At dawn, the sky gradually brightened.
Outside the window, birds chirped and insects hummed, their noisy clamor disturbing one's peaceful slumber.
On the yellow rosewood side table beside the couch, wisps of residual smoke curled up from a celadon-white jade tripod censer carved with taotie motifs, in which agarwood incense had been burning.
On the couch, Ming Hua buried her delicate little face in the snow-white satin lotus pillow, curled up in a floral brocade quilt, sleeping soundly and sweetly.
Hearing the commotion outside the window, the young lady furrowed her delicate brows in annoyance, let out a couple of grumbles, then slowly drifted awake, opening her sleepy eyes.
Ming Hua wore a clean, dry set of pinkish-white sleeping robes, the collar having loosened slightly in her sleep, faintly revealing the snowy mounds half-exposed within. Her lustrous black hair, dark and shining, cascaded down like a waterfall.
She sat up languidly, rubbed her eyes, and noticed she had been changed into a fresh set of sleeping clothes, though she couldn't recall how she had fallen asleep the night before.
She only remembered that Xie Chongyuan had stayed by her couch all night, massaging her lower abdomen, though she had no idea when he had finally left.
Ming Hua threw off the floral brocade quilt and was about to pull the bell before the mermaid silk curtains to summon someone, when she unexpectedly caught sight of a tall, black-robed man lying on the yellow rosewood carved beauty couch beneath the west window—the very one she used for her afternoon naps.
Startled, her rosebud lips parted slightly, and she hastily clutched the brocade quilt and shrank back into the inner recesses of the couch, nearly crying out.
Only when she recognized the sleeping handsome face as Xie Chongyuan's—the very man who had kept vigil by her bedside all night—did she breathe a sigh of relief, patting her chest to calm herself.
Xie Chongyuan was tall and long-limbed, and lying on that beauty couch, he looked terribly cramped, without even a thin blanket to cover him.
Though the weather was growing warmer day by day, the nights and early mornings were still chilly. Sleeping like that all night would surely give him a chill. Seeing this, Ming Hua felt a pang of sourness in her heart.
Clutching her own floral brocade quilt, she got off the bed, forgetting even her embroidered slippers, and padded over barefoot with soft thuds to cover Xie Chongyuan on the beauty couch.
In his deep slumber, Xie Chongyuan's sleeping countenance was serene. That handsome, dashing face appeared far more gentle and approachable than the imposing, dragon-browed, phoenix-postured emperor he was by day—so much so that one couldn't help but want to draw closer.
The day Xie Chongyuan had come to escort her into the palace, when they first met, she had fallen for his striking, spirited handsome features at first sight.
But though she had seen him every day since entering the palace, she had never had the chance to study his handsome face so closely as she could now.
Seeing that Xie Chongyuan was sleeping soundly, Ming Hua couldn't resist bending down stealthily to examine him in detail.
His nose was high and straight, his brows heroic and spirited. Though his complexion wasn't as fair as those pampered young noblemen of the capital with their powder-whitened faces, it bore a masculine light wheat tone that perfectly accentuated his deep, heroic features.
Especially the faint ring of stubble now emerging along his jaw—it seemed to hold a magnetic pull, tempting her to reach out and touch it.
Ming Hua swallowed hard, and as if possessed, she leaned in and gently brushed her fingertips over it. The texture was prickly and ticklish, like little claws scratching at her heart.
Then she noticed his eyelashes—each one distinct, thick, dark, and long, exquisitely defined. Remembering those beautiful phoenix eyes of his, black and lustrous as ink, deep as an ancient well, she couldn't resist raising her hand to trace along them.
Just then, a rustling of footsteps sounded from outside, followed by the crisp clatter of the white jade and crystal bead curtain.
Ming Hua panicked like a child caught doing something wrong. She shot upright in fright, straightened herself, and turned around, hiding the hand that had been secretly touching Xie Chongyuan behind her back.
Qingyun and Nuanxue, hearing movement within the hall, assumed the emperor and consort had both risen. They hurriedly ordered the waiting young palace maids to carry in the washing implements and follow them in to attend to their masters.
When the two entered and saw their mistress's flustered expression and the emperor lying on the beauty couch, both froze in surprise.
Ming Hua steadied her expression. Seeing the two about to approach, followed by several young palace maids carrying bronze basins for washing, she quickly raised a finger to her lips and shushed them.
"Don't make a sound. His Majesty hasn't woken yet. I'll wash up in the warm chamber on the other side today—let His Majesty sleep a while longer."
He was sleeping so deeply, she thought, he must have gone to bed very late last night. Glancing at the sky outside the window, she estimated there was still about half an hour before the morning court assembly. She wanted to let Xie Chongyuan sleep a bit more before waking him.
Ming Hua had the whole group follow her quietly to the warm chamber on the other side of the main hall.
After washing up, when Qingyun came forward to help Ming Hua change her clothes, she noticed her mistress wasn't even wearing shoes. She hurriedly sent someone to fetch them while chattering away.
"The mornings are still cold these days. Your Ladyship caught a chill last night and suffered terrible menstrual cramps—how can you go without shoes now? Does your Ladyship's lower abdomen still hurt? Do be careful not to catch another chill, or His Majesty will fret over you again."
Ming Hua stepped into the embroidered brocade shoes that Qingyun had set down for her, then shook her head, pressing her lips together in a light smile. "It doesn't hurt anymore!"
"When did His Majesty fall asleep last night? Why didn't any of you persuade him to return to the Eastern Side Hall to rest? Letting him sleep on that narrow daybed like that—how uncomfortable it must have been!"
Nuanxue supported Ming Hua as she walked to the carved rosewood vanity by the lattice window, teasing, "Your Grace, please don't blame us for not persuading His Majesty—truly, His Majesty was so worried about you that he wouldn't listen to any of our advice."
Qingyun, who had stepped forward to comb Ming Hua's hair, explained with a smile, "Last night, although Your Grace fell asleep quickly under His Majesty's massage, the moment His Majesty stopped, you would furrow your brows and whimper softly, crying out in pain."
"We did urge His Majesty to rest early and offered to take over, but His Majesty feared our touch would be too light and simply couldn't trust us to do it."
"Later, when the night grew deep, His Majesty ordered us all to withdraw. Last night, in order to let Your Grace sleep peacefully, His Majesty may well have massaged you the entire night!"
These past days, many both inside and outside the palace had envied their mistress's favor, spreading rumors far and wide that the Emperor treated the Noble Consort well only because of the power of the Duke Who Assists the State behind her.
But last night, the moment the Emperor heard their mistress was unwell, he came rushing over in his nightclothes, the worry on his face unmistakably genuine.
If it were merely for the sake of the Duke Who Assists the State's influence, having Imperial Physician Li—who normally attended only to His Majesty himself—personally come to take their mistress's pulse would already be considered tremendous honor in the eyes of outsiders. Why would His Majesty need to humble himself, disregarding the morning court assembly the next day, to stay by their Noble Consort's side all night?
Last night, watching His Majesty fly into a rage for their mistress, personally feed her medicine, and keep vigil over her without sleep—this was clearly genuine affection!
Now they could truly rest easy. When the Duke and Duchess learned of this, they too would be at peace.
Ming Hua's heart stirred upon hearing that Xie Chongyuan had been caring for her all night. Remembering how he had slept on that narrow daybed just to stay by her side, she felt a soft place in her heart sink gently.
Two rosy clouds bloomed on her cheeks as she lowered her gaze and said softly, "His Majesty truly treats me very well. Aside from Father, Mother, and my brothers, no one has ever cared for me like this, been so good to me…"
Nuanxue selected a set of jade hairpins with silver flower ornaments for Ming Hua to match the pale green palace gown she would wear today, chiming in with a smile, "Indeed! His Majesty is truly devoted to Your Grace!"
"Last night, seeing His Majesty so anxious and frantic for Your Grace—in all the time we've been in the palace, this servant has never seen His Majesty lose his temper like that!"
Qingyun still felt a lingering tremor of fear when she recalled the expression on His Majesty's face as he angrily questioned the two of them last night.
"These past days, His Majesty has always spoken to Your Grace in a gentle voice. We had thought His Majesty was truly a mild-tempered person, but now it seems—he's only mild-tempered when it comes to Your Grace."
Hearing this, Ming Hua asked with concern, "Were the two of you frightened last night?" Remembering how sternly Xie Chongyuan had questioned them last night, she too felt a bit afraid when she thought back on it.
Qingyun shook her head and smiled with pressed lips. "No, we weren't. We knew Your Grace would never let His Majesty punish us."
"That's right! His Majesty cares so much for Your Grace—we're overjoyed!" Nuanxue agreed.
"And so it shall be in the future—as long as I am here, nothing will happen to the two of you. Whatever happens from now on, you need not be afraid," Ming Hua said softly, comforting them through the bronze mirror, before adding with a playful laugh, "Now hurry and finish my makeup!"
"It's getting late. In a little while, we'll need to go wake His Majesty for the morning court!"
Daylight had fully arrived, and slivers of sunlight streamed through the western window, spilling onto the daybed in the main hall.
By the time Ming Hua finished her makeup in the warm chamber and came over, Xie Chongyuan had already woken, washed with the attendants' help, and was preparing to change into his court robes.
When Xie Chongyuan had first woken, seeing the brocade quilt covering him and learning that his little lady had deliberately gone to the other warm chamber to wash so as not to wake him, his heart felt warm and content.
Seeing his little lady enter, he hurriedly asked, "Huahua, why are you awake so early? Does your lower abdomen still hurt?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore! Thanks to Your Majesty from last night!" Ming Hua curved her lips in a smile and hurried forward. "Let Huahua help Your Majesty change clothes."
"Leave such matters to the attendants. Huahua's body is still weak—go back and sleep a little more. Don't tire yourself out," Xie Chongyuan said gently, looking at his little lady's still somewhat pale face.
Ming Hua would not be dissuaded. She stepped forward and snatched the black dragon robe from Li Shun'an's hands, her face flushing red as she whispered, "Huahua is fine now!"
"Your Majesty stayed up all night caring for Huahua, and Huahua is deeply grateful. Now let Huahua take care of Your Majesty for once. Besides, this is also Huahua's duty as a consort…"
"Alright, since Huahua insists, I'll let her do it," Xie Chongyuan said with a smile, spreading his arms wide as he waited for the young lady's gentle and attentive service.
Ming Hua beamed with joy at the permission, but when she lifted the dragon robe to slip it over Xie Chongyuan, she realized she couldn't reach him at all.
Xie Chongyuan was tall and imposing—though she was considered statuesque among the palace ladies, she barely reached his chest.
Even standing on her tiptoes, she couldn't reach him. She had been so insistent moments ago, only to make a fool of herself now.
Ming Hua's face flushed crimson as she held up the dragon robe.
She bit her rosy lip for a moment, then whispered pleadingly, "Your Majesty, could you bend down a little? Huahua can't reach!"
Xie Chongyuan watched the young lady's flustered embarrassment, a faint smile curling at his lips as he bent down slightly.
His gaze lingered on her lively, almond-shaped eyes as he teased, "Huahua will need to eat more in the future if she wants to grow taller."
Ming Hua's heart suddenly raced as she watched Xie Chongyuan lean in with his handsome face, as if a little rabbit were about to leap out of her throat.
She quickly stepped back, averting her gaze, and stammered in a fluster, "Huahua isn't a child anymore—she won't grow any taller…"
With that, she hurriedly draped the black dragon robe embroidered with golden threads over his shoulders, then grabbed the black gold-embossed belt nearby. Blushing, she wrapped it around his waist and fastened it.
Xie Chongyuan's waist was lean and powerful, and a faint scent of ambergris lingered about him.
Ming Hua couldn't help but recall how, last night, she had lain against his chest—cool, firm, and muscular—and her cheeks grew even redder.
Xie Chongyuan watched the young lady dress him with such gentle care, and as she drew near, her rich, sweet fragrance—even more alluring than the brocade quilt on the bed—filled his senses, and he felt deeply pleased.