He could not figure out Ji Xun’s temperament at all. After repeatedly weighing his options, Chu Zhaohuai finally made the painful decision.
“Prince, please forgive me. I spoke out of turn just now because I was anxious. Then I shall trouble the Prince to have the gifts put away in the residence’s treasury.”
The moment he said those words, Chu Zhaohuai’s heart bled.
His luck this year was truly terrible.
First, half of the one hundred and twenty bridal gift chests had turned out to be practically empty. Now even his aunt’s generous gifts had to be handed over.
Everyone said that losing wealth could avert disaster.
If he had lost this much money, then just how enormous must the disaster he had originally been destined to suffer have been?
He was secretly mourning his lost fortune when he seemed to hear a muffled laugh beside his ear.
Chu Zhaohuai raised his head in confusion.
Ji Xun was still sitting there with his crooked leg crossed over the other. His wide sleeves embroidered with golden patterns hung loosely from his arms and pooled around his elbows. With the pad of his finger, he leisurely supported an enormous purple pearl, as though carefully examining its quality.
He did not seem to be laughing at him.
Chu Zhaohuai withdrew his gaze and rubbed his face, muttering inwardly.
Could he have imagined it?
Ji Xun tossed the pearl back onto the tray.
“Since these are gifts from Noble Consort Chu, it would be more appropriate for Wangfei to keep them himself.”
Chu Zhaohuai’s eyes suddenly lit up.
His entire being instantly felt as though spring had arrived.
He desperately suppressed the corners of his mouth from curling upward and said with restrained dignity, “Since the Prince has put it that way, then I shall not refuse.”
Ji Xun propped his cheek against his hand and smiled as he watched Chu Zhaohuai.
He seemed to find it rather amusing that the moment money appeared, Wangfei’s eyes practically turned into copper coins.
But upon taking a closer look, he suddenly asked, “What happened to Wangfei’s face?”
Chu Zhaohuai was still happily immersed in his good fortune. Hearing that, he looked puzzled and raised a hand to touch his face.
Ever since he had gotten up that morning, he had vaguely felt an itch spreading across his skin. He had assumed it was simply because he was not accustomed to wearing powder.
But now that Ji Xun had mentioned it, he belatedly noticed the stinging pain along his cheek.
It seemed to be swollen.
Chu Zhaohuai’s heart gave a sudden jolt.
There were still two days before he had to return to his maternal home. He absolutely could not expose his identity now.
“Per… perhaps I left the powder on for too long and it caused a slight rash. It’ll be fine once I wash it off later. It’s nothing serious.”
Ji Xun chuckled and, surprisingly, did not question him further.
“I see.”
Chu Zhaohuai secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
At that moment, the maids filed into the room one after another and began setting out breakfast.
The food sent to the Prince of Jing’s residence the previous night had been cold dishes. In the freezing winter weather, no matter how delicately the dishes had been prepared, the sauces had already congealed from the cold, making everything look thoroughly unappetizing.
Chu Zhaohuai had already prepared himself for another breakfast of chewing oil coated ice chips.
Yet the moment he sat down, he froze.
Steam rose from the entire table, carrying an enticing fragrance through the air.
Half of the dishes were actually hot.
Chu Zhaohuai was extremely puzzled.
Hadn’t he heard that the Prince of Jing’s residence served nothing but cold food all year round?
Could it be that the Prince of Jing had actually made an exception just for him?
Chu Zhaohuai had a very clear understanding of himself. He immediately shook his head, dispelling this overly self important thought from his mind, steadied his expression and picked up his chopsticks.
…Yet while eating, he still could not help secretly observing the man beside him.
Ji Xun had not yet fully recovered from his serious illness and seemed to have little appetite. Throughout the meal, he either ate cold food or drank chilled wine. The steaming porridge and hot soup were left completely untouched.
It really did seem as though they had been prepared especially for him.
Chu Zhaohuai took a sip of porridge and fell into thought.
The rumors said that Ji Xun was extremely difficult to get along with. His temperament was unpredictable and he was also fond of killing.
But when Chu Zhaohuai thought about it carefully, although the scene of Ji Xun piercing a person straight through with his dove headed cane the previous night had certainly been terrifying, that had happened when they were both standing on the very edge of life and death.
If the assassin had not killed them, then the two of them would have had to die together anyway, like two people skewered on the same string.
Thinking of it that way, Ji Xun had actually saved his life.
Chu Zhaohuai could not help himself and secretly glanced toward Ji Xun again.
Ji Xun was drinking his chilled wine without a care, his lowered eyes resting on two invitation cards lying across his knees. Steam drifted upward around him, softening his sharp brows and eyes and lending his features a few degrees of warmth.
At first glance, he looked almost like one of those refined and dignified young noblemen from the books, elegant and well read, born into wealth and privilege.
He neither looked insane nor carried that frightening aura of menace.
Some of the tension that had remained wound tightly inside Chu Zhaohuai for so long inexplicably loosened.
Apart from the fact that Ji Xun had used his dove headed cane to pierce someone on their wedding night, he seemed to do little more than occasionally speak rather sharply and enjoy frightening people.
After actually spending some time around him, he was not nearly as terrifying as the rumors had made him out to be.
Chu Zhaohuai gradually came to a conclusion.
Nine times out of ten, those rumors about Ji Xun slaughtering people without mercy had been deliberately fabricated by people in the capital.
Their purpose was probably nothing more than to take advantage of his misfortune and ruin the Prince of Jing’s good reputation as the God of War.
The people in the capital really did have rotten hearts.
Remembering how Chu Zhaojiang had once slandered him with nothing but empty words when they were young, Chu Zhaohuai knew all too well what it felt like to be unable to defend oneself no matter how much one explained.
After eating a few more mouthfuls, he noticed that Ji Xun had been drinking for quite some time without touching any of the dishes.
Mustering his courage, Chu Zhaohuai decided to test the waters.
He picked up the serving chopsticks that the maid beside them had been using to arrange the dishes, picked up a piece of fish and placed it onto the plate in front of Ji Xun.
“Prince, try this.”
Ji Xun’s hand paused slightly.
Behind him, Yin Chongshan’s gaze sharpened.
His hand slowly closed around the hilt of the blade at his lower back and murderous intent immediately became apparent.
The front hall fell into an eerie, unnatural silence.
Chu Zhaohuai did not notice that anything was wrong. He was still secretly complaining to himself about how terribly salty this perfectly good fish had turned out.
The vinegar fish from Lin’an was much more suited to his taste.
Ji Xun stared at Chu Zhaohuai.
His pupils contracted, then slowly expanded again, like those of a beast waiting for the right opportunity to strike yet his expression barely changed.
In fact, he even smiled with an almost gentle air.
“Good.”
With that, he actually picked up his chopsticks, lifted the piece of fish and ate it.
Yin Chongshan silently sucked in a breath.
He felt as though he had not yet woken up.
He… he actually ate it?
The Prince of Jing had already passed the age of twenty six and remained unmarried. Over the years, many people in the capital had sent beautiful youths and favored male companions to the residence to test the waters.
Once, an exceptionally bold beauty had taken matters into his own hands and replaced one of the maids, attempting to personally serve dishes to the Prince.
That night, blood had flowed through the Prince of Jing’s residence.
The heads of those people had been packed into boxes and sent directly back to the residences that had originally presented them.
The incident had caused such an uproar that memorials accusing the Prince of Jing had been submitted to the Emperor one after another. In the end, the Emperor had been forced to punish Ji Xun by docking half a year of his salary before the matter finally came to an end.
After that, whenever anyone dared to send people into the Prince’s residence, their heads would be cut off and returned along the exact same route.
Over time, no one dared to openly send people there anymore.
Yin Chongshan inconspicuously shuddered and cast a subtle glance at Chu Zhaohuai.
This person was not simple.
He must possess some extraordinary ability.
The supposedly “extraordinary” Chu Zhaohuai, meanwhile, was still reminiscing about the vinegar fish from Lin’an.
Seeing that Ji Xun did not seem to reject his serving food for him and had even smiled with such a good temper, Chu Zhaohuai became increasingly convinced that the rumors were unreliable.
The meal passed in complete peace.
Well, mainly because Chu Zhaohuai remained perfectly calm.
As for Yin Chongshan standing nearby, waves were practically crashing inside his heart. He had kept one hand around the hilt of his blade for half the meal yet he had not dared to draw it even once.
After finishing his meal, Chu Zhaohuai properly bade Ji Xun farewell and found an excuse about “washing his face” before rushing back to the bedchamber.
Once he had washed his face, he looked into the mirror.
Chu Zhaohuai was frightened all over again.
The powder had been left on for too long and he had applied far too much of it. On his naturally pale face, which always carried the pallor of illness, a faint red rash had now appeared and spread all the way down to his neck.
He looked as though he had suddenly developed some acute illness.
Chu Zhaohuai forcibly restrained his hand from scratching the itch and felt his own pulse.
Oh.
Fortunately, it was not a problem with the powder.
He had simply been poisoned.
Chu Zhaohuai was relieved.
The Bai family of Lin’an was an old medical family whose branches and descendants were spread far and wide. Chu Zhaohuai alone had five maternal uncles.
He had been raised by his maternal grandfather from childhood. Although he was connected to the family by blood, in the end, he was still essentially living under someone else’s roof.
Besides, Chu Jing had never intended to bring Chu Zhaohuai back to the capital.
Of the five branches of the Bai family, four were wary that he might one day claim a share of the Bai family fortune. The enormous household was constantly plotting against one another, forever fighting over this person or that person.
As a result, they had never treated Chu Zhaohuai particularly well.
Falling ill or being poisoned had been an ordinary occurrence for him since childhood.
He had long since grown accustomed to it.
Chu Zhaohuai searched through the small bundle he carried with him, found a medicinal pill, stuffed it into his mouth, chewed it a few times and swallowed it.
Something about this matter seemed rather suspicious.
How had he been poisoned for no apparent reason?
Could it have been the poisonous incense from last night?
Once the itching and pain had subsided, Chu Zhaohuai took out the gauze veil he had previously used to protect his eyes from dust whenever he went out to practice medicine.
The black gauze was square and large enough to cover his entire face, leaving only the area around his eyes slightly more visible so that he could see.
It was extremely convenient.
His face would not recover anytime soon, so this gave him a perfect excuse to conceal his appearance.
He had only just tied it securely when someone outside the bedchamber called out,
“Wangfei.”
The person who arrived was the steward of the Prince’s residence.
He appeared to be somewhat advanced in age, with gentle brows and eyes. In his hands, he carried a gold edged gift list.
He stepped into the front hall, seemingly about to speak but the moment he saw the gauze covering Chu Zhaohuai’s face, he froze.
“What happened to Wangfei’s…”
“It’s nothing.” Beneath the gauze, only a vague outline of Chu Zhaohuai’s neck could be seen. “What is it?”
The steward withdrew his gaze. “This is the gift list for your return to your maternal home that was just prepared. Please take a look, Wangfei.”
Chu Zhaohuai accepted it and glanced over the densely packed list of gifts. When he remembered the bridal gift chests that had been half empty, his temper immediately flared, rising straight into his head.
Did the Prince of Jing’s residence have silver falling from the heavens?
It was only a visit to his maternal home yet they actually had to bring this many gifts?
Just because they had money, could they really squander it like this?
What a wastrel.
Chu Zhaohuai asked cautiously, “Has the Prince seen this gift list?”
“He has not. The Prince left the residence after finishing his meal.”
“Then it would be better to wait until the Prince returns and let him make the decision himself.”
Chu Zhaohuai put the gift list away and promptly pushed the problem back where it had come from.
Ji Xun and Chu Jing had never gotten along. Besides, the man had been inexplicably forced to marry a male Wangfei. If Ji Xun showed up on the day of the return visit carrying nothing but a bag full of sarcastic remarks, that would probably already count as an excessively generous gift.
The steward hesitated for quite some time. Seeing that Chu Zhaohuai clearly had no intention of dealing with the matter, he had no choice but to take the gift list and withdraw.
…….
Worried that Ji Xun might return after finishing his affairs and remember that whole matter about “consummating the marriage,” Chu Zhaohuai made ample psychological preparations.
However, he remained on full alert for two entire days.
Ji Xun did not return to the residence even once.
At last, the day of his return to his maternal home arrived and Chu Zhaohuai slept until the sun was already high in the sky before waking.
Perhaps it was a lingering effect of the fright he had suffered previously. Even after taking his medicine, Chu Zhaohuai still felt exhausted and heavy all over. He could sleep for seven or eight hours at a stretch and after waking in the morning, he simply sat on the bed in a daze, staring blankly into space.
The steward came over and knocked on the door.
“Wangfei, are you awake?”
Chu Zhaohuai yawned. He was so sleepy that he could barely keep his eyes open and his response came out hazy and muddled.
“I’m awake. I’m already putting on my shoes.”
The steward said, “The Prince sent someone to remind Wangfei that it is time.”
Chu Zhaohuai answered drowsily, “Okay.”
It was time, so it was time.
Why did he even need to be reminded…
Wait.
What time?
His brain, which had been as muddled as a pot of paste, suddenly sparked with clarity.
Chu Zhaohuai instantly woke up and sprang straight out of bed.
The time to return to his maternal home!
The steward respectfully waited outside the bedchamber and said, “The Prince is being considerate. He said Wangfei could sleep a little longer and take another nap. He can simply wait in the carriage for half a day.”
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
Ji Xun was waiting for him?
How could that possibly be acceptable?!
Chu Zhaohuai scrambled out of bed, hurriedly washed up and dressed himself and rushed out of the residence at a run in less than half an incense stick’s worth of time.
Yet before he had even caught his breath, the sight outside startled him.
Chu Zhaohuai had seen his maternal aunt return to her family home after marrying into a prestigious family, so he knew that a woman returning to her maternal home after a high status marriage would inevitably make a grand display.
There would be music and drums, crowds filling the streets and enough commotion to keep the entire street lively for a whole day.
But compared to the spectacle arranged by the Prince of Jing’s residence, all of that was practically nothing.
Ji Xun had spent years on the battlefield. The guards of his residence were all elite soldiers who had fought their way through mountains of blades and seas of fire. Dressed in light armor with long sabers hanging at their waists, they stood in neat formation outside the residence.
They filled the entire broad street from side to side, their murderous aura so overwhelming that they hardly looked as though they were going on a family visit.
They looked more like an army marching out to war to cut someone down.
At the very center of the guards was a grand imperial carriage built to the specifications of a prince.
In the freezing winter, embroidered curtains bearing dragon patterns hung along both sides. Ornamental pieces of every description dangled from the carriage and Chu Zhaohuai could not recognize a single one of them.
He only knew one thing.
Even if he sold himself, he probably could not afford even one.
This was the first time Chu Zhaohuai had truly witnessed what it meant to be born into the imperial nobility, to possess wealth and splendor without limit.
Yin Chongshan stood guard beside the carriage. When he saw Chu Zhaohuai, he nodded and gave him a formal greeting.
Chu Zhaohuai coughed lightly and struggled to tear his gaze away from the golden pendants hanging from the carriage curtains. Just as he was about to step onto the mounting stool, the corner of his eye caught sight of several guards from the residence carrying three enormous chests toward the carriage.
Chu Zhaohuai froze.
His brows immediately drew tightly together.
Ji Xun’s voice drifted leisurely out from inside the carriage, carrying that uniquely refined yet cutting sarcasm belonging to the Prince of Jing.
“Wangfei, why don’t you return to the residence and have lunch before going? Although this prince has many matters to attend to every day, waiting a little longer would hardly inconvenience me.”
Chu Zhaohuai immediately withdrew his gaze and hurried into the carriage.
This was a carriage built to the specifications of a prince.
Chu Zhaohuai had thought the display outside had already reached the absolute limit of extravagance but only after entering did he realize that he had been shocked far too early.
The inside of the carriage was spacious enough to rival half a bedchamber. Gold, silver, jade and other precious materials had been used everywhere as decoration. The dazzling extravagance filling the entire carriage left Chu Zhaohuai stiff for several breaths before he finally recovered.
Ji Xun was dressed in plain dark robes. His eyes were closed as he leaned back there, while sunlight poured through the curtains and fell across his brows and eyes, which carried a faint trace of weariness.
Chu Zhaohuai awkwardly said, “I’ve kept the Prince waiting.”
Ji Xun did not even open his eyes.
His tone was languid.
“Wangfei’s face still hasn’t recovered?”
Chu Zhaohuai deliberately sat as far away from him as possible. He quietly tucked the silk gauze beneath his chin farther into his collar, then put on an air of composure.
“The rash from a few days ago hasn’t gone away yet. I hope the Prince won’t find it amusing.”
Ji Xun gave a soft “Mm,” as though he had never been particularly interested in Chu Zhaohuai’s face from the beginning. He did not ask another question.
Chu Zhaohuai quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
Outside the carriage, the guards were still loading the smaller chests containing the gifts for his return visit.
Chu Zhaohuai lifted the curtain and looked outside. The longer he looked, the more tightly his brows furrowed.
Perhaps the comfort of being around Ji Xun had given him a false sense of security. He no longer felt as tense and wary around the man as he had during the previous few days.
He even took the initiative to ask,
“Prince, is that carriage behind us carrying the gifts for my return visit?”
Ji Xun opened his eyes.
A ray of sunlight fell directly into his right eye and the light reflected from his dark, deep gaze.
He smiled.
His voice was exceedingly gentle.
“Wangfei wasn’t satisfied with the steward’s selection of gifts because you thought they were too meager, so this prince personally prepared a more generous set. I’m certain it will satisfy your father in law.”
Chu Zhaohuai: “…”
Chu Zhaohuai loved money and he also could not stand watching other people squander it so recklessly.
He was nearly angry enough to press his fingers beneath his philtrum to keep himself from fainting.
Who had called the Prince of Jing a “mad dog” and a “walking disaster”?
He was clearly just a fool with too much money, a gullible sucker practically begging to hand his wealth over to other people.
Those rumors outside really were false.
Three enormous chests of lavish gifts.
According to yesterday’s gift list, they had to be worth at least ten thousand taels.
What a loss.
Chu Zhaohuai was so distressed that he could barely stand it. He leaned against the carriage wall without saying a word.
Forget it.
At least it wasn’t his money.
The carriage moved slowly forward, while the guards marched in neat, synchronized formation toward the Zhenyuan Marquis’s Residence.
The three enormous chests of gifts swayed gently with the movement of the carriage.
From within the cracks of the chests, a sinister black streak of blood slowly seeped out.
It dripped onto the ground.
And vanished in an instant.
Cressilia: This is all for today, I will update rest of the part as soon as possible💜
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
✦ END OF CHAPTER ✦ BEGIN COFFEE NEGOTIATIONS ✦
☕ 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?