The Emperor Has An Illness

Names mentioned in this chapter (which can also be found in the glossary):

-廖青青(Liào qīngqīng)- Liao Qing Qing, the female lead. 

-景礼帝(jǐng lǐ ​​dì)- Emperor Jing Li, the male lead.

-荷香(Hé ​​xiāng)- He Xiang, the female lead’s maidservant

-费费(fèi fèi)- Fei Fei, the nickname of Liao Qing Qing’s child.

Current Ranking: Empress Dowager → Empress → Worthy Consort + Virtuous Consort →  Lady Li of Graceful Ceremony → Ye Liangyi + Wu Liangyi → Noble Lady Liao + Noble Lady Jiang + Noble Lady Liang

In early May, the weather was warm.

Emperor Jing Li had gone to the imperial court early in the morning.

Liao Qing Qing opened her eyes when the sun shone into the bedroom and saw Fei Fei lying on the edge of the bed.

“Mother!” Fei Fei’s voice was filled with excitement.

Liao Qing Qing was instantly in a good mood. She reached out to touch Fei Fei’s tender little face. When Fei Fei was a year old, he had just learned to walk. He could only speak one word at a time. So, Liao Qing Qing did not let Fei Fei call the tricky pronunciation of “Imperial Father” and “Queen Mother”, but “Dad” and “Mum”.

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Empress Dowager and Emperor Jing Li unanimously agreed to this.

Children from ordinary families also called their parents “Dad” and “Mum”.

Affectionate!

They wanted Fei Fei to be a good imperial prince who understood folk customs, life, etc.

So Fei Fei would call them “Dad” and “Mum” early on.

“Mum!” Fei Fei shouted again, “Wake up!”

“Fei Fei is awake, huh?” Liao Qing Qing asked with a smile as she opened her eyes to see her extremely handsome son. She felt pleased.

“Mm. Mum!”

“Do you miss Mum?”

“Miss!”

“Did you sleep well yesterday?”

“Yes!”

“Have you eaten breakfast in the morning?”

“I ate.”

“So obedient!” Liao Qing Qing gave Fei Fei a kiss on his fleshy little face.

Fei Fei loved his gentle and beautiful mother. Every time she kissed him, he was overjoyed. Now, he was also excited. His tiny hands patted the bed.

Liao Qing Qing knew that Fei Fei was easily excited and happy. She laughed and said, “Calm down. Calm down. Let’s be calm.”

Fei Fei’s tiny hands covered his mouth as he smiled.

His little face was extraordinarily adorable.

Liao Qing Qing’s heart felt like it had melted as she reached out and cupped Fei Fei’s tiny face, “Son, why are you so good-looking and so cute? Mother is so infatuated[1] by you!”

Fei Fei seemed to understand. Some embarrassment appeared on his tiny face.

Liao Qing Qing couldn’t control herself and kissed Fei Fei again.

Fei Fei was ecstatic.

Liao Qing Qing couldn’t lie in bed anymore, so she summoned He Xiang to come in and serve her. From dressing and washing her face to dressing up, Fei Fei followed Liao Qing Qing. He was simply Liao Qing Qing’s young fanboy.

Liao Qing Qing looked at her adorable son. Her eyes were so gentle as she asked, “Is Fei Fei hungry? Do you want to eat some more with your mother for breakfast?”

Fei Fei immediately nodded his tiny head.

“Come, let’s go and have our meal.”

Fei Fei immediately held Liao Qing Qing’s hand with his chubby hand.

The corners of Liao Qing Qing’s mouth raised. Once they sat down at the table, Fei Fei began to look around. Then, his grape-like black eyes stared at Liao Qing Qing, and he shouted in his child’s voice, “Dad! Dad!”

Liao Qing Qing said in a warm voice, “Your dad went to the imperial court to discuss something. He will be back later. Let’s eat first, alright?”

Usually, Emperor Jing Li always accompanied Liao Qing Qing and Fei Fei to eat breakfast. Today, Emperor Jing Li was not present. Fei Fei was somewhat not used to it. Fei Fei heard his mother’s words and nodded his head. “Alright.”

Liao Qing Qing gave Fei Fei a bun with her chopsticks.

Fei Fei stretched his arms out, took it and ate it with a blissful expression.

Liao Qing Qing did not restrict Fei Fei from following the rules of the palace, which would exterminate his naivety. It was better for children to play so that their hearts were brighter, and he would have a therapeutic childhood, healing him for his entire life.

“Is it yummy?” Liao Qing Qing asked.

Fei Fei nodded his head.

“Eat slowly, don’t choke.”

“Mm.” Fei Fei passed the bun in his hand towards Liao Qing Qing’s mouth.

Liao Qing Qing happily took a bite.

Fei Fei smiled like a sunflower.

The breakfast was quickly finished, and Liao Qing Qing personally washed Fei Fei’s face, washed his hands and changed his clothes.

He Xiang said at the side, “Your Majesty, there is still the ceremony of paying respects at Yujie Garden today. By now, Virtuous Consort and the others should have arrived.”

Since the downfall of Noble Liang and the demotion of Worthy Consort, due to several mistakes she had made, which caused her to enter the cold palace, the concubines in the harem all knew that Emperor Jing Li loved only the Empress.

With the previous experience of Noble Lady Liang, they also gave up their thoughts and settled down. They raised dogs, played with cats, planted flowers, and did needlework…. Each imperial concubine found their place.

The harem was calm and peaceful.

In order for Liao Qing Qing to take better care of Fei Fei, the ceremony of paying respects every day was changed to every three days.

Now it was time for the ceremony of paying respect.

Liao Qing Qing nodded and said, “Bengong[2] will go as soon as I am ready.”

He Xiang answered, “Yes.”

Liao Qing Qing picked up Fei Fei and said softly, “Fei Fei, Queen Mother is going to Jieyu Garden to deal with some matters. You can play here by yourself first. Queen Mother will be back later, okay?”

“Dad!” Fei Fei said.

“Yes, your Imperial Father will be back in a while. Let him play with you.”

“Mm.”

“Then Queen Mother will leave now.”

Fei Fei did not say anything. His two small hands suddenly cupped Liao Qing Qing’s face, and his tiny mouth kissed Liao Qing Qing with a smooch.

The sound was particularly loud.

Liao Qing Qing couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

After putting Fei Fei down, Liao Qing Qing was in a happy mood and took He Xiang and the others to Zhengqian Palace.

Fei Fei was alone in Zhengqian Palace.

He wandered around the room. He carried some puzzle toys that Liao Qing Qing had made, sat down on the floor and started playing with them.

After playing for a while, he was bored of it. He raised his eyes and saw the swing in the courtyard. He rushed to the swing. He was already walking unsteadily, so he ran like a drunkard, and his tiny body wobbled.

At this moment, he was about to fall over.

The palace maids and eunuchs at the side all had their hearts in their throats. The Eldest Imperial Prince was the most precious person to the Empress Dowager, the Emperor and the Empress. Even though the masters and mistresses did not mind the Eldest Imperial Prince falling, they were afraid.

They unconsciously stretched out their arms in a ready stance to “save” their master.

When he was about to arrive at the swing, there was a sudden “plop” sound.

Fei Fei fell.

“Eldest Imperial Prince, Eldest Imperial Prince!” The palace maids and eunuchs quickly stepped forward.

But Fei Fei’s movements were swifter. His chubby limbs propped up on the ground. His child’s voice made a little “hehe” and wobbled to stand up. He took two steps forward and held onto the swing.

Then, he let out a giggle.

The palace maids, “….”

The eunuchs, “….”

This was originally a child’s version of the swing made by Emperor Jing Li, so Fei Fei climbed up easily and turned his head to the palace maids and eunuchs. He shouted “ah, ah, ah,” which meant “Come on, come and push me.”

The palace maid came forward and slowly pushed Fei Fei.

Fei Fei sat on the swing. As he heard the wind whistling in his ears, he shouted happily, “Yah-ho! Yah-ho!”

He was having a great time.

Just then, Fei Fei saw Emperor Jing Li entering the doorway. His eyes instantly lit up as he patted the hands of the palace maid and told her to stop while he quickly ran towards him.

“Dad! Dad!”

Emperor Jing Li had only just heard a child’s voice when he saw the cannonball-like wobbly person rushing towards him and hugging his legs at once.

He didn’t need to look to know it was Fei Fei.

He looked down and picked Fei Fei up.

Fei Fei’s small arms wrapped around Emperor Jing Li’s neck instantly. “Dad!”

“Ay!” Emperor Jing Li asked, “Where is your Queen Mother?”

Fei Fei stretched out his hand and pointed in the direction of Jieyu Garden.

“She went to attend to matters?.” Emperor Jing Li asked.

Fei Fei nodded his head.

“Alright. Then, Fei Fei will eat breakfast with Imperial Father.”

Fei Fei immediately nodded his head.

“Your Majesty.” The palace maid at the side interjected, “After the Eldest Imperial Prince woke up at dawn, he drank goat’s milk and ate eggs. Just now, he ate buns and drank rice porridge with Her Majesty, the Empress, so he cannot eat anymore.”

“I can!” Once Fei Fei heard “he can’t eat anymore”, he was instantly unhappy. He flung his little hands in anger. “I can!”

Emperor Jing Li said, “I understand.”

Then Emperor Jing Li had his breakfast alone.

Fei Fei watched him from the side.

However, Emperor Jing Li did not torture Fei Fei for long. He quickly finished his breakfast. He happened to be free, so he carried Fei Fei and played with him for a while. But Liao Qing Qing had not returned.

He then took Fei Fei to sit on the soft couch in the bedroom and played with blocks with Fei Fei.

The blocks were made by the palace carpenters from the drawings drawn by Liao Qing Qing.

The workmanship was exquisite and meticulous.

Not only did Fei Fei like to play with it, but Emperor Jing Li also played with it from time to time.

The father and son played with the set of house blocks at this time. They had played with them before, and they were having a competition now.

It was a competition to see who could stack the blocks quickly and who could stack them high.

One by one, the blocks were stacked, and they fell.

The father and son rushed to pick up the small blocks and started piling them up again.

One block.

Two blocks.

Three blocks.

……

Twenty blocks. The father and son kept taking the small wooden pieces. When only the last block was left, Fei Fei reached out and was just about to grab it before Emperor Jing Li snatched it away.

Snatched?!

Fei Fei was unresigned. He stepped forward to snatch it.

Would Emperor Jing Li yield to his son?

Not a chance.

Emperor Jing Li did not give it to Fei Fei.

Fei Fei immediately got up, screamed “ah, ah,” and clung to Emperor Jing Li’s body. It was as if he was saying, “It’s mine. I caught it first. It’s mine”, and his two tiny hands were trying to open Emperor Jing Li’s clenched hands.

How could he be able to pry open Emperor Jing Li’s hands? He was furious and used his killer move.

Bite!

He lay on Emperor Jing Li’s arms and bit it.

Emperor Jing Li let out an “ah” sound.

Fei Fei hurriedly let go of his mouth and raised his tiny face to look at Emperor Jing Li. His clear eyes, which were like Liao Qing Qing’s, blinked a few times.

Emperor Jing Li suddenly grabbed Fei Fei’s tiny hand and opened his mouth to bite it.

In an instant, two rows of teeth marks appeared on Fei Fei’s small bread-like arms. He froze for a moment, immediately turned his tiny body and plopped onto the soft couch. His small butt faced the edge of the couch and slowly moved back till he reached the edge. Then, he carefully slid downwards.

After his two little feet touched the ground, he stood up straight.

He ran straight out of the room without even looking at Emperor Jing Li.

Emperor Jing Li asked in confusion, “Where are you going?”

Fei Fei ignored Emperor Jing Li and ran straight out. It just so happened that Liao Qing Qing had just returned.

Fei Fei bumped into Liao Qing Qing.

Liao Qing Qing smiled and said, “Fei Fei, why are you running so fast?”

When Fei Fei looked up, he saw that it was his mother and burst into tears.

Liao Qing Qing hurriedly picked Fei Fei up and asked in confusion, “Mother’s big baby, what’s wrong with you? Why are you crying?”

Fei Fei showed his tiny hand to Liao Qing Qing.

Liao Qing Qing instantly saw two rows of red marks, and her gaze faltered as she asked, “How did this happen?”

As he was about to ask the palace maids, Fei Fei sobbed aggrievedly, turned and pointed his fleshy little finger at Emperor Jing Li. He said, “Dad! Bite!”

???

Liao Qing Qing looked at Emperor Jing Li in bewilderment.

Emperor Jing Li raised his hand and pointed at Fei Fei, “Wifey, he bit me first!”

Liao Qing Qing, “….”

Fei Fei: “……”

The author has something to say: ——

Fei Fei: He’s bullying me for not being able to speak!

Emperor Jing Li: You’re bullying me because you’re young!

Liao Qing Qing: =口=！

[1] 迷得不要不要(mí de bùyào bùyào)- When it is translated literally, it would mean ‘to be charmed, don’t want, don’t want’. It means to be charmed by the person, and it may also mean love at first sight.

[2] 本宮 (Běngōng) – I, the one who owns this palace. Such as the queen will call herself ‘the palace’, and the princess with the official title can also call herself ‘this palace’.