Imperial Weight Chapter 16
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 16
On their wedding night, both were first-timers, somewhat inexperienced. Xingyi had spent years accumulated in military camps with no time for romantic matters, so he couldn't control himself and, like an inexperienced young man, coaxed Little Phoenix in a low voice to go a few more rounds. By the time they finally fell asleep, it was already very late.
But Little Phoenix wasn't tired. He got up before dawn, bathed and freshened up on his own, then sat down at the mirror to groom himself.
His movements were very light and slow. The thin morning light was intermittently blocked by his arms, casting shadows on the half-drawn bed curtains, which woke Xingyi. He opened his eyes and turned his head to look, seeing Little Phoenix with his long hair loose, tilting his head as he used sesame leaves to smooth his hair, holding the comb in his mouth.
His princess consort was still wearing that set of deep red inner robes, loosely draped over his body, revealing his refined and attractive collarbones and fair skin. His phoenix eyes glanced sideways at the person in the mirror, seemingly examining himself carefully. That meticulous appearance made Xingyi involuntarily smile. He got up and put on his clothes, originally wanting to call Little Phoenix over to attend to him. Just as he was about to cast his gaze over, he saw that Little Phoenix had already noticed he was awake and casually waved at him to come over.
It was a very common gesture for calling someone over, but this was the first time Xingyi had encountered anyone daring to make this gesture in front of him. He couldn't quite explain what he was thinking, but as if possessed, he simply walked over.
Little Phoenix gathered his hair behind his head, smiling as he stood up on the chair, leaning close to fasten the buttons on Xingyi's chest. Xingyi looked down at him and saw several tufts of hair sticking up on his unfinished hairstyle. Little Phoenix half-knelt on the chair, improperly fastening his belt. When the jade belt clicked, Little Phoenix took advantage of the opportunity, burying his head in Xingyi's chest for a moment. His hands weren't behaving either—he just hugged and clung to him, then looked up with a bright smile.
Xingyi stared at those few tufts of hair sticking up on his head and casually helped press them down, making it look like he was patting Little Phoenix's head. His palm moved downward, stopping at his back, then tightened again, openly offering his embrace to the person before him.
He was his princess consort now.
This thought jumped into Xingyi's mind again, as if reminding him of something.
He asked casually, "Up so early?"
Little Phoenix grabbed his hand and wouldn't let go. Without any other improper movements, he said somewhat aggrievedly, "The morning after the wedding night, you're supposed to change your hairstyle. Girls will put their hair up as a sign of becoming a married woman."
Xingyi laughed again. "Yesterday it was having children, now it's putting up hair. Are you going to put your hair up? You're a man, not a daughter. Even if you've become my princess consort, you don't need to learn women's ways. Whatever you were like before, just remain that way."
Little Phoenix picked up the comb again, gathering the hair at the back of his head. After combing it a few times, he bit it and held it in his mouth. "I'm not putting my hair up, I want to have my hair capped."
He wasn't yet of age for the capping ceremony, but apparently because he felt that now that he was married, he should be treated as an adult. Xingyi had never heard such a strange notion. This little thing was obviously just fooling around.
But Xingyi said nothing. He watched as Little Phoenix combed for a long time, then reached out to take the ivory comb from his mouth, saying quietly, "Don't you find that dirty?"
Little Phoenix didn't dare make a sound. Xingyi sighed, lowered his head to carefully comb his hair, then grasped his hair and carefully arranged and tied it up. After finishing, Little Phoenix said, "I washed my hair, it's very clean."
His mouth also pouted, as if he was a bit angry.
Perhaps something had been said that he didn't like to hear.
Xingyi realized that caring about Little Phoenix's mental state also needed to be added to his agenda. Since he had already become his lover, he should take responsibility. This young man had received little family affection since childhood and had grown up in the chaotic world of pleasure houses. He seemed carefree, but perhaps his heart was sensitive?
Xingyi rubbed his head. "I once went to the north for disaster relief. When dealing with famine, I often saw everyone holding a comb with hair oil on it, putting it in their mouths to suck on when they couldn't bear the hunger. You have no worries about food and clothing with me, so don't imitate such things, all right?"
Little Phoenix nodded.
Seeing nothing unusual about him, Xingyi had food laid out in the room and had breakfast together with Little Phoenix.
During the meal, subordinate officials hurried in to report. Xingyi went out for a moment, and when he returned, he didn't even eat anymore. He went straight to his desk to write several letters, while having servants pack things.
Little Phoenix put down his chopsticks, somewhat puzzled. "What's wrong?" He stood up too, looking at the several high-ranking officers standing in the courtyard outside, understanding somewhat. "Are you going out?"
Xingyi picked up his official seal and stamped several documents, hastily handing them to his deputy to deliver, then directly and efficiently took off his outer robe, having servants bring his armor. "Urgent military situation. I have to go out. You stay home and be good. If you need anything, tell the steward. Don't be constrained. When I'm not here, you are the master of this prince's mansion."
Little Phoenix was stunned.
The second day after the wedding, his husband had to go out to war. The battlefield changes in an instant—without Xingyi explaining clearly, he probably wouldn't even let people clearly think about whether he could come back alive. In an instant, ten thousand thoughts ran through Little Phoenix's mind. In the end, unable to figure out what to do, he just looked at him helplessly. Finally, he suddenly rushed into the inner chamber and rummaged around with clattering sounds. He found his belongings that came with him to the prince's mansion—a simple box containing the clothes and miscellaneous items he had brought. He searched for a long time before finally pulling out a small pouch from inside.
The pouch wasn't of very good quality—just the most ordinary, undyed coarse white cloth with a few small flowers symbolically embroidered on it. Little Phoenix opened it and took out a bracelet made of a stone threaded with red string.
The stone was colorless and transparent, exceptionally clear, except for a trace of reddish-gold in the middle, like a drop of ink falling into water—stretched and magnified in that instant, frozen in time.
This pouch was given to his parents by the fortune teller who had predicted his future wealth, prosperity, and smooth life. The fortune teller said this stone could be his lucky charm and would add to his good fortune. The pleasure house didn't allow prostitutes to privately keep longevity locks, protective jade, and such things, so Little Phoenix had kept it at the bottom of his trunk for sixteen years without ever touching it.
Though he'd never touched it, he still remembered this stone. When he was little, he was afraid of the dark and timid. Once, a young male attendant next door was played to death by a group of clients. He heard it through the wall, wanted to rush out and fight them but was locked back in by the madams, his whole body trembling. When afraid, he would take out that stone and look at it, firmly believing it was truly protecting him.
He pulled it out and saw the string was short—this was something he wore on his hand as a child, naturally small. So he quickly looked around and spotted the wedding clothes placed nearby.
The prince's mansion had no needles and thread—such things for daughters. His and Xingyi's bedroom certainly wouldn't have any. When he took the scissors to it, Xingyi and several deputy officers around him were all stunned. "What are you doing? Those are wedding clothes bestowed and made by imperial decree!"
With one cut destroying it, Little Phoenix quickly pulled out three silk threads, bit them off at his mouth, then deftly twisted all three red threads together into one strand. When the length was appropriate, he used this red thread to replace the somewhat short string, making a pendant, then hurriedly ran to Xingyi, wanting him to put it on, still a bit out of breath. "You, no, I mean, husband, you wear this."
Xingyi had almost reached the door and could only turn back to take it and look. "What is this?"
Little Phoenix said, "I don't know what to give you. This is my protective talisman. I'm giving it to you, hoping you'll come back safely."
Xingyi looked at this pendant. It appeared to be nothing more than ordinary white agate or crystal, with reddish-gold impurities inside. It didn't look very valuable.
He took it and tied it around his neck, asking, "If you give me this, what will you do?"
Little Phoenix looked at him and smiled, saying confidently, "I'll wait at home for you to come back and won't go out at all. Besides, I have very good luck."
Xingyi reached out to touch his head, as if touched by a certain word in his statement. "Good, wait for me to come home."
Then he mounted his horse and galloped away.
Little Phoenix stood on tiptoes. Only when the figure could no longer be seen did he return to the room, but he had no appetite for food anymore. He was a bit listless.
When would his husband return?
He believed in his good fortune. He had given that stone to Xingyi, so Xingyi would also have his good luck.
He knew he had always had good luck.
