Vol 2 Chapter 19 (2/2)
Right now in court, Huo Qu Bing has become the most pivotal person, with both sides trying to gauge his att.i.tude. If he can’t stay above the fray and with one move, either side will try to destroy him. Outside attacks aren’t scary, what’s worse is if the Wei family tries to take him down so that Liu Che can’t rely on him to oppose Wei Qing. The Wei family has no idea that underneath Huo Qu Bing’s silence and coldness is a pa.s.sionate heart. Perhaps they don’t care to know since they are immersed in political strategizing all day long.
Huo Qu Bing heard what I said and didn’t understand why I appeared so concerned for the Wei family. Once he realized what I was worried about, I could see sadness flash through his eyes and then it changed into warmth and a smile for me. He hugged me tightly “Silly Yu Er, you don’t need to worry about me. I will be protecting you and the baby for the rest of your lives. I won’t be so easily set up by anyone.”
Outside the curtains there was a slight sound. Huo Qu Bing was likely too focused on me, or he thought it was Uncle Chen and this was his home, so his defenses was down and didn’t even hear it. After a moment, Qing Wu walks in with the tea tray from outside the curtains, her face red and afraid of looking directly at us sitting together in an embrace. She courteously place the tea tray down before bowing and scurrying out.
Huo Qu Bing didn’t even pay attention to her, but I smiled at how fleet of foot she was, just like her name suggested. How many such talented people are hiding in this Huo Estate?
My hands encircled Qu Bing’s neck and I kiss him. Since he’s been back, we’ve spent the last few months together, but because of my health he’s kept himself under tight control. With my forward gesture, he lets his defenses down and pa.s.sionately kisses me back, picking me up and carrying me into the bedroom.
The moment we lay down we are completely entwined together. Initially I was doing this partly for show, to get us into the bedroom so I could talk privately with him. But now I’m just as aroused and completely lost in the moment. He wanted to slow down and he propped himself up and looked at me. He kissed me on the forehead and then continued kissing as he murmured “I’ve missed you so much…..”
With my one sliver of alertness I curl around his body and press up even tighter. He was initially trying to slow down for my sake but with my actions he can barely hold back as he cries out “Yu Er” and then his hands move down…..
“Qu Bing, Tan Er is not our son.” I press right next to his ear and whisper softly. His entire body stiffens and he stares at me. My eyes fill with tears and I quickly hug him “I’m sorry, I couldn’t let our son enter the Palace. So I begged Jiu Ye to find a weak orphaned baby to swap with our son. I didn’t mean to lie to you. But I worry that you are always in and out of the Palace, and when everyone is staring at you, they might notice something off. I’ve tried many times to tell you, but always there was a reason….”
I see his face turning darker and darker and my voice trails off. All my excuses and explanations disappear. It was all my fault, why even explain? My tears are swimming in my eyes but I try valiantly not to let them fall. Qu Bing’s chest is rising and falling heavily and I’m wondering if he’s furious. I let go of him to turn and leave, but then I can’t bear it and grab onto his robe.
He stared at me for some time before saying very clearly “I am angry, but not because you lied to me. No matter if you lie to me, I know you’re doing it for us. This idea is not something I won’t be able to understand. But I’m angry that you put your life at risk. Was your early delivery also planned? Otherwise how could you have a baby ready to swap out without the Palace suspecting?”
I was ready for his censure, but who knew he wasn’t angry at my deception. He has already come to trust me completely. My tears finally fall and I embrace him tightly “It will never happen again, it will never happen again……”
He suddenly punched the pallet violently and muttered “That Meng Jiu! How come he does whatever you ask? How could he let you take such a risk? Does he have the baby? Is the baby healthy?” I reply through my tears “Yes, the baby is already out of Chang An and somewhere very safe. Even though he was born early by two months, but he’s not like the weak Tan Er in the Palace. He’s very healthy and very alert.”
He quickly wiped away my tears “Don’t cry. I’m angry but I’m more upset at myself. I vowed before your Papa’s grave that I would take good care of you and not you be unhappy even once. But since you came back to Chang An with me, it’s only been you enduring things for me. This all happened because of me, because I wasn’t by your side so you had to endure it all alone.”
The more he talked the more I cried “Good Yu Er, don’t cry anymore. I’m not angry anymore. Good Yu Er, no matter what happens in the future, you can’t use your life to risk it. If something happened to you, how will I…..” His voice caught in his throat and his eyes were red. After some time, he softly said “You are not just my beloved Yu Er, you might be the only family I have in my life going forward. The only one who believes in me, who trusts me, who stands by my side. Do you understand?”
I vigorously nod my head “I won’t ever do something like this again. I…….” I rub the area between his eyes “Even though I was unconscious and you were by my side during that time, but I know the pain and sorrow in your heart. In the future I will take good care of myself, I won’t ever let you go through this again.”
His eyes gradually warmed and he held my face and kissed me soundly. He then started kissing from the corner of my lips all the way to my eyes, kissing my tears away. The fire between us flared up once again and became impossible to quench. All my rational thought went away and I murmur “Qu Bing, you also must never let me go through something like that.” He indistinctly replied before he s.h.i.+fted and we were joined together…..
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The Spring arrived not at all like early Spring. The cold is still vicious and even the foliage doesn’t appear to be coming anytime soon. The calm in Chang An for the last six months is suddenly at an end. The Prime Minister of the Han dynasty Li Cai is accused of privately using sacred holy lands for his own use. Liu Che is very superst.i.tious and believes heavily in praying to the G.o.ds and Heaven. He places great trust in the Taoist priests and shamans in the Palace, so much so that even the princes and princesses are polite to those folks. To have one’s own Prime Minister using sacred holy lands enrages Liu Che and he has Li Cai tossed in prison awaiting judgment.
General Li Guang lived a clean and upstanding life, good to people, generous and forthright. He earned a lot of reward during his time, but when he died he left no wealth. When his coffin was carried into Chang An, the citizens of the entire city wept for him. Now Li Guang has died for only a short time and his younger brother Li Cai has been accused of stealing sacred holy lands for his own use. This scandal rocks the nation. People do not understand politics so they believe this and curse the Li family to the sky.
Li Gan tries to round up support all over court, even coming to the Huo Estate, but Qu Bing does not see him.
When Empress Chen was cast out many years ago, one important detail involved a voodoo doll being found in Empress Chen’s chambers that featured the concubines who the Empress adored. Rumor has it Empress Chen would curse them every day. I have my own doubts about those voodoo dolls, which are easy for maids to slip into Empress Chen’s chambers. Same with this sacred holy land, which could have been written incorrectly on the ledgers so that Li Cai could easily have missed it when he was apportioning the land.
This is cla.s.sic warfare, with the Wei family seemingly doing every out in the open, but secretly keeping this trump card to push the enemy into a dead end. But things are not yet finalized, so the winner remains to be seen. In the middle of the trial for this case, Li Cai commits suicide in prison. The former General, Duke, and Prime Minister ends up killing himself over the misuse of a piece of sacred holy land.
Suicide? I laugh. If Wei Ji and I died in prison back then, would we have been coined with a suicide out of guilt moniker? Within a short six months, the two highest Li family officials Li Guang and Li Cai both committed suicide and the family has barely finished with one grieving period before it begins another. The two great Generals from one family ended up not dying in the hands of the Xiong Nu, but both by suicide.
Huo Qu Bing coldly watches all of this unfolding from the sidelines. He continues to train, hunt, and even has a football field built in the estate. The cheers on the football field remain energetic, but deep within Qu Bing’s eyes I can see his disdain for all this.
Gong Xun He and Wei Jun Ru come visit Qu Bing, claiming it was along the way, but really they are eyeing the now empty Prime Minister spot. In fact, everyone in court is eyeing that position. Wei Jun Ru sees me and is so solicitous, asking how I’ve been and telling me to go see her if Qu Bing is ever mean to me. Since we’re family.
Qu Bing might seem cold on the outside but he actually really treasures his family. His last name may be Huo but he grew up in the Wei family, so their refusal to accept me has always hurt him. Now he sees the Wei elders so warm towards me and I can see it makes him happy. I sigh and the grasp Wei Jun Ru’s hand back “With Auntie standing up for me, Qu Bing will never be mean to me. I’ve been embroidering recently and can’t seem to do it well. Since Auntie is here, can you give me some pointers?”
Gong Xun He heard me and could see I understood what was happening. Wei Jun Ru looks at Qu Bing “There are lots of clever ladies out there who can embroider. Is it for Qu Bing? If so then I must go see it.” Qu Bing’s gaze brushed past me and he couldn’t contain his pleasure. I take Wei Jun Ru out while Qu Bing and Gong Xun He continue talking.
It’s nighttime and I can barely contain my sleepiness I hear Qu Bing softly call “Yu Er”, but then says nothing else. I smile and bit him lightly on his shoulder “How come you’re not asleep? You can do whatever you want. I may not want you embroiled in the fight for succession because it’s a life and death proposition. But if it want to do it, then no matter what I don’t have an opinion on it.”
He didn’t say anything other than tightly pulling me into his embrace. His hands quickly decides it wants to do other stuff and I whisper in his ear “You’re not stressed anymore so now you want to bother me! I’m sleepy! You let me sleep…..oh!” He smiled and kissed me, effectively stopping what I was going to say.
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