Chapter 9: Shou Ta Yi Bing "A Tale of Love and Loyalty"

 FlamingoBees 

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Shou Ta Yi Bing "A Tale of Love and Loyalty"

 Chapter 9: 

The Villain 

The fire in the Yangju Palace was burning warmly.

Pei Qing personally inspected the arrangements around the hall, and only after confirming that the palace servants were attending to everything properly did she feel relieved. She turned around to see Xiao Ji'an standing in the hall, reciting ancient texts word by word with perfect posture.

As the only prince, Xiao Ji'an never slacked off. Even after the rebel forces had breached the palace and nearly taken his life, the boy still rose early, just as usual, to accompany her to the Yangju Palace to pay their respects.

At this moment, Xiao Jing coughed twice. Pei Qing quickly walked over and said, "Your Majesty, the medicine has cooled enough; it's best to drink it while it's still warm."

As she spoke, she lifted the bowl and attempted to feed Xiao Jing with a spoon. Xiao Ji'an, standing nearby, stifled a laugh, and Xiao Jing shook his head with a smile, saying to Xiao Ji'an, "Ji'er, you recited well today. You may wait outside the hall."

Xiao Ji'an nodded cheerfully and went outside on his own.

"Do you have something to say, Brother-in-law?"

Xiao Jing took the bowl of medicine from her hand and tasted it. "Still so bitter."

As an emperor, he usually kept his emotions in check and rarely complained—especially about the bitterness of medicine. Pei Qing chuckled softly. "That's why I prepare candied fruits every day, but Brother-in-law, you haven't eaten even one piece."

The bowl of medicine was finished, but Xiao Jing still didn’t touch the candied fruits.

"The candied fruits can only cover the bitterness in the mouth, but they do nothing for the bitterness in the heart. If they could, I suppose you would have eaten them by now, wouldn't you?" he said as he set down the bowl.

Pei Qing was taken aback by his words.

Xiao Jing looked at her and said, "PrinceNanchuan has said that he wants you."

His expression remained gentle as usual, but Pei Qing immediately knelt before him. She opened her mouth to speak, but didn’t know what to say. It was she who had written the letter to ask Xiao Yuan for help. Without Xiao Jing's consent, she had made too many promises in that plea for aid. Now, Xiao Yuan was merely claiming what he was entitled to.

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. It was—it was my fault."

"What fault do you have?" Xiao Jing reached out his hand to her.

Pei Qing looked at that elegant hand but did not dare to touch it.

"Is your fault in writing the plea for help that led Prince Nanchuan to repel the rebels, or in risking your life to protect a child that isn’t your own?" Xiao Jing patted the edge of the couch beside him. "The floor is cold. Sit here."

Seeing that he wasn’t truly angry, Pei Qing finally rose and sat down beside him on the couch.

"It was my fault for summoning you to the palace without asking your opinion first."

Hearing this, Pei Qing shook her head. "It’s not Brother-in-law's fault. I was raised by my elder sister. Our mother passed away early, and our father favored the son born of his concubine, never caring for us. It wasn’t until my sister met Your Majesty and entered the palace as Empress that my life at home improved somewhat. I... I once had a dispute with my father and left home, refusing to return. My sister, pregnant and worried about my safety, became so distressed that... it was my fault. When I knew I could care for her child, I was willing in my heart."

Xiao Jing had never known Pei Qing felt this way.

When she first entered the palace, he even thought she was intentionally mimicking Pei Wan's every move, trying to win his favor. So at first, when he visited Han Ning Palace, he only paid attention to Ji'er and didn’t say much to her. It was only as time passed that he realized Pei Qing's feelings and longing for Pei Wan were no less than he as her own as her husband.

Xiao Jing sighed. "Your sister died in childbirth. The imperial physician said it was ultimately because her health was poor. Pei Qing, you can’t take all the blame on yourself."

Seeing that she was still blaming herself, Xiao Jing stopped mentioning Pei Wan and asked, "Although you entered the palace willingly back then, you had to give him up, didn’t you?"

There was no need to name who "he" was.

Finally, tears began to fall. Pei Qing wiped them away, but she remained silent.

After taking his medicine, Xiao Jing wanted to rest for a while. With the Southern River army guards now present in the palace, it was clearly much safer.

Pei Qing, after a long time, took Xiao Ji'an for a stroll in the Imperial Garden. He hadn’t eaten much for lunch, and Pei Qing knew it was because he had been cooped up inside for too long. Despite the winter chill, she ordered the imperial kitchen to set up their dinner in the pavilion within the garden.

As expected, Xiao Ji'an ate more than he had at lunch. Holding his hand as they walked back, Pei Qing said, "Once everything is peaceful outside, Mother will take Ji'er out of the palace to taste some of the delicacies outside. How does that sound?"

Xiao Ji'an, holding her hand, replied, "When I grow up, I’ll take Father and Mother to taste all the delicious food in the world!"

Pei Qing's eyes reddened, and she nodded slightly. "Alright."

By the time they returned to Han Ning Palace, it was already dark, and after walking for most of the day, the child was a bit tired.

However, as soon as they stepped through the palace gates, they saw Zhi Lan waiting nervously at the hall entrance. Seeing Pei Qing return, she softly called out, "Your Highness."

Standing beside Zhi Lan was Chu Li, a guard holding a sword.

Pei Qing tightened her grip on Xiao Ji'an's hand. Chu Li had already spoken: "Empress, our Prince has been waiting for you for quite some time."

His sudden appearance left Pei Qing with no choice but to take Xiao Ji'an inside.

Xiao Yuan was sitting and drinking wine from the agarwood-carved jade cup that Xiao Jing had given Pei Qing. The moment Xiao Ji'an entered, he immediately noticed it. "How can you use my mother’s favorite cup!"

Hearing this, the man with the phoenix eyes glanced over from his seat.

Pei Qing quickly stepped forward, shielding Xiao Ji'an. "If the Prince likes it, then let him use it." Lowering her head, she instructed, "Ji'er, our guest has come. You mustn’t be rude."

Although Xiao Yuan was a subject, he was also an elder, and Xiao Ji'an should have addressed him as "Imperial Uncle."

Xiao Yuan smiled, then loosened his grip, and the expensive wine cup fell with a thud onto the corner of the table. If it hadn’t rolled onto the soft carpet below, it might have shattered into pieces.

"Oh, a guest, am I?" The man stood up, and only then did Xiao Ji'an, who was being shielded by Pei Qing, realize how tall and imposing he was.

He looked terrifying—not like the imposing majesty of his father, but rather like the kind of villain from stories, the type who would kill without mercy.

"Bad man." These two words surfaced in Xiao Ji'an's mind.

Xiao Yuan approached, leaning slightly forward until he was close to Pei Qing's face. "I would very much like to learn about the Empress's way of entertaining guests." 

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