Xiao Huan chewed on a blade of grass torn from the edge of the tent, his face clouded with irritation.
This princess seemed like she was seriously ill—dragging her feet all along the way was one thing, but now she was dissatisfied with this and uncomfortable with that. If it weren’t for the trip to the capital, he wouldn’t have taken on this miserable task even if begged.
“General, based on our observations along the way, it seems that the Tartar attendants are all led by Princess Baya,” Yingge whispered.
For a people without a sense of propriety or shame, who valued only strength, this was actually quite rare.
Among the Tartar tribe, women—especially those of royal blood—held very low status. They were often given as gifts to neighboring states to show goodwill, or handed over to subordinates to consolidate power. When a father died, his concubines would be inherited by his sons. They were like climbing roses, taking root wherever they could.
“According to the spy’s letter, her birth mother was from the Central Plains and probably literate. Beyond that, nothing else could be uncovered.”
For a foreign woman to survive among the Tartars and rise to the position of princess consort, even the spies couldn’t dig up much—it was no small feat.
“Once we reach the capital, both of you stay sharp! Especially you, Xiao Huan—if you cause trouble for me, don’t blame me for cleaning house.”
It was no wonder Xiao Yi was worried. The capital was a place full of intrigue and schemes, where the most cunning people gathered. They, rough country folk, simply couldn’t compete.
At dawn the next day, Zhou Qingyuan took Lu Chao ahead to the capital.
Despite Zhou Qingyuan’s earnest invitations, Lu Chao refused to stay at the Zhou residence. He already had his own courtyard in the capital. When the Huangqi and Ginseng wine business expanded to the capital, he had asked Zhou Qingyuan to help find a place. Zhou Qingyuan was efficient and soon found a modest four-room courtyard—not large, but well-equipped. The neighbors were mostly minor officials, so it was quiet.
Lu Chao hadn’t yet told Lu Yuanzhao about his arrival—partly to avoid disturbing him while he prepared for his exams, and partly to gather some information about his cousin, to help Lady Lu assess this match.
“Really not coming to stay at my place?” Zhou Qingyuan looked at Lu Chao with pleading eyes.
Lu Chao rubbed his forehead. “Are you sick? Can you stop looking at me like a scorned woman?”
“Do I look like I’m in any shape right now? Let me rest for a couple of days, then I’ll visit Lord Zhou.”
Zhou Qingyuan had no choice but to get off the carriage dejectedly. He was sure he’d get an earful from his mother when he got home.
There was a good reason for this. Thanks to the wine business over the past two years, the Zhou family’s coffers had finally grown fat. Lu Chao was practically the family’s golden goose in his mother’s eyes, and Lord Zhou often praised him. When Mrs. Zhou heard Lu Chao was coming to the capital, she immediately started preparing the guest room. If she found out he wasn’t staying, Zhou Qingyuan didn’t know how long he’d be scolded.
Sure enough, as Zhou Qingyuan stepped inside, he saw Mrs. Zhou peeking over his shoulder.
“Mother, stop looking. There’s no one behind me.”
Mrs. Zhou frowned. “Where’s Lu Chao? Didn’t you say he came back with you?”
“He got carsick and was throwing up all the way. He’s not feeling well, so he’s resting for a couple of days before coming to our place.”
Mrs. Zhou’s worry grew.
“You should’ve brought him in! His courtyard has no elders around. What if the servants take advantage of him? A greenhorn like him fussing over such things.”
Zhou Qingyuan chuckled.
“Whoever dares to bully him, well, he doesn’t bother others, so just rest assured. In a couple of days, you’ll get to see him.”
After saying this, he picked up some snacks from the table and started eating. To buy time on the journey to the capital with Prince Kang, they hadn’t stopped once, and they were starving.
Mrs. Zhou glared at her son’s mischievous grin, her anger barely contained.
“Chewing on peonies like a cow—this whole plate won’t even fill your teeth. I’ve asked the kitchen to prepare some hot noodle soup; go wash up quickly and eat. Oh, I’ve also sent some salted plums to Lu Chao, with some white porridge to go along. It’ll make him feel better. Last time I came back from Jing’an Temple, I was so dizzy I could barely stand, but eating this worked wonders.”
With that, she turned and went to give instructions to the servants. Zhou Qingyuan shook his head. Since his mother had accompanied his father to the capital all these years, she had long blended into the circle of official wives. She wouldn’t dare send salted plums that weren’t well-known—worried it might cause gossip that the Zhou family wasn’t up to par.
Lu Chao ate three large bowls of white porridge with the salted plums, then rested for two days. After much protest from Liu Yao, he even took a hot bath. Finally, he was back on his feet.
That day, Lu Chao arrived at the door, holding gifts and a formal invitation. From afar, he spotted Zhou Qingyuan’s figure.
“Well, Qingyuan, great minds think alike! We haven’t even sent word, and here you are.”
Zhou Qingyuan saw that Lu Chao looked much better and smiled. “Of course. After a good night’s sleep, a bit of understanding is natural.”
In truth, he had been waiting outside for quite some time.
“Pfft, don’t talk nonsense and ruin my reputation.”
The two had been classmates for three years, constantly bickering until it became a habit. Laughing and teasing, they stepped inside.
Zhou Qingyuan led Lu Chao into the main courtyard and called out loudly, “Father, Mother, look who’s here.”
Lu Chao glanced up to see Lord Zhou seated at the head of the room, a warm smile on his face. Beside him sat a plump, round-faced woman.
“Junior Lu Chao pays respects to Lord Zhou and Mrs. Zhou.”
Lord Zhou stood up.
“Come, come, so many years have passed! My dear nephew, you’ve grown even more handsome. How are your father and mother?”
Lu Chao cupped his hands in greeting. “Thank you, Lord Zhou, for your concern. My parents are in good health. My father often speaks of you.”
“Haha, your father has served as an official in Yuxi for three years. I’ve heard of his dedication and tireless service—it’s truly admirable. I hope to have the chance to learn from him someday.”
Mrs. Zhou patted Lord Zhou’s arm, her voice full of concern.
“Quick, have the boy sit down and drink some warm tea to warm himself. Look at how thin his face is—we can’t have him catching cold.”
Having met many sons of eunuchs in the capital, Mrs. Zhou had never seen such a striking young man. By the heavens, his eyelashes were even longer than the ladies’. Thinking of his outstanding looks and exceptional talent, she couldn’t help but envy Lady Lu.
Lu Chao grinned broadly. “Aunt Zhou, I’m not cold. Before I left this morning, I had several bowls of porridge with the salted plums you sent me.”
Mrs. Zhou’s face lit up with a smile. That salted plum recipe was her secret—everyone who tried it praised it.
“If you like it, that’s good. I’ll bring some back for you later—plenty to go around! If there’s any other dish you fancy, just tell Auntie, and she’ll have the servants prepare it,”
Zhou Qingyuan said, his teeth almost aching from the sweetness.
“I feel so close to Auntie the moment I see her. I like everything she prepares, but I’m afraid if I eat too much, Auntie might send me away,”
Lady Zhou laughed warmly. “You child, how could Auntie be anything but delighted?”
Lu Chao and the two elders of the Zhou family had only just begun their conversation when a servant whispered something into Lord Zhou’s ear. Lu Chao immediately knew that Prince Kang had arrived.
Sure enough, in the adjoining room of the study, Lu Chao saw Prince Kang’s face, heavy with worry.
“Why do you look so ill? Is there trouble brewing in the palace?”
Xiao Youcheng stood with his hands behind his back, staring at the paintings on the wall. His voice was heavy and somewhat lost.
“The Crown Prince’s illness is worsening. When I visited him, he spent half the time in a deep sleep.”
Yet, despite hearing this, Lu Chao noticed that after returning to the palace, Prince Kang had changed into his usual attire. The palace maids had even applied some lip balm to his lips. His crimson brocade robe made him look anything but a patient. He listened with a gentle smile as Xiao Youcheng recounted the events in Yingchuan. If not for the blood he coughed up, Lu Chao might have believed the Crown Prince was recovering.
“Do you know,” Prince Kang began, “when I was little, Second Imperial Brother never liked me. He would secretly pinch me, trip me when no one was watching. When I got older, he’d steal whatever I liked. If he couldn’t take it, he’d destroy it. I raised a myna bird—it finally spoke after a year. The next day, it was dead in its cage. Mother told me not to take it to heart, but she never said Second Imperial Brother was wrong. It was always the Crown Prince who protected me, teaching me to read, teaching me right from wrong.”
Life and death, sickness and health—the inevitable cycles of the mortal world. Lu Chao understood that Xiao Youcheng didn’t need comfort; all he could do was silently keep him company.
“I asked the imperial physician how much time the Crown Prince had left. The doctor said at most two months. I planned to stay with him through his final days before returning to Yingchuan.”
“But then he handed me a note.”
Lu Chao took the blood-stained paper. The four characters written on it were as striking as a dragon in flight:
“Return to Yingchuan immediately.”
