Xia Xi wasn't tied down to the bed for a day this time. He felt that this might be because he had stronger adaptability and his body had already become more accustomed to sex, so he wasn't as tired as a result. He did work for the morning and took a short nap at noon before being reminded to wash his face. He heard a maid outside telling him that the imperial concubine was coming.
Xia Xi was stunned when he heard those four words. For a while, he couldn't register who that person was, only when a woman with gorgeous clothes and complicated hairpins pulled the curtains, and walked in did he realized that it was actually Cai Huan.
The former master and servant haven't seen each other for more than two years, Xia Xi hadn't changed much, but Cai Huan seemed to be a completely different person. The style of a maiden before was completely gone, her person was now more mature, and her body was a little plump. It seemed that she had become fatter. Her face was covered with very thick powder, she had applied rouge, so her lips were also bright red. When she laughed, the powder on her face shook. When she saw Xia Xi, she hurriedly bowed to him, smiling and laughing: "His Royal Highness, I finally saw you, I've been thinking about you day and night."
(T/N: For anyone who missed it; good food was a luxury during civilization's early millenniums and still is for certain people today. The fact the Cai Huan could afford to build up on body fat is a sign of status, power, and nobility in a world where food was scarce, especially since the Barbarian lands were previously mentioned as cold and with average fertility at best.)
Xia Xi was still a little dazed. Cai Huan had already come over and held his hand before he returned to his senses, he asked in a daze, "Why are you here?"
Cai Huan wiped tears from the corners of her eyes and said, "I had missed Your Highness, so I begged the King to let me see you. He finally agreed to my request, so I came in early this morning, I also brought a lot of things." She raised her voice as she spoke and ordered the maid outside to bring items in, there were two food boxes, one box of dessert and one box of preserved fruit, she said: "I know that your Royal Highness had a hard time here and isn't able to go out. I thought that you haven't been able to eat these things for a while, so I wanted to give you them."
The things she brought weren't of high quality, but they were indeed a rarity amongst the common folk. Xia Xi had better snacks here, so he didn't know what to say for a while, he finally ordered, "Lan Duo'er, put it away." He smiled at Cai Huan again, "Thank you."
Cai Huan smiled happily: "Your Highness has given me everything, why would you say thank you? You're flattering me too much. How had Your Highness passed the past two years? You look so thin."
Xia Xi ordered someone to go to the tea stove and make a cup while saying: "It was alright, how about you? How had it been?" Chu Lan had been here so many times, but Xia Xi had never asked him about his two brides back in the Palace, Chu Lan also never took the initiative to say anything about their situation.
Cai Huan smiled and said: "I'm fine, I'm very comfortable in the Palace. The King spoils me frequently, anything delicious would be given to me, the tribute given by the people would also be rewarded to me. He gave me the new clothes I'm wearing now. Do I look good, Your Highness?" She stood up and spun in front of Xia Xi, looking like she was waiting for his praise.
Seeing her appearance, Xia Xi felt a strange feeling in his heart, a bit of discomfort, and a bit of the desire to laugh, but he didn't show anything on his face, he only said with a vague expression: "Good looking."
Cai Huan became happier and said enthusiastically: "Unfortunately, the King only rewarded a single bolt, saying that this colour looked best on me. If there had been more, I would've definitely given some of it to Your Highness." Xia Xi said: "No, in the temple, you cannot wear such clothes." Cai Huan looked at him carefully, moderating the smile on her face, she suddenly asked, "Does Your Highness know that Hu Ji is dead?"
Xia Xi nodded slightly, "I've heard some things."
Cai Huan lowered her voice a little, "Does Your Highness know that she was originally a spy sent by the general? She was a member of the general's household and had been secretly relaying to the general about the King's movements in private, trying to create disadvantages for him. Fortunately, everything was revealed in the end. The general was thrown into prison and she was exposed. Then, after the general died, Hu Ji committed suicide."
Xia Xi didn't think that she had actually died like this, he felt a little uncomfortable and sighed, "Why..." Cai Huan said, "If she doesn't commit suicide, the King would do it for her, and in the end, she would be hundreds of thousands of times more miserable. Hmph, she deserves it too. She dares to betray the King. The King treated her well before when she was alive, he always went to her Palace for the night and gave her grand rewards; she was adored. I heard that when she died, she had a child in her stomach, fortunately, she didn't have the chance to give birth."
Xia Xi was stunned when he heard this, he murmured: "Child?" He suddenly felt as if he was being held tightly by something, he couldn't tell whether it was jealousy or something else.
Cai Huan's face was slanderous and she said unnaturally: "I just heard it, it's not necessarily true, but the King used to spend the night with her frequently, a child is very much possible. She was a normal woman after all, it should be easy to conceive."
There was a bit of sourness in her tone, it wasn't difficult for Xia Xi to imagine that in the past two years, the two masters of the harem must've fought openly and secretly many times. Cai Huan was timid and often cried when she first met Chu Lan, probably because he was too arrogant. Later, she became more and more hard-tempered, she became a lord who was unwilling to be wronged. Seeing Hu Ji being favoured, she must've definitely gone to look for trouble.
Xia Xi didn't want to think anymore about whether Hu Ji had any children before she died, so instead, he asked: "What about you? The King has been treating you well, have you..." He looked at Cai Huan's belly and didn't continue. It went without saying.
Cai Huan's facial features twisted slightly, and she quickly said: "Before Hu Ji was favoured, the King didn't treat me very much, s-so I have never... it wasn't until that demon girl died that the King began to treat me well. The King is really amazing! Last night, he tossed me from twilight till midnight. If I didn't get up late, I would've definitely visit Your Highness much earlier."
She blushed terribly, as if she was a shy new wife.
If Chu Lan hadn't been next to Xia Xi all night last night, he might've believed these words. Looking at the happiness she deliberately showed, Xia Xi felt a little complicated. Whenever he thought about the reason why she was doing these things, he became a little angry. He knew that what she said was a fallacy, yet he was still uncomfortable.
Cai Huan looked at him, and quickly pretended to suddenly be aware of something, she quickly said: "Your Highness, don't take it to heart. I— I didn't come here to show off to you, I just haven't seen you for too long. I thought about you a lot, so I came to see you."
Xia Xi shook his head lightly, "It's fine."
Cai Huan said again: "The King's really cruel, what did you do before? Once you say the wrong word, you'll be left in the cold, he sent you here to suffer hardship; had he ever visited you?"
Xia Xi didn't want to lie, but he didn't want to answer, so he became silent. Cai Huan wouldn't be deterred and said, "Has he never been here? Don't worry, Your Highness, when I go back, I'll beg the King to let you go back to the Palace, once you get back to the Palace, Cai Huan will continue to serve you as well!" She said sincerely, Xia Xi couldn't tell what she was thinking, so he only smiled slightly, "I think it's also very good here."
Cai Huan said: "How can you say that? I think it's barren here, only your room is slightly breathable, but it's too narrow and small. How could it be compared to the Palace..." She said even more things. As she talked, Xia Xi just silently listened and answered only from time to time. He didn't know how much time passed but the curtain at the door was suddenly lifted, Xia Chun was wearing a riding uniform and walked in with a small bow and arrow equipped on his back.
Cai Huan also heard the noise, she stopped talking, and looked at the door, asking with some doubts, "Your Highness, who's this?"
Xia Xi said: "My adopted son, Chun'er, come here." The child walked over obediently, looking suspiciously at the stranger. Xia Xi took his shoulders, and looked down at his face, he smiled lightly: "Why did you get all sweaty? The sun's still big outside, don't practice at that time or you may faint."<b> </b>While he was talking, Lan Duo'er had already come in with water, Xia Xi wrung the cloth towel and wiped his face, and then he wiped it again. He wiped his hands also, fed him half a bowl of tea, and then said to Lan Duo'er: "Take out the candy box."
When the exquisite candy box was taken out, Xia Xi picked a piece of candy from it and stuffed it into the child's mouth, "Only one piece is allowed."
Although the child's eyes were still stuck on the candy box, he nodded obediently. Cai Huan watched from the side, thinking that Xia Xi didn't let the child salute her, as if he was deliberately ignoring her existence. There was a little anger in her heart but she had a sweet smile on her face, "His Royal Highness treats him so well, this child also looks good. Your Highness treats him like thus. I only hope that in the future he would be able to return Your Highness the same kindness, and live up to His Highness's expectations. After all, Your Highness may never have a child of his own in this life, raising a righteous son by your side could be considered as sustenance."
She deliberately bit the words "You won't have a child of your own" a little harder. Xia Xi didn't feel much hearing those words, but Xia Chun raised his brows and turned his head back, staring at her fiercely. He didn't look fierce, but when he stared like this, there was a fierce momentum. Cai Huan was suddenly stared at, unavoidably horrified she immediately raised her voice: "You- why are you staring at me like this? Do you have no courtesy?!"
Xia Xi hugged the child and quickly said: "He's still young and ignorant, do not blame him."
Cai Huan's ugly expression gradually eased and she smiled again, "Well, of course, I don't expect him to be very knowledgeable, but your Royal Highness must pay attention. This child isn't the good kind from the looks of it..." She had to scold again, winding her down, Xia Xi interrupted her. Although his face was still lightly smiling, his tone was a little heavier, "I may have not been able to tell if it's the good kind before, but now I can see it clearly."
No matter how soft his temper was, he was still ridiculed and humiliated by his previous maid, he couldn't bear to end this without a blow. He said this and his eyes met Cai Huan's, there was no pressure in them, but it still extinguished Cai Huan's flame. After sitting for a while, she said goodbye uncomfortably. Xia Xi didn't escort her out, he sent her to the gate of his courtyard, warmly saying: "Blessings for a safe road."
Cai Huan turned and walked towards the carriage, Xia Chun suddenly appeared next to Xia Xi holding a small bow and arrow, the arrow was aimed at Cai Huan's back. Xia Xi quickly stopped his movements in fright, he lowered his head and twisted his nose, helplessly saying: "Are you looking for death? She's an imperial concubine, if you hurt her, even I may not be able to help you."
The child furrowed his eyebrows and looked bitter. Xia Xi knew that he was angry that Cai Huan mocked him in her words, and put on this expression. Xia Xi couldn't help but smile and say, "Actually, I should be blamed for what she's doing now, besides, she's right. I am barren." He rubbed the child's head and walked back inside hand in hand. Feeling a bit sorrowful in his heart, he murmured: "It's not just her, there'll be others too, since she had been with me, why couldn't I make her..."
Xia Xi originally thought so and did so once, but now he realized that it was difficult for him to be a virtuous wife. After he knew that he couldn't keep his husband, he endured heartache and chose another woman for him. Yet whenever he heard about the interactions between him and those other women, he would become extremely jealous.
He felt sour, as if someone tipped over a vinegar jar in his heart.
<b>____</b>
<b>PastTimer: Damnnnn Xi'er is subtle but savage </b>