misfortune
After Ping An left the East Palace using Siwei's token, he went straight to Qiu Yan, the most timid palace maid in the Cold Palace.
Upon seeing Ping An's arrival, Qiu Yan's face showed not only fear but also a hint of shrinking back.
She didn't dare look at Ping An, and said in a barely audible voice, "Ping An, you... why are you back? Didn't you go to the East Palace?"
Seeing Qiu Yan's familiar quail-like appearance, Ping An chuckled softly.
"Yes, I went to the East Palace, but I need your help with something right now, so I came to find you."
"Me?" Qiu Yan took a step back and said timidly, "I'm not Eunuch Guo, I'm just a lowly palace maid in the Cold Palace, what help can I give you?"
Ping An stepped forward and grabbed Qiu Yan's hand, stopping her from retreating further: "I know you're a good-for-nothing, but even a good-for-nothing has its uses. For the next few days, I will come here to find you every three days around 9 PM. You have to get me some food and drink, and you can't let anyone notice."
"I...I can't do it, Ping An, I..."
“You have to do it, even if you can’t!” Ping An interrupted Qiu Yan: “If you can’t do it, Guo Shu’s fate will be your fate. I remember you have relatives and a fiancé waiting for you outside the palace. You don’t want them to see your battered corpse, do you?”
Upon hearing this, Qiu Yan was startled.
"Ping An, are you saying that Eunuch Guo is you...?"
"Otherwise what? Why do you think Guo Shu was taken to the Censorate and tortured to death not long after I left? If it wasn't me, who else could it be?"
Qiu Yan swallowed hard and stammered, "I...I understand. I will try my best. I will definitely try my best. If it really doesn't work, I will leave my share to you. Please don't hurt me. Please."
"Don't worry, killing you won't do me any good. As long as you do what I ask, I won't make things difficult for you." Ping An took off the purse from his waist and stuffed it into Qiu Yan's hand: "I know you're not very bright and don't have much ability. There are some gold and silver ingots in here. You can use them to bribe the eunuchs in the imperial kitchen. It shouldn't be difficult to get some food and drinks that can be stored for a long time. Remember, you must not let anyone notice this."
Qiu Yan nodded, clutching Ping An's purse tightly, a relaxed smile appearing on her face.
"I understand. I'll keep an eye on it. There's a young eunuch in the Imperial Kitchen who's from my hometown. He sold himself into the palace to become a eunuch because of his poor family background. With these things, he'll definitely agree."
"That's good." Ping An released Qiu Yan's hand and poked her forehead: "I'll repeat myself, don't mistake my rare mercy for weakness. If I find out that you dare to tell anyone about this, I guarantee that you will suffer the same fate as Guo Shu."
After saying that, Ping An turned and left without waiting for Qiu Yan's reply. After all, if she didn't leave now, she would miss the chance to sneak into Kunning Palace. It was freezing cold, and she didn't want to just find a corner to huddle in. She didn't want to catch a cold and die before Cui Shenzhi returned.
Then Ping An discovered an unexpected surprise.
With Cui Shenzhi absent, the palace servants began to slack off. The sacrificial offerings in Kunning Palace were no longer being changed, the ever-burning lamps were ignored when they went out, and the patrolling guards neglected Kunning Palace, only occasionally making a round. To exaggerate slightly, Ping An could now enter and leave Kunning Palace whenever she wanted.
As long as you don't go through the main entrance.
So in the days that followed, Ping An lived a secluded life in Kunning Palace, never leaving the palace except to go to Qiu Yan every three days to get food, until Cui Shenzhi returned to the capital.
After learning that Cui Shenzhi had returned to the capital, Ping An asked Qiu Yan to inquire whether Cui Shenzhi had returned alone or with someone else.
Although Qiu Yan was just an insignificant palace maid, cats have their ways, and mice have their paths; she actually managed to find out the information that Ping An wanted to know.
Cui Shenzhi brought a woman dressed as a married woman back to the capital, but he did not bring her back to the East Palace. Instead, he placed her outside. The Imperial Concubine and the Emperor inquired about the matter but had no objections.
Upon hearing this news, Ping An's face darkened.
The fact that she wasn't brought into the palace means Cui Shenzhi intends to marry her formally? Being dressed as a woman implies they've already had physical intimacy? Shen Meiwu and the Emperor both inquired about it, but neither objected; doesn't that mean the woman is a shoo-in for the Crown Princess?
What a blunder! What a blunder! If she had known that Cui Shenzhi was so vulnerable to pitiful women, she should have gone to Nanzhou with him. No, she should have approached Cui Shenzhi from the beginning by portraying herself as a pitiful, weak, and innocent girl, instead of a naive and simple-minded fool. Now, it's all too late.
After a brief moment of dejection, Ping An quickly cheered up again.
No, it's not too late. Want to see who's more pitiful? Let's see who's more pitiful!
Ping An bit her lip and looked at Qiu Yan with a fierce gaze.
"Hit me."
"...What?" Qiu Yan thought she had misheard, and after a moment of stunned silence, she asked, "Ping An, what did you say?"
"I told you to hit me! Hit me hard! Can't you understand human language?"
"But…"
Before Qiu Yan could speak, Ping An picked up a sharp-edged stone and smashed it against her head, causing a large wound that bled profusely.
Qiu Yan was startled and dared not speak, but Ping An calmly said as if nothing had happened: "If you don't make a move, I will go to the Crown Prince and cry that you hit me, and have the Crown Prince slash your face. You know I have that ability, otherwise why would the Crown Prince be looking for me in the palace?"
"Your Highness... Your Highness wouldn't do that. I've heard people say that Your Highness is a very good person..." Qiu Yan stammered in protest.
"A good person?" Ping An sneered as he made a long cut on his arm with a stone. "Then do you want to make a bet with me? If I wait until I'm bleeding and pale before going to the Crown Prince and say that you're the one who did this to me, how much 'good' will he have for you?"
Qiu Yan's face turned deathly pale, and she could only suppress her fear as she helped Ping An inflict numerous large and small wounds all over his body.
Ping An then let Qiu Yan leave.
After the sun had set and fewer palace servants were coming and going, Ping An arrived at the East Palace gate with her body covered in wounds.
*****
Upon learning that Ping An had appeared outside the East Palace Gate, Cui Shenzhi rushed over without saying a word. He then saw Ping An covered in wounds, his clothes were not only tattered but also stained with blood in many places, and his face was pale.
He hurriedly ordered Qi Kang to find Lu Fengping, and then tried to carry Ping An inside like he had done in the slums, but Ping An dodged him.
Choi Shin-ji thought that An Ping hadn't recognized him like last time, and was about to speak when he heard An Ping's voice.
"This servant is of lowly status and dares not trouble Your Highness."
Servant.
Your Highness the Crown Prince.
These were words Cui Shenzhi was used to hearing, but at this moment they sounded incredibly jarring to him.
He twitched the corner of his mouth, and said with a hint of panic, "Ping An, what are you talking about? This nonsense you've only ever heard before?"
Ping An slowly shifted his body, turning into a proper kneeling position, and kowtowed, his trembling voice filled with fear.
"This servant knows her mistake and begs Your Highness to punish her."
Choi Shin-ji panicked completely.
He walked a few steps to Ping An and reached out to help her up, but Ping An panicked and scrambled back several steps. The movement was so violent that the wound on her arm that had just scabbed over reopened, and streams of blood spread from her arm to the ground, so bright red.
Ping An seemed oblivious to the pain. After crawling away, she knelt on the ground again, kowtowing repeatedly and muttering, "This servant knows her mistake, this servant deserves to die."
Looking at Ping An and the endless red on her body, Cui Shenzhi felt as if a hole had been torn in his heart. It wasn't big, but it was very deep, deep to the bone, making his heart clench into a knot, yet he couldn't even cry out in pain.
Siwei, who had followed Cui Shenzhi, was surprised to see Ping An like this and quickly stepped forward.
"Ping An, what happened to you? What happened to your injuries?"
Ping An continues to turn a deaf ear to this.
Siwei pursed his lips, wanting to help Ping An up from the ground, but Ping An refused to get up no matter what.
Having managed the Eastern Palace for many years and learned how to 'train' palace servants from Rouge, who served Shen Meiwu, Ju An saw the scene before him and had a sudden realization.
She curtsied to Cui Shenzhi, indicating that she knew what to do, then walked up to Ping An and reprimanded her sternly, "Ping An, since you know you are a servant and know you are wrong, what are you doing now? His Highness told you to stop talking, but you kept talking. His Highness told you to get up, but you didn't obey. Who do you think you are? Do you think you can be His Highness's master, or do you want to ruin His Highness's reputation?!"
Ping An hurriedly raised her head, her pale face filled with fear: "This servant didn't, this servant wouldn't dare..."
"If you don't dare, then what are you kneeling here for? Come inside with me!"
"yes."
Ping An responded softly, then swayed as she stood up and followed Ju An, staggering towards the East Palace, as if she were not a person, but merely an empty shell of a human being who obeyed orders.
Cui Shenzhi watched as Ping An walked past him without looking at him or pausing for a moment, but he couldn't help but reach out and grab Ping An. The response he received was a look of horror on Ping An's face, and he was so scared that he was trembling all over.
He could only let go and silently watch Ping An's retreating figure.
After a long silence, Cui Shenzhi finally spoke in a low voice: "Qi Kang, go to Chengqian Palace and make sure you invite Ling Xian here no matter what. Just say... just say..."
What are you saying?
With his mind in complete disarray, Choi Shin-ji couldn't think of anything or say anything.
Qi Kang sighed, and before Cui Shenzhi could finish speaking, he agreed and jogged towards Chengqian Palace.
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