Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 106

“This time, Prince Yan entered the Capital bringing with him eighteen of his fiercest generals, three hundred prisoners of war, and a great many northern beasts and raptors, along with rare fox, tiger, and deer pelts, as well as countless spoils from past battles like eastern pearls, spirit stones, and more. His procession was grand beyond measure.

“I heard that Cui Daohuan led the entire Ministry of State Affairs to welcome Prince Yan ten miles outside the city gates and His Majesty immediately ordered the Ministry of Rites to deliver lavish rewards to Prince Yan’s residence. In front of the officials, Prince Yan claimed to suffer from a leg ailment and did not even dismount his horse. One could hardly call his manner anything but arrogant.”

Xiao Rong sat beneath the corridor, listening to Mo Dong’s report with no expression.

At the moment, all of the capital was abuzz with talk of Prince Yan’s arrival, so it was not difficult to gather such news.

“Those eighteen generals,” Xiao Rong asked after a pause, “do we know who they are?”

Mo Dong shook his head. “Not the full list yet, but word is they’re all battle-hardened men. Oh, and it’s said the famed Five Tiger Generals of the Northern Yan Army are among them.”

Xiao Rong frowned. “All five have come?”

Mo Dong nodded. “All except Qin Zhong, who’s too old and recuperating in the rear. It seems Prince Yan is determined to win in the upcoming martial arts tournament.”

Xiao Rong said nothing.

***

The next morning, after breakfast, Xiao Rong sat as usual under the eaves reading when Mo Dong hurried over.

“Master, Eunuch Zhang Fu, His Majesty’s attendant, has arrived.” There was clear surprise and unease in Mo Dong’s eyes.

Xiao Rong set down his book and instructed him to show Zhang Fu in.

“Greetings to the Young Prince,” said Zhang Fu, stopping at the steps, dust-whisk in hand, bowing low.

Xiao Rong smiled politely. “No need for formality, Eunuch Zhang. What brings you here so early?”

Zhang Fu replied, “Prince Yan entered the capital yesterday. His Majesty will hold a palace banquet tonight to reward the officers who came with him. His Majesty specifically ordered me to deliver a message that His Highness must attend without fail.”

Xiao Rong was silent for a moment before saying, “I am merely a seventh-rank official. I doubt I’m qualified to attend such a banquet.”

Zhang Fu’s face creased into a practiced smile. “The Young Prince jests. You are still the heir of Xiao Royal Residence. How could you not be qualified? Besides, since His Majesty personally named you to attend, you need only go as ordered. No one would dare object.”

Xiao Rong could only nod. “Very well. Please tell His Majesty I will attend on time.”

Zhang Fu left behind some gifts from the Emperor before departing with his attendants.

Mo Dong watched Xiao Rong sit in silence under the eaves, deep in thought, his demeanor quite unlike usual. Worried, he asked softly, “Young Prince, are you really going?”

Everyone knew that Prince Yan and Prince Xiao were on bad terms. Prince Yan was also notorious for holding grudges; a banquet like this could only spell danger.

Xiao Rong lifted his gaze, his tone calm. “His Majesty has spoken. Even if I didn’t wish to go, I must. Prepare me a robe for the banquet.”

Mo Dong complied.

Xiao Rong lounged in his room all day and then, in the evening, took a carriage straight to the palace.

By the palace gates, carriages and horses crowded the area, filled with generals who had come to the capital. Because this was an imperial banquet, most of them wore their battle regalia; their attire was lavish and martial.

Xiao Rong had changed into a light-purple, wide-sleeved robe. He told Mo Dong to stop the carriage at the outer edge, stepped down quietly, and walked in on foot.

By custom, all who entered the palace for the banquet had to surrender their weapons at the gate. Mo Dong followed close behind and as they reached the gate, he removed his sword to hand it to an attendant, only for a deliberately provocative voice to cut across the crowd.

“Move aside, those up front. Can’t you see the Prince of Wei is coming through? Step back and let him pass.”

Mo Dong frowned. Turning, he saw a group approaching in bright attire. At the front stood the Prince of Wei, Cui Xie, the eldest son of the Cui clan, and a broad-shouldered man in a vermilion round-collared military robe, Cui Cheng, who had not been seen in public for some time.

Cui Cheng’s gaze was dark and fierce, fixed on Xiao Rong as if he were prey. “Xiao Rong,” he sneered, “what position do you claim now that you dare stand before the Prince of Wei? When you see the Prince of Wei, you should kneel and bow.”

Xiao Rong, idly twirling a folding fan, turned at the remark. He raised a lid of his eyes with cool disdain, snapped the fan shut, and pushed it forward. “The palace gate forbids loud words. I thought someone was making a great show. Turns out, it’s General Cui. Oh, not general anymore, is it? I should call you Deputy General now. How are your whip wounds healing? You’re able to come out and drink at a banquet now?”

During the summer hunt, Cui Cheng had been publicly punished and stripped of his post as general of the Imperial Guards, demoted to deputy general, and kept confined at home to reflect on his faults. That hundred-lash punishment was his lifelong shame, because the executioner would not give him leniency, the pain was intolerable. While he recovered, Cui Cheng plotted revenge on Xiao Rong. When he heard Xiao Rong had defended the Eastern Palace in public, ignoring family ties and apparently being stripped of his heirship and expelled from the Xiao clan, Cui Cheng was delighted.

Hearing Xiao Rong’s taunt, Cui Cheng’s face contorted with rage. He sneered, “Xiao Rong, you’re almost a homeless dog now and yet still sharp-tongued. I can deal with you with no trouble. If you have any sense, kneel and beg forgiveness. Maybe I’ll plead your case to the Prince of Wei and spare you.”

The commotion drew the attention of many generals, turning heads.

“Is that so?” Xiao Rong folded his fan and wore an expression of amused interest. “I’d very much like to know how the Prince of Wei intends to deal with me.”

“Enough.” The Prince of Wei waved with practiced courtesy. “I am known for my magnanimity. If I were to scold someone here at the palace gate, would the Emperor not rebuke me?”

“Your Highness’s magnanimity is admirable,” a voice replied, “but it depends on whom you lavish it upon.”

Another group was approaching and leading them was the Matriarch Wang.

Matriarch Wang was accompanied by the Prince of Jin, followed by Wang Yanshou, Wang Hui, and Wang Yang.

The Prince of Wei smiled and gave a junior’s salute to Matriarch Wang. “Aunt, what brings you here?” |23|

Matriarch Wang, clutching the imperial dragon-headed cane, looked at Xiao Rong with a cold smile and raised her voice, “For such an ungrateful little whelp, how can you be lenient, Your Highness? If he were of my Wang clan, I’d have him beaten to death with a thousand strikes of a board.”

“Whip—!”

A terrifying crack split the air.

Before anyone could react, Matriarch Wang had already taken a whip across the face. She let out a shrill cry and fell heavily to the ground. The gold hairpins and ornaments she had so carefully arranged for the banquet were scattered across the floor.

The surrounding crowd fell silent in an instant, as if the tide had receded; only the sharp rhythm of hooves echoed in the air.

Then came a voice, low and slightly languid, “I don’t usually strike women. But gossip is an exception. Tell me, who did you just call a bastard?”

Just hearing that voice made Matriarch Wang tremble violently.

Everyone turned toward the sound.

A tall, imposing figure sat astride a horse, whip in hand, clad in dark, heavy armor. Although past his thirties, his wolfish eyes and sharply defined, dangerously handsome features still radiated a ruthless, predatory power.

Behind him stood two lines of armored riders, perfectly disciplined.

The air itself seemed to freeze. An invisible wave of killing intent spread outward, swallowing the entire palace gate in an instant.

The man on horseback gazed down at Matriarch Wang, those wolfish eyes tinged with indolence and cruelty like Prince Yan of Hell judging a doomed soul.

Matriarch Wang’s hair was in disarray, her face streaked with blood. She lifted her head in terror and the moment her gaze met that face and those eyes, her entire body shuddered again.

“P—Prince Yan… It’s Prince Yan!” someone stammered from the crowd.

“Mother!” Wang Yanshou finally came to his senses. His face turned pale and he rushed forward with his two sons to help the old woman up.

Matriarch Wang, once so haughty and domineering, now looked utterly broken. Her face twisted in pain and fear, like a tyrant brought low before a devil. Her teeth chattered, her mind blank. The burning sting on her cheek tore through her nerves and through the pride she had held all her life. She couldn’t understand; she had merely used the Prince of Wei’s name to make things difficult for Xiao Rong. What did that northern devil have to do with it?

“Your Highness Prince Yan.”

The Prince of Wei, Cui Cheng, and Cui Xie all stepped forward immediately to bow in greeting.

However, Prince Yan paid them no mind. He only lifted his gaze toward the palace gate.

The gate stood empty now. No one remained, only the flickering yellow light of the palace lamps.

***

Xiao Rong strode through the shadows of the lanterns, face cold, steps quick. He moved so fast that his wide robe fluttered behind him and the golden crown in his hair shook loose with his pace.

Mo Dong nearly had to run to keep up. “Young Prince!”

Xiao Rong didn’t look up, nearly colliding with the railing ahead. Mo Dong’s face paled and he darted forward, catching him just in time.

Xiao Rong stopped, breath uneven.

Mo Dong froze. The Young Prince, who had always seemed unshakable and unmoved even if the sky fell, was now pale as death, as though he had just been pulled from icy water.

“Young Prince?” Mo Dong tried again, calling softly, “Young Prince…”

Xiao Rong gave no response. His fists were clenched tight, his lips bitten pale, lost in thought.

Mo Dong, awkward with words, attempted to comfort him. “Today’s the palace banquet. Prince Yan wouldn’t dare do anything to you, Young Prince.”

Xiao Rong slowly lifted his head, stared at Mo Dong for a long moment, and then gave a sharp, bitter tug at his lips; an expression full of wounded pride. “You think I’m afraid of him?!”

Mo Dong dared not reply.

Xiao Rong snapped open his fan and flicked it a few times in frustration.

How could he possibly be afraid of that man?

He was just—

Just humiliated.

He hadn’t expected to lose face so utterly before that person.

His damnable pride was flaring up again, that was all.

Fortunately, after walking for a while, Xiao Rong gradually cooled down. He fanned himself a few more times, then folded the fan and slipped it back into his sleeve, his expression calm once more as he made his way toward Thousand Autumns Palace, where the banquet was held.

***

“Godfather.” Outside the palace gates, a mounted figure rode out from the crowd to join Prince Yan. “What are you looking at?” he asked.

Prince Yan withdrew his gaze and turned slightly toward him.

At once, the rider stiffened and bowed low.

“Your servant greets Your Highness Prince Yan, and the Thirteenth Protector.”

Zhang Fu appeared from the palace gates, flanked by two attendants. He walked straight up to Prince Yan’s horse with a beaming smile and a deep bow. “His Majesty commands this humble servant to escort Your Highness and the generals into the palace for the banquet. Please, Your Highness, dismount and follow me inside.” He finished speaking and stepped aside, ready to take Prince Yan’s reins and hold the stirrup himself.

However, the tall man on horseback didn’t move. He only twirled the whip lazily in his hand, eyes half-lidded, indifferent.

“Eunuch Zhang,” came Gongsun Yu’s voice from behind Prince Yan. He spoke, “The title ‘Thirteenth Protector’ has been revoked. You will not address him that way again.”

Jing Xi’s fair face flushed scarlet, burning with shame and humiliation. He shot Gongsun Yu a glare full of resentment.

Gongsun Yu stood unmoved.

The Prince of Wei and Cui Xie, standing nearby, exchanged startled looks.

Jing Xi, the Thirteenth Protector, once the most favored adopted son of Prince Yan, was known across the realm. Back in Songzhou, even Gongsun Yu had treated him with utmost respect.
What grave offense could he have committed to be stripped of his title outright?

No wonder the arrogant and flamboyant Jing Xi seemed so subdued today.

Meanwhile, seeing that Prince Yan still hadn’t budged and hadn’t even so much as looked at him, Zhang Fu finally understood. He slapped himself across the face and barked at the guards on both sides, “Open the gates immediately! Invite His Highness to ride into the palace!”

***

That day, the grand banquet lit up Thousand Autumns Palace with gold and jade everywhere, brilliant as daylight.

On both sides of the grand hall, many guests were already seated. In addition to the civil officials accompanying the banquet, the generals from various regions were arranged according to their respective commands.

When Xiao Rong arrived, the palace attendant leading the way hesitated for a moment.

Ordinarily, the heir of Prince Xiao would be seated beside his father. Indeed, there was still an empty seat next to Prince Xiao today but now that this heir had been cast out of the Xiao clan and rumors said the family was preparing to appoint a new heir, it was uncertain whom that seat was meant for. Unsure how to arrange things, the attendant was about to go and consult Zhang Fu when Xiao Rong spoke first.

“Take me to the civil officials’ section.”

Since he now served in the Chancellery, sitting among the civil officials was reasonable enough. The attendant acknowledged the order and led Xiao Rong to the section reserved for them.

The civil officials were seated by rank and those qualified to attend such an imperial banquet were naturally all senior ministers of the various departments. Xiao Rong simply chose the last seat and sat down calmly.

Since the news of his expulsion from the Xiao clan had spread, he had not appeared in public once and all manner of rumors had run rampant. Now, quite a few officials cast curious or probing looks his way; some openly, some in secret.

Xiao Rong, however, remained composed and indifferent, as though he hadn’t noticed at all.

Before long, Xiao Yulin and Xiao Yuke entered the hall together with Mo Qing and the other generals of the Silver Dragon Cavalry. When Xiao Yuke caught sight of Xiao Rong sitting quietly at the end of the table, his gaze halted for a brief moment.