Chapter 76
Fu Yu was awoken by the heat.
She sat up in bed, propping herself up and staring dazedly at the three or four thick layers of blankets covering her, almost suffocating her.
The person by her pillow had left at some point, covering her with all the blankets at the foot of the bed.
A fire burned in the room, warming it up and causing Fu Yu to break into a light sweat.
Throwing off the blankets and getting out of bed, Fu Yu saw the burning charcoal in the room's brazier and the bubbling medicinal soup in the medicine cup, surrounded by white mist and a bitter medicinal scent filling the tent.
Due to her recent discomfort, she had no appetite these past few days and felt a constant tightness in her chest. The general had a lot on his mind, so she hadn't told him about her discomfort. But the boiling water in the pot told her that the blunt man had still noticed her discomfort in her daily life.
She glanced at the empty bed curtain, wondering where the general had gone at this hour. It was dark outside, with the moon not shining very brightly. Suddenly remembering something, she walked over to the low table by the window, pulled open the drawer, and took out the almanac, finding today's date circled in black ink.
Putting back the almanac, she wrapped herself in a thick tiger fur cloak, lowered the brim of her hat, picked up the lantern, and walked out.
The cold wind howled, stinging Fu Yu's eardrums even more. She looked around outside the tent but didn't see Li Yicheng's figure.
"The general is at the watchtower," a sentry poked his head out to look towards the front of the camp.
Under the tall watchtower, several torches burned brightly, casting crude shadows of the tower on the snow-covered ground.
Fu Yu stood beneath the tower, looking up, but only saw the unlit lantern hanging high above and the man sitting on the tower in a crane cloak. The soft glow of the stars faintly bathed him, and he sat on the watchtower, seemingly lost in thought.
"General," Fu Yu called out to him, tilting her head back, causing her hat to slip off, and her hair scattered by the snowy wind.
The man lowered his head at the sound of her voice, frowning as he looked at her, "Awake?"
"Are the stars up there beautiful?" Fu Yu asked loudly.
He blinked slowly at her and then descended from the watchtower like a dark shadow.
His robe billowed in the wind, and he wrapped his arm around Fu Yu's waist. She turned her face into his embrace, and he led her up the watchtower.
The cold wind at such a height was even more biting, with a sharp sensation on the cheeks. Instinctively, Fu Yu hugged his sturdy waist, lifted her head and bumped into his misty eyes.
"Not sleeping at night, why did you come here for the breeze?" Fu Yu planted the lantern in a hole in the wall, took out a hand warmer from her sleeve, and shoved it into his palm, looking up at him with a face full of curiosity.
Li Yicheng pulled down her hat to cover her smooth forehead, "Did I wake you up?"
"You covered me with too many blankets," Fu Yu reached out to hug him, resting her head on his shoulder, "It's too hot."
"I won't do it next time," Li Yicheng said calmly, rubbing her head with a hint of apology.
"Next time, call me with you, I can accompany you to watch the stars," she sniffled, lifting her head from his embrace.
Li Yicheng fell silent, his lips slightly pursed, and he only stared at her with his eyes.
She reached out to cup his face, saying earnestly, "Don't leave me behind in the future, okay?"
The man did not answer her but closed the distance between them so close that her breath was as light as the wind, causing him to involuntarily blink his eyelashes.
The faint tickling sensation like a feather lightly brushed her cheeks, but the sensation seemed to penetrate deep into her heart.
Fu Yu's eyelashes trembled lightly, a faint blush spreading from her cheeks to behind her ears.
Li Yicheng took off his crane cloak and spread it on the ground, pulling her to sit on the edge of the tower.
Fu Yu's cheeks were burning hot, leaning against his shoulder as she gazed up at the stars in the sky.
He grabbed the wineskin at his side, took a sip, and the strong liquor's scent made him frown. After recovering, he handed the wineskin to the person beside him.
Breathing heavily, with her breath turning into white mist, Fu Yu felt the familiar nausea hit her again. She placed her hand on her chest, suppressing the feeling of discomfort, before taking the wineskin from him and taking a small sip.
After swallowing, she held onto the wineskin, intending to take another sip, when his rough hand suddenly reached out and snatched the wineskin away, saying, "If you're uncomfortable, just take a small sip."
"I have a good tolerance for alcohol, I won't get drunk," Fu Yu said.
"I know," he smiled, confidently and cheerfully, pointing towards the south where the watchtower was located. "Today is Grandpa's birthday, so let's toast to him with this drink."
The fiery liquor burned down her throat like flames, and Fu Yu turned her head to see his carefree smile, following his words, "Wishing the old master a long life and eternal happiness."
"Is that how you say it?" she wasn't entirely sure.
The man shrugged off the snow on his shoulder, laughing more openly, "Yes."
A smile tugged at the corners of Fu Yu's lips in response to his laughter.
The falling snow blanketed the surroundings, with cold mist swirling around them. The robe hanging off the edge of the tower billowed like clouds in the wind, and snowflakes drifted into the tower, gathering on their shoulders.
*
Quietly walking along the path leading to the cemetery, Zhao Heng's clothes were dampened by the melting snow, getting dirty as he stepped on the muddy ground.
Zhao Heng looked down at the stains on his hem, feeling somewhat guilty as she said, "You didn't have to accompany me here."
Following last night's heavy snowfall and today's melting snow, the country path had become even muddier.
Zhao Heng held up her dress, her shoes and socks soaked with mud, her feet nearly numb from the cold.
There was still a faint mist in her eyes from the tears shed earlier at her grandmother's grave. Before setting off, she had reminded herself more than once that she had many good news to share with her grandmother.
She had finally avenged her, and Concubine An, who caused her grandmother's death, had received the punishment she deserved. She was doing well now, not only well-fed and clothed but soon to be tutored by a renowned scholar. The crown prince treated her very well, very, very well...
She could rest in peace between the green mountains and clear waters.
But just as she opened her mouth, before she could say a word, tears started to fall.
Such a pity, such a great pity.
Even if Concubine An died ten thousand times, her grandmother would never come back.
She cried and spoke to her grandmother for a long time, asking for her spirit to watch over Li Wenjian's health and safety.
The mist in the mountains was blown away by the wind, but her sadness remained intact.
As noon approached, the sunlight pierced through the mist, and the two of them left the cemetery.
The sound of the whistling wind filled their ears, and Li Wenjian pursed his lips without saying a word, only to ask her after a while, "If I hadn't come, who would wipe away your tears?"
Thinking back to what had happened at the grave, Zhao Heng blushed slightly, glancing at him and saying softly, "Maybe if you hadn't come, I wouldn't have cried."
âWhy?â Li Wenjian paused in his steps and turned back to look at her.
Touching the vine bracelet on her wrist, Zhao Heng faced his gaze, smiling slightly, "When I was little, if I fell down on my own, I would just rub my knee and be fine. But if I fell in front of my grandmother, I would definitely have a good cry. Without someone reliable by your side, you have to think twice before shedding tears."
In the golden light of the sun, her green sleeves fluttered gently in the wind, her long hair tied up in a bun, the pearl hairpin swaying with her hair, her eyes clear and serene in the sunlight.
The mention of someone reliable made a smile tug at the corners of his lips.
"I want you to live more freely," Li Wenjian said, looking at her with a casual tone and a very light voice.
Zhao Heng stared at him in a daze, feeling a slight warmth in the palm of her hand where he had touched.
"The Old Duke said you like dignified and capable women," she suddenly smiled at him.
Li Wenjian asked her, "Does being dignified and capable mean you can't be carefree?"
"Dignified and capable means putting the overall situation first in everything, controlling your emotions, and of course, not being too carefree," Zhao Heng explained with some helplessness.
Li Wenjian said, "I used to like women who were calm and dignified like my mother, but after getting to know you, I want you to be happier. You don't have to suffer, and you don't have to torment yourself."
Zhao Heng lowered her eyes, focusing on the beautiful back of his hand, and fell silent for a moment.
"Feeling tired?" Li Wenjian, stepping on the swaying shadows of the pine and bamboo trees on the ground as they walked.
Zhao Heng followed him and replied, "A little bit."
The mountain path was difficult to traverse, and the carriage was parked at the foot of the mountain, so there was still a long way to go.
Li Wenjian lifted his hem and squatted in front of her, "Come up."
Zhao Heng glanced at the Imperial Guards following behind her, her face slightly blushing, "Not dignified..."
"You've done it before, what are you afraid of?" Li Wenjian showed no intention of getting up.
Knowing he was referring to her getting drunk on the Mid-Autumn Festival, she lightly bit her lip, feeling embarrassed, "It's different this time."
"Come on up." Li Wenjian didn't bother to reason with her and urged her on.
Her eyes glanced around before she gathered her skirt and climbed onto his back.
When Li Wenjian and Zhaoheng returned to the Eastern Palace, it was already late.
The scattered and dazzling evening sunlight spilled onto the vermilion palace walls, with people inside the palace bustling back and forth. Fei Yu, like a bird flying out upon hearing the news, called out from a distance, "Your Highness, you're finally back."
His eyes were shining brightly, unusually bright, as if he had encountered something joyful in these past few days.
"I'll go change my clothes first." Zhao Heng could tell Fei Yu had something to report, so she proactively spoke, then smiled at Li Wenjian, lifted her dirty hem, and asked Lian Zhou and the others to accompany her back to the sleeping quarters.
Watching her figure turn the corner of the bridge, Li Wenjian then summoned Fei Yu to the study.
Fei Yu tremblingly handed a few crumpled pages of paper to Li Wenjian, who unfolded them to see several business transactions recorded on them.
The study was silent, with the faint sounds of cold birds flying by outside the window.
"Marquis Xie's account book?" Li Wenjian raised his gaze.
"Yes," Fei Yu said, "That day when I left the palace for the Shenji Camp, I noticed someone was following me. So I deliberately led him to a secluded place to draw him out. After he came out, I realized he was the guard I had encountered at Marquis Xie's mansion before!"
Snowflakes fell outside the window, covering the courtyard, accentuating the luxurious and vivid carvings.
"He said he was from the Western barbarians, and his sister was killed by Ren Zhongchun a few years ago. So he tracked all the way to the capital, discovered the business of selling Western barbarian slaves in the capital. These years, he had been lurking by Marquis Xie's side, quietly waiting for the right moment." Fei Yu gazed steadily at Li Wenjian sitting behind the desk, "He said... he knew Your Highness was looking for Marquis Xie's account book and is willing to offer it."
Li Wenjian gently touched his nose with his two fingers, silently looking at the few pieces of paper for a moment, "Where is the rest of the account book?"
Fei Yu looked at Li Wenjian and said softly, "He said he wants to personally hand the account book to Your Highness."
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Author's Note:
Li Er: Brother, my wife feels nauseous and is throwing up~ Yours is still doing the Macarena~