Imperial Weight Chapter 22
Translated by Sylver (ko-fi)
Chapter 22
Later, they returned to the prince's mansion. After the battle where Xingyi went north to Zhao ended with the ringing of the retreat gong, the entire nation settled into peace—a scene of tranquility and prosperity. The young emperor, having completed the three proverbial fires of a new official, successfully overthrew the Empress Dowager who had ruled from behind the curtain, and from then on wielded sole power. At the same time, a purple star emerged among the newly selected imperial scholars—a third-place scholar who became the young emperor's right-hand man. With capable ministers and military generals at his side, the court became entirely clear and bright.
As for Jiangling, the city lord of Jiangling and his strategist were also slowly taking over military affairs in the region. Xingyi was responsible for the handover and supervision, and had also become familiar with these two, sometimes even bringing Little Phoenix along to visit for tea.
When they first met, those two were both young men not yet of age, affecting an air of mature steadiness. The young city lord was particularly composed and solemn, young in years but sharp-eyed, and swift and decisive in his actions. That young strategist was the same age as Little Phoenix—outwardly a proper second-in-command, but privately still retaining some childish nature.
Little Phoenix put to use the fine tradition of neighborhood gossip he'd learned in the pleasure quarter, and while Xingyi was discussing matters with the young city lord, he had invited that young strategist to go out shopping several times, walking arm in arm. Once, while that young strategist was having tea with him and chatting about everything under the sun, he suddenly coughed lightly. "Actually, I've always had a question I wanted to ask you—can men really marry each other?"
After speaking, as if afraid he might misunderstand, he added, "I don't mean anything by it. When I was in the army, I also saw quite a few people with cut... that thing, cut sleeves. I just never knew that it could be like your situation—that men could actually achieve a proper union?"
Little Phoenix propped his chin and looked at him, enthusiastically telling him, "Actually, I didn't know it could be like this either. At the time, my husband didn't tell me—he secretly went and reported to His Majesty, saying he liked men, that he'd fallen in love with a young courtesan from a pleasure house, and would never want anyone else for the rest of his life."
The young strategist, who had been lowering his head to fiddle with tea leaves, looked up after hearing this and frowned slightly. "The prince said that?"
Perhaps realizing his tone wasn't quite right, the young strategist quickly relaxed his manner. He picked up his tea and took a sip, then said, "The issue of heirs—he doesn't mind either?"
Little Phoenix said, "I heard that His Majesty asked the same thing at the time, but my husband insisted on refusing. He said he was just a military man, that dying on the battlefield and serving the country with loyalty was his life's pursuit. He didn't seek to have descendants, and this way he could spare future children the suffering of losing their father. He petitioned several times, and His Majesty finally approved."
"I see." The young strategist's eyes were clear and transparent. Watching Little Phoenix's delighted expression, he inexplicably let out a soft sigh.
Whether it was because the parties involved were confused while bystanders saw clearly, outsiders looked at this couple and understood perfectly. Outsiders said that Prince Ziyang frequented the pleasure quarters, that his private life was debauched, and that in the end he'd been bewitched by a top courtesan and absurdly married a male consort into his household. But those who knew Xingyi even slightly could tell this was merely a lie. Accompanying the ruler was like accompanying a tiger—leaving no retreat, severing the possibility of descendants, refusing marriage alliances with any official's daughter—only this could win a thread of survival.
Little Phoenix was completely unaware. He continued chattering on about their wedding ceremony. The young strategist listened quietly, then later steered away from the wedding topic and changed to lighter conversation. "So by that account, would you say the prince pursued you first?"
Little Phoenix was very proud. "Yes! At that time, I hadn't even thought about being with him yet, and he already sent the wedding gown."
"How nice." The young strategist said. "I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to meet someone like that—someone willing to spend their whole life with me regardless of whether they like me or not. Whether it's a girl or a young man, having someone to accompany you would be wonderful."
Little Phoenix encouraged him. "You will! I'll lend you my luck—you'll definitely find someone to live happily with for a lifetime."
The young strategist propped his chin and said, "But I live as the city lord's person and will die as the city lord's ghost. Now that I've become his strategist, I don't know when he'll let me out to fall in love and get married. When I think about it, it seems so far away."
The two young men chatted for quite a while, finding each other very agreeable. They went out arm in arm to view the lantern festival, bought street food, and strolled along the riverside talking. Both were eye-catching in appearance, drawing many turning heads along the way. When these two youngsters learned that their respective guardians—specifically Xingyi and the young city lord Xie Yuan—had been searching for them all afternoon and had practically turned the entire city upside down, they obediently went back and admitted their fault.
Xingyi said, "Ran quite far, didn't you?"
The young city lord criticized his young strategist, then demanded that the strategist write an 800-word self-criticism. The strategist protested and refused, so the penalty was increased to 8,000 words. Master and strategist bickered back and forth, and the young city lord's usual steady and solemn demeanor vanished, showing a bit of childishness as he haggled over his strategist running off to play for so long without notice.
Xingyi and Little Phoenix suppressed their laughter, and after taking their leave, walked hand in hand out of the city lord's mansion.
Little Phoenix looked back and said quietly, "I think they're wonderful—they look like they'll be together for life."
Xingyi asked, "Oh? You think so?"
Little Phoenix said, "I don't know if they have that kind of relationship, but it feels very promising. I think this might be a case of the parties being confused—I can see that the young city lord really likes his young strategist. Strategist and city lord, young master and page boy, first-in-command and second-in-command—no matter how you look at it, they won't separate."
Xingyi looked ahead and laughed softly. "Besides strategist and city lord... there's also prince and princess consort."
Little Phoenix's face flushed red all at once.
On the road, Little Phoenix chattered away like beans pouring from a bamboo tube, happily sharing his day's experiences with Xingyi. Xingyi listened attentively, and when he heard about Little Phoenix discussing the imperially-decreed marriage with that young strategist, he noted something, "That young strategist—he didn't say anything else to you?"
The heads of the Xie family through the generations were no easy opponents, and this generation's young city lord Xie Yuan was especially promising, keen and cautious. By the same token, anyone he trained would be no pushover either. Someone who could serve as Xie Yuan's strategist must be able to deduce from mere fragments that his grand wedding was a sham.
Little Phoenix shook his head. "No, he asked me whether this counted as you actively pursuing me?"
He lifted his eyes to steal a glance at Xingyi and smiled bashfully. "I, I think it counts. Is it okay that I said that? You don't object, do you?"
Xingyi was slightly stunned.
He found it somewhat amusing, and beyond the amusement he felt that faint ache return again, as if a small bird had landed on the tip of his heart, its soft little claws scratching at him with a bit of pain.
Given his originally indifferent and casual attitude, how foolish must this child be to foolishly take that as affection?
Xingyi pulled him into his embrace by the shoulder. "I have no objection. When we have time later, there's something I need to confess to you. You must listen carefully."
Little Phoenix didn't ask in detail what it was—he was always carefree and didn't worry needlessly. The young man looked back at him, his eyes bright and gleaming, seeming to hold flowing ripples of light. "Okay." It was a look filled with cheerful, smiling intent.
It was clearly such an ordinary expression, such a plain and natural reply, yet Xingyi found himself unable to look away. The wind rustled the leaves on the road, and the noisy sounds of the marketplace receded together, as if only the two of them remained in heaven and earth.
Xingyi suddenly thought of that line "water is like eyes flowing sideways"—if there were mountains and waters that could grow to match his Little Phoenix's gaze, he would surely spend his final years there.
—---
"Change back for me."
"I won't."
"Change back."
"I won't, chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp."
The great hall was in complete disarray. The table made of frost-white divine wood had long since been smashed to pieces. When the golden-winged bird flew out crying, it collapsed a corner of the ornamental pillar, and in its sorrow shed many feathers. Tanlang left in haste, clattering and knocking over quite a few tables, chairs, and candlesticks along the way. The entire hall had been turned into something like a battlefield by them.
Xingyi reached out to grasp Little Phoenix's chin, forcing him to look up, his gaze carrying a threatening meaning. "Are you changing or not? If you don't change, I'll throw you out."
Little Phoenix shouted. "Go ahead and throw me! I'm not wearing any clothes anyway, or if I am, it's just your outer robe. If you throw me out, everyone will see that you're a big pig-trotter who played with a little bird's feelings and then threw the bird away!"
Xingyi: "......"
This little troublemaker was really pushing his luck. As he spoke, he tried to jump off Xingyi's lap and slip away. The movement was too large, pulling the outer robe so it fell halfway off, exposing his shoulders. Xingyi's hands were quick to catch him, forcefully holding him in his embrace. "You're not going anywhere, behave yourself!"
Little Phoenix wasn't afraid of his stern expression at all. He affectionately patted Xingyi's face. "Be good, don't be angry. Look, I'm quite pitiful too. I don't know why I suddenly gained the ability to transform into human form. I think it was probably because of the star you gave me."
As he spoke, he happily wrapped his arms around Xingyi's neck. "Thank you for giving me the star. Don't be so fierce, be good."
Xingyi watched him kneel upright at his side, felt those arms encircle him, saw Little Phoenix's clear and bright eyes draw near, and his eyelid twitched. "You—"
In the next moment, Little Phoenix leaned in and planted a kiss on his cheek with a loud smack.
Then he drew back slightly, a pair of eyes looking at him with sparkling brightness.
Xingyi couldn't speak for a moment. Little Phoenix looked at him for a while, then stated with reserve. "Look, you took me in, planted fruit for me to eat, even lent me your clothes to wear, and you even gave me a star. You must like me, and I like you too. Now everyone knows about this, my reputation is entirely in your hands. I'm so pitiful—you have to take responsibility for me."
In that instant, Xingyi wanted to question which little troublemaker had actually ruined whose reputation, but looking at Little Phoenix's pitiful appearance—though he knew it was an act—he choked on his words.
After a long while, Xingyi leaned back against the backrest of the imperial throne, closed his eyes, and raised his hand to rub his temples.
He said, "Let me have some quiet."
Halfway through rubbing, his hand was taken down by another pair of soft, slender hands. Then slightly cool fingertips pressed against the side of his eyes, beginning to massage with practiced technique.
Little Phoenix maintained his position sitting on Xingyi's lap while massaging him, offering solicitous inquiries. "How is it? Husband, are you tired? Did you not sleep well last night? See, I'll massage you and you won't feel uncomfortable anymore. In a bit, you can take an afternoon nap. Don't move around—my technique is very professional. Don't you feel very relaxed, your body and mind emptied? Don't you like me even more now?"
Xingyi: "......"
This matter finally ended with Xingyi wrapping Little Phoenix up in a bundle and carrying him back to the sleeping chambers.
Xingyi showed him a benevolent smile. "I'm going to sleep now. I'm giving you a task—within three days, learn to change back into a little bird, or else I'll turn you into charcoal-roasted phoenix."
Little Phoenix felt a bit wronged. "I didn't transform into human form on purpose. I'm also very tired and want to sleep with you."
As he spoke, he tried to climb onto Xingyi's bed. Xingyi's hands were quick to hold him down and push him aside, then set up a linear barrier slightly outward from the bed's edge, drawing a boundary line.
Xingyi announced, "This line only allows small animals smaller than a peach to pass through. If you turn into a little bird, you can come over. You decide."
Little Phoenix pouted, dejectedly found a stool to sit on, and reluctantly began practicing magic. "I'm going to tell people you abuse little birds."
Xingyi was very composed. "I'll tell people you acted like a hooligan and took liberties with your master."
Little Phoenix's cultivation was actually already quite high. His current inability to control his transformation at will was because the power brought by the Star Disc hadn't yet fully integrated. He obediently sat there, muttering for a long while, working hard to circulate his qi, but failed time after time.
Xingyi lay on the bed, eyes half-closed, listening to Little Phoenix's soft voice repeatedly murmuring, seemingly with very low efficiency. Xingyi said he wanted to sleep but couldn't fall asleep for a long time, so he finally opened his eyes again and casually gave him some guidance. "Circulate qi through the small heavenly circuit, let internal energy emerge from the lower dantian, clear your mind of distractions, silently recite this formula."
Little Phoenix said, "Oh."
He changed from murmuring aloud to silent recitation, trying with full concentration.
Xingyi's ears were finally peaceful. He glanced at Little Phoenix, then lay down comfortably and serenely closed his eyes.
After closing them for a while without falling asleep, Xingyi felt the room seemed too quiet and couldn't help but open his eyes for another peek.
The young man wrapped in his robe was still working hard to circulate his qi. His little bird was indeed still here.
Xingyi closed his eyes again. This time he was determined to catch up on sleep and absolutely wouldn't look at Little Phoenix again.
Tanlang and the golden-winged bird were both loudmouths—he needed sufficient sleep to face the coming storm.
However, things didn't go as wished. A moment later, he heard Little Phoenix softly ask, "Weijian, are you asleep?"
Xingyi told himself not to move and ignored him, pretending to be sound asleep.
He heard Little Phoenix's bare feet on the ground, moving closer toward him, gradually approaching. Xingyi could tell from the sound that something was wrong—this little silly bird was clearly about to try crossing the boundary. And the barrier he'd casually drawn was the kind he habitually used on the battlefield—intruders would be directly annihilated. He quickly recited a formula in his mind and swiftly changed the barrier's properties, turning the barrier's edge into a soft, bouncy screen.
Little Phoenix reached out his hand and touched the barrier that felt like jelly, soft and elastic. He tried using a bit of force to push inward. The barrier deformed from his push but showed no intention of letting him through.
Little Phoenix felt a bit dejected. He inquired, "Weijian, you haven't told me how small 'smaller than a peach' is. Is it as small as the Queen Mother's immortal peaches? But when I used to deliver express packages, I knew I was just a tiny bit bigger than a peach. Why don't you relax the conditions a bit? Otherwise, even if I turn into a little bird, I won't be able to get in, and that would be terrible."
Xingyi mentally measured Little Phoenix's size and felt a bit hesitant at his words, but he held firm.
Can't open my eyes. He warned himself again.
Opening my eyes means I lose.
This little troublemaker could employ all sorts of despicable tactics, especially now that he'd transformed into human form—he could be even more shameless.
He continued to ignore Little Phoenix. Little Phoenix waited expectantly for a while, then lowered his head. His gaze fell on his own bare feet. He shivered and muttered softly, "It's so cold, Weijian."
Xingyi was neither afraid of cold nor heat—it was in his nature. He'd been this way for ten thousand years, but Little Phoenix wasn't him. Little Phoenix was just a little immortal with slightly higher cultivation. Being afraid of cold was perfectly normal. Standing from his own perspective, Xingyi had completely forgotten about this matter. After all, Emperor Fuli had never taken Fuli Mountain's ten-thousand-year snow seriously.
This point seemed like... something he hadn't considered?
Xingyi thought, forget it, I'll open my eyes.
He opened his eyes intending to figure out when to secretly invite the Weaving Maiden over to tailor a few sets of clothes for Little Phoenix and make some shoes, only to discover Little Phoenix had disappeared.
The room was empty. This little troublemaker had slipped away soundlessly, actually escaping right under his nose.
Outside was ice and snow—it would only be colder than inside. Xingyi frowned and was about to get up to look for him when he heard a very soft cough.
It came from the other side, from outside the window.
Xingyi quickly lay back down and pretended to be sound asleep.
Little Phoenix went out and circled around, finding the window where he'd previously pecked a hole in the paper—the hole still hadn't been repaired, remaining round and intact. He quietly reached in, fumbling to loosen the latch inside, then with a creak pushed the window open and climbed in.
The window and Xingyi's bed were on the same side. Little Phoenix perfectly avoided the boundary line Xingyi had set. From the sounds, Xingyi knew this bird was heading straight for him. The bed sank, and an ice-cold person burrowed in, directly nestling into his embrace.
Xingyi remained motionless, feeling the cold air on Little Phoenix's body and feeling Little Phoenix shiver a few times before settling comfortably in his arms, even hugging one of his arms to warm himself.
"I'm also so sleepy, Weijian." Little Phoenix muttered softly and quickly fell asleep.
Xingyi lifted his eyelids to look at him, feeling as if the scene from the previous night was replaying. He had no choice but to gather this little creature into his arms. He touched Little Phoenix's forehead—no fever, but still a bit cold. So Xingyi pressed his fingertip against the shanzhong acupoint on his chest, sending a stream of warm true qi into him, then released his five fingers, sliding them down along Little Phoenix's spine, loosely embracing his waist.
Little Phoenix before him slept peacefully, completely unaware.
He had a premonition that this matter would certainly grind on him for quite a long time.
The ancients used the word "grind" well—rather than being straightforward, it had to be slow-cooked over low heat, using a rolling stone millwheel to engrave his state of mind. Perhaps there would even be a snow-white, round, plump little bird counting there: Almost there, almost there! Looking at him with bright little bean eyes, not knowing what it was so anxious about.
