CH 11

Xiao Chengjun looked at Lou Jing and couldn’t help sighing.

The Chunde Emperor was quite astute about some things. For example, he had always been accurate in spotting talent among his young officials. Last year, Lou Jing had demonstrated his outstanding skills at the Autumn Hunt, and the Emperor had unreservedly promoted him to be the Deputy Commander of the Yulin Troops. That was also why the Emperor had not been particularly pleased with the Empress’ choice of Lou Jing as the Crown Prince’s Consort.

“I have a theory, but I don’t have any evidence for it,” Lou Jing said, dropping his arms and leaning back on the pillow. There was a chill in his voice. “Perhaps we will know in a few days whether my theory is correct.” If anyone was trying to use him in their schemes, he would certainly make them regret it ten times over.

Xiao Chengjun heard the frost in his tone, and his mood sombered considerably. He couldn’t help but feel frustrated. This was originally his problem to deal with, but it had caused his Consort to also be upset. Lou Jing’s hand was resting on the pillow, and he slowly reached out to cover that hand with his. “I will help you,” he said.

That warm, clean sensation of Xiao Chengjun’s hand thawed the chill in Lou Jing’s heart, and Lou Jing grasped that hand in his. “Chen will also help Dianxia,” he promised.

That smooth slender hand was like warm jade, and it enclosed Xiao Chengjun’s hand. A bitter smile touched Xiao Chengjun’s lips. His Consort was not beloved by his own father, and he was in no better situation. “When I try to persuade my father now, I can no longer speak my mind directly. I have to coax and cajole him like his sycophantic officials…”

“Dianxia is also an official of the Imperial Court. So long as you are able to successfully persuade his Majesty, it doesn’t really matter how you do it,” Lou Jing pulled that warm hand towards him a little. “We must respect our fathers, but we cannot be foolishly filial. I firmly believed in this the moment my father had me flogged by his guards.”

His guards? Xiao Chengjun frowned. So Lou Jing’s wounds were caused by guards beating him. No wonder they had taken so long to heal.

Lou Jing raised his head and saw the Crown Prince’s furrowed brows. He extended a finger and gently tickled the Crown Prince’s palm, changing his tone to a teasing one. “So, tomorrow when we return to my home, Dianxia just needs to maintain a high and mighty expression. That way, I can bask in your reflected glory, and make my dad kowtow to me.”

“You’re terrible,” Xiao Chengjun said, unable to hold back his laughter. His mood improved considerably.

Lou Jing continued to hold the Crown Prince’s hand as he gave him a quick rundown of the people in the Anguo Gong family. “I have two uncles and one aunt. They’re all not born of my grandfather’s legitimate wife. The aunt has married and lives in Jinyang. As to the two uncles, they’re still living in the Anguo Gong residence because they and my father haven’t split my grandfather’s estate yet. They’re not officials, and they just help my father with ad hoc tasks,” he said in a warm, measured tone.

Xiao Chengjun felt strangely comforted as he listened to Lou Jing’s pleasant voice explaining the many details of his family’s circumstances. At some point, he closed his eyes, and slipped into a deep sleep.

Sunlight streamed in through the windows the next morning, shining brightly on the brilliant red bedcurtains. Lou Jing was half-awake, feeling that his sleep had been particularly comfortable and restful. His neck didn’t hurt anymore, and this must be thanks to the cushion supporting his body… Wait. The cushion supporting his body? Lou Jing came fully awake at once, and opened his eyes carefully.

The thing in his arms wasn’t a cushion. It was Xiao Chengjun, sleeping in the most prim and proper manner imaginable. Lou Jing had started off sleeping on his side, but at some point during the night, had lost his balance and fallen over onto Xiao Chengjun. Right now, he was lying chest-down on the Crown Prince!

The Crown Prince’s body was slender and warm, and was very comfortable to hug. For a moment, Lou Jing couldn’t bear to let go. However, at the very same time, the soundly sleeping person below him let out a soft groan, and his thick eyelashes fluttered a little.

Lou Jing shut his eyes immediately, pretending to still be deep in sleep. If the Crown Prince found out that he knew full well that he was sleeping on him but didn’t move away, he would definitely think that he was being disrespectful!

Xiao Chengjun’s eyebrows twitched in his sleep. He felt that something was pressing on his body, and it was a little uncomfortable. He opened his eyes. When he saw the position they were both in, his body stiffened at once. His Consort was lying on him, sleeping sound as could be, and one of his Consort’s slender legs was right on top of his own!

Xiao Chengjun looked helplessly at Lou Jing, and his lips curved involuntarily into a faint smile. He then relaxed and turned his head slightly to face his Consort. That exquisitely handsome face, beautiful like fine jade in clear spring water, was right in front of him. He couldn’t resist moving closer, using his lips to brush against that face ever so gently.

Lou Jing felt a soft, warm object touch his cheek. His eyes were closed, and his sense of touch was heightened in the darkness. The images in that book he saw the night before suddenly came to mind, and his body started to burn with a strange heat.

If he continued to pretend to be asleep, something was definitely going to happen. Lou Jing felt that he had no choice but to open his eyes. To his surprise, he found the Crown Prince pretending to be sound asleep. The corners of his lips twitched in amusement.

After the couple got out of bed and washed up, they both pretended that nothing had happened earlier.

Xiao Chengjun was satisfied when he saw that Lou Jing had called Le Xian over to dress him, and only used the two palace maids to hold things for him and do his hair.

Today was the third day after marriage, the appointed day for the bride to return to her maiden home with her new husband.*

*T/N: In Chinese culture, brides visit their family with their new husband on the third day after marriage.

The Eastern Palace guards sat on glossy stallions, clad in their ceremonial finery as they flanked the elaborately ornamented carriage carrying the Crown Prince and his Consort. They moved grandly as one toward the west of the Capital.

“Things in the Imperial Court have been unstable recently, and I can’t be seen to be too extravagant,” the Crown Prince said apologetically to Lou Jing.

When the Crown Prince Consort returned home, his carriage should ordinarily have been escorted by the Yulin Troops, and a band should have been accompanying them to play auspicious music.

Lou Jing laughed out loud when he heard this. “I’m a man. Do I really need to make a big show out of returning home?”

Xiao Chengjun thought about it. True, from Lou Jing’s standpoint, marrying him wasn’t something to shout from the rooftops. If they returned to his home with pomp and circumstance, it might actually be embarrassing for him. He hadn’t thought through this properly.

“I’ve never sat on a carriage pulled by five horses before!” Lou Jing grinned, peeking out to look at the five gleaming chestnut stallions outside the carriage. “These horses look to be of good stock. I also keep horses in Zhuque Hall – I’ve got four there, and two of them were brought back from the Northwestern Front. Do you want to have a look at them later?”

“Sure,” Xiao Chengjun said. He couldn’t help smiling at Lou Jing’s exuberance. He felt lucky that he had married a man; a female Consort might have been miffed at the lack of extravagance in her entourage.

Luotang Square was a huge complex of mansions built by the Taizu Emperor for the nobility to stay after he founded this dynasty. It was situated to the west of the Imperial Palace, and all the founding families of the dynasty were presently living there. The Anguo Gong was the only Guogong in the country, and was part of the Zanying nobility, so the estate he had was the largest in that complex.

Beansprout: Pwahaha, ancient postcode envy, anyone?

The Anguo Gong and his entire extended family had been waiting at the main entrance for the Crown Prince and his Consort’s arrival since early morning. Although this Crown Prince didn’t seem to be particularly outstanding, he was still a Crown Prince, and had to be accorded the respect due to the position.

The guards reined in the horses neatly, and the carriage came to a gradual halt right in front of the main entrance, its apricot orange curtains fluttering in the breeze. The carriagemen unhitched the horses from the carriage and led them away. An Shun tied the curtains back, and Le Xian placed a stepstool at the carriage entrance. Everyone’s motions were smooth and practiced, drawing admiration from the onlookers.

A corner of apricot orange fabric appeared at the carriage entrance. Xiao Chengjun was wearing the apricot-coloured robes that only the Crown Prince could wear, with a guan made of gold filigree and jade on his head. He alighted from the carriage in a dignified, regal manner.

Xiao Chengjun did not immediately acknowledge the people bowing before him. He turned instead to the carriage and extended a hand to help his Consort down.

Lou Jing had not taken any analgesics for his return home. The Lou family already knew that he was injured, so it was pointless to pretend that he wasn’t in front of them. Lou Jing intended to let his father lie in the bed that he made.

The new son-in-law was the Crown Prince, so the bride’s family still had to kneel and kowtow to welcome him even though they were technically family now. The Crown Prince had the prerogative to do away with this requirement if he so wished. The Anguo Gong was hoping for this, but it appeared that the Crown Prince had no intention of doing so. Once Lou Jing had gotten off the carriage, Lou Jianyu hurriedly led his family in kowtowing to the royal couple. “Chen Lou Jianyu and his family welcome the Crown Prince Consort back home. May the Crown Prince live for a thousand years!” he said.

“You may rise,” the Crown Prince said. He was still supporting his Consort, and did not seem to have any intention of moving forward to help his in-laws to rise. Lou Jing stood next to the Crown Prince, watching his father kowtow to him. It was strangely satisfying.

On the day of the bride’s return home, custom dictated that the bride’s family had to invite guests of appropriate standing to attend. The Crown Prince was of such a high status that the Anguo Gong’s family members were not enough, and the Anguo Gong had to invite other noble families to which they were related by marriage to make up the guest list. The guests were divided into two tables of men and women. The men were stationed in the courtyard to entertain the new groom, and the women were usually gathered in the residence to talk to the bride. However, Lou Jing was a man and the bride, so he unfortunately belonged at neither table.

After paying his respects to his elders, Lou Jing excused himself on the basis that he was not feeling well, and went back to Zhuque Hall.

Lou Jianyu was only too happy to see him go. If Lou Jing stayed, there was no telling what untoward things might happen. He turned to smile at the Crown Prince, and led him into the main hall to have a cup of tea before the banquet began.

“Shizi, you’re back!” The Zhuque Hall servants were still the same people from before, and they welcomed him back in high spirits. They looked him up and down to make sure that he was still in one piece, pleased to see that he seemed to be doing well.

“Call Mr Cheng here,” Lou Jing said to Gao Yi, sitting down in the main hall. Mr Cheng was his accountant. He gave this instruction even before he had drunk a sip of tea.

Zhuque Hall maintained its own accounts. Lou Jing’s accountant, Cheng Xiuru, was in truth one of his strategic advisors. He was a failed scholar, having done badly in the Imperial examinations, but he was a dab hand at accountancy and strategic thinking.

“Shizi, Young Master Ji Ming sent a message this morning,” Yun Ba said, appearing as if out of nowhere. He offered a folded piece of paper to Lou Jing.

Lou Jing opened the folded note. The elegant, refined script was certainly Zhao Xi’s. There were only two cryptic sentences written on it. “On the ninth day of the ninth month, your wish will come true. I’ve taken some compensation, don’t be alarmed.”

Compensation? Lou Jing’s forehead twitched. “Which of my possessions has he made off with?” he asked.

“The green jade brush washer on Shizi’s table,” Yun Ba said tonelessly. “Young Master Ji Ming said that Shizi forgot to set his compensation, so he’s taken the liberty of deciding it himself.”

“Zhao Xi, you little brat!” Lou Jing exclaimed helplessly. His jade brush washer was made from a whole piece of green jade by a master jade carver, and its base was a beautifully carved image of fish in a lotus pond. When one filled it with water, it looked like a real pond with lily pads floating and fish swimming in it. That fellow Zhao Xi had been eyeing it for quite some time now.

Lou Jing smiled to himself as he burned the note in the incense burner, then picked up his tea and took a sip. A scholarly looking man in green robes who looked to be about forty years old walked in, his arms full with account books. “Shizi, you’re back,” he said.

“Mr Cheng, have a seat,” Lou Jing said, gesturing for him to sit down. “Has anything of note happened in the residence lately?”

“Your stepmother asked me for two account books, but I’ve fobbed her off,” Cheng Xiuru replied. He then sighed. Zhuque Hall had always been responsible for its own expenses – not a single penny had come out of the main residence’s accounts. The assets that Lou Jing privately held were only recorded in the Zhuque Hall accounts, and it was unsurprising that the moment Lou Jing had married out of the Lou family, his stepmother couldn’t wait to get her hands on Zhuque Hall’s finances as well.

“She certainly is impatient,” Lou Jing said with a cold smile.

Cheng Xiuru placed the account books he was carrying on the table. “These are the accounts for your mother’s dowry – you left in too much of a hurry to bring these along. I’ll get people to pack up the valuable things in your storeroom and send them over to the Eastern Palace shortly.”

Before his stepmother married into Lou family, he had pre-emptively taken the account books concerning his mother’s dowry out to manage personally. He kept the pearls, jewels and silver ingots that belonged to his mother safely locked in his storeroom, and collected the income from the farms and shops under his mother’s name under the Zhuque Hall’s accounts.

Lou Jing looked down at the account books, tapped the topmost book with two fingers, then pushed the stack back to Cheng Xiuru. “No, leave the things here. Make two copies of these accounts. Keep one yourself, and send the second to the Eastern Palace. If the Furen wants Zhuque Hall’s accounts, give her the original set.”

“Your intention is…” Cheng Xiuru subconsciously sat straighter in his seat.

“She wants to settle the accounts*, right?” Lou Jing supported his head with his thumb, and tapped his forehead with the middle finger. His lip curved into a mysterious smile. “Then, let’s settle the score* properly with her.”

*T/N: The word used here at both asterisks is suan zhang (算账), which has two meanings in Chinese. One is the literal meaning in finance, i.e. to check through and balance the accounts, and the other is to settle the score, meaning that Lou Jing intends to get his revenge.