Chapter 16
During the day, I personally picked up the embroidery needle and did the needlework that I disliked most in my life with them. In the evening, when Xiao Yi came back, he always saw me copying scriptures. Youth passed as a fleeting wave, and time was slipping slowly in my slender fingers.
This evening, I was not feeling well, and I wanted to show my magnanimity. So I pushed Xiao Yi out and he had to obey me. I immediately commanded the maid to take all scriptures in front of me away. His departure made my heart very bitter, and there was a kind of indescribable loneliness in my heart. There was always a price to pay for the reputation of a good wife. My lost heart was added a slight sadness, which became more and more serious with the rising cold air in the frigid winter night.
"Bing, give me a cup of tea," I said weakly.
"Lady, you can not drink the cool tea anymore. How can your body bear it? I cooked chicken soup for you." Bing refused my request this time.
"No, I want to drink." As I spoke, I shuddered involuntarily.
"Well, my Lady, why did you do that? The prince wanted to be here with you, but you had to let him go. Now he is gone, but you—"
"Never mind, if I forcibly engage the prince, maybe someday there will be gossips about me in the palace. Female virtues are always most important in their hearts."
"Lady, you do not have to suffer alone. If it were I, I would put my most cherished things in my hands and no one could take them away! What's more, the prince is brilliant, and he is a virtuous and talented person."
"Ha-ha, it seems that my little girl has something on her mind. Could it be said that you love the prince in your heart, too?"
"Lady, you are making fun of me again." Bing's face turned red. "Ah, I’m not talking to you."
I couldn't help laughing. "Do not worry; I’m sure I will set you up with a marriage that you are happy with in the future."
"Lady, you’d better have a rest first. I will get the soup hot for you." Bing ran away shyly.
Feeling wide awake, I put on a cloak and went outside. In the courtyard, a few branches of wintersweet stood proudly in the snow. The moonlight sprinkled on the ground like water, and there was a flickering light on the surface. In the quiet night, my shadow was carved on the ground. It was shadowy and cloistral. The night was deep and I grew drowsy.
Walking to the side hall without thinking, I heard an indistinct voice here.
Two figures emerged from the window and folded into one under the flicker of the candlelight.
"But, Prince, you can not drink any more. What you did will do harm to your health. . ." The pleasant voice of Furong came unclearly down the hall.
"I’m all right, I’m all right. I need you to pour me some wine quickly." Xiao Yi had a little drunkenness in his voice.
"Prince, if you do that, Concubine will blame me for not taking good care of you." Furong's words were filled with squeamish blame.
"Pei? She will not. Don't worry, come on, and have a drink with me. . ."
I wanted to rush in, but I held back. I needed to hear what they were going to say.
"Please, Prince, don't be so insistent. You can drink slowly, and I will accompany you. I know you are upset." The tenderness and chariness of Furong was beyond my reach. The melodious voice slowly emerged from the slightly warped lips, something that made people feel the speaker was younger.
"Furong, you are the only one who knows me best. Alas, these days, father only values the Prince, and there are no other sons in his eyes. When I stand in the ruling house every day, I always feel that I’m a dispensable role. What a tragedy! Including the Highness of Jin’an and the Prince's brother, both of them are depressed and adrift. They have only written some erotic poems recently. They use the poem to make friends and drink to soothe their sorrows every day."
"Prince, please forgive me for being impolite. Why do you not talk to Concubine? As everyone knows, that Concubine is a woman who acts and talks like a man. . ."
"Furong, there are things you do not know. Pei is my wedded wife. I must always pay attention to etiquette, and I cannot destroy my image in front of her by myself."
The helpless voice of Xiao Yi was like a sharp knife in my back. I felt deeply cold. The most precious thing between husband and wife was to know each other. Why did he not say that to me? Was it necessary to "begin with affection, but stop with etiquette"? That was so ridiculous. I closed my eyes and shook my head.
"Oh, Prince, that must be tough for you. Here you are. I have poured you another cup."
"Okay. . ."
"Prince, I heard that since the snow fell in the city, many houses collapsed and the people suffered from it. The Prince, who handed out food, winter clothes, and charcoal to the people and helped them repair their houses, is showing sympathy to the people."
"Ha-ha-ha, even you know that. The Prince helped a lame dog over a stile and benefited all the people. It's a blessing for us to have a prince who is so benevolent."
"Prince, this is not what you really think. . ." Furong said with a smile.
"What? How can you read my mind?" Xiao Yi was shocked.
"I know what you mean. 'Since Zhou Yu has been in the world, why should Zhuge Liang still exist?' Is that right? Why does the heaven always bring another talent to compete with me?”
Xiao Yi was stunned. Instead of being angry, he laughed. "Ha-ha-ha, you are so smart. . ."
"However, Prince, you are the best in my heart. Nobody can compare with you!"
"Really?" Xiao Yi's face was moving closer and closer to Furong.
"Prince, maybe you do not remember that. I and other maids like to hear Madam Su tell the story about your intelligence. I heard that when you were five years old, the Emperor asked you what could you do. You said that you could recite the book of Qu Li, but the Emperor did not believe it. As a result, you recited it verbatim. The Emperor was very happy, and all the people around him were amazed. With your intelligence, how can you be patient for a long time under another man's domination?"
His clear and contented laugh came to my ears again. My heart ached. In the days we spent together, love was like a continuous stream. Although it was sweet and lasting, it had never been so pure and mellow. Why had he never laughed so happily and relaxed so much with me?
"Great, Furong, you are the only one who can make me happy. . . Come on. Sing me the poem of Pick off the Branches of Willow while I’m happy."
"Yes, Prince. It is better to accept deferentially than to decline courteously. "
". . . Wushan and Wuxia are very long. There are willows and poplars hanging down. Take off a branch with an acquainted person, and miss my hometown with old friends. The mountains are as beautiful as lotus flowers, and the streams are as bright as the moon. The ape is singing in the valley in a cold night, and the traveler's tears soak his clothes. . ." Xiao Yi used cups and chopsticks as musical instruments and knocked them in response to the singing.
Note1: The poem of "Pick off the Branches of Willow" was written by Xiao Yi. The content is about the feelings of travelers. It’s graceful and colorful, and it’s sad, but not resentful. This poem, which is a poem with five characters to a line is not far removed from the new poem, which is an eight-line poem with five characters to a line and a strict tonal pattern and rhyme scheme.