The Night Rain

Dinner had not been delivered, leaving only Xie Ning and the emperor in the pavilion.

In the distance, the croaks of frogs could be heard as the humid summer air made it difficult to breathe. The chorus of croaks surrounded them, causing different feelings in each person. When Xie Ning first entered the palace, she had stayed in Yeting, where she could also hear the croaks of frogs at night. However, at that time, she was filled with uncertainty and fear. She had no one to talk to, and everything around her felt unfamiliar. As she listened to the croaks, she became more and more anxious.

She had been especially afraid of the dark, and during the day, the courtyard was filled with people, some chatting and laughing. But at night, she was scared to turn off the light, feeling as though the outside world was dangerous and completely strange.

"What are you thinking about?" the emperor asked, interrupting Xie Ning's thoughts.

"It's going to rain," she replied instinctively, wanting to change the topic from the frogs.

As if to emphasize her words, thunder echoing from the lake grew louder. The storm finally arrived after being anticipated all day. As soon as the first clap of thunder sounded, the croaks of the frogs stopped, as if by agreement.

The emperor pulled her closer to him, asking in a low voice, "What fragrance are you wearing?"

"None," Xie Ning replied. "I don't like perfume."

Especially during this hot summer, she did not want to smell any complicated and varied fragrances. Every scent required various procedures to be made, such as steaming, roasting, blanching, baking, and drying. Other seasons were okay, but in the summer, people were already irritable. She could smell a smoky and hostile air coming off of any fragrance.

"This scent of the lake and rain is refreshing and peaceful," she added.

The scent of lotus leaves and flowers, mixed with the centuries-old wood in the pavilion, gave off the smell of the passage of time.

The rain became heavier as time passed, with the thunder growing louder and lightning flashing through the clouds. The emperor was not in a hurry, enjoying the rain with Xie Ning by his side. The lightning bolts came in different colours, ranging from blueish white to purple blue. They were like cracks in the sky.

"As long as this rain keeps up for an hour, the lake will rise and overflow the Jiuqu Bridge," the emperor said, pointing to the long bridge spanning the lake. "I remember when I was young, I wanted to take a shortcut and cross the bridge. But when I got there, I saw that the water had risen above the bridge, almost one foot above it."

Xie Ning could imagine the scene vividly. The bridge was low, and the water of the lake outside was about to rise. "What did the emperor do then?" she asked.

The emperor laughed, "There was no time to go around, or else the Grand Preceptor would have caught me. So, I took off my shoes and socks, rolled up my pants, and ran across the bridge like a monkey."

Xie Ning barely held back her laughter and quickly lowered her head. She couldn't help thinking about how the emperor must have looked, running barefoot with rolled-up pants across the bridge like a monkey. "It doesn't matter, laugh if you want to," the emperor said. "It makes me want to laugh too."

Xie Ning didn't know how to comment on the emperor's story and could only say vaguely, "Dinner has arrived." The dinner was delivered without being soaked in the rain, thanks to the strict protection. However, the eunuchs who delivered it were drenched.

She specifically requested winter melon soup in a purple copper pot, the clear soup emitting a fragrant winter melon aroma as soon as the lid was opened.

The eunuch serving the emperor first helped him with the soup, and then it was Xie Ning's turn.

The soup was incredibly delicious, with a sweet fragrance of winter melon, fresh scallops, and salty ham. Each sip made one feel like a happy fairy who didn't want to leave. The braised bamboo shoots were also crispy and refreshing, making a satisfying crunching sound with every bite.

The dishes in front of the emperor were even more abundant, but people often felt that the rice in other people's bowls was more delicious. Xie Ning only had a few bites of the braised bamboo shoots, which she thought was a small dish, but all of it ended up in the emperor's belly. The winter melon soup was the same. Xie Ning scooped some soup and poured it over her rice before eating it, a practice the emperor had never seen before. It wasn't that this way of eating was improper, rather, whether feeding his subjects or dining with the ladies of the palace, no one ever took eating seriously. They all put on an act and pretended to eat in a reserved, almost ethereal manner.

The emperor followed suit and mixed his soup with the rice before eating it all in a few bites.

"When I was at home, I used to eat like this," Xie Ning explained with a hint of embarrassment after finishing her meal. "It's delicious."

"It is quite delicious," the emperor agreed. "Did you not eat like this after entering the palace?"

"I did a few times, but the palace maids disapproved and advised me against it, saying that eating like this will make me put on weight and make my belly look bad in the clothes."

The emperor was speechless in front of Lady Xie of Talents. Her candidness made him feel as if he couldn't say anything appropriate. Others in front of him always tried their best to present themselves as faultless, every action and every word was perfect, leaving no room for criticism. Lady Xie, on the other hand, made him feel intrigued because of her straightforwardness.

Perhaps she didn't understand or didn't know how to behave like others, just like a puppet being pulled on strings.

The emperor knew the truth. She understood, she could behave like them, but she chose not to. She didn't want to be controlled like that, like everyone else.

He found it refreshing to be with her, her behaviour and tastes were strikingly similar to his own. She even made sure to order dishes that he would enjoy. As an emperor, he couldn't show his gluttony, and others didn't dare to act on their own accord. Every time he had dinner with her, it was satisfying. As they stared at the endless rain, Xie Ning's stomach was full, but her thoughts were far away.

She wondered how she would go back later; the pavilion on Anxi Bridge was clearly not a place where one could spend the night, but with this heavy rain, even an umbrella could not do much.

She hoped the rain would stop soon.

Even after their late dinner, the rain hadn't stopped yet. It seemed like the emperor wasn't in a hurry to leave either, suggesting they listen to some music to soothe their boredom.

"Imperial Music Bureau recently performed a new tune; the pipa and flute are excellent."

Xie Ning was perplexed and asked, "Can we listen to music on a rainy day? I heard that on rainy days, the strings and pipes are damp and will sound off-key."

The emperor chuckled, "There's no need to worry about that."

Xie Ning was obedient; if the emperor said there was no need to worry, then she wouldn't worry.

The musicians arrived in the rain, and the female musician holding the pipa wore a bright red gown that appeared glamorous in the stormy night. The male musician playing the flute was thin and tall, following behind her.

Sitting beside the emperor, Xie Ning listened as the female musician tuned the strings, producing clean and transparent sounds like dewdrops falling on petals at dawn.