Chapter 97.

Chapter 97.

"I'm not reading it," Xiao Yu replied bluntly.

Ming He asked in confusion, "Why not?"

"The emperor has already read it!" Xiao Yuanping said.

Danzi nodded, "Yeah!"

Xiao Yuan Yin added, "Uncle! Read!" implying that Xiao Yu could read the letter too.

The Empress, Consort Xian, and Lady Zheng were giggling on the side.

Xiao Yu, usually eloquent, found himself at a loss for words at this moment.

The Empress Dowager intervened with a smile, "Yuanheng, it's time for the meal, no reading letters now."

Xiao Yuanping's chubby face was full of confusion, "Empress Dowager, why can't we read letters while eating?"

The Empress Dowager smoothly replied, "Because you might end up reading the words into your stomach."

Hearing this for the first time, Xiao Yuanping's eyes widened in wonder, "What happens if you read them into your stomach?"

The Empress Dowager was momentarily stumped by the question.

Ming He chimed in, "If you read them into your stomach, your head becomes empty."

"And if your head is empty, you become silly!" Danzi added.

Children's thoughts are indeed flexible.

The Empress Dowager quickly nodded in agreement, "Exactly! Minghe and Danzi are right."

Xiao Yuanyin, also a clever girl, immediately pointed at Emperor Yongxi and said, "Father Emperor, look!" implying that the Emperor had read the letter while eating.

Xiao Yuanping caught on, "Right, Father Emperor has already read it. Did Father Emperor read the words into his stomach? Will he become silly too?"

Emperor Yongxi was slightly taken aback.

Before Emperor Yongxi could respond, Danzi was already waving his little chubby hand, "No, no, Father Emperor won't become silly!"

"Why not?" Xiao Yuanping persisted in asking.

"Father Emperor is not an ordinary person," Danzi explained.

Minghe added, "His Majesty is the Son of Heaven!"

Danzi agreed, "Right, Father Emperor is the Son of Heaven, not an ordinary person, so it's okay for him to read letters. We can’t, we'll become silly!"

Xiao Yuanping and Xiao Yuanyin were immediately convinced.

Both the Empress Dowager and Emperor Yongxi sighed in relief as the children resolved the issue themselves, sparing them any further difficulty.

The Empress suggested, "Then let's continue our meal."

The children then stopped their inquisition.

The heat on Xiao Yu's face slowly faded away. After finishing the meal pleasantly with Emperor Yongxi and the others, and chatting for a while, he kept touching the letter in his pocket, thinking about the contents of Pei Yanli's letter.

The Empress Dowager, perceptive as always, said, "It's getting late, everyone should go and rest."

Xiao Yu felt a surge of happiness and quickly stood up.

Emperor Yongxi chuckled at this.

Xiao Yu, feeling a bit embarrassed, sat back down.

"Alright, you all may go now," the Empress Dowager said with a smile.

Xiao Yu, seeing Emperor Yongxi and the others standing up, also got up and slowly followed. At the fork in the path, he bowed to Emperor Yongxi and his group, then hurriedly took Minghe and Danzi towards the Princes' residence.

"Uncle, why are we running so fast?" Minghe asked while running.

Xiao Yu wanted to go back and read the letter but casually replied, "It's cold." Indeed, it was much colder than usual today.

"It's winter," Danzi said.

Xiao Yu responded, "Right, let's hurry back to the Princes' residence."

Danzi noted, "The Princes' residence doesn't have underfloor heating."

It was said that when the First Emperor built the Princes' residence, he intentionally did not install underfloor heating to strengthen the princes' willpower. However, with ample supplies of red charcoal during winter in Dajing, it wouldn't be too cold. Xiao Yu reassured, "No worries, we have braziers. The palace staff must have lit them, so it'll be warm once we're back."

"Okay," Danzi agreed.

The uncle and nephews trio returned to Court Nine of the Princes' residence.

Danzi followed Xiao Yu and Minghe into the eastern wing room.

Unsure of how many characters the children could recognize, Xiao Yu didn't dare to take out the letter in front of them. He instructed the palace staff to take them for their baths, then sat down alone in the candlelight to read Pei Yanli's letter.

No one would expect that the stoic and reserved General Pei harbored such intense and naive emotions. After a few casual remarks, he confessed his longing, ending with a plaintive "Xiao Yu, you never say you miss me."

Xiao Yu couldn't help but chuckle softly, then gazed at the flickering candlelight, his heart filled with sweetness, longing, and memories.

He had never known love could be so multifaceted and intoxicating. After a while, he penned a reply in his usual daily manner, but after a moment's thought, added, "I miss you, think of you, and eagerly await your return." He then looked at the two letters with a smile.

"Uncle!" The voices of the two children called out.

Xiao Yu quickly folded the letter like a guilty thief, placing it into the envelope, then turned to the children with a smile, "Have you finished washing?"

"Yes! Uncle, can I sleep with you and the others tonight?" Danzi asked.

Considering Danzi's young age and the sudden cold weather, worried he might not sleep well or catch a cold, Xiao Yu agreed, "Of course."

Danzi happily climbed onto the bed, burrowed into the quilt, and then started to yell, "It's so cold, the quilt is so cold."

Xiao Yu laughed, "Minghe, go and warm up the quilt with your brother."

"Okay, little brother, I'm coming!" Minghe climbed up and hugged Danzi.

"Uncle, come join us too," Danzi called out sweetly.

"I'll go wash up first," Xiao Yu said.

"Hurry up, Uncle," urged Minghe.

When Xiao Yu slipped into the quilt, the two little ones had already warmed it up nicely. He playfully placed his cold hands on their plump little bottoms.

The two children yelped from the cold and then burst into giggles.

Minghe hugged Xiao Yu's arm tightly, saying, "Uncle, don't move. I'm warm, I'll warm you up, then you won't be cold."

"I'll warm you up too, Uncle," Danzi added.

The two children embraced him without fear of the cold.

Soon, warmth spread to Xiao Yu's hands and arms, reaching his heart. He looked down at the two lovely, chubby children.

When he took them in, his only thought was to keep them alive and well, ensuring they had a smooth and healthy life. He never expected anything in return, yet in their daily lives, he received unending love from the children, experiencing a different kind of beauty in the world.

Moved, Xiao Yu gently kissed each of the children on their cheeks.

Danzi paused, his eyes sparkling as he looked at Xiao Yu, "Uncle, you kissed me."

"Yes, I kissed you," Xiao Yu said with a laugh, his voice tinged with affection, "Uncle kissed you."

"I want to kiss you too!" Minghe leaned over and planted a kiss on Xiao Yu's face.

Danzi also gave a kiss.

The uncle and nephews played around for a while before Xiao Yu finally hugged the two children and told them a story, lulling them to sleep. He too fell asleep.

The next morning, the temperature dropped further, and all three of them were dressed warmly.

Qian Gonggong came to collect their breakfast.

Xiao Yu took the opportunity to hand over the letter to Qian Gonggong, "Thank you for this."

"You're too polite, Master Xiao," Qian Gonggong said as he took the food box and letter and left.

Xiao Yu thought it would be half a month before he received another letter from Pei Yanli, but surprisingly, a letter from Pei Yanli arrived every two or three days.

Emperor Yongxi happily remarked, "With the border conflicts winding down, he's less busy and can write more frequently."

Xiao Yu asked eagerly, "When will he return?"

Emperor Yongxi thought for a moment and confirmed, "He should make it back in time for New Year's Eve."

Xiao Yu eagerly anticipated.

"However, before New Year's Eve arrives, you have another task," Emperor Yongxi said.

Xiao Yu looked up and asked, "What would Your Majesty have me do?"

Emperor Yongxi said, "Yuanheng has been back in the palace for half a year now, but many people are still unaware."

What does that mean?

There have been so many banquets, and Danzi attended each one. Even the Northern Progress knows that the Crown Prince of Dajing is Xiao Yuanheng.

Xiao Yu wondered, "How can many people still be unaware?"

Emperor Yongxi, as if hearing Xiao Yu's thoughts, said, "It’s still not enough."

Xiao Yu didn't understand.

Emperor Yongxi elaborated, "I’ve accepted the suggestions of court officials and plan to summon children aged four to eight from noble families into the palace for a Tuiyou competition."

Xiao Yu asked, "What kind of competition?"

Emperor Yongxi replied, "Running, archery, counting, reciting, and so on. What do you think?"

Isn’t this just like a kindergarten sports day?

Xiao Yu responded, "Your Majesty, I think it's a good idea."

"I think so too," Emperor Yongxi said. "At that time, let Yuanheng reward the winning children generously. Of course, I hope even more that Yuanheng will excel in the competition, allowing the court officials and their families to recognize and acknowledge how outstanding my eldest son is."

Xiao Yu suddenly realized that Emperor Yongxi wasn't just organizing a kindergarten sports day; he was actually creating a stage to showcase Danzi's abilities. This, followed by Pei Yanli's return and the mention of Danzi's significant contribution in persuading the Northern Envoys to join the coalition, would smoothly pave the way for Danzi to move into the Eastern Palace and become the Crown Prince of Dajing.

It was a truly thoughtful plan to pave the way for Danzi!

Emperor Yongxi said, "Master Xiao, I entrust this important task to you."

Xiao Yu was astonished, "To me?"

"Yuanheng and Minghe listen to you the most. In the next few days, write the menu for the Imperial Kitchen, and you needn’t prepare meals for me. Focus on preparing Yuanheng and Minghe for the Tuiyou competition," Emperor Yongxi said, picking up three books from his desk and handing them over.

Xiao Yu took them. The top one was "Zeng Guang Xian Wen." Before he could look at the others, Emperor Yongxi added, "Try to memorize all these books; there will be a quiz."

"Running, archery, counting, and reciting," Xiao Yu hesitantly said, "Your Majesty, isn’t this too difficult?"

"Difficult? I went through the same when I was young," Emperor Yongxi replied.

Being an emperor is indeed demanding!

Xiao Yu was at a loss for words.

Emperor Yongxi continued, "Teach Yuanheng and Minghe well, and strive to make them win first place to bring honor to me."

Xiao Yu timidly asked, "Your Majesty, what if they don’t win first place?"

Seeing Xiao Yu's rare distressed expression, Emperor Yongxi laughed, "If they don’t win, they don’t win. I won't blame you. Don't be afraid, I'll think of something else." It might be a bit of trouble, but he must bring honor to his eldest son.

Unaware of Emperor Yongxi's thoughts, Xiao Yu felt much relieved and said, "As Your Majesty commands."

Emperor Yongxi added, "Oh, and also teach Yuanping while you’re at it."

Xiao Yu was speechless for a moment, then said, "As Your Majesty commands." He was practically being treated like a kindergarten principal!

"Then I'll leave it to you."

Xiao Yu could only respond, "It is my honor to serve."

"Then go and prepare."

Xiao Yu returned to the Ninth Courtyard of the Princes and, finding Xiao Yuanping there, explained the details of the young children's competition to the three kids.

"What does 'young children' mean?" Xiao Yuanping asked.

"Children from three to eight years old," Ming He answered.

"Am I one too?" Xiao Yuanping inquired.

"Yes, you're exactly a young child!" Danzi exclaimed.

Xiao Yu proposed, "Starting now, we'll practice running, archery, counting, and reciting together. How does that sound?"

The three children agreed in unison.

Running, archery, and counting went well, but when it came to reciting, Xiao Yuanping always mixed up the texts, confusing 'The Three Character Classic' with 'The Thousand Character Classic.'

Knowing Xiao Yuanping was still very young, Xiao Yu didn't set high expectations for him, focusing more on Danzi and Ming He. Fortunately, these two were exceptionally bright, quickly mastering whatever they learned.

Truly fitting for the hero and the arch-villain, their intelligence was outstanding.

Early one morning, Xiao Yu asked, "Have you memorized 'The Expanded Book of Virtuous Sayings'?"

Both children nodded in unison.

"Then, may I randomly test you on it?" Xiao Yu proposed.

"Yes," the two children agreed, nodding together.

Xiao Yu opened the book and recited, "Human feelings are like sheets of paper, each one thin."

Danzi responded, "Worldly matters are like a game of chess, every move is new."

Xiao Yu continued, "In the mountains, there exist trees of a thousand years."

"Yet in the world, it's rare to meet a centenarian," Minghe added.

As they were reciting, Xiao Yuanping walked towards the arched doorway and, seeing his royal brother and Minghe reciting, quickly turned to leave.

"Second Prince," Xiao Yu called out.

Xiao Yuanping turned back to look.

"Why are you leaving?" Xiao Yu asked with a smile.

"He doesn't want to recite!" Danzi said.

"I—" Xiao Yuanping opened his mouth to object but being so young, he couldn't voice a lie and admitted, "I just don't want to recite!"

"What should we do then?" Xiao Yu asked.

Xiao Yuanping confidently walked back in, saying, "I’m still a child this year, I'll grow up next year, then I'll recite."

"Try to recite a few lines," Minghe encouraged.

"I won’t recite," Xiao Yuanping firmly refused.

Danzi said, "Just try to recite a bit."

Xiao Yuanping replied, "I won’t try."

Minghe, knowing Xiao Yuanping resisted because he couldn’t memorize it, encouraged, "Just give it a try, maybe you'll succeed."

Xiao Yuanping declared, "I won’t try, because if I don't try, I won’t fail! That means I’m always successful!"

That makes perfect sense!

To prevent Xiao Yuanping from developing a dislike for learning, Xiao Yu quickly stopped the other children from persuading him further, saying, "The Second Prince is right. He's still a child this year, there's no need for him to memorize. Next year, when he's older, he'll be able to do it well."

Hearing this, Xiao Yuanping's confidence soared: "Hmm."

Xiao Yu smiled, "Then, Second Prince, if you're not reciting, you must put extra effort into running during the competition."

Xiao Yuanping nodded vigorously.

With this little episode resolved, Xiao Yu and the three children's learning went much smoother.

In the blink of an eye, the day of the Tuiyou competition arrived.

Xiao Yu dressed the two children early in the morning and then went to Qianxin Palace to pay respects to Emperor Yongxi. Afterward, they joined Emperor Yongxi, the Empress, the Noble Consort, and Empress Zheng at the competition venue.

"There are so many people!" Xiao Yuanping exclaimed in surprise.

Minghe, Danzi, and Xiao Yuanyin also gasped in awe.

Indeed, there were many people.

The perimeter of the competition field was filled with court officials and their wives, while the center was bustling with children aged four to eight, both boys and girls.

Everyone bowed in respect as Emperor Yongxi and the Empress arrived.

"Please, be seated," Emperor Yongxi and the Empress took their seats, along with the others.

Xiao Yu sat behind Emperor Yongxi, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. He felt a bit nervous for Minghe, Danzi, and Xiao Yuanping. At that moment, he noticed Zheng Weirong and his brother Zheng Weilu seated on the outskirts of the training field.

Unlike the previous times, Zheng Weirong's entire demeanor had changed this time, appearing steady, composed, and calm.

"Deputy Prime Minister Zheng looks well," the Empress remarked to Emperor Yongxi.

"Yes, he's recovered from his illness, so he brought his sons and nephews to participate in the competition," Emperor Yongxi commented wryly, "That family really knows how to produce sons."

The Empress wasn't sure if Emperor Yongxi was mocking the Zheng family or himself and was momentarily at a loss for words.

Emperor Yongxi glanced sideways at Qian Gonggong.

Understanding the cue, Qian Gonggong stepped forward and loudly announced the rules of the written test, then instructed the children to enter the competition area to get familiar with it.

Danzi and Minghe looked at Xiao Yu, "Uncle."

"Go ahead, your uncle will be watching you here," Xiao Yu encouraged.

With renewed confidence, Danzi and Minghe, along with Xiao Yuanping, entered the competition area.

Emperor Yongxi held Xiao Yuanyin in his arms.

Xiao Yuanyin pointed at Danzi, saying, "Emperor, brother."

Emperor Yongxi said, "Yes, that's your eldest royal brother and second royal brother. Let's cheer for them together."

Xiao Yuanyin nodded.

The Empress observed the children in the competition area, "Your Majesty, the three children are not at all intimidated by the stage."

Emperor Yongxi saw Minghe and the others already chatting with a few children, completely unafraid of strangers. He said to Xiao Yu, "Master Xiao has taught them well."

Xiao Yu quickly replied, "Your Majesty is too kind. The Crown Prince and the Second Prince are Your Majesty's children and are naturally outstanding."

Emperor Yongxi smiled.

Consort Xian inquired, "For the first competition, the running race, how will it be conducted?"

Emperor Yongxi declared, "They will all run together."

"Won't that be chaotic?" Consort Xian wondered.

The Empress laughed, "If they get disorganized, that means they've lost."

Consort Xian nodded in understanding.

A group of children, as per the judge's instructions, took their respective positions.

Xiao Yuanping, Ming He, and Danzi were separated by several other children.

Xiao Yu had noticed that many children in the middle were six to eight years old. At that age, even a year's difference is significant in height, language, and strength. He hoped the three children would not be at the bottom.

"Begin!" the judge commanded.

All the children surged forward at the signal.

The usually unemotional Yongxi Emperor, the Empress, the Consorts Xian and Zheng, as well as the court officials and ladies, all visibly tensed.

Just as Xiao Yu had anticipated, the six to eight-year-old children, tall and strong for their age, quickly sprinted to the front, with Minghe and his group running in the middle.

Suddenly, a long triangular slope appeared ahead.

This was one of the obstacles just introduced by the judge.

The older children energetically rushed up the slope.

Seeing this, Minghe and Danzi quickly bypassed the triangular slope, significantly closing the gap with the older children.

"Is that allowed?!"

"There’s no rule against it!"

"That's so clever!"

“……”

The court officials and their wives couldn't help but discuss softly among themselves.

"Clever!" Emperor Yongxi couldn't help but express his admiration aloud.

Xiao Yu smiled.

Next, the children encountered many rattan balls ahead.

The older children chose to take a detour around them.

Minghe and Danzi, seeing from a distance that the rattan balls were not an obstacle, ran straight through, quickly catching up with the older children.

"They caught up! They've caught up!" Empress Zheng anxiously clenched the handkerchief in her hands.

Although the Noble Consort and Empress Zheng had a decent relationship, it wasn't particularly close. The Noble Consort pointed out, "It’s the Crown Prince and Minghe who caught up. The Second Prince is still in the middle." Xiao Yuanping was following the same path as Minghe and Danzi.

"He's young, participation is what counts," Empress Zheng continued to cheer for Danzi and Minghe.

The Noble Consort, seeing Empress Zheng like this, suddenly felt that Empress Zheng wasn't so annoying after all.

"The Crown Prince and Minghe took a shortcut again!" the Empress couldn't help but raise her voice.

Emperor Yongxi saw two chubby little figures in the group of children, who, while turning, rolled along the inside track – no, ran along it – at a fast pace, quickly moving ahead of the older children. He couldn't help but clench his fist and exclaim, "Excellent!"

Xiao Yu thought they were sure to lose, but to his surprise, the two children used the obstacles as accelerators, persistently running and overtaking one child after another. He realized he had underestimated them once again.

They were truly amazing!

So impressive!

He suddenly became very excited!

Then, an unknown court official or noble lady couldn't hold back and shouted, "Son, charge!"

Xiao Yuanyin, hearing this, excitedly yelled, "Brother, charge!"

The previously quiet competition field suddenly became lively, filled with encouraging and cheering voices.

"Charge!"

"Run on the inside track! Run on the inside track!"

"Son, run on the inside track!"

"Daughter, run a bit faster!"

"Run a bit faster!"

"You're almost there!"

The atmosphere at the competition field increasingly resembled a sports day. Emperor Yongxi couldn't help but put down Xiao Yuanyin and stand up to cheer for the children, "Yuanheng! Minghe! Forward!"

The Empress, Noble Consort, and Empress Zheng were so tense they almost twisted their handkerchiefs to shreds.

Xiao Yu, with sweaty palms, shouted, "Minghe, Danzi! You're almost there!"

Another short triangular slope appeared ahead.

Just as Minghe and Danzi were about to go around, a seven or eight-year-old boy quickly caught up. He seemed not intent on overtaking Minghe and Danzi but deliberately aimed to collide with Minghe.

Minghe!

Xiao Yu was startled.

Zheng Weirong suddenly turned to Zheng Weilu, hissing, "What are you doing?"

Zheng Weilu replied, "You said we couldn't touch Xiao Yu, but you didn't say anything about that little brat. So, I told Tao Ge'er that if he finds Minghe annoying, just go and bump into him."

"Are you looking to die!" Zheng Weirong gritted his teeth.

"What's the problem?" Zheng Weilu protested, "You always say we can't touch this or that, always so hesitant. What can we do then, just watch as he... takes that position?"

Zheng Weirong, suppressing his anger, said, "Minghe is the future Prime Minister! The Emperor, the Grand Empress Dowager, the Empress Dowager, and all the royal family respect him. If we can't kill him in one attempt, be prepared for a disastrous end."

"Big brother, what are you talking about?" Zheng Weilu was utterly confused.

Suddenly, a "bang" sound echoed.

Zheng Weirong and Zheng Weilu turned their heads.

Tao Ge'er, who had just attempted to bump into Minghe, crashed violently into the triangular slope.

"Tao Ge'er!" The two brothers stood up together.

"The Crown Prince and young Master Minghe are tied for first place," the judge announced loudly.

Zheng Weirong and Zheng Weilu both looked at Minghe and Danzi standing in front of the judge. The two children's faces were flushed from running, their eyes sparkling, and their smiles revealing small white teeth.

Zheng Weirong scrutinized Minghe, who was unharmed.

Zheng Weilu exclaimed, "Impossible! Tao Ge'er is three or four years older than him. If he had collided, how could that child have escaped?"

"Never mind that for now, let's quickly check on Tao Ge'er's condition!" urged Zheng Weirong.

Zheng Weilu quickly pulled Zheng Tao over.

The triangular slope was very smooth, so when Zheng Tao hit it, he only had a bruise on his forehead.

Relieved, Zheng Weirong asked, "What happened?"

Zheng Tao, indignant, explained, "I was about to hit Minghe, but then he and Danzi saw an obstacle next to the slope and couldn't get through. They suddenly changed direction and ran up the slope. I didn't react in time and hit the slope. Others tried to take the shortcut they did but couldn't make it and had to return to the slope, but by then it was too late. Minghe and Danzi had already won first place."

"So cunning!" Zheng Weilu grumbled.

Zheng Weirong thought to himself, "Minghe is still the same Minghe, clever in a way that makes him hard to deal with." He couldn't help but glance at Minghe.

Minghe and Danzi had already run back from the lively training field to where Xiao Yu was.

Xiao Yu was delighted to see the two children spontaneously change their running route, avoiding Zheng Tao's attack and securing first place.

Emperor Yongxi personally handed the children water, saying, "Have some water, drink a bit."

"Father, Uncle, we won first place!" Danzi was thrilled.

Emperor Yongxi smiled, "Well done, well done. There are still more events, keep up the momentum!"

Xiao Yuanping, panting, ran over and announced, "Next is archery!"

Empress Zheng quickly hugged Xiao Yuanping and praised, "Yuanping also ran well."

Xiao Yuanping felt exhilarated.

After a brief rest, the second round of shooting began.

The three children returned to the competition area, where groups of six competed to see who could hit the bullseye the most times.

Xiao Yu couldn't help but glance at Zheng Tao.

Zheng Tao was examining a bow, pulling it back and forth, then suddenly aimed it at Minghe.

If Zheng Tao's earlier collision with Minghe was an accident, then pointing the arrow at Minghe now was intentional. Xiao Yu swiftly stood up, intending to intervene.

However, Zheng Weirong suddenly appeared and said something to Zheng Tao.

Zheng Tao immediately became subdued and stopped targeting Minghe.

Xiao Yu was somewhat unclear whether Zheng Tao's actions were due to mischief or malice.

Zheng Weirong then moved to the outskirts and, seeing no one around, simply and directly revealed his rebirth to Zheng Weilu.

Zheng Weilu was stunned for a moment, then asked, "Minghe is the Prime Minister?"

"A madman of a Prime Minister," Zheng Weirong recalled with fear, feeling relieved only when he saw the four-year-old Ming He.

After pondering for a while, Zheng Weilu asked, "So, you don't dare to harm Xiao Yu because you fear Ming He's retaliation?"

Zheng Weirong nodded.

A glint appeared in Zheng Weilu's eyes as he suggested, "In that case, why don't we take advantage of Ming He's young age and eliminate him now to prevent future troubles?"