The Emperor was busy with state affairs and hurried back to attend to his duties after lunch. Fuyi, not wanting to disturb the Empress’s afternoon rest, stood up to bid her farewell.
“After a few days, the peach blossoms will be in full bloom. You should come back to the palace and chat with me,” the Empress said as she instructed one of her trusted court ladies to escort Fuyi to the gate of the palace.
“Mother Empress, no need to trouble your attendants to make another trip. Son was just about to go back and continue my study. Allow me to send Miss Yun off,” said Sui Tingheng.
“Very well,” the Empress nodded.
After Fuyi and Sui Tingheng had left, the Empress turned to the palace maid beside her and said, “Heng’er never liked playing with children his age since he was little. This Palace used to think he couldn’t find like-minded friends, but it turns out he enjoys the company of lively people.”
Her Heng’er had always been very intelligent, but their Li Wang Manor was never favored by the late emperor. While other imperial grandchildren had a host of tutors to teach them, Heng’er had to carry his book bag to the Chongwen Hall1 without even a study companion.
He couldn’t afford to stand out or draw attention. If he was bullied, he would endure it with a gentle temperament, so well-behaved to the point of breaking his parents’ hearts.
Now, people praise Heng’er for his self-discipline and gentlemanly behavior, but she wishes he could be a bit more willful. The civil officials and censors who prattle about propriety and virtue wish he were a flawless sage, but she is simply a mother who feels distressed for her child.
Hmph, only those who love Heng’er will feel sorry for him! These people haven’t raised a saintly grandchild themselves, yet they judge my child every day!
“Greetings, Your Majesty,” Mo Wen entered the hall and bowed to the Empress, interrupting her thoughts.
“Did Heng’er ask you to do something?” the Empress was a bit curious seeing Mo Wen coming back.
“Yes, Your Majesty. This servant came to retrieve some wine on behalf of His Imperial Highness.”
“What wine?” the Empress said nonchalantly. “Go ahead.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Mo Wen quickly took the two jars of unfinished wine on the table, held one in each arm, and left.
“Huh?” the Empress was so puzzled that she forgot her earlier irritation, “Why did Heng’er have Mo Wen fetch half-empty wine jars? Are they really that good?”
The palace maid carefully responded, “Your Majesty, perhaps… His Imperial Highness just prefers those wines?”
“Nonsense, he’s hardly drunk any wine since childhood. What would he know about it?” the Empress joked. “He only drank a few cups earlier, and his face was already flushed. If he takes that wine back, it’ll last him three to five months.”
The palace maid: “…”
What does this have to do with wine tolerance? Maybe it has to do with the wine’s owner?
But given His Imperial Highness’s reserved nature and the notorious frivolity of Fuyi Junjun, even Her Majesty hadn’t thought of that possibility. Perhaps… I’m overthinking it?
…
Fuyi glanced at Sui Tingheng, who was walking a step ahead of her. His skin was fair, and because of the wine, a faint red tinged his ears and neck.
“Miss Yun?” Noticing her gaze, Sui Tingheng stopped and turned to look at her, his eyes tender and lingering, enough to make even the stones by the roadside fall for those affectionate eyes.
“Your Imperial Highness doesn’t seem skilled at drinking,” Fuyi averted her eyes, not daring to meet his gaze as she desperately tried to calm down—‘No, no, I’m not going to fall for that look!’
“I indeed rarely drink,” Sui Tingheng clasped his hands behind his back. “So I may never experience the joy of becoming a wine sage.”
“Too much alcohol is harmful to your health, so not drinking is a good habit,” Fuyi smiled. “For a gentleman like Your Imperial Highness, getting thoroughly drunk would be rather unbecoming.”
“Miss Yun, have you ever been drunk?”
“Has Your Highness not heard of my reputation?” Fuyi chuckled, “This subject daughter started learning to drink at the age of twelve. Once, this subject daughter got drunk and caused a scene in the palace, and Mother punished me by making me kneel for three hours.”
“I think I even had a fight with someone that day,” Fuyi turned to ask Xiayu and Qiushuang behind her: “Who did I fight with that night?”
Xiayu frantically signaled with her eyes. ‘Miss, please stop talking! Your opponents were the sons of the rebel qinwangs who committed treason—who dares to bring up those two names now? ‘
Fuyi quickly realized that this was a taboo topic. “Since I couldn’t remember them, they must have been someone unimportant.” She cleared her throat. “Your Imperial Highness, thank you for sending this subject daughter off. The palace gate is just over there; allow me to take my leave.”
Sui Tingheng slowed his pace. Gazing at the distant gate, his eyelids drooping slightly: “Very well.”
Fuyi signaled to Qiushuang and Xiayu: ‘Quick, quick, let’s go!’
“Farewell, Your Imperial Highness!” Qiushuang and Xiayu bowed in unison and quickly trotted behind Fuyi.
“Did I really fight the sons of the rebel qinwangs that night?”
“Yes, Miss, you were so formidable. You took on four of them single-handedly; even an ox doesn’t have your strength.”
“Qiushuang, look at Xiayu. She’s being sarcastic to me again.”
“Miss, don’t blame Xiayu. That night, she had to hold you down and pick up the shoes you threw, making a fool of herself in front of the other servant girls.”
“Why did I fight them?” Fuyi insisted, “I’m such a reasonable girl. If I raised my hand against someone, they must have been at fault.”
“At that time, you had sent this servant to fetch your cloak. By the time this servant returned, you were already pressing your opponents to the ground,” Xiayu shook her head. “Later, when Ning Wang questioned the qinwangs’ sons about what happened, they hemmed and hawed, refusing to speak, so the matter was brushed aside.”
At the mention of Ning Wang, Qiushuang and Xiayu fell silent. Back then, Ning Wang did indeed protect their Miss.
Fuyi shifted her attention away from past events and towards the boxes of dresses and accessories she had brought back from the palace, her face beaming with happiness.
‘Although His Majesty is a bit stingy, Her Majesty is quite generous!’
< Previous | TOC | Advanced TOC | Next >
Translator’s Note:
Sorry for the late update >_<
Wants more chapters?
Click this page for the status of sponsored chapters.
Click this page for advanced chapters TOC.