Chapter Seventy-eight,
Sister
“Duke, Duke, someone outside is looking for you.” Zi Wan’s arm crook was hanging with a flower basket- these two days, the plum blossoms in the forest to the west of the crown prince residence bloomed, Zi Wan and Ling Xiang would use their free time each day to pick a basket of fallen plums, use water to wash them and dry, then make them into perfume sachets, with a kind of tranquil affection to it.
Xiao Zuo placed the book in his hands down, his left hand was propping up his cheek, lazily yawned, and raised his eyebrows, “Looking for me?”
“Right, a person who looks like a soldier, said they had something to give to the duke.”
“Mm.” The inside of the room was permeating with the cold fragrance of frost plums, seeping with an immortal air. Xiao Zuo flattened the folds on his clothes, Zi Wan placed the basket onto the table, then took down a cloak from the rack and helped Xiao Zuo put it on, the collar of that cloak had a ring of white fox fur, wrapped in this plum scent, it made Xiao Zuo so pure and ice-clean like an immortal on top of clouds.
“I will go take a look.” As the immortal spoke, they dropped into the mortal realm, and left a string of shallow and deep footprints in the snow in the yard.
The entrance of the residence waited with a small soldier, once that person saw Xiao Zuo come out, they took two steps forward and bowed, “Could it be Lord Xiao Zuo?”
“I cannot be called a lord, but I am Xiao Zuo.” Xiao Zuo asked, “What is the matter?”
That soldier took out a letter from his chest, and handed it with both hands, and lowered his head, “His Highness the Crown Prince has instructed, this letter must be personally handed to my Lord’s hands.”
Xiao Zuo froze, took the letter from the soldier’s hands, and the soldier made a military bow then left. He Xuan already left for a month or so, parted by the mountains and rivers, letters were hard to be sent, he originally thought he could only hear from him after spring.
That letter was sealed by wax, the surface was He Xuan’s handsome and straight words, writing, “For Xiao Zuo”. Xiao Zuo forcefully suppressed the scorching expectancy, gathered the letter into his sleeves, walked three steps with two, and later, made a run in the yard against the wind and snow, making Zi Wan yell out from the side “Duke, slow down! Careful to not fall!”
But Xiao Zuo did not listen to it at all, he buried his head in and rushed into the study, closed all the doors and windows, this was the letter He Xuan sent him, even the winds and snow cannot partake it with him. Xiao Zuo took off the cloak while panting, randomly hung it on the rack, then took out that letter from his sleeves, and very carefully opened it.
“Li Nu……”
Xiao Zuo froze, then continued looking down, “Everything is fine, do not fret. Since the parting in the capital, I yearn when I move, I yearn when I sit. I only hate that I cannot be the moon, and accompany you every night.”
“Duke, Duke……” Zi Wan knocked on the door outside, “The kitchen is finished preparing lunch, would the duke like to have it now?”
Xiao Zuo folded the letter and stuffed it back into the letter pocket like he had a guilty conscience, then cleared his throat, “Come in.”
Zi Wan peeked her head in after responding, Xiao Zuo avoided her probing gaze, and said, “Bring it now, I will go over soon.”
“Alright.” Zi Wan nodded her head, then turned and withdrew. Xiao Zuo let out a breath of relief, and just when he planned on looking at it again, Zi Wan suddenly lifted her head up and revealed half a head from the side of the door, and hesitantly asked, “Duke? Is the charcoal fire in the room too much? Why is Duke’s face so red?”
“Ca…… can’t be.” Xiao Zuo’s tongue was tied by the question in an instant, he pretended to angrily glare at Zi Wan, and pushed her, “Hurry and place down the dishes! Don’t blindly guess to random things!”
“?” Zi Wan looked at Xiao Zuo threatening people with a red face in confusion, and expressed extreme grievance for the anger she strangely had to take in.
“Isn’t it about the charcoal? What is this now?”
❀
Xiao Zuo scooped a spoon of almond tofu, the kitchen made it according to He Xuan’s tastes, so it was very weak in taste. He licked his lips, and said.
“Let’s go to De Qing’s in a moment.”
Zi Wan was standing to one side grabbing side dishes for Xiao Zuo, and when she heard this, she nodded her head, “Two days ago I saw De Qing was much better, he is probably mostly recovered by now.” Xiao Zuo hummed, he did not have much appetite, and quickly shoved two bites of rice, drank half a cup of goji and black chicken soup, then pinched the spoon and swirled it in the container like he was in a daze thinking to something.
Now that it was mentioned, because Sister You Ci was born early, her body would be weak and frail since young. All throughout the year, she would be bathed in the scent of medicine in the palace, Mother was afraid the medicinal supplements were not enough, and especially had the imperial kitchen make chicken soup in all sorts of varieties everyday, so the smell of herbs would mix with the thick fragrance of chicken soup, making Xiao Zuo end up sneezing a whole bunch each time he was carried over by the nursing maid.
Good thing after Big Sister turned ten, she very rarely drank medicine, and ran madly in the palace along with his other sisters, and was very healthy.
He originally thought……
“Duke…… Duke?”
Xiao Zuo came to, he paused for a moment, and saw Zi Wan point to the container in his hands, and asked, “The soup is a bit cold, would you like this servant to go heat it up?”
“No need, I am going back to the room to rest for a while.” Xiao Zuo hung his eyes down, and sighed.
The dreams in the afternoon would always be fragmented and boundless, as though the dreams also understood half a dual-hour’s time would not allow him to spend it lavishly, so that it dumped everything inside in one go, yet every time, going too far was as bad as not going far enough, and so jumbled one could not remember anything.
Xiao Zuo opened his eyes, the curtains were embroidered with a four-clawed Pan dragon, the dragon scales were distinct and visible, the dragon’s eyes seemed like two lazuli gems, and flashed with light in the dim room. Xiao Zuo rubbed his head and sat up, then stared at the end of the bed in a daze.
“Duke?” Zi Wan pushed the door in, her hands held Xiao Zuo’s outer robe and cloak, bearing the fragrance of light and new soap, yet to be aired with incense.
“En?” Xiao Zuo lazily groaned, and leaned on the pillow and lifted his eyelids up to look at her.
“Duke, when do you plan on going to De Qing’s?” Zi Wan put the clothes in her hands onto the couch and folded them, and asked Xiao Zuo with her back to him.
The Suan Ni by the bed sat above the eighty-one-petalled lotus pattern, with the clouds spitting out from its mouth forming into a faint scent of green osmanthus, then that Pan dragon above the veils rose up upon meeting the clouds, and instantly looked like it was going to fly off to the skies. Xiao Zuo slowly blinked his eyes, and said, “Mm, let’s go now.”
He was merely walking from the bedchambers to the courtyard De Qing was living in, yet needed to complicatedly put on a fur coat and take it off, repeated so many times Xiao Zuo was secreting some beads of sweat from the tip of his nose- he was a young man after all, his entire body was steaming with fire, like magma beneath the earth normally dormant without showing itself, yet always unceasing.
The charcoal in De Qing’s room was very plentiful, Xiao Zuo swept his gaze all around, and saw De Qing sitting by the table, chatting with a person who looked like a young eunuch. The eunuchs in the crown prince residence were very few, Xiao Zuo had come for so long, but only met with two or three, so when he saw that young eunuch’s back, he felt he was very familiar.
“Greetings to the duke.” Xiao Zuo just came inside, but that young eunuch’s ears were very sensitive, and quickly got up and bowed in response.
“You are?” Because the young eunuch was hanging his head down, Xiao Zuo did not see who he was.
“This servant is xiao’Chong’zi.” Xiao’Chong’zi looked to be very young, about Xiao Zuo’s age, but when he was respectfully lowering his head, he appeared to be quite the quick-witted one.
“I’ve heard about you.” Xiao Zuo smiled, “I have something to talk to De Qing about, how about you come back later.”
Xiao’Chong’zi naturally did not refuse, and bowed his body and made a small run out, then agilely closed the door.
The table was placed with two cups of tea still rising with steam, looks like he was the one who bothered De Qing’s afternoon chat. Xiao Zuo lifted his chin up, and smiled, “De Qing looks to be in a good mood, before, I was even worried you would be very bored by yourself, it looks like I was overly concerned”
“After his Highness went to the south, the residence has been much more empty, so this child would have the time to sit down with this old servant.” De Qing got up and searched for something in the cabinet to the side, Xiao Zuo hurriedly called out, “No need, I’m not thirsty, your body is not well, have a seat and rest.”
De Qing accepted, then slowly sat down. He took up a cup and drank a mouthful of tea to dampen his throat, then continued speaking, “[He] is a good child.” Xiao Zuo hummed in agreement, then saw De Qing lift his eyes and look at him, as though waiting for him to say something. He beckoned with his hand and had Zi Wan who was standing to the side to sit down, paused for a bit, then said, “Today, there is certainly something I want to say to you two.”
“It’s…… about Sister You Ci.” Xiao Zuo closed his eyes, “That time during the chaos in the palace, I had Sister take the carriage and flee the palace in the night, then after when Jin’s army attacked the palace gates, I’ve lost contact with Sister. A few days ago, I asked someone to investigate, and have finally found some news on Sister.”
“Thank the heavens, for Bao An Princess is blessed a good person……”” Zi Wan saw Xiao Zuo’s face was stern, and her heart suspended in her throat. She was about the same age as Xiao You Ci, and when Xiao You Ci went to Xiao Zuo’s palace, she would often by the side serving them. The hand Zi Wan was pinching the handkerchief with soaked with cold sweat, constantly silently repeating Buddha bless [her].
“Good thing Sister You Ci is fine, right now…… she is staying in a temple in Feng Province.”
When Zi Wan heard this, she let out a long sigh of relief, she was surprised and happy, to the point even the hair on her temple had sweat, and took up her handkerchief and fanned it by her ears.
De Qing muttered to himself, “Then…… Duke means to?”
“Sister You Ci is my sole relative, I……” Xiao Zuo hung his eyes down, he looked at the floating tea leaves in De Qing’s cup, “I’ve always wanted to be able to reunite with her.”
“Wouldn’t it be fine to have his Highness help find her?” Zi Wan subconsciously slipped out, seeing Xiao Zuo’s expression freeze, she then realized something wasn’t right, then awkwardly closed her mouth, and lowered her head and drank tea.
Xiao Zuo silently moved his eyes away, the fairly beautiful sunlight in the afternoon was cut into stretches of plum blossoms by the lattice in the window, and scattered inside in a disorderly manner. Having He Xuan help, wasn’t something that XIao ZUo did not think of before, but for one, He Xuan now was bearing heavy responsibility, he did not want to bother him, secondly…… in truth, in the end, he had no way of completely trusting him. Just like encountering a rose with thorns on the road, because one liked it, one would be unable to help but want to get close, but still would be concerned of they would be scraped by the sharp thorns.
“He…… he is going [there] for war, proper business, let’s not bother him.” After a while, Xiao Zuo then spoke up.
“Oh oh, this servant didn’t consider it, Duke has given it thought properly, I see.”
Xiao Zuo only squeezed out a helpless bitter smile.
Chapter Seventy-eight,
Sister
“Duke, Duke, someone outside is looking for you.” Zi Wan’s arm crook was hanging with a flower basket- these two days, the plum blossoms in the forest to the west of the crown prince residence bloomed, Zi Wan and Ling Xiang would use their free time each day to pick a basket of fallen plums, use water to wash them and dry, then make them into perfume sachets, with a kind of tranquil affection to it.
Xiao Zuo placed the book in his hands down, his left hand was propping up his cheek, lazily yawned, and raised his eyebrows, “Looking for me?”
“Right, a person who looks like a soldier, said they had something to give to the duke.”
“Mm.” The inside of the room was permeating with the cold fragrance of frost plums, seeping with an immortal air. Xiao Zuo flattened the folds on his clothes, Zi Wan placed the basket onto the table, then took down a cloak from the rack and helped Xiao Zuo put it on, the collar of that cloak had a ring of white fox fur, wrapped in this plum scent, it made Xiao Zuo so pure and ice-clean like an immortal on top of clouds.
“I will go take a look.” As the immortal spoke, they dropped into the mortal realm, and left a string of shallow and deep footprints in the snow in the yard.
The entrance of the residence waited with a small soldier, once that person saw Xiao Zuo come out, they took two steps forward and bowed, “Could it be Lord Xiao Zuo?”
“I cannot be called a lord, but I am Xiao Zuo.” Xiao Zuo asked, “What is the matter?”
That soldier took out a letter from his chest, and handed it with both hands, and lowered his head, “His Highness the Crown Prince has instructed, this letter must be personally handed to my Lord’s hands.”
Xiao Zuo froze, took the letter from the soldier’s hands, and the soldier made a military bow then left. He Xuan already left for a month or so, parted by the mountains and rivers, letters were hard to be sent, he originally thought he could only hear from him after spring.
That letter was sealed by wax, the surface was He Xuan’s handsome and straight words, writing, “For Xiao Zuo”. Xiao Zuo forcefully suppressed the scorching expectancy, gathered the letter into his sleeves, walked three steps with two, and later, made a run in the yard against the wind and snow, making Zi Wan yell out from the side “Duke, slow down! Careful to not fall!”
But Xiao Zuo did not listen to it at all, he buried his head in and rushed into the study, closed all the doors and windows, this was the letter He Xuan sent him, even the winds and snow cannot partake it with him. Xiao Zuo took off the cloak while panting, randomly hung it on the rack, then took out that letter from his sleeves, and very carefully opened it.
“Li Nu……”
Xiao Zuo froze, then continued looking down, “Everything is fine, do not fret. Since the parting in the capital, I yearn when I move, I yearn when I sit. I only hate that I cannot be the moon, and accompany you every night.”
“Duke, Duke……” Zi Wan knocked on the door outside, “The kitchen is finished preparing lunch, would the duke like to have it now?”
Xiao Zuo folded the letter and stuffed it back into the letter pocket like he had a guilty conscience, then cleared his throat, “Come in.”
Zi Wan peeked her head in after responding, Xiao Zuo avoided her probing gaze, and said, “Bring it now, I will go over soon.”
“Alright.” Zi Wan nodded her head, then turned and withdrew. Xiao Zuo let out a breath of relief, and just when he planned on looking at it again, Zi Wan suddenly lifted her head up and revealed half a head from the side of the door, and hesitantly asked, “Duke? Is the charcoal fire in the room too much? Why is Duke’s face so red?”
“Ca…… can’t be.” Xiao Zuo’s tongue was tied by the question in an instant, he pretended to angrily glare at Zi Wan, and pushed her, “Hurry and place down the dishes! Don’t blindly guess to random things!”
“?” Zi Wan looked at Xiao Zuo threatening people with a red face in confusion, and expressed extreme grievance for the anger she strangely had to take in.
“Isn’t it about the charcoal? What is this now?”
❀
Xiao Zuo scooped a spoon of almond tofu, the kitchen made it according to He Xuan’s tastes, so it was very weak in taste. He licked his lips, and said.
“Let’s go to De Qing’s in a moment.”
Zi Wan was standing to one side grabbing side dishes for Xiao Zuo, and when she heard this, she nodded her head, “Two days ago I saw De Qing was much better, he is probably mostly recovered by now.” Xiao Zuo hummed, he did not have much appetite, and quickly shoved two bites of rice, drank half a cup of goji and black chicken soup, then pinched the spoon and swirled it in the container like he was in a daze thinking to something.
Now that it was mentioned, because Sister You Ci was born early, her body would be weak and frail since young. All throughout the year, she would be bathed in the scent of medicine in the palace, Mother was afraid the medicinal supplements were not enough, and especially had the imperial kitchen make chicken soup in all sorts of varieties everyday, so the smell of herbs would mix with the thick fragrance of chicken soup, making Xiao Zuo end up sneezing a whole bunch each time he was carried over by the nursing maid.
Good thing after Big Sister turned ten, she very rarely drank medicine, and ran madly in the palace along with his other sisters, and was very healthy.
He originally thought……
“Duke…… Duke?”
Xiao Zuo came to, he paused for a moment, and saw Zi Wan point to the container in his hands, and asked, “The soup is a bit cold, would you like this servant to go heat it up?”
“No need, I am going back to the room to rest for a while.” Xiao Zuo hung his eyes down, and sighed.
The dreams in the afternoon would always be fragmented and boundless, as though the dreams also understood half a dual-hour’s time would not allow him to spend it lavishly, so that it dumped everything inside in one go, yet every time, going too far was as bad as not going far enough, and so jumbled one could not remember anything.
Xiao Zuo opened his eyes, the curtains were embroidered with a four-clawed Pan dragon, the dragon scales were distinct and visible, the dragon’s eyes seemed like two lazuli gems, and flashed with light in the dim room. Xiao Zuo rubbed his head and sat up, then stared at the end of the bed in a daze.
“Duke?” Zi Wan pushed the door in, her hands held Xiao Zuo’s outer robe and cloak, bearing the fragrance of light and new soap, yet to be aired with incense.
“En?” Xiao Zuo lazily groaned, and leaned on the pillow and lifted his eyelids up to look at her.
“Duke, when do you plan on going to De Qing’s?” Zi Wan put the clothes in her hands onto the couch and folded them, and asked Xiao Zuo with her back to him.
The Suan Ni by the bed sat above the eighty-one-petalled lotus pattern, with the clouds spitting out from its mouth forming into a faint scent of green osmanthus, then that Pan dragon above the veils rose up upon meeting the clouds, and instantly looked like it was going to fly off to the skies. Xiao Zuo slowly blinked his eyes, and said, “Mm, let’s go now.”
He was merely walking from the bedchambers to the courtyard De Qing was living in, yet needed to complicatedly put on a fur coat and take it off, repeated so many times Xiao Zuo was secreting some beads of sweat from the tip of his nose- he was a young man after all, his entire body was steaming with fire, like magma beneath the earth normally dormant without showing itself, yet always unceasing.
The charcoal in De Qing’s room was very plentiful, Xiao Zuo swept his gaze all around, and saw De Qing sitting by the table, chatting with a person who looked like a young eunuch. The eunuchs in the crown prince residence were very few, Xiao Zuo had come for so long, but only met with two or three, so when he saw that young eunuch’s back, he felt he was very familiar.
“Greetings to the duke.” Xiao Zuo just came inside, but that young eunuch’s ears were very sensitive, and quickly got up and bowed in response.
“You are?” Because the young eunuch was hanging his head down, Xiao Zuo did not see who he was.
“This servant is xiao’Chong’zi.” Xiao’Chong’zi looked to be very young, about Xiao Zuo’s age, but when he was respectfully lowering his head, he appeared to be quite the quick-witted one.
“I’ve heard about you.” Xiao Zuo smiled, “I have something to talk to De Qing about, how about you come back later.”
Xiao’Chong’zi naturally did not refuse, and bowed his body and made a small run out, then agilely closed the door.
The table was placed with two cups of tea still rising with steam, looks like he was the one who bothered De Qing’s afternoon chat. Xiao Zuo lifted his chin up, and smiled, “De Qing looks to be in a good mood, before, I was even worried you would be very bored by yourself, it looks like I was overly concerned”
“After his Highness went to the south, the residence has been much more empty, so this child would have the time to sit down with this old servant.” De Qing got up and searched for something in the cabinet to the side, Xiao Zuo hurriedly called out, “No need, I’m not thirsty, your body is not well, have a seat and rest.”
De Qing accepted, then slowly sat down. He took up a cup and drank a mouthful of tea to dampen his throat, then continued speaking, “[He] is a good child.” Xiao Zuo hummed in agreement, then saw De Qing lift his eyes and look at him, as though waiting for him to say something. He beckoned with his hand and had Zi Wan who was standing to the side to sit down, paused for a bit, then said, “Today, there is certainly something I want to say to you two.”
“It’s…… about Sister You Ci.” Xiao Zuo closed his eyes, “That time during the chaos in the palace, I had Sister take the carriage and flee the palace in the night, then after when Jin’s army attacked the palace gates, I’ve lost contact with Sister. A few days ago, I asked someone to investigate, and have finally found some news on Sister.”
“Thank the heavens, for Bao An Princess is blessed a good person……”” Zi Wan saw Xiao Zuo’s face was stern, and her heart suspended in her throat. She was about the same age as Xiao You Ci, and when Xiao You Ci went to Xiao Zuo’s palace, she would often by the side serving them. The hand Zi Wan was pinching the handkerchief with soaked with cold sweat, constantly silently repeating Buddha bless [her].
“Good thing Sister You Ci is fine, right now…… she is staying in a temple in Feng Province.”
When Zi Wan heard this, she let out a long sigh of relief, she was surprised and happy, to the point even the hair on her temple had sweat, and took up her handkerchief and fanned it by her ears.
De Qing muttered to himself, “Then…… Duke means to?”
“Sister You Ci is my sole relative, I……” Xiao Zuo hung his eyes down, he looked at the floating tea leaves in De Qing’s cup, “I’ve always wanted to be able to reunite with her.”
“Wouldn’t it be fine to have his Highness help find her?” Zi Wan subconsciously slipped out, seeing Xiao Zuo’s expression freeze, she then realized something wasn’t right, then awkwardly closed her mouth, and lowered her head and drank tea.
Xiao Zuo silently moved his eyes away, the fairly beautiful sunlight in the afternoon was cut into stretches of plum blossoms by the lattice in the window, and scattered inside in a disorderly manner. Having He Xuan help, wasn’t something that XIao ZUo did not think of before, but for one, He Xuan now was bearing heavy responsibility, he did not want to bother him, secondly…… in truth, in the end, he had no way of completely trusting him. Just like encountering a rose with thorns on the road, because one liked it, one would be unable to help but want to get close, but still would be concerned of they would be scraped by the sharp thorns.
“He…… he is going [there] for war, proper business, let’s not bother him.” After a while, Xiao Zuo then spoke up.
“Oh oh, this servant didn’t consider it, Duke has given it thought properly, I see.”
Xiao Zuo only squeezed out a helpless bitter smile.
