The wind was exceptionally strong today, blowing leaves off the trees in flurries, yet it couldn’t penetrate the secluded nook enclosed by three walls.
The space in the nook was neither too big nor too small—just enough to fit three children whispering secrets, with the narrow passageway conveniently hidden by the maple tree and wild grass outside.
This was originally Pei Qian’s secret base, discovered while frolicking with cats and dogs. Later, he earnestly invited Sui to join, and now, the Third Prince had also become part of their little group.
At the moment, the three youngsters sat side by side on a stone stool, with another small stool nearby holding scattered snacks—a picture of pure contentment.
"So, your mother isn’t your real mother, and your real mother is someone else?" Pei Qian summarized after hearing the whole story.
The Third Prince froze for a moment before nodding emphatically. "Yes!"
Pei Qian grew even more curious, leaning in with eyes sparkling with gossip. "Then who is your real mother? Did you hear anything?"
The Third Prince lowered his gaze, his voice tinged with sadness. "No, I don’t know."
While playing hide-and-seek with his attendants earlier, he had accidentally overheard two palace maids mention him. Curiosity piqued, he hid and listened, only to be utterly devastated by what he heard.
The maids said he wasn’t his mother’s biological child—his real mother was someone else!
Instantly, the Third Prince recalled the slip of the tongue his Wet Nurse had made the other day—"After all, he’s not her own flesh and blood..."
Because he wasn’t her real child, was that why his mother was always distant? Why she only held him affectionately in front of the Emperor?
But if his mother wasn’t his real mother, then who was?
The eight-year-old Third Prince was overwhelmed with confusion and sorrow. He abandoned his attendants and hid alone, only to be found by Pei Qian and Lu Changsui, who brought him here.
And because the passage was too narrow for his frame, he had no choice but to crawl through a dog hole hidden behind the grass.
Pei Qian sighed dramatically and patted the Third Prince’s shoulder with exaggerated bravado. "Don’t worry! No matter who your mother is, you’re still my cousin, and we’re still brothers!"
The Third Prince was deeply moved, his eyes brimming with tears. "Thank you, brother."
The two hugged and pretended to cry for a while before noticing Sui sitting silently beside them.
Pei Qian asked, "Lu Changsui, why aren’t you saying anything?"
Sui, his delicate face serious, rubbed his right eyelid and murmured, "I don’t know why, but my eyelid keeps twitching."
Pei Qian declared confidently, "That’s definitely because you’ve been reading too much! Your eyes are protesting!"
Sui disagreed—he had read a lot before, but his eyelid had never twitched like this.
Unable to figure it out, he set the thought aside for now and turned to the Third Prince. "So, are you going back?"
The Third Prince rubbed his eyes, looking lost. "I don’t know."
"Can I stay with you tonight? I need some time alone." He gazed at them hopefully.
Pei Qian replied bluntly, "Then you’ll have to sleep on the floor."
The Third Prince was stunned. "I’m a prince!"
Since when did princes sleep on the floor?
Pei Qian rested his chin on his hand. "Oh."
Suddenly, he sighed, his dark face twisting into a frown. "Is this what growing up feels like?"
The Third Prince asked, "What’s bothering you?"
Pei Qian groaned, "My mother wants me to study for the imperial exams, but I want to train in martial arts and become a general!"
Sui suggested, "Then why not do both? Study and train at the same time."
The Third Prince nodded in agreement. "Exactly. One hand on the exams, the other on the military."
Pei Qian: "......"
If he could manage both, he wouldn’t be complaining.
Not wanting to explain further, Pei Qian shifted the topic. "What about you, Lu Changsui? Any troubles?"
Sui hesitated before nodding. "Yes."
He cupped his soft cheeks in his hands and said earnestly, "I want to grow up faster."
"Why?"
"Because I want to pass the imperial exams and become an official as soon as possible."
Pei Qian scoffed. "If you want to be an official, why not just ask your uncle to appoint you?"
Even at his young age, Young Prince Pei understood the concept of connections.
"No!" Sui shook his head firmly. "I want to earn it myself!"
And so, each had their own worries.
"Sigh!"
The three youngsters sat side by side, cheeks propped on their hands, and heaved three heavy sighs in unison.
Finally, Pei Qian slapped his thigh. "Enough of this."
He pulled a large bamboo tube and three small wooden bowls from his bag, filled them to the brim, and handed them out. Raising his bowl high, he declared, "Come on, bottoms up!"
After this, their troubles would be gone.
The Third Prince eyed his bowl skeptically. "This isn’t wine. Why say ‘bottoms up’?"
Pei Qian shot him a look that said, "You just don’t get it." "It’s not wine, but it’s fermented rice balls!"
He had specially filled the bamboo tube with the dessert from the kitchen.
The Third Prince hesitated. "Will we get drunk? My mother forbids me from drinking."
"No, it’s fermented rice, not alcohol."
Sui sniffed. It was indeed fermented rice balls. He had seen his mother eat them before—she said they were nourishing.
Back then, he was only three, and she told him he couldn’t have any.
Now, at four and a half, he figured it should be fine.
"If you’re worried about getting drunk, just chew more of the rice balls. Then you won’t," he said matter-of-factly.
Pei Qian and the Third Prince’s eyes lit up. "That makes sense! Lu Changsui, you’re so smart!"
"Brothers, bottoms up!"
After finishing the bamboo tube of fermented rice balls and polishing off the rest of their snacks, one of them mumbled, "I think I’m getting sleepy..."
Pei Qian blinked, his dark cheeks flushing a suspicious shade of red. "M-me too," he stammered.
Sui’s fair face was tinged pink as he slurred, "I think I hear someone calling us..."
"You must be imagining it. No one could find us here—we’re too well-hidden."
"Did we forget something...?"
"No idea..."
"Zzz..."
"......"
Maple leaves rustled down, covering the three sleeping children.
By evening, the imperial guards searching for the three troublemakers with hounds suddenly felt a tug on the leash. The dogs barked furiously and bolted toward a specific spot.
The guards hurried after them until they reached a patch of grass. Pushing it aside, they discovered a dog hole. Peering inside—
"!!!"
The guards shouted in relief, "Found them! We’ve found them!"
"The Third Prince and the others are here!"
Emperor Jingxuan, Yun Wan, and the other frantic parents rushed over. Through the passage behind the maple tree, they saw the three fast asleep—one sprawled out, one curled up, and one with his bottom in the air, completely dead to the world.
Next to them lay the remnants of their messy snack feast.
Emperor Jingxuan’s temple throbbed. Yun Wan and the other mothers, initially worried, fell into stunned silence.
Commander Wei, who had spent the day searching everywhere—even the chicken coops—couldn’t help but smirk.
Well, well. The three little rascals were in for a spanking.
