Chapter 116: Extra Chapter 3
"Thanks to His Majesty's graciousness, we总算在淳老王爷发丧前把梓仁的亲事定下了。" Because she was in mourning for 淳老王爷, Princess Dunsu wore no ornaments on her head—only two plain silver hairpins. She sighed softly, "The prince is truly filial. He's lost so much weight these past days. Yesterday I and the imperial consort advised him at length. Old Lord王爷 has passed, and now this whole household looks to him for everything."
Lord 淳 passed away on the winter solstice. That same day, 祁骁 had also gone, ordering the Imperial Household Department to arrange a grand funeral—fulfilling the debt of affection the old lord had shown him before.
"I haven't seen the prince since the incident. I didn't realize…" 祁骁 murmured slightly. "江德清, prepare some tonics and send them over. Tell the prince, from me, to take care of his health."
江德清 hastily agreed. Princess Dunsu said gratefully, "Having His Majesty think of him so kindly is truly worthwhile. Since the old lord passed, Your Majesty has repeatedly offered comfort. The entire 淳 household is deeply grateful for Your Majesty's benevolence."
祁骁 smiled faintly. "Aunt, are you upset with me for not granting 淳 prince an equal-rank title inheritance?"
"What words are these?!" Princess Dunsu hastily clarified. "Has someone been saying something to Your Majesty?"
祁骁 leaned forward and patted Princess Dunsu's hand gently, saying with a soft laugh, "Aunt and I are family speaking privately behind closed doors. There's no need for such restraint—say what's on your mind."
Princess Dunsu sighed, then laughed bitterly. "Fine then, nothing escapes Your Majesty. I'm not resentful, but... I remember Your Majesty saying before that you would bestow a great favor upon 淳老王爷. I did wonder whether it might be... but it was just a momentary foolish thought. I never mentioned it to anyone. What's done is done."
If 淳 prince were granted an equal-rank inheritance, he would become a prince of the first rank. Her son-in-law would come back with nothing but a duke's title. Since this concerned her daughter's prosperity and honor, Princess Dunsu naturally hoped 祁骁 would bestow this great favor.
祁骁 smiled. After a long pause, he said slowly, "I won't hide it from Aunt. I did consider it at first—partly to honor 淳老王爷, partly for Cousin's sake. But things have changed now. I've come to think of something else…"
Princess Dunsu frowned. "Something else?"
祁骁 nodded. After a long silence, he suddenly asked, "The wife of the third branch's eldest son in the 淳 household passed away in early autumn, didn't she?"
Princess Dunsu was completely bewildered, nodding hesitantly. "Yes, yes…"
祁骁 unconsciously touched the life-token at his waist and said coolly, "The third branch of the 淳 household truly is pitiful…"
"Who can say otherwise." Princess Dunsu shook her head and sighed. "Two years ago, both the third branch's master and his eldest son passed away in quick succession. Because of this, 淳老王爷's condition suddenly worsened. A parent burying their children—who can bear such a thing? Fortunately, the eldest son's widow was strong. During the funeral preparations, they discovered she was already two months pregnant. Heaven was kind; it was a boy. With this posthumous child, the young widow finally pulled through. But the pregnancy was unstable from the start, and the birth was difficult. In the end… before a year had passed, she followed them too, leaving behind this child. So pitiful…"
祁骁 nodded and asked, "Who is raising the child now?"
Princess Dunsu sighed. "With the old consort."
祁骁 laughed bitterly. "The old consort must be nearly eighty this year, right?"
"Indeed she is." As both relative and in-law, Princess Dunsu was reluctant to speak ill of others behind their backs. But since 祁骁 asked, she couldn't refuse to answer. She might as well tell him everything. "Originally the child was placed with the second son of the third branch. But his wife, that second daughter-in-law—her temperament is… not good. She couldn't tolerate the child. The baby hadn't even reached one year old, and she wouldn't properly look after him, only caring for her own son and daughter. She took the eldest son's household's belongings but put in no care at all. When the funeral disrupted the household these past few days, she actually forgot about the child, leaving him exposed all day. When they went to check again…"
Princess Dunsu gritted her teeth. "The boy's face had turned blue and white, his lips were purple… his crying had stopped… Only then did they alert the old consort. The old consort was heartbroken, and had them bring the boy to her own courtyard."
"Didn't the old consort severely punish that wicked woman?! The child has no father or mother, and she treats him like this?!" 江德清 had been listening quietly all along and couldn't hold back any longer. After butting in, he quickly turned to apologize to 祁骁. "This old servant overstepped."
祁骁 waved his hand without saying anything. Princess Dunsu smiled bitterly. "If only it were that simple. But the old consort is getting on in years. She can manage the child for a year or two, fine. After she's gone though, this child will still have to be raised by his aunt. If we punish that woman now to feel better, what about later? That second daughter-in-law already has children of her own. We can't really divorce her. If we make an enemy of her now, won't it be the child who suffers in the end?"
江德清 was speechless. He hung his head and shook it silently. 祁骁's heart remained unmoved. Who was pitiful, who had a bitter fate—none of this concerned him. What he truly cared about was…
祁骁 looked at Princess Dunsu. "Aunt, would you deliver a message to the old consort for me?"
Princess Dunsu hastily said, "Please speak, Your Majesty."
"The Prince of Lingnan…" 祁骁 weighed his words carefully, "has been ill frequently this year. I had the Imperial Astronomy Bureau examine him. They said he needs someone with a certain… What is the child's birthdate?"
Princess Dunsu was stunned by the question. She stammered, "I… I'm not entirely sure. I'll inquire for Your Majesty."
祁骁 nodded. "It's this birthdate. A person with this birthdate is needed to enhance his fortune. I think that child is most suitable. Would you please tell the old consort that if she's willing, she should send the child to the palace. I will have the Prince of Lingnan take good care of him. He will not suffer the slightest hardship."
Princess Dunsu was dumbfounded. "Bring… bring him to the palace? Raise him before the Prince of Lingnan?"
祁骁 hummed. "Yes, just tell her that. The old consort is a wise person. She'll understand."
Just then there was some movement from the inner chamber. 江德清 turned and instructed the palace attendants: "The Prince of Lingnan has awakened. Hurry in to serve him. Tell those outside to quickly prepare some refreshments."
Princess Dunsu had never expected that 百刃 was actually resting in the side room this whole time. It was already late morning, and he was just waking now… Princess Dunsu felt her face flush. She became even more uncomfortable and stood up, forcing a smile. "Alright… I'll go to the 淳 residence right now."
祁骁 nodded. "江德清… see Aunt out."
Princess Dunsu walked slowly from the main hall toward the palace gates, completely puzzled as she thought about what had just transpired… Originally they had been discussing why the prince wasn't granted an equal-rank inheritance. Then 祁骁 said it was because of another reason, and that led to talking about the posthumous child of the third branch of the 淳 household, and then…
Princess Dunsu stopped in her tracks. Her face suddenly went pale.
"Princess?" 江德清 looked at Princess Dunsu in confusion, then smiled and asked, "What's wrong?"
After a long while, Princess Dunsu shook her head and said to herself with a bitter laugh, "This… this truly is an immense favor…"
江德清 had understood everything just then. Upon hearing this, he shook his head with a smile and said slowly, "Princess… there are times when one must be deliberately ignorant. This old servant used to insist on clarity too, but eventually figured it out on my own. I've spent half my life for His Majesty. If His Majesty is happy, I'm happy. As for right and wrong… there's truly no need to dwell on it."
江德清 looked at Princess Dunsu and smiled. "His Majesty does as he pleases. This old servant does the same."
Princess Dunsu felt a chill run through her. She lowered her voice urgently. "Aren't you afraid His Majesty will give the entire realm to the Prince of Lingnan!"
江德清 waved his hand. "Princess is overthinking again. That child doesn't bear the surname Dongling."
Princess Dunsu was frustrated. 江德清 smiled again. "Besides, that child is so young. His talents are undecided. Who knows how he'll turn out? Rest assured, Princess."
"He's already set his mind on this! Without this child there would be someone else!"
江德清 spread his hands. "Isn't that the point, Princess? If you don't help His Majesty, he'll find another way. What His Majesty wants isn't this child—it's this child's orphaned status. Princess…" 江德清 stepped forward and, taking over from the attending official, slowly guided Princess Dunsu toward the palace gates. "His Majesty trusts and values you by giving you this task. You should think of it this way…"
江德清 accompanied Princess Dunsu all the way to the palace gates, carefully reassuring her the entire journey. Finally he smiled and said, "His Majesty said nothing at all. This old servant wouldn't dare speculate on imperial intentions. Now His Majesty simply, because the Prince of Lingnan has been ill lately, found this way to ease his worries. There's nothing else to it."
Princess Dunsu understood what 江德清 meant. She nodded and sighed. "You can rest assured. I know what's at stake. I won't say a word to anyone."
江德清 bowed respectfully. "Then I'll trouble the Princess for this errand."
Princess Dunsu sighed, shook her head, and got into her sedan chair.
In the bedchamber, 百刃迷迷糊糊地让宫人伺候着穿好了衣裳，低声问："皇上呢？"
"外面呢。" 祁骁笑着进了里间，摆摆手让众人下去，上前自己给百刃整理衣冠，"都这会儿了你还起来做什么，今天天凉，你要是还想批文书就在这里间暖阁里批，别再去书房了。"
In the bedchamber, 百刃 groggily let the palace attendants dress him. He asked softly, "Where's the Emperor?"
"Outside." 祁骁笑着 entered the inner chamber, waving the others away. He stepped forward himself to tidy 百刃's clothes and ornaments. "Why are you getting up so late? It's cold today. If you still want to review documents, do it here in this warm chamber. Don't go to the study anymore."
As the year drew to a close, there was much business from the south. Since autumn, Lingnan had been implementing 祁骁's "two sets of memorials" method. Although 百刃 felt more at ease, his workload had literally doubled. Last night 百刃 had read documents until midnight, and only when dawn approached had 祁骁 dragged him to sleep. Princess Dunsu, unaware of the truth, assumed they had simply been intimate late.
百刃 yawned and nodded. "Mm, will the Emperor join me?"
祁骁 had originally planned to go to the front hall, but looking at 百刃's sleep-flushed face, he couldn't bring himself to leave. He changed his mind. "Alright."
The two sat together around the small table on the kang, reviewing memorials. During a break in the middle, 祁骁 told 百刃 about the earlier conversation. 百刃 understood immediately. His throat tightened. "You…"
祁骁 smiled and moved to sit beside 百刃, taking his hand and squeezing it. He said softly, "I'm at ease knowing the child will be raised by you."
百刃 understood. All of this—祁骁's scheming—was so that the child would one day be of one mind with him.
Afraid 百刃 would feel guilty, 祁骁 deliberately leaned down and kissed him, teasing, "How old are you yourself? Can you even raise a child?" As he spoke, he tickled 百刃's ribs. 百刃 squirmed and couldn't stop laughing. 祁骁 rolled over and pinned 百刃 beneath him, tickling him. After they laughed for a while, both lay down. 百刃 suddenly reddened. He bit hard into 祁骁's arm. 祁骁 curved his lips into a smile. "You little mutt…"
祁骁 rolled over and pressed down on 百刃 again—but this time, of course, it wasn't just tickling…