Chapter 27
Earnest laughter and cold wind enters through the window.
"Your Ladyship—–" Yan Er hesitates a little, wondering whether or not she should close the window.
"Just open the window. It is stuffy here." Xi Yan lightly says as she reclines on the couch, her eyes trained at the happy girl outside. She only knows now that happiness is infectious, seeing her so happy, Xi Yan"s lips too curve upwards.
That smile freezes a little when a yellow silhouette appears.
Maids and eunuchs carrying furnace and pots follow the yellow figure while he stops next to the lady in blue. The lady gracefully runs to the man in yellow. Perhaps the snow is slippery, she ended up slipping. The man in yellow outstretches his hands and catches her; she falls right into his chest.
Xi Yan can almost hear that lady"s shy laughter. This kind of scene is undoubtedly blissful to a woman inside the palace because only one person has the right to wear that yellow robe in this entire country. That man is the esteemed Emperor Xuan Yuan Yu.
The smile on Xi Yan"s lips remains, why shouldn"t it be? She has no reason to be sad seeing them so happy, isn"t it? After all, she is only a consort by name. It is that way now, and will always be.
Ever since she entered the palace that day, her heart belongs exclusively to herself. What she surrendered over to this palace was Nalan Xi Yan"s life, not Nalan Xi Yan"s heart.
Giving away her heart means giving away her love. In this cold and desolate palace, love is just an instrument used to hurt you. These are not what she wants.
"Yan Er, the weather is so cold, why did you open the window?" Li Qiu hastily walks to the window. When she sees the scene outside, she looks away.
"Bengong told her to. The sky is so clear today, it"s been a while since bengong sees the outside world." Xi Yan simply says.
"But, Your Ladyship—-"
"Uh? Anything wrong?"
"This servant is only worried of Your Ladyship"s health. After all, tomorrow—–"
"The banquet is tomorrow, correct? Has bengong"s customary dress been changed by the Clothing Department?"
"En." With Yan Er supporting her, Xi Yan gets up. She glances outside the window once more. That woman is holding a ball of snow in her hands, dragging Xuan Yuan Yu to make a different snow man. This snowman is small, perhaps it is a child. As concubines, everyone yearns for a child; one that they can depend on in the future.
She quietly falls into a daze.
The red silk on top of the bigger snowman"s head suddenly flies away, blown by wind. That lady quickly chases after it, and Xuan Yuan Yu, as though worried she will slip again, holds her tight by the waist. That red silk ended up falling on top of her and Xuan Yuan Yu, covering them. Xuan Yuan Yu"s long, upright body leans down—–
Xi Yan quickly looks away, gently saying, "Just close the window. Bengong would like to try the customary dress for tomorrow."
She suddenly does not want to see the deep affection unfolding outside.
She is afraid it will invoke thoughts that are not appropriate and perhaps highlights the desolateness of this palace.
Translator’s Note: Chapter 25, 26 and 27 are sponsored by Anonymous!