She’s jealous
“How is that possible,” Ci Ke blurted out, her voice lowering, “Auntie must be kidding.”
“If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have lived to see Auntie.” Ci Ke’s eyelashes moved slightly, “I just, no longer hate her, don’t want to hurt her.”
Zhou Ziqiu looked at her suspiciously for a while, then suddenly reached out and held Ci Ke’s hand, her eyes filled with emotions Ci Ke couldn’t understand.
“Ci Ke, in the future, even if Auntie is no longer here, I will entrust you to a good person who can protect you.”
“In this world, very few couples who truly love each other can have a happy ending, let alone women with women. Even if Ye Youqing really changes completely, she will still be forced to marry like me in the future. No matter how a woman tries to escape, she cannot avoid this courtyard, and how can she protect you completely?” Zhou Ziqiu said softly.
“Harming others harms oneself,” Zhou Ziqiu said again.
Zhou Ziqiu let go of Ci Ke’s hand, stood up straight, and carefully placed the wrapped letter close to her body in her sleeve. When she turned around, the sadness on her face had already been disguised.
Ci Ke clenched her hands tightly. There was a moment when she almost wanted to tell Zhou Ziqiu about Shi Li, but she struggled to stay silent because of Shi Li’s request.
Finally, she said, “Auntie, rest assured, Ci Ke understands.”
When the two came out of the inner room, Ye Youqing was sitting cross-legged beside a low table, sipping good Emei Snow Bud Tea from Qiushui Palace. Upon hearing footsteps, she looked up, and her eyes, after scanning the two, had a hint of blush in them.
She didn’t let her gaze linger, but instead stood up as if she hadn’t seen anything, and said to Zhou Ziqiu kindly, “Thank you for the tea, Noble Consort.”
“There are still some in the hall. Miss Ye, if you like, take some when you leave. Chunhong.”
“No need to trouble yourself,” Ye Youqing smiled and shook her head, then looked at Ci Ke, “It’s been a long time since the Noble Consort and Ci Ke have seen each other. Shall we chat a bit longer?”
“It’s getting late and Miss Ye has been missing for too long, which may cause some gossip.” Zhou Ziqiu smiled, reached out to Ye Youqing, “Let’s go, this palace will see Miss Ye off.”
Ye Youqing was about to refuse, but Zhou Ziqiu’s figure had already stepped out of the main hall. She had no choice but to follow along.
Ci Ke did not speak all the way, just silently following behind Ye Youqing and Zhou Ziqiu. Ye Youqing could see that her mood was not good, but with Zhou Ziqiu present, she did not want to ask, so she remained silent.
“I haven’t seen the sun for a long time, these peach blossoms have almost withered,” Zhou Ziqiu said with a hint of regret, “But the harem is narrow, whether we go out or not makes little difference.”
The woman looked up at the flowers sticking out of the courtyard wall, reached out her hand, but there was still a three-inch gap, she paused, then lowered her hand.
Ye Youqing suddenly felt a moment of sadness, no one could pick flowers for her to wear.
Zhou Ziqiu also fell silent, just looking at the distant blue sky, and the clouds divided into chunks by the palace walls. As the three were about to leave the range of the harem, they suddenly saw a slender figure kneeling in front of them under the scorching sun, their delicate face covered in sweat.
Passing palace maids walked in groups of three or four, some bowed in respect, but most ignored them.
Is that the young man from before? Ye Youqing glanced at Zhou Ziqiu and couldn’t help but slow down.
“Who is this…” she asked nonchalantly.
“The Sixth Prince, his mother is imprisoned in the Cold Palace, now being taken care of by Yan Jieyu, must have been caught sneaking around the walls of the cold palace and was punished by Yan Jieyu.”
Zhou Ziqiu’s voice has a hint of disgust in her tone when mentioning Yan Jieyu. Ye Youqing also felt that the name was somewhat familiar, but couldn’t quite remember at that moment.
As they were talking, the three had already walked up to the young man. The young man was silent, his body thin but kneeling straight, his dark eyes fixed on the palace wall in front of him, determined.
Zhou Ziqiu walked up to the young man, her red lips slightly parted, lazily saying, “Who told you to kneel here, blocking the way?”
The young man remained silent, his dark eyes shifting to Zhou Ziqiu, then pausing on Ye Youqing for a moment.
“Aren’t you going to move somewhere else?” Zhou Ziqiu raised her delicate eyebrows.
The young man stood up.
After the three passed, Ye Youqing turned back and found that the young man had moved into the shade, his back still straight like a pine tree.
Ye Youqing breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that Zhou Ziqiu must have been a kind-hearted woman before experiencing these things.
When she and Ci Ke returned to the Imperial Garden, the dragon boat race happened to be ending. The scent of rice dumplings filled the garden, and Ye Youqing ate half-heartedly before taking her leave earlier.
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On the way back in the carriage, Ci Ke kept her eyes cast down, looking a bit dejected. Ye Youqing leaned against her forehead with one hand, letting her head sway along with the motion of the carriage.
Ye Youqing actually had a slight inkling of what Ci Ke and Zhou Ziqiu were plotting, especially after Ci Ke exposed Qin Wang’s lies, naturally leading her to think about the rebel case seven years ago.
This was also one of the reasons why Ye Youqing was willing to help Ci Ke. Besides getting rid of Qin Wang, it was also because the rebel case implicated Zhao Qingrou’s father, King Si Rong.
If the truth could come to light, the souls of hundreds of innocent people could finally rest in peace.
But Ci Ke didn’t say anything, and Ye Youqing didn’t ask either. Both had their own thoughts and remained silent throughout the journey.
It wasn’t until the carriage came to a stop, and Ye Youqing was helped down by Qin Xin, that she saw a candy vendor standing nearby. She took out a copper coin, bought a pack of candies, and handed it to Ci Ke.
Then she turned and entered the mansion gates, leaving Ci Ke alone. Ci Ke looked at the packet for a moment, then reached out, picked one candy, and put it in her mouth.
The slender tip of her nose wrinkled.
That night, Ye Youqing didn’t delay, she dismissed the others and secretly slipped into Duke Liang’s study. She lit a lamp and searched for the records from that year. The candlelight was dim, and the handwriting needed careful scrutiny.
The records mainly depicted the treacherous actions of the two people, requiring a thorough understanding by removing the extraneous details.
It turned out that back then, the Western Xia invaded the Kingdom of Qi. The Western Xia people were strong and fierce, and the border terrain was rugged, with mountains and forests making defense difficult. They quickly captured three cities and continued southward.
The Emperor had no choice but to send out the Great General and also invited King Si Rong, who was already old at that time. Legend had it that King Si Rong had been invincible in his youth, never experiencing defeat, and had a cavalry unit that only obeyed his orders.
When King Si Rong and the Great General of the Chariots and Cavalry arrived at the border that night, the Iron Cavalry broke through the city gates and recaptured the first city. The Western Xia had no choice but to retreat repeatedly.
After that, reports of victories came frequently. King Si Rong’s Iron Cavalry charged forward, causing great distress to the Western Xia army, who lost ground repeatedly.
At the same time, King Si Rong strictly organized the recaptured cities, using confiscated resources to arrange for relief of provisions, saving the people from hardship. As a result, their reputation at the border soared, and they were hailed as saviors.
Although the Western Xia eventually retreated to their former territory, they were not completely defeated and often tested the borders, leading to three years of turmoil before finally being subdued. The Western Xia sent a surrender letter to the Kingdom of Qi, and the two of them then returned to the capital.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they returned to the capital and before they could even change their attire, they were charged with crimes. Caught off guard, there was no escape. They were subsequently punished as traitors, with their assets and territories confiscated and returned to the state treasury, and only the Iron Cavalry disappeared without a trace.
Sure enough, Qin Wang’s name appeared as a meritorious official in the records.
Closing the book page, Ye Youqing fell silent for a while. With Qin Wang’s high position and influence, and their close personal relationship, it seemed that this matter was not unrelated to the Emperor. Her disgust towards Qin Wang deepened a bit more.
Thinking about it, she and Qin Wang were still mortal enemies. She wondered how the two from the original work managed to erase such deep enmity and become partners.
Suddenly, she felt a pang of sympathy for the original owner trapped in this difficult situation.
With a clearer understanding in her heart, Ye Youqing closed the book page, blew out the candle, slipped out of the room, and came face to face with a figure, nearly startling herself into a cry.
“Ci Ke?” After seeing the figure clearly, Ye Youqing breathed a sigh of relief, placing a hand over her heart as she approached, “It’s so late and quiet, what are you doing here?”
Ci Ke stood with her hands behind her back, draped in a pale white robe. The hem of her robe fluttered like butterfly wings in the evening breeze. In the moonlight, her features appeared elf-like, radiating a captivating aura.
She seemed like a celestial being who had descended from the heavens, or perhaps a heavenly demon. If not for her tragic past, she would likely be the most enchanting lady in the entire city of Bianjing.
“Waiting for you,” Ci Ke said, her eyes shifting, “About what happened during the day…”
“I’ve guessed some of it just now,” Ye Youqing walked past her towards the courtyard, briefly recounting her speculations. Not hearing a response from Ci Ke, she turned back to see Ci Ke slowing her pace, with a look of surprise on her face.
“How come, do you think I’m foolish and wouldn’t figure it out?” Ye Youqing joked.
Ci Ke raised her eyebrows slightly, nodded with a curl of her lips, and smiled mischievously.
“And there’s one more thing, Qin Wang is looking for something, seems to be called ‘Fenghua Pendant.’ I don’t recall my father having such an item, so I suspect it belongs to King Si Rong,” Ci Ke said seriously, her voice soft and melodious.
“Fenghua Pendant?” Ye Youqing subconsciously touched her chest, where the plain and ordinary little fan pendant hung.
Qin Wang is looking for this pendant? The original owner even once gave this item as a token of love? Upon reflection, Ye Youqing felt a chill run down her spine.
King Si Rong has an Iron Cavalry, could it be…
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“If you know about this item, never reveal it to others, beware of causing trouble,” Ci Ke seemed somewhat worried and cautioned again.
Ye Youqing nodded thoughtfully. When she lowered her head, she saw the moonlight shining in Ci Ke’s eyes, and her heart skipped a beat, quickly looking away.
Maybe it’s because of the moonlight, Ye Youqing thought to herself.
Changing the subject, she joked, “I think the Noble Consort wouldn’t allow you to tell me this information. Yet here you are revealing it. Aren’t you afraid that I’m in league with Qin Wang?”
The woman took a step forward, her fox-like eyes once again meeting Ye Youqing’s gaze.
“Ye Youqing.” When she called out the full name, her voice sounded like carefully placed hooks.
“Now, I trust you,” she said in a whispered tone.
After the Dragon Boat Festival passed, life in Bianjing continued to flow peacefully and leisurely.
There was still no news about Qin Wang, but one day after court, Ye Youqing overheard Duke Liang chatting with colleagues. They mentioned that for several days, General Qin had been absent on sick leave, reportedly having a serious illness.
Ye Youqing took pleasure in others’ misfortune, speculating that Zhou Ziqiu was waiting for the right moment. She paid attention while also managing her own affairs diligently.
As the day faded, the sky was light and dim due to a rain shower earlier, making it relatively cool. The ancient air was already light and now, after the rain had washed through, it was even more refreshing and sweet.
On another long street away from the Imperial Street, the surroundings were no longer as tidy but gained a bit more liveliness. There were many vendors selling various goods, some breathing fire, others directing monkeys to jump around. The people passing by were less noble and more common, frequenting the lit up taverns and teahouses along the street.
In the center of the long street, a cold-faced young man dressed in black, his hair tied up high, tall and slender in stature, though looking a bit frail, had a folding fan at his waist as he hurried along.
Following behind the man was a boy who looked like a book attendant, with an even paler face, especially his eyes, round and slightly upturned, extremely beautiful, almost resembling a woman.
On the roadside, vendors shouted and waved at the two men, “Two young officials, freshly baked pancakes!” but were blocked by the slightly taller man’s outstretched hand.
The two men walked quickly, eventually stopping under a signboard adorned with floral characters, both looking up at it.
“Dear young lady, in such high spirits.” The book attendant-like person gazed at the three words “Cuihong Building” for a while, before softly speaking.
“It’s just searching for someone,” Ye Youqing sighed, but as she looked at the familiar first two characters, her legs felt somewhat heavy.
Feeling frustrated, the shopkeeper of the clothing store had avoided her several times. With no other choice, she had to come to this place of revelry after dusk to search for someone.
That person, Pei Ning, ran the shop during the day and entertained as a musician at night, reportedly being favored by some influential people.
Summoning her courage, Ye Youqing stepped through the door, imitating the gestures of a wealthy person as she took out her folding fan and opened it with a snap, whispering, “I’m looking for Miss Pei.”
The greeter was a fair-faced man, with what seemed like powder on his face. He smiled and said, “This young official, Miss Pei has been invited by someone else and is currently rehearsing playing the pipa. I’m afraid…”
Ye Youqing didn’t waste words and slapped a silver ingot onto the table.
“Young official, go upstairs, I will bring Miss Pei to you!” The man’s eyes lit up, delighted as he turned and ran off.
Upstairs were several rooms, soundproofed in some way, as it was much quieter inside than the bustling noise outside. In the center of the room was a square table with some fruits, tea, and small candies on it.
Two maids served tea to Ye Youqing, then bowed and exited, leaving only Ye Youqing and Ci Ke in the room.
Taking a sip of tea, Ye Youqing felt Ci Ke’s gaze on her, so she glanced at her and smiled, saying, “Don’t think too much, I’m just here to find Miss Pei Ning.”
“I’m just a servant, what the Eldest Miss does, how could I dare speak more,” Ci Ke averted her eyes, but couldn’t help but ponder this unfamiliar name.
As a knock sounded on the door from outside, Ye Youqing nodded in acknowledgment.
With the strong scent of rouge wafting in, a graceful figure entered, dressed boldly and flamboyantly, with green hair styled in a bun, holding a pipa in her arms. Her laughter met them before she spoke, like the sound of ringing bells.
She greeted Ye Youqing with a bow and asked, “What song does this young official want to hear?”
“Play your best piece,” Ye Youqing replied casually.
“Look, this young official is a distinguished guest. This slave will make sure the official enjoys the music to the fullest,” Pei Ning giggled, dragging a chair out from the corner, sitting down with a twist and playing a pleasant tune.
Ye Youqing did not interrupt, pretending she was there to listen to the music, tapping along in time.
As the song ended, the woman suddenly got up, placed the pipa down, and swayed her hips over to Ye Youqing’s side, pouring tea for her. “Why does this salve feel that the young official looks familiar?”
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“Why do you say that,” Ye Youqing raised an eyebrow.
“No reason, maybe the official just has a friendly face,” Pei Ning pursed her red lips, then suddenly reached out to lift Ye Youqing’s chin.
On the side, Ci Ke’s cherry lips lightly closed, and she averted her gaze.
Ye Youqing set down the teacup and raised her head in response to her force, noticing the lack of a smile in the woman’s eyes. She understood something but didn’t expose it, continuing to smile as she looked at her.
“This slave don’t understand why the official is so fixated on this slave, willing to…” Pei Ning sized up Ye Youqing from head to toe, “find this place.”
Then, a hint of playful light flashed in her eyes as she suddenly leaned on the chair back and sat in the corner of the chair where Ye Youqing hadn’t been sitting, looking as if she was leaning on Ye Youqing’s shoulder.
“This slave is just a mundane dust in the wind, what is there for the official to like?” she said.
Ye Youqing was about to speak seriously, but suddenly heard a soft cry from the other side. Hastily turning her head, she saw Ci Ke covering her lips and stepping back.
Seeing that Ci Ke seemed to be in pain, Ye Youqing suddenly stood up, causing Pei Ning, who had been leaning on her shoulder, to stagger.
“What’s wrong?” Ye Youqing asked, then pinched Ci Ke’s wrist, moved it aside, and found half a piece of candy in her palm.
The woman lifted her eyelashes, revealing deep eyes like a dark lake under lush lashes. Her eyes shimmered like tears about to fall.
“Toothache,” she said, lips slightly parted and moistened.
