Yan Shaoning was pulled out of his warm bed by someone, and he felt as if his stomach was going to rebel as they flew and leaped along the way to the mountains. By the time they reached the summit, his brain had turned into mush. The one who had brought him here was none other than Regent Prince’s trusted aide. Yan Shaoning initially thought that something had gone wrong on Prince Lu’s side, but upon arriving, he discovered that Prince Lu was not only fine but also taking special care of the Emperor through the night.
If General Zhao had done this, Yan Shaoning might not have said anything, but the crucial point was that this was indeed Prince Lu himself. All of these circumstances made him wonder.
“He is indeed exhausted,” Yan Shaoning finished checking his pulse and, at Prince Lu’s signal, lowered his voice, “His fundamental health is poor, and bearing a child as a man is already against nature, causing significant strain on the body. Activities like climbing that consume physical energy should be avoided in the future.”
As a physician, Yan Shaoning’s words were tactful. At least, he didn’t accuse Prince Lu of mistreating his pregnant husband outright, which gave Prince Lu some face.
“Now that the fetus has stabilized, I have reviewed the prescription. I have made some adjustments, using gentler herbs, and extended the medication from three days to five. There should be no major issues.”
Prince Lu seemed lost in thought, and Yan Shaoning couldn’t tell if he was even listening. It was as if he was daydreaming, but upon closer inspection, he didn’t quite look like it. One should never attempt to guess the thoughts of Prince Lu, but Yan Shaoning felt that his work was done. He picked up his medical kit and intended to take his leave.
“Let’s talk outside.”
And then, he was detained by Prince Lu.
Yan Shaoning had no choice but to follow.
It wasn’t a pleasant idea to have a conversation with Prince Lu in the middle of the night, but he couldn’t resist. Moreover, judging from Prince Lu’s demeanor, this conversation likely had something to do with General Zhao. Anything related to General Zhao was bound to be a significant matter. Such uncertainties required utmost caution, and he dared not let his guard down.
Well, if there’s a conversation to be had, it seems like I won’t be getting any sleep tonight!
Yan Shaoning followed Prince Lu to the adjacent room. Only after Lu Bohuan and the others left did Qin Yuanxi slowly open his eyes.
In truth, he had never fallen asleep. With Lu dog sitting nearby, how could he sleep? How could he possibly sleep?
The feeling was similar to having needles in his back.
Adding to that, Qin Yuanxi really couldn’t rate his performance today. He felt overwhelmed now, not knowing what Prince Lu would do next. He lacked any certainty, was worried about the child, and was extremely anxious. He waited until the two had left before he finally let out a sigh of relief.
It seemed, perhaps, that Prince Lu didn’t want his life as much as Qin Yuanxi had initially thought.
Maybe he had wanted it before, but now that he knew the child in his belly was his own, he spared him for the child’s sake?
Qin Yuanxi wasn’t entirely sure; it was a tricky matter to judge. Nobody could be certain of such things.
Lu dog was just that, a dog. Who could guess what was going on in his dog’s mind?
Qin Yuanxi turned over and wrapped himself even tighter. Despite it being the height of summer, he felt a chill creeping up from the soles of his feet.
That feeling was called unease.
Next door, Yan Shaoning had just finished the tea poured by Prince Lu himself. He glanced at Prince Lu, who still wore that expressionless face. Yan Shaoning wondered whether he should remind the Prince not to sit here staring at each other all night until dawn. He couldn’t endure that. If there was nothing important, it would be better to go back and get some sleep.
“Shaoning, how well do you know me, considering our long-standing friendship?”
Yan Shaoning was puzzled, unsure whether he should swallow the sip of tea in his mouth. Something felt off about the direction this conversation was taking. Was this still Prince Lu?
“My Prince, what do you mean?”
He addressed him as ‘My Prince’ with words but with a skeptical look in his eyes.
There was a General Zhao earlier, and now there might be another person. Otherwise, how could Prince Lu, who was known for his tough character, ask such a question? He never cared about what others knew about him. How could he possibly ask such a question?
Strange, everything was strange tonight. Yan Shaoning felt like his brain might not be working properly.
Prince Lu casually opened a fan and fanned himself gently. “I want to know what sets me apart from Zhao Tuo.”
Yan Shaoning hadn’t fully grasped the situation yet, but he felt a bit relieved.
Fortunately, there wasn’t another inexplicable person appearing, or else things would get really complicated. He was just an ordinary doctor, struggling to handle these two individuals was already challenging. If a third person were to show up, Yan Shaoning believed he might not make it through the night.
“As for the difference,” facing this question, Yan Shaoning hesitated. “I don’t have much acquaintance with General Zhao. Based on my perception, General Zhao seems to have more of a martial aura, while My Prince leans more towards refinement. General Zhao appears more like a military man.”
“But I am a military man.”
Yan Shaoning was even more puzzled by this statement. He had a feeling that every word Prince Lu said tonight carried hidden meaning, and even his expressions concealed secrets. However, he dared not guess Prince Lu’s intentions and pretended not to have noticed anything, holding his teacup and feigning ignorance.
Prince Lu didn’t continue with that topic and shifted to another question.
“Have you noticed anything unusual about Zhao Tuo?”
This question referred to Prince Lu’s decision to summon General Zhao earlier to investigate the identity of this palace figure. The result was not a revelation of the figure’s identity but rather the discovery of something planted in Qin Yuanxi’s abdomen. From any perspective, it was a provocation to Prince Lu.
After a moment of hesitation, Yan Shaoning spoke cautiously, “General Zhao and His Majesty share a deep bond.”
As he spoke, he continued to observe Prince Lu. Seeing that Prince Lu remained unresponsive, he continued, “From my observations, it appears that General Zhao and His Majesty have a deep connection. It’s just that My Prince might not be aware of it. Moreover, General Zhao cherishes His Majesty greatly and cares for him deeply.”
This is speaking the truth, Zhao Tuo protects Qin Yuanxi as if he was guarding his own eyeballs. Plus, considering Qin Yuanxi’s words from before, in Yan Shaoning’s eyes, these two seem to be deeply in love, or rather, deeply in love and unaware of it?
“Has Zhao Tuo ever doubted his identity?”
“Never.” Yan Shaoning affirmed this with certainty.
In other words, the only person who had doubts about Qin Yuanxi’s identity was Prince Lu. In other words, Prince Lu thought everyone was a bit crazy because he himself was, of course, this couldn’t be said aloud, but the general idea was about right.
Sure enough, a faint smile played on the corners of Prince Lu’s lips. “So, am I the only one who thinks this way, right?”
“Well, it’s getting late. You should rest for now. Considering his current situation, you should stick by his side and be vigilant.”
Yan Shaoning was surprised again. Was this Prince Lu? Something didn’t seem quite right. Could Prince Lu really be concerned about Emperor Qin Yuanxi? How was that possible? Yan Shaoning nodded in agreement and left, but before he did, he glanced back at Prince Lu, who was standing by the window.
Prince Lu, dressed in plain clothes, stood by the window, holding a folding fan. His gaze was distant, and the moonlight fell on him, giving him a sense of aloofness and detachment from the world.
Because of Qin Yuanxi’s late-night antics, the next day’s ancestral sacrifices were simplified, and there were fewer formalities when descending the mountain. Qin Yuanxi obediently sat in a sedan chair and indulged himself a bit.
The ancestral worship ceremony was completed in this way, and the next step was for the Ministry of Rites and the Ministry of Works to plan the renovation of the imperial mausoleum. Emperor Qin Yuanxi, in his current state, could only wait for the funds to be approved. After all the trouble he went through on this trip, apart from stirring up his health and nearly losing his life, he had gained nothing.
Perhaps Prince Lu had gained something. Qin Yuanxi thought that after the ceremony, Prince Lu would surely have other plans waiting for him. After all, Prince Lu’s certainty about his identity was almost a foregone conclusion. The next step would naturally be probing step by step, pressing closer and closer until Qin Yuanxi’s true identity was revealed.
However, it all came to a sudden stop. Prince Lu didn’t make any further moves, staying very quiet and obedient. He attended the morning court every day, didn’t cause any trouble for Qin Yuanxi, and even took the initiative to help organize the memorials that needed reviewing, as if all the previous difficulties had never existed.
Qin Yuanxi found it hard to adapt. Faced with this Prince Lu, he truly felt exhausted.
There’s a saying, isn’t there? It goes something like, ‘1Not afraid of thieves stealing, but afraid of thieves thinking.This saying means that we may not worry when someone actually steals from us, but we become concerned when we suspect someone might be planning to steal from us. It’s all about being cautious when we sense potential trouble.’ Qin Yuanxi wasn’t afraid of Prince Lu causing trouble; he could handle that. But he was afraid of Prince Lu thinking, and with Prince Lu’s unpredictable character, some sinister tricks were also possible. Qin Yuanxi had to be cautious. Most importantly, Zhao Tuo was nowhere to be seen.
Since the ancestral rituals, Zhao Tuo hadn’t appeared even once. Even though Qin Yuanxi drank herbal soup every day and occasionally touched his belly in front of Prince Lu to remind him of the child’s existence, Zhao Tuo hadn’t shown up. This feeling made Qin Yuanxi uneasy, as if Prince Lu had somehow suppressed Zhao Tuo and made him disappear in his presence.
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)
