Chapter 10 He knew the cold was a sign of his wife's soft heart.
Wen Miao didn't know whether the emperor had arrived at the teahouse first and she had just happened to run into him, or whether she had come to the teahouse and the emperor had just found out. Either way, she couldn't escape it, so she simply put her veil back on, opened the door, and nodded slightly to Zhang Ji.
She said softly, "Please tell my maid."
Zhang Ji clasped his hands in a fist salute, "Please rest assured, Madam."
Wen Miao followed Zhang Ji, continuing deeper into the second floor of the teahouse. After turning a corner, they came to a separate door. Judging from the decor, it was quite different from the other private rooms, presumably prepared for the most distinguished guests.
Zhang Ji carefully pushed open the door, stepped back to the side, and Wen Miao had no choice but to gently lift her slightly long skirt, step over the threshold, and enter. The door behind her then closed softly.
The moon had fallen in the capital the day before, and although it was April, it wasn't too hot. Incense burners were burning in the private room, with wisps of smoke rising. To the right was a small, spacious platform, seemingly a place for performances. To the left, a beaded curtain hung halfway down, and a chaise lounge of just the right size was placed there. Tea, fruits, and snacks were all laid out on the table, but Wen Miao didn't see the "master" that Zhang Ji had mentioned.
Is the person not here?
The thought had barely formed when Wen Miao saw a landscape screen standing behind the chaise lounge, grand and imposing, with a shadowy figure seemingly sitting behind it.
Wen Miao hesitated, her red lips slightly parted, "Your Majesty?"
"It is I."
A voice, deeper and hoarser than before, came from behind the large screen. Though it sounded somewhat sickly, it did not appear weak or vulnerable.
Indeed, a sick lion is still a lion.
Wen Miao's lips were slightly flat. She suddenly remembered that her maternal grandfather had said this morning that His Majesty had caught a cold, which was why the morning court session had been suspended for a day. But... instead of resting in the palace, he had come to the teahouse to look for her while he was sick.
Is this screen placed there to prevent her from seeing it? Or to prevent her from catching a cold?
A few indescribable emotions welled up in Wen Miao's heart, making her feel stifled and uncomfortable. She then asked, "Your Majesty has a cold. Is it because you sheltered me from the rain yesterday?"
The figure sitting quietly behind the screen seemed to pause for a moment before saying, "No, it's just that spring is windy and people are prone to illness."
She then asked, "Is there anything Your Majesty wishes to discuss with me today?"
A low chuckle echoed in the room, and then Wen Miao heard the emperor say, "I would like to invite Madam to watch a play and listen to music, to make her happy."
Wen Miao couldn't help but ask, "Isn't Your Majesty busy?"
"busy."
Before Wen Miao could say anything to refuse, the emperor added, "So I can just read the memorials from the back."
Upon hearing this, Wen Miao was at a loss for words—he had gone to such lengths just so that she could review memorials while ill and watch her watch a play and listen to music.
Wen Miao bit her lower lip and remained silent, while the other person behind the screen remained calm and composed, making the sound of flipping through a memorial. He said in a hoarse voice, "Please sit down, Madam. I have had things prepared on the couch for you to enjoy."
It's as if everything is ready except for the final push.
Even fearing that she might have other worries, the emperor, who had just dipped his brush in ink, added, "The maids and guards in the lady's residence will be well taken care of."
But Wenmiao still refused to sit on the couch, and just stood there silently.
The room was quiet for a moment, then a soft sigh was heard. The emperor, who was usually so aloof, softened his voice at this moment, "My lady, please keep me company."
He coughed twice as soon as he finished speaking.
Wen Miao, who had been hardening her heart, trembled slightly. She raised her hand, took off her veil, silently lifted the beaded curtain, and sat down on the soft couch.
The emperor behind the screen smiled slightly.
He knew that his wife was always soft-hearted.
Wen Miao took his seat, and Emperor Qian Yuan clapped his hands.
Two people soon walked out from behind the small stage on the other side. Their makeup was heavy and their costumes were flowing. The music was loud and the people were moving. Their skills were so exquisite that they quickly pulled Wen Miao, who was initially a little restless, into the world of the play.
Ahead, the string of beaded curtains stood still, and the woman leaning against the chaise longue propped up her snow-white face, her eyelashes trembling, as if her eyes flickered with the anger, joy and sorrow of the characters in the play.
Behind him, the landscape screen stood silently like a barrier, yet it could not block Emperor Qianyuan's deep and dark gaze. He quietly watched Lady Wen's back, tracing her hair and the back of her neck with his eyes, before finally restraining himself and withdrawing his gaze. He then picked up his pen and wrote the four words "useless book" on the rambling memorial.
Only his wife brought him comfort and peace.
A single act isn't very long, but it's enough to tell the story of a poor scholar and a rich young lady.
There were no heartbreaking betrayals, only the poor scholar's longing and love for the rich lady, as deep as the moon in the sky. At first, he resented the bright moon for not shining on him alone, but he did his best to rise to the highest position in the court and finally stood by the rich lady's side, hoping to win the moon's favor and grow old together with her.
After the performance, the actors quietly left from the back, and another musician came with his zither, his fingers moving gracefully, the lingering sound echoing in the air.
Wen Miao could still listen to a few passages at first, but because she had gotten up very early today, she gradually became drowsy and soon propped her head up on the chaise longue and pretended to doze off.
She was not a deep sleeper, so when the music suddenly stopped, she regained some consciousness.
But Wen Miao didn't move.
In the extremely quiet private room, she heard the faint rustling of fabric behind the screen. Drowsiness and laziness became the reasons for her to remain unchanged, letting the figure behind her slowly emerge from behind the screen, gradually closing the distance between them.
The emperor probably didn't get too close because he was worried about catching a cold.
His shadow was very tall, tilting and enveloping Wen Miao's upper body inch by inch. Light and shadow flowed and intertwined. At that moment, the emperor standing in front of the chaise longue suddenly felt a strange sense of satisfaction.
It was as if his shadow had embraced her.
The room was quiet; the musician had already quietly left with his instrument.
The emperor stood for a long time, and then, as if possessed, he raised his hand, causing the shadow below to sway slowly, as if brushing against the cheek of the beautiful woman on the couch.
Her eyelashes trembled, and a faint blush seemed to rise on the back of her neck and the tips of her ears.
Emperor Qian Yuan lowered his eyes, chuckled softly, and without saying anything, picked up the soft quilt beside him and carefully covered Wen Miao's shoulders, concealing the plump body that was enough to stir his heart.
Then, he bent down and kissed Wen Miao's fingertips like a falling feather.
...
Wen Miao initially pretended to be asleep out of embarrassment. She had only wanted to see what the emperor was planning to do, but she ended up shooting herself in the foot. She had no choice but to keep her eyes closed, and before she knew it, she had actually fallen into a deep sleep.
The fragrance from the incense burner still lingered in the room. The windows had long been carefully closed. When Wen Miao was awakened by Shi Cui, she found herself lying on the couch with her hair disheveled and her hair loose. Even her embroidered shoes had been removed and placed on the floor.
"Is Madam any more awake now?"
Shi Cui carefully opened half of the window crack, and a gentle breeze came in from the outside. It was so gentle that Wen Miao blinked slowly and realized that she didn't know when she had returned to the original room.
Wen Miao gave a soft "hmm".
The beaded curtain was gone, the screen was gone, and the emperor who had appeared out of nowhere was also gone. It was like a dream. But when Wen Miao sat up, propping herself up on her arms, she realized that she seemed to be holding something in her palm.
She opened her hand, only to find another note.
Above, the calligraphy is strong and elegant, like a dragon in flight, and it reads—
"My lady is more effective than any elixir; I have fully recovered. Thank you for your generous treatment."
Wen Miao couldn't help but let out a soft snort. If she were a panacea, the imperial physicians in the palace would probably be crying.
She tucked the note into the sachet at her waist, looked at Shi Cui, and then said somewhat awkwardly, "Earlier..."
Shi Cui shook her head. "That gentleman simply told us to sit in another room. Tea and snacks were provided, and he didn't make things difficult for us."
When His Majesty came today, Shi Cui was indeed unaware of it. She was also surprised to see Lord Zhang Ji earlier and was sitting next door feeling uneasy, fearing that His Majesty would make things difficult for the lady. Fortunately, when she was given permission to come in, she saw that the lady was sleeping soundly, and His Majesty instructed her to take good care of the lady before leaving.
She would do it even without His Majesty saying so.
The master and servant tidied up the room again before leaving the teahouse and slowly walking towards the Xie residence.
The April sky cleared completely after the rain that day, with a gentle breeze and swaying willows. The pine branches and crabapple arrangement in Wen Miao's room lasted for seven or eight days. The pine branches were still lush and green, but the crabapple petals had already withered. Wen Miao picked them up and threw them into the flower bed in Qinyuan Garden to be used as fertilizer.
Since that day at the teahouse, the Emperor, who had previously openly expressed his feelings for Wen Miao, disappeared for a while. She initially thought that the Emperor had lost interest, but unexpectedly, although he didn't come, a gift did arrive—
Fabrics and silks, headdresses and earrings, books and paintings, rouge and incense, snacks and fruits...
Since Wen Miao couldn't see anyone, she had no chance to refuse. Every few days, a low-key carriage would bring a bunch of things into the Xie residence, and each time a note would follow.
Sometimes the note read "Chosen for the Lady," sometimes "Hope the Lady likes it," and sometimes "Want to see the Lady." Each gift came with a note, which Wen Miao kept in a wooden box, as if she intended to wait for the Emperor to lose interest.
As for the gifts, they were all stored in Qinyuan's small storeroom.
Meanwhile, Xie Jingxuan has been busy these days, returning home late and often disappearing for days on end. He comes and goes in a hurry, but his face is full of energy, as if he is suppressing some kind of eager excitement.
In the vast Xie mansion, only Wen Miao and Xie Mengjun remained, along with Mr. Li Qingli, who came to teach during the day. When Wen Miao had nothing to do, she would go and audit the classes. Over time, she gradually grew closer to Mr. Li Qingli.
Although Li Qing is a woman and appears cold, she has a wealth of ideas in her heart; Wen Miao has amnesia and does not remember her past, but occasionally she says surprising things, as if she can depict another kind of desirable ideal.
So naturally, Li Qing became the first friend Wen Miao made after losing her memory.
This continued until mid-May.
It was afternoon when Xie Jingxuan, dressed in his official robes, returned to his residence with great vigor. His face was flushed with excitement and joy, and he seemed slightly drunk. He said that he had accomplished another good thing recently, and that more commoners would be able to become high-ranking officials in the future.
Wen Miao instructed the servants in the mansion to help Xie Jingxuan inside and take good care of him. She was rather curious about the few words her maternal grandfather had been muttering... Was it related to the education of the common people?
As she walked slowly toward Qinyuan in the sunlight, accompanied by Shicui and Wanbi, she saw a white dove fly over and rub against Wenmiao without fear of people.
Wanbi, with her sharp eyes, said, "Madam, it looks like there's something tied to the pigeon's leg."
Wen Miao's expression hardened slightly. With a wave of her hand, the pigeon, as if it had been trained, landed on her arm.
The bound note was removed, and Wen Miao had a guess in her mind. After seeing the handwriting, she thought to herself, "Just as I thought."
The note read—
"I would like to borrow Your Majesty for half a day. May I ask if Your Majesty would grant me permission?"
A note from the author:
----------------------
Emperor: Cough cough (feigning weakness)
Wen Miao: Frowning (soft-hearted)
Sorry I'm late today, thank you for liking it! [pleading]
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