Xiaoyan noticed there was no movement behind him, and turning his head, he saw Gu Yi standing motionless, holding his winged cicada crown.
Frozen like a wooden chicken.
He frowned impatiently, “Go get a hair ribbon.”
“Yes…” Gu Yi hurriedly turned to put down the dark crown, selected a blue silk ribbon from the accessory box, approached a few steps, and carefully tied it for Xiaoyan.
The palace attendants had already followed Eunuch Gao out of the hall, withdrawing in succession.
Gu Yi looked up at the sky outside the window, which had gradually darkened. It should already be past the Hour of the Dog (7-9 PM).
Thinking that Xiaoyan would rise at the Hour of the Rabbit (5-7 AM) tomorrow, she asked, “Your Majesty, will you wash now? The palace attendants have prepared hot water and fresh clothes behind the screen.”
Xiaoyan made a sound of acknowledgment and rose to his feet, but saw that Talent Gu before him remained motionless.
A trace of disappointment flashed through his heart as he extended his hand to unfasten his jade belt himself, removed his outer robe, and strode behind the screen.
Gu Yi secretly heaved a long sigh of relief and neatly hung his jade belt and formal clothes on the pear-wood rack that stood as tall as a person.
The sound of water reached her ears. Through the black and white embroidered landscape screen, white mist floated, casting the vague outline of a silhouette.
Gu Yi turned her gaze away and walked to the dressing table, slowly removing the strands of gold thread tassels hanging from the back of her head, immediately feeling a lightness in her head.
She had already bathed earlier, so now she simply used the snow-white cloth from the basin to wash her hands, cleanse her face, and apply a layer of fragrant cream.
A moment later, Gu Yi walked to the wooden couch and lifted the crystal bead curtain that the Treasury Department had sent earlier. The transparent beads made a light rustling sound.
Well, then.
A curtain of dreams.
Gu Yi looked down at the silk brocade bedcover, smooth as water, now replaced with a five-colored pattern of mandarin ducks playing in water.
She inexplicably grew nervous.
She could only slowly sit down.
Sitting in a curtain of dreams.
After bathing, Xiaoyan changed into blue gauze trousers and a plain deep-colored robe, emerging from behind the screen.
His temples still glistened with moisture, his features as if painted, his natural elegance ever-present.
Gu Yi saw him approach the couch and frown, “What is this thing?”
Xiaoyan casually lifted the crystal bead curtain, causing a loud rustling.
Well, it seemed she wasn’t the only one who had objections to this curtain of dreams.
She smiled lightly, “This is the crystal bead curtain the Treasury Department sent today to decorate the bedchamber. There’s no wind tonight, so I don’t think it will disturb Your Majesty’s sleep.”
Xiaoyan shook the curtain again, causing the strands of crystal beads to collide in a chaotic noise.
“Have it removed tomorrow. If the wind rises later, who could sleep with this…”
Gu Yi nodded, then saw Xiaoyan sit on the couch as well.
He sat beside her, their shoulders lightly touching.
The bead curtain settled, and the hall suddenly grew quiet.
The two sat side by side for a moment.
It was truly a bit awkward.
Just as Gu Yi was about to speak, she saw Xiaoyan’s figure move nimbly, rolling to the middle of the couch.
Coldly, he said, “Retire early. I must attend court tomorrow.”
Gu Yi saw him facing the white wall, pulling a thin blanket over his shoulders, seemingly intent on sleeping.
Her heart greatly relieved, she leaned forward to blow out the candle beside the couch with a “puff” sound, then carefully lay down herself.
The sky was completely dark now.
The latticed windows of Pingcui Palace’s bedchamber were made of black lacquered sandalwood, crisscrossing to block the moonlight.
The bedchamber was extremely dark, with visibility limited to inches.
But from time to time, cicadas chirped outside the window, one call after another.
Gu Yi couldn’t sleep but dared not move.
She only blinked lightly, gradually adapting to the darkness before her. Xiaoyan’s silhouette gradually became clearer from the shadows.
She kept her eyes open and saw him suddenly stir, turning over to face her.
He was close enough that she could feel his breath.
Gu Yi’s breathing halted. Looking closely, she saw his eyes lightly closed, and she slowly exhaled, fearing to wake him.
She closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep.
But after quite a while, she still couldn’t sleep.
Xiaoyan’s presence was like a mountain, impossible to ignore.
Though there were ice mountains in the hall, the heat radiating from his body, gathered at his side, was like a furnace.
Gu Yi had to gently lift the blanket, exposing her limbs outside the cover.
The moon rose to its zenith, with faint moonlight filtering in.
Without the blue gauze curtains, the crystal bead curtain reflected the bright moonlight, making it dazzlingly white.
Gu Yi truly couldn’t understand the Treasury Department’s mindset in bringing such a curtain—it would either wake people with its noise or with its brightness.
Why hang a crystal bead curtain in front of the couch?
Could it be to make the noble ones’ movements audible when they stirred?
She abruptly halted this train of thought, refusing to let her mind wander into inappropriate territory.
But by the pure white moonlight, she could finally see Xiaoyan’s face.
He seemed to be sleeping deeply.
His eyelashes drooped low, his peach blossom eyes tightly shut, the corners slightly upturned, the small shallow scar at his temple like a crescent moon.
Even if Xiao Gouzi were to grow old someday, he would likely still be a dignified, handsome old gentleman.
Xiaoyan’s temple suddenly throbbed with pain.
The pain was so intense that it made him open his eyes.
Dazzled by the moonlight, he saw the person before him.
This person was staring at him without blinking.
Who was this?
Just awakening from a deep sleep, his thoughts were still muddled.
After a moment’s thought, he remembered this was Pingcui Palace.
The person before him was Talent Gu.
He saw her apricot eyes gleaming with a rippling light in the darkness. Upon seeing him awaken, they suddenly widened, as if she had just come to her senses.
Stammering, she said, “Your Majesty… you’re awake?”
A strange feeling suddenly rose in Xiaoyan’s chest.
Talent Gu seemed to be looking at him, yet not looking at him.
He hesitated for a moment, “Who… are you thinking of?”
Gu Yi was startled.
She never expected Xiaoyan to be so perceptive immediately upon waking.
Her lips moved slightly.
BOOM!
A tremendous noise came from outside the hall.
Xiaoyan threw back the brocade blanket and rose in one motion, the bead curtain rustling for a moment.
He had already left the palace hall, standing under the eaves.
He saw that Pingcui Palace remained unchanged, but a palace building not far to the west had been set ablaze.
Red light shot skyward, thick smoke rising in all directions.
Tanyuan Hall.
Two shadow guards approached swiftly, kneeling to report in low voices: “Your Majesty, Imperial Consort Liu has been abducted!”
Hearing this, Xiaoyan laughed briefly, “Xiao Lü…” After a moment of silence, he continued, “Extinguish the fire, seal the nine gates. When dawn breaks, capture the thieves.”
Having spoken, he stepped down from the terrace and headed toward the front hall.
It was barely the Hour of the Tiger (3-5 AM).
The moon in the sky was full, leaping to the treetops, then slowly moving westward.
In the temporary palace of Yangcheng in Qing Prefecture, the sounds of decadent songs and dances still lingered.
Princess Consort Zheng, now Noble Consort Zheng, led two or three serving maids, slowly proceeding toward the front hall’s banquet area.
With a half-smile on her face, she walked with light, graceful steps.
The serving maids followed her in silence.
Tonight, His Majesty was being troublesome again.
It was fortunate that Noble Consort Zheng had a good temperament and would go to persuade him; others wouldn’t bother.
The Former Princess Consort, no, the Former Empress, had fallen ill upon hearing that Prince Shen had ascended the throne in Qing Prefecture, and within a short time, she had passed away.
It was said she had died of fright.
Only the secondary consort, Princess Consort Zheng, remained, becoming Noble Consort Zheng, always at His Majesty’s side.
Passing through the corridor, the music became more grating.
As soon as Noble Consort Zheng entered the hall, her willow-leaf eyes, seemingly both smiling and reproachful, looked toward the Emperor seated above.
Xiao Lü.
Even without being seated on the royal dais, he was still the most outstanding among all.
Xiao Lü, among the crowd, was like a star or moon fallen among rubble.
Incomparably handsome, second to none in the world.
At this moment, he wore only a moon-white brocade robe, his chest slightly exposed, his long hair half-raised, held only by a cyan jade hairpin inserted diagonally at the back of his head. He sat lazily on the golden chair, watching the singing and dancing in the courtyard with utter boredom.
“Your Majesty, the night is deep. Will you not retire?” Noble Consort Zheng asked with a smile.
Seeing her approach, Xiao Lü frowned slightly, muttering, “Annoying.” Yet he did stand up, dragging his feet as he headed toward the back of the hall.
Noble Consort Zheng withdrew her smile and said sternly to the musicians and dancers, “Everyone, disperse.”
Once the hall was empty, she also walked toward the back of the hall.
The windows of the room were wide open, with the bright moon hanging high.
Xiao Lü sat cross-legged by the window, the light breeze gently billowing his sleeves. His appearance was ethereal, yet he remained motionless.
Noble Consort Zheng lightened her footsteps, walked to his side, and glanced at him.
Her shoulders slumped, and she couldn’t help but smile, “Your Majesty, are you shedding tears at the moon again?”
Large teardrops hung at the corners of Xiao Lü’s eyes, with a flush of red at the edges. Though stunningly beautiful, his sorrowful expression was truly like pear blossoms in the rain, like dew on autumn branches.
Noble Consort Zheng took out a silk handkerchief from her waist and handed it to him, “Your Majesty, wipe your tears. Don’t cry anymore.”
Xiao Lü didn’t turn his head, merely reaching out to take it, “I… We are not crying. It’s just tears from facing the wind.”
Noble Consort Zheng coaxed him like a child, “Very well, very well. Tomorrow we’ll call the Imperial Physician again to examine Your Majesty’s condition of tears from facing the wind.”
Xiao Lü lightly pressed the corners of his eyes, then let out a long sigh.
Noble Consort Zheng, knowing his thoughts, consoled him: “Imperial Consort Dowager will surely be safe and sound. Your Majesty, be at ease. Perhaps Imperial Consort Dowager will soon travel south and meet Your Majesty in Qing Prefecture.”
Only then did Xiao Lü raise his head to look at her, glaring, “You also come to deceive me. Everyone is deceiving me. They only want to force my mother to her death, using the banner of ‘disloyal and unfilial’ to send troops to attack that dog Xiaoyan. Who would truly bring my mother safely and completely to Qing Prefecture?”
After just saying a few sentences, Xiao Lü’s eyes were wet again.
Noble Consort Zheng half-squatted down, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. She could only take the silk handkerchief from his hand and gently wipe his tears, “Your Majesty, don’t cry anymore. They may deceive you, but this concubine never deceives you. This concubine… will go and beg father again to send more capable people to the capital to rescue Imperial Consort Dowager…”
Xiao Lü felt somewhat comforted but suddenly grabbed Noble Consort Zheng’s sleeve, pulling her close to whisper in her ear: “Why doesn’t Noble Consort run away with me? Let’s leave Yangcheng, leave Qing Prefecture, run far, far away…” He seemed to have made up his mind. “This throne isn’t worth keeping! They all forced me into this. That dog Xiaoyan has always been ruthless and cold-blooded, recognizing no family ties, even daring to kill Father King. I… I have never gotten along with him since childhood. If he catches me, he will chop me into minced meat!”
Noble Consort Zheng was startled by his words but then smiled, “Your Majesty, what nonsense are you speaking? Your Majesty is the true dragon, the legitimate ruler, who will soar to the heavens sooner or later. Has Your Majesty forgotten Emperor Jing? Has Your Majesty forgotten that this vengeance remains unpaid?”
“Emperor Jing…” Xiao Lü lowered his brows and murmured, “Crown Prince Brother…”
Seeing his expression waver, Noble Consort Zheng continued to persuade him: “Indeed, Crown Prince Heng died such a tragic death. How can Your Majesty not be moved? Crown Prince Heng was as clear as the wind and bright as the moon, beloved by all, kind-hearted and righteous, who could have become a wise ruler of the age. But he died under Xiaoyan’s sword. Doesn’t Xiaoyan deserve to die? Your Majesty is also the late Emperor’s offspring, the legitimate successor. Xiaoyan’s birth mother was an outsider, not even considered a person of the Great Mu. By what right does he contend with Your Majesty!”