“What is your name?” After looking, smelling, asking, the imperial physician reaches a conclusion: The King injures his head from the fall into the lotus pond, was traumatized and temporarily lost his memory. The King remembers nothing now. As he eats his porridge, he asks that question to the servant serving him.
“Wangye, this is Xiao Dong! The Xiao Dong that had been serving you since little-ah.” Xiao Dong’s eyes are red and watery, tears could fall from his eyes anytime soon. ( TN :小冬 [xiao dong]; little winter) “Alright alright. This king can’t even remember his own name, how can he remember if you’re Xiao Dong (小东[xiao dong]; little east) or Xiao Xi [小西 [xiao xi]; little west].” The king wave his arms, unbothered. That Liu Bo told him just now that his name is Dong Fang Hao Ye, the Wen Country’s sixth imperial prince, the most beloved son of the late emperor and the current empress dowager and is also the country’s currently most favorite prince, Jing Qinwang. Xiao Dong replies, “Wangye, it’s winter day’s ‘dong’, not east-west’s ‘dong’.” Dong Fang Hao Ye nods uncaringly. He drink the porridge with loud slurping sound and once he finish, he extend his hand and says, “One more bowl!” Xiao Dong runs to give him one more serving. Dong Fang Hao Ye lies on the bed while rubbing his aching forehead, his mind a complete blank. What’s even weirder is even though he lost his memory, he does not feel uncomfortable. In fact, he feels relaxed. “Wangye.,..” Xiao Dong who went out to get more porridge runs inside with his hands both empty. “What are you so noisy about?” Where is my porridge? Dong Fang Hao Ye thought in displeasure.
“Wangye, wangfei has returned.” “Wangfei? What wangfei?” “Your wangfei of course!” Huh? I have a wangfei? I am married? Dong Fang Hao Ye blanks out, shaking his head. He know the people of the Wen Country marries early, marrying at 15 or 16 is very common. He is the 19 year old wangye, having a wangfei is not really a peculiar thing. Huh, how did I know I am 19 this year? Nobody told me that. The king looks up, lost in thoughts. “Wangye, the wangfei must have been worried about you, hence the early return from the Ming Country.” Xiao Dong says. Ming Country is a big country that borders the Wen Country in the north. It’s prosperous and strong and must definitely not be overlooked. But what is my wangfei doing in Ming Country? The wangye suspiciously thought. “Was my wangfei born in Ming Country?” “Yes, wangye, you don’t remember this anymore, but wangfei married you back then for diplomatic purposes. It was a sensational year.” Just how many years had they been married? “What kind of a person is she? She must have had esteemed position.” ( TN : 她 [ta]; she/他[ta]; he; the character the author used here is used to call a woman. But the pronounciation is the same as one would call a man. The only difference is in writing. So Xiao Dong has no idea Dong Fang Hao Ye thought his wangfei was a woman.) “Yes, wangfei came from the King Bei Tang’s residence.”
King Bei Tang’s residence? Sounds a bit familiar… but murky at the same time. Whilst the king is busy pondering, Xiao Dong suddenly announces, “Wangye, wangfei is here.” The king is startled. So fast! He hasn’t had time to prepare himself. Dong Fang Hao Ye quickly sits up and fix his hair that has been a mess since he lay unconscious for two long days. He also tie his robe and wait anxiously. Even though she is his wife and they probably have met and slept together loads of times, he can’t remember her now. So for Dong Fang Hao Ye, this is considered their first meeting, he has to give her a good impression. Badump. Badump. Badump. Dong Fang Hao Ye’s heart beats fast. Weird, why am I this nervous? We are husband and wife, not some strangers courting each other. The one coming is my wangfei! Wangfei! She is originally my wife! Why should I be nervous meeting my own wife? Dong Fang Hao Ye tries to calm himself. Even though he says that, he doesn’t know why he can’t control his nerve. There are sweats on his palms at the moment. This is too weird. A touch of coldness float through as a tall and beautiful figure slowly enters. Woah—a beauty! That is the first thing on Dong Fang Hao Ye’s mind as he stares with his eyes wide open. Huh? Huh huh? Seems like a man. It’s a beautiful man. That is the second thing on Dong Fang Hao Ye’s mind as he stares with his eyes wide open. “Greeting wangfei!” When Xiao Dong kneels to greet him, the third thing that flashes through Dong Fang Hao Ye’s mind is, God, my wangfei is a man! “I heard you fell into a lotus pond and was unconscious for two days. They said you had a serious illness, but it doesn’t seem so now that I look at it.” Bei Tang Yao Yue calmly says as he sits on his bedside.
S-such a cold tone-ah. Dong Fang Hao Ye is a little disappointed. But he thought he looks beautiful while frowning and ended up staring at him, unwittingly sizing him up. “What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” Bei Tang Yao Yue asks in wonder. Xiao Dong who is by their side answers, “Wangfei, wangye has lost his memory.” “What? Lost his memory?” Bei Tang Yao Yue asks in surprise. He was on his way back when he heard that something unfortunate has happened to Dong Fang Hao Ye. He immediately rushed back home. He didn’t ask for anything else once he heard that Dong Fang Hao Ye has woken up. Who would’ve thought that he had lost his memory? Dong Fang Hao Ye’s feelings gets a little complicated because the one before his eyes is an extremely beautiful person. Just look at his eyebrows, even better than the ones women drew. Black and star-like eyes, deep and mysterious. Straight nose, pointing out his resolute personality. And look at that red and pliant lips…. The king swallows hard. But no matter how beautiful he is, he is still a man. Even though the prince lost his memories, he did not lose his common sense. He still has the ability to differentiate things, and the person in front of him is undoubtedly a man. Dong Fang Hao Ye glance at the other person’s flat chest, and is pretty sure he is not a woman wearing man’s clothes. “What are you looking so messily at?” Bei Tang Yao Yue notices his chaotic eyes and frowns. “That….” Dong Fang Hao Ye click his tongue, feeling like he should be saying something. “You are my wangfei?” “Yes.”
“A marriage match from Ming?” “En.” “Has been announced, jot down and bestowed by the Emperor in the Royal Family Record?” “Of course.” Bei Tang Yao Yue’s voice is cold, like he is growing impatient. Dong Fang Hao Ye is speechless and size him up from head to toe, left to right once more. Why do I feel like…… It seems like I am not attracted to men. Why would I marry him? No wonder there was an uproar that year. A man weds another man, how can there be no uproar. But seeing a beauty like this…… Dong Fang Hao Ye murmurs to himself. He carefully opens his mouth, “Aifei?” ( TN : The terms emperors and kings used to call their beloved women/consorts.) Cough. Bei Tang Yao Yue was caught in surprise by his term of endearment and stares at him widely. “……. Furen?” ( TN : The way a husband would call his wife. Similar to Mrs. in English). Bei Tang Yao Yue’s hand shakes, tea cup and lid hitting to each other loudly. “……. Niang Zi?” ( TN : Another way for a husband to address his wife.) The sound of ‘dang’ can be heard as Bei Tang Yao Yue throws the tea cup into the table loudly and opens his mouth before Dong Fang Hao Ye could get another chance to came up with another cheesy name to address his wife, “Yao Yue! Bei Tang Yao Yue!”
Ah, so his name is Bei Tang Yao Yue? It sounds so good!