Chapter 79: Xiaoxiao, I’ll Have Babies for You
State Preceptor Cheng Guan slowly drank half a cup of tea before he replied. “The injured general’s relation with the killing star is a faint affinity at best. His love fate is shallow as well the saying that it’ll lead to chaos across the land. By labeling Gu Xinglang as that star of disaster based on a single sentence from the master is rather unfair to him.”
Junior Monk Fenglin said, “Are you saying my master is wrong?”
“Royal Son-in-Law’s father might have died early,” Cheng Guan said while cupping the warm teacup, “But the rest of his family still remains and he has already married the princess. He entered the army in his youth and has always served his country and defended the nation. When has he ever caused chaos and unrest in the land?”
Junior Master Fenglin laughed, then tapped lightly against the teacup’s rim. “Heavenly will is undeniable. Thus, Cheng Guan, all you need to do is keep an eye on him.”
Cheng Guan laughed back and said, “I’ve always been taking things as they come.”
The water boiled in the kettle as it let out whistling noises. Junior Master Fenglin didn’t speak again and rose to leave. Cheng Guan watched the junior master go down the steps before knitting his brows. He had entrusted by the empress to protect Princess Linglong, but now as he looked up at the moonless skies and recalled the sighting of that forboding constellation, he wondered if had the power to safeguard her at all.
The rain fell all night until morning saw it gradually letting up. Gu Xinglang woke from his dreams and turned to see his little wife still dozing by his side with a smile on her face. What was more heartwarming than that? He was too pure of a youth to know about things like good morning kisses, so he simply reached out and prepared to stroke her hair. But then, something kicked him in the butt from behind. Gu Xinglang reached behind him instead, only to find a little boy. He was sleeping with a bare bottom and didn’t react when Gu Xinglang touched him. Little bubbles of spit were coming from his mouth as he snoozed.
The ignorant Gu Xinglang was instantly alarmed. He woke up from a night’s sleep to his wife on one side and an extra little boy on the other. What was going on?! His head whipped back towards his wife. By now, Yu Xiaoxiao was already awake. She had survived in a world where any movement by her side would cause her to sit. But she knew Gu Xinglang was harmless, so her eyes remained closed as she decided to sleep a little longer. It was only Gu Xinglang’s exaggerated movements that made her open her eyes for good.
Gu Xinglang quickly asked, “Why is there a child?”
“That’s right, ah,” Yu Xiaoxiao replied. “Why is there a little child, hm?”
Gu Xinglang was left tongue-tied. “Th-this little child, h-how–how did he climb into our bed?”
Yu Xiaoxiao replied, “Do you think he looks like me?”
Gu Xinglang looked at the boy nestled up next to him. No matter how far his imagination took him, it still couldn’t compute his 13-year-old wife having a four-year-old son. “He doesn’t,” he said. “Why is this child so thin?”
Looking at Third Young Master Gu’s conflicted expression, Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Where did you find him?”
“Behind my body,” Gu Xinglang replied.
“Behind your body?” Yu Xiaoxiao said mischievously. “You couldn’t have birthed him, right?”
“….”
“…………..”
Gu Xinglang narrowly threw Yu Ziming off the bed. Did he have such skills?! After a long moment of silence, he said, “Princess, only women can get pregnant.”
“You’re not funny at all,” Yu Xiaoxiao muttered to herself. It was clear that his reaction had disappointed her.
“How do I make it funny?” Gu Xinglang asked.
“Xiaoxiao,” Yu Xiaoxiao said with an affected, low voice. “Because you’re afraid of pain, I’m even willing to have babies for you.” One of her subordinates had used this line to cheat his wife into falling for him. Yu Xiaoxiao was truly anxious for Gu Xinglang’s sake. He doesn’t know a thing about flirting. How’s he going to have a happy life in the future?
Guyu Xinglang stared dumbfounded at his wife. Something as absurd as that is supposed to be funny?
Yu Xiaoxiao said, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”
Gu Xinglang’s lips moved soundlessly. What was he supposed to say?
Yu Xiaoxiao raised her hand to pinch his cheek. “I’ll stop joking with you now. He’s Yu Ziming.”
“Who?” Gu Xinglang wanted to know if he was still dreaming.
“Yu Ziming, ah,” Yu Xiaoxiao repeated. “Consort Zhao gave birth to him.”
Third Young Master Gu shivered. That was even worse than a child he birthed himself! How could Consort Zhao’s son be sleeping by his side? Had his soul left his body last night and kidnapped His Sixth Highness from the palace?
Yu Xiaoxiao looked at the little beansprout spitting bubbles before she said, “Let him sleep. Once he wakes up, I’ll bring him back home.”
“Back home? No wait, I know his home’s in the palace,” Gu Xinglang said, “Xiaoxiao, how did he end up here?”
“Oh,” Yu Xiaoxiao explained. “Yesterday I went into the palace to find that sissy, but I found him crying under the covers instead. So I took him to see Jing Mo. Little Gu, I’ve already discussed things with Jing Mo. Once Little Sixth goes to Zhuri, he’ll take care of him.”
There was too much information in her statement for Gu Xinglang to process all at once.
Yu Xiaoxiao yawned and shut her eyes. “I’m going to sleep a bit longer.”
“You,” Gu Xinglang wanted to tell her no, this isn’t the time to be sleeping! But in the end, he cherished his wife and didn’t say anything else. Even if the sky was falling, he couldn’t very well let his little wife miss her sleep, right?
—
Currently in the palace, Consort Hua was heading the other five consorts to face off against Consort Zhao in front of Xianzong.
Consort Zhao was crying as she spoke. “Your Majesty, hurry and send someone to save His Sixth Highness, ah. Something must have happened to him!”
Consort Hua only smiled coldly. “Little sister, you might as well dry your tears. Just yesterday, His Majesty decreed His Sixth Highness to go to Zhuri. Now he’s disappeared first thing this morning. Little sister says someone wants to hurt His Sixth Highness, but that damnable culprit sure knew how to pick his timing!”
“What do you mean by that?” Consort Zhao asked between her tears.
“What do I mean?” Consort Hua echoed. “Little sister, if you didn’t want His Sixth Highness to go to Zhuri, you could have pleaded nicely with His Majesty. Why cause such a stir and make us all anxious?”
“I didn’t…”
“That’s right, little sister,” Consort Rong piped up before Consort Zhao could defend herself. “The safety of an imperial son is no joking matter. You can’t cry thief to His Majesty for fun. The imperial palace is guarded so tightly and Brightness Palace has so many court ladies and eunuchs. Who has the skills to take His Sixth Highness from its walls?”
The five consorts each took turns to ruthlessly trample on Consort Zhao. Now that they’d finally had the chance, why would they let it go?
Xianzong’s face was like ice as he looked at her. “Tell Zhen where Ziming is now.”
Comments