Incident
“You know you can’t.” Ye Youqing sighed.
Zhou Ziqiu smiled faintly.
“I’ve always had a question, but I don’t know if I should ask.”
“Feel free to ask.”
“Why did you abandon Shi Li and enter the palace alone when you were being pursued into the forest?” Ye Youqing had always remembered what Shi Li had said, and now she finally asked.
Zhou Ziqiu’s expression became somewhat dazed, as if searching through her memories. After a while, she spoke: “I remember that day, Xiaoshi was sleeping soundly. Someone called out from the mountains, saying Shi Li’s crime would implicate her family. The court had already sent people to arrest her parents, but if I returned to the palace in time to mitigate the loss, the crime would be pardoned.”
“I believed it at the time.” Zhou Ziqiu lowered her eyes, a look of regret appearing for the first time. “It was only much later that I heard news of Xiaoshi’s death, and after many inquiries, I learned that her parents had also passed away.”
“Because of me, her family was destroyed. How could I have the face to ask for her forgiveness?” Zhou Ziqiu seemed to be talking to herself, suddenly losing all her strength, and leaned weakly against the table.
Ye Youqing looked at the thin figure in front of her, her nose tingling, and lowered her head to hide her reddening eyes. Indeed, a person looks much older when they are thin. If Shi Li saw the current Zhou Ziqiu, who knows what she would think.
Ye Youqing swallowed the strange lump in her throat and said softly, “But she never blamed you. She said she only blamed herself.”
Zhou Ziqiu lowered her head without speaking, lost in thought.
“I cannot stay for long, I must take my leave.” Ye Youqing exhaled a breath of turbid air, brushed away the fallen flowers on her shoulder, turned to leave, but suddenly remembered something, abruptly stopping in her tracks, “No matter what happens in the future, I hope Your Majesty can spare your own life, do not seek death under any circumstances.”
“What meaning does my life still hold?” Zhou Ziqiu said distantly; she was truly exhausted.
“Even if not for Shi Li, you should do it for Ci Ke. Things will get better in the future.” Ye Youqing finally said.
Zhou Ziqiu did not respond further, only saying in the end, “Do not tell them.”
Ye Youqing did not reply, opened the door, and walked out into the clear sky filled with flying flowers like snow.
A few days passed in a blur, and the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet arrived as scheduled. At the same time, good news came from the border, stating that the Western Xia could no longer resist and had already retreated in disarray. When this news reached the capital, which had been shrouded in gloom, it suddenly cleared up, and both the common people and officials were overjoyed, feeling a great sense of relief.
Simultaneously, the rebel army was intercepted a hundred miles away, just waiting for reinforcements to completely annihilate the rebels.
Driven by these double celebrations, the birthday banquet on that day was even more grand than in previous years, with lanterns and decorations, the sound of drums and music resounding, the level of festivity reaching its peak.
High-ranking officials of the court, along with their families, took carriages to the palace early in the morning to offer blessings to the Empress Dowager. The imperial palace was once again filled with people, only the Emperor, who had just recovered, did not appear, as he was not yet fit to face the wind.
On this day, from the moment Ci Ke woke up in the morning, she felt a constant palpitation, but did not know the reason. It was not until she entered the palace and was surrounded by the crowd, which distracted her attention, that she felt somewhat better.
After the midday banquet, Zhou Hong saw that she was still uneasy, so he took her to the Imperial Garden. Immersed in the full bloom of spring, with colorful butterflies fluttering around, it could help one calm down.
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“Miss Ye, being an outsider, was not on the invitation list, so she did not come today.” Zhou Hong really did not know what was wrong with Ci Ke, so he could only offer words of comfort.
Ci Ke nodded, picked up a round fan embroidered with green mountains, and fanned herself in front of her chest, attempting to dispel some of the heat.
She naturally knew that she was not worried about Ye Youqing.
“Brother, did you see the Sixth Prince today?” Ci Ke bypassed a few young men who were frequently turning back to look at her and walked towards an unoccupied area.
Zhou Hong shook his head, “Just now when we were dining, I specifically looked around several times. All the other princes and princesses were present, but she was not seen. Perhaps she is busy with other matters.”
As Ci Ke walked, her steps grew heavier. Finally, she turned and headed towards the inner palace. Men were not allowed in the inner palace, so Zhou Hong could only wait outside, watching Ci Ke disappear alone behind the palace walls.
Since a long time ago, Zhou Ziqiu had been avoiding her, as if determined. Ci Ke furrowed her dark eyebrows, her skirt swaying behind her, and walked briskly past rows of palace servants, stopping at the entrance of Qiushui Palace.
Strangely, there was no one guarding the entrance that day, and the main door was slightly ajar.
Ci Ke’s heart skipped a beat; without time to think much, she pushed open the door and walked in. The front yard was empty; she quickened her pace, walked briskly past the green potted plants, crossed the corridor, and entered inside, only to see the backs of a group of imperial guards.
The people inside had already heard her movements. At this moment, they all turned their heads, revealing a corner of Zhou Ziqiu’s clothing, which was tightly covered.
Ci Ke thought to herself that this was not good, knowing that she could no longer leave. She then stopped her steps, breathed steadily, and stood still in the corridor.
“Aunt.” Ci Ke tightened her heartstrings but appeared calm and composed, walking slowly past the imperial guards and standing before Zhou Ziqiu.
Zhou Ziqiu’s expression turned stern the moment she saw her, but she quickly reached out to pull her over, smilingly saying, “Why are you not outside enjoying the spring with others and instead came to Qiushui Palace?”
Ci Ke also pressed her lips together, “The spring scenery looks boring, so I came to see Aunt.”
Seeing the two talking, the long-faced eunuch leading the imperial guards smiled and said, “Noble Consort, it is not too late for you two to chat later. The Emperor’s health has just improved, and upon waking, he wanted to see you. He is currently waiting in Funing Palace, so please do not keep him waiting too long.”
“Indeed, it has been a while since I last saw Ci Ke, and we talked a bit more.” Zhou Ziqiu said gracefully, extending her palm, “Please.”
“Not at all, not at all.” The long-faced eunuch smiled awkwardly, stepping aside to make way for Zhou Ziqiu. Zhou Ziqiu said nothing more, walking through the crowd towards the main door.
As she crossed the corridor, for some reason, she slipped slightly, barely stabilizing herself by holding onto the doorpost.
Ci Ke took a step forward, enduring without making a sound, watching as Zhou Ziqiu lifted her skirt, supported by Chunhong, and led the imposing imperial guards towards Funing Palace, disappearing from sight.
Only then did Ci Ke’s expression change abruptly. She strode out of the threshold and ran towards the direction of the palace exit, disregarding everything. The palace staff were bustling along the way, forcing her to run and dodge until she ran out of the palace walls, where she was grabbed by Zhou Hong.
“Ci Ke? What are you doing?” Zhou Hong looked at her, her face flushed from running, panting heavily, and asked in confusion.
Ci Ke had no time to explain, reversing her grip on him, and urgently whispered, “Quick, Aunt is in danger, go find the Sixth Prince!”
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“What…” Zhou Hong was taken aback by her words, and before he could fully respond, Ci Ke had already squeezed through the crowd, running towards the Sixth Prince’s residence.
The two knocked on the door of the residence, and an old man with a hunched back poked his head out. Seeing Ci Ke’s face, he grinned with his toothless mouth, “Miss Ci Ke, are you here to see the Sixth Prince?”
“Old Liu, where is His Highness?” Ci Ke steadied her breathing and quickly asked.
“His Highness is not in the palace today. He left early this morning on the Emperor’s orders to handle the rebel troops and probably won’t be back for some time. If you want to find him, you must wait until tomorrow.” The old man said, trembling.
“Tomorrow…” Ci Ke’s legs weakened, and she looked at Zhou Hong with a blank stare, “What to do, Aunt…”
Zhou Hong was also momentarily at a loss, only able to comfort the pale-faced Ci Ke, “Don’t panic yet, maybe Aunt was just called for questioning and is not in danger.”
Ci Ke shook her head, leaning powerlessly against the wall: “Why would she be accompanied by so many imperial guards when invited on a normal day? That was clearly an abduction!”
“Ye Youqing!” Ci Ke suddenly stood up and grabbed Zhou Hong, “Go find her, she must have a way!”
Before Zhou Hong could react, Ci Ke had already lifted her skirt and was running towards the palace gate.
Her legs felt as if they were filled with lead, her chest was painfully tight, but she dared not stop, only repeating “It will be fine” in her mind to comfort herself.
Zhou Hong had trouble with his legs, but at least he knew some Qinggong, so at Ci Ke’s request, he disappeared ahead. Even so, Ci Ke kept running; although it was not hot in the spring day, she was soon drenched in sweat.
A strong impulse to cry echoed in her mind, but she forced herself to hold back, having no time to think about what had happened.
Aunt must not be in trouble, there must be a way to help her.
In the short span of a stick of incense, it felt as long as several years. Ci Ke finally saw the towering palace walls and city gate, as well as the rows of flags on the palace walls. Below the flags were the imperial guards, strictly guarding this imperial city.
Her already weakened legs gave way, and a layer of black mist covered her vision. She stumbled and fell, but fortunately, Zhou Hong pulled her up by her clothes, preventing a disgraceful fall.
“Brother…” Ci Ke managed to say half a sentence before being interrupted by Zhou Hong, whose handsome face was mixed with despair.
“I have urgent business to attend to outside the city, I beg you to make an exception!” Zhou Hong’s voice was already trembling, his thick eyebrows knotted together.
The guards at the gate, clad in armor, blocked the way and sternly said, “By the Emperor’s decree, the city gates are sealed for the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet. No one is allowed to take even one step out until tomorrow! Even the princes and princesses are not allowed to leave!”
Ci Ke opened her mouth to breathe; she had to bend over to calm her racing heart.
On past birthday banquets, there was never such strict defense, indicating that today was special.
What else could she do? Unable to leave the city, with no relatives in the palace, there was no one who could help Zhou Ziqiu, nor anyone who could help her.
Like a trapped beast with its limbs cut off, surrounded in a cage.
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“Ci Ke…” Zhou Hong’s mind went blank; he turned to look and was startled again, quickly shielding Ci Ke behind him. It was the long-faced eunuch’s head turning the corner, clearly heading towards the palace gate.
Ci Ke looked past Zhou Hong’s arm and saw him; a chill ran through her heart, but she suddenly calmed down.
She grabbed Zhou Hong’s hand and ran to one side, away from the guards. For the sake of welcoming guests, two dwarf pines were planted in a large porcelain basin. Ignoring Zhou Hong’s objections, she forcibly pressed him behind the porcelain basin.
“They’re probably afraid something might go wrong and have come to catch me,” Ci Ke whispered, her eyes reflecting a calm that was unmistakable.
“Ci Ke!” Zhou Hong gritted his teeth and said, but was interrupted by Ci Ke again.
“We were deceived by the Emperor. We thought he didn’t know about all this.” Ci Ke sneered.
“Brother, if you can get out, go find Ye Youqing. I believe she has a way.” Ci Ke spoke quickly, “But if there’s no time, also help me tell her…”
“It’s okay, I am already content.” Ci Ke smiled, then stepped back, “Take care.”
With that, the woman turned around, her back burning bright, the crimson hem of her dress swirling with the wind as she walked straight towards the approaching eunuch and imperial guards.
