Chapter: 159.1 out of 171
Zhao Jie had been gentle at the beginning of last night. Later on, he had probably remembered Wei Luo’s words about getting a divorce and had been intent on punishing on her. Both of his hands had been pressed down on the sides of her head as he leaned over to bit her ear. Each bite was fiercer than the previous one. Wei Luo couldn’t endure it and clung to his shoulders while crying for mercy. There were several long scratches on his shoulder and back because of her that still hadn’t fade away by morning.
After being tossed around for half a night, Wei Luo woke up the next morning with a sore waist and wobbly legs. She didn’t even have the strength to drink her medicine.
Zhao Jie held the blue and white porcelain medicine bowl and helped Wei Luo drink the medicine spoonful by spoonful. After she finished drinking the medicine, he used his thumb to wipe away the medicinal concoction from the corners of her lips.
He asked, “Do you want to skip going to palace to pay respects today?”
Wei Luo raised her large, bright, limpid eyes. She wanted to viciously glare at him, but her eyes showed the love that she felt for him and it wasn’t imposing at all. Instead, she only looked cutely spoiled as she said, “Imperial mother would have definitely found out that we summoned a doctor here. If I don’t go to the palace to talk with her, she’ll have strange and wild thoughts.”
In this aspect, Wei Luo was very clever and sensible.
His young girl had considered this matter so thoughtfully. Zhao Jie’s heart wanted to pamper her, but he also felt regretful. He rubbed her earlobe, “Do you want me to go with you?”
Wei Luo pushed him away, shook her head, and said, “Don’t you have to go to Shen Ji Barracks? I’ll go by myself. The empress has always treated me very well, she won’t make things difficult for me.” These words were meant to comfort not only Zhao Jie, but herself as well.
Zhao Jie smiled and said, “Don’t worry. Imperial mother is a reasonable person. She’ll understand.”
Hearing his words, Wei Luo felt slightly calmer.
Then, he lowered his head to nip at her lips.
She subconsciously inhaled. The place that Zhao Jie had kissed her felt swollen and achy. She took out a small copper mirror that was decorated with flowering peonies from underneath a large red pillow to look at her face. She saw that skin on the corner of her lip was torn. It was red and swollen and very conspicuous. Wei Luo put down the mirror. Flustered and exasperated, Wei Luo asked, “You… How can I go out like this?”
Zhao Jie chuckled, “You can use lipstick to cover it later.”
This was her only option. Wei Luo called Yun Gua and Yu Suo inside to assist her in changing her clothes. The weather was cool today because it had rained yesterday. Wei Luo selected a pleated skirt with pearls sewn into an eight-treasure-style pattern and a soft red top. She also had a sachet embroidered with a scroll pattern and a turquoise squirrel waist accessory tied to her waist sash. All in all, she looked refreshing and beautiful.
She sat at the black dressing table that was outlined in gold and had Yu Suo arranged her hair into a ling yun hairstyle. She rarely applied powder to her face when she went out. Her skin was naturally good. Even without applying makeup, her skin was as eye-catching and as lustrous as gems. Most of the time, she would be done after applying eyebrow powder.
However, after she carefully applied a layer of white powder today, she picked up the rouge that been made from pomegranates and lightly dabbed her lips with it. When she was finished, the torn part of her lips wasn’t as noticeable anymore.
After she was dressed and was done with her makeup, she unexpectedly saw that Zhao Jie had stopped by the entrance. His phoenix eyes stared at her with an unfathomable gaze.
Wei Luo asked, “What’s wrong?”
Zhao Jie raised his hand, but he resisted the urge to wipe off her lipstick in the end. He only said, “Remember to wear your veil hat when going out. You’re not allowed to let other men see your face.” After their wedding, Zhao Jie’s possessiveness of Wei Luo had only increased. Seeing Wei Luo wearing makeup and dressed up so beautifully, he felt worried.
Wei Luo rolled her eyes. “I’m going to the palace to see the empress. Why would I see other men?”
Zhao Jie ordered Jin Lu to bring a veil hat and he personally put it on her head. He looked at her at again before allowing her to leave the residence.
--------
Wei Luo found out that Empress Chen wasn’t at Zhao Yang Hall after she arrived at Qing Xi Palace. Instead, the empress had gone to palace’s training field to practice her equestrianism.
Wei Luo didn’t find this strange. Empress Chen came from a general’s family. In addition, horse riding and archery was part of her previous profession. No one would dare to stop her when she occasionally wanted to practice these skills.
When Wei Luo arrived at the training field, there were several dozens of guards by the entrance. A person with an elegant appearance and an unrestrained demeanor galloped past them. There was the loud sound of the horse’s hooves striking the ground. Empress Chen was holding a bow decorated with animal horns. She placed an arrow into the bow and aimed the arrow at a target that was over a hundred steps away. Her movements were as natural and unforced as moving clouds and flowing water.
Wei Luo saw her hand releasing the arrow. The next second later, the arrow was firmly shot into the red spot on the target!
On the viewing platform, Zhao Liuli couldn’t resist standing up and cheered, “Imperial mother’s archery is so accurate!” Zhao Liuli’s health wasn’t good and the doctors had said she wasn’t suitable for riding horses or shooting arrows. As a result, she could only sit here as a spectator.
Empress Chen went around the training field once before coming back. She stopped by Wei Luo and said with a smile, “Ah Luo, you know how to ride a horse, right? Do you want to have a match with this empress?”
Wei Luo knew her own abilities. She didn’t dare to display her slight skill before an expert, so she tactfully declined, “I haven’t brought riding clothes today. I’m afraid I can’t compete with imperial mother.”
Empress Chen didn’t put her in a difficult spot. She said it was fine with a smile, rode the horse back to the archery range, and practiced shooting a few more arrows. One after another, her arrows struck the center of the targets.
Wei Luo caught a glimpse of Emperor Chong Zhen standing at the entrance from her peripheral vision. He was wearing a dragon robe. He had probably just returned from the imperial court and hadn’t had time to change to another robe before coming here.
Emperor Chong’s gaze was fixated on Empress Chen and his eyes followed Empress Chen’s every moment. His hands were behind his back. He seemed as if he was recalling a distant memory from decades ago when he had look upon a powerful army. Unfortunately, that period of time was forever gone. It had long been grinded into fragments by time and imperial power. When he finally woke up to reality and saw the truth, there were many matters that couldn’t be compensated.
Wei Luo looked away. She walked over to sit down by Zhao Liuli’s side and asked, “Why made imperial mother want to practice equestrian archery?”
Zhao Liuli glanced at the emperor that was standing by the training area’s entrance before picking up a bamboo ladle on the table to pour Wei Luo a bowl of sour plum soup. “Today is maternal grandfather’s birthday. Maternal grandfather retired from his position and returned to the countryside a decade ago. Imperial mother hasn’t seen him since then.”
After hearing this, Wei Luo somewhat understood. Empress Chen’s father had once been a famous, outstanding general. Because the general’s meritorious serve was too great, Emperor Chong felt threatened and had suppressed House Chen. Empress Chen’s father had probably been forced to retire.
No wonder Empress Chen didn’t seem to be in a good mood today.