Chapter 20: Shou Ta Yi Bing "A Tale of Love and Loyalty"
FlamingoBees
Translating Chinese Historical Dramas for your enjoyment... and mine! :)
Shou Ta Yi Bing "A Tale of Love and Loyalty"
Chapter 20:
Return
Pei Qing prepared the bathing essentials and carefully tested the water temperature.
Everything was ready, but she found that Xiao Yuan was not in the chamber. From the sounds of conversation outside, it seemed he had gone to handle some urgent matters. The cold wind howled outside, and with Weaving Mist accompanying Ji'er in the Xuanyang Palace, the Palace was left with only her.
Pei Qing closed the door and walked behind the screen to undress.
The warm water eased her body, and she closed her eyes, reflecting on the words spoken at the table. He said that life and death are beyond choice; the only choice lies in how and for whom one dies.
Her sister had died in childbirth, with the midwives in the palace saying she closed her eyes with a smile. Therefore, people said she died for the emperor and the royal bloodline. Her brother-in-law, having fallen ill from overwork, would die one day, it would be for the sake of the country and the state.
However... Pei Qing opened her eyes. Although the rebels led by Prince Yu and Prince Yun had been eliminated, both inside and outside the city remained on high alert. The Southern River army was on constant guard, day and night, and Chu Li's hurried reports of military affairs made her realize that things were far from as simple as she had thought.
It was easier to come to the rescue unexpectedly, but escaping unscathed would be difficult.
For some reason, she felt a pang of bitterness in her heart. Reflecting on it now, that plea for help was probably just a death sentence dragging people into the abyss of despair.
After her bath, she changed into her inner garments and dried her long hair.
It was said that Prince Nan Chaun had a violent temper, and he would kill people without hesitation, trampling on the laws and rules of the kingdom. In the past, when someone in the court had criticized him, their head was struck off on the way home, and since then, no one dared to speak about the Southern River in court.
Now it seems otherwise. The southern region is usually warm as spring, but today, with the cold and the fierce battles, the Southern River soldiers in the palace have shown no complaints or lamentations. If it weren’t for the strict military discipline, could they maintain such resolve?
At first, when she learned of these matters, she was afraid. Later, upon learning that Prince Nan Chuan was named Xiao Yuan, and was young and handsome, her fear grew. Pei Qing knew she had wronged him and understood how hurtful her words before entering the palace had been.
Even now, she remained afraid. Pei Qing walked to the edge of the bed and lifted the covers.
She feared... that he might not return.
Just as she was about to blow out the candle, a creak sounded from outside. A gust of cold wind blew in, followed by the thud of the palace door closing. Xiao Yuan, covered in snow, walked in, and the warmth and fragrance of the room were instantly overshadowed by the lingering chill.
Seeing the woman beside the bed, seemingly ready to sleep, he frowned, “You’re going to bed already while I’m not back?”
Pei Qing quickly got up, “I... I thought you might not come back.”
“Where would I go if I didn’t come back?” He grumbled, pulling something out from his clothing and thrusting it into her hand. “This thing keeps falling off.”
Pei Qing looked down to find the peace charm she had sent out the night before. The red silk pouch was damp, as if it had been soaked in snow.
“I’ll sew on a strap for it, so you can tie it to your belt and it won’t fall off,” she said, heading for the sewing kit.
“Such a hassle,” the man muttered, shedding his outer garments.
Pei Qing returned with the sewing kit and noticed, “Why is your outer garment so wet?”
Xiao Yuan didn’t answer her, instead going to the screen behind which he began to bathe. The dignified Prince Nan Chuan naturally wouldn’t mention that the peace charm had fallen off on his way to the Eastern Palace and, in the midst of a severe snowstorm, had blown away. Two tall figures had chased after it for some time. By the time they reached the Eastern Palace, Chu Li was still laughing and gasping for breath, only quieting after receiving a kick.
At this moment, the whole Southern Chu army probably knew.
Seeing that he didn’t respond, Pei Qing thought he was angry again. Realizing she hadn’t prepared bathing supplies for him upon his return, she hurriedly set aside her things and went after him. “I’ll prepare everything you need quickly—”
When the man’s bare and well-built body suddenly came into view, Pei Qing let out a surprised yelp, her face flushing red as she turned away, momentarily forgetting what she was going to say.
Xiao Yuan looked at her with a smirk, seeing her back turned with a hint of shyness. The soft fabric of her undergarments clung to her figure, perfectly outlining her graceful form. Her long hair fell in waves, brushing against his heart.
“Is the bathing water you prepared just cold water?” he asked.
Pei Qing hadn’t expected him to return so soon, let alone to see him undress so quickly. She pointed to the side. “There’s some clean hot water there. It’s not as hot as before, but adding it should make it just right.”
Xiao Yuan glanced at the water she indicated and then at her, snorting.
Those delicate hands, which only seem capable of playing the guqin and grinding ink, probably couldn’t even handle the full pot of hot water.
Hearing the sound of water splashing behind her, Pei Qing relaxed a bit. Since he had already undressed himself, she assumed her assistance wasn’t needed for that. “You bathe first; I’ll go sew the strap.”
Seeing her eager to leave, Xiao Yuan impatiently called out, “Bring it here and sew it.”
“What?” Pei Qing still had her back to him.
“If you don’t sew it to my satisfaction, Xiao Ji’an won’t be allowed to come here for meals in the future.”
[The author has a message:]
Welcome to all the new readers! This story will have daily updates for the next 5 days starting today. (Highlight this!)
I also recommend my completed works: Forbidden Things, Forbidden Descent, and The Blood-Stained Guest. For ongoing series, check out The Flames of War, Silent Chant, and Fateful Bonds. Feel free to find me on Weibo (ID: 周扶妖). The text files for the completed works are also available on Weibo for download.
Thank you to everyone who has spoken up and encouraged me. I’m the type who becomes more determined with criticism, so negative comments and downvotes don’t bother me much.
Alright, no more talk—see you tomorrow at noon, 11 AM!
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