Chapter 373: Prince Qi's Regret
Chapter 373: Prince Qi's Regret
Upon returning to the mansion and discovering that the Emperor had prepared additional snacks for her, Suisui joyfully exclaimed, "For my brothers! I want to eat with them!"
Suisui was not possessive over food.
On the contrary, surrounded by the love of her brothers, she had learned to share.
During lunch, she had wondered if she could share these treats with her brothers.
However, being in the palace, Suisui reminded herself to be mindful of her words and actions, and not to make arbitrary demands.
The Emperor...
Even though he was her uncle, he was also the ruler of the realm, and his authority must not be challenged.
Now, seeing the snacks, Suisui was so excited that she wished she could fly to her brothers immediately.
Unfortunately, her brothers were still in school.
Thinking of this, Suisui hugged the snack box with a hint of disappointment and sighed, "When will my brothers be back?"
"Are they coming back soon?"
"How long is a while?"
"Are they almost back?"
"What? It's still going to be a long time?"
...
The little girl asked incessantly, and Prince Qi patiently answered each time.
He did not find the repetitive questions annoying.
In fact, Prince Qi found this back-and-forth rather amusing.
He rarely had such opportunities to witness a child's growth up close.
Now that he was experiencing it, he felt a sense of novelty.
At the same time, a rare sense of guilt emerged within Prince Qi.
He realized that he had paid too little attention to his children's growth over the years.
Now that his eldest son was of marriageable age, he realized that their shared memories from childhood were scarce.
Prince Qi felt a pang of regret and remorse.
He thought that he should at least try to make up for it somehow.
As these thoughts swirled in Prince Qi's mind, Suisui continued to hold onto the food box, asking question after question.
Children are often unaware that asking the same question repeatedly can be irritating.
She was simply eager to know the answer.
Even after receiving a response and confirmation, she still wanted to ask again.
Driven by her eagerness for an answer, she kept questioning the adults who knew the situation.
Only after asking and receiving an answer would she feel reassured.
However, before long, anxiety would creep back into her heart, and she would worry about that answer again, or want to confirm it once more, leading to yet another round of questions.
Prince Qi remained patient and consistently replied, "They'll be back soon."
"Your brothers want to be well-behaved, so they'll be back soon."
"It won't be long now."
...
Children often have a poor sense of time.
So, when Prince Qi said it would be soon or just a moment, Suisui probably understood that it wouldn't be long, and then she would ask again.
The little girl seemed to realize that asking the same question repeatedly might test her father's patience, so she quickly climbed onto his lap and snuggled up to him, giving him kisses on his slightly rough face.
Prince Qi couldn't help but break into a wide grin, his smile reaching his eyes, as he doted on his daughter.
Princess Qi, listening to Aunt Qiu's report on the mansion's affairs, watched this heartwarming scene and couldn't help but smile with contentment.
Children...
They truly are magical.
When Feng Xuanrui and the others returned, Suisui eagerly rushed over to share the delicious treats with them.
Such delicacies must not be missed by her brothers; it would be a shame!
Feng Xuanrui hadn't tasted the palace snacks in a while, and the aroma made his mouth water.
He hugged his sister first and then took her hand to enjoy the snacks together.
Being the eldest, Feng Xuancang felt a bit embarrassed to eat too much.
However, Suisui didn't think that way. Seeing that her third brother was eating sparingly, she immediately pushed the plate full of snacks into his hands, urging, "Third brother, eat more!"
Feng Xuancang was both amused and touched by his sister's small gesture.
Suisui wanted to reach up and stroke her little brother's soft hair, but he refused with a giggle: "No, no! If you touch it, you won't be able to eat snacks anymore!"
After speaking, Suisui was afraid that her third brother would be disappointed, so she blinked and said in a sweet voice, "Third brother, after you finish eating, Suisui will pat your head again."
The little girl was not only sweet-talking but also knew how to coax people at such a young age.
Feng Xuan Cang was so coaxed by the treats that he almost stuffed them into his nostrils. It was Feng Xuan Jie who finally reminded him.
The children gathered together happily.
Prince Qi felt guilty for having played with Suisui earlier, so he wanted to compensate the children.
After dinner, instead of letting the children play, Prince Qi called each of them to his side and inquired about their studies for the day, their insights from martial arts training, and so on.
The Feng family brothers were perplexed: "What? An exam out of the blue?
We just want to play, please let us go! No one wants to take an exam!"
The only problem was the intimidating look in the father king's eyes.
Such a loving gaze...
It felt as if a stick could come flying out and strike them at any moment.
Was this the calm before the storm?
Feng Xuan Cang, being the eldest, vaguely understood his father king's intentions, but he wasn't entirely sure. He felt a slight unease, a gentle flutter of anxiety.
However, the younger brothers, Feng Xuan Rui and the others, were too young to comprehend.
They just felt...
It was the end of the world for them!
Could it be that Father King had found out about their lack of focus during classes today?
But they hadn't paid attention yesterday either!
So what did Father King mean when he said that he didn't expect them to be outstanding, just not blind would do?
How could they be taking an exam now?
Feng Xuan Rui frantically scratched his head, feeling flustered.
Meanwhile, Feng Xuan Bin was contemplating whether feigning illness could help him escape this predicament.
The ever-sharp Feng Xuan Bo was also unable to decipher his father king's intentions. He stealthily glanced at his mother queen and met her eyes, which held a hint of a smile.
"Oh no, this smile," Feng Xuan Bo thought.
"I'm scared! Mother, your son needs your help!"
"Help!"
Alas, it was his turn now.
One by one, from the eldest Feng Xuan Cang to the youngest Feng Xuan Bin, the five brothers underwent a thorough examination, both in academics and martial arts. None of them escaped this fate.
But the conundrum was, after the exam, Prince Qi lovingly caressed their heads and exclaimed with emotion: "My, how you've all grown up! Good children!"
Feng Xuan Bin: "What?
I'm not that grown-up!
I'm still little!
I've just gained some weight, but that's not my fault!
Mother Queen explained that it's normal for him to put on some weight during this growth spurt, and that it wouldn't be an issue as he would slim down again once he started practicing martial arts more intensively.
Moreover, Feng Xuan Bin didn't consider himself fat.
When he sat on an opponent during a fight, they often struggled to get back up, finding his extra padding quite useful.
He cherished this extra layer of protection and had no desire to slim down.
But...
What did Father King mean by that look?
That gaze made the little boy anxious.
Feng Xuan Bin quietly sidled closer to Suisui, seeking solace in her proximity.
Then, he squeezed himself against Feng Xuan Rui, who was equally flustered, and received a bite on his head for his troubles.
Feng Xuan Bin yelped in surprise.
Prince Qi, who had been conversing with Feng Xuan Cang, lifted his head at the sound and glanced over.
Feng Xuan Bin clenched his buttocks in fear, forcing a brave smile despite his trepidation. "Father King, I'm practicing my vocalization."
Feng Xuan Rui: "Huh?"
(End of Chapter)
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