Even Lian Zejin himself didn't expect that his story with Qianyuan would be passed down in this way.

It's better not to spread it.

Zejin was dragged onto the horse, and could only see Qianyuan's back in the distance.

Emperor Chongle was almost ready to charge into battle, but now that he had found the young prince, he finally agreed to get into the carriage and was closely guarded by the guards.

The way His Majesty rode so fast all by himself just now truly terrified the guards. If those ministers knew, who knows what they would say about him. Fortunately, Prince Xiaolong has been found, otherwise the court would have been in complete chaos.

But the little prince, on whom they placed their hopes, is now being carried to the bed by his father, wrapped in a cloak and unwilling to show his face.

Emperor Chongle picked up the little guy's clothes and checked him from head to toe. Only after confirming that he was not injured did he breathe a sigh of relief.

Then he slowly looked at Qianyuan, who was so focused on her own situation that she had covered her head with her cloak.

Why are you covering your face?

The little guy whispered, "Is it because I've suddenly grown up that Dad doesn't like me anymore, and doesn't want me anymore?"

Emperor Chongle knew that it was his outburst of temper that had frightened Qianyuan.

But this little guy really deserves to be punished.

Not well-behaved at all.

Disobedient.

Emperor Chongle rested his chin on one hand, looking down at the nervous young man clutching the hem of his robe.

He was a clean, innocent child.

Emperor Chongle reached out and ripped the cloak off Qianyuan's hand.

He cupped Qianyuan's face in his hands, carefully examining his child's current appearance:

"How could I abandon you? I've always said that I will only have you as my child, and I will only love you."

"I recognized you at a glance. Who was it that disobeyed and got tricked into running away?"

In her father's eyes, Qianyuan was always a frail fledgling that needed protection.

Emperor Chongle reached out his hand, and the little guy immediately pounced on it, pouting as he began to complain:

"Actually, I only ate a little too much, but I didn't expect my stomach to be unable to digest it, and my human form turned into a long, thin one! We even encountered robbers on the way, which broke down the carriage, and we had to walk a long way home..."

The little guy is always so lively and chattering around his dad.

Like a puppy that barks and runs home crying every time it feels wronged.

Emperor Chongle looked down at the child in his arms, his expression unreadable.

He was wondering how to raise his child when he grew up, and whether he would develop his own ideas and become rebellious like his brother did back then.

But Qianyuan is different; she has already been raised by her fathers to be a "daddy's boy."

No matter how big a monster or evil god they are outside, they will all come back to complain to their father.

He patted Qianyuan's head.

The little one hugged his father's waist, nestled in his father's arms, and cried himself to sleep until he was tired.

It's clear that the long journey has taken its toll on Qianyuan.

But no matter how far away or how many obstacles he overcomes, the little guy still wants to go home and return to his side.

Qianyuan will not leave him; she will always be with him.

Only when he thought of this did Emperor Chongle feel a rare sense of pleasure.

He used his fingertips to wipe away the little one's tears from the corner of his eyes and lit some sleep-inducing incense for Qianyuan.

He was glad that Qianyuan relied on him so much and truly loved him, even though they weren't related by blood...

But as Emperor Chongle thought of this, his eyes gradually turned cold.

He couldn't understand why anyone would try to take away his child.

Is it simply because of a different bloodline?

They share the same blood, yet they still kill each other, wishing they could send their brothers to hell themselves.

However, since they have such thoughts, Emperor Chongle must erase them and make them all disappear.

He picked up the silver dagger engraved with dragon patterns from the side, and after confirming that Qian Yuan was fast asleep, he gently lifted Qian Yuan's wrist and made a bloody cut on the inside of the little guy's wrist.

The movements were extremely gentle.

He also cut his own wrist, and then he and Qianyuan interlocked their fingers, their blood connecting.

From now on, they will be true father and son, father and son of the same blood.

Even in reincarnation, he will protect Qianyuan's soul, shielding him from rain, snow, wind, and frost, and from any harm.

He wants to be Qianyuan's father in his next life and the life after that.

The blood gradually blended, and when Emperor Chongle felt it was enough, he carefully wiped Qianyuan clean and applied a flesh-regenerating medicine.

It was a secret medicine meant only for serious injuries, created by the late emperor in his quest for immortality, yet the current Emperor Chongle used it to treat his child's minor wounds.

His love for his son was far too profound.

Qianyuan had no idea that his father had done such a thing while he was sleeping. The little guy just felt like he had been secretly bitten by an ant while he was dreaming.

The little guy frowned, seemingly already planning in his dream how to complain to his father.

Emperor Chongle rubbed his wrist, and Qianyuan's brows relaxed automatically. He reached out and naturally grabbed a strand of his father's hair, feeling the coolness and breath in his father's hair. This subconscious action seemed to have been repeated many times, forming an instinctive memory.

Emperor Chongle looked down at his child, as if they had met long ago, and he had hugged him tightly and intimately like this before, holding him in his hands, nurturing him into his very bones, and watching him grow up little by little.

When did his cub grow into a bright, upright, and energetic young man?

He hoped his child would never grow up, yet he also hoped his child would grow up to be more upright and virtuous than anyone else.

"His Majesty."

Ning Guanyan, who had come up quietly, lowered his voice and said, "Your Majesty, as you instructed, the Second Prince of the Western Regions has been taken care of. We will now send someone to escort him out of Dayu."

Emperor Chongle: "I understand. Keep your voice down so you don't wake him up and cause trouble for me again."

Upon hearing this, Ning Guanyan couldn't help but glance at the little prince in His Majesty's arms.

It was truly like a clear moon fallen to earth. If his own child were like that, he would surely wish to pluck all the stars from the sky to match him, and he would be reluctant to let him leave him like that.

Although Ning Guanyan is not yet of childbearing age, it seems that because he has been teaching Qianyuan for so long, he has also developed the mentality of an old father.

Some ministers were unmarried but had extensive experience raising children.

If Prime Minister Ning were to enter the marriage market in the future, he would definitely be in high demand.

That said, Emperor Chongle, who has always felt isolated at the top, now has a weakness, and actually asked Ning Guanyan such a question:

"Am I a good father? Why do I feel so conflicted when I see him grow up? I just hope he can stay with me forever. Thinking about it this way, it seems I have become his shackle."

"I want to send him flying, but I also want him to always be a child, so that I can always shelter him from the wind and rain and protect him under my wings."