The Sickly Seedling Dresses Up As An Unfortunate And Muddled Monarch - Chapter 40

“What did you two just say?”

 

These thoughts flashed through Qiu Jinghe’s mind in an instant. Even though he had his suspicions, his expression remained unchanged as he looked down at Qiu Jingxiu’s slightly innocent and naive face, unsure whether to believe that this six-year-old child was as pure and uncalculating as he appeared.

 

Lost in thought, Qiu Jinghe’s mind involuntarily wandered back to when Chu Yu had approached him about the matter of seizing the throne. Suddenly, his heart skipped a beat.

 

…Could it be?

 

Qiu Jinghe abruptly lifted his head, his gaze darting between Qiu Jingyue and Chu Yu, a mixture of tension and warning in his eyes. As expected, he saw surprise and anxiety on both their faces.

 

Seeing these expressions, Qiu Jinghe immediately understood.

 

So, these two had indeed been talking carelessly about such matters in public. And worse, they had been overheard by Qiu Jingxiu, the son most favored by their father.

 

Qiu Jinghe cursed silently, his palms sweating as his mind raced to find a solution.

 

But Qiu Jingxiu had no intention of cooperating. He shook off Qiu Jinghe’s hand, took a few steps back, and prepared to run away, causing Qiu Jingyue’s face to turn pale.

 

Having been engrossed in his fight with Chu Yu, Qiu Jingyue had no idea when Qiu Jingxiu had arrived or what he had heard.

 

If Qiu Jingxiu had only heard the part about wanting the hairpin, that would be fine. But if he had overheard the part about making a deal with Chu Yu to vie for the position of Crown Prince, and if Qiu Jingxiu reported this to their father, then with Qiu Jinyu’s favoritism towards Qiu Jingxiu, he would surely use this as an excuse to punish Qiu Jingyue for “disrespecting the sovereign and engaging in factional strife,” paving the way for Qiu Jingxiu.

 

Qiu Jingyue knew he didn’t have the capability to become the Crown Prince, but he was close to Qiu Jinghe. If he were punished, it would be one thing, but he couldn’t bear the thought of Qiu Jinghe being implicated because of him. 

 

He had essentially handed a knife to Qiu Jingxiu with his stupidity.

 

But now, he couldn’t possibly kill Qiu Jingxiu in front of so many people.

 

The thought of this made Qiu Jingyue extremely anxious. He tried to stand up, and when Chu Yu extended a hand to help him, he ignored it, scrambling to Qiu Jingxiu’s side, grabbing his hand tightly.

 

“Jingxiu… Jingxiu.”

 

Qiu Jingxiu, though shorter, looked down at the kneeling Qiu Jingyue, his expression puzzled as he snorted:

 

“Fourth Brother?”

 

Qiu Jingyue’s behavior was strange. Sweat beaded on his forehead, his words were unclear, and his hands trembled nervously, realizing too late the gravity of his mistake.

 

“Fourth Brother… Fourth Brother has a favor to ask.”

 

Qiu Jingyue applied a little pressure with his fingers, seemingly to prevent Qiu Jingxiu from leaving, but his grip was too strong, causing Qiu Jingxiu pain:

 

“Ow, Fourth Brother…”

 

“Alright, Jingyue, stand up and talk. Kneeling is improper.”

 

Seeing this, Qiu Jinghe picked up the teary-eyed Qiu Jingxiu, using his sleeve to wipe away his tears, and spoke softly, directly addressing his suspicion:

 

“Tell Second Brother, what did you hear just now?”

 

“Second Brother…”

 

Since Qiu Jinghe had saved him before, Qiu Jinghe held a special place in Qiu Jingxiu’s heart, second only to their father and Yuanyuan. Rubbing his head against Qiu Jinghe’s palm like a kitten, he replied:

 

“Little Brother only heard Fourth Brother talking about some hairpin, something about Eight Treasures…”

 

Qiu Jingxiu innocently asked Qiu Jinghe, “Are Fourth Brother and the other man craving Eight Treasure Congee?”

 

Listening to Qiu Jingxiu’s naive tone, Qiu Jinghe pieced together that the conversation had indeed involved Qiu Jingyue and Chu Yu discussing matters related to the throne.

 

Realizing Qiu Jingxiu hadn’t understood the phrase “ascend the throne,” Qiu Jingyue silently breathed a sigh of relief and slumped to the ground.

 

Qiu Jinghe, more composed than Qiu Jingyue, wasn’t sure if Qiu Jingxiu was telling the truth or lying. He still pinched Qiu Jingxiu’s little paw and smiled at the clueless child:

 

“Yes, you’re very clever.”

 

“Jingxiu, Jingxiu.” Qiu Jingyue suddenly stood up, seemingly inspired, and handed a sachet to Qiu Jingxiu:

 

“Here, Jingxiu. This is a sachet Fourth Brother got especially for you.”

 

Qiu Jingyue explained, “You felt sick from riding in the carriage before, right? I had the same issue, so I had a sachet made. With it, you won’t feel nauseous from long carriage rides.”

 

“Wow.” Qiu Jingxiu’s eyes widened as he took the sachet with both hands:

 

“Thank you, Fourth Brother!”

 

“You’re welcome.” Qiu Jingyue flashed a charming smile, then leaned closer to Qiu Jingxiu and whispered:

 

“Don’t tell Father about my fight with the national teacher today, or any of our conversations, alright?”

 

Although Qiu Jingxiu might not have fully understood their conversation, it was best to ensure he didn’t mention it to Qiu Jinyu.

 

Receiving the sachet from Qiu Jingyue, Qiu Jingxiu reluctantly agreed after repeated requests:

 

“Okay.”

 

He said, “Thank you, Fourth Brother.”

 

Watching Qiu Jingxiu play with the sachet, Qiu Jinghe gazed at him intently, his expression unreadable. After a moment, he looked at Qiu Jingyue and, unable to bring himself to scold his own brother, said:

 

“Jingyue, stop causing trouble.”

 

“I’ll take Jingxiu back first. You go back to your tent and stay out of trouble.”

 

Qiu Jingyue raised his head defiantly, meeting Qiu Jinghe’s warning gaze. After a moment, he reluctantly turned and left using his lightness skill.

 

With Qiu Jingyue gone, Qiu Jinghe turned his attention to Chu Yu.

 

Chu Yu seemed to avoid looking at him, his gaze briefly meeting Qiu Jinghe’s before silently returning to his tent.

 

There was none of the previous eagerness when he had tried to persuade him.

 

Qiu Jinghe: “…?”

 

Changing tactics?

 

Before he could figure anything out, once everyone had left, Qiu Jingxiu slowly put away his innocent smile and leaned close to Qiu Jinghe’s ear, whispering softly:

 

“Second Brother,”

 

He said, “Thank you for saving me by the lotus pond that day.”

 

Seeing the sudden shock on Qiu Jinghe’s face, Qiu Jingxiu continued calmly:

 

“Rest assured… as a token of gratitude, I won’t let any of the words Fourth Brother said today reach Father.”

 

—

 

“Where has Jingxiu gone?”

 

Upon waking up and not seeing Qiu Jingxiu, Qiu Junyao asked Laifu:

 

“How long has he been riding? Why hasn’t he come back to rest?”

 

“Your Majesty, the Seventh Prince got tired of riding and said he wanted to play for a while. He’s out strolling around now,” Laifu replied respectfully.

 

Qiu Junyao frowned slightly at these words, then sighed softly:

 

“He’s usually confined to the palace and rarely gets to go out. It’s hard on him.”

 

He added, “Let him play a bit longer.”

 

After speaking, Qiu Junyao instinctively looked at Yin Yuan, hoping to see agreement on his face, but noticed that Yin Yuan had been silent and thoughtful since returning.

 

“What’s the matter, A’Yuan?”

 

Thinking that Yin Yuan was upset due to neglect, Qiu Junyao moved closer, gently holding Yin Yuan’s hand and kissing his cheek:

 

“Are you unhappy?”

 

It wasn’t until Qiu Junyao kissed him that Yin Yuan slowly reacted. He stretched out his arms to hug Qiu Junyao and returned the kiss.

 

“…What’s wrong?”

 

Sensing Yin Yuan’s unease, Qiu Junyao, while enjoying the intimacy, asked:

 

“Has someone bullied you?”

 

“…No.” Yin Yuan shook his head, the hairpin by his temple gently swaying, unable to overshadow his inherent beauty:

 

“Your Majesty… I just feel that something is off with the Second Prince and the national teacher.”

 

“Oh? How so?” Qiu Junyao showed a listening posture, but Yin Yuan, also troubled, couldn’t articulate his thoughts, visibly anxious and uneasy.

 

Unable to do more, Qiu Junyao embraced him, turning his head slightly to kiss Yin Yuan’s lips, gently nibbling and sucking, trying to soothe him with the kiss. However, soon he couldn’t restrain himself, his hand on Yin Yuan’s back sliding down to his waist, gently massaging. What began as an attempt to comfort quickly turned into mutual teasing.

 

As the two whispered intimately, lips entwined,

 

A voice called out from outside the tent, “Daddy!”

 

In the next second, a tall and handsome figure walked into the royal tent carrying a snow-white bundle. Qiu Junyao and Yin Yuan, barely having time to separate, saw Qiu Jinghe holding Qiu Jingxiu, looking at them in shock, his face full of confusion.

 

“….”

 

Qiu Jingxiu, accustomed to seeing Qiu Junyao and Yin Yuan being affectionate, continued calling out excitedly to get their attention, while Yin Yuan’s face turned red. He buried his face in Qiu Junyao’s chest, fingers clutching Qiu Junyao’s sleeve tightly, almost turning white. Despite the brothers paying their respects, he refused to lift his head.

 

“Rise.”

 

Qiu Junyao, thicker-skinned than Yin Yuan, gently held the trembling and blushing Yin Yuan, patting his back lightly, and looked at Jingxiu:

 

“You’re back, Little Seven.”

 

“Yes,” Qiu Jingxiu responded crisply, “Second Brother brought me back.”

 

“Second Brother?” Surprised, Qiu Junyao raised an eyebrow and finally focused on Qiu Jinghe:

 

“You?”

 

“Your son greets Father.” Qiu Jinghe saluted again, maintaining his composure despite Qiu Junyao’s earlier neglect:

 

“Little Brother is still young. I didn’t trust the guards to bring him back, so I came without permission.”

 

“You did well.” Qiu Junyao praised him, then paused, seeming to think of something, and looked Qiu Jinghe up and down:

 

“By the way, why aren’t you wearing the jade pendants and hairpins I bestowed upon you?”

 

“Father, it’s not that I don’t want to wear them, but I want to wear them on more solemn and grand occasions to reflect Father’s kind intentions.”

 

Qiu Jinghe replied.

 

Qiu Junyao, knowing that Qiu Jinghe could speak pleasing words, smiled with satisfaction and, after thinking for a moment, took off his nine-crane gold and jade necklace and threw it to Qiu Jinghe:

 

“Put it on.”

 

He said succinctly: “Consider it tuition for teaching me to ride today.”

 

“You speak well, and you’re a beautiful child. I like seeing you wear these.”

 

“….”

 

Qiu Jinghe caught the necklace steadily, momentarily lost in thought. Feeling the warmth of the necklace in his palm, he hesitated before finally putting it on under Qiu Junyao’s smiling gaze:

 

“Thank you, Father.”

 

Qiu Jinghe said, “I really like it.”

 

“Next time I see something nice, I’ll reward you,” Qiu Junyao said. “After all, you are my son, a prince. You should wear more red and purple to show your nobility. Don’t always wear plain white clothes and sandalwood hairpins, or it will look like I’m neglecting you.”

 

“…Yes,” Qiu Jinghe replied.

 

“Alright, if there’s nothing else, you can go back now,” Qiu Junyao said. “You’ve been traveling all day, you brothers must be tired. Go to bed early.”

 

“Okay.” After saying this, Qiu Jinghe saluted and left. As he walked out, he glanced at Yin Yuan, who was still hiding in Qiu Junyao’s embrace, and then lowered his head and exited.

 

Once Qiu Jinghe had left, Qiu Junyao patted Yin Yuan’s back and laughed, “Why are you still so shy?”

 

Yin Yuan didn’t speak, clutching Qiu Junyao’s collar tightly, unwilling to let go.

 

Seeing his father holding his mother, Qiu Jingxiu felt left out. Standing on tiptoe, he reached out his arms, wanting to be held too: “Father, Jingxiu wants to be held by Father too!”

 

“Alright, Father will hold Jingxiu too,” Qiu Junyao said, pulling Jingxiu over with one arm while holding Yin Yuan with the other. He ruffled Jingxiu’s hair and asked with a smile, “Jingxiu, did you have fun today?”

 

“Yes,” Qiu Jingxiu’s eyes sparkled like glass beads in the candlelight, clear and bright. “Fourth Brother also gave me a sachet. I like it very much.”

 

“…A sachet?” Qiu Junyao frowned immediately. “What sachet?”

 

“This one,” Qiu Jingxiu said, lifting the sachet hanging from his waist. He mumbled, “It’s so pretty, and it smells good. Jingxiu likes it.”

 

Qiu Junyao looked down, running his fingers over the intricate patterns on the sachet. His frown deepened. Recalling Yin Yuan’s earlier anxiety, Qiu Junyao immediately suspected that Qiu Jingyue and the others might have done something behind his back, sending this to shut Qiu Jingxiu up.

 

Qiu Junyao’s suspicion wasn’t unfounded. When Qiu Jingxiu and Qiu Jingyue first met, they fought like enemies. How could Qiu Jingyue suddenly be kind, playing the good brother and giving Qiu Jingxiu a sachet?

 

Thinking this, Qiu Junyao’s suspicion grew.

 

He opened the sachet and poured out the contents, but found nothing unusual. So, Qiu Junyao called in Physician Xiao Qi, who examined the sachet’s contents and shook his head, saying there was nothing strange about it.

 

“It’s just a common calming incense,” Physician Xiao Qi said. “There’s nothing mixed in.”

 

“Could the sachet fabric itself be problematic?” Qiu Junyao didn’t trust his judgment could be wrong. Holding the empty sachet up to the candlelight, he examined its color and pattern. An idea struck him, and he placed the sachet over the flame, setting it alight.

 

He thought the sachet might contain some hidden mechanism, possibly releasing toxins when warmed by the wearer’s body heat. But just as the sachet began to burn, commotion erupted outside, and a lively figure suddenly burst in, shouting:

 

“Father is biased!”

 

Qiu Jingyue, jealous after seeing Qiu Jinghe receive a necklace from Qiu Junyao, rushed in impulsively to demand an explanation:

 

“Why does Father only give necklaces to Second Brother and Jingxiu, but not to me?”

 

Qiu Junyao: “…”

 

Startled, Qiu Junyao’s hand shook, dropping the half-burned sachet. It fluttered to the ground, landing at Qiu Jingyue’s feet.

 

Qiu Jingyue, not yet having received an “explanation” from Qiu Junyao, suddenly saw the sachet he had given Qiu Jingxiu in ruins. Qiu Junyao had examined it suspiciously, even burning it.

 

Seeing the charred remains of the sachet, Qiu Jingyue’s nose twitched, and tears welled up in his eyes.

 

He glanced at Qiu Junyao, sniffed, then bent down to pick up the burned sachet. Without a word, he turned and left, his figure despondent.

 

Qiu Junyao: “…”

 

Words of reprimand stuck in his throat. Finally, Yin Yuan softly reminded him, “Your Majesty, aren’t you going after him?”

 

Qiu Junyao: “…I’m the emperor. You want me to coax him?”

 

Yin Yuan insisted, “Your Majesty, are you going or not?”

 

Qiu Junyao: “…”

 

“…I’ll go.”