Winter draped in silver, though Xueya’s hands froze, his face was still tender and tears flowed like the most beautiful lotus. After watching Xueya for a while, Cui Lingjing’s brow relaxed, and he said, “Is this why you’re hiding here? I’ve heard it, I’m leaving.”
As he spoke, he turned deliberately, but his peripheral vision stayed on Xueya. Seeing Xueya’s face change, he secretly chuckled but showed no sign on his face, moving forward. When Xueya ran up to him, he stopped and raised an eyebrow. “Bold enough to block my way.”
“No, no, Your Majesty, I don’t want to stop you.” Xueya explained anxiously, approached Cui Lingjing, and whispered, “Your Majesty, take me away. I really don’t want to stay here.”
Cui Lingjing admired Xueya’s anxious appearance and said with a smile, “No.”
Xueya’s pleading expression intensified. “Your Majesty, I want to return to serve Your Majesty.” He was so eager to return to Cui Lingjing’s side that he said without thinking, “Didn’t Your Majesty like pinching my face? I’ll let Your Majesty pinch it again.”
Cui Lingjing furrowed his brow. “What did you say?”
Realizing he’d misspoken, Xueya immediately shut his mouth.
For an emperor, nothing was more irritating than others speculating on his likes and dislikes.
Xueya realized he’d said the wrong thing and felt that Cui Lingjing definitely wouldn’t take him away today, which was rather disappointing. He lowered his head and blinked hard, trying to hold back the excess tears.
Suddenly, his face was lifted by a hand.
Xueya glanced at Cui Lingjing and lowered his eyes again. His long and dense eyelashes lightly covered the tears in his eyes, leaving only reddened eye sockets that betrayed his tears.
“Are you made of water?” Cui Lingjing’s voice sounded in Xueya’s ear. “Why so many tears?”
Xueya sniffled and whispered, “I’m not, I have bones and flesh.”
This made Cui Lingjing laugh.
Suppressing the urge to pinch Xueya’s face, Cui Lingjing rubbed his fingers and withdrew his hand. “I’m leaving.”
“I respectfully send Your Majesty off.” Xueya didn’t linger and bowed to Cui Lingjing.
Cui Lingjing glanced at Xueya and left.
***
After finishing shoveling snow that day, Xueya soaked his hands and feet in hot water, staring blankly at the flickering candle flame. When the water cooled, he went out to empty the two basins.
Just as he finished, someone called out to him. Xueya followed the sound and was surprised to see Little Pingzi.
“How come you’re at Ningfu Palace?” Xueya asked, puzzled.
Little Pingzi glanced around discreetly, then hurried over to Xueya. “His Majesty sent someone to deliver something to the Empress Dowager, and I followed along.” With that, he pulled out a bottle of ointment from his sleeve and handed it to Xueya, whispering, “It’s a reward from His Majesty for you. But His Majesty instructed not to mention it to anyone.”
Xueya saw the ointment in his hand, and his previously dim eyes suddenly lit up. “His Majesty sent you to give me medicine?”
Little Pingzi nodded.
Seeing Little Pingzi nod, Xueya not only brightened his eyes but also smiled on his face. Little Pingzi had never seen Xueya smile at him, so he was shocked, and then murmured, “Xueya, you smile beautifully.”
“Nonsense.” Xueya was in a good mood today, and smiled at Little Pingzi again. After smiling, he asked, “Is there anything else His Majesty said?”
Little Pingzi thought for a moment and shook his head. “No, he only said to deliver the ointment to you.”
Xueya pursed his lips, feeling a bit unhappy. “Really? His Majesty didn’t say anything about calling me back?”
“No, Xueya, aren’t you doing well here?” Little Pingzi found it strange. Many palace servants said the Empress Dowager was the kindest master in the palace, and many wanted to serve at Ningfu Palace.
“Aren’t you going back yet? It wouldn’t be good if someone found you talking to me here.” Xueya didn’t want to answer Little Pingzi’s question, mainly because he thought Little Pingzi was too naive. If he said anything to Little Pingzi, he might not be able to keep it quiet, so he decided to dismiss him outright.
Reminded by Xueya, Little Pingzi also said he should leave and quickly departed. Xueya immediately took the ointment back to his room. He carefully applied it to his hands and feet, then rolled several times under the blanket, unable to suppress his laughter.
No matter how high an emperor’s position, he was still just a man. With just a few words, he could send someone to deliver ointment to him. Even though Cui Lingjing wasn’t allowing him to return to serve yet, it didn’t mean he wouldn’t in the future.
Xueya slept contentedly that night, planning to express his gratitude to Cui Lingjing the next day. However, for several days following, he didn’t see Cui Lingjing at all. Every time Cui Lingjing visited Ningfu Palace, Huang Gonggong would send him to do other tasks, preventing him from “accidentally” encountering Cui Lingjing. Even when he claimed to urgently need to relieve himself, a young eunuch would accompany him.
With this repeated treatment, Xueya couldn’t help but understand Huang Gonggong’s intentions. He suspected that news of his encounter with Cui Lingjing had reached He Xulan’s ears, prompting He Xulan to send someone to intercept him.
However, Xueya wasn’t one to give up easily. He found an opportunity to meet Little Pingzi and handed him a plum blossom. “His Majesty rewarded me with ointment last time, and I wish to express my thanks. Please help me place this plum blossom in the vase on the desk in the imperial study room.”
Little Pingzi took the plum blossom, puzzled. “Aren’t you going to thank him in person?”
Xueya’s expression turned despondent. “I can’t leave here. Just deliver the plum blossom to His Majesty for me. Don’t say anything else; just say this plum blossom was picked from the red plum forest in the southwest corner of Ningfu Palace.”
***
That day, Xueya was called to fumigate clothes and bedding with incense. Halfway through, he felt it was time and stood up. “I want to go to the restroom.” He glanced at the young eunuch who usually followed him whenever he left. “Are you coming with me?”
The young eunuch stood up as well. “Yes.”
On the way to the restroom, Xueya stopped halfway. “I felt unwell earlier, but I’m fine now and don’t want to go anymore. The scent on the bedding has faded a bit; I want to go pick some plum blossoms instead.”
The young eunuch immediately stopped him. “The incense formula is fixed. How can you go pick plum blossoms?”
“In that case, I won’t fumigate the Empress Dowager’s bedding and clothes. I’ll use incense for myself, look you can’t smell any fragrance on me.” Xueya lifted his sleeve close to the young eunuch, who stepped back several steps. The young eunuch looked at Xueya. “You…”
Xueya immediately interrupted him. “I’m just going to pick some plum blossoms. I’ll be shoveling snow later, and I don’t know what I’ll find to sweep, and now the plum blossoms are the most fragrant. Moreover, the red plum forest is in the southwest corner.”
The young eunuch heard this, but eventually his mouth was open, “Then I should go with you.”
“Okay.” Xueya agreed.
As Xueya and the young eunuch approached the plum blossom forest, he suddenly stopped and touched his clothes, eyes looking around, “I’ve lost something!”
The young eunuch followed, “What’s gone?”
“I just came out and happened to bring a packet of spices, but it seems like I dropped it along the way.”
Since the spices used by He Xulan were very valuable and in limited supply, the small eunuch became flustered when he heard this. “How did you bring the spices out? Where did you drop them?”
“Somewhere along the way we just came.” Xueya grabbed the small eunuch’s arm. “If we lost it, we’ll all be punished.”
The small eunuch grew even more anxious. “Then we need to search quickly.”
Xueya nodded. “But wait a moment. I need to pick a plum blossom first.”
“It’s not the time to choose plum blossoms.” The small eunuch was exasperated and turned away to search for the spices, unwilling to listen to Xueya anymore. If something happened to the spices, Huang Gonggong would definitely punish everyone on duty.
Seeing the small eunuch leave, Xueya hurriedly entered the plum blossom grove.
The plum blossom grove was full of red plums, appearing as a sea of fire from a distance. Xueya walked on the snow-covered ground, weaving through the grove. His skirt swayed with his movement, and the plum blossom embroidery on his sleeves and chest blended with the red plums in the snow.
After walking for a while, he didn’t see anyone else and had to stop.
This was the time when Cui Lingjing came to Ningfu Palace to pay respects to He Xulan. Had Xiao Pingzi failed to pass on the message about the plum blossoms, or had Cui Lingjing not understood? Or perhaps Cui Lingjing understood but didn’t want to come?
The longer Xueya waited, the more hopeless he felt. Annoyed, he grabbed a plum blossom and stuffed it into his mouth. While eating, he suddenly heard voices.
“Eating plum blossoms so rudely really ruins the beauty of this grove.”
Xueya froze, turning his head slowly. When he saw Cui Lingjing standing not far away, he ran over without hesitation. There was no one else around, so he threw himself into Cui Lingjing’s arms, making him take a step back.
Cui Lingjing winced and reached out to tap Xueya on the head. “Is this how you want to be punished?”
Xueya clung to Cui Lingjing and wouldn’t let go. “Even if Your Majesty beats me, I won’t let go.”
“You’re getting bolder and bolder.” Cui Lingjing was somewhat surprised. He hadn’t realized how bold Xueya could be outside Fengrui Palace.
“If I weren’t bold, how could I see Your Majesty?” Xueya looked up at Cui Lingjing with wide, unblinking eyes.
Cui Lingjing’s heart raced at the intensity of Xueya’s gaze.
Adjusting his expression, Cui Lingjing said coldly, “Aren’t you afraid of being punished?”
Xueya shook his head. “In my dreams, I’ve hugged Your Majesty many times. If Your Majesty wants to punish me, it can’t be just once; at least ten times.” With that, he suddenly smiled and rested his face on Cui Lingjing’s shoulder. “The Emperor in my dreams never talks to me. The one in reality is much better.”
Cui Lingjing, hearing Xueya’s words, felt for the first time that he was being teased. In all his life, no one had dared to speak to him this way.
What did Xueya mean by hugging him many times in dreams? This was incredibly audacious!
“Besides dreaming about hugging me, what else did you dream about?” Cui Lingjing pinched Xueya’s cheek, applying a moderate pressure. Xueya let him pinch, smiling and silent, which made Cui Lingjing more determined that Xueya must have dreamed of something improper. He pressed further, “Speak! If you don’t, I’ll hit you now!”
Xueya remained quiet. Cui Lingjing suddenly raised his hand, but seeing Xueya’s eager eyes, he let his hand drop to Xueya’s waist and began to tickle him.
At this, Xueya immediately recoiled, laughing as he tried to escape. “Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please… Haha, Your Majesty, I can’t take it…”
“If you can’t take it, then tell me. What else did you dream about?” Cui Lingjing held onto Xueya, not letting him escape.
At this point, Xueya’s face flushed with a rosy hue from the tickling, and he breathed heavily. “I’ll tell you, I’ll tell you.”
Cui Lingjing stopped his tickling and was about to hear Xueya’s answer when he suddenly seemed to hear some movement around them. He looked up, while Xueya, unaware, continued to fabricate his story. “I dreamed that Your Majesty…”
Before he could finish, Cui Lingjing covered his lips.
