Masquerade in Bridal Attire and Marry the Prince

242. The Baby Is Innocent

Translator: Bryan

“Intelligence report! We’re a ten-day ride away from here to the border. Your Highness, we’ve been traveling really fast. Do you think we should let the soldiers have a breather?” The speaker was Cheng Guan, the one who was deemed the most promising passer of this year’s imperial martial-art test. Knowing that this was a golden opportunity to get a promotion by rendering meritorious service, Cheng Guan had been exerting himself.

Yuxing Wei was on his horse. He had been eating the same kind of food and sleeping in the same kind of tent as his soldiers’ in the hope of earning himself the soldiers’ respect and admiration, but his method didn’t work very well. After making some inquiries, he came to know that Yuxing Tianrui, when leading an army, not only ate the same kind of food and slept in the same kind of tent as his soldiers’, but also fought side by side with them on the battlefield. By comparison, what Yuxing Wei had done was nothing.

“All right. Tell them to rest well. Send some men to nearby villages and see if they can buy some pigs or sheep as dietary supplements for our men. As for the cost, deduct it from my personal account. Make sure the sellers are well paided.”

After hearing Yuxing Wei’s words, some old officials couldn’t help but bob their heads, feeling that although Yuxing Wei had returned to the court rather late, from the vantage point of the present, he was not lecherous or brutal. They believed that if Yuxing Wei became a top-ranking official to serve Yuxing Tianrui, he would be able to ensure Shenglan’s security and stability. Thus, the courtiers’ eyes became a lot kinder when they looked at Yuxing Wei.

The corners of Yuxing Wei’s lips curved upward slightly. He was very pleased with the image he was cultivating. A man walked into the tent. At the sight of him, Yuxing Wei’s face hardened slightly. “Well then, we’ll make camp in this place and call it a day. I hope their morale will be restored tomorrow.” With that he led the way out of the tent, followed by the man he had just seen.

“Your Highness, there’s a message from the capital saying your plan’s a success. Your Highness has nothing to worry about back there now.” The man was on his knees, his head down, clearly very deferential to Yuxing Wei. Yuxing Wei was very pleased with the man’s attitude as well. A smile finally appeared in his eyes as he said, “What else did they say in the message?”

“As it happened at a banquet held for the guests to enjoy the beauty of flowers, everybody believed it was an accident. His Majesty was very displeased, but in order to pacify Noble Lady Xiao, he still reinstated her as Imperial Concubine Xiao, which is very beneficial to Your Highness’s cause,” the man replied reverently. There was no displeasure in his tone of voice whatsoever.

Yuxing Wei nodded. “Very good. Your handling of the issue was perfect. When this is over, I’ll make sure you get the promotion you deserve. You should know what to do next.” The man, naturally, gave an affirmative answer. As for what he had in his mind, it had nothing to do with Yuxing Wei.

Knowing that the troublesome baby in his mother’s belly had been disposed of, Yuxing Wei finally felt relieved. He was so close to taking the throne. There was no way he would let someone who could be his rival be born. Yuxing Tianrui struck him as enough rivals to him. He would not allow any potential rivals to live.

At the same time, those in Sanyuan City also received the message. It had been Luo Yi who sent the messenger. Du Chuxuan opened his eyes to see Yuxing Tianrui sitting at his bedside, his face full of concern. After a snort, he involuntarily smiled, “So the pill’s effective? Well then, you don’t have to worry about me anymore.”

He glanced at the bedside and noticed that night had fallen. He didn’t know how long he had been comatose this time. He only hoped that he would live long enough to see the man in front of him ascend the throne.

Yuxing Tianrui rolled his eyes and quickly held the medicine developed by Luo Feng to Du Chuxuan’s lips. “Stop the nonsense and take this. It’ll make you feel a lot better.” With that he roughly shoved the pill into Du Chuxuan’s mouth. The providence only knew how torturous every second had been when he was waiting for Du Chuxuan to come around.

Du Chuxuan smiled as he saw his jealous significant other become angry. He didn’t know how to placate Yuxing Tianrui this time. Yuxing Tianrui ignored Du Chuxuan’s aggressively amorous gaze and snorted, “News came from the capital, saying that Yuxing Wei lost his cool and made his move. I thought he would tamper with the account book first after finding out about it.”

“You didn’t bargain on him targeting Noble Lady Xiao, right?” Du Chuxuan asked in a naturally manner. He took a sip of water from the cup in Yuxing Tianrui’s hand and then felt that he had really found a second wind. Having perceived Yuxing Tianrui’s astonishment, Du Chuxuan chuckled lazily, “That’s what he’s always like. He tends to settle those that are easier to settle.”

Different people make different choices. If Yuxing Tianrui were Yuxing Wei, he would never think of harming an unborn baby, but Yuxing Wei, a scheming but incompetent man, had seen it as a good opportunity, and he had stealthily made his move like a good-for-nothing.

Yuxing Tianrui frowned. “Originally I had wanted to raise that kid to be the crown prince.” After all, if they raised the baby from its birth, the latter at least wouldn’t grow into an evildoer, not even if the child didn’t like them.

But Yuxing Wei shattered that hope. Du Chuxuan leaned against the pillow and looked at Yuxing Tianrui, a smile on his lips. He knew what Yuxing Tianrui was thinking. “So I want to hear from you how you’re going to reward me…” He edged his head closer to Yuxing Tianrui and rubbed it against him hard. “If that baby’s not meant to die prematurely, it’ll survive, but it’ll need some good luck.”

Yuxing Tianrui was momentarily confused as to what Du Chuxuan meant, but then he turned to look at Du Chuxuan’s smug face and caught on. “You tricked them? Did you replace the baby or—”

After saying that, he cottoned on. The baby was too young. Even if someone had extracted it, it wouldn’t be able to survive, not even if Luo Qing was there. But a lot of members of Sect Luo could serve as a stand-in. It shouldn’t be difficult for them to hide Noble Lady Xiao whom the emperor hadn’t slept with for a long time.

Knowing that Yuxing Tianrui had latched on to it, Du Chuxuan smiled, “But an unborn baby deserves to stay in a healthy mother’s belly. In order for the baby to survive, I’m afraid Noble Lady Xiao would have to endure some sufferings.” That was not his original plan. It all depended on whether or not that woman was willing to be cooperative.

But even if she was willing to cooperate with them, it wouldn’t make any difference. If someday Yuxing Wei attempted to harm Yuxing Tianrui, Du Chuxuan wouldn’t care if that woman had ever harbored any evil intentions.

Du Chuxuan hoped that he would live long enough to see that day come.