I Am Not Worthy to Be Your Husband Either.
Teased by Lu Ronghuai’s words, Chu Yuan’s fist landed upon his chest without the slightest courtesy.
“Your Highness, be serious. I have something to say.”
Lu Ronghuai caught his hand and kneaded it against his chest. The movement, though casual, carried an ease both noble and languid, yet his gaze upon him was entirely earnest.
“Mm. What does Ah-Yuan wish to say?”
Chu Yuan turned over and sat cross-legged. His dark, lustrous eyes quietly fixed upon him, and in a certain tone he asked, “Your Highness, what has happened?”
The smile at the corner of Lu Ronghuai’s mouth stiffened slightly.
Chu Yuan possessed a heart as clever and keen as carved jade. How could he fail to see the emotions everyone had deliberately hidden away?
Lu Ronghuai parted his thin lips halfway, just about to speak, when Chu Yuan lifted a finger and pressed it against his lips.
His eyes curved for a brief instant, and his tone was light and quick, gentle enough to draw water from stone. “Your Highness had best think clearly before speaking.”
That gentle voice, carrying with it a faint threat, made Lu Ronghuai’s back stiffen. In an instant he recalled the miserable experience of sleeping in the study.
He cleared his throat and, taking advantage of the moment, also sat up. From beginning to end, he told him everything that had happened today.
Just like Clan Leader Jiang, Chu Yuan did not believe anyone within the clan would betray them. His brows knit tightly. “Has Your Highness found this person?”
“Ah-Yuan need only to wait patiently for one night. Tomorrow, we will know the truth.”
Chu Yuan did not ask what method he meant to use to root out the spy. He trusted Lu Ronghuai and knew he would handle the matter properly.
“If it truly is someone from the clan, Your Highness may still set your mind at ease. Clan Leader would never shield him.”
Lu Ronghuai untied the ribbon from Chu Yuan’s hair. At once, his black hair spilled loose. His gaze slowly traveled downward and came to rest upon that ordinary false face. Raising a hand, he poked it once.
“That is not necessarily so. Ah-Yuan has known Clan Leader only a short while, so how could you possibly see through another person’s heart? What if he cannot bear to part with this spy and secretly lets him go?”
Good-tempered as ever, Chu Yuan let him keep poking at his face and answered in a gentle voice, “When I was small, Mother Empress once mentioned Clan Leader, and her words were full of respect. Anyone who could earn praise from Mother Empress must certainly be a very good person.”
Lu Ronghuai remained lazily languid, his handsome eyes half-lowered. “Mm. We will speak of that matter tomorrow. Zhao Lu and Fu Qing have already taken two cities of Chu Kingdom. In a few days they will march to Langhe Pass. Bai Qingyu has also broken through three tenths of Duan Kingdom’s territory. Ah-Yuan may as well guess, what will the ruler of Chu Kingdom do next?”
“Now that he has guessed we are very likely within Wubo Cheng, he will certainly think of every possible method to lure us into showing ourselves. If he captures us, then naturally he can force Zhao Lu to withdraw his troops.”
At this point, Chu Yuan could not help looking at him with worry. “Your Highness, this man is full of schemes. If he is driven to the point where a dog leaps the wall, I do not know what he may do. I am afraid everyone may be put in danger.”
Lu Ronghuai’s shoulders relaxed. Upon his face was the smile of someone whose scheme had succeeded. “Did we not come here precisely to invite the man into the jar? Ah-Yuan need not be afraid.”
“Moreover, one hundred thousand Xuan Yu Guards are waiting at any time. Ah-Yuan need only wait one or two more days, and everything will proceed according to plan.”
After hearing these words, Chu Yuan visibly let out a breath of relief. He laughed helplessly. “Perhaps it is because my heart now holds people I care for that I have grown cautious, always worrying that I will drag you all into trouble.”
A warm, dry hand clasped his. With a slight exertion of force, Lu Ronghuai drew him into his arms. “We are husband and wife. Do not say such foolish things again. Protecting you all is my duty. If I cannot even protect wife and child, then I am not worthy to be your husband either.”
“Your Highness has done very well.” Chu Yuan stroked his face and praised him with a smile.
Lu Ronghuai lifted his hand and kissed it against his lips. The two spoke together for quite some time. When Lu Duoyu returned, all he saw was that both of his fathers wore smiles he could not understand, and that neither had even noticed his return.
At dawn the next day, before it was even time for the morning meal, everyone had already gathered in the main room.
“Your Highness, the person has been found.” Xian Shuang caught someone by the back of the collar and brought him before the group.
“Xiao Xiao?” Clan Leader Jiang was utterly taken aback. He stepped forward and stared wide-eyed at the young man kneeling on the ground.
All the way here, Jiang Xiao had still not understood what was going on. Now, hearing Clan Leader call his name, he gave a violent start and lifted his head toward him.
“Clan Leader, what has happened? Why am I being seized?”
Clan Leader Jiang was silent for a moment. “Whatever is asked later, you are to answer. You are not to conceal anything.”
Looking at him, Jiang Ni could not help remembering that when they were still upon the ship, Clan Leader had spoken of this child while chatting with him. He had only just passed his seventeenth birthday in the first half of the year. Jiang Ni did not believe that a person who had grown up within the clan from childhood could betray them.
Jiang Ni asked, “Are you certain it is him?”
Xian Shuang answered, “Yesterday, following Your Highness’s orders, the sons of the Jiang clan were sent out individually to buy supplies. Shadow guards followed behind them. Of all of them, only after he had been gone half a shichen did suspicious tracks appear behind him.”
Nie Xuxing asked, “Was it truly he who was contacting the ruler of Chu Kingdom?”
“I did not!” Jiang Xiao shouted. He understood now that these people suspected him. “Clan Leader, believe me. I have done nothing to wrong everyone. I have never even seen the ruler of Chu Kingdom!”
Jiang Xiao’s face was full of agitation. Afraid everyone would truly disbelieve him, he stressed it several times.
Chu Yuan had been observing his expression all along. Seeing this, he turned his eyes toward Lu Ronghuai. “Could there be a misunderstanding? He does not seem to be lying.”
Lu Ronghuai folded his arms and stared at Jiang Xiao, his voice cold. “Between the seventh and eighth months of last year, did you ever come to Chu Kingdom?”
Jiang Xiao first froze, then his face turned a little pale. “I... I did indeed come, but... it was not me. I came under clan orders to Chu Kingdom to purchase supplies. On this point, Clan Leader can vouch for me.”
Clan Leader Jiang had an excellent memory, and naturally had not forgotten. “That is correct. Last year, four youths of the clan were sent ashore. He and another child came to Chu Kingdom to buy cloth and white flour. Two others went to Duan Kingdom to buy brush, ink, paper, and inkstones.”
Nie Siran asked, “Where is the other youth now?”
Clan Leader Jiang answered, “I left him in the clan to handle affairs. He is not here.”
“Lift your head.” Lu Ronghuai’s tone carried coldness, yet the authority within it remained. “Look into This Prince’s eyes. This Prince will ask you one last time. Have you truly never seen the ruler of Chu Kingdom?”
Jiang Xiao was very much afraid of this Prince Li. Every time he came ashore, he had heard the people talk of the various terrible deeds committed by this man and had long since viewed him as some creature of pure malice. Who would have thought that this time, after coming ashore with Clan Leader, he would actually be helping this very Prince Li to unify the Six Kingdoms.
Now he was suspected of being a spy. At this moment, he had to prove his own innocence. However great his fear, he still straightened his back and looked firmly at Lu Ronghuai.
“I have never seen him.”
“Good.” Lu Ronghuai curved one side of his mouth without expression. A cold, thin harshness spread through his eyes. “Then speak honestly of every move and every word after you entered the city.”
Seeing the child’s face grow paler and paler, Jiang Ni spoke up in soft consolation. “Do not be afraid. His Highness only wishes to find the problem. You need only speak it out, and all of us will think of a way together.”
Jiang Xiao nodded. Lowering his head, he began to recall that journey to Chu Kingdom last year.
He had stayed within the city for two full days. Beginning from the moment he entered, all the way until he left the city and went back out to sea, he recounted every detail without omission.
After hearing him out, Jiang Ni and Chu Yuan exchanged a glance. Neither had heard anything among his words that might count as a useful clue.
Chu Yuan asked, “While you were in the city then, did any other matter occur?”
Jiang Xiao looked puzzled. “Another matter?”
Chu Yuan said, “Mm. For example, something that left a particularly deep impression on you, or something amusing and interesting. You may speak of those as well.”
Jiang Xiao carefully recalled again. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. “That is right, I remember now. At the time, the summer heat was fierce. A shade awning had been set up beside the city gate, where free tea and drinks were prepared for passing travelers. Adults were given one bowl of cooling tea, while children were given one bowl of sweet water.”
“I heard the soldiers at the city gate say that Crown Prince Chu Zhang pitied the common people, and had specially built the awning for them to ease the summer heat.”
Clan Leader Jiang’s brows drew together. “You drank it too?”
Jiang Xiao shrank his neck and answered in a small voice, “I... I drank it. Qing-ge did not. I drank one bowl of sweet water.”
Qing-ge was the youth who had come to Chu Kingdom with him to buy supplies.
Chu Yuan pressed his lips together. In a clear, warm voice, he said, “Chu Zhang is a man who will not rise early without profit. This does not sound like something he would do, unless...”
“Unless he had another purpose in mind.” Lu Ronghuai unhurriedly completed the latter half of the sentence.
Clan Leader Jiang asked, “You drank the sweet water. After returning to the clan, did your body show any discomfort?”
Jiang Xiao shook his head like a rattle drum. “No, no. There was no feeling at all.”
Chu Yuan said, “Xiao Xiao may have been used by Chu Kingdom.”
Everyone had also thought of that possibility. Without another word, Jiang Ni directly called out, “Xuxing, Siran, hold him down for me.”
“What are you doing?” In the very next instant, the two men had pinned Jiang Xiao flat on the ground, one on the left and one on the right. He cried out loudly again. “It truly was not me! Clan Leader, save me!”
Jiang Ni pulled an exquisite little sachet from his belt. Opening it, he pinched a fine needle out from within.
Holding Jiang Xiao’s head in place, he drove the needle into his neck with precision and speed.
Then Jiang Ni pricked him once at the crown of the head and another over the heart.
He still had not finished. Seizing Jiang Xiao’s hand, Jiang Ni ignored the horror in Jiang Xiao’s eyes and drove the tip of the needle hard into his fingertip.
“Ah!” Blood at once welled up from the fingertip. Jiang Xiao screamed in pain.
This last one hurt far more than the previous few, and it was a very deep sort of pain. It was not the ordinary sting of a needle. It felt as though someone had chopped off a section of his finger. Cold sweat instantly poured from his brow.
At first he had not understood why Jiang Ni was pricking him with needles. Yet after the time it took to burn one stick of incense, he saw a disgusting black insect slowly crawling out from the place where the blood had flowed. At the sight of it, every hair on his body stood upright in horror.
“What is that? Ahhh!” He wished he could throw his hand away, yet he was being held down so tightly that he could not move in the least.
Jiang Ni caught the insect in a small porcelain bottle. With a grave expression, he said to the others, “This is a gu parasite, but I have never seen this kind before. Give me one day.”
Clan Leader Jiang let out a breath of relief. He turned to Lu Ronghuai. “Xiao Xiao mistakenly drank the tea, and this is why a gu parasite bred within his body and turned him into a pawn for Chu Kingdom. Yet this was not his intention. I ask that Your Highness spare him this once.”
Lu Ronghuai said, “Of course. This move of Chu Kingdom was a vicious one. After Clan Leader returns, you must conduct a careful investigation. It is quite possible that other clansmen also carry gu parasites within them.”
Clan Leader Jiang nodded, his face full of worry, and self-reproach rose within him.
They had guarded against everything, yet had never thought Chu Kingdom would still manage to find an opening. Had they not come ashore this time, he would never have known that gu parasites had been planted inside the bodies of his people.
✧ A Word from the Author ✧
Thank you very much for everyone’s support. I will continue to work hard!
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