The Primary Consort of Qi Wang
Upon hearing Muwen’s question, Chen Luxian paused momentarily, pondering how best to explain himself. After a moment of thought, an important realization struck him.
"That’s right. Why should I cover my face when no one has ever seen what the eldest son of the Chen family looks like as an adult?" he muttered to himself for a while before finally turning to face the companions he had picked up from the forest.
"Since no one’s ever seen it, there’s no need to keep it covered anymore. Let’s consider today an auspicious occasion. Would the four of you be honored to be the first people to see this face in years?"
The four companions were still somewhat baffled, unable to follow Luxian’s train of thought. Muwen had merely asked for the reason behind the face covering and hadn’t expected the younger man—who was only a few years his junior but had a peculiarly unpredictable demeanor—to not only avoid answering but also to reach up and remove the veil instead.
He knew that the earlier question had been asked casually, with no real expectation of a reply. Even so, Chen Luxian himself didn’t fully understand his own behavior sometimes. Doctors at the hospital, business moguls, and even mafia bosses who were his father’s associates often praised him as a genius. Yet, Chen Luxian never felt that way. Occasionally, he could be quite oblivious, only realizing the simplest things months later.
Wearing the face veil at the Chen family manor had made sense, as he had planned to reveal the truth grandly once he had enough power to reclaim everything that rightfully belonged to the eldest son. However, there had been no need to wear it while overseeing operations at Hall of Lu Yue. After all, no one had ever truly seen Chen Lu’s face up close. Even those who had glimpsed it briefly wouldn’t be able to remember it well enough to connect him with the scandalous rumors surrounding the eldest son of the Chen family.
When the four companions saw Chen Lu’s uncovered face, they were stunned into silence. The room grew so quiet that only the sound of breathing could be heard.
These four men had all grown up within the imperial court. One of them was the Fourth Prince, while the other three had been companions and schoolmates of the prince from a young age. As adults, they now held significant positions of power. They had attended countless luxurious banquets in the palace, where the most beautiful people of the kingdom gathered, to the point of boredom. They could confidently say there was no beauty in the land they hadn’t seen. Yet, the face of the eldest son of the Chen family—though that of a man—was more beautiful than any woman’s. At the same time, it retained the sharp, masculine features of a man, neither effeminate nor delicate like the male courtesans in the pleasure houses. His face was truly flawless.
"Beautiful..." the Fourth Prince murmured in admiration. But rather than feeling pleased, Chen Luxian was utterly annoyed.
"Beautiful, my foot! Rongqi, speak properly. The word you’re looking for is ‘handsome,’ not ‘beautiful.’ I’m not a woman to be called beautiful!" Luxian snapped instantly. In his previous life, he had been a doctor with striking looks, earning countless nicknames from the nurses. But to be called "beautiful" now? That was unacceptable.
"I’m no longer surprised why your younger siblings harbor such jealousy toward you," Shaochang mumbled under his breath. Earlier, when they had little else to do, the group had exchanged stories about their lives. While Chen Luxian hadn’t delved into the reasons for his feud with his step-siblings, today, it was Muwen who broached the subject.
"Jealousy drives destruction," Luxian replied casually. "That question Muwen asked earlier, this is the answer. In the past, I bore countless scars, all courtesy of those little foxes of my stepmother. Like mother, like child..."
“...” Muwen began to feel guilty for bringing up the topic. As it turned out, the face veil hadn’t been to conceal his identity but to hide the scars of a painful past.
"Don’t make a face like that. It’s all in the past now, isn’t it? No need to dwell on it," Luxian quickly shifted the subject when he noticed his friend’s remorseful expression. After all, he wasn’t the original person who had been scarred. It didn’t hurt him to that extent. He simply kept it in mind, waiting to settle old scores in the future.
“I prefer the sharp, masculine type like you all, especially you, Young Master Rong... A face so flawless, as if crafted by the heavens themselves—surely the matchmakers must be swarming your doorstep.”
Rongqi did not respond to the compliment, but the slight upward curve of his lips did not escape anyone’s notice. The other three companions could only manage strained smiles. After all, it was precisely the prince’s striking appearance that had caused so much trouble, the reason for the Mask of the Tiger Encompassing the Moon and the rumors of the "hideous Fourth Prince."
...
Since then, a month passed swiftly, as the days spent at the Hall of Lu Yue brought a rare sense of peace to ‘Zhao Qirong’, a member of the royal family. As he lay on a bed, watching his companions—whom he’d known for exactly one month—busily preparing some strange tools for removing a cast, his mind wandered to the words of the royal tutor from his childhood:
Time is fleeting when we are happy, but a single moment of sorrow feels eternal.
Zhao Qirong wasn’t sure when he had started to feel that his time at the Hall of Lu Yue was truly blissful. He only knew that he wasn’t ready to return to the world of power struggles. For now, he wanted to remain a simple Rongqi—a man who could laze about in a well-equipped restaurant, surrounded by friends to ease the loneliness. Here, he didn’t have to deal with the palace or the estate of Junwang[1], where watchful eyes followed his every move.
It was a shame...
There’s no such thing as a feast that never ends. Now, everyone’s injuries had improved greatly, and they each had responsibilities awaiting them beyond these peaceful walls.
“The surgery was a resounding success,” declared Chen Luxian, the proud doctor, entirely unaware of Rongqi’s inner turmoil. He was too busy marveling at the results of a surgical procedure performed in this ancient era with its lack of medical equipment. Part of the credit, of course, belonged to his healing qi energy. From now on, he resolved to focus on cultivating martial arts techniques that could be applied in medicine.
“I’ll teach you all some physical therapy exercises. You’ve spent a month here, it must have been dreadfully boring. Once you’re home, don’t forget to come see me every week. And let me tell you this: if any of you are stubborn and refuse to do your exercises, delaying your recovery, I’ll be here ready to laugh at you!”
After that, Luxian carefully taught them the exercises. Shaoqi and Muwen paid close attention, memorizing every movement to ensure they could help care for Rongqi and Shaochang later on.
“Excellent. Since everything seems fine post-cast removal, tomorrow I’ll grant you all permission to leave. But if you wish to stay longer, you’ll have to start paying. I won’t charge you for the treatment you’ve already received, but... you’ll need to compensate me in some other way, which I haven’t figured out yet...”
“Young Master! There’s an urgent matter at the manor!”
Before Chen Luxian could finish his words, Lu Lu ran in with a small scroll of paper, her face pale with panic.
Chen Luxian quickly took the paper and read its contents, not even sparing the time to reprimand the servant for her breach of decorum.
‘The general has summoned everyone in the manor. Someone from the palace has arrived.’’
“That old man—why does it have to be today of all days?” Chen Luxian muttered in irritation as he burned the paper in the incense burner.
“What’s the matter?” Rongqi raised a brow slightly. Since meeting Luxian, he’d rarely seen the young man show such displeasure.
"The old man at my house summoned me. He hardly ever cares about me, but today he insists I meet him. Well, excuse me for a moment—I’ll stop by again later tonight." Read this novel at g.com for the best experience.
With that, Luxian used his light-footed martial arts to leap out of the room’s window, landing effortlessly on the roof of a nearby building. This was the first time he had ever roof-hopped in broad daylight. With this, he reached the Chen family manor in just one ke.
...
"What’s going on?" He immediately questioned Qing Hai, the young servant on duty at the Eastern Courtyard.
"There’s a procession here to deliver a royal decree, sir. According to custom, everyone in the manor must be present for the announcement. Right now, only you and the second young master are missing. Please hurry, sir," Qing Hai summarized quickly.
Hearing this, Chen Luxian wasted no time with words. He promptly adjusted his attire to ensure he was presentable and hurried toward the main hall.
By the time Luxian reached the hall, the second young master was also just arriving. All the members and servants of the Yong Hou’s household were already assembled. At the center of attention stood an elderly eunuch, Yang Gong Gong,[2] flanked by a row of about ten attendants. In the eunuch’s hands was a golden silk scroll, adorned with the image of a five-clawed dragon.
Once everyone required to be present had gathered, Gong Gong began to announce the decree. The golden scroll was unfurled, and everyone in the manor knelt to the ground in unison.
“By the command of the Son of Heaven... The Fourth Prince, Zhao Qirong, is commended for his great achievements in leading the army to victory in battle, triumphing over all tribes. He is hereby promoted from the rank of Junwang to Qinwang[3], bestowed with the royal title ‘Qi Wang.’
Yong Hou, General Chen Rizhong, is highly skilled and renowned, leading four armies to victory on all fronts and raising exemplary children. Thus, the Son of Heaven decrees that the child of Yong Hou, Chen Rizhong, shall be wedded to Qi Wang, Zhao Qirong, as his principal consort. The wedding shall take place one month from now, on the 10th day of the first month, in the 25th year of the Yongping era. The decree is thus given."
"This humble servant, Chen Rizhong, accepts the imperial decree. Long live His Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand years."
"Long live His Majesty, ten thousand years, ten thousand years."
Chen Rizhong reached out to accept the decree and spoke his formal gratitude, echoed by everyone in the manor. However, all the noble members of the household were utterly stunned, too paralyzed to react properly—especially Fang Meihua and her daughter.
"Congratulations, General Chen," said Yang Gong Gong, the eunuch from the Qianqing Palace of the Emperor who had delivered the decree.
"Thank you, Gong Gong," General Chen replied politely, though his inner turmoil was evident, barely concealed beneath his composed facade.
This decree, despite its flowery praises, was clearly no blessing. Everyone in Da Qi knew who the most “useless” prince in the realm was.
Paralyzed, bedridden for four months, and disqualified from the throne despite being the legitimate son of the empress—the Fourth Prince’s current state was no secret. General Chen, who had witnessed the once-mighty General of the Eastern Army fall from his horse on the battlefield, understood the reality better than anyone. No doctor, no matter how skilled, had been able to cure him.
To make matters worse, rumors claimed that the prince hid a hideous, deformed face beneath his ever-present mask. In short, no one in the capital was eager to be connected to the Fourth Prince. This royal decree wasn’t a reward but more like a curse from the Son of Heaven, an inescapable mandate hurled squarely at the Chen family’s heads.
After sending off the procession that delivered the imperial decree, General Chen gathered with his wife and children in the grand hall. The atmosphere was heavy with tension, even in the absence of conversation. The weight of the silence was suffocating.
Of the Yong Hou’s six children, only the eldest son, aged 18, the eldest daughter, aged 16, and the second son and daughter, both 15, were of marriageable age. The remaining children were either too young or born to concubines, which disqualified them from being named in the decree.
The person most visibly distressed was none other than the eldest daughter, Chen Fangru. At an age long deemed appropriate for marriage, she was ready to become a consort—but not to a crippled and rumored disfigured prince. She simply could not accept this fate.
"Father, I refuse... I will not marry!" Chen Fangru cried, her face streaked with tears, giving her an appearance of delicate fragility.
"If you refuse, then who should marry in your place? Should we send Lan’er instead? You know as well as I do that an imperial decree cannot be defied," General Chen Rizhong replied with a deep sigh. He understood what worried his daughter, but he was powerless against the decree.
To defy an imperial decree was tantamount to treason, punishable by the execution of one’s entire family for seven generations...
"I won’t marry! If someone has to, let Eldest Brother marry instead!" Chen Fanglan, the second daughter, declared in a desperate attempt to push the burden away from herself. Her impulsive remark, however, caused a glimmer of inspiration to flash through Fang Meihua’s eyes. How had she not thought of this before?
Chen Luxian, who had been quietly observing for some time, finally lifted his head to glance at the speaker, silently cursing the second daughter for her recklessness.
Have they all gone mad? This isn’t a joke. One wrong move, and the entire family could lose their heads.
Drawing from the knowledge he had gleaned from novels and the books in the study hall, Luxian understood that imperial decrees were no trifling matter. Never mind the possibility of same-sex marriages in this era—just the rumors surrounding Chen Lu himself were enough to disqualify him from consideration. If they truly sent him to marry the Fourth Prince, it would be an outright insult to the prince’s dignity.
"You’re absolutely right," Fang Meihua said, her tone laced with hope. "My Dear, the decree just mentions ‘a child of Yong Hou.’ It doesn’t specify that it must be a daughter. Lu’er could take her place. He’s the eldest son and is the legitimate child of the first wife."
Chen Luxian’s head snapped toward her, his expression darkening.
"That’s impossible!" General Chen interjected immediately. "Lu’er is a man—he can’t bear children for Qi Wang. If he were to marry, his position as the principal consort would be unstable. Should Qi Wang later take a secondary consort or concubines, it would only create more difficulties for him. While Da Qi tolerates instances of same-sex relationships, for someone to marry publicly as a Wangfei[4] would be far too disrespectful to Qi Wang."
General Chen’s voice carried firm disapproval, but Fang Meihua was not easily deterred.
"Think about it, dear husband. A decree with such a glaring loophole, it couldn’t have been issued without the Son of Heaven’s deliberate intent. You’re well aware of how people are speaking about Qi Wang’s condition. The truth is, he no longer needs heirs. Besides, I’ve even heard rumors from the Qin Kingdom about a male Guifei who reportedly gave birth to the emperor’s first son. If the Qin Kingdom can have such a precedent, why can’t we?"
For Chen Luxian, he paid little attention to the myriad excuses and justifications offered by the cunning mother-daughter pair, who were attempting to pass the burden onto someone else. Instead, he was far more intrigued by the claim that a Guifei from the Qin Kingdom had been able to conceive. He wondered whether this was merely a rumor or if the Guifei truly had a body similar to his own as the eldest son of the Chen family.
"What do you mean by that, Yi Niang[5] Fang? If your reasoning is so sound, why not send the second son to be the consort? I think he’d be quite suitable," Luxian said sarcastically, and even deliberately calling Fang Meihua an ‘Yi Niang’.
For Luxian, he was already half-convinced that he would be the one saddled with this "hot potato." As such, he silently began formulating plans to deal with the imperial marriage. He wasn’t panicked, though; in fact, he saw it as an opportunity to seek power outside the Chen family estate.
If the Fourth Prince turned out to be what he suspected, it might even be beneficial. If not, he could at least offer to treat his royal husband in exchange for power and influence. Marriage, to someone like him who had spent his life dedicated to work and had never experienced love, wasn’t much of a concern.
Hearing herself called ‘Yi Niang’, Fang Meihua’s eye twitched, but now wasn’t the time to argue with this unsightly child. She could only suppress her anger, forcing a smile and responding in a gentle tone.
"How could that work, Lu’er? Zhu’er already has three concubines. It’s known throughout the capital. How could he marry again as someone else’s consort?" Fang Meihua replied with seemingly reasonable logic, showing no shame in bringing up the embarrassing fact that the second son, Chen Qingzhu, had taken three concubines before even marrying a primary wife. Was this behavior anything to be proud of?
"It’s more appropriate for Eldest Brother to marry, Father. With his reputation and the rumors surrounding him, no woman would want to marry into the Chen family as our primary sister-in-law anyway. And with the rumors that the Fourth Prince is just as disfigured as Eldest Brother, His Highness surely wouldn’t mind him." The eldest daughter, Chen Fangru, quickly supported her mother’s words.
"Exactly! A perfect match," the second daughter, Chen Fanglan, chimed in eagerly. Meanwhile, the second son, Chen Qingzhu, appeared to still be hungover, nodding off in his seat, entirely oblivious to the conversation around him.
As someone who had been open-minded about same-sex relationships since his past life, Chen Luxian didn’t have any issue with the idea of becoming the Fourth Prince’s consort. What he couldn’t tolerate, however, was the blatant selfishness of these two sisters. Just because they didn’t want to marry, why did he have to take their place?
If today’s decree had named a prince who still had a claim to the throne, they would have found every excuse imaginable to ensure he wouldn’t marry. But because it was a useless prince who couldn’t elevate their status, they were all too happy to shove the responsibility onto him.
"Father..." Luxian began to protest, but he was interrupted before he could finish.
"Enough!"
General Chen’s voice cut through the room.
"Enough from all of you. I will make the decision myself. Leave, all of you. Lu’er, stay behind."
Once the others had left, General Chen began speaking again, catching Luxian entirely off guard.
"I’m sorry, Lu’er."
"...What?"
The sudden apology left Luxian confused. Sorry for what? And why apologize now, when the people who should have heard it weren’t even in the room?
"Servant Zhu has already told me about the bullying and mistreatment you’ve endured," Chen Rizhong began. "These past years must have been hard for you. In the past, I had no time to care for the affairs of the inner household. I don’t have the time now, and I probably won’t in the future either."
Chen Luxian furrowed his brows, staring intently at Chen Rizhong. This great general, around forty years old, wasn’t much older than the modern Chen Luxian’s actual age. However, the attitude he displayed wasn’t even fitting for a father.
"I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you. My life has been devoted entirely to this land. I have always loved all of my children equally. However... As for Meihua, I had my reasons for raising her to replace your mother. Given the circumstances, I’ve had to turn a blind eye to many things. That said, the arguments they presented earlier were valid. If you agree to marry, even though Qi Wang’s fortune may have run out, the position of the imperial consort might bring you more happiness than you’ve had here."
Hearing this, Chen Luxian couldn’t help but feel an urge to smirk in disdain. However, he restrained himself. While Chen Rizhong had never fulfilled the role of a father, what he said was at least partially true.
Luxian let out a deep sigh.
"If I agree to marry, will Father promise me one thing?"
"What is it, my son?" Chen Rizhong asked.
"The position of the heir—the second son is... unworthy."
Chen Rizhong understood immediately. "I see what you mean. As I said, I love all my children equally. When it comes to the family’s future, however, I value ability above all. If Zhu’er continues his reckless behavior, I have no intention of entrusting the future of our lineage to him either."
Chen Rizhong’s agreement gave Luxian the assurance he needed.
"I’ll marry."
[1] "Junwang" or "Junwang Prince" is a title given to male members of the royal family, ranking second in hierarchy below "Qinwang" (Prince of the First Rank).
[2] "Gong Gong" is a term used to refer to senior eunuchs.
[3] "Qinwang" or "Qinwang Prince" is the highest title bestowed upon male members of the royal family, second only to the Crown Prince. Those appointed to this position are typically the sons, elder brothers, or younger brothers of the Emperor.
[4] "Wangfei" refers to the principal consort or wife of a prince.
[5] "Yi Niang" refers to a concubine or secondary wife.