Chapter Seventy-Nine: Day Cannot Understand the Night’s Sorrow

At this moment, Feng Qiuji was like a phantom in the dark, drifting restlessly from room to room. She had searched everywhere but could not find Ling Zetian or the others. She was on the verge of madness—if Ling Zetian truly had his way with that other Feng Qiuji, what was she supposed to do?

“Ah Nuo, it’s so late—why are you running around instead of sleeping?”

Ling Shunuo turned and saw Ling Zetian. He glanced around but saw no one else. Curiously, he asked, “Huh? Where’s Feng Qiuji?”

“You’re getting more and more unruly lately,” Ling Zetian's face darkened at his direct use of the name. “From now on, you must call her ‘Mother Empress.’”

“Oh. Where’s my mother then? Where did she go?”

Ling Zetian sighed, giving up on correcting him further. He walked over, scooped the child up, and carried him back to the room. “She’s sleeping. Why are you looking for her so late?” Lighting a candle, they entered the room.

“You didn’t do anything with her, did you?” Ah Nuo tugged at Ling Zetian’s sleeve.

“What could I possibly do with her?”

“Stuff husbands and wives do!”

Ling Zetian gave him a strange look and sat down on the bed with the boy in his arms. “Who’s been telling you these things?”

“I’ve always known, Father,” Ah Nuo nuzzled closer. “I really want to go home soon. I don’t like it here. I want to eat your cooking.”

At that moment, Feng Qiuji noticed the candlelight in the room and floated in to investigate. The first thing she saw was Ling Shunuo snuggling in Ling Zetian’s arms, acting spoiled. Once, such a scene of fatherly tenderness would have moved her to tears. But ever since she learned that Ling Shunuo was actually a fifteen-year-old junior high student, she felt increasingly uneasy around him. After all, such a young, adorable body housed the soul of a fifteen-year-old who knew everything—no matter how she looked at it, it was unsettling.

Watching Ling Shunuo act so cutesy now, she could hardly stand it. With acting skills like that, maybe he was interested in men! She recalled how, when she first met Ling Shunuo, he would cling to Ling Zetian’s leg and act spoiled, taking every opportunity to touch him. There was also that incident in the Chaoyun Palace, where he groped her, and often, when playing together, he’d let her kiss him. Now, looking back, she felt nauseated—this kid was such a faker. Already fifteen, yet still pretending to be innocent! Here she was, an eighteen-year-old girl, forced to be a mother to a boy three years her junior, and she’d been taken advantage of for so long. It was infuriating!

She wanted nothing more than to rush over and give Ling Shunuo a good kick. But at that moment, Ling Shunuo was gazing up with wide, innocent eyes and a sweet smile, clearly delighted to be in Ling Zetian’s embrace.

Ling Shunuo noticed Feng Qiuji fuming and flailing about, but simply ignored her.

Naturally, Ling Zetian had no idea about the silent war between the two. Holding Ah Nuo, his mind wandered through a thousand thoughts. Ah Nuo was, after all, the child of Yan Wuying. Ling Zetian had long since decided that once the boy was older, he would allow him to reclaim his heritage and surname. Letting him bear the surname Ling had been a matter of necessity. Ling Zetian had raised him since infancy; the boy was exceptionally intelligent, far beyond his years. Though only four, his abilities were remarkable. Ling Zetian was certain he would accomplish great things, and thus he had always been strict, determined to cultivate such a promising seedling.

“Ah Nuo, do you think your father is too strict with you?” With so many affairs to manage, he only found time to visit Jin Xiu Palace on occasion. After Feng Qiuji began playing with Ah Nuo, he saw the boy even less. Yet a father’s communication with his son was essential.

He expected Ah Nuo to say yes, but instead, the boy smiled and replied, “I know you’re strict because you want me to succeed, Father. You want the best for me.”

Ling Zetian paused, then gently patted his back. “Good boy.” His heart swelled with pride. As expected from Yan Wuying’s son—if the couple’s spirits could see this, they too would be gladdened.

“Though I’m young, I know right from wrong. I still remember, when I was two, I accidentally fell into a pond. By the time I was rescued, I was barely alive and then developed a high fever. You stayed by my side for days, unable to eat, pacing anxiously in the palace.”

Two years old! If Feng Qiuji didn’t know he was actually fifteen, she’d be amazed—surely a prodigy!

“And then there was that time I set fire to Consort Lian’s favorite dress because I didn’t like her—and nearly burned down the house. You punished me severely, but afterwards, you worried about my injuries and had the best medicine brought for me.”

Set fire to Consort Lian’s dress?! Feng Qiuji, listening from the side, tried to recall, but couldn’t remember the incident. Still, she thought it was brilliantly done—she could hardly suppress her urge to applaud.

Ling Shunuo glanced at Feng Qiuji, then continued, “And you wouldn’t let me leave Jin Xiu Palace, really to keep me safe. But I hated being cooped up, so I’d often sneak out at midnight, climbing over walls and wandering the palace.”

Climbing walls?! Feng Qiuji was astonished. With such a small frame, how did he manage that? Truly impressive—not something an ordinary child could do.

After hearing all this, Ling Zetian felt much better. Communication really was the foundation of understanding. He realized now that he had underestimated Ah Nuo.

“Ah Nuo, do you like Mother Empress very much?”

Ling Shunuo glanced at Feng Qiuji again and smiled sweetly. “Yes, I like Mother Empress very much. I hope Father and Mother can live happily together.”

“You ran away last time to find her, didn’t you?” Ling Zetian’s tone grew soft. “If one day you and I were the only ones left in the palace, would you leave again?”

“No, because Mother Empress will always be here.”

How touching, how sweet this conversation was—but the more Feng Qiuji listened, the more uncomfortable she felt. This brat really knew how to talk. Ling Zetian was only a few years older; at best, he could be his elder brother, yet Ah Nuo shamelessly called him “Father” for years. Truly brazen.

“All right, time to sleep.” Ling Zetian didn’t want to tell him that Feng Qiuji might not be around much longer; he didn’t wish to upset him.

After watching the two drift off to sleep, Feng Qiuji found herself bored again. In her current state, she neither needed to eat nor sleep—she was beginning to question the very meaning of existence.

So she floated off, intent on becoming a midnight spirit.

She had barely gone a few steps when she heard someone sighing endlessly in the courtyard.

Curious, she drifted over to investigate, only to discover that the person was none other than Ling Zexin.

Feng Qiuji found it odd—she always thought Ling Zexin was the type to live carefree. Now, seeing him sighing alone in the dead of night, she wondered what could possibly trouble him.

Of course, she knew nothing of his woes. In fact, he had just received a letter: his home had burned down.

Ling Zexin had barely set out on his journey when someone from Prince Xin’s residence had been dispatched to inform him. Unfortunately, they missed his ship and had to take another, braving the open sea. Their loyalty and perseverance in delivering the letter were truly unmatched.

Here’s what happened: after Ah Nuo disappeared, Ling Zexin immediately sent people to search and rushed to the palace to inform Ling Zetian. Since it was his fault—Ah Nuo had escaped from his residence—he felt responsible and accompanied Ling Zetian in the search. However, in the midst of all this, he forgot something crucial: Sakura Blossom was still at his home.

Those days happened to coincide with payday, so the young ladies Ling Zexin kept outside began showing up to collect their allowances. With the prince absent and the steward unaware of the situation, money was handed out haphazardly. Eventually, a horde of women gathered at the gates, all claiming to be the prince’s. When the steward saw their numbers, he panicked—at this rate, they’d have to sell the residence to pay everyone! The emperor was away, so there was no hope of borrowing from the palace.

When Sakura Blossom learned of the commotion—women clamoring at the gate day and night—she was infuriated. Investigating the situation, she realized they were all former lovers of Ling Zexin. Enraged, she disregarded all attempts to stop her and set fire to the Xin Prince’s residence, then clapped her hands and went home.

Aside from the immense financial loss of rebuilding, refurnishing, and redecorating, what pained Ling Zexin most was his ruined reputation. The incident caused a sensation in the capital—he had become the butt of every joke. How could he not be heartbroken?

Yet that wasn’t the worst of it. He had nearly won the heart of his beloved Flower Maiden, only to lose her forever. The bride he had painstakingly chosen was gone, and all this after being away just a day or two. How could so much trouble befall his household in such a short time? How could he sleep? Tomorrow he’d have to ask his imperial brother for a loan to rebuild—otherwise, the dignified Prince of Ling would be left homeless, forced to sleep on the streets!