Chapter 3

Who is Qin Emperor Ying Zheng? Who in all the world dares to glare at him?  

Not just glaring—even direct eye contact was unthinkable. The court officials and palace servants trembled before him like mice before a cat. The boldest among them could at most rack their brains to flatter his dragon farts, while the timid ones nearly wet themselves the moment the emperor passed by.  

Yet this tiny, newborn little chick of a milk dumpling dared to glare at him?  

For once, Ying Zheng felt a faint trace of surprise and curiosity. He turned and leaned in for a closer look, only to find the little chick had secretly squeezed its eyes shut, leaving only a sliver of a gap as if peeking. The eyeballs beneath its eyelids darted about furtively—was that guilt?  

The emperor’s sudden movement, his towering and imposing figure looming down, startled the old nursemaid so badly she nearly dropped the little princess in her arms. Thankfully, years of experience kicked in, and she instinctively tightened her grip at the last moment.  

But the next instant, the child was snatched away by a pair of large hands.  

The nursemaid looked up in shock to see their cold and ruthless emperor holding the little dumpling in his arms—his expression blank, his movements stiff and awkward.  

The old nursemaid: “…”  

Emperor Ying Zheng stood at roughly eight chi and six cun—nearly two meters tall—with a broad and muscular build. Though his features were undeniably handsome, they carried a stern and imposing air, especially now that he had grown a full beard, making him look nothing short of terrifying.  

Combined with his unapproachable demeanor and the iron-blooded aura of a man who had spent years conquering nations, the sight of his massive hands cradling a newborn milk dumpling was nothing short of jarring.  

It was like… an eagle clutching a little chick, pondering how best to devour it.  

His frown only made him look even fiercer.  

The old nursemaid shuddered, fearing His Majesty might toss the little princess aside in displeasure—such a thing… was not unheard of.  

Back then, the Tenth Princess and Eleventh Prince—whether acting on their mothers’ orders or out of childish longing for their father—had once rushed forward, hoping for an embrace.  

At the time, the empire had yet to be unified, and the emperor was still young. Without hesitation, he had kicked both children away without mercy. Rumor had it that ever since, the poor Tenth Princess and Eleventh Prince had been too terrified to even cross paths with their father, growing up as timid as rabbits.  

The nursemaid watched nervously, while Zhao Gao and the others were equally stunned—the emperor was actually holding the newborn princess?  

Even Crown Prince Fusu had never received such treatment. Though the eldest prince had been quite favored by His Majesty as a babbling infant, the most the emperor had done was visit him frequently to familiarize himself with the child.  

Ying Zheng had no idea his actions had sparked such wild speculation among the palace servants—and even if he had, he wouldn’t have cared.  

Right now, the soft little bundle in his hands had captured his full attention.  

From his infancy to his youth, Ying Zheng had lived a life of hardship in foreign lands. By the time he returned to his homeland in his early teens to inherit the throne, he had to outmaneuver treacherous ministers while leading the Qin people in war to conquer the six states and unify the empire. His life had been filled with more trials and triumphs than most could experience in ten lifetimes.  

Having endured so much, was there any kind of person Ying Zheng hadn’t encountered?  

His detractors claimed he was a master of bending without breaking, a wolf in sheep’s clothing who devoured men without spitting out the bones—a cunning, silver-tongued villain.  

Ying Zheng didn’t think they were wrong. If others had one heart, he had ten. Without them, how else could he have built the Great Qin Empire?

As for the little bundle in his hands, based on Ying Zheng’s forty years of experience, this Little Chick was definitely up to something!

Being held by him yet secretly laughing, eyes closed but pupils darting around, radiating waves of “I’m so happy, I’m so pleased”—did she really think he wouldn’t notice?

That said, how could he perceive these emotions from a tiny infant so clearly and distinctly?

The maids and eunuchs around them seemed completely oblivious, yet he alone felt as if he were mentally connected to this Little Chick, even sensing the joyful little bubbles in her heart.

Especially when holding her—the closer the distance, the clearer the perception became.

He seemed to… hear the Little Chick cursing him.

What was she cursing him for? He couldn’t make it out—just a milky, disgruntled hum filled with strong dissatisfaction.

What did she want him to do?

Hold her closer?

Though the Qin Emperor wanted to toss this brat far away, whether out of curiosity or some other impulse, his hands betrayed him by pulling her closer.

He had never held a child in his life, let alone such a soft, fragile little thing that seemed like it might break at the slightest squeeze. His movements were stiff and slow, his face cold as ice. What should have been an affectionate gesture instead sent shivers down the servants’ spines—oh no, His Majesty looked even angrier now.

So terrifying!

Would the little princess be alright? Could her one-day-old life be spared?

The old nurse was on the verge of tears!

Though his movements were clumsy and rigid, his hands were at least large enough to securely cradle the tiny figure.

After what felt like an eternity to the nervous onlookers—perhaps half an hour—the Emperor finally managed to hold the little princess somewhat properly.

Yes, what he’d been doing earlier couldn’t even be called “holding”—it was more like “cupping.” Only now did his posture barely qualify.

With her now nestled against his chest, Ying Zheng could almost hear the fragile yet vibrant heartbeat of the little one in his arms. Thump by thump, an instinctive sense of kinship from ancient bloodlines surged within him, along with an overwhelming urge to protect.

For some reason, there was also a pang of sour, swelling, aching guilt.

Faint, yet impossible to ignore.

He froze for a moment, looking down at the little bundle in his arms.

Though born small due to her mother’s frail health, she was plump where it counted—her round, chubby face soft and fair. It was unclear whom she took after, though perhaps there was a hint of his own features in her delicate, exquisite little face. Her tiny head was perfectly round, covered with fine, slightly yellowish baby hair that lay fluffy and soft against her scalp.

He chuckled softly. Truly… a Little Chick!

The servants: “!” Did His Majesty just… laugh???

The old nurse swore she had never seen the Emperor smile since the day she entered the palace!

The closer he held her, the more Ying Zheng could sense the little one’s emotions. He finally confirmed that his earlier perception hadn’t been an illusion.

The little brat was currently basking in triumph, bubbling with joy, humming some indistinct little tune—milky, soft, and utterly content. Normally, this would have irritated Ying Zheng, yet for some reason, he kept holding her, refusing to hand her off to the nurse.

The Qin Emperor was never one to hesitate. His thoughts flashed by in an instant, and the next moment, he turned and strode away with the child, offering no explanation.

Why would he? Under heaven, no one could demand an explanation from him. He acted solely by his own will.

The palace maids were stunned. The newly born little princess—had His Majesty just carried her away like that?

Zhao Gao and the others were terrified. The old matron widened her eyes and hurriedly asked Zhao Gao, “Chief Steward Gao, where is His Majesty taking the little princess?”

Zhao Gao himself was full of questions and had no patience to explain to these palace maids. He impatiently tossed out a reply, “How can we lowly servants dictate His Majesty’s actions?” before hastily chasing after the broad, striding figure ahead.

In this lifetime… no one had ever seen His Majesty hold a child.

Yet today, he broke precedent!

Not only did he carry the child, but he also didn’t take the palanquin. Instead, he walked step by step from Lijing Palace to his own quarters, effectively circling half the imperial palace. Many palace maids witnessed it firsthand and were utterly shocked.

In less than half a day, before the Qin Emperor had even returned to his quarters, the entire palace knew: His Majesty had gone to carry the little princess born to Consort Lian back to his own palace!

No one had ever received such treatment—not even Crown Prince Fusu.

The Qin Emperor was a man with an extremely strong sense of territory and domineering possessiveness. He had never allowed anyone else in his private quarters—not even his consorts, princes, or princesses had ever been granted such privilege.

Today, he broke precedent twice.

He personally carried a child and brought her into his quarters.

According to palace maids who passed by, it seemed they even heard His Majesty speaking to the newborn little princess—who couldn’t yet understand or speak—as he walked back to his palace.

The exact words were unclear, but they seemed to catch something like “little chick?”

Could it be that His Majesty intended to raise a little chick in the palace as a playmate for the little princess?

Ying Zheng’s casual actions were nothing short of earth-shattering to everyone else.

The entire palace was in an uproar over the matter. A young boy of ten, Huhai, who had just finished his lessons, overheard the palace maids gossiping and flushed red with anger. He immediately dashed toward his father’s quarters.

Damn it, who dared steal his father’s attention?!

To be honest, ever since he could remember, little Huhai had coveted his father’s quarters. He idolized and yearned for his powerful father, always hoping that one day he could move into his quarters, eat and live with him—how blissful and proud would that be?

His siblings would be green with envy!

As for his father’s embrace, Huhai had never dared to imagine it. From a young age, his mother and the palace maids had filled his ears with embarrassing stories about his tenth sister and eleventh brother, scaring him so much he didn’t even dare cling to his father’s leg, let alone dream of being held by him. That would be too much for his little heart to bear.

But his father’s territory absolutely could not be tainted or occupied by anyone else! He was his father’s most beloved child, the undisputed ruler of the rear palace!

Little Huhai ran faster and faster, panting heavily. When the palace maids told him it was the newborn little princess—his youngest imperial sister—Huhai couldn’t care less. Anyone who competed for his father’s attention was his enemy!

The plump, fair-skinned little boy was stopped outside the palace gates. The stern, sword-bearing guards stared at him expressionlessly, while Uncle Zhao Gao spoke kindly yet ruthlessly, “Young Master, please wait. His Majesty has forbidden anyone from entering.”

The boy was incredulous. Pointing at himself, he exclaimed, “Uncle Gao, it’s me, Huhai!” His father’s most beloved child!

Zhao Gao’s brow furrowed slightly before he quickly smoothed his expression and soothed the furious little boy, who was bristling like an angry lion cub. “Young Master, please have some pity for the little princess who just lost her mother. Don’t take it to heart.”

Outside the hall, the faint sounds of a young boy’s defiant, arrogant, and willful shouts could be heard. The man raised his brows slightly and glanced at the little dumpling stubbornly clinging to his arms, refusing to come down.  

“Can you understand what I’m saying?”  

The pink-cheeked dumpling squeezed his eyes shut tightly, pretending not to see or hear, but his chubby little fists still clung tightly to the man’s robes.  

The Qin Emperor was both amused and exasperated. “Don’t think I didn’t hear you—still giggling secretly, aren’t you?”