Chapter 104: The Truth
Almost instantly, Zhao Yiyi’s face flushed deep red.
Her back was pressed tight against the decorative partition, one hand against his hard chest. Her lips parted, and just as she was about to speak, they were sealed shut once more.
Through the layers of clothing, a wave of heat came from his fingertips. Zhao Yiyi tried her best to retreat, but she couldn’t escape his embrace. She could only tilt her head back, entangled with him.
The kiss felt as if it would swallow her whole.
It was impossible to say how much time passed before Gu Zhen finally released her. Zhao Yiyi gasped for air like a drowning person. She gave him a hard push and ran off on her own.
She was in such a hurry that she didn’t notice the things around her. Her lotus-colored skirt snagged on a floor screen, and her body suddenly lurched forward.
Gu Zhen was quick and caught her, hooking his arm around her waist to pull her back up. He frowned and said, “Careful, don’t fall.”
Zhao Yiyi ignored him, pushed him away with a stoic face, and continued walking.
She went into a side hall on her own. Gu Zhen followed unhurriedly. She didn’t look back or acknowledge him; she simply sat down on the reed mat by the window and reached out to push open the casement, intending to get some fresh air.
The moment the paulownia wood window was opened, a vast expanse of white entered her vision. An east wind blew past, and petals like drifting snow fluttered through the air. A few petals happened to fly inside, landing on the desk by the window.
Gu Zhen had been staring at Zhao Yiyi, never missing a single emotion on her face. He stepped closer and whispered, “I had these transplanted from the Zhao ancestral home in Chang’an. Luck was on our side—they actually bloomed in the first year.”
Zhao Yiyi hadn’t been to Zichen Hall in some time. Even when she did come, the trees were bare then; who could distinguish between peach, pear, or apricot?
Seeing them today, she noticed the difference. The snow-like clusters on the trees suddenly reminded her of a spring day many years ago. Back then, the pear blossoms in the garden were even more magnificent than these.
A soft voice, carrying a trace of an undetectable tremor, pulled her back: “The things of the past cannot be erased without a trace, so Zhen will remember them with you. In the past, only Jiao Fang Palace had such beautiful pear blossoms. It’s a pity they are all gone. Now, they are planted here in Zichen Hall.”
The pear blossoms at Jiao Fang Palace had indeed been beautiful. She had specifically transplanted them there from elsewhere. She remembered last spring, when the blossoms were so thick they seemed to surround the entire palace.
Unfortunately, they were all reduced to ashes.
The east wind grew stronger. A petal suddenly came to rest on her fingertip. Zhao Yiyi looked down and asked, “When did this happen?”
She paused, and when no one answered, she asked again: “When did this happen?”
Gu Zhen looked down at her, a profound tenderness in his expression. He replied softly, “After Zhen learned why you like pear blossoms.”
Zhao Yiyi stared blankly out the window for a long time before saying in a low voice, “Why bother?”
Knowing she didn’t love him, why bother doing all this? Whether it was these small things or the scars he received from saving her, he had never mentioned any of it. He had even gone to great lengths to hide it.
In Gu Zhen, Zhao Yiyi seemed to see her former self. Always trying every means to cater to the other’s preferences, always carrying a bit of caution and self-deprecation. Facing the person she loved, she had unconsciously placed herself in the humblest position. She wanted to offer the best she had to the other, yet feared they wouldn’t want it.
She tilted her head to look at him, her eyes unknowingly growing stinging with tears. “Since you transplanted them, why didn’t you tell me?”
“I thought I would give you a surprise when they bloomed.” Gu Zhen gazed at her, his eyes warm, his handsome face softened. “You hadn’t come over, so it was delayed until today.”
Her heart felt sour and swollen. Zhao Yiyi knit her brows but didn’t want to look at him anymore. She turned her face away and said, “Didn’t you say you had government affairs? Why are you still here?”
Hearing her attempt to shoo him away, Gu Zhen laughed helplessly. He reached out and took a moon-white cloak from the wooden rack, shaking it twice before draping it over her shoulders. Once the ties were fastened, the side hall grew quiet.
Outside the window, birds chirped occasionally, flapping their wings to fly. The sound of the wind whistled against the window.
Her heart was in total disarray. Zhao Yiyi pressed a hand to her chest and leaned lightly against the armrest. At this moment, even she couldn’t say exactly what her feelings were. It was precisely because of this that she didn’t dare look at him.
Yunzhu silently poured a cup of tea and asked warmly, “Is Your Highness tired?”
Zhao Yiyi shook her head. “No, I took a nap in the carriage, and I slept early last night. I’m not tired.”
“It really is for the best that Your Highness and His Majesty are getting along so peacefully now.” After placing the tea in her hand, Yunzhu sighed softly and smiled. “I’ve noticed that lately, there are many more smiles on Your Highness’s face.”
Zhao Yiyi instinctively touched her cheek. “That’s not true.” Then, feeling the action was too foolish, she quickly pulled her hand away.
Yunzhu let out a giggle, then stood to secure the window. Her voice was gentle: “Your Highness was so resolute before. Though it was a liberation, a trace of sorrow often lingered in your eyes. As for your smile now—Your Highness can feel it yourself without me saying anything.”
Zhao Yiyi knit her brows slightly, looking out the window as her thoughts drifted with the white petals.
It was already afternoon when they returned. After a short nap and chatting with Yunzhu for a while, it was time for dinner.
Tonight’s dinner included a dish of steamed reeves shad. Zhao Yiyi was never very good at picking out fish bones. Although the shad meat was delicate, she didn’t touch her chopsticks to it.
“Do you not like it?” Gu Zhen had seen everything and couldn’t help but ask. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll tell them they don’t need to serve this dish.”
Zhao Yiyi shook her head and told the truth: “There are too many bones.”
Gu Zhen paused, suddenly remembering last year when Yiyi had a bone stuck in her throat because of a piece of shad he had served her. She had coughed so painfully, almost heartbreakingly so, that it made one’s heart wrench.
After a moment of daze, Gu Zhen took a large piece of fish into his bowl, switched to a different pair of chopsticks, and lowered his head to meticulously pick out the small bones from the tender meat. The meat was white, and the bones were translucent. Such tiny bones were the hardest to find.
However, Gu Zhen calmed his heart and searched bit by bit, not daring to miss any possibility. Finally, all the bones were removed, leaving only the fresh, tender meat. He pushed the bowl toward Zhao Yiyi and said warmly, “I’ve picked out all the bones. Eat slowly, in small bites, and you won’t get stuck.”
Zhao Yiyi looked at him first before lowering her head and taking a tiny bit of shad. The taste of the shad was indeed delicious, especially since it was freshly caught today. She ate slowly, and through the entire small bowl of fish, she didn’t find even half a bone.
As she ate, her heart suddenly felt a pang of sweetness.
“Is it good?” Gu Zhen softened his tone, asking with a hint of anticipation.
Zhao Yiyi nodded. “Mhm.”
Gu Zhen then took another piece of fish and began a new round of deboning. As he looked down at the fish, his sword-like brows and starry eyes were partially closed, his face as clear and refined as a spring pond.
“No more,” Zhao Yiyi said, knitting her brows as she watched him work. “Don’t pick anymore. I can’t eat this much. Besides, it takes too much effort. If it’s this difficult, I simply won’t eat it.”
Dusk fell, and the candles in the room were gradually lit, covering her face in a warm glow. As the saying goes, a beauty is best seen under the lamp. She was already extremely beautiful, and under the candlelight, she appeared even more magnificent and exquisite.
Gu Zhen didn’t stop. He simply smiled and said, “If you like it, it doesn’t matter if I pick out a few more.” They were husband and wife; doing this was the most natural thing in the world.
“I know you actually like reeves shad.” Gu Zhen’s voice grew soft, his eyes filled with tenderness. “You just never ate much because you were worried about the bones.” If she didn’t like it, how could she have finished that small plate of fish?
After finishing the meal, Zhao Yiyi rose to return to Yande Hall, but Gu Zhen insisted on walking her back.
The moment he suggested it, Zhao Yiyi had a bad premonition. Thinking of what had happened during the day, her heart beat faster and faster. But Gu Zhen wouldn’t budge, so she had to let him come along.
The two didn’t take the imperial litter; they simply strolled slowly along the edge of the Sea Pond. The cool, clear water reflected the silver moonlight, its surface shimmering like stars. Gu Zhen held her hand as they walked, but they ran into two young girls coming toward them.
Surrounded by palace attendants, the two girls looked quite bedraggled, with several leaves clinging to their clothes. Gu Zhen frowned at a single glance. Knowing Yiyi wouldn’t have the heart to scold them, he asked in a deep voice, “What have you been doing?”
Zhao Duanduan was already panicking. At his question, she almost burst into tears. She looked up tremblingly until she saw Zhao Yiyi beside him, which served as a reassuring pill. Her expression became a bit more natural: “We… we fell into the pond.”
The two of them had a sudden whim to go boating on the lake at night. However, the wind was particularly strong today. They had only been sailing for a short while when the small boat suddenly flipped, sending both of them into the water.
Zhao Yiyi was a bit panicked and hurriedly said, “Go back quickly and change your clothes. Drink a bowl of ginger tea and wash up with hot water.” As she spoke, she was still worried and wanted to go with them.
Gu Zhen was a bit displeased and said coldly, “How old are you now? You still make your sister worry.”
The Grand Princess lived in Qinglu Hall, and there was a daughter of a foreign official there today, so it was inconvenient for Gu Zhen to go. Zhao Yiyi was quite annoyed but didn’t say much. She turned and followed the two girls hurriedly toward Qinglu Hall.
The imperial physician arrived then. After taking their pulses and having a female medic check their temperatures, he said, “The Grand Princess and Miss He are fine. They just caught a chill today. They should drive out the cold first.”
A large bowl of ginger tea was brought up, its smell so strong it made one want to sneeze. Though they were reluctant, they were forced to pinch their noses and drink it under Zhao Yiyi’s watchful eye.
Zhao Duanduan went to the washroom first. He Xunfang wrapped herself in clean clothes and sat by the brazier to dispel the chill.
“I heard from Madam Wen that they are already preparing for your wedding,” Zhao Yiyi said with a smile. “I haven’t seen your mother in some time. Has the date been set?”
He Xunfang nodded and replied softly, “It’s at the end of this year. The specific day hasn’t been calculated yet.”
Zhao Yiyi nodded. “Then it’s coming soon. Thank you for your hard work in putting up with Duanduan’s mischief lately.” The He family was taking in a son-in-law (zhaoxu), so all the preparations were handled by the He family, and the couple would continue to live there after the wedding. A year seemed long, but it wasn’t actually that much time.
He Xunfang said gently, “The Grand Princess is innocent and romantic. I find it interesting to be with her; it’s not hard work at all.”
She hadn’t been close to Linchuan before. They were both raised with indulgence. Though she had a good temper, she wasn’t willing to be Linchuan’s follower or semi-servant. Though Linchuan was a princess, she was also her parents’ only child. People had to have a natural affinity. For example, she and Linchuan didn’t get along and disliked each other, but with Jiangdu, it was like they were old friends from the first meeting.
The physician was writing a prescription nearby. Zhao Yiyi walked over to watch and saw what looked like a roll of pulse records in the medicine box. Thinking it was Duanduan’s, she picked it up to look.
To her surprise, it was Gu Zhen’s. The physician must have accidentally brought it out. Since she had already picked it up, she looked through it. His constitution was exceptionally good, and the records were simple, with almost no fluctuations. It wasn’t until last year that something unusual appeared.
It was written clearly there: broken ribs.
It was from April of last year.
When the physician looked up and saw what was in her hand, he jumped in fright and hurried to take it back: “Your Highness, this… this can’t be touched. This is His Majesty’s pulse record.”
Zhao Yiyi held the record and pointed to one spot. “His Majesty has had a fracture?”
The physician was stunned before nodding. “In April of last year, His Majesty broke a rib in Chang’an. I didn’t go with him then, so I’m not sure of the specific reason…” He even found it strange—if the Emperor had a fracture, how could the Empress not know? Especially since they were both in Chang’an last April.
Zhao Yiyi’s thoughts were in a chaotic mess. She gave a few more instructions, and after seeing that both girls had finished washing up, she hurried out.
There was only a small bamboo grove between Qinglu Hall and Yande Hall. What usually seemed like a long walk was over in just a few steps today. Her heart wouldn’t stop pounding. Her face held a hint of bewilderment, even daze. She couldn’t help but think of things she couldn’t yet confirm.
It wasn’t until she entered the hall and saw the person sitting there reading that her expression suddenly changed. She stepped forward, gave the man a hard push, and asked, “When did you break your ribs?”
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