Chapter 35 It Hurts, I Can’t Walk.

Chapter 35: It hurts, I can't walk.

As per tradition, on the third day after their wedding, Xie Xiao accompanied Yan Weichu on his homecoming visit.

Xie Xiao was an early riser. By the time Yan Weichu awoke, he had already instructed his staff to load the homecoming gifts for the Count's manor onto the carriage. There were many items, all prepared by Xie Xiao in advance.

During breakfast, Yan Weichu seemed a bit out of sorts. Xie Xiao looked up at him and asked, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Yan Weichu thought to himself that he was uncomfortable everywhere. Having been deflowered and overused for the first time, his delicate and noble Young Emperor's body had truly suffered.

But he was too embarrassed to say it outright, merely forcing a dry laugh and replying, "I'm fine..."

Sensing something amiss, Xie Xiao ordered an extra cushion to be placed in the carriage they would soon take, ensuring Yan Weichu's comfort.

Even with Yan Weichu's thick skin, his ears grew warm at this gesture... it really wasn't necessary.

Xie Xiao placed some food in his bowl and said, "If you're uncomfortable, you should say so."

Yan Weichu mumbled, "I know."

Once in the carriage, Xie Xiao sat close to Yan Weichu this time, putting an arm around him and letting him lean against himself to relax.

Yan Weichu didn't hold back either, yawning and snuggling up to Xie Xiao, closing his eyes to rest.

After the carriage had been moving for a while, Xie Xiao suddenly asked, "Why did His Majesty have you adopted by the Count of Anding?"

Yan Weichu felt a headache coming on. Why are you still dwelling on this?

He said awkwardly, "If I had approached you with my true identity, would you have paid me any mind? Knowing my relationship with His Majesty, you would surely have kept as much distance as possible. Besides, His Majesty also wanted to make good use of my father's talents. It just so happened that I was originally from a collateral branch of the Bian family, and my father had no heirs, so I was adopted."

Yan Weichu: "..."

He finally realized that his cousin now seemed to harbor a deep resentment towards his emperor self.

Before, when his military power was stripped, he hadn't resented him, but now...

Well, it was his own fault for taking such a risky approach. This matter absolutely couldn't be exposed, at least not for the time being. He couldn't let his cousin find out his true identity anytime soon.

Xie Xiao asked again, "Since I've married you, the Count of Anding and I are now father-in-law and son-in-law. His Majesty has entrusted the capital garrison to both of us. How can he be so sure we won't collude to feign compliance while acting against him?"

He had asked this question the night before, and Yan Weichu hadn't answered then. Now, he decided to be honest: "My father has leverage in His Majesty's hands."

Xie Xiao's voice caught: "Leverage?"

"Yes," Yan Weichu sighed. "My little father—you didn't truly believe he was just an ordinary person, did you? Far from it. He is a descendant of the Qing rebellion, the eldest grandson of Prince Qing, who led the rebellion back then. By harboring remnants of the Qing rebels, my father has committed a crime for which His Majesty could exterminate the Count of Anding's entire clan at any time."

"..." Xie Xiao was momentarily speechless.

What kind of pirate ship had he been tricked onto? Was it still too late to jump ship?

Yan Weichu looked up, his dark eyes fixed on him: "Are you afraid I'll drag you down, cousin?"

Xie Xiao's heart stirred, inexplicably recalling the day he had asked this very question. At the time, Yan Weichu's response was that he would shoulder the burden if the sky fell.

If Yan Weichu could be like that, what did he have to fear? "I'm not afraid. I'm tall—if the sky falls, I'll be the first to hold it up."

Yan Weichu smiled. He knew he hadn't misplaced his trust. "Actually, it's not a big deal. His Majesty said he would restore my little father's status as a member of the imperial clan later. His Majesty wants to reform the imperial clan system and needs to set an example first. My little father is perfect for that."

Xie Xiao could only say, "Let's hope so."

He could only hope that the Young Emperor would truly keep his promise and not discard them after use, like killing the donkey after it's done grinding.

Yan Weichu knew his cousin didn't trust him, but there was no point in arguing.

Oh well. His image as emperor had already hit rock bottom in his cousin's mind. No matter how much he tried to redeem it, it would be futile. Better to just let it be.

Half an hour later, the carriage arrived at the Count of Anding's residence.

The only masters in this residence were Bian Shen and Ji Lanshu. There weren't many formalities. After Xie Xiao and Yan Weichu presented their homecoming gifts, they sat down to chat over tea.

Yan Weichu had already sent someone the day before to inform Bian Shen and the others about his identity and to caution them not to let it slip.

Bian Shen and Ji Lanshu understood perfectly. Bian Shen even spoke frankly to Xie Xiao: "It was wrong of us to hide Chun'er's relationship with His Majesty from you before, but it was His Majesty's wish. We couldn't defy his will."

Anyway, just blame everything on the emperor.

"Although Chun'er's purpose in marrying you wasn't entirely pure, both Lanshu and I have seen how much he admires you," Bian Shen appealed to his emotions. "Now that what's done is done, you should live well together. Don't let this create a rift and harm your marital harmony."

Yan Weichu spoke first: "My cousin and I would never let that happen."

Bian Shen sighed helplessly. You really have your cousin pegged as an honest man who's easy to bully, don't you?

Xie Xiao gave a slight nod: "Don't worry, Father. I understand."

Now he realized why Bian Shen had agreed to their marriage so easily before. But what's done is done, and there was no use dwelling on it.

Bian Shen sighed: "As for that imperial decree, it's not so bad that His Majesty put both of us in charge of the capital garrison. At least he didn't send another supervising eunuch to watch over us and micromanage. Otherwise, we'd be unable to act freely, which would be even more troublesome."

Xie Xiao agreed with this.

During the previous emperor's reign, eunuchs held significant power, and it had become customary for them to oversee military camps. When the Duke of Ning was in charge of the capital garrison, the regent and Empress Dowager Xie had also sent trusted eunuchs to share power. Once the Young Emperor assumed personal power, he removed them. That was a good move.

Yan Weichu slowly nibbled on pastries, thinking to himself that he simply didn't need them.

He did employ Wan Xuanju, but he fundamentally disliked eunuchs interfering in politics, especially when it came to military power. Not only in the capital garrison—once he reclaimed all military authority from the border garrisons and local regions, he would remove those supervising eunuchs as well.

As for the capital garrison, why would they need a supervising eunuch? His cousin and father could keep an eye on each other. Besides, he was his cousin's pillow talk—could his cousin's every move escape him?

"Father, cousin, let's not talk about this anymore," Yan Weichu interrupted. "I don't understand any of it. It's so boring."

Bian Shen was speechless. Fine, if the little emperor says he doesn't understand, then they wouldn't talk about it.

Xie Xiao glanced at Yan Weichu but didn't bother exposing him.

Ji Lanshu, sitting nearby, smiled and asked, "Chun'er, how have you two been getting along these past couple of days since the wedding?"

Now that sounded like a normal father caring for his son who had just returned home!

Yan Weichu gazed affectionately at Xie Xiao. Xie Xiao calmly drank his tea, not wanting to appear too frivolous in front of his elders.

"My cousin and I are doing great," Yan Weichu said with a smile. "Don't worry, Father and Father."

Xie Xiao couldn't help himself. Meeting Yan Weichu's eager and straightforward gaze, he also smiled.

Tsk, too much to watch.

Bian Shen and Ji Lanshu felt relieved seeing this. It seemed the young couple truly had a good relationship.

When the Young Emperor is happy, everyone can be happy.

Yan Weichu and Xie Xiao had lunch at the Marquis' residence and bid farewell after noon.

Bian Shen and the others did not see them off specifically. After they left, Ji Lanshu continued drinking the tea he hadn't finished earlier and suddenly remarked, "His Majesty and the Marquis of Dingbei must have consummated their marriage."

Bian Shen's hand trembled as he reached for his teacup, nearly spilling it, and said incredulously, "That can't be, can it?"

"You can tell," Ji Lanshu chuckled softly, lowering his voice. "Young people lack experience; they probably went overboard. His Majesty seems rather uncomfortable—he'll be sore for the next couple of days."

Bian Shen: "…"

Has His Majesty really sacrificed to this extent? Marquis of Dingbei, what virtue or ability do you possess to deserve this!

Ji Lanshu deeply agreed—for the Son of Heaven to willingly take the bottom role, the Marquis of Dingbei truly must possess some extraordinary virtue or ability.

If he was deceived, then it evens out.

For the first time, the two of them genuinely felt like protective fathers—their carefully nurtured, exquisite cabbage had been dug up by a pig, and the thought was rather irritating...

*

After returning to the residence, Xie Xiao had the steward gather all the servants in the main courtyard to pay their respects to Yan Weichu.

"From now on, in this marquisate, seeing the Young Master is the same as seeing me. Whatever tasks he assigns you, carry them out according to his wishes without the slightest neglect."

Xie Xiao laid down the rules to everyone upfront to avoid causing Yan Weichu any future trouble, though he didn't believe Yan Weichu was the type to let himself be wronged.

Among the crowd, Yan Weichu spotted the beauties he had previously gifted—they were now embroiderers in the marquisate.

He had tested them that day at Yaotai, but at the time, he was seated high on the imperial throne, and these women dared not look up at him, so they surely didn't recognize him.

Still, Yan Weichu felt somewhat annoyed. These were people he had personally sent into the marquisate, yet now he found them extremely out of place.

Oh well. As a benevolent emperor, he would find good matches for these young women in due time.

Yan Weichu casually offered a few words of encouragement and distributed rewards. Everyone was overjoyed and kowtowed to him.

After dismissing the crowd, he suddenly asked Xie Xiao, "Cousin, you're twenty years old now. You've never married before, so how is it you don't even have a concubine or bedmate in your household?"

Xie Xiao countered, "Do you?"

Yan Weichu smirked and pouted, "I'm still so young."

Actually, he wasn't that young—given his status, palace maids should have been arranged to teach him about such matters by the age of twelve or thirteen. Empress Dowager Xie had indeed done so, even sending him many beautiful maidservants with the intention of corrupting him, but he hadn't touched any of them and didn't allow them to serve him closely.

Xie Xiao simply said, "No time, no interest."

That's more like it.

Yan Weichu declared arrogantly, "Cousin, I'm possessive. Since you've married me, you're not allowed to take concubines—no unofficial partners either. No women, and no young men either."

If there were even one, he'd have them offed.

Xie Xiao had no interest to begin with: "Likewise."

Yan Weichu agreed readily: "Deal."

As for the heir situation… they'd cross that bridge later.

In the afternoon, Zheng Shize came to visit the residence.

He had also received the news Yan Weichu sent, learning that he had gained another cousin, and came specifically to meet him.

"I could tell earlier—Cousin, you and the Marquis are a perfect match made in heaven, a pair gifted by the gods, two halves of a whole, an ideal couple, perfectly suited for each other…"

Xie Xiao couldn't stand his smooth-talking. He set down his teacup, stood up, and signaled to Yan Weichu: "You two chat. I have some matters to attend to and will head to the study."

Watching him leave the drawing room, Zheng Shize rubbed his nose and turned to ask Yan Weichu, "Cousin, does the Marquis of Dingbei have some issue with me?"

Yan Weichu sipped his tea and said coolly, "Stop taking advantage of me."

Fine, no taking advantage then, Zheng Shize grumbled inwardly. Anyway, when there's blame, I really take it, but when there's good fortune, I never get a share.

He leaned in cheekily and asked with a grin, "Young Master, have you consummated the marriage?"

Yan Weichu shot him a glare: "Is that any of your business? Got a death wish?"

Got it—so they have.

Zheng Shize theatrically slapped his own mouth twice.

Yan Weichu couldn't be bothered to waste energy dealing with him and instructed, "There's something I need you to handle."

Zheng Shize assumed a listening posture.

Yan Weichu said, "Didn't you say last time that Second Xie often goes to your place as well? Teach him a lesson for me."

Zheng Shize wondered how this Second Xie had offended the emperor to warrant him being the one to deliver the lesson. So it must be through underhanded means?

"What does the Young Master mean…?"

Yan Weichu said in an even tone, "Find someone to 'serve' him well—use strong medicine, make him indulge until he's drained, ruin that thing of his completely, until he becomes about the same as Shun Xi and the others."

Shun Xi, who was serving nearby, lowered his head and secretly shuddered.

You're truly vicious.

Where exactly did that kid offend you? You might as well just send him to the castration chamber and be done with it.

Yan Weichu glanced at him again: "What? Can't do it?"

"I can!" Zheng Shize immediately thumped his chest and agreed. What's so difficult about that? With the emperor's word, he'd make sure that Young Master Xie Er had the time of his life.

Yan Weichu was satisfied and waved his hand: "You may go now. Handle the task. Be more clever in the future and don't run your mouth in front of my cousin."

"Understood." Zheng Shize truly had nothing to say—this was pretty much all he was good for.

Again, same cousin, different fate. Oh well.

When Xie Xiao returned, Yan Weichu was standing outside the drawing room, leisurely admiring the winter scenery of the marquisate's main courtyard.

"He's already left?" Xie Xiao walked over.

Yan Weichu smiled: "Knowing you don't enjoy seeing him, he tactfully took his leave."

Xie Xiao asked: "And you? Not going back inside? What are you doing standing out here?"

Yan Weichu looked at him and crooked a finger, signaling.

Xie Xiao, confused, leaned forward slightly.

Yan Weichu tilted his head then whispered in his ear, "Cousin, I'm in a little pain and can't walk."

Xie Xiao fell silent.

After a moment, he sighed and resignedly bent down, sweeping Yan Weichu up into his arms.

"Let's go back."