Chapter 45

In full view of everyone, in the presence of their ancestors and predecessors, the young Emperor was forcibly carried away by the Regent.

Chu Zhaoyou held the Regent’s collar tightly, feeling utterly ashamed.

Xiao Heng was nearly breathless from Chu Zhaoyou’s grip, but he remained silent, fearing that if he spoke, Chu Zhaoyou would find various excuses.

Finally asserting himself, he needed to see it through to the end.

After struggling for a moment, Chu Zhaoyou, in a conciliatory tone, asked, “Can’t I really stay to oversee the work?”

Xiao Heng didn’t respond.

Chu Zhaoyou pondered for a moment, thinking that Xiao Heng might have strong opinions about the late Emperor. Changing his approach, he suggested, “If I don’t refurbish the late Emperor’s mausoleum, what if I build one for myself?”

In history, upon ascending the throne, emperors would select sites for their mausoleums, considering it a crucial task. Some overly critical emperors initiated the construction of lavish mausoleums with millions of laborers, and if dissatisfied, they would demolish and rebuild, a concept Chu Zhaoyou found hard to comprehend.

Why build something so extravagant, only to invite theft?

Xiao Heng tightened his grip on Chu Zhaoyou’s arm, coldly stating, “Don’t even think about it.”

Chu Zhaoyou belonged to him. Why should he be buried in the same mausoleum as the late Emperor a century later, causing discord even in the afterlife?

Even if he didn’t live long, Xiao Heng was confident that he and Chu Zhaoyou could be buried together, even if Chu Zhaoyou lived to a hundred.

“Why?” Chu Zhaoyou was defiant, wondering if the Regent already had plans for him. Did he know that Chu Zhaoyou wouldn’t be Emperor for life, rendering the mausoleum a pointless endeavor?

Xiao Heng replied, “Your sudden enthusiasm for staying in the mausoleum is unusual. There must be a reason for this change. Without a valid reason, I cannot agree to it.”

Chu Zhaoyou rubbed his stomach. His reasons were indeed valid, but unfortunately, he couldn’t tell Xiao Heng.

Chu Zhaoyou fell silent, then after a while, he said, “I request to change my position.”

The carriage could only stop at Small River Village outside the mountains. There was a winding path of about a kilometer from the mausoleum to the village.

Xiao Heng was willing to carry him, but Chu Zhaoyou was too lazy to walk. He disliked being carried; it felt undignified.

“What do you want?” Xiao Heng’s patience was wearing thin. Chu Zhaoyou was squirming in his arms like a fish. If it weren’t for his strong arms, Chu Zhaoyou would have wriggled his way out even before leaving the mausoleum.

“Carry me,” Chu Zhaoyou said.

Xiao Heng gently placed Chu Zhaoyou on the ground and crouched down in front of him, remaining silent.

Chu Zhaoyou mounted him nonchalantly, stunning everyone around.

This was the formidable Regent, and just moments ago, he had unhesitatingly carried out a forceful act. The two had been at odds, yet now they were willingly engaged in this laborious task together?

“You’ve gotten heavier to carry, Your Majesty,” Xiao Heng said, his face still stern, feeling the added weight.

As the words left his mouth, Xiao Heng felt a sense of bewilderment. Why did he compare Chu Zhaoyou to before? It was his first time carrying someone, yet he naturally felt the added weight.

Chu Zhaoyou puffed up his cheeks in annoyance. How many times had the Regent mentioned him gaining weight? He truly sympathized with the future wife of the Regent. Not only did her husband fail to acknowledge her weight, he also kept mentioning her gaining weight.

Dreadful.

In the future, if the Regent’s wife sought solace in someone, he would be the first to support her in divorcing her husband!

Chu Zhaoyou sardonically quipped, “When my aunt was around, the food was good. Without her, I’d probably get thin again.”

Can’t you see? It’s tough to make a living under your rule, Regent.

Xiao Heng felt Chu Zhaoyou was making baseless claims again. How had he mistreated him?

“Rest assured, there will be plenty of days when you’ll be heavier,” Xiao Heng replied.

Chu Zhaoyou’s expression drooped. “You’re the one who’s heavy.”

You’re the one gaining twenty pounds from pregnancy!

Chu Zhaoyou lay on top of Xiao Heng. Today, he wasn’t wearing the white outfit provided by Lu Bo; instead, his attendants had brought the Regent’s own attire—a uniform black.

If the Regent wasn’t so infuriating, he might have resembled Xiao Hei a little.

Chu Zhaoyou glanced back at the mausoleum nestled amidst the gray-brown branches. Was the Regent, before being influenced and driven to darkness by the He Xin Gu, just like a loyal minister—loyal and foolish like Xiao Hei?

Would the late Emperor regret everything? No, the late Emperor wasn’t wise; all his schemes stemmed from the He Xin Gu.

As Chu Zhaoyou was feeling delicate, the carriage dared not move too fast, fearing that the Emperor might feel dizzy and nauseous.

The return to the city was slow, and the group decided to rest in a town for the night before entering the city early the next day.

Chu Zhaoyou was worried about staying too long with the Regent and the possibility of his pregnancy being exposed. He had a nagging feeling that the Regent might sneakily touch his stomach while he slept.

Chu Zhaoyou stood by the carriage shaft, lifting the heavy package, and suggested, “We’re not far from the capital. Zhao Jin said we’ll be there in another hour and a half. Why don’t we travel through the night?”

Xiao Heng stood below, reaching up his hand, “Get down.”

“Okay.”

Xiao Heng took the package and headed towards the most luxurious inn in town, opposite a modest inn where the rates were half as expensive.

Chu Zhaoyou remarked, “Why waste money? We could just stay at the cheaper inn across the street. I can endure a little hardship.”

Pretending not to hear, Xiao Heng’s lips curled into a smirk. He wondered who complained about feeling dizzy as soon as the carriage picked up speed.

“One deluxe room,” Xiao Heng requested.

“Two,” Chu Zhaoyou interjected, placing the hard-earned silver he had earned from the Imperial Guards on the table, displaying his wealth.

Xiao Heng declined Chu Zhaoyou’s money. “Don’t waste your money. I still need to protect you tonight.”

After arranging accommodations for the others, Xiao Heng carried the package and ascended the stairs.

Chu Zhaoyou hurried after him, urging, “Then give me back my money.”

Xiao Heng smirked, pocketing Chu Zhaoyou’s silver. He was starting to understand why Qian Shicheng indulged his wife.

Without money in his pocket, the little guy wouldn’t cause trouble by insisting on two rooms.

“This silver is protection money.”

Chu Zhaoyou’s steps faltered as he climbed the stairs, feeling tempted to book another room.

In a battle of wills, he had the money.

Teasing, Xiao Heng pulled out a finely crafted copper key. “Here.”

Chu Zhaoyou made his intention clear, “I want money.”

“If you don’t get money, I’ll sing in your ear all night,” he teased.

Xiao Heng raised an eyebrow. “The key to the treasury.”

“Can I spend it as cash? I prefer cash.” Chu Zhaoyou graciously accepted the key. “What use do I have for a key? As Emperor, I keep my public and private funds separate. I wouldn’t dare touch the money in the treasury.”

“Feel free to spend it. I’ll replenish any shortages. I’m covering for you, understood?” Xiao Heng ushered the chatty Chu Zhaoyou into the room. “Get some rest. You’ve been complaining of dizziness all afternoon, haven’t you?”

Chu Zhaoyou immediately pretended to massage his forehead. “Yes, I do feel a bit dizzy. The mountain wind is too harsh.”

In reality, the Regent’s carriage had excellent shock absorption. His strategic dizziness was a precaution for the possibility of feeling nauseous.

Fortunately, it didn’t escalate to the point of vomiting, but the Regent was now wary of letting Chu Zhaoyou ride in a carriage.

The two retired early, as if the matter of sharing a bed had already been amicably settled.

Before falling asleep, Chu Zhaoyou made a solemn decision. This was the last time. Although his stomach was just about passable as “plump,” he would soon be four months pregnant. If he dragged it out further and the Regent still referred to him as “chubby”—

It would mean he hadn’t cured the Regent of his foolishness. He would remain a fool.

The small town served as an important stopover for travelers from various regions heading to the capital. As night fell, guests continued to arrive at the inn.

As the night grew deeper and silence enveloped the surroundings, the streets deserted, and only a single lamp illuminated the inn’s lower hall, where a drowsy attendant kept watch.

Everything was remarkably quiet, as if making any sound would desecrate the night.

In the most expensive room of the inn, Chu Zhaoyou suddenly opened his eyes, blinked a few times, and nudged the person beside him.

In a hushed and distressed tone, he said, “Regent, I want to eat tofu pudding.”

If he didn’t eat it, he wouldn’t be able to sleep.

In the darkness, Chu Zhaoyou gazed at the Regent and nudged him again.

He vowed he wasn’t intentionally making things difficult for the Regent. He had simply woken up suddenly in the middle of the night, with an inexplicable and intense craving for tofu pudding.

After hesitating for a moment, he came to a realization. It wasn’t his own craving; it was the Regent’s offspring’s desire.

So, what was wrong with waking the Regent up?

Nothing.

Xiao Heng, being highly alert, had become fully awake the moment Chu Zhaoyou called out “Regent.” However, upon hearing the next sentence, “I want to eat tofu pudding,” he decided to wait.

Was Chu Zhaoyou deliberately causing trouble, or…?

Did he genuinely want to eat?

Xiao Heng resignedly sat up and stared into Chu Zhaoyou’s earnest, distinct eyes, asking, “Anything else?”

“Not for now,” Chu Zhaoyou replied.

Xiao Heng’s forehead creased. “Not for now?”

“I assure you, there’s none for now.”

Exasperated, the Regent instructed his attendant to be vigilant and went downstairs to find tofu pudding for Chu Zhaoyou. After all, he had insisted on sharing a room with him.

The breakfast vendors were still in bed, and none were preparing soy milk at that hour, but there were soaked soybeans available.

Xiao Heng woke up the inn’s kitchen staff with money and had them prepare tofu pudding for Chu Zhaoyou.

When it came to Chu Zhaoyou’s diet, the Regent personally supervised, which left the cook drenched in cold sweat.

“Stop,” the Regent impatiently ordered. “Let me do it.”

At the speed the cook was grinding the soybeans, when would he be able to sleep?

Harnessing his inner strength, the Regent spun the 200-pound millstone, creating a whirlwind, and when it came to straining, he swiftly twisted the filter cloth three times.

The cook had never made soy milk this quickly; he hadn’t even fully woken up when it was time to prepare the broth.

Following Xiao Heng’s instructions, the cook prepared six bowls of tofu pudding, with varying flavors—salty, sweet, and plain.

Feeling a bit bored in the room, Chu Zhaoyou paced back and forth, waiting for Xiao Heng. Then he noticed the package on the chair and impulsively opened it.

It turned out to be the package he had arranged for the Regent, which had now become his own luggage.

Both of them had attendants to handle their belongings, so there was no need for them to do it themselves. Therefore, the package only contained a symbolic amount.

Chu Zhaoyou came across several pieces of clothing, including the white outfit he had borrowed for the Regent.

In wealthy households in the capital, the laundry soap used was of the highest quality, infused with various fragrances in addition to soapberries, leaving clothes with a natural scent after drying.

Both the Regent and Chu Zhaoyou were no exception, although they didn’t pay attention to these details, as their attendants took care of such matters.

The white outfit originally belonged to Lu Bo, and the laundry attendants might not have known it had been transferred to the Regent. It was washed separately from the Regent’s clothes during their time at the mausoleum and was dried separately. The person responsible for collecting the laundry had mistakenly placed the clothes in Chu Zhaoyou’s room. Eventually, Chu Zhaoyou found it and packed it into his belongings.

Chu Zhaoyou caught a whiff of the refreshing soapberry scent, which, compared to the fragranced clothing, was simple and pleasant.

He took another sniff.

Wait… What was he doing? This seemed very much like the act of a foolish man secretly sniffing the Regent’s clothes!

Chu Zhaoyou shuddered and opened a window, calling for Zhao Jin. “I never realized it before, but the soapberry scent is quite pleasant.”

His expression suggested to Zhao Jin: Is this normal behavior for me?

Zhao Jin immediately understood. “Sometimes, even I suddenly like a certain scent, including those I didn’t like before. After a few months, I suddenly develop a liking for a different scent.”

Pregnant individuals are just irrational like that. Even if Chu Zhaoyou were to tell him that he felt nauseous at the sight of the innkeeper downstairs, Zhao Jin wouldn’t be surprised. After all, the Emperor’s quirks must be thousands of times more than those of an ordinary pregnant woman.

Chu Zhaoyou was perplexed. No one had told him that pregnant individuals might develop a fondness for the scent of soapberries. He even found himself missing the modern soap that cost three yuan and fifty cents a box.

The attendant was utterly baffled. Why was the Emperor discussing the scent of soapberries with Zhao Jin in the middle of the night, and why did it seem so fitting?

He, too, was influenced and found himself sniffing his own cuff. It was ordinary; it couldn’t compare to the soapberries exclusively provided for the Regent.

Just as Xiao Heng entered with a tray of six bowls of tofu pudding, he caught Chu Zhaoyou still hovering over the white outfit.

Smelling… Lu Bo’s clothes?

Even though he had worn them, with so many of his own clothes in the package, why did he choose the white ones?

“What are you doing?” Xiao Heng’s voice rang out suddenly.

Startled, Chu Zhaoyou stammered, “I wasn’t smelling your clothes.”

He swore he didn’t harbor any strange thoughts about the Regent!

“Those clothes belong to Lu Bo,” Chu Zhaoyou said.

Xiao Heng’s expression darkened as he noticed his clothes strewn in disarray on the side, clearly showing Chu Zhaoyou’s disdain.

Before today, Xiao Heng hadn’t paid much attention to Lu Bo. But now he realized that the young officer Chu Zhaoyou had written about in his palm was none other than Lu Bo!

The surname Lu, with a proper appearance, and almost as tall as he was, with mediocre martial skills.

The more Xiao Heng thought about it, the more resentful he became. He picked out a black garment from the pile, sneering, “You like sniffing other people’s clothes? Then change into this one tonight. Take off the dragon robe.”

In his opinion, the little guy should wear his clothes, eat what he fed him, and even be carried by him when walking!

Chu Zhaoyou, noticing that the garment Xiao Heng had chosen was his own, shook his head in refusal. “We can negotiate about the white one.”

At that moment, he completely failed to realize that the white one belonged to Lu Bo.

Xiao Heng was on the verge of exploding. Did Chu Zhaoyou understand the concept of propriety? Besides him, would Lu Bo ever grind tofu pudding for him in the middle of the night?

“Do you like Lu Bo?” Xiao Heng asked with a chilling tone. If Chu Zhaoyou said yes, he would immediately return to the mausoleum.

“What are you talking about?” Chu Zhaoyou was shocked, and Xiao Heng’s expression looked murderous. “What does this have to do with Lu Bo?”

Xiao Heng retorted, “You’re smelling his clothes and throwing mine aside.”

Chu Zhaoyou paused for a moment before realizing, “No, I just like the scent on his clothes.”

Xiao Heng readied his sword.

“Why are you being so fierce!” Chu Zhaoyou grasped Xiao Heng’s hand. “What I meant is, I’ve suddenly developed a liking for the scent of soapberries. I find it pleasant and have decided to use regular soap to wash my clothes from now on.”

Xiao Heng calmed down for a moment. “Are you telling the truth?”

“Absolutely.” Chu Zhaoyou sat at the table. “It’s late. Let’s not disturb our neighbors. Let’s have some tofu pudding.”

Seeing the six bowls of tofu pudding arranged on the table, Chu Zhaoyou’s eyes softened. “Regent, I admire you greatly.”

Even he didn’t know whether the little one in his belly preferred sweet or savory, but the Regent had considered it thoroughly.

Xiao Heng’s anger dissipated. From now on, he would also use regular soap to wash his clothes. Then, the little guy would instinctively cuddle up to him.

As the lights dimmed once again in the room, a sharp projectile flew out from under the door.

The attendant caught it as if facing a formidable enemy, only to realize it was Lu Bo’s clothing.

The next day, across from the Fulai Inn, an elderly man stretched, settled his bill, and left. He had overindulged in peanuts the day before, causing not only a dent in his pocket but also a toothache. As he stretched, he caught sight of a certain foolish individual helping a young man in blue into a carriage. Before he could get a clear look, the carriage had already driven off. All he managed to see was a vague figure, unable to discern the belly clearly. The elderly man slapped his thigh in frustration. Was the person pregnant or not? If not, it wasn’t his concern. He didn’t want to get involved in the troubles of the capital’s elite.

Since the passing of the late Emperor, the Regent had become extremely overbearing. Although the Ministry of Works made court attire annually according to regulations, using the finest fabrics and embroidery from Great Chu, the Regent ignored the ancestral customs. He never wore court attire to the court sessions, and no one dared to object.

Xie Chaoyun caught up to the Regent and fearlessly asked, “Regent, have you ever seen a peacock from the southwest?”

Xiao Heng replied coldly, “No.”

“Nor have I,” Xie Chaoyun said regretfully for a moment before laughing audaciously. “But I heard that a displaying peacock seeking a mate looks just like the Regent here—”

General Xie was unable to attend court today due to injuries.

Author’s note: Chu Zhaoyou: “It’s not that I want to eat; there’s someone else behind it.”

If the Regent doesn’t pursue the big house, he’ll be relegated to the role of husband and father today!