Chapter 8: A Review of the Eight-Flower Lazy
Qingfu had long noticed the emperor's unusual behavior, but dared not speak of it.
Xu Heng lowered his head solemnly. After a long while, he seemed to be dozing off and lifted his eyelids slightly. Qingfu thought that the emperor was unwell or tired, so he spoke up: "Your Majesty, would you like to rest early?"
They should have taken a pulse to check on the emperor's health, but fearing the emperor might be superstitious, Qingfu didn't bring it up.
Xu Heng smiled faintly. He had tossed and turned all night; how could he not be sleepy?
But with the case files piled up before him, how could he ignore them?
"It's nothing." Xu Heng glanced at the teapot. "Make another pot of tea."
"Here you go." Qingfu ran down carrying the teapot.
Xu Heng remained alone in the room, picked up a memorial and unfolded it. It was a report from the Ministry of Revenue regarding the allocation of funds and grain. It wasn't anything major. Xu Heng reviewed it once, marked it with a "read" in red ink, and placed it on top of the stack of revised documents. He then looked at the second memorial, a report from the Ministry of Rites regarding the summer sacrifices. He found it cumbersome and extravagant, and frowned, writing: "Make further deletions and consider it further."
The memorial was rejected. Xu Heng was supposed to approve the third one, but then he suddenly remembered something, grabbed the first one he had approved earlier, and started flipping through it, panting. His heart was pounding, like he was walking on eggshells. When he finally got to the last page and saw his own "read" mark, his heart finally settled, but then a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.
He used to write the character "阅" (yue) inside the door, but after he married Wang Yuying, she saw it and said that his "兑" was too narrow and thin, and not grand enough.
Xu Heng countered by asking what was wrong with the atmosphere, and Wang Yuying replied that the character "兑" (duì) was locked inside a door, like a person confined in a cage and subjected to discipline, with both arms tightly pressed against the sides of the thighs.
Xu Heng then stopped smiling and took out Wang Yuying's calligraphy for comparison. It was written in the style of Wei stele, with the vertical hook of the character "兑" (duì) extending outwards in a bold and unrestrained manner.
Xu Heng smiled and said, "From now on, I will write according to your instructions."
Now, the words "read" in vermilion ink, "兑" (meaning "to exchange"), are extended outside the door.
Xu Heng, seemingly unwilling to give up, flipped through two more books he had previously reviewed, and did the same.
The deep red cinnabar from the characters gradually pierced his eyes, staining his vision with a uniform color.
She was no longer in the palace, but she still influenced him.
When Qingfu returned after making the tea, he saw the emperor lost in thought again, head bowed, eyes slightly red.
Qingfu poured himself a cup of fresh tea before whispering, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty?"
Xu Heng snapped out of his daze and glanced over.
Qingfu held up his cup and said with a smile, "Your Majesty, please have some tea."
Xu Heng took the teacup without a smile. He had just taken his first sip, and before he could even swallow the tea, he remembered Wang Yuying again.
The small dragon dumplings I brewed were made with sparrow tongue sprouts without borneol.
Before he met Wang Yuying, Xu Heng always drank the purple bamboo shoots from Guzhu Mountain in Changxing, because the late emperor and empress loved to drink them.
Later, when she met Wang Yuying, she took a sip and frowned, saying, "This tea tastes too bland!"
She refused to drink anymore, but Xu Heng wasn't annoyed. Instead, he tried to appease her: "Do you like it strong? Then I'll add some borneol for you."
People love to add borneol to tea, not only for its rich aroma but also for its refreshing and invigorating effect.
"No!" Wang Yuying shook her head repeatedly, "It will ruin the taste of the tea." She stood up, snatched Xu Heng's porcelain cup, and looked down at him: "I'll teach you how to drink it."
He looked up at her with a smile, listening to her recommend Sparrow Tongue Sprout Water Sprout, which was fragrant and delicious even without adding borneol. Later, Wang Yuying drank Sparrow Tongue Sprout Water ...
Even now, Xu Heng drinks at least one pot of Sparrow Tooth tea every day. Wang Yuying has been away from the palace for three years, but this habit continues.
Xu Heng felt even more disappointed. After a long while, he forced himself to suppress his feelings and decided to finish today's work today. All the memorials on the table had to be revised.
The incense sticks in the incense burner burned shorter and shorter. As the sun set and the moon rose, Qingfu stood beside him, hesitant to speak.
Xu Heng opened his mouth and asked, "What is it?"
Qingfu hurriedly knelt down: "Today, the Zhang family sent a message to the palace, saying that the Lady of the Zhang family is seriously ill."
Consort Zhang's father had served as the magistrate of a county in the capital region before retiring due to illness. Zhang entered the palace as a first-class palace maid and rose through the ranks. Both the Zhang family and Zhang herself were very low-key and dutiful. Xu Heng bestowed upon her father the title of Marquis of Ting, but he did not receive any real power. Zhang's father never took up another official post and even lived in the suburbs of the capital, never moving into the city or purchasing a large mansion.
Xu Heng frowned: "When did this happen?"
Today, the Zhang family came to deliver a letter to Consort Shu. Immediately, an informant reported this to Qingfu, but the emperor seemed to be in a bad mood at the time, so Qingfu dared not bother with such a trivial matter.
Since the emperor did not stop, Qingfu dared not pause either, and continued walking while replying: "Around 3:45 PM."
Xu Heng remained silent, bowing his head to finish reviewing the memorials. After putting down his pen, he instructed on the inspection tour of the camps outside the capital, which had been arranged two months ago. They would set off after the morning court session the next day and could not be delayed.
After everything was arranged, he stood up and tied his hands behind his back, saying, "Let's go."
"Yes." Qingfu picked up a lantern and went with the emperor to find Consort Shu. She had now moved from Qingyin Palace to Chunjin Palace, which was right next to Qingyin Palace. It was still remote, but more spacious and less cramped than Qingyin Palace. They walked along the imperial road and then turned onto the winding cobblestone path.
The master and servant were both silent, only the lanterns swayed.
From afar, three or four lights could be seen in front of Chunjin Palace, like fireflies—it was Consort Shu who had been notified and had led her palace servants to wait at the palace gate.
As Xu Heng approached, Consort Shu bowed respectfully: "Your Majesty, I, your humble servant, humbly welcome you."
The palace servants also knelt down one after another.
Xu Hengxu raised his hand slightly: "Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Consort Shu stood up and stood to the side of the door. She waited for the emperor to enter the hall first before following behind him, one person's distance away, step by step.
After entering the hall, she glanced at the wooden clogs on the emperor's feet and ordered someone to bring a pair with lower soles, more suitable for indoor walking, and had the emperor change into them.
The sleeping quarters were vast. The emperor chose a round-backed chair to sit in, and another round-backed chair was placed opposite him. Between them was a low square table with a chessboard on it.
The emperor drank tea first, but the tea brewed in the Chunjin Palace was not Sparrow Tooth. He took a sip and found it unpalatable, so he put it down.
"Does Consort Shu play chess?" the Emperor asked. He and she didn't have much to talk about, and their time together was often awkward and silent. But one day, he noticed a chessboard in the palace and learned that she was learning chess. So he started playing chess with her every time he came to the palace, which made the days much easier.
Consort Shu nodded. Actually, she didn't like playing chess, but for some reason, the emperor insisted on playing every time he came, which frightened her so much that she dared not put the chessboard away.
The emperor held a black piece between two fingers, signaling to Consort Shu to go first.
Consort Shu, holding the white pen, went first.
The match was decided in less than twenty rounds.
Xu Heng sighed inwardly. So many times, and it's still like this. He wondered if Consort Shu was unwilling to improve her chess skills, or if she was intentionally being modest and not daring to win.
The same applies to his ministers playing chess with him.
This applies to the whole world.
On the chessboard, he only lost to three people in his life: the late emperor, the empress dowager, and Wang Yuying. He was always trembling with fear when playing against the first two, and he dared not win when he switched to the lower position. Only Wang Yuying was truly unyielding to him. The two of them fought fiercely, back and forth, their eyes red and teeth itching, yet it was also exhilarating.
Memories flashed through Xu Heng's mind.
After a moment, he once again suppressed his many emotions and the beautiful woman in his heart, and said to Consort Shu, "I have heard about your mother's matter. Go back and see her soon."
This was precisely what Consort Shu wanted to say but dared not. She immediately knelt down and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!"
"Get up," Xu Heng said gently. "We'll take the imperial physician with us when we go back."
He will also bestow some gifts upon those who come to visit their families.
Consort Shu suddenly looked up at Xu Heng, her eyes filled with tears—it was always like this. On the one hand, she could sense from the emperor's aloofness and rigidity that he had no love for her, but on the other hand, she was moved and attached to the emperor's understanding and gentleness. Even though she knew in her heart that this gentleness was a monarch's way of treating his subjects, not a man's way of treating his lover, she still... still couldn't control her feelings of love and couldn't let go.
Xu Heng noticed Consort Shu's tears and his smile froze for a moment: "Why are you crying?"
Consort Shu refused to get up, so Xu Heng pursed his lips, raised his hand to support her wrist, and helped her up. Once Consort Shu was steady, Xu Heng immediately removed his hand and put it behind his back.
"Get some rest," he said.
Unlike the emperor and empress who had to sleep on the same bed, the emperor and Consort Shu had been sleeping in separate beds for a long time. He lay down on his own bed and habitually spread his arms out, suddenly realizing that this posture was also because Wang Yuying liked to rest her head on someone's arm.
Xu Heng silently withdrew his arm.
He turned over. Two years had passed since he became the new ruler, and he was determined to forget Wang Yuying. He removed the hidden sentries inside and outside the temple and stopped receiving any messages from her.
Two years have passed, yet she is still everywhere I look.
I don't want to think about it, I can't bear to think about it, but I can't help but think about it, and I even compare her to Consort Shu, and I even shamelessly think that Wang Yuying is better...
But she—
Xu Heng sighed inwardly. He wanted to be a wise ruler, so at that time he also hoped that Wang Yuying would be a virtuous empress!
He turned over again, feeling agitated and unable to fall asleep.
Even the cicadas outside the window seemed determined to chirp because of the heat.
Xu Heng stood up.
Although Consort Shu was sleeping on another bed, she immediately sat up: "Your Majesty?"
Xu Heng pressed his hand down in the air: "Don't get up." He forced a smile, "Sleep a little longer, I still have state affairs to attend to."
Having said that, he returned to the Funing Palace to sleep alone.
*
On Floating Mountain, in the Taoist temple's inner chambers, gauze curtains fluttered and fell, and the inside of the curtains also floated and sank, as if sailing on the sea, not knowing where one was.
The fragrant sweat soaked the cool mat, even the pillow was drenched.
Wang Yuying lay prone on Jing Ye's chest. Seeing her drenched in sweat, he wanted to wipe it away for her. This rough, battle-hardened man had no handkerchief, only his sleeves. Not wanting to be negligent, Jing Ye got out of bed, found Wang Yuying's handkerchief, and wiped her sweat. Wang Yuying glanced at his sweat-soaked chest and laughed, "Wipe yourself too!"
Jingye chuckled and insisted on wiping her down, asking softly, "Do you want to wash it with hot water?"
"Too lazy to go out." Wang Yuying, craving a drink, reached for the strong liquor on the coffee table. Jing Ye suddenly grabbed her wrist, and Wang Yuying cried out. He hurriedly released her, saying, "Sorry, did I hurt you?"
"It doesn't hurt," Wang Yuying said, turning her wrist. "Why are you grabbing my hand?"
Jingye said, "It's windy."
Wang Yuying didn't understand. Wasn't it good to have a cool breeze in the summer? The capital was sweltering, but her place was refreshing. Many city dwellers came to Fuyou Mountain to escape the heat!
"Drinking alcohol after being exposed to wind can easily lead to catching a cold, and it can also cause dizziness and vomiting," Jing Ye explained.
It turned out they were trying to stop her from drinking. Wang Yuying couldn't help but glare at them angrily: "This is strong liquor!"
Wine produced in windy areas is not afraid of the cold.
Unaware that her fleeting glances were sending shivers down Jing Ye's spine, he took a deep breath to suppress the strange sensation and patiently advised, "Even strong liquor won't work; it's best to be careful."
Wang Yuying glared at him again, "Why is he even more talkative than a schoolteacher?"
Jingye laughed and said, "One year I was stationed in Qianzhou. The Dong villages there brewed a kind of wine with sugar added, which was sweet. Our squad leader drank it and went out. As soon as he saw the wind, half of his face became paralyzed and he could no longer move. That's when we learned that this wine was called 'fainting upon seeing the wind'."
Wang Yuying remained silent for a moment, then pretended to punch Jing Ye: "Fine, you've cursed me to be paralyzed!"
"That's not what I meant!" Jing Ye hurriedly protested. "I meant that although strong liquor doesn't collapse in the wind, it's still best not to drink it in the wind..."
Wang Yuying understood Jing Ye's good intentions and felt warm inside, but seeing his flushed neck, she still wanted to tease him: "I don't believe it, you just can't stand to see me doing well."
"I didn't, I didn't!" Jing Ye stammered anxiously, not knowing how to explain. He stared at Wang Yuying and suddenly pecked her on the lips, as if that would show his sincerity.
He looked at her again: "I'm telling the truth."
Wang Yuying tilted her head slightly and lowered it. For some reason, her face flushed from Jing Ye's sudden and unexpected kiss.
She patted the bed board: "Get on."
Jingye lay down on the bed and embraced Wang Yuying again.
She nestled in his arms, her peripheral vision catching Jing Ye glancing out the window three times in those few brief moments—he had returned to the capital from his shift at Yumen Pass, serving as the deputy commander of the main camp five miles from Fuyou Mountain in the outskirts of the capital, guarding the palace alongside the Imperial Guards. In the past, he was always unhurried and calm, lingering until almost dawn before returning home, never once glancing at the moon.
Wang Yuying couldn't help but scoff: "What, not planning to spend the night at my place?"
Jing Ye stammered, "His Majesty is touring the camps outside the capital. We must assemble and practice at midnight, ready for battle." He paused, then tightened his grip on Jing Ye's arm. "It's still early. I'll stay with you a little longer."
After a moment, Wang Yuying suddenly asked, "Are you scared?"
Jing Ye was taken aback, thinking she was asking if he was worried about being held accountable for being late to the camp. He had already thought of an answer, but when he opened his mouth, he realized she was asking if he was afraid of meeting the emperor after being with her.
A note from the author:
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