Chapter 49 Forty-Nine Brushes Away His Clothes

Following Xu Heng's instructions, Wang Yuying annotated each stroke carefully.

Xu Heng glanced at her face first, then at her writing. After Wang Yuying finished writing, he picked up another memorial: "Take a look at this one, it's also one he submitted."

Without hesitation, Wang Yuying put down the memorial presented by Hugu Xumi to the emperor and took another memorial from Xu Heng, from the governor of the northern frontier. She quickly read through it and found it was a request for increased winter supplies of grain and provisions.

"How much does he have now?" she asked.

"The original amount was 350,000 shi (a unit of dry measure), how much do you think should be supplemented?"

Wang Yuying pondered carefully: each person receives two liters of rice per day, and each horse receives five liters of feed per day. If there are 50,000 troops in the northern frontier, equipped with 10,000 horses, the daily expenditure would be 1,500 shi (a unit of dry measure), and the monthly expenditure would be 45,000 shi. This does not include transportation losses, and the northern frontier is also close to winter all year round...

"An additional 200,000 to 250,000 will suffice," she replied after calculating.

“No need for that much, just add 50,000.” Xu Heng said, the vermilion ink in the inkstone was almost dry again, and he carefully ground the ink stick in circles—he found himself a little reluctant to leave this moment, talking to her while grinding the ink, watching her brush tip occasionally dip into the inkstone, feeling particularly peaceful and calm in his heart.

It turns out that there are only 30,000 troops stationed in the northern border region now, Wang Yuying thought as she approved the document.

The next four books were all impeachments against officials. He said she wrote them, and during the process, she corrected two instances of handwriting that didn't match.

When she got to the fifth book, it was about the Ministry of War selecting and awarding officials. Wang Yuying glanced at the list and recognized most of them, including Zhu Zi's name.

"This Yu Zhu has been following General Zhengxi since he was a child, hasn't he?" Xu Heng suddenly asked.

"Yes. During the war, many Han Chinese from outside the pass fled in, and my father adopted many orphans." As she said this, her eyes blinked involuntarily. Among them was Jing Ye, who was in the camp outside the city. Since there was a curfew in the city, it was no longer as easy for him to come to see her as it was to go up Fuyou Mountain. The first time, he almost failed to leave the city before the gates were locked. Later, Wang Yuying told him to focus on leading his troops and not to come again, as they hadn't seen each other for many days.

Upon hearing this, Xu Heng recalled how these people used to frequent the General's Mansion. He smiled and said, "I can never tell the difference between Yu Zhu and Wang Dingman."

“Make sure your face is rounder,” Wang Yuying told him.

Xu Heng nodded and then announced about ten names. Wang Yuying circled each one, rubbing the back of her left index finger on her philtrum. Was the earthworm growing too vigorously today? It made her philtrum sweat and itch terribly.

Xu Heng squinted and saw that he had indeed ordered the earth dragon to be activated today. He himself did not feel hot, but he forgot that she was most afraid of the heat. He saw that not only her philtrum, but also her temples and chin were slightly sweaty, so he put down the ink stick, took out a silk handkerchief and touched Wang Yuying's chin and neck to wipe her.

Wang Yuying was focused on hooking the chair when Xu Heng suddenly touched her, startling her so much that she shrugged and tilted her head to avoid it without thinking. The movement was so big that it made a loud noise as it moved the chair.

The sound struck Xu Heng's heart like a hammer blow. Spurred by the shock, he turned to grab Wang Yuying's hand, holding it tightly even through the silk handkerchief. Wang Yuying tried to pull her hand away, but Xu Heng held on firmly. She intensified her inner strength, and he, despite the pain in his heart, intensified his own, refusing to let go.

"Your Majesty, an urgent report from Kunning Palace!" A eunuch suddenly rushed to the door, announcing in a shrill voice, "Her Majesty the Empress suddenly fell ill. The imperial physicians tried acupuncture and medicine, but to no avail. She passed away at half past 9 a.m.!"

Wang Yuying felt a chill run through her body upon hearing this, and her arm, which Xu Heng was holding, was covered in goosebumps—she had always thought that Xu Heng was going to depose her on trumped-up charges, but she never expected him to try to kill her!

Wang Yuying glared angrily. When Xu Heng saw this, he unconsciously let go of her hand, but his expression remained calm.

Wang Yuying immediately got up and moved away, a foot away, gritting her teeth. She was smugly pleased with herself for reviewing the memorials, but it turned out that there was such a play waiting to fool her: "You're taking lives at this critical moment, aren't you putting me on the spot? Xu Qilang, aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning for treating human life like dirt!"

Xu Heng hesitated upon hearing the reprimand. He hadn't originally intended to explain, but after clarifying the misunderstanding with Jiang Shi on the Double Ninth Festival, he had been feeling guilty.

He still hoped that the two of them would not misunderstand each other again in the future, so he slowly parted his lips and patiently explained: "It's not what you think. She is not dead. She will live in seclusion, far away from the capital, where she can roam freely in the vast mountains and rivers. The reason for reporting her death as an illness is that she comes from a respectable family. If she were to be deposed and forced to live in seclusion, her father and brothers in the clan would surely follow the ancient custom and bestow upon her a white silk ribbon to preserve the family's honor. I am preserving the integrity of her father's family and also fulfilling her long-cherished wish to travel all over the mountains."

Wang Yuying stood still, her skin crawling with goosebumps, not just on one arm, but all over her body. She felt as if the wind was blowing against her hair, and an invisible wind was howling and raging in her ears.

Xu Heng thought Wang Yuying didn't believe him, so he pursed his lips.

He initially intended to depose the empress on the grounds of embezzlement, but after a long talk with Empress Wei in Kunning Palace, he changed his mind: "The Wei family hasn't gone far yet. If you don't believe me, you can send Qingfu to bring them back—"

"No need!" Wang Yuying interrupted decisively. Her eyes reddened instantly, glistening with tears, and she stared directly into Xu Heng's eyes, her gaze sharp as a knife, filled with resentment.

Unable to bear the gaze, Xu Heng turned his head away and said in a low voice, "Don't be angry. The matter concerning Empress Wei was my own doing, and it has nothing to do with you and you bear no responsibility. If there are any criticisms, I will bear the consequences even if the sky falls."

He waited a long time without hearing her response, and finally said with difficulty, "I said it has nothing to do with you. I will let the position of Empress remain vacant. If you don't want to be Empress anymore, then don't be. I will never force you to be reinstated."

She remained silent.

Xu Heng raised an eyebrow, puzzled, but could sense the icy atmosphere; her anger hadn't subsided at all. He turned back to look at Wang Yuying again and saw that her eyes were completely bloodshot, and her jaw was twitching uncontrollably.

He was stunned for a moment, then finally understood her silent accusation: Why could Empress Wei do it, but she couldn't?!

Xu Heng's eyes also reddened instantly, and his Adam's apple bobbed—she was different from the Wei family; even though he knew he was in the wrong, he would never let go!

Wang Yuying glared at Xu Heng, her shoulders and chest heaving with each word: "You beast, you beast!"

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiong entered the palace with his sword drawn. Wang Yuying glared at him angrily, then ran out of the imperial study without looking back. Xu Heng chased after her without hesitation, calling out, "Yingniang!"

The north wind howled, and snowflakes fell in abundance, marking the arrival of the first snowfall in the capital city.

The roof and ground turned white in an instant. Xu Hengqiang used his lightness skill to leap and somersault, blocking Wang Yuying's path.

He swallowed the rising blood, his throat bobbing, and took another step closer to Wang Yuying, almost toe-to-toe: "I'm sorry."

The instant their breaths were close, Wang Yuying immediately moved away.

The snow-covered flagstones were slippery, and she, overwhelmed by grief and anger, had lost her balance and leaned backward. Xu Heng, seeing this, also seemed to have missed a step and quickly reached out to catch Wang Yuying around the waist to prevent her from falling. But she dodged again, causing her to fall even more violently and rapidly. Seeing that she was about to hit the ground, Xu Heng, fearing she would get hurt, anxiously reached for her hand instead, but Wang Yuying clenched it into a fist almost instantly.

Xu Heng said urgently, "Yingniang, hold my hand, or you'll fall!"

With a thud, Wang Yuying fell heavily to the ground, her hands still clenched into fists.

Xu Heng saw this, and the repeated rejections he had received flashed through his mind. He leaned forward and extended his left hand to Wang Yuying, staring intently at her with deep eyes and taut cheeks: "Come, let me help you up."

Wang Yuying's body felt weak and she couldn't get up, but she refused to use Xu Heng's strength. So he kept his left hand outstretched, insisting that she grab it, even if it was just a finger.

During the stalemate, Zheng Yangzhi appeared out of nowhere, holding an umbrella, and strode forward, almost running, reaching out his free hand to Wang Yuying.

Wang Yuying noticed and turned her head to look at Zheng Yangzhi. She put her hand on his arm, and Zheng Yangzhi smiled and pulled her up with his forearm.

As soon as Wang Yuying regained her footing, she let go of Zheng Yangzhi and tried to leave.

Her estrangement was colder than a blizzard, and Xu Heng finally couldn't help but flinch, saying, "What's wrong with just holding my hand?"

It wasn't about love; he just wanted to save her and protect her! He wanted to hold her hand tightly, share her joy, and comfort her in her sorrow. Why did she keep avoiding him? They say that to err is human, to forgive divine. Why couldn't he be given a chance to reform?

Wang Yuying turned her head away, not only avoiding Xu Heng's touch but also avoiding eye contact, and said in a low voice, "I find you disgusting."

After saying that, he walked right past him.

Xu Heng stood frozen in place, the heavy snow gradually covering his body.

Qingfu, who had rushed over, was frantic: "Your Majesty, you can't afford to get cold right now! I beg you, for Your Majesty's sake, please go back inside!"

Chu Xiong, who had been hiding in the shadows, also appeared and pleaded with the emperor.

Xu Heng remained motionless, like a sculpture draped in silver.

Zheng Yangzhi watched Wang Yuying walk away, and his smile vanished as he looked away. He stood to Xu Heng's right, about half a zhang away, still holding his oil-paper umbrella high, untouched by the falling snow.

Zheng Yangzhi spoke solemnly: "Does Your Majesty know why she is avoiding you?"

Xu Heng pursed his lips, which were now completely purplish-blue, glanced at Zheng Yangzhi, and then looked away.

"Your Majesty dares not ponder this deeply." Zheng Yangzhi raised his head and looked up at the sky, where snowflakes were falling. "The snowflakes are like cotton, they stain clothes as soon as they touch them, and in an instant, the clothes are covered with stains. If you want to keep your clothes clean while walking in heavy snow, you can only use a blanket. A virtuous person is cautious when alone, and his body will naturally be clean."

The snow on the ground was already ankle-deep in the blink of an eye. Zheng Yangzhi lowered his head and stomped his boots on the ground twice. The spot of pure white snow immediately turned into a blackish-gray watermark that had not yet melted: "The snow path that has been trodden on is also like this. Once it is stained with dust, it becomes mud."

The north wind howled, and snowflakes flew wildly.

"With all nations paying tribute, I must go and welcome them. However, I am preoccupied with many matters, so I must take my leave now." Zheng Yangzhi, holding an umbrella, gracefully walked away.

Xu Heng did not punish his minister for his great disrespect, and remained silent and motionless.

After a long while, as if he had been suddenly released from a spell, he raised both hands and kept brushing his body, trying to brush off all the snow that had fallen on him. But there were always a few specks of white stuck to his bright yellow dragon robe and mixed in his hair. No matter how he brushed, he couldn't get them clean.

*

In order to get the memorials approved as soon as possible, Wang Yuying rode into the palace today. Her Akhal-Teke horse was parked at the entrance of Guanghua Gate. She jumped on, then untied the reins from the white marble pillar and turned the horse around.

The snow was falling heavily, but the street vendors, in order to make a living, still set up their stalls, filling both sides of the road. She had originally planned to ride a horse, but seeing this, she quickly pulled on the reins and walked slowly to avoid bumping into the stalls and affecting the vendors.

So she had no outlet for her emotions, and kept them all bottled up, trying to process them on her own, but it only got heavier and heavier. She felt both grief and frustration, as well as a deep sense of powerlessness—she thought that the reason she had fallen earlier was because of this powerlessness.

Tears welled up naturally, but whenever a passerby looked in her direction, she quickly wiped them away, raised her chin, and tried her best to maintain a calm demeanor.

At least this journey home should be like that of an ordinary person.

Snowflakes drifted down from the sky.

She saw pedestrians helping each other and noticed the steam rising from the steamed bun shop. When she arrived at her home in Yongjia Lane, her legs went weak when she dismounted. If Chu Ying hadn't helped her up in time, she would have fallen again.

Chu Ying sensed something was wrong, but she had never encountered this situation before and didn't know how to bring it up. Wang Yuying thanked Chu Ying and wanted to hurry back to her room, but her feet felt like they were walking on cotton, and she couldn't walk fast.

After entering the room, she intended to sit at the table for a while, but involuntarily lay down on the bed, not even bothering to shake off the snow covering her. She curled up, and the tears she had held back outside burst forth, soaking her pillow in a few moments.

Chu Ying, Juan Xue, and Shuang Tian were all outside the door, worried, but none of them dared to go in rashly. They looked at each other, and finally Juan Xue and Shuang Tian pointed at Chu Ying. Chu Ying silently waved his hand. Juan Xue and Shuang Tian pointed again, and after a moment, Chu Ying knocked on the door three times.

No one answered.

Chu Ying pushed open the door with the lightest of all her might, the most careful she had ever been, but the door still creaked open.

The three women held their breath at the same time, and then, seeing Wang Yuying on the bed with tears streaming down her face, they all felt as if their hearts were being torn apart.

Wang Yuying heard the noise, but her head remained turned towards the inside of the tent. No matter how difficult things were in Kunning Palace, no matter how many tears she shed, they never fell onto her pillow.

The only two times she shed tears on her brocade pillow were when Xu Heng left the capital on official business. It was the first time she had slept alone since her marriage. Looking at the half-empty bed, she was afraid of the dark and lost the ability to sleep alone.

She missed him, and before she knew it, a small patch of her pillow was cold and damp.

This time, she hated him.

When Wang Yuying stopped crying, she turned around and saw Shuangtian holding a copper basin and a towel, with wisps of steam rising from the water in the basin.

Juanxue then brought out a pot of tea: "Immortal Master, the snow was heavy outside just now, this ginger tea can ward off the cold."

It can also warm the stomach and the heart.

Chu Ying smiled broadly: "Immortal Master, we'll be having hot pot for lunch later, everything's ready!"

Wang Yuying paused for a moment, then forced a smile. She quickly sat up, got out of bed, wiped her face with a frosty handkerchief, drank some hot tea with rolled snow, and then chatted and laughed with Chu Ying: "What are you cooking? You're making me hungry."

"Fat mutton and beef, sunflowers, and today there's even sashimi..." Chu Ying stopped abruptly.

Wang Yuying and Chu Ying exchanged a glance, and Chu Ying said, "There are people outside."

Just as he finished speaking, a knock sounded at the door. At first, it was very soft, and only Chu Ying and Wang Yuying, who had good hearing, could hear it. Then it became louder, trying to reach the room directly. Juan Xue and Shuang Tian could also hear it.

Wang Yuying sniffed: "Go open the door."

Although she instructed the maid, she herself got up and walked along the edge, going around the covered walkway to the front of the hanging flower gate. Chu Ying had already opened the street gate, and the one knocking was Zheng's personal attendant, Zheng Yangzhi, who put away his umbrella and stood under the eaves in front of the gate.

Wang Yuying raised an eyebrow. This person had always kept a low profile and wouldn't come knocking on her door so suddenly.

Zheng Yangzhi did not smile as usual; instead, she looked serious, her delicate brows furrowed, and gazed at Wang Yuying across the steps: "I am really... too worried."

"Close the door." Wang Yuying ordered, and Chu Ying immediately complied. Zheng Yangzhi hurriedly tried to stop him, but his hand got caught in the door crack and he was afraid he would get bruised and battered.

"A few words, and then he left." He was no longer visible; all that could be seen were his outstretched fingers and the prominent veins on his knuckles.

He never said just a few words. Wang Yuying glanced at the swirling snow and said, "Let's go inside and talk."

She walked back to the main hall via the covered walkway and under the eaves. Zheng Yangzhi, not wanting to be a follower, carried his own umbrella through the courtyard. Wang Yuying and the others went directly into the main hall, while Zheng Yangzhi closed his umbrella at the entrance and handed it to his attendant. His robe was spotless, but his black boots were slightly damp from the snow. He shook them off and cleaned himself before entering the hall alone. Just as he was about to part his lips, he heard an announcement from outside the gate: "Imperial decree has arrived—"