Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne
Chapter 86 Part 3

Chapter 86: Chapter 86 Part 3

After Zhao Yao made a funny face at the emperor, he dashed out as if fleeing for his life, running a great distance without stopping.

The Fourth Prince saw Zhao Yao running out and was just about to call out to him, but Zhao Yao swept past him like the wind.

Wei Mian, seeing Zhao Yao run as fast as a rabbit, asked in astonishment, "Your Highness, what’s going on with the Tenth Highness?"

The Fourth Prince shook his head lightly and said, "Let’s catch up to him."

Despite his small stature, Zhao Yao was quite fast when he ran. The Fourth Prince and Wei Mian took some time before they caught up to him.

Seeing the suddenly appearing Fourth Prince, Zhao Yao asked in surprise, "Huh, Fourth Brother, what are you doing here? Weren’t you going back to Xingde Palace?"

Wei Mian explained for the Fourth Prince, "Tenth Highness, our Highness was worried about you, so he didn’t go back and waited for you to come out."

"Ah?" Zhao Yao exclaimed in shock, "So, Fourth Brother, you’ve been waiting for me for nearly an hour."

"Have you been crying?" The Fourth Prince, being attentive, noticed Zhao Yao’s eyes were red as if he had been crying. He also noticed that Zhao Yao’s nose and face were a bit red. "Did Father bully you?"

Zhao Yao nodded heavily, "He did bully me, Fourth Brother, you don’t know how bad Father is..."

Then Zhao Yao pitifully complained about what the emperor had just done to him to the Fourth Prince.

"Fourth Brother, don’t you think Father went too far?"

The Fourth Prince: "..." He really didn’t expect his father to be so mean.

"Fourth Brother, I asked you to go in with me, but you didn’t, which got me bullied by Father again." Zhao Yao pointed at his own face and nose, "Look, Father pinched my face and nose so hard, it hurts a lot."

The Fourth Prince reached out to gently touch Zhao Yao’s red little face and self-reproached, "It’s all Fourth Brother’s fault, I should have gone in with you."

"With you there, Fourth Brother, Father wouldn’t bully me." Everyone thinks Father’s favorite son is the Second Brother, but actually, Zhao Yao thinks Father’s most beloved son is the Fourth Brother; he just didn’t show it as openly.

"Come to my place, I’ll put some ointment on you." The Fourth Prince couldn’t help but blame the emperor in his heart, wondering if his Father couldn’t control his strength. Ten Brother’s skin is tender, and a slight pinch can cause redness.

"Fourth Brother, I’m afraid of running into Third Brother and the others and getting their anger transferred onto me, so I won’t go to Xingde Palace with you." Zhao Yao estimated that the Third Brother and the others were probably angry at this moment. "Fourth Brother, be careful not to run into Third Brother and the others when you go back to Xingde Palace."

"Okay, I’ll be careful; make sure to be safe on your way back."

"Fourth Brother, I’m off then." With that, Zhao Yao started running with Tong Xi again.

Seeing Zhao Yao bouncing away, Wei Mian commented with a smile, "Your Highness, the Tenth Highness sure is full of energy..." He suddenly paused because he saw the Sea Eagle who was usually beside the emperor flying over Zhao Yao’s head.

The Fourth Prince naturally noticed this too.

"Your Highness, isn’t that Lingyun?" Wei Mian asked in shock, "Why is it following the Tenth Highness, could it be that it wants to harm him?"

Wei Mian looked worried, urging, "Your Highness, let’s hurry and save the Tenth Highness."

"Lingyun won’t harm my Tenth Brother."

"Your Highness, Lingyun is a bird of prey."

"Lingyun is very close to Tenth Brother; it won’t hurt him."

As soon as the Fourth Prince finished speaking, Lingyun descended from the sky a short distance away and started walking beside Zhao Yao. After a few steps, it nudged Zhao Yao’s leg.

Wei Mian was ready to rush forward to drive away Lingyun, but saw Zhao Yao crouch down to pick up Lingyun, who nudged his little face with its head.

With a mix of helplessness and affection, Zhao Yao said, "I’ve told you I can’t hold you anymore, but you still want me to hold you. I’ll just hold you for a little while, okay?"

Lingyun responded by rubbing its head against Zhao Yao’s chin.

Hugging Lingyun, Zhao Yao said, "Laifu, you’re a bird of prey, why do you keep acting spoiled and want me to hold you? It tarnishes your reputation."

Standing at a distance, Wei Mian couldn’t hear what Zhao Yao was saying, but he could see Lingyun constantly nuzzling Zhao Yao’s face.

"Your Highness, is that really the emperor’s Sea Eagle?" Surely it wasn’t Lingyun?

"It is Lingyun," the Fourth Prince chuckled lightly, "Lingyun and Lie Huo both like Tenth Brother a lot. They enjoy being close to him." Animals are very sensitive to people’s goodwill and hostility. They can sense whether a person is good or bad. The fact that these animals like Tenth Brother shows he is a pure-hearted and kind person.

"The Tenth Highness is innocent and adorable; who wouldn’t like him?" Wei Mian liked Zhao Yao very much but was also very worried about him. Fortunately, there was the Fourth Prince.

"Let’s head back."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Inside Kunde Hall, Liang Zhaoyi was waiting for Zhao Yao to return.

Upon seeing her, Zhao Yao immediately complained, accusing the emperor of bullying him.

After listening to him, Liang Zhaoyi was filled with helplessness.

"When your father comes to Kunde Hall, I will help you get justice."

"Mother, do you really mean it?"

"I really mean it."

Knowing that his mother wasn’t very favored, Zhao Yao shook his head and said, "Mother, let’s forget it." With a father like this, he could only count himself unlucky.

Liang Zhaoyi didn’t say much about this matter and changed the topic, "What happened with the Third Prince and the others, did you let Lai Yi do it?"

"Mother, congratulations, you guessed it right."

Liang Zhaoyi reached out and tapped Zhao Yao’s forehead, "Aren’t you afraid the Third Prince and the others might harm Lai Yi and the others?"

"I’ve sent Lai Yi and the others to the Cold Palace. For the next few days, I instructed them not to come to the Imperial Palace looking for me again," Zhao Yao said, "Mother, I have to take a trip to the Cold Palace to check on them."

"Go ahead."

In the secret base of the Cold Palace, the cats and dogs were diligently training.

Tong An sat nearby, sunbathing while watching the cat and dog training.

Lai Lu and the others stopped immediately upon hearing Zhao Yao’s voice, rushing to the doorway.

Tong An noticed the cats and dogs suddenly stop and then one by one running very obediently to the door. They all lifted their little heads and wagged their tails joyfully.

"Le Ge, what’s gotten into them?" Tong An couldn’t help but ask, curious and confused.

"The Prince is here," Tong Le said from behind the cats and dogs.

Hearing this, Tong An quickly stood up and walked to Tong Le’s side.

Shortly thereafter, the door to the secret base was pushed open from the outside, and Zhao Yao came into view for the cats and dogs.

Lai Lu and the others stood up and wagged their tails with enthusiasm. They didn’t rush forward but waited until Zhao Yao approached before surrounding him.

Zhao Yao sat on the ground, embracing the cats and dogs with affection.

The cats and dogs were constantly licking his face or hands.

Seeing Zhao Yao surrounded by the cats and dogs, Tong An momentarily forgot to perform any ritual greetings.

For the past two days, while he stayed in the Cold Palace with these cats and dogs, they were quite indifferent to him and never came near.

Zhao Yao first asked with concern if Lai Lu and the others had been injured during training. Learning that they were mostly unscathed, he was relieved. Then, he inquired about their training progress.

Lai Lu and the others proudly told Zhao Yao that they were doing very well, already able to smoothly pass all obstacles and getting faster each time.

Hearing this, Zhao Yao gave them big affectionate kisses.

Lai Yi, seeing Zhao Yao had arrived, perched on his shoulder and boasted, [Yao Yao, did we do a good job?]

"You did wonderfully; I heard Third Brother and the others are still taking baths."

In the secret base, cats and dogs don’t fight, and the cats don’t eat small birds. Therefore, it’s safe for Lai Yi and the others to come to the secret base.

[We helped you get a good vent of anger.]

"You did, but for the time being, don’t come to the Imperial Palace anymore." Third Brother and the others have already ordered people to catch sparrows and crows, "By the way, tell the other birds not to come to the Imperial Palace recently. If they get caught by Third Brother’s people, it’s over."

[Alright, we won’t come to the Imperial Palace for now.]

"If Lai Qian and the others return, come to find me at night," said Zhao Yao, "At night, Third Brother’s people won’t discover you."

[Okay.]

"Tong Xi brought apples and pastries for you; hurry up and go eat," Zhao Yao said, and seeing Lai Wu and the others perched in the trees, he beckoned to them, "Lai Wu, come down and eat."

Lai Wu hesitated for a moment before finally flying down onto Zhao Yao’s shoulder, gently nuzzling Zhao Yao’s little face.

[Yao Yao, I forgot to tell you something.]

Zhao Yao asked, "What is it?"

Lai Wu said, [A flock of our relatives flew from the south to find us. They said there’s going to be a big flood in the south this year.] Lai Wu and the others have a special ability to predict the weather.

Heart tightening, Zhao Yao’s expression grew serious, "A big flood in the south, is it true?"

[It should be true; otherwise, they wouldn’t have flown all the way to the capital to find us.]

"When is the flood happening, soon?"

[No, it’s in the summer.]

Thoughtfully, Zhao Yao said, "If it’s in the summer, there’s still time for precautions." He definitely needed to write a letter to inform his granduncle about this, so they could prepare early. "Lai Wu, thank you for telling me this."