Chapter 63 Don't be afraid
I went back inside and made a mess of things.
Zhuang Dongqing didn't even know whether to say Cen Yan was good or bad.
Take it slow.
But strangely enough, it seems that he went too far the past two days, and today he didn't react at all.
Seeing that the poison had been completely eliminated, Cen Yan gradually became more and more unrestrained.
Zhuang Dongqing ran her fingers through Cen Yan's hair, but couldn't lift his head. She said impatiently, "Okay, okay."
Cen Yan gently rubbed her cheeks, and just as Zhuang Dongqing was about to say something, her lips were kissed.
I'm going to die.
...
When Cen Yan pulled up his inner garment and tied the ribbons one by one, Zhuang Dongqing was still dazed from the kisses.
Having bullied him enough, Cen Yan reached out and pinched Zhuang Dongqing's cheek, then suggested, "If you're alright today, how about we go for a walk tomorrow?"
Where to?
Zhuang Dongqing's dull eyes regained some sparkle.
"I've been to the capital a few times already. With the Emperor's birthday approaching, the streets will be crowded. How about we go outside the city and I take you to Daci Temple?"
"temple?"
"Yes, we can go and pray for peace. Their vegetarian food is also famous far and wide. Would you like to try it?"
Ah, this...
Zhuang Dongqing swallowed.
He knew that some temples were famous for their vegetarian meals, which were said to taste like meat.
He wasn't particularly interested in praying to Buddha, but he was okay with praying for peace. After all, he had already transmigrated here, so it wouldn't be entirely true that he didn't believe in supernatural things.
However, when it came to leaving the capital and having a vegetarian meal, Zhuang Dongqing's eyes sparkled.
Cen Yan looked at it and smiled, "Then it's settled."
If there are no further abnormalities in your body today, we will set off in the morning tomorrow.
Thinking of something, he added, "But worshipping Buddha is all about sincerity, so we need to set off early. Get some rest tonight and sleep in the carriage tomorrow. When we arrive, we'll take you to the temple for breakfast."
Zhuang Dongqing nodded. Then he nodded again.
Seeing his joyful expression, Cen Yan felt a pang of heartache.
The Prince's mansion is still too small; it will feel stuffy in a while.
Thinking about it, but not mentioning it, she said instead, "Let's skip digging; it's inconvenient to squat. Let the servants do it."
"I heard from Liufu that you used to enjoy writing calligraphy. Since you have nothing to do, why don't you go to the study and practice your calligraphy?"
Zhuang Dongqing was a little embarrassed: "Well, after the high fever, I forgot a lot of what I knew, so..."
"Um?"
"So don't laugh at me if I don't write it well."
Cen Yan looked at Zhuang Dongqing: "How did you forget?"
"I have to learn to read again. There are many characters that I always miss when I write them."
Zhuang Dongqing forced himself to make something up.
"That's perfect. Let's learn to recognize them again. If you don't know, ask me and I'll teach you."
Wait, this...
Zhuang Dongqing: "Okay."
It's a good opportunity to pick up his study plan again.
If you want to integrate into this era, you'll eventually learn how.
The two spent the day in the study.
Zhuang Dongqing discovered that Cen Yan was also a very good teacher. He was extremely patient, wrote regular script neatly, and was very suitable for teaching.
As for Cen Yan, he already knew about Zhuang Dongqing's background, so it wasn't surprising.
Whenever I feel frustrated while dealing with documents, I look up and see Zhuang Dongqing sitting at his desk not far away, practicing calligraphy diligently like a little boy. Watching him for a while brings me a strange sense of comfort.
His possessiveness, which he kept to himself and others, was satisfied like never before.
Suddenly I realized that if life could be lived like this, slowly and steadily, it would be quite interesting.
Birds chirped and cicadas sang outside the window; soon it would be the height of summer.
*
The next day.
Before dawn, a carriage slowly drove out of the palace.
Zhuang Dongqing hadn't gotten up yet; it was too early, and she was extremely sleepy.
Since he got pregnant, he has been consistently unable to wake up. A few days ago, he had his last bout of poisoning. He went to bed early last night, and Liufu didn't wake him up this morning.
After trying twice, Cen Yan simply instructed Liu Qi to drive the carriage to the east wing entrance.
She was no longer called Zhuang Dongqing; she was wrapped in a quilt and carried, quilt and all, directly onto the carriage.
When they started walking, Zhuang Dongqing felt a swaying sensation and realized she should get up. She mumbled a few words, but Cen Yan covered her eyes with his hand and she fell asleep again.
And so, Zhuang Dongqing covered herself with the blanket and used Cen Yan's thigh as a pillow, sleeping for most of the journey. She only regained consciousness when dawn broke, having had enough sleep.
He rubbed his eyes and mumbled, "Why didn't you call me?"
Clearly aware of her own tendency to oversleep, she added, "If Liufu calls me a few more times, I'll wake up, really."
Cen Yan tidied his hair and said softly, "I know, I told them not to call me that."
"Have you had enough sleep?"
Zhuang Dongqing yawned widely, "Let me wake up, son."
"Um."
Cen Yan reached out and hugged Zhuang Dongqing. Zhuang Dongqing had just lain down when she remembered something and tried to sit up: "Are your legs numb from being carried by me all the way?"
Cen Yan pressed his hand down on her shoulder and pushed her back down. "It's alright."
"Hmm."
Still sleepy, Zhuang Dongqing muttered, "Talk to me."
"OK."
Cen Yan: "Is there anywhere you'd like to go in the future?"
"What, where?"
Realizing her question was too broad, Cen Yan changed her mind, "Didn't you say before that you didn't want to stay in the capital? Where did you originally plan to live?"
"Oh, this."
Zhuang Dongqing had indeed thought about it, and slowly said, "I haven't thought about it in such detail, but in short, having a big courtyard, being able to live comfortably, and having nice neighbors is enough."
"The scenery in your fiefdom must be beautiful."
"The area around the capital is also good. There aren't as many officials there, and it's close to the capital, so the officials there are more disciplined."
Cen Yan: "What about other places? Dasheng is so big, is there anyone who wants to go?"
Zhuang Dongqing hesitated, "Are you taking me on a long trip? To go on a trip?"
Cen Yan: "Perhaps."
Feeling it was unrealistic, Zhuang Dongqing didn't even think about it. "Jiangnan? A prosperous place, it should be bustling too."
Cen Yan lowered his eyes and touched Zhuang Dongqing's hair. "It's a good place."
He changed his question to, "Are you more awake now? Did you stop the carriage for a while so Liufu could fetch water to wash up?"
Zhuang Dongqing blinked and nodded.
As expected, breakfast was the temple's vegetarian meal.
Zhuang Dongqing ate with great relish.
After accompanying him for a while, I took Zhuang Dongqing to see the abbot. The abbot looked at his face and hands, scrutinizing him closely. Zhuang Dongqing's heart started pounding with anxiety. Only then did the abbot perform a Buddhist salute, utter a Buddhist chant, and praise, "Benefactor, you are blessed with great fortune. May everything go as you wish."
"If you wish to pray for peace, offering incense in the main hall of this temple is the most effective way."
This hit the nail on the head regarding Zhuang Dongqing's intentions.
After Zhuang Dongqing and Liu Fu went to offer incense as instructed, the abbot said to Cen Yan, "Young Master Zhuang is a blessed man. I don't think it's necessary for him to have a pendant or talisman for protection."
Since the abbot had said so, Cen Yan didn't press the matter. After chatting for a few more minutes, Cen Yan suddenly said, "I plan to retrieve the items that are placed in front of my father's memorial tablet today. Disassembling them is easy, but I wonder if there are any special considerations for retrieving them?"
"Reciting the sutra once is sufficient."
Cen Yan nodded.
Abbot: "Why did Your Highness suddenly see the light?"
What was being offered was nothing special; it was a Buddha head that had originally been on Cen Yan's bracelet. However, after he was forcibly detained in the capital, his hands were always bleeding, and Cen Yan felt this was inappropriate, so he removed the Buddha head and placed it in the Daci Temple.
Not only the abbot, but also the high monks who chanted sutras for the old prince had tried to persuade Cen Yan several times, but he never even considered taking it back.
Cen Yan gazed in the direction Zhuang Dongqing had left, "Probably, she's afraid of losing her life."
The abbot understood and said, "Well said."
Daci Temple covers a large area and has beautiful scenery of lakes and mountains. Zhuang Dongqing was extremely lively that day and visited many Buddhist halls and gardens. On the way back, he was a little tired. After returning to the palace and washing up, he went to bed and muttered that he had to wait for Cen Yan.
But by the time Cen Yan returned, he was already fast asleep.
Cen Yan didn't bother him, but simply patted Zhuang Dongqing's belly again and settled them down.
The next two weeks were peaceful.
On the eve of the Emperor's birthday, there was not much to do in the various government offices. Cen Yan's vacation was over, and when he was on duty, he would only go for half a day and would usually return in the afternoon.
The new clothes made by Liu Qi came in handy as soon as they were finished. Zhuang Dongqing's belly was growing rapidly, and the original batch of clothes soon became unsuitable.
"Doesn't it look strange?" Zhuang Dongqing finally asked Cen Yan one day.
"What?" Cen Yan feigned ignorance.
Zhuang Dongqing touched her waist, her feelings complicated, and said, "My stomach, is it... strange..."
With his head down, he lowered his voice again as he uttered the last three words.
Cen Yan reached out to Zhuang Dongqing, who leaned in. Cen Yan touched his waist and said, "It's alright, it's about time you grew bigger."
Cen Yan: "Unhappy?"
"No, not at all."
He denied it, but his eyes did not meet Cen Yan's.
Cen Yan sighed inwardly. He had spent a long time coaxing the person and making them happy, but some problems couldn't be solved with just a few words.
Zhuang Dongqing hadn't been going out much lately, and after changing her clothes, she stopped even going out of the east wing.
After some subtle questioning, Zhuang Dongqing said that Consort Tao was still alive and he was afraid of running into her.
Cen Yan knew what was going on, so he didn't force him. The afternoon walk was changed to the evening. Cen Yan pulled him along, and with him by his side, Zhuang Dongqing was still willing to take a walk.
By the time Cen Yan took on his duty on the eve of the Emperor's birthday, Zhuang Dongqing was already fully pregnant.
The Emperor's birthday celebration lasted for three days, during which the people celebrated together, and all industries in the capital took a three-day break.
The prince's personal guards and imperial guards were on duty at the palace to protect its safety.
On the first day, His Majesty held a banquet for his ministers, and the whole country celebrated.
Due to his duty, Cen Yan remained in the palace.
The next day, the best restaurants in the capital city will host a day of song and dance performances, which can be watched by the people of the capital city for free.
The Dowager Consort is still at the Princess's residence. She hasn't returned since she went there. Since she hasn't come back, Cen Yan doesn't ask. He just tells the Princess to remember to pack her things. According to custom, the two Dowager Consorts should return after the Emperor's birthday celebration.
Since her audience with the Emperor, Consort Tao has basically never left her courtyard and has remained largely invisible within the Prince's residence.
Overall, I was quite comfortable living in the Prince's Mansion.
There's just one person missing.
When Cen Yan first moved to the east wing, Zhuang Dongqing wasn't used to it. She couldn't see him and missed him a little.
On the last day of the Emperor's birthday celebration, the Imperial Astronomical Bureau held a sacrificial ceremony at the palace gate on behalf of the Emperor, praying for favorable weather, abundant harvests, and a prosperous nation.
On this day, many of the imperial guards gathered at the city gate. Due to a shortage of manpower, some of Cen Yan and the Prince's personal guards were also temporarily transferred.
The auspicious time, calculated to be in the evening, made Cen Yan a little irritable with his busy schedule.
Once the altar was lit, the guards and elite soldiers were mostly in position and could finally take a breather.
Seeing that it was almost time, Cen Yan was about to find a place to sit down when his sleeve was tugged. He turned around and met a pair of clear eyes, and was stunned.
I instinctively reached out to protect it, afraid of being bumped by the passing crowd.
With that action, he realized that the crowd around them was too large to be a suitable place to talk, so he instinctively took the person's hand and led them to a secluded spot.
Zhuang Dongqing obediently followed him.
Once you go around to the back of the palace wall, where you can't see the altar anymore, you'll see very few people.
Hao San and his men stood guard outside.
Once they were alone, Cen Yan asked in surprise, "Why are you here?"
Zhuang Dongqing lowered his eyes: "Liu Qi said that you can rest after the worship is over. I... I didn't have anything to do at home anyway, so I came over to come and pray for blessings, and wait for you to finish your business so we can go back to the manor together."
Realizing something, Cen Yan looked Zhuang Dongqing up and down. He wasn't wearing any clothes to conceal his figure, nor was he wearing a cloak to cover himself.
And so it happened.
A thought stirred within her, and she whispered, "Did you miss me?"
Before Zhuang Dongqing could speak, Cen Yan pulled her into a tight embrace, saying, "I've been missing you, young master."
Cen Yan buried his face and nose in Zhuang Dongqing's neck and took a deep breath, as if he were smelling his scent.
Zhuang Dongqing tensed up for a moment, then relaxed.
After a moment, he said in a low voice, "A little."
"Only a little?"
"……Um!"
Cen Yan laughed silently, but as they embraced, Zhuang Dongqing could feel the vibrations in his chest.
Zhuang Dongqing felt a little uncomfortable being laughed at, and asked Cen Yan, "Have you eaten?"
"No, there were some problems with the Imperial Observatory. There are many aristocratic scions in the Imperial Guard, and they are so stupid that it's a headache. His Majesty also attaches great importance to this sacrificial ceremony, so I and a few commanders have been busy working non-stop."
After a pause, he shamelessly asked, "I'm so hungry, what did the young master bring me?"
Zhuang Dongqing knew the situation; many people from the Prince's Mansion were part of the guards this time, and Liu Qi had told him about it long ago.
Unable to deny it after all, Zhuang Dongqing said, "It's in the carriage. I'll go get it for you. It's not much, just something to tide you over."
"Tell Hao San to have them bring it over; you stay here."
OK.
Cen Yan let go of her hand, and Zhuang Dongqing turned around. She had only taken two steps when, in an instant, the world within her sight became as bright as day.
Before Zhuang Dongqing could react to what was happening, a deafening explosion rang in her ears—
Boom!
Boom!
Rumble.
All cries were drowned out by the deafening explosion.
Almost at the same time, someone hugged him, spun him around halfway, pressed his head and face into their arms, and covered his ears with their hands.
"Ahhhhh!"
"The altar has collapsed!"
"My son~~~"
"They ran that way, over there."
"Grab them, quick!"
"@#！%~~"
A deafening roar mingled with the clamor of voices. Chaos ensued.
The ground was still shaking, and her heart was pounding. Zhuang Dongqing belatedly realized that an explosion had occurred, and it had happened very close to them.
My eyes were stimulated by the bright light, and even with my eyes closed, all I could see was a white blur.
My ears were ringing; the explosion was too loud, it was uncomfortable.
However, at the moment his soul returned to its place, Zhuang Dongqing did not feel fear of the unknown.
He was held tightly, his face was protected, and his ears were covered.
Although nothing was clear yet, a voice whispered in his ear, "It's alright, it's alright, don't be afraid."
A hand gently stroked his back, one stroke at a time, and said very calmly, "It's nothing, it's not over here."
After catching her breath, Zhuang Dongqing realized that she was gripping the other person's clothes tightly, and her back and forehead were covered in sweat.
After struggling and sensing his movement, Cen Yan loosened his grip.
Zhuang Dongqing looked up and saw flames shooting into the sky in the direction of the altar, illuminating the night.
Turning back, I met a pair of worried eyes that were only looking at me.
Zhuang Dongqing paused for a moment, then said, "I'm not afraid."
His voice was hoarse, but he steadied himself and tried his best to remain calm as he said, "I'm not afraid."
Chen Shu said, "You're blocking my way."
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