Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 117

Xiao Rong began burning up again.

In his haze, he felt someone repeatedly soaking a cloth in cool water and laying it across his forehead to bring his fever down, the movements light and gentle.

Was it Xi Rong?

Xiao Rong wondered vaguely.

However, the person’s aura didn’t feel like Xi Rong at all.

Besides, he himself should be dead. How could he still be seeing Xi Rong?

At this moment, Xi Rong must be both grieving and hating him.

Sigh.

Round and round he had run, from Songzhou back to the capital, and in the end, he truly had become that heartless man.

Like a sly little fox, he stretched out his nose in the muddled darkness, trying hard to sniff out the source of that familiar scent. He couldn’t identify it, yet strangely, he felt as though this scene wasn’t something he was experiencing for the first time.

The way this person cared for him felt practiced.

He found himself instinctively relying on this scent.

How strange.

“Your Highness.” Mo Chun stood outside the door, calling respectfully. “Will Your Highness return to Xiao Royal Residence tonight?”

Prince Xiao did not answer. He placed his hand on Xiao Rong’s forehead to feel the temperature, took a fresh cloth, dipped it in cool water, replaced the old one, and only then looked toward Xi Rong, who still stood inside the room. “I must trouble Your Highness to look after Rongrong for a moment.”

Xi Rong nodded. “Please be at ease. I will take good care of him.”

Prince Xiao rose and went out. In the courtyard, he asked Yan Shan, who had come delivering medicine, “Where is Yan Ju?”

Yan Shan quickly replied, “His Highness is in the rear courtyard.”

Prince Xiao walked straight there.

Only a single lantern burned in the pavilion built on the higher ground. Prince Yan sat alone behind the stone table, pouring and drinking by himself.

Prince Xiao told Mo Chun to wait outside and then entered the pavilion alone. He looked at Yan Ju’s back. After a moment, he said, “If you want to take him back to Northern Yan, you can. But there are three conditions. First, you must deal with the Jing clan. Second, you must not ally with the Cui clan, nor take part in the struggle for the throne. When the martial arts tournament ends, you will leave the capital immediately. Third, until the situation in the capital stabilizes, you are not to publicly announce his status as heir. And one more thing, you must obtain Rongrong’s consent.”

Prince Yan let out a cold laugh. “Xiao Jingming, after everything, what right do you have to meddle in Rongrong’s affairs? You are utterly unworthy.

“Rest assured that I will get rid of the Jing clan and the Cui clan. I don’t need you pretending to shed hypocritical tears like a cat crying over a mouse. As for Rongrong, you can also rest assured. I am not like you, cruel, ruthless, and unscrupulous. I will show him how dearly I love him. I will make him willingly follow me back to Northern Yan.”

Prince Xiao looked toward the solitary crescent moon hanging in the sky.

“You’re right. I, Xiao Jingming, indeed am unworthy of being his father. I even regret not leaving him in Northern Yan in the first place. But that doesn’t mean you are necessarily worthy. Rongrong’s self-destructive act today is indeed partly my fault but you also bear a grave responsibility you cannot escape. If you truly care for him and wish to make things right, then take him far from this place of strife, far from the capital. Don’t let him be dragged into its power struggles again.”

Prince Xiao finished his words and turned to leave.

“Xiao Jingming!” Prince Yan suddenly called out through clenched teeth, whipping his head around, eyes fixed on the figure standing in the cold glow of the moon. “Do all the things that once happened between us truly hold no weight in your heart?!”

Prince Xiao paused for a moment but gave no reply. Without even turning back, he walked away.

***

Xiao Rong did not wake until the afternoon of the next day.

Prince Yan had stayed by his side the entire night without taking a single step away. The moment he saw him awaken, delight burst across his face. “Rongrong!”

Xiao Rong froze. Then his expression abruptly changed as he realized he had not died as he had planned, but was alive and still lying in the room at Prince Yan’s field quarters.

Impossible!

He did not respond to Prince Yan’s excited gaze and instinctively searched the room for Xi Rong.

Prince Yan laughed. “Don’t worry, that boy went to decoct medicine for you. How is it? Feeling any better?” He smiled with boundless warmth, his face practically overflowing with creases of joy. Had the Northern Yan generals been here to witness it, they would surely think their prince had been possessed.

Xiao Rong still gave no response. He merely drew back his gaze, stared motionlessly at the canopy above, and silently waited for Xi Rong to return.

Prince Yan rubbed his hands together, a bit at a loss. Tentatively, he asked, “Shall I have Yan Shan prepare something for you to eat?”

“No need.”

The youth on the bed finally spared two miserly syllables.

“Then how about a bowl of warm milk? You loved drinking it when you were little.”

“No need.”

Still those same cold, clipped words.

Prince Yan rubbed his hands again. Suddenly, a spark of inspiration flashed across his mind. His face brightened. “Wait right there! I brought a gift for you this time!”

He stood up, walked to a shelf in the room, rummaged around in a flurry, and finally took out a very exquisite box. Then, this warlord who ruled the northern frontier with iron strength stepped forward with a somewhat flattering smile and presented the box as though offering a treasure. “Guess what’s inside?”

Xiao Rong had no interest whatsoever.

“I knew you wouldn’t guess!” Prince Yan chuckled to himself as he slowly opened the box and pushed it forward. “Take a look.”

Xiao Rong did not want to look.

However, he couldn’t ignore the sudden burst of glittering colors before him. It was too bright, so with little enthusiasm, he lifted his eyes.

Inside the box was a pile of brilliantly colored feather pendants.

Prince Yan said, “From this day on, there will be no more Thirteen Protectors of Northern Yan. Rongrong, come back to Northern Yan with me. Be the heir of Northern Yan, will you? Everything I possess, I will give entirely to you.”

Xiao Rong only glanced once and then, expressionlessly, he shifted his gaze away and continued staring at the canopy above.

Prince Yan silently withdrew the box. After sitting in awkward silence for a while, he said, “Why would you ever think that I hated you?

“Do you know that two years ago, when I opened my eyes and saw you standing in my tent, how overjoyed I was? I hadn’t seen you for many years, but I actually had Qin Zhong secretly bring back your portraits. So I recognized you at once. I’ve treasured every essay you’ve ever written, even the letter where you scolded me. I read it over and over, I couldn’t bear to throw it away. Rongrong, I have never hated you for the Mother-Child Gu. I am your father; your true father.”

Prince Yan’s voice tightened, trembling slightly; his eyes were already red. “Do you know how your father has missed you all these years? How many times was I unable to hold myself back from going to the capital just to see you? In the Yan Royal Residence, your little bed is still there with your blankets and the small toys you played with. When you were little, what you loved most was having me hold you while we swung in the backyard. Every time we played on the swing, you would wave your tiny hands in excitement and laugh and laugh. All these years, I’ve never dared set foot in the backyard, because the moment I see that swing, the pain in my heart becomes unbearable.

“And besides the swing, you loved candied hawthorn most of all. Whenever we went out to stroll the streets, you’d ride on my shoulders and point with your little hand, asking me to pick the biggest, best skewer for you. You were too young then, so perhaps you don’t remember any of this. But these memories have never stopped playing in my mind, day and night.

“I adopted Jing Xi as my foster son only because, when he eats candied hawthorn, he reminds me of you. It was the only thing in this world I could still grasp that felt connected to you. Only with that could I keep myself together… keep myself from going mad…”

By now, Prince Yan was weeping openly, unable to speak.

The hands that once wielded blades and commanded cavalry, sweeping through battlefields and creating countless legends, those hands now trembled so violently that he could barely hold the small box in them.

Xiao Rong still stubbornly stared up at the tent canopy. Only the hand hidden beneath the quilt trembled faintly and at the corner of his eye, a silent line of tears fell.

“Your Highness.”

Yan Shan’s voice sounded from outside.

At such a time, being interrupted made Prince Yan quickly wipe his face in annoyance. “What is it?”

Yan Shan had come with Gongsun Yu. Seeing Prince Yan’s reddened eyes and the tear tracks not yet dry, clear signs he had just cried, both men were startled.

Especially Gongsun Yu.

Prince Yan grew even more displeased. “Why are you both mute? What is it?”

Only then did the two bow their heads. Yan Shan replied, “Your Highness, Jing Qiu and Jing Si request an audience. Also, Minister of State Affairs Cui Daohuan has sent another inquiry about the progress of Captain Jing’s disappearance case.”

“Tell them to wait. Say I’m busy,” Prince Yan spoke without hesitation.

Gongsun Yu then presented a new military report from Northern Yan.

Prince Yan had Yan Shan take it, but he merely tossed it aside without a glance.

Gongsun Yu was stunned once again.

For years, His Highness abstained from drinking and from any indulgence, devoting himself wholly to military affairs. He was always decisive; no matter how big or small, he personally reviewed every important military report. Yet today, for some unknown reason, he would not even look at one.

Was it because of the young heir of Prince Xiao lying on that bed?

Gongsun Yu had not been present last night, so he had only heard a brief account from Zhang Ran.

Last night, His Highness and Prince Xiao nearly drew blades against each other. In the end, the young heir of Prince Xiao appeared and stopped the conflict but then, for some unknown reason, fainted. His Highness had gone nearly mad, carrying the unconscious youth back to his own quarters to treat him. Later, Prince Xiao left, but his heir remained in the commander’s tent to recuperate.

“In short, the whole situation is strange. Indescribably strange.”

That was how Zhang Ran concluded it.

Gongsun Yu felt the same. If Prince Xiao’s heir had fainted, naturally, he should have been taken away by Prince Xiao, so why was he left here instead? Perhaps it was because his condition was too serious to be moved. Yet His Highness’s behavior was far too concerned.

Could it be that His Highness felt he couldn’t properly explain this to Prince Xiao, so he insisted on caring for the youth personally?

Just then, Xi Rong brought over the freshly decocted medicine. Seeing Xiao Rong awake, a flash of joy broke through the calm of Xi Rong’s eyes.

“Let me do it,” Prince Yan said. He directly took the medicine bowl from Xi Rong’s hands.

The next moment, Gongsun Yu saw His Highness carefully scoop up a spoonful of the medicine, gently blow on it, and then cautiously bring it to the lips of Prince Xiao’s young heir.

“Come, drink your medicine.”

Xiao Rong kept his lips tightly pressed together, refusing to open them.

Prince Yan couldn’t help feeling slightly embarrassed. He pulled back the spoon and shot Xi Rong an annoyed glance. “You do it instead.”

Xi Rong immediately accepted the bowl and agreed respectfully.

Prince Yan rose and walked off with his hands behind his back. When he turned his head again, he saw Xi Rong offer the spoon of medicine and Xiao Rong obediently opened his mouth and swallowed it. Prince Yan grew even more frustrated and left the room.

Gongsun Yu had already withdrawn. Yan Shan entered the courtyard with the imperial physician.

Prince Yan wandered around the courtyard in boredom. Seeing the physician, he said, “Stop right there.”

The physician halted at once.

“What was in that medicine? It tasted terribly bitter.” Prince Yan sounded displeased. He had noticed that although Xiao Rong had cooperated and taken the medicine, he had lightly furrowed his brows as he swallowed.

The physician’s expression suddenly turned evasive. After hesitating for a long moment, he said, “This humble servant did add certain herbs that help balance bitterness.”

This physician had come with Prince Yan from Northern Yan. Hearing this, Prince Yan’s brows darkened. “Are you asking for a beating?!”

Terrified, the physician dropped to his knees. After another long hesitation, he said, “It was not intentional, Your Highness. It’s just that when I checked the young master’s pulse this morning, I found that his pulse… his pulse was indeed rather strange.”