Chapter 45.1
As the first rays of dawn painted the sky, Zhao Heng stirred from her slumber, her eyes still closed. Even before she could fully awaken, Lin Mama, the ever-vigilant nursemaid, bustled into the chamber, her voice brimming with uncontainable delight despite her attempts to keep it hushed.
Zhao Heng propped herself up on the bed, her curiosity piqued by the commotion.
Hearing the movement, Lin Mama hurried in from the adjoining room, her voice bubbling with excitement, "My lady is awake? Please rise, your attire has been prepared."
Zhao Heng followed her gaze to the flurry of activity outside the chamber, her eyes widening as she inquired, "Has something happened?"
"A joyous occasion, a most auspicious one," Lin Mama exclaimed.
Zhao Heng's heart skipped a beat.
With a radiant smile, Lin Mama continued, "An imperial decree from the Empress has elevated your status to that of a Concubine Liangyuan. Please rise quickly, for we must make our way to the Empress's chambers to express our gratitude later this morning."
Zhao Heng's mind raced, piecing together the events of the previous day. Could this be the meaning behind the Crown Prince's words about bestowing upon her a new title?
With a newfound sense of urgency, she rose from the bed and, assisted by Lin Mama and Lian Zhou, her personal maid, she proceeded with her morning toilette and dressed in her finest attire before setting off for the Empress's chambers.
The Empress's chambers were not solely occupied by the Empress herself. Just last month, the Prince of Ying had been blessed with the arrival of a son, and today, his wife, the Princess of Ying, had come to pay her respects to the Empress.
As the lady-in-waiting announced the Consort's arrival, the infant Prince of Ying's son rested peacefully in the Empress' arms.
The chamber doors swung open, revealing Zhao Heng emerging from the distance, her figure resplendent in a crimson gown. The gentle glow of the morning sun danced upon her exquisite attire, casting an ethereal aura around her.
The lively chatter in the room momentarily subsided as all eyes turned to her graceful entrance.
With poise and elegance, Zhao Heng stepped into the chamber and knelt respectfully before the Empress.
"Thank you for your esteemed grace, Your Majesty," Zhao Heng acknowledged, bowing her head in gratitude.
The Empress gently handed the infant back to the Princess of Ying and reached for her teacup, taking a sip before setting it down. Following the customary protocol, she offered a few words of auspicious blessings.
"The Crown Prince has elevated your status to that of a Concubine Liangyuan, signifying his desire for your lifelong companionship and support. May you both embrace mutual understanding and tolerance, fostering a harmonious and blissful union."
Zhao Heng lowered her gaze and meekly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty."
The Empress gestured for her to rise and bestowed upon her a seat. She then proceeded to introduce the other guests present.
The Princess of Ying was a woman of amiable disposition, her round face lighting up with warmth as she greeted Zhao Heng. Their conversation flowed effortlessly, revealing a sense of camaraderie.
"Concubine Liangyuan, you are indeed fortunate," the Princess of Ying remarked with a smile. "Having ascended to the rank of Concubine within a mere half-year of entering the palace from the position of Zhaoxun, it is evident how deeply the Crown Prince cherishes you. The Crown Prince is no longer young, so you must strive to excel and bring honor to him by bearing a son for the imperial line. We all eagerly await the arrival of the eldest grandson."
Zhao Heng curved her lips, squeezed out a smile, and replied softly, "Yes."
Princess Ying carefully examined her with a discerning eye, recognizing that this virtuous lady was indeed different from others, exuding an air of tranquility and composure.
"Her Majesty and His Majesty are eagerly awaiting their grandchild." Princess Ying patted the child in her arms, her face beaming with smiles. "When you didn't come earlier, the Empress was reluctant to let go of my son."
Zhao Heng sneakily glanced at the Empress, maintaining a smiling face, but her toes curled tightly.
"Having a child is a natural process, not something that happens with just a wish." The Empress redirected her gaze from Zhao Heng, her lips holding a faint smile. "Go play in the side hall, Xiao Ba will be coming soon.
Zhao Heng quietly breathed a sigh of relief, nodding in agreement, and bowed to everyone in the hall before gracefully exiting.
Observing Zhao Heng's departure, Princess Ying suddenly recalled something and turned to ask the Empress, "Your Majesty, is the Crown Prince going to choose a Crown Princess now? I heard rumors about the intention to choose a lady from the Ye family, is that true?"
Zhaoheng had not gone too far when Princess Ying's voice reached her ears, almost involuntarily turning her head to look back into the hall.
The Empress blinked, saying calmly, "That is Liang'er's own choice. He will choose whoever he desires."
"Why are you not more involved in the Crown Prince's choice of a Crown Princess?" Princess Ying asked in surprise.
What's so surprising about that, the Empress thought. Interfering too much in your children's marriage may not always lead to a good outcome, thus why bother.
Zhao Heng's heart skipped a beat but eventually calmed down.
Li Nanxi wanted to watch a puppet show today, so the Empress had arranged for the troupe to perform.
Li Nanxi enjoyed such lively entertainment, munching on fruits and snacks while watching. But the Third Princess was occupied with her wedding preparations and couldn't attend.
Sitting in a circle chair, Zhao Heng watched the shadow puppet show on the white cloth and suddenly felt a sense of trance.
She seemed to have a child on the way.
The Crown Prince was a good man, upright in his conduct, and would surely make a great father.
The Empress and His Majesty were eagerly anticipating their first grandchild, who would be born amidst everyone's expectations.
She sighed softly, acknowledging that having a child was not a one-person decision and that she needed to consult with the Crown Prince.
Having been in the palace for over half a year, she had maintained her purity with the Crown Prince. Although they shared a bed lately, they slept separately, each with their own quilts.
He was always disciplined and clean, which made her hesitant to bring up the subject.
Zhao Heng felt her heart race inexplicably, a ringing in her ears that drowned out the puppet show's voices.
The handkerchief she was holding slipped silently to the ground as Li Nanxi jumped off her stool to pick it up, waving it in front of her, "Zhao Heng sister."
She snapped out of her thoughts, taking the handkerchief from Li Nanxi and smiling, "Thank you, Xiao Ba."
She then pressed her hand against her throbbing temples, trying to calm the chaos within.
*
In the morning, the sky was clear as Zhao Heng went to the central palace to express gratitude, but in the afternoon, rain showers began to fall.
Zhao Heng was in the study, writing, when she saw the maids from the Concubine An and Concubine Mei palaces coming over with umbrellas. Shortly after, Lin Mama, returned with two food boxes and placed them on her desk with a smile, saying, "The Concubine An and Concubine Mei have sent some snacks to celebrate your promotion to a Liangyuan."
An often made handmade snacks for Zhao Heng, which, though not expensive, held sentimental value. Concubine Mei, being thoughtful, noticed Concubine An's gestures and started sending snacks as well.
"Concubine An's pastry skills are exceptional; the Emperor sometimes can't even taste them." Lin Mama opened the food box and brewed tea to accompany the pastries.
Zhao Heng glanced briefly, picked up a silver spoon from her desk, inserted it into a pastry, waited for a moment, and then, seeing no discoloration on the spoon, picked a piece and put it in her mouth.
Lin Mama chuckled, "Is the My Lady worried that Concubine An and Concubine Mei might have poisoned the snacks?"
Zhao Heng lightly pursed her lips and replied softly, "It's always better to be cautious."
Lin Mama smiled and didn't say anything. In her early years at the palace, she was just as cautious, but over time, she realized that the harmony in the Emperor's harem was like a tranquil pond, with no ripples; gradually, she became less paranoid.
In the evening, Zhao Heng was still sewing Li Wenjian's purse. Only a few stitches remained, and she would finish it tonight.
As Li Wenjian returned, their eyes met, and Zhao Heng quickened her movements.
"Are you still busy?" Li Wenjian asked, his tone light and always with a faint smile.
Zhao Heng nodded, "I'll be done soon."
"You do your work," Li Wenjian walked to the desk, picked up the book she had been reading during the day, and sat on the side to peruse it.
It was a biography of a hero, a book he had loved in his youth, with annotations filling the margins. Seeing his notes from years ago made him chuckle.
After nearly half an hour, Zhao Heng finally finished her work, put down the last stitch, laid down the scissors, and slowly smoothed out the purse in her hand.
The purse she sewed had the same design as the sachet she made for the Dragon Boat Festival, both embellished with a four-clawed golden dragon. However, the craftsmanship on the purse was much better, with fine and neat stitches, making the small golden dragon come to life.
A pearl curtain swayed gently.
Zhao Heng held the purse in her hand and walked slowly towards Li Wenjian.
Her steps were graceful, her skirts swaying elegantly. She reached Li Wenjian, lowered her eyes and smiled brightly at him, then leaned down, whispering softly, "Let me tie it for Your Highness."
Li Wenjian stood up at her words.
Zhao Heng squatted in front of him, delicately removing the original purse from his waist with slender fingers, taking out the amulet inside, placing it in the new purse, and then hanging the new purse back on his belt.
The golden tassel dangled lightly on the cloud brocade fabric.
"Does it look good?" Zhao Heng brushed the tassel and looked up at him.
Li Wenjian paused, half-turning to face her.
Their eyes met briefly before Zhao Heng averted her gaze, her heart fluttering with uncertainty.
"It's beautiful," Li Wenjian also looked away, not saying anything further as he sat down beside the bed.
Lian Zhou informed Zhao Heng that the bath water was ready, prompting her to rise and prepare for her bath.
Shortly after, Zhao Heng returned, her hair damp from the bath, carrying a faint scent of water.
Lian Zhou quickly brought a soft towel for her, but Zhao Heng insisted on drying her own hair, gently squeezing out the water from her long locks. When Li Wenjian was in the room, Lian Zhou never lingered, picking up the pearl curtains and exiting.
The crisp sound of the pearl curtains clashing faded as she walked away, leaving the room in peaceful silence.
Li Wenjian leaned back on the bed, holding a book in his hand as he glanced at her absentmindedly playing with her hair.
By the time she had dried her hair, dawn was approaching.
He set aside his book and took the towel from her hand, running his fingers through her damp hair like splashed ink on three thousand strands of silk.
"Thank you, Your Highness," Zhao Heng turned her face slightly, smiling softly.
Li Wenjian never expected himself to put down a book to help a woman dry her hair.
As they extinguished the light and lay down on the bed, Li Wenjian slowly closed his eyes.
However, Zhao Heng remained awake, the night wind rustling and the gentle sound of rain making her ponder about having a child. Furrowing her brows, she slowly turned over, trying to be gentle and cautious in her movements.
"Is something bothering you?" Li Wenjian's deep voice suddenly spoke, as he turned over as well and felt her forehead.
Frowning slightly, Zhao Heng moved closer to the edge of the bed, "Am I disturbing you?"
In the pitch-black darkness, the silence grew longer.
Just when Zhao Heng thought that Li Wenjian had fallen asleep, he suddenly spoke again, "Do you have something to tell me?"
"Yes," Zhao Heng's hand clenched the cool sheet beside her, "I saw Princess Ying today."
Li Wenjian opened his eyes, "She is a very kind person. Did she trouble you?"
"No," Zhao Heng hurriedly explained, "She brought the young prince to the palace to pay respects to the Empress."
Li Wenjian turned to look at her, the dim light inside the canopy casting a shadow over her neck, which was as pale as snow.
Zhao Heng pursed her lips, speaking softly, "Shouldn't we... have a child too?"
Li Wenjian was taken aback by her words.
As Zhao Heng took a deep breath, her hands nervously clutched the sheet.
The unbearable silence in the darkness weighed heavily on them.
"Alright."
She faintly heard him chuckle beside her.
In an instant, his hands encircled her slender waist from behind, his head unexpectedly nestling into her neck, the faint moisture of his breath sprinkling on her delicate skin.
Zhao Heng tensed all over, from her hair to her toes, every fiber of her being coiled tightly.
She had just taken a bath, the unique moisture after bathing enveloped her, wrapped in the floral scent of the bath, the gentle fragrance of water stirring people's hearts.
His palm lightly caressed her waist, feeling her body stiffen inch by inch.
"Ah-Heng." His breath was near her ear, the sense of oppression made Zhao Heng unconsciously bite her lower lip, even the sound of responding to him was completely swallowed up.
"Not planning to have a child? Why are you trembling?" Li Wenjian pinched her blushing earlobe gently, asking softly, with a hint of teasing in his voice.
Zhao Heng trembled intensely, her fingertips gradually turning white: "I, I'm not."
She lay quietly in his arms, with her eyes closed and a docile appearance. But she waited for a long time and did not receive Li Wenjian's next move. He just held her in his arms, occasionally rubbing her slender waist.
Li Wenjian looked at Zhao Heng's trembling figure, seemingly understanding everything in his eyes. A faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips as he released the hand resting on her waist.
"If you're so scared, how can you give birth?" he said.
Listening to his whisper, Zhao Heng's ears turned red.
"Why did you suddenly think of this? Is it because you saw the young master of the Prince Ying's family?" Li Wenjian asked.