Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 15

Gu Rong didn’t want to interrupt him while he was healing. He put on his underrobe and outer robe, casually tied up his black hair, and left the cave for the small wooden hut outside.

Inside, a rich food fragrance filled the air. The smell came from a small iron pot on the stove. Gu Rong walked over, opened the lid, and saw two bowls of congee, a plate of stir-fried wild vegetables, a plate of scrambled duck eggs, and two hard-boiled eggs. The duck eggs were probably a gift from the hunter the day before. While not a lavish meal, for Gu Rong, it was already a rich and generous breakfast.

He was used to fending for himself, so this kind of care was somewhat unusual for him. Not only that, the stove’s surrounding area was spotless. All the pots, bowls, and utensils that had been carelessly stacked up were now neatly put away.

While he was staring in a daze, several piercing meows came from outside the door.

Gu Rong walked over and opened it. There was the tabby cat sitting outside, meowing insistently, looking a bit disheveled as if it had gotten into a scuffle.

“That’s why I couldn’t see you, you were locked outside.” Gu Rong knelt down and picked up the cat.

He was a little puzzled; he distinctly remembered leaving the door slightly ajar last night. He hadn’t locked it, just in case the cat wanted to come and go. So, why was it closed? He supposed the wind might have blown it shut, or maybe the cat had inadvertently closed it itself.

At that moment, Xi Rong finished his meditation and came out. He saw Gu Rong holding the cat. “Wash up. Breakfast is ready.”

Gu Rong nodded. He first fed the cat and filled its water bowl before washing up. There was only a single washbasin in the hut and the two of them shared it. When Gu Rong walked over, he noticed that the water had been changed to clean and warm water instead of left cold.

Clearly, it had been prepared just for him.

He was filled with awe at the man’s thoughtfulness.

After washing up, Gu Rong saw that Xi Rong had already set the food out and was sitting at the table, waiting for him.

“Brother, do you normally not let anyone serve you at home?” Gu Rong asked as he sat down.

Xi Rong raised his eyes. “Why do you ask?”

“The sages say, a gentleman avoids the kitchen. Brother, you are well-dressed, well-educated, proficient in both martial and literary skills, yet you cook and pay close attention to details.”

“It’s not much. I just know a little. Want to taste and see if it’s any good?”

Gu Rong nodded, picked up his chopsticks, tasted a piece of the rich, golden-colored scrambled duck eggs, and sighed in contentment. “It’s wonderful. Honestly, this might be the best plate of scrambled duck eggs I’ve ever tasted.”

“Is that so?” Xi Rong tasted them as well. He didn’t care much for food, nor did he usually pay much attention to flavor. He simply said, “You’re the first person who’s ever complimented my cooking.”

Gu Rong tasted another bite. “Why?”

Xi Rong answered quietly, “Not many people get the chance to eat the food I’ve prepared.”

Gu Rong: “………”

It was his sin. He had made a wealthy young master cook for him while injured in this remote place.

Gu Rong’s eyes glimmered. “It seems I’m really fortunate, I’m blessed with good food.”

“If you think it’s delicious, then that’s good. Do you like scrambled duck eggs? I’ll make more tomorrow.”

Jiang Cheng arrived just then. He walked up to the door and was about to knock when he suddenly heard the prince’s deep and magnetic voice say those words, the very voice normally used to handle state affairs, a voice that filled the Eastern Palace with both reverence and awe.

Jiang Cheng nearly blacked out.

What was he hearing? Scrambled duck eggs? His Highness was still injured, yet he was responsible for cooking?

“Come in.” Xi Rong’s voice came from within.

Jiang Cheng quickly composed himself and entered.

Gu Rong smilingly greeted him. “Brother, you’re just in time. Sit down and eat with us.”

“Thank you for your kindness, young master, but I’ve already eaten,” Jiang Cheng responded numbly and then placed the breakfast he had bought from the market in front of Xi Rong. “It’s my fault for being late. This is a special meal I bought for you, master. Please enjoy it,” Jiang Cheng said respectfully.

In addition to the meal, Jiang Cheng also bought soup dumplings and beef steam buns, all local specialties of Songzhou.

“Start with these, save the duck eggs for later.” Xi Rong directly placed the dumplings and steam buns in the center of the table and divided the meal into two portions.

Gu Rong quickly said, “No, brother, I’m not injured. I can make do with just this congee.”

“Consider it as helping me, or the congee might go to waste,” Xi Rong said quietly.

Jiang Cheng stood to the side, not daring to speak, as he reluctantly and quietly saw His Highness evenly split the meal into a large and a small portion, and then handed the bigger portion to that little swindler across the table.

“Young Master Gu, are you at home?” A clear woman’s voice suddenly came from outside.

Gu Rong put down his chopsticks. “Brother, you eat first. I’ll go take a look.”

Xi Rong nodded.

When Gu Rong had gone outside, Xi Rong turned his head and addressed Jiang Cheng quietly, “I’m not in the habit of dining alone. The Eastern Palace isn’t so poor that we can’t afford even a bowl of congee.”

Jiang Cheng was taken aback and then suddenly realized Xi Rong was referring to the single-portion food he bought. He turned pale and lowered his head. “I was in the wrong.”

Meanwhile, the woman’s voice continued boldly from outside, “This time, it’s the Mayor’s eldest son, a true match from a big family! They’re quite pleased with the young master’s looks and abilities. They say if the young master agrees to this marriage, the betrothal gifts can be delivered this afternoon, and afterward, there’s a generous additional sum for him.”

Jiang Cheng: ?

Before he could process the sudden information, he heard another joyful voice respond, “What’s there to consider? I agree.”

“What about the wedding date?”

“That’s up to their family’s discretion.”

“All right! There’s no one in these ten villages who’s as easygoing as the young master!”

Jiang Cheng: “…………”

If he hadn’t been in service in the Eastern Palace for many years and gone through countless hardships alongside His Highness, Jiang Cheng might have thought something was wrong with his ears. The prince’s injuries hadn’t even healed, yet the unreliable young master was already about to be married!

Are marriage customs in these mountains really so wild?

Even someone without marriage experience knew there were supposed to be matchmakers, ceremonies, and betrothal gifts, not a casual match made by a few words! Did the young master take a fancy to the fact that the other party was the Mayor’s son? It certainly fell in line with his habit of mooching off food and drink, avoiding hard work, and looking for an easy way out.

Looking at His Highness, Jiang Cheng noticed his brows furrowing and his expression growing heavy. To make someone as unmovable as His Highness show that kind of expression, that little swindler really was something else.

Gu Rong soon came back in.

He saw the two looking at him with strange expressions and paused in confusion. “What’s going on?”

“Who was that?” Xi Rong asked quietly.

Gu Rong’s eyes glimmered as he sat back down. “Auntie Zhao, the most famous matchmaker in town.”

Jiang Cheng sighed quietly. “Young master, are you really… going to get married?”

“Yes. Auntie Zhao found me a match you couldn’t find even with a lantern in the dark.” Gu Rong smiled and casually picked up a piece of scrambled duck eggs with his chopsticks. “That explains why I dreamt of a huge gold ingot falling on me last night. Clearly, Lord Zhou is kindly letting me know I’m about to come into a great fortune.” |9|

Jiang Cheng: “…”

He had no words. He had met people who were obsessed with money, but he hadn’t met someone quite so obsessed with it.

Xi Rong suddenly asked, “Do you like men?”

Jiang Cheng: “…”

Gu Rong: “…”

He cleared his throat a few times and forced a calm expression. “I wouldn’t say I liked them but a good marriage is hard to come by, so I shouldn’t let it go to waste. Brother, you know my situation. It’s hard for me to find a wife on my own.”

“…………”

Jiang Cheng was rendered speechless. He hadn’t yet met someone who treated their marriage with such casualness.

Xi Rong’s expression grew heavy and unfathomable as he pressed, “Is the Mayor’s son really that desirable?”

“Of course. Brother, you shouldn’t underestimate the Mayor of a small town. His family is much more rich and extravagant than many officials. I’ve heard their coffers are overflowing, their candlesticks could be used as firewood, and their pools filled with wine. The betrothal price at minimum should be this much.” Gu Rong casually held up a finger.

Jiang Cheng couldn’t help guessing, “One thousand taels?”

Gu Rong shook his head. “One hundred. Brother, you’re thinking much too big. One thousand taels? Selling me wouldn’t even be worth that much.”

Jiang Cheng: “…………”

So, this young master was selling himself for a mere one hundred taels of silver?

“Young master, please reconsider. Be careful not to be deceived,” Jiang Cheng kindly reminded him.

The rich mayor’s family was surely a powerful family in the area. How could a rich family pay a betrothal price of only a hundred taels? They’d pay more just to take in a concubine.

Gu Rong smiled mischievously, eyebrows raised. “Don’t worry, brother. This deal guarantees a profit, not a loss. Once I make this fortune, I’ll treat both of you to the best wine in Songzhou.”

***

After their meal, Gu Rong went out into the courtyard with the tabby cat to check on his treasured herbs.

Xi Rong stood by the wooden window, letting the sunlight illuminate his blue robe without reserve.

Jiang Cheng stood respectfully behind him, not daring to speak. He could clearly feel that His Highness’s mood had grown heavy and oppressive after he heard the young master was getting married. It was perfectly reasonable since the young master was acting much too casually.

“Go ahead and speak,” after a moment, Xi Rong turned around and said quietly, his handsome face retaining its usual calm and impassiveness, making it difficult to see his emotions.

Jiang Cheng nodded and followed Xi Rong into the stone cave to report his findings. “As Your Highness expected, during the two days Your Highness was resting, those officials from Songzhou who hadn’t previously shown their faces all tried to find excuses to inquire about Your Highness’s whereabouts. The envoys of the great clans frequently entered and left the officials’ mansions as well. Fortunately, Lord Song made proper arrangements. They may be suspicious, but they have no proof.”

Xi Rong nodded and then asked about the assassins’ situation.

“There are still few clues. We haven’t been able to identify them, but we can be sure they are not ordinary assassins; they are death soldiers. Ordinary assassins wouldn’t take poison so decisively. They are careful in their operations and there’s nothing that might reveal their identities, which makes it difficult to determine whose side they come from. However, Lord Song received another piece of news this morning. The Cui clan has been frequently in contact with the Northern Yan family, especially with the Prince Yan.”

Xi Rong furrowed his brows. “The Northern Yan family?”

“Yes. The Northern Yan family controls over a hundred thousand Iron Cavalry. They’re well known for their ferocity in battle. That Prince Yan is arbitrary, oppressive, disregards discipline, and disregards the court’s control. He’s a longstanding major concern for Da’an. The Cui clan, meanwhile, has been suppressed by the Xiao clan for years. An important reason for this is that the Xiao clan controls the Silver Dragon Cavalry. So, it’s reasonable for the Cui clan to align with the Northern Yan family in order to balance power against the Xiao clan. But if the Cui clan really forms an alliance with the Northern Yan family, it would be extremely unfavorable for Your Highness. This makes me worried whether the group of death soldiers who tried to assassinate Your Highness might have the Northern Yan family’s involvement.”

Xi Rong fell silent for a moment. “Who sent them isn’t the main concern. What’s more important is how did they learn my whereabouts so accurately.”

Jiang Cheng lowered his head. “Lord Song asked me to bring a message to Your Highness that the matter should not have been leaked. He was cautious during his investigations and kept a low profile. Those assassins must have gotten their information through another route.”

Xi Rong said nothing.

Jiang Cheng fell directly to his knees. “The disclosure of Your Highness’s whereabouts can only come from two sources; either there’s a mole within the Eastern Palace, or someone’s been placed outside to track our movements. In either case, it’s a reflection of my incompetence, allowing them to exploit this opportunity. The rest I cannot guarantee, but the team of shadow guards who accompanied Your Highness this time was all trained by me. I can guarantee their loyalty. Please, Your Highness, be lenient and let them redeem their mistakes.”

“Rise. I believe in you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be sitting here safely today,” Xi Rong said quietly.

“Yes.” Jiang Cheng stood up and respectfully fell back to the side. “Your Highness’s wound?” He noticed that the wound on Xi Rong’s arm seemed to be reopening and a large amount of blood was seeping through the bandage, making it look even more serious than the day before. Jiang Cheng’s expression tightened up in concern.

“It’s fine. For now, go and investigate something else.” Xi Rong paused.

Jiang Cheng lowered his head to listen.

Xi Rong said, “Go and find out who the Mayor here is, his son’s age, character, and whether he’s a suitable match.”

Jiang Cheng fell silent.

***

Jiang Cheng didn’t return until sunset.

As soon as he entered the door, he saw many gift boxes in the courtyard, including wine, food, and rice, all adorned with large red silk flowers. Obviously, they were the rumored betrothal gift. He sighed quietly and entered the room. Inside, he saw that carefree young master, fast asleep in a rattan chair, with a cat in his arms and a large red wedding robe over him.

“…”

Jiang Cheng sighed once more and quietly walked into the cave.

Xi Rong was just finishing his meditation, a book in his hand, sitting on the stone bed.

“Your Highness,” Jiang Cheng called quietly.

Xi Rong immediately asked, “How’s your investigation?”

“It’s been investigated. The Mayor’s surname is Liu, and his name is Xin. He’s indeed a rich local gentry, he owns numerous fields and maintains close ties with the authorities. But his eldest son…” Jiang Cheng paused, unsure how to proceed.

Xi Rong slowly raised his eyelids. “What about his eldest son?”

Jiang Cheng’s expression grew even more complex. “He died of a sudden illness just three days ago.”

“…”

Xi Rong paused before asking, “Are you sure?”

“Completely. Currently, the Liu family is holding a funeral for their eldest son.”

“…”

The usually impassive Crown Prince fell into a rare silence.

“Then what’s with the marriage?” Xi Rong asked.

Jiang Cheng explained, “I made some inquiries. The marriage does exist, but it’s not a normal marriage. It’s a ghost marriage.”

“…”

Xi Rong fell silent once more.

He then said, “The imperial court expressly forbids ghost marriages. Liu Xin is openly breaking the law.”

Jiang Cheng hurriedly explained, “It’s a modified ghost marriage. There’s no actual deceased person involved, which means it’s not a violation of the court’s regulations. Furthermore, Liu Xin is a powerful local gentry with strong official backing, which makes him less worried about punishment.

“It’s said this kind of marriage is quite popular in Songzhou, especially among rich families. If a young man dies before he’s married, his family can arrange a wedding ceremony before the burial, matching him with someone whose birth date is compatible. This person, wearing wedding attire and acting as the deceased’s wife, mourns him, performs ceremonies, and prays for him to be reborn under a happier fate in the afterlife and hopefully form a marriage in his subsequent life.

“This kind of marriage is simplified and doesn’t follow traditional marriage rituals, and it is called off after the funeral. Some matchmakers make a living by acting as go-betweens, although this practice is considered inauspicious, and normally people avoid it unless their financial situation leaves them no choice.

“It’s said that the Liu family’s eldest son was obsessed with a young actor while he was alive, but that actor fell for someone else and left. Grief-stricken, the son fell ill and eventually passed away. Liu Xin doted on his son and insisted that a match be made with someone whose birth date was compatible with his. I’m not sure how that matchmaker found the young master.”

Finding him was one thing…

However, the other party was blinded by money and without a moment’s hesitation actually agreed.

It’s truly ridiculous.

The young master certainly lives up to his reputation as a master at mooching people for food and drink.

Jiang Cheng sighed inwardly.

“Birth date compatibility?” Xi Rong narrowed his eyes, deep in thought.

The author has something to say:

Xi the Dog: Wife seems to be into a new kind of roleplay.
Thanks, everyone, enjoy!

E/N: AHAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHA I’m laughing so hard here!!!!!