Volume 1, Chapter 28: Movements (2)

Although Zhao Yuanzhuo’s injuries did not reach his bones, it would take at least half a month of recuperation to fully recover. As Empress, Xue Wu could not be kept in the dark about such a long period of recovery.

Upon hearing that Zhao Yuanzhuo had been punished by Shen Ran for his transgressions, Xue Wu hurriedly led her retinue to Weiyang Palace.

Zhao Yuanzhuo was still unable to walk. Fearing that Xue Wu would worry, and anxious that blood might seep through his clothes, he draped a dark-colored robe over his shoulders and braced himself to rise and pay his respects to her.

Xue Wu hurried over and grasped his hand. "Quick, quick, do not move. Be careful not to aggravate your wounds." Her eyes shimmered with tears.

Zhao Yuanzhuo did not insist; he simply followed her lead and settled back onto the bed, saying with a smile, "Your Majesty, please do not worry. I am fine. It is just that I offended Prince Cheng, and since he lost so much money, he was naturally incensed. I had to put on a show to appease him. While it looks gruesome, the beating was not actually severe. Furthermore, His Majesty arranged for the Imperial Physician to attend to me and provided the finest medicine. I will be back on my feet in a couple of days."

For days now, he had displayed a rare, cheerful demeanor, as if he had returned to those years when he would chase after Xue Wu, calling her "sister" and begging her to tell him stories.

Yet, Xue Wu felt a profound sense of heartache. Her gaze wavered, and as she sat on the edge of the bed, she said in a strained voice, "I am sorry, Yuanzhuo. Even though I have kept you by my side, I still have no way to protect you."

"Please do not say that, Your Majesty," Zhao Yuanzhuo replied. "His Majesty has already arranged a new identity for my sister, provided guards to escort her, and given her enough silver to ensure she can leave Shengjing in safety. I know that this is largely out of consideration for you."

Xue Wu bit her lip. "Yuanzhuo, do you truly wish for Qinglan to abandon her current status and leave Shengjing?"

"Her current status?" Zhao Yuanzhuo said softly. "Empress, given the state of the Zhao family, there are those everywhere waiting to kick us while we are down. If my sister stays in Shengjing, even if she leaves the Music Conservatory, her life will not be easy. It would be better for her to find a place where no one knows her and start anew. With money and protection, it is naturally a fine choice."

Xue Wu sighed and nodded. "That is logically sound, but I cannot bear to see you siblings separated."

Zhao Yuanzhuo smiled. "As long as one knows the other is safe, it is not strictly necessary to meet every day." He would bear these rumors and slanders alone.

With that, a silence fell between them.

After a while, Xue Wu asked, "Yuanzhuo, will you return to Yikun Palace with me now? I shall have a sedan chair prepared for you."

She had fully expected Zhao Yuanzhuo to be unwilling to remain in Weiyang Palace, but he shook his head. "I have received a caning, after all, and the physician says I must rest for a few days. Moreover, if I appear to be perfectly fine, I fear some may be displeased, which would only invite more trouble. It is better not to move about; it is better that people believe His Majesty did not show me any leniency."

Her eyes stinging, Xue Wu did not object again. "Then take care of yourself. If anything happens, you must send word to Yikun Palace. You must not keep anything from me, do you understand?"

Zhao Yuanzhuo laughed. "You are just like my own sister to me, Your Majesty. I would crave your guidance on every matter, so how could I possibly hide anything from you?"

The words were intimate and natural, yet they were not things the old Zhao Yuanzhuo would have said. He used to simply make a face and say, "I know, Sister Awu."

Xue Wu drew a deep breath, suddenly finding the room stifling. She felt she could no longer stay. "Yuanzhuo, then I shall head back first..."

Zhao Yuanzhuo suddenly spoke up. "Since you are already here, and it is not yet late, why not wait for His Majesty and have dinner together?"

Xue Wu froze, then lowered her head, remaining silent for a long time. Shen Ran was truly good to her now, yet she was still afraid. She feared everything that happened on their wedding day—a nightmare she could never erase. She feared that Shen Ran’s tenderness was merely a dream from which she had yet to wake, and that once she accepted him, the dream would shatter. She also feared...

Her gaze fell upon Zhao Yuanzhuo, and her expression dimmed. Fifty lashes on the back, yet he had to ensure no flaws were revealed; how much more could one truly hold back? He was at an age that should have been filled with spirit and vigor, yet he had been reduced to this. He could not feel aggrieved. He could not hold a grudge. Even if he did, he could never show it.

Despite all her efforts to reassure herself, Xue Wu still felt uneasy, feeling that the heart of a monarch is truly unfathomable. She did not know how to face Shen Ran. In truth, she knew herself well enough to know that her emotions were always written plainly on her face.

Zhao Yuanzhuo watched her expression and whispered, "Your Majesty, I have a favor to ask. I wonder if you would grant it?"

Xue Wu was startled. "What is it? Tell me."

Zhao Yuanzhuo said, "I hope that you will not be unhappy because of this, and even more, that you will not blame His Majesty."

Xue Wu eventually heeded Zhao Yuanzhuo’s advice and stayed. While waiting, she did not remain in his room, but borrowed the small kitchen of Weiyang Palace, intending to cook two dishes herself. Her culinary skills were, of course, no match for the imperial chefs, and she could only produce simple, home-cooked food. But Zhao Yuanzhuo had loved these dishes as a child. She hoped to give him a small taste of the warmth of home.

However, she had not cooked since entering the palace, and she felt a bit clumsy compared to the past. Once everything was prepared, Xue Wu stood by the stove to familiarize herself with the situation, and without looking up, she instructed her maid to bring over the shredded carrots she had just sliced.

As the words left her lips, a hand reached out from the side and placed the plate of shredded carrots before her. The hand was white as jade, with clear, prominent knuckles. It was clearly not a woman’s hand.