Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Encounter
In the inner hall of Fengzao Palace, the queen half-prostrated herself on the elephant couch, her shoulders heaving as she wept silently.
She had originally ordered the doors to be closed early, only because she was upset and didn't want to make a fool of herself. It wasn't because she really wanted to lock anyone out. She didn't care that much about the life or death of a palace maid.
However, when Jinyu reported back that all the instructions had been given and that the only person who had gone out on errands was Qingzan, the Queen still raised her head slightly, her eyes gleefully gloating, and said, "Well done."
"I'm afraid there are people who are blind." Jin Yu said with her head down.
"If anyone dares to open the door for her, I will find a reason to send him to do a menial job," said the queen.
Because of her family, she couldn't give Qing Zan away, but could she not give other palace maids away?
After a while, the queen buried her face in the pillow and cried again.
She can only torment these slaves and maids!
However, the emperor did not rest in Guanju Palace tonight as she expected.
A palace attendant came in with the good news: "I heard that the emperor has set out again, and it seems he has returned to the Taiji Palace."
"What?" The Queen was stunned for a moment before she laughed heartily, "It shouldn't be hers. Sure enough, I can't keep it."
Guanju Palace.
The emperor visited the eldest prince and learned that he had just choked on his food and was not seriously injured. He then had dinner with Ming Zhaoyi and left the same way he came.
Everyone in Guanju Palace knew that the rift between His Majesty and Ming Zhaoyi had been going on for a long time. Neither of them ever got angry or angry when they met; when they were together, they were always peaceful, even chatting and laughing. In front of outsiders, the Emperor always seemed to give Ming Zhaoyi the proper respect.
But it was just this one thing - he hadn't stayed overnight in Guanju Palace for a long time.
None of the people below are clear-headed.
The Emperor's chariot passed through the Ganlu Gate and returned to the Taiji Hall. From a distance, the young eunuch who had been stationed at the Taiji Hall entrance came out to greet him. Seeing Xu Delu at the head of the procession, whisk slung across his shoulder, the young eunuch mustered his courage, stealthily pulled him aside, and whispered, "Eunuch Xu, what exactly is the reason for His Majesty and Concubine Zhaoyi's current behavior?"
As the emperor's most popular person, if Xu Delu didn't know the reason, then others would have no way of knowing.
Xu Delu gave him a look that was full of mystery. "You haven't been serving here long, so we won't bother with you this time. But remember this from now on: don't ask questions you shouldn't. Serving in the Imperial Court, you need to keep your mouth shut."
The young eunuch pretended to hit himself on the mouth and said with an apologetic smile, "Yes, yes, eunuch, I am right. Isn't this just curiosity?"
Xu Delu sneered, ignored him, and walked into the hall.
The young eunuch was suspicious. Why did Eunuch Xu just leave? The Emperor's chariot was about to stop. Didn't the eunuch need to accompany His Majesty and wait for his orders?
Looking again, the imperial carriage had already stopped, but the emperor had not come down for some reason.
The young eunuch watched for a long time, and then he tiptoed and approached the solemn imperial procession with great respect.
He looked inside tentatively, passing the row of armored guards standing straight and steady outside the chariot.
The damp evening breeze blew the curtains in front of the chariot.
"ah--?"
The young eunuch was so frightened that he fell back and quickly turned around to catch up with Xu Delu.
There was no doubt that he received a stern rebuke from the eunuch in front of the imperial court: "What are you yelling about, you troublemaker? We promoted you to the imperial court, not to let you break the rules of the imperial court."
The young eunuch suppressed the half-surprise and half-fear on his face and asked in a tinier and tinier voice, "Eunuch, why is there no one on the chariot..."
Xu Delu finally stopped and looked back at the horizon. Unfortunately, it was raining heavily today, and the sky was also foggy and dark, with no moon visible.
He shook his head and sighed, "It's the 15th of April again. I'm still hazy and worried."
"Our Majesty seems to be a ruthless emperor, but he is not..."
Xu Delu was halfway through his reflection when he suddenly came to his senses and deliberately threatened, "His Majesty has his own destinations. Have you forgotten what we just taught you? Which eye did you see His Majesty not in the palace tonight? Close that eye! There are many fools and clever ghosts in this palace. It all depends on whether you want to be a human or a ghost."
The young eunuch was so frightened that he turned pale as death, fearing his head would be chopped off. He pointed to the sky and swore three times: "This servant saw nothing, knows nothing, and I won't ask any more questions!"
*
At three o'clock in the morning, outside Lianbi Palace, there was a mournful sound of wind, like the weeping of ghosts.
Taking advantage of the sudden stop of the rain, Qingzan ran to the abandoned palace in his memory.
There was no way. After curfew, not only would there be eunuchs guarding the door outside the concubine's bedroom, but the Yulin Army on night patrol would also pass by frequently. If she stayed near Fengzao Palace, it would be like waiting for death. But if she asked the eunuch to open the door for her, it would not only implicate others, but would also not be good for herself.
Qingzan had passed by Lianbi Palace once or twice while on errands. This was once the residence of the late emperor's sixth daughter, Princess Lianbi. The palace's name was the princess's title during her prime. Because it was a separate hall, without a walled courtyard, she could easily see the traces of time's decay in front of the hall without even approaching.
Although it was desolate and eerie, it was a perfect place for her to take shelter from the rain and avoid the patrolling guards.
Just as she had seen before, the weeds outside the temple were unrestrained and had grown taller than a person's waist.
I just don’t know why…
Tonight, a faint light could be seen in the hall that should have been dark and silent.
The branches and grass outside the hall were illuminated by the faint light leaking from the hall, and the doorway was suddenly covered with ghostly shadows.
Qingzan doesn't believe in ghosts and gods, but she is afraid of living people.
Qingzan hesitated.
It was so late, and someone was here. Who could it be? Could it be a palace maid who had come to take shelter from the heavy rain just now, just like her? Was she still going in?
Just then, the wind calmed down for a while.
Clank, clank, tap, tap—
The Yulin Army responsible for night patrol was still a hundred feet away, but the sound of metal moving in action was already heard very clearly.
"Let's go over there and take a look."
They are coming here!
Qingzan, who had originally hesitated to move forward, immediately discarded all hesitation.
The door of the main hall of Lianbi Palace was half open, and Qingzan rushed into the palace at an extremely fast speed.
Safely concealing her figure, Qingzan exhaled half a breath. With the remaining half breath, she immediately traced back to the source of the light.
On the moldy, dusty, and worm-eaten wooden screen framed on the ground, there was a tall outline highlighted by the bright light. It could be seen that the person was wearing a hat and robe, and should be a man sitting upright with his clothes straight.
The man seemed to have noticed something and looked towards her.
The uninvited guest who broke into the house was caught red-handed, and Qingzan was confused and shocked.
But she had no time to think deeply. She put down the box containing the jade material and, in a hurry, took steps as light as a butterfly or a swallow. In an instant, she was behind the screen that was so high that it almost reached the beam. She blew out the candle on the table in front of the man accurately and quickly.
call--
She performed a series of movements in one go at a speed rarely seen in her life, without anyone else being able to react at all.
The hall fell into darkness, and Qingzan was finally able to relax her frowning brows.
Only then did she look up in the darkness and estimate the man's approximate location.
Little did he know that the man was right next to him.
"You." In the darkness, a cold breath approached her. Although she was clearly indoors, it felt as if the cold was accompanied by wind and snow.
After hearing half a word, Qingzan's hand covered his thin lips faster than his brain.
"Shh—" She stopped him quietly and explained, "Sorry, the patrolman is outside."
It was a soft, delicate voice unique to women, like the soft whispers of a spring breeze entwining one's little finger, or a lover's whisper on a pillow at midnight, making one's heart itch the more one listens.
She was still unaware of herself and continued to plead in this voice: "I'll let you go. Could you please stop talking first?"
"Yeah." Fortunately, the person on the opposite side was quite cooperative.
Qingzan then loosened her palm which was slightly burned by his breath.
And just as she expected, the orderly and majestic footsteps of the Yulin Army had already arrived here, and seemed to circle around the outside of the hall, getting farther and farther away, and gradually disappeared.
Qingzan continued to listen carefully for a while, confirmed that the two were safe, and turned his gaze back to the present.
But even after staying in the darkness for such a while, my eyes had adapted a lot more than before, but when I looked at people face to face, I could still only make out a rough outline.
Therefore, based on that hurried and hasty glance before the candle went out, coupled with the dark outline, Qingzan could only barely confirm that he did not know this person.
As for this person's identity, it was impossible to determine at the moment.
However, no matter what, she is the latecomer after all.
Out of courtesy, Qing Zan stepped back slightly and bowed, saying, "Although I don't know your identity, what I did just now was due to urgency and I meant no offense. If the patrol saw you and me here during curfew, it would be difficult to explain and no one would benefit."
The person in front of him seemed very calm and even laughed softly.
In the darkness, he sat leisurely, neither asking for apology nor offering forgiveness. He simply asked casually, "Servant? Are you a palace maid?"
Qingzan had no intention of hiding anything: "Yes. And you, sir, are you... a guard?"
Although he addressed her respectfully as "Your Excellency," Qingzan's rough guess was that no royal relatives, nobles, or princes were present in the palace today. As for the Emperor, he was always accompanied by a swarm of guards, so that was impossible. This person's voice was clear and cold, like jade hitting water. He certainly wasn't one of those purged eunuchs. That left only one possibility: a palace guard.
Seeing that the other party didn't answer, she asked again hesitantly: "Isn't it?"
The man opposite chuckled again with an ambiguous tone.
He seemed to turn his head, looking at the leaking eaves outside the hall, listening intently.
He said with emotion: "The cool wind blows fiercely, and the evening rain falls gently."
Even though Qingzan was usually patient, he still felt a little upset by his attitude of not avoiding or answering and always looking around. He spoke with a hint of hostility and deliberately mocked her: "This is a poem about hearing the zither. You have used the wrong emotion."
In fact, if he hadn't asked about her identity first, she wouldn't have mentioned it at all. It would be best if everyone left the palace and no one remembered each other, just pretending they had never met tonight.
After understanding this, Qingzan stopped nagging: "Since Your Excellency has no intention of telling me, I shouldn't force you. It's better for fellow criminals to know less. I apologize for any offense I've caused you. I won't bother you any more. However, this is Princess Lianbi's former residence, so you shouldn't stay here for too long."
Princess Lianbi was once the most beloved daughter of the late emperor. However, she eventually joined forces with her brother to rebel and force the emperor to abdicate. She plotted to poison her own father and attempted to usurp the throne of the current emperor. Therefore, since her execution, this palace has been abandoned until now.
As compensation for the offense she had given him tonight, she gave him this advice.
As for whether the person on the other side listened to her or not, it was no longer relevant to her.
Qingzan was about to turn around when the man seemed to have keenly sensed her intention to leave.
In the dim light, he raised his sleeve and waved his hand, and the next moment, the fire starter with the lid removed suddenly burst into a sharp light, and the candle tongue that had been dormant for a while also began to leap vigorously again.
Before Qingzan could even turn around, she had no choice but to see the appearance of the man sitting there in danger.
It was as if this small candle, a few inches long, was wearing expensive and dazzling armor for him, piercing into her eyes.
Where the firelight came from, he was seen wearing his black Liuhe boots, the hem of his black and gold-inlaid robe, and the jade belt hook on his belt that shone warmly. Qingzan didn't dare to look any further.
After just a moment of hesitation——
"Why don't you tell me why I can't stay here for too long?"
"Your servant greets His Majesty."
Two voices sounded at the same time.
Qingzan knelt hurriedly at the emperor's feet.
Tonight, the other person in this hall is the emperor!
She hated herself for not being quicker. If she had said goodbye and left before facing him frankly under the candlelight, could she have escaped this embarrassment?
She even tried to persuade the current emperor not to stay here for long, mocked him for reciting the poem incorrectly, and even brazenly warned him before leaving that she and she were accomplices, hoping to ensure that he would keep his mouth shut. How ridiculous!
"You are very smart." Xiao Fang praised generously.
The casual clothes he wore today were not all dark yellow, but she could still tell his identity at a glance.
Qingzan didn't dare accept the compliment, wondering if there was some deeper meaning behind it. She practically bowed her head to the ground and said, "This servant is extremely stupid. I would have offended Your Majesty. I deserve death."
Seeing her fearful reaction, the emperor seemed quite disappointed. His interest waned, and his tone became a little colder: "This is boring."
Everyone in the palace treated him with such respect, including her.
Qingzan had already broken out in cold sweat on his back, and he wished he could escape immediately.
For her, a single misjudgment could mean life or death, but for the emperor, the comment was merely amusing and boring.
Indeed, whether it is the maid in the marquis's mansion or the palace maid in the forbidden court, they are all as lowly as grass, and it is a great honor to be able to provide entertainment for the noble.
All she could do was stay away from them.
Therefore, she had no intention of arguing and just lay there in silence.
Suddenly, a large hand grabbed her arm and pulled it upwards. Qingzan knew that this was the emperor's instruction for her to stand up, so she obeyed and climbed up from the ground neatly and without any hesitation or affectation.
Her rules have always been good.
Then, the emperor withdrew his hand without saying a word. However, Qingzan could feel that there was a sharp gaze as stern as a frost knife observing her.
What is he looking at?
Qingzan thought of her hair, damp from the sudden downpour, and quickly lowered her head. She also thought of her collar, sticking to her skin, and her neck shrank. And that most rebellious hand, pressing on the emperor's mouth, trying to seal it... She clasped her hands behind her back. It was like the flame of the lamp licking her face, a pungent and hot sensation, making her face burn and humiliated.
Since you have lost your manners so much, you might as well kneel down again!
Just as Qingzan's knees went weak and she was about to kowtow and apologize in a very spineless manner, the emperor stood up first and took a step towards her.
Qingzan's apology turned into defense, and he instinctively took a step back.
He paused, staring at her with a half-smile, as if he could see through her every move. He gently rubbed his right thumb and index finger together, wiping away the moisture that had just stained her sleeve. His voice was scattered: "Tonight—"
Qingzan's breath was choked.
"I pardon you."
Qingzan's heart rose and fell violently during this moment of breathing.
It seemed that he was not going to argue with her about his behavior tonight.
Fearing that the emperor might change his mind again, Qing Zan asked tentatively, "Thank you for your grace, my Lord. I will then take my leave and not disturb your Majesty."
The emperor chuckled but gave no clear answer. He seemed to enjoy leaving others in suspense.
After a long while, Fang Enshi casually asked, "Which palace are you from?"
As luck would have it, just a moment before asking this question, Qingzan had already decided to regard his silence as tacit consent, and turned around resolutely and resolutely to leave.
Anyway, he didn't say he wouldn't let her go.
However, according to the palace rules, servants must never turn their backs when serving their masters. Even when leaving, they must face their masters and move away little by little.
But at this moment, even the most disciplined people couldn't stand it anymore. Qingzan just wanted to put an end to this absurdity as soon as possible, and her actions completely lost their order.
Then let's just go all the way! Qingzan made up her mind and didn't stop. Instead, she pretended not to hear anything and fled behind the screen, not forgetting to nimbly pick up the box of rare jade.
If all went well, she would be able to quickly step over the high threshold of the palace gate and leave.
If things don't go well -
The sound of the raindrops was like a ladle of hot oil poured into a pot. It was sunny and rainy again. The ground outside was suddenly like beads of water, splashing and making people dizzy, making it difficult to move forward or backward.
"Huh? Are you going to abandon your accomplice?" The emperor had been standing leisurely beside the screen at some point, just watching her being trapped in the hall.
Any movement from him at this moment was like an inhumane death-premonition talisman, a leisurely sword hanging from his neck. His innate leisurely demeanor also brought with it the invisible oppression of a blunt knife.
The look he gave her seemed to be mocking her ridiculousness: Don’t you want to escape?
"In reply to your Majesty, I am from Ziquan Palace. The master is still waiting for me to return and report..."
Qingzan still had her back to the people, as if only in this way could she successfully tell her clumsy lies under such overwhelming pressure.
The clothing of ordinary palace maids serving in the imperial concubines' palaces was mostly similar, with only slight differences in color, patterns, and accessories according to their ranks. They were very different from the miscellaneous palace maids in the Yiting Bureau and the female officials in the six bureaus.
She then told a lie that was as far from the truth as possible within the appropriate range.
"Oh, from the Queen Mother's palace."
The emperor pretended to understand, but he obviously had no intention of letting her go: "Why haven't I seen you before?"
"I have only been in the palace for a short time and don't often serve in the front." Qingzan's voice was trembling.
Right now.
While the emperor was distracted and trying to figure out her answer, Qingzan suddenly tightened her grip on the box. In a flash, she dived into the heavy rain that was like a dragnet without even looking back.
Afraid that he would call her again, she was like a fearless swallow, letting the rain pour down on her body, and her steps became more and more muddy and awkward, but she refused to slow down even a little.
Knowing that the man in the hall was eyeing her covetously, she seemed to have the courage to sacrifice her life.
After all, the words of deceiving the emperor just now were already a capital crime, so it didn't matter if he committed this one more crime.
Qingzan's mind was in a mess, she felt dizzy and disoriented. She didn't know where she got such courage from, but the look in the emperor's eyes was not unfamiliar to her.
From childhood to adulthood, more than one man has looked at her with such dangerous eyes.
Only this time, it was more relaxed and a little more dangerous.
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