Accidentally Having a Baby with the Future Emperor - Chapter 98

The Virtuous Ward, located west of the Western Market, was a well-known gathering place for scholars and men of letters in the capital. Although it lacked the opulent estates that crowded the noble districts to the east, its proximity to the bustling market made it a desirable area, frequented by wealthy merchants and intellectuals alike. Buying a residence there was no simple matter and most scholars rented modest homes instead.

At present, Ji Ziqing and Zhang Jiuyi lived in an old, disused academy within the Virtuous Ward. The buildings were simple and timeworn, but the rent was cheap, and many of their neighbors were poor scholars like themselves, young men trying to make a living in the capital.

“Ziqing! Ziqing! Someone’s asking for you outside!”

Ji Ziqing had just finished breakfast and was about to leave when a fellow scholar from the next room called out.

He paused, slightly surprised. Since arriving in the capital, he had kept a low profile. Aside from occasionally attending gatherings of people from his hometown, he knew almost no one here. Who could possibly be looking for him? Even his acquaintances didn’t know exactly where he lived.

Zhang Jiuyi, still lazing in bed, poked his head out from under the blanket and squinted sleepily. “So early in the morning? Who’d be coming for you?”

Ji Ziqing shook his head. “I have no idea. I’ll go take a look.”

“I’m coming too!” Zhang Jiuyi scrambled up, hastily threw on some clothes, and hurried after him.

When they stepped out of the academy, they saw two figures waiting at the foot of the stone steps outside the gate. The first was a young gentleman in a dark traveling hat, standing at ease with a horse by his side. Behind him stood a cold-faced guard, sword in hand.

“You are…?”

Zhang Jiuyi widened his eyes in surprise. The guard’s aura alone made him seem dangerous to approach.

“It’s me.” The young man in front lifted the brim of his dark hat, revealing a face so strikingly fine it could only belong to one person.

Both Ji Ziqing and Zhang Jiuyi froze in astonishment and hurried to bow, but Xiao Rong raised a hand to stop them. “Would it be convenient to speak inside?”

“Of course, of course. Please come in, Young Prince!” Zhang Jiuyi said quickly.

Boiling water was poured into porcelain cups, unfurling the tea leaves into a vivid jade green. Ji Ziqing brought the freshly steeped tea to the table, his expression a mix of confusion and curiosity as he looked at the young heir seated across from him.

“May I ask what brings the Young Prince here today?” he said respectfully. This was not the mountain of Songzhou anymore. The youth before him was a nobleman of high birth and Ji Ziqing dared not be careless.

Standing beside him, Zhang Jiuyi was more lively and direct. “Has the Young Prince had breakfast yet? Shall I fetch some pastries?”

Xiao Rong shook his head, motioning for both men to sit. “I’m actually here today on behalf of His Highness the Crown Prince.”

The two exchanged startled glances.

Xiao Rong smiled faintly, eyes curving. “His Highness told me everything. You two have been secretly working for the Eastern Palace all this time, haven’t you?”

It was, of course, a tightly kept secret. Under ordinary circumstances, Ji Ziqing would have been instantly suspicious. But the one speaking was Xiao Rong, the same heir who had been close to the Crown Prince during the Songzhou affair.

Still, until now, Crown Prince Xi Rong had always sent a guard named Jiang Cheng to contact them, at places of his own choosing…

While Ji Ziqing was still hesitating, Xiao Rong continued, “There’s been new progress in the investigation of His Majesty’s attempted assassination. You must have heard some of it already. At present, the Crown Prince is being closely watched and cannot contact you freely, so he sent me in his stead.”

Ji Ziqing had indeed heard the rumors and he knew the Crown Prince had been implicated as a suspect. Hearing this, much of his doubt melted away. But the matter was far too grave and with the Xiao clan now openly supporting the Prince of Jin, Ji Ziqing still refrained from speaking first.

Xiao Rong took a leisurely sip of tea. “His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to inquire how your investigation into the affair between Yan Hemei and the Cui clan is going? Yan Hemei’s legs are crippled. In the Cui clan’s eyes, he’s now a discarded pawn. But with his temperament, he’d never accept being cast aside so easily. He must have prepared some kind of safeguard for himself… if I’m not mistaken, it should involve Yan Maocai, shouldn’t it?”

Ji Ziqing’s heart gave a sharp jolt. After exchanging a glance with Zhang Jiuyi, he finally nodded. “The Young Prince’s guess is correct. Yan Hemei did leave something with Yan Maocai, hoping it might buy the man a way out.”

“What did he leave?” Xiao Rong asked.

“A ledger and a sealed letter,” Ji Ziqing replied.

Xiao Rong tapped a finger lightly on the table, then smiled, an expression of quiet understanding crossing his face. “The ledger records transactions between the Cui clan and the powerful families of Songzhou Prefecture, and the letter is Yan Hemei’s secret confession that the Cui clan ordered him to assassinate the Crown Prince. Am I right?”

Ji Ziqing was taken aback by how perceptive the young heir was. “That’s right.”

Xiao Rong nodded slightly. “And have you obtained them yet?”

Zhang Jiuyi answered first, his tone quick with excitement. “Not yet, but tonight, Yan Maocai will attend a banquet. It’s the perfect chance to steal the ledger. We were planning to seek His Highness’s approval to act.”

“You two attempting that would be far too risky,” Xiao Rong said evenly. “First, neither of you knows martial arts. Second, if the theft is discovered, Yan Maocai will immediately suspect you.” He paused briefly and then added, “Here’s what we’ll do instead. Tell me the location. I’ll send my own men. Once the items are secured, I’ll deliver them directly to the Crown Prince myself. You two simply attend the banquet as usual.”

Zhang Jiuyi, who had been secretly dreading the night’s operation, lit up with relief. “If the Young Prince is willing to help, that would be perfect!”

However, Ji Ziqing still felt something was amiss. “Wouldn’t that be improper? Yan Maocai’s residence is heavily guarded. If something goes wrong, you might be in danger, Young Prince. Perhaps I should seek the Crown Prince’s permission again…”

“There’s no need,” Xiao Rong interrupted. “I have more than enough men to handle this. The Crown Prince is under close scrutiny right now. If anyone from the Eastern Palace is caught, his situation will only worsen. It’s settled. You two need not interfere.”

There was no better alternative. After a moment of hesitation, Ji Ziqing finally nodded. “Then we must trouble you, Young Prince.” He rose and gave a solemn bow.

***

The moon was hidden and the wind swept through the night; shadows of trees swayed silently against the inky darkness.

That very night, Xiao Rong arrived outside Yan Maocai’s residence in the Tranquil Prosper Ward, accompanied by Mo Dong.

Xiao Rong was again dressed in a dark traveling cloak, the sheer black veil falling to his knees, his form almost melting into the night.

Mo Dong wore a fitted suit of black night gear. “Young Prince, please wait here. Give me half an hour at most and I’ll return,” Mo Dong said, bowing before turning to go.

“Wait.” Xiao Rong’s voice suddenly cut through the stillness.

Mo Dong turned back to look at the young heir standing amid the restless shadows of the trees.

Xiao Rong stepped forward and reached out a pale hand from beneath his dark veil. Between his fingers was a small black pill. “Swallow this.”

The black gauze hid Xiao Rong’s expression and Mo Dong could only hear the coldness in his master’s voice.

Without hesitation, Mo Dong accepted the pill and swallowed it whole.

“You’re not going to ask what that was?” The cold voice sounded again.

“It is the rule of the shadow guards. This subordinate understands,” Mo Dong replied calmly.
“Young Prince can rest assured. I will not run off with what I take.”

“Go, then.” Xiao Rong turned away.

The Yan residence in the capital was located in the Tranquil Prosper Ward. The estate wasn’t large, but its security was indeed tight, not only with Yan family servants, but also guards sent by the Cui clan to protect Yan Hemei and his son.

Mo Dong crouched on the wall, waited for the patrolling servants to pass, then vaulted over like a shadow slipping into darkness.

About half an hour later, he returned just as promised.

“How did it go?” Xiao Rong, who had not moved from his place, immediately turned to ask.

Mo Dong nodded and drew a long wooden case from his chest. “I got it. But inside, there’s only half of the ledger. I searched every secret room and there’s no sign of the other half. Nor did I find the sealed letter Young Prince’s friends mentioned.”

Xiao Rong frowned slightly. After a pause, he said, “Let’s go back.”

They had gone only a few steps when he suddenly stopped, glanced back at Mo Dong, and asked in a low, cold voice, “Are you hurt?”

Mo Dong smiled faintly. “Young Prince’s friends gave me an accurate route. I’m uninjured.”

Xiao Rong gave a brief ‘mm,’ said nothing more, and continued forward.

When they returned to the residence behind Vermillion Bird Avenue, Xiao Rong sat at his desk. Only after Mo Dong lit the oil lamp did he open the case. Its surface was painted with a pine-and-plum design in gold powder. Inside indeed lay only half a ledger.

He flipped through it. The entries clearly detailed the acres of land seized by the powerful families of Songzhou Prefecture and their monetary dealings with the Cui clan. But because only half remained, the records ended abruptly midway.

“Could it be that the Young Prince’s friends were mistaken? I swear I left nothing unchecked,” Mo Dong ventured, watching his expression.

Xiao Rong did not doubt the skill of the Xiao clan’s shadow guards. After a moment’s thought, he closed the ledger and gave a soft, disdainful snort. “Cunning old fox.”

“Who does Young Prince mean?”

“Yan Hemei.” Xiao Rong drew the lamp closer, studying the torn edge of the book. “The binding thread is half-white, half-aged. The torn paper shows no curling or yellowing; the fibers on the back are smooth, untouched. This ledger was clearly torn apart only recently. Originally, it must have been a complete volume.”

Mo Dong blinked. “You mean he knew someone would come to steal it, so he tore away half on purpose? But if that’s so, why not move the whole thing elsewhere?”

Xiao Rong’s lips curved faintly. “If he did that, how could he bargain with whoever came to steal it?

“Yan Hemei must have already discovered that Ji Ziqing and Zhang Jiuyi were working for the Eastern Palace. So he deliberately let something slip, just enough for them to find hints of the ledger and the secret letter. Once the Crown Prince heard and sent people to retrieve the evidence, they’d only get half. To obtain the rest, the Eastern Palace would have to negotiate with him.

“He’s on the verge of being discarded by the Cui clan. To secure himself a way out, naturally, he’d seek a new patron opposed to them and the Eastern Palace is the perfect choice.”

Mo Dong hesitated, gauging his master’s tone. “Then, shall I deliver this half to the Crown Prince?”

Xiao Rong lifted his gaze, eyes glinting under the lamplight. “Who said I was giving it to the Crown Prince?”

Mo Dong: “…?”

So the young heir had only used the Crown Prince’s name to deceive the prince’s own informants and easily trick the location of the ledger out of them?!

Mo Dong finally voiced his concern. “If the Crown Prince finds out that Young Prince took the account books, he’ll never let it go.”

Xiao Rong smiled faintly, a trace of cunning glinting in his eyes. “That’s exactly what I want; for him not to let it go.”

His voice was too low, barely louder than a mosquito’s hum. Mo Dong didn’t catch it clearly, but he found the Young Prince’s expression a little unsettling.

What on earth was the heir trying to do, meddling in the Crown Prince’s affairs like this?

It was because he had testified in the Crown Prince’s favor that Matriarch Wang and the Xiao clan elders had turned against him, forcing him to leave the household, so why was he now turning against the Crown Prince?

“And another thing,” Xiao Rong said mildly, interrupting Mo Dong’s tangled thoughts. “From now on, call me young master, not young prince.” The young man’s lashes lowered. His refined face was half-veiled by candlelight and gave away no emotion.

“But His Highness hasn’t announced your removal as heir yet,” Mo Dong said quietly.

“It’s only a matter of time. The current situation suits everyone nicely. If I still cling to that title of ‘heir’ and refuse to step aside, wouldn’t that be rather tactless of me?”

By then, Mo Dong had already set up a small brazier. Xiao Rong carefully put away the account books and then picked up a kettle to heat water for washing his feet.

Mo Dong hurried to take over the task.

“No need,” Xiao Rong said. “I’m not that delicate. There’s a small room outside, go sleep there. No need to keep watch. If I need anything, I’ll call.”

Watching the young man roll up his sleeves and deftly ladle the water, Mo Dong felt as though he were seeing him for the first time. A faint ache rose in his chest.

He thought, ‘The Young Prince must have suffered much these two years away from home. Otherwise, how could he handle such rough chores so skillfully?’

Back in Xiao Royal Residence, even the slightest burn on his fingertip would make the chief steward fret for days. The contrast stung all the more and Mo Dong couldn’t help feeling a flicker of resentment toward the Crown Prince, Xi Rong.

“Young Prince is right. The account books must never fall into the Crown Prince’s hands,” he said hotly, snatching the kettle from Xiao Rong’s hand to prepare the footbath himself.

***

Meanwhile, moonlight and tree shadows shrouded the Eastern Palace alike.

Xi Rong sat behind the council desk, his usually immaculate coronet slightly askew, one hand propping his temple, his gaze glacial.

Song Yang and Zhou Wenhe stood below, not daring to utter a word. His Highness had been out riding and searching all day. He had returned only at night, saying nothing since, his expression visibly fearsome.

Clearly, he had not found the Xiao heir.

The hall was deathly still…

…until the hurried footsteps of Jiang Cheng broke the oppressive silence.

“Your Highness, Ji Ziqing has arrived,” Jiang Cheng reported with a bow.

Xi Rong’s face, rigid as carved stone, finally showed a flicker of reaction.

Song Yang’s expression also turned grave.

Ji Ziqing was a covert agent His Highness had planted beside Yan Hemei and his son. Normally, all communication went through Jiang Cheng as an intermediary. For safety’s sake, Ji Ziqing had never once appeared in the Eastern Palace.

His sudden visit could only mean something serious had happened.

Ji Ziqing was quickly brought in. He was wrapped head to toe in a dark cloak, his face completely concealed. Only after stepping into the council hall did he pull it off, revealing his features.

“Your servant greets Your Highness.”

He started to kneel, but Xi Rong stopped him. “Speak directly.”

“Yes, Your Highness.” Having rushed all the way there, Ji Ziqing’s forehead was beaded with sweat. He caught his breath slightly and then asked anxiously, “Your servant wishes to ask, did the Xiao heir deliver the account books to Your Highness?”

At those words, everyone in the hall froze.

Xi Rong immediately rose from his seat, gripping the desk tightly, his eyes fixed on Ji Ziqing. “What account books?”

This time, it was Ji Ziqing who stood stunned. A rare look of panic flickered across his usually cautious face. “Was it not Your Highness who sent the Xiao heir to find me…?”

The moment he said it, realization dawned, and the blood drained from his face. The account books were far too important and the unease that had plagued him all night was suddenly, terribly confirmed.

Xi Rong already understood. “When did he come to see you?”

“This morning.” Ji Ziqing quickly recounted the details. “I had just returned to the Yan residence when I discovered the account books were missing. I was worried and felt something was amiss, so I took the risk of coming here to report in person…”

Xi Rong drew in a deep breath, the veins on his hand bulging where he gripped the desk. He was so furious he nearly lost his balance.