Chapter 21

After staying in the Empress’s palace for four hours, the lingering glow of the setting sun filled the sky, hanging precariously over the far side of the distant mountains.

Seeing that it was getting dark, the red lanterns that had been prepared these past few days to hang from the tips of the palace walls were strikingly festive, arranged in neat, orderly rows.

Just then, the Empress Dowager sent someone to Changchun Palace to invite Huo Qiu and Tang Zhuozhuo to Shousheng Hall to attend the palace banquet.

Lady Guan was leisurely gathering a basket of broken flowers and crushing them with a wooden pestle. Hearing the report from outside, she didn’t even lift an eyelid.

Having become more familiar with Lady Guan, Tang Zhuozhuo no longer felt constrained. She stood up and asked, “Is Aunt not going to the banquet?”

Lady Guan’s elegant brow furrowed, and her body went limp as she slumped down. The palace maid beside her supported her with extreme practiced skill, her face showing not a hint of panic.

“This Palace is gravely ill and fears passing the sickly air to His Majesty and the Empress Dowager. I’m afraid I cannot go.”

Tang Zhuozhuo watched as the person who had been smiling radiantly just a second ago was now clutching her heart and shedding tears. She was dumbstruck.

When a grim-faced Huo Qiu led Tang Zhuozhuo out of the Changchun Palace gates, the person beside him had eyes shimmering with fine light, discreetly tugging and shaking a corner of his sleeve.

“Ever since Aunt entered the palace, she has kept her doors closed to the outside world; her health is poor.” Huo Qiu gazed at the palace path, which grew noisier as night fell. As a cool breeze blew, his voice seemed to blend into the wind.

After saying this, his expression softened slightly: “In the future, if you are bored, come find Aunt to play often.”

“She will be very happy.”

Only then did Tang Zhuozhuo recall some things about this successor Empress.

She was originally the second miss of the Guan family. Her mother died when she was young, and her father was unreliable, so she had been exceptionally close to her elder sister since childhood. Unfortunately, the good times didn’t last. Her elder sister was summoned into the palace to become a Noble Consort and eventually rose to the position of Empress.

The burden of the Guan family fell onto the first Empress’s thin shoulders. Combined with the loss of vitality when giving birth to Huo Qiu, she passed away shortly after.

Emperor Qiongyuan was devastated. At that time, Huo Qiu was still in swaddling clothes. The harem was full of predatory eyes, the Empress’s seat was vacant, and the Crown Prince had to be established—the situation was complex and delicate.

It was at this time that Emperor Qiongyuan ordered the second miss of the Guan family into the palace to reside in Changchun Palace, hold the phoenix seal, and raise the Crown Prince.

While it looked like the Guan family’s glory was being extended, this Second Miss Guan was a person of true temperament. She lived deep in the inner palace and never again concerned herself with the Guan family’s affairs in the outer court, focusing solely on raising and protecting the only bloodline left by her elder sister.

In her past life, after Huo Qiu ascended to the throne, Lady Guan, who had become the Empress Dowager, requested to go to Mount Wutai, leaving without a single trace of regret.

Tang Zhuozhuo pulled herself out of her memories. Before she could respond, she saw the brightly lit palace ahead, standing out exceptionally in the dark night.

“The banquet hasn’t officially begun yet. If you see Tang Xuanwu later, give him my regards.”

Tang Zhuozhuo was stunned. Her beautiful eyes immediately crinkled as she smiled like a little fox that had just been fed, her watery almond eyes looking incredibly alluring.

“Thank you, Your Highness.” At the thought that she would see her father and brothers, who had pampered her since childhood, Tang Zhuozhuo’s nose felt a bit prickly.

Except for her marriage not going as she wished, her father and mother had been almost entirely submissive to her, which was what had cultivated her arrogant and overbearing nature.

“Why are you crying? So foolish.” Despite his words of disdain, Huo Qiu pulled her to the dark side of the road, took a snow-white handkerchief, and carefully wiped her reddened eyes.

He couldn’t stand seeing her shed tears, yet her “golden beans” fell quite freely.

Under the dim shadow of the trees, the temperature of the man’s fingertips was somewhat scalding. As his thumb brushed against her face, it felt tingly and numb; she suddenly let out a laugh.

“Your Highness is truly good-looking.”

Huo Qiu’s movements paused. The snow-white handkerchief fluttered down onto a nearby branch. His eyes were deep and somber; though his face usually wore a thin, cold smile, it now slowly solidified.

He steadied his breathing and looked deeply at the petite girl who didn’t even reach his chest. His voice came out low and hoarse: “Tang Zhuozhuo.”

Tang Zhuozhuo tilted her head to look at him and let out a hum from her nose, her voice dainty and soft.

“I want to kiss you.”

When such a cold sentence came out, let alone Tang Zhuozhuo, even Zhang Desheng and An Xia, who followed closely behind, looked at each other for a moment before holding their breath and moving further away.

(TN: we are back to Zhang Desheng from Li Desheng. I guess it was a mistake from the author)

His Highness has truly become more and more abnormal lately.

As waves of watery night wind brushed past her hair and sleeves, Tang Zhuozhuo suddenly heard the heartbeat flowing in her blood, extremely fast and intense.

After a long silence and darkness, Huo Qiu’s fingers moved, and the light in his eyes gradually dimmed.

Tang Zhuozhuo’s palms were wet with sweat. She stared at the tips of her toes, forced herself to stay calm, and looked up. Her beautiful eyes trailed a linger of starlight. After the words turned a few times on the tip of her tongue, she said softly: “If Your Highness wants to kiss, then kiss.”

Why ask her?

A very slight smile finally tugged at Huo Qiu’s cold, hard face. He reached out and rubbed her soft cheek, leaning down until he was very close to her. Tang Zhuozhuo closed her eyes tremulously, but heard the man’s deep, rich voice:

“Jiaojiao, we are staying at Zhengda Hall tonight.”

A fire burned in Huo Qiu’s eyes. His heart was overflowing with the person before him. He endured it again and again, but he still wanted to “devour her whole.”

Why endure any longer?

A surge of heat rose from his lower abdomen. Huo Qiu closed his eyes, suppressing the restlessness in his heart.

But there was still a tough battle to fight next; he couldn’t rush.

As for this little girl who was so practiced at provoking him, there would always be an opportunity to catch her and bully her thoroughly.

When they arrived, many people were already seated in Shousheng Hall, but the two most important figures had not yet appeared. Many noble ladies had brought their daughters of marriageable age, and for a while, the hall was filled with the clinking of glasses and the sound of laughter, it was very lively.

Tang Zhuozhuo followed beside Huo Qiu, her fair face stained with a layer of pink clouds. Her sharp eyes searched around the hall until she found her parents sitting not far from the princes’ seats, looking at her with excitement.

A few nearby officials saw Huo Qiu and her and paid their respects, smiling diligently but not approaching.

These were several civil officials who had not taken sides. At such a sensitive time, being too familiar with anyone was not good. Self-preservation was the wise path.

Tang Xuanwu stood up from his seat, drained the remaining wine in his cup, and then stood up with a heroic laugh, “This official greets the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess.”

Tang Zhuozhuo saw that her father looked much younger than in her previous life; his face was not yet covered in crisscrossing wrinkles, and he hadn’t yet worn his heart out worrying for her. He was still the picture of towering heroism and righteous courage.

The corners of her mouth curled up into a smile like a shining little sun. Seeing this, Tang Xuanwu finally let out a sigh of relief.

As long as she was living well, it was fine.

Huo Qiu caught her bright smile by chance. Rubbing the jade ring on his hand, he followed with a smile.

Because of Huo Qiu’s status, they sat in the position just below Emperor Qiongyuan, directly above several other princes.

When the Empress Dowager, Lady Qiu, was escorted in, the palace banquet officially began.

Emperor Qiongyuan had certainly put much effort into the Empress Dowager’s birthday. From opera troupes from Yangzhou to Buddhist songs from the southern border, his filial piety was evident everywhere.

The Empress Dowager also appeared exceptionally kind, with a gentle smile never leaving her face.

Maids stepped forward gracefully to serve several courses. Opposite Tang Zhuozhuo were Huo Qi and Lady Liu. The smiles on their faces were as perfunctory as could be. Tang Zhuozhuo found them an eyesore, so she focused on taking small bites of the snacks served.

Out of sight, out of mind.

The sound of the singing gradually faded. The tall body of the man beside her moved. Tang Zhuozhuo paused, wiped her mouth with a handkerchief, and looked down; sure enough, her own mother was looking at her with a frown.

At this time, the graceful, fluttering dancers with eyes like silk withdrew, their sleeves waving.

The Third Prince straightened his sleeves and stood up. His face was like crowning jade, and his bearing was dignified. He bowed to the Empress Dowager and spoke warmly: “Your grandson offers a string of South Sea Winter Pearls to celebrate Imperial Grandmother’s great birthday. May Imperial Grandmother have fortune as vast as the Eastern Sea and a life as long as the Southern Mountains.”

The Empress Dowager’s smile deepened slightly as she said, “The Third has been thoughtful.”

Huo Yuan, the Third Prince, sat down steadily. Among the adult princes, he was the eldest and saw things most clearly. With a beautiful wife and concubines, he enjoyed his domestic bliss and naturally did not covet the dragon throne above all others.

The gift he gave was not meant to stand out; being mediocre and not seeking the limelight was best, that way, no one could frame him.

Next, it was time to watch the good show.

Tang Zhuozhuo turned her head and saw Huo Qiu standing tall. His sword-like brows were heroic, and his black dragon-patterned robe was strikingly noble and extraordinary. He held an object covered with a black cloth and stepped forward calmly.

“On Imperial Grandmother’s great birthday, your grandson offers a small token of his heart, hoping to bring a smile to Imperial Grandmother.”

Hearing him say this, Emperor Qiongyuan also gained some interest. He straightened up slightly, his sharp eyes fixed on the tray in Huo Qiu’s hands. He chuckled twice and asked, “Does Mother know what secret the Fourth is keeping?”

“Where would the Fourth give me a hint beforehand? The Emperor should just watch.”

Huo Qiu paused. His dark eyes were incredibly deep. The little eunuch serving in the hall was extremely clever and immediately stepped up to lift the black cloth.

It revealed a snow-white handkerchief on a white jade tray.

The entire hall fell into a dead silence. Even Emperor Qiongyuan was stunned for a moment.

The Sixth Prince, Huo Qi, sneered at the sight and said meaningfully, “Royal Brother, you brought a mere handkerchief to fool Imperial Grandmother? Isn’t that a bit too lacking in sincerity?”

Emperor Qiongyuan gave him a cool glance, coughed lowly a few times, and then rubbed his chin before speaking: “Old Fourth, does this handkerchief have some special meaning?”

Tang Zhuozhuo also stared intently at that handkerchief. She clearly felt Huo Qiu’s body go rigid for an instant, before he unobservably pursed his lips and stared at the handkerchief for a few moments.

It’s ruined!

The birthday gift Huo Qiu prepared had been swapped!

Tang Zhuozhuo saw in one glance that the eyes of Huo Qi and Lady Liu sitting opposite were clearly flashing with schadenfreude, and the smiles on their faces even broadened. Her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

She finally understood what that sentence Zi Huan overheard—about “making them look good”—meant.

In front of all the civil and military officials, with the Emperor and Empress Dowager above and the princes and grandsons below, if such a huge blunder occurred, not only would Huo Qiu’s prestige be greatly diminished, but the Empress Dowager and Emperor Qiongyuan would certainly be dissatisfied.

Noble Consort Yan and Huo Qi truly had a cunning scheme.