The Eunuch Has A Wife - Chapter 65

“Once we leave these palace walls, I won’t be able to see the Dowager Consort as often.” Bai Zhi couldn’t help but glance back, but the old Dowager Consort was already out of sight.

In truth, the years she spent growing up in the cold palace were quite good.

With her adoptive father’s care and the Dowager Consort’s watchful eye, she never lacked for food or clothing, and she never suffered much hardship. Life was just a bit lonely, not as free and joyful as it was outside the palace.

But for Bai Zhi, this was already rare, precious, and something she was deeply grateful for.

For a moment, Bai Zhi couldn’t help but feel a pang of sadness.

As they walked out of the palace gates, Wei Ziwan noticed Bai Zhi’s frequent backward glances and teased her with a smile, “What’s the matter? Can’t bear to leave the three palaces and six courtyards? It’s a pity your reign as emperor was so short, just a few days, not even enough time to select a few favorite concubines.”

“That’s true. I should have delayed abdicating for a few more days.” Bai Zhi nodded with mock seriousness.

Wei Ziwan laughed even more brightly at this, “Now that you’re a princess, you can marry as many as you want, or marry whoever you wish.”

Bai Zhi reached out and took Wei Ziwan’s hand, smiling, “In that case, I’ll marry you first, my rightful wife… Ouch, ouch, ouch… Ziwan, let go, it hurts.”

The soft flesh around her waist felt like it had been twisted, a mix of pain and soreness. Though Bai Zhi complained of the pain, she didn’t pull away, because for some reason, her heart was filled with sweetness.

Wei Ziwan let go and shot her a reproachful glare, “You’d better think carefully. If you marry me, you can forget about anyone else for the rest of your life, or else…”

“Or else what?” Bai Zhi pretended to shiver, as if genuinely frightened.

Wei Ziwan snorted, feigning fierceness, “Or else I’ll make sure you die young.”

Bai Zhi held her hand, kissed the back of it, and whispered, “Will you come with me?”

“What?” Wei Ziwan didn’t catch it clearly, but the softness of Bai Zhi’s lips on her fingers made her heart melt inexplicably.

“If you come with me to the underworld, then dying young wouldn’t be so bad.” Bai Zhi said, lifting her head to look into Wei Ziwan’s eyes, but then she suddenly regretted it.

No, if there really is a parting in death, let it be me alone. Ziwan must live a long life; I can’t bear to lose her.

Wei Ziwan tilted her head, looking away, her tone light, “Then it’s settled. No regrets now, and once we’re married, there’s no turning back.”

Actually, there’s no turning back now, she thought, glancing sideways at the person beside her. If this eunuch dares to back out, hmph…

Bai Zhi silently opened her hand, palm to palm, fingers interlocking, “I will never regret this in this lifetime.”

After leaving the palace, they rode in a carriage for only half an hour before arriving at the princess’s residence, which wasn’t far from the palace.

As they stepped out of the carriage, they saw red silk draped over the entrance, and even the trees outside the courtyard walls were neatly tied with red ribbons. It seemed that the emperor hadn’t just issued an edict and left it at that; he must have sent people to oversee their wedding arrangements.

The twelfth lunar month passed quickly, and as the New Year approached, their wedding day arrived.

Wei Ziwan was the eldest princess of the Western Island Kingdom, but with the kingdom fallen, she had no elders or relatives to attend.

Fortunately, the two dowager empresses left their retreat and came to share a cup of tea with the newlyweds. The old Dowager Consort and Chief Eunuch Bai naturally came as well.

On the wedding day, Bai Zhi and Wei Ziwan were in separate places—one at the princess’s residence, the other in the palace.

Bai Zhi changed into her wedding attire, waiting for the right time to fetch her bride.

Bai Hongmo dismissed all the attendants and took out a small red bundle, “I thought about it for a long time, but nothing seemed suitable as a wedding gift. So I’m giving you this. Don’t mistreat Ziwan.”

Bai Zhi took it with mixed emotions. She had also wondered what Bai Hongmo would prepare.

They tacitly avoided mentioning their past collaboration, still addressing each other as mother and daughter, but their interactions lacked the ease and comfort of a typical mother-daughter relationship, having missed twenty years of each other’s lives.

“Mother…”

“No need to say more. Neither of us is sentimental. Just live your life well from now on.”

Bai Hongmo waved her hand, leaving as quickly as she had come.

In an instant, Bai Zhi was alone in the room. She carefully opened the red cloth in her hands and saw a familiar booklet. Why familiar?

Because the cover was black, with no title.

Bai Zhi was stunned. After flipping through a few pages, she was both amused and exasperated. It was no different from the black-covered booklets the Dowager Consort had given her. These people, really…

They sure know how to surprise.

In the palace.

Wei Ziwan waited nervously, but when she heard Bai Zhi’s voice outside, her heart suddenly settled.

One rode a horse, the other sat in a sedan chair. The wedding procession moved from the palace to the princess’s residence.

The road wasn’t long, but Bai Zhi felt as though she had crossed the intersection of her past and present lives, finally being reborn.

At night, after all the guests had left, Bai Zhi stood outside the door, pressing her chest and taking a few deep breaths before pushing the door open.

“Ziwan, I’m here.”

The door slowly opened and closed, a gust of night wind causing the red candles to flicker. The person sitting by the bed curved her lips and softly responded, “Hmm~”

Just one word, so light, yet it made the room suddenly feel enchanting and hazy.

The red wedding candles were specially made to last until dawn.

Outside, it was the biting cold of winter.

Inside… a gentle spring breeze, a summer downpour, a swift autumn night wind.

…

She had already read all the booklets the Dowager Consort had given her, and this morning she had even gone through the one Bai Hongmo had given her. She knew the first time shouldn’t be rushed.

Start slow, and then… then figure it out as you go…

“Good…”

“Husband— husband——”

The night deepened, and the red candles slowly burned out.

In the room, the sounds of what seemed like both weeping and pleasure played out several times.

By dawn, Bai Zhi opened her eyes, thinking of last night, and smiled silently. She gently hugged Wei Ziwan, her ears seemingly echoing with the tearful cries of “husband—-”

She looked at the sleeping figure, reached out to touch the corner of Wei Ziwan’s lips, her smile deepening, then suddenly turning to shock.

Bai Zhi looked at her finger resting on Wei Ziwan’s lips. Though she wasn’t exerting any force, her finger trembled uncontrollably.

She stared at her finger, then at Wei Ziwan’s sleeping face. Thankfully, she had woken up first; Ziwan hadn’t seen it.

Looks like I need to exercise more.

Bai Zhi immediately thought of getting up to run a few laps, but remembering a certain morning, she obediently lay back down, hugging Wei Ziwan and preparing to sleep a little longer.

Ziwan had once mentioned that she wanted to see her when she woke up in the morning, especially at times like this. She should stay in bed.

Bai Zhi closed her eyes, her lips curling into a silent smile.

After some time, Bai Zhi felt a slight pain on her chin. She reached up, and the skin on her chin was pulled even tighter.

“Ow… Ziwan.”

Wei Ziwan, seeing her awake, continued to nibble gently on Bai Zhi’s chin.

“Ziwan—” Bai Zhi’s breath hitched, and she suddenly flipped over.

Looking down at the person beneath her, her gaze deepened.

Her fingers still had strength; never mind if they trembled.

“Ow, don’t—”

Wei Ziwan’s waist was sore, and a hint of regret flashed through her heart, but it was too late.

The spring breeze had blown all night, and now it rose again on a clear day.

“Ow—” Bai Zhi felt a sharp pain on her collarbone and looked somewhat helplessly at Wei Ziwan. “Since when did you start liking to bite?”

I never noticed this habit before.

Come to think of it, she never used to pinch either. What other tormenting habits does my Ziwan have?

Wei Ziwan snorted lightly, squinting as she bit down again, “I just suddenly feel like biting you. Does it hurt?”

“No.” Bai Zhi shook her head with a smile. It did hurt a little, but that little bit of pain was nothing.

As soon as the word “no” left her lips, the person who had discovered this new habit seemed to be exploring new territory, slowly moving downward.

“Ow, that hurts a bit.” Bai Zhi lied, her hands covering her chest.

It didn’t really hurt, but it was ticklish, a tickle that came from deep within.

She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to hold back, and even more afraid that Ziwan would notice her trembling fingers. No, I need to exercise more, or else Ziwan will find out, and that would be too embarrassing…

…

The spring breeze blew several times, rising and falling without rest.

In the retreat, Bai Hongmo looked toward the princess’s residence, “Do you think those two will come to serve us tea?”

Chu Yingbai chuckled, “We forgot to remind them, so they might not know. Even if they remember, with such a beautiful night, who knows when they’ll get out of bed? You’ve been waiting since morning, and it’s already noon.”

She had been the empress since entering the palace and was now the dowager empress. Though she held the highest honor, her early years were filled with the bitterness of longing. Fortunately, those bitter days were over.

Bai Hongmo shot her a reproachful look, “You’re no different.”

“It’s not the same. You’re here, anxiously waiting for your daughter, while I’m just here to keep you company.” Chu Yingbai gently hugged Bai Hongmo. All she had ever wanted was for the two of them to be together peacefully, from the past until now, unchanged.

Bai Hongmo gripped her hand tightly, “Do you mind?” Mind that she couldn’t help but worry about her child.

Chu Yingbai smiled softly, “Miss Bai, born into a military family yet well-read in literature, have you ever heard the phrase ‘love me, love my dog’?”

How could she mind? She would only share in this person’s worries.

“Yingbai…”

——————–

Author’s Note:

(There will be a side story about Bai Hongmo and the empress later, so stay tuned.)