Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 38

Clearly not expecting Gu Rong to appear so suddenly, Xi Rong’s hand paused. Only after a moment did he lift his head, still marked with the lingering ferocity of residual poison. Yet his lips curved in a faint smile. Even his tone became strikingly gentle, completely different from earlier. “Why are you here?”

Gu Rong didn’t answer the question. He simply looked at the sword in his hand and said, “You look a bit scary, brother.”

Xi Rong blinked, then truly raised his hand to sheath Shan’a, setting it aside.

Song Yang was calm enough, but Jiang Cheng and Zhou Wenhe were utterly stunned and filled with disbelief.

Just moments ago, His Highness had been nearly consumed by poison-fueled fury, yet with just a single remark from the youth, he had put his sword away.

“Stand up,” Xi Rong spoke again.

The three of them answered in unison and stepped aside.

Only then did Gu Rong say, “Brother, you really blamed them unfairly. This truly was my idea.”

Xi Rong patted the spot beside him. “Come here.”

The side room at the edge of the small courtyard only had straw mats for seating, so Gu Rong walked over and sat cross-legged at Xi Rong’s side. He also motioned for Song Yang and the others to sit.

Seeing that Xi Rong didn’t object, the three men sat down as well, finally easing the tense atmosphere.

Song Yang was the first to speak. “The young master was worried for Master’s health today, seeing how dangerous your condition had become, so he asked about it. It was this subordinate who spoke too much and mentioned the Ice Soul. At first, I didn’t intend to, but the young master was concerned and kept pressing…”

He emphasized the words kept pressing, hoping the master who had just recovered from the torturous heat poison might feel at least a bit consoled.

And indeed, Xi Rong’s gaze softened.

Turning his head slightly, he looked at the youth sitting in the lamplight and said, “Rongrong, I know you had this thought because you’re concerned about me. But this matter must not be pursued.”

“Then, brother,” Gu Rong countered, “have you thought about this: if they knew how hard it would be to lure you out, why go to such lengths to set up the trap?”

Xi Rong said nothing.

Gu Rong continued, “Because they know that the Eastern Sea Ice Soul is your lifeline. Even if there’s a one-in-ten-thousand chance, you’d still take it. If I’m not mistaken, your firm refusal to walk into the trap is because you don’t want to drag me into it, right?”

The other three listened in silence, none daring to interrupt.

Because in the Eastern Palace, no one ever dared speak to the prince like that, challenging his words line for line.

Not even Song Yang.

Xi Rong’s gaze grew even gentler. “Of course I have many concerns. You should see by now that Yan Hemei has never stopped testing you. Last time he was unprepared and was fooled by a few of your words, but this time will be different. You don’t understand Prince Yan’s tastes and preferences. If you say a single wrong word, he’ll see through you immediately.

“Rongrong, the Ice Soul is indeed my lifeline, but I would never risk your life for the sake of my own.”

Gu Rong replied, “But what if I was planning to attend the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering on my own from the start, something that has nothing to do with you at all?”

The gentleness in Xi Rong’s eyes immediately turned stern, his tone edged with reprimand. “Rongrong, do you think I’d believe such a clumsy lie?”

“Believe it or not, why don’t you take a look and judge for yourself?”

Gu Rong pulled out a thick stack of something from his sleeve and laid it down on the straw mat.

The moment Song Yang and the others saw it, their eyes widened uncontrollably.

Because that thick stack turned out to be… invitations from previous years’ Golden Lantern Pavilion Gatherings.

Xi Rong finally frowned. “Where did you get these?”

Gu Rong replied, “Naturally, I scammed and swiped them during my mooching escapades. Let’s put it this way; rumor has it this year’s Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering will feature an exceptionally rare Gu worm from the Western Regions. I’ve coveted it for a long time. So I planned to forge a fake invitation based on old designs and sneak in to take a look. Who’d have thought that just as I was thinking about it, someone would hand me a pillow when I was about to sleep and Assistant Prefect Yan actually delivered a real invitation to me. With that in hand, how could I not go?

“Brother, if you truly don’t want to take the risk, I’ll go alone. It’s just that, on my own, I probably won’t be able to snatch the Ice Soul for you.”

Xi Rong’s gaze darkened, full of scrutiny. “Why didn’t you mention this before?”

Gu Rong was perfectly candid. “I figured if I told you, you’d refuse. I already had a plan. On the day of the event, I’d get up early, jab you unconscious with a golden needle while you were still asleep, and sneak off the mountain.”

Jiang Cheng, who had been listening intently below: “…………”

Was this kind of thing really something you could say out loud to His Highness?!

Xi Rong said, “All of you get out.”

The three looked at one another, dared not disobey, and promptly left the room.

Only Xi Rong and Gu Rong remained inside.

Gu Rong looked at Xi Rong, who still sat motionless to the side, his face pale as cold stone and unreadable. “Brother—”

Before he could finish, darkness overtook his vision; Xi Rong had pushed him down onto the straw mat.

“Brother…” He stared wide-eyed at Xi Rong, who seemed on the verge of another episode. He reached out, trying to push him away, but his wrists were instantly wrenched up and pinned above his head. Gu Rong frowned in pain, unsure what had set Xi Rong off.

Large swaths of pale skin slipped out from under his wide sleeves.

Xi Rong stared at the person pinned beneath him, offered up without resistance. The fire he had just barely suppressed began to stir again in his chest.

Only when a muffled grunt sounded did he suddenly come to his senses.

“Brother, you’re being too rough. Too unreasonable,” said Gu Rong.

However, Xi Rong remained over him like a beast staring down its prey, fierce and still. After a long moment, he asked, “You lied to me on purpose, didn’t you?”

Gu Rong immediately understood what he meant. He shook his head without hesitation. “No. Sorry to disappoint you, brother. I insist on going to the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering mostly for my own reasons. If you don’t believe me, have your men look into it. This year’s gathering really will have a Western Region Gu worm. I dragged you all into this mostly out of selfishness, trying to use your power to achieve my own ends.”

A vein throbbed violently on Xi Rong’s temple.

However, his voice remained frighteningly calm. “Provocation won’t work on me. Gu Rong, I won’t believe you.”

Gu Rong.

It was the first time he had said his full name.

And in that moment, Gu Rong, shameless as ever, actually thought, ‘You’re still pretending you’re not mad? You even called me by my full name, obviously I pissed you off.’

By all logic, he should’ve known to back off there. But that insufferable, callous part of him decided to push even further.

“Yes, I admit, it was a bit underhanded of me to come up with this idea. But you’re so rich. Your guards are all highly skilled. And you’re always so good to me. To repay my kindness, isn’t it perfectly natural for me to take advantage of you? That Gu worm from the Western Regions probably costs a fortune. I am just a little swindler, mooching off food and drink wherever I go, not some virtuous gentleman. You’re the one who insists on treating me like one.

“And sure, maybe I proposed this partly for myself, but it’s also for your good. You’re no saint. Do you really not want the Eastern Sea Ice Soul? If you’re not even afraid of dying, what’s so bad about taking a risk?”

Outside, Song Yang, Zhou Wenhe, and Jiang Cheng stood anxiously in the courtyard.

Jiang Cheng stared at the tightly closed door, muttering in a daze, “His Highness didn’t look good just now… Do you think the young master might be in danger?”

“Probably not…” Zhou Wenhe also stared at the door. “It sounds quiet in there. No big commotion. But that young gentleman is far too bold. How could he speak to His Highness like that?”

Song Yang was equally worried, though his concerns went even deeper than the other two. He had long harbored a vague suspicion that His Highness’s sudden and severe episode today might have been triggered by yesterday’s emotional blow.

All day, he’d been emphasizing the young gentleman’s care and concern for His Highness, especially that moving act of risking himself to attend the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering, hoping to soothe His Highness’s state of mind and ease his illness. Who would’ve thought that, at the critical moment, the young man would act so unpredictably and pull something like that?

If His Highness were struck by a second emotional blow, Song Yang truly dared not imagine the consequences.

The air felt frozen, choked with darkness.

Gu Rong lay on the straw mat, staring up. After speaking, he quietly watched Xi Rong, waiting for a response. He could clearly feel the heavy shadow looming over him begin to waver, as if on the verge of collapse, yet still holding firm with stubborn restraint.

“It’s fine if you don’t want to go. I’ll go myself,” Gu Rong continued. “You left me so many silver notes last time. If I scrape a bit more together, I should barely qualify to participate in the auction.”

Xi Rong trembled with fury.

He had given Gu Rong those notes so he could eat well, dress warmly, and live a life free of worry, not so he could squander them like this! Especially not so he could go running around auction houses or worse, marry off to some damn corpse for a meal!

The ever-composed Crown Prince, for the first time in years, was so enraged his chest physically ached and he nearly coughed up blood.

Seeing the tension in his face, Gu Rong thought he was really about to be punched. But Xi Rong, in the end, said nothing. He simply pulled away and returned to his seat.

When Song Yang, Zhou Wenhe, and Jiang Cheng re-entered the room, they were met with a strange sight. Xi Rong sat at the head with his eyes closed, expression cold and unreadable, a heavy air of frost clinging to him. And that young gentleman, seemingly untouched, sat on a side mat, smiling cheerfully at them.

The room was untouched, showing no signs of conflict.

“Your master has agreed to risk his life for this ‘gentleman’ here,” Gu Rong said. “So, let’s get down to the specifics.”

All three were startled and instinctively looked toward Xi Rong.

Xi Rong opened his eyes, expression indifferent. “Sit.”

They obeyed, taking seats below.

After thinking for a moment, Song Yang began listing possible dangers and difficulties.

In essence, there were two major challenges: first, how to obtain the Ice Soul from the hands of powerful clans; and second, how to escape unscathed. Without doubt, once His Highness revealed himself, he would be under close surveillance. Accomplishing even one of those two goals would be difficult.

Jiang Cheng was especially worried about retreat. Their group was limited in numbers and not all could enter the Golden Lantern Pavilion.

Gu Rong, somehow having found a small wine jar, took a swig and said, “If you ask me, the situation isn’t entirely hopeless.”

Everyone except Xi Rong turned to look at him.

Song Yang quickly asked with respect, “What insight does the young master have to offer?”

Gu Rong replied, “I wouldn’t call it insight, but consider this: your enemy, the Cui clan, may be powerful, but here in Songzhou Prefecture, they don’t quite rule all under heaven. As the saying goes, ‘When the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman profits.’ If Cui is the snipe… why not find a clam to fight them?”

***

The day of the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering arrived in the blink of an eye.

Unlike other events, the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering was held at night. On that night, the entire pavilion would be lit with golden lanterns, bathing all the exotic treasures from across the land in a dazzling radiance, hence the gathering’s elegant name.

The Golden Lantern Pavilion was located in the private manor of a prominent clan in the city. Seven stories tall, it stood as a landmark of Songzhou Prefecture.

From morning onward, carriages bearing officials and nobility arrived at the manor. With invitations in hand, they entered to await the evening’s showcase.

Gu Rong’s party arrived just as the sun dipped low.

To suit the persona of one of the Thirteen Protectors, Gu Rong once again donned his wide-sleeved robe of shimmering bright silk. He even flamboyantly hung that feathered token from his waist. This time, however, the role of General Feiyu had been given to Xi Rong instead of Jiang Cheng.

Jiang Cheng, Song Yang, Zhou Wenhe, and several shadow guards acted as the Thirteenth Protectors’ attendants.

Once they alighted from the carriage and presented their invitation, a servant of the manor bowed respectfully to Gu Rong and said, “Lord Yan has already arranged accommodations for the Protector. Please, follow me inside.”

Gu Rong nodded, folding his fan. “Lord Yan is thoughtful indeed.”

Throughout the manor, golden silk had been laid wherever guests would walk. On either side of the path, every five steps, stood a golden lotus lantern. Its petals and wick were sculpted from real gold and painted with intricate images of heavenly maidens scattering flowers.

As dusk fell, the entire residence glowed even more brilliantly than it had in daylight.

The Golden Lantern Pavilion stood tall at the very center of the manor, or more precisely, on an artificial lake whose surface now shimmered with countless floating golden lotus lanterns. The seven-story pavilion itself was adorned from top to bottom with rows of golden bells, and whenever the wind stirred, their crisp, pleasant chimes echoed throughout the entire estate.

Although everyone present had seen their fair share of aristocratic extravagance, they were still stunned by the scene before them.

The guest lodgings were located in a nearby tower, not far from the pavilion.

A servant led Gu Rong to a place called Songfeng Pavilion and said, “This will be the Protector’s quarters.” He then pointed to another building next to it, inscribed with the name Mingyue Pavilion, and added, “That one is prepared for General Feiyu.”

Gu Rong nodded, thinking to himself that separate quarters were just as well. For the past few days, he and Xi Rong had been in a state of awkward cold war, not exactly suited to sharing a room.

“No need.”

Just as the servant finished speaking, Xi Rong, who had silently followed behind wearing his mask, suddenly spoke. “I will stay with the Protector.”

The servant naturally complied.

It was Gu Rong who now fretted a little. There was still some time before the viewing banquet began. What were they supposed to talk about while alone in the room?

The past few days, Xi Rong had clearly been displeased with him, perhaps even heartbroken. He had chosen to sleep outside in the wooden hut each night. They hadn’t had a proper conversation in several evenings now.

Meanwhile, Yan Hemei was also in a sour mood. The moment he stepped off his carriage, he ran into an unexpected and unwelcome guest.

“Lord Prefect?”

Yan Hemei raised his brows in surprise upon seeing Wu Zhiyin stepping out from a heated palanquin, flanked by a group of bailiffs. Stepping forward to salute, he asked, “Prefect Wu is ever so busy with official affairs. What brings you here today?”

Wu Zhiyin glanced at the grand manor gates and smiled thinly. “Busy? Compared to you, Lord Yan, I hardly count. Everyone in Songzhou Prefecture knows that you’re now a rising star favored by the Minister of State Affairs. I, the Prefect, am just a placeholder. Sooner or later, I’ll be stepping aside for you.”

“You flatter me,” Yan Hemei said with a smile of his own.

“It’s just that in past years, the Prefect never showed up at the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering. Your presence today is a bit surprising. What’s this? Have you come to pick out a treasure for someone’s birthday?”

Wu Zhiyin’s face lit with a trace of smugness. “I heard that Lord Yan is selecting a gift for Prince Yan’s birthday and that you even invited the Thirteenth Protector to assist in the selection. How coincidental. I’m also here to pick a gift for a certain noble’s birthday. After all, Prince Yan isn’t the only one in the realm with an upcoming celebration.”

Yan Hemei narrowed his eyes slightly. “Oh? And which noble are you selecting a gift for?”

Wu Zhiyin raised his voice just enough for those nearby to hear, “I’m choosing a gift for His Highness Prince Xiao.”

“There are only two non-imperial princes in the whole dynasty. Surely a learned man like you hasn’t forgotten that Prince Xiao’s birthday is right around the corner. Every year, even His Majesty makes a personal appearance at Prince Xiao’s residence. What’s this? Could it be you weren’t aware, Lord Yan?”

As he spoke, his tone suddenly took on a note of feigned realization. “Ah, of course, you’re aligned with the esteemed Cui clan. No wonder you’re unfamiliar with Prince Xiao’s household. But if I recall correctly, aren’t the Cui clan no longer ranked first among the Five Great Clans and Seven Noble Houses?”

“Quite right.”

Yan Hemei smiled faintly, concealing the gloom in his brow. “Then allow me to wish Your Excellency luck. May you find a gift that satisfies Prince Xiao and not be thrown out of the Jade Dragon Terrace again.”