Chapter 6 Rescuing the Emperor "This servant... is called Yang Liuqing." ...
"My name is Yang Liuqing."
Yan Di frowned, making a disgusted expression:
"So tacky." Come to think of it, it really doesn't look very good.
Yang Liuqing twisted her hands together, and the inferiority complex she felt as a child when people mocked her name almost resurfaced.
She tried hard to suppress her discomfort. Holding her breath, she said in a flat voice, "Your Majesty is right."
The surroundings fell silent again.
Yang Liuqing lowered her head and remained silent once again.
The boy's gaze was empty and gloomy, drifting away for the umpteenth time. Having forgotten the palace maid with the plain-sounding name for a few moments, Yan Dibai's earlobes twitched. Suddenly, she turned her gaze:
"Sing that song for me again."
Yang Liuqing bowed her head: "Yes."
After saying that, he sang a song, his words unclear and he seemed nervous.
Her voice was strained, and she was off-key in many places, yet she still managed to blur the subject. It was like a string stretched too tight. Yan Dibai, a seasoned opera connoisseur, listened with his brows furrowing deeper and deeper.
This maid had absolutely no knowledge of singing, and her voice was completely weak. She simply sang blankly, and that was it.
In the past, someone who dared to show off in front of him would have been killed long ago.
But upon reflection, the melody seemed unusually light and cheerful, quite different from anything he had ever heard before. It wasn't sharp enough, but it was still rather unique.
Yan Dibai propped her chin on her hand and asked again:
"Did you create this yourself?"
Yang Liuqing carefully wiped the sweat from her palms with her clothes, hesitated for a moment upon hearing this, and then slowly said:
"Your Majesty, no."
"No?" Based on what she had overheard, she seemed surprisingly honest. However, Yan Di's eyes remained narrowed, and her tone instantly turned sinister:
"Where did that come from?"
The chilling gaze from above was like a knife, piercing her scalp. Yang Liuqing tried to calm her breathing:
"It's a folk song I heard at my doorstep when I was a child. I only remember that a passerby hummed it casually, and I accidentally memorized it."
By this time, the sky was beginning to lighten. This answer left no room for criticism or finding any fault with it.
But he was a notorious tyrant who did whatever he wanted.
So Yan Dibai swayed to his feet, then suddenly chuckled maliciously:
So, this is the only song you know?
Now, Yang Liuqing has figured out why the young emperor was willing to speak to her here.
Clearly, he must really like the Yue Opera song "Lin Daiyu".
A lingering eagerness rose in my heart. A double-edged opportunity seemed to be hovering before my eyes.
Yang Liuqing initially wanted to answer yes. But then she thought about it again. There was no particular reason; she just felt that Yan Dibai wouldn't let her off so easily. He was probably brewing another trick to cause trouble.
She gently shook her head:
"I vaguely remember hearing a few different tunes, but it was so long ago that I don't remember them very clearly."
"..." Yan Dibai crossed his arms, speechless for a moment. Looking down at this little palace maid, he felt deep down that this obedient maid was hiding something. Yet, he felt a strange itch, coupled with a hint of spectator-like curiosity.
The boy curled his lips:
"When will I remember?"
You guessed right.
Yang Liuqing was pleasantly surprised, almost unrealistically.
Yan Dibai's unpredictable temper and danger are real, but she is also a very useful weapon. Her strategy of encircling the cities from the countryside has just begun, and because she cannot offer any substantial benefits, she can only keep her around a fixed group of people for the time being.
But the ultimate goal was still to get right under Yan Di's nose.
Fortunately, these two things do not conflict.
Yang Liuqing quickly assessed the situation and said seriously:
"I dare not make a decision rashly. I can get a general idea, and then slowly recall what I've learned. Half a month should be enough."
Yan Dibai tasted it; it took too long.
His face immediately darkened: "You're courting death. Five days at most."
Yang Liuqing gasped for breath, stammering, "Within seven days...?"
"This servant wishes to present the complete piece to Your Majesty..."
She deliberately stretched out the timeline in order to negotiate. However, Yan Dibai immediately cut the price by two-thirds, greatly reducing the time she gained, which meant she couldn't do as much as she wanted.
Within seven days, it can be seven days, or it can be five days.
Perhaps it was because Yang Liuqing's appearance was so genuine that Yan Dibai didn't believe a palace maid would dare to deceive the emperor. He hesitated for a moment, and just as he was pondering whether to agree, a whooshing sound shattered the tranquility. A booming male voice struck like thunder:
"Finally caught her! Capture her alive!"
Immediately following was another man's smug laugh: "General Zhonglang's strategy is brilliant! It wasn't for nothing that we've been waiting for this rabbit to run into our trap for so many days! Capture this woman and hand her over to the Prime Minister for judgment. We'll make sure she tells us everything! Let's see where this spy from really came from!"
"She went straight to the Imperial Palace; she must have planned this all along. You must not let your guard down."
Yang Liuqing recognized the person almost immediately. Such a memorable, loud, and imposing voice. It was the leader of the Golden Guard.
Yan Dibai was also caught off guard. He turned to look outside the courtyard.
A fleeting figure leaped across the rooftops, and soon after, the sounds of clashing weapons rang out. Accompanied by shouts from several people, the sounds grew ever closer.
The assassin must have wanted to escape by climbing over the wall.
Seeing this, Yang Liuqing hurriedly stared at Yan Dibai, who was listening intently, and a bold idea popped into her head.
This is a golden opportunity that's presented to us. Should we grab Yan Di and Bai Liu and try to gain credit for saving the emperor?
But now, Yang Liuqing stood up and listened to the noise; the female assassin seemed to be at a disadvantage.
The Imperial Guards must be incredibly powerful. Just from their leader alone, one could sense the chilling aura emanating from him, a blood-soaked presence. And there was more than one of them.
She stole a glance at the boy standing motionless by the threshold, and pursed her lips.
If that assassin had stabbed him...
Yang Liuqing quickly rubbed her face, spitting out her wicked thoughts, and leaned against the wall to watch the battle. Before long, the female assassin was about to be defeated, when suddenly, Yan Dibai, who had been watching from the sidelines, clearly heard a "hiss".
"waste."
The fighting above stopped abruptly, and the tiles beneath their feet ceased their clanging. Yang Liuqing was also startled at the same time; wasn't this a self-destruction?
She was speechless, thinking, "Young Emperor."
Surely the young emperor isn't that stupid? Or is he just too confident in the abilities of his subordinates?
Yang Liuqing wasn't the only one stunned; the leader, regaining his senses, exclaimed in shock, "Your Majesty?!"
Completely baffled: "Huh? Your Majesty?"
Yan Dibai stood motionless, observing coldly. Yang Liuqing was sweating bullets, both shocked and bewildered. Sure enough, a flash of silver light appeared where they were! The female assassin, on the verge of death, leaped, her slender figure casting a series of overlapping shadows in the moonlight. In the blink of an eye, her blade slashed towards the still-standing youth. Yan Dibai glanced sideways, his eyes brushing against the woman's dark, hemp-covered gaze.
He raised his eyebrows.
It happened in the blink of an eye, ready to erupt at any moment.
Yi Fu rushed over, but was still one step too late, and his heart was filled with anxiety:
"Your Majesty, please move your body!"
Yet Yan Dibai's face wore a mocking expression, as if he were deliberately letting the assassin swing his blade. The blade was already close to his neck when Yi Fu roared in anguish:
"His Majesty!!!"
Yi Fu's face was contorted with rage; for a moment, he truly couldn't fathom the eccentric young emperor he'd known since childhood. If the young emperor were to inch forward even a single step, he was absolutely confident he could handle everything. However… Yi Fu gritted his teeth in hatred, but it was all in vain!
The assassin finally had a chance to vent his anger. Ignoring the mocking look on the young emperor's face, he said:
"I never imagined I could actually save the tyrant's life; this is enough for my entire life!"
With a tug of her arm, she aimed for the neck, ready to deliver the final blow, when suddenly—a pair of slender hands grabbed a piece of bluestone and smashed it fiercely against the blade!
"Whoosh!" Another stone struck. Caught off guard, the blade's wind was deflected, and Yan Dibai's pupils shrank to the size of pinpoints.
Then came the cry, "Your Majesty, don't move!" Emboldened by his sudden realization, Yang Liuqing nimbly leaped out from the secluded, dark corner of the wall. Grabbing his sleeve, she yanked him back sharply. The assassin, about to deliver a second blow, swung his arm, hissing, "Damn it!"
Several small, sharp weapons shot out from his sleeves, heading towards the two men who had fallen backward to the ground. At the critical moment, Yi Fu landed just in time, took a swift step, and stood like a mountain in front of the two men, his long sword spinning to block the hidden weapons in an instant.
The Imperial Guards surrounded him from behind. The assassin gripped his blade tightly; seeing the tyrant still alive, he felt a surge of anger and blood welled up in his mouth. There was no way to retreat. The Righteous Commander shouted:
"Pierce her collarbone!"
She could no longer hesitate. She glared hatefully at Yan Dibai, her lips clenched as if she wanted to kill herself.
Yi Fu was prepared; he slashed her right shoulder with the back of his knife to stop her movement, and then his men quickly threw out an iron chain to restrain the intruder and cover her mouth and nose.
Yi Fu said coldly, "I suppose you failed to impersonate a concubine and were discovered. After fleeing for many days, you couldn't take it anymore and fought to the death. It's a pity your master didn't tell you how powerful the Imperial Guards are."
He locked the person in place, then immediately turned and knelt down on one knee:
"Your Majesty has been frightened, and we are powerless to help you. Let us, the Prime Minister and I, interrogate this thief carefully and we will surely give Your Majesty an explanation!"
Yan Dibai remained silent for a moment before slowly sitting up, cushioning Yang Liuqing's movement and ignoring the girl's groans of pain beneath him. Staring at the woman with bloodshot eyes, he slowly reached out and lightly circled her neck.
The ruthlessness of the blade seems to remain, as if it were still tangible.
The boy's red lips twitched slightly, and he suddenly withdrew his hand.
Yang Liuqing struggled to support herself on the ground, trying to crawl away from him. But Yan Dibai moved again, pressing her down completely.
She heard the boy above her speak in an unusually calm, stagnant voice:
"Skin and debone, then chop into mince."
Yang Liuqing was taken aback. "This," Yi Fu was greatly puzzled:
"Kill her without interrogation, if she has accomplices—"
Yan Dibai left no room for argument: "Kill."
Yi Fu was still gritting his teeth when the young man flicked his sleeve, mockingly:
"Do you, the Imperial Guard, serve me or the Prime Minister?"
The Imperial Guards have been loyal to the Emperor since their inception. Yi Fu had no intention of seeking a higher position elsewhere, but the young Emperor was muddle-headed and tyrannical, so he couldn't be trusted in everything. The Prime Minister, who had handled state affairs for many years, needed Yi Fu's intervention. However, this would make Yi Fu suspect him of disloyalty.
There is no way to refute it.
Yi Fu sighed inwardly and said in a deep voice, "I had no such intention. Jin Yi, remove her veil and execute her immediately."
Jin Yi, a member of the Imperial Guard, responded and tore off the woman's face mask. A pause followed.
"Her face..."
Yang Liuqing gasped.
The sky was faintly white with the light of dawn, much brighter than before.
Therefore, the woman's face was clearly visible. However, it was horrifying... her entire face was covered in sticky, blurry wounds, making it impossible to discern her features. No wonder only her eyes were visible.
Jin kicked her, angrily saying, "You've made thorough preparations, which shows how treacherous you are."
It seems unlikely they'll confess honestly. Jin Yi led the man away. Yi Fu was about to inquire further when Yan Dibai added:
"Go and oversee the execution."
Yi Fu frowned, but the word "inappropriate" remained unspoken. He had no choice but to retreat. Before leaving, he glanced at the palace maid lying on the ground; her face was half-hidden, her features indistinct.
However, Yi Fu had an excellent memory and keenly realized that he had seen this woman before.
However, this was not an convenient time. He had no choice but to leave steadily, and when he reached the corner, he summoned his men to secretly keep an eye on His Majesty's safety, while he also sent others to carefully search for and arrest any remaining members of the rebels.
The excitement subsided, leaving only the two of them.
Yang Liuqing felt like her stomach was about to burst from being sat on, and the bloodied and mangled face in front of her kept swaying. Just when she felt like she was about to die, the person on top of her suddenly sat up, his short boots positioned next to her face.
She blinked and quickly stood up as well, standing expectantly to the side.
Yan Dibai glanced at her sideways, and then used the gray-white morning light to truly examine Yeting.
Two large laundry tubs stood in the courtyard, and one wall was covered with wooden basins. Everywhere were peeling, rotten wooden doorposts, and a few sparse weeds grew in the corners.
It's no different from being confined to the cold palace.
He withdrew his gaze, then glanced again at the reserved palace maid. He suddenly laughed.
"You've just saved the emperor, what reward do you want?"
The nature of the laughter was unclear. Yang Liuqing couldn't discern the deeper meaning and, as usual, offered an excuse:
"It is my duty to go through fire and water for Your Majesty, and I dare not presume to reward you."
"Oh?" Yan Dibai drawled out, his tone certain:
"So you don't want it. Fine, I'll grant your wish. Kneel down now." With that, he took a step forward, lifted his robe, and prepared to leave.
…No?! Yang Liuqing was thunderstruck, and immediately wanted to slap herself; her teeth itched with rage!
Where would you find something like that?
"Done! Done!" Yang Liuqing roared inwardly.
Unable to back out, she had no choice but to swallow her anger. Yet, she couldn't hold back her tears; her brows furrowed in distress, almost overflowing with grievance. Afraid of further provoking him, she forcibly suppressed her anger with her willpower.
He's just a lackey... Has he suffered less abuse since childhood than this?
The girl silently reminded herself to take a deep breath.
Even so, she couldn't help but fix her resentful gaze on Yan Dibai's back.
Or... should we ask indirectly?
She was a little agitated.
However, Yang Liuqing didn't expect that she wasn't the only one who couldn't resist. Yan Dibai had only taken a few steps when two beautiful women, accompanied by maids, came rushing towards them from afar.
"His Majesty!"
"Is Your Majesty well?!"
One had a voice as melodious as a nightingale's song, the other as clear as autumn water. One was Lady Yue Rong, the other... was a current socialite. They each took a few steps, paused, glared at each other, and then continued their race.
The most conspicuous of them all was Wo Xue, who was leading the charge in the imperial carriage, carrying a whisk. He held his head high, his voice even higher than that of the imperial concubines.
"Your Majesty!"
"..." The teasing that Yan Dibai had gained from fooling the stupid maid suddenly dissipated.
He raised an eyebrow, and just as Wo Xue and his two beloved concubines were about to arrive, he turned around cleanly and stepped back into the Yeting Palace.
Just as Deng Mengnu, who was trembling inside, was about to come out, she immediately slammed the door shut again. Yang Liuqing stood alone, her mind filled with images of mythical beasts running rampant.
Then Yan Dibai said again, "Come here."
Yang Liuqing in agony: ...
He took small steps and passed by.
Then, amidst a desperate, suppressed gasp of surprise, a cold hand lifted her chin.
"For her meritorious service in saving the emperor, Lady Yang is hereby granted the title of—"
Before he could finish speaking, the boy's pleasant voice abruptly stopped. The hand that was pinching his chin suddenly turned to the left, examined him for three seconds, and then turned to the right.
She heard Yan Dibai click his tongue in disbelief:
"So dark?"
He then decisively said, "We won't seal it off."
A note from the author:
----------------------
Qingqing: Am I really that bad-looking?
Yan Dibai: ...I was going to say it was ugly.
——
Yan Dibai, much later: I'm ugly, I'm ugly. Qingqing is the prettiest.
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