Red String Blessing
Whether her brain was fried or she was still recovering from yesterday’s fright, the dreams she had this night were truly vivid and enchanting. Waking up in such a state startled her to no end.
Thankfully, Ye Youqing, now fully awake, quickly realized that it was all just a dream. Feeling a tinge of embarrassment, she cleared her throat and apologized, “Did I startle you?”
The woman on the ground seemed to be lost in thought for a moment, then she turned her shoulders, lifted her chin slightly, her eyes sparkling as she looked up at Ye Youqing.
“It’s fine.” Her voice carried a hint of sleepiness, mixed with uncertainty or maybe even annoyance.
Ye Youqing grabbed her clothes and put them on. She got out of bed, found a teacup, finished the cold tea inside, and felt some energy returning to her.
But Ye Youqing didn’t look at Ci Ke, only hearing the rustling sound, indicating that she had also put on her outer garments.
She realized that she needed to change her habit of cuddling when asleep; if she continued like this, it would definitely lead to trouble. Ye Youqing felt frustrated, then she opened the door and called for Ah Gou to bring some hot water for washing up.
The door next to hers opened, and the rarely clear-headed Shi Li peered out, giving Ye Youqing a meaningful blink before splashing her with a spray of mist.
After closing the door and turning back, Ci Ke was already neatly dressed, efficiently tidying up the bed.
Ye Youqing pulled out a chair, sat down, tapped her fingertips on the table, and asked, “Last night… the deal you mentioned…”
Ci Ke paused upon hearing this.
After a moment, she turned around suddenly, moving gracefully with small steps, and delicately approached Ye Youqing.
“I seek your help to enter the palace,” Ci Ke spoke, her throat slightly trembling, indicating her nervousness.
Qin Wang is now looking for her. If Ci Ke entered the palace alone, she would surely be chased by assassins. Moreover, she suspected that the people arranged by her aunt at the palace gates had been replaced, as there had been no news for so long, and her aunt hadn’t sent anyone to find her.
Ye Youqing nodded. She looked at the ground that had been tidied up, where a few pieces of paper had been lying. Her voice turned colder as she asked, “What do you offer in exchange?”
Ci Ke clasped her hands behind her back, her cherry lips slightly parted. After a moment, she replied, “Anything.”
“Anything?” Ye Youqing regained control of the situation, arching an eyebrow slightly. She then stood up. If she wanted to look down at Ci Ke, she needed to be taller.
Ci Ke seemed to instinctively step back but managed to restrain herself. She lowered her gaze and spoke softly, “As long as you wish.”
She had no other choice. Ye Youqing was now the only person she could turn to for help.
Especially after she had found her several times before.
Anyway, I’ve already made up my mind last night, isn’t that right? Ci Ke thought to herself, though she squeezed her hands tighter.
The woman in front of her reached out a hand, causing Ci Ke’s heart to inexplicably beat faster. Taking a deep breath, Ci Ke watched as that hand…
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…pulled out the chair next to her.
“Sit,” Ye Youqing gestured with an outstretched palm.
Ci Ke’s face immediately reddened, she glanced suspiciously at Ye Youqing, and finally obediently sat down.
“I will help you enter the palace, but you must tell me, aside from the reward, what other benefits can I gain,” Ye Youqing spoke.
Seemingly surprised by Ye Youqing’s rational approach, Ci Ke’s gaze shifted on her face, then her lips curved slightly as she responded, “You already know, my target is Qin Wang.”
“He is currently desperate to build a relationship with the Duke. Even without the Empress Dowager’s order, he will find a way to propose to you. As long as Qin Wang remains, he will always have his eyes on you.”
“These pieces of evidence now have the power to completely ruin him,” Ci Ke’s voice grew softer, each word carefully delivered.
Getting rid of Qin Wang would indeed be a great benefit for her, avoiding many troubles in the future.
“In a few days, during the Dragon Boat Festival, Princess Yixin will send invitations for the women of the household to go and watch the dragon boat races in the palace,” Ye Youqing spoke. “I originally thought of feigning illness to decline, but now going wouldn’t hurt.”
With that, Ye Youqing stood up and prepared to return home; she had many things to attend to.
Ci Ke also stood up following her movement, about to say something, but Ye Youqing continued, “As for the deal, we’ll discuss that later.”
The door opened and then closed, leaving only Ci Ke in the room. She seemed to suddenly exhale a breath, holding her heart for a moment before turning to draw the curtains. The warm sunlight poured in like scattered gold, quickly dispelling the dampness in the room.
As if contemplating something, Ci Ke’s gaze gradually became complex as she murmured, “Ye Youqing…”
Neither of the two women ever brought up what had happened that day. Ci Ke continued to be diligent as usual, except for the fact that she looked at Ye Youqing more frequently, there was no other change.
Over time, Ye Youqing began to feel that she had simply overthought that day. Perhaps Ci Ke had no ulterior motives at all, at most, she just wanted to serve her.
Could it be that she had put colored glasses on Ci Ke just because her aunt had an affection for women?
Looking at how life had forced a poor soul to become what it was, Ye Youqing sighed deeply.
Furthermore, the challenges in starting her business were increasing, causing her some headaches and leaving her with no mental space to think about other matters.
The issue stemmed from the clothing store she was trying to purchase. The manager of the clothing store was too stubborn, avoiding her visits several times and even splashing foot washing water at her once. She had a fiery temper and was notorious for her sharp tongue when scolding others.
Ye Youqing wasn’t fixated on that particular shop, but rather on the name of the female manager, Pei Ning. She was a well-known female merchant in the original work, although her appearances were limited.
This person had helped the original owner when she was expelled from the General’s residence, and that’s why Ye Youqing remembered her clearly. Pei Ning was bold and beautiful, with a teardrop-shaped mole under her eye, rumored to have a background in the entertainment industry.
Although the status of women in the Qi Dynasty was slightly higher than before, there were still few wealthy female merchants. This fact excited Ye Youqing greatly.
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However, the issue was still unresolved as the Dragon Boat Festival approached. Every household quietly hung up mugwort, and the slightly bitter and natural scent filled the streets and alleys. Ye Youqing even received several red strings given to her by people, a custom of the Qi Dynasty.
Zhao Qingrou sent one, Qin Xin sent one, Shi Li sent one, and even Ah Gou sent a twisted red string. Ye Youqing hesitated for a while, then finally lined them up and wore them all on her wrist.
On the morning of the Dragon Boat Festival, Ye Youqing was awakened by Qin Xin from her bed. Still groggy, she was dressed in a brand new dark blue dress. The wide sleeves were embroidered with faint cloud patterns, while silver threads adorned the hem, drawing several eye-catching silver and white lines on the dark blue background, giving a cold yet heroic look.
“After a while, just follow behind Ci Ke. You stay at the house to accompany the Madam,” Ye Youqing shook her head to clear her thoughts.
“Eldest Miss, ever since Ci Ke came, you’ve been taking her everywhere, seeming to forget about Qin Xin,” Qinxin said as she tied Ye Youqing’s hair, sounding a bit aggrieved.
“How could that be? I just want others to serve the Madam. I don’t feel at ease otherwise,” Ye Youqing grinned, shaking her head.
“The new maids that just arrived are very diligent and meticulous in their work. I’m keeping a close eye on them,” Qin Xin grumbled as she pinned two silver hairpins on Ye Youqing. “Eldest Miss, you may not know, these children from wealthy families can be quite domineering and like to compare things. If you only bring one maid, be careful not to let them gossip about you.”
“Alright, then you can come along with me,” Ye Youqing said helplessly.
After finishing her grooming, Ye Youqing got up to leave and bumped into Ci Ke who was entering. Ci Ke’s footsteps suddenly halted, and a hint of panic flashed in her eyes when she looked at Ye Youqing, swiftly hiding something behind her back.
Ci Ke was still wearing a light pink dress today, her hair twisted into a few dangling buns at the back of her head. She had some stray hairs on her forehead, exuding a charming and elegant aura.
Ye Youqing momentarily ignored the astonishment in her eyes and looked away.
The carriage outside was already prepared, but there was only one, presumably because Ye Chengzhu didn’t go to the palace this time due to Concubine Xiao’s situation. This saved them some trouble, and Ye Youqing pursed her lips before getting on the carriage.
Qin Xin sat outside the carriage curtain, while Ye Youqing and Ci Ke sat inside. When the two of them were suddenly alone, the atmosphere became somewhat uneasy. Ye Youqing then lifted the curtain, letting the warm breeze from outside swirl in.
“Eldest Miss,” Ci Ke suddenly spoke.
“What is it?” Ye Youqing replied, and as she spoke, she let go of the curtain, causing it to fall back into place with a sound.
The light inside the carriage immediately dimmed, and as the carriage creaked along, occasional patches of light illuminated the woman’s face in front of her, her beautiful features seeming to captivate one’s soul.
“This…,” Ci Ke hesitated, pulling out a neatly braided red string from her sleeve. However, she happened to notice Ye Youqing’s hand, her wrist was covered with a dense cluster of red strings.
The words she was about to say were instantly swallowed back down. Ci Ke bit her lower lip, then discreetly placed the red string behind her, her voice soft, “It’s nothing, I was rude.”
There seemed to be a fleeting sense of regret in her eyes, a hint of remorse for her actions, but she quickly lowered her gaze to conceal it.
Ye Youqing was taken aback by this unexpected gesture from Ci Ke. Watching as she was about to tuck the string back into her sleeve, an idea flashed through her mind, and she quickly extended her right hand, holding it out in front of Ci Ke.
“This hand hasn’t been tied yet,” Ye Youqing smiled.
As the soft and fair wrist of the woman lay before her, Ci Ke was both surprised and unexpectedly filled with a hint of joy.
She forcefully suppressed this feeling, reaching out to tie the string onto the empty and conspicuously eye-catching wrist.
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“Eldest Miss, we’ve arrived at the palace!” Qinxin suddenly pulled back the curtain, smiling.
The palace was bustling with activity today, with a long line of carriages parked at the entrance, and the invited ladies chatting and laughing in groups. From a distance, it was a scene of lively activity, with their hair adorned like clouds, as they entered the palace gates.
Once inside the palace, they were led by several maids. After walking for a while and passing through an archway, they entered the colorful and flowery Imperial Garden. The center of the palace was a large lake where drums resounded, and along the lake’s edge, there were numerous decorative canopies set up for viewing the dragon boat races.
Several majestic golden dragon boats were docked along the shore, shimmering brightly in the sunlight.
People were chatting and laughing in groups, harmonizing with the music and drums, creating an exhilarating atmosphere.
Without seeing anyone familiar yet, Ye Youqing found a place to sit down. A few strong men were warming up by the lake, swinging their arms. As she was talking with Qinxin, a maid approached from the crowd, bowing respectfully, “Eldest Miss, our Noble Consort invites Miss Ci Ke to join her.”
Upon hearing this, Ye Youqing glanced at Ci Ke. Seeing Ci Ke nod in recognition at the maid, she waved her hand, indicating for Ci Ke to go ahead. Once Ci Ke’s figure disappeared from sight, she lazily sipped her tea. After all, entering the palace today was just to assist Ci Ke and watch the dragon boat races to pass the time.
Amidst the drumming, cheering shouts could be heard. Ye Youqing was gazing towards the lake, but suddenly felt Qin Xin pushing her a couple of times. Confused, she looked up and saw Qin Xin urgently pointing at a distance, speaking softly.
“Eldest Miss, I saw it just now, Young General Qin followed Ci Ke!”
