The Empress noticed the upheaval in the Cold Palace.
In the days following the disappearance of the rainbow, the autumn sunlight grew even gentler. Ya Huan's vegetables in the yard sprouted new leaves, and every morning she would squat by the vegetable patch, carefully pulling out weeds, humming an unknown tune. I, on the other hand, followed Consort Su in learning to identify herbs. She taught me to mix dried perilla and dried tangerine peel together, put it in a small cloth bag, and carry it with me, saying, "It's easy to cough in autumn and winter; smelling this will make you feel better." Life in the Cold Palace was like a slowly flowing stream in the corner of the courtyard, so calm that one almost forgot this was the unfathomable depths of the inner palace.
The incident occurred on an ordinary afternoon. Ya Huan and I, carrying food boxes, had just finished our meal at the Imperial Kitchen and were walking back when we were suddenly stopped by several eunuchs dressed in black at the entrance to the Cold Palace. The lead eunuch had a grim face, held a black wooden stick in his hand, and his eyes were like ice: "By order of Her Majesty the Empress, we are investigating unusual activity in the Cold Palace. We've heard that someone has been secretly exchanging gifts in the Cold Palace and even daring to associate with the outer palaces. Who is it?"
Ya Huan turned pale with fright and instinctively hid behind me. I gripped the food box's handle tightly, forcing myself to remain calm: "You jest, sir. Everyone in the Cold Palace is law-abiding. What strange activity could there be?" The eunuch sneered, stepped forward, and slammed his wooden stick into the bluestone slab: "Law-abiding? Consort Hui has sent people to the Cold Palace time and again, even bringing rare treasures. Does she think everyone in the palace is blind?" Before he finished speaking, two junior eunuchs rushed forward, reaching for the food box in my hand.
"Don't touch it!" Ya Huan suddenly rushed out, blocking my way. "The food boxes are all for the ladies; you can't touch them!" The head eunuch's eyes flashed, and he slapped Ya Huan across the face. With a crisp "smack," Ya Huan staggered back two steps, blood instantly seeping from the corner of her mouth. My heart tightened, and the fighting instincts I had honed in the special forces in my past life instantly awakened. I sidestepped the eunuch's hand, grabbed his wrist, and twisted it with a clever twist—this body wasn't very strong, but the technique of using force in the joints was still there. The eunuch cried out in pain, and his wrist went limp.
But there were too many of them. Two more eunuchs immediately surrounded me, swinging wooden sticks at me. I pulled Ya Huan back, dodging the sticks, but tripped one of the eunuchs. However, I was struck in the back by the other eunuch's stick, a dull pain shooting through me. Ya Huan cried and rushed over to help me block the attack, but the eunuch shoved her away, sending her crashing to the ground.
"Stop!" Just then, a sharp shout came from behind. I turned around and saw Consort Xian, leaning on her cane and supported by Consort Su, walking quickly towards me. Consort Rong and Consort Li followed behind, their faces grim. Consort Xian walked up to the head eunuch and slammed her cane heavily on the ground: "Her Majesty the Empress has an order, why didn't you inform the head of the Cold Palace first? How dare you lay a hand on someone in the Cold Palace? Do you have no respect for rules?"
Upon seeing Consort Xian, the eunuch's arrogance immediately diminished, but he still forced a smile and said, "It was Her Majesty the Empress who ordered us to investigate unusual activity. These two palace maids were having illicit relations with the outer palace. We were simply following the rules." Consort Li stepped forward, her eyes icy: "Having illicit relations with the outer palace? Consort Hui is an old friend of mine. Sending someone to deliver some things counts as illicit relations? Tell me, which palace rule states that old friends cannot associate with each other?" Consort Su helped Ya Huan up from the ground, took out a handkerchief and gently wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, her voice calm yet threatening: "The people in the Cold Palace are not for you to touch. If Her Majesty the Empress has any questions, let her ask her personally, or petition the Emperor, and we will settle this matter in court."
The head eunuch's face turned pale and then red. Seeing the ladies surrounding him, he knew he wouldn't get away with it today. He glared at me fiercely and slunk away with his little eunuch, saying, "We'll see!"
After everyone left, I couldn't hold on any longer. I leaned against the wall and coughed a few times, the pain in my back becoming more and more pronounced. Ya Huan threw herself into my arms, sobbing, "Sister A Zhao, I'm so scared... They were so fierce..." Consort Xian reached out and touched my back, sighing, "You've all suffered. The Empress has realized that Consort Hui is helping Consort Li, and she wants to use you as an example to intimidate others."
Consort Li walked to my side, her eyes filled with guilt: "It's all my fault. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have suffered like this." Consort Rong stood to the side, not saying a word, but took out a small porcelain bottle from her sleeve and handed it to me, saying softly, "This is... an ointment for treating external injuries. It's very effective." I took the bottle, my fingertips touching her slightly cool hand, and my heart was filled with gratitude.
Consort Su helped Ya Huan and me towards our lodgings. The Dowager Consort Xian cautioned us, "Be careful when you go out in the future, and try to travel in pairs. The Empress won't let this go easily; we need to prepare early. Ah Zhao, you reacted quickly today, but this body is too weak. Don't confront things head-on in the future; come find me if anything happens." I nodded. The pain in my back made me acutely aware that the tranquility of the Cold Palace was merely a temporary facade; the cruelty of the inner palace had finally come knocking.
Back at my lodgings, Consort Su applied ointment, the cool touch easing the pain somewhat. Ya Huan sat by the bed, still sobbing softly. I took her hand and whispered, "Don't be afraid. With Consort Xian and the other ladies here, we'll be alright." But I knew in my heart that this was just the beginning. Since the Empress had already made her move, she would only be more ruthless next time. I looked at the darkening sky outside the window and clenched my fists—in my past life on the battlefield, I had overcome even the most difficult circumstances. In this struggle within the harem, I would surely protect those around me, and safeguard this warmth in the Cold Palace.
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