[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens":3,"chapter-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-44":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Heir to the Kingdom of 1.4 Billion Citizens",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2270919,4434,"Chapter 44: The Baby of Great Strength","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-44",44,"\u003Cp>Dusk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The last rays of the sunset filtered through stained-glass windows, casting long, slender shadows across the library’s wooden floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady Danielle, are you certain you wish to give this treasure to me?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu stared at the translucent blue crystal inside the wooden box, its cold aura radiating outward, a flicker of surprise crossing his expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Based on the knowledge he’d gained from reading these past days, he could easily identify it as a magic crystal—and likely a high-quality one, the drifting chill air alone serving as undeniable proof.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To Your Highness, this is hardly a treasure; it’s merely a blessing my mother gave me.” Danielle smiled faintly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I know Your Highness is studying magic; this crystal will surely help you progress further on your magical path. Please, accept it!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At these words, Xia Mingyu fell into thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He sensed the abundant magic within the blue crystal, then glanced at Danielle’s hopeful face, and ultimately decided to accept it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, his most urgent priority was to strengthen his power, and this crystal would undoubtedly accelerate his path to becoming a magician.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lady Danielle, is there anything I can do for you?” Xia Mingyu said calmly after a moment’s hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He understood the customs of human reciprocity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh, Your Highness, you’re too kind. Simply accepting my gift is already my honor—how could I dare expect anything in return?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danielle initially refused.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Only after prolonged persuasion did she finally reveal her true intent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, my little Hayden has been born for over two months. I’ve heard that if a baby is looked upon by someone noble, he will grow up healthy and happy. So I thought…” Danielle watched Xia Mingyu’s expression with careful caution.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If it’s convenient for Your Highness, might you spare a moment to see my little Hayden?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Let’s go now,” Xia Mingyu said calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had thought it was something difficult—turns out it was just seeing a child.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Thank you, Your Highness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danielle’s face lit up with joy as she bowed deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nursery.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu tiptoed to the crib, afraid of disturbing the sleeping infant inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He peered in: beneath the soft glow of candles, a tiny baby curled within a white swaddling blanket, his pale blue lanugo shimmering warmly in the dim light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His round face was plump, his pink lips slightly pouted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Much cuter than I imagined,” Xia Mingyu murmured in surprise. He knew most newborns were ugly at first, but this baby already looked adorable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Danielle was about to speak, but Xia Mingyu raised a finger to his lips, silencing her. She obeyed, closing her mouth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, as if sensing their presence, the baby stirred. His closed eyes slowly opened, revealing a pair of clear purple irises, like flawless amethysts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sight sent Danielle’s heart racing to her throat; her hands instinctively clenched together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Babies usually cried and screamed, requiring long hours of soothing to calm down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the person standing before the crib was the Prince.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hayden, don’t cry—seize this chance your mother gave you! Make a good impression on His Highness!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though silent, Danielle screamed the words silently in her mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Awake, Hayden blinked, his gaze landing on Xia Mingyu—then he grinned, toothless and bright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ee-yah!” The baby cooed softly, waving his chubby little hands in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This adorable human infant instantly melted Xia Mingyu’s heart. He couldn’t help but extend a finger and gently tap Hayden’s cheek.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ee-yah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking Xia Mingyu was playing with him, Hayden grabbed his finger and giggled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perfect, Hayden!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danielle praised her child wildly in her mind—she felt if a normal baby’s behavior scored ten, her little Hayden scored a hundred!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t just grabbing the Prince’s finger—this was grasping the future!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a moment, Xia Mingyu gently withdrew his finger and left the nursery with Danielle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What a lovely child,” Xia Mingyu smiled warmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, it wasn’t a lie—he truly felt that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had never liked children, but this one, so quiet, sweet, and always smiling, was one any normal person would adore.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He rarely shows such warmth to strangers. He must truly like Your Highness,” Danielle chuckled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“By the way, little Hayden’s strength—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu suddenly remembered: when his finger had been grabbed, though faint, he had felt a slight sting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That strength might be normal for an adult, but for a baby two months old? It was terrifying.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He’s even crushed wooden slats in his crib. The nurses dare not feed him—he only calms down when I do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As she spoke, a tender smile flickered in Danielle’s eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“After examination, it was determined that little Hayden was born with the Gift of Great Strength.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gift—Xia Mingyu recalled reading about it: in this world, an extremely rare few possessed, beyond their birth blessings and occupational blessings, some extraordinary ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Such abilities were called Divine Gifts, granting their bearers wondrous, almost unbelievable powers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the Gift of Great Strength was undoubtedly one such Divine Gift.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems little Hayden’s future will be extraordinary indeed!” Xia Mingyu exclaimed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If his infant strength already rivaled an adult’s, what would his strength be as a grown man? He couldn’t even imagine.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heh, little Hayden’s future will indeed be extraordinary—but not because of his Gift,” Danielle’s eyes gleamed with mischief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But because of Your Highness’s own words.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I believe that with Your Highness’s blessing, my child will grow strong and one day kneel before your throne, achieving greatness.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Danielle bowed low, deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nightfall. The moon hung high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Top of the Clock Tower.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That woman really gave it up!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Elise gazed at the blue magic crystal radiating cold waves from the wooden box, sighing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That crystal is worth at least three gold sols!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That much?” Xia Mingyu was startled by the price.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, the entire year’s tax revenue from Fruit Basket Village was only twenty-one silver sols—roughly half a gold sol.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hundreds of people in Fruit Basket Village, laboring for six years, could barely afford one such crystal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xia Mingyu deeply felt the terrifying consumption gap between the noble class and the common folk in this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1020,"2026-06-19T22:18:43.340Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","afe27e55211fc377056f3cf0d082f8f4a738b68da6e94024e11cfcdbb5cc938e","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-45","heir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-chapter-43",186,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fheir-to-the-kingdom-of-1-4-billion-citizens-cover.jpg"]