Favoring Qie Over Wife (37)

The weather was sunny, the clouds like works of art. It seemed that Saoqing Niangniang [1] was in a very good mood, that not even a hint of grayness in the sky could be found.

There were many people standing in the tea and restaurant towers, making the streets of the capital very busy. Numerous objects flew in the air—handkerchiefs, pouches, and flowers. Men and women alike knelt and kowtowed towards the procession that slowly advanced towards the city gates, where the sound of a horn announcing victory repeatedly blasted out.

Children wearing cotton-padded jackets smiled and ran along with the procession, which walked with the indomitable air of military men. Leading this procession was a handsome man wearing a black brocade gown decorated with gold lace qilins, his figure emitting the regal air of a monarch.

His eyes were deep and dark, casting a gloomy outcast on his features that made him seem like the reincarnation of Pan An[2]. He was riding a tall horse with a pure black coat, his hands tightly holding the reins. Surrounding him were four high-ranked officers, all wearing expressionless faces.

Of course, the man at the center of all this attention was Zhao Cheng.

Looking at the familiar store fronts around him, and the common people who sang praises and celebrated his victorious return, His Highness the third prince only felt a growing sense of impatience. He usually liked to sit inside a carriage on the way back from battle as to have some rest, but he decided to ride his horse in order to return to the capital faster.

He was nearly about to see her!

Zhao Cheng urged his horse forward, making the expressionless masks of those high-ranked officers escorting him crack a little. During the entire journey, the third prince would change four or five horses a day, in order to lessen their traveling time. If the horses hadn't gotten so tired that they were forced to break camp and rest, these soldiers who have won over the northern barbarians would probably die of exhaustion instead.

Zhao Cheng didn't worry about these little complaints lodged inside the soldiers' hearts, after all, what were these 'trivial matters' in comparison to seeing his wife's face? Those annoying pests in the north had already delayed him for several months, should he suffer inconvenience from his own people as well?

If these soldiers were to know that the prince they worshipped and adored only treated them as 'inconveniences', who knows what they would think. In the end, even Zhao Cheng himself didn't realize how his attitude deviated greatly from his previous noble and righteous self.

In regards to Song Jia, anyone that hindered him from seeing her were 'inconveniences'. Previously in his letter, he told her that he thought of the common people while he was in battle, however, this fundamental part of being a kind ruler had already greatly changed in the past few months.

While he was fighting the northern barbarians, it was not the faces of the common people which flashed on his mind, but a calm and beautiful face, with a hint of a seductive smile on her lips. On her hair were petals of fallen peach blossoms, and on her snowy-white forehead was a beautifully drawn red lotus flower.

Imagining her smiling face that was waiting for him inside the wangfu, Zhao Cheng leaned forward, spurring his horse to go even faster.

...

"Wang fei, nubi received news that wang ye had already entered the capital."

Behind the fluttering curtains that covered the red sandalwood bed, Song Jia furrowed her brows and rolled over, wrapping the blanket tightly around her body. Her lips slightly pouted, as she continued to stay deeply asleep.

Minglan sighed as she looked at the motionless figure within the plain muslin. She glanced back at Ruolan who had brought in hot water, steam rising above it.

She smiled at her with some helplessness, "Wang fei won't wake up."

Ruolan thought for a moment, it would be bad if the water cools down and wang fei has to suffer taking a cold bath. She stepped forward and gently shook Song Jia's shoulder, "Wang fei wake up, wang ye will be returning home soon."

"Mmm." Song Jia slapped the annoying hand away and burrowed her head deeper into her pillow.

"Let her nap for a while, we'll wake her up after half a shichen [3]."

Seeing the situation, Minglan could do nothing else but compromise.

Looking at the rosy face of wang fei which appeared sweet and delicate like a blooming peony, Ruolan and Minglan exchanged smiles while simultaneously shaking their heads in laughter.

"Mistress, nubi received news that wang ye had already entered the capital."

Bai Mei Lien's eyes widened in pleasant surprise. She gripped the servant's hand with eagerness, "Is what you're saying true? Wang ye has returned?"

The servant smiled, "Nubi doesn't dare to tell lies."

Bai Mei Lien immediately struggled to get up, causing the various mamas Song Jia had ordered to take care of her to leap forward in fright.

"Madame, the physician has instructed that it's better if you don't get out of bed!"

"But I have to greet Brother Cheng...and show him Xi Er[4]!" Bai Mei Lien leaned her head against the headboard and tenderly touched her belly, "Our child would be happy to see his father as well."

"Nubi is certain that wang ye will like it better if Mistress is feeling fine," the servant who told Bai Mei Lien of the good news quickly piped up, "Wang fei will be greeting him too, it's better if Mistress stayed in bed and not over-exhaust herself."

[1] 'Sweeper of the Heavens'; goddess believed to sweep away rain and storms, ensuring fair weather.

[2] Pan An: writer during the Jin Dynasty, known for his outstanding looks and elegant disposition. He was a beautiful and melancholic writer whose name became synonymous to 'handsome men'.

[3] Equivalent to two hours.

[4] Literally means 'happy child', it shows BML's love for her unborn child as she already gave it a nickname.