Chapter 2 Yongqi's Rebirth

Yongqi galloped out of the palace with Xiaoyanzi on horseback. Qianlong was worried that something might happen, and he was also afraid that stopping Yongqi would cause him to break down. So he ordered Fu Erkang and Benjamin to follow Yongqi and to stop him if he did anything foolish.

Yongqi rushed to the hunting grounds with Xiaoyanzi, the place where they first met. "Xiaoyanzi, do you still remember this place?"

"This is where we first met. That hunt was probably the one I'll never forget in my life. I never dreamed that the arrow I shot would cost me my own heart..."

"Your appearance has added color to the entire palace and has also brought about earth-shattering changes to my life. You taught me that palace maids and servants are also human beings, born of parents, and that their parents would be sad if they were beaten..."

"And that time, when you asked Benjamin to teach you some English swear words, even though I knew perfectly well that it wasn't true, I still conspired with Benjamin to fool you, making you furious and even threatening to break off our friendship. It scared me half to death..."

"In the end, I resorted to Benjamin's method, buying you candied hawthorns and even writing you a poem..."

"The prince was born into the royal family, and everyone flatters and praises him. Now that he's met Little Swallow, he acts like a complete fool. He's angered the princess, and the prince is utterly bewildered. He's tried every trick in the book, begging the princess to forgive him."

"I dressed up as a scholar and watched you wipe your nose with my sleeve, saying that you would only forgive me if I lost to you in the next competition."

"Little Swallow, we've been through so much. I originally thought Father Emperor would grant our wish..."

"But I never expected there would be so many obstacles between us. Little Swallow, I'm the one who's in the wrong, so why are you the one who's leaving?"

Are you punishing me by leaving? Making sure I can never forget you?

"You did it, but don't even think about leaving me. I won't let you be all alone!"

Holding Xiao Yanzi in his arms, Yongqi reminisced about their time together in the hunting grounds. Then, he took out the arrow that had struck Xiao Yanzi years ago and stuck it in the same spot as her. "Xiao Yanzi," he said, "if we ever meet again, I will protect you and never let you suffer any harm again!"

This wedding, which caused them immense pain, was forced upon them by Consort Yu threatening suicide. In the end, however, the three-foot-long white silk ribbon sent away Princess Huanzhu, who had brought so much joy and laughter to the palace. Now, even the Fifth Prince Yongqi has followed suit and committed suicide for love.

When Fu Erkang and Benjamin arrived, Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi had already died together. Only they knew the grief in their hearts. However, they still had to take the two of them back to the palace so that Qianlong could arrange what to do next.

When Emperor Qianlong learned that his favorite son had ultimately gone with Xiao Yanzi, he seemed to age ten years in an instant. After a long silence, he finally spoke, "Yongqi, Xiao Yanzi, it's all because your father is incompetent and couldn't protect you..."

Afterwards, Emperor Qianlong issued an edict to arrange a posthumous marriage for Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi, and posthumously conferred titles upon them, making one Prince Rong and the other Prince Rong's wife.

The news of Xiao Yanzi and Yongqi's deaths quickly spread throughout the land. Xiao Jian went mad and wanted to storm the palace to avenge Xiao Yanzi!

Only then did Emperor Qianlong realize that Xiao Yanzi had no parents and had been wandering the world since childhood because of his negligence!

It was he who caused Xiao Yanzi to be hungry and cold from a young age, yet the people in the palace still complained that Xiao Yanzi was uneducated and lacked common sense. How ironic...

Even if the living can still find happiness in a relationship, they will not be happy because their most important relatives and friends have passed away.

Emperor Qianlong sighed inwardly, "Yongqi, in your next life, don't be born into an imperial family again."

This palace is not only unsuitable for Xiao Yanzi, but also unsuitable for him. With his deep emotions and strong sense of justice, he has become an oddity in the palace!

"So it turns out it was the royal family that caused you to suffer so much from a young age, and in the end, they still treat you with all sorts of malice..."

Yongqi's wandering spirit saw Xiao Jian, driven mad by Xiao Yanzi's love for her, storming into the palace and revealing Xiao Yanzi's true identity to Emperor Qianlong. Yongqi felt increasingly saddened and pained, thinking, "So, I owe her so much..."

"Yongqi, Yongqi, wake up..." A familiar voice came from beside him.

Yongqi opened his eyes with some difficulty, and when he saw the person in front of him, he was startled, "You...you..."

"Yongqi, you're finally awake! You suddenly fainted yesterday, and it scared your mother half to death..."

The person speaking to him gently and patiently is the same person who drove his beloved to suicide.

When Yongqi saw Consort Yu, he was completely dumbfounded and had no idea what had happened;

He looked up at his surroundings, wondering to himself, "My room? What's going on here?"

"Yongqi, what are you daydreaming about? Physician Hu said you'll be fine once you wake up, so you have to go to the Imperial Study for class today..."

Yongqi looked at Consort Yu in front of him, still finding it hard to believe. He immediately put on his shoes, got out of bed, and went to the mirror. Looking at himself in the mirror, he saw a round face, big eyes, and was wearing the same clothes he had worn when he was a child.

He pinched himself in disbelief, but clearly felt the pain. "Am I dreaming?"

Seeing Yongqi still staring blankly at himself in the mirror, Consort Yu asked in confusion, "Yongqi, what are you still looking at? Go wash up and have breakfast!"

Yongqi was still somewhat dazed, but he knew that he had to leave Yonghe Palace first to find out what was going on. "Mother, I understand."

He ate his breakfast quickly before heading to the Imperial Study. Consort Yu was still behind him, instructing, "Xiao Shunzi, Xiao Guizi, keep an eye on things!"

Yongqi rushed towards the Imperial Study, with Xiaoshunzi and Xiaoguizi chasing after him, shouting, "Fifth Prince, Fifth Prince, slow down! Don't fall!"

When he rushed to the entrance of the Imperial Study, his familiar brothers had already arrived. "Greetings, Fifth Prince."

The two men who bowed to him were Fu Erkang, who had made a vow of eternal love with his sister Ziwei, and Fu Ertai, who had followed Saiya to Mongolia. "Erkang, Ertai, there's no need for such formalities between brothers."

Fu Ertai smiled slightly and said, "Hey, brothers are brothers, but if we don't pay our respects, the official in charge of rites will surely report my father to the court, saying that he has not disciplined his children properly. Fifth Prince, please forgive us brothers!"

As they were talking, Emperor Qianlong, who had come to watch their class, and Ji Xiaolan, who was teaching them, also arrived. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

The princes bowed to Emperor Qianlong one after another, saying, "Everyone is here, so please go in."

When Yongqi saw these familiar faces during class, he would think of Xiao Yanzi, who used to make him laugh in class, "Xiao Yanzi, Xiao Yanzi..."

Emperor Qianlong noticed that Yongqi was lost in thought and frowned, calling out, "Yongqi, what are you thinking about?"

Upon hearing Qianlong's question, Yongqi subconsciously replied, "I miss Xiaoyanzi."

After the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake; no one knew Xiao Yanzi yet!

"Little Swallow?" Qianlong didn't understand. "You were just spacing out there thinking about Little Swallow?"

Emperor Qianlong hadn't expected that Yongqi would burst into tears just because he asked out of curiosity. This left Qianlong bewildered. "Why are you crying all of a sudden?"

"...It has nothing to do with Father Emperor. I just thought of something and it made me very sad!"

Emperor Qianlong became interested. "Yongqi, you are only ten years old this year. What could possibly make you sad?"