Changning was three years younger than Kangxi and was still a hot-headed twenty-two-year-old with poor control over his facial expressions.

He behaved respectfully enough toward Kangxi, but the moment he looked at the Crown Prince, his face twisted into pure sarcasm and disdain. Every glance and twitch practically screamed mockery.

Relying on the fact that he was still a child, Yinreng put on a worried expression and spoke with innocent frankness:

"Uncle, are you sick? You should take care of your health. When people get sick, they have to drink bitter medicine, and that feels awful."

Fuquan had originally intended to scold Changning before Kangxi could do so, hoping to shield his younger brother a little. But hearing Yinreng's childish sincerity, he merely frowned and kept silent.

Such a cute and kind little nephew, and you're acting sarcastic toward him for what? You deserve whatever trouble comes your way!

Kangxi had already been annoyed, but hearing Yinreng genuinely worry about Changning only made him angrier.

Naturally, he wasn't going to tell Yinreng that Changning disliked him (he wanted to protect his son's pure and innocent little heart), so he replied with equal sarcasm:

"Prince Gong was probably standing in the cold wind too long, so his face crumpled up. Let the imperial physicians stick a few needles into it, and he'll recover."

Yinreng obediently asked, "Is this what the imperial physicians call a stroke?"

Fuquan struggled not to laugh, while Changning's expression twisted even further.

Calmly, Kangxi replied, "Something like that. If he keeps standing in the wind, he really might get one."

Yinreng frowned worriedly and stepped forward to tug on Changning's sleeve.

"Uncle, hurry and see an imperial physician… ow!"

Changning had raised the arm whose sleeve Yinreng was holding and yanked it back from the child's grasp, intending to bow to Kangxi and soften his own attitude a little.

He had already tested Kangxi's feelings toward the Crown Prince and confirmed that the prince truly was, as rumors said, a kindhearted little fool who couldn't even tell whether people treated him well or badly. Since his goal had been achieved, Changning naturally planned to stop before pushing Kangxi too far.

But as he jerked his sleeve back, his elbow and sleeve brushed lightly against Yinreng.

Yinreng suddenly cried out, staggered backward, swayed for a moment, then quickly steadied himself.

He rubbed the spot where Changning's sleeve had touched him, his little face scrunched up as though it hurt.

Before the three adults could even fully process what had happened, Yinreng's frown relaxed, and he pattered back over to Kangxi.

Holding Yinreng's hand, Kangxi frowned. "Did he hit you?"

Yinreng widened his watery eyes innocently. "No, he just bumped me by accident."

By accident?

Kangxi looked toward Changning, who was also frowning now, and his displeasure deepened.

"Baocheng, does it hurt?"

Yinreng smiled. "Not anymore. Father Emperor, hurry and get Uncle an imperial physician. Uncle can go see the doctor while we go strolling through the market!"

Kangxi lifted Yinreng into his arms and rubbed his belly gently.

Yinreng twisted uneasily. "It really doesn't hurt anymore. Baocheng is wearing lots of layers. Let's go, let's go shopping."

"Mhm."

Looking at his absurdly pure-hearted and foolish son, Kangxi's anger surged upward again.

Of course, Kangxi knew Changning wasn't stupid enough to openly strike the emperor's treasured son right in front of him.

Changning had merely impatiently yanked back his sleeve while Yinreng was trying to show concern for him. The movement had been too rough and accidentally knocked the child.

Whenever Yinreng dealt with family members, he became extraordinarily broad-minded and almost foolishly kindhearted. Since he knew Changning hadn't done it deliberately, he naturally wouldn't cry or complain.

His silly son was the kind of good child who wouldn't cry even while drinking bitter medicine or enduring acupuncture. Aside from the times Kangxi himself made him cry (through anger, spanking, or hurt feelings), Yinreng rarely cried.

Thinking of that, Kangxi suddenly felt a little guilty.

"Changning, what are you doing?" Fuquan finally grew angry.

He knew Changning resented Kangxi for establishing a Crown Prince, but taking that resentment out on a little child was disgraceful.

And Kangxi was standing right there! Bullying the emperor's son in front of the emperor himself. Had Changning grown tired of living in the capital and started wanting to guard their father's tomb instead?!

"What do you mean, what am I doing?" Changning looked puzzled by Yinreng's dramatic reaction, briefly wondering whether he really had accidentally hit him.

He replayed the sensation in his mind and confirmed that he had merely brushed against him lightly. There was no way he'd actually hit the child.

Yinreng simply lost his balance.

"He couldn't stand steadily himself, so why blame me? Do you think I deliberately hit him?" Changning looked suspiciously at Yinreng. "And if he merely stumbled, why was he rubbing his stomach? He made it look like I hit him."

"Changning! What exactly are you implying?! That the Crown Prince deliberately framed you?!" Kangxi exploded at the suspicious look in Changning's eyes.

As long as Yinreng kept his face blank and widened his eyes, he perfectly resembled an innocent little fool.

"Father Emperor, what does 'framed' mean? What are you all talking about?"

"Your Majesty, the Crown Prince rarely gets a chance to leave the palace. Don't spoil the outing over Changning. You know how foolishly reckless he can be," Fuquan quickly intervened.

But seeing Yinreng's confused expression only increased his own anger.

Still, the late emperor had left only four sons behind. Fuquan was too softhearted to bear watching his younger brother punished, so he tried smoothing things over.

"Aren't you feeling unwell? Hurry up and get out of here to see the imperial physician!"

Changning still wanted to argue, but he understood Kangxi well enough to see that the emperor was teetering on the edge of fury. He quickly bowed and slipped away efficiently.

He was Kangxi's biological younger brother and still had the protection of the Grand Empress Dowager. As long as Kangxi didn't erupt on the spot, he'd be fine.

After all, he'd done things like this many times before. He was experienced.

Watching Changning flee so skillfully after provoking Yinreng, Kangxi had nowhere to vent his anger and could only kick at the cobblestones paving the path.

Yinreng continued widening his eyes while furiously knitting his tiny brows together.

"Father Emperor? Are you angry? What happened?"

"Nothing." Kangxi suppressed his anger. "Prepare the carriage. We'll change clothes and head into the city."

Yinreng nodded with a frown on his face.

Kangxi held the child in one arm and rubbed at those tightly furrowed brows with the other.

"Relax your forehead. Don't frown so much, you look like a little old man."

Yinreng covered his forehead with both hands. "Baocheng isn't a little old man. Father Emperor is always frowning too, so Father Emperor is a big old… ow!"

Pouting, Yinreng complained, "Can you stop knocking my head all the time? What if you knock me stupid?"

"You're already stupid enough."

So stupid you can't even tell Changning was bullying you.

Kangxi found himself both annoyed and amused.

Watching the foolishly innocent child, even Fuquan's stern expression softened into helpless indulgence.

Though a Crown Prince being this naïve wasn't ideal, who could resist doting on such an adorable and kindhearted little fool?

The prince was still young. Being a little silly now wasn't such a big problem.

Kindly, Fuquan said, "The carriage is ready. Once we change clothes, we'll leave immediately. Your Majesty, where are we going first?"

"The temple fair."

Kangxi deliberately chose this day to bring the Crown Prince to see the Capital City God Temple Fair.

The City God Temple Fair was the liveliest fair of the first lunar month. On opening day, treasures from all over the world gathered there. Not only dazzling jewelry, but also antiques from every dynasty imaginable.

Kangxi intended to show off his treasure-appraisal skills to the Crown Prince and earn his son's full admiration.

After changing clothes, Kangxi carried Yinreng into the same carriage as Fuquan, but the atmosphere remained somewhat subdued.

Changning's behavior had cast a shadow over the outing. Kangxi's anger hadn't entirely faded, and Fuquan sighed inwardly as well.

Yinreng's brows furrowed again.

He tugged quietly at Kangxi's sleeve.

"Father Emperor… did I make Uncle unhappy?"

Kangxi replied stiffly, "No. Why would you think that?"

Yinreng lowered his voice. "When Uncle saw me, his face looked unhappy, so I thought he was sick. But when he left, his expression looked normal again. Illness can't recover that quickly… so Uncle wasn't sick. Does he dislike Baocheng?"

Kangxi vigorously rubbed Yinreng's little head.

His son wasn't stupid. He simply hadn't imagined that an uncle he'd never privately met before would dislike him.

Yinreng's voice grew softer and softer, nearly drowned out by the rattling carriage wheels.

"What Uncle said before… was he saying I framed him? But I just lost my balance. I wasn't framing…"

"Enough."

Kangxi pulled Yinreng into his arms.

"There's something wrong with his brain."

Fuquan also said sternly, "Exactly. There's something wrong with his brain. Don't bother with him in the future. If you ever run into him alone, leave immediately and go find His Majesty, or come find me. If you're in the palace, go directly to the Grand Empress Dowager. You don't even need to greet him."

Yinreng wilted like a frostbitten little cabbage.

His lips moved as though he wanted to say something, but in the end, he quietly closed his mouth again without speaking.

The sight made both adults ache with pity.

Even Fuquan's gentle temper was approaching its breaking point.

Everything today had been Changning's fault from beginning to end. First, he'd openly shown displeasure toward the Crown Prince. Then, when the child tugged his sleeve out of concern, Changning jerked it away in disgust and nearly knocked him over.

Yinreng had simply steadied himself, rubbed his stomach a little without even crying in pain, and continued worrying about him afterward.

What had the Crown Prince done wrong?

Was his only mistake failing to realize that Changning disliked him?

The Crown Prince was intelligent. He hadn't realized it before, but now he clearly understood, and look how hurt the child was!

From a public standpoint, the Crown Prince was the heir to the empire. Aside from the Grand Empress Dowager and the emperor himself, not even the Empress Dowager had the right to mistreat him. Taken seriously, Changning's conduct bordered on disloyalty.

From a private standpoint, the Crown Prince was Changning's own nephew. Bullying his elder brother's only legitimate son was heartless.

Even putting all those principles aside, the Crown Prince wasn't even four years old yet! Bullying a child under four and then accusing him of framing you. Such behavior was simply inhuman.

"I'm sorry."

Yinreng lowered his head, his pouting mouth drooping enough to hang a tiny gourd from it.

"Father Emperor, what did I do wrong for Uncle to dislike me so much? Aside from Great-Grandmother and Father Emperor, Uncle is my closest family member. If he hates me that much, then I must have done something wrong, right?"

Kangxi pinched the child's pouting lips shut.

"You did nothing wrong. Didn't I already say it? His brain is sick! I am the Son of Heaven. My words are law. If I say he's sick, then he's sick. Understand? Don't look for faults in yourself every time something happens. You're the Crown Prince! Be more overbearing!"

Yinreng flailed his little arms like a crab while muffled "wuwuwu" noises escaped him, and only then did Kangxi let go.

Covering his mouth, Yinreng complained, "That hurt! Father Emperor is bad, a bad father emperor. What do you mean by 'every time something happens'? I only have three uncles total! This is important!"

Hearing that made Fuquan's heart warm even as his anger intensified.

The Crown Prince truly was a good child. At such a young age, he already cherished his uncles deeply, considering them the closest people in his life after the emperor and the Grand Empress Dowager.

If such a Crown Prince inherited the throne, their descendants would at least enjoy two generations of wealth and security.

So what exactly was Changning dissatisfied with?

Did he really dream of restoring the old Eight Princes system, or even becoming another Dorgon, ruling alongside the emperor as regent?

Changning clearly deserved to be sent off to guard tombs.

Children forget things quickly. After Kangxi teased him for a while and Fuquan vividly described the splendor of the temple fair, Yinreng finally tossed the "possibly mentally ill" Changning out of his mind.

Outside the palace, Yinreng initially tried hard to maintain the image of a mature and steady good child, but after enough teasing from Kangxi, he reverted to pure adorable chaos, demanding hugs from Father Emperor and pestering him nonstop.

With Kangxi's tacit approval, Fuquan also joined in playing with Yinreng.

With one hand holding Father Emperor and the other holding Uncle, Yinreng tucked up his little legs and swung between them like a pendulum.

Remembering the imperial physicians' warnings, Kangxi hurriedly set him down.

"You're not allowed to swing like that! Your little arms could dislocate!" Kangxi scolded while poking Yinreng's shiny forehead.

"Awwooo!"

Yinreng agreed immediately.

Then moments later, he started swinging again.

Kangxi poked his bald forehead again.

Fuquan laughed so hard he could barely straighten up.

He had never seen this side of his younger brother, who had ascended the throne as a child himself. Kangxi looked even more frazzled than Fuquan had been when he first became a father.

Fuquan's own children had been raised by women in the inner court, so he'd only played with them occasionally. But watching Kangxi interact with Baocheng, it became obvious that when Kangxi claimed he personally raised the child, he hadn't been joking.

An extremely irreverent comparison rose in Fuquan's mind.

The way his younger brother raised children looked almost exactly like the way the women in his harem raised theirs. That was how practiced he seemed.

The thought made Fuquan grow playful, too.

"Baocheng, want to ride on my shoulders?" he asked cheerfully. "The fair will be crowded. Want to sit on Uncle's shoulders?"

Yinreng immediately turned to look at Kangxi.

Kangxi laughed and scolded, "What, you want to ride on my shoulders too?!"

To Kangxi's shock, Yinreng fearlessly nodded.

Fuquan's smile froze.

He never would have imagined the Crown Prince would actually…

Well, the Crown Prince was still little. He didn't understand these things.

Just as Fuquan reached out to stop this outrageously improper behavior, Kangxi unexpectedly picked Yinreng up first.

"You can only do this outside the palace. You're not allowed to tell anyone else, not even your Great-Grandmother. Understand?"

Then Kangxi hoisted his son onto his shoulders.

Yinreng's short little legs dangled against Kangxi's chest while his tiny arms securely hugged Kangxi's head.

His mind went completely blank with a loud mental boom.

He had only been joking.

He never imagined that his Father Emperor would actually agree?!

Was this really the same father emperor obsessed with preserving dignity and face?

Father Emperor, do you remember you're a feudal emperor?!

Back in my previous life, you weren't this indulgent toward children!

Yinreng screamed internally.

Though… in my previous life, Father Emperor didn't seem this handsome either.

Yinreng fell into deep thought.

This lifetime, Kangxi behaved very differently from before. He carried less imperial majesty and solemnity, and much more warmth and approachability.

Yinreng hugged Kangxi's head and rubbed his soft little cheek against the emperor's hat.

The dark emotions from his previous life, the bitterness stirred up by "framing" Changning, were quietly scattered away by this simple shoulder ride.

"Father Emperor is so tall."

Yinreng pressed his warm little hands against Kangxi's cheeks, chilled by the winter wind.

"Baocheng will block the wind for Father Emperor."

Feeling the soft warmth pressed against his face, Kangxi smiled more happily than ever.

"Let's go! Come tour the temple fair with Father Emperor! Whatever catches your eye, just say the word, and Father Emperor will buy it all for you!"

With his son perched on his shoulders, Kangxi strode directly into the crowd, and Fuquan hurried after him.

The guards and eunuchs trailing behind them, some hidden among the crowd, others disguised as servants, could barely keep their expressions under control.

The emperor had the Crown Prince on his shoulders?

The Crown Prince was riding on the emperor's neck?

Were their eyes deceiving them?

The imperial father and son were actually behaving just like an ordinary father and child?

The temple fair was packed with people. Human traffickers often lurked in such chaos, and there was always danger of crowd crushes and trampling. Many sturdy fathers protected their young children by carrying them on their shoulders.

Kangxi was not the only father doing this amidst the sea of people.

He blended naturally among countless ordinary fathers, wandering here and there with his curious son.

Every so often, Yinreng would pull back his little hands to warm them, then press them against Kangxi's face again to shield him from the cold wind. Lying atop Kangxi's head, he spoke softly into his ear, keeping his body relaxed and still to avoid burdening him. Compared to all the children wriggling wildly on their fathers' shoulders, Yinreng was unbelievably well-behaved.

Watching the young father and son weave through the bustling crowd, Fuquan suddenly felt a pang of envy.

Which child of the imperial family had never longed for ordinary paternal affection?

But once they were old enough to understand things, they all realized such hopes would never come true.

After moving out to his own princely residence, Fuquan had once tried to grow closer to his children. But just like Kangxi's harem, his own household had very few surviving offspring. The women in his rear court guarded their sole surviving child like tigresses protecting cubs and absolutely refused to let him casually carry the child around to play.

Fuquan began wondering whether he should negotiate with the women in his household again. Building affection between father and child was important too.

"Third Brother, you must be tired too. Let me carry Baocheng for a while."

Since he couldn't cuddle his own children, Fuquan set his sights on his nephew instead.

Kangxi glanced back. "You want him?"

Fuquan nodded vigorously.

Kangxi replied flatly, "No."

Then, carrying Yinreng atop his shoulders, he lengthened his stride and deliberately widened the distance between them.

Fuquan: "???"

Wait a second. Was this really his younger brother, the emperor who never revealed joy or anger on his face?

His brother could be this childish?!

Then again… his younger brother was still only in his twenties. Maybe acting lively was normal?

Fuquan rubbed his bald forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

Had the cold wind blown too long on him too? Was he hallucinating?

To confirm whether he'd truly lost his mind, Fuquan tried again.

"Just let me carry him for a little while. Just a little."

Kangxi sped up even more. "No means no. Go away."

"Just for a bit, we can take turns."

"Didn't you hear me? Go away."

"I want my nephew to warm my face too."

"You wish."

…

The two brothers bickered back and forth exactly like an indulged younger brother squabbling with a tolerant older sibling.

Perched atop Kangxi's shoulders, Yinreng grinned so hard his mouth nearly split.

Father Emperor and Uncle arguing like this was so entertaining!

Who would've thought Father Emperor and Uncle actually got along this well?

Had it been like this in his previous life?

Yinreng recalled how Prince Yu and Kangxi had interacted in his past life. Strictly formal, all business between ruler and subject.

Did time change people's hearts?

Or were these two lives not even the same world at all?

Yinreng closed his eyes and rubbed his cheek against Kangxi's head again.

Forget it.

Enjoying this moment was what mattered.

Feeling Yinreng squirming and rubbing against his head, Kangxi suddenly regretted wearing a hat today.

Once the weather warmed and hats weren't necessary anymore, he would bring Baocheng to another temple fair.

Kangxi silently decided that while the child was still small enough to ride on his shoulders, he would savor this ordinary father-son closeness as much as possible.

This was Yinreng's first time leaving the palace.

Most of the memories from two lifetimes ago were dark and painful. Small details like shopping trips simply hadn't occupied precious space in his soul.

In his previous life, Yinreng often visited markets and temple fairs, but he always found them terribly boring and only wanted to go home and lie down.

How could shopping compare to video games and online videos?

But in this lifetime, stripped of all modern entertainment, even a temple fair became fresh and fascinating.

Riding on Kangxi's shoulders allowed Yinreng to see very, very far.

He directed Kangxi toward street performers juggling broadswords, breathing fire, and smashing stone slabs. He bought piles of little toys to bring back and gift to others. Then he began craving candied hawthorn skewers.

When it came time to eat the tanghulu, Kangxi finally set Yinreng down so the sticky sugar wouldn't get all over his head.

After Yinreng finished the candied hawthorn, Kangxi finally gave in to Fuquan's endless pleading and allowed him to enjoy the privilege of carrying Yinreng on his shoulders.

The moment Fuquan hoisted Yinreng up, he finally understood why Kangxi had looked so delighted.

The child's sweet, warm little presence enveloped him. Aside from being slightly heavy, he worked better than any scarf.

As someone accustomed to horseback riding and archery, Fuquan barely noticed Yinreng's weight. He could carry his nephew through the entire temple fair without issue!

"Third Brother, bring Baocheng to my estate more often," Fuquan said reluctantly after finally setting the child down.

"Mhm, mhm, sure, sure." Kangxi immediately pulled Yinreng protectively back into his arms.

Having an overly adorable son also had drawbacks.

Everyone wanted to steal Baocheng from him!

After tiring themselves out, the group headed to a grand restaurant along the temple fair street.

High-end establishments like this always reserved elegant private rooms for nobles and officials. Once Fuquan's attendants revealed their connection to Prince Yu's residence, the manager personally escorted them upstairs to the finest room.

As they climbed the stairs, Yinreng stretched his neck and glanced toward the main hall below, where storytellers and musicians performed.

At a glance, he spotted an exceptionally handsome man whose melancholy expression and striking appearance made him stand out from the crowd like a crane among chickens.

Yinreng's eyes lit up. He abruptly stopped walking and tugged furiously at Kangxi's sleeve.

"Father Emperor! Father Emperor! I saw someone even more handsome than us! Our title as the number one handsome men of the Great Qing is in danger!"

Fuquan: "???"

What "number one handsome men"? What strange things had his emperor brother been telling the Crown Prince in private? How many more surprises did his younger brother hide from him?

Kangxi turned to look with five parts curiosity and five parts indignation.

The moment he spotted the man in the hall below, the one making everyone around him look like mere background scenery, Kangxi silently swallowed the words that were already at the tip of his tongue: There's absolutely no one more handsome than your father emperor.

Turning around, Kangxi ordered, "Zhao Chang, bring that fellow upstairs."

Disguised as a guard with a fake moustache, Zhao Chang smiled. "Yes, Third Master."

He didn't bother asking who.

After all, if they were discussing the most handsome man in the Qing, who else could it possibly be?

Fuquan glanced down as well and couldn't help laughing.

What a coincidence. To run into him here, and for the little Crown Prince to immediately notice him.

Though Yinreng had already guessed who the man was, he still feigned curiosity.

"Father Emperor, do you know him?"

Kangxi nodded. "That's Mingzhu's son, the one who officially became your guard today."

Yinreng exclaimed dramatically, "Wow! The son of Lord Mingzhu, the fourth most handsome man in the Great Qing!"

Fuquan looked puzzled. "The… fourth most handsome?"

Yinreng proudly counted off:

"Father Emperor and I are tied for first place, Big Brother is third. But now Father Emperor and I have to share second place instead."

Fuquan burst into laughter.

This nephew of his was simply too amusing.

Were all children this entertaining?

Fuquan immediately decided that once he got home tonight, even if it meant fighting with his principal wife, secondary wives, and concubines, he was absolutely going to sneak one of his sons out to play.