Chapter 8: 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 8:
Strange
The sky was gradually brightening.
No one had expected that the Empress would spend the entire night in the prince’s chamber playing the qin. Chu Li and the others looked at each other, confused, unable to understand what this was all about.
Naturally, no one knew that the Empress they spoke of was nearly naked, dressed only in a sheer, translucent inner garment, kneeling before their prince. Her face flushed, eyes brimming with tears, she played the entire night, filled with both fear and humiliation.
It wasn’t until Xiao Yuan finally fell asleep, no longer staring intently at her or constantly demanding she play tunes common in brothels, that she slowly raised her hand. The music stopped, and he did not wake.
She didn’t dare get too close; instead, she sat at a distance, watching him. After a brutal battle, he must have been exhausted. He waited until dawn just to humiliate her thoroughly. He truly held onto grudges.
But between them, it wasn't exactly a grudge. What it really was, she couldn’t quite say.
Pei Qing stood up, rubbing her knees that had gone numb from kneeling. After hesitating for a moment, she finally walked towards the bed—her robe was still pressed under his leg.
As she approached, she could see the man on the bed more clearly. He was still as handsome as ever, perhaps even more so than before, but his temperament had become much harsher.
Pei Qing bent down slightly and carefully pulled her robe out from under his leg, then took it behind the screen to put it back on.
She then quietly walked to the mirror, washed her face with cold water, and re-tied her hair, returning to her original dignified appearance as the Empress. However, upon closer inspection, one could still see the redness in her eyes and the remnants of her faded makeup.
As soon as she opened the door, Chu Li immediately approached. Fortunately, he was the only one outside, sparing Pei Qing from further embarrassment. She opened her mouth to speak but found herself at a loss for words.
Chu Li, understanding the situation, didn't press her. "I’ll escort Your Majesty back to the palace."
Pei Qing shook her head. "Thank you, but there's no need."
If people saw that she was being escorted back to Han Ning Palace by the men of the South Chuan King early in the morning, it would only fuel more rumors.
Chu Li watched as Pei Qing left the Eastern Palace alone. He then turned back and entered Xiao Yuan’s bedchamber, only to find his master sitting on the edge of the bed in silence.
"Your Highness?" Chu Li couldn’t tell if his master was in a good mood or not, so he cautiously asked, "Shall we have breakfast?"
Xiao Yuan looked up. "Have someone keep an eye on Han Ning Palace. Report to me everything she does each day."
Chu Li nodded. "Yes, sir." He then sneaked a glance at Xiao Yuan, and with a man’s intuition, he felt that his master... hadn’t gotten what he wanted. No wonder he was in a foul mood. He probably got caught up in desire and had his advances rebuffed by the Empress.
But then, why did one play the qin and the other listen to music all night?
"How long do you plan to stand there?" Xiao Yuan glared at the dazed Chu Li. "Get out!"
As a loyal subordinate, Chu Li felt compelled to offer some advice. "Your Highness, there are plenty of beauties in this world. Though, while not many may compare to the Empress, she is already the Emperor's woman. Even though you’ve earned merits in defending the throne, it wouldn’t be proper to take her by force."
Xiao Yuan sneered, "She was mine to begin with."
Chu Li kept his mouth shut after that, silently marveling at how his master could be so righteous even when it came to taking someone else's woman.
Meanwhile, Pei Qing had returned to Han Ning Palace, where she freshened up and took Xiao Ji'an to Yangju Palace to pay their respects. She was relieved to find that Zhi Lan had managed to keep the child calm, as Xiao Ji'an didn’t ask any questions, which allowed Pei Qing to breathe easier.
However, as they walked, Pei Qing noticed the strange looks from the South River soldiers patrolling the palace grounds. Although the glances were brief, Xiao Ji'an caught onto them.
It was a serious offense for guards to gaze at the Empress, yet they dared to do so knowingly. Curious, Xiao Ji'an asked, "Mother, why do they look at us like that?"
A flicker of panic crossed Pei Qing’s eyes. "They... have never been in the palace before and have never seen the Empress or the Crown Prince, so they looked a little longer."
Xiao Ji'an nodded thoughtfully. "They are loyal men who have protected the throne. Mother, do not hold their rudeness against them."
Pei Qing nodded, holding her child’s hand, and soon they arrived at Yangju Palace.
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