She lived such a miserable life
He and Zhang Chunfeng would often kiss each other at night. Although Zhang Chunfeng liked to be fierce, he only had a slight backache and nothing else that hurt.
Now that Zhang Chunfeng has given no response whatsoever, Li Xiuman is anxious and wincing in pain.
Despite the cold weather, both he and Zhang Chunfeng were drenched in sweat. It took about half an incense stick's time before Zhang Chunfeng finally reacted and realized he had taken the initiative.
Lee Soo-man bit her lip. Outside the door stood a maid, while inside stood a white porcelain bodhisattva with lowered eyes and meek demeanor.
The room was simple, the bed thin, and Zhang Chunfeng's medicine was too strong, causing Li Xiuman's entire back to slam against the wooden planks of the bed. The creaking sounds made Li Xiuman lower his eyes, no longer daring to look at the Guanyin statue in the room.
Next to the Guanyin statue was a sign that read "Universal Salvation." Li Xiuman felt a burning pain in his eyes at the sight. In such a sacred place as a temple, he had done such a thing. Universal Salvation—would it even save him and Zhang Chunfeng?
Just as the two were fussing over this, Xiao Jiu's voice suddenly came from outside the door, "Brother, are you and sister inside? Aren't you coming? I think it's going to snow, let's go together."
Lee Soo-man patted Zhang Chunfeng, but poor Zhang Chunfeng's eyes were bloodshot and his head was burning. No matter how Lee Soo-man called out to him, Zhang Chunfeng did not respond.
"Xiao Jiu, you, you go back first." Lee Soo-man gripped the plain-colored bed sheet and managed to finish the sentence with all his might.
"Brother, why does your voice sound so strange? Are you alright?" Xiao Jiu asked again, knocking on the door a little harder.
Neither Lee Soo-man nor Jang Chun-feng had ever told Xiao Jiu about their actual relationship. Lee Soo-man was nervous, afraid that Xiao Jiu would just walk in.
"Spring Breeze, Spring Breeze!" Lee Soo-man patted Zhang Chunfeng, but the other party still did not move.
"I, I'm fine!" Lee Soo-man shouted. "You go back first!"
After saying that, fearing Xiao Jiu would knock on the door again, he said, "Qiu Xin, take them back, hmm."
Xiao Jiu stopped knocking on the door, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "Okay, brother, let's go back."
Lee Soo-man didn't respond. He struggled to grab the handkerchief next to him and wiped the sweat from Zhang Chunfeng's forehead while enduring the pain.
He didn't even remember how much time had passed. As he vaguely turned his head to look at the white porcelain Bodhisattva, the thought arose in Li Xiuman's mind that he might be dying and that the Bodhisattva had come to help him be reborn.
"Sister-in-law."
When Lee Soo-man woke up again, Zhang Chunfeng had already regained consciousness.
He opened his eyes and met Zhang Chunfeng's apologetic expression.
"Spring Breeze, cough cough." Lee Soo-man's voice was dry. "Are you alright? Do you feel unwell anywhere?" he asked anxiously.
Zhang Chunfeng paused for a moment, then suddenly pulled Li Xiuman into his arms.
"Sister-in-law, I hurt you again."
Zhang Chunfeng was filled with self-blame. When she woke up, she saw Li Xiuman lying beside her, covered in marks. The horrific marks on her body made her eyes throb with pain. Even more terrifying was the faint bloodstains beneath Li Xiuman.
“I clearly said I would always protect you and never let you get hurt, but all the injuries my sister-in-law suffered were caused by me.”
Lee Soo-man shook his head. "It's nothing. How about you? Do you feel clear-headed? Why are you still so hot? Are you really alright?"
Zhang Chunfeng seemed to be clear-headed, but his cheeks were still strangely red, and his body was hot.
Lee Soo-man pulled his clothes up and said, "Let's go back quickly and see a doctor when we get back."
As he spoke, he hurriedly got out of bed. The moment one foot touched the ground, a sudden pain caused Li Xiuman's legs to tremble, and he knelt down with a thud.
"Sister-in-law!" Zhang Chunfeng exclaimed, hurriedly pulling Li Xiuman up.
"It's nothing," Lee Soo-man said, still trying to sound tough, but he realized that even walking was painful.
Zhang Chunfeng finished packing and took Li Xiuman's hand, saying, "I'm just feeling hot, but I'm actually fine. Let's go back slowly."
Lee Soo-man couldn't walk very fast either, so he nodded.
Zhang Chunfeng opened the door to the side room and told the maid to quickly make the bed.
The two had arrived in the morning, but it was already four in the afternoon. The weather was indeed threatening snow; the sky was overcast, the cold wind blew incessantly, and the surroundings were bleak and chilly.
Zhang Chunfeng, draped in a crimson crane cloak, with her rosy lips and peach-like cheeks, was the only color in this stark white space. Li Xiuman was held tightly by Zhang Chunfeng, and the warmth of Zhang Chunfeng's hand traveled through her fingertips to Li Xiuman's palm.
Lee Soo-man was not one to be overly intimate with others in front of strangers. Perhaps because the weather was too cold, he didn't feel ashamed this time and let Zhang Chunfeng lead him down the mountain.
On the way back, Zhang Chunfeng hugged Li Xiuman tightly but didn't say a word, as if he was thinking about something.
Lee Soo-man asked in confusion, "Spring Breeze, what are you thinking about?"
"How do you plan to get rid of that idiot Zhao Yong?" she asked indifferently.
Lee Soo-man pondered, "He is, after all, the Crown Prince."
These words were brief, but the two understood perfectly well that, no matter what, the Empress was in her prime, and Zhao Yong was her only biological son. If Zhao Yong were to be punished, it would only be a matter of confinement and reflection, and he wouldn't be punished much more severely.
"Yes, I was afraid for several years," Zhang Chunfeng said slowly.
It had indeed snowed in Kyoto. A thin layer of snow covered the stone pavement. Lee Soo-man alighted from the carriage, but slipped after only a couple of steps. Snow was rare in Jiangnan, and even when it did snow, it wasn't heavy, just a thin layer of water on the ground. But in Kyoto, the snow could accumulate to several inches. Lee Soo-man wasn't used to walking on snowy roads, while Zhang Chunfeng was already accustomed to walking on the slippery surface.
She grabbed Lee Soo-man and, before he could resist, suddenly picked him up.
Lee Soo-man was startled. "Spring Breeze! I'm very heavy. Put me down."
"You're injured, and the ground is slippery. What if you fall again and make things worse?"
“I’m really heavy.” Lee Soo-man struggled for a moment.
"It's alright, I can carry him." Zhang Chunfeng shook his head and slowly carried the person from under the carriage into the courtyard, where the corridors were long.
Zhang Chunfeng carried Li Xiuman, walking a little slower, as the swirling snow lashed at them. Before they knew it, their hair had turned completely white. Li Xiuman suddenly remembered their first meeting; in that torrential rain, it was she who carried Zhang Chunfeng on her back.
Four years have passed, the rain has turned into snow, and Zhang Chunfeng has truly grown up. He is much stronger than before, both in height and strength. Li Xiuman can clearly feel the stability of Zhang Chunfeng's arm nestled between her legs and around her back.
“The Little New Year is just half a month away,” Li Xiuman suddenly said.
Zhang Chunfeng nodded, "It's been four years, and this is the first time my sister-in-law and I have celebrated the New Year together."
Lee Soo-man reached out and gently brushed the snow off their heads. "From now on, we can spend every year together."
The two were laughing when Xiao Sui came running over, shouting.
"Daddy, why are you being held? You're not a little child anymore."
Lee Soo-man blushed slightly and tugged at Zhang Chunfeng's sleeve, "We're here, put me down."
Zhang Chunfeng shook his head and said to Xiao Sui, "Your father isn't feeling well, so I'm holding him. You little brat, stop talking nonsense."
"Where does Dad feel unwell? Does he need some medicine?"
"You don't need to worry about that, go build a snowman and play by yourself." Zhang Chunfeng raised his chin.
"I want to build a snowman with my dad."
“Go by yourself, he has to come with me.” Zhang Chunfeng clicked his tongue, and Xiao Sui immediately shrank back. She dared to disobey Li Xiuman now, but she dared not disobey Zhang Chunfeng’s words in the slightest.
"Okay, I'll go by myself." Xiao Sui was about to leave, but then she grumbled aggrievedly, "But I still want to sleep with Daddy. I haven't slept with Daddy for a year."
"Dreaming, I fall asleep alone."
Lee Soo-man said helplessly, "What are you arguing about with Xiao Sui?"
"I will mentor her."
Lee Soo-man: ......
Back in the room, Zhang Chunfeng applied ointment to Li Xiuman and told her to lie down and rest. After the bitter cold of the journey, her body heat had dissipated, and judging by the time, her period should have passed, so she didn't seek a doctor again, but only thought about how to get revenge on Zhao Yong.
Before she could formally report these matters to the emperor, the empress summoned her first.
——————
The Golden Palace.
The empress pinched the bridge of her nose, one arm propping herself up on the corner of the table.
After Zhang Chunfeng entered the hall and paid his respects, he heard the Empress say, "Ever since Yong'er learned that he was to marry the daughter of the Minister of Revenue, he has locked himself in his room and refused to eat."
Zhang Chunfeng frowned slightly; she had only learned of this this morning. Compared to Zhao Yong, who usually ate five meals a day, now going on a hunger strike, he was truly ruthless to himself.
"This morning, I had someone deliver hot roasted mutton to his palace, but Yong'er lay in bed and didn't even glance at it," the Empress said calmly. "By noon today, he has not eaten or drunk a drop of water for a whole day and night."
Just as Zhang Chunfeng was about to speak, the Empress continued, "It would be good to have someone force-feed him water, but Yong'er is only in his twenties. We can't have people force-feeding him water and soup for the next ten years or so."
The Empress stared directly at Zhang Chunfeng.
Zhang Chunfeng bowed and said, "Whatever Your Majesty requires of me, I will do my utmost."
The Empress sighed deeply, “Spring Breeze, Spring Breeze, of course I know you are loyal to me, and I know you are talented and intelligent, but sometimes I really hate why you are so captivating to my Yong’er like a banished immortal.”
Zhang Chunfeng lowered his eyes and said, "It was my fault."
The Empress shook her head. “Love arises without knowing its origin and deepens with time. I hate the word ‘love’ more than anything in my life. Because of it, we are bound by life and death and restrained by our own desires. You are unwilling to marry another, and Yong’er cannot tolerate another. Originally, I intended for you to assist him, but I never thought it would become a dead end.”
“I can do anything, but in my entire life, I can only have my sister-in-law,” Zhang Chunfeng said firmly.
The Empress shook her head again, and then said.
“Since Yong’er is suffering, you should suffer with him. If he truly cares about you, he will eat something so as not to see you suffer.”
Zhang Chunfeng accepted the order.
The Eastern Palace.
Zhao Yong lay on the bed, like a soulless skeleton. A young eunuch, carrying a bowl of rice, hurried over and urged, "Your Highness, please eat something."
"Your Highness, Lord Zhang is kneeling at the door. Outside, snow is falling heavily. If you don't eat, Lord Zhang will have to kneel for another day!"
Upon hearing Zhang Chunfeng's name, Zhao Yong suddenly jumped out of bed.
"Spring breeze, spring breeze? Spring breeze is outside the door?" Zhao Yong hurriedly got up and staggered to the door.
The snowstorm didn't stop yesterday, and it's still snowing today.
Zhang Chunfeng, dressed in a bright red official robe, knelt on the ground, his vibrant red standing out against the backdrop of pure white.
Zhao Yong staggered towards Zhang Chunfeng. The little eunuch quickly grabbed Zhao Yong, "Your Highness, it's cold outside!"
The young eunuch draped a crane-feather cloak over Zhao Yong, held up an umbrella, and followed Zhao Yong out.
Unaware that the snow outside was already up to halfway up his ankles, Zhao Yong trudged to Zhang Chunfeng's side.
"Spring Breeze." Zhao Yong called her name, but Zhang Chunfeng did not respond.
At this moment, Zhao Yong noticed that the snow was falling heavily on Zhang Chunfeng's official robe, which was already soaked, and her black gauze hat was also damp.
"Spring Breeze! It's so cold here, you'll freeze to death!" Zhao Yong reached out to help Zhang Chunfeng up.
Zhang Chunfeng dodged the hands and said coldly, "If I stand up to obey His Majesty's decree, I will be disobeying the decree."
"How could you do this, Mother! I... I'll go and confront her right now."
"Your Highness, please don't cause trouble. His Majesty's decree is clear: if you don't eat, you will suffer, and as a minister, I will naturally suffer along with you."
Zhao Yong was stung by the tone. "Chunfeng, I... I never wanted you to suffer with me. I never had that thought."
"Is that so? Does Your Highness remember that on your way back to the capital from Yunnan and Guizhou, you passed through the southern part of the city and accidentally ran over and killed someone in the street?"
Zhao Yong stared blankly, then looked at the young eunuch in a panic. The young eunuch lowered his voice and reminded him, "Your Highness, it's that fool you gave a silver ingot to."
Zhang Chunfeng's smile grew even colder upon hearing this. "Fool? Has Your Highness inquired about that person's name?"
"I..." Zhao Yong looked at the little eunuch again, but the little eunuch had nothing to say. The crown prince had just run over a fool and killed him in the street. Who cared who the fool was?
"That man's surname is Zhang."
Zhao Yong's heart sank.
“His name is Chuntian, and he is my elder brother.”
Zhao Yong's heart sank to the bottom of a lake. He anxiously looked at the little eunuch beside him, whose face was also deathly pale.
"I, I, I truly didn't know he was your brother? How could he be your brother?"
“Your Highness killed my brother, beat my sister-in-law, and even drugged me, almost driving me to my death. I survived yesterday from His Highness’s medicine, and today I’m going to freeze to death at His Highness’s doorstep.” Zhang Chunfeng let out a cold laugh. “Your Highness truly loves me, but this love requires the lives of my entire family to repay it. To put it bluntly, my ancestors were just commoners. This kind of love is something a commoner like me can’t possibly bear.”
"Chunfeng, I really didn't..." Zhao Yong was about to explain further when he heard Zhang Chunfeng cough a few times.
"Someone, bring me some ginger soup!"
"Your Highness, there's no need for this. I've already said that the Empress has decreed that Your Highness should not drink. If I do drink, it would be disobeying the decree, a capital offense!"
Zhao Yong was so anxious that tears streamed down his face. "Chunfeng, if I drink it, I will have to marry someone else. You know that my heart only belongs to you! If I marry someone else, how can I find any joy in this life?"
"Ha, Your Highness was born into an imperial family. You already have wealth and honor, yet you still want happiness and peace? You are truly delusional."
Zhao Yong wiped away his tears. "Chunfeng, you only know about my wealth and glory, but have you ever thought that I am nothing more than a puppet on a string, always having to do as my mother wishes?"
"No, Your Highness, I have never known your glory and wealth. I was born into poverty and my family lived in a village. Even if I had achieved fame and fortune, I would still be living in fear. I have never experienced Your Highness's careless words and reckless behavior, and I have no idea what so-called glory and wealth are like."
Zhao Yong was choked again. He lowered his head, remained silent for a long time, and then said, "But I don't like the daughter of the Minister of Revenue. It would be a disservice for her to marry me. Why should I involve her in this marriage?"
"As I have said, wealth and honor cannot coexist with happiness and peace. Since she has chosen to be the Crown Princess, she must naturally give up happiness and peace. If becoming the Crown Princess is still a hardship, then there are truly too many things in this world that can cause such hardship."
Zhao Yong remained silent. "I can never win an argument with you."
"Facts speak louder than words. Your Highness is too happy. Only happy people can act recklessly."
Zhang Chunfeng said coldly, suddenly remembering Li Xiuman.
Zhao Yong was favored and always acted arbitrarily. But his sister-in-law, who had always been known for her forbearance, never indulged in any recklessness.
"But I don't want you to marry Lee Soo-man! I don't want to!" Zhao Yong stomped his feet in anger. He was even somewhat grateful to the deceased Li Shi, because it was because Zhang Chunfeng's mother had died that, although the Empress had granted the marriage, Lee Soo-man and Zhang Chunfeng could not marry for at least three years.
Only a year has passed! There are still two years left! So many things could change in that time. What if Zhang Chunfeng gets tired of Li Xiuman in just two years? What if Li Xiuman dies? What if Zhang Chunfeng changes her mind and chooses him instead? There are countless "what ifs," but the only one that isn't a "what if" is that if he marries another woman now, there will be no possibility between him and Zhang Chunfeng.
"Then Your Highness may watch me freeze to death here." Zhang Chunfeng was unwilling to say any more; saying less would keep him warmer and allow him to endure for a little longer.
Seeing Zhang Chunfeng kneeling in the snow, Zhao Yong didn't leave. He snatched the umbrella from the eunuch's hand and stood behind Zhang Chunfeng to hold it for her.
The snowstorm showed no signs of stopping.
Looking at his soaked clothes, Zhang Chunfeng suddenly realized that he was afraid he wouldn't be able to have a peaceful New Year.
Neither of the two people inside the East Palace noticed that a sedan chair was parked outside the courtyard.
The sedan curtain was lifted and then lowered again.
"General Duan, why are you showing me these things?" Li Xiuman sat on the side of the sedan chair, looking at Duan Qingshan in front of him.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
