Chapter 23 Twenty-Three Days to Banish Sorrow, But Sorrow Only Grows Deeper

The four guards who had brought Wang Yuying earlier rushed in and "invited" the deposed empress back to the dark dungeon of the imperial prison. Xu Heng's feet seemed rooted to the spot, he didn't move an inch, only turning his head to follow Wang Yuying's movements. His eyes were bottomless black, like an abyss, as if he wanted to viciously devour her.

The guards kept their eyes down, their minds focused. From Yuqing Temple to the Imperial Study, they learned too many secrets in a single day, and suddenly felt as if a sword was at their own throat.

The guard gently closed the door as he left the study, but Xu Heng remained standing there—he knew that state affairs were of utmost importance and that he should sit down again, put Wang Yuying out of his mind, and review the memorials that had piled up all day, but he just couldn't control himself. He kept thinking about it and getting angry, and he couldn't calm his mind at all.

Xu Heng's chest also pounded continuously.

He stood there for a long time. When Qingfu returned with the message, he saw that the emperor's statue was too heavy to bear. He paused for a moment, then bent down and whispered, "Your Majesty."

Xu Heng hummed in agreement, feeling better, and sat down around the desk. Qingfu, however, was puzzled: When did the Emperor's steps become so slow? He practically shuffled.

Xu Heng picked up the top document, unfolded it, and began to read. After Qingfu prepared the vermilion ink, Xu Heng took out his brush, dipped the tip in the ink, and then began to annotate. His handwriting was neat and vigorous, and his annotations were clear and well-organized. After finishing one document, he temporarily placed the brush on the shelf.

Everything seemed to have returned to normal.

Qingfu felt the room was too quiet; the emperor's entire demeanor was somber, making him uneasy.

During the break, Qingfu served the emperor tea as usual.

As Xu Heng placed his hand on the cup, he glanced at the water. After taking a sip, he looked again—the tea soup was bright yellow-green, and it was indeed the Sparrow Tongue tea he drank every day.

But Sparrow Tongue, which should have a rich aroma and strong flavor, could not be smelled by him and tasted like water.

"What kind of tea did you brew today?" Xu Heng asked.

"Your Majesty, it is still Sparrow Tongue, it has not changed."

After a long pause, Xu Heng seemed unconvinced: "Let me see."

Qingfu had no choice but to use a landscape-themed saucer to bring the teapot, lift the eight-petaled lid, and present it to the emperor. Inside, the moist sparrow tongue tea buds, resembling swords, swirled in the pot, some floating and some settling.

After a long pause, Xu Heng swallowed hard.

He reached out to pick up the new memorial, placed it on the table, and smoothed it out with both hands, as if the matter of tea had been thus concluded.

But when he was halfway through reviewing the memorial, he suddenly stopped writing and instructed Qingfu: "Tell the kitchen not to cook lunch, I have no appetite."

Qingfu hesitated for a moment, but then agreed and went to announce the news.

To everyone's surprise, by late afternoon, Xu Heng was still saying the same thing, and he didn't eat dinner either.

Qingfu was so anxious that he broke out in a sweat. Food is the foundation of life, how could the emperor not eat a single grain of rice?

What exactly happened when the emperor went to Yuqing Temple? Did the deposed empress disrespect the emperor again? It made the emperor look so haggard!

Xu Heng noticed Qingfu and knew he should eat something, but he couldn't eat a single bite. Although he hadn't eaten anything, he felt like the food was stuck from his stomach all the way down to his throat, completely undigested, making him feel extremely uncomfortable.

After a long silence, Xu Heng sighed softly, "Bring some wine."

liquor?

Is the emperor going to drink at this critical juncture?

Qingfu was very worried, but dared not stop him. He only asked the emperor what kind of wine he wanted to drink.

"Let's drink some strong liquor," Xu Heng immediately thought to himself, but then he felt disheartened and thought that he didn't need to imitate her in everything.

“Whatever.” Xu Heng thought he was having a normal conversation with Qingfu, but to Qingfu, it sounded like the emperor was sighing over every word.

The rose dew that Qingfu served to Xu Heng was the weakest and least likely to make him drunk among all the imperial wines. The rose dew was crystal clear and colorless. Qingfu, following custom, filled a crystal cup with a mixture of reddish-brown and ginger red to three-quarters full. Ripples appeared on the surface of the wine, just like the fragrance of roses filling a courtyard.

Xu Heng took a sip, but it still tasted like water; he couldn't detect any wine.

He said calmly, "Bring the parrot cup."

Qingfu's heart skipped a beat. The parrot cup was made from a nautilus shell. "Cormorant ladle, parrot cup, three hundred cups must be poured a day." It was often called "an inexhaustible wine cup." The emperor's order meant that he was going to indulge in drinking.

Qingfu grew increasingly worried, but still dared not speak out. He found a white-shelled, iridescent nautilus cup and poured less than before, only two-thirds full, hoping to use this method to persuade the emperor to drink as much as he wanted.

After he finished pouring and put down the wine pot, Xu Hengxi glanced at him and said, "Fill it up."

Seeing the emperor's firm resolve, Qingfu had no choice but to fill the jar. Xu Heng then ordered, "Bring a whole jar."

Qingfu didn't raise his head, but stole a glance at the emperor out of the corner of his eye. He first stretched his neck and then shrank his shoulders, but in the end he still brought out an unopened jar of rose dew and placed it on the table.

Xu Heng ordered him to leave, leaving him alone in the room. He calmly raised the conch cup—it was just rose dew, how could he possibly get drunk?

He was just upset and wanted to drink.

Xu Heng touched the rim of the cup to his lips, took a sip, and thought, "Why is it still water?" He mused to himself, "The first time I drank strong liquor was when I struck up a conversation with Wang Yuying at a restaurant. I almost cried from the spiciness, but knowing I couldn't embarrass myself in front of my beloved, I suppressed my discomfort and chatted with her while drinking." That day, he drank a whole pot, and his stomach burned for a long time afterward.

Later, it was the howling winds of northern Xinjiang that helped him get used to strong liquor.

Thinking of this, Xu Heng tilted his head back and gulped down a large mouthful of rose liqueur. You see, other wines are fine too; he doesn't necessarily have to drink strong liquor.

She's talking about those kinds of things between men and women. How can she say such things? She has no shame at all!

They even said they liked it and were willing to, but how much do they like it?

The image of Wang Yuying resting her head on Jing Ye's arm involuntarily floated into Xu Heng's mind. Was she really that willing?

He couldn't help but imagine the two of them embracing intimately, whispering sweet nothings to each other as they made love. Would they kiss? And what about those pomegranate earrings? He was wearing them back then, so he wasn't worried about them hurting her!

Will she become addicted to Jing Ye's body? Will she find it even more pleasurable than when she's with him?

Xu Heng's imagination ran ever more detailed, the images causing him excruciating pain, as if his bones were being torn apart, yet he couldn't stop himself from reliving them...

Xu Heng frowned and clutched his chest. The pain started from his ribs on the left side, extending down half of his face to his head. It was excruciating.

He curled his fingers, turning from covering his face to scratching, telling himself to stop thinking about it, but he couldn't control himself. So he poured himself glass after glass of rosewater, trying to use the alcohol to relieve the pain, but the thought only intensified the pain, making it seem infinitely magnified.

He recalled Qingfu's hesitant manner before leaving, as if afraid he would get drunk. Ha, Qingfu knew perfectly well that he was a man of principle, and the only time he had ever been drunk in his life was on his wedding day.

He was so happy that he drank every drink offered to him.

That day, the entire mansion was ablaze with red. Red silk decorated the eaves like flowing light, and the lanterns, already red, were adorned with the character for "double happiness." The pair of thick red candles in the bridal chamber burned all night without finishing. His groom's robe was also bright red, complete with a set of black leather boots and a colorful leather belt. He knew he should wear them on the wedding day, but he couldn't resist secretly trying them on many times before the wedding, rehearsing how to welcome Wang Yuying into the house and how to bow to her. Each time, he felt a new excitement.

When he lifted her veil, he couldn't help but twitch his lips. She was so beautiful, her whole being seemed to glow with a soft light. Not to mention her big eyes, even her eyelashes looked like stars.

He knew that praising her at this moment would seem frivolous and dissolute, but he still couldn't help but murmur, "Yingniang, you are so beautiful today."

Such a beautiful woman is his bride; he is the luckiest man in the world. Why can't he show it off?

Wang Yuying covered her mouth with her red sleeve, showing a rare hint of shyness.

He remembered lowering his head, gazing at the bride on the bed for a long time, then pursing his lips, his mouth folding slightly. He had never felt such an urgent urge to kiss someone before, and he tilted his head slightly to kiss her. Wang Yuying stretched her neck to meet his kiss, and even at this moment, she didn't close her eyes, her face full of smiles.

His eyes, no, his whole being, were glowing.

This was their longest and most innocent kiss. The light from the wedding candles gradually magnified, shining on them like the sun.

...

As Xu Heng drank and reminisced, his eyes became both cold and moist.

When Qingfu tiptoed in, the air was thick with the smell of wine. For some unknown reason, the nautilus cup had fallen to the ground, and the emperor, eyes closed, was slumped over the table, clutching the mouth of the empty wine jar. The emperor, having drunk all the rose dew, was completely drunk, seemingly asleep.

Qingfu's heart tightened at first, then he sighed softly—it's good, the emperor hasn't slept a full night these days, it's good to let him rest well while he's drunk.

He crouched down, first picking up the conch shell cup, then, worried that the emperor's head might go numb from resting on his right arm for too long, gently lifted the emperor's head, moved his arm away, and placed it to one side. The emperor, like a soundly sleeping infant, complied without resistance.

Qingfu then reached for the wine jar, but the emperor suddenly curled his fingers, gripping the rim of the jar tightly, effectively holding the empty vessel in his hand. Helpless, Qingfu softly called out "Your Majesty" twice. The emperor's lips moved, mumbling incoherently like a fish blowing bubbles; Qingfu couldn't understand a single word. He leaned down, bringing his right ear close to the emperor's lips, listening intently for a while. The emperor, in his drunken stupor, murmured things like "Finally, I've married you," and "We'll grow old together," which sent shivers down Qingfu's spine.

Finally, Qingfu sighed deeply and gave up on moving the wine jar. He found a dragon-patterned cloak and draped it over the emperor to keep him warm, then stood silently by his side.

At 1:15 AM, the emperor was still unconscious. Usually, he would be preparing for court at this time. Qingfu called to the emperor, first gently then loudly, but the emperor remained slumped over the table. After hesitating for a while, Qingfu bit his lip and nudged the emperor's arm three times before the emperor finally woke up.

Qingfu quickly knelt down: "Your Majesty, please forgive me. I offended Your Majesty in a moment of panic!"

Xu Heng opened his eyes and looked blank for a moment, then his gaze gradually became focused before he said, "Get up."

Qingfu got up.

Xu Heng knew it was time for the morning court session, so he naturally tried to sit up, but found that his right arm went numb after being pressed down for so long and he couldn't move it. He remembered when they were first married, Wang Yuying would sleep on a large rock in the palace, using her arm as a pillow. When he finished court and she woke up, she tried to sit up and rush to him, but found her hands and legs numb. She looked at him with a mixture of crying and laughing, pleading, "Husband, please help me up!"

Xu Heng still remembers the anxious feeling he had when he rushed towards Wang Yuying.

He asked about her health while holding her hands tightly.

Wang Yuying entrusted her arms and even her whole body to him without worry. Afraid of hurting her, he lifted her up with exceptional gentleness. But she still cried out, "Ouch, Xu Qilang, be gentle, don't use so much force..."

Later, he apologized and carried her back to the bedroom, then personally massaged her body for a long time. While enjoying this, Wang Yuying suddenly had a whimsical thought, saying that if he ever went numb, she would take care of him in the same way. At that moment, Xu Heng smiled faintly, knowing he should think things through before acting. Since he knew using his arm as a pillow would cause numbness, he would never do such a thing in his life.

Unexpectedly, this day actually came, but she stopped helping him.

Xu Heng looked at the empty space ahead, feeling a sense of loss.

"Your Majesty." Qingfu noticed something amiss and tried to help Xu Heng up, but Xu Heng shook his head and refused, "No need."

Hearing this, Qingfu remained standing, seemingly to watch over him, so Xu Heng told Qingfu to step back. He felt he wouldn't fall, but his arm couldn't hang down, so he bent his elbow and dangled in the air, using his other hand to support himself as he slowly stood up.

Qingfu wasn't idle either; he went out and brought back a plate of lavish breakfast. Xu Heng was just about to come around, leaning on the table, when he saw this and paused. His stomach was even more upset from drinking, so he refused, saying, "I'm not eating this morning."

Qingfu had made two preparations. He put down the plate, took out a bowl of hot soup from the noodles and side dishes, and then knelt down nervously and said, "Your Majesty, I have also prepared a bowl of hangover soup."

Xu Hengzhong glanced at Qingfu's hand; he would be going to court later, and the hangover soup would be helpful.

"Just leave it there." He sat down again to drink his soup.

After slowly swallowing a bowl of hot soup, he felt more comfortable in his stomach and his mind became clearer. He glanced at the dripping water and then ordered, "Qingfu, make arrangements. I want to take a bath."

He had just made a trip to Fuyou Mountain, and his body was filthy and reeking of alcohol. If he didn't wash up and change into a scented robe, he would be disrespectful at court.

Qingfu was slightly taken aback.

"Hold on tight." Xu Heng said as he stood up, no longer needing to use his hands for support, but his right arm was still bent.

There was no time to get to the hot spring, so Qingfu quickly made arrangements. Soon, eunuchs filed in carrying wooden tubs, fragrant water, towels, and other items. When the late emperor was alive, bathing and washing were elaborate affairs, with nearly a hundred palace maids serving him. But Xu Heng advocated frugality, reducing the number of people to no more than ten. Moreover, after the screen was set up, all the eunuchs withdrew, and he did everything himself.

Given the current situation, Qingfu was worried that it would be inconvenient for the emperor to take off his clothes and wanted to help, but Xu Heng insisted: "I will do it myself."

He went behind the screen alone, untied the sash with one hand, and took off his clothes, preferring to trouble himself.

Afraid of being late for the morning court session, and with his arms stiff, he dared not slack off, sweating profusely even before bathing.

After bathing, the screen and wooden tub in the back cabinet were removed, and the eunuchs were still cleaning the wet floor. Xu Heng had already sat in front of the mirror, combing his hair and putting on his crown. Qingfu, who was standing beside him, hesitated to speak. Xu Heng saw him in the mirror and was initially puzzled, but then he realized what was happening and slowly stared at the mirror—the mirror was as clear as water, reflecting a king with slightly sunken cheeks, dark circles under his eyes, and lips and skin that were deathly pale.

A few strands of white hair suddenly appeared at his temples.

Xu Heng only then realized how haggard he had become overnight.

"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Zheng requests an audience," a eunuch announced in a shrill voice.

Xu Heng frowned. Why was Zheng Yangzhi here at this time?

It was too early for court, but too late for a private audience.

He tapped the table with his right index finger, seemingly worried that Zheng Yangzhi would try to kill himself again if he found out that Wang Yuying had returned to the palace.

"Let him in." Xu Heng still summoned Zheng Yangzhi.