Epilogue 9: Pearl

– I want to make a freshwater mussel, with time and flesh and blood, it protects its own pearl –

 

Late at night, it suddenly began to snow. With no wind, the snowflakes float, like cotton, everywhere. In the garden, plum trees are in full bloom, its flowers red as blood, tender and beautiful.

Mei Xiang entered the palace that night to add charcoal to the pot. She was startled when she suddenly saw the woman sitting on the cot, then she slowly walked forward, and whispered: “Miss, what’s going on with you?”

Chu Qiao is wearing a white cotton robe, her long hair like dark satin, looking somewhat absent-minded, her face pale, she slightly shook her head and said: “I’m just a little flustered.”

Upon hearing these words, Mei Xiang’s mouth curved with a trace of a smile. She teasingly said: “Fourth young master has just gone for two days, yet the young lady cannot sleep at night from lovesickness?”

Although Zhuge Yue is in charge of Qinghai, he is still a feudal official of Daxia, a status he maintains out of respect for the main Zhao who has focused on the north. Because of this regard for Zhao Che, based on position, he is still a military governor, but Chu Qiao is a princess. Mei Xiang has followed them for a long time, and has not changed… …

Chu Qiao laughed at her comment, and Mei Xiang retreated. The silk screen swing, the lights are dim, without the guy, this room seems to suddenly become empty.

She remembers that dream that she just had. In the dream she saw a woman whose back is fuzzy, slender, pale, with a soft demure smile on her lips. She was dressed in white, stood silently in a brick red garden, quietly looking at her, snow white pear flowers in full bloom behind her, a piece of it falling in the wind.

Late at night, cold silence prevailed, then, not knowing when, suddenly the wind picked up outside, snow billows and plum blossom tap at the window creating a rustling sound.

Chu Qiao quietly looked out the window, in her heart, a trace of inexplicable bitterness slowly surfaced, she doesn’t know why, she doesn’t know for whom.

That day is the fourth day of December, Zhuge Yue went to Gong Yue to deal with military affairs. He was gone for only two days. In the main hall of Xingyue Palace, Chu Qiao had a dream, she dreamed of a strange woman standing outside her window, she was silent for a long time, then had just left.

Half a month later, Zhuge Yue came back from Gong Yue, galloped all the way because of his busy schedule, hence is travel weary.

Zhuge Yun Zhou wrinkled his little eyebrows, and started to complain to his mother even before he got down from the horse-drawn vehicle. As if suffering from injustice, he said: “Zhou will never go out with father again, going on the road without rest, and hurrying along as if everything is urgent and pressing, I’m tired to death, and am not happy at all.”

Li Qingrong is eight this year, and looks very much like his father, especially his colorful clothing and gestures, are reminiscent of that person of elegant demeanor in years past. He was lazily leaning against the pillars in front of the palace, constantly yawning, eyelids slightly drooping over a pair of sexy eyes, declared: “I have already told you, it’s you who do not believe, just so you can go.”

Chu Qiao ignored them, walked right past the two and went straight to Zhuge Yue. Smiling, she flicked the dust from his clothes, and said: “Was it hard on the road?”

Zhuge Yue hugged her, and gently kissed her cheek: “It’s okay.”

“Hey!” Zhuge Yun Zhou helplessly sighed, seeing that no one was paying attention to him, he can only move his little legs to jump down the carriage. While getting off the side, he shook his head: “The morals of society are declining daily, the will of the people is unpredictable, the same family but different treatment which is way too much.”

Li Qingrong assumed a miserable look, single-handedly covered his eyes, and with one hand groped his way back to the palace.

……….

That night, Xingyue Palace held a grand banquet. The food is abundant, dance is graceful, the music is melodious, the palace ladies wore flowers from the willow tree, the officials and trusted subordinates brought their families, and above the main hall people talked and laughed merrily, harmony and happiness prevailing. However, all these are still inferior to Yue’s taste. Heavy snow piled up outside the door, hindering the path towards Mei Village, the wind is blowing, the snowflake whirls around to dance in the air just likes the long flowing silk inner sleeves of a Yaochi fairy maiden.

He drank some wine, his interest is also very good, and was teased by his subordinate that he’d better hurry along that same night to carry out his unfaithful intentions away from the heart of the family instead of acting just like a stubborn child, eagerly staring, afterwards his second-in-command will judge the appearance of the King and will get even with him.

That night, with the banquet dispersed and the palace gates closed, light flickered on the silk screen, as behind it, hot burning flesh connected and limbs became incessantly entwined. After the storm has cleared, he kissed her earlobe lightly, then whispered: “Xing’Er, Queen Nalan is gone.”

“Gone? Where did she go?”

Chu Qiao seems to be in a daze. Her usually sharp mind has yet to emerge from the extreme warmth and euphoria of their lovemaking. Nestled against his bosom, she blurrily thought: ‘Queen Nalan? Which Queen Nalan?’

“I heard she died because of an acute illness, nearly half a month ago. At the news I was very afraid, I remember that you were looking ill, so I became impatient and can’t wait to get back.” Zhuge Yue whispered, his arms around her from behind, his chest tight against her smooth back, holding her so tight that she almost had some difficulty breathing.

But Chu Qiao’s body gradually stiffened, as a chill, like the Yanbei plateau winter well water that can freeze a person to death, rose from her fingertips, crawling upwards. The wind outside the window issued a whining sound, a plum branch of Mei village swaying before the window, slender and wispy, similar to a woman’s slender waist and clouds of hair.

She suddenly remembered the night half a month ago when she awakened abruptly from sleep, her body soaked with cold sweat that seem to stick throughout her entire frame. After many days, she has already forgotten, forgot the woman’s brow, forgot the woman’s face, forgot that cloud patterns on her clothes. However, she still remembers a pair of eyes, quiet, indifferent, like nine days of the cloud, floating, then falling on her body, seeming as though it can see through her, and see far better.

She saw her shadow, so thin, the wind blowing the lower hem corner of her clothes, and pear blossoms gently falling on her head, a pale one sprinkled next to her.

They’ve never met, but throughout the intersections of this life, it seems that they inadvertently got an accidental glimpse of each other once.

The ink is messy, the exquisite writing paper is lightly wrinkled, the verse is disorderly, and only a woman’s tears, dropping one at a time, saturating the paper and smudging the ink, melts one tear stain after another.

Through a mistake arising out of chance circumstances, Chu Qiao saw her pain that nobody else sees. When she inadvertently lifted her eyes, Chu Qiao saw the scar that a woman who always keeps aloof never shows.

The mountain has wood, the wood has branches, I have a heart that aims to please only one man, but he does not know… …

A loud caw is heard, over a shadow that flashed through the window, her whole body was suddenly startled, even her fingers have become stiff.

Zhuge Yue became aware of her awry state, hugs her to his chest, partly haunches their body into a half prop, then loudly said: “What is that thing?”

Rapid footsteps were heard outside the hall then someone replied: “King, it’s the night crow flying.”

“Order the archers to shoot all the night crows in the vicinity.”

“Yes, your servants will do this.”

The night wind is still blowing, Zhuge Yue, clinging to her, softly comforted: “Do not be afraid, it’s all right, it’s just a bird.”

Her eyes suddenly feel hot, she turned around, and hugged his waist tightly. He single-handedly embraced her, his other hand patted her back, looked up a little, and asked in a low voice: “Xing’Er, what’s going on with you?”

She was buried in his warm arms so her voice was very small as she quietly said: “I’m just thinking that life is impermanent.”

He answered: “Life may be impermanent, but not you and me.”

Chu Qiao looked up, a pair of black eyes displayed a confused look in the dark, she slightly frowned and said, “There are things that humans cannot control, however the divine intervention has eventually been unpredictable.”

“I do not believe in deities.” He faintly smiled, eyes shining with a gorgeous glow, leaned forward, deposited one kiss on her mouth, then murmured: “I will never let myself regret things.”

Her heart felt as if it was suddenly immersed into the hot springs, her limbs turned weak and trembled. She is hugging him, lips and teeth lightly nibbling his own, their kisses deepening with a little friction. Her fingers, like butterfly wings, slid over his wide shoulders traveling down his hard chest and eventually resting near his heart. She leaned her ear pressed against that heart, firmly listening to his strong and powerful heartbeat. Lubdub, lubdub, lubdub, her tear drops fell in tune to his heartbeat, one by one, without cause, but she did not attempt to stop the flow.

Outside the window, heavy snow flutters about. She is in her warm home, enveloped in her husband’s arms, and her son is sleeping on the opposite side of the Hall. The world is so vast, but her world she has tightly grasped in her hand. Let the wind and rain come, she has the courage to face all the ups and downs and the twists and turns in this world.

………………………………

 

Qinghai’s winter is short and passes quickly.

Spring rain is expensive like oil, fine as if to weave in a manner of dancing thru the shrouded ox hair. This day is the auspicious day of spring plowing, so Zhuge Yue led the royal court and military to worship at the Shennong (Farmer God) altar. Ouyang (Mo’Er) is now grown up, so he, together with An Duoji, followed along Zhuge Yue’s side to listen to the poor. Qing qing became nervous that she has no one to play with so she begged Chu Qiao to go out of the house for air.

Her body is easily tired these days so she naturally feels lazy and is normally stubborn in her preference to staying at home but Qing qing has made a request so she has no choice but to capitulate and bring the children out of the palace. Li Qingrong, in his young age, is extremely lethargic, thus remained sleeping as they left the imperial city gate, so Chu Qiao has no choice but to prepare a separate carriage for him to ride, while she, her son Yun Zhou and Qing qing rode their own horses.

Up on the mountain everyone abandoned their horses. Li Qing-Rong sighs behind them, “… …” He moaned and said that he came to Qinghai to hide idly, he did not expect to be provided with labor and so on.

Qing qing is mad and quarreled with him, but has not yet uttered two sentences before she was defeated, so she turned to Chu Qiao for help.

Chu Qiao smiled and asked Li Qing-Rong if his older brother is forcing him to study politics all day?

He hastily nodded that he is too busy, then helplessly sighed: “Emperor brother said that he is waiting for me to grow a few years older, then we can meet again, and let him breathe.”

Chu Qiao knew the brothers share a mutual affection, so was not surprised and immediately stated: “It’s rare that your emperor brother is this broad-minded.”

Li Qingrong actually curled his lip in disdain, saying: “The emperor is the world’s first-class slave-driver, he wanted to deceive me to be fooled, no way.”

The rain drizzles like silk but made the mountain roads slippery. They climbed the mountain and reached the summit just as the day is clearing, the sun broke through the clouds, and a big rainbow appears like a ribbon on the horizon.

Qing qing is dancing happily while Zhuge Yun Zhou is frowning as he looked at her and asked: “Mother, when can aunt get married?”

Qing qing is very sensitive, turned her head and fiercely shouted: “Why do you want to worry about it?”

Zhuge Yun Zhou seethed: “Who has to worry about you? I just want to save my hearing.”

The two people were quarrelling at the same time. Chu Qiao turned her head and saw Li Qingrong wearing a red colored gown, soft belt crown, elegant robe sleeves, leaning against a pine. Even though young, his facial features were just the same as Li Ce’s. His slender eyes similar to a fox, slightly half-squinting, see her looking at him, suddenly smiled and said: “When paternal aunt gives birth to a daughter, and when Rong’Er has grown up, Rong’Er will marry her at once.”

Chu Qiao was surprised for a moment, then laughingly asked: “In your young age, how can you suddenly think of this?”

“It’s not a sudden thought.” Li Qingrong raised his eyebrows, a shallow smile touched the corner of his lips. He is obviously a small child, but his eyes were like a vast layer of mist that people can’t see through. “I’ve had this idea since childhood. I wanted to come to this end because Rong’Er is born for this purpose.”

As the cool breeze gently blows Li Qingrong’s mane, he looked into the distance and said quietly: “Paternal aunt, this world has too many unhappy couples, just like my father emperor and his imperial concubine, the emperor grandfather and emperor paternal grandmother, their lives were filled with hate that continued until their death. A marriage similar to aunt and the King, there is so little.”

Suddenly, the mountain breeze stopped only to blow harder. Seeing that Chu Qiao was wearing thin clothes, Li Qingrong quickly took a cloak, came running, and put it over for her shoulders. He was small, but very calm as he smilingly said: “Paternal aunt, I want a younger sister to be my wife, therefore, you and king must try hard.”

Seeing such a small serious child state such a joke by himself, Chu Qiao suddenly became self-conscious, and became itchy to return a few cutting remarks. He is still smiling despite his weary appearance.

The rain stops, the rainbow winds across the sky, and the sun pierced through the dark cloud, sprinkling the place with a golden yellow color.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

Half a month later, the imperial physician reported the happy news, Qinghai princess is pregnant.

At the end of the same year, Xingyue Palace welcomed a girl, named Zhuge Yun Sheng, small pearl, Pearl Princess.

In the second month, Bian Tang’s state envoy, carrying official documents, is on his way to Cui Wei mountain pass. Half-way thru his destination, he was intercepted by Li Qingrong on horseback who commanded him to deliver his letter to the king with haste then swiftly return back from Bian Tang with his official engagement contract and betrothal gifts.

Emperor Li Xiuyi wrote a letter to scold him that he must be insane, but Li Qingrong simply replied while faintly humming: “The pearl of the clam is his, so if he wants to be with the shell, why would the emperor interfere?”

Another child was admitted to the main hall of the bedroom. Poor king of Qinghai, at the end of up to six months of abstinence of the flesh, he must now start the difficult road of seizing his wife back for himself.

The wind from the pass blows with the delicate fragrance of green grass. A year has gone, another year came, in Huai Song of the East China Sea coast, the fishermen caught this year’s new freshwater mussels, some freshwater mussels contain pearls that are radiant, some mussels have already lost their bead.

It was originally a grain of sand, and was loved, so it became precious.

It took years of polishing before, finally, it becomes a pearl.

 

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Novel @ http://91baby.mama.cn/thread-512449-30-1.html

P.S. Translations are done by google. I simply interpreted the translations to make sense of the events that occurred in this chapter. If there are mistakes in my interpretation, please don’t hesitate to inform me.

Note: This chapter started off quite creepy. I wonder why Queen Nalan visited Chu Qiao after her death and showed the latter her innermost feelings that she can never show anyone else? I don’t understand the author’s purpose in allowing this bizarre event to occur. Is it really possible for a person to visit another after death even though they have never met in real life? Was it their mutual love for Yan Xun that drew Queen Nalan to Chu Qiao? But at that point in Chu Qiao’s life, the love she felt for Yan Xun has already been replaced by bitter regret, so what connected the 2 women to allow them to meet in passing even after the death of one of them? Also, for what purpose?