Chapter 145: Memorials

The next day, Rong Juan brought the little milk bun to court, while Qin Bi remained preoccupied with that dream.

If the dream were real, was it a past life or the future?

This fictional world also practiced cultivation; the dream world was one of cultivation too. In the dream, it seemed only she commanded immortal arts, while others had not reached her realm nor possessed immortal bodies from birth.

If the dream were true, Qin Bi's lips curled in mockery. Now, that world would be like this cultivation world: no plants grew, rivers dried up, and spiritual power was scarce.

With her departure, everything gradually withered away.

Without her, neither the Emperor nor the Third Prince could turn back the tide.

Serves them right. If the dream were true, Qin Bi would never return for all eternity, to watch how they restored spiritual energy to all things.

If this life were her reincarnation, Qin Bi recalled the dream and found it hard to let go. Perhaps it was merely a dream. If it were real, once she regained her immortal body, she would be formidable.

Dreaming was wonderful; the dreams were so boundless.

It took Qin Bi several days to recover. Rong Juan noticed her mood shift, requested leave from the Great Yan Emperor during court, left the little milk bun in the court hall, and went home to care for Qin Bi.

The little milk bun looked up, took a few steps after him.

The Great Yan Emperor leaned forward from the dragon throne and asked, "Nephew, are you requesting leave too?"

Rong Yang: "..."

The little milk bun looked bewildered. A flash of cunning sparkled in the Prime Minister's eyes; he signaled the Minister of War, and together they decided to keep the child behind. What for? Once Rong He Shizi returned home, they would assign the child homework.

What homework? Memorials.

If Rong He Shizi left, it would be hard to say, but the little one could be caught.

The Prime Minister scooped up the little milk bun. After court adjourned, neither the Prime Minister nor the six Ministers of War departed. A crowd followed the Great Yan Emperor to the Imperial Study, where a stack of memorials was placed before the child.

"Nephew," the Great Yan Emperor said cheerfully, "No rush; let's review the memorials slowly."

The little milk bun sat upright, swinging his little legs: "I don't know how to read memorials."

Even if he couldn't, he couldn't just sit idle. The memorials were tossed to the child and left unattended.

If he got hungry, they gave him pastries; if not, he simply stared at the memorials, eyes wide. If the homework wasn't finished, that would be a problem. The Great Yan Emperor sent Eunuch Fu to escort the child home, taking the stack of memorials along.

At Rong Wang Fu, Rong Juan saw the child return with a stack of memorials and his face turned green.

"Rong Yang," Rong Juan said, sitting in a chair, "Don't you know I must stay home to care for your mother?"

"I know!" The little milk bun tilted his small head: "They won't let me leave the palace without the memorials."

Qin Bi was left speechless by the Great Yan Emperor's maneuver. As for Rong He Shizi, the child wasn't even born yet; even if he was eager to bring the child along, there was no need to rush requesting leave.

A god-like Great Yan Emperor must have a god-like powerful minister's heir.

Neither were ordinary people! Qin Bi was utterly amazed.

"I don't need company," Qin Bi told Rong Juan. "You should still attend court. The memorials are ostensibly homework for Rong Yang. He is so young he can't even recognize all the characters; how could he understand the memorials? They are actually for your official duties, He Shizi."

Rong Juan said nothing, sitting upright in the chair, tapping his fingers on the table.

Later, Qin Bi didn't know how Rong Juan negotiated with the child. Rong Yang left the house clutching a stack of memorials, took a carriage to Yan Guogong Prefecture, and dumped all the memorials on He Yan upon arrival.

He Yan was stunned at first, then looked down at the little milk bun and asked, "Why should I help you review these memorials?"

The little milk bun said nothing, only calling out in a milky voice, "Father."

He Yan stared at the child, said nothing, and kept the memorials. While He Yan processed the documents, the child wandered around Guogong Prefecture. It was summer, and the gardens of Yan Guogong Prefecture were bursting with flowers.

Fu Bao came to play at the estate, acting cute before Guogong Lady, which greatly pleased her. Maids, nannies, and several young ladies gathered nearby to join in the fun, praising how adorable Fu Bao was.

Rong Yang wobbled back. He Yan, holding a brush, asked, "Why don't you go over there?"

Rong Yang climbed onto a carved chair and leaned over the table to watch He Yan review the memorials: "I won't go over."

Just then, a servant returned with freshly baked pastries. He Yan said, "As you wish. If I were you, I'd stride over boldly. It's your own thing; if you don't claim it, it will become someone else's."

Rong Yang stared at the pastries: "Are these for me to eat?"

He Yan gave a low "Hmm," continued writing, paused, then added, "Whatever food you like, tell the servant. Make a list so you won't arrive and find nothing tasty to eat."

Normally, Rong Yang wouldn't come; the child didn't even look at the servant.

The servant was utterly baffled. What was going on? Since the little milk bun arrived clutching a stack of memorials to find He Yan, the servant had been in a daze, unable to figure out what went wrong. Their He Shizi was actually reviewing memorials for someone else.

"Little He Shizi," the servant, who was sharp-witted, recovered from his momentary confusion and hurried to fetch brush, ink, paper, and inkstone: "What do you like to eat? Tell me, and I will write it down."

Rong Yang thought for a moment; he couldn't let his mouth suffer, so he spoke up, and the servant diligently recorded it.

Remembering the melon seeds prepared last time, the servant brought them up.

Rong Yang glanced at them but didn't touch the melon seeds. He Yan, distracted, asked, "You don't like them? I saw you bring melon seeds to court."

"I eat boiled melon seeds," Rong Yang said in a milky voice, picking up a seed to gnaw on. "Fried melon seeds are too hard for my little milk teeth to bite."

He Yan was slightly stunned. He wasn't as skilled at raising children as Rong Juan. Then he sneered; he had no children himself, so how could he possibly know how to raise them? He glanced at the servant, who noted it down: next time, prepare boiled melon seeds.

The servant peeked at the child. Why was the He Shizi so attentive?

Upon closer inspection, "Oh my heavens," the servant thought, "the more I look, the more he resembles our He Shizi."

Realizing this was Qin Bi's child, the servant's heart pounded.

"Little He Shizi," the servant stepped forward and said, "Shall I go to the kitchen right now to boil melon seeds for you?"

Rong Yang held a melon seed to gnaw on and refused: "I'll be home in a little while."

He Yan put down his brush and raised an eyebrow: "You're not taking your memorials?"

"Even if I take them back, I can't read them," Rong Yang said. "Give them to me after you've finished reviewing them."

He Yan said no more. The child was too young; being out for too long made him want to go home.

After reviewing part of the memorials, the child left, clutching them.

The little milk bun wobbled back. Qin Bi didn't know what to say. Now, Rong Juan was on leave at home, while Rong Yang had been entrusted with a heavy responsibility by the Great Yan Emperor. It didn't matter that the child couldn't understand; someone else could.

The next day, Rong Juan did not attend court; the child went to court by himself.

A stack of reviewed memorials was handed up. The Great Yan Emperor flipped through them, stared at the characters on the memorials, and froze. The Prime Minister and the six Ministers glanced at them, exchanged silent glances.

What did this mean? Why was He He Shizi helping to review the memorials?

The Great Yan Emperor was only slightly surprised and did not care which of the two powerful ministers' heirs had reviewed the memorials, as long as it did not trouble him. After court adjourned, Eunuch Fu handed the child another stack of memorials.

Rong Juan was worried; upon returning home, he told Qin Bi and Rong Juan, then took the memorials and went to the Yan Guogong Prefecture again.