Chapter 15 The lights in the city gradually became sparse, the snow was like a thick layer of curtain, gradually covering the sky and the ground.
Pei Zhao finally put away the flute, he was actually playing the flute for this long. Once he stopped, he couldn't help but to cough a few times, probably because he consumed too much of the cold wind. He was very silly, I didn't tell him to stop and he played the flute for this long, not worried of damaging his lungs. Pei Zhao tried to restrain himself from coughing, faced towards me and said: "It is snowing, I should bring Crown Princess back."
I could see the snowflakes on his eyelashes, once he blinked it melted.
I stubbornly said: "I am not going back."
"Crown Princess....." "Don't call me Crown Princess."
Pei Zhao did not hesitate, remained composed and bowed: " Yes."
I felt frustrated, asked: "You like that princess?"
Pei Zhao was startled, but he didn't say anything.
I comforted him by patting his shoulder: "I knew you didn't like it! Never thought that you would also be forced to marry someone you don't like. You Central Plain men are pitiful, but I am the same. Even though Li Cheng Yin is the Crown Prince, he still can't have the person that he loves as the Crown Princess, you and him are the same....."
My words of expression was probably used in a disordered way, so Pei Zhao's expression was uncomfortable. In the end, he only faintly said: "Yes."
I generously said: "Don't worry! I will treat you for some wine!"
Pei Zhao coughed a few times. I generously told him: "I know someone in Ming Yu Fang [1]! She is very pretty! I could introduce her to you!"
"Crown Princess....." "Don't call me Crown Princess!" I excitedly pulled him: "Go! Come with me to drink some wine!"
Pei Zhao never thought that I was a frequent visitor of Ming Yu Fang, when he saw my popularity there, he was shocked.
When Wang Da Niang saw me, her eyes were smiling, grasping firmly to my sleeve: " Ai ya, Liang Gong Zi came! Ladies, Liang Gong Zi came!"
Although Wang Da Niang's body is round, but her voice was clear, sharp and high pitched. A shout and countless ladies wearing red and green rushed here from downstairs and upstairs:"Liang Gong Zi came! Liang Gong Zi why did it take you this long to come? Liang Gong Zi you probably forgot about us......."
I was escorted by them to go in: "No No........I was only passing by....."
"Yesterday Yue Niang even said Liang Gong Zi, if you never come here again, we would drink all the fifteen wines that you saved here." "Yes, also on the day it snowed, Yue Niang also left some tea for you to try!"
"Today is snowing again, lets use the snow water to cook the wine!" "Great!"
It was so noisy that it made me felt dizzy, asked: "Where's Yue Niang? How come I don't see her?" "Yue Niang, she is sick!" I was surprised: "Sick?" "Yes! Lovesickness!"
Lovesickness? "Yesterday there was a wealthy guest that came to drink some tea and listen to some music, after that he left, never thought that Yue Niang would get lovesickness."
"What kind of person caused Yue Niang to have lovesickness?" "Based on what I saw, it was a scholar with an attractive appearance...."
Hearing this was hopeless, I also heard Mr. Storyteller mentioned in many times in stories that it always involves a young man and a young lady not a young man and a prostitute. Also, Yue Niang is the number one prostitute and has slept with many men, how could she get lovesickness?
Yue Niang and I are sworn sisters, so I immediately went upstairs to her room to see her. She surely did not sleep yet, only leaning against the bird cage staring at the red candle on the table, not sure what she was thinking about.
"Shi wu!" I called her by her nickname.
Yue Niang looked at me, in a dispirited way: "You came?" I asked her: "You really have lovesickness?" "Sister you don't know, he's a god-like person!" "You taught me, men with that appearance shouldn't be treated as a usual guest! Not only did he have an attractive appearance, the way he speaks was out of the ordinary.....Even rare is that he doesn't treat me disrespectfully....." Yue Niang foolishly clasped her hands: "Please heaven, when will I be able to see him again......" He was not a woman dressed as a man right? I couldn't help, but ask her: "At that time when you recognized that I am a woman, you also said that I didn't treat you disrespectfully, so that is why you knew that I am a woman...." Yue Niang said: "How could he be a woman disguised as a man, I could tell by his presence, he is a man of all men....." I whispered into her ears: "Today I brought Pei Zhao here! Don't you want to get revenge? Do you want to use your beauty scheme as a way to take revenge? His father is the Great General, he is the high ranked General, I heard the Pei family have a lot of power and authority!" Yue Niang shook her head: "That's useless, even if it is a person like Pei Zhao with power and authority, it will not affect him. Also I heard that Noble Consort Gao will become the Empress." "Noble Consort Gao will become the Empress?" "Yes, rumors have been spreading around saying that the Emperor depose the Empress so that he could have Noble Consort Gao as the Empress." I cannot not admit that I as the Crown Princess is a failure, I didn't even know the popular choice for the Empress position. I only saw Noble Consort Gao two times, it was when I had to go see the Empress, I tried to think but I still couldn't remember how she looked like. I said: "If you could see the Emperor, then that would be good because he could help you with your worries." Someone in Yue Niang's family was a government official, but was false accused by Gao Yu Ming and her whole family was executed. At that time she was only six to seven years old, luckily she ran away but was later sold to the brothel to sing. For years she has been wanting to take revenge, the first time she told me about her family background, she even cried. I sympathize her, but I couldn't do anything to help her.
Yue Niang faintly sighed: "I worry that seeing the Emperor would not be of any use........I don't want to see the Emperor......I.......only.......don't know when I will be able to see that person....." Yue Niang really have lovesickness, even not concerned about taking revenge for her family, only thinking about that man.
I went down to drag Pei Zhao upstairs, Ming Yu Fang have fire pans everywhere, making the place very warm which was not suitable. Yue Niang is the number one beauty in the brothel, once you open the curtains in her room, the fragrant instantly hits you, pulling you inside. Pei Zhao was not used to going to these places, I sent the other beauties out of the room, only leaving Yue Niang here to drink wine with us.
I was hungry after playing around for so long, Ming Yu Fang's kitchen makes good food, if not I wouldn't have came here. One reason was to talk to Yue Niang, another reason was because the food here taste really good.
Yue Niang was holding onto the pipa and sang one phrase then stopped: "Life will not yearn, but will yearn, hurtful yearn. Body floating like the cloud, heart flying like cotton...." Her voice was in a lazy tone, surely with a lovesickness accent. I looked at Pei Zhao once: "Why aren't you eating?" "Gong Zi you can eat, I am not hungry." I think he had improved, at least he won't answer with one word. I used my chopsticks and pointed for him to see: "This is the most delicious fish meat, it uses Persian spice, it is not fishy, you're not trying it?" I highly recommended the fish meat, he tried some.
On the way back to the palace, Pei Zhao asked me: "The woman just now, is she Chen family's dependent?" I didn't understand what he was saying, he asked again: "Yue Niang the one playing the pipa, is her last name Chen?" I nodded my head, using this chance to tell him about Yue Niang's family background and describing it in the most pitiful way.
We could finally see the walls of the Eastern Palace, Pei Zhao stopped, couldn't help but to ask: "Crown Princess, I have something to say, but I am not sure if it is appropriate to say." I dislike it when someone speak vaguely, I said: "Just say it." He stopped a bit before saying: "Crown Princess is pure and kind, Eastern Palace is a place filled with rumors. The Crown Prince is the heir of the throne, so he is in an awkward position. I believe Crown Princess should stop being with Yue Niang this type of person........" I have never thought Pei Zhao can be this dislikable, I laughed coldly: "I know you are all in the imperial family, looking down upon women like Yue Niang, but telling me to not be with my friends, that can't be done! I am not self-centered like you people, looking down at her because she is powerless, not being her friend. I know, Yue Niang is a prostitute. Tonight must have been uncomfortable for Pei General! Don't worry Pei General, I will never bring you to these types of places ever again, you can peacefully be the Emperor's son-in-law!" After that I didn't talk to Pei Zhao for the rest of the way back, he didn't say anything for a long time. I could only hear the horse's footsteps on the snow. The snow kept on falling, the ground had a thin layer of snow, the horse one step one slip, walking very slowly.
I kept on walking to the south wall of the Eastern Palace, I didn't take much notice of Pei Zhao.
Many things have changed and out of my expectations because it is almost the new year. The palace have a lot of ceremonies, this year there is no Empress, a lot of things I have to deal with myself, women in the imperial family have to pay respect to the Emperor, host the ceremony......even though Noble Consort Gao is the one in charge of the imperial harem, but her position is just a Noble Consort. Yong Niang told me that a lot of people pay a lot of attention to this ceremony, so maybe the Emperor will allow Noble Consort Gao to take charge of the harem.
"Noble Consort Gao will become the Empress?"
"I don't dare to say that." Yong Niang respectfully told me. I know she would not randomly say her opinion on this issue, she also told me: "Crown Princess should also not discuss about this issue, this is not what a wife should be concerned about." I also thought that these days I have a lot of worries, I felt that my worries are even more frustrating than worrying about who will be the Empress. For example Zhao Liang Di had deducted Xu Bao Lin's expenses, Xu Bao Lin although honest, however her palace maids are not, very noisy, as a result fell into a trap set by Zhao Liang Di's palace maids, accusing them of stealing things from the storeroom, wanting to kick them out of the Eastern palace. In the end Xu Bao Lin cried in front of me, but I couldn't help her, if you want me to check the accounts book and take charge of this situation, then that's the same as taking my life. I could only comfort Xu Bao Lin, but still those two palace maids still got kicked out of the Eastern Palace, I could only tell Yong Niang to choose two new palace maids for Xu Bao Lin. Asides from these issues in the Eastern Palace, I was also worried about the Great Empress Dowager having the cold. Although her cold was not serious, but everyone in the palace was still worried because she is a seventy year old person. Also last time Li Cheng Yin accidentally twisted his neck and leg while horseback riding and striking a ball with a long wooden mallet, although the injury did not affect the way he walked, but it wasn't too long since his last injury, the Emperor was angry, fiercely scolding him, as a result I don't know what Zhao Liang Di did to trigger him, but he suddenly slapped her. This time he must have scolded her awfully, Zhao Liang Di was very angry to the point she was crying endlessly. Everyone was trying to calm him down, Li Cheng Yin's temper did get better, turned and left abruptly, spent several days alone in his palace hall.
Yong Niang advised me over and over again to go visit Li Cheng Yin, I understood what she meant, but I didn't pay much attention to it.
Never thought that even if I didn't go visit Li Cheng Yin, he would still come to my place.
That night was still snowing and it was cold, the fragrance in the palace hall evaporated, making me feel drowsy, so I slept early, Li Cheng Yin suddenly came.
He only brought a palace maid, if A'Du didn't warn me, I wouldn't have known that he went on my bed. I was sleeping very deeply when A'Du shook me awake. I yawned and drowsily looked at him, thinking something was strange: "Why did you come here?" "To sleep!" He wasn't in a good mood, sitting there stretching out his legs, palace maid helped him take off his boots, helped him take off his coat, waved his hand and the palace maid have left. Once A'Du shook me awake, she disappeared even I don't know where she went. I sneezed again, and then slept again, if it weren't for Li Cheng Yin, I would have kept on sleeping.
I unconsciously gave him half of my blanket, I don't know who helped him take off his clothes, he was only wearing a thin silk clothing. Men bodies are extremely warm like fire pans. The moment he stretched his arm, it reached my neck, then he put his hand behind my back, pulling me into his embrace. Even though it was very warm, but I didn't feel comfortable, after sleeping for a while I couldn't help but say: "Don't breathe on my neck...."
He didn't say anything, continuing on kissing my neck, like a small dog biting me, biting me very painfully and itchy, couldn't help but to push him: "Stop biting me, if you bite me again I will not be able to sleep." He still didn't say anything, afterwards he blew into my ear, I hate it when my ears feel itchy, a laugh and it will weaken my body, he took advantage of this chance to rip open my clothes, I was instantly awake: "What are you doing?"
Li Cheng Yin fiercely nibbled onto my mouth, I suddenly understood what he wanted to do, suddenly I kicked him away: "Ah!"
This one kick almost made him fall out of the bed, the mosquito net was all over his face, it took him some time before he could undo the mosquito net on his face, he glared at me angrily: "What is wrong with you?" "You want.....this.......this......go to Zhao Liang Di!" I don't want to be Zhao Liang Di's subsitute, even though I like Li Cheng Yin, but I don't like him treating me like this.
Li Cheng Yin gently laughed: "You are jealous." "Who is jealous?" I rolled my eyes: "Stop bring this to yourself and having to suffer the consequences!" Li Cheng Yin couldn't help but to correct me: "It's called imagining one's love is reciprocated but it's not!" I always say proverbs the wrong way, but the moment he corrected I was happy: "It's good that you know the love is not reciprocated and that you were thinking too much! Go find your Zhao Liang Di, or Xu Bao Lin, they probably miss you!" "What about you? You don't miss me?" "I have someone that I like!" Even though my heart was aching a bit, but the person that I like doesn't like me, also I was reluctant to admit it: "I don't miss you, whoever you go to or marry a few more Zhao Liang Di, Xu Bao Lin, I don't care." Li Cheng Yin's complexion was hard to look at, before his complexion wasn't like this whenever I mentioned Zhao Liang Di. After a moment, he laughed coldly: "You think I don't know, it is Pei Zhao!" I was speechless, only looking at him. "Don't forget your status, you are a married woman, I know, anyways your Western Liang's customs are ruined, not worried about humiliation, always going out of the palace with Pei Zhao, not even feeling a bit of shame!" I never thought he would know about me going out of the palace, I also never thought he would know that I went out to drink wine with Pei Zhao, I was angry out of humiliation: "You married one woman after another, me roaming around outside of the palace is not something bad, also Pei Zhao and I are innocent......" Li Cheng Yin laughed: "That's true, Pei Zhao doesn't have the guts to do something guilty with you. Also, he is going to marry Luo Xi soon, our princess who is unlike you Western Liang women, really......crazy!" The final words made me very angry, I jumped up to slap him, but he avoid it too quickly, so I was only able to hit his chin. I was so angry that my whole body was trembling: "You are always with so many women, I haven't said a word about that, Pei Zhao and I were only drinking wine, what gives you the reason to speak this way about me? What is wrong with Western Liang women?.......If your father didn't force my father, would my father be willing to marry his daughter off to a very far away place? If you people didn't use your powers, would I still marry you? Our Western Liang men, which ones are not stronger than you? You think I really want to marry you? You really think I wanted to be a Crown Princess? The person that I like is one thousand times one million times stronger than you, you can't even compare with them even with one hair strand......." Li Cheng Yin was very angry, he didn't even wear his cloak yet and he rushed straight out of bed. He kept walking straight to the door, then he turned around and said: "Don't worry! I will never come here ever again, you can go think about that person that is one thousand times one million times stronger than me!" He really was angry, even forgetting to wear his boots, don't know how he would go back without his boots.
Notes:
[1] 鸣玉坊 Ming Yu Fang - the name of the brothel
