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i.
After Lin Chen tells him, Changsu stares silently out the window for a long time, at the gardens of the Su Residence under the early morning sun.
It’s quite a good scenery, all told, and one Lin Chen had improved last night by festooning the trees with mostly-controlled explosions of ribbons. Because he’s allowed to be a teensy bit sentimental, after achieving the medical miracle of the proverbial and literal century.
Changsu doesn’t even appear to have noticed. “Lin Chen,” he finally says. “Can I ask something else of you?”
Lin Chen feels himself frown reflexively at the tone. “Like you’ve ever actually asked, before this?”
“If this – ” Changsu coughs, clears his throat. “If I do manage to carry this child to term, will you take them back to Langya Hall? We both know the Mei name belongs to no one, really, and the Lin family is not much better for all that it’s been restored. At least this way this child will be of the Lins, even a different one.”
Lin Chen gapes at him briefly, entirely aghast, and finally manages to say, “You do realise this is supposed to be a happy occasion, don’t you.”
He really should’ve seen this coming.
Changsu only blinks calmly back. “Are you going to tell Jingyan?” he asks, and that’s enough to snap Lin Chen out of his daze.
“Or what, did you really think I’d miss seeing the look on his face when he finds out?” Lin Chen answers all in one breath, then promptly leaps up and away from the Su Residence before Changsu can stop him.
(Which doesn’t stop Changsu from getting Fei Liu to stop him, of course, but if he really does that Lin Chen’s fairly certain he can halt Fei Liu with the potential of his Su-gege having a child.
Though he’s definitely leaving the Talk itself to Changsu. Obviously.)
ii.
Of course, because luck herself has it out for him on occasion, by the point Lin Chen actually gets to tell the Crown Prince the news has redoubled on himself. Quite literally.
Also of course, rather than double happiness it mostly just turns into a triply complicated mess. Unlike the court physicians Lin Chen’s actually dealt with his fair share of expecting patients before, but although he’s never had to break the news to the parents he’s fairly certain this isn’t the usual reaction.
At least Xiao Jingyan has the decency not to start brooding right off. “How’s Xiao Shu taking it?” he asks, instead of the approximately three thousand more pertinent questions, such as if and how this might interfere with his regency of the country.
Figures. Most of what Lin Chen knows about Xiao Jingyan is from listening to twelve years of Changsu’s nattering, conscious and coherent or not, but so far it’s all turning out to be fairly accurate.
“I am not going to be a carrier pigeon between the two of you,” Lin Chen proclaims with a brandish of his fan. “So you can go find out for yourself, and tell him the news while you’re at it.”
There’s something oddly knowing in Jingyan’s gaze, though Lin Chen doesn’t understand it until he speaks. “Let me guess. He’s being a terrible patient, isn’t he?”
“You say that as if Changsu’s ever been a good patient for even one day in his life,” harrumphs Lin Chen. “I just didn’t know that he could get even worsethan usual.”
Xiao Jingyan doesn’t quite laugh, but it’s close. “If it’s any consolation,” he says, “Xiao Shu’s always been like that. He never hated anything more than getting sick.”
Lin Chen gives him the most dubious look he can muster, but to no effect. Clearly a certain water buffalo had gotten immunity via Changsu. “I don’t see how that’s supposed to make anything better, unless you have some way of dealing with him that I don’t know about.”
“Well, I don’t,” begins the Crown Prince, before giving a faint smirk that’s entirely un-prince-like. “But I know who might. Would you care for a stroll, Young Master Lin?”
iii.
Consort Jing is every bit as noble as her title suggests, timelessly beautiful and twice as smart. Not to mention bloody terrifying.
Lin Chen really has no idea how she had a child as unscary as Xiao Jingyan, he really doesn’t.
(Lin Chen is also starting to suspect where Changsu had gotten a fair few of his mannerisms from, but that’s neither here nor there.)
Either way, between her experience plus their combined medical knowledge – and Lin Chen’s going to have words with Xiao Jingyan about that, see if he won’t, because that amount of knowledge is just too valuable to go unused, Empress-Dowager-to-be or not – they manage to figure out a fair thing or two.
On the third day Changsu eyes him shrewdly. “You’ve been to see Aunt Jing, haven’t you.”
“Your water buffalo was the one who suggested it,” Lin Chen says, entirely unrepentant. “You’re quite welcome, by the way. And don’t you deny that you’re feeling better, I can tell the difference.”
Changsu doesn’t agree to that last statement, but doesn’t deny it either, instead goes back to keeping watch over Fei Liu, who’s pounding the licorice root into powder. “Because you tricked me into agreeing to take care of Jingyan. Very cunning indeed. If Jingyan hadn’t told me how far along he was I would’ve suspected you of having done something, it’s that convenient.”
Lin Chen shrugs. “Whatever works. I’d consider it a success, wouldn’t you say? Besides, it neatly solves what you were worrying about before.”
No response. The only sign that Changsu’s still listening is the slight twitch of his fingers.
By some astounding force of will Lin Chen does not sigh. “If not Mei, then will the imperial surname be good enough, d’you think?”
That gets Changsu’s attention, at least. “I couldn’t possibly ask Jingyan t–”
“Nonsense,” Lin Chen says very loudly. “You do realise that it’s not only your child that you’re carrying? Besides, the only thing that could be better than the future Emperor having a heir is him having two. Twins, even. You’re due close enough together anyway.”
“And muddy the line of succession, if they’re both boys?” Changsu protests immediately, though Lin Chen can already tell that he’s taken by the idea of having their two children grow up together. He soldiers on anyway. “Besides, anyone who sees Jingyan will be able to tell that he’s not having twins, just the one.”
“That’ll keep them busy with guessing, then,” Lin Chen says flippantly. “Give the gossips something to do.”
Changsu gives him a truly withering look of disdain.
Lin Chen ignores it, flopping back down to throw an arm over his eyes, and conveniently fails to tell Changsu that he has, in fact, suggested all of this to Xiao Jingyan already. It’s only healthy, after all, for Changsu himself sometimes to be the one whose plans were being completely thrown into disarray.
(He wonders briefly if he can convince Fei Liu to hide in the rafters with him when that confrontation happens.
The fireworks are bound to be spectacular, he can already tell.)