Your Highness, Kick Me!

Fat Eunuch fawned at his side. "Your Highness, turtles symbolize longevity. This turtle likes Your Highness, so your blessings must surely soar to the heavens. They must have drawn it here!"

Jiang Liang could only marvel.

Qi Yuanzuo propped his chin on his hand, glanced into the distance, and swung his fishhook to take the turtle for a walk. "But I don't want it."

Someone else appeared behind him: Bolao.

Fat Eunuch huffed. "You brat, how long does it take to change your clothes? His Highness has been getting impatient!"

Bolao meekly begged forgiveness. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I had an upset stomach."

Qi Yuanzuo lowered his eyes to the pond. The turtle had bitten the hook when he wasn't looking and refused to let go, come hell or high water.

Qi Yuanzuo fished it out. The turtle clung to the straight hook with its jaws.

He detached the hook, still intent on throwing it back into the pond.

Bolao said, "Your Highness, this turtle is so persistent. Why not keep it for amusement?"

Qi Yuanzuo said, "I don't want it. No matter how much effort it puts in, I still won't want it."

Jiang Liang pricked up her ears. Somehow, she felt those two weren't talking about the turtle.

The little Crown Prince put his hands behind his back, and Bolao naturally crouched to pick him up.

Qi Yuanzuo's gaze swept over his hands, and he turned aside to avoid him.

He wanted to walk back himself.

Jiang Liang thought the atmosphere between them was odd, but didn't dwell on it.

The little Crown Prince's stroll back served to help him digest his meal.

As soon as they entered the Hall of Inherited Blessing, Qi Yuanzuo rounded on Bolao.

"Kneel!"

Bolao dropped to his knees without a word.

Jiang Liang jumped.

Everything had been fine just now. How had his mood changed so abruptly?

She shrank off to the side, not daring to make a sound. For some reason, she wasn't afraid, only curious.

A crisp slap left five red finger marks on Bolao's face.

If anyone held the record for getting slapped, it was Bolao.

Bolao tilted his face up. Even after being struck, he offered no defense, only looked aggrieved and hurt, making the little Crown Prince seem unreasonable.

Even Jiang Liang felt sorry for him.

The little Crown Prince said calmly, "Stay on your knees. You may get up when you understand what you did wrong."

Utterly bewildered, Jiang Liang mentally reached a dramatic, pleading hand toward the little Crown Prince's retreating back and cried out.

What did Bolao do wrong? Finish explaining, please! I'll be sure to watch out for it next time!

Just then, Tabbyback bounded through the doorway and rubbed against the little Crown Prince's feet, meowing affectionately.

Qi Yuanzuo exclaimed in delight, "Tabbyback!"

"Simiao, steam some buns for the cat!"

Simiao immediately assented.

Tabbyback liked patrolling territory. You couldn't find the cat when you went looking, but come mealtime, the cat would come looking for you.

Tabbyback had protected him yesterday, and Qi Yuanzuo had wanted to reward the cat with steamed buns, but hadn't been able to find Tabbyback. Today, the cat had come of its own accord.

Tabbyback understood people and followed Simiao away, meowing.

The little Crown Prince had a table and chair set up by the doorway. Fat Eunuch brought over a bowl of medicine.

"Your Highness, it's just the right temperature."

Qi Yuanzuo picked up the medicine bowl and cradled it in his hands, gazing into the distance. He seemed to be watching Bolao kneeling in the courtyard, yet his gaze also seemed to drift into empty space, unfocused.

Jiang Liang smelled the medicine in the air and held a plate of osmanthus candy, ready to offer it once the little Crown Prince finished his medicine.

Perhaps the little Crown Prince had steeled himself, for he gulped it all down in one go.

Jiang Liang hurriedly thrust the plate in front of his face. Fat Eunuch was about to say something when he saw the little Crown Prince pick up a piece of candy and eat it.

He ate it?!

Fat Eunuch was astonished.

Jiang Liang busied herself pouring water for the little Crown Prince.

What a good child! The bitter medicine made her want to vomit just from its smell, yet the little Crown Prince had downed it without crying or fussing! An angel baby!

Qi Yuanzuo took the water Jiang Liang offered, the candy still in his mouth. He hadn't missed that fleeting flash of malice Bolao directed at Jiang Liang.

Fuck! This little bastard still needs taming!

He's still treating me as his possession, guarding his food!

Bolao knelt from daytime until nightfall, until his knees had almost no feeling left.

Qi Yuanzuo watched him from daytime until nightfall, too.

For every moment Bolao knelt, he watched, seemingly waiting for him to admit his fault.

Fat Eunuch and Simiao took turns signaling to Bolao with their eyes, even trying to persuade him aloud.

Bolao refused to open his mouth, like a dead dog.

When night fell, Qi Yuanzuo moved into the main hall.

Tabbyback curled up in the little Crown Prince's lap, raising a tail to brush his hand and chin, urging the overly quiet cub to play.

Qi Yuanzuo wound a finger around the cat's tail and ordered,

"Bring Bolao in."

Two young eunuchs dragged Bolao, whose legs had gone numb from kneeling, inside and set him on the floor.

"Everyone, leave."

Fat Eunuch and Simiao withdrew, and Jiang Liang followed them out. Once the door closed, only Qi Yuanzuo and Bolao remained in the hall.

And a cat.

Bolao lay on the floor, his heart beating faster in his chest.

Qi Yuanzuo said, "You dare do it, but don't dare admit it?"

Bolao lowered his head. For some reason, he didn't dare answer.

"What do you take me for?"

"A fool you can deceive as you please? A shield to shelter behind for the time being? Or an enemy you're determined to take revenge on?"

The little Crown Prince's voice was exceedingly calm, so calm it set one's heart trembling. Bolao hurriedly spoke. "This servant has never harbored any disloyalty!"

"You went to the Cold Palace today, argued with someone, and even came to blows."

"You wanted to kill Lady Zhou."

Bolao's breathing grew heavy. "She wanted to harm Your Highness. She deserved it!"

"Why aren't you hiding it anymore?"

"I thought you'd demand that I produce evidence."

"I'd already prepared to list it all out for you, one, two, three. I'd worked out how to discuss the scratches on your hands, the fragrance on your clothes, and the bloodstains on your shoes."

"And if that still wasn't enough, I could go to the Cold Palace and interrogate a few people. Then you wouldn't need to stay alive anymore. I'd toss you into the imperial prison, and I wouldn't give a damn where you died!"

The little Crown Prince suddenly flew into a rage, lifting his foot to kick Bolao in the shoulder.

Bolao gazed up, enthralled by the little Crown Prince's cold face, his heart clamoring-again!

Harder to endure than the pain of the kick was the thrill of having His Highness's attention, of seeing His Highness bare his emotions.

No one else has ever seen this! Only me!

His Highness cares about me!