Chapter 17 – Son —
When Teng Shang came to, he heard someone laughing outside the door, “Lord Marquis, why are you standing outside and not going in?”
Xue Houyang"s voice was heard replying, “I"ve only come back home for some time, you think you can poke fun at your master?”
The first voice was still laughing, “This slave doesn"t dare! I"m just tired of watching you acting so nervous. This is your residence, your own territory. You don"t have to pace aimlessly. If you want to see him, just go in already.”
Having been seen through, Xue Houyang was a bit embarra.s.sed. Finally he forced his feet through the door.
Bypa.s.sing the separating screen, his gaze immediately collided with Teng Shang"s.
Xue Houyang was startled. Scratching his nose, he coughed once to clear his throat before saying, “Minister Shang has woken up.”
Teng Shang didn"t say anything for a moment. His throat felt raw. He opened his mouth to say something but no voice came out.
Xue Houyang was looking elsewhere, so of course he didn"t notice. He took it that Teng Shang said nothing out of hate to himself. The servant girl who came in behind Xue Houyang noticed and quickly poured tea into a cup which she then placed into Xue Houyang"s hand. Then she went out the door giggling.
Being laughed at, Xue Houyang felt even more embarra.s.sed until his face was bright red. He steeled himself to finally went over to the bed, lifted Teng Shang and let him lean against himself and handed him the cup.
Teng Shang weakly took the offered cup. He barely held it before his hand shook. Luckily, Xue Houyang had quick reflex; when he caught the cup, it was still more than half-full.
Xue Houyang"s other hand immediately tried to wipe the spilled tea. He was about to wipe Teng Shang"s clothes before he retracted it; afraid the other person would misunderstand he wanted to take advantage, after what he did last night.
At this reaction, Teng Shang suddenly laughed.
Xue Houyang stared blankly, uncomprehending, before he took back his gaze. He held the cup to Teng Shang"s lips while avoiding touching Teng Shang anywhere else.
Teng Shang drank the tea gratefully, then said, “Thank you.”
Xue Houyang put down the empty cup on the table and then shifted to put a little distance from Teng Shang. He was hesitating for a while before finally saying, “What are Minister Shang"s plans now?”
Teng Shang lay back on the bed and closed his eyes. He said, “What is it that Lord Marquis wants to say?”
“You have showed kindness to Houyang, Houyang never intended to humiliate you.”
Xue Houyang said cautiously, “Minister Shang must have understood the situation. With the way Teng w.a.n.g treats you, it"s plain to see you cannot go back to Teng Country… Yesterday, when I went to the Palace, His Majesty had promised me he"d spare your life, but…”
“But what? Nothing in this world is worse than having your own family doubting you, and I"ve made bad plans before. Lord Marquis mustn"t hesitate to tell me.”
Xue Houyang said, “But you… have to agree to marry into my house.”
Teng Shang immediately opened his eyes and turned his head to look at Xue Houyang, but the later was facing away from him, as if avoiding his eyes. Then Teng Shang laughed lightly before saying in a low voice, “I agree. Thank you, Lord Marquis for your kindness…”
—
The new consort hadn"t even climbed into the dragon bed before she was thrown out of Xue w.a.n.g"s residence. This news became the source of great amus.e.m.e.nt among the residents of the Imperial Harem, including the imperial consorts.
[T/N : I"m sure many of you have known, but I just wanted to remind you that dragon is the symbol for kings and emperors, while the phoenix is the symbol for the queens and empresses.]
Since Xue Junliang ascended the throne, he had only ever favored Defei. She was young, beautiful and also well-educated. Furthermore, Defei was also backed up by her older brother, the Great General Zuo. On the contrary, Teng Qianyi was only a foreigner, who was used to be pampered…
At the moment, Xiu Yao was doing Teng Yun"s hair, smiling all the way, “Your Majesty, you"re so lucky. His Majesty has picked your nameplate three days in a row.”
Needless to say, Teng Yun was unhappy. For any other wives, being called to Da w.a.n.g"s bed to serve him was a fortunate thing. But for Teng Yun, it was h.e.l.l.
Xue Junliang enjoyed teasing Teng Yun, even after promising he wouldn"t touch and force Teng Yun to do anything Teng Yun was unwilling to do. But in Teng Yun"s mind, Xue Junliang was still Xue Junliang. Sleeping on the same bed and same pillow, let alone planning to kill the man, Teng Yun couldn"t even sleep.
Teng Yun hadn"t slept properly in three days and it"d started to show, so Xue Junliang had summoned the royal physician to examine Teng Yun and reminded Teng Yun to rest well before attending the morning court a.s.sembly.
The royal physician felt Teng Yun"s pulse but couldn"t find anything wrong. He only said that the Empress" body was fragile but it was nothing a good bed-rest could not cure. When the physician left, Teng Yun immediately led Xiu Yao hurry back to Yunfeng Palace, fearing Xue Junliang would soon come back from the morning court and wouldn"t let Teng Yun go.
Xue Junliang didn"t see the Empress when he came back to his residence and knew this Empress was avoiding him, not because of fear… but because she disliked him, or even thought he was not worth her time.
This made Xue Junliang, a respectable king, felt so unbearable. Therefore, Xue Junliang always deliberately teased the Empress. Looking at her expression as if she was contemplating to attack him, Xue Junliang"s heart was somehow happy.
Watching Xue Junliang smiling strangely, Jiang Yu came up with a thought. She said, “Da w.a.n.g, please forgive this old servant for speaking out of turn…. Da w.a.n.g only has one son. The Empress is gentle and proper, so maybe it"s time to let the royal physician make her a new prescription?”
Xue Junliang was silent for a moment before smiling, “You think I should have another son, and that son will come from the Empress?”
“This old servant doesn"t intend to be presumptuous.”
Xue Junliang said, “So even you think the Empress is suitable?”
This time, Jiang Yu did not speak anymore and Xue Junliang didn"t ask more questions. But Jiang Yu was wrong; even if the royal physician made her a prescription, the Empress would never become pregnant, not because Xue Junliang"s lack of effort, but because the Empress simply ignored Xue Junliang.
Other people"s harem might have many wives and many sons, but Xue Junliang was different. All the consorts that had slept with him was given prescription by the royal physician to prevent them pregnant with a son. That was also the reason Defei was favored for so many years yet she hadn"t had a single child.
Xue Junliang had his reason. That was because the fight for the throne was fierce and cruel, and he didn"t want to subject his children to that. He had experienced it himself, naturally he knew the fight was full of treachery and tricks. Of course, he, too, had done many treacherous things.
Xue Junliang scrutinized a rolled parchment for a while before suddenly looking up, “If this time the Empress come back here, I"ll consider giving her a child.”
Jiang Yu wasn"t sure what he meant. Xue Junliang threw the rolled parchment in his hand to her and said, “This was sent by the amba.s.sador from Feng Country. Said that Feng w.a.n.g missed his sister and hoped the Empress could come visit her hometown.”
“This…” Jiang Yu had no words.
Xue Junliang waved a hand while the other hand ma.s.saged his temple, “Send Marquis Wannian"s summoning placate.”
“Yes.”
—
This few days, Xue Houyang had been taking care of Teng Shang. Teng Shang was supposed to live at the emba.s.sy, but because of his health he"d been staying at the Marquis" Residence. The people in the Marquis" Residence all treated Teng Shang kindly without discriminating his ident.i.ty.
Xue Houyang didn"t always come to see Teng Shang, but he"d ordered his close servant to take care of Teng Shang in his stead. Xue Houyang was afraid the other person would hate him if he showed up. After all, they were both men. Teng Shang must"ve wanted to maintain his dignity.
Xue Houyang gazed at Teng Shang from afar. Teng Shang was currently absorbed in a book in the pavilion. A servant girl came up from behind him giggling, “Lord Marquis, why are you acting so sneaky?”
“…”
Xue Houyang stroked his temple and said, “Lower your voice. You"ve been behaving more and more insolent.”
“Lord Marquis, save your lecture for another time. You also don"t have to worry over Master Teng. Da w.a.n.g send you a summoning placate!”
“Then I should go enter the Palace. Prepare my horse.”
—
[T/N : Next chapter we"re going to see some familiar names. Please, look forward to it!]