Chapter 74: Adultery or Extramarital Affair?
The waves outside the cave had slowed down, as if they were tired.
Inside the cave, their rapid breathing gradually calmed down, leaving only the lingering echoes of their heartbeats, their skin pressed tightly together, warm and moist.
Yuezhi nestled in Pei Heng's arms, her cheek pressed against his sweaty chest. She could clearly hear the strong and steady heartbeat beneath him, gradually returning to normal from the intensity of their earlier encounter.
His arm was around her, and his fingers gently stroked her long hair that was scattered across her smooth back.
Neither of them spoke; they simply nestled together, gazing at the small patch of night sky obscured by the rocks in the direction of the cave entrance.
The moonlight on the sea, which was originally clear and bright, was now obscured by the dark clouds that had gathered in the sky. The light dimmed, the wind gradually rose, and the damp sea air was blocked by the reefs. The wind howled as it swept past.
"The wind is picking up." Pei Heng's low, husky voice sounded above her head, carrying a hint of satiated languor as his expression gradually cleared.
Yuezhi knew he had to leave.
She didn't answer, but nestled closer into his arms and murmured, "Go ahead."
Pei Heng remained silent for a moment, took a deep breath, slowly released her arm, and sat up. His back, with its smooth muscle lines, showed a clear outline in the dim light.
He silently picked up the scattered clothes and put them on one by one. The rustling sound of the coarse cloth clothes rubbing against each other echoed in the narrow cave, clearly striking Yue Zhi's heart.
A moment later, he tidied himself up, picked up her clothes, folded them neatly, placed them by the pillow, and got up to leave.
Yuezhi stared blankly at his back with misty eyes, her nose tingling and tears welling up in her eyes.
She can only have Pei Heng in this moment.
Free from rules, palace walls, and the constraints of public scrutiny, she enjoys the freedom she desires, living in nature, doing as she pleases, with only genuine love and mutual trust.
Once he left, his path would lead to battlefields and court intrigues. Once he sat back on the dragon throne, he would never return.
This moment, perhaps one she will cherish for the rest of her life, is one she will never want to forget. She doesn't want to leave any regrets.
Yuezhi sat up, wrapped in a wrinkled thin blanket, and dared to take his hand before he got up—that hand covered in calluses, the hand that gave her pleasure and made her feel at ease.
Pei Heng turned around.
Yuezhi moved closer to him, leaned down, and placed a brief, tender kiss on his lips.
"I'll wait for you to come back."
She looked into his eyes, tears glistening in them, her voice soft, almost drowned out by the sound of the waves outside the cave, yet it was the strongest thread that bound his heart and soul.
Pei Heng smiled with relief, then gripped her fingers tightly with his other hand, his gaze calm and resolute.
"With you here, I will definitely come back."
His promises carried immense weight, and they were always kept.
Having said that, he didn't linger. He got up and walked towards the outside of the quiet shelter, facing the fierce winds on the sea, his figure disappearing into the darkness.
Yuezhi sat alone on the mattress, her arms wrapped around her bent knees, wrapped in the still-warm thin quilt. As she listened to the familiar footsteps disappear into the roar of the waves, her turbulent emotions, like boiling water without a raging fire, suddenly came to a stop.
After realizing that he had really left, she even had a momentary impulse to run away with him.
But she knew that was just wishful thinking on her part. He came to Qingzhou for important matters, for the stability of the country.
Born into an imperial family, he studied the classics from a young age, learning the principles of governance. How could he possibly abandon the people and the world for personal love, only wanting to stay in a small family and be her husband? He couldn't do that, and she didn't want him to become a foolish ruler.
So she could only wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes, her fingertips brushing her lips, savoring the lingering touch and warmth of his touch, hoping that the beautiful memories of tonight would become a sweet treat for the rest of her life.
The cave was pitch black, and the last glimmer of light was swallowed up by thick dark clouds and waves.
The oil lamp had long been extinguished, with only a few faint rays of light occasionally seeping through the crevices of the rocks.
After tidying herself up and getting dressed, Yuezhi lit a small fire and sat alone on the mattress, listlessly munching on dried meat.
The endless sound of the waves filled my ears, almost drowning out everything else and blurring the passage of time.
She started thinking about random things to distract herself: she could put some melon seeds and dried fruit in the pastry shop and hire a storyteller to make it elegant and lively; the winery was fine as it was, producing just a few vats a month, no more and no less; the house Pei Heng gave her was too big, but once the children grew up, got married, and started their own families, the house would feel less empty.
When one is seventy or eighty years old, surrounded by children and grandchildren, with wealth and honor filling the house, having enjoyed all the joys of life and witnessed the splendor of the world, then this life can be considered complete...
What should have been a bright vision for the future has instead brought a growing sense of bitterness to my heart, making it impossible to ignore that gap.
After an unknown amount of time, an unusual commotion broke through the roar of the waves.
Shouts and the chaotic sounds of metal clashing echoed from the island, and a strong smell of smoke was blown into the cave by the wind.
Yuezhi's heart tightened. She turned the fire down a bit, got up and walked to the cave entrance. She cautiously looked out and saw the dark sea surface reflected a swaying red light by the fire.
A towering fire erupted on the nameless island, the violent wind whipping the flames. The menacing fire snakes quickly spread from the back mountain to the center of the island, thick smoke mixed with molten iron billowing and rising, the firelight illuminating half the sky.
The massive blast furnace collapsed, and the overseers seemed terrified by the sight, remaining indifferent as the laborers escaped right under their noses.
The craftsmen, shackled and chained to the forging table, were unable to escape and screamed in agony. At that moment, some of the overseers and laborers changed their expressions, grabbed the already forged swords, cut their chains, and urged them to escape. The crowd scattered like birds and beasts.
In the raging inferno, molten iron mixed with burning wood, emitting terrifying sounds and blinding light.
Hu Yong's treasured weapons workshop was destroyed in an instant.
He stood on high ground, with only a few men left around him. His women were either pregnant and had been abducted in the chaos, or they were healthy and had fled together for their lives.
He roared desperately, trying to salvage the situation, his mind a jumble of thoughts: How could the blast furnace have collapsed? And how could it have happened tonight, on such a windy night?
His past life-or-death experiences prevented him from panicking like those inexperienced brats. The night sky was full of dark clouds; he just needed to wait a few more hours until the downpour started, and then he could regroup.
Amidst this chaos, Yuezhi's gaze drifted to the distant sea.
At the boundary between the red light and the night, she saw several clear lights, arranged in an orderly array, steadily and swiftly approaching the island—it was an official ship!
The old Marquis of Yongding, who led his troops, was still vigorous. His official ship sailed in, guided by the firelight. When the troops landed on the island, the private soldiers, who were somewhat orderly, were no match for the disciplined and imposing presence. Cries, fighting, shouts, and the sharp sounds of weapons rang out incessantly.
Soon, Hu Yong also saw the official ship and the soldiers who came to the island surrounded him from various docks.
With the situation hopeless, he hurriedly went to the yard, grabbed a pigeon, and, with trembling hands and feet, wrote a secret letter, which he then tied to the pigeon's leg.
The carrier pigeon spread its wings and flew towards the sky beyond the firelight. Under Hu Yong's expectant gaze, a sharp sound pierced the air, and the bird's mournful cry fell as it plunged into the sea of fire.
Hu Yong looked incredulously in the direction the arrow had come from, only to find Pei Heng, who had been by his side until now, still holding a bow. There was no denying it.
He rushed over like a madman, his head spinning with rage, roaring, "Zhang Heng! Are you crazy? That was our only chance to survive, and you dare betray me!!"
The young man slung his longbow over his back as the scorching heat swept over him. He was dressed in coarse black cloth, and the strong wind blew his hair up, revealing his smooth forehead and a pair of fierce phoenix eyes.
Without changing his expression, he drew the sword from his waist, its cold gleam pointing directly at Hu Yong. "My name is not Zhang Heng, my surname is Pei."
Pei! Hu Yong met a powerful figure and naturally understood that the Pei surname was of royal blood.
My heart was pounding, and in a moment of impulse, I thought: If I can take down this person, I can still save my own life!
He drew a pair of nearly rusty meteor hammers from his side, but before he could even unleash his attack, a sword silently stabbed him from behind, piercing his stomach. The blade twisted around, causing him excruciating pain, and his weapon fell to the ground.
He curled up and knelt on the ground, turning around to see that the person who had attacked him was one of his trusted subordinates. "You, you guys..."
Cheng Yuan withdrew his sword, not having time to look at him, and bowed to Pei Heng while holding the hilt of his sword, "Young Master, Marquis Yongding has arrived."
A line of men dressed in coarse cloth ran up from behind him. They were well-trained and all trusted guards of Pei Heng. They reported to him, "Young master, all the laborers and craftsmen have been dismissed."
Pei Heng ordered: "Pass down the order: those who surrender will not be killed! Those who resist stubbornly, attempt to escape, or send messages will be killed without exception!"
"Yes!" The guards obeyed and left.
Upon receiving the imperial decree, the Marquis of Yongding and his officials and soldiers quickly gathered the imprisoned civilians and cleared out the private soldiers roaming the island. Sporadic resistance and fighting did not cease, and the sounds of chaos continued, rising and falling intermittently.
Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night.
Yuezhi didn't remember when she fell asleep, only that after the fire burned for more than two hours, it started to rain.
The torrential rain enveloped the island within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, extinguishing the fire and preventing anyone from escaping.
The official boats were moored at the dock and lined up to shield the people from the wind and rain. The officers and soldiers escorted the people onto the official boats to take shelter from the rain. They braved the heavy rain to continue searching the island for the remaining private soldiers and to search for weapons, iron ore, and Hu Yong's private residence.
When the rain stopped, all the resisting private soldiers had died by the sword. Most of them were soaked by the rain, lost their will to resist, and surrendered.
The people hiding in their homes were found and taken away. Also carried onto the ship were Hu Yong's three thousand fine weapons, thirty thousand taels of silver, five hundred sets of armor, his correspondence with nobles, and five hundred catties of smuggled salt that were sent to the island to be traded and sold.
The wind and rain subsided, and the morning sun shone on the sea, bringing tranquility to the island.
All the noise and danger were irrelevant to Yuezhi. She slept peacefully in the rocky cave, and when she opened her eyes again, she saw the sunlight streaming in through the cracks.
The sound of the waves remained, but the fighting and cries on the island had all disappeared, replaced by an unusual tranquility.
She blinked, then suddenly froze.
Pei Heng sat beside her, quietly adding firewood to the fire. He was no longer wearing coarse cloth clothes, but a dark brocade robe with subtle patterns. His dark hair was tied into a high ponytail with a ribbon embroidered with gold thread, hanging down his back.
Hearing her wake up, he turned to look at her, a gentle smile on his lips. Although he looked tired, his demeanor was different, calm and dignified.
Behind him, at the cave entrance, stood four maids with their hands at their sides, while further away, several guards in light armor stood with their hands on their swords.
The sunlight outlined his clear silhouette and illuminated the ashes dancing with the flames inside the cave.
For a moment, Yuezhi felt dazed, as if she were still in that dream where the two of them pretended to be husband and wife, relying on each other for warmth, but she quickly woke up.
He is Pei Heng, the emperor.
He returned safely.
A surge of immense joy welled up within her, and fear and loneliness vanished. At the same time, a faint sense of loss quietly swept over her, like the damp marks on a beach after the tide has receded—her dream had ended.
“Let’s go home.” Pei Heng extended his hand to her.
Without hesitation, Yuezhi placed her slightly cool hand in his palm and let him pull her up.
Hand in hand, the two walked out of the cave, silently surrounded by maids and guards, and headed towards the official boat moored on the shore.
*
The sea was calm and clear after the rain, and the official ship sailed steadily, cutting through the waves.
The journey from Qingzhou to the nameless island takes more than an hour by boat. The boat the two boarded was prepared in advance by the Marquis of Yongding. It had several rooms and was furnished comfortably and luxuriously, a stark contrast to the rough life on the island.
Yuezhi helplessly enjoyed the maids' service: a hot bath, a change of clothes, combing of her long hair, a warm ginger soup, and then, in a daze, she sat back on the soft couch.
She wanted to ask the maid what Pei Heng was doing, but felt that it was inappropriate for her to ask such a question given her current status.
The Emperor will have much to say to the Marquis of Yongding after this suppression of the rebels. Why is she worrying about this? She just needs to wait quietly to return to Qingzhou and to her children.
She dismissed the maids, opened the window, and looked at the shimmering sea under the rising sun, which lifted her spirits.
Footsteps approached from the deck, growing louder as they walked toward her window.
Suddenly, a figure blocked her window.
She looked up and saw the young man's familiar smiling face. He had his hands behind his back and was wearing a wide-sleeved coat, which made him look even more distinguished and noble. He leaned into the window and asked her playfully, "Wait for me with the window open?"
Yuezhi turned her face away. "I was looking at the sea. I wasn't waiting for you."
Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of disappointment flash across his handsome face, and her heart softened. She added an explanation: "Weren't you talking about serious matters with the Marquis? I thought you would talk until you disembarked."
“The matter has been investigated to a large extent, and we have the evidence. We just need to give them a few instructions, and they will take care of the rest.” Pei Heng leaned down, resting his elbows on the windowsill, not wanting her to close the window, and moved closer to her.
With a concerned expression, he asked, "You don't look well. Were you tired last night or did you catch a cold?"
As he spoke, he reached out to touch her forehead, a familiar and intimate gesture, one he dared not use on the emperor.
Yuezhi stepped back, avoiding his touch, and changed the subject, asking, "What are you going to do with the people on the island? And what about those women who were trafficked and became pregnant? Many of them were sold by their families. Are you going to send them home and let them be sold again?"
"You don't need to worry about that. The chief clerk in the government army has already come up with a plan. After the government ships arrive at the port, let them record their statements. Those who are willing to go back with their families can go home. The rest who have no home will be settled in a piece of wasteland in the nearby prefecture and settle down. If they really can't bear to leave the island, give them a few small boats so they can make a living on the island."
He couldn't touch her forehead; his fingertips brushed past her cheek and landed on the bun at the back of her head.
He gently stroked her hair, his movements almost clumsy and ingratiating, his gaze fixed on her face as he cautiously asked, "We haven't seen each other all night, why didn't you ask me how I was?"
She kissed him when they parted.
He thought she was also attracted to him and couldn't control her feelings, but now it seems that's not the case. Was he just imagining things?
It felt like bugs were crawling inside her. Seeing her evasive and distant expression, she complained in a coquettish tone, "I guess it's because you have a bad memory and don't remember how hard I worked yesterday. Maybe I didn't make you happy enough, and you forgot about it in the blink of an eye."
He was acting like a child, and Yuezhi didn't want to pay attention to him. However, his eyes kept wandering around, and his pouting lips made her blush.
"In ancient times there were heartless men, and now there are cold-hearted good sisters."
"You don't consider me your man, but you can't just take advantage of me and then turn your back on me."
"Good sister, if you tell me what's wrong with me, I'll change. I'm just afraid that your mouth... will only kiss me and never say anything else."
Yuezhi almost bit her lip until it bled, but she couldn't stop the heat spreading from her ears. She turned to look at him and met a pair of clear eyes, like falling into clear seawater under the sunlight, which made her heart skip a beat.
After a long silence, he sighed and said, "Now that things are settled, why bother with that charade? What is it if there's no official status or recognition? Is it an affair or a secret relationship?"
"Then give me a title." Pei Heng looked at her passionately.
Yuezhi stared at him defiantly, but her attention was mostly drawn to his handsome appearance. The young man had clear features, a high nose bridge, and when he smiled, the corners of his mouth turned up, carrying a hint of cunning and eager anticipation.
Her bangs were blown by the wind, revealing her smooth jawline, and her wide sleeves billowed in the sea breeze.
Yuezhi pursed her lips, reached out and patted his head, smoothing his wind-blown hair, and comforted him, "The ship will be at port soon. Go back to your cabin and stay put. Don't make a fuss."
Pei Heng was somewhat obedient to advice; he stood up outside the window and moved his feet.
Yuezhi thought he had finally left and breathed a sigh of relief. Unexpectedly, he dismissed the maids by the door, pushed the door open and walked in, closed the door behind him, walked to her side and sat down on the couch.
Without saying a word, he took her hand and pressed it to his heart, speaking to her almost in sync with his heartbeat.
"I'm not making a scene, I'm telling the truth, please give me a chance?"
"As long as you nod, I will handle everything."
He stared intently at her, his gaze burning and focused, like the blazing summer sun, making her heart pound.
The young emperor, who had just finished a killing spree, now put away his claws and acted like a big dog eagerly seeking favor, passionate and innocent, with only her in his eyes.
She blushed under his gaze and wanted to pull her hand away, but facing those eyes, she couldn't utter a single harsh word.
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