Imperial Favor Chapter 11
Jiao Jiao
The night atmosphere was lightly cool as water and lush, full grass carpeted either side of the winding and seemingly endless walkways. The hem of Tang Zhuo Zhuo’s delicate and charming skirt swayed, sweeping a subtle circular motion. A court maidservant walked carefully in front of her to light the path with a lantern.
Maidservants who are looked well upon by their masters would often have their own little room. Even though it is not the most comfortable place, it is still better than sharing a room with several others.
After turning a corner and passing by a small room, the maidservant ahead stopped and turned her head to speak. “Your Highness, this is the place.”
Tang Zhuo Zhuo had long already heard the disturbance from within those wooden doors, even when they made effort to lower their voices during their argument. The cries of the cicadas remained as constant as moonlight so the women within did not discover their approaching footsteps.
She lightly waved a hand and the maidservant backed away a few steps while holding the lantern. Tang Zhuo Zhuo brought an ear close to the battered, ancient doors and was then able to hear clearly, every word being exchanged within.
An Xia’s interrogatory voice was filled with indignation. “How my lady has treated us, you know well in your heart. One ought to live with awareness of the grace given them and repay it with gratitude!”
An Zhi turned to face the enraged An Xia and reached out to place a hand on her shoulder, her voice choking with sobs, “When did I not want to do so?”
“Have you not given thought- Her Highness quarreling daily with His Highness while unwilling to heed any reasoning- what kind of good life will there ever be in the future?”
“I am simply seeking a way for myself to survive.”
Her voice was mixed with great sorrow, enough to greatly darken even the moonlight outside. Tang Zhuo Zhuo’s complexion remained unchanged. Only that a strange emotion was drawn up into her apricot eyes as they opened and closed.
Hearing what An Zhi said, her heart became as tranquil as the waters.
She herself understood this- An Zhi’s words were not wrong.
She from her past life, did she not also have an ill-fated ending?
The faint light flowed out and left Tang Zhuo Zhuo’s eyes. She stared at the doors for a long time before a quiet sigh escaped her as she turned around and left.
It was not wrong of her to make plans for her own sake. But whether she was one she’d never truly be acquainted with, Tang Zhuo Zhuo could not be lenient with her any longer.
For servants who betray their masters to have such an end, was already due to her looking the other way for old time’s sake.
To say she did not feel utterly disappointed or angry would be lying. Tang Zhuo Zhuo tossed and turned the whole night, lost in her foolish reflections* for a long time, before she finally closed her eyes.
***胡思乱想- ‘to be lost in various fancies and disorderly conjectures’
Early the next morning, Tang Zhuo Zhuo rose later than usual with her mind feeling lethargic and murky. She had only been served a simple bowl of clear porridge when everything before her eyes became dark and she slumped over.
Yiqiu Palace was thrown into turmoil at that instant. Only An Xia managed to remain calm and hurriedly sent for someone to seek His Highness the Crown Prince at the Main Palace- only to be told that His Highness had headed straight to Yuxi Hall immediately after dismissing the court.
An Xia stomped her feet in frustration as she urged people to hasten the physician’s arrival, all the while running towards Yuxi Palace herself.
Unexpectedly, before she could take a step past Yuxi Palace’s front doors, she was prevented from entering by two of the maidservants.
An Xia’s expression became heavy as she shouted, “What impudence! Her Highness the Crown Princess has taken ill and I’ve thus come to seek His Highness. Yet, not only do you not hasten to report this news, you dare to hinder me as well?”
The two maidservants shared a look with each other for sometime before the senior* maidservant simply replied with a smile. “Sister* An Xia, far be it that we are unwilling to report. Only it was His Highness who gave the order that no one is to be allowed entrance and cause a disturbance.”
***为首的- senior not in age but in experience, like a senpai who makes the final decisions. So the maidservant who spoke is the leader of the two.
安夏姐姐- when they refer to her as ‘sister’, it’s more of a familiar address towards someone they’re supposedly close to (here they use it kind of mockingly), rather than familial.
“It would be best to wait here a little longer.”
An Xia gritted her teeth with anger as she thought again of the image of Tang Zhuo Zhuo’s pallid face as she lay on her bed. Her worry and anxiety was such that she became of two minds at that moment.
Within Yuxi Palace, Huo Qiu was still dressed in his crown prince, court assembly robes embroidered with boa constrictor designs. It lent him an air of solemnity and regal poise, yet the way he stood there, picturesque as a painting, rendered people unable to take their eyes away from him. He held a cold and indifferent mien about him.
Zhong Yuxi knelt on the ruthlessly cold ground with tears streaming down her delicate face to fall onto her attire soundlessly; they dyed her clothes with little flowers made of water.
However, she dared not cry out loud.
Huo Qiu held a look of impatience. The fragrance within this chamber was too pungent and he felt like choking whenever he inhaled a single whiff of it in. His sword-like brows furrowed and his voice became several degrees colder. “You have objections towards my decision?”
Although phrased as an inquiry, it did not allow for anyone to otherwise.
Zhong Yuxi stubbornly bit her lower lip as she looked before her at the man who held himself with dignity as high as the gods, and said with much difficulty, “Your Highness knows that this lowly concubine’s elder brother would never do this sort of thing….”
Additionally, why have him demoted and cast to the remote frontiers?
In that kind of bitter cold place, would people even remember him once he goes there? She could only fear that he would not be able to return to the capital within this lifetime.
Huo Qiu looked coldly at the teary-faced woman before him without blinking even once as he turned the jade ring adorning his hand. His expression was akin to the Lord of the Underworld as he strides through hell.
“Person of the surname Zhong, don’t even think of playing your little tricks before me.
“The reason behind your elder brother’s association with Wang Yi, have you Zhong family members not deciphered it within your hearts?
The corner of his mouth curled up mockingly as he spoke contemptuously, “The one notion I find most detestable is the kind of grass that sit atop the wall which sway with every wind*.”
***墙头草- basically describes a fence-sitter, a person is easily swayed by others.
Zhong Yuxi’s face turned sickly pale as every bit of warmth, starting from the tips of her fingers, left her body- even her teeth began chattering. She lowered her gaze and said with difficulty, “Your Highness, this lowly consort’s father and elder brother used all their strength to support Your Highness. From where do the words ‘grass atop the wall’ come?”
The Zhong family couldn’t possibly shoulder such a serious accusation.
A dim haze flashed across Huo Qiu’s deep and mysterious eyes as his dark coloured, billowing sleeves swept over the chessboard that Zhong Yuxi had instructed a servant to set up much earlier. He recalled all the things that the elder Zhong family head had done and closed his eyes.
It was only when Zhong Yuxi thought he was willing to listen now that her tears slowly abated. She looked at the man’s cold rigidity and tense jaw, and carefully edged her way into standing to ask, “For Your Highness to presume so, it is because of Her Highness the Crown Princess…..”
She suddenly couldn’t finish her words because Huo Qiu had abruptly turned around to pin her down with eyes which held not a drop of warmth. Zhong Yuxi’s face trembled and couldn’t speak further.
The more she didn’t dare speak, however, the more she felt wronged and unwilling to yield.
She clearly offered all of her strong feelings onto His Highness, yet why is Tang Zhuo Zhuo the only one within his gaze?
Whether it be family background, appearance, disposition- she knew herself to be not lacking in any of those aspects yet she still could not receive even a sliver of pity since the beginning.
What made her feel most powerless is not even knowing where she had lost.
Zhong Yuxi’s long, pointed fingernails dug deep into the flesh so that even the flower extract that dyed them quickly lost its color.
“The Crown Princess was gracious and spoke well; it should not be your excuse to cause disorder within the customs and regulations.”
Huo Qiu did not look at her even once; he desired to quickly lift the curtain himself and leave. Zhong Yuxi whimpered quietly behind him, her originally likable eyes that were akin to autumnal waters were now full to the brim with jealousy and hideousness.
She wished to cry out loud so much that she was tempted to cast away everything and be reckless. Tang Zhuozhuo had always been a woman of loose morals*. She was clearly the type to eat from her own bowl yet keeping watch of the pan, unwilling to let go of either one**.
***水性杨花- literally translating to ‘water disposition and poplar flowers’ meaning the person’s character is everchanging like that of water and lascivious
** The imagery used here is a way to emphasize greed and unwillingness to be content with what one already has in one’s bowl and covet everything else in the pan as well
Would Huo Qiu still find such a person favorable to look upon?
But she didn’t dare and she ferociously suppressed the sound that wanted to rush forth from her throat until the edges of her eyes turned red.
It was at this moment that the noise of a dispute outside traveled in. Huo Qiu lifted the curtains to find a bewildered Zhang Desheng and An Xia, who was covered in sweat. He frowned.
“What is the matter?”
Zhang Desheng hurried to his side and said, “Your Highness, this lowly servant just witnessed An Xia being stopped by the two maidservants from Yuxi Palace. Upon inquiring, it seems something has happened to Her Highness the Crown Princess.”
Huo Qiu paused in his steps. An Xia hurried from the side to kneel before his feet, her face a mess of tears.
He felt an uneasiness in his heart.
“Your Highness, my lady had been partaking in the morning meal when she suddenly fainted and burned herself on the porridge. This lowly maidservant has dared to beseech Your Highness head over to have a look.”
Huo Qiu’s sword-like brows furrowed into a deathly tight knot in an instant as the hand at his side clenched. He quickly stepped out of Yuxi Palace’s doors with large steps like the wind.
A person who clearly appeared fine just last night- why did she suddenly faint?
Zhang Desheng kept pace by jogging along. When he saw the dark and gloomy expression, he couldn’t help but ask, “Your Highness, how should the two maidservants be dealt with?”
Huo Qiu bit his lips in a death grip, the chilling aura emanating from his entire body pushed even the summer heat back a few steps. His eyes watched for the turn in a corner, the maidservants and eunuchs they crossed paths with quickly kneeling, before he finally said, “Fifty lashings and demotion to the Laundry Department.”
Zhang Desheng had just managed a polite smile when heard his master’s next sentence.
“Zhong Liangdi* was erroneous in virtue: residence confinement for one month, and penalize their monthly allowance for half a year.”
***良娣- just as a reminder, Zhong Yuxi’s concubine title
That tone of voice had not a trace of warmth nor did it allow anyone to question it. Zhang Desheng tacitly dusted his clothing and inwardly exhaled.
Zhong Liangdi was truly going to suffer an unexpected catastrophe this time.
His Highness’ heart was clearly extremely biased. Ah, it was so blatant in his anger.
Huo Qiu had just entered the residential chambers and quickly saw all the maidservants kneeling before him on the ground. Seeing how none of them appeared to dare gasp for breath, he forgot to breath himself.
The layered bed curtains had been lowered and the thin, light material flew lightly at the behest of the wind, making the heart restless. A wrist as white as snow jade protruded out from the bed with the hand itself covered by a pristine handkerchief*.
***Back then, it was not proper for women of high birth to blatantly expose the hand to anyone (especially of the opposite sex) besides close family. Here, she needs to so the physician can read the pulse from her wrist.
Huo Qiu quickly strode over, his forehead with a sheen of sweat and his brows knit tightly in a frown. The old physician trembled at the sight and quickly dusted himself off to rise and bow deeply in greeting before Huo Qiu.
“Excused. What of the Crown Princess?” Huo Qiu turned his head to peer at the bed decorated with flower carvings. The person laying there did not move an inch, much less make cold and sarcastic remarks as she had done of old. Neither were there the sweet and energetic responses that came upon seeing him during the recent days.
This silence left him flustered.
“Reporting to Your Highness, Her Highness is weak in body with melancholy of the qi*. In addition, she has been exposed to the cold and windy elements. Permit this subject to prescribe medicinal tonic to break the fever.”
It was only then that Huo Qiu allowed his anxious heart ease a little.
After the medicinal tonic was prepared and presented, Zhang Desheng, with a single look, had maidservants on standby filing out with their heads bowed. Now, within the inner chambers, only Tang Zhuo Zhuo, delirious with fever, and Huo Qiu whose eyes were filled with affection, remained .
Huo Qiu reached out and brushed aside the bed curtains to lay a hand on her smooth, white forehead. The heat from the high temperature left his heart sullen and his brows furrowed even further.
Already at this age and yet she couldn’t be much different from a child, who couldn’t even take care of her own health!
He felt a sense of helplessness in the end. Deep dark and profound eyes swept over the bowl of warm, pitch-black medicinal soup. Huo Qiu picked up the bowl and scooped up a spoonful of it. He tried to transfer it into her mouth but it only flowed past her colorless lips and onto the pillow.
Huo Qiu could only lift her upper body up to be supported within his embrace. The light fragrance wafting from her body lingered on the tip of his nose; he took a deep breath and the hand holding the jade spoon shook slightly.
Her unprecedented obedient appearance pressed against his heart like hot iron and subsequently also left him feeling laughable.
When he finished feeding the medicine, Huo Qiu put her back to bed. She slept very quietly. The temperature on her face was still high, causing her cheeks to be unnaturally red and her palm-sized face seemingly sunk into her soft pillow.
Huo Qiu sat ramrod straight by the edge of the bed, his eyes sweeping over every inch of her face before his eyes finally contained some semblance of a smile.
It had been a long time since he was able to look at her so thoroughly.
It was laughable that despite having wed her in all the right and proper order, he had not dared to step a foot through these chamber doors at night for several consecutive months.
He was truly timid.
He was afraid of facing her increasingly hostile eyes and bitter words that could pierce bone. It was more bitterly distressing than being shot from behind by a ruthless arrow on the battlefield.
“It is rare to see you so docile like this”, Huo Qiu compulsively muttered, his long, slender fingertip gently touched her cheek and traced a trail down the side of her face to her small lips.
With a sudden stop to his movement, the sentimental attachment held within Huo Qiu’s eyes reverted back to its original clarity. He rose from his spot and took a deep breath as he closed his eyes. The soft warmth he felt still lingered on his fingertips, rendering him hopelessly weak and numb.
Tang Zhuo Zhuo, for an inexplicable reason, suddenly curled into herself as she clenched her small fists tightly and let out a pitiful whimper.
A few glowing tears fell down her cheek, Mr. Hawking, a bit of a wispy pain in his heart, frowned over to the bed and gazed down at her for a moment.
Who knows her tears are growing, her tiny body is shrinking to the bed, her long eyelashes are littered with tears of desire, and even her mouth begins to mumble unconsciously.
Huo Qiu took a glance and felt heartbroken. He couldn’t help but pull her gently up to lean against his shoulder. Unexpectedly, she became more and more confusing: one moment crying and then whimpering something unintelligible the next. After scrambling to think, he finally held the small, bundled up body completely in his embrace before she calmed.
It was only then that he heard what Tang Zhuo Zhuo was calling out clearly.
She rubbed her small, scalding face against his large palm; the surface temperature of which left her more comfortable and pleasant. With a voice low and hoarse like that of an exhausted creature, she gently called, “Your Highness…..”
That call of ‘Your Highness’ was dragged and slow, with a sense of sweet coquettishness upon hearing it. Huo Qiu stiffened his body at her voice, his dark, sword-like brows furrowed at his feelings of turbulence. An emotion he had long suppressed finally broke through.
Tang Zhuo Zhuo, who didn’t receive a verbal response she sought for after a long time, grew more anxious to the point of crying out, “Your Highness……Huo Qiu!”
It was in her dreams, that her usual arrogant temper lingered and didn’t change the slightest. At the end, she was even calling out to him by his full name, the teardrops rolling down her face incessantly.
She cornered Huo Qiu to the point his breath became disordered. He tapped her frail, pretty, small face and stroked it gently. Every drop of bitter saltiness from her tears, he took them upon himself- as if the pulsation within his blood was one with her breathing. Then, his voice, low and smoothly deep as old wine yet carrying an indescribable huskiness.
“Jiaojiao, I’m right here”, he said.
Will always be here, so you have no need to fear.
