Chapter 47
In the silent wilderness, Zhao Heng stood in the radiant sunset, momentarily stunned in place. The bird she held in her hands fluttered slowly, then suddenly flapped its wings and flew away.
"What?" Zhao Heng doubted if she had heard wrong. She lowered her head, her gaze falling on the shadow on the ground. Adorned with a wreath of reeds and vibrant flowers, her head gently trembled in the evening breeze.
Suddenly, Li Wenjian grabbed Zhao Heng's arm, causing her to fall towards him, catching her off guard and falling into his embrace.
Zhao Heng fell solidly against his chest, startled. She opened her mouth slightly, calling out to him, "Your Highness..."
In the midst of the orange sunset, Li Wenjian lowered his head and lightly kissed her lips.
Instinctively, Zhao Heng raised her hand to push him away, but he held her trembling fingertips, enveloping them with his warm palm and gently caressing them.
Unlike the previous fierceness, he was patient and gentle, savoring her like something beautiful.
Stunned, Zhao Heng remained motionless for a moment, clearly startled by his sudden kiss.
She looked up at him, her clear eyes reflecting his figure.
In the gentle breeze, her breathing gradually became difficult.
After a long pause, Li Wenjian finally released her.
Her eyes were tinged with a hint of red, her eyelashes slightly moist, staring incredulously at the center of his brow, her breath quickening.
Lowering her eyelids, she whispered softly, "Your Highness is not a gentleman."
Li Wenjian looked at her, noticing the strands of hair near her temples trembling in the wind. He gently tucked them behind her ear.
"You didn't protest, so I took it as consent," Li Wenjian teased, a hint of a smile on his lips.
"You!" She was truly unreasonable.
Blushing, Zhao Heng listened to his words, a rosy hue appearing on her cheeks. Embarrassed, she lowered her head and hurried away to find Li Nanxi.
Li Wenjian turned to gaze at the sky, the glow of sunset painting the distant mountains red.
Zhao Heng and Xiao Ba went to chase mountain chickens again, laughing as brightly as the clear and sunny day, their laughter bringing a sense of calm and comfort, dissipating some of the darkness in his heart.
As night fell, Li Nanxi reluctantly prepared to descend the mountain.
The mountain was so much fun, the wildflowers so beautiful, and bird catching was an enjoyable pastime. With one arm cradling fruits and another arm holding flowers, she also carried a simple birdcage, running joyfully.
Children find joy in simple things, without the need for elaborate adornments. A unique leaf or unusual fruit can capture their hearts.
Upon returning to the temple, it was already past the time for the evening meal.
Third Princess was already starting her nightly rituals, and Li Wenjian quickly ate a few bites of the meal before heading to the main hall for prayers.
Meanwhile, Zhao Heng accompanied Li Nanxi for dinner first. Being young, Li Nanxi went to bed early and didn't attend the rituals.
The temple's vegetarian meals were simple, and Li Nanxi, tired from the day's activities, ate heartily without being picky.
The night in the mountains was never quiet. Birds in the forest chirped distantly, crickets in the fields, frogs by the pond, and cicadas in the trees all added to the cacophony of sounds in the night.
Despite the lack of frost in the mountains, Zhao Heng still placed her bamboo bed in the courtyard with the door wide open. The cool breeze seeped through the cracks, blowing over her body, cooler than ice.
Sitting beside Zhao Heng, Li Nanxi placed her favorite bluebird by her bedside, saying she wanted to watch it sleep at night.
While lying on the bamboo bed, Zhao Heng absentmindedly fanned herself, lost in thought.
The crown prince had suddenly arrived at the temple, and there were limited accommodations available. There had been no preparations made for his stay beforehand.
Is he also going to stay in the courtyard tonight?
Just as she was thinking, she heard the voice of Lin Mama outside the door, calling out, "Your Highness."
Li Nanxi suddenly flipped off the bed, looking shocked as Li Wenjian walked into the courtyard.
The lights in the various rooms of the courtyard were all out, with only a few wind lamps hanging on the eaves and corridors, swaying in the night breeze, casting his shadow on the wall, swaying along with it.
Zhao Heng got up, bowing her head as she fumbled around for her shoes.
"No need to get up," Li Wenjian said through the night fire, glancing at her gently, "You've been tired during the day, so go to sleep early. I'll come after washing up."
He was not born as a prince, so when he was under the care of his old grandfather, he had to do many things himself.
Lian Zhou brought water, and after washing up a bit, he went to find Zhao Heng.
Two bamboo beds were placed side by side in the courtyard. Zhao Heng took Li Nanxi to the right side, while Li Wenjian took off his crown and put it on the table before also lying down on the bamboo bed.
The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The room was hot, but the courtyard was cool. As night fell, Lin Mama poured a few buckets of well water onto the bamboo bed, laid out bamboo mats, and enjoyed the night breeze.
A censer next to the bamboo bed was burning mugwort, and white smoke lingered around their bodies. Li Nanxi didn't like the smell, so Zhao Heng took a fan and waved away the smoke, causing the white smoke to twist and dissipate in the night.
Seeing her fan slowing down, Li Wenjian took the fan from her hand and waved it vigorously to send a cool breeze.
The cicadas in the trees in the courtyard were noisy, one after another, and the insects in the grass were not to be outdone, singing in a dense chorus.
"We might not sleep well tonight," Li Wenjian said in a deep voice as he heard the buzzing of mosquitoes.
Zhao Heng turned her head and glanced at him, saying, "It's okay, we'll just manage for one night."
"Alright," Li Wenjian said with a smile, looking at her. "Go to sleep soon, it'll be dawn soon."
Zhao Heng pulled the thin blanket over herself and Li Nanxi.
As the moon gradually darkened and the stars multiplied, shining brightly in the sky, Li Nanxi rolled over and pointed to the sky, asking Zhao Heng, "Sister Ah Heng, how big is the sky?"
Zhao Hrng opened her eyes and replied, "It's so big that you can't reach the end."
"If you can't reach the end, how big is it?"
Zhao Heng couldn't answer.
After thinking for a moment, Li Nanxi asked, "How many stars are there in the sky?"
Zhao Heng blinked and said, "There are so many stars."
"How many is so many?"
"Just too many to count."
"Do all the stars look the same?"
Zhao Heng said no, pointing to a bright star in the sky, "That star is the brightest now, but it will disappear in the fall; and that one is called the Cowherd Star..."
Li Nanxi was getting sleepy, so he leaned her head against her neck and asked, "People look different from each other, so do stars look different from each other too?"
Zhao Heng's eyelids were heavy, she murmured in response, "Mmm..."
Li Wenjian listened to the gradually fading voices around him, thinking to himself, two little fools.
Among the thousands of stars and myriad living beings, he had only encountered one Zhao Heng, each person being unique.
Suddenly, a light flew in front of his eyes, flashing and slowly landing in Zhao Heng's hair.
He looked at these tiny things that looked like stars, afraid they would disturb her beautiful dreams, so he waved the fan to drive them all away, then gently lay down beside Zhao Xuan.
*
An Xuzhi looked at the majestic ginkgo trees in the temple courtyard, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Yesterday, he received a letter from his cousin in the manor, asking him to request a marriage symbol for the Third Princess at the Yinyuan Temple in Jinzhou. Young girls like to believe in these supernatural things, and although he had never believed in them, he came to make them happy.
"Master."
An Xuzhi dismounted in front of the temple, and a young monk came forward to lead him inside, saying, "Are you here to seek a marriage token?"
He added, "The marriage symbols in our temple are very effective. Nine out of ten who come here do so for marriage."
"And the remaining one?"
"Helping others seek."
An Xuzhi smiled but didn't say anything, walking straight into the main hall.
The temple was bustling with incense, especially with a temple fair happening that day. Many young men and women were present, their eyes filled with love.
He requested a marriage symbol for Li Junning in front of the main hall.
As he was about to leave, the argument between a young couple nearby caught his ear.
"Stop being unreasonable, okay?"
"Yes, now I'm being unreasonable! In the past, when others wanted the stars in the sky, you didn't even blink and immediately made a ladder to pick them for me. Now I just want a string of red bean bodhi bracelets, and you say I'm being unreasonable."
"I didn't mean that! It's just that spending eight hundred coins on a bracelet that can't be eaten or used isn't worth it. Think about it, with eight hundred coins, I could buy ten catties of red beans for you."
"Can they be the same?" The woman stomped her foot in anger. "People say the red bean bodhi bracelets from the Yinyuan Temple are especially effective. After wearing them, a couple will live happily ever after!"
"All this was just made up by the priests to sell bracelets," the man muttered. "I might as well say that eating my family's rice can make you immortal!"
Completely angered, the woman burst into tears and ran out of the main hall, wiping her tears as she ran: "How did I end up marrying such a stingy man like you."
The man stood still, watching the woman run off, scratching his head helplessly, then immediately set off to chase after her: "I didn't mean that, wife. I'll buy it for you, you don't have to be angry."
An Xuzhi smiled as he watched the bickering young couple walk away from the main hall.
He looked at the red bean bodhi bracelets hanging on the side of the main hall, then thought of Zhao Heng.
She never needed to adorn herself with gold and jade in front of him, her beauty shining effortlessly like a delicate lotus.
She has porcelain skin and a natural purity that exudes the simplicity of grass, trees, and mountain flowers, which is more exquisite than gold and jade in accentuating her beauty.
The snowy white bodhi beads and vibrant red beans seem to be perfectly matched with her.
Thinking about this, a hint of a smile appeared in the young man's eyes.
"Master, buy two strands of bodhi beads." The vendor called out to him, "Buying a strand of beads symbolizes your devotion to bodhisattva, and they will bless you and your beloved to be together forever and ever."
"I'll take two." An Xuzhi took out some silver from his pocket, placed it on the stall, and carefully selected two strands from the shelves filled with beads.
After paying, he carried the items back to where he was staying.
Minister Ye, already advanced in age, had made his final journey south to knock on the door for His Highness.
An Xuzhi, considering his age, personally took care of many things, with Minister Ye only providing guidance.
Minister Ye knew that An Xuzhi was steady and thoughtful in his work, and was pleased to see him displaying the qualities of his great-grandfather on this trip.
They had spent a long time conducting business in Jiangnan, so their return journey was a bit rushed.
Today, they finally had a day to rest in Jinzhou, and the young people who were traveling with them had gone out for a breath of fresh air.
Minister Ye, being of age, did not join the youngsters in their activities and instead rested in the inn. When he saw An Xuzhi return, he was surprised, "You didn't go out to have fun with Jin Zhi and the others?"
An Xuzhi replied to Minister Ye, "I planned to take a rest today, but I didn't finish writing the document on the Zhuang Shizong case last night. I need to catch up this afternoon, so I decided not to go out."
An Xuzhi was always busy with official duties and never complained about the workload. During this trip to Jiangnan, Minister Ye praised him repeatedly in official documents.
"The document can wait." Minister Ye said, "You are too practical, my child."
An Xuzhi did not respond. Minister Ye rarely spoke idle words, so when he noticed a change in his tone, he quietly waited for what would come next.
As expected, Minister Ye continued, "I met your grandfather before, and he said that among the descendants of the An family in your generation, you are the most promising. It is only a matter of time before you succeed in court. I hope you will settle down soon and find a girl you like. Ah Lin, I have someone in mind for you, and you know her..."
"Master." An Xuzhi interrupted him eagerly, "Thank you for your kind intentions, but I already have someone in mind."
Minister Ye was surprised and couldn't help but inquire, "Oh? Who is this lucky girl?"
A smile played on An Xuzhi's lips, "Things are not yet final. Once I return home and inform my parents and relatives, we will discuss marriage, and I will be sure to send an invitation to you in advance."
With the conversation at this point, Minister Ye did not continue to probe, and he reminded An Xuzhi to take care of himself before letting him return to his room.
During this trip to Jiangnan, An Xuzhi handled many things on behalf of the group.
Now, there are stacks of documents on his desk.
The sunlight outside the window gently swayed, shining on the paper with black text on white background, but it couldn't capture his attention.
He wrote two lines, the sunlight casting tree shadows that floated on the paper, causing the words to elongate and dance incessantly.
He stopped his pen, no longer forcing himself to write.
From his pocket, he retrieved a pair of Bodhi red strands, one pure white like snow, the other fiery red like fire.
It was as if underneath her gentle appearance lay a resilient backbone.
She captivated him.
The more An Xuzhi looked, the more he liked it. He held the pair of hand bracelets in his palm, gently resting them against his cheek.
Thinking about seeing her again in the capital after half a year, his heart couldn't help but flutter with excitement.
He was filled with anticipation and anxiety, both wanting to see her and fearing that she might not accept him.
For a moment, he felt a sense of uncertainty.
The desk piled with papers exuded a wisp of smoke from the incense burner. The sun moved westward, casting a diagonal light into this small world in front of the window.
He rose, preparing to place the beads into the box by the bedside.
That box contained many things - silks from Jiangnan, writing materials from the document hall, and red agate earrings...
He had prepared something for her whenever he saw something nice along the way, and before he knew it, the large box was filled to the brim.
However, as he rose, one of the hand bracelets suddenly split, his strand instantly breaking into pieces.
The beads scattered all over the floor, dropping everywhere.
An Xuzhi did not believe in the idea of destined marriage, he bought it simply because he thought it matched well with Zhao Hong.
But as he looked at the scattered beads now, for some reason, he felt uncomfortable.
*
With the Mid-Autumn Festival approaching soon, the weather was gradually cooling, and after a rain shower, there was a faint scent of osmanthus in the air.
The preparations for the Third Princess's wedding were in full swing in the palace. The palace lamps were all replaced with big red tassels, and the bridal route was adorned with silk cloth. When the wind blew, the bright red silk fluttered, filling the palace with joy.
A group of palace maids gathered in the corridor, using handkerchiefs to wipe the gaps in the beautiful ladies' seats.
On the morning of the first day, Zhao Heng went to the Central Palace to pay respects to the Empress.
The East Palace currently had no lady of the house, so she was supposed to visit the Empress in the Central Palace every day. But the Empress knew she was at the art learning academy every day, so she waived her attendance.
Although the elders were kind, she still had to follow the rules, so she dutifully paid her respects in the Central Palace on the first and fifteenth day of every month.
Usually, when she arrived at the East Palace in the morning, the Emperor had already gone to the morning court.
On this day, when she arrived at the Central Palace, the Court Lady led her into the hall, saying, "Lady Changxin fell ill yesterday, and the Empress went to see her early this morning. Lady Liangyuan may have to wait a while."
Zhao Heng nodded in agreement and followed the Court Lady inside, where she saw the Emperor.
The Emperor was seated at the table, with a cup of still warm tea in front of him and a jade pendant on the side.
Since they had met, there was no reason not to approach. Zhao Heng walked over with graceful steps, respectfully bowing, "Your Majesty, may you be well."
The Emperor nodded.
The Emperor currently delegated almost all state affairs to Li Wenjian, not bothered by anything.
"Did you not go to the art learning academy today?" The Emperor glanced at Zhao Heng a few times.
"In response to Your Majesty, the art learning academy is closed today," Zhao Heng replied meekly.
She had little experience being alone with older opposite-sex relatives, especially with such esteemed elders, which naturally evoked a sense of fear. She was hoping for the Empress to return soon and listened as the Emperor asked, "What book are you currently reading?"
Zhao Heng answered, "I am currently reading Mr. Yin Chuan's 'Travel Notes of Mount Tiantai.'"
The Emperor's face immediately showed appreciation.
"Mr. Yin Chuan's writing is sharp, with unique insights," the Emperor said, pausing before sighing, "Unfortunately, the writing lacks a bit, reading it is like chewing on bamboo shoots, tender but too tough."
Zhao Heng suppressed a smile.
"Why are you laughing?" the Emperor asked.
Zhao Heng lowered her head and softly said, "His Highness's annotations by the book lament the dryness of the writing, comparing it to chewing on dry bamboo."
The Emperor burst into laughter, "Truly my son."
His laughter softened Zhao Heng's image of him, dispelling some of the awe and fear she felt towards him.
Looking out the window, the Emperor saw Ning Wanzhi and Li Nanxi rushing into the hall, then turned to Zhao Heng standing nearby, "Go on, your company is waiting for you."
As Zhao Heng left with Lian Zhou, the smile on the Emperor's lips remained. He asked the Court Lady, "When is the crown prince coming over?"
"The Crown Prince said he would come see you once he's done with his duties, should be soon."
After a moment, the Emperor waved his hand and turned around, "Why see me? Clearly here to fetch his Concubine."
*
Ning Wanzhi had just returned with her father from Meizhou, not having seen Zhao Heng for a long time. She held onto Zhao Heng's arm, reluctant to let go, chatting for a while.
"Auntie, I brought you a lot of things, they've been taken to the East Palace! But they said you weren't there."
"Why do you always spend so much money on me," Zhao Heng said, leading her to sit at a stone table.
"It's nothing," Ning Wanzhi waved her hand casually, unable to sit still, she stood up and went to pick a peony from the flower garden, "Besides, my family has plenty of money. My father always says that the one thing we do not lack is money."
"Of course!" Li Nanxi chimed in, "The Ning family is as rich as a nation. The Emperor used to say if the treasury ran out of money, he could raid your family and it would be enough."
Ning Wanzhi quickly covered Li Nanxi's mouth, gritting her teeth, "Spit, spit, spit!"
"Spit, spit, spit!" Li Nanxi obediently repeated.
Zhao Heng's expression was somewhat ambiguous.
Ning Wanzhi frowned and hummed lightly, then asked Zhao Heng, "Is the crown prince treating you well?"
Zhao Heng nodded, "Yes."
Ning Wanzhi glanced at her stomach, "If he treats you well, why haven't you conceived yet?"
She covered Li Nanxi's ears, lowered her voice, and said to Zhao Heng, "Is it possible that His Highness...is incapable?"
Zhao Heng's face turned white in shock, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
Ning Wanzhi said, "My father said, if a couple cannot have children, it's the man's fault."
"You're talking nonsense again!" Zhao Heng gave her a sidelong glance, "I should ask His Highness to silence you."
"I won't say anything, I won't say anything," Ning Wanzhi hurriedly covered her mouth, then asked with a smile, "By the way, is the purse I asked you to make ready?"
"It's ready." Knowing that Ning Wanzhi was entering the palace today, Zhao Heng kept the purse on her person and took it out from her sleeve to hand it to her, saying, "Take a look, are you satisfied with it?"
Ning Wanzhi praised Zhao Heng's craftsmanship as she took the purse, "How come with the same pair of hands, yours are so skillful?" She tucked the purse into her pocket, smiling brightly, "Little Fourth Will surely love it!"
Hearing them mention Little Fourth every day, Zhao Heng also wanted to see what kind of person Little Fourth was.
But the thought of Little Fourth's return also meant the return of Bai Yu, causing an inexplicable sense of desolation in her heart.
Before she could say anything more, on the other side of the Moon Gate, a tall figure emerged with the emblem of a Four-Clawed Dragon - it was Li Wenjian accompanying the Emperor.
Passing by, he happened to come across them idling here, and the sound of Zhao Heng's laughter was gentle and melodious.
"Your Highness," Ning Wanzhi spotted him first and quickly stepped forward to bow, recalling the words she had just fabricated, she said nervously, "Long time no see, you look even more handsome."
Li Wenjian glanced at her, then looked over her shoulder at Zhao Heng, "His Majesty has granted a jade pendant, Xingyun Mama instructs you to go and collect it."
Looking at Ning Wanzhi, Zhao Heng noticed her fear of the Prince and her eagerness for Zhao Heng to take him away, urging her, "You should go and come back quickly!"
Taking back her gaze, Zhao Hrng lowered her eyes and followed Li Wenjian towards the Empress's chamber.
She was perplexed, as she had just come out of the court, and the Emperor had not mentioned granting any jade pendant.
As she thought about this, Li Wenjian spoke with a hint of teasing in his usually composed voice, "What have you done for Little Fourth that she can't bear to part with?"
Zhao Heng gazed at him with a sideways glance.
When he looked back at her, she immediately averted her eyes, the movement causing her hair to brush against his hand, leaving a faint, subtle fragrance in its wake.
"It was Xiao Ning asking me to make a purse for her, to give to Little Fourth," Zhao Heng emphasized, "In her name."
"Ah heng." Li Wenjian's slender white fingers slipped into his collar, loosening it slightly, then he chuckled softly, "Are you not afraid of making me jealous by embroidering a purse for another man?"
Zhao Hong's cheeks flushed red in an instant, she lowered her head, looked at him strangely, and whispered softly, "She asked me a long time ago, and I had already agreed."
There was a touch of defiance in her tone towards him.
Li Wenjian was momentarily stunned, then he raised his hand to flick her lightly on the slightly furrowed brow, his voice filled with playful amusement as he said, "Alright, no more embroidering for him in the future. Otherwise..."
With her eyes downcast, Zhao Heng shook her head quickly and spoke in an even softer voice, "Otherwise what?"
Li Wenjian silently paced with his hands behind his back, the dark depths of his eyes hinting at a playful tone, "Otherwise, if I catch you, I will kiss you."
The surprise on Zhao Heng's face was hard to conceal.
"Take it." Li Wenjian looked at her, the wind tousling her hair in front of her forehead, giving her face a slightly bewildered look. No longer teasing her, he handed her a box.
Zhao Heng lowered her gaze and opened the box, revealing a box of assorted candies in various colors. She looked up at Li Wenjian.
He said, "Didn't you say you wanted orange-flavored candies? This new flavor was difficult to make, the royal kitchen tried it for a long time. Give it a try."
Zhao Heng tightly gripped the box with both hands, her slender fingers turning white from the pressure.
Many days ago, in the Daxiangguo Temple, she had told Li Nanxi that she wanted orange-flavored candies.
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Author's note:
Zhao Heng: Little Fourth, that year the apricot blossoms were falling in light rain, you said you were a eunuch named Bai Yu... From the beginning, we were wrong...
Little Fourth: Wrong, wrong, wrong, it was my fault...