Chapter 3: Bearing an Heir is the True Priority

Chapter 3: Bearing an Heir is the True Priority

Ran Qinggu followed the maid into the inner chamber, where the servants were unusually busy, and the tables were laden with delicacies and fine wines.

The queen consort smiled warmly, her slightly seductive phoenix eyes filled with joy: "Come, Yu'er, sit next to your mother."

Ran Qinggu obediently sat beside her, and after settling down, he said politely, "Mother, Yu'er feels that the Wangfu is favored by the heavens, and the Heir holds the rank of First-Class Prince. Graced by the Emperor's favor, the Heir also serves as the Chief Justice of the Dali Temple, with a promising future ahead. Now in his youth, it's the perfect time for him to serve the Emperor and the country, and he must not waste this precious time."

These words stunned everyone present.

The Heir of King Cheng was notorious for his arrogance and unruly behavior.

Although he held the position of Chief Justice of the Dali Temple, he had nearly turned it into a brothel and gambling den, often gambling and reveling with criminals. After being reprimanded by the Emperor several times, he stopped going to the Dali Temple altogether, sending servants to mark his attendance while he spent his days with friends at brothels and gambling dens. Known as the number one troublemaker of the Da Su Dynasty, he reveled in his reputation, even becoming addicted to calling himself that.

To ask this troublemaker to serve the country?

That was a joke. The massacre of thirty thousand surrendered barbarians from the north still fueled their hatred towards Da Su.

Even the Emperor and the king couldn't control this troublemaker, yet the princess consort wanted him to not waste his time?

It was truly absurd.

Was the princess consort so sheltered that she had lost touch with reality?

The queen consort's smile froze for a moment. "Then what does Yu'er suggest?"

Ran Qinggu smiled. "Since Yu'er has married the Heir, I am his for life. What concerns the Heir concerns me. I have prepared thousands of books and legal codes of the Dali Temple for the Heir, hoping he can read them during his leisure time."

He had asked the maidservant before. This prince was born free-spirited and unrestrained, hating any form of confinement.

He preferred wild and lively girls, despising those who were pretentious, lifeless, and obsessed with fame and wealth.

By urging the Heir to study and serve the country diligently, he perfectly embodied the type of person the Heir detested.

His goal was to make the prince utterly loathe him, to the point of finding him repulsive.

The queen consort's smile completely faded, saying, "Yu'er, you're thoughtful."

The king, sitting nearby, was fuming, his face twisted in anger.

If they could control their son, would he have become so uncontrollable?

"A good 'I belong to this Heir for life,'" a clear male voice rang out.

Ran Qinggu looked up, seeing a figure in splendid yellow attire, stunningly handsome, with a relaxed and flamboyant demeanor...

Wasn't this the man from the plum tree earlier?

Upon seeing Shang Rongyu, King Cheng's eyes blazed with fury, roaring, "Rebellious son, you dare return?"

As he spoke, he rolled up his sleeves in rage, ready to beat Shang Rongyu.

King Cheng was usually calm, experienced, and taciturn. Only his youngest son could enrage him like this.

He could tame a million fierce soldiers but failed to tame his own son.

The queen consort quickly stood up, blocking Shang Rongyu. "Your Highness!"

King Cheng had been so angry these past two days that he suffered from heart palpitations, cursing, "A kind mother spoils her child. Look at the son you've raised, what has he become?"

Shang Rongyu casually plucked a grape from a plate held by a nearby maid, tossed it into the air, caught it in his mouth, and swallowed it. "Father, my wife is here. If you scare her, who will accompany me through those tedious ancient texts and legal codes?"

King Cheng raised his hand to strike him, then froze mid-air, thinking he had heard wrong. "What did you just say?"

Shang Rongyu looked at Ran Qinggu with amusement. "My son agrees with the princess consort. We must not waste our time. As husband and wife, we are one, and I'm sure the princess consort wouldn't want me to overwork myself. She'll be by my side, won't she?"

The queen consort felt as if she were dreaming. Was her son finally showing ambition?

She hurriedly said, "Of course."

She smiled warmly at Ran Qinggu. "Yu'er, you've worked hard."

She couldn't wait for the two to spend more time together, hoping their feelings would grow, allowing her to hold her grandson sooner.

In the past, she had been unable to bear a legitimate son and was often mocked by Consort Liu. If the first grandchild of the Cheng Wangfu was her son's, it would be the legitimate heir, and Consort Liu would be furious.

Ran Qinggu: "…"

What did this have to do with him?

He just wanted Shang Rongyu to loathe him, how did it turn into serving him personally?

At this moment, wasn't Shang Rongyu supposed to be seething with anger, wanting to skin him alive?

Consort Liu and her faction gloated with schadenfreude.

Did Bai Yu know how he would die?

The servants serving gasped in shock.

Was the Heir finding excuses to torment the princess consort?

Would the princess consort be expelled from the mansion so soon?

Shouldn't she at least last a month? They had all bet their life savings on it.

==

In the study, the three-headed golden unicorn incense burner emitted faint wisps of smoke, while the golden silk charcoal burned brightly in the brazier.

Shang Rongyu reclined on the couch behind the desk, a fur blanket draped over his legs, holding a book in his right hand and flipping through it casually. Ran Qinggu sat at the farthest table, a book placed in front of him.

He was freezing, not even wanting to extend his hands.

Already prone to the cold, once winter arrived, his limbs would chill like ice blocks, with bone-piercing cold that caused a dull ache.

And now, Shang Rongyu deliberately tormented him, moving all the charcoal braziers close to himself, leaving nothing in front of him.

Although the room was heated by underfloor heating, the cold seemed to find its way through any crack, seeping into every part of his body.

Shang Rongyu raised his eyebrows as he instructed the servants, "This Heir is cold; move that brazier closer."

The two serving attendants exchanged glances. Five braziers were burning in the room, four of which had been moved to the side of the Heir, while the remaining one was a large stove placed between the Heir and the Heir's Consort. Was the Heir going to take away this large stove as well?

Wouldn't it be uncomfortable to have them all in front of the Heir?

The Heir truly went to great lengths to torment the Heir's Consort.

The servants carried the brazier and placed it before Shang Rongyu.

Shang Rongyu frowned, glaring at the servants. "Trying to roast this Heir to death?"

The two servants dared not refute, trembling in fear, unsure what to do.

Shang Rongyu: "This Heir's feet are cold."

The servants could only carry the stove and place it near the Heir's feet, where three stoves were already situated.

Now, all five stoves were on the Heir's side, leaving the Heir's Consort's area cold and desolate, looking pitiful.

Ran Qinggu regretted not draping a cloak over himself earlier; his legs were already numb from the cold.

He was currently wearing a light blue ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) and a white outer robe embroidered with blue flowers, draped with a silk shawl.

In the Da Su Dynasty, noblewomen's attire favored luxurious and loose designs. Women's clothing often consisted of ruqun, either tied with a sash at the waist or fastened with silk thread under the armpits. The skirt had a wide, pleated hem, giving an ethereal and fairy-like appearance, hence it was also called the 'Immortal-Keeping Skirt.'

This resulted in the lower legs being easily chilled by the wind.

Indeed, the Heir hated him, devising such a method to discipline him.

Shang Rongyu propped his head up with his right hand, observing Ran Qinggu with interest.

She hadn't turned a page for a long time, clearly frozen.

If she was so cold, why sit so far away? Why choose the spot furthest from him...

"Is the Heir's Consort feeling cold? Perhaps you should move closer to this Heir."

Ran Qinggu respectfully replied, "To the Heir, Yu'er is not cold."

Shang Rongyu raised his eyebrows and smiled. "Oh? Then, read the Da Su Criminal Code to this Heir. This Heir's eyes are tired."

Ran Qinggu had no choice but to stand up, take the book of criminal law, and read aloud with a quivering voice: "Article 43: Injury to person, causing injury to limbs, visible bleeding, nose, mouth, thirty strokes... Article 108: Assault resulting in death, hanging..."

Shang Rongyu calmly said, "You missed two. Article 54: Causing disability but retaining labor capacity, three hundred lashes, pay three hundred taels of silver, Article 98: Mutilation of genitalia, sentenced to military service three hundred miles away."

Ran Qinggu was extremely cold, unaware that Shang Rongyu had memorized everything, word for word.

This man was not the rumored fool who only knew how to throw tantrums.

Not only was he not a fool, but he was also very intelligent.

Before marrying, he always assumed that the Heir of King Cheng would rely on his family background to act as he pleased, a useless waste who wielded power to bully others. Therefore, he was confident he could deal with him. Now it seemed...

He had miscalculated.

Dealing with someone like this required utmost caution.

Shang Rongyu got up, "Such trivial matters, this Heir could recite at ten years old. It's a pity you thought of this, trying to make this Heir improve. If this Heir improved, what would the rest of the officials do? One cannot only think of oneself; one must have a heart that cares for all beings..."

He snatched the law book from Ran Qinggu's hands. Incidentally, he touched Ran Qinggu's hand.

It was icy cold, colder than the icicles hanging from the eaves.

"Why are your hands so cold?" He held Ran Qinggu's hand.

To freeze like this yet still keep such a distance from him, did she really see him as a ferocious beast?

Ran Qinggu was just startled by Shang Rongyu's grandiose words about conquering heaven and earth. Suddenly, when Shang Rongyu gripped her hand, she instinctively pulled back. "Thank you for your concern, Heir."

Shang Rongyu casually draped the cloak beside him over Ran Qinggu and dragged her to the stove. "Warm yourself for a bit. If you get sick, Father King and Mother Consort will scold me again."

Ran Qinggu obediently said, "Thank you, Heir."

Shang Rongyu pulled Ran Qinggu's hand to warm it by the stove and then helped rub it.

After several rounds of this, Ran Qinggu's hands finally warmed up.

At this moment, the Wangfu's servants entered, carrying brocade quilts and other items, placing them on the couch in the study for resting. When they left, they locked the door.

Before leaving, the servant solemnly said, "Heir, the Consort fears that others might disturb your studies, so she ordered us to lock the study. We'll open it again at dawn tomorrow. She also instructed that if the Heir is tired, he should rest early with the Heir's Consort. Studying doesn't need to be rushed; conceiving offspring is the priority."

Ran Qinggu: "…"

The Consort truly went to great lengths to have a grandson.

After saying this, the servant went to report to the Consort.

Because the two masters were locked in the study, the serving boys and maids had nothing to do. They were dragged away by their close subordinates to other places, whispering and asking about the situation.

"The Heir's Consort is pitiful beyond description. I just went to lock the door, and the Heir was pressing her hand against the stove to warm it."

"Yes, yes, yes, I saw it too. At first, the Heir didn't give Consort Heir charcoal for warmth, freezing her until she was shivering, and even punished her by making her read books..."

"And more, much more. The Heir wouldn't touch Consort Heir; during reading sessions, he made her sit as far away from him as possible."

A maid nearby covered her mouth in shock.

The others sighed in sympathy.

"The Consort Heir has truly offended the Heir."

"Poor thing, on their wedding night, the Heir abandoned her to seek out courtesans at the Drunken Red Chamber, and now this..."

"Word has spread throughout the capital that the Consort Heir is ugly, but clearly she's beautiful, far more so than the courtesan queen of the Drunken Red Chamber."

"Have you seen the courtesan queen of the Drunken Red Chamber?"

"No."

...

"Tao Zi, what are you doing up there? Come down quickly." Chun'er smiled and waved at the eaves of the roof.

Tao Zi stood atop the highest point of the Sinking Fish Pavilion, her gaze fixed intently on the direction of King Cheng's study.

She was fully alert, like a taut bowstring, ready to leap over at any movement from the window panes, prepared to save her young master.

Seeing Tao Zi ignore her, Chun'er cheerfully instructed another maid, "After Consort Heir returns from consummating her marriage with the Heir, she must not catch a chill. The first night can be uncomfortable for newlyweds, so ensure there's ample charcoal for warmth in the room, the bed should be soft, and all the cushions should be replaced with cotton... Have the stove start simmering ice dates and black chicken right away. Her diet should avoid spicy foods, and the incense in the censer should be changed to purple fragrant grass..."

The maids nodded in agreement and left to carry out the orders.

==

In the study, incense smoke wafted about as Shang Rongyu stared at the tightly closed door for a moment. "Mother really is..."

He glanced at Ran Qinggu and exhaled. "Enough, this Heir is tired. Help me change."

As he spoke, he raised his hand, signaling for Ran Qinggu to assist him in changing clothes.

Ran Qinggu had anticipated this step, but she hadn't expected it to come so soon, nor that she'd brought it upon herself.

Shang Rongyu noticed Ran Qinggu standing there in a daze and asked, "What are you waiting for?"

Ran Qinggu approached, unfastened his sash, and removed his outer robe.

Then she slowly took off his middle layer.

Beneath it was a tight-fitting undergarment, revealing a chest of pale, firm skin. Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs—standing there, he possessed an elegance surpassing that of pine trees in winter snow.

Such a lean and powerful physique could only have been achieved through years of rigorous training.

This person's martial skills were thousands of times greater than hers.

Ran Qinggu felt a pang of regret.

She had assumed becoming the Heir would mean dealing with a simpleton, someone lacking in both literary and martial prowess. She thought she could easily navigate the situation, resorting to taking his life if necessary to protect her own.

Now, she could only take things one step at a time.

Seeing Ran Qinggu staring at him in a daze, Shang Rongyu smiled. "What? Is my body that impressive, Consort Heir?"

Ran Qinggu hastily stepped back and bowed. "Bai Yu knows that His Highness has someone dear to his heart, and Bai Yu dares not aspire higher..."

Just as Shang Rongyu was about to ask "When did I ever have someone dear to my heart?", he heard Ran Qinggu's faint, weak voice: "The Heir was forced into marrying Bai Yu out of necessity, and Bai Yu was also coerced into marrying the Heir. Bai Yu would never harbor improper thoughts toward His Highness, nor will she ever entertain such notions. Therefore, Your Highness need not test Bai Yu. Since Bai Yu has agreed to divorce, she will certainly honor her promise."

Shang Rongyu's expression darkened. "You were forced to marry this Heir?"

Bai Yu nodded. "The Emperor decreed our marriage, leaving no room for refusal. I was powerless to resist, and I hope Your Highness will show understanding."

A vague sense of loss welled up within Shang Rongyu.

He hadn't intended to do anything to Bai Yu; it was simply that he was accustomed to being served since childhood, which had instilled in him the habit of commanding others.

Frustrated, he walked towards the bamboo couch behind the desk. "Huh, you're quite perceptive."

Ran Qinggu watched as the tall Heir leaned against the bamboo couch, pulling a felt blanket over his body, curling half of his leg inward.

Was he planning to let her sleep on the only bed in the study?