With a casual, nonchalant tone, as if it had nothing to do with him, if it weren’t for Qin Yuanxi’s deeper knowledge of the situation, and what he knew was even a bit more than what Lu Bohuan thought, he might have actually been misled by his tone.
“Are you okay?”
Right after uttering these words, Qin Yuanxi felt a surge of acid in his stomach. He reached for a porcelain bowl and started retching violently. He was in the middle of his pregnancy, experiencing all sorts of chaotic reactions. The constant retching was unbearable, and the thought of enduring this day by day seemed almost impossible.
However, that wasn’t the main issue. Qin Yuanxi’s health wasn’t great, and these relentless bouts of nausea were affecting his vitality. He found it hard to keep food down, and during times like these, he had to force himself to eat. He’d progressed from initially eating just two meals a day, excluding the half-hearted breakfast, to three meals, and now multiple smaller ones throughout the day. Truth be told, he couldn’t consume much at all, and what he did eat often ended up expelled. But for the sake of himself and the little one inside him, he pushed through the discomfort. After all, it was only a matter of a few more months. Enduring it would lead to a brighter future.
He resigned himself to the situation, but when he raised his head after vomiting, he saw that Lu Bohuan was furrowing his brows, looking deeply concerned. Qin Yuanxi rinsed his mouth and tried to maintain an appearance of nonchalance.
“It’s nothing. I’ve gotten used to vomiting. Maybe I ate a bit too much,” he sighed. “It’s not something I can control. I’ve been advised to eat small meals frequently by Physician Yan, but it’s hard to get the balance right.”
He continued, now with a slightly sheepish grin. “In fact, eating a little more isn’t a bad thing. The baby needs nourishment, and if I throw up, well, it’s not the end of the world.”
“Are you okay?”
Lu Bohuan repeated the same question verbatim, making Qin Yuanxi burst into laughter. As he laughed, he realized that Lu Bohuan’s concern had touched a nerve. His emotions, something he’d never seriously considered in the context of pregnancy, were becoming quite evident.
While he had accepted this situation as a matter of personal choice, a gift from the heavens even for a thoroughly ‘pure gay’ like him, it was only a matter of acceptance when he was alone. When someone showed genuine concern and affection, Qin Yuanxi discovered that emotions were beyond his control.
He is pregnant, and the situation of the child’s biological father is still relatively complicated. Sometimes he’s the biological father, and sometimes he’s the stepfather. The gap is really obvious.
In contrast to Zhao Tuo’s delicate attention, Lu Bohuan’s politeness verged on indifference. Despite knowing and understanding the situation, it still left a somewhat bitter taste in Qin Yuanxi’s mouth.
“Alright, what’s not fine? I’m just pregnant. I can even manage that. Once you can carry a child, there’s nothing you can’t do,” Qin Yuanxi casually made a jest, then waved his hand with a hint of weariness and asked Lu Bohuan, “Can we call it a day for today’s lessons? I’d like to read more, but I’m feeling a bit drained, and the little one has been quite active.”
“Plus, I can see the Prince doesn’t look too great, recovering from a serious illness and all, so it’d be best for you to get some rest.” Putting on his Emperor act, Qin Yuanxi decided right there, “Let’s call it a day, my Prince. You can head back to the Moon Pavilion to rest. Once I’ve regained my strength and the little Emperor isn’t causing a ruckus, I’ll stop hurling, and we can continue our reading session. Does that sound good to you?”
“Sure.” As expected, Prince Lu didn’t push him any further, saying, “I’ll escort Your Majesty back to the sleeping quarters.”
But as Qin Yuanxi was about to decline and gazed at Prince Lu’s face, he hesitated. He somehow always saw a hint of sadness, faint and elusive, in Prince Lu’s expressions. Whenever he tried to examine it more closely, it vanished, and Prince Lu remained the same radiant Regent Prince as ever, as if those traces of melancholy were nothing but his own assumptions.
“Watch out!”
Distracted by his thoughts, Qin Yuanxi slipped and nearly took a tumble. He had only just heard Prince Lu’s warning when he got startled and hadn’t even regained his footing. Prince Lu caught him in the nick of time, steadying him and preventing a fall.
Once he collected himself, Qin Yuanxi was quite shaken, clutching his belly, still feeling a bit jittery. “Thank goodness, if I had taken a fall, that wouldn’t have been fun at all.”
It’s how they do it on TV; he could play around with it, but this little rascal wouldn’t handle such excitement.
“Someone, fetch the imperial physician!”
Prince Lu’s face darkened, and he spoke with a touch of sternness. “Where is the court official? Why is there so much standing water on the steps? Neglecting one’s duties to this extent, what punishment is warranted?!”
“Uh? That, um…” Qin Yuanxi only just noticed the slight watermarks on the spot where he nearly slipped. It wasn’t a lot, probably a result of insufficient cleaning that left behind a trace. It was a sheer coincidence that he stepped on it, and it might have been due to his slippery shoe soles. He could only consider it a coincidence. If someone were to be condemned for this, it would be rather excessive.
It was an instinctive thought, but once spoken, he realized it wasn’t quite appropriate.
This world in the book was different from the modern society he grew up in. It was a feudal, authoritarian society. If he blocked Prince Lu here, no one would praise him; they’d say he was opposing Regent Prince, and the news of their discord would probably spread again. This bridge they had painstakingly built might collapse because of a tiny drop of water.
Prince Lu was thinking for his sake, and Qin Yuanxi grasped the situation. He subtly tugged at Prince Lu’s sleeve and gave him a meaningful look, suggesting that Prince Lu should just give him a mild reprimand, a small and gentle punishment would suffice.
Prince Lu nodded, escorted Qin Yuanxi back to the inner chambers, and watched as Physician Yan checked his pulse. Once it was clear there were no issues, Prince Lu and Physician Yan exited together. Seeing this, Physician Yan understood that Prince Lu had something to discuss, probably about the recent, unpredictable occurrences with Zhao Tuo, and he had a lot to say to Prince Lu on that matter.
To his surprise, Prince Lu’s first question was about that individual inside.
“Is there any way to prevent his vomiting? This isn’t doing his health any favors at this rate.”
Yan Shaoning quipped, “Pregnant women throwing up? That’s just a normal reaction. Which daughter-in-law doesn’t have to go through this?”
Listening to Yan Shaoning’s dismissive tone, Lu Bohuan gave him a cool, displeased glance, remarking, “His Majesty is the apex of our nation, how can he endure such suffering? As a renowned physician, haven’t you noticed how haggard he looks now? Considering his current condition, if he doesn’t take proper care, childbirth may pose significant risks. Haven’t you thought about all this?”
Yan Shaoning tried to pass the buck, saying, “Well, there might not be much I can do here, but the palace physicians should have some solutions. They deal with this sort of thing most often. Over the generations, they must have amassed a wealth of remedies. It’s just that they hesitate to share them with His Majesty. The Prince knows that as well. If you truly want a remedy for morning sickness, seek their help; they’ll surely have a solution.”
Unfortunately, Lu Bohuan wasn’t buying into his excuses. “I don’t care whether it’s them or you. You’ve been continuously monitoring His Majesty’s condition. I’m asking you. You have three days to come up with a solution. Otherwise, you’ll have to deal with it.”
Suddenly handed this ultimatum, Yan Shaoning stood still, observing Prince Lu arranging people to lay the carpets. Yan Shaoning wasn’t well-versed in palace protocols, but he knew that such extensive carpet-laying was reserved for grand occasions, like the coronation of a new emperor or an imperial wedding. What special occasion could this be?
He grabbed a young eunuch and inquired in hushed tones about the purpose of this carpet-laying. The eunuch, equally clueless, replied in a low voice, “I don’t know. The Prince suddenly ordered it. They have to finish laying the carpets between the main halls and the route His Majesty usually takes within two hours. If you know, perhaps you could ask the Prince directly. I’m swamped with work here, as the Prince ordered, and it needs to be done promptly.”
Yan Shaoning got it. He sighed and walked away with his medicine kit. He had an unspoken question that had been bothering him for a while: Why did His Majesty have such a relationship with Zhao Tuo? He didn’t know Zhao Tuo personally, but he believed he had a fair understanding of Prince Lu. Given his position and character, he shouldn’t have developed inappropriate relations with the young emperor.
Yet, contrary to expectations, it had happened, and Zhao Tuo and the young emperor’s entanglement had led to a tragedy. Previously, Yan Shaoning attributed it all to Zhao Tuo, thinking his actions couldn’t be attributed to Prince Lu. However, today he had to rethink this idea.
Zhao Tuo’s actions couldn’t be directly attributed to Prince Lu, but Zhao Tuo was, in essence, a part of him. If Zhao Tuo could develop feelings for the young emperor, did it suggest that, deep down, Prince Lu also harbored unspoken affections for the young emperor? Otherwise, why had he willingly served as a regent for so many years, without ever crossing any lines?
After becoming pregnant, Qin Yuanxi easily felt fatigued. Coupled with the earlier fright, he drank a bowl of calming tonic and dozed off. When he regained consciousness, he sensed a tight grip around his waist. It felt like someone was embracing him. Qin Yuanxi didn’t think much of it, as drowsiness still clouded his thoughts. However, as he awoke, he found himself next to Prince Lu– or rather, Zhao Tuo– who was lying there disheveled.
Seeing Qin Yuanxi awaken, Zhao Tuo took the initiative, planting a kiss on his lips. Before Qin Yuanxi could react, the kiss deepened. While kissing, Zhao Tuo began to tug at Qin Yuanxi’s clothing. Qin Yuanxi’s groggy mind snapped to attention when he felt his clothes being pulled.
“No, not now! Don’t fool around. I’ve just taken a calming tonic!” Qin Yuanxi warned.
Zhao Tuo’s hand wandered on his body briefly before pausing for breath.
“Alright, I won’t move. I’ll listen to Ah Xi.”
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)
