But He’s a Man~
The following morning.
While eating breakfast, Chu Yuan noticed in surprise that Xian Yu was limping as he walked, his steps uneven like an elderly man struggling along.
He asked what had happened, but Xian Yu stammered and refused to say.
Le Shu quietly told him, “Last night, His Highness sparred with Steward Xian Yu until very late. In the end, he beat the steward flat on the ground. It was only when Guard Xian Shuang stepped in that His Highness finally stopped.”
“?”
He had told Lu Ronghuai to sleep in the study, yet instead of sleeping, he dragged Xian Yu into martial practice?
Chu Yuan shook his head helplessly and set down his chopsticks.
“I am done eating.”
“Your Highness, Su gongzi seeks an audience.” A servant called from the courtyard gate.
“Very well. Invite Su gongzi to the flower hall. I shall come shortly.” Chu Yuan rose, washed his hands, and returned to his room to change clothes.
Su Ruhe had come to take his leave.
“Su gongzi is departing tomorrow?” After hearing this, Chu Yuan was momentarily taken aback.
Today, Su Ruhe was not dressed in official robes. He wore a deep indigo gauze robe with white trim, his hair simply pinned up with a wooden hairpin. His complexion was fair and composed, his bearing refined, carrying the air of a scholar.
“Mm. My belongings are already packed. I will depart at dawn tomorrow,” Su Ruhe said gently. When his light-colored eyes turned toward Chu Yuan, the smile in them was clear and easy.
Chu Yuan felt a trace of reluctance.
“Su gongzi, forgive my boldness, but… why did you choose to request reassignment?”
To give up a chance at promotion and increased stipend… could it truly be as His Highness had said, that he had been driven away by his elder brother?
Seeing the concern and faint worry in Chu Yuan’s eyes, Su Ruhe understood what he was thinking.
“I have grown up in Ye Jing. To have lived so long without ever beholding the vast lands beyond, in the Kingdom of Lu, is a regret I may carry.”
“Compared to rank and wealth, I would rather experience a different kind of life.”
Chu Yuan saw that his gaze was open and unclouded. When he spoke of the world beyond, his eyes shone with longing, without the slightest trace of gloom.
“That is good.” Chu Yuan relaxed, his beautiful brows smoothing as he offered his sincere blessing. “I hope all goes well for you. When you arrive, please send a letter to report your safety.”
Su Ruhe smiled. “Very well. Your Highness must also take care.”
Just as they spoke, a commotion suddenly arose outside.
“Third Sister-in-law! Third Sister-in-law, wuaaah!” A loud, wailing cry approached from afar, mixed with the noise of a crowd.
Chu Yuan was startled and quickly looked outside.
He saw someone running toward the flower hall. The man’s posture was awkward, one hand clutching his lower back, stopping every few steps to catch his breath.
Chu Yuan’s eyes widened.
How was it that aside from Xian Yu, there was now another person walking with a limp?
Only when the person drew close did Chu Yuan realize it was Lu Rongshen.
“E-Eighth Brother, what has happened to you?” Chu Yuan hurried forward to receive him, steadying him as he staggered inside.
Lu Rongshen’s eyes were swollen from crying, his eyelids red. He flung his arms around Chu Yuan and wept in full force.
“Bai Qingyu, that bastard… wuu… bastard…”
“That rotten scoundrel… playing with my feelings…”
“Big liar, wuu…”
“My waist hurts so much, wuu…”
Chu Yuan’s eyes widened. Watching Lu Rongshen cry with tears and snot streaming down his face, he roughly understood the reason.
He helped him sit down and had Le Shu bring a cup of cool tea. “It is hot. Drink some tea to relieve the heat.”
Lu Rongchen had run over in the summer heat and wept without stopping. Now parched, he took the cup and drank it down in one go.
“Third Sister-in-law, hic… where is Third Brother?” he asked with tear-filled eyes.
“At morning court. He has not yet returned.”
“Oh, I forgot.” Lu Rongshen rubbed his eyes, only then noticing another person sitting opposite him. “Why is Su gongzi here as well?”
“I have come to bid farewell. Good morning, Prince Jing,” Su Ruhe said, rising to take his leave.
Chu Yuan had Xian Yu escort him out and instructed Le Shu to bring a basin of water.
Once everyone had left, he looked at Lu Rongshen’s swollen eyes and asked gently, “Eighth Brother, did you come here alone?”
Lu Rongshen blinked, tears still clinging to his lashes. Sniffling, he said, “Mm. That fellow Bai Qingyu went to the kitchen to prepare food, so I slipped out.”
Chu Yuan could not help but smile. He soaked a cloth in water, wrung it dry, and handed it to him.
“Wipe your eyes. They are all red.”
“Third Sister-in-law…” Lu Rongshen covered his face with the cloth and spoke in a muffled voice. “May I stay here for a few nights? I do not wish to return for now.”
Chu Yuan sighed softly, his expression gentle. “Prince Li’s residence will always welcome you, but you must first tell me why you do not wish to go home.”
“Because…” Lu Rongshen bit his lip, turning his head to stare blankly at his shoes. “I do not know how to face him right now.”
“Because Miss Bai is a man?”
“Yes… ah… how did Third Sister-in-law know?” Lu Rongshen looked at him in astonishment.
Chu Yuan smiled and shook his head. “We have known for a long time. You were the only one who did not notice.”
Lu Rongshen was stunned.
“Wait… you all knew, and yet you did not tell me?”
“His Highness said that this is between you and him. It would not be appropriate for us to interfere. Moreover… Young Master Bai did not intend to conceal it. He hinted at it many times.”
“Ah? He… did?” Lu Rongshen’s mind was spinning.
“He did. Think carefully. When the two of you went out, were there not details you overlooked?”
Lu Rongshen: “It seems so…”
“Take the last time we dined together. From beginning to end, Bai Qingyu was taking care of you. You had already grown accustomed to it. Eighth Brother, if Miss Bai were truly a woman, should it not have been you caring for her?”
“That is true…”
“And Bai Qingyu often carried you or held you. He is strong and tall. Did you never sense anything amiss?”
Lu Rongshen scratched his head. “No…”
Chu Yuan: “…”
He drew a breath. “Before your marriage, did you kiss?”
Lu Rongshen flushed instantly and nodded shyly.
“Who initiated it?”
Lu Rongshen raised his hand at once. “I-I did. I was the one who initiated it.”
Each time, he had coveted Bai Qingyu’s beauty, stealing kisses whenever they were alone.
“During the kiss, who was in control?”
Lu Rongshen’s raised arm drooped immediately. Even the tips of his ears turned red.
“H-him…”
Each time, he had been kissed until dizzy and weak, held in Bai Qingyu’s arms the entire time.
Chu Yuan merely smiled without speaking.
“Even so… he should have told me directly. I am careless by nature. I would not have noticed these things,” Lu Rongshen insisted stubbornly.
Chu Yuan glanced outside, then curved his lips and agreed, “Yes, yes. It is all Young Master Bai’s fault. Such an important matter, yet he did not explain it clearly to Eighth Brother, causing you such grievance that you cried into a little tearful figure.”
Lu Rongshen nodded vigorously. “Exactly, exactly. It is all his fault.”
Chu Yuan sighed. “Ah, I just remembered. Your marriage was decreed by Father Emperor. Young Master Bai deceived him. I shall go to the palace at once to report it and have him charged with deceiving the emperor.”
Lu Rongshen jumped up from his chair, face pale as he rushed to stop him.
“Wait, wait! Third Sister-in-law, do not say it! If Father Emperor finds out, both he and Marquis Yun’an will be finished!”
“It does not matter. He deceived you. This will grant you means for your anger,” Chu Yuan said coldly.
Lu Rongshen panicked, believing Chu Yuan truly meant to report it. His voice trembled as he pleaded, “Third Sister-in-law, he did not do it intentionally. I… what I said just now was only in anger. I do not want him to die.”
The previous morning, when he had entered the palace with Bai Qingyu to pay respects, he had not intended to reveal the truth. His mind had been muddled then, only slowly realizing a day later that he had been kept in the dark, leaving him with a dull resentment.
Chu Yuan tilted his head, feigning confusion. “Eighth Brother does not blame him anymore?”
Lu Rongshen shook his head like a rattle-drum. “No blame, no blame. He actually… treats me quite well.”
“You were crying just now.”
“That was sweat from my forehead getting into my eyes. I was not crying, not crying,” Lu Rongshen insisted stubbornly.
“But he is a man~” Chu Yuan blinked his eyes, deliberately dragging out the tone.
“A man is a man. Are you and Third Brother not also men? As long as he has me in his heart, I… I can spend my life with him.”
“Truly?”
“Truly!” Lu Rongshen nodded emphatically.
“Pfft…” Chu Yuan bent over laughing. As he laughed, he pointed behind Lu Rongshen. “Then turn around and have a look.”
Lu Rongshen turned sharply.
Bai Qingyu had arrived at some point and was standing quietly at the doorway, gazing at him with deep affection and gentleness.
The moment Lu Rongshen saw him, his hackles rose. Remembering that everything he had just said had been overheard, his face burned with embarrassment. He deliberately snapped, “What are you doing here? I am not going back!”
Bai Qingyu strode in, first thanking Chu Yuan, then hoisted Lu Rongshen over his shoulder and turned to leave.
“Hey! Bai Qingyu! Put me down!”
“Ahh! You bastard, you liar! I am so angry!” Lu Rongshen flailed wildly on his shoulder.
Bai Qingyu steadied his waist, his voice rough with a faint smile. “Do not struggle. Does your backside not hurt?”
Lu Rongshen instantly fell silent.
His face flushed red. He opened his mouth and bit down on Bai Qingyu’s arm.
Bai Qingyu let him bite. He patted Lu Rongshen’s head. “I will apply medicine for you when we return. I have cooked porridge. Will Your Highness honor me by eating a little?”
“I will not!”
“Very well. Then I shall go hungry with Your Highness.”
Lu Rongshen: “…”
Chu Yuan stood at the doorway, smiling as he watched the two depart.
Xian Yu limped over, sighing. “Prince Jing still favors his consort.”
“Indeed. His words are fierce, yet his heart protects him tightly. Only, Young Master Bai’s identity… in the end, it is not a lasting solution,” Chu Yuan sighed.
Paper cannot wrap fire. Once Bai Qingyu’s true identity is revealed, what awaits the Bai family can only be a path to death.
When Lu Ronghuai returned and learned of this, seeing Chu Yuan troubled, he gathered him into his arms and comforted him.
“It will be fine. Bai Qingyu will not remain in the capital for long.”
“Why?” Chu Yuan leaned against him, eyes widening in confusion.
“Min Chao will soon return to the capital. The Western Frontier lacks a general to guard it. Now that war there has ceased, Father Emperor will have Bai Yi continue to defend the west. At that time, let Eighth Brother petition to accompany him, bringing Bai Qingyu along.”
Chu Yuan said, “But… Marquis Yun’an has already returned military authority and been granted a noble title. Father Emperor may not allow him to leave Ye Jing again.”
“A frontier general without military authority is precisely one who can be trusted, is it not?”
Chu Yuan felt a chill. “If war breaks out again in the west, and General Bai cannot command the troops, then would that not…”
“Do not worry. I will be there.”
Chu Yuan lifted his head. “Is Your Highness not going to the Northern Frontier? With distance so great, how could you manage affairs in the west?”
“Why trouble yourself with these matters?” Lu Ronghuai lowered his head and kissed him. His large hand rested on his belly, greeting the child through it. “My little ancestor, focus on nourishing the pregnancy. Take care of yourself and my daughter.”
Seeing that he would not continue, Chu Yuan deliberately provoked him. “Father said during the last pulse reading that I am carrying a boy.”
Lu Ronghuai: “???”
Lu Ronghuai: “Impossible.”
“It is a boy.”
Lu Ronghuai’s face darkened. “It is a daughter. My instincts tell me it is definitely a daughter.”
“What if it truly is a boy?”
Lu Ronghuai hesitated for a long moment. Then he suddenly crouched down, his gaze level with Chu Yuan’s belly. Wrapping his arms around Chu Yuan’s waist, he leaned close and began negotiating with the child inside.
“Be good. Have some sense. Remember, you are a girl.”
“Try harder, understand?”
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Lu dog: Quick, before birth, the factory settings can still be changed.
Lu Duoyu: In your dreams.
0 Comments