Chapter 50 A-Luan

Chapter 50: A-Luan

Wei Yan fished with Grand Tutor Huan for an hour.

In his past life, whenever he was in a bad mood, he would always go fishing. Sitting by the pond for half a day would help him forget many things. Since his marriage to Lu Jiming, Wei Yan had rarely gone fishing.

Today, after fishing for a while, he found that even fishing was no use.

He was still agitated, unable to stop thinking about Lu Jiming. The more he thought, the angrier and more furious he became, unable to sit still. Several times he wanted to throw down the fishing rod and go back, but he held himself back.

Gritting his teeth, he endured for an hour before finally unable to bear it any longer. He dismissed Grand Tutor Huan and returned to the Hall of Steadfast Heart alone.

Just outside the hall, a palace servant said the Empress had come and was waiting in the imperial study.

Wei Yan nodded, saying nothing, but his heart was uneasy—a mix of happiness and worry.

He felt a spark of hope because Lu Jiming had come on his own, which should be a signal for reconciliation. He knew Lu Jiming too well, and thus understood even more how rare it was for Lu Jiming to swallow his pride and take the initiative to seek peace with him.

He was worried because he couldn't be sure of Lu Jiming's exact attitude. What if they argued again after just a few words?

Wei Yan paced outside his study for a while, thinking of many things he planned to say to Lu Jiming, fearing that they might become estranged and revert to the superficial harmony and hidden discord of their previous life.

When he felt prepared enough, Wei Yan finally pushed the door open. What he saw next was a scene he would never forget for the rest of his life.

Lu Jiming lay unconscious on the floor, a pool of blood spreading beneath him, staining his robes crimson—a horrifying sight.

Suddenly, the scene from his previous life where Lu Jiming died in his arms flashed before Wei Yan's eyes. Back then, it was also a pool of blood, gushing from Lu Jiming's mouth. Before dying, Lu Jiming had intermittently told him many things—some about Lu Luan, some about Ning Jia—as if he were worried and unwilling to let go.

That night, Wei Yan held Lu Jiming's cold body and sat dazed in this very room all night. It was also that night that the bone-deep, heart-wrenching hatred that had tormented Wei Yan for over a decade completely dissipated.

In the face of death and parting, grievances were settled; nothing else mattered more.

Wei Yan, plunged into the pain of his past life, frantically ordered people to summon the imperial physician and carried Lu Jiming back to the bedchamber.

The Hall of Steadfast Heart and the Palace of Chongyuan always had imperial physicians on standby. They arrived quickly and began treating Lu Jiming.

"Your Majesty, His Highness is with child. Judging by the pulse, it has been over three months..." the imperial physician said. "He has merely suffered a threat to the pregnancy. There is no major danger, please rest assured, Your Majesty."

"Why wasn't it detected earlier?" Wei Yan demanded sharply. "What have you been doing?"

He was usually amiable and approachable with those around him, not putting on airs. Even when palace servants made mistakes, he rarely reprimanded or scolded them harshly. Today, he was truly furious.

If the pregnancy had been diagnosed earlier, they wouldn't have had that argument today. The mere thought that, in a moment of anger, he had almost considered confining Lu Jiming—if he had actually done so and harmed A-Luan, what then?

If he had returned to the study later today and no one had found the unconscious Lu Jiming, what then?

He couldn't help but feel a chill of fear.

The imperial physician, terrified, knelt and kowtowed, explaining to Wei Yan, "Please calm your anger, Your Majesty. In the first few months, the fetus is unstable and the pulse is faint. It is quite common for it to go undetected."

Wei Yan also knew he was unfairly venting his anger on the physician. After all, he himself had taken Lu Jiming's pulse several times and hadn't detected the pregnancy either. It really wasn't due to the physician's negligence.

So Wei Yan softened his tone and asked the physician, "Why did Xuping suddenly suffer a threat to the pregnancy for no apparent reason?"

"Judging by the pulse, His Highness seems to have suffered a shock, with intense agitation affecting the heart."

Wei Yan pressed his fingers to his temples. "In the imperial study, what could have made the Empress so agitated..." He stopped mid-sentence.

On the desk in the imperial study lay the half-drafted edict.

Today, Grand Tutor Huan had come and brought up the matter of arranging a marriage for Wei Xuan. Wei Xuan was no longer young, having been enfeoffed as a prince for a year already; it was time for him to start a family.

Between the lines, the implication was clear: if Wei Yan did not plan to expand the harem, having his two younger brothers produce abundant offspring could also reassure many people.

Wei Yan admitted he had indeed neglected his two younger brothers, forgetting that his second brother had indeed reached marriageable age. So he agreed to Grand Tutor Huan's suggestion and began drafting an edict for selecting consorts, intending to have the Imperial Clan Court handle it.

He had drafted half of the edict when he remembered Lu Jiming's insistence that he select consorts. Feeling intensely vexed, he threw down his brush and took Grand Tutor Huan to the Clear Jade Pond to fish.

So, Lu Jiming had seen that edict, and then...

Wei Yan sat by the bedside, holding Lu Jiming's hand resting at his side, overwhelmed by a tumult of emotions.

"Silly Xuping, how could I..." Lu Jiming held him in his heart; he just never said it. Hadn't Wei Yan always known that? Why had he become insecure and suspicious again?

The imperial physician prepared fire and silver needles to perform acupuncture on Lu Jiming. Wei Yan knew the needles were inserted into acupuncture points and weren't painful, but seeing the needle tips pierce Lu Jiming's skin still made his heart clench.

"You said earlier the pulse was faint. Does that mean A-... the child is not well?" Wei Yan asked after the physician finished with the needles.

The physician said, "There is no issue. It's just that the weather is hot, and His Highness has had no appetite, leaving his body somewhat weak. Although prescriptions were given before, they were for nourishing the stomach and not suited to the condition. Now that we know His Highness is with child, we will change the prescription to properly nourish him. There will be no major issue."

"If the child is congenitally deficient, can that be diagnosed in advance?" Wei Yan, still uneasy, pressed further. His medical skills were, after all, self-taught and far inferior to those of the attending imperial physicians, hence his question.

The physician reassured him, "Your Majesty, please rest assured. Both Your Majesty and His Highness are in the prime of life and in good health. The little prince will certainly be safe and sound."

So even the imperial physician couldn't diagnose it in advance either. Wei Yan pressed his temples again, pondering for a long moment. Then he suddenly felt it was absurd to give up eating for fear of choking. Even if A-Luan in this life were still... he could mobilize the entire nation's resources to ensure he grew up safely and healthily.

Since A-Luan was willing to return, he would give him the very best of everything. Why grieve in advance? Thinking this, Wei Yan placed his hand over Lu Jiming's abdomen through the quilt.

"Long time no see," he whispered.

Lu Jiming opened his eyes late at night. He stared blankly at the bed canopy for a moment before pushing himself up.

He reached down to touch his abdomen. It still felt somewhat sore and bloated, but the heavy, dragging pain was gone. It should be fine.

The joy of A-Luan's return washed over him belatedly. But following close behind, the memory of Wei Yan's half-written consort selection edict was so glaring, diluting much of that happiness.

Lu Jiming looked around the room and saw Wei Yan sitting on the small couch in the outer chamber, seemingly dozing off. Instantly, anger surged within Lu Jiming.

Although he was the one who had demanded the consort selection, how could Wei Yan... At this thought, Lu Jiming caught himself. Was he being somewhat unreasonable and making a fuss?

Forget it. Lu Jiming didn't want to bother with this mess anymore. Right now, A-Luan was the most important.

He threw off the thin quilt, put his feet into his shoes, and prepared to leave. Only when he sat up completely did he realize he was only wearing his inner garments; his outer robe was nowhere to be seen.

"Don't move!" Wei Yan, a light sleeper, woke at the sound and was startled to see Lu Jiming trying to get up. "You just had a scare with the pregnancy. Get back in bed and rest properly."

Then Wei Yan instructed the palace servants waiting outside to have the evening meal served directly in the bedchamber.

The more Lu Jiming looked at Wei Yan now, the angrier he felt. He leaned back against the bed and said coldly, "This subject was careless. I have troubled Your Majesty with concern."

Seeing Lu Jiming's attitude, Wei Yan knew he was angry. But he himself felt wronged too, so he simply pretended not to notice. Just then, the servants brought in a small table, set with bowls and dishes. Wei Yan sat by the bedside and handed the porridge to Lu Jiming.

"This subject can manage on my own. There's no need to trouble Your Majesty."

It was exactly the same attitude Lu Jiming had when first confined to the harem in their previous life. Wei Yan couldn't help but sneer coldly. After living a second life, he had thought this person had changed his ways, but he hadn't changed at all.

"Speak properly. Don't be sarcastic," Wei Yan said to Lu Jiming with forced patience.

Lu Jiming's anger finally boiled over, and he could no longer maintain the pretense. He frowned at Wei Yan and snapped, "When was I being sarcastic?"

"I've told you countless times, don't frown." Seeing him like this, Wei Yan found his own temper dissipating. He pressed his index finger to the center of Lu Jiming's brow. "If you have any dissatisfaction or grievances, just tell me. Hurting your own health and aggravating the pregnancy—I don't even know if you want this baby anymore."

Lu Jiming glared at Wei Yan but couldn't utter a word. He was the one who had asked Wei Yan to select consorts, and Wei Yan had complied. Now, getting angry at him over it—what did that make *him*?

"If you won't say it, I will," Wei Yan said. "You're upset because you think I'm selecting consorts."

"It was my own request for Your Majesty to do this. How could I possibly be upset?" Lu Jiming replied coldly, turning his head away.

"I'm in your heart. You love me to death, so you're unhappy," Wei Yan said. "Seeing me take consorts makes you miserable..."

Lu Jiming lowered his head, his fingertips gripping the quilt tightly. He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and shouted hoarsely, "That's right! I love you to death! You taking consorts makes me miserable! I'm just a two-faced hypocrite, selfish and greedy, yet I insist on putting on a virtuous and gentle facade. Are you satisfied now?"

Lu Jiming felt like crying again. Lately, he'd been prone to tears, and now, knowing he had A-Luan, he realized it was the baby acting up.

Wei Yan reached out and held Lu Jiming tightly. Lu Jiming tried to struggle, but fearing for the child, he didn't dare use his full strength and couldn't break free at all.

"Shi Xia, get out!" Lu Jiming shouted.

Wei Yan completely ignored Lu Jiming's resistance, pressing him against his chest and murmuring, "My dear Xuping, listen to me."

Lu Jiming stopped struggling, waiting to hear what Wei Yan would say next.

"I'm not selecting consorts. That edict in the imperial study was prepared for A Xuan," Wei Yan said.

Lu Jiming froze, muttering, "I don't believe you."

"Believe it or not, it's the truth. Otherwise, go ask Grand Tutor Huan," Wei Yan said, his voice full of grievance. "I already told you I don't want consorts—my word is my bond. Yet you still doubted me and ended up in this state. If I had returned later today, and something happened to you and the child, wouldn't that be the end of me?"

Lu Jiming believed Wei Yan's explanation, knowing he was in the wrong. He apologized, "Shi Xia, it's all my fault. Don't be angry... I just... got the wrong idea."

He had originally intended to confess to Wei Yan about living an extra lifetime, but now that he knew he was carrying A-Luan, the matter seemed less urgent. Lu Jiming decided to keep it to himself for the time being, planning to bring it up later.

Wei Yan held Lu Jiming and planted a loud kiss on his cheek. "The sun must be rising in the west today. I finally get to hear my Empress apologize to me."

Lu Jiming pursed his lips, not knowing whether to laugh. Wei Yan's kiss made it impossible for him to keep a straight face, and the corner of his mouth twitched. "I hope Your Majesty won't hold a grudge and will forget about the consort selection matter."

-----------------------

Author's Note: The update originally scheduled for Saturday has been moved to tomorrow at 8 PM. There will be no update on Saturday.