Lin Nanji returned to the attendants' quarters with the little bottle tucked in his clothes, weighed down by worry. With something on his mind, he tossed and turned all night and barely slept.
The brother in the neighboring bed had long fallen into a deep sleep and was snoring thunderously, making it even harder for Lin Nanji to sleep. He stared into the darkness until late at night, finally dozing lightly for only two hours.
Early the next morning, Lin Nanji got up with two dark circles under his eyes, still half asleep. Catching sight of the person in the neighboring bed getting up too, he couldn't help asking, “Can snoring be treated?”
The little eunuch in the neighboring bed was named Ding Wen. He was rather plump, round like a freshly steamed white bun, and surprisingly had two dimples.
Ding Wen looked embarrassed. “Did I disturb your sleep? Tonight I'll wait until you fall asleep before I sleep.”
Lin Nanji was unhappy from sleep deprivation, but they were fellow sufferers in the same miserable world. He couldn't bring himself to blame him and said, “It's fine. I'll plug my ears.”
Ding Wen became even more embarrassed. “Thank you.”
The two left the quarters around the same time, one heading east and the other west.
Outside, dawn had barely begun. Several cold stars still hung at the horizon, lonely points of light. Silvery moonlight spread over the imperial city like a layer of frost, and the dark-red palace buildings seemed to sit atop it.
After entering the palace gate and collecting his identification tablet, Lin Nanji headed straight toward Purple Enclosure Palace. He walked quickly, the little bottle hidden in his clothes, his mind full of worry, and accidentally bumped into someone.
【If the dog emperor finds out, even ten heads wouldn't be enough for him to cut off… Ow!】
Then a pair of soft little hands wrapped around his thigh.
Lin Nanji looked down and met the eyes of a three- or four-year-old child.
The child was fair-skinned and exceptionally good-looking, dressed in a red padded coat. His little nose was still red from the cold. One could already tell he would grow into the sort of beauty who attracted admirers everywhere.
But right now, the child wore a stern expression, a pair of dark eyes staring at him with extreme seriousness.
Lin Nanji thought the child looked familiar.
【Why does he look a bit like the dog emperor?】
As they stared at each other, a sharp, severe voice suddenly rang out:
“Insolent servant! You bumped into the Crown Prince and still aren't kneeling!”
Lin Nanji finally remembered who this was. There was only one child in the imperial palace: Li Jingyu, son of Li Chengxian and the late empress.
Beside him stood the little crown prince's wet nurse, Nanny Shi.
Lin Nanji hurried to bow, but the child grabbed him.
Lin Nanji: 【?】
【What does he want?】
The little crown prince said nothing, only looked at Lin Nanji with wide, pleading eyes.
Lin Nanji could neither kneel nor stand properly. Suddenly he remembered that the little crown prince was privately called the mute crown prince. At three years old he had suffered a serious illness, damaged his throat, and never spoken again.
Everyone believed Li Jingyu could never ascend the throne because a mute could not be emperor. Noble Consort Qin had even planted people around him to prevent the crown prince from frequently seeing the emperor.
Lin Nanji smiled. “Greetings, Your Highness. Does Your Highness wish to see His Majesty?”
The little crown prince nodded.
The wet nurse immediately reminded him, “Your Highness, His Majesty is busy. Let's go back first. Nanny will make you something delicious when we return.”
As she spoke, she tried to forcibly pick up the little crown prince.
Lin Nanji saw the little crown prince frown, his grip on Lin Nanji's thigh becoming tighter.
Lin Nanji: 【The dog emperor isn't the sort of person who refuses to see his own son, is he?】
His heart softened. “There's still some time before morning court. His Majesty should have time to see His Highness right now.”
The little crown prince's eyes immediately lit up. He grabbed Lin Nanji's hand and tried to walk.
The wet nurse stiffened. “You little eunuch, how dare you contradict the Crown Prince?”
Lin Nanji looked surprised. “His Highness is already here. How could we not even send word inside? If His Majesty blames us later, none of us could bear the responsibility.”
The wet nurse's face changed. She could only give up and let Lin Nanji lead the little crown prince to Purple Enclosure Palace.
Inside Purple Enclosure Palace, Li Chengxian had just finished changing clothes. Seeing Lin Nanji bring in a child, he was somewhat surprised.
Then he looked again. Wasn't that his son?
Li Chengxian beckoned the little crown prince forward. “Yu'er, why are you awake so early today? Let Father Emperor see whether you've grown taller.”
Li Jingyu obediently straightened his little body for Li Chengxian to measure.
A broad, warm palm rested on the top of his head, and the child immediately rewarded him with a smile.
The little crown prince was simply too cute. Everyone in Purple Enclosure Palace smiled, especially Li Chengxian, who immediately lifted him onto his lap and began playing with him.
Looking at the crown prince's tender little face, Li Chengxian quietly sighed.
He remembered that the boy had spoken fluently when he was younger. How had he stopped talking now? The Imperial Medical Institute had examined him and found nothing physically wrong.
Then what could the problem be?
Li Chengxian felt that the greatest frustration of his life was his son refusing to speak.
Lin Nanji watched the warm scene between father and son and felt his heart soften.
Suddenly, he heard a sigh beside him. Looking up, he saw Wang Dehai staring at the little crown prince with reddened eyes.
Lin Nanji: 【Ah, this…】
【If these people knew the little crown prince refuses to speak simply because he thinks everyone is too noisy, would their jaws hit the floor?】
【His personality already takes after the late empress—he likes peace and quiet. Then after he got sick, crowds of people surrounded his bed asking questions every day. The imperial consorts even took turns trying to adopt him, coming to the Eastern Palace constantly to fuss over him and tell him how fun their palaces were.】
【In the end… they traumatized the little crown prince, and from then on he simply refused to speak.】
Li Chengxian had been immersed in worrying about his son's future. Hearing Lin Nanji's inner voice, he suddenly lifted his head sharply.
It wasn't that he couldn't speak?
He just didn't want to?
Li Chengxian looked at his son sitting obediently on his lap, his expression as though lightning had struck him.
He felt pity, guilt, and an urge to spank the child's bottom!
He simply decided not to speak, so he stopped speaking?
Li Chengxian had coaxed him for so long, practically begging heaven and earth for his son to utter even one word. Yet this child had been stubborn enough not to say half a syllable!
Li Chengxian held his son under the arms and lifted him until their eyes were level.
“Yu'er, call me Father Emperor.”
The little crown prince looked at his father with grape-black eyes and even blinked.
As though indicating that he had heard.
But he didn't speak.
Li Chengxian continued tempting him. “If you call me Father Emperor, I'll have the kitchen make your favorite candied hawthorn skewers.”
“I'll even let you draw a turtle on Wang Dehai's face.”
Wang Dehai nearly burst into tears.
This time Li Jingyu simply turned his gaze away and completely ignored Li Chengxian.
He couldn't help doubting.
What if what Lin Nanji said was false?
What if Yu'er truly… couldn't speak anymore?
At that moment, Li Jingyu wriggled down to the floor and ran straight toward Lin Nanji, once again hugging his thigh.
Lin Nanji: 【Whoa!】
Li Chengxian looked at Lin Nanji with extreme displeasure. What did it mean for his son to cling to a eunuch's thigh? Was the emperor's thigh—the biggest, thickest one in Great Qi—not worth clinging to?
Lin Nanji: “Yes. This servant encountered His Highness outside the palace.”
【The wet nurse was afraid the little crown prince would disturb you before court and tried to stop him from seeing you, but I won't say that. It would feel like badmouthing a coworker to the boss.】
Say more!
Lin Nanji bent down to the little crown prince. “Your Highness?”
【Sleepy?】
【The sun hasn't even risen yet. What time did the little crown prince wake up?】
As soon as Lin Nanji thought that, the little crown prince yawned.
The wet nurse immediately said, “This servant will take His Highness back to sleep.”
“Forget it.” Li Chengxian told Wang Dehai, “Take Yu'er to sleep in my room.”
But the little crown prince refused Wang Dehai and continued clinging to Lin Nanji's thigh.
Lin Nanji was troubled too and looked to Li Chengxian for help. “Your Majesty, this…”
【Control your child, please.】
Instead, Li Chengxian said, “Fine. It seems Yu'er likes you. You take Yu'er to sleep. You don't need to follow me to court.”
And just like that, Lin Nanji suddenly found himself inside the emperor's bedchamber watching the little crown prince sleep. Even the crown prince's wet nurse wasn't allowed inside!
Lin Nanji suddenly stood up. He was in the emperor's bedchamber.
【Uh… I really don't normally come in here.】
The small bottle in his clothes instantly felt scorching hot. The purple-bronze incense burner was right in front of him.
Lin Nanji: 【Why did the Noble Consort have to choose me? Is she bullying me because I don't have a backer? If I don't drug him, will the Noble Consort kill me?】
By sheer coincidence, Li Chengxian heard this sentence.
At that moment, Li Chengxian had been speaking with Wang Dehai.
“This little eunuch merely looks decent. Somehow Yu'er likes him this much.”
Wang Dehai followed behind Li Chengxian, carefully interpreting the emperor's meaning. “Lin Nanji's character is fairly good, and among servants his face is auspicious as well. His Highness may be young, but he has a very accurate eye for people.”
Li Chengxian chuckled. “You certainly know how to flatter. He's still young. What does he know about judging people?”
Then he added with ulterior meaning, “This Lin Nanji isn't bad. He can be useful.”
The instant the words left his mouth, he heard Lin Nanji's earth-shattering thought.
“Lin Nanji went to the Noble Consort's palace?”
It sounded like an accusation.
Wang Dehai didn't understand why the emperor had suddenly switched to Noble Consort Qin, but his own face changed as well and his heart dropped. A personal imperial attendant becoming entangled with a consort was never a good thing.
Remembering that Lin Nanji was alone with the little crown prince, Wang Dehai's expression shifted. “This servant will return to Purple Enclosure Palace immediately and watch His Highness.”
Lin Nanji remained in the bedchamber. Calming incense curled upward from the burner to soothe the mind, but Lin Nanji was too busy worrying to feel soothed at all.
Before long Wang Dehai returned. Lin Nanji was puzzled. Was Eunuch Wang not attending court today?
Wang Dehai checked on the little crown prince. “His Majesty is worried about His Highness and sent me back to watch him.”
Lin Nanji: “Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Wang.”
Wang Dehai looked at Lin Nanji. The boy really was handsome and refined; there was even a faint nobility in his features. In recent days, the emperor had mentioned him more and more often. A bright future should have been waiting for him.
What a pity.
The boy had chosen the wrong road.
