Chapter 1533: The Regent Prince Dotes on Me Too Much—What Should I Do? 02

After the morning court the next day, Jin Chen finally woke up, opened his eyes and saw Xie Zhiwei standing beside the dragon bed, smiling silently.

Jin Chen dazed for a while before slowly sitting up, then shifted inward a bit.

"Little Royal Uncle, do you have something to say?"

Xie Zhiwei sat down accordingly, as if not noticing Jin Chen's retreat, "Today's royal hunt, Your Majesty should get up early to prepare."

Today? Oh no! In the royal hunt, the original self suffered a serious injury!

Jin Chen stared, "You…… why didn't you say yesterday?"

Xie Zhiwei seemed doubtful, "Didn't Your Majesty order me to go out yesterday?"

Jin Chen: "……"

You're as old as I am! You're holding a grudge, right!

Perhaps the little emperor's expression was too wonderful, Xie Zhiwei's eyes smiled a bit more, "Come, let me help Your Majesty change clothes."

These words were meant for the attending palace maids; his tone naturally turned cold, and Jin Chen furtively glanced at him.

Since changing clothes inevitably brings them close, but the palace maids only attend to their usual duties, never making any extra moves.

But today, Xie Zhiwei found this scene somewhat glaring no matter how he looked at it.

Jin Chen had only been by his side for fourteen years, still a bean-sized child who hadn't grown, spending all day crying and wishing for the deceased former emperor.

Now, approaching adulthood, Xie Zhiwei only just realized that the little emperor had already grown into the noble bearing and heroic appearance unique to a true dragon Son of Heaven.

"In the blink of an eye, many years have passed, Your Majesty has grown considerably." Xie Zhiwei said, rose, and approached Jin Chen standing beside the bed, taking the brocade robe the palace maids had prepared for him, "I will help Your Majesty change clothes."

Who would have thought that as he drew near, Jin Chen stumbled, his legs going weak and almost falling flat on his butt, barely steadying himself by holding the bed's edge.

Xie Zhiwei's raised hand froze mid-air, his chilling aura spreading instantly. The only sound in the hall was the palace maids kneeling.

Utterly embarrassing!!

Jin Chen trembled as he stood up—who could have imagined this body could be so frightened! Just Xie Zhiwei's approach made his legs go weak as a reflex!

Xie Zhiwei pulled Jin Chen's arm, drawing him close, and softened his voice, "Your Majesty, don't be afraid."

But no matter how you listen, that tone sounds dangerous.

Jin Chen stiffened his body, "I, I'm not afraid!"

Jin Chen simply closed his eyes and let him handle the clothing, treating himself like a living clothes rack.

But upon second thought, that won't do—he needs to get over this quickly! He can't avoid all contact forever.

Thus Jin Chen's thoughts sprang back to life. While Xie Zhiwei fastened his outer robe, Jin Chen suddenly turned pale and felt light-headed, instinctively grabbing onto something to steady himself—throwing himself into Xie Zhiwei's embrace.

"Your Majesty?" Xie Zhiwei, being embraced around the waist, had no time to think how odd the pose was, "What's wrong?"

"I… feel dizzy and blurry."

Jin Chen gave a casual reply, enduring his weak legs as he spoke, his chin resting on Xie Zhiwei's shoulder, his tone drawn out.

"Little Royal Uncle…… I feel terrible."

So better not let me go to the hunting grounds! You all have fun!

Not to mention that, even at fourteen, Jin Chen had never acted so spoiled; only when truly frightened would he give a pleading, pitiful look.

Xie Zhiwei had indeed never encountered such a situation; for a moment he felt dazed, his palm hesitating before patting Jin Chen's back.

"Your Majesty, listen; you are the Son of Heaven and must preside over the hunting grounds."

He supported Jin Chen's shoulders, lifting the seemingly frail teenage emperor from his embrace, his tone unconsciously softening a bit more.

"I will accompany Your Majesty."

Although Xie Zhiwei didn't know what medicine Jin Chen had taken today, it didn't stop the slight unease from earlier from turning into renewed cheer; when in a good mood, he always liked to chat a few more words with Jin Chen.

Jin Chen could only agree, weakly supporting his forehead and nodding, "Then today I'll trouble you, Little Royal Uncle……" Alright, just arrived and already facing a life‑or‑death crisis—can this frail body hold up?

I thought the morning's stimulation would pass like that, but who knew the stimulating topics would come one after another.

According to precedent, Xie Zhiwei would already be at the Imperial Study reviewing memorials at this time, but today, perhaps because they were to go together to the hunting grounds, the Regent Prince surprisingly remained in the palace to share breakfast with Jin Chen.

He also brought up the matter discussed at today's morning court.

"You want to help Your Majesty select concubines?"

Jin Chen's jade spoon almost slipped into the soup bowl, his downcast peach‑blossom eyes suddenly widening in surprise, "Or is this being discussed collectively by all the officials? This has never been brought up before—why bring it up now?"

Xie Zhiwei wiped his mouth leisurely and said lightly, "It's already late May; by mid‑autumn in August, Your Majesty will come of age—it's time to fill the harem."

You should know that up to now, Jin Chen's harem still has not a single woman, and rumors have already spread among the officials.

Jin Chen thought it over, continued to sip his soup calmly, appearing completely indifferent, "Everything will be as you arrange, Little Royal Uncle."

Xie Zhiwei's expression unchanged, he merely glanced sideways at the youthful profile of Jin Chen lowering his head to drink soup, "What does Your Majesty yourself think?"

"Does my opinion matter?" Jin Chen tilted his head to look at him, his tone carrying no sarcasm or irony, just genuine puzzlement.

He is a puppet emperor, a mere blood‑supply waste for Xie Zhiwei—what importance could his opinion have?

Xie Zhiwei seemed to grasp the meaning behind Jin Chen's words, his expression instantly sinking, a vague heaviness weighing on his heart.

Silence lingered; after Jin Chen had eaten his fill, Xie Zhiwei continued, "If that's the case, let's first select an empress for Your Majesty—the daughter of the Minister of Works, Chu Qingqing. What do you think, Your Majesty?"

The Minister of Works' daughter……

Jin Chen lowered his eyes in thought; in the original plot, the Minister of Works had shifted from being Xie Zhiwei's man to becoming the protagonist's ally, a total fence‑sitter.

But his legitimate daughter Chu Qingqing is indeed a clever woman; later she entered the court as a female official relying on her martial prowess.

"I think… it's fine." Jin Chen still didn't object, smiled at Xie Zhiwei, though his lovely peach‑blossom eyes held little joy.

Xie Zhiwei's inner unease grew even stronger.

He has always been a difficult master; immediately he also had no intention of keeping Jin Chen company for breakfast, coldly bidding farewell and striding away.

Jin Chen, frightened, drank two more bowls of soup.

——

The royal hunting grounds.

As soon as Jin Chen got off the carriage, he saw a crowd gathered there, ready to pay their respects; the leader was the protagonist attacking Mu Zhongzheng, who had died many years ago and was a personal disciple of the former emperor.

"Your subjects pay their respects, Your Majesty; long live Your Majesty, long live, long live forever."

Jin Chen steadied himself with the help of the guards, but immediately the wind from outside blew through him, chilling him to the bone; he silently wrapped his cloak around himself and slipped behind the only person still standing, Xie Zhiwei, to block the wind.

"All of you, rise," Jin Chen said, then turned to Xie Zhiwei; his voice trembled in the gale, "Little imperial uncle, I… I'm so cold!"

Xie Zhiwei: ""

The wind outside blew from all directions; Xie Zhiwei could only pull Jin Chen into his embrace to block the wind, "Your Majesty, please follow me into the tent quickly."

He never cared what others thought; naturally, the officials present didn't dare to stare.

Except for Mu Zhongzheng.

Mu Zhongzheng stood closest to them, watching the little emperor calmly waiting in Xie Zhiwei's embrace, and was utterly puzzled.

Last time he entered the palace, he had clearly driven Jin Chen's and Xie Zhiwei's relationship to rock bottom, and Jin Chen firmly believed that Xie Zhiwei was out to kill him.

How could it be that only half a month has passed, and Jin Chen has become as foolish as before!

"Han Zhou, take what this prince brought and go see His Majesty."

"Yes." Han Zhou nodded, glanced at Xie Zhiwei's personal guards without a trace, then quickly averted his gaze.