Fortunately, Chu Zhaohuai had spent the past few years practicing medicine outside the capital. Because he was young and was always afraid that people would question his medical skills, he had developed a habit of keeping a completely expressionless face and pretending to be some otherworldly immortal physician with an ethereal, transcendent air.
Although he had never once succeeded at looking the part, being laughed at so many times had at least thickened his skin.
Chu Zhaohuai pretended as though nothing had happened.
“Prince.”
Ji Xun propped his chin on one hand and smiled.
“Wangfei’s martial arts are quite good. General Qin certainly taught you well.”
Chu Zhaohuai froze.
General Qin?
Wasn’t he supposedly a disciple of General Huang?
Chu Zhaohuai secretly studied Ji Xun’s expression. His heart gave a sudden jolt, terrified that something about him might have been exposed. He answered vaguely before hurriedly changing the subject.
“You flatter me, How is your health, Prince? Are you feeling any better?”
“Barely alive,” Ji Xun said lazily. “Push your father to the front hall. Someone from the palace has arrived. It seems they brought quite a number of valuable gifts to bestow upon Wangfei.”
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
The words “your father” had made the tips of Chu Zhaohuai’s ears turn bright red. Before he could even find a crack in the ground to crawl into, the latter half of Ji Xun’s sentence left him somewhat puzzled.
Someone from the palace had come to bestow gifts?
Shouldn’t they be the ones entering the palace to offer their thanks?
Although Chu Zhaohuai had spent his years in Jiangnan, he had an uncle who served at the Imperial Medical Academy in the capital, so he had at least a vague understanding of the political situation.
Ji Xun’s identity was an unusual one.
He was the fifth son of the late Emperor. Although he and the current Emperor were brothers, there was a full thirty year difference between their ages.
The current Emperor was already in his fiftieth year, while Ji Xun had not yet reached thirty. He was only two years older than the Crown Prince, precisely at the prime of youth, when one was full of confidence and arrogance and possessed all the vigor of one’s finest years.
There were even private speculations circulating throughout the capital that, given Ji Xun’s unwillingness to submit to anyone, if he had not become crippled and somewhat insane, perhaps he would have been surrounded by supporters long ago and forced his way into the palace to stage a rebellion and become Emperor himself.
Everyone knew the unspoken secret that the Emperor and the Prince of Jing’s residence were like fire and water, utterly incompatible.
This time, not only had the Emperor taken advantage of Ji Xun’s serious illness to force a male wife upon him but on the second day after their wedding, he had even sent gifts to the new Wangfei.
The more Chu Zhaohuai thought about it, the stranger it seemed.
These imperial gifts were also a scorching hot potato.
If he could avoid taking them, it would be best to stay as far away from them as possible.
After hesitating, Chu Zhaohuai said, “Prince, I haven’t washed my face yet. I’m afraid appearing like this would be rather improper…”
“Why would it be improper?” Ji Xun looked at him. “Doesn’t this look quite good?”
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
Was the man merely crippled and insane, or were his eyes bad as well?
Yin Chongshan was nowhere to be seen. Seeing that there was no way to refuse, Chu Zhaohuai could only silently walk over to the wheelchair and casually put a little force against its handles.
Push…
It did not move.
Chu Zhaohuai frowned and looked down.
The wheelchair appeared to be made of beechwood. Its construction was intricate and refined, making it look extraordinarily light yet whether Ji Xun was simply too heavy or Chu Zhaohuai was simply too weak, even after bracing his feet and pushing for quite some time, he had barely managed to move it half a circle.
Ji Xun sat calmly and comfortably in the wheelchair, even taking his time crossing one leg over the other.
A cripple and he still crosses his legs?
Chu Zhaohuai silently complained to himself as he continued pushing and pushing with all his strength.
Seeing that the wheelchair had only wobbled slightly, Ji Xun turned his head to look at him.
“Wangfei studied under General Lin and possesses exceptional martial arts skills. Could it be that you can’t even push a wheelchair?”
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
Another General Lin?
Chu Zhaohuai did not dare make a sound.
He sank his strength into his dantian and, practically using every ounce of strength he possessed, gave the wheelchair a fierce shove.
At last, it began to move forward.
Slowly.
Painfully slowly.
It was practically as slow as an ant carrying food home and it was hardly any faster than a cripple hopping forward one jump at a time.
To get from the rear courtyard of the Prince of Jing’s residence to the front hall, they had to pass through a covered corridor and a long street paved with bluestone.
In the bitter winter cold, Chu Zhaohuai was exhausted enough to sweat all over his forehead.
At long last, with much grunting and panting, he finally managed to push the wheelchair all the way to the front hall.
He had not even had time to catch his breath when Yin Chongshan, who had been waiting at the entrance for quite some time, slightly raised his brows.
“This wheelchair was specially made by craftsmen from the imperial palace. Ordinary people can hardly move it. Wangfei certainly has impressive strength. No wonder you studied under General Huo.”
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
So exactly which General had Chu Zhaojiang studied under?!
Chu Zhaohuai’s chest felt so stifled that he was almost angry enough to yank Ji Xun out of the wheelchair by sheer force and flip him over, leaving him sprawled on the ground with all four limbs in the air.
Was this man deliberately teasing him?
The palace eunuchs respectfully held trays and waited to one side.
The eunuch standing at the front had a pale, smooth face without a trace of facial hair. Upon seeing Ji Xun, he immediately knelt and performed a formal greeting. When his gaze swept over Chu Zhaohuai’s face, which was still covered in rouge and cosmetics, a trace of astonishment flickered through his eyes before disappearing in an instant.
“Greetings to the Prince and Wangfei.”
Ji Xun turned his head and asked, “Who is this?”
Yin Chongshan answered, “Eunuch Xu, who is highly trusted by His Majesty.”
Ji Xun thought for a moment.
“I forgot.”
“This servant is lowly. How could I trouble the Prince by asking you to remember my name?” Eunuch Xu said with a kindly smile. “You have been ill for half a month and His Majesty has been so worried that he has barely been able to eat or sleep. Now that you have recovered, it is fortunate indeed. This morning, as soon as His Majesty heard that you had regained consciousness, he immediately ordered this servant to bring you some potent medicines to strengthen your body and restore your health.”
Yin Chongshan sneered inwardly.
The assassination had come immediately after last night’s banquet ended. Once the Prince regained consciousness, he had sealed the entire residence and everyone who attempted to leave and pass information outside had been executed without exception.
Yet early this morning, the moment the palace gates opened, the imperial palace had already received news.
It seemed that spies were still hidden within the Prince’s residence and they were hiding extremely well.
Ji Xun glanced at the powerful medicine contained in the jade bottles on the tray. He made a slight gesture with his hand, signaling Yin Chongshan to accept them.
“Trouble my Imperial Brother no more. I am grateful for his concern.”
Eunuch Xu smiled.
“The Temple of National Protection truly deserves its reputation as a thousand year old ancient monastery that carries Heaven’s will. A month ago, this servant followed His Majesty’s orders and went to the temple to offer an everlasting lamp for the Prince. There, a revered monk gave this servant some guidance. After examining the Prince’s Four Pillars and Eight Characters, he suggested that a wedding to bring good fortune could protect the Prince’s safety. That was why His Majesty arranged this marriage for you and sure enough, you were married just yesterday and your illness immediately improved. It seems the divine spirits truly are watching over you.”
This was nothing more than a roundabout explanation for why the Emperor had forced a Wangfei upon him.
Ji Xun patiently listened as Eunuch Xu finished weaving together his explanation for the “imperial marriage.” A smile appeared on his pale, sickly face.
“His Majesty’s concern has touched this younger brother deeply. Once my illness improves a little further, I will bring Wangfei into the palace to personally offer my thanks.”
The winter wind was bitterly cold.
Ji Xun wore only a single thin garment, his half bound long hair lifted and scattered by the wind. He raised a hand to his lips and gave several muffled coughs.
Once, he had been the invincible God of War who had swept across the northern frontier, victorious in every battle.
Now, he had fallen into such a state.
Eunuch Xu felt both fortunate and deeply moved.
Fortunate, because this man was now completely separated from any possibility of ascending the throne.
Moved, because the imperial family was truly ruthless. Even a brilliant and extraordinary God of War could be dragged down from the clouds by cunning schemes and cast into the mundane world.
Eunuch Xu sighed silently.
“As long as the Prince understands His Majesty’s painstaking intentions, that is all that matters. Not long ago, the Prince even declared in front of everyone that you admired the young marquis. Now that the two of you have been granted such a fine marriage, who knows how many people throughout the capital must be green with envy?”
Chu Zhaohuai, who had been silently pretending to be dead, suddenly lifted his head.
Admired?
Ji Xun let out an “Oh?” and asked Yin Chongshan, “When did this prince ever tell the young marquis that I admired him?”
Eunuch Xu’s face stiffened.
Yin Chongshan repeated the words with an expressionless face. “The twenty third day of the eleventh month. You said, ‘As it happens, this younger brother of mine is still unmarried. Since all the court officials are so concerned about this prince’s marriage, then… the young marquis of the Zhenyuan Marquis’s Residence. Imperial Brother, bestow him upon me.’”
“Oh, I remember now.” Ji Xun nodded, sighing with emotion. “Indeed, I admired the young marquis. I openly confessed my deep affection in front of everyone and personally asked Imperial Brother to grant me this marriage.”
Eunuch Xu: “…”
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
Eunuch Xu was so thoroughly choked by those words that the smile on his aged face was almost frozen in place. He forced out a line about the Prince joking and wiped away his cold sweat before signaling the palace attendants behind him to bring out the imperial gifts.
“By His Majesty’s oral decree, the Prince of Jing’s Wangfei has rendered great merit and is specially bestowed…”
Seeing how frightened and cautious even the chief eunuch before the Emperor himself became in Ji Xun’s presence, Chu Zhaohuai became even more determined never to provoke this living calamity.
It would be best if he did not accept the palace’s gifts…
The palace attendants presented the gifts.
Chu Zhaohuai froze.
Eunuch Xu announced, “One hundred taels of gold, pearls from the South Sea, five hundred taels of silver, a golden sable fur coat…”
Every item on the tray had been prepared according to the imperial specifications for wedding betrothal gifts, except that the scale was even more lavish.
Under the sunlight, gold and jade reflected dazzling rays of light, almost bright enough to blind a person.
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
Perhaps offending this living calamity once would not actually be such a bad thing.
Chu Zhaohuai rubbed his face. Out of the corner of his eye, he happened to meet Ji Xun’s lazy gaze.
There was a smile at the corner of Ji Xun’s lips. His excessively long, slender fingers rested carelessly upon the dove headed cane, rubbing the eyes of the carved dove every now and then. His fingertips were pressed pale against the wood, only for a faint reddish flush of blood to quickly spread back into them.
Chu Zhaohuai shuddered.
He remembered the way this man had wielded that dove headed cane like a sword, piercing one bloody hole after another through his enemies…
Forget it.
His life was more important.
The imperial gifts were little different from an imperial marriage decree. Once the imperial order had been issued, refusing them on the spot would be practically no different from slapping the Emperor directly in the face.
Chu Zhaohuai found himself caught in a dilemma and began hesitating over how exactly he should phrase his response.
At the very least, he had to put on a proper show. He could not allow his situation in the Prince of Jing’s residence to become too awkward.
Eunuch Xu seemed to have anticipated this. With a smile, he said, “Wangfei, these are gifts from Noble Consort Chu in the palace.”
Chu Zhaohuai froze.
Noble Consort Chu?
He had been away from the capital for too long. He had almost forgotten that he still had an aunt in the palace who had risen all the way to the rank of noble consort.
Gifts from a blood relative were even more impossible to refuse.
Chu Zhaohuai secretly glanced at Ji Xun.
Ji Xun was no longer looking at him. He propped his head up with one hand, his expression listless and weary, resembling nothing so much as a sleepy beast.
Chu Zhaohuai watched him for a long while but could not discern his attitude at all. In the end, he could only go with the flow.
“Thank you, Aunt, for thinking of me.”
Eunuch Xu placed the gifts down with a beaming smile.
“His Majesty also said that when Wangfei returns to his maternal home in a few days, the Prince has only just recovered from a serious illness and should not go outside. He may remain in the residence and recuperate at ease, so as to avoid the journey back and forth exhausting his body.”
Ji Xun looked toward Eunuch Xu but said nothing.
Yet that seemingly weightless glance from him made Eunuch Xu’s heart tighten. The kindly smile on his face nearly collapsed.
After a long while, Ji Xun slowly broke into a smile.
“Wangfei returning to his maternal home is only proper, both emotionally and according to reason. Naturally, this prince should accompany him.”
Eunuch Xu received the answer the Emperor had wanted.
He quietly let out a breath of relief, then politely exchanged a few more auspicious pleasantries before finally taking his leave and returning to the palace to report.
Yin Chongshan watched the palace attendants disappear into the distance, his brows drawn tightly together.
The Zhenyuan Marquis’s Residence had been passed down for three generations. From its beginnings as a powerful title belonging to a founding hero whose influence had once towered over the court, it had eventually been passed down to Chu Jing, who now possessed neither power nor influence.
There was hardly anything left to strip away.
The title of “Zhenyuan” had long since become little more than an empty shell.
Even so, a marquisate that had been passed down for three generations could not be underestimated.
The Emperor had granted this marriage for no reason and it was obvious that he did not want the marquis’s residence to become an ally or source of support for the Prince of Jing.
But if that was the case, why had he gone through such roundabout means to force the Prince to accompany Wangfei back to his maternal home?
Chu Zhaohuai had not noticed anything unusual at all.
He was standing to the side, quietly delighting in his good fortune.
Since the gifts were not from the Emperor himself, he could accept them without the slightest psychological burden.
When he noticed Ji Xun looking at him indifferently, Chu Zhaohuai hurriedly suppressed his smile and put on an expression of reluctance, as though accepting the gifts was an enormous burden.
“Prince, these are gifts from my aunt. It would truly be difficult to refuse such kindness.”
“Difficult to refuse?” Ji Xun raised an eyebrow and considerately said, “Since Wangfei finds it so difficult, why not have Chongshan put them away in the residence’s treasury on your behalf?”
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
Suppressing the indignation he dared not voice, Chu Zhaohuai struggled for a long while before murmuring, “Actually, it’s not… not that difficult. I can overcome it myself. There’s no need to trouble the Prince.”
Ji Xun smiled without quite smiling.
“Wangfei is already this prince’s person. How could such a small favor possibly be considered troublesome?”
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
Chu Zhaohuai’s expression went completely blank, as though his soul had already left his body for a while.
He really had heard it.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
This is your completely normal and non-suspicious request to buy coffee.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Substitute BrideChapter 2 · Chu ZhaojiangChapter 3 · Very safeChapter 4 · He is the prince’s manChapter 5 · It was really hard to refuse their kind invitation.Chapter 6 · Thankfully it was just poisoning.Chapter 7 · Haha, I spit on “golden and jade hall”!Chapter 8 · Are you not satisfied with the homecoming gift?Chapter 9 · You must keep your identity hidden.Chapter 10 · I like whole fish banquetChapter 11 · BankruptChapter 12 · Add some funChapter 13 · FightChapter 14 · Three taels of silverChapter 15 · Go back to restChapter 16 · They’re all spendthrifts.Chapter 17 · Enough for branches and leavesChapter 18 · Rumors can kill peopleChapter 19 · I want to get closer to the prince.Chapter 20 · Why not move in and share a room?Chapter 21 · Ha, I’m not stupid.Chapter 22 Part 1 · Liang Fang’s prescriptionChapter 22 Part 2 · Liang Fang’s prescriptionChapter 23 · Be more cautious and vigilantChapter 24 Part 1 · Don’t touch meChapter 24 Part 2 · Don’t touch meChapter 25 Part 1 · Golden NeedleChapter 25 Part 2 · Golden NeedleChapter 26 · To avoid suspicionChapter 27 · Committing numerous evil deedsChapter 28 Part 1 · May I receive the worst possible fortuneChapter 28 Part 2 · May I receive the worst possible fortuneChapter 29 · I really didn’t mean to kill youChapter 30 · Protect the prince!Chapter 31 · The bird that fell into the trapChapter 32 · Embracing someone on the couchChapter 33 · The miracle doctor is going home!Chapter 34 · I shouldn’t have wanted to hurt himChapter 35 · A bout of madnessChapter 36 · NightmareChapter 37 Part 1 · SpecialChapter 37 Part 2 · SpecialChapter 38 · Being hunted downChapter 39 · Cause and Bitter FruitChapter 40 · Is he honest and kind?Chapter 41 · I am flattered and overwhelmed.Chapter 42 · No, I want to buy.Chapter 43 Part 1 · When the city gate catches fireChapter 43 Part 2 · When the city gate catches fireChapter 44 · It’s the face of a notorious thiefChapter 45 · Are you trying to comfort me?Chapter 46 · Thank you, Your Highness!Chapter 47 · Thank you, Your Highness!Chapter 48 · It’s delicious!Chapter 49 · SeducingChapter 50 · By imperial decreeChapter 51 Part 1 · Potent MedicineChapter 51 Part 2 · Potent MedicineChapter 52 · Wasn’t it impotence?Chapter 53 · I’m not busy todayChapter 54 Part 1 · Break his legs directlyChapter 54 Part 2 · Break his legs directlyChapter 55 · I really didn’t mean to mess with youChapter 56 · Don’t play the victim when you’re having a medical episodeChapter 57 · Let’s do it one more time!Chapter 58 Part 1 · I’ve got you!Chapter 58 Part 2 · I’ve got you!Chapter 59 · A doctor’s dutyChapter 60 Part 1 · Are you at peace with yourself?Chapter 60 Part 2 · Are you at peace with yourself?