Qianyuan looked even more tired after being prescribed a bunch of traditional Chinese medicine.
The main thing is that I feel a lot more hopeless about life.
Emperor Chongle glanced at his son, whose face had become much sharper and whose once round cheeks had almost disappeared, and said:
"Aren't you just showing off? Then have the imperial physician throw away all the tools for making pills. From now on, you can only decoct and take the medicine. You're a grown man now, you can't be as willful as a child. You can drink bitter medicine now."
"Father, Father, Father..."
Qianyuan, her voice hoarse, cried out in heart-wrenching quacking like a duck.
"Wasn't it supposed to be 'chirp chirp chirp'? How did it turn into 'quack quack quack'? It's all the fault of the cold wind, which turned the mighty dragon into a duck."
Qianyuan shut her mouth, her face turning red.
He couldn't argue with his father's sharp tongue; he hadn't inherited any of his father's wisdom.
Until his father stuffed a jujube into Qianyuan's mouth: "Alright, stop yelling, eat slowly, don't choke on the pit."
Emperor Chongle even held a handkerchief in his hand and let the little guy spit the date pits into his hand.
Others watching this everyday scene found their eyes welling up with tears.
Everyone is thinking this way:
Heavens, please be kinder to the young prince and His Majesty.
How could Heaven bear to take away such an obedient child as His Highness?
Emperor Chongle supervised the little guy to take his medicine and then left. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with Qianyuan, but rather that the Great Yu was currently at war with the Western Regions, and all matters required Emperor Chongle's supervision. He simply couldn't spare the time to spend with the little guy.
This time, the Western Regions came with overwhelming force. Emperor Chongle never expected that the immature foreign boy would undergo such a dramatic transformation in just a few years, rapidly turning from a boy into a man, a wolf king who could gather all military power.
The giant wolf roared, its sharp teeth aimed straight at Da Yu's throat.
The situation at the front was not optimistic. Emperor Chongle watched as urgent reports were delivered to his desk. Even though he had allocated more military rations and soldiers than before to further enhance the strength of the Great Yu, Zejin refused to budge an inch.
A month later, the border city fell.
Emperor Chongle was furious and ordered his men to drag out the spies who had been lying in ambush in the court and on the frontier, and to be beheaded in the court and at the city gate in front of all the people of Dayu.
"How can we allow foreign tribes to trample on the backbone of our great Yu, forged by the blood and sacrifice of all our martyrs?! Any man with a shred of courage would never kneel before a foreign race. Better to die a glorious death than live a shameful life! Don't you understand this principle?"
"Enough with the idle talk! I too donned armor and went into battle at fifteen, vanquishing all the wicked. Today, we, the sons of Great Yu, fight for our land! For our honor! For our dignity!!!"
The court officials, their feet treading the blood-stained steps, had long forgotten the past. Those who stood here now were all martyrs protecting their country, and they cried out in unison:
"Fight for the land of our Great Yu!"
Although Emperor Chongle did not personally lead the army, he still moved with the troops to a city near the border to observe the situation and command the battle more closely.
Meanwhile, Ning Guanyan remained in charge of the imperial court.
Emperor Chongle thought about it for a long time that night. His original obsession was to keep Qianyuan by his side at all times, to have him accompany him, whether in death or in life. However, after much deliberation, reason prevailed in the end.
He was originally so selfish and cold, but now he is willing to remove all obstacles and pave the way for Qian Yuan, hoping that Qian Yuan's future will be bright and prosperous.
However, Qianyuan could not possibly stay in the palace alone and watch helplessly. He chased after his father, still wearing the Immortal Locking Bracelet on his foot. He could only stagger behind Emperor Chongle's carriage, his slender figure looking like a butterfly about to take flight.
The carriage stopped.
Emperor Chongle lifted the curtain and stepped down, opening his arms to Qianyuan:
"come over."
The little guy laughed and jumped into his father's arms, whereupon Emperor Chongle carried him to the carriage.
"You're not even wearing shoes. If I were to leave you in the palace, I'm afraid Ning Guanyan wouldn't be able to take good care of you."
"It has nothing to do with Master Ning; I was just anxious to run away."
Qianyuan tugged at Emperor Chongle's sleeve, her tone slightly ingratiating, as if afraid he would be angry about this.
However, Emperor Chongle simply took advantage of the fact that no one was around, naturally knelt on one knee in front of Qianyuan, lifted Qianyuan's feet, and carefully wiped the soles of his feet clean.
"Even if the palace is swept clean, there are still pebbles and dust. Aren't you afraid of hurting your feet?"
"The imperial physician said that your body is already over eighteen years old, and you will be of legal age in two years. Why can't you be more mature?"
Qianyuan obediently shrank her neck, and the invisible ears on her head drooped down.
"Once we reach the border town, don't wander off. Stay with me. If you can't find me, look for the Shadow Guards or Chang Xiu, either way is fine. Don't follow strangers, understand?"
Qianyuan looked at the incessantly chattering Emperor Chongle and said quietly:
"Dad, you've become more talkative."
Emperor Chongle was moved by his children's filial piety for the umpteenth time.
Why has he become so talkative?!
How dare that brat accuse him first!
If it weren't for Emperor Chongle's extreme love for the child, he would have swallowed him whole, crying all over the place.
Not even a single finger bone was left.
Qianyuan also knew the seriousness of this trip. When he entered the border town, he saw the hopeless eyes of the people, their faces blurred and indistinct due to mud, blood, and displacement. They had lost their families and their selves, becoming faceless figures standing blankly on the street, watching the passing carriages and soldiers...
Qianyuan remained silent for a long time.
He stumbled and staggered along in a daze until now, and for the first time, he realized the meaning of responsibility.
Qianyuan is also relearning how to become a better adult.
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