Chapter 44
Lee Soo-man had just finished lunch when this person came to him, saying he wanted to take him to see a good show. Lee Soo-man was reluctant to go, after all, this was the capital, and what if Duan Qingshan led him to a place he shouldn't go, and then Chunfeng would be implicated?
Duan Qingshan insisted that the play belonged to Zhang Chunfeng, leaving Li Xiuman with no choice but to agree. He knew that Duan Qingshan also harbored feelings for Zhang Chunfeng, but he also knew that these feelings were different from Zhao Yong's. Li Xiuman could sense that, regardless of the circumstances, Duan Qingshan would not harm him for the time being.
So he rode in Duan Qingshan's sedan chair and arrived outside the East Palace.
This was his first time entering the palace. He was nervous, but also curious about what the place where he went to court every day was like.
“If you want to see, sister-in-law, just take a look outside. Actually, you shouldn’t ride in a sedan chair in the palace, but I’ve broken the palace rules today,” Duan Qingshan said, reaching out to lift the sedan curtain for Li Xiuman to see.
Li Xiuman looked up, but couldn't see much, just green tiles and red walls. The walls seemed endless, and after a while, Li Xiuman found it uninteresting.
“Since the palace does not allow sedan chairs, you have broken the rules, so won’t you be punished?” Lee Soo-man asked.
Duan Qingshan shook his head. "It's not a matter of punishment. At most, my father will give me a lecture. Anyway, the Empress is reducing military power. Since we'll lose power sooner or later, we might as well enjoy a little freedom while we can."
Lee Soo-man noticed the intimacy Duan Qingshan showed when mentioning his father, but since he didn't have a father and didn't know what it was like to have one, he didn't respond.
Upon arriving outside the East Palace, the sedan chair stopped, and Duan Qingshan lifted the curtain to show Li Xiuman Zhang Chunfeng kneeling on the ground.
With just one glance, Lee Soo-man's heart clenched.
On such a cold day, his spring breeze was kneeling in the swirling snow; his clothes and shoes must have been soaked through. The ground was so cold; kneeling like that all day, not only would his knees be ruined, but his legs would probably be broken too.
Duan Qingshan noticed Li Xiuman's nervousness and continued, "His Highness the Crown Prince refused to eat or drink for Chunfeng's sake, so His Majesty issued an edict ordering Chunfeng to suffer with His Highness the Crown Prince. As long as His Highness the Crown Prince did not eat for a day, Chunfeng could not get up for a day."
Lee Soo-man clenched his fists, thinking to himself, "Everyone says Chunfeng is second only to the emperor, yet today he's still being controlled by the Zhao family mother and son. Why should Chunfeng have to kneel down just because Zhao Yong isn't eating? A person can survive for three days without food or water, but Chunfeng probably won't even last a day against this snow."
"Is your sister-in-law worried?" Duan Qingshan smiled. "Actually, I am worried too. His Highness the Crown Prince is in the snow with Chunfeng, and neither of them will give in. Won't they both freeze to death in the end?"
Lee Soo-man glanced at Duan Qingshan and understood what this man was up to.
"But I am just a commoner, not as capable as General Duan, who might be able to save the two of them."
"No matter how capable I am, one is the Grand Secretary and the other is the Crown Prince. How can I compete with these two? Sister-in-law, you overestimate me."
"Since even General Duan is helpless, what can I do besides feel sorry for him?"
Duan Qingshan laughed again, "Although you have never been to school, I believe you are not a fool. This whole thing started because of you. I don't know what to do."
"Oh? General Duan thinks that if I disappear, the whole thing will end? Or that Chunfeng will fall in love with you? Fall in love with His Highness the Crown Prince?"
"It's impossible for you to be here, but there's still a chance if you're not here."
“I haven’t seen Chunfeng for three years. If I had the chance, why didn’t we get together in those three years?” Lee Soo-man retorted, his tone suddenly becoming more forceful than his usual honest and tolerant manner.
Duan Qingshan was also slightly surprised. He had thought that Li Xiuman, who came from the village and was always timid and hesitant in his speech and actions, would not have any insights. However, he did not expect Li Xiuman to react like this.
“It didn’t happen before, but it might happen again. We have to try.” Duan Qingshan laughed. “Since you care about Chunfeng, you shouldn’t let her stubbornly kneel on the ground. Why don’t you leave? It’s uncertain whether His Highness the Crown Prince and Chunfeng can get together, but at least Chunfeng’s life can be saved this time.”
Seeing that Lee Soo-man pursed his lips and remained silent.
Duan Qingshan continued, "Does sister-in-law really want to watch Chunfeng faint in this freezing weather?"
Lee Soo-man shook his head, "I certainly don't want to see Chun-bu suffer like this, but..."
“Spring Breeze suffered so much for me, but after kneeling for so long, I left. That would truly be a disservice to Spring Breeze,” Lee Soo-man said.
Duan Qingshan was stunned again; he truly hadn't expected Li Xiuman to say that.
“Sister-in-law, but if you don’t leave, Chunfeng will die.”
“Then I will die with her. We only have each other in this world, and we have already decided to be together in life and death.”
He spoke of his death so calmly that Duan Qingshan was at a loss for words.
"I admire my sister-in-law for not being afraid of death. What I fear is that even if she is spared the death penalty, she will not escape punishment. Has my sister-in-law ever thought that after this, Chunfeng can still hold on to his position as the chief minister?"
Li Xiuman shook his head, "I don't understand the ways of being an official, but Chunfeng knows. I only listen to her. If she wants me to leave, I will leave; if she wants me to stay, I will stay."
Duan Qingshan turned his head away unhappily. He had not achieved his goal for the day. He sullenly called out, "Start the sedan chair," and the two of them left the palace again.
The heater inside the sedan chair was burning brightly, and the space was cramped, so Li Xiuman felt hot. She adjusted her collar slightly, unintentionally revealing several ambiguous marks on her neck. Duan Qingshan happened to see these marks; they were so clear that it was almost certain the two of them had been intimate the previous night...
Duan Qingshan didn't want to think any further, and glared angrily at Li Xiuman's neck, only to see Li Xiuman straighten his collar, revealing even more marks.
"Slut." Duan Qingshan cursed inwardly, suddenly regretting that Zhao Yong had asked him to help undress Li Xiuman. The offspring of two prostitutes was truly despicable. Why should he save such a lowly slut who was already climbing into Chunfeng's bed?
So stubborn and incorrigible, it would have been better to have Zhao Yong see what despicable tricks he had that could seduce Zhang Chunfeng into doing such a thing with him during his mourning period.
Lee Soo-man had no idea what the other person thought of him; his mind was filled with the image of Zhang Chunfeng kneeling in the snow.
Chunfeng is already the Grand Secretary, yet she still has to suffer like this? Didn't she suffer even more before she became Grand Secretary? Looking closely at Duan Qingshan and Zhao Yong, who are both from aristocratic families, Chunfeng is the only one whose ancestors were all farmers. Arriving in the capital, she is truly isolated and helpless, facing immense difficulties.
Even so, she rose to the position of Grand Secretary. The bitter winds and rains, the loneliness and treading on thin ice that Zhang Chunfeng had once described all came to mind for Li Xiuman.
He suddenly regretted it. He regretted listening to Li and leaving Zhang Chunfeng alone to go to the capital.
Zhang Chunfeng regretted bearing the bitter winds and rain alone. He regretted sleeping alone on such cold winter nights. He regretted walking such a long road to court every day, alone.
People should be a little selfish. If I had been a little more selfish back then, I certainly wouldn't have let Zhang Chunfeng suffer so much.
A look of worry crept onto Lee Soo-man's face. As he thought about it, he said, "Spring Breeze must have had a very difficult time these past few years."
Duan Qingshan scoffed, "Sister-in-law, you must be joking. Chunfeng is rising through the ranks and making great strides. How could that be bad? I've heard that you have your family in Lingnan. You should worry more about yourself."
He had intended to take the opportunity to point out how mismatched Li Xiuman and Zhang Chunfeng were, noting that while Zhang Chunfeng sat high in the court at the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Li Xiuman was probably toiling away in some corner. Li Xiuman, however, was completely oblivious to this incompatibility and still felt regret.
Duan Qingshan, staring at the glaring marks on Li Xiuman's body, asked, "Sister-in-law, do you know that one should observe at least three years of mourning after the death of one's mother? You couldn't resist, and you don't even feel ashamed? What can you do when someone has something on you? Are you really that impatient?"
Lee Soo-man blinked. He was so impatient? Wasn't it because Jo Yong had drugged Chun-poong?
However, this serves as a reminder to Lee Soo-man, since Lady Lee has only been dead for less than a year, and this matter really needs to be kept out of the public eye.
"It's been raining and snowing all day, so the bedding is wet and hasn't dried yet. It's infested with bugs, probably from mosquito bites. General Duan is mistaken," Li Xiuman explained, surprised that she had learned to lie so brazenly.
Duan Qingshan was also slightly surprised, thinking to himself that Li Xiuman seemed honest, but was actually full of bad intentions. He could lie without even blushing, which was really lewd. No wonder he could get into bed.
Thinking this way, he didn't stand on ceremony with Li Xiuman. When the sedan chair arrived at the door, he didn't get out to see him off, but simply raised his chin. Li Xiuman understood and got out of the sedan chair himself. Duan Qingshan didn't wait either, and directly ordered the sedan chair to be lifted up and driven away.
The servants of the Zhang family were diligent and had already swept the snow out of the courtyard. Li Xiuman walked on the stone slabs, took a few steps, and then knelt down with a thud.
The commotion startled the servants in the courtyard. Qiu Xin rushed to greet her, "Madam, what are you doing in this freezing weather?"
Li Xiuman shook his head and was helped up by Qiu Xin.
"It's nothing, I just want to experience what it's like to have the spring breeze kneeling on this stone slab."
So cold, so damp, so chilly, so hard.
Lee Soo-man stood motionless in the courtyard, feeling as layers of snow fell into his heart.
"Madam, what did you say? The master has been punished?" Qiu Xin asked.
Lee Soo-man said no more, "I'll go make ginger tea."
"Madam, we'll go cook it."
“No, I’ll go myself,” Lee Soo-man murmured, heading towards the small kitchen.
Yesterday, he and Chunfeng were delighted by the snow falling all around, but today, Li Xiuman is praying that the snow will stop soon and not harm his Chunfeng.
From afternoon to evening, Lee Soo-man stood in the courtyard, gazing at the increasingly gloomy sky.
Zhang Chunfeng has not yet returned, and no news has come from the palace.
Li Xiuman's heart grew heavier and heavier. He silently repeated Zhang Chunfeng's name over and over again, and as he did so, he felt as if Zhang Chunfeng was calling out to him as well.
Sister-in-law.
As Zhang Chunfeng collapsed, she silently repeated to herself. She wasn't foolish enough to actually kneel there and eat Zhao Yong's food. She would still need to use her legs for Li Xiuman in the future, and if they were crippled now, wouldn't she be unable to perform her nightly pleasures?
After kneeling for only an hour, Zhang Chunfeng deliberately swayed from side to side, his body unsteady.
Zhao Yong called her name repeatedly, but Zhang Chunfeng simply ignored him.
After swaying from side to side for a while, Zhang Chunfeng's body went limp, his vision went black, and he fell headfirst into the snow.
"Spring Breeze!" Zhao Yong screamed, throwing down the umbrella in his hand and helping Zhang Chunfeng up. He called out again and again, but there was no response.
Zhao Yong's face turned pale. "Someone, quickly bring Chunfeng to my bedchamber."
The people around him remained completely still.
Zhao Yong roared, "Are you all deaf! This prince is going to deliver the spring breeze to my bedchamber!"
The young eunuch bowed and said, "Your Highness, the Empress has decreed that Lord Zhang kneel here; we have no choice."
"Chunfeng is about to die! You can't do anything about it!" Seeing that no one else was moving, Zhao Yong went to pull Zhang Chunfeng away, but was held down by two eunuchs beside him.
"Your Highness, this is His Majesty's decree. As long as you do not eat, Lord Zhang must not get up!"
Zhao Yong was surrounded by several eunuchs, with a young eunuch carrying a bowl of hot ginger soup.
"Release me, Your Highness! Chunfeng! Chunfeng!" Zhao Yong shouted twice, but his body, which had not eaten for a day and a night, could not resist the eunuchs beside him.
Zhao Yong's eyes were red as he looked at Zhang Chunfeng, who was already lying in the snow and ice, and two lines of tears fell unconsciously.
"Spring Breeze, Spring Breeze, I only love you. What wrong have I done? Why are you treating me like this! I want to go find my mother!" Zhao Yong twisted his body, but was still held back by several eunuchs and could not move.
The young eunuch leaned closer to Zhao Yong, "Your Highness, I've followed you since childhood, how could I possibly harm you? Please have your meal! As the saying goes, 'Where there's life, there's hope!' As long as Lord Zhang and you are both alive, you'll have plenty of opportunities in the decades to come!"
Zhao Yong collapsed to the ground, tears streaming down his face.
The young eunuch continued to persuade, "Now that you are the crown prince, you naturally cannot control the empress. But you can wait ten or twenty years. If you become the emperor, Lord Zhang will be yours sooner or later! Why wait until he dies now?"
Zhao Yong was suddenly awakened by the little eunuch's words and abruptly turned to look at him.
He paused for a moment, then took the bowl from the eunuch, gulped down half a bowl of ginger soup, and then, carrying the bowl, climbed over to Zhang Chunfeng's side.
"Spring breeze, spring breeze, have something warm to drink."
Zhang Chunfeng hadn't actually fainted, but Zhao Yong's ginger soup was too strong, causing Zhang Chunfeng to cough twice and open his eyes.
"Wake up! Your Highness! Lord Zhang is awake."
Zhao Yong shouted, "Quickly summon the imperial physician!"
Seeing that no one around him had moved, Zhao Yong shouted again, "Tell my mother that I agree to the marriage. All the mistakes are my fault as her son, and have nothing to do with Chunfeng!"
Only then did the eunuch rush to the Imperial Hospital.
Zhang Chunfeng was helped up by two maids, but his knees were so stiff that he could not move. Zhao Yong was dragged into the bedroom by a young eunuch while crying.
Having knelt for so long, Zhang Chunfeng had become numb to the pain. But now, with the hot air in the warm hall, his tattered skin clung to the damp cloth, and he was truly in pain, his face turning deathly pale.
"Chunfeng, it's all my fault, all my fault, for causing you to suffer like this." Zhao Yong looked at Zhang Chunfeng's bloodied knee, trembling with sobs. A chill ran through him, and his heart was filled with lingering fear. Why had he really argued with his mother? What if Zhang Chunfeng were crippled from now on...?
Zhang Chunfeng gritted his teeth and let the imperial physician apply the ointment to his wound. The medicine was both hot and cold, and when it came into contact with the wound, Zhang Chunfeng felt as if tens of thousands of ants were crawling all over his body.
"Sister-in-law." Zhang Chunfeng's forehead was covered in sweat as she called out Li Xiuman's name, the pain making her want to burrow into Li Xiuman's arms.
Zhao Yong hurriedly tried to grab Zhang Chunfeng's hand, but Zhang Chunfeng, with a look of disgust on his face, casually smashed the celadon cup.
"Take me back, I want my sister-in-law!"
Zhao Yong shook his head. "Spring Breeze, I beg you, please stay with me a little longer, please."
Zhang Chunfeng sneered, "Your Highness wants me to spend more time with you, but you broke both my legs! Aren't you the best at doing such disgusting things!"
Zhao Yong started crying again, and the little eunuch hurriedly advised, "Your Highness, let's send Lord Zhang back first."
The young eunuch whispered in Zhao Yong's ear, "If Lord Zhang really becomes lame, what will Your Highness do?"
Zhao Yong had no choice but to turn his back, which was taken as agreement.
At two o'clock in the morning, a carriage slowly arrived at the Zhang residence.
All the candles in the Zhang residence were still burning. Lee Soo-man stood at the door, gazing out like a statue waiting for her husband.
He heard the sound of a carriage in the distance and couldn't resist any longer, so he jogged over.
"Spring Breeze." Li Xiuman said urgently, and several eunuchs carried Zhang Chunfeng down.
Upon seeing that both of Zhang Chunfeng's knees were wrapped in bandages, Lee Soo-man's long eyelashes trembled slightly.
"Sister-in-law, I'm fine." Zhang Chunfeng smiled and took Li Xiuman's hand.
"How could nothing have happened? You knelt in the freezing snow for so long!"
Zhang Chunfeng asked in surprise, "Who told you that?"
"General Duan took me to see His Highness the Crown Prince," Li Xiuman replied truthfully.
Once inside the house, Li Xiuman spooned hot tea into Zhang Chunfeng's mouth, while Qiu Xin prepared hot water for him to soak his feet.
"Duan Qingshan is a slut too, actually taking you to see that."
“Even if he doesn’t take me to see something this big, I’ll find out sooner or later anyway,” Lee Soo-man said, adding that it didn’t matter.
He told Qiu Xin to go down, and then he squatted down to wash Zhang Chunfeng's feet and massage his legs.
"How long did you wait, sister-in-law?"
"Not long ago."
Zhang Chunfeng clicked his tongue, "Look at the shoe prints in this room. If it hadn't been long, how come your shoes are all wet?"
Li Xiuman looked down and saw a clear imprint in the room. He quickly took off his shoes, put on a clean pair, and continued to wash Zhang Chunfeng's feet.
“I’m standing, you’re kneeling, it’s not the same.”
Zhang Chunfeng smiled and said, "Actually, I was just pretending to faint. I could never really kneel down and pass out. Don't worry, apart from my knees being scraped and a little cold, I'm fine."
Li Xiuman persisted, continuing to press Zhang Chunfeng's soles with his fingers. Then, he rubbed his palms together to warm them and massaged Zhang Chunfeng's calves in circles with hot water.
“You’re young now and don’t feel anything now, but if your knees get cold, you’ll suffer when you get old. You probably forgot that Aunt Liu’s knees hurt on rainy days.”
Zhang Chunfeng looked down at Li Xiuman, who was kneeling and washing her feet. His long, black hair was incredibly smooth, his long eyelashes were curled, and he had a beautiful mole on the tip of his nose. Most importantly, Li Xiuman was completely absorbed in her, massaging the soles of her feet, her calves, and then rubbing the backs of her knees with a warm handkerchief.
Li Xiuman then took the stove and shoved it into Zhang Chunfeng's hands, telling her to put it on her stomach.
"Why go through all this trouble, sister-in-law? Just lie down and hold me in your arms for a bit," Zhang Chunfeng said with a smile.
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