Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 40 Part 2

The surrounding nobles and officials also showed astonishment. Clearly, no one had expected the normally silent General Feiyu to bid for the Western Region Gu King.

The noble who had bid two thousand gold quickly stood and offered a flattering smile. “If the General had shown interest earlier, we wouldn’t have dared to compete.”

The cold and imposing General Feiyu lowered his gaze, his eyes fondly falling on the robed young man seated nearby. “I’m not particularly interested in this item. But our Protector is. So I’ll buy it for him to play with. Since we are guests in your esteemed land, we’ll naturally abide by the rules.”

The crowd collectively wore looks of sudden realization.

So General Feiyu was bidding on behalf of the Thirteenth Protector.

Gongsun Yu was the foremost general under Prince Yan, deeply trusted. He had no need to curry favor with the Protector. That he would act so attentively confirmed just how favored the Thirteenth Protector was by Prince Yan.

No wonder rumors said that, since Prince Yan had no biological heir, he intended to make the Thirteenth Protector his successor and pass down command of the Northern Yan Army.

The crowd’s gaze toward Gu Rong grew increasingly reverent.

Only a few of those in the know wore complicated expressions.

Above on the second floor, the ever-watching pair of eyes grew colder.

Cui Jiu’s posture became even more deferential.

The steward quickly had the Gu King, still encased in its jade box, removed from the treasure display and respectfully delivered to Gu Rong.

Gu Rong naturally loved it at first sight. Beaming, he looked toward the now-relaxed Xi Rong and said, “Brother, how could you indulge me again like this? Also, if I’d known you were going to act, you should’ve just lent me five hundred gold. If I’d bid a thousand myself, no one would’ve dared to compete. Now we’ve wasted fifteen hundred gold, what a loss.”

Xi Rong simply asked, “Are you happy?”

Gu Rong nodded cheerfully. “Of course.”

“But brother, you’re too soft-hearted for someone so tough-mouthed. Meeting a little swindler like me, you’re bound to get taken advantage of.”

“Not necessarily.” Xi Rong seemed genuinely puzzled. “Let’s set aside the previous notes since I gifted those. But are you saying that this extra fifteen hundred gold, you’re also not planning to repay?”

Gu Rong: “…”

He nearly dropped the thing in his hand.

Of course he couldn’t actually say he wasn’t going to pay it back, but how had he suddenly ended up saddled with a debt of fifteen hundred gold?

No wonder, he thought, even though the man had seemed so annoyed with him earlier, he suddenly not only lent him money, but also bid at a high price. So it was the trap.

“But I did say,” Xi Rong added in a quiet tone, “young master may offer something else in exchange. So, no need to worry about repaying me with money.”

Gu Rong pretended not to hear him and immediately turned, grinning, to chat with Wu Zhiyin. “Lord Wu, are you still poring over your gift list? Why don’t I help you choose something instead?”

Wu Zhiyin immediately stiffened, a jolt running through him. He had no idea why the Thirteenth Protector of Prince Yan was suddenly being so enthusiastic toward him.

A trap, it had to be a trap.

He hadn’t come to the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering that day on a mere whim, but because he had received a message from a mysterious individual, saying that an item desired by Prince Xiao would appear during the gathering and that Prince Yan was also contending for it.

The exact item in question, however, was not specified.

His term in office was drawing to a close and with Yan Hemei’s presence, the Cui clan would never allow him to remain. If he wished to preserve his official career and avoid being cast out, his only route was to align himself with the Xiao clan. But attempting to be accepted into the Xiao clan was an immensely difficult task, even more so than dealing with the Cui clan.

That Prince Xiao was notoriously unfathomable and elusive. Despite Wu Zhiyin’s many years of effort, he had never uncovered any particular preferences or interests of the man. So once he received the tip-off, he wouldn’t dream of missing such a rare opportunity to forge ties with the Xiao clan. He had cleared all appointments and engagements to attend the gathering.

Fortunately… the trip was not in vain.

As the steward announced each item, all kinds of treasures were revealed in succession. Aside from a few niche items, most were bid up to high prices. Yan Maocai also purchased several valuable pieces and every time he won a bid, he deliberately ordered Ji Ziqing to personally retrieve the treasure. It was work typically left to servants and he clearly did it with the intent to humiliate.

Yet Ji Ziqing received the orders calmly, showing no hint of anger or dissatisfaction.

Gu Rong found the whole situation increasingly curious.

As more than half of the treasures were cycled through, the centerpiece of the event, the most anticipated treasure of the gathering, the Eastern Sea Ice Soul, was finally unveiled.

It was a blue lotus encased in a column of ice, its roots clearly visible as if excavated whole. Though only the size of a palm, it was breathtaking in beauty. The flower’s core was formed from crystalline ice, radiating a mystical aura found only in sacred underwater relics. The moment the Ice Soul was revealed, a heavy chill seemed to settle over the entire Golden Lantern Pavilion.

“It’s a real Ice Soul.” Even the steady and composed Song Yang was briefly stunned. “Seven petals, icy core, within half a zhang, and it exudes a chill just as described in ancient texts.” |14|

Many things could be faked, but not that natural frost aura; no human trickery could reproduce it.

The Eastern Sea Ice Soul could be used as a divine natural coolant; it was said that placing just one in a residence during summer could cool the entire compound. It was clear that the particular specimen had already been earmarked by Assistant Prefect Yan Hemei as a birthday gift for Prince Yan. Although the starting bid was three thousand gold, an attendant of the Yan family immediately called out five thousand.

Gu Rong glanced at Jiang Cheng as he fanned himself.

Jiang Cheng understood and stepped forward to announce loudly, “Our Protector bids six thousand gold.”

A murmur rippled through the gathered nobles and officials.

No one had expected the Thirteenth Protector to openly compete with the Yan family.

Gu Rong looked at Yan Hemei. “My adoptive father’s birthday is approaching. I’ve been planning to find a gift worthy of the occasion. Lord Yan, I trust you don’t mind me competing with you?”

“This humble official wouldn’t dare,” Yan Hemei replied courteously. “If the Protector has taken a liking to it, of course I will gladly yield.”

He actually withdrew from the bidding altogether.

Gu Rong smiled with satisfaction and looked at him. “Lord Yan is truly gracious. When I return to Northern Yan, I will be sure to commend you to my adoptive father. Now then, bring the Ice Soul over to me.” Gu Rong lifted his chin slightly, addressing the steward.

His demeanor clearly suggested he was certain no one would dare challenge him for the Ice Soul now. To be frank, it was a bit shameless of him.

The steward bowed respectfully and said, “Protector, you may not be aware, but the Ice Soul is unlike other treasures. It is rooted in solid ice, which cannot be extracted without a sharp blade, and it must be someone of great martial prowess to pierce the ice. At present, only General Feiyu is both armed with a sword and skilled enough in combat. I’m afraid we’ll have to trouble the General to personally retrieve it.”

Instantly, all eyes fell upon Xi Rong, who sat silently with his face masked.

Jiang Cheng, Song Yang, and the others felt their hearts sink.

They had expected the retrieval of the Ice Soul wouldn’t be easy, but hadn’t foreseen such a sinister trap. It was clear that beneath the radiant golden lotus lamps, a deadly danger lay hidden.

“Is that so?” Gu Rong continued fanning himself unhurriedly. After a moment’s thought, he tilted his head. “General Feiyu, would you mind doing the honors?”

From the shadows above the second floor, both Yan Hemei and the hidden observer had been watching Gu Rong’s every move. Upon hearing this, they were just about to breathe a silent sigh of relief when a voice rang out.

“Hold on.”

To everyone’s surprise, it was Prefect Wu Zhiyin who had stood up.

He said, “Has the bidding concluded? Isn’t it a little early to retrieve the Ice Soul?”

Yan Hemei frowned and asked, “What does Prefect Wu mean by this?”

Wu Zhiyin gave a cold chuckle. “Oh, nothing in particular. It’s just rather unfortunate that this official has also taken a liking to the Ice Soul. I wish to present it as a gift to Prince Xiao.”

“Didn’t Your Excellency already bid on many treasures?”

“One never gives just a single gift. Besides, how can those common items compare to the centerpiece of the pavilion? I bid ten thousand gold!”

Wu Zhiyin’s sudden entry into the bidding subtly shifted the atmosphere in the pavilion once again.

After all, while the others feared Northern Yan and Prince Yan and dared not compete with the Thirteenth Protector, Wu Zhiyin represented another faction of those who sought to align themselves with Prince Xiao, and they had no such concerns.

In fact, precisely because the two princes had long been at odds, Wu Zhiyin had every reason to compete.

Gu Rong let out a sigh. “Lord Wu, such boldness. But your bid is putting both me and Lord Yan in a difficult position when it comes time to report to my foster father. If it were anyone else, fine, but you intend to gift it to Prince Xiao? Don’t blame me if I show you no courtesy.”

Jiang Cheng then raised the bid again, “Our Protector bids twenty thousand gold.”

The two sides clearly locked horns, raising the stakes from the outset in tens of thousands.

Wu Zhiyin became increasingly convinced that Prince Yan was determined to obtain the Ice Soul. He had come prepared and certainly wasn’t going to give in now. “This official bids thirty thousand gold.”

“Lord Wu, you really—”

“Our Protector bids forty thousand gold.”

“This official bids fifty thousand!”

In the blink of an eye, the price of the Eastern Sea Ice Soul had already been driven up to eighty thousand gold, quickly approaching the price of the Xuanji Diagram.

While the Xuanji Diagram was valuable mostly due to the prestige of the Cui clan’s eldest son, the Ice Soul, although rare, being inflated to such a price was absurd.

The atmosphere in the pavilion grew more fevered than ever.

Everyone watched intently to see just how terrifying a price the Ice Soul would eventually reach. Yet, just as the ever-unyielding Thirteenth Protector seemed poised to keep pushing, he suddenly waved his hand with a headache-like gesture. “Enough, enough. Lord Wu, I truly didn’t bring that much money with me today. I can’t outbid you. Let it be yours.”

Not just the crowd, even Wu Zhiyin himself was stunned.

He hadn’t expected the other side to back down so quickly. Delight overtaking him, he immediately cupped his hands toward Gu Rong. “Then this official thanks the Protector for his generosity.”

“You’re welcome.” Gu Rong wore an expression of reluctant acceptance, clearly pained by the outcome. “Then, General Feiyu, why don’t you lend your sword to Lord Wu so he can retrieve the Ice Soul?”

Wu Zhiyin was now thoroughly triumphant. “The Protector is magnanimous!”

Yan Hemei hadn’t expected the situation to unfold like that. He was startled by Gu Rong’s attitude and also felt the circumstances growing increasingly complicated. Instinctively, he glanced up to the second floor.

Cui Jiu had silently appeared at the railing and subtly signaled to him.

Jiang Cheng was also closely watching Yan Hemei. Seeing this, he quietly placed his hand on the soft sword hidden at his waist.

A web of hidden agendas and calculating glances rippled through the room.

Having received the signal, Yan Hemei exchanged a look with Liu Xin, Feng Zhong, and several other influential officials under his command. Just as he began to raise his hand to give the secret order, a servant suddenly rushed in with urgency and reported, “Lord Yan, a group has arrived outside. The two at the head claim to be the Thirteenth Protector Jing Xi and General Feiyu Gongsun Yu, saying they have an urgent matter and request to see you.”

Yan Hemei’s hand, poised mid-air to give the signal, froze instantly.

The entire room erupted in alarmed confusion.

Wasn’t Prince Yan’s Thirteenth Protector already sitting right there in the hall?

Where, then, had a second Thirteenth Protector and General Feiyu suddenly come from?

The author has something to say:

The Xuanji Diagram, also called the Palindromic Xuanji Diagram, is said to be the work of Su Hui, a talented woman of the Former Qin. I adapted it a bit here, the source is from the internet.

Baby Rongrong: My head hurts.

Thank you all, enjoy reading!
I really wanted to write this plot arc all in one go, but my typing speed is limited and this part is kind of hard to write. I’ll take it slow and you take your time reading. The next chapter will be updated tomorrow during the day.