Chapter 67 – I want to take a concubine?
Zhao Qi fell into deep thought.
To have or not to have children, that was the question. He could list plenty of reasons not to: it was an accident, fear of pain, fear of breastfeeding… But reasons to have a child? After pondering for a while, he could only think of two: first, it was a life; second, it was the child of him and Xiao Shiqing, and Xiao Shiqing wanted him to have it.
Unable to find an answer, Zhao Qi began seeking opinions from those in the know.
Jiang Dehai’s eyes sparkled, “This servant has always hoped to serve the little prince and princess, just like serving the emperor when he was young, making sure they are cute…”
Xiao Jinzi chimed in, “Me too!”
Mei Chuan said, “Your Majesty, you shouldn’t think too much about the pain of childbirth for men. It hurts, yes, but women endure it, so why can’t men?”
Cheng Boyan added, “Your servant will surely do his utmost to ensure the little prince and princess grow up healthy and safe.”
Zhao Qi raised a question, “Have you all been bribed by the Prime Minister?”
All four replied simultaneously, “No, we haven’t.”
Apart from these four, several others knew of Zhao Qi’s pregnancy. Fu Zi was needless to say, completely on Xiao Shiqing’s side; Li Chisu’s opinion Zhao Qi dismissed as insignificant; as for He Changzhou… he still fancied himself as the godfather of the dragon egg.
“Your Majesty? Your Majesty!”
Zhao Qi snapped out of his thoughts, meeting He Changzhou’s concerned gaze. He forced himself to focus and asked, “What’s the matter?”
“I’ve got a new sword,” He Changzhou said, drawing the sword from its sheath to show Zhao Qi.
The sword was extremely sharp, gleaming with a cold, eerie light, dazzling Zhao Qi’s eyes.
“Great sword!” Zhao Qi complimented sincerely, “It suits you perfectly.”
“Then, Your Majesty, would you name the sword?” He Changzhou asked.
Zhao Qi pondered, “Hmm… this sword is cold as frost, terrifying to behold. How about ‘Sorrow of Frost’?”
“Sorrow of Frost…” He Changzhou savored the name for a moment, “Good name, doesn’t sound like something His Majesty would come up with.”
“You don’t need to say the last sentence,” Zhao Qi watched as He Changzhou sheathed the sword with a decisive and heroic motion, unable to help but say, “Changzhou, if I have a daughter, would you still teach her swordsmanship and archery?”
“Huh?” He Changzhou was surprised, “A daughter?”
Zhao Qi shrugged, “A reputedly accurate fortune-teller said so.”
He Changzhou looked a bit displeased, “I don’t want a daughter.”
“Why not?” Zhao Qi chuckled.
“They say daughters resemble their fathers. If it’s a daughter, wouldn’t she resemble Prince Zhaonan?” He Changzhou replied awkwardly.
Zhao Qi hesitated, “Um… I got it wrong. Actually, the dragon egg isn’t Li Chisu’s.”
He Changzhou was greatly surprised, “Then whose is it?”
Just as Zhao Qi was unsure whether to tell He Changzhou the truth, Jiang Dehai came to report, “Your Majesty, Fourth Prince Zhao is requesting an audience.”
Without much thought, Zhao Qi said, “Let him in.”
Zhao Qiao first greeted Zhao Qi, then looked at He Changzhou with a strange expression mixed with astonishment, “General He, you can already get out of bed and walk? You still look so good, not like someone who just had a miscarriage. You are indeed young and strong!”
He Changzhou: “?”
Not only He Changzhou, but Zhao Qi also had many question marks, “What’s gotten into you?”
Zhao Qiao was confused, “Didn’t Your Majesty ask Mei Chuan to remove the dragon egg from General He yesterday?”
He Changzhou: “???”
Zhao Qi: “…” He remembered, at that time, he thought the dragon egg was He Changzhou, in order to vent his hatred, falsely claimed that He Changzhou was pregnant with his child so that Zhao Qiao could find the Japanese physician for him.
He Changzhou was puzzled and puzzled, “Your Majesty? Explain?”
“This is a long story, let’s talk about it later.” Zhao Qi forced a smile, threw Zhao Qiao a sharp look, “What are you here for?”
Zhao Qiao said, “Your Majesty, when can we leave Jiangxia? We can’t go anywhere. We’ve been trapped in the inn all day long, and my brother is almost bored to death.”
“Do you want to go out?” Zhao Qi nodded repeatedly.
“Then you go to Huai River Bank to move bricks and carry sandbags.” Zhao Qi said, “They are short of people there.”
Zhao Qiao cried helplessly, “When you need my brother, call my brother Xiaoguan, and when you don’t need my brother, call my brother to move bricks.”
Zhao Qi readily accepted his accusation, “Have you not heard of ‘Most of the emperor’s family is heartless’?”
After sending Zhao Qiao away, He Changzhou asked eagerly, “Your Majesty, whose child is it?”
“Let me tell you, don’t tell anyone else.” Zhao Qi leaned close to He Changzhou’s ear and whispered three words in a low voice.
He Changzhou stood up suddenly, clenched his fists, his expression complicated, and for a long time he couldn’t say a word. He simply drew “Frost of Sorrow” out of the table and split the table into two halves, “Insidious and despicable villain, Xiao Shiqing!”
Zhao Qi complained to He Changzhou, “He even said he’s just going with the flow.”
“Shameless.”
Was it his imagination, or did He Changzhou’s tone carry a hint of envy?
Zhao Qi asked, “Do you think I should let the Prime Minister’s daughter be born?”
He Changzhou couldn’t remain calm, “So what if he’s a righteous gentleman? He doesn’t even have the naming rights for the dragon egg!”
Zhao Qi imagined, “If it’s a daughter like the Prime Minister’s, wouldn’t she be the most beautiful in Dajing? Hmm, she’d be a great match for her future husband.”
Restlessly pacing back and forth, He Changzhou sighed, “I should have seen through it earlier and reminded His Majesty to beware of the Prime Minister.”
Zhao Qi continued to muse, “But what if her temper turns out like the Prime Minister’s? For a little princess, it’s better to be a bit more considerate.”
Filled with regret, He Changzhou lamented, “Come to think of it, I was the one who escorted His Majesty back to the palace that night. If I had been firm, there wouldn’t have been issues with Li Chi, Su Xiao, or Shi Qing.”
Anxiously, Zhao Qi said, “There’s another thing. In the future, if the little princess asks who her mother is, how should I respond? I can’t tell her the truth, that Xiao Shi Qing is her mother, right?”
He Changzhou sighed, “A single misstep becomes a lingering regret…”
The two spoke past each other, unable to communicate. Eventually, He Changzhou withdrew into silence, while Zhao Qi continued to agonize over whether to proceed with the birth.
This incident was a significant blow to He Changzhou. He knew very well that if the child were Li Chi Su’s, he might still have a chance. But now that the child was Xiao Shi Qing’s, he doubted he could even retain his position as godfather.
Distraught and unable to sleep, He Changzhou considered drowning his sorrows in wine, only to find the main hall downstairs occupied by two unexpected individuals.
Several plates of appetizers and pots of fine wine were laid out on the table. Zhao Qiao and Li Chi Su sat facing each other, enjoying their drinks. Seeing him, Li Chi Su smiled and said, “General He seems to be in a bad mood. Care to join us for a drink?”
Knowing that Li Chi Su was not the biological father of the dragon egg, He Changzhou no longer looked upon him as unfavorably as before. After a brief hesitation, he slammed his sword onto the table with a loud “clap” and took a seat.
Pouring wine for him, Li Chi Su remarked, “General He’s current mood, this prince understands a little.”
He Changzhou glanced at him, “Why are you still here? Didn’t the Prime Minister order you back to your fief?”
“I have other matters to attend to, and His Majesty has granted me a few more days,” Li Chi Su said, pushing a wine flask toward He Changzhou. “Please, General.”
He Changzhou lifted the flask to drink, but Zhao Qiao interrupted loudly, “Wait a moment.”
He Changzhou paused, watching Zhao Qiao, who seemed to have something to say. “Speak your mind, Zhao Gongzi.”
Glancing at He Changzhou’s abdomen, Zhao Qiao said, “Even though General He is strong, he shouldn’t be pushing himself like this. It’s just… well, how can you drink like this?”
Frowning, He Changzhou asked, “What exactly are you trying to say?”
“Well…” Zhao Qiao glanced at Li Chi Su, winking and teasing, “General knows this situation very well. How can I say it aloud?”
He Changzhou never got along with spoiled young men like Zhao Qiao, and he didn’t want to waste time talking to him. He raised his head and finished his drink in one go, which amazed Zhao Qiao. This martial artist was truly extraordinary.
“General He,” Zhao Qiao admired, “I toast to you as a real man!”
Ignoring him, He Changzhou poured himself another glass of wine.
Li Chi Su, fanning himself gently, smiled and said, “As they say, drowning sorrows in wine only brings more sorrow. Why not learn from this prince and be more open-minded, more accepting?”
“Open-minded, accepting…” He Changzhou chuckled softly. “I can’t learn Prince’s nonchalance, loving one person when I see one, and letting go when I say so.”
Sympathetically looking at He Changzhou, Zhao Qiao remarked, “Ah, General He, don’t be too upset. You’re still young. If this one is lost, there will be another one.”
“Let go?” Li Chi Su raised an eyebrow. “Who said I’m letting go?”
“Do you think you can compete with him?” He Changzhou’s sharp gaze met Li Chi Su’s, who was astute enough to deduce the situation from yesterday. He replied calmly, “General He is still too young. Wanting to obtain His Majesty, why must it be a competition?”
He Changzhou narrowed his eyes. “What do you mean by that?”
Li Chi Su’s tone was intriguing. “His Majesty is the emperor, with three thousand beauties in the harem. It’s absurd to think he belongs to only one person. As long as there’s a place for you in his heart, that should be enough.”
Zhao Qiao agreed, “Exactly.”
He Changzhou understood now, contemptuously saying, “So Prince Zhaonan wants to be one of the emperor’s concubines. You, the only royal of a different surname in Dajing, are willing to be someone else’s concubine?”
At this, Li Chi Su laughed heartily, “Being a concubine at least guarantees some benefits. If General He always insists on a lifelong companion, I’m afraid he’ll only watch from afar forever.”
“That’s true,” Zhao Qiao nodded knowingly. “Back when I served the Empress Dowager of Dongying in the Dongying court, wasn’t I also a ‘concubine’? A true man can bend and stretch; what’s wrong with being a concubine? Start as a concubine, and then rely on your abilities to rise. This has been the truth since ancient times.”
He Changzhou’s face darkened. He now understood why these two were sitting together drinking; they were kindred spirits.
“You enjoy your drinks,” He Changzhou picked up his sword and stood up. “Forgive me for not keeping you company.”
Little did the three know that every word of their conversation had been meticulously noted by the attendant nearby, who promptly reported everything to Xiao Shi Qing.
Xiao Shi Qing abruptly closed the half-read report and hurried to Zhao Qi’s room.
Zhao Qi finished counting the wood chips and started counting flower petals. Seeing Xiao Shi Qing’s frosty expression, he held his stomach in distress and said, “Brother, don’t rush me. I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
Xiao Shi Qing asked, “Are you thinking of taking a concubine?”
Zhao Qi stuttered, “…Ah?”
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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