Chu Yuan Kneels Beside Him
Chu Yuan knew nothing of the words spoken by the white-robed man. He had come to the Yun’an Marquis’s Residence.
“Prince Consort.” Bai Qingyu received word and came hurrying over from her own courtyard.
Chu Yuan smiled lightly. “I have come unannounced today. I hope Miss Bai will not take offense.”
“Not at all. Bai Ye, serve tea to the Prince Consort,” Bai Qingyu instructed the steward.
“There is no need. I have only a few words to say and will not linger.” Chu Yuan smiled as he stopped him, gesturing for Bai Qingyu to sit.
“Why has the Prince Consort come to see this subject?”
Chu Yuan glanced at Xian Yu. Xian Yu placed the beautifully wrapped box of pastries in his hands upon the table.
“These are the signature pastries from Fuxian Tower. The flavor is quite good. I brought some for you to try.”
Bai Qingyu cupped her hands. “Many thanks to the Prince Consort.”
“There is no need to thank me. I came today on someone else’s behalf to offer an apology.” Chu Yuan lifted his right hand and rested his chin upon it, watching him with a bright smile.
Bai Qingyu was briefly stunned then understood.
Her smile carried a trace of helplessness. “This subject has not taken offense at Eighth Prince.”
“Eighth Brother does not think so,” Chu Yuan said with a laugh as he looked at her, the teasing in his eyes plain to see. “Eighth Brother has always been like this. When he likes someone, he likes them greatly. When he dislikes someone, he dislikes them thoroughly. He cares about Miss Bai very much.”
Bai Qingyu’s brows softened. The spirited face of that person seemed to appear before her eyes, and an unbidden smile rose to her lips.
“Mm, this subject understands. This subject did not refuse to see Eighth Prince intentionally. My father has been troubled by the war in the Western Frontier. In addition, the deputy general who followed him for many years died there. Father has been unable to eat these past several days. This subject has been worried for him and has not gone out.”
“Yesterday, my father’s rheumatism flared up. His shoulder was in great pain. He has just taken medicine and is resting now, so this subject did not wish to disturb him.”
“It is of no matter,” Chu Yuan said with a wave of his hand, letting out a slow sigh. “The Marquis of Yun’an has given too much for the western border. The present situation must weigh upon his heart like a blade. Miss Bai’s filial devotion is admirable. Until the war in the west is resolved, it is well that Miss Bai remain by her father’s side.”
“Mm.”
“Very well. I shall take my leave now.”
Bai Qingyu rose alongside him. “This subject will escort the Prince Consort to the gate.”
Chu Yuan did not refuse. The two spoke as they walked and soon reached the entrance of the residence.
Chu Yuan boarded the carriage and returned to Prince Li’s residence.
The carriage had only just arrived at the gates of Prince Li’s residence when a rush of hooves sounded. Xian Feng dismounted and came to the front of the carriage.
“Prince Consort, His Majesty summons you to the palace. His Highness has sent this subordinate to escort you.”
Chu Yuan lifted the carriage curtain, his expression turning grave. “What has happened?”
“This subordinate does not know. However, Prince Qi entered the palace half an hour ago.”
Chu Yuan did not step down from the carriage. He immediately ordered the carriage to proceed to the palace.
An hour later, Chu Yuan passed beneath the vermilion palace walls and saw Lu Ronghuai waiting for him outside the hall.
“Your Highness.” He walked over, his hand naturally settling into Lu Ronghuai’s palm.
Lu Ronghuai clasped his hand. The ink-dark eyes carried a warmth within them. “When Father Emperor asks you something presently, answer truthfully. Do not be afraid.”
Chu Yuan glanced at the tightly shut vermilion doors of the hall and nodded obediently.
Lu Ronghuai pressed a kiss to his brow. He personally straightened his collar before taking his hand and striding into the hall.
Inside the hall, Prince Qi lay upon a couch. His two legs hung limp at the edge, while beside him stood a woman wearing a bamboo hat.
“Your sons greet Father Emperor.” The two bowed.
Emperor Hongjia’s expression was heavy. “Rise.”
“Third Son, Eldest Son has just said that the unrest caused by the bandits in Ping Cheng occurred because the officials there colluded with wealthy gentry to wring the lifeblood from the people, and that this collusion was what drove the people to revolt. Is this so?”
Lu Ronghuai’s handsome face showed appropriate confusion. “Yes. On the day this son returned to the capital, this son already explained the cause of the uprising to Father Emperor. It was no different from what Elder Brother has said. Why does Father Emperor ask about it again?”
“You only said the local officials and merchants colluded. You did not tell Zhen that those reckless officials were backed by powerful families in the capital!” Emperor Hongjia struck the armrest, fury blazing in his eyes.
Lu Ronghuai raised a brow and turned to look at Prince Qi. “Elder Brother is truly capable. This Prince did not discover any contact between the Prefect of Ping Cheng and officials in the capital.”
Since Prince Qi became crippled, his entire spirit had declined. His beard had grown unkempt, and he looked years more worn than before.
Prince Qi spoke in a rough voice. “Hah. That is because you are incompetent.”
The corner of Lu Ronghuai’s lips curved faintly. He continued the act. “Father Emperor, when this son was in Ping Cheng, this son intercepted a letter. However, the handwriting upon the letter was unrecognizable to this son, so this son was never able to discover who stood behind Zhang Ze. This son asks Father Emperor to forgive this failure.”
With that, he lifted his robe and knelt upon the ground.
Chu Yuan followed the motion and knelt beside him.
Emperor Hongjia narrowed his eyes as he regarded Lu Ronghuai, his expression unreadable.
After a moment passed.
“You truly do not know?”
“This son truly does not know.”
Suddenly Emperor Hongjia’s voice deepened. “Those illicit goods, you handed them all over?”
“Does Father Emperor not trust this son?” Lu Ronghuai showed a wounded expression.
Emperor Hongjia gave a short laugh. “It is not that Zhen does not trust you. If what Eldest Son says is true, then those dogs were merely the running hounds of the great families. The money they embezzled ought to be far more than what was declared.”
“Of course it is more than this. Zhang Ze was only a minor pawn taking orders from others. If he truly had ties with the capital, then most of the stolen money has likely already been secretly transported to the great families’ estates. If Father Emperor still doubts it, Father Emperor may send people to search Prince Li’s residence.”
“Zhen did not say Zhen would search your residence. Zhen was merely asking.”
“This son cannot bear such a grievance.” After saying this, Lu Ronghuai turned his head and buried it in the hollow of Chu Yuan’s shoulder.
Chu Yuan: “...”
Emperor Hongjia: “...”
Emperor Hongjia said, “You said you intercepted a letter. What letter?”
Lu Ronghuai made no reply, giving every appearance of still being aggrieved.
Where no one could see, however, his hand had reached to Chu Yuan’s lower back. He leisurely took advantage of the moment.
“Third Son, Zhen is speaking to you.” Emperor Hongjia spoke again.
Lu Ronghuai gently pressed Chu Yuan’s waist and murmured something to him in a breath of a voice.
Chu Yuan raised his head and bowed towards Emperor Hongjia. “Your Majesty, this subject has also seen the letter. His Highness left it in the concealed compartment of the carriage. This subject will go and retrieve it at once.”
Emperor Hongjia waved his hand. “Good. Go quickly and return quickly.”
After Chu Yuan left, Lu Ronghuai remained kneeling with his head lowered, saying nothing.
Emperor Hongjia glanced at him twice and sighed helplessly. “Rise. You are already grown, yet you still throw a temper at every turn.”
“This son is not throwing a temper.”
Emperor Hongjia laughed in irritation. “You are not? Then who refused to answer Zhen just now?”
“This son does not know. In any case, it was not this son.”
Emperor Hongjia: “...”
This unruly son truly gave him a headache.
“Eldest Son, how did you manage to survive?” Emperor Hongjia turned to Prince Qi.
Prince Qi had been resting with his eyes closed. Hearing this, he opened them reluctantly and recited the explanation Lu Ronghuai had prepared beforehand.
“This son was buried in the mountains. That place was extremely remote. This son was trapped there for a long time and eventually lost consciousness. It was Immortal Nun Fuxian who saved this son.”
“When the mountain moved, more than half of it was destroyed. How did Immortal Nun Fuxian reach that place?” Emperor Hongjia looked at the woman wearing the bamboo hat.
Fuqing answered calmly. “Reporting to Your Majesty, this poor nun has cultivated for many years and knows some martial skill. To enter the mountain was no great difficulty.”
“There is a small Daoist temple upon Niuqun Mountain where an old acquaintance of this poor nun resides. This poor nun occasionally visits the temple. It was by this chance that this poor nun happened to save His Highness Prince Qi.”
“Prince Qi was buried within the mountain for many days. Under ordinary circumstances he should not have survived. How then did you save him?” Emperor Hongjia continued his questioning.
“This poor nun once obtained two immortal pills. Many years ago this poor nun was gravely injured and consumed one. One remained, which this poor nun fed to Prince Qi.”
“An immortal pill?” Emperor Hongjia gave a measured sound of skepticism. “Let it not be some trick meant to deceive people.”
Fuqing laughed, her voice crisp and open. “Then may Your Majesty guess how old this poor nun is now?”
Listening to her voice, Emperor Hongjia felt she was not very old and guessed directly. “Twenty years of age?”
Fuqing lifted the bamboo hat from her head, her smile mysterious. “This poor nun has already lived one hundred and seven years old.”
Emperor Hongjia: “?”
The corner of Lu Ronghuai’s mouth twitched. He had asked her to spin a tale, but there had been no need for it to be quite this outrageous.
“How is that possible?!” Emperor Hongjia stared at the youthful face, uncertain and astonished.
Fuqing smiled. When she smiled, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes became visible. Emperor Hongjia noticed the fine lines upon her face and fell silent.
“Your Majesty, when this poor nun found Prince Qi, Prince Qi had already stopped breathing. After this poor nun fed the immortal pill into His Highness’s mouth, His Highness remained unconscious for several months before awakening. It was the immortal pill that saved Prince Qi.”
Prince Qi followed along. “Yes, Father Emperor. Without the immortal nun’s medicine, Father Emperor would not see this son today.”
“If the pill is so miraculous, why have Eldest Son’s legs not recovered?”
“When this son was buried in the mountain, stones shattered the bones of this son’s legs. The lower limbs decayed severely. That these legs could grow back to their present condition already satisfies this son.”
Emperor Hongjia was left bewildered by the explanation and sat stunned for a long moment.
At that moment Chu Yuan returned and handed the sealed letter to Lu Ronghuai.
Lu Ronghuai took the sealed letter and personally delivered it into Emperor Hongjia’s hands.
When Emperor Hongjia broke open the seal, his hands trembled slightly.
He returned to the dragon throne and removed the letter.
He needed only a single glance to recognise whose hand had written those characters.
Emperor Hongjia stared at the contents. His grip tightened on the paper as his expression darkened like ink.
“Has Imperial Father recognized whose handwriting this is?” Lu Ronghuai asked.
Emperor Hongjia remained silent for a long time.
At last he said, “Third Son and Eldest Son may withdraw first. This… immortal nun may also wait outside.”
The three departed. As Lu Ronghuai left, he repeatedly looked back at Chu Yuan.
Emperor Hongjia watched until he could bear it no longer. “Zhen will not do anything to your wife. Leave at once.”
“Oh. Ah-Yuan is faint of heart. Father Emperor must not frighten him.”
“Third Son’s consort, you accompanied him to Ping Cheng. Tell Zhen honestly what was Third Son doing each day.”
Chu Yuan answered without deference or timidity. “His Highness went out daily to investigate the case and returned did not return until late into the night.”
“Did he have any dealings with General Fang?”
Chu Yuan replied, “General Fang was excavating the victims at Niuqun Mountain. His Highness went there once, to pay his respects and offer comfort to the common people who had lent their labor.”
“And afterward?”
“After that, His Highness had no further meetings with General Fang, right up until His Highness returned to the capital.”
“Are your words entirely truthful?”
Chu Yuan lowered his head respectfully. “This subject has already married His Highness and is to spend a lifetime at his side. The one who least wishes any misfortune to befall His Highness is this subject. Imperial Father may set his mind entirely at ease.”
Emperor Hongjia sank into thought again.
Chu Yuan waited quietly. His posture remained straight, the respect on his face neither excessive nor cold.
He lowered his eyes, concealing the contempt within them.
Emperor Hongjia had questioned him alone only because he feared that Fang Xinhai, who held military power, might secretly support Lu Ronghuai.
He had just taken Lu Ronghuai’s military authority away. He would not tolerate this son of his gaining another grasp on military force.
“Very well. There is nothing else. You may go. Call that immortal nun inside.”
“Yes. This son takes his leave.”
Emperor Hongjia called out to stop him once more. “One more thing. In the months since you married here, have you written letters home to your father?”
Chu Yuan’s heart jolted.
Letters home?
Why would Emperor Hongjia ask such a question?
He answered cautiously. “Before this son married here, Father once instructed that after marriage this son would belong to the Kingdom of Lu and must conduct himself properly without overstepping. This son has remembered those words and has not contacted Father.”
“I see.” Emperor Hongjia responded, his tone betrayed neither pleasure nor displeasure.
Then, as though in passing, he said, “There is no need to be so restrained. If you miss home, you may write to your father. Zhen has heard that the South Sacred Sea along the border of the Kingdom of Chu is quite renowned. If the opportunity arises, Zhen would like to see it for himself.”
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Yuanyuan: An immortal pill?
Lu dog: A pill that makes you stretch your legs and stare at the ceiling.
Yuanyuan: Such filial devotion.
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