Chapter 29: Shared pillow
Jiang Changbai, seeing Song Juguang had come in, let out an undetectable sigh, and turned her head to look at Xie Qianbing. "Go on, go; we'll discuss this matter again later."
Xie Qianbing let out an "understood", lowering her head and leaving, unwilling to meet Song Juguang's gaze. She didn't know why, but she felt that she'd been somewhat scared by Song Juguang's stare. And Song Juguang only spoke once Xie Qianbing had gone a distance, a hidden bitterness in her tone. "Is this Bixia guarding against this minister?"
Jiang Changbai chuckled hollowly, shaking her head in denial without thinking. Yet Song Juguang raised a brow, as if utterly uncaring. "Actually, if you are, it doesn't matter; it's merely that this minister hopes you know she doesn't have hidden intents towards you."
Jiang Changbai became aware of the burning gaze of Song Juguang's which had fallen on her, and she collected herself. "Of course I know."
Qing Huai was still standing in the doorway; originally, she'd even stuck her neck out to gaze into the room, but seeing this atmosphere, she was frightened such that she retreated softly a couple steps.
"It's quite late, now; does A Guang have some matter, having come now?" Jiang Changbai's thoughts shifted, and she shifted the topic without a sound. On this matter, Song Juguang had never been a stubborn person, and of course, paid it even less attention. But she turned and gazed towards the doorway, and, not seeing Qing Huai's figure, at once understood that she'd been duped, and couldn't help but laugh bitterly to herself.
Even if this was the case, she didn't have the intent to make things difficult for Qing Huai. She merely shrugged, following Jiang Changbai's words without changing her expression. "Of course there is; it's merely that it doesn't amount to an important one."
"Oh?"
"This minister would like to go to Boyang and take a look about."
Jiang Changbai, hearing this, stilled, her hands unconsciously tightening on the wooden armrests of the chair. When she spoke again, her words were hesitant. "How come you suddenly want to go to Boyang?"
"The severe drought has persisted for so long; the court has thrown handful after handful of money in, yet there hasn't even been a single sound. Bixia, aren't you curious about what the situation in Boyang is now?" Song Juguang spoke with sudden integrity, her expression a grave one of worry for the nation and the people. Besides her herself, no one could guess that this wasn't truly the real reason.
Yet Jiang Changbai had a different plan. Right now, Song Juguang's reputation among the military was illustrious, such that almost everyone knew that the Great Li had a general this talented in battle. Even if, now, she'd received the title of Regent, and didn't engage much in military matters, her fame was growing greater and greater. Even if it weren't her Cangwei Army, as soon as Song Juguang's name was mentioned, everyone's words were filled with adoration. It was precisely because of this that Jiang Changbai had a headache.
If this matter in Boyang was also personally solved by Song Juguang, she feared that the common people of the Great Li would truly only know Song Juguang's name, but they wouldn't know her, the Emperor, anymore. Then, even if Song Juguang didn't have any designs on the throne, this Dragon Throne of hers would be even more unstable.
Jiang Changbai had never wanted to be a puppet emperor. So, she sighed, and said, "Send someone else to do it, then; A Guang, the court can't do without you."
"Bixia jests; how could there be such a thing as the court being unable to do without this minister? These past few days, this minister has been drinking wine and practicing her martial skills day after day at home, and yet never dealt with matters of the court."
Jiang Changbai was at a loss from being called out; in a flash, she became aware that her reasoning was somewhat implausible. But, the more it was this sort of time, the more confident she became of her convictions; she raised her head, her gaze meeting those eyes of Song Juguang's squarely.
Song Juguang's eyes seemed to have never changed; regardless of if it were the first time Jiang Changbai had met her, when she'd been a refugee, or later, when the two had studied together before the same window in the Prince Ling residence, or, even, this moment, when they were sitting in the imperial study, one a ruler and the other a subject, separated by a not too large table, gazes meeting distantly. Regardless of the time, Song Juguang's eyes were always bright and clear.
Dazedly, even Jiang Changbai felt that she herself had been too suspicious. But her intellect still told her that she couldn't let Song Juguang go to Boyang. So, she slowed her speech, the tone of her words increasing in a degree of dependency in a way that even she didn't realise. She said, "But I would miss you."
Song Juguang suddenly felt her own heart itching.
Actually, for going to Boyang, she didn't need to come ask permission from Jiang Changbai especially. Boyang wasn't that far from the capital, and even if her speed were rapid, she wouldn't really need to rest. If she were to go a bit urgently, it wouldn't even take two days for her to return. Recently, Song Juguang hadn't attended court often; in a week, she'd only perhaps come twice, and the other times, she'd wait in the Regent's residence until the sun had climbed three poles in the sky before she opened the gate.
Now, suddenly speaking of this matter, it was entirely in order to help cover up the fact that Qing Huai had furtively called her into the palace. Song Juguang had never imagined that she would receive this sort of reply. So, Song Juguang didn't know what to say, either, and remained silent. Luckily, at this moment, a breeze rushed in through the window, just as luckily blowing out the half-lit, half-extinguished candle on the table. She lowered her head, and silently helped Jiang Changbai light the candle once more.
Jiang Changbai, head lowered flipped through the memorials she hadn't finished responding to, the orange candlelight covering up her flushed cheeks. At this moment, she couldn't understand even a single character.
The imperial study suddenly fell silent. The two of them, each cradling a matter in their heart, industriously made themselves look no different from usual; Song Juguang sat rigidly on that small, wooden stool, unexpectedly looking like a wooden statue. Outside the window, the moon rose a bit further, the candle flame in the window never having been extinguished.
It was Jiang Changbai who couldn't stand it any longer, unable to stop herself from yawning. This yawn seemed to be infectious; as soon as it ended here, over there, Song Juguang's face gained a sense of exhaustion. The two exchanged a glance, a bit of a smile appearing on each of their faces.
"Is A Guang still not returning home?" Jiang Changbai asked her, raising her head. But, without waiting for Song Juguang to reply, she added to herself, "or, is it that you want to remain in the Palace tonight as well?"
Song Juguang rose, and extended her arms, smiling. "Bixia has truly seen through this minister."
They both laughed.
The skies had grown entirely dark, only the burning lamps on either side in the palace spilling out a dusky light. Qing Huai, trembling with fear, followed after the two to the Yangxin Hall. She didn't know what had happened in the room just then, nor did she dare to ask, only striving, head lowered, to reduce the sense of her existence as much as possible. But as she walked, she suddenly realised that another, black figure had appeared before her, and before she could react, she bumped into the other figure.
She hurriedly raised her head, and only then realised that the black figure was actually Song Juguang. Qing Huai knelt in a great flurry, repeating, "Wangjun, please forgive me".
"No matter," Song Juguang said, waving a hand. "Did you hurt yourself? How about you go back and rest."
"Ah?" Qing Huai was dazed, and for a moment, she couldn't understand what Song Juguang was saying. But under the faint lamplight, she truly read something from within Song Juguang's gaze.
"You're tired from waiting outside the doors all night; just go and rest," Song Juguang repeated.
Thus, even if Qing Huai were more slow-witted, she would have understood the implication in Song Juguang's words, and she hurriedly replied. "This servant will go now, and have Xun Zhu-jiejie come stand guard."
At first, Jiang Changbai didn't notice this movement, still walking forward, paying mind only to herself. It was just that, having walked a few more steps, she realised that her side was empty of another, and only at this turned her head to look for her. When she walked to their side, she heard by chance Song Juguang saying, "She's not necessary either; Bixia has me to guard her."
"This—" Qing Huai was somewhat hesitant, casting an appealing gaze towards Jiang Changbai, who was walking over.
"Go quickly," Song Juguang said, sighing softly, a greater intolerance towards comment in her tone.
Qing Huai was deeply frightened, and left as hurriedly as a wisp of smoke. In the time of a single sentence, Jiang Changbai also came to Song Juguang's side, somewhat exasperated. "You've driven away everyone by my side; who will wait on me in the night, then?"
Yet Song Juguang smiled, not speaking, and, as if unconcerned, turned her head, and proceeded towards the Yangxin Hall.
"Now you're the Regent; how can you do the work of a servant? This isn't proper." In the Yangxin Hall, Jiang Changbai gazed at Song Juguang before her, who had no intent to leave. "If Qing Huai's left, then she's left; I don't need to have someone waiting on me. Go on, go to the side hall."
"Even if it's not proper, I've already done it many times before," Song Juguang said, uncharacteristically persistent; when she spoke again, a degree more of plaintiveness that even she didn't notice was in her tone. "What's more, Bixia, now, you're shunning this minister. Propriety is all set by people; now, whose rules under the heavens could be greater than you?"
"I," Jiang Changbai said, at a loss for words, never having foreseen that Song Juguang would act this unusually today. By coincidence, this abnormality was also the first thing she'd brought up, and for a moment, she didn't even know what to blame. The hands hidden in her sleeves clenched in a flash, yet she didn't keep trying to drive Song Juguang away. She only said, "Turn around, I'm going to change into sleepwear."
Song Juguang obediently turned around. Yet when Jiang Changbai finished changing, she didn't have the intent to tell Song Juguang to turn around, merely sitting down on the low bed herself, her mind incredibly confused. Her heart was remorseful. If, just then, she hadn't said those words she hadn't thought of saying in the imperial study, would this matter not have happened?
But time wouldn't stop for Jiang Changbai's pondering; the night grew deeper and deeper. In less than three shichen, she had to attend morning court.
Jiang Changbai drew a deep breat, and said once more, "A Guang, the side hall is clean; there's been people tidying it regularly."
"This minister isn't tired; at worst, I won't attend morning court. This minsiter will guard you at the door." Finally, Song Juguang stopped pressing on, but she didn't turn around, merely heading directly out the door like that. Jiang Changbai, seeing that Song Juguang's shadow outside the window, unexpectedly couldn't bear it.
"A Guang," she called out, "come on in, then."
In a situation that hadn't happened in a great many years, Song Juguang and Jiang Changbai laid on the same bed together. The last time they'd been like this, they'd still been young, and the two of them had secretly slipped out to have fun, the money they'd carried on them, in the end, only enough to rent a single room in an inn. Jiang Changbai had never paid mind to the differences between masters and servants, and so the two girls who had madly entertained themselves the entire day had squeezed into a single, not too large bed to rest.
But now wasn't like then; though the two were closer, they each had many things on their minds.
"Are you determined to go to Boyang?" Jiang Changbai asked, her eyes narrowed slightly.
"This minister truly wants to go," Song Juguang replied.
"Come back as soon as possible."
Until the heavens brightened, no one closed their eyes.
The next evening, Song Juguang urged a horse along along, travelled on the official road. In the morning, she'd practically fled from the Palace, such that even she couldn't clearly remember why she'd been like that the day before. It was as if, from the moment she'd pushed the door open and entered the imperial study, she'd been swept along by something.
Naturally, she hadn't attended morning court. Of course, whether or not she attended had no impact; after all, even if it was said she, as the Regent, led the Six Departments, actually, she wasn't even that familar with them. Everyone seeing her would call out "Wangjun", yet barely any of the matters were passed onto her.
If another were to take her place, even if their psyche were even better, they'd feel some disparity. Yet Song Juguang didn't; after all, from the first day she'd stepped foot into the capital, the thing she'd needed to do had nothing to do with politics.
She'd tarried a while at her residence in the morning, and had left a bit late. As such, she didn't manage to reach the relay station by the time the heavens darkened. The night was incredibly dark, the heavy layers of clouds hiding the skies and covering the earth, and they almost entirely erased the moon and stars. And, unlike the Palace, the official road didn't have lamps lit everywhere; even with the torch in Song Juguang's hand, the light grew darker and darker. So, by now, she couldn't go any further. She could only tie her horse to the side of the road, and, using her torch, as yet unextinguished, she lit a bonfire.
But Song Juguang didn't pay much attention to the surroundings, even hunting a few wild rabbits, and, skinning them, roasted them over the fire. Leisurely and hurried, there was actually some degree of sense of cooking a meal over a campfire. But there was someone who didn't want to make her carefree.
"Come on out, don't keep hiding anymore."
I'm delighted that Song Juguang ends up sharing a bed with Jiang Changbai (and that a bit more of their shared past was revealed)! Thank you for translating this!
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