Cry of the Midnight Jackdaw

Chapter Ninety-nine,
Plum

“Duke…… Duke……” Xiao Zuo lazily made an en, and turned over on the couch, his tone was all sticky like it was mixed with water, “Come in.”

Qing Xing was dressed in a dark-green small vest, her waist was tied with a fan, and held a bowl of plums mixed with ice. She carefully pushed open the door and came in, “This servant will place it here, the duke can eat it once awake.”

Xiao Zuo was still half-sunk into dreams, and only carelessly responded with en’s. Qing Xing helplessly smiled, changed out the slightly-melted ice pans in the corners of the room, then pushed the door and went out.

Once skies clear, one would then realize it was the late of summer[1]. Xiao Zuo got woken up by the clear cries of the warblers outside the window, but the drowsiness like the intense sun of the afternoon was unable to disperse. He leaned onto the pillow on the couch, and blankly looked at the window sill to wake up. The pomegranate blossoms to the distance outside were flourishing, like the bright palace dresses in the Ji Le Palace in the past, so red it scorched people, burning away the entire yard of perfume, only leaving this one pomegranate flower.

The plantains at the bottom of the wall reflected the embroidered curtains with an azure colour, occasionally, there would be fine wind blowing by, moving the sunlight angled on the leaves.

The iced plums placed by the couch was filled in a porcelain bowl, gently releasing a hint of coolness. Xiao Zuo rubbed his eyes, and reached out to hold the bowl, then held the spoon and stirred it, scooped up half a spoon of crushed ice, and put it in his mouth and crunched them.

“Just woke up?” He Xuan brought in a wave of heat from the outside, making Xiao Zuo unbearably slightly knit his eyebrows, “Want some iced plum?”

He Xuan shook his head, “Don’t eat too much, don’t just covet the cold.”

“I know.” Xiao Zuo pitifully scooped another half spoonful to savour, then obediently put the remaining half back, “Are you going back out in the afternoon?”

“No, tomorrow is He Yang’s marriage, I just had them check the gift list one last time again.” He Xuan picked up the silk fan on the table, and helped fan Xiao Zuo, “Do you want to go?”

“I……” Xiao Zuo hesitated for a moment, the outside resounded with another wave after wave of cries from cicadas, and immediately, Xiao Zuo made a decision, “Never mind, with it being so hot, I will just stay in the residence, I don’t want to go anywhere.”

“Then again, why go there to suffer.” He Xuan lightly laughed, then lifted his hand and poured Xiao Zuo’s leftover plum soup into his mouth, bringing in Xiao Zuo’s angry gaze.

❀

He Yang’s marriage was set up rather grandly. Though Xiao Zuo was in the residence, from a street away, he could still hear the celebratory noises of gongs and drums, trumpet sounds shook the skies, quelling the bothersome cicada cries outside.

“Is your marriage with Liu Zhong set yet?” Xiao Zuo was lying over the study table, his face rested on the page of an old book, asking with his head tilted.

Zi Wan was on the side fanning him, and when she heard this, she shyly said, “En, his parents also agreed.”

“There have been many marriages held as of late, so it probably is a good date, how about you also take the chance to hold it.”

“Liu Zhong said, the date will most likely be set at the end of the month.”

Xiao Zuo froze, and immediately felt a bit empty inside, and sat up straight tastelessly, and made an en sound, “Presents have already been prepared, at that time, Zi Wan must be the prettiest new bride.”

“Duke.” Zi Wan closed up the circular fan, and hung her head down with a red face, “This servant will go to the kitchen to ask if the herbal tea is ready.” As she said this, before Xiao Zuo called out to her, she pushed open the door and left in a flurry.

Xiao Zuo leaned on the back of the chair, and saw the page of that book written with, “That which cannot remain the human realm the most, is youth bidding farewell in the mirror, and the flowers bidding farewell to the tree[2].”

The window towards the south was open, a gust of hot wind brushed by, and a hot humid air mixed with the summer heat, making the green grasses’ scent steam vividly, as though unfitting with the cold dreariness of separation.

Xiao Zuo closed his eyes, and quietly sighed.

In the evening, Xiao Zuo had some green bean soup, ate a few pieces of sweet glutinous rice and got full, then had someone move a bamboo chair beneath that big tree in the yard. Qing Xing used cold water to wipe the bamboo chair a few good times, so when sitting on it, he did not feel a sliver of heat, and when he turned his head, he could even smell a cool sliver of bitterness of the bamboo leaves, prying up a wall of cool in the weary summer day.

Mr. Yin Su also liked the cold, and long took up a good spot beneath the bamboo chair, boldly stretched itself, and leisurely swung its tail.

When the skies completely darkened, Xiao Zuo narrowed his eyes and lifted his head up, and could see thinly scattered stars, irregularly embedded in the night curtains. Night winds swept past the surface of the lake in front, and brushed by with some of its vapour, rippling with some faint fragrance of some wild roses.

“This place is much cooler.” He Xuan wiped away the sweat on his forehead, and glanced at the laying Xiao Zuo, “Li Nu is lucky.”

Xiao Zuo was originally mulling in some sleepiness, and hazily opened his eyes, “Back so early?”

“En, it’s a complete mess there, there isn’t much point.” He Xuan lifted his collar up and gave it a sniff, “I will go bathe first, it all smells of wine.”

Xiao Zuo lazily nodded his head, and continued to stare at the stars.

In the time of a nap, He Xuan came back, only wearing a light and thin lotus veil short-sleeve as well as a silver-patterned shorts made of satin, with the outline of his chest appearing from time to time.

Xiao Zuo cleared his throat, and unnaturally moved his eyes away, then secretly complained, no wonder the maids on the side all left, it’s gotten much hotter now.

“A summer night like this is not bad either.” He Xuan smiled, and moved a bamboo chair from who-knows-where over, and lined it up with Xiao Zuo’s and laid on it, “Cool breezes when seated, while beside is a beloved in company, a joyous matter of the human realm too.”

Xiao Zuo’s mouth twitched, and constantly felt like the sour taste of that bowl of plum soup he had in the afternoon was still in the mouth unable to disperse, “Your Highness probably has a marriage soon too.”

“What?” He Xuan merrily raised his eyebrows, “Is Li Nu jealous?”

Xiao Zuo coldly humphed, and turned his head and no longer looked at him, “Even He Yang is married now, no matter how much more partial Empress Liu is, his Majesty would not let her be anymore.”

“En.” He Xuan pinched the arm that was a bit sore from fanning, and his gaze swept by a drop of sweat on Xiao Zuo’s forehead, “So what of it, I said I would not marry a concubine, just remember that, Li Nu.”

Xiao Zuo closed his eyes, by his ears were overlapping sounds of bugs and cicadas, coming by mixed with the faint moonlight, and gradually extinguishing in the slightly cool night winds.

❀

Once the weather turned hot, the desire to sleep in in the morning also turned into a rather luxurious comfort. Xiao Zuo got scorched by the bamboo mat gradually shone hot by the sun that he rolled around two times, his back already faintly seeped with a moist feeling, that in the end, got defeated in this game between the heavens and humans, got up from the bed and put on his shoes, then opened the door to call Qing Xing.

“His Highness?” Qing Xing’s hands held a pan of cold water, and was obediently waiting for Xiao Zuo to finish changing clothes and wash up on the side. In these days in the residence, her nature changed quite a bit- most of the time, she would be quietly standing around, only occasionally saying a few words with Zi Wan, like a sparrow away from its flock.

In the morning, Xiao Zuo did not have much of an appetite, randomly drank some lotus seed and fungus soup. When walking in the corridor, he felt if he were just a bit slower, he would be burned to charcoal by the overspreading heat wave, and pretty much ran back into the room like fleeing from a disaster, and fanned himself while drinking cold water.

“Duke, his Highness said to have you drink less of this, the outside has cooled herbal tea, this servant will pour some out for the duke.”

Xiao ZUo waved his hand to have Qing Xing go to get it, then his gaze accidentally swept by the window, and just so happen to see Ling Xiang and Li Fu Hai speak with someone outside, holding some stuff in their hands too.

“What did those people send?” Xiao Zuo held a cup of tea in his hands, and called out to Ling Xiang to ask.

Ling Xiang and Li Fu Hai each held seven to eight scrolls in their hands, after being called by Xiao Zuo, Ling Xiang was scared into a big jump like she had a guilty conscience, and the scrolls in her hands rolled onto the ground. Among them, there was one that probably was not tied properly, and unfolded on the ground, it was the painting of a marriageable woman.

“Du…… Duke?” Ling Xiang anxiously crouched down and picked those scrolls up, then awkwardly lifted her head to look at Xiao Zuo, and explained in embarrassment, “It’s just some paintings the people outside sent over, this servant will bring them away.”

Seeing those paintings, Xiao Zuo then understood, seeing Ling Xiang unwilling to let him know, he did not expose her, and only said to have her be more careful, then returned back to his room.

Who knew just as Xiao Zuo took a seat, the bamboo curtains slightly swayed, and saw Li Fu Hai come in holding that whisk that never left him.

“Duke.” Li Fu Hai smiled, “That girl Ling Xiang is worried that the duke would misunderstand his Highness, she does not intend to deceive you.”

“I know.” Xiao Zuo pushed the remaining cup of herbal tea over, “Herbal tea for clearing internal heat.”

“Thank you, Duke.” Li Fu Hai took one sip, and continued on, “The duke must see it too, her Majesty the Empress sent people with paintings, and told his Highness to choose one he likes.”

Xiao Zuo felt a nameless fire burn up from inside, and immediately could not suppress the annoyance filing his heart for once, and let slip, “This is his own matter, why tell me it.”

“His Highness’ feelings, Duke must understand too, please don’t get angry at his Highness.”

Xiao Zuo pursed his lips, and straightly drank the remaining two cups of herbal tea into his stomach, and relentlessly took a handkerchief and wiped his mouth, said with a choke like he was throwing a temper tantrum at someone, “I don’t dare to.”

Li Fu Hai sighed, but still spoke kindly, “Duke, once his Highness comes back, you can speak properly, don’t throw a temper and not say a word, this old servant has followed his Highness for tens of years, and can see……”

“I know.” Xiao Zuo could not help but interrupt Li Fu Hai, he avoided Li Fu Hai’s gaze, and said indifferently, “I understand, you can go out now.”

He knew it all, He Xuan’s feelings, He Xuan promised him, how could he forget? He only…… he only…… he could not take it, even if he just gave it a thought, the look of He Xuan riding a big and tall horse, holding a ceremony and marrying someone else.

But, there be such a day in the end, no? He long should have known, He Xuan is Jin’s crown prince, a heir that needed to extend the country’s rule, he could never be together with him only, could not be his groom only. His status, was destined to be a ghost that could not see the day of light in its lifetime, hiding in the darkness. Clearly, his bond to this world was already over, yet still desired for the warmth of the sun in the human realm.