As the emperor’s condition gradually improved, the time he spent working everyday increased greatly, but he still had yet to call on any concubine to serve in his bedchamber. He only called on the gracious consort to accompany him in the imperial study every other day. The presence of Grand Preceptor Shen in the court increased by the day and he has gradually rose to be equals with Minister Li.
Anyone not blind would be able to see that the Shen family was going to the top. The gracious consort’s Zhong’cui Palace was busy as the market every day, constantly welcoming and sending off guests, completely unlike the usual emptiness.
In Bi’xiao Palace, Meng Sangyu cradled A’Bao in one arm as she held a traveler’s tale with her other hand, lazily lying on the couch reading. Soft sunlight snuck in from the half open curtains and shined on the human and dog, giving them a light golden aura, a warm scene.
The hand-sized little puppy squinted his two eyes and quietly laid in the woman’s arms, enjoying the land and seas, crafts and cultures described in the traveler’s tale with a sense of serenity he had never felt before. At this moment, he forgot his situation, and also forgot all his responsibilities, only focusing on appreciating this peacefulness.
“Your Ladyship, wherever you look, A’Bao also looks. When you turn the page, A’Bao also turns his head, as if he actually recognizes the characters. How curious!” Yin Cui laughed as she brought in tea and desserts.
Emperor Zhou’wu stiffened, afraid that his abnormality would make the virtuous consort suspicious. If the virtuous consort thought he was strange, his fate can be foreseen.
“My A’Bao is obviously the most intelligent. He’s just reading with me right now. Later, I’m going to teach him how to write, draw, sing, dance, and do math.” The virtuous consort picked A’Bao up and gave him a big kiss, declaring proudly.
“Can a little dog really learn all these things?” Yin Cui was a little surprised.
“Of course.” The virtuous consort gave A’Bao’s little tail a squeeze, saying with confidence.
You have good eyes! Other than sing and dance, what do we not know? Emperor Zhou’wu nibbled on the virtuous consort’s finger tips, thinking proudly.
“But these things have to be taught slowly, not to be rushed. The days are getting colder, we’ll teach A’Bao how to wear clothes first. Just look at this bald neck of his, he’ll get sick for sure when it’s windy. Bring A’Bao’s little sweaters and scarves. I’ll have him try them on.” The virtuous consort opened her mouth excitedly as she put down the traveler’s tale.
“Yes.” Yin Cui’s eyes shined brightly and she immediately brought over A’Bao’s new clothes.
“A’Bao, I’m going to put clothes on you now and wrap you in a scarf. Be good and don’t move. In a bit there’ll be snacks for you. It’s warm inside, if you’re not used to it we’ll just take it off, but when we go out for a walk you have to wear it, okay?” Meng Sangyu instructed seriously while tapping on A’Bao’s little wet nose and picking out a little tiger skin jacket for him.
Emperor Zhou’wu let out a whimper and wanted to run away but then turned back around. In the end, he sat obediently in front of the virtuous consort and gave a ‘do whatever you want’ expression.
Never mind, never mind, there’s much that I owe her. If she wants to do this then so be it! Emperor Zhou’wu silently sighed, a sense of helplessness in his heart. Ever since he found that that everything was clear as day to the virtuous consort, he increasingly has not been able to harden his heart against the virtuous consort.
“A’Bao’s so good!” Meng Sangyu was overjoyed, she bent down and kissed the tip of his nose, making Emperor Zhou’wu’s heart beat rapidly.
Before he could savor this electrifying feeling, he was stuffed into a hooded lion skin jacket by Meng Sangyu. The hood even had two little small and cute tiger ears. Matching that with A’Bao’s dog head, one couldn’t help but laugh.
“Pfft~hahaha… ” At first she was trying to hold it in, but then it developed into an uncontrollable laughter. Meng Sangyu picked A’Bao up and rolled around on the couch, her face red and her eyes bright and watery, captivating Emperor Zhou’wu.
“Hm, it seems to be missing something.” After rolling around, she put the dumbfounded A’Bao onto a side table and looked him up and down. Spotting a white ceramic flower vase on the side, her eyes brightened.
“Now it’s perfect!” She cut the stem of a camellia and put it on A’Bao’s ear. Meng Sangyu squeezed his little paws and again fell down laughing on the couch.
Her clear and moving laugh echoed through the hall, brightening the air of the hall. Emperor Zhou’wu scrunched his brows. He wanted to paw off the camellia, but looking at the bright laughter of the woman, he ultimately put down his paw and thought to himself: “We’ll just go with it! It’s rare to see her laugh so naturally.”
He was indulging the virtuous consort more and more, almost past his bottom line. Although he says that it is reparations for his guilt, but even he probably couldn’t determine the true reason.
Yin Cui and Bi Shui were also out of breath from laughter to the side. After the finally managed to stop their laughter, Bi Shui earnestly suggested, “Your Ladyship, A’Bao is so cute like this, why don’t you paint him down so you can take it out to reminisce in the future.”
“That’s a good idea.” Meng Sangyu massaged her face, sore from laughter. Picking up the embarrassed and slightly happy Emperor Zhou’wu from the table.
“A’Bao quick, come with me. Follow me to the study.” Meng Sangyu put A’Bao on the ground and started heading towards the side hall. Seeing that A’Bao wasn’t uncomfortable walking with clothes on, she slightly quickened her pace.
The windows of the study were wide open, allowing an abundance of natural lighting into the room. A magnolia was planted before the window, its branches slender and strong. It can be imagined its beauty in full bloom in the blossoming spring of the coming year, a pleasant sight. At the back window several osmanthus and wintersweet shrubs are planted, producing a pleasant aroma in the autumn and a beautiful scene in the winter. In all four seasons, the study could be appreciated in a different way.
Crossing over the threshold, three walls of enormous bookshelves immediately come into view. The books on the shelves all-inclusive, encompassing a wide range of topics. From stories to traveler’s tales to historical records, the books were organized by type in the different grids of the shelves. A thick aroma of ink filled the room, giving a sense of ease.
At the corner of the shelves stood a tall black porcelain flower vase. In the vase were not colorful flowers, but instead thin and bony bare branches. This is the first time Emperor Zhou’wu has seen such a strange arrangement, but it feels surprisingly balanced, oddly bringing out a leisurely and scholarly feel. A yellow rosewood table is placed near the window. On top of it, brushes, ink sticks and ink stones, paper, and the like are arranged without unnecessary decors. There isn’t even a small censer.
This study is simple to the extreme, yet exhibits profoundness throughout. Of the studies Emperor Zhou’wu has seen before, this one has the most original and clever design. From such, the cleverness and intelligence of this study’s owner can be seen. He stood at the entrance in surprise for quite some time before crossing into the room with a complicated gaze. His line of sight fell on Meng Sangyu as she spread out the tools on her desk preparing to paint.
In the past coming to Bi’xiao Palace has been like completing a routine task. He always felt repulsed looking at the affectation of the grandly dressed virtuous consort. Why would he spend the effort to get to know her? And why would he be willing to stay with her for even a moment more? As such, this is his first time coming to this study. Clearly, the virtuous consort doesn’t welcome him here either. Otherwise she wouldn’t have not said anything in the past three years.
In this forbidden palace, who doesn’t know that Emperor Zhou’wu loves the arts and classics? To curry his favor, the concubines of the inner palace all rush to carry a scholarly atmosphere about themselves to attract the emperor’s attention. But the virtuous consort does the exact opposite. If it wasn’t for his current situation, he may have been fooled by this woman his whole life!
The virtuous consort purposely produced an impulsive, blunt, and crude image of herself to fool others. It was only because of this that he had felt safe giving her favor and using her, giving her power and status. But the truth is the exact opposite. This woman not only isn’t a fool, but is fearfully intelligent! Who would have thought, a girl who just turned 14 would have such deep thoughts? Would be this farsighted?
If it is the Emperor Zhou’wu from a month before who had discovered this truth, he would definitely secretly kill the virtuous consort to be rid of this threat. But after becoming A’Bao, Emperor Zhou’wu has refreshed his false understanding of the virtuous consort again and again, from distaste to appreciation, from repulsion to attraction. Currently, other than feeling an old sense of emptiness, he couldn’t even bring up any anger.
Oh well, although you have hid many things from us, but since it doesn’t seem like you have any misguided thoughts we won’t be so critical with you. Emperor Zhou’wu gave a long sigh in his heart and began wandering around Meng Sangyu’s study. He wants to understand this woman like never before, to find detect her true colors that she has hidden.
Several pieces of calligraphy and paintings hang on the walls beside the bookshelves, all signed by Meng Sangyu. The characters and strokes all decisive and strong; the paintings finely detailed, all hard to find masterpieces. Looking at the calligraphy and paintings, then looking at three full walls of books, who would dare say Meng Sangyu is an illiterate “tiger woman” of a military family? Even Hui’ru may not even be close to matching her.
Emperor Zhou’wu glared at a spirited water painting rather glum. This damned woman! She clearly knows we like talented women, would it kill her to try to please us a little? Must she hide it? His nostrils widened and he flared a ball of turbid air, then as if to vent out, he clawed out the camellia beside his ear and threw it on the ground.
Humph! If you don’t want to please us, why should we please you?! His plump little claws attacked the remains of the camellia as he became more and more displeased.
“A’Bao, you’re being naughty again!” Meng Sangyu watched with amusement as she painted, almost dying from the cuteness of the angry A’Bao.
The Emperor Zhou’wu that was pouncing on the camellia froze. He almost couldn’t believe that the childish and laughable person just then was himself. Could it be that as he lives as a dog, his thought process and behavior will also become like a dog’s?
Meng Sangyu put down the brush, lifting A’Bao up onto the table all smiles. Pointing at a piece of paper she asked, “A’Bao look, does it look like you?”
The puppy on the white sheet was wearing a tiger skin vest with a camellia put on his ear. He was lifting his front paws to claw at the flower, looking incredibly troubled and frustrated. Although it was just a few strokes, the puppy’s brightness and cleverness was depicted on the paper as if it were alive.
This A’Bao doesn’t even look that great, not even comparable to Shih Tzu’s and Pekingese’s. How come the virtuous consort likes it so much? Emperor Zhou’wu thought sourly to himself.
Seeing that A’Bao had his head down and was currently inspecting his portrait carefully, Meng Sangyu smiled and wrote down A’Bao’s name and age on the paper. Then she squeezed A’Bao’s little paw and put it in some stamp ink and stamped a little paw where her signature is.
“A’Bao sign too. In the future I will still paint portraits for A’Bao, recording the growth of A’Bao to reminisce later. Wiping off the stamp ink, Meng Sangyu picked up the little fur ball, her voice full of affection and expectation.
Are you treating A’Bao as your own child? Because we cannot give you a child? Emperor Zhou’wu suddenly came to understand a little and the stuffy in his feeling in his chest was stronger than ever before.
Ever since that day, A’Bao became even more obedient and quiet. No matter what the virtuous consort did he played along with it. He no longer ran out, only because he knew, the virtuous consort was already under house arrest because of him. If he appeared anywhere outside Bi’xiao Palace, it would undoubtedly become an excuse to attack the virtuous consort.
Forcing down the anxiety in his heart, Emperor Zhou’wu patiently considered an ideal plan that would allow him to leave the palace and not drag down the virtuous consort. Unknowingly, he already developed a consciousness to protect the virtuous consort.
Grand Preceptor Shen and the gracious consort were currently, as Meng Sangyu predicted, on a path of no return for power. They gathered power in the court and the inner palace, slowly touching Emperor Zhou’wu’s bottom line, diminishing Emperor Zhou’wu’s feelings for them again and again. The doubt that had only been a seed had sprouted into a giant tree in just half a month.