After tossing and turning for half the night, until the red candle burned out after half past midnight, Xie Wangzhi finally exhausted all her strength. She didn't even have the strength to get up and wash herself. She leaned on the couch and fell asleep with her eyes closed. At about 1:00 pm, she heard some sounds again, very light, rustling next to her. She thought she was dreaming, or that Meiqiu was scratching the window frame with his claws outside. Her eyelids were too heavy to open. She barely uttered a "hmm", but she didn't wake up after all. Instead, she fell into a deeper sleep.
When she woke up again, it was bright outside. The two layers of bed curtains could not block the sun. Xie Wangzhi was dazzled by the sunlight. She avoided the light and managed to stand up from the couch. She had taken off her wedding dress before going to bed. Now she was wearing soft and dry pajamas, which were clean and not sticky. But when she stretched out her hand, before she could lift the bed curtains, she felt a soreness from her shoulders to her waist, a bit like the feeling of getting up early the next day after a busy day in the Shangshi Bureau when she was young.
Xie Wangzhi took a deep breath, endured the discomfort, and hung the bed curtain on the jade hook.
As soon as the bed curtain was lifted, the palace maid waiting beside the couch immediately stepped forward and stood a little distance away, not even raising her eyes, "This servant greets the Majesty. Are you going to get up?"
Xie Wang was stunned: "You are..."
"I am Chunlan, a maid in Penglai Palace." Chunlan still didn't raise her eyes, and said in a steady voice, "His Majesty has gone to court, and he should still be discussing matters. Before he left, he asked me to wait for you, in case there is no one to serve you when you wake up."
Xie Wangzhi had just woken up and was still a little confused. After a moment's pause, she finally understood who Chunlan was referring to as "Your Majesty" and "Mother". She felt a little complicated for a moment, and couldn't tell whether she found it funny or not. She just said, "Okay, let's wash up."
"Your Majesty, please wait a moment." Chun Lan bowed again and turned to leave.
Penglai Palace was where the Queen lived. No one had lived there since Queen Cui passed away. There were only a few maids cleaning the place on weekdays. Li Qishen was so busy that he could not think of sending more maids over. Fortunately, Chunlan was quick and brought in hot water for washing in a short while. She was accompanied by a maid named Qiu Shuang.
Chunlan held the basin for Xie Wangzhi to wash, while Qiu Shuang tied her hair for her. Xie Wangzhi specifically told her not to bother, and the hairstyle she ended up with was simple, with two symmetrical silver hairpins to hold it up. Usually her hair was half down and half tied up, but she was too nervous last night and ignored this feeling. Now that it was all tied up, Xie Wangzhi always felt a subtle discomfort at the back of her neck.
But she couldn't put it down, so Qiu Shuang brought the mirror over and nodded, "Okay, that's it."
Qiu Shuang nodded, put the mirror back in place, and was about to ask about breakfast when she heard faint footsteps behind her. The man who came around the screen was wearing a dark suit, with a belt that made his waist look slim, making him look even taller. He was holding a tray in his hand, looking like an immortal offering elixir.
Li Qishen walked straight to the couch, casually placed the tray on the small table, and said to the palace maid, "Everyone, go down."
Chunlan and Qiu Shuang looked at each other, responded in unison, knelt down, saluted, and went out.
The bedroom was spacious. After the two maids left, Xie Wangzhi and Li Qishen sat opposite each other on a small table in front of the couch. After all, they were newlyweds, so Xie Wangzhi felt a little shy. He didn't dare to look at Li Qishen, but his mind was fragmented with how he had tossed and turned last night.
He looks cold, like a jade sculpture in his youth, and at this age, his facial features are more distinct, and when he is not smiling, he looks solemn. Li Qishen sat like this, with his head slightly lowered, not speaking, not only dignified, but also solemn. But this solemn and dignified man pressed her down tightly last night, leaving her with nowhere to escape, unable to beg for mercy, and could only sob and repeatedly call his nickname according to his wishes.
Xie Wangzhi's face felt hot and he lowered his head tightly, causing the cuffs of his newly-changed coat to wrinkle and the embroidered cloud pattern to crumple into a ball.
"Are you hungry?" Li Qishen was very calm, as if he had not even remembered how he was an inhuman. "I asked the kitchen to make some sweet porridge. Eat it first. It will be time for lunch soon."
It would have been better if he hadn't said it. Now that he said it, he was really a little hungry. He had dinner early yesterday and got up late today. By this time, Xie Wangzhi's stomach was empty. When he smelled the rice porridge, he felt his stomach rumbling.
"Why did you come back at this time without changing your clothes?" She was still sitting on the couch, reaching out to take the bowl of porridge. When she stretched her arm, she felt a pain behind her shoulder, and she couldn't help but let out a "hiss".
"Originally, a newlywed should not attend court for three days, but Chang'an has just been settled, and the rebels in various places have not been dealt with. As for Fanyang... Tsk, they are all minor troubles anyway, easy to deal with, but it's a headache if they are mixed together." When Li Qishen heard this cold voice, he knew that Xie Wangzhi was hurt, and quickly took the bowl and spoon and sat next to her. "Besides, many people in the court have changed a lot, and many of them are the men I knew back then. I am penniless, and the betrothal money was collected by them. If I dare not attend court for the sake of getting married and leave everything to them, I will be laughed at for the rest of my life."
He scooped a spoonful of sweet porridge, blew it carefully to cool it down, tested the temperature of the spoon with his lips, and then handed the spoon to Xie Wangzhi's mouth, "Don't move if it hurts, I'll feed you."
“… I’m not a child.” Xie Wangzhi always felt that it was weird to let him feed him, but he couldn’t raise his hands, so he could only bear it and opened his mouth to take the spoonful of porridge.
It was just sweet porridge, and any palace maid who could light a fire could make it. This bowl of porridge was not bad, the rice was stewed until each grain was bursting, and it had a light sweetness. Sugar was added specially, so it could be swallowed smoothly without chewing. Xie Wangzhi was already hungry, and the sweet smell aroused his appetite. When Li Qishen handed him the spoon again, he did not refuse, and ate it obediently spoonful by spoonful.
After eating almost everything, Xie Wangzhi felt better in his stomach. He shook his head, indicating that he didn't want to eat anymore. "Actually, you don't have to come here specially. Let someone tell me that you're going to court. I'll wait for you to come back. There's no need to rush. Didn't you say that you only have one dress? Let's see what you'll do if it gets dirty."
"Then I will wear casual clothes to court tomorrow, and change into this formal dress after it's washed." Li Qishen didn't care. He had to go to Xuanzheng Hall even if he had to wear a piece of rag. He put the empty bowl back on the tray and said calmly, "I didn't spend much money to trick you into the palace. It's fine if I can't accompany you this morning, but if I don't rush back, what will I become? If I tell others, I'm afraid Changning and the others will scold me to death. Besides, you cried like that last night..."
"... Don't say it!" Xie Wangzhi felt embarrassed when she thought about it, and quickly interrupted him. She wanted to act fierce, but she looked cute and her face was red. When she glared at Li Qishen, she looked like a spoiled child. She held it in for a long time and finally said, "If you say it again, I will beat you."
Li Qishen quickly stopped talking, saying that he was scared, and changed the subject: "By the way, do you think there are enough people in Penglai Palace?"
"… About the same, right?" Xie Wangzhi had just arrived at the palace and had never really thought about it. However, when she was in the Shangshi Bureau, she did all the laundry and cooking by herself, and she didn't think she needed someone to serve her. "Why are you asking this? Don't even think about sending someone over. I can't afford it, and I don't want to spend the extra money."
"There are no more people to transfer." This should have been a sad statement, but Li Qishen said it lightly, "I'm afraid there will be a tough battle in Fanyang. I want to reduce the expenses of the palace. I have to release a group of palace maids and let them marry and raise children. This will just make up for the population lost during the war."
Xie Wangzhi understood: "Do we have to release the people in Penglai Palace as well?"
"No, I'm asking nonsense." Li Qishen smiled, "There are not many people to begin with. If we release more, you will have to do all the cleaning and cooking. It doesn't cost much money throughout the year, so don't save it."
"Is that the palace servant who was released from the various bureaus?"
"There are also people selected from various places. They should have been left for my father to choose. Now they are useless anyway." After all, in front of Xie Wangzhi, Li Qishen didn't want to say anything unpleasant to scold Li Chengjing, so he glossed over it. "In addition, there is the matter of moving the concubines left by my father to the palace. Let them stay away from me. There was no master in the harem before, so I couldn't tell those women about this. Changning has gone to Huihe again, so this burden can only be placed on you."
It was really hard to talk about asking his wife to arrange for the concubine left by his father. Li Qishen felt a little embarrassed. He looked at Xie Wangzhi, lowered his voice, and almost begged her, "I'll trouble you this time, please help me, okay?"
Seeing his pitiful and aggrieved look, Xie Wangzhi wanted to agree immediately, but then he thought it was wrong and wanted to make trouble for him, so he deliberately said with a smile: "Forget about those concubines who have already entered the harem, the newly selected beauties are all pure and innocent, beautiful and talented. Your Majesty, are you really not tempted at all?"
Li Qishen never expected to be outwitted by Xie Wangzhi. He was stunned for a moment, then suddenly laughed out loud. Ever since Tongguan was captured, he had been thinking about how to turn the tables day and night. He had trouble sleeping and naturally didn't laugh much. But this time he was really happy. The more he thought about it, the funnier it became. His shoulders were shaking with laughter.
"… What are you laughing at?" Xie Wangzhi was stunned.
"Le Yan... It's Le Yan. Le Yan once told me that women all over the world don't say it, but they always hope that their husbands can be loyal to them. If the husband really has no interest in others, but the lady wants to push him to find someone else, either she has changed her mind and is eager to break up and live happily ever after;" Li Qishen forced himself to hold back his laughter. When he looked at Xie Wang, there was still a relaxed smile between his eyebrows. His long eyelashes trembled, and he had a kind of natural romantic demeanor. "Or this husband didn't work hard enough at night, and the lady was very annoyed, so she said that. We just got married, and one night has passed. I don't think you would change your mind so quickly."
He paused, moved closer to Xie Wangzhi, and deliberately said, "If you think I'm not working hard enough, just say it directly. Why do you have to beat around the bush?"
Xie Wangzhi: “…”
She realized that she had lost this round again. She failed to torment Li Qishen and was teased by him instead.
Xie Wangzhi was so angry that he didn't care about the pain in his back and waist. He grabbed the soft pillow on the couch and pressed it on Li Qishen's face.
The author has something to say: We are not in the same league. This Changsheng is completely shameless and fearless (…) Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated nutrient solution during 2019-12-01 18:05:48~2019-12-02 12:03:28~
Thanks to the little angels who cast mines: spiral 2; Zuiwolian, Xichuangwuzhu, alibill 1;
Thanks to the little angels who irrigated the nutrient solution: mushroommm 19 bottles; Taohuayufenfen and Linu 10 bottles; Banxian 7 bottles; Ganlu and Luoluo 5 bottles; ellen 2 bottles; Zhashanqilujian 1 bottle;
Thank you very much for your support, I will continue to work hard!