When the Bright Moon Shines on Zhaohe - Chapter 13

Afterward, the story of how Ninth Princess Pei Zhaohe had saved the emperor spread through every street and alley. The news that she wasn’t born into the imperial family spread with it. Strangely, hardly anyone held it against her. Instead, people said that she and His Majesty were childhood sweethearts, a match made in heaven. They spoke of standing together through danger and never abandoning each other, even in death.

Tch. I couldn’t bear to hear the stories they invented about us.

Business at Drunken Delight Hall was thriving, so I shut out the world and concentrated on making money. Two days later, betrothal gifts began pouring into the princess’s residence. Pei Ye had chosen an auspicious day and intended to marry me after the spring examinations. He hadn’t even discussed it with me. I was furious.

After devouring two plates of sweet cakes in anger, I went home to count the gifts.

Well. What could I do? He had learned exactly how to handle me. If the money was good enough, what was so terrible about becoming empress?

That night, I lay happily amid my mountains of gold and seas of silver, counting coins. The secret room’s door creaked open. Pei Ye had arrived. I promptly rolled over and presented him with the back of my head.

He laughed in his deep voice, came close without a trace of shame, and hooked me into his arms. “You’ve accepted the betrothal gifts and still dare treat me like this? You really are an ungrateful little thing.”

I grumbled. “What’s the use of all this money? Once I marry you, when will I ever have a chance to leave the palace and spend it?”

He scoffed. “You’d be the only woman in my harem. No sisters to guard against, no parents in law to tend. You can go wherever you please. Who would dare find fault with you?”

“Really? I can still come out? And I can keep my restaurant open? Don’t lie to me, Pei Ye.”

I turned to him, looking at him with all the hope in my heart. Resting his cheek in one hand, he gave me a sly smile.

“If you behave yourself from now on, of course I won’t lie. Come, call me ‘husband’ first.”

I knew it. I punched him and rose to leave, but he looped an arm around me and caught me again. The familiar scent of ambergris, the familiar feeling of safety. He stroked my back and sighed above my head.

“Pei Zhaohe, you truly are made of stone. If I hadn’t nearly died, would you have gone your whole life without saying you loved me?”

“But I still haven’t said it, have I?”

He choked. I could practically hear his teeth grinding. I buried my face against his robe and laughed.

“I didn’t say it before because I wasn’t sure of myself. I was afraid it was only a passing fancy for you, that you wouldn’t love me alone, so I didn’t want to fall in love with you. I won’t say it now because I’m afraid you’ll get smug and use it to control me, leaving me worrying about you day and night. I won’t say it later either. No reason. I simply don’t want to.”

“If you don’t like that, you can take your betrothal gifts away right now. Then I can return every cold word you said to me that night and get my revenge. What do you think? Want to leave? Hmm, Husband?”

There were no windows in the secret room. Only candlelight glowed around us, and the tenderness in his eyes shone brighter than the stars. His long fingers brushed my ear. He leaned in and kissed the corner of my mouth.

“I’m not leaving. Never again. From now on, we’ll do things your way. Zhaohe, how about… calling me Brother again?”

… (O_O)?!

Oh, you rotten ¥%#@#+@#!!!

The warm breeze turned cool; the night had not yet passed. The stars blazed bright, and the moon shone on Zhaohe, year after year. Our youth had not been wasted. I had you for this lifetime. It was enough.

(The End)