Tan Hua - Chapter 7

“If only we could go back to the way things were… That would be so nice. But I know, you can’t always be a child, and I can’t stay forever young.”

Song Liqing muttered to himself, feeling despondent.

He felt lost, knowing that from this day forward, he belonged to Jun Qiyu, and there would never be another in his life. But Jun Qiyu accepting him was probably a distant hope.

Song Liqing silently vowed to himself that he would do better in the future. Jun Qiyu would eventually fall in love with him again, and he would wait for that day to regain their love.

Song Liqing got out of bed quietly, feeling his wounds reopening with each step. He endured the pain as he cleaned himself up, fixed his disheveled hair, and changed into clean clothes.

Looking into the bronze mirror, he saw his haggard appearance, with dark circles under his eyes.

It felt like he had aged years in just one day and night.

Song Liqing’s temples throbbed painfully, but fortunately, his eyesight had returned, and he didn’t dwell on the pain.

According to custom, he was supposed to go to the palace today to pay respects to the two saints, as the Emperor and Empress were now his in-laws. But he couldn’t go to the palace looking like this.

His head wound had dried up, but the bloodstains were still visible. He used clear water to clean it, but the scars remained, so he borrowed some rouge powder from Xiao Di to cover them up.

Song Liqing wasn’t skilled with these girlish things, so he had to ask for help.

“Xiao Di, can you help me?”

Xiao Di took the powder that matched Song Liqing’s skin tone and applied it gently.

“You’re really fair, even fairer than the young ladies in the inner chambers,” Xiao Di exclaimed.

Song Liqing didn’t care. “What does it matter if a man is fair or not?”

“People envy that. If you get married and have children, they’ll surely be as beautiful as porcelain dolls…”

Xiao Di realized her mistake and stopped talking, knowing she had spoken out of turn.

“Xiao Di, can you find some ointment for bruises and cuts for me? But don’t let others know.”

Xiao Di asked urgently, “Sir, are you hurt anywhere else?”

Song Liqing found it hard to speak.

“No, it’s just a precaution.”

Xiao Di cried out, “No, your complexion is very bad. You must be injured. Look, even your neck is injured!”

Song Liqing pulled up his collar to cover his neck.

When Jun Qiyu was passionate, he didn’t care whether Song Liqing would get hurt or not. He didn’t hold back, leaving bruises all over Song Liqing’s body.

He shushed her. “Keep your voice down…”

But Xiao Di couldn’t hold back her tears.

“I feel sorry for you,” Xiao Di sobbed. “Won’t you go to the Emperor and complain? Why did His Highness hit you so hard last night?”

Song Liqing felt extremely embarrassed and ashamed.

“That’s not it…” Song Liqing didn’t know how to explain.

“Why not? You asked me to get medicine for you. You should have said something, and I would have rushed in to protect you, or at least intervene. Next time, I won’t stand idly by…”

Song Liqing had to cover her mouth, this girl was so naive, it was both funny and helpless.

After making up excuses for a while, Song Liqing finally sent Xiao Di away.

Jun Qiyu still didn’t wake up, so Song Liqing stayed by the bed for a while, only to realize that he couldn’t find his jade pendant, which was tied with a yellow tassel.

The pendant itself wasn’t important, but the tassel on it couldn’t be lost.

Song Liqing became anxious and searched every corner of the room, but couldn’t find it. 

“Xiao Di wouldn’t take it, and there’s no one else in the room…” Song Liqing thought, sweating profusely. “I haven’t been anywhere else, except maybe I lost it on the way back from the pleasure pavilion last night…”

Worrying about the tassel, Song Liqing went out to look for it. He searched everywhere, asking anyone he met, but no one had found it.

“Where could it have gone?”

Song Liqing was sweating profusely, feeling heavy-hearted. This was the only bond between him and Jun Qiyu, the proof of their past feelings.

If the tassel was lost, Song Liqing didn’t know what else could prove that Jun Qiyu had once loved him.

He was extremely afraid.

Tears welled up in Song Liqing’s eyes, he wiped them away and found himself at the door of the pleasure pavilion.

“Maybe it was lost here when Jun Qiyu pulled me last night…”

Song Liqing knocked on the door of the pleasure pavilion, and it was opened by a maid who had been assigned to serve Hu Nu’er, a girl who looked a year or two older than Xiao Di.

“I’ve seen the Crown Prince Consort.” The maid curtsied.

Song Liqing explained, “I’m looking for Hu Nu’er.”

“Please forgive Xiao Qin’s offense.” The maid bowed. “His Highness instructed that the Crown Prince Consort is not allowed to enter the pleasure pavilion alone, to prevent you from troubling Hu Nu’er…”

“Trouble?”

Song Liqing smiled bitterly, knowing that in Jun Qiyu’s heart, he was not a cruel person. It was just because Jun Qiyu was so protective of Hu Nu’er, far more than he was of him.

“I just lost something here in the pleasure pavilion, not to trouble him.”

The tassel was something Song Liqing had to find. He insisted on going in, and Xiao Qin, intimidated by his status, dared not stop him.

Hu Nu’er was already up, wearing thin and gorgeous clothes, sitting at a table with some unfamiliar dairy products, probably from the Western Regions.

When Hu Nu’er saw him, her eyes showed disdain.

“I thought who it was, turns out it’s the esteemed Crown Prince Consort.” Hu Nu’er yawned. “I didn’t sleep well last night and I’m not feeling well, so I didn’t greet you.”

Song Liqing didn’t mind. Hu Nu’er had her own pride, just her sapphire-like eyes and fluttering eyelashes were enough to captivate anyone’s attention, wherever she went.

Jun Qiyu liked novelty, so it wasn’t surprising that he was captivated by her for a moment.

“You’re not Han, and you don’t know the customs of the Central Plains, which is understandable. Hu… I don’t know what to call you?”

Song Liqing wasn’t good at socializing, especially with someone who was Jun Qiyu’s favorite.

Hu Nu’er was surprised.

“From being a captive to today, everyone has scorned me, treating me like a cat or a dog, but only you asked for my name.” Hu Nu’er smiled meaningfully. “But I don’t accept your kindness. His Highness calls me Hu Nu’er, so I’m just a Hu Nu’er.”

Song Liqing didn’t say much more and went straight to the point. “May I ask if you have seen my jade pendant? It’s tied with a yellow tassel, with a concentric knot on it.”

“Yes.” Hu Nu’er replied quickly.

Song Liqing felt relieved, thinking he had found what he had lost.

“Could you give it back to me?”

But Hu Nu’er asked, “But why should I give it to you?”