?
The person who had arrived was not the Imperial Censor-in-Chief, but his legendary nominal father?
Liu Yue was also stunned.
His mother had told him that his Father Emperor was back, but he hadn't seemed to take it to heart.
This wasn't right. His nominal father actually had a face full of righteousness. Wasn't this a total deception?
He took a few steps back, lifting his chubby chin. His exquisite features were revealed without any concealment right under Liu Bang's eyes. Even the well-traveled Emperor couldn't help but marvel in his heart: What a beautiful child!
Only two years old, yet he was already so articulate.
Lamentations aside, Liu Bang immediately pulled a long face and asked, "What do you have to say to your Father Emperor?"
Liu Bang had never dreamed that he would be mistaken for the Imperial Censor-in-Chief, Zhou Chang, by his own biological son. He almost keeled over from anger, but the rage came as quickly as it went. He figured he couldn't blame Liu Yue; the boy hadn't seen him since he first opened his eyes.
As for why he had come to Jiaofang Palace, it really did have something to do with Zhou Chang.
As soon as he entered Chang'an this morning, the Imperial Censor-in-Chief had come for an audience. The sovereign and subject spoke for a long time. Before leaving, Zhou Chang offered a tactful piece of advice: Prince Yue's Bow-Holding Ceremony had not yet been held. The young Highness was the Empress’s biological son and the Crown Prince’s younger brother. Even if His Majesty did not favor him, he could not be neglected to such an extent!
Only then did Liu Bang have a sudden realization. He slapped his forehead; it seemed there was indeed such a ceremony.
He had been so busy supervising the war at the front that he had forgotten.
The look Zhou Chang gave him at that moment actually managed to make Liu Bang's thick skin flush red. The Imperial Censor-in-Chief, helpless and fearing the Emperor wouldn't even recognize his own son, could only say: "I… although I have never seen His Highness, everyone says he is the most beautiful child in the palace. Your Majesty will k-know it once you see him."
Upon first hearing this, Liu Bang didn't quite believe it, thinking Zhou Chang was exaggerating.
Babies were all cute in their swaddling clothes, but it wasn't necessarily true once they grew up. Now, he finally knew that Zhou Chang hadn't been exaggerating at all—it was completely realistic. Look at him: the chubby toddler in front of him had red lips and white teeth, and his eyes were actually a dark grey, staring at him without even blinking.
Everyone has a love for beauty, and that was no lie. Liu Bang grew interested and wanted to tease Liu Yue, so he feigned anger and asked his youngest son what he had to say to him.
Liu Yue: "…"
What words?
He thought for a long time and said honestly, "None."
Then he added a greeting: "Peace to Father Emperor."
Then, he walked away on his little fat legs.
He just left…
Liu Bang watched as Liu Yue turned around, leaving him with nothing but a rounded view of his back.
Liu Bang: ?
Liu Yue thought his nominal father had come to chat with his mother, but it turned out not to be the case.
The nominal father's appearance was unexpected, and his behavior was also unexpected. Liu Yue thought about it with his little brain and finally reached a conclusion: Liu Bang must just be bored.
Well, the entire Chang Le Palace belonged to him; he could go wherever he wanted. He could even jump into the Ye Pond for a swim. Standing in Jiaofang Palace for a while was nothing to get worked up about!
The chubby toddler had finished his stroll and found that the Marquis of Piyang had already withdrawn. Empress Lu was behind her desk reading bamboo slips.
He poked his head out, his long eyelashes blinking. Then he inhaled and exhaled until his belly finally looked a little less round. After his preparations were complete, Liu Yue conquered the doorsill, his milky voice full of urgency: "You must rest after reading for a while. Mother promised me."
Empress Lu looked up, the corners of her upturned eyes softening into a gentle expression.
"I will rest now." She put down the bamboo slips and beckoned Liu Yue over. "Where did you go to play just now?"
Since his mother was the pillar of support for his quest to "not work hard," the first and foremost rule was that he must never lie to his support. Liu Yue told her everything without reservation, finally pouncing into Empress Lu’s arms, his little face pressed flat against her robe. "I also met Nom—Father Emperor."
Empress Lu paused, her gaze instantly becoming sharp.
Her voice, however, remained gentle. "Did your Father Emperor come to Jiaofang Palace? What did he say to Yue’er?"
Liu Yue looked up. "I mistook Father Emperor for the Imperial Censor-in-Chief."
"…" Empress Lu was silent for a moment. For some reason, she felt like laughing as she held her chubby son. "Your Father Emperor and Zhou Chang look quite different. He likely came to Jiaofang Palace for Yue’er's Bow-Holding Ceremony."
"Bow-Holding Ceremony?"
"I originally intended for Shen Shiqi to go to Eternal Longevity Hall, but I didn't expect the Imperial Censor-in-Chief to mention it first. I must acknowledge this favor," Empress Lu explained carefully. "With the Bow-Holding Ceremony, the fathers of every family can introduce their newborn sons to their relatives, friends, and the world, signaling their martial ambitions."
This was the custom among the common people, and the Imperial Family had inherited it as well. After all, Liu Bang had risen from the common folk, and even after becoming Emperor, he did not forget the customs of the Feng and Pei countryside.
The Bow-Holding Ceremony could be called the most important banquet, symbolizing the formal establishment of a prince's status. As for how many guests would be invited, that depended entirely on the Emperor's will and whether the young prince was favored.
Hearing the words "martial ambitions," the chubby toddler's ears perked up, and he felt a trace of nervousness.
Fortunately, "martial ambitions" didn't mean actual martial arts training. He breathed a sigh of relief. On his path of not wanting to work hard, there should be no such obstacles.
He then fell into deep thought. So, for the past two years, he had actually been an "unregistered resident" without a palace permit?
…
Just then, the Grand Chamberlain hurried in. "Empress, the Crown Prince has come to pay his respects." She walked forward and whispered a few words into Empress Lu’s ear.
Liu Yue vaguely heard words like "His Majesty" and "servant," and noticed his mother's brow furrow slightly.
The fifteen-year-old youth had grown quite a bit. The childishness had faded from his handsome face, and his demeanor was polite, carrying the air of a gentleman in every movement. As Liu Ying stepped into the hall, he saw his younger brother nestled in their mother's arms and couldn't help but show a gentle expression.
Liu Yue turned his head to look, then toddled toward him. His elder brother the Crown Prince had been confined to his studies and hadn't come to Jiaofang Palace for several days!
Liu Ying took his younger brother’s chubby hand, then looked at Empress Lu and pursed his lips. "Mother."
Empress Lu looked at her eldest son, her heart feeling a bit heavy.
Ying’er loved to read, but he didn't love reading everything. These past few days in the Crown Prince’s Palace, he had been reading Confucian and Huang-Lao texts—mostly Confucian, with Huang-Lao second. What he disliked most were the strict laws.
It was said that the tyrannical Qin was destroyed by harsh laws and oppressive governance, but in the current Han laws, which one hadn't been inherited from the Qin?
She spoke slowly, "I heard that a servant has been acting like a tyrant in the Crown Prince's Palace."
Liu Ying hadn't expected this matter to reach his mother's ears. His grip on Liu Yue’s hand tightened. "…That servant is a court attendant bestowed upon me by Father Emperor. It is truly my fault for causing Mother worry."
Empress Lu neither agreed nor disagreed, asking only, "How do you intend to handle him?"
"I have already punished him with five days of laundry duty," Liu Ying said with a slight tremor of trepidation.
Empress Lu suddenly laughed. "If you don't kill him, are you planning to keep him for the New Year?"
As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Ying looked at her in a daze.
He didn't have time to think of anything else; Yue’er was still here. How could Mother say such things in front of Yue’er? He hurriedly covered his younger brother’s ears. "What Mother says is reasonable, but that servant was a gift from Father Emperor. I would never dare to do such a thing! Besides, he has not reached the point of being heinous…"
Empress Lu closed her eyes at Liu Bang's blatant provocation.
What His Majesty wanted to see was the Crown Prince establishing his authority. Therefore, he hadn't hesitated to keep her and Jiaofang Palace in the dark. Now, if she sent someone over to kill the man in the Crown Prince's name, it would likely be too late.
She hid her sternness and disappointment, remaining silent for a long time. "Withdraw."
Liu Yue’s little ears were covered by Liu Ying, and he looked from one to the other.
Although he no longer had his special powers in this life, he still had the sensitive five senses honed during the Apocalyptic Era. Therefore, he had heard the conversation between his brother and mother word for word.
His brother was good in every way, except he was too soft-hearted!
Seeing that Liu Ying had also fallen silent, performed a bow, and turned to leave, Liu Yue took his brother’s hand and followed him out step by step. The Grand Chamberlain was a bit anxious and looked back at the Empress, only to see her gazing at the two figures—one large, one small—with a slight glint in her eyes.
In front of the broad and majestic main hall, the chubby toddler opened his arms to the youth. "Carry."
The youth immediately stopped in his tracks.
Horsemanship and swordsmanship were basic skills that a prince of Han needed to master. Though Liu Ying looked slender, he bent down and easily gathered his brother into his arms.
The soft belly pressed against his chest, its warmth almost melting away his inner chill. His eyes grew hot, and he couldn't help but voice the thoughts in his heart: "Is your brother very useless?"
Liu Yue’s grey-black eyes were quiet and clear. He hugged Liu Ying's neck and rubbed his chubby cheek against him.
Liu Ying said softly, "Sometimes I think that if Father Emperor really does replace the Crown Prince, Ruyi would do a better job than I." As long as the Han Dynasty flourished, what did his personal honor or disgrace matter?
?
As Liu Yue was nuzzling him, he suddenly heard this dangerous statement from his brother and gave a start, kicking his fat legs.
He wanted to stop working hard, not stop living! His newly grown head fit him quite well, and he liked it very much!
He thought for a moment and commanded his brother to keep holding him. "Yue’er wants to go to the Crown Prince's Palace."
Liu Ying snapped back to reality, feeling that his words just now had been inappropriate. He quickly gathered his emotions and asked his younger brother gently, "Does Yue’er want to go to brother's palace to play?"
"No, to kill someone," Liu Yue said fiercely. "Where is the servant who is misbehaving? I want to give him a swift end."
Liu Ying was stunned.
He didn't react for a long time.
Looking at his younger brother's cold face—even his round cheeks weren't puffed out, and he looked completely unshakable—Liu Ying suddenly realized that Liu Yue was serious.
He couldn't help but become anxious, even more so than when he was speaking with his mother just now. "He’s just a servant, why should you dirty your hands? I will go and kill him right now!"
The next day, two matters of varying significance occurred in Chang Le Palace.
First, Zhang Meiren, the biological mother of the eighth prince, Liu Jian, fell ill. The Chief Imperial Physician from the Shaofu went to treat her, only to say that there was no cure. Second, the court attendant the Emperor had sent to the Crown Prince's Palace died. He died silently, without causing even the slightest ripple.
When the news reached Eternal Longevity Hall, Liu Bang gave an "oh."
He had long since forgotten who Zhang Meiren was and casually waved his hand, saying he understood. But Ying’er… actually dealt with the person?
Liu Bang smacked his lips and paced back and forth, his expression softening considerably. However, whether this was a flash of brilliance or actual progress remained to be seen.
Aside from this, there was one more thing deeply etched into his mind.
Liu Yue!
He felt a lump in his throat. When had he ever been treated like that by a son? When other princes saw him, they were either in awe or acted close to him. Yesterday, he had practically questioned his life choices. After leaving Jiaofang Palace, he had gone to Bo Ji's room.
He seemed to remember his fourth son was named Liu Heng. Since birth… no, since his Bow-Holding Ceremony, he had seen his Father Emperor at most two or three times.
The look of admiration in his fourth son's eyes couldn't be faked. Why was it completely different with that brat Liu Yue?
The attendants in Eternal Longevity Hall all held their breath, not daring to disturb His Majesty. Suddenly, Liu Bang slapped his thigh. "Tomorrow, I shall hold Prince Yue's Bow-Holding Ceremony. Go notify the Chancellor, and have the Chancellor notify all officials. Everyone who can make time must come."
He had fought Xiang Yu for so many years and won. Could he really lose to a toddler?
The Emperor's words were faithfully conveyed to the officials by the attendants. With a whoosh, they added another layer of heat to the already scorching summer.
Even the Imperial Censor-in-Chief, Zhou Chang, was shocked. Didn't His Majesty dislike his youngest son??
"Everyone who can make time must come." This phrasing was quite subtle. Who knew if His Majesty would hold a grudge against those who didn't show up? Thus, the high officials and ministers prepared gifts in a swarm, all while Liu Yue was fast asleep.
The chubby toddler didn't know; he was sleeping quite happily.
His belly rose and fell, and his little snores were almost silent. Feeling like someone was talking about him, he rolled over. In his daze, he wondered: Did I meet someone yesterday?
Oh, the Imperial Censor-in-Chief, Zhou Chang.