Chapter 146 Chapter 146 Her appearance is like Chang'e, and her nature is like ice and snow.
The date for the Pipa Festival is set on the seventh day of the seventh month.
The day for scouting Changda's residence is set three days before the meeting.
On the fourth day of July, Nan Qiongshuang heard that Emperor Jiaqing had summoned Mao Linyan to play cards in Xiaoleyuan, and left Qinglian and Yuanxiang in the palace, ordering them to play the pipa in the palace, while he went to Changda's mansion alone.
It was not easy to enter the Prince Ding's Palace. Coincidentally, the Jiaqing Emperor had promised Chang Da and his two sons twelve beauties, and the fourth day of July was the day when those beauties would enter the palace.
Nan Qiongshuang had someone smooth things over in advance and was able to blend in with this group of beauties.
Gongsun Hong had heard the news long before and had specifically asked Chang Da for the assignment to hand over these beauties. So when she entered Prince Ding's mansion, the first person she met was the pretentious Gongsun Hong.
Gongsun Hong's appearance at Prince Ding's residence was quite different from her appearance in the Forbidden City. At Changda's residence, she was also dressed in bright clothes, her hair loose, a golden phoenix hairpin weaved through her hair, a bright white pearl tucked into her beak. One glance at her revealed she was living a comfortable life there.
Nan Qiong Shuang looked at her, lowered her eyes slightly and smiled.
Gongsun Hong knew it well, so she forced the smile on her lips and slowly walked to the front of the line.
"Those who are well-born, have a lithe figure, and a sweet voice, go and serve General Chang Er."
"Those who are sensible, keep their mouths shut, and don't look around, go and serve His Royal Highness Prince Ding."
"As for General Chang—no."
"What about you?" She walked over with a smile, holding a jade ruyi in her hand, and examined her figure from top to bottom. She glanced at her for a moment with half-closed eyes. "You are not good-looking, too thin, too cold, and playing the pipa is like scratching your back. - Just follow me."
The other beauties took their orders and dispersed. Nan Qiongshuang didn't bother to pay attention to her smug look. She raised her eyes and walked forward slowly.
"Why doesn't Chang Zhong have any of the beauties the emperor has rewarded?"
"Didn't I tell you? After that incident at Xiaoleyuan last time, I got a good scolding from his father when I got back," Gongsun Hong said. "Not only did he try to persuade the Regent, but he also failed to do so. He lost his momentum and made a fool of himself."
"Seeing a beautiful woman enter his house, he couldn't even touch her with a finger, and he was willing to do that?"
"He doesn't want to, but so what?" Gongsun Hong shrugged indifferently. "If he messes with his father, he'll have to kneel on the ground for three days if his father says so. And what about his woman?"
Nan Qiongshuang thought of Chang Zhong's expression, as if his bones went soft when he saw a woman, and felt a little funny.
"Come with me, I'll show you the hall where the conference will take place."
Chang Da's Prince Ding's Mansion was extremely luxurious. Every detail of the mansion was modeled after the Jiaqing Emperor's palace. Even though she was used to living in the Forbidden City, she still felt dazzled when she first entered the Prince Ding's Mansion.
"I won't tell you about Chang Da...just take a look for yourself." Gongsun Hong led her deeper into the mansion. "Nine courtyards, glazed green tile roofs, and a sea-tiled ceiling. Golden nanmu beams and pillars, golden brick floors, and built-in copper pipes for burning charcoal for heating in winter. The treasure house, the theater, and that flower house in front, don't they look familiar?"
Nan Qiong Shuang looked over when she heard that.
Under the blue sky, a pavilion with flying eaves stands quietly in the garden.
She understood it at a glance.
It is a complete copy of the Moon-Lanyue Tower in the Forbidden City.
This palace is so luxurious that the word "luxurious" cannot describe it.
They violated the rules of etiquette everywhere and wanted to rival the imperial city.
It was only a matter of time before Chang Da rebelled.
Nan Qiong Shuang took a deep breath and the air was stuck in her lungs, making her feel a little depressed.
The mission at the Rebirth Gate had dragged her into the center of the storm. After this mission, where would she be?
Will there be a chance to escape from the Forbidden City alive?
"Let's go to the Golden Phoebe Hall." Gongsun Hong had no idea what she was thinking. She led her around the rockery and the hanging flower gate, passed the Treasure Pool and the Zhengyan Garden, walked straight inside, arrived at a building, and stepped over the threshold.
As soon as I entered the building, the aroma of wood hit me. The view was filled with golden splendor. Octagonal lanterns hung high from the ceiling, their vermilion tassels draped so high that it looked like a red canopy hung above. The building was filled with glass lamps, lacquer paintings and carvings everywhere, and golden vases and bricks. Eight massive pillars of golden nanmu wood supported the entire building. The wood grain resembled golden mountains and rivers, and when the sun shone on them, it looked like a golden river.
Nan Qiong Shuang almost held her breath watching this.
"That pig-head is particularly proud. If he wants to open his house to entertain guests, he will definitely bring out the most rare and unique things to show off." Gongsun Hong smiled and led the people inside. "So, the pipa competition that day will be held in this hall."
He was just a prince - even though it was named "king", it was still a title - but he openly named one of the gardens in his garden "Palace".
At this moment, carpenters and servants were coming in and out of the hall. In the middle of the hall, there was a high platform that was about to be completed. The servants were standing on the thin wooden ladders and hanging lanterns and ribbons around the platform, each doing their own job.
"That day, everyone will compete on this stage, and the audience will be filled with guests. Prince Ding will be in the elegant room on the second floor, waiting for the audience to watch the competition." Gongsun Hong said as they walked, "The competition will be a duel. You only know how to play that one piece, so don't compete. I'll defend the stage first. When no one else is on stage, you can come up and challenge me."
"I'll give you some ocean water, so that you don't lose the title of 'Luo Jing's No. 1 Pipa Player,' and all our hard work goes to waste."
"When the battle is over, everyone in the audience will know who will win and who will lose. At that time, I will challenge you."
Nan Qiong Shuang looked at her suspiciously.
"Do you want Chang Da to know that you know martial arts?"
Gongsun Hong held her fan to her chest and sighed, "There are too many women in the mansion. Those two idiots are so daring, bringing in women like merchants buying goods. How can I expect these two to look up to me if I don't show off my skills?"
"Prince Ding has always been wary of you."
"Pighead is short of available personnel." Gongsun Hong lazily fanned herself with a silk fan. "A while ago, one of his usual personal guards died. I've been by his side for a long time, and I've already found a reason for myself." She blinked an eye and smiled at her. "The sect has arranged a new identity for me, specifically to explain it to him, without missing a single detail."
Nan Qiongshuang was speechless for a moment.
If people want to believe something, they will believe it even if they shouldn't. If Chang Da needed someone urgently, he might trust her.
"After I attack, you block me. After two or three moves, Chang Da will surely order the three Fuyu guards to attack you. As soon as those Jurchens move out, I will stab you in the shoulder and neck with my sword. You will dodge and use the momentum to step on the second-floor railing and climb out the window."
"Outside the window is Chang'an Avenue. To the east is the Imperial Palace, to the west is the market, to the south is Wuyi Lane, and to the north is Fairy Lake. Fairy Lake is crowded with tourists. I will prepare a boat and have someone wait for you on the lake. Once you're on the boat, change your clothes, turn off the lights, and sink your attire from the assembly into the water, posing as a tourist. Once the search is complete, you will return to the palace immediately."
"That's easy to say." Nan Qiong Shuang shrugged and sneered, "A large group of Jurchens are chasing me. Who can run faster, me or them? They are like jackals."
"I know you can't run much faster than that old woman in her seventies." Gongsun Hong rolled her eyes at her. "You don't have to run yourself. I've found an expert for you."
"Master?"
"Not only this master, but I also have a backup plan for you." Gongsun Hong looked at her with a mysterious smile, chin in hand, "Do you remember Cangya?"
Nan Qiong Shuang was slightly startled, a light suddenly flashed in her eyes, but she quickly suppressed the joy.
"Is he the one from the Seven Killing Hall?"
"That's right." Gongsun Hong slowly waved her silk fan and paced around her, her crimson dress spread out on the ground. "Now he doesn't go by that name anymore. He has a surname, Li Ya. A few years ago, he worked hard enough, redeemed himself, and now works as a cook in Prince Ding's mansion."
She tapped her collarbone with the fan in her hand and blinked, "Li Ya is easy to talk to. If you have the ability, ask him to do something in the kitchen and try to save Zhao from Wei."
Nan Qiong Shuang was waiting for this person. She pretended to think for a moment and asked, "Where is he?"
Gongsun Hong smiled sweetly: "I'll take you there."
It was past dinner time and the busyness in the kitchen had subsided. It was not yet time to prepare the next meal, so the cooks were taking a nap or drinking.
The sun was at its peak, warming the ground. Gongsun Hong made a small shelter between her eyebrows, a handkerchief between her fingers, and walked straight into the kitchen.
The cooks in the courtyard gathered in twos and threes to enjoy the cool air. When they saw that the visitor was Miss Qu Huan, who was almost ready to become Prince Ding's concubine, they hurriedly stood up to greet her.
Gongsun Hong didn't even bother to glance at him, and just waved her handkerchief in response.
In the kitchen, Li Ya was wiping the table with a rag. When he saw the visitor, he bowed tightly and said, "Greetings, Miss Qu Huan."
Gongsun Hong smiled, hugged her shoulders, and looked him up and down.
Li Ya knew what was going on when he saw that look.
Gongsun Hong said lightly, "Follow me."
After walking around the courtyard wall and reaching a deserted place, I saw a slim and graceful person standing under a plum tree full of green fruits.
Under the shade, the man turned around.
Li Ya held his breath gently.
The next moment, everything became clear.
Nan Qiong Shuang saw the sudden change in his expression and naturally knew what he understood. Everyone in the Paradise Hall was strikingly beautiful, and to avoid internal strife, they were required to wear veils when playing cards with men. Now that she had suddenly revealed her face, it was a sight to behold. Even a fool would know she was a member of the Paradise Hall.
Nan Qiong Shuang said, "Jiletang, Nan Qiong Shuang."
Li Ya also nodded, but seeing someone with such a beautiful appearance for the first time, he was not only amazed but also afraid, and did not dare to speak for a while.
Nan Qiong Shuang was quite calm and at ease, and she got straight to the point: "May I ask, sir, have you ever served in the Qi Sha Hall?"
Li Ya spoke quickly, looked at her, and immediately lowered his brows: "Ah, yes."
"Excuse me, sir. In a few days, Miss Gongsun and I will be doing some work in the mansion. I wonder if I can help you?"
Li Ya lowered his eyes and stared at the tip of his shoes for a long time, stammering and unable to make up his mind.
The jobs at the Rebirth Gate were extremely dangerous. He had finally escaped from the Rebirth Gate and had settled down in Prince Ding's Mansion. He didn't want to be involved in any criminal activities again.
"I...girl." He raised his eyes and glanced for a moment.
Nan Qiong Shuang's eyes, as bright as a moon lake, were filled with the light of snow. She stared at him without blinking for a moment.
The beautiful long eyelashes like butterfly wings cast a fragile shadow under the eyes.
His whole body seemed to be split in half by lightning.
Her eyes were so serious, as if there was nothing else in them except him.
He could hardly bear it.
With a face like Chang'e and a body like ice and snow, she achieved everything without doing anything.
This is... the person from Paradise Hall.
Li Ya took a half step back in panic.
When Nan Qiongshuang saw his expression, she knew why he retreated - there were many men who did not dare to talk to her.
She suddenly changed her expression to a gentle one, and smiled at him kindly, "Of course, it's not easy for you to redeem yourself, and we don't want to make it difficult for you. If you can help, please help. If you can't, we won't say anything more. It's just..."
She took a step closer with a smile on her face, and slowly placed her hand on his wrist.
Li Ya suddenly felt his heart beating rapidly, almost bursting through his chest, and he didn't dare to look up at her.
"...but, if you're willing to help," she said softly, with a hint of flattery at the end, "Miss Gongsun and I will both be grateful to you."
Li Ya was sweating profusely. He lowered his head and was shocked to see that half of his toes were exposed from his straw sandals. Normally, he didn't feel anything, but now he felt extremely ashamed. He quickly pulled his toes out and said, "Girl..."
"Oh, what's wrong with you?"
Before he could see where she was pointing, he suddenly felt her soft fingertips on his sweaty neck.
A faint fragrance of uncertain brightness.
He almost fell to his knees.
"Is it an injury?" she asked, tilting her head as if to stay out of the matter.
"No, no, no, it's not, fetus, fetus, birthmark."
Nan Qiong Shuang understood and touched her chin with a handkerchief.
She thought that the black mark on his neck was caused by the Wangsheng Gate before releasing him.
In fact, the Wangsheng Sect was very cruel, and she really doubted whether they were willing to release her.
I also wondered if they released the people openly but secretly used poisonous insects or puppetry to manipulate people's minds.
But Li Ya seemed normal.
If someone was under the control of a sorcery, they would be dumb and incapable of answering a single question. But this person didn't look foolish and knew how to protect himself. When he saw her, he was still nervous.
She smiled, her mind full of thoughts, and her pair of clear eyes looked at him affectionately without saying anything more.
Li Ya couldn't utter a word.
Soon, his entire body was red, his face was glistening with sweat, veins in his temples were throbbing, and he stammered,
"Okay, okay. I'll do my best to help you two girls."
Nan Qiong Shuang smiled with her eyes curved:
"Thank you very much."
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