The Star Light Shines When He Came Chapter 4

T/N: Enjoy~

Chapter 4: The Red Fades, the Fragrance Disappears; Who Will Pity It? (4)

From the time the news of Liang Shao's disappearance reached the capital, at first only a few people privately speculated whether the Anping Princess was a husband's death omen. But three men talking can create a tiger1, and before long the entire capital began to spread the rumor that the Anping Princess was a husband's death omen. As far as whether it was true or not, there was n.o.body who would look into it.

The truth; what was that again?

Just when everyone was secretly ridiculing the Anping Princess, an imperial edict bestowing marriage suddenly shocked the ma.s.ses.

The Xie family's Young Master admired the Anping Princess, and the marriage day was set for three months later!

This was the Young Master Xie, Xie Fei! Although Young Master Xie didn't hold an official position, and didn't covet power, he held an irreplaceable, inherited n.o.ble position. Then there was Xie Fei's always gentle and refined demeanor, his literary talent and accomplishments, and how he even didn't have secondary wives or concubines2. In the city, this was a first-rate husband.

That Liang Shao who rose suddenly from the countryside to fame had absolutely no way to compete with this.

When the city's ladies heard this news, they couldn't help but hate until their teeth itched. There were rumors that there were even girls who fell ill to the point they couldn't get up.

When she received the imperial edict bestowing marriage, Xie-w.a.n.gfei fumed until her soul ascended to heaven. She immediately changed her clothes and wanted to go to the palace to ask her own little brother, exactly what point of hers he couldn't bear to the point he wanted to harm her own son in this way.

The cool-headed Xie-w.a.n.gye instead saw it with some signs of a positive outcome. His own son received the imperial edict without a hair of shock. He had a sneaking suspicion, and while his wife was changing her clothes, he voiced out his conjecture. Sure enough, it was Xie Fei who went to ask for marriage himself.

When Xie-w.a.n.gfei knew, she was even more angry until her liver hurt. She wanted to have Xie Fei go with her into the palace to withdraw the marriage, but was choked by Xie Fei's single sentence: "If not marrying her, then I'll never marry." Seeing her son's serious expression, in the end she could only leave the matter unsettled.

At the same time, in the depths of the palace, Xi Wen, laying on the exquisite bed engraved with flowers, twitched her fair fingers, delicate eyebrows wrinkled a bit. Her pink lips opened, groaning twice, curly lashes lightly fluttering, before slowly opening her eyes.

Hearing her low cry, Qiu Yue, who was watching next to the bed, walked closer and lifted the bed curtains, quietly calling, "Princess has woken up?"

Xi Wen unconsciously nodded. She opened her mouth and said, "I am a little thirsty." Perhaps because she hadn't spoken for a long time, her voice was hoa.r.s.e.

"Princess, wait for a moment, this servant will pour a cup of water for you." Qiu Yue first hung the curtains up, then supported Xi Wen to sit up.

At this time, Dong Ling carried a white porcelain bowl of medicine from outside into the house. Seeing the ninth princess resting against the headboard, said with pleasant surprise, "Princess, you've woken up!"

Hearing Dong Ling's excited shout, Qiu Yue laughingly said, "Yes. You take good care of Princess, I'll go send people to inform Honored Empress." She turned to walk out.

"Yes." Hearing Qiu Yue's words, Dong Ling happily agreed, handing the medicine bowl to Xi Wen.

Xi Wen took the medicine bowl. The bitter scent of Chinese medicine wafter out from the black soup, rus.h.i.+ng head-on at her face. Her expression calm, she calmly drained the bowl in one gulp. At her side, Dong Ling handed her a handkerchief, asking, "Princess, would you like some candied fruits?"

"There's no need." Xi Wen shook her head. Her smiling face was warm and kind, but in her eyes was undisturbed tranquility without a single ripple.

From when she was born until now, she knew various kinds of medicinal soups as her companions. Over ten years had pa.s.sed, no matter if it was her tongue or her nose, she had long become used to this kind of taste. To other people, this medicinal soup was inhumanely bitter; to her, it was already nothing different from a bowl of plain water.

Candied fruits, they would only become more and more bitter.

Qiu Yue neatly poured two cups of water for the princess before she finally stopped drinking. Outside the house, a palace maid's respectful voice came: "Greeting Honored Empress."

In the next moment, Xi Wen saw her stately empress mother come in from outside. Her heart welled up with some grievance without reason. Her nose tingled, and her tears came trickling down. She delicately called, "Empress Mother…"

The empress looked her daughter's little face looking just like a pear blossom bathed in rain. She couldn't keep her empress's bearing. Her heart hurting, she rushed up, hugging Xi Wen to her breast, stroking her daughter's emaciated back: "Don't cry, don't cry, Empress Mother's good daughter. When you cry Empress Mother's heart hurts. Whatever grievances you have, tell Empress Mother, Empress Mother will let your father emperor vent for you."

Smelling the familiar scent on her empress mother, Xi Wen gradually stopped her tears. She knew her father emperor and empress mother dearly loved her, but she enjoyed the treatment of a princess without taking care of the responsibilities of Great Qi's princess. From when she was young, she let her father emperor and empress mother worry and work hard. The marriage feast from two years ago had swept the imperial family's prestige away; with great difficulty they arranged a match, but today who knew if Liang Shao was alive or dead?

"Empress Mother, I'm sorry, I smeared the imperial family's name black. Maybe I really am a husband's death omen like the country's rumors say…" Xi Wen buried herself in the empress's breast, curling up like a child, pale and wan little face shrouded with a layer of worry.

"Nonsense!" The empress tenderly patted her daughter's shoulders, lightly laying a kiss on her forehead. She lovingly consoled, "Don't think of these unhappy things any more. Carefully nurse your body back to health, in three months Empress Mother's little cotton jacket will marry."

The corner of Xi Wen's eyes still twinkled with tears. Hearing this, she happily raised her head to look at the empress, bright eyes blinking: "Empress Mother, Great General Liang Shao has returned?"

Seeing her daughter sweeping away her former low spirits, her deathly pale little face even had a bit of a red halo because of her excitement, the empress's heart added even more dislike for Liang Shao. It doesn't matter if he is missing, but it disturbed her daughter's health for no reason. Just looking at her daughter's appearance, she probably still had feelings for Liang Shao; according to her stubborn personality, as long as she didn't see his corpse, she won't agree to marry Xie Fei.

Xi Wen looked at her empress mother deep in thought, and hesitantly said, "Empress Mother?"

The empress looked at her daughter's clear sickly appearance. She smiled at her previous question and clapped her hands together. "Look, Empress Mother was so happy she forgot, you just woke up already said this, your body can't take it anymore, right? Empress Mother won't bother your rest anymore. Everything still has your father emperor and empress mother. You just obediently wait to be a new bride."

Xi Wen lowered her head as if she was thinking, lips pursing together, after a long time nodded, low voice evasive. "En, daughter knows now."

After carefully saying some words, the Empress unwillingly left. Xi Wen leaned back against the head of the flower-engraved bed. Thinking of what Empress Mother had just said, she eventually couldn't hold it in, and said, "Qiu Yue, tell me honestly, has Great General Liang Shao returned?"

Although it was an interrogative question, Xi Wen's tone was not certain. Her heart indescribably had this feeling, that hers and Liang Shao's feelings— couldn't come back.

Hearing her question, Qiu Yue's heart thumped. Her face strong and calm, she said, "Princess, why did you ask this?"

"Has he?" Xi Wen asked, her gaze fixed on Qiu Yue's eyes.

Qiu Yue's face became bitter. She mumbled, "This— this servant also doesn't know. There have been no news of Great General Liang Shao's return to the capital whatsoever, it's just… after so long, they still haven't found the person. Everyone guesses that it may be Great General Liang Shao has met great misfortune."

Xi Wen nodded wordlessly, expression normal, as if she didn't care. But only she knew that her hands were shaking.

Liang Shao disappeared without a trace, and she will become a bride in three months. She could guess that her father emperor and empress mother, in order to protect her reputation and the imperial family's face, had bestowed another marriage for her. It was just that… her heart and strength were exhausted; she didn't want to drag in another person. 

Xi Wen's throat felt a little strained. She swallowed her saliva, and then it became a little better. With a little bitterness, she asked, "I wonder who Father Emperor gave my hand to?"

"The Young Master Xie, Xie Fei, who is also Princess's older cousin," Qiu Yue said.

Xie Fei, that talent known throughout the city. He had the entire city's young ladies to pick from, but instead was bestowed this medicine jar and husband's death omen by the emperor; she really wronged him. Fine then, after marrying she would find a peaceful place to stay and not restrain him from anything. If he had someone in his heart, she would personally go to Father Emperor to request him to bestow that girl status as an equal wife3. Count it as compensation!

The Anping Princess woke up, the empress's smile was wide. The n.o.ble ladies of the capital who had their heads and face packaged the best edible bird's nest4, ginseng, and supplements into the palace to show their goodwill. Since that year with the marriage feast, no matter whose family organized a banquet, the empress would head to the host's seat with a black expression. In the end, the lively banquets became mute mime shows. The young ladies and gentlemen of age had all, for the most part, not set marriages yet.

Not long ago, Liang Shao proposed, and the empress finally forgave everyone. Who knew unexpectedly there another accident would appear? These days, they had returned to living in the deep waters and hot fires in the abyss of suffering. Now, it was fine; the empress had gained another handsome son-in-law and Anping Princess woke up again. If they didn't show goodwill now, then when?

The n.o.ble ladies' hearts were bitter, but who asked the other person to be the empress! First-cla.s.s officials crushed others to death, forget about the nation's officials afterwards!

Xie Fei also picked out two chests of first-rate supplements and sent them to the palace. On his way back to the residence, he saw Tang You shopping. Following next to him was a beauty, the queen of flowers from the Drunken Flower Building. 

Tang You saw Xie Fei's carriage and let the beauty look at jewelry first. He went to the carriage stopped at the side of the road, pus.h.i.+ng aside the curtains. With a grin, he said, "Yo, Fei-ge, you just come out from the palace, right?"

"En." Xie Fei made a noise of agreement."

"You really are awesome, without speaking you became the emperor's son-in law." Tang You moved closer to Xie Fei's side and sat, giving him an ambiguous glance. "But the Anping Princess with that frail body, she probably can't bear your desires, huh? Want me to gift a few beauties to you?"

Xie Fei glanced indifferently at Tang You. He said, "A man who can't even control his lower half, what use is having a brain?"

Tang You: "…" What you said is right, but from when he was born his brain was for eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling. For this matter of controlling his desires, apologies; his family doesn't have this gene yet.

"Still have something to say?" Xie Fei picked up the teacup on the table, taking a sip.

Oh, this he knew, Tang You thought with some excitement. This was called drinking tea and sending the guest out. In the next moment, his excitement froze. This, was he being cold-shouldered?

Tang You pouted. "No." He got up, s.h.i.+fting in small steps to leave, looking over his shoulder with each step, the expectation in his eyes plainly visible.

Xie Fei didn't even give him a glance. Tang You was unreconciled in his heart. When he walked out of the car, he muttered to himself, "As soon as you're done using it, you toss it. And a few days ago it was even you looking for this young master for our ancestral secret techniques."

That night, Xie Fei laid on his bed early after he had finished was.h.i.+ng his face and changing his clothes. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Recalling what Tang You had said about the ancestral secret techniques that afternoon after leaving the car, he reached under his pillow and brought it out.

Inside the package were five volumes. Their covers were all the same. Picking up the top one, Xie Fei's mind involuntarily brought up those sky-breaking obscene words. His eyelashes shook. Please excuse him for not complying; he set aside the book, turning to pick up the rest of the volumes.

In his heart, he hoped these few volumes would be a little more normal. He opened the leather cover. In front of his eyes— 

Official, don't~ This concubine's body can't take it anymore~~~

Good gege, quickly come~~ Meimei5 really misses you~~~

Xie Fei: "…" He really shouldn't have had any expectations towards these ancestral secret techniques!

Xie Fei randomly put the five volumes back into the bag, expression dark, shoved it back under the pillow, and crossed his legs on the divan to cultivate.

T/N: Fun fact: Xi Wen's servants are named for seasons! Qiu Yue (秋月) means “autumn moon” and Dong Ling (冬菱) means “winter water chestnut”. I expect/hope that two more servants named Chun (spring) and Xia (summer) will show up, too. Thanks for reading!

1↩: 三人成虎; repeated rumor becomes fact

2↩: Specifically, ces.h.i.+ ("side chamber") and tongfang ("through the house"). Ces.h.i.+ were concubines that were wives treated as lower status than the main wife. Tongfang were the lowest concubines, often former servants, and had very little status other than the privilege to sleep with the master.

3↩: 平妻, pingqi, is basically another wife that gets the same status as the main wife, including rights to being listed on ancestral tablets/tombstones after death, welcoming new concubines into the family, and such. However, technically, you were only allowed to have one wife, so the pingqi couldn't completely replace the first wife.

4↩: A super expensive (up to $2000-$10,000 USD per kilogram!!) delicacy made of actual bird nests (which are created by swiftlets using solidified saliva, not like… twigs and leaves). The Chinese believe that it has many health benefits, such as promoting immunity, maintain youthfulness, and speeding up recovery. It's typically made into bird's nest soup. Read more here.

5↩: 妹妹, the word for younger sister. Like the other sibling honorifics, it's also used for close females who are younger than the user.