Lu Rongshen: “???”
Lu Ronghuai led Chu Yuan slowly up onto the viewing platform.
Emperor Hongjia noticed that Chu Yuan still wore the veiled hat, his entire face tightly concealed. Led along by Lu Ronghuai, he was dressed from head to toe in moon-white cloud-patterned brocade robes. Even his fingers could not be seen.
The emperor looked twice, then did not pay further attention. Turning instead to ask, “You said just now that Miss Bai already has someone in her heart?”
The Crown Prince said, “Indeed. How does Third Brother know this so clearly? Could it be that Miss Bai told you personally?”
Emperor Hongjia’s mind tightened.
If this third son of his had secretly formed close ties with Bai Yi…
Lu Ronghuai helped Chu Yuan into his seat, then turned and glanced lazily at the Crown Prince.
“This Prince happened to learn of it by chance.”
Emperor Hongjia said, “General Bai, is this truly the case?”
Bai Yi found himself now astride a tiger with no easy way to dismount. To say no would mean the Kingdom of Yu would certainly refuse to let the matter go. To say yes, where was he to find someone to play the part at a moment’s notice?
Grinding his teeth inwardly, he knew Prince Li meant to help him, yet the situation still left him with a splitting headache.
“General Bai need not worry. Miss Bai and Ah-Shen fell for one another at a single glance. Only their difference in identity kept them from speaking plainly. Today Father Emperor is present. With Father Emperor’s wisdom and fairness, he certainly would not allow two people with mutual affection to suffer the torment of longing.”
Consort Ye’s hand trembled. Her nails carved a pale mark into her palm.
Lu Rongshen: “???”
The Bai father and daughter: “???”
Everyone present: “???”
Lu Rongshen sprang to his feet with a sudden motion. His handsome face flushed bright red as he looked helplessly toward Lu Ronghuai.
What in heaven’s name was his Third Brother doing? When had he ever… ever harbored feelings for Miss Bai?
Flustered, he looked over at Bai Qingyu. At that moment, Bai Qingyu also raised her head, her ice-blue eyes turning toward him.
He immediately looked away in flustered panic. His heart had begun to hammer against his ribs, and heat was gathering in his palms.
Emperor Hongjia glanced toward him. “When did Xiao Ba come to know Miss Bai?”
Lu Rongshen nearly blurted out that they did not know each other. Yet when he met Lu Ronghuai’s gaze, his brother blinked his left eye almost imperceptibly. The words at Lu Rongshen’s lips were swallowed back down.
“I… we met once… before…”
He could not continue the lie.
In truth, he had no memory whatsoever of ever meeting Bai Qingyu.
Lu Ronghuai stood where he was, still as a mountain in an eight-directioned wind. Once Lu Rongshen finished speaking, he drew two or three letters from his sleeve and had a eunuch present them to Emperor Hongjia.
“When Xiao Ba was thirteen, he saw Miss Bai once at a palace banquet and has never forgotten her since. At that time this prince was campaigning outside the capital and made a special point of taking the long road around to deliver the letters Xiao Ba had written to Miss Bai.”
Emperor Hongjia looked down at the letters before him, worn at the edges, and aged with time.
He opened one and looked through it briefly. The brushwork was indeed Lu Rongshen’s.
The Crown Prince smiled faintly. “Since the letters were delivered to Miss Bai, why are they now in your possession?”
Lu Ronghuai spoke falsehood with open eyes. “Miss Bai is of noble integrity. She declined Xiao Ba’s sentiments and returned them.”
Lu Rongshen: “…”
The ruler of Yu immediately interjected, “Then that only proves Miss Bai does not like the Eighth Prince at all. Why should my son not seek her hand?”
Lu Ronghuai replied, “This Prince was speaking of six years ago. Sincerity can move even stone. This Prince believes Miss Bai will make the wisest choice.”
Yu Kui immediately turned toward Bai Qingyu and declared fervently, “Miss Bai may rest assured. If you agree to marry this Prince, this Prince will treat you alone with devotion for the rest of my life.”
Bai Qingyu rose and moved to stand beside her father, then knelt with her head bowed to the ground.
“Your Majesty, this subject’s daughter only wishes to remain by her father’s side. She has no desire for marriage.”
Emperor Hongjia frowned. “How can that do? Delay much longer and you may truly become an old maiden.”
Bai Qingyu answered with neither servility nor arrogance, “This subject’s daughter is of humble standing. She and her father depend upon one another alone. What remains of this life, she wishes only to devote to filial duty at his side.”
A trace of tears surfaced in Bai Yi’s eyes. Lowering his head, he said heavily, “Your Majesty, my daughter and I are people of the Kingdom of Lu. Even in death we would remain ghosts of Lu. If Your Majesty insists upon sending my daughter away in marriage, then this subject shall end his life upon this very ground today!”
Gasps of alarm rose among the crowd.
The Empress spoke sharply, “General, why speak such words to wound His Majesty’s heart? A marriage alliance with the Kingdom of Yu would foster goodwill between the two states. Your conduct is far too rash.”
Bai Yi’s expression remained stubborn.
Emperor Hongjia sighed and waved his hand. “In that case, let it be forgotten. Prince Xuan may choose another—”
“This subject has but this one wish.”
The Kingdom of Yu refused to retreat.
The two sides fell into stalemate, and Emperor Hongjia’s expression darkened further.
Lu Rongze covered his mouth and coughed softly, then smiled. “Father Emperor, Prince Xuan and Eighth Brother are youths in the season of admiring the beautiful. Since that is so, why not allow them to compete once? Let us see who wins the lady’s heart. It would spare Father Emperor from being caught between the two sides.”
Emperor Hongjia thought the suggestion excellent. He called Lu Rongshen forward.
“If you like her, then win her yourself. Do not say Father Emperor did not give you the opportunity.”
Lu Rongshen’s face twisted miserably.
Yu Kui agreed with ready enthusiasm. “Then let us compete in archery. Five arrows shall decide the outcome. Whoever strikes the bullseye most takes the victory. This subject is willing to yield three arrows to the Eighth Prince.”
These words rang with haughty arrogance, and they stirred Lu Rongshen’s temper.
“You… you dare look down on whom exactly?! I need no such concession from you.”
Yu Kui smiled faintly. “Very well. Let us compete fairly. Your Highness, please.”
The two descended to the arena.
Upon the viewing platform, the others returned to their seats. As Lu Ronghuai passed Bai Yi and Bai Qingyu, his thin lips curved slightly, and he tossed out a quiet remark.
“If the two of you insist on guarding this secret even unto death, perhaps you should try another path.”
Bai Qingyu was startled.
Lu Ronghuai had already reached Chu Yuan’s side. Lu Rongze turned his head and asked with concern, “Third Brother, has Third Sister-in-law caught a chill?”
Lu Ronghuai replied flatly, “Watch the match. Mind not what does not concern you.”
Lu Rongze: “…”
Chu Yuan withdrew his hand. Beneath the veil, his small face stiffened. If the veil had not concealed him, he certainly would have glared.
“Still angry with me?” Lu Ronghuai leaned close, speaking beside his ear with a smile.
Chu Yuan pushed his face away, his tone level and without inflection. “How would this subject dare be angry with Your Highness?”
“You say you are not angry, yet last night you called out ‘Wangli’ again and again. Today you have returned to calling me ‘Your Highness.’ It truly wounds the heart.”
It would have been better if he had not mentioned last night.
The moment he did, Chu Yuan’s face turned red again, a faint blush spreading across his skin.
After waking this morning and the haze of wine lifted, the outrageous scenes from the night before had flooded back into his mind, leaving him so ashamed he wished he could crawl into the ground.
How could he… how could he have behaved so boldly?
Chu Yuan glared at Lu Ronghuai in irritation, though the man seemed too thick-skinned to sense the fierce look hidden behind the veil.
Instead he edged closer and wrapped his arms around the soft figure beside him.
“Ah-Yuan, let us make a wager. Who will win between Eighth Brother and Prince Xuan? The winner may request one condition.”
Chu Yuan eyed him warily. “This subject will not wager.”
Lu Ronghuai chuckled. “Refusing to wager counts as forfeiting. That means you lose immediately.”
Chu Yuan fell silent for a moment. “…Then Eighth Brother.”
Lu Ronghuai raised an eyebrow. “Why? Eighth Brother’s archery skills are quite ordinary.”
Chu Yuan lowered his voice and replied calmly, “Early this morning Your Highness had this subject imitate Eighth Brother’s brushwork. Was that not already preparation?”
Lu Ronghuai laughed softly and slipped a hand beneath the veil to stroke Chu Yuan’s smooth cheek.
“Ah-Yuan truly is clever.”
Chu Yuan slapped the offending hand away. “Your Highness is carelessly matching mandarin ducks on the register. Are you not afraid Eighth Brother will resent you?”
Lu Ronghuai smiled mysteriously. “No. He will thank me.”
Through the thin veil, Chu Yuan looked toward the arena.
At that moment Lu Rongshen and Prince Xuan had each already fired three arrows. A wave of groans rose filled the air.
The Sixth Prince, Lu Ronghan, shouted, “Eighth Brother, spare yourself the shame and concede already!”
Prince Xuan struck the bullseye with every arrow, while Lu Rongshen could scarcely even hit the straw target.
Sweat gathered on Lu Rongshen’s brow. His wrist trembled. He could barely hold the bow steady.
Prince Xuan looked toward him with sympathy. “Shall we call it at three arrows?”
The outcome was already obvious.
Lu Rongshen gritted his teeth. “Five arrows means five arrows. It is not finished yet.”
He still had a chance.
Lu Rongshen raised his bow again with difficulty and drew the string. His arm trembled from the strain. The moment he released, the arrow flew and struck near the edge of the bullseye.
Lu Ronghan muttered a curse.
Lu Ronghuai cast him a cold glance. “Has your mouth turned into a chamber pot? Why does it stink so badly?”
Lu Ronghan did not dare argue and sat down quietly.
Lu Rongshen took a deep breath. Once more he drew the bow and focused with all his might before releasing the final arrow.
The arrow struck the straw target just beside the bullseye.
Only a little more and it would have struck the center.
Lu Rongshen’s shoulders sagged. He sniffed quietly.
Never before had he felt such defeat.
He could do nothing well. Neither scholarly nor martial pursuits brought success. In everything he was but a half-string of coins.
The two returned to the viewing platform together, one with chest thrown back and chin high, the other with head hanging and spirit utterly spent.
Emperor Hongjia clearly had not expected Lu Rongshen’s would prove quite this poor. He wanted to say something sharp, but with so many eyes upon them, swallowed it back.
Still, he shot Consort Ye a sharp look. She lowered her head and said nothing.
The ruler of Yu smiled broadly. “Well then, the contest is finished. This marriage can proceed now, yes?”
Lu Ronghuai tapped lightly upon the table. “Does the ruler of Yu suffer a failing of the ears? Whether the marriage proceeds depend on whose heart Miss Bai favors. Miss Bai has not yet spoken. Why the hurry?”
The ruler of Yu replied, “My son has defeated the Eighth Prince. Who is stronger and who weaker is obvious at a glance.”
Lu Rongshen lowered his head, ashamed beyond words.
Emperor Hongjia pressed his forehead and sighed. “General Bai, allow your daughter to choose for herself.”
Bai Yi and Bai Qingyu exchanged a glance.
Bai Qingyu stepped forward from among the seats and clasped her hands.
“This subject’s daughter is willing to marry the Eighth Prince.”
Lu Rongshen jerked his head up, staring at Bai Qingyu in disbelief.
The smile upon Prince Xuan’s face vanished, replaced by anger. “What does this mean? This prince already won the contest. You—”
Bai Qingyu raised her gaze. Those ice-blue irises were like frost-flowers blooming in the depths of a thousand-year glacier. “Nowhere in the terms of the contest did it say I must choose the one who won.”
Prince Xuan’s expression froze.
Lu Rongze nodded. “Indeed. This Prince said the two should compete fairly. Whoever wins Miss Bai’s heart would be the one she chooses.”
The Empress smiled with composed elegance. “Victory or defeat in archery is not the most important matter. What matters is whom Miss Bai admires more during the process.”
Emperor Hongjia studied Lu Rongshen and Bai Qingyu, pondering inwardly.
He had wanted his military authority back and, in the process, it seemed he was losing a son into the bargain. That felt rather like a poor exchange.
Moreover, Bai Qingyu was three years older than Little Eight and stood a head taller. By any measure the two seemed ill-matched.
Yet the words had already been spoken, and he could not retract them now.
Seeing that foolish younger brother still standing there in a daze, Lu Ronghuai spoke to remind him.
“Xiao Ba, why do you not thank Father Emperor?”
Lu Rongshen startled back to himself. His knees bent of their own accord, and he dropped to the ground with a thud.
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Lu · Newly Promoted Matchmaker · Dog: I have truly worn my heart to tatters on their behalf.
Little darlings, the replaced content from the previous chapter has been posted on Weibo. Those who are interested may go take a look. Bowing deeply~
IsitRo: Unfortunately, I dun have Weibo acc :'<
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