Chapter 43 (1/2)

Chapter 43 Original and most updated translations are from volaretranslations.

A rustling noise of something like silk reached my ears, making me feel unbearably itchy. It sounded like some people were purposely speaking in whispers in a great hall.

“Where is the emperor?”

“He went to court.”

“Amitabha[1], he’s been absent for three days, and now he’s finally going. That’s right…has the person inside awakened yet? Can I take a look? I heard this Master has an impressive background. The emperor’s been by her side since the first day she arrived.”

“Speak softer.”

“Why should I, isn’t she dead asleep? Even the imperial physician said it’s not likely she’ll wake up again.” The voice drew closer and closer as it spoke. There was the sound of someone lifting a sleeve and drawing aside what sounded like cloth. Though my eyes were closed, I could still feel my surroundings grow brighter, and a soft breeze blow in…the air grew fresh and unhindered.

It felt like coming back from the dead…though my hands felt weak as ever.

Where was I…?

“I told you not to move the curtain, she’s very delicate and fragile…don’t give her a chill. There were a lot of imperial physicians executed recently. If you act without any propriety, be careful it’s not our heads that roll next time.”

There was a pained cry as someone dragged the figure away by his ear while he pleaded for mercy. Abruptly, the light dimmed into the dreary atmosphere of the dead.

No, I don’t want this…

Don’t…don’t take away my light. My heart wailed mournfully as my hand reached towards the silk curtains, twisting them aside as I straightened up.

I opened my eyes.

Subconsciously, I craned my head and felt at the offensive material of the curtain. A ray of light pierced through to s.h.i.+ne on my fingers, lifeless and pallid to an offensive point.

It suddenly became quiet outside.

Those two people seemed thoroughly frightened, trembling as they watched me shaking to open the bed curtains. After being used to the dark for so long, this sudden light was unbearable and I squinted for quite a while, my mind buzzing until I recovered. I gave them a gentle smile. The two exchanged glances with ashen faces before prostrating themselves on the ground. With their identical ash blue robes and horse-hoof sleeves, they were probably young eunuchs.

“We’ve disturbed Master’s peace and quiet, please punish us, Master.” the steadier of the two eunuchs spoke as he knocked their head repeatedly against the ground.

Just hearing this sound was insufferable. Did he think his head was cast from copper? I clicked my tongue, looking away when I saw a hint of red. What peace and quiet? Pah, I’m not dead yet.

“You’re making my eyes hurt moving up and down like that, so get up.” I waved my hand and tried to rise, but felt strange when my hands touched the bedding. The material was exquisite, thick and soft. It was embroidered with beautiful clouds and dragons, but I didn’t recall it being so tasteful. In my house…

Huh? How come I couldn’t remember a thing?

I blinked a few times, staring at the equally curious pair of eunuchs, and asked them, “Where am I?”

“To reply Master, this is his majesty’s sleeping chambers.”

Oh…

His majesty.

The emperor’s sleeping chambers, then.

What?!

My breath caught, and I wanted to get off the bed that instant, but my body was simply too weak. I paused to rest for a while before setting my toes on the floor, but it felt like I was standing on cotton. Before I could steady myself on my feet, my body swayed, and someone came to support me.

“Master, if you want anything, just tell us. Please don’t get off the bed yourself,” the cleverer of the two eunuchs spoke as he examined my complexion, gently pulling me back as he waved a hand behind him. “What are you dawdling for, go call his majesty and tell him Master’s awakened.”

Ah…

Call his majesty? Don’t…

I…I-I’m afraid…afraid of strangers.

How did I end up on the imperial dragon bed? What happened here, and why couldn’t I remember anything? I furiously slapped my head, scaring the person next to me. He wanted to stop me, yet didn’t dare, hands hovering beneath mine.

Was he waiting to catch something, or what?

It couldn’t be that he was waiting to collect the hairs that fell off my head after I beat myself up?

Weirdo…

“Master, are you feeling unwell anywhere?”

A little…let me think.

I raised my head as someone inserted a soft cus.h.i.+on behind my back to make me comfortable. My body s.h.i.+fted a few times before I spoke, “I have no energy in my body, find myself short of breath when speaking, and my stomach’s burning with pain. Oh…hey, uh, Little Second, take my pulse for me.”

“To reply Master, your servant’s name isn’t Little Second,” he bowed in extreme respect, reaching out with his hands to tuck me in.

I was at a loss.

“Is that so…I just blurted out whatever was on my mind, my memory’s not so clear.”

“Master, you’re probably confused because you’re hungry. You’ve been unconscious for three days, but we’ve only dared to give you some soup. Please close your eyes and rest for a while, I’ll instruct the imperial kitchen to prepare some food right away.” Still bowing, he carefully backed away and left.

Three days?!

Curses, no wonder I was so hungry. I was even experiencing double vision, so I thought I had bad eyesight… I gave a ridiculing laugh and closed my eyes.

—

Soft footsteps pattered towards me, so light I wouldn’t have heard them if I wasn’t paying attention. I lifted my eyes to see a small wooden serving table set on the bed, followed by various fragrant, delicious dishes. There was someone standing against the light in the doorframe, quietly watching the young eunuchs entering in single file.

The delicious aroma enticed me to crack my eyes open.

“Come, Master. Please try this warm porridge first.” the same eunuch from before spoke, and I hnn’d in agreement. My energy was just about gone, and it felt extremely comfortable to lean against a soft cus.h.i.+on, half-awake as I opened my mouth and waited to be fed…

But a long time pa.s.sed without me getting any food.

I frowned, and just when I was about to open my eyes, I felt a s.p.a.ce on the bed next to me sink down. Someone drew near me, and a smooth, warm object brushed against my lips while the person blew against its surface.

I sipped a tiny mouthful.

The porridge was thick and glutinous, carrying with it a faint fragrance. The level of saltiness was just right, and it was easy to swallow once I had it in my mouth. The taste lingered by my teeth for a long time afterward. I wanted to eat more, but that person didn’t move, mystifying me.

I lazily opened my eyes and saw that the person holding the bowl and spoon before me wasn’t a eunuch.

Why did I know?

He clearly had a Adam’s apple and traces of stubble by his chin, though it was a bit wan. Firm eyebrows framed a pair of tender eyes, making him hard to describe…at any rate, he was an outstandingly handsome man.

He fed me another spoonful.

I didn’t swallow, but couldn’t help but dodge to one side.

He raised his eyebrows, and the eunuchs around his prostrated their shaking bodies to the floor in dreadful fear. The man’s lips turned up, his smile warm and intimate as he softly urged, “Drink it, it’ll bolster your body.”

The tone was light but carried an unmistakable force. Very few people could turn a simple suggestion into something that sounded like a threat, but he was one of them. I was a little dazed. My eyes fixed on him and his hand, still holding the spoon. The color of his sleeves was a bold yellow, embroidered with flying dragons in gold thread.

I blinked, moving my gaze downwards before I realized he was dressed in yellow from head to toe.

I was lying on the dragon bed, being personally fed porridge by the emperor?!

T-t-this…what was going on?

“What’s wrong? This expression…you look like I’m feeding you a.r.s.enic.” his face turned wooden and his eyebrows arched, though there was still laughter in his eyes. “It’s going to turn cold, you should drink it up before it does.”

I braced myself and took the bowl from his hands, hesitating slightly before draining the contents in one gulp. The man seemed as if he’d seen something unexpected, looking at me as if floored. He turned his head aside and muttered to himself, “What’s the matter, she really drank what I gave her…”

Did I do something wrong?

He was the emperor. Even if he gave me a.r.s.enic, I’d have no choice but to drink it, right? I used my sleeve to wipe my mouth and stole a glance at him. His smile seemed full of meaning as he looked at me in silence, turning my entire body cold.

I lowered my eyes and crawled out from the covers until I was kneeling on the bed. After that bout of illness, my movements were still natural and spontaneous, clean and complete. “Your Majesty, I can’t remember anything, nor do I know how I ended up lying here…anyways, if it’s taking responsibility or rebuking, come at me outright. You don’t need this policy of comforting me first and punis.h.i.+ng me later, I don’t even know what I did.”

Why would I be lying on this bed? What kind of status did I have? I couldn’t remember anything.

“Shao’er, what’s happened to you?”

A pair of hands rested on my shoulders, s.h.i.+fting me slightly. The fabric draped around me like a coc.o.o.n, similar to the feeling I’d gotten from my dreams these past days. I could remember these large palms stroking my forehead and my face, over and over again.

His voice was a little hoa.r.s.e as he spoke. “Why does it seem like you’ve become a completely different person after waking up?”

I looked at him in astonishment. It seemed like…this person had no intentions to hurt me. Could it be that I misunderstood? He propped himself against the bed to lean over and study me with unblinking eyes that hid a smile.

“You don’t remember what you came to the palace for?”

I was ignorant. So I hadn’t always been part of the imperial court?

“Think a bit, besides me…was there anyone else you wanted to see?” his voice was calm and filled with warmth.

I looked at him, sensing that he was truly trying to guide me along. Within the court, women dreamed of seeing the emperor everyday. Could there be anyone else? Was it possible that this person discovered me in an affair and wanted to surprise me with his knowledge? But that’s not right. If I had been discovered, could I still sit so harmlessly on the dragon bed and get personal treatment from the emperor?

What a tangled mess…