Chapter 41: Being a Father

Chapter 41: Being a Father

Behind the intricately carved screen in the secluded chamber of the music hall, a candle burned quietly, casting shadows that were magnified two or three times onto the screen.

For the entire morning, Shang Yuzhou had not seen the silhouette on the screen move once. Only when the candle flickered did the shadow sway along with it...

The person was like a statue, motionless, their gaze seemingly fixed on something.

Shang Yuzhou always felt that the person who was devoid of warmth and as cold as ice had returned to his memory.

The secret chamber was divided into two parts; one part was the main hall for strategizing, where Shang Yuzhou's confidants and ministers who supported him sat.

And behind the screen sat Ran Qinggu.

His current identity made it inconvenient for him to meet those ministers, let alone have them know that he was the Heir Consort of King Cheng. Thus, they used a screen to separate him.

The ministers all knew that there was a mastermind behind the Third Prince, but none knew who this mastermind was.

Fang Changgong gestured at the map hanging on the wall, which was marked with the names of several officials and various power divisions.

He spoke eloquently, "The Crown Prince lost his position as regent due to the Heir of King Cheng. The Second Prince's power has greatly increased, so the Crown Prince will certainly not miss any opportunity to establish merit. Therefore, we only need to prevent the Crown Prince from establishing merit. If possible, we should place our people everywhere to facilitate our cause. Once the Crown Prince falls, we can take advantage of the situation, win over his supporters, and then it will be the time for us to succeed."

An elderly minister stroked his beard and nodded in agreement, "Very clever. Once the Crown Prince falls, the party of the Second Prince will not tolerate the Crown Prince's party. If they want to survive, they must find new patrons. This leaves only the Third Prince and the Sixth Prince. The Sixth Prince's maternal family is the Liu family, powerful, and they will not offer high stakes to these ministers. Now, only the Third Prince, who has no strong backing, is their best choice."

Another minister nodded, "But what if we fail?"

Fang Changgong smiled, "If we fail, it will be between the Crown Prince and the Second Prince. What does it have to do with us? Moreover, the Khan of the Northern Barbarians has reached a consensus with us. He is willing to send troops to help us achieve our goal. If exposed, we can first retreat to the northwest border, where our troops are stationed. How difficult would it be to counterattack the capital again? A man should live a glorious life in this world. How can he not leave a mark in history?"

Several people nodded in approval.

Fang Changgong looked towards the Third Prince. The Third Prince's gaze, through the faint candlelight before him, fell on the shadow on the screen. The shadow remained motionless, its head lowered, as if staring at something.

His expression darkened, "Your Highness, what do you think?" Shang Yuzhou looked towards Ran Qinggu, "Master, what do you think?"

Ran Qinggu was merciless in his response, "Stupid."

Upon hearing this, the faces of the few ministers turned red, and Fang Changgong's expression turned cold and ugly, "Then what do you think?"

Ran Qinggu straightened his body, picked up the cold tea on the table, and took a sip. "Firstly, since the Crown Prince lost his position as regent, he will surely look for opportunities to establish merit and regain his position. The Second Prince has always been stubborn and self-righteous, like a leopard that, once seeing a weakness in its prey, will never let go. So, we don't even need to stop the Crown Prince from establishing merit; the Second Prince will do it himself. Is it necessary for us to expose ourselves and pave the way for others?"

"Secondly, once the Crown Prince falls, do you think, based on the Emperor's personality, he will leave any potential threats for the next crown prince? So, once the Crown Prince falls, the Emperor will surely eliminate all of his supporters. One, to punish them for their incompetence, and two, to clear the path for his other son, the Second Prince. That's why they will fight tooth and nail to protect the Crown Prince. It won't be our turn to buy their loyalty."

Shang Yuzhou slapped the armrest, "Right, that's something my father could do. Moreover, how could he easily let the fat pig, the Crown Prince, fall when he loves him so much?"

Ran Qinggu neither agreed nor disagreed, "So, the only thing we need to do now is to flatter and kill."

Everyone was puzzled, "Flatter and kill?"

Ran Qinggu nodded, "Yes. Although the Emperor loves the Second Prince, he dotes more on the Crown Prince. Nowadays, the Crown Prince is inferior to the Second Prince in every aspect. We might as well flatter the Second Prince. When everyone knows about the Second Prince's great achievements, in the eyes of the Crown Prince, it will seem as if the Second Prince wants to replace him. At that time, can the Crown Prince still sit idly by? Once he can't sit still, it will be a fratricidal conflict. And we just need to reap the benefits..."

Fang Changgong asked, "What if the Crown Prince kills the Second Prince?"

Ran Qinggu lowered his head, looking at his left hand, caressing the blood jade ring. "Flatter and kill, flatter and kill. Whether it's the Crown Prince killing the Second Prince or the Second Prince killing the Crown Prince, does it make a difference to us? In the end, we have to kill both of them anyway."

Everyone secretly marveled.

Listening to this person speak, one often felt a lack of energy, as if he were a sickly individual. But the words he casually uttered carried great weight and were bone-chillingly cold.

"If my calculations are correct, this matter will have a conclusion by the end of the year. Then, it will be the time for us to rise," Ran Qinggu said calmly. "Whether we succeed or fail, we'll have to fight it out on the battlefield."

Regardless of whether the Crown Prince kills the Second Prince or the Second Prince kills the Crown Prince, the winner will eventually target the Third Prince.

At that time, whether success or failure, whether wrapped in horsehide on the battlefield or stepping on bones while laughing at the nobles, it will be a journey that must be taken.

Shang Yuzhou nodded in approval, "Qinggu is right. The current situation is unclear for us. Everyone should go back and prepare. In the future, we will have many tough battles to fight."

A few ministers nodded, "We will follow the Third Prince's orders."

After those people left, Ran Qinggu got up and walked out from behind the screen.

He nodded at Shang Yuzhou, signaling his departure.

Shang Yuzhou suddenly said, "You've calculated everything, but it seems you missed a step."

Ran Qinggu turned around in confusion, his eyes full of suspicion.

Shang Yuzhou continued, "You only considered the Crown Prince and the Second Prince. Have you thought about Shang Rongyu? What role will he play in the future era of great contention? Who will he help, or who will he oppose? Or perhaps, will he choose to amass an army and stand on his own?"

Ran Qinggu replied, "He won't help anyone, and no one can touch him."

Perhaps in the future, when he meets Shang Rongyu again, it will be in a state of armed confrontation.

In silence, with swords, or perhaps in some other way...

Shang Yuzhou sneered, "Yes, after all, he holds military power, which is the lifeline of Da Su. Qinggu, why did you act so quickly today, coming up with such a vicious plan against the Crown Prince and the Second Prince?"

Ran Qinggu looked listless, "Nothing. I originally wanted to wait for the Second Prince to take advantage of his victory and force the Crown Prince. But I didn't expect him to be so useless. It's better for us to lend him a hand."

"Is that all?" Shang Yuzhou's expression darkened, word by word, "You don't want Shang Rongyu to get deeper and deeper into this mess, unable to extricate himself. Therefore, you want to resolve matters here as soon as possible. The sooner things here are resolved, the sooner you won't have to deceive him. He will learn your true identity earlier, and naturally, he won't fall hopelessly in love with you..."

He laughed bitterly, "See, no one understands you better than me. You and I are from the same world. Shang Rongyu is nothing."

Actually, he didn't understand either.

He had known Ran Qinggu for so many years, and Ran Qinggu only considered the outcome when doing things, never taking others into account.

Even towards his aunt, Ran Shang, he directly paralyzed her husband, Duke Bai, without considering her feelings. His actions were solely focused on preventing Duke Bai from harming Ran Shang. He never thought about how a woman whose husband was paralyzed or dead would feel, or how others would view her.

Even...

In the face of a marriage in his stead, fully aware that it was an act warranting the extermination of nine generations of his family, once exposed, both Ran Shang and Bai Yu would die. Even if they didn't die, they would be fugitives for life. Yet, he went ahead with it without hesitation.

For he needed to enter the capital to seek revenge.

When faced with this savior, he agreed to help him kill the Crown Prince, willing to assist him in achieving his grand ambitions.

This bold scheme against the Crown Prince and the Second Prince was merely because he felt the time was ripe for success.

He had never considered whether this prince, should he ascend to power, would do so as a traitor or as the rightful heir to the throne.

To him, the goal was paramount; the process was irrelevant.

Yet, this person who never left any room for retreat and never considered anyone else's feelings actually worried about Shang Rong becoming increasingly entangled...

Ran Qinggu pushed open the door of the secret chamber and said indifferently, "I'll head back first."

Shang Yuzhou did not stop him: "Be careful on your way."

Ran Qinggu lifted his skirt and walked down the steps of the pavilion.

As Ran Qinggu descended the last wooden staircase of the pavilion, Shang Yuzhou asked from the railing, "Qinggu, have you fallen for Shang Rong?"

Ran Qinggu's foot paused just before touching the ground, his long skirt touching the ground before his foot.

He froze for a moment, then stepped down, treading on the part of his skirt that had already touched the ground.

He said, "I don't know. Only when I'm facing him do I not need to struggle to prove that I'm still alive."

=

Exiting the music pavilion, it was nearly noon, and the streets were bustling with people.

Ran Qinggu aimlessly wandered through the streets, not wanting to return to the Prince's Mansion but having nowhere else to go if he didn't.

As he walked, he found himself at the bridge over the Sishui River.

The centenarian old man was still selling noodles, kneading dough with a serious yet leisurely demeanor.

Ran Qinggu lifted his skirt and approached.

The great-grandson of the old man smiled apologetically at the customers, "Madam, sorry, but today's twenty servings of longevity noodles have already been sold out. We won't be making any more today."

Ran Qinggu smiled, "My apologies."

Just as he was about to leave, the old man called out to him, "Madam, we prepared one extra serving of noodles today, but not much more. There's only enough for half a bowl. If you don't mind..."

Ran Qinggu sat down on the bench, lifting his skirt, "I don't mind."

The old man smiled and began kneading the dough.

By the time Ran Qinggu's noodles were served, the other customers had already left.

The old man fanned himself with a palm-leaf fan, "You're the second most dignified and noble madam I've ever seen. The previous madam was much happier than you. Her husband accompanied her here for her birthday and wouldn't let anyone else eat the noodles, saying it would take away her good fortune."

Ran Qinggu twirled his chopsticks around the noodles, "Is that so?"

The old man chuckled, "Yes, I've been selling noodles here since I was a hundred years old, now I'm 120. In those twenty years, it was the first time I saw such a gentle husband. Imagine how happy that madam must have been..."

Ran Qinggu raised his eyes, "Yes, that husband should have been very happy too. If his wife... were his wife..."

His voice faded to a whisper, barely audible even to himself.

The old man's hearing wasn't good, and he didn't catch what Ran Qinggu said, assuming he had finished speaking. He laughed, "When marrying, one should marry a husband like that, and when taking a wife, one should take a wife like that. Only then will they be a match made in heaven. Their children born afterward will surely be exceptional individuals..."

Ran Qinggu fell silent.

Indeed, in everyone's eyes, a peerless individual like Shang Rong should find a virtuous wife to spend his life with.

He held the same belief.

He put down his chopsticks and said to the old man, "Thank you, I'm done eating."

The old man smiled and bid him farewell, "Happy birthday, take care."

Ran Qinggu thanked him again, "Thank you."

Once again, he aimlessly wandered through the streets, passing through the bustling crowds, heading toward the Prince's Mansion.

By the time his legs ached, he was still on the street, with people coming and going. A sweet aroma wafted from a shop on the street.

He turned to look and saw a teahouse named "Sansu Teahouse" filled with a steady stream of customers.

The door of the shop was wide open, and inside, customers were selecting pastries from the shelves.

That fragrance was something he could almost smell every day over half a month ago.

Shang Rong would always bring him rice cakes from here after morning court sessions.

Despite the distance from the Prince's Mansion, he always brought them back hot.

Ran Qinggu paused in thought for a moment before continuing on his way to the Prince's Mansion.

A man with a round face eating noodles on the street looked at Ran Qinggu, "That...that person isn't..."

Another person snorted coldly, "Country bumpkin, that's the Princess Consort."

The round-faced man was taken aback, "How could he possibly be the Princess Consort? The Princess Consort is Bai Yu, he's a man..."

The other person interrupted him, "Are you daring to call the Princess Consort by her name? Do you want to die?"

Man with the large face: "The Heir's Consort can't look like this, but Bai Yu doesn't look like this either..."

Another person: "As if you've seen her."

Man with the large face: "I have seen her. I've also seen this person, and he's clearly a man..."

Another person: "Are you blind? A man that good-looking?"

These words reached the ears of someone in a luxurious carriage passing by on the street.

A female voice sounded from inside the carriage: "Bring this person to the mansion; I have something to ask him personally."

The woman stared at the disappearing figure of Ran Qinggu around the corner, as well as Shang Rongyu coming out of the Three Virtues Hall...

==

Just as Ran Qinggu's back disappeared around the corner, Shang Rongyu emerged from the Three Virtues Hall.

The shop assistant bowed deeply to Shang Rongyu: "Heir, we know you're buying this for the Heir's Consort. We specially wrapped it with the best gold thread. Look how beautiful the knot is. We also wrote... "

Shang Rongyu didn't wait for the shop assistant to finish before irritably taking the oiled paper package and leaving.

Shang Rongyu returned to the Prince's Mansion and unknowingly walked to the entrance of the Sinking Fish Pavilion. Just as he was about to step through the round door in front of him, he paused.

At that moment, he belatedly realized that while he had treated her as a treasure, she hadn't cared about him at all.

She even wished he would go far away and never enter her Sinking Fish Pavilion again.

Who was he, Shang Rongyu? What couldn't he get since he was young? Did he need to grovel and beg a woman with a heart harder than stone?

Without Bai Yu, he could still live. There were plenty of women waiting for him outside...

Looking at the glutinous rice cake in his hand emitting a sweet fragrance, he clenched it tightly and casually threw it into the garden obscured by flowers and trees.

He turned around and left the Sinking Fish Pavilion without looking back.

Ran Qinggu walked back to the Prince's Mansion. Due to the current trend among nobles for thick-soled women's shoes, his feet no longer felt like his own. The dull pain made every step feel like being cut by a rusty, blunt knife.

Fortunately, the Sinking Fish Pavilion was right in front of him. All he needed to do was cross the Covered Bridge.

He leaned against the stone pillar of the Covered Bridge railing as he walked,

Lifting his eyes, he saw Shang Rongyu walking over from the other end of the Covered Bridge.

This bridge was the only way to the Sinking Fish Pavilion. Had Shang Rongyu come to the Sinking Fish Pavilion to find him?

Seeing Ran Qinggu leaning on the railing and walking slowly, his face showing pain with each step, as if there was an injury on his foot,

Shang Rongyu quickened his pace, wanting to carry him back to the Sinking Fish Pavilion. However...

He suddenly remembered that this person would soon become his ex-wife.

And it was this person who had proposed it.

As for him, whenever this person was injured and vulnerable, he always protected him, anxiously afraid that he would suffer even the slightest harm.

Unfortunately, Shang Rongyu had offered his sincere heart from beginning to end, but the other party didn't even bother to look at it, and even spat, mocking him as naive and ridiculous!

He stopped, withdrew his hand, and asked coldly, "How did you make yourself so miserable? Regardless of what happens in the future, you are still the Heir's Consort now. It doesn't matter if you lose face, just don't disgrace the Prince's Mansion."

Ran Qinggu released the railing, stood straight, and respectfully replied: "Yes."

Shang Rongyu wasn't criticizing Ran Qinggu for losing his dignity by leaning on the railing while walking. Instead, he felt that Ran Qinggu had no reason to make himself look so pitiful.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed it all back.

Ran Qinggu looked in the direction Shang Rongyu had come from and asked, "Did the Heir come to the Sinking Fish Pavilion for something?"

Shang Rongyu said coldly, "What would I do at the Sinking Fish Pavilion?"

After saying this, he remembered that this Covered Bridge led directly to the Sinking Fish Pavilion, but the words were already out. He could only add, "Oh, I left something in the study of the Sinking Fish Pavilion earlier. I'm going to retrieve it now."

"Woof woof woof—" A completely white puppy ran over from outside the Sinking Fish Pavilion, carrying something in its mouth.

It happily ran towards Shang Rongyu, rubbing against his leg when it got close.

Ran Qinggu frowned.

The thing Er Gou was carrying was precisely the glutinous rice cake from the Three Virtues Hall.

In the Sinking Fish Pavilion, besides Shang Rongyu bringing glutinous rice cakes for him, was there anyone else?

Shang Rongyu raised his eyebrows: "This dead dog doesn't know where it found this filth. It's really dirty. Can you tell your maids in the Sinking Fish Pavilion not to throw trash around?"

Ran Qinggu nodded obediently: "Yes."

The puppy joyfully pawed at the gold thread, which was pulled apart, causing the oiled paper package to scatter open.

Inside the oiled paper, neatly written in colorful fruit jam and sugar were several large characters - To my dearest Yu, Your Heir!

Ran Qinggu: "…"

Shang Rongyu: "…"

He really wanted to eat dog meat.

No, he really wanted to kill someone.

Suddenly, he remembered the shop assistant's words.

"We also wrote..."

Damn that literate waiter, couldn't he have written something like 'In heaven, may we be paired as mandarin ducks; on earth, may we grow together as branches of the same tree'? Lu Yunshen would have accepted that.

Shang Rongyu took a step towards the Covered Bridge. "I still have matters to attend to, Heir's Consort should return early."

Ran Qinggu nodded. "Yes."

He limped towards the foot of the Covered Bridge.

Shang Rongyu turned back and saw that Ran Qinggu was no longer leaning on the bridge's railing, struggling to straighten his back, but each step was arduous.

He watched until his eyes stung, and finally, unable to bear it, he strode over, picked up Ran Qinggu, and headed for the Sinking Fish Pavilion.

"Don't let the servants see the Heir's Consort like this, it's an embarrassment to this Heir."

He returned Ran Qinggu to the Sinking Fish Pavilion and applied medicine.

Chun'er entered, bowed respectfully. "Chun'er has prepared lunch, please dine first, my lords."

At that moment, maids and servants entered in succession, placing several dishes of home-style cuisine on the table.

The dishes were unusually simple: only two or three stir-fried assortments, a plate of steamed pike-perch, and a small pot of corn stewed chicken soup.

It was as clear as water, bland without a trace of oil.

Shang Rongyu suddenly realized something.

Bai Yu seemed to have no particular taste preferences. For him, he ate whatever was available...

There was no preference for sweet, nor for spicy...

And now, the table was full of bland dishes, even the pike-perch seemed to have been steamed without oil.

Eating was merely a daily necessity for him, as if all the food tasted the same in his mouth.

When he tasted spicy and delicious delicacies, he didn't experience the happiness of enjoying fine food.

When he tasted bitter, sour, or strange flavors, he wasn't affected by the unpleasant taste sensations of the food.

Shang Rongyu even doubted whether he had a sense of taste at all.

Food and sex are human nature.

He had no pursuit of food.

Nor was he interested in beauty, if he were, he should have consummated with himself long ago.

Now, the whole table was filled with bland dishes.

Even if he had no special taste preferences, the kitchen wouldn't just serve him such bland dishes. Usually, the dishes were colorful, fragrant, and flavorful, sweet and spicy balanced, light and greasy complementing each other.

He looked at the food on the table in confusion.

Chun'er seemed to understand her master's thoughts and hurriedly said, "Heir, is the food not to your liking? Shall I go to the kitchen and ask them to fry a couple more dishes? It's just that the Heir's Consort has been unwell these past few days. The last two days, the sight of greasy food made him nauseous, everything he ate was vomited out, eating bland food made him less uncomfortable..."

Ran Qinggu: "Chun'er, prepare two side dishes for the Heir."

Shang Rongyu raised his hand to stop her. "No need, I've been eating meat and drinking heavily outside for a few days, it's time to eat something light and cleanse my stomach."

Chun'er hurried over to support Ran Qinggu.

Before she could help him up, Shang Rongyu walked over, picked up Ran Qinggu, and headed for the dining table.

Chun'er had to set up the bowls and chopsticks and ladle some chicken soup.

Ran Qinggu took small bites of his meal. After just two bites, his stomach felt uncomfortable, churning.

To avoid disturbing Shang Rongyu's appetite, he quickly drank a sip of clear tea, covered his mouth, and suppressed the rising nausea.

This winter was very cold. All his ailments came out when winter arrived. But his gastrointestinal disease hadn't flared up for a long time. For some reason, a few days ago, his old illness resurfaced, and it was his gastrointestinal disease that hit him hard.

This led to him feeling nauseous at the smell of meat, and when he got cold, he couldn't eat anything, and if he did, he would vomit it up.

Seeing him like this, Shang Rongyu put down his chopsticks and asked, "What's wrong? Where does it hurt?"

Chun'er hurriedly brought over a basin. "The Heir's Consort has been like this for four or five days."

Ran Qinggu spat out the food. "It's nothing serious, I've disturbed the Heir's meal."

Shang Rongyu: "Have you seen the imperial physician? I haven't seen you like this in over a year, why suddenly..."

His words drowned in his throat.

The Heir's Consort had never been in such a state since entering the manor, and suddenly started vomiting after eating a few days ago.

And half a month ago, he had just consummated with the Heir's Consort, he had taken him on the ground...

He suddenly thought of Lu Yunshen's sister-in-law.

When Lu Yunshen's sister-in-law was pregnant, she couldn't stand the slightest bit of meat, she would vomit after eating, and often felt nauseous.

Ran Qinggu picked up the napkin on the table and wiped his mouth. "I'm fine, don't worry, Heir."

Shang Rongyu served himself a bowl of chicken soup. "Do you just feel nauseous? Is there anywhere that hurts?"

Ran Qinggu occasionally experienced cramps in his stomach and abdomen, these were old problems, he knew his body.

He didn't want Shang Rongyu to find someone to treat him, after all, his male body was special.

He shook his head. "No, just occasional nausea."

Shang Rongyu's hand paused as he sipped the chicken soup. "Are there any other symptoms?"

Ran Qinggu was puzzled and shook his head. "No..."

Chun'er interjected, "The Heir's Consort is excessively sleepy. She used to visit the princess dowager for her morning greetings and manage the household affairs, then she could still sit on the swing outside the pavilion to read a book. Now, she either zones out or falls asleep."

Ran Qinggu: "Tattling."

Indeed, these days, he had been lacking in energy and easily distracted.

His mind raced like a carousel, one moment filled with images of snow-covered mountains and blood, the next, he was wearing a bright red wedding gown entering the bridal sedan chair. Then, it was Shang Rongyu holding his hand as they wrote, "Where my heart rests is home."

With so much on his mind, it was no wonder his brain felt overtaxed.

Moreover, every winter, he would become lethargic and prone to drowsiness.

Shang Rongyu's chopsticks clattered to the ground.

Nausea, vomiting, excessive sleepiness...

This was exactly what happened to Lu Yunshen's sister-in-law.

Could it be that he was going to be a father?

BOOM! —— A bolt from the blue struck Shang Rongyu.

He, Shang Rongyu, young and vibrant, a man of grace and elegance, the most handsome man in Da Su, might possibly, potentially, be! a! father! soon!

A! FATHER! SOON!

FATHER! SOON!

He was still a child himself, how could he become a father so quickly?

His mind was flooded with chaotic scenes. One moment, it was dead of night, all was quiet, when a baby's cry pierced the silence. The Heir's Consort was sleeping soundly, leaving him to wake up and soothe the child.

Another moment, a little rascal was riding on his back, tugging at his hair, joyfully shouting, "Giddy-up!" before he pooped! The Heir's Consort laughed heartily beside them...

Once a man becomes a father, his position in the family diminishes.

But if Yuer were to have his child, would she not leave him?

After all, she couldn't let her child grow up without a father.

Never did he imagine that one day he would become a pitiful man, hoping to use a child to keep his wife by his side.

Author's note: This is not a birth story. The Heir has a hole in his head!

Heir: Hit the mark on the first try, I should buy a lottery ticket!

Combining the two chapters with the previous five-thousand-word chapter, today I've roughly updated a total of twelve thousand words, which amounts to four chapters.

The truth will definitely be revealed within two chapters!

I have truly exerted every effort to update, so please praise me! I am grateful to the little angels who cast their tyrant tickets or irrigated with nutrient solution for me during the period from August 22, 2020, at 00:05:44 to August 22, 2020, at 09:07:32.

Thank you to the little angel who has thrown a "landmine": Begonia with 1 contribution.

Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: Astonfa 10 bottles; Failed to get into college and married Jiang Wenxu 3 bottles; Xiaowangshu, Lixia 1 bottle;

I am deeply grateful for the support everyone has shown me, and I will continue to strive for excellence!