Chapter 5 – The Prisoner Awaiting Decapitation Who Sleeps Upon The Dragon Bed

For the entire afternoon, Feng Zhao Wen never gave the command for me to be dragged out and beheaded.

Even more strange is, there is only the two of us eating the evening meal together.

When the eunuch in charge of meals arranged two plates of meat dishes and two plates of vegetable dishes onto the table, I distractedly looked at those “imperial dishes” not daring to touch them with my chopsticks.

…..For someone who has rarely seen meat in three years, who eats a meal and is hungry the next, a criminal awaiting execution, these two plates of meat dishes….are really lacking in quant.i.ty…

Feng Zhao Wen used a pair of silver chopsticks to point at the exquisite dish: “Eat.  Why aren’t you eating!”

En, I am a person who is going to die soon.  This deceptive kind of courtesy, I can treat it like nothing!

I wielded my silver chopsticks, striking left and right. Feng Zhao Wen who was chewing carefully and swallowing slowly had not yet  eaten half a bowl of rice, when the entire two plates of meat dishes were already in my belly.

The eunuch standing in attendance behind him, Tian Bing Qing’s mouth twitched.  The expression in his eyes was severe to the point of wis.h.i.+ng to put me to death by a thousand cuts.  Mainly, he wanted to express, using an intense face, that I was “extremely brave” actually daring to let his majesty the emperor eat rice with just vegetables, unwilling to let go of even a single piece of meat….

But I had only just eaten to half full.  For these past three years, my stomach has been deprived of fats.  These few measly pieces of meat were simply incapable of compensating.  I couldn’t help but repeatedly peek at that empty plate.

Feng Zhao Wen placed his chopsticks down, the corner of his lips slightly curved, clearly in a good mood: “Still not full?  Still want to eat something?”

I saw that his manner of speaking did not seem false. I felt that he, as a mighty emperor, only eating this many dishes was being stingy, but towards a person who is about to die, he probably wouldn’t begrudge a bit of meat right?  Thus, without the slightest bit of hesitation, I requested: “Meat, simmer-fried pork shoulder, simmer-fried streaky pork, simmer-fried pig trotters……in general simmer-fried meat.  No matter what part, as long as it is on a pig’s body, just bring me a piece to satisfy my craving?!”

I fervently stared at him:  agree to my request agree to my request agree to my request honorable emperor!

He gracefully placed the rice in his hand down, indifferently turned towards the eunuch standing in attendance behind him and coolly said a line: “Tian Bing Qing ah, I see that today’s imperial meal is a bit plain.”

Tian Bing Qing’s forehead was immediately covered in cold sweat, his face ashen.  Das.h.i.+ng outside to relay the meal requests, his steps were a bit feeble.

Towards his figure, going off into the distance, I was extremely sympathetic: “Your majesty, this imposingness of yours is a bit too strong!”

Feng Zhao Wen’s serene phoenix eyes gently glanced over.  For my red braised pork, I immediately shut my mouth.

Speaking of which, Feng Zhao Wen is an extremely odd person.

After staying with him for half a day, I came to this conclusion.

He wholeheartedly used his strength to help his father conquer the world.  Begrudging himself food, begrudging himself clothes, working hard until late at night.  Even after finis.h.i.+ng the evening meal, he doesn’t s.h.i.+ft his body, but continues to sit behind the writing desk, inspecting account books.  In the end, what for?

I, overcome with boredom, leaned upon the imperial seat, from time to time aiming a quick glance at his majesty the emperor, who was sitting upright like a pine tree, and felt that the expression upon his face has changed a great deal, despite the fact that his skin was still as smooth as before, and has not produced even a single wrinkle.  I really could not tell where this feeling of change came from.

Standing behind him, Tian Bing Qing’s head would nod off from time to time, like a small chick pecking at rice.  His appearance was charmingly foolish, causing me to stealthily laugh.

Luckily, Feng Zhao Wen finally concluded this day’s business.  He straightened his back and stood up.  Tian Bing Qing stepped forward to help him loosen his hair and take off the dragon robe.  A small palace maid quietly entered without a sound, her small face glowing red, to help him wash his face and rinse his mouth.

I inwardly burst out laughing.  Feng Zhao Wen’s skin was extremely excellent.  Of all the males that I know, he can be considered stunningly beautiful. It’s just that his normally cold face often caused the young ladies to shrink back.

But he is now great Qi’s precious emperor.  With waves of palace maids and imperial concubines, there is no fear that he will remain a bachelor.

After having finished was.h.i.+ng, he raised his head and gave me a cool glance: “An Yi, you won’t wash?”

I was startled by the sudden care, and went forward to wash my face and rinse my mouth with happiness and diligence.  To be able to receive his majesty the emperor’s kind treatment, why wouldn’t I?

After I tidied up properly, the small palace maid carrying the silver basin, towels, and so forth, quietly left without a sound.  The palace hall’s door creaked once and then was tightly closed.  Turning myself around, even Tian Bing Qing could no longer be seen. In the dimly lit room, there was only that person reclining upon the dragon bed, his somewhat considering eyes swept across my face.

I swallowed a mouthful of saliva, feeling a burst of inexplicable nervousness. “Your majesty, I…..where will I sleep?”

Feng Zhao Wen faintly smiled.  My heart dramatically jumped.  With a few large strides, I retreated backwards, fearing that he would flare up on the spot and order me to be dragged out.

–This person’s temperament was originally bad.  His ability to ruthlessly cast someone aside, that year, I have already witnessed it.

But the truth was beyond my expectations.  He hooked his finger towards me. “It’s not the first time you’ve slept on this emperor’s bed.  Still not coming over?”

…….

In a split second, my face reddened to the ears.  In my mind, many bad thoughts surfaced, and again, I retreated by a large step, hating that I could not open the palace hall doors and flee. Stammering, I was finally able to choke out a sentence: “Your majesty, this criminal is not a concubine from your imperial harem.  There is no obligation to serve!”

There is no sense in leaving a pile of imperial concubines to idle and instead want me, a convict awaiting execution, to tax my mind and body instead.

His phoenix eyes gently gleamed, pulling his slender finger back.  “So it’s like this huh — An Yi is unexpectedly righteous!”  Not light nor heavy, a single sentence floated over: “Since you don’t want to serve, then just get dragged out and chopped!”

I felt wronged and resentful, but did not dare to flare up on the spot.

The most hateful thing was, that person, if he wanted to let me die, it would be accomplished in the blink of an eye. The scariest thing was that he would come up with 100 different ways to torment me, letting me live a life worse than death. Moreover, righteousness, this kind of thing, since it can’t become food to eat and can’t be used to save one’s life……why would I want it?

My legs shook uncontrollably, the tears in my heart flowing into a river as I, step by step, walked slowly over to the dragon bed’s side.  By one stretch of his iron arm, I was firmly seized at the waist and thrown onto the dragon bed.  Flipping himself over, he pressed himself down upon me. All these actions were done as quickly as a fleeing rabbit and as nimbly as a cheetah, but still as graceful as moving clouds and flowing waters.  In its entirety, one couldn’t tell that I was being forced.

I’ve also slept on this dragon bed in the past. It’s just that the person next to me has changed.  My entire body was stretched taut, nervous, fearful, and some other feeling that even I, myself could not say.

Feng Zhao Wen plunged deeply between my lips, bringing with him the aggressiveness of a robber.  In my mind, a round of dizziness a.s.saulted me, simply feeling as if all the bad luck in my life was combined into this person before my eyes.

He probed and explored with familiarity, doing as he pleased. I bit my teeth, not understanding how things got to this bizarre step, and really wanted to loudly tell the great Qi emperor: I want to sleep in prison….but I don’t have the courage.

The day after, when I woke up, the person next to me was already gone without a trace.

Feng Zhao Wen was a good emperor who knew how to care for the country, despite how fickly overbearing he was as a person. This was something I had to concede.

I recalled yesterday night, after I exhaustingly fell asleep, hazily, it seemed as if someone next to my ear, very lovingly murmured: “Xiao Yi……Xiao Yi…..”  Light and delicate, soft, silky kisses fell upon the side of my cheek and the sound of a sigh, full of tender sympathy.

–Even if you beat me to death, I won’t believe that that is something Feng Zhao Wen would do!

Perhaps I slept too deeply and so was muddle-headed, mistaking the person who sleeps upon this dragon bed as the person who likes to paste saliva onto my face, Xiao Huang.

It even seemed as if I, in between wakefulness and sleep, had spoken without thinking, calling out “Xiao Huang….”  Anyways, it was a dream, where nothing is ever really clear.

Having probably heard some movements, a small palace maid began to tie up the layers and layers of embroidered curtains, gently calling towards me: “Imperial concubine, you have awakened?”

This form of address was indeed horrifying!

I had originally already sat up with half-shut eyes, but was so frightened, my head fell back into the beautiful bedding. Detecting the faint scent of Feng Zhao Wen’s body with my nose, my face immediately heated up.  Using an extreme effort to settle my face into a serious expression: “How could you address people thoughtlessly?  Is imperial concubine something you can thoughtlessly address people as? ”

The small palace maid knelt down with a plop: “Imperial concubine, please forgive me…..imperial….”

I helplessly waved my hand: “Just call me miss!”

That small palace maid hesitated for a while and then cautiously: “Mi-…Miss, the palace has never had this kind of precedent.  After having served his majesty, if you are still being called miss, it wouldn’t conform with the rules!”

…..The palace has also never had a criminal awaiting decapitation sleep on the dragon bed!

Feng Zhao Wen can indeed be compared to the unscrupulous businessmen outside of the palace, using everything to the fullest and seizing every opportunity, even taking advantage of a criminal awaiting decapitation!

I felt aggrieved in my heart, but had nowhere to vent, so I imitated Feng Zhao Wen’s look, coldly casting a glance at the small palace maid. Her face was suddenly as white as paper, knocking her head once on the floor, she tremblingly called to me, “Miss…miss should get up!”

“The Child Bane soup?”

Sighing a breath, I extended a hand, not thinking that the small palace maid, as though she had seen a ghost, would fearfully get up and run out.  Not long after, a person anxiously rushed in from outside the palace hall.  Settling into a for-the-country-for-the-people face, he earnestly persuaded and urged: “Miss, how could you ask the palace maid for Child Bane soup? Ah, even if you are throwing a fit towards his majesty, you still shouldn’t talk about wanting Child Bane soup!”

….When was I throwing a fit at Feng Zhao Wen?

This Tian Bing Qing,  having followed Feng Zhao Wen for so many years, is still scatter-brained like this.  I’m actually worried in his place!

Seeing my unconvinced expression, he furiously said, “The present miss is  unlike that of the past’s. Great Chen has already perished.  Miss was brought back after being captured, and should obediently follow the regulations.  How could you use your small temper and provoke the emperor into a bad mood; he woke up this morning with a dark face…..and now you actually dare to ask for Child Bane soup?”

……That’s not it.  I just don’t understand.  Feng Zhao Wen is perfectly aware that I am great Chen’s former official but won’t investigate to see if I have any intentions of restoring my country. It can’t be that he would even dare to openly let me give birth to a child?

I, this thoughtful-of-other-people person, was just being considerate in his place.  Rather than letting those black-mouthed, black-faced elderly ladies in the palace force feed me the Child Bane soup, I might as well ask for it myself, obediently opening my mouth to drink it and avoiding embarra.s.sment.

“Feng Zhao Wen didn’t confer Child Bane soup to me?”

Tian Bing Qing’s expression seemed to somewhat hate iron for not becoming steel, ruthlessly giving me a glare.  “Miss, is the emperor’s taboo name something you can thoughtlessly say?”  About to reply, I glanced towards the palace hall’s door.  That small palace maid’s face was deathly pale. s.h.i.+vering uncontrollably, she plastered herself to the corner of the room and stealthily inched her way outside.  Reaching the palace hall’s door, the palace maid hated that she could not sound a cheer.  In the blink of eye, she disappeared.

I couldn’t bear it, laughing out hehe.  This small palace maid was too cute!

“Still laughing?!” Tian Bing Qing gave me a glare, then unable to maintain it, he himself also laughed.

“The emperor, to this day, still does not have any children.” Xiao Tian worriedly sounded a sigh. Then in a low voice he muttered: “And he doesn’t agree to….how could he confer Child Bane soup to miss?”

Feng Zhao Wen can’t be considered young anymore right?

He is now the precious master of a country.  Even if his imperial harem doesn’t have 3000 concubines, there should at least be 500 right? Unexpectedly, he still does not have any children. Don’t tell me….remembering my own wretched appearance yesterday night though, I discarded that preposterous idea.