The plan for getting close
“You can’t, and you don’t have to…” Ci Ke shrugged, trying to shake off the person on her shoulder, but her hands were tightly wrapped around her, making it impossible to get rid of.
The words “hugme” were swallowed by her.
“I’m scared.” Ye Youqing still responded naturally, as if it was nothing serious at all.
Moreover, both of them were women, and she really didn’t find anything inappropriate.
Ci Ke finally gave up, furrowing her brows, pushing her legs forcefully, a soft “Drive” sounded, and the two of them raced into the endless night.
The tree shadows on both sides rapidly disappeared behind them, the feeling on the horseback was extremely uncomfortable, and Ye Youqing was sore from being bumped by the horse’s bones. She felt as if the scenery in front of her was shattered and mixed together.
Even her stomach started to churn, and she involuntarily let out a groan, holding onto Ci Ke even tighter.
The woman in front, who was earnestly urging the horse, seemed to sense her discomfort. She slightly tightened the reins, slowing down the speed. The two behind them did not catch up, only the rhythmic sound of four hooves hitting the ground.
Ye Youqing still dared not open her eyes. She suddenly realized a deadly situation – this body was identical to her own.
Motion sickness.
In modern times, even riding in a convertible can be uncomfortable, not to mention that the frequency of the horse’s vibration on horseback is much greater than the extent of a vehicle’s movement.
During the day, riding in a carriage might not be bothersome after a night’s rest, but after tossing and turning all night, she is already very fatigued. The feeling of her stomach churning becomes increasingly intense.
But in order to avoid dreaming too much in the long night, she stayed silent, relying on Ci Ke’s body to support herself, suppressing the dizziness that made her feel disoriented.
Two and a half hours passed, and she was already becoming delirious, not knowing how many times she had quietly vomited behind Ci Ke.
To think that with a lifetime of glory, she now found herself kneeling before a mere horse.
The sound of the horse’s hooves finally became crisp due to the cobblestone road. She slightly lifted her heavy eyelids, feeling as if they were weighted with steel plates, and realized she was now in the Imperial Street, where a few commoners occasionally passed by with cows and sheep by their sides.
The dew had dampened the bluestone, reflecting the faint light of the dawn. The clouds gradually began to turn red, as the sunlight filtered through the thick mountains and houses, sprinkling its brilliance towards the sky.
Suddenly, it was dawn.
“We’re here.” Ci Ke’s voice sounded like it was coming through a fog, faint and dreamlike.
Upon hearing this, Ye Youqing shifted her body slightly, only to find that she didn’t even have the strength to dismount. Something was churning in her throat, on the verge of spilling out.
Seemingly noticing her lack of response for a while, Ci Ke suddenly turned around, paused for a moment, then dismounted, taking hold of the reins.
“What’s wrong with you?” This time, Ci Ke finally dropped the formal address, lifting her warm hand to grasp Ye Youqing’s limp arm.
Ye Youqing fiercely pinched herself, trying hard to stay alert. If she fainted due to horseback riding, it would surely become the gossip of the entire Bianjing.
Ye Youqing shook her head vigorously, feeling unsteady on her feet. She nearly tumbled off the horse, but managed to hold onto the reins, causing the horse to cock its head askew before stabilizing herself.
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Ci Ke’s face suddenly blurred, becoming a faint silhouette.
The dizziness came too swiftly. Ye Youqing could only manage to mumble “I’m fine” before plunging into Ci Ke’s embrace, faintly colliding with something soft, eliciting a soft gasp from the woman.
And then, uncontrollably, she emptied her stomach, heaving forcefully.
……
Half a period later.
Ye Youqing, who had just regained some consciousness from her stupor, was curled up in the corner of the bed, clutching her stomach.
“Don’t vomit anymore, if you keep at it, you might just vomit out your intestines!” Qin Xin anxiously spun around, forcing a spoonful of sweet porridge into Ye Youqing’s mouth.
The warm sweetness of the porridge diluted the bitterness in her mouth, bringing some relief to her empty stomach.
Ye Youqing let out a soft sigh and asked, “How did I come back, as you mentioned earlier?”
Qin Xin hesitated, “I was afraid you would be noticed returning to the mansion in the morning, so I sent away the guards and stood guard at the entrance myself. After a short while, I saw, I saw Zhou Ci Ke dragging you back.”
“What did she say?”
“Not a word, just had a bad complexion, and her body…” Qin Xin recalled that scene, her delicate face creasing slightly, unable to continue.
Ye Youqing immediately covered her face, burying her head in the blankets, refusing to come out.
At the same time.
The narrow Imperial Street was being traversed by a woman clad in a deep blue outer garment riding a horse. If anyone passed by, they could see her complexion was somewhat rosy, with her outer coat and inner clothing clearly not matching in color.
As she passed by a carriage and horse shop, she lifted her leg and dismounted from the horse, returning it to the yawning owner before briskly walking towards the direction of the palace.
Upon reaching the Donghua Gate, a guard approached with his sword drawn, shouting angrily, “This is the palace’s restricted area, leave at once.”
The woman, unfazed by the scene, pulled out a token from her bosom as a gesture. Before the guard could say anything, another man intervened and reprimanded him.
The man was tall and broad-shouldered, with a sharp nose, and upon seeing the woman, he nodded slightly, “Miss Ci Ke.”
Shortly after, he personally stepped forward, pushing open the heavy redwood door. Zhou Ci Ke swiftly slipped inside without a sound, and the palace gate closed once again.
Within the palace’s fifty-three doors, the Qiushui Palace was heavily guarded, with palace guards visible at every corner. Ye Youqing skillfully avoided the palace attendants, smoothly making her way into the Qiushui Palace without obstruction.
The maids guarding the pavilion, upon seeing Zhou Ci Ke, bowed their heads in succession and quietly gathered outside the pavilion, forming a line of guardians.
Ci Ke, familiar with the surroundings, casually picked up a basin of hot water placed on the side and leisurely walked into the Nuan Pavilion. The pavilion was filled with the soothing fragrance of calming incense, silk curtains covering the windows, creating a spacious and hazy ambiance inside.
In the center of the pavilion was an opulent canopy bed, adorned with new curtains and soft white fur. The figure on the bed was deeply asleep, with fingertips scented with musk hanging halfway down, their delicate skin almost blending with the fur.
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Ci Ke walked lightly to the side, placing the basin down, and gently covered Zhou Ziqiu’s hands under the sable fur blanket.
Zhou Ziqiu murmured softly, her pink tongue darting across her red lips as she opened her eyes, still carrying the captivating drowsiness of sleep.
“Aunt indulged in wine again,” Ci Ke whispered softly, “Drinking harms the body.”
“Harms the body, but not the heart,” Zhou Ziqiu rolled over, lazily sitting up, looking nothing like a woman approaching thirty but more like a young lady in her twenties, exuding mature allure.
Her allure seemed to echo that of Ci Ke’s, yet with subtle differences.
“Look at you, covered in dust. What have you been up to?” Zhou Ziqiu gently wiped the dust off Ci Ke’s face with her tender hands, inquiring.
Ci Ke hesitated for a moment, then truthfully recounted the events in the dense forest. Zhou Ziqiu listened attentively, the laziness fading from her face, replaced by a calculating expression.
“It’s good you didn’t let Qin Wang have his way,” Zhou Ziqiu nodded. “So, the snow fox was taken by Ye Youqing?”
Ci Ke nodded.
“I allowed you to get close to her, but you don’t need to harm yourself like this,” Zhou Ziqiu shook her head, reaching out to touch Ci Ke’s leg with a hint of tenderness. “But Ye Youqing’s actions truly surprised me. Do you know why she has become like this?”
“I don’t know,” Ci Ke’s eyelashes trembled slightly, suddenly recalling Ye Youqing’s frantic run through the forest as she carried her on her back, clenching her fist. “Perhaps her heart was deeply wounded by Qin Wang.”
Deep in thought, Zhou Ziqiu absentmindedly touched her own cheek, lost in contemplation.
“Aunt…” Ci Ke suddenly spoke, seemingly finding it difficult to voice out, she knelt down, grasping a delicate piece of Zhou Ziqiu’s flowing sleeve in her hands. “Aunt, I don’t want to get close to her anymore, can we not…”
“You don’t want revenge,” Zhou Ziqiu turned her gaze back from the window, her eyes momentarily turning cold and hard.
“I do want it, but…” Ci Ke’s voice trembled, her tea-colored eyes quickly turning red, her nose tinted with a blush. “I can’t do it…”
“Qin Wang killed our entire clan, and yet you can approach him but can’t get close to a woman?” Zhou Ziqiu’s tone was stern as she forcefully pulled her sleeve away from Ci Ke’s grip, her voice gradually becoming more aggressive.
“Aunt knows, she has hurt you, and you hate her. But she sees us as pawns, just something to be used. What’s so difficult to get over?” Zhou Ziqiu suddenly grabbed Ci Ke’s hand, pulling her closer. “Look at me, am I not constantly revolving around our enemy? If you let your emotions control you so easily, what great things can you accomplish?”
Her beautiful face at this moment seemed somewhat deranged.
Ci Ke dug her fingernails into her palm, drawing blood.
“When you were thirteen, you worked at the Cheng residence. They hired a Confucian scholar for a few young ladies, and other influential families followed suit by sending their daughters. As a slave, you were even lower than the hired servants, so you became the target of their abuse,” Zhou Ziqiu suddenly recounted in a calm tone, as if telling a story.
“Among those girls, only one stood out. After they bullied you, she would occasionally sneak you some pastries in secret. You foolishly took her as your closest friend, until I emerged from seclusion and tasked you with getting close to Qin Wang.”
“She felt anger and jealousy towards you, and in public, she poured hot soup over your head, and since then…”
“Aunt!” Ci Ke suddenly hoarsely interjected, pushing Zhou Ziqiu away, staggering to her feet, trembling all over like chaff, breathing heavily.
Zhou Ziqiu was pushed onto the bed by her, her eyes reddening as well, then slowly rose.
“We need to utilize Ye Youqing. The Duke’s Household is a significant backing. With me trapped within the palace, and with your low status, she’s the only one capable of disrupting the alliance between Qin Wang and Duke Liang. Combined with her current actions, she should not be a letdown,” Zhou Ziqiu explained thoughtfully.
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“Ci Ke. We face not just Qin Wang but we must also seek justice for the one hundred and thirty-seven members of the Zhou family who perished,” Zhou Ziqiu’s tone softened, tinged with sadness, as she reached out to embrace Ci Ke, stroking her neck.
“We are too weak, we must make use of every available individual.”
“Ci Ke, I have only you,” Zhou Ziqiu buried her face in Ci Ke’s hair, her voice choked with emotion.
Ci Ke did not cry, she stared blankly at the wall in front, her mind drifting once again to the image of Ye Youqing smiling by the bonfire.
Ye Youqing had once been the warmth she could draw near to, only to realize later that it was nothing but a piercing blade.
But now, with the blade edge turned away, this warmth from her seemed even more unfathomable.
She could easily gain the admiration of many men, but she had never attempted to deal with a woman, let alone Ye Youqing.
“Aunt, Ye Youqing seems to have mentioned that she no longer likes men,” after a moment, Ci Ke said softly, with a hint of uncertainty.
LP: Seduce her and get seduced by her instead lmao
