The next morning, before I even reached school, I saw that little girl carrying a large bag, accompanied by an adult, walking toward me. Upon spotting me, the girl hurried over, followed by the woman at her side. The woman said to me, "So you're the one who helped Xiaorou smuggle out that mythical beast."
I replied, "It wasn't smuggled out; I drew it. So, please, don't go telling everyone."
The woman realized the implication and leaned in to whisper, "Will this be discovered?"
"It won't just fade away," I said. "It's not that easy to notice. It will last for at least ten days to a half-month."
Hearing this, the woman’s heart, which had just begun to settle, tightened again. "What are we going to do after ten days?"
I suggested, "How about this? If you're free, come over and I'll teach you how to draw it. Within ten days or a fortnight, you'll be able to do it yourself." The woman nodded helplessly and then asked for my name and which prince I was.
"Prince Duoyu," I said. At first, she looked puzzled, then it suddenly dawned on her that there indeed was a prince named Duoyu.
Her expression was complicated. I could see that she wanted to stay away from me, but felt compelled to interact with me. I recognized her reluctance and knew my own situation was poor.
"You can choose to come quietly when no one is around," I said.
She readily agreed and then handed me a heavy gift box. This was the third time in my life I had seen meat: the first time was feeding a dog, the second time was watching someone else eat it, and this third time was something I had earned through my own ability. Finally, I could eat meat!
I whisked it home to share with my beautiful mother. It was her first time eating meat, too. Watching her squinting in satisfaction, I knew she loved it, so I only ate a little. After all, in my previous life, I’d had every delicacy imaginable, but this sweet, naive woman was experiencing meat for the first time. I had to let her have her fill. When she asked if I wanted more, I told her, "I'm small and can't eat much; I don't want any more." She didn't think much of it; she was a simple, carefree soul. She ate until every last bit was gone, her little belly distended. Anyone looking at her would have thought she was three months pregnant. It was hilarious to watch her struggle to walk, but as I laughed, tears started to stream down my face. Life was truly pathetic; a dignified Imperial Noble Consort forced to live on nothing but corn. A wave of sorrow washed over me, and I vowed that once I grew up, I would make sure Mother ate meat every single day.
To learn to draw, the mother and child came early and left late. I figured they must have connections, or they wouldn't have been able to enter the depths of the Royal Palace so easily. They didn't state their names, and I didn't ask. In any case, they brought me plenty of meat every day.
I was more than happy to oblige, and even my stick-thin mother gained a layer of fat. After two months, the pair finally mastered the skill and stopped coming. Xiaorou and my mother had become quite close and often chatted; I had no interest in listening to women talk, but it was nice for that simple soul to have someone to keep her company—she was always bored at home, unlike me, who could run around. I had thought such a mundane life was incredibly dull.
But from this day on, such a mundane life would become a luxury. People's joys and sorrows are not the same; another's happiness might be the beginning of your own tragedy. As I went out today, I clearly felt the atmosphere of the entire Royal Palace had changed; it was vibrant and jubilant—there was clearly something to celebrate.
Sure enough, as darkness fell, a young eunuch passed down a decree: tomorrow, the great army would return home in triumph, and the King would lead all the princes, princesses, and Imperial Concubines to the city wall to welcome General Zhao back. So that was why the palace was so festive; the army had won a victory outside!
I didn't take it to heart. Whether they won or lost didn't have much to do with me; as an unpopular prince, I wouldn't be included in any celebrations. I was right—I wasn't included in the good things, but the bad things fell squarely on us.
The next morning, we were taken to be groomed and dressed. Thanks to the meat we’d been eating, Mother had become much prettier and more enchanting, which drew a lot of attention. There was nothing I could do about people looking; I didn't have the power to stop them, nor did I have much standing. I just kept my head down and followed along. We left the Royal Palace and walked through the streets, which felt a far cry from the Imperial City I had imagined—it wasn't even as prosperous as a county town in my previous life. We followed the crowd to the city wall, but when I looked up, all I saw was wall. I was too short to see anything. There was no choice but to stand there; if I caused any trouble, I’d be the one to suffer. We stood there all afternoon, and only when everyone else was leaving were we notified to return to the palace.
I returned to the palace feeling lethargic. I wanted to go straight home, but I was intercepted and ordered to attend the evening banquet. It was the first time in my life I had been invited to eat, so since I couldn't resist or refuse, I had to agree. Mother and I were then separated.
I didn't think much of it at the time; I assumed I would just be eating in some corner, and it would be over soon.
Just as I was about to find a seat, a guard quietly told me that my mother was in trouble and to go help her immediately in the back garden. I suspected a trap—who would give me information in a place where I knew no one? But when I looked up and saw that mother and child from before, the mother nodded at me. I knew it was likely true. Without a second thought, I rushed toward the back garden.
Before I even reached the inside, I heard my mother's cries and the voice of a drunken man. I burst in to find him tearing at her clothes. At five years old, I had no physical power to resist, but I saw a sword nearby. Without thinking, I pulled it out and stabbed the man.
He hadn't expected a sneak attack, let alone someone to try and kill him, and I pierced him right through.
It was my first time killing someone. In my previous life, I was prone to fainting at the sight of blood, but I used my willpower to keep myself upright. Just as I was about to grab Mother and run, we were surrounded by soldiers.
I knew this was another trap, a dead end, but I wasn't going to go down without a fight. I shouted loudly, "This man committed a heinous crime! He openly assaulted an Imperial Noble Consort and ignored the dignity of the Royal Family—he deserved to die!"
Before long, a crowd arrived. I saw my long-lost, cheap excuse for a father. He stood there silently, and the woman beside him must have been the Queen—though I had never met her, her attire and bearing left no doubt.
Then I heard her say, "Your mother is nothing but a chambermaid from the palace. Neither of you has contributed anything to the Kingdom, whereas General Zhao’s entire family has labored for the court. How could your lives possibly compare to theirs?"
I understood then: she was saying that our lives were worth less than those of General Zhao’s family.