When the Sky Is High and the Emperor Far Away

With Sweet Dumpling gone to Mystic Healer Valley, Prince Nolan and Serena Feng decided to summon Little Dumpling back home, lest they miss their daughter too much.

In recent years, Prince Nolan has focused most of his energy on governance to accelerate the unification of the Nine Provinces. Though he never ignored Little Dumpling, he rarely had time to teach his son personally.

Of course, few emperors in history have ever taught their sons themselves—Prince Nolan is already exceptional. Little Dumpling is only eight, yet his father began instructing him in statecraft and letting him get familiar with national affairs early on.

When Little Dumpling was younger, he mostly studied under William Wang Jinling. Only in the last two years has he regularly returned to the palace to learn governance from Prince Nolan.

Little Dumpling never goes more than a day or two without coming back to the palace, or Serena Feng will bring Sweet Dumpling to visit him. The family is close, and Little Dumpling has always grown up by Serena and Prince Nolan's side—he's just never been as clingy as Sweet Dumpling.

This time, Prince Nolan wants Little Dumpling back because he's currently a guest at Skyvault Palace Sect with William Wang Jinling. He doesn't even know that Sweet Dumpling has gone to Mystic Healer Valley.

But Little Dumpling's ignorance doesn't mean William Wang Jinling and Sect Master Sean Xuan are unaware—Sweet Dumpling sent them letters just a few days after leaving.

Sweet Dumpling is very familiar with William Wang Jinling and Sean Xuan, and she likes these two genuinely doting uncles. She just isn't as obsessed with William as Serena and Little Dumpling are.

After receiving the news, William and Sean didn't tell Little Dumpling. In fact, when William learned Prince Nolan had sent people to fetch the boy, he took Little Dumpling and left ahead of them.

“Little Dumpling, reading ten thousand books is no match for traveling ten thousand miles. You're not so little anymore—let your adoptive father take you out to see the world.” William's smile was gentle as a spring breeze. No matter how clever Little Dumpling was, he couldn't read anything unusual in William's expression. Delighted, he nodded, “Great! Adoptive Father, when do we leave?”

Eight years old is the age for fun and adventure. Little Dumpling may be more mature than other children, but he’s still a kid—of course he’d rather go out and see the world than stay cooped up reading books.

“Tomorrow, after we say goodbye to your Uncle Sean, we’ll set off. Your father just conquered Lyndaria, and your Uncle Simon is over there building orphanages and clinics. We’ll go see if there’s anything we can help with.” William had long planned to show Little Dumpling the world—now was the perfect time.

Lyndaria’s situation is dire, but unless Little Dumpling sees it for himself, he’ll never truly understand how hard ordinary people’s lives are.

Little Dumpling knows Lyndaria’s situation perfectly well from his father’s reports, even if he doesn’t know how to handle state affairs yet. Now that William wants to take him to see it firsthand, how could he refuse?

Even if William asks him to write a thousand-word reflection afterwards, Little Dumpling doesn’t mind at all.

From the time he could understand things, Little Dumpling knew what he was destined for. His parents and adoptive father never taught him exam essays—they taught him how to rule a nation and wield imperial power.

Little Dumpling knows he doesn’t need to fight or compete—he was born to be the future ruler of the country. Even if he has younger brothers someday, his position won’t change. All he needs to do now is keep learning so he can be a wise emperor and not disappoint his parents or adoptive father.

But will he really be able to be a good emperor at just ten years old?

This question has always troubled Little Dumpling. Every time he thinks about it, he feels he was so foolish and naïve to sign such an unfair contract back then.

Ten years old!

Only two years left before he’d have to become emperor—he really didn’t want it.

Little Dumpling’s whole face scrunched up. William looked up, set down his book, and gazed at his adopted son and disciple.

“What’s wrong, Little Dumpling?” As both teacher and adoptive father, William naturally cared when his student was troubled.

“Adoptive Father… do I really have to ascend the throne in two years?” In front of William, just like with Nolan and Serena, Little Dumpling never pretended to be grown up—he acted like any ordinary child, even whining a little.

No matter how smart or capable he was, he was still just a kid to his parents.

“According to your father’s plan, yes. Within two years, he’ll send troops against Northlyn, which is already at the end of its rope and won’t last long. Once the realm is unified, he’ll hand over the empire to you with full confidence.”

“But… but I don’t want to be emperor so soon. I’m nowhere near ready to be a good emperor. There’s still so much I have to learn—two years just isn’t enough.”

Little Dumpling’s face scrunched up as he clung to William’s arm, pleading, “Adoptive Father, can you help me? Could you talk to my father and ask if I can wait a couple more years before ascending?”

“I’m afraid not. Your father has arranged everything. You just need to sit on the throne; you don’t have to worry about the rest.” William knew perfectly well that Prince Nolan had long planned to retire and take Serena to do whatever she dreamed of.

As for whether Little Dumpling could be a good emperor, William wasn’t worried at all—Prince Nolan had already made all the arrangements. Civil officials like Felix Fuller, Holden Cui, and soon-to-graduate Leon Su; military support from the Phoenixfield Clan and Dorian Owen. Even if Little Dumpling was young, he could sit securely on the throne, with no fear of rebellious ministers.

Besides, William would never let anyone bully Little Dumpling. With him watching, who would dare try any tricks?

“But I really don’t want to.” Little Dumpling pulled a miserable face. “If I start being emperor at ten and live to seventy, that’s sixty years on the throne!” The more he thought about it, the more tragic his fate seemed.

He’d grown up beside his father and knew exactly how exhausting it was to be emperor—he didn’t want to suffer for that long at all.

William couldn’t help but laugh. In all of history, he’d never seen anyone treat emperorship as a prison sentence. So many princes had fought to the death for the crown, but only Little Dumpling could face it with such calm.

But that’s exactly what made him proud of his disciple and adopted son.

“If you don’t want to be emperor for so long, you could marry early, have a child, and train your heir the way your father trained you.”

William offered his adopted son a clever solution, but…

“Mother says I have to wait until I’m twenty to marry. Marrying too early isn’t good for my health.” If he marries at twenty, it’ll be a year or two before he has a child, and by the time that child grows up enough to take over, he’ll be nearly forty.

Forty years old—he’d spend more than half his life trapped in the palace.

“Adoptive Father, I’m so pitiful. Can you think of a way to help me?” The more Little Dumpling thought about it, the more miserable he felt.

“What kind of solution do you want me to come up with?” William tapped Little Dumpling’s head, pretending to be stern. “I’ve taught you a lot, but never taught you to just accept fate.”

“Adoptive Father…” Little Dumpling looked up and saw William smiling mysteriously. His eyes lit up, and he beamed with happiness. “Adoptive Father, you mean…?”

“Under heaven, all land belongs to the king.” William knew exactly what Little Dumpling was thinking, and nodded approvingly. “But there’s also a saying: ‘When the sky is high and the emperor is far away.’”

“I get it, Adoptive Father!” Little Dumpling was so happy he nearly jumped up.

‘When the sky is high and the emperor is far away’—he wasn’t going to just accept his fate!