Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 13
- Home
- Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor
- Chapter 13 - Mountain Life (Part Four)
Sunlight divided the wooden hut and the cave into two clear spaces of light and shadow.
Jiang Cheng stood respectfully in front of the stone bed, offering up a letter in Song Yang’s own handwriting for Xi Rong.
Xi Rong finished reading it, jotted down a brief reply, and nodded. “Tell Lord Song to proceed according to the plan.”
Jiang Cheng noticed something in his tone. He paused. “Your Highness is not going back?”
Xi Rong tugged at the corner of his lips. “If I show myself now, how can we lure out the big fish that’s hiding behind?”
Jiang Cheng turned his gaze toward the man outside the cave, the homeowner who was already fast asleep in a rattan lounge chair, with a chubby cat in his arms, and sighed quietly in his heart. It wouldn’t be a big problem for His Highness to stay up there to heal. But how could he be at ease, letting someone so unreliable care for him?
Jiang Cheng immediately said, “Then I will stay with Your Highness.”
“There’s no need.” Xi Rong’s voice was indifferent.
Jiang Cheng insisted, “Your Highness, I’m a fast runner. I can rush back if needed.”
Xi Rong glanced at him. “Do you think there’s room for you here?”
Jiang Cheng: “…”
Jiang Cheng: “I can keep watch outside.”
Xi Rong: “Aren’t you afraid of the cold? I’m not looking forward to losing another Eastern Palace commander.”
Jiang Cheng broke into a nervous sweat. He saw the blood seeping through the bandage on Xi Rong’s arm and hurriedly said, “Allow me to change your dressing first.”
Xi Rong turned his gaze toward him. “Do you know what kind of medicine to use?”
Jiang Cheng was taken aback. Shouldn’t it be a hemostatic or antibiotic ointment? He started to say, “I’ll go and ask…” but fell silent halfway upon seeing his master’s icy expression. Jiang Cheng lowered his head and fell silent, then quietly retreated.
He paused at the doorway and couldn’t help but take a look at the rustic rattan lounge chair, which was tilting and rickety, and seemingly could break at any moment. It should be difficult for anyone to sleep in such a flimsy chair and yet, the young man was soundly sleeping there with a cat in his arms, his blue robe and black hair draped gracefully, bathing in the sunlight, a picture of breathtaking peace.
It was not that His Highness was overly lenient.
Jiang Cheng sighed quietly in his heart.
***
Jiang Cheng delivered the order to Song Yang who was waiting in the forest in just half an hour.
Song Yang nodded while stroking his beard. “His Highness is very thoughtful. It’s much better now. Previously His Highness was in the light while the opponent was in the dark. Now we’re turning things around.
“How is His Highness’s injury? Is he unharmed?”
Jiang Cheng nodded, his expression conflicted. “His Highness is fine. He’s injured but not in a vital spot.”
Song Yang looked at him. “Then why are you wearing that expression?”
Jiang Cheng, normally a man of few words, opened up. He sighed repeatedly, gazing up at the sky, and recounted everything; of how unreliable, unconventional, lazy, and gluttonous the young man was, adding all the details.
“It’s him.” Song Yang was also surprised. “Isn’t this a bit of a coincidence? Did you thoroughly investigate him? Is there any cause for concern?”
Jiang Cheng shook his head. “I investigated. He’s not connected to the Cui clan, the Prince of Wei, or any of those influential clans. He’s not related to the government either. He’s just a little swindler who moochs others’ food and drinks.”
Song Yang was puzzled. “Then why does His Highness trust a little swindler this much? This isn’t His Highness’s way of doing things.”
Jiang Cheng drew upon his years of interrogating suspects, arresting thieves, and solving crimes, a piercing, sharp judgment forged by decades of experience, to say, “I think His Highness intends to recruit him into the Eastern Palace as an advisor.”
Song Yang: “Didn’t you say he’s not well-educated and hasn’t studied many books?”
Jiang Cheng sighed in distress. “But he’s fairly good-looking. And His Highness…”
“His Highness what?”
“His Highness seems to be quite fond of that face.”
“…”
Song Yang fell silent. “What’s your point?”
Jiang Cheng: “My point is, that the Prince of Wei brings his ‘Four Young Masters’ everywhere to show them off, subtly implying that everyone in the Eastern Palace is plain or flawed. His Highness might be thinking of turning poison against poison, delivering a heavy blow to the Prince of Wei. That little swindler’s face could outperform not just the Four Young Masters; even the Eight Young Masters would admit their inferiority.”
“…”
“That’s enough.” Song Yang sighed. “He did save His Highness’s life. Stop holding so much prejudice. Anyone whom His Highness values must be extraordinary in some way. If we can bring him into the Eastern Palace, it might be a blessing.”
With their current situation, there was not much room for choosing. Having a pretty face certainly wouldn’t be a weakness. It might even be a showpiece!
***
When Gu Rong woke up, it was already sunset, and he found that he was back in the stone bed. He got up, put on his shoes, and went outside. Inside the small wooden hut, a light glowed warmly. Gu Rong saw Xi Rong sitting at the food table, a book in his hand.
The tabby cat stood half a meter away, its tail raised, and its piercing cat’s eyes glowering at him, letting out a threatening ‘meow’ every now and then.
“Awake?” Xi Rong looked up from his book and addressed him softly.
Gu Rong unconsciously rubbed his eyes. “I… um…”
“It’s normal for you to have not rested well last night.” Xi Rong continued, “We’ll find a way to solve that tonight.”
Gu Rong kept rubbing his eyes, turning them red again. “I’m truly being rude. Next time, you can just wake me up directly, brother. There’s no need to… ahem… carry me. That would worsen your injuries.”
Xi Rong said, “No. You’re too thin. I can carry you with just one arm. It’s hard for that to affect my injury.”
Gu Rong fell silent.
Xi Rong’s lips curved into a slight smile. “The food’s already warm. If you’re rested, wash your hands and come eat.”
Gu Rong then noticed the food was already set out on the table, with the dishes kept warm under bowls, probably to wait for him to wake up.
Ah… this was really impolite.
He, as the host, was actually being cared for by his guest; an injured guest, at that.
Usually, when Gu Rong was living alone, he was casual about his routines. Dinner was something he ate if he felt like it, or not at all. This was the first time dinner was so carefully prepared. Everything was already ready. If he kept protesting, it would seem hypocritical.
He nodded, washed his hands, and sat down across from Xi Rong. He lowered his gaze and was surprised to find two bowls of warm congee placed alongside the food.
Of course, the congee was thick, rich, and aromatic, a world away from the thin mess he usually made.
“That is…?”
“I saw there was a rice jar in your courtyard with some rice left, so I decided to cook some,” Xi Rong said casually.
Gu Rong: “…”
He had no memory of there being a rice jar, but that was not the main point. The main point was that, as the host, he hadn’t even been aware of his own food stores, yet the injured guest had gone to the trouble of looking for it and assessing his food situation.
Ah… how embarrassing.
Fortunately, Gu Rong was thick-skinned. He patted his own head, acting as if he had suddenly remembered. “Ah, I remember now.” His eyes glimmered. “Brother, you’re so thoughtful. It makes me look useless by comparison.”
Xi Rong raised an eyebrow. “Thoughtful?”
“Yes. You’re the kind of person who can manage both the home and the world. Any girl who married you would surely be fortunate.”
Xi Rong seemed intrigued by this view. He said, “That’s because you do not yet know me well. If you knew me for who I truly am, you might think differently.”
“The real you?” Gu Rong asked with growing curiosity. “What kind of person are you, brother?”
Xi Rong said quietly, “Most people see me like a tiger or a wolf, or even an ill-omened creature; someone nobody would honestly wish to be married to.”
Gu Rong said without hesitation, “That just means they’re blind.”
Xi Rong raised his eyebrows again. “Is that so?”
“Of course.” Gu Rong dipped his chopstick in the wine to taste, relished it, and said, “Brother, the most important thing in life is ‘freedom.’ Why care about what other people think? The distinctions between true and false, resentment and justice, they’re hard to define. All this is true for the world, much less for people. I think you’re fine, at least your congee is much better than mine.”
Xi Rong fell silent for a moment and then he smiled. “All right, I’ll borrow your auspicious words.”
After dinner, Xi Rong went to wash the dishes.
Gu Rong immediately tried to stop him. “Your arm is injured. Let me do it.”
“There’s no need.” Xi Rong effortlessly carried a stack of bowls in his hand. “You’re weak, you’d need to make multiple trips.”
“…”
Gu Rong was left without a comeback.
Xi Rong smiled once again. “You still need to change my dressing. Don’t get your hands dirty.”
Gu Rong was completely persuaded. He began to think, as the sound of water flowed from the courtyard, whether he was going too far by letting a guest wash dishes in his own home.
And he was injured, too.
Although not having to wash the dishes after dinner was a wonderful feeling.
Fortunately, as Xi Rong said, he was strong and efficient, and soon he was back.
Feeling a little guilty, Gu Rong was especially careful and gentle while changing the dressing. He was afraid of hurting Xi Rong. After applying a bit of ointment, he wished he could blow on it a few times before putting it down.
The two knife wounds took over nearly half an hour to treat.
“Did I hurt you, brother? Why are you sweating so much?” Gu Rong raised his head and saw that Xi Rong’s collar was opened, his eyes closed under the glow of the lamp, and fine drops of sweat covered his pale, handsome face. Gu Rong was alarmed.
Xi Rong opened his eyes, a fleeting shadow glimmering in their depth. “It’s fine. It doesn’t hurt.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
Gu Rong let it go, for he truly had been careful with the dressing.
“Do you treat everyone’s wounds this way?” A deep voice, slightly hoarse and with a magnetic texture, came from above.
‘How could that be possible?’ Gu Rong thought.
He barely treated anyone so cautiously. Normally, he would be much rougher, but with a guest, he made an effort to be gentler. He said, “Of course. My ability to treat injuries is more than up to standard.”
That was not a complete lie. He had learned his healing skills in the army; even the veteran army doctor recognized his talent and insisted he become their last disciple. The soldiers preferred him over the other doctors, choosing to wait in a long line just to be treated by him. To solve this trouble, he made his treatments somewhat rougher, causing soldiers to scatter toward the care of other doctors instead.
…
The person above fell silent.
Gu Rong raised his head. “Brother, are you feeling unwell?”
“No. It feels comfortable,” the man kept his eyes closed as he answered.
“That’s a relief.” Gu Rong carefully put away the rest of the ointments and medicines for future use and then stood up. “Brother, get some rest. Call me if you need anything.”
Gu Rong called the cat to follow him out.
Xi Rong suddenly opened his eyes. “Let’s sleep together.”
Gu Rong was taken aback. “Huh?”
Xi Rong’s expression was serious and proper as he proposed, “What I mean is, this bed is big enough for two. You needn’t squeeze yourself elsewhere. Otherwise, you’ll be sleepy again tomorrow.”
The author has something to say:
Xi the Dog: Very proper invitation to sleep with my wife, no impure thoughts at all.
Thanks, everyone, enjoy reading!

Storyteller Dahliya's Words
We'll have biweekly update in the future on Tuesday and Thursday. Support me via Ko-fi or buying advance chapters. Enjoy!😘