Gabula changed into a fresh set of clothes and even powdered his face a little to conceal his sickly appearance. But the grin stretching nearly to his ears completely betrayed the wild joy in his heart.

Changtai also hurriedly tidied his appearance while waiting for the little Crown Prince to arrive.

The servants of the ducal manor ran at top speed when delivering the report. Thus, it took some time for the Crown Prince's group to enter the estate and get out of the carriage.

Within that brief window, Gabula and Changtai managed to prepare themselves.

Changtai sighed softly. "It's a pity Changhai isn't here. He's always been thinking about the Crown Prince, too."

"It's better that Changhai isn't here," Gabula replied. "Your mother spoiled him rotten. He's accomplished neither in literature nor martial arts. Other than being fairly honest by nature, he has no strengths at all. How could I let the Crown Prince meet him?"

Changtai thought silently: Father, that's not what you used to say when you were spoiling Changhai yourself.

Meanwhile, after straightening their clothes inside the carriage, Yinreng and Yinzhī hopped down hand in hand.

Previously, Yinreng had always been carried around alternately by Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin.

But Yinreng hated being carried, and now Yinzhī sided with him and refused to let anyone carry him either.

Both Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin felt especially regretful about this.

Cao Yin still had no children of his own. When holding the little Crown Prince... ahem, he had rebelliously experienced the tiniest trace of fatherly happiness.

As for Nalan Xingde, because the little Crown Prince was so lively and adorable, he had finally begun accepting the child left behind by his deceased wife and had started carefully teaching his eldest son born of a concubine as well.

Both children were still young, and although Nalan Xingde had once treated them rather coldly, the children didn't hold grudges. They quickly grew close to him again. Even so, Nalan Xingde still felt that other people's children were better.

He adored the little Crown Prince and longed to spend more time with him, then go home and pat his own children afterward, somehow sharing a bit of the Crown Prince's cleverness with them.

Now Yinzhī had robbed them of the only joy they had gained from accepting this assignment. Worse, he glared at them as though they were villains.

Yinzhī lowered his head and whispered beside his short, plump little brother's ear, "The way they look at you is really suspicious. It's like they want to kidnap you! Be careful!"

"I'm the Crown Prince. They wouldn't dare," Yinreng whispered back.

Yinzhī snorted. "Not daring is one thing. Wanting to is another. They're not allowed to even think about it."

Then he glared at Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin again.

Yinzhī's voice was about as quiet as Cao Yin's, which was to say, not at all. His supposed whispering was perfectly audible to both men.

Their lips twitched helplessly. What else could they do except pretend they hadn't heard? They couldn't exactly kneel down and defend themselves by swearing they absolutely had no improper thoughts.

That would just make them look guilty.

Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin were exhausted.

Gabula and Changtai craned their necks in anticipation. From far away, they spotted one large and one small dumpling-shaped child trotting toward them hand in hand.

In the sunlight, the pair of glittering little dumplings dressed in extravagant jewels were dazzling enough to blind them.

The two grown men rubbed their eyes, nearly overwhelmed by the sparkle of the jewelry, until tears formed and their vision finally recovered.

"This minister greets the Crown Prince and Eldest Prince," Gabula said as he shakily rose to his feet with Changtai's support.

"Grandfather, please don't stand on ceremony." The Crown Prince put on a stern little face, supposedly full of authority. "You are ill. If you force yourself despite your condition, then it is I, your grandson, who has failed in filial duty."

"Crown Prince Brother is right." Yinzhī looked Gabula and Changtai over. "Lord Gabula, you should just lie back down. We only came to freeload a meal. Is there food? Rongruo and Ziqing said your family might not have enough food for us."

Gabula and Changtai simultaneously turned their gazes toward Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin.

Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin shook their heads vigorously.

Not me! I never said that! Let me explain!

Gabula was a duke, and although Changtai was currently on leave to take care of his father, he still held the post of Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard.

Nominally speaking, that made him the direct superior of all palace guards, including Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin.

Eldest Prince, are you really tattling in front of our boss?!

Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin felt utterly miserable.

Seeing their expressions of helpless suffering, Changtai couldn't help but laugh and shake his head.

Given what he knew of these two men, Yinzhī's interpretation was probably inaccurate.

Not because he believed the prince was lying, but only that he had likely misunderstood their meaning. They probably wanted to imply that there wasn't enough time to prepare a proper lunch.

Using a joking tone to smooth the matter over, Changtai said, "Father is recovering from illness, so the household meals are rather light. They may not suit the Crown Prince's and Eldest Prince's tastes. Since Rongruo and Ziqing knew this, they really should have brought some food with them to avoid neglecting Your Highnesses. Fortunately, the estate recently received some fresh supplies from our country manor. Otherwise, I truly would have sent the two of them to a restaurant to buy dishes for us."

Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin cupped their hands in agreement, relieved while also inwardly astonished.

In their minds, the Heseri clan had always been arrogant and overbearing.

Though Changtai held the rank of Grand Minister of the Imperial Guard, he rarely appeared publicly because he spent most of his time at the ducal residence caring for Gabula. Thus, they had scarcely interacted with him.

But as the Crown Prince's maternal uncle, Changtai should, by all logic, have been extremely proud and haughty.

Yet after meeting him today, they discovered that despite his youth, his temperament was extraordinarily gentle and accommodating. He even joked around easily. It truly surprised them.

Carefully, they glanced around the rest of the ducal estate from the corners of their eyes.

The servants in Songgotu's household all carried themselves with smug arrogance. But the servants in Gabula's estate behaved with cautious restraint, which felt oddly out of place.

Yinreng tilted his head up to look at Gabula, whose illness still showed plainly despite the powder on his face.

Gabula responded with a careful yet hopeful smile.

Even he himself didn't know what exactly he was hoping for. Yet simply looking at the tiny Crown Prince made warmth surge uncontrollably through his heart.

"Grandfather, please take good care of your health." Yinreng stretched out his little hand and grasped Gabula's fingers, which were thin and dry like withered branches.

The sensation of a child's warm, soft little hand was indescribably strange.

At that instant, Gabula nearly burst into tears.

"Good. This minister will certainly take good care of himself. Certainly."

Yinreng smiled. "I'm hungry. Is there anything to snack on first?"

Gabula looked toward Changtai, who immediately began instructing the servants.

Normally, these matters should have been handled by Gabula's wife and Changtai's wife. But with Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin present, the female family members could not appear openly, so Changtai took charge of everything himself.

Since Changtai currently had few opportunities to work outside the home, Gabula had been using household management to train him. Changtai practically functioned as the manor's head steward, handling matters in a perfectly orderly manner.

No matter how low-profile the ducal estate tried to be, their lifestyle could never truly be simple. The kitchens were stocked with every imaginable delicacy.

Still, Changtai remembered that children's stomachs were delicate and certain foods were unsuitable.

He hurried to the inner quarters to ask his mother and wife for advice, instructing the kitchen to prepare dishes that were delicious yet gentle on the body. He also brought out some pastries first so the two children could tide themselves over.

Gabula had someone bring over a grand armchair, and he reclined there while chatting with Yinreng and Yinzhī.

After asking a few questions about the Crown Prince's and Eldest Prince's daily lives, he began talking about fun places around the capital suitable for children.

When his health was better, Gabula couldn't serve regularly inside the palace, but going around the city had never been a problem.

As a result, he likely understood the capital better than those senior court officials who were constantly occupied with duty.

Gabula spoke slowly, interrupted now and then by a cough or two. But his literary foundation was excellent, and though not dazzlingly eloquent, he spoke in an engaging and humorous way.

Yinreng and Yinzhī listened with great interest, gradually relaxing without realizing it.

Yinreng originally intended to maintain a bit of distance, worried that attendants might report back to Kangxi that he was acting too close to his maternal grandfather's family.

But a child's instinctive longing for kind elders slowly made him forget that concern.

He leaned against the grand chair, his little head bobbing up and down as he listened to Gabula speak, occasionally turning to chatter nonsense with Yinzhī in childish whispers.

One of Yinzhī's arms protectively held his milk-dumpling little brother while his other hand waved wildly through the air, as if he were about to rush off and fight someone whenever the story grew exciting.

Watching the brothers instinctively snuggle together, the smile on Gabula's face became even more gentle and affectionate.

Songgotu had once come to him saying that people in court were supporting Yinzhī and that they needed to prepare accordingly.

Gabula tactfully advised him that matters involving imperial princes were for the emperor alone to decide. As maternal relatives of the Crown Prince, they should remain cautious in speech and conduct and avoid stirring up trouble.

But his younger brother was arrogant and proud, unable to tolerate talk of patience or retreat. In the end, he just stormed away unhappily.

Gabula feared that after his death, no one would be able to restrain Songgotu, and that Songgotu would eventually incur the emperor's displeasure and drag the little Crown Prince down with him.

Yet several days ago, Songgotu came to visit him again, wearing a pitiful expression exactly like the one he used to make in youth whenever he got into trouble and came begging his older brother for help. The sight made Gabula's eyes ache.

"The Crown Prince said he dislikes me." Songgotu had looked utterly aggrieved. "Big Brother, have I really done something wrong?"

Gabula: "...If you improve yourself properly in the future, the Crown Prince will like you."

Songgotu clenched his fist and left brimming with confidence.

Soon afterward, rumors spread that Songgotu had disciplined his servants and beaten up both his younger brother and his own son.

Gabula's mouth twitched.

That was overcorrecting a bit, wasn't it? Still, better than not correcting himself at all.

Gabula was extremely curious about what exactly the Crown Prince had said to make his stubborn younger brother, who couldn't be dragged back by ten oxen, change his ways.

When Gabula tactfully asked about it, Yinzhī grew curious too.

"Little Brother, how exactly did you persuade Songgotu? Hurry and tell me. I want to go persuade Mingzhu too and make him stop sowing discord."

Nalan Xingde, son of Nalan Mingzhu: "..."

Cao Yin and Gabula simultaneously cast sympathetic looks toward Nalan Xingde.

The Eldest Prince was still young and had no filter. Your family has really worked hard by investing in this Prince.

Mingzhu was probably sold out by the eldest prince countless times already.

"I just told him that if he didn't properly help Khan-Father with his work and kept causing trouble for Khan-Father, then I wouldn't acknowledge him as a relative anymore," Yinreng explained. "But that probably wouldn't work on Mingzhu. He's not really a relative of yours anyway."

Yinzhī folded his arms, his simple-looking little face somehow taking on an air of wisdom. "Makes sense. Emotional persuasion like yours wouldn't work on Mingzhu. Tomorrow I'll try it on my mother's family. It should work on them. As for Mingzhu..."

Only then did he remember that Mingzhu's son was standing right beside him, serving as attendant.

"Rongruo, do you know Mingzhu's weakness?" Yinzhī asked with wide, earnest eyes.

Nalan Xingde: "...This minister... does not know."

Yinzhī: "You're useless."

Nalan Xingde: "..." How would I know my own father's weaknesses?!

Suppressing laughter, Gabula said, "Mingzhu does indeed have a weakness."

Nalan Xingde whipped his head toward Gabula.

Your Grace! What are you trying to do?!

Yinzhī lit up excitedly. "Lord Gabula, hurry and tell me!"

Gabula replied, "Mingzhu fears his wife. Now that the eldest prince can freely leave the palace with the Crown Prince, you can simply visit Mingzhu's residence and tell your troubles to his wife. Mingzhu's wife is of the Aisin Gioro clan. Although her father was stripped from the imperial lineage, her heart must still lean toward the Aisin Gioro family."

Mingzhu's wife was the daughter of Ajige, who was Dorgon's full brother.

Ajige had been demoted to commoner status and forced to commit suicide for his crimes, though later during Shunzhi's reign, his descendants were permitted back into the imperial clan.

Two of Mingzhu's wife's nephews had been granted the title of Grace Defender Duke by Kangxi. Though it was the lowest rank among the "Eight Privilege Dukes," it was still hereditary and protected their descendants' status.

Having experienced the dramatic political upheavals of the Shunzhi era, Mingzhu's wife usually stayed out of affairs beyond the inner household. But if an imperial prince personally came to complain to her, she would certainly be able to persuade Mingzhu.

Nalan Xingde later became known to future generations as a great romantic because of his poem "One life, one generation, one pair of souls, why must they suffer apart?" from Huatangchun. But in reality, Nalan Xingde was hardly a devoted romantic. He already had a concubine-born eldest son when he married, and after his wife died, his beloved courtesan-concubine even bore him a posthumous child.

His father, Nalan Mingzhu, however, truly lived the ideal of "one life, one partner." According to every surviving genealogy, gravestone inscription, and family record, Mingzhu had only a single lawful wife and no concubines whatsoever.

That was extraordinarily rare in ancient times. An Aisin Gioro noble named Zhao Lian, who lived during the Qianlong and Daoguang eras in Xiaoting Miscellany, even fabricated shocking tales about this ancestral relative, claiming that Mingzhu's wife brutally murdered the father of a concubine.

The story was obviously false. If something so enormous had happened in Mingzhu's household and involved a woman of the imperial clan no less, it certainly would have been recorded during Kangxi's reign. But the existence of such rumors proved just how incomprehensible Mingzhu and his wife's deep and loving relationship seemed to men of their own era.

If his wife persuaded him, Mingzhu would absolutely listen.

Of course, arranging this would normally be extremely difficult. First, one needed an imperial prince willing to shamelessly go complain to Mingzhu's wife in person.

Would any prince really be so shameless?

And how exactly would a prince even meet Mingzhu's wife?

Gabula looked at the young Eldest Prince and the little Crown Prince.

"Well... All the impossible conditions had somehow been fulfilled."

Nalan Xingde stood there in a daze.

"T-This can actually work?"

He thought carefully about it and sucked in a sharp breath.

"It really... It really could work!"

His mother normally ignored political affairs, but when it came to major matters, his father not only adored her deeply but also regarded her as his most important advisor. He would absolutely consider her opinion.

Nalan Xingde struggled to suppress the urge to sabotage his own father.

The political ambitions of his family had always conflicted with his own ideals, leaving him miserable day after day. If only his father could abandon those ambitions... or at least take his ideals into greater consideration...

Nalan Xingde endured it.

And endured it again.

But in the end, he simply couldn't hold back anymore.

"If the Eldest Prince wishes to visit this minister's home," he said tactfully, "my mother would certainly be overjoyed. These days, Father is away accompanying His Majesty on tour, so only Mother remains at the estate. She enjoys lively company and would warmly welcome the Eldest Prince and the Crown Prince."

Cao Yin's pupils practically dilated in shock.

Brother, what are you trying to do?! Do you secretly hate your father or something?! I've never seen anyone sabotage their own father like this! Are you trying to start a marital war between your parents?!

Yinzhī said, "Good. Then tomorrow I won't go to... hm, no, better to visit Grandfather's family first and put some pressure on them, then afterward we'll go to your house. Little Brother, you should also go check whether Songgotu's household has improved. Big Brother will back you up. If they dare disobey you, I'll bring people to beat them up."

Yinreng nodded. "Alright, it's settled! Big Brother, you absolutely must support me!"

The fire had suddenly curved around and landed on his own younger brother's head, yet Gabula was still fanning the flames.

"You really should go and see," Gabula said calmly. "Songgotu claims that he had some success disciplining his household, but I'm not convinced. The Crown Prince and Eldest Prince ought to see it for yourselves. If he hasn't done well enough, then I ask the Eldest Prince to admonish him properly."

The moment Changtai arrived to announce that the meal was ready, he overheard his father scheming against his younger brother.

Smiling bitterly, he interrupted Gabula's campaign of brotherly sabotage.

"Your Highnesses, lunch has been prepared. Shall we dine first?"

"Let's go, let's go! I'm starving to death!" Yinzhī wiped the pastry crumbs from his mouth and grabbed Yinreng's hand before sprinting off.

"Eldest Prince, please slow down! Watch your step!" Watching Yinreng stumble along while being dragged by Yinzhī, Changtai nearly suffered cardiac arrest from fright, terrified that the Crown Prince would fall.

"You all go ahead too. I won't join you." Gabula closed his eyes wearily. "Please report today's events to His Majesty word for word."

Everyone serving beside the Crown Prince and Eldest Prince also functioned as the emperor's eyes and ears. Even if Gabula hadn't said so, they would have reported everything truthfully.

Gabula was simply making his own loyalty unmistakably clear.

After everyone departed, servants carried Gabula back to his bedchamber.

Leaning against soft cushions, he recalled the little Crown Prince's appearance from earlier. Covering his eyes with one hand, he silently let tears slip through his fingers.

This was truly wonderful.

The child was even more intelligent and lovable than he had imagined.

Daughter… your son is truly, truly exceptional. If your spirit knows this, you can rest peacefully.

-----

At the dining table, Yinzhī clearly had no understanding whatsoever of the rule against talking while eating.

As he ate, he continuously stuffed the food he considered delicious into Yinreng's bowl. Yinreng accepted everything without complaint, and when he couldn't finish anymore, he simply dumped the excess into Changtai's bowl.

Changtai: "..."

I-I'm actually flattered.

Though still quite young himself, Changtai now looked like a kindly grandfather spoiling his grandchildren.

"The Crown Prince and Eldest Prince can already eat on their own? How impressive."

Nalan Xingde nodded. "My younger brother still has to be chased around and fed."

Yinreng recalled the appearance of Nalan Xingde's younger brother.

Nalan Kuixu was a staunch anti-Crown Prince faction member and one of the key nobles and bannermen who had loudly supported Eighth Prince Yinsi. He was also the man whose tombstone Yongzheng later smashed in fury.

But then again, most of the imperial clansmen and nobles stood against him anyway.

Forget it. Too lazy to think about it. Ignore him.

Yinreng took another huge bite of meat, squinting happily with satisfaction.

"Why do you love meat so much? Does Imperial Father not give you enough meat to eat?" Yinzhī asked in confusion, "Don't just eat meat. Mother says you have to eat vegetables too. Here, be good, eat a bite."

Yinreng frowned while nibbling vegetables in tiny bites.

"Imperial Father says healthy living means eating until only eighty percent full, and half meat, half vegetables."

"That sounds miserable," Yinzhī declared. "Next time you're hungry, come find your Big Brother. Mother has a private kitchen. She can make whatever you want whenever you want."

Yinreng nodded vigorously.

Changtai gently tried to advise them, "His Majesty is correct. Overeating can easily make one ill."

Yinzhī glared at him.

"My little brother would get sick from not eating enough. I refuse to believe that Khan-Father doesn't eat whenever he's hungry. But Little Brother can't just casually ask for food whenever he wants."

Changtai: "..." He was actually persuaded by a child?

Because Yinzhī had successfully convinced him, Changtai remained absentminded for the latter half of the meal.

He only snapped back to attention when Yinzhī loudly insisted that he take them to fly kites.

The Revolt of the Three Feudatories wasn't completely suppressed yet, so palace regulations remained quite strict. Since kites could theoretically be used to send messages, neither Yinzhī nor Yinreng had ever played with them before.

The moment Yinzhī looked up and saw something flying in the sky, he became intensely curious.

After learning the thing was called a kite, he immediately insisted on trying it.

The women of the ducal household often flew kites with the children, so the residence naturally kept many kinds on hand.

Yinzhī rode on Cao Yin's shoulders while tugging fiercely at the kite string. Once the kite rose high enough, he shoved the string into Yinreng's hands and immediately ran off to fly another kite himself.

Changtai was astonished.

Yinzhī treated the Crown Prince extraordinarily well. Even with Changhai, he had never been this attentive.

"Big Brother, you keep playing. I want to go visit Grandmother and Aunt," Yinreng said after flying the kite for a while. "Once you get bored, come find me in the inner quarters."

Since both he and Yinzhī were still children, they could freely enter the women's quarters.

"Alright," Yinzhī agreed. "You go ahead. I'll play a bit longer."

Nalan Xingde and Cao Yin, of course, could not enter the women's residence.

But Yinreng had Liang Jiugong attending him, and Yinzhī also had eunuchs serving nearby, so there were still attendants accompanying him.

After walking several steps hand in hand with Changtai, Yinreng tilted his head up and said, "I'm tired. Uncle, carry me."

Changtai's heart jolted violently, and he nearly fumbled in panic.

"O-Of course."

He immediately picked Yinreng up in his arms.

"Is this comfortable? If not, please tell this minister."

Yinreng showed absolutely no politeness whatsoever while directing Changtai on exactly how to hold him.

Nestled in Changtai's arms, wrapping both arms around his neck, he asked softly: "Uncle, why didn't anyone tell me that Grandfather was sick?"

There would eventually be three empresses during Kangxi's reign.

When Alingga, the younger brother of future Empress Xiaozhao, fell ill, Kangxi showed him constant concern and even visited him personally.

Even after Yinreng had been imprisoned, he had heard from others how highly Kangxi valued Alingga.

While inspecting the frontier, Kangxi demanded daily reports on Alingga's condition, personally performed divinations for him, ordered Gulun princesses to cook for him, and summoned Western physicians to treat him.

After Alingga died, the Empress Dowager and palace consorts all sent offerings of tea and wine. Imperial princes, including the Fourth, Fifth, Seventh, and Seventeenth Princes, were dispatched to escort his coffin.

But what about his own family?

Even before they were implicated by his downfall, his maternal grandfather Gabula, who died while Yinreng himself still enjoyed immense favor, had received no such treatment during his illness.

Thinking carefully about it, Yinreng realized that it wasn't because Kangxi disliked his grandfather. Rather, Gabula always dismissed his illness as merely lifelong frailty and insisted it was nothing serious. Only when he was truly dying was the matter finally reported to Kangxi, who then sent imperial guards and physicians to visit him.

And on the very day Kangxi sent those guards, Gabula died.

Grandfather remained low-key until the very final moment of his life.

In his previous life, Yinreng had never even once seen his grandfather's appearance clearly.

"Father has always been weak and sickly. It wasn't anything major," Changtai said gently. "How could we trouble the Crown Prince over something so ordinary? Your Highness doesn't need to worry. Though Father is frail, his spirits are good. He'll recover soon."

You're lying to me.

Grandfather remained bedridden for years. He would die the year after next.

Yinreng tightened his arms around Changtai's neck.

"Then why have I never heard about Uncle before? Khan-Father always talks about Songgotu."

Changtai smiled faintly.

"Songgotu is the most capable member of the Heseri clan. His Majesty manages countless affairs each day, so naturally, he only remembers those most useful to him."

Daring greatly, Changtai gently rubbed the little braid atop Yinreng's head now that the jeweled hat had been removed.

"Once Father recovers, this minister plans to request assignment training troops outside the capital. I'll earn many, many achievements, and then the Crown Prince will hear my name everywhere too."

One influential minister from the Heseri clan in each generation was enough to support the Crown Prince at court.

This generation belonged to Songgotu.

The next would belong to him.

Changtai had thoroughly studied military strategy, excelled at drawing battlefield maps and formations, and deeply researched modern firearms. He firmly believed that he could distinguish himself in the army.

He and his father already discussed it carefully.

Looking through the histories, those who abused the prestige of being imperial in-laws were always despised. But if he followed the path of Wei Qing and Huo Qubing, rising step by step through genuine military merit earned from humble beginnings, perhaps the emperor would view him far more favorably.

As Changtai spoke, tiny sparks of light shone in his eyes.

The path would be dangerous and difficult. One careless mistake could leave his corpse wrapped in horsehide on some distant battlefield.

But a true man's ambition stretched a thousand miles.

Changtai was filled with confidence. He wanted to see whether he could carve out a real future with his own abilities without relying on the shelter of his family.

"Your Highness may rest assured," Changtai said firmly. "This minister will definitely accomplish it."

Yinreng gazed up at the starlike gleam in Changtai's eyes and answered softly: "Mhm."

Yes.

You did accomplish it.

During the first campaign against Galdan, you rose from commanding musket cavalry all the way to becoming a general through repeated military achievements.

During the second campaign, you were appointed as the commander of the Qing army's right wing.

During the third campaign, your name ranked sixth among the participating ministers...

And then suddenly there was nothing more.

After that, you died silently and without notice.

Your son was secretly raised by Gala, only to later be denounced by Gala's own mother and exiled to the frontier.

Your title remained vacant until the fifth year of Yongzheng's reign, when Yongzheng finally took pity and allowed Lunbu, Changhai's son, to inherit it.

Your deeds were erased and concealed. No biography of you exists in the official History of Qing. Even the Comprehensive Genealogy of the Eight Banner Manchu Clans barely mentioned you in passing.

Only through imperial edicts and correspondence from the Kangxi and Yongzheng eras did later historians manage to glimpse scattered remnants of your once-glorious accomplishments.

Yinreng buried his face against Changtai's chest, forcing his eyes wide open so that not a single tear would fall.

Meanwhile, Changtai continued speaking warmly and enthusiastically about the things he loved and excelled at. He was full of ambition as he promised the little Crown Prince in his arms that he would definitely become an uncle the Crown Prince could be proud of.