Qiu Yutong looked at Liu Bitao’s slim figure as he hurriedly exited and was indeed slightly speechless.
Eh, just now, did he just experience an extremely classic scene in a dog-blood novel —fighting for a man’s favour?
Fine, even though the entire situation was not pleasant, it was still an experience he had never undergone throughout his endless cultivation life.
Xiao Xizi crouched on the ground, tidying up the broken cutlery as he aggrievedly said, “Young, Young Master, don’t listen to his nonsense, what staying the night, what bestowment… every, everything was his concoction!”
Qiu Yutong nodded his head perfunctorily, “Yes, I know.”
“Even, even though His Majesty doesn’t come to the Sixth Western Palace frequently, His Majesty treats Young Master differently. Not, Not just anyone can enter Jingxin Palace. Maybe, to, tomorrow His Majesty will come to our courtyard.”
Qiu Yutong’s mouth twitched dully, “Hehe.”
That’s enough, please stop, spare him.
Xiao Xizi thought he didn’t believe him and anxiously said, “Yesterday, yesterday night His Majesty had Young Master stay for so long; this has never happened before, really! His, His Majesty has a lot of work and stays in Jingxin Palace all year round, sleeping only four hours every night, never coming to the harem… Treating, treating Young Master like this is still the first time!”
Qiu Yutong was slightly stunned, “Oh? Lu… His Majesty is so busy?”
Last night, when Zhang Defu sent him back, he had somewhat mentioned: “the middle palace was empty*”. He had thought that Lu Xiao just hadn’t established an empress, but listening to Xiao Xizi’s meaning, could it be that Lu Xiao didn’t even have a real imperial concubine? Only a pile of “beautiful tributes”?
[T/N: Not too sure what this means but from what I got from google, it just means there’s no empress.]
“It’s, it’s true. Young Master doesn’t know, His Majesty he…” Xiao Xizi stuttered out.
Even though Xiao Xizi was only fourteen, he had already entered the palace for a full three years and could be counted as an old hand. Every day, he would endlessly hear messy gossip. Stuttering it out now, he (QYT) could also understand a majority.
Five years ago, after Lu Xiao ascended, he first stabilised the country and vassal states, following that he lowered the tax rates to help the commoners recover, allowing the empire to flourish.
As the country’s affairs are bustling, this young monarch stays in Jingxin Palace year-round, sleeping only four hours every day, never stepping into the harem, not to mention selecting talented women, accepting concubines and establishing an empress.
Today, in Daning palace, there wasn’t a single imperial concubine, only many kinds of beautiful males and females offered as tribute. Approximately fifteen to sixteen people all stayed in the Sixth Western Palace. And in this group of various beauties, none of them was able to obtain Lu Xiao’s favour.
Not to mention a royal heir, there wasn’t even a shadow of one.
‘So it’s like that…” Qiu Yutong heard Xiao Xizi’s gossip and couldn’t help but frown.
When Lu Xiao was young, he had no interest in the relationships between men and women; one year, when the pair of master and disciple were chasing an amorous ghost, they had carelessly entered the red-light district. He (LX) had pulled him (QYT) and ran faster than a rabbit.
But, he had never gone close to a woman again. Marriage, having imperial concubines and having heirs were major events for the monarch, and cannot be rejected.
That year, Lu Xiao when Lu Xiao was still Prince Yan, a few skilled strategists in the residence of Prince Yan had carefully analysed, if he wanted to rope in influential officials through marriage, the most suitable candidate was either the blood-related granddaughter of the Chief Cabinet Secretary or the legitimate sister of the Guardian General; the group of people were fighting in the study of the residence until saliva flew everywhere.
“Lord Xu’s legitimate granddaughter is sixteen and can be said to be an incomparable noble lady within the capital. Moreover, Lord Xu has the emperor’s favour, if we obtain Lord Xu’s help and support, it’ll be a great help to the Prince!”
“General Bai’s has eighty thousand trooped under his common and is stationed at the capital all year round. To say it rudely, his upper body is unwell, if he passes away one day, and a few other princes take action… even though General Bai and his legitimate sister look alike, marrying a wife or marrying someone virtuous, in my opinion…*
[T/N: This might sound confusing, but I think what the author means is that the general is stationed in the capital because he is ill. If he dies one day, the sister will not be able to help.]
“Wrong! Even though General Bai…”
Qiu Yutong reclined against a chair and listened until his head hurt.
He had zero interest in this messy political affairs, yet he was too embarrassed to just leave. He could only listen inattentively as he ate a piece of osmanthus cake.
The strategists argued until they were red; Lu Xiao only silently listened and didn’t comment.
Seeing that the strategists’ argument was getting increasingly heated, Lu Xiao suddenly looked up at Qiu Yutong and softly asked, “Regarding this situation, wondering what are Shizun’s thoughts?”
The study suddenly silenced, everyone watching Qiu Yutong.
Qiu Yutong was holding a piece of osmanthus cake that he had just bitten in half, blinking his eyes, at a loss.
Why are you asking him?
He didn’t even know who was Lady Xu or Lady Bai.
Lu Xiao silently watched him, his pitch-black eyes were unblinking.
Qiu Yutong had no options and could only hold the osmanthus cake in his mouth as he spoke, muffled, “Yes, this is a major turning point in life, it depends on Xiao-er’s opinion as well as the two ladies’ opinion. In short, you have to like her, no need to force yourself.”
Lu Xiao stared at Qiu Yutong and didn’t speak for a long while.
Qiu Yutong didn’t understand. “What is it? Is there something wrong with what I said?”
“Shizun is right, I understand,” Lu Xiao said quietly.
……
“Young, Young Master, what is it? Drink a little hot tea.”
Xiao Xizi’s voice dragged Qiu Yutong back from his memories.
“It’s nothing.” Qiu Yutong shook his head, then picked up the tea to have a sip. Inwardly, he was a bit anxious.
Apparently, Lu Xiao of that time had no interest in establishing either lady as an empress.
It’s reasonable to say that it’s human nature to like pretty girls; it’s fine if it was eighteen or nineteen, but now, Lu Xiao was already twenty-three, not having a true empress is fine, he didn’t even have an imperial concubine… Not to mention an imperial heir.
Even though Qiu Yutong didn’t care for the custom, he also knew that the emperor’s marriage is a monumental event.
Wait, could it be that the reason Lu Xiao shuns the relationship between men and women was because… he couldn’t get it up*?
“Kekeke!” He choked.
“Young, Young Master!” Xiao Xizi turned pale in fright, quickly moving closer to pat his back.
Qiu Yutong violently coughed for half a day, only catching his breath with great difficulty, immediately rejecting such a terrifying idea.
Impossible, impossible, Lu Xiao didn’t seem like he had such a problem.
Even if, even if there was such a problem, there should be a solution… Right, Yao Wangzhuang! This type of problem, Grand Medical Hall’s miracle cure would have an instantaneous effect! Also, Grand Medical Hall’s owner and godly doctor owed him a big favour, they would definitely help him!
Wait, maybe the situation isn’t what he thought… Maybe, Lu Xiao hadn’t met a person he liked? This youngster was very obstinate, it was possible that if he didn’t meet someone he liked he would continue on.
Even though such a big event as the monarch’s wedding didn’t depend on liking and disliking, but towards his only disciple, Qiu Yutong still had a few degrees of selfishness.
He wished that his disciple, who, from a young age, was orphaned with no one to depend on, travelled across hills of knives and seas of blood, and staggeringly grew up, would be able to obtain true happiness… Not become merely a wise but callous emperor.
Qiu Yutong thought for a while and couldn’t help but shake his head. His thinking was too emotional, it deviated from what was natural.
Moreover, Lu Xiao hated him so…
A disciple hating his shizun is nothing much. A master-disciple pair falling out was very frequent in the cultivation world. He obviously knew that Lu Xiao hated him yet he was still carrying this burden, fervently worried for Lu Xiao’s marriage. This was extremely laughable and somewhat lamentable.
He really pitied all parents… No, pitied all shizuns’ heart.
Even if he was hated, even if he was completely useless, he still couldn’t help but blindly worry.
“Why am I worried about this,” Qiu Yutong mockingly shook his head, “I really am… ai, forget it.”
Rather than worry about Lu Xiao’s marriage, why don’t he worry about himself, how exactly was he going to go back to North Snow City?
“Young, Young Master, don’t worry,” Xiao Xizi thought he was still thinking about the situation just now and comforted, “Last night, His Majesty allowed you inside Jingxin Palace, staying there for a full two hours, and, and even let Zhang-gonggong send you back personally… His Majesty definitely likes Young Master.”
Qiu Yutong casually replied, “That’s enough, last night in Jingxin Palace, he nearly cut…”
Before he finished speaking, his eyes lit up.
That’s right, last night, Lu Xiao nearly cut him down with Night Rain yesterday… In Night Rain was sealed a single strand of his sword energy previously. And that thick and severe sword energy seemed like it still recognised Qiu Yutong as its master and didn’t injure him.
Since the sword energy had spiritual consciousness and still recognised its owner, then it would still follow his commands…
Relying on this sword energy, he could use the sword to fly back to North Snow City!
Thinking till here, Qiu Yutong was very joyous and couldn’t help his cheerful expression. He slapped the arm rest, “That’s right, why didn’t I think of that previously?!”
Xiao Xizi was frightened and blinked, happily saying, “Young, Young Master has thought it through? This one has said, His, His Majesty definitely likes Young Master…”
“Yes, yes, yes, you’re right, he likes me, likes me very much, I know, you don’t have to repeat it.” Qiu Yutong waved his hand dismissively, too lazy to argue needlessly with this little eunuch.
Right now, his head was full of one thing——Night Rain on Lu Xiao’s waist.
With Night Rain, he could go back.
But, a new problem emerged——how could he get Night Rain?
Lu Xiao always kept Night Rain hung on his waist,
Seeing Lu Xiao…
“Xiao Xizi, just now, you said that His Majesty doesn’t often come to the Xith Western Palace? How long until he comes by? 2 months? 3 months?”
Xiao Xizi blinked and hesitated, “This, this… His Majesty really doesn’t come by a lot. Speak, speaking honestly, I’ve never seen His Majesty. But, but since His Majesty likes Young Master, he will definitely come to our courtyard, be at ease Young Master.”
Qiu Yutong secretly rolled his eyes, alright, he still had to think of a plan himself.
……
Tranquil days are usually the happiest.
In a blink of an eye, a few days had passed.
The past few days, Liu Bitao pretentiously came to find an opportunity twice, and everytime he was lightly beaten back by Qiu Yutong, angering this Young Master Liu until he was hopping mad.
Besides that, there were quite a few beauties from other courtyards who came by in succession, visiting this new favoured “Young Master Xue Rong.”
What female dancer tribute from Loulan, Su Maner, the king of Huainan’s offering, the qin player, Luo Yalou, or the barbarian slave Qingzhou’s provincial governor sent over, Anna… In short, man or woman of all shapes and sizes were present.
That qin player, Luo Yalou, had been ruthlessly bullied by Liu Bitao before, and complained weepingly about it to Qiu Yutong, with the tear-stained face of a beauty. His words were all trying to rope him in, to form an alliance for the palace fights against Liu Bitao, causing Qiu Yutong to not know whether to cry or laugh.
Palace fighting, this was really impossible.
Qiu Yutong kept thinking about how to go back, regarding such messy affairs, he completely ignored them. As such, within the rumours of the harem, this “Young Master Xue Rong” had become an arrogant, haughty and cold beauty, using the fact that he had gone inside Jingxin Palace, he looked down on the rest of them.
Gradually, the people who came to visit finally lessened and Qiu Yutong breathed a sigh of relief.
This afternoon, in the clear and refreshing autumn weather, the sun was especially splendid.
Qiu Yutong let Xiao Xizi bring a bamboo chair over to the courtyard, lazily lying in the sun.
The blazing sun in late autumn had just the right warmth. Under this comfortable hot sunlight, even the faint scent of osmanthus flowers from far away, became stronger.
Qiu Yutong looked at the blue sky of the courtyard and his mind drifted to somewhere far away.
During the past few days, he tried to ascertain some situations regarding Night Rain.
First, this spiritual sword Night Rain never left Lu Xiao’s side.
Second, Lu Xiao stayed in Jingxin Palace all year round, and the imperial guards in charge of protecting Jingxin Palace were the most elite imperial guards in the capital, the Jinwu guards. They were separated into four ranks, and patrolled Jingxin Palace around the clock, their precautions extremely tight.
Qiu Yutong was now a mere mortal; to sneak into Jingxin Palace was a troublesome manner but it wasn’t impossible.
After all, he had once lived with Lu Xiao for a full ten years and was very understanding of Lu Xiao’s habits.
According to his habits, Qiu Yutong had mulled over these few days and finally had what he thought was a perfect “sword theft plan”.
Qiu Yutong lay on the bamboo chair, basking in the sun as he carefully thought about the “sword theft plan”. When he felt everything was feasible, he stretched his body and planned to go back inside.
“Meow!”
He blinked, then slowly looked down.
A chubby snow-white car was crouching beside the recliner, staring impatiently at him with large and round dark green eyes.
This cat was white all over, only a patch of black fur the size of his thumb at the tip of his tail. It was also a rarely seen breed, called “A spot of black in snow”, it was the cat that was previously in Jingxin Palace that broke the teacup.
“Fatty, it really is you! Before in Jingxin Palace, I thought I was mistaken!”
Qiu Yutong was both happy and surprised, quickly reaching out to hug the cat.
That year, Qiu Yutong had picked up this drenched kitten on a rainy night. At that time, it was only palm-sized and cowering in the palms of Qu Yutong’s hands, looking extremely pitiful.
Lu Xiao was disdainful of this cat and said it probably wouldn’t survive, warning Qiu Yutong to throw it away as soon as possible. Qiu Yutong saw that this cat was very thin and scared that it wouldn’t survive, gave it an auspicious name——”Fatty”, hoping that it could grow up and get fat.
So many years have passed and sure enough, it had become a fatty.
Fatty was embraced by Qiu Yutong and stared at Qiu Yutong with dark green eyes for a while then, it suddenly meowed, licking his chin.
Qiu Yutong was licked until he felt itchy and couldn’t help but smile, “It’s been so many years and Fatty has grown to big, fat and heavy, so good.”
Fatty seemed to really dislike this comment, immediately clawing him indignantly, “Meow!”
“Ai, why are you…” Qiu Yutong quickly withdrew, and Fatty took the opportunity to jump down, instantly running towards the backyard
“You’ve grown some ability, daring to scratch people! Come back here!”
“Meow~ Meow~”
One person and one cat ran around the house, pursuing vigorously. Not even an instant later, Qiu Yutong was so tired he kneeled down, panting and gasping heavily, “You, you come back here…”
This body was too weak…
As Qiu Yutong was gasping for breath, there was a sharp cold pain suddenly originating from his dantian, like lightning tearing through the sky, ferociously striking him!
He was in so much pain his vision darkened. He recklessly groped about and felt a large tree beside him.
The cold sharp pain in his dantian rapidly spread all over. His five viscera and six bowels, every blood vessel and meridian, felt like they were being cut, slashed and ripped apart by sharp ice-cold pieces.
Qiu Yutong leaned against the tree, uncontrollable shivering. Even his brain had been frozen by this terrifying cold, completely unable to think.
Cold.. So cold…
So painful… So hard to bear…
Was he going to die…
……
He didn’t know how long passed until that terrifying coldness slowly reduced.
When Qiu Yutong finally woke up, he was tightly curled up under the tree, his chest and abdomen were ice-cold. Fatty was crouching on one side, licing his finger intermittently, meowing continuously, seeming anxious.
Qiu Yutong wanted to stroke Fatty, comfort it, but his fingers felt frozen, they felt completely powerless.
What was going on?
Before, when he had just been reborn, it was also this cold…
What exactly was with this body?
Was it sick? Suffering from an unknown cold disease?
But, this chilliness that penetrated until the bone marrow… did not seem like ordinary cold.
Don’t tell him, this “Young Master Xue Rong” was going to die like this?
Qiu Yutong was not a doctor and was not familiar with mortal illnesses. After thinking for quite a while, he still couldn’t think of a reason.
He tried a few times and still couldn’t get up; he could only lie under the tree in the courtyard, until the sun was setting, before he regained some energy. He stood up with great difficulty, relying on the tree, his legs still feeling weak.
Fatty impatiently watched him, “Meow~”
“It’s nothing, be good.” Qiu Yutong soothingly kneaded it’s neck.
Even though he didn’t know what illness exactly this body was suffering from, as long as he was able to return to North Snow City, there was a method of washing the marrows clean, reconstructing his physical body.
It’s just that, since this body had such a serious disease, he couldn’t wait anymore; he had to quickly get his hands on Night Rain and hurry back to North Snow City.
If not, if this body broke down one day, even if he wanted to go against the heavens, without a physical body, he would just dissipate from the world, or become a lonely feral ghost, wandering the world.
According to Lu Xiao’s life habits… Qiu Yutong made a decision. He would act on the fifteenth of this month.
