Chapter 50

Xiao Heng sat in his study all night. At midnight, a spy reported that the prescription had been validated. Ten court physicians and imperial doctors had confirmed that, except for the unfamiliar herbs, it was essentially a modified antiemetic formula.

The Imperial Hospital verified that after returning from the hunting grounds, His Majesty had requested this antiemetic formula from them.

The incontrovertible evidence before Xiao Heng pointed to a single speculation: Chu Zhaoyou had learned of his pregnancy at the hunting grounds, then hurriedly discussed marriage with Lady Zhao to divert attention. This conversation was overheard by Xiao Heng, who subsequently threatened Chu Zhaoyou from marrying and having children. Accidentally, this threat hit the mark. Chu Zhaoyou had begun concealing the pregnancy from Xiao Heng and knew that the Regent was reluctant to enter the imperial mausoleum, intending to stay there for six months until giving birth.

A sardonic smile tugged at the corner of Xiao Heng’s mouth. Chu Zhaoyou was indeed clever, exploiting his aversion to the late Emperor to free himself.

He couldn’t help but recall Chu Zhaoyou’s disappearance from the palace, using Xiao Heng’s aversion to performers as a legitimate reason to leave.

The only two sources of anguish for him had all been turned into vulnerabilities by Chu Zhaoyou’s attacks.

There was no one else in the world who dared to calculate and trample on the Regent’s bottom line repeatedly.

What he couldn’t accept the most was the prescription. If Chu Zhaoyou, after having a child, was planning to scheme against him as the late Emperor had, it meant that when he was needed, he was a stepping stone, and when he wasn’t, he was an obstacle.

As the spring weather gradually warmed, the light from the east arrived earlier than usual.

The study, once dark, now transitioned to dimness. The night had passed in the blink of an eye.

As the third sparrow chirped outside the window, the window frame was lightly tapped.

“Master, Qin Feichen has been brought in.”

“Mmm.”

In the dimly lit dungeon of the Regent’s Residence, the fire flickered. After the political situation stabilized, very few prisoners were held here. Representing the utmost authority of Greater Chu, offending the Regent often equated to violating national law, leading directly to the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Punishments.

Upon waking up, Qin Feichen was nearly scared out of his wits. He found himself bound to a torture rack, surrounded by various implements that would make anyone turn pale.

At twenty-five, he had a sixty-year-old mother waiting for grandchildren, and 376 women in line waiting for his apology.

He had sensed that someone had been following him since leaving the imperial mausoleum, but their presence remained discreet, and they hadn’t done anything against him. He had convinced himself that the Emperor had sent someone to supervise his atonement, allowing him to sleep soundly.

And now, he woke up to this!

“I’d rather sleep forever,” Qin Feichen began to contemplate who he might have offended.

After much consideration, the notorious womanizer still believed that he had been doing good deeds all along.

Only at the beginning of the month, he had eagerly taken up the honorable role of a “hero”!

Indeed, after some introspection, Qin Feichen felt that serving as the Emperor’s “hero” was a great honor, a truly benevolent act for the good of the nation and its people.

When he saw the Regent enter with a stern expression, Qin Feichen swiftly overturned his previous thoughts. One must be honest, especially when it concerns the affairs of the nation.

A chair was brought in, and Xiao Heng sat in front of Qin Feichen, his gaze growing increasingly icy.

He hadn’t noticed it before, but this womanizing thief was rather good-looking.

Xiao Heng asked, “You were the one His Majesty encountered when he left the palace?”

Qin Feichen’s conscience was in turmoil. “I think so.”

“Are you or aren’t you?”

“It was me!” Qin Feichen closed his eyes. After all, he had to face the consequences of grave-robbing, having desecrated someone’s father’s tomb.

The armrest of the chair cracked with a sharp sound as the Regent sat down.

“What evidence do you have?” Xiao Heng felt that he had placed too much trust in Chu Zhaoyou without seeing any evidence.

Qin Feichen had no choice but to acknowledge the Emperor’s foresight and provided evidence. “Well… there’s a bite mark on His Majesty’s shoulder—”

At this moment, Qin Feichen felt the Regent’s deadly gaze and suddenly spoke at the fastest pace of his life, “It was from a large black dog! It has nothing to do with me; I just happened to save His Majesty!”

Xiao Heng’s anger dissipated somewhat.

Qin Feichen had a premonition that if he had admitted to being the one who bit the Emperor, he would have already been condemned to death.

Fortunately, he wasn’t that dog.

Qin Feichen was grateful to be human.

“A hero rescuing the beauty?” He couldn’t help but sense a burgeoning emotion. An act of self-sacrifice for the sake of love?

“Sort of.”

Xiao Heng took two deep breaths. “And then you just left him there and went to bother other women! You beast!”

The thought of Chu Zhaoyou saying, “No one has bullied him,” made Xiao Heng furious. Why was he still defending Qin Feichen at this point? He roamed among the flowers, and Chu Zhaoyou didn’t care at all? Letting Qin Feichen apologize to those women could be considered a reformation?

Qin Feichen was taken aback by the scolding and didn’t dare retort. Why was he being called a beast?

Xiao Heng looked down at him, sneering, “Did you know that His Majesty can get pregnant?”

Qin Feichen was dumbfounded, “N-No, I didn’t.”

He only knew he was a noble hero, not that being a “hero” involved becoming a father!

But the other party was the Regent, a man of great authority. Why would he go to such lengths to bring him back if it wasn’t a matter of great importance?

Qin Feichen’s perspectives on life were being reshaped, but his thought process was peculiar. He swiftly accepted this new scenario.

No wonder the Emperor sought him out. Even if his mother threatened him with a rolling pin every day to marry and have children, he wouldn’t dare father the future heir to the throne!

Xiao Heng’s expression seemed blank for a few seconds. Was it not Qin Feichen? Had Chu Zhaoyou deceived him again?

Is public security in Greater Chu really this poor? Are there so many womanizers in the capital?

The Regent began to doubt his own governance.

“If not you, then who?” Xiao Heng suddenly couldn’t put his feelings into words and could only question Qin Feichen.

Qin Feichen responded, “I don’t know… I think His Majesty might have forgotten. Not all womanizers look as handsome as I do. They all wear masks.”

“You think he’s forgotten?” Could it be that Chu Zhaoyou simply didn’t remember that person, and there was no one else occupying a place in his heart? This was the best outcome Xiao Heng could hope for, and he couldn’t help but suppress his anger while listening to Qin Feichen’s nonsense.

Seeing Xiao Heng’s expression improve, Qin Feichen felt relieved. He began to feel guilty for betraying Chu Zhaoyou and continued, “His Majesty is quite pitiful. How did he end up in this situation? If he doesn’t want to talk about it, we won’t ask. Taking care of His Majesty and his child is the priority. Don’t be fooled by the fact that I agreed to be the ‘hero’ for His Majesty. It’s actually a good deed. That womanizer ran off after pulling his pants down. He deserves to be beheaded. His Majesty may not show it, but he’s actually heartbroken. Look, now I, a perfect and outstanding gentleman, am replacing that womanizer, leaving a good impression on His Majesty. It will make His Majesty feel a bit better and will be good for the child.”

Xiao Heng frowned, seemingly pondering his words carefully.

Qin Feichen continued to whitewash Chu Zhaoyou, “His Majesty, as the Emperor, shoulders a heavy responsibility. I am also honored. In my opinion, only someone as exceptional as the Regent is worthy of alleviating His Majesty’s worries and difficulties!”

Qin Feichen’s words were highly provocative, or rather, they struck a chord with the Regent.

Xiao Heng closed his eyes, dispelling the layers of anger and frustration that had rusted around his heart, and saw the most primal nature of the situation.

He had never considered the issue of progeny, much less the possibility of Chu Zhaoyou bearing a child. Whose child Chu Zhaoyou was carrying did not encroach upon his existing authority.

Beyond the initial shock, anger, and reluctance to accept this unexpected turn of events, he realized, objectively, that he had been too late. When Chu Zhaoyou first became pregnant, he was the disdainful Regent who despised the young puppet emperor. What right did he have to interfere with Chu Zhaoyou and his choices!

The reality was cruel.

The Chu Zhaoyou he had come to love was the one who had returned to the palace, the one who was already with child.

As the ancients said, “Love me, love my dog.” Even if he couldn’t accept it openly at present, he was paying the price for his past arrogance and mistakes.

If Chu Zhaoyou could explain the matter of the prescription, he would grit his teeth and swallow this bitter pill.

“Yes, indeed, only I am worthy of that role.” With all other paths blocked, Xiao Heng begrudgingly accepted Qin Feichen’s reasoning. Chu Zhaoyou was weak, helpless, and in need of someone to father his child.

As for the identity of the “womanizer,” since Chu Zhaoyou didn’t divulge the truth and found a substitute, such a person would never exist in Greater Chu.

Preparing to enter the palace to question Chu Zhaoyou about the prescription, he took a step forward. Qin Feichen called out from behind.

“If the misunderstanding is cleared up, can you let me go?”

“Another couple of days. It’s a lesson to be learned.”

The spy released Qin Feichen from the torture rack and confined him to a more harmonious cell.

Qin Feichen immediately relaxed – just two days, and he had scored a win.

However, as he watched the Regent’s retreating figure, it was clear that the Regent really wanted to play the “hero” role!

Just now was the peak of his intelligence in this lifetime, but he hadn’t missed the Regent’s statement, “I will take care of him for you.”

Was he brought here just to have his green hat snatched away?

As the day broke, Lu Huai came to see Chu Zhaoyou in the palace to report on the repairs to the imperial mausoleum. The underground palace had been sealed, and the village had been compensated. The rest of the matters didn’t require Lu Huai’s attention. The Dragon Guard would return to their station near the outskirts of the capital, pausing for the night to wait for Lu Huai to see the Emperor.

A new member had been added to the Dragon Guard – Zhao Cheng, Chu Zhaoyou’s maternal uncle.

As Lady Zhao needed to take care of her sick child and was concerned about her nephew’s difficulties in the capital, she and Zhao Cheng decided that he would make a trip to the city.

The Regent had discovered the Emperor’s pregnancy and decided to give favor to the Emperor in favor of the unborn child.

Zhao Cheng had no objections. If Chu Zhaoyou’s Mother hadn’t concealed the existence of his sister, the Empress Dowager would have long considered Lady Zhao a threat and disposed of her.

After Lady Zhao returned, she lavishly praised Chu Zhaoyou for his resemblance to her and how well-behaved he was. Zhao Cheng had heard this so often that he sometimes felt as though he had another son.

Chu Zhaoyou couldn’t leave the palace without the Regent’s command. Originally, Zhao Cheng thought that while the Regent held power, he still respected the young Emperor, but it seemed that wasn’t the case.

Chu Zhaoyou used the excuse of seeing Lu Huai out of the palace to bargain with the guards and finally negotiated permission to be escorted to the city gates.

“Training for a thousand days to use in battle for a moment, although there’s no major issue in the capital, we must not be lax in military training,” Chu Zhaoyou changed his tune, “How about I go to the outskirts to boost morale?”

After saying this, he swiftly moved to the middle of Lu Huai and his uncle.

Lu Huai was caught off guard, but Chu Zhaoyou clearly had his reasons, and he could only comply.

On the other hand, Zhao Cheng remained calm. He was an experienced person and this was a minor situation.

The outskirts were surrounded by mountains, and the Dragon Guard stationed there had a solid foundation. If Chu Zhaoyou entered, it would mean temporarily escaping the Regent’s control.

The guards were flustered. It was clear that they couldn’t disobey their master’s orders in the slightest.

They wanted to intervene, but Lu Huai and the newcomer beside him were not to be trifled with. Accidentally harming Chu Zhaoyou would mean unforgivable consequences.

There was no other option but to inform the Regent.

Lu Huai arranged a carriage for Chu Zhaoyou to leave the city. The Dragon Guard gathered around, forming a formidable force to protect Chu Zhaoyou in the middle.

“Why are you doing this, Your Majesty?”

“Uncle Lu, didn’t you see? The Regent wants to imprison me.”

Chu Zhaoyou’s words were laden with meaning. “If it weren’t for you letting me off last time, I’d still be comfortably lounging in the imperial mausoleum.”

Lu Huai hesitated, “Perhaps the Regent has no ill intent. Your Majesty might be misinterpreting things. I’m not speaking on behalf of the Regent, but his care for you is evident to all.”

“Care?” Chu Zhaoyou thought of the Regent’s meals and shook his head. “It’s just superficial flattery. He thinks I have a nice face that’s easy on the eyes. It’s truly unfortunate that as an Emperor, I still have to entertain.”

Chu Zhaoyou’s gaze drifted. He had seen the Regent’s genuine kindness, even if it was only for two days. A person’s true nature, their genuine kindness, doesn’t change regardless of the circumstances.

The person who had never spoken harshly, even when suffering from a headache, was willing to steal a roasted chicken for him, claiming it would cure him. The person who prioritized ensuring he was well-fed over saving his life. Perhaps there was some kind of foolishness at play here.

It was too difficult to make people pay attention to the benefits of a dull stone when they had jewels and gems in front of them.

“What should Your Majesty do then?” Lu Huai glanced at Chu Zhaoyou’s belly. After boarding the carriage, Chu Zhaoyou no longer hid it, and witnessing it was quite a shock for the old man. When the Emperor returned, he had the Regent’s token. Could it be that the Regent was the child’s other father?

“Letting the Regent know might change the situation,” Lu Huai truly did not wish to see Chu Zhaoyou running around everywhere.

“The situation is quite complicated, and I don’t want to take any risks.”

It seemed that Lu Huai had sensed it early on. Chu Zhaoyou tensed for a moment, choosing to trust in Lu Huai’s character.

The Regent had made it clear that he didn’t need Miao Ruoqiu’s method of treatment. That’s perhaps why he had chosen to forget everything.

Chu Zhaoyou felt trapped. It seemed that Xiao Hei couldn’t accept not only his own foolishness but also his decisions.

After finally mustering the courage to do something good, Chu Zhaoyou didn’t want to know the Regent’s thoughts beyond gratitude. It would be humiliating.

He decided to play it safe.

Chu Zhaoyou leaned back against the carriage. “I want to go out and clear my mind.”

He felt too passive in the palace, and he didn’t know if the Regent would carry out his threats.

For instance, imprisoning him in the Funing Palace, having a puppet Emperor appointed after the child’s birth, and eventually forcing him to abdicate and go to the imperial mausoleum.

He would be left desolate in the mausoleum, while the Regent continued to enjoy his power.

It was truly miserable.

Chu Zhaoyou was on edge, everything seemed like a real imperial mausoleum drama.

What if the previous initiative didn’t count, and this time it was the real deal? If the script said Xie Chaoyun would die, then the poisoned drink would truly find its way to his lips. If it mentioned that he would be at the imperial mausoleum, then that must be true as well.

The Regent had just stepped out of the dungeon when he heard the guards reporting in a fluster that His Majesty had fled.

Xiao Heng was left breathless, almost unable to believe that Chu Zhaoyou had managed to escape despite the presence of the entire Dragon Guard!

The guard remained silent. After all, they were the elite Dragon Guard.

Author’s note: Qin Feichen: A counselor for psychological trauma from green hat experiences.

Regent: Whether or not he can dispel curses, this Regent can surely be contradictory.