"It's just a flower," Ye Jinghe said casually, pinching the flower's stem and shaking the bud.
"Fifth brother, be gentle, you might break the flower bud." Ye Jingyu said with a pained expression.
“These flower buds look very tender, but I never chose to eat them when I was hungry before. Do you know why?” Ye Jinghe asked with a smile.
However, his smile at that moment seemed a bit strange to Ye Jingyu and the others, giving them a chill down their spines.
Ye Jingchen had already guessed what he was going to say, and patted his little head tenderly.
When they first met in the Imperial Garden, Ye Jinghe was hiding in the flowers, his mouth covered in bright red blood, probably because he was starving and eating flowers to stave off hunger.
Clearly, that wasn't the first time he had done that.
"Why would you eat flowers if you're hungry?" Ye Jingyu asked curiously.
Having grown up in luxury and privilege, he didn't even know what hunger felt like.
After he asked that question, the other children had very complicated expressions on their faces.
Clearly, they all knew, to some extent, why Ye Jinghe ate the flowers when he was hungry.
"Xiao Jinghe, why aren't you eating the flower buds?"
Before Ye Jinghe could say anything, Ye Jingchen asked.
He had already seen the mocking look in Ye Jinghe's eyes, and if he were to speak, he probably wouldn't say anything nice.
The malicious words were stuck in my throat.
Ye Jinghe pouted and gave her brother a resentful look.
My brother must have done it on purpose!
The older brother felt sorry for Ye Jingyu and wouldn't let him scare Ye Jingyu!
Thinking this, he couldn't help but glare at Ye Jingyu.
So what if you're cute?!
Once he eats and moves more and gains weight, he will definitely be cuter than Ye Jingyu!
When the time comes, he wants his brother to have him all the time!
"Because I don't know what I'll find when I take a bite!" Ye Jinghe said listlessly.
Even if his brother helps Ye Jingyu, he would never scare his brother.
"Besides the stamen, what else could be inside the flower bud?" Ye Jingyu asked with a puzzled look.
"Oh my Fifth Prince—" Zhang Shunde, who had been listening to their childish chatter for a while around the corner, couldn't care less about squatting in the corner now. He quickly ran up to Ye Jinghe, pointed at the flower bud in Ye Jinghe's hand, and asked in a somewhat frightened manner, "My little ancestor, is there anything dangerous hidden inside this flower bud?"
"I don't know!" Ye Jinghe looked at Zhang Shunde with innocent eyes and said indifferently.
"You're going to give this flower to His Majesty, how could you not know?" Zhang Shunde was so anxious that cold sweat suddenly broke out.
Ye Jinghe grinned, "There might be something inside this flower bud, or there might not be. It all depends on Father's luck!"
"Your Highness! My little ancestor—can we not give His Majesty such an 'uncertain' gift? I'm afraid that when the bud opens, it won't be joy, but shock!" Zhang Shunde felt like he might faint at any moment.
"Whether it's surprise or joy, it's all out of my filial piety towards my father." Ye Jinghe remained unmoved.
"Your Highness, look at this—" Zhang Shunde looked at Ye Jingchen with pleading eyes.
"Brother, it's okay even if there are bugs, right? Father is such a grown man, is he afraid of bugs?" Ye Jinghe looked at Ye Jingchen with a particularly obedient expression.
Ye Jingchen pondered the consequences of having insects in the flower bud. Perhaps the emperor would be angry, but what could he do to a four-year-old child?
At worst, he can just put in more effort to appease the emperor after he gets angry.
It's all his fault for setting this test, which stirred up unpleasant memories in Ye Jinghe's heart. Ye Jinghe was clearly trying to annoy the emperor.
Although the emperor was undoubtedly the best father in the world to the crown prince, for Ye Jinghe—
He was born but not raised, ignored and neglected. Let him be teased; it's what he deserves.
"Eunuch Zhang, please remind Father Emperor when the time comes," Ye Jingchen said to Zhang Shunde.
"This—this…Your Highness…Alas!" Zhang Shunde sighed heavily, his face contorted with grief, at a loss for words.
"My little ancestors, let's hurry to Chengqian Palace. His Majesty has been waiting for you!" he could only urge.
The emperor was indeed eagerly awaiting it.
He used to not care much about these children, and he wouldn't feel anything if he didn't see them for ten or twenty days. But now that he's been in contact with them more, he really misses them.
Especially Jing Chen. Although the emperor might feel disgusted or have a headache every time he saw him, just thinking of him warmed his heart.
Ye Jingchen is now a regular at Chengqian Palace, and he can even guess where the emperor will be waiting for them.
"Father, we've come to pay our respects—" Before they even arrived, their enthusiastic voices preceded them.
Upon hearing this cheerful tone, the emperor couldn't help but smile.
"We've missed you all so much these past few days, Father. I wonder if you've missed us too?" Ye Jingchen said sweetly as soon as they met.
The emperor was pleased, but he was used to putting on an act and still tried his best to maintain a serious and solemn expression.
"Why are you so late? Did you crawl on the way here?" he asked sternly.
"It was just a chance to test my elder sister and younger brothers' observation skills by taking advantage of the different scenery in the Imperial Garden after the rain, and they all answered very well!" Ye Jingchen said.
"Oh?" The emperor became interested. "Tell me quickly, what are your respective insights?"
"Father, this flower is for you—" Ye Jingyu was about to speak when Ye Jinghe stepped past Ye Jingchen, pinched the flower stem, and handed the bud to the emperor.
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