Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 78

On a day like this, coaxing a fire to life was no easy task.

However, Xi Rong had always possessed an uncommon patience and tenacity for such things. With the help of the cave’s dry straw and after no fewer than seven or eight attempts, a small flame finally caught and grew into a fire.

After being drenched by two downpours, Xiao Rong was pale from the cold.

“Take off your outer robe,” Xi Rong said once the fire was steady.

Xiao Rong understood what he meant. “No need, it’s too much trouble. Sitting by the fire is enough.”

“It’s no trouble. Left on your body, it won’t dry properly and you’ll risk falling ill.”

Xiao Rong truly wasn’t feeling well. After a pause, he turned to face the cave wall, untied his sash, and slipped off the robe. When he turned back, he found Xi Rong’s gaze fixed unerringly on him. Xiao Rong glanced at the Crown Prince’s still intact robes and crown and asked, “Your Highness won’t dry yours as well?”

“I’ll see to it later.” He stepped forward, picked up the robe Xiao Rong had tossed onto the straw, and sat behind the fire, carefully spreading it out to dry.

Xiao Rong blinked, hurriedly protesting, “I can manage myself. How could I trouble Your Highness with such a thing?”

Expressionless, Xi Rong lifted the robe over his arm and held it to the flames. “It isn’t the first time I’ve done this for the Young Prince. Why the sudden courtesy?”

Xiao Rong: “…”

Without the weight of the damp outer robe, left only in a soaked but lighter inner layer, his body finally felt a bit less burdened. He shuffled closer, slower than usual, and said softly, “That’s not what I meant. You are the Crown Prince, precious beyond compare. I can’t bear to see you lower yourself to such chores.”

Xi Rong’s lashes lowered, cold eyes reflecting the firelight. “I am a powerless, despised crown prince with an infamous name. What’s ‘precious’ there? The true child of noble worth is the Young Prince, not I.” He added flatly, “Best keep your distance, lest this ‘Demon Yaksha’ taint the Young Prince with his killing aura.”

“……”

Xiao Rong wisely held his tongue. He was beginning to understand the rhythm of getting along with Xi Rong. For all his domineering ways, Xi Rong was strangely tolerant when Xiao Rong acted spoiled or unreasonable. But the moment he tried being polite, Xi Rong would grow sharp and cutting.

Perhaps because back in Songzhou’s mountains, he truly had been spoiled, always pretending exhaustion just to trick Xi Rong into carrying him, even when he had the strength to walk.

Now that he’d grasped the pattern, Xiao Rong stopped worrying about false courtesies. After all, following rules had never been in his nature.

He circled to the other side of the fire, sat cross-legged, and lifted his sleeves to dry his inner robe himself.

The thin layer dried more easily than the heavy outer robe.

However, Xiao Rong had no patience for such tedious work. After a few half-hearted moments, he rested his chin in his hand and simply watched Xi Rong through the wavering flames.

Xi Rong sat with furrowed brows, one leg drawn up, patient and meticulous. When one side of the robe was dry, he turned it over to dry the other.

The cave was hushed, save for the patter of rain and the crackle of steam hissing from wet wood. The warmth lulled Xiao Rong to sleep. By the time a crack of thunder woke him, a dry robe had been draped over him and Xi Rong was still at work.

This time, not with robes, but with fruit.

Five or six bright berries were skewered on a branch, their skins blistering and curling gold beneath the fire. The air was filled with a rich, sweet-tart fragrance.

“Try it,” Xi Rong said, passing the roasted fruit across the flames.

Xiao Rong accepted without protest. He blew gently, took a bite, and his eyes curved in delight. “Sweet and tangy like fresh jam. Delicious.”

Xi Rong gave no answer. He simply took up another branch, shaved clean by his sword, and strung on a second round of fruit. The fire licked at their skins with a sizzle.

Almost at the same time, the heavy drumming of hooves broke through the rain, trampling the mud, tearing the stillness outside the cave.

Xi Rong’s hand, turning the skewer, stilled.

Xiao Rong was just biting into his second piece of fruit when he heard the commotion. He paused, slowly set the skewer aside, looked across at Xi Rong, and smiled faintly. “It seems someone’s finally found us.”

“Mm,” Xi Rong answered with a light, detached sound.

Glancing at the half-eaten fruit skewer in his hand, Xiao Rong said, “What a pity Your Highness went to all that trouble roasting these for me.”

“It’s nothing. I was idle anyway. Hardly worth mentioning.” Xi Rong tossed the half-roasted wild fruits onto the clearing and stood first. “Let’s tidy up.”

Xiao Rong nodded. Somewhat reluctant, he put down the fruit, donned his outer robe, and picked up his bow and sword before stepping out of the cave with Xi Rong.

“Young Prince!”

“Your Highness!”

The shouts rang out together.

Jiang Cheng and Mo Dong almost simultaneously leapt off their horses and hurried over. Both men were spattered in mud, clearly having struggled long to find their way there. Behind them, a troop of white-clad riders thundered up, led by none other than Mo Qing.

“Young Prince, are you unharmed?” Mo Qing reined his horse at the cave mouth.

Xiao Rong nodded. “I’m fine. Luckily, His Highness the Crown Prince arrived in time to help me subdue that villain surnamed Cui.”

Mo Qing, of course, had already noticed Xi Rong.

To be frank, when he first heard the Crown Prince himself had entered the mountains to aid in the search for the Young Prince, he had been more than surprised. The Eastern Palace had never had dealings with the Xiao Royal Residence. If anything, it stood opposed to the noble clans of the capital. Between the Young Prince and the Crown Prince, there was even a past grievance. And yet, at such a perilous moment, whatever motives or thoughts the other side harbored, gratitude was due.

Mo Qing dismounted, bowed formally, and said, “My deepest thanks to Your Highness for your aid today.”

“General Mo overstates it.” Xi Rong’s tone was as calm as ever. “The Young Prince is astute and capable. Even without me, he would have had his own strategy. I merely happened to be nearby and lent a small hand.”

Such humility was even more unexpected.

Mo Qing’s gaze then fell on Cui Cheng, lying unconscious in the thorns with three arrows in him. He had already been briefed on the incident. After a moment’s thought, he motioned two men to check.

“General, he’s still breathing,” one quickly reported.

Mo Qing nodded. “Bring him back as well.” He then turned to Xiao Rong. “His Highness Prince Xiao is waiting outside the hunting grounds. Young Prince, please come with me. As for matters here, Mo Dong can handle them.”

Xiao Rong had no objection. He glanced sideways at Xi Rong. “Will Your Highness accompany us?”

The rain pattered softly between them.

Xi Rong kept his eyes forward. “I still have some matters to deal with. Young Prince, go on ahead.”

With that, Xiao Rong could hardly press further. Donning a raincloak handed over by his guards, he started out.

Since Xiao Rong’s own horse had been injured and could no longer carry a rider, Mo Qing had another, more docile steed brought over.

Xiao Rong fastened his sword back at his waist, mounted, and, seeing Xi Rong still standing where he was, said, “The mountain roads are treacherous. It would be best for Your Highness to head back soon as well.”

Xi Rong gave a quiet “Mm.”

There was nothing more to add.

Xiao Rong withdrew his gaze and rode off with Mo Qing.

Only when the sound of hoofbeats had faded did Xi Rong lift his eyes, looking toward the muddy mountain path that stretched away.

Once past the ravine, Xiao Rong saw what lay ahead. White-clad riders and countless torchlights were crisscrossing in every direction of the hunting grounds.

Mo Qing said, “Upon hearing the news, the Prince specially ordered troops from the northern garrison to be dispatched, sparing no effort to search for you.”

The deputy general who had been separated from Xiao Rong soon arrived with his men. Overcome, the officer dropped to his knees. “It’s truly a blessing for the Young Prince to be safe and sound. After we were separated, this subordinate has been searching without pause. But the rain was too heavy and many paths washed away, so I lost my bearings. My sin is unforgivable.”

Xiao Rong helped him up. “The fault is mine. I was too intent on using the terrain to kill those curs and failed to reach our rendezvous on time. You need not blame yourself.” He then said to Mo Qing, “Let’s hurry back, lest Father grows anxious.”

Before setting out again, Xiao Rong turned to look back. The cave and Xi Rong were already swallowed up by forest and mountain, completely hidden from view.

***

The rain had not stopped, but now it was no more than a fine drizzle.

Along the way, Silver Dragon Cavalry could be seen everywhere.

Dusk had already fallen. Within the hunting grounds, torchlight burned in dense ranks. Outside, lanterns blazed and silhouettes swarmed through the night.

As Xiao Rong emerged from the forest, he immediately saw a tall, elegant figure in silver robes standing at the front with hands clasped behind his back. It was Prince Xiao. Behind him stood the Prince of Jin, the Prince of Wei, and several court officials. Wang Yanshou was also present, flanked by his two sons, Wang Yang and Wang Hui.

Clearly, word of the day’s events had already spread throughout the hunting grounds.

“Young Prince!”

The Prince of Jin was the first to stride forward, joy written plainly across his face. “It’s the greatest relief that you are safe! This entire afternoon, I have been in torment with worry. If not for the fear of getting in the way, I would have followed General Mo into the mountains myself to search for you.”

Xiao Rong dismounted, shed his raincloak, and asked, “Your Highness did not encounter danger along the way, I hope?”

“None.” The Prince of Jin shook his head. “You left me both Captain Mo and the majority of Prince Xiao’s men; they protected me with utmost diligence.” As he spoke, the Prince of Jin cast a glance behind him. “I also heard that the Crown Prince joined in searching for you. Why do I not see His Highness here?”

Xiao Rong replied evenly, “His Highness had other matters to attend to and did not come with us.”

Understanding dawned on the Prince of Jin’s face.

In the crowd, Wang Yanshou quietly let out a sigh of relief. So, the Crown Prince had not played much of a role after all. Otherwise, how could he possibly have stayed away from a chance to claim merit?

When first hearing that the Crown Prince had uncharacteristically lent aid, Wang Yanshou had been deeply wary and had given his sons a harsh tongue-lashing. “At such a critical moment, how could you abandon the Young Prince to save yourselves? You should have remained in the hunting grounds, advancing and retreating with him! If the Crown Prince seizes the credit, how will Prince Xiao view our Wang clan then?”

Wang Yang had muttered in protest, “But it was the Young Prince himself who ordered us to escort the Prince of Jin away first.”

“Fool! Just because he told you to leave, you obey? The Young Prince had already assigned his own guards and Xiao Royal Residence men to protect the Prince of Jin, so what need was there for you? Those were but words of courtesy and you took them in earnest!”

His fury had been boundless.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince had not appeared along with the Young Prince. It seemed the rumor that he had found the Young Prince first was nothing more than a fabrication.

At that moment, Zhang Fu arrived in haste, a horsetail whisk in hand and two eunuchs trailing him. He saluted Prince Xiao. “His Majesty has been anxious over the Young Prince’s safety and bade this servant come at once to see to his condition.”

Prince Xiao said, “Go back and tell His Majesty all is well. His Majesty may set His mind at ease.”

Zhang Fu acknowledged the order and then exchanged a few warm words with Xiao Rong before taking his leave.

Later, Xiao Rong returned to the Clear Stream Hall to change into clean robes and then went directly to the Resplendence Hall, where Prince Xiao resided.

Prince Xiao sat in the main seat, a teacup in hand, while Mo Qing gave his report. Two deputy generals knelt on the ground before them.

Xiao Rong entered quietly, bowed, and took his place at the lower seat, listening as Mo Qing spoke.

“According to Your Highness’s command, I had Cui Cheng handed over at once to Cui Daohuan. It is said that Cui Daohuan personally bore Cui Cheng on a stretcher to the Sweet Spring Hall, to beg His Majesty’s pardon and request that His Majesty impose the heaviest punishment for his son’s negligence.”

“Negligence?” One of the kneeling deputies gave a cold laugh. “That Cui Daohuan is skillful at shifting blame to save face. Those vicious hounds were all raised by Cui Cheng. Without his orders, how could they suddenly go mad and attack, striking directly at the Young Prince and the Prince of Jin, no less? And when Cui Cheng discovered the Young Prince’s whereabouts, he even attempted to harm him. I would like to hear Cui Daohuan’s explanation for that.”

Mo Qing replied, “Cui Daohuan, of course, had his story prepared. He claims Cui Cheng acted to save the Young Prince and that he specifically ordered two Imperial Guards to subdue the three hounds that tried to attack.”

Prince Xiao listened in silence, offering no comment. Instead, he turned his gaze to Xiao Rong. “And what do you think?”

Facing the main seat, Xiao Rong spoke with measured gravity, “Father, I believe one must strike at the serpent’s seven inches. At present, neither I nor the Prince of Jin suffered real harm. To prove Cui Cheng deliberately incited those hounds to attack would be exceedingly difficult. With Cui Daohuan’s cunning, if he dares to plead guilty, he has surely already destroyed all witnesses and evidence. Cui Cheng’s tyranny and cruelty are well known; the only reason Cui Daohuan ever shielded and indulged him is that Cui Cheng’s martial strength allowed him to command the Imperial Guards. Since Cui Daohuan himself wishes to label this as mere negligence, why not grant him that and make an issue of it?

“Whether or not Cui Cheng ordered them, those hounds belong to him. That much is indisputable. What’s more, I have heard he did not feed them at his own expense, but under the guise of ‘training patrol dogs for the Imperial Guards,’ he used military funds to do so. Each day, they were fed prime snowflake beef, meat too costly for ordinary people even to taste. Over the past few years, with Cui Daohuan controlling the Ministry of Revenue, the Imperial Guard’s funding has swelled beyond reason. Such an extravagant waste of state coffers, producing nothing but savage beasts that cannot be controlled and even endanger the Prince of Jin, that is Cui Cheng’s true crime. And it directly proves that the allocations Cui Daohuan grants the Imperial Guards are grossly inflated and unjustified.”

Mo Qing smiled and nodded. “An excellent move, Young Prince. To Cui Daohuan, the Imperial Guards are his lifeblood. Kill one Cui Cheng and he can always raise another, but strike at the Imperial Guards themselves and it will cut him to the bone.”

Prince Xiao set down his teacup. “Then let it be so.”

Just then, bodyguard Mo Chun announced from outside, “Your Highness, the Prince of Jin has arrived.”

Mo Qing withdrew with the two deputy generals.

Soon, the Prince of Jin entered, accompanied by Wang Yanshou.

“What brings Your Highness here so late?” Prince Xiao rose with a smile to greet him.

However, the Prince of Jin at once spread his robe and fell to his knees, his expression full of shame. “I have come to formally confess my guilt before His Highness and the Young Prince. Today, in order to save me, the Young Prince nearly came to grave harm. In my moment of panic, I heeded the words of a treacherous servant and fled alone. The more I reflect on it, the deeper my remorse grows. I have failed His Highness’s trust. I have already dealt with that servant most severely and now come to beg forgiveness.”

Prince Xiao immediately moved to raise him up. “Your Highness speaks too heavily. You are sovereign; Xiao Rong is but a subject. No matter the hour, he ought to shield Your Highness with his life. Had he not sent you away first today, it would be he who deserved censure.”

At this, Xiao Rong too rose and said, “Please rise, Your Highness. I dare not accept your words of guilt.”

Wang Yanshou, who had been kneeling behind, stepped forward together with Xiao Rong to help the Prince of Jin to his feet.