Chapter 14: Only the Heart Can Heal a Troubled Mind

As he got closer, Jun Ning finally saw the features of the little imp in front of him clearly. Fair and tender, extremely cute, paired with his silly little expression, he looked very adorable.

It made one really want to pinch him.

Just, it's hard to imagine who would be heartless enough to bully such a cute little guy into this state.

The little imp looked at the chicken drumstick close to his mouth and licked his lips. But after a while, even though Jun Ning's hand holding the chicken drumstick was sore, he hadn't accepted it.

He clearly wanted to eat but wasn't taking it. Why?

Obviously, he's afraid it's poisoned.

After realizing this, Jun Ning didn't blame the little imp for not trusting him. Instead, he took a bite himself and said, "Relax and eat, it's not poisoned!"

Only then did the little imp take the chicken drumstick from Jun Ning's hand. With a bit of choking emotion, he called Jun Ning "boss," and then started devouring the drumstick.

He didn't mind at all that the drumstick was bitten by Jun Ning. He gorged on it, his mouth covered in oil, clearly very hungry.

Suddenly, Jun Ning saw his tears starting to fall continuously.

Thinking he was bullying him, making him cry in grievance, Jun Ning quickly said, "It's okay if you don't want to call me boss. You can call me by my name, I'm Ah Ning. Don't cry!"

Jun Ning thought that by saying this, the little imp wouldn't cry. Who knew that after hearing his words, the little imp cried even harder.

Jun Ning didn't understand why, but the louder the little imp cried, the more stifled and uncomfortable his own chest became.

It seemed from the bottom of his heart, he didn't want to see the little imp crying.

"Please stop crying." Jun Ning clumsily stepped forward to help the little imp wipe away his tears, holding up three fingers and saying, "I was wrong earlier, I swear I will never bully you again, I..."

"Boss, you... You didn't bully me..." the little imp choked, "I'm just a bit moved. In this palace, whenever Mother leaves me hungry, no one dares to give me food. You are the first one who dared to defy her."

"Mother?"

"Leave you hungry?"

Jun Ning keenly noted the key points in the little imp's words.

"Yes, the Empress is my mother. I'm the seventeenth Prince Jun Yu. Mother is extremely strict with me. As long as I don't finish the homework the Imperial Tutor assigns for the day, she punishes me by forbidding me to eat for the entire day..."

"No food if you can't recite your work? Haha, that's so harsh. Is she even your own mother?" Jun Ning commented harshly and then handed another drumstick to the little imp, "If you ever lack food, just come here to find me. I'll make sure you get enough to eat!"

When Jun Ning said these words, he completely didn't think that his current situation was not much better than Jun Yu's.

He wanted to help Jun Yu because he knew from experience how bad the feeling of hunger was, having been hungry himself.

Jun Yu, moved to tears, said, "Boss, you're really kind. I'll stick with you from now on!"

…

After Xiao Lizi finished instructing the Imperial Guard and returned, he personally brought the recent medicinal soup for Emperor Yongning.

"Your Majesty, it's time to take your medicine!"

Emperor Yongning put down the red pen that he used to correct memorials, massaging his sore temples, and said, "As long as the princess is missing, my illness won't get better, no medicine will work!"

This was an illness of the heart.

An illness of the heart requires a cure of the heart.

"But..." Xiao Lizi tried to persuade him further, but Emperor Yongning interrupted, "Let's take a walk in the Imperial Garden. I don't know why, but suddenly I feel like taking a stroll there."

With those words, Emperor Yongning headed out.

Xiao Lizi hurriedly grabbed Emperor Yongning's cloak and rushed to follow.

In a crowd of escorts, Emperor Yongning approached the Imperial Garden.