The Prime Minister is Pregnant with Dragon's Seed - Chapter 15

The altar was set up on the open ground just outside Liu De’s bedroom. If Meng Zhou stretched his neck, he could even see the stack of letters on the bed and several large boxes of books, all sorted and ready to be burned for the underworld that evening.

The temporary “Senior Brother” was brandishing a peach wood sword in front of him, and Meng Zhou followed along with the movements, performing the entire set of rituals smoothly—even more standard than the instructor of the tv gymnastics.

After all, he is the best actor who had played a Taoist priest!

Senior Brother twirled his fingers and drew a few talismans in cinnabar ink, handing them to Meng Zhou. “Stick these to the center of the canopy above the bed, wait fifteen minutes, then throw them into the brazier beside the bed. Not a single ash must float away.”

“Yes, Senior Brother.”

Opportunity knocked. Meng Zhou took the talismans and gave a detailed explanation of his task. Only then did the two gatekeepers reluctantly let him in.

As soon as Meng Zhou stepped inside, the elegant Senior Brother who just moments ago could twirl a peach wood sword like it was a flower blossom suddenly went berserk. Arms flailing, he transformed from the star disciple of the capital’s most famous Taoist temple into a crazed spirit medium, putting on a show even more thrilling than the street acrobats.

The climax was here!

The two guards couldn’t tear their eyes away from the senior brother’s wild performance. Entranced by the performance, they barely paid attention to Meng Zhou, who was inside.

With two pairs of eyes distracted, Meng Zhou calmly pasted the talisman on the bed canopy. As his robe brushed past the stack of letters, he discreetly pocketed the top three letters bearing the Zhou family seal.

When Meng Zhou emerged, the Senior Brother was using his head to balance a massive vat. The moment he spotted Meng Zhou, he exhaled imperceptibly in relief, calmly lowered the vat, and returned to his cool and aloof demeanor.

The guards pouted in disappointment. it was over so soon?

Daoist Master Xiuming had only instructed Senior Brother to assist Meng Zhou with entry. He never asked the always-composed top disciple to sacrifice so much—It was like running naked in front of all the junior disciples!

Meng Zhou shot Senior Brother a grateful smile and rejoined his group.

After midnight, the Taoist priest’ duties were done. Senior Brother led the group in bidding farewell to the Liu household, but just as they reached the gate, the steward stopped them.

Apparently, Master Liu had just passed, and the young master had been having dreams of his father every night. Word had it that the disciples of Qingxu Temple were skilled in dream interpretation, and he specifically requested Meng Zhou stay behind for the night vigil.

“This little junior only recently entered the sect and knows very little. I’m afraid he’s not fit for the task. I am afraid he cannot take on this important responsibility. I will go back tonight to report to the master and ask him to come down the mountain tomorrow.” The eldest brother was polite and courteous, but his words were firm and no room for negotiation.

Emperor Tianyuan, in his later years, was obsessed with Daoism, falling into the trap of every foolish monarch—seeking immortality.

Therefore, Daoist Xiuming has a high status and often goes to the palace to discuss Daoism with Emperor Tianyuan. Senior Brother invoking his name was both a show of respect and a subtle form of pressure.

Unexpectedly, the housekeeper was so arrogant. He kept saying, “We just need a little Daoist priest to guard the night, why do you have so many excuses?,” and motioned for the servants to grab Meng Zhou directly.

The guards trained in Liu Family’s martial grounds were all built like bulls. The young Daoists were no match for them.

Meng Zhou stopped the furious Senior Brother—he still had those letters on him. He had letters hidden on him, and if they were discovered, no one would be able to escape.

Quietly passing the letters to Senior Brother, Meng Zhou whispered, low enough for only the two of them to hear, “If I don’t show up tomorrow, take these letters to Prince Huai.”

Then he stepped forward and smiled at the steward. “It’s an honor the young master thinks so highly of me. Lead the way.”

It was an emergency and Meng Zhou had no choice but to take it one step at a time.

The deeper into the residence they went, the tighter the security. A chill crept up Meng Zhou’s spine. His steps slowed until he finally crouched down, groaning in pain while clutching his stomach.

“Where’s… where’s the latrine?”

The steward was visibly annoyed. “Why are you so troublesome? Go when we get there.”

Meng Zhou lowered his head, letting out simulated gurgling sounds as if his stomach was a mess. It looked like he was going to have diarrhea on the spot if the steward didn’t take him to the latrine.

“You!” The steward huffed and waved him off. He knew exactly what Liu Hongbao had planned for Meng Zhou. No way was he bringing a guy with diarrhea to ruin the mood.

“It’s over there. Be quick.”

But the moment Meng Zhou arrived, he was dumbfounded.

Who builds a toilet in such a prominent spot—and with four guards stationed around it?

Any movement will surely attract dozens or even hundreds of them.

Meng Zhou supported his chin with one hand and covered his nose with the other, squatting on the ground with a look of deep hatred and resentment. Beauty truly is a sin.

Should he use his eloquent tongue to persuade Liu Hongbao to devote himself to the Dao? Or to make himself vomit and have diarrhea now?

His eyes flicked toward some unidentified weeds by the wall. No clue what they did if ingested…

But the grass in this toilet… looked way too green and tender. Even thinking about eating it made him gag.

“Urgh…” Just imagining it made him nauseous.

The steward waited outside for a quarter of an hour, then felt something was not right, and urged a servant to check.

“You done yet? if young master’s getting impatient—he’ll make you suffer!”

“I-I don’t think I can stand up… please help me” came a pitiful, kitten-like voice from inside.

The servant didn’t think much of it and pushed the door open.

Meng Zhou, waiting behind the door, knocked him out with a palm strike. He quickly swapped clothes with the unconscious boy and started a fake conversation.

“There’s no paper. Could you get some for me?” Meng Zhou’s voice.

“So needy. Fine, wait there.” The servant’s voice.

The disguised Meng Zhou called out as he closed the door behind him. “Steward, I’ll grab some paper.”

“Go, go,” the steward grumbled. It was too dark to see clearly, and with the boy facing away from him, he didn’t notice anything. He even stepped back, as if smelling something foul.

“Ugh.”

Meng Zhou, now in disguise, left along another path. After leaving the steward’s sight, he walked briskly and did not look weak at all.

He needed to find a way out fast. The switch would be discovered any minute.

“Not good! The Taoist priest fled!”

“Light the torches! Search along the way—he can’t have gone far!”

That fast?!

Meng Zhou cursed under his breath and slipped into a garden. Torches lit up behind him, and shouts echoed in the night.

In the midst of the chaos, he picked out the faint sound of flowing water.

Running water!

Where there’s flow, there’s an exit. The surface was pitch black and the underwater is hidden. No way the Liu family would expect him to escape via water.

Meng Zhou relied on his swimming ability, took a deep breath, and just stepped out a foot. Only to be yanked back by a strong arm around his waist. He crashed into a solid chest, hot breath brushing the back of his neck.

Meng Zhou was so scared that his hair stood on end.

“What, are you scared now? Are you going to commit suicide by jumping into the lake?”

The biting voice exploded beside his ear, laced with fury and sarcasm. Every word mocked him for overestimating himself.

With every sentence, the arm around his waist squeezed tighter. Meng Zhou was seriously afraid he’d be snapped in half.

Suicide? Don’t they know this young master is a great swimmer?

Meng Zhou raised his head in dissatisfaction, but was pressed to the point where he couldn’t speak. Then he remembered—right, the original body couldn’t swim and nearly drowned.

…He shut up.

He tried to pry off the arm around his waist. It doesn’t work—it was like trying to open a steel clamp with bare hands.

“Could you let go first? I’m strangled to death.” Meng Zhou begged for mercy.

Chu Huaiyin restrained the fury burning in his head. With a twist of his right hand, Meng Zhou rolled half a turn in his arms, sliding to his left hand, turning from back-to-front to face-to-face. Practically carrying Meng Zhou upright, he flashed through the garden path in just a few shadows, dodging lines of patrolling guards, and reached the outer wall of the Liu residence.

He was familiar with the route as if he had escaped here countless times.

Once they left the Liu Residence, Chu Huaiyin finally let go. He remained face still dark as thunder.

Meng Qi carefully observed his expression and realized that the Prince Huai was really mad this time. Still, he had saved him. Meng Zhou softened his tone: “I was careless. Thank you, Prince Huai, for saving me.”

“Thank me?” Chu Huaiyin sneered. “If I hadn’t come, would you even be alive to thank me?”

The more he spoke, the angrier he became, and he scolded Meng Qi like a rebellious child.

“If I hadn’t been worried and went to look for the abbot again, I wouldn’t have known you were doing something big! When I went to the Taoist temple, the Taoist priest said you had already taken action. On the road, I ran into the other returning disciples, but only you were missing!”

He pulled out a few letters and slapped them onto Meng Zhou’s head. “You risked your life for these? Is it worth it?!”

“Do you know how I felt at that moment?!”

Meng Qie listened obediently, afraid that his lack of response would make Chu Huaiyin even angrier, so he clung to the question: “Uh. How did you feel?”

Chu Huaiyin choked on his words. He couldn’t even describe that desperate, terrified feeling—as if something would be taken away from him if he was a step slower. He angrily knocked on Meng Qi’s forehead..

Rubbing his head, Meng Zhou quickly changed the topic: “Your Highness seems very familiar with the Liu Residence.” He deliberately added a tone of admiration and curiosity, flattering the prince.

Chu Huaiyin was momentarily pleased—then scowled again. “I remember the structure of the residences of all the important officials in the capital. Unlike you, daring to venture into the dragon’s den and the tiger’s lair without knowing anything!”

He was so angry that she pinched Meng Zhou’s little face twice!

It seems like there is a little more meat.

His gaze lingered—Meng Zhou, in that oversized servant’s outfit, looked like a kitten in adult boots. The navy blue color made his skin look even whiter and more translucent, and made his temperament was pure. His long hair was simply tied into a bun, which was a bit… cute.

But being cute didn’t excuse anything!

“Do you know what Liu Hongbao has in that water? How dare you jump in there? One bite and you’d be bones! You’d die without knowing what killed you.”

Meng Zhou was shocked. He really didn’t know. Given the brutality of the Liu family, he could imagine it probably a monster that would eat people without leaving any bones.

No wonder the water was moving.

Now that he thought about it, it might not have been running water at all, but a beast moving beneath.

Meng Zhou’s face turned pale and his body was shaking. He was really scared this time.

It was strange, he wasn’t usually this sensitive. He had always been good at letting go of danger once it passed.

Must be because Chu Huaiyin scolded him too fiercely.

Meng Zhou felt like a small soldier under Chu Huaiyin who had done something stupid and delayed military and national affairs and was about to be executed on the spot.

General Chu was terrifying!

But… he had a point.

Meng Zhou accepted the lesson with sincerity.

Apparently, Chu Huaiyin didn’t think it was enough. After they parted ways outside the Liu residence, Meng Zhou collapsed into bed and slept like the dead. He never knew a single ritual could be so exhausting.

After Chu Huaiyin went back, he probably thought about it and couldn’t let him go so easily. Meng Zhou was carried up while he was sleeping.

At first, Meng Zhou’s hazy mind stirred in alert—but when he heard Chu Huaiyin whisper, “Go back to sleep,” he nodded off again, leaning against the prince.

When he woke up, he found himself back in Liu Family’s house.