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Jun Linyuan grabbed the thing on the table and tossed it to Feng.

“Y- Your Royal Highness…” The eunuch was almost in tears. He would be hung if the crown prince took it away.

Jun Linyuan glanced at him.

“His Majesty… is going to award the princes with Quling tea leaves that Master Linghu sent…” People would die if Jun Linyuan took it away just like this!

“Show me the list.” Jun Linyuan smirked.

Of course the eunuch couldn’t say no to Jun Linyuan, and he took the list out of his chest pocket.

After reading the list, the smirk on Jun Linyuan’s face grew even colder.

Putting away the list, he turned to leave!

“Your Royal Highness…”

The eunuch was really crying from fear now.

Jun Linyuan headed for Cining Palace straight away.

Cining Palace.

The empress dowager was sleeping, and being a considerate son, the emperor didn’t trust anyone else to make her herbal medicine. Right now, he was watching the fire as the concoction bubbled in a pot.

Jun Linyuan showed up at that moment.

The temperature inside Cining Palace plummeted as soon as he walked in!

What was more —

Emperor Wu was fanning the stove, and the fire almost went out from the sudden drop in temperature.

Emperor Wu snapped, “Who’s there?!”

He looked up and saw Jun Linyuan, who looked furious as he started to raise a storm in the room.

Wrapped in his luxurious fur cape, the crown prince cut a dashing figure. The moment he stepped inside, he fixed his unblinking gaze on Emperor Wu.

It was as if a young wolf was challenging the pack leader!

Emperor Wu lost his temper right away!

After all the effort he had put in, he had to watch it all go to waste because the fire had died.

Rising to his feet, he stared at Jun Linyuan coldly and frowned. “Jun Linyuan, what are you doing?”

Jun Linyuan only smirked, but didn’t say a word.

Emperor Wu flared up and gestured at the stove. “Do you realize that your grandmother is counting on that medicine? And you put out the fire just like that. What did you do that for?!”

Emperor Wu had always maintained a casual manner in Cining Palace, for the empress dowager didn’t like him to be too formal here.

Jun Linyuan stared at Emperor Wu with eyes as deep as bottomless pits.

Anger flickered in them.

Emperor Wu snorted. “So, it’s because of me. Tell me now. What did I do?”

Because of Jun Linyuan’s great talent, Emperor Wu found it hard to retain his majesty around Jun Linyuan, for the latter never viewed him in that light…

Jun Linyuan smirked. “You know damn well what you did.”

1Emperor Wu’s face turned livid and he pointed a shaking finger at Jun Linyuan. “Watch your language! Do you even know who you’re talking to? I can kill you for speaking to me like that!”

Emperor Wu shook with anger! He was Jun Linyuan’s father at least, if not his emperor! This brat!

“All the other princes are so obedient and filial! What did I do to deserve you?! You’re treacherous!”

Jun Linyuan snorted. “They’re like pugs wagging their tails for attention. What else have they got?”

“You — you —” Emperor Wu almost had a heart attack. “You brat! How can you say such things about your brothers? You —”

He raised a hand to slap Jun Linyuan!

All his subjects showed him, their ruler, veneration, apart from this brat!

However, just then —

The empress dowager, who had been sleeping on the couch, was woken up by the noise.

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Hearing Jun Linyuan’s voice, the old lady threw a robe over her shoulders before hurrying out, too quick for Granny Lan to stop her.

The old lady blanched when she saw what was going on!

Despite still being a patient, the empress dowager jumped at Emperor Wu like a tiger and smacked him on the head!

“What do you think you’re doing?!”

That was a very hard strike!

Even Emperor Wu was a little disoriented from the smack.

“Mother…”

Like a mother hen, the empress dowager shielded Jun Linyuan with her arms spread open as she glared at Emperor Wu. “You! What are you doing?! How dare you mistreat my little Junjun?!”

Emperor Wu was frustrated. “Mother, this brat needs to be disciplined! He’s so unruly! He has no respect for me!”

The empress dowager was furious. “My little Junjun is the most reasonable kid in the world! He would never disrespect you for no reason! You must have done something first to set him off!”

1Emperor Wu sighed in resignation. Last time he checked, he was the empress dowager’s son, but the old lady took Jun Linyuan’s side all the time.

At that thought, Emperor Wu glared at Jun Linyuan.

The empress dowager flared up. “Stop giving him dirty looks! It’s your fault; just admit it!”

1Emperor Wu felt so helpless. “Mother… you have to stop mollycoddling him. Look at how spoiled he’s become!”

His mother scoffed at him. “There’s nothing wrong with my little Junjun! He’s talented, he’s a great cultivator, and he has a noble character! He’s my most beloved kid! He’s the best! How is he spoiled? Answer me!”

Emperor Wu took a deep breath and clenched his fists.

The empress dowager went on. “Why shouldn’t I dote on little Junjun? What do you mean ‘he’s spoiled’? Tell me this: can you find a more extraordinary boy of his age on this continent?”

Emperor Wu was speechless. The answer to that question was obvious.

“Junjun is so wonderful, but you still abandoned him when he was little. He’s been through so much, and he only survived by sheer luck! Otherwise, I would be visiting his grave already!” Tears welled up in her eyes as the empress dowager recalled the past.

Emperor Wu looked embarrassed.

But the empress dowager wouldn’t stop there. “My poor, poor Junjun! He lost his mother as a baby and his father never liked him. He’s still abusing the boy…”

Emperor Wu’s mouth fell open.

“The boy would be living in misery if he hadn’t worked so hard to defend himself. Junjun, what have you done to deserve such a father…”

Emperor Wu couldn’t take it anymore. “But he swears at his own father!”

“Don’t make excuses! It’s all your fault!”

Emperor Wu didn’t know what to say.

What happened to unconditional maternal love? The empress dowager was treating him like a stranger!

The emperor had no authority whatsoever when his mother was around.

The empress dowager ignored Emperor Wu’s hurt feelings. She held Jun Linyuan’s hand and asked in a concerned tone, “Baby Jun, what did he do to you?”

Baby Jun? Stop using that name already! This “baby” was already one of the most capable cultivators on this continent!

Emperor Wu shuddered as well when he heard his mother use that pet name on Jun Linyuan.

This brat was such an aloof kid that Emperor Wu believed that he would never air his grievances.

But!

Jun Linyuan actually gave an answer.

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The crown prince was so mad!

Why did little Feng Wu have to call him cousin? What sort of cousin was he?

But he was too proud to admit his real feelings!

Instead, he vented his grievance to his grandmother. “Father received something nice and he’s giving it out to all his sons except me.”

The empress dowager didn’t like the sound of that at all. “You’re the only one left out?”

Jun Linyuan nodded. “Yes!”

He then took the list out of his sleeve and handed it to his grandmother.

And he stared at Emperor Wu the entire time.

Seeing the list and the pack of tea in Feng’s hand, Emperor Wu realized what was going on right away. He snapped.

“Jun Linyuan! Are you complaining now?! I won’t be threatened!”

His son snorted.

Next to them, Feng and the chief steward exchanged looks, and both smiled in resignation.

These two were unlike any emperor and crown prince in the books.

The royal family was said to be the most loveless one. It was common sense for members of a royal family to plot against each other whenever they could. However, what Feng saw said otherwise.

To him, the three looked more like the typical overprotective grandmother, her obedient son, and the spoiled grandson. It was most amusing.

They had to be the first royal family in history with such a relationship.

The empress dowager couldn’t care less what other people thought about her. Her dear Baby Jun was being mistreated and she wouldn’t let that happen!

Shaking the piece of paper in her hand, the empress dowager glared at Emperor Wu.

“You! Explain this to me!”

Emperor Wu glared at Jun Linyuan in turn. “You brat. Master Linghu thinks very highly of you and gave you more Quling tea leaves than you can ever finish! Why do you need more?! Why can’t your brothers have some? Don’t be so greedy!”

The empress dowager glowered at Emperor Wu and snapped, “A gift from Master Linghu is different from one from you, his father! How can you play favorites with your sons?!”

Emperor Wu didn’t know what to say.

The old lady added in an authoritative tone, “Plus, if Baby Jun wants it, he’ll have it all! Forget your other sons! They’re not getting even one tea leaf!”

Emperor Wu was baffled. “Mother, what happened to not playing favorites?”

The empress dowager smirked. “No wonder they say that you shouldn’t expect anything from your father when there’s a stepmother. Your head has been filled with that woman’s poison. Why shouldn’t I look out for my favorite grandson?”

Those words were no different from the things typical grandmothers would say. Feng lowered his head and tried to draw as little attention to himself as possible.

Emperor Wu gasped in agitation. “Mother, my other sons are your grandsons as well.”

His mother smirked. “Put them together and they’re still nowhere near as good as my Baby Jun.”

Emperor Wu was rendered speechless.

And he could only glare at Jun Linyuan.

Jun Linyuan, on the other hand, crossed his arms and sneered at Emperor Wu.

Emperor Wu said, “Jun Linyuan, you —”

“Shush!” The empress dowager glowered. “Is Baby Jun your son at all? All you ever do is pick on him! I’ve never seen an emperor like you! Just shut up! It’s your fault anyway!”

Emperor Wu thought he was going to have a heart attack.

The empress dowager turned to Jun Linyuan and her tone softened immediately. “Baby Jun, if your dad mistreats you again, come to me. I’ll take care of him for you.”

“Alright!” Jun Linyuan nodded earnestly.

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Emperor Wu felt like fainting. “Alright”? You’re actually agreeing to that? Aren’t you supposed to be the most capable cultivator? Stop complaining!

Seeing the look on Emperor Wu’s face, Jun Linyuan snorted inwardly.

That’s the price you pay for being so nosy. Cousin? Tch!

Jun Linyuan decided that he wouldn’t bring up little Feng Wu at all! He would make sure that his father was at a complete loss!

1Emperor Wu bellowed, “Jun Linyuan! You’ll give me a heart attack sooner or later!”

Jun Linyuan raised his chin. “Good. I’ll be the emperor then, and I’ll beat your other sons up and throw your women out. There’s nothing you’ll be able to do to me.”

3Emperor Wu’s mouth fell open.

He turned to the empress dowager. “Mother, did you hear that? This brat is so spoiled! He has no respect for me at all!”

The empress dowager threw Emperor Wu a dirty look. “You call him a brat. How else is he supposed to behave?”

1Emperor Wu didn’t know what to say.

The empress dowager didn’t mind Jun Linyuan’s language at all. “Baby Jun is still a kid, and kids say random things. Don’t you know that? Aren’t you too old to bicker with a kid? How dumb are you?”

2Emperor Wu’s mouth fell open.

A kid? Say random things? And he was the dumb one? Mother, you have no idea what this brat did in the next country over! He turned the place upside down! What kind of kid would do such a thing?

As Emperor Wu sulked, Jun Linyuan crouched down.

A ball of fire appeared on his palm, and he used it to heat the cold medicine.

The medicine had almost been ready when Jun Linyuan showed up. With the heat from the fireball, the liquid soon began to bubble.

The crown prince’s fire skills were impeccable.

Picking up the pot, he poured the medicine into a white jade bowl, then brought it to the empress dowager. “Your medicine.”

The empress dowager was so moved that she was almost in tears. “My Baby Jun is the best. You’re not like your dad at all. He’s done nothing but upset me. My baby boy is the best…”

Emperor Wu glared at Jun Linyuan.

The only thing the kid did was take the bowl from the pot to the empress dowager! But his mother ignored the fact he was the one who had watched over the brewing of the medicine for such a long time! Mother, that’s not fair!

Jun Linyuan had no problem with taking the credit. He even asked, “Grandma, do you like the medicine?”

“It’s great. My Baby Jun made it for me and it’s so sweet.”

Emperor Wu threw his hands in the air. He didn’t want to say another word.

Jun Linyuan showed no sign of leaving after the empress dowager finished her medicine, which only pleased the old lady further. She found Jun Linyuan the most considerate kid.

“Wait —” Something finally occurred to the empress dowager, and she beckoned at Granny Lan. “Bring me that jade pendant.”

The flicker in Jun Linyuan was almost undetectable.

Soon, Granny Lan brought back the smooth, glossy jade and handed it to the empress dowager.

“Baby Jun, keep the jade safe. This is from Master Linghu, and it has been blessed. Your future marriage depends on it. Put it away. Don’t let some girl swindle it away again!”

The empress dowager gave the jade to Jun Linyuan, looking very pleased with her accomplishment. However, she had no idea about what was going on in Jun Linyuan’s head…

Feng stole a glance, and as he expected, he saw his young master’s livid face.

Feng sighed inwardly.

The scheming, difficult crown prince still hadn’t realized his true feelings toward Miss Feng Wu, and was only following his instincts.

God knew how hard he had tried to come up with a reasonable excuse to give Feng Wu that jade pendant

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