Let Me Go, I’m Not Pregnant - Chapter 30

The Emperor was attacked in Prince Qin’s mansion, and Prince Qin was kidnapped.

They had initially hoped to use this incident to suppress Luo Ming, but it had backfired, leading to their current predicament. Now, they needed to send someone to find Prince Qin.

After hearing the situation, Chang’an’s face darkened. He whispered to Luo Shen, “Why not ask Qin Cheng to bring him back?”

Luo Shen immediately shook his head. 

No way! Bringing Prince Qin back now wouldn’t serve any purpose. It was better to let him continue drifting and not obstruct their investigation.

“Tell Qin Cheng to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn’t die,” Luo Shen ordered.

“Understood,” Chang’an replied with a nod.

Luo Shen finished speaking and then looked around, noticing that Gu Xingzhi had already left. He breathed a sigh of relief and got up from the bed.

“Where is Gu Xingzhi?” he asked.

Chang’an replied, “He said he went to prepare your medicine, Your Majesty.”

Luo Shen frowned. 

Why was he not leaving yet?

Luo Shen started to feel anxious. “Tell Gu Xingzhi later that I’ve assigned someone to handle the case of Zhao County Magistrate. There shouldn’t be any problems now. He can go back home.”

Chang’an looked conflicted. “But General Gu came to serve you in the palace. Will he be willing to go back?”

Luo Shen knew that the chances were slim, but he also knew that Gu Xingzhi had never liked him. Maybe these past few days had made Gu Xingzhi dislike him even more?

“I’m injured and unable to handle state affairs for a few days. He should be focused on taking care of me. You can ask him whether he wants to stay here by my side or return home,” Luo Shen said.

Before he could finish speaking, someone entered the room carrying a steaming bowl of medicine. The person smiled and said, “Your Majesty, I’m willing to serve, even if it means I must die for it.”

Luo Shen’s hand trembled.

He raised his gaze to see Gu Xingzhi walking toward him, wearing a smile that was clearly filled with anger.

Luo Shen couldn’t help but mutter, “…”

The room fell eerily silent, and Luo Shen felt like he was about to face a death sentence.

Chang’an, seeing that Luo Shen was reluctant, offered, “General Gu, it’s the duty of a servant to attend to His Majesty. Please give the medicine to me.”

However, Gu Xingzhi raised his hand to stop Chang’an’s actions. “Didn’t you hear what His Majesty said earlier? He asked me to serve him.”

Chang’an, feeling helpless, stepped back, shooting a look at Luo Shen that clearly said, “You’re in big trouble.”

Luo Shen sighed in frustration and sat up. Gu Xingzhi moved to the bedside, took a spoonful of the medicine, blew on it, and brought it to Luo Shen’s lips.

Luo Shen reluctantly drank it and immediately covered his mouth, grimacing at the bitter taste.

Gu Xingzhi noticed this and called Chang’an, saying, “Go and fetch some preserved fruit.”

Chang’an immediately complied and hurriedly left.

After Luo Shen qzaswallowed the medicine, which tasted bitter enough to make his tongue numb, he asked, “Gu Xingzhi, I was just joking earlier.”

Gu Xingzhi scooped another spoonful of the now-cooled medicine and waited for Luo Shen to open his mouth. Luo Shen swallowed it and immediately covered his mouth again, grimacing at the bitterness.

Finally, he asked, “Gu Xingzhi, are you angry?”

Gu Xingzhi handed him another spoonful of medicine.

Gu Xingzhi casually replied, “Not really.”

He just felt that this was the right thing to do.

Luo Shen couldn’t figure it out. If Gu Xingzhi wasn’t angry, what was his reason for taking care of him?

He stared at Gu Xingzhi’s patient face while blowing on the medicine. He was mesmerized without realizing it.

Gu Xingzhi noticed Luo Shen’s distraction and glanced at those clear eyes.

His Adam’s apple bobbed twice as he silently fed Luo Shen another spoonful of medicine.

When Luo Shen tasted the bitterness once more, he shook his head, feeling like he was in the depths of hell.

After a while, Chang’an returned with the preserved fruit. 

After drinking the medicine, Luo Ming soon fell asleep.

Gu Xingzhi stared at Luo Ming’s sleeping face for a while, lost in thought, before getting up to deal with the assassination attempt.

He had been lying there for seven days, not moving an inch. Gu Xingzhi had taken care of him personally, even feeding him, and as a result, Luo Shen’s face had gained a bit of flesh. 

Luo Shen was lying on a wicker chair, eating dragon eye peeled by Gu Xingzhi. Chang’an was handing him reports, and he was reading about the commotion when a eunuch came in, reporting that Prince Changqing wished to see him.

Luo Shen had a dragon eye pit in his mouth, and he quickly put it on a plate, saying, “Let him in.”

Changqing entered the room and looked around. He seemed puzzled and said, “Your Majesty.”

“Changqing, what brings you here?” Luo Shen asked, and he motioned for Chang’an to change the reports to memorials, pretending to be busy with official affairs.

“I heard that all the state affairs have been handled by Grand Minister Gu these days,” Changqing said, looking rather confused. “But I remember that Your Majesty and he weren’t on good terms.”

Luo Shen was taken aback. “There’s no discord between us.”

Although he had indeed disliked Gu Xingzhi for a period, he had always pretended to be a wise and loyal emperor in front of others. It shouldn’t have been so obvious.

But Changqing appeared bewildered, his face showing a range of emotions. “I must have misunderstood, then.”

Luo Shen sensed the implication in his words and asked, “Did Gu Xingzhi say something to you?”

Changqing sighed, looking conflicted.

“Changqing, tell me.”

Changqing finally spoke, “On that day, my younger brother had a late-night discussion with Grand Minister Gu. When they talked about Your Majesty, Gu Xingzhi expressed the view that you were utterly useless, like a waste. So, my brother thought…”

Luo Shen frowned, appearing displeased. Changqing quickly added, “Perhaps I misunderstood. I didn’t intend to sow discord!”

Luo Shen waved his hand indifferently, his tone cold. “That’s enough. Is there anything else?”

Changqing was taken aback. “Your Majesty…”

Luo Shen took the memorial and started reading it seriously. “If there’s nothing else, you may leave.”

Changqing was left speechless. He didn’t expect Luo Shen’s reaction to be like this. Could it be that their relationship had improved to the point where they could openly discuss these matters?

He glanced deeply at Luo Shen and then left.

After Changqing left, Chang’an quickly suggested, “Your Majesty, what if we… talk to General Gu about this?”

Luo Shen shook his head. “You may leave as well.”

“Your Majesty…”

Seeing that Luo Shen wasn’t saying anything more, Chang’an reluctantly left.

When the room was empty, Luo Shen stared at the lines of ink on the memorial, lost in thought. Suddenly, there were two soft plops, and he snapped back to reality, noticing two tear stains on the words.

He quickly wiped away the tears, but for some reason, they kept flowing, and the sense of grievance within him burst forth like a dam breaking.

—

After the morning court session, Gu Xingzhi finished his official duties. As he reached the entrance to the imperial palace, he saw Chang’an waiting there with a worried expression, unsure of what had happened.

Gu Xingzhi approached, asking, “What’s going on?”

Chang’an heard his voice, turned around, and immediately glared at him. Then, with an unwilling tone, he greeted, “Greetings, Grand Minister Gu.”

Gu Xingzhi inquired, “What’s happened to His Majesty?”

Chang’an sneered, “Why don’t you, Grand Minister Gu, say to Prince Ping that night?”

Gu Xingzhi was bewildered. Prince Ping, wasn’t that Changnian?

What did he say to Changnian?

Seeing Gu Xingzhi’s innocent appearance, Chang’an grew more agitated. “A few days ago, when His Majesty and Grand Minister Gu returned to the palace, His Majesty was taking a walk and passed by General Gu’s residence. He saw Prince Ping leaving General Gu’s house and said that you and him had a late-night discussion. Today, he came to taunt His Majesty and said you said he was useless”

Gu Xingzhi’s mind suddenly became chaotic.

So, Prince Ping was the man from that night? Then who was Changnian?

Furthermore, when did he ever say that Luo Shen was useless?

Gu Xingzhi felt extremely confused. This is when Chang’an added, “His Majesty looked very upset. When I came out of the room, it seemed like he had been crying for a long time.”

Gu Xingzhi couldn’t make sense of the situation. When he realized that Chang’an was still speaking, he pushed open the door and entered.

Luo Shen was startled, lifting his head from the rattan chair. His eyes were slightly red, and he looked as if he had been wronged.

Suddenly, a string inside Gu Xingzhi snapped, breaking without warning. With it, his rationality vanished, and his mind was filled with thoughts.

He thought of the proper etiquette between a ruler and his minister.

Luo Shen’s heart began to race uncontrollably, and he had a strange intuition. “Gu… Gu Xingzhi, I… I didn’t cry!”

Before he could finish his sentence, a figure suddenly pressed down on him, and cool lips sealed his mouth, swallowing all the air within it.

His head instantly became blank.