Discussing the Future Wife
After Chen Luxian agreed to the imperial marriage as the Fourth Prince’s consort, the palace announced that officials would arrive in three days to teach him the proper customs and etiquette required for his role as the primary consort.
The impending wedding, which seemed like a spectacle designed to bundle together the most humiliating aspects of Da Qi, quickly became the talk of the town—a source of daily gossip and jokes that no one could stop laughing about.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, Chen Luxian quietly climbed over the wall of the Chen estate. There were still matters regarding the friends he had taken in from outside the city that needed to be resolved before he could plan his own path forward. Additionally, there was something he needed to confirm with Young Master Rongqi.
“Dressed like this, you finally look like proper young masters,” Luxian quipped as he entered the room that the four friends had been using as their second home for over a month. Seeing them in luxurious attire and formal headpieces befitting the nobility, he couldn’t resist teasing them.
From the beginning, none of them had spoken openly about their true identities. They all instinctively knew that such questions would yield no honest answers. After all, people who had narrowly escaped death or hidden behind masks so long that they themselves forgot what they looked like weren’t the sort to casually reveal their status. However, this didn’t mean their backgrounds were entirely a mystery. At the very least, it was clear that both the injured party and the doctor were tied to major powers in Da Qi.
“And before this?” Rongqi asked, now able to sit up straight in bed without the hindrance of his cast. Though he couldn’t yet walk unaided, he was making do with the wheelchair and cane provided by the esteemed doctor.
“Just a patient, of course,” Luxian replied with a playful arch of his brow, eliciting sighs from the four companions.
“How are things back at your manor? All settled?” Shaochang asked with genuine concern, recalling how hurried Luxian had been earlier in the day.
“Settled, I suppose. But I need your help with something. Let’s order dinner first and talk things through slowly—no rush.”
“Of course. We haven’t even left the infirmary yet, and we’re already going to start repaying our debt to the divine doctor,” Muwen joked lightly.
Before long, the late dinner, now an outright supper, was brought to the table for the true owner of the Hall of Lu Yue and his distinguished guests, who had been staying there for over a month. At this time, the restaurant’s chefs had all grown so accustomed to the favored tastes of these noble guests that their cooking now rivaled—or even surpassed—the food prepared in their own manors.
“Honestly, you... there was no need to wait for me. Good thing you’re no longer on any medications, or I’d have lectured you for a ke before letting you eat,” Luxian grumbled, clearly annoyed. He had always disliked patients who didn’t follow their doctor’s orders, and these four gentlemen seemed particularly stubborn today, waiting for him to return before starting their meal.
“Well, since you’re sending us back home tomorrow, isn’t it only fair that we have a proper farewell dinner tonight?” Rongqi confessed before Luxian even had the chance to ask why they had waited for him.
“Hmph. Who said I was kicking you out? Stay as long as you like, but I won’t be able to visit you as often anymore.”
“So, what exactly is going on?” Muwen brought up Luxian’s earlier rush to leave, sensing from the doctor’s current demeanor that it wasn’t a trivial matter.
“First, I have an important question to ask the four of you. And I hope you’ll answer me honestly.”
In the month since they had met, the four friends had never seen Luxian wear such a serious expression.
"Zhao Qirong."
“...”
The four companions furrowed their brows slightly, working hard to maintain neutral expressions while waiting for Luxian’s question, even as their hearts raced with unease.
"Have you ever heard that name before?" Chen Luxian asked indirectly, carefully leaving himself an escape route. He couldn’t very well outright ask, Are you the Fourth Prince? If he guessed wrong, it’d be awkward; if he guessed right, he might end up executed for offending royalty before even making it to Qi Wang’s manor.
"Isn’t that the name of the Fourth Prince? Why do you ask?"
The young man known to them as Rongqi—or rather, Zhao Qirong—answered the question with one of his own, his gaze toward Luxian subtly shifting. There was no hint of suspicion in his expression, only curiosity.
"Oh, I was just lost in thought. That’s all. I have my answer now," Luxian replied.
"What answer?"
"That you’re not Qi Wang."
"Qi Wang..."
"Exactly. If Zhao Qirong were truly your name, shadow guards would have dragged me off to be executed for lese-majeste by now."
“...”
Zhao Qirong blinked, his mouth agape, as countless thoughts clashed in his mind.
Well, my shadow guards all sacrificed themselves on the journey, and these three companions are loyal friends who also owe their lives to this divine doctor. Who would dare drag you off to be executed? If they killed the doctor, who would treat the sick? The imperial physicians certainly wouldn’t understand your peculiar methods either. This chapter was taken from novelping(.)com without permission.
But wait... who exactly is Qi Wang? Could it possibly be... me?
"Yes, Qi Wang. Earlier today, His Majesty issued a decree promoting the Fourth Prince, Zhao Qirong, to the rank of Qinwang and bestowing upon him the title of Qi Wang."
“...”
So that’s who Qi Wang is. Zhao Qirong had only just learned this himself. What actually was going on? How could something so significant have happened without Qi San informing him? How had Luxian learned about this before he did?
"This is the matter I’d like your help with," Luxian continued.
"The Fourth Prince?" Shaoqi asked, glancing between Luxian and the Fourth Prince, silently speculating about how this miracle doctor could be connected to Zhao Qirong.
"Yes. Even though our Young Master Rong won’t admit to being that distinguished person, surely you can’t deny being acquainted with him."
“...”
The four companions grew more confused as they listened, especially the Fourth Prince himself. At that moment, all Zhao Qirong wanted was to request a meeting with his father and figure out the reason behind this abrupt promotion. Could it have something to do with potential changes in his role as the head of the Eastern Bureau?
"I remember when we first met, Muwen was wearing military armor engraved with the emblem of the sun. The sun symbolizes the East. So, I’ll conclude that you serve in the Eastern Army. As soldiers, you must have at least seen the general, correct? Am I wrong?"
"Or are you perhaps the Zhuangyuan[1] that His Majesty has been searching for?" Muwen interrupted, struggling to believe that this young man, who had yet to even don his adult cap, could analyze things so thoroughly. "Fine. You’re correct—we are soldiers in the Eastern Army. What does this matter you need help with, have to do with the general?"
Chen Luxian chose to ignore the Zhuangyuan comment, though he couldn’t deny its basis in truth.
"I need you to investigate the Fourth Prince for me," he said firmly.
"..."
Sometimes, Muwen thought that those who were too smart and meticulous often stumbled over the simplest things. This was precisely the case with Divine Doctor Xian. After concluding that his friend Rongqi wasn’t Zhao Qirong, he didn’t bother to reconsider his assumption. Just because Rongqi didn’t have anyone dragging him off to be executed, it didn’t necessarily mean he wasn’t the Fourth Prince.
"What do you want us to investigate, and why? Does your rush back to the manor earlier today have something to do with this?"
Young Master Rongqi, now confident that his identity wasn’t about to be exposed, seemed to be enjoying himself as he toyed with Luxian.
"Oh, it’s just a client’s request. If this trade succeeds, I’ll make a significant profit. So, I’m counting on you."
"A client?" Shaochang repeated, puzzled.
"Yes, the soon-to-be bride of your master sent someone to purchase information from my mother’s intelligence network. Since that person is the child of a great general, selling the false information might lead to my business being burned to the ground. But then again, how is a mere doctor like me supposed to gather information about a prince?" Luxian, not one to back down, fabricated a story about his ‘mother’s intelligence network’ to maintain his facade. Well, until the very last moment, he intended to keep his secrets safe. And ideally, he wanted to secure his connection to the Fourth Prince firmly before leaving the Chen family manor. The issue, however, was that Luxian still wasn’t sure if the Fourth Prince would prove to be a golden thigh—or a rotting log waiting to sink him.
"What bride? What are you talking about?" Zhao Qirong’s smile faltered as he failed to keep up with Luxian’s convoluted narrative. Was the Fourth Prince in question actually him?
"Your master, the General of the Eastern Army, is getting married."
"What?!"
All four companions exclaimed loudly, exchanging wide-eyed glances. The calm atmosphere was shattered entirely.
The fake Fourth Prince is now bedridden, but the Emperor suddenly decreed an imperial marriage?
"Why are you so surprised? If you’re shocked about Qi Wang receiving an imperial marriage as a reward for his wartime victory despite being bedridden, at least let me finish explaining first."
“...”
"The decree states that a ‘child of Yong Hou is to marry Qi Wang as his primary consort. However, it doesn’t specify who. So, the Chen family chose the eldest son, who happens to be my client. Quite wealthy, too, I might add. Perhaps they’re worried about marrying into the rumors of a disabled prince and wanted to ensure they got their money’s worth." Luxian added mockingly, fully immersing himself in his made-up role. After all, who in their right mind would willingly marry someone disabled without a hint of love involved?
“...”
"Yong Hou truly has a lot of nerve," Zhao Qirong finally muttered, finally finding his voice nearly a ke later.
"The eldest son, who’s rumored to be gravely ill with pockmarked scars on his face and has been living in isolation at the back of the manor for over a decade... Chen Lu, that eldest son?" Shaoqi turned to stare at Luxian, seeking confirmation.
"Yes."
"Has the general lost his mind, openly insulting the Fourth Prince like this?" Deputy General Qin fumed, his anger rising.
"What happened after the decree was announced?" Zhao Qirong tried to suppress his fury toward General Chen Rizhong and pressed Luxian for more details. He needed to understand the situation thoroughly before addressing his own problems.
"It caused quite a stir. Many feel sorry for Young Master Chen, who has to marry a disabled prince, lose his position as heir, and bear all the humiliation. Others pity Qi Wang for having a gravely ill consort who might pass on their illness at any time. Then there are those who mix all the rumors together, saying Qi Wang hides a monstrous face behind his mask, while Young Master Chen is scarred and diseased. One wears a mask, the other a face veil—truly a match made in heaven, like a rotten coffin paired with a decaying corpse." This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
Even as Luxian relayed what he had heard from his people at the Hall of Lu Yue, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of pity for the subjects of these rumors. If his suspicions about Rongqi being Zhao Qirong were correct, it was nearly impossible for the Fourth Prince to have the monstrous face people whispered about. After all, this Rongqi was more handsome than the immortal deities he’d read about in novels.
Or perhaps Rongqi really wasn’t the Fourth Prince after all...
Chen Luxian couldn’t come to a firm conclusion. At times, he dismissed his thoughts as mere coincidences, but occasionally, a fleeting moment made him trust his instincts more.
"This is what the client asked me to investigate," Luxian said as he handed a sheet of paper to Muwen, who was seated closest to him. "Help me out with this, will you? If this deal goes through, it’ll bring me a significant profit, and it’ll make my plans a lot smoother."
"Of course, we won’t refuse to help," Shaochang replied on behalf of the group. "After all, you saved our lives, and the month we’ve spent as companions makes it unnecessary to stand on such formalities. However, the task you’re asking us to do is rather risky. Gathering intelligence on someone like that won’t be easy."
Shaochang glanced at the Fourth Prince’s face before responding indirectly, careful with his words.
Zhao Qirong mulled it over briefly, then reached out his uninjured hand to take the paper from Muwen and read it himself.
"Point one: Does the Fourth Prince have a lover? Point two: What is the prince’s opinion on having a male consort? Point three..." Zhao Qirong paused, lifting his eyes from the paper.
"How many concubines did he have before being stationed at the border...? What kind of nonsense questions are these?"
"Nonsense? I don’t think so. If someone’s about to get married, wouldn’t they want to know these things?" Luxian countered, unfazed by Zhao Qirong’s reaction. When people are about to start a life together, it’s only natural to gather some information—so you know where you stand, what to do, and what to avoid in Qi Wang’s household.
"Oh, and there’s another thing I need your help with. This one isn’t for a client—it’s for me."
“...”
"I want information on all the power factions in Da Qi. Who supports who, who’s connected to who—everything."
"What do you need that for?"
"I just want to know, that’s all."
That answer was obviously far from convincing, but since they had agreed to help, they had no choice but to follow through. For now, they could investigate and figure out the rest later.
"In three days, we’ll get you the answers you need," Zhao Qirong said, folding the paper filled with questions about himself and tucking it into his inner pocket. Even he would need time to reflect on some of those questions.
"There’s one more thing I need to tell you."
"I’m getting married."
"Married... as part of the imperial marriage decree? Or are you actually..." Shaochang blurted out.
"My mother is from another kingdom. Of course, I wouldn’t dare schedule my wedding on the same day as your general’s imperial marriage. Anyone who dares to marry on the same day as Qi Wang’s imperial wedding would end up in jail instead of the bridal chamber," Luxian quipped, brushing off the topic with a lighthearted tone.
“...” Zhao Qirong remained silent, listening as he thought things through. He often felt that this Divine Doctor Xian was always poking fun at him, one way or another.
"Well, the elites do enjoy all kinds of privileges like this," Luxian added, confirming Zhao Qirong’s thought even more.
"You talk as if you’re not part of the elites," Zhao Qirong retorted, unwilling to back down. He decided to test the waters. In his mind, it seemed far too coincidental for everything to line up like this. Today, Luxian had been called back to his manor on short notice, and upon returning, he’d been full of questions about the Fourth Prince. Then there was this sudden mention of marriage... It was too much to overlook.
"Of course not. I’m just the son of a small intelligence network chief in the martial world. Don’t assume that family feuds over inheritance or bullying between half-siblings only happen in royal palaces or noble households."
“...” Well, that wasn’t entirely wrong...
"What I want to tell you is this: from now on, I’ll need to start preparing the betrothal gifts to propose to my future wife. My mother has her heart set on making this young lady her daughter-in-law and won’t let me lose her. So, it’s going to be harder for me to find time to meet with you all. Like I said earlier, just head back to your manor to recuperate, and then come see me once a week for follow-ups."
"Alright," Zhao Qirong replied curtly, his mind already preoccupied with the affairs of the Qianqing Palace. Whether or not Divine Doctor Xian wanted him to stay, he was determined to return home and get answers from the emperor himself.
"And all this time you’ve been sneaking out to meet us—your mother doesn’t mind?" Shaochang asked, his curiosity piqued. While everyone else seemed lost in their thoughts, he had taken the opportunity to probe into the inconsistencies in Luxian’s words.
"She doesn’t mind..." Because she passed away long ago.
Both Fu Changle, the mother of Chen Lu in this life, and Madame Chen, the mother of the original Chen Luxian, had died when their respective sons were still young.
[1] "Zhuangyuan" or "Johnguan" refers to the top scholar who achieves the highest rank in the imperial examination system.