The Crown Prince's face turned as pale as paper.
He could tell—Emperor Jingxuan was actually considering deposing him.
All because of a single careless remark.
Though it was only late autumn, he felt as though he had plunged into the depths of winter, his entire body frozen stiff, knees trembling beneath him.
Hidden beneath his sleeves, his hands shook faintly, his heart overwhelmed with terror.
He stared blankly at Emperor Jingxuan, his voice hoarse as he forced out the words, "Father…"
He wanted to say something, but the words wouldn’t come.
He was a proud man.
Emperor Jingxuan remained expressionless, silent.
His gaze alone seemed to freeze the air around them, the oppressive weight of his presence crashing down like a tidal wave, suffocating.
A Crown Prince who refused to admit his mistakes, who dared to defy him so boldly…
Emperor Jingxuan stood motionless, his dark eyes unfathomable.
The ministers who had come to witness the spectacle sensed danger. If this continued, once the Emperor truly acted, no one could stop him—and their heads might roll along with the Crown Prince’s!
The highest-ranking official among them braced himself against the crushing pressure and spoke up, "Your Highness, why not apologize to His Majesty and to Young Master Lu?"
How had they never noticed before that the Crown Prince was as stubborn as a mule?
And worse—his stubbornness was completely unjustified! He had been the one in the wrong, bullying a child. The very thought was shameful.
If it weren’t beneath his dignity, the minister would have dropped to his knees and kowtowed to the Crown Prince right then.
Sui, who had been wailing moments ago, had now forgotten his tears. Droplets clung to his lashes, trembling but not falling.
Jiang Fusheng brought a soft cloth to dry his face, lest the wind later make his cheeks sting.
Sui tilted his chin up obediently, his slightly reddened eyes fixed on the scene before him with curiosity.
Watching the nervous ministers, the ashen-faced Crown Prince, and the imposing Emperor Jingxuan, he seemed to understand something.
In his young heart, his admiration for the Emperor grew even stronger.
How wonderful it would be if he could be emperor one day.
Sui clambered to his feet, dusting off his clothes—though there was no dust—and walked over to Emperor Jingxuan, calling out softly, "Your Majesty."
His clear, childish voice shattered the tense silence, drawing all eyes to him.
A small, warm hand wrapped around Emperor Jingxuan’s finger, tugging gently.
Sui looked up at him, his little face earnest as he coaxed, "Your Majesty, don’t be angry. Anger is bad for your health. If the Crown Prince doesn’t want to apologize, it’s alright."
Emperor Jingxuan paused, studying his face. "He pushed you, insulted you, ruined your book. You’re not angry?"
Sui frowned, then answered honestly, "I was a little angry before, but not anymore."
He glanced at the Crown Prince and added sheepishly, "And I wasn’t entirely blameless. I shouldn’t have provoked His Highness. If I had just left when he told me to, none of this would have happened… and Your Majesty wouldn’t be so upset."
A warmth stirred in Emperor Jingxuan’s chest, his stern expression softening. "You were worried about me?"
Sui nodded earnestly.
He glanced at the ministers and said clearly, "They were all begging you to calm down, which means your anger must have terrible consequences. My mother says people make bad decisions when they’re angry, and that’s not good."
"And I don’t want you to be angry. Anger gives you headaches, and that hurts." His bright eyes brimmed with concern.
His mother had told him the Emperor suffered from headaches.
Emperor Jingxuan was a good man—kind to him and his mother. Sui didn’t want him to be in pain.
The Emperor was momentarily speechless. To be cared for by a child who barely reached his knee—it left him with a strange, indescribable feeling.
The onlookers sighed inwardly.
Just listen to him!
What a thoughtful, brilliant little boy! Even the hardened old ministers felt moved to tears.
He had been the one wronged, yet for the sake of peace, he swallowed his grievances and comforted others instead.
The ministers couldn’t help but feel both envy and regret.
Lu the Third might have died young, but he had been blessed with such a son.
And perhaps they had misjudged the famously favored Consort Yun. How could a woman who raised such a well-mannered child be the scheming seductress they had imagined?
Jiang Fusheng’s eyes glistened with unshed tears. His little lord was just too precious.
"Crown Prince, let’s make peace?" Sui stretched out his hand, hopeful. "Don’t make His Majesty angry or put him in a difficult position. He works very hard every day!"
The Crown Prince’s face stiffened. He had no desire to shake hands.
But he wasn’t a fool either. Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, he gritted his teeth and briefly clasped Sui’s small hand before pulling away.
Turning to Emperor Jingxuan, he said in a subdued voice, "Father, today was my fault. I should not have spoken disrespectfully to you. I admit my mistake."
The Crown Prince had realized—he stood no chance against his father’s authority. And Emperor Jingxuan would show him no mercy.
The Emperor studied him briefly. "Continue."
An apology was expected.
Suppressing his discomfort, the Crown Prince bowed deeply to Sui. "Lu Changsui… I apologize."
Sui took a half-step back, murmuring, "It’s alright."
Emperor Jingxuan’s voice was firm. "Kneel here for two hours. Reflect on your actions."
He had seen the reluctance in the Crown Prince’s eyes—precisely why he needed to humble him.
An arrogant, bullying heir was not what the empire needed.
The Crown Prince lowered his head in acknowledgment.
His face was a mask of bitterness, his heart a turmoil of resentment—toward Sui, toward the Emperor, even toward the ministers who had pressured him into apologizing to a child whose mother happened to be favored.
None of them had considered his dignity as Crown Prince.
He missed his uncle dearly.
If only his uncle were here—he would have stood up to the Emperor for him.
Only his uncle understood the hardships he had endured all these years.
With the crisis of dethronement averted, the ministers wiped the cold sweat from their brows and hastily took their leave.
Once outside the palace hall, they exhaled in unison.
Royal gossip was never without its dangers.
"You’re sure you’re not hurt anywhere?" Emperor Jingxuan asked again.
Sui blinked and shook his head.
Though the imperial physician had already examined him, the Emperor wasn’t satisfied until he had personally checked Sui from head to toe, confirming no injuries.
"What happened today wasn’t your fault. Don’t blame yourself. If anyone bullies you in the future, don’t hold back—fight back. I will always stand by you."
Noticing the faint redness still lingering in Sui’s eyes, Emperor Jingxuan added, a rare note of praise in his voice, "But you handled yourself well today."
Sui brightened instantly. "Your Majesty, are you praising me?"
"Hm."
The Emperor bent down, scooping him up effortlessly with one arm as he strode out.
"Don’t tell your mother," he muttered.
Sui rested his chin on the Emperor’s shoulder and lazily replied, "Okay."
