Chapter 80: The Jade Pendant
Thoughts turned over several times, struggling repeatedly. In the end, he said it.
Yet there was no sigh of relief as imagined. Instead, it became increasingly uncomfortable. Complex emotions intertwined, almost becoming a sickness of the heart.
Unthinkable, untouchable.
At first, Zhao Yiyi didn’t hear clearly.
Smiling faintly, she turned her head to glance at the person beside her, her almond eyes holding dots of inquiry, then she raised her brow slightly.
“What did Your Majesty say? I didn’t hear clearly.”
Gu Zhen’s hand at his side clenched tighter. Half-lowering his brow and eyes, he didn’t even dare look at her. His voice was stained with hoarseness, “Yiyi, that Cloud and Crane Jade Pendant… should be the birthday gift I gave you.”
Because of a tiny bit of uncertainty, he didn’t dare speak too absolutely.
But with every word, it felt like a sharp blade slicing across his heart, the twisting pain unbearable. Blood gushed out, and no matter how he tried, he couldn’t stop the flow.
In an instant, it snaked down.
It was just a jade pendant, yet it was something he had prepared with care, trying to please her, trying to win a smile from her.
That day, after the jade pendant was finished, he was ecstatic. Ignoring that his rib injury hadn’t fully healed, he rode personally to the West Market to retrieve it, guarding it in his bosom all the way back like a treasure.
He gave it cautiously, afraid of making her unhappy, so he didn’t even ask much about it.
Afraid that asking would only annoy her.
Worrying about gains and losses, knowing no peace.
The sound of the wind wrapped around his difficult, slow voice and poured into Zhao Yiyi’s ears.
Her expression stunned slightly, a look of astonishment flashing across her face. “Was it sent by Your Majesty?”
Clusters of pine needles fell onto the table in front of them, then were brushed away by the north wind, scattering on the ground.
“It was too long ago; I don’t remember.” Looking at the few needles lying on her skirt, Zhao Yiyi reached out to brush them away lightly. When she looked up again, her eyes looking at him were filled with guilt. “Today’s matter is my fault. I hope Your Majesty can forgive me.”
Her voice was gentle as always, but the corners of Gu Zhen’s lips unconsciously carried bitterness, and despair flashed through his heart.
The indifference of the past, the disregard—it was all coming back to him now.
So, this was the taste of being ignored and treated coldly.
Especially when that person was the one you loved.
Gu Zhen could almost imagine Yiyi’s despair back then.
It was precisely because despair was born that she became so decisive later.
Gu Zhen picked up a ginkgo nut, peeled off the inner skin, and placed it in the small cup in front of her. His voice was muffled. “It hasn’t been half a year since your last birthday.”
Less than half a year, yet forgotten completely.
Staring at that face, fair as jade, he wanted to question her several times, but felt he had no right to ask, forcing himself to hold it back.
Zhao Yiyi fell silent.
Looking at the young people playing in the forest, she asked, “Then what should we do?”
She had already promised it and put it out as a prize; naturally, there was no logic in taking it back.
Gu Zhen smiled, squeezed her hand, and lowered his voice. “Don’t worry, I will win it back in a moment.” There were many ways to get it back; he could even just issue a decree.
But he wanted to win it back openly and aboveboard.
“Can Your Majesty do it?” Zhao Yiyi looked at him hesitantly, inquiry in her eyes. “Your Majesty hasn’t played Pitch-pot for a long time, right?”
Gu Zhen gritted his teeth. “You don’t know what your own husband is like?”
Hearing the annoyance in his voice, almost bordering on exasperation, Zhao Yiyi stopped talking.
Over there, the competition wasn’t finished, and there were still a few who hadn’t determined a winner. Yet Gu Zhen stood up and offered his hand. “Come, walk around with me.”
The hand extended was his left hand.
That hand was covered in scars. Near the wrist where the sleeve hid it, it was hideous and terrifying, extending all the way inside the sleeve—who knew what it looked like specifically.
Looking at the large palm before her, then looking up to meet his smiling phoenix eyes, Zhao Yiyi suddenly felt that he seemed different from before.
But wherein the difference lay, she couldn’t say.
Her gaze resting on those traces, her heart finally softened. Taking into account the many people watching, she placed her hand on his.
Only in that instant, she suddenly had a flash of insight. Turning to look at him with slight astonishment, she realized for the first time—how had he suddenly learned the ‘bitter flesh stratagem’?
“Your Majesty is the Son of Heaven,” Zhao Yiyi complained with some annoyance, glaring at him as she tried to pull her hand back. “I really don’t know where Your Majesty learned such tricks.”
Gu Zhen wouldn’t let her move, holding tighter and laughing low. “It’s true I am the Son of Heaven, but am I not also Yiyi’s husband? Yiyi ignores me—am I not allowed to think of some methods?”
Such words were too direct. Hearing them from his mouth for the first time made Zhao Yiyi flush red, a layer of faint pink floating on her cheeks from shyness.
“You!” She couldn’t outspeak him, so she could only look at him angrily. “How can Your Majesty bully people like this?”
Gu Zhen held her slender hand, pulling her closer to his side, and lowered his voice to coax her. “Alright, alright, it is my fault.” He coughed lightly and said, “My feelings—how can Yiyi not understand?”
Zhao Yiyi ignored him, her hibiscus face still pulled tight. “The Emperor’s heart is hard to predict. How would I understand Your Majesty’s feelings?”
Still being awkward.
Those old matters from the past were thorns lying between the two of them. She wasn’t willing to believe that he couldn’t do without her; she would rather believe the Emperor was fickle than believe he loved her.
She always held some grievances.
Gu Zhen’s gaze moved down, resting where their hands overlapped, his thoughts concentrating slightly.
His feelings… Yiyi might not necessarily misunderstand, nor fail to perceive a thing or two.
But her nature was stubborn and a bit obstinate. Once she decided on something in her heart, it was always hard to change.
Gu Zhen could not say he didn’t regret.
He had been the Crown Prince for twenty years. Every word and deed was formed by the teachings of great Confucian scholars. He had handled countless decrees and judged countless cases, never once feeling regret.
The only time was with her; he regretted it.
If he had known today would come, known she would take it to heart, he wouldn’t have said a single word complaining that she wasn’t good enough. Nor would he have done things silently without discussing anything with her.
It was a pity there was no medicine for regret in this world. No matter how much remorse and sadness he felt, these were things that had already happened.
Gu Zhen’s thoughts were complicated. He finally changed the subject, asking softly, “In Yiyi’s heart, are my thoughts that hard to guess?”
Zhao Yiyi asked back, “Are they not?”
Leaving the pine forest, glancing back slightly at the corner of the veranda, one could still see the scene of fluttering robes over there.
“Does Yiyi still remember the first time we met?” Stepping onto the veranda, Gu Zhen suddenly turned sideways to ask her.
Under the profuse pear trees, the clear and elegant young man stood tall, handsome as a figure in a painting.
Pear blossoms fell all over him, and he just smiled at her like that.
Zhao Yiyi’s brow jumped, but she let out a nonchalant sound. “Hmm?”
Gu Zhen suddenly embraced her waist, which was full enough to be grasped in one hand, pressing her against the side of the veranda. He lowered his head and laughed low. “That day at Pitch-pot, the way the Empress refused to yield to anyone—I remember it freshly.”
Zhao Yiyi was stunned. Looking at the face close at hand, she suddenly fell silent.
After a long time, she curled her fingers, her voice faint. “Is that so?”
After the Emperor and Empress left, the excitement by the Hai Pool didn’t diminish.
On the contrary, with fewer constraints, they played more openly.
The capacity of the lacquered pot was limited, and the size of the mouth was even more limited. Ordinary Pitch-pot arrows were usually played in sets of ten. Fitting twenty arrows tightly inside wasn’t an easy task.
The further it went, the smaller the remaining space in the mouth, and the harder it became.
The Emperor’s undisputed Full Pot earlier had drawn the amazement of countless people present.
“The first few arrows are easier; you throw first.” Zhao Duanduan was someone who played Pitch-pot often. After practicing on the side for a while, she finally made up her mind to enter the field. She pulled five arrows from the quiver and handed them to Jiang Jiayan, signaling for him to throw first.
Jiang Jiayan said okay, taking the arrows from her hand. He pinched one in his right hand, concentrating on the lacquered pot placed not far away.
Knowing there could be no mistakes, he focused entirely on the pot, his gaze condensing, his body taut almost like a drawn bow.
But perhaps the more nervous one was, the easier it was to make a mistake. With a clang, the feathered arrow smashed onto the ground outside the lacquered pot.
Although he told the Emperor his Pitch-pot skills were merely superficial fur, implying some modesty, no matter what, it shouldn’t have reached this level.
Jiang Jiayan panicked inside and hurriedly apologized. “Princess, this official…”
Zhao Duanduan was completely dumbfounded. It took a long while to come back to her senses, forcing a smile. “No matter, just one arrow. It’s nothing.”
Jiang Jiayan nodded and took another arrow.
The arrow left his hand, drawing an arc in the air, and still landed steadily on the ground.
“This official made a mistake; I hope the Princess will forgive me.” Jiang Jiayan lowered his voice, his face full of apology.
Zhao Duanduan stared blankly ahead, squeezing a few words through her teeth. “No harm. Official Jiang, continue.”
Jiang Jiayan nodded, bracing himself to take another one. With the precedent of the first two, he became even more nervous, his fingertips trembling.
Three in a row landed on the ground. Zhao Duanduan almost wanted to cry. The corners of her eyes took on a suspicious redness, yet she still had to comfort him. “Since Official Jiang has done his best, I am naturally endlessly grateful. How could I haggle over such small matters with Official Jiang?”
The expression on her face was like crying yet not crying, smiling yet not smiling. It had absolutely nothing to do with ‘not haggling’.
“It was because this official was not cautious enough today, too careless, that caused such a situation.” Seeing the redness at the corner of her eyes, Jiang Jiayan was horrified and hurriedly admitted his fault.
Zhao Duanduan was so angry she wanted to cry, but didn’t dare to cry out.
After all, crying over something like this was humiliating, not to mention losing face.
The Prince of Yan couldn’t watch anymore from the side. He gave Jiang Jiayan a look of disdain before asking, “Do you want me to help you?”
Zhao Duanduan looked left and right, wanting to agree, but fearing she would hurt Jiang Jiayan’s face. While she hesitated, a clap of thunder sounded. Everyone was startled and ran toward the nearby halls, verandas, and pavilions. Before they got far, a torrential downpour suddenly began to drift down in an instant.
It was a rain without warning. Everyone didn’t even have time to manage the equipment, leaving it right where it was.
Zhao Duanduan ran while fuming, secretly regretting that she had been momentarily possessed by a ghost to agree. If she had known, she would have been better off relying entirely on herself.
A sudden shower instantly cooled the climate of the capital.
The north wind was bitingly cold. When it slammed against people, it seemed to want to cut an opening in their bodies. The clothes that were originally considered thick enough were suddenly insufficient.
Zhao Yiyi sat by the window drying her wet hair.
When the rain fell, the two of them were walking by the Hai Pool. Happening to be close to the Zichen Hall, they came here to take shelter.
Listening to the pattering rain outside the window, she grew sleepy, and her movements wiping her hair slowed down.
“Hot water is ready. Go wash up first. You just got some rain on you; be careful not to catch a chill.” Gu Zhen walked over quickly, reaching out to feel her forehead. Seeing there was no fever, he sighed in relief. “I ordered people to bring a few sets of dresses. Take a look yourself and see which one you like.”
Palace attendants brought several sets of dresses into the hall, placing them on the low couch nearby.
While Zhao Yiyi wiped her wet hair, she tilted her head to look at him. “How are there dresses here with Your Majesty?”
Gu Zhen knew what she was thinking.
His heart softened slightly, and he said gently, “I was afraid you might come over occasionally and have no clothes to change into, so I ordered the Shangfu Bureau to make them and keep them here.”
Seeing she didn’t believe him, Gu Zhen said helplessly, “They were all made according to your measurements. When have I ever had anyone else?”
Zhao Yiyi had new clothes made every month. Except for intimate garments made by the palace maids of Pepper Room Hall (Jiao Fang Palace), ordinary clothes or ceremonial robes were still the responsibility of the Shangfu Bureau.
Making new clothes inevitably required measurements.
The Shangfu Bureau always had the measurements required for her monthly new clothes.
She was stunned, staring at the clothes in a daze. Under Gu Zhen’s urging, she finally chose a dress and got up to go to the bathhouse.
After washing, the attendants helped her change into that goose-yellow long skirt and willow-green jacket. It fit incomparably well.
Sure enough, it was made to her measurements.
When she returned to the main hall, she saw the Emperor holding an umbrella under the corridor. She asked, “Where is Your Majesty going?”
Gu Zhen turned back to smile at her. “I still have to go win that jade pendant back.”
“It’s raining.” Zhao Yiyi’s voice was gentle. She walked unhurriedly to the palace door, one hand holding the door pivot. “A single jade pendant isn’t worth Your Majesty braving the rain. I have a few similar ones; I’ll send them to Your Majesty tomorrow.”
But Gu Zhen said, “Although those are good too, they aren’t the one I want.” He opened the umbrella, dropping a sentence before diving into the curtain of rain: “Wait for me to come back.”
Zhao Yiyi’s heart trembled slightly. She pressed her lips together but ultimately didn’t speak to stop him again, letting him go.
Rainy days were best for sleeping.
Even though she had just woken up from an afternoon nap and gone to the pine forest by the Hai Pool, Zhao Yiyi became sleepy again.
Holding a scroll of books and leaning against the low couch, smelling the sinking elm incense curling out of the bronze sparrow censer in the hall, her eyelids began to fight. Gradually, after closing, they wouldn’t open much.
The sound of urgent rain lingered around, occasionally accompanied by a few claps of thunder, yet she slept extremely well, without a hint of discomfort.
Zhao Yiyi had always liked the sound of rain and thunder; this time, she had caught the right moment.
As for how long she slept, Zhao Yiyi wasn’t clear. She only knew that in her hazy state, she felt a presence beside her that wasn’t hers, and her hair seemed to be being played with.
She reached out to pull her hair back, but her hand was held and not let go.
Opening her eyes abruptly, the first thing she saw was that tall and towering figure sitting beside her with smiling eyes. Seeing her open her eyes, he smiled. “Awake?”
Zhao Yiyi didn’t react, still a bit dazed. She hugged the bolster and rubbed against it, closing her eyes intending to continue sleeping.
Unexpectedly, Gu Zhen shook an object in front of her, saying as if claiming credit, “Look, I won this back.”
Winter days darken early. Looking out the window, the sky outside had already begun to dim.
Zhao Yiyi froze. She propped herself up to look at the jade pendant, then looked at him. “When did Your Majesty return?”
“Over an hour ago. Seeing you were asleep, I didn’t call you.” Gu Zhen felt her forehead and whispered, “Since you’re awake, get up. I ordered people to stew lamb, and also boiled lamb chop soup with yam. It can warm your body.”
As he spoke, he tied that jade pendant back onto Zhao Yiyi’s waist.
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