Forty-Four

Chapter Forty-Four

I don’t know how long I was unconscious for, I only know that when I woke up, my originally groggy brain had become extremely clear, body and mind feeling unusually satisfied, with something called ‘blissfulness’ flowing in my blood.

I remember at a particular Spring Festival, the not yet famous Xiao Shen Yang wears a Scottish skirt and holds up the orchid hand gesture (middle finger and thumb pressed together, whilst the remaining three fingers sticks up), as he says to Uncle Ben Shan ‘in all seriousness’: “In fact ah, life is too short, is sometimes just the same, just the same as sleeping, the eyes closes, then opens, and a day has passed, hang~~~~ the eyes closes, doesn’t open again, and your life has passed, hang~~~~” (A/N: please read hang in fourth tone – hàng) (From the 2009 comedy skit, for those of you that understand Chinese, this line is made around the 12:00 mark in this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lbPXM1ru3_E)

Especially when sleeping takes up such a huge part in our life, although the times when you’re awake is valuable, I personally feel that rather than feeling confused and empty when awake, it is better to get over matters with sweet sleep. Of course, you can call such thoughts of mine ‘weak avoidance’.

There is more than enough people that aren’t weak in this world, so why should I also take part?

I take a good moment to go through my thoughts before preparing to open my eyes, but in the same moment I open my eyes, the originally quiet room follows in sounding a clear ringing noise.

“Ka-la.” balabalabala……

“Ka-la.” balabalabala……

Dark clouds casts over half my face, who is this ah, to so blatantly bite an apple in my area?

“-ka-la-!” The one sitting on the chair, swinging both legs – He Xing Yan – once again solidly bites into the apple, sounding “balabala” as he chews a few times, throat making a gulp as he swallows it down, then cheerfully grins at me, saying: “Ah-Lan, you’re finally awake ah.” Having said that, he once again sounds “ka-la” as he takes another bite.

I look at the brat eating an apple in a bad mood, it’s fine for you to eat an apple, but can you not eat with more manners? I take a deep breath in hopes to calm myself as I say: “How come you have the time to come see me, Ninth Prince?”

“Ah-Lan, these words of yours sure were spoken with aloofness, if it isn’t because I’m worried about you, after hearing you were knocked unconscious, you see, I even sat here waiting for you to wake up.” He Xing Yan says plaintively, yet his mouth bites down on the apple with great familiarity.

I feign a smile, “If that isn’t it? Ninth Price has been worried about me. Don’t remember who turned around and forgot all about me that day? Ninth Prince and that sort of person are simply like cloud and mud.”

He Xing Yan tosses the finished apple onto the plate, using a wet cloth to clean his hands as he feels wronged, saying: “I didn’t want to either ah, but you also know my imperial brother, this person’s temper. Had I stayed there, for all I know, we could have suffered together. I was thinking, at least if something happens to you, I can still help you think of a plan, no?”

I point at the forehead that had been wrapped into a angel’s halo, coldly saying: “Where were you taking a leisurely break when I was knocked unconscious by your imperial brother then?”

“Eh.” He pauses, then bitterly says: “I was copying {{Retreat Scheme}}……”

“You still haven’t finished copying it? How long has it been already?” I say in a tone that puts him down as useless.

Hearing this, He Xing Yan was triggered into jumping down from the chair, throwing lively gestures at me as he says: “How long? Do you know how thick {{Retreat Scheme}} is? At least, at least this thick!” He measures out half the size of an index finger to me, “Imperial Brother told me to copy it fifteen times! Not even allowing me get someone else to copy it in my place!”

I stroke my chin, “So the one who did wrong is still your imperial brother.”

He Xing Yan sits his butt back down on the chair, speaking with an adult-like attitude: “In fact, Imperial Brother cannot be completely blamed for this.”

I raise my brows, “Then who is to blame?”

“Naturally blame the people who provoked Imperial Brother’s anger.” He Xing Yan takes an apple and bites “ka-la-ka-la” into it, “Although Imperial Brother – this person is bad tempered, but usually, he is still very reasonable, just that when he is angry, he gets a little ignorant of the severity.”

Hey, of course there is no reason when angered, I know this even without you telling me. “But the one that provoked your imperial brother wasn’t me, yet I just had suffer from it.”

He Xing Yan suddenly puts down the apple and stands before me, “Allow me to demonstrate what Imperial Brother said, for you.”

He clears his throat, thick brows furrowed as he suddenly takes on an angry expression, deepening his tone to curse: “Really haven’t seen such a fellow that does not know how to act according to circumstances! Told her to leave and she doesn’t leave! Smash a cup at her, and she doesn’t know to smartly dodge out the way! Even sturdier than the elm wood in the back garden! Seriously, seriously angering zhen to death!”

After saying all that, his face instantly relaxes and restores his original cute little face, tender voice saying: “Just like that.”

I’m speechless, this brat’s face changing skills sure isn’t bad.

“In fact, my imperial brother is also very worried about you, even personally carried you at the time, you must know, it’s already been several years since I’ve ever seen Imperial Brother voluntarily hold someone.”

I suspiciously look at him, saying: “Could it be your Imperial Brother has a cleanliness disorder?”

“What do you think about in that brain of yours, truly impossible to understand.” He Xing Yan exaggeratedly rolls his eyes at me, “My imperial brother just doesn’t like women.”

I’m greatly shocked, “Your your your, your imperial brother likes men?” Heck, He Lian Chen truly is super modern ah.

He Xing Yan halts his action of biting into the apple as he gives me the look one would give a demon, “Why is your impression of my imperial brother so strangely outlandish, so prejudiced ah?”

I helplessly shrug, who told this guy to always cause me suffering. “You continue, why does your imperial brother hate woman?”

“Ai~.” He Xing Yan’s face turns serious as he prepares to explain, “This matter goes back to a very long time ago, back then, Imperial Brother was still a……”

“Still a what?” A low and mellow voice sounds, cutting off his narrating.

He Ying Yan instantly changes into a smiling face, speaking with flattery: “Still an extremely handsome youth, and then Imperial Brother grew more and more handsome, finally becoming an extremely handsome emperor.”

I am tickled into amusement by his powerful skill of changing in accordance to the circumstances, no matter how clever the little fox is, before the tiger that has the word ‘king’ written on his forehead, it must flatter and please, such words are not false.

He Lian Chen who is by the door, walks in with his hands held behind is back, saying to He Xing Yan: “Have you finished memorising all of {{The History of Battles}} zhen told you to memorise yesterday?”

He Xing Yan turns around and says loud and clear: “Imperial Brother, I finished memorising it!”

En en, looks like this brat was already prepared to face He Lian Chen.

He Lian Chen raises his sword-like brows, “What about memorising in reverse?”

He Xing Yan is dumbfounded, “In, in reverse?”

“Didn’t zhen say for you memorise it until it flows within you?” He Lian Chen sits on the chair, with the attitude of looking down on the world, “Had you not memorised it well, then go back and copy it ten to twenty odd times, should just about be able to memorise it all after you finished copying.”

“Imperial Brother……” He Xing Yan bitterly frowns as he says: “I shall go memorise it now, I shall go now.” He turns around and deliberately drops the following sentence, “Aiyo my life, why is it so bitter ah?”

I see He Lian Chen’s lips slightly turn up, presuming to have been amused by this funny brother of his. Hard to blame, this brat is indeed amusing.

After He Xing Yan leaves, He Lian Chen’s eyes falls onto me, big palm rubbing against the ring on his thumb, asking: “Got your fill of sleep?”

Heh?

Got my fill of sleep?

I say: “Many thanks for your majesty’s concern, I’m awake now.”

He Lian Chen says: “Zhen must say this body of yours sure is precious.”

I humbly say: “No no, your majesty is overpraising.”

“Zhen was originally wondering how you were able to faint from the knock of a cup, then the imperial physician came to check, telling zhen you did not faint, but had fallen asleep.” He Lian Chen shows a face of pent up emotions, “Could it be that the moment zhen hit you, it just so happened to give you the opportunity to sleep?”

I reply in surprise: “Ah? So I fell asleep? How shameful, shameful!” Although I say this, there’s not an ounce of shame in my voice.

The corners of He Lian Chen’s lips subtly tugs down, “It’s nothing if you just fall asleep, but you……” He pauses, “Do you perhaps know how long you slept for?”

I put up a little finger, “One hour?”

He Lian Chen does not answer, his lips unmoving as he looks at me.

And so I put up an index finger, “A day?”

He Lian Chen still doesn’t speak, continuing to look at me.

I am greatly startled, putting up my thumb, “Could it be seven days?!” A week?

The corners of He Lian Chen’s lips tugs down by a significant amount, “Two days, an entire twenty four sichen (making it 48 hours in modern times).”

I feel a little better, that’s good, it’s just two days. I then say with utmost sincerity: “May your majesty pardon this offense, I really didn’t know I slept for so long, ai~, truly a useless servant, how did I get knocked unconscious by a cup, and even slept through it all? Deserve hell, truly deserve hell!”

He Lian Chen’s face slightly darkens, “Are you blaming zhen for hitting you?”

I frantically wave my hands, “How is that possible ah, your majesty is the master, can hit whoever your majesty wishes to hit, I’m happy to get hit by you, do give me a few more hits next time.” Better to let me sleep a few more times too.

“That day, zhen did indeed take out the anger on you, zhen……” He Lian Chen falls silent for a moment, then throws out two words, “is sorry.”

I slightly freeze up upon hearing this, eh, He Lian Chen is saying sorry to me? Now seeing his expression somewhat stiffen, he clearly isn’t used to saying these words to people. I suddenly find it rather funny, this emperor sure is more straightforward compared to the likes of Yuwen Rui and Meng Shao Jue – that type of black-belly men, at least he’s considerably, awkwardly cute when saying these words. I lightly smile, “Your majesty dares to act and dares to take on the responsibility, truly a real man.” These words really are praises from the heart.

He Lian Chen’s face turns a little gloomy, “That day, zhen truly was outrageously angered, that bunch of wineskin and rice pots, doesn’t even dare to say the truth, what is the use in zhen raising them?!”

I understand now, at least the point that I speak the truth meets his satisfaction. I say: “Your majesty is angry other people doesn’t speak the truth to you?”

“Heng!” He Lian Chen heavily smacks the table, the shock causing the plate to shake, “An entire court of so many subjects, yet there actually isn’t a single one that dares to tell zhen the truth! Whatever zhen says, whatever they agree on, not even a single person that can say a word of ‘no’! What use are these pretentious subjects to zhen, what use!?”

……oh, so it was because of this.

He Lian Chen’s eyes are angrily wide open after he finishes saying this, but after not hearing anything from me, he doubtfully glances at me, “Why aren’t you saying anything?”

I look at him in surprise, “What does your majesty wish for me to say?”

“Could it be that you don’t find such pretentious people very useless?” He furiously says.

I laugh, calmly saying: “Your majesty, don’t you already know the answer yourself?”

“Zhen knows?” He Lian Chen furrows his brows, “What are you saying?”

“Regarding what your majesty had told me just now, can you repeat it again?”

“Zhen said an entire court of so many subjects, yet there actually isn’t a single one that dares to tell zhen the truth! Whatever zhen says, whatever they agree on, not even a single person that can say a word of ‘no’! What use are these pretentious subjects to zhen, what use!” His tone is still full of fury, looks like he really can’t stand their pretence.

I look at him and say: “Your majesty still doesn’t understand?”

He Lian Chen thinks for a moment, “Zhen still don’t understand what you’re pointing at.”

I calmly say: “Your majesty address yourself as ‘zhen’, and they are your subjects.”

This is the answer.

He Lian Chen slightly pauses, “Zhen……”

“Monarch as monarch, subjects as subjects.” I say: “It is nothing more than this.”

He Lian Chen’s brows finally relaxes, a disconsolate look, “It’s actually such a reason!”

I laugh, is it not? Monarch and their subjects are never on the same level or share the same view, a subject will naturally hold fear towards their master, whilst the monarch cannot empathise. What a king can do, is tell the subject to offer advice with an appropriate amount of truth, from the point of view of a subject, nothing more than this.

“Good good good!” He Lian Chen stands up and heartily laughs out loud, “Ah-Lan ah, Ah-Lan, you are indeed a treasure, haha. You take a few days of good rest, continue to serve zhen again after recuperating well, zhen shall leave first!”

I watch He Lian Chen’s hurriedly leaving figure with a smile, from a certain point of view, He Lian Chen sure is like a child, hurried and rash like wind and fire, also very straightforward, unlike a certain person who hides everything in their heart, dealing with inner troubles themselves. Dealing with inner troubles themselves is to prevent others from worrying, or to protect their own self-esteem? I cannot possibly know. But sometimes, we must share our own troubles with others, because we are human, and humans will always have moments of weaknesses.

I lower my eyes and unknowingly touch my lips, a certain person told me to trust him, I think, I am that tiny bit willing to place my trust.

The spot that got hit on my head, is in fact not serious at all, just bled from a scratch of the skin. According to what the imperial physician said, I could not withstand it because my body was too weak, due to lack of sleep and lack of nutrition. Ever since that day, He Lian Chen has clearly become much more lenient towards me, not only allowing me four days of rest, but after returning to my post, he also cut some slack on my ‘work’ times. Now, I only need to attend to his dressing in the morning, then accompany him in the study room, and that’s it.

I look at the handsome man, seriously dealing with the memorials to the throne, I personally have no feelings of hate between family and national feuds, I only follow my own likings. I have slightly changed my view on this person, because for someone of high position to be capable of apologising, it truly is no easy task.

He Lian Chen suddenly looks back to grin at me, “What, captivated from looking at zhen?”

I ignore his mockery, “Your majesty has to spend such a long time in the study room every day?” During the days I’ve been by his side, I’ve actually not seen him go anywhere except the main hall, residential palace hall, and the study room.

He Lian Chen lazily stretches his waist, saying with gritted teeth: “This is all from your cousin, that one move of his, has caused zhen months of no rest.”

I am quite amused, the hostility He Lian Chen holds towards Yuwen Rui is so open, truly like a big child. I then say: “Busy to the point you don’t even have the time to dote on your consorts?”

He Lian Chen casts me a glance, saying with slight disdain: “Isn’t it enough for zhen to marry them?”

I recall the unfinished words that He Xing Yan spoke of a few days ago, what happened between He Lian Chen and a woman in the past that had resulted in his dislike towards women? En, it is to be understood.

“Zhen has only just realised, you really haven’t changed from the past at all.” He suddenly laughs and says this, a bright shine twinkling in his star-like eyes.

I’m puzzled, “Past?” When was this?

But he speaks no more about it, only saying: “Zhen is a little tired now, go to the kitchen and bring some snacks for zhen.”

I nod, “Alright.”

Along the way to the kitchen, I kept thinking about He Lian Chen’s words just now, what is the past? He and I had met in the past? But when was that? I furrow my brows as I carefully think, He Lian Chen, Yun Zhan Prince, golden eyes……

Something seems to have flashed past my mind, just as I wanted to try my best in grabbing onto it, Xiao Shun Zi beside me, nudges me with his hand, lowering his voice to say: “Xiao Lan Zi, ahead.”

I snap out of it and look ahead, only seeing Consort Yin in a purple chest-revealing robe, stopping in the middle of the palace path with a fragile woman in sheer white clothing, the two people each have a palace maid following behind them. The palace maid by Consort Yi’s side, has her head held high, an air of swift fierceness. And the palace maid behind the woman in white on the other hand, has a round face, looking angry.

Xiao Shun Zi and I practically stop in our steps, not going up to break that tense atmosphere.

Consort Yi’s focus is currently on the woman in white before her, her fine and slender finger with painted nails, charmingly lifts up the loose hair by her cheek, a tender voice saying to the woman in front: “Oh, isn’t this Consort Mi? It really has been a long time, is your body feeling well recently?”

The woman opposite lowers her fine brows, delicate voice saying: “My body is fine, I’ve troubled Consort Yi with concern.”

Consort Yi covers her mouth and laughs, “Younger Sister needs not be so courteous with me, in the past, I addressed you as ‘sister-in-law (specifically wife of one’s younger brother)’, but now we’re both his majesty’s people, of course we have to be more tolerant with one another. A few days ago, his majesty had sent me some ganoderma lucidum from the snow mountains, seeing Sister – you – looking so weak like willow, I’ll have someone send some over to your palace hall later. Sister must take good care of your body, in future, the descendants of the royal family will be counting on us, no?”

The woman in white slowly nods, a light smile still sitting at her lips, “Older Sister’s words are correct.”

“Your highness.” The palace maid beside Consort Yi speaks up, “Crown Princess……oh, no, it’s your highness Consort Mi. logically speaking, her highness Consort Mi is a year older than you, you should be addressing her as older sister instead.”

“Unruly wench, when was it your place to talk here?” Consort Yi side eyes the palace maid, yet her words carry no meaning of condemning. She once again smiles and says to Consort Mi: “Speaking of which, I am indeed a year younger than Consort Mi, just that before you were……look at this mouth of mine, how did I drag in past matters again? Should Consort Mi not mind, then address me as younger sister, how’s that?”

Consort Mi’s face turns pale from the conversation between that pair of master and servant, she hooks up the corners of her lips with difficulty, “Alright, to have Consort Yi as a younger sister, I am naturally happy.”

The maid beside Consort Mi cannot hold back her anger, “You two……”

“Ruan-er!” Consort Mi cuts off the palace maid’s words with a raising of her voice, then softly says to Consort Yi: “Younger Sister shall not disturb Older Sister then, let us chat again another day.”

Consort Yi’s red lips hooks up highly, “Sure, chat again another day.” Her words carry a victorious smile as she leaves, like a rooster that had won a battle. And on the other hand, a trace of disdain very quickly flashes past, in the white clothed, weak Consort Mi’s eyes, but when she passes our side, it is replaced with a warm smile.

I deeply find this laughable, look, this is women.

Xiao Shun Zi’s voice is heard, “Xiao Lan Zi, have you never seen this consort before ah?”

I nod, “Consort Yi I have seen before, but who is this? That palace maid from before had called her Crown Princess……? Could it be……?”

Xiao Shun Zi’s eyes circles around our surroundings, then leans in to my ear and quietly say: “If it isn’t so, that is the former crown princess, just that before Crown Prince has ascended, his majesty……this crown princess is but his majesty’s childhood friend, has always been in his majesty’s mind! After ascending to the throne, without caring for the slanderous gossips, he appointed her as a consort. But his majesty is also strange, has never went to find her after giving the title, presumably because his heart still feels uncomfortable.”

“Is that so ah, then what is this consort called ah?” I also get excited by the gossip and ask this.

“Consort Mi, Lin Mi Er.”

Mi Er……

Mi Er?!

Yun Zhan, prince, golden eyes, Mi Er!

Could He Lian Chen be that blind kid I met back then?!