Chapter 54, Chapter 54, Change.
Everywhere there were cries, shouts, and the muffled thud of horses' hooves on the stone slabs.
Along the way, many innocent palace maids trembled and collapsed to the ground, pinned down by swords. Qingqing was currently still in the Xianning Palace complex, which gave a clear indication of the chaos near the palace gates.
Just as she and Wuxue were nervously leaving through the familiar path, another force suddenly surrounded them. Xiao Yuanjing's black-armored soldiers didn't say a word, but drew their swords without warning.
The weapons clashed fiercely, and soon screams of agony rose and fell.
It really came! Wo Xue sensed something was wrong. The next moment, darkness fell over his head as something flew towards him. He instinctively caught it, looked down, and his eyes widened in anger, a scream almost escaping his lips.
"Yang Liuqing".
Wo Xue gritted her teeth and told her to turn around. Qing Qing was in pain because of the bloody battle when she turned around and a heavy, warm, round lump was stuffed into her hand.
Qingqing froze, subconsciously lowered her eyes, and suddenly felt a chill run down her spine. She threw down her things and began to gag repeatedly.
Wo Xue scolded, "What are you doing? Be careful you don't get caught!"
The round, black object wrapped in hair on the ground was a human head that had just been severed!
Qingqing's eyes were seeing stars, and she couldn't suppress her fear at all. She vomited so much that she almost brought up yellow bile. Woxue couldn't bear it any longer and pinched her arm hard: "Keep vomiting!"
Qingqing trembled all over, and it took her a long time to calm down. Her voice trembled as she said, "Would I be like this if you hadn't given it to me? This is a living human head!"
Wo Xue grabbed the severed head and sneered, "It's just a head, what's there to be afraid of? You really don't seem like a commoner. How many human bones have been left to rot in the wilderness outside the capital? Haven't you seen them before?"
The unintentional mention instantly suppressed Qingqing's deep distress. "I just... don't deliberately look. Besides, I've been in the palace for so long." She turned her face away, forcing herself to remain calm: "These are all from the Li family?"
Wo Xue lifted the outer curtain, tore off half a garment from inside, wrapped the head tightly, and pulled her up: "No matter what method is used to change dynasties, bloodshed is inevitable. It's just a matter of how much or how little. I'm afraid that the entrance to that secret passage is no longer safe."
She was exhausted. "If I don't go now, I'm afraid I won't have any chance at all."
"...Let's go."
"My master is right at the gates of the capital, and you still dare to resist? Does your Li family really think you're still the overlords of Longxi?" The black-armored soldiers fought with increasing ferocity, displaying an air of annihilation. The Li family hadn't brought many men, as half of the garrison at the Nameless Temple had been dismissed earlier.
The leading general had been decapitated; his head was nowhere to be found, only his torso, which had been hacked over a hundred times, remained.
Outnumbered, Chen Mian arrived leisurely to find the ground littered with corpses.
He was very satisfied and turned to ask Feng An, who had come with him, but the man was nowhere to be found.
Chen Mian frowned: "Where is His Majesty?"
Someone answered, "His Majesty went to find the Imperial Seal."
Chen Mian's expression was displeased: "Where are we going?"
As the soldiers pointed the way, he suddenly shouted sternly, "Bring His Majesty back!"
"Someone's coming!" Qingqing grabbed Fu'an's hand. "Shouldn't you leave first? It's too dangerous here!"
The young man brushed aside her loose hair and smiled reassuringly at her, "It's alright, you can go down first."
After glancing around at the person's head, Wo Xue Zhang, panting, secretly sized up the suddenly appearing, beautiful eunuch, his tone habitually scrutinizing: "You look unfamiliar. Where's your official hat?"
The lame eunuch appeared out of nowhere, successfully evading the scattered soldiers and leading them around to the ancient well.
Wo Xue was cautious and suspicious, but seeing that Qing Qing seemed to know him very well, his unease subsided slightly.
With a fair face and thin lips, a tall and slender figure, her speech was measured and articulate, exuding an air of nobility. Even her voice had a unique quality beneath its calm tone.
Unlike ordinary eunuchs.
Now that he had some time, Wo Xue seized the opportunity to ask, only realizing his tone was unfriendly after he spoke. He pursed his lips:
"Qingniang, do you know each other?"
Yang Liuqing nodded: "Fu'an is Dai Yunshou's new apprentice and has helped me a lot. Woxue, I'll go down first."
She nodded to Fu'an and was about to step into the well when Woxue suddenly stopped her: "Wait a minute, we need someone to keep watch for us."
Wo Xue suddenly looked at Fu An: "Since you are Qing Niang's good friend, you should go all the way and help us keep watch here."
"No!" Qingqing pulled him back. "Fu'an has already risked his life to help me. We can't drag him down with us."
"Why not!"
Unexpectedly, Woxue persisted, staring intently at Fu'an, whose eyes were lowered, and emphasized the word:
"If we can't get out safely, at least he can help us get a proper burial."
Qingqing didn't understand his sudden insistence, but time was of the essence. She hesitated for a second, trying to figure out what to do, but Fu'an remained calm:
"good."
Her eyes widened: "Fu'an!"
The young man smiled and said, "Okay."
“…Thank you.” Qingqing remained silent, saying nothing more, her eyes filled with gratitude as she prepared to leave. Unexpectedly, the young man suddenly said:
"We might as well try to find the Imperial Seal. With the seal, those people might temporarily divert their attention, and we can also secretly protect the late emperor."
With a sudden tremor, Wo Xue pushed the bewildered Qingqing into the well. Then, as if afraid of being bitten by a snake, she immediately jumped in herself.
The two living people vanished in an instant. When Chen Mian arrived with his men, they found the young man sitting expressionlessly on the well. Seeing him rush over, Feng An gave a faint smile.
"Mr. Chen, are you here to find the Imperial Seal?"
Chen Mian's expression was subtle, and he gave him a polite smile:
"After hearing from my brothers, I was worried about His Majesty's safety, so I came here to take a look."
Then a group of guards arrived and knelt on one knee in unison: "Greetings, Your Majesty!"
Feng An smiled without saying a word. Chen Mian waited a while, and seeing him sitting motionless by the well, he couldn't help but probe indirectly: |
"Your Majesty is here...?"
As if at the moment Hou said that, Feng An casually stroked the well wall with his right hand, a deep smile on his face.
The young emperor is not a threat. Once this important national asset is seized, the Xiao and Li families, and later the Cui family, will be the main targets for purging.
He said casually, "Wait for a rabbit to run into a tree stump."
-
“I remember this voice, Qingniang. He is the one who called me by my real name that day.”
The secret passage was dimly lit. After taking only a few steps, Wo Xue suddenly grabbed Qing Qing's shoulder, her voice filled with a fear she had never heard before:
“He is definitely not a good person. That explains why I have never seen him before, nor did I know his name was on the list of palace servants!”
"What?" Qingqing asked incredulously. Suddenly, Woxue pushed her shoulder forward, forcing her to keep walking.
"Listen to me." The boy gasped for breath, his rapid breathing particularly alarming in the narrow passageway.
"His intention in asking you to find the Imperial Seal is to make his purpose clear. If you and I find the Imperial Seal, he can allow His Majesty to live a little longer."
Despite the chaos in the palace, he, a mere eunuch, was able to appear before them with an air of nonchalance and even lead them to escape.
This is not something an ordinary person can do.
When Wo Xue heard his undisguised voice, she felt a chill run down her spine. That warm, smiling voice seemed to be breathing right next to her ear.
He was filled with suspicion, but seeing that the two seemed to know each other, he had no choice but to remain silent. Only when the three of them stood by the well, and Fu'an smiled warmly, did Woxue realize that he and Yang Liuqing had fallen into a trap!
Fu'an, like a cat playing with mice, deliberately lured the two of them into a game of cat and mouse, pretending to be a reminder but actually coercing them to produce something that even Consort Jin had never found!
hateful!
Wu Xue dared not even imagine how many spies were planted in the palace.
Qingqing didn't know much about politics, nor was she raised in a treacherous environment. Naturally, she didn't immediately grasp the chilling implications. However, after hearing Woxue's few words, even her steps became heavy.
"Fu'an is the princess's man?!"
Fu'an, who repeatedly helped him out of his predicaments and helped Dai Yun get medicine out of the palace, was actually a spy?
So, the reason she and Wo Xue weren't punished... was also because of the Imperial Seal.
"It doesn't matter whose it is now. He wants the Imperial Seal. Whether we find it or not, we have to say we know where it is! Do you understand?"
Qingqing took a deep breath: "I understand."
Wo Xue: "Good, then climb up!"
"Crunch—crunch—"
Strange noises seemed to linger around him. Yan Dibai lay on the filthy bed, his breath coming in short bursts, interrupted by the disturbing sounds, his chest rising and falling rapidly.
The beautiful women and fragrant aromas inside the palace seemed to vanish into thin air at that moment.
The soft words that had surrounded him vanished like smoke, and he swayed beneath them. He struggled to move his fingers, and the deep wound on his palm immediately flared up. On this body, the pain was as light as a tickle.
Yan Dibai paused for a moment, then suddenly felt lazy and didn't want to wake up.
The force beneath him was unbearable, and a violent crash ensued. Yan Di's eyelids twitched involuntarily; he was already feeling frustrated, and the world seemed to be collapsing. In the blink of an eye, his body, which seemed on the verge of breaking apart, was pulled into an embrace by a pair of slender arms.
Yang Liuqing called out to him urgently, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty?!"
The arm wasn't particularly warm, nor was it cold. In fact, because it wasn't very fleshy, it felt a bit rough.
She's a bit better than him.
Yan Di thought to herself.
"Your Majesty, wake up!" Qingqing hugged him, oblivious to the layers upon layers of wounds on his body. She desperately tried to rouse Yan Dibai. But he remained motionless, his breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible.
Qingqing didn't know what to do, but trying to wake him up like last time was absolutely impossible.
She sighed. Her ailing legs seemed to have shrunk. Yan Dibai was even thinner now than she had been then, and she didn't even need half the strength to push the bed open.
Wo Xue was still waiting downstairs; she also needed to know the location of the Imperial Seal.
All of this must be asked of Yan Dibai.
Some of the veins on the boy's skin had turned purplish-black, and a strong, suffocating fragrance filled every corner. Qingqing had no choice but to carefully lay down Yan Di's paper-thin body, then covered her nose and ran around, rummaging through drawers and cabinets.
From below the secret passage came Wo Xue's urgent call: "Hurry!"
Qingqing's consciousness began to waver, and she struggled to reply, seeing stars in her eyes. She covered her mouth and nose tightly, staggered and groped around, finally pulling out a small box of the same color from under the desk in the outer hall.
Lifting the cloth, a square object wrapped in red cloth came into view.
Just then, the effects of the medicine intensified. Qingqing swayed, utterly bewildered as to how Yan Dibai managed to survive in this environment.
She suppressed her nausea, weighed the object in her hand, and realized it was quite heavy. She quickly grabbed it and ran to shout:
"I'm coming down."
Seeing that the secret passage was still safe, Wo Xue said, "I'll help you!"
Although he was a eunuch, Wo Xue was quite strong. Aside from crying twice when he saw Yan Dibai again, Wo Xue wiped away his tears and, together with Qing Qing, carried the man away, grabbing a curtain to wrap him up and carrying him on their backs. Qing Qing, supporting Yan Dibai's legs and clutching the severed head Wo Xue offered, ran along, suppressing her discomfort.
Yan Dibai's head kept bobbing. Wo Xue ran around for a while and then burst into tears: "Your Majesty, this servant will take you away. This servant remembers that fork in the road. This servant will never let you die a violent death!"
Qingqing swallowed the sour water and asked, "Where else is there a fork in the road?"
Just then, Wo Xue suddenly turned to the right and instructed her: "Quickly use that head to smash this dented stone wall!"
Heads!
Qingqing was shocked.
"What's the point of worrying about a dead man! At worst, we can build him a cenotaph after we get out! This wall hasn't been opened for years, and with us looking like this, who knows how long it will take!"
Qingqing bit her lip, grabbed her head without saying a word, swung it around in the air, and slammed it into the dent.
Before Wo Xue could continue her earnest persuasion, she mustered all her strength and delivered a powerful blow.
Sizzle—it cracked.
“Not bad.” Wo Xue immediately added a kick, and the passage that had been hidden for many years appeared, the heavy smell of earth filling the air. He crawled in on the ground, with Qing Qing following closely behind, using the half-rotten human head to block the entrance.
She calmly wiped the sticky substance off her hands. Whether it was blood or brain matter didn't matter anymore.
They have only one goal.
Escape the palace and save Yan Dibai's life.
You won't see a bright future until you've reached the end of your rope.
The boy clinging to his back was covered in dust, his breathing slightly heavy.
-
The commotion within the palace subsided extremely quickly. Whether it was genuine incompetence or deliberate avoidance was unclear. Li Mingshao's troops suffered a humiliating defeat.
When Xiao Yuanjing led his men into the main gate of the palace with great force, most of the scattered corpses were cleared away.
Chen Mian arrived quickly and told him about his news and his concerns.
Xiao Yuanjing listened without saying a word, wiped his knife clean, and said unhurriedly, "The news of the true emperor's appearance has been spread far and wide. The people all know that my Xiao family has rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor. Even if Feng An has disloyal intentions, he dares not act rashly. He is not the most important person."
"Where is Yuan Shu?" Xiao Yuanjing asked as Chen Mian seemed to be deep in thought.
"Miss is safe and sound in Chonglan Palace. We have heavily guarded the palace and will not allow her to be harmed in the slightest."
Xiao Yuanjing nodded and immediately led his men to release the imprisoned civil and military officials and interrogate them one by one.
Everything had been prepared in advance, and everyone stood trembling, waiting for the judgment of the renowned and wise Lord Xiao.
In reality, these people didn't possess much crucial information. Xiao Yuanjing was merely giving them a warning; the court's operations still needed them for the time being.
However, "Is Prime Minister Lin still claiming illness at home?"
Xiao Yuanjing's tone was listless.
The first few people trembled and said yes.
It goes without saying that Prime Minister Lin had been so angered by the young emperor that he had fallen ill at home on numerous occasions. Moreover, given his advanced age, it was only natural that he couldn't withstand the strain.
Xiao Yuanjing remained silent, about to escort them back to the other courtyard. A soft, plaintive female voice, like a lament, suddenly broke through:
"Lord Xiao! His Majesty has treated you well, why have you rebelled!"
The ministers, as if seeing a glimmer of hope, all trembled, and several cried out at the same time:
"Princess!"
Xiao Yuanjing narrowed his eyes. Princess Yan Xifang, who had returned to the court less than a year ago, walked in dressed in white, her face solemn.
"Do you know that what you have done today could lead to the extermination of your entire family, spanning nine generations?"
"You have been committing massacres in the palace, which shows that you have long since disregarded the imperial authority!"
"You coerce the princes who have been exposed to the outside world, and try to command the world like Lü Zhuo. How vicious you are!"
One question after another, Yan Xifang came alone and suddenly shook out a piece of white silk in front of everyone.
The Emperor said, "Minister Xiao has caused me great suffering."
The bright red characters seemed almost blinding. Xiao Yuanjing raised an eyebrow. Yan Xifang was already weeping.
“I know His Majesty is tyrannical and unfit to be emperor. But he is, after all, my younger brother, and I am a princess of the Great Jin Dynasty, as well as the young emperor’s elder sister. We are connected by blood, and I cannot bear to see His Majesty suffer. But given the current situation, I know his deposition is a foregone conclusion. Even so, rebellion is still a grave offense!”
She glanced at the officials with their varied expressions, then put away the blood-written letter:
"His Majesty, knowing his sins are grave, has written this letter, expressing his willingness to abdicate in favor of the new ruler. All the people under heaven are subjects of the Yan clan, and Xi Fang dares not act rashly, much less disobey the wishes of his subjects. He hopes that you will put aside your own family ties for the greater good and sincerely accept the new ruler."
Yan Xifang frowned: "Xifang has only one request."
"I beg Lord Xiao to spare my brother's life and let him live out his miserable days."
A woman's words are often unreliable and biased.
Xiao Yuanjing was always taciturn, and his decision to raise an army was a done deal; any attempt to explain would be futile.
He knew that the Li family behind Yan Xifang would not easily stop stirring up trouble, but at this moment, Xiao Yuanjing nodded indifferently, ignoring Chen Mian's dissuasive gaze.
“Your Highness, your words are misleading. I am grateful for His Majesty’s kindness and have never harbored any malicious intentions. It is only because of the prevailing trend that heroes from all over the world are vying for power that I resorted to this desperate measure to protect the capital. Once the new emperor ascends the throne, the world will surely become more peaceful and prosperous day by day.”
Xiao Yuanjing did not trust Yan Xifang at all.
But she is, after all, a woman; there's no need to be so harsh. He said:
"I wonder if Your Majesty might step forward to bear witness for the new emperor?"
Yan Xifang looked troubled.
Chen Mian said, "Princess, His Majesty has not attended court for a long time, and you and Consort Gui have been taking care of him. A few days ago, we pulled a woman out of the river with a disfigured face, and the hairstyle on her head seemed to be the same as Consort Gui's."
He laughed: "Is His Majesty here or not?"
The ministers were astonished.
Yan Xifang stared intently, surprised that the maid beside her had handled the matter so poorly. However, she naturally wouldn't admit to it.
"I know nothing of that. His Majesty must be well."
If they could find out about the Imperial Seal, there would be far fewer rumors going around. Chen Mian pondered, then secretly gave him a look.
Xiao Yuanjing lowered his voice and said, "Whether it's good or not, I'll have to see it for myself to know."
Chen Mian succeeded: "Excuse me."
Xiao Yuanjing's gaze was fixed on Xianning Palace.
Yan Xifang followed in alarm, but said nothing. She had only taken two steps when, "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—" several arrows fell to the ground.
Xiao Yuanjing instantly drew his sword and slashed, when a voice rang out: "Attack!"
Chen Mian recognized the person behind the arrow: "Li Mingshao?!"
The Li family, who had just suffered repeated defeats, were now standing guard in large numbers at the rear.
There was no need for eye contact; both knew the other had been waiting for a long time.
In the blink of an eye, Yan Xifang had vanished, leaving behind a bewildered array of officials trembling like leaves. Fiery arrows rained down like a dense curtain, covering the sky and weaving into a vast net.
"ambush!"
While Yan Xifang was distracted by talking to them, Li Mingshao had secretly led his men to ambush outside. Xiao Yuanjing's troops were mostly defending the city, and they were no match for him in a direct attack.
Chen Mian immediately said, "My lord, let's retreat!"
Xiao Yuanjing, slashing at the arrows, said, "We were clearly well-prepared, so why was Li Mingshao able to enter the palace!"
Chen Mian gritted his teeth: "Someone must be sabotaging us and trying to outmaneuver us!"
Who is it?
The grand undertaking was on the verge of success, yet it was suddenly about to vanish like a bubble. No one could bear such a thing. Even the composed Xiao Yuanjing could not remain calm; the numerous burns on his body were a stark reminder of his own shortcomings.
We've been ambushed!
Fireworks shot into the sky, but no matter what he did, he couldn't summon his subordinates back. Xiao Yuanjing realized that things were going badly, so he immediately stopped resisting and fled towards the palace gate with Chen Mian.
The Li family soldiers pressed their advantage and the battle lasted only a short while.
Yan Xifang returned to Li Mingshao's side: "Shaolang, shall we pursue them?"
Li Mingshao took her hand: "No rush. As Feng An said, let Xiao Yuanjing go out to fight the refugees. We'll intercept the young emperor. Yang Liuqing and Wo Xue really did run away with him."
Yan Xifang was relieved: "Okay."
Secret passage.
Yan Dibai was very light, but she was still a living, breathing person.
When Woxue was almost exhausted from carrying him for the last part of the journey, Qingqing took over without saying a word and moved him onto her own back.
Although the journey was difficult, at least we were able to move forward slowly.
The cave entrance was right in front of her. She glanced back at Yan Dibai. Seeing that his eyes were still closed and his face covered in dust, she pursed her lips. She moved forward step by step, just about to reach out and climb up, overjoyed at the glimmer of light. A sneer rang out from above:
"All three of them are here."
She subconsciously looked up, and a flash of silver light suddenly appeared before her eyes. A sharp pain immediately shot through her forehead.
The world suddenly went dark.
Before she fainted, she held on tightly to Yan Dibai's arm as she took her last breath.
Just as Wo Xue was about to call out from behind, he was surprised to see Feng An squat down and give him a smiling face.
-
The riots in the capital started with great fanfare but ended abruptly.
Xiao Yuanjing suddenly left the city, and the guards in the city were inexplicably replaced by members of the Li family. The new emperor, Emperor Jinming, also successfully ascended the throne.
Everything happened on the same day.
The deposed emperor was given the nickname "Long" by the people, meaning a hairy, homeless dog. Thus, the short and unfortunate life of the deposed Emperor Long came to an end after only fifteen years.
The great building has collapsed, and the imperial city has a new master.
When Qingqing woke up in the dungeon, she thought she had just had a dream about a life-or-death race. She only snapped back to reality when rats started scurrying and nibbling at her clothes.
Yan Dibai overdoses on drugs - Yan Dibai is rebelled - Yan Dibai is captured while trying to save him.
This is the process.
She buried her face in her thighs.
It failed.
Fu'an had been lying in wait by her side all along. His ambiguous words and meaningful glances... everything he did was a reminder to her.
But she knew nothing of this; she was completely ensnared in this brilliant plan. She was just a pawn in this group's game.
Qingqing leaned against the moldy wall and looked up at the sky. She couldn't say whether she wanted to cry or not, she just felt sad.
It's incredibly uncomfortable.
She roughly understood why Yan Dibai had refused to leave with her back then.
There's no way to leave.
His sister had laid traps in every corner of the palace to capture him. Even the so-called secret passages had been discovered long ago, waiting for them to walk into the trap after their futile efforts.
"That little emperor? I'm telling you, he's dead!"
"I also said he's dead! Xiao Yuanjing killed him!"
The death row inmates spoke recklessly, each adding their own comment.
All sorts of people are here—men and women, old and young. Murderers and arsonists, thieves of rice and flour.
Whether it's seeing blood or just having a sweet tooth, they're all death row inmates.
Humans who are like pigs and dogs are no different from animals.
Qingqing seemed not to hear, quietly awaiting her own judgment.
She couldn't eat much. Listening to the death row inmates chattering amongst themselves, one saying he wanted to eat meat, another saying he wanted to go home—they all had various wishes.
Someone threw a ball of wet straw at her, saying, "Why isn't that girl saying anything?"
Qingqing seemed not to hear, letting the straw hit her head.
She just waited there, spending several days in jail.
The jailer brought her food as usual, but when he saw that her bowl was still untouched, he scolded her for being ungrateful.
"A new one is coming soon, if you don't eat it, she will!"
Qingqing remained silent.
As expected, she'll have to keep going. She has no appetite for this spoiled food, but she won't die from starvation for a few days.
However, her tranquility was soon shattered by the new girl next door.
Xue Ying'er, who had just entered, looked around and froze for several breaths when she saw the girl lying on the grass. As soon as she entered, Xue Ying'er grabbed the railing in surprise and called out, "Miss Yang? Are you Miss Yang?"
Qingqing was stunned for a moment, then raised her pale face to look over. Upon seeing him, her pupils contracted sharply—"You?"
Xue Ying'er wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and pointed earnestly to her clothes: "It's me, I'm Xue Ying'er whom you helped before! I was wearing a pale yellow dress then!"
She was bewildered, but after a moment of mental processing, she suddenly remembered.
"You, you're looking for your fiancé? Feng An?"
Xue Ying'er's surprised smile vanished instantly. She lowered her head, avoiding the girl's gaze: "I don't have a fiancé, it's a lie. I... I was just kidding."
Qingqing nodded silently. She didn't ask Xue Ying'er why she was there.
Xue Ying'er, however, seemed eager to start a conversation. But seeing her lack of interest and the other prisoners eyeing her covetously, she had no choice but to remain silent.
When dinner was served, Qingqing still didn't eat. Xue Ying'er, surprisingly, also refused. The jailer, inexplicably wary of her, cursed a few times angrily and brought over a roast chicken.
This really surprised everyone, and they were incredibly hungry.
Qingqing opened her eyes, startled by their noise, and saw Xue Ying'er holding half a roast chicken, staring at her. She frowned, and Xue Ying'er said sincerely:
"Miss Yang, would you like some? You look pale. Why don't you try some? The gatekeeper won't say anything."
Qingqing was surprised: "Did you... offend someone?"
Xue Ying'er lowered her head: "Yes, I've offended someone I can't afford to offend."
Her tone was downcast, so Qingqing had no choice but to stop talking. She declined the roast chicken, hugged her knees, and continued her aimless daydreaming.
The turning point came the day after Xue Ying'er was imprisoned.
Before anyone was awake, the jailer came with a smile to take Xue Ying'er away, politely inviting her to leave. Xue Ying'er stomped on his foot hard, glanced at Qingqing reluctantly, and left the dungeon with a droopy face.
Coming and going is like a game.
The other death row inmate was furious: "What the hell is this? Are you kidding me?!"
Qingqing watched silently, her gaze falling on the straw where Xue Ying'er had slept all night.
It's cleaner than hers.
"..." She suddenly felt that the person who locked Xue Ying'er up must be someone special.
As evening fell, the most dramatic scene unfolded. The jailer took Yang Liuqing away.
When the door opened, Qingqing thought she was seeing things. However, the jailer stared at her and said, "Imperial Attendant Yang, His Majesty has been waiting for you for a long time."
Qingqing was confused and disoriented.
She was even addressed as a royal attendant.
Is this Your Majesty the new emperor? Thinking of this, Qingqing couldn't help but sigh again. Xiao Yuanjing had actually lost.
Luck is a truly elusive and unpredictable thing.
As it turned out, her guess was correct. As for the new emperor's exact identity, she remained unsurprised upon meeting him, though still harboring doubts.
The young man in the dark red casual clothes was polite yet aloof, smiling at her as he sipped his freshly brewed tea.
"Qingniang has lost a lot of weight since I last saw her."
Qingqing stood in the inner hall that once belonged to Yan Dibai, and remained silent for a very long time.
"You are Emperor Ming of Jin, Yan Feng'an."
At that time, Qingqing hadn't yet connected this Feng An with the heartless man Feng An that Xue Ying'er had mentioned. Her mind was filled with the thought that this man had really been lying in wait.
Feng An smiled gently, not mentioning a word about letting Qingqing sit down, leisurely letting her stand there, and blowing on his tea foam as he went:
"Qingniang is very clever."
She smiled wryly: "Not even one in a hundred of His Majesty's merits."
"Why say that?" Feng An handed her tea familiarly. "I heard that death row inmates' cells are extremely difficult to endure. But Qing Niang remains calm and composed."
That's because they've become numb.
Qingqing suddenly re-examined the mocking boy and forced a smile.
Fortunately, Feng An didn't intend to really reminisce with her. After adding more tea, he glanced at her and said, "I accidentally took the wrong thing. Qingniang, take a look, is it yours?"
Qingqing was puzzled when a palace maid with an unfamiliar face handed her a wooden box, which was quite heavy. She instantly recognized it.
It was taken out from under Yan Dibai's desk.
“It seems not, it belongs to the late emperor.” Feng An smiled faintly. “I’m a little disappointed. It’s not the Imperial Seal of the State, so Qing Niang’s trip was in vain.”
Qingqing felt depressed, as she hadn't yet adapted to Feng An's current high-ranking position.
She didn't reply, her neck stiff.
Feng An didn't show any resentment and sent someone to take the wooden box away. After chatting casually for a while, Qingqing finally couldn't hold back her emotions any longer.
Feng An readily agreed: "Qing Niang wants to ask how the late Emperor is, is that right?"
Qingqing clenched her fist.
To everyone's surprise, Feng An sighed, "Unfortunately, this is not my jurisdiction. You led the deposed emperor to flee without permission, which is a crime punishable by death. It was only because of the princess's mercy that you were spared the death penalty."
"If you really want to know, why don't you ask her?"
"I have other things to do, so I won't keep my old friends."
She was kicked out of Xianning Palace. Qingqing looked up at the tall palace gate with a heavy heart, and left unwillingly.
She wasn't that stupid; she wouldn't believe that Yan Xifang was genuinely kind and wanted to let her live a peaceful life.
After this series of events, she couldn't trust anyone. All she could say was: they were all villains.
The phrase "奉安" is often used ironically.
Judging from his attitude, Yan Dibai must still be alive. Before leaving, she promised to help Feng'an find the Imperial Seal. Just as Wo Xue said, it was to demonstrate benevolence.
Should we really ask Yan Xifang for help?
Qingqing felt deep down that there was no possibility of this happening.
Qingqing was 100% certain that Yan Xifang didn't like her.
That's all.
Right now, he reeks of the damp, stench of the dungeon, and everyone avoids him.
Before leaving, I noticed that her old little house had been demolished, and she had no idea where she would live.
And what about Wo Xue?
Qingqing couldn't help but ask a palace maid a question while walking. The girl looked at her in surprise and ran away as fast as she could.
Qingqing: ……
She still didn't give up and stubbornly wanted to ask someone else. Unsurprisingly, this person also avoided her.
That's strange. She's not a royal attendant now, but she doesn't seem to be an ordinary person either.
People didn't make things difficult for her, but they also didn't want to have anything to do with her.
They wandered aimlessly around the palace for a long time, but instead of finding where Yan Dibai was hiding, they ended up in the Yeting Palace.
She actually felt a sense of trepidation, similar to the feeling of being close to home.
Qingqing hesitated for a long time, took a breath, and was about to lift her foot when the completely unfamiliar laughter inside suddenly hit her like a ton of bricks.
I don't know him.
Sister Deng, who had left, was nowhere to be seen, nor was Sister Wu, who had stayed behind.
The small courtyard where clothes were washed had been newly filled with bamboo poles, making it much more spacious than before. The girls coming and going were all unfamiliar faces. She watched the cloth shoes moving about. Their steps, carrying clothes, were brisk and full of energy.
My lifeless self felt out of place here.
Qingqing suddenly felt embarrassed and lowered her head, wanting to avoid him.
Perhaps by accident, she bumped into someone. Just as Qingqing was about to apologize, the person she bumped into exhaled and said helplessly:
"It's only been a year, how come you can't even watch where you're going?"
She looked up blankly, and Aunt Liu, with a stern face, scrutinized her from head to toe. She clicked her tongue and said...
"I told you, you'd be in for a rough time."
He went and came back, and it was still the same person, the same tone.
Qingqing's eyes trembled, and she stammered:
"...Aunt Liu".
"Hmph." The woman tugged at her arm. "Since you're here, have a seat."
-
"These are all girls who entered the palace these past few days. The new emperor is benevolent and has released the former palace maids to go home. Wu Yuzhi has been promoted and is now in charge of internal affairs. Now I'm the only one left here, probably going to grow old and die in the palace." Knowing her doubts, Liu Ao, upon entering, recounted the comings and goings of everyone.
Nodding, Qingqing sat down on the low stool with a slightly awkward expression, realizing that it was her first time entering Aunt Liu's house.
It was short and small, and gloomy. It was completely different from the place where she lived after she went to live with Yan Dibai.
She felt inexplicably lost. It turned out that what Aunt Liu was living in wasn't much better than the dormitory-style room.
"I know what you're thinking."
Aunt Liu was still the same Aunt Liu. She would never serve tea or water to anyone. Qingqing slowly chewed the dried vegetables Aunt Liu tossed her, smiling gratefully at her. Aunt Liu's cloudy eyes fixed on her and cut to the chase:
"You want to find the deposed emperor, right?"
She paused slightly, then nodded.
Aunt Liu gave a look of utter disgust: "That's disgusting. If he dies, are you going to commit suicide for him?"
In some ways, yes.
He's dead, and her mission has come to nothing. Everything is gone.
"If the emperor changes, so be it. Don't worry so much. Everyone's avoiding that deposed emperor now. It's best if you don't get involved. Do you really want to go looking for him?"
The old man's words may have some merit, but they are ultimately detached from reality.
Qingqing was grateful, but could only sigh, "Yes, I want it."
Liu was helpless.
"Whatever, you stubborn fool. To be honest, you passed by his palace on the way here. Nowadays, nobody wants to take care of him. Only the old Woxue brings him food and emptys his chamber pot over the wall. The busy princess says she loves this younger brother, but she has never seen him once. We, the laundry servants, have to go and serve him every few days. Humph, how ridiculous."
"...Is there no one looking after her?" Fortunately, Wo Xue was still there, and she breathed a sigh of relief.
Liu Ao glared at her and said, "What do you think? He's just a useless person. If he weren't useful, we would have killed him and thrown him out long ago. No one will stop you from going. The Cold Palace is already unlucky."
Hope suddenly ignited in Qingqing's eyes.
Seeing that she was in high spirits, Aunt Liu knew that kind words were useless against this damned devil. She waved her hand dismissively, "Get lost!"
Qingqing smiled at her, thanked her sincerely, and returned the way she came, arriving at the Cold Palace where Yan Dibai was rumored to be imprisoned.
As soon as she arrived at the place, she suddenly felt that it looked familiar.
The wall was low, with a dead tree leaning out at an angle.
Is this the place where she first met Yan Dibai?
-----------------------
Author's Note: Back to square one~ (singing) Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants between 2023-11-28 22:52:41 and 2023-11-29 23:59:50~
Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: Jiang Yao (1);
Thank you to the little angels who watered the nutrient solution: 68978974 (2 bottles); Yuesheng (1 bottle);
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
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