Affection points

Fortunately, Bolao was quicker, snatching Qi Yuanzuo and the Third Prince back to safety.

The Qi Emperor was so angry that he spanked him.

"What did I teach you?! A gentleman never stands beneath a crumbling wall! Did all your lessons end up in a dog's belly?!"

Holding the baby in his arms, Qi Yuanzuo finally felt his heart settle. In his delight, he planted two smacking kisses on the Qi Emperor.

The Qi Emperor's weathered face flushed. "In front of all these people! Have you no shame?!"

On one side, Lady Zhou was led away in a frenzy; on the other, the emperor and Crown Prince played the loving father and dutiful son.

Thinking of the Qi Emperor's disregard for the Third Prince and his coldness toward Lady Zhou, the consorts could not help feeling like foxes mourning a rabbit's death.

Consort Xian watched the Crown Prince with a cold, shadowy gaze. Smelling the familiar lingering fragrance in the air, she gave a strange smile.

Consort Yin was unsettled, one hand resting on her belly, her thoughts unreadable.

Zhaoyi Xiao and Zhaoyi Wei mostly felt afraid.

Of Consort Shun and Consort Li, one remained indifferent, while the other gazed at the Qi Emperor in sorrow.

The Empress Dowager said, "With Lady Zhou sent to the Cold Palace, the Third Prince has no one to raise him. Until a suitable person is found, why not let me help care for him?"

That was precisely what the Qi Emperor had wanted. The Empress Dowager had summoned the Heir of the Prince of Annam into the palace behind his back, and she was raising the Eldest Prince to oppose him. Since she had so much time on her hands, he would give her something to do!

"Then thank you for your efforts, Mother."

The four consorts each had their own thoughts.

Consort Shun looked as though she wanted to speak but held back, clearly tempted.

But this was not the time to ask, so she could only restrain herself.

Qi Yuanzuo was reluctant to let go.

What business in this world required no capital?

Affection.

If he raised the Third Prince, could he turn him into one of his own?

If investing affection could earn him an ally, that would undoubtedly be the most valuable exchange.

88 spoke up to warn him. "Host! That's a dangerous thought! These people will never warm to you, no matter how you raise them! You must never, ever invest your feelings in anyone!"

"In my experience, it always ends terribly!"

Qi Yuanzuo did not answer it. He handed the Third Prince to the nanny beside the Empress Dowager.

He was only three. His imperial father could not possibly agree to let him raise the Third Prince.

If he deliberately pushed for it, he would look suspicious.

Having obtained what she wanted, the Empress Dowager left in satisfaction.

The other four consorts also departed one after another.

Before leaving with the Crown Prince in his arms, the Qi Emperor said, "Send the servants around the criminal Zhou to the Cold Palace to keep her company."

Fat Eunuch immediately went to carry out the order.

Qi Yuanzuo did not stop him. Being alive was better than being dead.

The farce ended, and the Colorful Fragrance Courtyard emptied in an instant. Qi Yuanzuo felt rather weary.

He kept feeling that something about it was strange.

Zhaoyi Wei had given Zhaoyi Xiao the Fragrance Recipe, and Zhaoyi Xiao had passed it on to Lady Zhou.

Neither of those two had used it. Only Lady Zhou had.

But there was nothing wrong with the fragrance.

Qi Yuanzuo returned to the Hall of Inherited Blessing and sent Simiao out to investigate what had happened.

Piecing together the information Simiao gathered, Qi Yuanzuo filled in the broad outline.

Eager to regain favor, Lady Zhou had used the Fragrance Balm Recipe to restore her figure, and she had used too much.

The Third Prince had fallen ill, and the overpowering fragrance had made him cough and retch.

Lady Zhou had then thought of using the Third Prince to win favor. Who would have expected His Majesty to ignore her completely and even demote her?

While Lady Zhou was still seething, he had arrived.

Thinking of the Qi Emperor's love for the Crown Prince, she had grown jealous and conceived the vicious idea of using her own son to frame him.

Perhaps she did love San'er, but anger and jealousy had clouded her mind. In that instant, she had made a devil's choice, and everything had spiraled out of control.

So there was nothing wrong with the strong fragrance?

"Where's Tabbyback?"

Simiao smiled. "Shall I go find him for Your Highness?"

Qi Yuanzuo said, "Yes."

Tabbyback had rendered a service by protecting him today, and Qi Yuanzuo wanted to reward him with a large steamed bun.

In a little sun-facing corner of the Hall of Inherited Blessing, Jiang Liang and a young eunuch were huffing and puffing as they loosened the soil and composted fertilizer.

Qi Yuanzuo asked curiously, "Do you know how to farm?"

Jiang Liang replied aloud, "Yes, Your Highness. My family farms."

Inwardly, she grumbled, If I didn't know how to farm, I wouldn't have survived in that family until now.

"It's autumn now. Can it sprout in winter?"

Jiang Liang's mind froze, and a flood of crying reaction images filled her head. Fuck! I forgot about the season!

Question: Could seeds produced by the system sprout in winter and bear fruit in spring?

Answer: No.

Jiang Liang's knees buckled, and she prostrated herself.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince! Please give me another chance!"

Qi Yuanzuo burst out laughing.

His eyes curved into crescents, and he laughed until tears came.

With his hands behind his back, he played along with her.

"All right. I'll give you another chance."

"If you give me something else fun, I won't hold this against you. How does that sound?"

Jiang Liang racked her brains. Something else fun?

She had already redeemed all the prizes she had drawn!

Skin Like Jade had given her the creamy-yellow complexion she now possessed.

Wait by the Stump for a Rabbit had actually let her catch a rabbit.

Then there were Pumpkin Seeds and strawberries.

Fifty affection points bought one prize draw, and now she had only forty left.

"I have something! Does Your Highness know how to play board games?"

Qi Yuanzuo said, "I don't."

He was only three. He did not know how to play any of them!

Jiang Liang perked up. "I know a game called Five-in-a-Row. I can teach Your Highness and provide you with some amusement."

Qi Yuanzuo readily agreed.

"But I still want the strawberries. If we can't plant them this year, we'll plant them next year."

Jiang Liang answered miserably, "Yes."

Then she crouched down and dug at the soil like a dog, struggling to scrape out the seeds she had buried.

The sight made Qi Yuanzuo want to laugh, and he did.

Simiao and Fat Eunuch exchanged a glance, both seeing relief in the other's eyes.

Their little prince was far too considerate. Whenever he grew bored, he played Dragon Bead Rolling Pearl in the hall, laughing to himself when he enjoyed it.

With Tabbyback around these past few days, the cat would tease His Highness with his tail, and His Highness would eagerly wait for him to do it. He enjoyed that too.

But watching it only made their hearts ache more.

They had wanted to put up a swing for His Highness, but His Majesty had said it was dangerous.

His Highness wanted to climb somewhere high, but because of His Majesty's orders, no one dared let him.

Every day, His Highness could only wander around the Hall of Inherited Blessing and the Imperial Garden.

If someone could make their little prince happy, they were willing to treat that person with respect too.

Qi Yuanzuo ran over. "I'll help you look."

Fat Eunuch said, "Your Highness, this is improper. The soil is so dirty."

Qi Yuanzuo ignored him. After a moment's hesitation, Simiao shook her head at Fat Eunuch.

Jiang Liang cautiously observed their interactions and thought, No way, no way!

Does this little Crown Prince really have it that rough?

As he dug, he spoke with 88 in his mind.

"You said before that I shouldn't invest my feelings in anyone, or it would end terribly. Have you experienced that?"

88 sounded dejected. "I have three sons."

Qi Yuanzuo said, "I know. You told me."

"My eldest is too attached to people. He's still following the Female Emperor around on military campaigns, getting scolded every day and living on bran and scraps!"

88 burst into loud sobs. "That's my eldest son, as wonderful as an Immortal! And he's actually eating bran and scraps with that female thug! Fuck her ancestors for eight generations!"

Qi Yuanzuo sighed sympathetically. "Awful! Truly awful!"

Seeing that someone agreed, 88 poured out everything it had bottled up. "And my second son! He was too attached as well! After the Female Emperor finished using him, she had him beheaded in the street! Boohoo!"

Qi Yuanzuo exclaimed, "No way! He's gone?"

88 said, "Of course not. He just transmigrated back from ancient times."

"What about your third son?"

88 cried even harder.

"He's gone!"

Qi Yuanzuo asked, "This one died?"

88 only kept repeating that he was gone, refusing to say anything else.

It was the very picture of a grieving parent who had lost a son in middle age.

"Don't cry. They surely wouldn't blame you."

Qi Yuanzuo did not mean what he said.

Honestly, if he had been a woman and had been brought to ancient times as a man, then fallen for women as the system had described-good heavens, what sort of psychological torment of a romance was that?!

Qi Yuanzuo was beginning to question his own sex.

"88, let me ask you something. Am I male or female?"

88 wiped away its tears. "Male."

"I must have been bewitched when I bound you. I picked the wrong person. You're the disgrace of my entire system existence!"

Qi Yuanzuo refused to accept that.

A trafficker abducted someone and then called the victim the disgrace of its life. Just listen to that!

To be honest, he still could not work out the system's purpose. He felt that it was a good one.

But he had no memories of living in the modern world.

He knew what kind of world he came from, but he could not recall his life there.

It felt awkward, as though a set of memories had been forcibly poured into him, so unfamiliar that he did not know how to use them.

That was why he had always remained wary of the system and kept testing it.

Sometimes Qi Yuanzuo felt tired, but once the weariness passed, he went on as usual. He was still a baby, after all~

After digging out the Pumpkin Seeds, the two washed their hands and sat down to play Five-in-a-Row.

Jiang Liang played with great enthusiasm. At first, she won five rounds in a row, leaving the little Crown Prince puffing out his bun-like cheeks and losing a handful of gold melon seeds.

Then Jiang Liang lost ten rounds in a row, losing so badly that she was about to lose her pants!

Inwardly, Jiang Liang bit her handkerchief and cried that the little Crown Prince's development was freakishly advanced!

But the little Crown Prince looked so happy. Why hadn't she earned a single affection point from him?