Chapter 11

Fusu had heard the palace servants whispering as he made his way through the palace. Upon entering his father’s chambers, he noticed some servants casting pleading glances his way, clearly fearing for their lives. Though none could give a clear account, he pieced together the general sequence of events from their fragmented words.  

Now, catching the scent of medicine in the air, he realized Huhai had likely gone too far this time.  

Seeing the Qin Emperor’s displeased gaze, Fusu smiled and bowed before stepping closer. His little imperial sister lay curled up on the bed, her small face flushed with fever. He sighed inwardly. “Father, are you tired? This son can stay and watch over our little sister.”  

Only then did the Qin Emperor truly look at him, raising a brow. “Why are you here?”  

“My daughter is none of your concern.”  

Fusu’s smile remained unshaken—he was long accustomed to his father’s sharp tongue. Calmly, he replied, “This son is her elder brother. It is my duty to care for her.”  

The Qin Emperor snorted. “Who sent for you?”  

In terms of intelligence, the Qin Emperor ranked among the sharpest in the world. Though he carried himself as a blunt, unyielding man, it was only because his power was unmatched—no one could restrain him, so he had no need for pretense. In truth, his mind was far more perceptive than most. He knew Fusu couldn’t have arrived so quickly unless someone had informed him. News didn’t spread that fast between the palace and the outside, let alone reach the government offices. Who would bother running to the yamen just to gossip about this?  

Fusu’s presence could only mean one thing: he was here to plead for mercy—either for the palace servants or for Huhai.  

Knowing he couldn’t hide it, Fusu admitted outright, even throwing in a bit of flattery. “This son knew that with Your Majesty here, all would be well. But I was worried about my younger siblings, so I came to see for myself.”  

The Qin Emperor cut to the chase. “Enough. Are you here to beg leniency for Huhai?”  

Earlier, he had noticed Madam Yu secretly trailing the imperial carriage but hadn’t bothered confronting her. Fusu’s arrival was likely at her behest—she was weak-willed and prone to seeking help, so it was no surprise she had turned to Fusu as an intermediary.  

Fusu took out a handkerchief and wiped his already clean hands before bending down to gently press the back of his fingers against his little sister’s forehead and cheeks. His brows furrowed. “Huhai deserves to be taught a lesson this time.”  

“Minor mischief is one thing, but bullying his own blood—his little sister—is unacceptable.”  

The Qin Emperor was finally satisfied. Had Fusu come to plead for that brat, he would have whipped them both together. He’d long disliked this son of his, and bundling him off with his troublesome younger brother would have been just fine.  

Unfortunately, Fusu gave him no such opportunity—he was far too shrewd.  

The brief exchange between father and son was thick with tension, the atmosphere oddly charged. The perceptive palace servants quietly withdrew, leaving only the two of them and the little cub on the bed.  

The Little Dragon Cub was still young, and the medicine wouldn’t bring her fever down so quickly. They might have to keep watch well into the night. The Qin Emperor had been caught in the rain earlier while searching for her, and sitting around unwashed wasn’t proper. Reluctantly, he prepared to leave.  

The palace servants had already slipped up once today, and he didn’t entirely trust them. Seeing his hesitation, Fusu volunteered.  

The Qin Emperor scrutinized his son, irritated by his flawless smile. Suspicion flickered in his eyes. “Can you handle it?”  

The jade-like young man smiled. “Of course. This son is her elder brother—it is my duty.”  

What was a father to do when he found his son so thoroughly insufferable?

Ying Zheng felt he had no choice but to grit his teeth and accept it. He couldn’t trust anyone else—at least while Fusu was annoyingly meticulous, he had never made any mistakes. Taking care of a little brat shouldn’t be a problem for him.  

After the Qin Emperor left to freshen up and change clothes, only Fusu remained in the inner chamber.  

He sat calmly by the bedside, lowering his gaze to carefully examine his newborn Little Imperial Sister, who was not yet a month old. Though he had seen her once before and even held her briefly, his father’s coldness toward him had prevented Fusu from spending much time with her.  

All his impressions and information about his imperial sister during this time had come from hearsay among palace servants and court officials.  

After watching her for a long while, he extended a slender finger and lightly tapped her tiny nose—like a dragonfly skimming the water. “Little one.”  

The small nose beneath his finger wrinkled slightly. Fusu thought she might wake, but after waiting a moment, there was no movement. Instead, the chubby little bundle slept even more soundly.  

He smiled faintly, but when his gaze fell on the red swelling on the baby’s cheek, his brows furrowed slightly, and the smile faded from his lips. “This Huhai…”  

What was Huhai doing now?  

After kneeling for two hours, the boy had long missed mealtime. His stomach growled loudly, yet no one came to attend to him. He knew there were guards outside, but no matter how much he shouted, the audacious palace maids, eunuchs, and those damned guards ignored him.  

The boy recalled his father saying he should kneel for two hours before anything else was discussed. Now that the two hours had passed, what was next?  

Was the punishment over?  

He doubted there could be anything worse than this. He had already suffered a “beating” on his way here, and now he had knelt for two hours. No matter how much his father favored his imperial sister or how angry he was, surely it couldn’t get any more severe than this?  

Having reassured himself, the boy swaggered out of the side chamber.  

Sure enough, as soon as he pushed the door open, guards and eunuchs were stationed outside. Clearing his throat, he puffed out his chest and strode confidently over the threshold.  

Even though he had already lost all dignity on his way here, the boy still wanted to salvage some pride. As the undisputed tyrant of the inner palace, he couldn’t afford to lose face. So what if his father had punished him? Others might not even have the privilege!  

But the moment he took a step forward, a eunuch blocked his path. “Young Master, His Majesty hasn’t given permission for you to leave.”  

Huhai glared at him. “How dare you! Father said two hours—count it yourself if you can! Do I need to teach you how?”  

The eunuch stammered that he wouldn’t dare but hesitated to let him go. The Emperor hadn’t yet decided how to deal with the young prince. If they let him leave now and were held accountable later, wouldn’t they be in trouble?  

But who was Huhai? Without his father around, he was a lawless little tyrant. What were two measly eunuchs to him? He barged past them. When they tried to stop him, he simply shoved them aside. “Father never said I had to stay locked up. Go do something else.”  

Then he ran off.  

The guards, not assigned to supervise him, turned a blind eye. The two eunuchs watched the young prince’s retreating figure with despair.  

“We’re done for. We’re going to get scolded again.”  

Huhai had initially dashed out of his father’s palace without a second thought. But as soon as he passed the gates, he stopped and turned back, gazing inside. He thought of his Little Imperial Sister—how was she doing now?  

The memory of her nestled obediently in his arms, crying pitifully, made the hot-tempered boy feel a twinge of guilt.  

Scratching his head, he stomped his foot and turned back, running inside again.

Approaching the palace hall, Huhai’s steps grew slower and slower. Was Father Emperor inside?  

If he entered now, would he be caught red-handed by Father Emperor? Just like what the tutor had said—walking right into a trap?  

The young boy stealthily pressed himself against the door, unable to take another step. A eunuch guarding the entrance couldn’t stand it any longer and asked, “Young Prince, what are you doing?”  

Huhai was slightly annoyed at having his thoughts interrupted, but since the man was here, he might as well ask. “Where is His Majesty?”  

The eunuch saw no harm in answering. “He’s bathing. The Eldest Young Master came earlier and is now inside looking after the Little Imperial Sister. His Majesty got caught in the rain and is currently washing up.”  

Huhai’s eyes lit up at the news. Without another word, he dashed straight into the inner hall.  

Father Emperor wasn’t here—perfect!  

And Big Brother was here—even better!  

This was like a double guarantee. With Big Brother around, even if he accidentally ran into Father Emperor, Big Brother could plead on his behalf. All he had to do was cling to Big Brother’s leg.  

He wouldn’t stay long—just take a quick look at the Little Imperial Sister and leave.  

Fusu was always patient. Even in the empty hall with only a sleeping little bundle by his side, he didn’t feel bored. He occasionally spoke to his imperial sister, saying, “I am your elder brother, Fusu.” Other times, he recalled the primers he had studied as a child and recited a few lines to her. Time passed quickly this way, and before he could say much more, someone came clattering in.  

The boy was dressed in a eunuch’s attire, his outer robe missing, his hair a tangled mess like a bird’s nest, and his face smeared with suspicious stains here and there.  

Fusu’s eye twitched as he motioned for Huhai to quiet down. “The Little Imperial Sister just took medicine and is sleeping. Behave yourself.”  

At the sight of his elder brother, Huhai was suddenly overwhelmed with grief, forgetting entirely that he had come to see the Little Imperial Sister. He rushed over, knelt on the ground, and hugged Fusu’s leg, wailing, “Big Brother, Huhai’s life is so hard! Father Emperor definitely isn’t my real father!”  

“Do you know how Father Emperor treated me?”  

The boy rolled up his sleeve, pointing to the marks on his wrist as he sniffled and sobbed.  

Under normal circumstances, Fusu might have patiently listened to the end, patted his younger brother’s head, and offered some comfort. But today, his expression turned stern. “Did you pinch the Little Imperial Sister?”  

Huhai’s voice faltered. He instinctively glanced at the small bundle on the bed, his heart filling with guilt. “Y-yes…”  

Even as he admitted it, he couldn’t help feeling a little aggrieved. He added, “I didn’t know the imperial sister’s face was so tender. I—I didn’t mean to.”  

Looking up, he swore, “It was my first time—I had no experience! Next time, I won’t do it again.”  

A voice as clear as jade beads rolling on a tray sounded above him. “There’ll be a next time?”  

Huhai immediately shook his head. “N-no, I won’t pinch her anymore. Next time, I won’t.” He muttered under his breath, “I’m not stupid.”  

Pinching her face would leave marks, making it easy for Father Emperor to notice. Next time, he wouldn’t use his hands—a gentleman used words, not force.  

Did Fusu not know what this rascal was thinking? He flicked the boy’s forehead. “From now on, you’re not allowed to bully the imperial sister. She’s still young and can’t handle your antics.”  

Huhai nodded, though it was unclear if he actually took it to heart. Having been caught and dragged back, he knew nothing about what had happened afterward, so he asked his elder brother for details. What was Father Emperor’s attitude? Why was the imperial sister always sleeping?  

Fusu replied, “After your little stunt, the imperial sister caught a chill and was frightened. She’s running a fever now.”  

Huhai had suffered from fevers before and knew how unpleasant they could be. Already guilty, he now felt even worse. He tugged at Fusu’s sleeve. “What about the imperial physician? What did he say?”

Fusu deliberately teased him, “The imperial physician said she might end up burning into a fool.”

“What about medicine? Doesn’t medicine help?” Huhai recalled a classmate whose younger brother had also become mentally impaired from a high fever. He heard the boy, already seven or eight years old, still couldn’t recognize people, couldn’t read or speak properly—just kept repeating the same few words while drooling. The family endured much ridicule, and his classmate would constantly roll up his sleeves to fight those who mocked his brother, living in constant anger.

His heart sank, and his expression darkened as if the sky had fallen. “Will my imperial sister become like that too?”

“Like what?”

“Unable to speak clearly, unable to recognize Father Emperor, or eldest brother, or even me?”

Most importantly… what if she faced endless ridicule?

For a moment, Huhai wondered if he alone could fight off so many people.

He should have paid more attention during archery and horsemanship lessons.

In just those few sentences, the young prince had frightened himself witless, clutching his elder brother’s sleeve desperately. “Eldest brother, say something, won’t you?”