Her heart felt like a clepsydra that had suddenly stopped.
A desolate silence fell.
The corners of Ah Jiao’s mouth twitched as she forced a smile. "Che-er, I am Jiao Jiao."
"Hmm? What did you say your name was?" The Emperor’s shadow loomed over Ah Jiao’s face. In the darkness, the woman’s expression was one of dazed confusion, masked by a feigned cheerfulness.
Ah Jiao: "..." What was wrong with Liu Che now?
"Come in," Liu Che commanded, his voice dropping. One moment he thought her bewildered look was adorable; the next, he found it loathsome.
The heavy doors creaked open. The palace attendants moved with practiced grace, stepping lightly to ensure the morning chill did not follow them inside. They carried basins of hot water, waiting until the frost on their own clothes had dissipated before they dared to draw back the heavy layers of curtains.
Yuli kept her head bowed. The bed curtains remained closed, and she did not dare to lift them. Behind her, Mianfu and Nanke were equally hesitant.
"Your Majesty," Yuli called out softly, hoping for some sign from her master. Behind her, Mianfu and Nanke efficiently took the old charcoal braziers and water basins from the junior maids to have them replaced with fresh ones.
The Emperor’s voice rang out: "Your mistress—what is her name? Chen... what?" He truly hadn't bothered to remember!
"Her Ladyship’s given name is a single character, 'Guan,'" Yuli replied.
"Chen Guan. I see." With that, Liu Che swept the bed curtains aside and rose. Fortunately, the footstool and the floor were covered with thick carpets, so it wasn't particularly cold when his feet touched the ground.
Ah Jiao rolled over, facing the wall, unwilling to get up. Since Liu Che already suspected her and she had offended him thoroughly, she wasn't afraid of provoking his anger a bit more.
Liu Che stepped across the carpet and headed straight for the bath chamber.
After the two of them had bathed the previous night, attendants had cleaned the area. Now, the white jade pool stood empty, and Liu Che couldn't help but frown.
Because Ah Jiao had supposedly just suffered a "miscarriage" and could not attend to him, the hot water had not been diverted into the bath chamber this morning.
Mianfu and Nanke were busy coaxing Ah Jiao to get out of bed. Seeing the Emperor’s frown, Yuli felt her own heart tighten. She chose her words carefully: "Your Majesty, shall I have the water brought in?"
"No need." Liu Che turned, walked back to the bed, and patted Ah Jiao. "Guan-guan, come with me to the Hall of the Warm Room."
*Guan-guan??*
Ah Jiao was stunned.
What on earth? What was Liu Che playing at? He was being insufferably eccentric.
Regardless of Ah Jiao’s indignation, the palace maids efficiently dressed the two of them, and a palanquin carried them to the Hall of the Warm Room.
The Hall of the Warm Room was the Emperor’s winter residence. A side hall had been specially converted into the "Pavilion of Hot Springs," featuring a massive pool fed by natural spring water that was kept warm twenty-four hours a day.
Liu Che led Ah Jiao directly inside. The pavilion was draped in heavy brocade curtains and silk screens. Several vases of winter plum blossoms were arranged about, their sparse branches reaching out in solitary, elegant beauty.
A few steps further stood a peach tree, its branches dotted with pink buds—a charming sight. The palace maintained greenhouses where the temperature was kept like spring to cultivate seasonal flora for the Emperor’s enjoyment during the winter.
The Hall of the Warm Room was naturally warm, and the Pavilion of Hot Springs even more so. Having lived in Longmen Palace for so long, Ah Jiao had been deprived of such out-of-season luxuries. Seeing them after so long, she couldn't help but find them lovely.
Many plants and flowers were arranged around the spring. As Ah Jiao looked closely, she felt that this winter finally had some color.
Ignoring the fact that Ah Jiao was still admiring the flowers, Liu Che pulled her over and let the attendants undress them. The hot spring pool was divided into three levels, growing deeper toward the center.
The outermost level was less than two feet deep and over five feet wide, perfect for sitting on the jade steps. The next level was three and a half feet deep; when Ah Jiao stood there, the water reached her waist. The third level was four and a half feet deep; standing there, Ah Jiao could barely keep her head above water, with her chin slightly submerged.
Logically, someone who had just "miscarried" should not be soaking in a hot spring, but Liu Che pulled her in without a word. Yuli and the others didn't dare to stop him.
*Once last night, and now again today—Her Ladyship has soaked in water twice!* Yuli fretted. She decided that as soon as they returned, she must ask Lady Qin to come and perform an examination.
Ah Jiao knew Liu Che was in a foul mood, so despite her inner delight at the bath, she didn't dare frolic. She simply waded through the pool, creating ripple after ripple.
"Che-er, do you not have government affairs to attend to today?" Ah Jiao waded over, holding a branch of red plum blossoms, its petals trembling on the verge of falling.
Liu Che caught Ah Jiao’s hand and gave it a light shake, causing the petals to tumble into the water.
"I told you, you are not permitted to call me Che-er!"
"Is that so? I forgot. Then, Your Majesty, do you not have government affairs to attend to today?" Ah Jiao followed his lead with easy grace.
"I have some free time these few days. I will go in the afternoon." Liu Che decided he had soaked enough. After being scrubbed and massaged by the attendants, he took the plum branch from Ah Jiao’s hand, tossed it into the water, and stepped out.
Beside the pool stood a single boxwood couch carved with wave patterns. Though the hall was warm, there was a slight chill upon leaving the water. Ah Jiao shivered and was immediately wrapped in a blanket by Liu Che.
"Jiao... Guan-guan!" Liu Che called softly, though the name felt awkward on his tongue.
Ah Jiao: "..."
As she was laid down on the couch, Ah Jiao remembered the physician’s warning that she shouldn't share a bed after a "miscarriage." She reached out to stop the Emperor, saying softly, "Your Majesty, I just miscarried..."
A cloth was stuffed into her mouth. Ah Jiao stared at the ceiling of the Pavilion of Hot Springs, feeling dazed.
It wasn't until they were intimately joined that Ah Jiao cursed inwardly: *Old fox!*
Their bodies, which hadn't met in two months, seemed unfamiliar with one another again. Ah Jiao tried to retreat several times, but Liu Che held her fast.
In the heights of passion, Liu Che sighed softly against her ear: "Jiao Jiao!"
Sated and satisfied, Liu Che lay on the bed with his eyes closed. Ah Jiao remained in his embrace, draped over him.
Lying on top of the Emperor was a breach of etiquette, but at this moment, neither cared.
Ah Jiao smelled the scent of sweat on them and couldn't help but frown. She climbed up, grabbed a random blanket from the floor, and started toward the hot spring.
Liu Che grabbed her. "What are you doing? Come back and lie down for a while."
After the encounter in the Pavilion of Hot Springs, Ah Jiao realized that Liu Che didn't believe a single word she had said. She could only return to his side dejectedly.
Nanke and Mianfu were also anxious. To make matters worse, Yuli specifically requested to have Lady Qin come and check on Ah Jiao’s health.
Ah Jiao’s scalp tightened, and she flatly refused.
That night, Liu Che stayed at Yun-guang Hall as usual. In the midst of his wine-induced haze, he pinched Ah Jiao’s waist and murmured, "To think it was all a lie!"
Ah Jiao’s body stiffened for a moment. She called the attendants in to clean them up and then accompanied him to sleep.
Perhaps due to the hangover, when Ah Jiao woke the next morning, Liu Che was still asleep. The Emperor’s face was flushed a deep crimson. Ah Jiao reached out to touch his face; it was somewhat hot.
Fearing it was just the heat from the charcoal braziers, Ah Jiao threw on some clothes and sent for the Chief Imperial Physician.
As it turned out, the Emperor really was ill. Chief Physician Qin said he had likely caught a chill at the Pavilion of Hot Springs. Ah Jiao curled her lip in secret but still devoted herself to caring for him.
Official documents were brought to Yun-guang Hall by Yang Dedie’s men. Liu Che reclined on the couch, carefully reading a bamboo scroll while drinking medicine from Ah Jiao’s hand.
"It seems Your Majesty’s workload has lightened considerably these past few days?" Ah Jiao sighed softly, stirring the cooling decoction.
After a long silence, Liu Che looked up slightly and smiled. "It has indeed." He placed the scroll on a small temporary table on the couch and reached for the medicine bowl.
Ah Jiao pulled it away and handed it to Mianfu, who was waiting nearby. "It’s cold. Go and warm it up."
Mianfu took it and withdrew quietly.
Liu Che tucked his hands back under the covers. "The matters accumulated before the New Year have all been delegated. Everything that needs doing has a plan. The inspection tour of the commanderies has been postponed. So, I am indeed at leisure!"
"It is good for Your Majesty to rest and recover your health," Ah Jiao said.
"Mhm. These past two days I’ve been reading the essays submitted by the *Xiaolian* candidates from various commanderies. I’ve looked them over, and none are particularly outstanding. They aren't even as interesting as the paper Lin Gao produced."
"Since Your Majesty mentioned it, I wanted to ask—how is the Paper Master, Lin Gao, doing with the papermaking?"
"The paper mill hasn't even been built yet, what’s the rush? The site I designated for him originally had an old workshop. I thought it would be cheaper, but upon inspection, we found it was heavily infested with woodworms. It had to be torn down and rebuilt."
"Then Your Majesty must allocate more funds."
Liu Che gave Ah Jiao a cool look and pinched his stuffed nose. "I heard that Chen Xuan has quite a bit of money in his pockets... if he wants to secure a future for himself, how can he do so without paying a price?"
Ah Jiao: "..."
Sweeping all the scrolls off the table onto the floor, Liu Che took a fresh bamboo scroll. "For this inspection tour of the commanderies, you shall accompany the carriage." As he spoke, he began to draft a list of names.
A list had been prepared long ago, but after the recent turmoil in both the court and the inner palace, he wanted to add and remove certain people.
Previously, because Ah Jiao was "pregnant," he was going to leave her in the palace to avoid the strain of travel. Now, there were no such concerns.
Ah Jiao arched an eyebrow and leaned forward to see the writing on the scroll. "Am I the only one going?"
Yan Zheng certainly couldn't go. Ah Jiao had to keep an eye on the "Lord Yunhe" in Yan Zheng's belly, so she couldn't go either. She had to find a way to decline.
"Nonsense," Liu Che frowned. How could he go on an inspection tour with only one woman? Yet, the moment he recalled the sight of Ah Jiao falling that day, his spirit darkened, and his head began to throb painfully.
Sure enough, Ah Jiao huffed, "I’m not going."
"Do not be willful."
"I’m not being willful. I just feel that my health is poor, the weather is cold, and I simply don't want to leave the palace."
Last night, in his drunken stupor, he had somehow dreamed of Ah Jiao miscarrying in the Hall of the Warm Room. The vision had been so vivid he woke up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. He had stood by the window for a long time before he finally calmed down.
*A lie! It was clearly all a lie! It was just a play Ah Jiao staged!*
Liu Che rubbed his brow.
A delicate hand brushed his fingers aside, pressing against the space between his eyebrows with just the right amount of pressure. For some reason, he caught that hand, but he couldn't utter a word.
"Hmm?" Ah Jiao asked, puzzled.
"Jiao Jiao, I will only take you with me." Meeting Ah Jiao’s startled gaze, he continued, "Let us have a child."
***
