DCPxEP CHAPTER 76

“It Is Love.”

Xue Yingying had overstepped her place. Everything had happened far too quickly.

The Prefect was the first to react. He sprang to his feet in furious rage.

“Insolent wretch, hold your tongue! This is the Prince Consort of Prince Li. How dare you fabricate slander and insult him!”

Even after shouting this, he still seemed unable to vent his anger. He seized his wine cup and hurled it at her. The wine splashed across her shoulder, quickly soaking into her clothing. The cloth was thin and light, and the wet patches became even more obvious. Xue Yingying hurriedly shrank in on herself, mortified.

This time, she did not dare cry out again.

She trembled in terror, her courage completely gone.

She hurriedly knelt on the ground and begged Chu Yuan for mercy, sobbing as she said, “This servant knows her mistake. This servant is ignorant and short-sighted and failed to recognize the Prince Consort. I beg the Prince Consort to forgive this offense.”

Lu Ronghuai suddenly understood.

“Prefect Zhang, the courtesans of Ping Cheng are quite arrogant. Without even knowing who someone is, she dares to spout such nonsense. With eyes this blind, they might as well be gouged out.”

Xue Yingying’s face turned as white as paper. She shook her head frantically, too frightened to speak.

The Prefect hurriedly rose and apologized.

“Your Highness, please forgive the offense. This official did not know this wretched slave would behave so arrogantly and offend Your Highness. This official will certainly punish her severely. I beg Your Highness to calm your anger.”

Lu Ronghuai replied coldly, “No need to trouble the Prefect. This Prince will deal with her personally.”

As soon as he spoke, Xian Shuang, who had been standing silently like a shadow, stepped forward. He seized Xue Yingying by the arm. Ignoring her cries and pleas for mercy, he dragged her away.

The crowd fell completely silent.

The musicians nearby were so frightened they scarcely dared breathe. Their heads hung low as they clutched their instruments, trembling, and wishing they could disappear from the place entirely.

No one knew what fate awaited the next person who displeased Prince Li.

Once the immediate nuisance had been removed, Lu Ronghuai immediately returned to coaxing his wife.

He lowered his voice. “Ah-Yuan, do not anger yourself. If you wish, you may beat this Prince to vent your temper.”

Chu Yuan replied calmly, “Your Highness’s flesh is thick. This subject could not beat it even if this subject tried.”

“Then scold this Prince.” Lu Ronghuai leaned closer, even offering suggestions himself.

Chu Yuan raised his gaze. His eyes shimmered softly with reflected light.

He had indeed been somewhat angry just now, yet after calming down, seeing the smile lingering on Lu Ronghuai’s face made him feel that he himself had been unreasonable.

“This subject spoke improperly just now. I hope Your Highness will not take offense.”

Chu Yuan raised the wine cup before him, intending to apologize with a toast.

Lu Ronghuai fell silent for a moment. Slowly he turned his head toward the Prefect.

“Bring this Prince another cup.”

The Prefect quickly brought one. Lu Ronghuai took the wine jug and began pouring.

The Prefect’s small eyes widened.

“Did Your Highness not say you had given up wine?”

Lu Ronghuai replied, “Did this Prince say that?”

“Yes.”

Lu Ronghuai lifted the cup lightly.

“This Prince is not drinking wine.”

His tone floated lightly through the air.

“It is love.”

The Prefect: “...”

Chu Yuan’s brow twitched faintly. He was about to lower his cup when Lu Ronghuai caught his wrist.

The man held his wrist and slowly lifted his arm until it was level with his shoulder before releasing it.

Just as everyone wondered what he intended, Lu Ronghuai raised his cup and threaded his arm through Chu Yuan’s.

His narrow eyes gleamed with pleasure.

“Come. Let us drink a cup-crossing wine.”

Chu Yuan nearly splashed the wine in his face just to wash away some of his shamelessness.

Below them someone began to cheer, urging them to drink quickly.

Lu Ronghuai reached up and removed the veiled hat from Chu Yuan’s head. They were suddenly very close, close enough that Lu Ronghuai’s breath brushed Chu Yuan’s ear.

Smiling deeply, he tilted his head back and drank the wine without hesitation.

Cheers broke out all around them.

Chu Yuan remained still for a moment. Then his graceful neck lifted slightly, and he drank the cup-crossing wine that gleamed like moonlight.

His pale lips were instantly touched with moisture, clear and glistening. Unaccustomed to wine, he lightly ran the tip of his red tongue along the corner of his lips.

Lu Ronghuai’s throat moved. Something in his gaze went very slightly dark.

He took the cup from Chu Yuan’s hand, not allowing him to drink further. Then he placed the veiled hat back upon Chu Yuan’s head, concealing that bewitching face once more.

An hour later the banquet ended, and the two returned home together.

Chu Yuan went inside to wash. Le Shu stood guard outside the room, while Xian Shuang returned to the shadows to watch the surroundings.

Lu Ronghuai stepped out and entered the temporary study room beside the hall to discuss matters with his subordinates.

“Your Highness, Xian Yue has sent word. After the Crown Prince returned to the capital, he has been making considerable moves in secret.” Xian Yu closed the door and reported.

Lu Ronghuai asked, “What is Lu Rongluo doing?”

“The Crown Prince seems certain that Prince Qi is dead. He is now actively drawing the supporters of Prince Qi to his side.”

“Does Consort Fang know of this?”

“Consort Fang remains secluded within the palace, and Fang Xinhai has come to Ping Cheng. She knows nothing of the Crown Prince’s schemes. However, Xian Yue says he has already arranged people who can deliver this news to Consort Fang at any moment, once Your Highness gives the order.”

“Very well. Deliver this good news to Consort Fang.”

Xian Feng asked, “My lord, when do you plan to allow Prince Qi to return?”

“No hurry. His dear uncle has been searching everywhere for him. This Prince quite enjoys watching them burn with anxiety.”

The three thousand elite soldiers that Lu Ronghuai had stationed in Ping Cheng had been watching Prince Qi all along. When the mountain slide occurred on Niuqun Mountain, burying everyone beneath the falling rocks, those three thousand soldiers seized the moment before the news could reach Ping Cheng. They quickly located Lu Rongjun and carried him away.

At present Lu Rongjun was being held in a concealed location under the guard of ten soldiers. Escape was impossible.

Moreover, when he had been struck by the falling rocks, his waist and abdomen had suffered severe injuries. By the time he was rescued, even his tailbone had been broken. Infection followed the heavy wounds. The soldiers had spent many days treating him with medicine before finally pulling him back from death’s gate.

However, when Lu Rongjun awakened and discovered that he had no sensation in the lower half of his body, he began shouting and raging on the bed.

The soldiers had no choice but to report the matter to Lu Ronghuai. Lu Ronghuai immediately ordered that he be forced to drink a bowl of sleeping concoction each day so that he would remain quiet.

Thus in recent days Lu Rongjun had remained in a constant state of unconsciousness, unaware of everything happening outside. Naturally he did not know that many people already believed him dead.

Xian Yu’s eyes rolled thoughtfully before he suddenly grinned again.

“Your Highness, according to Xian Yue, the Prince Consort’s reputation in Ye Jing has recently been unparalleled.”

After the Wanchao Hui, Lu Ronghuai had already known that Chu Yuan’s remarkable performance there would spread throughout Ye Jing.

“What do the people of Ye Jing say?”

Xian Yu replied, “The Prince Consort astonished everyone during the talent competition and took several first places in succession. The people speak highly of him, and his reputation is excellent.”

“The poems, paintings, and other works he produced during the competition have also spread through the capital. They are circulating wildly within Ye Jing, and countless young scholars are reading and imitating them.”

The corner of Lu Ronghuai’s mouth lifted.

“There is... one more matter.”

“Speak.”

Xian Yu scratched his head.

“Your Highness, since you left the capital to suppress the bandits, the construction of the Daoist temple has been delayed. Vice Minister Su has had little to occupy him recently. He painted many portraits of Your Highness and the Prince Consort. Because the Prince Consort’s fame has soared recently, once the illustrated booklets were printed, they sold out immediately. Then... then...”

Lu Ronghuai finished the sentence for him.

“Then the Censorate submitted a memorial of impeachment?”

Xian Yu’s eyes lit up.

“My lord guessed correctly.”

Lu Ronghuai smiled without warmth.

“However, Your Highness need not worry this time. All the Censorate’s accusations were refuted by Prime Minister Nie.”

“...”

Originally he had not been worried.

Now he was not so certain.

Would that old fox Nie Chouwen truly help him? Perhaps it was merely another trap waiting for him to fall into.

Lu Ronghuai rubbed his forehead.

“We shall discuss this matter after returning to the capital. Have you discovered any clues in the Prefect’s residence tonight?”

Xian Feng and Xian Yu both shook their heads.

When Lu Ronghuai attended the banquet with Chu Yuan, only Xian Shuang accompanied him openly. The two of them had instead slipped over the back wall of the Prefect’s residence under cover of night, hoping to find some evidence.

However, Zhang Ze was meticulous and cautious. He left no trace of his deeds. After searching the entire residence, they found nothing.

“That is normal. If he were not so cunning, the affairs of Ping Cheng would not have remained hidden for so long.”

“What should we do next?” Xian Feng asked.

Lu Ronghuai replied, “Tonight this Prince made them speak about the bandits. Every one of them was lying. Not a single truthful word left their mouths.”

“They are still observing this Prince. Over the next two days you should wander around Ping Cheng and see whether anything unusual appears.”

“Understood.”

“Tomorrow this Prince will take Ah-Yuan to Niuqun Mountain to watch the excitement.”

Xian Feng said, “Your Highness, that dancer is still locked in the woodshed.”

“Leave her there for now. Let her go hungry for two days.”

Xian Yu added, “That dancer is quite famous in Ping Cheng. She is the leading performer of their music house.”

Lu Ronghuai replied casually, “Interested? Then this Prince will give her to you.”

Xian Yu slapped himself twice for speaking too much. His punishment had arrived.

“This subordinate has severed all attachments of love and feels no interest in women.”

Xian Shuang knocked at the door from outside.

“Your Highness, the Prince Consort is asking for you.”

Lu Ronghuai stood. “What is the matter?”

There was a brief silence outside. Then Xian Shuang spoke calmly.

“Several sheets of illustrated books on the table in the main chamber have been seen by the Prince Consort.”

“Illustrated books?”

Lu Ronghuai opened the door. “What illustrated books?”

Behind him, Xian Yu muttered a silent curse and hurriedly explained.

“They are the illustrated portraits drawn by Vice Minister Su. When Xian Yue sent the message, he placed several inside. This subordinate left them on the table and forgot to take them away.”

Lu Ronghuai turned back and praised him.

“You are truly this Prince’s excellent subordinate. Your reward is to spend tonight in the woodshed chatting with the courtesan.”

Xian Yu’s vision went dark.

Xian Feng suppressed a laugh and patted his shoulder before walking past him to follow Lu Ronghuai.

Xian Shuang remained behind. He stood before Xian Yu and looked at him coolly.

“Punished again?”

Xian Yu burst into mournful sobs, slinging an arm around Xian Shuang’s shoulder.

“My luck is terrible. Truly terrible. Why am I always so unlucky? Wuwuwu. Tomorrow I must go to a temple and offer prayers. Perhaps I have offended Tai Sui this year.”

“You have not offended Tai Sui.”

Xian Shuang removed the arm from his shoulder and said without expression,

“You have offended swine fever.”

“What? Swine fever?” Xian Yu blinked in confusion. He had not heard of any pigs falling ill around here.

“Mm. Stupid pig.”

“You called me a pig? Xian Shuang, stand right there!”

Xian Yu went red with indignation and gave chase, but his lightness skill was inferior. In the blink of an eye Xian Shuang had already vanished.

“Xian Shuang, by age you should call me elder brother! Have you no respect?!”

Standing at the crossroads, Xian Yu shouted with hands on his hips.

Xian Shuang turned his head slightly.

“Stupid pig.”

“AAARGH— get back here!!”

Xian Yu launched himself forward. The two chased each other across the residence grounds, leaping about until even the wild cat sleeping atop the wall was startled awake and fled.

Meanwhile, Lu Ronghuai returned to the bedchamber.

Chu Yuan had already finished bathing. His hair hung loose down his back. Dressed only in white inner robes, he sat upright at the table, holding several sheets of illustrated paper and examining them one by one.

The glow of the luminous pearl cast gentle light across his face, lending it a calm and distant beauty.

Lu Ronghuai stared without blinking.

Only when Chu Yuan looked up at him, a half-smiling expression in his eyes, did he come back to himself.

Chu Yuan waved the illustrated papers slightly and spoke in a warm voice.

“Your Highness, would you care to explain?”

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✧ A Word from the Author ✧

Yuanyuan: What is the meaning of these illustrated books?

Lu-dog: Allow me to make my excuses.

Yuanyuan: …

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