东宫 Eastern Palace: Chapter 14

I don't know what time I slept, I only remembered the imperial physicians buzzing around talking to each other, when I woke up I was lying by Li Cheng Yin's bedside, covered by a blanket. My legs were already numb, cannot even move, one movement will cause my bones to crack......I slept too deep, leaking saliva on Li Cheng Yin's sleeve.......Li Cheng Yin's sleeve!

        I suddenly jumped up. The whole night my chin was resting on Li Cheng Yin's shoulder, the inner palace was very quiet, not a single person was there. Li Cheng Yin was lying there already awake, he was staring at me while faintly smiling.

　

        I looked at his expression, I know he is fine now. I used all my strength to recover from the numbness in my legs but my efforts were in vain, I couldn't even stand up, also my waist.......It was daytime, my waist was sore and painful, as if it was ran over my a cart, I will never sleep like that ever again.

　　

         I used my strength, finally able to stand up with the support of my hand, I tried to walk step by step. I didn't know if I should call someone to support me, or I should keep walking by myself. At this moment Li Cheng Yin finally said something: "Where are you going?" "Going back to my place to sleep......" Even my tongue was numb, I almost bit my own tongue while talking.

       "Are you a pig, able to sleep anywhere, you could even sleep lying there like that, I tried to wake you up but you didn't wake up." I restrained myself from rolling my eyes, this person had recovered a bit and he still have this much strength to argue with me.

　

        He patted his bed.

　　

       "What?"

　　

       "Don't you want to sleep? This bed is big enough." His bed was quite big, compared to an ordinary bed Li Cheng Yin's bed was very big, eight to ten people can sleep on that bed. However that was not the main point, I couldn't help but ask: "You want me to sleep with you?"  Li Cheng Yin said: "It's not like you haven't slept here before." That was true.

        I was very exhausted, climbed onto the bed, Li Cheng Yin originally gave me half of the blanket, I was scared that I might accidentally hit his wound, so I reached out and used the blanket to cover his wound. After that I comfortably fell asleep. 

        Afterwards, Yong Niang quietly woke me up, I quietly put on my clothes. Yong Niang quietly told me that the imperial decree of the deposition of the Empress has finally been passed. The Empress Dowager had to come out to appease everyone, the imperial harem is now very calm. 

　　

        Asides from the imperial decree to depose the Empress, there was another special imperial decree which was to restore Zhao Liang Di back to her original status because she was innocent.

        I looked at Li Cheng Yin sadly, he was lying there sleeping. He hasn't woke up yet because his wound was very serious, for the past few days the colour of his face was very pale as if there was no signs of colour, he got skinnier, even the rims of his eyes were black.

        I faced towards Yong Niang and said: "Send someone to bring Zhao Liang Di here to take care of the Crown Prince." This place originally does not belong to me, but I keep coming here for the past few days.

        I didn't wait for Yong Niang to speak, I went out of the inner palace, ordered someone to bring the carriage.

        I returned to my own palace hall, slept as soon as I went inside. I had slept for too long, I looked at myself in the mirror, if I was prettier, would Li Cheng Yin like me?

　　

        Li Cheng Yin had always loved to dislike me, I don't even care, however after what had happened before, I realized that I really do care. Right now he is alive, I hoped he would like me because when he was about to die, I realized that I really did like him. 

        However, he only likes Zhao Liang Di.

　　

        I have never been worried about this before.

　　
        I want to eat but I can't eat, I want to sleep but I can't sleep, everyday I would sit there staring blankly.

　　

        Zhao Liang Di had returned to her own courtyard, the Empress Dowager felt that she had been wronged, so she had bestowed her with some precious objects. Also, Zhao Liang Di's father had been promoted to an upper status as an government official, as a result of this more and more people try to please her. Her courtyard became more lively, occasionally I would pass by her place and I could hear laughter, the sound of the guan, and singing coming from the inside. 

　　

        Li Cheng Yin had almost recovered from the injury, even though I haven't seen him, but one time I heard his laughter.

        If he was able to laugh that much, then it was a good thing.

　　

        On the day when it had snowed, two things had happened, the first thing was an imperial decree has been passed in which Princess Luo Zi was to marry Pei Zhao; the second thing was Xu Niang was brought back to the Eastern Palace.

        Pei Zhao's family background was very good, his mother is Princess Ping Nan, Yong Niang told me: "Pei General is about to become the Emperor's son-in-law." I heard Central Plains pay particular to cementing old ties by marriage.

  

        I remembered before I had a dream, which was quite disappointing. After Pei Zhao became the Emperor's son-in-law, he might rise in ranks, if he is no longer the general of Eastern Palace, I might not be able to see him ever again. 

　　

        I don't see Li Cheng Yin often, now I might not be able to see Pei Zhao.

　　
        Yong Niang help arranged a courtyard for Xu Niang to settle down in the Eastern Palace, she said the courtyard was quiet, Xu Niang's health was not good, she should quietly rest for a short period of time.

　　

        I think it was because Li Cheng Yin didn't like her, so Yong Niang picked a place that was far away from the main palace hall. Yong Niang faced towards me and said: "Zhao Liang Di has been cutting the edge vigorously, Crown Princess should avoid." I couldn't understand what Yong Niang was saying, but I understand that she wanted me to avoid Zhao Liang Di.

　

        I wasn't happy in the Eastern Palace anyways, fortunately A'Du has recovered from her injury, I could bring A'Du with me outside and have fun.

　　
        I haven't came out for one to two months, the weather suddenly became cold, it was also snowing, but because it was almost the new year, it was very crowded and lively outside of the palace.

　　

        The street was very crowded, everywhere was completely packed with vendor stalls and peddlers, selling snow willows, selling banners, selling food, selling new year drawings.......sideshows, puppet shows, firecrackers, walking on ropes.......It was really crowded with people. I quite like this liveliness, I have always liked to bring A'Du to these places to look here and there.

        However, I don't know what happened today, I felt so unspirited. Not long after, I pulled A'Du into Mi Luo's wine shop to drink some wine.

        The wine shop was also very lively, from far away I could hear Mi Luo's laughter, clear and loud voice.

　　

        When I stepped into the wine shop, I realized that she was joking around with a certain person, that person I recognize, it was Pei Zhao.

        I didn't expect to see Pei Zhao here, I couldn’t help but stare blankly at him, he probably didn't expect that I would be here, so he stared blankly.

　　

        I saw Pei Zhao wearing a normal gown, all relaxed, I raised my hand to greet him and called him: "Pei Gong Zi." His reaction was really quick, he raised his hand to greet me: "Liang Gong Zi." The wine shop was filled with people, only Pei Zhao's table had empty seats, I impolitely told A'Du to sit down first, then I ordered two jars of wine.

        This phrase how should I say it, using wine to wash out my worries.

　　
        Even if I don't have anything to worry about, but I felt bored, so I drank two bowls of alcohol afterwards, my mood gradually became better.

　　

        I grabbed the chopstick and hit it against the bowl, humming to the song from the Western Liang: "One fox sitting on top of the sandy hill, sitting on the sandy hill, staring at the moon....." A few people were clapping their hands in the wine shop.  However, I was not in the mood, so I couldn't help but let out a sigh. I drank another bowl of wine, started to eat the delicious lamb meat. A'Du pulled the corner of my clothes, I know she wanted me to drink less, but I ignored her. As I lowered my head to eat the lamb meat, I suddenly heard a sound, it was the sound of a flute. I lifted my head to look at Pei Zhao.

        I don't know when A'Du gave the flute to him. With his focused attention, he played a very thin and soft melody.

　

        I dragged my chin, listening to him play the flute.

　　

        This time he was playing a melody of the song that I was singing to earlier, surely he has never heard of this song before because the melody was not smooth, but the tuning of the music was not wrong. He would play a verse and then stop, however after playing the song once, the melody became smoother the second time. This song is suppose to be cheerful and lighthearted, but I don't know why when I listened to this song, I felt sad and heartbroken-ed. 

　

        Pei Zhao played another verse before putting down the flute.

　

        I drank another bowl of wine, faced towards him and said: "Can you help me with something?" Pei Zhao was very polite: " Gong Zi please tell me."  "I never went to the city gate tower before, can you secretly bring me there?"

       The colour of Pei Zhao's face didn't look good, I was talking to myself: "Forget it, pretend that I didn't say anything."

　　

        Never thought Pei Zhao would say: "Secretly going there is not convenient. There is another method, however it may make you feel uncomfortable, which is for Gong Zi to act as my attendant." 

        I suddenly felt awake, clapped my hands and smiled: "This is not a problem."

　　

        A'Du and I pretended to be Pei Zhao's attendants, following him to the gate.

　　

        This gate tower is the Capital's highest place, even higher than the LingLong Pavilion in the imperial palace. This place is the south main entrance of the Capital, so it is being guarded very strictly. Pei Zhao showed his badge, we smoothly went up the city gate tower.

        Standing on top of the city gate tower, the wind was blowing at my face.

　　

        Pei Zhao was pointing for me to see: "This way is the Eastern Palace."

　　

        Whether I was able to see Eastern Palace was not important, I stood on my tiptoes only wanted to see further.

　　

        Standing on such a high place, still Western Liang cannot be seen.

　　

        I suddenly felt disappointed and frustrated, in a dispirited way I asked Pei Zhao: "Do you miss home?"

　　

        A moment later, he said: "I was born here in the Capital, I have never left here before, so I have never felt that way."

　　

        I felt like I was not interested, so I only looked at him once. The wind was strong at top of the gate tower, his gown sleeves were moving slightly. He stood far away from me, the lights at the gate tower were dim, I couldn't see what expression was on his face. I faced towards him and said: "Play a song for me."

        A'Du gave him the flute, he slowly played the song that I just sang.

　　

        I sat on top of the gate walls, humming to the sound of the flute: "One fox sitting on top of the sandy hill, sitting on the sandy hill, staring at the moon....."

　

        I don't know how much time have passed, I stopped humming, however the sound of the flute was still beside me. Hearing this type of familiar melody made me felt relaxed. Even if the top of the gate tower was cold, the bottom of my heart still felt a little bit of warmth, this Western Liang melody is Western Liang's breath. This is the only thing in the big, bustling Capital city that is familiar to me.

        The sky is filled with clouds covering the moon and the stars, only wind hitting our faces, very painful. I felt tired, yawned, leaning onto A'Du.

        The sound of the flute gradually floating like the winter mist, floating in my dreams.

        I was about to fall asleep. 

　

        At this moment, my face felt cold, I lifted my head up.

　　

        It was snowing, countless snowflakes were falling endlessly, I don't know when the wind had stopped, only snow falling to the ground continuously. Sparkling and translucent snowflakes scattered in all directions.

<Chapter 13                                                                                                             Chapter 15>