His arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her into an embrace, his face showing a cool breath without speaking.
“Isn’t your arm going numb?” Wei Linxia asked.
“Shen Bi!”
“Hmm?”
“It’s nothing, go to sleep.”
How could she possibly sleep?
His hesitant manner made her anxious.
Before Wei Linxia could process this, Tai Qing, a female official from the Southern Court, arrived with a furious expression. “Your husband is going too far,” she stated.
Wei Linxia held her breath, lowering her head, and forced herself to ask what was wrong.
“What? Hasn’t he told you?”
“Told me what?” Wei Linxia still did not understand.
“Didn’t he tell you that Wei Chenli arrived in the capital two months ago for an official position? He had a conflict with the Right Minister Wang Ling and was demoted by Xi Linxuan to a garrison commander in Qingzhou. The Yan King, although wavering when he ascended the throne, ultimately did not oppose him. Why demote Wei Chenli in response to the Yan King? This is unfair. I can’t speak for others, but Wei Chenli has no ill intentions towards you, his sister,” Tai Qing said.
Wei Linxia felt her vision blur, unsettled by how much Xi Linxuan had been hiding from her.
Author’s note: I told you, the more difficult part is yet to come.
Chapter 55
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Before she could ask more, Xi Linxuan took her to Minister Wang Ling’s residence on the day of Wang Ling and Li Weiheng’s wedding.
Wei Linxia summoned the blushing bride, whose shy demeanor reminded her of her own wedding. Though nervous, her heart was filled with anticipation beneath the veil.
Li Weiheng’s anticipation was likely even greater. As the youngest minister since the founding of the Yan Dynasty, from the prestigious Langya clan, he was elegant and handsome—a dream lover for many women. Wei Linxia couldn’t help but wonder about Xi Zhaoting’s feelings upon hearing of Li Weiheng’s grand wedding.
At dusk, the wedding began. Wei Linxia joined Xi Linxuan in receiving the newlyweds’ kowtow. Xi Linxuan appeared very happy. Sitting beside him, Wei Linxia felt somewhat relieved, recalling his promise that they would grow old together peacefully amid unavoidable difficulties.
In the imperial carriage returning to the palace, Xi Linxuan draped his arm around Wei Linxia’s shoulders, helping her remove the complex headdress.
“What are you laughing about?” Wei Linxia asked, noting his smile had not faded.
“Nothing, just remembering our wedding night and your words back then,” he replied with a grin.
Wei Linxia felt slightly awkward; those words were bold for a woman.
“Good thing no one heard, or they’d think the Crown Princess forcibly married the Crown Prince,” he continued teasingly.
“So what?
Wei Linxia leaned into his embrace, accidentally touching the sachet he carried. Squeezing it, she felt several round objects inside, wondering what they were.
“Not bad, just go along with it.” Xi Linxuan took down the sachet and revealed small round balls. Wei Lindong remembered they were embroidered balls from Tao Xiuqiu, given to him when they first got married. He never expected such a journey would still be ongoing.
“It’s precisely because of this that I willingly went along with it, Wei Chenbi. You don’t need to feel guilty.” Xi Linxuan carefully put them back at his waist.
“Who would have such a thing…” Wei Lindong whispered.
Xi Linxuan would never lie to her. He even preserved the small trinkets she gave him—how could he bear to make her sad? He said she would understand someday, so she should wait for that day. What’s the rush?
“Chenbi, regarding Chenli’s matter…”
“That’s not a harem affair. Let the imperial historians hear and they’ll start scolding. I’m a good empress who follows palace rules,” Wei Lindong replied.
“Okay, you can ask me when you want to know later.” Xi Linxuan gently kissed her forehead.
He knew she had a small knot in her heart these days, which he least wanted to see. They had shared both joys and sorrows and had even walked near death’s door together.
He didn’t want any barrier between them, so he chose this moment on the road to reveal his hidden matters. She still seemed to trust him, and that was good.
“Chenbi, everything I do is for our realm, the empire we will pass to Xi Qi. Understand?” Xi Linxuan said.
Wei Lindong looked surprised. “Our realm?”
“What are you looking at? Husband and wife are one. Isn’t mine yours?” Xi Linxuan said, somewhat dissatisfied. “Of course, yours is also mine.”
“Shh—speak softly. If the historians hear, they’ll write you down as a foolish ruler for eternity.” Wei Lindong lowered her head, leaning on his chest, and the knot in her heart melted away.
Xi Linxuan glossed over matters with a single sentence, which made Wei Linxia dissatisfied. She had Feng Shou relay a message, and when the imperial physician came to treat Xi Linxuan again, she steadily walked in. Xi Linxuan’s face showed no surprise, but the imperial physician trembled upon seeing her.
The abdomen was wrapped in a pristine bandage with no trace of blood. After the bandage was applied, Xi Linxuan dismissed the physician and began dressing himself. The inner layer was not ordinary underwear, but a soft, elastic, and form-fitting garment, similar to soft armor described in the martial arts novels Wei Linxia had read.
“It’s almost scabbing over, it’s nothing,” Xi Linxuan said with a smile.
Wei Linxia remained silent, her gaze sweeping over the desk piled high with memorial documents. How could he be nearly healed while bearing such exhaustion? This was merely empty consolation.
“What could I do to help?” she thought.
“I’m a bit hungry after the medication,” Xi Linxuan said. “Shen Bi, are you hungry?”
“No,” she replied. Idle in the inner palace, dwelling on small worries, what could tire her out?
“Then I’ll eat while you watch,” he laughed, and a small eunuch quickly brought out a steaming bowl of wontons. Xi Linxuan scooped out a small one for her, “Really not eating? Look, there’s a big shrimp inside…”
Before he could finish, Wei Linxia leaned forward and ate the wonton, finding a large shrimp within.
“Wei Shenbi, you’re quite bold,” Xi Linxuan remarked, continuing to eat.
The small bowl emptied quickly. He pulled Wei Linxia’s hand to sit side by side at the desk, saying, “After eating my wontons, you should contribute something. Sitting alone looking at these boring things is headache-inducing. Keep me company.”
“I’ll get a headache too,” Wei Linxia said, carefully looking around the hall.
In any dynasty, women’s involvement in state affairs was taboo.
“Then we’ll be in pain together, and brew two bowls of headache medicine. I’ll feed you, and you’ll feed me,” Xi Linxuan said, seemingly unconcerned.
At first, Wei Linxia sat quietly, but then Xi Linxuan asked her to help turn over the memorial documents. Later, he claimed he needed to rest due to slight abdominal pain, so she read the documents aloud while he wrote comments.
By the time the documents were reviewed, dinner had passed by two hours. Wei Linxia’s throat was parched from reading, despite drinking countless cups of tea.
“With a beautiful woman beside me, I don’t even feel hungry without dinner,” Xi Linxuan said, glancing at the bronze water clock. “Didn’t we lose track of time?”
“It’s time for a late-night snack and then to rest,” Wei Linxia said, helping him up, aware he was taking advantage of his injury. But who cared? Even an emperor couldn’t always be serious; a bit of willfulness was harmless.
Xi Linxuan said he wanted to return to the inner palace to eat the small treats she prepared.
As they walked back, moonlight spilled over the palace grounds, brightening the corridor.
“The moon is beautiful,” Xi Linxuan sighed.
