20demayo Chapter 34: Meeting with the Li Yang Delegation.
Chapter 34: Meeting with the Li Yang Delegation.
A night of wind and rain.
As the morning light seeped into the side hall of Yuxiu Palace through the cracks in the window, Jiang Qingxue opened her eyes.
The room inside the tent was dimly lit, filled with the scent of ambergris and some indescribable, ambiguous atmosphere.
She lay on her side, her back to the sleeping emperor beside her. Her moon-white nightgown was loose, revealing a section of her snow-white shoulder covered with light red marks.
Those traces, faintly visible in the dim light, were like branding marks, silently proclaiming the surrender and possession of last night.
The soreness in my lower body went deep into my bones, and my legs were so weak that I couldn't muster any strength at all.
Listening to Qin Mu's steady, long breaths behind her, she dug her nails deep into her palms.
The pain kept her conscious for the last time and suppressed the humiliation and nausea churning in her throat.
After an unknown amount of time, a rustling sound came from beside me.
Qin Mu woke up.
He didn't get up immediately, but just lazily stretched his arms, causing the quilt to slip down and revealing his strong chest.
The morning light outlined his smooth muscle lines, exuding an aggressive sense of power.
Jiang Qingxue closed her eyes, pretending to still be asleep.
"Get up and serve me when you're awake." Qin Mu's voice was languid and hoarse from the early morning, revealing no emotion.
Jiang Qingxue stiffened, slowly turned around, lowered her eyes, and dared not meet his gaze.
She propped herself up, her body aching, and, ignoring the discomfort, reached for the dark dragon robe placed at the foot of the bed.
Her arm trembled slightly as her fingertips touched the cool, smooth brocade.
Qin Mu leaned against the headboard, watching her clumsy yet obedient movements with a leisurely air.
She lowered her head, her long eyelashes casting shadows beneath her eyes. Her pale face was almost transparent in the morning light, and she had bitten her lips, leaving faint teeth marks.
She didn't cry, nor did she show any extra expression. She was like an exquisite but soulless jade puppet, mechanically fulfilling her duties as a concubine.
They draped a dragon robe over him, fastened every button, and smoothed out every wrinkle.
Throughout the entire process, she remained silent, with only the faint sound of fabric rubbing against fabric and her extremely suppressed breathing filling the hall.
Only after fastening the last jade belt buckle did she take a half step back, curtsy, and whisper, "Your Majesty, it's done."
The voice was dry, like sandpaper that hadn't been wet for a long time.
Qin Mu stood up, his black dragon robe making him appear as tall and straight as a pine tree.
He walked to the dressing table and sat down. The bronze mirror reflected his handsome profile and the slender figure behind him.
"Combing your hair."
Jiang Qingxue picked up the jade comb and walked behind him.
Her hands were steady as she gently combed his long, black hair.
In the bronze mirror, the figures of the two overlapped, one composed and dignified, the other pale and fragile, forming an eerie and striking contrast.
Tie up your hair and wear a crown.
With everything completed, Qin Mu stood up.
"I'm leaving." He turned around, his gaze falling on Jiang Qingxue's face. He paused for a moment, then said, "Take good rest."
His tone was flat, making it impossible to tell whether it was out of concern or something else.
"Your Majesty, I respectfully see you off." Jiang Qingxue knelt down, her forehead touching the ground.
The footsteps faded into the distance, and the palace doors opened and closed again.
Only when the suffocating pressure completely disappeared did Jiang Qingxue collapse to the ground, as if all her strength had been drained away.
The cold gold bricks pressed against her skin, chilling her to the bone, but they were nothing compared to the frozen chill in her heart.
She slowly got up, staggered to the window, and pushed it open.
A morning breeze swept in, dispelling the decadent atmosphere in the hall and causing her thin nightgown to cling to her body, outlining her slender waist and slightly trembling curves.
She gazed at the pale sun on the horizon for a long, long time.
Then, she turned around, walked to the dressing table, and picked up the white jade phoenix hairpin that was lying quietly.
My fingertips brushed against the ruby at the phoenix eye, the touch was cool.
"Brother Dragon Elephant..." she murmured softly, her voice so broken it was almost inaudible, "I'm so tired..."
Tears finally fell silently, dripping onto the hairpin and spreading out in a wet patch.
But she quickly wiped away her tears, and her eyes returned to their cold and resolute state.
The path you choose is your own; you have to walk it to the end, even if you have to crawl on your knees.
In the following days, to Jiang Qingxue's surprise, Qin Mu did not visit Yuxiu Palace frequently.
He would only occasionally summon her to the Imperial Garden or a side hall in the afternoon or evening to participate in those absurd games.
For example, he could play blindfolded hide-and-seek, pitch-pot, or even have his concubines dressed in light gauze dresses playing in the pool for his viewing pleasure.
Jiang Qingxue always participated respectfully, playing the role of a newly favored concubine who tried hard to please the emperor but was also somewhat aloof and reserved.
Her dancing wasn't particularly seductive, and her smile wasn't particularly sweet, but it perfectly matched Qin Mu's apparent interest in being "different."
He still looked at her with a playful scrutiny, but at least he didn't ask her to serve him in bed again.
This allowed her to catch her breath in the boundless darkness, and she felt a touch of pathetic relief.
She didn't know if this was Qin Mu's "favor" or the prelude to another cat-and-mouse game.
She could only proceed with extreme caution, as if walking on thin ice.
The political climate in the palace subtly shifted because of her.
The Imperial Household Department sent a constant stream of gifts, and the concubines of the various palaces began to visit and test the waters, whether openly or covertly.
Consort Shu, Su Wanqing, visited most frequently, speaking warmly, but her gaze grew increasingly complex.
Consort De, Consort Xian, Consort Wan, and others, on the other hand, felt a mixture of envy and aloofness.
Jiang Qingxue handled the situation flawlessly, displaying humility, gratitude, and occasionally revealing just the right amount of trepidation and joy of a newly favored concubine.
She immersed herself deeply in the role of "Xue Cairen," as if Jiang Qingxue, who came from the North and harbored immense secrets and pain, had died in the dead of night.
Only when he wakes up in the dead of night, clutching that white jade phoenix hairpin, does a fleeting glimpse of cold hatred and longing in the depths of his eyes reveal a sliver of truth.
........
Five days later, in the Golden Palace of the Great Qin Dynasty.
At the exact hour of Chen (7-9 AM), all the officials arrived.
The Liyang delegation has officially paid its respects today.
"Summon—the envoy from Liyang to an audience—"
The palace maid's clear and melodious voice pierced through the nine layers of the palace.
The palace doors opened one after another, letting in sunlight that cast long shadows on the ground.
The delegation from Liyang, led by Zhou Wenzheng, the Vice Minister of Rites, slowly entered the main hall.
Today, Zhou Wenzheng changed into his formal Liyang court robes, crimson with cloud and goose embroidered patches, and wore a black gauze turban.
His face was solemn, his steps were steady, and he tried his best to maintain the demeanor of an envoy from a superior country, but upon closer inspection, there was still a trace of undisguised superficiality and weariness in his eyes.
The "experience" gained in the capital city these past few days has clearly taken a toll.
Vice Envoy Wang Hongwu and his entourage followed closely behind, all holding their breath.
"Zhou Wenzheng, the envoy from Liyang, pays his respects to His Majesty the Emperor of Great Qin! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty! Long live Your Majesty!"
Zhou Wenzheng was the first to kneel down, following the proper etiquette of three kneelings and nine kowtows.
The voice was loud and resonant, echoing in the spacious hall.
The rest of the delegation members then knelt down, forming a dense, dark mass.
On the dragon throne, Qin Mu wore a black robe with twelve imperial symbols and a crown with twelve tassels. The pearl and jade tassels swayed slightly, obscuring most of his face, revealing only his well-defined jawline and a pair of deep and unfathomable eyes.
He did not call out immediately.
Inside the hall, you could hear a pin drop; the only sounds were the fluttering of flags in the wind outside.
An invisible pressure spread, and fine sweat beaded on Zhou Wenzheng's forehead as he lay prostrate on the ground.
After a long silence, Qin Mu finally spoke, his voice carrying a metallic quality as it came through the tassels: "Rise."
"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Zhou Wenzheng was just like a pardoned. He stood up with his hands at his sides, the back of his official robes already soaked with cold sweat.
"Minister Zhou, you've come from afar; you must be tired." Qin Mu's tone was indifferent. "What brings the Empress of Liyang here?"