Everyone Agreed, Except Lu Ronghuai
“Your Highness, I wish to speak with Uncle Jiang alone for a little while.”
Chu Yuan’s eyes were still bright with the traces of tears as he looked at Lu Ronghuai, hopeful yet uneasy.
Knowing Lu Ronghuai as he did, Chu Yuan understood that he certainly would not feel at ease if Chu Yuan left his sight. Moreover, they had only just met Jiang Ni, and Lu Ronghuai was cautious by nature. Chu Yuan truly feared he might refuse.
No emotion stirred across Lu Ronghuai’s face. He gazed at Chu Yuan gently. “Very well. On one condition only, you are not permitted to cry again.”
Chu Yuan felt embarrassed by those words and defended himself in a low voice, “I do not cry easily. This is the first time I have cried in front of others. Your Highness is not allowed to tease me for it.”
“I am not teasing you. I am only afraid that if you grieve too much, it will be bad both for you and for the little one.”
That wave of sorrow had already passed for Chu Yuan. After he reassured Lu Ronghuai several times over, Lu Ronghuai finally relented and let him go.
Jiang Ni brought Chu Yuan to the rear courtyard.
“Come, Ah-Yuan, sit beside me.” Jiang Ni warmly held his hand. The smile on his face had not faded even once along the way.
His features were fine and gentle, the sort of face that grew more pleasing the longer one looked. Having practiced medicine for many years, he also carried a unique air that naturally inspired trust and dependence.
Chu Yuan sat obediently beside him. “Uncle Jiang, I have a question.”
“Go ahead.”
“Among the Jiang clan, especially the men, do they all possess the ability to become pregnant?”
“Not all. Whether a Jiang man can carry a child depends on whether he has a cinnabar mole between his brows. If there is, he can. If there is not, he cannot.”
“The color of the mark can differ as well.” Jiang Ni lifted a hand and pointed at the mark between his own brows, indicating that Chu Yuan should look.
Chu Yuan looked at it curiously. “Then what does the difference in color represent?”
“Your mother belonged to the most pure and direct bloodline of the Jiang clan. I come from a collateral branch, so the color of my mark is somewhat dimmer. The difference in color represents the strength of one’s fertility.”
“What?” Chu Yuan stared blankly.
Jiang Ni continued, “For someone like me, although I possess the constitution for pregnancy, becoming pregnant is by no means easy. In my lifetime I could only bear one child, and the process was very difficult. You, however, are different.”
At this point, Jiang Ni’s gaze softened. Smiling at him, he said, “Your constitution is especially suited for conception. So long as the mother’s body receives sufficient nourishment during pregnancy, the child will be born smoothly.”
Color slowly rose across Chu Yuan’s face, as though rouge had been brushed over it.
“However, from the pulse I examined just now, your body suffered serious depletion in your early years. It is so weak that strong tonics are difficult for it to bear. Even so, your pulse still beats with fair strength. Have you been regulating your health these past months?”
Chu Yuan nodded. “Yes. I have been taking medicinal meals all along, and His Highness has also had the residence physician prescribe nourishing soups, which are taken in rotation.”
Hearing this, Jiang Ni felt greatly comforted. “That is good. At least Prince Li knows how to cherish someone. Ah-Yuan, how does he treat you?”
Chu Yuan gave a light cough. There was somewhat an odd sensation in being questioned by an elder in this way. Since he knew Jiang Ni was concerned for him, he answered honestly. “His Highness appears cold but is warm of heart. He treats me very well.”
Jiang Ni saw the two blushes rise upon Chu Yuan’s snow-white face. The feeling in his eyes was unmistakable. The moment he mentioned a certain someone, his bright eyes seemed to light up a great deal more, brimming with spirit.
Looking at Chu Yuan with tender affection, Jiang Ni could not resist reaching out to stroke his head.
“If your mother can see that you are living happily from the heavens above, he will be glad for you.”
Thankfully, Xiao You’s child had not repeated his old path. Now that Jiang Ni had found Xiao You’s child, he would never allow anyone to bully him again.
If Prince Li dared treat him badly, the Nie family would take him back and never let him spend a lifetime beside a heartless man.
Chu Yuan knew nothing of Jiang Ni’s inner thoughts. The two spoke for a while longer, then returned together to the front courtyard.
Lu Ronghuai was in the middle of quarreling with Nie Chouwen.
Or rather, he was the only one obstinately arguing back.
“You may preside over Ah-Yuan’s coming-of-age ceremony and act as the assisting elder, but Ah-Yuan’s courtesy name must be chosen by me!”
Nie Chouwen retorted with scorn. “This old man is hearing for the first time of a husband choosing a courtesy name for his wife. Your Highness truly has no shame.”
“He is my consort. I am perfectly willing. Say one more word and I will have you barred from the gate on the day of the ceremony.”
Chu Yuan stepped inside and caught hold of a certain childish prince. “Your Highness, do not make trouble.”
Lu Ronghuai swept his gaze around the room. Suddenly he felt himself outnumbered. His eyes narrowed coldly, and the tip of his tongue pressed against the roof of his mouth.
“There are too many of you. You are bullying This Prince. Ah-Yuan, we are leaving.”
The entire room fell silent in speechless disbelief.
Nie Siran pinched the bridge of his nose. “Your Highness, the one who has been quarreling all this time is you. Neither Father nor I have said even half a sentence.”
Lu Ronghuai gave a cold sound of dismissal.
Jiang Ni looked around, then suddenly said to Nie Chouwen, “Father, I wish to take Ah-Yuan as my adopted son. What do you think?”
Lu Ronghuai: “?!?!”
“This Prince thinks that will not do.”
“Do not push your luck.”
“Ah-Yuan belongs to my household.”
He delivered three objections in swift succession, making his protest in the strongest possible terms and then discovered that not a single person in the room was listening to him.
They were already discussing which auspicious day on the almanac should be chosen for the matter and simply ignored him altogether.
From nearby came the clear, bright sound of Chu Yuan laughing.
Lu Ronghuai closed his eyes and ground out through clenched teeth, “A-Yuan, the Nie family and I are astrologically incompatible. Let us go at once.”
“Wait a moment.” Chu Yuan patted his arm in consolation. “Let them finish discussing first. If we leave now, it would be discourteous.”
Lu Ronghuai lifted his chin in wild disdain. “What kind of thing is courtesy? I have never possessed it.”
Chu Yuan: “...”
He lowered his head and touched his abdomen, softly instructing, “Little one, in the future you must not learn from your father.”
Following the motion of his hand, Lu Ronghuai looked down. His dark eyes froze for quite some time before he belatedly reacted and hurriedly placed his hand over Chu Yuan’s as well.
“What I said just now was nonsense. You did not hear anything.” He bent over and spoke toward Chu Yuan’s belly.
Chu Yuan looked at the head before him, and the corners of his lips could not stop rising.
In the end, Nie Chouwen made the final decision. “Very well. On Yuanyuan’s birthday, we shall first hold the coming-of-age ceremony. Then in the evening, our family will host a small banquet, and Yuanyuan will formally become one of the Nie family.”
“Good.” Everyone agreed in unison.
Except Lu Ronghuai.
“Did any of you ask for my opinion?”
Nie Siran smiled. “Your Highness is determined to invite humiliation upon yourself?”
“...”
Nie Chouwen looked at Chu Yuan with kindly concern. “Would you be willing to let Jiang Ni become your father?”
Afraid Chu Yuan might misunderstand, Jiang Ni hastily explained, “Ah-Yuan, Xiao You will forever be your father. I only wish to become family with you and care for you in Xiao You’s place.”
Chu Yuan lowered his head and thought quietly for a moment. Then he raised it again and said to Jiang Ni with some apology, “Uncle Jiang, I understand your good intentions. Could you give me a few days to think it over?”
“Of course, of course.” How could Jiang Ni do anything but agree?
At noon, the Nie family kept them there for the midday meal. Afterward, the two returned home hand in hand.
Even after they had gone, Jiang Ni still stood at the doorway, his gaze fixed for a long time on the direction they had left.
Nie Siran sat back down in his chair and could not help mocking himself. “I may very well have been picked up from the roadside. I have never seen Father show such enthusiasm toward me.”
Nie Xuxing poured tea for Nie Chouwen, then turned and laughed at him. “You were solemn beyond your years from childhood. At two years old, you already refused to be carried, and you never once acted spoiled. Your father was hurt over that more times than not. Now that he has met a child as obedient and soft as Ah-Yuan, naturally he is overjoyed.”
Nie Chouwen added, “You are already of an age to marry, and still you grow jealous over this. Is it not shameful?”
Nie Siran raised both hands. “Enough, enough. I am not jealous. I could not be more pleased to have gained a younger brother. Once Ah-Yuan gives birth, there will even be a little nephew for me to play with.”
At this moment, the steward appeared at the doorway.
“Prime Minister, a verbal decree has come from the palace. His Majesty summons you to an audience.”
Nie Chouwen had already resigned his official post, yet after so many years the steward had become accustomed to the old form of address and thus had not changed it.
Nie Xuxing frowned. “Father has already left officialdom, so why does His Majesty still…”
Nie Chouwen rose and ordered the steward to prepare the carriage. “When His Majesty encounters troubles that weigh on his heart, he sometimes summons me to speak with him.”
“Then your son will accompany you and wait outside the palace gate.” Nie Xuxing rose as well.
When Nie Chouwen arrived at the imperial study, Emperor Hongjia was practicing calligraphy.
“This subject Nie Chouwen kowtows before Your Majesty.”
After entering the hall, Nie Chouwen was just about to lift his robe and kneel and bow when Emperor Hongjia raised his left hand slightly.
“Prime Minister Nie need not stand on ceremony. These past days Zhen has been greatly troubled and has had no one with whom to speak. That is why Zhen shamelessly invited Prime Minister Nie into the palace. Prime Minister Nie has been troubled to make the journey.”
Nie Chouwen hurriedly declared that he did not dare accept such words, then asked with concern, “For what matter does Your Majesty feel troubled?”
Emperor Hongjia sighed and casually tossed aside the brush. Ink immediately spread through the characters he had just written until they blurred into a blot of black, much like his present state of mind.
He drew out a letter and handed it to Nie Chouwen.
“Look at this. Tell Zhen whose hand do you recognize?”
After reading the contents, Nie Chouwen placed the letter back on the desk.
“Well?” Emperor Hongjia raised a brow when he saw that Nie Chouwen remained silent. The authority belonging to an emperor manifested at once.
Nie Chouwen answered calmly, “This subject recognizes the handwriting. Yet this subject does not understand what Your Majesty intends by asking.”
Emperor Hongjia said, “Did you read the contents?”
Nie Chouwen nodded.
“He wishes to kill Zhen’s son. Tell Zhen, does that not mean he also intends rebellion?” A cold smile surfaced on Emperor Hongjia’s face.
Nie Chouwen replied, “This subject dares to say one thing. To convict a man solely on the basis of one letter seems somewhat improper.”
Emperor Hongjia closed his eyes and rested his head against the chair back. “In Zhen’s hands, there is more than this single piece of evidence. When Third Son handed Zhen this letter, half of Zhen’s heart turned cold.”
As he spoke, Emperor Hongjia poked at his own chest. His tone carried endless desolation.
Nie Chouwen did not speak.
“Zhen has not treated the Liu family poorly. The position of Empress was given to the Liu family. The position of Crown Princess was also given to the Liu family. Looking across all Ye Jing, what other great family can compare with them? Why are they still not satisfied?”
Nie Chouwen asked, “What does Your Majesty intend to do?”
Emperor Hongjia opened his eyes. The depths of his gaze were dark and cold. “Recently, under the guidance of the immortal nun, Zhen has learned that if the Kingdom of Lu wishes to win the war in the western frontier, the Liu family cannot be allowed to remain.”
Nie Chouwen’s brows drew together almost imperceptibly, then relaxed again. He advised with careful restraint, “Your Majesty is a wise ruler for the ages. How can the words of wandering mystics be believed? The Liu family has served loyally for generations and holds considerable prestige among the people. This subject asks that Your Majesty think thrice.”
Emperor Hongjia asked, “Why have you spoken for the Liu family all day?”
“This subject speaks for the sake of Your Majesty, for the Kingdom of Lu, and for the countless people beneath Heaven. If the Liu family falls, the Crown Prince will inevitably be affected. At that time the court will be unstable, and the people’s hearts scattered. Can Your Majesty bear to see the Crown Prince face such a ruin?”
A flicker of something passed through Emperor Hongjia’s gaze.
Silence lingered in the study for a long time. Then, suddenly, Emperor Hongjia spoke as though his voice carries the weight of a promise.
“The Crown Prince may remain Crown Prince forever.”
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Lu dog: Yuanyuan, you have never been alone.
Nie family: That is right, you also have us.
Lu dog: ...
Lu dog: I am emo.
IsitRo: 100 chaps cattos!! Cannot say that we are almost there tho. :’)
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