Chapter 52: Planning for Her part 1
Under the evening glow, his face, as if carved by knife and axe, appeared even more precipitous. The brows and eyes that usually held a chill suddenly softened at this moment.
Those phoenix eyes harbored a gentle light, interweaving with the setting sun drilling in through the window, causing her to involuntarily look sideways and ask in a daze, “What?”
Seeing the disbelief on her face, Gu Zhen’s eyes darkened, and his heart ache intensified.
Yiyi didn’t believe him.
Only because she had suffered those hurts in the past would she react like this today, subconsciously afraid to believe his words.
He shifted his body hesitantly and spoke again warmly, “Since you want to go back and have a look, pick a time. We will let Ah-Qi escort you, alright?”
The leaves outside the window swayed lightly, and the rustling sound broke through the air, reaching Zhao Yiyi’s ears.
Listening to that sound, as the soft wind brushed against her face, she couldn’t help but smile slightly. “If that is so, then many thanks to Bixia.”
For a split second, she almost thought she had heard wrong.
If not, how could he… agree so readily? It was as if it blurted out; no matter what she said right now, he would have agreed.
“Go early.” Gu Zhen gazed at her face, his voice slightly hoarse. “It is nearly summer now, and the weather is gradually heating up. The journey will inevitably be arduous. Go early, and come back early.”
Zhao Yiyi stared at the plate of honey-preserved cherries before her, secretly thinking that she didn’t want to come back so soon.
Since it was summer and the weather was hot, she would wait until the Dog Days were over, wait for autumn, wait for winter, or at worst wait until the new year turned. Coming back then would be cool and refreshing.
Thinking of this, her heart instantly felt much more comfortable. She pushed the agate plate forward and said warmly, “New honey-preserved cherries. Bixia should taste them.”
The plate of honey-preserved cherries was crimson in color, glistening with the sheen of honey. The pits had been carefully removed, and they were piled up into a small mountain.
Gu Zhen was stunned for an instant, then picked one up with a silver fork and put it in his mouth. A sweet taste melted on his tongue. Holding that cherry preserve, he didn’t even dare to use too much force.
If he used force, he would bite through it.
If he bit through it, it would be gone.
He couldn’t bear it.
He couldn’t bear to finish it so easily.
In the past, at Chongren Hall and Purple Heaven Hall, various snacks and pastries were never in short supply. Every few days there would be seasonal pastries. But they weren’t made by the Imperial Kitchen; they were sent from Lizheng Hall or Jiao Fang Palace.
They were made by Yiyi’s own hands.
But now, Yiyi hadn’t made food for him for nearly two months.
With the tip of his tongue pressing against the cherry preserve, Gu Zhen suddenly felt a sense of unreality.
Zhao Yiyi leaned against the armrest, lazily pulling at the small floral roundels embroidered on her silk sash. Seeing him like this, she gently looked away and said, “Bixia likes them, so take some back to enjoy.”
It just so happened that she had eaten too many over the past few days and had gotten some internal heat, causing several painful mouth sores. Since the cherries were sent by him anyway, and he had just agreed to something she had longed for for years, giving them to him was fine.
Gu Zhen glanced at her, his hand slightly curling inside his sleeve, and whispered, “Good. We… have indeed not had cherry preserves for a long time.” The last time was early last summer. Yiyi had taken the leftover cherries, washed and pitted them, and made a full jar of honey-preserved cherries.
He had found her annoying, so he only ate a few casually to brush her off, wanting to send her away as quickly as possible.
Things he hadn’t cared about or valued back then had now become extravagances.
To have even this little bit gave birth to a sense of surprise in him.
Zhao Yiyi laughed twice. “It is good that Bixia likes them.”
She smiled until her eyes curved. It was so beautiful, her gaze warm and soft, yet it no longer held that bright, crystal-clear light from before.
Gu Zhen suddenly felt that he was somewhat laughable.
He had been decisive and ruthless for so many years, thinking he had everything under control. Even during the time he was confined by the Late Emperor, he had been seventy percent sure he wouldn’t lose.
But now, he had forcefully turned himself into a joke, tossing away the things he originally possessed and could have easily obtained until they were gone.
Slowly blinking his eyelids a few times, in a split second, Gu Zhen suddenly felt a sense of defeat.
A few barks came from outside the window, accompanied by the sound of pattering running. Zhao Ah-Huang soon appeared under the shade of a tree in front of the whitewashed wall, curling his legs and rolling on the ground regardless of everything.
The fallen flowers on the ground were crushed, their juices sticking all over his body.
Immediately following was the young girl’s soft scolding: “Get up quickly! You are so disobedient!”
Staring at the yellow dog for a while, Gu Zhen smiled. “Didn’t you reward him to the Huai’an Marquis Manor? Why did you take him back?”
In a corner unseen by anyone, a hidden hope slowly rose in his eyes.
Zhao Yiyi made a sound of affirmation and followed his gaze out. After watching Zhao Ah-Huang roll around for a while, she said, “Father and Madame Xu went to the mountain temple, and Ah Chen went to the Imperial College. Duanduan likes him and was afraid no one would take care of him at home, so she brought him into the palace.”
As they spoke, Zhao Duanduan had already chased over, hands on her hips as she scolded, “You just had a bath this morning! Why do you dislike being clean so much? I really don’t know who you take after.” She tilted her head and said, ” nephews resemble uncles; surely you don’t take after your uncle?”
“Pure nonsense,” Gu Zhen frowned and said displeasedly. He turned back to look at the beauty sitting by the window. “Yiyi, Ah Mo was never this dirty. Someone took him for a bath every few days, and he would absolutely never roll on the ground.”
Zhao Yiyi scoffed and laughed out loud.
Gu Zhen’s heart instantly relaxed. Seeing the yellow dog lying on the ground with its head drooping, looking pitiful, he took the opportunity to say, “We think he looks quite lonely too. Why not find another dog for him? That Ferghana dog from last time…”
Zhao Yiyi immediately restrained her smile, her voice soft. “Many thanks for Bixia’s good intentions, but Bixia is urging this concubine to leave for the Western Capital quickly. Let us discuss this matter after this concubine returns to Chang’an.”
Unexpectedly countered by her own words, Gu Zhen smiled helplessly. “Alright. It was Our oversight. Then We will keep Zhao Xiaobai for you. When you return to the capital after some time, We will send him over.”
“Zhao Xiaobai?” Zhao Yiyi frowned slightly, repeating it.
“Mm.” Gu Zhen nodded, speaking warmly. “It is the name We gave that Ferghana dog.”
Zhao Yiyi was speechless for a moment before finally saying, ” truly… a good name.”
The blood-red setting sun snaked in through the window, dragging a long trail across the purple silk rug with interlocking lotus patterns. Zhao Yiyi’s figure was also clearly revealed on that rug.
After grumbling a few sentences, Zhao Duanduan still bent down and gathered Zhao Ah-Huang into her arms. Zhao Ah-Huang was already over three months old; it was very strenuous for a young lady like her to hold him, but she still hugged him tightly, huffing and puffing as she left the whitewashed wall.
Gu Zhen glanced over indifferently and suddenly asked, “How old is your sister?”
“Fifteen. She should reach her coming-of-age in another month or two.” Zhao Yiyi remembered this point and suddenly felt a sense of loss.
She had originally planned to celebrate Duanduan’s birthday.
At the end of last year, Zuo Lianzhi had just held her coming-of-age banquet. It was heard that they hosted a grand banquet in the capital, and all families with old ties to the Huai’an Marquis Manor came. Even the Zuo family, who had cut off ties with Lady Xu and her daughter for years, unprecedentedly sent someone to deliver a gift.
Duanduan didn’t say it, but she was childish at times, so she was surely envious in her heart.
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