Reborn To Be The Imperial Consort [BL]-Chapter 30: Budding Lotus — I

Li Xinyuan’s shoulders slumped as he trembled, seeing Liu Mingyun’s eyes turn wide at the declaration as his head snapped to look between the Emperor and him, Li Xinyuan weakly smiled to himself.

This was a cannon event. Inevitable and inescapable.

"This lowly one expresses a million thanks to His Majesty the Emperor." Li Xinyuan spoke finally, voice barely above a whisper as he added breathlessly. "This lowly servant is endlessly honoured to be wedded to the Crown Prince of DàHuǒ. How can this lowly servant even think of refusing the Crown Prince?"

The Emperor nodded, satisfied as he glanced at his son for the last time and waved. "This assembly is over." He stood up, slow and majestic as he passed by Liu Mingyun.

"The Crown Prince might wish to speak to the Specter of the Blood Moon," he hummed to Liu Mingyun, glancing at him from the corner of his eyes. "He should do so."

Liu Mingyun bowed his head, fists clenched on his sides as he nodded, keeping himself composed. "Yes, Your Majesty."

On the other hand, Li Jinhua and others walked out in nonplussed daze as Li Xinyuan walked ahead of them, head bowed in contemplation as he breathed shallowly.

The plot was changing pre-cannon, he realised. How much of an effect will this change have later on, he could not help but wonder.

As the walked slowly, no one said a work, Li Jinhua seemed thoroughly surprised as Hu Lijing stuck behind his master, questioning his life.

Why did the Emperor bestow something like this upon Li Xinyuan? They asked themselves, perplexed.

"Xinyuan—" finally, Li Jinhua couldn’t bear the silence any more and spoke up. "—If you don’t want this then, I will..."

Li Xinyuan shook his head, making her trail off. There was something odd in his golden eyes, something helpless yet relieved as he replied to her.

"Be careful of what you say, Auntie. This is the Forbidden City, no slight towards the Heavenly Dragon shall be tolerated." He bowed his head, idly playing with the hem of his sleeves. "I do not particularly despise this ’reward’. The Crown Prince considers me a friend. Perhaps it wouldn’t be so hard to live as his wedded."

From behind them, Li Xinyuan’s ears picked up the sound of an entourage walking towards them. As he turned his head to look in that direction. He saw the Emperor’s allegedly most favoured lover, the Imperial Noble Consort Liang walking towards them with his signature crimson red hair like Liu Mingyun’s eyes cascading down his shoulders.

"Specter of the Blood Moon." He greeted them in a gentle voice, standing a few feet away from Li Xinyuan. "And the Divine Phoenix. This Consort is fortunate to have met you."

The Li entourage quickly kowtowed to the man whose power rivalled even the Empress on top of the fact that he held Emperor’s affection for decades.

"Imperial Noble Consort Liang." Li Xinyuan kowtowed. Liang XingHui observed him then smiled and waved his hand. "This lowly one is delighted to meet Consort Liang."

"Please rise, Doctor Li." Liang XingHui moved to help him stand up. "The right to receive your kowtow is reserved for none but His Majesty, do not kowtow to This Consort." He smiled, shaking his head. "This Consort wishes to speak to you for a moment, does Doctor Li have some time to spare?"

Li Xinyuan froze under his touch, though his face showed none of his thoughts, his body reacted for a split second before relaxing.

"How can this lowly servant refuse to speak with Imperial Noble Consort Liang if he so desires?" He said in a low voice, eyes cast down, refusing to meet Liang XingHui’s gaze.

Liang XingHui pulled away, slow and graceful as he nodded. "Very well, Doctor Li. Please come with This Consort." He smiled then glanced at Li Jinhua and Hu Lijing. "The Divine Phoenix can leave without worry, This Consort will take responsibility for the Specter of Blood Moon’s safe return."

Li Jinhua said nothing, she simply glanced at her nephew and bit back a sigh. Li Xinyuan looked back at him, trying to reassure her with his eyes as he nodded.

Li Jinhua pursed her lips for a brief moment as she gave a reluctant nod. Hu Lijing who stood by her side seemed even more reluctant than her as he glanced at Li Xinyuan.

Clearly, he too was very reluctant to go back without the surgeon.

Li Xinyuan bit back a sigh as he pursed his lips and stepped away from Liang XingHui and gave him an apologetic bow. The Imperial Noble Consort simply nodded in understanding as the surgeon turned to Hu Lijing and spoke some words of reassurance in a whispered voice till the amber-haired man relented.

Then, as they watched Li Xinyuan and Imperial Noble Consort Liang walk towards the latter’s palace, Li Jinhua clenched her teeth.

"I’m worried." She sighed as they sat in a carriage after getting out of Forbidden City. "I cannot help but worry. That is a back palace, a nest for the most devious of people. No matter how much Imperial Noble Consort Liang’s character is praised, I’m worried for Xinyuan."

Hu Lijing let out a sigh, head turned to look ahead, he replied in a low voice. "Worry is but a useless endeavour, Divine Phoenix Li Jinhua. What is written is written, you cannot undo it."

Li Jinhua glanced at him, lips pursed as she watched his amber eyes — for a moment she saw something ancient in those eyes — and looked away.

"Indeed." She sighed and said no more.

Meanwhile, in the Palace of Azure Tranquility.

Li Xinyuan quietly followed the Imperial Noble Consort Liang, mind whirring swiftly with a thousand thoughts per second. He clenched his hands under the sleeves.

Why did Imperial Noble Consort Liang come to find me?? What could he want to talk about?

In the original story, Imperial Noble Consort Liang was the Heavenly Dragon’s favourite spouse whose wishes and desires the latter held even above the Empress herself.

When the female lead entered the story and got married to Liu Mingyun, Liang XingHui made quite a few appearances, mostly as a person whom Liu Mingyun loved and respected.

He had, after all, raised the protagonist as his own son. This man had given him all the love that would be uncommon to find in the palace.

And that was how, despite all the hardships the Emperor threw at him, the plot threw at Liu Mingyun, he lived knowing there was someone who loved him.

Imperial Noble Consort Liang was such a character in the protagonist’s eyes. For that, even Li Xinyuan could help feeling a surge of respect for Liang XingHui.

It could very well be said that Liang XingHui was a character akin to plot armour for Liu Mingyun.

Li Xinyuan walked behind him, careful with his steps as he stared at the ground while forcibly resisting the urge to look around.

"Doctor Li can have a look around this palace," Liang XingHui’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts as the man sat on a plush chair across from him. "After all, once A’Yun— no, the Crown Prince ascends as to be the Emperor Palace of Azure Tranquility will belong to you."

Li Xinyuan froze. "Ah, Your Highness knows of His Majesty the Emperor’s edict?"

Liang XingHui nodded slightly, folding his hands on his lap as he spoke. "Not many things remain a secret in this palace, not to mention when His Majesty the Emperor announced it to the court. This Consort reckons congratulations are in order?" He canted his head, observing Li Xinyuan’s face intently.

At the reminder, Li Xinyuan coughed into his fist and murmured a small apology before replying. "This one must thank Your Highness."

Liang XingHui waved. "Please, do not be bitter about this abrupt arrangement, Doctor Li. His Imperial Majesty came to this decision alone, none of us knew of it more than you. Even the Crown Prince."

Li Xinyuan nodded in understanding. Of course, he knew that. He had no reason to be bitter about an inevitability waiting to happen.

"How can this lowly one—"

"His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince has arrived at the Palace of Azure Tranquility!" The guards’ announcement cut Li Xinyuan off.

The surgeon froze as he turned to look at the door. Across from him, Liang XingHui covered his smile with his fist and got up to leave.

"Doctor Li and His Imperial Highness should converse with each other to resolve any misunderstandings."

"Your Highness—"

"Lord Father—"

Two voices spoke at the same time. The speakers froze as Liu Mingyun stood at the door whilst Li Xinyuan sat where he was. Liang XingHui looked at them with mirth in his eyes and walked away.

"Your Highness, Doctor Li is a reasonable person." The Imperial Noble Consort smiled as he passed by Liu Mingyun. "This Consort believes he will understand."

Liu Mingyun gave him an imperceptible look of gratitude and turned to look at Li Xinyuan.

Li Xinyuan sat frozen, internally screaming bloody murder.

What the fuck is there to understand when there is no misunderstanding to begin with???