Yong Cheng’an was not an unreasonable child. Knowing the Empress was busy, he did not fuss about seeing her.
Every day, he obediently let Qiushuang and Bai Quan entertain him with childish little games.
Bai Quan had been caught by Yong Cheng’an during one of his medical visits.
Yong Cheng’an simply couldn’t stand Qiushuang treating him like an idiot every day—even playing with a rattle drum would get boring after a while.
Bai Quan was also a transmigrator, so he should have some fresh ideas.
Based on this, Yong Cheng’an grabbed Bai Quan’s sleeve after one of his pulse readings and refused to let go.
Despite his small size, Yong Cheng’an had a surprisingly strong grip.
His hand strength was formidable, and Bai Quan didn’t dare force his fingers open.
Seeing how much the Crown Prince liked Imperial Physician Bai, Qiushuang sought permission from the Empress before allowing Bai Quan to stay and play with Yong Cheng’an for a while after each daily pulse reading.
Sure enough, Bai Quan had plenty of novel toys. He brought Yong Cheng’an a colorful wooden puzzle he had made himself.
While playing with the puzzle today, Yong Cheng’an couldn’t help but try to put the pieces in his mouth.
His mouth felt itchy, and he couldn’t resist the urge to chew on the puzzle pieces.
When Yong Cheng’an tried once again to stuff a puzzle piece into his mouth, Bai Quan helplessly stopped him.
Qiushuang attempted to reason with him: “Your Highness, this isn’t food. You can’t eat it.”
She also found it strange—the Crown Prince seemed unusually restless these past few days, but when she brought him food or drink, he showed no interest.
“Imperial Physician Bai, is His Highness ill?” she asked worriedly.
Bai Quan guessed, “His Highness is probably teething.”
As he spoke, he lifted Yong Cheng’an’s chin and gestured for him to open his mouth, saying, “Ah.”
Yong Cheng’an obediently complied and opened his mouth.
Oh right, why hadn’t he thought of teething?
It seemed that nearly eight months of eating and sleeping had dulled his wit!
Yong Cheng’an reflected bitterly.
The next second, he was tempted again to put his hand in his mouth to see how it tasted.
Bai Quan naturally pressed down Yong Cheng’an’s hand and said, “Miss Qiushuang, please prepare some teething snacks for His Highness.”
“Alright,” Qiushuang noted this down.
In the evening, Emperor Yong and the Empress brought Yong Cheng’an to the main hall’s bed again.
The two eagerly pried open Yong Cheng’an’s mouth to examine it.
Yong Cheng’an: “…”
“Where are the teeth?”
The Empress looked left and right but couldn’t see any teeth.
Emperor Yong had sharper eyes and pointed to the lower right gum of Yong Cheng’an. “Look, there’s a small white spot there. That’s a tooth.”
Both were raising a child for the first time, and any change in Yong Cheng’an filled them with curiosity.
Yong Cheng’an moved his hands and feet. He understood their curiosity, but they couldn’t keep prying his mouth open like this—he was about to drool.
As soon as Yong Cheng’an protested, drool uncontrollably flowed from his mouth, landing right on Emperor Yong’s hand, which was holding him open.
“Ew!” Emperor Yong disgustedly wiped Yong Cheng’an’s drool back onto the child himself.
“Your Majesty!”
The Empress chided him lightly and took out a handkerchief to wipe Emperor Yong’s hand.
Yong Cheng’an: “…”
This time, he was genuinely angry.
“Ah! Ah!” Yong Cheng’an cried out angrily twice.
The Empress took the small clothes brought by Qiushuang.
While changing Yong Cheng’an’s clothes, she soothed him, “I know An’er likes cleanliness. Mother will change your clothes right away.”
Knowing he was about to be changed into fresh clothes, Yong Cheng’an obediently cooperated, rolling over when told to roll over and lifting his legs when instructed.
Even with the Empress’s clumsiness, she managed to smoothly dress him in the new outfit.
Once changed, Yong Cheng’an used all his strength to sit up.
He glared angrily at Emperor Yong, babbling at him with a series of “ah-ah-ah” sounds.
Emperor Yong knew his Crown Prince was clever, but he hadn’t realized just how clever he was.
This seemed like an accusation directed at him.
Emperor Yong found it amusing—what could a little baby possibly be angry about?
He looked even cuter this way.
Unable to resist, Emperor Yong extended a finger and pressed it against Yong Cheng’an’s belly, gently pushing him over with a slight force.
Yong Cheng’an looked up at Emperor Yong in disbelief.
“Hahahahaha!”
Emperor Yong burst into hearty laughter.
“An’er looks just like a little frog like this.”
The Empress also couldn’t hold back her laughter, but she noticed the aggrieved look Yong Cheng’an shot her way.
She managed to restrain herself and said sternly, “Your Majesty, don’t bully An’er anymore.”
“An’er is about to cry.”
That was an exaggeration—Yong Cheng’an would never admit to being so easily brought to tears by Emperor Yong’s words.
He was simply red-eyed with anger.
The little baby struggled to hold back his tears, gazing pitifully at the Empress.
“…Bad!”
After a long struggle, he finally managed to utter this single word.
The Empress and Emperor Yong were both startled, exchanging glances as they doubted their own hearing.
“Did An’er just speak?”
“It seems so.”
Emperor Yong quickly scooped Yong Cheng’an up and cradled him between his legs.
“An’er, say another word for your father to hear?”
Yong Cheng’an immediately puffed up with pride. He had practiced for so long, originally planning to call out to him first, but since his father had bullied him, he refused to do so now.
“Hmph!”
After uttering that first word, Yong Cheng’an’s throat seemed to unlock, allowing him to form clearer speech.
He turned his head away from Emperor Yong, reaching out and wriggling his body, wanting the Empress to hold him.
The Empress reached out to take him, but Emperor Yong dodged her.
With his hair loosely hanging, some of the dark strands falling in front of him, Emperor Yong’s handsome face loomed large before Yong Cheng’an.
“Father was wrong, he shouldn’t have bullied An’er. Will An’er forgive Father?”
Yong Cheng’an was a sucker for good looks. Seeing this enlarged handsome face, he drooled a little.
Could he grow up to be this handsome too?
“Fa-fa, bad!”
This time, his words were even clearer.
Emperor Yong happily lifted him by the armpits and swung him around, not even minding that Yong Cheng’an had called him bad.
“Hahaha, An’er truly is exceptionally gifted!”
Yong Cheng’an kicked his little legs, inwardly scoffing at Emperor Yong’s smug expression.
He then turned to the Empress and called out, “Ma-ma, good!”
This was much louder than his previous words.
Only then did Emperor Yong finally react. He gently patted Yong Cheng’an’s bottom.
“You little rascal, always trying to please your mother!”
Yong Cheng’an struggled, his little face flushing red as he stretched his arms toward the Empress.
The Empress took the opportunity to scoop him up. “Your Majesty, why bother arguing with a child who understands nothing? An’er was probably just speaking thoughtlessly—it shouldn’t be taken seriously.”
Emperor Yong was left speechless. He felt that An’er understood everything.
Those words were definitely An’er’s true feelings!
Emperor Yong was not surprised by Yong Cheng’an’s intelligence. In his heart, he naturally believed that as the true Son of Heaven, Yong Cheng’an, being a young dragon, was inherently different from ordinary children.
According to elderly ministers at court, he was exceptionally intelligent even as a child, which is why the late emperor immediately chose him to be the Crown Prince.
It seems An’er has inherited his intelligence and talent.