Chapter 35 Daji (Part 2) Mission
The sound of Emperor Xin's departing footsteps was like heavy drumbeats, gradually disappearing in the mist outside the Tangquan Palace. What was left behind was the silence in the room and a heart hanging in the air, at a loss.
Lin Jiaojiao was still leaning against the warm pool wall, water droplets sliding down her smooth skin and dripping into the pool with a slight sound. The remaining touch on her chin, Di Xin's eyes burning with flames, and the declaration "You are my Daji" were engraved in her consciousness like a brand, lingering.
[Zero...] She called out silently in her heart, with a hint of fragility as if seeking support.
"I'm here." Ling's voice rang out immediately, steady, cool, and as firm as a rock. "Emperor Xin has left. The area is safe. The attendants will be entering soon. Prepare to leave the bathhouse."
His voice had a strange soothing power, dispelling the panic in Lin Jiaojiao's heart.
She took a deep breath, and the moist air with the fragrance of flowers rushed into her lungs, calming her down a little. She did as she was told and slowly stood up from the water. The warm water flowed down her body, outlining her slender yet well-proportioned curves. Her skin was exposed to the slightly cool air, making her shiver.
Almost at the same time, the curtain was lifted again, and several female slaves in plain palace costumes came in one after another with their heads lowered. In their hands were soft, highly absorbent linen towels and a stack of neatly folded new dresses that exuded an elegant fragrance.
The slave girls moved gently and quickly, and no one dared to look up at her.
They carefully wrapped Lin Jiaojiao's body with a cloth and absorbed the water droplets, their movements as gentle as if they were treating a rare treasure.
Then, they put on the dress for her. It was a moon-white fine linen gown. The material was light, soft, and felt like running water. The lapels and cuffs were embroidered with delicate lotus patterns in silver thread, and a light green silk ribbon was tied around her waist. The dress was simple and elegant yet luxurious, perfectly setting off her elegant and refined temperament.
Lin Jiaojiao let them do whatever they wanted, but her heart was filled with curiosity and a hint of uneasiness.
This strange body, this strange clothes, this strange... identity, she looked at the blurry reflection in the water, that face... was indeed very beautiful, so beautiful that even she herself seemed a little unfamiliar.
"Mrs. Su, please follow me." The leading female slave whispered respectfully, with a barely perceptible awe in her voice.
Lin Jiaojiao nodded, and with the help of the female slave, she walked barefoot on the cool and smooth stone floor and walked out of the Tangquan Hall.
Outside the palace, it was already late at night. A crescent moon hung in the dark blue sky, casting a cool silver glow. The night wind blew in with a chill, causing tiny bumps to appear on her exposed skin.
"Cold?" Ling's voice sounded in his mind, with a hint of imperceptible concern.
[Hmm... a little.] Lin Jiaojiao responded in her heart.
"Be patient for a moment. The Star-Picking Pavilion should be prepared." Ling's voice remained steady.
Sure enough, as soon as they walked out of the Tangquan Palace, a eunuch trotted forward and respectfully presented a thick and soft snow-white fox fur. The female slave took it and carefully put it on Lin Jiaojiao. The warm fur instantly dispelled the coldness and brought with it a faint, primitive scent of a beast.
She was surrounded by people as she walked along the winding corridors. The palace seemed particularly vast and deep in the night, its towering walls casting heavy shadows. Only the bronze lanterns hanging along the way emitted a dim glow, barely illuminating the path.
The air was filled with the moisture of night dew and the fragrance of grass and trees. Occasionally, the heavy footsteps of patrolling soldiers and the friction of metal armor could be heard in the distance, adding a sense of solemnity and... depression.
I don’t know how long I walked, but after passing through several palace gates, the view in front of me suddenly opened up.
A towering palace appeared before our eyes.
It was not built on flat ground, but on a slightly higher rock, with flying eaves and brackets, and it is extraordinary.
The most eye-catching thing is the top floor of the palace, which seems to have a huge terrace, as if you can really reach out and pick the stars. The palace is surrounded by well-maintained gardens. Even in the night, you can see the outlines of exotic flowers and rugged rocks. Countless glazed lamps are hung under the eaves, making the entire palace as dazzling as a crystal palace, and complementing the stars and the moon in the sky.
"Lady Su, we have arrived at the Zhaixing Pavilion." The female slave reported respectfully.
Is this... Zhaixing Pavilion? The residence Emperor Xin had arranged for her? Lin Jiaojiao looked up at the brightly lit palace, feeling no joy at all. Instead, she felt a sense of helplessness and uncertainty, a sense of being placed high up. This magnificent palace looked more like a carefully crafted golden cage.
Led by a female slave, she stepped onto the white marble steps and entered the hall.
The scene inside the hall made her breath take her breath away.
The floor was paved with black marble polished to a mirror-like finish, reflecting the numerous glazed palace lanterns hanging above, which looked like stars.
A huge bronze screen inlaid with shells and colored stones separates the space. The walls are painted with colorful murals depicting fairy mountains, pavilions, rare treasures and exotic animals. The air is filled with the scent of elegant and expensive spices.
The furnishings within the hall were extravagant. A low, carved rosewood couch was covered with a thick, snow-white animal hide mattress. The desk was polished from a single piece of warm jade. The gold-inlaid and jade-inlaid antique shelves were filled with all sorts of rare treasures she couldn't name, gleaming charmingly under the light. There was even an ancient-looking bronze chime in the corner...
"Mrs. Sumei, please take a rest. The king has ordered that all expenses be prepared according to the highest standards. If you need anything, please feel free to tell me." The female slaves stood by with their heads bowed respectfully.
Lin Jiaojiao stood in the center of the spacious and magnificent hall, looking at the strange and luxurious things around her, and felt her hands and feet cold.
This huge palace, these luxurious furnishings, these respectful female slaves, everything made her feel extremely unreal and out of place. She was like a pearl forcibly inlaid on a golden base, dazzling but without a foundation.
[Zero…this place…is so big…so empty…] She whispered in her heart, with a barely perceptible hint of vulnerability.
"This is your home and your sanctuary." Zero's voice was gentle and calm. "Don't be afraid, I'm here."
Lin Jiaojiao looked around. Those priceless treasures meant nothing to her. She felt only loneliness and coldness. [I don't belong here...]
"Your name is Su Daji, this is Zhaixing Pavilion, this is your current world." Ling's voice carried an unquestionable guidance, "Don't worry, I will help you."
At this moment, a burst of hurried but respectful footsteps were heard outside the hall, and a eunuch walked in quickly, holding a huge lacquer box inlaid with gems.
"Mrs. Su, the king has a reward!" The eunuch knelt on the ground and raised the lacquer box high above his head.
The slave girl stepped forward and carefully opened the lacquer box. In an instant, a soft and bright light almost illuminated the entire palace.
A necklace lay quietly in the box. The body of the necklace was made up of countless polished, round and translucent pearls, each of which exuded a lustrous luster. The pendant of the necklace was a pure and flawless dark blue gem as big as a pigeon egg. Under the light, the gem reflected a deep blue light like the ocean, and there seemed to be stars flowing inside, which was breathtakingly beautiful.
"This is a South China Sea shark pearl necklace, paired with deep-sea blue crystal marrow. It is a rare treasure. The king said that only this kind of treasure can match the peerless beauty of Su Meiren!" The eunuch's voice was filled with excitement and awe.
The female slaves let out suppressed exclamations, and looked at Lin Jiaojiao with eyes filled with deeper awe and envy.
Lin Jiaojiao looked at the breathtakingly beautiful necklace, but she did not feel any joy in her heart. In her eyes, this priceless treasure was more like a heavy shackle, binding her more tightly to the identity of "Su Daji" and Emperor Xin's fiery possessive desire.
"Thank you... Your Majesty for your reward." She said softly, with a hint of imperceptible fatigue in her voice.
The slave girl carefully put the necklace away and placed it in the dressing box in the inner hall.
After the eunuchs left, silence returned to the hall again. The female slaves retreated silently to the corners and stood by. In the huge Zhaixing Pavilion, only Lin Jiaojiao was left standing in the center of the brightly lit hall. Her figure was stretched out and looked particularly thin, as if she had been like this a long time ago.
She walked to the window and pushed open the carved wooden window. The night breeze rushed in with coolness, blowing her wet hair. She looked out the window at the deep night sky, dotted with stars, like scattered diamonds.
Can you really pick stars in the Star-Picking Pavilion? She only felt that she was so far away from the free starry sky.
[Zero... What should I do?] She looked at the starry sky and asked in her heart.
"Rest." Zero's voice was concise and powerful. "Recharge your energy. Tomorrow is just the beginning. I'll be here."
Lin Jiaojiao sighed softly, closed the window, turned and walked towards the low couch covered with thick animal skins. Her body sank into the soft fur, and the warmth wrapped around her, but it could not dispel the coldness and confusion in her heart.
She closed her eyes, and Di Xin's flaming eyes appeared again, as well as Ling's calm and steady voice.
[Survival...whitewash...] These two words weigh heavily on my heart.
The night was deep, and the lights in the Star-Picking Pavilion were on all night long, like the brightest pearl on a crown, or the most eye-catching mark in a cage.
Lin Jiaojiao fell into a deep sleep in exhaustion and confusion. In her dream, there seemed to be a vague fire, shrill cries, and a pair of... red eyes.
But Zero's steady presence was like a warm barrier, protecting her and isolating her from the nightmare.
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