Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 52

In the blink of an eye, Xi Rong was back. So fast that Gu Rong suspected he had wings on his feet. But before he could finish the thought, a shadow and a warm body descended, cutting off all distractions. Although they had once muddled their way into a night spent together, it was the first time they embraced like this while fully awake. Gu Rong’s heart raced, his body tense as a bowstring.

“Rongrong,” Xi Rong whispered and without another word, began to kiss him.

The kiss was completely different from before. If their last intimacy had been a storm driven by discovery and instinct, this time it was a gentle spring rain, perfectly suited to the fragrance of flowers filling the room.

Gu Rong… felt indescribably comfortable being kissed like this. Bit by bit, his taut frame softened. Lost in a haze of emotion, he even began to respond instinctively, clinging to whatever he could reach, occasionally taking the initiative to return the kiss.

Each time he did, Xi Rong grew even gentler.

The two of them seemed to be immersed in a painting of spring rain, indulging in a long, unhurried entanglement. The young man’s firm, powerful body moved with rhythmic grace as they kissed, allowing Gu Rong to clearly feel the elegant lines of his chest, his abdomen, his waist and back, and everything beyond.

And again, Gu Rong confirmed that he truly appreciated and liked the man’s body.

So this was the taste of pleasure.

Pleasure of this night, gentle love in its prime.

No wonder the poets wrote of it so.

The only discomfort, if one had to name any, was the peach blossoms beneath them, scattered under the covers. Gu Rong’s skin was sensitive and even the slightest bump could be felt. He was known to be delicate that way.

However, Xi Rong clearly adored those flowers, so Gu Rong endured it.

He was too lost in the moment. When Xi Rong’s kisses reached a particular place, Gu Rong’s face flushed hot with disbelief, instinctively trying to shy away.

But where could he go?

Xi Rong, like a wolf long starved, savoring its first bite of prey, pursued relentlessly, gentle and forceful at once. In these matters, he possessed a level of patience that astonished Gu Rong.

Gu Rong grew more mortified, practically wishing he could bury his face and vanish.

“Just one kiss, please?” Xi Rong coaxed in a half-pleading murmur.

At such times, Gu Rong was always easy to persuade. What he hadn’t counted on was how insatiable a wolf becomes once its lips taste blood.

Inevitably, certain unspeakably shameful sounds escaped his lips.

In response, Xi Rong’s movements grew wild, almost frenzied. Like a sudden downpour, strange, tingling currents swept through Gu Rong’s entire body. Soon, he was overcome by a pleasure even more intense than anything he’d felt before.

Shame and ecstasy clashed and tangled, but once pleasure gained the upper hand, it was like a fire caught by wind: all-consuming, unstoppable, tearing through everything in its path.

“Third Brother…” in the depths of desire, Gu Rong called out softly.

What came in response was a long, lingering kiss.

Gu Rong seemed to fall in love with the little game. Each time he was kissed, he’d call ‘Third Brother.’

“Rongrong!” Xi Rong, who had been following his own rhythm, was caught off guard by this and let out a breath of warning. “If you keep calling me that, I really won’t be able to hold back.”

Gu Rong, still absorbed in their play, ignored the warning and called out again. “I know, I have to hold you, right?” He smiled, kissed Xi Rong, and reached out to embrace his strong, lean waist.

At times like this, Gu Rong was so bold and forward that Xi Rong could barely withstand it.

Suddenly, Xi Rong grabbed the wandering foot that had only been fueling the fire and said, “That’s right. Hold me. Hold me tight.”

Their robes and hair tangled together, lying among a bed of peach blossoms. The peach flowers were crushed beneath them, scattered in layers. One petal after another was further ground down, even releasing pinkish juice that stained the bedding a blush hue.

The night was one of wild entanglement and dizzying pleasure. By the time it ended, the red candles on the stone table had long since burned down to stubs.

When it was over, Gu Rong no longer had the strength to keep his eyes open. Xi Rong carried him to bathe, helped him change into clean under robes, and then redid the entire bed before tucking Gu Rong back in tightly.

Even after a night of such fervor, Xi Rong couldn’t bring himself to let go of that delicate face. He kissed Gu Rong’s smooth forehead again and again, reluctant to part.

For the next three days, they passed their time in much the same way.

By day, Gu Rong pored over medical texts, searching for a method to refine the Ice Soul. At night, the two of them, without needing a word, would bathe early and enjoy their passionate embrace in bed. It truly felt like time had ceased to exist in the mountains.

On the fourth day, Song Yang brought back news from the foot of the mountain.

“The impeachments against His Highness for warmongering and reckless slaughter of noble officials were spearheaded by the Cao family. They, along with a group of Censorate officials, launched the attack during the court assembly. The Emperor first sought Prince Xiao’s opinion. Prince Xiao claimed the matter involved finance and governance, thus fell under the Ministry of State Affairs’ jurisdiction, and declined to interfere. So the Emperor turned to the Ministry of State Affairs. Cui Daohuan, while pretending to defend His Highness, made a few insincere remarks. But instead of appeasing the Emperor, they only fueled his anger. He said that since so many officials were impeaching the Crown Prince and complaints echoed from all corners, it must mean His Highness was overly ambitious and hasty, lacking mercy, thus he issued the reprimanding edict on the spot.”

After a pause, Song Yang added, “The Cao family likely did this out of spite. After His Highness refused their offer of marriage, they felt their pride was wounded. The Seventh Young Master of the Cao family, Cao Ancheng, works in the Censorate. His biological sister, born of the same mother, was married off as a concubine to the Prince of Wei. Because of that connection, Cao Ancheng is a regular guest at the Prince of Wei’s residence.”

Zhou Wenhe sneered, “So on the surface it was the Cao family leading the charge, but in truth it was the Prince of Wei stirring the pot from behind. Those so-called Censorate gentlemen who pride themselves on being noble and incorruptible are nothing but bloated cowards. When those nobles bully the people, none of them dare say a word. But now that His Highness risked his life to defeat the barbarians and bring victory, they rush to twist the truth and throw filth on him. Truly, their consciences have been eaten by dogs. And that Cao family? Petty villains!”

Song Yang sighed inwardly.

Although they’d anticipated that rejecting the Cao family’s offer in marriage would provoke backlash, now that the storm had arrived, he was once again struck by how treacherous His Highness’s position at court was.

While the Prince of Wei and Cao Ancheng were close, there was no way Cao Ancheng would have dared to make such a bold public move in the Grand Court without full backing from the Cao family.

“As for the reprimanding edict,” Song Yang continued, “that’s not the worst. Cui Daohuan, under the pretense of seeking truth and clearing His Highness’s name, petitioned the court to send a military inspector to investigate the southwest. The matter has been handed to the Three Ministries for deliberation. But Grand Chancellor Qi has been ill for some time and hasn’t made any court appearances. Prince Xiao clearly wishes to stay out of it. So most likely, Cui Daohuan will appoint the inspector himself.

“But Your Highness needn’t worry. The southwestern generals are all men you’ve personally promoted. Their loyalty to you is unshakable. Even if the Cui clan sends someone, they’ll find nothing. Still, Cui Daohuan is shrewd and cunning, not to be underestimated. You’ll need someone reliable to liaise with the inspector.”

Xi Rong, arms crossed, had been silent for a long time. He now said, “Chen Changsheng was trained by the teacher and is a diligent and trustworthy man. Let him go.”

Song Yang agreed. Then he added, “There are two more troubling pieces of news.

“First: After the birthday banquet, it seems Prince Yan and the Cui clan reached some sort of agreement. Even if they haven’t officially allied, Prince Yan will likely join the Cui clan in opposing Prince Xiao.

“Second… several days ago, Prince Xiao agreed to let the Prince of Jin train with the Silver Dragon Cavalry.”

The expressions on everyone’s faces changed.

Song Yang said gravely, “Although the Prince of Jin had been requesting this for some time, Prince Xiao never gave a clear answer. His sudden approval now is probably linked to the cooperation between the Cui and the Yan.”

Compared to the first piece of news, the second troubled Song Yang even more.

Because it essentially meant that if His Highness wanted to claim the throne, he’d have to face the two most powerful noble clans among the Five Great Clans and Seven Noble Houses. And after rejecting the Cao family, it was unlikely that any of the major clans would ever tie themselves to the Eastern Palace again.

“Tell me,” Zhou Wenhe said with concern while helping Song Yang cook after the meeting, “was it too rash of His Highness to reject the Cao marriage? The Cao family may be fickle, but they’re still among the Seven Noble Houses. If they hadn’t spearheaded this, Cui Daohuan wouldn’t have pulled this off so smoothly. And that’s not all. To save that young master, His Highness crossed Prince Yan last time. If Prince Yan ever finds out who he really is, he won’t let it go lightly.”

Song Yang harbored the same worries.

However, the current situation was already messy enough. And as for that young master… His Highness clearly loved him deeply. As a subordinate, all he could do was share the burden. He didn’t dare say more.

If one were to fret about everything, there was too much to fear.

For example, that young master, although he had more than once saved His Highness in peril, was still a countryside-born youth, worlds apart in status. If he remained as a trusted aide, it would be a fine tale of loyalty. But if he became something more… the road ahead would be fraught with hardship.

And most pressingly, even if His Highness didn’t care what the world thought and made a village-born boy his Crown Consort, what about heirs?

However, Song Yang wouldn’t dare voice aloud such worries.

That would be asking for trouble.

Compared to everyone else, Gu Rong was arguably the least burdened by worries. His only frustration was that no matter how many warming herbs he tried, none could neutralize the icy nature of the Ice Soul. Yet to have Xi Rong ingest the Ice Soul directly would cause far too much damage to his body. He might rid himself of the poison only to destroy his stomach in the process.

That day, Jiang Cheng brought back another batch of warming herbs.

As always, Gu Rong used wooden tongs to pick up a single Ice Soul petal and dropped it into a boiling decoction. The medicinal broth had already been infused with numerous warming ingredients, yet the moment the Ice Soul was added, the boiling instantly ceased. The broth, along with the entire cauldron, began to slowly freeze over.

The same result as before.

Jiang Cheng had been assisting Gu Rong with the experiments for days. Seeing this, he couldn’t help but scratch his head in distress. “What are we going to do now?”

Gu Rong clearly had no answer for him either.

Jiang Cheng, thinking like a martial man, said, “I’ve heard that in ancient times, there were insects that fed solely on ice and frost. Maybe only creatures like that could counter the Ice Soul. Young master, among the Money-Grubbing, Profit-Seeking you keep, and the Gu King from the Western Regions you bought for a fortune last time, are there none among them that feed on ice?”

Strangely enough, Jiang Cheng’s words sparked an idea in Gu Rong.

He brought over the four Gu he kept in the corner and the infamous Gu King from the Western Regions to test. Unfortunately, none lasted even a moment before they started trembling violently, nearly freezing to death on the spot.

After a moment’s thought, Gu Rong found an excuse to send Jiang Cheng away. Then he cut his wrist with a dagger, letting a few drops of blood fall into the cauldron. After a short wait, the once-frozen cauldron slowly began to thaw.

A small smile lifted Gu Rong’s lips.

Several days later, after rigorous adjustments to the formula, Gu Rong successfully refined the first medicinal pill. Considering Xi Rong’s physical limits, he used only a single Ice Soul petal as the core of the pill, ensuring that the medicinal properties would be absorbed slowly, rather than hitting the body with the full force of its chill.

On the day the pill was completed, everyone gathered to watch.

Naturally, as Gu Rong was at best a half-trained doctor, the resulting pill was neither round nor appealing. It was a lumpy, inky black thing, a stark contrast to the string of elegant pearls Xi Rong had personally crafted and now hung from Gu Rong’s waist.

“Young master, are you sure this medicine’s safe to take?” Jiang Cheng asked with obvious skepticism.

Gu Rong wore his usual mild smile and said regretfully, “The Ice Soul is too rare, I’m afraid there won’t be any trial medicines for you.”

Xi Rong didn’t hesitate. He took the pill and washed it down with water. After taking it, Xi Rong showed no major adverse effects and for half a month, he experienced no relapse.

The outcome greatly encouraged Song Yang and the others.

Only Xi Rong had one lingering doubt. “Why does the pill taste a little strange?”

Gu Rong’s face didn’t change. “Strange? With that many herbs mixed in, of course it tastes strange.”

However, due to the complex refinement process and the need for ideal potency, the Ice Soul’s medicinal strength could only be preserved for a limited time. Gu Rong had to make one new pill every half month.

Time slipped by, day by day.

Xi Rong focused entirely on detoxification atop the mountain. In his free time, he either took Gu Rong sightseeing or read with him in the wooden cabin. Sometimes, he joined Gu Rong in foraging for rare herbs in the mountains. As the days grew warmer, they would set up tents in scenic spots and camp under the stars, living like a pair of immortal lovers in their own secluded paradise.

Then Song Yang brought back good news about the treasury.

“It’s all thanks to the military treatise gifted to His Highness by those two esteemed elders,” Song Yang explained. “I’ve been studying it these past few days and found a map of the local terrain. During the reign of our dynasty’s founding emperor, it shows that a small underground palace was once built here in Lingyin Mountain by a regional prince. Due to the passage of time and natural disasters, its exact location is no longer known. But I believe that if Crown Prince Min Huai truly hid a large number of treasures here, he would’ve needed to excavate a proper hiding place. And after all this time with no clues, the only possibility is that the treasury was hidden in a pre-existing site.”

Zhou Wenhe immediately asked, “You mean that underground palace?”

Song Yang nodded. “Most likely. But Lingyin Mountain is so vast. How do we even begin to look for a small underground palace?”

Xi Rong turned to him and said, “Palace construction has always followed strict geomantic principles. We should start by consulting the local gazetteers and bringing in some geomancers to examine the lay of the land. That should point us in the right direction.”

Song Yang accepted the task. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

Before long, summer arrived.

It rained often in the mountains and one day, a thunderstorm rolled in.

Knowing Gu Rong feared thunder, Xi Rong had coaxed him to sleep early after dinner, holding him close. But deep into the night, they were awakened by the sound of urgent knocking.

Rain pattered steadily outside. Seeing that Gu Rong was still fast asleep, arms around his waist, long dark hair tangled in his sleep robe, Xi Rong gently pried his hands off and got up alone.

Opening the door, he found Song Yang standing there. His expression was graver than ever before.

Xi Rong stepped out of the cabin and walked a short distance before asking, “What’s happened?”

Song Yang produced a rain-spattered secret report, his voice low and steady. “Your Highness, word just came from the capital. His Majesty has been assassinated. The severity of his injuries is unknown.”