Chapter 12

“Oh? Is this the youngest of the Qiao family?”

A handsome and gentle man leaned over, his purple cloud satin robe complementing his graceful demeanor.

Qiao Zhongguo’s anger suddenly stagnated, and he respectfully acknowledged.

Qiao Jiaojiao’s eyes lit up.

[The Crown Prince! This is the Crown Prince, isn’t it? Ah—]

Qiao Jiaojiao’s sudden sigh made Qiao Zhongguo’s heart skip a beat.

Could it be that even the Crown Prince had a problem?

Qiao Jiaojiao continued to sigh.

[Alas—]

Qiao Zhongguo’s scalp was tingling.

Daughter, stop sighing and say something!

[Alas, my stomach is starting to growl, but I don’t want to leave. What should I do?]

Qiao Zhongguo: …

If it were anyone else dangling him like this, he would have punched them already!

But since it was Jiaojiao, even hanging him by a rope would work~

“Master Qiao, may I also hold her?”

The Crown Prince suddenly reached out towards Jiaojiao in Qiao Zhongguo’s arms.

As soon as these words came out, the expressions of everyone around them changed instantly.

What a great honor this was, truly giving face to the Qiao family by His Majesty and His Highness the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince’s gesture naturally carried deep meaning.

Last night in the study, His Majesty had personally summoned the Crown Prince and specifically instructed:

Qiao Zhongguo is a loyal, talented, and capable minister, and without military power in his hands, he can be trusted and promoted.

Feeling a bit overwhelmed by the favor, Qiao Zhongguo immediately handed Jiaojiao over.

Curled up in the Crown Prince’s embrace, Jiaojiao stared at him with wide eyes, unblinking.

[Oh, what a pity. Is this the Crown Prince who died young?]

This thought startled both Qiao Zhongguo and Qiao Tianjing.

Died young!?

The Crown Prince has always been healthy. How could this be possible!

At this moment, Qiao Jiaojiao was also muttering to herself.

[Alas, the sudden death of the Crown Prince is really intriguing. The cause of death was an unexpected sudden death overnight, as if when the time was right, he naturally yielded his position to the tranquil prince.]

[Although it was not explicitly stated in the text that it was the tranquil prince’s doing, I always feel it’s related to him.]

[After all, the Crown Prince’s character was too perfect. If it was mentioned that the tranquil prince killed his brother, the readers might not buy it, and the tranquil prince, as a perfect male lead, would have a stain.]

Qiao Zhongguo was in an indescribable state of shock. He discreetly looked towards the second prince.

This usually unremarkable second prince, except for his appearance, seemed quite ordinary. Yet, he hid so deeply!

No wonder, as foreseen by Jiaojiao, the Qiao family would fall into the hands of the second prince.

If it weren’t for Jiaojiao’s reminder, how would he have noticed this second prince standing in the shadows!

Looking at this moonlight-like Crown Prince, Jiaojiao felt sorry for him and reached out her hand towards him.

She was fair and lovely, with a chubby face, truly endearing.

The Crown Prince’s eyes were gentle as he leaned his face into her palm.

Jiaojiao gently stroked him and thought to herself:

[Crown Prince, Crown Prince, even if it’s for our Qiao family, you must stay alive.]

[Counting the years, it’s still a long way from your sudden death. If I, Jiaojiao, can live until then, I will definitely find a way to protect you.]

[By then, you must treat our Qiao family well and protect my father and my two brothers.]

The Crown Prince couldn’t hear Jiaojiao’s inner thoughts, only feeling that her eyes were as bright as pearls, which made him happy.

“Little Xi, didn’t you say you wanted to see your little sister? Come over here.”

The Crown Prince called out lightly behind him, and a sturdy little boy emerged.

He was the Empress’s second son, the Crown Prince’s younger brother, the current Western Prince.

The Crown Prince squatted down slowly, and the Western Prince immediately approached with curiosity.

[Western Prince?]

For a moment, Jiaojiao couldn’t even remember such a character.

With his chubby little head, big eyes, and long eyelashes, he looked about five years old, no longer having the baby feel but still very cute.

“Wow, such a cute little sister! Brother, I want to hold her too!”

The Crown Prince gently shook his head, “Little Xi, you are still too young. Be careful not to hurt Miss Qiao.”

The Western Prince immediately pouted in frustration upon hearing this.

[Where did this silly and sweet kid come from? Is there such a character in the royal family?] Jiaojiao was full of question marks.

“Brother, I will be very careful. Let me hold her too!” The Western Prince persisted.

Seeing this, the Crown Prince’s expression turned slightly stern, “Little Xi, this is not a joke. You can hold her when you are older.”

The Western Prince’s mouth drooped slightly, “Then when will I be old enough, Brother?”

The stern expression on the Crown Prince’s face suddenly softened, and he lovingly rubbed the Western Prince’s head.

“When it’s your birthday next year during the Dragon Boat Festival, you’ll be old enough.”

The Western Prince immediately wiped away his tears with a smile, “Then I’ll wait a little longer, and when I grow up, I can hold the little sister!”

Jiaojiao suddenly felt a flash of lightning in her mind, and she finally remembered who this so-called Western Prince was!

[Isn’t this just a passerby destined to die young like me?]

[On his fifth birthday, which is also the Dragon Boat Festival, the Western Prince drowned in the imperial garden, which struck the Empress with a devastating blow and left the Crown Prince in deep sorrow.]

[After losing her beloved son, the Empress fell seriously ill, causing the Emperor to be furious and execute nearly a hundred people in the palace. Later, when recruiting palace maids and eunuchs, the Tranquil Prince took the opportunity to insert many people into the palace.]

[That’s right, it’s this unlucky guy, a heartless plot device in action!]

Qiao Zhongguo heard this and was completely dumbfounded.

The Crown Prince died young, the Western Prince died in his early years, and the Third Prince had a disability. Wasn’t it as if the heavens were paving the way for the Second Prince?

Next year’s Dragon Boat Festival…

Every Dragon Boat Festival, the palace would hold a dragon boat banquet, and their Qiao family would probably also be in the palace.

In any case, they must save the Western Prince!

Jiaojiao didn’t know how much shock she had caused Qiao Zhongguo with her appearance.

At this moment, Jiaojiao’s face turned red, she couldn’t hold it anymore.

“Ah ah ah! I need to pee! Sob sob, I can’t hold it!”

Qiao Zhongguo’s expression changed slightly, about to say something to take over Jiaojiao, but her pants were already damp with urine.

“Huh—”

The Western Prince was about to make a disdainful sound, but the Crown Prince stopped him.

“Little Xi, don’t make fun of your sister. You used to be like this too.”

The Western Prince’s face suddenly turned red, covering his face and not daring to speak.

Qiao Zhongguo took Jiaojiao and said anxiously, “Forgive my daughter’s rudeness, offending the Crown Prince. Please—”

The Crown Prince waved his hand, showing no displeasure on his face.

“Master Qiao, children are like this. There’s no need to say more. I’ll go change my clothes.”

Qiao Zhongguo immediately arranged for someone to follow and serve, holding the wet Jiaojiao in his arms, feeling both crying and laughing.

It was truly unprecedented to pee on the Crown Prince the first time they met.

Jiaojiao: (ฅωฅ *)

After all, she was just a baby!