CH 5

Xiao Chengjun walked straight into the room without calling for any palace maids to assist. Candles burned brightly in the room, making it look as bright as day. Lou Jing was hugging a big red pillow, and the gleaming red satin reflected some red light onto Lou Jing’s pale face, giving him a rosy glow. He looked very peaceful.

He’d heard that Lou Jing’s grandfather had favoured Lou Jing greatly. At the tender age of fifteen, he had deemed Lou Jing to have come of age so as to allow him to take on greater responsibilities for the Lou family.

Lou Jing’s hair was still neatly secured with a golden guan* inlaid with rubies, and the two golden tassels that hung from either side of the ornament intertwined with his long black hair that spread out smoothly across his shoulders. Some hair fell softly over his face, obscuring his lovely eyes.

*T/N: A guan is a male hair ornament, usually made of metal and inlaid with precious stones or pearls. Ancient Chinese men did their hair into buns at the top of their head, or in high ponytails/half ponytails, and the guan is worn in front of the bun/ponytail on top of the head. It is primarily worn by the nobility. Within the Imperial family, there are rules on who can wear what type of guan, so you can tell a man’s rank by looking at the guan they wear. It’s kind of like a crown, but not exactly. 

Xiao Chengjun stretched out a hand to push the hair away from Lou Jing’s face. Just as he was about to make contact, he froze. What was he doing? His heart contracted a little, and he pulled his fingers back suddenly, as if he had been burnt.  His face became expressionless, and he moved this hand behind his back. He silently reprimanded himself for being beguiled by Lou Jing’s charms.

What he didn’t realise was that Lou Jing’s eyes, hidden behind his hair, had opened just the tiniest fraction the moment he stepped into the room.

Lou Jing’s senses had been well-trained by his years on the battlefield. He had awoken the moment the Crown Prince opened the door, but had been too lazy to move. Ordinarily, the bride should have been kneeling respectfully on the bed awaiting the bridegroom’s return from the wedding banquet, and if she fell asleep during this time, it was considered gravely disrespectful to her husband. Lou Jing had deliberately lain down to test this stern Crown Prince’s reaction. He had not expected Xiao Chengjun to react in the way he did, however.

His half-closed eyes flashed with some triumph; this Crown Prince didn’t seem to as averse to the charms of men as his father was…

Ever since Lou Jing was a little boy, his grandfather had taught him that other than his family and the one he loved, anyone and anything could be used to further his own ends. By that, he meant using the smallest amount of effort to get the highest return. Since this pretty face of his seemed useful in this situation, he would not hesitate to reap every last benefit he could from it…

Lou Jing slowly opened his eyes, paused for a moment, then pushed himself up into a sitting position. “This subject was overcome with fatigue and couldn’t help sleeping – may Dianxia forgive this transgression,” he said, wincing. He had gotten up too quickly and the motion pulled on the wounds on his back.

“No matter,” Xiao Chengjun said evenly. “Let’s get people in to help us change out of these clothes.”

Lou Jing certainly was not going to object to this. Before long, Xunxia, Yingqiu and two other palace maids walked in. Xunxia and Yingqiu had accompanied Lou Jing as part of his dowry. Now that they had entered the palace, they were also considered palace maids now.

Xunxia looked worriedly at her Shizi. When newly married, the brides of the Imperial family typically changed their clothes behind the bed curtains, out of the groom’s sight. However, Lou Jing didn’t seem to have any intention of following this custom.

Xiao Chengjun glanced at him but said nothing. They were both men, so it seemed superfluous to observe that custom. As such, he allowed the palace maids to undress him where he stood, and he was soon clad only in his apricot-orange underclothes.

He gestured for the palace maids to leave. The two then sat down on the bed, and when the door closed, Lou Jing flopped down on the cushions again.

Xiao Chengjun’s brows knitted together. “Why are your injuries so severe?” he asked. When the family’s elders disciplined their children, it rarely resulted in serious injuries that affected the meridians and bones. However, judging by the fact that Lou Jing actually fainted today, Xiao Chengjun was certain that his injuries weren’t insignificant.

Why were his injuries so bad? Because Lou Jianyu thought that he didn’t have enough strength to discipline Lou Jing properly, and had got his guards to flog him instead. Lou Jing didn’t explain all this to Xiao Chengjun. “In answer to Dianxia’s question, the Imperial physician was not called to treat me, and so my recovery is a little slower.”

Xiao Chengjun was silent for a moment. He then pulled out a small black box carved with plum blossoms from a little drawer in the bedframe, and extended this to him. “This is a balm concocted by the Imperial physicians. It stops bleeding, reduces pain and speeds up skin regeneration.* Try using this, and if you’re still not better, I’ll send for the Imperial physician.”

*T/N: Uh actually the direct translation the name of this medicine (消积化瘀膏) indicates that it is supposed to do is to repair qi and remove blood stasis, which makes no sense to me, so I have changed it to what the medicine actually does.

Lou Jing lowered his eyes. He had not thought that Xiao Chengjun would have made such ample preparation, to the extent of even preparing the appropriate medicine to treat his wounds. The smile on his face widened involuntarily, and he pushed the box back to the Crown Prince’s hands. “My wounds are on my back and I can’t reach them. If I may be so bold, could I trouble Dianxia to assist me?”

“You…” Xiao Chengjun was speechless for a moment. No one had ever dared to order him around like this. This Lou Zhuoyu was really too bold! Before he could open his mouth to reprimand the latter, he had already undressed himself and was lying chest-down on a pillow with his back exposed, all ready for Xiao Chengjun to apply the ointment.

Lou Jing had looked ill and gaunt earlier, but now that he had taken off his clothes, it was clear that his body was anything but. He had broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and well defined muscles; he looked like a sleek, muscular leopard that was ready to pounce. This would have been a pleasing sight if not for the fact that his back was covered in criss-crossing lacerations and patches of blue-black skin.

Xiao Chengjun sighed. Never mind, since he wanted to win Lou Jing over, he’d have to show some sincerity. He dipped his fingers in the balm and gently applied them on the wounds. Lou Jing’s skin was like a layer of silk on the steel of his muscles, strong and smooth to touch. Xiao Chengjun could not help but feel a little restless.

“The Lou family only has you as their legitimate son – why did Anguo Gong decide to let you marry into the Eastern Palace? He must have known this means that he has no left to inherit his peerage,” Xiao Chengjun said, trying to distract himself from the alluring feel of Lou Jing’s skin. He put his loss of self-restraint down to the fact that he’d drunk a little too much at the wedding banquet earlier, and decided to talk to Lou Jing a bit to calm himself down.

“Why did the Emperor rush to complete the procedures for the Crown Prince’s wedding to his legitimate Consort in half a month?” Lou Jing didn’t answer Xiao Chengjun’s question, and instead asked a question of his own. He turned his head to look at the Crown Prince’s expression.

They met each other’s gaze. There was a tacit understanding between them; they both knew something was up with this wedding, whether on the Emperor’s side, or the Anguo Gong’s side.

“You and I are both in a quandary. I can help you with your problems,” Xiao Chengjun said. His voice was measured and sincere, the sort that immediately made one trust him.

Lou Jing narrowed his eyes, then smiled as he adjusted his underpants down to below his thighs. He lay chest-down again, waiting for Xiao Chengjun to apply medicine to his legs. “Dianxia is the Crown Prince of this country. This subject will naturally serve you with loyalty and sincerity.”

This could be considered their preliminary agreement to cooperate.

Xiao Chengjun nodded slightly, then dipped his fingers into the box of ointment again. If someone else had been selected as his Consort, his primary goal would have been to keep that Consort from meddling in his affairs, but Lou Jing was different. Putting aside his previous accomplishments – which were undoubtedly impressive – Lou Jing’s behaviour tonight clearly indicated that he was not your regular joe. If Lou Jing was willing to assist him, he was certainly not going to refuse.

The Crown Prince was satisfied, and applied himself unreservedly to putting medicine on Lou Jing’s wounds.

The wounds on Lou Jing’s back were bad, but the worst injuries were on his thighs. Xiao Chengjun couldn’t help sighing in pity as he looked at them. How vicious was Lou Jing’s father, to have inflicted wounds like this on his own son?

“My father has never been beaten in his life, so he doesn’t know what kind of injuries are caused by this kind of flogging,” Lou Jing said matter-of-factly. There was no resentment in his voice at all, and if not for the content of what was said, one would have thought Lou Jing was talking about the weather.*

*T/N: The direct translation of what is said here is “as if he were saying ‘Dad can’t tell the difference between leeks and wheat seedlings’”, which doesn’t translate so well to English.

Xiao Chengjun gave him a direct look. “When I’ve ascended to the throne… I’ll… let you do as you wish.” 

He had originally wanted to say, “I’ll divorce you and return you your peerage”, but when he looked at those beguiling eyes that burned like black stars, the words got stuck in his throat. If Lou Jing was still willing to be his Empress when he was the Emperor… well, he wouldn’t mind, really.

“Thank you, Dianxia,” Lou Jing said, his lips curving into a slight smile.

It was late after Xiao Chengjun finished applying the ointment. They still had to pray at the Imperial Shrine the next day, and it was important that they be punctual for that appointment. The couple didn’t say much after that, and just called the servants in to blow out the candles.

Lou Jing had to sleep chest-down due to his injuries. The sole blessing was that the medicine dried quickly, or he would not even have been able to cover himself with a blanket. Xiao Chengjun lay down in bed, and as he was a believer in the philosophy which held that one should not speak when eating or sleeping, he went to sleep without another word.

Custom held that the dragon-phoenix candles could not be extinguished on the wedding night, and the candlelight filtered in through the scarlet bed curtains, filling the bed with a reddish light. Lou Jing turned his head away from the light and closed his eyes. These two days had exhausted him to the bone. Making someone with serious injuries do so many meticulous tasks was just pure torture. In future, if any of his subordinates broke military law, he’d have them flogged, then order them to go peel vegetables in the cookhouse!

The room quietened down, and all that could be heard was the gentle crackling of the candle wicks as they burned.

Xiao Chengjun had drunk alcohol earlier and couldn’t sleep.* He rolled over to stare at Lou Jing’s face. That exquisitely beautiful face was pale and bore the marks of illness. It looked fragile in the candlelight, like a fine porcelain vase; it made one want to take care of it like a precious treasure. He couldn’t resist stretching out a hand to tuck the messy hair at Lou Jing’s temples behind his ear. This man was now his wife, and so long as he did not betray him, he would do his best to be a good husband to him.

*T/N: I don’t get this. When I drink, I am sooooo sleepy. Doesn’t wine have a sedative effect? The translation is definitely correct though.

After the Crown Prince finally fell asleep, the person next to him, whom he thought to be sound asleep, opened his eyes.

Lou Jing looked at the Crown Prince. The latter was incredibly prim and proper even in his sleep. He couldn’t resist squirming a little closer to Xiao Chengjun. The Imperial family were all good looking, and Xiao Chengjun was above average even within his family. However, his regal bearing was such that most people did not dare to look directly at his face, let alone appreciate his handsomeness.

Lou Jing sniffed at Xiao Chengjun, trying to see if he still had the light scent of milk he remembered. All he got was a slight smell of alcohol. Lou Jing was a little disappointed. If he’d smelt that familiar scent, he might have been pleasantly reminded about the time they met in their childhood. Disgruntled, he gently took one of the Crown Prince’s hands in his, and reminisced about the little rabbit-shaped steamed buns that his mother used to make for him.

If his mother were alive, she’d definitely have objected to this marriage, right?

The next morning, before the sun had even cast its first rays in the sky, a little eunuch called to them quietly from outside the door, waking them up.

Xiao Chengjun opened his eyes and tried to get up, but found that Lou Jing was holding on tightly to his left hand. His heart felt a little warm and fuzzy, and his lips curved up into a smile despite himself. He shook the hand that was intertwined with Lou Jing’s gently. “We need to get up,” he said.

“Hmm?” Lou Jing said groggily. He yawned, opened his eyes, then struggled to get up. He rotated his neck, trying to loosen the tense muscles there. It was a little sore from his awkward sleeping position.

“Why is it that your hands only have calluses on the middle finger?” Xiao Chengjun asked. He’d actually wanted to ask why his hands were so smooth and scarless – Lou Jing was a soldier; weren’t soldiers’ hands supposed to be rough like sandpaper? He had decided that asking a question like this sounded too frivolous, and so changed how he phrased it.

Lou Jing raised his eyebrows, and found that he was still holding on to the hand that he’d impulsively grasped in the middle of the night. More interestingly, the owner of the hand didn’t seem to have any intention of shaking his hand off. He couldn’t resist teasing Xiao Chengjun in the circumstances. He sidled over to him and put his lips next to Xiao Chengjun’s ear. “I may be useless, but I still have to learn some archery, don’t I?”

“Ahem…” Xiao Chenjun gave a dry cough and released his hand.  “It’s getting late, we’d better get up and get dressed,” he said seriously.

“Of course,” Lou Jing said, smiling gaily. He knew when to stop as well.

The first person through the door was an eunuch who looked to be about forty years old. Six palace maids and two younger eunuchs followed behind him.

“This servant, Chang En, congratulates the Crown Prince and the Crown Prince’s Consort on this auspicious day,” the old eunuch said, smiling kindly. His plump face didn’t have many wrinkles, and there was a rather proper air about him.

“This is the Eastern Palace’s head eunuch, Chang En,” Xiao Chengjun said quietly to Lou Jing.

Lou Jing nodded from his seat on the bed. After Chang En knelt in greeting, he gave a gold-embroidered pouch containing two gold beads to him. “Eunuch Chang, please rise. I look forward to receiving your guidance in future,” he said, helping the old eunuch up.

Chang En hastily gave thanks and accepted the Crown Prince Consort’s gift.

After this came Xiao Chengjun’s four palace maids, Zizhen, Zitao, Ruoyan and Ruoshuang. They all looked very dignified, without a stitch out of place. Lou Jing gave them two silver beads each, and after accepting this, they all moved to the side and dropped their gaze politely. Lou Jing was amused; even the Crown Prince’s servants were as prim and proper as he was.

Xunxia and Yingqiu came forward to kowtow. Xiao Chengjun also gave them gifts – they each received a red pouch with five silver nuts inside.

Xiao Chengjun’s personal eunuch, An Shun, was about thirteen or fourteen years old. Despite his age, he looked to be a mature and responsible person. The little eunuch next to him, who was about the same age, looked far livelier in contrast.

“This is Le Xian, and he will be waiting on the Crown Prince Consort,” Chang En said with a smile. “You can try him out for two days. If you don’t find him to be good after that, we can always give you someone else.”

“This servant is named Le Xian, and he greets the Crown Prince’s Consort,” Le Xian said heartily, kowtowing to Lou Jing. He smiled gaily as he received his gift from Lou Jing.

Lou Jing was very pleased that Le Xian wasn’t as dull as An Shun. He’d be bored to tears if the one waiting on him was An Shun, and found the sunny little Le Xian to be far more to his liking.

Beansprout: They’re finally together! And they had a bit of a HTHT. I like their dynamic, it’s not a clear gong-shou relationship, and much more like an equal partnership. #couplegoals, y’all.