"MingEr doesn't like it?"
Qi Mingyue scoffed and ridiculed, "I don't like the idea of a banquet. All the singing and dancing is too noisy and there are also too many people, which is difficult to handle. Does Father Emperor think that my life is too peaceful and wants to show me something entertaining?"
"If I really had something entertaining to show MingEr..." Qi Xutian dragged his voice and stared into his eyes.
Qi Mingyue saw it and opened his mouth to speak, "Then I will have a good look. I don’t know what drama Father Emperor has arranged?"
"MingEr can rest assured, it will be absolutely brilliant." Qi Mingyue didn't know what Qi Xutian thought of as a mysterious look appeared in his eyes. "Some people aren't afraid of death. They intend to sneak into the palace to conspire. MingEr must look carefully and see how well I treat them."
"Conspiring? Is there anyone who dares to assassinate Father Emperor?" With a chuckle, Qi Mingyue felt that this matter would be very interesting.
Qi Xutian did not answer, "Since your injury is alright, start martial arts training tomorrow."
"Why wait till tomorrow?" He could not wait any longer.
So Qi Xutian exchanged a look with Liu Yi, "From today, he will be in your hands. He must build a solid foundation, don't let him relax much."
"Yes, Liu Yi understands." Liu Yi's calm eyes fixed on Qi Mingyue.
Qi Mingyue met the eyes of Chief Liu without any cowardice or fear. Instead, he looked as usual, even with a little excitement and expectation. "I know that if I want to learn martial arts well, it is inevitable that I would suffer hardships. Chief Liu does not have to be merciful."
"Then Your Highness must prepare healing medicine, it will be useful in the future."
Qi Mingyue smiled slyly, "I don't need to be reminded by Chief Liu, I have already prepared it. There are more than ten different kinds of medicines which I carry with me to prepare for unexpected needs."
"MingEr, what are you going to do with them?" Qi Xutian knew that he had asked the royal doctor to prepare many things, mostly medicines for injuries and drugs.
Qi Mingyue withdrew the smile on his face, looked sideways at the texture of the jade cup on the table, and replied lightly, "In the palace, who knows when I might need help? Right now, I am only a five-year-old child. If I don't rely on these, then wouldn't I always need to rely on the shadow guards or Father to come for my rescue each time?"
He stood up slowly, his voice very calm, "My life cannot depend on and be saved by others. Even if there is only a slight chance at life, I will hold it in my hands."
The figure of Qi Mingyue turned away from them making Chief Liu unable to clearly see his appearance at this time. The light from the setting sun fell on him through the window frame, a golden-red brilliance spread out around him. Qi Xutian watched the child under the light and the look in his eyes changed.
Chief Liu watched him say this and suddenly his eyes turned to the man in the black robe and he frowned. His Majesty, he...
"The matter of Concubine Hua today is something that I miscalculated. I didn't expect her to be able to fight. If it wasn't for the shadow guard as well as Father's arrival, I'm afraid my life would have been in danger. I don't want to be in such a predicament again in the future." He frowned. After all, his five-year-old body was still too weak, inflexible, not to mention the speed and strength were severely lacking. It seemed that only after practising martial arts could it be changed.
"MingEr..." Qi Xutian suddenly sighed, picked up the cup of wine, drank slowly but said nothing.
Chief Liu stood aside and looked at the look in His Majesty's eyes. Without saying a word, he picked up the jade pot and filled the empty cup for him again, then put the pot back on the table. But Qi Xutian didn't move his cup. "Your Majesty, His Highness' birthday feast has been ordered. I don't know..."
Qi Xutian's hand finally moved. Once again, he brought the wine cup to his lips. His movements were elegant as he took a sip slowly, "Hmm."
Chief Liu lowered his eyes and stopped talking.
Qi Mingyue knew that something would happen at this birthday feast. The setting sun outside the window was red, and the golden-red light of the sun made him have to squint. He seemed to see a scarlet colour, like blood. He stood in front of the window with his hands behind his back, his little figure showed a deepness that did not match his age.
•×•×•×•
After that day, no one in the palace dared to provoke the Second Prince who was spoiled by His Majesty. In the past, it was said that the extremely cute and well-loved Third Prince Lianshuo was highly favoured by His Majesty. Now, however, he seemed to be no longer of concern. He was even slowly being forgotten, just like Qi Mingyue in those days.
For the Second Prince’s birthday feast, His Majesty invited all civil and military officials, including messengers who came to pay their tribute from small, remote countries. The platoon was very vast. Even An Yang and Lian Tong sent congratulatory gifts.
There was no one who didn't know that among the three princes, Emperor Cang He was the most pleased with Second Prince Qi Mingyue. The controversy with him and Concubine Hua, in which Concubine Hua suffered a big loss and was severely punished, was known to many. They also knew that she had been lying on the bed for months without taking a step out of her room.
The ministers discussed one after another. If this continued, the Crown Prince would be the Second Prince once His Majesty decided to establish a reserve. So Ningxi Pavilion became more heated; Consort An treated the other concubines who often came to the door with a smile, but on the inside, her feelings were complex.
With the passage of time, everything was soon ready. Many people were looking forward to seeing the Second Prince who seldom appeared at banquets.
But Qi Mingyue was busy practising martial arts under the guidance of Liu Yi. In the past three months, he started from the most basic Zhama, with his young body practising hard, he fainted several times under the hot sun. Then he took nutritional soup and medicine to rest for a while and continued to practice hard the next day.
Such perseverance made the reticent Liu Yi, who rarely praised anyone, praise Qi Mingyue in front of Qi Xutian. He mentioned that His Second Royal Highness really persevered. He was very patient and was never lenient with himself. Even against his enemies in the future, he would be able to be ruthless and decisive.
Qi Mingyue thought of all his experience and lessons learned in his previous life, which told him that he was digging his own grave if he was soft against his enemies. So he later got the name of "Ruoshui" in the organization. If water can carry a boat, it can also capsize it[1]. If the boat is overturned, you can only go along the direction of the water but if you go against it, it will only lead to destruction.
[1] In bigger schemes of things, this Chinese saying is but a particular way of suggesting the importance of the ability of consciously shifting paradigms and seeing things from a completely opposite perspective, instead of getting hung up with any situation of seeming inertia – for good or bad.
Chief Liu had a good eye and it seems that he must have a lot of experience. This person must have met Father Emperor in Jianghu, but Mingyue didn’t know how Liu Yi knew and how he ended up following Father Emperor into the palace. Although he was curious about it, he never asked. Between him and his father, they were neither ordinary father and son nor were they lovers who trusted each other with all their hearts. Although there was a seemingly an absurd agreement between them, in fact, the two were what he had said that day. That's it.
Thinking of this, he sighed involuntarily.
"Why does Your Highness sigh inexplicably? Is Hong Qui not combing well?" Hong Qui was standing behind him at the moment to comb his hair for him. Seeing her master in the mirror, he rarely showed such an expression. "In the palace, everyone knows His Majesty's love for master. In the Xuantian Palace, His Majesty's residence is already master's, and you can send all the palace people at will. His Majesty also loves you. Plus, you also get to sleep on the same bed. Then why does Your Royal Highness reveal this kind of face?"
Qi Mingyue didn't answer, he watched the black long hair on his head be wrapped in a boy's bun under Hong Qui's dexterous hands until her white hands gradually came to a stop. Holding the ivory comb, Hong Qui hesitantly looked at the child in the mirror, "...Hong Qui wants to know why Your Highness looks..."
He glanced back at her silent expression, with a question, "Me? How do I look?"
"A bit... lonely." The last word gently fell into Qi Mingyue's ears, as if a stone had fallen into a lake, it made countless waves.
After she finished speaking, Hong Qui raised the comb and began to slide it through the straight hair again and again. It was obviously such a young child who was born to be beautiful and unparalleled in intelligence. He was so extraordinary that people could not help seeing him and loving him. Looking at the appearance in the mirror somehow makes people feel distressed.
Withdrawing the feelings in his eyes, Qi Mingyue smirked, "With Hong Qui and Ying Ran accompanying me, how could I be lonely? Not to mention the favour of Father Emperor?"
Hong Qui sighed and put down the comb, "Master, just remember that Hong Qui and Ying Ran are here for you." She slightly adjusted Mingyue's attire and her tone changed. "Okay, it's time. His Majesty must be in a hurry and there are many officials at the feast. Everyone must be looking forward to seeing the rumoured Second Prince!"
Ying Ran picked Zhulian and walked in. "Your Highness, His Majesty is ready and is asking you to go quickly to Chixi palace."
Qi Mingyue stepped forward but suddenly paused. "Is there anything different today?"
Ying Ran thought for a moment and shook her head. "There are many people in the hall, the messengers of both An Yang and Lian Tong also came. His Majesty seems no different..."
"Forget it, don't go into details. Let's go." He knew that even if something were to happen, someone would have a plan, which wouldn't be obvious on the surface.
In the Chixi Palace, Qi Xutian was sitting on the throne, leaning leisurely on the back of the chair, holding a cup of wine in one hand and showing a light smile. The slight arc on the corner of his mouth made Qi Mingyue infer that he was expecting something in his heart.
"This child greets Father Emperor." Qi Mingyue stepped out from the aisle. He was clad in a white robe with golden embroidery layered down, and while walking, his belt swayed with his movements and a cold arc was drawn. Glowing like a moonlit night, lined with black hair like ink, his lips slightly raised, revealing an unpretentious smile, his face was mixed with a child's tenderness and an adult's prudent calmness, which was unexpectedly attractive and made people involuntarily want to be closer to him.
This was the Emperor of Cang He's most favoured son, the world-famous Second Prince Qi Mingyue?! Everyone couldn't help but admire in their hearts. They couldn't complain about His Majesty's partiality, with such a noble and elegant prince, which Emperor would not favour?