“Imperial Father.” Little Tuanzi tilted his head back, gazing up at Xuan Yanyu with a pitiful, imploring look.

Xuan Yanyu extended his slender fingers and pushed the little face aside, letting out a low chuckle. “Your Imperial Mother has no solution, and Imperial Father has even less of one.”

Little Tuanzi drooped his small face. The fragrant food in his mouth suddenly lost all its appeal.

“Imperial Father, Imperial Mother, this son has finished eating and shall take his leave.” Xuan Yuncheng wiped the corner of his mouth and rose to his feet.

Yan Yunning glanced at Xuan Yuncheng’s white jade plate and furrowed her brow slightly. “Eat a little more.”

She handed the remaining egg custard to Xuan Yanyu, signaling him to feed it to Little Tuanzi, while she herself continued watching over Xuan Yuncheng’s meal.

“Imperial Mother, this son ate at the restaurant not long ago today and truly cannot manage much more.” Xuan Yuncheng said helplessly.

Little Tuanzi’s muffled little voice rang out. “You went to the restaurant without calling for me — I’m not even as important as Qi Xingqian.”

“Eat.” Xuan Yanyu scooped a large spoonful of egg custard and fed it into Little Tuanzi’s mouth.

“Imperial Father is just taking the Crown Prince’s side. Can’t this son even say a word?” Little Tuanzi’s aggrieved eyes turned red.

His older brother had promised him — promised to practice sword fighting together, and also promised to go to the restaurant with Qi Xingqian. Fine, going to the restaurant was one thing, but the point was he hadn’t been invited. They had gone off to eat something delicious without him, hadn’t given him any, and hadn’t even paid him any attention. In Crown Prince Brother’s heart, it was Qi Xingqian who was the beloved little brother — not him anymore.

“Didn’t your older brother go to the restaurant with Qi Xingqian because you upset him? You don’t blame yourself, and yet you blame your brother?” Xuan Yanyu said patiently.

“But… but Crown Prince Brother went out of the palace and didn’t bring this son anything good to eat. He always brings things back for this son every time. He went to the restaurant and didn’t call this son along to eat either. This son missed out on so much food, so much food…”

Little Tuanzi wept with heartbroken, wrenching sobs.

Xuan Yuncheng’s mouth twitched. He was crying this pitifully — all because he missed out on a meal.

Xuan Yanyu’s temple throbbed incessantly. His patience wearing thin, he said, “Stop crying.”

“I won’t stop.” Little Tuanzi’s tone was imperious, and he rubbed his tear-streaked little face against Xuan Yanyu.

Yan Yunning and Xuan Yuncheng exchanged a glance, their hearts clenching.

Precious robes now stained with teardrops, the sound of Little Tuanzi’s wailing filling his ears, Xuan Yanyu drew a deep breath. He held himself back again and again, barely managing not to fling the child out the door.

“I’ll take you tomorrow. Whatever you missed today, we’ll make up for it all tomorrow.” Seeing his Imperial Father nearing his breaking point, Xuan Yuncheng stepped forward helplessly and drew Little Tuanzi to his side.

“Really?” Little Tuanzi’s sobs did not stop right away — his shoulders still heaved up and down, as though he might have been faking it had they not kept shuddering.

“Really.” Xuan Yuncheng picked up a fine handkerchief and wiped away the boy’s worthless tears.

“Then I won’t cry anymore. Crown Prince Brother, I’m full too — let’s go out together. You go to the Imperial Study, and I’ll go back to my sleeping chambers. We won’t disturb Imperial Father and Imperial Mother.” Little Tuanzi didn’t forget to wave his little hand at Xuan Yanyu and Yan Yunning as he said so.

Yan Yunning: “……”

Xuan Yanyu: “……”

Seeing the complex expressions on his Imperial Father’s and Imperial Mother’s faces, Little Tuanzi blinked. Hadn’t Imperial Mother told him to find his own way to get Crown Prince Brother to forgive him? He had done exactly that — he had earned Crown Prince Brother’s forgiveness. Why were they both making that face?

“Let’s go, Crown Prince Brother.” Little Tuanzi withdrew his gaze, took Xuan Yuncheng by the hand, and tugged him out of Taiyi Hall.

The Little Tuanzi who had promised to return to his sleeping chambers trotted cheerfully after Xuan Yuncheng all the way to the Imperial Study instead.

Seated at the imperial throne, Xuan Yuncheng heard Little Tuanzi sigh for the third time and, without lifting his head, asked, “What’s the matter?”

Little Tuanzi chewed on a pastry and mumbled, “Brother, I think Imperial Mother likes Nuonuo Older Sister more than she likes either of us. What should we do?”

Xuan Yuncheng’s hand paused around his brush. Imperial Father was right — if Ruirui didn’t cause a scene or stir up some trouble at least once a day, something would be off.

“Brother, what should we do?” Little Tuanzi munched on his pastry as he walked to the imperial desk. Ye’an promptly moved a sandalwood chair over for him, and Little Tuanzi climbed up and settled himself into it. Ye Chen, reading the situation, brought the pastries and set them before Little Tuanzi.

“What do you want to do about it?” Xuan Yuncheng dipped his brush in ink and asked offhandedly.

Little Tuanzi’s dark, grape-like eyes rolled around. “Brother, how about you send word to our aunt to come and take Nuonuo Older Sister away.”

Xuan Yuncheng’s eyes lifted slightly. “Why not just have Ye’an take Nuonuo back to the General’s Residence yourself?”

“Brother, haven’t you seen through it yet?” Little Tuanzi blinked.

Xuan Yuncheng frowned at the crumbs of pastry that had fallen onto the imperial desk. Little Tuanzi smacked his little lips, catching the hint, and used his small arm to sweep the imperial desk clean.

“Brother, if I had Ye’an send Nuonuo Older Sister back to the General’s Residence, Imperial Mother would purse her lips. If Imperial Mother is unhappy, Imperial Father will come looking to make trouble for me. Then what would I do?” Little Tuanzi propped up his cheek in his hand, sighing like a little adult.

Xuan Yuncheng’s gaze fell back to the memorial. In an even tone, he said, “Then don’t send Nuonuo back.”

“Brother!” Little Tuanzi’s small brow knitted together. “If we don’t send Nuonuo Older Sister back, I’ll fall out of favor!”

Xuan Yuncheng set down his vermilion brush and stretched his arms out in a languid manner. He glanced over at the boy. “Figure out how to compete for favor yourself. Shed a few tears, or pack your things and leave the Prince Xuan’s Palace — Imperial Mother will come and coax you back.”

“Ah!” Little Tuanzi sighed. “I already used that one today. What if Imperial Mother gets angry instead of coming to coax me? And then Imperial Father drives me away too — do I leave or don’t I?”

Xuan Yuncheng took a sip from his water cup, then said lightly, “Then you leave.”

Little Tuanzi’s eyes went wide with disbelief. “Brother, you want me to leave?!”

Fearing Xuan Yuncheng would use this as an excuse to make another scene, Xuan Yuncheng shook his head decisively. “No.”

“I knew it — Qi Xingqian is your favorite little brother.” Little Tuanzi jumped down from the sandalwood chair, slapped both hands on the imperial desk, and bellowed, “This Your Highness is not your good little brother! You ditched This Your Highness today and went to the restaurant, and This Your Highness has never once eaten at a restaurant!”

“Raise your voice any louder and you’ll be going outside.” Xuan Yuncheng’s expression went cold.

“I…” Little Tuanzi’s bluster deflated.

“Pour the water.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Ye Chen lifted the jade pitcher. Xuan Yuncheng batted his hand away, and with his small hand gripping the handle with great effort, he tremblingly poured Xuan Yuncheng a cup full to the brim.

“Second Highness, be careful — don’t burn yourself.” Seeing Little Tuanzi finish pouring, Ye’an quickly took the jade pitcher back.

The Second Highness was still young. The jade pitcher, though not heavy, was no light thing for the Second Highness either. If he were to accidentally burn himself, to say nothing of what His Majesty and Her Highness the Princess Consort of Xuan might do — the Grand Emperor and the Empress Dowager would not let it go.

Little Tuanzi released the pitcher, tugged gently at the hem of Xuan Yuncheng’s sleeve, and said in a soft, sticky voice, “Brother, I won’t shout anymore.”

Xuan Yuncheng took up his vermilion brush again. “If you want to stay, close your mouth and don’t disturb this Crown Prince.”

Little Tuanzi bit his finger, then turned and walked straight out without a second thought.

“Where are you going?”

Xuan Yuncheng didn’t look back. He paused in his steps, tapping his little foot against the floorboard. “Didn’t Brother say that if I stay in the Imperial Study I have to keep quiet? But I don’t want to keep quiet, so I have no choice but to leave.”