Chapter 10, Smiling at the Eastern Wall
Is there any metaphor behind these words? He is not angry; the two shadows under his command sit opposite each other, squinting their eyes to look at her intently. "It is precisely because we are no longer children that we must sleep with a woman."
After being stifled for half a day, she finally brought it up, "I want to return to my own room"
The wind howled outside the window, and two people were covered by a single blanket, lying far apart as if it were insufficient. The prince thought of a solution, turning the bedding sideways and pulling it a bit towards her side.
That being said, she will be affectionate, and he joins in the fun not solely because of his cunning. After all, Xinghe is a young woman, and even though she is accustomed to the intrigues of the power arena, there remains a softness within her that cannot be extinguished or eroded.
He said it was nothing, his tone very innocent, "Sleep."
She closed her eyes and said, "You are not my friend, but my master. I serve you with all my efforts, and that is my duty. There is no need for you to be familiar with me; if you have any instructions, just give them directly."
Since Xinghe entered the Eastern Palace, he has only stayed up at night twice, both during the mourning period for Empress Da Xing. Now, after seven or eight years, he feels that his old arms and legs can hardly endure it. After weighing the matter repeatedly and hesitating, he said: "It's quite cold, I still need to put on some clothes... I will stay in bed tonight, call me if you feel thirsty at night."
"You don't snore at night, do you?" he said, "If I snore, I can't sleep."
Xinghe swallowed hard, contemplated for a long time, and finally lay down reluctantly
He enjoys creating this ambiguous and petty atmosphere, and the last sentence is a double entendre, subtly carrying a hint of provocation
He let her sleep inside, while he occupied the outer half. He was indifferent and lost in thought, yet he felt as if a hand had fiercely grasped his lung, causing his breathing to quicken. He was irritable and turned to ask, "Is your breathing always this loud?"
"How wonderful it was when we were young," he murmured, "I still remember the grand funeral of my mother. I knelt before the coffin all night, and you were there with me all along... All these years, I have never forgotten.
The young prince's calculations are always precise and never miss their mark, which is why she must be fully alert when handling matters. At present, the issue of lodging is the most pressing challenge before her. From his demeanor, it seems he will not treat her poorly, but she is ultimately a young woman, and sharing a bed with a man truly puts her in a difficult position
She blinked her eyes; wasn't she being tricked again? Those who have stayed overnight know what it feels like to stay awake all night in the dead of winter. In the latter half of the night, the cold makes you shiver; you can sit on the ground, but you cannot lean to one side or the other, cannot doze off, and cannot move around. You must stay put for the entire night. The next day, your whole body feels like it's falling apart; you don't want to do anything, just want to find a bed, and that feeling is truly unbearable
Everyone has been left in the palace to spend the night; if no children are born, wouldn't that just create trouble for oneself? When it comes down to it, he really hasn't considered all that much. Before his eyes, her appearance in women's attire, looking charming and delightful, still lingers. The Crown Prince reached out and pulled her into his embrace, saying, "Just sleep for one night; why are there so many questions?"
The Crown Prince said, "Alright, let's do it this way. Tonight, you will keep watch. You must not sleep while on watch, so you won't have to worry about snoring."
One can manage the heavens and the earth, but cannot control how others breathe. The Crown Prince remarked that there is nothing particularly wrong with that, "I just find it strange." In the end, he added, "Hearing that sound, one might think you want to devour me."
The Crown Prince sighed and said, "You really know how to embarrass yourself; I had no such intention at all"
Then, almost simultaneously, they withdrew their hands, and the two of them lay straight on their backs, gazing at the sky, evoking a sense of sharing the same bed yet having different dreams
Xinghe felt embarrassed by what he said, but it was actually due to nervousness, making his breathing somewhat uneven. However, how could he explain it? To say, "I am afraid you have ulterior motives," might imply a mixed signal. What if he were to take it further? That would be awkward. After all, there are conflicting positions, and getting too entangled would not be good; both parties are well aware of this.
He said "woman," and each of their hearts suddenly trembled. It was as if he had never regarded her as a woman, and she had never realized that she was a woman. At first hearing, this word was both novel and terrifying.
This topic is somewhat melancholic, the prince murmured softly, his nasal tone brushing against her forehead, "I wish my mother were still alive. Even if we are separated for ten or twenty years, as long as there is a day when we can meet, I would be content."
In any case, it is just wishful thinking, like a toad dreaming of eating swan meat. She said with a downcast expression, "What if the crown princess snores? You will have to endure it, won't you?"
Her thoughts were somewhat chaotic, still contemplating how to face those palace attendants when the palace gates opened tomorrow. Having stayed overnight, the relationship with the Crown Prince had become even more undeniable. ... Perhaps it would reach the Emperor's ears ... ... She suddenly realized, propping herself up and asking him, "Is it because you promised His Majesty to have children that you intentionally wanted me to stay?"
In the prince's bedding, there is a sweet and fragrant aroma. This scent is quite familiar; every evening, she would urge the palace maids to incense the bedding. However, any fragrance requires a person to diffuse it; when mingled with different human essences, it reveals various nuances. Her cheek pressed against the pillow, the scent leisurely wafted into her nose, and as she savored it, it seemed to differ from what she remembered.
The prince let out a disapproving hum, "Look at your face!"
The year she entered the palace, Empress Gong was already gravely ill and rarely seen by others. After more than two years of ineffective treatments, she ultimately passed away. The Crown Prince, having lost his mother, did not react like those pampered youths, filled with sorrow, fear, and confusion. He did not even seek refuge with his only supportive maternal uncle. Instead, during the Emperor's overwhelming grief, he calmly inquired about all matters concerning the Empress's funeral, including the drafting of her posthumous title, the mourning period, and the arrangements for her tomb. The stars accompanied him day and night, yet she did not see him shed a single tear. At that time, she was young and did not understand why he did not cry, presumably due to his not being very close to the Empress. Later, when the Empress's coffin was taken to the mortuary, she accompanied him to the Hall of Governance to see the Emperor, and through the palace door, she heard him weeping heart-wrenchingly. She quietly peered through the gap of the window, seeing him and Prince Xin kneeling before the Emperor, holding the portrait of Empress Gong, crying out in anguish, "From now on, we have no mother; a solitary tree cannot form a forest. With the Emperor burdened by state affairs, how long can he protect us?" These few words brought tears to the Emperor's eyes, who embraced the two brothers and comforted them warmly. She quietly peered through the gap of the window, seeing him and Prince Xin kneeling before the Emperor, holding the portrait of Empress Gong, crying out in anguish, "From now on, we have no mother; a solitary tree cannot form a forest. With the Emperor burdened by state affairs, how long can he protect us?" These few words brought tears to the Emperor's eyes, who embraced the two brothers and comforted them warmly, saying, "Without a mother, you still have a father. As long as the Emperor is here, no one in the world dares to harm you in the slightest."
"I have been breathing like this all along, is there something wrong with it?" she retorted with a huff
The heart of the galaxy is filled with a sense of bewilderment, recalling that time; the memories are vivid, as if they occurred just yesterday
The room was very quiet, and because it was too quiet, the sound of a person's breathing became exceptionally clear. The more one tried to avoid such thoughts, the more the sinister ideas rushed in, attempting to invade. The prince listened to her breath and felt that in such an ambiguous environment, even her breathing carried an air of seduction, causing his heart to race and making it difficult for him to maintain his composure
The Crown Prince felt joyful, as if he had found a long-lost friend, with so much to say that he had to sleep it off first. They could talk late into the night, and upon waking the next day, they would see each other right away. He took his time, lifting the lampshades one by one from the candlesticks scattered throughout the hall, extinguishing the flames before covering them again. After completing this task, the palace was enveloped in thick darkness, illuminated only by a faint light filtering through the window paper from the eaves' lanterns. He groped in the dark and climbed back into bed.
After a long silence, the Crown Prince suddenly spoke: "Xinghe, no matter how far you go in the future, I hope you have a conscience and remember that we have shared our hearts; we are friends"
She was immersed in the past and did not feel that there was anything wrong with being embraced by him. She simply looked up and asked, "Does the master miss the late empress?"
Xinghe sat there in a daze, despite all the precautions taken, it seemed as though he had been outsmarted again
What are you doing? Star River couldn't hold back any longer; his hand accidentally brushed against her thigh, and she shifted slightly to the side
The prince glanced at the hazy outline, turned his back and mocked: "Growing up alongside the little one, once they mature, they change... When it comes time to crown a princess, I fear I won't be accustomed to it, so let me borrow you for a while... Don't take it to heart, I have no interest in you... Staring at the same face for over ten years, even a celestial being would become tiresome, what are you thinking!"
She wrapped her arms around him and patted his back, "I don't blame you for interrupting my meeting, so please don't go around in such a big circle explaining it, making me feel quite uncomfortable inside"
Her head began to throb faintly, "Master, you are no longer a child."
"You say it again, from now on this will be your room." The Crown Prince dismissed her with a few words, but seeing her still stubborn, he lowered his voice a bit, "I am a man, twenty-two years old! It is disadvantageous for a man and a woman to be alone and not listen, do you understand this principle?"
In fact, her mind does not always function well, especially when it comes to matters between men and women; she often misses the point and tends to be overly clever for her own good
That is just right, Xinghe said: "I have always slept alone, how would I know if I snore! Why don't you sleep instead, I will go back to the duty room."
His chin rested on the top of her head, her hairpin still intact, the pin pressed against his cheek, cold as ice. He fumbled to remove it and tossed it aside, possibly striking the incense burner, resulting in a crisp sound.
The prince initially intended to stir up some emotions, but instead, he was met with a sharp retort from her. Upon reflection, after all these years, he was not unaware of her temperament. When she is respectful, she is very respectful, but when she is not, she can leave a bruise on your heart.
Thus, the Left Imperial Concubine has long been unable to find satisfaction, and the crux of the matter lies here: the Crown Prince has preemptively severed her retreat. To prevent the new Empress from being detrimental to the Crown Prince, the Emperor would rather leave the position of the Empress vacant than allow the Crown Prince to suffer any grievances
An emperor, for eight years, has remained steadfast in his original intentions despite various petitions, a loyalty that is indeed rare. There are certainly valid reasons for his favoritism towards the crown prince; no matter how many people serve in the palace, when the emperor's health falters, it is undoubtedly the crown prince who will be there to serve him closely. While his filial piety is genuine, his strategies are not merely for show. A person who is ill tends to have a softer heart, and if someone else seizes the opportunity during this time, with two sons alike, who is the palm and who is the back of the hand?
Saying that she did not miss home, he assumed a posture of "I am a good master, willing to grant you a night off." As a result, she did not fall for it, so he said, "Well then, tonight just sleep with me;" but what if she said she missed home? Would he really take her back through the snowy night? Perhaps he would only allow her to glance westward from the gate of Xuande, and then bring back a bowl of wontons from the stall by the Tongzi River—after all, the master had grown tired of the delicacies in the palace and wanted to try some local snacks.
"Sleep, sleep..." He patted beside him, "Just now I told you not to lie down, yet you insisted on lying down. Now you're sitting up straight, planning to stay seated until dawn?"