Chapter 112 – Final extra
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This year, winter came early to the capital. It wasn’t even October yet, but fur coats were already in use.
After the morning court session, just like usual, he changed into heavy ceremonial robes. He concealed the scars on his face and struggled with the inconvenient sleeves as he made his way to Xungui Residence.
As soon as he entered Xungui Residence, Fu Nian heard the sound of crisp crying. He hurriedly walked closer and saw Princess Chu Zhoushu in the courtyard, tears streaming down her face, her cheeks flushed from crying.
Fu Nian’s heart skipped a beat.
“Your Excellency, you finally came, Princess.”
Fu Nian reached out and quickly picked up the crying Chu Zhoushu. He asked gently, “What’s the matter? Why are you crying outside in this freezing weather? Who bullied you?”
“Daddy… sob…”
Fu Nian comforted her in a fluster, repeatedly saying, “Don’t cry, don’t cry.” He wiped away her tears with his good left hand.
“Yesterday… Yesterday, I wanted to see Royal Father. I followed him all the way to the Imperial Garden and saw Royal Father with a very scary big brother. He waved his sword, and with one swing… he… he… several eunuchs….”
Fu Nian’s expression darkened.
Since his little daughter had become sensible, he had always played the role of a virtuous empress in her presence. Every time he entered Xungui Residence, he would clean the bloodstains off his body before coming in. But when he returned to Chu Zhaoyi’s side, he was still the vicious mad dog.
Fu Nian recalled that last night, he and Chu Zhaoyi had passed by the Imperial Garden together. They had just caught several corrupt court officials, and Chu Zhaoyi had gestured for him to execute them on the spot.
How had Chu Zhoushu seen that?
“Be good, don’t be afraid. Daddy knows all the people around your Royal Father. How could there be such a fierce person? Maybe it was just the guards training, and you happened to see it. The Imperial Garden is such a beautiful place, and the gardeners don’t usually have time to take care of it. How could they allow someone to take lives there?”
Fu Nian comforted her while carrying her into the room. “In the future, you mustn’t run around on your own in the middle of the night, okay? Daddy is teaching you martial arts and swordsmanship, not for you to sneak out.”
“Okay…” Chu Zhoushu finally stopped sobbing.
Fu Nian noticed the dark circles under her eyes, probably from not sleeping well. He comforted her until she fell asleep, using a cloth doll to put on a shadow puppet show for her. After a while, when he was sure she was asleep, Fu Nian quickly left the room with a stern expression. He found one of the palace maids in Xungui Residence and interrogated her.
His little Zhaoshu should have grown up carefree. As long as he was alive, she shouldn’t have been exposed to such bloody affairs.
After Fu Nian left, Chu Zhoushu uncovered herself from the blanket and stopped pretending to sleep.
Before she could get out of bed, her wet nurse hurried in. “Princess, please don’t wander around again. You know this.”
“I know. Daddy is Royal Father’s shadow guard! He usually follows Royal Father closely, and he kills without leaving a trace. But when he comes to see me, he intentionally dresses like this!”
Chu Zhoushu exclaimed excitedly, interrupting her wet nurse. “Daddy is really cool!”
“Who told you this?” The wet nurse was anxious and asked urgently. “Was it Lu Yi from Ze Wang Residence who accompanies you to school, or someone else who told you?”
Chu Zhoushu tilted her head, looking puzzled by her wet nurse’s anxious expression. “Of course, I saw it myself. But don’t worry, I won’t reveal Daddy’s identity, and I won’t expose him. If Daddy doesn’t want Zhoushu to know, then Zhoushu will pretend not to know.”
Having said that, Chu Zhoushu suddenly seemed to remember something. She hopped off the bed and reached for the small cloak on the coatrack. “By the way, I told my royal brother yesterday that I would teach him swordsmanship. If he still doesn’t meet the standards, I’m afraid he’ll be punished by Instructor Dou and have to stand in the snow outside.”
This year’s first snow had come early, in early November. The merciless wind and snow swept through the capital overnight. Even when walking around the sheltered palace halls, the sound of the chilling wind could be heard.
The sudden cold weather had brought on a cough, the root of which was the heart-connecting gu given to Chu Zhaoyi.
Starting from the second night watch, Fu Nian hadn’t heard Chu Zhaoyi’s tossing and turning. Ultimately, he had gone to the study, suppressing his coughs to avoid disturbing his sleep.
Seeing this, Fu Nian naturally couldn’t sleep either. He got up and rushed to the kitchen to prepare pear soup, then braved the snowstorm to hurry to the imperial study.
When he stepped onto the warm carpet, Fu Nian realized that he had rushed too quickly and hadn’t had time to put on his boots. His thin white socks were already soaked by the snow.
He didn’t pay much attention to this and walked quickly to the table, placing the pear soup in front of Chu Zhaoyi. “Your Majesty.”
Cough, cough, cough, Chu Zhaoyi put down the book in his hand.
Fu Nian quickly tested the temperature with the back of his hand and spoon-fed Chu Zhaoyi, spoon by spoon.
After half a bowl of pear soup, Fu Nian said, “I’ve already instructed the imperial physician to prepare medicine. The pear soup can provide some relief. If you’re uncomfortable, there’s no need to suppress your cough or quietly leave the sleeping palace in the middle of the night.”
Chu Zhaoyi, halfway through his drink, inexplicably raised his head to look at Fu Nian.
Fu Nian, being stared at like that, also stopped feeding him and looked puzzled at Chu Zhaoyi.
After a moment of eye contact, Chu Zhaoyi spoke softly, “Ah… I just choked on water when drinking in the middle of the night. I happened to remember some unfinished paperwork before bedtime…”
Chu Zhaoyi hadn’t finished speaking when he saw the concern and care on Fu Nian’s face disappear instantly, and Fu Nian put down the pear soup in his hand.
“Does Ah Nian think I’m sick, that’s why you’re so concerned?”
…Of course.
Fu Nian didn’t say it out loud, and out of habit, he remained silent and lowered his head.
But it’s good he wasn’t sick.
“So if I’m not sick, you won’t care anymore?” Chu Zhaoyi saw Fu Nian’s silence and took the initiative to get closer. “Your change of expression is faster than flipping through a book.”
“Not exactly,” Fu Nian said softly.
After responding, he rarely leaned closer to Chu Zhaoyi. “It’s just that as long as you’re fine, Your Majesty can handle the paperwork first, and I won’t disturb you.”
Before he could finish speaking, Fu Nian felt his left ankle, with the wet sock in between, being grabbed ahead of time. The next moment, his lower leg was involuntarily pulled towards Chu Zhaoyi’s embrace.
Fu Nian instinctively tried to retract his foot.
“Hey, let me see. You came to me in such a hurry, without even time to put on your shoes?” Chu Zhaoyi said, removing Fu Nian’s soaking wet sock in a leisurely manner.
His leg, accustomed to martial arts training, had very smooth muscles. The robust muscles were covered in water droplets, appearing pale from the cold, with only the tips of his toes showing a hint of a reddish color.
Fu Nian realized that Chu Zhaoyi was staring at his foot and quickly increased his efforts to pull it back.
The difference in strength between Chu Zhaoyi and him is significant. If he really wanted to, breaking free from Chu Zhaoyi’s restraints would not be difficult at all.
“Getting shy now? I’ve seen every part of your body.”
“Your Majesty, the medicine spilled onto the paperwork,” Fu Nian said, pretending to touch the bowl.
He knelt down and carefully arranged his left leg, which was bare without a sock, to cover it.
Only when Chu Zhaoyi stopped writing did Fu Nian begin reporting on recent events.
“The Second Prince’s swordsmanship is still far from satisfactory. Considering today’s snowfall, Instructor Han has postponed the punishment and training for another two days.” The Crown Prince and the Second Prince were adopted from a collateral branch. Although they regarded Chu Zhaoyi as their father, Fu Nian could only patiently teach them, treating them as disciples.
Fu Nian had also wondered about something all these years. After Chu Zhoushu, five or six years had passed, and he had never seen another sign of pregnancy.
He had also asked the imperial physician, who had only said that there was nothing wrong with his body; it was just a matter of timing.
Seeing Chu Zhaoyi, who was from a collateral branch, adopt a child and educate him halfway for the sake of the country’s future, never taking a consort, Fu Nian inexplicably felt a sense of neglect.
“Well, Zhouyan grew up in the countryside with his mother during his early years. Those years coincided with famines, so his health is naturally not as good as other children of his age. I’ve already told Instructor Dou to tailor his education to his abilities and not to push him too hard.”
“And Your Majesty,” Fu Nian paused for a moment but decided to speak, “Throughout history, emperors have always pursued having more children for more blessings. They would never adopt unless there was some deficiency.”
“What are you trying to say?”
Hearing Chu Zhaoyi’s slightly sharp tone, Fu Nian hurriedly shut his mouth. “It’s nothing.”
After that, citing fatigue as an excuse, Fu Nian left the study.
Coincidentally, when morning training ended, Fu Nian passed by the imperial physician’s office and saw the imperial physician preparing medicine for Chu Zhaoyi.
He had some knowledge of medical books and, with a quick glance, recognized several familiar herbs.
Fu Nian recalled his seldom-used knowledge of medical books and vaguely remembered that these herbs were used for contraception.
He furrowed his brows.
Could it be that Chu Zhaoyi had been taking these medicines himself? He had never seen an emperor who wished to be infertile.
But then again, many years ago, Chu Zhaoyi had claimed not to like children. It was only after Chu Zhoushu had been discovered that he changed his tune to say he liked them… Fu Nian fell into silence.
After so many years of being together, Fu Nian had almost forgotten that he had once been deceived by Chu Zhaoyi. Seeing this prescription brought back unpleasant memories.
After half a day of heavy snowfall, the accumulated snow was already knee-deep.
Although Chengyuan Hall had people clearing the snow, they had only cleared the main path.
Fu Nian walked to a deserted corner and was about to bend down to retie the laces on his boots. Just as he bent down, the back of his head suddenly felt a chill.
He raised his head, and on top of the pavilion, there happened to be a figure in dragon robes, rubbing a snowball in his bright red hands.
Fu Nian didn’t want to take a beating either. Relying on his martial skills, he leaped up onto the pavilion and grabbed a handful of snow to stuff it down Chu Zhaoyi’s collar from behind.
As soon as he finished doing that, he saw Chu Zhaoyi suddenly collapse to the ground.
Fu Nian quickly bent down. “Your Majesty?”
Before he could express his concern, a handful of snow came right at him.
He realized he had been tricked and had no choice but to use his sleeve to wipe his eyes randomly, trying to restore his vision.
In the hazy mist, a pair of warm and powerful hands wiped away the water droplets from his eyes.
Fu Nian didn’t hesitate either and grabbed Chu Zhaoyi’s hand to wipe it a few times as well.
After wiping away the melting snow, Fu Nian remembered to ask about something important. He took out the herbal medicine pouch he had brought from the imperial physician’s office and handed it to Chu Zhaoyi.
“What is this?”
“Got it from the Imperial Physician’s Office. It’s a part of His Majesty’s daily medication. It contains contraceptive ingredients; someone wants to prevent you from having children,” Fu Nian said emotionally.
He knew that Chu Zhaoyi was always vigilant, and he must have been aware of the ingredients in the medicine.
Sure enough, Chu Zhaoyi looked embarrassed.
“Your Majesty?” Fu Nian pretended to be concerned and asked.
“Ah Nian…” Chu Zhaoyi’s mouth twitched slightly, “I had the imperial physician prescribe it.”
After saying that, Chu Zhaoyi quickly explained, “Heirs can be adopted, and they still belong to the Chu family. When you were pregnant with Little Zhoushu, you went through so much suffering, so I made a decision.”
Fu Nian didn’t wait for Chu Zhaoyi to finish speaking. He tiptoed and, with the snowwater melting on his lips, lightly pressed them against those thin lips.
But he didn’t continue to kiss him. He lingered, “But Your Majesty doesn’t want your subordinate to have your child?”
After saying that, Fu Nian clearly felt Chu Zhaoyi’s breath become more erratic.
He raised his head and met the dangerous gaze that he had never dared to look directly into before. The corner of his lips lifted slightly.
Fu Nian felt Chu Zhaoyi’s hand on his shoulder increase in pressure.
“This subordinate wants…”
Before he could finish speaking, there was a sudden pain in his back, and he slammed into a pillar in the pavilion.
Fu Nian gritted his teeth.
Then, he pulled Chu Zhaoyi’s hand and, with his mouth open, he gently attached it to his throat.
As long as he used a little force, it would be like a suffocating restraint.
Fu Nian squinted his eyes, seemingly waiting for something, and whispered, “Your Majesty.”
Author’s note:
Completely finished!
Thank you for reading.
Another novel completed!!! Thank you to all the readers who joined us on this journey and supported my translations, it really does mean a lot!!! <3 If you enjoyed the translations and the novel, please make sure to give the novel a good rating and review on Novelupdates or donate on Ko-fi or Paypal <3P.S. Go check out the other amazing novels being translated on this site :))
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