As soon as Yong Cheng’an was in the Empress’s arms, he snuggled himself tightly against her.
His entire little body turned away from Emperor Yong.
Emperor Yong, feeling playful, reached out and tickled Yong Cheng’an’s foot.
Yong Cheng’an couldn’t help but burst into laughter, desperately trying to pull his foot back.
But how could he be faster than Emperor Yong? Not only did he fail to retract it, but his entire foot ended up captured in Emperor Yong’s hand.
Yong Cheng’an’s clear, almost milky laughter echoed through the hall.
The Empress watched the father and son play with a smile, not interfering.
In Qiankun Gong, His Majesty, her, and An’er were just like any ordinary family.
Here, Emperor Yong was merely a husband and a father.
This was good, better than anything.
“Still saying bad things about your father?”
Emperor Yong deliberately put on a stern face.
Yong Cheng’an laughed until tears streamed down his face. As soon as Emperor Yong let go, he wriggled like a caterpillar into Emperor Yong’s embrace.
He lifted his face, trying to show Emperor Yong his sincerity: “Father good!”
“You know what’s good for you,” Emperor Yong snorted lightly, pinching Yong Cheng’an’s cheek.
This time, Yong Cheng’an let him do as he pleased.
He tilted his head up, looking obedient and innocent.
The earlier play had left Yong Cheng’an’s cheeks flushed pink.
The corners of his eyes were tinged with a faint crimson from the tears.
Coincidentally, the clothes he wore today were also pink, making him look like a peach blossom come to life.
His chubby cheeks, long eyelashes, and ever-smiling lips
made Emperor Yong adore him beyond words.
Holding Yong Cheng’an, he sighed contentedly.
How wonderful heaven was, giving him such a fine Crown Prince.
After being held quietly by Emperor Yong for a while, Yong Cheng’an couldn’t help but close his eyes.
Soon, Emperor Yong felt the soft breaths against his chest.
An’er had fallen asleep.
…
Yong Cheng’an did not attend the palace banquet on New Year’s Eve. He was teething and had a slight fever, so the Empress kept him in Qiankun Gong.
Bai Quan was also summoned to the palace.
First, to keep an eye on Yong Cheng’an’s condition at all times, and second, to keep him company and play with him.
Yong Cheng’an lay listlessly on the bed, his short limbs spread out, forming a small, chubby “big” shape.
“Your Highness, let me tell you a story.”
Bai Quan’s heart ached at the sight of Yong Cheng’an’s dispirited state.
After some thought, he decided to distract Yong Cheng’an with a story, hoping it would ease his discomfort.
Clearing his throat, Bai Quan began.
“Once upon a time, there was a physician who had a favorite character from a storybook—a little prince.”
“One day, he found himself in the world of that storybook and met his favorite little prince. He could watch him grow up and help him when he was sick, but the little prince never knew who he was.”
“But that didn’t matter. As long as he could protect the little prince and ensure he grew up safely, the physician was content. And there were many others like the physician who also loved the little prince.”
“They all hoped the little prince could grow up happily.”
Yong Cheng’an gave him a thoughtful look. Was this about him?
But he remembered that in the original book, the false Crown Prince was barely mentioned, as the story revolved around the true Crown Prince.
The false Crown Prince was only briefly referenced.
A bold idea sprouted in Yong Cheng’an’s mind.
If this world could be a book, then perhaps the world he lived in was also a book?
In the book he read, the protagonist was the true Crown Prince, while in the book Bai Quan read, the protagonist might be the false Crown Prince.
“007, is Bai Quan from the same world as me?”
Yong Cheng’an poked 007 in his consciousness.
The 007 light flickered, “No comment. The host must explore on their own.”
Yong Cheng’an had been looking forward to it for a long time, but it was all in vain.
He was speechless, “007, you really aren’t much use.”
He hadn’t even used the fortune-telling function yet.
Mainly because at this stage, he had nothing that required predicting good or bad luck, and the system said that to activate the fortune-telling function, three people needed to have a favorability rating of ninety toward him.
Bai Quan was one, the Empress’s favorability had also risen to ninety, and Emperor Yong’s favorability had reached eighty.
He was still ten points short.
Yong Cheng’an wasn’t in a hurry anyway. After all, he was still young and didn’t need this function yet.
Once Emperor Yong’s favorability reached ninety, the function would naturally activate.
After Bai Quan finished telling his story and Yong Cheng’an pondered for a while, the palace banquet ended.
The Empress and Emperor Yong entered hand in hand.
Bai Quan quickly bowed, “Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty and Her Majesty the Empress.”
“Minister, rise. You’ve worked hard.” Emperor Yong said kindly, personally helping Bai Quan up.
Bai Quan was overwhelmed by the favor and hurriedly said, “Your servant is not tired. It is an honor to care for His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Emperor Yong nodded in satisfaction. Aside from his tendency to flatter the Crown Prince, Minister Bai had no flaws.
Since he entered the palace, the Crown Prince’s health had improved significantly.
Given time, he would surely be no different from ordinary people.
“Minister Bai, return home and rest. The rewards have already been sent to your residence.”
Emperor Yong waved his hand, ending the pleasantries.
“Your servant thanks Your Majesty.”
Bai Quan left contentedly. In a way, he had spent the first New Year after the Crown Prince’s birth with him.
To him, this was the best reward.
Emperor Yong and the Empress were staying up to welcome the New Year and had no intention of sleeping.
Both sat by the bed, played with Yong Cheng’an for a while, and then let him sleep.
Emperor Yong looked at the rosy-cheeked and healthy child and thought, Minister Bai is truly skilled at treating children.
“Your Majesty, Imperial Physician Bai previously said that when spring comes, we should take An’er out for walks to help him adapt to the outside environment. It would be good for his health.”
The Empress was somewhat worried. Yong Cheng’an hadn’t left the palace gates since he caught a cold last time.
The heated floors in Qiankun Gong had been kept warm all along.
Yong Cheng’an hadn’t fallen seriously ill again.
Emperor Yong also agreed with Bai Quan’s method. He patted the Empress’s hand reassuringly.
“An’er’s constitution is weaker than others. He should indeed go out for walks. We can’t keep him locked inside the palace forever.”
“When I was young, I ran around the palace all the time, which is why my health is so good.”
The Empress also looked at Yong Cheng’an and, seemingly reminded of something, began to shed tears.
“Wan’er?”
Emperor Yong was somewhat flustered. He wiped her tears and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
“Your Majesty, do you think it’s because I ate or did something during my pregnancy that made An’er’s constitution weaker than other children?”
As she spoke, the Empress looked up at Emperor Yong, her eyes filled with guilt.
She had been wondering whether she had truly done something she shouldn’t have during her pregnancy, which made An’er’s constitution a bit weaker than others.
Not to mention other children, just take the Second Prince. He was born a day later than An’er, but he grew stronger and had never fallen ill.
According to the Empress’s knowledge, the Second Prince had been delivered prematurely through medication administered by Consort Jing. Even so, the Second Prince’s health showed no issues.
Yet her own An’er was so frail.
Emperor Yong fell silent for a moment. When An’er’s weakness first became apparent, he had investigated whether anyone had harmed the Empress during her pregnancy.
But nothing was uncovered.
An’er’s constitution was simply frail from birth.