Lu Ronghuai Curved His Lips Imperceptibly
Lu Lingshuang was placing all the blame on Bai Qingyu. If Bai Qingyu had not refused to cooperate, how could they possibly have lost?
She bit down hard on her teeth and glared furiously at Bai Qingyu.
The Blue Team went off in high spirits to receive their reward.
Min Xiaomiao rode her horse over to Bai Qingyu and spread her hands in dejection. “It was my fault. Had I not been so eager to win, we could have taken the third round.”
Bai Qingyu said, “Safety first, the match second.”
Min Xiaomiao laughed openly as she began rolling up her sleeves. “Exactly! I do not care a whit about winning or losing. I nearly ended up crippled just now, and I have not yet settled that score.”
“Qingyu, be careful!” Bai Yi’s shout suddenly rang out from the viewing platform.
From behind came a sharp sound tearing through the air. Bai Qingyu turned her head slightly, and when she saw it was a whip, her gaze went cold.
She was just about to dodge when she met Min Xiaomiao’s puzzled eyes.
Bai Qingyu froze for an instant. If she moved aside, the whip behind her would certainly strike Min Xiaomiao across the face.
In that split second, Bai Qingyu’s brows knit faintly, and she forcibly took the blow across her back.
With a loud crack, a bloody gash opened across her back.
“Qingyu!”
In rage, Bai Yi kicked over the table with one foot, then turned and loudly demanded of Emperor Hongjia, “Your Majesty, is this how you indulge the Third Princess?! In broad daylight and before the public eye, she dares lay such a vicious hand upon my daughter?!”
Emperor Hongjia’s expression darkened. “Men, bring the Third Princess here at once!”
The Empress rose to her feet, worry on her face. “General Bai, pray calm yourself. The most urgent matter is to have the imperial physician treat Miss Bai at once. This palace and His Majesty will absolutely not shield Shuang’er from the consequences. General, you may rest assured.”
Bai Yi gave a cold snort, turned his face away, and strode toward the maqiu grounds.
Lu Rongshen rushed to Bai Qingyu’s side at once and anxiously held out a hand toward her.
“Miss Bai, come down quickly. I will carry you to be treated.”
Bai Qingyu: “...”
She glanced at the Eighth Prince’s slight, slender frame and quietly dismounted on her own. “There is no need. It is only a minor wound. It is nothing.”
Lu Rongshen hurried around behind her and craned his head up to look at the wound. “You are bleeding so much, and you still call it a minor wound? It pains even me to look at it!”
“No, this will not do. We must get you treated at once. I will carry... ah, I will carry you on my back!”
When she had been on horseback, he had not noticed it much. Yet now that Bai Qingyu stood before him, Lu Rongshen once again realized in the deepest way that his future wife was taller than he was.
Bai Qingyu said gently, “Your Highness, it is not my legs that are injured. I can walk by myself.”
Lu Rongshen felt a little embarrassed. He gave a foolish smile, puffed out his chest, and said considerately, “Then I will accompany you.”
Bai Qingyu did not refuse.
Lu Lingshuang was in the middle of being lectured by Emperor Hongjia while the Empress occasionally interjected on her behalf. Lu Ronghuai listened for only two sentences before a trace of mockery flashed swiftly through his eyes.
“Your Highness, should we go and have a look at Miss Bai as well?”
Lu Ronghuai agreed, and the two left their seats together for the rear hall.
On the way, Chu Yuan saw that his expression was grave and asked, “Does Your Highness have something on his mind?”
“If Lu Lingshuang remains in Ye Jing, sooner or later she will become a calamity.”
Chu Yuan asked, “Does Your Highness intend...”
Lu Ronghuai narrowed his eyes. “To send her away. Better still if she never appears before me again.”
Chu Yuan blinked his long, thick lashes. “A political marriage in a distant land?”
“Mm. What does Ah-Yuan think?”
“Has Your Highness already chosen someone?”
“One candidate.”
Lu Ronghuai thought of the Lu Lingshuang from his previous life. In the end, Emperor Hongjia had still sent her away in marriage, though that had happened several years later.
At present, he could help her along and let her return ahead of time with her future husband.
The two went to see Bai Qingyu.
The wound on Bai Qingyu’s back was an external injury. It had not damaged bone or sinew. It only looked serious, all torn flesh and blood. The imperial physician washed the wound, sprinkled medicinal powder over it, and bandaged her up.
Lu Rongshen sat outside the entire time, asking question after question. “Do you have any fine ointments that remove scars? Bring them all out for me to try.”
Driven half-mad, the physician retrieved every scar-fading cream favored by the palace consorts and laid them all before him, letting him choose as he pleased.
Lu Rongshen truly did begin choosing. He rejected any with ugly colors, rejected those with overly strong fragrance, rejected those that worked too slowly, and after comparing them all, selected two salves and handed them to Bai Qingyu.
He even instructed her carefully, “This ointment has a faint fragrance, and the imperial physician said that not only can it remove scars, it can also whiten the skin. Miss Bai, try it. Once you use it up, I will send you two more boxes.”
“Oh, right, the white jar is for daytime use, and the green jar is for nighttime use. Do not mix them up.”
Bai Qingyu held the salves in silence.
She truly did not need these things.
When the group returned to the maqiu grounds, it was the women of Duan and Liu who were competing in the arena, while on the viewing platform the betting remained lively as ever.
They came to Emperor Hongjia’s side. Neither the Empress nor Lu Lingshuang was there.
Emperor Hongjia asked with concern, “Young Lady Bai of the Bai family, is your wound serious?”
Before Bai Qingyu could speak, Lu Rongshen rushed to answer first. “Of course it is! Qingyu lost so much blood from her back, I was scared half to death.”
Emperor Hongjia rebuked him, “Zhen was not speaking to you.”
“Qingyu is this son’s betrothed. This son may answer on her behalf.”
“Father Emperor, you still have not said how Lingshuang is to be punished. Qingyu has suffered so greatly. You absolutely must give her and the Bai family an explanation.”
Emperor Hongjia said sternly, “Of course Zhen knows that! Zhen has made her kneel in punishment for an entire day and ordered the Empress to watch over her while she copies the Admonitions for Women ten times.”
Lu Rongshen was dissatisfied. “The punishment is too light. A good beating on top of that would be about right.”
Emperor Hongjia: “...”
A trace of amusement passed through Bai Qingyu’s eyes.
Lu Ronghuai chose that moment to interject. “Father Emperor, Lingshuang has grown ever more overbearing and unreasonable these past years. She is no longer young. If this continues, how is she ever to be married off?”
This was something Emperor Hongjia had been worrying about as well.
As his youngest daughter, Lu Lingshuang had been especially favored, since the two princesses above her had already married early.
Who would have thought that the favoritism had gone too far? Now she had grown spoiled, wilful, and unreasonable.
If anything went even slightly against her wishes, she would immediately vent her temper through beating and cursing.
“Does Third Son have any suggestions?”
Lu Ronghuai offered a veiled suggestion. “Is not the Wanchao Hui itself a fine opportunity? Father Emperor may take a proper look on Lingshuang’s behalf. If there is someone suitable, it may be possible to settle the match first.”
Emperor Hongjia was already of that mind.
“Today’s contests are all for young ladies. Tomorrow, when we go hunting in the woods, Zhen will make a careful selection.”
Lu Ronghuai curved his lips imperceptibly.
If nothing unexpected happened, Emperor Hongjia would still choose the same man as in the previous life.
The next day.
Outside the northern suburban palace of the Kingdom of Lu lay a vast stretch of forest, and beyond it stood a tall mountain. The place abounded in prey, and there were also many large wild beasts.
For young men, to capture one of the fierce beasts in those woods was an honor and a source of great pride beyond compare.
Of course, hunting there also carried considerable danger. For that reason, many soldiers had been stationed around the forest, so that if danger arose they could rush over at once and save people.
In the morning, Emperor Hongjia first led the rulers of the six kingdoms around the outer edge of the forest for a symbolic sweep, no more than a formality.
Once the hour of si arrived, the young men of every kingdom divided themselves into groups, took along bows, arrows, swords, provisions, waterskins, and together headed for the depths of the forest.
They were to remain in the forest for four shichen until the hour of you, when they would finally be allowed to leave. Because of this, everyone had prepared abundant supplies.
At Lu Ronghuai’s request, Emperor Hongjia permitted Chu Yuan to go along as well.
Lu Ronghuai first helped Chu Yuan onto the horse. Then with one long stride he swung up and seated himself steadily behind him.
“Your Highness?”
Chu Yuan turned his head back, his eyes filled with confusion.
He had seen everyone else riding one horse each. Two grown men sharing a single horse looked very conspicuous.
“You do not know how to ride. It is dangerous inside, and if we ride together I can protect you,” Lu Ronghuai said with upright seriousness.
“...Very well.”
Lu Rongshen looked on in envy, his eyes turning sour. “I am not jealous at all. I, too, shall soon be someone with a wife.”
Lu Ronghuai said, “It is of no use even if you are jealous. Bai Qingyu knows how to ride. She does not need your protection.”
Lu Ronghuai added, “Go amuse yourself. Do not follow us.”
Lu Rongshen: “...”
He solemnly vowed he would not speak a single word to his Third Brother for the next three days.
Lu Rongshen ran off to find Nie Siran instead.
Lu Ronghuai flicked a glance toward the shadows, and a figure silently followed after Lu Rongshen.
He had sent Xian Shuang over to protect Lu Rongshen, while Xian Feng continued following at their side.
It was Chu Yuan’s first time going out hunting. He looked about in every direction, full of curiosity toward every blade of grass and every tree before his eyes.
“Come. I will take you to have some fun.”
“Is Your Highness not going to hunt?”
Everyone else had come for the prey. When they emerged, the number and quality of each person’s game would be counted to see who had hunted the most and who had brought back the finest quarry.
“I am not hunting. Today I am only accompanying you for some amusement. If Ah-Yuan takes a fancy to any prey, I can hunt it for you.”
Chu Yuan shook his head. “There is nothing I particularly wish to hunt. Where are we going now?”
Lu Ronghuai looked around and guided the horse into the woods on the left.
“Further on in this direction, there is an icy lake. I will take you to have a look.”
“Your Highness.”
Xian Feng suddenly dropped down from a tree once he had confirmed there was no one around.
“What is it?”
Xian Feng replied, “The men we placed beside Vice Minister Su were discovered by Young Master Nie.”
Lu Ronghuai asked, “How did that happen?”
Xian Feng said, “Young Master Nie sent men to tail Vice Minister Su, and then... our people were discovered.”
“Why would he follow Su Ruhe?”
Xian Feng looked hesitant.
“Speak. What is there that is so difficult to say?” Lu Ronghuai wrapped an arm around Chu Yuan’s waist and took the opportunity to draw him closer against himself.
Xian Feng cast a glance at Chu Yuan, then lowered his head. “Young Master Nie noticed that Lord Su was acting suspiciously and sent men to investigate him.”
“Acting suspiciously?” Lu Ronghuai’s interest was piqued.
“What Young Master Nie found was... that Vice Minister Su had painted many portraits of Your Highness and the Prince Consort.”
“Vice Minister Su had those portraits printed in large numbers and sold them together with the storybooks about Your Highness and the Prince Consort. They are... very well received.”
Chu Yuan: “??”
Lu Ronghuai laughed. “So he has found another way to make money.”
Xian Feng said nothing.
“Later, make him share a portion of the money he earns with us. Otherwise we lose out too badly,” Lu Ronghuai murmured laughingly into Chu Yuan’s ear.
Xian Feng asked, “Then shall we continue following Vice Minister Su?”
“Mm, continue. Nie Siran only happened upon this matter by chance. He will not interfere in it.”
Once Xian Feng had leapt back up into the trees, Chu Yuan turned his head and looked at Lu Ronghuai with sharp eyes.
The moment Lu Ronghuai saw his expression, he knew what he wished to ask.
“If Ah-Yuan wishes to ask something, then ask.”
“Why did Your Highness send people to follow Vice Minister Su?”
“He is doing something for me. I sent people to protect him for a while. In a few days’ time, Ah-Yuan will understand.”
Chu Yuan asked, “Could it be that those... storybooks circulating on the market were written by Vice Minister Su?”
“Mm, that is so.”
Chu Yuan: “...”
“One truly cannot judge a person by appearance.”
“Once we go back, I will buy two more volumes and see how his paintings turned out.”
“Your Highness seems rather pleased about this.”
“Ahem, I am not pleased. How could I be pleased? Ah-Yuan is so beautiful, he ought to be seen by me alone. All those common folk have been looking at him, and I am not at all pleased by that.”
“Is that so...” Chu Yuan looked at him meaningfully. “Your Highness’s expression does not seem to be saying the same thing.”
“You saw wrongly. I was born with smiling face.”
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Lu the Dog: I truly am a clever little devil.
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