The Long Night (4)
Chapter 4 The Long Night (4)
At dawn, the sound of snow being swept could be heard in the yard. Li Qi was unable to sleep, so she simply opened her eyes.
Looking out from the half-open window, the snow-capped mountains in the distance were shrouded in a layer of misty blue light, hazy and with an unfathomable tranquility.
Today, the finished clothes had to be delivered to the Queen Mother, so Li Qi didn't dare to delay and got up without taking a nap.
Li Qi went in and out of the County Lady's Mansion six times. It was given to her by Dong Mingrong when she was still Concubine Li. Although the mansion exceeded the size of her title, with Dong Mingrong and Emperor Liang protecting her, no one dared to say anything wrong about her.
She also opened a special room to store beautiful clothes and gold and silver jewelry. A huge nanmu wardrobe with gold thread occupied one wall. When the wardrobe was opened, it was filled with countless red clothes.
Li Qi’s favorite color has always been red, because red has an inexplicable aggressiveness that makes her feel safe.
But you can't be too arrogant when meeting the queen.
Li Qi opened another huge wardrobe, which was filled with simple and elegant clothes, plain and generous, refreshing and comfortable.
Without having to choose, she picked up a bluish-white fleece coat and put a snow-white cloak on it, which made her fair face look even more plain, like a snowflake in winter, cold and plain.
Finally, she put on the multi-treasure necklace before walking out of her house of gold and silver.
I walked past countless long tables made of precious wood, which were filled with golden dressing boxes. When the sunlight shone on them, they shone brightly and colorfully.
No wonder the people of Kyoto call this place the House of Gold and Silver.
I believe everyone knows how many luxurious and rare jewelry are contained in these countless dressing boxes.
Li Qi also knew what people were saying about her. It was nothing more than that, with wars raging everywhere and nations divided, even Yunzhou still unrecovered, yet the Yun'an County Lady was living a life of extravagance and indulgence. She would sooner or later face retribution.
But she never paid any attention to these rumors. Rumors were the last thing she needed to spend time caring about.
After she had tidied herself up, she ordered people to pack the clothes to be sent to the palace neatly, supervised the servants to load them onto the carriage, and staggered towards the palace.
When the carriage arrived in front of the palace gate, Li Qi lifted the curtain and saw that the servant had already brought a stool. She stepped on the stool and got off the carriage.
As soon as she stopped, she saw another carriage parked at the end of the snowy street. The carriage was plain and simple, with a lantern with the word "Feng" written on it hanging next to the crimson curtain.
Looking around the court, there was no other official with the surname Feng who could park his carriage outside the palace gate except Feng Siji, the new favorite of Emperor Liang.
He came to the palace so early. Was there any progress in the case and he came to report to His Majesty?
Li Qi suddenly felt a strong sense of uneasiness, as if she was standing on the edge of a cliff, with gravel rolling down under her feet.
Ever since leaving Feng Siji, she would occasionally fantasize that he would come back to find her, reconcile, and accompany each other.
Now that he's really back, nothing is the same.
"County Lady, we are all ready." The servant shouted to Li Qi.
Li Qi retracted her gaze and said, "Let's go."
-
Empress Zhang lived in Fushou Palace. She liked the hustle and bustle and planted many flowers and plants in the palace. There were seasonal flowers blooming in every season.
She also chose lively and active servants to serve her.
It was the twelfth lunar month, with heavy snow falling. The New Year was approaching, and the palace maids in Fushou Palace were overjoyed.
Before Li Qi entered the door, she heard laughter and joyful chatter echoing throughout the yard.
As soon as she stepped into the palace, the laughter and joy in Fushou Palace came to an abrupt end.
The seven or eight palace maids and eunuchs, who were lined up like an eagle catching a chick, were as quiet as quails, staring at her blankly as if they had been pricked by a needle.
Their faces turned pale and blue, intertwined with an unspeakable fear.
Li Qi said with a cold face: "Are you still not going to greet me?"
They suddenly reacted, saluted hurriedly, and dispersed before Li Qi could say anything.
Everyone hid in the dark, looking at her with eyes that were either filled with disgust or ridicule.
It is the attitude towards a certain plague god.
Li Qi knew that in Kyoto, except for Emperor Liang and Empress Zhang, everyone was afraid of her and said that she was a wasteful and harmful demon.
She had long been accustomed to all this, so accustomed to it that she turned a blind eye to it. She walked forward with her back straight, without any fear.
An aunt in plain clothes came out from under the archway, bowed to Li Qi and said, "Is the Yun'an County Lady here to deliver some clothes? Please follow me."
Li Qi followed his aunt with the servants.
Her aunt's surname was Wang. Li Qi didn't know her full name, but she knew that she was quite popular with Empress Zhang. Everyone in Fushou Palace had to look to her for directions when doing things.
Li Qi followed Aunt Wang and pushed the door open. As soon as she entered, she heard a raspy cry: "Bitch! Murderer!"
Li Qi looked in the direction of the sound and saw a yellow-green parrot jumping up and down excitedly in a cage.
Empress Zhang took a plum branch and teased it, sucking on it and saying, "She was personally appointed as a county lady by His Majesty. You are talking nonsense like this. Aren't you afraid of getting your head dropped off?"
Li Qi naturally knew that the parrot needed daily training from its owner to have such a clever reaction. As soon as it saw her, it would reflexively shout out those unpleasant words.
She pretended not to hear and bowed politely to Empress Zhang.
After being called down by Empress Zhang, he quietly glanced at her.
Her hair was styled in a gorgeous flying phoenix bun, and the gold, pearl, and emerald phoenix crown on her head shone dazzlingly in the sunlight. The Shu brocade phoenix cape on her shoulders was embroidered with an intricate pattern of nine phoenixes chasing flowers, stitch by stitch, meticulously crafted, shimmering with color and preciousness.
She raised her chin proudly, and the tassel earrings collided gently, making a crisp sound.
A pair of cold, delicate phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and the moment they glanced at Li Qi, in addition to the majesty of a mother of the country, there was also a hint of indifference as if she was looking at an ant.
Li Qi turned a blind eye and looked at the palace maid beside her.
The palace maid stood beside her, straight as a pine tree, with a parrot cage hanging on her outstretched arm.
The palace maid's arms were trembling slightly, and a thin layer of sweat appeared on her forehead. She must have maintained this posture for a long time, so long that she could no longer bear it.
But because of her low status, she didn't dare to say much.
Suddenly, Empress Zhang looked over. Li Qi noticed it immediately and immediately lowered her head and held her breath, saying, "Your Majesty, the clothes are ready.
"Among them, there's an extra snow-blue robe. It's for Feng Anshi, whom Your Majesty has just appointed. Your Majesty needs him now, so I took it upon myself to make him one. However, since he holds no official position, I didn't use purple or red, but the snow-blue one that anyone can wear."
The Queen turned her head and continued to tease the parrot in the cage, her voice lazy: "The stitching on your embroidery is not good, it shows that you didn't put your heart into it. I will punish you."
Li Qi lowered her head and argued, "My Lady, you haven't even seen the finished garment yet, how do you know there's something wrong with the stitching on my pattern?"
Upon hearing this, the Queen sneered, "I don't need to see. If I say you're wrong, then you're wrong. Now that Concubine Li is dead, who else do you expect to speak for you? Your Majesty?"
Li Qi hurriedly said, "I dare not."
The Queen then said, "I want to go to the Imperial Garden to admire the plum blossoms. You should go there and sweep the snow. Don't be done until there is no snow left."
Continuing to argue would only make the queen more angry, so Li Qi said no more.
When Concubine Li was still in power, she was the only one favored in the six palaces. Empress Zhang's jealousy was like an overwhelming tidal wave, and all of it was directed towards Concubine Li.
Concubine Li was also very good friends with Li Qi, so the Queen also disliked Li Qi because of her hatred for Li Qi.
Li Qi had always been cautious, thinking that she could have some peace and quiet after Concubine Li died. However, Emperor Liang had the idea of taking Li Qi into the harem and had even spread the news throughout the six palaces.
Because of all these reasons, Empress Zhang's disgust towards Li Qi became even deeper and stronger, and she would never let go of any opportunity to deal with her.
She even ordered that Li Qi could only call herself "slave" in front of her.
-
Li Qi walked into the imperial garden with a broom in her hand and saw a figure standing by the pond.
He didn't move, didn't notice her coming, and she didn't know what he was thinking or looking at.
But the pond was covered with ice because of the season, so there were no fish for him to see.
He was wearing white clothes and a jade hat, standing by the pond with his hands behind his back. The strong wind made his sleeves rustle, and his black hair fluttered in the air.
Li Qi couldn't help but sketch his back in her mind, stroke by stroke, hoping to deeply engrave this silent and boring but rare scene in her heart, so that she could recall it and find comfort from time to time for the rest of her life.
The still scene was suddenly broken by a cry of surprise: "It's the Yun'an County Lady, hurry up and leave! I heard she's a demon that can kill people, don't get mad at her!"
Hearing the sound, Li Qi was stunned for a moment, then she found two young palace maids pruning branches in the bushes not far away.
Another maid said, "No way? Is it that serious?"
"New here, you don't know, she's a monster in human skin, killing people and eating their blood and bones! Someone built a temple in the wild forest in the western suburbs specifically for this purpose, where people burn incense and pray to the gods to kill her!"
The new maid was amazed: "How could such a thing happen?!"
"Let me tell you, you know the eldest son of Lord He from the Ministry of Justice, right? Didn't he suddenly become disabled last year and confined to a wheelchair? That's because... Hush, hurry up, hurry up, she's looking over here!"
The two palace maids hurriedly fled the place with scissors in their hands. Li Qi didn't turn her head until the sound of their footsteps faded away completely. She saw that Feng Siji had turned around at some point, and his cold eyes fell lightly on her.
Shouldn't a gaze be light and ethereal? Why did it feel like his gaze weighed a thousand pounds, pressing down heavily on her, making her breathless?
She gripped the broom uncomfortably, "Envoy Feng."
"County Lady."
Feng Siji called her softly while walking towards her with a scroll of bamboo slips in his arms. The closer he got, the faster her heartbeat became, and she could hear the "dong dong dong" sound clearly.
When she arrived in front of him, Feng Siji raised his hand and lifted her face with a rolled-up bamboo slip.
He squinted his eyes and looked at her. That penetrating gaze made Li Qi feel oppressed, as if he could stare holes into her from head to toe, and then all her secrets would flow out from those holes, pour out, and be clearly given to him.
She was no different from being stripped naked standing in front of him. She stared into his deep and cold eyes for a long time, but couldn't tell what he was thinking.
He has always been like this, with a cold or calm expression, deep or calm eyes, and no matter what time, he will never reveal even the slightest bit of his true feelings to others.
Feng Siji remained silent and just looked at her.
Look at her slightly trembling pink lips, her expression that was trying to remain calm but showing cracks, and the cold self reflected in her eyes.
She was the same as she was three years ago, with a face as white as snow, red lips and white teeth, and two eyes shaped like peach blossoms that were full of affection even when looking at stones.
The appearance matched his memory, but the sense of authority hidden between his brows was unfamiliar to him.
He glanced at her fingers, which were red and swollen for some unknown reason, and then at the way she held the broom. He guessed what she was going to do and sneered, "Didn't the county lady say that she would be better off without me? Why has she fallen so badly?"
The memory that she least wanted to recall was brought back by him, and Li Qi's hand holding the broom handle trembled slightly.
When they met in Qianzhou, she, who had lost her hometown, and the demoted Feng Siji supported each other and fell in love with each other.
But she was obsessed with the noble who took Dong Mingrong away, and also obsessed with regaining Yunzhou. She vowed to go to Kyoto, and could only give up Feng Siji, who was a concern but also a burden.
The bamboo slips against her chin felt slightly cool, and Li Qi turned her head away. "Envoy Feng, bringing up the past makes me think you still can't forget me."
Feng Siji's voice was cold and icy: "The evil and heinous scheming etched into the bones of the county lady are indeed unforgettable. But what I don't understand is how you have the courage to appear in front of me again?"
Li Qi said, "If Your Majesty hadn't asked Envoy Feng to investigate the case of Concubine Li, we wouldn't have met again. Otherwise, I really don't want to see you, Envoy Feng."
Feng Siji looked at her without saying a word. Her mouth was still opening and closing without knowing what was good for her:
"After all, Feng Anshi was gullible, easy to deceive, and obedient. It was so easy to capture you in Qianzhou that I felt it was boring. After capturing you, your efforts and friendship, although precious, made me feel worthless because your sincerity was so easily given away."
She suddenly turned her head and stared into his eyes: "You are really the biggest failure of all the men I have seduced."
With a snap, the bamboo slips in Feng Siji's hand were crushed by his force. The broken bamboo spikes pierced deeply into his flesh. The intense pain spread from the palm of his hand to his lungs, making breathing more difficult.
He was also thankful that he was wearing loose clothes today, and the wide sleeves of the Pipa covered his body, so Li Qi did not see the tragic scene below with her own eyes, but the sound of shattering was clearly audible, and she must have heard it too.
He really wanted to refute her, but many words came to his lips and he swallowed them back with difficulty.
He couldn't bear to stab her with the blade, whether it was verbal or anything else, but why was she so cruel that she didn't even show mercy when she spoke?
After a long moment of silence, one could hear a pin drop, Feng Siji finally said, "I finally understand why everyone in Kyoto hates you. The temples built for people to pray to the gods to get rid of you are really worthwhile.
"You rely on your looks and your ability to manipulate people's hearts, toying with the hearts of others. Perhaps Emperor Liang is still in the dark about this? Does he know you are such a person? If he does, do you still have any hope of becoming his concubine?"
Li Qi looked fearless and said, "Whether there's any hope or not, wouldn't Envoy Feng go and ask in person and find out?"
Feng Siji was about to reply when he heard hurried footsteps in the distance. He paused for a moment and took three steps back. Li Qi was someone Emperor Liang had specifically requested, so he couldn't get so close to her.
Footsteps approached from afar, and a figure appeared under the dead tree. It was Li Ke, the chief eunuch beside Emperor Liang. He knelt and saluted Li Qi and Feng Siji, and said to Feng Siji:
"Your Majesty has summoned Envoy Feng. You have been waiting for a long time. Please follow me to see His Majesty."
"Thank you for leading the way, eunuch."
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