Part 2
He wanted to play, but refused to play properly. Thinking about it, she felt annoyed in her heart.
Gu Zhen laughed and nodded slowly. “Mn, it is Zhen‘s fault.” Dropping a piece carelessly, he suddenly remembered the past.
The Yiyi of the past also always wanted to play chess with him, but lost repeatedly, losing miserably.
Naturally, he had disliked her poor chess skills, yet the Yiyi of that time said, “Can’t Bixia let me win?”
At that time, he didn’t understand. Yiyi didn’t really want to play chess with him; she just wanted to use it to talk to him.
What a pity. Things he hadn’t understood before, now that he understood, were useless.
Staring at her flushed cheeks, Gu Zhen said warmly, “You won this game. Let’s play another.”
Zhao Yiyi swept the black stones back into the pot and started a new game as he suggested. Only this time, she was forced into retreat step by step, with no room to fight back.
Thus, she became unhappy again.
No one could stand losing like this. She wasn’t someone who became braver with every setback. After losing badly, she just wanted to find a place to hide. Therefore, looking at the board, she felt only irritation and simply tossed the stone to concede. “This concubine lost. I’m not playing anymore.”
A trace of helplessness flashed in Gu Zhen’s eyes, and he said softly, “Play one more game? Zhen will hold back a little this time, hm?”
His voice was gentle, his words earnest. Zhao Yiyi looked at him suspiciously. After contemplating for a moment, she chose to trust him one more time.
Another new game. Zhao Yiyi still held black, Gu Zhen held white.
The two forces were deadlocked on the board, seemingly unable to determine a winner for a long time.
But thinking that this stalemate was the result of him letting her, Zhao Yiyi was still unhappy. As another peal of thunder sounded outside the hall and the rain showed no sign of weakening, she threw the chess piece back into the pot and said coolly, “It is getting late; this concubine is a bit sleepy.”
After washing up, she had just turned around when she discovered a stack of neatly folded clothes in the bathroom. A set of pine-green skirt and shirt—her favorite color.
Zhao Yiyi changed into the sleeping clothes and came out. When led by the attendant to the inner hall, she looked around before realizing belatedly that this must be his bedchamber.
This was her first time coming to Qianqiu Hall.
Separated by a screen, Gu Zhen said softly, “Zhen knows you don’t want to see Zhen. You rest here; Zhen will sleep in the outer room.” Pausing, he added, “If there is anything, just call Zhen.”
Blinking slowly a few times, Zhao Yiyi said, “Okay.”
Lying on the couch amidst the incense, the quilt seemed to still carry the scent of soap beans, and the pattern on the quilt was of intertwining lotus branches; it appeared to be freshly changed.
Zhao Yiyi looked slightly dazed. Listening to the endless sound of rain outside the window, she slowly turned over and sank into the thin quilt.
Summer had long arrived, and one should be wearing gauze shirts, but this rain made it feel as if autumn had suddenly begun; the weather cooled down entirely.
The quilt on the couch seemed insufficient.
Gu Zhen had vigorous energy and plenty of internal fire; even wearing a single layer in winter, he didn’t feel cold. Yet lying on the low couch in the outer room, he still felt wisps of cold air drilling into his body.
He got up and walked inside.
The person on the bed had her eyes tightly closed, clutching the quilt in her hands, wrapping herself tightly into a small ball without leaving a single crack, just like the silkworms she had raised some time ago.
Just looking at it made one feel cold.
Gu Zhen stepped forward and touched Zhao Yiyi’s fingertips; a chill was transmitted from them.
“You don’t even say if you’re cold,” Gu Zhen scolded lightly through gritted teeth. In the end, he took a thin quilt from the inner side, spread it out, and gently covered her with it, tucking in the corners while he was at it.
He had never done such a thing. This attempt was extremely clumsy; even his fingertips were trembling.
When tucking the corners, he didn’t know where to start, fumbling for quite a while before barely managing to arrange the quilt neatly.
Standing by the bed for a moment, seeing no sign of her waking and that her tightly furrowed brow had gradually smoothed, Gu Zhen sighed in relief and turned to leave.
In the morning, Gu Zhen summoned the members of the Political Hall as usual to discuss the grain transport to Chang’an.
The war with the Rouran had already come to an end, and now it was the stage where the Rouran wanted to negotiate peace with Great Chu.
Grand Councilor Zheng said, “Bixia, although the Rouran have actively proposed to declare themselves subjects this time, this official believes the Rouran have wild ambitions and are not easy to deal with. Their ambition cannot be ignored. Who knows what malicious intent is hidden in this submission?”
Ever since the Great Progenitor killed the Rouran Khan to establish authority, the Rouran had lingered on under Great Chu’s pressure for nearly a century. They had always been the type to learn a lesson for a while after being beaten, only to return to their old ways after relaxing for a moment, constantly reaching out to test the bottom line of the new Emperor of Great Chu.
Not a single Emperor had failed to deal a heavy hand.
Perhaps the current Rouran Khan was one who could bend and stretch. He actually took the initiative to propose peace talks, wanted to declare himself a subject to Great Chu, and even offered to send his son to Great Chu to learn the etiquette of the Celestial Empire.
Saying it was to learn etiquette, in reality, it was just sending a hostage.
Another heavy-weight official nodded. “What Minister Zheng says is true. This official also believes the Rouran harbor no good intentions this time. That Ruru is sending his eldest son to learn our Great Chu’s ways; once he returns, won’t he use these things against Great Chu?”
The crowd nodded in agreement, but someone objected, saying, “Since the Rouran want to negotiate peace and honor Great Chu as their master, why refuse? It would also let the surrounding small states see the benefits of depending on Great Chu.”
Gu Zhen tapped the desk lightly and said coolly, “Making the Rouran submit is actually of no use.” Everyone stared at him, only to hear him change the subject, “However, we have been fighting for some time, so there should be a chance to catch our breath. Let us call a truce for now and permit the Rouran to declare themselves subjects. His eldest son may enter the capital, but once he arrives, confine him in the Court of State Ceremonial (Honglu Si) and forbid him from seeing outsiders.”
The Rouran sending a hostage might involve intentions to learn etiquette or to be a hostage, but certainly, there were also thoughts of espionage, or contacting and bribing high officials of Great Chu to pave the way for the future.
Gu Zhen naturally would not allow such things to happen.
A moment later, another person laughed. “Speaking of this, this official forgot to mention that the Ruru also said he wants to send several daughters along as well. Presumably, like the Crown Prince, they are already on the way.”
Gu Zhen frowned and asked indifferently, “Did he decide this himself, or did someone suggest it to him?”
“He proposed it himself.”
Gu Zhen said coolly, “Make him send them back.”
Everyone was stunned, then immediately understood. Marriage alliances, whether male or female, were a last resort for the Celestial Empire.
Glancing at the water clock, Gu Zhen said in a deep voice, “As for the specific details of the peace negotiation with the Rouran, I will trouble you gentlemen to continue discussing. Give Zhen a final result within three days.”
The crowd withdrew. Wu Mao hurried in and said respectfully, “Bixia, news from Luoyang.”
Gu Zhen took it, read it quickly, and frowned slightly. “Did you ask Nanny Song carefully? When Linchuan was born, did she really have these on her body?”
He had always known about the birthmark on Linchuan’s body. He had heard the Empress Dowager mention it several times, saying that the birthmark on Linchuan was right next to a red mole, which proved she was destined to be fortunate.
Although he didn’t think much of it, he remembered it clearly.
Wu Mao nodded. “The letter was drafted by this slave personally, and I asked Nanny Song in detail. Nanny Song also replied to this slave that when the Princess was born, there was indeed a crescent-shaped birthmark on her arm, and beside that birthmark was a red mole. The old servants by the Empress Dowager’s side are all aware of this. It’s just that as the Princess grew older, these marks gradually faded.”
Gu Zhen pinched the bridge of his nose and said calmly, “If that’s the case, why did no one ever report it?”
“Nanny Song went home early on. Everyone in the palace just assumed the birthmark faded as the Princess grew.” Wu Mao replied with lowered eyes, “Nanny Song once had a mole on her face and specifically sought someone to remove it, so she has some understanding of this. Seeing that the Princess had no such marks upon returning this time, she became suspicious.”
Staring at the sky outside, Gu Zhen’s heart sank slightly. gripping the armrest, he said in a deep voice, “First, go find the old servants who served Linchuan in her childhood. As for the Empress Dowager’s side…” He paused, “Don’t alert them yet.”
The Empress Dowager treated Linchuan as her lifeblood. Although his relationship with the Empress Dowager was ordinary, he wouldn’t go so far as to watch his mother die.
Moreover, regarding this matter with Linchuan, the truth was still undecided. Before confirmation, he didn’t want anyone to know, lest the news leak and be discovered by others.
Wu Mao agreed and added, “Bixia, Gentleman Jiang is waiting outside. He came regarding the grain transport to Chang’an. He says he and Gentleman Lu have already worked out a rough plan. Does Bixia wish to summon him?”
For this matter, the entire court had planned for a long time, and Gu Zhen naturally had waited a long time as well. Hearing this, he nodded. “Let him come in.”
Jiang Jiayan entered holding several sheets of paper. As soon as he entered, he smiled at Gu Zhen. “Bixia, I heard that the Ruru wanted to present princesses to Bixia, and Bixia refused? Just now, Cheng’an told this official that he once saw that Ruru princess, and she is born extremely beautiful.”
Before his voice fell, a beauty in a red skirt stepped out from behind the screen. She wore a crimson skirt with hundred pleats; the red plum blossom patterns on the skirt appeared indistinctly with her movements, looking stunningly beautiful.
Seeing that there was no one else in the hall, she walked out slowly from behind the screen.
Upon seeing her, Gu Zhen panicked instantly. Not knowing how much she had heard, he abruptly turned his head to glare at Jiang Jiayan, then stepped forward to take Zhao Yiyi’s hand, saying gently, “Don’t listen to his nonsense.”
Zhao Yiyi blinked, asking with some confusion, “What did Bixia say?” In a flash, however, she cast aside the matter and asked softly, “Did Bixia see this concubine’s jade pendant? Seeing the rain has weakened, this concubine intends to return to Xiangsi Hall.”
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