Chapter 62 "I want to die at this moment."...
Spring in Jiangnan is always exceptionally delicate and tender.
The drizzle has just stopped, and the air is filled with the fresh scent of earth and flowers. Willows on both banks are sprouting green leaves, and tender buds are just beginning to open, like smoke and mist.
In this vibrant springtime setting, an exquisite garden stands by the water, which is the temporary palace where Pei Xuanlin and Ling Zhenli will stay during their southern tour.
The garden is filled with strangely shaped rocks, winding paths leading to secluded spots, and a pool of clear spring water with several koi swimming leisurely.
Lingzhenli was standing in front of a carefully cultivated twin lotus.
This lotus has a unique color, with the tips of its petals tinged with a faint purple hue. It is a new variety specially cultivated by gardeners in Jiangnan.
She leaned slightly forward, inhaling the fragrance of the flowers. Her beautiful face was even more stunning against the backdrop of the flowers, and her long eyelashes trembled like butterfly wings, casting a faint shadow on her fair cheeks.
"The twin lotus flowers are so beautiful! You've all been so kind. Go and collect your reward."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
As Ling Zhenli admired the flowers, the wives and noblewomen of officials stood behind her, flattering and fawning over her.
"Her Majesty the Empress is more beautiful than any flower."
"Your Highness has outshone all the flowers."
"Your Highness, standing here amidst this garden full of spring beauty, would be ashamed of yourself."
Ling Zhenli listened to these words but ignored everyone, her indifferent gaze sweeping over the people standing with their heads bowed in the garden.
Today is her and Pei Xuanlin's first day in Jiangnan. The officials and noblewomen of Jiangnan are outwardly respectful, offering all sorts of local novelties, and their words are sweeter than honey, but their eyes cannot hide the complicated expressions in their eyes when they look at her.
Ling Zhenli knew perfectly well that these people must have heard of her glorious deeds in the capital. In their minds, she was probably no different from the Empress Dowager. Her graceful flattery at this moment was only because of her status as Empress.
Meanwhile, in another corner of the garden, several local officials were whispering among themselves.
"Should we still present the beauties we're planning to offer at tonight's banquet?" a plump official asked in a low voice, wiping the sweat from his brow.
Another tall, thin official scoffed, "What are you offering? Can't you see that His Majesty only has eyes for the Empress? That Empress is an absolute beauty, and she comes from a prestigious family. Compared to her, the ones we've chosen are nothing but empty shells of cosmetics. How can we expect His Majesty to take a liking to them?"
“But this was all prepared according to custom. In the past, when emperors traveled to the south of the Yangtze River, they were always accompanied by beauties from here,” the fat official said with difficulty. “If we cancel it at the last minute, wouldn’t it seem like we are being negligent?”
“It’s better to be negligent than to offend!” an older official interjected. “Haven’t you heard? In the capital, several ministers have been demoted or are now staying at home on the grounds of illness for advising the emperor to abandon the dual rule of the emperor and the two emperors. Our Empress Dowager’s methods are not simple.”
The tall, thin man lowered his voice: "If you ask me, let the beauties who are to be presented to His Majesty dance along with the songs and dances prepared tonight. That way, we won't offend the Empress."
The group looked at each other, all showing fear.
The older official pondered for a moment and then said, "Very well, then the singing and dancing will continue as usual."
Just then, footsteps approached, and everyone immediately fell silent, bowing their heads and standing at attention, pretending to admire the scenery in the garden.
Pei Xuanlin walked slowly, ignoring the officials who bowed and saluted, and went straight to Ling Zhenli.
At this moment, Ling Zhenli was bending down to gently caress a blooming lotus flower, her profile breathtakingly beautiful against the backdrop of the flower's shadow.
Pei Xuanlin's gaze softened instantly, and everyone turned their attention to Ling Zhenli. In an instant, all eyes in the garden were on her.
"How about it? Are you surprised to see lotus flowers this season?" Pei Xuanlin took her hand from behind and asked softly.
Ling Zhenli leaned against him, her smile as bright as spring: "Not only the lotus flowers, but every flower and tree here seems to have been taken from a painting. I love them all."
"I'm glad you like it." Pei Xuanlin gently kissed the top of her head. "I also have a surprise for you. I'll show it to you tonight."
"Oh?" Ling Zhenli turned around and looked at him curiously. "What surprise is it?"
Pei Xuanlin smiled mysteriously and lightly tapped her nose with his fingertip: "I'll keep it a secret for now. You'll find out at dinner. Remember to eat well then, and wait for the surprise I've prepared for you."
Ling Zhenli pouted coquettishly: "You're just trying to keep people in suspense."
Pei Xuanlin chuckled and put his arm around her shoulder as they walked forward: "Let's go, let's stroll around the garden again."
*
Night fell.
Inside the palace's banquet hall, the lights were dazzling and the music was deafening.
Exquisite palace lanterns hang among the carved beams and painted rafters, casting a warm yellow glow that illuminates the entire hall as if it were daytime.
The officials from Jiangnan sat on both sides, exchanging toasts, their eyes invariably glancing towards the emperor and empress in the main seats.
The emperor, dressed in a bright yellow robe with gold-embroidered dragon patterns that shimmered faintly under the lamplight, paid no attention to the noise at the banquet. He simply turned to whisper to the empress, a gentle smile always playing on his lips.
As the banquet reached its climax, music began to play.
Dancers dressed in colorful costumes gracefully entered, like butterflies flitting among flowers. These were beauties carefully selected by officials from Jiangnan, each with bright eyes and white teeth, and exquisite dance moves.
In an instant, everyone's attention was drawn to the beautiful women dancing gracefully.
However, Pei Xuanlin's gaze never left Xue Yingyue beside him. He would serve her food at times, and whisper to her at other times, basically ignoring the deliberate displays of charm from the audience. He would only glance at Xue Yingyue when her eyes lit up at the dance performances and offer a few words of praise.
The officials exchanged disappointed glances during the meeting.
Ling Zhenli had been watching the dance below the stage. The dancers were all as graceful and beautiful as fairies. Her eyes lit up as she watched. She tugged at Pei Xuanlin's sleeve and said in a sweet voice.
"Sanlang, these dances are so beautiful. I'd like to perform one for you too."
As she spoke, Ling Zhenli's eyes sparkled as she quietly poured a cup of wine and pushed it in front of Pei Xuanlin.
Seeing this, Pei Xuanlin drank the wine she offered and smiled indulgently: "So, what kind of dance do you want to do?"
"Green Waist Dance".
"Okay, approved."
Ling Zhenli was overjoyed and raised her cup. The palace maid immediately went to inform the chief eunuch.
The room fell silent immediately.
The officials looked at each other in disbelief that the Empress would dance at a banquet in public.
Ling Zhenli, seated on the throne, smiled sweetly and continued to push her luck: "This concubine wishes Your Majesty to accompany me on the pipa. Would Your Majesty grant this request?"
Pei Xuanlin always doted on her and granted her every request. Seeing her acting so coquettishly, he readily agreed.
"Yes, it is my honor to play the pipa for my beloved concubine."
Soon, a palace attendant brought out a hundred-piece pipa with tortoise shell patterns. Pei Xuanlin washed his hands, burned incense, held the pipa, and gently stroked the strings with his fingertips to test the sound.
Ling Zhenli then got up and went to the side hall to change her clothes.
A moment later, when she reappeared before everyone, the entire room was astonished.
She changed into a specially made dance costume, bright yellow with layers of light green gauze, embroidered with delicate lotus patterns, and a silver bell belt around her waist, which jingled as she moved.
Pei Xuanlin looked at her, his eyes filled with amazement.
Ling Zhenli gracefully entered the hall and began to dance slowly to the sound of the pipa.
At first, her movements were slow and graceful, like a spring breeze caressing willows, with her water sleeves fluttering lightly, bringing with them wafts of fragrance.
As the sounds of the pipa and other instruments grew more urgent, her dance steps quickened accordingly. With a spin, her flowing sleeves unfurled like clouds, her skirt billowed, revealing her slender ankles.
Pei Xuanlin's gaze, which was playing the pipa, always followed her. Whenever Ling Zhenli spun around in front of him, their eyes met, and they exchanged glances.
Everyone at the table was completely captivated.
Even those officials who had previously looked down on the empress had to admit that her dancing was indeed extraordinary, far surpassing that of ordinary dancers.
"No wonder the Emperor didn't like what we prepared..." an official sighed in a low voice. "Her Majesty the Empress's dance skills are probably comparable to even the most famous dancers in Jiangnan."
"How dare you compare the Empress to a dancer! You're courting death!"
"What's so great about having someone who can compare to him? The most important thing is that His Majesty likes him."
Another, emboldened by alcohol, said, "Since the beauty can't attract the emperor, why don't we send someone to seduce the empress? Anyway, the emperor and empress have equal power, so it doesn't matter which one we seduce."
"Shut up!" the older official hurriedly stopped him. "Do you have a death wish? His Majesty is still sitting right there, how dare you say such things!"
The man glanced at the emperor, instantly sobered up, realized he had spoken out of turn, quickly shut his mouth, and broke out in a cold sweat.
As the music reached its climax, Ling Zhenli's dance became increasingly graceful and enchanting. Sometimes she moved like a dragonfly skimming the water, her toes lightly touching the ground; other times she moved like a butterfly flitting among flowers, her jade hands creating clouds and rain.
Pei Xuanlin was completely immersed in her graceful dance, his gaze following her every move.
At the height of the music, Ling Zhenli spun several times in succession, her skirt swaying like a blooming lotus flower.
Just when everyone thought she was going to stop, she leaped into the air, performing the most difficult move, leaving a stunning impression.
This move requires the dancer to complete three spins in the air and land steadily, which is extremely demanding on waist strength and balance.
Ling Zhenli did it.
She twirled gracefully in the air, her flowing sleeves spreading like wings, like a fleeting glimpse of a startled swan. When she landed, she stood firmly, with only the hair ornament in her hair swaying gently, the pearls clinking together to produce a crisp sound.
The music stopped abruptly at that moment.
The last note was still echoing in the air when she finished perfectly, slightly out of breath, her face flushed.
After a moment of silence, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.
Even those officials who initially harbored resentment were involuntarily captivated by the exquisite dance.
Pei Xuanlin handed the pipa to the palace maid beside him, stood up, and personally draped an outer robe over Ling Zhenli, his eyes full of admiration and love: "My beloved concubine's dance is as good as ever, unparalleled in the world."
Ling Zhenli was embarrassed by his praise, and with a slight pant, she leaned against him and said, "Your mouth is so sweet because you just ate honey."
"Are you tired? Let's rest for a while. I'll take you to a nice place."
"Where are you taking me?"
You'll find out then.
After saying this, Pei Xuanlin quietly left the noisy banquet hall with Ling Zhenli.
...
As the banquet ended, the lively atmosphere gradually dissipated, and the palace returned to tranquility.
Pei Xuanlin led Ling Zhenli to a secluded place, then took her hand, a mysterious smile on his lips, and asked her to close her eyes.
Ling Zhenli gave him a coquettish glance, then obediently closed her eyes.
She felt his warm palm covering the back of her hand, guiding her step by step forward.
A gentle evening breeze caressed my face, bringing with it a moist atmosphere and a faint floral fragrance.
Pei Xuanlin walked slowly for a while before stopping.
"You can open your eyes now."
Ling Zhenli slowly opened her eyes, and the scenery that came into view was so beautiful that she gasped.
The lake before us seemed to be adorned with starlight, with thousands of river lanterns swaying and shining on the inky water, like a silver river cascading down to earth.
Colorful lanterns hang among the weeping willows by the lake, their warm light reflected in the water, complementing the river lanterns. A delicate painted boat is quietly moored on the shore, its bow adorned with fresh bouquets, and her favorite brocade cushions are laid on the soft couch.
The sight before her was so beautiful that she choked up and couldn't speak for a moment.
Pei Xuanlin looked at her excitement, his eyes full of doting: "I remember someone mentioned on the way here that he wanted to take a boat ride in Jiangnan to enjoy the lanterns, and even asked me if the water in Jiangnan would freeze."
"You're making fun of me."
As Pei Xuanlin spoke, Ling Zhenli smiled as he helped her step onto the slightly swaying boat deck.
It turns out that Pei Xuanlin would remember something she casually mentioned.
The painted boat slowly departed from the shore, gliding into the sea of dazzling lights. Guards stood watch at a distance on the shore, ensuring safety without disturbing the couple's tranquility.
Ling Zhenli leaned against the soft couch at the bow of the boat, gazing at the starry sky and the lanterns reflected on the river, unable to distinguish between heaven and earth for a moment.
Pei Xuanlin personally took the oar, the oars cutting through the water, creating ripples that shattered the starlight in the pool.
The bright moon was reflected in the water, and Ling Zhenli chuckled as she looked at the moon's reflection.
"Sanlang, this scene perfectly complements my calligraphy, Yingyue."
"Yes, Yingyue, the meaning behind your words is beautiful."
If only she had been Xue Yingyue from birth.
Ling Zhenli suddenly felt sad. She thought back to this time a year ago when she had absolutely no connection with the identity of Xue Yingyue.
People are often most fearful when they are very close to happiness.
She began to feel inexplicably afraid because she thought of Xiao Chongheng. At this time last year, she lay in Xiao Chongheng's arms, stroking her lower abdomen, and looking forward to the happy life of the three of them in the future.
But now, to secure her position as empress, she wants Xiao Chongheng dead at every moment.
Her happiness was hard-won, too precious, too perfect, so perfect that she was afraid of losing it. Ling Zhenli was terrified. As long as she could maintain her happiness forever, she would sacrifice anything.
She turned her face slightly to hide her tear stains from Pei Xuanlin, and tried to smile with a happy curve on her lips.
Pei Xuanlin,
Ling Zhenli lay on the soft couch, softly uttering Pei Xuanlin's name, her voice as fleeting as smoke, "I want to die at this moment."
The sound of oars came to an abrupt halt.
Pei Xuanlin immediately sensed her low mood from her tone, so he chuckled softly and tried to encourage her.
"Don't you love living the most? Why are you suddenly talking about death? It's really unlucky."
"I was just kidding, don't take it seriously." Ling Zhenli smiled weakly.
Seeing that Xue Yingyue had calmed down a bit, Pei Xuanlin teased her, "Be careful your wish doesn't come true, or you'll capsize."
Ling Zhenli was amused by him and burst into laughter through her tears. She gave him a playful glare and said, "I just feel so happy right now. I want to hold onto this moment and stay happy forever."
"Of course I know, you're the one who wouldn't want to die."
The painted boat gently spun around in the middle of the lake, and all around was so quiet that only the sound of water could be heard.
"No, if you're not by my side, if you die, then I think I'll go with you, really."
Ling Zhenli suddenly looked at Pei Xuanlin very seriously. Her words sounded like a vow of life and death, but Pei Xuanlin could hear the seriousness in her voice.
So he put down the oars, sat down beside her, took her slightly cool hand in his palm, and pulled her into his arms.
"I will always be by your side, I love you."
"What if I make a mistake, something utterly heinous?" Ling Zhenli peeked out from his embrace, her brows furrowed slightly, eager for an answer.
"Heinous crimes? What heinous crimes would you commit? Why are you asking this all of a sudden?"
Pei Xuanlin smiled. He couldn't understand why Xue Yingyue would ask such a question. Could it be because the Xue family wanted to rebel? That didn't seem likely. With Xue Wenmian's abilities, if they really wanted to rebel, they would have done so in Yang Mingkong's later years. Moreover, neither Pei Lian nor Pei Chang'er were good at governing the country. If they wanted to rebel, they wouldn't have waited until now.
Moreover, now that the Xue family's daughter and son-in-law are the emperor and empress, the Xue family has even less reason to rebel.
So what exactly is Xue Yingyue afraid of?
But Ling Zhenli quickly gave him an answer, asking what was on her mind.
"I was just asking casually. I just wanted to know if you would forgive me if I did something wrong in the future? So many empresses throughout history met tragic ends, their beauty faded and their love waned. I'm just afraid that I might become one of them."
Pei Xuanlin nodded after listening, understanding what Xue Yingyue was worried about.
His voice was firm and exceptionally clear in the night.
“Ah Li, there were many empresses in the previous dynasty who were deposed without cause, including Empress Xue of Emperor Gaozong, but there were also couples as devoted as my father and mother. You and I will only follow each other through life and death, and there is no ingratitude between us.”
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