After speaking timidly, Liu Heng felt he was being a bit offensive and hurriedly added, "Just one touch, only once."
Then he closed his mouth, his tear-streaked face filled with hope.
Liu Yue: "…"
Why could he cry so miserably yet still be thinking about someone else's chubby cheeks? If even a stranger wanted to touch them, wouldn't he become a punching bag and swell up within a few days?
The chubby toddler said coldly, "No."
Only Mother was allowed such liberties!
To avoid disturbing their Highness’s experience of watching the sunset, the court attendants following Liu Yue were waiting at a lower area of the Daxia Palace. Liu Heng, however, had no followers, appearing to have snuck out. Hearing this, he was extremely disappointed. He stood up unsteadily, but because he had crouched for too long, his legs went numb, and he fell onto the ground with a "plop."
Liu Heng’s tears welled up again. He was a prince of the Great Han. To avoid worrying his mother, he wouldn't show any signs of distress even if he were wronged. But today he really couldn't hold it in; after his lessons, he had run here to cry in secret.
Who would have thought he’d encounter a little immortal child and lose face in front of him!
Seeing that the crybaby was about to start again, Liu Yue felt a headache coming on and walked toward him with his short, chubby legs. They say meeting is fate, and this crybaby was the first peer—albeit a much older peer—he had encountered since the Bow-Holding Ceremony. Liu Yue stopped beside Liu Heng and reached out his tender, dimpled hand: "Get up."
The immortal child reached out to him!
It was so white and soft that Liu Heng didn't dare actually grab it for support. He held his breath, pushed off the floor tiles to stand up, and then carefully touched it. The little chubby hand retracted instantly, and then he heard the little immortal child ask: "What is your name?"
Liu Heng sniffled and, for some reason, let down all his guard: "My name is Liu Heng. I am the current Emperor’s fourth son, and I live in Guangyang Hall."
?
Liu Yue’s grey-black eyes widened slightly; he was familiar with this name.
The third Emperor after his elder brother the Crown Prince, and the founder of the Rule of Wen and Jing. He had a very famous Empress named Dou Yifang. Looking at the crybaby before him, Liu Yue was silent for a while. He felt he could rename himself "Encountering the Emperor upon Stepping Out, the Emperor is Weeping."
Thinking that he would unlikely experience the Empress’s death, the chaos of the nobles, or the meritorious officials leading troops to exterminate the Lu clan in this life, the possibility of the future Prince of Dai picking up the pieces had greatly decreased. Liu Yue thought for a bit and asked him: "Why were you crying just now?"
At the mention of this, Liu Heng shook his head sheepishly, his ears turning red with shame for being asked. Then he curled his fingers. When the little immortal child spoke, his belly fat would also jiggle. He wanted—wanted to touch it…
Liu Yue had no idea what his cheap fourth brother was thinking.
Seeing him hesitating and not speaking, the chubby toddler blinked, his cheeks unconsciously puffing out. He motioned for him to stand further away: "Move over, you’re blocking my view of the sunset."
Liu Heng’s eyes were full of confusion. He turned around and looked up, greeted by a magnificent sight.
The orange-red sun was gradually setting. The moment it disappeared behind the mountains, it turned into a brilliant sunset glow, hanging high in the clear sky. Liu Heng stared blankly at the sunset until his neck felt sore, and a look of wonder appeared in his eyes: "So beautiful."
Just as beautiful as the little immortal child!
Liu Yue fully agreed with his cheap brother’s words, nodding his head. His large, round eyes overflowed with happiness.
Life without having to work hard was truly wonderful.
…
The magnificence of nature only further highlighted the grievances in his heart. Standing beside the little immortal child, Liu Heng seemed to relax completely.
He whispered to himself: "I saw the palace servants who take care of me passing messages to the outside, wanting to go to Linguang Hall to serve the Prince of Zhao. During the day, I study at the Tianlu Pavilion and can't even get enough to eat. When I ask the kitchen, they say all the other princes are the same, and if I want to eat better, I have to add cloth or copper coins."
Tianlu Pavilion, as the imperial library and the place where princes studied, was not under the jurisdiction of the inner palace. The Crown Prince was taught separately by the Grand Tutor and did not study with them.
The imperial family was the wealthiest, but it was also the most snobbish. Court attendants and palace maids treated people according to their status, depending on whether their master was favored by the Emperor. Liu Heng thought, even though his younger brother was born of the Empress, hadn't there been rumors and vilification? Only after the Bow-Holding Ceremony did they clear up completely.
That day, the Father Emperor went to my mother’s room, and the meals prepared by Tianlu Pavilion suddenly became better for three to five days before returning to their original state.
By the end, Liu Heng wiped his eyes. His mother’s savings were all kept for his marriage; where would there be any extra money? If he went to ask for some, wouldn't he be making her worry for nothing? That would be a great unfilial act. If it weren't for the fact that today’s meal didn't even have sauce meat, he wouldn't have run to the high terrace of Daxia Palace to cry.
On the contrary, back when he hadn't yet begun his schooling, he ate better than at Tianlu Pavilion. His mother had always been respectful to the Empress, and the Empress would never make things difficult for them!
After Liu Heng finished his monologue, his gloominess had dissipated a lot. He turned to look, only to see the little immortal child’s face looking terrifyingly grim.
His exquisite features seemed covered in a layer of frost, making one feel a chill. His round cheeks were puckered like a bun—a red-hot chili-filled one.
He froze. What was wrong?
…
Having experienced the Apocalyptic Era, the words "not enough to eat" were what Liu Yue could least bear to hear.
His cheap brother, a prince, actually couldn't get enough to eat! Other things aside, he even had to pay extra for good food!
Liu Yue pursed his lips. He seemed to hallucinate that his own belly was growling with hunger just like Liu Heng’s. If it were him, he too would be crying like a baby on the high terrace of Daxia Palace.
In the whole wide world, eating was the most important thing. This was practically trampling all over his bottom line. The chubby toddler’s anger soared. Just as he was about to say something, the palace servants attending to Liu Heng found them.
There were three of them, either frantic or weeping with joy: "Your Highness! So you were here. Please come back with us. The Lady is worried sick; she’s sent people everywhere to find you."
The resentment in their tone was hard to miss. Then, someone noticed Liu Yue.
Whose child is this? —Could it be that he lured the Prince away?!
Before they could identify his clothing, the court attendants following Liu Yue also stepped onto the high terrace. A large group of people arrived in a grand manner, forming an absolute overwhelming force in numbers.
They sensed another presence and feared their little Highness might be in danger, so they hurried. The two groups met face to face. The leading court attendant squinted his eyes and immediately looked at Liu Yue. Seeing he was safe, he breathed a heavy sigh of relief.
Then he saw the seven- or eight-year-old child beside his little Highness. This was… Prince Heng?
Prince Heng was not favored and rarely appeared in public. If they weren't the Empress’s confidants, they might not have recognized him. The court attendant looked away and bowed respectfully, wanting to say it was getting late and the Prince should return to Jiaofang Palace with them, lest the Empress worry.
At that moment, the chubby toddler spoke: "You said the servants passing messages outside are them?"
The three-heads-tall little immortal child smelled of milk. His grey-black eyes were beautiful and clear, focused on his cheap brother. Even in anger, his voice didn't sound fierce.
Looking at the massive entourage before him, Liu Heng felt his soul leave his body, his brain short-circuiting.
He had only been calling him "little immortal child" and forgot to ask his identity. Could it be… could it be…
Following his instinct, he pointed stammeringly: "The one on the far left, and the one in the mid… middle…"
"Tie them up." Liu Yue directed the court attendants from Jiaofang Palace to act, his cheeks soft and round. "Ungrateful things who bite the hand that feeds them! Take them to Jiaofang Palace!"
He was originally going to say "give them a swift end," but then he remembered his Mother was still waiting for him.
If you're unhappy with someone, find Mother. And that group of people who charge extra for food—just have them all put to death.