XIJIANG
Translation: Juniper_Blue
The curve of Huo Qiu’s sword-shaped eyebrows slant into his temple. Although he looked sinister and ruthless whenever he furrowed his brows in a frown, he became quite dashing and full of masculinity when he smiled.
When Tang Zhuo Zhuo cleaned her hands and went to his side to assist in grinding ink, he faintly smiled. Only, the smile was rather short lived; before she was able to come back to her senses, it was gone.
She momentarily suspected that she mistook what she saw but remained silent as she continued to grind the black ink stick. There was an ice basin placed inside the study so that the study was not too hot but rather suitably temperate- with the faint, delicate fragrance of bamboo filling the room, the aesthetic atmosphere was exceptional.
No one spoke a word, yet it was not deathly silent: Huo Qiu had taken up his pen to work while Tang Zhuo Zhuo looked on attentively. One person was deeply absorbed in writing while the other watched studiously. It was all inexplicably harmonious.
Tang Zhuo Zhuo’s alabaster fingertips pressed down on the ink stick created contrast that made her hands seem glow with paleness.
Huo Qiu happened to turn his head and when he saw this scene, his heart became a little disordered.
He sighed to himself and rested the brush made of wolf hair on the inkstone edge as he raised an eyebrow in question. “What are you looking at?”
Tang Zhuo Zhuo came back to her senses as she brought her head closer to the rice paper that had yet to dry. She blinked, dumbfounded, at the words inked in black, “What characters did Your Highness write?”
How is it that she was unable to recognize a single word?
“This is the writing system originating from the Xijiang region so naturally you wouldn’t recognize it.” Huo Qiu did not lift his eyes, though upon saying this, it seemed a thought occurred to him and he continued. “In a few days’ time, I will need to make a trip down to Xijiang. You…. the matters of the palace will be left to you.”
At that moment, Tang Zhuo Zhuo no longer focused on deciphering the complicated calligraphy. She furrowed her brows, surprise written on her small alabaster face. “How long will Your Highness be away for?”
Huo Qiu’s well-knotted index finger kneaded at his temples. His dark colored pupils shuttered as he turned his gaze downward and even his voice became colder. “It is projected to take up to more than ten days, but the return date is unclear.”
Xijiang had been a land of chaos through successive dynasties in the past. Officials colluded together with bandits like a nest of vipers and rats while the ones who truly suffered were the local citizens. Yet the officials sent over from those above only went to observe the situation, made an exaggerated show of caring about their plight only to leave without so much as doing anything. The cries arising from that region must be increasing lately.
Even Emperor Qiong Yuan, who had been severely ill recently and seemingly not having much time left, took notice. Assessing the situation in person would make him more at ease.
Tang Zhuo Zhuo dipped a handkerchief in warm water to clean her ink-stained hands, but the splotches were stubborn. She then exerted a little more force only for the back of her alabaster hand to turn red.
Huo Qiu saw this and bit his lips. He took the handkerchief from her hand and rubbed the splotches a little at a time as the cold, stern aura emanating from his body seemed to soften and subside. Tang Zhuo Zhuo was taken aback for a moment and instinctively tried to retract her hand as if it was scalded. However, his grip on her hand was strong.
“Your Highness….”
Huo Qiu wiped off the ink stains from her hand before returning the handkerchief to her. He loosened his hold on her hand at the same time, his expression remaining unchanged.
Only he himself could hear the sound of blood pounding in his veins, again and again, firm and rapid.
Tang Zhuo Zhuo stood within the hall, her face slightly flushed. The wrist he had held felt like it had been lit on fire and throbbed with pain. She covered her hand under her expansive sleeve and after a good while moistened her lips to ask, “Then while Your Highness is away, may this lowly consort leave the palace to visit the Buddhist temple?”
She asked with a sense of nervousness and apparent hope in her glistening eyes. Tang Zhuo Zhuo’s fair countenance as she stood there with the softened look about her eyes, was a portrait of natural beauty. No man could possibly resist such a request.
Huo Qiu was no exception.
His heartstrings trembled but the look in his eyes unexpectedly cooled. He had just announced his departure to Xijiang and here she was, unable to resist concocting a means to go see Wang Yi?
This was the reason behind her sudden pleasantness, to find favor with him. The milder temperament when conversing with him, it was all to wait for an opportunity like this. Go to the temple? Since when has this woman, Tang Zhuo Zhuo, ever believed in such things?
Don’t even think about it!
Huo Qiu looked at the woman not far from him, petite and pampered. There was a different kind of emotion within the originally bright eyes that made people unable to move their eyes away. His complexion couldn’t be any gloomier and his heart became bitterly disappointed.
Tang Zhuo Zhuo couldn’t understand why the man, who had seemed to be fine a while ago, suddenly became cold in demeanor. She only thought that it may not be an ideal time to allow her to venture outside.
The Eastern Palace is unlike the outside and leaving the palace is not easy. She wanted to leave the residence in order to send someone to deliver a letter to her mother in advance and schedule a day to go to the temple together. There were some matters that the people of Tang residence needed to be informed of.
But looking at Huo Qiu, it seemed that that was highly unlikely.
Well, it was true that now was about the time when the princes’ became much more ambitious. Should something happen to her while she ventured outside, it would affect Huo Qiu negatively.
Tang Zhuo Zhuo thought quietly to herself, should she be unable to leave, then she could send for someone to deliver a letter she wrote. She was just about to speak when Huo Qiu spoke first in an evasive manner. “Zhong Yu caused me to suffer heavy losses. The two came today to extend their apologies but I intend to make an official request of Father the Emperor to send them to the frontiers- to atone for their sins through meritorious service. What do you see of this?”
Anyone could easily recognize that this was obviously a probe. Tang Zhuo Zhuo lowered her eyelids, the gleam in her eyes was enough to startle.
Huo Qiu lightly scoffed when he saw this. There wasn’t much to be disappointed with as he hadn’t held much hope in her ability to change.
No one knew better than him, what kind of temperament she had.
He turned his back, the cuffs embroidered with black, auspicious clouds brushing against the table-top. He casually opened his mouth, “Since it is like so…”
“This lowly consort believes that should the two generals go to the frontiers, they would surely safeguard the land of my great Yan nation, and provide the citizens protection and ease from worry. The decision made through Your Highness’ deep foresight is naturally an excellent one.”
Tang Zhuo Zhuo held a sly smile on her face. Huo Qiu quickly turned around as the overwhelming anger that was akin to a knife abruptly subsided.
He stepped before Tang Zhuo Zhuo, his expression benign and openhearted* as spoke with a faint smile in his voice. “This is for the best then. In a few days, you should have the servants prepare thoroughly to accompany me on my trip to Xijiang.”
***风光霁月- (rather, 光风霁月). Literally translates to ‘a fine breeze and unclouded moon’, meaning that his expression was clear and serene.
Tang Zhuo Zhuo’s eyes rounded and her soft and tender fingertips trembled as she asked with disbelief in her voice, “Your Highness?”
Huo Qiu raised his eyes to look at her, knowing exactly what she was surprised at.
He pursed his well-defined lips as he lightly said, “Though Xijiang is in disarray, the scenery is quite tasteful. Should you want to go, make preparations ahead of time. Should you not want to….”
Having said this, he couldn’t help but pause and abruptly close his eyes. When he opened them again, his eyes were akin to a pair of deep, ancient wells.
Only, he was preempted by this woman before he could say anything else. Tang Zhuo Zhuo’s eyes were filled with flecks of light and even her voice contained obvious joy.
“Going is necessary. This lowly consort wants to go.”
If she could step out, she would obviously not miss this chance and remain within this deadened, tasteless palace. Although this did not comply with the rules of etiquette, since Huo Qiu said so himself, it would surely be a means to accomplish it.
Tang Zhuo Zhuo suddenly felt that this visit was not made in vain.
Huo Qiu lightly tapped his fingers on the side of the desktop; the tapping of his slender fingers created a deep, dull sound. His face was obscured by the darkness and rendered his expression unascertainable.
He had spoken those words in a moment of anger in his heart and had determined that she would not accept it. After all, why would she let such a good opportunity go, at a time when he just so happens to be absent?
However, now that she accepted the proposal, how could Huo Qiu’s heart remain unmoved and indifferent?
Perhaps this time, given the changed environment, they may have opportunities to change their relationship?
Seeing how Huo Qiu wordlessly frowned all of a sudden, Tang Zhuo Zhuo immediately became nervous, thinking he may be having second thoughts. She circled around to him and leaned her jade pale face close in front of his eyes and said, “Your Highness’ words carry much weight akin to the nine tripods*, what was promised to this lowly consort cannot be taken back.”
*** 一言九鼎- ‘a word equivalent to nine tripods’. According to legend, Emperor Xia Yu casted the nine tripods, representing the ‘nine continents’, and passed it down among dynasties (in particular the Xia, Shang, and Zhou) as a symbol of imperial power.
Huo Qiu’s dark eyes looked deep into her clear, apricot eyes that held not a sliver of impure inclination. He pursed his lips a bit before saying in a deep voice, “Crown Prince’s Consort Tang will enter and remain in the temple to pray blessings for me, until I return. Is that understood?”
Tang Zhuo Zhuo let go of her lower lip then, revealing the small tooth mark left on its surface. She smiled until her eyes became like that of a pair of crescent moons.
“This lowly consort obeys Your Highness.”
Huo Qiu remained in his seat in the study room until Tang Zhuo Zhuo returned with her people to Yiqiu Palace. He even disregarded Zhang Desheng when he came in and asked if he should send for the evening meal, only heaving deep sighs for half of the day.
Why was it that he felt she had somehow taken advantage of him?
He stood up, his voice soft, mingling with the light dusk of the oncoming night outside, and very mellow.
“No need, head to Yiqiu Palace.”
Zhang Desheng was naturally overjoyed, believing in his heart that the Crown Princess was more effective than anyone when she was serious about coaxing others.
It had been a long time since he last saw his master’s amiable side.
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