Chapter 54
This was the first time the young emperor had ever camped outside or seen such a vast expanse of grassland, so he was extremely excited. He dragged Ji Qingzhou and Li Zhan around for quite a while, unwilling to go back. In the end, it was Li Zhan, concerned that Ji Qingzhou might get tired, who picked the young emperor up and carried him back, with the three of them heading back together.
“You can rest for another half an hour when you return. When it’s time for dinner, I’ll send someone to come get you,” Li Zhan personally escorted Ji Qingzhou to the front of his tent and reminded him, “There’s no need for you to go too early. Those martial men are full of ceremony. When they meet, they’ll likely engage in lengthy pleasantries. If you arrive early, you’ll just be waiting around.”
Ji Qingzhou quickly nodded in response.
The young emperor really wanted to go inside Ji Qingzhou’s tent for a look, but Li Zhan carried him off.
Ji Qingzhou stood at the entrance of his tent and waved to the young emperor. Just as he was about to turn and go inside, he caught a glimpse of a medicinal sachet hanging from the corner of the tent. Pretending to be casual, he looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, then quickly walked over and took it down.
Inside the tent, Xiao Shan and Guo Zi had just finished tidying up. Seeing him return, they hurried to greet him.
“Good thing Wang Ye specifically told us to bring our own bedding,” Xiao Shan said. “The military bedding is really stiff. But now that we’ve replaced it with our own, it shouldn’t feel too uncomfortable. Still, this tent really isn’t as convenient as a house—there’s hardly anything inside.”
Ji Qingzhou gave a wry smile. “Don’t fuss. I’m not that delicate. You’re making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“It’s not us exaggerating—Wang Yegave us the orders,” Xiao Shan replied with a quick grin.
At that moment, Ji Qingzhou walked over to the table and opened the sachet in his hand, pouring the contents onto the tabletop.
“Guo Zi, go fetch Doctor Tang. Try not to let anyone see you,” Ji Qingzhou said to him.
Guo Zi darted off. Xiao Shan looked at the sachet and asked, “Where did this come from?”
“It was hanging on the corner of the tent. But I noticed that most of the tents outside had them too.” Ji Qingzhou sifted through the herbs but couldn’t make sense of them. He handed the empty sachet to Xiao Shan and said, “Fill it with something random and hang it back on the right side of the tent. Just make sure no one sees you.”
Xiao Shan accepted the sachet, picked some of the insect-repelling herbs Doctor Tang had prepared earlier, filled the pouch, and then slipped outside to hang it back.
“Did anyone see you?” Ji Qingzhou asked.
“No,” Xiao Shan replied quickly.
A moment later, Guo Zi returned with Doctor Tang.
Ji Qingzhou pointed to the herbs on the table and asked, “Doctor Tang, could you please take a look and see if there’s anything unusual in these herbs?”
“At first glance, everything looks fine. Just common herbs for repelling insects,” Tang Shu said, stepping forward and sifting through the pile. He picked them up one by one and sniffed each.
Ji Qingzhou watched him nervously. After a short pause, Doctor Tang said, “The herbs themselves are fine, but there is one kind of spice mixed in. I can’t immediately tell what effect it might have.”
“Let me smell it,” Ji Qingzhou said.
Though Doctor Tang wasn’t sure about the spice’s properties, he could tell it likely wouldn’t harm Ji Qingzhou directly, so he handed it to him for a sniff. Ji Qingzhou frowned in confusion—the scent was different from the fragrance of the sachet the young emperor had carried.
“Guo Zi, go and quietly take another sachet from one of the tents farther away. Be careful not to be seen,” Ji Qingzhou instructed.
Guo Zi nodded and left. Not long after, he returned with another sachet.
Doctor Tang opened it and took a whiff. “This one doesn’t contain that spice.”
At those words, everyone in the tent looked visibly surprised. Only the sachet outside Ji Qingzhou’s tent had been tampered with, and that implication was alarming. They all instinctively reached the same conclusion.
“Would this cause a miscarriage?” Ji Qingzhou asked.
“Doesn’t seem like it,” Doctor Tang replied. “But since something’s been added, it’s better to stay cautious. I’ll take it back and study it further. Meanwhile, you all keep a close eye on things. In times like this, it’s best to be extra careful.”
Everyone nodded seriously.
After Doctor Tang left, Ji Qingzhou walked back outside the tent to examine where the sachets were hung. They were positioned at the tent’s air vents for better insect repelling. If the sachet contained something harmful, the people inside could easily be affected.
But the sachets weren’t very large, and the tents were well-ventilated. Ji Qingzhou wasn’t sure how effective the herbs really were.
No matter how much he pondered, he couldn’t figure out who might be behind this. Could it be a leftover spy from Prince Heng’s faction?
If that were the case, then the other party was seriously persistent.
Was Prince Heng’s entire life just spent planting spies everywhere?
During the evening banquet, although Li Zhan had told Ji Qingzhou to come later, Ji Qingzhou had been curious to see the event, so he arrived early.
The banquet was held in an open field—broad and level—bonfires blazing at the center, and long tables lined along both sides.
When Ji Qingzhou arrived, the banquet hadn’t officially started. Soldiers from both camps were taking turns performing martial arts to entertain the guests.
“Why’d you come so early?” Li Zhan pulled Ji Qingzhou to sit beside him. Ji Qingzhou, however, felt a bit uncomfortable being seated there. Li Zhan noticed his hesitation and said, “Don’t worry. Soldiers aren’t that particular about etiquette. Most of them don’t even know who you are—probably assume you’re just one of my retainers. Once the banquet starts, just eat and drink. Don’t worry about what others think.”
Ji Qingzhou felt slightly more at ease and sat down next to the young emperor.
The young emperor nestled against him, occasionally whispering in his ear.
Ji Qingzhou, dressed in a scholar’s robe today, stood out among the martial crowd. His looks and temperament were already outstanding, and even though many of the young military officers present were quite handsome, none could match him.
Li Zhan sat next to him, frequently turning his gaze to Ji Qingzhou and barely paying any attention to the stage.
Taking advantage of the moment, Ji Qingzhou looked around. He guessed that the two middle-aged generals seated at the head of either side were likely the commanders of the two camps. One of them looked quite imposing, with features that resembled Qin Zheng’s slightly—this must be Qin Zheng’s father, Commander Qin Xueqi of the capital’s garrison.
The other man was engaged in pleasantries with those nearby, with a smooth and amiable demeanor. That was likely Xiao Tengyun, commander of the Western Camp. He was the one Li Zhan planned to deal with. Ji Qingzhou was curious about what method Li Zhan would use to make his move.
Would he confront him directly at the banquet?
That seemed a bit too crude…
An assassination during the martial contest?
Didn’t seem appropriate either…
“Wow, Ji Gonggong, look!” the young emperor pointed not far away. A few roasted whole lambs were being carried over.
The lambs had been freshly slaughtered that day, and the meat was incredibly tender. Even from afar, the smell of roasting meat was mouthwatering.
Everyone had gone hungry all afternoon, and now their eyes were glued to the roasted lambs.
The young emperor licked his lips and rubbed his hands together, clearly excited. Ji Qingzhou, infected by his enthusiasm, also found himself swallowing involuntarily.
Li Zhan kept his gaze fixed on the pair beside him—one large, one small. But with the roast lamb arriving and the banquet about to begin, he had to say a few words to start things off. Otherwise, no one would dare touch the food.
Reluctantly, Li Zhan tore his gaze away and made a few perfunctory remarks to open the event.
As soon as he finished speaking, servers began bringing the lamb dishes to each table.
“Everything sent to our table is under strict watch. I’ve ordered someone to keep an eye on it, so there’s no need to worry,” Li Zhan whispered into Ji Qingzhou’s ear.
He leaned in a little too close while speaking, and his warm breath brushed against Ji Qingzhou’s neck, making him shrink away a bit uncomfortably. But he understood what Li Zhan meant—it was safe to eat and drink without any concern.
Truthfully, Ji Qingzhou didn’t feel particularly tense, but he could sense that Li Zhan hadn’t relaxed at all.
Understandably so—Li Zhan had lived another life and knew the entire plot. But this time, too much had changed. Even he, the original big villain, had become a “decent person” and was now carrying Li Zhan’s child. Imagining the emotional upheaval Li Zhan must be feeling was not difficult at all.
Each one of these variables forced Li Zhan to put in more effort to remain alert and responsive.
Just one misstep, and the whole game could be lost…
Ji Qingzhou couldn’t help but sigh—it was still better to be a supporting character.
Being the main character was way too exhausting!
“Ji Gonggong, I want to try Imperial Uncle’s wine,” the young emperor suddenly said.
Ji Qingzhou was momentarily stunned and was just about to refuse when Li Zhan handed over his wine cup.
The young emperor, thrilled, reached out eagerly to take it, but Ji Qingzhou stopped him at once and said, “Your Majesty… wine is for grown-ups. If children drink it, they won’t grow tall.”
The young emperor frowned and looked at him for a moment, then turned his head to look at Li Zhan.
Ji Qingzhou also glanced at Li Zhan and gave him a meaningful look.
“Mn, he’s right,” Li Zhan retracted his wine cup and tipped it back, finishing the wine in one gulp.
The young emperor looked a bit disappointed, his lips pouting as he gazed at Ji Qingzhou.
Ji Qingzhou knew well that children were curious about anything they hadn’t yet experienced. Just as he was wondering how to explain why children couldn’t drink alcohol, he saw Qin Zheng at the next table grab hold of Qi Jingheng’s wrist, preparing to sing her a song.
“I’ll sing one of your Liang Kingdom’s… hic… nursery rhymes!” Qin Zheng’s cheeks were flushed red from drink, his eyes slightly dazed. “Back then, your brother… your brother taught it to me when he came to the capital… I still remember how it goes…”
As he spoke, he tried to stand up, clearly intending to perform in front of everyone.
Ji Qingzhou was startled—General Qin Xueqi was still here. If Qin Zheng made a scene drunk in public, he’d surely be scolded by his father afterward.
Luckily, Qi Jingheng had strength on her side. She pressed down on Qin Zheng’s shoulder with one hand and firmly forced him back into his seat.
“See, Your Majesty? That’s what happens when someone drinks—they start talking nonsense and might embarrass themselves in front of others.” Ji Qingzhou lowered his voice and explained to the young emperor.
Having been surrounded by well-mannered people his whole life, the young emperor had never seen anyone drunk before. He stared at Qin Zheng, wide-eyed with surprise, as Qin Zheng clung to Qi Jingheng’s sleeve, muttering who knows what.
Qi Jingheng, however, remained composed. A young woman handling a drunken man showed not a trace of panic.
Meanwhile, Qin Zheng, a grown man, sat obediently in his chair with no ability to resist her at all.
“Is he going to cry?” the young emperor asked curiously.
“Probably…” Ji Qingzhou turned to look at Qin Zheng and replied, “Probably not, I think.”
He had barely finished speaking when Qin Zheng, seemingly reminded of something, suddenly turned red-eyed, covered his face with Qi Jingheng’s sleeve—he really did look like he was crying.
Ji Qingzhou: …
Young emperor: …
Li Zhan wasn’t seated far from Qin Zheng. He really didn’t want to see Qin Zheng do anything even more outrageous in front of both camps’ commanders, so he instructed Dong Dong, “Take him to rest.”
Dong Dong promptly walked over and said something to Qi Jingheng. She nodded toward Li Zhan and Ji Qingzhou, then helped Qin Zheng away.
“Young Master Qin can’t hold his liquor?” Ji Qingzhou asked Li Zhan.
“Probably got emotional from the setting,” Li Zhan replied, though he didn’t say what scene stirred which emotion.
A moment later, Li Zhan added, “Aside from the wine shipped in from the capital’s taverns, tonight’s banquet also includes some homemade brews from local farmers. They usually have to travel far to sell it in the capital. I’ve tried it once before, and the flavor was decent, so I had people buy a batch.”
“So the alcohol’s just too strong?” Ji Qingzhou asked.
“Qin Zheng probably mixed both types and didn’t control the amount—that’s why he got drunk,” Li Zhan explained.
Ji Qingzhou couldn’t help laughing a little. Although Qin Zheng was usually annoying, he always cared about his image. When he sobered up tomorrow and remembered what he’d done, he’d probably be too embarrassed to show his face.
“Want to try a small sip?” Li Zhan poured a cup of wine and handed it to Ji Qingzhou.
Ji Qingzhou looked at him in surprise—was this man serious? Offering wine to a child earlier and now to someone pregnant? But then he figured: it was just a sip, and surely no harm would come of it. Plus, Li Zhan had personally poured it—it’d be rude not to drink.
With that in mind, Ji Qingzhou accepted the cup. But when he drank it, he realized there was only a single drop inside. The wine barely touched his tongue before the flavor vanished.
Ji Qingzhou: …
This was supposed to be a “small sip”? This was half a drop at best.
“You’re pregnant—you can’t drink alcohol,” Li Zhan leaned in close and whispered in his ear. “Wait until after the child is born. Then you can drink all you want.”
Ji Qingzhou hadn’t planned to drink anyway, but Li Zhan’s theatrics really caught him off guard.
If he’d had a drinking problem, this might’ve driven him mad…
“Try this one too,” Li Zhan poured him another cup—or more precisely, another drop—this time from a different bottle.
Ji Qingzhou played along and took the “cup,” again just barely tasting the wine.
But he did notice that the two types of wine had distinctly different flavors. He guessed the homemade one had a much higher alcohol content. Qin Zheng had probably started with the milder wine, then, once tipsy, switched to the stronger one—only to get knocked flat by its potency.
Thinking of that, Ji Qingzhou paused, a realization dawning on him.
He looked down at the young emperor and asked, “Your Majesty, where’s your sachet?”
The young emperor pointed to the sachet hanging at his waist. “Right here.”
Ji Qingzhou said, “It smells really nice. Can I trade mine with yours, just to try it for a while?”
The young emperor looked down at Ji Qingzhou’s sachet, which was really just a rough little cloth pouch—not attractive at all. But the emperor had always been generous with Ji Qingzhou, so he nodded without hesitation.
Ji Qingzhou fastened his own pouch to the emperor’s belt and removed the one from the emperor.
Guo Zi had been following Ji Qingzhou the whole evening. Ji Qingzhou, taking advantage of the moment when no one was paying attention, slipped the sachet into Guo Zi’s hand and whispered something in his ear.
Guo Zi dashed off and returned not long after, whispering back into Ji Qingzhou’s ear.
Ji Qingzhou’s expression shifted, a flicker of coldness flashing in his eyes.
He had known from the start that this wasn’t something simple—and now, his suspicions were confirmed!
“What’s wrong?” Li Zhan noticed the change in Ji Qingzhou’s demeanor and asked.
“Wang Ye…” Ji Qingzhou stood up while speaking. As he reached for the table to steady himself, Li Zhan misunderstood and instinctively moved to help, his hand catching Ji Qingzhou’s.
Li Zhan didn’t hesitate—he tightened his fingers and grasped the youth’s cool hand in his palm.
Before Ji Qingzhou could react, Li Zhan had already used that grip to help him stand.
Even though their hands were hidden beneath Ji Qingzhou’s wide sleeves, Li Zhan’s heart couldn’t help but race. He knew he should let go, make it seem natural, so as not to make Ji Qingzhou uncomfortable—but instead, his fingers clutched even tighter.
The alcohol dulled his judgment, and in that moment, a dozen wild thoughts surged through his mind—every single one of them centered on the person before him…
“Wang Ye…” Ji Qingzhou leaned in close and whispered something into his ear.
But Li Zhan, either distracted or too intoxicated, didn’t hear a word.
Suddenly, he felt the youth’s hand slip out of his grasp.
Ji Qingzhou handed the young emperor over to Li Zhan and then left with Guo Zi.
It took Li Zhan a long moment to snap out of it. Watching Ji Qingzhou walk away, he turned to Dong Dong and asked, “What just happened?”
Dong Dong looked baffled—he clearly didn’t know either.
Li Zhan tried hard to recall what Ji Qingzhou had whispered to him earlier, but not a single word had registered. Eventually, unable to hold back, he stood and followed in the direction Ji Qingzhou had gone.
Ji Qingzhou led Guo Zi directly back to the tent, where Tang Shu was already waiting.
On the table lay an opened sachet—the one Ji Qingzhou had taken from the young emperor.
“Besides His Majesty, who else had this sachet?” Tang Shu asked.
Just as he finished speaking, Li Zhan walked in and placed his own sachet on the table.
“I had the imperial physicians check it. They said there was nothing wrong with it.” The moment Li Zhan saw the sachet on the table, he seemed to realize something. Much of his drunkenness faded, and the chaotic emotions that had been swirling in his heart also began to settle.
Ji Qingzhou glanced at Li Zhan in surprise—he hadn’t expected Li Zhan to have the sachet examined as well.
No wonder earlier, when the young emperor gave him the sachet, Li Zhan had intercepted it midway. So it turned out he had been uneasy about it from the start.
Tang Shu said, “The herbs in this sachet are not harmful on their own, but once combined with the ingredients from the medicinal pouch used this afternoon, they become quite dangerous.” As he spoke, he pulled out a piece of paper from his robes, on which several medicinal names were written.
The herbs listed weren’t commonly seen—neither Ji Qingzhou nor Li Zhan recognized them at first glance.
Tang Shu explained, “When combined with the ingredients in the sachet, these herbs can cause fetal instability at best—and miscarriage at worst.”
Li Zhan’s expression immediately turned cold when he heard this. A faint murderous intent flickered in his eyes.
Ji Qingzhou, however, didn’t look surprised at all. He calmly asked, “So the person who prepared this must be skilled in medicine, right?”
“Not necessarily,” Tang Shu replied. “I’m not sure if the person lacks proper medical knowledge or made a mistake, but the dosage is slightly off. Judging by my assessment… even if you were exposed to the scent for three to five days, it would likely only result in some fetal instability. With me monitoring your pulse daily, we wouldn’t have let it get that far—I’d have noticed the change right away.”
In other words, the person who made this wasn’t especially skilled in medicine after all.
“Dong Dong…” Li Zhan called coldly toward the tent entrance.
Ji Qingzhou guessed what Li Zhan was planning and quickly interjected, “Wang Ye, please don’t be hasty. We still don’t know who’s behind this. Acting rashly might alert the snake in the grass.”
Li Zhan naturally understood that as well. After a brief pause, he asked, “Then what do you suggest?”
Ji Qingzhou gave him a reassuring smile, then turned to Tang Shu and asked, “If we hadn’t noticed the effects of the sachet and I’d spent the night breathing it in, what symptoms would I show tomorrow?”
“Frequent fetal movement, restless sleep,” Tang Shu answered.
Ji Qingzhou nodded and said, “Then let’s have His Majesty sleep in this tent tonight. Tomorrow, you can prescribe some medicine for me so others will know I experienced those symptoms—frequent fetal movement and trouble sleeping.”
Everyone immediately understood—Ji Qingzhou was planning to lure the snake out of its hole.
Since someone had already made a move, it was unlikely they’d stop now. As long as that person acted again, they’d have a chance to catch them.
“Wang Ye, once the banquet ends, I’ll go fetch His Majesty,” Ji Qingzhou said.
Li Zhan nodded, then added, “I’ll have someone bring him over instead.”
After all, this tent was officially set up for the young emperor. Bringing him here was perfectly reasonable—no one would think it odd.
That night, after Ji Qingzhou finished washing up, someone brought the young emperor to the tent.
Unexpectedly, the one delivering the young emperor was Li Zhan himself.
“Wang Ye, why did you come in person?” Ji Qingzhou asked in surprise.
Li Zhan said, “After thinking it over, I still felt uneasy, so I decided to come along.”
Ji Qingzhou froze for a moment before realizing what he meant.
Came along… Did that mean Li Zhan planned to sleep in this tent too?
Li Zhan noticed Ji Qingzhou’s surprise and quickly said, “Don’t worry, I’ve told Xiao Shan and the others to sleep elsewhere. I’ll sleep outside the screen.”
“That… might not be appropriate,” Ji Qingzhou said.
Li Zhan looked at him, a trace of hopeful anticipation in his gaze.
Then he heard Ji Qingzhou say, “Why don’t you sleep here, and I’ll sleep outside the screen?”
Li Zhan looked slightly disappointed. He quickly responded, “No need to argue. You get some rest.”
With that, Li Zhan placed the young emperor on Ji Qingzhou’s bed. But just as he was about to let go, the young emperor grabbed his arm and refused to let go.
“Imperial Uncle, I heard there are wolves on the prairie. I’m scared,” the young emperor said pitifully as he clung to Li Zhan. “Don’t go sleep outside. What if a wolf comes and you don’t wake up, and it bites me and Ji Gonggong?”
Li Zhan: …
Ji Qingzhou: …
“Sleep with us, please. This bed’s really big,” the young emperor said as he patted the spot beside him, inviting Li Zhan.
Li Zhan originally intended to comfort him, to say that there were guards outside and it was very safe—but the words got stuck in his throat.
He glanced at Ji Qingzhou, eyes filled with helplessness and a silent question.
Ji Qingzhou gave a slightly awkward smile and said, “If Wang Ye doesn’t mind…”
“I don’t mind,” Li Zhan replied, immediately taking off his boots and lying down fully clothed on the edge of the bed.
The young emperor was thrilled and leaned over to kiss Li Zhan on the cheek.
He then tried to roll over and kiss Ji Qingzhou too, but Li Zhan immediately pulled him into his arms and ordered, “No fooling around. Go to sleep quietly.”
The young emperor, trapped in his arms, could only stretch his little neck toward Ji Qingzhou and pout, making a kissing gesture through the air.
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