Chapter 10: The Marriage of That Year
In the quiet room, the flickering of the candlelight suddenly sounded, blinking violently for a moment before the light dimmed slightly.
Zhao Yiyi leaned against the bed, her heart pounding like a drum, beating faster and faster.
The rapid beat made her chest ache.
The other person seemed surprised by her earlier answer, pausing for a long time before saying softly, “If Your Majesty can live in harmony with the Empress, that would be the best. I still remember that after the marriage was decided, Your Majesty said that you disliked Zhao family women and didn’t want her to enter the East Palace. I worried about this for a long time. If it’s as Your Majesty now thinks, my worried heart can be put at ease.”
Gu Zhen half-lowered his eyelids, stroking the teacup in his hand, “When I was young, I couldn’t control my emotions. My aunt, relying on my father’s favor, liked to participate in court affairs and palace matters, even interfering with my marriage, so I was wary and somewhat dissatisfied with the Empress.”
Zhao Yiyi suddenly tightened her fingers. Her freshly manicured nails instantly dug into her palm, leaving several crescent-shaped marks.
This time, she was truly uncomfortable.
After marrying into the East Palace, she learned that the Empress Dowager and her aunt had a deep-seated grudge that was difficult to reconcile. Because of her aunt, the Empress Dowager greatly disliked her.
She wasn’t foolish; she understood this clearly.
What Zhao Yiyi didn’t expect was that he had felt the same way back then, and had even said that he disliked Zhao family women.
This realization stunned her, her blood seeming to stop flowing, a chill spreading from her heart to her limbs.
Gradually, her body began to tremble uncontrollably.
As if remembering something, the other person sighed, “Also, since the death of Old Marquis Zhao, the Zhao family has begun to decline…”
They, the old ministers of the East Palace, were not very satisfied with this marriage. The Crown Prince, as the heir apparent, should naturally be matched with the daughter of a powerful minister, not the declining Zhao family.
Dissatisfied though they were, the marriage had already been decided. He understood that if the family was not peaceful, the Crown Prince would have difficulty achieving great things, so he hoped that the two of them could get along harmoniously.
From the Emperor’s initial thoughts, one could faintly sense that he would eventually depose the Empress. Seeing that he could temporarily put aside this thought, he breathed a sigh of relief.
An Empress deposed without fault would leave a stain on history.
Thinking of this, the person said, “However, the Empress Dowager’s concerns are not without reason. Your Majesty has already passed the age of majority, and there is still no imperial heir, which inevitably causes the courtiers some anxiety.”
Since there were no children, the vast harem remained empty, which was not a good thing. He didn’t say this out loud, but Gu Zhen understood the unspoken words perfectly.
After a moment of contemplation, he said softly, “I understand.”
Zhao Yiyi’s body relaxed slightly, leaning against the bed, suppressing her discomfort. A short time later, she heard Gu Zhen say, “It’s getting late. After half a day’s journey, I’m a little tired, Cheng Lao, you should also go back and rest.”
Cheng Mingyuan got up at the right moment, bowing, “Your Majesty, please rest well. I will take my leave.”
Zhao Yiyi stiffly turned back to the inner side of the bed, lying back in her original position and pulling the quilt over herself.
As the door opened, steady and powerful footsteps entered her ears. There was a rustling sound outside the tent, and the jade-green lotus-patterned gauze curtain was lifted, and a warm body lay down beside her.
Even with her back to him, Zhao Yiyi could clearly feel him taking off his boots, entering the tent, lifting the quilt, and settling down. Her heart felt like it was on fire. She wanted to ask her husband what those words meant, whether he really didn’t like her.
But she couldn’t ask.
Moreover, it was a private conversation between the Emperor and his ministers; although she had overheard unintentionally, it was still considered eavesdropping.
Thinking this, Zhao Yiyi lay with her back to him, trying hard to fall asleep quickly, but tears still flowed from her tightly closed eyes.
Silently, they flowed onto the jade pillow.
The Emperor’s plowing and the Empress’s sericulture were ancient rituals.
Because these ancient rituals were too complicated and time-consuming, the Empress Dowager only held them every few years. In the two years Zhao Yiyi was Crown Princess, they had not been held once.
Before the plowing, it was customary to offer sacrifices to the Xianong Altar first.
The next day, Gu Zhen got up early. Just as Zhao Yiyi reached out to help him put on his crown, he saw that the jeweled gold bracelet she had been wearing was gone, replaced by her old nephrite jade bracelet.
Gu Zhen couldn’t help but ask, “Why aren’t you wearing the gold bracelet?”
Unexpectedly, he would ask, Zhao Yiyi frowned slightly, saying softly, “I gave it to Miss He Er.”
Gu Zhen chuckled, “How did she catch your eye?” She had just told him how much she loved it, and then she gave it away.
“Miss He Er is fated to have that bracelet,” Zhao Yiyi shook her head gently, saying, “That day in Wanchun Palace, I saw that the jeweled gold bracelet Miss He Er was wearing was the same as mine, so I gave her mine to make a pair.”
Gu Zhen nodded, though he found the matter somewhat strange, he didn’t say anything more.
After both of them changed their clothes and had breakfast, Gu Zhen left the palace and went with the officials to the main hall of the Xianong Altar to offer sacrifices to the God of Agriculture.
After the sacrifice was completed, the Emperor personally went to work in the fields, and the officials also followed, to experience the hardships of working the fields. The Xianong Altar was not small. It was Zhao Yiyi’s first time here. Seeing the beautiful spring scenery, she let the attendants of the altar lead her around to admire the scenery.
Because her injured ankle wasn’t completely healed, she moved slowly.
Unintentionally, she arrived near the plowing field. Just as she was about to turn back, a gentle voice came from behind her: “Imperial Sister-in-law.”
Zhao Yiyi turned her head in surprise, and when she saw who it was, she smiled, “Why are you here, Fourth Brother? Are you here to shirk your work?”
The visitor was the fourth son of the late Emperor, Prince Yan. Although he was not born to the same mother as Gu Zhen, he was one of Gu Zhen’s most trusted aides, just like Jiang Jiayan, and was the most trusted among the imperial clan.
“Imperial Sister-in-law, do you really think of me that way?” Prince Yan suddenly laughed, then asked, “Imperial Sister-in-law is here to look for Imperial Brother? Why don’t I go in and inform him for you?”
Hearing him mention him, Zhao Yiyi’s heart ached, she shook her head and said, “I just happened to pass by. But now that you mention it, I remembered something. Would you please tell my elder brother to come and find me later?”
Prince Yan nodded in agreement, and Zhao Yiyi turned to leave.
In the evening, Zhao Yuan, the Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, changed into clean clothes and went to visit the Empress’s temporary residence.
Zhao Yiyi didn’t beat around the bush, and said directly, “Achen is almost fourteen years old. Do you have any plans?”
The Empress always favored her two younger siblings. Zhao Yuan was not surprised to hear her ask about it, and respectfully replied, “Father mentioned last time that he should enter the Imperial College.”
Zhao Yiyi frowned slightly, “He’s going to the Imperial College anyway, so why not go to the Guozixue (National Academy)?”
Zhao Yuan was somewhat surprised. The Imperial College was divided into six schools, including the Guozixue and Tai Xue, and the Guozixue was the best of the six schools. The doctors appointed there were all learned scholars, but there was one rule: only children of third-rank officials or above, who are fourteen years of age, could be enrolled.
He said hesitantly, “Your Majesty, Father is a fourth-rank official, and…we are just one rank short.”
“It’s alright,” Zhao Yiyi poured herself a cup of tea. Amidst the rising steam, her already beautiful eyebrows and eyes were even more unfathomable. “Grandfather was also a third-rank official, originally wanting to send you to Guozixue, but you insisted on going to Baihe Academy. When Grandfather’s health was poor, he had asked the late Emperor for a favor, which was to allow Achen to enter Guozixue.”
Zhao Yuan didn’t know about this and was stunned. He said softly, “In that case, Your Majesty should discuss it with Father.”
Zhao Yiyi glared at him, angrily, “Discuss what? Go back and tell him to work hard and stop making trouble!”
After staying at the Xianong Altar for a few days, the imperial plowing came to an end.
In the evening, Zhao Yiyi was reading in her room alone.
Just as she was getting sleepy and her eyelids were about to close, the door was pushed open from outside, and the man in a light blue straight robe strode in and stopped in front of her.
Gu Zhen had a hint of tiredness in his eyes, but his tall figure was like a towering mountain, giving her a sense of reassurance. He asked solemnly, “How is your ankle injury?”
Being cared for like this, Zhao Yiyi’s face suddenly turned red, hurriedly saying, “I’ve applied medicine for two or three days, it’s much better.”
Gu Zhen glanced down at the medicine bottle and said lightly, “Since it’s better, let’s go horseback riding tomorrow.”
Author’s Note:
Gu Zhen: Today, I temporarily choose to be a good person.
Let Gu Zhen be a dog for a few more days, and then we’ll teach him how to be a human, haha.