He said softly, "Yuehuai, you must be careful and take good care of yourself."
Xu Yuehua smiled slightly and nodded, but felt a little nervous inside.
She followed a soldier in armor into the palace, an aura of solemnity and mystery washing over her. She looked around; towering city walls stood all around, the golden dragons on the city gates gleaming in the sunlight.
Strangely, she was not joined by the other girls who had been brought there, but was instead taken to a secluded courtyard by a young man dressed as a eunuch.
There is a simple hut and an empty yard, which looks like it has been abandoned for a long time.
The eunuch pointed to the small hut and said, "You can stay here. You'll be responsible for cleaning the courtyard every day."
After saying that, he turned and left. Xu Yuehuai was a little puzzled, but she didn't say anything more.
She entered the small house and found only a worn-out bed and some simple furniture. She put down her bundle and began to look around the yard.
In the days that followed, Xu Yuehuai silently observed the surrounding situation in the palace.
She found that everyone here was very busy, and everyone had their own responsibilities and tasks.
She was assigned some simple tasks, such as cleaning the yard and washing clothes.
Although these tasks were simple, they allowed her to experience the busyness and orderliness of the palace.
Meanwhile, Ah Qi was busy training soldiers outside the city.
He understood that to defeat the enemy, he needed a powerful army and strict discipline.
Therefore, he is busy on the training field every day, from morning to night, without complaint.
Although Xu Yuehuai was in the palace, she waited every day for a suitable opportunity, an opportunity to pass on a message to Aqi and to find the imperial edict.
As time went by, Xu Yuehuai still hadn't found an opportunity.
She began to feel anxious and helpless, but she didn't give up. She believed that as long as she waited patiently, the opportunity would surely come.
Inside the palace, Xu Yuehuai sensed an unusual atmosphere.
Although she was a low-ranking palace maid, her intelligence and shrewdness allowed her to uncover the secrets hidden deep within the magnificent palace. She discovered that some officials were colluding with foreign powers, secretly engaging in illicit transactions.
These transactions not only involved large amounts of gold and silver treasures, but also touched upon the safety of the nation.
Xu Yuehuai felt uneasy, knowing that if these things were allowed to continue, they would bring enormous disaster to the country and its people. Therefore, she decided to investigate thoroughly and expose the true colors of these people.
However, her actions had to be extremely secretive, because those officials wielded immense power in the palace, and the slightest misstep could expose her and even endanger her life.
To better understand the situation, Xu Yuehuai contacted other maids and eunuchs in the palace through various channels, establishing a small intelligence network.
Although these maids and eunuchs were of lowly status, they were all very alert and deeply dissatisfied with the actions of those officials.
They all provided Xu Yuehuai with intelligence, hoping to bring those people to justice.
Xu Yuehuai felt very gratified, knowing that she was not fighting alone.
However, just as she was preparing to take further action, she was suddenly transferred away by the eunuch.
She was startled, knowing that the officials had begun to take action. But she didn't give up; she knew she had to find a solution quickly, or everything would be beyond repair.
Before leaving, Xu Yuehuai exchanged glances with the maids and eunuchs, a silent understanding and encouragement.
She knew they would continue her mission to expose the true nature of those officials. She gave them a deep look, then turned and left the palace.
Her heart was filled with determination and courage. She knew she was about to face unknown challenges, but she felt no fear. In her heart, there was only one goal: to expose the crimes of those officials, to recover the losses for the country, and to stabilize peace among the four nations.
She knew full well that this was a dangerous road, but she embarked on it without hesitation.
Xu Yuehuai was led by a palace attendant into a magnificent palace, the interior of which amazed her.
She followed the eunuchs through a series of ornate doorways and finally arrived at a spacious bedroom.
The bedroom was decorated in an extremely luxurious manner, with a high ceiling inlaid with dazzling gemstones that emitted a brilliant light.
On the soft couch, a pale-faced man leaned against a brocade cushion, his eyes revealing a hint of weariness.
After bowing to the man, the eunuch said to Xu Yuehuai, "This is our esteemed king. You will stay here from now on." With that, he withdrew from the bedchamber.
The man didn't even lift his eyelids, and said indifferently, "Come here and give me a massage."
Although Xu Yuehuai was somewhat nervous, she remained calm on the surface. She slowly walked forward and knelt beside the soft couch.
The man's face was unusually pale, and he looked very weak.
She carefully adjusted his posture and then began to gently massage his shoulders.
The man's cough suddenly broke the silence of the hall.
Xu Yuehua stopped what she was doing and observed his reaction.
The man frowned slightly, as if he were enduring pain. A pang of pity welled up in her heart.
"Ahem, well, you can continue," the man said softly, seemingly not wanting Xu Yuehuai to worry.
Xu Yuehuai resumed the massage, her hands applying just the right amount of pressure, gentle yet powerful.
The man's gaze gradually relaxed, and he closed his eyes, seemingly enjoying this moment of peace.
Gradually, the man's breathing became steady.
Xu Yuehuai's fingers danced lightly on his shoulders, like a skilled dancer.
Her technique made the man feel very comfortable, and a satisfied expression appeared on his face.
"Ahem, you have a good grip," the man suddenly said. "Are you new here? What's your name?"
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Xu Yuehuai replied respectfully, “My name is Xiaoyue.”
“Xiaoyue,” the man repeated, “is a good name.”
Xu Yuehuai secretly breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed that the man was not angry because of her mistake.
She continued to massage him attentively, hoping to relieve his fatigue. After the massage, the man slowly opened his eyes.
He looked at Xu Yuehuai, a deep meaning flashing in his eyes, and said gently, "From now on, you will stay by my side and be my close attendant."
Xu Yuehuai was overjoyed. This was the opportunity she had always longed for to get closer to him, and she hadn't expected it to be so easy.
She immediately knelt down and kowtowed to express her gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your kindness in promoting me."
From that day on, Xu Yuehuai became a close attendant to the King of Mingyue. She served the king diligently, winning his trust and favor with her skills and sincerity.
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