Chapter 44: My Heir’s Consort Is Expecting

Chapter 44: My Heir's Consort Is Expecting

At the Li Mansion, drizzling rain gently fell over the walkway, dampening half of the flowered corridor.

Li Feiluan stood under the eaves, dressed in a water-green silk skirt and draped with a light blue shawl. She reached out to touch an early peach blossom under the fine rain.

The pink buds were adorned with crystal-clear droplets; the flowers yet to bloom, but their beauty outshone the entire garden's spring scenery.

Li Feiluan, like an innocent young maiden, spoke words as sharp as ice blades: "The flowers in my courtyard aren't blooming well; they need fertilizing. If you utter a single falsehood, I'll chop you up to nourish my flowers."

The man with a round face standing under the eaves was frightened into bowing his head, respectfully saying, "If I speak a word of untruth, may I be struck by lightning and meet a miserable end. The current Heir's Consort is indeed a man... His name is Ran Qinggu, and during that Lantern Festival, he helped his cousin solve all the lantern riddles..."

Recalling this, the man clenched his teeth inwardly.

In the northern city, he was a renowned scholar, known to everyone as Zhang Dacai, the great talent of the north, having consecutively won the Northern City Lantern Riddle Championship for five years.

Throughout the northern city, no one could match him in guessing lantern riddles or composing poetry.

Despite failing several imperial examinations, he still lived up to his reputation for talent.

But that year, at the Lantern Festival, a mysterious figure appeared, and he was dethroned.

It was a man in white, entirely clad in pale garments, occasionally covering his mouth to cough in the biting cold.

Though he seemed frail and helpless, his bearing made even the north wind bow in submission.

Standing under the dim lanterns, he calmly assisted his cousin in solving one riddle after another.

No matter how difficult the riddles were, no matter how many guessers were stumped by the answers, he would instantly provide them upon a glance, without error or hesitation.

With each correct answer, his cousin and a maid clapped wildly, even daring to mock him as a fool.

In the end, he helped his cousin win the title of that year's riddle-solving champion.

Later, he attended the poetry gathering at the Northern City's Moon Viewing Pavilion.

Although he didn't reveal himself, whenever he saw Bai Yu and the verses she wrote, he knew that man had been there.

Bai Yu mocked him for being pretentious and pedantic, no wonder he repeatedly failed the exams.

As a result, he, the five-time Northern City talent, was ridiculed as a fool and reduced to a stray dog.

Never before had he suffered such humiliation.

He secretly vowed to secure a prestigious position and show the people of the northern city who the real fool was.

His visit to the capital this time was also for this year's imperial examination.

But he never expected to encounter the man disguised as a woman in the marketplace, nor did he expect to meet Li Feiluan by chance.

Upon further inquiry, he learned about the enmity between Li Feiluan and the Heir of King Cheng.

And the once sickly youth had become the Heir's Consort, something he never imagined, especially since that person had offended Li Feiluan.

Who was Li Feiluan? The daughter of Prime Minister Li.

If he could help Li Feiluan resolve her troubles, wouldn't the title of this year's top scholar be his for the taking?

Li Feiluan smiled like a blooming flower. "My father oversees all the civil officials, even the vice minister of rites is his student. If you handle this matter well for me, you will be rewarded."

Scholar Zhang, the man with the round face, hurriedly expressed gratitude. "Thank you, Miss. Rest assured, I will not let that scoundrel deceive the emperor. If Miss needs anything, I will gladly go through fire and water for you, sparing no effort."

The rain grew heavier, wetting most of Li Feiluan's sleeves.

She retracted her hand and accepted a handkerchief from a maid to wipe it dry.

At that moment, a spring breeze blew, causing the painting hanging under the eaves to sway precariously.

With a thud.

The painting fell to the ground, and the raindrops splashed onto it, causing the colors to quickly spread and blur...

The subject of the painting was Ran Qinggu.

Dressed in a green silk skirt and draped with a white gauze shawl, he was dignified and elegant, his features like a painting.

Li Feiluan stepped on the painting with her foot.

The face in the painting beneath her feet remained clear.

She ground her heel into it fiercely, and the painting was instantly crushed and torn apart by her shoes.

Still unsatisfied, she kicked the painting into the pond under the eaves, until the face in the painting gradually became indistinct, only then did she reveal a hint of a smile.

Who would have thought that the Heir's Consort, who haunted the dreams of the Heir of King Cheng, was actually an impostor, and a man at that...

For the past month, she had investigated Ran Qinggu, even personally going to the northern city with the painting to inquire about the situation.

Although few had seen Ran Qinggu, there was one person who delivered charcoal to the old residence of Duke Bai who insisted that the person in the painting was the Heir's Consort's cousin, Ran Qinggu.

This person's account matched Scholar Zhang's exactly, and he had no connection to Scholar Zhang.

She even asked Gu You to help her observe Ran Qinggu's situation within the palace.

Gu You told her that Ran Qinggu refused to share a room with the Heir, and even... Ran Qinggu never allowed maids to enter his room at night or assist him in changing clothes.

Hearing this, she felt both joy and worry.

Joy because Shang Rong had not yet consummated his marriage with the Heir's Consort?

Does this mean that in his heart, the Heir's Consort is not important at all?

Worryingly, Shang Rongyu has yet to consummate his marriage with Ran Qinggu?

Does this also imply that Shang Rongyu loves Ran Qinggu so much that he agreed to his unreasonable demands?

After all, that wretched Ran Qinggu dares not consummate their marriage; once it happens, Shang Rongyu will know he is a man. Given Shang Rongyu's character, if he discovers the deception, wouldn't he dismember Ran Qinggu into pieces?

==

Third month, third day, at Liu Guozhang's residence.

"Be quick and efficient. Noble Consort Liu has expended considerable effort for the grand celebration of Lord Guozhang's birthday. Not only did she invite famous actors from the Jiang Nan opera troupe, but she also dispatched many personnel from the palace. This time, all the princes and nobles will attend, including His Majesty the Emperor and King Cheng. If you mess up, how many heads do you have for them to chop off?"

The chief steward of Liu Guozhang's residence was standing in the courtyard at midnight, lecturing the servants. The servants stood in neat rows, listening respectfully.

At that moment, a maid entered the courtyard.

The chief steward recognized her as one of Lady Su Xi's attendants, the daughter-in-law of Concubine Liu. He hurried over, bowing and greeting her as "Miss."

The Liu family's wealth and glory were entirely due to Noble Consort Liu and Concubine Liu marrying into the imperial family. Lady Su Xi, the daughter-in-law of Concubine Liu, was the granddaughter of the current Chancellor, naturally holding an extraordinary status.

Therefore, he was particularly cautious and polite.

The maid glanced at everyone present.

The chief steward waved his hand. "All of you, leave. Be quick about it. If anything goes wrong, watch out for your lives."

Once everyone had left, the chief steward asked, "Miss, what's the matter? Did Second Lady summon me for something?"

The maid smiled. "Second Lady doesn't have any issues. She just sent me to ask the chief steward, what cuisine will be served today for the birthday celebration?"

The chief steward smiled. "To satisfy the tastes of all the distinguished officials and nobles, the residence has prepared various cuisines, ensuring that everyone leaves satisfied. Miss, does Second Lady have any dietary restrictions? You can tell me, and I'll instruct the staff to be careful when preparing the dishes."

The maid replied, "My lady doesn't have any dietary restrictions, but..."

She changed the subject. "However, there are guests attending the birthday celebration who do have dietary restrictions. Chief steward, do you know what foods would cause discomfort to someone with poor digestion?"

The chief steward hesitated for a moment before saying, "This... people with poor digestion should avoid spicy and greasy foods. But if everything is spicy and greasy, we might ruin the birthday celebration. After all, many of the senior officials who are coming usually have very bland diets."

The maid smiled and handed him a list of medicines. "That person has a weak constitution and poor digestion. These are the medicines she takes regularly."

Her hint was clear: the person from the Sinking Fish Pavilion not only had a poor constitution and frequently fell ill, but also had extremely poor digestion. Her daily diet was exceptionally meticulous.

Even so, she still took digestive herbs every few days...

This time, she must lose half her life here.

Everyone had risen through the ranks by treading on the edge of danger; who didn't know a few tricks?

The chief steward understood and smiled. "I understand. Please return and inform Second Lady that I will do my utmost. Also, please convey my greetings to Concubine Liu on my behalf."

The maid replied, "Alright, Chief Steward, please continue with your work."

After a spring rain, all the flowers in the capital bloomed. The pear blossoms were as white as snow, and the peach blossoms were as pink as rosy clouds.

To celebrate this eightieth birthday, the Liu residence specially invited two or three dozen garden masters and bought thousands of peach and pear trees to decorate the courtyard.

Ran Qinggu's arrangement for King Cheng's birthday celebration last year caused a sensation among the official families in the capital. Since then, the nobility of the capital have been caught up in a craze.

A birthday celebration need not be extravagant, but it must be unique and innovative.

Thus, the mistresses and stewards of each residence racked their brains.

For example, Ran Qinggu organized a stream-side poetry party last summer, and the Liu residence immediately followed suit, arranging a peach and pear-filled paradise.

The Liu residence filled the courtyard with peach and pear blossoms, a beautiful sight of pink and white.

Every so often, ten dining tables were placed, adorned with various foods and wines. Guests could freely choose their favorite dishes from each table, and then sit wherever they liked among the beautifully arranged scenic spots, where various styles of low stools and chairs were set up. Guests could take their favorite dishes and sit wherever they chose, choosing to sit with whomever they liked.

Here, it was like a paradise outside the world, without class distinctions or differences in rank, all based on personal preference.

Ran Qinggu sat with the princess in a small pavilion with a nice view.

Since entering the Liu residence, the princess hadn't seen Shang Rongyu again.

She complained, "Rongyu is really something, going to find his classmates at this time instead of sitting with us."

Ran Qinggu ate a few bites of food, remaining silent. His stomach felt warm, as if he had drunk strong liquor and was burning inside.

He knew that Shang Rongyu couldn't face him, and he himself didn't know how to face Shang Rongyu either.

In fact, no matter how Shang Rongyu dealt with him, he wouldn't blame him; this was simply his fate.

Suddenly, the burning sensation slowly rose, like a blunt knife scraping his stomach, causing varying amounts of blood to seep out.

He frowned, covering his stomach, and raised his eyebrows to look around at the people present.

Some were laughing and chatting, others were engaged in high-minded discussions...

It seemed he was the only one suffering like this.

His digestive system had improved in recent days, so why did it suddenly worsen upon arriving at the Liu residence?

Lady Su Xi, sitting across from him, looked at Ran Qinggu coldly, her lips curling slightly.

No one could have imagined that she had added spices to the food that conflicted with the medicines Ran Qinggu took, and that wretched person deserved such suffering.

Ran Qinggu was in pain and accidentally met Lady Su Xi's gaze.

Lady Su Xi was originally triumphant, but Ran Qinggu's sharp, piercing gaze made her shudder.

Her heart was filled with fear as she conceded defeat.

That gaze was too terrifying; she had never seen such a ferocious look in someone's eyes before.

Seeing Ran Qinggu's forehead drenched in cold sweat, the princess asked with concern, "Yu'er, what's wrong?"

Ran Qinggu stood up, "Mother, I'm fine. I'll just go to the backyard for a moment."

The princess asked, "Do you want your mother to accompany you?"

Ran Qinggu shook his head, "No need. I'll be back soon."

With that, he struggled to compose himself and walked towards the backyard.

Shang Rongyu was already sitting with Lu Yunshen under the covered bridge, indulging in boisterous drinking games and loud discussions. The table of veteran officials from two dynasties wasn't nearly as rowdy.

As he played the drinking game, he saw Ran Qinggu weaving through the crowd, heading in the direction of the backyard.

His hand involuntarily trembled, spilling the wine.

Yu Tiao remarked, "This round doesn't count. So much has been spilled..."

Lu Yunshen smiled, "Come on, fill it up, fill it up."

Shang Rongyu laughed and snatched the wine pot, gulping it down...

The wine overflowed, staining his elegant attire.

Lu Yunshen and the others exclaimed loudly, "Good, well done." "What a capacity..." "To drink like that, why were you hiding it earlier..."

People at nearby tables turned to look, lavishing praise on Shang Rongyu. His table became the center of attention among the surrounding few.

Gulps of wine poured down, and out of the corner of his eye, Shang Rongyu observed the crowd laughing heartily, cheering, scoffing, or looking down upon the lack of decorum...

"A normal person cannot be without emotional fluctuations. To laugh when happy and joyful, to cry when sad and pained, isn't this human nature?"

"If a person can't even perceive their own existence, if they have no awareness of basic needs like food and clothing, then over time, even if they're alive, they're nothing but a walking corpse."

"I don't like this world, I don't love myself, but I like you."

"I don't know what normal human emotions are, or rather, I don't know what humans need? I've tried hard to live like a person, I've tried hard to imitate them, but I found it all fake..."

"A person like me, without relatives or friends, without loved ones or parents, without a home, without a future, while you have everything I envy!"

After the last drop of wine was poured, Shang Rongyu smashed the bottle with a bang.

Everyone cheered and praised him, "Good, the heir is truly magnificent..."

Shang Rongyu wiped his sleeve across his face to clear the alcohol, stood up, and headed towards the backyard.

When he reached the flower corridor, he saw Shang Yuzhou also heading towards the backyard.

He hesitated for a moment, and just as he turned to walk back, he was held back.

The Nanjun King was drunk, stumbling over to grab Shang Rongyu's arm, holding a jug of wine, slurring, "Heir, I want to drink a cup with you. I want to see who has the greater capacity. I..."

He patted his chest, "I can drink a thousand cups without getting drunk, never been drunk before. Today, I'm going to have a big drinking session with you..."

With a thud, the Nanjun King passed out, sprawled in front of Shang Rongyu.

Shang Rongyu looked in the direction of the backyard, seemingly making a decision, and stepped over the Nanjun King's body, continuing towards the backyard.

When he arrived at the backyard, he saw Ran Qinggu leaning against the wall, squatting in a corner, vomiting violently.

He turned to leave, but after taking just one step, he heard the sound of the man retching.

It was as if something had frozen him in place, unable to move.

That sound echoed in his heart, causing a sharp pain.

A group of elegantly dressed maids walked out from the opposite corridor, each carrying a tray with four white porcelain tea cups, the walls adorned with alternating patterns of purple-red and blue-green.

These patterns weren't added later; during the creation of the white porcelain, red and blue porcelain were mixed in, resulting in the purple-red and blue-green hues after firing. The process was extremely complex, and the slightest mistake could ruin the entire cup.

Shang Rongyu casually took a tea cup filled with clear tea from one of the maids' trays.

The maid stopped Shang Rongyu, bowing respectfully, "Heir, these tea cups are holy objects bestowed by the late emperor, destined for the main hall. They contain tea steeped with floral dew, meant to entertain first-class generals, prime ministers, and princes. If one is missing, we servants will not escape punishment."

Shang Rongyu replied, "Even if taken to the main hall, there would still be a cup for me, Shang Rongyu. I'm simply taking my share early. Just report it."

The maid, seeing the logic in his words, nodded, "Yes."

Shang Rongyu approached Ran Qinggu with the tea cup, offering him the floral dew, "Rinse your mouth."

Ran Qinggu stared at the hand extending the cup, its knuckles distinct, and after a moment, accepted it, "Thank you, Heir."

Shang Yuzhou rounded the covered bridge, pausing at the sight of the two figures in the corner.

He gripped the glass of water tightly in his hand, and with a crunch,

The glass shattered in his grasp.

He hated this feeling of powerlessness.

Just like how he couldn't save his mother years ago, kneeling in the snow to an unfamiliar father and a group of brothers...

In the end, he grew further and further away from her...

Until she froze to death in the Rain Flower Pool.

And now, despite his precedence in saving Ran Qinggu's life, the one who should have been by his side was always preempted by another. He didn't even possess the right to show concern.

Shang Yuzhou exerted too much force, shards of porcelain embedding into his palm as blood began to pool and drip.

He turned and strode towards the front hall.

Ran Qinggu, leaning against the wall, retched in discomfort, his body trembling almost imperceptibly.

Shang Rongyu reached out, intending to pat his back to offer some relief.

His hand paused just before making contact.

He moved his lips, wanting to suggest that Ran Qinggu rest in the side room.

But the words that came out were, "I was just passing by."

Ran Qinggu paused while rinsing his mouth, taking a long moment before spitting out the water. "Oh."

They stood in silence.

After a prolonged quiet, Ran Qinggu spoke, "Heir, no matter how you choose to deal with me, I won't hold it against you."

Shang Rongyu: "Shut up."

Ran Qinggu nodded, indicating he understood. He rose and headed for the stone table at the courtyard's center, intending to place the white porcelain cup there.

The stone table was in the heart of the courtyard, surrounded by pebble paths that crisscrossed, lined with peach and pear blossoms.

As he stepped on the pebble path, he accidentally trod on his robe's hem, causing him to slip slightly.

Seeing this, Shang Rongyu quickly stepped forward, grasping Ran Qinggu's hand and pulling him into his embrace.

Caught off guard by Shang Rongyu's sudden pull, Ran Qinggu lost his grip on the cup, which fell to the ground.

Realizing he had embraced Ran Qinggu, Shang Rongyu immediately released him. "Where were you going? The pebble path is difficult to walk on; couldn't you have chosen another route?"

Ran Qinggu pointed his chin toward the stone table. "I was putting down the cup."

At the mention of the cup, Shang Rongyu noticed it was shattered beyond repair.

This was a gift from his grandfather to Liu Guozhang, unique in all the world.

Both Liu Guozhang and his grandfather shared a love for tea and music, true kindred spirits, which led to the gift of such precious tea ware. The intricate porcelain patterns consumed countless craftsmen and resources.

To a tea connoisseur, the importance of tea ware surpassed that of the tea itself.

Liu Guozhang's display of such valuable tea ware served dual purposes: showcasing the Liu family's prestige and his genuine affection for the set, proudly showing it off.

A tea set worthy of admiration by a master of tea could be likened to his very life, akin to a top swordsman for whom the sword was everything.

Shang Rongyu's complexion alternated between green and white as he stared dumbfoundedly at the shattered tea cup on the ground.

Ran Qinggu asked in confusion, "Heir, what's wrong? Is something not right?"

Shang Rongyu remained silent.

Ran Qinggu: "..."

Ran Qinggu: "Did we do something wrong?"

Shang Rongyu: "No, we did nothing wrong. It's the cup that's at fault, it shouldn't have broken."

His gaze shifted to the neighboring moon gate.

Following Shang Rongyu's line of sight, Ran Qinggu looked over.

In the courtyard of the adjacent residence, a sable was tethered.

The sable, entirely white except for a tuft of black fur around its neck, had glossy fur and sharp eyes that stared straight at them.

Or rather, at Ran Qinggu.

Instantly, Ran Qinggu's face drained of color.

That was the Second Prince's sable, bestowed upon him by the emperor.

It was the only thing he possessed that the Crown Prince did not.

He cherished this sable, taking it wherever he went.

When the Qing family was annihilated, this very sable had scratched Ran Qinggu, leaving a faint scar on his arm.

Now, the beast glared at him with recognition.

Shang Rongyu picked up a stone from the ground and approached the sable.

Ran Qinggu was taken aback. "Hei..."

Shang Rongyu: "Go keep watch, or else Liu Guozhang will undoubtedly detain both of us in the Liu residence for three years, mourning the loss of his tea cup."

Ran Qinggu hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Yes."

==

The main hall had already finished dining, and the tables in the courtyard were being cleared of food and alcohol. On the high platform in the yard, a troupe was set up, these were famous actors invited by Consort Liu from Jiang Nan.

At this moment, the famous actor on the stage retreated behind the curtain, and a storyteller stepped onto the stage.

The storyteller had a round, pockmarked face, fanning himself as he slowly took two steps, reciting a line of poetry with each step, exuding the charm of a talented scholar.

"Reversing dragons and phoenixes, wasting youth, how can one distinguish between male and female? The daughter of the East replaces the West, marrying into the imperial family in a single day!"

He stood still, pointing at the crowd with his fan: "The daughter of the East replaces the West, marrying into the imperial family in a single day."

The dignitaries below looked at each other: "Who is this person? A storyteller? What is he saying?"

Another person chimed in: "I don't know, but the poem is quite interesting."

"Go on..."

The round-faced man smiled and said: "Legend has it that in some unknown dynasty, the Emperor bestowed a marriage to the most beloved son of the current Prince, but unexpectedly, the sister did not want to marry, yet the brother married instead..."

The crowd found it unbelievable: "The brother married? A man marrying a man? How could that be possible?"

"Yes, haven't you read too many storybooks?"

In Da Su, keeping male concubines was common, but they never graced the halls of the elite, merely playthings.

Moreover, how could there be a man marrying another man?

The round-faced man smiled: "Ladies and gentlemen, please allow me to tell you the whole story."

Consort Liu was confused: "Sister, what's going on here? Did you invite him back?"

Consort Liu Xianfei was puzzled: "This person wasn't invited by me."

Princess Langhua, holding her mother's hand, angrily pointed at the stage, instructing the servants and guards: "What are you all standing around for? Look at this man making a scene, if you ruin Grandfather's birthday celebration, how many heads do you have to lose?"

As the guards were about to go on stage to pull the man down, they were unexpectedly stopped by Li Feiluan.

Li Feiluan said with a smile: "Princess, why not listen? I find it quite interesting."

Although Princess Langhua was usually friendly with Li Feiluan, she dared not joke about Liu Guozhang's birthday, so she asked: "What if this person..."

Li Feiluan interrupted her: "What's there to fear? There are so many guards in the mansion, how big of a wave can he make? I find it quite interesting, let's listen. If the birthday celebration goes awry, I'll take responsibility."

Princess Langhua: "Can you take that responsibility?"

Li Feiluan firmly replied: "I can."

She winked at the round-faced man: "Continue."

The round-faced man continued fanning himself: "This man married in place of his sister, entering the imperial family, but unexpectedly, the people of the imperial family never discovered his true identity, time passed slowly..."

"Hold on, the son of the current Prince, an arranged marriage... why does this sound so familiar?"

"It sounds a bit like the Emperor and Prince Cheng's Heir, the Heir's Consort..."

"So the Heir's Consort is actually a man... impossible, she's so virtuous, she doesn't look like a man at all."

The round-faced man's face was filled with anger, pointing at the crowd with his fan: "I'm talking about... Prince Cheng's Heir's Consort Bai Yu, his original name was Ran Qinggu, he's Bai Yu's cousin, he's originally a man."

In an instant, the expressions on the faces of the dignitaries were varied.

There was shock, there was amusement, there was bewilderment, there was disbelief, there was anger, there was mockery...

The scene was as if frozen in time.

The princess consort's face was extremely ugly, angrily ordering the guards: "Go, cut out his tongue."

If Prince Cheng hadn't accompanied the Emperor to shoot arrows, she would have made Prince Cheng dismember this person.

At that moment, a sharp scream echoed from the back courtyard.

It sounded like a baby crying, like a woman sobbing, or like some animal.

Before the crowd could recover from the shock of "the Heir's Consort is a man," they were frightened back to their senses by these sharp screams, all looking towards the direction of the back courtyard.

They saw Shang Rongyu supporting Ran Qinggu, lifting the curtain and walking into the main hall.

Ran Qinggu's clothes were torn in a spot, several strands of hair were scattered, his face was pale, and his body was trembling slightly, as if scared by something.

Shang Rongyu gently held him, his eyes full of affection.

As soon as they entered the main hall, they noticed that everyone was staring at the two of them.

Their eyes wandered, landing on Ran Qinggu's body and chest.

Seeing this, the princess consort was frightened and hurriedly went forward to ask: "What happened? Why are you in this state?"

Ran Qinggu trembled: "Mother, Yu'er is fine, I was just scared by a ferret."

Only then did the crowd recall those screams from the back courtyard.

Could it be that the Heir's Consort was scared by a pet ferret?

Many dignitaries kept small pets.

But generally, animals like ferrets, cats, and dogs didn't have much offensive power, and those that did would be restrained.

To be scared by a ferret the size of a kitten indeed showed great timidity.

That person on the stage even said in front of everyone that the Heir's Consort was a man.

Which man is so timid? Which man can be so enchantingly delicate and helpless?

If the Heir's Consort were a man, wouldn't that mean there are no women in the world?

Ran Qinggu looked at the person on stage, his face instantly paling even more.

Isn't this man the enigma of the Northern City, the great scholar Zhang?

That Lantern Festival, he was dragged onto the streets to play by Bai Yu Tao Zi. In their private room, Bai Yu solved many riddles under the lanterns, and he could only help her guess. By the end, Bai Yu directly became the riddle queen of that year, dethroning this riddle king, Scholar Zhang, who had held the title for five consecutive years.

Later, coinciding with the Lantern Festival poetry gathering, as the only daughter of a duke in the Northern City, Bai Yu was invited to attend. Unfortunately, while Bai Yu could handle swords and clubs, poetry and couplets were simply too much for her.

She came to seek Ran Qinggu's help.

Ran Qinggu had no choice but to write poems for her in her elegant seat. In the end, she relied on the verses written by Ran Qinggu to utterly defeat everyone.

And that pretentious Scholar Zhang was thoroughly ridiculed and humiliated by Bai Yu, becoming a laughingstock.

Afterward, Ran Qinggu scolded Bai Yu for not knowing when to stop and for unnecessarily inviting trouble.

Bai Yu then told him that this Scholar Zhang was a gold-digger, and not a very competent one at that.

At twelve years old, he became a scholar. Magistrate Liu didn't mind his humble background, believing he had a bright future ahead of him, and was willing to marry off his most beloved daughter to him.

Who knew that after marrying Magistrate Liu's daughter, he not only failed to study hard for the imperial exams but also showed no concern for the household's daily necessities. Instead, he used his wife's dowry to frequently treat his fox friends and dog companions to meals, and he would indulge in the company of beautiful courtesans, pretending to appreciate refined arts.

His mother was even more vicious and sharp-tongued, making Magistrate Liu's daughter do her laundry and cooking, and would beat or scold her at will. Even when the courtesan became pregnant, she made Magistrate Liu's daughter borrow money from her family to redeem the courtesan.

In the end, Magistrate Liu couldn't bear seeing his daughter suffer and proposed a divorce.

Scholar Zhang demanded a thousand taels of silver from Magistrate Liu for the divorce; otherwise, it was out of the question.

Magistrate Liu had never encountered such a shameless rogue and sought the county magistrate's intervention to uphold justice.

The county magistrate was a reasonable man and required them to settle matters amicably on the spot.

Later, Scholar Zhang, unable to accept it, believed that the Liu family had gone too far and began slandering Magistrate Liu's daughter everywhere, saying she was unchaste and had committed adultery, causing her to remain unmarried.

Bai Yu had always possessed a spirit of chivalry deep within her bones.

Due to her extreme disgust for Scholar Zhang, she publicly humiliated him during the Lantern Festival poetry gathering, criticizing his pretentiousness, his nonsensical poetry, and his heartless and ungrateful nature.

Upon hearing the reason, Ran Qinggu let the matter rest.

Who would have thought that today, this Scholar Zhang would appear here.

Seeing him, Scholar Zhang was filled with hatred, as if he wanted to flay Ran Qinggu alive.

Shang Rongyu noticed all eyes were on them and smiled. "What's going on? Could it be that this Heir has reached a new level of handsomeness?"

Lu Yunshen moved closer, whispering into Shang Rongyu's ear, "Someone on stage, I don't know where they came from, said the Heir's Consort is a man."

Shang Rongyu scoffed. "A man? Is he going to say next that this Heir is a woman? What a tale weaver!"

Ran Qinggu looked at Shang Rongyu in astonishment.

He never expected Shang Rongyu to defend him.

He assumed that Shang Rongyu would at least watch indifferently, or perhaps even kill him.

Li Feiluan stepped forward. "Why not verify it today? Whether male or female?"

The princess consort raised an eyebrow coldly. "Miss Li, based on the words of that crude man, you want me to have my son's Heir's Consort publicly verified? Don't you think that's a bit too absurd?"

Li Feiluan chuckled lightly. "What's absurd about it? This man is the great scholar of the Northern City, Scholar Zhang, who has met the Heir's Consort Bai Yu and her cousin Ran Qinggu several times. He surely won't make a mistake. Moreover, if the Heir's Consort is indeed a substitute sent by Ran Qinggu, isn't that a crime of deceiving the emperor? Why not verify it?"

The princess consort: "My son's Heir's Consort is well-educated and comes from a prestigious family. Every move she makes is measured. How can she be casually verified? She isn't some disreputable person who can publicly confess to a man..."

Li Feiluan flushed red with anger. "You..."

Indeed, she had once pursued Shang Rongyu publicly, assuming the princess consort would see her passion. She never expected the princess consort to consider her disreputable, lacking propriety and morals.

No wonder whenever she tried to please the princess consort in the past, the princess consort merely smiled without speaking, never suggesting anything about allowing her to enter the King Cheng's Palace.

Madame Li, eager to protect her daughter, said, "Princess Consort, your words are a bit impolite. My daughter was indeed naive before, but she has never done anything against the law. Yet, your son openly seeks out flowers and willows, indulging in debauchery on the streets?"

The princess consort snorted coldly. "My son is a man. So what if he seeks out flowers and willows? Which man doesn't have multiple wives and concubines, and what's wrong with indulging in debauchery? Which man wasn't wild when young? But your daughter is a woman. A woman should stay obediently in her boudoir, adhering to the proper conduct of a lady, rather than blocking a man's carriage on the street and confessing to him. More importantly, she shouldn't be so aggressive now, demanding that my son's Heir's Consort be verified. To put it bluntly, Miss Li, you're still not giving up. You think that even without the Heir's Consort, you can step over the threshold of my King Cheng's Palace?"

Tears welled up in Li Feiluan's eyes.

No matter how painful and exhausting her martial arts training was, she never uttered a sound. Even when her big toe was crushed by a horse's hoof, leaving it bloody and mangled, she still gritted her teeth and persisted.

Now, the princess consort's words were like knives, piercing her heart with every word.

"Princess Consort, since Miss Li has found a witness to prove that the Heir's Consort is a man, why not verify it? It would prevent future criticism of the King Cheng's Palace. Moreover, if the Heir's Consort is truly a man, isn't that a grave crime of deceiving the emperor, punishable by extermination of the entire clan?" The Second Prince stepped forward, looking gently at Ran Qinggu.

He considered himself experienced in reading people, but he couldn't see through this person in front of him.

He felt that beneath this person's frail exterior, something must be concealed...

The princess consort: "Second Prince, your words are even more impolite. In terms of both sentiment and reason, you are Rongyu's cousin. Which cousin demands to verify the true identity of his cousin's wife? Moreover, you say verify, and you verify, in front of so many people, where does that leave the face of my King Cheng's Palace? If Yu'er isn't a man, who will come forward to apologize? A woman's reputation is paramount, let alone such ridiculous accusations. Without dying to apologize, my King Cheng's Palace will never let this go."

Scholar Zhang stepped forward, bowing to the crowd. "He is definitely a man. If not, I will cut out my tongue and tear my mouth apart in public today..."

The Second Prince smiled. "Look, someone has come forward to die as an apology. Princess Consort, what else do you have to say? I'm not forcing you to verify the Heir's Consort's true identity. I'm just curious whether what he says is true or false. After all, cross-dressing is a rather extraordinary matter."

The princess consort sneered. "What kind of lowlife is this? What use is that worthless life to my King Cheng's Palace? Don't randomly push a scapegoat forward to save face for my King Cheng's Palace."

Li Feiluan looked provocatively at Ran Qinggu. "Heir's Consort, dare you be verified?"

Ran Qinggu: "How do you propose we verify it?"

Li Feiluan: "Since you claim to be a woman, why don't we find two witnesses and go to the side room to verify it in public? You take off one piece of clothing, and I'll take off one piece."

Madam Li and the Consort together exclaimed, "No."

Madam Li: "Daughter, you're not married yet, how can you let others see your body?"

The Consort: "Yu'er, you're the Heir's Consort, representing King Cheng's Mansion. How can others just say 'verify' and 'verify'?"

Li Feiluan pushed Madam Li aside: "Mother, I know my limits."

She raised her eyebrows: "Heir's Consort, are you afraid?"

Ran Qinggu replied coolly: "What am I afraid of? But Miss Li, you can't just say 'verify' and 'verify.' You seem to have no regard for me as the Heir's Consort. It can't be that because you've been secretly in love with the Heir, you always find trouble with me. Today, you find some random person to say I'm a man, so tomorrow, are you going to find a Taoist priest to say I'm a demon? I can't possibly play along every time."

He turned the conversation directly to Li Feiluan's secret love for King Cheng's Heir, suggesting she was acting out of spite.

As expected, the surrounding young ladies from official families began whispering.

"That's right, it's too outrageous. She doesn't seem to bother anyone else..."

"It's no secret that she has a crush on King Cheng's Heir; she once stopped his carriage in the street!"

"Shameless. The Heir's Consort is truly a victim of circumstance, being humiliated in front of so many people!"

Li Feiluan clenched her teeth in anger: "Are you afraid?"

Ran Qinggu scoffed coldly: "This tactic won't work on me. I don't want to play house with you."

Shang Rongyu took off his cloak and draped it over Ran Qinggu, his eyes fierce: "Miss Li, do you think I, Shang Rongyu, am dead? The person who lies beside me every night, how could they be a man?"

Shang Rongyu's cloak carried a strong scent of alcohol mixed with the fresh fragrance of grass and wood.

Ran Qinggu's stomach felt like it was on fire, and now, with this smell, it churned even more violently.

He suspected that someone had drugged the food today; otherwise, his stomach wouldn't flare up so quickly after just recovering.

A wave of acid surged up from his stomach.

He covered his mouth and vomited to the ground.

Shang Rongyu gently squatted down, softly patting his back, his face full of blissful glory: "Actually, there's something I've kept hidden for half a month without telling anyone. My Heir's Consort is pregnant."

"He's been pregnant for over half a month now."

Author's note: Heir: Second Prince, you're still gloating, but you lost your marten.

I didn't correct any typos because I'm too tired. I'll make the corrections when I wake up!

Thank you to the little angels who cast their votes or watered the nutrient solution for me between 00:19:42 on August 24, 2020, and 00:44:31 on August 25, 2020.

Thank you to the angel who launched a rocket: Yiyet (1).

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Thank you very much for your support! I will continue to work hard!