Chapter 31 Why Doesn't the Imperial Sister Reside in the Inner Palace?
The crisp, clean scent of pine needles seemed to envelop her in a landscape painting; her body was soaked, and her heart was pounding rapidly.
There was still a slight distance between their bodies, yet in this humid atmosphere, it felt as if their skin was intimately connected. The slightest touch stirred pleasure in their minds, and even their breaths intertwined, inseparable.
When the dream ended, Yuezhi opened her eyes on the bed, her mind still filled with the blush-inducing kiss from that night.
Three days have passed, but she still can't forget it.
Whenever she thinks about it, she feels both happy and shy, her lower abdomen tingles, and she feels a stirring of emotions she has never experienced before—a mixture of happiness and nervousness.
She turned over and hugged the embroidered pillow tightly. It was a habit she had developed in previous winters; she always needed to hold something in her arms at night to sleep soundly.
Before dawn, she buried her smiling face in her embroidered pillow, savoring the sweet thrill of her dream, and also planning to find an opportunity in the next few days to go to the palace to inform the emperor of the proposed wedding date, so that the household could begin preparations for the grand wedding.
After breakfast, Su Jingyun took her pulse as usual. Seeing that her face was moist and radiant, he knew that she had been in a good mood these past few days.
"The princess's health has improved a lot, so the dosage of her medicine can be halved from now on."
Hearing that she could take less medicine, Yuezhi was happy, but then she was troubled, "I take medicine every day, but my eyes are not getting better."
Su Jingyun asked her to get up and turn to face the window, then raised his hand and waved it in front of her. "What can a princess see?"
"Hmm... a flash of white light, and a dark shadow flickering." Yuezhi squinted, but still couldn't make out the shadow.
Her eyes followed the movement of her hand. Su Jingyun watched closely and nodded in satisfaction. "It seems that the blood stasis in your brain has subsided somewhat, and your eyes are in much better condition than they were a month ago. Princess, there's no need to be anxious. This illness requires slow recovery. The more anxious and agitated you are, the worse it will be for your recovery."
Yuezhi nodded obediently, "I understand."
Hua Chun hadn't returned from the kitchen to get the sweet fruit yogurt yet. Su Jingyun sniffed the gardenia scent in her hair from a distance, his expression darkening, and asked a question.
"Why hasn't the princess used the jasmine hair oil and jasmine incense I made for her before? Does she not like them?"
Yuezhi casually replied, "Pei Heng said the fragrance was too strong and not suitable for me. I also think the light gardenia scent is just right. So I distributed the jasmine hair oil and incense to the maids in the mansion. They said you make things well and praised you in front of me, saying that you are not only skilled in medicine but also very clever."
No wonder these past few days, as he walked around the mansion, he kept seeing the maids peeking at him and whispering behind his back.
Su Jingyun smiled helplessly, "It was my oversight. Princess, you have a sensitive nose. Should we use a light fragrance? It seems the Emperor cares about you so much that he even thinks about what fragrance you use."
“You’ve all been very kind to me,” Yuezhi replied gently.
“There will be someone better for the princess in the future.”
Yuezhi knew who he was talking about. Her face flushed red, like a budding flower, and she lowered her head without saying a word.
*
In the afternoon, He Zhiyan came to the mansion as a guest. The two entered the newly cleaned warm pavilion, sent all the maids outside, and closed the door so they could talk alone.
Yuezhi was filled with sweet excitement and had nowhere to confide in, so she poured it all out to He Zhiyan.
Then came vows of unwavering love and an unexpected kiss, leaving He Zhiyan, a young woman, blushing and exclaiming, "My God, is this really my Erlang?"
“My father-in-law is very strict. I’ve always seen the two brothers as well-behaved and respectful, each one more loyal to the emperor and patriotic than the other, full of literary talent and polite manners. I never expected them to be so audacious and daring behind my back. They dared to kiss you after only meeting you twice.”
He Zhiyan shook her head and joked, "It's so embarrassing! Erlang has the guts to do it, but I, as his sister-in-law, am too embarrassed to listen."
Yuezhi clutched her dress tightly in embarrassment. "I only dare to tell you this. Aren't you married? Hasn't your husband ever kissed you?"
He Zhiyan blushed even more, "My princess, although you are engaged, you haven't gone through the proper etiquette yet. How can you compare to us married people... You'll know whether husband and wife are close or not once you're married."
"You're saying things like that again." Yuezhi pursed her lips.
He Zhiyan chuckled, "After Erlang saw you last time, he became a bit taciturn. I thought he had something on his mind, but now I know that it wasn't something on his mind. He just missed you so much that he fell ill with lovesickness."
Yuezhi blushed, turned her head to look in her direction, and gently pushed the blurry figure.
She said shyly, "It's my fault for asking so many questions. Please don't say anything more."
He Zhiyan let out a silvery laugh, "Seeing that the princess's eyes have also improved, it's truly a double blessing. Next month, the princess and I will be sisters-in-law. How can I not be happy?"
"You're so happy being my sister-in-law?"
"Of course, I would be even happier if the princess could come with me to the Duke of Dingguo's birthday banquet, so that I wouldn't be sitting alone at the table, not knowing what to say to anyone."
"The Duke of Dingguo's birthday banquet?" Yuezhi asked Huachun outside the door, puzzled. "Huachun, has the Duke of Dingguo's mansion sent an invitation?"
Huachun replied through the door: "The invitation came yesterday, saying that it is the Duke of Dingguo's 80th birthday the day after tomorrow. However, when the Emperor came for the first time, he instructed that the princess's eyesight is not good and it is inconvenient for her to leave the mansion. For these social banquets, it is enough to send some gifts. The princess does not need to attend."
After thinking for a moment, Yuezhi realized she had nothing to do the day after tomorrow, so she agreed to He Zhiyan's request, "I'll go with you and cheer you up."
He Zhiyan was indeed pleased to hear this, "Yuezhi, you are such a kind person."
"The physician in the manor said that my blood and qi have been sufficient in recent days, so there's nothing wrong with going out for a stroll. I don't want to stay cooped up in the manor all the time either. Although I'm not familiar with the Duke of Dingguo's family, I'm not afraid of having no one to talk to since you're here at the banquet."
"I certainly won't leave you with no one to talk to. My father-in-law will take my husband and Erlang with him. At that time... I might be able to help you and Erlang get in touch so you can meet from afar."
The conversation has come full circle back to her and Liang Zhang. Yue Zhi's complexion, which had just returned to normal, has turned blush again.
The two talked for a while, and it was almost dusk when He Zhiyan finally left the princess's residence.
“Every time Madam Liang comes over, the princess gets along exceptionally well with her, and her dimples deepen with laughter.” Huachun helped Yuezhi take a walk in the courtyard.
"Thanks to her being in the capital, she often comes to keep me company and talk to me, otherwise I feel lonely."
As autumn leaves fall and birds sing, Yuezhi's joyful mood, which had lasted all day, gradually returns to tranquility.
Just as he was about to order the kitchen to prepare the meal, a servant came from outside to deliver the message.
"Princess, Eunuch Jinbao from the Emperor's side has arrived. He says he wants to see you in person and is waiting for you in the front hall right now."
Yuezhi thought his arrival was timely. She had just decided on two auspicious wedding dates, and she could go to the palace with him to present them to Pei Heng so he could help her choose one.
Upon seeing her in the front hall, Jinbao solemnly dismissed everyone before quietly explaining his purpose to her.
"You want my old clothes?" Yuezhi asked, puzzled.
Jinbao was embarrassed and in a difficult position. Just as he was about to explain, he saw Princess Ning'an's clear eyes and worried expression—
"He doesn't sleep well at night, so my old clothes probably won't be enough, right?"
She herself was used to sleeping with something in her arms at night, and she initially developed this habit because it was especially warm to sleep with little Pei Heng in her arms. So now she didn't find it so hard to understand why Pei Heng asked someone to ask for "old clothes".
After thinking for a moment, he said, "I happen to have something to say to the Emperor and would like to go to the palace with you, sir. Please wait here for a moment while I go to my room to pick out some old clothes. I wonder what time the Emperor will be having his meal? Would my arrival at this time disturb his meal?"
"No, no, the Emperor is overjoyed that the princess can enter the palace to accompany him." Jinbao saw that she was easy to talk to and a brilliant idea flashed in his mind.
She whispered, "Princess, if you could persuade the Emperor to hold a selection of concubines to enrich his harem as soon as possible, we servants feel sorry for the Emperor who is exhausted from state affairs and has no one he can rely on. If the Princess could help persuade him, that would be great."
Yuezhi thought he was right and readily nodded.
"Don't worry, Father-in-law. When I see the Emperor, I will definitely persuade him." She was about to get married, so she couldn't bear to see Pei Heng still alone.
She had just learned about the joy of mutual attraction between a man and a woman, and she wanted Pei Heng to know about this wonderful happiness.
*
Inside the Hall of Diligent Governance, Pei Heng had just finished dealing with the day's affairs when Jinbao walked in empty-handed.
He looked at him suspiciously, but before he could ask any questions, Jinbao smiled and invited him.
"Your Majesty, Princess Ning'an has entered the palace and is currently waiting for you in a side hall of the Taiji Hall. She has personally delivered the old clothes you requested."
Upon hearing that Yuezhi had arrived, Pei Heng's fatigue vanished, and his eyes softened.
Thinking to himself: As expected, Yuezhi still thinks about him. What she said about "having let him go" was just something she said in a moment of impulse to scare people.
He hurriedly instructed the eunuch: "Go and ask the imperial kitchen to add a dish of braised rice with preserved meat, a dish of steamed fish, a light soup, and a few servings of pastry. Remember not to make the filling too sweet; it should be sweet and sour to cut through the richness, as the princess cannot eat anything too sweet."
When the eunuch went to the imperial kitchen to deliver a message, Pei Heng also got up from his desk, tidied his clothes, and hurried to the Taiji Hall.
"Royal Sister!"
At first glance, Yuezhi thought it was the voice of Young Master Liang, but the tone and the way he addressed it were clearly Pei Heng's.
She must have been thinking about that kiss in the cabin these past few days, thinking about it during the day and dreaming about it at night, which is why she misheard.
She came to her senses, turned slightly, and was about to stand up from the chair. Halfway up, the young man supported her arm. Even through the fabric of his sleeve, she could feel that it was a large hand, and the warmth of his palm supporting her made her feel exceptionally at ease.
The unique sandalwood scent, reserved for emperors, lingered around her. Yuezhi turned to look at him. "I heard you haven't been sleeping well at night. Have you been working too hard lately?"
“Emperors are always thinking too much; how can they not get tired?” Pei Heng carefully helped her toward the main hall.
Yuezhi frowned. "If you're tired, then rest properly. Even an emperor is human, not an immortal. Even the strongest body can't withstand your constant exertion."
Feeling cared for and admonished by her after so long, Pei Heng smiled and behaved like a child, "I didn't cause any trouble."
"Do you think I don't know that you spend all your time in the Hall of Diligent Governance, without taking a nap or eating much? I don't know where you get your temper, but you insist on sparring with people. You're not afraid of getting hurt, and you even make that young general's shoulders and back ache."
Yuezhi was worried about him, but Pei Heng only glanced at Jinbao, suspecting that he had deliberately said these things to Yuezhi.
Jinbao hurriedly bowed and explained, "The princess was worried about the emperor and asked me about him on the way here. That's why I said a few words. As for General Duan, he said a few words to the princess when he was inspecting her carriage at the palace gate."
Upon hearing this, Yuezhi knew that Pei Heng hadn't listened to her words and was even distracted by questioning Eunuch Jinbao.
She pinched his arm in annoyance. "If you don't want me to know about your affairs, then don't call me to the palace again, so you won't have to hold someone accountable for these few words."
"Your Majesty, what are you saying?" Pei Heng panicked. "I just didn't want you to worry about me too much."
Yuezhi sighed inwardly. She didn't want to worry about him anymore, but their relationship of more than ten years was something she couldn't just change.
The imperial kitchen eunuchs brought over dinner, a lavish spread across the table, and the two of them went into the main hall to dine together.
"Your Highness, try this fish. Autumn is when fish are at their fattest." Pei Heng picked out the fish bones before putting it into her spoon.
After Yuezhi lost her sight, to avoid the embarrassment of being fed, she stopped using chopsticks and ate only with a spoon.
The large pieces of fish were bigger than a spoon. She took a bite and found them to be incredibly fresh and tender, smooth and soft in the mouth. Just a drizzle of sesame oil and soy sauce was enough to make them very flavorful, and she couldn't help but nod in approval.
"This fish is delicious."
Seeing her eat with satisfaction, Pei Heng was happy and tirelessly picked out the fish bones for her. He also secretly sent someone to the imperial kitchen to tell them to steam two more fresh fish.
Yuezhi ate alone in the mansion and never felt that the food in the princess's mansion was much better than the food at her old home. She originally thought it was because Pei Heng's cooking skills were superb and the food tasted special. But now she gradually realized that it was because they ate together that the food tasted better and better.
A long-lost feeling of warmth and comfort washed over me.
"Don't just put food on my plate, you should eat too." Yuezhi felt like she was being fed like a little pig.
"I'm eating, much more than my elder sister." Pei Heng wasn't lying this time. His appetite, which had been poor due to the burning sensation in his heart, had improved a lot today. Eating with her made everything taste better.
After the meal, Pei Heng helped Yue Zhi take a walk in the Imperial Garden to aid digestion.
As the night air grew colder, the two returned to the Taiji Palace after only two laps. Yuezhi didn't say she wanted to leave, and Pei Heng tacitly avoided mentioning that the palace gates were about to be locked. Instead, he invited her into his bedchamber and recited poems to her.
The hall was brightly lit by candlelight, while the autumn wind outside the window was chilly. The young man paced back and forth in the candlelight, holding a book. He turned to look at the woman sitting at the table, watching him tenderly, his eyes filled with contentment.
The autumn night, as always, briefly calmed his restless heart, for she was before him, and he no longer felt uneasy.
After reading the entire volume of poems, both of them felt sleepy.
Pei Heng put down his book, walked to Yue Zhi, knelt down in front of her, and smiled at her. "Is today my birthday? Why are you staying with me for so long, my elder sister? Do you need to see me fall asleep before you feel at ease?"
Unexpectedly, Yuezhi nodded, "You have the entire Great Zhou on your shoulders, you can't keep not sleeping well."
As she spoke, she seemed to remember something, and a gentle smile appeared in her eyes. "When you were a little over ten years old, you started sleeping in a separate bed from me. For the first few nights, you couldn't sleep well either. You were stubborn and wouldn't say anything, so I would get up at night to make sure you couldn't sleep. I would go to your bedside and pat your back to lull you to sleep. I did this for half a month before you finally slept soundly."
Pei Heng blushed slightly and shamelessly said, "If my elder sister could coax me like she did when I was little, perhaps I could sleep peacefully."
Under his expectant gaze, her fine eyelashes fluttered down like butterfly wings, and she nodded.
Pei Heng was surprised that she would actually agree. His lips curved into a smile as he helped her up and invited her to sit on the edge of the bed.
Normally, he needed someone to help him take off his dragon robe, but now he didn't care about that. He casually took off his outer garment, lay down on the bed, and just like he had been longing for day and night, turned over and leaned against her legs, smelling the faint scent of gardenias on her body, and his mind was at peace.
Yuezhi sat on the edge of the bed and gently patted the young emperor's back. Because she couldn't see him, she didn't feel that this was improper. She just felt that the child she had watched grow up would still show a childlike side in front of her no matter how old he got.
This is a secret that belongs only to the two of them.
Hearing his breathing gradually steady, she casually brought up the topic, "The 26th and 28th of next month are both auspicious days for marriage. Which day do you think I should choose to get married?"
Pei Heng opened his eyes, a hint of restless sadness tinging his usually calm gaze, and let out a long breath.
"Let's say the 28th, giving us two more days to prepare for the wedding."
Yuezhi lowered her eyes and said shyly, "I was thinking that the Prince Consort is still compiling books in the Hanlin Academy and his official position is not high. The Liang family is not a family that likes to show off. In addition, my eyes will not be fully recovered by then. So I don't want to make the wedding too big, so I can save some money. What do you think?"
"I will do as you wish. I only hope that you can be happy." Pei Heng slowly closed his eyes.
He didn't want to add to Yuezhi's worries because of his emptiness and loneliness. So what if they got married? As long as she could come to the palace to keep him company for a while from time to time, he would be satisfied.
At least for this moment, she still belongs to him alone.
He reached out and hugged the back of her legs, clearly feeling her body tense up at the touch. She stiffened for only a moment before quickly returning to normal.
Yuezhi chuckled helplessly: "I'm trying to coax you to sleep, and you really think you're a child?"
Pei Heng remained silent and simply hugged her tighter.
Yuezhi, not forgetting Eunuch Jinbao's instructions, said, "You are nineteen this year. Even if you don't want to participate in the imperial concubine selection, at least establish an empress. Having someone who cares about you by your side will make me feel more at ease outside the palace."
Pei Heng closed his eyes, pretending not to hear.
"I am very grateful to you for choosing such a good husband for me. It's just that my eyesight is not good enough to choose a good match for you myself."
"It's not your fault, it's my own fault for not wanting to."
Pei Heng loosened his grip on her and said calmly, "My father died in this very palace. I sometimes wonder why he, with his ruthless methods and countless achievements in the first half of his life, became so violent and resentful in middle age, and died such a terrible death..."
"I only recently realized that it was because he only saw himself. His wives, concubines, children, officials, and common people were all just tools to him. He kept them when he needed them and disposed of them when he no longer needed them. He benefited from this, and he also died because of it."
“Your Majesty, the Empress is not just someone who cares for me, but an ally. I married her to share my empire with her. I do not want my future Empress to be like my father and mother, united by self-interest and separated by self-interest.”
"I truly want to love someone, not for her to serve me, but to be husband and wife, hand in hand, of one heart."
After he said all that, Yuezhi could no longer urge him.
“Since you’ve said that, I won’t press you anymore.” She gently stroked his back. “When you find someone you truly love, I will personally go and be your matchmaker.”
Pei Heng didn't respond to her, and Yuezhi assumed he was just sleepy and didn't pay any attention.
A moment later, he said in a muffled voice, "Since you are so worried about me, why don't you stay in the inner palace and keep me company? Do you believe more than yourself that another woman you've never met will truly care for me, rather than coveting my wealth and power?"
Yuezhi blushed.
No wonder people say that siblings should avoid each other after they grow up. It was clearly just his joke. Mentioning marriage and living in the inner palace, it's as if he wants to keep her by his side for life.
Although she is blind, she is not a useless person. She can now make knots and pastries by touch. She doesn't want to stay in the palace and become his excuse for not establishing an empress.
She teased, "You're the only one who can stay in this palace. I've been hoping to save enough money to leave the palace since I was a palace maid. I finally got that princess's mansion and can live a carefree life on my own. But you want to trick me into coming to the palace?"
Pei Heng fell silent again.
They are ultimately different. How could a prince who grew up in the palace and a palace maid who was forced into the palace by poverty view the palace in the same way?
He always harbored despicable thoughts because of Yuezhi's gentleness and kindness, and he would take advantage of her and force her to obey his heart.
She's about to get married, and he should forget all his sordid obsessions, set her free, and preserve their ten-year-long sibling-like bond.
With the familiar warmth beside him, Pei Heng gradually fell asleep.
A rare peaceful and restful night's sleep, without nightmares or erotic dreams, only the comfort and satisfaction of waking up with eyes open.
As the rising morning light streamed into the hall, he took a deep breath. The lingering scent of gardenias in the air had faded, leaving only the aroma of sandalwood.
Looking towards the bedside, Yuezhi was no longer there; the bundle she had brought was on the table by the window.
Pei Heng got up and went over, opened the bundle, and found a pink silk dress. It had been worn and washed for many years, and the color had faded slightly. There were still traces of her sewing on the cuffs and collar.
As he unfolded his old clothes, he asked the eunuch on duty outside, "When did the princess leave?"
"Your Majesty, it was at 9 PM last night."
He had just fallen asleep when Yuezhi left. Pei Heng didn't know whether to be happy or sad. "Go outside the palace," he said.
"Yes." The little eunuch went out and closed the palace door.
With no one around, Pei Heng carefully examined the clothes in his hands, then buried his face in them and took a deep breath. It was the same scent he had smelled when he was in her arms, buried in her hair, and resting his head next to her.
The familiar scent extinguished the unease within me, yet stirred up some inexplicable impulses.
The voice that rang in my ears last night still seems to linger; her every smile, her soft body, her playful banter, and the happy expression on her face as she ate are still vivid in my mind.
Pei Heng exhaled uncontrollably, a sense of guilt rising in his heart, yet he couldn't control himself.
The more you try to forget, the clearer you remember.
The more he tried to let her go, the tighter his heart felt.
He couldn't figure out what he wanted or what he should do to her until his mind went blank, his blood boiled, and he ended up in a mess.
Looking at the evidence on his hands/heart, he was overcome with deep remorse.
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