Chapter 82: About to Become a Father

Congratulations, you have received a monthly ticket.

The next day, an even more astonishing piece of news spread through the city: it was said that Prince Chun had proposed to relinquish his title and would no longer be a prince. This was utterly unprecedented and left people in shock. Everyone thought to themselves that this was the first time they had heard of someone willingly giving up such glory and wealth. A prince! What a lofty rank that was, and yet Prince Chun simply cast it aside.

Rumor had it that Prince Chun was furious because the emperor had stripped him of his command over the elite imperial guards, and in his anger, he requested the emperor to take away his title as well. That Prince Chun dared to so openly challenge imperial authority; the emperor, unable to swallow such humiliation, followed through and stripped him of his rank.

Others said that Prince Chun's achievements had become a threat to the emperor, who could not tolerate him any longer. He had already taken away his military power, so it was hardly surprising that the title would go next. People could only sigh, "No one is more suspicious than a monarch. Prince Chun has won the hearts of the people—it's only natural the emperor fears him. What a pity that Dongling has lost such a fine prince."

Yet only a handful of people within Prince Chun’s residence knew the truth: it was nothing more than a play, co-written and performed by the emperor and Zhongli Yu, designed to lull their enemies into complacency and coax them into revealing themselves. Thus, Zhongli Yu had already discussed with everyone that they would move out of Prince Chun’s residence and stay at the Gu family estate for a while. None objected; Yan Zhan least of all. From the first time she entered the Gu estate, she had found it particularly pleasant and had always hoped to stay there more often. She had not anticipated that, after marrying Zhongli Yu, life would become so hectic that she never found the leisure. Now, with such a perfect opportunity, she was naturally delighted.

On this day, the household of Prince Chun was to leave the capital. The emperor decreed that he vacate the residence within three days, but unexpectedly, the very day after the title was stripped, Zhongli Yu moved out with his entire household in grand fashion. There were no fewer than twenty carriages in the procession. People had long heard of Prince Chun’s exceptional talents—not only was he accomplished in both civil and military affairs, but he was also unmatched in business. His enterprises spanned the entire capital, and it was said his wealth rivaled that of the state itself. Now, looking at carriage after carriage laden with rare treasures and antiques, people finally witnessed the true measure of Prince Chun's opulence. Little did they know, this was merely a fraction of his wealth. Zhongli Yu’s businesses were not just spread across the capital—they could be said to reach across the entire realm. The belongings being moved were barely a drop in the ocean. He only ordered so many things moved to keep up appearances; otherwise, he would not have bothered at all with such trivialities.

Countless citizens came to watch. It was said that Zhongli Yu’s expression was calm, betraying no joy or sorrow. Only the old prince stood at the gate for a long while, eyes red with grief, reluctant to leave until Zhongli Yu called to him. After all, he had lived in this place for decades. To lose his home in his old age—how could he not be heartbroken? People cast him sympathetic glances. For the first time, they realized that the emperor who had brought such prosperity to the realm could be so ruthless. If he could not tolerate even such meritorious officials, how could people continue to trust him? Some began to feel indignant.

“I shall go to the emperor to petition for justice! Prince Chun has rendered great service, and yet he is punished instead of rewarded—what logic is that?” a scholar-looking young man cried out.

“I’ll go, too. Dongling needs a man of Prince Chun’s talent,” another scholar agreed.

“I’ll go as well. I can’t believe the emperor would disregard all reason and strip the prince of his title.”

“I’ll go!”

“And me as well!”

Countless scholars raised their voices, their anger plain to see, and all felt that Prince Chun had been treated most unjustly.

Roused by the scholars, many commoners joined in, and in a blink, the crowd had swelled to over a thousand people. Together, they surged toward the palace. Zhongli Yu, seeing the fervor of Dongling’s people, felt a fleeting pang of emotion before it quickly faded. Yan Zhan, riding in the carriage, heard it all, the corners of her lips curving with delight. Who would have thought her husband had become so important to the people of Dongling?

The carriages of Prince Chun’s household slowly departed, bound for Mingyang County. The household was small, so there were not many people traveling. The old prince shared a carriage with Gu Yan and Meng Tao. Gu Qinghan and Gu Qingyang had arrived on horseback and now rode behind Zhongli Yu. Both were strikingly handsome, and in the company of Zhongli Yu’s four personal guards—each remarkable in appearance—they did not attract undue attention, for it was well known that Prince Chun’s retainers were all extraordinary, and a few more handsome guards were nothing out of the ordinary.

Yan Zhan remained inside the carriage. Though it was already autumn, the sun was still harsh, and she stayed tucked away inside. The roads in the capital were broad and smooth, so the carriage was not jostled. For some reason, she had lately been feeling rather sleepy, and before long, she dozed off against the carriage wall. The autumn breeze lifted the corner of the curtain, revealing the hem of her white dress, as Zhongli Yu glanced through the gap, his eyes gentle as he gazed at his slumbering wife. He could not help but dismount and slip into the carriage. Inside, he found her sleeping peacefully, so deeply that she did not even notice his arrival. Normally, she was quick to wake at the slightest sound—was it because she felt safe at last? He was in such good spirits that he simply sat and watched her sleep, never tiring of the sight.

By now, they had traveled dozens of miles from the capital. Lihun approached the carriage and spoke in a low voice, “Master, those who were following us have turned back.”

“Very well, I know.” Zhongli Yu replied quietly. He had noticed the followers as soon as they set out and had told Lihun and the others to stay alert. He had not expected the pursuers to be so persistent and follow them so far.

A sudden jolt of the carriage woke Yan Zhan. Reaching out to steady herself, she found her hand caught in a large, steadying grasp that pulled her gently into a broad, warm embrace, cushioning her from the lurching motion.

Looking up, she met her husband’s gentle gaze, and her heart warmed. “When did you come in?” she asked softly.

“Not long ago. You’ve been so tired lately—is something wrong?” he asked with concern.

“No, nothing’s wrong. I just keep wanting to sleep.”

“Then rest a bit more.” He settled her in his lap, letting her lean against his chest to cushion her from the carriage’s jolts.

“All right.”

The carriage rolled on. Perhaps because her nap was sufficient, Yan Zhan no longer felt drowsy. The road grew rougher, making the carriage jolt more, and suddenly her stomach heaved, a sour taste rising in her throat. Unable to hold back, she rushed to the door, lifted the curtain, and vomited.

Zhongli Yu’s face went pale as he hurried to the door, his voice trembling in panic. “What’s wrong, Yan’er? Lihun, fetch Doctor Meng at once!”

Lihun had never seen his master so discomposed and thought the sky must have fallen. Only after a moment did he digest the urgency in Zhongli Yu’s voice.

Zhongli Yu’s shout was so loud that not only Lihun, but almost everyone in the group heard it. Though Doctor Meng’s carriage was some distance away, he caught the call and rushed over.

“Grandson-in-law, what’s wrong with Yan girl?” Meng Tao asked, and seeing Yan Zhan still retching at the carriage door, seemed to have an inkling.

“I don’t know; she was fine just now and suddenly began to vomit. Grandpa Meng, please take a look.”

Yan Zhan retched until there was nothing left in her stomach, then finally stopped. Doctor Meng boarded the carriage, and the entire convoy came to a halt, all eyes anxiously fixed on her.

Zhongli Yu helped Yan Zhan sit and held out her hand for Doctor Meng to take her pulse. After only a moment, Doctor Meng stroked his beard and chuckled.

Zhongli Yu asked anxiously, “Grandpa Meng, how is Yan’er?”

“Haha, grandson-in-law, you’re going to be a father.”

“A father?” Zhongli Yu stared at Yan Zhan in disbelief, stunned by the sudden joy, unable to react. It was like a thunderclap on a hot summer day, followed by refreshing rain that swept away the heat, filling the air with a crisp coolness—such happiness was hard to describe.

“Grandpa Meng, you mean Yan’er is expecting?”

Meng Tao nodded with a smile, amused to see the always composed Prince Chun so flustered.

Zhongli Yu, elated, gazed at Yan Zhan and exclaimed, “Yan’er, I’m going to be a father! A father!” His voice carried far, as if he wished the whole world to know.

Yan Zhan was equally overjoyed—her earlier discomfort vanished, and a broad smile split her face.

Everyone outside the carriage heaved a sigh of relief, their hearts filled with happiness. The old prince, in particular, was so delighted his eyes crinkled, unable to stop smiling as he murmured, “Wonderful, wonderful!”

Gu Yan’s beard quivered with joy; he was even happier than when he had become a father himself.

When Gu Qingyang heard Yan Zhan was pregnant, he exclaimed, “Little sister, I’m going to be an uncle! Fantastic! You must have a daughter as beautiful as you—imagine the impression I’ll make carrying her around.”

Gu Qinghan knocked him on the head and growled, “What nonsense! The old prince is waiting for a grandson—how can you wish for a girl?”

“Senior brother, what’s so good about boys? They’re naughty and troublesome. Girls are lovely, sweet, and smell nice—I just love little girls.”

“And how do you know your sister’s son would be naughty?”

“Of course! What boy isn’t naughty?”

“So boys must be naughty? What sort of logic is that?”

“Who cares about logic? I just think girls are better.”

“If you like them so much, marry and have your own.”

The old prince roared with laughter at the brothers’ banter. “I think young Yang has a point—girls are wonderful, so lovable. I’d be happy to have a granddaughter.”

Zhongli Yu and Yan Zhan both felt exasperated—these people, barely had the news broken, and already they were debating whether she would have a boy or a girl, and right here on the road.

The rest of the entourage could barely stifle their laughter. Yan Zhan had not expected the old prince to prefer a granddaughter—she had always thought that people of the past favored sons over daughters.

“All right, we’ll arrive in half an hour. Let’s get moving again,” Zhongli Yu said, breaking up the discussion. He was eager to return to the Gu family estate and see to Yan’er’s health. “Qingxian, drive slower. The carriage mustn’t jolt again, understand? If you let the mistress vomit again… well, you know the consequences.”

“Yes, Master,” Qingxian answered nervously, inwardly lamenting. Master, if the carriage jolts, it’s the road’s fault, not mine! Lihun and the others shot him looks of sympathy and wished him luck.

“Qingxian, your driving skills are the best—I admire you most,” Lihun said, patting his back, eyes glinting with schadenfreude.

“Indeed, Qingxian, I’ve always admired your driving. I was hoping to learn from you someday,” Lilan said, sidling up with a mischievous smile.

“Driving a carriage takes practice. Qingxian has driven for Master for years—his skills are nearly perfect. How could the rest of us compare?” Liying chimed in, eager to join the teasing.

“There’s a reason they say practice makes perfect. You lot are making a fuss over nothing,” Liting said disdainfully, delivering a profound line.

Qingxian felt aggrieved at being the butt of everyone’s jokes and decided on a bit of mischief himself. He called out to Zhongli Yu, “Master, the road is truly rough. Even if I were the best carriage driver in the world, I can’t guarantee a smooth ride. Instead of making things hard for me, why not have Lihun, Lilan, Liying, and Liting carry the carriage together? There’s only half an hour left, and with their martial arts skills, it’s no problem. That way, we can guarantee no jolts at all.”

Yan Zhan, inside the carriage, was amused both by her husband’s fussiness and Qingxian’s slyness. Who would have thought the usually honest Qingxian could be so devious? She was curious to see how the four guards would manage to carry the carriage.

Zhongli Yu, seeing the mischievous smile on his wife’s face, knew exactly what she was thinking. In a deep voice, he said, “You four heard him. Do as Qingxian suggested.”

The four men shot Qingxian murderous glares, inwardly cursing themselves for provoking him. After spending so much time by Master’s side, even Qingxian had become devious. Resigned, they replied, “Yes, Master.”

Now it was Qingxian’s turn to enjoy their misery. The four guards moved to the carriage, each lifting a corner and channeling their inner strength to carry it off the ground. The carriage was built of solid wood and must have weighed seven or eight hundred pounds, but for martial artists of their caliber, it was not difficult. Still, they exchanged glum looks—golden guards reduced to porters! Others carried sedan chairs, but they were carrying an entire carriage. What “honor” indeed. Grievances aside, their steps were perfectly synchronized, making the carriage glide as smoothly as if on level ground—far better than any jolt-ridden ride.

Yan Zhan felt the carriage had been lifted up, and so steady was their pace that she might as well have been lying on a bed. She nodded to herself—Zhongli Yu’s personal guards were truly exceptional.

She pinched Zhongli Yu’s hand, laughing. “Enough, let them put it down. I’m fine now—I won’t throw up again.” Though she was embarrassed by his fussing, his concern was sweeter than honey.

“Mistress, don’t worry about us. Just rest inside,” Lihun called immediately, eager to reassure her. Carrying a mountain would be nothing if it were for her and the little master.

“But the carriage must be heavy,” Yan Zhan said uncertainly, tugging Zhongli Yu’s sleeve. “Tell them to stop already.”

“Aren’t you tired? If you are, just sleep. Or would you rather I carry you myself?” Zhongli Yu replied nonchalantly. He knew his subordinates well—this carriage was nothing to them; even two more would be no trouble. If Yan’er was embarrassed, he’d just carry her himself rather than risk her feeling unwell again.

When Yan Zhan heard he might carry her himself, she fell silent. With so many people on the road, how could she let him do that? Judging by the guards’ breathing, they didn’t seem tired at all, so she nestled comfortably in the carriage.

The Gu brothers, riding alongside, saw the four men carrying the carriage and felt secretly pleased for their sister. Truly, Prince Chun doted on his wife—learning she was pregnant, he wouldn’t even let her endure the slightest jostle.

The old prince and the others, now back in their own carriage, had heard the commotion outside but weren’t the least bit troubled. One doted on his granddaughter-in-law, the other two on their granddaughter—let others tire themselves, what did it matter to them?

After about half an hour, they arrived in Mingyang County. Since there were more people here, carrying the carriage would draw too much attention, and the roads in the town were smoother, so Zhongli Yu ordered the carriage set down. Qingxian quickly hitched the horses and, brimming with good humor, said to the four guards, “No wonder you’re the master’s trusted aides—half an hour carrying the carriage, and you’re not even winded. Impressive, truly impressive.”