Lu Bohuan’s illness was no act, that’s for sure. After that night’s chilly breeze, Prince Lu fell ill, coughing and running a fever for several days. At first, Qin Yuanxi thought Lu Bohuan was just making excuses to avoid him. Little did he know, it had even alarmed the renowned physician, Yan Shaoning.
But the one who suffered the most from this illness turned out to be Yan Shaoning. He was running between the palace and the prince’s residence, with no break on either side.
Qin Yuanxi couldn’t help feeling uneasy and suggested to Yan Shaoning that he should stay at the pavilion for a while. “Just for these two days, I can take care of myself, and I believe our little emperor will understand.”
Yan Shaoning, having just finished examining Qin Yuanxi’s pulse, spoke earnestly, “That won’t do. Prince Lu’s ailment, compared to Your Majesty’s, is nothing significant. Your Majesty’s needs come first.”
After some thought, Yan Shaoning lowered his voice and confided in Qin Yuanxi, “I’m making frequent trips not because I’m worried about Prince Lu’s illness, but because of Prince Lu himself.”
With a bowl of medicinal soup in hand, Qin Yuanxi paused, contemplating what Yan Shaoning had hinted at but was hesitant to say openly. He looked at Yan Shaoning and asked cautiously, “Has Zhao Tuo returned?”
At that moment, they were alone in the inner chamber, and Yan Shaoning nodded and then let out a heavy sigh. “Your Majesty, perhaps you are unaware, it’s not that he’s back; it’s just that the transitions are happening more frequently now.”
“In the morning, I would be examining Prince Lu, and by evening, it’s the Grand General. What’s more…” Yan Shaoning hesitated, “There’s no discernible pattern. Sometimes it’s merely a short nap, and when Prince Lu awakens, he has a different persona.”
“Moreover,” Yan Shaoning continued with evident concern, “Prince Lu doesn’t seem to be prepared for this, whereas General Zhao, each time he wakes up, pays deliberate attention to the time. It seems he has intentions of asserting dominance.”
“Zhao Tuo?” Qin Yuanxi’s worry was plain to see. According to Yan Shaoning, it appeared that the alternate personality had the intention of taking over the primary one. If that was the case, it meant that Zhao Tuo, who used to be passive, was now taking action and vying for control of Lu Bohuan’s body.
“What should we do?” Qin Yuanxi was left in a bewildered state, unsure of how he should react. Logically, Zhao Tuo was his lover, his child’s father, and a gentle, caring, and loyal partner, the perfect image of a lover in Qin Yuanxi’s heart. Naturally, he should wish for Zhao Tuo to stay. But when he thought about Lu Bohuan, that sense of duty was tinged with guilt.
It was a fleeting moment, but Qin Yuanxi had caught that pang of guilt within himself.
“Your Majesty, besides discussing this matter with you, I also have another request,” Yan Shaoning’s expression turned quite serious. “Your Majesty, how is your relationship with Prince Lu and General Zhao?”
“I, I know a bit more about Zhao Tuo, and Prince Lu is usually quite solemn, our conversations revolve around state affairs, so I don’t know him very well,” Qin Yuanxi replied nervously, fearing that Yan Shaoning might pose questions he couldn’t answer.
“If it comes down to a choice between these two, have you made a decision already?”
“No,” Qin Yuanxi swiftly denied, visibly anxious. He continued, “But, in all honesty, I lean towards General Zhao in my private thoughts. It’s natural, isn’t it? The Prince has an aura that’s hard to approach, and even the physician understands that. His demeanor is somewhat intimidating. So, having a personal preference is understandable, right?”
“Your personal preference may have a significant impact on the Prince,” Yan Shaoning exhaled deeply. “When my master was still here, he also diagnosed the Prince. At that time, he mentioned that compared to General Zhao, the Prince had greater stability. If a day comes when the Prince is not around, the suppression he provided will vanish. What might occur then, is beyond our imagination.”
At this point, Qin Yuanxi found the conversation uncomfortable. “Are you suggesting that General Zhao is a potential threat? We can’t put it that way, even Prince Lu acknowledges they are the same person. Prince Lu himself indulges General Zhao to some extent. Isn’t it a bit irresponsible for the physician to say this?”
Yan Shaoning shook his head and didn’t press further. “Regardless of whether Your Majesty has made a choice or is just saying so, I hope that when you’re in the presence of the Prince, you will pay more attention to him. Make him feel needed. Otherwise, if this continues, General Zhao will only grow stronger day by day, and the Prince may never recover.”
As Yan Shaoning spoke, his tone turned more cautionary. “Your Majesty, don’t think that everything will be fine in the end. You see, the unknown is the most dreadful thing. Your Majesty might believe that you understand General Zhao the best, but how much do you truly know about him? These are all unknown variables.”
“I’ve said my piece,” Yan Shaoning concluded as he packed up his medical supplies. “This isn’t something a humble person like me can definitively say, but please, Your Majesty, consider it.”
“Physician Yan, please wait. I have one more question.”
Qin Yuanxi paced anxiously, his face filled with unease and concern. After organizing his thoughts, he finally asked Yan Shaoning, “The Prince’s condition has always been stable. I want to know what caused his current instability, and if there’s a possibility of extreme situations occurring.”
“It’s likely due to a trigger, which could originate from the Prince’s side or General Zhao’s side. Without specific details, it’s difficult to say. As for the concerns you raised, there’s a significant chance they may occur,” Yan Shaoning replied with a serious tone. “My master once predicted the Prince’s condition. There are two possible outcomes: either he recovers completely, regaining his composure, or General Zhao completely suppresses him, and the world will have only General Zhao without the Prince. The latter is the worst-case scenario.”
Yan Shaoning concluded with a meaningful glance at Qin Yuanxi. “Perhaps Your Majesty may not realize it, but in terms of uncertainty, General Zhao presents a far greater concern. You may not be aware, but during the Battle of Liao Cheng, the Prince had already accepted the enemy’s surrender, but General Zhao, the following day, ordered the massacre of ten thousand surrendered troops. For this matter, the Prince faced censure in the court, and even to this day, some people still call him a merciless demon.”
“The uncertainty surrounding General Zhao is immense. He appears gentle and honest, yet who can predict what he might do? We are far from being able to understand his intentions.”
This statement carried profound implications, leaving Qin Yuanxi deep in thought among those hundred thousand people. He had no idea that the mysterious ‘Cold-Faced Rakshasa’ was associated with this. He only knew that Lu Bohuan had such a nickname, thinking it was because he was eternally stone-faced, as cold as an iceberg, never giving anyone a friendly glance. Little did he know that there was more to the story.
However, when Qin Yuanxi tried to connect these dots with Zhao Tuo, he found it hard to accept immediately. He believed that there was some tension between Yan Shaoning and Zhao Tuo.
“What about the third possibility? Could it be that their personalities complement each other, and they eventually find a way to merge into one?” Qin Yuanxi ventured with this idea. It wasn’t because he had any expertise in the matter, but he’d seen such scenarios frequently in the romance novels he’d read, where the protagonists finally came together for a perfect, harmonious ending.
“Isn’t that happening now?” Yan Shaoning asked in puzzlement. “If that’s the case, this person might have gone completely insane.”
In the days that followed, Qin Yuanxi didn’t get a chance to meet Prince Lu. All the news about him was relayed through Yan Shaoning. When Qin Yuanxi finally saw Prince Lu again during the morning court session, he noticed that in just a few days, Prince Lu had lost a considerable amount of weight. He didn’t look like he’d been sick but rather like he’d been through some ordeal. It left Qin Yuanxi with an uneasy feeling.
“Your Majesty, is there anything you don’t understand? I can slow down and explain more in detail,” Prince Lu suggested. After his sick leave, Qin Yuanxi’s studies had resumed, and though there were fewer imperial memorials to occupy the Regent Prince’s mind, the lessons remained extensive. The Imperial Tutor was dedicated, and the courses were comprehensive. But Qin Yuanxi found it hard to focus.
“Um, my Prince, you’ve just recovered from a severe illness, so maybe we should stop here for today? It’s about time anyway. We used to have two sessions a day, which was already quite a lot. The Prince always went with the flow, and there were no strict requirements. But now, it’s obvious that more tasks have been added. Every day, you set a specific amount that I must complete.”
“Alright, Your Majesty, take a rest, and we’ll continue this section later.”
Qin Yuanxi clutching his textbook looked at Prince Lu, who remained unfazed, he smiled wryly. “Or how about we stop here for today? We’ve covered almost everything, and it’s not a big deal. We can continue tomorrow.”
Prince Lu rolled up the book in his hands and hesitated for a moment. He gave a somewhat melancholic smile and said, “I don’t have much time left. If I can impart a bit more to Your Majesty, I’ll do so. If you can learn a bit more, it’s for the better. In the future, when the day comes, I’ll arrange a few capable people for Your Majesty. If you trust them and find them useful, you can employ them. If not, at the very least, keep them around to listen to different opinions.”
As Prince Lu spoke, there was an indescribable feeling in the air, both in his expression and his tone. Qin Yuanxi understood the implications, and Prince Lu knew that he understood. The words felt like a final testament, leaving Qin Yuanxi very uncomfortable.
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)
