In the seventh year of Great Shang, the capital saw its heaviest summer rain since early summer.
The rain began in the evening and continued through the deep night, still dripping without cease. The Tingzhi Que was exquisitely decorated and furnished—even the rain gutters on the eaves were made of copper in the shape of lotus flowers.
Uncle Dong added firewood to the small kitchen in the Eastern Palace. A bowl of thick medicine warmed on the red clay stove.
He straightened his body and looked out at the dark night, his eyes deep and distant, as if thinking of things from long ago.
Not far from the small kitchen, in the Tingzhi Que, Rong Mu gently rose and used scissors to trim the candle wick.
The lamplight suddenly dimmed considerably. He turned to look back—Shang Cizhou's brows and eyes were tightly closed, already fast asleep. Rong Mu had felt earlier that Shang Cizhou hadn't truly listened to his words, yet couldn't pinpoint what was strange. He only felt that this tyrant seemed much more agreeable when facing him.
...And more honest.
But Rong Mu dared not underestimate the Emperor in the slightest.
If not for the young boy who had intruded into the Eastern Palace today, Rong Mu would never have known that a team of hidden guards followed the Emperor everywhere at all times.
Shang Cizhou was far more unfathomable than he had imagined.
Such a noble and proud person—yet there had been a day when he knelt to beg for the favor of the void. That image was so impactful it lingered in Rong Mu's mind, refusing to fade, leaving him somewhat vexed.
He didn't know whether he was troubled that his persona resembled that young boy too closely, or distressed by how Shang Cizhou had acted back then.
Unable to sleep further, Rong Mu grabbed an umbrella from nearby and pushed open the door of the Tingzhi Que, walking toward the Jade Lake in the dark night.
The lamplight flickered for an instant. On the bed, the man's fingers moved slightly, but he couldn't awaken. The rain dripped down from the lotus gutters, extremely sleep-inducing.
Suddenly, it seemed someone pushed open the door again, footsteps entering the second floor.
Shang Cizhou slightly opened his eyes: "Liu Dong...?"
That person bounced up the stairs with pattering steps, light and joyful, carrying a trace of damp moisture.
"What Uncle Dong? Uncle Dong is brewing medicine for you. I'm Tingzhi!"
Shang Cizhou's fingers grasped the white blanket, struggling to open his eyes. He saw a small, blurry figure leaning toward him.
The other was barefoot, mud and water still on his feet. His silk pant legs were rolled up to his calves, one side already fallen back down, as if he had just returned from catching fish in the lake.
"Crown Prince, Crown Prince, why were you injured again at the martial training ground today? Are your younger brothers bullying you again?"
Shang Cizhou heard himself speak: "Do not call me Crown Prince."
The small youth made an "oh" sound: "A Zhou, A Zhou, don't sleep. Get up. Let me see the wound on your back."
Shang Cizhou wanted to rise but was paralyzed like a ghost pressing on the bed, unable to move for a long time. The small youth, seeing him silent and motionless, thought he was playing stubborn, and reached out to grab his collar, forcefully pulling him up.
This was like a dream barrier being broken. Shang Cizhou discovered he could suddenly move, but he had become a bystander's perspective, watching from the side as that person, without a word, stripped off his clothes. The him on the bed hadn't yet reacted when a smear of dark green mud was applied to his back.
And rubbed messily by a pair of small hands with great force.
"A Zhou, you're the Crown Prince. How dare they bully you! Next time they bully you, remember to fight back. Don't count on your biased father to stand up for you!"
Shang Cizhou laughed: "I don't want to bother with them. Tingzhi only saw the wound on my back, not knowing they still can't rise from bed at this moment."
Behind him, there seemed to be no sound. Shang Cizhou's heart tightened for an instant, quickly turning his head. He saw the other standing before the copper basin washing hands, chirping away while washing:
"One day, A Zhou will become the Emperor above ten thousand people, will move from the Crown Prince's residence to an even more luxurious palace. Then, no one will dare bully A Zhou anymore."
"Will Tingzhi go with me?" Shang Cizhou heard his youthful self ask urgently.
The small figure turned around. A delicate, pretty little face was clearly reflected in the candlelight. Shang Cizhou, who had been silently watching from the side, felt his heart jump heavily.
"Won't you despise me as your captured Southern Dai slave?"
Shang Cizhou: "You are not a Southern Dai slave. I gave you a name. You are Tingzhi."
The small youth laughed twice, vaguely saying: "Don't cling to me. I love nature by birth. I just left one palace, I don't want to be locked in another... But then again."
Shang Cizhou hurriedly asked: "But what? Speak quickly."
"But if you can fill the Great Shang palace with lotus flowers, I'll accompany you to play."
"I can plant them! Plant many, fill the Imperial Garden and Qiankun Pond for you. Will you like it?"
The small youth pinched his chin: "That would certainly be very fun."
Shang Cizhou laughed: "Yes, it will certainly be very fun."
Just as Shang Cizhou was immersed in this, he heard that small figure chuckle to himself with hands on hips. The him on the bed didn't understand and asked: "What are you laughing at? I'm serious. I will treat you well."
"I know you're serious. But do you know, only the Southern Dai royal family fills their palace with lotus flowers? You planting them in the Great Shang palace, aren't you afraid the ministers will submit memorials to impeach me?"
Shang Cizhou said lowly: "As long as you like it..."
As long as you like it, what harm in planting some lotus flowers? As long as this person could always stay by his side—
"If you like lotus flowers, I'll conquer Southern Dai for you to play." Shang Cizhou suddenly said.
Yes, if this whole world were his territory, how could the court officials still care what lotus flowers he planted?
Unexpectedly, that person suddenly turned pale with shock: "No, no, no! You can't attack Southern Dai! You've already bullied Southern Dai once, you can't bully them again in the future!"
"Why? Don't you like Southern Dai? And Southern Dai lotus flowers."
That person murmured: "That's my homeland... Once you go to war, the Southern Dai Crown Prince will go to the battlefield. You kings won't see each other, and when you fight it will be heaven-darkening and earth-shattering. I don't want either of you to be injured, so you must promise me—no matter what happens in the future, you are not allowed to go to war with Southern Dai!" Saying this, he ran forward and grabbed Shang Cizhou's hand: "Promise me, quickly promise me!"
Shang Cizhou looked at those slightly upturned, moist eyes, his throat rolling: "...Alright, don't worry. I will obey you in everything."
Only then did the other let out a long breath, saying with great seriousness: "You were born with the destiny of an emperor. You will certainly become emperor in the future. Then you must govern the country well and maintain eternal peace with Southern Dai. Only then can you create a prosperous era of peace."
"Where did you learn all this?" Shang Cizhou said angrily. "Children shouldn't be so old-fashioned."
That person laughed mysteriously: "I eavesdropped outside the window when the Grand Tutor came to give you lessons!"
Shang Cizhou was helpless: "You can come in and listen with me."
"That won't do. In outsiders' eyes, I'm still a 'Southern Dai slave.' I don't have the status to sit with you."
Shang Cizhou was somewhat unhappy: "I say you can, then you can. One day, I will make you stand by my side, and no one will dare to comment!"
The small youth's eyes brightened as he looked at him, revealing a little white canine tooth: "You want me to be your favored attendant?"
Shang Cizhou was startled. Favored attendant...?
No, the status of favored attendant was too low. How could it match his little Tingzhi? If anything, it should be—
His eyes paused. After a long while, he swallowed, not daring to speak those two words and frighten the person before him.
"I... Today my father told me that the Southern Dai Crown Prince is visiting Great Shang's Lizhou territory. Lizhou is very close to Hankou River. I'm afraid I must go out on a trip."
The small youth's eyes lit up: "It's the Crown Prince bro—uh, A Zhou, can you take me with you? I also want to meet the Southern Dai Crown Prince."
Shang Cizhou saw himself shake his head: "No. This journey is over mountains and waters, the road is bumpy. Your body is delicate, you couldn't endure it. And... don't you have to bring your small flower vat wherever you go? This road is plagued by bandits, I'm afraid it won't be easy to raise flowers."
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