2 Chapter 2: BAO YU the Childish Prince

WARNING: Extreme acts of violence and offenses, as well as mild language, may occur in this web novel. Viewer discretion is advised.

Imperial Prince's Study Room, Imperial Palace during Late Morning

"Waa, it's the wangzi (how one refers to a prince formally) Long Bao Yu! Even at 14, he's already grown up so handsomely!" A maid whispered to a friend.

"Shh, wangzi might hear you! Seriously, do you have no morals? You're new here, but still! We all know wangzi has been engaged to the eldest miss of the Zunzhong Clan!" The maid's friend whispered back. "Now come on, we have tea to serve to the visiting officials! We'll get maybe 50 spanks if the tea gets cold!"

"Ehh? You mean Zunzhong, as in respect!? Their entire family is rumored to already to be in the Nascent Realm already! Even the 6-year-old young master is near the fourth realm!"

"Bo, stop listening to such rumors! Now, hurry it up! We'll upset the lords!" After a quick scolding, the two maids quickly shuffled away.

"Hmp. How come the subjects get to be in a higher realm than me?" The young prince grumbled after finishing his poetry. "Those maids know I can hear them, right?"

"Wangye (Informal way to address a prince), I hope you've finished your poem about the spring season. You're going to recite it for her majesty, the Empress', birthday on Jupiter Luminary Day (Friday, I think)." A tutor of 23 asked the young prince while leaning on the doorway.

"You're leaning on my doorway." The prince answered.

"It's not yours yet, xiao (small) wangye." The tutor teased.

"It will be. And when it is, I'll throw you out of the palace." The rude prince stuck out his tongue at his tutor.

"Please read already, wangye."

"I don't want to. I want to play." The prince answered, flicking a stray strand of hair out of his face. "And you're going to let me."

"…You're gonna tattle to His Highness if I don't?"

"Yes."

With a sigh, the tutor grudgingly said: "Give me your paper and don't make too much of a mess outside." The tutor held out his hand for the scroll. It landed on his palm with a smack and all rolled up. "The ink…"

"I don't care."

The young prince walked out the door with his usual bored expression, searching for a good place to hide and play at. As he was intently scouring for a nice garden to just fly a kite (just so he could blame it on the guards for not doing their jobs), he passed by Noble Consort Chang Xin Ya and her maidservant.

"Oh, xianzhe (my virtuous nephew), how are you?" The Consort asked and stopped in her path to greet the prince.

"Oh yeah, qianbei (my senior/elder)?" The Imperial Prince mocked because he liked to remind the woman how she was of only 18, yet a prostitute of his 50-year-old father. The woman's own father was younger than the emperor. The woman hated being called old for being with such a man.

"Now now, wangye. I am still your auntie, so you must respect me as such. I am a favorite of your father's so-"

"You've already had 2 miscarriages. But... I might consider the idea that you could be an aunt… when your non-existent children become The Son Of Heaven (A title of the emperor's). Now move, I have some guards to supervise." The prince bluntly remarked.

"Y-you… wangzi, how would you like his highness to know about such behavior! How dare you insult the furen (Madam who is one's boss)!" The maidservant blurted as she stood in the prince's way.

"Kick this girl out. [pauses for a second] WHO'S GONNA BE VISITING DAD TODAY!?" The prince shouted.

"I-I will, wangzi." A eunuch nervously spoke up. It was well known that the Emperor favored the young prince, as he was his only son and only legal child. The emperor might even turn over entire noble families to please his son. Noble Consort Chang Xinyi Ya may even lose her entire family to the Ten Courts of Hell shortly.

"Get them kicked out, they've interrupted my playtime."

"Yes, your majesty!" As the eunuch ran down the halls, shouting out to make way to see to the emperor on the Imperial Prince's behalf.

And off the prince went, found a nice hiding place, and immaturely used cultivation to set fire to his kite as it took off. He was bitter, obviously, yet he thought no better than to express his anger than this. Half of the Empress' Imperial Garden was scorched to a crisp.

3 palace guards were thought to be responsible and were to be killed for what was assumed a sign of treason. The only evidence they could find was a scorched piece of fabric which no one could even tell what the original color was.

And no, this wasn't any strange or bad day for the Forbidden City. An incident like this would happen once a week. Actually, it hadn't happened in two weeks so everyone was on guard. It was suspected that the Emperor and the Empress knew about the young prince's shenanigans but the former spoiled his son too much while the latter gave up on trying to discipline him, hoping the staff would be able to prevent these mishaps from happening again. Anything about the incidents was kept secret from the public as various contrasting rumors had spread to confuse the populace. Nothing suggesting their beloved Imperial Prince had any participation.

In short, yes, the Imperial Prince named Long Bao Yu was a complete child stuck in a man's body. Everyone believed for a long time that no one could stop the prince.

But no, the Imperial Prince's pranks had found its match just two weeks ago. Two weeks ago, when Long Bao Yu met his fiancee for the first time in his mischevious life. The fairly pretty eldest young miss of the Zunzhong Clan, Zunzhong Xiao Shu.

'She was hands downs the most uptight and boring thing ever to exist.', the young prince thought.

And the also the girl who had the Daughter of Heaven's title (a "perfect" lady, excelling in cultivation, grace, beauty, intelligence, and background all at the same time) all to herself. She was an entire 3 or so levels above the Imperial Prince and had counter-tactics worthy of a war commander's.

Long Bao Yu was lucky today as Zunzhong Xiao Shu wasn't able to visit today so she could thwart his plans. She'd been visiting during optimal times to prank and play every day since their first meeting. Even when she wasn't ruining his fun, just her being normal could drive the Imperial Prince crazy. It was infuriating how she was so good at board games and had no motivation for any sport or duals.

And as Long Bao Yu can quote, "There's no need for me to fight nor dual you, as it would be a useless waste of both of our qi and damage the unfortunate surrounding. As fiances, it is not suitable for us to dual. We are expected to have the ideal relationship, as you are the Imperial Prince." Those few sentences made the prince's skin boil in complete and utter irritation. He was tempted to just set the woman aflame.

She liked the boring stuff, like painting and writing poetry or just watching fights. And how she watched fights was infuriating too. She'd always point out stuff Long Bao Yu was doing wrong and explain to him how to fix it like a priss.

He hated her so but it never occurred to his tiny brain that he could ask his doting father to annul the engagement. Well, until today.

WARNING: Extreme acts of violence and offenses, as well as mild language, may occur in this web novel. Viewer discretion is advised.

Imperial Prince's Study Room, Imperial Palace during Late Morning

"Waa, it's the wangzi (how one refers to a prince formally) Long Bao Yu! Even at 14, he's already grown up so handsomely!" A maid whispered to a friend.

"Shh, wangzi might hear you! Seriously, do you have no morals? You're new here, but still! We all know wangzi has been engaged to the eldest miss of the Zunzhong Clan!" The maid's friend whispered back. "Now come on, we have tea to serve to the visiting officials! We'll get maybe 50 spanks if the tea gets cold!"

"Ehh? You mean Zunzhong, as in respect!? Their entire family is rumored to already to be in the Nascent Realm already! Even the 6-year-old young master is near the fourth realm!"

"Bo, stop listening to such rumors! Now, hurry it up! We'll upset the lords!" After a quick scolding, the two maids quickly shuffled away.

"Hmp. How come the subjects get to be in a higher realm than me?" The young prince grumbled after finishing his poetry. "Those maids know I can hear them, right?"

"Wangye (Informal way to address a prince), I hope you've finished your poem about the spring season. You're going to recite it for her majesty, the Empress', birthday on Jupiter Luminary Day (Friday, I think)." A tutor of 23 asked the young prince while leaning on the doorway.

"You're leaning on my doorway." The prince answered.

"It's not yours yet, xiao (small) wangye." The tutor teased.

"It will be. And when it is, I'll throw you out of the palace." The rude prince stuck out his tongue at his tutor.

"Please read already, wangye."

"I don't want to. I want to play." The prince answered, flicking a stray strand of hair out of his face. "And you're going to let me."

"…You're gonna tattle to His Highness if I don't?"

"Yes."

With a sigh, the tutor grudgingly said: "Give me your paper and don't make too much of a mess outside." The tutor held out his hand for the scroll. It landed on his palm with a smack and all rolled up. "The ink…"

"I don't care."

The young prince walked out the door with his usual bored expression, searching for a good place to hide and play at. As he was intently scouring for a nice garden to just fly a kite (just so he could blame it on the guards for not doing their jobs), he passed by Noble Consort Chang Xin Ya and her maidservant.

"Oh, xianzhe (my virtuous nephew), how are you?" The Consort asked and stopped in her path to greet the prince.

"Oh yeah, qianbei (my senior/elder)?" The Imperial Prince mocked because he liked to remind the woman how she was of only 18, yet a prostitute of his 50-year-old father. The woman's own father was younger than the emperor. The woman hated being called old for being with such a man.

"Now now, wangye. I am still your auntie, so you must respect me as such. I am a favorite of your father's so-"

"You've already had 2 miscarriages. But... I might consider the idea that you could be an aunt… when your non-existent children become The Son Of Heaven (A title of the emperor's). Now move, I have some guards to supervise." The prince bluntly remarked.

"Y-you… wangzi, how would you like his highness to know about such behavior! How dare you insult the furen (Madam who is one's boss)!" The maidservant blurted as she stood in the prince's way.

"Kick this girl out. [pauses for a second] WHO'S GONNA BE VISITING DAD TODAY!?" The prince shouted.

"I-I will, wangzi." A eunuch nervously spoke up. It was well known that the Emperor favored the young prince, as he was his only son and only legal child. The emperor might even turn over entire noble families to please his son. Noble Consort Chang Xinyi Ya may even lose her entire family to the Ten Courts of Hell shortly.

"Get them kicked out, they've interrupted my playtime."

"Yes, your majesty!" As the eunuch ran down the halls, shouting out to make way to see to the emperor on the Imperial Prince's behalf.

And off the prince went, found a nice hiding place, and immaturely used cultivation to set fire to his kite as it took off. He was bitter, obviously, yet he thought no better than to express his anger than this. Half of the Empress' Imperial Garden was scorched to a crisp.

3 palace guards were thought to be responsible and were to be killed for what was assumed a sign of treason. The only evidence they could find was a scorched piece of fabric which no one could even tell what the original color was.

And no, this wasn't any strange or bad day for the Forbidden City. An incident like this would happen once a week. Actually, it hadn't happened in two weeks so everyone was on guard. It was suspected that the Emperor and the Empress knew about the young prince's shenanigans but the former spoiled his son too much while the latter gave up on trying to discipline him, hoping the staff would be able to prevent these mishaps from happening again. Anything about the incidents was kept secret from the public as various contrasting rumors had spread to confuse the populace. Nothing suggesting their beloved Imperial Prince had any participation.

In short, yes, the Imperial Prince named Long Bao Yu was a complete child stuck in a man's body. Everyone believed for a long time that no one could stop the prince.

But no, the Imperial Prince's pranks had found its match just two weeks ago. Two weeks ago, when Long Bao Yu met his fiancee for the first time in his mischevious life. The fairly pretty eldest young miss of the Zunzhong Clan, Zunzhong Xiao Shu.

'She was hands downs the most uptight and boring thing ever to exist.', the young prince thought.

And the also the girl who had the Daughter of Heaven's title (a "perfect" lady, excelling in cultivation, grace, beauty, intelligence, and background all at the same time) all to herself. She was an entire 3 or so levels above the Imperial Prince and had counter-tactics worthy of a war commander's.

Long Bao Yu was lucky today as Zunzhong Xiao Shu wasn't able to visit today so she could thwart his plans. She'd been visiting during optimal times to prank and play every day since their first meeting. Even when she wasn't ruining his fun, just her being normal could drive the Imperial Prince crazy. It was infuriating how she was so good at board games and had no motivation for any sport or duals.

And as Long Bao Yu can quote, "There's no need for me to fight nor dual you, as it would be a useless waste of both of our qi and damage the unfortunate surrounding. As fiances, it is not suitable for us to dual. We are expected to have the ideal relationship, as you are the Imperial Prince." Those few sentences made the prince's skin boil in complete and utter irritation. He was tempted to just set the woman aflame.

She liked the boring stuff, like painting and writing poetry or just watching fights. And how she watched fights was infuriating too. She'd always point out stuff Long Bao Yu was doing wrong and explain to him how to fix it like a priss.

He hated her so but it never occurred to his tiny brain that he could ask his doting father to annul the engagement. Well, until today.