Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 54

The Silver Dragon Cavalry was established by the founding emperor of the Da’an dynasty. Originally called the Silver Dragon Guard, it served as the Emperor’s personal bodyguard and was primarily tasked with defending the inner and outer palace. It remains the only military unit in the entire Da’an realm permitted to use the dragon motif as its emblem.

After the current emperor ascended the throne, Prince Xiao, Xiao Jingming, was enfeoffed for his distinguished service and entrusted with command of the Silver Dragon Guard. He then merged it with the three elite forces stationed around the capital, the Divine Might, Divine Stratagem, and Divine Strategy Battalions, reforming them into the unified Silver Dragon Cavalry. Now, the Silver Dragon Cavalry is one of the most formidable military units in Da’an, tasked with defending the capital region, while the inner and outer palaces remain under the jurisdiction of the imperial guards. The Silver Dragon Cavalry is only deployed during grand events such as imperial hunts or state rituals.

All officers of the Silver Dragon Cavalry, regardless of rank, wear silver martial uniforms embroidered with dragons. To show deference to the Emperor, the dragons are limited to three claws.

However, lower-ranked officers may only embroider dragons on inconspicuous parts of the garment, such as cuffs, collar, or hem. Only officers of the third rank or higher are permitted to have dragons embroidered on the chest.

The young man now standing on the mountain path was instantly recognized by Gu Rong. He was a close guard of Prince Xiao and one of the commanders directly in charge of the Three Battalions, Mo Qing.

“I greet the Young Prince,” Mo Qing said, bowing deeply. He then raised his head and offered a faint smile. “It’s been two years. Has the Young Prince been well during your time away?”

Gu Rong didn’t answer that. He merely asked, “Why are you here?”

Mo Qing stepped forward and retrieved a letter from his robes. “There’s been upheaval in the capital. His Highness the Prince has ordered me to bring the Young Prince back to preside over the situation. This letter was entrusted to me by Steward Xiao. One glance and the Young Prince will understand.”

Gu Rong glanced coldly at the letter but didn’t take it. He said, “No matter what happens in the Xiao Royal Residence, it’s hardly my place to take charge.”

Mo Qing did not press the matter. He put the letter away and said, “Then would the Young Prince at least come down the mountain with me to meet someone?”

After the rain, the mountains were especially lush, cloaked in misty green. A very ordinary green-canopied carriage stood parked on the muddy, rocky ground at the foot of the mountain. The wind stirred the carriage curtain gently.

“Please go straight to the carriage,” Mo Qing said, stopping about half a zhang away.

Gu Rong walked forward slowly. After a moment’s hesitation, he lifted the curtain. Although he had mentally prepared himself, when he saw the white-haired elderly man inside the carriage dressed in a Confucian robe, he couldn’t help but show visible shock. “Master?”

The man seated within was none other than the renowned scholar and veteran of three reigns, Grand Chancellor Qi Ru, who should have been at home recuperating from illness.

Gu Rong immediately climbed into the carriage and performed a formal bow. “This disciple greets Master.”

Qi Ru replied, “No need for ceremony. Come, sit.”

Gu Rong took a seat below him, paused for a moment, and asked, “Master, what brought you through so much hardship to come here?”

“Of course, I came to take you back. If I hadn’t come in person, I fear you wouldn’t agree so easily.” He smiled and added, “Strange, isn’t it, that I would go to such lengths just to play envoy for the Xiao clan?”

Indeed, Gu Rong didn’t understand.

Just like he never understood why this very same master had accepted him as a disciple in the first place.

Qi Ru hailed from the Qi clan of Qizhou, a lineage known as the orthodox bastion of scholarly tradition. Although not one of the Five Great Clans and Seven Noble Houses, the clan was renowned for its closeness to humble origins and its disdain for aristocratic families like the Cui and Xiao clans.

Gu Rong had originally applied for the entrance examination just for fun.

After being admitted, he found his master’s instruction to be unusually harsh. Although Gu Rong considered himself highly gifted, completing his coursework with ease and memorizing books at a glance, he was still frequently punished and his hands often left red and swollen like those of the less capable students.

For quite some time, he suspected his master had taken him in purely to torment him in retaliation.

His father disliked him and apparently, so did his teacher.

That first winter after he entered the school, both internal and external examinations were grueling. There was scarcely a day his hands weren’t suffering. It drove him nearly mad, to the point where he longed to rebel and request expulsion, just to halve his suffering.

Yet when teaching him, Qi Ru never withheld knowledge. He taught everything openly, holding nothing back. Eventually, perhaps won over by Gu Rong’s natural brilliance, he began to treat him with deep affection and stopped trying so hard to temper his personality.

Qi Ru now got straight to the point. “You should have already heard about His Majesty’s assassination attempt. His Majesty has been ailing for a long time. Even if he manages to pull through this time, he will likely never return to his former strength. This struggle for the throne will undoubtedly be a bloody and turbulent affair.

“A new emperor brings a new court. I, your teacher, have already witnessed three reigns, and now, it seems the fourth is soon to come. That dragon throne, to the one who sits upon it, symbolizes power and supreme prestige. But to ordinary commoners, it’s a gamble and a matter of ‘Heaven’s Mandate’ that can determine whether their lives are marked by displacement and hunger or peace and abundance.

“During the late emperor’s reign, the Cui clan wielded unchecked power, silencing all voices in court. The late emperor trusted flatterers and distanced himself from loyal officials. The ruler was no ruler, the ministers no ministers. The court was rife with fear and suspicion. That’s what led to the tragedy of Crown Prince Min Huai, how pitiful and terrifying it was. With the current emperor, things have improved somewhat. But His Majesty is too kind, too weak, and relies too heavily on his ministers. Still, that is not entirely his fault.

“Among His Majesty’s sons, the Crown Prince is paranoid and cruel, lacking compassion. The Prince of Wei appears benevolent, but is in truth narrow-minded. The others are still too young. Only the Prince of Jin shows true intelligence and eagerness to learn; he alone has the makings of a wise ruler. Originally, the Prince of Jin stood the best chance of ascending the throne, but now that the Cui and Yan clans have allied, and the Crown Prince has secured military power in the southwest, there are too many variables…

“Back in the previous reign, your Xiao clan was suppressed at every turn by the Cui clan and other noble families. Most of your kin were slaughtered and you were on the brink of extermination. Xiao Jingming endured in silence, waited for the right moment, and turned the tide, helping the current emperor, who had been held hostage among foreign tribes and had no hope of succession, ascend the throne. Only then did the Xiao clan regain its glory. Although the current emperor is softhearted, he is, on the whole, a virtuous monarch. Now the Five Great Clans and Seven Noble Houses are in a tenuous balance, maintaining peace. But once the battle for the throne begins, everything will unravel. One misstep and rivers of blood will follow. And those who suffer most will still be the common folk.

“The Xiao clan is now the leader among the Five Great Clans and Seven Noble Houses. Its stance directly impacts the empire’s future. Zhiwei, you are the heir of the Xiao Royal Residence. By birth, you bear the burden of your clan and the responsibility to uphold the nation. Some things cannot be escaped, no matter how much you may wish to.”

At this, Qi Ru’s gaze sharpened slightly. “I accepted you as my disciple and taught you the classics and the rites for all these years, not so that you could turn tail and run when the moment of truth arrives.”

***

Gu Rong stepped down from the carriage.

Mo Qing still stood with his back turned, not far off. Hearing movement, he turned and approached immediately.

Gu Rong said lightly, “I need to return to the mountain to say farewell to a friend. Tomorrow morning, I’ll go back with you. Until then, don’t follow me.”

Mo Qing nodded in full cooperation. “I will wait for the Young Prince at the foot of the mountain.”

Gu Rong returned to the mountain with the cat. As expected, Xi Rong had already come back.

The moment he entered, Xi Rong strode toward him. “Where did you go?”

Gu Rong kicked the mud off his shoes and smiled as usual. “I just threw away some spoiled herbs. On the way, I spotted some flourishing perilla plants and thought I’d harvest some for brewing wine, but they were too high up. I couldn’t reach them.”

Xi Rong helped him remove the medicine basket and said, “No matter. I’ll go with you tomorrow. We’ll get them all.”

Gu Rong nodded and smiled. “Alright.”

It was still early. Xi Rong returned to his earlier task of tending the melon vines that had been damaged by the rain in the corner of the courtyard. Song Yang rolled up his sleeves and helped him. Although his hands were covered in mud, his heart was filled with worry for his master.

The news brought back by Ji Ziqing made it clearer than ever that returning to the capital was now urgent. Yet His Highness still had the leisure to garden here in the mountains. Song Yang was about to go gray from anxiety, wondering how to coax the mountain-loving young gentleman to return.

His suggestion of using force to abduct Gu Rong clearly hadn’t been well received by His Highness.

Gu Rong stood aside watching their work and when they finished, he turned to Xi Rong and said, “Third Brother, why don’t we go for a walk?”

Xi Rong readily agreed. Although the mountain paths were difficult after the rain, it was nothing for Wuzhuo the horse, and the mountain scenery after the storm had a beauty all its own. He asked, “Where to?”

Gu Rong thought for a moment and replied, “That flower valley.”

Xi Rong immediately understood which place he meant. He was a little surprised but even more pleased.

Song Yang was also relieved. The flower valley already sounded like the perfect place for confessions and heartfelt talk. His Highness might finally be able to persuade the young man there!

An hour later, Wuzhuo carried them to the familiar flower valley.

It was now summer. The yellow wildflowers from last time had been replaced by an even more breathtaking sea of purple blossoms. It was still a dazzling, overwhelming ocean of fragrance and color.

The wind was strong that day. The two of them rode to a high point and looked down at the scene below.

Gu Rong closed his eyes, spread his sleeves, and said, “Third Brother, let’s ride faster!”

“Alright!” Xi Rong spurred Wuzhuo forward. The steed shot off like an arrow, galloping toward the valley.

The howling wind surged with the fragrance of flowers.

Gu Rong let the wind fill his sleeves, letting them flap wildly. Once again, he raised his voice and let out a long, carefree howl across the open valley.

Wuzhuo seemed to be swept up in the mood as well, galloping faster and harder, kicking up a storm of purple petals that rained over them both.

They raced around the valley several times before stopping at its heart where the flowers bloomed the thickest. They dismounted and lay down together on the flower-laden ground, heads resting on a bed of wild blossoms, faces turned toward the sky.

The ground was still damp from the earlier rain. The flowers and grass were soaked with water.

However, neither of them minded. Fingers interlaced, they reveled in a world with only the two of them.

Xi Rong turned his head and looked at Gu Rong, who had his eyes half closed, enjoying the breeze. He smiled and said, “Rongrong, you seem especially happy today.”

“Of course I’m happy. I got to ride with you, Third Brother. Aren’t you happy too?” Gu Rong opened his eyes, still carrying that bright, delighted smile in his gaze.

When he smiled like that, it was as though a thousand stars had gathered in his eyes, extraordinarily beautiful. Xi Rong was momentarily dazed by the sight and then nodded. “Of course I’m happy. I wish I could bring you here to ride horses every single day.”

“Yes.” Gu Rong nodded in agreement. “If we could come here every day, how wonderful that would be.”

“Rongrong, actually I…” Emotions welled up in Xi Rong’s chest. He hesitated briefly, about to speak, when Gu Rong suddenly leaned over, pressing down on him and locking eyes with unwavering intent.

Xi Rong had no choice but to fall silent. Because one of those hands had already slipped into his collar, mischievously carrying a freshly picked wildflower.

Although they tangled and made love often in this mountain retreat, it was usually Xi Rong who took the initiative, gently coaxing him. At most, Gu Rong would actively respond.

It was the first time Gu Rong had taken the lead in teasing him and in a place like this, no less.

So bold. So uninhibited.

And so utterly irresistible to Xi Rong.

How could he possibly keep his head and speak of anything else now?

Looking at the delicate, boneless beauty sprawled atop him like a mountain spirit, deliberately seducing him, Xi Rong suddenly felt that Song Yang’s earlier suggestion wasn’t entirely unreasonable.

If things truly turned dangerous, he could always send Gu Rong away to the southwest or some other safe place.

But to leave him behind and return to the capital alone, he would really go mad.

There would never be another person in this world who loved him like this.

The author has something to say:

Xi the Dog: All I can think about is not leaving my wife behind.
Turns out I’m the one who got left behind (emmmmm).
Thank you all, happy reading!

E/N: NO!