Meeting Qin Lan
The morning light came exceptionally early on the fifteenth. Clutching the cloth bag I'd packed overnight, I repeatedly stroked the stitches on the corners of the bag with my fingertips, my heart filled with both anticipation and nervousness. When Ya Huan saw me off at the gate of the Cold Palace, she specially handed me a warm cornbread: "Sister Zhao, have something to eat on the way. Don't be too anxious when you see Sister Qin Lan; remember to convey our message." I nodded, took the cornbread, and looked at Ya Huan's worried eyes, feeling a warmth in my heart—with such a friend by my side, even the most difficult path seemed easier to walk.
As instructed by Granny Zhang, I arrived near the laundry department half an hour early. The blue brick walls of the laundry department were covered with lush green vines; the morning mist hadn't yet dissipated, and dewdrops from the leaves slid down the vines, leaving tiny watermarks on the ground. A moment later, a woman in a gray cotton ruqun (a type of traditional Chinese dress) approached. Seeing me, a knowing glint flashed in her eyes, and she said softly, "You must be Tian Zhao? I'm Aunt Li." I quickly bowed, "Greetings, Aunt Li. Thank you for your trouble."
Aunt Li waved her hand, leading me towards the backyard of the laundry department. "Don't stand on ceremony," she said. "There's a small woodshed here for storing odds and ends. It's rarely used. You can meet there, but hurry, the head maid will be checking up on you soon." Following Aunt Li through several narrow corridors, we arrived at the woodshed in the backyard. The woodshed wasn't large, filled with broken wooden basins and a few old bamboo baskets in the corner. A faint smell of wood ash filled the air. Aunt Li opened the small window, letting in some morning light, and said, "I'll keep watch outside. I'll cough if there's any noise." With that, she gently closed the woodshed door.
I stood in the room, my heart pounding uncontrollably, clutching the cloth bundle tightly in my hand. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the door was gently pushed open, and a thin figure walked in—it was Qin Lan. She was wearing a faded coarse cloth dress, her hair tied up with a simple wooden hairpin, her face devoid of color, her hands rough and cracked, with soap residue still clinging to her fingernails, a sight that broke my heart.
"Zhaozhao?" Qin Lan's eyes lit up with surprise when she saw me. She quickly stepped forward, reaching out to take my hand, but stopped mid-air, as if afraid her rough hands would soil my clothes. This subtle gesture brought tears to my eyes—back in the special forces, I would never have been moved by such a detail. I quickly stepped forward and took her hand. Her hand was icy cold, and the calluses on her palms hurt my own.
"I miss you so much." The words slipped out, startling even myself. I, who had never flinched even when my skin was cut by a dagger during a mission, now found my voice choked with uncontrollable sobs. Looking at the weariness and cautiousness in her eyes, a strange, bittersweet feeling welled up in my chest. If I hadn't taken over Tian Zhao's body, perhaps the real Tian Zhao could have seen her sooner, could have done more for her. This inexplicable guilt overwhelmed me like a tidal wave; I realized then how easily I had become soft-hearted since transmigrating to this world.
Qin Lan's eyes also reddened, her voice trembling uncontrollably: "I miss you too, Zhao Zhao. Are you doing alright in the Cold Palace? I heard you went there and I've been so worried about you, but I haven't been able to contact you." I nodded, took out the grasshopper woven by Ya Huan from my cloth bag, and then pulled out the silver hairpin hidden in a lining, handing them to her: "I'm fine, don't worry, many people are taking care of me. This is the grasshopper Ya Huan woven for you; she specially asked me to bring it to you, saying it would help you pass the time. And this silver hairpin is her savings, something she had saved up for a long time, saying it would be useful in case you encounter any difficulties."
Qin Lan took the grasshopper and silver hairpin, looking at the intricate patterns on the grasshopper with a puzzled expression: "Who sent this? I don't know anyone named Ya Huan." Her gaze lingered on the grasshopper, her eyes full of confusion. I then took out the chrysanthemum tea given to me by Consort Su and the ointment I had made myself, handing them to her: "This is chrysanthemum tea from Consort Su; it's good for cooling down in the summer. This is the ointment I made; you have many wounds on your hands, applying it will help them heal faster." Seeing her still confused, I explained softly: "Ya Huan is a little palace maid who delivers meals to the Cold Palace with me. She's very skillful, and this grasshopper was made by her."
Qin Lan took the items and hugged them tightly to her chest, as if they were precious treasures. She looked up at me, her eyes filled with doubt: "Zhao Zhao, are you... hiding something from me? You've been acting strange today; you used to call me Sister Lanlan."
My heart sank. Sure enough, Qin Lan had sensed something was wrong. Her fingertips unconsciously traced the location of the short blade at her waist—a muscle memory ingrained from her time as a special forces soldier; in modern missions, she would instinctively check her weapon in unexpected situations. I opened my mouth, wanting to explain, but didn't know where to begin—I couldn't very well tell her that I wasn't the real Tian Zhao, that I was a special forces soldier from the modern era, someone who had transmigrated, could I?
Just then, a soft cough came from outside the woodshed—it was Aunt Li's signal, indicating that someone had arrived. Qin Lan's expression changed instantly. She quickly stuffed the things into her bosom, grabbed my hand, and said, "Zhao Zhao, I have to go. If the head maid finds out, we'll all be in trouble. You must take good care of yourself in the palace. Don't worry about me; I'll find a way to survive."
Seeing Qin Lan's anxious expression, I felt helpless and regretful. I could only quickly take out the jade pendant that Consort Li had entrusted to me and hand it to her: "This is the jade pendant that Consort Li asked me to give you. She said... she would find a way to rescue you." Qin Lan took the jade pendant and, seeing the familiar orchid pattern on it, finally couldn't hold back her tears. She clutched the jade pendant tightly and nodded vigorously: "I understand. Please thank Her Majesty for me. Zhao Zhao, we'll... find another opportunity to meet in the future."
After saying that, Qin Lan quickly walked towards the door of the woodshed. When she reached the door, she turned back to look at me, her eyes full of reluctance. I stood there, watching her figure disappear through the woodshed doorway, feeling both lost and relieved—at least I had seen Qin Lan, conveyed everyone's good wishes to her, and told her about Consort Li's promise, giving her hope to live.
A moment later, Aunt Li came in. Seeing my dejected look, she gently comforted me, "Don't be too sad. It's already quite an achievement to be able to meet you and deliver the things. If there's a chance in the future, I'll arrange it for you again." I looked at Aunt Li gratefully, "Thank you so much, Aunt. You've really gone to so much trouble today." Aunt Li waved her hand, "It was nothing. You should go back now. Don't stay here too long, lest you attract attention."
I nodded and followed Aunt Li out of the laundry department's backyard, heading back towards the Cold Palace along the same path we had come from. The wind carried the faint scent of soapberry, brushing against my face, but it couldn't dispel the desolation in my heart. I knew that although this meeting was brief, it at least let Qin Lan know that many people still cared about her, and that people were working hard for her. I secretly resolved to find ways to help Qin Lan more in the future, striving to help her leave the Laundry Department as soon as possible.
When I returned to the Cold Palace, Ya Huan was waiting for me in the courtyard. Seeing me, she immediately came to greet me and asked anxiously, "Sister Zhao, how did it go? Did you see Sister Qin Lan? Is she alright?" I took Ya Huan's hand and told her what had happened. As Ya Huan listened, tears welled up in her eyes. "Sister Qin Lan is so pitiful. We must find a way to rescue her." I nodded.
In the days that followed, the Cold Palace remained peaceful and warm. Ya Huan and I tended to the flowers and plants in the courtyard every day, kept Consort Xian and Consort Su company, and occasionally received small gifts from Consort Rong at the door. Although Qin Lan was still suffering in the Laundry Department, we all believed that as long as Consort Li did not give up, and as long as we worked together, we would surely be able to free Qin Lan from her suffering soon.
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