Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Xiaoyu was startled. Granny Hua and the egg had come to Qingshi Town amidst refugees. After Granny Hua's death, he adopted the egg, claiming him as his distant cousin's son. No one had ever doubted their relationship. How did Kong Shi come to know that he and the egg were not really uncle and nephew?

"Can you tell me how you met the egg?" Pei Yanli asked.

What does he mean?

Does he know the egg?

Despite Kong Shi's changed status in Xiaoyu's heart, he wasn't ready to divulge the egg's story without knowing the other's intentions, so he cautiously asked, "Shi, what are you talking about?"

Having grown up in the palace and the residence of the Grand Princess, Pei Yanli was adept at reading people. He immediately understood Xiaoyu's protective stance towards the egg, admiring and appreciating the young man's care. He didn't probe further but instead said, "You might not know the egg's real identity, do you?"

Xiaoyu laughed, "He's my cousin's son, what about it?"

Pei Yanli didn't expose Xiaoyu's lie but instead asked, "Do you know what this jade lock is?"

Xiaoyu looked at the jade lock in Pei Yanli's hand. He didn't know much about jade, but he had closely examined the lock. It had naturally flowing auspicious cloud patterns, nothing else.

"Can we talk inside the room?" Pei Yanli asked.

Xiaoyu, curious about what Pei Yanli wanted to say, stepped aside to allow entry.

Pei Yanli entered the room.

Xiaoyu followed him in, and saw Pei Yanli press the jade lock into the ink pad on the table, then turn to ask, "May I use the paper beside it?"

Xiaoyu nodded.

Pei Yanli pressed the jade lock onto the paper, and when he lifted it, a pattern was left behind.

Xiaoyu stepped forward to see that on the white paper, there was a series of auspicious clouds with two clear characters in the center – Yuan Heng. He read aloud, "Yuan Heng."

"The egg's name," Pei Yanli said.

Xiaoyu turned to look at Pei Yanli, "The egg's name is Xiao Mingxi."

Pei Yanli, without exposing the truth, continued, "Yuan Heng has a red birthmark on his waist, and so does the egg; Yuan Heng carries a jade lock personally carved by 'Emperor Yuan Heng', and so does the egg. If the egg is not Yuan Heng, then who is he?"

Xiaoyu frowned slightly, "The Emperor?"

Pei Yanli looked at Xiaoyu, "Yes, the egg is the current emperor's eldest son, Xiao Yuan Heng."

Xiao Yuan Heng!

The Crown Prince Xiao Yuan Heng!

Xiao Yuan Heng from the book 'Emperor's Dream', the main character who was a royal prince!

Xiaoyu couldn't maintain his composure any longer. He had thought that he and Minghe had deviated from the plotline of 'Emperor's Dream', that they would never again encounter the lofty royal prince protagonist and could live as happy commoners.

But!

But the egg is actually the royal prince protagonist!

Xiaoyu wanted to refute Kong Shi, but his mind was filled with the egg's extraordinary incidents, like surviving a hut collapse unscathed, Wang Daji's attack miraculously hitting his own mother instead, riding pigs safely, and the child's ability to discern good and evil people through white and black auras.

He hadn't realized it at the time, but now, connecting all these events, it seemed to confirm that the egg was indeed the royal prince. He looked up at Pei Yanli, his attitude softening unconsciously, "Is the egg really the crown prince?"

"Yes," Pei Yanli affirmed confidently.

Xiaoyu's mind was in a daze.

Pei Yanli explained, "The emperor is frail and has only three children - Crown Prince Xiao Yuan Heng, Second Prince Xiao Yuan Xin, and Princess Xiao Yuan Yin. Though none are born of the empress, the emperor can no longer have children. Thus, the Crown Prince should rightfully become the heir. However, the Second Prince's maternal family is powerful, suppressing the Crown Prince's family at court, endangering his safety. Knowing she couldn't win, the Consort, on her deathbed, entrusted the Crown Prince to her loyal maidservants, Hua Ma and Yang Gonggong, to take him out of the palace and live as an ordinary person, hoping to protect him. But she was naive; as long as the Crown Prince lives, the Second Prince's family won't cease their hostility."

Xiaoyu had read about these events in books, but they always seemed detached from reality. Now, realizing everything was happening to the egg, he felt a chill.

Pei Yanli then added, "So, I need to take him back to the palace."

Xiaoyu looked sharply at Pei Yanli, "What did you say?"

"He is the Crown Prince," Pei Yanli emphasized the word 'prince'.

"He is the egg!" Xiaoyu blurted out.

Pei Yanli didn't argue with Xiaoyu, just quietly observed him.

Xiaoyu suddenly felt less confident.

"Uncle! Uncle!" The voices of the two children rang out from outside.

Xiaoyu quickly adjusted his emotions.

The two children ran in.

The egg said, "Uncle, the kitchen is all burnt up!"

"And the dough is burnt too!" Minghe added.

"We can't cook in the morning, no more earning money!" the egg worried.

Minghe nodded, "Yeah."

"It's okay, we'll fix it later," Xiaoyu reassured.

"But fixing it costs money." The egg pulled out a wallet, "Uncle, look, my wallet didn't get burned. Here, take it for the repairs."

"I'll contribute too!" Minghe declared.

"Brother, I have lots of copper coins."

"I have more than you."

"I have more. I didn't even buy candied haws."

"But you bought a spinning drum."

"Then I'll give all my remaining money to Uncle. I won't buy anything next time."

“……”

Seeing the children's thoughtfulness, Xiaoyu's heart grew even more conflicted.

Pei Yanli said, "I know it's hard for you to accept all of this at once. You can take your time to process it. I'll continue staying at Shuiqing Inn, and if you need anything, you can find me anytime."

Xiaoyu quietly watched the two children.

After waiting a while and not receiving a response from Xiaoyu, Pei Yanli glanced at him, then silently turned and left the bedroom.

Xiaoyu briefly glanced at Pei Yanli, then refocused on the children, squatting down to their level. One a villain, the other a protagonist – it was all too much to sort out at once. For now, he addressed the immediate concern, "The county magistrate hasn't made a decision yet, so we can't repair the house for now. Keep your money, and I'll ask for it when we need it, okay?"

"Okay!" both children nodded.

"Uncle, Grandpa Yu and the others have come," Minghe said.

"Where are they?" Xiaoyu asked.

The egg replied, "Uncle Lu said we were sleeping, so they started working in the kitchen."

"Good, let's go see them."

"Let's go." The children instinctively took Xiaoyu's hands.

The uncle and nephews headed to the kitchen.

Chef Yu, Zhang Wu, and others were already busy there. Seeing Xiaoyu, they inquired about the situation.

Xiaoyu briefly explained.

Chef Yu and the others reassured, "It's a great fortune that everyone is safe."

Xiaoyu felt the same.

"You didn't sleep well last night, right? Rest today, we'll handle everything," Chef Yu said considerately.

Xiaoyu nodded and walked into the restaurant with the two children.

"Minghe, Danzi!" Tongtong came along with Grandma Yu.

Xiao Yu greeted Grandma Yu.

Grandma Yu said a few comforting words to Xiao Yu before leaving.

Minghe and Danzi took Tongtong to play in Shuiqing Alley.

Suddenly, two men discreetly followed them from a distance.

Pei Yanli appeared and explained, "Those are my men. They won’t interfere with the children’s play, they’re just ensuring the safety of the crown prince."

Xiao Yu, without a word, turned and ascended the stairs.

Pei Yanli watched Xiao Yu's departing figure but did not follow.

Xiao Yu sat by the window, gazing intently at the egg, such a soft and well-behaved child, who would one day become a dominant ruler and use psychological strategies to target the darkest, most painful part of the main villain Ming He's heart, driving him to madness and death... He couldn't bear to imagine the future where the egg and Ming He would engage in a deadly struggle.

No, it can't be!

"They must not harm each other!"

"But what should be done?"

"Send the egg to the capital. Let him and Ming He live peacefully in Qingshi Town as wealthy locals, living their quiet lives, never entangled with the protagonists again."

"But having raised the egg for a year, treating it as my own kin, the book briefly mentions the hardships it faces upon returning to the palace, but in reality, it must endure them day by day."

"Just thinking of such a small egg facing the Empress Dowager's disdain, the Queen's cold face, the Emperor's frailty, and so many challenges, my heart aches terribly."

"I can't bear to see the egg and Ming He hurt, yet I can't think of an effective solution."

"For several days, my spirits haven't been high. Kong Shi Yi, Lu Shi Er and others have been quietly waiting; I haven't communicated much with them."

"News came from Wei County: Manager Yao's arson has been confirmed, his property confiscated, part compensating Xiaohexi Early Food Shop, part to the state, and Manager Yao himself exiled to the border for ten years."

Wang Daji, whose attempted crime was thwarted and who is now paralyzed in both legs, was fined three taels of silver.

The residents of Shuiqing Alley cheered for the just ruling of the magistrate.

Xiaoyu used the compensation to begin repairs on the house.

Lu Ming, leaning on the railing of the second floor of Shuiqing Inn, watched Xiaoyu bustling about in Xiaohezi Snack Shop and said, "Yanli, how long are we going to wait?"

"Let's wait a bit longer," Pei Yanli repeated.

"What if he ultimately refuses to let us take the egg?" Lu Ming asked.

"A person who can say 'the people are the foundation of a nation' won't hold back the Crown Prince," Pei Yanli replied, then walked downstairs to Xiaohezi Snack Shop to help Xiaoyu with carrying mud.

Xiaoyu looked up at Pei Yanli.

Pei Yanli handed a basket of mud to the foreman.

Xiaoyu said, "So, being an inspector was just a cover; you actually came for the egg, right?"

Pei Yanli nodded truthfully.

Xiaoyu turned to wash his hands.

Pei Yanli followed him.

Xiaoyu walked to the back door of the courtyard, seeing the egg, Minghe, and Tongtong following Dong Erniu to gather pig grass. The three chubby children were incredibly adorable. Smiling, he heard footsteps beside him and said, "You’ll protect the egg well, right?"

"Yes," Pei Yanli answered firmly.

Xiaoyu fell silent.

"Xiaoyu," Pei Yanli called out.

"Hmm," Xiaoyu responded.

"If you're worried, you can come to the palace with us," Pei Yanli suggested.

Xiaoyu turned to look at him, "Enter the palace?"

Pei Yanli nodded, "Yes."

"Didn’t you say the palace is dangerous?"

Pei Yanli earnestly said, "If I take you there, I will ensure your safety."

"Inspector, oh no, Deputy Inspector. To put it nicely, overseeing officials, but frankly, just a minor sixth-rank official in the capital, hardly significant." Xiaoyu gave Pei Yanli a sidelong glance, "Don’t think you can deceive me."

Pei Yanli laughed for once, his demeanor serious yet relaxed, "Do you think my position is too low?"

"Not really, you're much more powerful than us ordinary folks." Xiaoyu had thought a lot these past few days. Eventually, his personal feelings were set aside. He wished for the egg to return to the capital and become a great emperor, making Dajing prosperous and strong. He and Minghe would continue living as ordinary people, preferring to make no contributions rather than causing trouble for the egg. Thus, he looked at the three children and softly said, "I won't go."

The smile on Pei Yanli's face froze, a sudden heaviness in his heart. He heard Xiaoyu add, "I'll convince the egg to go with you. Give me two days."

He numbly agreed, "Okay."

"Thank you." Xiaoyu stepped out through the back door.

"Xiaoyu," Pei Yanli called out.

Xiaoyu turned back, "What is it?"

Pei Yanli asked, "Isn’t there anything you want to say to me?"

Xiaoyu thought for a moment, then said, "Take good care of the egg for me."

Pei Yanli asked again, "Anything else?"

Xiaoyu countered, "Like what?"

Pei Yanli paused before saying, "About me."

Xiaoyu's heart skipped a beat, but he ultimately said, "Take care," and then walked towards the children.

Pei Yanli's heart sank bit by bit.

Xiaoyu also felt uneasy, but his focus was on persuading the egg to go to the capital. So, he kept telling stories about fathers and fatherly love, instilling a longing in the egg for his father, and then asked, "Would you like to meet your father?"

"Yes!" the egg answered definitively.

"How about you go with Uncle Kong and Uncle Lu tomorrow to see your father?"

"Do Uncle Kong and Uncle Lu know my father?"

"Yes, they do."

"Where is my father?"

"In the capital, he misses you a lot."

The egg naturally said, "I miss him too!"

Xiaoyu smiled and said, "Then you can go with Uncle Lu and the others tomorrow."

"Are Uncle and Brother going too?" the egg asked.

Xiaoyu had deliberately kept Minghe away from this conversation, fearing Minghe would miss his father and also to prevent any disruption. He replied, "Uncle and Brother will stay here to earn money."

"I want to earn money too!" said the egg.

"So, you don't want to see your father?"

"Uncle and Brother should come too!"

"But that's the egg's father. Of course, the egg should go alone to meet him."

Though the egg was smart, he was still a four-year-old and couldn’t resist Xiaoyu's gentle persuasion, ultimately agreeing.

The next day before dawn, Xiaoyu packed the egg's favorite food, toys, and clothes, then gently woke him up and dressed him.

"Uncle, Brother is still asleep," the egg said, pointing at Minghe in bed with his chubby hand.

"Brother is a little lazy bug. Let him sleep," Xiaoyu said.

The egg covered his mouth with his hand and said, "The egg is not lazy."

So adorable. Xiaoyu kissed the egg's chubby cheek, "Right, the egg is not lazy, the egg is the most diligent, the egg is the best."

"Hmm."

"Let's go," Xiaoyu said, picking up the egg and stepping out the door.

Pei Yanli, Lu Ming, and others were already waiting outside the door.

Xiaoyu instructed the egg, "Make sure you eat well, sleep well, and don't eat too salty at night, okay?"

"Yes!" the egg nodded emphatically.

The moment Xiaoyu handed the egg over to Pei Yanli, his eyes reddened. He struggled to control his emotions and said, "I leave him in your care."

Pei Yanli took the egg, responding, "Okay."

The egg turned back and said, "Uncle, I'll come back after I see Dad."

Xiaoyu didn't reply, just smiled.

"Let's go," Lu Ming said.

Pei Yanli walked away with the egg towards the exit of Shuiqing Alley.

"Uncle, don't secretly give Brother roasted sweets, okay!" the egg called out from Pei Yanli's shoulder.