Chapter Ninety-Three
Princess Dunsu excelled at meddling in minor matters. After mentioning to Qi Xiao that she intended to secure a match for Kang Tai, she had been bustling about arranging things. Today, learning that Qi Xiao had some free time, she invited him to the princess's manor.
"Ah... The morning was still clear and bright, how did it suddenly start snowing?" When Qi Xiao entered the room, Princess Dunsu busily welcomed him, calling for someone to bring a foot warmer and have the hand warmer in Qi Xiao's carriage replaced with fresh charcoal, shaking her head all the while. "If I had known it would snow, I wouldn't have asked you to come. What if you slipped and fell? How would I ever forgive myself?"
Qi Xiao removed his snow-dusted fox-fur cloak and handed it to one of the princess's maids, smiling slightly. "I'm not that fragile. Did you summon me for something, Aunt?"
Princess Dunsu smiled. "There's a small matter I wanted to discuss with you, but mostly I just wanted to see you. It's been nearly half a month since we met at Zi Chen's place, and I haven't seen you since. I've been busy lately, though I have heard..."
Princess Dunsu pulled Qi Xiao to sit down, first handing him her own hand warmer, then ordering someone to bring a blanket to drape over his legs. With a meaningful look, she said, "I hear you've been so busy lately you haven't had time to breathe."
Qi Xiao replied coolly, "The Emperor's illness requires rest and must not be overtaxed. Since he cannot attend to matters, naturally the Eastern Palace has been busier."
Princess Dunsu smiled with satisfaction, then waved the maids away and had them all leave. She shook her head and sneered. "Heaven truly showed its favor, giving him this illness. When I went to see him at the palace the day before yesterday, bah! Everyone kept insisting it wasn't consumption—fooling fools, are they! The man is skin and bone, gets out of breath after a few steps, and coughs constantly. What else could it be but tuberculosis? Even I could see it, yet Empress Feng and Consort Xue are stubbornly insisting it's just a fever. Hmph... Let them say what they will. I played along, saying that with proper rest and care, he'd recover in no time. Bah! When someone's that far gone, he'd be lucky to recover at all. Tell me, have these people lost their minds? Can't they see what's right in front of them?"
Qi Xiao shook his head and said nothing. Was Empress Feng or Consort Xue a fool? Certainly not. They could be so certain only because Physician Liu from the Imperial Academy could always "cure the incurable." Moreover, since this illness was caused by poison, some of its symptoms were not entirely consistent with consumption. With the Imperial Medical Bureau covering things up, they had managed to deceive everyone.
Princess Dunsu sneered. "Whatever the case may be, he's not long for this world. At this rate, thinking he'd live to a hundred? Dream on! He's just like his mother who died young—no fate to enjoy longevity..."
The Emperor's mother had passed away early, when the Emperor was only three. Empress Jinghe had taken pity on him for losing his mother so young and brought him to her palace to raise alongside her legitimate son, Emperor Wu. Back then, the Emperor was still obedient and agreeable, sweet-tongued and good-natured. Before Princess Dunsu had married out, she had been very fond of him. Empress Jinghe only had one son—Emperor Wu—and since Emperor Wen had numerous offspring, Princess Dunsu had thought it wouldn't be bad to have another. After all, she was only a daughter and would eventually leave the palace. She couldn't help her brother with matters of state anyway. Having a stepson who owed Emperor Wu a debt of gratitude would be just like having a true brother, and in the future, he could serve as a support to Emperor Wu. Empress Jinghe had agreed with this reasoning and continued raising the boy—until he grew into the ungrateful wretch he became.
Every time she thought of those past events, Princess Dunsu's liver ached with fury. She waved her hand. "Enough, enough. Why talk about him? Let's get to the matter at hand. The other day I mentioned finding a match for Kang Tai—there's been some progress."
Qi Xiao raised an eyebrow. "Which family's young man, and would he actually consent?"
Princess Dunsu gave a mocking laugh. "As for any respectable families—you can forget that. Everyone knows the mess down in Lingnan. To be honest, it's Kang Tai's own bad luck. If she hadn't been so ambitious earlier and had settled down with someone when she had the chance, she wouldn't have been dragged down by her father and brother, left on the shelf until she became an old maid. Unfortunately, she had to compete with Roujia for everything, and look where that's gotten her..."
"By this point, the men willing to take her aren't exactly impressive candidates. First, there's a grandson of your uncle-in-law's aunt—a base-born grandson, fifteen years old this year. He's otherwise fine; as a child, he was even known as a prodigy in Suiyang. The only problem is... he has the same ailment as the Emperor. He doesn't have many years left. He's still unmarried, and his great-aunt is worried that if he dies without a wife, he'll be lonely in his grave. So she's been looking for a girl who won't mind嫁进来—someone who doesn't care about family background or wealth. That's one option." Princess Dunsu shook her head and laughed bitterly. "Don't laugh—it actually gets worse! There's also my niece's family's Fifth Branch. They have an elder brother of the household, thirty-four years old. He's already caused the deaths of three wives, and now no one will marry him. Worse, he has no sons—just three daughters. The old matriarch of the Fifth Branch is frantic about it, bothering my niece every single day, asking her to come to me and find someone. I know what kind of man he is, and I'm disgusted by him, so I've been ignoring her."
Seeing Qi Xiao's confused expression, Princess Dunsu paused and said quickly, frowning, "That man has an odd temperament. He seems normal enough on the surface, just a bit quiet. But once he's in the bedroom, he turns into a different person. Every night he tortures whoever sleeps beside him to the brink of death. Hmph! He has the nerve to say it's because he has a 'hard fate.' Clearly, he's the one who murders people with his cruelty. That scumbag..."
Qi Xiao gave a cold laugh. "Anything else?"
"Also, there's the son of your uncle-in-law's cousin who's nearly outside the five-degrees-of-separation rule. His primary wife can't bear children, and worse, she's extremely jealous. When she entered the household, she drove away all the concubines and servants. Now there's no one to serve in the bedroom. Her son is nearly thirty and still has no heirs. His mother is anxious and hates her daughter-in-law, so she's been searching for a young, healthy woman of decent family background to raise as a concubine for her son. That way, she solves the heir problem without worrying that her son would easily discard some random girl from an ordinary family... Think about it—even in this situation, as the illegitimate daughter of the former Prince of Lingnan, she can't exactly be sold off like common property."
Princess Dunsu talked at length, then picked up her teacup for a sip. Shaking her head, she said, "These are the families willing to take her. Oh, there's one more option, but that's just a farmer's son. These country people have spent their whole lives tied to the soil—they don't care whether their wife might have offended the Prince of Lingnan. Having a beautiful wife and some dowry to help out is more than enough. If Kang Tai actually wants something like that, I can find her one! Among my various estates, there are plenty of steward families eagerly waiting for me to release my maids. But I should make this clear—if she marries into a peasant household, life will be very different. No servants waiting on her. At best, maybe an old nurse. Laundry, cooking, needlework—she'll have to do most of it herself, plus serve her husband. The upside is no scheming or backstabbing, no one looking down on her. I'd even find her a man who knows how to cherish what he has, who can live a modest life and treat a woman well. Hmph... If she's willing."
Qi Xiao laughed coldly. "She was the one shouting about wanting to get married. Let her make her own choice..."
Princess Dunsu laughed coldly a few times, then想了想 said, "If... if everything goes smoothly and we actually secure the match, the Prince of Lingnan could petition the Emperor. Perhaps, perhaps he could be allowed to come to the capital to see her married off. A prince of a fief cannot leave his territory without summons, but escorting a bride? That's a different matter."
Though Princess Dunsu loathed Qi Xiao's entanglement with Bai Ren, she truly loved her nephew. Softly she said, "If the Emperor won't allow it, I'll speak to him myself. Whatever it takes to get him here—you two should meet."
Qi Xiao paused, and the hand holding his teacup began to tremble involuntarily. He pressed his lips together and set the cup on the side table. He clenched his fist, and after a long moment, he calmed himself, his face once again assuming its usual composed expression. Smiling faintly, he said, "Let's talk about it later."
The more composed Qi Xiao appeared, the more Princess Dunsu's heart ached. She turned away and pressed a handkerchief to her eyes, whispering, "You don't have to pretend with me. If you truly have feelings... I heard from Roujia's mother-in-law that when Yu Ge'r has his full-month celebration, Lingnan will send people to offer congratulations. If you have anything to say, send it with them. That way, he can prepare in advance and come along when the wedding procession departs."
By now Qi Xiao's hand had steadied. Upon hearing this, he smiled gently. "Alright."
Princess Dunsu nodded, then changed the subject to happier matters. "Yu Ge'r and Roujia are both doing well. Roujia weakened her body this time; her mother-in-law says she'll need to rest a full double month to recover properly. She's young, after all—young enough to bounce back. Speaking of which, Imperial Physician Bian's medical skill is truly remarkable. After taking the medicinal cuisine he prescribed, Roujia's much more comfortable. Her complexion has improved, and she has more energy. Sigh... she's a fortunate child..."
---
A few days later, a delegation from Lingnan indeed arrived in the capital. Led by Lingnan's Military Counselor Shun Zi, they first presented the several cartloads of tribute gifts to the Emperor. Since the Emperor was ill, he did not receive them; they were simply given return gifts, some kind words from the palace attendants, and respectfully seen off. Only then did they proceed to the He residence.
At the Crown Prince's residence, Qi Xiao was in his private study reviewing documents when Jiang Deqing rushed in, sweat beading on his forehead. He paced back and forth anxiously. "Your Highness... It's getting dark. If you don't send someone to the He residence soon, the evening curfew will kick in!"
Qi Xiao set down his brush and laughed. "Why would I send someone to the He residence?"
Jiang Deqing was frantic. "Why? To speak with the people from Lingnan, of course! To have them go back and tell the... no, tell the Prince of Lingnan! Have him find a way to come escort the bride!"
Qi Xiao smiled. "And then what?"
Jiang Deqing was speechless. He opened his mouth, then closed it again.
Qi Xiao laughed. "And then?"
Jiang Deqing's lips moved, but no words came.
Qi Xiao lowered his head and returned to his documents. Jiang Deqing stood there in a daze. Yes... and then what? A prince of a fief couldn't stay long in the capital. In a few days, he'd have to leave again.
Jiang Deqing sighed deeply in his heart. He had nothing more to say. He continued attending to Qi Xiao as the latter reviewed the documents. Another hour passed. When darkness had completely fallen, a young eunuch entered and knelt. "Crown Prince, the delegation from Lingnan requests an audience."
Qi Xiao's heart skipped a beat. After a long pause, he said, "Do not slight them. Show them to the main hall."
In the main hall, Shun Zi led the delegation in kneeling before Qi Xiao. "May Your Highness live ten thousand years, ten thousand times ten thousand years."
Qi Xiao smiled as he looked at Shun Zi, who knelt at the front in his蟒袍官服—official robes with the python embroidery. "It's only been half a year since we last met. You've only grown more capable."
Shun Zi's eyes reddened. He kowtowed again, wanting to speak, but his throat felt as if it were blocked. After a long moment, he choked out, "Your subordinate..."
"No." Qi Xiao cut him off, his voice deep. "You're now the Military Counselor of Lingnan. Before me, you must not call yourself 'your subordinate.' You must say 'this official.'"
Upon hearing this, Shun Zi's eyes grew even redder. He had countless words to say, yet not one would come. He could only kowtow several more times. Qi Xiao had Jiang Deqing help the man to his feet, then said coolly, "You originally came from my residence. Now that the Prince of Lingnan is pleased to employ you, that's your good fortune. Work diligently. Don't disappoint him for the trust he's placed in you. Understand?"
Shun Zi heard this and knelt again. Sobbing, he said, "When we were in the Southern Frontier, this subordinate... this subordinate considered returning with Your Highness, but, but..."
Qi Xiao smiled. "There you go again. Enough. Today we won't speak of the past—only the present. Does he... does the Prince of Lingnan have something to give me? Or something he wants you to tell me?"
Shun Zi wiped his tears, then turned to open a chest behind him. Inside were four small jars of wine. He took one out and gently caressed the clay pot. Softly he said, "This is wine the Prince brewed himself after the rebellion was suppressed. It was buried beneath the plum blossoms and has never been touched. Before this subordinate departed, His Highness ordered them all dug up and brought to Your Highness."
Qi Xiao took the wine jar, broke the clay seal, and inhaled the faint fragrance. He murmured, "This is plum wine. Last year at the manor, the recipe for brewing this was something I taught him. Back then I told him that once we returned to the city, he should brew some himself, bury it beneath the plum blossoms, and we'd drink it the following year. Unfortunately... after returning to the city, we encountered some troubles, and it was delayed... I never expected the Prince of Lingnan would remember."
Qi Xiao dumped the tea from a cup and poured wine instead, draining it in one gulp. After a long silence, his voice was heavy. "Does he have no other words for me?"
Shun Zi knelt down. Tears streamed down his face as he kowtowed. "His Highness charged this subordinate to convey three blessings. First, may Your Highness live a thousand years."
An ache shot through Qi Xiao's heart.
"Second, may Your Highness's body remain forever healthy."
Shun Zi kowtowed again.
"Third, may we be like the swallows on the beam, meeting each other year after year, for all our lives."
Qi Xiao drew a sharp breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his chest. After a long moment, he said hoarsely, "I... understand. Convey my regards to your Prince. Go... go now."
Shun Zi kowtowed once more, then turned and walked out. The attendants behind him filed out in a line. Qi Xiao's gaze caught a glimpse of one person, and a strange light flashed in his eyes. "Stop!"
Shun Zi's body froze. He drew a breath and bowed. "Your Highness... any further orders?"
Qi Xiao strode forward, grabbing one attendant's arm and yanking him around. The man looked up at Qi Xiao in panic. His face was plain and unremarkable, but there was fear in his eyes. Qi Xiao stared at him intently, then said, "The rest of you—leave. I have words for this one alone."
Shun Zi hesitated, wanting to intervene, but after much deliberation, he led the others out.
The hall was empty. Qi Xiao fixed his gaze on the man and laughed coldly. "Prince of Lingnan—am I such a monster that you fear me so much? Is this why you disguised yourself?"
Bai Ren stared at Qi Xiao, tears spilling down instantly. His false skin不自然的抖动着. After a long moment, he choked out, "Even Roujia didn't recognize me..."
Qi Xiao's eyes burned red. He shoved Bai Ren's thin arm away savagely and said coldly, "If you wanted to come, then come! If you didn't want to, so be it! Why bother with this charade?!"
Bai Ren stumbled from the shove, his ribs striking the corner of a table. The pain made him break out in a cold sweat. He clumsily rubbed the sore spot, first whimpering, then unable to hold back—a sob rising from his throat that grew louder and louder. "If... if it weren't for fear of being seen... if it weren't for fear of causing you trouble again... I would have come long ago. Six months... I missed you so much, even my bones ached..."
Bai Ren was like a creature that had wandered for years and finally returned to its homeland. He cried himself hoarse. "But what if... what if someone had seen me? What if?! It would have been trouble for you again! But I couldn't take it anymore... I couldn't bear it! I just... wanted to see you. I know... I know you're at a critical time... I didn't want... to cause you trouble. I just wanted... to look and leave. I was just looking, just looking, just looking... that would have been enough..."
Bai Ren's tears fell in torrents. Sobbing, he said, "I saw you... and now I'll go..."
Qi Xiao's tears fell. He pulled the man fiercely into his arms.
So when love pierces to the very marrow, the hearts of two people truly are exactly the same.
If not for the fear of bringing scandal upon him, how could Qi Xiao possibly have endured this half a year of bone-deep longing?!