The eleventh lunar month was unlike the twelfth; the entire month passed in relative tranquility. Perhaps because Lady Chen of Yunguang Hall had just suffered a miscarriage, the Empress did not host the annual plum-viewing banquet in the Central Palace.
Ah Jiao lay in bed with nothing to do. Counting on her fingers, she noted that her latest menses—perhaps because they had been delayed for over a month—had lingered for a full ten days before finally clearing up.
For those ten-odd days, Liu Che did not show his face. She heard rumors circulating through the palace that the Emperor was so overcome with grief at the loss of his child that he hadn't eaten for a day, nearly fainting from hunger. Ah Jiao found it laughable, wondering what kind of act he was putting on this time.
However, Liu Che’s absence from Yunguang Hall was a blessing; at the very least, the truth of her "miscarriage" remained safely hidden.
Lin Gao had sent a secret message stating that the framework for the paper mill had been established. Chen Xuan was proving to be a most capable "money bag," scattering funds without a hint of heartache.
Ah Jiao’s lips twitched. she wrote back, telling Lin Gao to stop swindling Chen Xuan so casually. Using the Emperor’s money was one thing, but tricking a subject out of his wealth was another. If Liu Che found out, he wouldn't be angry—he’d likely be delighted—but Ah Jiao felt a pang of sympathy for her brother.
Lin Gao’s shops in Chang'an were situated in the East Market and the West Market, with the remainder located in Wulingyuan. As for what these shops would actually sell, Lin Gao hadn't decided yet, so he asked Ah Jiao to give it some thought.
"Mianxia, His Majesty has arrived!" Mian Fu ran in, her cheeks flushed bright red from the cold.
Ah Jiao frowned slightly and immediately lay back down.
Liu Che strode in and dismissed the attendants. He sat by Ah Jiao’s bedside and, ignoring her tightly closed eyes, reached out to stroke her hair. He smiled and said, "Jiao Jiao, I haven't been feeling well myself these past few days, so I haven't come to see you. Are you feeling better now?"
Ah Jiao remained silent, merely tilting her head slightly to avoid his hand. Liu Che’s expression shifted instantly. He suddenly hauled Ah Jiao up by the shoulders, his voice sinking. "Chen Ajiao, I have given you face, but I will not allow you to be this presumptuous."
Ah Jiao finally opened her eyes. Seeing that Liu Che was truly incensed, she couldn't help but retort, "Is this the 'face' His Majesty gives? Getting physical the moment you walk in? If so, I’d rather not have it."
She didn't know what had happened to set him off, so she didn't engage further.
He pinched her chin and continued, "Tell me. That belly of yours back then... was it a fake pregnancy?"
Ah Jiao’s heart skipped a beat, but her face remained expressionless as she uttered a flat, "Oh."
Liu Che couldn't read her expression. "What is that supposed to mean? Is this your attitude?"
"If Your Majesty does not believe me, you are free to investigate. If you do believe me, you are still free to investigate. After all, such a matter has nothing to do with my attitude."
Liu Che felt as though he had punched a bale of cotton. He had listened to the whispers of others, yet he hadn't made a scene or lost his temper. Instead, he had come here to speak to her calmly, and this was the attitude he received?
"Do you know that faking a pregnancy in the palace is a capital offense? I could issue a decree to have you executed."
Ah Jiao sat up abruptly. "As you wish." She meant it—she truly couldn't ask for more.
Fury flared in Liu Che’s heart. He growled in a low voice, "Chen Ajiao, do not push me! I am telling you, if you admit your mistake, I can forgive you. Stop being so stubborn with me; I don't have the patience for it."
"So, Your Majesty has decided it was a fake pregnancy without even investigating?" Ah Jiao looked the Emperor straight in the eye.
Liu Che’s gaze flickered. "If you had conducted yourself uprightly, how could such rumors have started?" He didn't know why, but the moment he heard the rumors, he suddenly preferred the idea that Ah Jiao had faked it. She surely hadn't done it on purpose; it had only been a month, and a misdiagnosis by a physician was common enough. It would simply be the fault of the imperial doctor who performed the examination.
Ah Jiao smiled thinly. "Fine, fine. Your Majesty is right. It was indeed a fake pregnancy. You may summon the officials to deal with me now." Having said her piece, she lay back down. Surely that was enough.
Seeing Ah Jiao’s complete lack of concern, Liu Che grew even more irritated. Could she not see that he was trying to protect her? And yet... Liu Che shook the chaotic thoughts from his head and thrust a hand directly under her quilt.
He had just come in from the outside, and his hand was freezing. Ah Jiao felt goosebumps break out on her legs. She sat up, glaring at him as she pinned his hand down. "If Your Majesty wishes to investigate, you can simply summon a female physician. What is this? Has Your Majesty studied women's medicine? Can you tell the truth of it just by touch?"
Liu Che chuckled softly. "I know. I'm just warming my hands." As he spoke, he tucked his other hand under the quilt as well.
Ah Jiao: "..."
*So, are we still arguing or not?*
She tried to push the man lying next to her, but he wouldn't budge. Ah Jiao could only lie there resentfully, staring blankly at the canopy above.
In the afternoon, Liu Che chatted and joked with her for a while before returning to Wenshi Hall to handle official documents. The matter of the "fake pregnancy" was not mentioned again.
"Can't sleep?" Liu Che asked that night, turning Ah Jiao’s body toward him.
Ah Jiao snapped, "You said all those things during the day; how can I sleep peacefully now? Those weren't exactly jokes!" At the very least, it meant someone was harboring ill intentions toward her!
Liu Che frowned and pinched the girl’s supple cheek. It was smooth, like a peeled egg. "Why think so much? I already said I wouldn't pursue it!"
"Hah! Does Your Majesty mean you are certain that I faked the pregnancy?" Ah Jiao propped herself up. The charcoal brazier cast the flickering shadow of the gold-embroidered phoenix pattern from the bed curtains onto the wall.
Liu Che impatiently pulled her back down into the quilt. "It is of no consequence."
"What a joke. Since when has a matter concerning the imperial lineage of the Great Han been of no consequence? If that's the case, then my deposition was a grave injustice!" Ah Jiao grumbled.
Liu Che stroked her back with rhythmic motions. "Jiao Jiao, your temper isn't as explosive as it used to be, but you've become quite strange. If this were the past, would you have obsessed over such things?"
"..." Ah Jiao fell silent for a moment before saying, "If this were the past, I would have started a shouting match with you long ago. We wouldn't be lying here discussing the rights and wrongs of it!"
With a light chuckle, Liu Che kicked his feet out from under the quilt. Perhaps the brazier was too hot, for he had begun to sweat. "Then tell me, was it real? Did you... fake it to deceive me? You owe me an explanation."
Catching sight of a figure slowly appearing outside the curtains, Ah Jiao’s eyes widened. She quickly buried her head in Liu Che’s chest to hide any slip in her expression.
"Tell him you didn't lie, that you knew nothing, and let him investigate for himself," the figure outside the curtain whispered.
Ah Jiao took a deep breath and squeezed out a few tears. "...I don't know. It was your person who told me I was with child, and then it was your person who told me I wasn't. Liu Che, it is you who should give me an explanation."
Liu Che reached up to wipe away her tears. "Sleep. I will investigate."
"Ah Che..." Ah Jiao’s voice was low and weary.
"Hmm?"
"Who told you that I faked the pregnancy?"
The Emperor remained silent for a long moment before saying, "Just sleep."
"Hmph." Unable to coax the truth out of him, Ah Jiao turned away indignantly, giving Liu Che her back. However, her heart softened, and she couldn't help but weep silently, "Mother!" Liu Che was also annoyed, and the two lay there back-to-back.
The figure outside the curtain moved and sighed. "Silly girl, why are you crying?"
Ah Jiao didn't dare move, keeping her head down. "Mother, for a moment, I truly thought I had a child. I was terrified, fearing that a single moment of carelessness would cost me the baby... only to find out I was never even pregnant!"
Grand Princess Guantao stepped forward and sat on the edge of the bed. She reached out to brush Ah Jiao’s face, wanting to wipe her tears, but her hand could not touch her daughter’s physical form. She could only say, "It's alright. Such things... must be left to nature. Do not overthink it."
"And Liu Che has started to suspect me... Mother, I feel that if he keeps suspecting me like this, I should just hold on for another month and then ask the Lords to help me change identities again!" Ah Jiao sighed.
Guantao glanced at the Emperor lying on the inner side of the bed. "While I support you—after all, Che'er is getting on in years and isn't as handsome as he used to be—the word from the Underworld is that this identity is a good one. They want you to stick with it."
Ah Jiao was speechless.
Guantao also sighed. "Alas! It would have been fine if Che'er hadn't seen through your identity, but since he has, the Lords of the Underworld fear that changing bodies repeatedly will cause a disturbance in the mortal realm. Good child, just endure it."
Ah Jiao grumbled inwardly. Guantao continued, "Furthermore, regarding the matter of you misidentifying Yun He... though you weren't blamed, Lord Fei Kang and Lady Yun Yue have asked you to keep a closer eye on Yun He from now on. You know how much those two deities dote on him."
Ah Jiao murmured an acknowledgment.
Guantao added, "I only managed to come see you because Shen Zhi is inspecting the mortal realm today. I begged him to bring me along. He'll likely come for me in a moment, so let us talk while we can."
Ah Jiao’s eyes brightened instantly. "Mother, how are you and Lord Shen doing in the Underworld? How does it feel to be newlyweds?"
Guantao’s face reddened, and she chided, "You brat, how dare you tease your own mother? I'll give you a proper lesson when you return. Now, don't cause trouble in the mortal realm. If you run into something difficult, go to the City God Temple and see if you can find someone to help, understood?"
Ah Jiao nodded repeatedly. "Don't worry, Mother. Your daughter isn't one to let herself be mistreated."
The mother and daughter chatted until the Emperor’s snoring sounded beside them. Only then did Ah Jiao find the courage to sit up.
It wasn't until the fifth watch that Shen Zhi appeared in the room. After giving Ah Jiao a few instructions, he prepared to take Guantao back. Ah Jiao suddenly remembered something and said to Shen Zhi, "I met someone a while ago. He said he was a 'transmigrator' and knew many things that would happen in the future. He said he knew Liu Che would live to be seventy, and that the history he knows is different from what is happening now!"
Shen Zhi’s brow furrowed deeply. "Do not worry. We will investigate this matter."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
地府 | Underworld / Netherworld | The realm of the dead in Chinese mythology.
沈致 | Shen Zhi | An official of the Underworld and Grand Princess Guantao's new partner.
穿越 | Transmigrator / Time-traveler | Refers to someone who has traveled from another time or world (a common web novel trope).
费康 | Fei Kang | A deity or high-ranking official in the Underworld.
云月 | Yun Yue | A deity or high-ranking official in the Underworld.
云合 | Yun He | A character or entity mentioned as being precious to the Underworld deities.
城隍庙 | City God Temple | A temple dedicated to the tutelary deity of a city, often serving as a bridge between the mortal and spirit worlds.
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