Chapter 51: Searching for Someone

Chapter 51: Searching for Someone

Perhaps it was an illusion, but Xie Xuan Yuan felt as though he had only slept for a short while before being returned to the Southern Chu Royal Palace.

To be fair, the emperor of Southern Chu, who harbored covetous feelings for him, never mistreated him in terms of food, clothing, or shelter. Even now, feverish and in a daze, feeling pain all over, he could still sense the bed beneath him was comfortably firm, and the brocade blanket covering him was light and warm.

Amidst the haze, someone urgently ordered for the imperial physician to be summoned, followed by a bustle of chaotic noises.

It seemed a person of high authority remained by his side throughout, making everyone who came to diagnose or served in and out of the room speak cautiously and softly, as if whispering.

The tyrant couldn't make out what those people were saying, as someone was incessantly chattering by his ear while pouring a very bitter medicine into his mouth.

These Southern Chu folks really lacked consideration, not only making him drink bitter medicine but also failing to prepare a box of candied fruit in advance!

Xie Xuan Yuan clenched his teeth tightly, refusing to swallow the bitter medicine. However, he never anticipated that the person feeding him would stoop to such shameless tactics...

Seeing that the usual method of administering medicine didn’t work to open his mouth, the next moment, that person directly blocked his mouth with the soup in their mouth. The warm, moist sensation was so vivid that Xie Xuan Yuan didn't need to open his eyes to know what was happening.

Such acts between him and Consort Lu were considered marital fun. But if it were someone else, it would be taking advantage of the vulnerable! Even though the tyrant was delirious with a high fever, he couldn’t tolerate being humiliated by a libertine.

Without thinking, he bit down hard on the other's tongue...

Consort Lu, who was a moment ago tenderly feeding the tyrant medicine, almost sprayed it out the next moment. The tyrant was indeed sharp-tongued; Consort Lu was in so much pain he almost cried on the spot, hurriedly retracting his tongue and covering his mouth.

Considering the presence of many palace attendants, he couldn't be too obvious, only burying his head in the blanket covering Xie Xuan Yuan and softly complaining to the tyrant: "Your Majesty really has a cruel heart, I was almost made mute by you just now."

This voice was clear and when overwhelmed by emotions, couldn't hide the slight Southern Chu accent, aligning closely with the voice of Consort Lu in the tyrant's memory.

It turns out he had bitten the wrong person. Xie Xuan Yuan felt even more ashamed and decided to keep his eyes closed and pretend to be asleep.

But this incident couldn’t be entirely blamed on him! Why would Consort Lu, a Southern Chu spy who hid by day and only dared to appear in the palace at night, be boldly in the same room with the imperial physician and many palace attendants?

Xie Xuan Yuan knew very little about Consort Lu’s background, and since the other party was tight-lipped, he couldn’t delve deeper. Yet tonight, too many things had happened; not only had he met Consort Lu’s sister, but he had also survived a near-fatal assassination attempt.

The sick tyrant's mind was sensitive and delicate; even a single doubt could spawn hundreds of possibilities in his mind. He secretly speculated that Consort Lu, with such vast wealth and frequent palace entries, must not have an ordinary identity...

If not an ordinary identity, then what?

Could it really be that he was a male consort secretly taken into the harem by Emperor Lu Changping of Southern Chu?

But Consort Lu had sworn to him that he had never been touched by that lecherous Emperor of Southern Chu!

The tyrant felt jealous, wishing he could immediately get up, grab Consort Lu by the collar, and interrogate him thoroughly.

But having exhausted too much energy before and after soaking in the cold river water for a long time, his struggle was futile; he only managed to move his hand a few inches to the side under the blanket, not even managing to lift the blanket.

The beauty, Lu, was not foolish; having been bitten firmly, she knew the tyrant had awakened. From the moment she dragged the tyrant out of the river to the imperial physician's assurance that, though the pregnancy was disturbed, there was no serious harm to his body, several hours had passed.

During these hours, she stayed by the tyrant's side. Now that he was safely awake, the heavy stone in her heart finally settled. Yet, almost forgotten wounds on her back began to throb faintly, and the exhaustion of the entire night surged forth.

Lu Changping yawned discreetly, rubbed her eyes, and whispered gently into the tyrant's ear:

"After a busy night, why not sleep a bit longer? I promise to give you an answer about eloping in half a month. Although we can't elope to Beiwai immediately, I will still bring you treats from time to time. Please, try not to miss me too much."

Faced with Lu the Concubine's "spoiled affection," the tyrant was utterly helpless.

Xie Xuan Yuan choked on the retort he had ready, unable to deny one thing: he did find himself secretly missing Lu the Concubine these days...

Thus, a myriad of words turned into a feeble threat: "You better keep your word, or I'll have to come knocking on your door myself."

And Lu the Concubine readily agreed, accepting this "heartless" intimidation, simply because she dared not tell the tyrant that he was already in her home.

……

The temporary residence of the tyrant seemed secluded and desolate, but in reality, it was not far from the Southern Chu Emperor's sleeping quarters.

Lu Changping took a shortcut and entered his own palace gates in less than a quarter of an hour.

For some reason, he felt unusually sleepy tonight, longing only to sleep well on the rare day off tomorrow.

Yet, someone was already waiting for him in the palace.

Hearing that her brother and sister-in-law had been attacked, Lu Zhao Ping could not rest easy and waited in the palace after finding Chancellor Ji instead of returning directly to the Princess's mansion.

She waited half the night to see her brother, Lu Changping, tiredly pushing open the door. Gone was his usual spirited appearance; his gaunt face and heavy steps, resembling someone indulged in excesses, were indeed worrisome.

Zhao Ping hesitated: "Brother...are you alright? I heard you and sister-in-law were attacked by a bunch of reckless assassins on the road. Were you hurt?"

Lu the beauty noticed his current state was far from good but didn't want his sister to worry, so he casually waved it off: "It's inevitable to get bumps and bruises when dealing with desperados. It's nothing serious. I was just a bit tired after accompanying your sister-in-law."

Zhao Ping thought she understood the deeper meaning in her brother's words, and couldn't help but advise seriously: "Sometimes, brother, you need to learn to say no. If...if sister-in-law truly makes unreasonable demands and you feel uncomfortable, you must bravely speak up. You've been tolerating and indulging him; when will he learn to cherish you?"

Zhao Ping, after all, was a girl, her concern for her brother impulsively voiced. Yet, as she spoke, her face turned red, and her voice grew softer and softer.

Emperor Lu initially wondered where he had failed to refuse others, only to understand the situation when he saw Zhao Ping's flushed cheeks.

How to explain to his sister that he was genuinely taking care of the tyrant, not entangled in a lover's quarrel in bed?

After much thought, Emperor Lu attributed his sister's suspicions to the negative influence of vulgar stories and the striking beauty of the tyrant, paired with his own innocent and handsome appearance, which might have led her to believe he was being exploited by the tyrant.

Although family tends to side with their own, Emperor Lu felt uncomfortable with the injustice faced by Xie Xuan Yuan based solely on their appearances.

Emperor Lu couldn't help but defend the tyrant, "Your sister-in-law is not what you think; he's actually very reserved and shy. Not only does he not initiate intimacy, but he also blushes easily..."

As he spoke and recalled the tyrant's awkward yet endearing demeanor, Emperor Lu found his own cheeks warming with a blush.

Seeing the suspicious flush on her brother's face, Zhao Ping sighed, "Beauty lies in the lover's eyes, and the words of those smitten are not always reliable. Brother, you always caution me to protect myself, and today, I urge you too, men must also know how to protect themselves."

Emperor Lu nodded in agreement, recognizing that men indeed should know how to protect themselves, especially someone like Xie Xuan Yuan with a dangerously attractive appearance but an innocence akin to that of a cabbage in the field.

Who else would be as defenseless once their heart is involved, blindly planning an elopement without being able to see clearly?

Had Xie Xuan Yuan not been fortunate to meet him, he surely would have been ensnared and sold by those coveting his beauty.

However, before Emperor Lu could finish his silent rant about the tyrant, the pain from his back wound suddenly intensified. Already exhausted, his vision darkened, and he collapsed to the ground, powerless.

It's said that illness strikes like a falling mountain, often hitting those who appear strong and healthy with severe sickness.

Emperor Lu, who had trained in martial arts from a young age and rarely caught even a cold, had never expected to faint so unexpectedly.

When the heaviness on his body lifted and his consciousness gradually cleared, he faintly heard the soft crying from the sleeping chambers. Despite the effort to keep her voice low, not wanting to be heard, the woman's sorrowful weeping deeply troubled Emperor Lu.

Were it not broad daylight, he might truly believe the palace was haunted.

His Majesty Lu only felt guilt towards Xie Xuan Yuan, thus was not afraid of any female ghost knocking at his door. Listening closely, he realized it was actually the cry of his sister, Zhao Ping!

The thought of someone bullying Zhao Ping while he was ill made it impossible for Emperor Lu to stay calmly in bed. He flung off the covers and stepped barefoot onto the plush carpet from the Western Regions in his sleeping chamber.

Still weak and shaky, he couldn't walk far, but leveraged his height and long legs to quickly navigate through the palace's layered curtains and drapes, soon finding where Zhao Ping was.

The moment he saw her slender silhouette, Emperor Lu called out, "Zhao Ping, who made you cry? Tell your imperial brother, and he shall not let them off!"

Perhaps spending too much time with the tyrant, his anger carried a hint of Xie Xuan Yuan's domineering attitude.

Zhao Ping, in the midst of her tears, was startled into a pause, her tears circling in her peach-blossom eyes, identical to Emperor Lu's, before falling and dampening her collar.

Turning around, Lu Changping noticed his sister dressed in men's attire, a black and gold court robe complemented with a gold crown and jade belt, presenting a striking image, almost a replica of himself, the Emperor of Southern Chu...

Moreover, behind Zhao Ping, the sandalwood table was piled with stacks of petitions as high as a person, and the floor was littered with discarded edicts, clearly she had been working overtime, handling state affairs on his behalf.

Seeing this scene, Emperor Lu was filled with doubts.

How long had he been unconscious?

Judging by the accumulated petitions, it seemed to be at least three days' worth...

As he hesitated, Zhao Ping, wiping her eyes red as a rabbit's with a handkerchief, sniffled and answered, "Who else dares to oppose me? I cry because of my imperial brother."

Emperor Lu never imagined he would one day be the reason his sister cried, "Because of me?"

The normally vain beauty of Southern Chu, now disregarding her appearance, rummaged through the pile of documents, handing a nondescript green petition to her brother:

"Brother, during your coma, sister-in-law disappeared. According to the shadow guards who investigated the scene, it seems she knocked out the royal physician and escaped the palace on her own."

This news struck Lu Changping like a bolt from the blue; he stood frozen, clad only in his inner garments, the green petition in his hand and the metaphorical green hat on his head competing in vibrancy.

He had an agreement with Xie Xuan Yuan to elope in half a month; how could he break his promise like this?

After a long pause, he finally managed to find his voice, asking in denial, "When did this happen? How long have I been asleep?"

Zhao Ping glanced at him with a hint of sorrow, replying truthfully, "We just received the report this morning. But brother, you have been unconscious for a total of seventeen days!"

Seventeen days!

The recently recovered Emperor Lu felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over him, not only refreshing but chilling him to the core.

No wonder the tyrant left without a word!

Given Xie Xuan Yuan's stubborn nature, he probably couldn't bear the seventeen-day wait and lost his patience, thus deciding to set out on his own to find him!

They say deception will be met with retribution, and his came swiftly.

That night, he, along with his sister and brother-in-law, had tricked the naive tyrant with ambiguous words, claiming their family was among the largest in the Southern Chu capital.

Xie Xuan Yuan must have taken those words to heart, slipping out of the Southern Chu palace during his coma and the ensuing chaos to look for him.

The thought of a blind, pregnant husband aimlessly searching the unfamiliar Southern Chu capital for someone he could never find twisted Lu Changping's heart into knots.

He ordered an increase in the search for her while listening to Zhaoping recount the events leading to his own fainting spell.

According to Zhaoping, he had nearly crossed over from the brink of death during those seventeen days. The captured assassins from Beiwei confessed that the weapons used for the assassination attempt were coated with potent poison.

Normally, such deadly toxins would kill a person shortly after exposure. However, they did not anticipate that their target would not be a frail tyrant but Emperor Lu, a martial arts master protected by his internal energy.

Fortunately, the wounds on Lu Changping were shallow and had been frozen by the cold river water during winter, slowing the spread of the poison in his body.

By the time he finally succumbed to the effects of the poison, the assassins captured in the imperial prison had already been broken by torture and revealed the antidote.

With the specific antidote and Zhaoping's knowledgeable care, he was barely saved. Even with a strong constitution and timely treatment, he hovered between life and death for days and remained unconscious for a long while.

Emperor Lu, still young and without a queen or heir in his harem, secretly harbored his true love who was pregnant. To prevent chaos in Southern Chu during his unconsciousness, Zhaoping had to impersonate him again to manage state affairs.

The former dynasty was supported by Zhaoping's efforts and a chancellor in the know, preventing further chaos.

However, the court was not without its troubles recently. External pressures from Empress Dowager He's faction in Beiwei and frequent floods along the rivers and coasts added to the strain.

Zhaoping was overwhelmed, caring for his unconscious brother and handling complex government affairs. The sudden disappearance of his sister-in-law, pregnant with the future heir of Southern Chu, was the last straw.

Dependent on his brother who showed no signs of awakening, and having lost his brother's dearly loved wife due to a moment of negligence...

The thought of these issues completely shattered Zhaoping's composure, leaving him to relieve his stress by shedding tears.

Fortunately, crying turned out to be effective, as it indeed awakened his emperor brother.

……

These times were challenging for the Lu siblings, and the tyrant's days were no better.

At the turn of winter and spring, Beiwei experienced fluctuating temperatures, while the capital of Southern Chu, located further south, welcomed the scent of spring early on.

Street-side restaurants and taverns began to loudly promote their seasonal dishes and newly brewed wines, attracting springtime revelers.

Dressed in simple black, a handsome young man unfamiliar with the Southern Chu capital wandered for half a day in search, his stomach growling with hunger, before he randomly chose a restaurant for lunch.

Despite his understated attire, save for a wide belt cinching his waist, his striking appearance and the inherent nobility of his movements, born of high birth, drew immediate attention. No sooner had he entered the restaurant than a waiter eagerly led him to a private seat upstairs, offering tea and services with great enthusiasm.

The young server stood at the table, smoothly reciting the menu, while the young man turned his head to look out the window...

Outside the window was a tree unknown by name, blooming with buds, beyond which the streets were bustling with carriages and pedestrians, a picturesque scene of spring. Perhaps due to having been blind before, he now cherished his ability to see clearly, almost greedily gazing at the vivid world outside.

The imperial capital of Southern Chu was indeed a sight to behold... It was just a pity that the continuous search had been fruitless, leaving Xie Xuan Yuan with little appetite.

He paid no further attention to the overly enthusiastic server who mistook him for a wealthy young master from the capital, casually ordering a few light dishes.

Ever since he hit his head on a stone that night, accidentally dislodging the clot in his brain, his eyes, which previously could hardly see, gradually began to improve.

From initially being able to see only a little of what was close, to now being almost indistinguishable from a person with normal vision in these few days.

If Empress Lu hadn't inexplicably stood him up, this would have been a cause for celebration...

Strangely enough, it was also since that night that Empress Lu, who had always been attentive to him, suddenly vanished without a trace. Promises of regular meals went undelivered; promises of eloping back to the North Guard after half a month went unfulfilled, with not even a letter sent after the deadline passed.

Alive, one must be seen; dead, one must be found. Xie Xuan Yuan, unwilling to admit that something had happened to Empress Lu and unwilling to believe she had abandoned him, decided to take matters into his own hands to search for her.

Initially, his search was not as hopeless and unstructured as it had become, akin to finding a needle in a haystack.

Suspecting that Empress Lu was a secret male concubine of the Emperor of Southern Chu, he first wandered inside and outside the Southern Chu royal palace, visiting almost every place except for Chenghua Hall, where Emperor Lu Changping himself resided.

Yet, the harem of the Emperor of Southern Chu was surprisingly cleaner than his own. Apart from a few elder concubines and consorts living out their days in the inner court, the entire harem was as deserted as a cold palace, with no sign of any male favorites or beloved concubines.

Unable to find anyone in the palace, Xie Xuan Yuan began to suspect that his Empress Lu was related to the royal family or was a powerful figure in the capital.

But there were far too many noble families in the capital with connections to the royal family, and searching each household one by one, he didn't know if he would find her by the year of the monkey...

The more pressing concern was that he could afford to continue searching, but the dragon seed within him could not wait much longer.

With this in mind, Xie Xuan Yuan grew increasingly frustrated. He tasted a few dishes on the table almost perfunctorily before deciding to pay and continue his search.

When the chatty server approached once more, all smiles, asking if he wished to take away a few more dishes, the Emperor suddenly had an idea.

He generously pulled out a silver ingot and handed it over, then confidently inquired under the server's astonished and delighted gaze, "Do you know of any grand household in the capital that houses a young man with an ethereal beauty and a talent for cross-dressing?"

Initially startled by such an odd question, the server gave the stunningly handsome young man before him a covert once-over, his forced smile becoming somewhat strained.

He recalled gossip from Wang Er, a vegetable vendor who supplied the kitchen, about wealthy individuals in the capital who, disinterested in women, fancied beautiful boys of ambiguous appearance in women's attire.

At the time, he'd taken it as mere idle talk, never expecting to encounter a genuine eccentric.

Indeed, appearances can be deceiving; who would have thought this genteel and handsome gentleman had such unusual tastes...

But having accepted the man's silver, he felt obliged to provide some sort of answer.

After a moment's hesitation, he leaned in closer to Xie Xuan Yuan and suggested in a low voice, "I'm not well-acquainted with the affairs of the grand households, but you might find young men of the sort you're looking for at the Hui Chun Tower on the next street... If you're truly keen, perhaps you could try there?"

"Hui Chun Tower?"

Xie Xuan Yuan repeated the name skeptically, sensing the place's name suggested a certain gaudiness, though he wasn't sure what exactly it entailed.

His Lu Gui Fei wouldn't be staying in such a place, would he?

Yet, given cross-dressing is a niche interest, it's possible someone at this place might know his similarly inclined Lu Gui Fei.

So, he patiently had the server draw him a map, and following the directions, he headed towards the Hui Chun Tower on the adjacent street...

Author's note:

Yes, the Hui Chun Tower is indeed that kind of adult entertainment venue♂

Sorry for making all you little angels wait. I was just too sleepy last night and ended up falling asleep.

Yesterday's update and today's update were combined.

The next update will also be coded as soon as possible...