Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong, after returning from the South Ocean, entered a period of extreme busyness. Yuwen Tong, in particular, had a mountain of memorials to the throne on his desk. The moment Ling Zhang walked into the imperial study and caught sight of the intimidatingly high pile of memorials, he had a foreboding and promptly wheeled around with the intention to slink away.
Yuwen Tong, quick of eye and deft of hand, immediately grabbed him. “Where do you think you are going?”
Ling Zhang, with his wrist gripped by Yuwen Tong, was unable to free himself. His intention to sneak away thwarted, he felt somewhat guilty beneath Yuwen Tong’s penetrating gaze. “I–It occurred to me that they delivered tons of account books from the Chamber of Commerce to me. My father seems to be rather anxious about it. I need to go back and take a look.”
“Ooooh,” said Yuwen Tong. “Didn’t you assign Zhao Jiusi to handle those account books? You also told him to keep a close eye on Maomao to make sure he takes the learning seriously. A few moments ago, when I was on my way here, I saw that even Ji Xiaocong was stopped outside the hall. Don’t worry. With Zhao Jiusi supervising Maomao, he won’t dare slack off.”
Ling Zhang smiled an awkward smile. “You’re right.”
“Come on. Help me sort out these memorials first,” said Yuwen Tong.
With that he drew Ling Zhang towards the desk.
Resigned, Ling Zhang obeyed. At the sight of the pile of memorials as high as a mound, Ling Zhang felt his head pound and ache dully.
“Let’s get started,” Yuwen Tong said to him gently, but the look in his eyes brooked no argument. It was unmistakable that he would mete out the usual “punishment” to Ling Zhang if the latter dared make another attempt to slip away.
Beneath Yuwen Tong’s gaze, Ling Zhang felt his scalp prickle. What with this and the pang of guilt in him, he did not dare even think of decamping and had no choice but to steel himself and reach to the pile of memorials.
…
Ling Zhang stayed in the imperial study the whole morning and finally finished classifying the mountain of memorials into several categories. Before he could take a breather, Yuwen Tong drew him over, sat him in a chair and forced a writing brush into his hand.
“Those are yours,” said Yuwen Tong, smiling tenderly and pointing at the pile of memorials beside him.
Ling Zhang cast him a despairing glance and then, resigning himself to his fate, started reading and commenting on the memorials.
All the memorials beside him were about insignificant matters but required official, written replies from the emperor. Most of them could be handled by writing “Perused” or “Approved” on them. Only a few of them needed to be given some thought.
Those that Yuwen Tong had to deal with, however, were all troublesome enough to make Yuwen Tong frown. A mere glance at one of them gave Ling Zhang headaches and he never looked in that direction again.
…
Days ticked away.
It took Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong three solid days to finish dealing with all the memorials. After that, Ling Zhang refused to visit the imperial study again. Even when Yuwen Tong tried to coax him into going there in a tantalizingly low voice, he did not fall for it.
He would rather be faced with piles of account books than with those memorials.
When the two of them finally managed to get almost all the backlog dealt with, Ling Zhang’s birthday drew near.
Because of the tenth wedding anniversary celebration, they did not throw Ling Zhang a big birthday party. On that day, they just held a banquet in the palace and invited Yuwen You’s and Yuwen Feng’s family and those in the Ling Mansion.
All invitees were family, so the atmosphere at the banquet was relaxed. Everybody talked and drank freely.
After the meal, the youngsters gathered together to playing cards, while the elders sat down and started talking about the past, bragging about their respective feats. Ling Xingzhong, Ji Yin and Yuwen You were the eldest. Ling Xingzhong was mostly recounting his experience when he had been an official; Yuwen You shared what he had been through when on the battlefield with his elders as a youngster; Ji Yin related to them how he had earned his fame in the martial arts world, which was a story of a distinctive style.
Ling Zhang and some others, as juniors, naturally had to roll logs for the elders. Every time an elder finished a story, they had to give a response, otherwise the old man would toss them reproachful glances which would make them feel bad.
Thus, although it was Ling Zhang’s birthday, and this day was supposed to be all about him, he ended up becoming a member of the claque.
On the other side, of all the youngsters playing cards, Yuwen Yue was the most bossy one. She was a princess, the one Ling Zhang and Yuwen Tong and almost everybody else doted on, and she had always been bluff and rather tomboyish. After learning how to play cards, she had immediately become an invincible card player. With Ling Maomao at her back and the help from Ji Xiaocong who had amazing extrasensory perception, she dominated all rounds, defeating the others by large margins.
“You lost! Give me the money!”
Ling Zhang, who happened to hear these words, slightly frowned and twisted his head around to look in that direction.
He saw Yuwen Yue standing there with her foot on her stool, one hand on her hip and the other on the card table. Her voice was particularly loud, her mien farthest removed from that of a princess. Compared with the girls from Yuwen You’s and Yuwen Feng’s families, she was virtually barbaric.
“Hem, hem.” Ling Zhang could not help but give a little cough to warn her. “Crescent.”
Yuwen Yue was filled with excitement. Having won several rounds in a row, she felt a winner of the game of life. Suddenly she heard her dad call her name in a dangerous voice.
Everybody in her vicinity lapsed into silence. Yuwen Qi sitting opposite Yuwen Yue winked at her frantically for a moment before Yuwen Yue caught on, quickly removed her foot from the stool and sat herself on it, instantly turning into a pretty teenage girl. Then she said in a soft voice, “Those who lost this round, give me the money.”
All the others, ” … ”
Even now she still remembered the money.
As Ling Zhang sitting on the other side saw her dismiss the air of a bandit about her, he silently withdrew his gaze and let out a sigh. Neither he nor Yuwen Tong was a person of unbridled personality, and the palace ladies serving their daughter were all quite courteous. How come their daughter had become a girl like this? Wh–What would she be like when she grew up?
Ling Zhang was deeply concerned about his daughter’s future. Yuwen Tong sitting beside him squeezed his hand, appearing quite composed.
…
This palace banquet lasted until night. Ling Zhang overestimated his tolerance to alcohol and drank himself into a near stupor.
Yuwen Tong supported him towards the imperial bedchamber. Halfway to the destination, Ling Zhang suddenly straightened himself and asked, “Where’s Crescent?!”
Yuwen Tong was startled by his loud voice. “She’s returned to her own palace and probably has turned in by now.”
Ling Zhang was incredulous. “Really? Why do I remember seeing her playing cards a moment ago?”
Yuwen Tong said, “She played cards in the afternoon. It’s night now.”
Ling Zhang furrowed his brows, his scarlet face full of confusion. “What are you talking about? It’s not even dark yet. Y–You’re lying. I need to find Crescent. She must sit like a princess. She’s not allowed to act like a hooligan. That kind of conduct is so unbecoming to a princess.”
Yuwen Tong hastened to stop him, holding him in his arms. “You’ve told her that already, and she’s changed. She sat there very meekly all night.”
“She’s changed?” Ling Zhang, immobilized by Yuwen Tong’s embrace, looked incredulously at him. His eyes, though still sparkling and limpid, were somewhat unfocused. He was limply leaning against Yuwen Tong’s chest, unable to stand straight.
“Of course. I saw it myself.” Yuwen Tong hastened to attest it, then scooped him up and strode through the gates of the imperial bedchamber for fear that Ling Zhang might catch a cold if exposed to the chill for too long.
“Where’s the Sobering Soup?”
“It’s ready, Your Majesty.”
A eunuch immediately served the Sobering Soup.
Yuwen Tong took a seat, sat Ling Zhang on his lap and took a bowl of Sobering Soup, intending to feed him. The moment Ling Zhang smelled the Sobering Soup, he knitted his brows and twisted his head aside with great fluidity. Clearly he was not inclined to drink it.
Yuwen Tong found his reaction both cute and amusing. “Be a peach and drink this, or you’ll get headaches.”
“No. It stinks,” Ling Zhang answered concisely.
The eunuch on the side, at the sight of the imperial couple doing this, flushed and then sensibly took his leave, not daring stand there any more.
“Be good. Drink this.”
“No!”
Resigned, Yuwen Tong had no alternative but to take a gulp of the soup, drag Ling Zhang over and press his lips onto Ling Zhang’s.
Ling Zhang let out a couple of muffled grunts and eventually had to accept the Sobering Soup from Yuwen Tong’s mouth, his brows knitted, trying hard to push Yuwen Tong away. “Let go … Let go of me. It reeks. Don’t kiss me.”
Seeing that Ling Zhang had red cheeks, red nose, red corners of eyes and an injured and stubborn look on his face and was too drunk to know what he was doing, Yuwen Tong felt aroused, waves of hotness sweeping over him.
Longing crept into his eyes in spite of himself, and his voice became husky. “I’ll stop kissing you if you drink this.”
“You’re lying,” demurred Ling Zhang without a second thought.
Yuwen Tong chuckled, “You’re drunk but not stupid.”
Despite Ling Zhang’s objection, Yuwen Tong forced the whole bowl of Sobering Soup down Ling Zhang’s throat with his mouth. Ling Zhang hated his guts, but no matter how hard he hit and cursed Yuwen Tong, the latter refused to stop. Eventually something occurred to him, which made him feel hard done by. The corners of his eyes became watery and he looked close to sobs.
The apple of Yuwen Tong’s throat bobbed quickly. Looking at his sweetheart in his arms whose face wore a hurt expression, he suddenly let out a long sigh, lowered his voice and said, “You little devil has filled my heart already, but you still won’t stop stuffing it. Here, take a look. See? Hasn’t my heart been filled with you already? You didn’t leave an inch for me.”
With that, he kissed the corners of Ling Zhang’s eyes. When he spoke again, his voice sounded somewhat dangerous. “Don’t cry. Seeing you cry only makes me want to make you cry harder.”
There was no telling whether or not Ling Zhang understood these words, but he did not dare push Yuwen Tong any more. However, he was still looking at Yuwen Tong with that injured expression. He blinked his eyes and a bead of tear slid down his cheek.
As a gleam of craving appeared in Yuwen Tong’s eyes, he craned over, kissed Ling Zhang, scooped him up and made towards the bedchamber.
Ling Zhang subconsciously put his arms around Yuwen Tong’s neck, buried his face in Yuwen Tong’s chest and said stiffly, “You’re bullying me.”
“I’m not bullying you.”
“You are. And you made me drink that stinky stuff.”
Yuwen Tong, without pausing, carried him to the bed, put him down onto it, stooped over him and, gazing at him, said, “You don’t have to drink any more stinky stuff. How about we do something that’ll make you happy?”
Ling Zhang looked back at him. After a few moments, he shifted his gaze to the bedside and said, “I’m not happy.”
Yuwen Tong chuckled dangerously, “You will be very soon.”
