Chapter 101

 

The New Year had passed, but the nights of the First Month were no different from those of the Twelfth Month, it was still freezing cold.

Chen Jingzong put on a quilt and covered Hua Yang in his arms.

In this way, he didn’t have to worry about her being cold and seeing each other’s faces, nor did he have to worry about her smelling the alcohol on his breath.

He kissed the back of her neck again and again.

The satin quilt occasionally slipped down along his sturdy shoulders. Every time it slid, Chen Jingzong would pull it up again, until he couldn’t keep up anymore, couldn’t focus anymore, and just let it be.

A copper lamp was placed on the ground next to the bed, and its soft halo illuminated the white mist exhaled by the two people. The faint smell of alcohol filled the gauze curtain, and the gauze swayed slightly, as if it was also drunk.

When the second watch banging sound came from the distant street, Chen Jingzong finally lifted up the quilt again and took the princess into his arms.

His heartbeat was like a drum beating through Hua Yang’s back, matching her heartbeat.

It was like a storm roaring away, leaving only calm and tranquility.

Even though her back was turned to Chen Jingzong, Hua Yang could still smell the alcohol on his breath. She used to dislike it, but now she may have gotten used to it, so she didn’t pay much attention to it.

She wanted to speak, but her voice became hoarse as soon as she opened her mouth. Without waiting for her to remind him, Chen Jingzong got up of his own accord, put on his coat, and went to pour her water.

Hua Yang gathered the quilt, turned around, and watched him steadily lift the kettle, pour the water and walk back towards this side.

When he entered the gauze curtain, Hua Yang could clearly see his satisfied and handsome face, as well as his eyes without any drunkenness.

“Why do you look at me like that?” Chen Jingzong sat down and handed the tea cup to her.

Hua Yang drank water first. After her throat felt better, she lay down again and interrogated him: “When we were in the carriage, your drunk and sick look was just an act, right?”

Chen Jingzong smiled but did not answer.

Hua Yang glared at him and said, “Just be proud of yourself. Even if you pass out drunk next time, don’t expect me to be soft-hearted.”

Chen Jingzong: “Let’s talk about it again next time. At least I’ve eaten enough sweetness tonight.”

Hua Yang ignored him.

Chen Jingzong went to put away that thing and then help wipe her body clean. After finishing his work, he got into bed and continued to take her into his arms.

Hua Yang pressed against his warm chest and fell asleep quickly.

The sleeping princess’ body instinctively relaxed and became softer than ever.

Chen Jingzong kissed her hair.

.

On the fifteenth day of First Month, there was a lantern festival among the common people, and there was also a lantern festival in the palace. This time, only relatives of the emperor were invited to the banquet.

After taking a nap in the afternoon, Hua Yang would enter the palace along with Chen Jingzong. But firstly, Hua Yang went to Guanhe Hall to pick up Wan Yi as promised.

Chen Bozong and Yu Xiu were both there.

Yu Xiu looked at her beautifully dressed daughter and said to Hua Yang: “Wan Yi is truly your favorite, she can go to the palace to see the world at a young age. Even Mother said that she is the most blessed among the children in the family.”

Hua Yang smiled and said, “Father and Mother will also enter the palace later. Even if I don’t take Wan Yi with me, she can go with Mother.”

Wan Yi: “But tonight, Grandfather and Grandmother can enter to the palace to enjoy the lanterns because they’re also stained with the light of Fourth Aunt.”

Chen Jingzong: “That’s my light. If it weren’t for my good look that make me become a Prince Consort, would they be able to be in-laws with the emperor?”

Chen Bozong’s eyes twitched.

Yu Xiu blushed for her brother-in-law and looked at the princess with some worry.

Hua Yang took Wan Yi’s little hand: “Let’s go first. Let him to ride on a horse and follow the carriage. Anyway, his skin is as thick as a city wall and he’s not afraid of being blown by the wind.”

Wan Yi smiled and looked at her fourth uncle, then followed her fourth aunt princess and left first.

Chen Bozong used his eye to warn his younger brother to behave.

But Chen Jingzong turned a blind eye, only nodded to his sister-in-law, then turned around to leave.

Yu Xiu stood at the door, watching the three people walk away. Thinking back to her brother-in-law’s words just now, she smiled and said to her husband: “The Princess must be very good to Fourth Brother-in-law in private, otherwise Fourth Brother-in-law would not dare to make such a joke.”

Chen Bozong: “Good or not, when did his mouth ever have taboos?”

.

Tonight, the banquet in the palace was only for the imperial family and relatives, so there were no separate banquets. Everyone sat in the imperial garden and listened to the play.

But seats also depended on relationships. Those who could sit next to Emperor Jingshun and Empress Qi were favored concubines and real imperial bloodlines. Even Chen Jingzong, the prince consort, was some distance away from Hua Yang.

Princess Nan Kang’s son Brother Dun would be five months old tonight. He was chubby and had a cute and rosy face, contrasting his big black eyes.

Although Emperor Jingshun was the emperor, he was still a mortal. As his children grew older, he could only hold his grandchildren and love them.

Even though Emperor Jingshun had made a mark on Meng Yanqing in his heart, he loved his new grandson very much, and now he personally held him in his arms.

Concubine Lin was very proud and asked with a smile: “Who does your Majesty think Brother Dun looks like? I said he looks like Yan Qing, but Nan Kang insist he looks like her.”

Emperor Jingshun looked at his grandson carefully and said with some emotion: “They all say that nephews are like uncles. There is indeed some truth to this. Zhen see that Brother Dun’s facial features are exactly the same as Prince Yu when he was a child.”

Prince Yu was the first son of Emperor Jingshun to live past his first birthday. Emperor Jingshun’s love for Prince Yu was naturally extraordinary. Moreover, when Prince Yu was born, Empress Qi had not yet entered the palace, and Concubine Lin was in the height of favor. If it weren’t for the fear that too early canonization as the crown prince might be too much for the young Prince Yu to bear, risking his premature death, Emperor Jingshun would have truly canonized Prince Yu at that time.

He was not in a hurry to canonize the child when he was born, then later he became less anxious and thinking to discuss it again when the child was older.

Then Empress Qi entered the palace.

When Emperor Jingshun met Empress Qi, it was like seeing a heavenly being. He loved her so much that he named her his empress just after she became pregnant. Even though Empress Qi’s first child was a daughter, Emperor Jingshun was not disappointed at all, and pampered Hua Yang this daughter like a pearl. At this time, even if the ministers suggested that Emperor Jingshun canonize Prince Yu, who had begun enlightenment, as the crown prince, Emperor Jingshun was reluctant to cause trouble for Empress Qi.

But after Empress Qi gave birth to Hua Yang, her belly remained silent for several years. Before the little crown prince was born, Prince Yu was already twelve years old.

Every year the ministers had to persuade him, and Emperor Jingshun actually wavered in the following years.

The problem was that Prince Yu was not living up to expectations. He was not smart enough to study, and he could not endure the hardships of practicing martial arts.

Emperor Jingshun both cherished his only son and felt frustrated by his lack of ambition. Every time he kindly summoned Prince Yu to check his homework, he was almost driven to despair by the prince’s stubbornness.

It may be said that Prince Yu was not smart, but when it came to having fun, he was more enlighten than anyone else!

This was a typical example of not focusing on the right path. The more this happened, the less Emperor Jingshun wanted to canonize this son. Even if there was no other son in the end, he would have to hone this son’s character first.

Immediately afterwards, Empress Qi successfully gave birth to Empero Jingshun’s second son.

People were partial. When Prince Yu was born, Emperor Jingshun was worried that his son would not be able to bear the poor fortune. When it was the turn of Empress Qi’s little son, Emperor Jingshun forgot about this. When the second son was only one month old, Emperor Jingshun’s canonization edict came down!

After all, the young prince was the legitimate son of the middle palace, and Empress Qi herself was well-known for her virtues. All the civil and military ministers obeyed, and the few who objected were easily suppressed.

The little prince was equally ambitious and had already shown extraordinary intelligence when he was three to four years old. Emperor Jingshun became more and more sure of his choice.

It was just both the palm and back of the hand are flesh, and Emperor Jingshun also loved Prince Yu. Especially in the past few years, Prince Yu had gone to become a vassal, and did not show his stupidity in front of Emperor Jingshun, so Emperor Jingshun remembered the goodness of Prince Yu more. Tonight, the whole family was reunited, except for Prince Yu. When he saw a grandson whose features look exactly like Prince Yu, how could Emperor Jingshun not miss him or feel emotional?

Concubine Lin took the opportunity to wipe the corners of her eyes and lowered her head, expressing her longing.

When Empress Qi saw her, she said softly to Emperor Jingshun: “Speaking of which, Prince Yu has become an uncle but has never met Brother Dun and his sister. Why don’t we ask Prince Yu to return to the capital to celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival this year?”

Emperor Jingshun had this idea, but he glanced vaguely at Chen Tingjian, who was sitting in the distance.

What he saw at this time was not just Chen Tingjian, but the one representing the whole cabinet and the civil and military officials of the court.

The vassal prince was not allowed to enter the capital without an edict. This was a rule left by the ancestors, specifically to prevent the vassal prince from colluding with the officials in the capital to rebel.

Since it was all for precaution, as an emperor, he could not easily issue an edict asking the vassal princes to come to the capital. Even when the ancestor died that year, he specifically left an edict not to allow the first vassal princes to attend the funeral!

Even for funeral they couldn’t be summoned, how could he call his son back just because he misses him?

Emperor Jingshun shook his head and denied Empress Qi’s proposal.

But Hua Yang could tell that her father missed Prince Yu very much.

Hua Yang knew that Prince Yu had the intention to rebel at this time, otherwise he would not have easily gathered a group of local officials to support him just after her father died.

Hua Yang really wanted to tell her father emperor about Prince Yu’s wolfish ambitions, but she had no evidence. She could play the majesty of a princess in front of Prince Xiang, but she couldn’t easily send evidence of Prince Yu’s intention to rebel from such a distance to her father emperor. She indeed had 300 guards in her hands, but even if she sent Zhou Ji and the others to search for evidence, how could the evidence of rebellion be so easily obtained. If the snake was alerted, Prince Yu’s party could bite back her people.

The emperor indeed doted on her, but the premise of his favor was that Hua Yang was just a well-behaved and sensible daughter. Once it involved the country affairs, once the emperor suspected that she may frame Prince Yu, even suspected she joined forces with the empress and the crown prince to do something, Hua Yang could not afford such serious consequences.

Hua Yang might also be able to find an excuse to tell her father-in-law about the matter and ask him to be prepare.

But there was still Jinyiwei by her father emperor’s side. Whatever her father-in-law, as the head of cabinet, did, it could not escape the eyes of Jinyiwei.

Hua Yang was afraid that her rash actions would implicate her mother empress and crown prince, and she was also afraid of involving her father-in-law.

For all these reasons, Hua Yang could not move Prince Yu. The only way to stop Prince Yu from rebelling was to let her father live well.

.

Some people like to listen to play, and some people like to watch lanterns.

After Hua Yang listened to a play, she left the table on the pretext of enjoying the lanterns, with only two maids, Chao Yun and Chao Yue, by her side.

There were many water features in the Imperial Garden, but the weather was cold and the water surfaces was frozen in winter.

Hua Yang had already taken the opportunity to visit the garden during the day to see which place had the thinnest ice. At this time, she took the maids walking around, and finally came to a fish pond.

There were lanterns hanging on the trees by the pond.

Hua Yang sat on a chair and said to Chao Yun: “The scenery here is great. Go and ask Prince Consort to come here and watch the lanterns with me.”

Chao Yun went away with a smile.

Chao Yue looked around and felt that this place was too secluded and quiet. Along the way, there were several sceneries that were better than this place.

But she only muttered this in her heart, never daring to question the princess’s choice.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve played on ice. I’m going to go for a walk on the ice.”

After sitting for a while, Hua Yang suddenly stood up and walked towards the ice.

Chao Yue quickly grabbed her master: “Princess, the ice here is thin. If you really want to play, let’s change places!”

In the afternoon, she followed the princess into the palace. What the princess noticed, she also noticed.

Hua Yang: “Other places are crowded with people, what I want is the tranquility here.”

The thing she insisted on, how could Chao Yue stop her. Chao Yue had no choice but to hold the princess’s arm and step on the ice together.

At first, Hua Yang just walked around on the edge, her thick-soled embroidered shoes making a muffled thump on the ice.

No matter where she moved, Chao Yue would not leave an inch.

Hua Yang glanced at Chao Yue’s hand and felt a little unbearable.

But there was a pattern to father emperor’s palace draft. Each time, after the Lantern Festival, an edict would be issued, and it would take the selected maidens from all over the country a month to travel to the capital and another month to undergo training in the palace. When they were finally presented before the emperor for selection, it was often in the midst of spring, when everything was blooming and the women were at their most beautiful.

As long as she blocked her father’s palace draft this time, there would be less new beauties in the palace, and her father’s unbridled indulgences would be less frequent.

No matter what happened in the future, Hua Yang’s top priority was to prevent her father’s death in Fifth Month this year!

Her father was lenient and will not punish Chao Yun and Chao Yue severely as long as she was not seriously injured.

In the distance, Chao Yun could be seen holding a lantern, and Chen Jingzong was walking behind her.

The fish pond was divided into two sides, with a stone bridge in the middle.

When Chen Jingzong was still a few feet away from the bridge, through the dry branches of the tree, he saw Hua Yang and Chao Yue standing on the ice.

Hua Yang was wearing a begonia-red fox fur cloak. She seemed to be impatient with Chao Yue who was following her and ran a few steps on the ice.

When she turned around, their eyes met in the air.

Chen Jingzong was just worried about whether the ice there was strong enough, when suddenly he saw Hua Yang smiling at him.

Although the two had been intimate for countless nights, the noble and proud princess rarely smiled at him like a flower, and the common smiles were mostly sarcasm when arguing.

But tonight, with her smile, the moon in the sky and the lights on the treetops were eclipsed.

When Chen Jingzong absent-minded, something unexpected happened.

The ice broke and the princess fell.

Chao Yue rushed over, but she also fell into the water with the princess.

The lamp in Chao Yun’s hand fell to the ground.

Before her screams pierced the long night, Chen Jingzong had already rushed over.

Hua Yang felt very cold. She had never experienced such coldness since she was a child.

The water mixed with broken ice submerged her, and three mourning halls hung with white flags appeared in front of her eyes, as well as the flying snow in the sky when Chen Xiaozong and the others were sent to leave the capital.

The next moment, her waist tightened and she was taken out of the water.

Those images disappeared, her teeth chattered, and when she saw Chen Jingzong’s face dripping with ice water, it was darker and heavier than when he learned that she was molested by Prince Xiang.

Previous     TOC     Next