Chapter 21: 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 21:
Reflections
Outside, the snow continued to fall heavily.
Inside Han Ning Palace, the warm steam made it cozy and drowsy. Yet, the occasional gentle question immediately brought one back to attention.
"Is this stitching okay?"
Holding the protective charm, Pei Qing gently explained, "This way, the thread won't show, and it matches the pouch better. How does it look?"
Xiao Yuan, looking at the exquisitely beautiful face so close to him, surprisingly responded with a simple "Good" without his usual sarcasm.
Pei Qing, slightly taken aback, smiled and said, "Then I'll stitch it this way."
For so long, her smile had remained unchanged. It was as lovely and gentle as ever, just like it was back then. She always listened intently to what he had to say, and whenever he wanted to do something, she was always by his side to help. When he felt like teasing her with bad news, he took pleasure in seeing her worried expression. He often thought to himself that someone so easily deceived shouldn’t be tricked by anyone.
Ah, but who would have thought that it wasn’t her who was deceived, but him, Xiao Yuan.
He had believed in those gentle reassurances, believed her promise to become a general’s wife. Even when he was abandoned, he wondered if she might have had no choice. He secretly went to find her, only to see the magnificent procession of the Phoenix and the Luan. What he heard afterward was always about how favored Empress Pei was, how she and her emperor husband were affectionate and harmonious.
Until the plea for help arrived in Southern River.
When Chu Li presented the letter, the elegant handwriting on the envelope felt like a hammer striking Xiao Yuan’s heart. He even thought she might regret it, regret marrying into the palace, regret marrying an emperor whose health was deteriorating.
Did she want him to come and rescue her? This thought caused the seasoned Prince Nan Chuan, accustomed to riding for over a decade, to stumble when reining in his horse, alarming all the military officers.
He paid no attention to seeking a doctor for his pain or the ache in his leg. The once calm heart was stirred into turmoil by the words "Xiao Yuan's Eyes Only." But the moment he opened the letter, it felt like a bucket of ice water had been thrown onto his burning heart.
She begged him to save her husband and stepson, even willing to pay any price for it.
As he read, he couldn’t help but laugh at himself, realizing he had been cut by the gentle knife once again, yet was still caught in its grasp a second time. Xiao Yuan sat with the letter all through the night.
By the next morning, Chu Li reported the news of a potential palace coup in the imperial city. The Southern River was far and distant, and if not for their proactive inquiries, they might not have known the full story until the new emperor had taken the throne.
However, the news brought by Chu Li was far graver than what Pei Qing had written. Thus, all the senior Southern River military officers, including Chu Li, were astonished by Xiao Yuan’s order to mobilize troops immediately.
Although the situation in the imperial city was urgent, it was not so immediate as to necessitate an immediate response. The Southern River military was already notorious in the court; even if they did not get involved, it would make little difference.
“Alright.”
A gentle voice pulled him back from his thoughts.
The person before him held up the peace talisman with its newly added tie, shaking it slightly. “It definitely won’t fall off now.”
Her eyes, clear and captivating, held a charm that could easily sway a man’s heart. The look of her initial fear and vulnerability had touched him, but now, with a smile, she could effortlessly enchant him even more.
Xiao Yuan got up, and Pei Qing quickly averted her eyes, only to hand him a clean handkerchief and clothing moments later.
For some reason, she felt that Xiao Yuan was different tonight. After returning from his outing, he had become much quieter, no longer displaying anger or insulting her. She placed the peace talisman back on the small table by the bed, alongside the belt he had removed.
Turning around, she saw that Xiao Yuan was watching her.
Pei Qing thought back to the previous night. She took a step back, a hint of fear in her eyes. She was afraid of his demeanor from last night, the suffocating, unbearable feeling that had to be swallowed bit by bit.
"Are you going to rest now?" she asked.
He sat down by the edge of the bed.
"I'll put out the candle then." She walked to the side, extinguishing the light, and then quietly moved to the small bed nearby, lifting the blanket and lying down.
The room was left with only the faint sound of breathing. Perhaps due to sitting by the hot water for too long, Pei Qing felt warm and soon fell asleep. But in the midst of her drowsy state, she felt a sudden chill, followed by the slight tremor of the small bed.
Strong arms wrapped around her slender waist, and Pei Qing awoke with a start, finding herself staring into a pair of exceptionally beautiful eyes in the darkness.
Before she could react, his kiss descended upon her. In a quiet voice she thought she heard, "Qing'er, don't marry anyone else."
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