Chapter 12

What is the consequence of talking too much?  

Huhai had a lot to say about this.  

He was supposed to leave after visiting his Little Imperial Sister, but upon seeing his gentle and kind elder brother, he couldn’t help but vent his grievances and ramble on. Worse still, he was tricked by his cunning elder brother. Before he could even figure out whether his little sister would turn out foolish, their father arrived.  

That… the fiercest Royal Beast in the palace had come bearing a Death Warrant.  

He grabbed Huhai by the scruff of his neck, tossed him out of the hall, and ordered the guards to give him a beating.  

The boy’s shrill cries echoed from outside the hall, but the Qin Emperor showed no mercy toward his son. Instead, he found the noise irritating and commanded them to drag him farther away to continue the punishment.  

Huhai: “…”  

But the beating wasn’t the end of it. Before that, Huhai had personally heard his eldest brother’s calm and gentle voice suggest to their father that he be made to copy the Ying Clan Rules. Heaven knew just how thick those rules were—having been revised, amended, and expanded over centuries. The stacks of bamboo scrolls could fill an entire wall.  

He stared at his elder brother in disbelief, but the latter remained seated by the bedside, not even bothering to shift his noble posterior when their father arrived. Instead, he tenderly wiped their little sister’s forehead without sparing Huhai so much as a glance.  

The Qin Emperor had no time to argue and readily approved the suggestion. “Fusu speaks wisely. This brat needs to learn his lesson. After the beating, he shall copy the rules.”  

Huhai: “…”  

Faced with the cold, unrelenting suppression from the two most formidable figures in the palace, the self-proclaimed top tyrant of the inner court—a boy usually as proud as a peacock—was dragged away without any ability to resist. Stunned, he forgot to beg for mercy or protest. Only when he was nearly at the door did he realize he had been betrayed by his dear elder brother. Tearfully, he wailed, “Elder Brother, I misjudged you!”  

What happened to being my real brother?!  

First, his father turned out to be heartless, and now even his ever-gentle and affectionate elder brother had betrayed him. The boy felt as if the sky had fallen.  

His pitiful cries echoed all the way down the hall. The palace servants couldn’t bear to watch and lowered their heads to stare at their toes—*tsk*, their shoes looked particularly nice today. They should go back and scrub them until they were spotless and gleaming.  

Whether it was the medicine taking effect or Huhai’s noisy tantrum that roused her, not long after, while the father and son were locked in a silent standoff over who would stay to keep watch, a soft whimper sounded. Both turned to see the Little Dragon Cub on the bed already awake.  

Her big, round eyes were still slightly red and hazy, gazing at them in innocent curiosity.  

Almost simultaneously, the two spoke: “The Little Chick (Little Imperial Sister) is awake?”  

This was the first time Fusu had heard the term “Little Chick.” He paused, momentarily speechless, allowing the Qin Emperor to take the lead. The man reached out to touch her forehead, finding her temperature had dropped significantly. His brows relaxed as he ordered the servants to bring a bowl of milk to feed her.  

The picky and clingy Little Chick refused to be held and fed by a wet nurse. Ever since the Qin Emperor had once clumsily held a basin of milk to feed her, she had latched onto him. From then on, feeding duties fell solely to him—even if the Dragon Cub woke hungry in the middle of the night.  

The Qin Emperor was used to it, but Fusu was witnessing it for the first time.  

He watched in mild astonishment as a servant brought in a bowl of milk. His father took it with practiced ease, firmly nudging him away from the bedside before cradling the Little Imperial Sister in his arms and carefully feeding her spoonful by spoonful.  

The same hand that had wielded weapons and decided life and death now held a tiny spoon specially made for infants, patiently feeding her milk. And when the Little Imperial Sister obediently took small sips, the man unconsciously smiled in satisfaction.

He stood silently for a long time, suddenly feeling like an outsider—an illusion that didn’t last.  

After being fed, the Little Imperial Sister seemed much livelier, waving her tiny hands at him. Fusu smiled faintly, thinking how well-behaved she was.  

Under the Qin Emperor’s sharp gaze, he leaned over the bed and asked gently, “Is Imperial Sister calling for her elder brother?”  

Her plump little hand stretched out with effort, barely grasping his sleeve before tugging at it. Fusu didn’t understand but took it as a friendly gesture, his smile growing even warmer.  

The Qin Emperor, still holding the child, knew exactly what the Little Dragon Cub was thinking—she was calling out to her “pretty elder brother,” her heart bubbling with joy. It was clear just how much this little chick adored her eldest brother.  

The Qin Emperor: “…”  

Remembering the gift he hadn’t managed to give last time, Fusu took out a jade pendant from his robes.  

Carved from fine emerald-green jade, it was smooth and lustrous, meticulously crafted over several days. He had polished it with oil and soaked it in spring water, resulting in a rich, deep hue with an exquisite texture.  

Fusu always considered every detail. Knowing his little sister was still an infant who couldn’t yet babble, he worried a square-edged pendant might hurt her. Ordinary pendants were also too heavy, so he modified it—carving the jade into a small, round shape, symbolizing peace and wholeness. Light and thin, it had a hole in the middle for a string to hang around the neck, making it perfect for a child.  

Though an amateur carver, unable to etch intricate patterns on such a small piece, Fusu had still managed a few elegant strokes resembling soaring dragons—simple yet dignified. The Little Dragon Cub even thought the design looked like her own tail, majestic and ethereal, utterly beautiful!  

She waved her claws, pointing at her neck and stretching it out. This time, Fusu understood. “Father, please hold Imperial Sister’s head steady. I’ll put this on her.”  

The Qin Emperor: “…”  

In the end, the little Peace Buckle, carved by her elder brother, was successfully hung around the Little Dragon Cub’s neck.  

The Qin Emperor had half a mind to toss both the pendant and its maker out of the palace, but given the little one’s delight and the day’s events, he grudgingly let it slide—even helping to fasten it.  

Now that he had seen his sister and delivered his gift, the Qin Emperor began shooing him away. “Nothing to do at the office today?”  

Fusu smiled faintly. “Not at all. I’ve handled tomorrow’s and the day after’s tasks today. Only minor details remain, which my subordinates can manage.”  

The Qin Emperor snorted. Brat.  

It wasn’t until the next day that court officials learned of the incident in the palace—Young Master Huhai had sneaked the little princess out of the Emperor’s chambers, causing her to fall ill. The poor girl had been feverish, and the reckless boy had reportedly had his face pinched swollen.  

The Emperor had flown into a rage, reprimanding Huhai harshly. Rumor had it the boy was still bedridden.  

Over the years, no matter what mischief Huhai caused, the Emperor had turned a blind eye, at most scolding him lightly. But this time, he had even ordered a beating—finally piquing the court’s curiosity.

Taking advantage of the fact that the emperor had not yet arrived for the morning court session, the ministers secretly gossiped about the imperial family in hushed tones, forming small groups to whisper among themselves.

“Speaking of which, the little princess has been raised by His Majesty since birth. I wonder which Madam she will be officially placed under for upbringing.”

“Isn’t the strangest thing His Majesty’s attitude? There are countless princes and princesses in the harem who lost their mothers in childhood. Not to mention distant examples, just among the younger ones—such as the Sixteenth and Nineteenth Princes, Princess Hua Xi and Princess Hua Yi—all lost their birth mothers shortly after being born. Even our Eldest Young Master lost his mother when he was just a few years old, yet His Majesty never took him in to raise personally.”

“The Eldest Young Master, as the imperial eldest son, holds a noble status. Though His Majesty did not raise him personally, he still instructs him frequently. The other younger ones were all assigned to various Madams for upbringing, and His Majesty never intervened. So what does His Majesty’s current action signify?”

The court officials were extremely curious about this little princess, who had received special favor from the emperor since her birth. Young Master Huhai used to be so domineering—not only bullying others but even causing trouble for high-ranking officials during their lectures. Yet, His Majesty never once punished him?

It was said that the palace had been quite lively yesterday. Young Master Huhai’s wails could be heard through several palace walls, and the maids, eunuchs, and guards all tread carefully, fearing they might lose their lives if they made the slightest mistake.

One minister stroked his beard and sighed, “Young Master Huhai has a proud temperament. Now that he’s met his match, he won’t let this go easily. There will be much to see in the days to come.”

As they spoke, it wasn’t long before the eunuch announced the emperor’s arrival, signaling the start of the court session.

Throughout the morning, the ministers couldn’t help but steal glances at the emperor’s face, hoping to discern his mood. But as usual, his stern expression revealed nothing, and they resigned themselves to the fact that the emperor’s emotions were beyond mortal comprehension.

With the empire having been unified just a year ago, the court was extremely busy. This was the first time the emperor ruled over all under heaven, with no precedent to follow. Similarly, the officials were serving the entire realm for the first time. Governing a small state had been easy, but now, managing the affairs of the empire required much more effort, and both the ruler and his subjects were learning as they went.

A morning court session rarely concluded in less than two hours.

The emperor’s abrupt departure the previous day now made sense—it was likely due to the incident involving the little princess. Though no one knew how the emperor had learned of it while in court, he was the Son of Heaven, far beyond mortal understanding.

One official, lost in thought while hiding in the middle of the ranks, mused that he must find an opportunity to see the little princess and observe her appearance. He wondered… did she resemble the emperor?

A vision of a burly, bearded, yet handsome face flashed through his mind, causing him to shudder. He quickly shook off the intrusive image. If she truly resembled the emperor, would she ever find a husband when she grew up? Would the emperor have to resort to forcibly seizing men from the common folk?

“Zhang Da, what are you thinking about?”

The person beside him nudged his arm. “Still daydreaming? His Majesty is asking you a question!”

Zhang Da looked up to see the emperor squinting down at him from his elevated position. He immediately snapped to attention. “Your servant is here, Your Majesty. I am listening. What are your commands?”

The person beside him couldn’t help but snicker quietly—what a bootlicker!

The Qin Emperor said, “We hear that Lord Zhang dotes on his son as if his life depended on it?”

Zhang Da nodded repeatedly. It was true. He was nearly forty when he finally had his only son, whom he treasured beyond measure, willing to pluck stars from the sky or steal the moon for him. He coddled the boy, never scolding or striking him.

The Qin Emperor narrowed his eyes and spoke in a casual tone, “We have also heard that Lord Zhang enjoys giving his son Ride Horsey the most. Is this true?”

Zhang Da flushed slightly, never expecting His Majesty to bring this up during the court assembly in front of all his colleagues. At his advanced age, giving his son Ride Horsey seemed rather undignified, yet he couldn’t deny it—that would be the crime of deceiving the emperor.

He nodded awkwardly, immediately drawing suppressed laughter from his fellow officials around him.

The emperor’s displeased gaze swept over them, and only then did the officials purse their lips to control their amusement and feign solemn expressions.

The Qin Emperor said, “After the court adjourns, Lord Zhang shall remain.”