CMWKSD -Chapter 159 Pink and Delicate

It was a rare outing for leisure, and both the Crown Prince and Emperor Fengyuan were in high spirits.

A few days ago, the Crown Prince had just learned that the Crown Princess was pregnant but hadn’t yet had the chance to inform Emperor Fengyuan. Now, in the tent, he smiled as he told the Emperor about the pregnancy.

Emperor Fengyuan slammed his hand on the table: “Good! Good! Good!”

Three emphatic goods in a row—enough to show how delighted he was.

“Reward her!”

After saying this, Emperor Fengyuan stood and looked at the Crown Prince: “Where’s Jiu Yue? That girl? Bring her here; I want to properly reward her.”

The Crown Prince nodded.

Li Feng, standing to the side, glanced at the Emperor’s expression and, after confirming that speaking would not upset him, said: “Your Majesty, the weather today is excellent. The Imperial Guards are ready. Once you shoot the first arrow, the skilled riders can start the hunt.”

As soon as he finished speaking, both Emperor Fengyuan and the Crown Prince immediately calmed themselves.

The news of the Crown Princess’s pregnancy was only known to the Crown Prince, the Crown Princess, and her personal maid. This was the Crown Prince’s first child and Emperor Fengyuan’s first grandchild. Every precaution was necessary—after all, the pregnancy was still very early, and it was not the time for public display.

Moreover, if Jiu Yue were brought into the tent now, someone with ill intent might probe and make connections to the poison on him and the Crown Prince. That could reveal the culprit. Alerting the wrong person at this stage would be dangerous.

It was fine; she could be secretly summoned later for her reward.

Emperor Fengyuan changed into his hunting attire and soon arrived at the hunting grounds. His vigorous and spirited appearance made several ministers, worried about his health, sneak glances at him.

“Do you think His Majesty looks much healthier?”

“Quiet! Don’t give the censors a reason to accuse you of bad intentions. Someone might hear and think you’re hoping for the Emperor’s ill health!”

“Let them accuse. I’m just speaking the truth.”

“You’re the only one with eyes, huh? Don’t tell me no one else notices.”

It wasn’t only the ministers who noticed the Emperor’s improved health. The Second Prince did as well.

And lately, palace news had been harder for him to obtain. When he went to see Consort Rong, he found that a whole batch of palace maids and eunuchs had been replaced. They were released due to age—a routine matter, since replacements were needed by the Crown Prince, the Empress, various consorts, the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, the Imperial Kitchen… but this particular batch had been replaced entirely.

The Second Prince had lost his sources within the palace. Several tasks assigned to him by Emperor Fengyuan had inexplicably run into all sorts of issues, resulting in him being scolded multiple times in the Imperial Archives.

Consort Rong’s palace had also had many attendants sent away, leaving her almost blind and deaf to palace matters. By the time she noticed what was happening in the former empress’s harem, it was all already over.

This naturally aroused suspicion in both the Second Prince and Consort Rong. Yet upon investigation, nothing could be found.

So for this autumn hunt, the Second Prince was determined to perform at his best, hoping to regain imperial favor.

After all, Emperor Fengyuan was about to turn forty-five; if nothing happened, he wouldn’t live much longer. The Crown Prince had no heir. Even if Emperor Fengyuan insisted the Crown Prince succeed, the ministers and scholars of the realm would use his lack of an heir to criticize him, calling it divine punishment. The throne’s succession could easily become uncertain.

Seeing Emperor Fengyuan’s increasingly rosy complexion, and hearing faintly that the heir to the Prince of Fu had begun selecting a consort, the Second Prince grew more anxious. Previously, many had advised Chu Yi to marry, but he had always used poor health as an excuse—not wanting to leave an orphaned widow behind. His refusals were reasonable. But now he was choosing a wife, and the Prince of Fu’s forty-fifth birthday was approaching, with a grand celebration planned, inviting all princes and their descendants from distant fiefdoms to the capital.

All these factors made the Second Prince increasingly flustered. Something had gone out of control, yet he didn’t know what. Consort Rong remained silent, fearing to speak. He sensed something was off but couldn’t pinpoint it.

For this autumn hunt, Emperor Fengyuan had brought Consort Rong along, aside from the Empress. She was weak, unaware that over ten sharp eyes surrounded her.

When the Emperor shot his first arrow, he pretended not to notice her and aimed directly at Consort Rong. He wished he could shoot the treacherous woman who had poisoned him directly!

Yes, the matter of the “Jue Ning Zi” poison in the Imperial Archives had been confirmed to be her doing. The reason was still under investigation, but by now they had traced matters back to her maternal family at the founding of the Great Qi dynasty. It was a long time ago, requiring further investigation.

Emperor Fengyuan’s first shot only hit a rabbit—enough to start the hunt, but not to kill Consort Rong.

Consort Rong, dressed in pink riding attire, saw the Emperor and fluttered toward him coquettishly: “Your Majesty, you’re amazing!”

Emperor Fengyuan’s eye twitched. Consort Rong was forty; it wasn’t that she couldn’t wear pink, but her actions and face made her look annoying and intolerable.

Even as Emperor, he had his helpless moments. Now, knowing what kind of person Consort Rong was but needing to investigate the person behind the scenes, he had to endure his disgust and said against his will: “This pink suits you; it looks good on you.”

Jiu Yue, standing at the edge of the woods, just happened to hear this. In her mind, she immediately thought of a popular TV show: Pink and delicate? How old are you now? Don’t you have any sense?!

After finishing with Consort Rong, Emperor Fengyuan turned and saw Jiu Yue propping one hand on a tree trunk, the other on her stomach, laughing wildly. She had obviously witnessed the whole scene.

Emperor Fengyuan: …

Even if she saw, she could have restrained herself a little! Does she think she has multiple brains to mock the Emperor?

Jiu Yue looked up, locking eyes with the Emperor’s half-smile, then staggered, choking herself with her own saliva. Her face turned red, but she still wouldn’t stop coughing.

Finally, Emperor Fengyuan felt satisfied. Serves you right! You dared to mock me!

With a cold snort, he grabbed the clueless Consort Rong and returned to the tent.

The accompanying officials symbolically changed into hunting attire as well, struggling even to draw a standard five-stone bow.

Jiu Yue had also changed into hunting attire for appearances. She couldn’t shoot arrows—she could use a crossbow but not a bow. The hidden crossbow bolts were still deadly, but in the 22nd century, killing was done with high-tech weapons, and here she was, flaunting a bow. It felt absurd.

Shooting arrows? She truly couldn’t.

But she could throw stones. After all, she was accurate with them.

Watching the crowd surge into the woods, Jiu Yue quietly stepped back. There was no need to hunt to survive.

Feeling perfectly justified, she turned back to the tent to sleep.