Chapter 35 Part 2

Having decided, Qixue dismissed the idea of telling Helan Ji the truth. Instead, he’d hide that he’d taken the Childbearing Pill and present a fait accompli. His Majesty would have no choice but to compromise.

His eyes curved into a sweet smile. “I really look forward to the day I can bear your child coming soon.”

–

After Ji Yuheng’s convoy entered Shangjing, they first registered with the local government. An official tasked with receiving the royal kin escorted the convoy to the Government Hostel. During his stay in the capital, barring any incidents, he would reside there.

The hostel rooms were spacious and clean, furnished in an ancient, elegant style with bamboo patterns on the beams and drapes. Ji Yuheng was pleased with the accommodations. After a simple arrangement, he sat at the desk and wrote a letter to his mother, the Baohua County Princess, reporting his safe arrival.

Next, he handled official documents. Once finished, he handed the letter and documents to his personal guard to mail the letter, then let out a long breath and pushed open the window, allowing fresh cold air to flood the room.

The rain outside had stopped, but the eaves were still dripping wet, black tiles shedding water droplets in a line.

Ji Yuheng stood by the window, gazing at the connected raindrops, lost in thought without realizing it. Whenever he had a moment of leisure, a graceful figure involuntarily appeared in his mind.

If the little rabbit was also in Shangjing, he must have seen the same spring rain, right?

Thinking of him made Ji Yuheng’s heart tip quiver, his ears flushing shyly. He turned to the bed, pulled out a locked brass chest from underneath, unlocked it, and carefully retrieved a makeup case from within. Opening it revealed a beautiful Emerald Jade Bracelet.

This jade bracelet was his maternal grandmother, the Long Princess’s, treasured possession. When his mother, the Baohua County Princess, married, the Long Princess gifted it to her. His mother then passed it to him upon his coming of age, telling him to give it to the one he cherished.

Now, he had brought this jade bracelet to Shangjing.

It was a pity that it would probably be difficult to give it away…

Ji Yuheng let out a soft sigh, put away the makeup case again, and gently pushed the trunk back.

No sooner had he put the trunk away than the tabby cat leaped lightly through the open window, its four paws covered in wet mud as it stepped onto the desk, leaving two rows of small plum blossom prints.

This tabby cat was the one raised in Ji Yuheng’s residence. This time, when Ji Yuheng entered the capital, it had come along to make it easier to gather information.

Of course, upon entering the capital, the tabby cat, being of the demon clan, had registered at Cloud Moon Temple, where a cloth strip was tied to its right front paw as a mark for a demon pet.

The tabby cat hated the restrictive feeling of the thing but didn’t dare to remove it, so it was always shaking its right front paw, flicking a few more mud spots onto the clean floor.

Ji Yuheng smiled helplessly, called a servant to clean the room again, and took out a handkerchief himself to wipe the tabby cat’s fur and paws clean. “The roads are muddy and slippery in the rain. You clearly don’t like water, yet you still went out to play?”

“What do you mean ‘play’?”

The tabby cat flicked its tail in dissatisfaction. “I clearly went out to gather information. Do you want to know what I found out?”

“I really want to know what you found out.” Ji Yuheng smiled faintly, graciously indulging its desire to tease.

The tabby cat gave him a sideways glance. “It’s news about the little rabbit demon.”

Ji Yuheng: “You found him?”

The tabby cat: “Want to know?”

“…” Ji Yuheng’s face instantly turned red. He completely lost the mood to play along, averted his gaze slightly, and was too embarrassed to speak.

“Don’t want to know? Then I’m off.”

“…I do.” Ji Yuheng hurriedly stopped it, forced to speak up. “I want to know.”

His temperament was always gentle and steady, rarely showing embarrassment in front of others. But whenever the little rabbit demon was mentioned, he always acted extremely shy, which the tabby cat found particularly amusing.

“Then listen up.” The tabby cat puffed out its chest proudly. “After asking around everywhere, your little rabbit demon is indeed the beauty that Great General Wei Huai brought back to Shangjing. His name is A Xue.”

“A Xue… Snow Gongzi.” Ji Yuheng murmured softly. “What a nice name.”

“Yeah, he’s a white rabbit, so ‘A Xue’ suits him perfectly.”

The tabby cat agreed and went on to explain how it had gotten the information. “Thanks to you already guessing that he’s General Wei’s beauty, I found out right away.”

Previously, to make it easier for the tabby cat to gather information, Ji Yuheng had specially drawn a small portrait of Qixue, sized just right for the tabby cat to carry in its mouth as it scurried around.

However, Ji Yuheng had made one request: the tabby cat could only show the portrait to little demons, not to humans. Otherwise, if it spread, it would not only offend Qixue but might also bring him a bad reputation.

The tabby cat had always strictly followed this rule. Even after arriving in Shangjing, it only showed it to little demons. It had thought it would take a long time to find out, but as soon as it went to the General’s Mansion, it got the information—from the big white tiger.

“…That white tiger is General Wei’s mount. It’s very familiar with A Xue and recognized him from the portrait.”

“According to it, the general dotes on A Xue a lot and even wanted to marry him as his wife. They already held the wedding ceremony.”

Ji Yuheng’s heart skipped a beat. But before the disappointment could spread, the tabby cat quickly added, “But the wedding didn’t happen. A Xue ran away from the marriage and is no longer at the General’s Mansion.”

“Ran away from the marriage?”

Ji Yuheng was stunned. “Does Snow Gongzi dislike General Wei?”

That night, Snow Gongzi had kept calling out “Seventh Brother.” He had thought Snow Gongzi must really like General Wei.

“Who knows.” The tabby cat said, “Maybe his lover is someone else. This ‘Seventh Brother’ isn’t that ‘Seventh Brother.'”

Since Snow Gongzi had left the General’s Mansion, it meant he probably didn’t like General Wei.

Ji Yuheng felt a complicated mix of emotions and didn’t want to admit that he felt a trace of joy. “So where is Snow Gongzi now?”

The tabby cat’s tail stiffened, and its round cat face showed embarrassment. “Well… I haven’t found that out yet. The big white tiger doesn’t know where A Xue went either. General Wei has turned all of Shangjing upside down looking for him but still hasn’t found him.”

“Later, General Wei went to Cloud Moon Temple, and when he came back, he fell seriously ill and has been bedridden ever since.”

“But just because General Wei can’t find him doesn’t mean I can’t. Our way of gathering information is different from humans’. Give me a bit more time—as long as he hasn’t left Shangjing, I definitely can find out.”

“Alright, no rush.”

Ji Yuheng nodded, took out a box of dried fish, and pushed it in front of the tabby cat. “You’ve worked hard.”

The tabby cat meowed, grabbed a few pieces of dried fish in its mouth, and left. “Prepare a pot of wine for me next time. That big white tiger likes to drink, and I promised to bring some for it.”

“Got it.”

Ji Yuheng noted it down and stood quietly in front of the desk, lost in thought.

Had General Wei gone to Cloud Moon Temple to ask the immortal masters to divine Snow Gongzi’s whereabouts?

He fell seriously ill—perhaps because the divination failed and he couldn’t find Snow Gongzi’s trail.

Or maybe he had found Snow Gongzi but couldn’t bring him back.

He hoped it wasn’t because something had happened to Snow Gongzi…

With a faint worry, Ji Yuheng picked up a book but couldn’t settle down to read.

Several days later.

The sky was clear, the spring light warm and gentle, and all things were reviving.

Today was the day for the vassal kings and imperial clansmen to enter the court for audience. Served by a crowd of attendants, Ji Yuheng donned his shizi court attire and rode in a carriage to the palace for the audience.

The imperial palace was majestic and solemn. In front of Jianzhang Hall, numerous imperial clansmen and vassal kings gathered below the jade steps. The Zhu Yan Guards stood on both sides holding axes and blades, their cold armor and sharp weapons emitting a chilling gleam, their murderous aura intimidating anyone who beheld them.

Ji Yuheng’s position wasn’t too far forward, but he happened to be right beside the imperial path. When the emperor and the noble consort passed along the path, they would go right by him.

The time arrived.

Grand ritual music sounded majestically: “His Majesty arrives! Noble Consort arrives!”

“Your subjects pay respects to His Majesty, pay respects to Noble Consort Niangniang.”

Following the officials and clansmen, Ji Yuheng knelt as well, his posture upright and elegant, his head bowed deeply.

Soon, he heard footsteps approaching from behind. He could tell that Emperor Helan Ji’s steps were heavier, while Qi Guifei’s were lighter—almost inaudible if not listened for carefully.

But Qi Guifei’s arrival was far more distinct than the emperor’s. She carried a natural fragrance that wafted to Ji Yuheng’s nose on the spring breeze.

Qi Guifei’s fragrance was enchanting, unique, and yet so familiar that Ji Yuheng’s heart jolted instantly, his face revealing utter disbelief.

This fragrance… it’s clearly the scent left on his underclothes that night, the one he couldn’t forget and still kept.

Qi Guifei… could Qi Guifei be—

Ji Yuheng maintained his prostrated posture, his back rigid, his mind surging with shock and chaos.

He desperately wanted to look up and see Qi Guifei’s face, but he couldn’t—otherwise, it would be a grave offense against the imperial countenance.

But how could Noble Consort Niangniang be Snow Gongzi? Is that why General Wei couldn’t bring him back?

Ji Yuheng’s thoughts were in turmoil, gnawed at by anxiety like insects, making him extremely uncomfortable.

At that moment, Qi Guifei passed by his side, her subtle fragrance lingering as her skirt hem fluttered lightly across his face.

The scent grew even stronger. He couldn’t be mistaken—this was Snow Gongzi’s fragrance.

Ji Yuheng’s heart plummeted, a massive sense of loss weighing heavily on his shoulders—until an embroidered shoe appeared right before his eyes.

He froze, realizing the embroidered shoe had emerged from beneath her skirt hem. It was Qi Guifei’s foot.

Before he could react, Qi Guifei stepped on the back of his hand—not too lightly, not too heavily—and ground it slightly.