress, and consorts all came together for the cleaning before the New Year festival.
Emperor Chongzhao had just finished wiping a pillar. Looking at the Empress who was sweating profusely, he walked over and took the broom from her hand, “Let me do it.”
The Empress was touched for just a second before Emperor Chongzhao said: “Don’t rest, put in more effort. Go wipe the pillar over there.”
Empress: “…”
She calmed her breathing and looked at the First, Second, and Third Princes around her, who were panting heavily from exhaustion, not even able to drink water. His Majesty was even harsher on his own sons than on the consorts.
That could somewhat make one feel better.
Some ancestors had set up such torturous rules. Who knew whether they received more respect or more resentment?
The three princes were wiping the floor in the corner, barely setting aside their usual confrontations, looking like a family of real brothers.
Third Prince: “Although I’ve been doing this for four years, it’s still tiring.”
The First Prince snorted with a laugh: “When I was six years old, you two weren’t even eligible yet. Heaven knows how envious I was watching you play while I was working.”
Second Prince: “Let’s hurry up and finish before dark so we can rest.”
The three brothers were whispering among themselves.
On the other side, Emperor Chongzhao walked with his broom to Consort Xuan.
Consort Xuan was standing on a high place, the dust she swept falling down in flutters.
“Your Majesty has something to discuss?”
Emperor Chongzhao coughed a few times and waved his hand: “Come down to talk.”
Consort Xuan jumped down.
“These days I’ve noticed that Xiao Qi goes to your place to eat, but his sleeping place isn’t fixed,” Emperor Chongzhao said. “But he always sleeps with his brothers. The only consort without children that he visits is you, so I guess he’s decided on you.”
He lowered his head and swept the floor a few times, “I want to ask your thoughts.”
Just as Consort Xuan was about to speak, a series of “ga-ga” calls suddenly came from the distance.
Everyone in Fengxian Hall stopped their work, and Emperor Chongzhao looked in the direction of the sound.
They saw several great birds running wildly towards them, stretching their long necks in the dead of winter, their wings flapping, with a few fallen feathers dropping on the path they had just cleaned.
The great birds raced past.
Everyone: “?”
Emperor Chongzhao was dazed: “…”
Not long after, the sound of wheels rolling rapidly and the swift footsteps of palace servants came. The Sixth Prince and the hat-wearing Seventh Prince sat on the small cart, raising their arms and shouting:
“Catch them!”
The palace servants called urgently: “Be careful, Your Highnesses!”
(advanced chapters available on kofi)
![Who Are You Calling A Canary? [Transmigration]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/20250108211651_200_280.jpg "Who Are You Calling A Canary? [Transmigration]")
