Chapter 9
He slept a dreamless night. When he woke up the next morning, he counted the silver in his arms first. After confirming that the amount was correct, he fastened his belt and went to bed.
Li Fuquan didn't open the window. He went out the side door and immediately saw the white courtyard and the wintersweet tree standing in the center. He lifted his skirt and walked through the knee-deep snow, his heart aching as he got closer and closer to the tree.
Fortunately, he first smelled a delicate fragrance, which put his mind at ease. At least the tree hadn't died in the heavy snow last night. Li Fuquan walked slower, the thick snow soaking his cloth boots. He ignored the cold until he got close to the wintersweet tree, which was then visible.
Most of the pale yellow flowers had already bloomed, and after a night of snow, only a few had fallen to the ground nearby, making the accumulated snow seem less chilling. He let out a long breath and relaxed. Although he didn't know how to care for it from now on, at least the gift from the emperor was still blooming, which was a sign of his care.
He had never seen flowers blooming so vibrantly in the snow before. They didn't wear the white of the heavy snow, their tender yellow color seemed to usher in spring overnight. The fragrance of the flowers was rich and tangy, and now, smelling it up close, it was indeed much better than the incense burned daily in the temple.
Li Fuquan, still holding up his skirt, followed the footprints he had just walked on back to the side of the hall to look for cleaning tools. He bumped into a maid coming out of the hall. "My dear," she said, "it's snowing heavily today, so we just need to clear a small path through."
He responded and continued to pick up his broom, slowly sweeping a path for people to pass through, following his wife's instructions. He piled the excess snow in the corner of the courtyard and flattened it one by one. Turning around, he saw the footprints he had made earlier in the morning and had to sweep an extra path leading to the wintersweet tree. Fortunately, the snow underneath had not frozen, so the swept path was not too slippery.
Small snowflakes began to fall again, but he thought they wouldn't be as heavy as last night's, so he continued to widen the path he had cleared. It wasn't until after noon that he barely finished the task he had been assigned. Li Fuquan had no time to shake off the snowflakes that had settled on him, letting them slowly melt into water and cling to him.
He had been busy since early morning, and although he was sweating profusely, he still didn't feel the cold. He went to get his lunch. It was snowing heavily today, so they had to cook some dried meat from last year. Since it wasn't a lot, he cooked it all at once.
Li Fuquan sat back at the table, his bowl full of hot soup in hand. He first scooped up a piece of salty meat with his chopsticks to satisfy his craving. The hot soup then felt like a welcome relief in the winter. He had nothing else to do that day, so he changed into his underwear and hung up his snow-soaked outer robe to dry, unsure when it would dry.
He learned his lesson and opened the window that had been sealed last night. When he stood up, he could just see the wintersweets in the courtyard and smell the fragrance drifting in with the wind.
Li Fuquan wrung the water out of his trouser legs, and after a moment he had to lie back on the couch to warm his clothes with his body heat. He couldn't get close enough to the heater in the hall to use it yet, and the wet fabric against his legs was freezing cold.
He lay on the couch, feeling the chill, and thought to himself that he had never been so cold-shy before. He had played in the snow for half a day in straw sandals before, but now, still wearing a cotton robe, he could only hide on the couch to absorb some warmth.
Of course, he had never worn a cotton robe in the village before, and he could only occasionally find some tattered fabric. Even if he wanted to warm himself by the fire, he had to go out in the heavy snow, gather some hay that was not completely wet, and usually wait a long time before he could see the flames burn.
The family would only get together when it snowed heavily, sitting around the newly lit fire, talking about this year's harvest, cursing everything they wanted to curse, and then constantly thinking that if they persevered, one day they would have a good life, and maybe it would be their turn next year.
Thinking back, he had even forgotten a little about his parents' appearance, but he still remembered the price he had been sold for—now it seemed, it was only 750 wen, not even as much as his current monthly salary. So he was so cheap! Li Fuquan smiled inexplicably and counted the silver in his hand again. It could buy four or five of him.
However, he still remembered the steward's face, the strong fragrance of the adult in the mansion, the wooden sign that he had been hiding in his arms without using, and Zhao Cai who had been promoted before him.
Li Fuquan fell asleep with a chill, subconsciously tucking himself in tightly. He was awakened by the sound of snow and ice drifting in through the window. He wiped his face with his hand before putting on his half-dry outer robe and going to bed.
Clothes that had been hanging out to dry for hours naturally wouldn't dry quickly, but as long as they stopped dripping, they were fine. Li Fuquan walked out of the courtyard and received another order of hot soup for dinner. It was just a little watery soup, far less filling than lunch.
While sitting at the table, he looked up to the window. The beloved man who had lived in the palace for a long time came out with an umbrella and was admiring the flowers beside the wintersweet with his maid.
His beloved, draped in a scarlet cloak, was reaching out to pluck a few plum blossoms. Li Fuquan quickly drank his hot soup, put on his cloth boots, and went out with his lantern. It was getting dark earlier than usual today. He picked up his sweeping tools and began to clean the path outside the palace. Just as he was about to go to his beloved, he heard the attendant's voice.
As the calls of "Your Majesty" came over one after another, he bowed and saluted, then had to wait outside the hall with the lantern in hand for the emperor to arrive. His Majesty also wore a black cloak. From a distance, the gold lines on it stood out against the white snow behind it, and it still had the leaping dragon pattern.
Li Fuquan waited for a long time, but when he heard no footsteps, he dared to look up and saw the emperor and his beloved chatting and laughing under an umbrella. He relaxed a little and stretched his frozen hands and feet. His clothes, already wet, were beginning to stiffen in the north wind.
Even though night had fallen, the snow showed no sign of stopping, still drifting down from the clouds. When Li Fuquan looked up again, he could only glimpse a bright color amidst the otherwise plain scenery. Only when the emperor lifted his beloved and carried her to the hall did he bow his head and greet His Majesty according to etiquette.
The beloved had plucked a number of plum branches, and the tender yellow blossoms fell on her cloak and shoulders, and from her embrace in the emperor's arms, a delicate fragrance wafted forth. The lights in the palace were all lit, illuminating the entire courtyard as brightly as day.
He heard the sound coming from the hall, and slowly moved back to the tree and waited. He thought that the emperor would not leave early tonight, so he had to stay until dawn as ordered.
Li Fuquan glanced at the wintersweet tree. The tree, its branches broken, looked even thinner in the snow. He tried to tuck his hands into his sleeves and move with small steps to avoid stiffening his limbs. The tender yellow blossoms sometimes returned to the ground with the still-falling snowflakes. Just now, the emperor had stood here, just like him, but that emperor admired both the flowers and the beauty, while he himself was here to endure the cold.
He began to curse the snow in his heart for the first time in a long time, cursing the north wind that was almost freezing him. He couldn't help but think that if he were still in the temple, just staying by the stove would be enough to warm up. He exhaled and switched hands to hold the oil lamp. The figures in the temple were still entangled, and he didn't know when they would stop.
Li Fuquan remained standing by the tree. When he opened his eyes, he realized he'd fallen asleep from the cold. Luckily, the emperor hadn't emerged from the palace, so he wouldn't be punished. The oil lamps within the palace had dimmed slightly. He closed his sleeves and lowered his eyes, staring at the dying lamp in his hand, no longer bothering to move his numb limbs.
Late at night, the snow finally stopped, and the north wind continued to howl, blowing off the yellow flowers of the wintersweet, blowing the fragrance away while also wreaking havoc on the thin branches.
He could only think to himself that this winter night was probably the first time His Majesty would stay in the palace until dawn. According to the gossip he had heard from the eunuchs, his beloved should be promoted to a higher rank soon, at least to the rank of Consort.
By then, he would be in the same situation as Zhao Cai last month. He would receive more silver than he could hold in his arms, and maybe even a cloak in the deep winter - even if it was just tattered cloth from the warehouse, at least he wouldn't be as cold as he is now.
He shuddered, accepting the fact of his leaking urine with a wry smile. Fortunately, he had not removed the padding under his lower body. He had been in the courtyard for a long time without leaving. He didn't know whether he should see a doctor or if he had any other problems.
Li Fuquan watched the breath he exhaled turn into white mist floating in the air, and began to guess what the emperor would reward him this time. It couldn't be jade or bracelets every time, so some gold or silver would be fine. Today was also the first time he saw that his beloved man dressed less plainly, and he looked more lively, not as sickly as before.
Finally, daybreak arrived. Still, there was no movement in the palace, but an attendant did arrive to tell him to turn off the lights and return. His Majesty would be staying in the palace all day, so there was no need for him to attend to him. Li Fuquan bowed his head and humbly nodded. It took a long time before he could finally move forward, treading the slippery path step by step towards his own residence.
He no longer had the energy to get his morning meal, so he could only drag his frozen body, close the window, take off his shoes and socks, and lie down in the quilt.
It was quiet both inside and outside the palace. Li Fuquan closed his eyes and waited for himself to warm up. He tossed and turned, enduring the pain in his legs and feet, and comforted himself by thinking about the good day tomorrow. As long as the emperor could say a word, maybe he could move into the new palace with his beloved. Or maybe his beloved would be happy and give him a heater, so he wouldn't be so cold that he couldn't fall asleep like he was now.
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