Chapter 288 One Hundred Portraits

Yongqi laughed and said, "Okay, I'll wait until tomorrow!"

After Xiao Yanzi lay back down on the bed, she asked again, "You're not really not preparing any other gift for me tomorrow, are you?"

Yongqi smiled and looked down. "You'll find out tomorrow."

The next day at dawn, the excited little swallow woke up.

"Where's my gift?" Little Swallow opened her eyes and pressed Yongqi for an answer.

Seeing Xiao Yanzi like this, Yongqi couldn't help but laugh out loud, "So you're in such a hurry for my gift?"

"Nonsense!" Little Swallow glared at him.

Yongqi smiled and picked up Xiaoyanzi, who was only wearing a bellyband. "Okay, I'll take you there."

Today is Little Swallow's birthday, so her clothes only have two colors: apricot yellow for the majority of the outfit and bright red, which Little Swallow likes, for a smaller portion.

After Yongqi helped Xiaoyanzi put on her clothes, he continued to comb her hair.

After getting dressed, I carried her out of the room.

"I can walk by myself!"

"Today is your birthday, so you shouldn't exert yourself. That's why I'm carrying you."

By this time, most of their friends had arrived.

Xia Ziwei teased, "What time is it, Little Swallow, and you still want Yongqi to hold you..."

Little Swallow retorted, "He insisted on being carried, it wasn't me who said it..."

Yongqi nodded with a smile, "That's right, it was my insistence on hugging him."

Fu Erkang patted his clothes and said, "This is really giving me goosebumps. That's enough, you guys."

Xiao Jian nodded, "That's right, we're just here to properly attend Xiao Yanzi's birthday banquet, please spare us!"

Qing'er chimed in, "Yes, otherwise we would be full before we've even eaten anything!"

"Did you hear that?" Little Swallow glared at Yongqi.

Yongqi smiled and placed Xiaoyanzi in the birthday celebrant's seat. "Alright, you can sit here."

Xiao Jian looked at Yongqi curiously, "Yongqi, what gift did you give Xiaoyanzi this year?"

"Someone come here..."

Yongqi called out, and someone appeared and brought up Yongqi's gift.

What came into view was a variety of little swallows.

Xiao Shunzi explained, "These are one hundred portraits that our Crown Prince painted for the Crown Princess."

Xiao Guizi chimed in, "The portraits show all sorts of Crown Princesses eating, sleeping, riding horses, shooting arrows, hunting..."

Kang Wei, Xiao Qing, and the other three were already dazzled by what they saw.

Little Swallow was also dumbfounded, "When did you draw this?"

Yongqi lowered his head and smiled, "Of course I drew it without you knowing, otherwise how could it be called a surprise?"

Seeing the courtyard full of swallow portraits, Xiao Jian had to admire him. "Yongqi, I'm impressed!"

As the crown prince, he had so many things to do, yet he still found time to paint so many portraits.

Qing'er laughed and said, "Xiao Jian, you've never drawn me like this before..."

Xia Ziwei chimed in, "That's right, Erkang, you didn't have one either..."

Fu Erkang/Xiao Jian were a bit dumbfounded, thinking to themselves, "(Are we being shot even though we're just lying here?)"

Little Swallow chuckled, "I think Erkang and my brother are both alright..."

Xia Ziwei and Qing'er both frowned, "But..."

Before they could even speak, Xiao Jian and Fu Erkang each fed them.

Fu Erkang chuckled awkwardly, "Ziwei, let's eat something first..."

Xiao Jian chimed in, "Yes, we even got up early to make it to Xiao Yanzi's birthday banquet, and we haven't even had breakfast yet."

On this day, because Yongqi had special arrangements, there was only a simple birthday banquet held in Yuqing Palace in the morning.

All the gifts from others that I could accept were put into the warehouse and properly recorded so that I could return them with gifts of equal value later.

After the birthday banquet in the morning, the rest of the time was spent with Yongqi and Xiaoyanzi.

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Mianyao, who was in the palace, muttered, "Father is so unfair, he didn't take us along again!"

Mianhua sighed, "We should all get used to this kind of thing..."

Xiao Yucheng laughed and said, "Don't even mention my aunt and uncle, even my father and mother are the same. Every birthday celebration, I only get to participate in the morning. After that, I don't see them anymore..."

Fu Peidong pursed his lips, "You know what, all of our parents are the same. They only like them sticking together. We're all superfluous."

"Cousin, do you think Uncle will abandon everything to you and run off with Aunt after you come of age?"

Mianhua sighed helplessly, "Sigh, we all have to get used to this. They're just waiting for us to grow up and take over their positions so they can go on vacation!"

Mianyao muttered, "Is this the tragedy of our royal family?"

Xiao Yucheng comforted them, "Compared to others, I think you are quite lucky..."

Mianyao asked, "What do you mean?"

Xiao Yucheng continued, "You'll see when you look at the Emperor..."

"My aunt and uncle only have each other. For ten years, their feelings have never faded. This is quite remarkable among the royal family."

After hearing Xiao Yucheng's words, Mianyao smiled and said, "Cousin, now that you mention it, it seems to be true..."

Mianhua added, "Mother said that there are gains and losses, so we all have to learn to comfort ourselves."

Fu Peidong chuckled slyly, "So, you're planning to just like your uncle and bring your wife home as soon as possible?"

Mianhua was speechless. "Are you kidding me?"

"I haven't even finished my studies yet, and I'm already trying to abduct someone else's daughter? Wouldn't they beat me up?"

Fu Peidong retorted, "Are you kidding me? You're the eldest son of the Crown Prince, the apple of everyone's eye, and countless people are eyeing you..."

Mianhua pouted, "No thanks. Even if I were to marry someone, it would have to be someone I like!"

"I want to learn from my father, not my grandfather!"

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Outside the palace, "Yongqi, where did you find such a racecourse?" Little Swallow was galloping across the grassland.

Yongqi followed closely behind, saying, "I discovered this place by chance and thought it would be a good spot for horse racing, so I brought you here!"

Before they had even ridden for half an hour, the two of them dismounted and lay down on the grassland.

Gazing at the blue sky, a gentle breeze kissed the swallow's cheek. "How comfortable!"

"What a beautiful spring, we met this year..." Yongqi hummed a song while lying next to the swallow, "...Every time at dusk, you are like the setting sun..."

"It's so nice to listen to." Little Swallow rolled over and lay on top of Yongqi. "This song is also very fitting for the occasion."

Little Swallow smiled and said, "On such a nice day, let's play some games..."

Yongqi looked at her curiously, "What game?"

After thinking for a while, Little Swallow suggested, "Let's set a limit of 100 idioms containing the character 'spring' and see who can come up with the most."

"And what about the losers?"

Little Swallow said, "The loser naturally has to grant the winner a favor, provided it doesn't violate the laws and morals of the country..."

"Okay." Yongqi nodded decisively.

Little Swallow smiled and said, "I'll go first, beaming with joy."

"Little Swallow is a miracle doctor with amazing healing skills."

Hearing Yongqi's words, Xiaoyanzi couldn't help but laugh, "What are you talking about?"

"Why did you add more words when there are only four characters?

Yongqi pouted and said, "It only mentioned idioms containing the character 'spring,' it didn't say we can't add any other characters..."

Little Swallow laughed, "Alright, alright, you're right, continue!"