The Third Prince

Just as father and son were enjoying their happy family time, someone hurried into the Hall of Inherited Blessing.

"Your Majesty! Lady Zhou has suffered a disturbance in her pregnancy. She's going into premature labor!"

The Qi Emperor merely said, "Understood."

He showed no intention of going to visit her.

When one of the lower-ranking women gave birth, a high-ranking consort would oversee things. What would he go for?

Having warmed his hands, the Qi Emperor was rubbing his son's belly, under the fine-sounding pretext of helping his digestion.

In truth, he simply wanted to play.

Qi Yuanzuo lay there like a salted fish. With his imperial father reciting the Thousand Character Classic beside his ear, coupled with the Qi Emperor's increasingly practiced child-petting technique, the soporific effect was superb!

Children this age could concentrate well and easily remember things they wanted to learn. Among imperial offspring, it was common to have memorized a book before they could even recognize its characters.

Of course, that depended on the child. Some children simply weren't cut out for studying; even if you tugged their ears open, you couldn't pour knowledge into them.

Qi Yuanzuo struggled to rouse himself from his cozy nest.

"Father, I want to see my little brother."

The Qi Emperor said, "No."

An ordinary person would have found that chest wound unbearable, yet his son had never once complained of pain. He ate and slept well, and even took his medicine without coaxing, making the Qi Emperor cherish him all the more.

Other sons were weeds; only the one he raised himself was a treasure. The Qi Emperor wasn't biased, because he had no heart for his other sons at all.

Qi Yuanzuo pouted.

"Father, go see my little brother, then come back and tell me what he looks like."

The Qi Emperor pretended not to hear. The crown prince kicked both legs in protest, pushing outward with his little hands and refusing to let him touch his belly anymore.

He muttered, "Bad Father."

Like a lazy donkey turning a millstone, he rolled over and laboriously ground his way through half a turn, presenting his backside to the Qi Emperor. He exhausted himself in the process, tugged at his wound, and bared his teeth as he burst into loud sobs.

The Qi Emperor was both annoyed and amused.

He hurriedly summoned the imperial physician, setting off another flurry of activity.

"All right, all right! I'll do as you wish, won't that do? Stop crying, quickly. If you keep crying, you won't even be able to ride a pony in the future."

Qi Yuanzuo thought, Who comforts someone by poking straight at their sore spot?

The Eldest Prince was a reincarnator, and who knew what would happen when they met someday? What about this son of his imperial father's?

By his reckoning, this baby was the Third Prince.

If the Third Prince had also been reborn, there would be plenty of fun ahead.

His imperial father had a seasoned, discerning eye. Let him scout the way first.

The Qi Emperor timed his arrival at the Colorful Fragrance Courtyard for after the birth.

Lady Zhou had been secretly shedding tears over the emperor's absence, while also brooding over having given birth to a frail son.

The next moment, hearing the announcement that the emperor had arrived, she happily tidied her hair to receive him.

The Qi Emperor spoke first. "No need to get up."

"Where's San'er? I'll take a look and leave."

The servants of the Colorful Fragrance Courtyard hurriedly brought the Third Prince over.

The emperor did not take him. The premature infant in the swaddling was smaller than the crown prince had been at birth, his face wrinkled like a little old man's.

He wasn't as fair as the crown prince, and he still had vernix on his body, unlike the crown prince, who had been clean at birth.

A few sparse yellow hairs grew on his head, not as black as the crown prince's hair had been.

As though sensing something, the baby opened one eye. The other remained shut, unable to open.

Just that one glance.

The Qi Emperor was startled to the marrow.

When he tried to look more closely, he found the child perfectly ordinary and uncomprehending, with none of that sharp, prying sensation from a moment ago.

The Qi Emperor remained silent for a long time.

"His childhood name will be San'er. Once he reaches a year old, we'll give him a proper name."

If he died in the meantime, there would be no need to name him.

The sovereign's words were gold and jade; no one dared contradict them.

After the Qi Emperor left, Lady Zhou held her son and turned sour.

"The crown prince gets childhood names like Abao and Tun'er, but my son only gets San'er. How can His Majesty be so biased?"

Her maid hurriedly tried to persuade her.

"My lady, you mustn't think that way. There are only three princes in the palace at present, and only our prince and the crown prince have childhood names."

"Besides, although our prince is frail, isn't the crown prince also..."

She lowered her voice, deliberately reminding her.

Lady Zhou thought that was true. Although San'er was premature, the imperial physician had said he would be fine as long as he was raised with care.

The crown prince was different. His internal organs had been injured, and the imperial physician had pronounced that he could never practice martial arts.

In the future, her son would excel in both letters and martial arts, surpassing the crown prince. It wasn't as though he had no chance...

With that thought, even the little monkey in her arms looked much more pleasing.

"San'er~ My San'er must grow up strong."

The Third Prince wailed for milk, shamefacedly latching onto a nipple and sucking hard. The thought that someone would have to look at his backside whenever he pooped or peed made him squirm inwardly.

He had no particular feelings about his imperial father's recent visit. The old emperor hadn't been biased for merely a year or two, but for his entire life.

After his death, he had drifted around the palace for several years, watching the crown prince kill his sons and nephews in all sorts of ways.

They had fought for so many years, and in the end, the crown prince had still won.

Yet the crown prince had also suffered the most crushing defeat.

Although the brothers had died, their bodies had remained intact, and at least they had been buried in the imperial mausoleum. But the crown prince? Death by a thousand cuts!

Even his skeleton had been thrown into a mass grave.

That was His Highness the Crown Prince, who had held his position for twenty years under the combined assault of the palace consorts, five princes, and the next generation of sons and nephews!

How could he have died so...

While he was seething with rage, white light flashed, and he was reborn!

Since Heaven had granted him another chance, this time he would topple the crown prince early, prevent chaos at court, and root out that throne-usurping dog of a man and woman once and for all!

Qi Yuanzuo had been confined to recuperate without setting foot on the ground for more than half a month. A thick scab had formed over his wound, and a burn scar remained. After drinking bitter medicine for a whole month, his tongue had nearly lost its sense of taste.

The imperial physician said he could stop for a while, but would have to take more later. If they didn't replenish what his body lacked while he was young, things would be even worse when he grew up.

Naturally, Qi Yuanzuo cooperated.

The moment the physician gave him permission to walk around freely, he took to his heels and ran outside.

A yellow gemstone was set into the center of his white rabbit-fur hat. The same bright yellow worn by the emperor had been fashioned into a short jacket and flared trousers that allowed a child to move easily.

He was handsome, his little face like a tangyuan, with a pink heart showing through his cool white skin. Fair and rosy, he was utterly endearing.

As he dashed into the fading autumn scenery, he looked like an immortal child cradled by flowers.

The little crown prince called out in his milky baby voice.

"Fat Eunuch! Simiao, let's go to the Imperial Garden!"

The people the crown prince relied on most now were Fat Eunuch and Simiao.

The former had become head eunuch of the Eastern Palace in one stroke because he had a pleasing smile; the latter had become its supervising maid because she was gentle and a good cook.

As for Bolao, Qi Yuanzuo certainly hadn't forgotten him.

The crown prince never traveled without plenty of attendants, and Bolao was among them.

As one of only three servants whose names the crown prince remembered, Bolao enjoyed considerable prestige.

Qi Yuanzuo plunged into the Imperial Garden with proud, spirited strides, as though inspecting his territory.

At the sight of those great clumps of chrysanthemums, his head filled with chrysanthemum cakes.

Fat Eunuch said, "Your Highness, these are His Majesty's favorite, Golden Bell Calling Autumn. A few days ago, the grand commandant presented a Green Light Gathering Emerald. Its bloom is as ethereal as an immortal and lovely as jade."

He had barely finished when a chubby hand pinched the head off a Golden Bell Calling Autumn, abruptly cutting his introduction short.

That pure white little face uttered distinctly dark words.

"Quick, help me pick them! Make them into griddle cakes for Father!"

Fat Eunuch cautiously asked, "How many?"

The crown prince swept his hand in a circle. "A whole patch!"

Fat Eunuch's vision went black.

He exchanged a look with Simiao, both wearing bitter smiles.

Qi Yuanzuo had a little cloth bag hanging from him, perfect for holding flowers. One exquisite chrysanthemum after another was plucked and roughly stuffed inside.

The servants' hearts ached at the sight.

The little crown prince specifically chose the prettiest flowers, sweeping through the chrysanthemums seven times in and seven times out.

The flowers, which had once joined into a golden sea, now looked as though a dog had gnawed through them.

It was as if a swarm of rats had invaded, leaving petals strewn all over the ground.

Qi Yuanzuo also set his sights on Green Light Gathering Emerald. The name alone sounded beautiful, so it had to be even tastier. Heh heh~

The orange persimmons on the branches had not yet weathered a frost and were still unripe.

Once he had finished looking at the flowers and plants, that was about all there was to them.

Tired of walking, he stretched out his hands to be carried.

Fat Eunuch and Simiao were both more than willing to carry him.

The little crown prince smelled of milk and was such a lovely, darling child. Who wouldn't want to hold him?

But he wanted Bolao to carry him.

Bolao stared at the little fellow on the ground, who took it all for granted, then obeyed and picked him up.

"Am I heavy?"

Bolao smiled bashfully. "It is this servant's honor to carry Your Highness."

Heavy as death, you little fatty. Eating so much every day.

Qi Yuanzuo tugged his hair. "Even if I'm heavy, you have to carry me. If you drop me, I'll have your head chopped off."

Bolao thought, But I didn't say any of that aloud.

"Come on, let's go see my third little brother."

"My third little brother must miss me."

Bolao thought, If your third brother knew, he might well want to kill you.

His hand involuntarily reached up to touch the little crown prince's face.

Qi Yuanzuo called to the system inwardly. 88, come out and see what dog training looks like.

Smack! A crisp slap rang out.

Fat Eunuch and Simiao both froze.

A small red paw print had appeared on Bolao's face.

"You dog of a servant. Watch where you're going, and don't touch me."

Bolao appeared utterly obedient while secretly grinding his back teeth. Why did it feel as though the little crown prince treated him differently?

Having taken that slap, Bolao hurriedly answered yes, his sinister eyes concealed beneath meekly lowered lids.

He offered a flattering suggestion. "Your Highness, since you are visiting the Third Prince, perhaps you could give him the chrysanthemums you picked yourself as a first-meeting gift. It would further demonstrate your magnanimity."

In Great Qi, chrysanthemums symbolized purity and nobility, but some also regarded them as flowers of withering sorrow.

What sort of temperament did Lady Zhou have?

The three-year-old crown prince didn't know. Neither did Fat Eunuch or Simiao. Bolao, however, knew perfectly well.

Seeing chrysanthemums would only make Lady Zhou gnash her teeth in fury and secretly curse the crown prince for being so devious at such a young age.

Smack!

Another slap, this time delivered with the back of his hand.

"My reward to you."

His childish voice carried an extraordinary coldness and reason.

Bolao's expression froze for a moment. "Thank you for your reward, Your Highness."

Neither Fat Eunuch nor Simiao dared speak.

The crown prince was small, yet at times he possessed an air as deep as an abyss, leaving no one daring to interject.

Bolao was secretly alarmed. His suggestion had been subtle enough that even an adult might have accepted it, yet without anyone prompting him, the little crown prince had rejected it with a slap.

Had that slap been simply because the boy disliked him, or had he seen through his hidden intentions and issued a warning?

Bolao found it difficult to dismiss the latter possibility.

But the little crown prince was only three!