CCWAD – Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Red Candles and Warm Curtains Pass a Spring Night

Epigraph:

“She hung golden bells in the four corners of the sleeping chamber, saying that the chime would change each time I approached. That night, she blindfolded me and led me to identify them one by one: ‘This is the steadiness when you review memorials, this is the joy when you see me…'”

—

The first snow of the eighth year of the New Dynasty arrived exceptionally early. Not long after the start of winter, Bianliang, the capital city, was already clad in white. Fine snowflakes drifted from the leaden sky, dyeing the glazed tiles of the palaces a pure white. Yan Qing returned from Chuigong Hall, treading on the thin layer of snow, a few unmelted flakes still clinging to her official robes. The morning court had been particularly long today, only concluding the matter of border trade after the lamps were lit.

Pushing open the carved wooden door of the sleeping chamber, a wave of warmth washed over her. The hall was brightly lit by candles, and the golden bells hanging in the four corners shimmered with a gentle luster in the candlelight. Yan Qing paused at the threshold, looking with surprise at these exquisite bells—their bodies woven from gold wire, with jade pieces suspended inside, and their clappers made of the finest Hetian jade. A slight breeze would cause them to emit clear and melodious sounds.

“Close your eyes,” a pair of warm hands covered her eyes from behind. Li Shishi’s voice was laced with laughter, “Guess what I’ve prepared for you.”

Yan Qing obediently closed her eyes, allowing Li Shishi to lead her slowly into the hall. With each step, the chime of the bells changed, as if playing a silent melody.

“Listen,” Li Shishi whispered in her ear, her warm breath caressing her earlobe, “The bell in the northeast corner has the most steady chime, just like you when you review memorials—’Lying awake late at night, I listen to the wind and rain, and my dreams are filled with iron horses and icy rivers.'”

Yan Qing listened carefully. The chime from that corner was indeed solemn and calm, each sound carrying a rhythm of deep consideration.

Li Shishi then led her to the southwest corner: “The chime here is the most joyful, just like your expression when you see me—’Suddenly looking back, the person is there, at the place where the lights are dim.'”

The chime here was crisp and lively, like the babbling of a spring stream, carrying unspeakable joy.

“The chime in the southeast corner is as gentle as water,” Li Shishi’s voice softened, “It’s the vulnerability you occasionally reveal—’This feeling cannot be erased, it leaves the brow only to settle in the heart.'”

Yan Qing’s heart stirred. She had never imagined that her deeply hidden emotions were seen and remembered by Li Shishi.

“The chime in the northwest corner…” Li Shishi paused, “is the most intense, like…”

“Like what?” Yan Qing couldn’t help but ask.

Li Shishi chuckled softly and did not answer, but continued to lead her forward. Just then, the chimes suddenly became rapid, like a sudden downpour on banana leaves, each sound tugging at the heartstrings.

“Like now,” Li Shishi’s fingertips lightly brushed her lips, “You are nervous.”

Her thoughts had indeed been guessed. Yan Qing felt her earlobes grow warm. Fortunately, her eyes were covered, so she didn’t have to face Li Shishi’s seemingly all-knowing gaze.

“You always hide your feelings too deeply,” Li Shishi sighed softly, leading her deeper into the sleeping chamber, “But here, every emotion of yours will be laid bare.”

The arrangement of the inner chamber was even more ingenious. The floor was covered with thick snow fox fur carpets, and silver charcoal braziers dotted the surroundings. The air was filled with a faint scent of plum blossoms—green calyx plums that bloomed for the first time this winter, their scent cool yet sweet. Most special were the small silver bells hanging in the four corners of the bed curtains. The bells were intricately carved with the pattern of mandarin ducks, and with the slightest movement, they emitted delicate tinkling sounds, like the whispers of lovers.

“These bells…” Yan Qing began hesitantly.

“Are to let you know,” Li Shishi removed her court robes, her movements as gentle as if she were handling a rare treasure, “that in front of me, you never need to hide any emotion.”

The court robes slowly slid off, revealing the moon-white inner garment beneath. Li Shishi’s fingers paused at the ties of the inner garment, but she did not continue. Instead, she fetched a pot of warmed wine.

“Today is Laba Festival; people gather for reunion,” she poured two cups of amber liquid, “We should also celebrate the festival properly.”

The wine was a special plum blossom brew, made from the snowmelt collected last year, its sweetness carrying a faint floral aroma. Yan Qing took the wine cup, her fingertips touching the carved paired lotus pattern on the cup, and her heart trembled slightly.

“Do you remember the first time we drank together?” Li Shishi suddenly asked, her eyes reflecting the dancing candlelight.

How could she forget? It was in the Hall of Righteous Gathering at Liangshan Marsh. She was still the “Yan Qing” who had to pretend all the time, living in constant fear of her female identity being discovered. And Li Shishi, who had already seen through all her secrets, was her confidante. The wine that night was strong, but in those discerning eyes, she had found a long-lost sense of peace.

“Even then, I thought,” Li Shishi leaned closer, her fingertips caressing her cheek, “that one day, I would surely let you be your true self in front of me.”

The silver bells at the corner of the curtain chimed softly with her movements, as if to affirm these words. Yan Qing looked at the person before her and suddenly recalled a line from the Book of Songs: “With zithers and lutes in harmony, all is tranquil and beautiful.” Perhaps this was their current state—no need for words, a single glance could convey mutual understanding.

After three rounds of wine, Yan Qing felt warmth spread throughout her body. Li Shishi brought out a guqin and idly plucked the strings. It was a piece called “Phoenix Seeks His Mate,” its melody lingering and melancholic, harmonizing with the golden and silver bells in the hall.

“There’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you,” Yan Qing suddenly spoke, “Why did you choose to help me at Liangshan back then?”

The music paused slightly, and a gentle smile appeared in Li Shishi’s eyes: “Because in you, I saw another possibility. Not dependence, not compromise, but truly living out one’s own life.”

She put down the guqin and walked to Yan Qing’s side: “Just like the bells in this hall, each has its own unique sound. I want to let all the women in this world know that they don’t have to live the same way.”

The night deepened, and the snow began to fall heavier. Flurries of snow tapped against the window paper, making soft sounds. Inside the hall, however, the warmth was palpable, the scent of wine and plum blossoms intertwining to weave a gentle dreamscape.

“Shishi…” Yan Qing called her softly, her voice tinged with a hint of intoxication.

“Mm?” Li Shishi was combing her long hair, the jade comb gliding through her dark tresses, making a soft rustling sound.

“If there is a next life…”

“If there is a next life, I will find you again,” Li Shishi interrupted, her tone firm, “No matter where you are, no matter what your identity.”

She put down the jade comb and looked seriously at Yan Qing: “But in this life, we must make every day worth remembering.”

The snow light outside the curtain reflected her earnest brows and eyes. Yan Qing suddenly felt that having this person by her side in this life was the greatest fortune. She recalled the path she had traveled over the years—from Liangshan to the capital, from the wilderness to the imperial court. In every difficult moment, this person had been by her side.

“Then you must promise me,” Yan Qing grasped her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly, “that you will always stay by my side.”

“Of course,” Li Shishi smiled, interlocking their fingers, “After all, I still need to listen to these golden and silver bells to understand all your joys and sorrows.”

She blew out the last lamp and said softly in the sleeping chamber illuminated by the snow light: “Sleep, you have morning court tomorrow.”

The chime of the bells gradually subsided, leaving only the sound of the falling snow. On this warm winter night, two hearts drew closer than ever before. Yan Qing found a comfortable position in Li Shishi’s embrace, listening to her steady heartbeat, and gradually drifted into a dream.

In her dream, she saw the Imperial Garden in spring, with a hundred flowers in full bloom. Li Shishi stood beneath a magnolia tree, looking back with a gentle smile. The wind blew, and the petals fell like snow, landing on their clasped hands.

“Holding your hand, growing old together,” the dream figure whispered softly.

Outside the hall, the snow continued to fall. The palace maids on night duty heard the faint chime of bells from the hall and exchanged knowing smiles. In this deep palace, the warmth of an ordinary couple had finally found its place.

And the historian solemnly wrote in the daily record: “On the Laba Festival of the eighth year of the New Dynasty, the Emperor spent the festival with the Grand Tutor, with golden bells hung in the hall, their chimes in harmony.”

This entry would leave much room for imagination for future generations.

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(End of Chapter 45)