The Love Between Us
“You do, the right naturally granted to you as my wife,” Zhao Qirong interrupted Luxian’s words, his voice firm and resolute, immediately drawing everyone’s gaze to him.
The one most delighted by the word "wife" was actually Chun Gong Gong. No one knew Zhao Qirong better than he, who had raised the Fourth Prince since he was little. Never had the prince shown interest in forming a romantic bond with anyone. Yet here he was, openly declaring that Chen Luxian, a bride bestowed upon him by the imperial decree, was his wife. Chun Gong Gong was now feeling immense joy.
The Yuan brothers discreetly exchanged amused smiles. Their two friends seemed to be getting along surprisingly well. One feared losing their friendship, while the other, upon learning the truth, immediately admitted the other as his spouse. It was now evident who Zhao Qirong truly favored. Unlike the consorts and concubines forced upon him by others, whom he treated with indifference, he now addressed Luxian like a long-cherished partner.
Hearing these words, Chen Luxian turned to stare at Zhao Qirong, locking eyes with the unwavering sincerity reflected in the prince’s gaze.
“I’ve never despised the Eldest Young Master Chen for his outward appearance or tarnished reputation. I simply viewed our marriage as one of duty, no different from the concubines others have arranged for me.
More importantly, if there was anyone who upset me, it was Yong Hoi. He decided to make you the victim of the imperial marriage grant when you should have held the title of Yong Hou’s heir. Originally, this marriage was set to be the joke of the year, as you yourself said—people viewed us like a ‘rotting corpse paired with a decaying coffin.’ However, if the Eldest Young Master Chen turns out to own the Hall of Lu Yue, that will be another story.
No matter how our statuses may shift, one thing that will never change is that you will always be important to me.” Zhao Qirong reaffirmed his words.
If Luxian was not mistaken, he saw a glimmer of affection shining in Zhao Qirong’s eyes.
For a moment, Luxian allowed himself to entertain a fanciful thought. They had only known each other for a few months and had been married for mere days—what affection could there possibly be? Dismissing such foolish notions, he failed to realize how deeply flushed his face had become.
When he finally regained his composure, Luxian adopted a stern expression and continued scolding his husband.
“...Tell me, Your Highness, why exactly were you climbing the walls of the manor?”
“I sent someone to find you, but they couldn’t locate you. I assumed you’d left, so I intended to follow...” Zhao Qirong mumbled. Just moments ago, their conversation had been sweet and heartfelt. Now his wife was back to reprimanding him!
“Zhao Qirong! I called you to the Hall of Lu Yue to monitor your condition, not for you to hurt yourself further trying to go there!” Hearing the explanation, Dr. Chen’s barely contained temper flared again.
“Chun Gong Gong, please fetch the wheelchair that His Highness has hidden in his chambers.”
“You knew...”
“His highness has been absent for two days, and even the shadow guards followed him. Of course, just a few soldiers couldn’t stop me. Yesterday, I climbed into your chambers myself.
And don’t change the subject. Stay still and rest! Otherwise, we’ll leave that splint on your leg forever!”
As Chun Gong Gong left to fulfill the command, only the four friends and two maids remained in the room.
“Have you had dinner?” Luxian asked.
“I originally planned to dine at Hall of Lu Yue...,” said Yuan Shaochang, his tone soft, eyes pleading like a kitten asking for treats.
“Ah, you all... Fine. Lu Lu and Qing Hai both have been the mistresses of Lu Yue restaurant’s kitchens. You two can cook something. I’m too lazy.”
“Mistresses...” Zhao Qirong murmured, still dwelling on his curiosity.
“Hmm. Initially, that old man intended for me to accept maids to warm my bed. That time, that fox Fang Meihua was livid, probably fearing I’d have an heir before her son. Too bad for her, not only do I refuse to share my husband, but I also dislike having multiple wives. The title ‘mistress’ was merely a facade for those at Hall of Lu Yue. There’s nothing intimate about it,” Luxian remarked with a pointed glare at Zhao Qirong.
“His Highness needn’t worry. Before our marriage, this consort was thoroughly educated on proper etiquette. Rest assured, except for the unavoidable event last week, this consort will never bring shame to His Highness.”
“Aifei... stop mocking me. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you from the start...” Zhao Qirong already inwardly noted down the phrase ‘doesn’t like sharing a husband with others.’
“Hmph.” Luxian scoffed, letting out a single dry laugh, but said nothing more.
They had ordered four dishes, leaving the two maids to decide what to prepare. Before they left to cook, Luxian slipped a piece of paper into Lu Lu’s hand. It contained details about Zhao Qirong’s personal preferences, information Luxian had asked their four friends to gather. Reflecting on it, Luxian found it amusing—or would have if he wasn’t so exasperated—that Zhao Qirong only needed to jot down details about himself for Luxian to read.
Eventually, the wheelchair Chun Gong Gong had gone to fetch arrived. Luxian personally wheeled Zhao Qirong to the pavilion by the water, the same place they had dined two days earlier for privacy. The atmosphere, however, was starkly different from before—like night and day.
The four friends dined together as they had at Hall of Lu Yue, though this time without Qin Muwen.
“Speaking of Muwen, who exactly is he? Did he follow that old man from my household to assist the disaster victims in Xinan? He hasn’t returned yet, has he?” Luxian asked without hesitation, after all, they had no reason to hide anything anymore. The source of this chapter is novelping.com.
“He’s the Deputy General of the Eastern Army, Qin Muwen,” Zhao Qirong replied while picking out the bones from a piece of sweet-and-sour fish and placing it on his wife’s plate. “The report says the number of disaster victims was higher than expected, causing delays in their return.”
“Talking about that old man... um, Yong Hou,” Yuan Shaoqi said, almost calling the Grand General an old man, “you mentioned wanting to deal with the fox in the household. Were you referring to Furen Fang and her children?”
“Indeed,” Luxian nodded, delicately picking up a piece of the sweet-and-sour fish and placing it on Zhao Qirong’s plate in return.
“And what do you plan to do next?” Yuan Shaochang asked, trying to ignore the evident affection between the couple in front of him.
“Well, I initially considered using the ‘attractive man strategy,’” Luxian replied with a chuckle, winking at Zhao Qirong.
‘Cough, cough,’ Zhao Qirong choked. Luxian quickly poured him some water, and even after a while, Zhao Qirong’s face was still bright red.
“What’s wrong? Are you having a fever?” Luxian teased, placing a hand on Zhao Qirong’s forehead to check.
“...No.” However, the more Luxian got close to him, the redder Zhao Qirong’s face grew.
Dr. Chen saw this and could easily guess what was going on.
“Don’t tell me you’re blushing because of me? Before this, you also said...”
“I’m not!” Zhao Qirong stammered, utterly flustered from the teasing.
“In that case, would His Highness be willing to help this consort settle scores with that mother-daughter fox duo?” The more he saw Zhao Qirong like this, the more he wanted to bully the young man who just learned what love is. Although the Eldest Young Master Chen was only eighteen, in reality, Chen Luxian was already thirty-two years old. He naturally had more experience in these matters. More importantly, he was once known as the most handsome doctor in the hospital. With his looks and status, there would be no shortage of people approaching him, even though he didn’t know how to love anyone...
Luxian asked sweetly, his voice softer than the Yuan brothers had ever heard. To top it off, he also leaned closer to Zhao Qirong, smiling as sweetly as honey.
The Yuan brothers exchanged glances, silently questioning why they had to be here. Why did they have to witness this late-night display of affection between a newlywed couple?
Soon, dinner concluded with Zhao Qirong losing several rounds to Luxian’s playful teasing and the sharing of in-depth details about the Chen family. By now, Zhao Qirong knew about the Chen household even more than Luxian, who had inhabited this body for a few months.
Since it was already late, the Yuan brothers didn’t return to the An Guogong Manor. Divine Doctor Xian insisted Yuan Shaochang not stay up late, and Chun Gong Gong arranged accommodations for them in the right-wing guest quarters.
As for Zhao Qirong, Divine Doctor Xian personally wheeled him to his private chambers, where Chun Gong Gong was already waiting to take over.
“Chun Gong Gong, please take good care of His Highness. For the next seven days, do not let him wander around unnecessarily. If he refuses to listen, come find me at my chambers,” Luxian instructed Chun Gong Gong once more before turning to open the door, intending to return to his own quarters.
“Aifei, why not stay here tonight?” Before Luxian could step past the doorway, Zhao Qirong spoke up.
His words caused both Luxian’s footsteps and Chun Gong Gong’s movements to freeze midair.
Hearing this, Luxian couldn’t help but think with amusement, Is he trying to coax his wife to stay the night...?
“Your Highness, this consort fears that wouldn’t be proper,” Luxian teased, fully aware of what Zhao Qirong wanted, yet he couldn’t resist poking fun at him.
“What’s improper about it? Aifei is my wife. It’s a wife’s duty to serve her husband. How could that be inappropriate? Besides, when it’s just the two of us, you don’t need to use such formal titles. Whatever they taught you in the palace, you don’t need to follow it here,” Zhao Qirong insisted, clearly displeased with the overly formal “this consort” that implied a feminine role for his consort.
“But I went through all the trouble to learn it...”
“...”
“Alright, alright, I won’t play anymore. Fine, I’ll only use such terms when necessary. As for staying here tonight, I’ll do so, but in the morning, I’ll need to trouble Chun Gong Gong to fetch my clothes and veil for me,” Luxian relented.
Hearing this, Zhao Qirong’s face lit up with a bright smile. Chun Gong Gong, realizing his role was no longer needed, excused himself and left, closing the door behind him.
However, much to Chun Gong Gong’s probable disappointment, the highly principled Divine Doctor Xian—who suddenly seemed to prioritize medical ethics—did not do any activity he had expected. After helping Zhao Qirong to bed, extinguishing the candles, and tucking him in, the couple simply lay down side by side and fell asleep until morning.
...
Luxian’s daily life after resolving their lingering issues on their wedding night hadn’t changed much—except now he had a ‘patient’ trailing behind him everywhere. Now, Consort Chen could freely come and go from the manor. Whenever he felt like roaming the martial world as the renowned Divine Doctor Xian, he would simply inform his husband, return by evening, and enjoy a great deal of freedom and happiness. This chapter was copied from NovelPing without permission.
Since Zhao Qirong was still ‘faking illness,’ his official duties were light. Every three days, the Emperor would send only a few memorials for him to handle. Occasionally, Zhao Qirong even accompanied his consort on his travels.
At this point, the rumors coming out of Qi Wang’s manor had shifted entirely. No one was talking about the three concubines who’d had their hair shaved off anymore. Instead, they spoke of how the imperial marriage decree had proven to be an auspicious marriage. Qi Wang and his consort were deeply in love, with the consort attentively caring for his disabled husband, whose condition had improved remarkably. In just one month, the bedridden prince could now sit up, sip tea, and play chess.
The marriage of the “ugly consort” and the “crippled prince” had captivated the capital, becoming the talk of the town once again.
Naturally, while many celebrated the couple’s love, there were also those who grew restless with Zhao Qirong’s improving condition.
...
At a roadside inn near the outskirts of the city...
“How could you fail over and over again?! When he was traveling back, that was the perfect opportunity to eliminate him! Now he’s been back in the capital for months, and you still haven’t found a chance to act!” A man in black, wearing a conical hat to conceal his face, roared angrily.
“Our apologies, my lord. Back then, we had already dealt with the guards. It was just their four masters left. I distinctly remember cutting off Yuan Shaochang’s arm, but as for what we see now...” one of the eight remaining black-clad assassins stammered, unable to finish.
“Cut it off, did you? And what exactly is it that everyone in the city is seeing now?! Are you serious? Do you take me for a fool?!”
“Forgive my boldness, my lord, but I suspect that someone aiding them might be the mysterious Divine Doctor who has recently gained fame in the capital,” the assassin suggested hesitantly.
“The Divine Doctor...” The man in black trailed off, his tone heavy with contemplation.
“Yes, my lord. There are rumors that a mysterious Divine Doctor appeared several months ago. It’s said this person can bring the dead back to life. Villagers claim that even a drowned child who wasn’t breathing was saved. Perhaps it’s this Divine Doctor who somehow made Yuan Shaochang’s arm grow back...”
“Nonsense! What ridiculous talk of regrowing limbs! Do you take me for a three-year-old?” The man in the conical hat bellowed in anger.
“Please calm down, dear husband,” said a veiled woman dressed in black, who was clearly the man’s wife. “I’ve also heard about this Divine Doctor. We should investigate further. The reports from the Qi Wang Manor mention that Zhao Qirong’s condition has greatly improved since returning from the border. He’s even able to sit and play chess with that ‘ugly consort’ of his. I think there might be some truth to these rumors about the Doctor.”
“Fine! Go and find me more information at once!” the man in black ordered his subordinates, following his wife’s advice.
“Yes, sir!” The eight remaining assassins answered in unison before scattering to fulfill their orders.
...
After a long wait, the army sent to assist the disaster victims in the Xinan region returned. Grand General Chen Rizhong and Deputy General Qin Muwen, who led the troop, were both rewarded by the Emperor for their service.
After returning to his residence to pay respects to his parents, Qin Muwen headed straight for Zhao Qirong’s manor. If he remembered correctly, the next day was the weekly appointment with Divine Doctor Xian. Having been away for months, Qin Muwen intended to rest at the Qi Wang Manor for the night and go meet Luxian there together the next day.
When the Yuan brothers heard the news, they knew Qin Muwen would head to the Qi Wang manor first, so they decided to wait for him there.
When the Yuan brothers arrived, they overheard the servants talking about how the consort was currently playing the guqin for their prince. The two brothers raised their eyebrows in surprise. Walking along the path toward the waterside pavilion—which had now become their regular meeting spot—they were greeted by the sound of a beautifully played melody.
This piece was one Luxian had adapted from a book in the Chen family’s library, blending it with modern compositions, creating a melody that was both unique and interesting.
“There really isn’t anything you can’t do, is there?” Yuan Shaochang commented as he walked over to take an empty seat across from the married couple. Since it was just the four of them, there was no need for formalities.
Yuan Shaoqi also added, “Muwen is back. I figured he’d come here first, so we decided to meet him together.” Luxian and Zhao Qirong nodded in agreement.
“So, is there anything you can’t do? I’ve seen you excel at everything, both inside and outside the manor—killing, healing, playing chess, and now the guqin,” Yuan Shaochang repeated his earlier question, this time genuinely expecting an answer.
“Killing and healing are things I’ve always been familiar with. As for playing the guqin, chess, painting, and the like, I only started learning those before our marriage,” Luxian replied casually, as if nothing about what he said was unusual.
Hearing the mention of their marriage, Zhao Qirong couldn’t help but grow curious about what his wife had gone through to become the perfect Qi Wang’s consort.
“Before the marriage, palace officials came to teach me the Four Virtues and Three Obediences, along with how to embroider, sew pillows, make fragrances, play chess, paint, play the guqin, and practice calligraphy. They ensured I learned everything a noblewoman should. They even had me practice things unnecessary for a man. When I asked why I needed to learn embroidery even though I’m a man, do you know what they said?”
“To ensure the consort possesses all the virtues required to be a proper and honorable consort for His Highness,” Yuan Shaoqi guessed.
“As expected of an heir. You wouldn’t believe how much sleep I lost learning all these things. Some nights, I even snuck out to meet you all. Your Highness, do you have any idea how hard it was for me while you lazed about, pretending to be sick?” Luxian playfully grumbled, feigning sulking.
“I’ve truly made things difficult for Aifei,” Zhao Qirong replied with a half-teasing tone, knowing full well that Luxian was only joking.
Just then, Servant Zhang, the head Servant of the Qi Wang manor, entered and announced, “Your Highness, Deputy General Qin Muwen requests an audience.”