Chapter 377

It was hard to believe there was no trickery involved in this.

"Let’s head to the Taihe Hall first. Has the Crown Prince woken up?"

Tang Shiliang hurriedly followed behind the emperor: "Her Majesty the Empress sent me to inform Your Majesty that the rash on the Crown Prince’s face has healed, and he has now returned to Hexi Palace."

The emperor immediately changed his direction toward Hexi Palace. He had been in a bad mood all morning after not being able to accompany the Crown Prince during the morning court session. His mind had been preoccupied, worried that the little one might feel unwell and start crying again.

Last night, the little one had cried so hard that his voice had gone hoarse, which had nearly broken the emperor’s heart.

After all, this was the Crown Prince he had raised with his own hands, through thick and thin!

"Hit, ​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‍hit, hit, hit..."

Inside Hexi Palace, the Fourth Prince and the Crown Prince were sitting on soft cushions on the floor, playing a game of "Whack-a-Mole" that Jiang Xinyue had made for them.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The Crown Prince, well-fed and rested, was in high spirits, having already forgotten the discomfort of his earlier allergic reaction. He was enthusiastically swinging a small hammer, chanting, "Hit, hit, hit, hit..."

The Fourth Prince joined in, mimicking him: "Hit, hit, hit, hit..."

The sound of their play filled Hexi Palace, occasionally interrupted by the joyful barking of a dog.

It seemed that "Guolai" was also inside, joining in the fun with the two little ones!

When the emperor entered, he saw Jiang Xinyue holding the Sixth Prince, guiding his hand to whack the moles. Each time a new mole popped up, the little prince would squeal with excitement, but also shrink back in fear, burying himself in his mother’s arms.

He had become even more clingy than before.

The emperor didn’t announce his arrival, but everyone in the hall noticed him and immediately knelt in respect. Jiang Xinyue pointed toward the entrance: "Little Tuan, look who’s here?"

The voice caught the Crown Prince’s attention, and he turned to see a familiar face.

He dropped the small wooden hammer, pushed away Jiang Xinyue’s hand, and with a little wobble, managed to stand up on his own.

This was the first time in his life he had stood up independently. The maids, including Xique and Shuangjiang, froze in their tasks, wide-eyed and holding their breath, waiting to see what he would do next.

"Uh... uh..."

The little chubby boy plopped back down, seeking his mother’s help, but when their eyes met, he saw only encouragement on her face, with no intention of lifting him up.

So, he placed his hands on the ground, stuck his bottom up, and slowly, unsteadily, stood up again.

Those little legs bravely took their first step.

Jiang Xinyue’s eyes reddened as she covered her mouth with her hand. While she was genuinely moved, her reaction was somewhat exaggerated—it was all an act for the emperor.

"Hehehehe..."

The Crown Prince stumbled and ran into the emperor’s arms, grabbing onto his father’s golden crown and refusing to let go: "Give... give..."

Only Her Majesty the Empress and the Crown Prince dared to mess with the emperor’s crown.

"Do you want Father’s crown?"

"Mm!"

The Crown Prince might not yet understand what "mm" meant, but he was a quick learner.

The Fourth Prince had been saying "mm" earlier, and now he was copying him.

The Xuanwu Emperor laughed heartily: "Father can’t give it to you now—you don’t even have enough hair to wear it! When your hair grows longer, Father will have a prettier one made for you, alright?"

"Mm, mm..."

This time, he not only answered but also nodded repeatedly.

"What a clever little one."

The emperor lifted him up and bounced him a couple of times, causing the Crown Prince to giggle like a flower in bloom, his childish laughter filling the room.

Jiang Xinyue glanced at the Fourth Prince and pulled him into her arms: "Oh dear! Xiaoman, you’ve gotten so chubby lately, like a little piggy. Mother can hardly hold you anymore."

The Fourth Prince felt a warmth in his heart, knowing full well that this was his mother’s way of comforting him, afraid he might feel left out.

Sigh...

His grandmother had once told him that people were born different, and one couldn’t have everything. Those who were too greedy would come to no good end.

He couldn’t have both his mother’s love and his father’s.

Having one was already more than enough!

It was worth it, considering how he had deliberately caught his father’s attention during the palace coup launched by the traitor Lady Ye.

The best decision he had ever made was provoking the nasty eunuchs on duty near Hexi Palace.

He had deliberately spat at them, taunted them, and driven them into a rage, causing them to beat him as they had done countless times before.

Luckily, after just a dozen kicks, the emperor had seen him and sent him and his grandmother to Hexi Palace.

Since then, he no longer had to scheme just to survive, because with Mother around, no one dared to bully him.

Having her was enough!

"Xiaoman, Grand Tutor Jing recently praised you to Father, saying you’ve been doing very well in your studies and setting a good example for your younger brother. Don’t get complacent—keep it up, alright?"

Even such a simple compliment from the emperor made the Fourth Prince’s eyes light up: "Father, don’t worry. I will always protect my younger brother and be a good role model for him."

He still didn’t know that his younger brother had narrowly escaped death.

Jiang Xinyue patted his head: "You and your younger brother are both Mother’s good children. I’m very grateful that you, as the older brother, want to protect him. But you must never put someone else’s life before your own. No matter what, you are the most important. Mother hopes that you will protect yourself first, and then your younger brother, understand?"

These words sounded very familiar to the Xuanwu Emperor. Wasn’t this what Jiang Xinyue had once told him—to prioritize his own feelings and never sacrifice himself for anyone else?

It was those words back then that had made him develop genuine feelings for her, unlike his other concubines.

If even the emperor hadn’t been able to resist her words, how could the Fourth Prince, who had a similar background, hold back?

His eyes welled up with tears as he looked at Jiang Xinyue with adoration, burying his face in her arms, too shy to look up.

From an outsider’s perspective, the emperor could truly feel that Jiang Xinyue’s words were sincere, not an attempt to manipulate anyone.

Jiang Xinyue, of course, knew the emperor would find her words familiar, but he was mistaken.

Her affection for the Fourth Prince was genuine, not manipulation. But when it came to the emperor, who had countless women, it was indeed manipulation, without a shred of sincerity.

To expect sincerity from an emperor was as futile as trying to ascend to immortality.

Up until now, her coquettishness, her tears, her jealousy—it was all an act.

Demanding his exclusive attention, forbidding him from taking new concubines, all of it was to make him believe she loved him deeply and couldn’t bear to share him with anyone else.

This was her way of ensuring no new threats entered the palace, allowing the Crown Prince to grow up safely, free from harm.

As long as the emperor could resist temptation while the Crown Prince was young, she could tolerate it. Once the Crown Prince was grown, she wouldn’t mind if the emperor filled the palace with a hundred beauties.

If the emperor behaved himself, she would happily grow old with him in harmony.

But if he didn’t...

Well, as she often said, the emperor was over a decade older than her. He would die before her.