Chapter 72: CH 63

The little eunuch felt wronged. Told him not to ask, but he just had to ask!

And Yu She even had to ask in front of so many high-ranking officials. Steward Feng had said to secretly inform Yu She. Great. Now everyone knew… 

“A happy pulse…”

“Your ears aren’t playing tricks on you. It really is a happy pulse.”

“Isn’t Young Master Zhong that Zhong Guiyuan? Isn’t he a man? …How could he be pregnant?”

“Zhong Guiyuan. I know him! That year, he was the Wen Quxing who almost had first-rank in all three exams!” 

“Even if he is Wen Quxing descending to the mortal realm, he still shouldn’t be able to give birth to a child…”

“No matter if it’s real or fake, one would fear that the imperial physician who diagnosed him cannot return to the Imperial Academy of Medicine.”

“He cannot return…”

“Once the happy pulse appears, things cannot return to as they were in the past.”

Yu She’s mind went blank. He suspected that he had gone mad again.

Was he going hysterical right now?

All of a sudden, Yu She’s hearing ability grew ten times more acute than normal. In the warm room, he could hear all the whispers of the low-ranking eunuchs and the low-ranking academics of Hanlin Academy, making his head ring.

The little eunuch who had delivered the message still knelt beside Yu She’s feet. Sobbing, he said, “Heir, this matter is sudden. No one in the estate could have foreseen this. Your honored self… should hurry back!” 

Everyone in the warm room looked at them. Even Senior Official Sun, a member of the emperor’s cabinet who was over seventy years old this year, set down his brush. And he stared at Yu She nervously.

Everyone waited for Yu She’s reponse.

His eyes grew bloodshot. Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

He did not want children at all. But what if Zhong Wan wanted children? 

Then they’d have some.

Yu She tried his best to look normal. Tone calm, he said, “That’s very good…”

He listened to the gasps of everyone around, and instinctually wanted to defend Zhong Wan. And he acted as if he were attending a state banquet or other type of state event, explaining as though he were talking to himself, “T-this is very normal… People would get pregnant… What’s new about that?”

The little eunuch’s face turned purple from holding himself back. He used a lot of effort to nod. 

“Then I…” Yu She accidentally knocked over his tea cup. He rose to his feet. “Then I should return for a look…”

Yu She shifted his gaze to Senior Official Sun’s direction. The senior officials dared not block him. Together, they stood with reverence, respectfully sending off Yu She from Yizheng Hall.

After a long while had passed since he had left the imperial palace, the cold wind snapped him back to reality.

He stopped in his tracks. Zhong Wan angered him so much that his lungs hurt. He struggled and hesitated a few times over whether he should return and explain to those people. 

“Heir? Heir?”

Yu She had clutched his right hand with immense force, joints crackling. He shook his head. “It’s fine. One who is clean does not have to show it to others. I-It’s fine…”

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Filled with grievances, Yu She stared at Zhong Wan. Furthermore, he was too embarrassed to inform Zhong Wan that all the senior officials of the emperor’s cabinet knew about his pregnancy. The two met gazes. And they skipped over what had occurred. Yu She took a seat at the side and said in a low voice, “Just what happened?!”

Zhong Wan relayed everything the spy had told him earlier.

After falling silent for a while, Yu She muttered, “What had happened seven years ago… What does that mean?”

Zhong Wan said, “Previously, you briefly told me about some matters regarding the Beidi tribes. I’d like to ask you this: has the current chief of the Beidi tribes ever fought against his elder brothers?” 

Shaking his head, Yu She replied, “No. After the previous chief had died, a few of the older sons led their own troops and separated from the royal tent. They are afraid of each other, and are eager to occupy the grasslands they’re most familiar with. No one would make bridal attire for someone else, and be the first one to rebel.”

Zhong Wan said, “In other words, as long as his brothers don’t work together, they aren’t guaranteed to defeat the new chief?”

“Yes. No matter how useless this new chief is, the previous chief set aside troops for him.”

“The new chief hasn’t fought in a war yet…” muttered Zhong Wan to himself. “Why would the new chief of the Beidi tribes take the initiative to rush to our northern border, where there are enemies at the front and back?” 

For a while, Yu She did not speak. Then he said, “The news from the border stated that the chief ran away due to fear of his brothers. Therefore, he was forced to move southward.”

“But those circumstances aren’t so desperate to warrant such an action. To move south is the worst plan,” said Zhong Wan. “The south is ours. To the north are his brothers who harbor malicious intentions. Before a war even started, he retreated all the way to the south here. It seems somewhat… far-fetched.”

After hesitating for a while, Yu She said, “I also thought this. However, the news from Beijiang might not be accurate. Perhaps they had fought in a war. Perhaps the chief of the Beidi tribes has less troops in possession than we thought. Perhaps…”

“Perhaps he took the initiative to move southward and wanted to find a way out of an impasse,” said Zhong Wan in a soft voice. “Heir, I have a foreboding thought. Do you want to hear it?” 

Yu She hinted with his eyes for him to continue.

“Whether or not you have frightened Tang Qin, currently he has taken the initiative to show you goodwill, and sent this message to you at the start. There’s a ninety percent chance it’s trustworthy.

“And this isn’t the first time he’s shown you goodwill. If this news is fake, then from now on, there’s no point in talking to him.

“If this news is true, that ‘what happened seven years ago is happening again in Beijiang,’ then that means war would break out. 

“Which parties would war spark between? Us and the Beidi tribes?

“For the chief of the Beidi tribes to court disaster like this, that means he’s trying to catch our attention, so that we would make the first move.

“But the brothers of the new chief are still in the north. Moreover, the people who are disturbing our border are the troops under the chief’s command. If we fight them, we’d only be fighting him. In what way is he trying to bring calamity to us?

“Even if they’re able to retreat immediately once our troops are on them, splitting open a path so that we can attack farther north, how could he control the entire situation? At present, the military might of the Beidi tribes cannot compare to ours. In our eyes, there’s no difference between that chief’s people and the other people of the Beidi tribes. No one would care whom these people actually belong to. Once war breaks out, is he not afraid that we would exterminate them all?” 

“He is afraid. That’s why he doesn’t dare to disturb our border too much. He only has the guts to loot and plunder but not slaughter. He’s afraid of drawing our complete rage.” Yu She drank a sip of tea. Said in a low voice, “For this reason, he wants to…”

“He wants to cooperate with someone who has the same intention as him,” said Zhong Wan near whisper. “Someone like Xuan Qiong.”

“The new chief of the Beidi tribes certainly knows our situation. He knows our emperor is aging, knows that we have yet to have a crown prince. And he knows the vague situation of our imperial princes. He’s willing to be the sword that one of these princes will borrow to use against others. Of course, when that prince achieves success, the chief of the Beidi tribes would also receive what he wants. Perhaps Xuan Qiong would use his people from the court, and together, they would push the idea of sending our troops to help the chief of the Beidi tribes eliminate his elder brothers. Or even more straightforwardly, once our new emperor ascends the throne, he would lend our troops directly to help that chief unite the grasslands.”

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Yu She knocked lightly on the desk. “What kind of ability does this chief possess, to have the confidence in being the weapon a prince uses as he competes for the crown prince position?” 

“He has the confidence,” said Zhong Wan lowly. “Our founding emperor has a fixed law. That if war breaks out, there must be a prince accompanying the troops to raise the army’s morale.”

Yu She narrowed his eyes. “I estimate that the chief doesn’t even have 50,000 people in his army. Even if Xuan Qiong comes up with a plan to have Xuan Jing go out to battle, even if the chief gives his all, I’m afraid he can’t shake up our military forces. So—”

“No,” said Zhong Wan. “The chief would not attempt the impossible. Expending all of his army’s effort just to kill a prince that’s accompanying an army? No way. Plus, the loss would be too great.

“The chief of the Beidi tribes doesn’t need to personally go into battle and suffer. On the contrary, he can curry favor with the commanding general that comes. 

“He just needs to sacrifice a few thousand people, and let our army slaughter those people, allowing the prince accompanying the troops to accumulate military contributions.

“Then he’d give off the appearance of suffering defeat after defeat, giving the prince a beautiful military success.

“Afterward, he’d pass a few letters that seem true at first but are actually fake. Then…”

As Zhong Wan recalled the matters of the past, he felt more grief and indignation. Once he had calmed down, he said, “Then, according to their plan, those letters would be sent to the court.” 

Zhong Wan turned to face Yu She. “Heir, at that time… who would be the traitor to this nation?”

Yu She fell silent for a good while. Then, he said in a low voice, “Back then, Prince Ning died from the same method.”

Zhong Wan did not speak any further. He gazed out the window, and after a long period of silence, he said, “Naturally, this is only my guess. I don’t know what happened to Prince Ning back then. However, I think I’m at least eighty percent right about the chief of the Beidi tribes. Heir, do you believe me?”

Setting the teacup down, Yu She said, “I believe you. However, there’s one thing… I don’t think your guess is guaranteed to be true.” 

Startled, Zhong Wan thought he had been thorough with the formulation of his theory. What did he miss?

Yu She’s gaze fell upon Zhong Wan. “As long as a prince is accompanying the army, then it’s fine. Why do you think Xuan Qiong will try to push Xuan Jing into battle?”

Zhong Wan’s heart skipped a beat. Shocked, he said, “Then could it be…”

Yu She smiled in ridicule. 

“If you confuse the enemy, then you have a way to win,” said Yu She. “He’d strive his best so that the emperor would recognize me as his son. Then have me sent to Beijiang. In any case, once I accompany the troops to war, it’ll be equal to having one leg in the coffin. How many days I’d have left would depend on their moods. Like this… everything would become clean.”

The day they had encircled and captured Tang Ming, Tang Ming had already told Xuan Qiong that Yu She was the emperor’s bastard son. After that, Zhong Wan had fallen ill until now. And Zhong Wan and Yu She did not mention this matter again. He knew this was Yu She’s taboo. Never had he expected Yu She to mention this on his own initiative.

Yu She glanced at Zhong Wan. Said cold enough to freeze, “At that time, you’ll have to carry my posthumous child and remarry.”

For a moment, Zhong Wan fell into a daze. Then he said with embarrassment, “We’re talking about serious things right now!” 

“What I’m saying are serious things. Your way of thinking is good. Because you informed me of this early in advance, you have given a great contribution.” Yu She rose to his feet. “We can’t just listen to the words of Tang Qin, that old eunuch. I have spies by Xuan Qiong’s side. I have to investigate clearly so I’ll leave first. You…”

Yu She wanted to say something, but hesitated.

Earnestly, Zhong Wan waited for him to speak. “Do you have any other instructions?”

“In the future… if you need to call for me, then just call for me.” Yu She furrowed his brows. “Don’t say such strange things anymore!” 

Zhong Wan’s ears reddened. Uneasy, he said, “I was afraid that you wouldn’t know what happened and be too anxious, so I purposely joked with you. Anyway… anyway no one else would hear it, so I’d only lose face in front of you.”

Not a word left Yu She’s lips.

He couldn’t bear to tell Zhong Wan about what had happened in Yizheng Hall, leaving with a complicated expression.

Zhong Wan went over the matter regarding Beijiang in his mind. He tried his best to come up with a plan against it for Yu She. He couldn’t help himself from thinking about Prince Ning, sorrow inevitably filling his heart. 

He let out a sigh. Rose to his feet and approached the window for a breath of fresh air.

After standing for a while, Zhong Wan overheard two servants outside the window chatting in a whisper.

He couldn’t help but smile. Yu She might seem scary, but he treated his servants well. For so many years, the people in the estate were still the same, daring to say anything.

Zhong Wan wanted to hear gossip about Yu She, so he leaned against the window. The corners of his lips tilted up slightly. He leaned his ear closer to the window. 

After he had listened for a while, his smile gradually disappeared.

“No way… I don’t believe Young Master Zhong is actually pregnant!”

“But if he is, then he is. It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not. Right now, everyone inside and outside the palace knows. Now, we’re just waiting to see if Heir would recognize this child.”

“Just a while ago, Heir was in a haste and seemed absentminded. He doesn’t seem to be happy… If he doesn’t recognize it, then what’s to be done?” 

“Then the child won’t be Heir’s!”

“Don’t talk nonsense! This child is definitely Heir’s… Do you not want to live? If it’s not Heir’s, then whose child is it?!”

“That’s right, that’s right, that’s right.”

“Aih, Young Master Zhong sure has a tragic life… He suffered for so many years in Qian An, and it wasn’t easy for him to return to the capital. Yet now, he is actually pregnant…” 

“Life has significant ups and downs. Such is life.”

“One’s life is predetermined by the heavens.”

“Those who ought to be pregnant will become pregnant…”

“Who would have foreseen this? Young Master Zhong ran away for seven years, but ultimately could not escape from Heir.” 

“He could not escape… having a child. He was destined to be pregnant, and is destined to give birth. Then he’ll have a steady position in our estate!”

“And no one could ever shake Young Master Zhong’s position in this estate again!”

“In the end, our Heir is impressive. He can actually make Young Master Zhong pregnant.”

“And that’s because Heir is young and vigorous…” 

“Heir has grown strong after countless struggles…”

Zhong Wan pressed his head against the window, hands trembling.

He didn’t want to live anymore…

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