Chapter 62
Jing Yuan Palace.
"Ting Huan, although Cheng Yi is just a son of the Lin family, by holding the position of Imperial Historian at a young age, he is not unworthy of you. Marrying him will not bring shame," Concubine An, with her hair down, sat at the dressing table, combing her long black hair with a smile on her face.
"The Lin family is a student of the An family, with a strong foundation in the court. At a time when they are unparalleled in influence, and with the praises of His Majesty for the Lin family son's elegance and grace, this marriage proposal I've arranged for you is a perfect match. After you enter that household, you must show respect to your in-laws, treat your husband with love, and never disgrace the reputation of our marquisate."
"Aunt..." Xie Tinghuan stood behind Concubine An, her delicate face filled with bitterness, her eyes slightly red as she held Concubine An's wrist, "I don't want to marry Lin Cheng Yi. I..."
"Are you still thinking about the crown prince from the Eastern Palace?" Concubine An looked at her with scorn, "I don't know who you're following. How can the Xie family have such a disgraceful descendant? You refuse to marry someone as a legitimate wife, but are willing to be a concubine! Let me tell you, that is absolutely out of the question."
Xie Tinghuan held back her tears, "What's wrong with being a concubine? Aunt, aren't you also a concubine of the emperor? Father said the late emperor left a decree, betrothing you to General Xie, and you were not willing either."
Concubine An glared at Xie Tinghuan.
She had abandoned General Xie Yaochen, a warrior, just to stay in the palace and not go to the border.
She thought that with the favor she gained, she would soar in the palace thereafter. But since then, the emperor had never looked at her with favor again.
The man who once gently held her in his arms and wiped away her tears when she cried alone in her childhood, even during her childbirth, never came to see her.
The empress had never blamed her for anything, taking care of her and her child. But she couldn't bear the empress's care and affection, as it was hypocritical pity from a victor.
She pitied herself for not getting her husband's love and favor.
She had thought she was content staying in the capital and in the palace, without any regrets. But one year, when General Xie Yaochen returned to the capital, accompanied by his wife to a banquet at the palace, she saw the rough warrior, whom she previously looked down upon, picking out the onions from the chicken soup for his wife at the banquet.
She was almost stunned by his actions, and in the evening, upon returning to her cold chamber, she heard her heart clearly saying it regretted.
She had regretted a long time ago, but she was unwilling to let go of everything she had painstakingly built in the palace over the years.
If she couldn't win her husband's favor, then she would fight for something else. She couldn't let An Lingyu take all the benefits.
A cluster of light and shadows fell through the window, casting a reflection in Concubine An's eyes, making them narrow slightly. The subdued light flowed quietly on her face, and her eyes reflected a terrifying gleam, "If you weren't from the Xie family, I wouldn't bother with you at all."
Her cold gaze intensified, "Go back and prepare to be the new bride. If you dare to think about things you shouldn't, I will have your father break your legs and send you back to the village."
*
The next day, Zhao Heng was going to the training hall.
The sun had not yet risen in the early morning, and the damp mist made the sleeping chamber slightly cold. Zhao Heng, however, didn't feel cold at all, she felt warm all over. Opening her eyes, she realized she was snuggled in Li Wenjian's arms. His robe was slightly open, her cheek pressed against his chest, and a blush spread across her skin.
She wriggled out of his embrace, lifting the thin blanket that covered them. Li Wenjian, drowsy, opened his eyes and saw her blushing face as he couldn't help but smile.
Turning over, he reached for the curtain, scanning the hourglass in the dim light of the palace lamp. Seeing that it was still early, he wrapped his arm around her again, resting his chin on her forehead, and using his unshaven stubble to gently brush her cheek, "Stay with me a little longer."
Zhao Heng sat up without a second thought, then smiled as she looked at the man frowning, and reached out to touch his cheek, "No, today I have a music lesson with Master Liu. He has a bad temper, and being late means getting scolded. You can sleep a little longer, I'll get up first."
But as soon as she got out of bed barefoot, Li Wenjian also got up, wrapping the blanket around her from behind, pulling her close, and whispered in her ear, "A Heng, help me tidy my appearance."
Zhao Heng glanced at the hourglass, nodded, and agreed.
Li Wenjian then contentedly let go of Zhao Heng, allowing her to get dressed.
Just as there was a noise in the hall, Lian Zhou knocked on the door and brought in the grooming supplies.
Li Wenjian would groom himself daily, keeping his appearance neat. However, it was usually himself who did the grooming. He walked to the window and sat on the reclining chair, closing his eyes and waiting for Zhao Heng to tidy his appearance for him.
Zhao Heng rolled up her sleeves, picked up a razor blade, and walked to his side, placing a warm cloth soaked in hot water on his chin.
Once the skin was warm from the cloth, she removed it, bent down to hold his face, gently stroking the stubble on his chin with her thumb.
Li Wenjian wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. Zhao Heng looked down at him and asked, "What's wrong?"
He gazed into her eyes at close range, seeing the hint of confusion in them, and said, "Isn't standing tiring for you?"
Zhao Heng blinked, about to speak, when his hand around her waist suddenly exerted force, pulling her to sit on his lap, saying, "Sit and groom."
Surprised, Zhao Heng looked at Li Wenjian, who was serious, and obediently shaved his stubble in that position.
She shaved carefully, the sharp blade against his skin, moving inch by inch, leaving the short stubble and dead skin on one side of the razor.
Li Wenjian's hand caressed her waist, fingertips tracing the curves.
"Don't move." Zhao Heng lifted her hand to hold his face, threatening softly, "If you move again, I'll make you go to court with half of your beard shaved."
Li Wenjian stared at her intently, lips pursed, his hand behaving and holding her waist without moving, a smile still visible on his face.
"What are you laughing at?"
Li Wenjian shifted his gaze from her face, looking silently at the carved beams on the ceiling, his long eyelashes partially covering his eyes, "Afraid of going to court with half a shaved beard, let's talk after you finish shaving."
There was a faint smile in his eyes.
Confused by his smile, Zhao Heng continued to focus on shaving him.
"Done." Zhao Heng put down the razor and turned her head, but he held onto her waist, sitting up. In such close proximity, she was surrounded by his cool scent, making her heart beat faster.
He leaned down, resting his chin on her neck, gently rubbing against it.
"What's wrong?" Zhao Heng looked up at him.
His eyes met hers again, with a hint of casual smile at the corners of his lips, gentle and warm, he asked her, "Is it still prickling?"
"No need to shave anymore." But his breath tickled her neck, causing Zhao Heng to tilt her head away.
Li Wenjian grabbed her waist and said, "Then you won't be able to kick me off at night."
*
Coming out of the practice hall, Zhao Heng handed her qin to Lian Zhou, and Lin Mama handed her a hand warmer before wrapping her in a cloak.
As autumn's chill set in, the once vibrant peonies on the steps of the practice hall had now been replaced by autumn chrysanthemums, swaying in the autumn breeze.
Walking through the deepening spring, Zhao Heng had only taken a few steps when she saw Concubine An and several noblewomen in formal attire approaching.
Concubine An had sought the Empress's favor to grant marriages for Xie Tinghuan and Lin Chengyi, with the Xie family's noblewomen coming to thank the palace today. Concubine An had arranged a banquet in the Jingyuan Palace, where someone had suggested admiring the chrysanthemums, prompting them to head to the royal garden from their current location.
"Isn't that the Crown Prince's Concubine up front?" A voice with a hint of amusement said, "I heard this Concubine is as diligent and eager to learn as our Empress. Even in this weather, she still perseveres to the practice hall. Clearly, she and His Highness are both hardworking individuals."
This was followed by numerous agreeing voices.
Concubine An was puzzled as to why she had sent so many pastries containing musk powder to the Eastern Palace, as the Crown Prince seemed fine and spirited every time she saw him.
But that person clearly said that if His Highness consumed musk powder, he would gradually weaken...
Listening to the words of the noblewomen, Concubine An tugged at her lips and looked out into the distance at the figure walking towards them.
"Zhao Heng." Concubine An's gaze fell on the young girl's charming face. "This morning, I sent someone to the Eastern Palace to invite you to the banquet at Jingyuan Palace, but you did not come."
"Today's lesson with Mr. Liu was very strict, and missing it would lead to scolding for falling behind. I had to disappoint your kind intention, Madam." Zhao Heng adjusted her cloak, clutching the soft fabric tightly within.
Concubine An raised a hand to adjust the peony branch delicately woven into her hair, then turned to focus on one of the noblewomen standing behind. A faint smile appeared on her lips as she said, "That lady is my sister-in-law. The Empress has arranged for her daughter to be married to the son of the Minister of the Household, and they are here today to give thanks."
Upon hearing this, Zhao Heng glanced at the elegantly dressed lady in the crowd and smiled faintly, saying, "Congratulations, Madam Xie."
Madam Xie's face was filled with joy as she replied, "Thank you, Lady Liangyuan. On the twenty-first of September, we will have a celebration at home. I invite His Highness and Lady Liangyuan to come and share a cup of joy."
Originally just a polite remark, Madam Xie did not really expect Li Wenjian to attend Xie Tinghuan's wedding banquet.
However, Zhao Heng looked at her earnestly and nodded, "Alright, His Highness and I will definitely visit to offer our congratulations."
In her heart, Concubine An sneered at Zhao Heng's naivety, thinking she could persuade the Crown Prince to attend a wedding banquet.
Leading the group of noblewomen, Concubine An gradually made her way towards another section of the imperial garden.
Zhao Heng's heart felt like a sharp needle, stabbing painfully as she turned to watch the graceful figure of the woman walking away. Her eyes were cold. Why was it that she could live so easily and freely after committing wrongdoing?
Thinking of her grandmother buried in the cold earth, it was as if she could not feel the bustling activity around her, standing there blankly. Lian Zhou and Lin Mama stood by her side, not daring to disturb her.
After a moment, they heard her say, "Let's go, it's time to learn horseback riding."
During the day, Zhao Heng had to study at the practice hall and couldn't go to the grassland to ride horses, so Yueli offered to lend her Liefeng.
As the young girl approached the courtyard of the Beast Garden, sweat beads formed on her forehead.
Yueli was feeding the rabbits when she turned around and saw her outside the courtyard.
"So you've come so quickly?" Yueli closed the cage and walked outside, saying to her, "Let's go, I'll take you there."
Quietly following Yueli to the horseriding field, Yueli glanced at her tightly clenched face and asked, "What's wrong?"
"I saw her today, she smiled so calmly and looked at me with a smile." Zhao Heng pursed her lips, clenched her fists tightly, as if trying to contain something.
Yueli looked at her quietly for a moment and spoke in a clear and calm voice, "The Crown Prince is willing to help you, why did you refuse her help?"
"She carried out the poisoning incident in the Eastern Palace so cleanly, simply concluding she had intentions to harm the heir based on the musk powder in the pastries." In the somber autumn breeze, Zhao Hong's face showed no hint of a smile. "The killer of my dead grandmother, and the existing evidence is not enough to convict her."
Yueli's eyes scrutinized the pale and cold girl's face, reminding her of the cruel reality, "You are right, but you have also overlooked one thing. Even if she is convicted, she can still push the blame onto the Marquis Xie."
"Yes, Xie Jian, being so astute, caring for her mother's family so much, could have easily had Zhou Kuo help her find someone to harm my grandmother, but still implicated the Marquis Xie. Maybe she had already planned to use Xie Jian as a scapegoat in case of failure. Being the mother of a prince and princess, when it is transferred to the inner court for trial, she might end up with just a slap on the wrist." Zhao Hong's eyelids twitched slightly as she murmured, "Why should she?"
"Even with all her cunning, she cannot change the fact that she is a murderer. There will be traces of murder, and through careful investigation, perhaps evidence will be found to bring her to justice." Yueli comforted her.
"I can't wait anymore, as long as she is alive, I will never find peace." Zhao Heng sat dimly on the horse.
A complex expression floated between Yueli's delicate eyebrows, "What do you want to do?"
"I want her to taste the feeling of being broken to pieces, of bleeding to death." Zhao Heng's eyes filled with tears as she looked at Yueli choked up, "Yueli, can you help me with something?"
*
Li Wenjian walked out of the palace and saw Zhao Heng at the bottom of the steps.
The autumn wind was chilly, blowing her cloak, embroidered with silk threads of flowers swaying in the wind. She held a bunch of green chrysanthemums, their delicate and elegant beauty resting peacefully in her arms.
"How did you come here?"
Li Wenjian continued walking and reached out to take her hand.
Zhao Heng was slightly taken aback, recalling his brief outburst of temper the previous day over this matter. She obediently extended her hand, allowing him to clasp it firmly in his own.
"You came to the Third Princess's Mansion to pick me up yesterday, so today I'm returning the favor and coming to pick you up specially."
Zhao Heng clearly had something to say, but at this moment, with his hand in hers and the reassuring warmth radiating from his palm, she tightened her lips once more.
"Something on your mind?" Li Wenjian glanced at her side profile.
Zhao Heng looked at him in disbelief, "How did you know?"
"Ah Heng, didn't I just tell you yesterday that there's nothing we can't talk about?" He reminded her with a long, drawn-out tone, his eyes filled with a bashful smile.
As Li Wenjian's words echoed in Zhao Heng's mind, she couldn't help but picture the rest of the sentence. She turned to meet his smile, realizing he was teasing her about what happened in the carriage the previous day.
On that chilly late autumn evening, even the breeze carried a biting coldness, yet her face was burning so intensely that she couldn't even feel the chill.
Her ears were a bit flushed, and she tried to pull her hand away, but his grip was firm, and she couldn't break free.
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Author's Note:
Ah Heng: You're so flirty!