Chapter 54

The Regent, now a father-to-be, received gifts simpler than those of the village blacksmith, yet he was immensely pleased. Even though Chu Zhaoyou explicitly forbade it at this critical juncture, the Regent insisted on bringing the gifts back to the capital.

Chu Zhaoyou was speechless. What was the Regent aiming for? He was meticulously packaging peanuts and longans, even taking care with easily damaged items like eggs.

Xie Chaoyun, Qian Shicheng, and Xiao Qi each carried a bag of goods, turning into instant laborers.

Due to various concerns, Xiao Heng currently couldn’t publicly announce Chu Zhaoyou’s pregnancy. Upon leaving Longwei Mountain, no one could congratulate them, so the fortuitous celebration here was a welcome occurrence.

Zhao Cheng hadn’t expected that in just one night, the child’s father in Chu Zhaoyou’s womb had become the Regent. He recalled Di Yan’s suggestion to seek out a man in red and give him a good beating before taking him to see Chu Zhaoyou. Could the man still fit in the sack?

“Uncle, I’ve already read through the reports about your duties in the capital. Why not take the opportunity to stay in the palace for a few days, complete your duties, and then take in the sights and people of the capital?” Xiao Heng greeted Zhao Cheng with exceptional kindness, showing no hint of awkwardness, as if he wasn’t the same person who had sought favors just yesterday.

Zhao Cheng couldn’t help but glance at Chu Zhaoyou. The previous day, His Majesty had hinted at his intentions to head to Liangzhou. It was still feasible to travel now, but it might become more complicated later.

Chu Zhaoyou looked up at the sky. “I understand Uncle’s concern for the affairs in Liangzhou, but since we’re already in the capital, we might as well follow the Regent’s plan. This way, certain individuals won’t have a backlog of reports to deal with, requiring them to make another trip.”

The Regent felt subtly mocked.

Xie Chaoyun couldn’t help but chuckle. Ever since accepting the premise of His Majesty being able to conceive, he found a bit of amusement in it. The person who used to persuade him to speak properly now seemed eager to please, like a completely different person.

He patted Qian Shicheng on the shoulder. “You’re quite like the Regent.”

Xiao Heng draped a cloak over Chu Zhaoyou. “Your Majesty, just bear with it.”

Clasping his hands, Chu Zhaoyou shared a carriage with the Regent, frowning. “Regent, don’t go around claiming relatives randomly. General Zhao is my uncle; he has no relation to you.”

Xiao Heng had privately consulted Qian Shicheng about this kind of situation. He was advised that silence or a nod would suffice. He chose to remain silent.

The Regent, who usually couldn’t be provoked, seemed to be getting on Chu Zhaoyou’s nerves a bit. Fuming, Chu Zhaoyou closed his mouth. Soon, unable to contain himself, he looked at the passing stretch of lake out the window and casually asked, “Regent, do you truly not care at all about the He Xin Gu?”

Xiao Heng caught his hand and held it in his own to warm it. “The late emperor is the late emperor, and Your Majesty saved my life, and also…”

Chu Zhaoyou narrowed his eyes.

Xiao Heng instinctively omitted a few words, “I only feel gratitude and affection toward Your Majesty.”

“You don’t remember those three days, so you’re not afraid that I intentionally deceived you into bed to fulfill the late emperor’s purpose?”

As he spoke, his fingers tightened slightly, a small action that Xiao Heng noticed. Once again, he realized that this was the reason Chu Zhaoyou had been hesitant to speak up.

“Your deceit was toward me, not someone else. That’s enough.”

Xiao Heng suddenly realized that Chu Zhaoyou had used the word “deceive.” He raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze fixed on Chu Zhaoyou with intensity. “Deceive, you say?”

“What’s wrong?” Chu Zhaoyou leaned back in the carriage, his voice strained. “Yes, I was despicable when you had amnesia. I did all sorts of bad things. Are you angry?”

Of course, Xiao Heng was angry. He was angry that he couldn’t remember, and the implications of Chu Zhaoyou’s words insinuated that it was he who had taken the initiative in that matter. Perhaps Chu Zhaoyou had to teach him, given that he was clueless at the time.

Thinking of this, Xiao Heng’s eyes darkened even more. Why couldn’t he remember?

“Whether I’m angry or not, Your Majesty will know after deceiving me again,” Xiao Heng cornered Chu Zhaoyou in the carriage.

Chu Zhaoyou’s eyes widened as he processed the situation. He realized that the Regent was not concerned about the late emperor at all, but rather was taking advantage of the situation. His cheeks flushed red, and he closed his eyes, pushing him away. “You’re crowding me.”

Xiao Heng looked at Chu Zhaoyou. His mind conjured up an image of Chu Zhaoyou, flushed and frustrated, causing his breathing to quicken.

Feeling flustered, Chu Zhaoyou considered the presence of so many people outside the carriage. They were all well aware of what was happening. What was the Regent thinking at this moment? This was not the time for such behavior!

“You’re pressing on my stomach,” Chu Zhaoyou changed his tone from bravado to a more distressed one, his voice lowering.

Xiao Heng quickly moved away and gently touched Chu Zhaoyou’s stomach. “I’m sorry. Are you feeling uncomfortable?”

“No,” Chu Zhaoyou sighed. “You’ll be fine if you just move away.”

Xiao Heng said, “…I won’t dwell on the late emperor. Your Majesty, can you forgive me, or tell me what explanation you’re waiting for?”

“So now you have conditions?” Chu Zhaoyou furrowed his brow, looking at him incredulously.

Xiao Heng said, “No, I don’t.”

Well, it seemed he wouldn’t get away with that one.

“I feel like this is all so surreal,” Chu Zhaoyou reiterated. “The Regent really doesn’t think this is a conspiracy, does he? Earlier, I just gave you an antidote, and you immediately assumed it was poison.”

Xiao Heng always seemed to think the worst of him. Could his mindset change so drastically overnight?

Xiao Heng wished he could go back a few months and give himself a good shake. “It was my overactive imagination. When the late emperor had you bow to me as my mentor, there was He Xin Gu Curse in the tea I drank during the ceremony.”

“What?” Chu Zhaoyou was stunned. There was actually a backstory to this. He suddenly felt that the Regent had been incredibly lenient for not throttling him at the time. Xiao Heng tried to salvage the situation, tarnishing his own image. “When the He Xin Gu flares up, it makes people a bit foolish. I’ve had it flare up once, so my temporary confusion is understandable.”

Chu Zhaoyou asked, “You became foolish? Do you think I became smarter?”

“Yes.”

Chu Zhaoyou was taken aback. No wonder neither Xiao Heng nor Xie Chaoyun felt his change was abrupt. They didn’t bother hiding their true selves to cater to their original owner.

So, the Regent thought I stole his intelligence!

He was already very clever to begin with!

Chu Zhaoyou asked with a hint of malice, “Are you suggesting that your intelligence transferred to me?”

Xiao Heng instinctively felt that this was a question he couldn’t answer. “I didn’t say that.”

Initially, he detested the He Xin Gu, but later he realized that Chu Zhaoyou always carried his mark, which couldn’t be removed. Wasn’t that more reliable than a bite mark?

“I see, that’s what you think,” Chu Zhaoyou said with a smirk. “The Regent doesn’t actually like me. You’re just self-absorbed. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t have grown more intelligent, and you wouldn’t like me. You like yourself.”

Xiao Heng found himself unable to wrap his head around Chu Zhaoyou’s convoluted argument.

The Chu Zhaoyou from before the He Xin Gu flare-up… He thought back to the young emperor and realized he couldn’t say he liked him.

But he clearly liked Chu Zhaoyou as a person! Why would he like himself?

“I can explain,” Xiao Heng said.

Chu Zhaoyou responded, “Go ahead.”

Xiao Heng realized he couldn’t articulate it. He couldn’t admit that he didn’t have affection for the previous Chu Zhaoyou, lest it be misconstrued.

Seeing Chu Zhaoyou’s obvious delight in this conversation, Xiao Heng realized he had walked into a trap. He was entangled in Chu Zhaoyou’s twisted logic.

Intentionally furrowing his brow, he appeared genuinely perplexed, and sure enough, he noticed Chu Zhaoyou’s eyes light up even more.

Xiao Heng muttered something under his breath, but Chu Zhaoyou didn’t catch it, quickly leaning in to listen.

Chu Zhaoyou: “What are you saying?”

Xiao Heng succeeded, swiftly seizing Chu Zhaoyou and murmuring in his ear, “I said… prove it with actions.”

Huh?

Before Chu Zhaoyou could react, he was embraced, and a firm kiss was planted on his lips.

As the carriage rolled over a stone, jolting them, Chu Zhaoyou, thrown off balance, reflexively held onto the Regent.

Seizing the opportunity, the kiss deepened.

After the kiss, Chu Zhaoyou’s mind remained blank. A blush started from his back and gradually spread, the warmth climbing up to his face.

While they had been intimate, they had never shared a kiss.

Satisfied, Xiao Heng released Chu Zhaoyou, pinched his cheek, and said menacingly, “I can tell the difference, because I not only like you, I also want to kiss you, and even more—”

Chu Zhaoyou, blushing, interrupted, “Shut up!”

He pushed Xiao Heng away and retreated to a corner, opening the curtain for some fresh air.

Lacking composure, look at the Regent, not even blushing.

Chu Zhaoyou took a deep breath, attempting to dispel the tingling warmth through respiration, almost tempted to stick out his tongue for relief, like a panting dog. Yet, he restrained himself with dignity.

I absolutely won’t be shameless like the Regent, sticking out my tongue.

The heat didn’t subside but rather intensified.

In the blink of an eye, Chu Zhaoyou’s eyes shimmered with a hint of radiance, exuding a watery glow. Against the backdrop of his blushing peach-blossom eyes, it seemed as if a pool of spring water had rippled open.

The Regent’s heart skipped a beat. Chu Zhaoyou had exceptionally beautiful eyes, tender and affectionate in their gaze. The former young emperor didn’t have this kind of look; it seemed more like a habit cultivated over years, emerging from the depths of his soul.

They had argued too much during this time. Xiao Heng couldn’t even recall the last time Chu Zhaoyou had looked at someone this way.

They had to make things right in the future.

…

The old man had been waiting at the Regent’s residence for quite some time. He was on the verge of grumbling and heading home when the Regent finally returned with his wife.

Upon seeing Chu Zhaoyou’s belly, he felt a headache coming on. Then, upon noticing Chu Zhaoyou’s dragon robe, the headache worsened.

He was willing to bet that these two wouldn’t let him leave.

Considering the good food at the Regent’s residence, he decided to bite his tongue and endure it.

Chu Zhaoyou stepped forward, swiftly catching the old man, his eyes reddened from seeing an old acquaintance. “You can forget such a significant side effect, even as a renowned physician?”

If a man were to give birth, he’d remember it for a lifetime, no matter where he saw it!

“You chose the treatment yourself; you can’t blame me, old man.” Feeling guilty, the old man scratched the back of his head and sidled behind the Regent.

“Tsk tsk, you’re harsh with me, and old man, but you’re rather kind to the big fool.” Finding a good spot to stand, the old man began, “Regent, when you had that headache, His Majesty was so anxious he couldn’t even be bothered to eat. He just kept hovering around you, afraid you’d harm yourself, hitting trees and stones. He held onto you, refusing to let go, rolling around on the ground…”

Chu Zhaoyou’s expression stiffened. Was this physician the second coming of Cui Geng?

“Shut up, or I’ll decree to appoint you as the imperial physician for life,” Chu Zhaoyou threatened.

The Regent intervened, “Physician, please continue. Ten taels for each sentence.”

The Regent, wealthy enough to rival a nation, not only could touch the emperor’s belly for a thousand taels, but also made the physician speak romantic words at ten taels per sentence.

This was the first time he had heard someone else talk about those three days. Chu Zhaoyou had kept his mouth shut tight, insisting that he had intentionally wanted to become pregnant.

Xiao Heng restrained Chu Zhaoyou, a deep smile in his eyes, clearly indicating his eagerness to save him, disregarding any aftereffects.

While the old man had little interest in politics, he knew the Regent held authority and thus continued, “You even bit his shoulder, which looked painful. His Majesty let out a sound… I said to take advantage of the next headache to administer the antidote, or else even if this episode was successful, he didn’t hesitate to pull you away, fearing you’d become even the slightest bit foolish.”

No wonder even when he lost his memory, he couldn’t resist getting close to Chu Zhaoyou.

No one in his life had treated him better than Chu Zhaoyou.

Xiao Heng fell silent and asked Chu Zhaoyou, “So, Your Majesty knew my intelligence was unimpaired?”

Did he deliberately mislead him when they returned?

Chu Zhaoyou deflected, “You brought it up first.”

Xiao Heng, feeling exasperated, kissed Chu Zhaoyou. It was somewhat amusing. The Chu Zhaoyou described by the physician was quite different from the one he knew. Though things were fine now, he was still a tough nut to crack, with a sharp tongue but a tender heart.

“The physician, His Majesty…” Xiao Heng began.

The old man waved his hand. “No need to worry about the pregnancy. The He Xin Gu  has taken care of everything for you. It’s a fusion of both Gu, like a placenta, continually protecting the fetus until birth, then expelled. It’s a bit complicated to explain, but that’s the gist of it.”

“Has it affected His Majesty’s health?”

“The books say it hasn’t. Just to ease your worries, I proactively sought out the physician. Rest assured, I’ve been keeping an eye on things; nothing will happen.”

Despite the old man’s unreliable appearance, he had a sense of medical ethics. Seeing him, Chu Zhaoyou felt a weight lifted from his heart. “Then we’ll leave it to the physician.”

Glancing at Xiao Heng, he mustered the courage to ask, “Physician, why… can’t he remember?”

“It shouldn’t be the case. I even prescribed him medicine. Unless he doesn’t want to remember,” the physician responded. The late emperor’s solution couldn’t guarantee Xiao Heng’s full recovery. Only with the three doses of medicine from the old man could he be free from the mental toll of the He Xin Gu.

Xiao Heng’s heart skipped a beat, suddenly understanding Chu Zhaoyou’s need for an explanation. He hastily clarified, “Zhaoyou, I could never intentionally forget.”

The old man grabbed Xiao Heng’s pulse and frowned. “Has he lost his memory again on his own?”

He felt around the back of Xiao Heng’s head and touched upon a subtle anomaly. “I knew it! Has he hit his head before taking the medicine?”

The medication intended for the brain, taken after a head injury—talk about an unintended side effect!

“He has been hit before…” Chu Zhaoyou squeezed his fingers. So Xiao Heng hadn’t intentionally forgotten him; he had lost his memory due to the injury.

The knot that had long troubled him was finally untied. Chu Zhaoyou’s nose tingled, and he blinked hard, afraid of being ridiculed for tearing up.

Xiao Heng wiped the corner of Chu Zhaoyou’s eye. “Can you forgive me, Your Majesty?”

Chu Zhaoyou sniffed, his eyes slightly red. “I’m sorry. I thought that since it didn’t hurt and didn’t swell, it meant there was no problem. I was too careless… Physician, is he okay?”

The old man replied, “It’s nothing serious, but for him to recover, he’ll need several more days of acupuncture. There’s no telling when he might remember.”

Xiao Heng couldn’t wait. “Please, physician, administer the acupuncture.”

“Why the rush?” The old man smirked, pulling out a row of silver needles. “How did it happen? Tell me, so I have an idea.”

Xiao Heng and the old man both turned to look at Chu Zhaoyou.

Chu Zhaoyou said, “Um… a small pillar fell over and hit me.”

The old man casually asked, “How could a pillar fall over?”

Not exactly the best timing.

Chu Zhaoyou suddenly blushed. “What does that have to do with healing?!”

The old man, who had initially asked just out of habit, fell into contemplation as he observed Chu Zhaoyou’s suspiciously red face.

Did I ask something I shouldn’t have?

Xiao Heng: “…”

Because… I have great strength?