Spring came and went, outside the window the flower branches were lush and gorgeous, the intricate and dazzling bed curtains flowed like water, vaguely revealing a small curled up figure inside, with features as exquisite as a painting.

The imperial physicians shook their heads and withdrew one after another, then knelt on the ground, shivering and not daring to speak.

With a crack, the Qianwan Emperor angrily smashed the sky-blue teacup beside him, the fine ceramic shards scattered all over the ground, and he shouted: "How did he become like this! You bunch of imperial physicians, not one of you can give me a reason?!"

Hu Zhicheng knelt at the very front, cut by the sharp edges of the flying ceramic shards, and hissed in pain. The Qianwan Emperor was about to kick him out, Hu Zhicheng hurriedly dodged and said in a panic: "Your Majesty, there's really no way! The young noble consort didn't lose his senses from a momentary shock, it's a long-term illness from pent-up emotions, it just happened that day...that day the fright was too much, causing him to temporarily lose his mind, this can only be slowly nursed back, it can't be cured with medicine!"

"Nonsense!" the Qianwan Emperor became even more furious, "Even the insane can be cured, are you saying he can't be cured?!"

Hu Zhicheng thought to himself that the young noble consort's condition was also a form of insanity, but he could only bitterly persuade: "Your Majesty! There are different types of insanity!"

The Qianwan Emperor almost jumped up in rage, heavily slamming the table and roaring: "All of you, get out!"

Perhaps his voice was too loud, a moan like a kitten's cry came from behind the bed curtains as if startled awake.

The imperial physicians hurriedly retreated, their chaotic footsteps disappearing behind the screen. The Qianwan Emperor lifted the bed curtains in one motion, the tiny beauty was rubbing his eyes, curled up in the quilt, the satin brocade quilt was too slippery, sliding down from his shoulders with a slight movement; the thin white clothes were also loosely wrapped around him, as if wrapping them tighter would strangle the little one to death.

Mingde rubbed his eyes for a while, yawned, and wanted to turn over to continue sleeping. Glancing up, he suddenly saw the Qianwan Emperor. Instantly, as if seeing something extremely terrifying, he let out an "ah" short and shrill scream, tightly shrinking back into the bed, all the way into the corner, his ten slender fingers desperately clutching the quilt to wrap himself up, as if he thought this way the Qianwan Emperor wouldn't be able to see him.

The Qianwan Emperor hesitated for a moment, trying to reach out and touch his face, but before he could touch him, Mingde began to tremble timidly, his body shaking so violently that for a moment the Qianwan Emperor had the illusion that he might be scared to death.

"You've gone mad..." The supreme ruler high above, the sovereign of the world, dejectedly lowered his hand, his expression one of absolute pain and disbelief, "...you've actually gone mad..."

Mingde timidly looked at him, trying his best to shrink into the corner of the wall.

"You're lying to me, aren't you?" There was a hint of a choked sob in the Qianwan Emperor's tone, "Mingde, you're actually just pretending, right? You're such a mischievous little thing, fearless of anything, how could you be scared mad? You're lying to me, right?"

The wall he was pressed against was really too cold, the exposed skin shivering upon contact, but Mingde still tried his best to stick to the wall, carefully observing the Qianwan Emperor, thinking he wouldn't be noticed.

"I'd rather you were lying to me..." the Qianwan Emperor covered his face, tears flowing from his palms, wet, "...I'd rather you rebel...or seize the throne...no matter what, as long as you...are safe and sound...happy and carefree..."

Mingde curiously stared at this crying man, seeming to be not as scared anymore, and cautiously poked his head out. The Qianwan Emperor reached out to grab him, this time he didn't even have time to scream, hurriedly withdrawing his head, banging it against the wall with a thud.

Although he had lost his mind, he still knew pain, and was even more afraid of pain than before, even a little bit of pain could make him cry pitifully, sniffling and curled up there. The Qianwan Emperor pulled him into his arms, tightly pressing his face and kissing his brow, while heavily covering the back of his head that had hit the wall.

Mingde was most afraid of him, struggling desperately, crying even more fiercely, crying until he couldn't even catch his breath, choking and coughing. The Qianwan Emperor kissed him in despair, repeating over and over: "It's me ah Mingde, it's me, how can you not even recognize me? It's me, I won't hurt you, don't be afraid of me...don't be afraid of me..."

Mingde desperately clawed at him, struggling to escape. His nails were sharp, the Qianwan Emperor was caught off guard and scratched on the face, instantly leaving a long bloody mark.

As he loosened his grip, Mingde immediately escaped from his embrace, rolling and crawling, once again hiding in his own little corner, staring at him vigilantly.

The Qianwan Emperor touched the bloody scratch on his face, only to see that little one's clothes completely disheveled, chaotically mixed with the bedding, the exposed skin a piece of jade white, seemingly without a hint of blood. The only bit of color was on the cheeks that had been slapped by him that day, even after so many days it still hadn't faded, still slightly swollen there.

The palace servant carefully presented the medicine ointment, kneeling silently at his feet. But the Qianwan Emperor didn't bother to look, reaching out to gently touch Mingde's face: "...Does it still hurt?"

Mingde panicked and tried to dodge everywhere, the Qianwan Emperor acted as if he didn't notice, his whole person in a daze, "...It's my fault, I shouldn't have hit you, and hit you so hard...Don't be afraid anymore, I won't hit you again, never hit you again..."

As he spoke, he himself almost shed tears.

This child under his hand, from the first time he saw him a few years ago until now, had barely grown at all. Only originally he was fair and soft, with some flesh on his face and body, curling into a ball when held, but in recent years he had thinned down. His bones had grown a little, but not nearly as much as children his age; his body had already become so thin it seemed about to break, perhaps after being tormented a while longer, he would really never come back.

"I will treat you well... as long as you are happy and joyful... and no longer like before..."

...No longer fearful like before, getting sick at the slightest thing, and becoming even more frightened when ill, not knowing what such a small child was so terrified of, never having a moment of happiness.

He couldn't get sick again, things had already reached this point, who knew how many more winters he could endure in the end?

"Your Majesty," Zhang Kuo knelt down to the side, "Let your servant do it... You haven't rested for days, you should go eat something..."

"Just bring up whatever, I'll stay here with him."

Zhang Kuo thought for a moment but couldn't say it. These past few days, the young noble consort had been very well-behaved, sleeping in a daze, waking up to eat a little, often falling asleep while eating, never talking or moving, never crying or making a fuss. But as soon as the Qianwan Emperor arrived, he would tremble in fear as if seeing something terrifying, too scared to even eat.

On the day of the palace coup, the Qianwan Emperor's face had become a ferocious beast in his heart. Even if he went mad or foolish and remembered nothing, that bone-chilling terror remained, deeply etched in his mind.

The food was quickly brought up, made in the small kitchen of Qingzhen Palace - two bowls of jade rice, a few small dishes, some meat and vegetables. The Qianwan Emperor soaked the rice in tea to feed Mingde, suddenly recalling that day in Qingzhen Palace when Mingde put salt in the rice to tease Ding Huang, but he had stopped it...

It was just a handful of salt, so what if Ding Huang ate it? Always concerned with proper decorum and imperial dignity, it was just a child's playful prank, but he had cut off that little bit of joy, pouring cold water on the game at its peak...

At that time, Mingde was still whole, able to cry and laugh, able to tease people, able to pout and act spoiled. That little bit of happiness was now impossible to give even if he wanted to. The precious darling he had once doted on and spoiled was now only able to sleep in a daze. Everything he had once begged for and fought for, even if presented to him now, he wouldn't reach out to take it...

The Qianwan Emperor softened his voice, holding Mingde with one arm and a spoon in the other hand, gently coaxing, "Come, eat a bite..."

Mingde struggled and squirmed, sometimes swallowing half a spoonful, sometimes spitting it all out, making a mess on the blanket. The Qianwan Emperor was caught off guard as Mingde knocked over the bowl with one hand, spilling it on the bedding and splashing the bright yellow dragon robe.

Mingde seemed to really dislike that dazzling bright yellow. As he stared at it, he started crying again, mumbling something under his breath. The Qianwan Emperor quickly picked him up to let the palace maids change the bedding and sheets. Mingde kept writhing, his voice so hoarse it was almost inaudible.

After a while, he could be heard saying, "...Ugly... ugly..."

The Qianwan Emperor couldn't figure out what he was calling ugly. He asked as gently as possible by his ear, "Good boy, don't cry, don't cry, tell me, what's ugly?"

Mingde still couldn't explain clearly, only desperately struggling. The Qianwan Emperor couldn't hold him and he slid to the floor, staggering a few steps before curling up under the foot of the bed again.

Zhang Kuo quickly had people lay a thick new long-haired sheepskin rug on the floor by the bed and respectfully invited the little ancestor to rest on it. He carefully joked, "Your Majesty, in your servant's opinion, the young noble consort probably doesn't like... doesn't like the dazzling color of the clothes..."

The Qianwan Emperor paused. He saw that Mingde was indeed lowering his head, playing by himself with the jade spoon that had fallen on the ground. The furnishings in the room favored Suzhou and Hunan embroidered cushions and a twelve-panel mica screen, without even the glaring double-gold or triple-gold embroidery.

The Qianwan Emperor immediately went to the inner chamber to change into regular attire and switch the incense. When he returned, Mingde was already lying on the sheepskin rug, about to fall asleep. He walked over to pick up the little one. Mingde drowsily raised his head to glance at him, looking very puzzled, staring without blinking.

The Qianwan Emperor sat on the bed holding him, seeing his eyes like black mercury fixated on him without moving. He asked softly, "What are you looking at?"

Mingde buried his head, wanting to crawl onto the bed himself. The Qianwan Emperor was reluctant to let go, embracing him as he half-reclined on the bed, letting him lie in the crook of his arm.

But the little one had a strong desire to occupy the bed by himself. He waved his hand several times trying to push the Qianwan Emperor away, but he was too weak. Finally, he struggled until he was tired and slowly closed his eyes to sleep.

The Qianwan Emperor looked down at him and said quietly, "...The one who died wasn't the crown prince, do you feel a bit better?"

Mingde let out tiny snores.

"...It was someone from the dungeons who resembled the crown prince. The real crown prince is still in the Eastern Palace... Are you happy?"

Mingde completely ignored him, even turning over as if wanting to break free from him.

The Qianwan Emperor gazed at him for a long time. Outside the window, the sun shone brightly amidst birdsong and fragrant flowers. The brilliant light subtly penetrated the bed curtains, playfully dancing on the boy's fair face, even seeming to shimmer on the tips of his long lashes.

"...If I were to abdicate now... and let the crown prince take the throne... would you wake up?"

So nervous, just like a lover confessing for the first time, waiting anxiously for the verdict.

Good or not good, nod or not nod - it could be instant heaven, with happiness and love flooding in like a deluge; or eternal hell, forever living in pain and despair, repeatedly murmuring that beloved, cherished name in purgatory.

It all depended on whether that person nodded or not.

Li Ji looked at Mingde in his arms for a long time. The little one had already fallen asleep, in a complete daze, sleeping so sweetly it seemed like the sky could fall and still not pull him out of that blissful dream.

He knew that he would never receive that fateful nod between lovers.