Drop of Cinnabar in the Heart (9)
Zhu Junyang picked up Xiaocao, who had a pained look on her face, and ran towards the nearest clinic. However, there were too many people who had come to receive the army and he also had to make sure that no one bumped into his wife. Thus, he was stalled for a few minutes without going anywhere. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore and used his energy to jump up onto the roof. After getting there, he then hopped onto other buildings as he headed towards the clinic.
The crowd around there no longer stared at the soldiers coming back. Instead, they raised their heads in wonder as they gaped at the disappearing figure in the sky. There was a young child sitting on his father’s shoulders and he pointed at Zhu Junyang’s flying figure as he gasped, “Father, look! There’s someone who can fly!”
Next to the building, there was someone sitting at the second floor of the restaurant who had recognized the prince. She exclaimed, “Wasn’t that Imperial Prince Xu ah? Who is he holding in his arms? It looks like he’s headed towards Divine Physician Zhong’s clinic...”
“Who else could it be? Use your brain and think a bit and you’ll realize that it is Princess Consort Xu ah! Have you ever seen Imperial Prince Xu ever look at another woman with such worry and concern in his eyes?” A young noble maiden retorted sourly.
“Don’t be so jealous! You’ve only been in the capital for the past two years so you don’t know the whole history. Prior to Imperial Prince Xu getting married, he had been possessed by a demon and had even destroyed someone’s entire residence. Only Princess Consort Xu had the guts to marry him. However, once he married I haven’t heard of him losing control of himself again. Everyone says that Princess Consort Xu is a lucky star and is the only one able to suppress the demon inside Imperial Prince Xu!” Another young maiden smiled as she glanced at the other one.
In the capital, it wasn’t just one or two who envied Princess Consort Xu. She had been born in a lowly fisherman’s village but had risen abruptly above her station. It was only because the emperor had appreciated her ability to grow high-yielding crops that allowed her to soar so high. Furthermore, she had even captured Imperial Prince Xu’s heart and had become the envied princess consort.
However, prior to their marriage, there weren’t any young noble maidens who wanted to marry the prince. At that time, it was rumored that the emperor had wanted to decree a marriage for him. This had frightened many noble families into setting up engagements as fast as possible for their daughters. However, now that he was better, they hated and envied his wife? Just what were they thinking?
“Earlier, Imperial Prince Xu had jumped through the window over there ah...oh my gosh! General Zhao had caught a young boy. Didn’t that boy also fall from the window ah?” Another young maiden exclaimed in surprise.
Another noble maiden interjected, “I recognize the boy who fell from the window. It’s the heir to Imperial Prince Xu and his only son!”
“That’s odd! His son fell down yet he wasn’t the least bit worried as the father. Instead, he carried his wife to the clinic. Is it possible that Princess Consort Xu has become suddenly ill...that cannot happen ah! If something happens to her, I don’t know whether or not the prince will go crazy!”
Zhao Han stared at the rapidly disappearing figure on the rooftops and then lowered his head to gaze at the child in his arms. He asked anxiously, “Xiaocao...is your lady mother sick?”
His parents had both left and left him behind. Little Baozi held back the tears in his eyes as he pouted. He replied with a sob, “Lady Mother isn’t sick. There’s a little sister in Lady Mother’s tummy. Lord Father wanted me to be good as she can’t be scared at this time...I wasn’t good earlier, wah wah wah——”
She was pregnant again? They must have a loving relationship right? Zhao Han didn’t know what he was feeling at this point. For her sake, Imperial Prince Xu would even neglect his own heir. She must be very happy right?
“Don’t cry, your lady mother has received the blessing of the heavens, so I’m sure she’s alright!” He was so useless! She was in danger but he could only stare and watch from the side. He was leading back the army in triumph to greet the emperor. As the main character in this act, no matter how he personally felt, he couldn’t just abandon all of this to check up on her.
He felt so helpless! It was as if he had gone back to the time when his grandfather and father had been called back to serve the country. Although he really didn’t want to go to the capital with his family, he had no choice. The feelings from back then had welled up now.
Little Baozi hadn’t been consoled by him at all. He wailed, “Lady Mother, I want my lady mother! I’m sorry, I was wrong...wah wah wah——”
The crowds on either side of the great general didn’t know the details of what had happened. All they saw was that the heroic and handsome general was frazzled trying to calm down the child he had rescued. He looked a bit funny. Oh what to do?
An old matron smiled, “The great general hasn’t gotten married, right? No wonder he doesn’t know how to soothe the child! Once he has his own children, he’ll have plenty of practice!”
The surrounding people around her began to chuckle good naturedly.
“Great General Uncle, I want to see Lady Mother. Bring me to see her ah...” Little Baozi wanted to get off the horse but the horse was too tall and there were too many people around them. He looked beggingly towards the person holding him.
Zhao Han didn’t even have the chance to reply when a figure dressed entirely in white walked towards them. His inky long hair was elegantly confined as he strode gracefully. When Little Baozi saw the man, he stretched out his arms, “Uncle Su, hold me——”
The person who had just appeared was the man most trusted by the emperor himself, Chief Steward Su Ran. He often left the palace to bum a meal from Imperial Prince Xu’s estate and annoyed Zhu Junyang to no end. Little Baozi was like his mother and liked handsome and beautiful faces. He adored Su Ran for his elegant and handsome appearance. Sometimes, even his lord father became jealous by this!
Su Ran smiled at Zhao Han and then reached out his hands, “General Zhao, you can give Imperial Prince Xu’s heir to me ah!”
Because the emperor he served was a transmigrator, he was never expected to use the term ‘this servant’ to refer to himself. Thus, no matter who he was addressing. Su Ran always used the pronoun ‘I’.
Zhao Han wanted to hold her son a bit longer but he also knew that now was not the right time. Chief Steward Su Ran had come over likely under the orders of the emperor. Thus, he reluctantly handed the child over.
As soon as Little Baozi arrived in Su Ran’s arms, he pointed in the direction that his father and mother had gone, “Uncle Su, go help me chase after Lady Mother...I was the one who injured both her and my younger sister, wah wah wah!”
Su Ran wiped off the tears from the little fellow’s face as he reassured him, “Alright, I’ll help you find your mother now. Don’t cry!” As soon as he finished, he lightly jumped up from the ground and headed up towards the roof.
The young maidens in the area all felt flustered by this sight. Which family’s young master was this? He was too handsome. He looked like an immortal who had descended from heaven, pure and incorruptible. Was he married already?
The noble young maidens who knew of his identity all revealed dreamy looks on their faces as they silently lamented within their hearts——If the chief steward wasn’t the chief steward, wouldn’t that be great ah? He looked so warm and sweet as he held the child and he had such a gentle look on his face as he was comforting the little heir. He was sure to be a good father...so unfortunate....
Zhu Junyang held his wife as they arrived at Divine Physician Zhong’s clinic. The vast majority of people in the area had left to see the festivities, so the clinic was quite empty. When the doctor sitting in the clinic saw a guest come down from the roof, he was quite startled.
When he found out that Imperial Prince Xu was here with his wife, who might have injured her unborn child, the doctor hurried into the inner courtyard to find his master. In the past, other than the imperial physicians from the palace, only his master had taken care of the people from Imperial Prince Xu’s estate.
The little divine stone that was on her wrist faintly let out a golden light that whirled around Yu Xiaocao’s abdomen. She had already started to feel much better. When she saw her sweat-soaked husband, who still looked incredibly worried, she gently held onto his hand and said, “I’m fine, don’t worry.”
“Right, you and the baby must be fine. Cao’er, don’t be nervous, the divine doctor will be here soon. Don’t be afraid, I’m right here with you!” Zhu Junyang was actually a bit incoherent now but he still did his best to calm his wife down.