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Chu Zhaoyou dawdled because he didn’t want to change his protective attire. He never allowed anyone to attend to him while bathing, and he dressed himself, striving to avoid falling ill.
Only Zhao Jin knew about his pregnancy in the entire palace.
Moving slowly into the inner chamber, Chu Zhaoyou nervously tossed his clothes on the bed and began to search for his white fur coat.
Where did it go?
He liked that coat and had asked Eunuch Xue to keep it in the wardrobe.
After searching around and not finding it, he turned to see “Governance of Great Chu,” a book written by the Regent himself, demanding Chu Zhaoyou to memorize it word for word, with the Regent checking his progress.
With over 2,000 characters, Chu Zhaoyou had spent two days memorizing it. Even if he asked him to recite it backwards, he could recite it fluently.
The Regent had excellent literary talent and extraordinary strategy. Chu Zhaoyou didn’t mind memorizing ancient poetry and prose, but it felt a bit strange.
It seemed like the Regent had intentionally written it for prenatal education!
With that thought, Chu Zhaoyou’s rebellious spirit arose. Whenever Xiao Heng asked him about it, he claimed he hadn’t memorized it.
The Regent visited his chambers repeatedly, specifically in the evenings, pressing Chu Zhaoyou about his progress. Whenever Chu Zhaoyou said he couldn’t memorize it, the Regent lingered, insisting on personally supervising. Several times, he nearly stayed over at the Funing Palace.
Considering the significance placed on this text, was he coming to check on it again tonight?
Indeed, ever since the Regent had given him this text, his behavior had become peculiar, almost like that of a leisurely headmaster.
This is the crux, and tonight he would resolve it.
Chu Zhaoyou quickly reviewed it again to ensure he hadn’t forgotten.
“Not done yet?” Xiao Heng asked from outside.
Chu Zhaoyou: “Done.”
Unable to find the fur coat, he spotted a warm hand pillow in the corner, where he could tuck both hands in for warmth. He hastily picked it up to cover his stomach.
As Chu Zhaoyou emerged from the inner chamber, Xiao Heng’s gaze fell on the collar and cuffs, embroidered with a wave pattern. Both the embroidery technique and thread used were identical to those on his own attire.
The little one had taken a liking to the tightened cuffs, and it happened that Xiao Heng also liked them. This version of the dragon robes made Chu Zhaoyou appear more upright, agile, and engaging, like a slender golden bamboo, tempting others to both embrace him and care for him tenderly.
Xiao Heng was very pleased with Chu Zhaoyou’s new dragon robes and decided to stick to this style in the future.
Glancing at the hand pillow in Chu Zhaoyou’s hands, he expressed surprise, “Is it that cold?”
He reached in and held Chu Zhaoyou’s fingertips, his expression softening. “If you overindulge in one type of food again, don’t expect to see it within the palace again.”
Peeling loquats had left his hands as cold as ice, making Xiao Heng want to give him a smack.
Chu Zhaoyou quickly added, “It won’t happen again. For this time, let me off, please.”
“Alright, let’s dine.”
Xiao Heng escorted Chu Zhaoyou to the Xining Hall for the meal. There was nothing especially remarkable about this place, except for the convenient Eight Immortals table. It was made of hollowed-out nanmu wood, with a porcelain pipe inside to circulate hot water beneath each dish, keeping them warm.
The advantage of this meal was that one could eat for as long as they liked without needing to ask for hot dishes to be replaced.
As the Regent pursued someone for the first time, his methods were limited. All he knew was to cater to the other’s preferences, inviting Chu Zhaoyou for a meal.
Chu Zhaoyou struggled to resist each time, but even the Hongmen Banquet tasted especially delicious.
The Regent somehow found chefs who could prepare such unusual dishes, unheard of elsewhere.
Chu Zhaoyou swallowed hard; he really couldn’t eat anymore. His clothes were thin today, and his stomach was already noticeable. Overeating would be disastrous.
Chu Zhaoyou: “Today, I have little appetite. I’ll just sit and watch you eat, Regent.”
“The look in Your Majesty’s eyes says otherwise,” Xiao Heng assertively filled Chu Zhaoyou’s bowl and placed it right in front of him.
Chu Zhaoyou inhaled the aroma of the braised pork, feeling that if he didn’t take a bite, the child in his stomach would start to fuss.
“I’ll just eat a little to appease him.” He thought
Xiao Heng picked up a piece of straw tied around the braised pork, the rich and savory aroma wafting from the succulent pork, mingled with the subtle scent of straw.
“Just half a piece.”
After a moment, Chu Zhaoyou tugged at his clothes in self-reflection, wondering how he could eat so much. He wiped his mouth, a bit of sauce lingering on his fingers, when a warm towel was handed to him.
Chu Zhaoyou wiped his mouth clean and swiftly stood up from the table, holding the hand pillow, and took a few steps back. “Regent, let me recite the Governance of Great Chu for you.”
He couldn’t stay seated; he needed to be farther from the food on the table. Loquats couldn’t be a meal, and the more he ate, the hungrier he felt. Tonight, he could easily have eaten an extra bowl of rice.
“Uh-huh,” Xiao Heng listened as Chu Zhaoyou recited the passages verbatim, a hint of amusement in his eyes.
After having a full meal, he was voluntarily reciting and asking for it to be checked. How had he never realized that being Chu Zhaoyou’s tutor could be so amusing?
Chu Zhaoyou faced away from the Regent, pressing his forehead against the wall to resist the temptation of the delicious food, pretending to be fully engrossed in recalling the text.
Thinking about the profound significance of the Governance of Great Chu, he tried not to think about the crispy yet tender honey-glazed duck or the large, round sesame cakes.
“… reduce taxes by thirty percent, honey-glazed duck, not—” Chu Zhaoyou suddenly felt warmth behind him and turned, bumping into the Regent.
Xiao Heng removed the hand pillow separating them and tossed it aside. Chu Zhaoyou stared dazedly as the pillow spun around, feeling a tingling sensation in his scalp.
As he took a step back, Xiao Heng moved closer, trapping him in the corner.
“I have something to say,” Xiao Heng said, seeing Chu Zhaoyou trying to squeeze into the corner like a mouse and, not pleased, he wrapped his arm around his waist.
Tonight, even if he couldn’t reveal everything, Xiao Heng needed Chu Zhaoyou to understand that in the future, the dragon bed in the Funing Palace would surely be shared equally between them.
His role as the Regent occasionally got in the way, lending everything he did an air of coercion toward Chu Zhaoyou.
Afraid of startling Chu Zhaoyou, Xiao Heng pondered and decided to state half of what he wanted to convey, allowing Chu Zhaoyou to draw his own conclusions.
He didn’t want to suppress Chu Zhaoyou with the Regent’s authority. Sometimes, the little one simply wasn’t afraid of him; using force would only cause a backlash and make him slip away.
“Previously, I said I wouldn’t let you marry…”
The Regent chose a terrible opening.
With just the tone of that sentence, Chu Zhaoyou knew he hadn’t changed his mind.
What did he want to say?
A jolt ran through Chu Zhaoyou. The Regent had cornered him here because he believed he could cure the Gu, making the throne easily accessible. Did he want to emphasize once again not to waste his efforts?
“I understand,” Chu Zhaoyou said, pushing Xiao Heng’s hand away.
Xiao Heng said nothing, and Chu Zhaoyou wanted to escape. His instinct to assess his prey and the tension of the situation made him reflexively hold onto Chu Zhaoyou.
At the moment of close physical contact, Xiao Heng’s intuition told him something was amiss.
Chu Zhaoyou’s protruding stomach was too conspicuous. Could a person actually gain weight only in the stomach?
Xiao Heng intuitively felt he had missed out on some crucial information. Just as he was about to pull away and examine Chu Zhaoyou closely, he suddenly felt something move.
Not something else, but something inside Chu Zhaoyou’s stomach.
Chu Zhaoyou’s face turned pale. The second fetal movement – did it have to be so coincidental, right in front of you, Regent?
You little rascal!
He stiffened, pretending as if nothing had happened just now, and discreetly placed his hand in between them.
Before he could reach his abdomen, his wrist was tightly held.
Xiao Heng maintained his advancing posture, his emotions unclear as he asked, “What’s moving?”
Chu Zhaoyou: “Nothing, you’re mistaken—”
He hesitated for a moment because the Regent had placed his palm on his stomach.
The fear of an impending danger prompted Chu Zhaoyou to swiftly crouch down, instinctively protecting his stomach.
“Don’t touch!”
Xiao Heng’s tone remained calm, “Is your stomach uncomfortable? Should I call the imperial physician?”
He stared fixedly at the back of Chu Zhaoyou’s head, noticing how he flinched at the mention of the physician. He closed his eyes, recalling the curvature of the stomach and Chu Zhaoyou’s recent bouts of nausea…
The fear of Chu Zhaoyou falling ill slowly subsided, replaced by another kind of shocking speculation and anger.
Chu Zhaoyou muttered, “I wonder if the Regent has heard a story before. Once, there was a young emperor who loved small animals. Afraid of being reprimanded by stern ministers, one day, the emperor, playing with a little rabbit in the garden, was suddenly approached by a minister. Fearing a scolding for being frivolous, the emperor, in a panic, tucked the rabbit into his arms…”
Xiao Heng interrupted, “Are you trying to say you tucked a rabbit into your arms?”
Chu Zhaoyou closed his eyes in apprehension. He felt like a troublesome little rabbit.
“My patience is running thin. Tell me the truth, or I’ll call for the imperial physician.”
Chu Zhaoyou pursed his lips. It was already embarrassing enough that Zhao Jin had told him about the pregnancy. He couldn’t bring himself to tell another person, especially not the father of the child.
“I…” Chu Zhaoyou broke down, “It’s just as you think, Regent.”
Xiao Heng felt a splitting headache. He guessed each word, “What do you think I’m thinking? That you, Your Majesty, can be pregnant?”
Chu Zhaoyou wished he could cover his ears. The other’s silence confirmed his absurd guess, leaving the Regent feeling like he was going mad. Chu Zhaoyou could be pregnant? How could a man be pregnant? The little emperor he saw every day, could he be pregnant? Whose child was it? When did this happen?
“If you don’t speak, don’t blame me for being disrespectful. I’ll get to the truth.”
Chu Zhaoyou nodded frantically at the thought of the Regent wanting to strip him of his clothes.
Xiao Heng’s last hope faded, his eyes instantly bloodshot. “Who bullied you? Qin Feichen?”
Chu Zhaoyou quickly shook his head. The Regent sounded as if he wanted to crush Qin Feichen, and he didn’t dare let Qin Feichen bear this burden. “It’s not him. No one has bullied me.”
So it’s voluntary!
Chu Zhaoyou had volunteered to bear a child with a man’s body! It was ridiculous that he had even considered expressing affection tonight.
Xiao Heng seemed unable to speak. He was angry, resentful, and helpless. He was just a step too late; someone else had seized the opportunity and secured a place in Chu Zhaoyou’s heart, with a child soon to be born, blending their bloodlines.
Even if he couldn’t accept it, he was just an outsider as the Regent, at most with the title of Royal Uncle and Tutor, enduring the agony of the He Xin Gu, first safeguarding Chu Zhaoyou’s realm, and then defending the realm for his son.
Even if Chu Zhaoyou claimed he had been bullied, Xiao Heng could find a shred of solace as a reason, turning his anger and resentment into aches of the heart, assuring Chu Zhaoyou that he would never mistreat him.
Xiao Heng was like a cornered beast, groping in the darkness, urgently seeking an escape from the crushing and devastating situation.
So he returned to the beginning of the conversation, as if he had found a lifeline.
“Didn’t I say that anyone who irresponsibly bears a child must face the consequences?”
Was his threat just child’s play to Chu Zhaoyou? Why would he want to bear a child with another man? Would he cherish you as I do?
Chu Zhaoyou pretended to be innocent for a while, but upon hearing this remark, he suddenly looked up. “Yes, you did say that, and you also said that even if it’s my child, you wouldn’t acknowledge him as the crown prince.”
Although he had questioned Chu Zhaoyou, Xiao Heng, for some reason, was left speechless by this statement.
Was the Regent reflecting on his dominance and power? Clearly not, as those in power never reflected on such matters.
Xiao Heng couldn’t understand, almost shouting, “Then why did you dare?”
Chu Zhaoyou looked up at him, “Because you spoke too late. If you want the throne, take it. I never intended to pass it down through the ages.”
One “late” shook Xiao Heng to his core. He tasted the pain of betrayal and now had to bear the accusation of usurpation.
In this world, nothing is more dreaded than the word “late.”
“Do you think I only desire the throne?” Xiao Heng wanted to speak harshly, but his emotions were too intense. Unable to remain as composed as Chu Zhaoyou, no matter how much he thought, he couldn’t find the right words to make Chu Zhaoyou empathize with him.
Maybe there were words right on the tip of his tongue, but Xiao Heng didn’t dare to think about them, nor allow himself to do so. He could only leave these ambiguous words, restraining himself to have Eunuch Xue escort Chu Zhaoyou back.
With red eyes, Chu Zhaoyou realized that, whether it was love or not, he had nothing more. He confirmed with Eunuch Xue, “Lu Shu is scheduled to come tomorrow, right?”
Eunuch Xue nodded, feeling that both the Emperor and the Regent seemed to be in an unusual mood.
…
After half a month, an old man, single-mindedly focused, transformed himself while shelling peanuts, ensuring no one would recognize him.
When he finally felt ready, on the twenty-eighth of February, he swaggered through the gates of the capital city, where nobles and officials gathered.
Luck was on his side; having just finished dinner, he encountered the Regent leaving the palace, and he was alone.
He joyfully approached him, “Is there a young wife at home who’s pregnant? Talismans for maternal and paternal safety, three for ten coins.”
Xiao Heng paused, his expression blank, and walked past the old man. His thoughts were too deep just now, and he didn’t expect the friendly-looking old man to hit the nail on the head as soon as he spoke.
The old man persisted, “Are you sure?”
“I’m not buying,” Xiao Heng sneered inwardly. How could he ever have offspring in his lifetime? Unless Chu Zhaoyou could bear children. He paused; indeed, Chu Zhaoyou could bear children, just not his children!
The old man halted, reflecting on the situation. He first praised his own ability to disguise himself, noting that even someone as perceptive as the “big fool” couldn’t recognize him. He touched his fake beard. Logically, if the “little fool” were pregnant, it would be almost five months along and surely discovered. Mentioning the safety of mother and child, the “big fool” remained unfazed, indicating that there was no pregnancy.
The old man could leave with his mission accomplished!
It wasn’t the “big fool” who was unfazed; in fact, his expression had turned to one of extreme discomfort, almost void of emotion.
The physician, merrily preparing to leave, realized that the capital was not suitable for someone of his stature, given its multitude of high-ranking officials and nobles.
Suddenly, he stepped on a folded piece of paper, which had fallen from Xiao Heng’s person.
Picking it up, he quickly scanned the first few lines by the light of the inn, his brow furrowing in consternation. It was clear that this was originally a prescription for antiemetic medication during pregnancy!
“You claim there’s no pregnancy, yet isn’t this an antiemetic medication?”
As soon as the words fell, the owner of the prescription appeared before him, a cold frost on his face, snatching the prescription and destroying it.
The old man: “…” What kind of temper was that?
He was about to say a few words, but in the blink of an eye, the person beside him had vanished.
“Hey, the big fool is quite good at keeping secrets.”
Xiao Heng held the remnants of the prescription, sneering at himself.
He had treated the antidote written by Chu Zhaoyou as a talisman, not because he valued his life highly, but because it was written by Chu Zhaoyou.
He hadn’t consulted a physician, forcing himself to believe in Chu Zhaoyou.
As a result, it turned out to be a good prescription for maintaining the pregnancy and alleviating nausea!
Xiao Heng couldn’t help but wonder if, despite Chu Zhaoyou’s nonchalance about the throne, he secretly hoped that Xiao Heng wouldn’t obstruct his path to ruling.
“Contact and track down Qin Feichen’s secret guards. Immediately bring him to see me.”
Author’s note: Little Star: I listened to you all and moved around a lot, and Father scolded me. I have to drink lots of water.