He was given the formal name Xuan Yuyao.

The meaning: upright, with a radiance all his own.

His milk name: Ruirui.

The meaning: peaceful and auspicious, naturally blessed with good fortune.

With a wet nurse and maidservants in attendance, Yan Yunning had nothing to worry about and simply focused on recovering. After a month and a half of recuperation, Yan Yunning asked Xuan Yanyu to bring the little bundle from the Grand Emperor’s side back to Prince Xuan’s bedchamber.

The Grand Emperor was displeased, but could only watch with longing as his beloved little one was taken away, not daring to say a word.

“Great-grandfather, you still have Xiaoxiao — don’t be sad.” Xuan Yuncheng, who had come along with Xuan Yanyu, comforted the Grand Emperor.

“Thank goodness I still have Xiaoxiao,” the Grand Emperor said, moved.

“Great-grandfather, I’ve been out a long time. Xiaoxiao should go check on Imperial Mother now.” In the next breath, the little one waved goodbye to the Grand Emperor without hesitation and strode out of the bedchamber.

The Grand Emperor dabbed away tears of heartbreak. Raised him from so small to so big, and for what!!

Xuan Yuncheng trotted to catch up with Xuan Yanyu, and the two of them entered Prince Xuan’s bedchamber one after the other. Yan Yunning carefully took the little bundle from Xuan Yanyu’s arms, her expression brimming with tenderness that nearly overflowed.

The little bundle was fair and chubby, his round grape-like eyes staring at Yan Yunning with curious wonder.

“Imperial Mother, Royal Grandmother says the little imperial brother looked exactly the same as me when I was little,” Xuan Yuncheng said, gathering close to Yan Yunning and taking hold of the little bundle’s tiny hand.

“Why can’t either of you take after Imperial Mother a little?” Yan Yunning laughed and pinched Xuan Yuncheng’s cheek.

“Because taking after me makes them this good-looking,” Xuan Yanyu said with a self-satisfied smile, watching the three of them.

Yan Yunning looked up at a certain impossibly self-absorbed someone. “Xiaoxiao, chase your Father out.”

“Father, if you please.” The little one raised his chin, motioning for Xuan Yanyu to see himself out.

The man tilted his head slightly. “Xuan Yuncheng, you’ve grown bolder, have you?”

“Imperial Mother, look!” The little one retreated to Yan Yunning’s side and grabbed onto her arm.

Yan Yunning smiled and warned, “Don’t you dare bully our Xiaoxiao.”

“I am deeply wronged, Lady Xuan.” Xuan Yanyu crouched down, one hand clasping the little one’s hand, the other poking at the cheek of little Ruirui, who lay quietly in his swaddling blankets.

——

Time swept swiftly past. In the blink of an eye, five years had gone by.

Yan Yunning was holding Xuan Zhaoran’s little Nuonuo and feeding her fruit when Xuan Yanyu walked in, carrying a little bundle who was covered head to toe in filth, leaves clinging to the high ponytail atop his head.

Yan Yunning’s vision went dark. “Xuan Yuyao, what have you been up to again?”

“Imperial Mother~” The little bundle offered a dry explanation. “I went to find my Crown Prince elder brother, and I accidentally fell into a mud puddle~”

“Xuan Yuyao, do I look like a fool to you, or does your father look like a fool to you?” Yan Yunning held back her anger.

“Well… if one of us absolutely has to look like a fool, then Father looks like a fool.” The little bundle snuck a glance at Xuan Yanyu, his small mud-caked face wary.

Xuan Yanyu exhaled slowly and clenched his fist.

“Let go of me — my neck hurts so much.” The little bundle touched the neck reddened from being held up by his collar, and the moment he touched it, the fair skin that had been visible was immediately smeared with mud.

Xuan Yanyu dropped him in disgust. The little bundle toppled unexpectedly to the floor — seemingly used to it — did not cry at all, got back up on his own, and patted his hands clean.

The dry mud fell onto the expensive floor. The little bundle blinked, and said in a soft, innocent voice, “Imperial Mother, it wasn’t my fault — it fell by itself.”

Yan Yunning could not be bothered to look at him and called out toward the outer hall, “Ye’an.”

Ye’an was the guard Xuan Yanyu had assigned to Ruirui’s side. Whatever Ruirui had been up to, Ye’an knew best.

“This subordinate greets His Majesty, My Lady, the Second Prince, and the little commandery princess.” Ye’an entered and paid his respects upon hearing her call.

“How did Ruirui end up like this?” Yan Yunning watched the little bundle wildly winking at Ye’an, and gave a light cough.

“Imperial Mother, what’s wrong?” The little bundle shuffled forward two steps, only to be grabbed by the back of his collar by Xuan Yanyu. “Stay away from your Imperial Mother.”

“Alright~” The little bundle nodded obediently.

“Speak.” Yan Yunning speared a piece of peach on a bamboo skewer and fed it to the little girl in her arms.

The little bundle’s lips pulled to the side.

“In reply to My Lady — the Second Prince offended the Crown Prince yesterday. Today was the Second Prince’s first day practicing swordsmanship, and the Crown Prince had promised to accompany him. Because of last night’s incident, the Crown Prince no longer wished to see the Second Prince. Just then, Qi Xingqian happened to invite the Crown Prince to dine at a restaurant, and the Crown Prince accepted. The Second Prince waited and waited and the Crown Prince did not come, so when he found out why, he went to find Qi Xingqian.”

“Qi Xingqian said the Second Prince was being unreasonable and gave him a shove. The Second Prince lost his footing and happened to be pushed straight into a mud puddle. Qi Xingqian did apologize to the Second Prince, and the Second Prince, taking into account that Qi Xingqian has a good relationship with the Crown Prince, did not hold it against him.” Ye’an spoke calmly and thoroughly.

“That’s more like it.” Xuan Yanyu fixed his gaze on the little bundle, the corner of his lips tugging slightly. “Now tell me — how did you offend your elder brother?”

Yan Yunning was curious too. Xiaoxiao was so gentle and magnanimous — what could have gotten him genuinely angry?

“Elder brother stopped paying attention to me first.” The little bundle pouted sulkily.

“You tell it.” Xuan Yanyu turned to Ye’an.

“In reply to Your Majesty — last night, the Second Prince went to the Imperial Study to find the Crown Prince, but the Crown Prince was not there. The Second Prince proceeded to draw a pig’s head on every single one of the memorials the Crown Prince had finished reviewing.” Ye’an deliberately emphasized the words “every single one.”

Xuan Yanyu drew a sharp breath. “Xiaoxiao merely stopped speaking to you. If it had been me, I would have beaten you to death.”

“Alright.” The little bundle tilted up that face covered in mud, his round eyes darting from Xuan Yanyu to Yan Yunning — who was peacefully feeding fruit to Nuonuo — his eyes rimming red. “Crown Prince elder brother won’t speak to me, Father wants to beat me, and Imperial Mother only likes Nuonuo elder sister and has abandoned me. I’m leaving, and I’m never coming back.”

To make sure everyone could hear his grievances, the little bundle made no effort to keep his voice down. Yan Yunning felt a headache coming on. Under the table, she kicked Xuan Yanyu.

Xuan Yanyu looked up at the little bundle, who was sitting in his sandalwood chair with his head bowed, swinging his little feet. His brow furrowed — he had absolutely no inclination to indulge this behavior. “What are you being dramatic about every day? If you’re not eating, get out.”

“Fine.” The little bundle jumped down from the sandalwood chair, quietly wiped away his tears, his small milky voice thick with grievance. “If I’m not eating, I’m not eating. If I’m leaving, I’m leaving!!!”

Yan Yunning quickly handed the little girl to Qiuci to feed, rose, and grabbed the little bundle whose eyes had gone red all around, then lifted him and placed him into Xuan Yanyu’s lap.

Xuan Yanyu looked down at the little bundle with tears streaming down his face, grabbed his little arm, and gave his face a rough wipe.

“No more crying.” His warning came from behind heavy-lidded eyes.

“Alright.” The little bundle sniffled and nodded compliantly.

Yan Yunning took a cloth and wiped the remaining tears from his face, then picked up a bowl of egg custard and held out a spoonful to his lips. “Didn’t Ruirui say just now he was hungry? Have a bite — won’t you?”

The little bundle had calmed down by now and ate the spoonful obediently.

“One more bite.” Yan Yunning’s voice was exceedingly gentle as she coaxed him.

“If you’re not making a fuss, you feel uncomfortable, is that it?” Xuan Yanyu pinched the little bundle’s cheeks — plump and pale and puffed out with egg custard.

The little bundle turned his head slightly, giving absolutely no indication that he intended to acknowledge Xuan Yanyu.

Yan Yunning picked out a few more dishes — soft and well-cooked, easy to digest — and fed them to the little bundle.

“Imperial Mother, Crown Prince elder brother won’t speak to me anymore. What do I do?” The little bundle chewed at the food in his mouth and asked in a muffled voice.

“Then you figure out your own way to get your elder brother talking to you again. Imperial Mother has no solution either.” Yan Yunning picked up a cloth and wiped his small mouth.

“Imperial Mother, just put in a word with elder brother — ask elder brother to talk to me again.” The little bundle tugged slightly at Yan Yunning’s sleeve, and wheedled with a little shake.

“You were the one who made your elder brother angry. You are the one who must find a way to make him forgive you.” Yan Yunning fed the little bundle another spoonful of egg custard.