Chapter 186 - The Wolf Can't Say No To The Fox

In the aftermath, Chu Yun got all the concubines to agree to his initial suggestion of divvying up the dowries, and giving stipends to each child.

And with the additional emotional stress he had put them all through, they even agreed that yes, it was fair to take into consideration the family circumstances each of them would be returning to. 

None of the wealthy ones looked particularly interested in complaining to their families and causing trouble for Xiao Zai in the future -- so Chu Yun chalked it up as a win, even though he felt as tired as all the concubines looked.

In the end, he had gotten what he wanted without a fuss, and maybe some of them would be leaving the Crowning Moon royal palace a little better off than they had joined it.

Most of all, they seemed relieved to be leaving it behind, and Chu Yun with it.

Concubine Zhang was the last to leave, he hung back and turned towards Chu Yun with an inscrutable look. "His Royal Highness will have a harder time when managing his husband's harem. They won't be as accommodating as us wilting flowers."

Chu Yun's fingers tightened into fists out of Concubine Zhang's view. There would be no fucking harem.

Xiao Zai wouldn't dare. 

He didn't want to.

He wanted Chu Yun so much it made him look stupid.

There would always only be Chu Yun for Xiao Zai.

In the same way there would only be Xiao Zai for him too.

They were it.

Of course he wasn't going to tell Concubine Zhang any of that, so instead he smiled and wished him safe travels.

Once he was gone Gu Wei let out a small laugh. "You know he won't be the only person to bring up the issue of a harem. Even though you are pregnant, everyone will expect Xiao Zai to take more concubines."

Chu Yun grit his teeth. He didn't appreciate being reminded of that. 

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

Gu Wei hummed noncommittally. "I'm glad to see that your relationship is going so well."

What was Chu Yun supposed to say to that? Did Gu Wei expect a thank you note? If their relationship was going well it was entirely due to Chu Yun's winning personality and incredible good looks.

Unless Gu Wei was thinking about his own contribution in terms of the 'stomach bug'. Chu Yun hadn't forgotten about it, and he still wanted to get to the bottom of his miraculous pregnancy, it was just that he had a lot on his plate as it was.

It could wait.

He narrowed his eyes at Gu Wei, it didn't mean he trusted him though.

"Is there something on my face?" Gu Wei asked, raising his hand to his cheek, the picture of innocence.

Chu Yun got up from his throne and stretched his arms above his head. "I'm going to see how Xiao Zai is doing, father-in-law is welcome to come too."

If Gu Wei was offended at the implication that he needed Chu Yun's permission to see his own son he didn't let it show.

---

Xiao Zai was slowly going insane. 

He could feel his brain unspooling inside his head and potentially leaking out of his ears. 

The Adjunct Minister of Finance had been droning on for about an hour, about only heavens knew what because Xiao Zai had stopped listening early on. 

Around the time his suggestions regarding how to increase revenue without raising tax were shot down by a lengthy description of how taxation was the backbone of the nation, actually, and how not lengthily taxing the commoners who worked on the land of the gentry would lead them to expend their extra income on gambling, whoring, and seditious activities. 

"On account of their weaker, less fortified minds, naturally," the Adjunct Minister concluded. "The common people need the guiding hand of his Majesty and their betters in order to be able to enjoy a worthwhile life, otherwise they will succumb to worldly pleasures. One must not blame them for this weakness of character, they are unable to help themselves without the proper guidance."

Xiao Zai was certain he had never heard anything so idiotic in his entire life, but judging by the faces of the other ministers, their aides, and several court officials and other administrative personnel -- they either agreed or were used to this kind of talk.

It had been like this since Xiao Zai called the extraordinary session in one of the palace's courtrooms. Xiao Zai thought that he could seize the opportunity to have a more candid conversation with the ministers, since the throne room was currently occupied. A chance for them all to talk eye-to-eye instead of him towering above them from the dais and the throne.

He was bitterly regretting that now. It was clear that the ministers had no interest beyond reinforcing the ideas that "things have always been like this, and they should continue being that way."

They were happy that Xiao Zai had no interest in continuing his father's unwise, one-sided and costly campaigns, but it was immediately obvious that their hopes were that Xiao Zai would return things to what they were during his grandfather's times.

Apparently in those days both the nation's treasury as well as the royal clan's purse were filled to bursting. Xiao Zai remembered his dam mentioning a famine that badly affected his family when he was only a child, but the ministers never mention any of that. They preferred to focus on the mountains of meat and rivers of wine.

Finally, Xiao Zai couldn't take it anymore -- he wasn't going anywhere with this.

"Thank you to his Excellency for the valuable insight," Xiao Zai said, raising from his seat before anyone got into their minds to keep talking. "This has been a very enlightening and productive session."

The ministers all said their platitudes, praising Xiao Zai's wisdom, benevolence and maybe a dozen other virtues that he didn't hear because by then he was already out the door.

Xiao Zai wondered if Chu Yun was still in the throne room. Little Pan had joined the royal household and became his personal manservant. He'd said that Chu Yun's mood seemed "most agreeable" when he first met with the concubines, so at least his day must have been less frustrating than Xiao Zai's.

He reached the throne room at the same time Chu Yun exited, followed by Gu Wei and Jin Luan -- who Xiao Zai still didn't know how to behave around.

"I didn't know you'd be here," Xiao Zai said, smiling at his dam and ignoring the awkwardness of Jin Luan standing at his side like the world's most dour-faced shadow.

His dam returned his smile and turned his head towards Chu Yun. "I thought his Royal Highness could benefit from a helping hand, but as usual he had everything under control, my presence was hardly necessary."

Chu Yun looked briefly flustered. "Father-in-law flatters me."

Xiao Zai tried to hide his amusement. He wondered if Chu Yun and his dam would ever be completely comfortable around each other.

"I'm happy to see you well, and now that I have I'll be on my way," Gu Wei said, and then added, "after paying Xiao An a visit, perhaps..."

He let the end of the sentence hang suspended in the air, not quite a question, not quite a request for permission. But an opening for a rejection anyway. 

Xiao Zai didn't know if it was wise, but he respected his dam far too much to tell him what he should or shouldn't do.

He turned to one of the guards stationed nearby. "Please escort my dam towards the traitor's cell," he unwound his waist token from around his sash and gave it to Gu Wei. "You'll have my authority to move around the palace."

Gu Wei closed his fingers around the jade token with a grateful smile and then nodded towards Jin Luan to follow after him.

Chu Yun waited until they turned the corner to throw himself at Xiao Zai.

"You won't believe how annoying my day was," Chu Yun said with a sigh, pressing the words against the hot skin of Xiao Zai's neck.

Xiao Zai wrapped his hands around his waist and squeezed, enjoying the delicious proximity of him. "It can't have been any worse than mine," he lowered his lips against Chu Yun's in a brief kiss. "Although, it's looking up now that we're together again."

Chu Yun looked up at him, but instead of the mischievous expression Xiao Zai expected, he was biting into his lower lip in regret.

"I wish I could go back to our bedroom with you but..."

Xiao Zai narrowed his eyes at him. "But you want to follow my dam instead."

Chu Yun hung his head like a child caught stealing sweets. "But I wan't to see what Gu Wei is up to instead," he admitted with a sigh.

Xiao Zai answered his own earlier question: Never. Chu Yun and Gu Wei would always be suspicious of each other.

He sighed and kissed Chu Yun again, squeezing his waist one last time before letting go of him. "I can no more stop you than ask the sun to stop rising." He smiled ruefully into Chu Yun's eyes. "Don't let him see you or he'll complain to me."

Chu Yun shot him a blinding grin before dashing down the hallway. 

Much like the sun, Xiao Zai had no intention of suppressing Chu Yun's true nature.