This Prince Must Emphasize This...
After Prince Li publicly announced the child’s name, he shared a cup of wine with the Prince Consort. The two of them behaved intimately and chatted with complete ease. At one point, no one knew what Prince Li said, but he even reached out and pinched the Prince Consort’s cheek. The people below were thoroughly unable to make sense of it.
By rights, now that Prince Li had an heir, the one who ought to be most distressed should have been the Prince Consort.
This child could not possibly have been borne by the Prince Consort, and Prince Li had spent more than half a year in the Northern Frontier. Yet now he had grandly brought the child back and was even holding a hundred-day banquet. It was plain how much importance he placed upon this child.
Once everyone understood that point, when they looked again at the smile on Chu Yuan’s face, they became even more convinced that the Prince Consort was forcing a smile.
The townspeople below took advantage of the height of the city tower and assumed Prince Li and the others could not hear what they were saying. Thus, as they ate, they chatted with the people seated beside them.
“Could this child be seed Prince Li left behind in the Northern Frontier?”
“Most likely. His Highness and the Prince Consort were apart for more than half a year. How could they have had any chance to meet? A man, after all, cannot endure for long when he is away from home.”
“Why did the Prince Consort leave while holding the child?”
“Why would he stay? Anyone with eyes can see that there is no way he bore that child himself. Remaining here would only make him feel worse.”
“Earlier I heard from a friend in Ye Jing that His Highness and the Prince Consort were deeply devoted to one another. It seems they must all have been deceived by His Highness.”
“A loving bond is one matter. Having an heir is another. In my opinion, the Prince Consort is a sensible man. Can a dignified prince of a kingdom go without descendants?”
“Are none of you curious about the child’s birth mother?”
“I advise you to be less curious. The more you know, the more miserable your death will be.”
Lu Ronghuai set down the wine cup in his hand. He casually glanced toward the crowd below, still chatting in full delight, and the corner of his mouth curved with a half-smile.
They seemed to have forgotten that, for him, hearing clearly at such a distance was no more difficult than lifting his hand.
“There is something I forgot to make clear to all of you just now.” He rose to his feet and suddenly spoke toward the people below. No one had seen it coming. They all lifted their heads, confused, and waited for what would follow.
The wind around the city tower rang bright and clear. Heaven and earth were clean and open. His voice was rich with piercing force, striking straight into every soul present.
Lu Ronghuai said, “To avoid unnecessary misunderstandings and trouble in the future, This Prince must emphasize this...”
“Lu Wuyin is This Prince’s own flesh and blood.”
The crowd: “?”
They already knew that. Why was there a need to emphasize it again?
“At the same time, he is also the flesh and blood personally borne by my beloved consort, our child together.”
The crowd: “...”
Silence fell across the whole gathering once more.
Unlike their first reaction, this time every face held an expression too complicated to name, as though they wished to speak yet dared not.
They all felt that Prince Li was most likely treating them like fools, and doing so openly.
Yet because of Prince Li’s imposing presence, no one dared stand up and refute him.
On the other side, Chu Yuan carried the child back home.
There were also two banquet tables set up in the courtyard.
The Nie family and the Bai family sat at one table. At the other sat Xian Feng and the others.
There were also two familiar faces whom they had not seen in a long time.
Fu Qing stood up with a smile. “Prince Consort, it has been a long time.”
Zhao Lu said, “Hehe, Prince Consort, do you still remember me?”
“Of course I remember,” Chu Yuan said happily. “When did you arrive?”
Fu Qing said, “We only just arrived. We heard it was the young heir’s hundred-day banquet, so we rushed back especially to beg a cup of celebratory wine.”
Zhao Lu said, “It was much the same for me. I first returned to Ye Jing, then brought my wife and child over with me. I just barely made it in time.”
Chu Yuan blinked and handed the child to Fu Qing, who had long since become impatient to hold him. He then turned to Zhao Lu and asked, “General Zhao, are you planning to settle in Sang Cheng?”
Zhao Lu scratched his head and gave an honest grin. “Not yet. His Highness told me first to return home and bring my family over. He said things may not remain peaceful in the future, and once matters settle down, we can return to the capital.”
A trace of surprise flashed through Chu Yuan’s eyes. He did not seem to understand the intention behind Lu Ronghuai’s arrangement, but very quickly he smiled and asked no further questions. A warm, gentle smile gathered in his eyes. “Very well. General, please sit and eat.”
In the end, the news that Prince Li had held a grand hundred-day banquet for the young heir in Sang Cheng still made its way back to Ye Jing.
The court and the countryside were shaken.
When the news returned, it was incomplete. Thus they knew only that Prince Li had a child, but did not know that Prince Consort Li was also in Sang Cheng.
For that reason, many common people began secretly cursing Prince Li as a faithless husband, lamenting on the Prince Consort’s behalf.
The blame lay in the fact that the storybooks about the two of them were far too popular, so that many people had unwaveringly believed in their love. Now, with a child suddenly appearing, the love seemed false and the heartlessness real.
What the great families and court officials cared about more was where exactly this child had come from. How could a child have appeared so quietly, and the prince even secretly run off to Sang Cheng, concealing it from them all?
Among those most angered was Emperor Hongjia. Lu Ronghuai had already refused repeatedly to return to the capital. Now he even had a child outside the capital. Emperor Hongjia increasingly sensed that this son was slipping beyond his control and was already beginning to break free of his grasp.
Furious and unwilling to swallow this grievance, Emperor Hongjia once again sent Eunuch Yuan Sheng to summon the Prince Consort, who had shut himself away in Prince Li’s Residence, into the palace.
The last time he had called him into the palace, he had failed to obtain what he wanted. This time, no matter what, he had to get it.
Very soon, “Chu Yuan” was led into the hall by Eunuch Yuan Sheng.
“This son greets Father Emperor. May Father Emperor enjoy peace and health.”
“Mm, rise.”
Emperor Hongjia gave Eunuch Yuan Sheng a look. Eunuch Yuan Sheng paused for a moment, then came over smiling as he held a cup of tea before “Chu Yuan.”
“This is Feather Tea newly offered as tribute by the Kingdom of Duan this year. Prince Consort, do have a taste and see how it is.”
“Chu Yuan” accepted it with a calm expression. The tea was very hot. He held it in his hands and blew on it, but for the moment showed no immediate intention of drinking.
“Father Emperor summoned this subject today. May this subject ask whether there is some matter?”
Emperor Hongjia put on a broad and benevolent smile. “Third Son has not returned for a long time. Are you still accustomed to living alone in the residence?”
“Chu Yuan” nodded. “Everything is well. Father Emperor may rest assured.”
The smile on Emperor Hongjia’s face faded somewhat. When he looked at him, his gaze instead held a trace more pity, and even his tone carried sympathy. “Zhen summoned you here today because there is something Zhen must tell you. Zhen truly cannot bear it, but Zhen also cannot avoid saying it.”
“Chu Yuan” made a minute twitch at the corner of his mouth.
He lifted his head with a completely sincere expression. “Father Emperor, please speak. This subject is listening.”
Emperor Hongjia let out a sorrowful sigh. “Third Son has hidden something from you... he has raised a child outside.”
“...”
The instant Emperor Hongjia looked over at him, “Chu Yuan” at once put on an expression of tears about to fall. It seemed as though he could not endure the blow. His hand slackened, and with a sharp crack, the teacup fell to the floor and shattered.
Emperor Hongjia: “...”
Emperor Hongjia’s face darkened at once. Just as he was about to rebuke him, he saw that “Chu Yuan” had already covered his face. His shoulders trembled without cease, and from time to time broken sobs could be heard.
Emperor Hongjia let out a heavy breath. He ordered Eunuch Yuan Sheng to bring another cup of tea. His patience and energy were both already nearly spent, and since he had deliberately summoned the man here in order to vent his resentment, seeing him cry eased the anger in his heart by several degrees.
“Enough. Third Son was indeed in the wrong this time. Write him a letter and tell him to return early and apologize in person.”
“Chu Yuan” nodded in a grievously wronged manner.
“This subject has behaved improperly. May Father Emperor grant forgiveness.” He rose and knelt on the floor, his voice hoarse, never once lifting his head.
Emperor Hongjia said, “Go to the side hall and straighten yourself up.”
“Chu Yuan” covered his face and went into the side hall. A palace maid brought over a basin of clean water for him to wash up. He dismissed the eunuchs and palace maids. Once the hall doors were shut, he dropped into a chair in one motion. His face was clean and clear, without the slightest trace of tears.
Xian Yue spread open his palm. Resting in it was a single tea leaf.
It had come from the cup he had deliberately smashed just now. While kneeling, he had secretly picked it up. He lifted the tea leaf to his nose and smelled it, then frowned.
There was indeed something mixed into the tea, but it was not poison as he had expected. Rather, it was an ordinary sleeping powder, something that would render a person unconscious for two or three hours.
He crushed the tea leaf between his fingers, thinking over Emperor Hongjia’s intention.
The Emperor’s dissatisfaction with the Prince was now unmistakable. His Highness had anticipated the present situation long ago, which was why he had left him behind to impersonate the Prince Consort.
Xian Yue had thought that, given Emperor Hongjia’s petty and vindictive nature, he would at the very least show some color to the one acting as Prince Consort Li. Yet this sleeping powder...
Xian Yue could not grasp the emperor’s true intentions, so he decided to probe a little.
He quickly straightened his robes, washed his hands clean, then took out some chili from his sleeve and lightly smeared it over his eyelids. Only then did he return to the main hall.
As expected, another cup of tea had already been placed before his seat.
Emperor Hongjia stared at his reddened eyes and offered a few hypocritical words of comfort, then said, “Too much crying harms the body. Hurry and drink some tea to ease yourself and moisten your throat.”
With red-rimmed eyes, “Chu Yuan” nodded and took two sips of the tea.
Seeing that he had drunk it, Emperor Hongjia visibly relaxed. “You may rest assured. You were married from Chu into Lu, and Zhen is on good terms with your father. Zhen will certainly not allow Third Son to wrong you.”
“Thank you, Father Emperor.”
Emperor Hongjia spoke a few more sentences. Then he saw “Chu Yuan” raise a hand to press at his forehead. His eyelids gradually began to droop. He tried hard to keep them open, but in the end he still slumped sideways in the chair.
Emperor Hongjia withdrew the false smile from his face.
“Yuan Sheng.”
Eunuch Yuan Sheng stepped forward. He patted “Chu Yuan” on the shoulder, then pinched him hard at the philtrum. “Chu Yuan” kept his eyes tightly shut and did not stir.
Only then was Emperor Hongjia satisfied. He ordered, “Good. Begin.”
Eunuch Yuan Sheng went to the other table, lifted away the bright yellow cloth draped over it, and revealed a sharp dagger and a white porcelain bowl with a blue-glazed base beneath.
Holding the dagger and the bowl, he approached “Chu Yuan” bit by bit.
“Prince Consort Li, I have offended you.” Standing before Chu Yuan, he said this in a low voice.
Emperor Hongjia sat upon the bed and urged from behind him, “Move more quickly. Letting a little blood will not kill him.”
Eunuch Yuan Sheng steeled himself and drew the dagger across “Chu Yuan’s” forearm. Very soon, blood streamed down the arm and dripped into the white bowl.
The glaringly red blood flowed into the bowl little by little, gradually filling it.
Emperor Hongjia stared fixedly at the bowl. “Take more blood. Fill one whole bowl. Too little will have no effect.”
Eunuch Yuan Sheng’s hand trembled. Holding the bowl, he lowered his head still further.
Xian Yu waited for him outside the palace gates. Sitting at the rear of the carriage, he saw a palace sedan chair arrive before him after about one hour.
When Xian Yu saw the sedan chair, he straightened his expression and jumped down from the carriage.
Eunuch Yuan Sheng personally escorted the person to the gate.
With a smile, he said, “While speaking with His Majesty in the hall, the Prince Consort grew drowsy, accidentally shattered a teacup, and even cut his arm. His Majesty took pity on the Prince Consort and specially ordered that this sedan chair be used to send him out of the palace.”
Xian Yu showed a grateful smile and bowed with hands clasped. “Many thanks to His Majesty. This humble one also thanks you, Eunuch, for making this journey. Please accept this small token of respect.”
As he bowed, he slipped the money pouch hidden in his sleeve into Eunuch Yuan Sheng’s hand.
Eunuch Yuan Sheng departed very quickly.
Xian Yu helped “Chu Yuan” into the carriage, then ordered the driver, likewise a shadow guard in disguise, to turn around and return to the residence.
The moment the carriage curtain fell, the “Chu Yuan” who had just been leaning weakly against him abruptly opened his eyes.
“Tsk, that old thing. He cut so deeply. Nearly killed me with the pain.”
As Xian Yue spoke, he yanked up his sleeve in one motion. Undoing the white bandage, he stared at the torn, bloody gash on his arm and began cursing both Yuan Sheng and Emperor Hongjia.
Xian Yu frowned hard as he looked at the blade wound on his arm, where the flesh had been split open. “What exactly happened?”
Xian Yue threw himself backward without the slightest grace and collapsed onto the soft cushions.
“Write to the Prince Consort at once. We cannot remain in Ye Jing any longer either.”
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Xian Yue: This absolutely counts as a workplace injury. I want hazard pay.
Lu-gou: Please do not wear Ah-Yuan’s face while making such inelegant movements. Pay deducted.
Xian Yue: ...&%￥#@
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