“When Your Highness Is Away, the Prince Consort Has No Appetite.”
Lu Ronghuai sat in the Ministry of Works with his legs crossed, drinking tea at his leisure.
Su Ruhe came over carrying the account books. “Your Highness, could you at least look at them?”
Lu Ronghuai was already in a foul mood. His Ah-Yuan had ignored him the entire previous night and had almost driven him out to sleep in the study.
He looked up with undisguised irritation. “Can you not handle it yourse... ah... what happened to your eye?”
The area around Su Ruhe’s right eye was bruised dark purple and swollen shut.
“It is nothing. Last night, on my way back, I ran into two street ruffians and was nearly shoved into the river. In the scuffle I took a punch. I must also thank Your Highness for the guards you sent. They preserved this official’s little life.” Su Ruhe spoke as lightly as though it were of no consequence.
“How did you end up getting entangled with ruffians?”
Su Ruhe raised his eyes with a smile that was not quite a smile. “Ever since Your Highness entrusted this excellent post to this official, every few days someone came looking to have words with me. These past months, this official’s life has been exceedingly full.”
Lu Ronghuai caught the barbed tone beneath his words. Leaning back in his chair, he lazily cracked his knuckles. “There is no need to thank This Prince. Vice Minister Su is far more alert now. That is the very trick to staying alive.”
“...”
“Keep the account books safe. The less I appear to care, the more those people will overreach themselves. In the next few days, go out as little as possible.”
Su Ruhe tilted his face up and took several deep breaths. “Your Highness may rest assured. This official will make an excellent moving target.”
Lu Ronghuai laughed aloud.
“Do not worry. They will not be making trouble for many more days. Your good days are nearly upon you.”
Su Ruhe very nearly rolled his eyes.
He only wished to remain an obscure Vice Minister, quietly writing storybooks in his spare time. Now he was sitting atop a smoldering coal while people sought his life at every turn.
“Your Highness, the Daoist temple is nearly complete. Only the roof-capping remains. In order to finish it sooner, Minister Chen later recruited another hundred men.”
“Let him do as he pleases.” Lu Ronghuai was unmoved.
Su Ruhe paused. Seeing the hint had gone nowhere, he could only ask directly, “Minister Chen’s actions are unusual. Is Your Highness not concerned?”
“Is Vice Minister Su worried for This Prince?”
For one brief instant, Su Ruhe’s expression twisted. Slowly cupping his hands, he turned away with a wooden face.
Lu Ronghuai followed him out. When the two stepped outside, Lu Ronghuai cast a look around and, after confirming that no one was nearby, lowered his voice and quietly asked Su Ruhe, “Does Vice Minister Su have any good method for coaxing someone?”
Su Ruhe wanted to roll his eyes. “Your Highness, this official has not yet taken a wife. You have asked the wrong person.”
“You have written so many tales of love and affection. Your experience is far richer than mine.”
“Does being able to write storybooks necessarily mean one knows how to coax people?” Su Ruhe shot back slowly. The hand hidden in his sleeve pointed forward. “If this official knew how to coax and deceive, he would have gotten rid of this particular nuisance long ago.”
Lu Ronghuai paused and followed the direction of his finger with his gaze.
Nie Siran stood at the entrance of the Ministry of Works, idly fanning himself and smiling brightly at the two of them.
“Oh, what a coincidence. Your Highness is here as well.”
“What are you here for?” Lu Ronghuai asked.
Nie Siran lifted his chin slightly toward the man beside him. “I came to chat with Vice Minister Su about old times.”
Lu Ronghuai’s gaze moved back and forth between them for a moment, and a look of interested speculation entered his eyes. “The two of you do seem rather able to converse with one another.”
Su Ruhe: “Has Your Highness’s eyesight been troubling him?”
Nie Siran: “Your Highness truly has a discerning eye.”
The two spoke in unison.
Lu Ronghuai: “...”
“Come. This Prince will treat the two of you to wine.” With a broad wave of his hand, he strolled off at ease.
Seeing Su Ruhe still standing there, Nie Siran walked over and lightly prodded his arm with the fan. “Not going, little Vice Minister?”
Su Ruhe dodged the gesture and hurried after Lu Ronghuai.
He would rather walk beside the cold-faced Yama of the underworld than pay any attention to this crafty fox.
Nie Siran’s smiling eyes curved as he followed leisurely behind.
The three arrived at Fuxian Tower. A waiter welcomed them up to the third floor. While climbing the stairs, they heard drinkers discussing the Eastern Palace.
“Have you heard? The Crown Princess miscarried!”
“It happened last night, did it not? The night watchmen said they saw Duke Liu go to the Eastern Palace deep in the night, and he did not return until this morning.”
“The Crown Prince committed indecency with Miss Fang at the Fang family funeral. It is said the two had already been entangled for some time. The Crown Princess was so angered she miscarried. How can such a man serve as heir apparent?”
“Speak less. His Majesty has already ordered the Eastern Palace sealed off. This is not a matter one may talk about.”
“Alas, His Majesty is pitiable as well. The eldest son, Prince Qi, is crippled; the Crown Prince has lost virtue; Prince Li is violent; Prince Rui is weak and sickly. Of the four grown princes, not one is fit to be heir apparent.”
“Prince Li is not quite so bad as you say. Quite apart from how many victories he won in past years, at this year’s Wanchao Hui and during the unrest in Ping Cheng, Prince Li covered himself in distinction both times.”
“At the Wanchao Hui, it was clearly Prince Consort Li who covered himself more in distinction.”
“Alas, even if Prince Li’s temperament has improved now, it makes no difference. He married a male consort.”
“That is true. What a pity.”
At that very moment, the violent Prince Li was only five paces away from them.
Nie Siran gave a light laugh and cast Lu Ronghuai a sidelong, amused look.
Lu Ronghuai paid him no mind and strode into the private room.
The waiter moved quickly, bringing in several jugs of fine wine and a table full of dishes before closing the door behind him and leaving.
“The one in the Eastern Palace miscarried. Was she truly angered into it?” Nie Siran looked at Lu Ronghuai, clearly unconvinced by the tale spreading outside.
Liu Jinglan had been married to the Crown Prince for years. What she cared about was her position and her children. No matter how many women the Crown Prince brought into the palace, so long as none of them threatened her standing, she would not concern herself.
And she was not yet three months pregnant. At such a time, with the fetus still unstable and every effort being spent to preserve it, how could a mere Fang Rouling truly drive her into such fury?
Lu Ronghuai was pouring wine. Hearing this, he gave a dry laugh. “Yesterday, after the Crown Prince was reprimanded by Father Emperor, he returned and in a moment of lost control pushed her down a flight of steps by accident.”
“All the imperial physicians gathered at the Eastern Palace last night. They all said the Crown Princess’s body had been too gravely damaged, and it would be difficult for her to bear children in the future. Duke Liu then had a great quarrel with the Crown Prince.”
Nie Siran said, “The Crown Prince’s nature is unstable. No matter how well he disguises himself before others, he will still reveal it once he stands behind closed doors.”
After speaking, he turned to Su Ruhe, who sat quietly eating his food. “Little Vice Minister, the Crown Prince has now brought trouble upon himself, so do me a kindness and leave me in peace. Writing the story of him and Miss Fang would be much better.”
Su Ruhe swallowed the greens in his mouth, glanced at Lu Ronghuai, and reached his chopsticks back toward the braised pork.
Nie Siran immediately caught the thread. Snapping his folding fan shut, he exclaimed, “I was wondering where he found the nerve to write storybooks slandering me. So it was Prince Li’s idea after all.”
Lu Ronghuai refused to admit anything. “His hands are his own. He may write whatever he pleases. This Prince has been written about by him no less. Why does Young Master Nie still begrudge it to this day, so petty as all that?”
In one sentence, he rebuked Nie Siran and praised himself at the same time.
Nie Siran lifted his lips faintly. “Your Highness speaks quite rightly. I have been instructed.”
Then he took up his chopsticks and placed a glistening, perfectly marbled piece of braised pork into Su Ruhe’s bowl.
Su Ruhe bit into the meat, and confusion appeared between his fine brows.
Nie Siran looked at him with a kindly smile, speaking in a soft breath. “Just now, I received enlightenment from Your Highness. I intend to learn from Teacher Su and take up writing.”
“Mm. I have already thought of the protagonists for the first book. I shall write of you and me.”
“Cough, cough, cough!” Su Ruhe spat the meat back out, clapped a hand over his mouth, and coughed violently. His face turned red at once.
“Ah, do calm down.” Nie Siran smiled.
That meal left Su Ruhe so uneasy that he could barely sit still. Nie Siran, on the other hand, drank his wine in perfect ease, speaking to Lu Ronghuai from time to time, all grace and leisure.
When Lu Ronghuai returned home, he found that many things had been laid out in the front courtyard. Chu Yuan was standing there with Xian Yu, checking them over one by one.
“What is all this?” Lu Ronghuai walked to Chu Yuan’s side.
Chu Yuan said, “These are rewards bestowed upon Your Highness by Father Emperor. They were just delivered from the palace.”
“Another reward?” Lu Ronghuai lifted the red cloth and saw a dazzling collection of jade inside.
Chu Yuan smiled, his dark eyes meeting his. “Father Emperor said that the last reward was for merit in suppressing the bandits. This time it is to reward Your Highness for seizing corrupt officials and eliminating a scourge for the people.”
Lu Ronghuai tossed the red cloth aside and said indifferently, “Oh. Since it was given, keep it. Xian Yu, count all this properly and send it to the Prince Consort’s private storeroom.”
Chu Yuan said helplessly, “Your Highness, my private storeroom is nearly full.”
“Then have a larger storeroom prepared for you.”
“Your Highness, the plaque bearing your inscription is finished. Shall we go to the shop together tomorrow?”
“Of course.”
“When Eunuch Yuan Sheng came just now, he said Father Emperor trusts the immortal nun deeply, and there are even signs of her influence overtaking Daoist Master Zhengqing. Your Highness, what method did you use?”
“I gave her three brocade sachets, each containing one matter, and told her the exact dates on which to hand them to Father Emperor.”
“Will Father Emperor believe her?”
“Mm, he will. Did you eat properly at midday? Did the residence physician come to take your pulse?”
Chu Yuan nodded and was just about to answer when Le Shu interjected from the side, “At noon, the Prince Consort ate half a bowl less than usual.”
Lu Ronghuai’s brows immediately drew together. “Were the dishes not to your taste?”
Chu Yuan: “I...”
Le Shu said, “When Your Highness is away, the Prince Consort has no appetite.”
Chu Yuan: “...”
Lu Ronghuai’s voice brightened with delighted laughter.
“So it is because I was away that Ah-Yuan had no appetite. That is entirely my fault, I deserve to be punished. From now on, I shall accompany you at every meal.” He took Chu Yuan’s hand and made it tap lightly against his own face twice.
Chu Yuan bit his lip and shot Le Shu a shy, angry glare with his watery eyes. Then he quickly withdrew his hand, his cool voice carrying a trace of irritation. “I did not. Your Highness’s face is truly thick.”
“Yes, yes, Ah-Yuan did not, but I did. At noon, with no Ah-Yuan by my side, I too ate hardly anything.” Lu Ronghuai hugged Chu Yuan and began to play the pitiful man.
The two had just returned to the main hall when Xian Feng entered. “My lord, Duke Liu requests an audience outside the residence.”
“He has come rather quickly indeed. Invite him in.”
Chu Yuan turned his head to look at him. “Duke Liu already knows about that letter?”
“Most likely. The Liu family has been entrenched in the capital for many years. It would be no surprise if they had eyes within the palace.”
“Then today, has Duke Liu come to raise an army and demand an explanation?” Chu Yuan curved his lips and smiled at him with hidden meaning.
“No. What he wants to know even more is how I obtained that forged letter.”
Chu Yuan rested his cheek on his hand, every frown and smile beautiful enough to seize the heart. “Your Highness may as well tell Duke Liu that the letter was forged by me.”
“That will not do. Until I find the true owner of that letter, he must continue wearing that black pot on his back.”
Understanding at once, Chu Yuan smiled. “This time, Your Highness has truly made the Liu family shoulder a heavy blow.”
Lu Ronghuai smiled faintly, yet the smile did not reach his eyes. “That blade once hung over my own head. Now, at last, it has fallen over theirs.”
“What did Your Highness say?” Chu Yuan asked. Lu Ronghuai had spoken too softly just now, and he had not heard clearly.
Lu Ronghuai fell silent for a moment, then drew a small, delicate pink hair ornament flower from his sleeve.
“I said, Ah-Yuan should give me a daughter.”
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Lu dog: Little daughter, Daddy loves you.
A certain embryo: ......
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