A/NÂ Winter break is finally here!!! An early happy holidays with a (almost) 3k chapter!
After the whole incident, there was a brief spell of quiet. Despite his responsibilities, the king still had time to drag him to the imperial physician and get his leg assessed. The doctor was baffled by the rate of recovery and could only lament that young people had good vitality and healed quickly. He could only prescribe a tonic to boost bone growth and suggest reduction of strenuous use of his leg. Because Liu Qingyuan refused to obediently stay in bed, an extra chair was installed in the king's study.
Jiang Zhilan was working through his usual pile of documents when Eunuch Shuang announced the presence of noble consort, Xiu Ying. Jiang Zhilan frowned, but he assented her entrance with a noncommittal hum.
Xiu Ying entered, her jade skin luminous and her rosebud lips pouty and red. Her haughty neck supported a head full of gold and jewels and an exquisite fur lined, cream coloured robe was wrapped around her slender figure. A timid maid followed after her, her head lowered so much, one couldn't even see her face. "This consort greets your majesty." She smiled gracefully as she straightened up.
"En." Jiang Zhilan said. He put down his brush, picking up the teacup by his hand and taking a sip. "Does consort Xiu require something?" Otherwise, why would you have come to see this king? Liu Qingyuan quietly got up to refill Jiang Zhilan's cup with tea.
"Can this consort not come to see your majesty? After seeing you well, I feel much better."
"Oh..." Jiang Zhilan was a bit distracted, eyeing the cup at his side. Liu Qingyuan, this broken servant! He suspected he was doing this deliberately. After speaking, Xiu Ying raised her hand delicately and coughed quietly into her sleeve. She glanced up, gaze fluttering at the perfect angle only to freeze. The king wasn't even looking at her! "That's enough, that's enough." Jiang Zhilan quickly patted Liu Qingyuan's hand, stopping the flow of tea that was about to come out of the teacup. "Ai...why did you fill it so much?"
The tea in the cup held an alluring honey bronzed colour but the taste was rather...indescribable. Only, the imperial physician had prescribed this pot of medicinal tea to keep up his health as winter began. Jiang Zhilan sucked slightly on his tongue, trying to get rid of the deep bitter taste.
"Cough, cough!" The sound came again from the side and Jiang Zhilan finally remembered there was a noble consort waiting in front of him. Xiu Ying raised teary and delicate eyes. "Just a small matter...a small matter..."
"Oh...did you say something?" Xiu Ying's maid saw her mistress' brewing temper and quickly jumped in. "My lady hasn't been feeling well lately, but she came here just to check on you..."
"Xiao Tao! Don't trouble his majesty with such small matters! Cough, cough..."
"My lady! How can your health be a small matter?! You've worked too hard, keeping the harem in check..." Over here, the master-servant pair were successfully performing a two-man play. But on the other side, the audience was busy performing their own private show.
"Qingyuan! That's enough!" The king hissed under his teeth. He'd taken a large gulp of tea to placate Liu Qingyuan's insistent stare but who knew that empty space in the teacup would be immediately filled back up by him?
"The doctor said you must finish this pot of tea. It's getting cold and reheating it would lessen its effects." Jiang Zhilan stared mournfully at the full cup, his grip still clutching Liu Qingyuan's sleeve in a desperate attempt to pull his arm away.
"I'm not that delicate. This little bit of cold won't do anything to me."
"Your majesty's body is precious. You must take care of it."
"But it's so bitter..." Liu Qingyuan sent him a glance. Are you still a man? But he placated him anyway.
"Be good. I'll get the kitchen to make osmanthus cakes later."
"..." Jiang Zhilan grit his teeth but he could only turn his head away in acceptance.
"Cough, cough!" A series of explosive bellows nearly shook the curtains in the room. Everyone turned their heads in shock to the perpetrator. Xiu Ying gently dabbed at her lips, eyes lowered demurely. "Pardon me, your majesty..." Her voice was soft and weak.
"..."
"If you're not feeling well, you can visit the imperial physician."
"But your majesty..."
Jiang Zhilan raised an eyebrow. This foolish woman, having a cold yet not seeking treatment. "No worries, he was hand selected by my father, his skills definitely aren't poor."
"Your majesty, I didn't mean-"
"Here, here! If you don't believe me, just have a taste of this." It's bitter enough to steal your soul! Jiang Zhilan hurriedly pushed aside the horrid cup of tea. Xiu Ying's face changed three to five emotions before her features settled on shy and embarrassed. On the inside, she was simply mad with glee. The king was offering his cup to her...wasn't he flirting? Otherwise, who'd dare to use the king's things?
"Your majesty...if you insist..." Just as she stepped forward to grab the cup, it was pulled away from her fingertips. Liu Qingyuan placed the cup securely by Jiang Zhilan's wrist, pretending not to notice his forlorn expression. "You-!"
"I'm afraid it's not proper, your highness." Liu Qingyuan bowed slightly to Xiu Ying. He lightly scratched the back of the king's hand as he withdrew. He had drunk from that cup; how could he let others drink from it too?
"Then...find another cup..." Jiang Zhilan waved his hand carelessly. The less of the tea he had to drink, was better than drinking it all. If someone could share his suffering, he would be glad! Although...he preferred if Liu Qingyuan would be the one to taste the concoction he was forcing him to drink.
Xiu Ying blushed slightly. Although it was impossible to share a cup, sharing a pot of tea could be seen as exchanging feelings...maybe the king was finally willing to indulge in a night with her! However, Liu Qingyuan didn't move and instead gave the king a look.
"Your majesty, I'm afraid that isn't possible either. The doctor insisted you must finish it."
"I'm sure a little won't be a loss," Jiang Zhilan said weakly. He glanced up and shuddered slightly at the look in Liu Qingyuan's eyes. Feeling the vague dread that his osmanthus cakes were on the line, he immediately changed his mind. "You're right, you're right..." Liu Qingyuan smiled slightly.
Losing her temper, Xiu Ying shouted out, "You dare speak against his majesty?!" The cause of her failure was the man standing in front of her! She didn't believe that the king could be immune to her charms, it must be his doing! A mere bodyguard like him; he was asking for death!
"I only have his majesty's best interests in mind." Liu Qingyuan glanced cooly at her. "This servant asks for forgiveness from your highness." This little- Xiu Ying gnashed her teeth. He dared look directly at her and with such an expression?! She immediately began scheming.
"Of course. This noble consort is magnanimous. I just recently had a task that I couldn't complete. You can do it right?" Xiu Ying turned gracefully to Jiang Zhilan, seeking his approval. After all, a servant had spoke down to her. The king still had to appease her for this injustice; a mere servant was nothing.
Jiang Zhilan's brows furrowed and he opened his mouth to retort. "Apologies," he said coolly. "But he is my bodyguard. What if he leaves my side and something bad happens?"
"Your majesty-"
"If you require people, I can recommend many strong and able palace guards to help you." Faced with this two-man wall, Xiu Ying could only retreat, but she was still resentful in her heart. Sneering slightly, she spoke out again,
"Even such, a servant like you had stepped out of place. Your majesty, if you don't punish him, how will you set an example to the other palace servants? Recently I've heard they've become rowdier and rowdier..."
"That's enough!" The king's words made Xiu Ying's face turn ashen. She'd gone too far.
"Your majesty, I didn't mean, Xiu Ying didn't mean-"
Jiang Zhilan sighed, pinching his brow with a hand. "Even as noble consort, it doesn't mean that you can touch my people," He said coldly.
"Xiu Ying understands, please forgive me your majesty, I- cough, cough."
"Enough. You're dismissed."
"Yes, your majesty." She had entered like a proud peacock, but could only exit like a quail. Jiang Zhilan didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The women's heart was much too complex. Before he could relax again, a voice sounded beside him.
"The tea is getting cold, your majesty." His face turned black.
Curse the physician!
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The palace was coated in a layer of snow, lending it, at times, an air of tranquility, but at others, a feeling of loneliness and isolation. In one large inner courtyard, several trees sprouted with plum blossoms, a tenacious flower that bloomed in winter. A man just as lovely sat under the rood of a small pavilion suspended partially over a mid-sized frozen lake. His dark hair was pinned halfway, falling in silky strands over his shoulders and the thick fur at his collar. His lips were a little pale from the cold but his cheeks and nose were flushed red. Once brazier as placed inside the pavilion, creating a small pocket of warm air.
"You're here." The man raised his head, peach blossom eyes curving in delight.
"En."
"I've troubled you." Jiang Zhilan watched in anticipation as Liu Qingyuan opened the small wooden container and took out several small dishes.
"How will you repay me?" His voice was quite, a rare slightly teasing tone alighting the end of his words. Jiang Zhilan's expression became a little strange before he raised his brow and reached out to grasp the corner of Liu Qingyuan's robe. Eunuch Shuang who was huddled by a brazier at the foot of the stairs, had just turned around to ask the king why he wanted to sit outside on such a cold day. However, upon turning, he immediately turned back around. My eyes see nothing, my ears hear nothing, my mouth...won't necessarily say nothing...
"I'll repay you later, how about that?" Liu Qingyuan smiled secretly.
"En." A sudden cold burst of wind ruffled the king's hair and caused him to squint his eyes. The plum blossom trees were sent into a frenzy, a cascade of petals raining down onto the still surface of the lake. Jiang Zhilan smiled in contentment.
"It's beautiful." In the summertime, this space was adorned with the countless colours of flowers and the koi in the pond. In the wintertime, the deep purples of the plum blossom trees against the clean snow created a pleasing landscape to appreciate the chill.
"En. It is." Liu Qingyuan reached out, casually plucking a petal from the king's hair. He reached out, tilting the king's face up with a finger under his chin, scratching lightly. A faintly embarrassed look appeared on his face, and Jiang Zhilan reached up to gently hold Liu Qingyuan's wrist.
"Qingyuan..." That soft tone made an itch well up in his heart and the grip on his chin tightened minutely. Liu Qingyuan's eyebrow twitched softly but his face remained impassive and he didn't move. Jiang Zhilan stood up, pulling at Liu Qingyuan's arm. He only stopped moving when their faces were inches apart. Liu Qingyuan eyelashes dipped down. He could faintly feel Jiang Zhilan's warm breath on his face, the white clouds of moisture blurring his image.
"COUGH COUGH!" A loud obnoxious cough sounded and Liu Qingyuan hurriedly let go. He seemed to calmly step back but the tips of his ears were dyed a light red. "Greetings, noble consort." Eunuch Shuang bowed in an exaggerated manner, shooting glances at the situation up at the pavilion. Xiu Ying didn't spare a glance for a servant like him and merely continued forward.
"Your majesty."
"En." Jiang Zhilan glanced away, feeling slightly disappointed.
"It's this consort's fortune to meet your majesty on my walk today." The maid at her side didn't even take an unnecessary breath but she clearly remembered the traumatic experience of scrambling around amidst terrifying screeching as her sisters and herself helped their mistress get ready.
The look in Liu Qingyuan's eyes was a little gloomy but he stood to one side and pretended to be a statue. Xiu Ying straightened up from her bow, her gaze landing on Liu Qingyuan's figure. Immediately, all the memories of their last encounter flooded her brain and her expression turned stinky. Unfortunately, the king had made his stance clear and he couldn't be rid of easily. She looked at the fresh dishes on the table eluding a fragrant cloud of steam. The king must have been about to eat lunch...this was her chance!
After a few seconds of pause, Jiang Zhilan's voice rang out. "Is there something the noble consort needs?
The noble consort who was misunderstood, "..."
The king still hadn't offered her to sit, even if it was just to drink a cup of hot water. The wind was biting at her face and neck and she would feel the residue of heat from the small pavilion. She could only grit her teeth and act impudently in hopes of catching a stray thread to unravel the king's heart. "Your majesty, it seems that my throat is a little parched...may this consort ask for a cup of water?"
At that moment, a short finger of wind snuck it's way into the cozy space, brushing across the table of dishes. Liu Qingyuan stepped closer to the king to shield his body from the cold. Jiang Zhilan noticed his movement and commented nonchalantly. "Be careful not to get too cold."
"Your majesty," Liu Qingyuan looked down at the dishes on the table. Although the pavilion was warm, the dishes were still cooling rapidly. "Eat quickly, the dishes are getting cold."
"Mm." Xiu Ying who'd been ignored once again suddenly spoke up. "Your majesty, it's rather cold out here and the dishes have all become cold. Why don't you head back for now and this consort will get the kitchen to make your favourite dishes?" On such a cold day, what man wouldn't want to curl up with a warm lady and a belly full of hot food? She believed there certainty were none!
Jiang Zhilan raised his eyebrow in a slight movement. But all his favourite dishes were in front of him, specifically brought by Liu Qingyuan...Anyway, he wasn't dense. He understood what Xiu Ying was trying to do. He waved his hand in a gesture of dismissal. "No need." He'd kept them all at bay for a few years now, who knew why she now started to jump at his feet? IF he didn't do something, only his future self would suffer. Only that, these were all the Dowager's selected consorts. Even if he wished to have no entanglement with them, he still couldn't treat them badly.
Liu Qingyuan picked up one of the delicate cups on the table and generously filled it with hot water. He descended the stairs, offering the cup to Xiu Ying. "His majesty gifts a cup of hot water. He urges you to protect your health and return quickly in this cold weather." Xiu Ying gritted her teeth in anger. She could only accept the cup she'd so desperately wished for. But this wasn't how she wanted it! Clearly the king hadn't even said anything yet the guard surnamed Liu dared to spout such nonsense? He was clearly trying to drive her away! She secretly glanced over, but the king wasn't even bothered by Liu Qingyuan's actions, only picking up a piece of chili eggplant and sending it to his mouth in relish. She turned her hateful gaze back to Liu Qingyuan. That indifferent look on his face was clearly ridiculing her!
Liu Qingyuan looked down at the exquisitely dressed consort and faintly wondered if she wanted to return the cup. After all, she was just standing there stupidly, glaring at everyone around her. Catching the gaze that was obviously filled with malice, Liu Qingyuan merely bowed to her and turned away, returning to the king's side to block the wind for him. Xiu Ying was still frozen, her fingers clenching tighter and tighter around the porcelain cup. Finally after a while when nothing more happened, she could only bow and say, "This consort will take her leave."
"Mm."
Once out of sight of the king, Xiu Ying practically threw the cup away. Her maid hurried to catch it, faintly feeling pain as her knees collided with the cold ice and snow on the ground. Xiu Ying glared at her. "What are you keeping it for?! Want to climb into the king's bed?!" The maid dropped the cup, hurriedly kowtowing until her forehead was bruised.
"Nubi** doesn't dare! It's just...it wouldn't be good if someone saw and found that you discarded his majesty's gift..." Xiu Ying's face only grew uglier, feeling as if her maid was mocking her by repeating Liu Qingyuan's words. What cup?! It was clearly sent with disdain! She kicked her maid who toppled over into the ice and snow.
*(Nubi - salve-servant, a way for maids to address themselves)
"Get out of my sight!" She screeched. With a huff, she turned around, sending an evil glare in the direction of the pavilion before storming off.
With a large stone blocking her sight, she didn't see the piece of chili eggplant being playfully forced into Liu Qingyuan's mouth. The sauce smeared a little at the corner of his mouth and before he could move, the king had already stood up and licked it away. The tips of Liu Qingyuan's ears turned faintly red. If she had seen, she'd definitely spit blood!