Chapter 5 A Strange Little Tune The brown-feathered bird's eyes darted around. ...

The brown-feathered bird's eyes darted around. It stayed there quietly, not bothering anyone.

Yang Liuqing raised her hand to try and shoo the bird away, but unfortunately, as soon as she reached out, the bird flapped its wings and flew away.

“…”

Water dripped into the copper basin. Yang Liuqing hung her washcloth on another tree to dry, and hurried to finish her own work before the scorching sun began. She also helped her two older sisters wash some silk trousers that had been thrown away from some palace.

One of the trousers had misplaced stitching at the hem, making it look quite messy.

She casually observed it and then rinsed it in the pool with clean water.

When Deng Mengnu came out yawning, a young maid in a blue dress with her armbands tied was already in the courtyard, scrubbing away the remaining grime in a wooden basin.

She rubbed her eyes, and was about to go over when Sister Wang, who was getting dressed, came out and tapped her arm.

Yang Liuqing turned around and saw everyone getting up one after another. She wiped her hands and prepared to go get her meal. She went inside to look for Deng Mengnu, but she wasn't there, nor was Sister Wang. Only Sister Wu was sitting on the edge of the bed, applying perfume to her fingers.

Seeing Yang Liuqing arrive, she said calmly, "Qingniang, there's a lot of work to do today. Qihe Palace needs to send a large batch of clothes over, and if we go to get food, the daylilies will get cold. We might as well go to the kitchen to get the food and distribute it. You can push the cart there."

She couldn't possibly object, but she didn't forget to ask:

Why are there suddenly so many clothes to wash?

Sister Wu raised her eyelids and sneered:

“The nobles can have their fun at will, but we are the ones who suffer. When I came back last night, I heard that His Majesty had summoned a group of entertainers to Qihe Palace to play around. Perhaps they were all thrown here.”

"..." This playful banter, unsurprisingly, should only have a literal meaning.

However, if it were Yan Dibai, then it would be perfectly normal. Yang Liuqing still feels lingering fear when she recalls the danger of that day.

She nodded: "I'll be right back."

The kitchen staff received word early that morning that Yang Liuqing was permitted to carry two baskets of steamed flatbread and a bucket of thin porridge onto the cart by herself. She was quite hungry, and although she still didn't like porridge, she had no choice in this situation. She could only rely on Sister Wu to prepare special meals for her later.

After distributing the food, Aunt Liu leisurely emerged from her room. She glanced up and down at Yang Liuqing, who was helping to hand her the bowls, her face as indifferent as ever. Yang Liuqing, working enthusiastically, wiped her sweat and looked up to see Aunt Liu with her arms crossed, lost in thought.

When they met again, a bowl of slightly cooled porridge was placed in front of Liu Ao, along with a steamed bun.

She frowned, and Yang Liuqing, who hadn't spoken a word to her for several days, finally spoke:

"Please eat, it's just the right amount."

Liu Ao turned her head, unexpectedly meeting a pair of clear, bright eyes. Her eyelids twitched, but she didn't move, coldly saying:

"Aren't you still holding a grudge against me for making you get beaten up? You've already surrendered to them, so why are you coming to me to curry favor?"

So she remembered too.

Yang Liuqing lowered her eyes, bent down to put the things by the fence, and, under the probing gazes from behind, spoke in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft, just loud enough to be heard clearly:

"I'm not trying to please you, I just need to do my job well. Please eat first, I still have to take the porridge bucket and basket back."

Just then, the dirty clothes arrived, and the Yeting Palace instantly erupted in chaos as everyone rushed to pick out the washable clothes. Yang Liuqing ignored Liu Ao's strange expression, pushed the cart past, and glanced at the clothes, noticing that today's clothes were all brightly colored, some even stained with large patches of red, which at first glance looked like blood.

She looked away and pushed the cart in silence.

By some strange twist of fate, Yang Liuqing strayed from the route and entered the palace a second time. This time, the number of people on her way was noticeably greater. Yang Liuqing wished she could bury her face in the ground, fearing she might attract trouble. However, she saw palace maids gathered together, all solemnly discussing something.

Yang Liuqing shouldn't have gotten involved in this mess, but for some reason, she slowed down.

The voices of palace maids rose and fell in a rustling pattern:

"What kind of thief has been missing for so long? The General is in a terrible predicament, and the rules in the palace are becoming increasingly strict. I am not even allowed to leave the Vermilion Bird Gate with my token."

"It is said to be a woman in a pink silk skirt. Among the many concubines in this palace, there are many who wear silk skirts."

"Since His Majesty doesn't care, what are we afraid of? Let's all disperse. If Eunuch Wang sees this, he will definitely punish us."

"What you say. These days, Lady Hongzhu has captivated His Majesty so much that he probably doesn't have time to care about any scoundrels. The commotion yesterday was truly shameful! I heard that she's about to be promoted to Imperial Concubine!"

… …

What's that noise... wait, they still haven't caught them?

The system's information about the people around Yan Dibai is quite sparse, only mentioned in two sentences. The limited character introductions only pertain to Yan Dibai.

Perhaps to increase the difficulty of the mission, apart from knowing more about the future, their current situation is no different from that of the original Yang Liuqing.

As a result, she had to learn about officials like Wang Dajian and Zhonglang Jiang entirely through Deng Mengnu.

Of course, Deng Mengnv didn't know much either.

This has become a problem.

The subsequent encounters with Sister Wu and Sister Wang ultimately aimed to overthrow Aunt Liu and seize power for themselves; they wouldn't discuss unimportant people. Yang Liuqing naturally didn't dare to ask first, fearing they might overthink things.

Just as they were pondering, a clear, youthful voice shouted, "Disperse!" The crowd suddenly scattered like birds.

"Are you all just waiting to die? Get back to your respective palaces!"

The group immediately scattered in all directions. Suddenly, only Yang Liuqing, who had deliberately stayed to the side to listen to the gossip, remained.

Wo Xue looked around, and her cold gaze indeed landed on the girl with her head down.

Yang Liuqing didn't dare turn her head, staring blankly at the cart floor.

How come I always get caught red-handed?

Wo Xue, who was blocking the middle of the road, raised an eyebrow, feeling that the rough maid who was holding the carriage still seemed somewhat familiar. However, finding His Majesty was the most important thing at the moment, so he ignored the girl and led his men to continue the search.

It was a long time before Yang Liuqing dared to look back. And when she did, she realized what was happening too late.

He wore an indigo robe, a black gauze hat, and a canopy. Was that the eunuch who followed Yan Dibai when he turned the corner?

They were walking so fast, I wonder what happened.

Since there was no more gossip to hear, Yang Liuqing quickly returned the items and ran back to the Yeting Palace to wash the mountain of clothes.

She was so busy that day she barely had time to speak. She forced herself to stay awake until evening, her limbs aching as if filled with lead. All her colleagues except her collapsed into a deep sleep. Yang Liuqing took a quick shower and lay in bed for ten minutes, "..." So uncomfortable.

Hot and tired.

I'm in so much pain I can't sleep.

She sighed heavily and climbed out of the communal sleeping area for some fresh air. Everyone was sleeping soundly tonight, and no one noticed the commotion.

With great effort, she tiptoed and slowly moved to sit under the moon. Yang Liuqing spread her hands and frowned.

Soaking the skin in water for too long caused the chilblains and skin that had been there for only a few days to crack. The fingertips were dry and peeling, and the palms were covered with tiny, irregular cuts that ran from the fingertips to the wrists.

Scratching my nails doesn't hurt much, it's just itchy.

Yang Liuqing stared at it for a while, then suddenly rested her chin on her knees and looked up at the moon. The moon in ancient times was very round, and the night sky was studded with countless stars.

It was strikingly similar to the nights of my childhood.

Yang Liuqing closed her eyes.

She suddenly missed her grandmother very much.

A short, small old woman with a full head of white hair. She couldn't taste the saltiness of food and didn't know many characters.

The old lady had suffered her whole life, and her only entertainment was listening to Yue opera and Huangmei opera on her old radio, but she only listened to the same few songs over and over again.

"The Female Imperial Envoy" and "Lin Daiyu"... are familiar to many, and some can even sing a few lines. But that's about it.

Massaging her legs, recalling the old lady's smiling face, Yang Liuqing took a deep breath after a while, and suddenly felt motivated again.

It's possible!

The moon was high and the wind was cool, much better than the stuffy bedroom. Yang Liuqing cheered herself up, and after dozing off in that position for a while, she staggered to get water to wash her face, preparing to return to the dormitory.

As soon as she turned around, Deng Mengnu in the darkness startled her.

"Sister Deng, it's you?"

Deng Mengnu had put on a coat and had been standing at the back for who knows how long. When she saw that Yang Liuqing had noticed her, she smiled somewhat embarrassedly. Suddenly, she walked over to her and sat down next to her.

"Qingniang, what are you thinking about while you're sitting outside?"

Deng Mengnu's voice is usually rather rough. Like her appearance and name, it has a certain vigor to the ears. But tonight, it was very gentle, and no longer gave off a strong aura.

Yang Liuqing had never seen her like this before and was momentarily confused. But she seemed to want to have a heart-to-heart talk and relax... Yang Liuqing sat down again.

"I miss home." She smiled and said honestly.

Deng Mengnu grinned: "I thought I was the only one who missed home, turns out you are too."

She shook her wrist and sighed dejectedly.

"To be honest, before my family fell into ruin, I never did any work. After my father died and our house was confiscated, my whole family was made slaves. Only then did I realize how difficult it was to be a servant."

Speaking of being exhausted, Yang Liuqing wholeheartedly agreed. Everyone was so busy these days that they didn't even have time to drink water, all to finish the work. They all looked like they'd been through a lot.

This surprised her. "You're not a commoner?"

Deng Mengnu snorted: "Of course, I'm different from you. My father used to be a second-rank general, but he was killed by the world. My name is so good, which ordinary commoner would dare to take it?"

Yang Liuqing is truly unfamiliar with the naming trends of this era. But from what she observes around her, many educated girls are given single-character names, while those who are less educated are given traditional names like "xx女" (xx girl) or "序号+娘" (serial number + mother).

"Fierce woman" is quite special.

She couldn't help but laugh: "You're really amazing. Your father must have high hopes for you."

Deng Mengnu was a little happy, but quickly shrank back:

"No matter how much I hope, I'm just a dead-born slave. You're better off than me; you still have hope of leaving the palace."

She raised her hand, perhaps to wipe her eyes:

"I've been in the Yeting Palace for seven years, and I've really had enough. Actually, nothing much happened today. But I just lay down and took a nap... Oh well."

She hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself. Yang Liuqing glanced sideways and saw that Deng Mengnu's body was trembling slightly:

"I couldn't sleep, so I came out to look for you when you weren't there. I didn't expect we were so in sync, thinking the same thing."

Yang Liuqing empathized with her. But all she could do was pat her hand and offer a little understanding.

The air pressure was low, and Deng Mengnu remained silent for a moment before saying:

"Qingniang, don't you know how to hum tunes? Hum one for me so I can relax a bit."

"Me?" Having no way to comfort her, Yang Liuqing was prepared to spend the night with her. Unexpectedly… she pointed to herself, completely bewildered:

"When did I learn to hum a tune? Sister, you must have misheard me?"

“I heard you right. I heard you humming a tune in your sleep when you first came here.” Deng Mengnu turned her head. “Hum it for me.”

So that's how it is. Perhaps I wasn't fully used to it then, and as usual, I sang a couple of lines with Grandma. Yang Liuqing, rubbing her face:

"I really don't know, I guess I was just groaning in my sleep." She was tone-deaf and only dared to respond.

Deng Mengnu was displeased: "Alright, you spoil the fun. I remember a tune, I'll sing a couple of lines first, and you can follow along."

She cleared her throat, stared intently at Yang Liuqing, and then sang out a tune, albeit haltingly.

Sometimes it goes up, sometimes it goes down. Despite its babbling, it doesn't sound sharp; instead, it's light and swaying.

Although forced to concentrate, Yang Liuqing quickly figured out what she was humming.

A beautiful girl like Lin Daiyu fell from the sky, like a light cloud just emerging from the mountain.

Her tranquility is like a flower reflected in water, her movements like a willow swaying in the wind…

The summer night is bright, with the occasional chirping of cicadas. A touch of life lingers amidst the tranquility, unlike the oppressive heat of the daytime.

No wonder. Yang Liuqing's warm body cooled down a bit, and she unconsciously let her gaze drift away.

That's the song Grandma listens to most often.

Deng Mengnu said somewhat embarrassedly, "I've never heard this tune before. Although it's strange, it's better than those ghost songs sung by pale-faced actors."

Yang Liuqing was surprised by her comment: "A ghost—?"

Deng Mengnu pouted: "That shrill voice is more grating than my father's knife. I don't like it, but all the nobles do. Especially that tyrant."

After she finished speaking, she covered her mouth and said, "Ptooey! Qingniang, hurry up and sing. If you don't sing for me, neither of us will sleep tonight!"

"..." Yang Liuqing sighed helplessly, perhaps because she rarely refused others' requests. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she solemnly cleared her throat, her right fist pressed against her chin:

"Just this once, I'll only sing this for you. You're not allowed to laugh, and you mustn't tell anyone."

"Of course!"

Yang Liuqing shook her head, a little nervous: "I sang."

Under Deng Mengnu's piercing gaze, the little girl sitting under the tree cautiously raised her head. Realizing that no one meant to mock her, she gradually relaxed, slightly raising her voice to match her inner rhythm:

"A little sister named Deng fell from the sky—"

A song played in the middle of the night. The moon hung high and crescent. Though still in a remote and damp place, it was no longer as unbearable as before.

Yang Liuqing placed her hands on her lap, and even with her eyes closed, she still sang off-key several times, blushing involuntarily. Yet, for the first time, she felt an unprecedented sense of relaxation.

It's as if the long-suppressed weariness has vanished into the night with the little tune, never to return.

As the song ended with the moon veiled in dark clouds, Deng Mengnu scratched her face. Unsure what to say, the weariness that had been soothed by the song began to wash over her. She suddenly lowered her head and whispered:

"I'm sorry for bullying you before, Qingqing."

Yang Liuqing was stunned; she hadn't expected to receive an apology today.

She looked at the woman in front of her, and even felt a little embarrassed, so she nodded:

"I know, but I don't care anymore. We're friends now, and I'm quite happy."

"You're so nice to me, it just makes me seem even worse."

Deng Mengnu scratched her head, looking quite troubled, and then covered Yang Liuqing's mouth before she could speak. She thought for a while before speaking with utmost seriousness:

"Qingqing, from now on you're my sister. If I have a good meal, you'll have a good meal too. Although Sister Wu and Sister Wang are good to you, deep down they just want to get you to help them. Sister Wu's connections... are quite influential in the palace. It's not suitable for you to touch them."

However, there aren't really any purely good or bad people in our Imperial Palace. Be careful when you interact with them, and don't always try to be the nice guy.

Yang Liuqing: ...Eh?

So this means they've become sworn brothers?

She was still unaware of the emotional value she brought to Deng Mengnu and remained confused.

She had harbored resentment before, but Deng Mengnu only asked her to do more laundry and didn't make things too difficult for her. She never expected an apology.

As for Sister Wu's connections and such, Yang Liuqing only had time to ponder it for half a second—and sure enough, it was so.

Otherwise, how could he have the strength to challenge Aunt Liu?

This innermost palace, within an innermost palace, is a place where the age-old tradition of clinging to powerful figures for a living is vividly portrayed.

She snapped out of her reverie, gently removed Deng Mengnu's hand, and smiled happily.

"Thank you, Sister Deng."

Deng Mengnu's eyes also curved into a smile, feigning seriousness:

"I'm going back to sleep now. You should hurry up too."

Yang Liuqing nodded. She shook the water she hadn't been able to draw up earlier and carefully washed her face. The cicadas chirping, which was neither loud nor soft, suddenly stopped.

Suddenly, all around her fell silent. She felt a little uneasy; Deng Mengnu had already gone back to sleep, leaving her alone in the large courtyard.

Yang Liuqing rubbed her arms, feeling sleepy, and knew it was time to sleep.

However, with a "click," the gate seemed to have come loose. She went forward to tighten it again, but as soon as her hand touched the wooden board, a sudden, unexpected noise came—the gate was kicked open inward, and Yang Liuqing stumbled, her foot halfway off the step dangling in the air before she landed hard on her bottom.

It was the darkest hour of the lunar month, and Yang Liuqing's mind raced with fear, considering all sorts of possibilities, such as being silenced by an assassin. Just as she was about to yell and shout to wake her colleagues, a figure, arriving under the moonlight, strode arrogantly into the courtyard, his gold-embroidered, silver-studded shoes making no attempt to conceal his presence before her.

Her gaze irresistibly focused on the shoe. The girl's pupils contracted.

It has a reflective dragon pattern.

he? !

Yang Liuqing was shocked. A wet, greasy voice suddenly rang out, unrestrained and arrogant.

The long-absent Yan Di, with her white, lazy hair, asked:

"Was that the song you were singing just now?"

Yang Liuqing's eyes widened: "Yes, no, uh—"

The boy asked impatiently, "Is it or isn't it?"

Yang Liuqing looked at the expensive shoes and fell silent: "...Yes."

Yan Dibai, who had been openly eavesdropping for a while, raised an eyebrow and looked down at the little girl huddled in the darkness. He thought lazily, "There are two distinct styles."

When did palace maids become capable of composing music?

The young man glanced at the palace wall. If he ventured out of the palace today, he might inevitably run into the old, incorrigible Prime Minister and the obnoxious Wu Xue. He vaguely remembered climbing over the wall from the most secluded inner palace.

Yan Dibai didn't notice Yang Liuqing trembling silently in front of her feet at all, and thought to herself, "This must be the Yeting Palace, right?"

Yan Dibai twitched her nose and smelled the rich scent of soapberry.

Oh, he turned around. It really is the desolate, godforsaken Yeting.

After Yang Liuqing finished answering, the surroundings fell silent for no apparent reason.

Yan Dibai stared straight at the top of her head.

After a moment of inexplicable hesitation, the boy sat down directly on the threshold:

"I'm thirsty." I smoked too much tobacco this morning, and my mouth is burning.

Yang Liuqing, whose legs were weak: ...

"I'll go fetch some water."

Unexpectedly, Yan Dibai kicked the door panel and said, "Wait, I don't want to drink anymore."

Yang Liuqing had no choice but to move her buttocks back and silently shrink her head even shorter.

On the other side... Yan Dibai casually sized up the little palace maid in front of him.

I feel like I've seen it somewhere before, but I can't quite place it.

Indeed, the imperial harem was filled with beauties, and the most beautiful ones all became concubines. How could any escape? Presumably, the one before me is not particularly outstanding in appearance.

Busy as Yan Dibai, he had long forgotten the incident from more than half a month ago.

Yang Liuqing continued to keep a low profile, making herself invisible.

I really don't know what kind of incredible luck this is.

The second meeting with Yan Dibai was also quite strange. It was completely unexpected and caught me off guard.

She could only sit on the ground and wait, not daring to move at all, and had no idea what Yan Dibai was thinking.

That night, only their breathing, one after the other, could be heard.

Finally, Yan Dibai seemed to realize something, let out a cold laugh, suddenly changed his expression, and raised his voice to attack:

"How dare you speak such foul language about His Majesty's preferences! Your entire family will be exterminated!"

As expected? Yang Liuqing immediately knelt on the ground, begging for mercy. She had inexplicably felt that Yan Dibai couldn't possibly be so calm. It was as if he was secretly preparing a powerful move.

She was still afraid, but she didn't forget to explain, albeit with trembling courage:

"I didn't mean it, I—"

Even though Deng Mengnu did it on purpose, she couldn't say it outright. If she really had to die... then so be it.

Yan Dibai was pleased with the way she begged for mercy, just like when he punished palace servants. He couldn't stand seeing people happy; he loved seeing people trembling with fear.

Anyone who dares to question his taste—if that grudge is settled, he wouldn't be the emperor.

However, Yan Dibai squinted.

This palace maid's melody is quite unique. We can keep her around for a while, force her to compose some new songs, and then kill her.

The young man curled his lips into a smug smile, as if he had been flirting with all the concubines over the years, and said flippantly:

"Raise your head and let me take a good look at you."

Yang Liuqing: ...No.

Did he not recognize himself?

She choked, then whispered, "This servant is unbearably ugly, and I fear I would offend His Majesty's eyes..."

"How ugly can it be?" Yan Di scoffed, then suddenly said in a sinister tone:

How did you know I was the emperor?

What kind of thought process is this? Yang Liuqing is still behaving herself:

"Your Majesty just spoke of me."

“…Oh.” Yan Di’s pale face suddenly flushed with embarrassment, and her expression darkened.

"Look up, let me see your ugly face."

Yang Liuqing pursed her lips, obediently straightening her body little by little, and raised her face to Yan Dibai. The moonlight was bright, and the girl's features appeared much softer than during the day. Less somber, less ordinary.

The beauty of viewing someone under the moonlight is shrouded in a hazy glow. Moreover, Yang Liuqing's eyelids were drooping respectfully. Her eyelashes were beautiful, casting two rows of fluffy little brushes of light reflection beneath her eyes.

Thus, Yan Dibai was deceived and narrowed his eyes again.

Not impressive.

Unmoved.

It's not very good.

But it's not exactly ugly.

He then asked, "What's your name?"

A note from the author:

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