Chapter 72

Chu Zhaoyou approached and straightened the stack of Buddhist scriptures on the table, holding a considerable pile in his hands. He took the prayer beads off his wrist, “Regent, should I hand this over to you?”

Xiao Heng, nervous, said, “I was raised in the mountains after the age of nine and found that raising children in the Buddhist tradition works well. I copied these for blessings, hoping for the safety of you and our son.”

Chu Zhaoyou reached out, “Here.”

Xiao Heng helped him put the prayer beads back on, feeling deep bitterness, “Feng Xingzhou has repeatedly broken his vows, and I am no better.”

The Regent took advantage of the moment to act pitiful, “Sometimes, being vegetarian for too long does make one lose perspective.”

He wanted to open his mind to indulgences.

Chu Zhaoyou smirked, “Are you threatening me?”

After a moment’s hesitation, the Regent responded with a hesitant “Hmm.”

Chu Zhaoyou smiled, pulling him into a hug and burying his face in the Regent’s shoulder, “If you can’t help it, you can misbehave.”

The Regent replied, “Well, I can still endure.”

Who would dare to lay a hand on an emperor who was over six months pregnant? The physician would be the first to come knocking.

It was just wishful thinking, a brief glimpse into life four months ahead.

Chu Zhaoyou blinked, realizing that the Regent’s tolerance had almost reached the level of a monk. Wasn’t he the one at a disadvantage? Quietly, he reached out and grabbed the Regent, eliciting a muffled grunt. Chu Zhaoyou waited for two seconds.

Hmm… the Regent still had a ways to go before becoming a monk.

He felt relieved.

Realizing that sitting on the Regent’s lap wasn’t feasible, Chu Zhaoyou swiftly jumped down, picked up a pen, dipped it into thick ink, and handed it to the Regent, saying, “You continue copying.”

Xiao Heng stared at the slender, snow-white portion of Chu Zhaoyou’s wrist that had peeked out from his sleeve, exuding a natural and alluring charm, more captivating than anyone he had ever seen in the troupe.

Chu Zhaoyou boasted daily about how he could become famous throughout Great Chu, captivating scholars and merchants who would spare no expense. It wasn’t just empty boasting.

The Regent  grasped his wrist, saying, “Thinking of running after doing something wrong?”

Chu Zhaoyou’s expression changed, “The physician said I shouldn’t.”

“Zhaozhao,” Xiao Heng pulled him over, asserting, “Use your hand.”

Chu Zhaoyou tried to retract his hand, his voice sounding muffled, as if coated in a layer of cotton. When the Regent opened his mouth, all that came out was sticky, white sugar threads. Unaware of his own actions, he taunted the Regent, “Beast, I’m still wearing the prayer beads on my hand.”

The Regent responded, “I don’t care.”

Chu Zhaoyou stubbornly retracted his hand, removed the prayer beads, and placed them on top of the Buddhist scriptures, then placed his hand in the Regent’s palm.

With the Regent being such a beast, he wouldn’t even be able to become a monk in his next life.

…

Liangzhou.

Di Yan suddenly received a carrier pigeon message from the capital. The letter mentioned that the Regent had imprisoned the Emperor, the monarch had not attended court for many days, and had been found dead one night.

Di Yan’s face turned pale. The letter slipped through her fingers, but she picked it up and read it word by word.

The news came from her friend in the palace, an orphan without parents, who chose to remain in the palace and became a maid.

When she left the palace, she had harbored resentment and told her friend not to contact her using carrier pigeons unless it was a major event. She didn’t want to know about the palace’s affairs.

More than a decade had passed. Her friend had left the palace due to illness, and she didn’t know where she was recuperating. Di Yan had even forgotten about this agreement, but today she received news of Chu Zhaoyou’s demise.

Her face turned pale, and her young daughter asked her several times, “Mother, what’s wrong?”

“Isn’t Zhao Cheng in the capital? How could this happen?” Di Yan remembered her husband’s letter, stating that his identity had been discovered, and he was on duty in the capital. He mentioned that his nephew had asked him to stay for a few days, but he would return soon.

He also mentioned that the Regent and the Emperor had reconciled, with harmony between ruler and minister, accepting the news of the Emperor’s pregnancy and assuring no usurpation.

At the time, Di Yan had been puzzled. The Regent’s inscrutable gaze towards Chu Zhaoyou had made it clear that he was not inclined to be an ordinary subject.

In hindsight, it was evident that Xiao Heng had compromised on the surface and deceived Zhao Cheng. In the end, he was still ambitious.

Di Yan quickly arranged the affairs of the Liangzhou Prefecture, organized the personnel, and immediately set off for the capital. If it was true, whether or not to raise an army was Zhao Cheng’s decision. She was willing to risk her life to avenge her nephew by killing the Regent.

Not long after Di Yan left the city, she bumped into Zhao Cheng returning from the capital. Seeing his wife in a hurry, Zhao Cheng was almost moved to tears, thinking she had come to welcome him. However, she didn’t even notice him and passed by in an instant.

Zhao Cheng was taken aback and quickly caught up, asking, “What’s wrong?”

Di Yan showed the letter to Zhao Cheng and said, “Look at what happened after you left! Look at what Xiao Heng did?!”

Zhao Cheng’s expression faltered as he took the letter and read it. His face registered surprise, then furrowed with concern, “This doesn’t seem right. The Regent wouldn’t dare to imprison the Emperor. He wouldn’t.”

If the news of the imprisonment was false, then the latter part about Chu Zhaoyou’s demise also needed verification.

Di Yan exclaimed, “Who says he wouldn’t dare! You may not have seen it, but I did. I saw him threaten to replace Chu Zhaoyou’s son with his own son. I shouldn’t have come back…”

Zhao Cheng quickly pulled Di Yan aside and said, “The child is the Regent’s.”

“I don’t care whether Xiao Heng has a child or not! Let go… Wait, whose child is the Regent’s?” Di Yan asked, her voice rising.

Zhao Cheng remained silent, looking at her.

After a moment of stunned silence, Di Yan, fuming, exclaimed, “I knew that unfaithful man would do this!”

Di Yan’s resolve to head to the capital became even more urgent.

Zhao Cheng firmly pulled her back, saying, “Don’t be hasty. The relationship between the Emperor and the Regent is sensitive. If you act rashly, you might be manipulated by someone with ulterior motives. I’ve also instructed Zhao Jin to wait for news in the capital. If something happens, he will definitely inform us.”

“I’m not in a rush. I just want to go to the capital to see for myself.”

“You are in a rush. Let’s go back and have some tea.” Zhao Cheng half-dragged, half-carried Di Yan back. Setting aside the extremely false nature of the news, he was well aware of the Regent’s deep loyalty to the Emperor. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared to leave the capital. If there were any issues with the Emperor, the most pressing concern would be the Regent. Stirring up trouble now would only backfire.

Di Yan’s mind cleared. Yes, her friend had already left the palace. If Chu Zhaoyou had been attacked, Xiao Heng would certainly keep it under wraps tightly to pacify Liangzhou. How could outsiders know?

But how could the child’s father really be the Regent!

She remembered Chu Zhaoyou’s expression when he mentioned traits of an unfaithful man. Suddenly, it seemed like a completely fabricated expression.

“The Emperor asked me to apologize to you. He didn’t mean to keep it from you.”

“He definitely didn’t mean to. He’s just afraid. How unlucky for Zhaozhao, forced by the Regent. He’s so afraid of embarrassment, he can only swallow his suffering…”

Aunt Di had already mentally reconstructed the tragic and puppet-like past.

Zhao Cheng couldn’t help but say, “It’s said that your nephew struck first.”

“Impossible, my nephew is only nineteen! The Regent is a beast, impregnating him at only nineteen!”

“A few years ago, Zhao Jin was younger than nineteen, and you were already arranging marriages for him.”

“That’s different! Besides, Zhao Jin still isn’t married!” Di Yan felt distressed. Although she knew this outcome was for the best, she couldn’t help but feel regretful. The Regent is twenty-eight this year! If he can’t find a wife, he’ll be like an old ox eating tender grass!

Zhao Cheng felt it was extremely wise not to inform Di Yan of the situation in a letter. Otherwise, before he even reached Liangzhou, she might have stormed off to the capital.

It wasn’t that she couldn’t go; he just worried that she might recklessly rush and encounter trouble on the way.

After all, horse speed couldn’t compare to carrier pigeons. Two days later, Xiao Qi finally arrived in Liangzhou and informed Di Yan that the Emperor was safe. If Zhao’s wife missed her nephew, she could visit the capital at any time.

Di Yan said, “Wait a moment, I’ll leave right away.” First, she needed to find a sturdy sack.

Zhao Cheng said, “I don’t want you to go.” He had just returned, and now his wife was preparing to leave. This year had been characterized by more separations than reunions, and Di Yan was likely to stay until the New Year once she left.

In the end, Zhao Cheng managed to persuade Di Yan to delay her visit until closer to the time of childbirth.

…

At the end of April, a light rain fell over the capital. As May arrived, the sunshine grew warm and bright, rejuvenating the city. The willow leaves were a lush green, and the palace walls adorned with vibrant red.

The sweet potato vines had flourished, their growth vigorous, and the bloodstains had completely vanished, replaced by a sea of green.

Good news arrived from the coast: someone had brought back corn and potatoes. Chu Zhaoyou had established an agricultural office along the coast, assigning specific individuals to oversee this area. Everything brought back had to be carefully inspected; any eggs or larvae were to be destroyed, and the plants were to be carefully cultivated in various locations. All the seeds from the previous years were used for planting.

While this news spread widely, there was still no word from Yangzhou.

After much time had passed, those sent to find Xiao Man finally obtained some vague information. Ten years ago, Xiao Man had fallen ill, and the medicine prescribed by the doctor was expensive. Despite having some savings, she was afraid of depleting them to buy the medicine. In the end, she didn’t seek treatment, preferring to save what little she had left.

Having spent her entire life in the theater, she felt she had had enough. The only one she felt sorry for was Xiao Heng. Therefore, she entrusted her life savings to the Ding household and had since disappeared without a trace.

“Later, she left the troupe, probably finding a place to wait for her end,” a person in the know speculated.

According to testimony from the Ding household, the box she brought was heavy and valued at no less than five hundred taels. Despite having money, she chose not to seek treatment, likely motivated by a sense of atonement.

Xiao Heng opened the box and took out the old piece of paper. He had already read it once, and it contained only six words: “Wishing you safety, Xiao Man.”

Xiao Heng smiled. Even in her final act of atonement, his mother’s way was not to cast a single glance at him, or even dare to call him her son.

“Master, should we continue searching?” the servant asked.

Xiao Heng replied, “There’s no need.”

If Xiao Man were still alive, how could she not know that the Regent still bore the name Xiao Heng?

Since Xiao Man had asked him not to find her, he decided to leave it at that. It was better to retain a sliver of hope than to encounter mere bones.

Chu Zhaoyou knew that Xiao Heng was feeling a bit down. He recalled the time when he first met the Regent, and he sang “Mother’s Love Is the Greatest in the World” to him. After Xiao Heng’s mental decline, he rejected performing but not his mother. This indicated that, deep down, he still regarded Xiao Man as his mother.

The Regent was such a person. He could endure many things from Chu Zhaoyou, and likewise, he could endure much from Xiao Man. After all, they weren’t strangers; they had spent nine years together. Before deciding to send her son away, Xiao Man had treated him well.

Whoever showed the Regent even a small kindness would be repaid a thousandfold. Chu Zhaoyou had treated him the best and the purest, so the Regent had given him his whole heart. Gradually sinking, he had lost sight of his initial intentions. He loved Chu Zhaoyou, far beyond the fact that Chu Zhaoyou had once saved him.

Chu Zhaoyou felt deeply guilty for trying to leave the Regent twice, seeking refuge in the underground palace and at Longwei Mountain.

Wherever he went in the future, he would give the Regent a home.

…

In June, Chu Zhaoyou heard that the sweet potatoes had propagated well, with small tubers being dug up. He wanted to see the sweet potatoes closest to him but was sternly prevented by the Regent. He was even forbidden to taste any of the sweet potatoes from this harvest.

Holding a large watermelon against his stomach, Chu Zhaoyou scooped it out spoon by spoon, saying, “Before I finish eating this watermelon, I don’t want to talk to you.”

After working hard to find the sweet potatoes, he wasn’t even allowed to see a single one.

Xiao Heng said, “You’re not allowed to eat today.”

This was the second time the Regent had seen Chu Zhaoyou holding a large amount of fruits, but it wasn’t the same one.

The Regent recalled the fear of being dominated by loquats.

Chu Zhaoyou couldn’t believe it. “Are you saying that you don’t want to talk to me at all today?”

“My stomach is almost as big as a watermelon, and yet you want to give me the silent treatment.”

The Regent pinched his cheek. “Think about it honestly. Do you really think that’s what I mean?”

“In that case, I want to eat,” Chu Zhaoyou replied.

The Regent said, “There’s a reason why I don’t want you to eat the sweet potatoes. If you eat less now, there will be more tubers to sprout, and we can harvest ten more pounds next year.”

“In that case, I’ll save it for next year and eat it then. I’ll have watermelon instead this year,” Chu Zhaoyou replied.

The Regent didn’t want to argue and confiscated the watermelon.

With a stern look, he said, “I’ve taken it. Dare to try pinching your own belly again!”

Chu Zhaoyou had a particularly annoying habit. When the Regent prohibited him from doing something, he would pretend to sulk like a petulant child.

The Regent couldn’t figure out who Chu Zhaoyou was trying to annoy. It was fine to tease a child, but he couldn’t pinch his own belly.

Later, he realized that he was the one being incessantly teased.

Just as Chu Zhaoyou was about to tease the Regent, a messenger arrived with a letter from Lu Jinghuan.

He tapped the letter with his finger, intuiting that Lu Jinghuan was about to vent his grievances again.

As he unfolded the letter, as expected, Lu Jinghuan bitterly complained that Feng Xingzhou had become rather peculiar lately, insisting that he had learned state governance strategies in Great Chu and therefore should handle political matters on his own. If he sought the help of a national preceptor due to inadequate skills, he would have to pay a significant “price.”

Chu Zhaoyou calmly folded the letter.

This was a letter that the Regent couldn’t see.

The Regent had been diligent these past few months, making sure not to tire Chu Zhaoyou in any way. As August approached, he became even more diligent, as if he had inexhaustible energy.

When Chu Zhaoyou opened the letter, Xiao Heng quickly glanced at it, fearing that Lu Jinghuan might have proposed to Chu Zhaoyou to go play for a few years.

Good, Lu Jinghuan was very busy and had no time for such thoughts.

Very busy… Suddenly, the Regent frowned, recalling the days when he had suspended court. Chu Zhaoyou had come to him with a memorial, displaying an exceptionally good attitude.

So he said, “If he’s already learning to handle political affairs, it’s time for you to do the same.”

“What?” Chu Zhaoyou felt that the Regent’s request at this time was rather sinister.

“If you behave, I’ll help you with everything.” Xiao Heng couldn’t compare to Feng Xingzhou, so he could only make a small request.

Once Chu Zhaoyou had the child, he would be able to make other requests.

For example, before approving a memorial, he would first listen to a play.

Chu Zhaoyou accurately realized that this would be a long-term leverage. After some thought, he said, “Then I’ll handle it myself. I’ll work tirelessly, day and night, with an empty stomach—”

Xiao Heng covered his mouth. “That’s enough.”

Wasn’t it enough for him to handle the memorials?

In July, Di Yan arrived in the capital from Liangzhou.

As soon as she arrived, she called the Regent, who had been neglecting the cabbages, to criticize him and speak up for the suffering Chu Zhaoyou had endured.

As she scolded him, Di Yan suddenly didn’t feel like scolding anymore.

The Regent had become too tense lately, especially with regard to Chu Zhaoyou. Being scolded actually seemed to make him less tense. After all, Di Yan had given birth to two children, so she understood more than these two men. Being scolded gave her a strange sense of relief.

“You should still be concerned,” Di Yan said.

The royal physician had mentioned that the birth could happen anytime from now until August. Xiao Heng woke up three or four times at midnight to check on Chu Zhaoyou’s condition.

He had offered a substantial sum to the royal physician to stay at the Funing Palace, but the request was declined. Instead, he arranged for a trustworthy court physician and a wet nurse to stay outside the Funing Palace, ready at any moment.

Chu Zhaoyou felt somewhat troubled. He wanted the royal physician to prescribe a sedative for the Regent so he could sleep better at night.

Faced with the medicine Chu Zhaoyou offered, the Regent’s expression mirrored that from the last time he was presented with poison: “What if you have stomach pain in the middle of the night and I don’t notice?”

“That won’t happen. I made a deal with the little one. We agreed on a daytime birth,” Chu Zhaoyou explained confidently.

The Regent remained silent. He wasn’t foolish.

Under the Emperor’s reproachful gaze, Xiao Heng poured away the bowl of medicine. “You had better give birth during the day.”

Otherwise, if Chu Zhaoyou continued to talk nonsense, he would have to give him a good “lesson” once the child was born.

At midnight, as he had done several times before, Chu Zhaoyou quietly woke the person beside him. “Regent, I want to drink.”

Facing Chu Zhaoyou’s often bizarre requests in the middle of the night, Xiao Heng, experienced in handling these situations, responded, “No, be good. Endure a little longer. Soy milk, pear soup, noodles, twist doughnuts… we can consider candied haws.”

All of the above were things Chu Zhaoyou had impulsively requested. Faced with those clear black and white eyes, tinged with a hint of longing, as long as it was edible, Chu Zhaoyou could express a desire to drink bathwater, and the Regent wouldn’t refuse.

Chu Zhaoyou was unusually insistent: “No, I want to drink to boost my courage.”

“No, you’re not allowed,” Xiao Heng replied.

Xiao Heng and Chu Zhaoyou locked eyes, and suddenly he realized something, his mind going blank for three seconds. “Are you in pain?”

Author’s Note: Happy New Year! Congratulations to the Emperor on the birth of the child.