Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 120

Qi Ru, as always dressed in his gray scholar’s robe, sat inside a carriage with a green canopy.

Seeing Prince Yan emerge from the compound, whip in hand and wearing a dark python-pattern court robe, the spirited Grand Chancellor who had served three reigns stroked his beard and smiled. “Such honor. What virtue do I have to warrant Prince Yan personally coming out to greet me?”

Prince Yan’s smile did not reach his eyes. “That should be my line. What face do I have to make the Grand Chancellor of the dynasty come all this way to pay a visit?”

Qi Ru seemed not to hear the veiled mockery from the domineering lord of Northern Yan. He remained warm and mild. “In that case, I shall speak frankly. I’ve come today for nothing else but my good-for-nothing little disciple. I heard he has been detained by Your Highness here in the camp and has yet to return. He currently holds office in the Chancellery; he is a proper court official. For Your Highness to detain him without informing the Chancellery, surely that breaks protocol?

“He is young and hot-blooded, so he is bound to act impulsively. I wonder what Your Highness has found from interrogating him? If nothing, allow me to take him back. Should he have offended Your Highness, I shall apologize on his behalf, and once we return, I will discipline him severely.”

Prince Yan brushed off his sleeve, expression unchanged. “Your influence is indeed great, Grand Chancellor Qi. But before me, no matter how great an influence, it still depends on whether I am willing. If I am not, then even if Xiao Jingming himself came, he’d leave empty-handed.”

Qi Ru still smiled. “Then, may Your Highness hear me out. You detained Xiao Rong for the disappearance of the Thirteenth Protector, Jing Xi. Today, I’ve come for another reason as well: to return Thirteenth Protector Jing to Your Highness.”

Prince Yan’s eyes narrowed.

A servant from the Qi residence stepped forward, carrying someone out of the rear carriage. It was the long-missing Jing Xi, unconscious but alive.

Qi Ru said, “Thirteenth Protector Jing has returned safe and sound. It is time for Your Highness to release Xiao Rong.”

“No,” Prince Yan refused at once, a cold, domineering light in his eyes. “He is unwell and unfit to move. Once he has recovered, I will send him back myself.”

“I am not unwell.”

With that cold, young voice, Xiao Rong and Xi Rong stepped out from within.

Prince Yan’s face changed at once and he turned to glare fiercely at Yan Shan behind them.

Yan Shan lowered his head in shame.

Xiao Rong approached the carriage and saluted Qi Ru. “Your disciple has failed you and caused you trouble.”

Qi Ru nodded with a gentle smile. “As long as you’re unharmed. I have already explained everything to Prince Yan. Now that Thirteenth Protector Jing is safe, you may return with me.” His gaze then shifted to Xi Rong. He nodded slightly. “Your Highness the Crown Prince, this old man pays his respects.”

Xi Rong replied, “Even my imperial father honors the Grand Chancellor as his teacher. I dare not accept your salute.”

Qi Ru did not press the matter. “There is an empty carriage behind us. If Your Highness does not mind, please take it. Zhiwei, you too, get in the carriage.”

“Yes, Master,” Xiao Rong replied, preparing to board when Prince Yan suddenly spoke.

“Wait!”

Xiao Rong halted. After a moment, he turned back slightly toward Qi Ru. “There are some misunderstandings between me and Prince Yan. I will speak a few words with him.”

Qi Ru nodded. “Go, then.”

Prince Yan had been standing there looking utterly defeated, but the moment Xiao Rong turned back toward him, his eyes lit up with joy.

“Rongrong, stay here.” When the youth approached, Prince Yan immediately spoke, hurried, almost pleading.

Xiao Rong’s eyes did not waver at all despite the Prince’s tone. After a brief silence, he lifted his head and said coolly, “My surname is Xiao. I have nothing to do with Your Highness. I will not stay here, nor will I go to Northern Yan. If Your Highness insists on forming an alliance with the Cui clan, then in the future, we can only meet blade to blade.”

With that, Xiao Rong wasted no more time. He turned and left, boarding the carriage.

Qi Ru cupped his hands in farewell to Prince Yan and ordered the group to depart.

Watching the carriage rumble out of the alley, Prince Yan instinctively took two steps after it, then stopped, grinding out, “Qi Ru, that old bastard! I will never forgive him!”

Yan Shan followed quietly behind and said softly, “Given the situation, forcing the young master to stay here isn’t a long-term solution. We must consider this matter carefully.”

“You think I don’t know that?! If I truly wanted to keep him by force, even a hundred Qi Rus wouldn’t be enough to stop me!” Prince Yan turned and glared fiercely at Yan Shan. “You’re useless too! Didn’t I tell you to keep him inside and not to let him come out? You’re supposed to be a skilled fighter. How can you not even keep track of one person?!”

Yan Shan bowed his head. “Your Highness knows the young master’s temper well. How would this old servant dare to forcibly block him?”

“It’s all that dog Xiao Jingming’s fault! All these years, he raised Rongrong to be close with everyone except me!” Clutching his whip, Prince Yan cursed fiercely, but soon, some sorrow crept into his expression.

“Of course, it’s my own fault. I never should have taken in those Thirteen Protectors just to spite Xiao Jingming. And I certainly shouldn’t have lost my senses and accepted Jing Xi under my command. Rongrong must resent me because of it. Whenever I remember he stayed in the Northern Yan camp for half a year—half a year!—and I didn’t know a thing, my heart aches.”

Hearing this, Yan Shan saw the Prince’s eyes already turning faintly red, so different from his usual imposing, iron-blooded self, and felt a pang of sadness. He quickly said, “Back then, Your Highness only did those things because you missed the young master too much and had no other way to cope. You had even prepared yourself for the possibility of never seeing him again. And actually, when the young master left just now, although he looked resolute, this old servant could see he was reluctant to part from Your Highness as well.”

Prince Yan immediately pressed, “Really?”

“Of course! Humans have hearts of flesh. These past two days, he saw how Your Highness treated him. How could he feel nothing? It’s just that he was separated from Your Highness since childhood, and with the misunderstanding over Thirteenth Protector Jing, it’s natural he can’t accept Your Highness right away.”

Prince Yan snorted. “You don’t need to butter me up. But you’re right, humans do have hearts. As long as I do everything I can to make it up to him and to treat him well, Rongrong will one day grow close to me. But bringing him back to Northern Yan can’t be delayed too long. He’s not alone now, there’s already a little one in his belly. Only in Northern Yan can he properly recuperate.”

Yan Shan was startled. “Your Highness means—?”

Prince Yan laughed proudly. “That’s right. I’m about to have a grandson. Even Xiao Jingming doesn’t know and of course, he doesn’t deserve to know!”

Enlightenment dawned on Yan Shan’s face. “No wonder Your Highness was so furious in the pavilion today and wanted this old servant to punish the Crown Prince. Could it be that the child in the young master’s belly is…”

“You guessed right.” At the mention of it, Prince Yan’s face darkened. “But once Rongrong returns to Northern Yan, he’ll have nothing more to do with that brat.”

Yan Shan stiffened in shock again. “Your Highness means…?”

Prince Yan slanted him a glance. “Cut off the father and keep the son, have you never heard of it?”

“……”

Yan Shan lowered his head in silence.

He had heard of it far too many times. Hadn’t His Highness, who had lived alone in the bleak Northern Yan all these years, neither quite living nor dead, essentially been a father cut off from his son by Prince Xiao himself…?

However, such treasonous words were something Yan Shan would never dare voice.

Prince Yan seemed to read his mind and let out a heavy snort. “That was because I was deceived and trapped by Xiao Jingming. How could the two situations be compared?!

“That brat from the Xi family has some ability, I’ll grant that, but he’s far too scheming and holds far too few cards in his hand. Whether he can actually secure the throne is still uncertain. How could I allow my grandchild to be born already labeled the son of a deposed Crown Prince?”

***

Xiao Rong and Qi Ru shared a carriage.

Once inside, Xiao Rong immediately knelt at the lower seat, bowing to Qi Ru and asking forgiveness.

Qi Ru studied the youth. In his aged eyes, usually gentle, there was a rare sternness. “As your teacher, I truly ought to punish you heavily.

“I taught you the books of sages in hopes that you would carry on my aspirations, aid the world, bring peace to the people, and support the state. But you? For the sake of your own private intentions, you abandoned your family, and that I could overlook, but you even cast aside your own future. I heard that ever since leaving the Xiao clan, you have been on leave constantly, not once reporting for duty at the Chancellery. Is that true?”

Xiao Rong said, “This disciple has nothing to say, nor the face to defend himself. If Master wishes to punish me, then please do so.”

Qi Ru kept his stern expression. “Were we not outside, I would have you hold out your hands for ten hard strikes.”

Hearing this, Xiao Rong knew his teacher intended to be lenient and climbed up along the pole offered. “If Master wishes to strike now, that is also fine. I can endure it without a sound.”

“You child…” Qi Ru shook his head helplessly. “Tell me this, since you intended to support the Crown Prince, why did you not tell me earlier? Why let matters reach such a tense state?”

Xiao Rong had been kneeling with the attitude of a pig ready for the boiling pot, waiting for a harsher scolding. After all, given his behavior recently, he hardly felt wronged to be berated. But upon hearing this, he looked up in astonishment at Qi Ru.

This man, the Grand Chancellor across three reigns, had eyes like the deep creases on his face, with years of vicissitudes, quiet and unreadable.

Xiao Rong asked in disbelief, “Master… you don’t blame your disciple for being willful and acting alone?”

Qi Ru did not answer directly. Stroking his beard, he looked toward the window. “I have never demanded that you act in accordance with your family’s wishes. On the contrary, your ability to resist their influence and hold your own convictions in the struggle for the throne is something I find gratifying. As for the Crown Prince, compared with the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Jin, he may indeed be somewhat lacking in generosity of character. But he is not without his merits. So, I wish to hear your thoughts.”

Grand Chancellor Qi still needed to enter the palace to pay respects to the Emperor, so the carriage stopped directly at the palace gate.

Xiao Rong stepped down first. After bidding Qi Ru farewell, he noticed Xi Rong already standing a short distance behind, quietly watching him.

Xiao Rong walked over.

Under Xi Rong’s gaze, he smiled and asked, “Your Highness doesn’t have anything you wish to ask me?”

From the moment they arrived at Prince Yan’s command post until now, they hadn’t had a proper conversation. Xiao Rong knew Xi Rong must have many questions in his heart.

Xi Rong said openly, “I do have many. But if you’re not ready to talk, you don’t need to force yourself.”

Xiao Rong nodded. “I truly haven’t figured everything out yet. But once I do, I’ll definitely tell Your Highness. Also, I have some good news for you.”

Xiao Rong recounted the entire conversation he had with Grand Chancellor Qi in the carriage. Then said, “To be honest, I was surprised. But thinking more carefully, it isn’t entirely unexpected. Compared with the Prince of Wei and the Prince of Jin, Your Highness doesn’t rely as heavily on the Five Great Clans and Seven Noble Houses. I think that may be the real reason my teacher approved of me standing on Your Highness’s side.”

Xi Rong nodded. “Perhaps.”

His reaction was far too calm, so Xiao Rong deliberately asked, “So where should we go now?”

“I’ll take you home,” Xi Rong said.

Xiao Rong raised a brow. “We came out of Prince Yan’s camp together. Now the whole world knows Your Highness and I are involved. Even my teacher no longer objects me supporting you. For Your Highness to escort me home, isn’t that just covering one’s ears while stealing a bell?”

“My conscience is clear,” Xi Rong answered without the least hesitation. “Rongrong, as I said before, before the situation is settled, I will not allow you to take risks for my sake.”

Being met with such cold firmness, Xiao Rong could only nod. “Going home is fine. But I want to see A’Li first.” Without waiting for Xi Rong’s response, Xiao Rong clasped his hands behind his back and walked ahead.

Xi Rong followed after him with a smile.