The Sickly Seedling Dresses Up As An Unfortunate And Muddled Monarch - Chapter 17

As the night grew deeper, Qiu Junyao and Yin Yuan each took a bath and got into bed.

 

Qiu Jingxiu was already five years old, but due to long-term malnutrition, he was still as small as a little puppy, curled up in Qiu Junyao’s arms. With hands covered in chilblains, he clung tightly to Qiu Junyao’s sleeve, his eyes wide open, staring unblinkingly at Qiu Junyao as if studying him.

 

“Come, Daddy will hold you and put you to bed.”

 

Qiu Junyao placed Qiu Jingxiu on the bed, then lay down beside him, ordering Laifu to lower the curtains:

 

“Tomorrow, have the small kitchen prepare food for the little prince, and do not neglect him.”

 

“Yes,” Laifu responded promptly from outside the curtains.

 

Satisfied with the response, Qiu Junyao then lay down, gently patting Qiu Jingxiu’s back, speaking softly:

 

“Sleep now.”

 

Qiu Jingxiu blinked, then burrowed into Qiu Junyao’s arms like a little worm, sniffing the plum blossom scent on Qiu Junyao’s body deeply before closing his eyes.

 

Like a small animal instinctively seeking a safe nest, only then could he fall asleep with ease.

 

“I never expected such secrets in the palace.”

 

Once Qiu Jingxiu was asleep, Yin Yuan lay beside him, turning to look at Qiu Junyao with a meaningful expression:

 

“His Majesty is playing the role of a kind father rather late, don’t you think?”

 

“If I told you I never gave such an order, would you believe me?”

 

Qiu Junyao patted his small child on his chest, staring intently at Yin Yuan:

 

“Would you think I’m a hypocrite?”

 

Looking at Qiu Junyao’s delicate features, Yin Yuan couldn’t help but move closer, his voice low:

 

“Then His Majesty will have to prove it.”

 

“How?”

 

Qiu Junyao turned his face, touching foreheads with Yin Yuan, their breaths mingling, raising the temperature around them.

 

“…I don’t know.”

 

Yin Yuan closed his eyes, savoring the heavy plum blossom scent on Qiu Junyao and the warmth of his breath on his face, “I don’t know whether I should believe His Majesty.”

 

“Actually, you know in your heart that who I am doesn’t matter. As long as I do not harm the Yin family, that is what matters to you most.”

 

Qiu Junyao said, “Is my identity really that important?”

 

“Of course it is.” Yin Yuan suddenly opened his eyes, staring fiercely at Qiu Junyao.

 

Never before had Qiu Junyao seen such a cold, stern expression on Yin Yuan’s face. His heart skipped a beat. The next second, Yin Yuan grasped his fingertips:

 

“Because to me, His Majesty is not just the emperor… but also my savior.”

 

“…” Qiu Junyao was taken aback. After digesting Yin Yuan’s words, he couldn’t help but smile.

 

“Alright.” Qiu Junyao leaned closer, nuzzling his forehead against Yin Yuan’s affectionately:

 

“When all this is over, I will tell you my true identity. How about that?”

 

“I will wait.” Yin Yuan closed his eyes, enjoying Qiu Junyao’s closeness.

 

As soon as the words were spoken, he suddenly felt a warm touch on his lips.

 

Yin Yuan’s heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively opened his eyes to see Qiu Junyao reaching out, his fingertip brushing against Yin Yuan’s lips, rubbing until they became rosy and petal-like.

 

Seeing Qiu Junyao’s intense gaze, Yin Yuan suddenly opened his mouth and took Qiu Junyao’s fingertip into his mouth, gently biting it.

 

The tingling sensation traveled from the skin of his fingertip to his heart, like a fire that grew hotter and hotter.

 

Yin Yuan, unaware of his own allure, with his messy black hair and the way he lowered and raised his eyes with a hint of charm, was completely different from his usual cold and noble demeanor.

 

Qiu Junyao could hardly stand it.

 

He suddenly raised his hand, covering Yin Yuan’s lips with his palm, his voice hoarse with restraint:

 

“Stop fooling around.”

 

His expression showed his struggle: “Do you know what you’re doing?”

 

“I am merely fulfilling the duties expected of a concubine.”

 

Seeing Qiu Junyao’s expression falter, Yin Yuan couldn’t help but smile, becoming more bold:

 

“Your Majesty stays with me every night, yet doesn’t consummate our relationship. Could it be that… Your Majesty can’t?”

 

“…Remember what you just said.”

 

No man can endure such provocation. Qiu Junyao gave him a warning look:

 

“Sleep.”

 

Seeing the usually high and mighty emperor looking so defeated, Yin Yuan squinted and smiled for a while. Moments later, Qiu Junyao pulled him into his arms, forcibly holding his trembling shoulders.

 

“None of you give me peace.” Qiu Junyao cradled the large one in one arm and the small one in the other, speaking in a barely audible voice:

 

“But when I am gone, who will protect you both?”

 

*

 

Because the Pixiang Palace housed a small child, Qiu Junyao hurried back there after every court session.

 

Qiu Jingming and his brothers wanted to talk more with Qiu Junyao, but he seemed to have no time for in-depth discussions. The policy essays Qiu Jingming presented were repeatedly left untouched on Qiu Junyao’s desk.

 

“Woof… woof!”

 

Today, as Qiu Junyao stepped into the hall, a weight hit his leg. A little bundle rolled and crawled to his feet, hugging his leg tightly:

 

“Woof woof!”

 

“How come, after Daddy taught you for days, you still can’t talk?”

 

Qiu Junyao bent down and picked up Qiu Jingxiu, who was crawling around on the floor: “You’re not really a little puppy. You can’t keep barking like one.”

 

Previously, in the Cold Palace, Qiu Jingxiu had rarely seen living people. The maids often scolded him in dialect, leaving him somewhat confused about human language. He might understand some but couldn’t speak it:

 

“Woo!”

 

“Look at Daddy.” Qiu Junyao sat Qiu Jingxiu on his thigh and slowly pronounced, “Call me Father Emperor, ‘Father… Emperor.'”

 

Watching Qiu Junyao’s moving lips, Qiu Jingxiu tilted his head, trying hard to mimic:

 

“Fu… fu…”

 

“Fu woof!”

 

Qiu Junyao: “…”

 

He turned away, deciding to deal with Yin Yuan, who was laughing hysterically nearby. Then he looked down at Qiu Jingxiu and said:

 

“Now… call Consort Mother.”

 

Qiu Junyao pointed at Yin Yuan, his voice low but clear to everyone present:

 

“Mother… Consort.”

 

According to protocol, Qiu Jingxiu could only call Yin Yuan “Mother Empress,” as only the nominal birth mother could be called “Mother Consort.”

 

Hearing Qiu Junyao introduce him this way, Yin Yuan stopped smiling, looking at Qiu Junyao in surprise.

 

But Qiu Junyao ignored everyone’s reactions, continuing to amuse Qiu Jingxiu until the child got annoyed and turned his back on Qiu Junyao. Only then did Qiu Junyao stop, smiling as he carried him to dinner.

 

Possibly due to his time in the Cold Palace, Qiu Jingxiu disliked using chopsticks and always ate with his hands.

 

Since eating with hands was unsanitary, Yin Yuan had been persistently teaching Qiu Jingxiu to use chopsticks and spoons.

 

But Qiu Jingxiu couldn’t get used to these utensils. After several failed attempts to pick up food, he refused to use chopsticks, habitually using his hands.

 

Today, with Qiu Junyao present, Yin Yuan patiently continued teaching Qiu Jingxiu to use chopsticks and spoons. Unexpectedly, after yet another failed attempt to get his desired food, Qiu Jingxiu lost his temper. He directly overturned the soup bowl, spilling the hot soup all over Yin Yuan, instantly burning his fair hand.

 

“Are you okay?” Qiu Junyao was startled by Qiu Jingxiu’s action. He quickly stood up, placing Qiu Jingxiu on the ground and grabbing Yin Yuan’s hand to check:

 

“Did it burn you?”

 

It would be a lie to say it didn’t hurt, but Yin Yuan couldn’t hold a grudge against a child. So, he shook his head, smiling and saying he was fine.

 

But Yin Yuan’s silence didn’t mean that his maid Huanchen would stay silent. She immediately revealed what had happened:

 

“Your Majesty, this isn’t the first time.”

 

Huanchen said angrily: “The Consort kindly teaches the little prince, but he always intentionally overturns the soup bowls. This isn’t the first time the Consort has been burned.”

 

“What?” Qiu Junyao was stunned. Ignoring Yin Yuan’s attempts to stop him, he lifted Yin Yuan’s other sleeve, revealing a patch of blistered skin from a previous burn.

 

Qiu Junyao immediately frowned, looking down at Qiu Jingxiu.

 

Qiu Jingxiu shrank his neck, his movement of grabbing the rice cake slowed down, but he still didn’t say anything.

 

“Qiu Jingxiu.” This time, Qiu Junyao called him by his full name:

 

“Even if you don’t want to use chopsticks, you can’t be so scheming as to burn your Consort Mother.”

 

Qiu Junyao never believed that a five-year-old child lacked cunning, considering that the palace maid, raised by Qiu Jingxiu, was killed by a wolf:

 

“Laifu, bring the plate of rice cakes over.”

 

Laifu quickly complied.

 

Qiu Junyao took the plate from Laifu and placed it on Qiu Jingxiu’s head, his expression inscrutable:

 

“Go and reflect on your actions.”

 

He said, “When you understand, you can have the rice cakes. Do you understand?”

 

Qiu Jingxiu glanced at Qiu Junyao, pressed his lips together, and with the plate of rice cakes on his head, went to face the wall in reflection.

 

That night, after Qiu Junyao and Yin Yuan bathed and got into bed, Yin Yuan looked at Qiu Junyao applying ointment to his burn, speaking softly:

 

“Were you too harsh on Jingxiu today?”

 

“He’s just a child.”

 

“You underestimate them.” Qiu Junyao looked at the large red burn on Yin Yuan’s arm, sighing:

 

“At five years old, he could manipulate a wolf to kill a palace maid he resented. He’s not an ordinary child.”

 

“Maybe he didn’t have bad intentions and just didn’t want to use chopsticks.” Yin Yuan said, “Perhaps I pushed him too hard.”

 

“It’s not your fault,” Qiu Junyao said:

 

“You did the right thing.”

 

He continued, “I’ve already named this child, and he will soon be added to the royal registry. If, at a grand banquet with all the ministers, he cannot speak a complete sentence as a prince, or even use chopsticks, it will be disastrous for him.”

 

Understanding Qiu Junyao’s meaning, Yin Yuan’s heart skipped a beat. After hesitating for a long time, he finally said:

 

“Your Majesty means…”

 

“I want to see if we can cultivate him into a qualified contender for the throne.”

 

Qiu Junyao paused, then added, “Moreover, I had him call you Consort Mother instead of Mother Empress because if I am ever gone, among all the princes, only Jingxiu will be your final protective card.”

 

“…A-Yuan, can you understand my selfishness?”