Chapter 32
Exquisite and delicious dishes were continuously being served in the banquet hall, with performers dancing in the center of the feast. Li Nanxi rested her hand on the table, watching the graceful dancers on the floor with mesmerized eyes, a smile playing on her lips.
"Oh, why hasn't Xiao Ning returned yet?" She glanced over Zhao Heng's shoulder towards the empty seat of Ning Wanzhi beside her, furrowing her brow slightly. "We'll wait for her to come back before we go release the sky lanterns."
The crowded banquet hall was suffocating, and Zhao Heng felt restless. She stood up, leaning on the table, and said to Li Nanxi, "I'll go look for her."
The dancers on the floor moved gracefully, their figures elegant. Li Nanxi was completely captivated, nodding absentmindedly in response.
Zhao Heng lifted her skirts, carefully stepping away from the banquet. Outside the hall, a cool breeze greeted her, dispersing the stuffiness of the banquet hall.
The trees in Xiyun Garden were adorned with colorful lights, creating a dazzling spectacle. Zhao Heng walked among them, her skirts fluttering like a butterfly.
She glanced around, not seeing Lian Zhou, and headed towards the direction of the purification room to find Ning Wanzhi. The sparse crowd on the way made her more alert as she walked. As she passed by a rockery, a hand suddenly reached out to grab her.
She quickly drew out her hairpin and swiped it towards the hand, saying, "Come..."
Ruo Zhen covered Zhao Heng's mouth, stopping her from making any noise.
In the darkness, Zhao Heng stared wide-eyed at Ruo Zhen.
His breath reeked of alcohol, and his gaze towards her was a mix of drunkenness and desire - he was intoxicated.
In a frenzy, Zhao Heng struggled and fought, her nails leaving deep marks on his hand.
"Why are you acting like a wild donkey?" Ruo Zhen teased, leaning closer to her, his alcohol-laden breath causing her to frown.
With a mocking laugh, Ruo Zhen said nonchalantly, "But I am a wolf, and I like wild donkeys."
Filled with anger, Zhao Heng continued to resist.
Ruo Zhen's eyes lingered on her slender figure, feeling a mix of itchiness and numbness. He threatened, "Beautiful wild donkey, you better think carefully before you scream. I am a noble guest of Dongli, and you are just Princess Zhao Xun. Even if someone hears your cries or sees us here, they will not blame me, they will only say you are promiscuous..."
The Central Plains' hypocritical etiquette always favored men in such situations, disregarding the well-being of women.
"Be obedient, and I'll let you go, understand?"
Before absolute power, she was helpless.
As Zhao Heng slowly calmed down, she blinked and nodded slightly.
Ruo Zhen smiled, releasing her with anticipation, and placed his palm under her nose, taking a whiff of her scent, which filled his senses with satisfaction.
With her hair slightly disheveled, Zhao Heng took two steps back, until her heels were pressed against the rockery, and she fixed her gaze on Ruo Zhen. "You have quite the audacity."
Ruo Zhen shrugged nonchalantly, "Just a woman, your Majesty and the Crown Prince wouldn't care at all. Women are like cattle and horses in the grand schemes of men."
Startled, Zhao Heng's cloud-like hair was slightly disheveled, sweat glistened on her forehead, her rosy lips moved as she gasped for air. Her disheveled appearance only fueled Ruo Zhen's desires further.
Reaching out to touch Zhao Heng's face, her skin was as smooth as jade, warm to the touch. He longed to kiss her then and there.
"Your Crown Prince is as weak as a skinny chicken, he cannot compare to me. Zhao Heng, come back to Yueyi with me, I'll make you a true woman," Ruo Zhen said crudely.
Trying to keep her tone as calm as possible, Zhao Heng said, "Aren't you afraid of Lady Wei finding out?"
"She'd be thrilled," Ruo Zhen chuckled, staggering forward, looking up at Zhao Heng, grinning, "As long as you come with me, I'll ask His Majesty for our marriage. With you by my side, who needs that foolish Wei Wanyu?"
"Does she know?" Zhao Heng asked.
"Of course, if it weren't for her, how would I have met you?" Ruo Zhen replied.
Rubbing his hands together, he moved closer, easily grabbing her wrist and pulling her back, coaxing, "Just be good to me, I truly care for you. Come with me, I will treat you well."
Trembling, Zhao Heng's whole body shook, her heart pounding in her chest. "I have been a married woman before, don't you care?"
"Who cares about that?" Ruo Zhen said bluntly. "Even if you've been with the Crown Prince, so what! We grassland people are open-minded, we don't care about such things."
"Besides..." his gaze lingered on Zhao Heng's chest, "Experienced women know more and are more lively!"
A chill slowly seeped from Zhao Heng's skin to her bones, she pushed away his eager hands, "Let me think about it."
Ruo Zhen's Adam's apple bobbed as he lifted his eyelids to look at Zhao Hong, asking, "Think about what?"
"Whether I should go back to Yueyi with you, or..." Zhao Heng looked at him and blinked slowly, "die."
Ruo Zhen looked at her with interest for a moment before grasping her hand, playing with her fingers, "You really are a stubborn one. There's a saying in the Central Plains, 'those who recognize the situation are heroes.' Will you be with me? We'll enjoy the luxuries of the grassland..."
"I'll be alone if I go to Yueyi, and if you grow tired of me, it's a dead end. Staying in the palace and being tormented by you is just as bad, either way...it's death," Zhao Heng said.
Ruo Zhen raised his index finger to his lips, "Shh," and said, "You're so beautiful, how could I ever grow tired of you?"
Stiffening in place, Zhao Heng pursed her lips tightly, suppressing her fear, "Don't push me, or I would rather die than be with you."
Ruo Zhen looked at Zhao Heng meaningfully, speaking with a familiar tone, "Alright, I won't pressure you. Take your time to think it over. If you decide, you can always find me. But please, don't keep me waiting too long..."
Reluctantly, his eyes lingered on her for a moment before he left with a sense of longing.
After Ruo Zhen left, Zhao Hong stood still inside the rockery for a while before slowly standing up, exhaling deeply.
Her chest still felt heavy, she had to bow her head and take a deep breath once again.
Ruo Zhen was too audacious, the palace was full of people and prying eyes, yet he dared to behave improperly towards her.
Last time, she had thought that as long as she avoided him, it would be fine.
But she had forgotten, a mad dog is still a mad dog, it will come back to bite you following your scent.
After fixing her hair, calming her emotions completely, Zhao Heng walked out of the rockery with measured steps, returning to her seat. Ning Wanzhi had already returned and asked with concern, "Where did you go? Why did you take so long?"
"I was looking for you, searched all around but couldn't find you," Zhao Heng said, noticing the tension in Ning Wanzhi's eyes and smiling gently.
"From now on, don't go out alone," Ning Wanzhi said, her gaze scornfully directed towards Ruo Zhen sitting at the head of the table, "That barbarian is around."
Zhao Heng did not raise her eyes.
Her gaze hollow, she watched the dancers on stage.
âWhy?â Zhao Heng asked.
âThe barbarian is disgusting, he has no ethics. Last year, he got drunk in the palace and harassed a palace maid," Ning Wanzhi spat as she held Zhao Heng's arm, "The poor maid had no justice, she ended up hanging herself."
"Just a woman, your Majesty and the Crown Prince wouldn't care. Women are like cattle and horses in the grand schemes of men."
It couldn't be denied that His Highness was a wise and virtuous ruler, but truth be told, in his position, would he choose loyalty to a woman or loyalty to the grand ambitions of the empire?
The weight of this decision was clear.
She couldn't gamble on even a fraction of his leniency towards her.
Feeling a heavy heart, Zhao Heng's eyes lost their previous hesitation and confusion as she looked up.
The noise around her suddenly quieted, and Zhao Heng subconsciously glanced towards Li Wenjian.
Leaning on the table with one hand, holding a white jade cup in the other, the Octagonal Palace lanterns shining behind him, highlighting his elegant features with a hint of laziness. Oblivious to her current turmoil and helplessness, he was engrossed in a private conversation with the Emperor.
Ruo Zhen sat at the head of the table, frequently toasting the Emperor and Li Wenjian.
The Yue Tribe people drank alcohol like water, their tolerance was immeasurable; he had grown up surrounded by barrels of alcohol. This Prince from the Central Plains, though entitled as such, lacked the rough and bold demeanor necessary to govern effectively.
What he didn't expect was Li Wenjian's surprising alcohol tolerance.
He toasted several times, and Li Wenjian drank them all.
As time passed, he began to feel slightly intoxicated and with the intention of embarrassing him in front of everyone, he stood up and said, "Watching these song and dance performances every day is really boring."
Upon hearing his words, the hall fell silent, all eyes turned towards him.
The flickering light of the palace lanterns behind Li Wenjian reflected off his bright yellow dragon-patterned robe, the golden threads shimmering. Turning to Ruo Zhen, he calmly adjusted the tassel of his scented sachet, "What does Prince Ruo Zhen find interesting?"
"In our lands, at every palace banquet, there are wrestling matches and sword dances. These soft and gentle dances are just sleep-inducing to watch," he stood up, flicking his braid behind him and raised an eyebrow at Li Wenjian.
Li Wenjian chuckled at his tone and replied, "I didn't know you had such a preference. Since we didn't prepare these performances, it's truly a breach of etiquette for a great nation. Next time, I will make sure to include them for you."
Ruo Zhen suggested, "No need to wait until next time, I heard Your Highness is also skilled. Why don't we have a wrestling match?"
Feeling anxious, Zhao Heng glanced at Li Wenjian.
After a moment, she composed herself.
"Alright," Li Wenjian agreed readily.
Ruo Zhen continued, "Wrestling is boring, let's make a wager."
Wei Wanyu at the banquet looked disgusted towards Ruo Zhen, what crazy embarrassing thing was this mad dog going to do now!
"What do you want to wager?" Li Wenjian inquired.
"Let's bet on something from the palace..." his gaze slowly descended, scanning the crowd before settling on Zhao Heng, who was eating with her head bowed.
Noticing Zhao Heng's slightly panicked gaze, Ruo Zhen smirked, then turned to Li Wenjian's crown beads, "Let's bet on Your Highness' crown beads."
"Ruo Zhen!" Liu Yi slammed the table as he stood up, "You're going too far!"
The crown beads were a symbol of His Highness' status, it was not something to be wagered lightly.
Li Wenjian smiled, removed one of the crown beads from his jade crown, and gently placed it on the table, saying, "Alright, what will you wager?"
Ruo Zhen laughed loudly, taking off the coral bead necklace around his neck and throwing it next to Li Wenjian's crown bead, "This is the precious heirloom of our family."
The Yue Tribe people enjoyed wrestling, from a young age both men and women practiced footwork and wrestling. Besides, the skinny Central Plains Prince had limbs as thin as his arms.
With just that, he dared to wrestle against him?
He took off his outer robe, revealing a tight-fitting green undershirt. He gestured for him to proceed, âPlease.â
âApologies for my lack of skill,â Li Wenjian slowly rolled up his sleeves, as he stepped onto the stage. Ruo Zhen made a move to trip him, but Li Wenjian deftly dodged his first attack, escaping unscathed.
The crowd gasped in surprise, watching the scene with tension.
"Can His Highness handle this?"
"Ruo Zhen is a Yue Tribe person, they train wrestling from a young age."
Whispers occasionally reached Zhao Hengâs ears.
"Aunt, you don't have to worry, His Highness is quite capable," Ning Wanzhi patted her hand, comforting her.
Zhao Heng forced a faint smile, "I'm not worried..."
Ning Wanzhi looked down at her tightly clenched, bony hand, whispering softly, "Aunt, it hurts..."
Ruo Zhen was in a good mood today, he finally saw the person he had been thinking about day and night when he entered the palace, and he had the chance to be with her up close for a while. He had said what he wanted to say to her, and she seemed to have no resistance as he had imagined...
Yes, even moving a toe would indicate that becoming the Yue Tribe Prince's wife would be more respectable than staying here as a Chaoxun.
Let her see what true manliness is!
The martial prowess of their steppe people was unmatched by any Central Plains weakling. He was determined to showcase the charm of the steppe people in front of Zhao Heng, planning to swiftly and decisively end the battle, signaling each move he made to be both urgent and fierce upon entering the palace.
But Li Wenjian was agile, avoiding direct confrontation and evading his attacks. For a long time, Ruo Zhen couldn't find any openings in his defense, his heart beating rapidly.
The weather in May was getting hot, and after some time, Ruo Zhen was already sweating profusely, the sweat trickling down his tan cheeks.
In contrast, Li Wenjian remained calm and composed, effortlessly countering Aruo's moves.
They circled each other for a long time, and with a momentary lapse of concentration from Ruo Zhen, Li Wenjian suddenly charged forward. Ruo Zhen stumbled under his feet, feeling dizzy as he heard the roaring in his ears.
With a thud, he felt a numbness at the back of his head, followed by a sharp, stabbing pain.
âThank you for your reminder,â Li Wenjian accepted the hot towel handed to him by a palace attendant, quickly wiping the sweat off his face, but his gaze passed through the crowd and landed on Zhao Heng.
Zhao Heng stood among the crowd, gazing at Li Wenjian from afar, seeing a smile forming on his lips.
The night breeze, carrying the scent of locust flowers, brushed against Zhao Heng's side face. She slowly loosened her grip on Li Nanxi's hand, also showing him a smile.
Ruo Zhen was lifted and flipped over, feeling as if all the blood in his body rushed to his head, his vision darkening and ears ringing.
How could this slender man be so strong?
He lay on the ground, panting heavily, utterly perplexed.
Palace attendants approached and helped Ruo Zhen to a side hall to rest.
Wei Wanyu watched this embarrassing fellow with hidden resentment, inwardly cursing why the Prince didn't just wrestle him to death earlier!
She followed to the side hall.
While the attendants went to fetch medicine, she approached Ruo Zhen and asked, "Did you go to her tonight?"
At the banquet, she saw Zhao Heng leave, and Aruo immediately followed.
Ruo Zhen was truly annoyed. He had intended to embarrass Li Wenjian in front of Zhao Heng, but instead, he had humiliatingly lost face.
Holding a warm cloth to his swollen head, he ordered, "Get out."
Wei Wanyu coldly huffed, "I've told you countless times to restrain yourself. Not a word should leak until the plan succeeds."
"It's not as if you said Chaoxun is as insignificant as cattle and horses; what is there to fear? Even if I were to personally request it from your Emperor Majesty, he wouldn't refuse me!" Ruo Zhen retorted angrily.
Indeed, Chaoxun might be insignificant, but His Highness cherished his belongings dearly.
His possessions, even if just a piece of paper or a pen, he handled with extreme care.
Let alone a living person.
Out of his responsibility towards her, he would never agree to let Ruo Zhen take her away if she was unwilling.
Wei Wanyu's plan was to take advantage of the chaos during the next month's palace move to the summer palace, finding a way to sneak her out without anyone noticing.
Absolutely no way should the Prince find out.
"You fool, don't act recklessly. You have no idea what kind of person the Crown Prince is. You think he'll just let you have your way and live in your dream world." Wei Wanyu felt a fire burning inside her at the sight of this brute.
How could she have been so foolish as to provoke him in the first place?
Thinking back to Li Wenjian's earnest advice, she regretted her actions. Why did she act that way? Fasting, self-harm, forcing him to yield immediately.
If she didn't cherish herself, how could he see her in a different light?
Ruo Zhen wanted to retort, but the pain in the back of his head overwhelmed him, making him grimace in agony and realize he had underestimated him.
"If you alert the enemy prematurely, your efforts will be in vain. Don't blame me for not warning you." Wei Wanyu coldly huffed again and swept her skirt, leaving.
Li Wenjian won the wrestling match, and Zhao Heng heaved a sigh of relief, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders.
She slowly sat back on her seat.
As the banquet was dispersing, people strolled in groups to the garden, where fireworks and sky lanterns were to be set off for the night. Normally, Zhao Heng would have wanted to join in the festivities, but her mind was preoccupied with other matters, lacking the enthusiasm.
Li Nanxi and Ning Wanzhi were excited to see the sky lanterns, and Fei Yu flew over through the crowd, telling them, "Zhaoxun, His Highness requests your return to the Eastern Palace."
Li Nanxi asked, "Why?"
"His Highness says that Zhaoxun hasn't completed today's tasks yet," Fei Yu explained.
Ning Wanzhi objected, "The Imperial College is on holiday for the Dragon Boat Festival! Why isn't my niece granted the same privilege?"
"His Highness also said that if Lady Ning and Eighth Princess refuse to leave, they can all return to the Eastern Palace for lessons together," Fei Yu stated sternly.
Ning Wanzhi looked at Zhao Heng with pity, quickly releasing her hand as if fearing the consequences.
Zhao Heng stood up and followed Fei Yu back to the Eastern Palace.
Ye Zhaoyang stood on the flowing Dan Pavilion in the Xi Yun Garden, watching Zhao Heng pass through the cross-armed corridor and leave with Fei Yu.
She paused, then frowned. Just half a stick of incense before, the Crown Prince had just left through that gate.
Lost in thought, Zhao Heng walked with her head down as she left the Xi Yun Garden.
Fei Yu held the palace lantern behind her, silently lighting the way, without a word.
Walking a considerable distance, a cold crow flew by, startling her from her thoughts.
She turned around in surprise, seeing a shadow behind her.
Her heart fluttered lightly, and for a moment, even her body seemed to stiffen. She turned to the figure behind her, greeting, "Why is His Highness here?"
Li Wenjian stood waiting below the long palace wall for a while.
Though his figure was shrouded in the shadow of the high wall, it was still distinguishable. She had just walked by without noticing him, even as Fei Yu left through a side alley.
"What are you thinking about? You seemed absent-minded at the banquet." Li Wenjian asked her.
"No, no."
The sky was too dark, with only a faint moonlight overhead, making it difficult for him to discern her expression at this moment.
Li Wenjian raised his hand and touched her forehead, asking, "Are you feeling cold?"
All Zhao Heng could hear was her pounding heartbeat.
"Maybe you're just tired. Rest for a while when we get back."
Zhao Heng lifted her eyes to glance at Li Wenjian before quietly lowering them again.
"Let's go," Li Wenjian said.
Zhao Heng hesitated. She thought the Prince just happened to be passing by here. Was he waiting for her specifically?
She lowered her head and followed beside Li Wenjian as they walked back.
Fei Yu disappeared when they reached Li Wenjian, leaving them without a light. The palace lanterns along the path were dim, causing Zhao Heng to stumble several times, almost tripping over stones.
Suddenly, Li Wenjian stopped.
Zhao Heng looked up, "Your Highness?"
Li Wenjian extended his arm towards her, "If you can't see the path, just hold on to me."
The road was too dark. Zhao Heng didn't refuse his offer of help and reached out to grab his wide sleeve.
Li Wenjian quietly lowered his eyelids, a hint of a smile playing at the corner of his lips.
Thinking the Crown Prince was taking her back to the Eastern Palace to practice calligraphy, Zhao Heng soon realized they were heading in the wrong direction. She wanted to ask where he was taking her, but in the end, she didn't care and quietly held onto his sleeve, matching his pace.
Li Wenjian led her up a long staircase to what seemed to be an observation platform.
"We're here," Li Wenjian said.
Zhao Heng slowly released her fingers, the corner of his sleeve wrinkled from her grasp, draping down.
She asked, "Where are we?"
Li Wenjian remained silent. He took off his outer robe and spread it on the edge of the observation platform.
"Come, sit."
With a misty look in her eyes, Zhao Heng walked over to him as he gestured, sitting down beside him with her head bowed, a barely perceptible hint of surprise in her clear eyes.
A loud boom echoed through the Xi Yun Garden as fireworks lit up the sky.
The dazzling light soared to the heavens, breaking through the darkness.
Under the fiery glow, countless floating lanterns dotted the internal lake snaking through the palace grounds. Many sky lanterns rose from the ground, drifting slowly into the air.
Like a forest of flickering fireflies in a golden orchard, shimmering in the ripples.
Kneeling down, with her elbow on her knee, Zhao Heng gazed at the myriad lights flowing between the palace walls.
Suddenly, Li Wenjian reached out and handed her something. Recognizing it by the light of the fireworks, she identified it as the precious agate necklace handed down by Ruo Zhen.
She didn't accept it.
Li Wenjian said, "A gift for you on the Dragon Boat Festival."
Zhao Heng was taken aback and looked down at his waist, seeing the wormwood sachet she had embroidered herself. Her face flushed, and she softly said, "I don't want this dirty thing."
"Then what do you want?" Li Wenjian asked.
"Must I choose?"
"Yes," he stated firmly, "You must."
Zhao Heng turned her head to look at him and said after a moment, "Then I want the Crown Prince's pearls."
Li Wenjian raised his hand, removing a large pearl from his hair ornament and handed it to Zhao Heng, saying with a teasing tone, "You don't know what's valuable. This agate necklace of his can fetch you a bushel of pearls."
"I don't want them either." Zhao Heng took the crown's pearl from him, holding it in her palm and admiring its luster, just like him, vibrant and radiant, "Dirty."
Li Wenjian smiled and suddenly broke the string holding the agate beads, causing a few to roll away. He stood up, grabbed the remaining beads and walked to the edge of the pool. Squatting down, he aimed and tossed one bead onto the water, where the blood-red agate created a beautiful series of ripples on the surface.
"Do you know how to skip stones?"
Li Wenjian crouched by the pool, turning to ask her.
The water reflected his face, dark eyes filled with a thick smile.
"No," Zhao Hong shook her head.
"Come here."
Without hesitation this time, she quickly walked towards him. Half-crouching beside him, Li Wenjian handed her a bead, explaining the key points to skipping it across the water. She tried a few times but failed, a hint of disappointment creasing her brow.
"Let me teach you." Li Wenjian bent slightly, his arm circling her waist almost enveloping her to grasp her hand. As Zhao Heng leaned back into his chest, her eyes shimmered like fragmented starlight.
"Focus," Li Wenjian whispered in her ear, the warm breath, tinged with the scent of alcohol, flowing over her neck.
Oddly enough, she found the foul smell that Ruo Zhen exhaled unbearable, while the Prince's scent was sweet and comforting.
Blushing at his words, Zhao Hong quickly refocused on her wrist.
Li Wenjian explained the technique of stone-skipping, guiding her hand's force. The bead shot from her fingertips, bouncing several times on the water before finally plunging in.
"Success!" Zhao Heng couldn't contain her joy, turning to him with a smile.
Li Wenjian gazed at her, seeming to be infected by her smile, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips.
He looked into Zhao Heng's eyes, "Feeling better now?"
âââ
The author's remarks:
Ruo Zhen: You're noble, you're great, you're using my family heirloom to pacify your wife!
Li Wenjian: Fighting - I can, you can't. Soothing wife - I can, you can't. Uh, that... I can, you still can't.