Chapter 53.1 - The Wedding

The man’s complexion was still overcast. Rong Xi carefully observed Mu Huai’s mood, but really couldn’t figure out why he had such a big reaction.

It was said that Kingdom Gu’s reason for coming to Qi was to trade their horses with Kingdom Qi. The two countries had good relations, and Zhuang Emperor had also regarded the royalty of Kingdom Gu who came this time as honored guests.

Her brother, Rong Hui’s, name in Kingdom Gu was Tuoba Yu. Hearing what that eunuch had said, Rong Hui’s adoptive father seemed to have elevated him as his heir, intending to pass on his position to him. Otherwise, that eunuch wouldn’t have referred to Rong Hui as the heir of Kingdom Gu.

If it was just because of the contents of that letter, it wasn’t anything worth getting angry over.

The way Rong Xi saw it, that letter was just a normal letter written by someone missing family. Rong Hui had been in Kingdom Gu for many years, and his handwriting was quite poor. Rong Xi couldn’t help but remember the days when she used to teach him how to write, this naughty brother of hers would always slack off.

Rong Xi helplessly shook her head. Other than her and Mu Huai in the side hall, the servants had already left. Carefully supporting her waist, she wanted to bend down to pick up the letter. Before her hand could touch it, she was stopped by Mu Huai’s cold voice, “You’re not allowed to pick it up.”

Rong Xi’s heart skipped a beat and she immediately stopped what she was doing.

Mu Huai’s sharp eyebrows were locked in a deep frown. His eyes were also filled with resentment, like a lion that’s been provoked and was about to rip its prey to shreds. The atmosphere was a little terrifying.

It’s not as if she had never seen Mu Huai’s angry expression, but ever since she had returned to the palace with him, Mu Huai had rarely showed his anger in her presence. The man was obviously born with a handsome and refined face, but his temper was so short.

Rong Xi’s peach blossom eyes quickly fluttered. After a moment, she walked over to him and explained, “This concubine…just wanted to burn the letter. In a moment, the servants will come in to serve food. If anyone sees the contents, it won’t be good…after all, this concubine is Kingdom Qi’s Crown Princess Consort, and this concubine’s younger brother is now the heir of Kingdom Gu. The real relationship between this concubine and him, it’s better if outsiders don’t discover it.”

Mu Huai heard this and immediately ordered, “Someone come, bring a brazier.”

The servants standing guard outside obeyed.

His face still dark, after Mu Huai picked up the letter from the ground, he squeezed it in his fist. He was squeezing so hard that Rong Xi thought she heard the sounds of Mu Huai’s knuckles grinding against each other.

Not long after, a copper brazier was brought over. Mu Huai ordered the servants to light it up. After the flames were ignited, he angrily threw the wad of paper into the brazier. Under the flickering glow, Rong Xi’s eyes were full of surprise. Smelling the faint scent of ashes that permeated the hall, she thought that Mu Huai’s anger should be gone now.

However, who knew that after the servants took away the brazier, that angry man walked over to the redwood chest on the ground and flung the lid open. When the large chest was opened by Mu Huai, what greeted Rong Xi were animal skins with vibrant colors and soft fur. There was even a female crown that was carved out of gold. The crown’s style was different than the ones in the central plains. The shape was exquisite and moving, even the carvings were of animals that Rong Xi had never seen before, giving it an exotic flair.

Mu Huai dug through the furs to double-check. In the end, he picked up the crown again and had a repulsed expression on his face as he observed it. Pointing at the crown, he spoke to Rong Xi with a heavy voice, “Does he think that my Qi doesn’t have any treasures, Tuoba Yu actually had the face to send this shabby thing to the Eastern Palace?”

Rong Xi slightly looked down, feeling even stronger that Mu Huai was being a little strange.

She patiently explained to Mu Huai, “It’s a gift from Kingdom Gu’s royal family, after all. Qi and Gu are about to trade tea and horses with each other, and Husband is about to marry, so they have to bring some gifts to represent their congratulations after all. If Husband doesn’t like it, then you can just leave these gifts in the storage, there’s no need to be angry…”

Seeing Mu Huai’s countenance slightly ease, Rong Xi hurriedly added on with a soft voice, “…If Husband becomes too angry and harms the body, this concubine will become very sad.”

As expected, the moment she finished, the man’s gloominess had dissipated by half.

Mu Huai threw the crown back into the redwood chest with a heavy gaze. He silently strode over to the arhat bed and after sitting down, he remembered how when he had sent envoys to communicate with the monarch of Kingdom Gu, it was clearly already stated that this time, Kingdom Gu would only send Tuoba Yue and Tuoba Jing, these two royal relatives over.

Who knew that yesterday, the envoy had told him that Luolu Kehan’s adopted son, Tuoba Yu, would also enter Qi as part of the escorting vanguard. He didn’t know why that wolf cub suddenly decided to come over.

Thinking of this, Mu Huai’s gaze slightly changed. The moment he recalled that day in the alleys of Bianjing, Tuoba Yu had provoked him saying he was going to steal his woman, Mu Huai would become so angry he wanted to hit someone.

Moreover, Tuoba Yue was a hidden danger.

Tuoba Yu’s personality was like a fox on the prairies, cunning and slippery. The only person in this world that was as ruthless and cruel as he was, was probably only Tuoba Yu, that wolf cub.

To have both Tuoba Yu and Tuoba Yue come to Kingdom Qi, it was truly a hot potato.

Due to this, he had made preparations long ago to tighten security around Yongxi Palace. In addition, he had also raised a curfew for Bianjing to guard against any troubles that might occur from Kingdom Gu.

Because of what happened in his past life, Mu Huai held a deep grudge against Tuoba Yue. Taking advantage of her coming to Qi this time, he had been wanting to quickly get rid of her. She was, after all, a princess of Kingdom Gu. If she were to lose her life while in Qi, then the monarch of Kingdom Gu would definitely sever all ties with Kingdom Qi.

Furthermore, it is not the right time for Qi’s relations with Kingdom Gu to turn sour either.

He also couldn’t kill Tuoba Yu, this wolf cub.

One, his adoptive father and predecessor, Luolu Kehan has a high status in Kingdom Gu. Even Kingdom Gu’s monarch would have to give Luolu Kehan some face.

The most important reason: if he were to kill Tuoba Yu, then Rong Xi would definitely hate him.

As the Crown Prince, although he already firmly held the power in his hands, he was also very restricted. Mu Huai really hated this type of restrictive feeling, but he also had a deep understanding that for the bigger picture, there were some things that he could only endure.

If he could not be rational and logical, then the future of Qi would only end in its downfall.

At this moment, the woman’s slender and soft hand had already covered his chest. Mu Huai looked down at her hand. After staring for half a beat, he saw her currently looking at him in concern with those glassy eyes of her.

Rong Xi sat down next to him as she patted her hand against his chest, wanting to drive away his worries. Her movements were very light, making Mu Huai feel that area become itchy. When his mood had calmed down, Mu Huai glanced at the woman beside him, “I saw that you looked very happy when you read that letter just now. Did he really write that well? What did he do to make you smile like that?”

Seeing the man still fret over the letter from earlier, Rong Xi stopped her movements. She hesitated for a moment, not knowing how to answer him.

Mu Huai’s voice carried a little bit of annoyance, “The words aren’t words, the poems aren’t poems, Tuoba Yua doesn’t even know how to properly construct a sentence, yet he has the gall to send it to you, his elder sister?”

Seeing the man’s gaze become more and more agitated, Rong Xi finally understood why Mu Huai became angry.

It turns out he was being jealous over her litle brother.

Rong Xi pursed her lips and decided to coax the jealous man.

In a soft voice: “Husband…Ah Hui is still young, plus he’s been in a foreign land for many years. A young person’s thoughts will always be a little more sensitive…not everyone is like Husband, decisive and strong, never being burdened by indecisiveness. This concubine likes Husband the most. This concubine hopes that Husband will never change, always stay as Qi’s leader who can hold up the sky…and be the emperor that can protect the people of Qi.”

Her words greatly soothed Mu Huai’s heart.

With such a world-ending beauty speaking words of praise into his ears, which man wouldn’t like such treatment?

Mu Huai tried to hide his smile and deliberately asked her in an indifferent tone, “In your heart, am I that strong?”

Rong Xi nodded her head, her movements like a chicken pecking the ground.

She answered, “Ah, Husband is this concubine’s sky as well as the father of this concubine’s child. No one can surpass Husband’s position in my heart.”

Mu Huai couldn’t hold in his smile anymore and pinched her delicate nose, “Your mouth is coated in honey.”

Mu Huai slightly leaned over and carefully placed the side of his face against her raised stomach, wanting to listen to the movements of the child inside. Seeing Mu Huai’s anger was gone, Rong Xi felt the rock that was hanging in her heart had finally dropped. The words she had said just now were really to remind Mu Huai that since the two were husband and wife, then they were one family.

When the elder sister marries, naturally she cannot be as close to her younger brother as she was before.

The other reason was that she had long sensed that Mu Huai held murderous intentions towards Rong Hui. Rong Xi didn’t know why Mu Huai wanted to eliminate Rong Hui, but she also wanted Mu Huai to abandon this thought on her account and let him live.

After Mu Huai got up, Rong Xi whispered a few words into Mu Huai’s ear with a reddened face. As the man listened, the corner of his lips hooked up. Not long after, all of his anger was completely gone. Mu Huai felt that he was completely defenseless against this demonness.

She also didn’t expend much effort when he was already coaxed by her.

After the two finished dinner, the imperial physician came to the Eastern Palace as usual to take Rong Xi’s pulse. In front of Mu Huai, the imperial physician respectfully placed his fingers on Rong Xi’s slender wrist. When he slightly tilted his head and carefully checked the pulse, Rong Xi felt a little uncomfortable.

After the imperial physician finished checking the pulse and was about to stand up to report to Mu Huai, he suddenly met the Crown Princess Consort’s gaze. The two people quickly averted their eyes, feeling awkward and resentful.

Especially Rong Xi.

Ever since she had devised the scheme last time to eliminate Di Shiyin, Mu Huai still let that young imperial physician continue to take care of her baby. Rong Xi didn’t dare to say anything. The imperial physician was one of Mu Huai’s people and naturally didn’t hide anything from Mu Huai. Furthermore, at that time, she could tell that he was feeling conflicted and did not threaten him, allowing him to tell Mu Huai the truth.

A lot of time has passed since those events, but Rong Xi felt more than ever that she should also nurture some of her own people and grow her power. There should also be a skilled and talented physician by her side similar to Ye Yunlan. In the future days, there would be plenty of instances where such a person would be useful.

Another reason was the imperial physician would always ask about her and Mu Huai’s sex life every time he came to take her pulse. Although it was part of his job, Rong Xi didn’t have such thick skin and was reluctant to discuss such intimate matters with a male outsider.

After Mu Huai went to the study to organize some government matters, Dan Xiang could tell that Rong Xi had something on her mind. Helping her take off the wig and let her hair down, Dan Xiang said, “Master recently keeps bringing up about wanting to find a female physician. However, the baby has been under the care of the Crown Prince’s imperial physician all this time. If suddenly changed to a female physician, I’m afraid that they will not be as familiar with your body’s condition. This slave feels that Master can go to the pharmaceutical bureau whenever you’re free, and whichever female physician that catches your eye, you can observe them for a period. If you feel that they are worthy, then you can keep them.”

Rong Xi nodded her head in agreement, “En, what you say makes sense.”

Dan Xiang had recently shown a lot of growth and become more cautious. Actually, the palace maid that Mu Huai had dealt with yesterday, Bi Wu, was also a quick-witted maidservant. Rong Xi wanted to observe her for a while longer, but didn’t expect that her [Bi Wu’s] loose mouth had incurred Mu Huai’s ire. It was a pity.

Thinking of this, Rong Xi slightly frowned.

Mu Huai didn’t actually tell her exactly where Bi Wu was planning to smuggle the information to.

Rong Xi did not have a noble background, but like a sparrow becoming a phoenix1, she became the Crown Princess Consort. It was normal for there to be some envious people eying her in the palace.

Rong Xi asked Dan Xiang, “Neither of us said much to Bi Wu, did we?”

Dan Xiang thought for a bit and answered, “I don’t think so.”