Жизнь сельских жителей в городе во времена династии Сун

Глава 111

“You unfilial son, you have disgraced the virtues of my Wei family. Xiaoya has failed in raising her son. I must go and apologize to our ancestors.”

"Mother, please don't be like this. Jun'er knows she was wrong. Jun'er will never dare to do it again." Seeing her mother's sadness, Wei Zijun sobbed.

Mu Xiaoya pulled away Wei Zijun's hand that was gripping her arm. "Swear to me that from now on you will serve the country wholeheartedly and will never be so willful again."

"Yes, Mother, Ziju swears that she will serve the country and listen to you."

"You must listen to His Majesty, not your mother. You must not disobey him in any way. Otherwise, I will shorten my own lifespan to atone for your sins."

"Mother... Jun'er will definitely be obedient. Please take back what you just said. Jun'er will definitely be obedient..." Wei Zijun was already sobbing uncontrollably.

"Madam Wei, that's enough, don't make things difficult for her." Seeing her tear-streaked face, Li Tianqi felt an unbearable pang of heartache. He just wanted to hold her in his arms and comfort her. This Madam Wei was really too harsh. He shouldn't have lost his temper; who would have thought Madam Wei would react so strongly? There was no need to make her cry like that. She was truly heartless; Ziju's crying was breaking his heart.

...

Under the bright sun, strong light streamed through the thin gauze-covered windows of the carriage, casting a warm halo over her moon-like face.

The woman leaned against the carriage, silent and withdrawn. Was she wronged? Yes, why should she obey orders? They had agreed to go to Lucheng today, so why was her itinerary changed with a mere summons? Did an emperor disregard the feelings of others? Could he simply order people around as he pleased? Was she obliged to attend court just because he ordered her to? But she had never agreed in the first place. Wasn't she her own master? She had always been her own ruler, never obeying others. She had already suffered such great injustice for the Western Turks; was she to be subjected to further humiliation at court?

Compared to Dayu, didn't she love the Western Turks more? After all, she only had half a year of memory in Dayu, but two years in the Western Turks. She experienced life and death with those soldiers in the Western Turks. She gave her heart to that land. She loved every blade of grass and every horse there. Her wisdom, her blood, and her heart were all left there. Now, not only did he break his promise and station troops in the Turks, but he also forced her to be at his beck and call and obey his every whim. How wronged she was.

The thought of her mother's vow pained her heart. Proud as she was, she had already humbled herself for the sake of the Western Turkic people, and now she had to humble herself again for her parents.

Looking at the silent figure, at her sun-drenched face, Li Tianqi recalled their sworn brotherhood. That time, she was also bathed in sunlight, so warm and inviting. Now, she was still so warm, still inviting him to be close, but he dared not seek that warmth.

"Zijun, are you still angry with your second brother?" Li Tianqi asked cautiously.

"No, I just hate myself for being so useless." She gently withdrew her gaze from the window and lowered her eyelashes.

Li Tianqi chuckled, "Why hate yourself? Hate that you didn't strangle me that day? If you had strangled me that day, you wouldn't be suffering today, right?"

"No, I just hate myself for not being able to protect the Western Turks. Their troops have already stationed there, but I still have to compromise in such a lowly way. There is no greater humiliation in the world than this."

“Zijun, it’s your second brother’s fault. Can’t your second brother make it up to you? Your second brother broke his promise to you first, and then forced you to enter the court. Your second brother was wrong, Zijun, don’t be angry.” Li Tianqi carefully took Wei Zijun’s hand.

"Your Majesty, please have some self-respect. Your behavior seems to have overstepped the bounds of propriety between ruler and subject." Wei Zijun slowly withdrew her hand.

Li Tianqi felt a pang of pain in his heart, recalling the days when Ziju was so good to him, even rubbing his feet for him, but now she wouldn't even touch his hand...

"Is Ziju still angry with me? Second brother will never tattle on you again, and I will never blackmail you again, okay?" Li Tianqi lost all his imperial demeanor and begged for forgiveness like a child who had done something wrong.

"Your Majesty need not do this. How could I accept such a title? It was my fault that my parents scolded me; it has nothing to do with Your Majesty."

"Zijun—" Li Tianqi's voice trembled slightly as he called out. "Zijun, please don't call me Your Majesty, okay? Call me Second Brother, please?" Li Tianqi took Wei Zijun's hand, this time holding it tightly. "I am your Second Brother, your Second Brother. Can't you treat your Second Brother like before?"

"How can you expect me to treat you the same way as before? You severed ties with me, yet I waited for you all night. Do you know how worried I was? You conquered my Turks, killing countless of my soldiers and my beloved general. I endured humiliation and submitted to you because I trusted you. But you broke your promise, stationing troops in the Turks and forcing me to come to court, subjecting me to such humiliation. And yet you expect me to still call you Second Brother? Do you think I have no heart, no feelings?" She poured out all the grievances in her heart, suppressing the strange sensation in her throat, refusing to let her emotions flow freely.

"Zijun." Li Tianqi hugged Wei Zijun tightly. "Second brother was wrong, isn't that enough? Second brother shouldn't have left you alone, second brother shouldn't have sent troops. Second brother will make it up to you later, won't he? Back then, second brother went to find you, second brother fainted on the road, and when he woke up he went back to find you. That day was so cold, the road was so long, and the carriage was so slow. I rushed there, but you were gone. I wanted to chase after you, but there was only an old packhorse there, which couldn't catch up with your Akhal-Teke horses. When I heard the news, second brother's heart was empty, and I fainted on the spot. Zijun, second brother did look for you."

Li Tianqi buried his head in Wei Zijun's neck, "Zijun, don't blame your second brother, don't ignore your second brother, your second brother misses you...misses you...has been missing you all along..."

Li Tianqi's behavior was unexpected for Wei Zijun. She felt a cool, damp sensation on her neck, and her heart trembled. A trace of pity swept through her heart, and she even wanted to reach out and pat his back to comfort him.

The raised hand ultimately did not fall, but she simply let him hold her and cry.

“Zijun—Second brother misses you…I miss you every day…” Li Tianqi’s shoulders trembled as he cried.

Her shoulders were wet with tears, and the person holding her trembled slightly from sobbing. Wei Zijun's heart softened, her eyes stung, and she let out a long breath.

"Zijun, your second brother will never force you again. Your second brother knows you don't like going to court, knows you've been wronged, and your second brother feels sorry for you..." He truly felt sorry for her. He regretted it deeply. His Zijun was so kind, so why did he always bully her? For the past two years, she had suffered so much injustice without saying a word, just enduring it all, until his heart ached. Yet he still forced her repeatedly... The more he thought about it, the more regretful he became, the more his heart ached, as if it had shattered into pieces. For the first time in his life, he cried uncontrollably.

The cries pierced Wei Zijun's heart, causing her to feel a sudden, inexplicable pain. Finally, she raised her hand and gently patted his back, saying, "Alright, stop crying, it's jarring."

The person who was crying cried even louder because he was comforted. "Zijun, don't ignore me. I'm your second brother. Call me second brother."

"Second Brother?" Wei Zijun murmured softly, "But Second Brother is no longer Second Brother, he is His Majesty." She quietly stretched out her long finger and brushed away a tear from the corner of her eye.

“Second brother is second brother, not His Majesty, he’s second brother.” Li Tianqi hugged her tightly, gently swaying her body. “Not His Majesty, he’s second brother… he’s second brother…”

After a long while, the weeping man finally cried himself to sleep, and simply held her and gently rocked her. A wisp of summer breeze blew in through the carriage curtain, gently ruffling the strands of hair that had been ruffled as their necks intertwined...

"Alright, they've all turned into peaches." Wei Zijun wiped away Li Tianqi's tears and chuckled.

"Zijun, you cried too?" Li Tianqi's swollen eyes anxiously searched for the face in front of him.

"No." Wei Zijun avoided his gaze.

"Stop pretending. Is it so shameful to cry? Your eyes are clearly wet." Li Tianqi scolded.

Wei Zijun smiled faintly, "What difference does it make whether I cry or not?"

“Crying means you’ve forgiven me.” Li Tianqi waited anxiously for her answer. “Zijun, call me Second Brother. Only if you do will I know whether you’ve forgiven me or not.”

Wei Zijun sighed, "If I call you, how can I face those fallen soldiers?"

"Then call me Boyuan for now, and when you're ready, you can call me Second Brother. Is that alright?" Li Tianqi's face was full of anticipation and pleading. "Call me Boyuan, just like the time you seduced me."

Huh? What kind of talk is that? He really knows how to use metaphors when she seduced him.

After saying that, Li Tianqi suddenly realized his mistake and blushed. The way he said it made it seem as if he was still reminiscing about that seduction, which was really embarrassing.

After a long silence, Li Tianqi said again, "Zijun, call me Boyuan."

Wei Zijun gave a helpless wry smile. He was really difficult to deal with. "Alright. Boyuan..."

Li Tianqi pursed his lips gently, a smile he couldn't hide on his face, and leaned his whole body against Wei Zijun's shoulder. "I'm sleepy." He then nestled his head in her neck and closed his eyes.

Wei Zijun's slender body could not withstand his weight, and she was pressed against the carriage wall. The jolting of the carriage caused Li Tianqi's strong body to press against Wei Zijun's chest again and again. She felt like she was about to suffocate and cried out in her heart: How could he just fall asleep like this?

When the carriage arrived at the palace gate, Li Tianqi suddenly murmured softly, "Zijun—she is so happy."

Wei Zijun, who was almost squeezed into a pie, was startled. "You're not asleep?"

How could he possibly sleep? The entire way, he kept his eyes half-closed, secretly watching the graceful curve of her neck, feeling her earlobe lightly brushing against his forehead. How could he possibly fall asleep? His heart was filled with a strange emotion—a joy he had never experienced before, a satisfaction he had never felt, a heart pounding like never before, a longing he had never felt before.

He tried his best to suppress but couldn't calm his wildly beating heart. He longed to hold her tightly, to knead her forcefully, to crush her and knead her into his body.

This desire arose just like that, but it seemed he wasn't as panicked as he had been last time.

"Why weren't you asleep? You just woke up." Is it okay to lie like that?

"You're awake and you're still not getting up? I've flattened you." Wei Zijun turned her head and glanced at him.

Li Tianqi reluctantly straightened up; guards were already waiting outside to help their master get out of the carriage.

"We won't go back to the palace today. I'll take you to the West Market," Li Tianqi said to the guards outside.

"Aren't you busy with important matters? Let's go shopping another day." Wei Zijun was somewhat surprised by his sudden change of heart.

"Didn't you say I look like a fairy peach? How can I face people?" Li Tianqi pointed to his eyes.

“But you’ll be just as embarrassing outside, won’t you?” she said sincerely.

Li Tianqi's lips twitched slightly.

The West Market of Daxing City, the starting point of the Silk Road, was known as the "Golden Market." It offered a wide variety of goods, including rare and precious items from Dayu and other countries, encompassing over two hundred different trades.

The West Market was renowned for its fine wines and delicacies. In the taverns, beautiful women from Central Asia sang and danced, while merchants from Central Asia drank heartily, and scholars and poets composed poems while drinking. It was a scene of prosperity, peace, and celebration.

Even in this place where gold flows everywhere and people are used to seeing fine clothes and dashing figures, the two who suddenly appeared still became the focus of everyone's attention.

The two walked around the city's stalls, stopping frequently to attract attention.

The young man walking ahead had ink-black hair and a jade crown, dressed in a white robe, his demeanor as cool as the moon and as pure as water. His slender, tall figure resembled a graceful white plum blossom, elegant and refined. His every move exuded a gentle, detached, and elegant charm, yet within his imposing presence lay a subtle, sharp edge. A few strands of black hair fell loose at his temples, framing his jade-like face, adding a touch of disheveled, almost sinister beauty. That androgynous, captivating allure was utterly mesmerizing.

The man walking behind was dressed in black, with a black crown on his head. He was noble and refined, handsome and imposing. His eyes, as they darted around, exuded an air of dominance over all things. Although he possessed an aura of dominance, he could not hide the gentle and tender look on his face. However, his seemingly handsome face was marred by two peach-shaped eyes.

Everyone was first drawn to the boy in front, then looked at the man behind them and sighed again, and finally their gaze returned to the boy, lingering there for a long time.

Perhaps he saw something he liked, Li Tianqi stopped at a stall, and seeing Wei Zijun still walking forward, he reached out and grabbed her sleeve.

"Zijun, do you think this hairpin is pretty?" Li Tianqi caught her long finger along her sleeve.

“This one? It looks like something a woman would use. It’s not suitable for you.” Wei Zijun commented, noticing a jade hairpin carved with tiny plum blossoms in his finger.

“How could it be a woman’s item? Look at it, it’s pure white and crystal clear, as elegant as a white plum blossom. It’s made from the finest jade. Such an elegant item should be suitable for both men and women. How can those vulgar women’s things compare to it?” Li Tianqi picked up the jade hairpin and couldn’t put it down.

"It's up to you then. I just feel that it doesn't suit your style, but it doesn't matter. As long as you like it."

Li Tianqi bought the hairpin and turned to look at her. The sunlight bathed her translucent face in a golden glow, and even her hair and eyes shimmered with a dazzling, mesmerizing light.

Looking at her face, he recalled the years in Lucheng. She had shed her sharp aura, but she hadn't changed at all. She was still his fourth brother, still his Ziju.

He slowly approached her, raised his hand to remove the hairpin from her hair, and gently inserted the jade hairpin into her hair. He examined her carefully, smiled gently, and held her hair with both hands. He had wanted to do this for a long time, but he had jumped back in fright back then.

He gently stroked her, feeling the smooth, silky texture, soft and smooth like water, like silk. His large hand slid to her temples, where his head had rubbed against her, and a few strands of hair had been picked out by his hairpin. He gently tucked those strands behind her ear.

Then he held her tightly in his arms.

Everyone who had been watching the two of them stared wide-eyed. Could these two be...? Alas, what a waste of such good looks.

The guards who had been following from a distance gaped open in astonishment. Good heavens, their emperor... their emperor has this kind of hobby?

Volume 3, Dayu Chapter 100: Daughter-in-law

On the early morning, Zhuque Avenue was already bustling with carriages and horses. Among the various sizes of wooden carriages, one luxurious carriage drawn by four white horses stood out.

Throughout the journey, Li Tianqi kept playing with Wei Zijun's intertwined sleeves.

Wei Zijun looked at him helplessly and asked, "Is it fun?"

"So what if it's not fun? You won't let me play anywhere else." She sounded like a wronged wife.

"Aren't you bored?" Wei Zijun asked with a straight face.

“More interesting than attending court.” His fingers continued to entwine. Then, he tentatively grasped Wei Zijun’s fingers along his sleeve and gently played with them.

Wei Zijun's face flushed, and she coughed awkwardly, saying, "You didn't need to come pick me up so early. You should have gone to sleep for a while after court."

Li Tianqi looked at her amusedly, "Do you think everyone is as sleepy as you? But... Ziju saying she can't get up early must be just an excuse."

"What?" Wei Zijun feigned confusion.

"Zijun, why don't you like going to court?" Li Tianqi gently rubbed her fingertips.

Wei Zijun hesitated for a few moments before finally saying, "Shameful!"

Huh? I didn't expect that answer, but then I realized it was indeed her thought, and I couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Why is it shameful?"

"Because I am a surrendered official, first a traitor to Da Yu, and now a surrendered official of Da Yu, how can I face the entire court of Da Yu?"