Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 64

Xi Rong almost grinned like a fool all the way back to the Eastern Palace.

There was nothing he could do about it; he was simply too happy, too overjoyed. Never in his dreams had he imagined he would see him here, in the Capital.

If not for the fact that those around him had been just as stunned and caught off guard, if not for the way his eyes had locked unerringly onto that figure so identical to the one in his dreams from the instant glimpse he got, he might truly have suspected himself of hallucinating.

During those months in Songzhou, they had tangled together in the mountains day after day. Others might notice only a resemblance of features, but he knew every detail of the man, whether in coarse linen robes or garments of gold and jade. He knew, without a doubt, there could not be a second ‘Gu Rong’ in this world.

He had been too foolish! How had it never occurred to him before that Xiao Rong and Gu Rong, both bore the character ‘Rong’ in their names, were very likely to be one and the same?

For the first time, Xi Rong was happy like a child.

Back at the Eastern Palace, he dismissed all attendants. After bathing and changing with great care, grooming himself down to the last detail, he entered his bedchamber, opened the cat’s cage, and, breaking all his own rules, picked the tabby up by the scruff and placed it onto the pristine, dustless bed.

“By tomorrow at the latest, I will see him. You miss him too, don’t you?” Seated on the bed, he lowered his gaze to the cat and asked.

The tabby lay still, not daring to move, staring back at him.

“You must miss him. Just as I miss him.” Xi Rong didn’t care whether the cat could answer; he continued speaking to himself.

Song Yang could still rationally weigh potential risks and concerns but Xi Rong no longer cared about any of that. All he wanted was to see him as soon as possible, no matter whether he was the heir to Xiao Royal Residence or held some other lofty title.

The fact that he hadn’t lost control in front of everyone at the coming-of-age ceremony earlier was already the last shred of his restraint.

Perhaps it was that the heart, long scorched and tormented by longing, had finally been doused in cool spring water, for that night, Xi Rong slept with exceptional ease and sweetness.

The next morning, Xi Rong deliberately moved the Eastern Palace council half an hour earlier. When it concluded, he immediately sent Jiang Cheng to Xiao Royal Residence with a visiting card.

“For the whole day, I will likely be away from the palace. If anything urgent arises, wait for me to return before handling it. For other matters, you may see to them as you see fit,” Xi Rong instructed Song Yang.

Seeing his lord dressed in fresh, immaculate robes and radiating vigor, Song Yang was tactful enough not to ask where he was going, simply responding with cooperation, “Your Highness needn’t worry. His Majesty has passed the crisis, and the Court of Judicial Review is busy working with the Ministry of Justice to track down the mastermind behind the assassination attempt. They have no time for Liu Xin’s case at the moment. For now, nothing pressing demands attention.”

“Mm.” Xi Rong gave a brief nod, absently picking up a book from his desk and leafing through it without focus.

Before long, Jiang Cheng returned.

Xi Rong immediately set down the book and looked up.

However, Jiang Cheng’s steps faltered, and his expression was hesitant. Under Xi Rong’s unwavering gaze, he stammered, “This subordinate did deliver Your Highness’s card, but…” Jiang Cheng glanced at Xi Rong’s face and cautiously added the rest, “But the people at Xiao Royal Residence said their heir received the Prince of Jin’s visiting card early this morning and went out with him for an excursion. They don’t know when he will return.”

The council hall fell utterly silent.

Once he finished speaking, Jiang Cheng didn’t dare lift his eyes to his lord.

Xi Rong was quiet for a long moment before asking, “Do you know where they went?”

“They said to the Wang clan’s country estate.”

“The Wang clan?”

Xi Rong’s brows furrowed, almost imperceptibly.

“Yes. Besides the Prince of Jin, accompanying them were the Wang clan’s young master and several other scions of great houses.”

The Prince of Jin was related to the Wangs by marriage; it was no surprise that they should be together. The Prince of Jin was currently undergoing training with the Silver Dragon Cavalry, so it was not strange for the heir of Xiao Royal Residence to go on an outing with him either.

Nothing about it was strange, not a single thing.

Xi Rong rose to his feet at once and ordered that horses be prepared. He turned to Jiang Cheng and asked, “Do you know where the Wang clan’s country estate is?”

Jiang Cheng quickly nodded. “It’s just east of the city.”

Although Song Yang felt it was ill-advised, he didn’t dare stop him. Setting aside his feather fan, he said, “I’ll go with Your Highness.”

The three of them left the city together and after riding for roughly half an hour, they arrived outside the Wang clan’s estate.

Although the younger generation of the Wang clan was currently mediocre and their power greatly diminished, their ancestors had once been truly wealthy. As a result, the country estate on the outskirts of the capital occupied an enormous tract of land and was built with lavish opulence. Green trees shaded the grounds and birdsong lingered in the air.

At the moment, the estate gates were shut tight.

Song Yang reined in his horse, blocking Xi Rong’s way, and asked, “Has Your Highness decided what reason you’ll give for entering?”

“Just say I have business to discuss with the Prince of Jin.” Xi Rong directly ordered Jiang Cheng to knock.

Jiang Cheng obeyed, but soon returned, “Your Highness, the servants inside say that the heir of Xiao Royal Residence and the Prince of Jin’s party have already left for the nearby Hibiscus Garden to play polo. They won’t be back until evening, when they’ll return here for a banquet.”

Hibiscus Garden was a famous scenic spot in the capital, so Xi Rong naturally knew where it was. He didn’t even need Jiang Cheng to guide him. He simply wheeled his horse around and headed straight there.

It was the height of lotus blossom season and the garden was crowded with visitors. But behind a high slope lay a polo field built by a noble, open only to the capital’s elite. Word that Prince Xiao’s heir and the Prince of Jin were playing polo had drawn a number of onlookers to gather around the field.

Polo was immensely popular among the capital’s aristocracy. Xi Rong himself had once been a master of the sport and he had, of course, been to this very field, although that had been before he turned seventeen. After that age, he had never come there to play again.

In the army, however, he often played matches with the soldiers.

Partly for the pleasure of it, but more importantly because it was a good way to build rapport with officers and common soldiers alike. He was not a pampered crown prince; everything he did was calculated. He understood that to win men’s loyalty, aside from fair rewards and punishments, one had to be able to lower oneself and share in their joys.

Xi Rong rode to a stop on the high slope, looking down toward the field.

Dust was flying thick in the air. But the most striking sight, without question, was the youth dressed in silver-white riding gear.

The fitted sleeves and close-cut attire outlined his tall, straight frame perfectly. With a polo mallet in hand, the youth galloped across the field, weaving nimbly across the field. Now and then, he would lean low in the saddle, swing his mallet, and send the ball arcing in a perfect trajectory, drawing waves of cheers.

Jiang Cheng was utterly dumbfounded.

No matter how he tried, he could not reconcile the spirited, dazzling young heir with the languid youth on the mountain in Songzhou, the one who seemed boneless with idleness and whom he had believed incapable of riding at all.

He was more and more certain that that young gentleman could not possibly be the real heir of Xiao Royal Residence.

However, His Highness clearly still believed it without a shred of doubt, for his gaze never wavered from the figure on the field.

When the match ended, Xiao Rong left the field and went to rest beneath the pavilion canopy. His bodyguard, Mo Dong, immediately stepped forward to hand him a water flask.

Xiao Rong uncapped it and took two swallows before saying to Mo Dong, “Go tell the Prince of Jin that they can play the next match without me.”

Mo Dong nodded. “Are you tired, Young Prince?”

“I have no interest in winning or losing,” Xiao Rong replied. “Let them fight it out.” Then he glanced at Mo Dong. “Don’t repeat that.”

Mo Dong nodded awkwardly. He knew the heir often found him too stiff-minded and too slow to react. Still, his martial skills were beyond reproach and he could absolutely guarantee that no assassin would ever get close to the heir. Perhaps that was why, even though two years ago he had been outmaneuvered by the heir, failing to guard him and committing a grave mistake, the heir had still kept him in service.

Mo Dong waited until Xiao Rong had finished drinking before leaving the pavilion to deliver the message.

Xiao Rong then had his attendants close the pavilion curtains and changed back into his usual wide-sleeved robe.

Before long, Mo Dong returned, but this time, the Prince of Jin was with him.

The Prince of Jin, too, had changed into another set of riding attire. His fair face was slick with sweat as he said, “It’s just one more match to decide the winner. Is the heir truly not going to play?”

“It’s too hot,” Xiao Rong replied. “I’m a lazy man. I’ll sit this one out.”

The Prince of Jin naturally did not dare press him and could only nod. “Very well. Once I’ve finished the next match, I’ll come keep the heir company.”

After the Prince of Jin left, Xiao Rong rested in the pavilion for a moment before rising and stepping outside.

Mo Dong hurried to follow. “Where does the heir wish to go?” he asked.

“Just wander around a bit,” Xiao Rong said.

There was little to see around the polo grounds. Carrying a gilt-ribbed fan, Xiao Rong strolled idly until he came to a high slope. Below the slope lay a lotus pond in full bloom. Xiao Rong gazed at the vast sea of pink and white blossoms, momentarily lost in thought.

“Go fetch my water flask,” he said after standing there for a while.

Some distance away, other guards were keeping watch. Mo Dong nodded and headed back toward the pavilion.

Xiao Rong stood holding his fan, letting the breeze carry the lotus fragrance to him.

“Rong Rong.”

A low, slightly trembling voice suddenly came from behind him, off to one side.

The hand playing with the fan paused. Xiao Rong wondered if he was imagining things. But the voice was so clear and so real.

At last, he slowly turned.

Under a sky of soft blue, by the lotus pond, a figure in black entered his vision without warning.

Xiao Rong froze.

“Rong Rong,” Xi Rong called again. He stepped closer, eyes reddened, a faint smile on his lips. “It’s you, isn’t it?”

Xiao Rong found himself unable to speak, unable to make a sound. It felt as though he had fallen into an unreal dream.

Since leaving Songzhou, he had hardened his heart, forcing himself to forget everything about that place, including the Third Brother on the mountain there.

And yet, that Third Brother now seemed to have descended from the heavens, standing before his eyes.

How could this be?

For once, Xiao Rong’s mind was a blank. He stared at the tall, familiar figure approaching step by step, not knowing how to react.

Not far away, the guards of Xiao Royal Residence noticed what was happening. They exchanged glances and began walking over.

“Why is the heir standing here alone?” a voice spoke up at the same time.

A young gentleman in a brocade robe, accompanied by several attendants, had spotted Xiao Rong and was striding quickly up the slope.

It was Wang Hui, son of the Wang clan. Ever since seeing Xiao Rong at yesterday’s coming-of-age ceremony, he had been captivated, unable to get him out of his mind. Upon hearing that the Prince of Jin had invited the heir of Xiao Royal Residence for an outing today, Wang Hui had hurried to join them, even volunteering to arrange the banquet at the Wang clan’s estate on the Prince of Jin’s behalf.

Wang Hui then caught sight of Xi Rong standing at an angle across from Xiao Rong. His expression shifted almost imperceptibly before he broke into a look of guarded surprise. “Your Highness the Crown Prince?”

The title finally snapped Xiao Rong out of his daze. “Crown… Prince?” He stared at Xi Rong, instinctively repeating the words.

“That’s right,” Wang Hui said. “The heir has only just returned to the capital and perhaps you don’t yet recognize His Highness the Crown Prince. But, why would His Highness be here?” Wang Hui’s tone still carried undisguised wariness.

Xi Rong, however, had never once looked at anyone but Xiao Rong. He was silent for a moment before saying, “I happened to be here on an outing.”