Chapter 82: Chapter 82 Second Update In the afternoon, there’s no need to go to Wende Hall for lessons, Zhao Yao can take a nap. At the time of four quarters past noon, he was promptly awakened by Lai Fu and Lai Cai licking him. Just waking up, Zhao Yao was groggy and obediently let Liang Zhaoyi wash his face. After washing his face, he finally became clear-headed. Liang Zhaoyi then instructed, "After your music lessons, remember to thank your father." "I know." Zhao Yao waved at Liang Zhaoyi, "Mother, I’m leaving." "Be careful on the road." Lai Fu and the others escorted Zhao Yao to the entrance of Kunde Hall. Tong Xi was already waiting at the door for Zhao Yao. "Your Highness, Tong An hasn’t had a fever again." At noon, Tong Xi went to the Cold Palace to see Tong An, "Although Tong An still looks pale, his spirits are better than in the morning." "That’s good." Zhao Yao then asked, "How are Lai Lu and the others doing in their training?" "Training is going very well. Tong Le said Lai Lu and the others can find things by scent." Tong Xi said, "Your Highness, you can go have a look after class." "Is that so? Then the training is going smoothly." Just as Zhao Yao was talking with Tong Xi, Lai Yi came flying over with its group of brothers. [Yao Yao, we are here.] Zhao Yao hurriedly asked, "Did you do it?" [Not yet, I just flew back from outside.] Lai Yi perched on Zhao Yao’s shoulder, [I spent a long time looking for the crows.] "Where are Lai Wu and the others?" Zhao Yao looked around but didn’t see Lai Wu and the others. [The crow said it couldn’t see you and ran off to find your third brother.] Lai Yi said angrily, [I told it that you don’t mind it and wouldn’t think it brings bad luck, but it just wouldn’t listen.] Lai Yi had never seen such a stubborn crow like Lai Wu, it was truly infuriating. Zhao Yao, hearing this, lowered his head in disappointment, "Lai Wu and the others probably don’t like me, that’s why they don’t want to see me." [Yao Yao, let it be.] Lai Yi lifted one wing and gently patted Zhao Yao’s little face, [We like you, we’ll play with you.] "We are going to Changqin Palace later for music lessons, you can drop bird poop on the third brother’s head there." Making the third brother embarrass himself in public would be fun. [Okay, I’ll go and tell the crows to hold off for now.] Lai Yi said and flew towards Changqin Palace. Places Zhao Yao frequents, this group of birds knows well. Previously, Zhao Yao would always tell them where each place was when he visited. The birds were very smart and remembered it after hearing it a few times. The crows were waiting at the martial arts arena. Zhao Yao and the others often came to the martial arts arena in the afternoon to learn horse riding and archery, frequently watched by Lai Wu and its group. Lai Yi found Lai Wu in a tree by the wall of the martial arts arena. When it saw Lai Wu, it angrily pecked Lai Wu’s head, making its feathers stand on end. Even though Lai Wu was much bigger, it obediently let Lai Yi peck at it. [Stupid crow, you didn’t go see Zhao Yao, Zhao Yao is very sad and said you don’t like him.] Lai Wu hurriedly said, [When did I ever not like him?] [You didn’t go see him, so he thought you didn’t like him and didn’t want to see him.] Lai Yi, with wings akimbo, angrily scolded Lai Wu, [Yao Yao almost cried just now.] Lai Wu panicked, [I like Yao Yao the most.] [Then tell him to his face.] [I can’t see Yao Yao, I will bring bad luck to him. I can’t harm Yao Yao.] Humans say they crows aren’t good birds and are unlucky, bringing misfortune. It doesn’t want to bring bad luck to Zhao Yao by being close. [Yao Yao said you’re his good friends and wouldn’t bring him misfortune.] Lai Yi continued, [Yao Yao also said we birds are just birds, there’s no such thing as auspicious or inauspicious birds, it’s humans who define us based on their preferences.] [Yao Yao said not everything humans say is right, there’s no need for us birds to listen.] Lai Wu asked, [Is that so?] [Yao Yao said we birds like to eat insects, so to farmers, we are good birds.] Lai Yi lifted its wing and patted Lai Wu’s head, [You crows eat insects too, so you are good birds.] Lai Wu hesitantly said, [We are good birds too?] [Of course, good birds.] Lai Yi added, [Yao Yao asked us to go to Changqin Palace to deal with the third prince, you and I should fly over quickly.] [Okay, I’ll go with you.] Lai Wu and its group of crow brothers followed Lai Yi and its group, flying to Changqin Palace. Changqin Palace was right next to Wende Hall, it was the palace specifically for placing musical instruments and where the princes learned to play. Usually, the palace’s musicians also practiced here. Lai Yi and Lai Wu had already flown to Changqin Palace, perching on the palace wall at the entrance. Zhao Yao hadn’t arrived yet, and they called out to him from afar, [Yao Yao, we’re here.] Seeing the group of crows standing on the palace wall, Zhao Yao’s eyes lit up, and he ran over cheerfully. Standing below the wall, he looked up at Lai Wu and the others, full of joy, "Lai Wu, you finally came to see me, I thought you all didn’t want me anymore." Lai Wu anxiously said, [Yao Yao, we didn’t not want you, nor do we dislike you.] Its brothers quickly echoed, [Yao Yao, we like you the most, you are our best friend.] Zhao Yao put his small hands on his waist, pouting discontentedly, "Then why don’t you come to see me, or play with me? I’ve been waiting for you. If you don’t come to see me, I’ll cry, really cry." He said, putting on a face that looked about to cry. Lai Wu and the others couldn’t bear to see Zhao Yao cry, they hurriedly said, [Yao Yao, don’t cry, we will often come to see you and play with you in the future.] "You better keep your word." Zhao Yao said, "If you lie to me, I’ll be very sad." [We will keep our word.] Zhao Yao held out his hands to Lai Wu, "Lai Wu, come here, let me hold you." Lai Wu hesitated for a moment, then flew down from the wall to land on Zhao Yao’s shoulder. Zhao Yao held Lai Wu in his arms, rubbing his head against Lai Wu’s little head, while stroking the feathers on Lai Wu’s back. Lai Wu wasn’t entirely black, some of the feathers on its wings were dark green. The tip of its tail also had dark green feathers. Its feathers were very smooth, glittering under the sunlight, extremely beautiful. Lai Wu rubbed its head against Zhao Yao’s small face, then gently pecked Zhao Yao’s earlobe. The other crows saw the intimate scene between Zhao Yao and Lai Wu, and couldn’t help but fly onto Zhao Yao. Two mischievous little crows flew straight to Zhao Yao’s head, gently pecking at his hair and messing it up. Lai Yi saw this, flew over, and kicked the two little crows off. Tong Xi stood to the side, dumbfounded at Zhao Yao being surrounded by sparrows and crows. His Highness really charms sparrows and magpies, but he even charms crows. Crows aren’t exactly good birds, but His Highness didn’t mind at all and got along with them. In the entire world, probably only His Highness would dare be close to crows. Luckily, the other princes hadn’t arrived yet, otherwise, seeing His Highness getting close to crows, they’d surely think he was crazy. A short while later, voices were heard approaching from afar. Tong Xi stepped forward and reminded Zhao Yao, "Your Highness, the other princes are coming." Upon hearing this, Zhao Yao released Lai Wu and the others. Lai Wu and the others knew other people didn’t like them and didn’t want to see them. If they did see them, they’d definitely drive them away. They flew to the trees beside the palace wall, hiding among the leaves. Lai Yi and its group remained on the wall, awaiting the arrival of the third prince. It’s the eighth prince and Yu Hai who arrived. "Eighth brother, what did you eat at Crown Prince brother’s place for lunch?" The eighth prince flicked Zhao Yao’s forehead with a finger, "Not as good as what you had for lunch." "Eighth brother, you know I had beef for lunch?" "Didn’t father grant all the leftover beef from last night to you?" Gifts like these aren’t easy to keep secret. As soon as Sun Kui delivered the items to Kunde Hall, the whole harem knew Kunde Hall received a reward. "Eighth brother, why would father suddenly gift me beef?" Zhao Yao tugged on the eighth prince’s arm and whispered, "What do you think father is up to?" "Father saw that you like to eat beef, so that’s why he rewarded you with beef." The eighth prince, hearing Zhao Yao say this, felt a bit sorry for him, "Don’t overthink it. You’re father’s son, occasionally rewarding you with your favorite foods isn’t unusual." Although his tenth brother wasn’t book-smart, he was well-behaved and simple-minded, very endearing; it wasn’t clear why father didn’t favor him. "Alright, I won’t think about it too much." Zhao Yao said with a smile, "I hope father will reward me more of my favorite foods in the future." The eighth prince poked Zhao Yao’s dimpleless right cheek, "Little glutton." Just then, the fourth prince arrived, and the smile on the eighth prince’s face instantly disappeared. The eighth prince didn’t want to stay with the fourth prince. After greeting him, he led the way into Changqin Palace. Zhao Yao asked the fourth prince the same question, whether he ate anything good for lunch. The fourth prince also teased, saying he didn’t have beef for lunch. Zhao Yao generously offered to give the fourth prince some of his beef. Seeing Zhao Yao willing to give away his favorite beef, the fourth prince smiled slightly and said he didn’t like beef, urging Zhao Yao to keep it for himself. "Let’s go in." Following the fourth prince through the gates of Changqin Palace, Zhao Yao ran to a tree beside the palace wall, peeking out sneakily. The fourth prince looked at him confusedly, "Tenth brother, why are you hiding behind the tree?" Zhao Yao beckoned to the fourth prince, "Fourth brother, come here and hide." The fourth prince walked over, standing behind Zhao Yao, "Tenth brother, what are you doing?" "Fourth brother, just hide, you’ll see later." Watching Zhao Yao’s whole demeanor oozing with mischief, the fourth prince guessed he was up to no good. Feeling uneasy about Zhao Yao’s antics, he complied and hid behind the tree as instructed. A moment later, he heard the voices of the third and fifth princes approaching. Zhao Yao’s eyes sparkled, "Fourth brother, the show is about to start."