Chapter 4: The young emperor's illness wasn't without its consideration of a formal meeting...
Yang Liuqing had considered the possibility of a formal meeting, and even prepared herself for a complete abrupt end to the meeting.
But when Qingpiaopiao was sentenced to death, Yang Liuqing became afraid.
Yan Dibai insisted that she had racked her brains to rise to the top, but heaven knows that while she did want to meet someone by chance, it wasn't to become a concubine.
The image of the three beauties from Jianzhang Palace who were devoured was still etched in her mind. And she herself was about to be turned into meat porridge and sent to Lady Hongzhu.
...Is this really the treatment a favored concubine should receive?
Historical records describe him as having "exquisite beauty, surpassing all others in ten states," and now it all seems to match the cross-dressing man before her. However, she initially dared not consider that possibility, and she certainly hadn't anticipated their first meeting would unfold in such an absurd way.
A group of eunuchs suddenly rushed over to drag her away. Yang Liuqing felt a cold sweat break out on her back. She heard Yan Dibai snort coldly, gritted her teeth, and made a desperate decision, digging her fingers tightly into the cracks in the brickwork.
"Your Majesty, spare me! I was truly ignorant and naive, having never been to the inner palace before, and my greed led me astray. I swear by my ancestors, I have never harbored any lustful thoughts toward Your Majesty!"
The girl's voice was usually very high-pitched, from being hungry and malnourished. Naturally, it lacked strength. But now, driven by the instinct for survival, she strained to lift her small face and strained her voice with all her might.
Yan Di, who was about to leap down the low wall, twitched her bright red eyes in annoyance and glanced at Yang Liuqing. She simply looked at her with disdain.
There was no emotion other than sarcasm.
The two eunuchs who were grabbing her arms used only half their strength, but surprisingly, they couldn't pull the frail girl away. They exchanged glances and decided to increase their strength.
Clinging to a sliver of hope, Yang Liuqing struggled twice, letting out a hiss just as her toes were about to leave the ground:
"I came to deliver clothes to Lady Yue Rong on behalf of Liu Ao, but I am not familiar with the way, so I wandered around and went to the wrong palace. I really did not know that Your Majesty was here!"
The boy on the wall narrowed his eyes, his expression ambiguous.
The eunuch formally supported the girl and led her outside.
Yang Liuqing felt an urge to cry. It seemed that no matter how she explained it, the arrogant young emperor wouldn't believe her.
She was afraid of death and illness since she was a child.
She didn't want the situation to end so soon after it started, and she certainly didn't want to go home without knowing why!
If you can't even get past the first hurdle, you'll just be cannon fodder in the subsequent battles for supremacy.
Biting her lip hard, Yang Liuqing, for the first time so boldly, stared into Yan Dibai's cold, sinister eyes. His clear, black-and-white eyes were calm and sincere, concealing a fearless resolve:
“I know I am ugly, how could I dare to have evil thoughts? If I were to be turned into meat porridge, it would only defile Qihe Palace, defile Lady Hongzhu, and defile His Majesty.”
She took a gamble. Lady Hongzhu was currently enjoying great favor, and even though Yan Dibai was extremely fickle, Yang Liuqing felt that she still had to consider the feelings of this favored concubine who was temporarily cherished.
“… …”
The aloof young emperor didn't utter a sound immediately. Instead, he scrutinized Yang Liuqing, whose eyes were moist, inch by inch. His strange gaze swept over her from head to toe, then suddenly leaned against the wall, slumped to his side, and it was unclear whether he was even watching the girl who was about to be dragged away and beheaded.
Completely unable to understand what he was thinking, Yang Liuqing's heart pounded like a drum. She closed her eyes tightly and helplessly accepted the fact that she was about to die.
The boy on the other end stopped paying attention to her and became lost in his own thoughts.
The audacious ugly maidservant captured the sparrowhawk that the prime minister had specially found for him, pretending she wanted to eat it, and deliberately appeared in the palace that he had long ago abandoned and burned down, in order to attract his attention.
Hmph, speaking of which, this sparrowhawk originally had a pair. Three months ago, one of them disappeared without a trace, leaving only the lone eagle.
…If he hadn't been squatting inside for a long time this morning and heard her hurried footsteps and faint sighs, he might have been fooled by her honest and simple appearance.
Knowing full well how despicable he was, he still dreamed of climbing the social ladder. Even after being caught, he trembled and continued to be defiant, even trying to elevate his newly appointed favorite concubine, desperately trying to lessen his own punishment. His acting was nothing short of masterful.
Yan Dibai curled her lips, completely oblivious to the flaws in her deduction. Just as she was about to puncture her hypocrisy again, a melody drifted from the distant horizon. Yan Dibai raised an eyebrow, following the sound to find its direction.
The shadows cast by the palace walls seemed to emanate from the concubine he had recently bestowed a title upon. He rubbed his eyes and remembered.
It seems I promised to go hear that woman sing...
“Woxue”.
The handsome young eunuch who had been standing guard nearby, acting as a shadow, hurriedly asked, "Your Majesty?"
The boy rubbed the rouge at the corner of his eye, inexplicably becoming interested:
"Does my theater need a clown?"
The previous clown was killed by him on a whim while watching a play, who went on stage with a sword and stabbed him to death.
For the past two weeks, Yan Dibai has been confined by the Prime Minister and rarely leaves the palace. He can only drink and make merry late at night, wandering around the palace with his musicians and killing people at will.
It's so boring.
"Yes, the newly arrived actors are all tall and slender, and they can't portray the feeling of shrugging their shoulders and shrinking their heads."
Yan Dibai recalled the appearance of the clown. He seemed short, dark, and thin. After a moment's thought, he suddenly pointed to a corner where no one was left and said:
"She's the one."
Wo Xue glanced away, not surprised by His Majesty's inexplicable behavior: "Did I stop someone?"
"Hmm." The young man's handsome face was serious, treating Yang Liuqing as if she were a lifeless object.
"It's too ugly; it's an eyesore to put it in the garden. I'll bring it here when I want to watch a play."
Wo Xue took out a jade thumb ring from her sleeve and respectfully presented it. "Yes. Your Majesty, which concubine will you be spending the night with tonight?"
Yan Dibai took the ring with its shimmering light, put it on his index finger, and promptly forgot about Yang Liuqing, casually saying, "None of us are going."
That would surely make them uneasy. Wo Xue thought to herself. Picking up the sparrowhawk whose eyes were darting around on the ground, she muttered:
"This guy was clearly tied up in the animal enclosure, how did he escape..."
And so, Yang Liuqing, who had escaped death, was thrown onto the road by the eunuchs, and he got up and staggered back to the Yeting Palace.
She washed her face three times by the well, the cool water barely managing to rouse her from her reverie. If it weren't for the brown bird feather still stuck in her sleeve, she would have thought she was having a nightmare.
Take a deep breath, then take another.
Yang Liuqing covered her face vigorously.
She has always been very well-behaved since she was a child.
Grandma forbids her from swearing, and she doesn't like swearing either. But right now, she has a bellyful of swear words she wants to unleash.
Yan Dibai's current actions are completely illogical and unreasonable; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to describe them as absurd.
He lacked empathy, conscience, and all the qualities of a ruler capable of unifying the world. He was as tyrannical and unpredictable as history portrays him. He was insane.
He is indeed beautiful enough to be coveted by men, and he really enjoys watching plays.
After experiencing everything firsthand today, Yang Liuqing felt it was utterly absurd.
Should we thank ourselves for being ugly after escaping death like this?
The road ahead... she felt a pang of unease.
As night fell, holding her breath, Yang Liuqing finished washing up and closed the door without saying goodbye to her colleagues. The few people chatting in the courtyard all looked at her simultaneously. Deng Mengnu rubbed her hands together and spoke first:
"Are you angry...?"
Across from her, the thin-faced Sister Wu spat out the cotton thread and continued sewing by the moonlight.
"It's not like we asked her to deliver the clothes. If anyone's to blame, it's Aunt Liu. Why are you so eager to help her?"
This Miss Wu's full name is Wu Yuzhi. She is currently twenty-six years old and is the second most senior member of the Imperial Ladies' Palace.
Because she was much older and spoke sharply, Deng Mengnu was afraid of her. She usually didn't talk to her. But when she thought of the holes in Qingniang's knees when she returned today, and the gloomy, empty look on her face that still showed lingering fear... Deng Mengnu felt a sense of unease.
“The little girl is so pitiful. If you ask me, it wouldn’t hurt to give her some pointers, but you won’t allow it and you’re even making fun of me.”
"So what? We all went through this when we first entered the palace," said Sister Wang, who was hidden in the darkness. "We always have to face the dangers of the palace. Although the Yeting Palace is remote, it's still a relatively safe place. Liu Ao is mean, but she never really wanted to kill her. Consider this a lesson for her, a way to learn how to survive in the palace. Even losing a leg is better than dying silently, let alone being slapped."
Wu Yuzhi sneered:
“You’re right. Besides, even someone as shrewd as Aunt Liu didn’t gain anything. That Lady Hongzhu is very different from Lady Yue Rong. She’s arrogant and looks down on people like us. Aunt Liu was furious when she came back at noon. I reckon she’ll probably be rushing to Lady Yue Rong to curry favor with her again.”
Most of the girls in the Imperial Ladies' Palace didn't get along well with Liu Ao. There were small factions secretly formed, especially led by Sister Wu, who disliked Liu Ao. However, the Imperial Ladies' Palace only had about ten people in total, and they were always busy, so the factions weren't very obvious. They would usually get together to complain and then disperse.
As for Yang Liuqing, who was new to the area, these two older sisters never gave her any special treatment.
Perhaps they felt that this girl, always with her head bowed and eyes downcast, was too honest and timid. Faced with deliberate harassment from others, she would either run away or back down, always doing the same thing. At best, she would just grow old and die in the palace.
They observed quietly for three months and unanimously concluded that there was no value in cultivating them.
Even a casual suggestion should be given to someone worthy of guidance. That's why these two older sisters never paid any attention to Yang Liuqing before. They only gathered around to talk about her today because her dejected appearance was too striking and reminded them of the past.
Deng Mengnu listened, glancing at Liu Ao's secluded room, the door tightly shut. She pursed her lips:
"Then Qingniang was beaten for nothing. I thought Madam Yuerong was kind, but it turns out she's quite a powerful figure."
Wu Yuzhi said, "The beatings that noblewomen in the palace endure are never for nothing. It's fortunate that she didn't meet His Majesty. Let her be angry if she wants to; we're not her parents, so we can't interfere."
There was nothing more to say. Deng Mengnu prepared to get up to fetch water, but just as she steadied herself, the peeling wooden door opposite her, which had been closed, was suddenly pushed open by a pair of slender arms.
All three of them paused.
Yang Liuqing hadn't slept; she had changed into the clothes she wore during the day and stood calmly at the threshold, gazing at them beneath the tree. There were no lights in the room; only the moonlight illuminated them.
The little girl stood there straight, her body, shrouded in darkness, appearing even more frail against the dappled light. She stood there, the wind rustling the leaves. For a fleeting moment, she seemed like a blade of grass sprouting from the roots of a tree.
Deng Mengnu blinked, startled first, "Qingniang, you're not asleep?"
Yang Liuqing silently watched the three people under the corridor without answering.
Deng Mengnu hesitated, afraid that she would hold a grudge against her, "It wasn't that I meant to trick you, I—"
"No." Unexpectedly, the thin girl interrupted her for the first time with a light tone.
This left Deng Mengnu even more at a loss, and she was actually just as afraid of Yang Liuqing as she was of Sister Wu. The remaining two people immediately became serious, and a strange feeling arose in their hearts.
They looked at each other, both harboring unspeakable worries.
Yang Liuqing clenched her fists for a long time, then suddenly let out a big sigh of relief.
In the darkness, she raised her bright eyes and spoke, word by word:
"Thank you, sisters."
Wu Zhiyu's expression immediately became subtle, and Deng Mengnu was stunned:
"Qingniang?"
The door closed behind them. The smallest girl in the inner palace slowly descended the steps, and under the gaze of the three women, stood tall and confidently before them.
Yang Liuqing smiled and repeated:
"Thank you, sisters."
Her slightly sweaty palms clenched her sleeves, and along with her tattered clothes, the physical pain and psychological shock were deeply etched into her mind.
Yang Liuqing forced herself to quickly review everything that had happened that day during those few hours of self-isolation.
After a period of deep frustration, she overheard a conversation between three people before going outside for some fresh air. She was momentarily stunned, then suddenly realized—she had fallen into a cognitive trap.
She confused the concept of the mission, believing that she had to see Yan Dibai's white figure before she could do the subsequent series of things.
But that's not the only way.
Our ancestors in history have already explored the path.
If a direct assault on the target doesn't work, then advance towards the surrounding area. Encircle the city from the outside in, starting with the countryside.
By gradually improving the overall environment, opportunities will surely arise.
The palaces, large and small, the empresses, concubines, palace maids and eunuchs were all within this larger environment.
This included the Yeting, who did the dirty and tiring work.
When Yang Liuqing arrived, she unconsciously went it alone. Although she wanted to integrate into the group, her efforts were not enough to attract the attention of others.
Teamwork is important. She recalled group projects in college; although it was mostly one person carrying the load while the others slacked off, at least some work was done, which was better than being overwhelmed alone. Besides, these two older sisters were people that even Aunt Liu couldn't easily order around.
She shouldn't have focused all her attention on Yan Dibai alone.
The little girl abandoned her shyness and silence. Contrary to her usual behavior, she bowed to the three people, her devotion sincere and direct:
“If you sisters don’t mind, Qingniang would like to learn from you how to conduct herself in society. Once you take over the inner palace,” she paused slightly, and as the three women simultaneously lowered their breaths, she spoke each word carefully:
"Qingniang only wishes to help her sisters achieve great success."
Deng Mengnu was stunned for a moment, then looked at Sister Wang. Sister Wang looked at Sister Wu with a strange expression.
Sister Wu stared at Yang Liuqing for a long time, then raised an eyebrow.
"You little rascal, you've finally decided to change your ways."
Wu Zhiyu was known for her sharp tongue and disliked cowardly people. Seeing Yang Liuqing actually take that step herself, she was genuinely pleasantly surprised.
Glancing at Aunt Liu's house, she smiled, a rare occurrence for her:
"We, the Imperial Household Department, need a younger leader. It's not enough for one person to work alone; harmony comes from everyone sharing the spoils."
The implication was clear: Liu was selfish and inconsiderate of others.
Sister Wang stepped forward and touched the little girl's forehead:
“Those who can endure in our Yeting Palace will surely achieve great things in the future. Qingqing, call me sister, and I will certainly not treat you unfairly.”
Yang Liuqing's body stiffened slightly. For a moment, she felt an unusually familiar and warm feeling.
When she was little, her grandmother would point at her with her rough fingertips to comfort her when she was being mocked.
Today, I only intended to surrender and seek help, but now, Yang Liuqing's eyes are burning with envy, and her voice is slightly nasal:
"good."
In the blink of an eye, an alliance can be formed in just a few words. Yang Liuqing officially joined Sister Wu's team, and her quality of life unexpectedly improved. Sister Wu is very capable and has many connections. And she treats her unusually well.
Yang Liuqing was living a life of luxury, eating meat four times in seven days, and grew a lot taller, so much so that his pants were too short.
She then realized what she had missed in the past six months. Had she known this earlier, she wouldn't have been so constantly filled with worry.
Aunt Liu rolled her eyes at them several times, but did nothing to stop them.
Fortunately, Yan Dibai seemed to have forgotten about her, the buffoon. Deng Mengnu said that rumors circulated that he was partying every night, had apparently acquired some new and exotic marionette, and had been smoking tobacco excessively these past few days, neglecting court duties, with Lady Hongzhu keeping him company all day. In the end, it was Prime Minister Lin who went to the inner palace and knelt all night to bring him back to court.
I heard that the young emperor is very dissatisfied.
So the young emperor did something terrible that ruined the whole thing.
Yang Liuqing didn't have time to ask what the big event was. She was ambitious and wanted to get promoted as soon as possible. She wanted to become a minor female official like Liu Ao, taking a different path to assist others.
Then, on a scorching July morning, a brown bird flew to Yang Liuqing, who was washing her face.
She was the first one up this morning, woken up by the heat and unable to fall back asleep. After taking a long shower with cold water, she looked up and exclaimed, "Hey, isn't that the same bird from last time?"
The sparrowhawk had recovered from its injuries and was in good health. It stood on the tree and stretched out one claw to preen its feathers.
Yang Liuqing found it a bit strange, but this time she didn't dare to think about catching birds to eat and continued wringing the burlap.
A note from the author:
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