Chapter 56 – I listened to the young general’s story about the past.
Xiao Jinzi was also stunned, forgetting to offer He Changzhou a handkerchief. He Changzhou, with a face full of noodle soup, stared at the petrified Zhao Qi, his tone even more resolute. “Your Majesty, I’m serious. Please believe me.”
Zhao Qi felt like his brain had stalled. He stared blankly at He Changzhou’s face, his pupils in shock, unable to utter a word.
Who am I? Why am I sitting here? Who is the person in front of me? What is the boundary of the universe…
He hadn’t read much, so was there someone who could explain to him if the phrase “treated as one’s own” meant what he thought it did?
Zhao Qi stiffly turned his head and glanced at Xiao Jinzi, the “informed person.” Xiao Jinzi’s mouth was wide open, as if he had swallowed a goose egg.
He Changzhou continued, “In the past few days, I’ve thought long and hard, but my head feels like it’s going to explode and I still don’t know what to do. I never imagined Your Majesty could have children. If I had known, I would have done everything to ensure that you were pregnant with my child.”
Zhao Qi was so overwhelmed by the number of points of contention that he didn’t even know which sentence to be flustered by. “You… what did you say?”
He Changzhou showed an expression of regret and self-reproach. “It’s my fault; I was too slow, and someone else got there first. Did that bastard make a clean break after using me, and that’s why the Emperor only found me now?”
“… Huh?”
He Changzhou reached out and took Zhao Qi’s hand. Zhao Qi’s hand was delicate and fair, just like a girl’s, and He Changzhou could completely envelop it in his palm.
“Honestly speaking, just thinking about someone doing that to the Emperor and making him pregnant with a child, I felt so jealous and angry I nearly died. When the Emperor sought my opinion before, although I said repeatedly that it was up to him to decide, deep down, I couldn’t stand the thought of you having a child with another man.” He Changzhou gave a sorrowful smile. “I think, not just me, but any man would find it unbearable. But when the Emperor personally came to find me today, and I saw you the moment the door opened, I realized how selfish I had been.”
Zhao Qi: “…”
“That’s not just another man’s child; it’s also the Emperor’s child.” He Changzhou continued. “It might be a little boy, one who looks just like the Emperor, with fair skin and big eyes, even when he’s not showing any expressions, he’d still seem to be smiling happily.”
“I could teach him to ride horses, to shoot arrows. If he doesn’t want to study, I could take him to skip classes… ‘Maybe’ if we have a little horse, we could give ‘Little Maybe’ to him as a birthday gift. When he grows up a bit more, I could take him to the military camp to experience life, to bow and rein, to gallop across the battlefield, and to protect the Emperor.”
“Emperor, have the child, and let it bear your surname, enter the imperial lineage. The He family won’t compete with you. I’ve even thought of a name for him: ‘Zhao Yun.’ How does that sound?”
Before Zhao Qi could respond, Xiao Jin was already moved to tears, covering his mouth and saying, “General He, you’re truly performing an act of extraordinary righteousness that shakes the heavens and moves the spirits!”
He Changzhou had poured out his heartfelt words and felt relieved. The gloom and despair of the past few days had dissipated, and the youthful vigor he once had returned. “Emperor, say something.”
Meeting He Changzhou’s slightly shy gaze, Zhao Qi felt an urge to slap him and then slap himself. “He Changzhou, whose child am I pregnant with?!”
He Changzhou was stunned. “The Emperor is asking me?”
Zhao Qi stood up, grabbing He Changzhou’s collar across the table, and said in despair, “If it’s not yours, why are you making such a claim!”
Given the disparity in their strengths, He Changzhou could easily break free, but he obediently let Zhao Qi hold him, widening his innocent eyes. “What?”
“In the palace, I asked if you were the one on the night of the Longevity Festival, and you clearly said ‘yes!’”
He Changzhou looked bewildered. “Indeed, I was the one who sent the Emperor back to the palace.”
“And after sending me back, what did you do?”
“I… I bit the Emperor.” He Changzhou glanced at Zhao Qi’s shoulder. “On the Emperor’s shoulder.”
“Besides that,” Zhao Qi’s voice trembled, “what else did you do?!”
“Nothing else.”
Zhao Qi’s mind buzzed, and his hands fell weakly from He Changzhou’s body.
He was wrong, terribly wrong, outrageously wrong! He had misunderstood his best friend, made He Changzhou bear the blame for so long, and even bit He Changzhou’s shoulder until it bled. Was he even human? He was a beast!
With his level of intelligence, how could he still have the face to be a monarch? Couldn’t he have clarified things? He and He Changzhou were so close; a single question, “Have you slept with me?” could have resolved the issue, yet why couldn’t he bring himself to ask?!
Thinking about his actions towards He Changzhou over this period, guilt and regret almost drowned him.
Zhao Qi bowed his head, remaining still for a long time.
“Emperor?” He Changzhou placed his hand on Zhao Qi’s shoulder, the very spot where he had left his bite mark. “What’s wrong? Did I say something wrong?”
Zhao Qi sniffed and slowly lifted his head. Seeing his slightly reddened eyes, He Changzhou was at a loss. “I’m sorry, Emperor. I spoke out of turn.”
Zhao Qi shook his head and said seriously, “You’re not at fault. It’s my mistake. I’m sorry. You can scold me.”
He Changzhou, with his face still uncleaned, looked dazed upon hearing Zhao Qi’s apology. “Emperor…”
Zhao Qi felt like crying and laughing at the same time. He pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to He Changzhou. “Here, wipe your face.”
He Changzhou blinked. “The Emperor is helping me?”
He Changzhou was now in a position of moral high ground. Zhao Qi, feeling guilty, naturally obliged his small request. However, he was quite unskilled at this task; rather than wiping his face, it was more like smearing it.
He Changzhou closed his eyes and let Zhao Qi fumble with his face. Not only did he not complain, but he also seemed to enjoy it.
When Zhao Qi had almost finished, He Changzhou grabbed his wrist. “Emperor, have you agreed? Have the child, name him Zhao Yun, and we’ll raise him together.”
Zhao Qi confessed, “To be honest, I always thought the dragon egg was yours.”
He Changzhou was once again confused, and he slowly asked, “So… whose child is it?”
Zhao Qi, feeling very frustrated, said, “I want to know too.”
He Changzhou stared in shock and fear. “You didn’t… do it with many people?”
“Where did you get that idea? Am I that kind of person?” Zhao Qi quickly cleared up, “During the palace banquet, someone gave me a drug, and I got drunk. In my daze, I grabbed someone to serve me, and after waking up, that person ran away, and I don’t even know who he was.”
“So, the Emperor wasn’t willing?” He Changzhou’s smile gradually spread. “You didn’t do it because you liked that person?”
“I liked him? I… Hmph,” Zhao Qi said angrily, “I wish I could castrate that person. I liked him?!”
At this point, He Changzhou understood everything. His feelings were very mixed—partially relieved, mostly resentful, and completely regretful.
On the night of the Longevity Festival, he had sent the Emperor back to Yonghua Palace. At that time, the Emperor was particularly clingy, with a flushed face and an extremely hot body. Even his breathing was hot. The Emperor was in his arms, twisting and turning, and said in a small voice, “Don’t hug me, carry me.”
When he placed the Emperor on the bed, the Emperor was already asleep. He crouched by the bed, watching him for a long time, and the more he looked, the more he found it incredible.
How could a boy like the Emperor be so delicate, with rosy lips and white teeth, small enough to be like a girl? His personality was so carefree and thoughtless, as if he never took anything seriously.
He seemed to be enchanted, reaching out a hand towards the Emperor and gently stroking his delicate cheek, then leaning in to cover him.
Just as their lips were only an inch apart, the Emperor suddenly murmured something incomprehensible, turning his face to the side. It was as if he had just woken from a deep dream. He straightened up abruptly and walked out.
The cool night breeze blew, dispersing the heat from his face. He stood there for a while, and after his heartbeat gradually calmed down, he felt some hesitation about whether he should leave or stay.
He wasn’t sure what he would do if he stayed by the Emperor’s side. But if he left just like that, he was also uneasy.
The Emperor seemed to be very drunk. There were no palace maids or eunuchs in Yonghua Palace earlier. What if the Emperor vomited? Who would take care of him?
When he returned to the hall, the Emperor seemed to have woken up, his eyes barely open, and his face redder than before.
“Your face is so red. Are you really that drunk?” He reached out and touched the Emperor’s cheek, but the Emperor recoiled slightly, as if avoiding his touch.
“You…” He stared at his own hand in a daze, pursing his lips. “I’ll go find a physician.”
Just as he was about to get up, the Emperor grabbed the corner of his clothes. “Don’t leave! Don’t, don’t leave me alone…”
At that moment, he was completely stunned.
“It’s so hot, why is it so hot?” The Emperor was pulling at his dragon robe chaotically, mumbling incoherently. “Help me, help me take it off.”
He felt a pang in his chest. Help the Emperor undress? And then what would he do?
The Emperor’s voice started to choke. “I’m going to die from the heat! No, I’m going to roast to death…”
He was once again tempted, reaching out a hand towards the Emperor.
To remove the dragon robe, he would first need to untie the jade belt around the waist. As soon as he touched the Emperor, his breathing grew heavier, and sweat formed on his forehead. An unexpected thought surged from deep within him—possess him, leave his mark on him, so that he would belong to him alone in the future.
His hands seemed to move on their own, forcefully pulling at the dragon robe.
The Emperor’s slender, pale shoulders came into view. He could no longer endure it and, like a wild beast, used his sharp fangs to leave an indelible mark on his prey.
The Emperor cried out in pain, crawling forward desperately, but was pulled back by him holding his waist, biting even deeper into his shoulder.
The Emperor struggled weakly, making pitiful yet strangely exciting sounds. Then, his body relaxed, and he fell into a deep sleep.
It wasn’t until he tasted a faint trace of blood in his mouth that he realized what he had done. He had lost control.
He was shocked by his own reaction and vaguely felt that if he stayed by the Emperor’s side, he might do even more painful things to him.
He didn’t want to hurt the Emperor. He didn’t want the Emperor to suffer.
So, he left, almost fleeing in a panic.
He blamed himself for biting the Emperor and never imagined that someone else would come to Yonghua Palace after him and do what he had always wanted to do but didn’t know how to or dared to.
Recalling this, He Changzhou suddenly said in a deep voice, “Prince Zhao Nan.”
Zhao Qi thought he had misheard. “What?”
“When I left Yonghua Palace that day, I saw Prince Zhao Nan nearby. Could it be that the Emperor…”
T/N: There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
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Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
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