Chapter 109 Old Friends
Qingqing squatted in front of the hall looking at the plum blossom seal. "Little Gray was here not long ago."
The palace servants were ordered not to disturb the Emperor and Empress, so the snow was left unswept and piled up in a thick layer.
Yan Dibai pulled her up. "It's cold."
"It's warm."
The girl's small face was nestled inside the fox fur collar. Undeterred by the cold, she reached out and scooped up a handful of snow, waving it at the young man who was also dressed in a purple-black fox fur.
The snowflakes fell quickly to the ground, and Qingqing wanted to scoop them up again, but Yan Dibai reached out with his large hand, which was hidden in his sleeve, and pulled her to his side.
Sharing the same body temperature, Qingqing looked up at him, her face appearing as white as snow against the backdrop of her purplish-black fox fur. Yet, her eyes were dark and unyielding.
Yan Dibai would look down and observe people's hearts, yet others could never truly understand him.
Qingqing tiptoed, struggling somewhat to straighten the long hair that was stuck in the nape of his neck.
Yan Dibai's expression remained unchanged, but he suddenly took a step back. Qingqing fell headfirst into his arms, easily embraced by his long arms.
She said, embarrassed, "The ground is a bit slippery."
Yan Di slipped his white hand into her fur coat and held her tightly, saying, "Hold on tight."
The palace has indeed changed a lot.
The former Xianning Palace housed countless chambers of varying sizes. After being burned down and rebuilt, only a few of the original structures were preserved, and the rest were demolished.
It doesn't look nearly as cumbersome as it seems.
"Later, the late emperor often suffered from dizziness and came up with the idea of moving his personal guards to his side for protection. Naturally, this was not tolerated, and it was recorded as another crime in the history books."
His voice was truly pleasant as he recounted these past events in a casual, conversational manner.
Qingqing looked up and said, "The power of aristocratic families... is truly formidable."
Looking back, it was less a battle among heroes and more a power struggle among the aristocratic families of the Central Plains, forcing them to wage war.
"Things have been a bit quieter these past few years." Yan Dibai squeezed her hand, and they walked through the back garden, Taiye Pond, and then through Shanglin Garden.
The place was empty; the animal enclosure had not been rebuilt. There were no rare plants or animals, and like the winter in the capital, the trees stood bare and withered.
Qingqing glanced at it a couple more times, then heard Yan Dibai say, "It's pointless, we won't need it anymore."
She chuckled to herself, a mix of amusement and wistfulness in her heart. The extravagant young emperor had actually come to this.
After winding and turning, we ended up on the side of the Yeting Palace where we had escaped years ago.
"Let's go in and take a look," Yan Dibai said.
She shook her head. "It seems like nothing has changed here."
The door was the old, dilapidated wooden door she had opened hundreds of times, and there were still burn marks on the walls. Everything else had changed, everything had been renovated, except for this place.
Yan Dibai calmly said, "After the city fell, Liu Ao still lived here. When I asked her, she said it was best to keep it as it was, in case those who left the Yeting Palace couldn't find their way back."
The hand in her palm twitched, but he quickly gripped it tightly. Yan Dibai glanced sideways; the girl was indeed lost in thought.
"Aunt Liu passed away last year, also on this snowy day. I came to see her before she left. She was very peaceful and had no regrets."
Qingqing smiled and said, "That would be perfect."
"What about the rest? Yi Fu..."
Yan Dibai, unusually, was quite eloquent. "My tasks for Yifu are twofold: first, to safeguard the wealth and find the old subordinates of Emperor Taizu; second, to settle Prime Minister Lin and then find the rest of the people."
The ambitions within the palace could not be extinguished; Yan Dibai had never truly trusted anyone. The moment Yan Xifang entered the capital, the air of impending collapse filled the Xianning Palace on the winter wind.
The bet with Lin Xiang began, and Yan Dibai transferred him away under the pretext of secretly sending Yi Fu out to search for treasure.
When the capital fell, people scattered like sparks across the land.
Among them, Yang's parents were in poor health and ended up among the refugees in Jingzhou. Dai Yun and Dai Xian from Wende Palace hid in Qingzhou, while the surviving palace maids and Wo Xue from the Yeting Palace all crossed the Yangtze River southward. When Yi Fu found them, they were all working in a soup noodle shop to make a living.
As for Wang Bi and his eunuchs, most of them died at the hands of the rebel army. Wang Bi himself fled to the Langya Wang clan with his concubine, but was killed.
As they spoke, the two had already left the city. The north wind howled, and Qingqing exhaled, watching the vermilion gate slowly open. "Where are they now?"
Yan Dibai glanced at her, then casually nodded his chin toward the door, "Here."
Qingqing turned her head at the sound, and as the vermilion door opened, familiar faces were revealed one after another.
Despite the harsh winds and frost, he always wore a smile.
They were all looking at her.
Qingqing held her breath for a moment, and by the time she realized what was happening, she was overjoyed and burst into tears, running forward first.
She was like a fluttering butterfly, moving among familiar faces.
"Sister Deng! You've gained some weight!"
"...Moon Maiden?! You've come from Cangqian?"
"Dai Xian! You've grown so tall!"
She held each of their hands, having countless things to say, but her gaze finally settled on the little girl with big, bright eyes on Yue Niang's lap.
The lights were turned on, and a group of people sat around laughing. Their weathered faces, bathed in warm light, revealed a long-lost sense of ease.
Yue Niang gently pushed her daughter forward: "Yun'er, this is your Empress Aunt. Quickly greet her."
The child spoke in a clear, crisp voice, and Qingqing's heart melted. She smiled, picked her up, and shook her gently. She then unfastened a jade clasp from her waist and placed it in the child's hand.
Looking at her, Yue Niang's eyes reddened slightly: "After listening to your advice, I managed the business well. Now we have branches in Cangqian and Shangjing, all thanks to Sister Deng and Sister He's help."
Deng Mengnu grasped Qingqing's hand, tears streaming down her face before she could speak. After a long while, she choked out, "I told you my sister was destined to be an empress, but you didn't believe me back then!"
Dai Xian chuckled sheepishly, "Qingniang, you've really grown more and more beautiful! I almost didn't recognize you just now!"
Qingqing turned to him and saw that he had grown much taller and his childish face had completely disappeared. She couldn't help but exclaim, "Daixian, you're the one who has changed!"
A single sentence drew nods from everyone; a thousand words were condensed in that silent understanding. Qingqing rubbed her eyes, remembered someone, and asked, "By the way, do you have any news about Woxue?"
Before the words were finished, the door creaked open, shattering the tender moment inside. Everyone turned around in surprise—
The young man in purple robes stood quietly in the increasingly dense snow, his brows dotted with white specks. He had been waiting outside the door for an unknown amount of time, letting the snow accumulate on his shoulders.
Everyone hurriedly bowed and kowtowed, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Qingqing then realized that it was already late. Feeling warm inside, she stepped forward and tiptoed to brush the snow off him.
"Don't kneel, everyone, get up!"
Qingqing grabbed Yan Dibai's arm and pulled him back, but the people on the ground stubbornly refused to get up.
The deep-seated sense of hierarchy was influencing them, and with Yan Dibai present, Qingqing knew this was putting them in a difficult position.
So he had no choice but to leave, saying, "I'll come find you guys to play again tomorrow!"
Everyone inside happily agreed.
She turned around and pulled him outside. Yan Dibai's expression softened slightly. "Finally have time to think about me?"
Qingqing patted his hand, "It's been a long time since we last met, of course we're talkative."
She rubbed her eyes and said, "Take Sister Deng and Yue Niang for example. They're so lucky. They've come from all over the country and ended up together."
"Where is Woxue? And my parents here, have you hidden them somewhere else?"
Yan Dibai stroked her hair and said irritably, "They're all in another place."
They are indeed all in another location.
Both of Yang's parents were in poor health and could not live without medicine. As the father-in-law of the emperor, they naturally had their own private residence.
Yang's mother was still as thin as ever and coughed frequently, but her complexion was much fuller than before.
The wedding was held in a hurry, and in order to avoid giving people any reason to think, Yan Dibai only announced the news of the Empress's recovery to the world last night.
The elderly couple had suffered most of their lives, and this was their only daughter. Upon hearing the news early in the morning, they were overjoyed and didn't know what to do. Yet, they also had many worries.
Has that grumpy emperor's son-in-law really gone mad?
Or did he find someone who resembled Qingniang?
Or perhaps he never actually found Qingniang, and it was all just his imagination?
Amidst this intense unease, the main gate swung open. A beautiful woman in a fox fur coat leaped from the imperial carriage. Upon seeing them, she exclaimed, "Father, Mother! I'm back!"
Mr. and Mrs. Yang were speechless. When the transformed, radiant girl rushed up to them, she carefully hugged them and said, "You've worked so hard."
The elderly couple burst into tears instantly.
Qingqing has always felt guilty towards these two people.
Having traveled back and forth again, she was certain that she had merged with the original Yang Liuqing.
Or rather, she replaced him.
She has to shoulder the responsibility of caring for her parents in their old age.
Qingqing pushed Yang's mother along the corridor. The interior of the mansion was magnificent and warm, with ever-changing scenery. Looking at Yan Dibai, who was calmly drinking tea, she felt a pang of sadness knowing how much he had cared for her over the past few years.
This comfort also brought a heavy weight to my heart. I wonder how Grandma is doing now.
Qingqing stayed with them a little longer before bidding farewell to Yang's parents at midnight. The carriage was warmed by burning charcoal. Yan Dibai, having half-undone his fox fur coat, saw her enter with a chill in her skin and reached out to pull her into his arms.
Qingqing simply nestled against his chest, listening to his steady heartbeat: "Where is Woxue?"
Yan Dibai's hand, which was stroking her long hair, paused slightly.
"He's changed his name to Zhang Poliu now." The young man's voice sounded particularly low in the warm, charcoal-scented carriage. "He doesn't like seeing people. Are you still going?"
"I'm going." Qingqing's voice was soft, but without any hesitation.
He was silent for a moment, then rested his chin on the top of her head and finally spoke.
"Yi Fu found him at a Nanfeng brothel. He was still alive, but his left leg... from the knee down, was gone."
Qingqing's breath hitched suddenly, and her fingers unconsciously gripped the front of his shirt tightly.
People at the time were fond of male homosexuality, and even though she was lame, Zhang Po still possessed her former charm and was still considered a "good catch".
“When I saw him again, he was emaciated.” Yan Dibai’s palm pressed against her suddenly tense back. “He struggled, and could still call me Your Majesty…”
Then she knelt in front of his boots and cried her heart out.
“I asked him about his leg, but he wouldn’t say. He only begged me to let him live the rest of his life.”
He agreed. Not only did he agree, but he also bestowed upon him this secluded courtyard, allowing him to escape the hustle and bustle of the world. However, three years have passed, and Zhang Po Liu has not stepped out of this door once.
Qingqing felt a pang of unease.
The carriage stopped in front of a secluded neighborhood. The snow there seemed to have been left untouched, making travel particularly difficult.
Only two dim yellow lanterns hung forlornly above the entrance, swaying in the north wind.
There was no sign above the door. The person who opened the door was a round-faced girl, about sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing an old jacket. When she saw Yan Dibai, she neither bowed nor hid. Instead, she tilted her head and stared straight at him.
Yan Di scoffed, "Idiot."
Qingqing quickly pulled him away: "What are you saying!"
The young man snorted and led her sideways into the doorway: "Her name is A Yuan. She serves him at the establishment. She's had her brain damaged since childhood. She doesn't know her place and only cares about eating and drinking."
There was no disgust in his tone, only a hint of his usual impatience. It seemed that this simple-minded A-Yuan had caused quite a bit of trouble among the neighbors, and he had to send someone to keep an eye on her in order for her to live peacefully here.
Qingqing understood immediately. Looking into A Yuan's pure and innocent eyes, her heart softened. She smiled and took A Yuan's hand, which was curiously reaching for her fox fur, and asked softly, "A Yuan, could you take us to meet your master?"
A-Yuan looked at her while sucking her fingers, then at Yan Dibai, and grinned: "Fairy, fairy!"
Qingqing quickly pulled the dark-faced young man away. After a few steps, Ayuan pointed to the door of the main room ahead, from which a faint light shone, and cried out in a muffled voice, "Master! Fairy, see Master!"
Qingqing looked up in the direction she was pointing—
In the shadow of the door, a slender figure, almost swallowed by the night, stood silently for an unknown amount of time.
He was shorter than I remembered, leaning on a cane, half his body hidden in the darkness. Only the faint light from the lanterns under the eaves outlined his overly sharp chin and his lifeless eyes.
He just watched them quietly.
The three of them didn't say anything.
“My humble abode is desolate, and the tea is of poor quality. My legs are weak, so I will not see you off further.” Wo Xue leaned against the doorframe, her gaze sweeping over the luxurious green fox fur coat before finally settling on the cane she was leaning against, and she smiled very softly:
"You really are lucky."
A-Yuan clapped her hands with a grin: "Good luck, good luck!"
...
On the way back to the palace, Qingqing remained silent the entire way.
Wo Xue was no longer sarcastic; only a deathly silence remained. She understood that he harbored resentment, but didn't know who to vent it on, and any words of comfort seemed pale and powerless.
Only after getting off the carriage and being enveloped by the warm lights under the palace eaves did she slowly exhale a breath of stale air.
This reunion today is mostly joyful.
A meal had been prepared in the Xianning Palace when two dogs darted in from the doorway.
Little Grey frolicked around Green Green, then led a yellow dog she'd never seen before to her. The yellow dog wagged its tail, lay down slightly nervously, and exposed its belly.
Qingqing asked in confusion, "Yan Dibai, what's this?"
"It found you a daughter-in-law in Liangzhou." The young man's voice was tinged with sarcasm. "If it hadn't been running around every day, it might have been able to send word much earlier that year."
Qingqing was taken aback, then chuckled, bending down to hug the two dogs. "No wonder you go out every day. You never tell me you're dating!"
Qingqing took two beef bones. "Come in, everyone!"
The dishes remained the same as before, but two more bowls of mixed bean porridge were added.
Yan Dibai sipped his drink slowly, raising an eyebrow at her: "Five-colored beans, won't you try some?"
"It tastes better than when I cooked it back then." She smiled and straightened her hands on the table. "Yan Dibai, I have to go back to my hometown."
He paused, his jade chopsticks still in his hand.
“Yan Zheng has a head injury, and I’m afraid that if something happens to him, it will implicate my grandmother.” Her tone softened, and she spoke earnestly. “In that world, she is my only family. I also have unfinished studies… That is my life, and I cannot give up halfway.”
"I must go back and sort everything out. Only then can I return without any worries and live with you."
These last words finally softened the coldness in his eyes a little.
“I held back my strength with the candlestick. It’s just a little blood, you won’t die.” He wiped his lips, his tone indifferent. “I will have Yongning Temple arrange for you to go with them so you can pay your respects to your grandmother.”
Qingqing was speechless for a moment.
Not only because he was the one who made the candlestick, but also because of his attitude that it was only natural for him to go to the 21st century with her.
"If we both go, what will happen to the country and its people?"
“Someone helped,” he replied casually.
Qingqing was speechless. Could Prime Minister Lin still manage at his age?
Wait a minute, Yongning Temple?
She suddenly remembered the yellow talisman Yan Zheng had given her. Right, geographically speaking, the capital city in this world seems to correspond to Luoyang in later times.
The secret lies here... but what about the system that owes her 100,000?
She silently called out in her heart, but only deathly silence remained. That faint connection had completely vanished.
...Could it be that the system also disappeared along with it?
Seeing the changes in her expression, Yan Dibai, though not fully understanding, guessed about seven or eight parts of it.
"No need to daydream, we'll know once we try tomorrow." He stood up, took her hand without another word, and led her to the side hall.
The hand moved up her sleeve, and Qingqing took a step back warily. "It's still early."
Yan Dibai stared at her intently, his eyes swirling with dark emotions. She was all too familiar with that look—she had experienced it countless times since last night until this morning.
Qingqing cleared her throat, trying to reason: "Well... I think everything needs to be done in moderation..."
Yan Dibai: "".
"Look, it looks like someone's coming!" she said, quick-wittedly.
The young man glanced coldly towards the palace gate and indeed saw a palace attendant bowing in greeting. He suppressed his displeasure and asked, "What is it?"
He gave Qingqing a warning look, implying that they would settle the score later.
Qingqing's scalp tingled. She truly couldn't withstand this man's tireless demands, not to mention the size... so incongruous with his exquisite features. The shock of their first meeting last night was still fresh, and she secretly pondered a way to escape. The eunuch reported at the opportune moment:
"Lady Xue requests an audience with Her Majesty the Empress."
Qingqing immediately locked eyes with Yan Dibai.
Five years had passed, and Xue Ying'er had grown into a young woman. Holding the hands of her two beautiful children, she stepped into the hall and led them to kneel down deeply, refusing to rise no matter how Qingqing tried to persuade her.
Only after Qingqing sighed helplessly did Xue Ying'er allow the two children to greet her respectfully. She looked up at Qingqing, her eyes glistening with tears:
"Your Majesty is well. Ying'er's lifelong wish has been fulfilled, and she has no regrets even in death."
That unintentional misfortune years ago was an indelible karmic burden in her heart. Now, seeing Qingqing safe and sound with her own eyes, the guilt that had tormented her for five years finally found its place.
"Get up quickly," Qingqing helped her up. "I know the whole story, and I have never blamed you."
She smiled as she watched the two children playing with Little Grey: "You two now..."
"By His Majesty's grace, I have been granted a residence in the capital to live in peace." Xue Ying'er's gaze followed her children's figures, revealing the tenderness of a mother, yet also tinged with complexity. "He is imprisoned in the Imperial Prison. I don't usually go there, only taking the children to see him once a year during festivals."
Qingqing was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, not expecting Yan Dibai to spare Feng'an's life. This was a private matter for others, and she could not say more, so she nodded slightly.
"How are you doing? If you're having any difficulties, be sure to tell me."
“Life couldn’t be better right now.” A genuine smile bloomed on Xue Ying’er’s lips. “The money he left behind is enough for us to live on. I’m taking the liberty of requesting an audience today, not to beg, but simply to see with my own eyes that Your Majesty is well, so that I may have peace of mind.”
"It's kind of you to keep thinking about me." Qingqing held her slightly cool hand, and for a moment they were speechless.
Night had fallen. Xue Ying'er called her children back and solemnly bid them farewell. As she approached the palace gate, she paused slightly, seemingly unintentionally, yet also as if gathering immense courage, and swiftly whispered:
"Your Majesty should know that the lady surnamed Cui who serves His Majesty is still in the palace."
Before she could finish speaking, she flew out of the palace like a startled bird.
Qingqing stared in the direction the person had left, briefly bewildered before falling into thought.
To date, no one has mentioned Choi Sin-soo's existence.
Xue Ying'er probably wouldn't make a special trip just to remind someone of something unimportant.
A question arose in her mind: Should she ask Yan Dibai?
"What are you thinking about?"
Without her even asking, Yan Dibai, after observing for a while in the side hall, came over on his own.
Qingqing spoke the truth.
A subtle, almost imperceptible glint flashed across Yan Di's pale face, but she quickly regained her composure and answered decisively, "If you have any doubts, just meet me."
"Wait," Qingqing said, somewhat helplessly as he led her outside, "I didn't say I was going to..."
Before she could finish speaking, he had already half-embraced her and led her away.
When Qingqing saw Cui Shenxiu again, she was calmer than she had imagined.
The dungeon was surprisingly clean, without the expected stench. Cui Shenxiu sat alone, perusing a medical text. Hearing footsteps, she didn't even look up, her tone indifferent:
"Your Majesty has come in person; what do you intend to interrogate me about? I have already said everything I had to say to Her Majesty. Even if I die, I will..."
"Clatter".
The medical book slipped from her lap.
Cui Shenxiu stared blankly at Qingqing, who suddenly appeared under the lamplight, and almost stumbled to the railing: "You...you actually..."
Qingqing quietly observed her.
The person before me had become much thinner, dressed in old clothes and without makeup. There were some scattered scars on the back of his hands, but they could not hide the scholarly air about him.
Qingqing nodded: "Seventeenth Sister, it's been a long time."
Choi Shin-soo stared at her intently for a long time, then suddenly chuckled softly.
"You really did come back."
"I roughly guessed what was going on yesterday when the ancient bell tolled." She slowly sat back on the straw mat, her posture revealing a strange composure. There was no tension between them as one might have imagined.
“When I heard you fell into the river and disappeared that day, I really couldn’t believe it.” She picked up the medical book, as if recounting a long-ago anecdote, “If you had seen him covered in blood, personally cutting off Wang Du’s head and hanging it on the flagpole… you would probably have been terrified too.”
"Your Majesty's beauty surpasses even that of the past; you must be living a blissful life." Cui Shenxiu raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping over Qingqing's face. "Did you come to see Shenxiu today to witness a mockery, or to avenge your previous humiliation?"
"Neither."
Qingqing lowered her eyes. "I once wanted to ask you, are the things you said true?"
Choi Sin-soo's eyebrows twitched slightly, a half-smile playing on his lips.
“But that’s not important now,” Qingqing continued. “Yan Dibai wouldn’t lie to me. I have my own judgment about the truth.”
"...Then what are you doing here?" Choi Shin-soo asked hesitantly.
She pursed her full, green lips slightly and looked at her with a clear, piercing gaze: "Seventeenth Sister, do you want to go out?"
Choi Shin-soo gripped the medical book on his lap tightly. "What...did you say?"
Qingqing smiled: "With your medical skills that have saved countless lives, it's a real waste to confine yourself to this place. You're the famous doctor at Xichun Hall who never shows his true face, aren't you?"
Cui Shenxiu's heart pounded, but he forced himself to remain calm, even managing a distant smile: "Does Your Highness know what you're saying? I am the one who once tried to take your life."
“I used to think,” Qingqing sneered, “that everything you did was for the glory of the Cui and Wang families, and for your ambition and pride as a daughter of a noble family.”
She changed the subject, her gaze sharpening: "But after a deep conversation with Yan Dibai, it seems that this is not the case."
How could someone like Cui Shenxiu possibly do something so foolish and reckless at the last moment? That would be tantamount to destroying her own Great Wall. A careful examination of all her actions reveals that after her "surrender," Yan Dibai's efficiency in defeating Wang Du and pursuing the remaining rebels increased significantly.
The girl said with certainty, "You want them dead too."
Yan Dibai is the one most capable of wiping out the entire clan.
A young woman, despised by her family from childhood, forced to navigate the complexities of various powerful clans to maintain her connections, even compelled to abandon her noblewomanly dignity and engage in commerce to support her vast and corrupt family. In the final moments, her true choice was not to save them, but to burn them all down.
So she did it.
Choi Shin-soo was stunned. As if struck on the head, he froze on the spot.
Qingqing said no more, but gently placed a copper key on the hay beside her.
"I'm leaving now. Yu Chuan and Yu Heng are waiting for you. The world outside is always more spacious than here."
Outside the door, palace lanterns swayed.
Yan Dibai waited under the corridor. When he saw her come out, he reached out and wrapped her slightly cool fingertips in his warm palm.
The two relaxed, their fingers intertwined, and stepped into the swirling snow.
-----------------------
Author's Note: One more chapter of the main story is finished! The rest will be in the epilogue. It'll be mostly an "what if" scenario and slice-of-life scenes. If it's an "what if," it'll be something like a tyrant spoiling me every night after I transmigrate? Leave a comment if you have any suggestions! [Lop-eared rabbit head]
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