Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 82

Wei Xiu was exceptionally perceptive; the changing expressions of every prince and minister in the room were reflected in her eyes, and Xiao Dewen was no exception. The Emperor had passed the crisis, yet he remained panicked. This matter was likely related to him in some way.

She always paid close attention to court affairs and was aware that Xiao Dewen had been visiting the palace quite frequently of late. The Emperor had even kept him for meals a few times. As for the true circumstances, that remained to be seen.

In truth, the Emperor’s illness had no direct connection to Xiao Dewen. It was merely that Xiao Dewen, inspired by his encounter with Wei Xiu, felt he needed to evoke more pity from the Emperor. He began to visit the palace often and, seizing the right moment, brought up the Prince of Yan to the Emperor. The Prince of Yan had passed away before his capping ceremony, a truly premature death. As the eldest son, the Emperor had once placed great hopes in him, but alas, heaven did not grant him more years.

At Xiao Dewen’s mention, all the Emperor could recall were the Prince of Yan’s filial and virtuous deeds. With Puyang’s wedding taking place, he could not help but think that he was growing old. The people of the past were either dead or scattered; the Empress was gone, the Prince of Yan was gone, and now, even Seventh Lady, who had always been by his side, had left him to start her own family. His heart was filled with desolation.

Unaware of the Emperor’s thoughts, Xiao Dewen had come to the palace yesterday and spoken of his admiration and longing for the Prince of Yan. He also mentioned that the Cold Food Festival was approaching and that he wished to visit the tomb to pay his respects, which again stirred the Emperor’s heart. As soon as Xiao Dewen left, the Emperor, hiding it from everyone, went to the Prince of Yan’s mausoleum to see his long-departed eldest son. As a result, he returned late, had not dressed warmly enough, and coupled with his melancholic state, he caught a chill. Had he summoned the imperial physicians promptly, it would not have developed into a serious illness. But he had always considered himself healthy and thought a mere chill was no great matter, so he paid it no mind and proceeded to read memorials for an entire night. The accumulation of these several factors led to his collapse.

Xiao Dewen was indeed deeply cunning, but he had yet to experience any major events. When he came to the palace for an audience this morning, he heard the eunuchs discussing how the Emperor had gone to the Prince of Yan’s mausoleum the day before and caught a cold. He immediately assumed that his mention of sweeping the tomb for the Cold Food Festival had prompted the Emperor to go out, thereby causing the illness. He was overcome with panic. What if His Majesty woke up and directed his anger at him? For a moment, the thought, “it would be better if grandfather never woke up,” even flickered in his mind.

It was past the fifth watch, the time of greatest fatigue. Many of the officials in the hall were white-haired old men who, sitting on their cushions, seemed on the verge of toppling over, a worrying sight. Puyang, being young, could endure a night or two without sleep and remained clear-headed and composed. Seeing this, she quietly summoned two eunuchs and instructed them to clear out two side halls so these old ministers could rest for a while. They were the pillars of the Great Wei, and it would not do to wear them out.

Thus the night passed. As the chen hour approached, a eunuch came running, his face beaming with joy, and announced, “His Majesty is awake!”

Forgetting the exhaustion of a sleepless night, everyone in the hall scrambled to their feet and surged outside.

The moment the Emperor opened his eyes, he heard a eunuch report, “The princes, the Princess, and all the ministers are outside the hall, requesting an audience with Your Majesty.”

Having just awoken from his faint, the Emperor’s mind was still muddled. Hearing that so many people were waiting for an audience, he thought something major had happened and immediately said, “Summon them at once!”

He struggled to sit up on the couch, leaning against a pillow.

As it turned out, all those people had rushed to the palace in a panic because of his sudden illness. The Emperor was half amused and half touched. He first addressed the princes and ministers, “I have suddenly caught a chill and feel quite unwell. I fear I will be unable to hold court or attend to state affairs today and tomorrow. Each of you must attend to your duties and not neglect your responsibilities.”

Everyone bowed in unison and acknowledged his command.

The Emperor let out a breath of relief. His gaze then turned to Puyang and Wei Xiu, growing warmer. He sighed, “This was meant to be your happy day, and then my illness… ah, this has been hard on you.” He was deeply moved.

Puyang naturally urged him to rest and recover well. The ministers at court were wise, she said, and a day or two would pose no problem. His health was the most important thing.

The Emperor smiled, then his eyes fell upon Xiao Dewen standing in a corner. Seeing the boy looking so young and lonely among the adults, his heart softened. “You should go back and rest too.”

Xiao Dewen had been terrified since entering the hall. Seeing that the Emperor did not blame him, he was overjoyed and nearly let the delight show on his face. He quickly bowed to hide his expression, preventing anyone from noticing.

The false alarm passed, and the people in the hall dispersed, leaving the Emperor to rest quietly.

Puyang and Wei Xiu boarded their carriage to return to the residence. The journey back was not as frantic as their arrival. The wheels rumbled, rolling through the streets and alleys toward the Wei residence.

When they had left the residence, it was the dead of night; upon their return, the sky was already bright.

Wei Xiu was utterly exhausted. She had been forcing herself to stay alert outside, but once she entered their private chamber and saw they were alone, a deep weariness became apparent. She let out a soft breath and raised a hand to press her temples. Dark circles shadowed her eyes, and a heavy fatigue was etched upon her brow.

The sound of light footsteps came from behind her. Wei Xiu knew it was Puyang entering. She lowered her hands from her temples and was about to turn when she felt a slight coolness on the back of her neck as a pair of soft hands began to gently knead it. The pressure was just right, and the way her fingertips pressed was quite methodical.

Wei Xiu could not help but think of that time when she was ill in bed, and Her Highness had come to accompany her every day, even bringing medical books, wanting to learn some medicine. In the days that followed, they were both busy, and Her Highness never again came to her with questions from the medical books. She had assumed Her Highness had put the matter aside. But the skilled fingers on her shoulders now made her understand that Her Highness had not forgotten. Wei Xiu’s lips curved into a smile. She let Puyang massage her, and once the soreness in her shoulders had eased slightly, she reached back and covered Puyang’s hand with her own, smiling warmly. “You’ve worked hard, Your Highness.”

Puyang stopped her movements. She did not speak but slowly bent down, leaning gently against Wei Xiu’s shoulder.

The room was quiet. The sweet fragrance from Her Highness’s body, like orchid and iris, was delightful and pleasant. She just leaned against her, silent and gentle. The exhaustion from staying up all night suddenly drifted away, and Wei Xiu’s heart was filled with the joy of being with Puyang.

“It is you who has worked hard, Sir,” Puyang said softly, her voice tinged with apology. “Last night was supposed to be…”

Their wedding night, which they had so looked forward to, which was supposed to become an unforgettable, beautiful memory, had been spent so hastily. The Emperor was her father, and she could not help but blame herself.

Wei Xiu naturally knew what she was referring to and turned to look at her.

Puyang caressed her cheek, their eyes meeting. The guilt and disappointment in her eyes made Wei Xiu’s heart ache with love and pity. She leaned in and kissed her lips. Puyang obediently closed her eyes.

The touch on her lips was soft, not rushed, and devoid of desire, yet the palpable tenderness and care within it were exceptionally moving. Puyang had always known that after they married, Sir would be the most gentle and considerate of spouses. She would cherish her, take care of her, shelter her from the wind and rain, and share sweet affection with her. That was just the kind of person she was, possessing a goodness that no one else could match.

On their first day of marriage, Wei Xiu and Puyang simply caught up on sleep.

There was no one else in the residence. They could do as they pleased, and no one would come to boss them around. They slept until the afternoon, and some of their exhaustion finally dissipated.

The kitchen had already prepared a meal, waiting for the Princess and the Prince Consort to awaken. After they rose, they could eat their fill.

Puyang seemed to have little appetite. Although she sat with Wei Xiu and only stopped when Wei Xiu put down her chopsticks, she had actually eaten very little.

Seeing this, Wei Xiu could not help but ask with concern, “Is the food not to your liking?”

The dishes had all been prepared according to the Princess and Prince Consort’s preferences. They were fragrant and their colors were enticing; it was impossible that they were not to her liking. Puyang gave her a reassuring smile. “I’m not hungry. I was just thinking about why His Majesty’s illness came on so suddenly and severely.”

Hearing this was the reason, Wei Xiu felt relieved. She took the handkerchief offered by a maid, wiped her lips, and then said to her, “Your Highness could go and ask His Majesty yourself.” She suspected it was related to Xiao Dewen, but seeing that the Emperor had spoken to him after waking, he probably did not blame him. In that case, for Xiao Dewen’s sake, the Emperor would likely not speak of the cause of his illness. But things he would not tell his consorts, the princes, or the ministers, he might not keep secret from the Princess.

Puyang thought so as well, but she did not leave immediately. Instead, she walked to Wei Xiu’s side and sat down next to her.

Wei Xiu’s gaze was on her, following her as she approached. Puyang sat beside her, not speaking, just looking at her.

Wei Xiu did not speak either, looking back at her.

Puyang could not help but smile and said gently, “There’s no rush for that matter. Sir has not yet said what the arrangements are for the next few days.”

Marriage united two families. According to custom, on the first day after the wedding, the new bride should first pay respects to her new family and visit her husband’s relatives to show that she had integrated into the clan.

Wei Xiu thought for a moment. “I am the only one left in my family, so there are no relatives to visit. Are there any you wish to pay respects to, Your Highness?”

After saying this, she herself froze. She had not expected to blurt out her family’s situation to Puyang. She had truly let her guard down too much, forgetting to be vigilant. Then she thought of her deceased relatives. If her father and mother knew in the afterlife that she had married a princess… A pang of pain struck Wei Xiu’s heart, and she quickly stopped herself, unwilling to dwell on it further.

Puyang merely thought she was referring to not treating Grand Tutor Wei’s family as relatives. She did not have a favorable impression of the Wei clan’s conduct either, so she said nothing. After a moment’s thought, she said, “We can postpone visiting the various princely and princess residences for now. Why don’t we go to my maternal grandfather’s residence first?”

She was referring to Chancellor Wang.

Wei Xiu looked up at her. The Princess’s faintly smiling eyes soothed the unease in her heart. She curved her lips into a slight smile and said, “As Your Highness wishes.”

Although the Xiao family had many relatives, there were few worth visiting. She had never been close with the princes. While she frequently visited some of the princesses, none of them ranked first in terms of seniority or importance. Among the imperial clan, aside from respected elders like the Prince of Zheng, relations with the rest were rather distant. This could be attributed to the Emperor’s great achievements a few years prior, when he had dealt with his relatives out of fear that the clan would grow too powerful.

Counting them up, there were only a handful of places worth visiting, and among them, the most important was indeed the Chancellor’s residence.