Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 108 Part 1

Mo Qing obliged, poured a cup of wine, and first approached Gongsun Yu, the leader of the Northern Yan generals. He raised the cup with a smile, “I offer a toast to General Gongsun.”

“You flatter me,” Gongsun Yu replied, taking the cup, standing to return the salute, and draining the wine.

The Emperor beamed. “You are all meritorious warriors who secure the borders and serve the realm. We owe you Our thanks.”

The Emperor raised his cup personally. The generals all rose respectfully and drank the imperial wine.

With that, the taut atmosphere in the hall finally eased.

Yet everyone knew full well that the moment Prince Yan set foot in the capital, he had been provoking the Xiao clan and Prince Xiao at every turn. The conflict between those two princes had only just begun.

The Emperor’s wound had only recently healed, so the banquet did not last long. After three rounds of wine, the gathering broke up in good spirits.

Xiao Rong was seated near the palace door. Once the Emperor withdrew, he rose first and left the hall.

Outside the palace gate, he found Jiang Cheng already waiting.

“His Highness ordered me to escort the Young Prince home,” Jiang Cheng said, bowing as he explained.

Xiao Rong had regained his usual composure and, unsurprised, merely asked with a smile, “And His Highness?”

Jiang Cheng hurriedly replied, “His Highness will remain in the palace tonight to attend the Emperor.”

Xiao Rong nodded and boarded his carriage as usual.

The carriage rolled off with Mo Dong at the reins, while Jiang Cheng and several Eastern Palace guards rode alongside.

Xiao Rong sat with his sleeves folded, head bowed in thought, motionless, until the sudden thunder of hooves sounded behind them and a steed’s neigh abruptly cut off.

“Captain Jing, don’t be rash!” a voice cried.

Another voice snarled in fury, “Don’t try to stop me! Tonight, I’ll kill him and avenge my godfather!”

Mo Dong glared coldly at Jing Xi and his retinue blocking the carriage, drawing his sword.

Jiang Cheng was more cautious and attempted to reason, “Captain Jing, this is the palace precinct, right under the Son of Heaven. Please, do not act recklessly.”

Jing Xi recognized Jiang Cheng as the very ‘assassin’ who’d brazenly abducted him back in Songzhou. He ground his teeth and spat, “I’ll kill you too when the time comes!”

Jiang Cheng’s heart sank. He realized the matter would not end peacefully tonight. Remembering Xi Rong’s orders, he, too, drew his sword and prepared to act.

“Stop.”

Xiao Rong’s calm voice came from inside the carriage.

The carriage door opened. Xiao Rong looked up, seated and composed, and regarded Jing Xi with a leisurely smile. “So it’s you, the famed ‘Thirteenth Protector,’ my vanquished foe. Jing Xi, if I were you, I’d have fled to Northern Yan after such humiliation and never dared return. Yet here you are, swaggering about the capital. Do the men of your Northern Yan army all have such thick skins?”

“You—!”

The old shame was torn open anew. Jing Xi’s teeth clenched and his whole body trembled with rage.

Xiao Rong went on, amused, “Indeed, the so-called Thirteen Protectors of Northern Yan are likely full of men like you, which is precisely why the Northern Yan army needs dross such as you to fill its ranks.”

Jing Xi, who already hated Xiao Rong to the bone, was provoked beyond restraint. He drew his sword and tried to rush out to fight, but a subordinate clung to him and held him back.

“Captain Jing, don’t be impulsive!”

“Get off me!” Jing Xi kicked his way free.

Mo Dong and Jiang Cheng, seeing things go sideways, moved to shield Xiao Rong. Swords clashed and then a rider’s silhouette thundered toward them out of the night.

“Captain Jing! You mustn’t!” Gongsun Yu hurriedly dismounted, seized Jing Xi’s arm and wrenching the sword from his hand.

Jing Xi glared at him in fury.

Gongsun Yu paid him no heed. Instead, he turned and bowed to Xiao Rong. “Captain Jing drank too much tonight and behaved improperly. I beg the Young Prince’s pardon on his behalf.”

“Behaved improperly?” Xiao Rong’s lips twitched. “My guards can all attest that just now, this Captain Jing tried to raise his blade to murder me. To openly attempt assassination within the palace precincts, General Gongsun would excuse it as mere ‘impropriety’? That seems a trifle light. If you are unfamiliar with Da’an’s laws from living too long in Northern Yan, I don’t mind having my guards recite the statutes for you.”

Gongsun Yu had already experienced Xiao Rong’s severity back in Songzhou. Sweat broke out on his brow as he stammered, “How may this servant placate the Young Prince?”

“Simple.” Xiao Rong still smiled, his eyes drifting coolly to Jing Xi. “Have him kneel and kowtow, apologize to me.”

Jing Xi’s face twisted with rage. “You’re dreaming!”

Xiao Rong’s mild smile remained. “If you refuse to settle this privately, then see you at the Court of Judicial Review. The Court of Judicial Review has plenty of experience handling such cases.”

Although Jing Xi had been stripped of his title, he was still dearly favored by Prince Yan. Dragging this before the Court of Judicial Review tonight would not end well. Gongsun Yu fell silent for a moment, then swept back his robe and dropped to one knee. “I apologize on his behalf to the Young Prince. I beg the Young Prince to show mercy and spare Captain Jing this time.”

The accompanying officers watched in stunned amazement.

Gongsun Yu was Prince Yan’s foremost general, deeply trusted. Within the Northern Yan army, no one other than Prince Yan himself would dare make him kneel.

Xiao Rong regarded him coldly, unmoved. “Traditionally, when one kneels to admit a mistake, it is on both knees. General Gongsun, you insist on taking blame for another, yet you’ve only offered a single knee. Does the other one have gold on it?”

The barb was biting and merciless.

Not only did Jing Xi’s men stare in shock at the aggressive tone of the Young Prince in the carriage, but even Jiang Cheng looked taken aback, as if seeing Xiao Rong anew.

Gongsun Yu hesitated and then slowly lowered the other knee to the ground. “I offer my sincere apology on behalf of Captain Jing. I beg the Young Prince not to hold this against him and to pardon this unintentional offense.”

Jing Xi ground his teeth. Humiliation rising in him, he snatched the reins from his subordinate and spurred his horse away. His retinue hastily followed.

Only Gongsun Yu remained kneeling in the dark street.

Xiao Rong folded his sleeves and settled back, a faint smile playing on his lips. “It seems General Gongsun’s loyalty has been misplaced.”

Gongsun Yu could not fail to hear the sarcasm. He sighed inwardly and replied, “So long as the Young Prince is appeased, this servant may kneel as long as required.”

“Everyone knows you are Prince Yan’s greatest general,” Xiao Rong said, his gaze cold as he dropped the carriage curtain. “If I kept you kneeling here forever, people would accuse me of cruelty. Let’s return.”

Mo Dong and Jiang Cheng sheathed their swords together.

The carriage wheels rattled softly as it passed by and Gongsun Yu let out another long sigh.

When Zhang Ran arrived with his men after hearing the news, he was startled by the sight before him. He quickly dismounted and helped Gongsun Yu up, asking anxiously, “Gongsun, what on earth happened? That heir of Prince Xiao has gone too far!”

Gongsun Yu could only shake his head helplessly. “If I hadn’t done what I did, things would have ended in disaster tonight. Let’s go back. And whatever happens, don’t mention this matter in front of His Highness.”

On the way back to the command residence, Gongsun Yu briefly recounted the events.

Zhang Ran frowned. “That Captain Jing is truly reckless. As you said, if the heir of Prince Xiao uses this incident as leverage, the entire Northern Yan army might be dragged down with him.”

“Exactly. That Prince Xiao may have kept his composure tonight, but if he ever gets hold of something he can use against His Highness or Northern Yan, he won’t show an ounce of mercy.”

Zhang Ran shook his head as well.

Prince Yan was already provoked in court by a mere youth, the son of his lifelong rival, Prince Xiao, no less. Even if his pride isn’t completely shattered, he’s surely in foul spirits. If that Captain Jing causes trouble now, he’d be handing a weakness to the Xiao clan himself. The consequences would be disastrous.

The two returned to the residence together. They had barely sat down when a deputy entered to report, “Generals, Captain Jing requests an audience.”

They exchanged a look. Gongsun Yu frowned first.

Jing Xi had stormed off earlier, clearly displeased with how he handled things. If he were coming back now, it was unlikely to be in peace.

The deputy soon brought Jing Xi in.

To Gongsun Yu’s surprise, Jing Xi didn’t come to accuse or argue. Instead, he presented two finely forged long boxes, setting them before Zhang Ran and Gongsun Yu respectively. Then, without a word, he knelt down, lifted his sleeve to wipe his tears, and said with reddened eyes, “I was impulsive and foolish earlier, almost causing a grave disaster. I’m deeply grateful to General Gongsun for shielding me. With the martial arts tournament approaching, I beg you, General Gongsun, please conceal what happened tonight from my godfather. Jing Xi will be eternally indebted.”

Jing Xi’s lips were red and his features delicate; he was clearly a clever young man. Now, with tears glistening in his eyes, he looked pitifully fragile.

Only then did Gongsun Yu understand that Jing Xi wasn’t here out of remorse but out of fear. He was terrified Prince Yan would hear about what happened, so he had come in the night to make amends. With Jing Xi’s usual arrogance, he would never have humbled himself like this otherwise.

“Captain Jing, there’s no need for this,” Gongsun Yu said evenly. “His Highness rules the army with strict discipline. You’ve served under him for years; you should know his temper. In the future, think carefully before you act. Don’t hand others leverage the way you did tonight.”

Jing Xi quickly smiled through his tears. “Thank you for your guidance, General Gongsun. I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll never make such a mistake again.

“If my godfather punishes me, I’ll accept it willingly. But I came here not only for myself. I’m also thinking of him. He has no sons of his own. He only stripped me of my title in anger. I know he still cares for me in his heart. Once his temper cools, he’ll surely forgive me. I drank too much and lost control tonight. If my actions cause him further distress, with the tournament so near, neither of you would want to see His Highness fall ill from rage, would you?”

At those words, both Gongsun Yu and Zhang Ran fell silent.

Everyone in the Northern Yan army knew that Prince Yan had no biological sons. It was both a long-standing concern and an unspoken sorrow. Even the clan elders of the Yan family often sighed over it, although none dared to press the issue openly.

Because of this, loyal generals like Zhang Ran and Gongsun Yu had long shown leniency toward Jing Xi, the Thirteenth Protector whom His Highness favored deeply despite his lack of military merit.

Before Jing Xi appeared, His Highness had adopted several foster sons for various reasons, mostly as rewards for distinguished service, but he’d never shown genuine affection for any of them.

When Jing Xi first entered the Northern Yan camp, His Highness’s favor was so indulgent it bordered on spoiling him.

In the Northern Yan army, Prince Yan’s will carried the weight of a royal decree.

Had Jing Xi not been so arrogant and complacent, had he achieved true merit in battle instead of stirring resentment, he would not have been cast out today. In fact, he might have been the uncontested heir to the Northern Yan command.

When Prince Yan was younger, the clan elders tried all sorts of persuasion and pressure to make him marry and produce heirs for the Yan line. But after the previous Prince Yan’s death, His Highness became the undisputed ruler of the north. The elders could only grumble; none dared to truly act against him.

Still, those same elders had always disapproved of Jing Xi.

For one thing, Jing Xi wasn’t an orphan. He came from the Jing clan, a middling northern family whose current head, Jing Qiu, was ambitious and cunning. Ever since Jing Xi gained His Highness’s favor and became the Thirteenth Protector, the Jing clan had swiftly risen in rank and prestige.

To the elders, allowing Jing Xi to inherit the Northern Yan command would be tantamount to inviting a wolf into the fold.

For this reason, the clan elders had protested more than once in front of His Highness, accusing him of being far too indulgent toward Jing Xi. But strangely, the prince, who was usually so resolute, turned a deaf ear every time and continued to do as he pleased.

Secondly, Jing Xi himself was a constant disappointment to the elders, both in character and in military skill.

Two years ago, when word spread that he had lost publicly on the Platform of Challenge to an unknown soldier from the medical corps and even wagered away his feather token, the elders’ disappointment reached its peak.

The old clan patriarch, Yan Qiang, had even declared that even a stray dog picked up off the streets would make a better young commander of the Northern Yan Army than that Thirteenth Protector Jing Xi.

However, no matter how unworthy Jing Xi was, he still had the Prince’s favor.

So, even though many senior generals privately despised him, they maintained polite appearances, careful not to offend him and risk displeasing His Highness.

Zhang Ran stood up and personally helped Jing Xi to his feet. “Everyone makes mistakes, Captain Jing. Get up. If His Highness sees you like this, he’ll think we old men are bullying the younger generation.”

But Jing Xi refused to rise. His tone was sorrowful. “Indeed, I was at fault tonight but there was a reason for my actions. I’m sure you’ve wondered, General, why my godfather would suddenly ally with the Cui clan. There’s something I’ve kept to myself for a long time, but tonight, I see no point in fear or silence anymore. Do you know who it was that infiltrated the Northern Yan camp two years ago to assassinate my godfather? It was none other than the heir of Prince Xiao, Xiao Rong!”

Gongsun Yu’s face darkened. “Captain Jing, watch your words!”

“Have I said anything false?” Jing Xi’s voice rose. “General Gongsun, you were the first to rush into His Highness’s command tent that night. Can you swear by your loyalty that the assassin you saw wasn’t that Xiao Rong?!” He lifted his head, voice ringing.

Zhang Ran was struck speechless.

As one of the key generals of the Northern Yan army, of course he knew about the assassination attempt two years ago.

However, he hadn’t been in camp at the time and His Highness had strictly forbidden any talk of it. Since the assassin had failed and His Highness had suffered no serious harm, Zhang Ran hadn’t pursued the matter further.

Now, however, what Jing Xi was saying completely upended what he knew.

Jing Xi went on, his voice sharp, “That wretch dared to attack my godfather once and now he struts about so arrogantly, humiliating my godfather in front of the entire court. Don’t you see? This is all part of Prince Xiao’s scheme!”

“So you’re saying,” Zhang Ran interjected suddenly, “that the one who defeated you on the Platform of Challenge two years ago was this same Xiao Rong?”

A flash of shame and fury crossed Jing Xi’s pale face. He clenched his jaw. “Yes. Two years ago, I was careless and fell for that bastard’s trick. And you both witnessed tonight at the palace banquet just how sly and devious that Xiao Rong can be.”

Zhang Ran turned to Gongsun Yu again, shocked.

However, Gongsun Yu did not reply. He only said, looking at Jing Xi, “It’s late. Captain Jing, please return. And as for these gifts, they’re too valuable. Take them back.” He glanced at the ornate boxes on the table.

Jing Xi refused. “It’s only a small token of my gratitude, General. Surely you won’t refuse it out of disdain?”

Gongsun Yu shook his head. “I’m simply used to my old sword and have no need of other weapons. But let me give you one piece of advice: even His Highness avoids speaking of the assassin from two years ago. The matter was never made public. If you wish to remain safely in the capital, Captain Jing, you’d best keep that tongue in check.”

Jing Xi’s voice went cold. “I’ve never taken back a gift once given. If you don’t want it, you can throw it away yourself, General Gongsun.” With that, he flicked his sleeve sharply and left.

Only then did Zhang Ran ask in a grave tone, “Was what Jing Xi just said true?”

After a moment of silence, Gongsun Yu nodded.

Zhang Ran frowned. “That Prince Xiao is going too far. How could he scheme against His Highness like that? No wonder after that assassination attempt, His Highness wrote back to the capital and scolded Prince Xiao so bitterly.”

Gongsun Yu asked, “You think Prince Xiao was behind it?”

Zhang Ran thought for a moment. “It’s odd,” he admitted. “But if it wasn’t Prince Xiao’s doing, then why would his young heir sneak into the Northern Yan camp to assassinate His Highness?”

Gongsun Yu shook his head. “I don’t know. But…”

“But what?” Zhang Ran pressed.

Gongsun Yu recalled the scene from two years ago, when he’d stormed into the tent.

At that moment, the Young Prince was holding a dagger, the blade pointed straight at His Highness’s heart, yet His Highness’s eyes were wide open, one hand clamped tightly around the youth’s wrist, and he was calling out something under his breath.

“I keep feeling that His Highness might have realized something back then already,” Gongsun Yu said at last.