I traveled with them to the Northern Song Dynasty

Chapter 216 Crowds and Lively
...

early morning.

Li Qingzhao rested her head on Zhao Yu's arm, her hands wrapped around his waist, her long legs clinging to him like an octopus, as if afraid he might suddenly disappear.

Zhao Yu and Li Qingzhao's clothes were scattered all over the ground, and Li Qingzhao's undergarments were particularly conspicuous, hanging like a bag on the canopy bed and swaying in the wind.

Even after a night had passed, Li Qingzhao's eyes were still red. Anyone who didn't know better would think that Li Qingzhao had suffered a great injustice last night.

Only the two people in bed and the palace maids who had been serving them knew what good things Li Qingzhao had done last night.

Li Qingzhao had actually woken up long ago, but she didn't dare to move. She lay quietly in Zhao Yu's arms, burying her face in them, as if afraid that Zhao Yu would look at her.

What a shame!

It’s so embarrassing!
Li Qingzhao felt increasingly ashamed and embarrassed by her behavior the night before!
It's nothing that Zhao Yu played you.

—Li Qingzhao has played the role of a cat-eared girl with plugins, and she even gave birth to a son for Zhao Yu. Li Qingzhao certainly wouldn't feel ashamed of such a thing.

What truly made Li Qingzhao unable to face Zhao Yu was that she had drunk so much the night before that she didn't recognize him at all.

Therefore, when Zhao Yu tried to take advantage of her, Li Qingzhao cried and made a scene, vowing to refuse to the death. She even hit, scolded, scratched, and bit Zhao Yu, just to prevent him from succeeding.

Later, seeing that she was about to be killed by Zhao Yu, Li Qingzhao was so distraught that she even uttered her "last words".

According to Li Qingzhao, Zhao Yu had already had his entire family executed several times.

Li Qingzhao dared not recall that spirit of chastity and loyalty in detail.

Finally, faced with Li Qingzhao, who was genuinely not acting and was truly uncooperative, Zhao Yu could only slap her bottom twice hard and say sternly, "Li Qingzhao, open your drunken eyes and take a good look at who I am!"

Li Qingzhao turned around and looked carefully for a while before recognizing Zhao Yu, then exclaimed in surprise, "Your Majesty!!!"

Only then did Li Qingzhao obediently lie there...

Meanwhile, Zhao Yu, who was embracing Li Qingzhao, was also thinking about what happened last night, 'Why did I argue with a drunkard?'

Zhao Yu looked again at the wounds inflicted on his body by Li Qingzhao and thought to himself, 'What kind of mess is this!'

Knowing that Li Qingzhao had woken up, Zhao Yu said to her, "Get up."

Upon hearing this, Li Qingzhao felt a jolt!
Li Qingzhao's current situation is not just awkward; she is also terrified!
In Li Qingzhao's view, if Zhao Yu were to leave like this, then the "great disrespect" she had committed the previous night would be confirmed.

It should be noted that Li Qingzhao beat and scolded Zhao Yu last night, and even threatened to exterminate Zhao Yu's entire family. It is absolutely true that Li Qingzhao violated Zhao Yu's personal dignity.

If Zhao Yu were to seriously investigate, this would absolutely constitute a crime of "high treason," a capital offense. Once convicted of high treason, one would typically be sentenced to death, with methods of execution including beheading and hanging.

Even if we concede that this wasn't considered a major act of disrespect, but merely an unintentional injury to Zhao Yu, it could still be considered a crime of "great disrespect."

This crime of "great disrespect" was one of the "Ten Abominations," and the punishment was usually quite severe. Those who committed the "Ten Abominations" were generally sentenced to death, executed by beheading or hanging. Their relatives were also implicated, with the lightest punishment being exile.

However, if it can be proven that the injury was entirely due to negligence and the consequences were minor, the punishment may be mitigated in judicial practice. However, the specific sentence will vary depending on factors such as the emperor's attitude, the specific circumstances of the case, and the political environment at the time.

In short, whether Li Qingzhao committed a crime last night and whether she will be punished depends entirely on Zhao Yu's attitude. If Zhao Yu is willing to forgive her, no one can touch her; if Zhao Yu wants to punish her, given what she did last night, not only will she be doomed, but her family will also suffer as a result.

Li Qingzhao grew up in an official family and was well-versed in poetry and literature, so how could she not know these things?
Therefore, knowing that this was her last chance to atone for her sins, Li Qingzhao not only refused to let go of Zhao Yu when he was about to leave, but also hugged him tighter and tighter.

Seeing this, how could Zhao Yu not guess that Li Qingzhao was afraid?

Zhao Yu thought to himself, 'Now you know fear, and you're no longer the disobedient little wildcat from last night?'

Intending to frighten Li Qingzhao, Zhao Yu grabbed her arm, making a gesture as if to remove it.

Li Qingzhao panicked even more.

'Life or death hangs in the balance, I'll fight!'

In a panic, Li Qingzhao steeled her heart and slid down Zhao Yu's body...

……

There is no morning court session today; Zhao Yu is resting.

And it was also a rare occasion that Li Qingzhao went to great lengths to please Zhao Yu.

This made it unusual for Zhao Yu to get up until 9 AM.

At this time, Li Qingzhao, who did not exercise regularly and often drank alcohol, stayed up late, and had an extremely irregular lifestyle, was exhausted and turned into a puddle of mud.

At this moment, when Zhao Yu got out of bed, Li Qingzhao wanted to get up and serve him, to make him comfortable and to make him completely calm down before he left her. However, the reality was that she was truly unable to move at all.

In utter despair, Li Qingzhao closed her eyes and thought, 'I'm tired. Let everything be destroyed!'

Immediately, Li Qingzhao tilted her head and fell asleep.

Li Qingzhao hadn't slept so soundly in a long time.

When Li Qingzhao opened her eyes again, it was almost dark.

At this moment, Li Qingzhao remembered that she was still a criminal and hurriedly asked Cuiyu, who had come to serve her, "Where is the Emperor?"

Cuiyu thought to herself, 'My lady has such audacity! Having committed such a grave offense, she can still sleep soundly for a whole day and night. Poor me, ever since the incident, I've been on pins and needles, unable to eat, constantly worried, listening intently to every footstep in the palace corridors, thinking each one is the Palace Attendant arriving with a warrant, intending to arrest and punish you!'

Cuiyu, on the other hand, answered honestly, "His Majesty went to the training ground at 9:00 AM to train his body."

Li Qingzhao thought to herself, 'Still practicing! Is he trying to teach me to die?'

Li Qingzhao cautiously asked, "Did His Majesty say anything when he left?"

Cuiyu shook her head: "She left without saying a word."

Li Qingzhao's heart sank, and she pressed, "How did His Majesty look?"

Cuiyu shook her head again: "Her expression was calm, and she showed no signs of joy or anger."

Li Qingzhao panicked and continued to press, "Has the Imperial Censor come?"

Cuiyu shook her head again: "I've never been here."

Li Qingzhao felt a little relieved. She thought, 'If the Emperor intended to punish me, the Imperial Censor would probably have already come to my door. The fact that the Imperial Censor hasn't come means that the Emperor, considering how diligently I served him, doesn't want to hold it against me?'

Despite this suspicion, Li Qingzhao dared not relax. She feared she might escape today, but not tomorrow. After thinking for a moment, Li Qingzhao asked Cuiyu, "Could you find out where the Emperor is resting tonight?"

“This servant will go and inquire,” Cuiyu said.

After Cuiyu left, Li Qingzhao quickly got up.

At this moment, a maid brought over a bowl of lotus seed soup, asking Li Qingzhao to wish for good luck.

Li Qingzhao wanted to say, 'How could I be in the mood for that right now?'

But Li Qingzhao then thought, 'Even tigers don't eat their cubs; if I can get pregnant this time, who knows, it might be a lifesaver?'

With that thought in mind, Li Qingzhao ate three bowls of lotus seed soup in a row.

Next, Li Qingzhao learned from the experience of being unkempt and disheveled the night before, which allowed Zhao Yu to see her at her ugliest, so she took a good bath, changed into her most beautiful clothes, put on all the jewelry she rarely wore, and even asked her maid, who was skilled in makeup, to do her makeup beautifully.

With everything prepared, Li Qingzhao began pacing back and forth in the room, anxiously waiting for Cuiyu to bring back good news.

When it was completely dark, Cuiyu happily ran back.

Before she could catch her breath, Cuiyu hurriedly said, "Madam... I... I found out that the Emperor is staying with Consort Zhang tonight and will be there soon."

Li Qingzhao was overjoyed, thinking, "With Consort Zhang's intervention, I'm sure I can escape this calamity!"

Without saying a word, Li Qingzhao went out and headed to Zhang Chun's residence.

When Li Qingzhao arrived at Zhang Chun's residence, she discovered that Li Lin, Ye Shiyun, Ma Xiaojiao, and Yuan Qingcheng were also there.

Upon seeing this, Li Qingzhao thought that Zhang Chun, who liked to organize gatherings, had organized one again today.

Little did she know, this was what Zhao Yu wanted, and if she hadn't interfered, this plan would have been finalized last night.

Li Qingzhao had a good relationship with the five women, so she didn't hide anything and began to pour out her bitter experiences as soon as they met.

To everyone's surprise, as Li Qingzhao was speaking, she noticed that all five women were laughing non-stop.

Realizing something was amiss, Li Qingzhao asked, "Are the sisters aware of this?"

Zhang Chun said irritably, "You've taken away a few of my opportunities to serve you in bed, how can we not complain?"

Li Qingzhao said with considerable annoyance: "It was not that I wanted to take advantage of my sisters' opportunity to serve me in bed. I was alone in my boudoir, drinking by myself, and had not done anything wrong. Who would have thought that the Emperor would arrive unexpectedly when I was drunk, causing me to be wrongly implicated? This injustice and grievance truly leaves me speechless!"

Ye Shiyun pouted: "After hearing your poem 'Little Chongshan: Spring Arrives at Changmen, Spring Grass Turns Green,' how could the Emperor not let you lead it away?"

Yuan Qingcheng also said, "You compare the Emperor to Emperor Wu of Han and yourself to Empress Chen, saying that the Emperor has neglected you. When the Emperor hears this, he will naturally go and see who has the audacity to criticize him."

Only then did Li Qingzhao realize why Zhao Yu had suddenly gone to her place and why he had been so rough with her.

Li Qingzhao thought to herself, 'Wine can indeed mislead! The moment I touched my lips, I felt intoxicated, and the emotions that had been building up inside me surged forth like water bursting its banks, impossible to contain. It was too late for regrets!'

Li Qingzhao immediately pleaded with the five women, "Sisters, please don't tease me. I know I was wrong. I beg you to save my life!"

Li Lin lectured Li Qingzhao, saying, "You really are a heavy drinker, so drunk that you don't even recognize the Emperor. You've made such a fool of yourself. I'm afraid the whole palace knows about your disgraceful behavior. The Emperor should really punish you properly as a warning to others."

Li Qingzhao quickly looked at Ye Shiyun and honestly said, "I have nothing to do in this palace. If I don't gamble and drink, what fun is there?"

Ye Shiyun nodded vigorously, clearly agreeing with Li Qingzhao's bad habit.

Zhang Chun said, "Alright, alright, let's not scare her anymore. If we frighten her, and the officials demand people from us, where are we going to find another Li Yi'an for them?"

At this point, Zhang Chun paused before saying to Li Qingzhao, "You don't know the Emperor well. He is magnanimous and never holds grudges against us concubines. Why are you afraid of him?"

Having taken the reassurance Zhang Chun gave her, Li Qingzhao, who wasn't actually that afraid of Zhao Yu, spoke the truth: "I'm just afraid that the Empress and the Palace Attendant won't let this go easily."

Zhao Yu always travels with a large entourage, and last night was no exception. Therefore, Li Qingzhao knew very well that what she had done could not be kept secret and would eventually reach the ears of Zheng Xiansu or Gong Zheng. This was what she feared most.

Ma Xiaojiao laughed and said, "If it weren't for the protection of the officials, how could you have remained safe until now, without anyone finding fault with you?"

Li Qingzhao's eyes lit up, and she thought to herself, 'How fortunate! This morning's fierce battle was not in vain; the Emperor has already pardoned me.'

Once she was sure she was alright, Li Qingzhao finally felt relieved. As she stood up, she said, "In that case, I'll take my leave now and won't disturb you ladies who are serving me in bed."

Zhang Chun tried to persuade them to stay, saying, "Since we're already here, let's sit together and enjoy ourselves. It's more lively with more people."

To be honest, Li Qingzhao, who had been bombarded with criticism by Zhao Yu last night and this morning, was really not in the mood for it. So, she politely declined, saying, "Let's skip it today. I'm exhausted."

Ye Shiyun teased from the side, "How do you know that Jiaojiao is telling the truth? This is a matter of life and death, so you should confirm it yourself. Otherwise, how can you be at ease?"

Li Qingzhao thought about it and agreed, 'How true their concern is! If their judgment is wrong, wouldn't I be implicated by it?'

Thinking of this, Li Qingzhao quickly sat back down and apologized, saying, "Thank you all for your help. I will never forget this kindness. I hope you will help me in the future."

Just then, Zhao Yu's voice rang out from outside the door: "Why did you teach her a few things to mediate for you?"

Upon hearing this, the women quickly got up, intending to go out and greet the emperor.

Before the women could greet him at the door, Zhao Yu stepped inside.

After entering, Zhao Yu's gaze swept between Li Qingzhao and the other women, a half-smile playing on his lips.

Li Qingzhao's heart tightened, and she quickly rose to greet Your Majesty, her voice trembling slightly: "Your Majesty, I pay my respects and wish you a long and healthy life."

The five women also bowed in greeting. A sly glint flashed in Zhang Chun and the others' eyes, as if they were quite looking forward to the good show that was about to unfold.

Zhao Yu gently raised his hand, gesturing for everyone to dispense with formalities. His gaze finally settled on Li Qingzhao, and he said with a hint of mockery, "Awake?"

Li Qingzhao quickly knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I have been disrespectful while drunk and have offended you. I deserve to die. I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

If Li Qingzhao hadn't been there, Zhao Yu would have forgotten about this trivial matter.

Furthermore, even when Li Qingzhao was so drunk, she still steadfastly upheld her chastity. Judging from her desperate resistance, if she had been violated by someone other than herself, she would almost certainly have sought revenge first, and then defended her purity with her life. Her actions, while somewhat comical, are undeniably admirable upon closer examination!

Therefore, Zhao Yu had long forgotten about the minor harm that Li Qingzhao had caused him.

However, Li Qingzhao once again found herself in Zhao Yu's crosshairs. Zhao Yu thought to himself, 'Then I'll have to tease you a bit, otherwise you won't learn your lesson...'

……

(End of this chapter)