Chapter 51: Chapter Fifty-One He Is Personally Strangling the Bloodline Between Him and His Master…

Chapter 51: He Is Personally Severing the Bloodline Between Himself and His Master...

Autumn had settled over the capital, the cool breeze dispelling the last vestiges of summer heat. The once vibrant green leaves had yellowed and curled at the edges, clinging precariously to their branches.

On the white jade go board, the black pieces were utterly routed, encircled and decimated by the white. Wei Zheng set down the black piece he had been holding. "Your Majesty's go skills have grown ever more refined. Your son humbly admits defeat."

The old emperor, serene and composed, remarked, "You always let me win—do you truly think I can’t tell?"

Though his expression was serious and stern, a faint, inadvertent smile flickered in his eyes, clearly pleased by the flattery.

Wei Zheng merely smiled, offering no words, showing not a hint of embarrassment at being seen through.

Under the wisteria trellis, the autumn breeze blew gently. Two or three fallen leaves drifted and twirled in the air before settling on the ground. Attendants standing by deftly gathered the black and white pieces one by one, the stones clinking softly as they were placed into their containers.

The old emperor took a sip of clear tea and asked, as if casually, "Seventh, why haven't I seen your little favorite lately? Have you grown tired of him and sent him away?"

Wei Zheng’s eyes darkened slightly. He coughed lightly into his fist, his voice hoarse as he replied, "When we fell from the cliff, Sui Yun protected your son and broke his leg, sustaining serious injuries. His life is not in danger, but his leg hasn't healed enough for him to leave his bed. He has been recuperating in the side hall."

As he spoke, he seemed to recall something and asked curiously in return, "Why has Your Majesty taken an interest in him?"

The old emperor said, "No particular reason. The two of you were inseparable before, and it’s been a while since I’ve seen him. Your father was merely curious."

Wei Zheng nodded in understanding. "If Your Majesty wishes to see him, your son will have the servants bring him here."

He made as if to summon an attendant to fetch him.

"No need to call him," the old emperor raised a hand to stop him. Glancing at the sky, he added, "I should be going. Let him rest and recover properly."

With that, he stood up. Zhao Fu, who had been waiting nearby, immediately stepped forward to support him, while palace maids and eunuchs gathered behind to form an entourage.

Wei Zheng rose and bowed in farewell. "Your son respectfully bids farewell to Your Majesty."

The old emperor nodded, signaling him to dispense with the formalities. As he turned to leave, he seemed to remember something again and looked back. "That favorite of yours is, after all, a commoner and a rare loyal soul. It’s truly a pity he’s been serving as your male favorite for over half a year without any official recognition. Your father will make the decision to elevate him to a concubine—consider it a way to bring you some good fortune."

A flicker of surprise passed through Wei Zheng’s eyes, quickly replaced by delight. He promptly replied, "Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty."

"Later, have the Imperial Astronomer consult their birth dates to pick an auspicious day, and let the Ministry of Rites handle the formalities according to protocol."

This last remark was directed at Zhao Fu, who replied cheerfully.

Wei Zheng watched as the old emperor departed, his gaze lingering on the receding figure as he fell into deep thought.

"What does His Majesty mean by this?"

Duan Lin, who had been listening in for a while, emerged from somewhere, frowning in thoughtful confusion.

There wasn’t a father in the world so open-minded as to not only refrain from stopping his son’s same-sex relationship but even take the initiative to arrange a male concubine for him.

Unsolicited favors often hide ulterior motives.

"I don’t know," Wei Zheng adjusted his sleeves, tucking his hands into them, and said slowly, "We’ll take it one step at a time."

.

In Yangzhou, the rain had ceased, and the air gradually grew cooler. Wei San walked alone on the moss-covered stone path of a narrow alley. Faint sounds of people and dogs barking from the houses on either side added a touch of life to the otherwise quiet street.

At the very end of the alley stood a dilapidated, solitary house. Its blue tiles had fallen, and the wooden door hung precariously, looking desolate as if it had been long abandoned.

Wei San stood before the door and knocked. There was no response. He patiently knocked again, repeating the action several times.

"Coming, coming, stop rushing."

Finally, the wooden door was pulled inward. The person who opened it was a man around thirty years old, with disheveled clothes and unbound hair. Clearly woken up and irritable, he used excessive force to open the door, causing it to creak and groan under the strain.

"Doctor Ruan, my apologies for disturbing you."

Wei San bowed respectfully.

"What brings you here?"

Ruan Xingji yawned, his eyes casually sizing up Wei San, as if ready to shut the door if the reason wasn’t compelling.

"I’ve come for medical treatment."

Wei San stated his purpose directly. Ruan Xingji raised an eyebrow. "What illness? Let me be clear—my rule is I don’t treat the living, nor do I heal the dead."

"Zhong Tong sent me to find you."

Wei San name-dropped Zhong Tong. Sure enough, upon hearing that Zhong Tong had sent him, Ruan Xingji’s attitude became a bit friendlier. He let out an intrigued "Oh?" and said, "An illness even Little Tong can’t handle? Now I’m curious. Give me your hand, let me take your pulse."

Wei San obediently held out his arm and pushed up his sleeve. Before placing his fingers on Wei San’s wrist, Ruan Xingji’s demeanor was casual, but within moments, his eyes widened in surprise. He observed Wei San’s appearance carefully, making sure.

"You’re not a woman dressed as a man, are you?"

Wei San shook his head. His eyes lit up with excitement, and he declared boldly, "This illness—I’ll treat it."

With that, he grabbed Wei San’s wrist and yanked him into the house.

The wooden door was forcefully shut again, sending a shower of wood chips fluttering down.

In the shadows, several hidden guards exchanged puzzled glances. From a distance, they couldn’t hear what Wei San and the man had said.

An Yi gestured to An San across the way: "Why is that man being so hands-on with Wei San? Why did he drag Wei San inside? What’s their relationship?"

An San replied: "Not sure. Let’s keep observing."

Inside the house, Ruan Xingji had already circled Wei San several times.

He stared at Wei San for a long time before asking, "Are you intersex?"

Wei San frowned in confusion. "What is intersex?"

"Having both male and female reproductive organs."

Wei San shook his head. "No."

Ruan Xingji hissed in disbelief. "That shouldn’t be. While male pregnancy is rare, it’s not unheard of, but those cases involve intersex individuals. If you’re purely male, how could you be pregnant?"

Muttering to himself, he rushed to the bookshelf by the wall, rummaging through layers of medical texts and ancient texts. It seemed even he was at a loss.

Wei San, however, remained remarkably calm. He took a sip of tea and asked, "Doctor Ruan, can this child be removed?"

Ruan Xingji, who was tiptoeing to reach a book on the top shelf, turned around in surprise. "You don’t want it?"

Wei San nodded. "I don’t plan to keep it."

Ruan Xingji’s face showed regret, but he understood Wei San’s choice. Although the Great Yu Dynasty was relatively open-minded, it wasn’t so progressive as to accept the phenomenon of men giving birth. If word got out, Wei San might be branded a monster and burned alive.

As a physician, especially one who relished tackling rare and difficult cases, Ruan Xingji naturally wanted Wei San to carry the child to term. But since Wei San himself was unwilling, he couldn’t force him.

"The method for delivering it requires research, but getting it out is much simpler."

Ruan Xingji spoke with deep anguish, mourning the loss of that exquisitely detailed medical record missing from his book.

Hearing that he had a solution, the weight lifted from Wei San's heart, yet a faint, stabbing pain lingered.

He was personally destroying the child that shared blood ties with his master.

Guilty but resolute, he asked coldly, "How is it done?"

Ruan Xingji replied, "By cutting open the abdomen to remove the child."