Chapter 89: Dinner

“Is that so?” Feng Qiuji stroked her chin and fell into thought. “If we can’t force our way in, why not use a little sleeping draught on them? What do you think?”

“That sounds excellent, but it isn’t easy to get the drug inside either.” At this, Second Dog and Third Dog both felt the plan had merit, and began to think it over in earnest.

“It’s not that hard—what are you doing?” Before Feng Qiuji could finish, Ling Zetian had already seized her and carried her away from the spot.

“From now on, you are not allowed to have any dealings with those people. Do you understand?” Ling Zetian was truly at a loss. The empress of the mighty Great Ling Dynasty was crouching by the roadside, discussing prison breaks with two bandits. What was that supposed to look like?

“What’s wrong with those people? Don’t look down on them like that,” Feng Qiuji protested indignantly.

Ling Zexin looked at the figures of the two people ahead, resentment churning in his heart. He had only just rushed over, and before he had even found a stone to sit on, they were already moving again. If he had known, he wouldn’t have come at all; he should have just sat on the road and waited for them. Running back and forth like this was sheer suffering.

Being dragged back by Ling Zetian meant being shut up in the palace at once, with no chance to go enjoy the temple fair.

Feng Qiuji kept thinking about Yang Siyuan. Truthfully, he really was not a bad person. She ought to find a way to get him out of prison, and perhaps have Ling Zetian grant him an official post. He would certainly do very well.

“Feng Qiuji, are you bored out of your mind?” Ling Zetian came in while she was daydreaming in Cloud-Drawing Palace.

“Yes, extremely bored,” Feng Qiuji said listlessly, rolling her eyes at him and continuing to stare blankly. “It’s all your fault for not letting me go out and play.”

“Since you’re so bored, go wash my clothes.”

With that, Ling Zetian tossed a pile of garments toward her.

“No. It’s not as if no one washes your clothes,” Feng Qiuji said, pouting in dissatisfaction.

“Today, I received a letter from the ruler of the Island of Dawn.”

At this, Feng Qiuji instantly came alert. Looking at Ling Zetian, she asked hesitantly, “The ruler... is that Minamura Seiya?”

“Yes.” Ling Zetian nodded. After Minamura Seishin’s death, the Island of Dawn had fallen into complete disorder. Yet a country could not be without a sovereign even for a single day, and in the end Minamura Seiya had ascended to the throne. He had promised everlasting friendship with the Great Ling Dynasty, though words like that were probably only good for a few decades at most. At best, they would last only while Minamura Seiya remained in power. Years later, once he stepped down, the new ruler would still do whatever he pleased.

“What did he write to you about?”

“He wants to arrange a marriage alliance.”

“A marriage alliance?” Feng Qiuji’s eyes widened. She knew the ancients were fond of political marriages, but generally it was a great power sending a princess or some such to marry into a smaller state. What was the meaning of the Island of Dawn and the Great Ling Dynasty arranging a marriage alliance now? Was this some sort of tribute of beauties?

“Yes. Minamura Seiya said he would like his younger sister, Minamura Kannan, to enter the palace as a consort, as a sign of friendship.”

“No way.” She could absolutely not agree to such a thing. She did not want Ling Zetian’s harem filled with women who spent all day idle, dragging chairs together to sit and chatter. That would be far too tedious, just asking for trouble.

“I had originally planned to bestow this Princess Minamura on Zexin, but since he is now married, that seems even less appropriate.” Ling Zetian frowned. Given Sakura’s temper, she probably would never agree. They had only just married, and as his elder brother, he could not be too cruel to Ling Zexin.

“Forget Ling Zexin. Sakura will kill him,” Feng Qiuji said, waving a hand. “When the time comes, let me meet this Princess Minamura. I’ll help you decide who she should be given to.”

“You?” Ling Zetian looked at Feng Qiuji with some skepticism. Though the Island of Dawn was a friendly nation of the Great Ling Dynasty, Minamura Kannan was still a princess. If she were given away carelessly, it would be far too disrespectful to the Island of Dawn.

“Mm, but can you promise me one thing?” Feng Qiuji had been thinking about something else all along; she needed to settle it as soon as possible.

“What is it?”

“Can you release Yang Siyuan?”

“You care about him?”

He had heard what the two bandits had said earlier, so he knew who Yang Siyuan was. Hearing her ask now, he could not help but feel curious.

“He’s a good man. He took care of me a lot. I was even thinking that once he’s out, you could give him some official position. He definitely won’t disappoint you.” May Buddha bless it: rescue Yang Siyuan, give him an office, and it would count as one good deed of her own. After that, it would be up to Yang Siyuan’s own fate.

“I’m a little hungry. Bring in the meal.”

Ling Zetian glanced at her and directly changed the subject.

Soon enough, all the dishes were brought in. Seeing the full table of vegetarian fare, Feng Qiuji muttered inwardly that Ling Zetian was becoming stingier and stingier lately. Had the imperial coffers run dry?

“Come, come, let’s eat before it gets cold. It’s so cold outside.” She picked up a stalk of greens and placed it into Ling Zetian’s bowl, then began eating herself.

“Lately, the imperial family has been rather thin in numbers.”

“Mm, yes.” Feng Qiuji struggled to pick up a small bean from some dish she could not even identify. “I can’t get it up.”

“So the ministers have been complaining a lot.”

“Yes, those old fossilized men are the most annoying.” At last Feng Qiuji managed to lift it carefully, but the moment she used a little too much force, “Oh no, it fell again...”

“So the two of us need to discuss this properly.”

“Mm, all right, discuss it.” Feng Qiuji was utterly focused on her bowl and had no idea what Ling Zetian was talking about.

“...Are you listening to me?”

Seeing that she had put all her attention on the bean and completely ignored his presence, Ling Zetian felt annoyed. He was discussing something very important with her right now.

“Yes, yes...” Feng Qiuji nodded repeatedly. Just a little more, only a little more and she would get it.

“Feng Qiuji!”

He could no longer bear it and bellowed.

Startled by the sudden roar, Feng Qiuji’s hand trembled. The bean fell onto the table, then bounced with surprising vigor to the floor.

Looking at the pitiful little bean, Feng Qiuji sighed and set down her chopsticks. “Child, food is not meant to be wasted like this...”

“What did you just call me?” Ling Zetian’s eyes darkened.

“Oh, no, Your Majesty. Food is not meant to be wasted. It’s mealtime now. Did your imperial mother never tell you that when eating, one must be attentive and not chatter carelessly?”

Ling Zetian looked at the woman before him lecturing him with the solemn earnestness of a middle-aged aunt, and the veins at his temple throbbed. Still, he said nothing and picked up his chopsticks to eat.

Seeing how obedient he was, Feng Qiuji felt very gratified. “That’s more like it... Actually, I know you’re very well behaved. It’s just that no one taught you properly when you were young, but upbringing matters too. Especially since you are the emperor, the representative of the Great Ling Dynasty. You must be a person of refinement...” Seeing him so obedient, she began talking a mile a minute again, utterly unaware that she had once more crossed a forbidden line. She had actually dared say that Ling Zetian had never been taught!

Before she could finish, there was a thunderous crash, and the entire dining table collapsed. She could only watch as the stalk of greens in her bowl fell to the floor.

“Feng Qiuji,” Ling Zetian said through gritted teeth, “can you be quiet when you eat?”

“Yes,” Feng Qiuji replied, looking at him in utter confusion. Then she glanced at the food strewn across the floor and sighed with deep regret. “Tsk, tsk, look at you, wasting so much. What a pity, this whole table of food and such a fine table too.”

“From now on, whenever I speak to you, you must listen carefully.”

“Mm, understood.”

“Why are you still not with child?” Ling Zetian’s gaze suddenly turned to her, suspicion flickering in his eyes.

“It’s only been a few days, and you keep going on and on about pregnancy. Do you think getting pregnant is that easy?” Feng Qiuji rolled her eyes. She always felt that Ling Zetian had been a little irritable lately. Could it be that he was in a mood? Perhaps she should have the imperial physician take a look at him another day.

“Since that is so, then we must work hard these next few days.” Ling Zetian looked solemn. In the imperial line, a thin bloodline was a very dangerous thing. He did not want people saying there was something wrong with his body. At this point, he could only rely on Feng Qiuji, though he somehow felt she was not very reliable.

“Oh.” Hearing this, Feng Qiuji understood at once. A blush rose to her face, and she shyly wrapped her arms around Ling Zetian’s waist. “Husband, I’m thinking of the two of us too. Think about it: once we have a child, we won’t be able to have our own world together anymore, right...”

In truth, she was really, truly afraid of pain. There did not seem to be such a thing as a caesarean section in ancient times, did there? What if she had a difficult birth and could not deliver? Somehow, the whole matter felt terrifying.

“So that’s how it is.” Hearing her explanation, Ling Zetian’s expression brightened. After thinking it over, it did seem to make sense. He also reached out to hold Feng Qiuji, his eyes gentle. “A Ji...”

“Don’t call me that.”

She really, truly hated her name now. Hated it very much.

“Ji’er...”

“That’s not allowed either...”

“Little Ji...”

“Stop. You should just call me Qiuqiu.”

She would rather be called Qiuqiu than be addressed by all those strange and messy names.

“My dear, shouldn’t we go and work hard now?”

Ling Zetian blinked, looking at her with open expectation.

“No. I’m not full yet, and I have no strength.” Feng Qiuji glanced at the food scattered on the floor and spoke with complete self-importance.

“After my wife has exercised, shall I feed my wife dinner?” Ling Zetian’s subtle, restrained affection had fully surfaced. In fact, Feng Qiuji only later realized that although he had always seemed so cold, as if he held nothing in regard, Ling Zetian was actually quite the reserved flirt.

“All right.”

Feng Qiuji very much enjoyed being coaxed like this. Very nice, very nice.

Ling Zetian felt that he had perhaps been far too starved lately. Of course, this might have had something to do with not seeing Feng Qiuji for more than a year. Now that she had returned, he naturally wanted to make up for all of that lost time.

This novel was first published by Xiao Xiang Bookstore. Please do not reproduce it!