Chapter 24 Fusu, you called someone else "Father"...

What……?

Fusu suspected there was something wrong with his hearing system. His face was filled with surprise, which he couldn't hide: "When did the Emperor find out?!"

Emperor Renzong finally lost his temper: "What exactly do you take your father for?"

I don't think you're stupid, but...

No, that's not right.

Fusu tried to put himself in the emperor's shoes.

My son showed extraordinary talent at the age of three. He could not only read and recognize characters, but also understand international affairs and give reasonable solutions.

This eldest son, whom his father considered a good son (Fusu himself), usually preferred to hide his talents, yet he uttered radical remarks in public. What does this indicate? It indicates that he was definitely doing it on purpose. So, what was his purpose?

It's obvious that they want to be questioned, or even disliked.

So why would someone who was enfeoffed as a prince at the age of three and is clearly a designated heir apparent vie to be disliked?

...Of course, it was so that he wouldn't become the crown prince.

Fusu looked as if he had eaten a sour orange, his whole face scrunched up: the answer was practically written on the riddle itself! The Emperor knew from the moment his identity was accidentally revealed!

Conversely, it was surprising that the emperor could remain calm and collected, seemingly unconcerned. Several days had passed since the peace talks began. It was only after he personally approached the emperor that he was willing to take the initiative to break the ice.

Wow, emperors are all extraordinary.

Except for Hu Hai, hmm.

but……

“Can’t it be because I’m a proponent of war?” Fusu shouted. “I’m telling the truth.”

"Oh," the official said with a smile, "wouldn't that be even better?"

He bent down on his own initiative—as was the usual way of picking Fusu up—and spoke to Fusu after their eyes were aligned.

"Zhi Gui (Han Qi's courtesy name) has been guarding the border in Shaanxi for three whole years, and his ambition remains unchanged. As for Yang Guo (Fu Bi's courtesy name), you just met him, so you should know him. How could someone with ambition and the courage to fight internal strife not have any thoughts on securing external peace?"

Fusu's eyes widened.

So, they're also secretly pro-war?

Emperor Renzong counted on two fingers and continued his discussion: "Xiao Song is usually inclined towards the conservative and steady faction, so let's leave that aside for now. As for Prime Minister Yan, he has served as a peaceful prime minister for decades, and he certainly doesn't want war to break out again in his later years. But since his son is in your hands, Su'er, he naturally has to give you some face no matter what you say."

Fusu: "..."

Fusu: "…………"

"So I completely miscalculated?"

"No, not at all."

Emperor Renzong smiled and patted his son's head: "Su'er, didn't you notice that when you said those words, all the ministers were watching my expression? As soon as I praised your ambition, they were ready to seize the opportunity. If I hope you will be a ruler who maintains the status quo, then I will leave it at that for now and wait for another day."

Fusu glanced at Emperor Renzong: Isn't that the same?

What has he ever wanted to do that the government has never supported?

It never existed; it doesn't exist.

Emperor Renzong understood the meaning behind that glance and chuckled softly.

After the laughter, there was a long, speechless silence.

The father and son readily exchanged answers, as if their conflict had melted away and vanished. In reality, however, they were both cautiously scratching the surface, unwilling to touch upon the core issue.

—Regarding the position of Crown Prince.

Fusu scratched his soft cheek, trying to break the silence. But then he thought it was unnecessary. He had already made his thoughts and actions clear; he just needed to wait for the verdict.

Sigh, on second thought, since the Emperor had already guessed the answer, he wasn't surprised at all, and his emotions were surprisingly stable. What if he had firmly and unequivocally disagreed and insisted on forcing the position of Crown Prince upon me?

Fusu tried to imagine—would he slack off in his position as crown prince?

Reading and studying can be put aside, and the only ones who get hurt are the teachers (Teachers: Hey!). But when it comes to matters of great importance concerning the people's livelihood... well, he really can't do it.

Fusu's face suddenly turned terrified.

Oh no! Could it be that the Emperor also noticed this, which is why he deliberately changed the subject and tried to attract his attention?

Very likely!

Fusu's gaze toward Emperor Renzong suddenly turned wary.

If they had animal ears on their heads, they would probably be standing up all over by now.

Emperor Renzong: What has this kid been thinking about now!

He even had the mind to reflect on himself: What foolish thing did I do to be treated as a fool by Su'er first, and then as a monster?

Seeing that his son was about to bar his teeth at him if he didn't make a statement soon, Emperor Renzong of Song immediately stopped hesitating and grabbed Fusu's soft, white hand: "Come on, I'll take you somewhere."

Fusu: ? ? ?

You should tell me where you want to go first.

He was nervous for a while, fearing that Emperor Renzong would strike first, bring him to the Zichen Hall in front of all the civil and military officials, grab his little arm, and loudly proclaim: "This is your Crown Prince, all my beloved ministers, come and pay your respects to the Crown Prince!"

Fusu only breathed a sigh of relief when he realized that Emperor Renzong was heading in the opposite direction from the Zichen Palace, and that the crowds on the road were thinning out. At the same time, he grew increasingly puzzled. Why hadn't he walked this road before? Were there places in the palace he hadn't been to?

Fifteen minutes later, we arrived at our destination.

The plaque bears the three large characters "Fengxian Hall".

Fusu's first thought was of the Three Kingdoms period. But was Lü Bu, Lü Fengxian, really that popular in the Song Dynasty? Popular enough to have a special brothel for women in the imperial palace... No, no, no, how could that be?

This is outrageous! Stop!

Just as Fusu's imagination was running wild, Emperor Renzong's expression suddenly turned solemn. He ordered the long entourage behind him to wait outside, and then, holding Fusu's little hand, he slowly stepped over the high threshold of the Fengxian Hall.

The Fengxian Hall is tall and spacious. The most striking feature inside is three enormous portrait paintings, which hang neatly and flatly on the walls. Each painting is as tall as two or three people, requiring visitors to look up to see the entire painting.

The figures in the portraits are all dressed in Song Dynasty dragon robes, their facial features similar yet subtly different. Each person's imposing and dignified bearing is depicted with exquisite skill. The lingering influence of their presence spills out into the spacious main hall.

"oops……"

Fusu couldn't help but let out a sigh.

Western churches often paint huge religious murals on their walls to awe believers. In his view, the layout of this palace has a similar effect.

Fusu suddenly understood the meaning of "Fengxian Palace": it wasn't Lü Bu's courtesy name, Fengxian, but rather a place for worshipping ancestors. No wonder he had never been here before; this wasn't a place for ordinary people. "You recognized it?" The Emperor smiled.

"Yes." Fusu nodded.

The Song Dynasty imperial family had two places to worship their ancestors: one was the Imperial Ancestral Temple, which was a formal place for sacrifices. If Emperor Renzong wanted to appoint the Crown Prince, or if there was a major national event, he would hold a grand ceremony at the Imperial Ancestral Temple to inform the ancestors.

The other place is the Fengxian Hall right in front of us. Instead of ancestral tablets, there are portraits inside. The emperor burned incense to worship his ancestors on ordinary days and held prayers during festivals here.

Therefore, the portrait depicts none other than the blood ancestors of Fusu's physical body, the first three emperors of the Northern Song Dynasty: Taizu, Taizong, and Zhenzong. We won't read out their full temple names, otherwise the palace wouldn't be able to accommodate so many people.

Emperor Renzong of Song said: "The peace talks between Song and Xia are a matter of national importance, and should have been celebrated with ancestral temple sacrifices. However, Emperor Taizong once besieged Li Jiqian with five armies, and his descendants can only be complacent about the advantage gained in the peace talks. I feel that I have no face to face my ancestors."

Fusu thought to himself: What's the big deal? Emperor Zhenzong had no real achievements, yet he dared to go to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony, which made later emperors reluctant to go—fearing that they would be forced to be mentioned in history books alongside this emperor, which would be very distressing.

No sooner had I finished muttering to myself than I turned around and came face to face with a huge portrait of the person I was complaining about.

Fusu: "..."

Fusu: "Cough cough cough cough!"

He silently looked away: Never mind, I won't complain anymore, it's too indecent to criticize him to his face.

Seeing this, Emperor Renzong quickly patted Fusu on the back, making Fusu even more guilty. He almost forgot that Emperor Zhenzong was the Emperor's biological father, his blood grandfather... Fusu secretly made a gesture of sealing a zipper.

"So you brought me here for...?"

Do you want to upset your ancestors?

By the average standards of Northern Song Dynasty heirs, Fusu considered himself a child prodigy, but he was also undeniably a rebellious and troublesome one. A prince who doesn't want to be crown prince isn't a good descendant. Wouldn't it be even more distressing for his ancestors to see this?

Emperor Renzong glanced at him and said, "Isn't it all because you're used to 'speaking without restraint,' even daring to make fun of our ancestors?"

He lifted his robe and knelt down decisively before the three portraits: "Su'er's words in the Chuigong Hall earlier were quite inappropriate, all because I have been too indulgent in his young age. If our ancestors have taken offense, please do not take it to heart. If you must blame someone, blame me."

Fusu blinked: His words and actions were inappropriate? Was he implying that the Liao and Xia armies would sooner or later trample Song territory? Or was he alluding to the fact that his ancestors were blind and could even wrongly purge their own people?

Okay, that's true to some extent.

Having been exposed to modern society, he gradually lost his reverence for ghosts and gods. But in ancient times, ancestors were not figures that could be casually mentioned or fabricated.

Fusu, resting his chin on his hand, was pondering whether he should also follow local custom and apologize. Suddenly, he heard the Emperor's tone become abruptly serious.

"However—"

"The unworthy Emperor Zhen, having meagerly inherited the legacy of his ancestors, works tirelessly day and night, fearing he is unworthy to carry it on. He is deeply moved and often sheds tears of fear and trembles with apprehension."

"In the early years of the Qingli reign, a sudden disaster broke out on the northwestern border, leading to lax governance, depleted national treasury, and exhausted people's strength. Therefore, following the advice of Fan Zhongyan and Fu Bi, new laws were implemented, such as 'clearly defining promotions and demotions, suppressing opportunism, and selecting capable officials.' The aim was to revitalize the nation and restore the foundation laid by our ancestors."

"However, I, your unworthy son, could not sway rumors and was intimidated by public opinion. I feared the changes in the heavens and the gossip of the people. I dismissed capable ministers such as Zhongyan and Fubi and reverted to the old ways. Whenever I think of this, I dare not fail to condemn myself. I am ashamed."

Fusu listened silently from the side, his eyes widening with each word: His Majesty... he actually admitted it!

He actually admitted that his youngest son was right in front of the portraits of his ancestors. It was because he couldn't withstand the collective pressure from the conservatives and the bureaucratic group that he hastily ended the Qingli Reforms.

Fusu himself did not believe in ghosts and gods, but the ancients did, and Emperor Renzong did! He spoke words of confession and repentance on the premise that he could reach the ears of the emperor.

What honesty this is, like ice being tempered and stone being refined!

Let alone our ancestors, how many fathers in the world can admit their mistakes in front of their children?

Fusu put himself in Fusu's shoes and slowly exhaled.

At least he can't do it.

After Emperor Renzong finished speaking, he turned around and saw that his previous seriousness and solemnity had vanished, replaced by helplessness and amusement.

"What did I say that angered Su'er this time?"

Every single sentence.

Fusu rubbed his eyes and said, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, it was my fault. I was too harsh with my words earlier."

Even if the officials admit he was right, so what? In the heat of the moment, he was completely oblivious to the feelings of his listeners.

Moreover, the Emperor owed him nothing at all; the position of Crown Prince was practically handed to him, only for him to snatch it away. Yet, he wasn't angry; he even began to reflect on his actions.

But even so, the emperor said—

"You're such a thoughtful child, you always think too much about others."

Emperor Renzong wiped Fusu's eye with his finger: "You considered my feelings and even spoke up for Prime Minister Fu, but why don't you ever consider yourself? If you don't want to be the Crown Prince, who can force you? Do you think I'd drag you to the Eastern Palace?"

Fusu stared blankly, mouth agape: Huh?

No...you won't?

Was the direction wrong from the start?

Should he play a straight shot?

Fusu lowered his head and thought for a while: "I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I misunderstood you."

He suddenly realized that he had been presuming all along that the Emperor was the type of feudalistic father figure. The problem was, every single aspect of the Emperor fit the description perfectly: feudalistic—how could someone who was emperor not be feudal? And his father truly was his biological father, in a biological sense.

The result was a hidden blind box, a rare find from the Kaiming series – who could have imagined that?

Fusu obediently slid to his knees, but then heard the Emperor laugh and say, "Don't think of me as some kind of noble and virtuous person!"

Fusu suddenly looked up: Hmm?

The Emperor, however, did not look at his son, but instead looked up at the painting: "Su'er, you are only three years old this year. When I was three, I didn't even remember what I was doing. Yet you can see through the deep-seated problems of the country and see my weakness and indecisiveness at a glance. With or without you, the fate of the Song Dynasty would probably be completely different. I really find it hard to let go easily."

But didn't you just say...

“But Su’er, your heart is with the country, but your ambition lies not in the throne. Therefore, I wish to make a vow before our ancestors—”

"The Crown Prince of the Great Song Dynasty can only be crowned at the age of twenty. If you, Su'er, can bring me a prosperous era that is no less than what the new policies promised before you are crowned, I will appoint someone else as Crown Prince and will not force you to do so. With the ancestors in the Fengxian Hall as witnesses, I will never break my promise or speak falsely."

"Reform to ensure survival and bring peace to the world... If I cannot do it, then you shall do it."

"..."

Fusu stood there stunned for a long time.

Suddenly, he wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes and knelt down beside Emperor Renzong, imitating his kneeling posture.

Many things will happen in the future. The fate of the Song Dynasty is not as Emperor Renzong imagined—a slow and helpless decline marked by poverty and weakness… The Song Dynasty still faces many hurdles to overcome, including the Wang Anshi Reforms, the decades-long fierce struggle between the old and new factions, Emperor Huizong's ascension to the throne, and the rise of the Jurchen people.

Fusu remembered that Emperor Renzong had a long-lived daughter who lived until after the Jingnan Rebellion and the Southern Song Dynasty, where she was revered as his great-grandmother by the court. If he had lived long enough to reach that era, yet possessed the ability to do nothing and could only watch helplessly as the tide turned against him, wouldn't that have been another kind of cruelty?

This deal, or rather, this promise, was also a way for Emperor Renzong to consider his own thoughts while also fulfilling his obligations to the ancestral temples and the state. It was an extremely gentle way to achieve both goals.

“I don’t think I have a reason to refuse,” Fusu said.

He held up his little finger: "So, pinky promise?"

The official refused, saying, "Be serious, lest our ancestors laugh at us. Let's make a vow by high five."

It wasn't that serious! Besides, you're entrusting the country to a three-year-old who hasn't even finished school. Does that seem serious in the eyes of our ancestors?

Fusu inwardly grumbled, but still opened his palms. His two hands, one large and one small, came together in mid-air before the three enormous portraits.

"Smack—"

"..."

"…………"

If this were an RPG game, this would be a major CG collection point, right? Fu Su thought to himself as he withdrew his small hand: Then, the system would refresh the quest list, reminding him that a new main quest had been generated, showing what was completed and what was incomplete.

Instead of what we see now, where emotions overwhelm us and reason prevails, leaving our minds blank.

What did he just promise? A prosperous era no less than that promised by the Qingli Reforms?

How to do it? I don't know.

Perhaps it was the illusion of watching pigs run too much that made Fusu forget an important thing: he had lived for three whole lifetimes, but his experience in governing a country was completely zero.

Fusu said softly, "I want to back out now, is it too late?"

"If our ancestors agree, then I have nothing to say."

Fusu glanced at the portrait on the wall that wouldn't budge in the wind, then stared at Emperor Renzong who was shrugping his shoulders and not caring about anything, and deeply reflected on himself: Who said there was no family fraud a thousand years ago?

"Man proposes, God disposes. If all our efforts fail, it is fate. Su'er, just do your best. I will be there for you. If you fail, I will not blame you."

Emperor Renzong gently patted the little boy's listless head and comforted him.

Fusu looked up: "Really?"

A ruler's word is his bond.

-

The next day, at Zishan Hall.

Yan Jidao arrived at the school with a heavy heart and found that Fusu had arrived at the classroom early. Usually, in order to avoid the companions being scolded by the teacher for arriving late, he was usually the last one to arrive. Why was he acting out of character today?

And yesterday, someone from Kunning Palace came to say that His Highness Prince Cheng was ill and had requested leave. When Mr. Sima asked what illness His Highness had, Kunning Palace hesitated and refused to give a clear answer. Yan Jidao felt even more uneasy.

Because the two had a close friendship, he felt a certain affinity for Fusu and immediately approached him: "Your Highness, why have you arrived so early?"

"Wow!"

It was Fusu who was startled by the noise behind him, causing him to drop the book in his hand, which startled both of them.

"You scared me to death..."

Fusu, still shaken, patted his chest and mumbled complaints. Yan Jidao's gaze, however, did not fall on his cute little face, but rather on the book that had fallen and opened on the ground.

He read out the words on the page, one by one.

"The only designated protagonist in the Great Song Dynasty RPG, mmm mmm!"

Fusu covered Yan Jidao's mouth, so he could only make muffled noises. The latter immediately dug his toes into the ground, and his face turned completely red, like a tomato.

Help! Although only he understands what it means, it's just too shameful to be publicly executed for using a title that's half-jokingly trying to embellish oneself!

"Forget about it quickly, and don't tell anyone!"

Fusu threatened Yan Jidao.

As mentioned before, Yan Jidao was a sucker for good looks, and suckers usually have a tendency to be incredibly forgiving of good-looking people. Yan Jidao didn't feel ashamed at all about being threatened by a child four years younger than him, and nodded obediently.

Furthermore, he realized that he had probably inadvertently stumbled upon Prince Cheng's secret... However, he knew about the Great Song Dynasty, and he could probably guess the meaning of the only designated protagonist. What were those few scribbles in the middle?

Yan Jidao shook his head in confusion.

Unbeknownst to him, his own name had also appeared in Xiao Fusu's notebook, with the title "Baoyu".

This booklet is the culmination of Fusu's work, day and night. He calculated that he had never actually engaged in politics, only knowing how to talk about it theoretically. His only redeeming quality was his understanding of Song Dynasty history.

What were they waiting for? Song Chao immediately wrote down all the historical knowledge he remembered. To prevent the contents from being seen and causing unnecessary trouble, he encrypted all the notes with the language of later generations.

For example, Yan Jidao was destined to be a down-on-his-luck second-generation official, and because he refused to curry favor with the powerful, he achieved little in politics. The reason he is remembered in history is because he wrote many delicate and profound poems about women.

Therefore, there is no more suitable adjective than Jia Baoyu from "Dream of the Red Chamber".

Take, for example, the famous Bao Zheng, whose nickname "Qingtian" (meaning "Upright Official") was given to him by later generations. Next to Bao Zheng's name, there is an X and a small "Zhang" character, implying that his targets of justice were the relatives of Consort Zhang (now Consort Zhang).

Oh right, speaking of Consort Zhang, she's even more remarkable. She's portrayed as a wicked concubine in various historical fictions. Just the ones Fusu knows of include obstructing the Qingli Reforms, her family's rebellion being righteously adjudicated by Bao Zheng, and the infamous "two empresses, one dead and one alive" phenomenon during Emperor Renzong's reign.

Consort Zhang is still alive and well, standing out among the concubines in the harem. Ironically, she and Fusu, one being Emperor Renzong's most favored concubine and the other his favorite son, have barely met.

Fusu knew nothing about her, let alone could judge whether she was as written in history or had been stigmatized.

Hmm, I'll ask Her Majesty when the time comes.

But I digress. Fusu plans to organize the booklet and then ask Emperor Renzong for a complete list of Song Dynasty officials. By comparing the two lists, he's sure to glean a lot of information.

Speaking of this, Fusu remembered to ask Yan Jidao, "Did you talk to your father? Did he agree?"

Yan Jidao immediately lowered his head: "No."

“Father has been busy with the peace talks with Xixia for the past few days, and only had time to come back to the manor last night. However, he told me that the peace talks will soon come to an end, and he will be able to come back to the manor to spend the night from today onwards.”

Yan Jidao said with great interest.

Unexpectedly, Fusu was even more excited than him, his soft, squishy little face filled with excitement.

"In other words..."

Yan Jidao suddenly realized: "Mr. Song..."

Li Qiu, who had somehow broken into the conversation, asked, "Are you going back to Zishantang?"

The three of them raised their arms and cheered in unison: "Yay—!"

Zhao Zongshi behind them: ?

I'm so excited, but I don't know why I'm so excited.

The three men didn't intend to exclude Zhao Zongshi; they simply... held him in high esteem. They admired someone who could willingly study under Master Sima.

Fortunately, Zhao Zongshi did not feel ostracized at all.

Zhao Zongshi was older than the other three, and a full ten years older than Fusu. Aside from his gratitude towards his benefactor, it was hard for him not to treat Fusu like a child, and the other two naturally felt the same way.

—They're all just kids.

Speaking of children, Zhao Zongshi suddenly remembered something and took out a letter from his pocket: Your Highness, this was sent to my house by a young man surnamed Su.

He remembered that His Highness had asked him to do this.

"Su Shi's letter?"

Fusu's eyes lit up: he and Su Shi had agreed to correspond with each other since their first meeting at Xiangguo Temple. He hadn't expected so many changes to occur afterward; even now, Su Shi, having arrived at the Imperial Academy, hadn't forgotten their promise.

What did Su Shi say back then?

"I will write to you once I have hired a cat."

Could it be that they've hired a cat? Fusu eagerly opened the letter, and upon closer inspection, it was indeed true.

Su Shi wrote that he had used the money from selling his calligraphy and paintings to hire an extremely cute cat, which was now being fostered in a house he rented from the Imperial Academy. As for how cute the cat was, one can only say that Su Shi truly deserved to be a future literary giant; after reading the letter, Fusu felt as if he had watched a vivid cat movie.

At the end of the letter, he sincerely invited Fusu to visit his newly rented residence. He had a lot of eccentric characters at the Imperial Academy, and he had a lot to complain about. Of course, the main purpose of the invitation was to play with the cat together.

Zhao Xiaolang, I'm waiting for you, come quickly!

After finishing reading, Fusu slumped onto his seat: "Sigh, I really want to see cats, I really want to leave the palace to play, I don't want to go to school..."

After a moment, he realized that everyone was staring intently at him, and he suddenly realized that he had accidentally spoken his true feelings out loud.

Li Qiu: "Cat? Where's the cat?"

Yan Jidao also looked over with anticipation.

Fusu: "No, you all live outside the palace, so why are you looking at me so greedily?"

“My father won’t let me raise it.”

"My mother is too."

Fusu then looked at Zhao Zongshi: "Why are you included too?"

Zhao Zongshi was older than all of them and was generally expected not to participate in their antics. Why did he join in this time?

Zhao Zongshi lowered his eyes and said shyly, "My father ordered me to find out the identity of the person who was corresponding with you. He was afraid that you had encountered a malicious person, and that I would become an accomplice as well..."

Fusu glanced at him: "Is that really true?"

The letter came from the Imperial Academy, and the sender's name was not concealed at all. Su Shi had been granted special permission by the Emperor to study at the Imperial Academy. The cause and effect were easily connected.

Given the Prince of Pu's status as a member of the imperial clan, it's unlikely that the matter wouldn't be investigated.

Fu Su guessed that this was probably an instruction from the Prince of Pu when Su Shi's identity was still unclear, which Zhao Zongshi took as a big deal.

—You, Zhao Zongshi with thick eyebrows and big eyes, have actually betrayed the revolution!

"I never expected this, I never expected that a mere Zishantang would have so many..."

Cat lover.

Fusu reluctantly flipped through the Analects textbook, awkwardly stroking the letter, and helplessly avoiding the gazes of his three eager classmates... After he had finished acting, he sighed mercifully, "Alright then, I'll go and beg the Emperor."

"Yay!"

Zhao Zongshi was finally among those cheering.

Sima Guang, who had just entered: ?

What happened? Why are they all so happy?

-

Although he had promised his classmates to ask Emperor Renzong for help, Fusu was a little embarrassed. He had just made a promise with Renzong to save the Song Dynasty, and his first request was to go out of the palace to see his friend's cat?

That sounds like a real waste of time and energy.

Sure enough, when Fusu sneaked into the Funing Palace, staring intently at his toes the whole time, and announced the idea of ​​giving the entire Zishan Hall a holiday for an outing, Emperor Renzong asked with a smile, "What does this have to do with the Great Song Dynasty?"

"Of course they're related!"

Fusu, with a serious expression, said: If Emperor Renzong still didn't believe him, he wouldn't mind presenting an "empirical study on the correlation between adolescent mental health and the frequency of contact with cats."

"Alright, alright, it's as if I've been harsh with you."

The Emperor said, “You young people should go out and explore more. Summer is just around the corner, and it will get hot if you don’t go out and play soon.”

Fu Su's eyes lit up: It seems like there's a chance!

Then the Emperor changed the subject: "But it is just a trip after all. To say it is related to the country is just a joke. I can't count it. If you want to go out, Su'er must bring something else in exchange."

Fusu looked wary: "What?" Could it be that he's going to make memorize ten pages of the Analects again, like Song Qi did?

The Emperor gestured for Fusu to come closer and whispered something in his ear. Fusu froze, a fleeting look of unease crossing his face.

They found out after all...

A series of images flashed through Fusu's mind in an instant—from his past life, from this life, and from his dreams.

Finally, a look of struggle, nostalgia, and relief flashed across his face.

"Father."

He softly uttered the name he had never used before.

"Yes," the official replied, seemingly pleased.

Fusu could easily address Empress Cao as "Your Majesty" because the role of his mother in his first life was almost nonexistent. But he couldn't bring himself to call her "Father"; he would always think of that figure, whose kindness was like rain and whose authority was like thunder.

Sometimes Fusu himself didn't know whether it was a rift in his heart, a reluctance to acknowledge anyone other than that person as his father, or whether he feared that if he called that person by that title, the same tragic fate of father and son would befall him once again.

Fusu, settling for second best, addressed Emperor Renzong as "Your Majesty".

Emperor Renzong must have noticed the inconsistency in the way the title was addressed, but he said nothing. Only recently, when a slight crack appeared, did he tentatively tap into Fusu's outer shell.

Fusu sighed again: "He truly deserves to be an emperor."

It's so perceptive it's frightening.

But Fusu did not actually feel afraid.

Your Majesty, Father has never used his keen insight to harm himself.

On the contrary, all he felt was tenderness.

-

That night, Fusu had another dream.

Wait, why did he say "again"?

That person appeared before Fusu once again, looking at him with a face full of anger.

"I heard that you, Fusu, have been calling someone else 'Father'?"

Fusu: "...?"

Wait, this is still a TV series?

-----------------------

Author's Note: Hehe, so many little angels left comments! I want to hug and kiss every single one of them! Big kisses and super big kisses! I love comments so much!

And thank you to all the friends who gave me advance angel investment! [Rabbit head with upright ears]

This chapter still offers 20 red envelopes~