Chapter 2 – The Fourth Prince

"...Your Majesty! Push a little harder!"

"The Imperial Physician is here!"

"The Empress is bleeding!"

Voices overlapped one another in panic.

The smell of medicine filled the air.

Outside Phoenix Palace, servants hurried in and out carrying bowls of hot water and clean cloth.

The Emperor stood beneath the corridor, his expression calm, though the fingers hidden inside his sleeves tightened slightly.

The elderly eunuch beside him lowered his head.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Physician said both mother and child are safe for now."

The Emperor gave a short nod.

"As long as they're safe."

He didn't pace.

He didn't shout.

Years of ruling the empire had taught him patience.

Still, his gaze remained fixed on the tightly closed palace doors.

A child's cry finally echoed through the palace.

Loud.

Healthy.

The atmosphere instantly relaxed.

One by one, the servants let out relieved sighs.

The palace doors opened.

An elderly physician walked out before respectfully kneeling.

"Congratulations, Your Majesty."

"The Empress has safely given birth to a prince."

"The mother and child are both healthy."

A faint smile appeared on the Emperor's usually composed face.

"The Fourth Prince..."

"So Heaven has blessed us once more."

He walked into Phoenix Palace.

---

Inside the room, every window had been opened to let fresh air circulate.

The Empress looked exhausted.

Strands of black hair stuck to her pale face.

Yet when she looked down at the tiny child sleeping beside her, her eyes softened.

The Emperor stopped beside the bed.

"You've worked hard."

The Empress smiled faintly.

"It was worth it."

A maid carefully picked up the infant and respectfully presented him.

The Emperor accepted the child somewhat awkwardly.

He had held babies before.

Three of them, in fact.

Yet each felt different.

The tiny prince slept peacefully.

His face was slightly red.

One tiny hand rested beside his cheek.

"He looks healthy."

The Imperial Physician smiled.

"His Highness is exceptionally healthy."

"The Fourth Prince cried louder than any newborn I've delivered this year."

The Emperor almost laughed.

"So his lungs are excellent."

At that moment...

The little prince slowly opened his eyes.

Everything was blurry.

His mind still felt foggy.

"Where..."

He tried to lift his hand.

Instead, a tiny fist barely moved.

"..."

"Tiny?"

He looked down.

Tiny fingers.

Tiny sleeves.

Tiny body.

His eyes widened.

"No..."

"No, no, no..."

"I'm a baby?"

Before he could panic further, an unfamiliar face entered his vision.

A middle-aged man wearing magnificent dragon robes.

Sharp eyes.

A dignified bearing.

The Emperor.

The baby stared.

The Emperor stared back.

"He doesn't seem afraid."

The Empress smiled weakly.

"Perhaps he doesn't understand who Your Majesty is."

"Of course I don't."

"Actually..."

"I think you're the Emperor."

"Which means..."

"I'm in ancient times?"

His thoughts came to an abrupt stop.

Ancient times?

Baby?

Palace?

His heart skipped a beat.

"Please don't tell me..."

The memories of his previous life slowly surfaced.

His parents.

His grandparents.

His sister.

Dinner.

His room.

The novel beside his bed.

Then...

Nothing.

No pain.

No accident.

He had simply fallen asleep.

His tiny lips trembled.

"I really..."

"Died?"

For the first time since opening his eyes...

He began crying.

Real tears.

Not the loud cries of a newborn.

Just silent tears flowing down his cheeks.

The Empress's expression immediately changed.

"My child?"

She gently touched his face.

"Why are you crying?"

The little prince instinctively grabbed her finger.

He held it tightly.

Not because he believed she had replaced his previous mother.

No one ever could.

But in this strange place...

She was the only warmth he had.

The Empress's heart softened completely.

"He likes holding hands."

The Emperor watched quietly.

A newborn couldn't understand words.

Yet somehow...

This child seemed unusually expressive.

---

Half an hour later, the Emperor left the room to allow the Empress to rest.

Outside, several ministers were already waiting to offer congratulations.

"The Fourth Prince's birth is a joyous occasion."

"Congratulations, Your Majesty."

The Emperor nodded politely.

"There will be a banquet after the Empress has recovered."

The ministers bowed.

Among them, however, each had different thoughts.

The Fourth Prince's birth would not affect the succession.

The Crown Prince had already been established years ago.

The Second and Third Princes also possessed strong supporters.

A newborn changed very little.

Most of the ministers quickly lost interest.

Only one elderly minister quietly smiled.

"A child is always a blessing."

---

Inside Phoenix Palace...

The little prince had finally stopped crying.

A maid carefully changed his blankets.

Another adjusted the curtains to block the afternoon sunlight.

Everything was done gently.

Everything was done quietly.

The little prince looked around with curiosity.

"So this is a palace..."

The room alone was larger than his previous family's entire house during their poor days.

Beautiful wooden furniture.

Silk curtains.

Carved pillars.

Paintings.

Porcelain.

Everything looked expensive.

"Well..."

He blinked.

"At least I'm not poor anymore."

A moment later he sighed inwardly.

"Actually..."

"I'd still trade all this for one more dinner with my family."

He closed his eyes.

Not from sadness this time.

Just because...

For now...

There was nothing else he could do except accept that his new life had begun.

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