Chapter 3, Wang Sun

The eldest imperial physician suggested, "The princess might have someone entertain the young prince with objects like rattles that can attract a child's attention"

At least for the short term, there is no need to worry about one's survival issues; as for whether there will be unpredictable changes in the future, that is something that the current Zhang Mingda—no, it should be called Fu Ba—has no power to alter.

What is even more dangerous is that if this is the time when the Ming Dynasty has just been established, then as the descendants of Emperor Hongwu, they are likely to perish at the hands of Emperor Jianwen before reaching the reign of Emperor Yongle.

A few imperial physicians expressed their astonishment, and after gathering together to discuss for a moment, they responded again, saying: "Please, Your Highness, try it with another object"

The imperial physicians have left, and Yao held onto Fu Ba tightly, saying, "My child, you have frightened your mother!"

The eunuch brought in cloth-made toys such as a small tiger, a small dog, and a small chick, and Fu Ba simply closed his eyes and lay down.

As a result, some people brought silver coins to strike, and others played flutes and other instruments, but it had no effect whatsoever

Yao regained consciousness and waved his hand, saying, "No need for pleasantries, just go down now"

Indeed, in his previous life, Zhang Mingda, as a history enthusiast, had a general understanding of various dynasties in Chinese history. Therefore, as long as the main timeline did not diverge too much, he could roughly grasp the pulse of the world, thereby securing certain valuable opportunities and better surviving in this unknown era

The lady beside, the wet nurse, and the eunuch, although they did not believe that a child of just over five months could understand human speech, still knelt down in unison to offer their congratulations, saying: "The young prince is exceptionally gifted; we, the servants, must congratulate the prince and the princess!"

Moreover, from the words of those around me, it can be further discovered that they are all using a kind of archaic and oddly accented Chinese

Certainly, if the distortion of time and space is so severe that everything in this parallel universe completely contradicts the historical segments known to Zhang Mingda, there is nothing for him to worry about. Just from the way the people around him refer to him as "Little Prince," Zhang Mingda knows that this time he has reincarnated into a remarkably favorable situation

Since it is known to be a parallel universe, Zhang Mingda could not help but let out a sigh of relief

In the history of China, only during the Han, Wei-Jin, and Ming dynasties did vassal kings with fiefs exist. However, during the Han and Wei-Jin periods, when princes left the capital to go to their fiefs, it was generally referred to as "to the state." Only in the Ming dynasty was there the term "to the fief." Therefore, if the main timeline has not undergone fundamental changes, then I should currently be living in the Ming dynasty

Yao is still very worried: "What can be done to get the children moving!"

Time continues to flow forward without pause. Fu Ba gradually became acquainted with his parents in this life, yet he still did not know their names, only that they were referred to as the Prince and the Princess. Additionally, Zhang Mingda also recognized the Emperor and the Imperial Concubine, who should be his grandparents in this life. However, it was evident that a long period of time would need to pass before he could visit his grandparents. Consequently, Zhang Mingda began to wonder whether his parents were not favored in front of their parents.

The attendants withdrew one after another, and only then did Yao embrace Fuba, lowering her voice and saying with reluctance: "My child, you are so intelligent, you should have been the heir to a kingdom. It is just a pity that those in the reformist faction have caused trouble. Your mother and father are unwilling to accept this..."

Indeed, in the eyes of the imperial physician, without a fever, one naturally would not suffer from brain damage, and without crying or fussing, there would naturally be no other ailments.

From this, Zhang Mingda concluded that he had not traversed to another world, but was instead in a parallel space-time on Earth

The lady of the Wang residence, who takes care of Fu Ba, found a rattle drum and began to play with it in front of Fu Ba. As a result, Fu Ba glanced at it and reached out to give it a push, causing his small body to turn around.

Thus, Zhang Mingda had no choice but to live a life where he had to stretch out his hands for clothing and open his mouth for food (milk)

Yao understood: "Thank you, Imperial Physician, for your guidance. Attendants, please escort a few Imperial Physicians to rest."

The imperial physician then set down his brush and said to Lady Yao, "Your Highness, the young prince is reluctant to move; it is likely due to his calm disposition"

A clean brush was handed to the imperial physician, who carefully used it to scratch the small feet of Fu Ba. Fu Ba was extremely ticklish and immediately began to crawl, but the physician relentlessly continued to play with the brush on Fu Ba's little toes. Fu Ba had no choice but to crawl into the corner of the bed, his small mouth opening and closing as if he were about to burst into tears.

Although the princes and the royal library of the Ming Dynasty lived in comfort, they were not without their concerns. This is evident as the emperor, fearing rebellion from the princes, not only treated them like livestock but also periodically sent civil officials to admonish them. It was not uncommon for princely states to be abolished, or for the princes themselves to be deposed even if their states still existed.

As time slowly passed, Zhang Mingda found that his vision became increasingly clear, and his hearing began to recover as well. At least the previously fragmented sounds could now gradually be distinguished into syllables and intonations.

Several months have passed in the blink of an eye. Zhang Mingda, who is now able to crawl and sit, inadvertently overheard the words "Zhou Fan" from the people around him who were attending to him. Zhang Mingda's heart suddenly skipped a beat

The imperial physician further explained: "The child is still unable to speak; if he feels unwell, he will naturally cry and fuss. However, the young prince is not crying or fussing, which clearly indicates that he is not ill. As for the notion of hysteria, the child has not yet developed awareness, so how could he possibly have hysteria?"

Yao immediately commanded, "Bring someone here for an on-the-spot test"

At this moment, a court physician instructed, "Bring me a pen!"

Fu Ba clearly sensed the feelings this woman had for him. Unable to restrain himself, he was somewhat moved as he recalled his parents, wife, and children from his previous life. He reached out with his small hand to wipe the face of the Yao woman, while making chirping sounds with his mouth. Unfortunately, due to his underdeveloped vocal cords, he was unable to produce any coherent sound

After several imperial physicians examined Fu Ba repeatedly, they reported to Consort Yao: "Your Highness, we have inquired with the responsible female officials and eunuchs. The young prince was still lively and active a few days ago, but he has been quiet in the past couple of days. However, upon our repeated observations, we have not found any abnormalities in the young prince. Therefore, this period of quietness is likely temporary and should improve in a few days. Please do not worry, Your Highness!"

Thus, Zhang Mingda cautiously began to observe his surroundings

Thus, Fu Ba gently kissed Yao's face, and Yao became excited: "My son can understand words now!"

Fu Ba was somewhat anxious about this, so to the palace maids and wet nurses serving him, he seemed excessively quiet during this period. He was either lying there in a daze, sitting there in a daze, or reclining there in a daze, which caused his mother, Consort Yao, to worry greatly. She specifically invited the imperial physician to examine Zhu Youcong's health

From the arrangement of the bedding and the attire of those around me, it appears that I am situated in a time and space that is rich in antiquity.