Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Besides New Year's Eve, when the family stayed up together, this was a rare treat, and Shen Zhinuo was overjoyed.

After all, if the plot couldn’t be reversed, there wouldn’t be many days left for the family to gather so happily.

She clapped her tiny hands, beaming like a sunflower, her voice soft and sweet like a baby’s: "Nuo Nuo wants to sleep with her brothers and sister."

The Crown Princess gently patted her daughter’s head, kissed her soft cheek, and smiled tenderly: "Of course, sweetheart."

The little girl then stretched out her arms to hug Princess Wen’an’s neck, pointing at the beds: "Sister, take Nuo Nuo over."

Princess Wen’an agreed, picking up her sister and watching the maids arrange the bedding.

Shen Weiqing came over and scooped up the chubby little girl, nuzzling her chubby cheek, and said in a high-pitched voice: "Nuo Er, sleep next to your second brother, okay?"

The boy, whose voice was just changing, sounded hoarse, like a duck. But he always tried to sound gentle and soft around his little sister, which came off awkward.

Shen Zhinuo pushed his face with her chubby little hands, feigning disgust as she wrinkled her tiny nose, "Second brother stinks, Nuo Nuo won’t sleep next to you."

Her babyish voice made everyone laugh.

Shen Weiqing feigned heartbreak, wailing, "Second brother bathed and even put on perfume, how can I stink? Here, smell me."

Shen Zhinuo giggled, dodging with a tilt of her head, "Second brother stinks, he really stinks."

Shen Weiqing stomped his feet: "Alright, you little brat, teasing your second brother? I’ll spank you!" With that, he raised his hand, pretending to hit her.

The little girl squealed in her baby voice, reaching out to Shen Weiyan, who was enjoying the show: "Big brother, save me."

Shen Weiyan reached out and cradled the little girl in his arms, "Don’t worry, big brother’s got you."

Shen Weiqing spread his hands, making claw gestures, growling, pretending to pounce: "I’m going to eat you, little chubby pig."

"Big brother, run!" The little girl hugged Shen Weiyan’s neck, jumping up and down in his arms, urging him anxiously, then shouted to Princess Wen’an, who was laughing uncontrollably: "Sister, save Nuo Nuo."

Princess Wen’an ran over laughing, grabbed her second brother’s arm, and pulled him aside.

Shen Weiqing picked up his big sister, slung her over his shoulder, and chased after his big brother and little sister.

The two brothers, each carrying a sister, ran around the room, the four children laughing and playing, making a huge ruckus.

The Crown Prince held his wife’s hand, standing aside, smiling as he watched. As he watched, his heart ached, and his eyes unknowingly moistened.

He was nearly forty, halfway through his life.

To be honest, as long as the world was peaceful, the Daxuan kingdom was stable, the people lived and worked in peace, and his family could live a stable life, he didn’t really care who became the Crown Prince.

The problem was, he had been in the position of Crown Prince for eighteen years and couldn’t step down now.

If he stepped down, he would surely be crushed to pieces.

His wife would have no way out, and his children would be eradicated, leaving none.

His eleventh brother, who shared the same mother, had always been on his side. If he fell, his eleventh brother would likely not end well either.

And then there was his mother. He, as her son, had lived for three or four decades, but what about the children? His mother loved them so much; if they were gone, how heartbroken she would be.

And his eldest sister, with her fiery temper, if she had any unpleasantness with the Emperor because of his affairs, the Princess’s residence would probably be in turmoil.

Apart from his relatives, his mother's side of the family, his wife's mother's side of the family, and all the officials and subordinates loyal to him would also be implicated.

Once in his position, there was no turning back.

He had to fight; otherwise, death was certain.

Not just for the sake of his own family, but also for those who were loyal to him.

So, he couldn’t afford to show any weakness.

Not only could he not show weakness, but a streak of ruthlessness even surfaced in him.

For a moment, he even thought, let the Emperor gorge on those elixirs to his heart’s content.

In the royal family, there’s no such thing as father and son; between the Emperor and him, it was first ruler and subject, then father and son.

From now on, he had to tread carefully to avoid overstepping.

The rowdy kids horsed around for a bit and finally sprawled out on the big bed made by pushing three cots together.

Princess Wen'an slept on the innermost side by the window, Shen Zhinuo slept next to her sister in the middle, followed by Shen Weiqing and his brother.

Shen Weiqing was just as restless, teasing Shen Zhinuo by poking her round cheeks or squeezing her chubby hands, completely smitten: "Nuo Er, you really look like a sticky rice ball."

Shen Zhinuo then lifted her little foot to kick him: "Second brother, you’re mean."

The siblings kept goofing off until Shen Weiyan, afraid Nuo Er would be too wound up to sleep, dragged his brother to the side and positioned himself in the middle, gently patting the little girl’s head and soothing her: "Nuo Er, be good."

Looking up at her kind big brother, Shen Zhinuo smiled sweetly: "Big brother is the greatest."

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess lay in bed, whispering to each other so only they could hear.

The Crown Princess leaned on the Crown Prince's shoulder, bitterly: "Husband, you’ve played the part of Crown Prince nearly perfectly. For eighteen years, everyone has praised you, yet the Emperor banished our family just because you advised him to take fewer elixirs. Although there were other reasons, the Emperor’s heart is truly too cruel."

The Crown Prince patted his wife's shoulder, saying meaningfully: "Maybe it’s exactly because I’ve done too well."

The Crown Princess was stunned, then realized: "Could it be?"

The Crown Prince did not answer, only squeezed his wife's hand.

The Crown Princess felt a cold dread in her heart. Indeed, the more perfect the Crown Prince was, the higher his prestige in the court, and the greater the threat he posed in the Emperor's eyes.

The Emperor is now fifty-eight, an age when most folks would be enjoying their golden years, yet the Emperor still tightly holds onto power.

The Emperor was naturally suspicious, and as he aged, he became even more paranoid.

She whispered: "Husband, even though you are wholeheartedly devoted to the Emperor, you must still think carefully about some matters and weigh your words before speaking."

The Crown Prince nodded: "I understand. It concerns the lives of our family, and I will be cautious in my words and actions from now on."

The Crown Princess knew her husband was steady, and hearing this, she felt reassured: "I will also discipline the children to make fewer mistakes."

As soon as the word "mistakes" was spoken, the couple, holding each other, had a sudden realization and said in unison: "Perhaps we should make some mistakes."

After saying this, they looked at each other and smiled.

By the window, the children finally quieted down after their play.

Shen Weiyan and Shen Weiqing, thinking about what they had heard from their parents earlier, played with their sister for a while and then pretended to fall asleep, with Shen Weiqing even deliberately making light snoring sounds.

Princess Wen'an, noticing her brothers had fallen silent, understood why. She skillfully covered her sister with a small blanket, then reached out to hug Little Dumpling into her arms and closed her eyes, pretending to sleep.

Shen Zhinuo had napped for nearly two hours in the afternoon and was now wide awake. Seeing that her brothers and sister were asleep, she lay still, careful not to disturb them.

After lying for a while and feeling bored, she began conversing with the system in her thoughts: "Hey, Puppy, are you there?"

Earlier, Shen Weiqing had only heard of the miraculous events involving his little sister from their parents. After hearing it, he had been eager to hear it firsthand.

But from the afternoon until now, he hadn’t heard his little sister talk to that so-called A Tong, leaving him on edge. Finally, when he heard his sister summoning A Tong, he was so thrilled he nearly leapt up.

Only with great self-control did he stay on the bed. Eventually, he couldn’t resist and surreptitiously nudged his elder brother Shen Weiyan with his foot, both to check if he was awake and to share his excitement.

Shen Weiyan nudged back gently, signaling his understanding.

Meanwhile, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess on the bed ceased their conversation. They turned gently to look at their children.

Princess Wen'an had heard it several times and was already able to remain calm. She breathed softly, careful not to disturb her sister, and listened quietly.

At the summons, the little black dog materialized out of nowhere, flying two circles above Shen Zhinuo's head: "Nuo Er, Young Master, ATong is present."

The room's candles had been snuffed out, and Shen Zhinuo thought she wouldn’t be able to see the little black dog. However, she noticed that the little black dog flying in the air was surrounded by a faint white fluorescent light, which looked quite beautiful.

Instinctively, she reached out her little hand to touch it but found nothing there. She didn’t mind and asked, "Puppy, earlier you said that our whole family was assassinated on the way to exile. Do you know who did it? If we know who did it, then we should know who is behind harming my father."

This struck a chord. The Crown Princess glanced at her husband, who was leaning behind her, and saw that the Crown Prince was also looking at her. The Crown Princess whispered, "Husband, don’t you think Nuo Er is unusually clever?"

Nuo Er started speaking at eight months old and could learn anything after seeing it once. But the Shen family children were always smart, so she didn’t think much of it. However, looking at the child today, her thoughts and considerations were remarkably thorough, far beyond the capabilities of an average three-year-old.

Sensing his wife's doubts and concerns, the Crown Prince reassured her in a whisper, "Don’t overthink it. That A Tong said that Nuo Er coming here was a mistake. Perhaps Nuo Er is a fairy from heaven, otherwise, which child could be like our Nuo Er, every word hitting the mark."

The Crown Princess smiled, "Husband, you are wise." Yes, Nuo Er must have been sent by heaven to save their family.

While the couple was whispering, the system spoke up: [I don’t know for now. All I can see is the phrase 'assassination attempt.']

Shen Zhinuo asked again, "Then what else do you know, puppy? Tell me everything."

The system: "I can only check the specific related plot of the person in front of me. Whose do you want to know first?"

Shen Zhinuo: "Let’s talk about my father first. I want to know how my father specifically made the Old Emperor turn against his own descendants."

The system checked and said, "The plot summary says that since this spring, the Old Emperor has been increasing his dosage of elixirs. He looks radiant and full of energy, but in reality, his body is already exhausted."

The Crown Prince and Crown Princess exchanged glances, understanding.

This spring, the Emperor took in several young and beautiful concubines. It seems he was overexerting himself, hence the increased dosage of elixirs.

The system continued: "During a court meeting, the Old Emperor suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed."

"The Crown Prince, worried about the Old Emperor's health, repeatedly advised him to take fewer elixirs. Once, he even snatched the elixir from a eunuch's hand, and the Old Emperor immediately threw a cup at his head, calling him a villain with ill intentions."

Hearing this, Shen Zhinuo's heart tightened: "Was my father seriously injured?"

The system replied: "The summary only says that the Crown Prince's forehead was bleeding, and he staggered away. The specific extent of the injury is not detailed."

Shen Zhinuo clenched her little fists, her little belly puffing up in anger: "Old Emperor, how dare you hit my father? I don’t like him anymore."

Princess Wen'an, who had been quietly listening, pretended to inadvertently hug her sister tighter. She thought to herself, from today onwards, she didn’t like her grandfather either.

Shen Weiqing, who had been pretending to sleep, was so angry that he almost jumped up again. His leg moved slightly, but Shen Weiyan beside him quickly pressed it down and covered his mouth.

Shen Zhinuo was angry for a while, then asked, "After this incident, the Old Emperor started suspecting my father, right?"

The system replied, "Exactly. After that, a rift grew between the two. When this happened, there were many palace maids and eunuchs present, and it quickly became known to other ambitious princes and grandsons."

"Those people had been restless, and seeing this as a rare opportunity, they exploited it to the fullest. Some slandered Crown Prince to the Old Emperor, while others incited court officials to impeach Crown Prince with various unfounded charges. In short, they used every means possible to take advantage of the situation and step on Crown Prince, making the Old Emperor increasingly displeased with him."

Crown Prince sighed softly. Rumors can ruin a person, and constant slander can wear them down.

Shen Zhinuo pressed further, "Then what was the final incident that led to my father being stripped of his position as Crown Prince?"

The system hesitated, "This is kind of awkward, Miss. You sure you wanna hear it?"

Shen Zhinuo stomped her feet impatiently, "Of course I want to hear it, doggy, hurry up and tell me."

The system said, "The synopsis states that your father got drunk at a palace banquet and, while going out for some air, made inappropriate advances toward a new concubine the Old Emperor favored."