The emperor sent his own personal bodyguards to escort Du Ci back to Shu Shi.
Right after Du Ci left, Qi Nanke returned. The person had hurriedly brought the witness back to Royal City, patiently listened through the emperor’s praises and rewards, to finally found an opportunity to ask about Du Ci.
Upon hearing Du Ci had already left for Shu Shi, his eyes widened in disbelief.
That kid —— finished flirting with him then ran away?!
When they were parting in the carriage, he was acting all spoiled and coy, saying I didn’t want to go, I couldn’t bear to leave. His brain was so fried with fever that he kept insisting “husband” kissing and petting him. Just when had the great Border Protector general became so flustered before?!
Although he ate and slept together with the soldiers in the barrack, even took a naked bath with them in the snow before, but they were all burly men like him, what he has, others also have, what’s there to see?
However, the little prince was different. His skin was white and tender, like a porcelain doll carved from jade, so fragile it could shatter with just a little force. Qi Nanke had to exhaust all the fortitude he used in killing enemies to endure it. The muscles in his body was so tensed it got to the point of pain before he managed to coax the little prince to sleep, allowing Douding to bring the person back. Only God know the general kept having spring dreams every night after that. In those dreams, the little prince was smiling cutely yet flirtatiously like a fox.
He poured everything into suppressing the bandits, hoping to return as soon as possible. But when he finally came back, the person had already patted their butts and left?
Just left?!
Qi Nanke’s heart sank. His thoughts floated in the air, his mind became clouded. He couldn’t think of anything.
Seeing him in such a state, the emperor snorted: It seems the Border Protector general’s heart was really moved. Just look at that soulless appearance, how promising!
Taking all things into consideration, he as emperor already has several grandchildren. Descendants of the Qi family are more competent, but so what? The Border Protector general fell in love with a man. His younger brothers haven’t had children yet. The sisters in the family have children, but their children cannot inherit the rank. Maybe, even without him stepping up and suppressing them, in a few years, the Qi family scarce descendants might just fight among themselves for the rank inheritance and self-destruct.
Thinking so, the emperor’s mood suddenly improved a lot, Qi Nanke also became more pleasing to his eye. He uttered a rare comfort: “Don’t worry. That ninth child Du said he will be waiting for you to come formally marry him with the proper etiquettes and offerings. My marriage bestowment still counts.”
Qi Nanke came back to his senses upon hearing this and felt much relieved. He knelt down and saluted.
When the Crown Prince’s matter started entering the formal trial process, Qi Nanke asked the emperor for permission to go picking up his fiancé.
The emperor refused his request at first. And so, whenever Qi Nanke had free time, he would bring this up again and again. His words were laced with rare grievances which the emperor found to be very amusing. Since the person was not young anymore and still unmarried with no children, he decided to give him a break. After some consideration, he allowed Qi Nanke take a team of elite soldiers and many Dasheng’s specialties to go to Shu Shi.
Qi Nanke’s group traveled in a haste for half a year before they arrived at Shu Shi’s vast mountain ranges. The people they met along the way were warm and hospitable. The food they cooked was fragrant and delicious, very different from the food in Dasheng.
The humidity in this area is high, therefore, the locals are accustomed to spiciness because it helps get rid of moisture and prevent disease. With different ways of seasoning, different types of spiciness are added into the ingredients, created a variety of rich flavors, and stimulated the taste buds. Once you got addicted to it, you can’t stop.
After entering Shu Shi’s border, Qi Nanke’s ears were flooded with all kinds of local dialects. They were a little different from the common Shu Shi’s accent, most words were often linked together, and some words couldn’t be understood at all.
Remembering how the little prince once said that he would take him around to eat delicious food, Qi Nanke’s heart was filled with tenderness and expectation.
However, after a few days, some elite soldiers showed signs of maladaptation and started having diarrhea, which slowed down their pace. Toiling through the long journey, the group finally reached Xiandu, Shu Shi’s Royal City, where Du Ci has waited there for them for who knows how long.
Du Ci looked a little taller and thinner, but still had that lovable appearance. Those big, uncanny eyes seemed to always be watching and waiting for him. It was as if they had never parted in the first place, if Qi Nanke just turned around, Du Ci would always be there, waiting.
Since they used common Shu Shi’s accent in Xiandu city, Qi Nanke could finally hear the pleasant tone Du Ci often spoke with, and it’s everywhere. Standing in the place where Du Ci grew up. Listening to the voices around him. Qi Nanke had a very strange feeling.
But before he could even do anything about it, the yellow horse, who had been good at connecting with its master, suddenly neighed as it raised its hoofs and rushed towards the city gate.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Xiandu’s guards were shocked. They were about to intercept when they were stopped by Douding.
Xfcfgji Hl kjr nfgs fwyjggjrrfv. Lf delmxis qeiifv bc atf gflcr, yea atf tbgrf lucbgfv tlw. Pa gertfv ab Ge Jl’r ojmf jcv yla bc tlr tjlg.
“Ofa ub!” Hl Rjcxf delmxis rtbeafv lc oierafg. Ge Jl gfjmtfv bea klat j rwlif, Hl Rjcxf reymbcrmlberis abbx la jcv qeiifv tlw bcab atf tbgrf.
The person he had missed for so long finally sat in his arms, alive. Qi Nanke stared blankly at the little prince.
The little prince also looked him up and down, left and right, finally he laughed out loud: “How come you got darker again?”
Qi Nanke: “…”
The little prince’s eyes narrowed in a smile : “Let’s keep you here for a while, see if I can raise you to be whiter, okay?”
Qi Nanke finally recovered. He lowered his head and whispered in the little prince’s ear: “In the carriage, who was it that said dark skin was also good because it has manlier taste?”
The little prince failed to tease people, not only that, he even got teased back! His face flushed red and his mouth was zipped shut.
As they rode the horse together, Du Ci welcomed Qi Nanke into the city while summarizing Shu Shi’s current situation.
On the day Du Ci left Dasheng, he took some evidence letters showing communication between the Crown Prince and the Third prince. Because he came back wounded, it looked as if he had to struggle a lot to escape from Dasheng. At that time, Xiandu city was already on lockdown for many days. With the Third prince’s confidant being captured in Dasheng, no one reported to him that his scheme was already exposed.
Seeing Du Ci returned with injuries, the Third prince thought he might have brought back some important news. Perhaps, the Crown Prince had changed his mind about rebellion and wanted to get rid of Du Ci to prevent him from notifying his brother about it through letter.
When the Third prince opened the city gate to welcome Du Ci, the little prince pretended to be unconscious while Douding cried out grievously: the Ninth Prince had gone through so much difficulties just to preserve his life. If it wasn’t for these mercenaries from the jianghu whom the prince hired to protect him, he wouldn’t have survived and come back!
The emperor’s personal bodyguards who had just become “jianghu’s mercenaries” felt their temples throbbed and silently looked down.
Du Ci had fainted and unable to speak, while Douding was having an emotional breakdown and could not speak coherently, the Third prince had no choice but to arrange a place for them at concubine Taihe and send the imperial physician over.
The Third prince was anxious. If the deal with the Crown Prince really fell through, he would just turn face and forced the current emperor to step down immediately!
“How’s your imperial father?” Qi Nanke frowned.
“Father’s health has worsened in recent years, and he became more suspicious. Third brother took advantage of this to scheme against Eldest brother and put him in prison.” Du Ci said, “Not long after the imprisonment, some officials who supported Eldest brother demanded an explanation from the Third brother, leading to a big quarrel in court. Imperial father was enraged, blood rushed to his head, and his body become paralyzed afterwards. Xiandu city was on lockdown because of this.”
The emperor became paralyzed, but he didn’t die and still hung on by drinking all kinds of medicines everyday. However, just like before, he refused to select a crown prince.
The prime minister had a headache: If you do not choose a crown prince, won’t a civil war occur?!
The Third prince took the opportunity to ask the emperor to appoint him. However, although the emperor could no longer speak, he still seemed to understand everything and refused to agree.
Now that the emperor’s side is a failure, whereas the Crown Prince’s side is also about to collapse. The idea of forcing the emperor to abdicate became even more prominent in the Third prince’s mind.
“I pretended to be unconscious for a few days. Third brother was busy thinking about taking the throne and couldn’t bother to care about me.” Du Ci said, “I secretly sent my mother and Douding’s mother out of the palace, then bribed the inner palace courtier to see imperial father. Imperial father… he cried when he saw me.”
Du Ci lowered his eyes to hide the emotions in those pupils: “He couldn’t speak and just kept crying. The mighty emperor, I have never seen him so fragile.”
Qi Nanke still didn’t know what to do comfort people, so he patted Du Ci on the shoulder like before.
Du Ci: “…” This trick again? Qi Zifeng is really a dummy!
“I showed him the evidence letter. After reading it, he immediately sent an edict to appoint a crown prince.” Du Ci said, “Eldest brother was appointed.”
Although Eldest brother is not a good person, it doesn’t necessarily mean he won’t be a good emperor.
Qi Nanke was stunned for a moment “Why not…” Why not you?
Du Ci smiled and said, “I’m the son who will be marrying into another family, like water pouring out!”
Qi Nanke: “…”
Qi Nanke blushed. His gray eyes looked at the person in his arms without blinking: “You… Then what did you tell your father?”
“I said, I just wanted to protect my life, protect my mother. As for anything else, I don’t ask for them.” Du Ci said, “Since I’m still waiting for you to come marry me.”
Assisting Elder brother to ascend the throne, he and his mother would definitely be safe. But if it was Third brother who ascended the throne, then their lives were quite uncertain.
Qi Nanke sighed in his heart: There are not many people who aren’t bewitched by power and material at such a young age. And young people who clearly know what they want and know to give up when they should are even rarer.
His Ninth Prince Du is indeed a treasure!
Needless to say, the emperor abruptly appointed a crown prince made the Third prince dumbfounded. He wanted to raise a coup d’etat, but it was thwarted by the prime minister, the minister of war, and others who were secretly contacted by Douding. Despite successfully calling on the royal palace guards, as soon as news of the emperor’s edict coming out, his power and influence were significantly reduced, leading to the low morale in the army. The Third prince attempted to steal and destroyed the edict, but was immediately caught by the guards emperor Yuangong sent to protect Douding. At this point, the prime minister came forward and sent him straight to prison.
Right at the scene, Du Ci took out the evidence letter, showing the Third prince’s conspiracy. Although the letter content mentioned the Prince of Dasheng would cede land to them, which the should be a good thing for Shu Shi, but because the words used in the letter were very disrespectful to the Shu Shi’s emperor, and because he schemed to borrow soldiers from the Dasheng’s prince so they could assist him in besieging the city, the Third prince couldn’t escape the crimes of rebellion, unloyal and unfilial.
Shortly after the Eldest prince was released and received the edict, the emperor passed away. The Eldest prince successfully ascended the throne. In one moment, he thought his life was about to perish, then the next it suddenly climbed to the highest supreme seat. Life’s ups and downs could only be so exciting.
Because the Eldest prince’s mother, Queen Xun, passed away early, Du Ci’s mother, Taihe Concubine, was conferred Empress Dowager, and Du Ci was conferred “King of Baoxing”.
Since then, all the dust had settled, what awaits the Third prince ‘s faction is either death, imprisonment, or lifelong exile, no way to turn the tide.
Although these things were spoken in only a few words, Qi Nanke could still hear the hidden danger behind them.
Like when Douding secretly contacted the prime minister and the minister of war, or when they struggled to survive in Xiandu after the Third prince put in on lockdown, or when he secretly sent Taihe concubine out of the palace to avoid danger, etc.
Nothing is easy, but Du Ci just glossed over it with a few words.
When he thought about Du Ci, who was still injured but kept running back and forth in this dangerous city alone, speak humans when he sees humans, speak ghost when he sees ghost, Qi Nanke wished he could grab the person and spanked him!
“Why didn’t you wait for me!” Qi Nanke said, “I could have accompanied you. If one of those things had gone wrong, wouldn’t you be standing in front of death abyss by now?”
“It’s the same even if you were here,” Du Ci smiled, “If something were to go wrong, you could take me away, but what about my mother? What about Douding? What about his mother? And there are also my mother’s family, my siblings and cousins…What will they do?”
Qi Nanke opened his mouth, but he couldn’t think of any perfect solution.
“I’m already mentally prepared,” Du Ci said, “I’m so smart, how could I fail?”
Qi Nanke: “…”
Because the throne changing hands just happened not too long ago, the city was still in chaos. The new emperor asked King of Baoxing to entertain Qi Nanke and guests, in the evening, there would be a banquet in the palace.
Once they entered the King’s mansion, as soon as there were no more outsiders’s eyes, Du Ci stared at Qi Nanke: “Where’s my three letters, six ceremonies and eight-man-carried large sedan?”
Qi Nanke said: “Your Majesty has bestowed the marriage, the imperial decree has been issued. When I go back, I will send a large sedan to pick you up.”
Du Ci was immediately annoyed: “I want three letters and six ceremonies too!”
“Yes, yes.” Qi Nanke couldn’t help laughing, “I’ve prepared everything already, only waiting for you to nod.”
Seeing Qi Nanke being so straightforward, Du Ci felt a little embarrassed. And yet, he kept feeling that the current thing between them was not enough, like something was missing in the middle, and it made him feel insecure.
Qi Nanke’s ears went red. Standing together under the porch, he asked, “Has your wound healed?”
“Yes.”
“If you don’t want it to leave a scar, I have medicine to remove scars…”
“I’m a man, what’s wrong with having scars?”
Qi Nanke scratched his neck, “Regarding the matter this time, I haven’t expressed my gratitude to you yet.”
Du Ci turned towards him. Right now is the best season of the year, the flowers in the mansion courtyard were all blooming. The little prince stood under the tree, looking even more delicate and prettier than flowers.
Qi Nanke stammered for a while, it took a long time for him to form a complete sentence: “In the future, I will never let you down. You, you are the only person I want to marry, I…”
Qi Nanke’s voice almost broke, the tip of his nose was dotted with sweat. He cleared his throat to regain some composure, “Du Baoyu, Qi Zifeng adores you, I… love you.”
Suddenly, the missing link inside Du Ci was fulfilled. He immediately understood why he always felt that something was missing. It was this: Qi Nanke’s sincerity.
Du Ci smiled. It wasn’t a flirtatious foxy smile, nor a fake innocent and cute, gentle and harmless one. It was the most splendid and beautiful, more radiance than this sea of flowers, and more dazzling than the warm winter sun. It was a smile that Qi Nanke would never forget for the rest of his life.
“Du Baoyu loves you too.” Du Ci took Qi Nanke’s hand and kissed it.
Behind the round gate, Douding tried very hard to stop Qi Nanke’s servants and elite soldiers who came to watch the show. In front of the porch, the two lovers kissed, inseparable. The afternoon breeze blew, the pretty like jade flowers petals spun around in a whirl and landed on the pond’s surface, creating layers of ripples.
People in love became lovers, how delightful.
~End Main Story~
Thank you translator🥰🥰🥰
Aaaaaah the sweet end at least ! Thank you so much for your translation ~
They finally together! (=^w^=)/ So sweet~
Thank You for the new chapter (⋈◍＞◡＜◍)。✧♡ Great to see You and this novel alive again! ❤
This ending was worth the wait SHOO SWEET~ 🥹🤭💗(I now have diabetes)
Does anyone think Qi Nanke did all this so he could be the Queen of Baoxing? 😂
Hehehehehhehehehe
Oh oh ohh ~
Awww I loved it. Wish it was longer. Loved both characters and the plot.
Looking forward to extras
can’t stop smilinggggggg
They did it, yay!
Thanks for the translation 🫰