The Lonely City Closed

Chapter 80

I smiled inwardly, but didn't show it. "Oh, it's alright," I told her. "I remember the layout from earlier; just put the pieces back one by one."

So, under her dumbfounded gaze, I slowly and deliberately put the two-colored tiles back in their original positions before they were disturbed.

Having exhausted all other options, she resorted to pleading. She reached out and moved one of the horses I had just placed to another spot: "This one is clearly here..."

I shook my head, then moved it back: "It's here. Your Majesty, I would not deceive you."

"No, no!" She grabbed my hand, forcefully taking back the horse and placing it in the position she wanted.

On a whim, I started competing with her, and she screamed and laughed, then reached out and started grabbing at the chessboard. I tried to stop her, but this action led to an ambiguous outcome—I grabbed her hand on the chessboard.

Her fingers were long, slender, and white, with nails the color of peach blossoms. The gentle touch made my heart flutter slightly, and I couldn't help but look up at her.

At that time, she was wearing a long strapless dress with peony patterns, over which she wore a crimson plain gauze jacket called "Qingrong," made of light and delicate gauze from Jiangnan, as light as smoke, through which the contours of her shoulders, neck, and arms could be clearly seen. The jacket was not tied, and her two lapels were slightly open, revealing a patch of skin around her collarbone, smooth and flawless, like solidified cream.

My gaze dared not linger there any longer, and continued to drift upwards, seeking out the brimming eyes and brows of her face.

A smile played on her lips as she gazed at me. Our eyes met, and I saw the flame of the incense candle bloom into a dazzling flame in her eyes. Then, a blush, like the glow of the sunset, quietly spread across her cheeks, as if the warmth of the candle flame was spreading.

"Oh, I already said, that's how it should be." She first broke free from this brief moment of distraction, pushed my hand away, and arranged the chess pieces according to her intention.

The smoke from the incense burner curled gently, and the painted screen felt slightly cool. I sat up straight, no longer arguing, watching her turn her head and smile, secretly savoring the fragrance of her beauty, and willingly accepting the spell she had planted in me.

My thoughts drifted, as if in a dream, until I heard the maids' hurried call: "Captain!"

I turned around in surprise and saw Li Wei standing silently by the flower wall gate, holding a scroll in his hand.

Note:

Backgammon: An ancient board game played on a rectangular board with twelve lines dividing it into twelve squares from left to right. There are fifteen black and yellow pieces, or fifteen black and white pieces, also called "horses." These pieces are pointed at the top and flat at the bottom, resembling a washing mallet, and are about four or five centimeters tall. Two dice are used. Two players roll the dice and move their pieces, each starting from their own square. The first player to move all of their pieces into their opponent's square wins.

The Lonely City Closes (The Princess Who Fell in Love with a Eunuch) Who can share the beauty of a royal couple with her?

Chapter word count: 2467 Update time: 09-07-05 10:31

Princess

(2245 words)

I stood up and bowed to Li Wei, but he didn't react. His gaze passed over me and went to the princess. The princess's smile had long since vanished, and she frowned slightly, looking at him indifferently, clearly implying that his arrival was unwelcome.

"Is there something you need?" the princess asked him, her tone indifferent.

Li Wei lowered his eyes, and I noticed his grip on the scroll tightening slightly. He ultimately didn't say anything related to it, finally answering the princess's question like this: "No… I was just passing by…"

The princess didn't even bother with polite formalities and directly ordered them to leave, "Since there's nothing else, go back and rest early."

Li Wei did not leave immediately. He stood there for a moment, then silently bowed to the princess to say goodbye before turning and leaving.

Seeing him disappear, the princess breathed a sigh of relief, and when she looked at me again, she was all smiles: "Come, come, let's continue playing chess!"

I think Li Wei came here specifically to see the princess.

Over the past year, he has made some progress in his studies of calligraphy and painting, and I introduced him to Quebai. He would often go to Quebai to ask questions about painting, and occasionally he would attend gatherings of painters in the capital. According to Quebai, Li Wei rarely spoke at these gatherings, often just sitting in a corner, silently listening to everyone's lively discussions. Now, perhaps he has bought a good piece of calligraphy or painting, or perhaps he has painted a painting himself and intended to ask the princess for guidance, but the princess's aloof attitude has made him completely abandon his original intention.

This made me feel quite apologetic towards him, especially thinking about how he must have felt when he saw me holding the princess's hand.

The next day I went to see him. He was alone in his study. I knocked on the door and entered. He was sitting at his desk. He glanced at me, then looked away, still without saying a word.

I wanted to offer a brief explanation about yesterday's game of chess with the princess, but the words caught in my throat. After much deliberation, I decided against it and instead asked him, "Last night I saw a scroll in the captain's hand. Is it a recently acquired masterpiece of calligraphy and painting? Would you mind sending it to the princess for her to enjoy?"

He responded with a curt two-word reply: "No." Then there was another silence.

I looked around and found that the scroll he had brought the night before was now on his desk. So I went over and gently picked it up to unfold it.

He has always been quite respectful to me, often asking me questions about calligraphy and painting, and even occasionally showing me his works and asking for my opinions. So when I took his scrolls to look at, it was a natural thing to do, and I didn't realize that there was anything wrong with it.

But he had barely unfurled the painting when he snatched it away. He ripped it apart with both hands, tearing it to shreds. He continued to tear it violently several more times, completely destroying the painting, and then threw it, scroll and all, into the wastebasket.

Judging from the fragmented images that can be glimpsed during this process, it was originally a painting of bamboo in ink. Bamboo in ink was a common subject for princesses, and the ink on the painting that Li Wei tore up was still fresh, so it should be his own recent work.

Li Wei's face was flushed, and he was breathing slightly out of breath. He showed me his rare anger, but he still did not directly express his dissatisfaction to me. He even kept his gaze elsewhere and never looked at me.

I'm not good with words, and I couldn't find the words to calm his anger. So I just stood there quietly with my eyes down. But I accidentally discovered that in the wastebasket, besides the painting he had just destroyed, there were many scraps of paper, all of which were painted with bamboo in various shapes.

He must have painted it repeatedly for a long time before choosing one that was somewhat satisfactory. He sent it over last night, hoping to have the princess take a look.

I felt increasingly lost, realizing that the situation was beyond my control and I was caught in a dilemma.

After that brief moment, it felt like an eternity. Li Wei and I remained silent, each in our own place, frozen in place, watching the light and shadow on the windowpane shift and change as the sun disappeared behind the clouds.

Finally, the awkward situation was resolved by an imperial physician from the palace who came to report the news. Led by a servant in the residence, he strode in and told us, "This morning, the Lady of Wenxi County gave birth to a princess."

Everyone knew that the Emperor must be disappointed, but he tried his best not to show it. When the princess and I entered the palace to see him, he was personally holding the Ninth Princess, looking at her with a smile and boundless affection in his eyes.

“Huirou,” he warmly called the princess over to see his youngest daughter, “your ninth sister really does look a bit like you when you were little.”

The rituals prepared for the birth of a prince remained unchanged for the princess. When a child was born, the emperor of the Song Dynasty would bestow gifts and silver coins upon his ministers, known as "baozi" coins. However, with the birth of the Ninth Princess, the emperor announced a three-day celebration for her birthday, and the baozi coins bestowed upon his ministers were far more generous than ever before. They were made of precious materials such as gold, silver, rhinoceros horn, ivory, jade, amber, tortoiseshell, and sandalwood, and were also cast in gold and silver into the shapes of flowers and fruits. The prime minister, court officials, and censors all received this gift.

The Emperor's favor towards Qiuhe has not diminished. He visits her several times a day and frequently expresses his affection for the Ninth Princess. However, Qiuhe is even more upset and often sheds tears in secret. As a result, every time I see her, her eyes are red and swollen.

The Emperor could sense her feelings and even privately told the princess, "Come to the palace often to talk to Qiuhe and tell her that your father and you both like this little sister very much."

To further demonstrate his regard for his newborn daughter, he even decided to grant a general amnesty, just as he had done when his son was born, and to release prisoners in the capital. Those convicted of minor offenses and crimes punishable by death or less would be reduced by one degree, and those sentenced to penal servitude or less would be released, all as a way to pray for the Ninth Princess's well-being.

Moreover, after learning of Qiu He's pregnancy last year, the current emperor had already ordered a reduction in the punishments of prisoners, which is another act of grace. Although Liu Chang, the drafter of imperial edicts, was not a censor, he still couldn't help but speak out on this matter: "The release of prisoners in the capital is a momentary act of grace, but the outside world says it is because of the birth of the imperial daughter that this blessing is bestowed... Two general amnesties in one year, prisoners are granted grace, while good people are silenced. Wise rulers and virtuous ministers of the past have already discussed the drawbacks of this practice in detail, and I hope the court will take heed. I have also heard that many officials are giving away money for expensive steamed buns. I think there is almost nothing more wasteful and meaningless than this. It is extravagant and violates the principle of frugality. Your Majesty should carefully examine the decrees and deeply uphold frugality to repay the blessings of Heaven and build a boundless foundation. It is not appropriate to show leniency and grace, which would damage the government, or to spend money on superfluous and unnecessary things, which would corrupt the virtue of frugality."