Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 91

Wu Zhiyin knelt trembling on the floor, hardly daring to breathe.

He could never have imagined that after all these years of effort, never once even getting close to the gates of Xiao Royal Residence, one day he would be personally summoned by that very prince. Even as he was led into the Hall of Splendor, Wu Zhiyin felt as if he were walking in a dream, unable to believe what he was seeing.

The Jade Dragon Terrace, the seat of the Xiao clan, how many people had dreamed of setting foot there? Wu Zhiyin was no exception.

Years ago, when he had been expelled from the terrace, he had only stood at the foot of the long stairs, gazing up at the lofty pavilions above, never once stepping inside.

However, today, he had truly ascended the Jade Dragon Terrace.

Only, from the very moment he entered the Hall of Splendor, the excitement and awe flooding his heart were soon replaced by a far heavier dread.

Not long ago, Yan Hemei, lifted by the patronage of the Cui clan, had gone to the capital to present rare fish to the Emperor. The event caused quite a stir in Songzhou’s official circles and everyone knew what it meant: the next prefect of Songzhou would surely be Yan Hemei.

Wu Zhiyin, after some envy and bitterness, had accepted reality and prepared to pack up and leave.

Yet only a few days later, an unbelievable rumor spread: during the imperial summer hunt, Yan Hemei had offended Prince Xiao and was beaten on the spot, both legs broken, his life hanging by a thread.

Yan Hemei was a fifth-rank Deputy Prefect, not a high office but far above the rank of petty bureaucrats. For someone with the Cui clan backing him to end up like that after a single trip to the capital, it was shocking beyond words.

It also showed just how much power Prince Xiao truly wielded.

When Wu Zhiyin heard the news, he immediately sent men to the capital to investigate. But before they could even return, a squad of Silver Dragon Cavalry arrived at his estate, delivering a summons from Prince Xiao himself, commanding him to come to the capital at once.

He was ordered onto horseback and rode day and night without rest.

All along the journey, Wu Zhiyin could only wonder the reason why Prince Xiao, of all people, would deign to summon him. Was it to hold him accountable for Yan Hemei’s affairs? Or perhaps to employ him? The latter, truthfully, even Wu Zhiyin did not dare believe.

By the time he stepped into the Hall of Splendor, his confusion and fear had reached their peak.

“Your servant greets Your Highness!” Wu Zhiyin knocked his head heavily to the ground, his voice shaking despite himself.

The hall was dimly lit. He did not dare raise his head. He could only glimpse a figure in deep violet robes, standing with hands clasped behind his back amidst the flickering candlelight. An invisible authority radiated from him, pressing down so heavily that Wu Zhiyin could barely breathe.

“Wu Zhiyin,” came a voice. It was Mo Qing, the Silver Dragon Cavalry general, who had led him in. “Half a year ago, at the Golden Lantern Pavilion gathering in Songzhou, you were present, were you not?”

“Yes… Yes, this humble servant was present,” Wu Zhiyin stammered, his heart pounding like thunder.

“It is said that during that gathering, someone impersonated the Thirteenth Protector of Prince Yan and swindled the Golden Lantern Pavilion’s treasures. Is this true?”

Wu Zhiyin froze in surprise. He never would have guessed that Prince Xiao had called him here to ask this question. “Yes, yes, that is true,” he hurried to answer. “That day, I went intending to select a treasure to present as a birthday gift to Your Highness,” Wu Zhiyin explained cautiously, “but when I arrived, I learned that the Thirteenth Protector of Prince Yan had already taken interest in the same item…”

He proceeded to describe the events in detail, including how Gongsun Yu and the real Jing Xi suddenly appeared and exposed the impostor.

“The scene was utter chaos, Your Highness. And strangest of all, the Thirteenth Protector Jing Xi insisted that the man was an impostor, while Gongsun Yu claimed that the impostor was in fact to be taken into Prince Yan’s service as the Fourteenth Protector, and that the Prince himself would deal with him. To ensure the man could be taken away smoothly, they even forced Yan Hemei to hand over the Ice Soul treasure to that impostor. This humble servant failed to secure it and could not present it to Your Highness…”

Mo Qing fell silent, his heart faintly sinking.

For Wu Zhiyin’s account confirmed nearly everything Yan Hemei had previously said, even filling in missing details.

“How strange,” Mo Qing said at last. “You mentioned the impostor was merely a young man with no martial skill at all and none of you thought to question his identity?”

Wu Zhiyin replied at once, “That young man wore the Thirteenth Protector’s feather pendant and even had a fake Gongsun Yu by his side. He fooled not only Yan Hemei but also the Cui clan’s people. His audacity and his skill at deception were truly extraordinary.”

“You mean to say he had companions?”

A cold, deep voice suddenly cut through the air.

It was Prince Xiao, who had been silent until now.

Facing the Prince’s back, Wu Zhiyin bent even lower and answered with utmost respect, “Yes, there were three or four others with him, especially the one who impersonated Gongsun Yu. That man was very tall, which is why this humble official remembers him so clearly.”

The room fell silent.

Mo Qing almost gasped. “You know who the others were?”

Wu Zhiyin shook his head. “No, sir. The tall one wore a mask and I couldn’t see his face clearly. But… but—”

“But what?”

“But this humble official had heard a rumor beforehand, that the young man, no, that young fraud, had already impersonated the Thirteenth Protector once before.”

Mo Qing was taken aback. “Not the first time?”

“Yes. Before the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering, Yan Hemei led the Songzhou gentry, mustering over ten thousand troops to exterminate a band of mountain bandits. But I heard that just as the troops neared the bandits’ hideout, they were stopped by none other than the Thirteenth Protector of Prince Yan, who happened to be traveling in the mountains. Yan Hemei didn’t dare offend Prince Yan, so he withdrew his men. Afterward, he even sent envoys up the mountain several times to befriend that Thirteenth Protector. The reason the fake Thirteenth Protector went to the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering was that he had received an invitation from Yan Hemei himself. So, this humble official dares to guess that those who accompanied the young man were most likely the very mountain bandits Yan Hemei once tried to suppress.”

Mo Qing was beyond shocked.

He had heard of that strange and illogical bandit suppression campaign in Songzhou but never had he imagined that the heir himself had been involved.

The heir to Prince Xiao, mixing with bandits in Songzhou, and even joining them in a scheme to swindle treasures at the Golden Lantern Pavilion?

After the summer hunt, Prince Xiao had secretly ordered Mo Qing to investigate the heir’s activities in Songzhou; in particular, why he had impersonated the Thirteenth Protector.

It had been a nearly impossible task.

First, Songzhou was under the tight control of the Cui clan, making it difficult for the Silver Dragon Cavalry to intervene. Second, the heir had been living in seclusion in the mountains, without a fixed residence. There was no clear trail to follow. In the end, Mo Qing decided the only viable lead was the Golden Lantern Pavilion.

After reviewing the list of attendees from that night, he had focused his attention on the Prefect of Songzhou, Wu Zhiyin, who was known to have conflicts with Yan Hemei and to be excluded from the Cui clan’s inner circle.

Mo Qing had not expected Wu Zhiyin’s testimony to reveal so much more than he had anticipated. He immediately asked, “And that bandit, who was he? Where is he now?”

“This…” Cold sweat trickled down Wu Zhiyin’s temples. “This humble official truly doesn’t know. But… I once secretly obtained one of the wanted posters that Yan Hemei had issued for the bandit… and that portrait… that portrait…”

“What about the portrait?”

“The portrait—” Wu Zhiyin clenched his teeth, steeling himself for the risk. “The portrait bore a seven—no, eight or nine parts resemblance to the Crown Prince!”

Mo Qing’s face drained of color.

The Hall of Splendor went deathly silent.

Wu Zhiyin had chosen to reveal this now, clearly determined to destroy any remaining chance of Yan Hemei’s recovery.

However, once those words left his mouth, a secret that could shake the empire, even Wu Zhiyin could barely stay upright. His heart pounded wildly; his knees threatened to give way beneath him.

Mo Qing fixed him with a sharp gaze. “This is no small accusation. Are you certain?”

Wu Zhiyin nodded furiously, like a pecking chicken. “The portrait is still in my study, General. If you doubt me, you may send men to search it yourself. I was once granted an audience with His Highness the Crown Prince and I’ve seen his face with my own eyes. I could not be mistaken. Moreover, when His Highness left Songzhou, he suddenly and without warning raided several noble households, all of whom, as far as I know, had participated in that same bandit campaign.”

Mo Qing’s eyes narrowed. “And as prefect of Songzhou, why did you never report this?”

“An attempted assassination of the heir is no trivial matter,” Wu Zhiyin stammered, shaking violently. “And I had no proof beyond that portrait. With Yan Hemei backed by the Cui clan, he ruled Songzhou like a tyrant and never took me seriously. This humble official… truly did not dare.” Cold sweat poured down his back as he trembled, barely able to speak.

Mo Qing was struck speechless once again.

If what Wu Zhiyin said was true, it meant that the heir and the Crown Prince had already known each other back in Songzhou, and more than just as casual acquaintances. Yet after returning to the capital, the heir had never mentioned it, not even once.

Many things that had puzzled Mo Qing before suddenly fell into place.

For instance, that day in the imperial hunting grounds, when the heir was attacked by vicious hounds, why had the Crown Prince, who had no dealings whatsoever with Xiao Royal Residence, been the first to step forward and rush to his aid?

Mo Qing had personally led the search for the heir’s whereabouts. The place where he was found was a secluded ravine, its path blocked by a mudslide. It had taken Mo Qing quite some time to reach it himself.

For the Crown Prince to have found the heir first must have taken even greater effort.

And he hadn’t even brought a single palace guard with him, venturing alone into danger to find someone. Mo Qing had thought, at the time, that the Crown Prince’s eagerness seemed a bit excessive.

However, if the heir and the Crown Prince had already known each other…

It was like a great riddle of heaven and earth, its shocking answer revealed in an instant. Even someone as steady as Mo Qing felt thunder explode in his ears.

“Your Highness, the heir has arrived.”

Wu Zhiyin, still kneeling on the ground with clammy palms, thought he might faint when he heard that old, deliberate voice speak.

The heir.

At that title, alarm bells went off in Wu Zhiyin’s head. He instinctively hunched his shoulders.

Years ago, he had pulled countless strings to win a rare chance to present a congratulatory memorial in person to Prince Xiao. Yet before he even reached the Jade Dragon Terrace, that arrogant young heir had mocked him to his face and, in front of a crowd of officials, expelled him from the premises.

That youth had declared that day he was never to set foot on the Jade Dragon Terrace again.

Although years had passed and the other might not remember him, if he did recognize him, Wu Zhiyin would be finished.

“Father.”

Someone entered soon after.

A cool, clear young voice sounded near Wu Zhiyin’s ear.

The voice… it was faintly familiar.

But how could it be?

Wu Zhiyin lifted his head involuntarily. The moment he saw the young man’s face, silver-robed and crowned, graceful as a bamboo in frost, he froze with eyes wide, petrified on the spot.

Xiao Rong turned his head slightly to look at him. “Lord Wu, that look in your eyes, do you recognize me?”

The fate of Yan Hemei was still fresh in everyone’s memory. Wu Zhiyin shivered for the second time and immediately bowed his head in terror. “This humble one wouldn’t dare! This humble one truly wouldn’t dare!”

Recalling all that had happened at the Golden Lantern Pavilion Gathering, Wu Zhiyin felt tears threatening to spill.

Prince Xiao waved a hand.

Mo Qing understood, bowed, and led the nearly fainting Wu Zhiyin out.

Only father and son remained in the Hall of Splendor.

Prince Xiao regarded Xiao Rong calmly. He asked, “If I hadn’t looked into it myself, how long did you intend to keep this from me?”

Xiao Rong replied, with little deference, “This is my private matter. I have the right to tell no one.”

“Very well,” said Prince Xiao evenly. “Then tell me this: how close is your relationship with the Crown Prince? When you went to the Ministry of War to fetch that approval for him, was it out of friendship, or to repay his supposed favor at the hunt?”

Prince Xiao’s tone remained mild, giving no hint of anger or warmth.

Xiao Rong’s expression did not change. “Naturally, it was to repay his kindness. We are merely ordinary friends.”

“Ordinary friends?” Prince Xiao finally let out a cold laugh. “Come with me to the training grounds.”

The practice field was within the Xiao Royal Residence.

When Xiao Rong followed him there, Mo Chun was already waiting.

The ground was brightly lit; a row of targets stood silently in place.

Prince Xiao sat down on a nearby chair and ordered, “Give him the bow.”

Mo Chun obeyed, presenting the prepared bow and arrows to Xiao Rong.

Prince Xiao pointed toward the center target. “Show me,” he said evenly, “just how skilled your archery has become.”

Xiao Rong lifted his head.

Hanging at the center target was a suit of soft armor woven from gold thread.