When Li FangMing opened his eyes, he was laying on top of something soft. He noticed the ceiling above him looks unfamiliar but he was still not fully awake. “So comfortable,” Li FangMing murmured in a soft voice, eyes drooping down once more. He was just about to fall back to sleep when he heard a sound of footstep accompanied by soft whispers of two women.

“The boy is still not awake, what should we do?” one of the two women speaks up as she looked over at the young boy who currently slept on the soft divan.

“What do you mean by that question? His Imperial Majesty had asked us to take care of him so we will do as ordered!” the other one scolded, thinking that the woman earlier wanted to shirk her responsibility.

“Sister! You know that is not what I meant. But His Higness has been asking about him.”

“I will go inform His Highness. You go prepare the bucket and warm water. It is time we change his bandage.”

With how noisy the two were, Li FangMing were unable to go back to sleep. So he slowly opened his eyes again and looked over to the direction of the voice. Though by now, one has already left while the other is busy placing the dishes on top of the table nearby. “Sister?” Li FangMing called out, making the female servant jump slightly in surprise.

“Oh, you’re awake! That’s great! Let me go and get His Highness!” the servant didn’t wait for Li FangMing to say anything else as she rushed out to find the Crown Prince. Li FangMing was left alone once more, but now he is more awake than the first time he opened his eyes. He looked around the room and saw that the decoration was expensive.

Even the place he’s currently laying down on is very comfortable compared to the bed he had back home. Then his eyes landed on the table where he could smell the food. Suddenly, he was stricken with hunger and as if on cue, his stomach growled in protest. ‘So hungry… I can eat those, right?’ Li FangMing thought to himself as he continued to stare at the table full of dishes. Li FangMing hesitated for a while, but when his stomach growled once more, he decided that he could at least have just one mouthful.

Sitting up, Li FangMing’s face contorted in pain as he felt a sting on his chest and his hand quickly went over it, clutching over it in hope to ease the pain. Tears pooled up in his eyes before it fell down on his cheek. The thought of eating disappeared and all his brain could register was the pain on his chest.

This was the exact scene that Qin YiJun saw when he ran into the room. He was surprised when he saw the boy crying so he rushed over to the divan and looked over at Li FangMing worriedly. Not long after, the female servant from before came in. “Your Highness, please don’t run like that. If Your Highness fell down and get injured, this servant’s life will be forfeited,” she said, face slightly pale. Li FangMing, because of the pain did not register what the servant was saying as he held his chest.

“Mei Ran! Hurry and call Old Pan!” Qin YiJun said in a panicked voice. “He’s hurting!”

The servant, Mei Ran stay rooted in a stupefied manner, surprised at the sudden order. After a few seconds, she finally snapped out of her trance and once again, ran out. This time, her destination is the infirmary where the royal physician known as Old Pan, stays.

Once the servant left, Qin YiJun’s attention returned to Li FangMing who still has tears running down his cheek. “Don’t cry. It’s alright. Mei Ran will come with Old Pan soon and then Old Pan will heal make the pain disappear,” Qin YiJun said as he tried to calm Li FangMing down. As the youngest within the Imperial Palace, Qin YiJun had zero experience in coaxing someone and the more he saw Li FangMing cry, the more he felt himself being affected. The tears are threatening to fall out of Qin YiJun’s eyes but the young Crown Prince held it in.

Then he remembered how his mother once coaxed him with sweet when his favorite toy broke so he quickly walked over to the table and looked over at the dishes that were spread on top of it. Seeing that there is an osmanthus cake, he felt relieved. He washed his hands with the bowl of water on the table before he picked one up and went back to the crying Li FangMing. “Here, eat this and don’t cry anymore, okay?”

Li FangMing eyed the osmanthus cake that was held by Qin YiJun. The sweet smell of honey that was on the cake stimulates his taste buds and reminds him of his hunger. He sniffled and wiped the tears away from his face. Seeing that Li FangMing has now stopped crying, he held the cake up close to Li FangMing’s lips. When Li FangMing finally ate it, Qin YiJun felt that his shoulder became lighter. “Taste good?” he asked.

“En. Thank you,” Li FangMing’s voice was slightly hoarse from the crying and his stomach had taken this moment to make its protest known once more. This made Li FangMing’s face turn red.

“Hungry?” Qin YiJun asked and Li FangMing, just nods his head in response. “You’re injured, so wait here. I’ll go and get more!” a smile finally appeared on Qin YiJun’s face as he went to the table once more and picked up the dish containing the osmanthus cake. When he returned, he was just about to feed Li FangMing once more as he held it up for the young boy.

“Umm… I can eat on my own,” Li FangMing said with a hint of embarrassment. He had never been treated this way back in his home. So he really doesn’t know how to act at the moment.

“You haven’t washed your hand. Imperial Mother said that if you eat without washing your hand clean, you’ll get sick!” Qin YiJun replied.

To Li FangMing, the other boy’s explanation is very convincing so he quietly ate the cake from Qin YiJun’s hand. “Wait, ‘Imperial Mother’?” it took Li FangMing a while before he finally realized what Qin YiJun had said. His face paled and his lips quivered as his eyes shows a hint of fear in them. Only then did he remember what happened before he passed out. Li FangMing wanted nothing more than to get off the divan and kneel down on the floor to ask for forgiveness but Qin YiJun stopped him.

“You’re injured. Don’t move too much! Wait for Old Pan to come,” Qin YiJun scolded Li FangMing.

“B-but,” Li FangMing was still scared. After all, this boy before him is the Crown Prince. He still fails to understand why the Crown Prince talks to him normally and not addressing himself as the royalty earlier.

Qin YiJun saw the fear that is plastered on Li FangMing’s face and he showed a hurt expression, but to Li FangMing, it looked like he is displeased instead. Li FangMing was just about to utter words of apology when Qin YiJun spoke up: “Are you afraid because I am the Crown Prince?”

The words Li FangMing wanted to say was stuck on his throat when he heard the tone that the Crown Prince was using. He could sense the loneliness within it. “I-…” Li FangMing bit his lips as he hesitated. He thought for a while to construct his next sentences so he won’t offend Qin YiJun. “Your Highness, I am just a lowborn. After being rude to the Crown Prince, of course I would be afraid.”

“But you saved this prince’s life. This can be your saving grace! So if anything happens in the future, you can come to me. No matter what it is, I will help you,” Qin YiJun said with a smile. Now that he knows why Li FangMing is scared, naturally he would want to make that reason disappear. “Also, you are injured while saving me. So I asked Imperial Father to take care of you until you’re healed. Right now, you’re in YueXing palace. Imperial Father already sent your father home so you will be staying here until you’re healed!”

“But—“

“No more buts!” Qin YiJun quickly stuffed another cake into Li FangMing’s mouth to stop him from saying anything more. “From now on, you are this prince’s friend. I already asked Imperial Father to let your father know, and your father already agreed! Or do you not want to be my friend?”

For a while, Li FangMing was left speechless. He just stared at Qin YiJun who gave him an expectant look. He remembered how Qin YiJun’s tone had sounded lonely earlier. Somehow, he felt that they are similar. “If Your Highness don’t mind being friends with me, then I will be honored to be your friend,” he finally answered.

“Good! Now eat more,” Qin YiJun smiled as he continued to feed Li FangMing. When the servant finally returned with the Imperial Physician, they saw the two children chatting in harmony. Of course, the servant was fearful when she saw the Crown Prince feed Li FangMing, but the Crown Prince simply dismissed her.

Few days passed and Li FangMing’s injury had now fully healed. Not even a scar is left with the careful care of the palace servants. When the time for Li FangMing to return home came, Qin YiJun was very reluctant. Though it has only been a few days, the two had become close.

“Do you really have to go home?” Qin YiJun asked. Currently, he’s standing before the gate leading to the outer court of the Imperial Palace. Li FangMing is standing before him, with the horse carriage belonging to a royalty behind the young boy.

“I promise I’ll visit more in the future. I have to go home or else my father will be angry again,” Li FangMing told the young prince. These past few days, he was actually nervous. He had never expected to stay in the palace when he followed his father. It felt surreal to him.

“If your father scolds you, just come to this prince! I will scold him back for you!” when Qin YiJun said this, Li FangMing could only laugh. After once again promising to visit, the two finally said their goodbyes and Li FangMing entered the carriage.

“General Wu, when you send FangMing over, make sure to tell those people in Li family that FangMing is this prince’s person! They better treat him well!” Qin YiJun told the general that was tasked to send Li FangMing home.

“Of course, Your Highness. Leave everything to this general,” General Wu bowed to the Crown Prince before they finally set out. Qin YiJun continued to stare at the carriage until the gate to separating the inner court and the outer court is closed.

“Your Highness, remember that His Majesty is calling for you,” the eunuch who stood beside Qin YiJun suddenly reminded the boy.

“I know, Steward Wong. Do you think Li FangMing will be alright?” he asked the eunuch. This eunuch is considered his father’s most trusted confidant so Qin YiJun naturally trust him too.

“Of course. That young boy is under the protection of His Highness the Crown Prince. No one will dare to go against Your Highness,” Steward Wong answered. “Now then. Let us go see His Majesty in the imperial study. If we are tardy, this lowly steward might lose his head,” Steward Wong joked as he began to lead Qin YiJun to the direction of the imperial study.