Chapter 27
Lu Xuzhi frowned, sensing that something was off. He asked, “What’s wrong with you…? Did you take that medicine? Didn’t I tell you not to? You’re already an adult—taking it will harm your body! Why won’t you listen?”
Yuwen Jue, whose body was already burning unbearably, shook his head and replied, “Since I have set my heart on you, I must take responsibility for the path I’ve chosen. It’s not unprecedented for grown men to take the sacred medicine—even within the royal family. If I didn’t take it, people would condemn you. No, I can’t allow you to be criticized because of me.”
Lu Xuzhi held him tightly and said, “Do you think I care about that? I love you for who you are—what does it matter whether you’re a man or a Langjun? This is too dangerous; don’t take it again! If something happens to you, I will never forgive myself. Do you know what I went through when you were imprisoned in the Great Zhao Prison? If I hadn’t found a way to save you, I would have lived the rest of my life like a walking corpse, with my soul following you into the afterlife. The only thing left of me would have been my flesh and blood, merely to repay my parents for raising me.”
Tears streamed down Yuwen Jue’s face as he clung tightly to Lu Xuzhi. “I don’t dare to think about it… If I were to die, what would become of you? But you can’t do this! Let’s agree on something tonight—royal life is unpredictable. If I die, you must remarry! I don’t want you following me in death—I absolutely forbid it.”
Lu Xuzhi let out a sigh. “I entered the palace as your study companion when I was only seven. You should know my heart by now. No matter what you say, in this life, I desire nothing but you. The only reason I’ve honed my literary and martial skills is so that I can be worthy of my Prince Chu.”
Their heartfelt confessions carried an indescribable tenderness and sorrow. Lu Xuzhi kissed away Yuwen Jue’s tears before removing his clothes, and together, they surrendered to passion.
Meanwhile, Lu Hanzhi found it difficult to sleep. Lying in bed, his thoughts ran wild.
Ever since Lu Siwei—the incompetent excuse of a father—found out that his child was of royal blood, his attitude had undergone a complete transformation.
Not only did he stop enforcing the rule that Lu Hanzhi had to return to the estate before dark, but he even sent over several small embroidered blankets.
He also sent a tiny crib, which looked brand new—clearly bought on short notice.
This so-called father of his was truly willing to lower himself for the sake of family honor.
When he first discovered that Lu Hanzhi’s physique was exceptionally suited to becoming a Langjun, he had likely set his sights on a royal marriage to secure the Lu family’s prestige.
After all, Lu Siwei himself was utterly mediocre, and his children were still young.
Even though Lu Xuzhi had grown into a prodigy in both literature and martial arts, he had been just a boy back then—who could guarantee he would become a top scholar in the future?
And even if Lu Xuzhi did achieve such a rank, it would never compare to having a noble connection within the imperial court.
When Lu Siwei’s dreams fell apart, he lost all patience for the youngest son he had once doted on.
But fate had changed again and again. Lu Haozhi, who married into the Crown Prince’s residence, remained utterly useless, while the once-beloved youngest son had quietly given birth to the imperial eldest grandson.
That night, Lu Hanzhi wasn’t the only one unable to sleep—Lu Siwei was also wide awake.
But unlike his son, he was kept up by excitement. That very night, he went to visit the Old Madam’s chambers.
The Old Madam had been feeling slightly better these past few days and kept praising the talismans that her granddaughter, Su Wan’ning, had obtained from Hanshou Temple, saying they were truly effective.
She had also heard about the events of the day but showed little reaction.
Though wise, the Old Madam had become increasingly absentminded in recent years. She forced herself to speak a few words to Lu Siwei: “Consider those talismans as a means to save your life. But as for Aunt Du, you need to keep her under tighter control. While Qishi is a bit overbearing, at least she has raised the children properly. Fourth Young Master is becoming more and more unruly lately—you can’t keep letting his mother manipulate him.”
Note: Qishi is Madam Lu’s maiden name and shi at the end is to indicate she’s married.
Lu Siwei bowed respectfully. “You don’t need to say it—I’ve already disciplined her.”
The Old Madam didn’t bother speaking further. She had warned him about the women in his household countless times, but it was always to no avail.
In the end, she gave him a few more instructions: “The Eldest Prince has no interest in the throne, but the Fourth Prince has been growing more decisive and formidable in recent days. Now that he has been granted the title of Prince and has the support of the Rong family, his future is boundless. Although the Crown Prince’s maternal family is influential, they are mostly scholars. Politically, they are actually in the weakest position. His Majesty named the Second Prince as the Crown Prince as a strategic move—if he had chosen the Eldest Prince, the Rong family’s influence would have been too restrictive. No emperor in his prime would want that. But the Second Prince is easier to control, making him the safer, more balanced choice. His Majesty is highly suspicious—right now, the political landscape is still shrouded in uncertainty. No matter what happens, you must make sure that both Hanzhi and Haozhi remain cautious.”
Lu Siwei memorized every word carefully before excusing himself.
As he stepped out, he nearly bumped into Su Wan’ning, who had come to deliver a bowl of calming soup to the Old Madam. Su Wan’ning politely greeted him and then warmly said, “What a coincidence! I made extra calming soup—why don’t you have some as well, Uncle?”
Lu Siwei was in a good mood that night. He planned to visit his wife, Madam Lu, Qishi, and talk with her.
After all, their son had proven to be quite promising—it was about time to rekindle their marital bond.
Ever since Lu Hanzhi’s scandal, he and his wife had been at odds, and they hadn’t shared a bed in three months.
Although their marriage had once been sweet, things had soured over the years as Lu Siwei took one concubine after another, widening the distance between them.
He waved a hand dismissively at Su Wan’ning, but after glancing at her eyes, his tone suddenly shifted. “Hmm… I suppose I should drink a bowl of calming soup and get a good night’s sleep.”
With that, he took the bowl, downed the soup in one go, and returned to his courtyard, where he fell into a deep slumber.
Meanwhile, Lu Hanzhi, still wide awake, wouldn’t let Ah Chan sleep peacefully either. He poked his chubby cheeks, then his round belly.
Even more shamelessly, he tickled his plump little feet.
Finally, Ah Chan had had enough. He turned over, stuck his little bottom in the air, and tried to crawl away.
Unfortunately, Little Fatty Chan was like a solid lump of stone—no matter how much he wiggled, he simply couldn’t move.
Lu Hanzhi laughed so hard he nearly fell over. “My little one! What are you thinking? You’re only three months old—do you really think you can crawl?”
Ah Chan, still in his crawling stance, puffed out his cheeks in frustration and shot his father a resentful glare, as if saying, *How dare you laugh at me? Have you no shame?*
Lu Hanzhi was thoroughly amused. He scooped Ah Chan into his arms, kissed his cheek, and teased, “Tell me, did you grow up eating cuteness for breakfast? And by the pound, no less! With your appetite, ten pounds a day wouldn’t be a problem.”
Ah Chan: Angry! I won’t pay attention to you now! Hmph!
For some reason, Lu Hanzhi felt like Ah Chan actually understood him.
He tugged at the baby’s red silk bellyband, laid him on the bed, pulled out a diaper from his storage space, and said, “Alright, Daddy won’t tease you anymore. Let’s get you changed and go to sleep.”
Ah Chan: “Waaah… Ahh… Uuu…”
Lu Hanzhi, Fluent in Baby Talk, Level Six: “Oh, oh, you have to finish your neinei before sleeping? Alright, alright, Daddy will make your neinei right away.”
Ah Chan: “Yiying, awoooo…”
Lu Hanzhi, Fluent in Whining, Level Six: “Mmm-hmm, two bottles today… Wait, no! You’ve already had six bottles today. You can only have one for your midnight snack.”
Ah Chan: “Mmm! Ahh! Awoooo…”
Lu Hanzhi, Fluent in Whining, Level Six: “Complaining won’t change anything! Just look at yourself—you’ve turned into a little round ball! All you ever think about is eating, eating, eating!”
Ah Chan: “Wuuu…”
That one wail turned into an unstoppable flood. He cried while wriggling his tiny butt, waving his chubby legs, and stuffing his little hands into his mouth, refusing even to suck on his pacifier.
Lu Hanzhi: “…”
Ah, what now?
He immediately scooped up Ah Chan and started coaxing him, “Alright, alright, eat, eat, eat! Our Ah Chan is so skinny! Of course you can eat! Ah! Big brother, master, my little ancestor, please don’t cry, okay? Be good, be good!”
Satisfied with the response, Ah Chan stopped crying and went back to sucking on his pacifier.
But Lu Hanzhi still decided to play along while secretly cutting back. The second bottle? He only made half. And he used half the usual amount of formula.
To make up for the “loss,” Lu Hanzhi exchanged some baby milk treats from the system store, soaked them in milk, and fed Ah Chan three pieces.
The moment Ah Chan tasted the new food, his little eyes sparkled and widened in delight.
Leaning against his soft little pillow, he started waving his short, chubby limbs excitedly.
Seeing his joy, Lu Hanzhi couldn’t help but smile. “Tasty, right? But you’re still small, so you can’t eat too much. Only three a night, got it?”
Ah Chan: “Mmm-hmm! Waa!”
Lu Hanzhi pinched his plump little cheeks and said, “Now that’s a good boy! Here’s a reward—a big kiss!”
Ah Chan: ┌(。˘˘。)┐
Just as Lu Hanzhi was about to kiss him, he paused, frowning. “What’s with that face? Are you seriously looking down on your daddy? Listen, Ah Chan, you’re getting cocky! Be careful, or I’ll cut off your food supply!”
Ah Chan: Pleading Expression.JPG
Lu Hanzhi struggled to hold back his laughter. This little guy was just too adorable—it honestly surprised him.
He used to be a firm believer in no marriage, no kids and had absolutely hated bratty children. But now, he had been completely conquered by Ah Chan.
Back in the day, he’d thought that even if he ever married a man, he’d never go for surrogacy—at most, he’d get a pet.
But in reality? Raising a pet couldn’t compare to the fun of raising a kid!
Raising a child was like an investment—the longer you spent with them, the more rewarding it became. The interactions grew deeper and richer.
He could already imagine Ah Chan babbling away at seventy or eighty months old. The parenting strategies he’d once envisioned? Useless now. Not a single one would work on this little troublemaker.
Falling into this novel world, despite being stuck with a useless system, the biggest joy had turned out to be this little baby he’d initially wanted nothing to do with.
After finishing his milk treats, Ah Chan started yawning. His big eyes grew hazy, and his eyelids drooped lower and lower.
A drowsy baby was an entirely different level of cuteness. Ah Chan, still leaning against his soft pillow, couldn’t even sit upright. As sleep took over, he slowly slid down like a melting marshmallow.
Lu Hanzhi didn’t bother picking him up. Ah Chan had always been an excellent sleeper—he ate well, slept well, and was basically a little ball of fluff.
Watching him drift off on his own, Lu Hanzhi found himself staring at him for a long time, completely entertained.
Looking at Ah Chan, he felt as if, for a brief moment, he could forget that he had fallen into the clutches of a future tyrant.
Drowsiness crept in. Once he was sure Ah Chan was sleeping soundly, Lu Hanzhi himself was on the verge of nodding off.
It had been an exhausting day, full of unexpected situations. If not for his nerves keeping him on edge, he would’ve crashed long ago.
Just as his mind and consciousness were about to sink into a deep, sweet sleep, a sudden system alert rang in his ears:
“Level One Danger Alert. This place is not safe to stay.”
“Level One Danger Alert. This place is not safe to stay.”
“Level One Danger Alert. This place is not safe to stay.”
…
Your favorite BL chaos wouldn’t be possible without coffee… lots of coffee….
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