Chapter 13: The Birthday

Chapter 13: The Birthday

To Tang Zhuozhuo’s surprise, although Huo Qiu said nothing further about the incident, he began coming to Yiqiu Palace to dine every few days. Each time, he made a point of watching her personally swallow every drop of her medicinal broth.

However, he never stayed the night.

Tang Zhuozhuo felt a secret sense of relief at this, though An Xia was becoming visibly anxious on her behalf.

Early one morning, Tang Zhuozhuo dressed and walked to the small four-paneled window. Outside, the sky was not yet fully bright. The morning air, mingling with the lingering scent of incense in the hall, felt chilly against her face, causing her to pull her garments tighter.

An Xia happened to enter to remove the spent candles. Seeing her mistress awake, she hurried to her side. “Why is Your Ladyship up so early? Would you like to sleep a while longer?”

Tang Zhuozhuo shook her head absently. Her gaze drifted to a few small trees in the courtyard. “What are those two trees? I haven’t seen them before.”

An Xia followed her gaze, a smile breaking across her face. “Did Your Ladyship not mention Jiangnan tea to His Highness recently?”

“His Highness ordered them to be planted the day before yesterday.”

The delight on An Xia’s face was too obvious. Tang Zhuozhuo felt her cheeks grow warm and she chided her softly, “You certainly know how to talk nonsense.”

As they spoke, a silhouette appeared outside. A man dressed in a bright yellow python robe—the embroidered patterns so lifelike they seemed to writhe, approached. Even from a distance, one could feel his commanding presence.

A pale moon still hung faintly in the sky, casting a soft silver glow over him and throwing a long shadow across the courtyard floor. Tang Zhuozhuo watched, nearly entranced.

It took An Xia pulling at her to get her to go change her attire.

When Huo Qiu entered the inner hall, he found Tang Zhuozhuo standing before her vanity. The jewel boxes were open, filled with shimmering gems and ornaments. Hearing his footsteps, she glanced back at him before turning back to her selection.

Her mouth, however, was quite sweet as she chirped, “Golden peace to Your Highness.”

A shallow smile touched Huo Qiu’s eyes. He walked up behind her and watched as her slender white hand tossed a gold-inlaid jade hairpin to the side. He frowned.

“You don’t like these?” He leaned in close. Tang Zhuozhuo could smell his familiar, crisp fragrance, and his breath brushed against her skin, causing her movements to falter.

“They are all outdated old things. They don’t suit my heart.” She picked up a tassel hairpin and toyed with it, her heroic brows furrowing in a way that perfectly mirrored Huo Qiu’s own expression.

Hearing the disdain in her voice, Huo Qiu chuckled. He looked at the tassel hairpin in her hand, it was actually the most fashionable style of the season, made of the finest materials.

He had always been generous with her.

This little thing certainly knows how to be picky.

“Li Desheng!”

TN: The author suddenly changed this Enuch’s name from Zhang Desheng to Li Desheng 

“Bring the jewels from Our storehouse for the Crown Princess to choose from.”

Li Desheng froze for a fraction of a second before smiling at Tang Zhuozhuo. “His Highness’s storehouse contains tribute items from this year. Your Ladyship will surely be pleased.”

Tang Zhuozhuo’s peach-blossom eyes sparkled with brilliant light. Her rouge-colored sleeves brushed against Huo Qiu’s palm as she laughed merrily. “It is rare for Your Highness to part with your treasures.”

Huo Qiu arched an eyebrow.

“When have I ever kept secrets from you?” His tall frame cast Tang Zhuozhuo into shadow; from the side, it looked as though they were embracing.

Tang Zhuozhuo said with a hint of haughtiness, “Who knows how many good things Your Highness bestowed upon the various Liangdis and concubines before? In any case, I haven’t received my share until now.”

Her words were perfectly self-righteous. Huo Qiu gave her a deep look. His palm itched, and he couldn’t resist lightly flicking her shapely nose.

Both of them stiffened for a moment. Huo Qiu unobtrusively lowered his hand and let out a light cough. “You truly are becoming more and more heartless.”

The things given to the underlings were merely ordinary jewels, whereas not a single item sent to her was common—each one was worth a city.

What others would be moved to tears of gratitude over, she took with increasing entitlement, even remembering to turn the tables on him.

Tang Zhuozhuo was silent for a moment, then looked up with a smile. “Has Your Highness had breakfast?”

Huo Qiu radiated a cold aura, yet his features were as warm as jade. The way he looked at her carried an unavoidable heat.

Since that day, although she hadn’t suddenly developed deep feelings for him, she had changed her way of interacting, she was now open and frank with him.

He thought back to the day when a flushed Tang Zhuozhuo had tugged on his belt, her eyes shy yet bold as she called him by his name.

To hold your hand and grow old together. Even if she didn’t yet harbor much affection for him, this was already an unexpected joy he hadn’t dared to imagine.

Huo Qiu tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Remembering what he had to say, his expression turned serious, though his movements remained exceedingly gentle.

“Not yet.”

“I came to tell you that the trip to Xijiang, originally set for ten days from now, will have to be delayed for a period.”

The smile on Tang Zhuozhuo’s face vanished like a magic trick. She muttered in a low voice, “Your Highness promised me. A gentleman’s word is his bond.”

Feeling indignant, she moved closer to Huo Qiu, her porcelain face full of grievance. She even lowered her voice to a soft, tearful trill: “Your Highness, I’ve been taking my medicine properly these days. You saw it yourself.”

Huo Qiu saw her fair little finger hooking onto a corner of his court robes. She looked truly piteous.

His head began to throb.

“I said I would take you, so I will take you. It is only that yesterday, Father told me that the Empress Dowager’s eightieth birthday celebration will be moved to these next few days to be properly celebrated.”

Only then did Tang Zhuozhuo release his sleeve. She frowned. “Is Imperial Grandmother’s Grand Birthday not two months away?”

“Mhm. The Office of Astronomy reported to Father that three days from now is highly auspicious. Holding the celebration then will increase the Imperial Family’s fortune.” Huo Qiu’s expression was somewhat languid, a hint of fatigue visible between his brows.

Emperor Qiongyuan had lost much of his vitality after his major illness, on top of ailments from his youth. Now, most affairs were handled by Huo Qiu. He had to manage the court with seamless precision while staying on guard against his ambitious brothers.

Seeing him like this, Tang Zhuozhuo’s heart softened. She stood on her tiptoes to massage the space between his brows. “Isn’t this date a bit rushed? I haven’t even prepared a gift for Imperial Grandmother.”

She no longer used the formal “this consort” with him. With her soft, boneless hand bringing a slight chill to his forehead, Huo Qiu let out a low chuckle. “I have already prepared it for you.”

Tang Zhuozhuo finally felt at ease.

The Empress Dowager was advanced in years and usually lived in seclusion in the Palace of Benevolent Tranquility, chanting sutras and ignoring worldly affairs. However, in her youth, she had been a formidable woman; her stories circulated both inside and outside the palace. Tang Zhuozhuo, however, had rarely seen her.

Huo Qiu let out a low sigh and squeezed her jade-white hand.

“I will be busy these next few days. Do not wait for me for dinner.”

After Huo Qiu left, Tang Zhuozhuo looked at the large chest of rare treasures that had been delivered. She arched an eyebrow lazily and fixed her gaze on the fawning Li Desheng.

“Your Ladyship…” Li Desheng’s heart jumped; a strong sense of impending crisis washed over him.

“I heard that Zhong Liangdi has been confined by His Highness?”

Li Desheng hurriedly flicked his whisk and nodded with a smile.

“Then it should be no trouble if I go in to pay her a visit, right?”

Tang Zhuozhuo set down the silver shears she used for pruning her potted plants. Her face, devoid of makeup, bloomed into a brilliant smile. “This consort heard that last time, her doors were shut to our people entirely.”

Li Desheng was speechless, his head throbbing with a sudden headache.