Ballad of the Desert

Chapter 32: Poisoned

After sending Huo Qu Bing off in the morning, I move back to Hong Gu's residence. Without him around, I can't stand living at the Huo Estate. I'm a wife yet not a wife, I'm a guest yet not a guest. It's just awkward for me to live there.

With a large estate filled with many residents, there is too much gossiping and I am not in the mood to deal with people's finger pointing. Uncle Chen is very considerate of me and didn't say anything, just ordering some maids, the chef, and some guards to go with me to Hong Gu's place. When I walk in with everyone trailing me, she laughs in surprise.

I walk around the courtyard once and then stretch my back "It really is more comfortable in my own home." Hong Gu softly sighed "What about the Huo Estate?" I smiled "If Qu Bing is there, then that is home. If he's not, then it's not home."

Hong Gu moved some fallen branches in front of me "I don't know whether it's a good thing or a bad thing that you met General Huo." I make a huge smiling face and stick it in front of Hong Gu "See! Do you see this? What is this? I don't want to hear you saying that ever."

Hong Gu quickly laughed "I see it, I see it." She looked at my stomach "I wonder who that child will resemble? Regardless it's bound to be a demon like you two. It will inherit both of your talents at tormenting people. I wonder if it'll go easy on anyone in the future."

When I was in the Huo Estate, the maids couldn't read, but with Hong Gu keeping me company it's much more entertaining. We read, play the zither, play chess, or talk about the gossip in Chang An. My days pass in calm comfort. When conversation strays to the past, I don't have any nostalgia, but Hong Gu does.

She mentions Fang Ru "I thought she wasn't such a cold person, but now when she sees me all she does is avoid me. Sometimes she sees me walking directly towards her and she pretends she doesn't see me." I laugh "Marry a chicken, follow a chicken, marry a dog, follow a dog. Li Yan Nian was already holding a grudge towards me years ago, which was fine when I was still close with Li Yan. Now that we're now longer on good terms, Fang Gu can't disobey her husband's side of the family."

Hong Gu swiftly covered my mouth "Oh my lord! You watch your mouth, how can you still refer to her by her name." I coldly huff "Whether or not I call her Li Yan has no bearing on the way she will behave towards me."

Because I felt sorry for her, I tried to back off. But she keeps pressuring me and our friendship of the past has gradually disappeared. There is still the oath she made me swear. Even though I hold her life in my hands, but I can't do anything about it. Her life isn't important enough to outweigh the potential risk towards Qu Bing and Jiu Ye.

Even though I will keep my promise, but she can never feel at ease about me. In the beginning she just wanted to force me to leave Qu Bing and leave Chang An. But now she likely doesn't even care about my life and death anymore, and the sooner she can get rid of me for good, the sooner she can rest easy. Qu Bing isn't in Chang An right now and I'm pregnant, so my best approach is to avoid her during this time.

But life is just that way. The more you try to avoid something, the more it comes towards you. I want to avoid Li Yan, and she promptly comes to find me. Li Yan sent an invitation order for me to attend her birthday bash in the Palace. No matter how much the Emperor adores her, she's still just a concubine and can't have a banquet where the entire court will fete her. So she's having a small party with just the ladies attending. But it's exactly this type of small gathering that worries me more.

Hong Gu said "This is not a good banquet, how about we ask the Empress to help decline it." I shake my head and give a sad smile while Uncle Chen sighs "Even though it's not clear whether the Empress knows Ms. Yu is pregnant, but the Empress has always taken care of Ms. Yu. Right now the General isn't in Chang An and surely the Empress will not be at ease knowing Ms. Yu is going to the Palace by herself. If she could have declined it she would have. It's clear the Emperor agreed to this so the Empress cannot say anything about it."