《Story of Yanxi Palace》 CH 1 The door to Yizhuang funeral home1 opened, a lone paper lantern entering along with a pair of feet. Look at those small bow shoes2, curved three inches at the top. Embroidered on the white were lotuses of the same color. The owner of the shoes paused at every passing coffin, as if searching for something. Eventually, they stopped for good. ¡°Those that are kept here, who are they?¡± she whimpered. ¡°A stranger who died in foreign lands, the poor who cannot afford a burial. The dead prostitute. Sister, how can we meet again in such a place?¡± With life as thin as paper, naturally coffins shared the same fate. Yizhuang had definitely seen better times. Still, a cheap coffin was better than nothing. Stronger than a straw mat at least. Without a burial, these corpses were basically worm food. ¡°They all said you were not qualified to be buried in our ancestral graves. That you were to lay here in this wretched place.¡± The speaker reached out toward the coffin, her pale arm gently resting on the lid. ¡°I won¡¯t believe their words. Sister, I want you to tell me the truth from your own lips¡­¡± Crash! Following the sudden loud noise, a chaotic flurry of footsteps approached the sad excuse for a funeral home. The door of Yizhuang burst open. The first thing that caught the eyes of the crowd was a raised axe, seconds from crashing down once more. ¡°Yingluo! Stop!¡± screamed a middle-aged man. But iron collided with wood again without hesitation, splitting the lid of the coffin open. ¡°You¡ªwhat are you doing?¡± The man took a second to compose himself, to dig himself out his shock. ¡°This is your sister¡¯s coffin!¡± A young woman in white stood with her back towards him, towards the crowd. From her hand dropped the iron axe. She bent over, carefully lifting the cold corpse. ¡°You told me before that my sister died from an illness. Later you said she was involved in a scandal in the palace and took her own life out of humiliation. But look.¡± She slowly turned around with a smile. Leaning on her was the female corpse from the coffin. And on that corpse¡¯s neck were dark marks the shape of butterflies. Upon closer inspection, they were the bruises left by a pair of strong hands. A painting illustrating the true story: murder. ¡°Do you see this?¡± The young woman in white, Wei Yingluo, smiled once more to the crowd with the corpse hugged tightly in her arms. The truth was closer than ever. But she hated the fact that she could not scream it to the world. ¡°Look at these fingerprints on her neck. How could that be from suicide?¡± The crowd remained silent. No one dared to let their gaze chance upon her or the one in her arms. Wei Yingluo and Wei Yingning. Their faces were nearly identical. Because of their beauty and aura, the sisters had been likened to lotuses. Now the lotus that still lived observed the lotus that had passed on, wondering what sort of panacea she had taken to keep her lovely appearance even in death. Wei Yingning was still dressed in the uniform of the palace maids, and as her still body leaned on her sister¡¯s, the quiet quirk of her lips could be mistaken for a smile. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. If you read this anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Wei Yingluo stared at the crowd before her, her eyes dark and cold. Like the eyes of the dead. ¡°Could a ghost have possessed that girl?¡± This was the thought of more than one person in the room. ¡°Father.¡± She swept her gaze through the crowd until it finally landed on the previous middle-aged man. Slowly forced out a smile. ¡°Who murdered my sister?¡± ¡°That¡­¡± Her father seemed like he wanted to say something, something that might shed light to her question. But in the end he gritted his teeth. ¡°How could there be a murderer when she took her own life!¡± The rest of the crowd snapped back to their senses and shouted along, rebutting her as well. ¡°Yes, she killed herself.¡± ¡°If an unclean woman expelled from the palace does not take her own life, wouldn¡¯t that bring shame to her whole family?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better to die. It¡¯s better to die.¡± ¡°The elder sister had bad conduct, and the younger sister actually goes around breaking coffins. Wei Qingtai, you discipline your daughters well!¡± Wei Qingtai, the middle-aged man and Wei Yingluo¡¯s father, reached his daughter in a few quick steps and slapped her across the face. ¡°It¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ve failed to teach them!¡± He placed a hand to the back of Wei Yingluo¡¯s head and pushed down hard. ¡°You¡¯re still not begging your aunts and uncles for forgiveness?¡± Seeing her lack of response, he shouted, ¡°Kneel!¡± But she was like a stalk of bamboo, straightforward and refusing to bend. ¡°Kneel now!¡± Under the strict scrutiny of the crowd, Wei Qingtai felt more and more self conscious, losing face at a rapid rate. Anger flaring in his chest, he lifted a foot and kicked her squarely in the knee. ¡°Are you deaf?¡± Although she was knocked down, Wei Yingluo would not stay there for long. ¡°Father, you only tell me to kneel.¡± One hand grasping her sister¡¯s body and the other pushing against the dusty floor, she slowly but surely rose to her feet. Long, dark hair framed her face like a curtain, hiding her expression from the world if only for a moment. Voice as cold as winter. ¡°But did you know? I kneel, and they still snatched away the hairpin mother left to me before she died. I kneel, and they still ignore the fact that we are cousins, touching me without consent. It¡¯s my sister who helped bring back my hairpin, and it was my sister who stopped Wei Xuedong.¡± Her father frowned. ¡°That hairpin? It¡¯s only plated in gold, not worth much. There¡¯s no reason to strain your relationship with your cousin sisters over it. And Xuedong¡­ He was just joking with you. Your sister was way too serious and almost gave him a concussion.¡± ¡°So you also knew about it¡­¡± Wei Yingluo lifted her head. A face clear like water and reminiscent of a hibiscus in full bloom. Eyes moist and dripping with tears. ¡°You knew about everything, yet you still order me to kneel.¡± The one who was robbed of everything and insulted was her, and the one who must beg for forgiveness was also her. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for your own good,¡± Wei Qingtai gruffly said. ¡°Must you cause a ruckus for such a small thing¡ª¡± Small? All at once it were as if something snapped. ¡°No! The only one who treated me well was my sister!¡± Wei Yingluo interrupted him with a sneer. ¡°I have been waiting for sister to return. She had promised me she would before leaving for the palace. She would take me away from the Wei clan, find a new place where we can settle down with our new lives. Never again would we need to kneel for someone for no reason¡ª¡± ¡°In the palace, you have to kneel at a moment¡¯s notice, reason or not!¡± This time, it was Wei Xingtai who interrupted. The imperial harem. Once past the deep palace gates, just as mountains had peaks and bases, and water had varying depths, so too were the women in the palace divided between those who stood and those who knelt. Because the Wei clan wasn¡¯t large or powerful, when Wei Yingluo¡¯s sister entered the palace, she could only start as a servant. In other words, kowtowing was a common occurrence. ¡°It¡¯s better to be able to choose whom to kowtow to.¡± Inside and outside the palace were two different worlds. Wei Yingluo was not aware of her sister¡¯s circumstances. She only knew that her sister left when spring blossomed and returned cold as winter. And on her neck, a dark bruise the shape of two hand prints. Whom did the hand prints belong to? ¡°I want to enter the palace.¡± Wei Yingluo closed her eyes. When she opened them again, her gaze was heavy with resolve. ¡°You won¡¯t tell me who the murderer is. Fine. I¡¯ll enter the palace myself and unearth the truth!3¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. If you read this anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Wei Qingtai trembled. ¡°Must you follow your sister¡¯s footsteps?¡± Wei Yingluo couldn¡¯t help but look at her sister out of reflex. Ever since she was a child, in terms of intelligence and bravery, her elder sister overshadowed her in both categories. In contrast, Wei Yingluo trailed behind her like a shadow, a follower who needed to be protected. Even her sister couldn¡¯t survive the palace laws, so what about her? She would definitely survive. And she would claw the truth out with her own hands¡­ And perhaps enact revenge. ¡°Enough. This matter ends here,¡± said her father, reaching out a hand to her. ¡°Let your sister rest in peace.¡± Rest in peace? She shuddered. Whether from rage or anguish was anyone¡¯s guess. As Wei Qingtai made to hoist her sister¡¯s body back into the casket, a scream erupted. A scream so horrifying it sounded like a blade had been stabbed into someone¡¯s chest. Some of the Wei clansmen swiftly brought their hands to their ears, as though any later and blood would start flowing out of them. Since Wei Qingtai was the closest to the corpse, he had leaped back a few steps out of terror. Then he whipped he gaze at the screaming Wei Yingluo. Stuttering, he said, ¡°You, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± ¡±Peace? There will be no peace¡­¡± After screaming, her voice had become rather hoarse. Embracing the cold body of her sister that had started to emit a faint odor of the dead, Wei Yingluo sobbed. ¡°If my sister can¡¯t rest in peace, neither can I¡­¡± In front of the eyes of the crowd, her sobs did not cease, and she repeated that one sentiment. ¡°I want to enter the palace. I must avenge her so that she may have peace¡­ So that I may have peace.¡± Like a lotus, life and death was the way of the world. Wei Yingluo bit her lip until it almost drew blood. And since you have died, even if I still breathe, I am a just a husk of a person. An elderly Wei clansman approached Wei Qingtai, whispering into his ear with a hand covering his lips. ¡°Mad talk, this is all mad talk! If we allow her to enter the palace like a lunatic, it¡¯ll be better to bring disaster to our family.¡± As he listened, Wei Qingtai¡¯s expression grew stormy. Then he sighed and nodded. A few others made their way to his side. She looked up from her sobs, staring at the crowd as large hands stretched her way. ¡°What are you doing?¡± A few days later, several people on the upper floor of a restaurant sipped wine as a wedding procession passed by. ¡°Which family¡¯s daughter is getting married?¡± The guests leaned over the railings to take a better look. The loud crackle of firecrackers filled the streets. Mounted on a large horse, the groom was all smiles. Behind him trailed a small sedan. As a breeze rolled along, one of the restaurant guests brought a hand to his face. He rubbed at his eyes. A customer next to him asked, ¡°Did you get something in there?¡± ¡°I think I¡¯m getting drunk. My eyes are definitely playing tricks on me,¡± he said, face the picture of confusion. ¡°Just now, as the wind blew the curtain open, I caught a glimpse of the bride¡­ And she was all tied up.¡± CH 2 Six hours prior. ¡°First brush of a comb, fortune prevails.¡± ¡°Second brush of a comb, no sickness or worry.¡± ¡°Third brush of a comb, abundance of children and longevity.¡± ¡°Brush to the end, a couple until dark hairs grow grey¡­¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Wei Yingluo interrupted. ¡°Aunt1 Ajin, take a good look at me. Do I look like someone who can get along with others?¡± On top a table sat a gold-plated brass mirror, reflecting the images of two people. Wei Yingluo was fully dressed in red wedding attire, her face lightly powdered. Rouge complemented the image, especially the dash on her lips. Whoever had such a bride naturally would be ecstatic. However, what kind of bride would be like her and wear a wedding outfit, complete with three inner layers and three outer layers, tied together with a loop of hemp rope? Rather than marrying someone, this was more like a human sacrifice, dumping her into the ocean for the dragon king2 in exchange for the village¡¯s prosperity. ¡°Aunt Ajin.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s voice was faint like hazy rain. ¡°Tell me about the palace again.¡± ¡°It¡¯s almost time for you to set out. Why are you asking about it now?¡± The middle-aged woman standing behind Wei Yingluo sighed as she combed her hair. ¡°Is it not good to marry someone? I asked around for you. Although the groom¡¯s family is ordinary, he is a sincere person. If I had a choice in the past, I would rather marry someone like that than enter the palace to be a palace maid, wasting one¡¯s youth to only glance upon the emperor.¡± After a moment of silence, Wei Yingluo softly asked, ¡°What kind of man is the emperor?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Ajin smiled helplessly. ¡°From start ¡®til finish I was on my knees, kneeling. I¡¯ve only seen his dragon boots and did not dare to look up at his dragon face.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the emperor with your eyes, but you¡¯ve surely heard about him, right? Aunt Ajin, how do people in the palace describe him? Do you remember?¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. As Ajin thought over Wei Yingluo¡¯s words, she broke into a smile. ¡°Those who can¡¯t keep their mouths shut have no chance to see the dragon¡¯s boots. Okay now, stop frowning or you¡¯ll grow wrinkles. I will tell you one thing I¡¯ve seen with my own eyes.¡± ¡°Speak,¡± Wei Yingluo immediately said. ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± ¡°About four years ago, a noble lady3 died.¡± Ajin¡¯s manner of speech dragged on, almost as if she were afraid. ¡°Because of a dress¡­¡± As the words left the woman¡¯s lips, Wei Yingluo pictured the red tiles of the Forbidden City manifesting from thin air before her very eyes, starting from the inner three layers to the outer three layers. Just like this rope that tied tightly around her body. She was firmly held in the cage known as the imperial harem. The women who came and went, the fish who plunged into the waters, the moon or the shy flowers, each had its own characteristics, its own beauty. Wherever they went, they were all considered famous flowers. Now that they were gathered in the same place, fighting and competition of course occurred. A spring garden, but there was only one flower viewer¡ª the present emperor? . And as some flowers bloomed, others wilted. A scream ripped its way through the air. It drew the attention of a crowd of onlookers, a younger Ajin included. In front stood a well often frequented by palace maids, who fetched water for their masters¡¯ morning routines. And now, as she peered down the bottom of the well, she could make out a female corpse. ¡°Her face was so white and bloated from well water that it was impossible to recognize her original appearance,¡± said Ajin, shivering. ¡°But I recognized the clothes on her body. A Hundred Birds dress. The dead woman was Noble Lady Yun of the Orchid Garden courtyard.¡± Although it was a festive day, with firecrackers crackling and words of congratulations spoken in the background, Wei Yingluo felt slightly cold. Ajin¡¯s words carried a chill, the woman in the well invading her bone. Her limbs. Swallowing, Wei Yingluo asked, ¡°Why did she end up in the well?¡± ¡°Because of the dress she had worn.¡± Ajin¡¯s voice was no more than a murmur. ¡±I still remember her walking in that beautiful gown through the royal garden. So full of brilliance. Back then I hadn¡¯t been sure if it were the sun shining on her or if her body had emitted a natural light¡­¡± After a pause, Ajin laughed. ¡°But the emperor saw her and became furious. In front of the crowd, Noble Lady Yun could not hold up her head.¡± Shocked by those turn of events, Wei Yingluo asked, ¡°Does the emperor dislike beautiful women?¡± ¡°Under the heavens, there is no man who would dislike beautiful women,¡± said Ajin, shaking her head. ¡°The emperor had liked her. Otherwise, he would not have visited her a second time. No, it was because she had been too greedy. He had already promoted this civilian-born Han woman into a noble lady, but her heart still craved for more. She wanted too much and did too much.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s just a dress¡­¡± ¡°And it was this dress that the emperor did not like. This Hundred Birds dress resembled that of Princess Anle? of the Tang Dynasty. The palace had long since advocated being thrifty, and even the empress would not have people make such expensive and striking clothes for herself. The emperor scolded Noble Lady Yun for wearing that fancy dress and demoted her to a palace maid.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s what happened¡­¡± Wei Yingluo frowned. She had formed her first impression of the unmasked emperor, the one who stood high above others. The one who liked beautiful women and held all of their attention in his single grasp. The emperor did not seem to care much about his women¡¯s family backgrounds, so he could also promote the civilian-born palace lady of the Han family into a noble lady. Or perhaps he actually preferred this kind of powerless woman, clean and keeping only him in her heart, rather than be influenced by the interests of a formidable family. He did not hate the Hundred Birds dress, but rather what lurked beneath it¡­ Ambition. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°Just one wrong step in the palace, and you would walk into disaster. To this day, I do not know if Noble Lady Yun died because the emperor reprimanded her, or if someone sent her on a ride to hell using this as an excuse,¡± said Ajin. ¡°So be good Yingluo, and marry. Stop thinking about the palace and your sister¡­¡± ¡°Aunt Ajin.¡± After interrupting abruptly, Wei Yingluo turned her head, a faraway glance in her eyes. Eyes dark, like the pits of two wells. One look, and shivers ran through Ajin¡¯s form. It felt as if she had returned to six years prior. There she stood by the well, its chill accompanying her. The corpse white as snow. At that moment, Wei Yingluo¡¯s eyes were truly reminiscent of the well. ¡°Did you complete the task that I had asked of you before?¡± asked Wei Yingluo, staring. Caught in her gaze, Ajin could not help but nod. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± A smile graced Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips, the malicious and dark aura that had once surrounded her vanishing, and in a flash she transformed back into a delicate bride. The sight of it caused sweat to drip down Ajin¡¯s back. She seemed to have realized where the Wei family¡¯s unwillingness in Wei Yingluo¡¯s palace entry stemmed from. And following in close chase was Ajin¡¯s regret; that she would have had a hand in helping such a woman step through the palace gates¡­ ¡°Aunt Ajin.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s voice brought Ajin out of her thoughts. ¡°You don¡¯t regret what you have done for me, do you?¡± ¡°No, no.¡± Ajin was in a hurry to deny it, and in the end could not help but give a few words of advice. ¡°But if you do this, I fear you can no longer return home¡­¡± As soon as the words left her lips, the door creaked upon. Wei Qingtai stood at the doorway. ¡°It¡¯s almost time,¡± he said. ¡°Are you ready?¡± ¡°Master,¡± said Ajin, glancing at him. ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready,¡± interrupted Wei Yingluo. Reflecting upon the bronze mirror¡¯s surface was a bride tied from head to toe. Who rose from her seat, turned her body, and hovered her lips close to Ajin¡¯s ears in a whisper. ¡°I¡¯ve placed the things that my mother had left for me and my sister within a wedding pastry box. I¡¯ve already given it to older sister Qiao.¡± Qiao was Ajin¡¯s daughter and her lifeblood. ¡°Miss¡­¡± She could only utter a single word. ¡°It¡¯s a pity I must leave at this time. I don¡¯t know when I can return. I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to see the day when older sister Qiao gets married.¡± Among the items that Wei Yingluo¡¯s mother had left behind for her and her sister, besides those that had been snatched away prior, were a pair of jasper bracelets, a Qilin? collar, a pair of agate peony earrings, and two hairpins made of pure gold. Within the palace, Ajin had wasted her youth. And so had her previous master. Without the emperor¡¯s favor, her master could not afford to reward Ajin often, so Ajin did not save much wealth while working in the palace. By the time she could leave, she had discovered that her previous engagement had fallen through. Her fiance could not withstand the wait and married another. Even his children were as tall as her knees. If she had to marry as a concubine, why not just stay single for the rest of her life? A few years later, she could adopt a girl as a daughter, and focus all of her energy on this one daughter. Let her eat well, dress well, and in the future, marry a good man. All of this would require money. ¡°Honestly, I am so envious of older sister Qiao,¡± Wei Yingluo said with her head lowered, her voice growing softer by the word. ¡°If my mother were still alive, or my sister were still here, they would protect me the way you protect your daughter. They wouldn¡¯t tie me up like this and force me atop the wedding palanquin¡­¡± As soon as she spoke, a string of teardrops fell to the floor. A deep sigh escaped from Ajin¡¯s lips. Once again, she was moved. But whether it was by Wei Yingluo¡¯s words or her brilliant tears, she did not know. As such, Ajin would not regret what she had done for Wei Yingluo. ¡°Miss,¡± Ajin started to say. A maid brought over a wooden tray. Atop sat a crimson veil. Ajin picked it up with steady fingers and gently placed it over Wei Yingluo¡¯s phoenix crown, her eyes shining with unspoken words. ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± said Ajin, her words trailing off. ¡°You will get what you want.¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Under the red veil, Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips that were touched with a bit of rouge tilted upwards, as if she had won. ¡°The auspicious time has arrived!¡± came a voice from the background. ¡°Time to board the palanquin!¡± Two hours later, the wedding procession passed by Zhangping street, a street surrounded by teahouses. The patrons of the teahouses left their seats to watch the spectacle. As they leaned on the balcony railings, their eyes picked up the sight of red-clad procession members. Their ears picked up the loud crackle of firecrackers that the procession marched in tune. But mixed in with the firecrackers was a continuous clamor. Pedestrians who were closer to the palanquin clearly heard it. One such man couldn¡¯t help but wonder, ¡°What¡¯s that sound?¡± He wasn¡¯t imagining things because the person beside him replied, ¡°What? You heard it too? I think it¡¯s coming from inside the palanquin¡­¡± The more bizarre something was, the more likely it was to attract onlookers. The crowd closest to the palanquin grew, and a few of the more daring actually attempted to open the door. ¡°What are you doing?¡± shouted Wei Qingtai, his face green from anger. He signaled for a servant to drive away those people. ¡°Scram you second-rate trash! You actually have the guts to try and burst through a wedding palanquin. Do you think I won¡¯t drag you to the magistrate¡¯s office?¡± Through it all, the strange clamor did not stop, and Wei Qingtai couldn¡¯t help but turn around. Voice lowered, he said to the person within the palanquin,¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± The sound paused, before returning with full force of a charging bear! Then the palanquin suddenly toppled over to the side, a bride tied from head to toe tumbling out of the scarlet flap door! ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°Blood, there¡¯s so much blood!¡± ¡°Mom, there¡¯s a lot of blood on her head.¡± Naturally, it was blood. Wei Yingluo slowly lifted her head. A stream of red continued to flow from her forehead wound. It stained her face. In fact, the strange noise had come from her banging her head on the palanquin walls. Tightly tied as she was, there had been no other way to draw attention to herself. Even if she had cracked open her skull, looking neither human nor a ghost of the underworld, she would hold no regrets. It¡¯s almost time. The moment Wei Yingluo had boarded the palanquin, she had started counting in her heart. After an hour of travel, she had been in Hongyan street. After two hours, she had been in Zhangping street. It was at this time and this place that Ajin would have brought those people over. She scanned the crowd, her gaze finally settling in a certain direction. And as she had looked around, the onlookers did not cease their comments regarding her. ¡°Oh my, look at this. How could they tie her with a rope?¡± ¡°Who could be so evil to do this to their own daughter?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t this more like selling a daughter than marrying her off?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®selling a daughter?¡¯ No, the palanquin is just too wide and the road too bumpy, so she kept bumping her head.¡± Face growing paler at the second, Wei Qingtai tried to appease the situation. ¡°What are you still looking at? Hurry up and send her back in there.¡± A red hydrangea hanging from his chest, the groom turned around and attempted to lift Wei Yingluo back on her feet. But as soon as he did, she shouted, ¡°Do you know my Wei family is an official family, and that my name is on the palace maid candidate list? If you force me to marry before fulfilling my duties in the palace, not only will my head fall, but the heads of both our families!¡± The groom faltered, the hand that had once held up Wei Yingluo trembling and releasing in a flash. She fell back to the ground and he did not try to assist her up again. Instead, he retreated two steps, jabbing his finger in a panic at Wei Qingtai. ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Didn¡¯t you say she was delisted?¡± Glancing at his daughter, Wei Qingtai wracked his brain to come up with an answer. ¡°Look at her crazy antics. Of course she has been¡­¡± A chuckle escaped behind him, followed by the soft voice of Wei Yingluo. ¡°Official Zuo Ling, do you think I look like a madwoman?¡± Zuo Ling? Wei Qingtai stood in shock. The crowd before him parted in half, revealing Zuo Ling, the general manager of the palace draft. ¡°Wei Qingtai!¡± Face as frigid as ice, Zuo Ling pointed at Wei Yingluo and said, ¡°How could this happen?¡± [Prev] [ToC] [Next] CH 3 Some were happy to enter the Forbidden City. Others tried to avoid it. Not every family was willing to send their daughter to gamble for a shining future. At the top were the policies that required the selection, and on the bottom were the parents scheming to keep their daughters out of this predicament. Some of these families had their daughters feign illness. That way they could use the excuse of not wanting to infect the noble personages in the palace, and had their names removed from the palace maid list. Although illegal, as long as the families could bribe the officials involved from either ends of the spectrum, and most importantly the big boss in charge of the palace selection, no one would speak out about it. But for those like Wei Yingluo, who aired her dirty laundry in front of a huge crowd, the big boss could no longer turn a blind eye. ¡°Speak!¡± Zuo Ling roared. ¡°What is going on here?¡± ¡°T-this¡­¡± Wei Qingtai struggled to formulate a response. ¡°Let me explain.¡± A soft female voice broke out behind Wei Qingtai. Wei Yingluo, who was all tied up, struggled to walk, and instead crawled to Zuo Ling¡¯s side using her knees. She lifted her blood-streaked face, the red accentuating her eyes so that they seemed to shine even brighter. ¡°Official Zuo Ling, I am Wei Yingluo, a palace maid candidate for this year.¡± Her demeanor was calm, her words perfectly clear and pronounced. ¡°My father is too fond of me and could not bear to send me to the palace. So he declared that I had gone mad and tried to marry me far away¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Already aware of the situation, the Plain Yellow Banner1 Zuo Ling no longer wanted to hear more of it. In fact, in the presence of these people he felt as if he had become a joke. Whom could he blame? He turned to face the person he felt was the main culprit, Wei Qingtai, stared at him for a while and said ¡°All the daughters born peripheral of the Three Banners2 must be on standby as palace maid candidates. If you tried to marry these daughters off secretly, not only will you and I will meet disaster, everyone related to this matter will be implicated. Did you eat the heart of a bear?3¡± ¡°I¡­I¡­¡± After a while, Wei Qingtai finally bent his knees slowly into a kowtow, his forehead knocking the ground. ¡°It¡¯s all my fault¡­¡± Things had already reached this point. He could only assume all responsibility so as not to drag his entire family down. Moreover, if he did not take the blame now, his family would still lay all the blame on him. And the means would only be more ruthless, so much that he might not have the opportunity to turn his situation around in the future¡­ ¡°Pity the parents who always strive for what¡¯s best for their children. Yet those children would not understand their parents¡¯ hardships until they are parents themselves?,¡± said Wei Yingluo with a sigh. She made her way to her still-kneeling father and pressed her forehead to the ground as well. The blood from her wound stained the blue bricks below. She pleaded, ¡°Father did not want for my hairs to grow grey in the palace. I also don¡¯t want him to be guilty for my sake. Please consider the love between my father and I and spare him this once. I will definitely enter the palace on time.¡± Since ancient times, the phrase filial piety had moved the most people. Someone immediately sighed and said, ¡°Such a filial daughter. Honored Official, please spare them.¡± ¡°Yes, pity the parents of the world.¡± ¡°I also have a daughter whom I¡¯m reluctant to marry off, not to mention send her into the palace. Passing through the palace gates is like falling deep into the sea. It¡¯ll be hard to see them again in this life.¡± Zuo Ling of the Plain Yellow Banner spared Wei Yingluo a glance full of complicated emotions. Her words gave everyone a way out. Wei Qingtai did not commit any crime. Rather it was just the love between father and daughter. And it was also not an oversight by Zuo Ling¡¯s part. Instead, he could take this opportunity to follow the public opinion and become a god in their eyes. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser athttps://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°Fine.¡± Zuo Ling slowly nodded. ¡°Seeing that so many people are pleading for you, this official will spare you. You can¡¯t be muddleheaded again, understand?¡± ¡°This villain understands.¡± Wei Qingtai kowtowed once more. He had no choice but to understand, and because he did, he must send his daughter into the palace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry father.¡± As Wei Qingtai turned to face Wei Yingluo, she spoke the words she had previously said back in Yizhuang funeral home, her stare firmly upon him. ¡°Your daughter must enter the palace.¡± At this point, it wasn¡¯t as if he had any other option, and he snapped, ¡°Go! Begone, you! Whether you¡¯re dead or alive is up to you now! I don¡¯t care anymore!¡± In his heart he thought he could only blame the heavens for this luck. It¡¯s good enough to keep his life. They just had to chance upon the Plain Yellow Banner Zuo Ling. Yet had Zuo Ling really just happened to pass by? In the same direction from which Zuo Ling had arrived stood a middle-aged woman. She raised her hand to adjust her bamboo rain hat. Black gauze hung from the top, concealing her identity. If she had not taken this precaution, Wei Qingtai would have seen her face. Then from his lips would come a single question: ¡°Ajin, why are you here?¡± There were not that many coincidences in the world. Most of them were man-made. Artificial. ¡°Miss, I did as you asked and brought Zuo Ling of the Plain Yellow Banner.¡± Ajin gazed in Wei Yingluo¡¯s direction, peering through her veil. Inwardly she sighed. ¡°I hope by doing this I did not harm you. I hope that you can get what you desire instead of following your sister¡¯s footsteps¡­¡± The red wedding dress faded from Wei Yingluo¡¯s body, replaced with the plain green uniform of the palace maids. On the second day of the second month, during Emperor Qianlong¡¯s sixth year of reign, Wei Yingluo and a group of new palace maids passed through a flower garden. Most of the palace maids were at the tender ages of fifteen or sixteen. The most innocent and curious period of their lives. One by one their attention scattered and spread to each passing peony or pink butterfly. But Wei Yingluo did not become distracted, watching everything with the same cold and indifferent gaze. Perhaps the flowers¡¯ beauty came from sucking the blood of her sister. ¡°What are you girls all chattering about?¡± Listening to these girls who twittered like sparrows, the leading head palace maid? was near her wits end. ¡°This is the Forbidden City, the most distinguished land under the heavens! It¡¯s not a place where you can run your mouths indiscriminately. Now hurry up!¡± As Wei Yingluo attempted to follow the rest of the group, a palace maid next to her tugged on her sleeve, pulling her along. Though the other girl spoke softly, her voice was loud enough for the nearby palace maids to hear. ¡°Everyone, quickly look over there!¡± A frown made its way across Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips despite her wishes. The other party certainly was disobedient. Not long ago, the head palace maid had warned them to mind their words and actions. But once the head palace maid had walked further off, this girl failed to hold her tongue. The worst part was that her actions could implicate the rest of the group. As Wei Yinlguo turned to the palace maid who had spoken, she recalled her name. Jinxiu. Her appearance was just like her name, a pointed face like a melon seed, a slim waist and hips that swayed flirtatiously with each step. From her head to her toe she attracted admirers, drew them to her like bees to honey. In the middle of their walk, the crowd of young palace maids heard a sound farther way, turning to its direction. Under the peach blossoms were several elegant ladies?, pushing back the branches as they strolled through. Each was extremely beautiful. In fact, their beauty even put the blossoms to shame. Held in each of their hands was a small fan, which the elegant ladies used to gently fan themselves. As such, they sent the group of palace maids their collective fragrance. Among the scents were jasmine and rose. Those who breathed it in would immediately feel relaxed. The small fan looks like this. A baby-faced little palace maid blinked and said, ¡°Older sister Jinxiu, who are they? Fairies?¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser athttps://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. The one who had just spoken still looked like a child. Wei Yingluo recalled that this girl was the youngest of their group, only fourteen years old. Her name was Jixiang, which meant auspicious. She also resembled her name, looking like a New Year¡¯s lucky baby painting?. One glance and it brought joy to others¡¯ hearts. New Year¡¯s Lucky Baby Painting ¡°These elegant ladies have already passed the first round of the palace selection. They are now preparing for the final round,¡± said Linglong, one of the palace maids, her face full of envy. Her eyes almost seemed to have two arms reaching out of them, itching to rip off the clothes and jewelry of the elegant ladies. And then wear it all for herself. ¡°Such beautiful clothes,¡± said Jixiang, her face also reflecting a shade of envy. But this kind of longing was completely different from Linglong¡¯s yearning for glamorous things. Rather, she was like a typical little sister from next door, her eyes glued to the candied hawthorn? in one¡¯s hands. ¡°It¡¯d be nice if I could wear clothes like that.¡± Candied hawthorn As soon as Jinxiu heard these words, she sneered. ¡°Those are all ladies with noble heritages. They will become the masters of their respective estates once they enter the palace. With our heritage, even if we make it through the same selection, at most we¡¯ll be maids waiting on them. Yet you¡ª¡± She shoved Jixiang with her elbow. ¡°Stop daydreaming!¡± ¡°Watch out!¡± But Wei Yingluo shouted too late. Because Jixiang was young and frail, she had needed two hands to lift and carry the wooden bucket meant for cleaning. She had struggled even while using both hands, and had swayed as she followed along with her group. Now that Jinxiu had pushed her, it was no surprise that the bucket would fall from her grasp. It hit the ground with a clatter, the dirty water splashing out like ink onto the dress of an elegant lady. Terrified, Jixiang rushed to her side. ¡°Forgive me, forgive me. I¡¯ll help wipe it off now¡­¡± Slap! Jixiang toppled over from the force, rolled on the ground until the dirty water drenched her whole body black. She was reminiscent of a pitiful stray dog. ¡°How dare you, slave!¡± shouted the elegant lady, her expression severe. ¡°My clothes were made with cloud yarn specially purchased from Jiangnan for today¡¯s palace selection! Now that you¡¯ve dirtied them, what am I supposed to wear to see the emperor?¡± ¡°Forgive me, forgive me. This slave really did not mean it.¡± Jixiang continued to cry and crawled to the elegant lady¡¯s legs, her own limbs fidgeting and hard to command as she struggled to pull out a clean handkerchief. ¡°This slave will wipe it for you. This slave will quickly wipe it clean¡­¡± ¡°Scram!¡± The elegant lady¡¯s lips twisted into sneer packed with disgust. She kicked in a rapid blur of motion. She did not consider Jixiang as a person, but rather a dirty stray dog licking someone¡¯s face. Jixiang staggered and fell over, then crawled back with her hands and feet, blood running down her nose. ¡°Forgive me, forgive me¡­¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The elegant lady faced the head palace maid and said, ¡°Tell me, should I spare her?¡± Although the new group of palace maids were not acquainted for long, their hearts were not made of ice. Seeing Jixiang¡¯s pitiful appearance was unbearable for them. But they were also afraid to speak up for her, in fear of drawing the ire of the elegant lady. For that reason, while the elegant lady spoke, they watched the head palace maid, hopeful looks on their faces. Hopeful that she might help poor Jixiang. However, Wei Yingluo knew this was impossible. If even the group of new palace maids knew not to speak up for Jixiang, how would a head palace maid? A normal palace maid would not have become a head palace maid, a refined person surviving in the palace for several years. Sure enough, the head palace maid smiled apologetically and said, ¡°Miss? Wuya, these useless things are the new palace maids, dumb as pigs. You can hit or yell at them, no need to let anger harm your body!¡± As soon as the new palace maids heard those words, they either appeared disappointed or glared, and pursed their lips. They were all intelligent people. Since the head palace maid was afraid to help Jixiang, these new palace maids naturally were even less daring. Right now, the only people who could speak out in favor for Jixiang were the other elegant ladies. Beyond everyone¡¯s expectations, a soft and timid voice broke the tension. ¡°Older sister Wuya. The maid did it unintentionally, so why don¡¯t you forgive her?¡± ¡­Was there really an elegant lady willing help Jixiang? [Prev] [ToC] [Next] Ending notes: If you guy watched the drama, this scene happens in the first episode. So in this chapter, there¡¯s mention of two different types of ¡°selection.¡± One is for palace maids, which is what our protagonist Wei Yingluo must participate in. Basically, the daughters of midrank/lower rank officials not in the Three Banners (I explained what this is in the end notes) must have their names entered into the palace maid selection list. Most of the time, if they don¡¯t have a horrendous reputation and aren¡¯t disabled/sick, they¡¯ll have to enter the palace to work as maids. And once they¡¯re twenty-five, they¡¯ll be free to leave and live their own lives. The other type of selection is for imperial consorts of the emperor or primary and secondary consorts of the imperial family. The candidates for this selection are xi¨´ n¨· (ÐãÅ® ), or elegant ladies, which are daughters of high-ranking officials. Usually, the emperor gets first dibs, then his sons, then his close relatives. After that, the emperor may match-make for the sons of prestigious families or families with high-ranking officials that the emperor wants to foster/maintain a good relationship with. Having the emperor personally match-make for your family was considered a great honor. As always, if you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a like or a comment below, and rate/review this novel on NU if you can! You can also add to my tea fund wink wink. I also got a ko-fi now if anyone¡¯s interested. CH 4 Wei Yingluo sneaked a peek at the elegant lady who had spoken, the sight suddenly dazzling her. It were as if a sweet fragrance had floated by from right around the corner. The scent of a white lotus that had just bloomed. This elegant lady stood in all white. She was more beautiful than the rest of her companions, the most able to inspire pity in the hearts of those who lay sight on her. Her bearing resembled that of Xizi in supporting her chest1. However, this was the imperial harem. To maintain a calm heart while admiring the beauty of other women was extremely rare2. The elegant lady known as Wuya Qingdai did not possess this attribute. ¡°Lu Wanwan, shut up!¡± said Wuya Qingdai, whipping her head around. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask you!¡± The moment the white-clad Lu Wanwan heard those words, her whole body jerked. She seemed a touch afraid. Another elegant lady by her side tugged at the hem of her dress. She bowed her head, her voice but a whisper. ¡°It¡¯s not worth slighting older sister Wuya for an ignorant slave.¡± Lu Wanwan¡¯s mouth trembled, opening and closing a few times, but in the end she swallowed her words. ¡°If you want to save someone, you can¡¯t be half-hearted about it. Who do you think that Wuya is? Would this kind of effort be enough to oppose her?¡± Jinxiu muttered. Wei Yingluo glanced at Lu Wanwan. Although she failed to save Jixiang, she did at least try. Everyone else couldn¡¯t even utter a word to help. How did they have the right to complain? Just one rebuke from Wuya Qingdai, and Lu Wanwan had already shrunk into herself. Wuya Qingdai felt as though she had won the battle, and her attention once again fell upon Jixiang¡¯s sorry figure. Her eyes took on a cruel shine, a sweet smile blossoming on her lips. She clicked her tongue. ¡°No wonder these palace maids are so unruly. They¡¯ve only just entered the palace! Since you¡¯ve dirtied my dress, I¡¯ll use your hand as compensation!¡± Finished speaking, she lifted her leg high. Stomped hard on Jixiang¡¯s hand. The pain was so excruciating that cold beads of sweat started to drip down Jixiang¡¯s body. Her sight faded into darkness, and unable to withdraw her hand, she was forced to lay on the ground sobbing. ¡°It hurts! It really hurts! Please spare me, master! Please forgive me!¡± But the master¡¯s conscience was not stirred the slightest. And she did not cease the torture. In fact, she found the sobs uplifting, a fan of schadenfreude. A gasp of laughter escaped from her lips. The sound of it brought chills to Jixiang¡¯s heart. She realized for the first time that some people experienced joy from others¡¯ misfortune. ¡°Father¡­ Mother¡­¡± She was really still a child. In such difficult times, she could not help but to call out for help to those who had been kind to her. ¡°Save me. Help me. Aunt3 Zhang, Xier, Jinxiu¡­ Yingluo!¡± The pain in her hand suddenly vanished. Meanwhile, her ears caught a wave of gasps. What happened¡­? Jixiang glanced up, tears blurring her vision. It took a few moments for her to understand the scene before her. Without realizing it, a gasp left her lips as well. She did not know when Wei Yingluo had gone to her side to hold up a foot¡ªthe foot of Wuya Qingdai. ¡°Miss Wuya,¡± Wei Yingluo said, facing the ground. ¡°Please lift your noble foot.¡± Looking down at her, Wuya Qingdai let out chilling smile. ¡°You measly palace maid still dare to hope that I¡¯ll show mercy?¡± She took a good look at Wei Yingluo. As stated before, she wasn¡¯t one to admire the beauty of others, envy flashing in her eyes. Smiling once more, she said, ¡°It¡¯s not impossible for me to spare her. We¡¯ll just switch to you, okay?¡± ¡°If Miss wants the hand of a slave, then naturally this slave will offer it willingly.¡± Just when the majority of the crowd felt as though Wei Yingluo would meet misfortune, she said something that might save her. ¡°However, today Miss will be participating in the final round of selection. A joyous occasion. It is not advisable to shed blood, for it can hinder Miss¡¯ fortune and dampen Miss¡¯ mood.¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser athttps://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Wuya Qingdai frowned, observing the crowd through her peripheral vision. She was the type of person fond of scheming against others among the shadows. In her eyes, everyone did as well. Breaking the hands of two palace maids with her foot was a small matter, but she was afraid someone would notify the real masters? of the compound, and imply she was a cruel person. And that she carried a bloody aura, one that might trigger a calamity, and bar her from seeing the emperor. Yet Wuya Qingdai was unwilling to let these two palace maids off so easily. Wearing an impassive expression, she said, ¡°You¡¯re quite the talker. However, my shoes are still dirty. I¡¯m not happy!¡± Wei Yingluo shifted her gaze to Jixiang¡¯s hand. On the back of that pale and chubby hand was a bruise the shape of a lotus flower, oozing blood. Although her heart was as cold as ice, her face was respectful and meek. Her head faced the ground. ¡°Miss is ingenious to have the shape of a lotus flower carved into the sole of the shoe. Unfortunately, it is still lacking one thing. This slave is daring, and hopes to help Miss in sharing the concern.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± said Wuya Qingdai, arching a brow. ¡°How are you to help me with my concerns?¡± Wei Yingluo untied a sachet hanging from her waist, and with her head still bowed, she cried out, ¡°Linglong, give me your sachet.¡± Linglong was startled. ¡°Give it to me.¡± As she spoke, Wei Yingluo untied the knot securing the mouth of the sachet, pouring to the ground the rose fragrant powder? within. Although she didn¡¯t want to be pulled into this situation, Linglong had no choice in the matter now that she was under the full gaze of the crowd. She reluctantly approached Wei Yingluo and handed over her sachet. ¡°Take it.¡± From the other sachet flowed fragrant powder of the same color, mixing together, gradually forming a small pile. Wei Yingluo scooped up the powder in two hands and presented it to Wuya Qingdai. She said, ¡°Please lift your foot, Miss.¡± Overhead escaped a chuckle, and the shoe, its sole dripping red, landed on her hands. Wei Yingluo held the embroidered shoe. Smeared the sole with the fragrant powder. Although simple, her ministrations carried an aura of importance. A sound of surprise left Lu Wanwan¡¯s lips. ¡°Older sister Nalan, this palace maid is quite beautiful.¡± The one Lu Wanwan addressed was Nalan Chunxue, the elegant lady that had stopped her from interfering with Wuya Qingdai earlier. She fanned herself lightly. ¡°So what? Is she not born from a family under the Ministry of Internal Affairs? As a natural born slave, her fate is to lift older sister Wuya¡¯s shoe.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Wei Yingluo placed the foot back on the ground. Then she respectfully said, ¡°Please take a few steps, Miss.¡± ¡°What are you planning?¡± Wuya Qingdai walked forward a few steps, face growing stormy. ¡°If you can¡¯t tell me clearly why I should do this, then I¡¯ll make sure you all will regret it.¡± ¡°Oh my.¡± Not caring that she blocked Nalan Chunxue¡¯s view, Lu Wanwan said with her fan covering her lips, ¡°With each step comes a lotus flower. How charming. Turn around and see.¡± Sure enough, as Wuya Qingdai glanced behind her, there was a trail of lotus flower imprints left behind on the stone tiles. At the same time, Wei Yingluo said, ¡°Although this slave seldom reads, this slave has heard from a storyteller that Consort Pan, Marquis of Dong Hun¡¯s most beloved consort, applied a golden stamp of a lotus to the soles of her shoes. With each step it seemed as though lotuses had sprung from the ground. Such beauty was unparalleled, so she was highly favored. Today Yingluo¡¯s insignificant skill is to embed rose fragrant powder into the sole of this shoe. May Miss experience a steady promotion and fulfill your cherished desires!¡± Wuya Qingdai sneaked a peek at Wei Yingluo, gently fanning herself. She paced back and forth a few steps. Upon the green stone tiles appeared lotus flower after lotus flower. The sight fostered the feeling akin to a white lotus blooming upon a viridescent pond. For the time being, Wuya Qingdai no longer felt like punishing the two palace maids. Instead, she wanted to see the emperor as soon as possible, to show off the lotus prints trailing her every step. If she was late, who knew which vixen would steal her idea. ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Wuya Qingdai waved her hand carelessly, peered down at the still-kneeling Wei Yingluo. ¡°Because of your sycophantic manner, I shall spare her life!¡± Then she went off on her way, the ground littered with prints of lotus flowers upon her wake. The show was now over. One by one the other elegant ladies departed. While Lu Wanwan was walking away, she paused, turning her head to smile kindly at Wei Yingluo. It¡¯s a pity that one girl stood as the other one knelt. Therefore, Wei Yingluo just missed her smile. The sound of footsteps no longer apparent, Wei Yingluo slowly rose to her feet. She approached Jixiang, who was still kneeling silently on the ground, afraid to make a noise. Wei Yingluo sighed. Reached out to support the trembling girl to her feet. ¡°Jixiang, it¡¯s over.¡± ¡°O-okay¡­¡± But she was still caught in the terrifying moment from before. Still caught in a daze. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°I¡¯ll help you apply a simple bandage first,¡± said Wei Yingluo, pulling out a clean handkerchief and carefully wrapping the wounded hand. ¡°Then I¡¯ll bring you to a doctor later¡­¡± At her kind action, Jixiang felt like she was gently floating upon a pond¡¯s surface, slowly reaching land. ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Jixiang, you¡¯re too clumsy!¡± A jarring voice broke the atmosphere. Jinxiu approached the two girls with her hands on her hips. From her lips spilled unnecessary words?. ¡°You almost got us all maimed!¡± ¡°You still have the nerve to talk!¡± pouted Jixiang. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t pushed me, I wouldn¡¯t have made a mistake!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, settle down!¡± The head palace maid moved in to stop the two.¡± In order to stay in the palace, palace maids must pass two tests, one each for cleaning and embroidery. Don¡¯t just run your mouths. You need to have real skill. Now hurry up!¡± Wei Yingluo and the rest of the girls bowed their heads. ¡°Yes!¡± The group of palace maids filed behind the head palace maid to their destination. The image was reminiscent of jade colored fish smoothly swimming in a pond. Halfway there, someone tugged at Wei Yingluo¡¯s sleeve. She turned her head and saw Jixiang sweeping her gaze back and forth at their passing surroundings. Alert like a mouse searching for predators. The previous incident had frightened her to her bones. Now when she spoke, even the volume of her voice dropped tremendously, fearful that others could hear. ¡°Yingluo!¡± Jixiang¡¯s demeanor seemed like an innocent child¡¯s, with an adorable way of chastising others. ¡°That Wuya was so mean. Why did you help her pass the selection?¡± ¡°Pass? Her?¡± Wei Yingluo paused her steps. Jixiang watched her, eyes betraying confusion. Before they knew it, they had arrived at the Orchid Garden courtyard. Surrounding them were countless orchids, fresh and fragrant. However, Wei Yingluo paid them no mind. Instead, her attention was focused on a lonely well further off. Jixiang shuddered. The well was obviously far away, but she felt a chill coming from it, a chill that seeped into the bone, the same chill that loitered among mass graves. Whether it was an illusion or not was anyone¡¯s guess. ¡°¡­Only the heavens will know if she passes or fails.¡± A slight smile slid across Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips and melted the frost in her eyes. She reached for Jixiang¡¯s hand. ¡°That¡¯s right. Previously when you were crying and called out to me, you reminded me of my former self.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°I used to be like you, always getting into trouble. When I couldn¡¯t handle it alone, I¡¯d go crying off to my elder sister.¡± She turned to face Jixiang. ¡°And she would come help me every time.¡± ¡°You have a very good sister,¡± came Jixiang¡¯s innocent response. ¡°I¡¯m envious that you have a sister like that.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s you that I¡¯m envious of.¡± With each word spoken, Wei Yingluo¡¯s voice fell softer and softer. ¡°If you call out for me, I will respond. But my sister¡­ She will never respond to me again.¡± Now the back of her figure could be described in three words: bleak and lonely. Like withered shed leaves during the winter, yearning to return to their home among the branches of the trees. Jixiang studied Wei Yingluo¡¯s back, sorrow creeping upon her. She grabbed the other girl¡¯s hand, locked them together. It felt as cold as winter. She suddenly had the urge to warm that cold hand. To warm that cold heart. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I will stay by your side,¡± said Jixiang, her voice faint as well. ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you¡­ older sister Yingluo.¡± CH 5 What happened in the Imperial Garden was akin to a pebble being thrown into the sea. A small splash, before the water¡¯s surface grew calm once more. All the while the superiors turned a blind eye. There were more important things for them to see. For them to do. ¡°Your Majesty1! Your Majesty, the Empress!¡± The palace maid Mingyu rushed into the courtyard of Zhangchun Palace, steadying her jagged breathing before she spoke again. ¡°The selection is about to start. You should prepare.¡± The large courtyard was full of jasmine flowers in bloom. Layer upon layer of white petals. But as many petals as there were, there were even more green leaves. Among the bloom was a plainly dressed woman, her hands holding a pair of golden scissors. Her full focus was on trimming the flowers. As a breeze rolled by, only the fluttering of leaves and the snapping of the scissors could be heard. The woman did not seem to hear the palace maid¡¯s words. Or perhaps she did, but pretended not to. Mingyu could not be certain. She winked at the beautiful palace maid nearby, trying to catch her attention. This palace maid was also dressed in a simple manner. A copper kettle sat in the palm of her hands. At first glance, she seemed like an ordinary palace maid that had just arrived at the Forbidden City. But in reality, she was a personal head palace maid of the empress. Her name was Erqing. Her status was very high and her responsibilities important. In Zhangchun Palace, few were as indispensable as her. Although Mingyu did not dare to repeat her question to the empress, Erqing was another story. The things that Mingyu dared not do, Erqing did. Taking a step forward, Erqing softy said, ¡°Your Majesty?¡± The snip of scissors. A jasmine flower fell from its branch, disconnected. The plainly dressed woman turned around, holding in her hands a jasmine flower. With her appearance, the beauty of the courtyard seemed to dim a few levels. As if it merely existed as a foil for her. She was different from ordinary people. This was the Empress Fucha. ¡°Today is their day to shine. Why do I need to prepare?¡± Empress Fucha closed her eyes, head lowered as she inhaled the scent of the orchid flower in her hand. She smiled gently. ¡°I rather stay here and tend to the flowers.¡± The empress was not worried, but the servants were2. Mingyu scratched her ears. She resembled a monkey unable to eat bananas. ¡°How can this be allowed? Your Majesty, if you don¡¯t go, it¡¯ll give that woman in Chuxiu Palace a chance!¡± ¡°Ming Yu, mind your words!¡± said Erqing. Compared to Mingyu, Erqing was like a monkey under the tutelage of Tangseng3, mature and calm. Her eyes betrayed unhappiness. After she sent a look Mingyu¡¯s way, Mingyu instantly settled down. Then Erqing turned to Empress Fucha, her face shining bright. ¡°Your Majesty, the selection is important. You should at least be present. Otherwise, the empress dowager might blame you for failing to do your duty!¡± People said that entering the palace was like entering a deep ocean. That wasn¡¯t too far from the truth. In the ocean, the larger fish hunted the smaller fish. In the palace, the higher-ranked consorts stepped on the lower ranks. There was always someone further up the ladder. And for Empress Fucha, this person was the empress dowager. Empress Fucha had no choice but to stand, patting off the dirt on her dress. ¡°You young girls nag so much. Fine, let us go check it out!¡± Apparent on Mingyu¡¯s face was her joy. ¡°Your Majesty, this slave will help you get ready!¡± Once finished speaking, she quickly made to leave. In the blink of an eye, she had vanished, only a cloud a dust remaining. ¡°She¡¯s really just like a monkey,¡± said Empress Fucha, shaking her head This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°Agreed. Also¡ª¡± Erqing leaned forward, carefully inserting a flower into Empress Fucha¡¯s hair. The empress was taken aback, before letting out a smile. The selection would take place in Yanhui Loft of the Imperial Garden. Although on the surface the empress was getting ready, in reality, it was just a change of clothes, a wash of the hands. Her face was clean of makeup, but her beauty eclipsed that of all the elegant ladies participating in the selection. First, it was because of her appearance. Second, it was because of her status as the empress. Too bad that some people did not put her status in their eyes. ¡°Noble Consort Hui has arrived!¡± shouted an eunuch. Hips swaying as she walked, Noble Consort Hui stepped foot within Yanhui Loft. Some women could pull off heavy makeup. Others would appear vulgar. Empress Fucha belonged to the second category. On the other hand, there were women who relied on heavy makeup to look charming. Who relied on adorning themselves with countless jade ornaments to seem noble. Noble Consort Hui was such a person. Hanging from her ears was a pair of resplendent eastern pearl earrings. On her wrist, a bracelet made with eighteen jade and two jadeite beads strung together. Her headpiece? was embellished with jewels and inlaid with a silver butterfly and ruby peony, both which seemed real at first glance. As she walked, both the butterfly and peony trembled. First from the top right is the headpiece worn by Noble Consorts. The jade and jadeite bracelet looks something like this. If another person had worn all this jewelry, they would resemble a jewelry shop exhibit. They would be buried under all this splendor, the person nowhere to be seen. However, Noble Consort Hui did not have this problem. She was as noble as a peony, and as the king of the flowers?, she suppressed the jewelry¡¯s overwhelming aura. She took her time to approach the empress, like each step forward was a great honor from her. Be it her voice or actions, each lacked any shred of respect. ¡°This one? pays respects to the empress.¡± While Erqing was expressionless, Mingyu¡¯s face grew dark with anger. Just a word from Empress Fucha and she would leap in and give Noble Consort Hui¡¯s face a nice big slap. But Empress Fucha only smiled. ¡°No need to stand on ceremony.¡± Before the empress had finished speaking, Noble Consort Hui had already rose from her feet. She took her seat below the empress. She received a cup of tea from a palace maid. Slowly took a sip and placed the cup down. Then she turned to face the elegant ladies waiting just outside of Yanhui Loft. ¡°The quality of this year¡¯s selection is exceptional. Some of these girls are quite beautiful.¡± Empress Fucha¡¯s expression did not betray her thoughts. She said, ¡°Selections in the Qing dynasty are different from previous. Girls chosen should come from a noble family. Only those who are moral and well-mannered may serve the emperor. Appearance is not important.¡± A hand covering her lips, Noble Consort Hui smiled. Such a smile was reminiscent of a peony in full bloom. Not only men, but even women would fall for her charms, a fairy her only rival in beauty. ¡°Even so, we cannot select ugly girls in case the emperor feels upset just by looking at them. It would also affect the appearance of the imperial descendants.¡± Although this conversation seemed ordinary, in reality there was murder hidden beneath each word. No one dared to make a sound. The elegant ladies kept their heads down, too afraid to even breathe. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Both the peony and the orchid were beautiful in their own right. But when forced to meet head on, naturally one would suffer a loss. Unexpectedly, Empress Fucha retreated a step, and gently said, ¡°No matter how beautiful the elegant ladies are, they cannot compare with your beauty.¡± Seeing Empress Fucha¡¯s concession, Noble Consort Hui felt as though she had won, her laughter a tinkle of bells. ¡°Your Majesty is flattering me. This one does not dare accept the praise. However, the peony is the king of flowers. It is not something just anyone can be?!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Mingyu¡¯s anger was boiling over. She could hardly contain herself, itching to reprimand Noble Consort Hui¡¯s impudent behavior. But the empress just waved her hand at Mingyu. In Mingyu¡¯s heart she was unwilling to the extreme, yet she forced herself to stand by. ¡°The emperor has arrived!¡± The eunuch¡¯s announcement interrupted the two¡¯s confrontation. A moment later, a tall man walked in, his hands clasped behind his back, his features handsome. He dressed in a similar manner to Empress Fucha, mostly free of embellishments and jewelry. His dark green daily robes? gave off a sophisticated feel. From his sleeves lingered the scent of ink. It seemed before this, he was still busy at work on important court documents. This person was the emperor, Hongli. Although this is the emperor, he¡¯s not wearing his everyday clothes in this shot. ¡°This one pays respects to the emperor.¡± ¡°This slave pays respects to the emperor¡± ¡°No need to stand on ceremony.¡± Emperor Hongli walked briskly to Fucha¡¯s side, reaching out to lift her on her feet. His expression was very gentle. ¡°The empress needs not be so ceremonious.¡± Before, his words were for everyone. Now, these words were meant for only the empress. Noble Consort Hui watched their clasped hands, their show of affection, in her eyes a flash of jealousy. But this was missed by the emperor. For this selection, he was just going through the motions. He helped the empress into her seat. Then the emperor sat down by the low table?, one hand supporting the weight of his head. From his lips came a single command. ¡°Commence the selection.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The head eunuch unfurled the parchment containing the candidates¡¯ names. ¡°Daughter of Suochuoluo Daojin, minister of the Court of Justice. Suochuoluo Yuli, fifteen years of age.¡± A tall and skinny girl approached the stage in quick strides. Emperor Hongli spared her a glance before saying, ¡°Today was very windy. She must be exhausted from standing up too long.¡± ¡°No, it didn¡¯t take too much effort,¡± the elegant lady immediately responded. She never expected that Noble Consort Hui would break into a smile with a few words of her own. ¡°Agreed, Your Highness. This one is too skinny. A single gust of wind could blow her away.¡± Although the emperor did not respond with words, he did in fact smile. The head eunuch was quite astute, proficient at reading the atmosphere. As soon as he saw the emperor¡¯s smile, he said, ¡°Present the flower1?.¡± A little eunuch came in holding a silver tray of flowers. The tall and skinny girl helplessly received the flower and left. ¡°Daughter of Gan Tanglin, minister of the Imperial Stables11. Gan Ruyu, sixteen years of age.¡± In walked a girl that was past the point of being chubby, having gone through puberty to become a round ball. One look, and the emperor burst into laughter. ¡°How many meals do you eat a day?¡± Since the emperor asked her this, she had to answer. Her face flushed. ¡°Three meals.¡± ¡°Must be more than that,¡± Emperor Hongli said. ¡°At least five meals. Otherwise, how is your body this shape? It¡¯s almost comparable to those sumo wrestlers in the palace.¡± Even the palace had no need for more sumo wrestlers, much less the imperial harem. ¡°Present the flower!¡± The head eunuch immediately said. Not missing a beat, he continued, ¡°Daughter of Zhangjia Sixian, Governor of Shuntian Prefecture. Zhangjia Ruhong, fifteen years of age.¡± A girl slowly approached the stage, her skin tone closer to olive than a shade of beige. Two elegant ladies had already been dismissed from the selection. As such, the remaining girls felt worried. Felt afraid that the emperor might question them too. ¡°Do you apply soy sauce on your face to sunbathe every day?¡± asked the emperor. Due to the strange nature of his question, the tan-skinned girl grunted affirmatively out of reflex. Once she realized her mistake, she shook her head. ¡°No, this official¡¯s daughter hardly leaves her room and hardly goes out in the sun¡­¡± ¡°Haha!¡± Noble Consort Hui couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°The emperor is saying your face is too dark. Oh my, after looking closer there¡¯s freckles!¡± The butt of so many jokes, the tan-skinned elegant lady felt her face redden in shame. She blinked back tears. After receiving her flower, she turned around and ran off. The head eunuch continued his duties. ¡°Next person, daughter of Wuya Xiongshan, minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. Wuya Qingdai, seventeen years of age.¡± A moment later, a beautiful girl entered the loft. Unlike back in the Imperial Garden, she did not allow any of her vices to show. Instead, she only showcased her best attributes, especially her manner of walking. Every beauty had their unique point. Empress Fucha was calm and gentle, a quiet beauty. Noble Consort Hui was extravagant and proud. When it came to appearance, Wuya Qingdai could not compare to those two. However, her strut was charming. Among a group of ten people walking, she would draw the first attention. And those who didn¡¯t pay attention to how she walked would still notice those other things¡ª ¡°Hm?¡± All of a sudden, Noble Consort Hui arched a brow. ¡°What is that on the ground?¡± Everyone turned to see what it was. A trail of lotus flowers led from the carpet at the entrance of the loft to where Wuya Qingdai now stood. Overhead came the voice of Emperor Hongli. ¡°What is going on with your shoe?¡± He actually noticed¡­ Wuya Qingdai was ecstatic. No matter how hard she tried to contain it, her happiness still showed on her face. Even her voice leaked a bit of joy. ¡°Replying to Your Majesty, this is called ¡°a lotus upon every step.¡± ¡°What?¡± A laugh left Emperor Hongli¡¯s lips. Unsure if her mind was playing tricks on her, Wuya Qingdai felt that his laughter was a bit cold. A bit frightening. The next moment, Emperor Hongli¡¯s words were cold enough to freeze. ¡°Remove her shoes so We12 can take a good look!¡± CH 6 What happened? Everything transpired too quickly. As Wuya Qingdai raised her head, joy still apparent on her face, two small eunuchs had already rushed to her side and pushed her down on the floor. Then the head eunuch personally reached for her right foot, lifting it and removing the shoe. He presented the sole toward his masters. A glance, and Emperor Hongli sneered. ¡°So you¡¯ve had a lotus carved into the sole.¡± Noble Consort Hui beckoned for the head eunuch to come near. Upon closer inspection, she smiled. ¡°The sole is also packed with fine powder. No wonder it leaves a mark. How thoughtful!¡± Despite her still occurring laughter, Emperor Hongli¡¯s face was devoid of even a smile. He shouted, ¡°Someone take her away!¡± Still restrained by the eunuchs, Wuya Qingdai managed to quickly position herself into a kneel. Before long she crawled toward the emperor and empress¡¯ seating area, dragging the two eunuchs with her, her face glistening with pearly tears. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty! This official¡¯s daughter is just imitating the ¡°lotus upon every step¡± to pass the selection. Your Majesty, please have mercy! Your Majesty, please have mercy!¡± She turned to Noble Consort Hui. ¡°Your Majesty please save this official¡¯s daughter!¡± Then she whipped around to face the empress and cried, ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Please save this official¡¯s daughter!¡± Emperor Hongli and Noble Consort Hui remained expressionless. However, Empress Fucha sighed, and moved to face to the emperor. ¡°Your Majesty, this elegant lady only wanted a head start in the selection. If you dislike that, just hand her a flower. What kind of future would she face if she were to be forcibly expelled from the palace?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Your Majesty!¡± Wuya Qingdai broke free from the two eunuchs holding her back. Rushed to the feet of the emperor. ¡°If an official¡¯s daughter is sent back home in this way, it will bring shame upon her whole family! Her future would be finished! Begging Your Majesty, begging Your Majesty, please spare this official¡¯s daughter!¡± She brought her body low to the ground, forehead knocking into the carpet. The world was full of parallels. Currently, her posture and body position resembled Jixiang¡¯s in the Imperial Garden. And like how she had refused to let Jixiang off, the emperor also did not care to spare her. ¡°In the past We had given the order that daughters of Han Bannermen were forbidden from binding their feet1. Yet in today¡¯s imperial selection, there were many girls with bound feet!¡± Each word from Emperor Hongli was ice cold. ¡°And not only had the girls from Han Bannermen families2 indulged in such decadence, even the Manchu Wuya family adopted this practice. Pan Yunu3 was a wanton seductress of a consort. Xiao Baojuan? was an incompetent and muddle-headed emperor. For you to imitate Pan Yunu, are you deliberately trying to disturb the imperial court? Allowing such girls into the harem will undoubtedly provoke trouble. Not only will We expel her from the palace, but her father will also be punished as a warning to others!¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°No, no!¡± Wuya Qingdai still wanted to plead, but strong arms clamped on her own like steel forceps, dragging her away to the exit. ¡°No, Your Majesty! No! This official¡¯s daughter was wrong! This official¡¯s daughter was really wrong!¡± At this moment, Wuya Qingdai was like a cow or a horse about to be sent to the slaughterhouse, struggling desperately and crying. ¡°That¡¯s right, it was that cheap slave! It was that cheap slave that harmed this official¡¯s daughter! It wasn¡¯t me. The idea to put powder in the sole wasn¡¯t mine¡­ Mmph!¡± Afraid that she was making a ruckus and disturbing his masters, an eunuch nearby spread his hand like a fan and covered her mouth. Ended her last opportunity to plead. ¡°Mmph, mmph¡­¡± The whimpering gradually faded. Left behind was a trail of lotus prints on the carpet, proof that the girl named Wuya Qingdai had once been there. ¡°Clear the floor.¡± Emperor Hongli said, eyeing the lotus prints. ¡°It makes people uncomfortable just looking at it.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Several palace maids rushed off to fetch brooms. And the last trace of Wuya Qindai disappeared. The doors to Yanhui Loft slammed open. Two eunuchs came out dragging a disheveled woman. ¡°Oh my, isn¡¯t that¡­ Doesn¡¯t that look like older sister Wuya? In the Imperial Garden waited the group of elegant ladies, listening for their names to be called for the selection. The first candidates that had walked through the doors walked out soon after carrying a flower. But Wuya Qingdai had stayed in the loft for a long time. In their hearts they were jealous of her good fortune, discussing secretly among themselves. They were worried that she had been chosen by the emperor. ¡°How can such a crazy person by older sister Wuya?¡± someone retorted. ¡°But she¡¯s clearly wearing the same clothes as her¡­¡± Someone else said, hitting the nail right on the head and also enjoying it? . Sure enough, the disheveled woman was dressed in the same outfit and adorned with the same jewelry as Wuya Qingdai. If there¡¯s anything of note different from their previous image of her, it probably was her feet. The pair of three-inch-long feet dragged on the ground as her body was pulled away. The beautiful lotus-carved shoes were nowhere in sight. ¡°It hurts, it really hurts¡­¡± cried the disheveled woman, and from her voice it was easy to confirm her identity: Wuya Qingdai. ¡°My feet¡­¡± Without the shoes, the injuries on her feet and the snow-white skin of her lower legs were visible. Unlike before, there were no lotus prints following behind her. Instead there were two trails of blood smeared on the stone tiles. Like two blood-red, twisting snakes. ¡°You cheap slave, you¡¯ve harmed me!¡± Wuya Qinddai suddenly shrieked. ¡°I definitely won¡¯t let you off!¡± Such a scene frightened the elegant ladies into silence, one that stretched on for a while. Especially afraid was the timid Lu Wanwan, whole body leaning against Nalan Chunxue. She grasped the sleeves of the other elegant lady, voice trembling. ¡°How frightening. What did she do wrong that the emperor had to punish her like this?¡± Nalan Chunxue stared at the crimson marks smeared on the ground. After a moment of thought, she ventured a guess. ¡°Maybe the emperor didn¡¯t like her shoes.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Hand covering her lips, Lu Wanwan asked, bewildered. ¡°The ¡®lotus upon every step¡¯ is so interesting and charming. How could the emperor dislike it?¡± ¡°You and I¡¯ve just entered the palace. How could we know the emperor¡¯s tastes?¡± Nalan Chunxue kept her voice to a whisper. ¡°What about that palace maid, though?¡± ¡°You mean the pretty one from before?¡± Lu Wanwan must have had a good impression of the maid to say such a thing involuntarily. ¡°They¡¯re palace maids that just entered the palace like us. She couldn¡¯t have known something that we didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Nalan Chunxue also felt that was impossible. The more likely scenario was that Wuya Qingdai was unlucky, and the shoes she wore inspired the emperor¡¯s detest. But what if the little palace maid had actually been privy to that knowledge? ¡°If she really did know something¡­¡± Nalan Chunxue thought to herself, ¡°then rather than place her shoe in the palm of that palace maid¡¯s hands, Wuya Qingdai had placed her life! Completely at that maid¡¯s mercy!¡± Such a thought caused Nalan Chunxue¡¯s blood to freeze. She couldn¡¯t help but mutter, ¡°Now that it¡¯s mentioned, that little palace maid¡­ What was her name again?¡± ¡°Yingluo.¡± Wei Yingluo paused in her needlework, turning her head to face Jixiang. ¡°What is it?¡± Jixiang looked like she wanted to say something. Before that could happen, however, the door to the embroidery workshop swung open. In walked an eunuch dressed in all green. Jixiang quickly ducked her head and continued her embroidery. ¡°General Manager Wu,¡± greeted Granny? Zhang, who was responsible for overseeing the new palace maids in their embroidery. Wu Shulai waved his hand to decline her gift. ¡°I¡¯m here to take a look at this year¡¯s new palace maids.¡± Granny Zhang took her place behind General Manager Wu, and the two passed by and inspected the palace maids one by one. All of a sudden, Wu Shulai coughed. Although the cough was soft, several palace maids jerked their needles. Despite recovering quickly, the palace maids moved their needles faster and more nimbly than before. As if they wanted to show Wu Shulai a good impression of a flying needle?. The only person who kept calm in her embroidery, neither going too fast nor too slow, was Wei Yingluo. ¡°There¡¯s always a veteran in the bunch,¡± said Wu Shulai, peering over Wei Yingluo¡¯s shoulder to observe her work. After nodding in satisfaction, he made his way to Jixiang. ¡°¡­And then there are some that still need practice.¡± Jixiang¡¯s cheeks glowed pink. The weather couldn¡¯t be considered warm, but the sweat on her temple was no illusion. She gritted her teeth, hands moving faster into a blur. As a result, she pricked her finger. A soft grunt escaped her lips despite the low intensity of the pain. She brought that finger into her mouth for a suck. Behind her, Wu Shulai shook his head. Then he left her side to inspect the next palace maid. Once he was gone, Jixiang stopped embroidering. Dropped her head. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s hand stopped, and she faced Jixiang, brow furrowing and apprehensive. Wei Yingluo watched the other palace maid¡¯s hand as Jixiang pulled a stitch tightly, the tension more than usual. Her embroidery was only half-finished and the quality left much to be desired. But Wei Yingluo could not blame her. Her right hand had been stepped on and crushed by Wuya Qingdai. Although she received medical attention after, her hand still came out bruised and swollen. Not to mention, she couldn¡¯t request a break. Jixiang could only bite her teeth and endure. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Currently, her white bandage had stained red. Whether Jixiang had accidentally pricked her finger again or if her bandage had leaked, a drop of blood fell onto the embroidery. In any case, the embroidery was ruined. ¡°W-what should I do¡­¡± Jixiang broke into a sob, quickly wiping the red spot in hopes that it would come off. ¡°Jixiang, stop¡­¡± But Wei Yingluo had spoken too late. The piece of embroidery originally had a small and inconspicuous speck of blood marring its image. Since Jixiang had rubbed at it so much, the red spread all over. To cover it up now would prove difficult. There were still two other people embroidering nearby. One was Jinxiu. The other was Linglong, who had grown up in the same village as Jixiang. Jinxiu saw Jixiang¡¯s predicament. From her lips spilled unnecessary and rude words. ¡°In order to be a palace maid, one must be intelligent and nimble. A fool like you will be kicked out of the palace sooner or later. No need to waste your effort!¡± Linglong, sympathetic towards the Jixiang whom she had shared the same village, showed her sympathy on her face. ¡°What a shame.¡± ¡°Linglong!¡± Jixiang called out, her eyes red, sobbing like a child. ¡°We grew up together. Help me think of a solution, won¡¯t you?¡± Although they were companions from the same village, in the face of troubling times, Linglong would rather not have such a companion. ¡°What do you want from me? I haven¡¯t finished my embroidery either!¡± In the embroidery workshop was a sandalwood table. On top sat a copper incense burner, images of beasts carved into the sides. Jixiang couldn¡¯t help but turn her head to look at it. Standing straight from the top was a stick of incense that had already burned through one half?, and the mouth of the incense burner was filled with ash. The time for the test was almost up. A copper incense burner with beasts carved into it. ¡°What can I do¡­¡± Once again she could not keep the tears from falling. As they fell, she felt the weight in her hands lighten. She whipped her head around. Caught the sight of Wei Yingluo holding her embroidery. Then Wei Yingluo handed Jixiang her own work. Jixiang¡¯s face was the picture of shock. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°Dry your eyes.¡± After Wei Yingluo switched their embroideries, she worked on the one now in her hands, her head never lifting from the embroidery to divert her focus. ¡°Don¡¯t let Granny Zhang see them.¡± Her actions were quick. Those who saw Wei Yingluo switch the embroideries were few. Jixiang, Jinxiu, and Linglong shared a look. Then Linglong quietly said, ¡°Are you crazy? The test is to embroider a golden koi and she¡¯s stained it with blood! No matter how hard you try you won¡¯t be able to save it. We¡¯ve only got half a stick of incense left. It¡¯s too late to start over!¡± Wei Yingluo squinted, meticulously studying the embroidery for a moment, then started to thread a needle. She smiled at the flustered Jixiang. ¡°This peony is only lacking two stitches. Help me finish it.¡± ¡°Yingluo, are you thinking clearly?¡± Linglong couldn¡¯t help but ask. Not waiting for Wei Yingluo to respond, Jinxiu sneered, ¡°Why are you wasting your time to care about her?¡± After staring dazedly at the embroidery in her hands, Jixiang suddenly handed it back to Wei Yingluo, head shaking. ¡°Take it back, take it back! I don¡¯t want to drag you into this. Hurry and give me back my embroidery!¡± But Wei Yingluo lightly waved her right hand and blocked what Jixiang tried to push her way. Then she shot a sideways glance toward the approaching Granny Zhang. From the look in Wei Yingluo¡¯s eyes and the direction from which she had glanced, Jixiang could guess that Granny Zhang was coming over. She no longer tried to speak. Instead, she pretended to stitch the nearly-completed piece of embroidery. As she took a closer look at what was in her hands, she went into a slight daze once more. The embroidery had only a couple stitches missing. A life-like peony, its beauty unparalleled. CH 7 ¡°Time¡¯s up!¡± Finished embroidering or not, the palace maids stopped their hands. Like students of the Imperial Examinations searching for their names on the pass list, they looked toward Granny Zhang, hearts filled with expectation and anxiety. Originally, it should be Granny Zhang who examined their work. But now, Wu Shulai was present, and she decisively gave this task to him. Mustering respect, she said, ¡°Please judge their work, General Manger Wu.¡± ¡°How could I do this for you? It¡¯s better if you¡¯re the one who evaluates,¡± Wu Shulai said with a smile. ¡°To have General Manager Wu judge their work is these palace maids¡¯ blessing.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± General Manager Wu rubbed his chin, another smile tugging on his lips. ¡°Since I¡¯m currently not busy, I¡¯ll help.¡± Granny Zhang turned to face the palace maids. ¡°Hurry up and thank General Manager Wu.¡± ¡°Many thanks, General Manager Wu!¡± Wu Shulai waved his hand lightly, and the voices faded to silence. Then he clasped his hands behind his back, beginning his trek in evaluating each of the palace maids¡¯ work. While he technically agreed to judge every work, in reality he just nodded or shook his head depending on whether he liked what he saw or not. Finally, he reached Jinxiu. And he said two sentences. ¡°Oh, this is quite exquisite. Not bad.¡± Despite only receiving seven words, Jinxiu felt waves of happiness crashing into her form. Unlike the others judged before her, she at least received some words. Jinxiu couldn¡¯t help but smile. She wanted to use this opportunity to speak to Wu Shulai, but before she could, he made a sound of surprise and quickly left her bench. He stopped right in front of Linglong. ¡°This is¡­¡± Wu Shulai¡¯s face was painted in shock. Jinxiu glanced over at them, the threads of jealousy growing and twisting around her heart. It¡¯s just a wild cat. What¡¯s so special about it? Linglong had embroidered a cat sticking its head out of a bush with scarcely any leaves or flowers. A very cute sight. The cat¡¯s fur had alternating stripes of red and white, and the brightness and the shadows were interwoven, especially so for the fur. Just a look, and it seemed like the cat would come alive any second. If only its stitches were compared with those of Jinxiu¡¯s embroidery, an image of a beautiful woman deep in slumber1, then the two works were about the same grade. But Linglong flipped her embroidery around and smiled. ¡°Informing General Manager Wu, this is double-sided stitching.¡± H¨£it¨¢ng ch¨±n shu¨¬ t¨², a painting of a beautiful woman deep in slumber. The type of image Jinxiu had embroidered. On the back was also the image of a cat. Like the image in the front, this cat peeked its head out of a bush. Even it¡¯s silly look was the same. Not to mention the pattern and coloring of its fur. ¡°Good, good,¡± said General Manager Wu, handing the embroidery to Granny Zhang. ¡°What do you think?¡± Granny Zhang squinted as she observed it. She had worked in the embroidery workshop for many years. As such, her eye for the craft was different from Wu Shulai¡¯s. She found that the end of the stitchings lacked refinement. Some parts of the embroidery used the wrong color of string for the image they were trying to illustrate. Because of this, it was apparent that Linglong had rushed in the end. However, Granny Zhang did not voice those concerns. She only smiled. ¡°Since General Manager Wu thinks it¡¯s good, then it must be so.¡± From the look on her face, it was clear that Jinxiu was unhappy. She only received praise from one person whereas Linglong received praise from two. General Manager Wu and Granny Zhang. Even so, Linglong¡¯s embroidery, at its base, was just two cats stitched back to back. In what way could Linglong¡¯s work compete with hers? Wu Shulai had not stayed by Linglong¡¯s side for long. Because his status was high, he had seen a lot of exquisite things. Therefore, even though he praised Linglong¡¯s work, it wasn¡¯t as if he truly thought it a treasure. In fact, he was merely sorting through the trash for something salvageable. And this double-sided embroidery should be the best this group could offer¡­ But he was wrong. Wu Shulai stopped by Jixiang. Stared at the embroidery in her hands. For a long time, he stayed silent. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. His silence caused Jixiang a lot of stress. As time passed by, Jixiang¡¯s breathing became harder and more jagged. Even her knees started to grow weak. At any moment, she would kneel from fear. ¡°This peony is so realistic. Both the shape and spirit are so realistic. Good, good, good!¡± praised General Manager Wu. He even used the word ¡°good¡± three times. Then like a hammer striking down, he decisively said, ¡°This old man2 has lived in the palace for many years. Rarely do I see such extraordinary embroidery! This is the best! This is the best!¡± After the first two instances of ¡°good,¡± Jinxiu¡¯s face had already changed color. When she heard the third ¡°good,¡± she straight up sneered. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t the General Manager look at Wei Yingluo¡¯s work next? I¡¯ve noticed that she¡¯s the slowest among us. Her embroidery must be the best!¡± A frown slid across Wu Shulai¡¯s lips. Noticing his change in expression, Granny Zhang immediately reprimanded her. ¡°Who told you to speak?¡± Paling, Jinxiu dropped her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± said Wu Shulai, his voice soft. ¡°Who is Wei Yingluo?¡± Everyone turned to stare at the person in question. Expressionless, Wu Shulai slowly approached Wei Yingluo¡¯s side. Noticing that her embroidery was flipped over, he said, ¡°Let me see what you¡¯ve done.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Yingluo flipped her embroidery back. A picture of a fowl, brightly-colored and brilliant, entered everyone¡¯s gaze. Originally, Jixiang had stitched half a golden koi. In the short span of half an incense stick, Wei Yingluo had transformed it into a brilliant golden fowl3, its gaze directed at the sun. Its wings were spread behind its back, as if it were about to take flight. Each feather was dyed in golden sunlight, and the embroidery gave off a rich and noble impression. The fowl¡¯s comb was crimson, and especially so was a speck on it that was red as blood. It was the finishing touch? that brought the fowl alive. In Wei Yingluo¡¯s hands that red speck was a success. But such a success came from Jixiang¡¯s blunder. Only a few people in the workshop knew why the fowl¡¯s comb was bright as blood. The reason was this: real blood had seeped into the threads. Wei Yingluo had ingeniously transformed the blood that Jixiang had rubbed into her embroidery into a touch of red on the comb of the fowl. Other people did not know this, and only admired the skill of the needle and the meaning of the image. Even the picky Granny Zhang couldn¡¯t help but praise the embroidery after seeing it. ¡°So delicate. The needlework is good too. This year¡¯s new palace maids are quite talented!¡± Jinxiu was full of dissatisfaction. She had purposely led Wu Shulai to Wei Yingluo, but instead of getting her in trouble, Jinxiu introduced her to a benefactor. The moment she tried to speak, to complain to the General Manager, the nearby Linglong tugged at her. She glared at Linglong. ¡°What are you do¡ª¡± Another palace maid not too far away blurted, ¡°General Manager, Wei Yingluo helped someone cheat!¡± Once these words left her lips, the whole workshop went silent. Mountains had varying heights, water had varying depths, and people would always fight for the top spot. Palace maids were like this. Elegant ladies also. ¡°Daughter of Assistant Minister Nalan Yongshou. Nalan Chunxue, sixteen years of age!¡± In Yanhui Loft of the Imperial Garden, the selection continued. ¡°Now that it¡¯s mentioned, that little palace maid¡­ What was her name again?¡± Nalan Chunxue paused in her steps, occupying herself with her thoughts. ¡°Now isn¡¯t the time to think about things like this. Nalan Chunxue, it¡¯s your turn.¡± She bottled up all her distracting thoughts and lowered her head as she followed the line forward. Once she stood before Emperor Hongli, she saluted. ¡°This official¡¯s daughter, Nalan Chunxue, greets the Emperor.¡± It seemed that the ruckus earlier had spoiled his mood. Emperor Hongli¡¯s expression was colder than ever, patience wearing thin. He stared at Nalan Chunxue, not a word leaving his lips. In the time in which he was silent, everyone present felt as if a dark cloud had crushed them from above. Everyone was too scared to even breathe. ¡°What is going on with your ears?¡± Emperor Hongli suddenly said, swift as lightning. The fear skyrocketed. The way he asked this question was akin to how he had asked Wuya Qingdai, ¡°What is going on with your shoe?¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. After that, Wuya Qingdai had fallen into disaster. The stone tiles on the ground were still stained with her blood, two long and twisting streaks. The servants had rushed to clean it with water, in fear that come a particularly strong sunshine, the remnants would attract insects. Nalan Chunxue naturally felt something was amiss. To say she wasn¡¯t afraid would be a lie. However, she was different from most people. The more strange the atmosphere was, the more calm she became. ¡°Replying to Your Majesty,¡± Nalan Chunxue¡¯s demeanor and posture were graceful and noble, and she did not move from her spot in the slightest. She said, ¡°The father of this official¡¯s daughter has always said we must wear three earrings on each ear and wear flower pot shoes? on each foot. These are long-standing traditions of our ancestors. If we follow the Han women in piercing our ears only once, we will be neglecting our roots.¡± Flower pot shoes. Each batch of elegant ladies numbered five girls, and there were still four girls by the door. As those words left her lips, three of them unconsciously lowered their heads, reaching out a hand to touch their earlobes. Sure enough, there was only one earring per ear. Of those five people, only Nalan Chunxue stood with every ear pierced thrice, showcasing three precious earrings for each. Red, blue, and white existed in harmony, and with just a glance, it set her apart from the others. Previously, someone had asked her why she dressed up like so. Nalan Chunxue had smiled without giving an answer. As it turned out, it wasn¡¯t that she wouldn¡¯t respond. Rather, she wanted to give her answer in front of a certain person during a certain occasion. ¡°Well said!¡± said Emperor Hongli, ecstatic. He slapped the table. ¡°The Qing dynasty has ruled for many years. Manchuria¡¯s old customs have gradually declined. We have made the people learn the Han¡¯s language? and etiquette, but that didn¡¯t mean they should forget themselves!¡± Then he nodded to the head eunuch. Understanding his intention, the head eunuch loudly announced, ¡°Leave the nameplate!¡± Nalan Chunxue saluted. Her attitude was like before, elegant and graceful, without the slightest inkling of arrogance or impatience. A calm and gentle person. ¡°Daughter of Lu Shilong, minister of the Court of Imperial Entertainments?. Lu Wanwan, sixteen years of age!¡± With such a great specimen like Nalan Chunxue before her, it made Lu Wanwan seem like only the daughter of a small official. Too timid and nervous, she forgot the proper way to walk in that moment. As her left leg moved forward, so did her left arm, and so forth, all the way to the front where the emperor sat. Before she could lift her head to show her beautiful features, Emperor Hongli burst into laughter. ¡°We still have much work to do.¡± Emperor Hongli rose to his feet. ¡°We¡¯ll leave first.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Empress Fucha rushed through her words. ¡°Then what should we do about the selection?¡± Emperor Hongli stretched his back. He absentmindedly passed Lu Wanwan on his way to the exit. ¡°Empress, you can make the decisions from here on out. We trust your judgement!¡± Finished speaking, he left without looking back. Those who remained at Yanhui Loft shared a look. Noble Consort Hui lazily lifted a hand to her side, grabbed the hand of a maidservant, and used it to support herself to her feet. ¡°Since His Majesty has left, there¡¯s nothing left to see. This one will retire first.¡± She did not wait for the empress to respond, and took her sweet time to leave. A sigh escaped from Empress Fucha¡¯s lips. Summoning a positive expression, she observed Lu Wanwan. Her temperament was that of the Mother of the World?. Especially her gaze, gentle as a mother watching her children. Under such a gaze, Lu Wanwan let out a sigh, the nervousness and anxiety gradually waning. Lu Wanwan¡¯s change in expression was not missed by Nalan Chunxue. She couldn¡¯t help but say to herself, ¡°She¡¯s not my opponent¡­¡± It¡¯s true that Lu Wanwan¡¯s beauty ranked first among the group of elegant ladies. However, she did not know how to play to her own advantages, letting her opportunities slip through her fingers like grains of sand. She was timid and reminiscent of a silk flower?, always searching for a large tree that could shelter her from the wind and rain. But Lu Wanwan failed to think about her current location. This was the imperial harem. Relying too much on a single person was tantamount to placing one¡¯s life in their hands. ¡°If she¡¯s not my opponent¡­ Then who is?¡± Nalan Chunxue said to herself, a green-clad figure suddenly appearing before her thoughts. The green uniform of a new palace maid. ¡°Why am I thinking about her?¡± Before she realized it, a laugh escaped her lips. ¡°I¡¯m an elegant lady who passed the selection. She¡¯s just a humble palace maid. She doesn¡¯t have the same qualifications as me, so how will she have the opportunity to compete with me?¡± CH 8 The selection neared its end, but in the embroidery workshop, the matter of pursuing the cheating had just begun. ¡°I saw it with my own eyes,¡± said a palace maid, jabbing a finger toward Wei Yingluo. ¡°Jixiang¡¯s handkerchief is stained with blood. Wei Yingluo switched her embroidery with Jixiang and helped Jixiang finish hers! The palace rules state that if someone is caught cheating for someone else, they will both be expelled from the palace!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wu Shulai turned to face that palace maid. ¡°Is that so?¡± Wei Yingluo glanced at the palace maid who tattled on her. And she felt it amusing. She had thought the one to rat them out would be Jinxiu. Who knew that in the end, it would be someone they were not associated with. How funny. If Jinxiu had done it, it would be understandable. She would be the best embroiderer among the group with one less person to compete with. But what was this other palace maid? Her appearance and skill with the needle were not the best. Even if she removed Wei Yingluo, she still would not be at the top. In fact, no one would like a person who ratted our people behind their backs. The rest of the palace maids would avoid her. So what good would this do for her? Or was she so jealous that she became dumb? This kind of action was harming others without receiving benefit. With a slam, Jixiang dropped to her knees. Her voice sounded like she was about to burst into tears. ¡°I1¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°What ¡®I¡¯ or ¡®you¡¯? So much stuttering. You forgot the rules.¡± Granny Zhang¡¯s face was cold as she lectured Jixiang. ¡°General Manager Wu asked you a question. Why aren¡¯t you answering?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Jixiang gritted her teeth, taking all the blame for herself. ¡°It¡¯s because of me¡­¡± The sound of laughter. The soft laughter interrupted Jixiang¡¯s confession. Everyone turned to the direction of the sound, curious to see who was so daring to laugh at such a time. ¡­It was actually Wei Yingluo. In the beginning, Wu Shulai thought Wei Yingluo was a calm and rule-abiding person, and felt a good impression toward her. After seeing her laugh in this situation, he now felt her a careless person. His expression started to darken. ¡°Why are you laughing?¡± ¡°Laughing at the funny person.¡± Wei Yingluo made her way to Jixiang¡¯s side. ¡°Who said I cheated? Look.¡± She held her embroidery of the golden fowl next to Jixiang¡¯s embroidery of a peony. Then, there was a glimmer of hope at the darkest hour2. ¡°This is¡­¡± Wu Shulai widened his eyes. As stated before, Jixiang¡¯s peony gave off a rich and noble impression. If any mistake were to be pointed out, it¡¯d be that it was lacking some life. On the other hand, Wei Yingluo¡¯s golden fowl seemed as if it would come alive any second. If one were to force themselves to find mistakes, those mistakes would be the red speck on the fowl¡¯s comb, and that after observing the image for a while, one would find the color choice of the embroidery too simplistic. Now that the peony and the golden fowl were compared side by side, they looked to be part of a single work of art. The unparalleled beauty of the peony¡¯s coloring caused the coloring of both embroideries to seem magnificent. The brilliant fowl improved the manner of both embroideries with its proud attitude. However, these weren¡¯t separate embroideries at all¡­ ¡°These are actually one embroidery split into two parts. The name is Golden Fowl Peony Painting,¡± said Wei Yingluo, smiling. ¡°Because it would take too long to finish for one person, Jixiang and I partnered up to complete it.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± That palace maid hurriedly reported. ¡°You two, you two¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be daring and ask a question,¡± Wei Yingluo said to her, a smile still dancing on her face. ¡°When I gave the embroidery to Jixiang, was the peony finished?¡± The palace maid opened her mouth, but she couldn¡¯t find the words to explain. Although everyone was working in the same place, the embroidery workshop, it wasn¡¯t as if they were all squished together. There was room between every person. Only three other people knew the cause and effect of the incident. Jixiang, Jinxiu, and Linglong. That other palace maid had eavesdropped on them, but might not have been privy to all the details. If so, she wouldn¡¯t have known that Jixiang had worked on embroidering a golden koi at first, not a golden fowl. Therefore, Wei Yingluo decided to feel her out. Seeing that that palace maid was speechless, Wei Yingluo immediately knew her suspicions were correct. Right away, she said, ¡°Similarly, when Jixiang handed over her golden fowl embroidery to me, it was missing a lot of stitches, right? Since they¡¯re both unfinished embroideries, how can it be considered cheating?¡± Dumbstruck, everyone then turned to Granny Zhang. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°This¡­¡± said Granny Zhang with much difficulty. ¡°There¡¯s no such precedent of this in the palace. General Manager Wu¡­ What do you think? General Manager Wu glanced at her. In his heart he wondered if this Granny Zhang wanted to be stuck working in the embroidery workshop for the rest of her life. Even for such a small thing like this, she needed to ask for someone else¡¯s opinion3. He was different from her. General Manager Wu worked in the palace for more than a decade, having gone through arduous training and hard work to get this far. There was nothing he hadn¡¯t seen before. Just hearing a few words and he knew the whole situation. It was true that Wei Yingluo had cheated. But so what? ¡°Good!¡± Wu Shulai suddenly burst into laughter. Her actions profound for him, he said to Wei Yingluo, ¡°Sure enough you are quite resourceful!¡± Her eyes trembled and she ducked her head. ¡°Many thanks for the praise, General Manager Wu.¡± In her heart she knew that everything she did the head eunuch knew. Nothing went past his eyes. She was unsure of how the other party would deal with her. Now that he had observed her gaze, Wu Shulai quite admired her. So what if she cheated? What he valued was that child¡¯s clear mind. She had already prepared excuses for her act before she even did such a thing. When someone tried to tattle on her, she immediately struck back. Such a smart child would have an unlimited future? and would not be like Granny Zhang, stuck to one department. Stuck in the small embroidery workshop for the rest of her life, accompanied by only the embroidery frames, needles, and threads. ¡°The palace maids that are useful speak less and act more.¡± Wu Shulai decided to give Wei Yingluo some face before she was promoted. In passing, he took care of the idiots. ¡°Furthermore, the masters hate these type of gossiping fools the most¡­¡± As he said this, he turned to face that palace maid who had tattled on Wei Yingluo. Then he lightly said, ¡°Take her away and remove her name.¡± Never had that palace maid imagined things would progress like this. For a moment, she froze in place. It wasn¡¯t until two little eunuchs grasped her arms did she jump back to reality, knees growing weak into a kneel on the ground. She cried, ¡°General Manager Wu, I was wrong! I won¡¯t talk anymore, General Manager Wu!¡± Wu Shulai smiled, shaking his head. An idiot was really an idiot, unaware of why they had been punished. Was it because she had run her mouth indiscriminately? No, it was more because she had failed to do anything well. If one wanted to frame a person, one must not do so flippantly. Even if the target was still very much alive, one could not surrender. She didn¡¯t understand this concept, yet she still wanted to remain in the Forbidden City. Having her leave early was for her own good. With such stupidity, she wouldn¡¯t have the opportunity to see her hair grow grey in the palace. Rather, she would be swallowed up by others before she had the chance. The cries of that palace maid soon disappeared. She had been dragged out of the room. This was not just a farewell; from now on, they would never see her in the Forbidden City again. ¡°It isn¡¯t early anymore. I should go.¡± But before he left, Wu Shulai glanced at Wei Yingluo with a smile. ¡°Today there were four outstanding palace maids. From now on they will stay in the embroidery workshop.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Granny Zhang respectfully, following behind him. ¡°I will see you off, General Manager Wu.¡± Jixiang waited until the figures of the two disappeared before she let herself lean on Wei Yingluo, exhausted from the event. ¡°It¡¯s finally over¡­¡± Wei Yingluo swept her gaze across the room. Casually, she said, ¡°Yes, for now it¡¯s finished.¡± It was already evening by the time Granny Zhang had sent Wu Shulai off. The sun was setting, though it was still bright outside. Sunlight dyed the Gate of Heavenly Purity?, and the eunuchs standing by there yelled out, ¡°Lock the doors?!¡± The doors slowly closed with a heavy groan, stopping the last rays of sun from passing through. At the same time, the door to the embroidery workshop closed. Wei Yingluo was the last one to exit. In just one day, so many things had happened. Not to mention, she had to exert more energy to embroider two works. Mind and spirit were exhausted. Her face grew increasingly pale. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Jixiang said, still leaning on Wei Yingluo and concern practically radiating from her body. ¡°If you feel tired, you can lean on me while we walk.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled slightly. She didn¡¯t refuse Jixiang¡¯s good intentions and shared her weight, her shoulder lightly pushing against Jixiang¡¯s. They relied on one another to walk, just like how they had embroidered the Golden Fowl Peony Painting together. The two straggled at the long line of green-clad palace maids. Like tired birds returning to their nests, following their leader, Aunt Fang. Aunt Fang was a head palace maid who had entered the Forbidden City for many years. She was responsible for teaching new palace maids, and the place where she was currently leading them through grew dark. Both sides of the path stood thick with trees. As the palace maids passed through they would catch sight of the numerous shadows cast by the leaves and branches, and the immaculate stone floor tiles dyed black. Aunt Fang suddenly stopped in her tracks. She rushed her words, ¡°Hurry, turn around!¡± As soon as she finished speaking, she was the first to turn around and face the wall. The palace maids were confused. But they all copied her one by one. However there was always going to be one or two people who couldn¡¯t follow orders, too curious for their own good, eyes darting left and right to satisfy said curiosity. For example Jixiang, who sneaked a peak at the people soon to pass by even though she had already turned to face the wall. Sure enough, she saw further down the path two red lanterns approaching. Four, then six¡­ Two lines of palace maids neared their group, a big red lantern held in each of the maids¡¯ hands. The red glow of the lantern candles seeped through the thin lantern cover, painting the ground red, as if they had unfurled and placed down a carpet of the same color. A gorgeous ceremony played out atop the red carpet: a procession containing a beautiful woman in a palanquin. She seemed a little tired. Her eyes were closed, her body leaning against the back of her seat. Around her wrist was a bracelet made of jasper beads, and as the palanquin swayed so did the bracelet. Whenever it hit against something, it would make a melodious sound. Jixiang¡¯s gaze chased the jasper bracelet, unwilling to leave, until Aunt Fang slapped her once on the face. Only then did Jixiang realize the procession had already left. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Aunt Fang¡¯s expression was cold as ice. ¡°Are you tired of living?¡± Jixiang raised a hand to touch her cheek that was growing warm. Yet she couldn¡¯t tell if it truly felt warm or leaned toward painful. Or if it were her heart that felt warm. She watched the departing silhouette of the parade, her eyes reflecting a type of infatuation. ¡°So that¡¯s what the procession of imperial concubines? look like¡­¡± Aunt Fang clicked her tongue. ¡°You¡¯re really someone who¡¯s never seen the world before. Only the empress can have such a noble and extravagant procession as the Yijia?. The procession that passed just now was Noble Consort Hui¡¯s Yizhang?.¡± Linglong approached Jixiang and Aunt Fang. Unable to dampen her curiosity, she asked, ¡°What about the other imperial concubines?¡± Aunt Fang shot her a look. ¡°Those processions are called Caizhang1?. However, only real masters can use a Caizhang. In other words, Noble Ladies and below11 do not have this privilege!¡± The new palace maids were all curious about this fact. They quickly broke into chatter. For them to bombard Aunt Fang with questions was a regular occurrence. And although her face showed annoyance, in the end she still answered a few questions occasionally, to show off her immense knowledge as a head palace maid. Like the rest, Wei Yingluo listened carefully to Aunt Fang. But she uttered not a word. Instead, she committed to memory the questions asked by every palace maid and the respective responses from Aunt Fang. In her heart, she believed these were hints useful for the future. Once she absorbed all of this information, she¡¯d be able to track down her sister¡¯s murderer! ¡°Aunt Fang.¡± Jixiang, who stood next to Wei Yingluo, was however not as thorough of a thinker. She followed the other palace maids in shooting a question at Aunt Fang. And that question was of the same low standard as the rest of the bunch. ¡°Where is Noble Consort Hui going?¡± A cackle from Aunt Fang¡¯s direction. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business where the masters go! Now stop looking. Your eyes are about to fall off! None of you will ever have such a noble fate, so let¡¯s leave!¡± CH 9 Aunt Fang led the new palace maids to their living quarters. ¡°Those who pass the cleaning and embroidery assessments become true palace maids,¡± she said, sweeping her solemn gaze through the crowd. ¡°From now on you will all live here under my supervision.¡± The eyes of every palace maid darted around, taking in their new residence. The windows were free of dust, and the dormitory lacked neither tables nor chairs. Hanging from the wall was a painting of Guanyin1, countenance benign and hands holding an immaculate vase with a few shoots of willow. It did not seem like a place where servants lived, on par with the personal rooms of young misses from decent civilian families. Guanyin Especially with the two basins on the table, one holding yellow split peas desserts2, the other filled with kidney bean cakes3. In terms of taste and quality, the desserts from the royal kitchen were light years ahead of civilian pastry shops¡¯. Each treat was cute and bite-sized. Clear and exquisite. Upon closer inspection, there was an image of a bird on top every dessert, its feathers vivid, comparable to a work of art. Yellow Split Peas Dessert (W¨¡nd¨°u hu¨¢ng) Kidney Bean Cake (Y¨²nd¨°u g¨¡o) Jixiang swallowed the saliva threatening to dribble down her mouth. Her family was poor and they had sent her into the palace for that reason. To decrease the mouths needed to be fed by one. She had endured hunger many times in her short life, and because of this, these two basins of desserts attracted her attention more than Noble Consort Hui¡¯s jadeite bracelet did. Eyes glued to the treats, she asked, ¡°Aunt Fang, are these our evening snacks?¡± ¡°Yes, these were prepared for all of you.¡± As soon as Aunt Fang said this, Jixiang¡¯s face brightened with joy. ¡°But you can only look at them, not eat.¡± Once she comprehended Aunt Fang¡¯s additional words, Jixiang blurted, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°You entered the palace to serve others, not to be served like young misses,¡± Aunt Fang lectured, her tone cold enough to freeze. ¡°Your hands and feet must be nimble at all times, and your appearance must be kept neat. You must especially not have any foul odor. Or else, it will disrespect our masters. In that case, you will be punished, and I will not fare well either. Therefore, foods like fish are forbidden, and you can only eat until eight parts full. Otherwise, you will be using the bathroom too often.¡± This basically implied that they could not satisfy their hunger completely, much more indulge in an evening snack. ¡°It¡¯s no longer early. Go to bed.¡± Aunt Fang observed every palace maid in the room, her gaze landing on Jixiang for a moment. She narrowed her eyes. ¡°If I find even one piece missing tomorrow morning¡­¡± Jixiang lowered her head, pushing down those dangerous gluttonous thoughts. Everyone else followed in dropping their gaze until Aunt Fang left, like puppets with their strings held motionless. Then they ran for the beds, trying to stake their claim on their desired spots. ¡°I¡¯m sleeping here!¡± ¡°No, I was here first!¡± ¡°So it¡¯s yours since you said you wanted it?¡± Jixiang was a go-getter. As everyone was still fighting for the beds near the windows, she already leaped on top a warmed bed?, one in the best position in the room. With a smile, she waved. ¡°Come on!¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°Okay!¡± said Linglong, thinking Jixiang was calling for her. She thought it a blessing that they were from the same village. That Jixiang would take care of her. Just as she was about to lift her foot and walk over, she saw Jixiang waving her hand again and again, shouting, ¡° Yingluo, hurry over! I helped you grab a good spot!¡± Linglong¡¯s leg froze mid step. Embarrassment swelled within her. She felt as though every person in the room was looking at her, her face flushing as red as a tomato. Wei Yingluo caught sight of this scene. And she felt helpless. While Jixiang had a good heart, she had no filter; just a careless word and she would offend others. As such, Wei Yingluo decided that in the future, she would warn Jixiang about this. Unfortunately, she had been too busy today. Too exhausted. Grabbing her luggage, Wei Yingluo climbed on top the warm bed that Jixiang had saved for her, and Jixiang reached for her luggage to put it away. An affectionate smile tugged at her mouth as she said, ¡°Yingluo, thank you so much for today.¡± ¡°How big of a deal was it? You¡¯ve already thanked me for a whole day.¡± Wei Yingluo continued to scan the room. ¡°Oh right, are there only new palace maids living here?¡± ¡°Yes. What about it?¡± Jixiang asked doubtfully. ¡°Nothing.¡± A slight smile graced Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯m just thinking it¡¯ll be nice if they were one or two older palace maids here. They could teach us more about the rules. That way, we¡¯ll be less likely to accidentally commit a taboo in the future.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Jixiang¡¯s eyes shone with trust toward Wei Yingluo¡¯s words, an unshatterable kind. She sighed softly. Once again, her eyes trailed to the two basins of desserts on the table. ¡°If I weren¡¯t afraid of committing a taboo, I would have gobbled them all up already¡­¡± A snicker. Such a mean-sounding laugh was unique to its owner. Both Wei Yingluo and Jixiang turned to the source of the sound. They did not know when Jinxiu had arrived at their side. Jinxiu sent a smile Wei Yingluo¡¯s way, before turning to Jixiang. ¡°Are you really going to believe whatever she says? The way I see it, she¡¯s not interested in asking for rules at all. She just wants to ingratiate herself with Aunt Fang!¡± ¡°It¡¯s late,¡± said Wei Yingluo, not even sparing Jinxiu a look. She turned to face Jixiang. ¡°Let¡¯s set up our beds and go to sleep.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± In that moment, Jixiang resembled an obedient little girl, and immediately helped Wei Yingluo set up their beds, aligning their pillows straight and next to each other. And the two of them settled into slumber. Even if they did not immediately fall asleep, they were at the point in their relationship where they could whisper a conversation into the night. Jinxiu would have preferred for Wei Yingluo to retort than ignore her. She felt as though she were a clown talking to themselves. She dared not turn her head, afraid that if she did, she would catch sight of everyone laughing at her. Quickly, she reached for Wei Yingluo¡¯s arm, her voice hot with anger. ¡°Answer me!¡± ¡°What are you doing?¡± Jixiang shoved her away from Wei Yingluo. ¡°You¡¯re annoying! Big sister Yingluo¡¯s already tired, so can you just let her rest early?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to speak for her,¡± sneered Jinxiu. ¡°Do you really think she¡¯s helping you out of the goodness of her heart? Let me tell you, she was only using you to look better in front of General Manager Wu! You¡¯re just another stepping stone for her. We¡¯re all her stepping stones!¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± A hot-headed person, Jixiang hopped off her bed in the blink of an eye. Rolled up her sleeves. It looked like any moment and punches would go flying. ¡°Did I say anything wrong?¡± Jinxiu was unwilling to step into a physical altercation with a fool. These kinds of people would not hold back in a fight. She herself was delicate. So she quickly changed the topic of the conversation to Wei Yingluo. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then ask her. Today she was praised so heavily for helping you. Wasn¡¯t it done for her own sake?¡± Wei Yingluo shot Jinxiu an indifferent gaze. She was such a sneaky person, fond of scheming for benefit. It was impossible for Wei Yingluo not to see right through her. If she denied using Jixiang, then Jinxiu would spin a whole story to retort her. If she confirmed it, then she would have walked right into Jinxiu¡¯s trap. Therefore, Wei Yingluo continued to ignore her. She spread and laid out her duvet. Crawled underneath it. Her somewhat tired voice could be heard in such a position. ¡°Come here, Jixiang.¡± ¡°On my way.¡± Like a pet returning to her master, Jixiang swiftly left Jinxiu in the dust. Kicking off her shoes and socks, she also crawled under the duvet. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°Okay, so you¡¯re afraid to answer, right?¡± Once again, Jinxiu felt like she¡¯d become the air, totally invisible. Finally losing reason, she rushed toward the table with the desserts. Besides the two basins of desserts sat a large kettle, a shade of green so dark it almost appeared black. Holding the kettle, she approached the curled up figures of Wei Yingluo and Jixiang. And poured the tea all over Wei Yingluo. ¡°Ah!¡± Jixiang leaped out of the covers. ¡°Jinxiu, what are you doing?!¡± ¡°This is what she gets for using us as stepping stones!¡± Her lips were twisted into a huge grin. Finally, she turned around to address everyone. ¡°Tell me, isn¡¯t it right for me to do this?¡± From all over the room, the sound of laughter erupted. Each palace maid had something to say. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s completely warranted!¡± ¡°Who told her to use us like that!¡± ¡°She made our work look like trash!¡± ¡°From now on, you should remember this well! Don¡¯t use us as stepping stones anymore! Do you think by doing this, you can grab a quick promotion?¡± Wei Yingluo slowly crawled out of her duvet. She stroked the covers. They felt cold and hard to the touch, water having already soaked through its entirety. The night chill was nothing to scoff at, and the fog lay heavy. Using such a wet duvet might cause her to fall ill. After draining a moat to stop a fire, it was the fish that perished?. Because of Wei Yingluo¡¯s actions, innocent people were harmed. Namely, Jixiang, whom was also hit by the tea. Luckily, only a corner of her covers was drenched. She glared at the rest of the crowd. Pulled Wei Yingluo¡¯s arm close with her voice lowered. ¡°Big sister Yingluo, come sleep with me. We can share a duvet.¡± Wei Yingluo squeezed her duvet a few times. Suddenly, she lifted her head toward Jixiang. She smiled. ¡°Wait a second for me.¡± As soon as the words left her lips, she dropped the wet covers from her hand. Slipping on her embroidered shoes, she pushed the door open and left the dormitory. Once the door swung closed, the laughter permeating the room finally faded. Everyone shared a look. Apparent on their faces were their fear and guilty consciences. Before, Linglong did not help Wei Yingluo out in front of the crowd. At this time, she finally couldn¡¯t bear it anymore, and turned to Jinxiu with a worried frown. ¡°Why did you start trouble with her? I think she¡¯s going to report us to Aunt Fang.¡± Jinxiu felt distressed in her heart. But she still had a bit of smarts. Her pupils darted left and right, before she loudly said to the crowd, ¡°Hasn¡¯t she already used enough stepping stones today? Would she still have the guts to complain? We¡¯ve got so many people here. Why should we be afraid of her?¡± The eyes of every palace maid flashed with agreement. This explanation was reasonable enough. What the majority said became the truth, even if it wasn¡¯t in actuality?. Similarly, three people can become a tiger?. As long as everyone in the room said the same thing, that Wei Yingluo drenched her own duvet and framed Jinxiu for her own actions, then they wouldn¡¯t take the fall. She was only one person, whereas they were a crowd. Especially since Aunt Fang and Wei Yingluo had no prior relationship, who would Aunt Fang rather believe, but them? ¡°Jinxiu, you¡¯re too vicious!¡± Jixiang was so angry that she jumped off the bed, unable to restrain her sudden burst of energy. ¡°I hate you!¡± ¡°Is it me who¡¯s vicious or is it your big sister Yingluo who was born to be an eyesore?!¡± Jinxiu covered her smile with a hand. ¡°What do you guys all think?¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s Wei Yingluo that¡¯s an eyesore!¡± ¡°She¡¯s been an eyesore from the start!¡± ¡°It¡¯s only natural that such an ambitious and despicable? person would exploit us like this¡­¡± Laughter and shouts erupted throughout the room. Although Jixiang tried to argue with them, the strength of her two hands couldn¡¯t overcome the strength of two people. Much less, such a large crowd. Not to mention, Jixiang was not an eloquent speaker. She was terrible at debating, and couldn¡¯t beat them in spewing harsh words?. In the end, she felt like she had almost argued herself to death, her face flushed red. Breathing hard, she said, ¡°Y-you guys¡­¡± ¡°What about me? What are you trying to say?¡± Jinxiu shoved Jixiang into the wet covers. Furious, Jixiang pulled a fist back to punch Jinxiu in the face when she heard a splash. ¡°Ah!¡± Now Jinxiu resembled a drowned chicken. She turned her head and saw Wei Yingluo holding a bucket. Jinxiu felt her blood boil. ¡°What the hell are you doing?¡± Yet Wei Yingluo merely graced her with a slight smile. The bucket she was carrying was still half full. She splashed it as she ran, soaking everyone¡¯s covers. The sounds of screams filled the air. One by one the palace maids hopped off their beds and yelled, ¡°Yingluo, are you crazy?!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve gone too far!¡± ¡°Right, we only said two words to you, but you retaliate like this?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go inform Aunt Fang!¡± Jinxiu brought a hand to her face to wipe off the water. She was wet from head to toe, beads of cool liquid dripping down her body. Her glare was sharp enough to cut. As she lifted her leg to step out the door, she said, ¡°I¡¯m going to see how Aunt Fang reacts once she¡¯s learned what you did!¡± Now that the situation had come to this, Jixiang rushed to deescalate it. ¡°D-don¡¯t go everyone! Yingluo was just acting out of impulse! She didn¡¯t do this on purpose! Yingluo, hurry up and say something!¡± Wei Yingluo loosened her grip on the bucket¡¯s handle. The wooden bucket fell to the ground, already empty, rattling as it rolled towards Jinxiu¡¯s feet. ¡°Let them go,¡± said Wei Yingluo with another smile. ¡°Since they¡¯ll be the ones getting into trouble, not me.¡± Whew. Yingluo¡¯s so badass here haha. So I think I¡¯m going to set a more consistent release schedule. It¡¯ll be 4 regular chapters a month, released on the weekend. If you enjoyed this chapter, please leave a like or a comment below, or rate this novel on NU via Paypal [Prev] [ToC] [Next] CH 10 ¡°Go on,¡± said Wei Yingluo, pointing at the dormitory doors. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you here. So hurry up.¡± The doors were open, the night breeze rolling in with a wail. The crowd of palace maids that had been so eager to complain stopped moving in a flash, feet glued to the ground. ¡°Do you really think we won¡¯t go through with it?¡± Jinxiu said, before turning to the crowd. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± But no one followed her. Although they were jealous of Wei Yingluo, they were even more afraid of her. A short while ago1, because of Wei Yingluo, another palace maid had been expelled from the palace before the sun even set, hugging her blue luggage tight to her chest. Face full of tears. For the rest of her life, that girl could not take even half a step within the Forbidden City. Who would be willing to walk the same path as her? Wei Yingluo scanned the crowd, a cold laugh creeping in her heart. Each and every one of them were like tall stalks of grass, swaying whichever way the wind blew. If Jinxiu¡¯s argument was persuasive enough, then the maids would follow her to inform Aunt Fang. But if they felt Wei Yingluo was too hard to deal with, then they would abandon those thoughts. Her heavy glare weighed down on Jinxiu. In a nonchalant manner, Wei Yingluo said, ¡°So you feel that I¡¯m using you as stepping stones? I was just helping Jixiang. You could have helped her too. Each and every one of you could have helped her. Except, none of you chose to do so. That¡¯s why the person who was rewarded in the end was me. All you guys remember is that General Manager Wu praised me, but did any of you even think of assisting Jixiang?¡± ¡°You still think you¡¯re right when you helped someone cheat?¡± Jinxiu scoffed. ¡°Because I¡¯m such a nice person, I didn¡¯t expose you two. What Golden Fowl Peony Painting? Jixiang obviously embroidered a golden koi first¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Wei Yingluo voice was frigid as the arctic. ¡°I¡¯m too lazy to argue anymore. Just remember the kind of person I am. If you respect me, I¡¯ll respect you even more2. The way you¡¯re treating me today, I will repay you back a hundred times. So, good. Go. Everyone go find Aunt Fang!¡± ¡°You!¡± There was already an ember of fear flickering within Jinxiu¡¯s chest. But her mouth would never admit it. She angrily said, ¡°You really think I won¡¯t?¡± Jinxiu caught sight of Wei Yingluo¡¯s smile, the latter approaching her. ¡°You. What are you trying to do?¡± The ember of fear growing, Jinxiu retreated a few steps. Wei Yingluo thrust out a hand. Grabbed Jinxiu¡¯s upper arm. Jinxiu couldn¡¯t help but want to tear her arm away. ¡°What are you doing? Where are you trying to take me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m bringing you to see Aunt Fang.¡± Such a beautiful smile, enough to put flowers to shame. Wei Yingluo started to drag Jinxiu toward the doors. ¡°If we¡¯re any more late, I¡¯m afraid Aunt Fang would have already gone to bed.¡± As soon as she heard those words, Jinxiu¡¯s jaw dropped. She had thought Wei Yingluo was bluffing. Who knew she was actually serious? Unable to hold back her shock, Jinxiu said, ¡°Y-you really aren¡¯t afraid of Aunt Fang punishing you?¡± ¡°Afraid? Shouldn¡¯t you be the one who¡¯s afraid?¡± The smile never left Wei Yingluo¡¯s face. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve already forgotten about that girl who was kicked out? ¡®The masters hate this type of gossiping fools the most.¡¯ This was what General Manager Wu said. Did you forget already?¡± Jinxiu shuddered. That maid¡¯s gloomy retreating figure flashed before her eyes. ¡°When have I gossiped? Everything that happened tonight was your fault. Everyone here is a witness¡­¡± The words tumbled out of her mouth quick as lightning. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°And then what?¡± Wei Yingluo currently felt some pity for her. ¡°Do you really think Aunt Fang has time to talk to you? To investigate who is right and wrong? We all live in the same place. If one of us stirs trouble, we¡¯ll all get punished. We¡¯ll get expelled from the palace. Do you believe me or not?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t¡­¡± Jinxiu said weakly. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, then why don¡¯t we go and find out?¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s smile grew more confident, and she continued to drag Jinxiu by the arm out of the dormitory. Frightened, Jinxiu struck a hand out toward a passing pillar, grabbing on to it. The other palace maids shared a look. One by one they rushed over, latching onto Wei Yingluo¡¯s hands and waist. Another maid slammed the doors shut. Then everyone said at once, ¡°Yingluo, don¡¯t do this. It¡¯s already so late. You¡¯ll be disturbing Aunt Fang¡¯s rest. Are you tired of living?¡± ¡°Exactly! It¡¯s just a few covers. No need to bring the superiors into this.¡± ¡°Ah, when it comes down to it, Jinxiu¡¯s the one who started the mess. Jinxiu, just apologize to Yingluo. Wouldn¡¯t the matter end here?¡± As said before, they were like tall stalks of grass, swaying whichever way the wind blew. Wei Yingluo¡¯s words, that they would all share punishment if one person got in trouble, had frightened them to the bones. More specifically, if they blew up the incident, everyone would suffer. Every palace maid flipped around, now facing Jinxiu instead of Wei Yingluo, their anger and accusations turned toward the former3. Even if she did nothing, Jinxiu would still suffer consequences?. The complaints toward Jinxiu shot out one after the other, so much that her face became red one second and white the other. In the end, she was forced into a corner. She lowered her head to apologize to Wei Yingluo. ¡°I admit my mistakes. So let go, Yingluo. I won¡¯t speak of this matter anymore.¡± ¡°Are you under the impression that if you apologize, I¡¯ll sweep this under the rug? Do you really think I¡¯m that easy to appease?¡± Jinxiu felt as though her belly was full of resentment, eyes glistening with unshed tears. She shrieked, ¡°Then what do you want from me? Want to slap me a few times? Fine, go ahead¡ª¡± Heavy knocks sounded from the door. ¡°It¡¯s already halfway into the night. What¡¯s with all that noise?¡± Aunt Fang¡¯s voice could be heard from outside. ¡°Open the door!¡± The palace maids were scared silly. Their gazes converged on Wei Yingluo. In that moment, they all saw her as the leader, waiting for instructions. ¡°Coming!¡± said Wei Yingluo. Then she turned to the rest of the palace maids, her voice down to a whisper. ¡°What are you waiting for? Clean up the mess and hide the bucket. I¡¯ll take care of the rest.¡± After her order, everyone did as they were told. They quickly hid the wooden bucket underneath the beds. Unfortunately, they weren¡¯t able to find a mop in that span of time, and two palace maids knelt to dry off the puddles with their handkerchiefs. Meanwhile, Wei Yingluo brought her hands to her hair, undoing the bun. She made herself look as though she had just crawled out of bed, groggy and with sleep still lingering from her lashes. She pulled the doors open. ¡°Aunt Fang, it¡¯s late. Why have you come?¡± ¡°You guys made such a racket that I could even hear it from five kilometers away?,¡± said Aunt Fang, entering the dormitory. She observed every palace maid. ¡°How do you expect me to sleep? You all are not sleeping and talking so late. What are you even talking about?¡± ¡°Nothing much,¡± Wei Yingluo said, the picture of calmness. ¡°I just accidentally knocked over the kettle and got the covers wet. Everyone else was trying to figure out what to do.¡± ¡°Why are you so careless?¡± Aunt Fang¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°Just dry it outside tomorrow. You can flip the covers over tonight. Remember, don¡¯t cause a ruckus anymore, or else you all will be punished. Understood?¡± The crowd of palace maids said, ¡°Yes!¡± Then the door slammed shut. Everyone let out a breath of relief. After that, they all lost interest and suddenly succumbed to exhaustion?. Several of them crawled into their beds. This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Jinxiu did the same. In trying to steal the chicken, she lost the rice instead?. Originally, she had wanted to cause Wei Yingluo trouble, but in the end she was the one who got her face slapped. She did not realize her own faults and actions. Instead, it was because of tonight¡¯s matter that she nurtured a true hatred toward Wei Yingluo¡­ Sooner or later I¡¯ll get you back. All of a sudden, she saw a hand reaching out, pulling off her covers. Fear abruptly pierced her heart. She whipped her head around and said, ¡°Wei Yingluo, why are you taking my covers?¡± With the flick of a hand, Wei Yingluo tossed own wet covers on Jinxiu¡¯s bed. Then she repeated Aunt Fang¡¯s words. ¡°Just dry it outside tomorrow. You can flip the covers over tonight.¡± ¡°You wish!¡± Thrusting a hand out, Jinxiu tried to recover her own dry duvet. ¡°Give me back my covers! Hold it right there¡­ Where are you going?¡± Wei Yingluo did not fight her over it. Instead, she let go and made her way toward the doors. ¡°I¡¯m going to see Aunt Fang.¡± The rest of the palace maids did not agree to her action. They swarmed Jinxiu and angrily said, ¡°Are you done yet?¡± ¡°Do you want to get us all involved?¡± ¡°Just give it to her! Give it to her!¡± Jinxiu had no choice but to reluctantly hand over her covers, biting her lip until it drew blood. ¡°Take it!¡± ¡°Place it on my bed for me. Make sure it¡¯s spread properly,¡± Wei Yingluo lazily said, standing with her hands clasped behind her back. Do you think I¡¯m your servant? Jinxiu¡¯s head spun from anger. Her breathing became harsh and jagged, and she unwillingly hopped off her bed. She tossed her dry duvet at Wei Yingluo¡¯s bed. Then she rushed back to her own, throwing the wet covers over her head, trembling. Perhaps she had broken into tears beneath it. As Wei Yingluo took her time to climb into her bed, she swept her gaze through the room. Most of the palace maids avoided her eyes. With Jinxiu as a prime example, the rest of them would certainly not cause trouble for now. Once the lights went off, Jixiang shuffled close. ¡°Yingluo,¡± she said, voice soft by Wei Yingluo¡¯s ear. ¡°You¡¯re incredible.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re soft, you¡¯ll get trampled on. The horse could be mounted because it was gentle. If you don¡¯t want to be bullied, then you¡¯ll have to be ruthless sometimes.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s speech was uttered in a lazy manner. Jixiang nodded, somewhat understanding and somewhat confused. Whether she absorbed what Wei Yingluo said was anyone¡¯s guess. A few moments later, Wei Yingluo¡¯s ears caught the telltale breath of a snore. She turned her head toward Jixiang. The young lady was already deep in slumber. A helpless smile graced Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips. She helped pull the covers over Jixiang. Truly still a child. Even in sleep she was naughty, having kicked off her duvet earlier, unafraid of catching a cold in the night. ¡°I really envy you.¡± She reached a hand to touch the baby-like face. It was like touching her cheerful and simple self from the past. Several hours passed in the night. Wei Yingluo tossed and turned in bed, unable to grasp the coattails of slumber. In the end, she gave up trying. She could only open her eyes and study the dark ceiling. I¡¯ve finally entered the embroidery workshop. But regarding my elder sister¡¯s matters, where should I start investigating? The distance between the embroidery workshop and the emperor was too far. She would never be able to lay eyes on him. Although her embroidery had a chance of meeting him, what was the use in that? Her true motive wasn¡¯t to wholeheartedly be a good palace maid. It was to find out who murdered her sister. ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Take it slow,¡± she said to herself. ¡°First, I have to gather all the evidence¡­ There are two types of people that are the most knowledgeable in palace affairs. One is the palace maids with seniority. The other is those with high status. I need to figure out a way to meet them¡­¡± A person who has worked here for a while. Aunt Fang came to mind. And someone with a high status was¡­ The image of a jadeite bead bracelet flashed before her eyes. CH 11 The door groaned open. A hand with a jadeite prayer bracelet swept to the right, knocking off a precious white-glaze eight immortals vase from the table. Such an imperial treasure that took three years to make was reduced to a pile of trash. Concubine Jia witnessed this scene upon entering the room. A few shards landed by her feet, and she retreated a few steps from fear. Her voice trembled a bit as she said, ¡°Your Majesty, the Noble Consort, why the sudden burst of anger?¡± Chuxiu Palace1 was something out of a dream, exquisite and noble in appearance. Especially with a display cabinet of famous antiques. Inside was full to the brim of gold, silver, and jade. Full of antique vases that cost more than a life and treasures that couldn¡¯t be properly described with words. A jade pillow used by Lady Shi of the West2, the pipa used by Wang Zhaojun3, the dangling night pearl earrings worn by Diaochan?, the rainbow basin that Noble Consort Yang? often used to hold lychees. All of this was shoved to the ground by Noble Consort Hui. Breathing hard, she said, ¡°It¡¯s none of your business! Get out! Scram as far as you can!¡± Concubine Jia helplessly retreated. She pulled aside a palace maid standing by the door. ¡°What happened?¡± The palace maid softly said, ¡°Honored person? has no idea. Noble Consort was fine just a while ago, but as soon as she received a painting from His Majesty, the Ban Ji¡¯s Refusal?, Her Majesty became like this.¡± Concubine Jia thought for a moment, then started to push the door open to walk inside again. With a smile, she said, ¡°Your Majesty, I heard that the emperor gifted you the painting ¡®Ban Ji¡¯s Refusal.¡¯ Congratulations!¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to congratulate?¡± Noble Consort Hui was so angry her face was turning green. ¡°Emperor Cheng of Han invited Ban Jie Yu to ride his large palanquin with him. But she refused him. Because of this, the commoners and the high-ranked officials knew her as Consort Xian?. So the emperor is warning me to be a Consort who knows and abides by protocol!¡± Concubine Jia said, ¡°Your Majesty, you¡¯ve been mistaken¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s all for the sake of that woman!¡± Noble Consort Hui knocked down another jade basin. Then she paced about in the room, her face full of anxious resentment. ¡°As soon as she entered the palace, she became the Qing dynasty¡¯s most noble empress. Her annual allowance is fifty kilograms of silver?. That¡¯s twenty kilograms more than me. Changchun Palace uses utensils made of pure gold. Chuxiu Palace is stuck using silver. She gets to use a Yijia procession. I¡¯m stuck using a Yizhang! Even for the holidays gifts, I also get less than her! Fine! This palace1? can let those slide. Back then in Yanhui Loft, I was standing close to His Majesty. A grown adult, yet he still could not see me! Both his eyes and his heart could only see that woman! If I can endure this, then what can I not endure11? The emperor gifted me this painting to tell me I have overstepped my boundaries! That I have bullied his precious empress!¡± ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Concubine Jia rushed over, her voice soft and calming. ¡°You¡¯ve misunderstood His Majesty¡¯s intentions.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Noble Consort Hui arched a brow. She sent a sideways glance Concubine Jia¡¯s direction. ¡°Explain. How did I misunderstand him?¡± ¡°His Majesty did not only bestow the ¡®Banji¡¯s Refusal.¡¯ Zhongcui Palace received ¡®Empress Xu¡¯s Case¡¯12 and Qixiang Palace received ¡®Empress Jiang Unravels Her Hair¡¯13. Even the empress received a painting, the ¡®Tai Si Teaching Her Sons,1?¡¯¡± said Concubine Jia. Noble Consort Hui asked, ¡°She got one too? What is the meaning of the ¡®Tai Si Teaching Her Sons¡¯ painting?¡± ¡°In this Imperial Concubine¡¯s1? opinion, His Majesty wants for the harem to imitate the virtues of those women displayed in the paintings,¡± said Concubine Jia, smiling. Not quite answering the question. ¡°Why should Your Majesty get upset because of this?¡± Hearing that the empress also received a painting, Noble Consort Hui had her bad mood decrease by half. She sat down on her chair. The maid next to her quickly gave Noble Consort Hui a cup of tea. After she took a sip, the corners of her lips tilted upward. She graced Concubine Jia with a slow smile. ¡°You have quite a glib tongue, always saying what this palace wants to hear.¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Concubine Jia averted her gaze, looking down. ¡°This Imperial Concubine doesn¡¯t dare, and is only helping Your Majesty relieve stress.¡± ¡°Keep talking.¡± Noble Consort Hui ordered. ¡°This palace does not believe His Majesty gave those paintings without an intention behind it. In your opinion, what is His Majesty¡¯s intention?¡± For palace maids to survive in the Forbidden City, they must be observant, clever, and pay attention to what they hear. When the masters, those at the top of the hierarchy, cough once, those on the bottom must discern the meaning behind the cough just by the sound. Were the masters thirsty or sick? Should they give the masters tea or medicine? The emperor had only bestowed a few paintings, yet the receivers of the paintings were left pondering until the next day. Concubine Jia spent a moment to gather her thoughts. Then she said, ¡°His Majesty bestowed twelve paintings all at once. If this Imperial Concubine were to guess, these twelve paintings stand for the virtues the emperor wants to see in his women. For example, ¡®Consort Xu¡¯s Blunt Refute of the Emperor¡¯ illustrates his hopes that his concubines would tell him when he has wronged. When the Tang dynasty¡¯s Emperor Taizong committed a mistake, his Consort Xu bluntly told him what his mistake was. And ¡®Empress Cao¡¯s Physiocracy¡¯1?¡­¡± ¡°¡®Empress Cao¡¯s Physiocracy?¡¯¡± As soon as Noble Consort Hui heard the painting¡¯s name, she burst into laughter. The jeweled hanging ornaments in her hair trembled. ¡°Who¡¯s the one with such bad luck to get this painting? Does His Majesty want her to tend a field?¡± ¡°He hopes that that person will be like Emperor Renzong¡¯s Empress Cao of the Song dynasty. Dressing plainly, living frugally, and paying attention to agriculture,¡± said Concubine Jia. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal. This Imperial Concubine has heard that another person received the painting, ¡®Consort Blocking a Bear1?.¡¯¡± ¡°Oh my! This palace¡¯s stomach!¡± Noble Consort Hui held her stomach as she laughed. She rocked back and forth in her seat. Any more and she would have fallen off. ¡°So who was this person? Did His Majesty warn her not to block people, to not think the bear is blind?¡± ¡°His Majesty hopes the receiver of this painting is like its topic, Consort Feng. During times of danger, she will use her life to protect the emperor.¡± After Concubine Jia explained all twelve paintings, Noble Consort Hui once again held her stomach as she laughed uncontrollably. A thoughtful gleam to her eyes, she said, ¡°So if that¡¯s the case, this means His Majesty wants us to be beautiful, frugal, practice filial piety, and kill tigers and bears with our bare hands?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Concubine Jia. The smile never left her lips until now. ¡°Your Majesty is very smart, understanding it in one shot.¡± Noble Consort Hui sucked in a laugh. Then she lost interest and leaned back in her seat. She tilted her head toward the ceiling, and muttered, ¡°So does he want a woman or a god?¡± Tonight, sleep would escape everyone. Some people would toss and turn in bed. Others would anxiously wonder if the painting was supposed to resemble themselves. In Yangxin Palace1?, the most noble person under the heavens also had not gone to bed, still reading memorials under the candlelight. Candlelight cast a shade of gold upon his profile. Under such a light, he seemed divine. His demeanor serious, as one looking down at the world from the peak1?. The servants of the palace respectfully obeyed his every order, hoping that he would cast them a glance once. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Li Yu, a head eunuch who had worked in the palace for a long time, approached Emperor Hongli. He held a tray in his hand. ¡°The empress has sent over some evening snacks. Your Majesty should take a break.¡± Sitting on the tray was a bowl of Rock Candy Pear Soup2?. Emperor Hongli took a few sips. It tasted clear and sweet. He leaned against his chair, closed his eyes, and said, ¡°Did anything out of the ordinary happen these past few days?¡± Rock Candy Pear Soup ¡°What does Your Majesty want to know?¡± said Li Yu with a smile. ¡°Anything is fine,¡± Emperor Hongli said in a lazy manner. ¡°Did anything interesting happen in the harem? Tell Us so that We will wake up.¡± Although the imperial harem seemed large, in reality it wasn¡¯t. There were only a few masters. The majority of the population was made up of palace maids and eunuchs. And Li Yu was the head of most of the eunuchs. Because of this, he had a lot of eyes and ears in the palace. Most of the secrets were not secrets in his position. For him, such a large inner courtyard was like a wall with many holes. This was one of the reasons why Emperor Hongli liked to use him often. As long as Li Yu was there, the emperor was privy to all that happened in the imperial harem. ¡°If we¡¯re talking about the harem, all the masters are losing sleep over the same reason.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Emperor Hongli¡¯s eyes were still closed, arms crossed in front of his chest. ¡°What¡¯s the reason?¡± ¡°The source of their worry are the paintings Your Majesty bestowed¡­¡± Li Yu briefly summarized Noble Consort Hui¡¯s concerns. If she were here, she would definitely shake from fear, because of the ruckus she made. In less than two hours, Li Yu told the emperor everything. Noble Consort¡¯s words, expressions, and actions had all been laid bare for the emperor to see. ¡°¡­This is the entire case from Chuxiu Palace. Because of the painting ¡®Banji¡¯s Refusal,¡¯ Noble Consort Hui threw a huge tantrum.¡± ¡°When has she not thrown a tantrum?¡± Emperor Hongli said disinterestedly. ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°At Consort Xian¡¯s side, her mother came over and told her to increase the pillow talk with Your Majesty. So that her father can get promoted. But Consort Xian refused, saying that the harem must not interfere with court politics,¡± said Li Yu with a sigh. ¡°Her mother left in a fury. Consort Xian did not stop her. Then she hung the painting bestowed to her, lit an incense, and prayed. ¡®First, I pray that my husband will have a long life; second, I pray to be healthy; third, I pray that my husband and I will be happy together, that we may meet often.¡¯¡± Emperor Hongli opened his eyes for a second, then closed them again. ¡°¡­What about the empress?¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°Her Majesty, the empress was not in a good mood,¡± said Li Yu. ¡°Although she did not say anything, her two personal servant girls hid away to talk among themselves. They said¡­¡± He looked conflicted. Impatient, Emperor Hongli pressed on, ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°They said¡­ The painting is to tell the empress not to let what happened three years ago depress her. To instruct the empress not be apathetic about everything.¡± As Li Yu reached this part in his report, he carefully sneaked a peak at Emperor Hongli¡¯s expression. Three years ago, the empress¡¯ son, the second prince, suddenly passed away, The love between a mother and a son was very strong. The empress became a shell of herself after his death. It wasn¡¯t until this year that her mood finally saw a slight increase. Although in other people¡¯s eyes, she appeared to love the emperor dearly, Li Yu knew that in reality, the two of them drifted apart because of what had happened. A crack had formed in their relationship. Naturally, this brought the emperor a headache. He no longer wanted to think about this matter. As soon as Li Yu saw the emperor furrow his brow, he quickly dropped the topic. He could guess what the emperor was thinking from his expression. ¡°Your Majesty, if this slave may be so bold, do these twelve paintings represent what Your Majesty desires from the concubines?¡± Emperor Hongli lightly shook his head. He drank the last half of the Rock Candy Pear Soup in one gulp, then he continued reading the memorials. He did not seem to be paying them much attention, unlike before when had he focused solely on his work. Li Yu dared to continue speaking, albeit hesitantly, prodding the waters. ¡°Your Majesty, this slave is at the very least half a man, and has seen many women in the Forbidden City! These women are very beautiful, with curves in all the right places, and are even proficient in poetry and song. Flute and pipa21 and guqin22. For women to be this talented is already rare! Where can one find a thousand virtues in a single person?¡± Pipa Guqin ¡°We felt they were too leisurely,¡± Emperor Hongli said, without even lifting his head from his work. Once he heard this, Li Yu couldn¡¯t help but grunt in surprise. ¡°If they¡¯re too free, they¡¯ll make trouble to entertain themselves.¡± A slight smile formed on the emperor¡¯s lips. A mischievous smile. It washed away the serious expression on his face prior. ¡°The paintings that We bestowed will keep them busy for a while.¡± The entire imperial harem wracked their brains to figure out the meaning of the twelve paintings. But in the end, they could not arrive at an answer. In fact, the answer to this question even evaded Li Yu for a moment. He muttered, ¡°What¡¯s the use of thinking hard for just a while?¡± Emperor Hongli burst into laughter. He rolled up the parchment in his hands, and tapped it a few times on Li Yu¡¯s head. ¡°Because most people are as dumb as you, they will only come to the conclusion that We are reminding them to have good conduct and be virtuous23. And in order to live up to my imagination, they will need a few days to determine how to please me. This should give Us a few days of peace and quiet!¡± A gasp of surprise left Li Yu¡¯s lips. ¡°Your Majesty is messing with them!¡± Loud laughter filled Yangxin Palace. The imperial guards at the front shared a look, puzzled by the cause of the emperor¡¯s hearty laughter. CH 12 A low ranked eunuch entered Yanxi Hall, making a beeline for Noble Consort Hui¡¯s side. He whispered into her ear one sentence. ¡°The emperor is laughing.¡± Noble Consort Hui nodded, then nodded again to her personal palace maids. One of them brought the eunuch aside and placed some money into his hands. Li Yu wasn¡¯t the only one who had eyes and ears in the palace. Noble Consort Hui also did. Those who delivered useful information to her were generously rewarded. Like right now. Although the low ranked eunuch only gave her four words, each word was worth its weight in gold. Since His Majesty has laughed, his mood tonight should not be bad.Noble Consort Hui sought to hang on to that thread of hope. Probably¡­ ¡°Your Majesty, has there been any good news?¡± Concubine Jia asked with a smile. Noble Consort Hui glanced at her without responding. Then she smiled as well. ¡°Not really.¡± In Yanxi Hall, other than herself, there were also Consort Xian, Consort Yi, and Noble Lady Wan present. These imperial concubines assembled themselves by rank, sitting in their designated seats. This wasn¡¯t a nighttime meeting. Rather, they were waiting for Emperor Hongli to choose one of them for the night. Every night was the same. The servants would send a tray of each imperial concubine¡¯s name tag to Yangxin Palace, each top of the name tag verdant. As the imperial concubines waited, backs straight as a ramrod, they craned their necks to see farther down the exit. In each of their hearts burned an ember of hope. ¡°His Majesty hasn¡¯t chosen anyone in a while,¡± said Concubine Jia. Seeing that Noble Consort Hui would not answer, she had changed the topic. She sighed. ¡°Would he also spend tonight alone?¡± Everyone was worried that this statement might hold true. Even Noble Consort Hui found the mood heavy. One must not think Noble Consort Hui¡¯s status as high. Even though in the imperial harem, whatever she said became the truth whether it was in reality1, and the empress sometimes had to watch her expression when making decisions, Noble Consort Hui had one glaring Achilles¡¯ Heel¡ªshe lacked a son. Beautiful women were like flowers, growing older each year. One day, she too would grow old. And in the imperial harem, what was not in shortage the most was beautiful young women. Young elegant ladies2. At that time, would the emperor still flip her name tag? Of course not. I hope to have a child¡­ Noble Consort Hui could not help but think that to herself. Once the son you had raised grew up, he would take care of you in return. This was the case for civilians, and even more so in the imperial palace. Otherwise, once the imperial concubines grew old, who would take care of them? Even if the sons weren¡¯t the smartest, they would still be a first-ranked prince3 and back up their aging mothers. If an imperial concubine was lucky, she¡¯d give birth to a clever son, a son that was both talented and virtuous. And the emperor would like him. In such a case, even the position of empress dowager wouldn¡¯t be impossible to grasp in the future. Noble Consort Hui rubbed her empty abdomen and was unwilling to let anyone know the news she had heard. How she wanted for her words to be the final decision. That way, she could have the emperor choose her name tag. She really wished that Li Yu would just hand her name tag to the emperor. The longer she waited, the more worried she became. Noble Consort Hui rubbed at her fake nails?, casually asking, ¡°Has anyone seen Consort Chun?¡± Fake nails. ¡°Your Majesty, Consort Chun caught a cold. She is still unwell and could not come tonight,¡± Concubine Jia said. She always seemed knowledgeable of most matters. Noble Consort Hui glanced at her again and lazily said, ¡°One year consists of 365 days. That Consort Chun would be sick for half of that time. She¡¯s like an ill Lady Shi of the West.¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. ¡°Your Majesty is right,¡± said Noble Lady Ying, attempting form a relationship with Noble Consort Hui. ¡°Consort Chun¡¯s body is weaker than most. She falls ill every two to three days. Yesterday we were talking about going to visit her.¡± ¡°Why go?¡± Noble Consort Hui¡¯s smile did not quite meet her eyes. ¡°The empress will take care of Consort Chun. Why should you and I be concerned?¡¯ Those words startled Noble Lady Ying, and she did not know how to respond. A weak ¡®yes¡¯ escaped her lips. Seeing that Noble Consort Hui had reprimanded her, the rest of the imperial concubines dared not speak more than ever. Each and every one of them wanted someone more powerful to back them up. Each and every one of them wanted the support of Noble Consort Hui. But her moods were spontaneous. They had a hard time figuring out her moods, her likes and dislikes. If they angered her by accident, the rest of their days in the palace would be difficult. Noble Consort Hui played with her fake nails, and suddenly said, ¡°Where is Noble Lady Yu? Everyone in the room stayed silent. Noble Consort Hui lifted her gaze, directed it to a beautiful green-clad woman. ¡°Concubine Yi, I¡¯m asking you. Where is your good friend Noble Lady Yu?¡± In the imperial harem, not everyone fought each other. There were also some who forged bonds of friendship like Noble Lady Yu and Concubine Yi. Although they weren¡¯t sisters by blood, they acted like they were. They helped each other and comforted each other. Concubine Yi quickly schooled her emotions and kept her expression natural. She rose to her feet. ¡°Responding to Your Majesty, Noble Lady Yu is not feeling well and has already reported that she would be absent¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Noble Consort Hui rested her head on a hand. ¡°Another frail person¡­¡± She only asked this to past time. But now that she had caught Concubine Yi¡¯s nervous expression, this had lit an ember of suspicion. Before Concubine Yi could come up with an elaboration on Noble Lady Yu¡¯s absence, Concubine Jia smiled. ¡°Looks like recently a bout of sickness? has hit Yangxin Palace. People are getting sick one by one. To prevent this, we should have the imperial physicians prescribe preventative medicine for everyone.¡± ¡°Where is Noble Lady Yu?¡± Noble Consort Hui asked, staring straight at Concubine Yi. ¡°Should we summon an imperial physician to check on her?¡± Perhaps aware that Noble Consort Hui had caught sight of her previous nervous actions, Concubine Yi tried her best to seem calm. ¡°This concubine had wanted to send an imperial physician over, but since young, Rong? doesn¡¯t like to eat medicine. She only has a light cough, nothing too serious. After resting for a few days, she will be fine¡­¡± As Concubine Yi had spoken, Noble Consort Hui¡¯s eyes never left her, gaze sharp. Frightening. As if any second now and it would slice her brain in half, to unearth what was hidden inside. At that moment, the doors opened. The head eunuch Li Yu entered Yanxi Hall. Noble Consort Hui¡¯s attention shifted to him, and she and the rest of the imperial concubines rose from their seats. Their gazes converged at Li Yu. Li Yu¡¯s clothes were plain green, free of other colors and patterns. Resting on his arm was a fly whisk?. He saluted to the imperial concubines. Then, as their eyes were full of hope watching him, they heard from his mouth the two words they did not want to hear the most. ¡°Please depart.¡± A fly whisk. These two words shattered their hopes. The higher their hopes, the larger their disappointment. Especially so was Noble Consort Hui. She was one of the most disappointed. She couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why is the emperor spending the night alone again?¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Li Yu smiled. ¡°Your Majesty, the Noble Consort, the emperor¡¯s work has piled high into a mountain, and as such he needs to utilize the whole night to finish. Today Your Majesties and Your Highnesses need not wait to be called.¡± A cold smile slid across Noble Consort Hui¡¯s lips. Once she left for the door, Concubine Yi let out a sigh of relief. The rest of the imperial concubines saluted after the departing figure of Noble Consort Hui. ¡°These imperial concubines will send off Noble Consort Hui!¡± Night stretching on, every imperial concubine returned to their palaces to sleep. But as one group went off to bed, another roused from slumber. In the palace maid dormitories, someone slammed a heavy ruler down. ¡°Ah!¡± ¡°It really hurts!¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Pitiful cries filled the room. The little palace maids were smacked awake by the ruler. Because there were two girls to a bed, when one of them woke up from the pain, their first thought was to yell at their bed partner. But once they opened their eyes, what came into view was the cold expression of Aunt Fang. Their flames of anger were immediately extinguished. Each palace maid crawled out of bed like a frightened bird. They respectfully said, ¡°Aunt.¡± Aunt Fang held a ruler in her right hand. It was coarse and long, like the leg of a chair. She tapped the tip of the ruler on her left palm, sweeping her gaze through the crowd. Finally, it stopped in front of Jixiang. Aunt Fang¡¯s words were cold enough to freeze. ¡°In what position do you sleep?¡± Dumbstruck, Jixiang lifted a hand to wipe the drool on her mouth. With a forced smile, she said, ¡°What other way is there to sleep? Just lying down is enough.¡± ¡°Who told you to sleep like that? To lie on your back is to yell at the heavens and curse at the gods! The heavens will give you retribution! The palace does not have such servants that do not follow protocol! Everyone get back in bed and resume sleeping!¡± Everyone shared a look until Aunt Fang smacked Jixiang with the ruler. ¡°Hurry up!¡± They all scrambled into bed?. Because of Aunt Fang¡¯s previous words, they no longer dared to lie on their backs. They either slept on their sides or bellies. Yet in the end, Aunt Fang still didn¡¯t let them off, generously granting everyone a smack of her ruler. ¡°You! Point your legs toward the Gate of Divine Prowess?! ¡°And you, bend your left arm over your waist! ¡°Those who fail to have a proper sleeping position deserve to be hit!¡± The heavy ruler smacked down like the rain, both hands and feet fair game. Some of the younger palace maids were hit until they had to hold back tears. But they dared not cry. They could only bite their lips as if no tomorrow, and then follow Aunt Fang¡¯s orders as best as they could. It wasn¡¯t until everyone slept on their sides in the same direction, as if they were ceramic dolls that had come out of a kiln, that Aunt Fang finally put away her ruler. They sneaked a glance at her. She coldly said,¡°Remember this sleeping position. Don¡¯t forget even when you¡¯re sleeping. Go!¡± Finished speaking, Aunt Fang left with the two head palace maids she had brought with her. Once she was gone, the palace maids finally allowed themselves to cry softly. Afraid that Aunt Fang might hear, each of them had tried to muffle their sobs with their hands, the sounds slipping through the gaps between their fingers. ¡°Yingluo.¡± Jixiang rolled up her sleeves, eyes misty as she looked at Wei Yingluo. ¡°Aunt hit me so hard that it hurts so much. Help me check out the injuries. Are the backs of my hands already bruised?¡± It was dark inside the dormitory, not a single light lit. There was only the dim glow of the moon sneaking through the cloth window panes. Wei Yingluo could not see the back of Jixiang¡¯s hands clearly. Even if they were bruised, what could she do? The hierarchy of the palace was extremely strict. If head palace maids wanted to hit regular palace maids, it was a natural occurrence. There was no room to complain. ¡°Yingluo.¡± Jixiang secretly pushed her covers toward Wei Yingluo, like a child who had been hit and was looking for comfort from her family. ¡°Can you hug me to sleep?¡± Wei Yingluo touched her face and smiled gently toward her. ¡°Can¡¯t.¡± Seeing her smile, Jixiang thought she would agree with her. Who knew she would get a response that was the complete opposite? Surprised, Jixiang asked, ¡°Why?¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s gaze was clear and bright. She decisively said, ¡°Because Aunt Fang will return. CH 13 Smack! A little palace maid screamed, falling off her bed. Two head palace maids each held a candle stick, the light at the tips of the wicks flickering. Half of Aunt Fang¡¯s face was lit, the other half masked in shadows, giving her the appearance of a ghost or demon. Again and again she swung the coarse ruler in her grip, striking the maid curled into a ball on the ground. ¡°Who told you to speak!? Who told you to speak!?¡± ¡°Please stop hitting me, Aunt! Please stop!¡± The palace maid shielded her head with her hands. She sobbed. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to! I can¡¯t control my snores! Ow, ow!¡± While Aunt Fang embarked on a rampage, the other palace maids stayed still in the proper sleeping position. None of them dared to move. The two head palace maids also held rulers as they patrolled the sleeping quarters, watching each of them like a hawk. To see which one of them would become the next perpetrator. ¡°By palace protocol, one must not make a noise when sleeping. If you make even a peep during night duty, not only will the masters have you beaten to death, but I will also not escape punishment.¡± Aunt Fang striked the palace maid with the ruler mercilessly. ¡°If you can¡¯t fix this habit of yours, then I¡¯ll hit you until it¡¯s fixed!¡± The strikes continued for a while. Perhaps Aunt Fang had gotten tired, for she eventually stopped her hand. She breathed hard, one arm resting on her waist. Then directed her frigid gaze at everyone. ¡°Get up! It¡¯s time to start your duties!¡± Those skeptical it was morning peered out the window. A pitch back sky, dark as freshly ground ink. If they reached an arm out, it would be akin to submerging their arm in a vat of ink; even the tips of their fingers would not be discernible. ¡°A-aunt, it¡¯s just past midnight1,¡± a palace maid couldn¡¯t help but say. ¡°The doors to the embroidery workshop haven¡¯t even opened yet.¡± But Aunt Fang shot her a glance and she no longer dared to speak, quickly climbing down the bed. Her actions were too forceful, and she almost fell off instead. From the dormitory, the ruffling of cloth could be heard from the dormitory, the palace maids swiftly putting on their uniforms. They feared if they were too slow, then Aunt Fang or the other head palace maids would strike them hard. ¡°Aunt, I¡¯m dressed,¡± said Jinxiu, ever the honor student. This time was no different. She had been the first to finish dressing and then quickly jogged to Aunt Fang. She said obediently, ¡°Are we going to the embroidery workshop now?¡± ¡°The doors to the embroidery workshop have yet to open, so what are you going there for?¡± Hearing Aunt Fang¡¯s cold response, Jinxiu was put in a daze. ¡°Then we¡­¡± ¡°The tasks provided in the embroidery workshop are jobs. Running errands for me is also a job,¡± said Aunt Fang, scanning the room. ¡°Who is Wei Yingluo?¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze converged at the person in question. ¡°I am.¡± Her expression did not so much as change. She broke through the crowd, making her way to Aunt Fang. Aunt Fang glanced at the two head palace maids that she had brought with her. One of them walked forward. Shoved several sets of clothes at Wei Yingluo¡¯s chest. ¡°According to Granny Zhang, your skill in embroidery is the best in the group,¡± said Aunt Fang. ¡°Stitch designs appropriate for each holiday to all of the collars, sleeves, and foot ends of the dresses. Return them to me by daybreak!¡± Then she raised a hand and pointed to the other palace maids. ¡°You seven, form two groups. You, you, and you, go boil some water. Prepare some soap2 and small towels. Every day, I take a bath in the early morning. The rest of you go clean the yard. Make sure each stone tile sparkles. Now hurry!¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen. Everyone quickly dispersed. Jixiang was appointed to attend to Aunt Fang. In the palace maids¡¯ eyes, this was a good job. It was definitely more relaxed than cleaning the yard. In fact, there was the added bonus: the opportunity to exchange a few words with the person in charge. Those that were given the same job as Jixiang couldn¡¯t keep the smiles off their faces. However, Jixiang could not muster a smile. In her opinion, Aunt Fang was no different than tigers and other wild beasts. Attending to her in a bath was like removing teeth from a tiger. ¡°Don¡¯t look so down,¡± Wei Yingluo lightly said, her gentle voice brushing by Jixiang¡¯s ears. ¡°Learn from Jinxiu. Keep smiling. When you smile, you look very adorable.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t be like her.¡± Jixiang pouted. Then she stared at Wei Yingluo, eyes full of worship. ¡°Older sister Yingluo, you¡¯re amazing. How did you know Aunt Fang was going to come back?¡± Both Jixiang and that other palace maid had the tendency to snore. If Wei Yingluo had not warned her beforehand, she would have been the one beat by the ruler. Wei Yingluo¡¯s words had scared her so much that it had kept Jixiang awake until Aunt Fang returned. Wei Yingluo smiled. ¡°When new officials start the job, they have to assert their dominance. Even if no one snored, she would find another reason to punish people, so that we would fear her and never disobey her orders¡­ Alright, you should hurry up and go. Don¡¯t make Aunt wait for you.¡± She watched as Jixiang rushed off, a smile forming on her lips as she shook her head. Then she looked down at the bundle of clothes in her hands. Professional seamstresses could tell a person¡¯s measurements by just a glance. After Wei Yingluo took her time observing the clothes, she knew they belonged to Aunt Fang. Not only that, Aunt Fang was using the labor of the palace maids under her for her own benefit. Perhaps to prevent servants from stealing the limelight from their masters, the uniform of palace maids was plain and dull to the max. Furthermore, the uniforms of head and regular palace maids did not differentiate by a lot. The same could be said about the sets of clothes in Wei Yingluo¡¯s hands. No matter how hard one looked, they did not carry any designs, the color itself light. Women are vain. Those that enter the palace are the same. However, the palace is also a place for women, making the competition between them even more fierce. Wei Yingluo¡¯s thoughts rang clear in her heart. Threading a needle, Wei Yingluo set aside the first set of clothes. She embroidered a cluster of wisteria on the collar and ends of the sleeves, still connected to its branches. Such a design gave off the impression of a mature woman. In a flash, the clothes that used to be mundane now seemed to have risen a level. And it was very suitable for Aunt Fang¡¯s status; it would not steal the limelight from the masters. So suitable, even people as strict as Aunt Fang wouldn¡¯t find fault with it. Rather, Aunt Fang inspected the clothes with a discerning eye, flipping them back and forth to examine every angle, her gaze finally settling on the wisteria. That she found it agreeable was obvious from her expression. Aunt Fang caressed the clothes for a long while. Eventually, she took her time as she said, ¡°It¡¯s not bad. Do the same with the other sets, but use a different flower for each.¡± ¡°Yes, Aunt,¡± Wei Yingluo said obediently. ¡°Starting now?¡± Aunt Fang watched the sky above her to check the time. Although she felt impatient for the product, she couldn¡¯t be too excessive when borrowing the palace¡¯s staff to run personal errands. She shook her head, albeit feeling a bit unwilling. ¡°Go have your meals. After you¡¯re done eating, head to the embroidery workshop.¡± Wei Yingluo stifled a smile. ¡°Yes.¡± The desire to wear the finished set of clothes burned within Aunt Fang, hungry to show off to her colleagues. Wei Yingluo watched her quickly departing figure. ¡°Look at her. She found herself another big supporter,¡± said Jinxiu, out of Wei Yingluo¡¯s sight as she gossiped with other palace maids once again. ¡°She¡¯s really a natural-born servant. If we want to pass our days well, we need to learn from her.¡± This translation is the property of Sleepchaser at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. If you read it anywhere else, it¡¯s stolen At those words, Jixiang could not keep her anger at bay, bent on arguing with Jinxiu. Before she could, however, Wei Yingluo pulled her aside. ¡°Older sister Yingluo, aren¡¯t you angry that she¡¯s talking about you like this?¡± said Jixiang, fuming. Wei Yingluo smiled. Her time was precious, so why should she waste it on someone like Jinxiu? ¡°Jixiang, can you help me with something?¡± ¡°Sure, just say it.¡± Jixiang didn¡¯t even ask what the favor was, agreeing in a flash. ¡°I¡¯m not going to eat breakfast. Please bring me a bun later,¡± said Wei Yingluo. ¡°I have some things to do, so I¡¯ll head to the embroidery workshop first.¡± Currently, the embroidery workshop was akin to a sleeping person. Still and silent. By the front entrance were several wisteria trees. As such, the floor was covered in purple petals of varying hues. Wei Yingluo wasted no time in getting to work. She swept the floor, gradually clearing the piles of fallen petals by the doors. Lingering on the broom was the slight scent of flowers. ¡°Why are you here so early?¡± said someone behind her. The broom stopped. Wei Yingluo turned around, a smile gracing her lips. ¡°Good morning, Granny Zhang.¡± She had purposely came early so that this meeting would occur. Granny Zhang worked in the embroidery workshop, the first to arrive and the last to leave every day. Therefore, if Wei Yingluo skipped breakfast and waited by the door, she would definitely come across this person. But she would never admit her plan. Wei Yingluo¡¯s smile did not falter. ¡°Today is my first day assigned to work at the embroidery workshop. I was afraid I¡¯ll be late so I came early.¡± Elders liked diligent and rule-abiding children. Granny Zhang was no different. Her usual expression was serious to the point of being cold, yet a small smile appeared on her lips. ¡°You are quite a rule-abiding child.¡± Wei Yingluo was in fact someone who followed the rules. For the next two weeks, she woke up early and helped Aunt Fang embroider her clothes. Wisteria, orchid, carp, green bird. The designs were never the same each time. Not only that, Aunt Fang would wake the palace maids before dawn to do chores, before rushing them to the embroidery workshop upon sunrise. Wei Yingluo wouldn¡¯t even have the time to eat breakfast. There were also people who wanted to copy her, but after four to five days, they could not continue. ¡°She really is a natural-born servant,¡± said Jinxiu to the people next to her. ¡°I can¡¯t imitate her.¡± She was unable to copy her, and unwilling to copy either. For she failed to see any benefit to what Wei Yingluo was doing. Each day, Wei Yingluo ran personal errands for Aunt Fang, and also received corporal punishment from her. Before the crack of dawn she would sweep the yard outside the embroidery workshop, yet Granny Zhang did not show her any favoritism. Moreover, the amount of clothes she had to embroider was the same as everyone else, sometimes even more. This caused many people to mock Wei Yingluo behind her back; what¡¯s the point of suffering so much without receiving any benefit? Despite this, Wei Yingluo continued on her path, ignoring what everyone said. Although she did not receive any benefit on the surface, Aunt Fang¡¯s and Granny Zhang¡¯s gaze when looking at her was no longer as cold, even leaning on the slightly soft and gentle side. Especially Granny Zhang. When she wasn¡¯t busy, she¡¯d go to Wei Yingluo for a chat. Wei Yingluo mostly listened without speaking. Sometimes, she¡¯d give a word or two, asked a couple questions that weren¡¯t too important. Granny Zhang, seeing that she was so obedient and perceptive, would casually respond. ¡°Granny, should I be using red or green thread here?¡± ¡°Use red. Red is more festive.¡± ¡°Granny, for Noble Lady Yu¡¯s handkerchief, should I embroider a koi or an orchid?¡± ¡°A koi, since it gives good fortune.¡± ¡°Granny, whose embroidery is better, mine or Wei Yingning¡¯s?¡± ¡°Yingning¡¯s is better.¡± So used to answering her questions, Granny Zhang answered this one out of reflex. It stunned her for a moment. Then she turned her stare at Wei Yingluo. Wei Yingluo returned her stare with a smile. In one month, each time they met, the palace maid would ask her questions that didn¡¯t hold much importance. It was all for this purpose, to trick Granny Zhang in answering this one question. But Granny Zhang backtracked. ¡°I misheard you. I don¡¯t know this Wei Yingning person you speak of.¡± CH 14 Wei Yingluo suddenly smiled. ¡°If Granny does not know this person, then why did you instantly say her embroidery was better than mine?¡± Wei Yingluo sighed, lifting the embroidery frame in her hand. ¡°She was the one who taught me how to embroider. She diligently taught me, and I also diligently tried to learn¡­¡± Since young, Wei Yingluo wanted to be like her sister. Other twins wished to establish themselves as different people from their own twins, but not Wei Yingluo. She always hoped to be like her sister in everything. For this reason, she copied her elder sister¡¯s hairstyle and fashion, her smile, her manner of walking. And of course, her embroidery style. ¡°I¡¯m not as talented as her. Although she taught me everything she knew, I could only replicate about 70 to 80% of it,¡± said Wei Yingluo. ¡°So what you had said was correct. Wei Yingluo¡¯s embroidery is better than mine.¡± Granny Zhang did not respond for a while. ¡°...Tell me about her, won¡¯t you?¡± she asked softly. ¡°She used to work at the embroidery workshop. In fact, she probably worked under you.¡± ¡°The embroidery workshop has a lot of people working there. Other than palace maids, there are also seamstresses hired from the outside.¡± Granny Zhang was impassive. ¡°With us being so busy, who would remember so many names? Now that you mention this, have you finished your tasks for today?¡± Granny Zhang acted as if it had nothing to do with her, and changed the topic of conversation. Wei Yingluo did not want to let this great opportunity slip through her fingers. She obediently lowered her head, and put on a pleading manner. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m young so I still am ignorant in most matters. And I don¡¯t know how to socialize with others. After entering the palace for so long, I still haven¡¯t managed to make any friends. The only one who can help me is you. So please tell me what to do¡­ Tell me what I should do so that I won¡¯t accidentally follow Wei Yingning¡¯s footsteps.¡± Granny Zhang again kept quiet. This time, Wei Yingluo did not pursue the topic any longer. Only the masters could rush the servants in running errands. And she wasn¡¯t a master. Rather, she was someone that carried orders from Granny Zhang. To put it bluntly, she was grudgingly her subordinate. Whether Granny Zhang wanted to answer her question depended on how much affection she had gained toward Wei Yingluo in this month. And also¡­ how big of a piece her sister had of Granny Zhang¡¯s heart. Seconds ticked by. Wei Yingluo kept her head low. The fire in her heart started to cool. Could the reason for Granny Zhang¡¯s silence be because one month of closeness wasn¡¯t enough? Yes, that must be it. Wei Yingluo had been too earnest. Too much in a hurry. She should have waited longer. Spend a few more months cultivating their relationship¡­ ¡°...The palace has a lot of taboo topics. Like the person you had mentioned,¡± Granny Zhang suddenly said, her voice ringing above Wei Yingluo¡¯s head. ¡°The third character in her name is part of Noble Consort Hui¡¯s given name.¡± Wei Yingluo quickly lifted her head in surprise. Granny Zhang¡¯s expression was very complicated, and she did not seem happy at the slightest. Anyone interrogated by their subordinates wouldn¡¯t feel happy either. Yet in the end she still answered her question, even after being tricked. ¡°The name of an imperial concubine cannot be used by one of a lower social standing. Therefore, the person you spoke of would have had their name changed,¡± said Granny Zhang slowly. ¡°I¡¯ll let today¡¯s incidents pass! Don¡¯t mention this name again anywhere else. If Noble Consort Hui ever hears about it, you won¡¯t have a good outcome! Alright, you can stop with today¡¯s work. You can go!¡± ¡°Granny¡­¡± ¡°Leave!¡± The doors to the embroidery workshop closed behind Wei Yingluo. She had been kicked out by Granny Zhang. Dazedly, she returned to the palace maid dormitory. Since Aunt Fang saw her return so early, she gave her a few sets of shoes and socks to embroider. Wei Yingluo embroidered them without much focus. A few times, she pricked her fingers. She brought those fingers to her lips for a suck. Tasted the coppery tang of blood. ¡°That jadeite bead bracelet is a sight for the eyes,¡± said Jixiang as she passed by. Wei Yingluo lowered her head. Without her knowing it, she had actually embroidered said bracelet to a handkerchief. As she stared at it, the image of a certain wrist adorned with a jadeite bracelet flashed before her eyes. Noble Consort Hui¡­ Originally, she had wondered when she would meet this person, but never had she guessed that chance would arrive so soon. Read this at https://sleepchaser.wordpress.com. A few days later, Granny Zhang brought Wei Yingluo and Jinxiu to the front of the embroidery workshop. ¡°You two follow me.¡± Wei Yingluo and Jinxiu quickly stopped what they were doing and did as told. They walked a long way through the inner courtyard, twisting here and there. After several minutes, Granny Zhang turned to them and said, ¡°Have you remembered the way here?¡± ¡°Responding to Granny, yes I have,¡± said Jinxiu, jumping to answer first, trying her best to leave a good impression. Granny Zhang smiled. ¡°So you know how to return?¡± All of a sudden, Jinxiu could not speak. It was easier said than done. The paths before and behind her all looked the same. It was so that assassins would get lost, wasting time until the guards wiped them out. However, it was also to prevent Tnew palace maids from running around to places they had no right to be in. A moment of carelessness, and they would also become lost. If Granny Zhang actually wanted them to return by themselves, Jinxiu would perhaps spend a lot of time asking for directions. ¡°According to palace protocol, servants must not wander around. Therefore, palace maids would not leave their area of service, unless their masters had sent them to receive or send things.¡± Watching her embarrassment, Granny Zhang did not reprimand her. Her voice was soft. ¡°However, you two belong to the embroidery workshop, and will often need to take the masters¡¯ measurements and deliver their clothes. You need to commit the paths to memory. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be stuck walking in circles, unable to return. Careful to be punctual.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Jinxiu blurted. Wei Yingluo uncovered something of interest while listening to the two¡¯s conversation. ¡°Granny, which master are we meeting today to help make clothes?¡± Granny Zhang looked at Wei Yingluo meaningfully, then averted her gaze to the distance. Farther ahead, to a building with red walls and a green roof. ¡°Noble Consort Hui.¡± Once the words left the woman¡¯s lips, Jinxiu felt both excited and nervous. It was clear to Wei Yingluo that her colleague wanted to show off in front of Noble Consort Hui. But was she that easy to impress? Although they hadn¡¯t entered the palace for long, they heard a lot about the matters regarding the masters. According to those palace maids with more seniority, year after the year the empress did not fulfill her duties in managing the inner courtyard. In fact, Noble Consort Hui was the one who controlled the entire imperial harem. This Noble Consort Hui was like a peony. She was fond of famous and expensive things, her moods changing spontaneously. When she was happy, she would throw a handful of pearls at her servants as reward. When she was upset, she would also grab a handful of pearls. But instead of throwing them at her servants, she would force them to swallow each pearl one by one¡­ She was as gorgeous as she was malicious. A poisonous peony. ¡°Have mercy, Your Majesty!¡± In the end, before the three could enter Noble Consort Hui¡¯s courtyard, they had already heard a pitiful wail. ¡°Hurry up and kneel!¡± Granny Zhang quickly said, before dropping to her knees herself. Although they didn¡¯t know what was happening, at this moment the safest thing to do was to copy a servant who had served for many years. Wei Yingluo kneeled in a flash, then secretly watched the scene in front of them from the corners of her eyes. A woman dressed like a master ran from the courtyard and toward them. She was missing a shoe, one foot smeared with dirt. But before she could run any further, two large and strong palace maids caught her. She couldn¡¯t help but cry, ¡°Your Majesty, please spare this concubine!¡± As if on cue, a beautiful woman covered in gold and jewels parted a flowering bush and stepped through. On her right wrist hung a jadeite bead bracelet. She lightly rested her hand on her maidservant¡¯s, fake nails accentuating the curve of her fingers. With each step she took, the jeweled ornaments adorning her body and her golden dangling hairpins trembled. An aura of gold. From a distance, she looked like a glistening person sitting among the clouds. As she approached, it became clear that she was as beautiful as the jewels she wore. This is Noble Consort Hui? thought Wei Yingluo. After so many rumors, all of which praised her good looks, none could accurately illustrate her beauty. When the peony bloomed, it eclipsed everything else in attractiveness. ¡°What is this talk about giving mercy or not? If anyone heard you say this, they would think this palace wants to harm you.¡± Noble Consort Hui slowly approached the woman who was also dressed like a master. Her stare pinned the other from above, the corners of her lips tilting upward. ¡°Noble Lady Yu, those who are ill should take medicine.¡± ¡°No, no!¡± The one whom Noble Consort Hui had called Noble Lady Yu shook her head. ¡°This concubine is not ill. This concubine¡­¡± ¡°Imperial physician Liu!¡± Noble Consort Hui suddenly yelled. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you helped Noble Lady Yu take her medicine yet?¡± A man dressed in the attire of an imperial physician appeared from behind her, holding a bowl of medicine. Watching as the bowl came closer and closer, Noble Lady Yu started to sweat. She tried to resist, desperately yelling, ¡°I¡¯m not sick! I¡¯m pregnant!¡± All of a sudden, everyone in the vicinity wished they were blind and deaf. Or else, in the future they might be killed as a way to eliminate witnesses. Noble Consort Hui¡¯s expression did not change at the slightest. It were as if she didn¡¯t hear those words at all. She only repeated what she said before. ¡°Imperial physician Liu, why haven¡¯t you helped her drink her medicine yet?¡± ¡°Y-yes¡­¡± Wei Yingluo sneaked a peak at him, and saw that his hands were trembling. A bit of the dark medicine was split. She couldn¡¯t help but feel upset. In the past, Wei Yingluo had only saw from operas how those in the imperial harem competed ruthlessly, those at the top of the food chain forcing abortions upon those at the bottom. Never had she thought she would witness this in real life. When this happened in an opera, the audience could yell at the characters, and could bring forth retribution in the form of throwing their money at the actors where it hurt. Or, they could petition the storytellers to change the play, so that the good would receive good endings, and the bad would face their demise. But right now, it was evil that triumphed. Like the Noble Consort Hui who stood before them. After so many rumors, all of which warned of her malicious nature, none could accurately illustrate her viciousness. Although she was in fact a peony, it was one willed with poison. ¡°You aren¡¯t a child anymore. Why are you making such a fuss about taking medicine?¡± Noble Consort Hui looked down at her arrogantly. As if she were just an ant before her. ¡°Someone come help her.¡± Noble Lady Yu kept trying to push away the medicine. In order to resist, she shook her head like a baby¡¯s rattle, until she had shaken off her hair pins. Her hair unraveled, falling to her shoulders. She looked like a crazy person. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± said a few palace maids. Two of them held Noble Lady Yu by the shoulders and one pulled her jaw down, forcing her mouth open. Then the maid sent a look at the imperial physician. Seeing this, the kneeling Wei Yingluo clutched her hands into fists. She looked around. Besides the three of them and a palace maid in charge of tending the flowers, the rest were Noble Consort Hui¡¯s people. Who would beg for mercy for Noble Lady Yu? Wei Yingluo took a deep breath... ¡°Stop!¡± CH 15 Wei Yingluo turned to the direction of the sound. The one who yelled out hadn¡¯t been her. Rather, it was a woman who had dashed into the area. Unlike Noble Consort Hui, this woman did not adorn herself with jewels. She dressed plainly from head to toe, with only a small magnolia flower tucked into her hair. A glance, and one would think she was a low-ranked elegant lady. But trailing her was a grand procession. She was the imperial harem¡¯s sole true female master¡ªthe empress. Empress Fucha had rushed to get here, and as such did not have on her proper attire. Instead, she wore the clothes she usually put on while tending to flowers. There were even a few petals and smudges of dirt at the end of her dress. In quick, long strides, the empress reached Noble Lady Yu. She waved off her palace maids, her cold gaze landing on the grandly-dressed woman before her. ¡°Noble Consort Hui, what are you trying to do to Noble Lady Yu?¡± A slight smile graced Noble Consort Hui¡¯s lips. ¡°Noble Lady Yu is unwell. This concubine purposely summoned imperial physicians to check on her.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Empress Fucha lowered her gaze for a second. Lowered it to the bowl of medicine held tight in the imperial physician¡¯s hands. She asked, ¡°Is this really medicine?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Noble Consort Hui shifted her gaze to the imperial physician. ¡°Imperial Physician Liu, tell the empress what kind of medicine this is.¡± ¡°Responding to Your Majesty, the left side of Noble Lady Yu¡¯s pulse is weak, whereas the right side is strong. Additionally, her liver has an excess of hot energy and her lungs are filled with phlegm. This causes the symptom of coughing. In order to clear the lungs of phlegm and the liver of hot energy, this official has prescribed a medicine that will cool down the body and nourish the lungs,¡± replied Imperial Physician Liu. ¡°A loquat paste¡­¡± ¡°Lies!¡± screamed Noble Lady Yu. ¡°This palace obviously is pregnant. How is it a cough? This is definitely a bowl of poison. Your Majesty, the empress please save this concubine¡­¡± Her sobs filled the garden. Empress Fucha¡¯s expression sank. Her suspicious gaze fell upon Noble Consort Hui. ¡°Is this really loquat paste?¡± ¡°Zhilan,¡± said Noble Consort Hui with a slight smile. ¡°This slave is present,¡± said the palace maid who was supporting her hand with a lowered head. Noble Consort Hui received the bowl of medicine from Imperial Physician Liu¡¯s hands. She held it in front of Zhilan¡¯s face and ordered, ¡°Drink it!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Then Zhilan gulped it down all at once. Time ticked on. Noble Lady Yu¡¯s face gradually paled. Empress Fucha furrowed her brows. Across from her, Zhilan stood there without any sign of pain of discomfort. ¡°Noble Lady Yu,¡± said Noble Consort Hui while looking at her, her smile growing all the more beautiful. It resembled a peony that swallowed malicious things. ¡°Now this palace will ask you again. Is this poison?¡± ¡°This, this¡­¡± Noble Lady Yu gnashed her teeth. ¡°Abortion drugs only work on those who are pregnant. If a normal person takes them, there won¡¯t be any effects.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s have the imperial medical staff check it out,¡± said Noble Consort Hui, not one bit afraid. ¡°Zhilan, give that bowl to the imperial medical staff. Let them study it well. See what¡¯s actually in that bowl.¡± She was very confident. On the other hand, Empress Fucha was hesitant. What if the bowl actually held loquat paste? Now that the case had come to this point, with so many ears listening in, they could not go through with this lightly. ¡°Summon the head physician.¡± Under the eyes of so many people, Head Physician Zhang checked the liquid contents of the bowl three times. In the end, he said, ¡°Responding to Your Majesty, this medicine¡­ is in fact loquat paste.¡± Empress Fucha and Noble Lady Yu stood there in a daze. ¡°Noble Lady Yu, considering that you are pregnant, this palace will temporarily not press the matter with you.¡± Noble Consort Hui broke into a huge smile. ¡°However, Your Majesty, the empress must fill me in. Who was it that told you to come here? Who said I was trying to poison Noble Lady Yu to death?¡± Empress Fucha¡¯s expression was unsightly. She glanced behind her. At Imperial Concubine Yi. ? ¡°Imperial Concubine Yi will now experience something unfortunate.¡± Once she returned from Chuxiu Palace, Jinxiu told everyone what they experienced. The days of the little palace maids were normally passed in boredom. Now there was some interesting news to hear. Everyone scooted close to Jinxiu, their hearts fluttering with joy as they listened. ¡°Although Noble Lady Yu¡¯s pregnancy was originally a good thing, in the end she let paranoia get to her and kept her condition a secret. Noble Consort Hui summoned an imperial physician to examine her out of the goodness of her heart, yet Noble Lady Yu actually bit the hand that fed her!¡± Not only did Jinxiu relay what she saw, she even shook her head and criticized the other party. ¡°And then there was that Imperial Concubine Yi. She was even more outrageous. She accused Noble Consort Hui of wanting to abort Noble Lady Yu¡¯s fetus! She¡¯s just a low-ranked Imperial Concubine. Yet she had the guts to wrong a higher-ranked court lady! That¡¯s the most disrespectful thing to do! Then Noble Consort Hui brought her away. They probably won¡¯t kill her, but she¡¯s in for a world of torture!¡± Had the situation been as Jinxiu reported? Perhaps it wasn¡¯t as simple as that. Currently, everyone said that Noble Consort Hui had been wronged. But was that true? Perhaps it wasn¡¯t so. Noble Lady Yu¡¯s pregnancy had originally been a good thing, but became something entirely opposite. Everyone believed she had used the child she carried to wrong Noble Consort Hui. Even Imperial Concubine Yi had been seen as a snitch, spreading false rumors to the public, causing the empress to lose some face. Wei Yingluo frowned. As for Noble Lady Yu¡­ It¡¯s not that she¡¯s been let off. Rather, her punishment will come later. There¡¯s more than one type of abortion method¡­ A couple days later, Granny Zhang once again looked for Wei Yingluo and Jinxiu in the embroidery workshop. ¡°General Manager Wu has just given us instructions,¡± Granny Zhang said to the two girls. ¡°Because Noble Lady Yu is with child, the embroidery workshop must present her with new clothes. You two and I will be heading for Yonghe Palace.¡± Above stretched dark clouds as far as the eye could see. Not a ray of light broke through the skies. Yonghe Palace resembled a coffin in its atmosphere; even the front doors were cracked open like the popped lid of a coffin, waiting for a fresh corpse. Before Wei Yingluo could take a step through the doors, her ears caught a single loud slap. Once she entered the courtyard, the sound of slaps filled the air, each slap increasing in volume as she drew near. Don¡¯t support theft; read this at sleepchaser¡¯s word press. Servants rushed in and out of the main room of the residence. Within kneeled Imperial Concubine Yi, each side of her face swollen red. Blood trickled down the corner of her lips. She looked absolutely pitiful. In the next moment, someone smacked her again with a wooden paddle. ¡°Imperial Concubine Yi!¡± The person who held the wooden paddle was Zhilan. She smiled coldly as she said, ¡°This slave represents Her Majesty, the noble consort in asking this question: why do you deserve to be hit?¡± Imperial Concubine Yi gritted her teeth. ¡°This concubine had wronged the noble consort by spreading lies and acted in insubordination.¡± Once again the wooden paddle collided with Imperial Concubine Yi¡¯s face. Zhilan¡¯s voice was cold enough to freeze. ¡°Her Majesty, the noble consort asks if resentment exists in your heart.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡± Imperial Concubine Yi swallowed the blood pooling in her mouth. ¡°This concubine deserves to be punished and as such will not resent anyone.¡± Zhilan took a rare break from swinging the wooden paddle. A smile danced on her lips. ¡°Her Majesty, the noble consort asks if you will remember to mind your words from now on.¡± Imperial Concubine sighed. ¡°Yes, this concubine will remember¡­¡± Slap! A tooth flew out of her mouth. It landed by Wei Yingluo¡¯s feet. White stained with red. ¡°Speak louder!¡± Zhilan raised the wooden paddle high. Hands shaking, Imperial Concubine Yi attempted to cover her mouth. But in the end, fresh blood splattered through the gaps of her fingers. A long while later, she dropped her hand. As her gums and the inside of her mouth bled, Imperial Concubine Yi said, ¡°This concubine will never forget this!¡± ¡°No!¡± Imperial Concubine Yi was still able to endure, but another person could no longer stand by the sidelines. Noble Lady Yu rushed from the courtyard into the room and covered Imperial Concubine Yi¡¯s body with her own. As she faced Zhilan, she shook with sobs. ¡°Stop hitting her! You can¡¯t hit her anymore! Older sister Imperial Concubine Yi committed a wrong for my sake. If Her Majesty, the noble consort wants to punish someone, she can punish me! She can hit me!¡± ¡°From what your honored self has said in the past,¡± said Zhilan with a smile, ¡°Noble Lady Yu is pregnant and as such has a precious identity. Owing to the fact you are with child, Her Majesty, the noble consort will forgive your previous wrongs. However, Imperial Concubine Yi is a different story¡­¡± Zhilan slowly turned to Imperial Concubine Yi. A cruel master would naturally have cruel servants. Like the rest of Noble Consort Hui¡¯s personal palace maids, Zhilan had a cold and malicious gaze. A venomous snake flicking its tongue. ¡°There¡¯s still fifteen more slaps,¡± said Zhilan with a laugh. ¡°No!¡± Noble Lady Yu clung desperately to Imperial Concubine Yi. As if she had become a chest to cover and protect her friend, locking her within, barring the people who wanted to harm her from entering. ¡°Noble Lady Yu, for you to noisily block people from approaching carries the risk of harming the fetus. This slave will not get implicated because of you!¡± Zhilan swept her gaze through the palace maids to her left and right. ¡°Are you all blocks of wood? Hurry and escort Noble Lady Yu back to her residence!¡± In fear of offending her master, the group of palace maids followed Zhilan¡¯s orders, quickly moving forward. In a blur of limbs, they dragged Noble Lady Yu away. ¡°No! Let go of me! Let go of me! Older sister Imperial Concubine Yi!¡± Slap! Wei Yingluo, Jinxiu, and Granny Zhang followed the group of palace maids away from Yonghe Palace. As they had waited for Noble Lady Yu to summon them, Jinxiu pressed a hand to her chest. Heart trembling with fear, she asked, ¡°Granny, back then¡­ back then¡­¡± ¡°Imperial Concubine Yi committed an act of insubordination toward and wronged Noble Consort Hui. Her Majesty, the noble consort punished her by slaps to her face.¡± ¡°But Imperial Concubine Yi is a master of one of the palaces!¡± Jinxiu stared at Granny Zhang doubtfully. ¡°How could just a palace maid¡ª¡± ¡°Be quiet! What do you mean, just a palace maid?¡± Granny Zhang shot her a frigid glance. ¡°It¡¯s you that¡¯s just a palace maid! She is Zhilan, a personal palace maid of Noble Consort Hui! The gatekeeper of the prime minister¡¯s estate is a 7th-rank official. Her identity is higher than regular imperial concubines!¡± At this point, Jinxiu was aware she had misspoken again. All of a sudden, she thought of something, her gaze falling upon Wei Yingluo. ¡°Yingluo, what are you looking at?¡± Throughout their walk, Wei Yingluo had not spoken a single word. She only looked over her shoulder a few times, looking back at the far away Imperial Concubine Yi.. ¡°When hitting a person, the face is usually kept out of it. This is the case outside the palace, much less within,¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°The fact that Noble Consort Hui actually did this is meant to create a mockery of Imperial Concubine Yi. To cause her to lose all her face. To say that she, a person with the rank of Imperial Concubine, is less than a lowly palace maid. She¡­ Would she be able to endure this?¡± Reflected upon Wei Yingluo¡¯s eyes, the shaking figure of Imperial Concubine Yi swayed to the right and toppled to the side. ¡°Wake her up!¡± Zhilan¡¯s voice traveled far from a distance. Cold and unfeeling. ¡°There¡¯s still thirteen more smacks!¡± CH 16 A while passed before Noble Lady Yu finally summoned Wei Yingluo, Jinxiu, and Granny Zhang inside her residence. Most pregnant women would be glowing with happiness, hormones promoting their beauty. Not Noble Lady Yu. She had on a somber expression. She was like a puppet, motionless once its strings were cut. When Granny Zhang told her to lift a hand, she lifted a hand. When Granny Zhang told her to turn around, she turned around. ¡°We¡¯re done,¡± said Granny Zhang after taking all her measurements. In a soft voice, she asked, ¡°What kind of pattern does Noble Lady prefer? Pomegranates to depict bountiful children? Cranes among the clouds¡± Noble Lady Yu was unfocused. Her lips parted, a string of low mutterings escaping. ¡°Noble Lady, what did you say?¡± Granny Zhang brought her ear closer to the other woman¡¯s mouth. Strained to hear. ¡°Loquat paste, loquat paste, loquat paste¡­¡± Noble Lady Yu repeated these two words without end. After a moment of daze, Granny Zhang said, ¡°Loquat paste?¡± These two words seemed to spur Noble Lady Yu into a frenzy. ¡°There¡¯s definitely something wrong with that loquat paste!¡± Her outburst frightened Granny Zhang. She quickly whipped her head around, checking if anyone was listening by the door. Outside, Imperial Concubine Yi¡¯s punishment had yet to end. Noble Consort Hui¡¯s cheap and lowly servants had also stuck around. Who knew if there were any with an incredible sense of hearing? ¡°Noble Lady.¡± Granny Zhang turned back around to the twitching woman. ¡°Head Physician Zhang¡¯s knowledge of medicine is impeccable. How could he make a mistake?¡± ¡°No, no, no! There has to be something wrong! There must be a mistake!¡± Noble Lady Yu kept her stare on Granny Zhang. Suddenly, her gaze froze over. She thrust out both her hands, grabbing the old servant¡¯s shoulders in a vice-like grip. ¡°I remember you. You were also there that day.¡± She swept her gaze through Jinxiu. ¡°You too. And you as well¡­¡± Her gaze fell upon Wei Yingluo after moving past the other two. And stayed. It was empty, dull, and dark. She smiled. ¡°You all were present. You all saw what occurred. Noble Consort Hui wants to harm me. There¡¯s definitely poison mixed in with that loquat paste. But¡­ But why wasn¡¯t the poison detected? Why? Why?!¡± Her voice grew louder by the second, ending in a scream. Beads of sweat started to accumulate at the tip of Granny Zhang¡¯s nose. She really wished she could muffle Noble Lady Yu¡¯s mouth with her hands. But because her identity was too low, she could only turn around. To check outside the door and say, ¡°Noble Lady, this slave begs you to stop talking¡­¡± ¡°The young leaves are poisonous.¡± The moment they heard that statement, Granny Zhang and Noble Lady stood there shocked. Then their gazes converged on the person who had spoken. Wei Yingluo lowered her head. Her voice was soft. ¡°The adult loquat leaves are not poisonous. But that¡¯s not the case with the young leaves¡­¡± A chill ran through Granny Zhang¡¯s spine. ¡°Be quiet!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Noble Lady shouted at the older woman. Then she sprinted to Wei Yingluo. Voice trembling, she said, ¡°Continue speaking.¡± Wei Yingluo kept her head low, keeping her gaze on the foot of the dress before her. More specifically, the light gold osmanthus pattern. ¡°When I was young, I liked to eat loquats.¡± Her voice was soft. ¡°One time, I swallowed a pit by accident. My breathing became difficult and I couldn¡¯t stop vomiting. In the end, a doctor was able to cure me and told me this: other doctors followed a list to make their medicines. And on that list, adult leaves of loquats were an ingredient of loquat paste. Yet for some reason, not many people knew why it was specifically the adult leaves. He himself found out by accident. That adult loquat leaves were not poisonous while the young leaves and pits were. Eating too much of the latter would harm the body¡­¡± ¡°So that¡¯s the reason. So that¡¯s the reason. The young leaves are poisonous. The young leaves are poisonous,¡± said Noble Lady Yu quietly. ¡°The loquat paste Noble Consort Hui sent definitely must have used new leaves. The toxicity was low. No wonder Head Physician Zhang wasn¡¯t able to discover it. Even if it was found out, the fault could be pushed on to the imperial medical staff for not handling their ingredients well¡­¡± Noble Lady Yu suddenly grabbed the upper arm of Wei Yingluo, expression lit up in excitement. ¡°Come! Follow me to see the empress!¡± ¡°This mustn¡¯t be done!¡± said Granny Zhang as she blocked them from the exit. ¡°Noble Lady, how can the words of a little palace maid be considered evidence? Is she more knowledgeable than Head Physician Zhang? Yingluo, you know what happens if you run your mouth in the palace. Now kneel!¡± Wei Yingluo obediently did as told. ¡°Noble Lady,¡± she said as she kowtowed. ¡°This slave¡¯s identity is low. It is only because of your kind heart that you listened to what this slave had to say. However, at the empress¡¯ side, this slave perhaps will not even have the chance to open the mouth.¡± Indeed, the empress would not believe the words of a servant. ¡°¡­I understand.¡± Noble Lady Yu came back to her senses. Expression complicated, she stared at Wei Yingluo. Then she slowly let go of her arm. ¡°I¡¯ll visit the empress myself. You¡­¡± She paused, then she slowly and deliberately said, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°This slave is Yingluo.¡± Noble Lady Yu nodded, before quickly walking out the door. Don¡¯t support theft; read this ad free at sleepchaser¡¯s word press. Once she left, Granny Zhang glared at Wei Yingluo. ¡°Why did you say that to Noble Lady Yu?!¡± Why? Wei Yingluo watched the shrinking figure of Noble Lady Yu. ¡°To protect oneself, one must stay quiet. I can turn a blind eye to most things, However, things like those two, bonds like those two share¡­¡± I can¡¯t help but do something. Seeing them is like seeing myself and my sister¡­ For this reason, for the sake of such hard-to-come-by sisterly bond, she braved danger. It¡¯s not like there won¡¯t be any benefits in doing this. There are many cliques within the imperial harem. The largest two belong to the empress and Noble Consort Hui respectively. If I did in fact offend Noble Consort Hui with my actions then naturally I would enter the empress¡¯ clique with ease¡­ The result will be better than directly asking to join her clique. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Prior to this, Wei Yingluo had thought she was very adaptive to her surroundings. However, now she quickly realized her ignorance about the imperial harem. She could have handled this situation better if she hadn¡¯t overestimated herself. Once they returned to the embroidery workshop, Granny Zhang dismissed everyone, only keeping Wei Yingluo around. Then she approached her with a ruler in hand. ¡°Kneel!¡± Granny Zhang was different from Aunt Fang. Her mouth was as sharp as a knife but her heart was as soft as tofu. The ruler in her hand seemed like it was only for show. Never had she used one to smack a little palace maid. That said, she was truly furious at the moment. Wei Yingluo quickly fell to her knees then lifted her head to look at Granny Zhang. Fear and anger were absent from her gaze, only concern existing. ¡°Granny,¡± she softly said. Like a young granddaughter calling out to her grandmother. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry. I know my wrongs.¡± Granny Zhang¡¯s heart softened, though her expression grew ever more serious. ¡°Do you know where you were wrong?¡± ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have told Noble Lady Yu to her face that the young leaves are poisonous.¡± Wei Yingluo thought for a moment. ¡°I should have wrote it down instead. Then when it¡¯s time to deliver the new clothes, secretly drop the note on the floor in the same room as her. This way would be safer. If the noble Lady picks it up and asks me about it, I would say I do not know who¡¯s responsible¡ª¡± ¡°Enough! No matter how you put it, aren¡¯t you just bent on letting Noble Lady Yu know that the young leaves are poisonous?¡± A moment of silence. In the end, Wei Yingluo did not lie. ¡°Yes.¡± She thought Granny Zhang would punish her, either by hitting or yelling. She would have taken it with no complaints. Never did it cross her mind that after waiting for so long, what came after was the sound of Granny Zhang¡¯s laughter. ¡°Okay.¡± The laugh was tinged with both mockery and pity. ¡°Then use your eyes to see this clearly and see this well. Yingluo, personally look head on to what the results of your actions are.¡± A few days later, things were calm. Because of Granny Zhang¡¯s previous words, Wei Yingluo had been lost in her thoughts. However, there were many things she desired. And she couldn¡¯t ignore the tasks as a seamstress of the palace. The clothes she had to tailor, she tailored. The patterns she had to embroider, she embroidered. Finally, she finished two sets of new clothes in the time allotted. One set had a pattern of pomegranates depicting bountiful children. Another had the pattern of cranes soaring among clouds. Then Wei Yingluo delivered the clothes to Noble Lady Yu¡¯s residence. ¡°I¡¯ll keep this one,¡± said Noble Lady Yu as she pointed to the clothes with the pomegranate design. Then she pointed to the second set. ¡°Send this one to Imperial Concubine Yi.¡± Wei Yingluo studied her expression. It was different from how she had looked previously. The Noble Lady Yu of today had on pale makeup, her abdomen slightly protruding. Her face glowed with happiness. ¡°On your way, tell Imperial Concubine Yi this for me,¡± Noble Lady Yu said as she handed a hairpin to Wei Yingluo. ¡°Endure a few more days. Soon the empress will help us unearth the truth.¡± Yingluo wanted to refuse but did not have the opportunity to. She could only reluctantly receive the twin lotus hairpin, one red flower and one white entwined. Like the world¡¯s most affectionate sisters. Once Wei Yingluo arrived at Imperial Concubine Yi¡¯s residence, she said to the servants at the door, ¡°I am a palace maid of the embroidery workshop, Wei Yingluo. Noble Lady Yu has sent me to deliver a set of clothes to Imperial Concubine Yi.¡± They servants of Imperial Concubine Yi and Imperial Concubine Yi herself shared weal and woe. Now that she had been punished, her palace maids were twitchy and wary as well. Their eyes trembled with fear. Like newly-fledged chicks about to leave the nest. After hearing Yingluo¡¯s words, one of the palace maids by the door put on a fake smile. ¡°It must have been hard for Noble Lady Yu to remember our master. Just leave the items to me.¡± ¡°Noble Lady Yu also has a message for Imperial Concubine Yi,¡± Wei Yingluo said, tightening her lips. ¡°She specially ordered me to personally deliver the message.¡± The palace maid watched with a suspicious and vigilant gaze. ¡°What about you ask Imperial Concubine Yi first?¡± Wei Yingluo was talented at thinking for others, at seeing from others¡¯ viewpoints. ¡°If she is willing to see me, I¡¯ll go see her. If she is not, I will return to Noble Lady Yu and let her know. This way it won¡¯t waste your time or cause problems for you.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± The palace maid reluctantly nodded. ¡°Wait here for a moment.¡± She turned around and went inside. A short while later, a frightening wail. The people in the house all shared a look. Then they rushed further within the residence. Men and women alike. Eunuchs and palace maids. Wei Yingluo was among the frantic crowd. Then she stopped right before the door to the main room. She peered through the doorway. Reflecting on her eyes was a pair of floating feet. It belonged to a reserved woman who liked cranes, cranes in flight embroidered onto her shoes. Slowly, Wei Yingluo moved her gaze up from the feet¡­ ¡°Imperial Concubine Yi¡­¡± A long piece of white silk curled around her neck, suspending her from the ceiling. CH 17 ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± said Wei Yingluo. After they had returned to the embroidery workshop, she still could not come to an answer, and went to find the only person who could possibly make sense of it all. ¡°Granny Zhang, why did Imperial Concubine Yi take her own life?¡± ¡°How could a proper Imperial Concubine lift her head in public anymore after being slapped in the face by mere servants as punishment?¡± said Granny Zhang slowly as she embroidered a peony. ¡°If it were another person, then they could endure the humiliation. However, with her personality, that would be impossible. Imperial Concubine Yi is known for her pride¡­¡± To put it differently, Noble Consort Hui knew her temperament, and as such used this vile method to deal with her. To force her to her death. ¡°¡­How silly.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s expression darkened. Whether those words referred to herself or another person was anyone¡¯s guess. ¡°As long as you¡¯re alive, you can still turn a poor situation around. If it were me, let¡¯s not talk about being slapped, even if people were to spit in my face, I would endure it. I would endure it until the day I can take revenge!¡± A hatred that was cold enough to leave the bone pierced through Granny Zhang¡¯s skin. Frightened, she couldn¡¯t help but release the embroidery frame from her hands. She studied Wei Yingluo, her gaze serious. ¡°You¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± The hatred left as quickly as it came. Granny Zhang was now only left with Wei Yingluo¡¯s smile. The cold and hateful aura from prior seemed to have been just a figment of her imagination. ¡°Granny, I¡¯ve finished embroidering. Does it look fine to you?¡± Granny Zhang received the embroidery frame from Wei Yingluo. Upon it, a peony as white as snow. That and the unfinished crimson peony embroidery that she had set aside earlier were meant for Noble Consort Hui. This woman always wanted to be at the front of all things. Since Noble Lady Yu wanted two new sets of clothes, she wanted twenty. She also wanted matching handkerchiefs and shoes. Each item must have peonies embroidered upon them. Each item must be a different color. Not only that, but the flowers must also be unique, even though they were all the same breed. For this reason, the palace maids working in the embroidery workshop nearly collapsed from exhaustion. In the end, Granny Zhang had to personally embroider as well in order to meet the deadline. ¡°Mm. It¡¯s not bad,¡± said Granny Zhang, nodding. Then she peered outside the window, toward the sky. ¡°It¡¯s about time for lunch. Go ahead to eat.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Yingluo obediently said. ¡°I¡¯ll eat quickly so that I can come back to help you. We¡¯ll definitely finish by nightfall.¡± She was always so understanding of people¡¯s hearts. Well liked. Granny Zhang nodded once more, thinking that her eyes had in fact played tricks on her earlier¡­ However, once Wei Yingluo stepped foot outside the embroidery workshop, she did not have her meal. She could not stomach even one bite. As soon as she closed her eyes, she saw before her a pair of floating feet. All of a sudden, her eyes burst open, and she kicked a nearby tree. There were too many evil people within the imperial harem. And as luck would have it, most of them were of high ranks. She could not afford to go against them. She could only use the tree in front of her as a substitute, slamming one ruthless kick at a time to vent her anger. ¡°How dare you, slave!¡± The moment Wei Yingluo heard that shout, her heart thrashed against her chest. She quickly turned around. Don¡¯t support theft; read this ad-free at sleep chaser¡¯s word press. She had been too focused with venting her anger that she didn¡¯t realize there were people behind her. Judging by his attire, and the fly-whisk in his hands, the person who had spoken must be a high-ranking eunuch. ¡°His Majesty¡¯s procession is here, yet you do not kneel!¡± ¡­His Majesty¡¯s procession? Wei Yingluo stood there in a daze, before swiftly kowtowing, her face flush on the back of her hands. ¡°This slave pays respects to Your Majesty.¡± The sound of footsteps approaching. A pair of yellow boots stopped right before Wei Yingluo. Above her rang a nonchalant voice. ¡°Why did you harm the cypress spirit?¡± Cypress spirit? Wei Yingluo felt that the situation was bad. For an inanimate object to be called sentient usually meant it held immense importance. It wasn¡¯t ordinary. Her heart trembled; she was afraid to have committed a great crime. Now, she could only act ignorant. ¡°This slave does not know what a cypress spirit is.¡± ¡°Stupid thing! This tree is the cypress spirit!¡± The high-ranking eunuch pointed his fly-whisk at the tree she had kicked previously. ¡°His Majesty has personally written that this is the cypress spirit. Look! There¡¯s a copper sign hanging at the back of the trunk! In the past, many people have bowed before this tree as they passed by. Yet you dare to harm it!¡± This eunuch still had the patience to explain the situation to Wei Yingluo. However, the other person did not. Perhaps he lacked the interest to waste his time with a stupid palace maid. ¡°Drag her away.¡± The yellow boots started their trek away from her field of view. ¡°Give her thirty strikes.¡± Thirty strikes? Her face instantly paled. After thirty strikes, even if a person didn¡¯t die, they would be half dead, requiring a significant amount of time to heal. How could she have that much time to waste? Not to mention, to have received punishment would exist as a blemish on her record. How could a person who the emperor personally punished stay in the inner courtyard? Perhaps, to Wei Yingluo¡¯s fear, even Noble Lady Yu and Granny Zhang would have to draw a line between them and herself in public. In case they inspired the emperor¡¯s ire by accident. After that, she would have a difficult time working in the imperial harem. Wei Yingluo could not allow for this to happen! ¡°This slave has not entered the imperial palace for long, and as such does not know of the cypress spirit. However, this slave has a reason for these actions!¡± Sweat dripped down the sides of her face as she wracked her brain for an excuse. The yellow boots stopped in their path. ¡°Oh?¡± Since this tree had been bestowed sentience, if only by its title, then it must be mysterious. In this situation, logic didn¡¯t matter. Common sense flew out the window. Her pupils darted left and right, the gears in her mind spinning in overdrive. She gritted her teeth. ¡°Although this slave did not know this was the cypress spirit, this slave had a dream. In this dream, an ancient tree spoke to this slave. It said it had been here for so long and its body itched. It called for this slave to find it in the garden, to scratch its back¡­ Just now, this slave was doing just that!¡± The high-ranking eunuch smiled, cold as ice. ¡°The more you speak, the more ridiculous your words become. How could a tree speak to you through a dream?!¡± Wei Yingluo was waiting precisely for him to stay this. Immediately, she slammed her forehead to the ground. Her voice shook with power. ¡°Because the cypress tree is sentient, it can shade His Majesty from the sharp rays of the run, and it can speak to this slave through a dream! This slave has only spoke the truth, and dares not speak a lick of lie!¡± The high-ranking eunuch was rendered speechless. In the end, he could only turn his gaze to the sole master of the imperial palace. ¡°Enough.¡± The voice was nonchalant as prior. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± From her peripheral vision, she could see the pair of yellow boots pass right by her. What came after it were many pairs of black boots, white embroidered shoes, and swords hanging by the girdles, all marching along. It wasn¡¯t until the procession was far into the distance that Wei Yingluo finally let loose the breath she had been holding. She collapsed onto the ground, body sore from stress and exhaustion. She survived a disaster. Then someone knocked the top of her head. ¡°Ouch.¡± Wei Yingluo looked up. ¡°Granny Zhang, why are you here?¡± ¡°You fool!¡± Sweat clung to Granny Zhang¡¯s face. ¡°I take my eyes off of you for a second and you almost cause a great disaster!¡± To be yelled at in such a way, Wei Yingluo felt her heart soften. ¡°His Majesty had personally given that tree a title,¡± said the older woman, helping Wei Yingluo to her feet. ¡°Back then, His Majesty had gone incognito outside the palace for an inspection. At that time, it was sweltering. Every high-ranking official had to endure their clothes clinging to their bodies from sweat. Only His Majesty had stayed cool. People thought it was strange. Whenever His Majesty recalls this event, it seemed as if a cypress tree had followed them from the Forbidden City to the outside, for the sake of shielding him from the sun. Everyone has said this cypress spirit knew of His Majesty¡¯s trip and followed along as protection!¡± Granny Zhang had nagged for so long in hopes of persuading Wei Yingluo to be more careful. Within the Forbidden City, not only were there people one must not offend. There were even trees that must not be offended. ¡°I understand,¡± said Wei Yingluo, sighing. She watched this noble and precious tree. She grumbled, ¡°In the imperial palace, a tree that has been acknowledged by the emperor is more powerful than an unfavored person.¡± Meanwhile, the bright yellow boots stopped in their tracks. The boots behind also stopped. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± The high-ranking eunuch watched the emperor, his gaze filled with uncertainty. ¡°Previously, We were thinking about the matters proposed during morning court¡­¡± The high-ranking eunuch appeared to be listening carefully. ¡°So We did not react on time.¡± Emperor Hongli slowly looked over his shoulder. The branches of the cypress tree swayed in the breeze. The rays of the sun flitted through the leaves, as if drops of golden rain had fell upon him. A smile suddenly graced his lips. ¡°After thinking about it for a bit, why would the cypress spirit enter the dream of such a low-ranked palace maid?¡± Your Majesty, you¡¯ve only realized this just now?! The high-ranking eunuch did not let his thoughts show on his face. His expression was as if he also just been clued in to what had happened. He gritted his teeth. ¡°That¡¯s correct. This slave has just realized this. That little servant girl had lied through her teeth, one lie after the other.¡± He turned to the people behind him. ¡°Find her! Find her and then kill her!¡± ¡°Do you remember how she looks like?¡± Emperor Hongli clasped his hands behind his back. The high-ranking eunuch stood there in a daze. Then he tried his best to recall her appearance¡­ ¡°Can¡¯t remember, right?¡± Emperor Hongli slowly said. ¡°Palace maids all wear the same uniform, and she was kneeling with her face pressed toward the ground. Not once did she lift her head.¡± The high-ranking eunuch dropped his jaw. ¡°T-this, she purposely did this¡­¡± Every female member of the imperial harem hoped to walk with her head high, with her face in plain sight. Who would have thought there¡¯d be a person who purposely wanted to hide her face? ¡°Once river water has entered an ocean, or a stray leaf has entered a forest, it would be difficult to find them. One must rely on the ear.¡± Emperor Hongli gazed at the forest within the imperial garden. He slowly said, ¡°Li Yu, since you still remember how she sounds, help me find that person.¡± ¡°At Your Majesty¡¯s command.¡± After a moment of thought, Emperor Hongli commented with a smile, ¡°Once you¡¯ve found her, don¡¯t kill her yet. Bring her to Us.¡± CH 18 Wei Yingluo endured a few days of distress, heart trembling to no end. Whether during work or break time, her gaze would always trail to the door. She was frightened that someone would push it open and shout, ¡°Wei Yingluo, we¡¯ve found you! Now hurry and follow us!¡± Someone tapped her shoulder, causing her to almost jump from fear. ¡°What is it? What is it?¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®what is it?¡¯¡± Jixiang stared at her, a perplexed look in her eyes. ¡°Older sister Yingluo, look over there.¡± She looked in the direction Jixiang was pointing, only seeing a few imperial guards pass by. A total of six. They stood straight and tall, posture impeccable. Each of their appearances could draw the female gaze. Coupled with their uniform and matching blades, they cut a manly and mighty figure. ¡°Look at that one, the one at the back,¡± said Jixiang with a wistful air. ¡°He looks like my elder brother.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Jinxiu laughed through her teeth. ¡°Don¡¯t include your brother in your wishful thinking.¡± Jixiang scowled at her. ¡°What are you trying to say?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not wrong.¡± Jinxiu waved her hands, her nails secretly dyed with the pulp of crushed red flowers. ¡°Do you actually think the imperial guards of the Forbidden City are regular people? The red walls of the palace divide commoners from them!¡± Jixiang did understand the implications of her words. However, she was unwilling to ask Jinxiu to explain. Instead, she turned around to Wei Yingluo. ¡°Sister Yingluo, can you tell me what she means about imperial guards and dividing?¡± A sigh escaped Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips. She tried her best to explain as simply as possible. ¡°The guards outside of the red walls are part of the lower five banners. The imperial guards that patrol inside the red walls are part of the nobility of the upper three banners.¡± Jixiang nodded in a way that seemed to suggest she both understood and did not understand Wei Yingluo¡¯s words. Then she nodded again. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Do the nobility also have to work as imperial guards?¡± ¡°Naturally!¡± Jinxiu interrupted, a person who liked to show off, who liked to make herself appear more knowledgeable than others. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about the highest-ranking imperial guards in charge of His Majesty¡¯s safety. Even if it were the imperial guards in charge of guarding the Gate of Heavenly Purity, they would either be high-ranking generals or high-ranking ministers in the future! They will all accomplish extraordinary achievements! Don¡¯t forget, those who are always by His Majesty¡¯s side will naturally have a steady promotion!¡± The other palace maids started chatting among themselves, pointing at the six imperial guards. ¡°I heard that every year in order to become an imperial guard, the nobility of the upper three banners will participate in a show of martial arts and swordplay.¡± ¡°Merely being of noble birth does not guarantee the position. Their martial arts must also be first class.¡± ¡°I heard the most extraordinary among the imperial guards is the empress¡¯ younger brother, Sir Fucha. Among the nobility, he¡¯s definitely a great talent in both the brush and the sword!¡± ¡°Which one is he? Is he among those six?¡± ¡°He¡¯s all the way at the front. The tallest one!¡± Jinxiu¡¯s heart fluttered. All of a sudden, she shoved the basin in her hand at Jixiang. Then, as she pressed her stomach down, she said, ¡°I have to use the restroom. I¡¯m going to find an outhouse. Jixiang, do me a favor and help me send these things to the embroidery workshop. Ah, ah, I¡¯m going first!¡± ¡°What kind of person is she? Always so many excuses,¡± said Jixiang unhappily. However, she did not think too much about it. Next to her was Wei Yingluo, watching Jinxiu¡¯s shrinking figure. A moment later, she saw through the other¡¯s scheme. They had already been in the palace for a while. Other things omitted, they should have improved in recognizing the layout of the palace. Otherwise, if they entered an area they had no business being in, they would be punished severely. Don¡¯t support theft; read this ad-free at sleep chaser¡¯s word press. The imperial guards were heading to the Imperial Garden. They were also on the road to Changchun Palace. If the six imperial guards separated at this time, there was an 80-90% chance that Fucha Fuheng was on his way to visit his elder sister. Jinxiu hid behind an artificial mountain, cheeks flushed and heart pounding. She kept peeking for a certain someone. Perhaps because of her continuous action, luck smiled down on her and she actually saw the figure of someone approaching. All of a sudden, her heart thrashed out of rhythm. She grasped a stone and ruthlessly slammed it on her leg. Pain! Good thing she had muffled herself with a handkerchief beforehand. Her screams of pain were inaudible. One hand supporting herself on the artificial mountain, Jinxiu swayed as she stood. She had calculated that the other person would pass by the mountain from the opposite direction. Using the other hand, she tucked her hair behind her ear. Fixed her expression to make herself seem even more pitiful. Like a thin willow swaying from a heavy gust. With everything prepared, Jinxiu rushed out! However, a hand suddenly reached out from her side, dragging her back behind the artificial mountain. On the other side of the mountain, Fucha Fuheng passed by. Behind the mountain, Jinxiu used all her strength to rip away the hand covering her mouth. Infuriated, she said in a low voice, ¡°Wei Yingluo! What are you doing?!¡± ¡°I could ask you the same thing,¡± said Wei Yingluo with a stare. ¡°Jinxiu, what are you trying to do?¡± ¡°All women want to find a good way out for themselves. What did I do wrong?¡± Jinxiu suddenly checked her out. With a suspicious gaze, she said, ¡°It can¡¯t be that you¡¯ve also decided to target him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t dare.¡± Wei Yingluo laughed, then wiped the smile from her face. Her voice was as cold as ice. ¡°You and I are servants of the three upper banners. When you were still in your household, did any sons from Dutong1 or Canling2 households propose to you? Let¡¯s not mention Dutong or Canling households for a second. Even Zuoling3 households won¡¯t spare you a glance! Those households are like this, much less the ones of true nobility.¡± But her admonishment fell to death ears. ¡°As long as I¡¯m beautiful, how do you know I can¡¯t force my way up the social ladder?¡± Wei Yingluo was shocked. Then she arched a brow and studied the other. ¡°So what you mean is¡­ you want to be a concubine?¡± Jinxiu enthusiastically nodded. ¡°Becoming a concubine for the nobility is better than being the principal wife of a poor man!¡± Every person had their own mentality. It could not be forced. Wei Yingluo shook her head. She felt the girl before her was born beautiful on the outside, but bursting with vanity within. A desire for things unattainable coupled with extreme narcissism and selfishness. ¡°How you want to think is your business. However, remember this: this is the Forbidden City. If it came out that an imperial guard had an illicit affair with a palace maid, he is part of the upper nobility and will not receive much punishment. But you? Only death awaits.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s expression became frigid in an instant. In a low voice, she said, ¡°You and I are part of the same group coming in, and we live together. If you perform such a shameful act, we will also be talked behind our backs.¡± Jinxiu sneered. ¡°So you¡¯re only concerned for yourself.¡± ¡°Correct. You also only care about yourself.¡± Wei Yingluo gave her a smile. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to relay today¡¯s events to Aunt Fang, then follow me back.¡± Seeing her use Aunt Fang to back her up, Jinxiu became so angry that a smile appeared on her lips. As soon as she wanted to retort, a pleasant male voice suddenly rang from the other side of the artificial mountain. ¡°I think that that young lady said it correctly.¡± The moment they heard those words, an imperial guard with his arms folded on his chest walked to where they were. A smile on his lips, he said, ¡°You should both return.¡± ¡°Sir Fucha¡­¡± said the two girls as they turned around. Some people could wear the emperor¡¯s robes and still not seem like an emperor. Some people could wear the uniform of an imperial guard and still not seem like an imperial guard. Fucha Fuheng was such a person. His manner was too noble. No matter where he stood, he would seem like a phoenix landing on a Wutong tree, wings slowly spreading wide. Merely the uniform of an imperial guard, on others would grant them a boost in their profession¡¯s image. Yet on him, it seemed condescending. Long and narrow phoenix eyes? glanced at Wei Yingluo. At the corner of his right eye was a beauty mark, adding an ambiguous and sexy aura. ¡°Wei Yingluo,¡± he called out to her, his voice like the aroma of a just-opened jar of wine, enough to get drunk off. Wei Yingluo did what she had done before, hiding her appearance from the other. She purposely lowered her head. ¡°¡­What are Sir Fucha¡¯s orders?¡± ¡°Lift your head.¡± She was left with no choice but to slowly do so. No wonder Jinxiu wanted to be his concubine. Those long and narrow phoenix eyes seemed to both hold affection and indifference toward their target. He did not need to speak. He only needed to gaze upon the other party and tender feelings would burst from one¡¯s heart. ¡°You¡¯re quite aware of your situation. That¡¯s good. However, you overlooked something.¡± Fucha Fuheng patted the blade by his waist. ¡°The imperial guards all have the title of Bataru? and are the best of the bunch. This also applies to me. Every one of them¡­ is able to notice when people are hiding behind the artificial mountain.¡± Which meant Jinxiu¡¯s plan had failed from the start. If it had succeeded, it would have been because the imperial guard purposely fell for the trap. To play with a willing beauty. Shame welled in Jinxiu¡¯s heart and she lowered her gaze. Wei Yingluo, who stood by her side, also lowered her head. ¡°Yes, Yingluo takes this teaching to heart.¡± ¡°Good. You may leave.¡± Fucha Fuheng glanced at Jinxiu. ¡°Help support her back. Lecture her well, so that she won¡¯t cause a large disaster in the future.¡± Wei Yingluo rushed to bring Jinxiu back to the embroidery workshop. Along the way, Jinxiu¡¯s expression remained ugly. Whether it was because of the pain in her leg or Fucha Fuheng¡¯s words was anyone¡¯s guess. ¡°So you¡¯ve heard what he said, right? There are no foolish people in the imperial palace. Don¡¯t do such idiotic things anymore,¡± warned Wei Yingluo for the last time. As expected, the response was a cold smile filled to the brim with jealousy. Jinxiu shoved Wei Yingluo away. Stumbled off by herself toward the direction of the dormitory. Her voice carried a trace of irritation. ¡°Once again, you¡¯ve treated me as a stepping stone. Sir Fucha remembered your name yet did not remember mine!¡± Wei Yingluo shook her head. This was the last time. From now on, she would not advise her. Not even a word. Whatever problem Jinxiu caused in the future would have nothing to do with Wei Yingluo. A small pebble rolled to Wei Yingluo¡¯s feet. She looked at the direction in which the pebble had come. Arched her brow. ¡°Are you sure you want to go back on your own? You don¡¯t need me to support you?¡± ¡°Bullshit!¡± As soon as Jinxiu had heard the other palace maid¡¯s words, she quickened her pace. ¡°Who needs your fake attentiveness! I¡¯ll return by myself!¡± Enduring the pain in her leg, Jinxiu continued on to the palace maids¡¯ dormitory. The moment she saw her bed, she collapsed onto it. Her sweat left a mark on her covers. ¡°Oh my, what happened to you? Why do you look so wretched?¡± said Jixiang, a dessert still in her mouth. ¡°Eat, eat, eat. All you know is how to eat. After eating your share, you eat Yingluo¡¯s. Do you really think she¡¯s treating you well? She just wants to fatten you up and look skinny while standing next to you!¡± said Jinxiu, suddenly wanting to drive a wedge between Jixiang and Wei Yingluo. She swept her gaze through the room. ¡°Where is Wei Yingluo?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t she run after you?¡± Jixiang stuffed another dessert into her mouth. ¡°What, she didn¡¯t catch up?¡± Shocked, Jinxiu dropped her head. She carefully recalled the prior events. What was at the direction from which the pebble rolled? A verdant jardiniere of wisteria flowers. Songbirds hidden in dense leaves. Scented wind remained for the beauty?. It indeed was a beauty. Just by the profile, it was apparent that the other party had a tall stature. A handsome imperial guard. Jinxiu immediately sat up from her bed. Gaze ablaze, like two raging fires. CH 19 A clang, and the door to the junk room slammed closed. ¡°It¡¯s too dark,¡± muttered Wei Yingluo. The sound of a match being struck rang out from behind her. Atop the table, the candle on the candle stand was lit, its flame waving upon the wick. A yellow glow upon a handsome face. Thin, long brows and narrow eyes. Thin, long fingers. He was like a fine calligraphy brush meant for ancient portraits. Noble, pure, and graceful. But the creases on his brow spoke of gloom. This gloom did not detract from his appearance. In fact, it made him stand out in a crowd. ¡°In the past, Uncle Wei had said you were in the imperial palace, yet I dared not believe his words.¡± He cupped the flame with his right hand until the it grew more stable. ¡°Never had I thought I would see you again today.¡± Among the six imperial guards Wei Yingluo had come across today, leading the pack was Fucha Fuheng. The one who had stood at the second position was the man before her eyes. ¡°And then?¡± Wei Yingluo asked without turning around. ¡°When Yingning passed away, I had also been sorrowful.¡± The man lifted his head, his gaze landing on her back. His eyes gentle. ¡°However, this is the Forbidden City. One cannot mess around. You have to listen to your father and leave the palace as soon as you¡¯re able. Then find a good family to marry into¡­¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Wei Yingluo finally flipped around to face him. Gaze as cold as ice. ¡°Who are you? On what grounds do you have to control me?¡± The other party sighed. ¡°On the time Yingning and I had spent as a couple¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention her name again!¡± screamed Wei Yingluo. She hated many people. And the one she hated the most was the person before her. ¡°You and my sister had previously been together, yet why did you leave her during the time she needed you the most?¡± The melancholic aura of the man thickened. ¡°She was a daughter born under the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Eventually, she would have to enter the imperial palace as a palace maid. Did you want me to wait until she could leave at twenty-five years old?¡± ¡°No, young master Qingxi.¡± Wei Yingluo sneered. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have to wait until she left the palace because we are of humble birth. No matter how beautiful my sister was, no matter how intelligent, you are a noble young master. So you wouldn¡¯t marry such a low-born woman as your principal wife!¡± Seeing that the other party kept quiet, Wei Yingluo approached him a couple steps. She forcibly asked, ¡°What? Did my words hurt your feelings? Your last name is Qijia. It¡¯s a noble Manchurian clan. Although my elder sister was of humble birth, she had strength of character. Since you severed the relationship so cleanly, you two no longer have anything to do with each other!¡± Qingxi sighed deeply. ¡°However, I¡¯ve never stopped thinking about your elder sister¡­¡± ¡°Thinking about her?¡± Wei Yingluo chuckled. ¡°When she met disaster in the palace, you just stood there watching¡­ Only you were by her side. Only you could have helped her. Yet you just watched!¡± Qingxi closed his eyes amidst his internal and emotional suffering. The past memories spent together. It made him, a warrior that could fight a tiger, shake. ¡°I¡­ I am an imperial guard. I cannot have relations with a palace maid.¡± ¡°I am also a palace maid.¡± Wei Yingluo watched his reaction. But she was not moved at the slightest. Voice cold enough to freeze, she said, ¡°We should also not be meeting alone. Please move aside.¡± Why keep meeting? When her elder sister had needed him the most, he left. If he had only been playing with her sister, then she hated him. If he had actually loved her sister, then she hated him even more! Hated this coward! As they went their separate ways, their shoulders brushed, and Wei Yingluo heard a sigh from the direction opposite of her. ¡°Every five days.¡± Qingxi¡¯s voice rang from behind her. ¡°Every five days I patrol this area. If you ever need help, find an imperial guard to pass me a message!¡± The sound of Wei Yingluo¡¯s footsteps paused, before continuing shortly after. She placed both hands on the bolt of the door. Before she could open it, a few thumps came from outside, followed by Aunt Fang¡¯s voice. ¡°Open the door! Go and open the door!¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s stomach dropped. She turned around and glanced at Qingxi. An unmarried couple alone. If they were found by other people, even if they had one hundred mouths they would not be able to clear their names. Qingxi¡¯s lips parted. He wanted to say something. She reached out to him to stop him from talking. She whispered to him, ¡°Do as I say.¡± Aunt Fang kept slamming on the door, each slam loud and reverberating. Suddenly, the door opened. Caught off guard, Aunt Fang ended up striking Wei Yingluo. But a basket slammed on Aunt Fang¡¯s face, falling over her head. Then Wei Yingluo punched and kicked at the person in front of her, and following that, a voice thick with both fear and anger. ¡°Why did you follow me? Why did you follow me?! Shameless hooligan!¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this ad-free at sleep chaser¡¯s word press. ¡°Stop it! Stop it!¡± It had always been she that hit others, not the other way around. Aunt Fang ran for her life, her scream as loud as a pig squealing before slaughter. ¡°Wei Yingluo you¡¯ve gone mad! Stop it! Hurry up and stop! Someone hurry up and get here! Save me!¡± A group of low-ranked palace maids rushed forward. Some were restraining Wei Yingluo¡¯s arms. Some were holding her legs. Finally, they were able to pull Aunt Fang and We Yingluo apart. Aunt Fang removed the basket on her head. Then she stared at Wei Yingluo, her expression dark. ¡°Yingluo, you¡¯ve gone mad! You actually dare to put your hands on me!¡± Wei Yingluo gasped in surprise. Her expression was even darker than the other woman¡¯s. ¡°Aunt, w-why is it you?¡± Not letting Aunt Fang speak, she fell to knees in a kneel. As she sobbed, she said, ¡°Aunt, please settle this for me! Originally I was looking for the handkerchief I lost, yet who knew I would be followed! I also don¡¯t know whether it was a lustful eunuch or a lecherous imperial guard who followed me. In a hurry, I could only lock myself in the junk room. Thank goodness you came¡­¡± Her sobs filled the room. ¡°A lustful eunuch or a lecherous imperial guard?¡± Aunt Fang was so angry that a smile appeared on her lips. ¡°Listen to you spouting nonsense. You couldn¡¯t recognize my voice? Or are you trying to say I sound like a man?¡± ¡°I was too frightened.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s whole body trembled. As if she had experienced a traumatic and fearful event. Lifting a hand to wipe away her tears with a sleeve, she said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t tell the difference back then. May Aunt forgive me¡­¡± ¡°Look at the injuries on my arm.¡± Aunt Fang rolled up her sleeve. Showed Wei Yingluo the bruises she had received. She coldly said, ¡°Tell me, how can I forgive you?¡± Wei Yingluo kowtowed respectfully. ¡°Waiting for Aunt¡¯s punishment.¡± In this way, the situation had come to a close. Although Wei Yingluo received punishment, it was because Wei Yingluo had been ignorant of the fact that it was Aunt Fang in the beginning, and hit her superior. Furthermore, Aunt Fang was greedy, so the punishment was just a hefty fine. After paying the fine, Wei Yingluo only received a couple strikes. It was still better than being discovered with an unmarried man alone. If that were the case, the punishment wouldn¡¯t stop at just a small beating, and money wouldn¡¯t be able to solve it either. ¡°Fortunately, Qingxi is a Baturu and is adept at martial arts. While I was making trouble, he left without a sound.¡± Wei Yingluo climbed on top her bed. Medicinal ointment had just been applied to the injuries on her back. The pain hot like fire, so painful that she could not fall asleep. She could only close eyes, her thoughts running wild. ¡°But who reported us?¡± Moonlight streamed through the windows. It hit Wei Yingluo¡¯s bed post. She slowly slipped a hand under her first layer of clothes. Her fingers brushed against a decorative knot that functioned as a pouch1. Under the moonlight, she gazed upon it. ¡°However, it wasn¡¯t entirely without benefit,¡± said Wei Yingluo to the knot, her gaze gentle. ¡°Elder sister, after being in the imperial palace for so long, I finally found a clue.¡± The things that had happened in the past appeared as if they were right before her eyes. Against the stars and winds of yesternight, the moonlight like white silk. She lay on Wei Yingning¡¯s knees, watched her ten fingers fly. A plum blossom decorative knot, easy on the eyes, appeared from her fingertips. The plum blossom knot followed her elder sister into the palace. But it did not accompany her back home. In fact, during today¡¯s tussle with Aunt Fang, it had fallen from Aunt Fang¡¯s body. ¡°Aunt Fang, huh?¡± Wei Yingluo gripped her sister¡¯s keepsake. ¡°Why did you have my elder sister¡¯s plum blossom knot?¡± CH 20 ¡°Older Sister Zhilan.¡± Zhilan turned around and saw a girl unrestrained in both spirit and behavior approach. Such a face and body would be doted upon in brothels or in the inner courtyards of rich men. But in the imperial palace, if they belonged to a servant girl, it would only seem inappropriate and showcase a lack of seriousness. If one were not careful, it would inspire others¡¯ hate. ¡°You are?¡± Zhilan slowly swept her gaze through the girl. ¡°I am Jinxiu, a palace maid of the embroidery workshop.¡± Jinxiu had quickly revealed her name. She carried a tray. On top lay a set of folded green robes. ¡°Granny Zhang sent me to deliver the newly-made spring clothes.¡± Zhilan grunted in acknowledgement and nodded. ¡°Put it here.¡± However, Jinxiu was unwilling to leave like this. She set the tray down as slowly as she could. From her mouth came the most pleasant of words. ¡°Even though everyone wears the same uniform, it looks different on older sister. The flowers embroidered on the sleeves are beautiful. Just a glance, and people know that older sister is a dexterous person.¡± Zhilan smiled. Although it was true that all palace maids shared a uniform, upon closer inspection there were some differences. The first-rank palace girls who had some status and power would have flowers embroidered onto the ends of their sleeves and collars, with difference in ranks apparent. On Zhilan¡¯s clothes were peach blossoms, the stamens and pistils in view. However, she had not been the one who embroidered them. Rather, she had instructed a low-rank palace maid from the embroidery workshop to do it. What what her name again? If she remembered correctly, it should have been¡­ Yingluo? ¡°¡­Compared to the work of our embroidery workshop¡¯s most talented seamstress, Yingluo, it is even better.¡± Jinxiu laughed. ¡°Speaking of Yingluo, not only is her embroidery extremely beautiful, she is also extremely intelligent. Last time, if it weren¡¯t for her, we would not have known so much about loquat paste!¡± Originally, Zhilan had started to grow annoyed of her, and was about to wave her hand to dismiss Jinxiu. But now, she quickly turned around. ¡°What did you say? Loquat paste?¡± ¡°Yep.¡± Jinxiu¡¯s face glowed with naivety. ¡°Last time, Yingluo mentioned in Yonghe Palace that when she was young, she accidentally ate the young leaves of a loquat. Only now do we slaves know that the young leaves are poisonous and should not be used in medicine. What now?¡± Zhilan slammed her right hand on the table. Gritting her teeth, she said, ¡°Good! So it was her!¡± ¡°Older Sister Zhilan, I¡­ Did I say something wrong?¡± Jinxiu acted as if she were scared and lowered her head. Although her voice sounded meek, she was laughing coldly in her heart. Wei Yingluo, that cheap little slut. She appeared aloof from politics and material pursuits, and blocked her from seducing Fucha Fuheng. Yet once Jinxiu turned around, she went and seduced an imperial guard on her own. What a pity that she had been too slow in informing Aunt Fang. As such, they were unable to catch them in the act1. But that was fine. She still had some tricks up her sleeve. If she borrowed Noble Consort Hui¡¯s hand, she could remove the eyesore. ¡°Lead the way,¡± said Zhilan, rising to her feet. ¡°Take me to where this Wei Yingluo is.¡± ¡°Yes, Older Sister Zhilan,¡± Jinxiu quickly responded. The two of them made for the embroidery workshop, one leading the way and one following. The moment they arrived, they saw a group of people surrounding Wei Yingluo. The palace maids¡¯ gazes were filled with either surprise or revel. ¡°These colorful stratus clouds2 are embroidered so beautifully. Later on, I¡¯ll embroider some myself.¡± ¡°Heh, don¡¯t make a fool out of yourself3 .¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried to embroider colorful stratus clouds in the past. But when I finished, what I had was just a bunch of clouds. Yingluo, how do you do it?¡± ¡°This is the Full Stitch technique. The result of using this technique is a gradual change in color that is displayed through many layers. It looks beautiful, but it takes ten years of experience to reach this level. If you want to have the same result with your embroidery, without at least ten years of practice you won¡¯t be able to accomplish it.¡± A pair of embroidered shoes reached the back of Wei Yingluo. A voice full of smiles rang. ¡°It is in fact embroidered well.¡± The needle in Wei Yingluo¡¯s hands stopped. She turned her head to see the identity of the speaker, before quickly getting on her feet to pay respects. ¡°Older Sister Zhilan.¡± The group of palace maids wasted no time in paying respects to Noble Consort Hui¡¯s personal maidservant. Even one of the oldest people in the room, Aunt Fang, rose to her feet, not daring to sit in front of Zhilan. She asked courteously, ¡°Young Lady Zhilan, why did your honored self come here? Could it be that your honored self is unsatisfied with the spring clothes? If so, there¡¯s no need for your honored self to personally come over. Just send a palace maid to deliver the message and I will personally make the trip to Chuxiu Palace.¡± ¡°Previously, I was very satisfied. However, after seeing those colorful stratus clouds, I am no longer so,¡± said Zhilan with a smile. She shifted her gaze to Wei Yingluo. ¡°This little palace maid¡¯s embroidery skills are great. Lend her to me.¡± Many of the palace maids watched Wei Yingluo enviously. Only Wei Yingluo and Granny Zhang felt a tremor of fear in their hearts. If the masters truly had an order for them, they just needed to say a word. What would require a servant to go to their residence for a discussion? One would fear at the end of this trip wasn¡¯t fortune but disaster. Granny Zhang wanted to protect Wei Yingluo, and smiled as she said, ¡°Young Lady Zhilan, that wouldn¡¯t be good. This girl is under my apprenticeship. She has not finished learning from me yet. If you really need someone, why don¡¯t I come and help instead?¡± No matter what, Granny Zhang was an older servant that was supervising the embroidery workshop. For her to purposely embroider for a palace maid was already considered to be lowering herself. Yet Zhilan refused. Her smile was cold enough to freeze. ¡°Granny Zhang, don¡¯t give me so many excuses. Whoever I choose is who¡¯s coming with me. Don¡¯t waste time with so many unnecessary things. Wei Yingluo, follow me!¡± Once she spoke, everyone could discern the evil intent behind her words. The envy toward Wei Yingluo that had been in everyone¡¯s gaze vanished. Instead, it was replaced with sympathy or schadenfreude. ¡°¡­Understood.¡± Now that they had reached this point, Wei Yingluo could only steel herself and agree. After she and Zhilan had left, the embroidery workshop burst with chatter. Even after Granny Zhang yelled at them, the palace maids did not stop gossiping. Don¡¯t support theft; read this ad-free at sleep chaser¡¯s word press. ¡°Did Wei Yingluo offend Older Sister Zhilan?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve rarely met, so how could she have offended her?¡± ¡°Could¡­ Could it be that Older Sister Zhilan was using an excuse to bring her back for punishment?¡± Of course that was the case. In the side residence of Chuxiu Palace, Wei Yingluo kneeled on the floorboards that were cold as ice. She had been kneeling for an extended period of time. The chill had already entered her knees, piercing into bone. The house was silent. Occasionally, the sound of someone stirring a bowl of soup could be heard. Noble Consort Hui sat in a chair. To her side was a small table made of rosewood, a bowl of sweet lotus starch balls? on top. The soup was a shade of freshly fallen snow. The starch balls were pitch black, like deep soil. The white and the black contrasted against each other, the white seeming more white and the black seeming more black. After so much time had passed, the snack had gone cold. Thinking that she had been warned enough, Noble Consort Hui stopped stirring the spoon. She slowly asked, ¡°You are Wei Yingluo?¡± ¡°Yes!! Your Majesty!!¡± yelled Wei Yingluo, suddenly so loud that the other woman almost dropped her spoon. After being a noble consort for so many years, Noble Consort Hui had never seen a person that would scream in front of others like this. She lifted a hand. Patted her chest¡­ To be honest, she wanted to rub her ears. ¡°Why are you screaming?¡± Wei Yingluo lifted her head, a smile on her face. Prior to this, she had kneeled as soon as she entered the room, so Noble Consort Hui had not been able to see her appearance. Now that Wei Yingluo lifted her head, the other woman could even see drool hanging from the corner of her mouth. The reason for this was as followed: Wei Yingluo had used the opportunity to take a short nap while kneeling. ¡°Forgive me, Your Majesty.¡± She raised a hand to wipe away her drool. Then she smiled like a fool. ¡°This slave has been loud since young. Granny has hit this slave many times but this slave still cannot change!¡± In the imperial palace, even standing and sitting must be done by protocol. Especially for those palace maids that attended to the masters. There were even rules for sleeping positions. Those foolish servants who could fall asleep while kneeling were punished more often. Noble Consort Hui stared at her suspiciously. ¡°Was it you who said the young leaves of loquats were poisonous?¡± ¡°Yes, they¡¯re poisonous. They shouldn¡¯t be eaten!¡± Wei Yingluo quickly nodded. ¡°Why is Your Majesty asking this? Oh! Could it be your honored self wants to eat loquat paste? Then your honored self must not eat the pit! And the young leaves too! Those are also poisonous! When I was young, I was too gluttonous and accidentally ate too much of them. It made me throw up and gave me diarrhea. I almost died! Last time, when the master at Yonghe Palace wanted to eat loquat paste, I warned her! So dangerous! And also, and also?¡ª¡± Like water from a dam that had been released, her words rushed in. In fact, it appeared like she wanted to continue speaking. Her voice was purposely loud; just one person, yet it sounded as if a group of ducks were loudly quacking. It gave Noble Consort Hui a migraine. ¡°Stop, stop, stop!¡± Noble Consort Hui couldn¡¯t endure any longer. ¡°What are you even saying? You¡¯ve worked in the palace for so long. Don¡¯t you know how to respond to your masters?¡± Wei Yingluo nodded, then quickly shook her head. After that, her eyes darted left and right in uncertainty, before finally steadying. However, they stopped at a place they should not have stopped: the bowl of sweet lotus starch balls by Noble Consort Hui¡¯s side. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Seeing her gluttonous appearance, the constant swallowing of saliva, Zhilan couldn¡¯t help but feel annoyed. She went closer to her master¡¯s side and softly said, ¡°This servant girl seems a bit¡­mentally incapacitated¡­¡± If even you can see it, do you think this palace cannot? Noble Consort Hui waved. ¡°Come here.¡± Wei Yingluo grunted in acknowledgement. Naturally, she acted as if she did not know that gesture meant for her to stand, and continued to kneel. She managed to maneuver her way in front of Noble Consort Hui just by walking on her knees. This action of a lowly slave almost caused Consort Hui to burst into laughter. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± Noble Consort Hui talked to her as if she were a dog, holding up the green bowl. She waved it a little in front of Wei Yingluo. We Yingluo¡¯s head moved along with the bowl. In a foolish manner, she said, ¡°Are those starch balls? Why are they black? This slave has never seen black starch balls!¡± ¡°What a pitiful child. You¡¯ve never eaten sweet lotus starch balls before?¡± Noble Consort Hui smiled. ¡°Here. Go eat it.¡± She handed the bowl to Wei Yingluo, but did not give her the spoon. ¡°Thanking Your Majesty!¡± Wei Yingluo received the bowl in an extremely joyous manner. She didn¡¯t use a spoon. She directly drank from the bowl. Then she picked up the starch balls sticking to the bottom and threw them into her mouth. ¡°Does it taste delicious?¡± Noble Consort Hui asked kindly. However, those who knew her knew that underneath that kindness sat a deep maliciousness. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s yummy.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled once more like a fool. Never had she seen a person like the one in front of her before, and she could not guess the other party¡¯s personality. Despite this, it did not stop Noble Consort Hui from using her own method of messing with her. Of probing her. ¡°If you like it, then have some more.¡± Noble Consort Hui waved. ¡°Zhilan.¡± After that, many bowls of the snack were delivered to Chuxiu Palace. Green bowls, rainbow bowls, white bowls¡­ All the bowls were different colors but the things they held were the same. They were packed full of sweet lotus starch balls. ¡°Eat,¡± said Noble Consort Hui, sprawled on the chair, smiling at Wei Yingluo. ¡°Eat all of it.¡± Half the bowls on the floor were already emptied. However, more bowls were sent from the outside. Wei Yingluo¡¯s belly was protruding at this point, yet she did not waste any time in eating. She was like a goldfish that did not know when to stop eating, all the way until it ate itself to death. A hiccup escaped from Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips. ¡°Noble Consort Hui, your honored self is such a good person, and does not dislike this slave for being gluttonous!¡± Wei Yingluo lifted another green bowl. She hiccuped. ¡°Really so delicious. This slave, this slave¡­¡± A sour stench hit the air. Half-chewed food dripped down her mouth. Yet Wei Yingluo didn¡¯t seem to realize this at all. Instead, she went back to work, slurping up the starch balls like no tomorrow. The noble personages in the imperial palace had never seen people eat in such a horrifying manner. Noble Consort Hui furrowed her brow. She made a sound of disgust and contempt. ¡°Truly a fool! This palace is tired. Tell her to leave quickly. Just a glance is enough to irritate!¡± Zhilan also felt disgusted. She even felt disgusted by having to touch Wei Yingluo as she dragged her to her feet. She kicked her. ¡°Alright, stop eating! Her Majesty has told you to leave!¡± But Wei Yingluo continued to gulp down large mouthfuls of soup, until Zhilan kicked her again. She pitifully turned around, mouth still full. Her words were muffled by the food. ¡°But this slave has not finished eating yet!¡± Gaze shifting to the bowl in Wei Yingluo¡¯s hands, Zhilan felt that even the bowl had become dirtied. She arched a brow. ¡°Take the bowl with you!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s eyes flashed. ¡°Hurry up and leave!¡± Wei Yingluo poured the leftover starch balls into that single bowl. Then she held the bowl close to her chest and ran off. ¡°What¡­What kind of person is she?!¡± Zhilan watched Wei Yingluo glance back constantly as she ran. As if she were afraid that Zhilan would stop her from leaving, and tell her to put down the bowl. Zhilan couldn¡¯t help but smile. She returned and relayed the events to Noble Consort Hui. And her master couldn¡¯t help but smile as well. ¡°Later on, ask the Ministry of Internal Affairs what kind of people do they bring in?¡± Noble Consort Hui shook her head. As though she wanted to empty her head of the image of Wei Yingluo, of her shoveling food in her mouth. ¡°She is obviously a fool!¡± Originally, Zhilan wanted to respond in agreement. But all of a sudden, she remembered when she was back in the embroidery workshop. When she had seen that embroidery of the colorful stratus clouds. Vast colorful stratus clouds, covering the whole sky. In a group of ten thousand people, there would not even be one person who could embroider with such skill. Could that really be the work of a fool? Seeing the hesitation in her eyes, Noble Consort Hui asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Zhilan hesitated once more before finally revealing her thoughts. ¡°Your Majesty, Does your honored self feel that¡­ she was faking being a fool?¡± CH 21 Whether or not she was acting a fool, it was hard to tell at first glance. However, after consideration, the answer was clear. Zhilan held a six-sided lantern as she left Chuxiu Palace. She was careful to keep the light dim, enough to just see the path before her. This way, no one could see her. She took a shortcut, and that she knew the way well was apparent; Zhilan was quicker than Wei Yingluo had been at leaving the palace. Then she hid by a path Wei Yingluo was sure to pass by on her way to the embroidery workshop. The moment she heard footsteps, she blew out the lantern. Darkness fell upon her. Zhilan hid behind a towering tree. The shadows acted as another layer of darkness. It were as if she were enveloped in a dark cloud, hidden from plain sight. In no time, the footsteps approached. Apart from the footsteps, there was also the sound of hiccuping. ¡°Darn!¡± The footsteps stopped. Zhilan held her breath. Paid close attention to the words that were about to leave the other palace maid¡¯s lips. ¡°I¡¯ll bring back these starch balls just like this? What if they tell me to share?¡± said Wei Yingluo. ¡°I don¡¯t want to share such tasty things. What if¡­ What if I eat it all now?¡± Under Zhilan¡¯s shocked gaze, Wei Yingluo lifted the bowl to gulp down all the sweet lotus starch balls. In the end, after swallowing half, she suddenly threw up, the servings she had consumed in Chuxiu Palace flying right out of her mouth. Her vomiting continued, and then she crouched down on the floor in sobs. Originally, Zhilan had thought that the sobs were because Wei Yingluo felt she had been wronged. But then Zhilan heard her sigh. ¡°Why did it all come out? Ah, what a waste, what a waste¡­¡± This person was really a fool!! Zhilan couldn¡¯t endure watching anymore. She feared if she kept watching, she would dirty her eyes. Would dirty her ears. She clicked her tongue and returned to report what she saw. Behind her, the retching continued. Wei Yingluo had activated her gag reflex. She knew the more intense her vomiting sounded, the quicker Zhilan would leave. She coughed. It was difficult to clear her stomach. Wei Yingluo slowly raised her head. Tears had started to form in her eyes after throwing up so much. Yet in her eyes seemed to burn two furious flames. She truly had acted as a fool. Noble Consort Hui¡¯s troublesome act had happened all too quickly. In a hurry, Wei Yingluo had only been able to come up with this method to deal with her. Most people would choose this method, would pretend to be a fool, but because it was such a common tactic, it was even more difficult to pull off. The hardest part was to dispel Noble Consort Hui¡¯s killing intent in the fastest way possible. Wei Yingluo knew that this master¡¯s heart was malicious. Noble Consort Hui could even have any of the imperial concubines killed whenever she pleased, much less a lowly palace maid like her. For this reason, she gulped down seven bowls of sweet lotus starch balls, which was just enough to elicit this effect. Enough to make her empty the contents of her stomach at this particular moment. She wanted that Noble Consort Hui, who thought herself as smart, to think Wei Yingluo was mentally incapacitated. And to think that for a long period. Thus, she wouldn¡¯t waste any more time on that fool called Wei Yingluo. ¡°Noble Consort Hui wouldn¡¯t investigate me for no reason.¡± Wei Yingluo wiped the remnants of food on her mouth, and a cold smile blossomed on her lips. ¡°So who reported me?¡± That person must be someone around her. The one she had suspected first was Jinxiu. After all, she was someone who had been around at that event. It was also Jinxiu who brought Zhilan to the embroidery workshop to find her. However, Wei Yingluo currently did not have any evidence. Apart from Jinxiu, there were three other people who were antagonistic toward her. They spoke poorly of her behind her back multiple times. Like right now. Three days after Wei Yingluo returned from Noble Consort Hui¡¯s palace, the palace maids from the embroidery workshop and the gold-and-jade craft department1 were summoned to an area. The high-ranking eunuchs had informed them there was a task for them. With so many people around, conversation bloomed. Three people could be seen huddled together. Their voices were not too loud yet could not be considered soft. Those nearby could only tell that they were talking and not what their topic of conversation was. One of three said, ¡°Wei Yingluo came back really late last night¡ª¡± ¡°Could it be because Big Sister Zhilan called her to stay at Chuxiu Palace?¡± ¡°After Wei Yingluo finished the task Big Sister Zhilan had given her, do you think Big Sister Zhilan would keep her for dinner? Are you crazy? Once she left Chuxiu Palace, she went to meet a lover! Her lover is good. He¡¯s one of the imperial guards!¡± The speaker acted as if she were speaking the truth, as if she had been there to witness it all. Half of the listeners believed her, and although the other half was skeptical, they found it interesting. Everyone had a bit of nosiness in their hearts. Even though they did not believe those words, they felt joy in hearing them. The crowd of palace maids gave Wei Yingluo a sidelong glance. She couldn¡¯t help but clutch her hands into fists. ¡°Eunuch Li has arrived!¡± The announcement caught everyone¡¯s attention for now. Right after Wei Yingluo lifted her head to glance at the newly-arrived person, she immediately looked down. It was true that good things did not often occur, but bad things were as common as dirt. Wei Yingluo recognized the Eunuch Li who had just arrived. Wasn¡¯t he the high-ranking eunuch that had been by the emperor¡¯s side back then? Eunuch Li did not recognize her, however. Today was a bit hot and he did not say much. He only needed to stand under the bright and unyielding sun for a moment before his back grew damp. A few low-ranking eunuchs quickly brought a chair under the shade of a tree, and carried over fruits, dim sum, and tea. After Eunuch Li took a couple sips of water, he said, ¡°Who are these people?¡± ¡°These are the low-ranking palace maids of the embroidery workshop and the gold-and-jade craft department,¡± said a low-ranking eunuch who was fanning him at the side. Eunuch Li nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll do as we¡¯ve done a few days ago. Begin.¡± He folded his hands by his chest, leaning against his seat with his eyes closed. However, he was not actually sleeping. Rather, his ears were listening carefully. ¡°Come line up and speak one by one,¡± the low-ranking eunuch said. ¡°Say this: this slave is helping the tree spirit scratch an itch!¡± What was this even? The palace maids all shared a look. However, they could not figure out what those words meant. ¡°Hurry up. Don¡¯t waste Eunuch Li¡¯s time!¡± said the low-ranking eunuch unhappily. Then a palace maid toughened her face and came out to say, ¡°This slave is helping the tree spirit¡ª¡± Before she could finish speaking, Eunuch Li, who had been sitting in the chair, slowly shook his head. The low-ranking eunuch was paying close attention to his reactions, so after seeing this, he immediately said, ¡°Next.¡± ¡°This slave is helping the tree spirit scratch an itch.¡± ¡°Next.¡± ¡°This slave is helping the tree spirit scratch an itch.¡± ¡°Next.¡± ¡°This slave is helping the tree spirit scratch an itch.¡± ¡°Next.¡± The line grew shorter and shorter. And the sweat clinging on Wei Yingluo¡¯s face grew more and more prevalent. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleep chaser¡¯s word press. ¡°Big Sister Yingluo, are you feeling hot?¡± Jixiang handed her a handkerchief. Worry flashing in her eyes, she said, ¡°I¡¯ll lend you this handkerchief. Wipe your sweat.¡± Wei Yingluo received it without a word. She used it to wipe a bit of the dampness. Suddenly, she staggered and collapsed onto the floor. Jixiang was shocked to the point of jumping. She quickly threw herself over to Wei Yingluo. ¡°Big Sister Yingluo, Big Sister Yingluo, are you alright?¡± Because their actions were exaggerated, Eunuch Li slowly opened his eyes. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The low-ranking eunuch went over to examine the situation. Then he said, ¡°Eunuch Li, a palace maid has fainted.¡± Eunuch Li lifted his head to look at the sky. Although he was in the comfort of shade, a few rays of sun broke through the leaves of the tree. And they were as hot as scalding water. ¡°This weather is especially difficult to endure.¡± Eunuch Li wiped the sweat off his forehead with a hand. He said, ¡°Send the one who fainted back first. Have the rest of the palace maids wait under the shade. Continue.¡± ¡°This slave is helping the tree spirit scratch an itch.¡± ¡°Next.¡± ¡°This slave is helping the tree spirit scratch an itch.¡± ¡°Next.¡± ¡°This slave is helping the tree spirit scratch an itch.¡± ¡°Next.¡± The voice instructing the crowd grew farther and farther, and Wei Yingluo, who was being supported by Jixiang as she walked, opened her eyes. Then she quickly closed them again. She released a breath of relief in her heart. Although she did not know why Eunuch Li was searching for her, she was so grateful she did not reveal her face back then. Additionally, she had worn the normal uniform of the palace maids, with no special flower embroidery on her collar or ends of her sleeves. Those special styles were reserved for the higher-ranked palace maids. As such, Eunuch Li could only look for her among the low-ranking palace maids. In fact, he was only relying on his ear. The leather workshop, embroidery workshop, gold-and-jade craft department, Ruyi Pavilion2¡­ He needed to listen to thousands of voices. One would fear that after listening to so many, he would forget how hers sounded. This matter is not urgent for now. The most urgent thing currently is to deal with the rumors about me. Ah, although rumors end once they reach the wise, this world is full of the stupid. Those who are intelligent number few¡­ Even Granny Zhang was no exception. After work at the embroidery workshop finished, she kept Wei Yingluo from leaving. She closed the windows and doors to combat prying eyes. Then, face serious, she asked, ¡°Everyone said you are together with an imperial guard. Is it true?¡± Wei Yingluo smiled. ¡°Granny, so the rumor has reached even your honored self?¡± ¡°Everyone in the embroidery workshop knows of this rumor.¡± Granny Zhang advised, ¡°Although I don¡¯t believe it, three people can become a tiger. Rumors can destroy a person too easily. You have to be especially on alert.¡± The two kept silent. After a while, Wei Yingluo lightly asked, ¡°What¡¯s the worst case scenario?¡± ¡°That it will reach the ears of General Manager Wu.¡± Although Wei Yingluo had met him in the past and received his appreciation, knowing who someone was was not the same as knowing their heart. Wei Yingluo understood General Manager Wu a little, but compared to Granny Zhang, who had worked in the imperial harem for many years, who strived hard to rise from the bottom, she did not know him at all. Then, she modestly asked for advice. ¡°Granny, in your opinion, if the worst case scenario happens, would General Manager Wu punish me without verifying the rumors?¡± ¡°No.¡± Granny Zhang thought for a moment. Shaking her head, she said, ¡°That General Manager Wu is a person who would seek the truth. If it falls into his hands, he would at least investigate a little. He won¡¯t be like the other eunuchs, carelessly performing tasks in order to quickly get things done.¡± ¡°I understand¡­¡± Then Wei Yingluo surrendered to her thoughts. Revenge would be performed as quickly as possible. Enemies would be dealt with immediately. One must avoid letting the other party hide in the dark, or else they could stab one at any time, at any place. As she left the embroidery workshop, a plan had already formed in her heart. However, she was missing one thing¡­ All of a sudden, Wei Yingluo stopped in her tracks. She aimed her gaze at the hallway across from her. A few artisans pushed a cart over. A young artisan felt someone was watching him and quickly turned around. And he came face to face with Wei Yingluo, who wore a smile. He blushed. He stood in place, unable to form words. It were as if the fairy in front of him had turned him into a statue, until his colleague slapped him at the back of his head. He yelled, ¡°What are you looking at? Do you not want to keep your eyes? That¡¯s a palace maid. With such a beautiful appearance, who knows when she would become a master?¡± The artisans around quickly lowered their heads, quickly pushing the cart away. Because their actions had been exaggerated, the place where the wheels of the cart rolled was sprinkled with white crumbling soil3. A pair of white embroidered shoes slowly followed the trail. Then the hand of a beauty lowered. Picked up a handful of crumbling soil. Lowering her head to examine it, Wei Yingluo let an extremely prepossesing smile spread on her lips. CH 22 The rumors spread like wildfire among the palace maids. And among the imperial guards as well. In fact, they even arrived at the ears of Fucha Fuheng. ¡°Qingxi was with a palace maid?¡± Fucha Fuheng drew his brows together. He had the impression there was something fishy going on. He knew what kind of person Qingxi was. Careful and cautious. Never had he done anything improper. When the imperial guards were off duty, going out for drinks and food and women was a common occurrence. Sometimes, even Fucha Fuheng would have no choice but to come along and accompany his colleagues in drinking a few cups. However, when they were inside those establishments, not once had he seen the figure of Qingxi. To say that such a person actually seduce a palace maid, Fucha Fuheng could not help but shake his head. ¡°Who did Qingxi offend? They actually spread these groundless accusations to harm him.¡± The informant imperial guard approached and hastily said, ¡°No one¡¯s trying to harm him. I saw it with my own eyes.¡± Fucha Fuheng furrowed his brows. ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°A couple days ago, we were patrolling the Imperial Gardens when an extremely prepossessing palace maid ran by. And she sneakily thrust and item into Qingxi¡¯s hands.¡± The imperial guard chuckled. ¡°It wasn¡¯t just I who saw it. There were also a few others who did.¡± Since there were witnesses, one would fear the account wasn¡¯t fabricated. However, only listening to one side of the story wasn¡¯t good. Indeed, Fucha Fuheng did not plan on only hearing their side. He would carefully inquire about the palace maid¡¯s appearance. Then he rose to his feet and said, ¡°I will go and ask Qingxi.¡± Once he arrived at the Imperial Guard Quarters, he found Qingxi off duty. A few of his colleagues surrounded him, jeering at him. They talked about the matters concerning that palace maid. All of a sudden, Fucha Fuheng¡¯s heart trembled. He stopped in his tracks and hid behind the door, silently eavesdropping. ¡°Ah, Qingxi, you seriously seduced a palace maid in secret!¡± An imperial guard wrapped an arm around Qingxi¡¯s shoulder, winking. ¡°If you keep lowering your head, how would you know if she¡¯s pretty?¡± Another imperial guard dared not readily subscribe to the other¡¯s thoughts. ¡°What if after you lift your head, her beard turns out to be thicker than yours?¡± ¡°Go, go! Don¡¯t say the grapes are sour when you haven¡¯t had a bite,¡± the first imperial guard quickly said. ¡°Those who were selected as palace maids should all be beautiful. Even crooked gourds and cracked dates cannot enter the Forbidden City. Moreover, how could sixteen-year-old young girls with a bit of care to their appearances not be pleasing to the eye?! Tell me, do you agree, Qingxi?¡± Qingxi was surrounded by them, his expression awkward. He could only firmly say, ¡°Our forefathers¡¯ rules state that we cannot have relations with palace maids. She and I¡­¡± ¡°Ah, and I thought you actually had something important to say!¡± The imperial guard¡¯s belly shook from laughter, and he patted Qingxi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This kind of thing, if no one says anything, even the courts can¡¯t press this matter. The palace maids will eventually leave the palace. If you like them, you can take them as a concubine in the future! It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll be marrying them as a wife, so what are you so afraid of?¡± Fucha Fuheng couldn¡¯t find it in himself to listen any longer. He stepped away from the door and coldly yelled, ¡°Qingxi!¡± The laughter inside the building instantly stopped. Including Qingxi, everyone quickly stood and said, ¡°Lord Fucha¡­¡± Fucha Fuheng walked in front of Qingxi. Bitterly stared at the respectable man before him. He slowly said, ¡°Palace maids and imperial guards must not have private relations. These are the palace rules. You should have known this on your first day of working here!¡± Qingxi was lectured to the point of lowering his head. Fucha Fuheng inhaled deeply. Reaching out, he said, ¡°Give it to me.¡± Seeing that Qingxi was frozen, he asked again more firmly. ¡°Hand over what the palace maid gave you!¡± For a moment, Qingxi looked at him with a complicated expression. Then he lightly sighed, and retrieved something from his chest pocket. And placed it into the palm of Fucha Fuheng¡¯s hand. Everyone thought it would be a handkerchief with the palace maid¡¯s name embroidered on it. Or, a sword tassel with a kiss print. Perhaps even a precious lock of hair, which represented her desire to be his wife1, may death do them apart. However, once the gazes of everyone converged on the item, what they saw was a rock. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleep chaser¡¯s word press. A rock that was common in the Imperial Garden. Both gray and white, a rock that had no defining quality at all. The imperial guards that were close with Qingxi tried to help him. Now that they saw this, they smiled. ¡°For her to gift you a rock means her heart is like stone. Doesn¡¯t find you attractive at all. Oh my, haven¡¯t you been rejected? Hahaha!¡± Honestly, Qingxi¡¯s relationships with others weren¡¯t bad. He laughed and everyone did as well. The sound of their laughter filled the room. Everyone wanted to treat this matter as a joke and push it aside. ¡°Be quiet!¡± said Fucha Fuheng, ice cold. All of sudden, the laughter stopped. Everyone carefully checked Fucha Fuheng¡¯s expression. He found their reactions funny. Did they think he was the type of person who would indiscriminately punish people? ¡­In fact, he was! ¡°Everyone has to recite the rules of the imperial guards a hundred times!¡± Fucha Fuheng clasped his hands behind his back and said, ¡°Those who cannot finish reciting them will not have dinner!¡± ¡°Ah? Lord Fucha!¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t do this¡­¡± ¡°Have mercy!¡± All the imperial guards lamented, but Fucha Fuheng would not change his mind. However, it was all for their sake. If this matter had actually been lightly pushed aside, in the future, they would commit wrongs again. They might even cause a scandal. Reciting the rules a hundred times was neither too harsh nor too lenient of a punishment. And it will also remind everyone of the rules. ¡°So who was that palace maid?¡± Once Fucha Fuheng had left the Imperial Guard Quarters, he couldn¡¯t help but open up his palm again. Couldn¡¯t help but study that small rock. He muttered to himself, ¡°And then there¡¯s this thing. What¡¯s the meaning of this? Could it really represent her rejection?¡± The activity in the Imperial Guard quarters could not be considered large or small. In a situation where people did not purposely hide things, what had occurred naturally would not be missed by people with intentions. ¡°Aunt Fang, Aunt Fang!¡± Jinxiu pounded on the door to Aunt Fang¡¯s room. Her expression was one of heady joy. ¡°I found out who that imperial guard was!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Aunt Fang sat up from her bed. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°The name is Qijia Qingxi. Word has it that the two of them secretly exchanged love tokens¡­¡± Jinxiu exaggerated the story she heard about the Imperial Guard Quarters. ¡°I also discovered that in one week, he is on duty for five days and off duty for one. He guards the Gate of Heavenly Purity. That must be the day the two of them secretly meet up! Even the people from the Imperial Guards Quarters know of this. The situation between those two is confirmed.¡± Aunt Fang coldly smiled. ¡°Help me monitor her well. I estimate that in a few days those two will meet again!¡± Even without Aunt Fang¡¯s instructions, Jinxiu would naturally monitor Wei Yingluo. However, even after looking at her so closely, she never caught Wei Yingluo meeting with that Imperial Guard. Many times, Aunt Fang had asked her what was happening between them, but she could only report insignificant things. But could these little, insignificant pieces of information be enough to satisfy Aunt Fang? In the palace maid canteen, the meals had just arrived, yet Wei Yingluo dashed out the door while covering her mouth. The sound of her dry vomiting filled the air. Jixiang quickly brought the basins of food close to her nose for a sniff. Like a little critter, she smelled it for a long time. Then with much uncertainty, she said, ¡°It hasn¡¯t gone bad. Big Sister Yingluo, do you not like to eat fish?¡± Today¡¯s dishes were impeccable, consisting of both fish and meat. Everyone had one bowl of fish soup, the soup boiled until it was a milky shade of white, the meat of the fish having melted into the soup base. Even the bones had become soft. One could drink it without fear of choking on bones. Incomparably delicious, with a fragrant aftertaste. Palace maids occasionally had a chance to eat meat, but an opportunity to eat fish was rare. It wasn¡¯t because fish was more expensive that other types of meat. But rather that eating too much of it might grant a foul breath and inspire the masters¡¯ ire. Therefore, everyone cherished such a rare opportunity. Except Wei Yingluo, that was. ¡°¡­Mm. I don¡¯t really like fish.¡± Wei Yingluo turned her head and forced a smile at Jixiang. ¡°Help me eat it.¡± Jixiang of course was elated. ¡°Okay, okay! Then I¡¯ll share my string beans with you.¡± As the two exchanged their dishes, from the side came a cold voice. ¡°Is it that your stomach doesn¡¯t feel well? When my sister-in-law was with child, she also had that symptom. She¡¯d feel like vomiting whatever she ate.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s expression stiffened. Then she looked the other party in the eye and said, ¡°Previously, Noble Consort Hui had gifted me many bowls of sweet lotus starch balls. I ate too much by accident, and after that my digestive system has not been good. It¡¯s not really a big deal.¡± Jinxiu smiled but did not respond. In her heart, she spat. Sweet lotus starch balls? That was three-month-old news. Everything should have been digested by then! Could it be that it really was¡­ Jinxiu gaze secretly brushed past Wei Yingluo¡¯s abdomen CH 23 ¡°Yingluo, have you¡­ gained weight?¡± It weren¡¯t only the imperial concubines that needed to be measured for new clothes. Palace maids were no exception. Especially the ones that had entered the imperial palace recently, since they were going through puberty. After a couple months, some would outgrow their uniforms to the point where their sleeves were too short by a few inches. Living on a mountain, one would eat things from a mountain. Living near the water, one would eat things from the water. The embroidery department would not treat their own shabbily. When it came time to measure and make new clothes for the palace maids, Wei Yingluo¡¯s group had priority. After wrapping the measuring tape around Wei Yingluo¡¯s waist, Granny Zhang frowned. ¡°Your waist has grown thicker by an inch. What have you been eating recently?¡± Wei Yingluo did not answer. Jixiang, who was standing by her side, felt outraged for her. ¡°No way. Recently, Big Sister Yingluo has been throwing up whatever she ate. She hasn¡¯t had a proper meal for a few days!¡± Granny Zhang glared at her, not liking what she had said. Then she turned and sighed at Wei Yingluo. ¡°These clothes are already too small for you. Before your new clothes are made, go pick a suitable uniform from the storeroom.¡± ¡°Thank you, Granny,¡± said Wei Yingluo, seemingly embarrassed. As everyone else was getting their measurements taken, she entered the storeroom alone. In the storeroom were piles of new bolts of cloth and uniforms. There were also old bolts of cloth and uniforms, as life was often unpredictable, and in the span of one day there could be many good and bad things happening. Sometimes, when a new set of clothes had been finished, the person they were made for had already left the world. Sometimes, in only a short couple of months, a popular fashion would become obsolete. Then those unfashionable uniforms and bolts of cloth would be placed in the storeroom, untouched by others for a long while, the color of the flower patterns pale from age. Some clothes even started to sprout mold, growing all the more tattered¡­ Until finally, they could no longer be worn by others. Just like the women in the imperial harem. Wei Yingluo passed through each clothes rack, choosing a uniform that was a shade of green. She scanned the area for people, before removing her outer clothes, leaving on a tight-fitting inner garment. Then she prepared to try on the set from the storeroom she had chosen. It was difficult to hide her protruding belly with just her inner garment. In fact, this very fact had not escaped the eyes of Jinxiu. The news spread to Aunt Fang¡¯s ears. She slammed her palm onto the table and stood with a smile. ¡°Good! Now this is truly called catching the thief at the scene of the crime! I¡¯ll go inform General Manager Wu immediately!¡± Standing by the side, Jinxiu added fuel to the fire. ¡°We should also call Granny Zhang over. Let her see with her own eyes what kind of goods her brilliant student actually is!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said it correctly. We should call that old woman over. Let¡¯s see if she¡¯d dare to act so proud in front of me again!¡± A cold laugh escaped Aunt Fang¡¯s lips. Then she rushed to find General Manager Wu. This was truly a big deal. As soon as Wu Shulai heard the news, he dropped what he was doing and quickly made his way to the palace maid dormitory. ¡°Wei Yingluo!¡± He stared at the girl before him. ¡°Someone reported that you committed a scandal. Do you admit to it?¡± Wei Yingluo was wearing the green uniform she had just put on and seemed even calmer than usual. She performed the full ceremony of greeting to Wu Shulai in a proper manner, before saying, ¡°Daring to ask Eunuch Wu what this scandal entails. Who is the accuser?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me!¡± Aunt Fang stepped forward from the crowd. Her gaze was as sharp as a knife, piercing Wei Yingluo¡¯s body one stab at a time. ¡°I¡¯m accusing you of having relations with an imperial guard and falling pregnant!¡± Wei Yingluo sighed. ¡°Aunt Fang, I have never offended you. So why must you fabricate such a thing to harm me? ¡°It isn¡¯t unprovoked or a fabrication. Once we investigate, we¡¯ll know!¡± Aunt Fang turned to Wu Shulai. ¡°General Manager Wu, please summon an experienced older female servant to examine her. Then the truth will be revealed!¡± Seeing how she swore the truth while carrying a fearless look, Wu Shulai could not help but furrow his brows. In his understanding of Aunt Fang, if there hadn¡¯t been a grain of truth in the matter, she would not have exposed it to everyone. And if what she said was true, then Wei Yingluo¡­ Wu Shulai did not want this matter to grow. Wei Yingluo had lost all her face. In fact, even he, the eunuch in charge of supervising all the palace maids, would lose face. Thus, he said in a slight admonishing manner, ¡°Wei Yingluo, if you truly did this, then be honest and let us know. If you go through the examination, it would be even more shameful.¡± ¡°To act licentiously in the palace will result in death by rod. Yingluo treasures her life, so how could there be enough guts to do such a thing?¡± Wei Yingluo slowly shifted her gaze to Aunt Fang. ¡°Then let¡¯s do as Aunt Fang says and summon an experienced older female servant. That way, the truth will be unearthed!¡± Wei Yingluo and Aunt Fang¡¯s squabbling had caused Wu Shulai confusion. Aunt Fang thought the matter was in the bag, and her appearance spoke of her desire for Wei Yingluo¡¯s death. But Wei Yingluo seemed as if she had nothing to be afraid of. Could it be¡­? ¡°Alright.¡± Wu Shulai could only say, ¡°Have someone summon Granny Yan!¡± Granny Yan was a midwife. According to her, she had helped with the birth of two generations of emperors, three princesses, and four princes. Whether that was the truth or lie no one knew. To summon her, Wu Shulai had to use a lot of face and spend some money. Otherwise, he would not have been able to call such a important person here. But in Wu Shulai¡¯s opinion, this spending was worth it. Because this matter had grown so large. It was extremely necessary to find a person with high expertise and position so that people would believe the result of the examination. Of course, once she saw how much money he gave her, there was a chance she would turn large things into small ones, and small ones into nothing. That would be the best case scenario¡­ Aunt Fang saw through what he was thinking, coldly smiling as she said, ¡°Granny Yan, there are many eyes and mouths present here. Your honored self should carefully examine. Otherwise in the future, if this lowly, cheap thing gave birth to a child after ten months, your honored self¡¯s reputation would be shattered.¡± ¡°General Manager Wu,¡± said Wei Yingluo, before glancing at Aunt Fang. Then she turned to him again. ¡°Although I am a palace maid, I am from a good and clean family. My clean reputation is being dirtied by others. If it were another person, they would have already slammed their head on the wall until death! The accusers obviously want to force me to a death. I dare to ask, if it turns out I was innocent, how would the accusers be punished?¡± ¡°The palace has its rules. Those who act licentiously will be beaten to death by rod. Those who lie through their teeth to accuse others will be beaten by rod and thrown out of the palace! Good. Let us see the results of the examination!¡± Wu Shulai waved his hand. ¡°Granny Yan, begin!¡± ¡°Young lady, follow me.¡± Granny Yan brought Wei Yingluo to a small changing room. The windows and door were sealed shut. Not a sound could be heard from inside. Those standing outside the changing room did not know one bit what occurred through the door. They only felt the examination took a long time. Jixiang paced back and forth. Granny Zhang once again looked at the door. Aunt Fang tapped her foot on the floor incessantly. Until the door finally groaned and opened. Wiping her hand with a damp handkerchief, Granny Yan stepped over the sill. ¡°So how is it?¡± said Aunt Fang, reaching Granny Yan in a hurry. ¡°What¡¯s the result? Is her belly big or not?¡± Her action caught Granny Yang off guard. ¡°It¡¯s big¨D ¡± ¡°Did you hear this?! Did you all hear this?!¡± Pure joy coursed through Aunt Fang¡¯s veins. She turned to face Wu Shulai, Granny Zhang, everyone in the room. ¡°Wei Yingluo is pregnant!¡± These words were akin to throwing a live chicken into a pot of boiling water. The water would splash everywhere, feathers flying all over the place. ¡°Heavens! She truly did a scandalous thing!¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it before that she was acting suspiciously. So she was actually having relations with an imperial guard!¡± ¡°Heh, so what if her embroidery is amazing? She¡¯s not an upright person, losing face for all of us!¡± ¡°No! Big Sister Yingluo isn¡¯t that type of person!¡± Granny Zhang was shaking. If it weren¡¯t for Jixiang supporting her, perhaps she would have collapsed onto the floor. Wu Shulai, who was not too far away from her, also had a bad expression. He looked at Wei Yingluo¡¯s direction, disappointment flashing in his eyes. She was a child he had had a good impression of¡­ He waved his hand once more to have someone settle this, when he heard Granny Yan shout, ¡°Enough! Can¡¯t you all let me finish speaking?¡± The clamor instantly stopped. Aunt Fang stood there, shocked. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say her belly was big?¡± ¡°I said her belly was big¡­ relatively!¡± Granny Yan finally found a chance to speak, finally able to say the last word to her sentence. Then she snorted coldly. ¡°I¡¯m guessing she ate a lot of things that were hard to digest. And these things made her belly protrude a little. But most importantly, she is still a virgin!¡± ¡°What?!¡± Aunt Fang could not believe her ears. She grabbed Granny Yan and said, ¡°What did you say? You¡­ Did you make a mistake?¡± Granny Yan spat in her direction. Other people would give Aunt Fang face, but not her. She flaunted her seniority and said, ¡°You shut up! Just a lowly servant girl, yet dares to act as if she is more experienced than I?! How many women have you seen to say so certainly she is pregnant? I have been in the imperial palace for forty years! I¡¯ve seen many elegant ladies and palace maids. Would I really not be able to tell the difference between a virgin and a woman?!¡± Aunt Fang¡¯s face was coated in spit. However, she did not have the mood to even wipe her cheeks. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleep chaser¡¯s word press. The surrounding stares bore through her, making her body grow cold. Aunt Fang pleaded as she clung to Granny Yan. ¡°Maybe in the past no mistakes had been made, but, but perhaps this time there was one. May you, no, begging your honored self to check one more time. Granny Yan, may your honored self examine her one more time. Just once more!¡± ¡°No need!¡± Wu Shulai approached them. He said in a low voice, ¡°Granny Yan has worked in the imperial palace for forty years. Regarding those things to do with women, even the head of the Medical Department would not be as experienced as her! Many people are here to see this. Wei Yingluo indeed had been falsely accused. You as part of the supervising staff have done despicable things!¡± Aunt Fang lost all the strength in her legs. Her knees softened and buckled, slamming onto the ground in a kneel. Tears streaming down her face and snot dripping from her nose, she said, ¡°General Manager Wu, General Manager Wu. I¡ªI believed the ravings of that girl Jinxiu. It¡¯s her that wants to falsely accuse Wei Yingluo, not I!¡± To suddenly be dragged out to take the fall, Jinxiu was terrified. The gazes of everyone converged on her. She slowly retreated, but did not know where to retreat to. She could only wave her hands in denial. ¡°No! It wasn¡¯t me! Aunt Fang, why are you throwing the blame on me? It was you who had me monitor Yingluo. I only reported what I saw, with not a word of exaggeration!¡± ¡°Hmph! You clearly held a grudge against Wei Yingluo. For the sake of removing her, you deliberately told me fake rumors. Manipulating me to do your dirty work. I¡­ I¡­¡± The more Aunt Fang spoke, the angrier she became. All of a sudden, she threw herself at Jinxiu, pulling at her hair and scratching at her face. She yelled, ¡°I¡¯m going to ruin you!¡± As they brawled, it seemed as though they were enemies from their past lives. Even with three to four people trying to separate them, the group still failed. Dust and dirt was kicked up into the air. Hair ornaments littered the ground. ¡°Enough!¡± yelled Wu Shulai. ¡°What do you look like? Just what do you look like right now? Have someone take them away!¡± In the end, the eunuchs that had followed Wu Shulai forcibly pulled them apart and dragged the two out. Yet they still did not keep quiet, kicking toward each other and sobbing and pleading to Wu Shulai. Wu Shulai had a throbbing headache because of them. His gaze fell upon Wei Yingluo. Slowly, he said, ¡°Wei Yingluo, you¡¯re the victim. What do you suppose?¡± With these words, did he mean he was letting her decide on their punishment? Aunt Fang and Jinxiu shared a look. Instantly switched their target to Wei Yingluo, sobbing and pleading to her. ¡°Yingluo! Yingluo! I was wrong,¡± said Aunt Fang. ¡°I was really wrong! It was I who was in the wrong. It was I who was too harsh! It¡¯s all my fault! Forgive me! From now on, I won¡¯t pick on you anymore! It was Jinxiu who made me do it! It was she who soured our relationship! You are a good person. It¡¯s she who is vile!¡± ¡°Yingluo, don¡¯t believe her words!¡± said Jinxiu. ¡°She¡¯s only saying this so you¡¯ll forgive her! We entered the imperial palace together. You know I¡¯m not that daring. Would I be bold enough to orchestrate such a huge matter alone? It¡¯s her! She¡¯s the mastermind who threw the blame on me! I was forced to do carry out her plans. I had no choice but to listen to her!¡± Wei Yingluo acted as if she did not see the two of them. She curtsied once more to Wu Shulai. Her tone was low and calm. ¡°The words of man are terrifying. If it weren¡¯t for General Manager Wu who upheld justice, perhaps Yingluo could only die to prove her innocence. Now the truth is finally out. May General Manager Wu deal with this matter according to the rules.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wu Shulai smiled. ¡°What if I release those two? Would you blame me?¡± At that moment, Aunt Fang and Jinxiu¡¯s eyes lit up. They looked at Wei Yingluo pleadingly, hearts pounding. Then they saw Wei Yingluo lightly shake her head and say, ¡°No.¡± A satisfied smile spread on Wu Shulai¡¯s lips. ¡°Although you won¡¯t blame me¡­ I cannot actually let them go! Fang Nizi!¡± ¡°Present, present. This slave is present.¡± Aunt Fang, whose name had just been called by Wu Shulai, immediately dropped to her knees once more. ¡°You denounced someone on false charges, using words to commit the crime. You will be punished to forty strikes of the rod and banished from the palace!¡± said General Manager Wu, his words cold enough to freeze. Then he moved his gaze from her collapsed body to the trembling Jinxiu. ¡°Palace maid Jinxiu was jealous of her colleague, spreading false rumors to ruin her reputation. She will be punished to twenty strikes of the rod and banished to the Hard Labor Department1.¡± All of a sudden, the two wailed and sobbed even louder. ¡°No! General Manager Wu, I know my wrongs!¡± said Aunt Fang. ¡°I truly know my wrongs! General Manager Wu! General Manager Wu!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t my fault!¡± said Jinxiu. ¡°It was Aunt Fang who harmed me! It really wasn¡¯t my fault!¡± Wu Shulai could not endure hearing their voices anymore. He waved a hand. A few eunuchs dragged them away. ¡°What kind of place is the imperial palace? They actually dared to speak nonsense! Whoever else dares to cause trouble will share their fate!¡± Wu Shulai swept his gaze through the crowd. Wherever his stare went, those under it would lower their heads, until it finally fell upon Wei Yingluo. Then his gaze grew a bit softer. ¡°If you want to learn from someone, then learn from Wei Yingluo. She¡¯s someone worthy of copying.¡± Those words were only said in a casual manner, but so what? Once he had left, everyone lifted their heads, and the way in which they looked at Wei Yingluo had changed. Aunt Fang was no longer in charge of the palace maid dormitory. Coupled with General Manager Wu¡¯s words¡­ from now on, which palace maid would dare to cause trouble with Wei Yingluo? CH 24 The sound of coughing. Late in the night, Aunt Fang tossed and turned in bed. Voice hoarse, she said, ¡°Bing Qing, get me a cup of water!¡± A long while with no answer. ¡°Yu Jie!¡± Aunt Fang called out for another person. ¡°Get me a cup of water!¡± Again, no one answered. Usually, these two would attend to her closely. She would not need to yell for them. Just a light cough, and they would rush and compete for the chance to bring her water or tea. Now, they had disappeared. ¡°You two are ungrateful things. It was a waste for me to have always trusted you so much!¡± Aunt Fang yelled for a long time, tears flowing down her cheeks to no end. ¡°Now, now you can¡¯t even bring me a cup of water to drink¡ª¡± Before she had finished speaking, a teacup approached her lips. The water was cool, devoid of tea leaves. However, Aunt Fang had been thirsty all night and did not mind it. She grabbed the teacup, and gulped it down. ¡°Are you satisfied?¡± ¡°Give me another¡ªwait!¡± This was not the voice of either Bing Qing or Yu Jie. An instant later, Aunt Fang raised her head. A face as beautiful as a lotus came into view. Although she did not have on makeup, she was more prepossessing than seven out of ten people. ¡°If you have had your fill, then answer a few questions for me.¡± A slight smile danced on her lips. ¡°Wei! Ying! Luo! You actually dare to show yourself in front of me!¡± ¡°If I didn¡¯t come, perhaps you wouldn¡¯t have the chance to take even a sip of water.¡± Wei Yingluo sighed, faint and short. ¡°How pitiful. Originally after half a year, you would have been released from the palace. Now you have been expelled. Your pension is gone. One would fear even your family would be too afraid to let you return.¡± Thinking about her dreadful future, Aunt Fang could not help but tremble. Lips quivering, she said, ¡°Why are you harming me like this? And your belly. Just what is going on with your belly¡­?¡± This matter had caused her to toss and turn in bed, yet in the end she could not come up with an answer. If she had not been completely sure Wei Yingluo was pregnant, she would not have brought Wu Shulai to the scene. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re talking about that?¡± Light laughter spilled from her lips. She brushed a hand over her slightly protruding belly. Her tone was natural, as if she were talking about someone else. ¡°A few days ago, I took some powdered kaolinite1 from the palace artisans and ate a bit of it. There¡¯s no harm in doing this, but will make the belly swell quickly. I only acted like I was pregnant a little, yet you all fell for the trap, and couldn¡¯t wait to push me to a death¡­¡± Upon hearing those words, Aunt Fang¡¯s body grew cold. Although she had said eating a small portion of kaolinite would not harm the body, it was still kaolinite. Death by eating the earth used to make a Guanyin statue had happened before. Who knew what would occur after injesting kaolinite? A person who could be so ruthless to themselves would be even more ruthless to their enemies. ¡°As for why¡­¡± Wei Yingluo flipped her finger, hooking an exquisite plum flower knot that doubled as a pouch. ¡°Do you remember this?¡± Aunt Fang stared at it. ¡°This, this is the knot I lost a few days ago. You little thief¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯re the thief!¡± Suddenly, Wei Yingluo grabbed her hair, forcing Aunt Fang to look at her. The previous obedient facade Wei Yingluo had worn vanished. Her real face had revealed itself. A truly terrifying¡­ revenge-seeking face. ¡°Look at my face. Look at it clearly. Who do I look like?!¡± ¡°You look like Wei Yingluo. No, no, you are¡­¡± Aunt Fang stared at the face before her, terrified. ¡°You are¡­ Wei Yingning!¡± Wei Yingluo had found it strange since the beginning. If it were Jinxiu going against her, it would be due to jealousy. Why did Aunt Fang also join in? It wasn¡¯t until Wei Yingluo picked up the plum flower knot that she understood¡­ Before her elder sister had entered the palace, Wei Yingluo had trouble falling asleep, too worried for her sister. So she personally made this plum flower knot for Wei Yingning. And so, the answer revealed itself. ¡°Speak!¡± Wei Yingluo aggressively yanked at Aunt Fang¡¯s hair. Her appearance was ferocious, resembling that of an unwilling and fierce ghost that clawed its way out of hell. ¡°Tell me all about Wei Yingning¡¯s situation! Or else, I will seek out General Manager Wu and reveal how you abused the palace maids. At that time, you won¡¯t just be kicked out of the palace!¡± ¡°No, no. I¡¯ll talk. I¡¯ll tell you everything,¡± said Aunt Fang, closing her teary eyes as she had admitted defeat. ¡°In the past, when I had first heard your name, I found it familiar. Later on, after pondering over it, I realized once Wei Yingning entered the palace, she changed her name. Then we all got used to calling her A¡¯man¡­¡± Perhaps it was fate. When Wei Yingning entered the palace, she was also supervised by Aunt Fang. The two sisters had also been similar in their actions. Both woke up before the crack of dawn. Both embroidered different types of flowers on Aunt Fang¡¯s collars and sleeves. ¡°Afterward, she caused a scandal and I found something to blackmail her with. I, I used this to extort her of all her money and valuable things. Even the money she received afterward would be kept in my custody.¡± Aunt Fang pointed at a corner of the wall. ¡°There, behind that plank of wood on the wall is where I hid everything.¡± Wei Yingluo threw her aside. She quickly pried the wood board. Inside was a blue cloth bundle marked by age. She opened it. There wasn¡¯t even a cent inside, only two sets of old clothes and a cracked jade medallion that wasn¡¯t worth much. ¡°It¡¯s been a while. The money¡­ has been all spent.¡± Aunt Fang shuffled herself into the corner of the bed and rolled into a ball, arms holding her knees to her chest. Shivering, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t report me. After I leave the palace I¡¯ll find a way to repay you the money.¡± Wei Yingluo was not interested in money. She stared at the old clothes, as if in a trance. It felt like the clothes still kept her sister¡¯s body heat. She hugged them to her chest like they were something precious. Like she was hugging her sister¡­ ¡°You said with your own lips that my sister created a scandal.¡± Her back faced Aunt Fang, voice low. ¡°What kind of scandal?¡± ¡°What else but adultery?¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Wei Yingluo quickly said, furious. ¡°My sister isn¡¯t that kind of person!¡± Aunt Fang hunched her shoulders. ¡°If, if you don¡¯t believe it, then ask Granny Zhang.¡± Wei Yingluo furrowed her brows. ¡°Granny Zhang also knows about this matter?¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleep chaser¡¯s word press. On the contrary, Aunt Fang looked at her with surprise. ¡°Why do you think she took care of you? It¡¯s because your sister was her most favorite seamstress. If you want to ask about A¡¯man, you shouldn¡¯t be asking me. You should go to her¡ª¡± Before she could even finish her words, Aunt Fang¡¯s room was already clear of the other person. There was only the two doors to the room that had been forced open. And they were still squeaking The palace maid dormitory, Granny Zhang¡¯s dorm. Two teacups lay on the table. Because they had been sitting there for a while, the tea was no longer hot, the right temperature to drink. Granny Zhang sat by the side of one of the teacups, closing her eyes to rest. It seemed she was waiting for someone. Knocks sounded on the door. ¡°The door isn¡¯t locked. Come in.¡± Granny Zhang slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Sit down. Have some tea first.¡± Wei Yingluo stood at the door, breathing hard. She had run all the way here. Her throat felt like it was on fire. She drank down one cup of tea and finally had the energy to speak. ¡°Granny.¡± She set down the teacup. Stared at Granny Zhang, who was pouring her another cup. ¡°Wei Yingning was my elder sister.¡± After the cup was full, the previously dry green tea leaves unfurled and expanded, giving off a refreshing scent of tea. Slowly, Granny Zhang said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you this before. Don¡¯t mention this name or else you¡¯ll violate a taboo.¡± Wei Yingluo stared at the second cup of tea. A moment later, she said in a light manner, ¡°So you knew it from the start. You knew everything from the start. But why¡­ Why haven¡¯t you told me anything?¡± ¡°What do you want me to tell you though? Did you want me to tell you what A¡¯man did wrong? Or how disappointed I was of her?¡± ¡°Everyone said that my sister had committed a crime. But what crime was it? Why did she have to give her life in exchange?¡± Wei Yingluo pushed away the teacup before her. She got off her seat and walked to Granny Zhang¡¯s side, leaning against the other party¡¯s knees. She lifted her small face, tears streaming down it as she looked at Granny Zhang. As if she were a young granddaughter who had been wronged, shaking her grandmother¡¯s hand incessantly. ¡°Granny, Granny, please tell me why. Please!¡± Granny Zhang truly could not win against her in an argument. A deep sigh escaped her lips. ¡°Someone informed General Manager Wu that she did not return to the dormitory all night. That she was definitely committing adultery2. She wasn¡¯t as lucky as you. Hidden behind the artificial mountain in the imperial gardens, General Manager Wu discovered her blood-stained underwear¡­¡± ¡°Elder sister was a very chaste person. She definitely would not do something like this!¡± Wei Yingluo did not believe one word of it. ¡°She was definitely framed!¡± ¡°I also hoped she had been framed.¡± Granny Zhang looked at the little girl leaning on her lap with a pitying gaze. ¡°However, she told me herself that no one forced her. That she had been willing.¡± Wei Yingluo was shocked to her bones. She only felt that the sky and earth had flipped upside down. With every word Granny Zhang had said, it felt as if another crack appeared underneath her feet, many arms reaching from the earth toward her, bent on dragging her in. ¡°There was no other choice. We could only follow the rules, and she was punished to death by rod.¡± Granny Zhang stroked her hair. She said in a consoling way, ¡°Still, death did not seem to be in her fate. Back then, the empress dowager fell ill and did not want to see blood in the palace. So her punishment was decreased to fifty strikes and expulsion from the Forbidden City. Now¡­ how is she doing?¡± ¡°¡­She died.¡± Wei Yingluo could not hold back the sobs any longer. ¡°Everyone said that she was too ashamed to see others and hanged herself. But I checked the wounds. There were green bruises on her neck. She was strangled by someone!¡± Terror struck Granny Zhang. She suddenly grabbed Wei Yingluo¡¯s shoulders. ¡°She was strangled to death?¡± Wei Yingluo nodded as she cried, her tears flowing down her cheek due to this action. ¡°That can¡¯t be right. That can¡¯t be right¡­¡± The distance Granny Zhang had walked was more than the rice most people have eaten. In an instant, she sniffed out something wrong. ¡°If she had willingly been with another person in the past, then how could she have ended up like this? I fear this matter might be hiding something¡­¡± ¡°Yes. That¡¯s why I entered the palace.¡± Wei Yingluo wiped away the tears on her face. ¡°I cannot just let my sister die in such an unclear way. I must find out the truth and give her justice! Granny, please help me. And also help her!¡± ¡°How do you want me to help you?¡± Granny Zhang felt helpless. ¡°It¡¯s already been so many years since the case. In fact, there hasn¡¯t been any clues left behind¡­¡± Clues? Wei Yingluo thought for a moment. Suddenly, she took out a jade medallion from her chest pocket. ¡°Granny. Look at this jade medallion.¡± This was one of the last possessions left of Wei Yingning. Because Aunt Fang was greedy for wealth, and the medallion was cracked and worthless, she had kept this hidden behind a wooden plank of wall. As such, no one had been able to get this medallion. It had been kept in the dust for many years, until today, when it finally saw the light of day. Granny Zhang received the jade medallion and took a look. Her brows immediately furrowed. The whole time, Wei Yingluo had been watching her face. As such, she did not miss her change in expression. Her heart trembled. Three parts excited and seven parts hopeful, she asked, ¡°Granny, you recognize this jade medallion?¡± Granny Zhang shook her head. ¡°Fuchahala.¡± It was a Manchurian name. Wei Yingluo did not understand it. She could only wait for Granny Zhang to explain it to her. ¡°I don¡¯t recognize this jade medallion. However, I recognize the name on it.¡± Granny Zhang slowly lifted her head, a complicated look in her eyes as she stared at Wei Yingluo. ¡°Fuchahala is the owner of this jade medallion. The emperor¡¯s good friend, brother-in-law, and imperial guard, Fucha Fuheng.¡± Haha I just love how ruthless Wei Yingluo is. This is the second chapter of the month. CH 25 The world was unpredictable. Previously, Wei Yingluo had advised Jinxiu many times not to be close with the imperial guards. Especially Fucha Fuheng. Seemed like fate wanted to play a huge joke on her. ¡°Big Sis Yingluo, who are you looking at?¡± asked Jixiang softly by her side. On the paved path leading to the main hall was a crowd of patrolling imperial guards. A total of six people. Fucha Fuheng and Qingxi were also among them. The palace maids who had thoughts of rising to the top from the bottom wasn¡¯t just Jinxiu alone. It¡¯s just that none of them were as brave as her, putting thoughts into action. Most of them only dared to stop what they were doing with their hands, gazing at the imperial guards from afar and chatting among themselves. A palace maid noted how tall one of the imperial guards was. Another one pointed out to a different imperial guard as more handsome. At the end, each of them had red faces, hearts pounding. ¡°I¡¯m not looking at any of them. Let¡¯s go.¡± Wei Yingluo retracted her gaze. She turned to Jixiang with a smile. ¡°Come on. We should return to the embroidery workshop. Word has it that the young seamstresses will be kept busy working on the emperor and empress dowager¡¯s casual clothes. By chance, the empress¡¯ birthday will be next month. Each palace and department will have to prepare a birthday gift. Our embroidery workshop will follow precedent and prepare a set of imperial robes for the empress. However, it¡¯s unknown who the main embroiderer will be¡­¡± Two hours later, everyone arrived at the embroidery workshop. Granny Zhang swept her gaze through the crowd. She slowly said, ¡°The main embroiderer is¡ª¡± Everyone watched her with much expectation, especially Linglong. To the point where she could not help but stand on her toes. As if by standing taller than the rest, she would be more easily seen, and attract Granny Zhang¡¯s gaze over. Granny Zhang¡¯s gaze was in fact attracted to her. Linglong¡¯s face revealed extreme joy. But her smile quickly vanished. Because Granny Zhang¡¯s gaze slowly left her, and in the end, fell upon Wei Yingluo. ¡°Wei Yingluo!¡± The heels of the feet that had their toes pointed came back to the ground. Sighs came from all around. Linglong tried enduring it, yet she could no longer do so. ¡°Granny, whenever something good happens, your honored self always thinks of Yingluo. What about us?¡± Granny Zhang turned to her. ¡°You think I¡¯m biased?¡± Linglong was scared silly. Lowering her head, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t dare¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t dare, not that you don¡¯t believe it.¡± Granny Zhang shook her head. Then she said to the crowd, ¡°How about this? You¡¯re good and the others are too. If anyone finds this unfair, thinks their work is better than Yingluo¡¯s, then come out. I will definitely give this task to you!¡± The crowd shared a look. If it was only about skill in embroidery, there were some people who had wild ambitions and dared to come out. However, Aunt Fang had just been expelled from the palace yesterday, and even Jinxiu, who was the second best in embroidery among them, had been thrown into the hard labor department. Not to mention, General Manager Wu had a good opinion on Wei Yingluo. At this moment, this was Wei Yingluo¡¯s biggest moment in the limelight. Who would dare to compete with her? So in the end, no one left the crowd. Even Wei Yingluo herself found her time in the limelight too bright. Once the work in the embroidery workshop had been completed, thinking that everyone returned to the dormitory, she went to find Granny Zhang alone. A sigh escaped her lips. ¡°It takes a long period to accumulate experience and skill in the embroidery workshop. Yingluo is too young. No matter how skilled I am, there will be a limit. The palace seamstresses and the masters hired from the outside are more skilled than me by a large amount¡­ Granny, you take care of me too well.¡± ¡°There are rules among the palace maids. The birthday gifts for the empress and noble consort are to be made by palace maids who have just entered the palace. On those days, the masters would be in a good mood, and most of them will give hefty rewards. If it¡¯s not done well, they will not punish too severely. This task is just to give you new palace maids hope. An opportunity to show off your talents.¡± Granny Zhang finished talking in the manner of an official. Suddenly, she turned to Wei Yingluo and blinked. ¡°Not to mention, your silly elder sister was the apprentice I was proud of. To give her face, I have to take care of you well.¡± Wei Yingluo felt grateful. She thought of what to say, but even after thinking for a long time, she could not utter a suitable word. ¡°Enough. Palace maids should not reveal such a sad expression. No matter the situation, they must have on a smile. Come.¡± Granny Zhang smiled. ¡°Smile and let me see.¡± Dazed, Wei Yingluo gazed at her. She seemed like a baby who had just learned how to smile. She tried to tilt the corners of her mouth up, forming a smile that seemed unripe. Slightly stiff. Such a smile naturally was unpleasant to the eye. But this smile was not used to please the noble personages, nor to paralyze her enemies. It was a smile from the heart. This was her first real smile after she had learned of her sister¡¯s death. A few days later, the materials needed to embroider the empress¡¯ imperial robes arrived at the embroidery workshop. Silks and satins abound. The most eye-catching item was the box of thread made of peacock feathers in Granny Zhang¡¯s hands. Peacock feather thread, also referred to as Phoenix thread sometimes in this chapter. It appeared to be the beautiful tail feathers that had just been plucked from the peacock. But in the imperial palace, everything must be exquisite. Labor and materials should not be skimped on, especially for the items that were to be presented to the noble personages. ¡°Peacock feather thread is made with peacock feathers, golden thread, and silver thread, all spun together. A very experienced and talented weaver can only weave 1 cm per day.¡± With much care, Granny Zhang handed the box to Wei Yingluo. She said, ¡°You need to be careful when using this. Make sure not to make a mistake, because there will be no surplus thread to give you.¡± Wei Yingluo wasted no time in receiving the box. She cracked open the lid. At that moment, a ray of sun landed inside. What lay within did not seem to be fabric. Rather, it more resembled precious jewels. It gave off a rainbow glow, as if it belonged in a dream. The same feeling one would experience when finding an oasis in the desert. Everyone seemed intoxicated by its beauty. No one was prepared for a voice ringing in an inappropriate moment. ¡°If a mistake is made, what would happen?¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleep chaser¡¯s word press. The person who had spoken was hidden in the crowd. In fact, they had altered their voice when speaking. Although Wei Yingluo looked in the direction of the voice, she could not find the person. Granny Zhang¡¯s expression grew unsightly. What was hated the most in the palace was such disheartening words. Quick as lightning, she yelled, ¡°Who was that? Come out now.¡± She called out three times, but no one showed their face. Seeing that things had progressed in such a way, a smile cold enough to freeze quickly slid across Granny Zhang¡¯s face. ¡°This is a birthday gift that will be presented to Her Majesty, the empress. If anything happens to it in the process, we will all lose our lives!¡± Some believed those words. Others didn¡¯t. However, Wei Yingluo did not care what most people thought. She only cared about the opportunity before her. I cannot take the initiative to be close to Fucha Fuheng. There are too many eyes on him and too many eyes on me. If I¡¯m too pushy about it, it would only give others a weakness of mine to take advantage of. In front of her embroidery frame, Wei Yingluo picked up an end of the peacock feather thread and played with it. The only thing to do now is to do something to the people around him¡­ Looks like Granny also feels this way. So she gave this task to me. If I complete it well, I will naturally be able to leave an impression on Fucha Fuheng¡¯s sister, the empress. Many people who steadily progressed in promotion obtained this chance by leaving an impression. Wei Yingluo concentrated hard as she started her embroidery. Because she was too attentive, she lost track of the time. Until someone shook her shoulder, that was. She turned her head and saw that it was already dark outside the window. Jixiang held an oil lamp as she stood next to her. Her voice held traces of blame as she said, ¡°Big Sis Yingluo, I¡¯ve called you three times but you didn¡¯t answer.¡± ¡°Sorry about that. I was too focused on embroidering.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled, before lifting her hands and rubbing her tired eyes. ¡°It¡¯s already dark outside and the lights have yet to be lit. Do you not want you eyes anymore?¡± Jixiang placed the lamp down in front of her. Under the light of the candle, the peacock feather thread in the box gave off a resplendent shine, dispelling the darkness from all around, making it seem as if it were daytime. Even Jixiang, who had eyes only for food, could not help but be attracted to the sight. A while later, she finally came back to her senses. ¡°Are you hungry? Let¡¯s quickly have a meal.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s belly had long since rumbled. Yet she smiled as she said, ¡°No. I¡¯m not hungry. How about you casually grab me a snack? I¡¯ll eat it at night.¡± One could not have a malicious heart. One must not have too trusting of a heart. Today that voice that rang in an inappropriate time made her realize that others were envious of her. Envy was akin to a dagger. When it would stab her in the back was anyone¡¯s guess. Wei Yingluo suspected that someone would mess with the phoenix thread. Such as stealing a few threads. And once such precious materials was missing a small quantity, there would be nothing else that could replace it. That¡¯s why the best method to guard against this was to use all of the thread before the other party acted. Finish the imperial robes and hand it into Granny Zhang¡¯s hands. ¡°You¡­ Are you actually going to continue embroidering?¡± Jixiang drew her brows together. Her gaze fell upon the peacock feather thread, and she did not seem to like it as much as before. Rather, she gave off a feeling of annoyance. ¡°It will take at least more than a month to finish embroidering these imperial robes. Rushing everyday, do you still want to keep your life?! How about this? Go get some food first. I¡¯ll help you embroider some of it!¡± Although she was full of good will, Wei Yingluo would not place this task into her hands. After all, she was someone who could turn phoenix thread into chicken thread¡­ ¡°Since there are only two choices, you can either let me help you or come eat with me!¡± Jixiang held on to Wei Yingluo¡¯s arm as she shook it. Half peremptory and half nagging, she said, ¡°It¡¯s only going to take at most fifteen minutes! Come on, come on!¡± ¡°Ah, ah, fine!¡± Wei Yingluo was nagged until the point she could not endure it any longer, and got up to leave with her. Tonight¡¯s dinner had an abundant display of dishes. Pumpkin congee that had been prepared for so long that it was refreshing, sweet, and delicious. Cold cucumber salad, refreshing and tasty. Rice noodle with fatty meat, yet could not be considered greasy. What a pity that Wei Yingluo¡¯s thoughts were stuck on her task. She only picked at a bit of the dishes and finished her bowl of rice quickly, before placing down her chopsticks. ¡°I¡¯m finished. I¡¯ll be going first.¡± ¡°That quickly?¡± Jixiang still had a mouth full of rice noodle and meat. She looked at the dishes on the table that were barely picked at. Food muffling her voice, she said, ¡°What a waste¡­ Wait for me! I¡¯ll finish eating very soon!¡± Wei Yingluo returned to the embroidery workshop in long, quick strides. She carefully thought back to before. That statement held some truth to it. ¡°If there¡¯s a mistake, what would happen?¡± If they deliberately made it so that Wei Yingluo made a mistake, what would happen? ¡°The kitchens rarely make rice noodle with meat. I still have half a basin that I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡± Jixiang sighed. ¡°Tell me, why are you rushing? The things won¡¯t just fly away¡­¡± Her complaints suddenly were caught in her throat. Jixiang froze at the doorway of the embroidery workshop. She looked over Wei Yingluo¡¯s shoulder. Gazed inside the room. It seemed as if a storm has passed through the embroidery workshop. Embroidery frames, embroidery cloth, and even the imperial robes had been cast to the floor. Wei Yingluo took a few steps forward. She only saw that the imperial robes that she had just started to embroider had large holes cut into it, dark like smiles of ridicule trying to swallow up her future. ¡°¡­Oh no!¡± At that moment, Wei Yingluo¡¯s expression changed. She rushed to open the box containing the peacock feather thread. The candle stand was still there. The box was also. But when she lifted the lid, it was dark inside. Nothing within. The peacock feather thread¡­ was nowhere in sight. CH 26 The embroidery workshop quickly filled with people. ¡°Heavens! The peacock feather thread has vanished! Serves her right for always getting all the good things! Now it¡¯s her turn to have bad luck!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s see what she can do now! If Granny Zhang had given the task to me, this wouldn¡¯t have happened!¡± ¡°Hehe. Will she be kicked out of the palace this time? ¡°Not only that! She¡¯ll even lose her head!¡± All of a sudden, Yingluo turned around. Gazed at the crowd, cold enough to freeze. ¡°You¡¯ll all accompany me on the road to hell. I¡¯m not lonely at all!¡± Everyone had happily thrown rocks when someone was down. But as soon as they had heard what Wei Yingluo had said, they grew unhappy in an instant. Linglong broke free from the center of the crowd. Like the rest of the people around, she said what she had truly felt. ¡°What nonsense are you sprouting? You¡¯re the one who lost the thread. Why should we all be punished with you?!¡± ¡°Yingluo is right,¡± someone said behind her, cold and grave. Linlong turned her head. And to her fear, she saw Granny Zhang standing there, her glare as sharp as a dagger. ¡°The imperial robe is the embroidery workshop¡¯s birthday present for Her Majesty, the empress. We are all counted as one group. If Her Majesty asks what happened, would she only blame Wei Yingluo? If you have this much time to take pleasure in others¡¯ misfortune, why don¡¯t you touch your own neck and see if it¡¯s hard enough to block against executioner¡¯s blade!¡± If these words had left Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips, not many people would believe them. But since they had come from Granny Zhang, not to mention it was the second time she had said them, everyone was forced to see these words as truth. One would fear that regarding this matter, they would share weal and woe. If one person made a mistake, they would all be punished. A palace maid was so afraid that she burst into tears. ¡°What should we do? I don¡¯t want to die!¡± Another one next to that first palace maid quickly muffled the latter. She spat and said, ¡°You can¡¯t say that word in the palace!¡± ¡°Have you forgotten the current situation? Is this really the time to worry about rules?!¡± that first palace maid shot back. Another palace maid gritted her teeth. ¡°Who¡¯s the evil one who stole those things? Hurry up and return them. Or do you want them to be buried with you?¡± Once those words had been spoken, everyone looked around in all directions. They felt that everyone apart from themselves was the culprit, and hoped they could quickly pick out the little thief whose action could cause their deaths. ¡°Granny, it¡¯s my fault!¡± Jixiang fell to her knees, kneeling before Granny Zhang. She was different from everyone else. She usually did things for the sake of Wei Yingluo. In order to mitigate the bullying Wei Yingluo would receive, Jixiang would rather sacrifice herself. ¡°I was the one who forcibly pulled Yingluo away from this room, giving the thief a chance. If you want to punish someone, then punish me!¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s gaze fell upon her. Then she knelt by her side. ¡°Granny, I am responsible for myself. The peacock feather thread vanished in my hands. I am willing to take all the punishment.¡± Granny Zhang sighed. ¡°What do you plan to do?¡± ¡°The most important thing right now is to use the full power of the embroidery workshop to finish the imperial robes.¡± Wei Yingluo fell into her thoughts for a moment. Then, gritting her teeth, she said, ¡°Regarding the peacock feather thread¡­ May Granny grant a request of mine.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Please open the doors to the storeroom!¡± The last time Wei Yingluo had entered the storeroom, it was because her belly had expanded after she had eaten Kaolinite powder, making her unable to fit her uniform. As such, Granny Zhang allowed her to borrow an old set of uniform from the storeroom. Inside, she had seen many old and new uniforms. And also many old and new threads. All the types of thread that had once existed in the world were in the storeroom. Perhaps, even the current styles of thread were there. She should be able to find a thread that can replace the one stolen. The doors to the storeroom opened. As Wei Yingluo passed by the shelves, she opened every box to check the threads inside. Golden thread. No, not suitable. Under the sun, peacock feather thread let out a rainbow glow. Golden thread glowed only one color. Once it was under the sun, people would realize what it was. For that same reason, silver thread, red thread, and other colors of thread were no good. Although rainbow thread was similar to peacock feather thread in terms of color, it did not have the same natural noble aura. It could not even compare to golden and silver thread. Jixiang stood at the side, holding the lantern for her. Sounding as if she were crying, she said, ¡°That is no good. This is no good. How about you just push the blame on me? My skin is course and my meat is thick. I can take a beating¡­¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let you be beaten.¡± Wei Yingluo continued to look at the threads. Her gaze unparalleled in its steadfastness. ¡°Nor would I allow Granny Zhang to be beaten,¡± She understood that if she could not complete the imperial robes, there would be two people who would take the fall for her. One was Jixiang. The other was Granny Zhang. Jixiang sighed. ¡°Why are you so stubborn?!¡± She was anxious to the point of pacing back and forth. Not paying attention, Jixiang bumped into a shelf, and a bag fell to the ground. The string holding the bag closed was loose, and the bag opened, the contents flying out. Wei Yingluo stood there in a daze. ¡°This¡­¡± Compared to the golden and silver thread, the thread on the floor was plain. ¡°Oh. It¡¯s the fur used to make winter coats1. And it¡¯s even of lower quality. It¡¯s not good!¡± Jixiang bent down to pick up the white pelt. ¡°The other threads have boxes. But this doesn¡¯t even have a box to hold it. Instead, it¡¯s carelessly thrown into a bag.¡± After she had picked up the fur, she placed it back into the bag and tied it up. Jixiang rose to her feet and moved to place the bag back on the shelf. But a hand actually reached out from the side, blocking Jixiang¡¯s action. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. Jixiang stood there, surprised. She turned her head and asked, ¡°Big Sis Yingluo?¡± Wei Yingluo took the bag from her hand. And she untied the string. Retrieved a piece of fur. She studied it. It truly was inferior goods. And it even carried the smell of an animal. If they did not treat it, one would fear even palace maids would dislike it. Noticing that Wei Yingluo was deep in her thoughts, Jixiang asked with uncertainty, ¡°Big Sis Yingluo, you¡ªit can¡¯t be that you actually¡­ No, this is the most useless thing!¡± ¡°In this world, there are no such thing as useless people. And there are no useless things.¡± A smile graced Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips. She brushed the soft fur with a finger, a wise glint in her eyes. ¡°It depends on how your use it, and where you use it!¡± One month later. ¡°From the Gold-and-Jade Craft Department (½ðÓñ×÷), two boxes of four jade articles each, and two jade ruyis.¡± ¡°From the Ceramics Workshop (ÌÕ´É·»), a pair of jadeite red phoenix vases, and a pair of crystal twin-fish vases.¡± ¡°From the Glass Factory (²£Á§³§), an ivory make up box with carved designs, and an enamel watch equipped with a mirror.¡± ¡°From the Screen Department(ÆÁ·ç´¦), a pair rosewood folding fans made with peacock feathers, a rosewood throne with designs carved into it, and a pair of enamel filigree candle holders with the design of cranes.¡± Outside Changchun Palace, the eunuchs and palace maids holding the birthday presents from each department waited in a long line. Wei Yingluo was among them. On her hands was a tray, a piece of yellow silk covering the item from all eyes. ¡°Relax,¡± thought Wei Yingluo. ¡°People can try as hard as they want, but whether they succeed is up to the heavens.¡± At that moment, two eunuchs came out of the large hall. They seemed young. Although they spoke in soft voices, they actually did not try to make it hard for others to hear them. One of them said, ¡°Did you see the face of Her Majesty, the empress? Truly hard to look at. From start to finish, not a smile was on her lips!¡± ¡°Her Majesty, the Noble Consort, was also ruthless,¡± said the other eunuch. ¡°She could have sent anything, but she just had to send a golden Sending Sons Guanyin2 to the empress.¡± Who in the palace did not know that after Empress Fucha¡¯s eldest son died young, she no longer had any children. That Noble Consort Hui did something like this was basically tearing open the empress¡¯ old scars. And then throwing salt into the wounds. Originally, Wei Yingluo was standing in the middle of the crowd. But after she had heard those eunuchs¡¯ words, her heart jumped. Then she retreated a few steps. It was said that people could try as hard as the want, but whether they succeeded was up to the heavens. But if one wanted to succeed, it was best to avoid man-caused calamities. After the empress had received such a big gift from Noble Consort Hui, one would fear that although it did not show it on her face, she was holding back anger. The people giving her birthday gifts now would not be able to please her no matter what. And if they did especially poorly, she might take her anger out on them¡­ ¡°Unless¡­¡± Wei Yingluo looked behind her. ¡°They give the present after that person.¡± She moved further and further to the back of the line unconsciously, until she stood at the literal end of the line. The palace maids in front of her stepped forward with their gifts one by one. Announcements of what had been given continuously rang through the hall. Before Wei Yingluo realized it, it was already her turn¡­ ¡°From the Embroidery Workshop¡ª¡± The sound of the eunuch¡¯s voice spread through the hall. There was no one behind her. However, Wei Yingluo kept turning her head for a look in an anxious manner. ¡°From the Embroidery Workshop¡ª¡± Once again came the eunuch¡¯s voice. They would not call out for her three times. If she still did not come forward before the third call, even if there had been a gift, it would be treated as if there were none. Wei Yingluo could only take a deep breath. She said to herself, ¡°People can try as hard as they want, but whether they succeed is up to the heavens!¡± Holding the tray in her hands, she slowly entered Changchun Palace, as if her legs were as heavy as lead. The empress was usually frugal. However, on her birthday, Changchun Palace had many lanterns and rainbow silk decorations hung, brilliant throughout. Many noble personages, some that Wei Yingluo recognized and some that she did not, sat on chairs. A coral reef as tall as a person, a mirror that was even clearer and smoother than the still surface of a lake. The treasures that ordinary people could only see in their dreams. Mountains of birthday gifts littered the hall. The eunuch responsible for announcing the gifts shouted, ¡°From the Embroidery Workshop, a set of phoenix Moutan Peony robes, and a pair of green flower pot shoes with phoenix heads embroidered at the fronts!¡± Yingluo knelt, lifting the tray high. ¡°Congratulations to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty enjoy eternal youth and longevity.¡± She had lifted the tray so high, but did not perform any other action. Perhaps it was because it was her first time in the presence of a noble person. And she was excited to the point of forgetting what to do. Empress Fucha kindly reminded her, ¡°Now that you have entered the palace, why have you not uncovered the gift?¡± Wei Yingluo pressed her lips together. She had hidden at the end of the line and slowly approached the front. In the end, she did not remove the yellow silk cover. She had already tried her best. But it was too late. She sighed inwardly. The moment she was about to remove the cover, a loud and long announcement rang behind her: ¡°From His Majesty, the emperor, comes bestowments!¡± It were as if electricity had sparked inside her, coursing through her body. She could not help but use all her strength to suppress the utter ecstasy in her heart. That person¡­ had finally arrived. Phew, the emperor came at just the right time! So, you may see a few raw words in this chapter such as: Gold-and-Jade Craft Department (½ðÓñ×÷) Ceramics Workshop (ÌÕ´É·») Glass Factory (²£Á§³§) Screen Department(ÆÁ·ç´¦) That¡¯s because I translated those literally. I¡¯m not too sure what the actual historically-accurate names for those departments are, so if any of you guys do, feel free to let me know in the comments. CH 27 The head eunuch Li Yu rested a snow-white fly-whisk on his elbow as he quickly entered the room. Behind him was a group of eunuchs carrying a rosewood box. ¡°Long live Her Majesty, the empress!¡± Li Yu smiled like a beaming buddha. ¡°His Majesty ordered this slave to bring Your Majesty¡¯s birthday gifts.¡± The empress rose to her feet and received him in the room. ¡°Many thanks to His Majesty for his love.¡± ¡°Your Majesty need not worry. Apart from these regular gifts of jewelry and treasure, His Majesty also specially prepared a gift for your honored self.¡± Li Yu clapped. Two baby-faced eunuchs carried an exquisite dressing case inside. It was exactly the period of Zhi1. Empress Fucha¡¯s time of birth. A little black box on top of the dress case box suddenly bounced open by itself. Out jumped a green cuckoo bird. One glance, and it seemed real. But upon closer inspection, one would realize it was made of a single, large emerald, its eyes two black agates. They seemed real, exquisite, and adorable. Once the bird saw Empress Fucha, it spread its wings wide and made cries of ¡°cuckoo, cuckoo.¡± An expression of joy instantly graced the empress¡¯ face. ¡°Is this a clock?¡± ¡°In order to surprise your honored self, His Majesty had early on instructed the Clock-making Department to create a birthday celebration clock. They spent a long time with it. But His Majesty said ¡®as the Chinese, it¡¯s not in our culture to gift clocks on birthdays.¡¯ And he specifically had the staff tweak it. Your honored self, look.¡± Li Yu opened the dressing case. Inside was filled with different types of jewels, the majority jewelry made from emerald and agate. A perfect match with the cuckoo bird. Li Yu smiled. ¡°This is a dressing case, but the small box on top can tell the time!¡± It wasn¡¯t very precious, but what was most rare was the fact the emperor actually spent so much thought on it. The imperial concubines sitting around all grew envious. Especially Noble Consort Hui. Her fake nails dug into the flesh of her maidservant who was next to her. Although it hurt, the other party gritted her teeth and did not dare to make a sound. ¡°It¡¯s difficult for His Majesty to spend so much thought for this palace.¡± The empress finally revealed a smile for the first time in the celebration. The people by her side quickly surrounded her and congratulated and complimented her. The empress waved, and everyone grew quiet. She said to Li Yu, ¡°Eunuch Li, I¡¯ll bother you to tell His Majesty that this palace will personally go over and thank him later.¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty,¡± Li Yu respectfully replied. As he turned around, he suddenly stopped in his tracks. Wei Yingluo stood at the side of the path, and acting as if nothing had happened, she lifted the tray in her hands high. Whether intentionally or not, she covered her face with the tray; it was just in the right position. Although Li Yu found the girl seemed familiar, in the end this was the empress¡¯ birthday celebration. He could not at this time command her to look up so that he could see her face, lest he attracted the curiosity of others around. Furthermore, the empress had just given him an order. He retracted his gaze and made to leave. After he had left, everyone looked at the cuckoo bird. A while later, Empress Fucha remembered there was still one more palace maid that had yet to present her department¡¯s gift. She turned, amiably and happily asking, ¡°What did the Embroidery Workshop send?¡± Wei Yingluo slowly pulled aside the yellow silk on top of the tray, revealing a neatly folded set of imperial robes. From all around came gasps of surprise. But those gasps weren¡¯t due to the beauty of the robe. Rather¡­ the surprise was for how crude it looked. ¡°Audacious!!¡± Empress Fucha did not have to personally open her mouth. The first-ranked palace maid by her side, Mingyu, had yelled for her. ¡°You actually dare to give such a thing to the empress!!¡± The embroidery of the imperial robe was extraordinary. The phoenix on the upper portion of the robe seemed like it would burst into flight at any moment. It was as realistic as the cuckoo bird from before. Where their difference lay was in the material: the cuckoo bird was made from a precious emerald, whereas the imperial robe was made from the fur of an unknown animal. ¡°I remember that peacock feather thread was sent to the embroidery workshop. So what do we have here?¡± Mingyu quickly approached Wei Yingluo and grabbed the imperial robe for a look. Her expression darkened even more. ¡°This isn¡¯t golden thread. It¡¯s not even silver thread. Good. The embroidery workshop actually openly stole peacock feather thread. And then finally brought this crudely-made thing to make up for it?¡± In an instant, Wei Yingluo knelt. ¡°This slave doesn¡¯t dare.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t dare? It has already been done, so what do you mean you don¡¯t dare?¡± Mingyu wanted to throw the imperial robes at her face. But then, from behind her, she heard Empress Fucha telling her to wait. Empress Fucha beckoned, and Mingyu brought the robes to her. She lowered her head and examined them for a moment. She couldn¡¯t help but draw her brows together. Then the empress raised her head. Looked at Wei Yingluo. ¡°If this palace is not mistaken, this thread is made from the fur of a deer¡¯s tail.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, the empress, is correct.¡± Wei Yingluo did not hide the fact, and openly and honesty agreed. Everyone was in uproar. It was actually the embroidery workshop¡¯s most inferior goods, the down fur of a deer¡¯s tail. Even the palace maids who were of a slightly higher rank would not use such a material for their clothes. The servants of the embroidery workshop certainly were brave. Under whose orders did they do this? That they would actually use such things to insult the empress? Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. A moment later, whether intentionally or not, everyone¡¯s gazes converged at Noble Consort Hui. Even Empress Fucha held similar suspicions. Her expression gradually darkened. ¡°Why did the embroidery workshop choose to use this thread?¡± Did the upper management make a mistake to use such materials for the empress? In everyone¡¯s opinion, no matter the answer, it was still an insult to the empress. If it had happened previously, then it did not need to be mentioned. But if it happened now, then it would mean that the empress did not have what it took to manage the imperial harem. Any person could just exchange the materials. And then in her birthday, use a set of imperial robes made from the down fur of a deer¡¯s tail to insult her. Regardless of how the empress would treat this matter after the birthday celebration, the little palace maid before them¡­ was definitely going to die! As everyone looked at Wei Yingluo like she was a dead person, she took a deep breath, and continued to lift the tray high. In a clear voice, she said, ¡°It has been said that Your Majesty, the empress, is frugal, and has said that golden and silver thread are extravagant and wasteful. This slave recalled that before the ancestors of the Qing Dynasty created this country, all the clothes and adornments were created with thread made with the down fur of a deer¡¯s tail. This slave was bold and did not want golden and silver thread, instead returning to old customs. To follow Your Majesty in practicing a strict economy, and also to remind everyone how difficult it was for our ancestors to gain control of China.¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Mingyu had already prepared Wei Yingluo¡¯s punishment, but after suddenly hearing what the latter had said, she was instantly rendered speechless. She contemplated Wei Yingluo¡¯s words for a long while, but in the end, she could not find any fault in them. She could only look at Empress Fucha. How would Empress Fucha deal with Wei Yingluo? Wei Yingluo already guessed most of it. Previously, when Wei Yingluo refused to walk inside and present the gift, it was because the empress had just received the Sending Sons Guanyin from Noble Consort Hui and was subsequently in a bad mood. When a kind person who always ate vegetarian was in a bad mood, they would probably still kick the dog next to them. For this reason, Wei Yingluo stalled as much as she could. Until the emperor¡¯s gift arrived. Because of that green cuckoo bird, the empress¡¯ emotions went from gloomy to sunny again. When a person that was quick to anger was in high spirits, even their voice would more gentle than usual. And they would even give the roadside beggar a bun. ¡°People could try as hard as they want, but whether they succeed is up to the heavens,¡± thought Wei Yingluo. ¡°Heaven¡­ please don¡¯t let down such an observant and conscientious person like me.¡± Naturally, this was the case. ¡°¡­A girl like you is clever,¡± said the empress. Still kneeling, Wei Yingluo pressed her body close to the floor. She could only hear Empress Fucha¡¯s voice from above her, a relaxed and joyful sort of voice. ¡°Presently, the palace has become more and more extravagant. If everyone can remember how difficult it was for our ancestors to create this country, and abandon luxury, living a simple life, that would be for the best. Someone reward her!¡± CH 28 Deep into the night. In the embroidery workshop, many lights were lit. The light dyed the paper panes of the windows orange, passing through to the outside. It was obviously time for the evening meal. But the palace maids were still congregated in the workshop. Even though their bellies rumbled, not one of them left. Once again, the needle pricked Jixiang¡¯s finger and she yelped. She sucked at that injured finger. Turned her head to look at the front doors. Inarticulately, she said ¡°Big Sis Yingluo still hasn¡¯t returned?¡± Linglong, who sat beside her, continued to embroider, saying without raising her head, ¡°Maybe she couldn¡¯t come back¡­¡± ¡°What are you saying?!¡± said Jixiang, furious. ¡°Pei, pei, pei1! Hurry and spit three times for me!¡± Linglong curled her lip, too lazy to perform such vulgar actions. Noticing this, Jixiang grew even more furious, almost at the point where she really wanted to debate with her. All of a sudden, the palace maid closest to the door screamed, ¡°They¡¯re here, they¡¯re here! Someone¡¯s outside!¡± Jixiang froze. Quickly abandoned Linglong and ran outside. A gust of wind blew past her. Someone had run even faster than Jixiang. ¡°G-granny Zhang?¡± Jixiang stared at the woman¡¯s figure, dumbstruck. As if she were an elderly person whose only one son went far away to take an exam, Granny Zhang was practically sprinting to the main doors. Then she stared at the eunuch, anxiously waiting, really hoping to hear some good news. At least not bad news! ¡°Congratulations, Granny Zhang.¡± Three palace maids had arrived, and the leader possessed an even higher rank than Granny Zhang. At this moment, she treated Granny Zhang courteously. A smile on her lips, she said, ¡°Your embroidery workshop¡¯s Wei Yingluo was in the limelight during the birthday feast. These are the things Her Majesty the empress bestowed on her.¡± She beckoned and the two palace maids behind her approached carrying a tray each. On one of the trays lay two bolts of silk. On the other tray lay a pair of hairpins. The things made in the palace were the highest-quality in the world. Much less the items the empress gifted. They were the peak of the peak in craftsmanship, peak of the peak in materials. Those two hairpins were made from jade. Everyone could not discern how great their quality was. They only could tell that the color was especially brilliant. At the top was a faint layer of white smoke, an indistinct color, mist-like yet not. Perhaps it was made from Lantian Jade2. Therefore as the sun rose over the mountain of Lantian, the jade would produce smoke3. It was a different story with the two bolts of silk. Everyone had been working in the embroidery workshop for more than half a year, and naturally could tell how good the quality was. One palace maid was astonished. ¡°This is such great material. When one puts it on, it¡¯s like wearing spring water. To wear it often not only is beneficial for the skin but good for the person.¡± ¡°What do you know? This silk is a tribute from Jiangnan,¡± said another palace maid who was even more knowledgeable, envy flashing in her eyes. ¡°It¡¯s used to make clothes for the masters. Yingluo truly has a good life¡­¡± Granny Zhang led the leader of the three palace maids aside for some conversation. Then she retrieved some money from her sleeve and thrust it into the palace maid¡¯s hand. The other party tried to reject it for a long time, but in the end she could only receive it reluctantly. Granny Zhang personally sent them off and returned with joy on her face. She turned to the impatient palace maids before her and declared, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. You can all have your meals.¡± At this time, who would have the mood to eat?! Jixiang was the first one to run over. ¡°Granny, good Granny, hurry and tell me! What did Big Sis Yingluo do at the birthday feast?¡± ¡°Yes Granny, please let us know,¡± said Linglong, who had also run to their sides, not batting an eyelid. ¡°Just what did Yingluo do so that Her Majesty the empress not only did not punish her, but actually rewarded her?¡± Granny Zhang was in great spirits. She faced the two girls with a smile. ¡°I am not sure as well. Why don¡¯t we wait until she returns and directly ask her?¡± Linglong fell silent for a while. Then she asked, ¡°Where is she right now?¡± ¡°She received her reward,¡± said Granny Zhang. ¡°So naturally she needs to kowtow before Her Majesty to thank her for the grace!¡± Outside of Changchun Palace. In Mingyu¡¯s hand was a six-sided lantern. The orange glow illuminated a frail figure kneeling with the head seemingly touching the ground, their shadow stretching long. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s forehead rested on the back of her hands. ¡°This slave has come to beg for forgiveness.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Empress Fucha had already removed the burdensome ceremonial robe, and was wearing the plain and simple white robe she usually wore. Under the moon, she slowly approached Wei Yingluo. Just like Chang¡¯e?, who only showed up during the full moon. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Yingluo reported in detail what had happened, not leaving a shred of information out. ¡°A couple days ago, a thief struck in the embroidery workshop, taking the peacock feather thread. Left with no other choice, this slave chose to use thread made from the fur of a deer¡¯s tail as replacement. In order to bluff a way out of this in the grand hall, this slave made up a story.¡± ¡°Since you have already gotten away with it, why have you come to confess to this palace?¡± asked Empress Fucha with a smile. Wei Yingluo thought, because I don¡¯t believe that. The situation had gone too smoothly. To the point it seemed Empress Fucha had acted in concert with her. After Wei Yingluo had thought of this clearly, her back was drenched with cold sweat. And she no longer dared to think it was all a fluke, rushing to Empress Fucha without any objection to beg for forgiveness. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s word press. ¡°Your Majesty is benevolent, empathizing with the subordinates. Not only have your honored self not exposed me in public, but even bestowed gifts. This slave is terrified. As a person who committed such a big crime, how could this slave have the face to accept your honored self¡¯s gifts?¡± Wei Yingluo kowtowed. ¡°May Your Majesty take back the gifts and punish this slave.¡± ¡°How could the things that have been bestowed be taken back? What do you take this palace as?¡± Light laughter spilled from Empress Fucha¡¯s lips. ¡°Furthermore, what has passed has passed. Today is this palace¡¯s birthday. This palace does not want any unpleasant things to occur today, do you understand?¡± Wei Yingluo kowtowed once more. ¡°This slave will never forget Your Majesty¡¯s kindness.¡± ¡°However¡­ There is something this palace finds extremely strange¡­¡± ¡°May Your Majesty speak.¡± Wei Yingluo hurriedly said, ¡°This slave will definitely reveal everything.¡± ¡°Mingyu said that when you were still waiting outside the hall, you kept stalling, stalling until you were the last one to enter,¡± said Empress Fucha. ¡°Back then, what were you waiting for?¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s eyes darted left and right in thought. Right before she could respond, Empress Fucha had already come to the answer. ¡°You were waiting for the emperor. Am I correct?¡± Wei Yingluo was startled. She reflexively looked up, her gaze meeting with wise and farsighted eyes. How could those who had such eyes be unintelligent? How could they be masters who were easily fooled?! Quick as lightning, Wei Yingluo had come to a decision. ¡°Yes!¡± She gritted her teeth. ¡°Your Majesty is highly favored. This slave wanted to borrow His Majesty¡¯s presence so that Your Majesty would be in high spirits. In this way, when this slave enters the hall with the gift, Your Majesty would not be furious.¡± All of a sudden, Empress Fucha¡¯s expression darkened. ¡°You¡¯re certainly brave! Even daring to use the emperor!¡± ¡°May Your Majesty the empress grant forgiveness!¡± Wei Yingluo kowtowed again and again, handing her life to the other party and resigning to her fate. ¡°If punishment is necessary, then please just punish this slave only. Please don¡¯t have the embroidery workshop implicated!¡± ¡°Punishment is absolutely required. Let this palace think¡­¡± Empress Fucha fell silent. Until the point Wei Yingluo¡¯s breathing grew rough and jagged, she snickered. ¡°Your punishment is to remake all of this palace¡¯s daily clothes using only deer tail fur. Understand?¡± ¡ª Wei Yingluo immediately raised her head. As if she were a pardoned criminal on death roll. After a long period in a daze, her face grew ecstatic. She banged her forehead on the ground in a kowtow. ¡°Yes! Many thanks to Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Enough. It¡¯s getting late. You may return.¡± Empress Fucha looked at her with a gentle gaze. ¡°Once you¡¯ve finished the clothes, personally deliver them to Changchun Palace. Furthermore¡­¡± She turned to Mingyu, who was standing at the side. ¡°For a thief to appear in the palace out of the blue, Wu Shulai cannot shirk the responsibility. Tell him to investigate!¡± Mingyu hurriedly sounded her acknowledgement. ¡°Enough. This palace is tired.¡± Empress Fucha nodded. ¡°Send her back.¡± The six-sided lantern illuminated the road out of Changchun Palace. ¡°Big Sis Mingyu, just this far is enough.¡± Wei Yingluo didn¡¯t dare to have Mingyu actually escort her all the way back. From Changchun Palace to the embroidery workshop, even if one rushed on the way, it would take a bit less than an hour. ¡°I can go the rest of the way.¡± Mingyu also did not want to waste time on this little palace maid. On the spot, she said, ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll leave first.¡± In the blink of an eye, she turned around, heading back to Changchun Palace. Wei Yingluo watched her figure shrink into the distance. But if one were to say she was watching Mingyu leave, one might as well say she was gazing at Changchun Palace from afar. Deep into the night, Changchun Palace was still bright outside. What was illuminating the exterior were the many lanterns the palace maids had hung and the Glowing Pearl offered by Haishi?. Or perhaps it could be the coral tree that was gifted during the birthday feast? Indeed, this was the resting palace of Empress Fucha. The dwelling of the most noble woman in the imperial harem. Previously, Wei Yingluo had only been able to look at it from afar. But from this day forward, it was no longer as distant. ¡°Fucha Fuheng¡­¡± Her voice could only be heard by herself. ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll be looking for you¡­¡± The faraway Changchun Palace was as bright as if it were daytime. However, Wei Yingluo¡¯s surroundings proved pitch black. The night swallowed her body whole, swallowed her expression, turning her into a dark silhouette. And the brightly lit Changchun Palace from far away seemed incompatible with it¡­ CH 29 ¡°Did you hear?¡± A palace maid stealthily approached Linglong¡¯s ear. ¡°Her Majesty the empress is really fond of Yingluo. General Manager Wu specially instructed Granny Zhang to transfer Yingluo to Changchun Palace!¡± Her fingers trembled. A bead of blood from the needle¡¯s prick. Linglong wiped away the red, leaving behind not a trace. ¡°She truly is fortunate to be able to wait on Her Majesty the empress.¡± The palace maid sighed. ¡°Linglong, I really pity you.¡± Linglong smiled in a faint manner. ¡°Why do I need to be pitied?¡± ¡°Your appearance and skill in embroidery don¡¯t lose against hers. But Granny Zhang just has to be biased like that! If the one sending the birthday banquet gift had been you, the person being transferred to Changchun Palace would not be Wei Yingluo!¡± Noticing Linglong¡¯s countenance growing unsightly, the palace maid quickly changed topics to console her. ¡°But it¡¯s also good that she¡¯s gone. Without her around, you can bask in the limelight!¡± Who would desire to be in limelight in this run-down embroidery workshop?! Yet, Linglong still could keep her elegant demeanor. However, her embroidery became more and more disorderly. ¡°Granny, you take care of me too well.¡± ¡°Your silly elder sister was the apprentice I was proud of. To give her face, I have to take care of you well.¡± After Linglong had sneaked a peek at that scene, it kept appearing before her eyes. How could this be just considered taking care of her well?! The best resources and the best opportunities had all been given to Wei Yingluo! Everyone else did not even have a sliver of a chance to stick out! ¡°If Granny Zhang was willing to treat me in such a way, I would also have obtained the empress¡¯ recognition. I would also have those two bolts of precious silk and the pair of hairpins! Ouch!¡± Once again, she pricked her finger tip. She stuck it in her mouth. Looked at the embroidery frame before her. Looked at the mess embroidered on its surface. Anger filled her heart. She picked up the pair of scissors by her side. Snip! ¡°Linglong!¡± Linglong¡¯s hand shook, slicing a long gash from left to right on the cloth attached to the embroidery frame. The embroidery was the image she was most skilled at: a cat in many shades of color. The gash cut across the cat¡¯s neck, beheading it. And that image suddenly turned ominous. The eyes of the cat seemed to stare at her. In an instant Linglong, flipped the embroidery frame face down on the table. She rose to her feet to greet Granny Zhang. ¡°Granny, I¡¯m here. Why have you looked for me?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not me who wants to see you. It¡¯s General Manager Wu.¡± Linglong¡¯s eyes shone. She wondered if she was having a lucky break. Was it finally her turn to have a master recognize her for her worth? ¡°By Her Majesty the empress¡¯ order, General Manager Wu must find the thief who stole the peacock feather thread.¡± Who would have thought that Granny Zhang¡¯s next words would be the following? ¡°Starting from you, all of you will report what you saw one by one. Whatever General Manager Wu asks, you must answer. Understood?¡± With each word more that she spoke, Linglong¡¯s face grew paler. So much so that even her legs felt limp and painful. As if a headless cat had grabbed her legs, a pair of cloudy cat eyes staring at her. Not everyone needed to be interrogated. At the very least, Wei Yingluo wouldn¡¯t be. As a matter of fact, once General Manager Wu had arrived, the first person he interrogated was her. ¡°These eyes of mine have never been wrong about a person before.¡± He kindly said, ¡°Ever since I¡¯ve laid eyes on you, I knew you were absolutely not simple. Sooner or later, you would leave this little embroidery workshop.¡± ¡°This is all thanks to the support of your honored self.¡± Just like during her first meeting with General Manager Wu, Wei Yingluo seemed very respectful. Hands hanging by her side, she bowed. ¡°That day, if it weren¡¯t for your honored self upholding justice, how would I still be here? I will never forget this grace. In the future, if your honored self can use me in any way, may General Manager Wu do so.¡± ¡°Haha. You¡¯re too polite. You¡¯re too polite. We¡¯re just helping each other!¡± General Manager Wu burst into laughter. How could there be any benefits in the palace that were completely uncalled for? They would treat you well today because they wanted benefits in the future. General Manager Wu was very optimistic about Wei Yingluo, and did not intend to use the goodwill that she owed him just yet. He gently instructed her a few words, and even spoke in a roundabout way about the things the empress liked. In the end, he patted her shoulder. ¡°Once you arrive at Her Majesty, the empress¡¯ side, you must serve her well. Don¡¯t think that she looks kind and compassionate and slack off in your duties. Just because Her Majesty the empress is merciful doesn¡¯t mean the people by her side are.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s heart trembled. She nodded. ¡°Yingluo knows. Many thanks for General Manager Wu¡¯s advice.¡± The higher ranked a person was, the more cautious their speech and actions. Every word they spoke had been thought of carefully before leaving their lips. Every word had its profound meaning. ¡°Alright. Yingluo will think of this more later.¡± Wei Yingluo looked at the sky and smiled. ¡°Today there¡¯s still many important things to do.¡± In the dining hall of the palace maids, a bowl of longevity noodles1 was placed in front of Jixiang. Snow-white noodles curled within the broth. Crimson minced pork sat on top, as well as green vegetables. ¡°Even the gods hunger for longevity noodles, more delicious than immortality peaches2. Like a strand of fate, countless years are represented within. A dragon¡¯s 3,000-feet whisker3. Even cranes will sing and celebrate for 800 years?. Longevity noodles represent a good and long life. Fates and fortune for you and your family. One bowl of longevity noodles to represent our well-wishes.¡± Wei Yingluo winked at Jixiang who sat across from her at the table. ¡°May you have a long life and peace year after year.¡± ¡°Big Sis Yingluo¡­¡± Truly a huge surprise. It took her a long time to break free from her shock. She was so moved that she stuttered. ¡°H-how did you know that t-today¡¯s my birthday?¡± ¡°On the first day we entered the palace, didn¡¯t the supervising eunuch say it back then as he verified the list of names?¡± Wei Yingluo smiled. ¡°He only said it once. You actually remembered?¡± Jixiang stared at her in adoration. ¡°Your memory is great.¡± ¡°Yes, my memory is good,¡± said Wei Yingluo with a smile. How could she have such a good memory? It¡¯s just that she saw Jixiang depressed recently and asked the supervision eunuch. Even the longevity noodles had been hard to obtain. The masters naturally could eat whatever they pleased. But if the palace maids wanted to specially eat additional things, they needed to bribe the imperial chefs. Wei Yingluo basically entered the palace empty handed. And she did not have much money. She could only exchange with her labor. After a few days without sleep, she made a few embroidered works for the imperial chef to for that bowl of longevity noodles. ¡°Hurry and eat. If you wait any longer, it¡¯ll get cold.¡± Wei Yingluo handed her a pair of chopsticks. ¡°You have to eat the noodles whole. Don¡¯t tear them. This way, you will have a long life.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Jixiang received the pair of chopsticks, grabbed a strand of noodle, and placed it in her mouth. Then she slurped it up, tears flowing down her cheeks. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Yingluo stared blankly. ¡°Is it not good?¡± She used another pair of chopsticks to touch the soup and taste it herself. Once she placed it in her mouth¡­ Delicious. It was worth the sets of embroideries she made. So why did it make Jixiang cry? ¡°Big Sis Yingluo, you treat me so well,¡± said Jixiang, choking through sobs. ¡°The only person in the palace who truly cares about me is you. Once you go to Changchun Palace, no one will care about me.¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. ¡°It¡¯s not like I won¡¯t return after going there.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s heart softened. She hugged her as she said, ¡°Even if I can¡¯t come here, it¡¯s not like you can¡¯t visit me, right?¡± ¡°I¡­ can really visit you?¡± Jixiang looked at her with expectation and worry. ¡°Would that give a lot of trouble for you? I¡¯m dumb, but I know not everyone can visit Changchun Palace¡­¡± ¡°How would that trouble me?¡± Wei Yingluo placed into her hands the handkerchief she had prepared long ago. ¡°Take it. This is my birthday present for you. From now on, if you miss me, then come to Changchun Palace. If you aren¡¯t allowed inside, have someone send this handkerchief inside. Once I see it, I¡¯ll know you miss me and immediately take a leave of absence to see you. Okay?¡± Jixiang¡¯s heart warmed immensely from those words. Salty tears once again flowed down her cheeks and into her soup. But when it entered her mouth, it only tasted like honey. ¡°Wei Yingluo! Wei Yingluo!¡± said a palace maid by the door. ¡°Are you here?¡± ¡°Yes. What is it?¡± replied Wei Yingluo as she looked back. ¡°Someone from Changchun Palace has arrived. Hurry and follow me there,¡± said that palace maid. ¡°Big Sis Yingluo, hurry and go.¡± Once Jixiang had heard the palace maid¡¯s words, she was even more urgent than Wei Yingluo and pushed her by the shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here to eat the noodles. The bowl of noodles and ingredients will keep me full for a while.¡± ¡°Mm, I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Wei Yingluo glanced at her apologetically, before following the other palace maid out. After she had left, Jixiang didn¡¯t rush to eat the noodles. Rather, she stared at the handkerchief in her hands, cherishing it. Embroidered onto the handkerchief was a blond dog. The dog Jixiang had as a pet back home. She had a hard time living in the palace, and it was the same case in her hometown. Her parents were biased toward boys. When her younger brother ate rice, she could only drink soup. And sometimes, she wouldn¡¯t even have soup to drink, hungry to the point of crying. It had been her grandmother who couldn¡¯t bear to see such a sight and brought Jixiang to her side. And with much difficulty, feed her. Her parents did not support her grandmother¡¯s livelihood. Rather, it was the family¡¯s pet, an old blond dog, that did. Although it wasn¡¯t attractive to the eye, it was skilled in hunting. It would often catch sparrows and voles, bringing it back to them. Otherwise, she and her grandmother would have died long ago. She seldom spoke of her long-winded past to others, because no one liked to hear it. Only Wei Yingluo listened. And she even remembered. ¡°Thank you.¡± Jixiang pressed the handkerchief to her chest. She said to herself, ¡°Thank you, Big Sis Yingluo. To have entered the palace and have met you are some of the best things to happen to me¡­ It¡¯d be enough for me to live until fifty. The rest of my life can be given to you. May you have a long life and be safe and sound year after year.¡± A sigh broke Jixiang¡¯s train of thought. She looked back. In a flash, her expression darkened. Who knew when Linglong had arrived and sat by her side? It was uncertain what Linglong had experienced prior, but her face was as pale as paper. Panic was evident on it. Jixiang picked up her bowl of longevity noodles and was about to leave, when Linglong grabbed her. ¡°Jixiang, how did you become such a person?¡± Linglong dispiritedly said, ¡°You weren¡¯t like this when you were young.¡± The two were neighbors from the same village. However, Linglong¡¯s financial situation at home was many degrees better than Jixiang¡¯s. Sometimes, she would give Jixiang the pastries she couldn¡¯t finish. Because Jixiang was greedy for the food Linglong didn¡¯t eat, she listened to whatever she said when they were young. If she told Jixiang to climb a tree, she would. If she told Jixiang to bark like a dog, she would. ¡°In the past, we were on good terms. But once we arrived at the palace, you grew distant from me.¡± Another sighed escaped from her lips. ¡°Is it because of Wei Yingluo?¡± ¡°Hmph. So you also know?!¡± Jixiang didn¡¯t beat behind the bush and said in a flash, ¡°She never provoked you, yet you always talk badly about her behind her back!¡± Linglong¡¯s countenance froze. In order to hide her cold expression, she lifted her arm, covering her face with her sleeve, pretending to be wiping at tears. ¡°You only blame me for picking on her. But why don¡¯t you ever think about how hard I work? My embroidery isn¡¯t that much different than hers, yet Granny Zhang is so biased toward her. So I¡¯m not allowed to feel upset?¡± ¡°Your skill in embroidery cannot catch up to hers. You¡¯re only especially good at embroidering cats. Everything else isn¡¯t good. How can you compare to Big Sis Yingluo, who embroiders everything well and knows every technique of embroidering?¡± Jixiang glanced at her, baffled. As if it were expected and right, she said, ¡°If you want Granny Zhang to respect you, you need to work harder and not only embroider cats. Try different things¡­ Oh my, don¡¯t tell me you only embroider cats because you can¡¯t beat Big Sis Yingluo in anything else?¡± Linglong¡¯s action of wiping her tears stilled. A chill spread from her body. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± A long while later, she gradually dropped her arm. Pretending to be pitiful, she said, ¡°I will embroider different things from now on.¡± Jixiang wasn¡¯t someone who held grudges. After seeing her childhood friend¡¯s pitiful appearance, her heart softened. And she no longer felt like yelling at her. ¡°It¡¯s fine. As long as you don¡¯t target Big Sis Yingluo from now on, we can still be friends.¡± ¡°Alright. I swear I will.¡± Linglong thrust three fingers toward the sky. ¡°If I have even a bit of ill intention toward Wei Yingluo and you, then I will commit su*cide by slamming my head into the wall. May I not have a peaceful death!¡± Jixiang grabbed her raised hand and pulled it back down. She complained in a soft voice, ¡°Don¡¯t say this! It¡¯s violating a taboo!¡± ¡°Then are we good now?¡± Linglong looked at her in expectation. She had already acted to this point. So what could Jixiang do? After groaning for a long time, she nodded in the end. ¡°Good Jixiang!¡± Linglong reached out to pull her into an embrace, her chin resting on Jixiang¡¯s shoulder. But in her eyes shone an ominous glint. On her lips a sweet smile. ¡°Speaking of which, today is your birthday. I¡¯ve prepared a present for you¡­¡± CH 30 ¡°I don¡¯t know why Her Majesty chose you. A low-rank embroiderer actually received instant success, walking through the main door of Changchun Palace!¡± said Mingyu, sizing up Wei Yingluo. From her gaze it was evident she didn¡¯t like her. Changchun Palace had actually sent this person to escort her¡­ Mingyu sat on a chair. By her hand was a plate of light refreshments. Glutinous rice balls1, mung bean cake2, rose flower pastry3, sesame candy?. Four different types of desserts assembled together. Just from the color, it was already a feast for the eyes. Focused, Mingyu sampled the light refreshments. It didn¡¯t seem like she was here to fulfill the tasks of the empress. On the contrary, it seemed she was borrowing this opportunity to sneak a break. For as long as she sat, Wei Yingluo stood. She recalled General Manager Wu¡¯s warning from prior. And she couldn¡¯t help but sigh in her heart. ¡°The King of Hell is easy to pass, but his little ghosts are troublesome.¡± One would fear that Changchun Palace¡¯s steps weren¡¯t easy to climb. ¡°Enough. I¡¯ve already said what I had to say to you.¡± Mingyu finally grew tired of messing with her. She placed the last piece of light refreshments into her mouth, clapped her hands of crumbs. ¡°Hurry to complete all your tasks in the embroidery workshop. You¡¯ll be transferring to Changchun Palace at the end of the month.¡± ¡°Yes. I will send you off, Big Sis Mingyu. Wei Yingluo escorted Mingyu all the way to the gates of Changchun Palace. It took her an hour to return. It¡¯s just that as Wei Yingluo walked Mingyu back, they would chat, and the words they had spoken then made her more tired than if she had worked ten to twelve hours at the embroidery workshop. The most full of hardship and exhausting job in the world was serving others. Dragging her exhausted body to the palace maid dormitory, Wei Yingluo frowned. Something was fishy¡­ Before she had entered the room, it was still noisy inside. But once she had stepped through the door, it grew quiet in a flash. The palace maids that lived together all stood. Either far away or close, they all looked at Wei Yingluo with a strange expression. Their gazes caused her much unease, seeming to mock her yet also pity her. Why did they look at her with such a gaze? Full of doubt, Wei Yingluo went to the side of her own bed. Two blankets sat side by side, and two pillows were flush together. ¡°Where¡¯s Jixiang?¡± asked Wei Yingluo. ¡°She hasn¡¯t returned yet?¡± It shouldn¡¯t take that long to eat a bowl of noodles. If Wei Yingluo calculated the time, she should have long since finished the bowl and returned. A palace maid that had a pretty good relationship with Jixiang answered in a soft voice, ¡°She was arrested.¡± Wei Yinguo was caught off guard. ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°She was arrested.¡± The little palace maid could only repeat her words. After a moment of hesitation, she added, ¡°Those things were hidden on her body¡­¡± ¡°What things?¡± From her heart sprung a vague premonition. ¡°¡­A sachet.¡± The little palace maid sighed. ¡°And inside was the peacock feather thread that had been lost in the past¡­¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Wei Yingluo reached the little palace maid in a few steps, gaze burning as she stared at her. ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not lying! General Manager Wu personally found it on her body!¡± said the little palace maid. Wei Yingluo¡¯s gaze was truly too terrifying. The little palace maid lost her head from fear, eyes darting left and right. All of a sudden, it landed on someone. She pointed a finger at her and cried out, ¡°Linglong was the one who reported her!¡± Slowly, Wei Yingluo turned to her. ¡°Linglong!¡± Linglong lay face down on her bed. Half of her pillow was soaked in tears. She raised her head to look at Wei Yingluo, her eyes red. As if she were trying to explain to Wei Yingluo, and also as if she were trying to explain to everyone else. ¡°I grew up with Jixiang. Her family was poor. She never had a full three meals. That¡¯s why, it¡¯s possible she has a tendency to steal. I never thought that after entering the palace, with food to eat and clothes to wear, she would still have that bad habit¡ª¡± Before she could even finish speaking, a hand clutched at her collar, yanking her up from the bed. ¡°You¡¯re speaking nonsense!¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s furious face drew close to Linglong. ¡°I¡¯m not talking nonsense! I¡¯m also unwilling to believe she¡¯s this type of person¡­ I just, just mentioned this to General Manager Wu.¡± Lingling sniffed. Feeling wronged, she said, ¡°Afterward, I learned that Her Majesty the empress only gave General Manager Wu two days to find the thief. I¡¯m afraid he was impatient to find them, so he selected Jixiang for a body search. Who would have known he would actually find the peacock feather thread on her¡­¡± ¡°Ha!¡± Wei Yingluo sneered. ¡°You thought I would believe you?¡± Linglong stared at her in shock. ¡°The peacock feather thread disappeared a long time ago. But now, after General Manager Wu came and did a search, he would find it?¡± Wei Yingluo pulled Linglong even closer to her. Face to face. As if two swords were pressing against one another in a cross, sparks flying from either the other party dying or oneself dying. ¡°Linglong, did you actually think I would believe that? Did you think General Manager Wu would believe that? General Manager Wu¡­ He¡¯s merely doing this in order to wrap up the case quickly.¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s word press. She shoved Linglong to the ground. Then Wei Yingluo rushed out of the palace maid dormitory without glancing back. As she ran forward it were as if the trees ran in the opposite direction. And as if the road did. At that moment, someone dashed out, obstructing her path, obstructing her feet that were in a mad rush. ¡°¡­Granny¡± Wei Yingluo recognized the person, and gasped for air as she said, ¡°I need to find General Manager Wu. If I don¡¯t hurry, it will be too late.¡± Any more later, and Jixiang¡¯s life could not be saved. Even if she had to use all the sentiment and face she had accumulated prior with much difficulty, even if it would cause her to lose the large favor from General Manager Wu, she would not hesitate. As long as she could save that child¡¯s life¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t go,¡± said Granny Zhang, her hands like clamps, keeping Wei Yingluo in place. ¡°Granny, step aside!¡± Wei Yingluo used all her strength to struggle out of her grip. All of a sudden, her body froze. ¡°Don¡¯t look!¡± Granny Zhang covered her eyes with a hand. But in the end, Wei Yingluo pulled it down. Before her eyes was the path to the Correction Bureau?. Palace maids and eunuchs who committed crimes would definitely be thrown there for a heavy dose of punishment. The doors to the Correction Bureau opened. Out spilled an aura that made others uncomfortable. It resembled tears that were many years old and fresh blood. Two eunuchs stepped out carrying a stretcher with one in the front and one in the back. A white cloth draped over the stretcher, covering a person from head to toe. There appeared to be an outline of a woman¡¯s face at one of the ends. When the stretcher passed by Wei Yingluo, it accidentally shook, and a pale arm slid out from underneath the cloth, hanging powerlessly over the stretcher¡¯s edge. An embroidered handkerchief fell from its fingertips. Wei Yingluo bent down to pick it up. In an instant, her vision blurred. Embroidered on the handkerchief was an adorable blond dog. The one raised by Jixiang¡¯s family. She had said that it resembled a human greatly, and even knew to hunt some sparrows and voles to feed its masters, the young Jixiang and her grandmother. This was Jixiang¡¯s birthday present. ¡°May you have a long life and peace year after year.¡± Wei Yingluo grasped the embroidered handkerchief, muttering, ¡°May you have a long life and ¡­ peace year after year.¡± At the end of her words, she had already broken into a sob. At that moment, Wei Yingluo turned around and dashed toward the Correction Bureau. But Granny Zhang yanked her back. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Wei Yingluo yelled, anger thick in her voice. ¡°I want to see General Manager Wu! I want to ask him why he did this! He obviously knew there was something fishy about this, so why didn¡¯t he handle this matter impartially like he did with me before?!¡± ¡°Foolish child, everyone has their own problems.¡± A sigh escaped Granny Zhang¡¯s lips. ¡°If Her Majesty the empress did not limit the time for the investigation, then he would have dealt with it fairly and slowly discovered the true culprit. However, Her Majesty the empress had only given him two days¡¯ worth of time. He had no choice but to worry about himself first before worrying about other people.¡± Wei Yingluo understood the reason. However, she was still not resigned to it. ¡°But even if he couldn¡¯t find the culprit, he would only be punished lightly. Yet Jixiang had to give up her life¡­¡± ¡°No one would be willing to take punishment for someone they don¡¯t know.¡± As Granny Zhang spoke, tears flowed from her eyes, covering her face. She said in a hoarse voice, ¡°No one¡­ would cry for someone they don¡¯t know.¡± Instantly, Wei Yingluo¡¯s tears fell. CH 31 No one would cry for someone they had no connection with. At first, there were people who discussed Jixiang¡¯s death. After a week, people discussed what they¡¯d eat for dinner and which imperial guard was young and handsome. However, no one mentioned Jixiang again. Even if people mentioned her, they only said three words. ¡°Oh, that thief¡­¡± Those three words were that innocent girl¡¯s epitaph, the last thing people remembered her as. But a passerby in a hurried life, who would listen to this myriad of hardships? ¡°Yingluo!¡± Granny Zhang threw a set of clothes at her head. It fell over her face. ¡°What happened to these clothes? The stitches, matching of the colors. Everything is wrong. Just what are you doing?!¡± Everyone stopped what they were doing, staring at that scene in surprise. Granny Zhang seldom became this angry, especially toward her favorite Wei Yingluo. Just what did she do to the clothes? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Granny.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s face burned red. In a flurry, she cradled the clothes, giving off the appearance that she feared others¡¯ gazes. Disheartened, she lowered her head. ¡°I¡¯ll fix immediately¡­¡± ¡°Just what kind of satin is this? How could you redo everything with it? Yingluo, you¡¯ve truly disappointed me!¡± said Granny Zhang, raining scolds at her. Afterward, she sighed. ¡°We all know that you¡¯ll be transferring to Changchun Palace at the month¡¯s end. This will be your last job in the embroidery workshop¡­¡± And it was also the easiest. The palace maid who had originally been in charge of the emperor¡¯s casual clothes fell ill. And she could not finish it in time, needing someone to assist her. The clothes were already more than half completed, only lacking a dragon on the chest region. Such a job was easy and could be added to her resume. Later on, she could brag to others, saying, ¡°I¡¯m someone who helped make His Majesty¡¯s dragon robes.¡± Even once she left the palace after growing older, she could use this experience to find a good job. Whether she became an embroiderer in Jiangnan¡¯s weaving department, or taught the well-bred young ladies of wealthy families how to embroider, her status would be a lot higher. ¡°Granny,¡± said Linglong, approaching without a sound. ¡°Maybe because of what happened to Jixiang, Yingluo hasn¡¯t been well recently. Sometimes, she¡¯ll make mistakes. Please forgive her. Don¡¯t blame her. How about¡­ giving this task to me instead?¡¯ ¡°You?¡± Granny Zhang looked her from head to toe. ¡°Can you do it? Embroidering a dragon isn¡¯t as easy as embroidering a cat¡­¡± From all around, snickers. Linglong clutched her hands into fists underneath her sleeves, her sharp nails digging into her skin. ¡°Casual wear isn¡¯t as hard as the dragon robes or court robes1. What¡¯s more, my skill in embroidery has improved. I¡¯m definitely up for the task.¡± She glanced at Wei Yingluo with her peripheral vision, who was currently someplace else mentally. Linglong¡¯s heart trembled. All of a sudden, she said, ¡°How about I have a competition with Yingluo?¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Slowly, Wei Yingluo turned to face her. In a short week, she had actually grown a lot thinner. Before, her face carried traces of baby fat. But now, the shape of her face was akin to a melon seed, dark circles around her eyes. She seemed extremely haggard. Staring at Linglong, she smiled faintly. ¡°How do you want to compete?¡± If it were the past, Linglong would never have dared to mention this. But it was different now. Let¡¯s see what Wei Yingluo could even embroider now! Perhaps Jixiang¡¯s death had hit her hard. To the point that she had embroidered a snake instead of a dragon. Even calling it a snake was already giving her a lot of face. It was clearly a twisted earthworm. The children who were just starting out to embroider could make something better than that. How could such a thing be given to the emperor to wear? Truly the most ridiculous thing in the world. This was a great opportunity to use her as a stepping stone. How could Linglong let this slip from her fingers? In a flash, she said full of confidence, ¡°It will be up to our individual skills whether the finished product is good or bad. The two of us can embroider casual clothes at the same time. Then Granny can decide on the winner. Whoever does a better job will be given the task of embroidering the emperor¡¯s clothes. Are you willing to take this bet?¡± Wei Yingluo stared at her for a good while. Then she made a sound of understanding. A fake smile on her face, she said, ¡°Alright. You asked for it.¡± Their gazes met, as if swords clashing, sparks flying. Killing intention thick in the air. Linglong looked away. She lowered her gaze, looking at the embroidered work in her hands. Just wait. I want you to see this. I want all of you to see that I¡¯m not a one-trick pony that can only embroider a cat. I can also embroider a dragon! Just because of this competition, Linglong exhausted her energy. She rose before the crack of dawn every day. When the others were still sleeping, she had already dressed and made her way to the embroidery workshop. During every meal, when everyone slowly ate, she would shovel down her food. Not only that, to avoid wasting time going to the bathroom, she didn¡¯t drink much water each day. ¡°Linglong is truly going all out.¡± ¡°But the problem is, Yingluo is working even harder.¡± After a busy day, Linglong dragged her exhausted body back to the palace maid dormitory. Once she had overheard those words, she frowned and asked, ¡°Yingluo¡­ hasn¡¯t returned yet?¡± In the palace maid dormitory, there were many copper basins with water, steam rising at the surfaces. The palace maids either scooped up water to wash their faces or dipped their snow-white legs inside to wash them. There were also those who acted faster, and had already cleaned their faces and legs, now lying in bed to chat. ¡°You¡¯re talking about Yingluo? I passed by the embroidery workshop before and saw her still working inside,¡± said a palace maid who was still washing her legs. Another palace maid gasped in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s already so late. She¡¯s still there?¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s something for Yangxin Palace2,¡± said the palace maid earlier as she wiped her legs and curled her lips. ¡°What we usually make are the spring season¡¯s clothes of the servants. At most, we¡¯re tasked with the clothes of the imperial concubines. How could we ever get a job from Yangxin Palace? Only the most experienced embroiders receive this duty. She¡¯s determined to win against Linglong!¡± The doors swung open. The two chatting palace maids shifted their gazes to the door. ¡°Oh, Yingluo, you¡¯ve returned.¡± Wei Yingluo stood by the door, a set of clothes in her hands. It was folded neatly to the extreme. No one could see what was embroidered on it. Linglong¡¯s heart trembled. She approached the door. ¡°Yingluo, what does your embroidery look like? Come show all of us.¡± As she spoke, she reached out without a trace of politeness. Wei Yingluo avoided her hand by turning to the side. Linglong froze. Face full of grievances, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not trying to grab it from you. I just wanted a look. You¡­ Are you that afraid of me?¡± ¡°Afraid of you?¡± Wei Yingluo chuckled, as if she had heard a huge joke. It made Linglong flush with anger. She shook her head and glanced at her as though she pitied and despised her, saying, ¡°You overestimate yourself. Who in the embroidery workshop doesn¡¯t know¡­ that you can only embroider cats?¡± A giggle. No one knew who did it. Linglong whipped her head in the direction of the sound. But all she saw were either palace maids washing their feet with their heads lowered or spreading out their blankets. No one was looking at her, but she felt like all their gazes hid mockery. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. It¡¯s not true! I can also embroider dragons! I¡¯m not someone who can only embroider cats for the rest of my life! ¡°How about you take out your embroidered work so that everyone¡­ and I can take a look.¡± A smooth and beautiful hand reached out toward Linglong. Wei Yingluo graced her with a smile. ¡°Let¡¯s see if your work has a dragon¡¯s eye or a cat¡¯s eye.¡± ¡°Wei Yingluo!¡± Linglong could not hold back any longer. ¡°I¡¯m. Warning. You. Stop. Humiliating. Me!¡± ¡°Did I say anything wrong?!¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s manner was even more unyielding than hers. She sneered. ¡°The vital finishing touch of a dragon is its eyes. The eyes of a dragon must seem alive. You, do you have the ability?¡± When views were irreconcilable, those involved would part on bad terms ultimately. After the candles were blown, Wei Yingluo and Linglong slept with their backs facing one another. However, Linglong could not catch the coattails of slumber. After tossing and turning in bed for a good while, she finally couldn¡¯t bear it anymore. Linglong took out a bundle wrapped in blue cloth that was hidden at the side of her bed. Pulled out the nearly-finished set of casual clothes for the emperor. Under the moonlight, she unfolded the clothes. She didn¡¯t know if it was because of Wei Yingluo¡¯s words prior, but the more she looked at it, the more it looked wrong. ¡°Why¡¯s it like this¡­?¡± Head lowered, Linglong examined the dragon embroidered at the chest region. The hands clutching the set of clothes tightened in their grip. ¡°Why do your eyes¡­ look so much like a cat¡¯s?¡± A golden dragon actually had a pair of cat eyes. The more she stared at it, the more cat-like the eyes seemed. It seemed full of the intention to curry favor, wishing for the people around it to like it, to worship it. To admit its talent. This wasn¡¯t a dragon. Rather, it was the cat she was so fond of. Motionless, Linglong stared at those eyes. At that moment, she crushed the clothes into a heap. She had used a lot of strength, as though she were ripping apart those things she couldn¡¯t stand. After she breathed hard for a while, she said a bit unsteadily, ¡°Yingluo.¡± It was quiet in the room. Only the sound of people breathing in their sleep could be heard. Then Linglong called out Wei Yingluo¡¯s name again near whisper. Noticing that no one responded, she quietly sneaked out of bed. She moved to the side of Wei Yingluo¡¯s bed. In the dark, she could not even see the fingers of her outstretched hand. A pair of eyes resembling a cat¡¯s bore into Wei Yingluo. Afterward, a hand slowly reached for the emperor¡¯s casual clothes hidden underneath Wei Yingluo¡¯s pillow. Those who took things from others without permission were thieves. This wasn¡¯t the first time Linglong stole something. The first was when she stole the peacock feather thread. The second was now. Unfamiliar at first, but well-accustomed soon enough. Compared to the apprehension of her first time, at this moment, Linglong¡¯s heart only held tranquility. To the extent where she thought this was inevitable and right. Like she was taking back something that had originally belonged to her. The opportunity that belonged to her. Once the clothes were in her hands, Linglong made for her own bed. Then, impatiently, she unfolded the cloth holding the clothes. And she couldn¡¯t help but let a laugh full of ridicule escape. ¡°Jixiang, look. She doesn¡¯t care about you that much,¡± said Linglong with ridicule and envy. ¡°A few days ago, she made a lot of mistakes because of what happened to you. But now that she has a chance to show off in front of the masters, she¡¯s forgotten you in a blink of an eye. She¡¯s concentrating all of her efforts to accomplish this task.¡± If she hadn¡¯t been concentrating all her efforts, then how could she have embroidered such an impressive and outstanding golden dragon? Soaring lightly like a startled swan, gracefully like a dragon in flight3. Especially that pair of dragon eyes. As if it were looking down disdainfully at all living things from high in the clouds. Ordinary folk must bow down before such a gaze. ¡°This is a dragon¡¯s gaze,¡± muttered Linglong as she held the clothes in her hands. ¡°This is my dragon¡¯s gaze¡­¡± She didn¡¯t sleep the whole night. The next day, the palace maids in the dormitory woke up one after the other. ¡°Huh? Where¡¯s Linglong?¡± one of them asked. Linglong¡¯s bed was empty. The people around reached out to touch the blanket. The blanket was cold. Not a trace of heat remained on the bed. ¡°Huh?¡± Meanwhile, outside the embroidery workshop, Granny Zhang stared at the person sitting at the steps with surprise. ¡°Why did you come here so early today?¡± As if Linglong hadn¡¯t slept at all and sat here since night, her hair and clothes were covered in dew. Her body was cold, but her heart was burning. ¡°Granny.¡± Linglong lifted her face that was slightly flushed due to the turbulent emotions in her chest. Smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve finished embroidering the clothes.¡± She handed over the clothes she had held tightly to her bosom. And it actually was the one she stole from beneath Wei Yingluo¡¯s pillow. CH 32 ¡°Sir Fucha, your honored self has arrived?¡± said Li Yu. ¡°Please hurry and take a seat here. Please hurry and take a seat here. His Majesty has been awaiting you for a long time!¡± With a face full of doubt, Fucha Fuheng stepped foot into the study of Yangxin Palace. Looking at the entrance behind him, he asked with some curiosity, ¡°What¡¯s going on with Li Yu? Usually, he¡¯s not this cordial¡­¡± The court eunuchs were like the bricks and roof tiles of the Forbidden City: all of these belonged to the emperor. Especially someone like Li Yu, a high-ranking eunuch. He was fully aware that the emperor had given him all the glory and favor he possessed now. For this reason, he would only curry favor with the emperor. He did not need to especially curry favor with the officials. Yet all of a sudden, he had acted entirely out of the norm, and treated Fucha Fuheng with this much courtesy. He truly felt uncomfortable all over because of this. ¡°Since you¡¯ve come, he won¡¯t be punished to caning by Us.¡± Hongli was still immersed in the memorial, and didn¡¯t even lift his head. ¡°We told him to find someone, but he still has not found this person after a few months. Truly a useless slave.¡± Fucha Fuheng grew even more curious. ¡°Your Majesty, who is your honored self looking for?¡± he asked. The emperor before his eyes was actually interested in things other than his memorials. And it was even a person. Was it a man or a woman? Someone from the palace or someone outside of it? ¡°Enough. Don¡¯t mention them1 anymore.¡± All of a sudden, Hongli tossed aside the memorial. ¡°Look at this.¡± Fucha Fuheng raised his hands to accept the memorial. Lowered his head to read it. In a flash, he furrowed his brows. ¡°This is¡­ Zhong Yongtan¡¯s2 memorial accusing Osan3, the commander of the infantry, of accepting a bribe worth 500 kg of silver¡­¡± ¡°And it isn¡¯t just Osan.¡± Hongli crossed his hands in front of his mouth. ¡°He also accused Zhang Tingyu?! Do you find something amiss here?¡± ¡°Zhong Yongtan is Sir Ortai¡¯s? student.¡± Fucha Fuheng was an intelligent person, detecting the intention of the memorial on the spot. Smiling, he said, ¡°As such, this memorial is basically Ortai declaring war on Zhang Tingyu. They are trying to borrow your honored self¡¯s hand to deal with him!¡± Hongli sneered for a good while. ¡°Those two were important ministers of the previous emperor. Therefore, We tolerated them many times. Yet, what exactly have they done?¡± asked Hongli in a low voice. ¡°Last year, Liu Tongxun? had once tried to impeach Zhang Tingyu. In Tongcheng County, half the government officials are of the Zhang and Yao clans. We thought they were exaggerating. But now, their words seem extremely applicable! As for Ortai, the principal consort of Osi?, his second son, passed away not too long ago. So Osi immediately married the daughter of Grand Secretariat? Gao Bin. This way, they could climb up the social hierarchy by being relatives with Noble Consort Gao. What do you think they¡¯re trying to do?!¡± His voice had grown louder by the word, like the deafening roar of thunder, spreading a thousand miles. Hongli¡¯s fury was evident. When the emperor was furious, blood splashed for a thousand miles. ¡°This slave knows Your Majesty is impatient,¡± blurted Fucha Fuheng, rushing to appease him. ¡°But right now, most of the Han people follow and stick close to Zhang Tingyu. The Manchu rely on Ortai. Let¡¯s not talk about the high-ranking officials in court. Even the regional civil and military governors are split into two groups! If we want to touch Ortai and Zhang Tingyu, we must wait for the right occasion.¡± ¡°We have already waited long enough!¡± All of a sudden, Hongli rose to his feet. Because his movement was grand, he accidentally knocked over a teacup, splashing a cup of Biluochun? all over him. However, he did not seem to have noticed, and only said to Fucha Fuheng in a cold manner, ¡°To capture a thief, one must capture their leader first. We want to summon Prince Yi of the First Rank, Prince He of the First Rank, Grand Secretariat Ortai, Zhang Tingyu, Xu Ben, and Minister Ne Qin to be put on public trial. First, behead Osan! Fuheng, you¡¯ll be in charge of this!¡± One was the monarch. The other, his subject. Although he had a mind to warn Hongli, the monarch had already come to a decision. As a subject, Fucha Fuheng could only cup his hands in obeisance and say, ¡°Understood!¡± After Hongli had vented out his anger, he breathed hard for a while. Once the fire in his heart had been extinguished, he gradually felt a slight chill. Hongli looked down and noticed that his casual clothes had been drenched by the tea. Frowning, he shouted, ¡°Li Yu!¡± ¡°This slave is here,¡± said Li Yu, pushing the door open and entering. He noticed that Hongli¡¯s clothes had a wet spot. Shocked, he rushed to beckon to the outside. A few low-ranked eunuchs hurried over, then hurried away. Shortly after, they carried a tray in. Upon the tray was a set of bright yellow casual clothes. Li Yu personally helped Li Chen change clothes. Hongli stretched his arms wide horizontally, enjoying his service as if it were only natural. But suddenly, he frowned. He brought his hand to his neck, holding it. After he had slowly pulled that hand from his neck and dropped it, he saw a drop of blood on his palm. Clear to the eye, Li Yu paled. His legs grew weak, and he almost fell to a kneel on the ground. ¡°Y-Your Majesty¡­¡± Fucha Fuheng was frightened as well. In a few steps, he was in front of Hongli, guarding him. Eyes alert as he scanned the surroundings. It was as if he wanted to find this assassin from the chairs and tables, cracks in the walls, as well as other possible places such an assassin could hide. ¡°There¡¯s no assassin,¡± said Hongli from behind him. ¡°It¡¯s this¡­¡± Fucha Fuheng spun around, and saw Hongli pulling off the set of casual clothes he had just worn. His fingers, which always gave off the scent of ink, held a silver needle. He gazed at the needle tip before his eyes, which had a drop of blood. Cold enough to freeze, he said, ¡°The Manufacturing Bureau1? is truly daring.¡± His tone was thick with killing intent. Anyone could hear it. Fucha Fuheng could not bear but urge, ¡°This is a mistake from the Manufacturing Bureau, not a deliberate murder attempt¡­¡± But before he could finish speaking, Li Yu had already crawled to the side of Hongli¡¯s feet, kowtowing repeatedly, the action reminiscent of how one would chop garlic. ¡°May Your Majesty grant forgiveness! May Your Majesty grant forgiveness! Those slaves from the Manufacturing Bureau actually allowed such an outrageous accident to occur. It¡¯s clear that they are undisciplined in their duties. The most hateful thing is that they actually injured Your Majesty¡¯s body. Truly unforgivable. May Your Majesty give the order so that this slave can investigate this matter. Whoever is involved in this must be punished severely!¡± All of a sudden, the front doors to the embroidery workshop burst open with a bang. A crowd of people poured inside. Wu Shulai led them, and each of the members wore a murderous look. ¡°Who was it?¡± Wu Shulai looked around, gaze callous. Like a butcher choosing a lamb to slaughter. They had arrived with ill intentions. The palace maids all stopped what they were doing. Anxious and frightened, they stared at Wu Shulai. Whenever Wu Shulai so much as looked at one of their faces for a bit too long, the target felt as if he were strangling her. Her face would turn green, like she was unable to breathe. ¡°¡­It¡¯s her.¡± With no other option, Granny Zhang pointed at someone. Everyone¡¯s gaze followed the finger¡­ ¡­to Linglong¡¯s green face. ¡°Arrest her!¡± Wu Shulai raised and waved his hand. The two eunuchs behind him rushed forward. ¡°No, no, let me go!¡± She knew that if they captured her, what awaited her was probably death. In a flash, Linglong broke into a struggle, body twisting like a snake¡¯s. As they dragged her out, she knocked over who knew how many tables and embroidery frames. She cried out, ¡°What crime did I commit? Why are you arresting me?! General Wu, your honored self can¡¯t be like this. Your honored self must give me a reason!¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. ¡°Reason?¡± Wu Shulai was angered to the point of laughing. ¡°We let you make His Majesty¡¯s casual clothes, yet you actually were careless and left a silver needle at the collar! Do you know what this is called? If something happened, it would be the heavy crime of attempted murder, and we¡¯d all be beheaded!¡± ¡°Silver needle? What silver needle? I didn¡¯t know! Wait, wait¡­¡± Linglong¡¯s gaze was full of bewilderment. But at that moment, she thought of something, and looked back at the crowd behind her. Among the crowd of anxious and frightened people was someone who was calm and at ease. As if she had predicted long ago this would happen. Her face carried a smile, and she watched the situation¡¯s development with gusto. ¡°It was you!¡± Linglong was both frightened and furious. ¡°It was you, Wei Yingluo!¡± In that split second, she felt like she was a pitiful bug that had fallen into the web a spider had meticulously woven. The more she struggled, the harder it was to break free. ¡°General Manager Wu, it wasn¡¯t I who made that set of clothes. It was Wei Yingluo!¡± The situation had already progressed to this point. As such, Linglong no longer dared to hide this fact. On the spot, she said in a loud voice to Wu Shulai, ¡°She¡¯s the one who was careless. No, she¡¯s the one who purposely left a needle in the clothes just so she could frame me!¡± Wu Shulai furrowed his brows. Shifted his gaze to Wei Yingluo. Compared to the little palace maids by her side who were trembling like quails, she seemed too calm and at ease. ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense!¡± scolded Granny Zhang suddenly, who was next to him. ¡°You were the one who had personally delivered the set of clothes to me. And you said with your own mouth that you had been the one to make them. So how did it become Yingluo¡¯s out of the blue? Don¡¯t blame other people randomly just to escape punishment!¡± ¡°Granny Zhang, you¡­¡± Linglong¡¯s eyes were so wide they could practically split open. Reality finally hit her. She had fallen into a trap. If other people had said that, then fine. But what kind of person was Granny Zhang? In her eyes, one¡¯s embroidery was like one¡¯s handwriting, easily recognizable. She definitely would be able to tell that Wei Yingluo had been the one to embroider the dragon on that set of casual clothes. However, not a word had left her lips about that. She had merely accepted the clothes, then presented them as if they were Linglong¡¯s. ¡°You two are in it together!¡± Linglong screamed at Wei Yingluo in a hysterical manner. She nearly broke free from the eunuchs¡¯ grasps and pounced on Wei Yingluo. But how would those eunuchs allow her to do such a thing in Wu Shulai¡¯s presence? In a flash, they increased the strength of their grasps, throwing her to the ground and restraining her with much force. One side of her face was pressed against the ground. The other side faced the crowd sideways. Linglong stared at Wei Yingluo with a bloodshot eye. ¡°Look, she¡¯s doing it again,¡± said Wei Yingluo in an extremely tranquil manner, towering above Linglong as she looked down on her. So tranquil, as though she had long since prepared such words. ¡°Before, in order to escape punishment, you implicated me. Now, you¡¯ve implicated Granny Zhang. Once she is in front of His Majesty, perhaps she might implicate your honored self, General Manager Wu. Perhaps she would say that your honored self did not carefully inspect the set of clothes, and ought to be punished as well for the same crime!¡± As soon as Linglong had heard those words, her vision darkened, and she almost lost consciousness. Even if she originally had a way out, after Wei Yingluo had finished speaking, such a way out no longer existed. Wu Shulai actually looked at her with a doubtful and suspicious gaze. Cold enough to freeze, he said, ¡°Such a treacherous and murderous thing truly cannot be kept. Take her away!¡± As they dragged Linglong out, she kept reaching out to try and grab at anything she could, pillars, the legs of chairs, and even the legs of people. Even the palace maid she had the best relationship with kicked away her hand, before jumping back to avoid her. The others were the same, like a tide rolling back toward the sea, away from her. ¡°Help! Save me!¡± cried out Linglong, tears and snot flowing from her face. Like a cuckoo crying blood11, she said, ¡°I¡¯ve been framed!¡± From behind, Wei Yingluo smiled as she watched the eunuchs drag her away. Afterward, she slowly clutched the handkerchief in her hand. Naturally, one corner of the handkerchief was stained. The stain alternated between red and brown, similar to dried blood. This was¡­ Jixiang¡¯s birthday present. CH 33 The prison cells of the Department of Justice1. Two filthy hands grasped the wooden jail bars. In a miserable manner, the owner of those hands looked at the guard outside and said, ¡°Brother Guard, can you, can you give me a basin of water so that I can wipe my body. I already¡­ already haven¡¯t wiped my body for seven days.¡± This person had not taken a bath in many days. What was most horrifying was the presence of lice in this place, making it very itchy. When she slapped any area on her body, her palm would become incomparably sticky. One look, and there was black and red, the corpses of the lice mixed with her blood. Linglong thought that before she could be executed, she would have grown insane. ¡°Water. Give me some water¡­¡± sobbed Linglong, head lowered. Approaching from afar were rustles. In the end, a pair of shoes stopped right outside Linglong¡¯s cell, not a speck of dust upon them in sight. They were even cleaner than her own hands. Slowly, starting from those shoes, Linglong looked up. ¡°¡­Wei Yingluo!¡± Wei Yingluo stood outside the cell, staring at her with an insincere smile. ¡°You actually dare to come see me! You cheap person!¡± Linglong thrust her hands through the gaps in the bars, trying to grab Wei Yingluo at all costs, resembling an evil spirit looking for revenge. Wei Yingluo nimbly stepped back, avoiding her filthy black fingers. ¡°In order to see you, I spent no less than 100 grams of silver.¡± She took her time crouching, staring at Linglong with a gleaming gaze. One that made her blood run cold. ¡°I certainly must see, must properly see, must carefully see¡­¡± A chill ran down Linglong¡¯s spine. Lips trembling, she asked, ¡°I¡¯ve done nothing to you. Why did you harm me like this?¡± ¡°Done nothing to me?¡± Those words caused her to laugh. ¡°What did you do to Jixiang? Linglong, you only have yourself to blame. Originally, I was pondering over how to get you to take the bait. Never had I imagined that before I could even mention it, you took the initiative to ask for a competition. Very good. Incredibly good¡­ Linglong, I understand you to a great extent. You¡¯re easily jealous yet don¡¯t have the ability. In that competition, you would lose without a doubt. However, you would also not admit defeat. You would definitely steal my finished work in the end¡ª¡± Wei Yingluo did not have to mention the events after that. Linglong could guess them herself. Wei Yingluo had hidden a silver needle at the collar of those clothes in secret. Such a thing was normally hard to notice, but as long as the emperor put on those clothes, the needle would pierce him once he moved. Sooner or later, in his anger, the emperor would certainly dispatch people to find the culprit. ¡°¡­I know that you are good friends with Jixiang. But you can¡¯t frame me, an innocent person, because of her!¡± Linglong could only sob, trying to use her tears to swindle the other party out of their sympathy. ¡°General Manager Wu ordered her death because she stole things. What does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯m a fool?¡± Wei Yingluo smiled. ¡°Why did Jixiang need to steal my things? And why did she have those things on her when General Manager Wu had come to investigate the matter? And why did you know those things were on her? That day¡­ was her birthday. I think you definitely used the reason of celebrating her birthday to give her that spice bag full of stolen goods. You treated it as a birthday present, right?¡± Frightened, Linglong looked at Wei Yingluo. She guessed correctly. Every word, every step. As if she had seen everything unfold before her eyes. From the start, Linglong knew Wei Yingluo was extremely intelligent. However, she had never imagined her to be intelligent to this degree. She also knew that Wei Yingluo would take revenge for certain. But she did not foresee her revenge to come this fast, to be this ruthless. ¡°Yingluo¡­¡± Linglong crawled on the ground, sticking a hand through a gap in the bars, landing on Wei Yingluo¡¯s leg. She resembled a kitten begging for food. ¡°Don¡¯t waste your breath. This won¡¯t work on me,¡± said Wei Yingluo, still smiling. Yet, not a trace of a smile existed in her gaze. ¡°Even if you keep begging me like this, I won¡¯t let you go. If you cry, it¡¯ll only make me happier. Only if you bleed can you commemorate Jixiang¡¯s spirit.¡± Linglong carefully sized her up for a good while, expression gradually changing. From the pitiful look at the start to a twisted crazy look. All of a sudden, she burst into loud laughter. She laughed so hard that she moved into a sitting position. As if she no longer feared anything. ¡°Correct, I was the one who did it! I was the one who stole that peacock feather thread. I also caused Jixiang¡¯s death! But so what? How big of a deal is it to have a needle left behind in the collar? At most, it¡¯d be seen as a mistake, and I¡¯ll just be paddled a few tens of times.¡± ¡°Paddling a few tens of times and exile to Ningguta2, never to return,¡± said Wei Yingluo in an unhurried pace. As soon as Linglong had heard those words, she was shocked. ¡°What did you say?¡±¡± ¡°They have already judged your case.¡± A smile still remained on Wei Yingluo¡¯s face. ¡°Eighty paddles and exile to Ningguta, never to return to the capital.¡± Bit by bit, Linglong¡¯s face paled. In the end, there was not a hint of blood: she was as pale as a ghost. ¡°Perhaps you could still endure eighty paddles. However, Ningguta is where the Qing dynasty exiles criminals. The climate is extremely abnormal. In April, the winds are like blades, great and sharp. From May to July, the rain would be freezing. In August, snowstorms. September would see the entire place frozen over. It¡¯s not a place for humans to live. Even if you somehow could endure the paddles, you would still be stuck in this purgatory for a lifetime doing forced labor.¡± Wei Yingluo took her time rising to her feet. Turned around. Dragging out her words, she said, ¡°Though one hopes for life, one cannot live. Though one prays to die, one cannot die. This is what you deserve.¡± ¡°Come back! Come back, Wei Yingluo! You can¡¯t leave! Someone quickly stop her! She¡¯s the true perpetrator! I¡¯ve been framed!¡± Linglong hated the fact that she couldn¡¯t slip through the gaps in the bars. She thrust a hand through, the position very straight. But in the end, it could only drop in a helpless manner. From underneath her loose, long hair came sobs. Strong winds like blades, freezing rain, snowstorms, the area all around frozen. Did she really have to endure all this? Even if she could, other than natural disasters, there were still the other prisoners. There would be criminals evil to the extreme everywhere. If a weak girl on her own went there, wouldn¡¯t she become a plump sheep in their eyes? Whoever was hungry would take a bite out of her. ¡°I won¡¯t go to Ningguta.¡± Her voice sounded as if she were delirious. ¡°Even in death I won¡¯t go¡­¡± In an instant, a scene flashed before her eyes. In it, a bowl of piping hot longevity noodles. And a little and naive Jixiang. ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll make a vow here.¡± Linglong raised her hand, the three fingers pointing up to the sky. ¡°If I have even a bit of ill intention toward Wei Yingluo and you, then I will commit su*cide by slamming my head into the wall. May I not have a peaceful death!¡± Ha! Linglong laughed until she almost cried. This evil Heavens truly had eyes! Smiling as if she had gone mad for a moment, Linglong suddenly turned to face the ash-gray wall next to her. On her face, an extremely strange smile. ¡°Wei Yingluo, don¡¯t think everything will always go as you plan. If I can¡¯t choose how I was born, that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t choose how I die, right?¡± And she slammed her head against the wall, killing herself. When the news entered the embroidery workshop, Wei Yingluo was in the process of embroidering a set of clothes. It was satin of a sapphire-blue, many bats embroidered on it to represent good fortune. When young people wore clothes made of it, they would look old. But when worn by the elderly, it gave them a fortunate aura. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. ¡°You¡¯re all dismissed.¡± Numerous and disorderly footsteps. After the footsteps of the last palace maid disappeared, there were only two people left in the room: Granny Zhang and Wei Yingluo. ¡°¡­Originally, she didn¡¯t have to die,¡± said Granny Zhang from above her. ¡°After the emperor calmed down from his anger, he knew it was merely a mistake and didn¡¯t deserve death. He obviously sent the decree that she would be paddled fifty times and transferred to the hard labor department. But Linglong took her own life! Before she died, people heard her keep shouting that she wouldn¡¯t go to Ningguta.¡± ¡°Granny, look,¡± said Wei Yingluo somewhat evasively, opening up her embroidery for Granny Zhang to see. With a gentle gaze, she smiled. ¡°Jixiang¡¯s grandmother is over seventy years old. She relies on Jixiang¡¯s meager monthly salary to survive. She¡¯s still enduring, hoping for, and waiting for her granddaughter to reach twenty-four so she could leave the palace. Jixiang often told me that when she returned home, she would bring back some clothes she embroidered herself. She would use satin the color of sapphire and embroider many bats on it, representing good fortune¡­¡± ¡°Yingluo!¡± ¡°Now, Jixiang is gone, and that elderly person¡­ I don¡¯t know if she could continue living after she learns of this news. One life gone, or it could be two.¡± Wei Yingluo slowly raised her head, looking at the other party. ¡°Granny, do you think this person who did all those crimes only deserves a light punishment of fifty paddles?¡± Her gaze spoke of simply no regrets. She did not regret anything she had done! They looked into each other¡¯s eyes for a short while. Finally, Granny Zhang let out a light sigh. ¡°Yingluo, your personality of loving and hating intensely, of seeking revenge for every grievance no matter the severity is truly unsuitable for living in the palace¡­ After all, you are only a palace maid¡­¡± If she were a master, to seek revenge for the smallest grievances wasn¡¯t a bad thing. On the contrary, if a master had a tough and unyielding manner, they could suppress their subordinates. But Wei Yingluo and herself were the same. They were merely servants¡­ ¡°Very soon, you¡¯ll be moving to Changchun Palace. Once you¡¯re there, if you still have this kind of temperament, sooner or later you¡¯ll meet disaster.¡± ¡°Granny, what do you have to be afraid of?¡± After a moment of thought, Wei Yingluo knew what she was causing her fear. She reached out and pulled Granny Zhang to sit beside her. Like a granddaughter nestling against her grandmother, she rested her head against Granny Zhang¡¯s shoulder in a light and lovable manner. Said in a gentle and very comforting voice, ¡°For the time being, I won¡¯t do anything to Fucha Fuheng. Even if I do do something, I¡¯ll ask him for the truth first¡­¡± But these words could not wash away Granny Zhang¡¯s worries. Rather, it increased them. She stared at Wei Yingluo for a good while. All of a sudden, she probingly asked, ¡°What if he truly was the one behind what had happened to your sister?¡± Wei Yingluo smiled. Such a smile was so beautiful, that it made people think they had suddenly seen those famous beauties from the ancient times. Daji3, who brought about what happened at the Deer Terrace Pavilion? and the demise of the Shang Dynasty. Baosi?, who laughed at the warning beacons? of the Zhou Dynasty, leading to the dynasty¡¯s downfall. Yang Yuhuan?, who brought about the swift end of the Tang Dynasty. Beauties were like swords, capable of causing the fall of a country. Come night, Wei Yingluo finished her last task in the embroidery workshop. A set of clothes made from sapphire satin, countless bats embroidered on it. She entrusted those clothes to Granny Zhang, to have Granny Zhang send someone to deliver the clothes and Jixiang¡¯s belongings back to grandmother the next morning. Wei Yingluo thought for a moment. Put on her sister¡¯s jade medallion. Her fingers caressed the name engraved into it as she said softly, ¡°Changchun Palace. Fucha Fuheng. I¡¯m coming.¡± CH 34 The first task Wei Yingluo did after arriving at Changchun Palace was sweep the floors. Someone seemed very afraid she would rise above them and receive the empress¡¯ favor. As such, this person always deliberately gave her the jobs that were the most exhausting and full of suffering. Jobs that would take Wei Yingluo the farthest away from the empress. ¡°In any case, Her Majesty the empress merely finds her novel. After ten days to half a month, she would probably forget about her.¡± Inadvertently overhearing these words of Mingyu, Wei Yingluo furrowed her brows, yet did not say anything. When Mingyu told her to sweep the floor, she would do so. And she would not only sweep the areas assigned to her but others¡¯ as well. Today was the same. As the people nearby laughed at her, Wei Yingluo swept the area near the front doors of Changchun Palace alone. To sweep this place often had its benefits, such as encountering a certain someone without the attention of others. Moreover, that certain someone would notice her. ¡°Sir Fucha, your honored self has come,¡± said Mingyu with a smile as she came out to welcome him. ¡°This slave will inform Master!¡± Fucha Fuheng stepped over the door sill to enter. Today, he was still wearing the uniform of an imperial guard. However, below the corner of his eye existed a birthmark, giving him a wealthy, honorable, and graceful aura. As if he were someone who liked to recite poetry as he drank wine, or a young noble on a horse that trampled the flowers of Luoyang1, or a member of Jianghu2 performing a sword dance under the moon by the lakeside of the West River. As a favored subject of the emperor and the younger brother of the empress, he had the privilege of visiting Changchun Palace. Suddenly, he noticed a strange face by the front doors. And he gave it a few more looks. Once he cast his gaze down, he recognized the jade medallion hanging by her waist. ¡°¡­Sir Fucha?¡± Mingyu swept her gaze through Fucha Fuheng and Wei Yingluo. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Master is waiting for you inside.¡± Fucha Fuheng snapped back to his senses. Flashed her a smile. ¡°I¡¯ll come now.¡± He walked through the doors ahead of Mingyu. Mingyu glared at Wei Yingluo, fierce to the max. Then she hurried to follow him. Watching them leave, Wei Yingluo continued to sweep the fallen flowers on the ground neither too quickly nor too slowly. When the time came, the flowers that ought to fall would fall. The person who ought to come would come. She did not wait for too long. The flowers that she had swept into a pile accumulated until it seemed like a burial mound. At that moment, the addition of a pair of male boots. The corners of Wei Yingluo lips rose. Slowly, she lifted her head. A gust of wind blew by in the blink of an eye, lifting a few strands of hair light as a feather by the temples. A white flower blew past her cheek. She smiled toward the man standing before her. ¡°Imperial Guard Fucha, why has your honored self come?¡± From start to finish, Fucha Fuheng¡¯s gaze was locked on the jade medallion by her waist. Wei Yingluo removed the jade medallion. Held it in her hand. Then she slightly brought it closer to him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this jade medallion?¡± Out of reflex, Fucha Fuheng reached out to receive it. But Wei Yingluo retracted her hand in a flash. ¡°This jade medallion was one that I lost,¡± said Fucha Fuheng in a helpless manner. ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Yingluo eyed him suspiciously. ¡°When and where did you lose it?¡± ¡°I¡­ don¡¯t remember when. I think I lost it¡­ around the imperial gardens,¡± he replied ambiguously. ¡°Give it back to me.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t even tell me clearly when and where you lost it. So I can¡¯t just give it to you like that.¡± A smile played on her lips as she shook her head. Fucha Fuheng pursed his lips, giving off an extremely vexed appearance. For such a handsome man like him to show such a distressed expression, nine out of ten women in the world would not be able to refuse any of his requests. What a pity that Wei Yingluo had a heart made of stone. Noticing that the woman before him wasn¡¯t moved, Fucha Fuheng could only sigh and say, ¡°My name is on that jade medallion. Apart from this, there is a little crack on the lower right corner. It¡¯s from when I accidentally dropped it on the ground. You can take a better look at it.¡± Wei Yingluo lowered her head and checked the jade medallion in her hands. Actually, there was no need for her to examine it. She already knew it belonged to him. For countless nights, for countless times during the day, during countless nightmares, she had bowed her head as she looked at the name on that medallion, fingers rubbing at the crack. She really wished that medallion could open its mouth and answer one of her questions. ¡°Are you something left behind by the culprit?!¡± Once again, Wei Yingluo raised her head, hatred and doubt mingling in her heart. However, she did not reveal the slightest bit of these emotions on her face. On the contrary, she smiled even more sweetly and touchingly. As if she were a flower giving off the scent of nectar. ¡°Give me your hand.¡± Fucha Fuheng was startled. Then he extended his right hand. Wei Yingluo placed the jade medallion onto his palm. Intentionally or otherwise, her soft fingertips brushed against his palm. A light scratch. Fucha Fuheng¡¯s right hand trembled. The jade medallion almost fell out of his hand. In a flash, he drew his fingers together, closing his palm. However, he accidentally captured her small hand as well. A man¡¯s large hand wrapped around a woman¡¯s small hand. After grasping a sword all year round, that hand had grown calluses. And it touched the calluses of her hand that were due to embroidering all year round. ¡°Sorry!¡± In the blink of an eye, Fucha Fuheng let go of her hand. In the blink of an eye, retreated a few steps. His ears grew faintly red to the naked eye. At the start, Wei Yingluo had also been startled and also retreated a few steps. She shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Young Master.¡± This address made Fucha Fuheng cock a brow. ¡°Young Master?¡± ¡°Her Majesty the empress is my master. You are her younger brother, and is naturally my young master!¡± said Wei Yingluo, each word enunciated clearly. Especially the two words ¡°young master.¡± Anything a beautiful and charming woman like her said would sound even more pleasant to the ear than if another person said it. Let alone, such an indirect and moving phrase as ¡°young master.¡± Fucha Fuheng saw her smile, and quickly averted his gaze. What remained were a pair of red ears facing her. In a low voice, he said, ¡°You mustn¡¯t smile toward a man like this. It is lacking in manners.¡± After hearing those words, Wei Yingluo fell into a daze. At first, she had thought he would fall for it. Never had she expected that his personality would be opposite from his appearance. He seemed like a playboy, an idle young noble. But after coming into contact with him, she had discovered he was still very inexperienced in that aspect. She laughed grimly in her heart. Who knows if he¡¯s just pretending like I am? ¡°There are still matters to attend to in the Imperial Guard Station. I will leave first. Thank you for finding my jade medallion.¡± Fucha Fuheng turned around and left. Rather than say he left because he had things to do, it was better to say he bolted. Wei Yingluo watched his back figure, expression fluctuating. Until a woman said coldly behind her, ¡°Yingluo, you truly are daring!¡± As soon as she had turned her head, she saw Mingyu with an indignant expression standing not too far away. ¡°In broad daylight, you actually dare to seduce Imperial Guard Fucha!¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. Wei Yingluo didn¡¯t know how long she had stood there. How long she had watched her. She smiled, full of the intention to probe. ¡°It¡¯s not in broad daylight. It¡¯s where everyone can see, with your honored self staring at me. I¡¯m too afraid to even speak to Imperial Guard Fucha. How could I have the courage to seduce him?¡± ¡°You still dare to talk back!¡± Mingyu raised her hand with the intention to slap her. ¡°I heard with my own ears you calling him ¡®Young Master.¡¯ What kind of identity does he have? You actually dare to use such an improper address to entice him?¡± It turned out she had seen that bit, had heard that bit¡­ In a flash, Wei Yingluo¡¯s heart calmed. Since the information that could be used against herself had not fallen into the other party¡¯s hands, she naturally was unwilling to receive Mingyu¡¯s slap for no reason. At once, she grasped her hand. Smiled. ¡°Elder Sister Mingyu, if I truly did something wrong, then you can report me to Her Majesty the empress. But forgive me for not wanting to be lectured when it¡¯s completely uncalled for!¡± It was clear that Mingyu didn¡¯t want to blow up this matter. Or perhaps it was because she was even more unwilling to have Wei Yingluo get close to the empress. ¡°Good. Very good. A lowly palace maid actually contradicts her superiors at every step. You truly treat Changchun Palace as your own household, and think yourself as a master?¡± Mingyu threw off Wei Yingluo¡¯s hand. Sneered as she said, ¡°Looks like you have too much free time, allowing you to run your imagination wild so much so that you forget your own identity. Go! Sweep the whole palace! I¡¯ll come check later. If there¡¯s even a speck of dust, I¡¯ll skin you!¡± If one said Mingyu had been secretive in her dislike for Wei Yingluo in the past, from this day forward, she brazenly targeted Wei Yingluo. The work that was most full of suffering was assigned to her. The work that was most exhausting was assigned to her. And after Wei Yingluo had finished those tasks, Mingyu would still pick on every little fault. As long as she felt a speck of dust on the decorative lattice of a window3, she¡¯d have Wei Yingluo clean the entire Changchun Palace again. It was to the point that another first-ranked palace maid, Erqing, could not ignore it any longer. She found some time in which to say to Mingyu, ¡°Don¡¯t be too excessive. If she can¡¯t take it anymore and complains to Her Majesty the empress, you wouldn¡¯t have a good outcome either.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯d actually give her that chance?¡± said Mingyu with a smile. If previously, she merely gave Wei Yingluo the cold shoulder and did not allow her to see the empress, then it was different at present. At present, Mingyu was trying to find the chance to report Wei Yingluo¡¯s work mistakes to the empress. ¡°Master, the water for washing the face is ready.¡± Within the room stood a mirror, flat as the surface of a lake. The empress¡¯s reflection furrowed her brows. ¡°Mingyu, why are you the one delivering the water? Where is Yingluo?¡± Mingyu placed the copper basin of hot water on the table, little waves on the surface from the action. She sighed. ¡°Who knows where she ran off to goof off? If it weren¡¯t for the fact that I asked ahead of time, Master wouldn¡¯t even have the water to make one presentable!¡± The empress furrowed her brows even tighter. ¡°She¡¯s really this lazy?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right! She doesn¡¯t want to do anything. She only knows how to curry favor.¡± Mingyu soaked a handkerchief in the water, continuing to curry favor herself as she said, ¡°Previously, I only said a couple things to her, and she dared to give me a poor expression! Master, how can we allow such a person to remain in Changchun Palace?!¡± Gossip was a fearful thing. If it was once or twice, the empress could still let it in one ear and out the other. But after many times, she would be unable to stop the sparks of prejudice from catching. ¡°Erqing, what about you?¡± It wouldn¡¯t do to only listen to one side of the story. The empress was unlikely to just believe what someone said. She only gazed into the mirror and asked, ¡°Is Yingluo really this bad?¡± The fingers that were arranging her hair paused. Where the mirror did not show, Mingyu sent Erqing a signal again and again with her eyes. Erqing shot her a glance, not wanting to offend her, yet also not wanting to hit someone when they were down. As a result, she considered her words for a bit before saying, ¡°Perhaps she is not too suited for life in Changchun Palace. And she is somewhat unable to get along with those of higher seniority.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s truly the case, have her return to the embroidery workshop early the next morning.¡± The empress felt somewhat upset toward Wei Yingluo for failing to meet her expectations. ¡°Hold on. Isn¡¯t it thundering outside?¡± A sudden clap of thunder, a streak of lightning across the horizon, leaving the skies snow white for a moment. The empress was startled in her chair. She didn¡¯t even care about her hair, rushing toward the door. ¡°My flowers! My jasmines!¡± ¡°Master, Master slow down!¡± Erqing and Mingyu hurried after her, The rain had come all of a sudden. Furthermore, the longer it went on, the heavier the rain became. The empress and the others ran toward her garden, fallen leaves lining the sides of the road, reminiscent of a long green river. ¡°Hurry! Bring the water-proof cloth over! Cover the flowers!¡± said the empress, anxious to the extreme. The moment she ran into her flower garden, she fell into a daze. Under the downpour, Yingluo wore a woven rush raincoat?, pulling a water-proof cloth. She had already covered more than half of the jasmines with it. ¡°¡­Your Majesty the empress.¡± After hearing the voices of people, she turned around. Her beautiful face, which was washed clean by the rain, resembled the blooming jasmines in the flowerbed. With a smile, she said, ¡°Why has your honored self come?¡± CH 35 ¡°Drink this bowl of ginger soup.¡± ¡°Thanking Master for the bestowment.¡± Wei Yingluo received the bowl of ginger soup the other party had personally brought to her. She took a small sip. The warmth made her cold body shiver. ¡°Thankfully, you were around. The flowers in the flowerbed were saved.¡± The empress looked at her, curious. ¡°But why were you there?¡± ¡°Last night, there was a lunar halo. And early in the morning, there were dark clouds in the eastern horizon. Fearing that there would be a storm today and that the flowers would be harmed, I rushed over once I finished sweeping inside and outside the palace,¡± replied Wei Yingluo in a deferential manner. Once the empress had heard her words, she sent a sideways glance at Mingyu. Sweeping both the inside and outside of the palace wasn¡¯t a job for merely one person. At least seven to eight palace maids were needed to do so. Furthermore, if it was like how Wei Yingluo had said, and she finished sweeping these areas early in the morning, then it meant Wei Yingluo had woken up before dawn had broken through the skies¡­ Mingyu, this is different from what you said before. ¡°Since you knew it would rain today, why didn¡¯t you let others know in advance?¡± When it was all said and done, Erqing had worked with Mingyu at Changchun Palace for a long time, and wanted to help Mingyu. She asked Wei Yingluo, ¡°If you told everyone earlier, and we were prepared, there wouldn¡¯t have been as many flowers harmed due to the storm.¡± There was a limit to the abilities of one person. Although Wei Yingluo had tried her best, in the end, she could not save all of the jasmines. Once the rain fell, so did the petals. As such, the flowerbed was littered with fallen petals. ¡°I have mentioned it¡­¡± Who would have thought Wei Yingluo would respond? Then she glanced at Mingyu, intentionally or otherwise. Although she did not specifically say who was bullying her, the people in the palace were more observant than others. Immediately, the empress understood who Wei Yingluo was talking about. Then she glanced at the Erqing who was silent and hanging her head. The empress shook her head lightly. In a gentle tone, she said to Wei Yingluo. ¡°Alright, you can stop working for today. After you finish drinking this ginger soup, take a hot bath and head to bed early. Don¡¯t catch a cold.¡± ¡°Many thanks, Your Majesty.¡± Sure enough, once Wei Yingluo had finished drinking the soup, she walked backwards toward the door before leaving. From start to finish, she never complained about Erqing. But the empress¡¯ disappointment could not be concealed from her eyes. ¡°Master, I¡­¡± Erqing wracked her brains to attempt to make an excuse for her earlier conduct. The empress raised her hand, stopping her from explaining. Or perhaps, it was to stop Erqing from treating her like a fool. ¡°I have eyes. I can see for myself,¡± said the empress, half warning and half advising. ¡°Remember this: if you talk too much, you are bound to slip up at some point!¡± Erqing pretended to be ashamed and lowered her head. But the moment the empress turned around to leave, Erqing looked up, her eyes full of resentment and indignation. The next day, Wei Yingluo did not catch a cold. However, the empress did, fever and headache and all. From the muslin curtain came a hand. Head Physician Zhang pressed his fingers onto the underside of the empress¡¯ wrist, examining her pulse. A good while later, he gave his diagnosis by saying, ¡°Your Majesty¡¯s headache and body aches are the result of excessive heat in the lungs. Furthermore, your honored self caught a cold outside. However, it is not serious. In a little while, this official will prescribe a dose of liquid medicine that will dissipate the excessive heat and halt phlegm formation. Fresh ginger and pear will be the main ingredients. The medicine must be taken for at least half a month for Your Majesty to recover.¡± The empress leaned on her side behind the curtain. Her voice sounded a bit nasally as she said, ¡°Head Physician Zhang is an impeccable physician, one that cares not about reward, but the good of the people. This palace naturally has no worries. Otherwise, this palace would not have let you treat Noble Lady Yu. Speaking of which, how has her health been?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Head Physician Zhang hesitated for a long time before saying, ¡°Your Majesty the empress, Noble Lady Yu often feels dizzy. This official tries hard to nurse her to health. Unfortunately, there are not much results to speak of. The most important thing is that Noble Lady Yu has too heavy a load on her mind, and as such her emotions are imbalanced. If this continues, one would¡­ one would fear¡­¡± ¡°That it would affect her fetus, right?¡± Head Physician Zhang sighed. ¡°Yes.¡± After having someone escort Head Physician Zhang outside, the empress struggled to get off the bed. ¡°Erqing, help this palace dress.¡± She coughed twice. ¡°This palace wants to pay a visit to Noble Lady Yu.¡± More coughs escaped her lips. ¡°Master absolutely mustn¡¯t. Your honored self just caught a cold and ought to properly recover. How could you go outside in the cold at this time?¡± said Erqing, rushing to pat her back. A trace of doubt flashed in the empress¡¯ eyes. She didn¡¯t care about her light illness; rather, she feared infecting Noble Lady Yu with it and affecting her fetus. The empress¡¯ eyes shifted. And her gaze fell upon Mingyu, who was standing in a corner. Following that, the empress said all of a sudden, ¡°Mingyu, take a trip for me.¡± Such words startled her. ¡°Me?¡± The empress nodded. ¡°Bring the case of tributary ginseng that was just sent to my storehouse. Deliver it to Yonghe Palace. Tell Noble Lady Yu to take care of her fetus. This palace will pay her a visit very soon.¡± ¡°¡­Yes,¡± replied Mingyu, full of reluctance. Leaving the storeroom, Mingyu felt completely aggrieved. Such a trivial errand had previously been given to low-ranking palace maids¡­ At that moment, she stopped in her tracks. Mingyu shouted in front of her, ¡°Come here!¡± Wei Yingluo was right in the middle of sweeping the main hall, her hand stopping at the sound of Mingyu¡¯s voice. She made her way toward the other party. Mingyu lifted her hand with the case of ginseng and threw it. The case made an arc in the air before Wei Yingluo barely caught it. ¡°Go to Yonghe Palace. Tell Noble Lady Yu that Her Majesty the empress has always been thinking about her, and wants her to take care of her fetus with this. Can you remember this?¡± Then Mingyu spun on her heel and left at once, not giving Wei Yingluo the chance to even refuse. However, refusing had never crossed Wei Yingluo¡¯s mind. It¡¯s been a long time since she had last seen Noble Lady Yu. How this pitiful woman was faring was anyone¡¯s guess. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. Wei Yingluo carried the case of ginseng outside of Changchun Palace, passing by forests on her way to Yonghe Palace. Once she arrived, she noticed that the red front doors were tightly shut. She lifted her hand and knocked on one of the doors. ¡°Her Majesty the empress has instructed me to pay Noble Lady Yu a visit. Please open the doors.¡± But no one opened the door even after a long time had passed. ¡°Noble Lady Yu? Noble Lady Yu?¡± said Wei Yingluo, knocking on the door again. ¡°Is anyone there?¡± Like before, no one responded. Wei Yingluo felt something was off. The imperial palace wasn¡¯t the same as outside the palace. Even if the master left to pay someone a visit, there would still be a few servants remaining. As she hesitated at the front doors for a while, yet to decide whether she should continue waiting or whether she should leave, she suddenly heard a clatter on the other side of the door. A feeling that was anything but reassuring entered her heart. At that moment, Wei Yingluo gritted her teeth and yelled, ¡°Noble Lady Yu, this slave has offended!¡± Then she took a step back. Bent her body low. And she used all her strength to bash open the doors. A bang, and the doors swung open. She staggered a few steps, and following that, stood there stunned by the scene before her. The interior of Yonghe Palace was decorated like a mourning hall. Joss sticks and candles, tributes to the gods, and plain white cloth. Everything needed for a mourning hall was present. Lying on the ground was even a copper brazier. The fire within had yet to burn out, bit by bit burning ritual money for the dead. There was even a memorial tablet rolling on the floor. Only the heavens knew whether someone had knocked it down or if it had jumped off by itself. But because of the sound of it hitting the ground, Wei Yingluo had rushed inside in the first place, and then saw¡­ ¡­Noble Lady Yu lying on the ground, a white cloth coiling around her neck and being pulled up. A court eunuch straddled on her back as he held the ends of that white cloth. He used a lot of strength; the green veins at the back of his hands bulged. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± shouted Wei Yingluo in a stern manner. It was at this moment that the eunuch realized one other person was present in this room. A terrifying light flashed in his eyes. He abandoned Noble Lady Yu and threw himself over at Wei Yingluo, gripping her neck, actually daring to murder someone! A blood-curdling screech left the eunuch¡¯s mouth. He staggered backward, grasping his neck with his right hand. There, a hairpin had pierced through. Wei Yingluo had never been one to suffer losses. The moment she saw the other party rush her way, she removed her hairpin without a word and stabbed him with it. If he hadn¡¯t avoided in time, that hairpin would have stabbed through his eye. He pulled out the hairpin. Held it in his hand. Little by little, Wei Yingluo backed up. She did not have another hairpin in her hair. All of a sudden, she turned around and ran. As she did, she shouted, ¡°Somebody come, somebody come! There¡¯s an assassin!¡± She ran until she left the inner courtyard of the palace. In front was the sound of numerous and disorderly footsteps in approach. Just when Wei Yingluo¡¯s expression grew happy, it froze. For she had caught sight of a crowd of palace maids and eunuchs before her, escorting a consort who was as beautiful as a Moutan peony. And they were threatening as they neared. ¡°Noble Consort Hui.¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s heart thrashed against her chest. ¡°Why is she here?¡± Something was wrong. Something was very wrong. Although Yonghe Palace was unfrequented, Noble Lady Yu was still a master. Was still a pregnant master. It was unlikely that she would not even have one person waiting on her. Where did those people go? Who moved them away? Were they being held up, or did someone kill them to silence them? And there were also these uninvited guests before her eyes¡­ As they approached, Noble Consort Hui and her entourage saw Wei Yingluo. Noticing Noble Consort Hui frown, Zhilan raised her hand at once and pointed at Wei Yingluo. ¡°Capture her!¡± Run! Wei Yingluo flipped around and sprinted toward the main hall, shutting and locking the doors in a flash. Afterward, she pushed tables and chairs to barricade the doors. ¡°Men! Bash the doors down!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± A burst of smashes and rams, one after the other. Like waves crashing faster and faster onto the sea shore. The situation inside the room wasn¡¯t looking very good either. Seeing Wei Yingluo leave and return to the room, the eunuch from earlier laughed evilly as he threw himself at her direction. The two wrestled for a moment. Fortunately, his neck was injured, blood flowing without end. Wei Yingluo observed this point, and kept pinching his wound. At the end, the eunuch couldn¡¯t hold on any longer, fainting. Wei Yingluo gasped for breath. She was in just as bad of a state, hardly better. Her clothes and hair were in extreme disarray, and the eunuch had even stabbed her a few times with the hairpin. Every step she took, her clothes grew more stained in blood. She endured the pain, stumbling to Noble Lady Yu¡¯s side. Supported her up. ¡°Noble Lady, wake up. Wake up.¡± But Noble Lady Yu remained unconscious. ¡°What should I do?¡± muttered Wei Yingluo. She scanned her surroundings. Finally, her gaze fell upon the brazier that was still burning ritual money for the dead. She hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth. ¡°There¡¯s no other choice. I can only borrow an external force¡­¡± Five minutes later, the entire Forbidden City fell into chaos. ¡°Hurry, this way! This way!¡± ¡°How is that enough water? Get a bigger bucket.¡± ¡°Coming, coming!¡± Fucha Fuheng, who was just about to visit his sister because of her illness, stopped in his tracks. He grabbed a little eunuch who was in a hurry and asked, ¡°What happened?¡± The little eunuch was carrying a wooden bucket full of water. Gasping for breath, he replied, ¡°There¡­ Yonghe Palace is on fire.¡± Fucha Fuheng was startled. He turned his head at Yonghe Palace¡¯s direction. Before his eyes, pillars of smoke heading toward the skies. CH 36 ¡°Your Highness, Your Highness, bad news!¡± said Zhilan to Noble Consort Hui after she had returned. ¡°Many people are outside! They¡¯re headed for Yonghe Palace!¡± The court eunuchs who were trying to bash the door open paused. And they all turned toward Noble Consort Hui. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Noble Consort Hui refused to give up halfway. She gritted her teeth. ¡°They¡¯re not here yet, so hurry and bash the door open! Otherwise, you¡¯ll get what¡¯s coming!¡± ¡°Aye!¡± The front doors had held on for a good while, but in the end, they could not stay shut any longer. With a bang, even the table and chairs barricading the doors were sent flying. Noble Consort Hui was overjoyed. She led everyone as they rushed into the palace. She turned her gaze. Caught sight of a fire pan by the window. Not only were there ritual money for the dead and candles, there were also torn bed curtains and gauze curtains. Thick, black smoke drifted from the pan to the windows, covering half the sky. Noble Consort Hui slowly shifted her gaze to the culprit of all this standing by the fire pan. At first, she was shocked. Then, anger born from being played with flared in her heart at once. ¡°Indeed it was you!¡± The fool who had eaten seven bowls of lotus root balls in front of her! But the person who could save Noble Lady Yu from the eunuch she had sent to assassinate her, and the person who could use smoke and fire to turn everyone in the palace into rescue troops, definitely could not be a fool! At that moment, Noble Consort Hui didn¡¯t even pay Noble Lady Yu any mind anymore, merely pointing at Wei Yingluo. ¡°Kill her!¡± Many eunuchs ran toward Wei Yingluo, like a spider that had crawled out its web. There was no escape in sight. As they approached, so did their pitch-black shadows, covering Wei Yingluo¡¯s face. All of a sudden, a ray of light flashed into her eyes. Her gaze brightened. She used all of her strength to yell, ¡°Sir Fucha, save me!¡± The hero finally rushed before her. Pushing her behind him, he pointed his sword at the court eunuchs at the front. Expression serious, Fucha Fuheng questioned, ¡°Your Highness the noble consort, what is going on?¡± Noble Consort Hui slowly parted her lips, and twisted the situation with her words. ¡°This palace passed by Yonghe Palace and thought to check on Noble Lady Yu in passing. After bumping into this girl trying to kill someone, this palace naturally wants her seized!¡± Wei Yingluo had long since foreseen she would say such a thing. At once, she countered, ¡°If you want to know the truth, just wait until Noble Lady Yu awakes and ask her.¡± At the sound of those words, everyone noticed the unconscious Noble Lady Yu. Some quickly stepped forward and examined her. Others went to find an imperial physician. Once an imperial physician had arrived and diagnosed Noble Lady Yu, Fucha Fuheng pulled Wei Yingluo aside. Asked her in a soft voice, ¡°Just what happened? And explain it to me in detail.¡± ¡°Under Her Majesty the empress¡¯ order, I came here to check on Noble Lady Yu. And I discovered this eunuch trying to strangle her to death,¡± said Wei Yingluo, pointing at the attempted murderer who had just woken up. ¡°I couldn¡¯t win against him in a fight, and could only run out of the palace to look for help. In the end, I encountered Noble Consort Hui. But the moment she caught sight of me, she wanted me dead! I had no choice but to hide in the main hall and use smoke to draw people to save me!¡± Fucha Fuheng¡¯s gaze fell upon the eunuch. Cold and severe, he said, ¡°Speak. Who are you? Who sent you here?¡± Compared to Wei Yingluo, it was even more suspicious how that eunuch had come here. He was covered in blood. Furthermore, the moment Fucha Fuheng had questioned him, he realized the eunuch didn¡¯t belong to Yonghe Palace in the first place. Now that he was surrounded by everyone, the eunuch slowly lifted his head, face covered in blood. He exposed a strange smile and said, ¡°It was Her Majesty the empress who sent me here.¡± ¡°When did this palace order you to kill someone?¡± Everyone turned to the origin of the voice. And they saw the empress standing in front of the door from who knew when. It was evident she heard what that eunuch had said, her typically calm and pacifist expression revealing a rare anger. The eunuch sneaked a glance at Noble Consort Hui. She blinked. And he lowered his head again. Kowtowed toward the empress again and again, forehead slamming onto the ground. ¡°Your Majesty the empress, this slave doesn¡¯t want to confess, but the scheme has already fallen through. It truly can¡¯t be hidden any longer! You lost your son and resents Noble Lady Yu for becoming with child. So you used the excuse of having the Imperial Household Department send more manpower to Yonghe Palace to place me there. You ordered this slave to eliminate Noble Lady Yu! Today is the forty-ninth day since Imperial Concubine Yi¡¯s death. Because it is forbidden to hold a memorial service in the palace, Noble Lady Yu could only send away her servants and do so in secret. And this slave had found an opportunity just now¡ª¡± ¡°Complete nonsense!¡± The empress was angered to the point of trembling. She had already been unwell from the start, but now her vision went dark. Were it not for Erqing from the side supporting her, she would have collapsed onto the ground already. ¡°Your Majesty the empress, watch out for your health!¡± Fucha Fuheng rushed to console her. He turned to look at the eunuch, gaze cold and sharp, filled with the intent to kill. In a few steps, he was before him, and he pulled up the eunuch to his feet. ¡°Who told you to frame the empress?! Do you know that this is a crime that can eliminate your clan and eight others related?!¡± ¡°This slave doesn¡¯t dare! If Her Majesty did not order me, how could this slave dare to kill someone? Now Her Majesty has turned around and denied this, so there¡¯s nothing this slave can say! But begging for death can be considered being loyal to Her Majesty!¡± All of a sudden, the corners of his lips tilted up. And he sent Fucha Fuheng a faint smile. Laughter left his lips, red and black blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Startled, Fucha Fuheng yelled at once, ¡°Imperial physician!¡± The imperial physician who had just diagnosed Noble Lady Yu rushed into the room. He placed his fingers over the eunuch¡¯s neck, then pried open his eyelids and lips for a look. Following that, he shook his head. The imperial physician said to Fucha Fuheng, ¡°There was poison hidden in his tooth. It¡¯s highly potent, and he can¡¯t be saved anymore.¡± Dead men told no tales. These five words suddenly flashed through his mind. Just when Fucha Fuheng felt as if his heart were on fire, someone said with a clear and cold voice by his ears, ¡°He was lying.¡± Fucha Fuheng turned to the direction of the voice at once. And he saw Wei Yingluo standing by him. Although her hair was in disarray, she was still lofty and unyielding, as if she were a pine tree crawling out of a cliff. Cold as ice, she said to everyone, ¡°If her Majesty the empress wanted to kill Noble Lady Yu, why did she order me to pay her a visit? Sir Imperial Physician, please tell everyone how many injuries this eunuch had.¡± Although the eunuch didn¡¯t understand what her intention was, after seeing Fucha Fuheng hint with his eyes to answer, he replied in a well-behaved manner, ¡°This eunuch has three large and small injuries. There is a wound on his neck made from a hairpin, and there is swelling at the back of his head from blunt trauma.¡± ¡°It was all from me,¡± said Wei Yingluo immediately, rolling up her sleeves in passing, exposing the purple bruises. ¡°I have a lot of similar bruises all over my body because I wrestled with him. One might as well ask this: if Her Majesty the empress truly wanted to kill Noble Lady Yu, then why did she send me to prevent this from happening? Wouldn¡¯t that just be giving trouble to herself?¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. Noticing everyone contemplating, Noble Consort Hui narrowed her eyes. Then she said, light as a feather, ¡°Perhaps¡­ the empress sent you to assassinate her?¡± ¡°Look at how miserable this slave looks.¡± Wei Yingluo took a few steps in front of the crowd. She showed her wounds and messy hair, showed her most battered and exhausted appearance to them all. Afterward, a smile graced her lips. ¡°If this slave were here to kill Noble Lady Yu, why come empty-handed? Let¡¯s not talk about a dagger. This slave doesn¡¯t even have a club!¡± Was it possible? There was a difference in strength between men and women from the start. If she didn¡¯t even have a weapon, let¡¯s not talk about killing someone; it was even possible for the other party to kill her. ¡°It¡¯s your honored self.¡± At that moment, Wei Yingluo stared at the crowd. She asked softly, ¡°Why did your honored self come to Yonghe Palace today? If you say it¡¯s to visit a sick patient, then why did your honored self come empty handed, only bringing a group of evil eunuchs¡­?¡± The gazes of everyone looking at Noble Consort Hui changed in an instant. ¡°Outrageous!¡± roared Noble Consort Hui. ¡°You dare to suspect this palace!¡± Behind her, the many palace servants looked at her. As long as she gave them the order, they would rush forward and arrest Wei Yingluo. ¡°This palace thinks she hasn¡¯t said anything wrong!¡± However, there was someone with a more noble identity than Noble Consort Hui around. As long as she said something, no one would dare to touch Wei Yingluo. After resting for a short period, the empress felt a lot better. She used Erqing¡¯s arm for support. Walked in front of Noble Consort Hui. Their gazes met. Flatly, she said, ¡°Yingluo already gave an explanation. What about you? Noble Consort Hui, how can you explain your actions?¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s words had proved the empress¡¯ innocence. Dead men told no tales. Not only did this apply to the empress, but to Noble Consort Hui as well. Only relying on talking and only discussing intentions, the two were caught in a standstill. Both were suspicious people, but Noble Consort Hui was more suspicious. If this matter spread to the emperor¡¯s ears, who would he help? Who would he believe? Under the gazes of so many people, with so many people listening, Noble Consort Hui could only suck in a deep breath, forced to swallow what she had wanted to say. ¡°¡­It¡¯s this subject that was at fault. A murderer¡¯s words cannot be trusted. Perhaps in order for him to hide the mastermind, he tried to frame Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Yes, how could a murderer¡¯s words be trusted?¡± the empress half admonished, half warned. ¡°You are a noble consort. Everything you say is seen as a model for others. You ought to be more careful with your words. Enough. Return to Chuxiu Palace and reflect on your actions properly!¡± The empress was very clear on the entire process of development regarding this case. She had already guessed almost everything. On the way back to Changchun Palace, she lifted her hand and beckoned for Wei Yingluo to come to her side. The empress placed her hand on Wei Yingluo¡¯s for support, walking as she said, ¡°Now that Noble Consort Hui has suffered a loss, she will definitely hate you to the bone. Are you afraid?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Yingluo with her head lowered. ¡°But for Your Majesty the empress¡¯ sake, for Noble Lady Yu, I had to say those words.¡± The empress smiled in satisfaction. She looked at Wei Yingluo¡¯s gaze, with her own filled with tender action. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for what you said, this palace wouldn¡¯t have been able to escape being framed. Good child, don¡¯t worry. This palace definitely will not let Noble Consort Hui touch you.¡± The empress¡¯ words implicitly and explicitly spoke of her intention to nurture Wei Yingluo into a trusted aide. As a trusted aide, she was naturally unlike the other little palace maids and court eunuchs: she could not be handed over as one wished to other people to handle. Naturally, she would be akin to the wings grown on one¡¯s body, cherished with the utmost care. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± said Wei Yingluo. All of a sudden, she probingly asked, ¡°But are we¡­ really just going to leave it like that?¡± ¡°The most important witness is already dead. We have no evidence. Even if we brought this case to the emperor, what could he do?¡± Knowing how things were done in the palace, the empress felt like guiding Wei Yingluo. For this reason, the empress gave her a careful analysis, saying, ¡°The most important thing is that Noble Lady Yu did something she shouldn¡¯t have done¡­¡± ¡°Your Majesty means¡­¡± Wei Yingluo furrowed her brows. ¡°This palace knows that she and Imperial Concubine Yi were close friends. And Imperial Concubine Yi died because of her. As such, she would send away all her servants during Imperial Concubine Yi¡¯s forty-ninth day since passing. She arranged for the mourning hall privately, holding a memorial service for her deceased friend,¡± said the empress, eyes narrowed. ¡°But you need to know that in the Forbidden City, only the master of the residence has the privilege of holding a memorial service. What Noble Lady Yu did, if put lightly, was breaking palace protocol. If put heavily, it was cursing the emperor and empress dowager. Thus, in order to protect Noble Lady Yu, to protect her fetus, this case must not be blown up. And it especially cannot be brought to the emperor¡¯s attention!¡± ¡°This slave understands¡­¡± said Wei Yingluo. However, a trace of sympathy for a like-minded person in distress flashed in her heart. What a pitiful Imperial Concubine Yi. She was just like her elder sister. She suffered an unredressed injustice, and didn¡¯t even have a memorial tablet after death. In the world, only one person remembered her. Only one person held a memorial service for her. Her mood plummeted. And her injuries felt painful. But she could not grimace in the empress¡¯ presence. Wei Yingluo supported the empress all the way to Changchun Palace. She stayed until the empress took her medicine and fell asleep, before retreating without a sound. Then Wei Yingluo limped toward her bedroom. There was no one on the road there. She rolled up her sleeves. Looked at the bruises on her snow-white arms and frowned. Maybe I should go to the imperial physician for some medicine. All of a sudden, a man across from her said, ¡°Take it.¡± Wei Yingluo stopped in her tracks, Slowly lifted her head. Before her eyes was a snow-white medicine bottle. Her gaze moved along the medicine bottle and toward the hand holding it. Slender and powerful fingers with clear joints. In the end, she caught sight of his face. Somewhat surprised, Wei Yingluo asked, ¡°Young Master?¡± CH 37 Fucha Fuheng turned his head away, only his red ears facing Wei Yingluo. He stood a distance of three steps away from her, a distance that allowed him to leave at any time. ¡°Take it.¡± Hesitating for a moment, Wei Yingluo lifted her hand and accepted the bottle of medicine. Fucha Fuheng seemed to let out a sigh of relief. He turned around. ¡°This medicine is very effective in healing injuries. Apply it during the morning and evening.¡± Compared to her own injuries, Wei Yingluo cared more about his attitude. Very carefully, she sized him up. ¡°Young Master, why are you avoiding me?¡± Fucha Fuheng was speechless. This question made him feel very embarrassed. A good while later, he coughed. ¡°Men cannot look directly at a woman¡¯s body. You¡­ Roll down your sleeve.¡± It was now that Wei Yingluo recalled this: previously, she had rolled her sleeve up all the way to her shoulder to examine her injuries. Her whole arm had been exposed to him, like a fresh and white lotus root growing in a blueish green pond. Slowly rolling down her sleeve, Wei Yingluo said in a soft manner, ¡°Alright, you can turn around now.¡± And so, Fucha Fuheng did just that. He was truly a somewhat bashful person, blushing from merely seeing a woman¡¯s arm. He seemed of a pure heart and cut a sorry figure. Yet he himself did not know it. He appeared like he usually did, serious and inviolable, as he said, ¡°Why did you light the curtains on fire? If you were a bit careless, you and Noble Lady Yu would have been burned to death.¡± ¡°I knew it was very dangerous. But in that kind of situation, in that kind of circumstance, this was the best way of getting people¡¯s attention,¡± said Wei Yingluo in a low voice. ¡°Just think, if I yelled for help and said Noble Consort Hui wanted to kill someone, who would dare come to Yonghe Palace? They would fear getting involved, and only pretend to not have heard anything. But if there were a fire in the palace, it would certainly be a different story. Everyone would come to extinguish the fire. In this way, Noble Lady Yu and I may be saved.¡± Recalling her desperate and helpless appearance back then as she had cried out for help, Fucha Fuheng felt his heart soften. Thus, his manner of speaking grew more gentle as he said, ¡°What if everyone didn¡¯t make it on time, and the noble consort broke down the door ahead of time?¡± At that moment, Wei Yingluo raised her head, her gaze falling upon him. ¡°But didn¡¯t you come?¡± Such words struck Fucha Fuheng speechless. Her clothes were clearly in order; she did not expose any body part that should not be exposed. Not to mention, she did not smile at him or do anything that could be considered improper. Yet, he wanted to avert his gaze from her again. So as to avoid her noticing his blush. ¡°Young Master¡­¡± Wei Yingluo approached him one step. ¡°Have you fallen ill? Your face is somewhat red¡­¡± She reached out, as if she wanted to check the temperature on his forehead. And Fucha Fuheng hastily stepped back. ¡°Sorry,¡± said Wei Yingluo. Apparently, she noticed that her conduct just now had been improper. She withdrew her hand. Flashed him an apologetic smile. Unable to determine if he were disappointed or relieved, Fucha Fuheng said in a low voice, ¡°Next time, pay more attention. Don¡¯t¡­ don¡¯t smile at men. Could it be that your mother never taught you the etiquette of an unmarried daughter from a wealthy family?¡± Wei Yingluo did not smile. Dully, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not from a wealthy family, and I don¡¯t have a mother.¡± The moment Fucha Fuheng heard what she said, he stood there in a daze. Then, as he thought of what he could say to remedy his blunder, he heard Wei Yingluo continue, ¡°I only have an elder sister named Wei Yingning.¡± A pause. Then she said, ¡°But after entering the palace, she had another name. A¡¯man.¡± All of a sudden, Fucha Fuheng¡¯s complexion changed. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Yingluo stared at him, unwilling to let off even a tiny change in his expression. ¡°Young Master, do you know my sister?¡± ¡°No.¡± A pause. ¡°I¡¯ve already given you the medicine. There are still things to attend to in the Imperial Guard Station. I¡¯ll leave first.¡± Rather than finding an excuse to leave, this was more like running away. Since he left in such a haste, he didn¡¯t notice that Wei Yingluo stayed in the same spot, unmoving. She gripped the medicine bottle. Watched him expressionlessly. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. ¡°This is top-notch medicine for injuries. The average person would not be able to have it. Only high-ranking military officials could.¡± Come night, Nanny Zhang came to visit Wei Yingluo and conveniently brought her a bottle of wound medicine. Although it was taken from the Imperial Academy of Medicine, compared to the medicine on the table, which was made for military officials, the difference was heaven and earth. Wei Yingluo crawled into bed, having already shed her clothes. Her fair back was exposed; the areas of most severe injury were not her shoulders but her back. An awkward place where she could not reach. Tilting her head to look at that glimmering medicine bottle on the table, Wei Yingluo said with indifference, ¡°For now, I don¡¯t want to use what Fucha Fuheng gave.¡± Catching the coldness in her words, Nanny Zhang shook her head. As she helped apply medicine on Wei Yingluo, she asked, ¡°You¡¯re still suspicious of him?¡± ¡°I saw Fucha Fuheng today. He said he didn¡¯t know my sister,¡± said Wei Yingluo, a smile blooming on her lips. ¡°But looking at his expression, it was definitely a lie¡ªouch.¡± Nanny Zhang quickly used less strength. ¡°How about now? Does it still hurt? Ai, everything needs evidence. Without proof, how could you consider him as the murderer?¡± ¡°Evidence?¡± A look of viciousness flashed through Wei Yingluo¡¯s eyes. ¡°Nanny, you know my elder sister, so you are certainly aware that with my sister¡¯s personality, if she finds a precious jade medallion, she would return it to its master without a doubt. But she kept it. There are only two reasons for this. One, it belonged to her lover. Two, it belonged to her enemy. Elder Sister already had someone she loved. Even if that person abandoned her, she would not become unfaithful easily. In that case, there could only be one reason: Fucha Fuheng humiliated her!¡± ¡°You and your assumptions again!¡± Nanny Zhang knew she had grown possessed again. She tried to explain, ¡°Maybe your elder sister happened to pick up this jade medallion from somewhere, didn¡¯t know who it belonged to, so couldn¡¯t return it. Or perhaps¡­ Fuheng did know your sister but had nothing to do with her death¡­¡± Wei Yingluo¡¯s complexion kept changing. A good while later, she slowly sighed. ¡°Nanny, you said my sister lost her innocence, yet was insistent in not revealing who the other party was. In the palace, other than the emperor, the only men around are the imperial guards. If it was the emperor, then she would have gotten his favor, and there¡¯d be no reason she couldn¡¯t talk about it. Therefore, it could only be an imperial guard who did this to her. My elder sister looks weak, but is resolute and upright in character. She wouldn¡¯t let herself be humiliated for no good reason. She would definitely seek justice. If she kept quiet, it wasn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t want to talk about it. It¡¯s because she was too afraid to! She was afraid of implicating her family, of implicating Father and me. The only person who could frighten her this much is the high-ranking and powerful Fucha Fuheng!¡± All of a sudden, she turned her head toward Nanny Zhang, her gaze akin to a dagger that had found its target. And also akin to a flame that had found the fuse of a piece of dynamite, ready to cause an explosion at any time. Fuming with rage through gritted teeth, she said, ¡°He is the Fucha clan¡¯s precious and noble young master, the empress¡¯ full-blooded younger brother and the emperor¡¯s trusted aide. In the future, he will become a power minister of the court. Now that he had committed such a scandal, he immediately had Elder Sister murdered!¡± ¡°Enough, you¡­¡± Nanny Zhang¡¯s headache was incomparable. ¡°Nanny, can you be certain this didn¡¯t happen?¡± For a moment, Nanny Zhang was rendered speechless. If Wei Yingluo were merely insisting on this blindly, she could still rebuke her. The problem was, there was a possibility what Wei Yingluo had said was true. Moreover, they had the clue that was the jade medallion. As such, the probability was very high. ¡°¡­Fine Even if it was Fucha Fuheng who did it, what do you want to do about it?¡± said Nanny Zhang in a helpless manner. ¡°What can you do?¡± ¡°What can I do?¡± Wei Yingluo laughed grimly. ¡°Naturally, I¡¯d have him pay with his life!¡± Knowing her personality was unyielding yet unaware that it was to this state, Nanny Zhang was frightened. She rushed to grab Wei Yingluo¡¯s hands. ¡°You mustn¡¯t be impulsive! If not for yourself, then do it for your elder sister. Think about how hard it was for your sister to raise you, yet you¡¯d just throw away your like that?¡± Wei Yingluo was startled. But not because she was afraid of dying. Rather, it was due to the tears glistening from the other party¡¯s eyes. She couldn¡¯t help but recall the words she had said in the past. ¡°No one¡­ would cry for someone they didn¡¯t care for. ¡°¡­You¡¯re right.¡± Wei Yingluo lowered her head, somewhat moved and somewhat ashamed. ¡°I can¡¯t die.¡± Since there was still someone in this world who cared about her, then she mustn¡¯t die. She feared that if she did, the other party would become the second her. Would sink into suffering and hatred, and for the sake of revenge, be capable of doing anything. ¡°Good child, good child¡­¡± Nanny Zhang tenderly stroked her hair. ¡°Come. Turn around. I will continue to apply medicine for you.¡± And Wei Yingluo sounded her agreement obediently. Once those rough fingers covered in calluses came into contact with her injuries, Wei Yingluo felt a painful heat on her shoulders, burning along with the medicine on her back. Wei Yingluo clenched her teeth and endured it. Even though her body was riddled with bruises, even though there were better choices¡­ she did not use even a drop of Fucha Fuheng¡¯s medicine. CH 38 ¡°Young Master.¡± There was only one person who would address him as this. Fucha Fuheng turned around. ¡°Why are you looking for me¡­ Wei Yingluo?¡± The weather was gradually cooling, and the palace maids had all switched to their winter attire. However, he caught sight of a smear of light red slowly approaching from the snow and wind. Such a bright beauty, such a tender beauty, like a pinky smeared with lipstick. Among the snow, the color of rouge left in its wake. ¡°Young Master.¡± The young lady in red approached Fucha Fuheng, handing over a strange-looking thing to him, a sweet smile on her lips. ¡°This is for you.¡± Fucha Fuheng did not receive it. He merely lowered his head to look at it. ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Her Majesty the empress has often said that she worried you would feel cold standing in the wind. But unlike women, men would not use handheld braziers. I went to the little personal kitchen and asked for a pig¡¯s bladder, then poured some hot water inside. After that, I tied it up with some hemp string. If you tuck it in your bosom, it can keep you nice and warm,¡± she said, suddenly stuffing the thing in her hand toward his chest. ¡°What do you think?¡± At once, his chest warmed. Whether it was due to her concern or that thing was anyone¡¯s guess. However, as an imperial guard, how could he accept a gift from a palace maid? If people found out, he would be fine, but she would be in big trouble. Thus, he reached out and handed the item back to her. ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯m not cold.¡± But as he looked at the smiling young lady before him, not only did he find the gift very suitable, she also thought of an excuse for him accepting it. Wei Yingluo said, ¡°If anyone asks, tell them that the empress sent a personal attendant to deliver this to you. Or is the empress not allowed to worry about her own younger brother?¡± Fucha Fuheng still had some doubts, but when he saw her slowly look down, he sighed. ¡°You gave me medicine, so I wanted to give you something in return. But I truly cannot bring out anything else¡­¡± said Wei Yingluo in a soft voice. ¡°Do you¡­ perhaps dislike it¡­?¡± ¡°¡­I don¡¯t.¡± Then Fucha Fuheng fell silent for a while, before extending a hand and taking the nice and warm pig bladder. ¡°Thank you.¡± At that moment, Wei Yingluo looked up and smiled at him. In the hours after that, Fucha Fuheng remained in a daze, Wei Yingluo¡¯s smile appearing before his eyes at every second. A sudden spring breeze at night, countless pear blossoms in bloom. Hailan Cha, his close friend who stood next to him, let out a sneeze. Afterward, he rubbed his arms with both hands. ¡°What season is this? The winds at the Forbidden City are still so cold. It¡¯s blowing directly at my neck!¡± He clicked his tongue. The other imperial guards were not much better off, freezing their boots off. Pity the group of on-duty imperial guards; each of them were cold to the point of their teeth chattering. But without their superior¡¯s approval, they could not leave their posts. They could only march in place or rub their bodies to warm themselves. Among the cold-to-the-point-of-pale imperial guards, the normal-complexioned Fucha Fuheng, who even had some rosieness to his cheeks, grew conspicuous to the extreme. ¡°¡­What are you hiding in your bosom?¡± Hailan Cha had good eyes, and even quicker hands and feet. Before he had even finished speaking, he had already reached out and pulled out the pig bladder in Fucha Fuheng¡¯s chest. Burned by the heat, he could not help but let out a comfortable shiver. Pleasantly surprised, he then said as he quickly stuffed it into his own bosom, ¡°Oh! What is this? Wow, it¡¯s so warm!¡± ¡°Give it back!¡± said Fucha Fuheng, reaching out in haste. The two had practiced martial arts since young. Although Fucha Fuheng was strong, Hailan Cha wasn¡¯t bad either. After all sorts of fierce hand-to-hand combat and all of the martial arts they knew, in the end, he was unable to get the pig bladder back for a moment. ¡°Why are you so nervous?¡± Hailan Cha still had time to tease him. ¡°Could it be that someone gave it to you? This thing doesn¡¯t seem remarkable, but it¡¯s very thoughtful. With how nervous you look, it¡¯s probably not from a man. Could it be¡­ Which little palace maid gave this to you?¡± Fucha Fuheng blurted, ¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± ¡°It¡¯s not?¡± In a flash, Hailan Cha said, all smiles, ¡°If a woman gave this to you, then I don¡¯t want it. But if that¡¯s not the case, between us brothers, there¡¯s no need to differentiate. What¡¯s yours is mine, so I won¡¯t hold myself back from taking it with a smile¡ªah!¡± Extreme joy turned to sorrow. One could only see Hailan Cha scream, and the large and strong man actually tumbled to ground all of a sudden. He had just said he was cold, and now his chest was pressed hard against the cold snow. But this wasn¡¯t enough; he kept scooping snow with both hands into his chest. ¡°Hailan Cha, Hailan Cha! What¡¯s wrong?¡± Fucha Fuheng rushed to squat and check on him. Once he saw what had happened clearly, he first felt startled, then angry. ¡°¡­How could¡­¡± ¡°Wei Yingluo!¡± Wei Yingluo, who was sweeping the snow, paused and looked back. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± A palace maid told her, ¡°Imperial Guard Fuheng is waiting at the back of the palace near the well for you. He said he had something to ask you.¡± That fast? Wei Yingluo was startled, then nodded. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll be going now!¡± The two met again at the well, where they had parted this morning. Don¡¯t support theft; read this at sleepchaer¡¯s wordpress. It was the same weather. The same red clothes. The only thing different was his attitude. Fucha Fuheng grabbed her by the wrist, looking down at her with anger that was difficult to express. ¡°What kind of hateful grudge do you have against me that you would harm me like this?!¡± Wei Yingluo lifted her head to look at him, feigning surprise. ¡°Young Master, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°That pig bladder!¡± he said in a low voice. Other than anger in his eyes, there was even more disappointment. ¡°It burst.¡± But in the next second, something warm slipped into his bosom. Warm and soft. It was actually a woman¡¯s hand. Just one touch, and more than half of his towering rage vanished. It were as though Fucha Fuheng had been pierced with a sword, falling back many steps until he leaned against the well. As soon as he felt the ice-cold chill of the well, he composed himself. Yet, his face was still flushed. ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Why did the pig bladder burst?¡± Wei Yingluo snuggled up closer to him, both hands once again stretching out toward his chest. ¡°Let me have a look. Are you injured?¡± She had approached him so quickly, had thrown herself at him without any thought, that it almost made both of them fall into the well. Fucha Fuheng rushed to catch her. He exerted force onto his legs, and became as steady as a pine tree, standing in place. A sigh left his lips. ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who got hurt. It was my good friend Hailan Cha. He was scalded by the pig bladder.¡± Wei Yingluo stood there in a daze. Then, she slowly lowered her head, hiding her expression in the shadows. Said in a soft voice, ¡°Thank goodness it wasn¡¯t Young Master who was hurt. It must have been because I was too impatient and wanted to give you a present sooner. In the end, I didn¡¯t tie up the opening of the pig bladder tight enough. Is your good friend¡­ alright?¡± ¡°His injuries are not serious, but he was scalded a lot.¡± Fucha Fuheng paused, narrowing his eyes in a somewhat doubtful manner. ¡°You really didn¡¯t do this on purpose?¡± Bit by bit, Wei Yingluo raised her head, snowflakes melting on her skin. She breathed out, the heat brushing upon his face. Fucha Fuheng could not help but blush hard from the warmth. So much so that he thought that even without her explaining, he would believe her. ¡°Young Master, you¡¯re really alright?¡± Wei Yingluo lifted her hand in an unhurried pace, caressing his cheek. ¡°Your face is so red. Was it scalded too?¡± In a flash, he grabbed her improper hand. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°But your face is so red.¡± She shifted her gaze to his hand. ¡°And your hand is so hot.¡± As if his hand were truly scalded, Fucha Fuheng released hers. He cut a sorry figure as he turned around and left. Behind him rang the melodious as an oriole laughter of a young lady. ¡°Young Master, actually, if you fill a pig bladder with ice chunks in the summer and stick it to your skin, it will feel cool and refreshing. When summer comes, I will make another one for you!¡± But he didn¡¯t even have the courage to look back and respond, fleeing the whole way back. Once he returned to the Imperial Guard Quarters, he just happened to encounter the imperial physician who had just treated Hailan Cha, and was in the process of putting his medicine chest in order. ¡°Ai, why is my life so full of suffering?¡± Hailan Cha lay in bed, sighing in despair. ¡°Instead of dying on the battlefield, I almost died because of a brazier.¡± ¡°Evildoers live long lives. Don¡¯t worry, you won¡¯t die.¡± Fucha Fuheng sent off the imperial physician and looked for a small stool. He placed it next to the bed and sat down. ¡°What did the imperial physician say?¡± he asked, concerned. ¡°Is it serious? Do you need me to give you some sick leave?¡± ¡°Then give me ten days off, so that I can avoid this terrible weather,¡± said Hailan Cha without a trace of politeness. Since Fucha Fuheng agreed immediately, he said in a less serious manner, ¡°But since I got hurt because of you, tell me a bit about your sweetheart.¡± Hailan Cha had joked about this many times before. But this time, Fucha Fuheng fell into a daze, expression somewhat impatient. After a moment of hesitation, he said, ¡°¡­I don¡¯t have a sweetheart.¡± One look, and Hailan Cha knew he had a chance to get some secrets out of him, to the point where even forgot his own injuries. All of a sudden, he crawled out of bed and stood, eyes full of interest. ¡°Fuheng, although this thing burst, I have to give it some credit! It¡¯s very inconvenient to work with a pig bladder, and you also have to tie up the opening with hemp string. Not to mention, she would have to work on it for two nights. If someone does this for you, other than holding affection for you, what else could it be?!¡± ¡°It¡¯s that troublesome?¡± said Fucha Fuheng. Then he snapped back to his senses at once. Hailan Cha had used other talking points to get him to speak! ¡°Isn¡¯t it?¡± Hailan Cha patted his shoulder, giddy as he said, ¡°I dare to bet on my life that that girl who gave you the pig bladder fancies you! But what about you? Do you like her? What do you like about her?¡± What did he like about her? In an instant, countless scenes flashed through Fucha Fuheng¡¯s mind. Her red clothes that seemed to dye the snowy landscape red like rouge. Her smile that came like a sudden spring breeze, countless pear blossoms in bloom. Her satiny skin of the hand gripped by his. ¡°Hey, hey. I asked you a question.¡± Hailan Cha shook his shoulder. ¡°Which part?¡± Every part. ¡°¡­Shut up!¡± All of a sudden, Fucha Fuheng grew angry, unsure if he was angry at the other party or at himself. ¡°Hey, stop. Come back, come back. I was just joking with you, so why are you so angry?!¡± shouted Hailan Cha, yet, he could not get Fucha Fuheng to stay. Yet, because of this, he was certain. All smiles, he shouted toward the other party¡¯s back, ¡°It¡¯s cold outside. Next time your sweetheart sends you a new pig bladder, remember to share it with your brothers!¡± CH 39 ¡°You are going to sweep the snow again?¡± asked the empress, the moment Wei Yingluo had returned to Changchun Palace. The empress called her over to her side. Then she continued to say affectionately, ¡°This palace has already said that you need not worry about these things anymore. Just leave it to Zhenzhu and the others. If you have time, read more books. Perhaps come to this palace and help grind ink or handle some other business for me.¡± It was clear that she sincerely wanted to cultivate Wei Yingluo into a trusted aide. If the empress didn¡¯t, then the empress would rather be blind. For this reason, she had Wei Yingluo read books and practice writing her characters, so that she would understand more things. So much so that the empress even discussed matters of the Imperial Household Department with her. Once Wei Yingluo had heard her words, she trembled in fear. Yet also worried if she had crawled too high too quickly. Yet also felt moved that the empress placed so much importance on her. As a result, Wei Yingluo was frank when speaking to her master. Four hours later, the empress set down her brush, a trace of exhaustion on her face. ¡°In just a blink of an eye, so much time has already passed.¡± In a flash, Wei Yingluo made her way behind the empress, softly massaging her temples. ¡°Your Majesty, take a rest. This slave will chat with you.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± The empress closed her eyes, casting aside her worries for the time being. They chatted about everyday topics. ¡°Speaking of which, a while ago, some court eunuchs came to report something. They said that recently, Noble Lady Yu often woke up with a start in the night. She¡¯s emaciated to the point where she¡¯s only skin and bones, where she¡¯s unrecognizable. The imperial physicians said¡­ a mental illness is the cause. And mental illnesses require medicine for mental illnesses.¡± To which Wei Yingluo pondered for a moment. ¡°Now that Imperial Concubine Yi is no longer around, the emperor is her sole medicine,¡± said the empress, sighing. ¡°However, the emperor is always busy. When can he ever check on her?! It¡¯s easy to find a priceless treasure, but difficult to find a man who wholeheartedly loves you. Noble Lady Yu is not Consort Donggo. Where can she find another Emperor Shunzhi?¡± Everyone knew that Emperor Shunzhi had eyes for only Consort Donggo. Back then, Consort Donggo died of an illness, and Emperor Shunzhi fell gravely ill soon after. Once he recovered, he shaved his head and became a monk. Even ordinary commoner men wouldn¡¯t do this for their wives and children, let alone an emperor with the world in his hands. A pause. The empress realized her slip of the tongue. She smiled, somewhat disappointed and frustrated. ¡°Looks like this palace has been muddleheaded. Look what this palace has said!¡± Wei Yingluo knew what was on her mind. This woman did not want to become a Consort Donggo. But her expectations were too high, and in the end, she could not help but be disappointed. Wanting to console her, Wei Yingluo thought a bit before saying, ¡°Indeed, Emperor Shunzhi¡¯s infatuation toward Consort Donggo is something to be admired. But if one looks at it from another angle, the feeling one gets is entirely different!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± said the empress, curious. ¡°Speak.¡± ¡°Your Majesty the empress, after Consort Donggo perished from her illness, Emperor Shunzhi grieved, heartbroken. He suspended court for five days, burned down two palaces and countless treasures. He even ordered for the suicide of thirty court eunuchs and palace maids each! For Consort Donggo, her encounter with this infatuated monarch was something of great fortune. But those sixty innocent palace servants also had families and were people too! What¡¯s more, because of Consort Donggo, Emperor Shunzhi did not care about his countless subjects.¡± Wei Yingluo sighed. ¡°Perhaps the civil and military officials, commoners, and imperial concubines all hope for the emperor to be heartless.¡± ¡°Presumptuous!¡± a man suddenly said, scaring Wei Yingluo and the empress into rising to their feet. Then, they kneeled while facing that person. A pair of bright yellow boots arrived before Wei Yingluo¡¯s eyes. This was her second time seeing this pair of boots. ¡°Who allowed you to presumptuously comment on Emperor Shunzhi! Truly a crime worthy of death!¡± shouted Hongli, his voice ringing above her head. Following that, he said with endless fury, ¡°Servants¡ª¡± What should I do?! Wei Yingluo grumbled inwardly. Never had she anticipated that a majestic emperor would actually like to eavesdrop on others. Now, she was in trouble without doing anything. The only thing she could do was¡­ She gritted her teeth. Before the imperial guards could arrest her, she yelled, ¡°Your Majesty, these words weren¡¯t said by me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± said Hongli coldly. ¡°Then who said them?¡± ¡°Emperor Shunzhi.¡± Hongli was startled. ¡°Your Majesty, Emperor Shunzhi left behind an imperial decree blaming himself for the suffering of the people. It mentioned that he favored Consort Donggo too excessively, and should have followed protocol and not solely favored her. To this, he deeply regretted.¡± Wei Yingluo took advantage of Hongli¡¯s distraction, and rushed to say the remaining words. ¡°Just now, this slave was merely repeating what Emperor Shunzhi had said.¡± If he wanted to punish her for this, then wouldn¡¯t he be disobeying and disrespecting his ancestors and teachers? Hongli fell silent for a while. Then, taking his time, he said, ¡°Then when you criticized him for having palace servants buried with Consort Donggo, could he have said that as well?¡± ¡°No, he did not.¡± At once, Hongli sneered. ¡°Servants¡ª¡± ¡°Those were Emperor Kangxi¡¯s words!¡± Hongli was speechless. ¡°Emperor Kangxi gave an order long ago that prohibited burying people alive as sacrifice. From then on, no living person was ever buried again!¡± Once more, Hongli stayed quiet for a good while. Perhaps he was suppressing his turbulent emotions. This person seemed to be a somewhat petty emperor. Seemed like he absolutely didn¡¯t intend to let her off just like that. He pondered for a while, then finally recalled something. Fuming with rage through gritted teeth, he said, ¡°Fine. Then let Us ask you this: a moment ago, you said the commoners would rather have an emperor that was heartless. What is that supposed to mean?¡± But Wei Yingluo only sighed in relief. For she had not spoken too much to the empress, so this question should be his last. Don¡¯t support theft; read this at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. ¡°Responding to Your Majesty,¡± said Wei Yingluo slowly as she kowtowed, ¡°this slave has heard that an emperor wakes up every day at the period of Mao. During the summer, the sky would start to brighten, but during the winter, it¡¯s still dark before the fifth watch ends. When the western frontier requires soldiers, and a report from the army arrives, even if it¡¯s in the middle of the night, the emperor must quickly summon the senior officials of the Grand Council. The members would take turns on duty every five to six days. It¡¯s exhausting enough, let alone the fact that the emperor must do this every day, every year, must be diligent in political affairs. It¡¯s truly admirable! However, with the emperor so busy with governing, too busy to attend to his harem, the imperial concubines would inevitably feel lonely. It¡¯s clear that in order to be a wise ruler, and to love the common people and the world, one could only be heartless to the imperial concubines!¡± After hearing those words, Hongli opened and closed his mouth like a fish. A long time passed without him saying anything. ¡°Correct, a great love is heartless. Your Majesty is a wise ruler who is diligent in governing!¡± said the empress, coming over suddenly. She waved at Wei Yingluo. ¡°Enough, you can leave. This palace needs to talk to the emperor.¡± All of a sudden, a wave of relief washed over Wei Yingluo. The empress had taken the chance to help her out. Now that the emperor¡¯s three questions were over, once Wei Yingluo stepped through those doors, she would be safe¡­ But at that moment, the emperor said, ¡°Wait!¡± His voice rang out above her. ¡°Lift your head!¡± Wei Yingluo could not help but be startled. The empress as well. ¡°Your Majesty?¡± ¡°Your tone and voice sounds more and more familiar¡­¡± Hongli¡¯s voice carried a sliver of suspicion, a sliver of scrutiny. The moment Wei Yingluo had heard him, she naturally dared not raise her head, merely remaining on the ground. Frozen like a stone sculpture of many years. ¡°We remember now¡­¡± In a flash, Hongli¡¯s tone grew cold. ¡°You are¡ª¡± ¡°Leave!¡± said the empress abruptly. ¡°Don¡¯t provoke the emperor¡¯s annoyance. Go outside and kneel!¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty!¡± Wei Yingluo tried to escape outside in a frantic manner. Behind her, the sound of the emperor and empress arguing. ¡°The last time We saw her, she was a low-ranked palace maid. Less than a month later, she climbed her way up into Changchun Palace, and even became your trusted aide. It¡¯s clear she¡¯s full of evil schemes and unfathomable thoughts! Empress, how can you keep such a person by your side?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, a master like this concubine is the most clear on Yingluo¡¯s moral conduct.¡± ¡°Empress, if you are excessively lenient, careful that you invite calamity by nurturing a tiger!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, if one wants to use a person, one must not doubt them; if one doubts a person, one must not use them. This concubine trusts in my own eyes. Yingluo is definitely not that kind of person!¡± Suddenly, Wei Yingluo stopped in her tracks. Caught in a daze, she looked back. She wasn¡¯t that kind of person? No, the emperor was correct. She was someone full of evil schemes and unfathomable thoughts. ¡°But I won¡¯t let down your trust. I definitely won¡¯t let anyone harm you.¡± CH 40 The emperor and empress¡¯ argument came to an end for the moment. Originally, Wei Yingluo had thought the empress would interrogate her. But after a few days of waiting, she still had not come to do so. The saying ¡°don¡¯t use someone you can¡¯t trust and don¡¯t trust someone you can¡¯t use¡± actually had some truth in it. The scholar died for his bosom friend. Now that the empress valued her so much, Wei Yingluo served her even more attentively from then on. The empress was fond of her carefulness and quick-wittedness, often keeping Wei Yingluo by her side. Today, when the empress took a stroll through the garden with Noble Lady Yu, she did not bring along Erqing or Mingyu, but rather Wei Yingluo. The scenery at the garden proved a sight for the eyes, though it was somewhat cold. The two masters wore thick cloaks draped over their shoulders, fragrant handheld braziers hidden in their sleeves. Slowly, they strolled across the winding wooden bridge, countless koi beneath it. Wherever they swam, it appeared like the koi were wandering through colorful silk. ¡°You don¡¯t have to stay shut indoors at Yonghe Palace every day. If you are free, come visit Changchun Palace some more. You can also come have a look at the garden. However, you must bring your servants. There has to be someone at your side at all times,¡± said the empress in a gentle tone. Noble Lady Yu had paled and grown thin. Forcing herself to smile, she replied, ¡°Even if this concubine spends my whole life to do so, this concubine can never fully repay Your Majesty the empress for your kindness.¡± A smile graced the empress¡¯ lips. ¡°This palace is the empress and ought to take care of the six palaces. This palace is unworthy of your repayment.¡± First, Noble Lady Yu smiled. Then, she sighed. ¡°If those in the palace were as tolerant and magnanimous as Your Majesty, then there wouldn¡¯t be as much gossip.¡± Although the empress knew whom she was implying, she did not know how to console Noble Lady Yu. Once again, she worried that the other party would overthink and cause troubles for her pregnancy. The empress hinted to Wei Yingluo with her gaze: to find something to lift Noble Lady Yu¡¯s mood, and to not allow her to suffer from pent-up frustrations. For a moment, Wei Yingluo could not think of anything interesting to talk about. On the contrary, it was Noble Lady Yu herself who did. After looking all around for a short while, she suddenly stopped her in tracks and said with surprise, ¡°What an adorable puppy.¡± One could only see a snow-white lump approaching from not too far away. Upon closer inspection, it was a completely snow-white puppy. A few little court eunuchs chased after it. One of them carried a colorful dog bowl to his chest. The bowl was filled with exquisite hot food. Another eunuch rushed as he shouted, ¡°Aiyah, my little master. Wait for this slave, wait for this slave.¡± It amused Weei Yingluo. A puppy actually became a master. ¡°What master, what slave? Truly outrageous.¡± The empress was someone very particular about etiquette and rules, an unhappy expression on her face as she said, ¡°Who knows which palace¡¯s imperial concubine is raising that dog¡­¡± The puppy sniffed the air, nose raised to the sky. Then it ran straight at Wei Yingluo and the others. Noble Lady Yu liked the young and adorable puppy. A sliver of a smile appeared on her lips. She bent down slightly, as if she wanted to pet it. But the closer the puppy grew, the smaller her smile became. In the end, there was only alarm on her face. The puppy growled and bared its fangs, charging at Noble Lady Yu as if it were mad. As the palace servants cried out, the puppy was about to sink its teeth on her, wild and crazed. ¡°Ah, go away!¡± Fangcao, a first-ranked palace maid who was supposed to be guarding Noble Lady Yu, seemed frightened out of her soul by the puppy. Not only did she fail to protect Noble Lady Yu and bring her away, she instead pushed her master closer to it. Noble Lady Yu¡¯s face was already as pale as snow. Due to excessive fear, she forgot to even call out for help, standing in place like a block of wood. A blood-curdling howl. The puppy was sent flying in the air in a parabola, falling to the ground, rolling quite a few times. Snow-white fur practically became one with the snow. It whimpered a bit, yet could not get up, only able to stare at Wei Yingluo from afar with fear in its gaze. ¡°Audacious!!¡± A hand with its nails painted crimson scooped up the puppy from behind, carrying it to that person¡¯s chest. Don¡¯t support theft; read this free at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. ¡°What are you even? Actually daring to harm this palace¡¯s beloved pet dog!¡± said Noble Consort Hui, ice cold. ¡°Arrest her!¡± Shock collided with Wei Yingluo¡¯s form. Never had she expected¡ªno, she should have long since anticipated it. Who else in the imperial palace would be this arrogant and despotic, daring to lift up her own dog¡¯s identity into that of a master? It could have only been the Noble Consort Hui before her eyes. ¡°Your Highness the noble consort!¡± yelled Wei Yingluo to gain the upper hand by a show of strength, after seeing some eunuchs approaching from the other woman¡¯s command. ¡°But you had your dog harm someone. Were you plotting to kill the fetus Noble Lady Yu is carrying?¡± Originally, Noble Consort Hui had wanted to frame Wei Yingluo. But at this moment, she would never admit it. And it was even less likely that she would make a move on Wei Yingluo right now. Otherwise, people would suspect her of killing someone to silence them. ¡°What a good slave. Not only do you injure this palace¡¯s beloved dog, you even slander this palace now.¡± Noble Consort Hui sneered. ¡°Your Majesty the empress, how do you think such a person should be taken care of?¡± ¡°Before she¡¯s taken care of, handle your dog first.¡± How would the empress allow her to step on her head? To bully her trusted aide in front of everyone? At once, she said in a dull manner, ¡°Dogs will not cause problems for no reason. Look at what¡¯s in its dog bowl!¡± Immediately, everyone threw themselves at the little eunuch who held the food bowl to his chest. But they discovered this: the food had vanished without a trace. When asked, the little eunuch hemmed and hawed, only saying that the puppy named Snowball had eaten it all. A bunch of nonsense. But for now, they could not do anything to that eunuch. From the crowd of palace servants, one said to the empress, ¡°Your Majesty, the food bowl is empty. If we want to know what the puppy ate, the only option is to cut its stomach open¡ª¡± ¡°Presumptuous!¡± yelled Noble Consort Shu, shrill to the ears. ¡°This palace will tear open whoever dares touch a hair on my dog!¡± How could that palace servant have the courage to offend her? She fell silent in a flash, to the point where she regretted talking too much. Without evidence, things came to an impasse. The one who committed a crime was a dog who couldn¡¯t speak. They couldn¡¯t have someone interrogate a dog, right? In the end, they could only drop the subject. Both sides parted on bad terms. As the empress brushed past the other woman, she looked back and said, ¡°Noble Consort, Yingluo basically helped you. If your dog actually injured Noble Lady Yu before, there would definitely be an uproar. The way this palace sees it, you need to control the people by your side well! If they¡¯re this incompetent again, and can¡¯t even control a dog, letting it cause an accident, this palace would not be as lenient next time!¡± The hand Noble Consort Hui used to stroke the puppy suddenly tightened into a squeeze, causing the puppy to lift its head and whimper pathetically. Not only did Noble Consort Hui ponder over the empress¡¯ words, but on the way back, Wei Yingluo also pondered over them. ¡°What is it?¡± asked the empress with a smile. ¡°Did you notice something strange?¡± ¡°¡­Could someone be using Noble Consort Hui as a tool?¡± asked Wei Yingluo with much caution. Slowly, the empress nodded, expression grave. ¡°If something happened, rather than the dog, it would definitely be its master punished. Although Noble Consort Hui is arrogant and despotic, she wouldn¡¯t do something that would harm others without benefiting herself. There is definitely someone behind this¡­¡± For now, there was no way to determine who it was. But something was for certain. And that was¡­ someone wanted to make a move on Noble Lady Yu. As Wei Yingluo carefully recalled the events of the day, the image of someone gradually emerged in her mind. A cold smile slid across her lips. She said to the empress, ¡°Your Majesty, this slave would like to do a task for you¡­¡± And the empress let her pay a sick visit to Yonghe Palace. It was not only to visit a sick person, but also to deliver powder made of crushed pearls. After Noble Lady Yu had been startled, she had nightmares every night. Because of this, she required fear-suppressing pills to sleep. But such things could harm the fetus, unsuitable for many uses, and needed to be taken with pearl powder to remove the side effects. Pearl powder was not considered a rarity, yet wasn¡¯t something an unfavored imperial concubine could use every day. Therefore, after the empress had caught word of this, she specially allocated some pearl powder from her personal storage and had it sent to Noble Lady Yu. This was a complicated matter. Noble Lady Yu wasn¡¯t favored or high-ranked. No one wanted to do this errand, so when Wei Yingluo agreed to take it on, other people let out a breath of relief. Today, like usual, Wei Yingluo delivered pearl powder to Yonghe Palace. Because she went there often, the servants there all recognized her, and she made for the sleeping wing without issue. She saw Noble Lady Yu still curled up in bed. Obviously, she was pregnant, but she appeared emaciated, with not a bit of flesh visible on her body. Forcing a smile, she said, ¡°Yingluo, you¡¯ve come.¡± Wei Yingluo looked around, smiling. ¡°Where is Fangcao?¡± ¡°She went to make pills out of the pearl powder.¡± Noble Lady Yu sighed. ¡°I haven¡¯t finished the ones from last time. You don¡¯t have to give me more this urgently.¡± Coughs spilled from her lips. ¡°Sit. This palace will have her pour you some tea. Fangcao, Fangcao!¡± ¡°This slave is here, this slave is here,¡± said Noble Lady Yu¡¯s personal attendant, pushing the door open before entering the room. She presented Wei Yingluo a cup of good tea. In the end, just as the teacup was set down, Wei Yingluo grasped her hand. ¡°Fangcao.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled at her. ¡°What is with your hand?¡± Because she had been in a rush, Fangcao only washed her hands a little. They were not completely clean, a bit of pearl powder remaining beneath her fingernails, bright and yellow. ¡°I-I was making pearl pills before and haven¡¯t washed my hands clean. I¡¯ll go wash them some more now.¡± Although Fangcao wanted to pull her hand back, she discovered that Wei Yingluo¡¯s fingers were like metal pincers, grip vice-like. She could not help but have her expression change. Noble Lady Yu looked at her, then looked at Wei Yingluo. Suspicious, she asked, ¡°Yingluo, what is going on?¡± ¡°Noble Lady.¡± Wei Yingluo slowly turned to her. ¡°You have traitors by your side.¡± CH 41 ¡°How could she be a traitor?¡± said Noble Lady Yu, startled. ¡°Fangcao has always been attending to me. She did not leave me even during my days of most suffering¡­¡± ¡°T-that¡¯s right!¡± Fangcao rubbed her hands. ¡°This slave is faithful and true toward the noble lady. How could this slave be a traitor?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Then Wei Yingluo applied more strength as she dragged Fangcao before Noble Lady Yu. Forced her to open and show her hands. ¡°Look, Noble Lady. Pearl powder is pure white in color. But the fine powder underneath Fangcao¡¯s fingernails is clearly yellowish. This isn¡¯t the color pearl powder should be!¡± ¡°Pearl powder is this color!¡± said Fangcao, clenching her teeth. In a flash, Wei Yingluo brought out the pearl powder she had carried with her today. There was no need for words. When compared side by side to spot genuine from fake, one was pure white without a stain, like the first snow of winter. The other was darker in shade and gave off a hint of yellow, like a yellow muddy footprint upon snow. Noble Lady Yu wasn¡¯t blind. The moment she saw the difference, her face grew ashen. ¡°Noble Lady, do you still have the pearl powder pills that Fangcao made in the past?¡± asked Wei Yingluo. ¡°Yes.¡± She went over to her pillow and flipped it over. In the end, she took out a porcelain bottle. Handed it over to Wei Yingluo. ¡°It¡¯s this. I¡¯ve had more than half, so there¡¯s only a few pills left.¡± Wei Yingluo pulled free the stopper to the bottle, pouring the remaining three pills into the hollow of her palm. Once they came into view, they appeared to sparkle white as snow. Unexpectedly, all three pills were snow-white and round as a ball. ¡°I told you that you misunderstood¡­¡± said Fangcao, seizing the opportunity to dispute. Wei Yingluo cast her a glance. She dropped two of the pills back inside the bottle. Then she crushed the remaining one between two fingers, crushing it to pieces. Fine powder fluttered about as it fell onto the table, spreading over the surface like snow. Such snow resembled stars in the sky, slight in its shine. ¡°This is definitely not pearl powder.¡± Using a finger, Wei Yingluo touched the powder on the table¡¯s surface. Held out that finger in front of Noble Lady Yu¡¯s face. ¡°This slave is unable to concretely determine what this is. But the imperial physicians definitely can.¡± There were no genuinely stupid or ignorant people in the palace. Even the Noble Lady Yu who had endured humiliation had some knowledge. As Wei Yingluo watched her touch the powder and bring it to her nose for a smell, she saw something flash in her eyes. In an instant, Noble Lady Yu knew what it was. ¡°¡­This is certainly not pearl powder. Rather, it is shell powder!¡± Noble Lady Yu stared at Fangcao with bloodshot eyes. ¡°Fangcao, why are you passing off fake products as genuine? Why did you swap out the empress¡¯ pearl powder?!¡± Aware that she couldn¡¯t hide things any longer, Fangcao immediately dropped to a kneel, kowtowing over and over again. She sobbed as she said, ¡°This slave is guilty! This slave¡¯s mother has fallen ill with no money to treat it. There really was no other option. This slave knew that shell powder is inexpensive and pearl powder precious, and so substituted the empress¡¯ pearl powder with it in order to exchange it for money! Begging Noble Lady to spare this slave on account of this slave¡¯s wholehearted service until now!¡± Seeing her pitiful appearance and recalling their mutual affection in the past, Noble Lady Yu felt rather pained as she said, ¡°You oh you. If your mother is ill, you could have just told me. Or did you think I wouldn¡¯t care? I am so disappointed in you for what you¡¯ve done!¡± Picking up on Noble Lady Yu¡¯s intention to let her off, Fangcao was overjoyed. ¡°This slave was momentarily confused¡­¡± ¡°Momentarily confused?¡± Wei Yingluo smiled. ¡°No, you¡¯re very shrewd.¡± Such words startled Noble Lady Yu and Fangcao. ¡°Look, Noble Lady.¡± Wei Yingluo poured the remaining two pills from the bottle onto the table. ¡°She swapped out pearl powder for the cheap shell powder. On the surface, it¡¯s theft, but look carefully, your honored self. Shell powder gives off a yellow tinge, so pills made from it should be a mix of colors. But the shell powder pills that Fangcao gave you were snow-white in their exterior. Inside was a slightly shiny powder. If I didn¡¯t crush the pill with my fingers, there¡¯s no way anyone can tell the difference¡­¡± Slowly, she raised her head. Stared at the women whose face paled. ¡°Money simply wasn¡¯t her motive. Rather, it¡¯s to have you eat these pills without suspicion.¡± Noble Lady Yu could not help but raise her hands and grip her throat. It were as if those pearl pills she had taken in the past days returned to her throat, shedding off their snow-white exterior and revealing a green and liquid poison. She felt like throwing up. ¡°Speak!¡± said Wei Yingluo in a severe tone toward Fangcao. ¡°Your plan has already been foiled, and the master behind you would absolutely not come out to protect you. The only way out for you is to tell us everything and hope that Noble Lady will forgive you. That she would plead for your sake in front of Her Majesty the empress!¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. If things were truly brought in front of the empress, would she still have a way to survive? This time, Fangcao was truly afraid. She dared not cover up the truth anymore, yelling, ¡°Imperial Concubine Jia. It was Her Highness Imperial Concubine Jia who ordered this slave to do this!¡± Originally, Noble Lady Yu had thought that the name leaving her lips would be that of Noble Consort Hui. Who would have imagined another name would jump out? Shocked, she said, ¡°Imperial Concubine Jia?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± In order to keep her life, Fangcao came clean. ¡°A few days ago, Her Highness Imperial Concubine Jia looked for this slave and said that since Imperial Concubine Yi was already dead, Yonghe Palace only had one master left: you. But your honored self would remain shut up indoors, trembling with fear all day long. Even if you gave birth to an imperial prince, you would definitely not receive the emperor¡¯s favor. Our Yonghe palace is bound to become a Cold Palace for the rest of our lives!¡± Noble Lady Yu was so furious that trembles wracked her body. ¡°And so you betrayed me?¡± ¡°No wonder, no wonder.¡± Wei Yingluo realized something. ¡°Previously, when a dog attacked Noble Lady Yu in the imperial gardens, not only did you fail to protect her and bring her away, you pushed her closer to the dog from behind. You were already working for Imperial Concubine Jia at that time, right?¡± Sobbing and whimpering, Fangcao was too afraid to reply. She only hoped that her tears were able to stir Noble Lady Yu¡¯s pity somewhat. ¡°Fangcao, I¡¯ll ask you this. Just what did you add to the shell powder?¡± said Noble Lady Yu, ice-cold. For a good while, she hesitated, until finally saying in a low voice, ¡°In order to change the color of the shell powder, you need to wash it with a dye¡­¡± ¡°Shameful!¡± Noble Lady Yu could no longer hold back her anger. ¡°You¡¯re actually this malicious!¡± She was pregnant right now. Dye contained poison in its composition. If she had eaten pills with dye for a long period, could she still have birthed a healthy child? Fangcao¡¯s all sorts of malicious schemes had whittled away to the nothing the old affection Noble Lady Yu still had for her. Noble Lady Yu ruthlessly turned her head, not sparing her a single glance as she said with hatred and revulsion, ¡°Yingluo, bring her to the empress!¡± ¡°No! No!¡± Fangcao threw herself over as she sobbed. ¡°This slave has already confessed everything. Don¡¯t bring this slave to the empress!¡± Noble Lady Yu closed her eyes, callously refusing to look at her. But the Wei Yingluo by her side pondered for a moment, before saying all of a sudden, ¡°Fangcao, were there any witnesses around when Imperial Concubine Jia gave you those things?¡± To which Fangcao shook her head. Sure enough, that was the case. Wei Yingluo said to Noble Lady Yu, ¡°The other party is an expert in scheming. There are no witnesses and the material evidence is insufficient. If we report it rashly to the empress, one would fear they¡¯d counterattack and say that Yonghe Palace was framing them.¡± In a daze, Noble Lady Yu said, ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°Rather than taking care of this traitor now, and allow the other party to use another person to continue harming you, why not let Fangcao remain temporarily?¡± Wei Yingluo shot a cold glance at the person in question. ¡°This way, she¡¯d think your honored self is still taking those poisonous shell powder pills¡­¡± After a moment of deep thought, Noble Lady Yu came to the conclusion that this was indeed the best method. At the very least, it wasn¡¯t a case where ¡°the enemy knew but I was blind.¡± Where she had to constantly be on the alert for people trying to kill her in secret. ¡°We¡¯ll do as you¡¯ve suggested.¡± Noble Lady Yu nodded. ¡°Fangcao, if Imperial Concubine Jia sends anyone to ask, tell them that I¡¯ve eaten all the shell powder she sent¡­¡± ¡°There has to be a set time limit¡­¡± Wei Yingluo thought for a moment. ¡°Let¡¯s go with half a month later. Go and personally tell Imperial Concubine Jia that all the shell powder pills are finished and ask her to send a new batch! Did you hear me?¡± How could Fangcao have any other choice but to obey? She could only pose as a double agent, kneeling as she pressed her body to the ground. ¡°Yes!¡± Then that¡¯s good. From above, Wei Yingluo looked at her, heart cold as ice. This move of hers was not only to save Noble Lady Yu but to save the empress who trusted her so much as well. After all, if something happened to Noble Lady Yu, when people investigated this case, they would discover in almost no time that the pearl powder had come from Changchun Palace. In fact, whether it was pearl powder or ginseng or some other nourishing ingredient, as long as there was a traitor like Fangcao around, they would have tampered with them. This, Wei Yingluo had long since anticipated. The mastermind wants to frame you and the empress. Our Changchun Palace sent pearl powder, and there¡¯s an eighty percent chance she tampered with it. To beat them at their own game, we indeed grabbed onto you, Fangcao. But who knows when Noble Consort Hui would discover that there was a traitor by her side. One who seemed loyal and devoted¡­ In a grandiose manner, a procession passed through a walled-in path. Every two court eunuchs carried a cask, each covered tightly with red silk. A glance, and it seemed like a bride with a red veil, carried by others with her feet never touching the ground. ¡°What¡¯s that? It¡¯s so mysterious.¡± Noble Consort Hui sat at a pavilion, pointing at the procession from far away. ¡°It¡¯s the annual tribute from the inspector-general of Fujian Province. Lychee trees,¡± replied Imperial Concubine Jia not a beat later. ¡°There are a hundred trees in total. Other than the ones that are to be bestowed to the members of royalty, aristocrats, and high-ranking officials, the rest will be sent to Changchun Palace.¡± Jealousy flashed through Noble Consort Hui¡¯s eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t even get one tree. All of them went to her.¡± These tributary lychee trees came from far, far away. They traveled from Fujian Province all the way to the Forbidden City. Because these trees were not acclimated with the climate present, more than half their fruit had fallen. The remaining fruit were divided among the empress dowager, the empress, the imperial concubines, and the favored imperial clan members and high-ranking officials. Anyone who could have a taste of one fruit would consider it an enormous serving of good fortune. From this, it could be seen that the empress held a huge portion of the emperor¡¯s heart. ¡°It¡¯s only a few fruit trees,¡± said Imperial Concubine Jia to appease her. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s only a few fruit trees.¡± Noble Consort Hui stroked the puppy, Snowball, in her arms. ¡°The emperor truly treats the empress well. This palace treats you¡­ truly well too, right?¡± Imperial Concubine Jia fell into a daze. She wasn¡¯t sure if there was a hidden meaning to her words. In a haste, Imperial Concubine Jia said with much caution, ¡°Of course. It is thanks to Noble Consort that this concubine is what I am today.¡± A smile bloomed on Noble Consort Hui¡¯s lips. She stared at her with a beautiful and malicious gaze. ¡°Then why did you betray me?¡± CH 42 Imperial Concubine Jia was shocked to her bones. Certainly, she could outright deny Noble Consort Hui¡¯s accusation. But after she had thought it over carefully, she realized that since Noble Consort Hui could utter such words, the other party had clearly uncovered something. This woman did not even need a reason to kill someone, much less this situation, where she did. In a flash, Imperial Concubine Jia fell to the side of Noble Consort Hui¡¯s feet. ¡°Your Highness, this concubine did this for your honored self!¡± ¡°For this palace?¡± Noble Consort Hui sneered. ¡°You used this palace¡¯s dog to frame this palace, then say that you did this for me? One would fear this was not the case, and that in actuality, you have done this for your son, Fourth Prince. So that Noble Lady Yu won¡¯t give birth to another prince and ruin your good plans!¡± If she denied everything, it would appear too fake. As such, Imperial Concubine Jia clenched her teeth. ¡°Yes, this concubine admits it. This concubine does not want Noble Lady Yu to give birth to a prince. However this concubine was also considering your honored self. Your Highness already holds a great animosity against Yonghe Palace. If we do not completely cut off Noble Lady Yu¡¯s escape route, one would fear it will cause endless trouble!¡± Noble Consort Hui muttered to herself for a moment, before saying, ¡°Tell me what you did to Noble Lady Yu.¡± ¡°Yes¡­¡± Imperial Concubine Jia rushed to explain the entirety of her scheme. When Noble Consort Hui heard that Noble Lady Yu had already eaten the fake pearl powder for half a month, she wore a trace of surprise. ¡°Is that woman truly this stupid? She didn¡¯t sense anything wrong at all?¡± ¡°That woman was originally stupid. She only has Fangcao as a trusted aide. Once Fangcao betrays her, she¡¯s finished,¡± said Imperial Concubine Jia, a smile on her lips. ¡°Yesterday, Fangcao came to report that the shell powder sent over previously was almost finished. And that she needs a new batch.¡± ¡°Give it to her!¡± Noble Consort Hui smiled in a carefree fashion. ¡°Give her however much she wants. Stuff up Noble Lady Yu¡¯s stomach with it!¡± Seeing her this happy, Imperial Concubine Jia felt a wave of relief wash over herself. ¡°Yes, Your Highness.¡± Naturally, Noble Consort Hui could send over all the shell powder at once without any care. But Imperial Concubine Jia was different from her. Compared to speed, she much preferred stability. ¡°If we believe everything Fangcao says, then we¡¯ll be the next Noble Lady Yu.¡± Imperial Concubine Jia stored away the boot-licking appearance she had always put on in front of Noble Consort Hui. Calm, she instructed the trusted aide by her side, ¡°Go out and ask around about any news from Yonghe Palace. Especially those pertaining to the imperial physicians.¡± In almost no time at all, the trusted aide returned with information. ¡°Recently, Noble Lady Yu has had severe stomach cramps. The Imperial Academy of Medicine cannot find any abnormalities for the cause, and prescribed some medicine to calm the fetus as well as more pearl powder pills per day.¡± Then the trusted aide said probingly, ¡°Your Highness, shall this slave immediately head out and prepare some new shell powder?¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Wait!¡± said Imperial Concubine Jia after the trusted aide was halfway to the door. The trusted aide looked back. ¡°Does Your Highness have additional orders?¡± ¡°Go tell Fangcao¡­¡± A moment of muttering to herself. ¡°¡­that one must be very meticulous when mixing the shell powder. It will require two days to make. We¡¯ll meet again during the lychee banquet.¡± The trusted aide¡¯s expression was one of doubt. ¡°There¡¯s clearly still some left over¡ª¡± ¡°Just do as I say!¡± Although her heart brimmed with doubt, since her master had issued the order, the trusted aide could only swallow all her questions. She curtsied and left. ¡°Hopefully I¡¯m just overthinking it. Noble Lady Yu isn¡¯t the type of person to figure out such a scheme,¡± said Imperial Concubine Jia, looking at the back figure of her trusted aide. Then she mumbled to herself, ¡°But just in case¡­¡± Like before, Wei Yingluo arrived at Yonghe Palace to deliver the pearl powder. Fangcao had already waited for her for a good while. The moment she caught sight of Wei Yingluo, she rushed toward her, bursting with anxiety. ¡°Yingluo, Imperial Concubine Jia just recently sent someone to find me. They told me to go to them for the shell powder after the lychee banquet.¡± ¡°She¡¯s actually well-informed.¡± Laughter spilled from Wei Yingluo¡¯s lips. ¡°Her Majesty the empress had just decided to host a lychee banquet, yet they already knew about it¡­¡± It was evident that Imperial Concubine Jia was not a simple person. Without a word, she had extended her claws into Changchun Palace. ¡°You did very well. Keep it up.¡± Wei Yingluo patted Fangcao¡¯s shoulder. ¡°So long as you help me catch her red-handed, even you¡¯ll be able to make up for your wrongdoings.¡± Stammering, Fangcao said, ¡°You¡¯re the one who said it, so you better keep your word.¡± The two were mutually content with the terms of their negotiations. Now they were just waiting quietly for the lychee banquet. Don¡¯t support theft; read this at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. This banquet would be held in half a month¡¯s time. The leading role fell to the three lychee trees that the emperor had bestowed to the empress. The lychees had not yet been picked; all of them remained on the trees. Only when the banquet started would the servants pick the lychees one by one, placing the freshest and juiciest of them on the guests¡¯ plates. As she passed through the banquet area, Wei Yingluo sneaked a peek around. Attending the event were Consort Xian, Consort Chun, Noble Consort Hui, Imperial Concubine Jia, and the two new additions to the imperial harem. Finally, there was the emperor¡­ Wei Yingluo rushed to drop her head, picking up her pace as she left. When she reached the agreed-upon destination, a dark alley, Wei Yingluo hid quietly among the shadows of the walls for a period. From not too far away, two people gradually approached. One was Fangcao. The other was a trusted aide of Imperial Concubine Jia. The trusted aide¡¯s actions were careful to the max; she was afraid that the walls had ears. She did not speak much to Fangcao, pretending to brush past her as she stuffed an embroidered silk bag into Fangcao¡¯s bosom. Following that, she made to leave at once. There was no way Wei Yingluo would let her escape. At lightning speed, she jumped out from the shadows of the wall, grabbing that person¡¯s arm. ¡°How dare you change out Noble Lady Yu¡¯s pearl powder! You¡¯re conspiring to murder an imperial prince!¡± At first, she thought she had gained the upper hand by a show of strength. If she was lucky, she could get the trusted aide to spill some things due to fear. Who would have imagined that this person would instead be very calm? ¡°I don¡¯t know what you are talking about.¡± Her composed demeanor caused doubt to spring from Wei Yingluo¡¯s heart. A good while later, she suddenly opened the embroidered bag in her hands in front of them all. Fangcao, who was standing next to her, cried out, ¡°Why are these just aromatic herbs?¡± Indeed, within the silk brocade bag were only aromatic herbs, not a speck of pearl powder in sight. ¡°Other than aromatic herbs, what else could it be?¡± The trusted aide smiled in an insincere fashion. ¡°Her Highness Imperial Concubine Jia personally embroidered this silk brocade bag for the little prince for good luck. It¡¯s not whatever pearl powder or shell powder that you speak of.¡± ¡°Her Highness Imperial Concubine Jia is truly astute. So it turns out she had long since guarded against this¡­ Not good!¡± Since Imperial Concubine Jia already discovered something amiss, why did she still specially send someone to make the appointment? Unless¡­ Wei Yingluo¡¯s complexion changed. ¡°We¡¯ve fallen for her trap!¡± She abandoned the other two people, turned around, and hurried toward the storeroom where the lychee trees were. Before she could even step through the door, she heard someone weeping inside. The moment Wei Yingluo entered the room, the little palace maid in charge of watching over the lychee trees tried her utmost to explain with a pale face, ¡°It wasn¡¯t me! And I don¡¯t know who did this either. I was only away for a moment, but when I returned, I discovered that s-someone had poured boiling water all over the lychee tree to kill them!¡± Wei Yingluo shoved her away. In a few steps, she was before the lychee trees. And all she could see was this sight: The roots had grown swollen and mushy from the perpetrator¡¯s actions, and all the lychees had fallen to the ground. ¡°What¡¯s to be done?¡± wailed the little palace maid. ¡°The emperor will have me beheaded¡­¡± It wouldn¡¯t just be her. If the tribute was damaged, perhaps a large group of people would lose their heads. Even Wei Yingluo might not be let off the hook. ¡°Stop crying!¡± said Wei Yingluo, expression unsightly. She dropped to a squat. Picked up a few of the lychees and examined them for a short period. Afterward, she said to the little palace maid next to her who wept endlessly, ¡°Do you want to die? Or do you want to live?¡± ¡°Of course I-I want to live¡­¡± she replied, choking with emotion. Wei Yingluo said, ¡°Open your hands.¡± Then she placed the lychees she had been holding into the hollow of the palace maid¡¯s palms. ¡°Use these as a standard, and pick up any lychees that are pleasing to the eye. Send those to the Imperial Kitchens. Inform them that the empress is holding a lychee banquet, and that they must immediately think up recipes for lychee dishes! When the time comes, you must report to Her Majesty the empress the following: The lychees of two trees have been used to make dishes. The remaining tree¡¯s lychees will be picked and served to the guests as planned!¡± ¡°A-as planned?¡± The little palace maid was scared silly. ¡°T-then wouldn¡¯t everything be exposed?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about that. Just do what I told you to do!¡± said Wei Yingluo, ice cold. ¡°Hurry and go!¡± ¡°Yes, yes!¡± Since Wei Yingluo wanted to shoulder half the responsibility, how could the little palace maid be unwilling? Immediately, she kneeled on the ground. Picked up some lychees from the ground in a fluster. From her peripheral vision, she could see Wei Yingluo rushing out of the storeroom. Because the empress had said early on that she would personally pick lychees and present them to the emperor, it was only natural that she must not renege on this promise so easily. There must be a lychee tree available to carry into the banquet area. If there wasn¡¯t even one tree to bring over, then what¡¯s to be done? The empress would definitely be humiliated. Noble Consort Hui and Imperial Concubine Jia would for certain seize the opportunity to find fault with the way the empress¡¯ servants handled affairs. They¡¯d have the emperor punish those servants in charge of the lychee banquet. And those servants¡­ are precisely the empress¡¯ most capable trusted aides, as well as servants that are being raised to become those. Since the lychee banquet involved tributes and the emperor, the empress had her most competent and reliable servants in charge of said banquet. And among them was Wei Yingluo. If something happened during the lychee banquet, this group of people would definitely be punished. There was no choice but to punish them. In this way, the empress would not only lose face, but her muscles and bones as well. Perhaps quite a few trusted aides at once¡­ There¡¯s no way I would let this happen to her. Wei Yingluo clenched her teeth. I need to think of a plan. I need to think of a plan¡­ There¡¯s someone! I need to find her! CH 43.1 Like flowing water, dish after dish consisting of lychees were sent to the banquet. There were stir-fried lychee and shrimp balls, fried egg and lychee, roast duck with fresh lychee salad, red lychee rolls, pork and lychee balls, and so on. The empress scooped a spoonful of clear soup. Within sat a snow-white lychee, as well as a few scarlet wolfberries. White at the center with rosy surroundings. As though a couple of red plum blossoms fluttered among the snow, lovely to the max. ¡°Your Majesty the empress, this is the dish called White Snow Red Plum Blossom that the imperial kitchens specially made.¡± Erqing noticed her inquisitive expression, and so explained at the side, ¡°It¡¯s easy for one to suffer from excessive internal heat from eating lychees. Thus, they must be soaked in warm salt water, and then paired with wolfberries.¡± ¡°There has been much attention and consideration put into the tea and meals. Simply the outward appearance of this is elegant to an immense degree.¡± The empress smiled. ¡°Emperor, have a taste.¡± Hongli cut an absent-minded figure, gaze wandering everywhere. What he was searching for in the crowd proved anyone¡¯s guess. It wasn¡¯t until the White Snow Red Plum Blossom was sent before him that he smiled faintly at the empress. ¡°Empress is considerate.¡± A sliver of envy flashed through Noble Consort Hui¡¯s eyes. She stroked her tortoiseshell nail guards, a smile blossoming on her lips. ¡°Lychee dishes are very common. After all, there are dried lychees sent here every year, and condiments can be added to them. But they won¡¯t taste like this! People who truly want to eat lychees are most interested in the fresh sort. Your Majesty the empress, aren¡¯t you supposed to personally pick the lychees today? Why haven¡¯t the servants brought out the lychee tree yet?¡± The empress found it strange as well. According to the plan, the lychee tree should have already been brought out. But for some reason, there hadn¡¯t been any sign of activity regarding that. ¡°Speaking of which, who¡¯s in charge of this¡­?¡± Noble Consort Hui smiled profoundly. ¡°This concubine remembers now. It¡¯s a palace maid named Wei Yingluo.¡± All of a sudden, the hand Hongli was using to hold a lychee paused. The empress did not become aware of it, but because of Noble Consort Hui¡¯s smile, she wrinkled her brows. They had fought against each other for so many years, and had been enemies for so long. The empress could be considered the person who understood Noble Consort Hui the most in the world. This smile obviously carried ill intentions. What does she want to do? What can she do? All of a sudden, Hongli said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Have the palace maid named¡­ Wei Yingluo bring the lychee tree out.¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. Alarm struck the empress¡¯ heart. Although she felt uneasy, since the emperor had already spoken, there was no way she could reject his decision in public. She could only say, ¡°Where¡¯s Yingluo? Have her bring the lychee tree over.¡± The order was issued, but said person still did not appear. After a while, Noble Consort Hui said, voice springing from all around, ¡°Oh, that Wei Yingluo is truly bold, actually daring to make His Majesty, the empress, and so many imperial concubines wait for a servant like her.¡± The implications behind Noble Consort Hui¡¯s smile grew deeper. ¡°The empress¡¯ palace was able to teach and train such a servant. Hehe.¡± The empress furrowed her brows. From her understanding of Wei Yingluo, she would not make such a mistake without rhyme or reason, slighting so many noble personages of the imperial palace. What good would that do for her? Something must have happened. She swept her peripheral vision at Noble Consort Hui. And she caught sight of her appearance, one of waiting for a good show to start. The empress¡¯ heart grew cold. ¡°Perhaps this matter has something to do with her¡­¡± The empress wanted to dodge the matter altogether, but the arrow had already been plucked and must be released. The emperor, Noble Consort Hui, Imperial Concubine Jia¡­ So many pairs of eyes stared at her, their owners waiting for her to reply. How should she answer¡­? Just when the empress was hard-pressed, her ears caught Erqing saying, ¡°Your Majesty! It¡¯s Wei Yingluo! She¡¯s come!¡± Wei Yingluo came? Everyone turned to look at her, wanting to see how this presumptuous palace maid appeared. At first glance, one could tell that her uniform did not seem any different from those of other palace maids. At second glance, one felt she was different from the other palace maids, however. Such an appearance¡­ was too beautiful. Her breath resembled the fragrance of orchids. Her looks clear as a lotus core. Even among the candidates for the Selection, who went through layer upon layer of inspection, there were few as beautiful as her. The empress had a large heart, actually allowing such a beauty to serve by her side. Was she not afraid this beauty would attract the emperor¡¯s attention? Compared to Wei Yingluo, the woman whom she was supporting was overshadowed. Thin and pallid like a wilting flower. Perhaps the only thing surpassing Wei Yingluo were the clothes she wore, those belonging to a master. ¡°Noble Lady Yu, why are you here?¡± asked the empress, shocked. The woman Wei Yingluo was supporting was supposed to be in Yonghe Palace for her pregnancy. Noble Lady Yu. She smiled at the empress. ¡°Since Your Majesty the empress has hosted this banquet, this concubine ought to be present. Your Majesty shows solicitude for me, so this concubine must not be lazy.¡± Hongli slowly shifted his gaze from Wei Yingluo¡¯s face to Noble Lady Yu¡¯s. ¡°Has Noble Lady Yu¡¯s condition improved?¡± Noble Lady Yu rushed to perform a curtsy. ¡°Many thanks, Your Majesty, for the concern. This concubine¡¯s condition has already improved by quite a lot.¡± ¡°Then that¡¯s good. You need to pay more attention to your body. Don¡¯t have Empress worry over you.¡± Hongli nodded. ¡°Sit.¡± Noble Lady Yu took a seat in her usual position. As she sat, she exchanged a thoroughly-understanding gaze with Wei Yingluo. At almost the same time, Noble Consort Hui and Imperial Concubine Jia shared an equivalent gaze. Imperial Concubine Jia said, ¡°Your Majesty the empress, when will the lychees be plucked from the tree? This concubine is gluttonous, and is waiting for a taste of those fragrant, delicious, and fresh lychees!¡± Such words startled the empress. Then she looked at Wei Yingluo, worried. ¡°We have let the masters wait for too long,¡± replied Wei Yingluo with a relaxed smile. Following that, she shouted, ¡°Bring it over!¡± CH 43.2 Just as the words had left her lips, two court eunuchs carried a wooden barrel over. Covering it from top to bottom was a piece of red silk, hiding the lychee tree from sight. ¡°Your Majesty the empress,¡± said Wei Yingluo, approaching to present a tray. Upon it lay a pair of golden scissors. ¡°May your honored self personally pick the lychees.¡± The empress could already tell that something was amiss. For a moment, she could not think of how to respond. But she trusted Wei Yingluo. Believed that the other party had already figured out what to do. As such, the empress smiled and accepted the proffered pair of golden scissors, making her way to the lychee tree one step at a time. And then, slowly reached out to uncover the red silk¡­ ¡°Woof!¡± Such a sound startled the empress into taking a step backward. Once she clearly saw the situation before her, she could not help but widen her eyes and say, ¡°T-this is¡­¡± Beneath the red silk, the branches and leaves of the lychee tree lay withered. A majority of the fruit had fallen to the soil, only a few remaining on the tree. Upon closer inspection, there were many scratches on the tree trunk. And the main culprit was obviously¡­ Everyone looked at that snow-white lump under the tree. As if sensing the ill feelings from those stares, that ball of fluff barked a few times, before jumping out of the wooden barrel in a flash, running straight for Noble Consort Hui. ¡°Ah!!¡± Noble Lady Yu suddenly held onto Wei Yingluo¡¯s arm, hiding behind her. ¡°Don¡¯t come any closer! Don¡¯t bite me, don¡¯t bite me!¡± She shouted in such a sorrowful manner, as though that puppy¡¯s teeth had already pierced her throat, chewing her flesh. Hongli glanced at her. ¡°Servants, grab that dog.¡± Court eunuchs scrambled over to it, eager yet chaotic in their actions, grabbing hold of that furball in the end. It was evident that that furball had been accustomed to being pampered and spoiled since young, rarely receiving such rough treatment. In a flash, it whimpered like it had been wronged. Then the dog barked loudly in one direction. ¡°Be more gentle with your actions¡­¡± said Noble Consort Hui. Following that, she looked at Hongli, expression unsightly. ¡°Your Majesty¡ª¡± Before she could plead leniency for the furball, Noble Lady Yu cried out bitterly, ¡°Noble Consort Hui, once wasn¡¯t enough, and now there¡¯s a second time. Do you really want this concubine¡¯s life?¡± Hongli furrowed his brows. ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± ¡°Reporting to Your Majesty,¡± said Wei Yingluo in a deferential manner as she patted Noble Lady Yu¡¯s back, ¡°a month ago in the imperial gardens, this puppy called Snowball suddenly rushed out and frightened Noble Lady Yu. Because no one was hurt at that time, Her Majesty the empress magnanimously did not investigate further into that matter. However, Noble Lady Yu had suffered a fright, and needed to drink calming medicine every day in order to sleep. To one¡¯s surprise, her condition had just improved today when she suffered a fright again!¡± ¡°Audacious slave!¡± shouted Noble Consort Hui in a stern tone. ¡°What are you implying with these words? Could it be that you suspect this palace incited this animal to scare people?¡± In order to protect herself, she no longer referred to Snowball as ¡°Little Sweetie,¡± and instead called it an animal. ¡°This slave doesn¡¯t dare.¡± Wei Yingluo lowered her head. ¡°This slave is merely telling the truth.¡± At that moment, Noble Lady Yu broke free from Wei Yingluo¡¯s hold, throwing herself at Hongli¡¯s feet. Choking with sobs, she said, ¡°Your Majesty, save me. Save this concubine! If this continues, this concubine can¡¯t survive. This concubine will meet an end with two lives involved!¡± Hongli gazed down at her. He resembled a statue of a god or Buddha at a temple, looking down at the kneeling mortals from high above. ¡°Servants, support Noble Lady Yu up,¡± he said in an unhurried pace. ¡°We will take charge in this matter.¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± blurted Noble Consort Hui. ¡°Does your honored self truly believe her nonsense? Look carefully at that lychee tree. It was obviously killed by scalding water, yet she insists that the tree was scratched to death by a dog¡ª¡± Killed by scalding water? The empress thought, Good. You didn¡¯t get to examine the lychee tree, so how did you know what killed it? Perhaps you ordered someone to make a move on it in secret? She did not allow the other party to explain. ¡°Noble Consort Hui! It¡¯s not enough for you to repeatedly alarm Noble Lady Yu. You even caused trouble today during this palace¡¯s Lychee Banquet, frightening Noble Lady Yu again. Just what do you want to do?!¡± ¡°Snowball has always been very well-behaved. It has never caused any trouble before!¡± Noble Consort Hui clenched her teeth. ¡°One would fear that this time, someone used it to frame this concubine!¡± ¡°Frame?¡± The empress shook her head. ¡°Previously, that ferocious dog attacked Noble Lady Yu in the imperial gardens. Today, it did not bite anyone, yet stared at the tribute from Fujian Province, the present His Majesty specially gave to this palace!¡± Noble Consort Hui was left speechless. If that attack in the imperial gardens had not occurred, everyone could still believe her. But since there had been an attack, how could anyone believe that such a ferocious dog was as she had described, well-behaved and never causing trouble? ¡°Noble Consort,¡± said Hongli, sweeping his apathetic gaze to her. ¡°Do you have anything else to say for yourself?¡± Within the palace, in order to survive, to live well, one must master how to read people¡¯s expressions. Especially that of the emperor. A bang, and Noble Consort Hui fell to her knees by Hongli¡¯s feet. Through sobs, she said, ¡°It¡¯s all Snowball¡¯s fault, this animal. This concubine will definitely skin it once this concubine returns¡ª¡± ¡°When a tiger or rhinoceros escapes from its cage, when a tortoiseshell or a piece of jade is injured in its repository, whose fault is it?¡± asked Hongli. ¡°Naturally, it is the fault of the watchman,¡± replied Wei Yingluo, kneeling all of a sudden. ¡°Today, as the lychee tree was carried, Snowball scuttled about at our feet. Because it was Her Highness¡¯ Noble Consort Hui¡¯s beloved pet dog, we slaves dared not drive it away. In the end, such a thing occurred. It was this slave who did not do my best in keeping watch. This slave willingly accepts punishment! However¡­¡± From the corner of her eye, she glanced at the weeping Noble Lady Yu. Said in a soft voice, ¡°This slave will be so bold as to say something for Noble Lady Yu. Those who watched over the lychee tree will be punished, but what about those who damaged said tree?¡± ¡°Outrageous!¡± Imperial Concubine Jia slapped the table and stood. ¡°How does a slave like you have the qualifications to speak right now?¡± ¡°¡­She asked for this concubine.¡± A light sigh escaped Noble Lady Yu¡¯s lips. She raised her tear-stained face. When other women were pregnant, they would be healthy and plump. Only she hadn¡¯t gained any weight, both cheeks still sunken. Like a human skeleton. ¡°This concubine also wants to know if there is any place in this palace where this concubine can live?¡± For a moment, Imperial Concubine Jia could utter not a word. ¡°Your Majesties the empress and emperor are benevolent. Please forgive this slave¡¯s impertinence!¡± shouted Wei Yingluo in a brazen fashion. ¡°Noble Lady Yu is with child, her identity precious. The lychees are annual tributes from Fujian Province, and the Son of Heaven bestowed them to the empress. The empress is magnanimous and her status is honorable: She must not be provoked again and again! Everything in this case involved Snowball, but the ferocious dog is an animal after all. It doesn¡¯t know etiquette or rules. The one we must blame is its master, since they did not discipline or restrict it, allowing it to cause trouble repeatedly! This slave is so bold as to request this: May Your Majesty pass judgement!¡± For a good while, Hongli looked down at the woman kneeling before him. Afterward, he slowly turned his head. His tone proved indifferent yet lofty, with a dignified air that could not be refused as he said, ¡°Noble Consort Hui.¡± Such a voice carried no happiness, no anger, no blame. That said, it caused Noble Consort Hui to tremble. ¡°¡­Yes, Snowball hasn¡¯t been properly disciplined.¡± She clutched her hands into fists. ¡°Imperial Concubine Jia! Hurry and beg His Majesty for forgiveness!¡± Don¡¯t support theft; read this at sleepchaser¡¯s wordpress. Sacrificing the rook to save the king! This phrase flashed through everyone¡¯s mind. Including Imperial Concubine Jia herself. She complained about her bitter lot within her heart, yet she knew there was no getting out of this one. After all, she was the one who gave Noble Consort Hui this plan, and she was the one who allowed it to be ruined. ¡°Your Majesty, it is this concubine¡¯s fault.¡± Imperial Concubine Jia stood and dropped to a kneel before Hongli. ¡°Her Highness the noble consort feared that Snowball would be too naughty and mischievous. That it would ruin Her Majesty the empress¡¯ banquet. Thus, she urged this concubine to keep an eye on Snowball. It is this concubine who was too careless, allowing such a matter to occur. It has nothing to do with Her Highness the noble consort! If Your Majesty must punish someone, then punish this concubine!¡± Hongli tapped his fingers on the table. Although he didn¡¯t really believe Imperial Concubine Jia¡¯s words, Noble Consort Hui possessed too influential of a background. It was impossible to truly punish her in a severe manner just because of a few trees. But if the blame fell onto Imperial Concubine Jia, then everyone would be satisfied. Therefore, he said with indifference, ¡°These lychee trees were tributes from Fujian Province. They arrived in the capital city from far, far away. We personally gave these trees to the empress in order to make her happy. But due to your neglect, Our great effort has been all in vain. Right now, you should not be apologizing to Us, but rather to the empress!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Imperial Concubine Jia gritted her teeth. Walked forward two steps on her knees. Then she kowtowed with much force toward the other woman. ¡°This concubine was incompetent and did not control the dog properly. May Your Majesty the empress please forgive me!¡± After she had caused such a huge disaster, there was no way she could be excused with just a few light words. Seeing how silent the empress kept, Imperial Concubine Jia felt helpless. She had no choice but to continue kowtowing. For a period, it was quiet in the banquet, the only sound the slam of each kowtow. Tens of kowtows later, the empress finally said, ¡°¡­Enough. This palace merely had one banquet ruined. But Noble Lady Yu suffered a great fright! If this harmed the dragon seed, how would you compensate for it?!¡± This meant she not only had to kowtow to and acknowledge her mistake to the empress, but to Noble Lady Yu as well. Humiliation washed over Imperial Concubine Jia¡¯s heart for a moment. Kowtowing to the empress wasn¡¯t a big deal, as she was the master of the harem; in the empress¡¯ presence, everyone was of lower status. But what was Noble Lady Yu even worth? She had to kneel before her as well? ¡°What?¡± said the empress, cold enough to freeze. ¡°Are you holding any resentment? Do you refuse to acknowledge your mistake?¡± ¡°¡­This concubine doesn¡¯t dare.¡± Since the other party¡¯s influence was stronger, she could only clench her teeth and kowtow in Noble Lady Yu¡¯s direction. ¡°Noble Lady Yu, Elder Sister was momentarily neglectful and almost let a disaster occur. Please be magnanimous and forgive Elder Sister this one time!¡± After these kowtows were performed, they were akin to water already split: unable to be recovered. From now on, anyone well-informed in the imperial palace would know that she, Imperial Concubine Jia, had knelt before Noble Lady Yu. Had kowtowed to her. Noble Lady Yu looked at the woman before her. Then she said, seemingly to said woman yet also seemingly to the Noble Consort Hui behind her, ¡°This concubine hopes you are sincerely repenting and will never use a ferocious animal to harm others again!¡± Snowball appeared to sense that someone had mentioned it, letting out barks. ¡°Enough. We do not want to see this dog again!¡± Hongli cast a loathsome glance at it. Following that, he cast the final judgement, saying, ¡°Imperial Concubine Jia was momentarily neglectful, allowing a disaster to occur. She will be demoted to the position of noble lady, and put under house arrest for three months! As the master of Chuxiu Palace, Noble Consort Hui failed to manage both her people and dog properly. Simply too incompetent! She will be punished with one year¡¯s salary and must reflect on her mistakes in seclusion!¡± Then he no longer watched this crowd of women as each tried to outwit the other, storming off in a huff. Wei Yingluo was unsure if her eyes had played tricks on her, but before Hongli had left, he seemed to have glanced back at her. Such a glance proved rather complicated. Wei Yingluo could not discern what it meant. Once Hongli was gone, the remaining people had their thoughts wander. The empress observed it all, yet did not force them to stay. After urging them to drink a few cups of wine, she concluded this banquet that had strayed from its main theme. Everyone departed. Except Noble Lady Yu. Aware that she had something to say to her, the empress opened another table for them. On it were a few plates of fruits, light refreshments, and tea. Smiling, she said, ¡°Why did you come today? Weren¡¯t you recuperating in Yonghe Palace?¡± ¡°Recuperating¡± had merely been an excuse. They both knew that Noble Lady Yu had declined to participate in the banquet at first due to her fear of running into Noble Consort Hui. ¡°Yingluo asked me to come. She convinced me that the more afraid I was of Noble Consort Hui, the more she would torment me. Even if I don¡¯t do this for myself, I must do it for Imperial Concubine Yi. Vent her anger for her¡­¡± Noble Lady Yu stroked her protruding abdomen. A smile bloomed on her lips. ¡°Even if my words don¡¯t hold enough influence, with the addition of this child, it should barely be enough¡­¡± The two then chatted about their everyday lives. Because of her pregnancy, there was a trace of weariness upon Noble Lady Yu¡¯s countenance. The empress noticed this. Had Erqing send her back to Yonghe Palace to rest. Once they had left, Wei Yingluo fell to her knees with a bang next to the empress. ¡°This slave has made decisions without Your Majesty¡¯s approval. May Your Majesty the empress please forgive me.¡± Yet, the empress did not hold the slightest intention of rebuking her. On the contrary, she reached out with a finger and poked Wei Yingluo¡¯s forehead in an intimate manner. ¡°You, oh, you actually came up with such a plan. Noble Consort Hui¡¯s scheme of scaring Noble Lady Yu with Snowball had yet to be settled. Pushing it to today cannot be considered wronging her.¡± In an utmost sincere fashion, Wei Yingluo replied, ¡°It¡¯s a small matter that this slave pleaded guilty and accepts punishment. From Noble Consort Hui and Imperial Concubine Jia¡¯s conduct and deeds, it is clear that they wanted Your Majesty to lose all respect and influence. How could this slave allow them to have their way? This slave had not done my best in keeping watch over the lychee trees. It was originally a huge matter that the lychees were harmed, but compared to what Noble Consort Hui had done¡ªinciting her ferocious dog to harm Noble Lady Yu, allowing it to destroy Fujian Province¡¯s tribute, and allowing it to ruin Your Majesty¡¯s banquet¡ªmy crime was much lighter in comparison.¡± At that moment, the empress laughed. ¡°You should know that the emperor already figured out that you used him.¡± Shocked, Wei Yingluo almost raised her head at once to look at the empress. The foolish look on her face seemed to please the empress. A giddy smile spread across the empress¡¯ face. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. Since the emperor figured it out and still allowed you to use him, it¡¯s clear he also thinks that Noble Consort Hui acted too excessively, seizing the opportunity to strike at her.¡± Wei Yingluo let escape a breath; she felt as though her back had grown a bit colder. ¡°Yingluo,¡± asked the empress all of a sudden, ¡°what kind of person do you think the emperor is?¡± Wei Yingluo did not know why this question was proposed. Thinking it through, she gave a neutral answer: ¡°He works governing the country and cares for the people.¡± The empress shook her head. ¡°This palace is not talking about this. This palace is asking you about his temperament.¡± And so, Wei Yingluo uttered many idioms to describe it, yet the result was the same as always: the empress shaking her head. In the end, Wei Yingluo hummed and hawed, saying, ¡°Resolute in his decisions?¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Like a child, the empress clapped. ¡°What kind of person is he? He¡¯s the emperor of the Great State of Qing, the ruler of the world. So long as he finds someone unpleasant to the eye¡ªchop! And the heads go falling! Why would he allow them to remain? Wouldn¡¯t that just annoy him?¡± Once again, Wei Yingluo felt her back grow colder, sweat washing it clean like a waterfall. She forced a smile. ¡°Then¡­ what misgivings does His Majesty have?¡± ¡°He cannot have any!¡± said the empress, resolute. ¡°The emperor cannot have any misgivings. No matter how favored that Osan is, and no matter how many officials plead for leniency for him, if the emperor says he is to be executed, then he is to be executed. He won¡¯t even blink an eye!¡± ¡°Then¡­ then¡­¡± Wei Yingluo scowled in a miserable manner. ¡°Your Majesty, the emperor will definitely settle scores? He will want this slave¡¯s head?¡± She cut a pitiful appearance. As though she were a cat who had caused a lot of trouble, ready at any moment to leap onto her owner¡¯s knee, acting coquettishly and rolling around as she mewed, asking her owner for protection. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Nothing will happen to you,¡± said the empress. But Wei Yingluo saw a smile on her face that held a profound meaning. ¡°You are a girl. A beautiful girl.¡± Although the empress had said she would be fine, the last sentence made Wei Yingluo feel as if it weren¡¯t just her back that felt chilly. It was her entire body. Ice-cold. As if she had fallen into a well. CH 44.1 ¡°Woof woof woof!¡± Liyu pressed his hand, pushing the barking and the snowy white dog''s head out of the basket, back into the basket. ¡°Guard Soulun.¡± he said as he shoved the basket into the hands of the guard in front of him, ¡°His Majesty''s orders, dispose of the dog.¡± After seeing him off, Hailancha barked: ¡°What orders from the Emperor, it was probably your idea, you were fearing Noble Consort Hui''s retribution and shoving this awful job on me! The son of a bitch!¡± In front of the Chief Eunuch, he didn''t dare to complain, as soon as he was gone, he started to curse. ¡°Guard Soulun.¡± Hailancha was taken aback and said: ¡°Who? Who is listening to me there?¡± A woman of the yellow cedar turned around the corner, at his words and said with a faint smile: ¡°I''ve just arrived, did you just say something?¡± Hailancha was relieved to see that the expression on her face did not appear to be a lie and then she gave a little giggle, thinking that she looked familiar, she said: ¡°You are... You''re the one who was at the Yonghe Palace last time...¡± ¡°I am the court lady of the Changchun Palace, Wei Yingluo.¡± Wei Yingluo announced herself. ¡°I remember you.¡± Hailancha laughed and said, ¡°You''re a tough one, even without the guards, you could have killed that eunuch all by yourself.¡± ¡°In order to protect myself, I had no choice, please forgive me.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled, not to discuss the subject any further and went straight to the point, ¡°I am here today, only because Snowball hurt Noble Lady Yu, ruined the Empress party and got me punished, I want to take the dog back.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hailancha said with a raised eyebrow, ¡°What will you do with it?¡± Wei Yingluo''s face was smiling, like a spring breeze but the words that came out were like an easterly wind stinging the bones: ¡°Naturally, I will first take my revenge and then kill it and then skin it and bring it to you, so that you can answer to your superiors.¡± ¡°You''re a girl, how can you do that?¡± Hailancha said, he had an answer in his mind, of course she could do it, this girl could do the same to a human being, she could do the same to a dog, after a moment''s hesitation, he handed over the basket and said, ¡°Fine, you can do it! But if anyone asks later...¡± Wei Yingluo took the basket in her hand and with understanding said to him: ¡°Don''t worry my lord, Yingluo will keep his mouth shut, I won''t make things difficult for you.¡± Hailancha then let go of his hand and let her take the basket. It was not until Wei Yingluo''s back disappeared at the entrance to the tunnel that Hailancha exhaled, leaning against a pillar and saying: ¡°Phew, finally we are free of this chore...¡± ¡°Hailancha!¡± ¡°Who is it again?¡± Hailancha turned around in surprise, what was wrong with him today, why was he being overheard everywhere? From behind the pillar came a man, dressed in the same guard''s uniform as Hailancha, with the same sword at his waist, only more elegant, like a flower in full bloom. It is Fucha Fuheng. ¡°How dare you.¡± Fuheng said with an ugly look on his face, ¡°How dare you leave the task entrusted to you by the Emperor to a maid.¡± ¡°Look what you said man.¡± Hailancha hastily denied it, ¡°I didn''t force it on her, she asked for it.¡± ¡°You could have refused.¡± Fuheng''s frown tightened, ¡°You didn''t refuse, because you were afraid Noble Consort Hui would wake up and ask for punishment of the dog''s murder...¡± ¡°Yes, Noble Consort Hui can''t do anything to the Emperor but a mere guard?¡± Hailancha stretched her hands, admitting in front of her friend, ¡°Women are scary when they get angry, especially powerful ones.¡± ¡°So, you''re still returning the matter to Wei Yingluo?¡± Fuheng said with a hint of anger. ¡°She is a court lady of the Changchun Palace, the Changchun Palace and the Chuxiu Palace are already enemies, add to the hatred, fear not! But then again...¡± Hailancha looked thoughtfully at the handsome man in front of him and said, ¡°You care about her and you''re mad at me for her...¡± Fuheng was flustered, he turned his face away and said: ¡°No, it''s not that... It''s just that she''s a girl, she can''t do that, you''ll get the job back later, won''t you?¡± A few days later, Wei Yingluo found Hailancha again and slipped a snowy white fur into his hands. Continue--- CH 44.2 ¡°This is...¡± Hailancha looked at the fur, then at her, ¡°Did you really kill it?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled softly and said, ¡°First beaten, then killed, skinned and given to you, the rest of the meat was to be sent to the Imperial Tea House but they said that before the Great Qing Dynasty entered the country, the Manchu Banners lived by hunting, in the company of hounds, from the time of the Great Father and a rule was laid down forbidding the eating of dog meat. Now, although the snowball was killed by decree, it could not be eaten either, it had to be buried.¡± Hailancha was a grown man but he got a chill on his back when he heard this so he moved and said: ¡°All right, all right, I''ll keep the dog''s skin, you go back to the Changchun Palace and serve the Empress.¡± Wei Yingluo accepted the kindness, gave him a blessing goodbye and turned to go back to the Changchun Palace. As soon as her back is gone, Hailancha turned around and throws the dogskin in his hand at the opposite pillar. A hand reached out from behind the pillar and catches the fur. ¡°And you said she wouldn''t dare to kill.¡± Hailancha clasped his arm and laughed at the other man, ¡°See, she is much more ruthless than you or I.¡± Fuheng frowned, looking down at the furs in his hands. ¡°If I were to find a woman in the future, I wouldn''t dare to find such a ruthless one, or if I were to find a woman like this young one outside, when I came home, I''d be waiting for a chopper instead of a hot meal... Oops! Where are you going?¡± Hailancha shouted at Fuheng''s back. Fuheng turned a deaf ear, threw the fur back at Hailancha and went after Wei Yingluo in the direction he had left. Whether he was fast, or Wei Yingluo was slow, or whether Wei Yingluo was waiting for him, in a few moments, he caught up with him. Reaching out and tugging at his arm, Fuheng coldly questioned: ¡°Why did you deceive Hailancha?¡± Wei Yingluo turned around and looked at him in surprise: ¡°Young Master, what are you talking about?¡± ¡°Wei Yingluo, stop pretending!¡± Fuheng subconsciously tightened his fingers and said, ¡°The dog skin you sent me, there was a black spot on the tail but as I remember, Snowball was all snow white! Why did you give Hailancha a fake skin? Who told you to do it, were you trying to set Hailancha up?¡± No wonder Fuheng thought so, the palace was full of deceit, sometimes a wrong word and a wrong dish and you were doomed to a life of misery and even ruin. Hailancha was his best friend, he couldn''t just watch him fall into a trap. Time passed, he didn''t wait for Wei Yingluo''s explanation, she just looked up at him, her eyes misting up. ¡°Woof!¡± A dog barked and broke the silence between them. Fuheng looked at the sound and saw a swaying of the leaves and a snowy white dog''s head emerged from behind the leaves and barked twice at them. ¡°Snowball?¡± Fuheng floundered. The dog that should have been disposed of, how could it still be alive? Snowball bursts out from behind the leaves, on short legs and runs barking all the way to Wei Yingluo''s feet, with a long leash trailing around his neck. ¡°You child, why don''t you just stay inside, why are you running around.¡± Wei Yingluo sighed and suddenly said to Fuheng, ¡°... Can you let go of my hand?¡± Fuheng let out a cry and loosened his fingers. But five red fingerprints, like a branding iron on her white wrist, like the stamp of a selfish man, on the woman he loves. With mixed eyes, he watched her playing with the snowball and feeding it from the scented pouch she carried, Fuheng suddenly asked: ¡°You''re raising it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Yingluo replied in a low voice, ¡°A dog doesn''t know right from wrong, it only listens to its master, if he tells it to watch the house, it will watch the house, if he tells it to harm people, it will harm them.¡± Fuheng stopped talking, just looked down at the woman and the dog, the suspicion faded from his eyes, like winter snow melting in the spring breeze. ¡°... Young Master, is there anything else?¡± Wei Yingluo suddenly looked up at him and said, ¡°If there''s nothing else, I''ll take him back, before anyone saw him...¡± She might be accused of deceiving the Emperor. Fuheng''s heart leapt and without thinking, she blurted out: ¡°Give it to me.¡± Wei Yingluo was stunned by the words and the next moment, like a cow protecting her calf, she held the snowball tightly in her arms. ¡°... I don''t want to dispose of it.¡± Fuheng seemed to know what she was thinking, he said with a bitter smile, ¡°Yingluo, the Forbidden City is only a small place, sooner or later someone will find it and when they do, you will be a criminal cheating the Emperor... Why don''t you let me send him out of the palace and find a good home to adopt him?¡± To his delight, Wei Yingluo seemed to trust him, as soon as he said this, she relaxed her frown, stroked the snowball reluctantly, then handed it to Fuheng and said softly: ¡°Thank you, Young Master.¡± Fuheng took Snowball from her hand but his eyes fell on the red mark on her wrist. ¡°... I''ll bring you some medicine later.¡± He said with some apology. ¡°It''s not a serious injury, it''s not even a scratch, it''s just a little red, it''ll cool off with a little blowing.¡± It seemed that the Snowball matter had been resolved, Wei Yingluo was in a very good mood, she made a rare joke with him, then she turned her wrist in front of him and blew on it, then with a twinkle in her eye, she winked at him wryly and said, ¡°What is Young Master staring at me for? Do you want to blow on it for me?¡± With these words, she stretched out her hand and brought her snowy wrist to Fuheng''s face, just a kiss away from his lips. Fuheng took a few steps back, his cheeks reddened visibly, he dropped his head and said: ¡°I''m in a bit of a hurry, I''ll go and deal with the snowball first...¡± Wei Yingluo''s laughter came from behind him, Fuheng left more quickly and a little chagrined and a little puzzled, how many times had he met her? How many times had he run away from her. He could have killed ten of her with one hand... But she was always the victor in the end. CH 45.1 [1] The title of the chapter is Louyi which is literaly the ant and figuratively a person with no power Night, the Embroidery Workshop. The candle flames flicker, lighting up the room for two. Zhang-Momo sat in a chair, Wei Yingluo, like a grandson serving his elders, kneels beside her, puts the holster in her hand on her knee. ¡°When I enter the Forbidden City, I feel that my legs are not my own, whether on the rocky path or on the rocky hill, whenever I meet my master, I kneel down whenever I want, I am young, I can bear it, not for you Momo, there will be problems in the future.¡± Wei Yingluo rambled on, ¡°Try it, this holster on your knee, it''s much more comfortable!¡± To be thought of in this way to be served, even with a few bunches of weeds wrapped around one''s knees, makes Zhang-Momo feel good to the core. She laughed and said: ¡°Very good, your hands are becoming more and more skilful.¡± Wei Yingluo had sewn the knee sleeve herself, she was clever, the leather was well chosen but she was not satisfied, she looked at the knee sleeve fussy and said: ¡°I saw the eunuchs wearing them too but unfortunately I could not find a good leather, when I get a good one, I will replace it for you.¡± Zhang-Momo sighed and said: ¡°Yingluo.¡± ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Wei Yingluo looked at her. Zhang-Momo hesitated for a moment and finally said: ¡°The snowball''s fur is all white, why did you have to find a defective one to hand over?¡± Wei Yingluo never hid anything from her, when she was changing Zhang-Momo''s knee sleeve, she had already told her lightly what she had done today. ¡°Because Guard Soulun and Fucha Fuheng are good friends!¡± Wei Yingluo laughed and said, ¡°Guard Soulun is a big man but Fucha Fuheng is very clever, he will soon find out what I have done and in a few days, he will come to me.¡± ¡°Did you deliberately play it out in front of him?¡± Why? Zhang-Momo, after a moment''s deliberation, came up with the answer, ¡°You had a slip of the tongue, you gave him the bladder of a pig that you had tampered with, it may have fooled him but when he thought about it afterwards, he will be suspicious! How can you make him suspicious but by acting, by making him think that you are a kind hearted person and a man who cannot bear to lay hands on a small animal.¡± ¡°Momo, am I bad?¡± Wei Yingluo rested her cheek on her knee and murmured, ¡°But to avenge my sister''s death, I have to be a bad person.¡± ¡°If you were a bad person, you wouldn''t have saved Noble Lady Yu twice, even to the point of going against Noble Consort Hui.¡± Zhang-Momo sighed, stroking her hair gently, ¡°If you were a bad person, you wouldn''t have made a nest for Snowball and saved your own food for him.¡± Wei Yingluo said: ¡°I used a dog to get away and put a muzzle on an even bigger dog.¡± This silly girl! Zhang-Momo couldn''t help but laugh out loud: ¡°If you''re really a bad person, you won''t hold on to it, if you really want to be a bad person, you have to be completely bad, you have to eliminate the root of the problem, you don''t show mercy, learn from Noble Consort Hui!!¡± The Chuxiu Palace. Concubine Jia on her knees. How long had she been kneeling? She couldn''t remember, only that both knees no longer belonged to her, sweat was falling down her forehead, dripping on the floor. ¡°That brat, who has done this Palace Mistress wrong so many times and yet the Empress protects her.¡± Noble Consort Hui''s voice rang out from above her head and said indifferently, ¡°This Palace Mistress is not at liberty to do anything about her, tell me, what can be done about her, so that this Palace Mistress can take her anger off? Mistress?¡± Concubine Jia''s mind wandered and with a final clench of her teeth, she spat out a name: ¡°Prince Yi of First Rank!¡± ¡°Him?¡± Noble Consort Hui said with disdain in her voice, ¡°That fancy man, what can he do?¡± ¡°He is, after all and a Prince.¡± Concubine Jia was in a unique position to calculate people and laughed confidently saying, ¡°Prince Yi of First Rank may not as powerful as he once was but he is an Iron-Cap Prince.¡± [1] an Iron cap is a title peerageness that is inherited and does not get reduced with each succesion Noble Consort Hui did not say anything, as if waiting for her to continue. ¡°This one is a proper royal family, now he is only a retainer of the Qianqing Gate, not even a retainer of the imperial court, he is useless!¡± Concubine Jia said for her, ¡°Now that he and Lord Gao are close friends and he''s counting on you to give him a hand, he''s trying to curry favour! If you have any orders to give, I''m sure he''ll be happy to do them...¡± [Lord Gao is Noble Consort Hui''s father] CH 45.2 Noble Consort Hui''s voice was not so cold at last: ¡°He is after all a Guard of the Qianqing Gate, many eyes are watching, I am afraid his hands will not reach the harem!¡± Concubine Jia breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he had passed another hurdle but said respectfully: ¡°A snake must be beaten three inches, this humble Concubine had already sent someone to the Embroidery Workshop to inquire about Wei Yingluo, I found out that she had been involved with a guard...¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Noble Consort Hui was slightly surprised, sat up straighter and said, ¡°What was the name of the guard?¡± ¡°Fuheng!¡± Inside the guardhouse, Fucha Fuheng turned around and saw his best friend Hailancha walking towards his in a casual manner. ¡°What is it?¡± Hailancha waved his hand in front of his eyes, ¡°Didn''t you sleep well yesterday? Why do you look so distracted?¡± Fuheng had indeed not slept well all night, when he closed his eyes, there came to him a piece of her wrist white like snow and a red mark that belonged only to him. He was as restrained as he was in reality and as unrestrained as he was in his dream and he put his lips on it, just as he wanted and just as he wanted... Shaking his head and shaking the disturbing images out of his head, Fuheng asked: ¡°What do you want from me?¡± ¡°There''s nothing I can''t call you about, is there?¡± Hailancha said, suddenly winking in one direction and lowered his voice, ¡°This guy has been working hard lately, not hard at work but hard at finding the court ladies...¡± Fuheng looked over and saw a sharp tongued, arrogant man standing a short distance away, talking to a court lady, the two of them almost bowing down to each other and whispering something. ¡°Prince Yi of First Rank!¡± The other man was startled, he turned his head and said: ¡°Fucha Fuheng?¡± The court lady beside her saw the arrival of someone and someone of Fucha Fuheng''s stature and immediately turned pale with fear and with a hasty bow, ran away with her head bowed. ¡°Is this court lady an acquaintance of the Prince?¡± Fuheng asked with a smile. ¡°No.¡± Prince Yi of First Rank laughed and said, ¡°I lost my fan here the other day, I was asking her if she''d seen it.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Fuheng looked at him critically and said, ¡°Did you?¡± ¡°Or what?¡± Prince Yi of First Rank''s face paled, he snorted, ¡°Do you suspect me a prince having an affair with a court lady?¡± There was no evidence, even if he had doubts, Fuheng could only shake his head and say: ¡°I dare not.¡± ¡°Hmph, if you don''t dare!¡± Prince Yi of First Rank took on the air of a prince, like a superior reprimanding a subordinate and with his chin at Fuheng, he said, ¡°I am nine years older than you, I am the Great Qing Dynasty''s hereditary Iron-Cap Prince, what are you? Don''t think that because you have the Emperor''s favour, you can''t take me seriously!¡± And with that and without waiting for Fuheng''s response, he walked away. ¡°When I''ve done my job with Noble Consort and with Noble Consort''s support, I''ll see if you can still be a hero to me!¡± On the way, Prince Yi of First Rank is still a bit indignant, feeling that God is not fair, that a villain like Fucha Fuheng can be so powerful, ¡°But Noble Consort is really something, this is a small matter and she has to tell me everything!... Qingxi!¡± In the duty room, Qingxi was about to go out to take the last guard''s shift, when he is surprised to see a man walk in outside, he doesn''t know why he is being approached but he said respectfully: ¡°Qingxi greets Prince Yi of First Rank.¡± Prince Yi of First Rank Hong Xiao was quite pleased with his attitude, this was the way a lowly man should behave when he saw his superior, taking him a few steps away and walking to an empty corner, Hong Xiao smiled and said: ¡°Qingxi, I hear you''ve been planning a promotion lately!¡± Qingxi gave him a strange look, where did he get this information from? They had never met before, why was he asking about this? So, he deliberately said: ¡°Your Majesty is joking, I''m only a second-class guard now, who wouldn''t want to be first-class?¡± Hong Xiao seemed to be waiting for him to say this, he laughed and then opened the door and said: ¡°If I were to ask for a recommendation, it would not be difficult.¡± Although he was a fallen prince, the Iron-Cap Prince was the Iron-Cap Prince and as he said, if he asked, things would indeed be easier but... ¡°Is the Prince really willing to help me?¡± Qingxi knew that there was no free lunch in this world, he was not a friend or relative of the prince, he must have something to ask of him, ¡°If you can put in a good word for me in front of the ministers, Qingxi would do anything for you.¡± ¡°I don''t need you to go there.¡± Qingxi said with a smile, ¡°As long as you trample down a tiny ant for me...¡± ¡°Oh? May I ask your Majesty, what is the name of that ant?¡± CH 46.1 The nib of the pen left ink marks on the snow white paper, the young girl was slender and graceful as she penned. The Empress looks on for a moment, frowning, she said: ¡°Yingluo, something on your mind?¡± Wei Yingluo froze slightly, the words of Qingxi came to her mind: ¡°I have found out the true cause of Yingning''s death, at three o''clock tonight, I will wait for you in the imperial garden, see you soon!¡± She shook her head and replied: ¡°Niangniang, no.¡± The Empress walked up to Wei Yingluo, removes the brush from her fingertips, said gently: ¡°Absent minded, you can''t practise well, are you not well?¡± Wei Yingluo''s heart stirred, he took two steps back and saluted: ¡°Niangniang, this lowly servant does have something, I have to take leave of you!¡± It is the third night, the moonlight is like a veil of mist, it hangs over the flowering branches. Qingxi walked down the stone path and saw a familiar figure, it is Wei Yingluo. Qingxi is relieved to see Wei Yingluo arriving as promised and is disgusted: she is a young girl after all, emotions override reason, she is so stupid. He stepped forward and said: ¡°Wei Yingluo!¡± The young girl turned to look at him, her eyes were as cold as knives, Qingxi''s heart chilled inexplicably and she shouted in panic: ¡°Help, there are thieves!¡± A group of eunuchs rushed out from all around, they swarmed Qingxi and pinned him down, Qingxi said angrily: ¡°How dare you, I am a guard of the Qianqing Gate! Wei Yingluo, have you gone mad?¡± Wei Yingluo ignored him and said to the other eunuchs: ¡°Don''t be afraid of him, this man has left his post without permission, he has come into the imperial garden in the harem middle of the night with bad intentions, as long as he is not killed, you are not to blame!¡± The eunuchs were emboldened by these words, they really did beat Qingxi to the face, despite his martial arts skills, Qingxi could not defeat eight hands with two fists, he could only keep on cursing. In the distance, the lights glowed and a group of men arrived at a fast pace, the leader was the magnificent and arrogantly dressed Prince Yi of First Rank Hong Xiao, he stepped forward and kicked over one of the eunuchs, he was furious and said: ¡°Are you blinded, who dares to instigate a fight in the Forbidden Palace!¡± When Wei Yingluo saw Prince Yi of First Rank a cold smile spread across her lips. The eunuchs kneel in unison and say in a trembling voice: ¡°This lowly servant greets Prince Yi of First Rank!¡± Wei Yingluo also saluted in a similar manner. Hong Xiao glared at Wei Yingluo, pulled Qingxi away and asked: ¡°What''s going on!¡± Qingxi, in severe pain and with blood spilling from the corners of his mouth, reached out and pointed at Wei Yingluo and said in a hateful voice: ¡°It''s Wei Yingluo! She asked me out in secret to the royal garden to seduce me!¡± Wei Yingluo looked at Qingxi with contempt and asks amusedly: ¡°Haven''t you ever looked in a mirror in your life?¡± Qingxi touched his high, swollen cheek, his heart growing even more hateful and said: ¡°Wei Yingluo, I never imagined you were such a vicious woman, I came here tonight to advise you not to make a mistake in your love seeking manners, yet you are angry, enforcing your men and hurting others! Your Majesty, the fact that she is dating me has already been reported to you, you must punish this shameless court lady!¡± Hong Xiao waited for this particular sentence and waved his hand: ¡°Take her down!¡± Two guards stepped forward to take the man, Wei Yingluo was prepared and was about to speak, when a clear male voice said: ¡°What are you doing here in the harem in the middle of the night?¡± Wei Yingluo was stunned, she looked to where the voice came from, between the people who had made way and Fuheng came forward in the moonlight. Fuheng was looking at her, Wei Yingluo instinctively tried to frown and look away but she cannot let him suspect her, she must meet the tiresome look of concern and return it with an affectionate smile. And she did smile a little. Hong Xiao could not decide which he disliked more, Wei Yingluo or Fucha Fuheng, his brows knitted together and he asked in an unpleasant tone: ¡°Fucha Fuheng, you are not on duty today, why are you here!¡± Fuheng''s gaze shifted from Wei Yingluo, smiling faintly at Hong Xiao, he said: ¡°His Majesty is quite fond of the moon this evening, he is enjoying it in the imperial garden, he summoned me for a game but to his surprise, he hadn''t been playing for long, when he heard the disturbing noise here, he asked me to come and check what was going on.¡± Hong Xiao''s expression changed slightly and he said: ¡°Is the Emperor here too? There was a court lady here who had a private appointment with the guards, I caught her red-handed, I was about to hand her over to the guards, I won''t disturb his Majesty''s pleasure, take her away!¡± Fuheng, who had intentionally stepped in front of Wei Yingluo, with a smile that still made people smile, said: ¡°His Majesty is in the pavilion in front of us, Prince Yi of First Rank, since she has disturbed his Majesty, please ask for his Majesty''s permission a judgement!¡± CH 46.2 A crowd of people knelt in front of the elegant pavilion, Hongli sat on a stone bench covered with a brocade cushion, dropping a black piece on the chessboard, before turning his face and slowly asking: ¡°Tell me, what''s the fuss?¡± his eyes passed over Wei Yingluo and he frowned. There''s a saying that said: The one who rushed to speak first has evil intentions. Wei Yingluo looked calmly at Hong Xiao who started speaking first: ¡°Your Majesty, this court lady has the audacity to seduce the palace guard Qijia Qingxi, Qijia Qingxi has repeatedly refused but this court lady has asked him to come to the imperial garden at three o''clock this evening for a private meeting! This lowly servant has been informed, such a lowly person who would not tolerate such lewdness in the palace, the ruckus was to catch her but she has disturbed his Majesty''s pleasure and deserves to die.¡± Hongli looked at Wei Yingluo and asked: ¡°Do you confess your guilt?¡± Fuheng''s heart leapt when he heard Hongli ask Wei Yingluo for her guilt, his hands were clenched in his sleeves. Wei Yingluo''s heart was also cold, she secretly took a deep breath, raised her head slightly and answered: ¡°What Your Highness said, this lowly servant knows nothing, I don''t know how to confess what guilt.¡± Qingxi, covering his swollen cheek, questioned: ¡°If you did not come here to meet me, why did you come to the imperial garden in the middle of the night!¡± Wei Yingluo held up the flower basket by her side, she said innocently: ¡°The weather is getting hot, my master doesn''t like the smell of mosquito repellent herbs, I came to collect some flowers to burn in the night incense to chase away the anti-mosquito smell, I didn''t expect to run into you, a rascal, fortunately, the Empress Niangniang was considerate and sent some eunuchs with me. If it was a rendezvous, how could I have brought so many people with me to meet this supposed lover?¡± Qingxi argued back: ¡°You brought so many people to get back at me for rejecting you! You asked me to come to the royal garden and let them beat me up like a thief, it was a deliberate act of revenge!¡± At this point, Qingxi quickly pulled out a piece of rice paper from his pocket and held it up high saying: ¡°Your Majesty, this lowly servant has proof, this is a letter sent by Wei Yingluo, please read it.¡± Hongli looked at this farce and said in a sullen manner: ¡°Present it.¡± Liyu unfolded the paper and offered it to Hongli. On the white paper was written: ¡°Tonight at three o''clock, East Gate of the Pear Garden, see you soon, Yingluo. Hongli was furious when he read it, he threw the paper at Wei Yingluo''s face and said: ¡°What else do you have to say!¡± The paper fell lightly from Wei Yingluo''s face onto her lap, the writing on it is crooked, it is indeed her handwriting. Wei Yingluo was calm, she picked up the paper and said: ¡°The handwriting does look like it came from this lowly servant but this lowly servant also has proof, that it was not written by this lowly servant.¡± With these words, she took a stack of papers out of her pocket and continued: ¡°Your Majesty, I am indebted to the Empress Niangniang for teaching Yingluo how to write, Yingluo is a fool but I dare not disappoint Niangniang. Over the past month, Yingluo has tried various methods to practise her handwriting, in order to compare the best with the worst, she has put all her papers in order. This afternoon, this lowly servant noticed that page 28 was missing! So, someone must have stolen Yingluo''s calligraphy for the purpose of...¡± She turned her gaze to Qingxi and Hong Xiao and said in one word: ¡°Framing!¡± Qingxi unnaturally avoided Wei Yingluo''s gaze and Hong Xiao snickers: ¡°You said you lost it? I also said you hid it yourself!¡± Wei Yingluo sneered and asked: ¡°May I ask Prince Yi of First Rank, what kind of paper is the paper I write on?¡± Hong Xiao impatiently replied: ¡°Xuan paper used for writing, of course!¡± Wei Yingluo said with a respectful look: ¡°Your Majesty, Yingluo''s salary is limited, I dare not waste Xuan paper, so I use hand paper instead, oh, white cotton paper.¡± Fuheng, with a slight smile in her eyes, took the secret letter from Wei Yingluo''s hand and the paper she had taken out herself and then presented it to Hongli for inspection: ¡°Your Majesty, this letter from Qingxi, the paper is white and dense, the texture is fine, it is of the highest quality from Jing County in Anhui but these papers from Miss Wei are only the most common white cotton paper in the palace.¡± Hong Xiao''s face sank and he argued: ¡°You have a scheming heart, perhaps you have deliberately did this to avoid suspicion, by finding a top quality raw paper!¡± Wei Yingluo sighed softly and said: ¡°It''s not that Yingluo is shameless, the Empress Niangniang said, Yingluo practice these 150 words, Yingluo is improving every day, you dared not touch them for fear of me finding out¡­.so you didn¡¯t take the newest ones, so took a paper from the middle, the twenty-eighth one is exactly from January, just compare it with the one from these two days, you will know if it is true or not.¡± The evidence is overwhelming, it is irrefutable. Qingxi''s forehead beaded with sweat, he shivered involuntarily. Hong Xiao suddenly kicked Qingxi in the face and cursed: ¡°Bastard, how dare you deceive me! Your Majesty, this lowly servant didn''t expect Qingxi to lie, it must be him...¡± ¡°It must be Qijia Qingxi who has failed to seduce me, he deliberately planted the evidence to frame me! Prince Yi of First Rank, is that what you mean to say?¡± Wei Yingluo smilingly said to Qingxi: ¡°Guard Qijia, did you hear him clearly, he said you seduced me and planted the evidence, if you don''t know better, no one will save you.¡± The last sentence was very meaningful. Qingxi''s face was white, Hong Xiao wanted to save himself by pushing him in the fire, how could he not understand? He kowtowed and said: ¡°Your Majesty, it was Prince Yi of First Rank who threatened this lowly servant to frame Miss Yingluo! this lowly servant doesn''t know why he did it but he ordered me to everything, this lowly servant swears to God!¡± Hong Xiao kicked Qingxi in the chest and said angrily: ¡°Doggy servant! How dare you throw dirty water on me!¡± Wei Yingluo said in mock surprise: ¡°Prince Yi of First Rank ordered you? this lowly servant lives deep in the inner court in the harem, she has never met the Prince, I wonder why the Prince would accuse this lowly servant? But only the Changchun Palace is worthy of the Prince''s attention... Is it possible that his Majesty the Prince is actually trying to frame the servant for--¡± ¡°That is enough.¡± Hongli suddenly spoke up, there was a hint of anger in his voice. The Emperor''s anger was like thunder, the crowd was silent. Hongli said: ¡°Qingxi has falsely accused the Changchun Palace court lady, he is unworthy of the post of guard of the Qianqing Palace, he is to be punished with a hundred strokes of the cane, he is to be dismissed from his post and investigated! Gag him, take him down! This is the end of the matter.¡± Before Qingxi could say another word, he was gagged and dragged away by the guards, Hong Xiao was secretly relieved. The words ¡°This is the end of the matter¡± hit Wei Yingluo, each word seemed to weigh a thousand pounds, she reluctantly tried to speak, Fuheng reached out and gave her a firm tug and shook her head gently in earnest. ¡°This is the end of the matter¡±, the Son of Heaven has spoken the golden words, who can disobey? Hongli saw Wei Yingluo and Fuheng''s little gesture and was even more upset and said coldly: ¡°Wei Yingluo, how can you call yourself a calligrapher? How can you call yourself a calligrapher? You can''t even say you''re getting better every day! Zhen feels bad for the Empress, you go back and practice a hundred sheets, until you finish, you shall have no rest!¡± Wei Yingluo gritted her teeth and hung her head in response: ¡°... Yes.¡± CH 47.1 The drama between Prince Yi of First Rank and Wei Yingluo, still caused quite a stir in the palace, the story was that the Changchun Palace outed out an inside man and the Chuxiu Palace, Noble Lady Jia, in collaboration with Prince Yi of First Rank, falsely accuses the Empress''s personal maid they were punished of being unworthy of raising Fourth Prince and the Emperor ordered Fourth Prince to be handed over to Consort Xian to be raised by Consort Xian. And Wei Yingluo... still practising the one hundred sheets of large characters, the emperor ordered the one hundred sheets, not just the ninety-nine sheets. In the Changchun Palace, Wei Yingluo, hung up her wrist, lifted her brush and made a hook, finally finished the last word and let out a long breath. The Empress looked at the neat handwriting on the white paper and smiled: ¡°You are a wise girl, you are getting better and better, the emperor has punished you right for practising your writing.¡± Wei Yingluo put the brush on the stand, pursed her lips and asked: ¡°A mistake should be punished, Niangniang, is it Yingluo''s fault to be punished?¡± The Empress was silent for a moment, sighed and said: ¡°The Emperor is never wrong, if he said you are wrong, you are wrong, no matter what, Noble Lady Jia was dealt with, it was a justice to you from the Emperor.¡± Justice? Wei Yingluo looked at the thick stack of white papers on the table and found it ironic, she shook her head and said: ¡°If there is justice... This justice is not for me, it is for you, for the Changchun Palace, as always, you are punished for your mistakes, Noble Lady Jia is punished for her mistakes but what about Prince Yi of First Rank?¡± The Empress looked out of the window, the daylight shone on the phoenix embroidered in gold thread on her crown, her tone was calm as she said: ¡°Why do you have to take the bull by the horns? Prince Yi of First Rank is the Emperor''s own cousin.¡± The brilliantly coloured phoenix was almost blinding, Wei Yingluo said softly: ¡°Yes, Prince Yi of First Rank is his Majesty''s own cousin, this lowly servant is just a humble court lady, not to mention being wronged and the emperor would not have looked at her even if she had died on the spot! He was only angry at Prince Yi of First Rank for his involvement in the court dispute and for making a spectacle of himself and for disgracing the royal family! And so, Noble Lady Jia is still to be dealt with, Prince Yi of First Rank is left to make more mess!¡± The Empress looked at the young girl before her and said in a softer tone: ¡°Yingluo, Prince Yi of First Rank is after all the son of the Thirteenth Uncle, the Great Qing Dynasty, the rightful Iron-Cap Prince, the Emperor cannot to be overly harsh.¡± Wei Yingluo looked back on the Empress, the Changchun Palace is her only foothold, the Empress Niangniang is the one thing she must hold on to in the thick of the court. The Changchun Palace and Prince Yi of First Rank have already formed a bond, instead of defending, she should be attacking. Her eyes turned cold, she thought to herself: the Iron-Cap Prince... What is so wrong, that even a man of the Iron-Cap Prince''s esteem cannot be preserved? The Empress, seeing the young girl before her suddenly lost in thought, asked curiously: ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Wei Yingluo looked back, smiled at the Empress and said: ¡°Nothing, just thinking, no matter what, I will protect you.¡± The Empress was slightly stunned, her heart softened and she said in a loving tone: ¡°Silly girl.¡± Time passes easily and a few more days pass. The days in the palace, today are no different from yesterday, seeing the same people, seeing the same sights, doing the same things and such days, when there is a slight change, it is obvious. On this day, after a delivery to the Yonghe Palace, Wei Yingluo returned to the Changchun Palace and pulled Erqing into a conversation and said: ¡°Erqing, what is eating meat and sharing happiness?¡± Erqing thought for a moment and asks in return: ¡°Did you see Wu Shulai preparing the black pig?¡± Wei Yingluo nodded and said: ¡°I saw them on the way back to the palace and a group of men carrying two large whole pigs, so large that it was frightening.¡± Erqing chuckled and said: ¡°No wonder, we don''t usually see those things, isn''t it new? It''s an old rule in the palace, the Kunning Palace has two sacrifices, every other month there''s a big banquet, the emperor rewards the imperial guards and courtiers with meat to share in the blessings, the Concubines and Consorts of the harem get a share too, counting the days, tomorrow''s the big banquet.¡± At this point, Erqing was worried again: ¡°It is said to be a blessing but the meat is cooked in plain water, it is tasteless, sometimes it is half raw, our lady had always hated that stuff, we have had bad stomachs, I only hope that this time we will eat it without harm.¡± Wei Yingluo thought of the Empress''s health, she too was worried and asked: ¡°Can''t you stop eating? CH 47.2 Erqing sighed and said: ¡°This is a blessing, anyone who dares to refuse it is disrespecting the ancestors and the gods! A minister once ate it and threw up, he was even beaten with a cane eighty times!¡± To disrespect the ancestors and the gods to be punished with eighty strokes of the rod. Wei Yingluo''s heart fluttered, the moment was fleeting, she had found a great opportunity and she would not miss it. Wei Yingluo''s eyes narrowed slightly, she smiled sweetly at Erqing and said: ¡°I suddenly remembered I had some unfinished business, I''ll talk to you next time.¡± With that, she lifted the hem of her skirt and walked quickly outside. Erqing stares blankly at Wei Yingluo''s back, muttering: ¡°You''ve only just come back from an errand...¡± The guard''s office. ¡°Squeak squeak squeak¡± Hailancha winked at Fuheng and made a strange sound. Fuheng looked at him inexplicably and asked: ¡°What''s the matter with you today? Have you lost your mind?¡± Hailancha was frustrated and said meaninglessly: ¡°Alas, there is no understanding between us, no more games, look over there, see who it is?¡± Fuheng looked over and there was a young girl in court dress standing in the distance. Fuheng immediately got up, tapped Hailancha on the shoulder and said: ¡°I''ll be back soon.¡± Hailancha watches Fuheng striding towards Wei Yingluo, tuts twice and said: ¡°This is a blossoming of the iron tree, ha!¡± Fuheng''s steps were quick, in a few moments, he had covered most of the distance but when he was really close to Wei Yingluo his steps slowed down again. The girl was standing under a willow tree, her figure was like a weak willow, she was lost in thought but when she heard the footsteps she quickly looked back at him, her eyes were clear with his reflection, Yingluo smiled at him and called out crisply: ¡°Young Master.¡± There are indeed flowers blooming in his heart, layers of them, Fuheng unconsciously asked in the softest of tones: ¡°What brings you here?¡± Wei Yingluo handed Fuheng a small paper packet, ¡°I came to give you this.¡± Fuheng opened it, gently squeezes a little and observes it and said suspiciously: ¡°Is it pretzel salt?¡± Wei Yingluo nodded and said in an attentive and thoughtful manner: ¡°Tomorrow is the big festival day, I heard that the meat is half cooked and tasteless, people are often punished for eating it, so I have prepared pepper salt for the Young Master, when people are not looking, you can quietly put a little on it and it will be ready to eat.¡± Fuheng handed the paper bag back to Wei Yingluo, saying disapprovingly: ¡°Yingluo, this is not right.¡± As the packet was handed to her, Wei Yingluo suddenly took it with Fuheng''s hand and pushed it back, her glistening eyes met Fuheng''s and advised: ¡°Young Master you can hide a packet up his sleeve, there were so many people there, who would notice?¡± The delicate softness of the young girl''s celluloid palm was like a fire, the moment it touched Fuheng''s, he immediately withdrew his hand, making his face flush all the way to the tips of his ears. Wei Yingluo, as if she could not see the red tips of his ears, naturally withdrew her hand and said with a smile: ¡°I''ll take it as a gift, the Empress Niangniang is still waiting for me, I''ll leave now.¡± The cascade of blooming flowers slowly wilted, Fuheng watched Wei Yingluo walk away and clenched the paper bag in his hand. The next day and the main hall of the Kunning Palace. The rituals of the great festival, two large pots are set up in the hall of the Kunning Palace, steaming hot, white meat rolls over. The eunuchs respectfully place the cooked pork on the offering table, which is dedicated to the Manchu god Murihan. The Shaman Priestess sings a prayer and plays music, the sound of ¡°Eloo loo¡± is heard from time to time, while beating the tambourine and shaking the golden bell. Hongli and the Empress were in front of the crowd, the courtiers in line, amidst the sound of the tambourine, all bow down to the god Murihan. After the ceremony, Hongli and the Empress are seated on the southern bed, the ministers are seated on their respective cushions. As soon as Liyu gives a clap, the eunuchs bring up the pork with a preliminary separation of the front and back elbows. Hongli himself cuts off a piece with a dagger, Liyu shouted: ¡°Please eat the meat, my lords!¡± Wei Yingluo and the court ladies came forward, each holding a plate, with a large piece of white water meat prepared, accompanied by a small knife and a piece of cotton paper. Hong Xiao sat cross-legged on a felt cushion, looking at Wei Yingluo with a condescending look, full of scorn. Wei Yingluo''s posture is very humble, bending slightly on his knees, holding up a tray for Hong Xiao to take the knife. Hong Xiao grunts coldly, the cotton paper brushed the dagger, he slashes down hard, the white meat splits into several pieces under the knife, the soup splashes out, splashing Wei Yingluo''s cheeks. Wei Yingluo Yingluo, with an unchanging smile, when Hong Xiao has finished cutting the meat, she puts away the knife and the cotton paper as if nothing had happened, puts the tray into the other trays and returned to the Empress. It is then time for everyone to enjoy the white meat, Hongli cuts a slice and is about to eat it, when Wu Shulai suddenly approached Hongli, whispered something in his ear, Hongli turned pale, stabbed the knife in his hand to the table and said in a stern voice: ¡°Give Zhen a report immediately!¡± Everyone in the hall was stunned, Wu Shulai waved his hand, the eunuchs swarmed over him and took the meat out of the ministers'' hands. The courtiers looked at each other in confusion, they all fell to the ground in fear. The eunuch examining Hong Xiao''s tray of white meat shouted: ¡°Your Majesty, we have found it!¡± Wei Yingluo bowed her head and hid her smile without a word. CH 48.1 Hongli stepped down from the south setee, walked quickly to Hong Xiao, with a complicated look in his eyes, he asked disappointedly: ¡°Hong Xiao, why did the Great Qing Dynasty have to share the meat, do you remember?¡± Hong Xiao, with a puzzled look on his face, replied: ¡°This lowly servant dared not forget, when the great ancestor split his family as a boy, he took his brothers into the mountains to collect ginseng and hunt and lived on the meat cooked in white water, he kept the habit afterwards. After the Great Qing Dynasty''s entry into China, the Kunning Palace held two rituals every morning and two rituals every evening and one ritual every other month, so that future generations would remember the hardships of their ancestors, the Great Qing Dynasty was not easy to establish.¡± Hongli cut him off patiently: ¡°If you know all this, why did you add salt to the meat!¡± The others in the hall heard this, they did not dare to exchange words in the heat of the Emperor''s anger but their eyes met, they all exchanged glances. Hong Xiao was confused for a moment and said: ¡°Add salt? This lowly servant doesn''t have any!¡± Hongli reached out and points to the meat on the plate and commands: ¡°Taste it yourself!¡± Hong Xiao had to cut off a piece of meat and take a bite, the moment he bit into it, he stopped. All eyes were on him, Hongli''s anger was at its peak, he lifted his hand and overturned the tray in front of Hong Xiao, he said: ¡°Even the ancestors could stand it, you can''t! Adding salt to the meat of a sacrifice to the gods, this is defiance of the ancestors and disrespect for the gods, you have the audacity!¡± Hong Xiao''s royal garment was splattered with gravy, he fell to his knees with a thud and in a panic he said: ¡°Your Majesty, this lowly servant does not know why this meat is salty, this lowly servant really does not know! This is a deliberate setup, it must be a setup!¡± Hongli asked in a deep voice: ¡°The meat was cooked in the same pot, who could have set you up?¡± Hong Xiao''s gaze darted around the hall, everyone avoided his gaze, only one person, calmly met his gaze, calmly admired his wretchedness, Hong Xiao suddenly awoke, reached out and pointed to Wei Yingluo and said: ¡°She, it must be her! The knife she just brought, it must have had salt on it!¡± Wei Yingluo stepped back timidly, as meek as a willow in the wind and the Empress said in an angry voice: ¡°Prince Yi of First Rank, you yourself have dishonoured your ancestors and you want to accuse others to get away with it! Am I as the member of the Changchun Palace, so easy accuse and depose?¡± Hongli looked at Wei Yingluo, with displeasure in his eyes and said: ¡°If you have been wronged, just check the knife, Wu Shulai, check!¡± Wu Shulai moved in response, picked up the silver knife that had fallen to the ground and examined it, shook his head at Hongli and said: ¡°Your Majesty, there are no grains of salt on the knife.¡± Hong Xiao was stunned and seeing the cotton in the tray was like a lifeline, he immediately said: ¡°Where is the cotton paper, it must be on the paper!¡± Wu Shulai examined the cotton paper and shook his head again. Everyone looked at Hong Xiao, with sympathy or gloating in their eyes. Hong Xiao panicked: ¡°Your Majesty, this lowly servant really did not bring salt into the palace, this is disrespectful to the ancestors, it is forgetfulness, how could this lowly servant have done such a thing, that bitch must have framed this lowly servant!¡± The Empress'' face was furious, raising is voice: ¡°Prince Yi of First Rank, watch your language!¡± Hongli, utterly disappointed with Hong Xiao, closed his eyes and said: ¡°Zhen had heard that some ministers disliked the meat, or carried salt up their sleeves, or bribed the eunuchs to do something aboutadding the salt, I thought it was a rumour but it was done by none other than the Aisingioro¡¯s own descendants! Hong Xiao, it''s not that Zhen hasn''t given you a chance but you''ve repeatedly let Zhen down! Someone come, Prince Yi of First Rank has disrespected his ancestors, defiled the flesh of the sacrificial offering, take away the post of Chief of the Qianqing Gate and send him to the Yanxin Palace!¡± Guards enter, hold Hong Xiao down and pull him out of the hall, Hong Xiao struggles and cries out: ¡°Your Majesty! Your Majesty! This lowly servant was wronged, this lowly servant was really wronged! Your Majesty!¡± Wei Yingluo gently bit her lower lip, she was afraid she would burst out laughing. Hongli swept her eyes coldly over the crowd and said with a fierce fury: ¡°The Kunning Palace offers sacrifices every day and night, the distribution of meat, this is the blessing of the ancestors, the protection of the spirits! But with Prince Yi of First Rank at the head, the formerly brave and warlike sons of the Eight Banners, have turned into moths relying on their ancestors'' merits, they spend their days walking birds and dogs around, not doing their jobs! Not to mention killing the enemy, even eating the meat of a sacrificial lamb is considered a chore! Zhen warns you, the Great Qing Dynasty was not easy for our ancestors to build, Zhen will not allow our great empire to be ruined by a bunch of losers who are greedy for pleasure and disrespectful to our ancestors! Investigate and the guards outside are to be investigated too, Zhen wants to see who else dares to do this!¡± Wu Shulai was ordered to go and after some confusion, Wu Shulai hurried back. Hongli sat on the bed and asked grimly: ¡°Have you caught the man?¡± Wei Yingluo stood beside the Empress, happily waiting for Wu Shulai''s answer. Wu Shulai smiled and said: ¡°Your Majesty, the imperial guards and the guards at the Qianqing Gate have all been checked, no one has done anything.¡± Wei Yingluo was stunned, looked incredulously at Wu Shulai, the Empress gave her a look, seemed to notice. Hongli looked a little more relaxed, waved his hand and said: ¡°At last there is someone who understands what is going on, go on with the meat!¡± The great festival continues, no more fuss. After the ceremony, everyone dispersed and went about their business. Wei Yingluo followed the phoenix sedan to the Changchun Palace with uncertainty, upon entering the main hall, the Empress snapped her face and ordered the crowd to ¡°Go out, cover the doors and windows, Yingluo stay behind.¡± Wei Yingluo had been a favourite of the Empress since she entered the Changchun Palace but this time the Empress was so stern, that the crowd was anxious. Mingyu glances smugly at Wei Yingluo, Erqing looks worried and they exit with the crowd. The main hall is empty, Wei Yingluo and the Empress stand opposite each other. It was the first time she had ever seen the Empress angry, he had the impression that she was beautiful and high in the clouds but when she was angry, she had an aura similar to that of his Majesty. It was the majesty of a superior being. The Empress said coldly: ¡°Kneel.¡± Wei Yingluo kneels as she is told, without a word. The Empress looks down on her and asked: ¡°Wei Yingluo, do you know what wrong you did?¡± Wei Yingluo looked calmly and said: ¡°This lowly servant works for Niangniang''s, Niangniang''s words are right, Yingluo is wrong, please Niangniang punish me.¡± The Empress laughed at her anger and said: ¡°So, it is this Palace Mistress who said you are wrong and you are wrong? Wei Yingluo, Wei Yingluo, you are a bully, you are a court lady of the Changchun Palace, you are the closest person to this Palace Mistress, you played a clever trick to set up Prince Yi of First Rank, if it is revealed, can this Palace Mistress escape the charge of poor discipline?¡± Wei Yingluo looked up sharply, although she had vaguely suspected that the Empress might have found out about this, she was still surprised when it was revealed. The Empress said unhappily: ¡°Speak up!¡± Wei Yingluo took a deep breath and bowed down: ¡°This is the work of this lowly servant alone, if it ever came to pass, this lowly servant will take the blame, even if she has to die, she will not dare to implicate Niangniang. Niangniang.¡± There was a moment of silence in the hall, Wei Yingluo''s forehead rested on the cold, smooth floor, she heard the Empress sigh softly, she seemed to have no choice but to say: ¡°You, you, what can this Palace Mistress say, have you eaten bear''s liver or phoenix''s gall? How come you haven''t gained weight?¡± Wei Yingluo was stunned, then she was pulled by the shoulder, the Empress said: ¡°A young girl, so heavy minded, all day long, how old are you?¡± There was a hint of pity in her tone. Wei Yingluo was pulled up by the Empress and asked cautiously: ¡°Are you not angry with me anymore?¡± CH 48.2 The Empress nudged Wei Yingluo''s forehead and said: ¡°Prince Yi of First Rank''s false accusation of you was a slap in the face of the Changchun Palace, this Palace Mistress was not happy, she wanted to teach him a lesson but he is after all the Emperor''s own cousin, this Palace Mistress can''t even blame him unless the Emperor said so, how dare you go after someone with the Iron-Cap Prince rank?¡± Wei Yingluo touched the spot on his forehead where he had been nudged and asked tentatively: ¡°Niangniang, you blame this lowly servant, is that what this is about?¡± The Empress said with a suspicious look on her face: ¡°Did you make another mistake? Finish it in one breath, before this Palace Mistress is frightened again.¡± Fuheng''s face lingered in front of him, Wei Yingluo kept wondering why he hadn''t been caught. Wei Yingluo shook his head and asked: ¡°How did Niangniang know that I had done this?¡± The Empress looked at Wei Yingluo suspiciously for a moment, before saying: ¡°Fuheng sent me a letter earlier, saying that you were bold and that this Palace Mistress should take care of you and don''t blame you, he''s afraid you''ll get into trouble again.¡± Wei Yingluo''s face was white! He knew, he knew everything, he knew everything when he gave him the salts! Wei Yingluo''s nails pinched into her palm and asked: ¡°Did Guard Fucha say nothing else?¡± The Empress said with hatred: ¡°No, luckily Fuheng found out, anyone else would have complained to the Emperor but it would have been useless, the evidence would have been disposed of.¡± Wei Yingluo calmed down, nodded and said: ¡°Yes, please don''t worry, there will be no loose ends.¡± ¡°This Palace Mistress is not worried about that...¡± The Empress frowned and after a pause, added: ¡°Forget it, Yingluo, you are a person of character. Yingluo, in this world, being calculating, will never make you happy, on the contrary, step back, the sky will open up, you have Fuheng to thank for this, here, you send him the ginseng soup for this Palace Mistress, make sure you thank him.¡± Thank you? The packet of pepper salts was sent, he told the Empress Niangniang about it, even though he and his Fucha Fuheng had torn each other up. Wei Yingluo was curious, what would Fuheng''s attitude be now that he saw her and she said softly to the Empress: ¡°Yes.¡± After the distribution of the meat on the great day of sacrifice, the guards who were not on duty went back to the guards'' quarters to rest. Fuheng was sitting on a bamboo chair reading a book, Hailancha came up behind him and took a look, ¡°Pfft¡± he said with a laugh: ¡°I say you are getting better and better, how can you read a book upside down?¡± Fuheng looked back, seeing that the book was indeed upside down and threw it down on the table in annoyance. Hailancha patted him on the shoulder and asked: ¡°In a bad mood? Then I have good news for you and a pretty court lady has come to bring you soup, alas, I have no one to love...¡± Fuheng was stunned, he looked back, Wei Yingluo was standing at the door with a food box. Hailancha smiled and exits, as he closed the door he said: ¡°You have a nice chat.¡± Wei Yingluo went to the table, brought a steaming bowl of ginseng soup to the table, smiled sweetly and said: ¡°Young Master, Niangniang ordered me to bring you the soup.¡± Fuheng did not say a word, his face was calm with insight. Drops of water fell from the eaves, the two people stood facing each other, silent. Wei Yingluo''s expression changed from naivety to indifference: ¡°Don''t worry, the Empress Niangniang asked me to bring the soup, I wouldn''t have poisoned it.¡± Fuheng looked at the white porcelain bowl of soup and asked: ¡°Did you set up Prince Yi of First Rank.¡± Wei Yingluo replied carelessly: ¡°Didn''t you tell Niangniang about me?¡± Fuheng''s heart stung, he barely managed to keep his composure and asked: ¡°How did you do that? There was nothing on the dagger or the cotton paper.¡± Yingluo smiled and with her hands spread out she replied: ¡°It was very simple, I soaked the cotton paper in salt water, dried it out and crystallised the surface, then took it and used it to wipe the knife, as the meat was chopped into pieces, the salt crystals on the blade seeped into the meat, so it was easy to check the knife and find nothing but the cotton paper was easy to find, so I took advantage of the lack of attention and replaced the clean cotton paper with another one, naturally they couldn''t find it.¡± Fuheng rose sharply, looked Wei Yingluo dead in the eye and opened his mouth: ¡°You...¡± Wei Yingluo looked him in the eye without dodging and said with uncompromising vigour: ¡°What about me? You''re accusing me, you shouldn''t have defended Prince Yi of First Rank! Because he''s the Great Qing Dynasty Iron-Cap Prince, the son of a royal family, the grandson of a royal family, so he tells me to kneel when he wants me to, calls me a bitch and I have to take it all, don''t I! Ha, what I, Wei Yingluo want to do, whoever I want to harm, no one will escape!¡± Fuheng said patiently: ¡°Yingluo, he is the Prince after all!¡± Wei Yingluo laughed coldly and said: ¡°The sea has changed, the world has changed, the mountains have risen in the past, on the future they will be flat, there is no such thing as a constant and forever! You see, yesterday he was on high, today he is on his knees like a dog, begging for mercy! Ha ha ha ha, what a laugh.¡± Fuheng closed his eyes and slowly opened them again, asking, almost self mutilatingly: ¡°What about me? You set me up again and again, because of Amma, didn''t you?¡± Wei Yingluo looked at him coldly and said: ¡°Yes but you have escaped, on the face of it, the Young Master is a gentleman but there is no such thing as a gentleman who destroys one''s innocence!¡± Fuheng could no longer stand it, he suddenly grabbed Wei Yingluo''s wrist and asked urgently: ¡°If I told you, I didn''t do it, would you believe me?¡± Wei Yingluo snorted: ¡°Do you think I would believe it?¡± Fuheng let go of Wei Yingluo''s hand and took a step back, he suddenly drew the dagger from his waist and put it into Wei Yingluo''s hand. Wei Yingluo has a murder weapon shoved into her hand and frowned: ¡°What are you doing?¡± Fuheng looked her in the eyes, the darkness of his eyes was a hot lava, he took her hand and gripped the handle of the knife, he put the blade to his chest and said: ¡°I have nothing to do with this, if you don''t believe me, you can kill me here!¡± Wei Yingluo gripped the dagger, smiled mockingly and said: ¡°If I were to kill you here, I can''t escape either, I don''t want to die with you.¡± Fuheng said irritably: ¡°I''d rather killed by you than be hated by you.¡± Wei Yingluo looked slightly stunned, she looked slightly uncomfortable. Fuheng sighed, threw the knife on the table and said softly: ¡°I''m sorry, I didn''t think it through, if I were to die and not at the guards, it would have got you off the hook but Yingluo, no means no! I didn''t hurt your sister, I didn''t hurt Amma! If I tell a lie, I will be killed by a thousand cuts, pulled by five horses and die with a bad name and be reviled by all!¡± The oath was too poisonous and cruel, Wei Yingluo was shaken, Fuheng looked at her and said in all seriousness and honesty: ¡°Wei Yingluo, I repeat, I¡­ Fucha Fuheng has never done a single thing to harm Amma, never! I have never hurt your sister and I don''t want to... hurt you.¡± Wei Yingluo finally spoke up and asked: ¡°The first time, I asked you, if you knew Amman, why did you pretend not to?¡± Fuheng''s eyes lit up and he replied: ¡°The matter of Amma was a matter of great controversy, even after she left the palace and the rumours did not cease for a long time. I have heard of it but I have never seen Amma, so I cannot say I know her.¡± Wei Yingluo pursed her lips, took out a jade pendant and showed it to Fuheng and asked distrustfully: ¡°Your jade pendant, why was it in her hand?¡± Fuheng also looked puzzled and said: ¡°It is true that I left this jade pendant behind but why Amma kept it with her, I don''t know.¡± Wei Yingluo looked at him steadily and said: ¡°Did you mean everything you said, not a word of it?¡± Fuheng shook his head, smiling bitterly: ¡°I don''t have to lie to you, if I were the murderer, I could have told the Empress, would you still have a chance to seek revenge on me?¡± There are still doubts but it does make sense. Wei Yingluo hesitated, nodded lightly and said: ¡°Fine, I''ll believe you for now but if I ever find out you''ve lied, even if I turn into an evil spirit, I''ll find you and make you pay for it!¡± With these words, she gave Fuheng a vicious glare and turned to leave. Fuheng was enraged by the glare, he grabbed Wei Yingluo''s wrist again and said angrily: ¡°Once you wanted to avenge me, you used to smile at me in a false manner, now you find me useless and you abandon me as if I were nothing! Wei Yingluo, can you change your face?¡± The hand around the wrist was like an iron grip, with a palpitating heat. Wei Yingluo stands still, her head hangs silent. Fuheng was filled with bitterness, he said feebly: ¡°In fact, from the first time you struck, I suspected you but when I saw how gentle you were with Snowball, I deceived myself once again. Wei Yingluo, it was never you who lied to me, it was me who lied to myself! Every word you said to me, every smile you showed me, I kept going back to it in my mind, even when I knew you were lying to me, I didn''t want to believe it.¡± Wei Yingluo looked at his hand for half a moment and suddenly lifted her face and said with a bright smile: ¡°Young Master, you are not behaving, like this, in a proper manner? There is a saying that men and women who are not related to each other, you...¡± Fuheng was stunned and looked at his own hand and found himself holding Wei Yingluo''s wrist and wanted to let go immediately but seeing that it was as white as snow, he was a little reluctant to let go. A strange laugh came from outside the door, Hailancha jumped in from the door, exclaiming: ¡°Well done, you''re in love, you''re in love, I''ve caught you!¡± Fuheng immediately let go, Yingluo also stood up quickly and hurried out the door saying: ¡°The Changchun Palace has a lot to do, goodbye.¡± And with that he walked away with his food box. Hailancha, seeing that he had spoiled his brother''s fun, said: ¡°Hey! I was just kidding, Yingluo girl, don''t go!¡± Wei Yingluo had already disappeared, Hailancha looked apologetically at Fuheng and said with a smile: ¡°Hey, sorry, I didn''t expect your little girl to be so shy, she''s gone and there''s still a brother, come, I''ll feed you soup! Ah, open your mouth!¡± Fuheng kicked Hailancha in disgust, Hailancha cried out. CH 49.1 ¡°Have you heard?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The Noble Lady Jia and Consort Xian affair, what a mess it is! Didn''t his Majesty give the Fourth Prince to Consort Xian for upbringing? Noble Lady Jia has been begging his Majesty to get Fourth Prince back and it''s come to this, Noble Lady Jia has deliberately made Fourth Prince ill to get Fourth Prince back and then framed Consort Xian, his Majesty the Emperor has ordered Noble Lady Jia to be demoted, stripped of her title and moved to the three northern houses!¡± ¡°Noble Lady Jia is so cruel... They say a tiger can''t eat its son.¡± ¡°Yeah but I heard Noble Consort Hui wanted to raise Fourth Prince too but it didn''t work out, Noble Lady Jia was obviously always at her beck and call and she tried to steal her baby.¡± ¡°Consort Xian will really have Fourth Prince to look after, I think Consort Xian Niangniang is nice.¡± The two young court ladies were sitting in the corridor chattering away, when they heard someone coughing, they turned around in panic, they were relieved to see Wei Yingluo looking at them with her arms around her chest, they snapped: ¡°Sister Yingluo, why are you scaring us!¡± Wei Yingluo flicked them both in the head and threatened: ¡°How many lives do you have, how dare you talk behind their backs? If I hadn''t heard you today, if someone else were here, you''d both have had your tongues pulled out!¡± The two court ladies confessed their mistake with a sense of relief, saying: ¡°... I know, I won''t dare next time.¡± Wei Yingluo had a few more words to say, Mingyu saw her from afar and shouted: ¡°Wei Yingluo, what are you doing there, Niangniang is looking for you, do I need a palanquin to carry you?¡± Wei Yingluo answered: ¡°Coming.¡± As he walked away, he turned back to the two court ladies and said: ¡°Next time you see me, I will beat you!¡± The two court ladies smiled and ran away. The Changchun Palace main hall, the Empress and Erqing are also talking about this. The Empress took a sip of tea, frowning, she asked: ¡°How is it that Noble Lady Jia has taken her life? She doesn''t look like she can''t take it so well.¡± Erqing responded: ¡°Those who are accustomed to good food and clothing, the life in the North is still unbearable, the arrangements for Lady Jin''s death have been made.¡± The Empress put down her tea, nodded and said: ¡°Good, just poor Yongcheng, so young without a mother.¡± Erqing hesitated for a moment and asked cautiously: ¡°Empress Niangniang, if you pity Fourth Prince, why don''t you bring him to the Changchun Palace to be raised?¡± The Empress sighed and said: ¡°This Palace Mistress is busy with the Six Palaces and Consort Xian is the best person to take care of Yongcheng. What''s more, she has just lost a loved one and the Fourth Prince is a comfort to her....¡± Erqing said: ¡°Empress Niangniang, please forgive this lowly servant for talking too much, the Changchun Palace is too cold, it''s time for a Little Brother, you are the Empress of the Palaces. You are the Empress, you should bear a son for the Emperor to carry on the Great Qing Dynasty line.¡± The Empress paled and rebuked saying: ¡°Erqing, how can you even say such things!¡± Erqing threw herself on her knees and persuaded with all her heart: ¡°This lowly servant knows, you are generous, you are a mother, you treat the children of the other Consorts as if they were your own but if the Noble Consort the Chuxiu Palace were to be the first to give birth to a dragon''s son, your position would be shaken!¡± The Empress was already very upset, she slapped the case and said: ¡°Stop it!¡± At these words, she suddenly drew a breath and sat down with clenched teeth. Erqing saw that the Empress seemed uncomfortable, she got up and asked: ¡°Niangniang?¡± Wei Yingluo entered the main hall, just in time for this scene and came up to ask the same question: ¡°What is wrong with Niangniang?¡± Erqing said in a state of confusion: ¡°The physician... I''ll go and call the physician!¡± The Empress took Erqing by the arm and calmly said: ¡°It''s nothing, don''t alert anyone, I''m just tired all of a sudden, help me to bed.¡± Erqing said urgently: ¡°But-¡± The Empress held on to Erqing, with such force that Erqing was almost in pain, she said: ¡°Do as you are told.¡± Wei Yingluo and Erqing could not but helped the Empress to rest on the couch, Wei Yingluo asked softly: ¡°Niangniang, are you really alright?¡± The Empress nodded and said: ¡°Please ask Consort Chun to come, I haven''t seen her for a long time, I suddenly want to talk to her.¡± Wei Yingluo and Erqing looked at each other and answered in unison: ¡°Yes.¡± The court ladies soon led Consort Chun to the Changchun Palace, Wei Yingluo expected to be serving, Erqing dragged her to the door, none of the other palace staff remained in the palace. Erqing and Wei Yingluo sit at the door, each with her own thoughts, Wei Yingluo whispered to Erqing: ¡°What do you think, the Empress Niangniang has to say to Consort Chun, that not even the two of us can stay inside?¡± Erqing was equally confused but said: ¡°This is the master''s business, you and I should not ask.¡± CH 49.2 Wei Yingluo smiled and said: ¡°That is also true.¡± But there was more doubt in her mind. The Empress often called upon the Consort Chun to speak and when she did so, she dismissed the court, no secret in the palace. In the Chuxiu Palace, Zhilan spoke in Noble Consort Hui''s ear. Noble Consort Hui said in surprise: ¡°Really?¡± Zhilan nodded her head. Noble Consort Hui laughed and said: ¡°These two women are strange, Consort Chun is always ill and does not serve the emperor but the Empress treats her like a sister, she is obviously a rival and yet she has no hard feelings!¡± Zhilan also looked surprised and said: ¡°Yes, Consort Chun serves the Empress, more than the Emperor! And the Empress Niangniang is generous but not as affectionate to anyone as Consort Chun, these two are so odd.¡± Noble Consort Hui, hit on a melon seed, said idly: ¡°What could be odd about two women?¡± At this point, Noble Consort Hui suddenly stopped: yes, there is no such thing as impossible, on reflection, all the wrong things are clear! Zhilan was also frozen: ¡°Niangniang, you mean,¡± Noble Consort Hui was so happy that she threw the melon seeds out of her hand and laughed: ¡°This is their own way of giving me a clue to destroy them, it would be a pity to give it up and not use it! Zhilan, you put out a message for this Palace Mistress!¡± She beckoned Zhilan to come forward and whispered a few words. Zhilan, startled, said: ¡°Niangniang, is this true?¡± Noble Consort Hui laughed lightly and said smugly: ¡°To build up a good reputation, you have to do good deeds all your life, if you have the slightest stain, the building will fall down before you know it! Remember one thing, no matter how ridiculous, if someone believes it, it''s true!¡± For several days, the Consort Chun reported daily from the Changchun Palace of the Empress and a strange rumour grew up in the Palace. Last night Hongli stayed at the Changchun Palace, when it was time to go to court, the Empress arose and the Empress herself dressed the Emperor. The Empress dresses Hongli, Hongli looked at the gorgeous face of his beloved wife and suddenly said: ¡°Does the Empress know that rumours are being spread in the palace?¡± A rumour that the emperor could bring up of his own accord, certainly not an unusual one, the Empress tied the sash and asked softly: ¡°Oh? What are the rumours?¡± Hongli was silent for a moment, ¡°They say the Empress and Consort Chun are too close, something is wrong.¡± The Empress burst out laughing and couldn''t help but say: ¡°Your Majesty, you believe such rumours?¡± Hongli thought for a moment and also laughed: ¡°On reflection, it is indeed absurd, you and I may as well be kind.¡± The Empress took the jade crown from the eunuch, put it on the Emperor and said softly: ¡°Don''t worry, Your Majesty, this humble woman will investigate those who spread the rumours and will make sure that the palace rules are fixed.¡± Hongli nodded and said: ¡°But, the Empress will have to discipline those around you as well, Zhen is talking about that Wei Yingluo.¡± The Empress heard the emperor''s tone of displeasure and said helplessly: ¡°Your Majesty, you are prejudiced against Yingluo.¡± Hongli said impatiently: ¡°All right! Zhen doesn''t want to argue with you, people like this are always up to no good.¡± The Empress smiled bitterly and said: ¡°Yes, this humble woman will pay more attention.¡± As soon as the Son of Heaven had left, Consort Chun came again to the Changchun Palace to report, Wei Yingluo was about to leave with the others, when the Empress suddenly said: ¡°The rumours in the palace today are growing, this Palace Mistress and Consort Chun are only gossiping, they have aroused much suspicion, so, Yingluo, you stay and serve.¡± All were surprised, Mingyu was jealous, Wei Yingluo nodded and said: ¡°Yes, Niangniang.¡± There were only three people left in the hall, Consort Chun looked at Wei Yingluo with a hesitant look on his face. Wei Yingluo stood with her eyes lowered, the Empress said: ¡°Yingluo, raise your head, many are wondering what this Palace Mistress and Consort Chun were up to, are you curious?¡± Wei Yingluo said truthfully: ¡°Yes.¡± The Empress asked again: ¡°If this Palace Mistress really has something to do with Consort Chun, what do you think?¡± Wei Yingluo was shocked but remained calm and replied: ¡°Outwardly, I do not know but secretly, I will protect you.¡± The Empress was astonished: ¡°This is a crime of deceit, you will protect this Palace Mistress too?¡± Wei Yingluo replied solemnly: ¡°The Empress Niangniang has taught Yingluo to read and write and to behave in the world, she is one of the rare good people in the world, whatever Niangniang chooses, as long as Niangniang say so Yingluo is willing to give her life for Niangniang.¡± The Empress and Consort Chun both moved, the Empress sighed softly and said: ¡°Consort Chun, show her.¡± Consort Chun nodded, took a set of moxibustion tools from the cupboard and places them in front of Wei Yingluo. Wei Yingluo is stunned and said: ¡°What is this?¡± The Empress'' brow was tinged with light sorrow, she said: ¡°This Palace Mistress, since giving birth to Second Brother, the coldness in her body has spread and after this winter, it has become more and more severe. All night I feel pain in my bones, I cannot sleep, I sweat constantly, I have to change my clothes every half hour.¡± The Consort Chun spoke continuing: ¡°So, the Empress Niangniang asked this humble woman to treat her with acupuncture. But acupunture is forbidden in the harem, it has to be done away from people. I just didn''t expect-¡± The Empress frowned and said angrily: ¡°I didn''t expect to see such a rumour spread in the palace, it''s ridiculous! How can a woman with a cold body have children and be secure in her position? So, this Palace Mistress does not dare to work for the Imperial Hospital, she has to ask Consort Chun for help. Yingluo, from this day on, you and Erqing together, guard the Changchun Palace for this Palace Mistress!¡± Wei Yingluo answered firmly: ¡°Yes.¡± CH 50 Hailancha yawned, handed Wei Yingluo a book and asked: ¡°Miss Yingluo, what are you looking for the duty list for the 10th day of the first month?¡± Wei Yingluo took the book and replied: ¡°It''s useful.¡± With these words, she turned to the page for the tenth day of the first month. Details of the list: 10th day of the first month, guards on duty: Tongjia Yuqing, Suchuoluo Fukang, Hesheri Liguo, Fucha Fuheng, Soulun Hailancha, Niohuru Zhaofeng. Hailancha said with a puzzled expression: ¡°What is the use of this?¡± Wei Yingluo replied gently: ¡°Useful is useful.¡± She was about to turn to the next page but one hand was pressing on the name book, Fuheng pressed it and said to Hailancha: ¡°Hailancha, I want to say something to Yingluo.¡± Hailancha understands and kindly got up and said: ¡°Fine, fine, fine, you guys talk, I''ll go out first.¡± Fuheng''s hand on the book did not relax, Wei Yingluo raised her eyebrows and asked: ¡°What does Young Master mean by this?¡± Fuheng closed the book and said: ¡°No need to look, the Emperor and his guards were not the only men in the palace on the tenth day of the first month, on the tenth day of the first month, the Emperor gave a banquet at the Qianqing Palace to the royal families, all the Prince, Dukes, Noble Sons and Fourth rank clansmen, all were present.¡± Wei Yingluo said thoughtfully: ¡°The royal family...¡± Fuheng looked worried and said: ¡°Yingluo, if it is true what you say that Amman was killed, whoever killed her must not want this to get out, you continue to pursue this, it is too wide to sift through and if you are discovered, you will be in danger.¡± Wei Yingluo looked up at Fuheng and said seriously: ¡°Thank you for the reminder but if it is the Empress Niangniang who is in trouble, what will you do?¡± Fuheng was stunned, unable to answer. Wei Yingluo smiled and said: ¡°From the bottom of my heart, you and Niangniang are very close, how can I and my sister be any different? I must find out the truth, you tell me to give up, unless I die.¡± Fuheng was silent for a moment, put his heart into his own, she has a sister, he has a sister, he can''t stop her, he can only help her. With his mind made up, Fuheng asked: ¡°So, what are you going to do?¡± Wei Yingluo already had a plan in place, she said with certainty: ¡°Since the banquet was held at the Qianqing Palace, whoever left the banquet that night, must have left a trail. The eunuchs on duty at the Qianqing Palace and those close to the Emperor, all may remember, with patience, I can definitely catch the murderer!¡± Fuheng thought for a moment and said: ¡°The eunuchs of Qianqing Palace, I''ll help you track them down, promise me, don''t act rashly!¡± Wei Yingluo was a little surprised, she said disapprovingly: ¡°Young Master, why do you have to come into this mess?¡± Fuheng threatened her forcefully: ¡°If you won''t agree, I''ll tell my sister right away and have her send you out of the palace!¡± Wei Yingluo''s eyes softened, she smiled faintly at Fuheng and said: ¡°Yes, I promise.¡± Although there was an excuse to do an errand for the Empress Niangniang, as a court lady, she could not stay long with the guards, Wei Yingluo hurried back to the Changchun Palace to be informed by Mingyu that his Majesty had arrived. Wei Yingluo did not know what was going on, many people in the Changchun Palace, the Emperor seemed to hate her, she went back to her room and did not bother. In the bedchamber, the eunuch brought a small table, set out the dishes, the Empress said with care: ¡°Your Majesty has had a long day, you should be hungry, eat something.¡± The Empress personally brought a small bowl of soup to Hongli. Infected by the atmosphere, Hongli''s tone was softer and he said: ¡°The Empress, please join us.¡± The Empress is surprised, reminding: ¡°Your Majesty, the Empress and Consorts cannot share a meal with the Emperor, it''s a rule left by our ancestors.¡± The expected answer, Hongli was disappointed, he smiled and said: ¡°The Empress is still the same as before, she keeps to the etiquette, she never oversteps it.¡± The Empress said with a straight face: ¡°As an example to the Six Palaces Mistresses, this humble woman dares not overstep her bounds.¡± A breeze blew the curtain, the Empress turned her head and ordered: ¡°Erqing, close the windows, it is windy at night, don''t let the Emperor get cold.¡± Hongli looked at the Empress, no more words, bowed his head and drank his soup. The next day, when he woke up in the morning, it was still the Empress herself who dressed Hongli. Hongli suddenly sighed: ¡°Sometimes, Zhen would like to not go to court.¡± The Empress frowned slightly and advised: ¡°If you want to be a wise monarch, you must not slacken off, otherwise, it would be the sin of this humble woman.¡± Hongli was slightly offended and said: ¡°Zhen does not want to go to court, what does it matter to the Empress?¡± The Empress stepped back, knelt down solemnly, bowed her head and said: ¡°The Empress has the duty to advise, if the Emperor is negligent, this humble woman is naturally at fault.¡± Hongli paused, with his jade belt and golden crown on one side and a sudden weariness came over him. After a few moments, he helped the Empress up himself and said helplessly: ¡°Zhen has said many times, Zhen is tired of you doing this, Zhen''s Empress is not jealous, she is generous and kind, Zhen cannot find a single fault in you and is proud to have such a virtuous the Empress.¡± The Empress was a little uncomfortable to be complimented in such a straightforward manner, she bowed her head slightly and said: ¡°This humble woman is not so good... On the contrary, in the last three years, this humble woman has had too many shortcomings.¡± The court dress is put on, Hongli rose to the court, as he walked to the door, as if suddenly remembering something, he turned and admonishes: ¡°Noble Lady Yu will be giving birth and Zhen will ask the Empress to take care of her.¡± The Empress nodded her head and said: ¡°Please don''t worry, Your Majesty, this humble woman will do her best to take good care of Noble Lady Yu.¡± Hongli looked at his wife''s beautiful face, he couldn''t tell if he was more happy or sad, he smiled and said: ¡°Zhen trusts you, you will do well.¡± CH 51.1 The emperor himself had commanded, the Empress had to be sad of course, Noble Lady Yu soon moved into the Changchun Palace to nurse her baby. The Empress was carefully pruning the bonsai on the shelf, Wei Yingluo is practising her calligraphy, while peeking at the Empress from time to time. The Empress finally asked: ¡°What''s wrong? To say or not to say.¡± Wei Yingluo deliberated for a moment but said bluntly: ¡°The Empress Niangniang, you should not have brought Noble Lady Yu to the Changchun Palace.¡± The Empress looked at her quietly and asked: ¡°Why?¡± Wei Yingluo never hid her thoughts in front of the Empress and said: ¡°Noble Lady Yu is about to give birth, there are many worries, if she eats too much, if she eats too little, if she doesn''t take care of her, outsiders will blame Niangniang instead. Niangniang.¡± The Empress, slightly surprised, asked: ¡°Yingluo, you have defended Noble Lady Yu many times, why this time, have you changed your mind?¡± Wei Yingluo replies almost coldly: ¡°Yingluo thought that, not being afraid of trouble, does not mean that she is actively causing it.¡± The Empress put down the shears, walked over to Wei Yingluo and smilingly asked: ¡°Do you think this Palace Mistress taking Noble Lady Yu to the Changchun Palace, is actively trying to be a source of trouble?¡± Wei Yingluo did not deny it: ¡°This lowly servant is ignorant, if wrong, please forgive Niangniang.¡± The Empress took the pen from her hand, wrote a word on it and asked: ¡°Do you know what this word is?¡± Although Wei Yingluo had learned to read and write from the Empress, she did not recognise the character written by the Empress and shook her head. The Empress patiently taught her: ¡°A mouth at the bottom left and a hand at the top right, this is the origin of the oracle word ¡°Hou¡±. The Forbidden City is a huge building, home to countless Consorts, court ladies, the Empress is the Master of the Consorts, the umbrella of the Six Palaces to provide shelter for the women here.¡± Wei Yingluo instantly understood what the Empress meant but although she did, she could not understand and frowned: ¡°But they are all here to compete with you for the throne!¡± There was an indescribable sadness and pity in the Empress''s countenance, she looked at the word ¡°Empress¡± on the white paper and said gently: ¡°They are poor enough to have left their parents and relatives to have been locked up in the palace all their lives; if this Palace Mistress is also full of jealousy, the palace will be out of order; this Palace Mistress is weak, she can always give them a little warmth, when they are wronged, they will not have to cry out; Yingluo, you must always remember, this Palace Mistress is the Empress first, only then is she a woman.¡± Wei Yingluo stood in a daze, she looked at the Empress and saw someone else, someone who had said to her so gently: ¡°Yingluo, it''s not easy to survive, you must do what you can, help those who can, understand? Do you understand?¡± The Empress looked at the tears in Wei Yingluo''s eyes and asked: ¡°Yingluo, what''s wrong with you?¡± Wei Yingluo wiped away her tears and whispered: ¡°This lowly servant has a sister, the way Niangniang spoke just now, she resembled her sister, please forgive Niangniang, you are a person of gold to this lowly servant, you are a person of gold. This lowly servant should not compare you with my sister, this lowly servant just thought, you are a good person like my sister, God will bless you.¡± I will protect you too. The Empress touched Wei Yingluo''s forehead lovingly and snapped: ¡°You''re crying your nose off, what a silly little girl.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled apologetically. The Empress said again: ¡°Yingluo, this Palace Mistress is going to the Changchun Garden to accompany the Empress Dowager to pay homage to the Buddha, Erqing will go with me, after that everything in the Changchun Palace, will be entrusted to you..¡± Wei Yingluo gave an ¡°eh¡± and said:¡± The Empress Niangniang, this lowly servant cannot afford such a burden, leave it to Mingyu.¡± The Empress took Wei Yingluo''s hand and said: ¡°Mingyu has been with this Palace Mistress for many years, she has a strong bond but she is not calm enough, this Palace Mistress wants you to keep this Changchun Palace safe till she comes back!¡± The words had come to this, Wei Yingluo did not resist any longer and promised in all seriousness: ¡°Yes.¡± The next day, the phoenix sedan left the palace. After the Empress Niangniang''s departure, although everyone had heard that Niangniang had ordered Wei Yingluo to be in charge, Mingyu was not convinced and took it upon himself to delegate matters to everyone. Wei Yingluo did not want to confront Mingyu and Mingyu did know the Changchun Palace better than she did, so as long as nothing happened, she would not fight for power. That night, Wei Yingluo was in her room, dreaming soundly, when she heard a woman''s scream, she woke up with a start, the shout of the court lady, Ho Ye, came from far away: ¡°Noble Lady is in labour, hurry, get the midwife!¡± Wei Yingluo immediately got up in her clothes and hurried to the inner courtyard, where she saw the inner courtyard in chaos, she pulled her hair back and shouted in a stern voice: ¡°What''s the fuss, Hupo, go and fetch the midwife!¡± Hupo looked back and went away at once. Wei Yingluo cleared her mind and ordered: ¡°Zhenzhu, prepare the hot water and the shears for later, ask the matron for the rest, Jadeite, tell the maid to make a pot of ginseng soup as she is told!¡± The people finally calmed down with their jobs to do and went about their business. Mingyu gritted her teeth, her face full of indignation. The ginseng soup was ready, Wei Yingluo was carrying it into the hall, Mingyu suddenly stopped her and said with an unpleasant expression: ¡°I will bring it in! Go to the backyard and wash your dirty clothes, don''t be an eyesore here!¡± Wei Yingluo was irritated but hearing Noble Lady Yu''s harsh cries and the matron''s urging growing louder in the hall and knowing that now was not the time to quarrel, Mingyu took the ginseng soup away and sent it to the hall. In the side halls, Noble Lady Yu''s screams rose higher and higher, the court ladies kept moving, passing the blood and water out and quickly bringing in clean hot water. The matron was sweating profusely, encouraging: ¡°Niangniang, try harder!¡± Noble Lady Yu suddenly screamed a cry that almost pierced the eardrums, followed by the loud cries of a child and a relief to the crowd! Noble Lady fell back on the bed, her long hair was loose and asked, breathlessly: ¡°Is it Prince or Gog?¡± The two matrons looked at the baby, both saw the horror in each other''s eyes. Noble Lady Yu eagerly asked again: ¡°Is it Prince or is it a princess!¡± CH 51.2 A matron shuddered: ¡°It''s a Little Brother!¡± Noble Lady Yu rejoiced, struggles to raise her hand and said: ¡°Let me see the baby.¡± The other matron said with trepidation: ¡°Noble Lady... It''s...¡± Noble Lady Yu frowned, feeling suddenly uneasy and said again: ¡°Come here, let me see him!¡± Mingyu walked over to the mother and saw the baby and took a half step backwards in horror. The voices of the court ladies outside the door said: ¡°This lowly servant to Noble Consort Niangniang, please!¡± Mingyu stomped her foot, turned her face to Yuhu and said: ¡°Take care of Noble Lady Yu, Noble Consort is here, she must not see Little Brother, I''ll go and stop her!¡± With these words Mingyu walked out quickly. Noble Lady Yu''s voice had begun to tremble, she looked blankly at the people in the hall and asked: ¡°What''s going on...? What is wrong with you?¡± All heads hung down. Outside the door and a crowd of people surrounded Noble Consort Hui and marched to the inner courtyard of the Changchun Palace. Mingyu wiped her sweat and salutes: ¡°This lowly servant greets Noble Consort Niangniang!¡± Noble Consort Hui didn''t even bother to look at her, waved her hand and said: ¡°No, this Palace Mistress heard that Noble Lady Yu was about to give birth but the Empress was not in the palace, this Palace Mistress, as Noble Consort, must take care of it.¡± Mingyu smiled and said: ¡°Noble Consort Niangniang please rest in the main hall, this lowly servant will serve tea.¡± The baby''s cries were loud and clear in the room, Noble Consort Hui curled her lips in interest and walked straight ahead saying: ¡°No need, this Palace Mistress go and see the baby.¡± Mingyu hurriedly intervened: ¡°Noble Consort Niangniang, the maternity ward is filthy, it''s bad for the body!¡± Noble Consort Hui gave a wink to Zhilan, who immediately rebuked saying: ¡°Get lost, how dare you block Niangniang''s way?¡± A group of eunuchs immediately pulled Mingyu back. Zhenzhu, seeing that Mingyu was unable to stop him, turned around and went to the backyard to find Wei Yingluo. Noble Consort Hui strode into the side hall, the matrons and court ladies were at a loss, Noble Consort Hui saw a matron holding swaddling clothes and immediately said: ¡°Oh, congratulations on the birth, let me see how cute the baby is.¡± A Momo steps forward, snatched Little Brother out of the hands of the matron and brings him to Noble Consort Hui, Noble Consort Hui lifted the swaddling clothes, shudders and shouted: ¡°You, you''ve given birth to a You have given birth to a demon!¡± Noble Lady Yu was stunned and said: ¡°What demon, what nonsense!¡± One of the midwives, seeing that she couldn''t hide it, shook like a sieve and said: ¡°Noble Lady Yu, Little Brother''s eyes are golden and her body is horribly yellow, this lowly servant has delivered so many babies, it''s unprecedented!¡± Next, in the Chengqian palace, Consort Chun and Consort Xian are playing chess. Yuhu walked quickly up to Consort Chun and whispered something. Consort Chun rose to her feet and said: ¡°Really?¡± Yuhu nodded and said: ¡°It''s true.¡± Consort Chun dropped the pieces in her hand and said: ¡°Noble Lady Yu has given birth to a strange baby, I''m afraid we can''t play this game anymore! Come on, let''s go see.¡± Consort Xian looked surprised and said: ¡°Good.¡± Yuhu added: ¡°Noble Consort Hui has gone first, she will be dealt with according to the rules of the palace, Niangniang, let''s go and save him!¡± Consort Xian had already risen, Consort Chun heard Yuhu''s words but stopped in his tracks and said: ¡°Wait.¡± To save a life is like putting out a fire, Consort Xian and Yuhu both don''t understand what to wait for. Consort Chun is sitting calmly in her seat and said: ¡°Why do you think, for good reason, Noble Lady Yu gave birth to a strange baby?¡± Consort Xian asked in confusion: ¡°What do you mean, sister?¡± Consort Chun smiled, picked up the pieces and makes another move and said: ¡°Noble Consort is always bossy, why don''t we give her a big gift! I have another matter to attend to but I would be grateful if you would go to the Yanxin Palace first!¡± Two flowers in bloom, one for each. Wei Yingluo followed by Zhenzhu hurriedly arrived outside the side hall and was about to step forward, when Mingyu reached out and stopped her: ¡°You can''t go in! Noble Lady Yu has given birth to a demon, Noble Consort is to be dealt with according to the palace rules, no one can stop her! You''re asking for trouble, don''t take us with you!¡± Wei Yingluo''s eyes snapped cold, she raised her hand and slapped Mingyu across the face. The slap was unrelenting, Mingyu''s face was clearly marked with five fingerprints, she covered her face in disbelief and said: ¡°You hit me? You''re crazy!¡± Zhenzhu saw that the two women had started the argument first and said: ¡°Yingluo, let''s talk about it!¡± Wei Yingluo said coldly: ¡°What kind of reason is there with something that can''t speak human words! I tell you, Mingyu, the Empress Niangniang has been away from the palace for two days, you have been a bully, I still didn''t bother with you, because I don''t want to disturb Noble Lady Yu''s pregnancy, not because I''m afraid of you! Now Noble Lady Yu and Little Brother are in danger, if you don''t care, go away!¡± Mingyu covered her face, her eyes were angry and hateful, she said in a stern voice: ¡°Wei Yingluo, this is out of your hands, if you take care of the demons, you are against the rules of the old ancestors, do you want to get the Empress Niangniang involved?¡± Wei Yingluo said impatiently: ¡°The Empress Niangniang has told me to keep Noble Lady Yu alive, that''s all I have to say!¡± And with these words, she walked quickly towards the side hall but a group of eunuchs blocked the door. Mingyu said contemptuously: ¡°Who can''t say big words, are you capable of that?¡± Wei Yingluo swept her eyes over the eunuchs who were watching her ¨C and she suddenly changed direction, heading straight for the Empress'' chambers. Zhenzhu was anxious, chasing after him, he asked: ¡°Yingluo, what are you doing!¡± Mingyu snorted and said with anger and hatred: ¡°I want to see how she is going to manage!¡± The Empress''s chambers had been turned upside down by Wei Yingluo, Zhenzhu cried out in anxiety: ¡°Yingluo, do you have any ideas!¡± Outside the door came the cries of a child and a cry that drove the two of them on, Zhenzhu stomped her feet and with a sobbing voice said: ¡°Yingluo, it''s too late!¡± CH 52.1 ¡°Bury the bastard, right here!¡± ¡°Yes, Niangniang!¡± ¡°Woah woah!¡± ¡°No, Noble Consort Niangniang, No!¡± Noble Lady Yu struggled desperately but could not free herself from the hands of the two eunuchs and watched as her child was carried upside down by one leg, like a chicken to the slaughter to the flower bed. The jasmine flowers in the flower bed were roughly shovelled away, leaving a large black hole and the poor boy was left in the hole, with dirt poured on him in every direction. Mingyu and the rest of the court were afraid of getting into trouble, their mouths were sewn shut and they dared not speak out. Noble Lady Yu, who could not bear to see her child buried in life, sobbed so hard that she fainted. ¡°Wake her up!¡± Noble Consort Hui said with a sneer, ¡°This Palace Mistress will see for herself, what happens to those who fight against this Palace Mistress!¡± WOW! Cold well water splashed on Noble Lady Yu''s face, she woke up, her eyes still dazed and when she saw what was happening before her, she realised that what had happened before was not a nightmare but a reality that was happening before her eyes. ¡°Niangniang!¡± Noble Lady Yu struggled to her knees and said, ¡°Please, let my child go, he is not a demon!¡± Her humble and miserable appearance was reflected in Noble Consort Hui''s eyes, Noble Consort Hui''s face showed a hint of pleasure, he said to her in a condescending manner: ¡°On the day of the Lychee Feast, weren''t you so proud and now you''re begging me?¡± With a gesture of her eyes, the two eunuchs let go of her hands, freed, Noble Lady Yu immediately crawled at her feet like a dog, kowtowing to her desperately: ¡°Noble Consort Niangniang, I may have offended you but Little Brother is innocent, he has done nothing wrong, please, do with me what you will, let him live! I beg you, I beg you, I beg you!¡± Noble Consort Hui, however, only smiled at her, did not say yes, did not say no. The sound of the eunuch shovelling, shovel after shovel, the Little Brother still crying, one after the other, Noble Lady Yu''s heart grew cold, she no longer prayed to Noble Consort Hui but threw herself on her own child, with her own hands, her own back, with her own hands, with her own back, with her own hands. With her own hands, her own back, her frail body to shield him from the mud, not to let anyone else hurt him anymore. ¡°Well, that''s mother and son.¡± Noble Consort Hui laughed contemptuously, ¡°In that case, let''s send you both on your way... What are you waiting for? Do it!¡± The palace men winced and had to revive their shovels, throwing handfuls of dirt on the two. As the mother and son were about to be buried alive and a furious voice rang out. ¡°Stop!!!¡± Noble Consort Hui turned her head to look at them and laughed coldly: ¡°You have come at last, someone, this woman is interfering with this Palace Mistress'' treatment of the demons, she must be in league with them, what are you waiting for, take her down!¡± ¡°Noble Consort Niangniang!¡± Wei Yingluo, with a box in her arms, walked quickly, looked angrily at Noble Consort Hui, ¡°This is the Changchun Palace, not your Chuxiu Palace, you can''t do anything here!! And you-¡± Wei Yingluo looked around the palace, her eyes fixed on the face of Mingyu at the head and frowned: ¡°The Empress Niangniang, when she left, what did she tell you to do? When the Empress Niangniang left, what did she say, if anything happens to Noble Lady Yu and the Fifth Prince, none of us will survive!¡± People are subservient, especially the palace staff, they have been subservients for so long that they gradually lose their own ideas, they only do what they are told, not many of them have the courage to make decisions. Now that Wei Yingluo had spoken, it was as if they had a backbone, no longer flying around like headless flies, they all rushed to the pit as if relieved, some grabbed the shovel from the eunuchs, some reached out to pull Noble Lady Yu from the pit, some kept slapping the mud from her body. Noble Consort Hui was furious at this and said: ¡°What are you doing, you''re all rebelling against your superiors!¡± The crowd looked at Yingluo with some fear. CH 52.2 ¡°We are not the ones who have broken the rules, you are!¡± Wei Yingluo laughed coldly, suddenly raising the golden box in her hands, he said, ¡°Here is the golden seal of the Empress, you would dare to be rebellious!¡± Seeing the seal was like seeing a human being in person, the group immediately knelt in the direction of the box, Noble Consort Hui did not kneel, only stared at the box in her hands. ¡°The Golden Seal of the Empress represents the will of Mistress of the Six Palaces, whether Fifth Prince is a demon or not and what Noble Lady Yu will do with it, all awaits the Empress Niangniang''s decree. No one moves a finger¡­¡± Wei Yingluo stared at Noble Consort Hui and said in one word, ¡°No trespassing!¡± Noble Consort Hui gritted her teeth and was about to say something, when a sharp chant came from outside ushering the emperor: ¡°This lowly servant Greets his Holiness Emperor!¡± ¡°Your Majesty!¡± Noble Consort Hui flinched at this, the evil one was the first to complain, she was the first to rush forward, took her arm and said, ¡°Noble Lady Yu has given birth to a ruddy yellow demon, the Empress is not in the palace, this humble¡­ this humble woman is acting in the place of the Empresst to dispose of mother and child! But all the people of the Changchun Palace, especially this Wei Yingluo, dare to stand in the way!¡± ¡°Your Majesty, this lowly servant did not dare to stop Noble Consort from enforcing the law but, before the Empress Niangniang left, she instructed, this lowly servant and others to guard the Noble Lady Yu, until Niangniang returned to the palace, no one is to do anything without her permission.¡± Wei Yingluo knelt down and argued, ¡°What''s more, whether the Little Brother has sickness or a demon, one cannot tell with the naked eye, one has to ask the physician to treat him! Noble Consort Niangniang is too hasty!¡± Hongli glanced at her, then walked quickly to Noble Lady Yu, opened a corner of the swaddling clothes, looked inside, then two sword brows furrowed suddenly. Noble Consort Hui looked on in disbelief and was delighted but Hongli began: ¡°Liyu, consult the Imperial Hospital!¡± In a few moments, two physicians arrived at the Changchun Palace in a hurry, carrying their cases. ¡°Well?¡± Hongli stood with his hands in the air, standing on the edge of the bed, ¡°Is Prince ill?¡± The two eunuchs looked at each other, the older one replied helplessly: ¡°Your Majesty, I have diagnosed many cases of jaundice in children but none of them have even had golden pupils. So...¡± ¡°See, this is indeed a demon!¡± Noble Consort Hui sneered. ¡°No, Little Brother is not a demon, he''s not!¡± Noble Lady Yu rushed forward, trying to take the baby away from the physician but was stopped by the surrounding court and at the Emperor''s gaze, dragged the unstable Noble Lady Yu out of the room. ¡°Your Majesty.¡± Noble Consort Hui took advantage of the situation, taking Hongli by the arm, ¡°This humble woman knows that the Emperor has a million things on his mind but throughout the ages, once a demon is born, it must be dealt with immediately! If this matter is not settled tonight, tomorrow the sun will rise and the news of a demon born to Noble Lady of the Forbidden City, will spread like wings! A demon from the sky and a plague from the sky and a plague from the people and then the people will be in a state of panic and it will be uncontrollable! So, this humble woman had no choice but to be the one to bury the prince alive! this humble woman is doing this for the Emperor, for the Great Qing Dynasty, even if a thousand people are criticizing to the humble woman, no matter what! Your Majesty, please, don''t hesitate!¡± At the sight of Hongli''s frown of relief, Wei Yingluo''s heart was in her mouth and while the attention of the crowd was not on her, she leapt forward, snatched up the little baby and with a sigh of regret, gave him a sharp twist on the arm. ¡°Wow...¡± ¡°Your Majesty, listen.¡± Wei Yingluo looked at Hongli with the child in her arms, her eyes pleading, ¡°He is a little prince, though yellow, he cries loudly, he is a living human being, he is linked to you, how can he be buried alive!¡± Hongli looked at her in silence. ¡°And the eunuchs have served in the palace for many years, though skilled in medicine, they have seen few cases, perhaps they just can''t tell!¡± Wei Yingluo paused, with a hint of pleading in her words, ¡°Besides... Noble Lady Yu had to work hard to give birth to Fifth Prince, he''s only just opened his eyes!¡± ¡°A consorts in the thousands and you think there will be no future heir?¡± Noble Consort Hui said coldly, ¡°If we leave this demon to breathe, there will be no end of trouble! Your Majesty, please do not hesitate any longer, do it!¡± A word to the death, all looked to Hongli, waiting for him to speak, waiting for him to decide on the life of a child. ¡°... Consort Xian.¡± Hongli spoke slowly, ¡°Last time at the Lychee Banquet, did Zhen hear you mention a famous physician from Jiangnan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He had not come alone, he had been accompanied by Consort Xian. Consort Xian said, ¡°By coincidence, this famous physician is now in the capital for a consultation, would the emperor like to call him over?¡± Hongli nodded slowly. ¡°Someone.¡± Consort Xian immediately gave the order for him, ¡°Invite Ye Tianshi!¡± CH 53.1 The crowd expected to see a long bearded, bearded, shining, respected old man but instead the door opened and a drunken young man came tumbling in from outside. Noble Consort Hui said with a giggle: ¡°Is this the famous physician of Jiangnan?¡± Ye Tianshi slowly raised his head, he had a very handsome face, not like a famous physician but like a popular opera singer, he looked like a singing butterfly. He looked at Noble Consort Hui as if he had drunk too much wine and then at Consort Xian and at the court ladies around him and finally at Wei Yingluo''s face. ¡°Ye Tianshi!¡± Hongli frowned, ¡°Zhen asked you to treat the patient, what are you looking at instead of the patient?¡± ¡°Your Majesty forgive me.¡± I don''t know if he was talking drunk or sincere but he laughed and said, ¡°This room is full of flowers (beautiful girls perhaps?), it is full of awing structures, I am dumbfounded!¡± Hongli''s face immediately turned sour. Wei Yingluo did not expect this famous Jiangnan physician to be so desperate, he was afraid that he would be dragged out by Hongli and beheaded in the next moment, so he carried Little Brother over to him and said: ¡°Please ask Dr. Ye to see Little Brother!¡± ¡°Oh, oh, yes, yes.¡± Ye Tianshi responded cheerfully, looking more and more like a drunkard. Only when his gaze fell on Little Brother, the debauchery was immediately gone, even the drift in his gaze was instantly removed and he became clear and bright. After a long time, he made the diagnosis: ¡°Little Brother has jaundice.¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± Noble Consort Hui exclaimed at once, ¡°This Palace Mistress has seen jaundice in a child but never one with golden pupils!¡± Ye Tianshi glanced at her and said indifferently: ¡°That''s because Niangniang has lived in the palace for so long, she''s ignorant.¡± Noble Consort Hui was trembling with anger, she shot a glare at the Imperial Physician, who could not help but come forward and say: ¡°We Imperial Physicians are not ignorant, usually jaundice in children only appears on the face, neck and extremities, have we ever seen it spread to the pupils?¡± ¡°The jaundice you describe is congenital, even if left untreated, it will recover on its own in seven days. But Little Brother''s jaundice is pathological, it is often associated with a severe stagnation of maternal bile path¡­¡± Seeing the disbelief on the faces of the people, Ye Tianshi simply smiled and said, ¡°This way I''ll prescribe a remedy to remove the yellow from Little Brother''s body in just half a month! If not, the Emperor can take away this head on my head!¡± If a man dares to put his own head on the line, he must be sure of ten percent. Noble Consort Hui''s face was hard, Wei Yingluo was relieved, clutched Little Brother in his arms and said: ¡°This is over...¡± No, it''s not over yet. ¡°This humble woman Greets his Holiness Emperor!¡± Consort Chun suddenly came in from outside, followed by two eunuchs, one behind the other, carrying a stretcher, on which was a recently dead body. ¡°Ah!¡± Noble Consort Hui rushed to cover her eyes with her sleeve, unable to look away. Consort Chun stopped and laughed at her: ¡°Noble Consort Niangniang is not afraid when she kills a man, why is she afraid when he saw a corpse?¡± Hearing her words, Noble Consort Hui lowered her sleeve and said: ¡°Consort Chun, what do you mean?¡± ¡°Noble Consort Niangniang.¡± Consort Chun turned her body to the side, leaving the stretcher behind her and pointing to the body on top, said, ¡°Do you recognise this man?¡± Noble Consort Hui only glanced at corpse for a moment, before pulling back and saying: ¡°No.¡± ¡°This man is the Mongolian cook of the Imperial Tea Kitchen.¡± Consort Chun stared at her, ¡°The same man who makes the food for Noble Lady Yu.¡± With these words, she clapped her hands and a court lady entered from outside carrying a food box, Consort Chun removes the lid, pointing to the layers of scones inside: ¡°The food this cook cooks, this humble woman has also ordered it to be brought!¡± ¡°Huh? Let''s see.¡± Ye Tianshi came forward, picked up a scone and looked at it and finally to the amazement of the crowd, passed it to his mouth and took a bite. Aren''t you afraid of poison? The crowd shouted in their hearts. Ye Tianshi puffs out his cheeks and said as he chews: ¡°Soba, beef, lamb...¡± With a grunt, he swallows the contents of his mouth, then looked at the crowd and said: ¡°Apart from these scones, what else does that Noble Lady Yu like to eat?¡± ¡°Sugar cakes.¡± This was Wei Yingluo''s reply, the Changchun Palace was close to the Yonghe Palace, she was often sent by the Empress to visit Noble Lady Yu and was sometimes left with a meal, so naturally she knew what Noble Lady Yu liked to eat, ¡°all kinds of sugar cakes and what she liked to eat. ¡°all kinds of sugar cakes, hardly any main meals.¡± ¡°I get it, I get it!¡± Ye Tianshi slapped his thighs together, ¡°I see where Little Brother''s illness came from!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hongli looked at him and said, ¡°Tell me more.¡± ¡°Your Majesty, nothing should be overdone, too much medicine is poison, so is food.¡± Ye Tianshi replied, ¡°For example, these sugar cakes and meat pies, you can eat one a day but not two meals a day for months on end, that is too much!¡± ¡°Physician Ye, what you mean is...¡± Wei Yingluo asked tentatively, ¡°Fifth Prince was born yellow because of the overdose of scones and sugar cakes?¡± If it is as he said, then this is not a natural disaster but a man made one. CH 53.2 ¡°Consort Chun!¡± Hongli looked down at the body on the stretcher and said coldly, ¡°What did this man die of?¡± ¡°With the example of Fourth Prince, this humble woman naturally suspected Noble Lady Yu''s diet and ordered a search, only to find out that the cook ad already killed himself when he arrived at the Imperial Tea House!¡± At this point, Consort Chun''s eyes swept in the direction of Noble Consort Hui and said, ¡°If you ask who was behind this, it is clear who wanted to bury Fifth Prince alive!¡± ¡°Consort Chun, you''re spitting blood and slander!¡± Noble Consort Hui snapped. No evidence but Consort Chun''s one sided words, do count as slander. But as the saying goes: ¡°Three ladies can make a rumour true and when there are many who speak with one voice, even a falsehood can become a truth and even a bloody mouth can spout slander. ¡°Your Majesty, Fifth Prince is only a baby in swaddling clothes, what sin is there in that, unless someone doesn¡¯t want to see him born safely.¡± Wei Yingluo suddenly spoke up, the Little Brother in her arms, like a kitten, made a faint sobbing sound and said, ¡°Come to think of it, Noble Lady Yu has been in trouble since she was conceived, Noble Consort Niangniang¡­ First the Imperial Garden scare, then the Lychee Banquet, as soon as Noble Lady gave birth, Noble Consort Niangniang was the first to come to the Changchun Palace and advocated burying Fifth Prince alive, if she had nothing to do with this scheme¡­ it''s unconvincing.¡± ¡°Bitch, don''t slander this Palace Mistress there!¡± Noble Consort Hui said urgently, ¡°Your Majesty to convict this humble woman on the basis of a corpse alone, this humble woman is not convinced! Who knows if he was forced to die and deliberately framed this humble woman!¡± ¡°Noble Consort Niangniang, at this point, you still don''t want to give up your defence.¡± Consort Chun sighed. Noble Consort Hui stared at her unafraid face and a slight fear grew in her heart. Consort Chun took a letter out of her pocket and presented it to Hongli with some gold ingots, saying: ¡°Your Majesty, this humble woman ordered a search of the Imperial Tea House and found a bloody letter and twenty taels of gold. This humble woman had a premonition and left evidence!¡± Hongli took the letter, opened it up, inside was a page of blood, someone had written with his finger in blood: The murderer, must be the master of the Chuxiu Palace! Noble Consort Hui felt her eyes go black, her body swayed, Zhilan reached out to help her but she pushed Zhilan away and ran towards Hongli saying: ¡°False, this humble woman has never seen this man! He''s a fake and so is this letter!¡± Hongli raised his hand, avoiding her hand and then coldly ordered: ¡°From now on, Noble Consort Hui is imprisoned in the Chuxiu Palace, no one is allowed to enter or leave unless it is Zhen''s order!¡± With these words, as if he could no longer stand the pandemonium of the palace, he lifted his feet and left. ¡°Niangniang, Niangniang!¡± Behind him, came Zhilan''s cries, ¡°Your Majesty, Niangniang has passed out!¡± Her cries did not stop Hongli''s footsteps. ¡°Your Majesty!¡± A figure seemed to be waiting at the door, as soon as it saw him, it rushed over and knelt before him, stopping him in his tracks, ¡°This lowly servant wants to report someone!¡± Hongli was annoyed, another one, couldn''t help but speak in a cold tone: ¡°Who are you suing?¡± The one kneeling before him was Mingyu, Mingyu fell to her knees and said: ¡°Earlier Noble Consort was going to execute Fifth Prince and one man tried to stop her, by taking out the Golden Seal of the Empress but in fact, the Empress Niangniang was never granted the Golden Seal of the Empress, this woman was clearly faking the decree!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hongli said lightly, ¡°Who is this woman?¡± Mingyu raised his head and said: ¡°Wei Yingluo.¡± ¡°Wei Yingluo...¡± Hongli slowly turned his head back, looking behind him at the young girl with the baby in her arms and said, ¡°Do you know your crime?¡± The child was strange, anyone who held him would cry but in her arms, at most he only sobbed gently, as if he knew who to trust, who truly protected him. Wei Yingluo knelt down with the child in her arms, afraid of frightening him and whispered softly: ¡°Your Majesty, I deserve to die, I have deceived Noble Consort Niangniang, please forgive me, Your Majesty.¡± ¡°Deceive Noble Consort?¡± Hongli heard her words at once, ¡°So you did not deceive Zhen?¡± ¡°How dare this lowly servant use the Golden Seal of the Empress, it is a great crime to use on an imperial decree so I did not use the seal.¡± Wei Yingluo said obsequiously, ¡°But in those circumstances, if this lowly servant had not protected Noble Lady Yu and Fifth Prince, they would not have waited for his Majesty, the sake of Noble Lady and Prince''s lives, this lowly servant had to take the plunge! Of course, this lowly servant has been at fault for deceiving Noble Consort, I beg Your Majesty''s pardon.¡± Her words seemed obedient but nothing she did was obedient. Hongli looked at her without speaking and suddenly raised his hand and said: ¡°Drag her off and punish her with fifty strokes of the cane!¡± The eunuchs swarmed over her, Mingyu was confused for a moment, before she cried out in panic: ¡°How, how could it be? Your Majesty, Your Majesty, have mercy!¡± Since the golden seal was not in the box which Wei Yingluo presented, Mingyu''s action was a blatant frame up, that was not the worst of it, the worst of it was that her intentions were seen by Hongli, she was trying to use Hongli the emperor to get rid of the thorn in her side, Wei Yingluo. Do you think she should be beaten? Hongli gave Wei Yingluo a hard stare, he was one of those who deserved to be beaten, he just couldn''t find a reason to issue the punishment to her for a while, in frustration, he just walked away. The rest of the group left with her, Consort Chun was half way to the door, when Wei Yingluo flashed up beside her without a word and said in a voice only two people could hear: ¡°Consort Chun Niangniang, may I have a word?¡± Perhaps because Consort Chun was in a good mood, or perhaps because she was the Empress'' favourite, Consort Chun raised her hand and waved away the palace staff and walked with Wei Yingluo to the side hall. ¡°This lowly servant dares to ask a question.¡± To avoid ears on the wall and long dreams, Wei Yingluo opens the door, ¡°Fifth Prince''s jaundice, is it really due to Noble Consort Hui?¡± Consort Chun looked at her with a smile. ¡°When I saw the Mongolian cook''s body, this lowly servant already felt something strange in his mind, if he wanted to kill someone, why did he choose this moment, would it not be a fallacy?¡± She did not answer, Wei Yingluo then said to himself, ¡°And if Noble Consort really wanted to kill, how could he have handled it so badly and let him leave a bloody letter?¡± ¡°You knew there was something wrong with this, why did you say that, so that Noble Consort Hui was punished so severely?¡± Consort Chun suddenly asked. I had come to question her but I did not expect her to question me, Wei Yingluo was silent for a moment, before replying slowly: ¡°The child is innocent, if she is safe, then something will happen to Little Brother in the future, on the other hand, I can only let Noble Consort Niangniang be punished, so as to save Little Brother.¡± ¡°It''s just a temporary peace.¡± Consort Chun smiled lightly and said, ¡°The boy was born in the Forbidden City, he was destined to be involved in a struggle for power, if he died young, it was his fate, even if he grew up, he would still have to face the battle for the throne. He will have to pay the price someday.¡± Wei Yingluo stared at her. She didn''t say it explicitly but between the lines, it was almost as if she had admitted it herself, that she had used the Mongolian cook and Little Brother to set Noble Consort Hui up. ¡°... Consort Chun Niangniang''s words, Yingluo understands but does not agree.¡± Wei Yingluo said slowly, ¡°Only fierce beasts devour their young and a man who preys on a young child is no different from a beast, forgive Yingluo for taking her leave early!¡± CH 54.1 This is over, the aftermath. First, Mingyu had lost her favour, for she had served her for so many years, the Empress did not punish her explicitly but she did not trust her as much as before, Mingyu was sad about this but there was nothing she could do. The other one, Noble Lady Yu. ¡°Congratulations.¡± The Empress shook the swaddling clothes in her arms and smiled, ¡°This Palace Mistress presented her love to the Emperor on your behalf the other day, the Emperor, in recognition of your childbirth, will raise you to the throne, tomorrow by decree, you will be the Concubine, the Palace Mistress of the Yonghe Palace!¡± ¡°Niangniang!¡± Noble Lady Yu was speechless with emotion, she had been worried that she was too low in the hierarchy to keep Fifth Prince with her, now this was no longer a problem Dao Dao, ¡°This humble Concubine doesn''t know how to thank you for your great kindness...¡± ¡°You just take care of yourself, take care of Fifth Prince.¡± The Empress smiled kindly, when the swaddled Fifth Prince suddenly reached out with a chubby little hand and grabbed a strand of her hair and cried out a few times. ¡°Ouch, Fifth Prince, let go! Don''t hurt your Empress Niangniang!¡± Noble Lady Yu said urgently. ¡°No harm, no foul.¡± The Empress looked happy, allowing Fifth Prince to play with her hair as a toy and stroking her cheek with her fingers and a maternal glow in her eyes. Wei Yingluo looked on, pondering. When Noble Lady Yu left with Fifth Prince in her arms, Wei Yingluo asked tentatively: ¡°It''s about time we had a little master at the Changchun Palace.¡± ¡°You!¡± The Empress said as she tipped her finger to her forehead, ¡°A girl who is not yet married, aren''t you ashamed to say that?¡± Wei Yingluo rubbed her forehead, not ashamed either and asked with a smile: ¡°Is the Emperor coming tonight?¡± On the contrary, the Empress was a little ashamed of what she had said, she bowed her head and mewed, her cheeks flushed a little and a real little girl''s gesture. At night, the carriage is driving towards the Changchun Palace, Hongli is reclining on the carriage, one fist on his temple, eyes closed, looking tired. ¡°Life is like a dream, let me drink a few cups.¡± A kun song came from the wind, like a sob, like a complaint, like a grievance. ¡°... Stop.¡± Hongli said. The carriage stopped but the song does not stop, it is sung poignantly, with the bleak sound of the huqin as the sun sets. Where the song came from... is the Chuxiu Palace. The Chuxiu Palace, which used to be full of people, is now deserted, the autumn breeze sweeping through the leaves and a cold and desolate story. A doorkeeper was dozing at the door, when he heard a noise, he opened his eyes and saw that it was the emperor''s carriage and was startled, he was about to sing but Hongli stopped him with a raised hand. Slowly dismounting from the palace and slowly opening the door, Hongli, with only Liyu by his side, walked silently into the Chuxiu Palace and approaches the singer. Three or two palace men sit in the courtyard, one held a huqin, one held a flute, one held a jug of wine, Noble Consort Hui is dressed as an opera singer, his eyebrows are painted and he sings a song called ¡°Noble Consort Drunken Wine¡±. ¡°Life is like a dream, let me drink a few cups.¡± Noble Consort Hui drained the goblet in one gulp, the goblet is thrown away with a wave of her hand, the sound of jade shattering begins, she dances at the sound of the shattering, her waist is so slender that it cannot be held, her dance is as graceful as the waves of a goddess. Halfway through the dance, suddenly her feet give way and she fell into a strong embrace. Hongli looks down and smells the scent of intoxication and frowned: ¡°Why is Noble Consort drinking real wine?¡± The Huqin and Qiang flute stopped, Zhilan put down the jug and rose to explain: ¡°Your Majesty, forgive me, Niangniang was in a bad mood, so she said he wanted to sing a song to drive away her sorrow and ordered this lowly servant to open the jar of wine, this lowly servant did not dare to stop,¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Hongli scolded. ¡°Your Majesty, Your Majesty...¡± The beautiful woman in his arms seemed drunk, she seemed awake, she called out to him and cried out. Hongli had no choice but to pick her up and carry her to the bedchamber. No one knew what would happen next, neither Liyu nor Zhilan, both stayed at the door, leaving Hongli and Noble Consort Hui alone in the bedchamber. ¡°Noble Consort.¡± Hongli placed Noble Consort Hui on the bed, somewhat helplessly, ¡°Why are you crying?¡± Noble Consort Hui threw her arms around him, like a man in the water grasping a straw and lifting her tearful face to his, she said sadly: ¡°Your Majesty, why don''t you call me Xin''er anymore?¡± Hongli frowned. Noble Consort Hui rested his cheek against his chest and sobbed softly: ¡°If it were possible, I would rather not be Noble Consort but your Ningxin¡¯er.¡± Hongli looked down at her and said: ¡°Noble Consort, you''re drunk...¡± ¡°No, I''m not drunk.¡± Noble Consort Hui exhaled a breath of wine and it became clear that what she was saying now, she was speaking from her heart through the strength of her wine, ¡°I used to love to sing and dance and the Emperor loved to watch but now that I am in the palace, the Emperor doesn''t come often and has become distant to me.¡± CH 54.2 ¡°No, Zhen has not changed.¡± Hongli held her, her body was hot, his body was cold, even his words were cold, ¡°It is you who have changed.¡± ¡°No!¡± Noble Consort Hui suddenly cried out, staring at him with red eyes, lips trembling, ¡°Ningxin''er has become Noble Consort, the Noble Consort of the Great Qing Dynasty, if she sang and danced all day as before, she would be laughed at for being unseemly! So, Ningxin''er no longer dares to sing, or dance! That''s why the Emperor doesn''t like me anymore, is it?¡± She suddenly burst into tears like a child who has been wronged, her hands clung to the man in front of her, begging him for mercy, begging him for forgiveness, begging him to look at her again and say: ¡°I don''t want rules, I don''t want decency, if Your Majesty doesn''t have mercy anymore, then what''s the use of having all this! Your Majesty, Your Majesty, don''t leave me, don''t leave me, this big the Forbidden City, you are the only one I can rely on!¡± ¡°What a silly thing to say.¡± Hongli had to pat her on the back, reassuringly, ¡°You have a family...¡± ¡°I don''t!¡± Noble Consort Hui''s voice suddenly went cold, ¡°Your Majesty, do you know how my mother died?¡± The Yellow River was flooded, bandits swarmed, Noble Consort Hui''s father, Gao Bin, fought the bandits to control the river, the people on both sides benefited, the court benefited, only one person suffered, Noble Consort Hui''s mother. ¡°The bandits came to retaliate, my father escaped, my uncle escaped, only my mother and I did not escape.¡± Noble Consort Hui murmured, ¡°The year, I was five years old...¡± The boat was cut through, shouting and shouting from all sides, the bandits who had been lying in ambush like locusts, came on board in sheets. With his guards at his side, Gao Bin and his brother escape but leave his wife and daughter behind on the boat. At the age of five, Noble Consort Hui only knows how to cry. ¡°Don''t cry, don''t be afraid.¡± Lady Chen hid her daughter in a barrel and pushed her hard, into the Yellow River. ¡°Mother!¡± Noble Consort Hui laid on the edge of the barrel, watching as a man''s hand reached out from behind her mother, grabbing her arm and covering her mouth... By the time Lady Chen reappeared in front of her, she was a dishevelled corpse. ¡°What happens to a woman, in the hands of water bandits? That''s what everyone knows, so, the Gao family won''t let Mother into the family graveyard and she won''t go into the Chen family for this shame! My mother, who bore and raised my father''s children and obeyed her parents, has ended up with her head in the ground and nowhere to turn to.¡± Noble Consort Hui said, without expression, ¡°In less than a year, my father has renewed his marriage, do you know what he said to me when he came to me the other day?¡± Noble Consort Hui laughed miserably, imitating Gao Bin''s tone and repeated what he had said that day: ¡°He said to me: ¡°Ningxin¡¯er, you may be capricious and degenerate but you must not forget, I have four daughters! Apart from the two daughters who are married to E-Rong and E-Shi, you have third sister and fourth sister, all of them young and beautiful!¡± As she spoke, she choked up. It is always easy to sympathise with someone who has had a poor life, let alone a poor, beautiful one. Even someone as cold as Hongli, who was as cold as a glacier, could not help but sigh at this moment and took her tender body into his arms, saying: ¡°Xin''er has suffered.¡± Noble Consort Hui buried her head in his arms, her eyes filled with hatred at the memory but her voice was very gentle: ¡°Your Majesty, Ningxin''er did not hurt Fifth Prince, I really did not... Your Majesty, I can swear to God...¡± Hongli patted her back gently and said: ¡°Alright, Zhen believes you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Noble Consort Hui looked at him cautiously, as if she was afraid he would turn his back on her, ¡°Your Majesty is not lying to me!¡± Hongli laughed out loud and said: ¡°Zhen is not lying to you, you have drunk too much, be careful of your health, get some rest.¡± He rose to leave, Noble Consort Hui lifted her hand and clutched his sleeve, looking at him with a look of attachment, in a gesture of rare tenderness and supplication that was different from his usual forcefulness: ¡°Then stay with me, Your Majesty... shall I?¡± Outside the Changchun Palace, the night wind is bitterly cold. The court lady carrying the lantern yawns, raising her hand to rub the tears that have formed in the corners of her eyes. ¡°Ahem.¡± The Empress coughed. ¡°Niangniang.¡± A cloak fell on her shoulders, Wei Yingluo tied the straps of the cloak for her, while whispering, ¡°It is cold outside, you should wait inside the palace.¡± The Empress shook her head gently, ¡°No, the Emperor will be here soon, this Palace Mistress will wait for him here.¡± Wei Yingluo was hesitant to say anything, it was almost dawn, how could the Emperor come? ¡°Look!¡± The Empress said with a sudden flash of light, ¡°He''s coming!¡± A light faintly emerges from the mist, it is a wavering lantern fire, as the lantern approaches, the smile fades a little from the Empress'' face, she asked: ¡°Eunuch Li, where is the Emperor?¡± Liyu, carrying the lantern, smiled at her and said: ¡°The Empress Niangniang, the Emperor cannot come tonight, you should rest early!¡± ¡°Is his Majesty still busy?¡± The Empress said with a glint of worry in her eyes, ¡°It''s already the time... This Palace Mistress is to deliver it personally to the Yanxin Palace.¡± ¡°The Emperor is not at the Yanxin Palace.¡± Liyu had no choice but to stammer out the truth, ¡°His Majesty... The Chuxiu Palace.¡± Wei Yingluo immediately turned her head to look at the Empress. The paleness of the night mist and the white of the Empress''s face at the moment were almost the same. CH 55.1 Some weeds had grown in the courtyard, competing for the jasmine''s nutrients. A woman''s hand drops into the bush, pulling the weeds from Jasmine''s side by hand, rudely, as if there was a deep hatred. ¡°Who''s got it in for you? You want to take it out on a bunch of weeds.¡± The man''s voice suddenly rang out. Wei Yingluo looks back to see Fuheng standing behind her with a smile and a hand reached out, as if to twist a fallen leaf from her temples but she avoided it. ¡°Don''t talk to me.¡± she said in a muffled voice, ¡°I get angry when I see a man now.¡± Fuheng thought for a moment: ¡°But is it because of Noble Consort Hui?¡± ¡°... Noble Lady Yu nearly lost her life with Fifth Prince, that''s why she got a bit of karma.¡± Wei Yingluo was furious at the name and said, ¡°I didn''t think it would take but two months but she''s back again! A life or two could have been lost, what''s that against her beauty?¡± Fuheng laughed and said: ¡°She is indeed a beauty...¡± Seeing that he was still laughing, Wei Yingluo felt even more irritated and vaguely sour, throwing the weeds in his hand at him, he said coldly: ¡°Do you know that the Empress waited for an hour in the night wind last night for news that he had diverted to the Chuxiu Palace, you are Niangniang''s brother, how can you laugh if you do not feel sorry for her?¡± ¡°Before I can answer this question, you have to answer a question for me first.¡± Fuheng was unconcerned by the straw being thrown at him, he just raised his hand and patted his chest, ¡°That bloodstain, did you frame Noble Consort?¡± Wei Yingluo raised an eyebrow, he actually suspected her? She laughed coldly and said: ¡°No!¡± ¡°No is good, this was done in haste, it was too deliberate, the Emperor is wise, he knew someone was framing him but Noble Consort was too domineering, she should be taught a lesson! But...¡± Fuheng said helplessly, ¡°His father, Gao Bin, opened the river and built the dam, he managed the Yellow River, for the benefit of the people, for a thousand years, even for his sake, the Emperor had to forgive Noble Consort Hui, do you understand now?¡± Wei Yingluo was silent. ¡°What is it?¡± Fuheng thought she was acting strange today, he took a step closer, concern in his voice. Wei Yingluo took a step back and muttered: ¡°For good reason, you suspect me...¡± Fuheng was almost in tears and laughed at this, she was relieved of the emperor''s feelings but she was angry with herself, she took her hand and explained: ¡°I do not suspect you, I suspect others as much as the emperor does...¡± Wei Yingluo did not ask him who he suspected, it was a foregone conclusion, no use thinking about it, better to focus on the present, on the future. ¡°Let''s not talk about it.¡± Fuheng squeezed her hand and said, ¡°What you asked me to find out for you, I have found out, the night of your sister''s accident, no one from the clan left the Qianqing Palace banquet!¡± ¡°Is that true?¡± Wei Yingluo floundered. ¡°I have confirmed this with the Chief Eunuch on duty at Qianqing Palace.¡± Fuheng nodded his head and said, ¡°Really!¡± Wei Yingluo stared at him for a long moment, before he said with a low sigh: ¡°I believe you... Since the eunuchs of the Qianqing Palace can''t ask, let''s start with the Emperor''s close friends!¡± But, how do you get close to the Emperor, how do you get close to his confidants? Wei Yingluo has thought of many ways but they have all been rejected by herself, some too deliberate, inevitably she will be suspected of having ulterior motives, others too modest, it may take eight or ten years to achieve her goal. What should we do? More thought is given to this, less to other things and Wei Yingluo is almost the last person in the Changchun Palace to get the message... ¡°The Emperor is ill?¡± Wei Yingluo flinched and said, ¡°What illness?¡± ¡°Such big news, how come you only know about it now?¡± Mingyu glared at her and said, ¡°It''s scabies!¡± Wei Yingluo had heard a little about the disease and knew that those who suffered from it, it itched so badly, that most of the sufferers could not resist scratching, often resulting in infection, which added to the disease and made it even worse to treat. ¡°The Empress is worried about the Emperor, wants to bring someone with her to move to the Yanxin Palace to look after him.¡± Mingyu said in a businesslike tone, ¡°She has chosen you, go back and pack your gifts.¡± Erqing, who had looked on with a cool eye and could no longer listen, said indifferently: ¡°Mingyu, Niangniang has ordered me to stay at the Changchun Palace and ask you to pack your bags and move to the Yanxin Palace. Palace, how can you leave the work to Yingluo?¡± Wei Yingluo looked at Mingyu, what she had in mind, Wei Yingluo knew full well, she was probably afraid that the Emperor''s scabies would infect her, so she tried to pass the chore on to someone else. But in Wei Yingluo''s mind, this was no chore at all. On the contrary to be close to the Emperor to his inner circle... It''s a rare and valuable job. ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled, ¡°I''ll go back and pack my things.¡± Mingyu and Erqing, who had thought she would be excused by Noble Consort Hui when she learned the truth, were flabbergasted and only when they had gone did Erqing turn to Mingyu with a complicated look on her face and say: ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± CH 55.2 Mingyu looked away and said: ¡°She wanted to, I didn''t force her!¡± ¡°Mingyu, you always blame the Empress Niangniang for not loving you now, for alienating you but don''t think about what you''ve done?¡± Erqing stared at her with a very strange look, ¡°Niangniang is not in the Forbidden City, you have pushed Concubine Yu and Fifth Prince out of the way! Now you''re asked to go to the Yanxin Palace and you''re pushing back! My lord has a clear eye, can he not see? Not to mention the Empress Niangniang, even the people of the Changchun Palace, see who trusts you!¡± Mingyu''s jaw dropped, looking at Erqing''s back as she walked away and for the first time he muttered: ¡°Did I... Did I do wrong?¡± Trust, like water, always builds up into a river, or leaks out into a desert and hearing Mingyu''s refusal to go, the Empress simply said: ¡°This Palace Mistress understands.¡± The look in her eyes became more and more indifferent and a look that resembled Erqing''s gaze that day, leaving Mingyu with a kick in the gut and a vague feeling that she had done something wrong and no chance to regret it... The group soon moved into the Yanxin Palace. When Hongli was ill, the Empress was there to comfort him to talk to him to relieve his pain but other than that, the dirty work was the responsibility of Wei Yingluo and the rest of the court. ¡°Before the Emperor can administer the medicine, he must first cleanse his body with alum tea.¡± The Imperial Physician placed a box of ointment in Wei Yingluo''s palm, ¡°After his Majesty has bathed, apply the sulphur ointment all over his body, two more times on the affected areas.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Yingluo took the ointment in both hands. She had never seen a man''s body before, let alone a naked man. Taking a few deep breaths, Wei Yingluo gathers her thoughts and entered the Yanxin Palace chambers. The chamber is slightly warm, the barrels have just been removed but the residual warmth still lingers in the air, with a faint smell of alum tea. Inside the large palace, only one person sits, from a distance, alone, truly alone. ¡°... Is that you?¡± Hongli opened his eyes slowly and said coldly, ¡°Get out!¡± Wei Yingluo was worried about how to serve a naked man, at his words, he was relieved, put the ointment on the table next to him and answered: ¡°Yes.¡± As soon as the door was closed, it was quickly opened again and Liyu entered. ¡°Your Majesty, let this lowly servant attend to you.¡± Liyu went in with a firm hand, careful though he was, he still hurt the wound that had broken the skin. Hongli took a breath, then kicked him in anger and said: ¡°Get out of here, get someone else!¡± Wei Yingluo''s voice came through the door: ¡°Your Majesty, most of the Yanxin Palace has been evacuated, the rest are mostly eunuchs, the Empress Niangniang is worried that they will hurt the dragon''s body, that''s why she ordered this lowly servant to come. If you were to call someone else now, it would be no better than Chief Manager Li.¡± To Hongli''s ears, this was no different from offering oneself as an opportunity to get closer, Hongli could not tell what strange feeling he had in his mind, he only said with a smile: ¡°You are not so clumsy?¡± Wei Yingluo did not want to get close to this bad tempered man but on reflection, she was here to get close to his inner circle, one of the most crucial people, the Chief Eunuch Liyu, if not to please him but not to dislike him, so she passed the hard work that was her So to put the blame on him for the hard work that is his, must not be done, otherwise now Liyu will not say anything but the seeds of complaint will be planted in his heart, who knows when they will sprout and bear fruit? ¡°This lowly servant used to be the Embroidery Workshop court lady, her embroidery was of the finest silk to prevent it from scratching her brocade, she made it a habit to take care of her hands daily.¡± So, Wei Yingluo patiently explained, ¡°Your Majesty, if you do not want Chief Manager Li, nor this lowly servant to come, the Empress Niangniang will come and apply the medicine herself.¡± Hongli was silent for a moment, he cannot bear to let the Empress come to him, talking is fine, the anointing, it will inevitably touch his wounds, what if it spreads to her? ¡°Come in!¡± Hongli said, slightly annoyed, ¡°Give Zhen the medicine!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± There was a creak and Wei Yingluo re-entered, took the ointment from Liyu''s hand, dabbed a little on to Hongli''s sore spot with his long washed fingers and gently dropped it on Hongli''s sore spot. Hongli felt the coldness of the wound, he could not tell if it was the warmth of the ointment, or the warmth of her finger. As a son of the emperor, he would never be without a woman, Hongli thought he was used to the touch of a woman but somehow, he was not used to her touch. Hongli had never felt this way before, he felt ashamed and annoyed, he could not help but be angry again but when his eyes touched her calm brow, it was like a fire meeting a rainstorm and a snowy sky meeting a spring breeze, the fire went out and the grass grew, the ice melted. Wei Yingluo looked up and met his gaze. CH 56.1 Fleeing in desperation. Wei Yingluo did not know why Hongli was looking at her like that, she felt uncomfortable, so she hastily found an excuse, saying that she had to dispose of his used bedding sheets as the physician had ordered and left the chamber with a pile of bedding sheets under Hongli''s displeased gaze. Although it was waste to be disposed of, it was also something the Emperor had used and could not be taken lightly, so Liyu came out and disposed of it with her. This was a good opportunity. When Wei Yingluo saw that no one was around, she smiled and asked: ¡°Eunuch, on the tenth day of the first lunar month, I found a jade pendant in the garden, it looked extraordinary, I reckoned that if it was not lost by the Emperor, it was lost by one of the clansmen, can you help me to see?¡± If she hadn''t carried that chore back on her own, Liyu would have closed her eyes and not said a word to her but not only did she knowingly do the job herself, she did it well and Liyu couldn''t forget the way Hongli looked at her... ¡°Don''t look, I can get back to you right now.¡± So, Liyu smiled and said back, ¡°The jade pendant you found, it must not have been lost by the emperor or the royal family.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Yingluo said, flabbergasted, ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°The emperor was toasting one by one that night, who would dare to leave the table?¡± Liyu said with certainty, ¡°They didn''t lose it, because none of the people at the banquet ever left the banquet.¡± Wei Yingluo looked disappointed and sighed softly: ¡°I see, thank you, Your Excellency...¡± Liyu wanted to sell her a good deal, so he spoke again: ¡°That jade pendant, do you have it with you, I''ll take a look at it for you, maybe I can see something?¡± ¡°... I left that jade pendant at the Changchun Palace, I don''t have it with me but I still remember the tail pattern on it.¡± Wei Yingluo said, as she traced the pattern with her hand. After a few strokes, Liyu suddenly shouted: ¡°Ah, Fucha! This is either the Empress''s or the Fucha guard''s jade pendant!¡± Wei Yingluo''s face froze but she quickly put on a surprised face and said: ¡°What a roundabout way to make a joke! Well, as soon as I return to the Changchun Palace, I will return it to its rightful owner! Thank you, Your Excellency!¡± A trivial matter, Liyu did not care about it but wanted the other man to care more about it. For he could see, Hongli looked at the woman differently... ¡°Bing!¡± The cup of tea shattered on the floor and the man fell to his knees with a thud. ¡°Such hot tea, how can one drink it?¡± Hongli sat on the edge of the bed, his face covered in anger. Several days had passed since Hongli had fallen ill, his temper had become more and more violent, at the slightest sign of inattention he would drop his cup and smash his bowl, making his waiters suffer. Fortunately, no one had to suffer, Hongli only liked to have one person to serve him. ¡°Where is Wei Yingluo?¡± Hongli said coldly, ¡°Where did she go?¡± The young eunuch was in deep distress, if he hadn''t been away, he would not have had to come in to serve him. He said truthfully: ¡°Miss Yingluo... This lowly servant doesn''t know...¡± Hongli was angry again, he kicked them over and yelled: ¡°Get out, all of you!¡± The eunuchs rolled and crawled but the door suddenly opened behind them, Wei Yingluo leaned in front of the door and seeing the situation inside, he came in and said: ¡°What are Your Majesty''s orders?¡± The eunuch waved his hand behind his back, the eunuch understood, gave her a grateful look and left the chamber in a hurry. Hongli took in her little gesture but did not care, only stared at her with fiery eyes and questioned: ¡°Where were you!¡± Wei Yingluo was also a bit exhausted, she had come here to get close to someone close to Hongli to get a clue about the murderer from him but Hongli, not knowing what was going on, kept asking her to wait on him every day and a favour in the eyes of others, Wei Yingluo¡¯s heart of the matter is a bloody disaster. She could not help but say what was in her heart: ¡°Your Majesty, there are still people waiting in the house...¡± Why are you only tormenting me! Hongli''s expression was unnatural for a moment, then he became irritated and said coldly: ¡°Zhen is itching so badly, do you let those clumsy hands scratch it?¡± Wei Yingluo took a closer look and found a few more scratches on his collarbone, so red that he thought they were women''s saliva. CH 56.2 Knowing that he was itching badly, although he knew in his heart that scratching would only make it worse, he couldn''t help it... He can''t let this go on, he scratches when he itches, he got angry when he scratches too much and it''s not on himself, it''s on the person serving him... Especially Wei Yingluo. ¡°Don''t be angry, Your Majesty, this lowly servant has a way to relieve Your Majesty''s worries.¡± Wei Yingluo presented the object in her hand and said, ¡°Please turn your back, Your Majesty.¡± She thought it would take a lot of talking but Hongli looked at her hand and then at her and without a word he turned his back and a rustling sound, he slowly shed his clothes, exposing to her the spacious and strong back of a man. Wei Yingluo lowered her eyes, until now, she is still a little uncomfortable with the sight of a man''s body. But she quickly brushed aside her embarrassment at the thought of who she was and applied the fresh aloe vera juice to his back. ¡°Zhang Yuanzhen said, the sulphur ointment had been used for a long time, the skin would be slightly dry, this lowly servant picked fresh aloe vera, pounded the juice and applied it, it would not eradicate it but it would make the Emperor feel better.¡± She said, the dark green reed juice ran down her fingers, onto Hongli''s back and slowly down his spine, into the clothes wrapped around his waist. Hongli was silent for a moment, suddenly turning his back to her, he said: ¡°That''s how you please the Empress to make her love and care for you so much!¡± Wei Yingluo said: ¡°The Empress treats this lowly servant with sincerity, this lowly servant naturally returned the favour.¡± Hongli laughed coldly and said: ¡°Zhen has treated you so badly, don''t you hate Zhen?¡± Naturally, such words could not be spoken from the heart, Wei Yingluo only smiled and replied: ¡°How dare this lowly servant?¡± Hongli grunted coldly, as if he did not believe her. Whether he believed her or not, Wei Yingluo did not care, instead of discussing herself with him, she continued to discuss the Empress: ¡°Your Majesty, the Empress Niangniang was at her bedside last night, fanning herself, this lowly servant asked her to rest but she insisted on not allowing it, when I saw it this morning, I couldn''t move my wrists.¡± Hongli remains silent, with his back to her, Wei Yingluo cannot see his face at the moment. ¡°This lowly servant knows, there are many beautiful women in the Forbidden City but only the Empress Niangniang, would serve the Emperor in spite of knowing that she was infected.¡± Wei Yingluo continues to speak well of the Empress, ¡°Such true love, it will never be found again...¡± ¡°That''s enough!¡± Hongli suddenly shouted. The hand that was applying the aloe vera to him gave a start, Wei Yingluo looked at him suspiciously and spoke with some bafflement which of his words had offended him. ¡°Your Majesty...¡± she called out tentatively. Hongli turned to her, ignoring the aloe vera on her hands and took her hands in his, the aloe vera was like glue, they were stuck together. Wei Yingluo was shocked, she withdrew her hand but whether the aloe vera juice was too sticky, or Hongli was too reluctant, she could not withdraw it... ¡°Your Majesty!¡± She had to shout again. Hongli woke up as if from a dream and let go of her hand, then lowered her head and stared at her hand for a moment, before glaring at her with a furious look on her face and saying: ¡°Zhen''s business, when is it the turn of this lowly servant to have a say, go away! Get out!¡± To be with an emperor is akin to be riding with a tiger, not to mention that the emperor is unpredictable more than a tiger, unpredictable. ¡°... Yes.¡± Wei Yingluo hated it when he said that, hastily collected the rest of the aloe vera juice and withdrew, then leaned her back against the door and let out a long breath. But behind the door, Hongli was still staring in the direction he had left, frozen in thought. CH 57.1 Wei Yingluo would not really have gone to the trouble of collecting the aloe vera juice. The aloe vera juice actually came from Ye Tianshi. Since it works, ask for another box and ask what is really on your mind. ¡°Physician Ye, as you told me, I was to take the Fifth Prince to the sun regularly, now he is not only yellow, he is white and lovely!¡± She said, ¡°Is there anything else I should take care of after that?¡± ¡°No, just eat well and sleep well and he''ll grow up safely.¡± Ye Tianshi laughed and said, ¡°By the way, you only care about Fifth Prince, not about his Majesty''s condition?¡± Who cares about him? Wei Yingluo said with a smile on her face: ¡°Of course I do, Physician Ye, when will his Majesty be well?¡± ¡°His Majesty''s scabies, it can be cured in a month but now it has taken so long...¡± Ye Tianshi said in a hesitant voice, ¡°I have read the Imperial Physician''s prescriptions for the Emperor, I have a different opinion.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Yingluo''s heart stirred and he said, ¡°What does Physician Ye mean?¡± ¡°Your Majesty''s scabies is not necessarily infected, it is...¡± Ye Tianshi beckoned, gesturing for Wei Yingluo to come over, then bent down slightly and whispered something in her ear. Wei Yingluo listened with increasing astonishment and said: ¡°What...¡± ¡°Well?¡± Ye Tianshi reared up and said, ¡°If Miss Yingluo refuses, I won''t force her myself, this is a risky business, one bad move and your head will fall...¡± Wei Yingluo reckoned that he was not the only one who had sought her out but the others, having heard his idea, had all refused outright. So, he searched and searched and found her, the little court lady. ¡°... But if it works, it will be a great achievement.¡± Ye Tianshi laughed and said, ¡°The first credit will be yours, I will at most share in it.¡± But the risk was all Wei Yingluo''s, if it came to pass, if it failed, Wei Yingluo would be the only one punished. But thinking of Hongli''s sinister face, thinking of the Empress, who was losing weight from night to night praying for him, Wei Yingluo laughed and said: ¡°There is no such thing as a risk... I''ll do it.¡± The White Pony Passes and a few days pass by. The Yanxin Palace was in chaos, Hongli tore at his clothes, his fingernails scratched at his flesh, leaving scratch marks. ¡°Your Majesty, no more scratching, really no more touching!¡± Liyu was sweating, ¡°The scabs will all open up!¡± ¡°Where is Wei Yingluo?¡± Hongli held back but couldn''t hold back any longer, his fingernails dug into the flesh again, ¡°Get her, bring the aloe vera juice you put on Zhen last time!¡± The pain was in his body and in the Empress''s heart, the Empress stood by helplessly, trying several times to put her arms around him to stop him from torturing herself but was hastily stopped by the palace attendant at her side. One emperor has already been sick, not another the Empress. Hearing Hongli''s words, the Empress was like a lifeline, she cried out: ¡°Yingluo! Do you hear me? Is there any more aloe vera juice, bring it up if you have it!¡± ¡°Niangniang.¡± Wei Yingluo answered in a submissive voice, walked over to her and said, ¡°Aloe vera treats the symptoms but not the root cause, Zhang Yuanzhen said, Your Majesty should meditate on his illness, no haste...¡± There was a clang, Hongli in his anger, overturned the antique shelf beside him, the curiosities on the shelf fell to the ground, several pieces of porcelain turned into numerous shards, one of which splashed out to the shock of the crowd, across the back of the Empress'' hand. ¡°Niangniang!¡± Wei Yingluo rushed up to her and took her hand and saw a long wound on the back of her well-kept hand, blood was slowly spilling out along the wound, dripping onto the ground. A fit of uncontrollable anger rose from Wei Yingluo''s heart, she turned her head back and said coldly: ¡°Your Majesty, you are not a wise ruler to take your anger out on others like this.¡± In a fit of rage, no one would dare to touch Hongli, let alone accuse him to his face. Even Hongli himself could not believe his ears and only after a long time did he stare incredulously at Wei Yingluo and said to her: ¡°... What did you say? Say it again!¡± Anyone else, would never dare to repeat, not to mention repeat and even deny what he had said. ¡°Your Majesty, you are not a wise ruler to take your anger at others like this.¡± As a result Wei Yingluo not only repeated but added something even worse, ¡°The Concubines and Consorts of the palace, when they heard that the Emperor was ill, were very concerned with their mouths but their feet were on wheels of fire, one running faster than the other away from you! Only the Empress Niangniang, dressed to the nines, tended to you day and night but the Emperor was indiscriminate, imposed pain on others, oh, what a good Emperor, what a good husband.¡± Hongli had never been so reprimanded, he was so angry that his eyes turned black, he pointed at her and could not speak. ¡°Yingluo, how can you contradict the Emperor like that!¡± The Empress said in horror, ¡°Get out of here!¡± She felt sorry for Wei Yingluo and offered to give her a step down but instead of accepting it Wei Yingluo shouted: ¡°This lowly servant is not wrong! Since the resumption of Noble Consort Hui, the Emperor''s rewards have been flowing into the Chuxiu Palace, where is the Changchun Palace, nothing has been seen going there, why is this!¡± CH 57.2 ¡°Yingluo, you shut up!¡± The Empress''s hands were shaking with anxiety. Hongli finally found his voice, in a fury never seen before and yelled: ¡°Speak, Zhen wants to hear her!¡± Many of the palace staff fell to their knees in fear, hating their luck, that they were on duty today. The fish in the pond were still trembling, lest they be affected by Hongli''s fiery anger but the person who started it all looked like a dead pig not afraid of boiling water and said at the top of her voice: ¡°Everyone said that the Emperor suddenly lifted Noble Consort''s ban, out of respect for Lord Gao Bin, the Governor of Zhili!¡± ¡°Yingluo!¡± The Empress rushed forward and raised her hand to cover her mouth. Wei Yingluo, however, pulled her hand from her mouth and in the eyes of the crowd, went on unknowingly: ¡°Your Majesty has taken great pains to appease Noble Consort because of the strength of one of his subjects! What difference does it make if a Emperor of a country is so careful to please a woman as a girl in a brothel house as a man! The great the Forbidden City, has become the Qin Tower and the Chu Pavilion, you, Your Majesty, are the most hottest girl, after appeasing the Chuxiu Palace, whose turn is next!¡± The hottest girl. The hottest girl! The hottest girl... With a resounding clang, Hongli unsheathed the sword that adorned the wall, the sword is sheathed and shines, heading straight towards Wei Yingluo. Wei Yingluo was prepared, before the sword reached her, she had already rolled under the table and the table suffered for her, nearly split in two by the sword. ¡°Your Majesty, don''t be angry! Your Majesty, don''t be angry!¡± The Empress shouted. Wei Yingluo rolled under the Empress'' skirt, laughing and shouts from afar at Hongli: ¡°Your Majesty is so angry, prove that this lowly servant is right, in the grand scheme of things you serve your country and your people, in the small scheme of things you have a lot to gain, only you can''t take it out on others! You''ve become the Governor of a state, you''ve become the beauty of the country!¡± He had never been so humiliated since he was a child, Hongli was so angry that his eyes became dizzy, the people in front of him, the sword in his hand, all appeared to be in double vision, he shook himself, he felt his anger like fire, it poured from his chest to his throat and said: ¡°Someone, someone! Drag this maid off, immediately-¡± Before the words were out of his mouth, the anger was already pouring out of his throat. There was a sound and a mouthful of blood and spittle fell to the ground, red with black, black with red, with a foul smell. ¡°Ha ha, there, there!¡± The door opened, Ye Tianshi rushed in, circles the bloody spittle on the floor, then looked up with a glowing face and said, ¡°His Majesty''s illness, this time he will be cured!¡± Wei Yingluo kneeled down to the ground and put away her previously reprimanding face and said: ¡°Yingluo spoke out of turn, for the sake of his Majesty''s healing, please forgive his Majesty and the Empress Niangniang.¡± The Empress''s eyes darted around her and Ye Tianshi''s faces and said: ¡°What... What the hell is going on here.¡± ¡°The Empress Niangniang, this is for me to answer.¡± Ye Tianshi said with an arching hand, ¡°Earlier, when I reviewed the Emperor''s medical case, I found that his condition had not recovered for a long time, it was related to overworking the heart and not clearing the blood and phlegm. Therefore, I asked Miss Yingluo to help me to deliberately provoke his Majesty to relieve the blood phlegm, so that his body and mind would be relieved and my illness would be cured.¡± The Empress cared for nothing else, only said one thing: ¡°So, will the Emperor be cured soon?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Ye Tianshi said confidently, ¡°In as little as seven days, in half a month, the Emperor will be well!¡± The imperial physicians sought to be sure, they did not want to achieve anything but to do nothing, so their prescriptions were lukewarm, they were asked when they would be cured and only vaguely stated that they would be cured soon. It''s not that no one could not think of such a solution, it''s just that no one dared to prescribe it, only a famous physician like Ye Tianshi would have dared to prescribe such a tiger and wolf prescription, one could only say that in the face of merit, he was not afraid to lose his head. ¡°That''s good, that''s good.¡± The Empress folded her hands, as if she were praying to the Buddha. Hongli was not looking well at all, his throat was clacking, he could not say a word, he could only extend a trembling finger, pointing to Wei Yingluo in front of him. Wei Yingluo hurriedly said: ¡°The Empress Niangniang, his Majesty has just cleared the blood and phlegm, his body is weak, let him lie down!¡± The Empress now came to her senses, nodding her head repeatedly: ¡°Yes, yes! What are you waiting for, help the Emperor to lie down!¡± Liyu and the others were busy helping him, Hongli was struggling to lie down, his bloodshot eyes were staring at Wei Yingluo as if he wanted to eat her alive but he opened his mouth and could not say a word. There was no one in the world who knew him better than the Empress, he did not need to say anything, the Empress knew what was in his mind and said with a bit of a smile: ¡°Your Majesty, don''t be angry, Yingluo was deliberately provoked for the sake of the cure, she did not mean to offend!¡± ¡°Click, click...¡± Still only the sound of his throat rattling, Hongli does not relent, still pointing his finger at Wei Yingluo. The Empress has no choice but to give Wei Yingluo a wink. ¡°Oops!¡± Wei Yingluo immediately rolled her eyes and said, ¡°This lowly servant, this lowly servant suddenly got dizzy...¡± ¡°Yikes, what''s wrong with you? You''re not sick, are you?¡± The Empress shouted in a pretentious voice, ¡°Quick, take her to rest! Physician Ye, please diagnose Yingluo!¡± A group of men carried Wei Yingluo away, behind them, Hongli''s unbroken gaze CH 58.1 A few days later, ¡°What about the servant girl?¡± Ye Tianshi was packing the medical box on the table, at these words, he looked back and said: ¡°Your Majesty, do you mean Miss Yingluo?¡± ¡°Apart from her, who else?¡± A figure loomed behind the tent, cold as frost, ¡°Bring her here, Zhen will skin her with his own hands!¡± The Empress sat on the edge of the bed, holding a bowl of brown medicine in her hand, the medicine was slightly hot, she kept stirring the spoon in her hand to cool it down, at this she looked up with a smile and said: ¡°Your Majesty, Yingluo was trying to cure you, that''s why she spoke so rantingly, now that your Majesty has cleared the blood and phlegm, you are in good spirits! From the point of view of this humble woman, Yingluo has not only done nothing wrong, she has done something good.¡± ¡°... What kind of delirium has that bitch put into your head and you believe her?¡± Hongli said coldly, ¡°In Zhen''s opinion, if she hadn''t already kept those words in her heart, could she have said them so smoothly? She''s using the opportunity of Zhen''s medical treatment to vent her anger in a different way!¡± The Empress sighed and said: ¡°Even if his Majesty wants to settle the score now, I''m afraid he can''t.¡± Hongli suddenly fell silent, the tent curtain hid his expression at the moment, only his bony silhouette was reflected on the tent and only after a long time did he say: ¡°... Why?¡± ¡°Yingluo had a high fever as soon as she returned, her body was covered in a large red rash, Physician Ye said that she had contracted the disease while taking care of the Emperor and now she could no longer support herself, she had collapsed.¡± The Empress raised her hand and plucked away the curtain in front of her and said, ¡°Even if Yingluo had a million faults, for the sake of her careful service and the malady she contracted, Your Majesty should not blame her for her slip of the tongue! If not, who else will serve with all their might in the future?¡± Behind the tent Hongli''s pensive face appeared, he suddenly turned to the Empress with a grim smile and said: ¡°Good, Zhen does not blame her, not only does he not blame her but he will reward her well...¡± The Yanxin Palace ear room, several court ladies brought Hongli''s reward. ¡°This, this is...¡± Wei Yingluo half nestled on the bed, looking at the black medicine in her hands, the corners of her eyes twitched. ¡°Miss Yingluo, this is the medicine that the Emperor has asked Physician Ye to prescribe for you, drink it now!¡± The court ladies went to the edge of the bed, one lifted her up, the other passed the spoon with the medicine to her lips. From the emperor, how can I refuse. Wei Yingluo could only reluctantly take a sip and with a loud sigh, spat out as much as she could take in, coughing with one hand stuck in her throat for half a day, before saying in horror: ¡°How, how can it be so bitter, what has been put in it?¡± The court lady answered honestly: ¡°Yellow lilly.¡± Wei Yingluo immediately felt that something was wrong and said: ¡°The medicine Dr. Ye prescribed for the Emperor does not contain Yellow lilly!¡± The court lady said: ¡°Not in the Emperor''s prescription but in the one Dr. Ye prescribed for you, there must be.¡± Wei Yingluo was shocked and said: ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To pass on the words of the Emperor.¡± The court lady''s face was expressionless, Wei Yingluo felt she could see a calculating face through the words of the other party and said, ¡°Yellow lilly clears heat and dampness, it clears fire and detoxifies poison!¡± ¡°... Can I not drink it?¡± Wei Yingluo looked at the large bowl of Yellow lilly soup with trepidation. ¡°Serve the medicine to Miss Yingluo.¡± The court lady responded in kind. At the same moment, inside the Yanxin Palace bedchamber. Ye Tianshi is at Hongli''s side, the same bowl of medicine in her hand, containing a similar potion, except for the absence of a single ingredient, Yellow lilly. Even so, Hongli drank with a frown, as if to reduce his own pain and asked: ¡°Ye Tianshi, has that girl drunk her medicine?¡± His Majesty''s temper was quick to come and quick to go, in the morning he was a court servant, in the evening he was a court maid, by tomorrow there was no telling what would become of him. Ye Tianshi''s mind was whirling with this thought but his mouth said: ¡°By his Majesty''s command, of course I must drink the medicine. But, I do not understand, why do you want her to drink the yellow lily?¡± Hongli grunted coldly and said: ¡°This girl has a poisonous tongue, she is capable of extracting poisonous words, Yellow lilly is the perfect remedy for her! What other herbs are the most bitter?¡± When in a temper, even the Son of Heaven is a mortal and a scheming, petty man. Ye Tianshi could only say: ¡°The most bitter herbs, Yellow lilly, Mu Tong, Gentian Herb, are all very bitter, the most bitter is Bitter Ginseng-¡± Hongli waved his hand and said: ¡°Then from today onwards, three times a day, each time she has to drink a different kind of bitter medicine, make her drink it in different ways! If she refuses to drink, force her to drink! Zhen is trying to save the life of her benefactor, do you understand?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Ye Tianshi responded. ¡°Heh heh heh...¡± Hongli was in a good mood as he thought of the other person''s miserable state of vomiting while drinking, he laughed out loud at the thought, Ye Tianshi''s soup was brought back to his mouth, he didn''t mind it anymore, he drank it all down with a smile. Ye Tianshi saw this, the corners of his mouth twitched but he dared not say anything. But the assignment of Hongli was not a bad thing, at least he did not have to think of any reason, any excuse to visit Wei Yingluo. After leaving the Yanxin Palace, with his medicine chest on his back, he made his way to the ear room in the side hall. The palace staff had been informed, no one stopped him, he just waltzed in, closed his hand behind him and said to the figure lying on the bed: ¡°Miss Wei, it''s me!¡± Wei Yingluo, who had been breathless, so sick that she was dying, suddenly sprang up from the bed like a rabbit at the sound of his voice and said with a grumbling face: ¡°Physician Ye, can you not add yellow lily, it''s too bitter!¡± ¡°It''s not up to me, it''s the order from above.¡± Ye Tianshi pointed his finger at the sky, implying that it was a compulsory order from the Emperor, then opened the medicine chest and retrieved a small vial from inside, ¡°Sulphur ointment is for scabies, it''s not the right remedy, change it to this!¡± There was a pause and a tentative question: ¡°Miss Yingluo, I don''t understand something...¡± Wei Yingluo took it in both hands: ¡°You ask.¡± ¡°Why did you deliberately take peanuts, when you knew you were allergic to them since you were a child to cause a large red rash? And to get me to fake a medical case of scabies...¡± Ye Tianshi asked, thinking about what Hongli had done and having a vague answer in mind. There was nothing wrong with that, or perhaps it was better to give him the answer, so that he wouldn''t have to think about it himself. ¡°... I have deliberately provoked the emperor, he will wake up and the first thing he will do is to take me to task with a huge punishment but if I am ill, he will not be able to punish me again, even if he is angry.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled faintly, with a sickly pallor on her face she said, ¡°After all, everyone knows, it was my care of the Emperor that caused the illness.¡± Ye Tianshi was slightly surprised, on second thought, it all made sense, he nodded admiringly and said: ¡°Your wisdom and loyalty are beyond the reach of others, don''t worry, I will do my best to cover up, you will not be exposed!¡± Wei Yingluo smiled but did not say anything. When Ye Tianshi had left, she muttered: ¡°Loyalty? I was just taking the opportunity to vent my anger, who told him to do this to the Empress Niangniang...¡± Like a lotus blossoming in the mud, the Empress''s character is immaculate compared to others in the palace. Wei Yingluo loved her and sometimes could not help comparing her to her sister and concluded... The two were very much alike, in character and in the way they looked after her... Wei Yingluo can go to the palace for her sister and scold Hongli for the Empress. CH 58.2 ¡°It''s just a momentary scolding, the rest is hard...¡± She sighed softly but did not regret it, there was no one to wait on her and she did not dare to let anyone wait on her, she uncapped the bottle, put some ointment on her hand, with great difficulty she put it on herself and then she blew out the candle and went to sleep. The pain was unbearable, Wei Yingluo rolled over uncomfortably, where her hands could not reach, where she had not applied the ointment, it itched and hurt. ... Who is it? Wei Yingluo doesn''t open her eyes, continues to sleep with her eyes closed. A cold hand falls on her forehead, quietly testing its temperature, before withdrawing. Afterwards, the sound of the cap being removed, the hand returned to her body, with the scent of the ointment, gentle and slow movements, the back of her arm, her neck, the back of her shoulder... He applied the ointment to places that were out of her reach but he didn''t step out of line, the back of her back, places that a man shouldn''t touch, he didn''t take the opportunity to touch them, even if she was ¡°asleep¡±, even if she wouldn''t blame him if she was awake. Yes, it was a man''s hand. The hand of a man she knew. The cap is put back on, the room is silent. Wei Yingluo''s eyes are still closed, her body is much more relaxed, her heart itches and tingles, she doesn''t know if she should open her eyes now, doesn''t know if she should look at him and smile at him. And afraid he would run away, as he always did. Until a gentle kiss falls on her eyelashes, like a dragonfly, like a tiger on a rose. Wei Yingluo tried to restrain herself to keep her lashes from trembling like her heart. It was not until the sound of the door closing softly, that she opened her eyes and sighed and raised her hand to cover her kissed eyelashes. ¡°... This illness.¡± In the darkness of the night, Wei Yingluo couldn''t help but curl her lips, ¡°It''s not all bad.¡± The sickness came like a mountain, the sickness went like a silk, Ye Tianshi''s medicine was boiling on the tenth day, in the guardhouse, Fuheng was looking at a book of war in his hand and a hand suddenly reached out from behind him and blindfolded him. ¡°Yingluo, what are you doing here?¡± Fuheng let her blindfold him, easily guessed his identity and asked with a smile, ¡°Are you well now?¡± ¡°How do you know it''s me?¡± Wei Yingluo lowered her hand and came around to his side, she seemed to have lost some weight from the previous days'' illness and her waist became even slimmer, not enough to hold. The smile on her face was much more touching, she smiled at him, always different from others, ¡°I am well, thanks to the careful care of a certain gentleman with a snail, he changed the paddle on my forehead every night and wiped my hands and arms with cold water.¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Hearing the name of the gentleman with snails, Fuheng unnaturally covered his lips with his fist and coughed, ¡°Who is this man?¡± Seeing that he was playing dumb, Wei Yingluo simply played dumb with him and said with astonishment: ¡°Isn''t that you?¡± Fuheng shook his head. ¡°... What should I do then?¡± Wei Yingluo bit her lip, her white teeth left a few light white marks on her red lips and said, ¡°I thought he was you, that''s why I allowed him to medicate me, those places, I don''t allow other men to touch...¡± Fuheng stared at this. ¡°Since it''s not you, then I''ll leave.¡± Wei Yingluo sighed softly and turned to leave. ¡°Wait!¡± Fuheng can''t sit still any longer, he got up and took her arm. ¡°... What else do you have to say to me?¡± She turned her face away from him. ¡°I...¡± Fuheng didn''t know what to say to her for a moment. It''s a self inflicted crime, why did you lie like that, how will you get out of it now? ¡°Fuheng!¡± Fuheng was in distress, his best friend''s voice came through the door, ¡°Ten days in a row, I''m falling apart-¡± Clang, the door opened, Hailancha kept pushing the door, frozen in the doorway, his eyes were in the air. Hailancha remained in the same position as he had pushed the door, his eyes shifted from side to side, she smiled and said: ¡°Am I disturbing you? I''m leaving, I''m leaving, you guys go on, you guys go on...¡± ¡°... Ten days?¡± Wei Yingluo suddenly turned around and punched Fuheng in the chest, her cheeks were as red as her lips, not so much in anger as in shyness and said through clenched teeth, ¡°It''s not you!¡± Fuheng looked at her back as she ran away, couldn''t help but raise his hand to his chest, he felt sick too, the place was itchy and soft, like soaking in warm soup, like bathing in a sea of flowers. ¡°I really didn''t mean it.¡± Hailancha saw Wei Yingluo run away, thought it was his fault, rubbed his hands together, said carefully and curtly, ¡°How about... I''ll cover your shift for another day?¡± Fuheng slammed his fist into his chest, not unlike Wei Yingluo''s fancy kicks, the force of the blow nearly made Hailancha vomit. ¡°No need!¡± Fuheng laughed and said, ¡°You''re a big mouth!¡± His heart was like a blossom, cascading, in contrast to the other man''s less beautiful mood. ¡°What did you say?¡± in the Yanxin Palace, another tealight was broken. Hongli sat on the edge of the bed with a grimace and said: ¡°You said that the maiden has returned to the Changchun Palace? When? Isn''t she still ill?¡± ¡°Your Majesty, Miss Wei has recovered, she moved back to the Changchun Palace last night.¡± Liyu replied cautiously. Hongli was furious, he knocked over the copper basin, the basin rolled over, warm water fell to the ground and the people in the palace fell to their knees. ¡°She fell ill after Zhen, for at least a month!¡± Hongli said coldly, ¡°How could she be cured before Zhen?¡± ¡°It''s... It''s...¡± Liyu stammered, ¡°Maybe... She''s less sick?¡± ¡°Because she wasn''t sick from the beginning to the end!¡± Hongli said angrily, ¡°Find this bitch, this time Zhen will skin her with his own hands!¡± ¡°What is wrong with the Emperor? Such a temper.¡± A gentle, calm voice suddenly rang out, everyone looked at her and was fixed in the other''s smile. There are only two women in the world, whose smiled have such a calming power, one is Guanyin the Goddess of Mercy and the other is the Empress. Even Hongli, at the sight of her smile, had lost half of her anger and was about to give vent to the remaining half, when she said: ¡°This humble woman has been walking along and I have heard many of the court people praising the Emperor.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Hongli said, slightly surprised, ¡°What did they say?¡± ¡°A lot.¡± The Empress sat down on the edge of the bed and said, ¡°For example, Your Majesty can endure what no one else can, Wei Yingluo offended you in order to cure your illness and you did not take it personally, you are a magnanimous ruler.¡± Hongli looked puzzled at this. ¡°Not only did you not blame her, when you found out that she was infected by you, instead of driving her away, you allowed her to stay at the Yanxin Palace and let the best physicians treat her and a virtuous ruler, hard to find in a thousand years...¡± The Empress continued. ¡°Enough!¡± Hongli could not listen any longer, he interrupted her. The Empress stopped talking and just looked at him with a smile. Liyu cautiously looked at their faces, seeing that neither of them were speaking, he had to speak up himself: ¡°Your Majesty, that Wei Yingluo... Should I take it back?¡± Hongli was not happy to be angry with the Empress, when he saw that he had hit his mark, he immediately turned his gun around and threw his fire on him, his dragon boots hit Liyu on the chest and kicked him over, Hongli said angrily: ¡°Didn''t you hear! She spoke out of anger to save Zhen! To save Zhen she caught a bad disease to serve it! Even if word got out, everyone would praise her for being a loyal servant who defied power! What''s more, she''s cured, she''ll never be caught again! If Zhen were to condemn her now, he would be a foolish ruler! Zhen is just like a dumb man who can''t say what he has to say!¡± As he said this, his face really showed a hint of bitterness, as if he had eaten Yellow lily, Mu Tong, Gentian Herb, Bitter Ginseng, one after another... The medicine he had poured into Wei Yingluo''s bowl, now he felt like it had ended up in his own mouth. So, bitter, so bitter. CH 59.1 ¡°To celebrate the Emperor''s recovery, this Palace Mistress has a gift for him.¡± Returning from the Yanxin Palace, the Empress called Wei Yingluo and the other Great Mistresses to her and said, ¡°Choose for this Palace Mistress, which painting do you think is the best?¡± There were two paintings on display, one was a landscape painting, with a distant sail and a blue sky, only the Yangtze River flowing in the sky. The other is a painting of the Goddess of Love, ¡°A gentle step in a wave¡± and the dusty socks. Mingyu said first: ¡°Naturally, this landscape is the best, the one sent by Fucha''s guards, the best...¡± This comment does not comment at all on the merits of the two paintings, the words are deliberately flattering. The person to be flattered was not in sight, the Empress gave her a brief glance and turned her attention to Wei Yingluo: ¡°And you?¡± ¡°Back to Niangniang.¡± Wei Yingluo thought for a moment and said, ¡°If it was up to Yingluo to choose, I would definitely give you the Goddess of Love.¡± ¡°Why?¡± The Empress asked. ¡°Because the Goddess of Love looks a bit like the Empress.¡± Wei Yingluo laughed and said, ¡°Whenever the Emperor saw this painting, he will think of the person who painted it, isn''t that good?¡± She is in fact trying to impress her, unlike Mingyu, she is sincere in her words and the person she is trying to impress is right in front of her. In the end, the Empress decides to offer the ¡°Goddess of Love¡±. As a result of this, Mingyu and Wei Yingluo are at loggerheads again, only now, Wei Yingluo has replaced her as the most favoured lady of the Changchun Palace, the Empress even teaches Wei Yingluo how to read and write, the two of them were called master and servant but in fact they were teacher and student, their bond was so deep, so deep, it was difficult for Mingyu to get in her way, she could no longer even taunt her to her face. And so the two Draft girls who had come to the Changchun Palace to see the Empress got the short end of Mingyu anger. ¡°The Empress Niangniang is resting, she''s not available.¡± Mingyu said coldly to the two Young Masters in front of him, ¡°Please go back.¡± If Wei Yingluo had been here, she would have recognised that these two Masters were no other than the two most prominent the Draft girls at the Draft Selection, one was Duanxian, Nara Chunxue, who looks like the Empress and Lu Wanwan, who is timid and fearful but has the appearance of a woman with a heart of gold. Never before had a servant treated her so badly, Nara Chunxue''s face paled, she quietly slipped a silver ingot into her sleeve and said: ¡°Miss Mingyu, I have asked someone to bring blood swallows from Fujian to present to the Empress Niangniang, please go in and tell her.¡± Mingyu tipped the silver and threw it disdainfully back into Nara Chunxue''s arms, with a contemptuous glance: ¡°The Changchun Palace has received many favours, there is nothing precious and a mere blood swallow, who has not seen it before? Who hasn''t seen it before I ask?¡± ¡°You...¡± Even Lu Wanwan, who was always so good natured, was a little angry. Nara Chunxue took her arm and shook her head gently: ¡°I see, we''ll come back another day to pay our respects to the Empress Niangniang then.¡± On the way back, Lu Wanwan couldn''t help but complain: ¡°I clearly heard voices in the main hall, Mingyu insists that the Empress is not here, how can she treat us so lightly and humiliate us?¡± Nara Chunxue sneered and said: ¡°The Changchun Palace will not allow us to pay respect, have we no other place to go? Go to the Chuxiu Palace!¡± It was night, two figures flashed into the Chuxiu Palace, the lights were dim, the window reflected three figures sitting and talking, no one knew what the three had discussed except for the candlelight on the table. Mingyu has no idea, what she has inadvertently done. She was still feeling sorry for herself, at one time hating Wei Yingluo for taking her favour, at another time hating the Empress for her newness, always wondering how she could regain her favour, her position. Never thought of a way, never found an opportunity, until a few days later and a banquet was held in the main hall of the Qianqing Palace and the Concubines and Consorts of the Harem offered gifts to celebrate the Emperor''s health. The banquet was a lively affair, the star of the show was always Noble Consort Hui, this one seemed to have been born for such occasions, she knew how to keep the attention on herself, she clapped her hands and the yellow curtains were drawn up from the sides to reveal a procession of eunuchs with Western instruments. Cello, violin, clarinet, flute, organ and other exotic instruments are played at the same time, so loudly that they overshadow the Empress'' painting of the God of Love. Hongli looked at these instruments and listens to the tune they play and is lost in thought, as if he has fallen into a memory of the past. These are the Western instruments collected by his father Yongzheng Emperor, when Hongli was a boy, the two of them learned from the missionaries for a while, the played sound of the violin and the flute these are still his fondest memories. ¡°Noble Consort has a heart.¡± Hongli sighed. It was obvious to all, it was Noble Consort Hui who had come out on top at the banquet, the most popular with the Emperor, it was difficult for anyone to compete with her and to the surprise of everyone, she was uncharacteristically domineering, offering to recommend a woman to Hongli to share in his favour. ¡°Your Majesty, not only has this humble woman gone to great lengths for your birthday present, Noble Lady has also done her best.¡± Noble Consort Hui motioned to the woman behind her, ¡°Would you like to see her gift?¡± ¡°Noble Lady Shu?¡± There were so many women in the harem, Hongli obviously did not know each one and only nodded in her honour. Mingyu saw her but her heart thudded. She recognises her, isn''t it the Draft girl who was kicked out of the Changchun Palace the other day, by her cynicism? How did she end up with Noble Consort Hui? Nara Chunxue offered a glazed pagoda, the pagoda was not unusual, what was unusual was the precious relic on it, said to be the most precious of the 700 or so precious relic that the Song monk Xiyuan passed away with, the precious relic were made from his heart, hence the name Buddha''s Lotus. ¡°The Emperor.¡± Noble Consort Hui took the opportunity to say, ¡°Hasn''t the Empress Dowager been searching for the Lotus of Buddha?¡± This object may not please Hongli but it will certainly please the Empress Dowager. Mingyu felt even more anxious when she saw that the woman he had treated so badly was about to soar to great heights. ¡°You''ve got a heart, too.¡± Hongli nodded, turning to the Empress, ¡°The Empress, apart from this glazed pagoda, you will choose a few new and interesting gifts for the Empress Dowager.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The Empress said modestly, hiding her gloom in her heart. Compared to the Western orchestra, compared to the pagoda precious relic, her picture of Goddess of Love looked so ordinary, Hongli just glanced at it and left it behind, not seeing the slightest resemblance to her, or perhaps he had looked at her too long and didn''t care. ¡°Yingluo.¡± The Empress whispered, ¡°Put away the Tower of Buddha.¡± ¡°Yes, Niangniang.¡± Yingluo gave her a pitying look, took the glazed pagoda and went out with the eunuchs who were in charge of the matter to the East Room where the gifts were kept. Mingyu''s eyes twinkled and she followed without a word. There were many gifts, the first thing Wei Yingluo had to do, instead of choosing, was to make a register. ¡°A pair of lamps with a longevity pattern on a brocade floor.¡± Wei Yingluo dips his brush into ink and puts it on paper. CH 59.2 ¡°A pair of crane and deer vases.¡± Wei Yingluo has just written the word crane and a hand reached out from beside her and snatches the booklet away. With a slight frown, Wei Yingluo turned to her and asked: ¡°Mingyu, what are you doing?¡± ¡°Registering, keeping the treasures, has always been my job, you don''t have to take over!¡± Mingyu clutched the booklet, it was obvious to all that she was taking over the job. Wei Yingluo stared at her and said: ¡°The Empress Niangniang ordered me to register.¡± Mingyu had already found an excuse on the way, she blurted out: ¡°Didn''t you hear the Emperor''s orders, you need to choose two or three items that the Empress Dowager likes first, do you know the Empress Dowager Niangniang''s preferences?¡± Mingyu was relieved when Wei Yingluo didn''t say anything, she took advantage of the situation and said: ¡°Since you don''t know anything, don''t stand here and get in the way! Zhenzhu, go on!¡± The young court lady in charge of reading out the names looked at Wei Yingluo at a loss for words. Knowing Wei Yingluo as they did, they expected her to fight to the end, after all, she was the one who dared to scold even the Emperor but she suddenly smiled and said: ¡°I''ve only been in the palace for a short time, I don''t know the Empress Dowager''s preferences, I''ll have to ask you, Mingyu to register them carefully and select them one by one., I must ask you, Mingyu to register them carefully and select them one by one.¡± ¡°Wait!¡± Mingyu shouted at her back, she was the one who had taken the job from her, yet she acted as if she was giving it away and said, ¡°You don''t have to go, there''s still a lot to do, you can stay and help me.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Wei Yingluo this time did not accept her charity, without looking back he walked out, ¡°You have done so bravely, I naturally cannot take the credit, don''t worry, I will report to the Empress Niangniang, all the credit is yours!¡± ¡°And I.¡± Wei Yingluo left the door, looking at the starry sky, the deep palace and thought: ¡°I can take this opportunity to do what I have always wanted to do.¡± A court lady was not allowed to leave the palace without business, so without the Empress'' orders, she was tied to the Changchun Palace from morning to night and had little chance of going to the palaces of other masters, let alone the Qianqing Palace. ¡°If someone had gone from the Palace to the Royal Garden on the night of my sister''s death, how long would it have taken to get there and back and could they have avoided the patrols?¡± Wei Yingluo stood at the entrance to the main hall, took one foot towards the imperial garden and said silently, ¡°One step, two steps, three steps...¡± She left the Qianqing Palace one step at a time, leaving behind the cups of wine and the lights, with a long, lonely shadow and walked alone into the imperial garden. ¡°Three hundred steps, three hundred and one, three hundred... Aaah!¡± A hand suddenly tugged at her foot and pulled her down from the junction of the royal path. This sudden tug almost scared Wei Yingluo out of her wits, especially since the hand had pulled her down and then had come around her from behind, with its strong arms around her waist. Wei Yingluo didn''t even think about it, she stomped her heel hard, on her opponent''s foot. ¡°Someone--¡± she was about to call out at the top of her voice and a voice as soft as moonlight, pressed against her ear and softly recited: ¡°Deep in the stone beam the night is hidden, the mist and dew are tired to protect the moonlight. Catching the royal clothes and letting go, the famous flowers fly out of her sleeves.¡± Wei Yingluo stopped struggling, leaned into the other''s arms and whispered: ¡°Young Master, you suddenly grabbed my foot and scared me.¡± Her Young Master was only one person. Fuheng stood with her in his arms in the tiger''s cave, rugged rocks beside him, clumps of turquoise creepers clambering over the grey stones, the shadows of the trees swaying, casting dappled shadows on them. ¡°I am, after all and a guard of the Forbidden City.¡± Fuheng said with a smile, ¡°When I see an unruly little court lady, walking by night on the royal road, I have to pull her down.¡± Wei Yingluo grunted, seemingly dissatisfied with his explanation and said: ¡°So, if another court lady had passed by here, you would have pulled her into your arms as well?¡± ¡°There is no other court lady in the Forbidden City who is so bold.¡± Fuheng sighed. Wei Yingluo now smiled at him with pursed lips. ¡°Let me guess, you didn''t come here in the middle of the night, not to blow off steam, you must have... I''m sure... you wanted to retrace your steps from the Qianqing Palace to the Imperial Garden.¡± Fuheng knew her well, he guessed at once what she was up to and said helplessly, ¡°You don''t have to, I''ve already checked for you, no one left the banquet that night.¡± ¡°There were four hundred people there, there are always one or two mistakes.¡± Wei Yingluo wouldn''t give up, wouldn''t give up the only clue, ¡°Maybe someone left quietly, back and forth, it wouldn''t have taken more than half an hour!¡± Fuheng disagreed: ¡°I''ve walked this road many times, it''s quick to walk the whole way, impossible to avoid the guards on patrol.¡± Wei Yingluo bit her lip and raised another possibility: ¡°What if he is of noble birth and the guards conceal it for him?¡± Fuheng shook his head and said: ¡°The guards are loyal to the Emperor, they are under his command alone, how can a mere royal family be trusted?¡± Wei Yingluo stared at him for a moment and laughed: ¡°Not necessarily, did not that Prince Yi of First Rank, at the instigation of Concubine Jia, deliberately make things difficult for me?¡± And Qingxi... How careful a man is but he cannot resist the temptation of glory and wealth, he sells her so easily. Fuheng was about to say something, when suddenly there was a boom overhead, like a crash, like a thunderclap, which startled Wei Yingluo into putting her arms around Fuheng''s waist and saying: ¡°What is that noise?¡± She was always so strong, always doing everything by herself, carrying her own load, her rare little girl attitude, made Fuheng feel new and enchanted, couldn''t help but leave many things behind, just looked at her and hugged her, smiled and said: ¡°Look up.¡± Wei Yingluo looked up in confusion. At that moment, the sky was filled with fireworks over the Forbidden City, red and yellow, green and purple and a thousand lights fell like rain, on her eyes and face. ¡°The east wind blows a thousand trees at night and blows down, stars like rain.¡± Fuheng was again singing poetry in her ear, she didn''t like to listen to this literary stuff but she loved to hear his voice, loved every line of poetry that came out of his mouth, every word, every hint of truth. ¡°... Yuhu, the light turned and a night of fish and dragons, moths and willows of gold, laughter and dark fragrance.¡± Fuheng slowly lowered his head, the thousands of fireworks above his head, were no match for his affectionate gaze and he said to her, ¡°I have searched for him for thousands of miles and then I look back... The man is there, where the lights go out.¡± Wei Yingluo doesn''t know how she got back to the East Room. Only that her feet were weak, like stepping on clouds and when she closed her eyes, there was his voice and his face with his eyes closed. He said to himself: ¡°Don''t let anyone see anything unusual, just say... It''s a headache from the wind, my cheeks are red.¡± She was going to use this poor excuse to get by, otherwise it would be difficult to explain why her face was so red. But she soon realised, the other person probably didn''t need an explanation. ¡°Bastard!¡± came the slap from the East Room, it was Mingyu''s angry, frightened voice saying, ¡°I told you to watch the East Room but you sneaked out to watch the fireworks, now how will you explain that to the Emperor the Empress!¡± ¡°I, I didn''t know Huai was like this either!¡± Zhenzhu''s cries continued, ¡°Besides, didn''t you go out to watch the fireworks too, only the officials were allowed to set fire to the city but not the people?¡± Mingyu was furious, she raised her right hand and tried to slap her again but Wei Yingluo caught her from behind. ¡°It''s good that you''ve come back.¡± Mingyu saw her and hurriedly said, ¡°Look, what a mess she''s made!¡± Wei Yingluo followed her gaze and froze. The golden pagoda that Nara Chunxue had offered was empty, the precious relic had disappeared. CH 60.1 This is not the first time Wei Yingluo has suffered a theft. As with the loss of the peacock thread at the Embroidery Workshop last time, she suspected that there was a conspiracy behind this coincidence. This is not a thought to be shared with the others, they are already frightened enough, if they knew they had stepped into a trap, they would be even more frightened. ¡°Zhenzhu, don''t cry, crying is not the answer.¡± Wei Yingluo said calmly, ¡°Now I''ll ask you the answer, first question, who was the first to return to the East Room?¡± ¡°Yes, it was me.¡± Zhenzhu replied, fearing that she might suspect him, she quickly defended himself, ¡°I sneaked out to watch the fireworks, I was afraid that Mingyu''s sister would find out, I came back before I finished watching the fireworks.¡± Wei Yingluo nodded and said: ¡°Was the precious relic still there?¡± Zhenzhu shook her head, the crowd looked lost, thinking that the trail was about to be broken here. Wei Yingluo thought for a moment and changed the question to: ¡°Were you really the only one there, no one else?¡± Zhenzhu racked his brain for a moment, suddenly his eyes lit up and he said: ¡°No, there was someone else, I vaguely saw a man leaving through the door.¡± Mingyu was overjoyed and said: ¡°So, you saw the thief? What did he look like, was he a man or a woman, think!¡± ¡°Yes, yes...¡± Zhenzhu bit her lip and said with great care a name that was not expected, ¡°It was Noble Lady Shu.¡± Also the original owner of the stupa relic, Nara Chunxue. ¡°Well and a thief cries out for a thief, it''s her!¡± Mingyu gritted her teeth and turned to run away. ¡°You think it''s working?¡± Wei Yingluo''s voice rang out behind her, ¡°She was the one who sent the stupa precious relic into the palace, what reason would she have to steal them back when no one was looking? More importantly, for the fireworks to be set off, the candles were out in the corridor, who would believe the testimony of a court lady alone?¡± ¡°There was a huge firework in the air, it lit up the whole place, I could see her clearly!¡± Zhenzhu hastened to say. ¡°I believe you but others will not necessarily believe you.¡± Wei Yingluo said soothingly and then closed her eyes in contemplation. The time was so short, the thieves would not have had time to get the object out of the palace and as the stupa precious relic were so valuable, the object was probably hidden on the thieves themselves. ¡°A search? That''s not possible, what reason would there be to search the masters.¡± Wei Yingluo mused, ¡°We''ll have to ask her to take it out herself, is that even possible...¡± Possibly. ¡°I have a plan to find the culprit.¡± With a plan in mind, Wei Yingluo opened her eyes and said to the people around her, ¡°But I need your help...¡± The song and dance in the hall is coming to an end, Hongli is recovering from a serious illness, he can hardly stand it now, yawns, reclines in his chair and asks lazily: ¡°What else is on?¡± The Empress was about to answer when Mingyu suddenly came up to her, bent down and whispered something to her. At her words and a moment of doubt flashed across the Empress'' face but with trust in Wei Yingluo, she smiled and said: ¡°Your Majesty, in previous years the last act was always acrobatics, this year it''s something different.¡± Hongli was too sleepy to open his eyes, he simply closed them and said: ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The court ladies of my palace will present you with a gift.¡± The Empress said, ¡°Yingluo, you may come up.¡± Hongli''s eyes snapped open like he was slapped. Perhaps for the ceremony in front of the palace, she was usually dressed plainly but tonight she was dressed in a rare red dress, so red that no one could suppress such a beautiful colour but she could, with her face, with her smile and with her eyes as full as waves. ¡°... Yuhu, the light turned and a night of fish and dragons dancing, moths and willows of gold, smiled and smells.¡± For some reason, this poem is like the spring breeze that came quietly, blowing into Hongli''s heart and a pool of ripples opening up in circles, ¡°When I look back, that person is there... where the lights are dim.¡± The light shone on Wei Yingluo''s body and on the yellow silk she held in her hands, smiling faintly at Hongli, she suddenly throws it to the ground, the moment it falls lightly to the ground, it suddenly bulges into a large piece, Wei Yingluo leaned down and lifted the yellow silk, revealing a small, delicate glazed stupa. Noble Consort Hui''s sneer was a surprise amidst the gasps of the crowd, she stroked her tortoiseshell fingernails and said: ¡°I thought it was something rare, it''s just a trick, hiding the pagoda under her robe beforehand and then moving it out quietly when everyone''s eyes were on the yellow carpet!¡± CH 60.2 Consort Chun, with a sharp eye, frowned and said: ¡°No, where is the precious relic on the pagoda?¡± It was only then that the crowd realised that something was missing from the tower, the most important thing of all. It was something the Empress Dowager had been searching for for years, more valuable than anything else in the room, how could it be lost so easily? ¡°Noble Ladies, don''t worry.¡± Wei Yingluo smiled calmly at the crowd, ¡°This lowly servant was afraid of a bad transport, she took the precious relic from the glazed pagoda and transported them separately!¡± Nara Chunxue smiled unnoticeably and then, still looking as sagacious as the Empress, asked: ¡°Where is the precious relic now?¡± Wei Yingluo looked at her and said: ¡°Isn''t it in your possession?¡± Nara Chunxue''s face paled. ¡°Nonsense.¡± She pinched herself quietly to regain her composure, ¡°How could the precious relic be on me?¡± ¡°What I did was not a blindfold, it was a spatial retrieval technique, naturally it is on you.¡± Wei Yingluo said, as she approached her, ¡°If you don''t believe me, I''ll take the precious relic out now.¡± Nara Chunxue was already in a state of panic, now seeing her coming towards her, she immediately panicked, her right hand subconsciously clenched her left cuff. Wei Yingluo, who had been watching her, did not miss this small movement and immediately reached out, grabbed her sleeve and despite her struggle, pulled out a small scented capsule in a couple of seconds. ¡°How dare you!¡± Nara Chunxue, not knowing whether to be afraid or angry, blushed. Wei Yingluo unzipped the capsule, reveals the Buddha''s relic inside and laughed and said: ¡°Is it right here?¡± The crowd felt wonderful, they didn''t spare their applause, beside the Empress, Mingyu and Zhenzhu both breathed a sigh of relief, especially Zhenzhu, who almost fell to her knees as her legs weakened but Mingyu was there beside her and pulled her back quickly. ¡°It''s been a long time coming, don''t you dare make a mistake.¡± Mingyu whispered. ¡°Yes, yes.¡± Zhenzhu wiped the sweat from her forehead, looking at Wei Yingluo in the distance with some admiration, ¡°Thanks to Sister Yingluo...¡± Mingyu looked at Wei Yingluo in the middle of the scene with a complicated look in her eyes, she saw her remove the golden shears from her waist and cut the yellow silk with a click, then with a wave of her hand, the shredded satin flew into the sky like snow and when it landed, it was incredibly lined up in four big letters, Longevity and Prosperity A perfect end to the feast. Amidst the applause, Nara Chunxue returned to Noble Consort Hui in disbelief and was about to explain, when Noble Consort Hui spoke coldly: ¡°This Palace Mistress has given you the opportunity, you¡¯re working for this Palace Mistress and you can''t even do a little job like that, get off!¡± Nara Chunxue bowed her head and withdrew, thinking to herself: ¡°I have offended the Empress and now I have upset Noble Consort Hui, now there is only one chance... The Emperor likes my gift, he has asked me to sleep tonight, I must take this chance no matter what!¡± With this in mind, she fixed her eager eyes on Hongli. Little did she know, while she was looking at Hongli and a pair of eyes were also looking at her. ¡°Yingluo.¡± Mingyu and Zhenzhu greeted her, Mingyu hesitated for a moment and finally said, with a little twinge, ¡°This time... Thank you so much.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Wei Yingluo withdrew his gaze and smiled at them both, ¡°Just in time, I need your help with something...¡±