“Once a Week.”
Lu Ronghuai pushed back the date of their return to the capital by two days and took Chu Yuan out to enjoy Ping Cheng.
Together they tasted all the delicacies of Ping Cheng, walked every street and alley, and even went into the countryside to admire the spring and fly kites.
Having arrested Pingcheng’s corrupt officials and treacherous merchants, Lu Ronghuai stripped the merchants’ households clean and recovered the land deeds found among their possessions. At Chu Yuan’s suggestion, the land was returned to the people it had been seized from.
These merchants were each so wealthy they were said to have oil flowing from their coffers. Lu Ronghuai took three million taels of silver from them and distributed it among the people and refugees of Ping Cheng, allowing those who had suffered to rebuild their homes and live well.
On the day of their departure, every last resident of Ping Cheng gathered in the streets to send them off.
The road on both sides was packed with people. The common folk were simple and warm-hearted. Knowing Prince Li was leaving, they all brought vegetables and fruit from their homes, urging them to take the food for the journey.
Xian Yu called out from outside, telling them not to send anything, yet the people paid him no heed at all. Many tossed things directly onto the cart bed. By the time the carriage had gone half a li, the cart bed had already become a small hill of offerings.
Even more absurd, someone threw a live rooster up as well.
Xian Yu grabbed the rooster and cried out, “Your Highness, what is to be done with this?”
Lu Ronghuai lifted the carriage curtain and glanced outside. His lips curved upward. “Keep it. When we pass a village midway, give it to one of the farming households.”
“Understood.”
The curtain fell once more. Xian Yu looked toward Xian Shuang, who rode on horseback beside them, and beckoned to him.
Xian Shuang glanced down at him from above and guided his horse nearer.
“Tell me, have you ever seen a scene like this?” Xian Yu covered his mouth and gestured around at the common folk, asking in a low voice.
Xian Shuang looked at the mountain of gifts piled upon the cart bed and silently shook his head.
Xian Yu said, “In the past, wherever we followed His Highness, curses followed after us. Let alone coming out to see us off, people would flee in terror the moment they spotted us from afar.”
As Xian Yu spoke of those sorrowful old days, he felt a thousand emotions rise in him.
Xian Shuang offered no reply, but in his heart he agreed with every word.
In earlier years, His Highness’s reputation had been abysmal. Even when they returned victorious from battle, no one came to welcome them or offer congratulations.
Xian Yu said, “Now that I think on it, the reason His Highness’s name became so poor had much to do with those people in the capital. Once we left the capital, the common people were not fools. His Highness has been helping them, and they carry that gratitude in their hearts.”
“Mm.”
“Wuwu, Xian Shuang, I find I rather want to cry.” Seeing the common people wave toward them, smiles bright upon their faces, Xian Yu suddenly felt his nose turn sour.
It was the feeling of clouds finally parting to reveal the moon, of bitterness coming to an end and sweetness arriving after it.
Xian Shuang: “...”
He was about to ride away when Xian Yu caught hold of his trouser leg.
“I have not finished speaking yet. Why are you running?” Xian Yu glared at him.
Xian Shuang sighed. “What else do you wish to say?”
“I wish to say that it is truly good His Highness was able to marry the Prince Consort.” He glanced at the tightly drawn curtain of the carriage behind them, and a smile appeared upon his delicate face.
“This time, distributing the land deeds and issuing silver for rebuilding were all the Prince Consort’s suggestions. His Highness has always been coarse and broad-minded and never remembers such small matters. It is well that the Prince Consort is here. One firm, one gentle, each supplying what the other lacks.”
“Mm.”
Fang Xinhai rode on horseback. Fang Shuyu and Fang Rouling sat in the carriage beside him. The three of them followed behind Prince Li’s carriage in silence. Behind them, each wagon carried seven or eight large chests, forming a long line of more than a dozen carts.
Between two of the wagons, Zhang Ze and Cheng Dawei and the others had their hands bound. They were strung together on one rope and forced to follow behind the wagons on foot. Quite a few common people even threw rotten vegetables and stones at them.
A blow struck Zhang Ze on the forehead. His eyelids twitched. His cracked lips moved twice before he lowered his head even further.
At last they left Ping Cheng. Fang Xinhai rode forward and knocked on Prince Li’s carriage.
“Your Highness.”
“What is it?”
Fang Xinhai said, “This minister saw Your Highness carrying the Prince Consort into the carriage this morning. Is the Prince Consort unwell?”
No sound came from within the carriage.
Fang Xinhai waited a moment, then added, “Now that we are on the road back to the capital, the journey will be wearying. This minister fears the Prince Consort may not be able to bear it.”
He had heard, after all, that when Chu Yuan first married over, his body had been so frail he had nearly died on the journey.
Lu Ronghuai seemed to let out a faint laugh, so quick that Fang Xinhai nearly thought he had heard wrongly.
“There is no need for General Fang to trouble himself. Ah-Yuan is merely tired.”
“General Fang would do better to worry less over other people’s households. Has your son’s marriage been properly prepared?”
Fang Xinhai had sought displeasure only to be pricked again by Lu Ronghuai’s words. He immediately turned his horse and went back.
Fang Shuyu was speaking quietly with Fang Rouling. Seeing Fang Xinhai lift the curtain and step inside, he asked, “Why does Father’s expression look so poor?”
“Prince Li truly knows how to strike at the very pot one least wishes opened,” Fang Xinhai snorted, then sat down and poured a great mouthful of tea into himself.
“What happened?” Fang Rouling asked.
Fang Xinhai turned to Fang Shuyu. “Once we return, you must go see Xu Zhizhi more often. That young girl has a simple nature. Speak enough honeyed words and she will obediently listen to you. Our marriage tie with the Xu family must not be broken.”
Fang Shuyu frowned. “Does the Xu family truly intend to withdraw from the engagement?”
“Mm. That old fox Grand Tutor Xu is slippery to the bone. The moment he learned Prince Qi’s death, he immediately began moving closer to the Eastern Palace and also grew distant toward us.”
“Now that Prince Qi is dead, we have no one to rely upon. Even if we too attach ourselves to the Crown Prince, we hold no great value for the Xu family. Naturally they will choose the more advantageous marriage alliance.”
Fang Shuyu cursed under his breath, his eyes turning venomous. “Father may rest at ease. Meat that has reached my mouth will never be allowed to run away.”
Fang Xinhai patted his shoulder. “Good. Once you marry Xu Zhizhi, your father will permit you to take that woman from the pleasure quarter as a concubine.”
Fang Shuyu’s face brightened at once. “Many thanks, Father!”
“Then... what of Aunt?” Fang Rouling raised her head and looked toward Fang Xinhai.
“Her? A noble consort without a son is bound sooner or later to die in the palace,” Fang Xinhai said coldly.
The three spoke a while longer, settling their plans for after the return to the capital. Then Fang Xinhai stepped out of the carriage and resumed riding.
Seated upon his horse, his eyes wandered idly. Then he suddenly noticed that at the very rear of their carriage, its length was clearly greater than Lu Ronghuai’s carriage.
He called a soldier over. “What is loaded at the back of this carriage?”
The soldier replied, “Reporting to General, there is a small compartment behind it. The evidence under escort is stored there. His Highness said the weather changes often and rain may fall, so it is safer there and less likely to be damaged by damp.”
Fang Xinhai nodded and asked no more.
The wagons for the return trip had all been arranged by Lu Ronghuai. Fang Xinhai had only helped capture a few wealthy merchants who attempted to flee. He knew little of the evidence Lu Ronghuai had collected and could not be bothered to concern himself with it.
In any case, with Prince Li’s petty temperament, at most he would only share a little merit with him. The truly important things would remain in his own hands.
What Fang Xinhai did not know was that the compartment contained no evidence at all, but a person.
That person lay within the compartment and heard every word of the conversation between Fang Xinhai, Fang Shuyu, and the others, not missing a single word.
After the wagons had traveled for two hours, Lu Ronghuai ordered the soldiers to transfer Zhang Ze and the others into prison carts. Then the convoy sped along the official road toward Ye Jing.
By the time Chu Yuan awoke, the day’s journey had already ended and they were resting at the courier station.
“Your Highness, have I slept through the entire day?” He rubbed his eyes and sat up from the bed, his eyes only half-open and his manner languid.
“Mm. Does your waist still ache?” Lu Ronghuai was leaning against the head of the bed reading a book. Seeing him awaken, he set the book aside and naturally placed a broad hand upon his waist, massaging it with just the proper pressure.
Chu Yuan paused and raised his eyes to look at him. “Your Highness, shall we come to an agreement?”
“What agreement?”
Chu Yuan raised one finger.
“Once a week.”
Lu Ronghuai: “...”
Lu Ronghuai carefully took hold of that finger and blinked. “Once a week, one day of rest?”
“...A proper man masters himself and keeps his desires few and quiet; only thus may he accomplish great undertakings. Your Highness... ought also to exercise more restraint.”
Thinking of his own aching waist, Chu Yuan decided he absolutely could not indulge him so far any longer.
Lu Ronghuai looked aggrieved. “I am already very restrained.”
Chu Yuan’s face remained wooden.
“Truly...” Lu Ronghuai continued kneading his waist, trying to reason things out. “It was only three times in one night. I did not even finish all that I...”
Chu Yuan pinched the flesh at his thigh, his eyes narrowing dangerously, clearly ready to twist him to death if he dared say another word.
“I was wrong, Baobao.” Lu Ronghuai sat up straight, gathered Chu Yuan into his arms, and let him lean back against him while he continued massaging his waist and shoulders.
“Once a week,” Chu Yuan repeated.
Lu Ronghuai began bargaining. “Ah-Yuan, that would be too cruel toward your husband. Five times a week.”
“Twice.” Chu Yuan puffed out his cheeks.
This man truly knew no limits. Five times a week, with Lu Ronghuai’s frightening stamina, would he not simply die in bed?
“Four times!”
“Twice.”
“Three times. No fewer than that. Ah-Yuan, do take pity on me.” Lu Ronghuai rested his head upon Chu Yuan’s shoulder, his voice pitiable beyond words.
Chu Yuan: “...”
In the end, the ever scheming His Highness Prince Li succeeded in his negotiation.
He personally went down to the kitchen of the courier station and prepared a bowl of hot broth noodles for Chu Yuan. He even fried an egg filled with love, then carried the bowl carefully upstairs.
On his way up, he happened to meet Fang Shuyu, who was on his way down. Fang Shuyu stared at the so “virtuous” Prince Li in utter astonishment.
Lu Ronghuai said, “What are you looking at?”
Fang Shuyu stammered beneath that glare. “I... I... Your Highness is cooking noodles?”
Lu Ronghuai snorted and raised his foot to kick the door shut behind him.
“Brother, what is the matter?” Hearing the noise outside, Fang Rouling opened the door and poked her head out.
Fang Shuyu turned back in a daze. “Oh, n-nothing. I was going to eat noodles... no, I mean, I was going to fetch the bedding.”
Fang Rouling: “?”
Chu Yuan sat upon a stool laid with soft cushions, eating the noodles in small bites. Lu Ronghuai sat opposite him, gazing at him warmly.
“Your Highness, have you no other business to attend to?” Chu Yuan raised his eyes. Seeing a certain someone stare at him in such high spirits as he ate, he truly felt a headache coming on.
Just as he finished speaking, Xian Feng knocked outside.
“Your Highness.”
Lu Ronghuai pressed a hand to his forehead, then lifted his hand to wipe the broth from the corner of Chu Yuan’s lips. “There now, business has arrived.”
With permission granted, Xian Feng pushed open the door and entered.
His expression was somewhat tense as he walked quickly forward. “Your Highness, war has broken out in the western borderlands.”
Chu Yuan immediately set down his chopsticks.
Lu Ronghuai’s expression sharpened. “What has happened?”
“Xian Yue has sent word. No one knows what came over the Qiang of the west, but they suddenly dispatched troops to attack the people of the western borderlands. This time they have gathered an army of one hundred thousand. One border pass has already fallen.”
Lu Ronghuai said, “Are the soldiers on the western border made of paper? They cannot even hold off the Xiqiang?”
Chu Yuan said, “Your Highness, I once read in a book that the place where the Xiqiang live is full of mountains, forests, ravines, and gullies. It is not well-suited to supporting a large population. The Xiqiang are only a small people. How could they have one hundred thousand soldiers?”
Lu Ronghuai understood at once. “Ah-Yuan means that among the six kingdoms, someone has conspired together with the Xiqiang?”
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Me: Please introduce your beloved.
Yuan Yuan: A scheming great turtle.
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