Chapter 5

The wind blows through my ears. The scenery in the palace passed by like a horse.

I was shocked and scared, but a little excited. I feared he would harm himself, while I was surprised that he boldly entered the imperial palace as if he was just walking on a flat ground. He also packed me away like a baggage. Is it his boldness or is my charm just irresistible?

I’m thinking the man in black is a big bird in the night who crossed the wall and leave the palace.

The night wind blows slowly, a faint fragrance of orchid comes. It’s refreshing to be familiar with the fresh fragrance of orchid—wait...is it him?

All of a sudden, I fell on the ground. I looked and saw the cold moon hanging in the air and slanting into the inky sky. Around the fluorescent point, hidden among weeds, the wind was heard, the heaven and earth seemed to be only two of me left.

A dark night with high wind and a suitable location, coupled with deep atmosphere is a perfect environment for killing people and throwing bodies. I don’t know if he’ll fornicate me first, kill me, then fornicate me again? I kind of looked at the man in black standing in front of me.

But if it’s the person I imagined, he should also consider old feelings. Uncover his identity, don’t know if he will become angry from embarrassment?

I bowed my head in distress.

Under the faint moon, a slender man in black and a palace beauty faced each other silently...

At this moment, silence is better than sound...

“Do you like the life inside?” The man in black said coldly.

I blinked and looked up at him, not knowing what to do.

I currently don’t know the true identity of this person—maybe he’s also one of the Emperor’s men who tried to test me, so I didn’t dare talk nonsense. I smiled awkwardly, “I...” I couldn’t help but shiver like an autumn wind sweeping leaves. Although I don’t deny that it was blown by the wind for a long time that my body shivered with coldness, sometimes it’s necessary to look at the scene and make the most of it.

“If only I had shot...” He seemed a little annoyed, he suddenly took my trembling body into his arms and patted my back gently.

“Cui Xiu...” I crooned involuntarily.

“You recognized me?” The man in black—no, Cui Xiu surprisingly lifted up my shoulders and faced me.

“Well, the scent. You have a unique orchid fragrance, very natural, not fat powder, so I recognized it!”

Hey! Think how I’m also a romantic young master among thousands of flowers. Besides not touching a leaf, I can still enjoy the smell for three years! What’s more, my friendship with Cui Xiu is not too shallow.

“...” I saw his lashes moved, clear as the lake, black as lacquered, even his eyes radiant with light.

Suddenly, he pulled off the black veil and pulled me into his arms again. His pink lips unexpectedly kissed my little mouth.

Wait, wait, it should be me, the handsome and charming fourth young master who kisses a delicate young man to death and turns his anger into a mass of spring mud and collapses in my arms. Why is it like the situation take a turn for the worse?

No, no, as soon as I get over my breath, I quickly gathered my strength and pushed aside a gap between us, ready to be rational and emotional to Cui Xiu, and tell him it’s wrong to do so. To put it simply, it violates the principle that a young master should attack and not defend.

However, according to the current situation, I don’t have the chance to steal incense and pilfered jade by myself[1].

Only for others to steal.

But...that being said, it’s quite difficult for my mind to turn around in a moment.

In fact, this also makes sense. You know, when faced with a person (e.g. the Emperor) who is too high to see his head when he comes out of the stage, it’s easy to accept the fact that he is at a disadvantage and not to make meaningless resistance. But I have to face a person who once groaned gently underneath me (e.g. Cui Xiu). It’s not easy to get through psychological barrier of weakness. The upside-down position needs to be reversed at a certain spiritual cost, especially the reversed person (e.g. me).

“Cui Xiu, don’t!” I grabbed his hand that was about to untie my belt and looked at him tearfully.

Cui Xiu’s delicate and stubborn face which remains in my memory, has now become extremely enchanting. I never knew his strength could be so strong. Even the strength of his arms around my waist almost made me gasp for breath. A person can have such two sides that are so poor and only thousands of miles away. How could I not sigh that there are so many wonders in the world? Even I, the fourth young master who holds the passion can’t master the mind of the person who once was a pillow man[2].

“Don’t? Why? When a flower blooms, it must be folded. Don’t wait until you don’t have flowers to pick when facing empty branches[3]. That’s what you told me!”

He picked out the willow eyebrows, his nimble eyes sparkled with charm.

I am now reaping the bitter consequences. What I regret now is I didn’t tell that a gentleman doesn’t cheat in a dark room but stops at the ceremony by expressing his love![4] If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have thrown the four books and five classics as garbage, but should have provide them as golden rules.

If the upper beam isn’t straight, and the lower beam is crooked[5], will the master going to bully his apprentice? Is this the consequence of being a mistake? Huh, I don’t want to ah. At most, I don’t want to be a flower. It’s better to be a withered willow[6] so you wouldn’t have any interest.

“Cui Xiu, listen to me. Actually, I and the Emperor...because of the relationship, I I...I can’t be with you...”

“Oh...” Cui Xiu’s face became cold. “No wonder. It’s just right that Consort Qing who has strong sense of wisdom and refined nature endured all kinds of love from the Emperor. How can I be seen as such again?”

“Cui Xiu...” I looked at sharp sword eyes, deep cold as ice. I felt cold all over.

It’s not just sarcasm.

It’s not a simple expression.

Only this deep resentment, this deep sorrow.

“Qing-er, come with me. I won’t mind about you and the Emperor.” Cui Xiu forcibly grasped my hand.

I’m upset.

You don’t mind but the Emperor does. A big green hat will cover the Emperor from head to toe. The two most likely results are: first, the Emperor will slaughtered us before vomiting blood then will raid my house and kill my family. Second, the Emperor’s heart wasn’t strong enough to bear and died after spraying blood. This way, the name of the family sinner and indirect regicide will be locked on my head. I don’t think it’s worth it so how can I let that happen when he doesn’t even benefit himself? Nothing can be promised! So I clamped my lips tightly and said nothing.

But this caused Cui Xiu’s displeasure.

He twisted my chin and spit out the cold words, “What on earth are you thinking? Resist? Or do you want to keep the festival for the Emperor?[7] If so, I would advise you to save it. The Emperor’s harem is full of people like you, one more and one less. Do you think he’ll care about you? Even if he truly does care about you, it’s only now. A man’s heart is under the sea[8]. Since ancient times, how many Emperors have been devoted to love? They have plenty of conditions and power to go. There are shadows in the back of the lamp and sounds of rain hitting the window.[9] Do you want to end up like this?”

“I...I...” I couldn’t make a sound. My eyes were sore, almost bursts into tears.

I don’t know!

I can’t do anything.

Cui Xiu looked at me attentively, took a slow breath, and gently said, “For you, I ran from YangZhou to the capital and deployed for a month. This was to distract the attention of the Emperor, relax the defense in the palace and bring you out. Even in the brothel, I didn’t touch anyone except you. I used capability retrogression that day I met Chen’s elder son. Did you feel nothing at all about what I did for you?”

“You do it for me?” It turned out that the direct source of my heroic deeds was directly from myself. I once again lamented my charm was a bottomless black hole—but wasn’t Cui Xiu the red duckling of the brothel? Why hasn’t anyone touched him? Were his former guests vegetarian?

“Cui Xiu, then...then your guests...”

Cui Xiu is indeed a Wulin expert. His skills of inferiority have reached a certain level. After hearing my last sentence, he even my next one. He smiled, “I practiced martial arts of evil sects, one of which is "capturing hearts" that can capture the soul and make him produce clouds and rain with another[10]. So I haven’t done anything except to enjoy a one-man show every night.”

Everyday I touched my face, I don’t know if there is any discoloration—there should be! However, the stimulus is really too great. If the protagonist is good looking, it’s fine. If it’s a sorry one...then Cui Xiu’s room doesn’t need to be equipped with hemostatics.

“FangQing, you...you’re not afraid of me, are you?” Maybe my face slightly changed, Cui Xiu hesitated and asked me like this.

“Afraid? How come?” I smiled and said. Cui Xiu may not know but his past image has been deeply rooted in my mind. It would be a bit difficult for me to be afraid of him!

Hearing what I said, Cui Xiu’s black paint eyes became brighter, “I don’t care what others think, I’m glad to hear you said that.” He stretched out his hand and swept my hair, “If you come with me, I’ll be very good to you. The Emperor can give you what I’m not, but the Emperor can’t give you what I can afford.”

“But...the Emperor,”

“Don’t mention him!” Before I could finish, Cui Xiu interrupted, his warm voice began to turn cold, “Did you know the Emperor didn’t even disclose your identity and ordered that it should not be disclosed. Only a few people in the palace know that Consort Qing is Murong FangQing. Those who know Murong FangQing outside the palace don’t know that you’re Consort Qing at all. He can’t even give you a ministerial status. What else do you want him to do?”

It turned out that the Emperor blocked the news of me being the Consort Qing—no wonder my father didn’t come.

I bowed my head dejectedly.

I can’t believe it—but this is better, this Consort status was not what I wanted anyway.

I glanced at Cui Xiu. Strange, why was he more excited than me?

I was about to speak when Cui Xiu suddenly covered my mouth, tidied my clothes, and whispered in my ear, “Someone!”

Someone? I looked around—the night was still, the grass is empty, and the moon is shining. Nobody.

There are only rustle of wind and grass.

“Who, come out!” Cui Xiu shouted. It immediately lingered a sound that would last forever. The grass was full of his crisp echoes.

Then followed by the sound of the human body breaking the wind.

I struggled. Cui Xiu and I are already in a state of complete encirclement. We are surrounded by royal guards with strong bows and sharp swords.

I blinked to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. I had to admire Cui Xiu that he knew. Looking at the six roads and listen to all directions[11]. Knowing what people don’t and being able people can’t—it’s indeed a model for Wulin expert.

Looking at the royal guards with such fresh clothes and quick skills, I can probably guess who will follow.

With my intelligence and wisdom, Cui Xiu could not have guessed it. He smiled and said, “The Emperor’s imperial carriage really gives me great face!”

“Humph, you still have to have the courage and ability to make this face worthy.” A crack broke out in the whole encirclement. There stood the majestic and proud Emperor.

I immediately turned white and waited for the Emperor’s next words. If he says: "this two adulterers, come and kill them for me", then aren’t we... I involuntarily stretched out and touched the powdered neck.

However, before I put my hand down, I felt an icy sharp sword on my neck.

The cold sword penetrated into the human body through the skin. I shuddered and turned to look at Cui Xiu who put the sword.

Why? I asked silently. But I only got silence. He hugged my waist as if comforting me, then said to the Emperor in a loud voice, “Your Majesty the Emperor, it’s tight of you to use tricks like "get into the boiling pot"[12] and "catching turtles in a jar"[13] even when I cheated you. But don’t forget that your Consort is still in my hands. You don’t want to fight either the fish dies or the net splits[14]!”

After seeing Cui Xiu’s action, the Emperor paused and said in a deep voice, “If you let Consort Qing go, you won’t hurt him.”

“If you don’t hurt me, of course I won’t hurt him.” Cui Xiu sneered.

At the same time, a thin voice came to my ears forced by internal power, “Don’t panic, I won’t hurt you. This is only a matter of expediency. Don’t look back, don’t let the Emperor see it.”

Turned out to be so. A warm current flowed through my heart. I raised my chin to look at the Emperor with flashing eyes. I don’t know what weight I have in his mind. After several days of affection, wouldn’t it be too hard to kill?

At this time, the waning moon is like a hook, and the midnight is silent like a phantom. I couldn’t help shivering, but found that Cui Xiu’s arm held me tighter.

The Emperor looked at me for a long while before saying coldly to Cui Xiu, “You’ve been in the capital for so long, isn’t it for today? Even if you threaten me with Consort Qing, you can’t get away. You’re smart. Why do you always take things too hard?”

“Huh, then I’d like to see the Emperor read old feelings. Is the heart really as cold as iron?”

The Emperor said coldly, “You have a reason. We already agreed the rules early in the morning. Why do you talk about feelings now?”

Cui Xiu’s thin lips formed a strange smile, “Hey, I’m not a person who’s obsessed with death. I just want to ask you personal feeling. You gave Consort Qing to me then our previous account will be written off, okay?”

The Emperor sneered, “We’ve already settled the accounts long ago. What bargaining chip do you have to offer me? Release Consort Qing and I won’t dispute about today’s incident.”

“Everyone said the Emperor was cruel and merciless. I indeed saw it today.” Cui Xiu’s eyes flashed cold, rippling in the mirror like autumn waves.

The crisis worsened further.

I’m stuck. I don’t know what kind of relationship between the high Emperor and the petty humble sex?

...Quite...

Both sides fell into silence. My waist was tightened like a rope.

I frowned in pain, “Please don’t put me in the middle of flirting.”

Hearing this, Cui Xiu frowned at first and whispered, “What are you talking about?”

I peeped at the faces of both men—neither was good. Of course, who will look better to those who hit the key?

I twitched. This old lovers were having a party in full bloom. It’s a pity they’ll call me a third party!

“Consort Qing, I’m not indifferent towards you, just...” He stopped and looked at Cui Xiu who was smiling.

“That also requires King Cui Ming to know.”

Cui Xiu snorted. His face was like ice flowers, cold and bright.

“You have the final say here. Why should you push the question to me?”

The Emperor’s eyes flickered, he pondered for a long time before he laughed, “In that case, there’s no need for us to stand still. I don’t care about today’s matter as remembering yesterday’s old feelings. Let Consort Qing go, then I’ll also let you go.”

“You’ll let me go?” Cui Xiu scornfully raised his lip. “Aren’t you afraid of my revenge in the future?”

The Emperor smiled, “If you can, then that’ll be regarded as your ability.“

I stared at them dumbly, falling into clouds

What and what?

The Emperor called Cui Xiu the King of Cui Ming? Is he the royal relative of Yu Han? Then why did he wander into the Jianghu, or even make a red card in the brothel?

Isn’t it the same as what the storyteller said, the Emperor and Cui Xiu were originally sad beyond words, was forced into helplessness and destroyed each other’s door. Cui Xiu’s self-cultivation bears family hatred, personal grudges, and goes far away with tears in his eyes. Now the two meet again, it’s inexhaustible.

“What are you thinking?” Cui Xiu shook me hard. I finally woke up from a story that hadn’t been knitted yet.

“Cui Xiu...” I looked at him sadly and told him in a very affirmative tone, “Rest assured. I won’t fight with you for the Emperor, please bravely pursue your own happiness.”

“Heavens! What are you saying?” Cui Xiu’s eyes widened and gritted his teeth, “I have nothing to do with Qi!”

I bowed my head sadly, “Cui Xiu, don’t lie to me, don’t lie to yourself...I know you’re still unrequited and care about him. Why else would you take such a big risk to sneak into the palace?”

“I’m for you...for you...” Cui Xiu was on the verge of madness, biting his teeth and saying, “I swear in the name of King Cui Ming of the Moon, if there is any false words, the sky will struck!”

Moon? A big country on the western side of Yu Han?

I was shocked again. It turned out that Cui Xiu was the prince of the Moon, not a middle man of my dynasty.

“All right!” The Emperor impatiently clapped and said, “Did you already figure out the ins and outs? Isn’t it time to dispose of the matter?”

Cui Xiu sneered, “The Emperor underestimate me too much. Do you think I will come alone?”

The Emperor raised his brows slightly, “You’re trying to use your mantis as a chariot[15], but I don’t want to.”

Cui Xiu is shock speechless.

The enemy can’t really beat the Emperor.

At this time, the stars are all over the sky, the moon is bright, and jade is leaking all the way. There was silence while my heart stirred. Suddenly I asked, “This...Can I decide?”

It’s not a glorious thing to always give others the choice like a pork in the market

After hearing this, all the people present were stupefied. As if laughing at my audacity, even daring to speak out between two royal nobles.

I groaned.

The Emperor looked at me deeply and said, “Don’t you want to go back to the palace with me?”

As I blushed, I lowered my head to avoid his sight and said, “I want to go home.”

I have been away from home for many days without any reason. It’s strange that my family isn’t turning upside down yet.

The Emperor was shocked and probably didn’t expect me to answer like this

He said nothing. Just looking at me, deeply looking at me, like he look through the depths of my heart.

The tide is generally sentimental, like undulating waves, wave after wave, rushing and breathless.

I dare not look at him again.

Only to hear him gently whisper a few words that I can’t hear clearly

Then he said to Cui Xiu, “Xiu, shall we make an agreement?”

“The Emperor may say so.”

“Now that you’ve set Qing-er free, I will not let you be embarrassed and send someone to escort him home. I’ll give you three months to calm the civil strife. After three months, we will decide again.”

“How can I trust you?” This condition is too favorable for him. With the strength of the Emperor, it’s not easy to recapture me, but it’s inevitable.

So he had to question his motives.

The Emperor smiled, “A gentleman speak and keep one’s promise, a promise worth one thousand in gold.”

“Good! Then let’s clapped hands as an oath.”

“Good!” The Emperor shouted and leaned forward, clapped with Cui Xiu to set the written war

“Qing-er, I didn’t want to let you go. But tonight—too many unexpected things happened. It seems I care about you more than I think... A lot of feelings still can’t be explained. Well, just use this time to think about it... Think about...how do you feel about me.”

The Emperor was somewhat incoherent.

I poked my lips. He really put the blame on me for something he couldn’t figure out. I wanted to say something against him, but when I met his deep eyes-like-sea, I couldn’t say anything.

As if dissatisfied with the atmosphere between us, Cui Xiu turned my body and let me face him. A pair of eyes like a well on the mountain, cool and deep, clear but can’t see the bottom, the cold water vapor slowly rises.

After a while, he said quietly, “FangQing, see you in three months.”

After that, he set off as fast as thunder and as swift as lightning. The figure disappeared into the boundless night.

“His martial arts are so advanced. If I fight with him, I’m afraid I can’t do well.” The Emperor sighed, he grabbed my hands and gently rubbed them, “I already told Tong Yin and Tong Jin to send you back to YangZhou. I’d like to say goodbye here first.”

I pouted, thinking of what the Emperor said to sort out my feelings. I couldn’t help but whisper in my heart: I’m afraid after three months, he would forget me.

At this moment, Tong Yin and Tong Jin came out from the crowd. When I saw them, I felt as if it already passed thousands of years.

“Qing-er, Zhen's surname is Qi, with the courtesy of Xiyang. With that, I hope you remember...” The Emperor hesitated...

“Take care of yourself.”

He said, did not look back and led the crowd away.

On the open grass, only three people left. The wind was rustling. The night wind was blowing on me. A cold air struck my body.

Taking a deep breath, I said, “Let’s go back to YangZhou!”

Footnotes

tōuxiāngqièyù (idiom) - philandering;to have illicit sexual relations

zhěnbiānrén - the person who shares your bed

when love comes you must be brave to pursue, you must harvest love in time, you should release when you need to.

a gentleman is a man of seven emotions and six desires, just like ordinary people, but he should show his true feelings through manners that conform to etiquette

shángliángbùzhèngxiàliàngwāi (idiom) - if a leader sets a bad example, it’ll be followed by his subordinates

cánhuābàiliǔ (idiom) - used to describe a woman who lived in a wild or abandoned life

preserve chastity after the death of her husband

the mind of a man is deeper than that of a woman. everything is hidden on the surface, but it is hidden in the heart

I personally think this is a poetry about tragic situations of the palace full of sleepless nights, sorrow, annoyance, jealousy, loneliness

fānyúnfùyǔ (idiom) - to shift one’s ground;tricky and inconstant;to make love

yǎnguānliùlù ěrtīngbāfāng (idiom) - to be observant and alert. (six roads: up, down, left, right, front, back.)

qǐngjūnrùwèng (idiom) - to give somebody a taste of his own medicine

wèngzhōngzhuōbiē (idiom) - to set oneself an easy target

yúsǐwǎngpò (idiom) - a life and death struggle

tángbìdāngchē (idiom) - to overrate oneself and attempt something impossible

?joycekl