Chapter 58 (1/2)
Chapter 58 Original and most updated translations are from volaretranslations.
His smile was so cheerful. I felt like the victim of his latest prank, my mind filled with a buzzing drone. He hugged me very tightly, enough for me to feel his body temperature…I took a deep breath and said in a shaking voice, “When did you find out?”
He paused, before dragging out the answer. “I’ve known you all my life.”
I’d be holding myself back all this time, yet he’d saw through me from the first moment.
“Very good,” I lowered my head, lips curving up into an ironic smile before laughing at him. It startled him…and I used a bit of inner qi to easily push aside his hand, pinching his chin while my other hand closed around his neck. Although surprised, he continued to smile, raising an eyebrow as if confident in his success. His eyes slanted sideways to look at me before lightly waving his hand, causing the wine cups on the table to clatter against the ground….
“Emperor, is anything the matter?”
The silence that had stretched on like dead water was immediately thrown into disorder. The doors were forced open, and a crowd of soldiers wearing armor entered, pointing their s.h.i.+ny weapons at me…this battle array…seemed to have been prepared ahead of time just to counter my move. Han Zichuan, did you even antic.i.p.ate such a thing?
I looked at him, copying his earlier moves as I leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Do you think they can stop me?” My grip on his throat tightened. “With you here, I’m not afraid of anything.”
His eyes twinkled briefly before adopting an expression of deep sorrow.
“General Qi’s daughter has taken the emperor hostage and rebelled.”
“You traitor! Don’t think of doing anything to his majesty or hurting his body!” The people outside were rather clever, shouting one after the other without anyone taking a step forward. I squinted.
“Is there anything aifei wants to tell Zhen?”
“Shut up.”
“But Zhen has words to say,” Despite being held captive by me, he still raised a hand to pat my shoulder comfortingly, the other hugging me around my waist. “All of you, back down. Without Zhen’s commands, no one can come in.”
The crowd stood looking at each other. I grew angry and muttered in a m.u.f.fled voice, “Leaving isn’t allowed.” At least let the two of us leave first…before you all scatter.
“You’re losing your temper again,” Though I had him in my grip, he still managed to look at me with a doting expression. Meanwhile, the various guards and servants had slowly started to back away. A d.a.m.ned servant sprawled on the ground to sneak a peek at me, before pulling the door after him in terror. It closed with a pah!, leaving the noisy rabble outside. What kind of situation was this…?
There were only the two of us left in this room. The lamplight flickered as noise resounded across the floors, making my expression turn black.
“Look at you, you’re always so muddle-headed when you do things so it’s easy to predict your actions,” he gave me a sideways glance, eyes roving from my face to my neck. I glared at him before speaking quietly.
“You’re not even worried about the fates of the Qi Family you mentioned? Conspiring against the throne isn’t a nice accusation.”
“So what?” he said.
Despite my smile, my eyes turned cold as from his words. “I’m only concerned with you. All matters of life-and-death from this incident rests in your hands. I’m not going to beg forgiveness on behalf of your aifei’s family.”
“You still don’t understand?” he took a deep breath before actually daring to caress my face. “Zhen only has one empress.”
Surprised, my heart began to pound–not from being moved, but from uneasy shock. “What did you do to her?”
“Zhen’s Shao’er really catches on quickly. That woman was originally bait to lure you out. Even though you hid her underneath the bed, I sent people to kill her to avoid future ha.s.sles. If General Qi discovered his daughter was replaced before the wedding and charged into the palace, how would Zhen be able to marry you? …and how else would you end up as Zhen’s one and only empress?”
No wonder Little Li had dawdled at the general’s estate after I’d gotten onto the sedan chair. Was it to make sure his men had enough time to get rid of the general’s daughter? I suddenly felt shaky on my feet, staring at the man before me in astonishment. He was smiling slightly as he sized me up. How could he speak so casually about a person’s life? This Han Zichuan, was he really the same youth that lived in the house amongst the bamboo grove with me?
“Zhen knows that you’d come back eventually for the wedding day. If you don’t want to take another’s place as empress, I’ll give you back your real ident.i.ty. General Qi might be one of the founding members of the dynasty with military might, but after your little act, all those witnesses saw you wearing his daughter’s face to rebel against me. I’m afraid it’ll be impossible for him to deny it. This sort of crime can implicate nine generations of his family, so it won’t be long before military power returns to Zhen’s hands.”
“Formidable…you even calculated me into your schemes.”
Under the gentle glow of lamplight, his smile was mesmerizing. It was the same smile as before…and yet, completely different. I knew then that the boy who was once bathed in sunlight as he smiled at me from the bamboo was never coming back…and the monarch standing in his place was so unfamiliar, I hardly recognized him.
“Shao’er, won’t you get tired if you keep choking me like this?” he paused, leaning against my shoulders with eyes shut to take a deep breath. “Would you like your husband to pour you a cup of water?”
“Shut up. I’m just going to ask you one question,” my back was stiff, and my tone was cold. “Back then…was it you who carried me out of the palace?”
“Not me,” he looked at me calmly, but added on, “It was me who told Little Li to send someone else to do it. Did they get you to Fang Hua’s house safely?”
Great, just great.
“Then I’ll have to trouble you to come back on a trip with me.”
He arched an eyebrow, looking at me in surprise, but I held him in place with my arm. The smile on his face faded. “That’s not very difficult…just tell me why?”
You should be clearer than anyone, Zichuan. If you could predict that I’d sneak into the palace and take General Qi’s daughter’s place for the wedding, why wouldn’t you know why I wanted you to see Fang Hua?
“I need you to go back and save my master.”
He suddenly smiled, lips parting slightly as he spat out one word: “Fine.”
—
My expression gradually relaxed.
“I just need you to help me finish one last thing.” He grasped my hand and gently took it off his throat, only to turn around and pour two new full cups of wine. “Drink these cups of marriage wine with me.”
I gave him a scornful look. The color of the wine was like jade, clear and pure. As it swayed in the jade cups, a cloud of sweet fragrance reached my nose. “You think paralyzing poisons will work on me?”
“I know it won’t. I added nothing to these because I was afraid of wasting the wine.”
I stared at the wine cup, my throat feeling puckery. “There’s no need.”
“We’ve gone to the ancestral hall and met the civil and military officials. Since we’ve completed the ceremony to confer you a t.i.tle, we just need to share this wine before we become husband and wife.” He took my hand, picking up his own cup with drooping eyes as he drew closer. His breath was right by my ear, extremely itchy.
I didn’t move.
Yet he kept his grip on me, eyes never s.h.i.+fting from my face as he spoke in a low tone. “You can pretend this is just a dream and you’re acting a part in a play, all right?”
At that moment, my face changed slightly. He smiled and gave a shallow sip. I didn’t wait for him to finish, but struck him hard with my hand to knock him out. This scourge was definitely someone to guard against. The entire night he’d been doing nothing but making my heart pound.
—
With the emperor as my hostage, I took to the rooftops with my lightness technique, outrunning everyone who chased after us by means of twists and turns. The archers could only strain their eyes in vain. No one dared to aim their weapons towards the emperor in this time and age unless they wanted death. I heaved a sigh. By the time I dragged the unconscious man out of the palace, it was already beginning to get light. My movements naturally grew more leisurely after escaping the court. Who knew how chaotic things were inside?
The weight of his tall figure was pressed completely against my body. I walked towards the western city gates, pa.s.sing over the chilly flagstones and desolate lanes. This place really was tranquil and still. A cough came from my side, where an un.o.btrusive old man sat atop a carriage. Seeing me approach, he rose to his feet and nimbly helped Han Zichuan into the carriage without a word.
Though his hands were emaciated, they were full of strength. It looked like this was a sensible sort of guy. He kept his eyes low and didn’t look around wildly. Han Zichuan was currently dressed in clothing from the palace. Although they were plain white robes, the dancing dragons against the fabric were very obvious, and the jade plate hanging from his waist spoke of his esteemed position. But that old driver didn’t raise an eyelid when he helped him inside, nor did he speak. After he was arranged neatly, the old man backed out of the carriage and drew down the hanging screen door.
He definitely deserved the t.i.tle as one of First’s chosen men, with his prior experience and trustworthy character.
“Lord First received your letter and instructed me to wait here until Master you arrived. Everything’s been arranged for the road, so please set your worries at rest. As soon as day breaks, there will be 100 other carriages in the exact same colors heading to the north, south, east and west gates. The imperial court will naturally be too busy to keep track. Since time is pressing, please hurry on.”
“Please give thanks to your master on my behalf, I owe him one,” I sat atop the carriage and drew the reins. The old man made a small affirmative noise as I leaned down to clap the horse. Snorting, the animal swished its tail and broke into a gallop. I chanced a glance back, watching as his form grew smaller and smaller as he stood at the edge of the hazy horizon with a calm smile.
“Safe travels.”
I had the sudden feeling that I knew that man.
—