Chapter 31
Before dawn, the window was covered with a layer of dust, the night rain had stopped at some point, and the sound of birds could be faintly heard.
Zhao Heng's voice was like a mosquito's whine: "It's getting light, I'm getting up."
Li Wenjian nodded.
Zhao Heng propped herself up from the bed, the symptoms of yesterday's horse ride all coming out. Her body was so sore that it felt like it was falling apart. She gritted her teeth and insisted on getting up.
She swung her long legs over his waist, stepped on the edge of the bed, and was about to climb out with force, but the scrapes on her legs, the soreness of her muscles, rushed over her like a tidal wave. Her foot slipped on the edge of the bed, and she fell uncontrollably.
Underneath her was Li Wenjian, and she naturally didn't dare to crush him. She moved slightly to the side in pain.
- Since her whole body was in pain anyway, it didn't matter if she fell.
"Be careful," Li Wenjian raised his hand, one hand grabbing her arm, the other hand gripping her waist, and he pulled her onto the bed. She fell heavily on Li Wenjian's chest, her cheek buried in his embrace, clearly hearing his strong heartbeat.
His warm lips brushed against his Adam's apple, rolling heavily for a moment.
Li Wenjian raised his hand and pressed his eye corner with his fingertips.
The pain was forgotten, and Zhao Heng stared blankly at Li Wenjian.
At such a close distance, their eyes met, and Li Wenjian looked into her eyes, as deep as an abyss.
After a while, he breathed slightly, hoarsely saying, "Aren't you getting up?"
Zhao Heng's crimson lips trembled, she lowered her eyes, quickly got up from the bed and hurriedly found her clothes. Fortunately, Lin Mama knew she hadn't returned last night and had her clothes sent over early.
She went behind the screen and changed clothes in a fluster.
Li Wenjian didn't get up, watching her slender figure behind the screen, lifting his hand to touch the collarbone that she had bumped into.
*
Zhao Heng didn't expect the aftermath of horseback riding to be so strong. For the next few days, her body was sore until the Dragon Boat Festival passed.
On the Dragon Boat Festival banquet, the Emperor invited all the civil and military officials to the noon banquet, where officials could bring their families with them to the palace. In the evening banquet, the palace concubines could also attend.
With her identity, Zhao Heng didn't need to attend such occasions originally, but Li Nanxi specially asked the Empress to let her attend the evening banquet.
The Empress agreed.
On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, Li Nanxi and Ning Wanzhi arrived at the Changqiu Palace early. They were both wearing the egg pouches woven by Zhao Heng.
Ning Wanzhi's pouch contained a salted duck egg, while Li Nanxi thought the duck egg was too ugly and put a few pearl-like night pearls inside, making a tinkling sound as they walked, complementing Ning Wanzhi's small bell.
"Aunt, you look so beautiful!" Ning Wanzhi exclaimed as she looked at her reflection in the mirror.
For the evening banquet, Zhao Heng wore a dark blue palace dress and light makeup. Her clothes and makeup were not extravagant, but on her, they exuded a dazzling charm that stood out from the rest.
Li Nanxi climbed onto a small stool to view the person in the mirror, also exclaimed, taking off a golden hairpin from the top of her head and inserting it into her hair bun, clapping her hands in approval: "Sister A Heng looks good with this one!"
The two of them decorated Zhao Heng nicely.
Zhao Heng checked herself in the mirror carefully several times, making sure everything was fine before setting off with them to the banquet.
Walking on the palace road, Zhao Heng suddenly stopped and said, "Wait for me."
She hurried back and fetched the sachet she embroidered for Li Wenjian.
She had promised Li Wenjian to make him a sachet. She had been too busy recently, weaving mosquito-repelling herbs for the children in the palace according to the season. She had just finished making his sachet this morning.
"Lin Mama, could you please help me deliver this to His Highness?" Zhao Heng handed the sachet to Lady Lin.
Ning Wanzhi stretched her neck and glanced over, asking in surprise, "Aunt, why did you embroider a dragon! Shouldn't you be embroidering mandarin ducks? And shouldn't you also be embroidering a dragon and phoenix together?"
Zhao Heng replied, "His Highness is the heir to the throne, wearing such symbols of love and affection is inappropriate for his status."
More importantly, embroidering other patterns would be too troublesome. A simple golden dragon was much easier. Li Wenjian mostly wore a jade pendant around his waist, rarely seen with a sachet bag.
Even if he did wear one, it was merely a seasonal accessory, and no one would wear it for an extended period. It would be removed after the Dragon Boat Festival.
So, there was no need to put in much effort.
The evening banquet was set in the Xiyun Garden.
Adjacent to the Imperial Flower Garden, the Xiyun Garden had lush grass, and the sound of flowing water. When Zhao Heng and her companions arrived, there were only a few scattered people in the garden. Concubine An, accompanied by the siblings Li Chengxuan and Li Shuyi, had already arrived.
When Li Chengxuan saw Li Nanxi, he ran up with a smile, calling out, "Little Eighth Sister."
He recognized Zhao Heng and Ning Wanzhi, greeting them respectfully. As he raised his hand, Zhao Heng noticed the mosquito-repelling bracelet he wore, the same one she had sent to each palace early in the morning. Though small, it was a token of her affection. Seeing her gesture cherished by someone, a smile crept onto her lips.
People in the palace often said that Concubine An, despite her humble background, possessed grace and dignity comparable to those born in noble families. Even when she was drinking tea and discussing poetry with the empress, known for her literary talents since in her boudoir, did not fall short either.
The Sixth Prince, raised by Concubine An since childhood, was nurtured into a refined and elegant young man, earning the title of "gentle and beautiful jade" at a young age.
Concubine An was dressed in palace attire, sitting on a soft cushion in the pavilion. Li Shuyi, with her sharp chin, sat beside her, leaning lazily against the railing and gazing idly at the waterbirds in the water.
Upon seeing Little Eighth, her eyes sparkled, wanting to go over and play with them but fearing her mother's reprimand, so she just smiled and glanced at them with pursed lips.
Zhao Heng went over to greet Concubine An.
The sunlight shone on her sapphire blue palace dress, and the golden hairpin in her hair swayed gently with her movements, then settled as she stood still.
"Thank you for your concern, for sending the bracelet so early. I was in a rush this time, and the children didn't have time to thank you," Concubine An smiled.
Zhao Heng replied gently, "It's nothing, just little trinkets. As long as they like them, it's all that matters."
"Of course, they love them. Growing up in the countryside, I feel a special attachment to these things," Concubine An mentioned her humble background without a trace of inferiority or arrogance. She continued in a composed tone, "I told the children some fun stories from the countryside, and when they learned that the mosquito-repelling bracelet can ward off evil spirits, they all started wearing them."
Zhao Heng smiled faintly.
"Go and have fun, no need to stay by us boring women," Concubine An chuckled.
The group agreed and went to the garden to see the lanterns being lit.
Watching Little Eighth's lively figure, Concubine An instructed the maid by her side, "There will be many distractions in the palace tonight. Inform the palace staff to be vigilant and take care of the children."
The maid acknowledged and relayed Concubine An's instructions as she turned to carry them out.
Beside her, a lady chuckled, "Your Highness is truly considerate, still thinking about the children at this time."
"The last time Little Sixth went missing, my heart nearly leaped out of my chest with fright. It's always best to be cautious." Remembering the incident when Li Chengxuan disappeared, Concubine An still felt a lingering fear, holding a handkerchief to her chest and taking a sip of the hot tea on the table.
Ning Wanzhi thought about how Zhao Heng was attending a palace banquet for the first time and was not familiar with the people attending. She couldn't help but feel nervous and anxious. After all, when she had just returned to the capital, every time she entered the palace, she would nervously fidget with her shoes after finishing the banquet.
So, she stuck close by her side. To her surprise, Zhao Heng smiled gently, standing tall and confident without a hint of nervousness in such a grand setting. While she was unfamiliar with most of the guests at the banquet, as soon as she was introduced by Little Eighth and turned back, she remembered everyone's names, surnames, and occupations without missing a beat.
She performed a thousand times better than before.
"Aunt is really amazing," Ning Wanzhi looked at her with a hint of admiration in her eyes.
"Wan Zhi."
They turned towards the voice and saw several elegantly dressed women approaching. Each of them was adorned in fine clothing, and the pearls and jade in their hair sparkled under the light. The meticulously dressed women exuded a noble aura befitting daughters of distinguished families.
"Sister Chaoyang." Ning Wanzhi smiled lightly at the woman walking in the middle.
Chaoyang County Princess and her entourage bowed to Li Nanxi, "Eight Princess."
"Sister Chaoyang." Li Nanxi smiled at her.
Zhao Heng's royal blue palace attire did not stand out much among the luxurious women. But her presence outshone them all.
Chaoyang County Princess assessed Zhao Heng, "Where is this girl from? Why does she look so unfamiliar, I have never seen her before?"
Li Nanxi tightly held Zhao Heng's index finger and crisply said, "She is my sister-in-law, the newly appointed Zhaoxun by the Crown Prince. Sister Chaoyang usually stays in Qingxu Mountain, so not recognizing her is quite normal."
Chaoyang County Princess chuckled, "Indeed, I usually accompany my mother in worship at Qingxu Mountain, knowing very little about affairs in the capital. It seems His Highness and I are growing further apart. Such a joyful event and yet he didn't even bother to inform me, leaving me empty-handed to enter the palace. It's the first time meeting my sister with empty hands."
With that, she removed a jade bracelet from her fair wrist, took Zhao Heng's delicate and boneless hand, and slid the bracelet onto her fair wrist, saying, "This bracelet was crafted from a jade stone given by His Highness to my father. Though rough in appearance, it has been with me for many years. I hope you won't mind, consider it a gift from me to you."
Zhao Heng was unfamiliar with this bracelet.
Ning Wanzhi gasped in amazement, exclaiming, "Is this the legendary unparalleled Kunlun jade? The previous tyrant emperor forced three thousand people in Su Xi to mine and extract this stone."
Chaoyang County Princess smiled gently and said, "Indeed."
With this, Zhao Heng understood the preciousness of this bracelet. In the past, the tyrant emperor had forced the people to mine and extract jade, leading to discontent among the Suxi people, sparking the famous Su Xi Uprising. Although this uprising was quickly suppressed by the previous dynasty, the seeds of resistance had been planted in the hearts of the people.
Subsequent uprisings occurred across the land, causing the former dynasty to gradually decline under the repeated onslaught of rebellions.
This unparalleled Kunlun jade was not only a reminder of the past dynasty's tyranny but also a symbol of glory for the new dynasty.
Realizing the value of this jade bracelet, Zhao Heng could not accept it so easily. She was about to remove it, but Chaoyang County Princess held her hand with a smile and gently tapped it, saying, "Sister, please accept it, it's just a mundane item."
Without waiting for Zhao Heng to refuse, she lifted her skirt and gracefully walked towards the direction of the waterside pavilion.
Ning Wanzhi held onto Zhao Heng's hand, gazing at the bracelet with admiration and exclaimed, "Sister Chaoyang is so generous, giving you such a precious gift upon first meeting. Aunt, you look absolutely stunning wearing this bracelet!"
Having taken a few steps away already, Ye Chaoyang clenched her hands tightly upon hearing the words.
Sister Chaoyang?
Aunt?
These two titles, which crossed generations, sounded harsh to Ye Chaoyang.
She had admired His Highness for a long time.
But she knew that His Highness was not an ordinary man; he had grand ambitions. In the face of his ambitions, love and romance were nothing but fleeting moments to him, which he didn't care about in the least.
The swarm of flatterers and fawning admirers who sought his attention were nothing more than ridiculous fools seeking their own humiliation.
He would never marry such shallow and superficial people.
His Highness was kind and loving, so she controlled her emotions, showering kindness and building a good reputation. He had traveled far and wide in his youth, with a broad knowledge. So she, with any spare energy, followed in his footsteps along the paths he had traveled, exploring the world. He admired talented people, so she studied literature and poetry, just to have common ground with him.
Her efforts over the years had not been in vain; His Highness had praised her openly several times.
In the capital, there were hardly any women who could match her in lineage, reputation, temperament, and talent.
But for the time being, the Crown Prince did not plan to take a consort.
A few years ago, when the Prince of Beihai came to the capital for an audience, his princess saw the Crown Prince at a palace banquet, and her eyes lit up. The Beihai women were bold and passionate, and after the banquet, she intercepted the Crown Prince in front of everyone, openly declaring her love.
But His Highness simply smiled faintly and said, "The Northern barbarians are watching eagerly, and separatists in the South are stirring. Until the world is truly at peace, I, Wen Jian, will not take a wife. A woman's youth is precious, I dare not waste the princess's beauty."
People thought this was his excuse to reject the princess from Beihai, but she knew it was His Highness's true feelings.
Therefore, after her father's death, she used the excuse of praying for the world's mountains to accompany her mother to Qingxu Mountain for worship.
Because of her concern for the world and her reputation for kindness, the Emperor granted her the title of Chaoyang County Princess uncharacteristically.
She knew that with His Highness's temperament, even if she stayed in the capital and saw him every day, it might not have much of an effect.
It was more effective to do good deeds and accumulate virtue far away, out of his sight, allowing her reputation to reach his ears, which would be more convincing.
Her strategy had indeed proven effective. Every time she returned to the capital, His Highness would always invite her as a distinguished guest to his banquets.
This honor far surpassed all the noble women in the capital.
She had no doubt that if His Highness decided to choose a consort, she would be the most deserving candidate.
Not even Wei Wanyu, who had been under His Highness's protection and care for decades, could shake her position.
Furthermore, last year when Wei Wanyu caused trouble by marrying herself off to the Yuezhi tribe, the biggest threat to her in the capital was eliminated, giving her even less cause for concern.
This year, His Highness suddenly established a Zhaoxun, which was like a blow to her. But she quickly calmed down; after all, it was natural for an adult man like His Highness to have needs.
At the same time, she caught a subtle message.
His Highness did not reject having someone by his side.
By appointing a Zhaoxun, there was a possibility of elevating her to Crown Princess.
Perhaps it was time to return to the capital.
She had heard that the Zhaoxun appointed by His Highness had a low status, having been only a palace maid before. So, before entering the palace, she dressed up, expecting to impress him upon their first meeting.
But when she saw the way she talked to Ning Wanzhi from afar through the crowd just now, she was momentarily stunned.
Although she had already guessed that she was definitely not an ordinary superficial woman, she had never imagined that she would be so charming and beautiful. Even as a woman, she could not deny her beauty.
Ye Chaoyang continued to reassure herself.
No matter how beautiful she was, she was only a Zhaoxun. A husband should choose virtue, and concubines should be chosen for beauty. She wanted to be His Highness's Crown Princess, a person truly worthy of standing by his side. From the beginning, she had set her sights on that position by His Highness's side.
His Highness disliked those who were petty and calculative, and he detested the conflicts of the harem.
So why bother with a Zhaoxun?
Arguing with a Zhaoxun only made her seem petty.
Ye Chaoyang rubbed her empty wrist and no longer felt annoyed by Ning Wanzhi's address.
Children are just noisy and foolish; in the future, when she marries His Highness, she will naturally change her tune.
She took a deep breath, a faint smile playing on her lips, as she headed to the Changming Palace to pay her respects to the Empress.
After parting ways with Ye Chaoyang, Li Nanxi and Ning Wanzhi took Zhaoheng to watch a performance.
Ning Wanzhi, bored with the almost identical performances every year, yawned and said, "These performances are really dull. Aunt, next time I'll teach you how to dance the Hu Xuan Dance."
"What is the Hu Xuan Dance?" Zhaoheng asked curiously.
Li Nanxi butted in, holding his chin, "It's a lively dance that involves showing the belly and jingling ornaments."
Zhao Heng frowned, "Can that dance...be danced?"
"Of course," Ning Wanzhi smirked mischievously, "Once you've learned it, don't go out jumping around. Close the door and dance for His Highness in the room."
"I'll dance for His Highness?" Zhao Heng shook her head, denying it, impossible! Absolutely impossible.
"What kind of dance do you want to perform for me?" Li Wenjian, dressed in ceremonial attire, walked in from outside the garden, with a light moonlight casting a gentle glow on his handsome figure.
Knowing Li Nanxi's quick tongue, Zhao Heng covered her mouth before she could speak.
"A dance showing off the belly!" she blurted out.
Too late.
Li Wenjian looked slightly surprised at Zhao Heng's face.
So, this was how she looked with a hint of makeup and wearing palace attire.
So...she could dance the Hu Xuan Dance.
"She's just talking nonsense," Zhao Heng whispered quietly.
Li Wenjian's gaze lingered on the ruby red earlobe that matched the swaying red agate earring on Zhao Heng's ear for a moment before settling on her.
"Naughty as you are, if you continue to talk nonsense and corrupt Zhao Heng, I will cut out your tongue," Li Wenjian warned Ning Wanzhi.
Ning Wanzhi immediately covered her mouth, shaking her head frantically.
Zhao Heng smiled brightly, "Your Highness, don't scare them."
Li Wenjian glanced at her smile, then composed himself, saying, "Go back and prepare for the banquet. After dinner, you can play. Kongming Pavilion will release sky lanterns tonight."
Zhao Heng nodded, then noticed that the cuff of Li Wenjian's sleeve was untied. "Wait," she said.
Li Wenjian looked up at her.
Approaching him, she skillfully tied the strap, her dark hair brushing against his wrist, sending shivers down his spine.
Standing up straight, Zhao Heng tiptoed to adjust the slightly rolled collar on his neckline, whispering, "There we go."
Not wanting to attract attention, she said, "Your Highness, please go ahead. We'll join you in a moment."
Understanding her concerns, Li Wenjian nodded, turned around with his hands behind his back, and left.
Zhao Heng had never seen him in court attire before. The form-fitting narrow-sleeved clothes on him accentuated his broad shoulders and slender waist, making him look tall and graceful.
The light elongated his shadow as he left, briefly passing by her face at the garden gate.
His figure disappeared outside the garden, and only then did Ning Wanzhi release her hand from her mouth and take Zhao Heng's hand, saying, "Let's go, let's hurry."
Returning to the Xi Yun Garden, the banquet table was almost full. The Emperor and Empress sat at the head of the table, with Li Wenjian on the left and a step below him was Rhuo Zhen on the right.
His gaze lingered on Zhao Heng's face above the crowd; she looked stunning tonight, so beautiful that just a glance made his heart melt.
Sitting below were the imperial concubines and princes and princesses, with Zhao Heng's seat at the very end among the members of the imperial family, next to the royal relatives. Originally sitting beside her were Li Shuyi and Wangyun County Princess, but Ning Wanzhi and Li Nanxi insisted on swapping seats with them.
On the right side below were the civil and military officials, and Zhao Heng saw many familiar faces.
When she saw Princess Chaoyang sitting next to the An family, she couldn't help but turn her head to ask Ning Wanzhi, "Who is Princess Chaoyang? Why is her position so prominent?"
Ning Wanzhi popped a cherry in her mouth and said, "Princess Chaoyang is the daughter of the late Duke Chenguo. During the war, Duke Chenguo sacrificed himself several times to save the ancestor. After the ancestor ascended the throne, he awarded him the title of Pillar of the Nation, making him one of the Eight Dukes of the founding of the country."
"Princess Chaoyang is gentle and peaceful, with a kind temperament, and she is also a good friend of His Highness," Ning Wanzhi admired.
Zhao Heng nodded in understanding, lightly holding the jade bracelet on her left wrist with her right hand.
Indeed, she was a good person, to gift her such a valuable present at their first meeting.
Perhaps because she had struggled too long in the mud, she was not accustomed to such kindness. Instead, she felt uneasy because the gift was too precious.
Was there still humanity in this world?
Even with her peaceful demeanor, describing the unparalleled Kunlun jade as an ordinary worldly possession, it was likely that even ordinary jewelry couldn't catch her eye.
She felt a bit troubled.
As she pondered over how to reciprocate the gift, the Emperor at the head of the table raised his glass, inviting the officials to drink together and saying some auspicious words. The Empress gave the Emperor a glance as he drank, suppressing her worries, she leaned over and whispered in a voice only they could hear, "Your Majesty, too much wine is harmful to the body. Please do not overindulge."
The Emperor chuckled, then turned to the Crown Prince, saying, "Your mother has become more cautious now, even meddling in my drinking habits."
Li Wenjian's gaze passed over the crowd and landed on Zhao Heng.
She was busy picking out fish bones, placing a large piece of meat in Xiao Ba's bowl. Xiao Ba happily smiled, then turned her head and planted a kiss on Zhao Heng's cheek, having just nibbled on a roast leg of lamb.
Li Wenjian frowned as he watched Xiao Ba's antics.
Zhao Heng, however, just smiled and wiped the top of her head, taking out a handkerchief to casually wipe the grease off her face. Just as she finished cleaning up, Ning Wanzhi on her right side wrapped her arm around Zhao Heng's and leaned in to whisper something in her ear, their lips almost touching, causing a slight shiver down her spine, almost leaning onto Ning Wanzhi's shoulder, smiling.
From beginning to end.
She had not once looked at him.
Raising his wine glass towards the Emperor, he said, "Mother is concerned about Father, Father should listen to her and not disregard her heartfelt intentions."
Love leads to care, care leads to attention.
If one doesn't care, they won't bother to look twice.
The Emperor wordlessly withdrew his gaze, his eyes catching on the black sachet at his waist.
"What is this?" he asked.
Li Wenjian glanced down, tugged at the sachet, positioning the four-clawed golden dragon on the sachet towards the Emperor, nonchalantly saying, "Oh, this is the Dragon Boat Festival sachet embroidered by Zhao Heng, said to ward off evil spirits and misfortune."
"The golden dragon embroidery is well done," the Emperor observed, then said, "Let me see it."
However, Li Wenjian refused, saying, "It's not something exquisite, it may not catch Father's eye."
He added, "If Father wishes, let Mother embroider one for you. I've heard that Mother's embroidery skills are not bad."
The Emperor smiled and looked towards the Empress beside him.
After their engagement as teenagers, she had gifted him a turquoise pouch as her first gift. He had always wondered why she had embroidered two crows on it. It was only on their wedding night that he finally asked her the question, almost getting kicked out of the bridal chamber.
"It was a pair of mandarin ducks," she recounted, her voice a soft murmur laced with nostalgia.
Her young bride, her fingers delicately entwined around his neck, extracted a solemn promise from him to never breathe a word of their encounter.
Oh, the passage of time!
Nearly three decades had elapsed since that fateful day.
The once-radiant maiden of the noble An family now stood on the precipice of her fiftieth year. Her life, an unwavering testament to her devotion, had been a tapestry woven with threads of sacrifice and unspoken grievances. Yet, not once had she uttered a word of regret.
As memories of their shared past washed over him, a wave of emotion surged through his veins. With a gentle motion, he retrieved her hand from beneath the table, enveloping it within his own.
The Empress, her gaze fixed upon him, attempted to extricate her hand, but his grip tightened, rendering her efforts futile. She resigned herself to his touch, her silence a tacit acknowledgment of his affection.
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Author's Note:
Li Gouzi: Behold my irresistible charm!