Chapter 57 Trying Zheng Lu Again, the person who served me that night, what...?
Hanging inside the carriage is a gilded, openwork incense ball filled with spices, depicting two dragons playing with a pearl. Inside the incense ball is a small bowl, so no matter how the incense ball rolls, the lit incense pellets inside the small bowl will not spill.
Pei Muwei opened the car door, and a light fragrance and the unique sweet scent of a young woman wafted out.
The young empress dowager sat leaning against a white glazed table, her two slender legs crossed like a mermaid's tail, her jade feet wrapped in white silk peeking out from under her water-red skirt, her posture languid and leisurely.
Hearing the jingle of the incense ball hanging on the car door, the woman looked up. Her small face, no bigger than a palm, was covered with colorful confetti, and her slightly widened dark eyes looked over.
An unintentional glance upwards reveals a face completely obscured by colorful stationery, creating a beauty reminiscent of viewing flowers through a mist.
Upon seeing who it was, the woman quickly withdrew her arm from the white glazed armrest, and her delicate feet tucked back into her skirt as she adjusted herself to a proper and elegant sitting position.
Chu Yueyuan removed the colored paper from her face and gave an embarrassed smile: "I was playing a leaf game with Jin Tong, please forgive me, Minister Pei..."
The carriage was spacious, complete with a tea table and low couch, but Pei Muwei was tall, and once he entered, the spacious space seemed to shrink.
He gazed at the young empress dowager's beautiful face and said in a low voice, "This humble subject feels thirsty and would like to ask Your Highness for a cup of tea."
Faced with the uninvited guest, Chu Yueyuan, the good-natured hostess, greeted him with a smile. She asked Jin Tong to put away the cards and colored paper on the table and replace them with a set of purple clay teaware, and took the initiative to pour tea for the guest.
Pei Muwei lifted his robe and sat down on the prayer mat, his gaze naturally falling on the young empress dowager pouring tea opposite him.
The woman's long, slender fingers, like scallions, held the handle of the purple clay teapot, the tips adorned with pale pink nail polish. She lowered her head, revealing a section of her smooth, white nape. As hot water was slowly poured into the teacup, the rising steam gradually blurred the mottled red marks on that smooth, white skin.
It's as if everything that actually happened has become as insignificant as smoke and clouds.
Pei Muwei's eyes darkened slightly. He reached out to touch the mark, but his palm was burned as a steaming teacup was shoved into his hand.
The young empress dowager smiled and said, her bright eyes curving slightly, "Pei Qing is such an impatient person, be careful not to burn yourself."
Pei Muwei glanced at the woman's bright smile, then slowly lifted the tea lid, lowered his eyes and blew away the steam from the tea, seemingly casually mentioning, "I heard that the Empress Dowager intends to bring Zhengyin and Zhenglu back to the palace and find them jobs in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices?"
Chu Yueyuan knew that the Regent King's intentions were not as simple as just asking her for a cup of tea.
If her answer is unsatisfactory, it might cost two lives.
When she left the capital, she went to the temporary palace under the pretext of recuperating from illness. If, after returning to the palace, two more handsome musicians from Xixia appeared in the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, then her trip to Xixia with the Regent would be impossible to hide.
The sight of an uncle and sister-in-law traveling together is truly thought-provoking!
The mouth of a dead person is much tighter than that of a mute person.
Chu Yueyuan picked up the embroidered hibiscus fan from the tea table and gently fanned herself. Meeting the man's deep, dark eyes, she spoke calmly:
"I have seen that Zhengyin and Zhenglu are quite accomplished in music, so I thought that when I passed through Shu, I would hand them over to the local musician Zhao Kuang. Zhao Kuang is blind but extremely sensitive to music and is proficient in many instruments. Zhenglu is also born with a disability. The two of them together can be described as a perfect match. In the future, they will compose a musical score that will be famous for thousands of years, which will be a wonderful thing for the world."
"Moreover, Zheng Yin and Zheng Lü have long admired Zhao Kuang and are eager to become his disciples. I also do not want to be held hostage by the King of Feng. Since Pei Qing has taken over Shu, I feel at ease keeping an eye on the brothers. That's why I went with the flow and asked the King of Feng for the two of them."
In her final sentence, she handed the decision to the Regent, smiling gently, "What does Pei Qing think?"
Pei Muwei gazed at the composed Empress Dowager and nodded slightly: "Since the Empress Dowager has already made plans for the two of them, then let's proceed according to Your Highness's wishes."
Chu Yueyuan hadn't expected the Regent to agree so easily. Her heart eased slightly, and she picked up her teacup and took a small sip.
Just then, the Regent asked in a completely calm tone, "Is Your Highness satisfied with Zheng Lu's service that night?"
"puff..."
The question came abruptly, and Chu Yueyuan choked on her tea, her cheeks flushing red.
Pei Muwei extended his long arm across the tea table, his large hand gently patting the woman's heaving back.
"Ahem... Why did Pei Qing suddenly ask about this..."
Chu Yueyuan felt the large hand on her back stop, but it didn't move away from her, as if waiting for her answer.
Under the influence of the Jade Dew Trembling Branch, although she was not in her right mind that night, she remembered the Regent's angry face after she rejected him—the man's dark eyes were as deep as ink, and his whole body exuded a world-destroying tyranny.
If that's the case, why did he still ask her for details about what happened? Was he just making things difficult for himself? Or did he have some unknown fetish?
Chu Yueyuan couldn't figure it out, but praising Zheng Lü in this matter was tantamount to asking the King of Hell for a death warrant.
After a moment's thought, she leaned back, her forearm resting on the white glazed armrest, her other hand holding the ivory fan handle to cover half her face. Her peach blossom eyes, visible outside the fan, were lowered, which complemented the lotus flowers embroidered on the fan.
She frowned and sighed softly, "Zheng Lu has served as the Imperial Attendant in Xixia for so long, and has served countless women. His body is already depleted, and he is somewhat unable to keep up..."
Upon hearing this, the large hand on her back froze for a moment, then moved away.
Chu Yueyuan breathed a sigh of relief, then picked up her teacup and took a small sip, her gaze passing over the rim of the teacup to secretly observe the man opposite her.
The Regent was also drinking tea. The man's face was as cold and aloof as jade, and his slightly lowered eyelashes concealed the ripples in his eyes. However, the lines of his jaw were tightly taut, as if the taste of the tea was not to his liking.
His gaze slowly descended, then suddenly paused.
Because Pei Muwei was going to ride a horse, he wasn't wearing a wide-sleeved brocade robe with python patterns today. Instead, he was wearing a well-fitting blue riding outfit with a round neck and narrow sleeves and silver thread patterns. A crescent-shaped bite mark was faintly visible at the cuffs of his outward-turned sleeves.
Chu Yueyuan's chaotic memories seemed to be suddenly struck by something. In the dim tent, their breaths mingled, and the man held her wrist tightly. The burning heat almost scorched the skin of her palm. With a few low, hoarse whispers in her ear, a surge of heat suddenly filled her palm.
She was both angry and furious. She turned her head and bit the man's forearm hard.
Just as he was about to take a closer look, the scar quickly disappeared into his sleeve in the time it took for the man to put down his teacup.
"Has the Empress Dowager ever ridden a multi-storied ship?"
She snapped out of her reverie and shook her head: "I have only ever ridden in a painted boat on the riverbank outside the capital."
Pei Muwei added, "After the caravan arrives in Jingzhou, I will arrange for the Empress Dowager to transfer to a multi-story ship. Imperial Physician Hu has already prepared seasickness medicine for Your Highness. The multi-story ship has everything you need, and we will arrive in the capital in half a month."
Chu Yueyuan raised her eyebrows slightly: "Does Minister Pei mean... that I should travel back to the capital with you by boat?"
She thought that after her absurd encounter with Zheng Lü, the Regent would despise her from then on, so when Jin Tong excitedly mentioned the ship, she was certain that the Regent would not take her along.
After all, she had schemed against him again that night. Given his arrogant and overbearing nature, even if he had shown her some sincerity before, it should have been completely ruined.
She's already a withered flower, what's there to cherish about her?
unless....
Pei Muwei said in a calm tone: "The Empress Dowager has not attended court for a long time. Prince Anxian summoned many officials to jointly submit a memorial, saying that I have imprisoned His Highness and the Emperor."
Chu Yueyuan frowned slightly, inwardly cursing those troublesome members of the Xiao imperial family who forced her to board the Regent's pirate ship once again.
She hesitated, "But... if I go back with Pei Qing, wouldn't all our efforts to conceal our whereabouts be in vain? I'm just a widow, I don't care much about my reputation, but Pei Qing's reputation is as pure as snow, and he shouldn't be tarnished..."
Pei Muwei narrowed his phoenix eyes slightly, and seeing the woman feigning concern for him, a faint smile appeared on his lips:
"Your Highness need not worry about this matter. Before the war between Daqi and Canglang, Lin Sizhou announced to the officials in court that the Empress Dowager, in order to boost the morale of the soldiers, decided to take the lead and personally go to the front line to fight on behalf of the emperor. After the news of the victory reached the capital, all the officials praised Your Highness for personally handling everything and for acting in accordance with the virtues of the emperor."
Chu Yueyuan: ...
The Regent really dares to praise her.
Since news of her whereabouts in Xixia would eventually reach the capital, this explanation would not only cover up her previous activities, but also provide a plausible reason that would leave no room for criticism.
Chu Yueyuan resignedly said, "Since Minister Pei has made all the arrangements, then I will accompany you back to the capital by boat. However, before we part..."
She looked up and stared directly at the man: "I wish to meet with Zheng Lu."
Chu Yueyuan had many questions about what happened that night, and only by meeting Zheng Lu could she resolve the mystery in her heart.
The car fell silent, the air stagnant and silent, as if covered with a layer of frost.
The emperor and his minister faced each other, one with narrowed phoenix eyes, his deep and sharp gaze trying to see through the other's intentions, while the other with bright eyes blinked lightly, his disguise flawless.
Pei Muwei gently twirled the Buddhist prayer beads on her wrist, her tone slightly cold: "What does the Empress Dowager want to see him for? Does she want to 'use medicine' again?"
Chu Yueyuan stared at the man's well-defined hands, lowered her eyes and said softly, "Pei Qing is truly my confidant."
Pei Muwei loosened his fingers from the prayer beads, his thin lips curving slightly, but there was no hint of a smile in his eyes: "Didn't the Empress Dowager just say that Zheng Lu was useless?"
The woman's slender fingers, adorned with pale pink nail polish, gently turned the ivory fan handle. She said frankly, "Although it's not very useful, it'll do. There are too many people and too much gossip in the palace, making things less convenient than outside. I trust Minister Pei the most, so you'll be in charge of arranging this matter, is that alright?"
Hearing the Empress Dowager's absurd request, Pei Muwei's eyes darkened, and he clenched his hands tightly on his knees.
Chu Yueyuan stared at the man's pale joints, secretly worried that she might have gone too far in testing him.
Fortunately, the Regent simply picked up the remaining tea and drank it all in one gulp, then placed it heavily on the rosewood tea table. His clear, cold voice remained as indifferent as ever, showing no emotion.
"Your humble servant will make the arrangements properly."
The incense ball hanging on the car door made a loud noise. Chu Yueyuan slowly gripped the ivory fan handle. She frowned and stared at the empty teacup on the tea table, lost in thought.
Is she overthinking it?
———
Before dawn, the air was filled with the chill of early morning. A chestnut horse reined in its horse in front of the overgrown inn.
The messenger dismounted and pounded on the dilapidated wooden door. The tendrils of the vine climbing the wall trembled violently, and the dew gathered on the green leaves was shaken off.
"They're here! They're here!"
Jingzhou prospered because of water, with crisscrossing waterways, wide rivers and gentle currents, making it the water transport center of the Great Qi Dynasty. As a result, there were many water stations but few post roads.
The post roads were only important channels for transmitting messages during floods, so they were built in remote areas far from the river.
Fengshun Post Station was built beside the post road, in a deserted area for miles around, and the number of officials it received each year could be counted on one hand.
Zheng, the postmaster, was groggy when the postman roused him from his slumber, but when he saw the embossed dragon-patterned box in the messenger's hand, all his drowsiness vanished.
The Great Qi court had strict regulations on the use of dragon patterns. The four-clawed dragon pattern symbolized the majesty of the royal family and could only be used by princes in the Great Qi.
Zheng Yicheng respectfully opened the sealed box, inside which were five gold ingots and a letter. He unfolded the letter and read it carefully several times, then immediately turned and loudly gave the orders:
"Quickly! Clean up the four guest rooms upstairs. In a few days, some important guests will be staying there. Discard any damaged tables, chairs, or benches and replace them with new ones. Prepare bedding, curtains, and incense burners according to the letter. If you don't have them, ride a horse to the county town to buy them. Also, pickaxes, planes..."
Three days later, billowing yellow dust rose on the post road as a carriage with a green canopy and red tassels stopped in front of the Fengshun Post Station.
Upon hearing the postman's report, Zheng Yicheng, without even changing into clean clothes, hurriedly dropped the iron pickaxe in his hand and rushed out to greet him.
"Your humble servant respectfully welcomes the Regent, may Your Highness live a thousand years!"
Zheng Yicheng served as a postmaster for more than ten years. The highest-ranking official he had ever seen was the fifth-rank Vice Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, who was going to the capital to take up his post. Any officials of higher rank would travel by water from the county town's dock to take up their posts.
"No need for formalities, rise." The man's voice was cold and crisp, yet it exuded a powerful aura.
Zheng Yicheng looked up in alarm and saw the man sitting astride his horse, wearing a black brocade robe, with black hair and a jade crown, exuding an air of nobility. Looking at his face, he had a straight nose, distinct brow bones, and especially his pair of dark eyes, which were calm and sharp, and imposing.
The regent dismounted, but instead of entering the post station, he stood beside the carriage, seemingly waiting for the people inside.
This piqued Zheng Yicheng's curiosity.
The ginger-yellow curtain with its tassel pattern was lifted, and a woman stepped out. The afterglow of the setting sun seemed to favor her, and a gentle breeze stirred her crimson gauze dress. The glow of the sunset adorning her black hair was her best jewel, reflecting off her smooth, jade-like skin. She was as beautiful as a plum blossom blooming in the snow, and as elegant as an autumn orchid covered in frost.
The woman was so beautiful, like a goddess from a mural, that Zheng Yicheng and the postmen behind him were mesmerized.
Chu Yueyuan stepped out of the carriage and saw a group of dusty-looking people standing outside the post station, which surprised her slightly.
The head of the post station was even more comical; his round body was wrapped in his official robes covered in sawdust and dust, and his face looked as if it had been smeared with coal ash, like a bricklayer who hadn't finished his work.
It seems this remote inn isn't in very good condition.
Pei Muwei helped her down from the carriage and instructed her, "Travel lightly tomorrow. Upon arriving at the Qianchuan County dock, take a ship back to the capital. I will arrange another team to escort Zhengyin and Zhenglu to Shu."
Chu Yueyuan walked alongside him and whispered a reminder: "So, tomorrow I will be parting ways with Zheng Lu. Do you still remember... that matter, Pei Qing?"
Pei Muwei lowered his eyes, staring at the Empress Dowager's cheeks, which were flushed red by the setting sun. He pressed his thin lips together and coldly squeezed out a few words: "It has been arranged for Your Highness."
Chu Yueyuan nodded with feigned satisfaction and entered the post station.
Seeing this, Zheng Yicheng quickly stepped behind the Regent, bowed, and lowered his voice, "Your Highness, rest assured, I have already connected the two rooms..."
Pei Muwei's gaze remained unmoved, only nodding slightly: "You are a useful person, so you shall return to the capital with me tomorrow."
These words were like a gift from heaven, and Zheng Yicheng was overjoyed. If he hadn't been afraid of revealing his secret, he would have almost knelt down and kowtowed to express his gratitude.
—————
The inn was not large, with two floors. The first floor had a dozen or so tables and chairs, along with a kitchen and stable. The second floor was shaped like a U-shape, with four guest rooms on each of the four cardinal directions.
Chu Yueyuan was assigned to the east guest room. Standing at the door, she first saw Zheng Yicheng bowing and scraping as he welcomed the Regent into the west guest room next door, and then saw Zheng Yin and Zheng Lu move into the south guest room before she went into her own room.
The furnishings inside the room were clearly newly changed. The curtains were embroidered with kingfisher patterns in gold thread, and the desk was fully equipped with the Four Treasures of the Study. Incense smoke curled from the rosewood table, the kind she usually liked.
Further inside, the dormitory room has a large bed with silky satin embroidered with hibiscus patterns. Behind the landscape screen is a huge carved mahogany wardrobe.
"This inn isn't big, but the furnishings are quite exquisite," Jin Tong said after looking around. "The layout of the room is somewhat similar to the bedroom in our Phoenix Perch Palace!"
After Jin Tong mentioned it, Chu Yueyuan also discovered it.
Although the furnishings were far inferior to those of the Phoenix Perch Palace, the familiar layout and incense inside the room relaxed her mind and body, and she even began to miss Xiao Yun and Granny Xu in the palace.
Has Yoona grown taller? I haven't hugged him in so long, will it hurt my arms if I hug him again?
I wonder if Xu Mama's cough, which always flares up every spring, has improved after taking the medicine prescribed by Imperial Physician Zhao?
After having dinner and taking a bath, Chu Yueyuan changed into a magnolia-colored thin silk nightgown. She leaned lazily against the couch, gently drying her half-dry long hair by the incense burner on the bedside table.
Just then, there were several knocks on the door.
Jin Tong immediately draped a cloud-patterned satin outer robe over Chu Yueyuan's shoulders, then quickly walked to the door, raised a lotus-shaped candlestick, and cautiously asked, "Who is it?"
There were three more knocks on the door, neither too loud nor too soft.
Jin Tong tensed up and raised her voice, "Who goes there? If you don't speak, I...I'll call the guards!"
Chu Yueyuan had already come out of the dormitory. She leaned against the partition door with a calm expression and said in a light tone, "Let him in."
Jin Tong looked surprised: "Your Highness, it's the middle of the night... Even if the Regent wants to see Your Highness, there must be a reason, right?"
Chu Yueyuan shook her head: "Even if you ask again, he won't be able to answer you."
Jin Tong, completely bewildered, opened the door bolt.
The visitor did not carry a lantern. As the door was gently opened a crack, candlelight spilled onto his handsome face like water.
Jin Tong opened her mouth in surprise: "Zheng Lu, what are you doing here so late...?"
Zheng Lu's fair cheeks flushed rapidly in the candlelight. He gestured with his hands, but Jin Tong tilted her head and couldn't understand.
What are you looking for?
"Are you hungry? The kitchen is on the first floor!"
"Hey, where's Zhengyin? Call him here, I can't understand your scribbles!"
Chu Yueyuan had no choice but to interrupt the two's communication, which relied entirely on gestures.
"It was I who sent him. The guest rooms in the north are still empty. You can rest there tonight and don't need to serve me."
Seeing that Chu Yueyuan was about to send her away, even Jin Tong, with her slow-witted mind, finally understood. She opened her mouth wide in surprise—her mistress had brought the customs of Xixia back to Daqi.
Did the Regent know about this?
Jin Tong glanced at the west guest room next door, where the lights were already off, and immediately understood. It turned out that the prince had gone to the Duke of Zhou (a euphemism for a sleepless night) to complain.
Jin Tong pulled Zheng Lu inside, closed the door, and quickly walked to Chu Yueyuan's side. She clasped her hands together and whispered, "This servant should stay in the outer room, in case His Highness needs hot water at night."
The guest rooms only had inner and outer rooms, and no side rooms for servants to rest. Chu Yueyuan had already planned for what would happen tonight and did not intend to make Jin Tong sit outside feeling uneasy.
"Go and rest, we won't need hot water tonight."
Jin Tong ultimately failed to stay.
The door closed gently, and the orange-yellow candlelight bathed the two of them.
Zheng Lu couldn't speak, and if Chu Yueyuan didn't open her mouth, the room was as silent as still water. Even though the man and woman were alone in the room, there wasn't a trace of romance between them.
"Do you... want some water?"
Even though the two had been intimate, Chu Yueyuan still felt somewhat uncomfortable, and she politely said...
Zheng Lu nodded, feeling both apprehensive and fearful.
Chu Yueyuan poured him a cup of water and handed it to him. The teacup was small, and his fingers inevitably touched it. Zheng Lu blushed and dared not look directly at the woman. He even choked a little while drinking the tea.
Be cautious and prudent, as if walking on thin ice.
He was nothing like the powerful, assertive man who had been in control that night.
Chu Yueyuan grew increasingly suspicious, but she didn't show it on her face. She turned around and sat back on the bed, smiling slightly: "It's getting late. You can serve me and help me rest. The rules are the same as last night."
Zheng Lu hurriedly put down the water glass he hadn't finished drinking, and a pair of exceptionally clear and bright dark eyes looked over timidly.
Chu Yueyuan suddenly felt like a bully trying to take over a respectable family.
Zheng Lu did not go straight to the bed, but glanced behind the screen, then suddenly walked to the candlestick and tried to blow out the candle.
"Don't turn off the lights, I want to watch over you." Chu Yueyuan pointed to her side, her crimson lips smiling, "Come and sit down."
Zheng Lu's body visibly stiffened, a hint of panic flashed in his eyes, then he quickly lowered his gaze. He took a few deep breaths, and with heavy steps, walked to the edge of the couch and sat down.
The man had taken a bath before arriving, and his body smelled of fresh soap. His hair was not tied up, and he wore an ivory-white cross-collar brocade robe. His damp black hair clung to his temples, and he kept his head down, displaying a humble demeanor.
Chu Yueyuan's watery eyes reflected the candlelight as she smiled and said, "Do you still remember where I hit you last time?"
Zheng Lu pointed to his right cheek.
In fact, Chu Yueyuan didn't remember the events of that night clearly. She only remembered that she slapped the other person, but she couldn't tell whether the slap landed on her left cheek or her right cheek in the darkness.
However, Zheng Lu's ability to point it out without hesitation confirms his identity that night.
Chu Yueyuan's eyes darkened. Could it be that she was overthinking things?
Several detailed questions about that night were posed in succession. Although Zheng Lu could not speak, he could respond with gestures, and his answers were not much different from Chu Yueyuan's memories.
Ke Zhenglu never felt the same way she did with the man in her memory.
The man in the tent that night was strong, domineering, and passionate. He even dared to disobey her orders, forcefully pulling her hand and committing absurd acts.
Chu Yueyuan chose to trust her intuition. She reached out and poked Zheng Lu's right cheek, her voice soft: "Does it still hurt?"
A delicate fragrance wafted from her long sleeves. The woman's fingers were soft, and Zheng Lu's body trembled violently, even his ears turning slightly red. He looked away and shook his head.
"Look at me!"
The woman's melodious voice seemed to have a magical power, and Zheng Lu suddenly raised his head, his gaze falling on her bright and charming face.
The woman's black hair was loose, and she wore a peony-colored gauze dress as an outer garment, with a matching red silk belt around her waist, which cinched her slender waist. The tiger's eye stones adorning her dress shimmered with a hazy glow in the candlelight, highlighting her exquisite features. In particular, her eyes, which revealed seven parts charm and three parts languor when she smiled, were the most alluring.
Zheng Lu's mouth was dry, his Adam's apple bobbed, and a thin layer of sweat beaded on his forehead. His hands, clenched on his knees, were about to tear his clothes, but he restrained himself from lifting them.
The smile on Chu Yueyuan's lips vanished instantly, her clear eyes turning sharp and bright, her voice slightly lowered:
"Zhenglu, was it you who served me that night?"
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