The divine physician found himself on the receiving end of cold glares for no reason. General Zhao’s gaze was as sharp as a blade, and if it weren’t for his remaining usefulness, he might have met a gruesome end by now. Fortunately, the emperor was reasonable, and Yan Shaoning had narrowly escaped trouble, swiftly grabbing his medicine box and making his exit.
Compared to General Zhao, he much preferred dealing with Prince Lu.
Prince Lu might be cold, but at least he didn’t casually harbor murderous intent. General Zhao, on the other hand, was a different story. Just a few words with him, and Yan Shaoning suspected that a giant blade might find its way to his neck any second.
Meanwhile, Emperor Qin Yuanxi had completely different thoughts about the divine physician.
“Are you tired? Have some tea.”
Before Qin Yuanxi could even bring the tea, Zhao Tuo had already grabbed his wrist.
“You were startled just now.”
“No, no,” Qin Yuanxi hurriedly explained. “It’s nothing. I was just asking him something. There’s no need to be startled. I’m perfectly fine.”
“Don’t worry,” Zhao Tuo assured him seriously, holding Qin Yuanxi’s hand. “You don’t have to fret about anything. Take care of yourself and our… our baby.”
As Zhao Tuo spoke these words, a hint of blush appeared on his face, mixed with some awkwardness and a touch of joy. He looked like a novice father, and his gaze kept wandering to Qin Yuanxi’s belly, clearly wanting to touch but not knowing how to proceed. It was an unexpected sight – the imposing general, now radiating a sense of simple-heartedness. Qin Yuanxi found it rather astonishing.
Then he took Zhao Tuo’s hand and placed it on his own belly.
“It’s not obvious yet. The baby is still small. It might take a few more months before there are any changes. You can’t feel anything now.”
His abdomen was very flat, and a bean-sized baby was hardly detectable by touch. Yet, Zhao Tuo was excited nonetheless, gently caressing as if he were handling a rare treasure. However, after a while, his touch made Qin Yuanxi blush.
“Stop touching.”
Considering their relationship, and perhaps due to the pregnancy, Qin Yuanxi felt extremely uncomfortable as Zhao Tuo’s hands roamed. He awkwardly tried to put some distance between them, the temptation proving too great.
“Okay, okay, I won’t touch anymore.”
As soon as he spoke, Zhao Tuo appeared even more flustered and awkward, as if he had committed a grave mistake. He hastily withdrew his hand, wearing a remorseful expression.
“It was my insolence, Your Majesty. I am worthy of death.”
“What are you talking about?” Qin Yuanxi couldn’t help but laugh. He pulled Zhao Tuo closer and embraced him warmly.
“It’s still this chest, an embrace both familiar and unfamiliar,” Qin Yuanxi held Zhao Tuo’s waist, unable to resist leaning in and giving Zhao Tuo a quick kiss. Zhao Tuo stiffened, not knowing how to respond, standing there like a wooden log.
“Kiss me back, you fool,” Qin Yuanxi chuckled softly. “Don’t you remember? You’ve kissed before, so kiss me back.”
As Qin Yuanxi said this, he continued to tease Zhao Tuo. Zhao Tuo, who was naturally a bit clueless, couldn’t help but react under Qin Yuanxi’s teasing. As a result, Qin Yuanxi felt a tightening around his waist, and his breath was taken away.
The familiar scent, the familiar feeling—it was all unforgettable.
After panting softly in Zhao Tuo’s arms for a moment and calming his emotions, Qin Yuanxi nestled closer and murmured softly, “I miss you so much. I wish I could be with you all the time.”
There’s no comparison without a gap, and after experiencing Zhao Tuo’s warmth, Qin Yuanxi couldn’t even think about Prince Lu’s coldness. He felt deeply wronged, and this grievance was fully expressed when he was with Zhao Tuo.
The more someone protected him, the more delicate he appeared. That was the type of person Qin Yuanxi was.
He didn’t know how long Zhao Tuo would stay this time, so he grew even more affectionate, as if every minute was precious. Zhao Tuo continued to be exceptionally kind to Qin Yuanxi, and the two of them spent their days together as if they were trying to make up for all the lost time.
Time always flew by quickly when you were in love. Before Qin Yuanxi knew it, Zhao Tuo had been with him for several days. During this time, the guards outside the emperor’s sleeping quarters changed, and the political winds in the court shifted. Almost all the well-informed ministers knew that the relationship between the emperor and Prince Lu had suddenly improved overnight, returning to the harmony they had during the early days of the new emperor’s reign. Although no one understood the exact reason, it was generally seen as a positive development.
Another thing was that it was time for the emperor to attend the morning court.
Previously, Prince Lu had kept Qin Yuanxi confined to the palace under the pretense of illness, and Qin Yuanxi couldn’t even go if he wanted to. But now, the situation was different, and Qin Yuanxi hadn’t thought about attending yet when someone was already urging him to do so.
“Your Majesty, it’s been many days since you attended the morning court. Important matters need to be discussed in the court.”
General Zhao was truly loyal and advised the emperor, despite the emperor’s favor. He understood the importance of the emperor attending court promptly. However, Qin Yuanxi wasn’t very keen on attending the morning court.
“Let’s sleep a bit longer. If there’s anything important, they can discuss it in the Imperial Study later.”
Qin Yuanxi had always been skeptical of the early morning court system in Great Qin. It was still dark outside, and they wouldn’t even let you have breakfast before heading to the Golden Palace Hall to listen to the ministers argue back and forth. In reality, any matters that could be negotiated were discussed in the Imperial Study after the morning court, so the morning court was just a warm-up, a chance for everyone to clear their throats.
It was truly a waste of time.
Getting up so early just to listen to those people argue isn’t exactly thrilling, especially when sometimes Qin Yuanxi can’t even understand what they’re saying.
He’s a guy who can do serious stuff, and he’s willing to do it. But spending time on something completely meaningless like this is a bit unwilling for Qin Yuanxi.
Even if the company holds meetings, it’s not an everyday thing. Once a week for a work summary is about right. And, seriously, which company holds meetings at five in the morning?
“Your Majesty, it’s not advisable.”
With General Zhao’s repeated urging, Qin Yuanxi reluctantly got up for the morning court. In other households, when their beloved ones were working, they didn’t need to work. But in their family, it was different. General Zhao not only worked diligently himself but also made sure Your Majesty did too. He was determined to make an industrious emperor out of him.
So, Qin Yuanxi had no choice but to be diligent.
After he had put on the elaborate court attire, he suddenly realized a crucial issue.
What about Zhao Tuo during the morning court?
In the past, when Qin Yuanxi attended morning court, he saw Prince Lu every time. Prince Lu, standing there, was the backbone of all the ministers in the court. Whatever anyone said or argued about, they had to act according to Prince Lu’s intentions, even if he stood there without saying a word. One glance, one inconspicuous gesture, was enough to convey countless hints and orders.
But now, things have changed. What about Zhao Tuo?
Zhao Tuo wasn’t as shrewd as Prince Lu. What if, during the morning court, he missed something or didn’t handle things well enough, causing suspicion?
No, it wasn’t just a matter of causing suspicion. The more Qin Yuanxi thought about it, the more he felt something was wrong. Zhao Tuo had always believed he was the Great General of the Far Expedition, at odds with Prince Lu. Even if he had to attend court, he would do so as a high-ranking general. But what if someone casually greeted him with a ‘Good morning, Prince Lu’? How would this situation be resolved?
Qin Yuanxi was lost in thought. He had no problems attending the morning court himself; it was just that he has to wake up early. The real issue was Zhao Tuo. He pondered how to keep Zhao Tuo from attending the morning court, avoiding the problem of discovery.
However, he couldn’t come up with a reasonable solution. Zhao Tuo had already changed into his court attire, a first-rank military officer’s uniform distinct from Prince Lu’s attire. Qin Yuanxi furrowed his brow for a moment, then quickly realized.
Zhao Tuo had status. Even if this was an act, he played the part entirely. But the question remained, did Zhao Tuo do this on his own or was it arranged by Prince Lu?
Prince Lu knew about Zhao Tuo’s existence. To ensure that his secret wasn’t exposed, and so that no one would know that Prince Lu had a split personality, he must have made preparations. Thinking of this, Qin Yuanxi eased his worries somewhat.
Then he proceeded to the morning court with Zhao Tuo.
His Imperial Majesty had not attended the morning court for several days, and the morning court was still the same as before. Bickering and scolding continued, the only difference being the absence of Prince Lu’s command. It was indeed less lively without his management. Qin Yuanxi sat on the Dragon Throne, occasionally dozing off and occasionally glancing down at Zhao Tuo, who stood at the forefront.
Like Prince Lu, Zhao Tuo also stood in the prime position. The difference was that Prince Lu attended the morning court in person, regardless of what was said or done below. Zhao Tuo, on the other hand, did not. Qin Yuanxi moved his gaze slightly away from Zhao Tuo’s and refrained from meeting his gaze.
During the morning court, Zhao Tuo hadn’t done anything at all. He just stood below, staring at Qin Yuanxi on the Dragon Throne. Moreover, he did so openly. Zhao Tuo had an inherent advantage in this position. His intense gaze remained on Qin Yuanxi without being noticed by the ministers below, making him increasingly audacious. It made Qin Yuanxi quite embarrassed.
Perhaps it was because Prince Regent had been too imposing on normal occasions, or perhaps it was because Zhao Tuo hadn’t shown any abnormal behavior during morning court, but either way, things didn’t seem as complicated as Qin Yuanxi had thought. Though the core of the Regent’s power had shifted, the aura was still there. No one dared to approach him casually, and Qin Yuanxi finally relaxed a bit.
It seemed that Prince Lu had been doing a good job in various aspects. Qin Yuanxi could afford to keep Zhao Tuo around for a few more days. After all, on such sweet days, who would be willing to let go so easily?
Qin Yuanxi, too, wanted Zhao Tuo to stay a little longer. If Prince Lu didn’t return, he would be safe for another day. Qin Yuanxi hoped that Prince Lu wouldn’t come back. He could enjoy his happy days indefinitely, and even the sunshine seemed brighter.
However, nothing is absolute. When Qin Yuanxi was peacefully sleeping with Zhao Tuo in his arms one night, he was suddenly strangled by someone the next morning. In that moment, he felt utter despair.
Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters. (๑>ᴗ<๑)
