Are you avoiding me?
In the main hall, Ye Youqing sat upright without a hint of boredom, watching the steam on the tea in front of her gradually dissipate. A maid approached to replace her tea, but she politely declined with a gesture.
“No need,” Ye Youqing said, turning to admire the vibrant pomegranate flowers at the corner of the table, adorned with glistening dewdrops that fell with a soft ‘patter.’
The scent of sandalwood lingered in the air around her in the Qiushui Palace, accompanied by distant music that seemed to lull her into drowsiness.
She had heard the news of Qin Wang’s conviction yesterday and, feeling joyous, decided to visit Ci Ke and deliver the items she had promised to the Duke’s residence.
Upon returning home, Duke Liang was furious with her for acting on her own, disregarding the bigger picture, and being reckless. He almost imprisoned her, but thanks to Zhao Qingrou’s earnest persuasion, the Duke relented, merely detaining her for two days as a reprimand.
Just stepped out the door now.
Living in ancient times is like this, incredibly restricted. Ye Youqing sighed, but fortunately, it wasn’t all bad. Yesterday, Ah Gou sent a message through Qin Xin, saying that Pei Ning had agreed to cooperate. Today, she was heading south to other prosperous places.
The sound of the maid, Fu Shen, greeting outside the hall roused Ye Youqing from her weariness. She stood up as Zhou Ziqiu entered slowly, carrying the heat of late spring with her.
“Miss Ye, feeling tired?” Zhou Ziqiu smiled.
“It’s alright,” Ye Youqing shook her head, looking behind her.
“Ci Ke doesn’t want to enter the palace, waiting in the courtyard.” Zhou Ziqiu seemed helpless, gesturing towards outside the palace with her chin.
Ye Youqing walked to the doorway and spotted Ci Ke’s figure. Dressed in white, she stood under the fiery red flower tree, her head tilted upwards, profile smooth and radiant with a golden halo in the sunlight.
Ye Youqing slowed her pace, feeling a nervous flutter for reasons unknown to her.
“Ci Ke,” she spoke softly, fearing to disturb the serenity.
“What brings Miss Ye to look for me?” Ci Ke turned to her, smiling but lacking tranquility, as if a thin invisible veil clouded her face.
Ye Youqing felt her tongue tie a bit and coughed lightly before stepping forward, “Nothing much, just bringing the items you left at the mansion.”
“It’s nothing important. If Miss Ye lost it, then so be it. No need to make the trip,” Ci Ke’s lips curled into a smirk, her fox-like eyes narrowing.
“They are personal items, not to be handled privately. It’s better to return them,” Ye Youqing said calmly, taking another step forward. She could clearly see Ci Ke slightly stepping back, maintaining a certain distance between them.
A sense of dissatisfaction rose in Ye Youqing’s heart, prompting her to take two more steps forward. This time, Ci Ke’s back met the tree trunk, unable to retreat any further.
The woman’s smiling eyes lowered, asking, “What is Miss Ye doing?”
Ye Youqing assessed Ci Ke, who seemed unchanged yet somehow different. The intentional avoidance and estrangement were so obvious that only a fool would not see it.
“What’s going on?” Ye Youqing spoke softly, “You are avoiding me.”
“I’m not. Although I’ve regained my status, it’s only appropriate to stay by my aunt’s side and not venture out of the palace…” Ci Ke murmured.
“I mean now, you are avoiding me,” Ye Youqing knew that the angrier she felt, the calmer she became. Her tone remained composed, showing no excitement. Instead of pressing further, she stood silently in place, reaching out to move the flower branches blocking their view, fully exposing Ci Ke’s features.
A hint of panic flashed in Ci Ke’s eyes, as if she didn’t want to meet Ye Youqing’s gaze, always keeping her head down.
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Taking a deep breath, Ye Youqing felt like she was trying to punch cotton, especially knowing she couldn’t really strike.
“Ci…”
“Miss Ye.” Ci Ke finally raised her voice, pushing Ye Youqing’s hand away with a wave, allowing the flower branches to fall once again, obscuring her face.
“I am not a slave anymore. Do not command me.” Ci Ke said coldly, the smile on her face vanishing. With a graceful turn, she moved along the tree trunk to the other side, facing away from Ye Youqing.
There was silence behind her for a long time, followed by a shallow apology.
After a while, Ci Ke heard no movement, so she peered over the tree trunk. Behind her, there was no one in sight, only a fiery red pomegranate flower discarded on the ground, bearing traces of being twisted.
It seemed like a heart missing a piece.
The woman who moments ago was stern and harsh, now slowly crouched down to pick up the flower.
“You don’t need to apologize,” she whispered softly to herself, a hint of weeping in her voice, “It’s me who’s at fault.”
Footsteps approached, along with the rustling sound of skirts brushing against fallen leaves. Ci Ke quickly looked up, only to meet Zhou Ziqiu’s gaze. She immediately averted her eyes, blinking away the tears that were threatening to fall.
“Aunt.” she greeted.
Having witnessed everything, Zhou Ziqiu’s face showed a hint of heartache. She lightly pressed her red lips together, with her eyelashes casting a shadow over her eyes, partially hiding her emotions. She then lowered her head and patted Ci Ke’s shoulder.
“You don’t need to cut ties so abruptly. I don’t think Miss Ye had any ill intentions.”
Ci Ke shook her head, remaining silent.
She had to cut ties swiftly, fearing she might not be able to bear it.
Meanwhile, Ye Youqing walked briskly along the palace walls, her face cold. The palace staff who passed by and saw her expression quickly backed away, not daring to even greet her.
Ye Youqing swiftly walked out of the palace like a gust of wind, without returning home or going to Jinlingzhai. Instead, she found an outdoor tavern in the market, ordered a pot of wine, and started drinking alone.
After finishing a pot of rice wine, she felt some of the burning sensation in her heart subside, now feeling it more in her stomach. She let out a long sigh.
During the daytime, the market was full of people from all walks of life. Occasionally, a few burly men with bare torsos carrying horse equipment would enter, shouting loudly, creating a deafening noise. The streets were bustling with pedestrians and vendors, filled with a lively atmosphere.
Ye Youqing watched a couple arguing on the side of the road, becoming engrossed in their conflict, which strangely eased her mind. However, the brawny men behind her suddenly started arguing louder and louder, their words piercing into her ears.
Unable to stand it, Ye Youqing shifted her attention and strained her ears towards another direction.
“Have you heard about it, the matter concerning King Si Rong?” the loud voice declared.
“You’re late with your news. The two have already been exonerated, and official notices have been posted!” someone nearby remarked nonchalantly.
“Oh, everyone knows about that,” the loud voice threw the horse equipment to the ground, lowering his voice, “What I’m saying is, the authorities suddenly sent out troops to Huanglong Mountain.”
“Huanglong Mountain?” everyone exclaimed in shock, but after a loud outcry, the loud voice smacked the head of one listener, causing them to wince in pain and fall silent.
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“Keep your voice down. This is confidential information. If you dare to leak it, be prepared to face the consequences!” the loud voice cautioned in a hushed tone.
However, Ye Youqing was sitting close by, her ears sharp and alert, able to hear everything clearly. Unable to resist, she focused her attention, poured herself a glass of wine, and pretended to bow her head to drink.
“Huanglong Mountain is near the border of Western Xia, isn’t it? Western Xia has been peaceful for years. Could it be that they are preparing for war again?” someone expressed their confusion.
“It’s not for war. They only sent a small group of soldiers. It’s likely they are searching for something.”
“Where did you hear this information? Is it reliable?” the person who had been hit earlier expressed their disbelief, with skepticism written all over their face.
“Ha, when have my rumors ever been wrong? Don’t forget who my brother-in-law is, overseeing the military camps for the royal family. He’s as trustworthy as gold,” the loud voice looked around, “And it seems to be related to King Si Rong.”
“King Si Rong has been dead for seven years. He couldn’t possibly come back to life, could he?”
“It’s not about King Si Rong himself, but it’s definitely related to him. The rest, I’m not sure about. Let’s just enjoy the gossip and not spread it around,” the loud voice said, lifting a wine cup from the table, “Come, come, let’s drink, drink!”
The noise continued on the other side, and Ye Youqing rubbed her ears, setting down the untouched glass of wine, her gaze fixed on the street in front of her.
In these past few days, she couldn’t help but speculate boldly. Perhaps the Fenghua Pendant hanging from her neck was indeed the token that would summon the missing Iron Cavalry. If so, was Qin Wang’s desire to obtain the Fenghua Pendant also a plan to recruit that Iron Cavalry?
Suddenly, she thought of the original novel. Qin Wang did lead his troops to the border, scoring victories and even receiving a small battle □□ badge. So, it was highly likely that he had seized the Fenghua Pendant from the original owner, preemptively locating the Iron Cavalry that way.
She couldn’t help but furrow her brows. With this realization, things became even more mysterious. If the Emperor suddenly found out the whereabouts of that Iron Cavalry, the information likely originated from Qin Wang.
If Qin Wang later learned that the Fenghua Pendant was the token of love given to him by the original owner, then the Emperor would also know.
With these thoughts in mind, Ye Youqing’s gaze hardened. Although everything was just her speculation, she needed to advance her plans quickly.
All things were full of twists and turns, especially since she was already of marriageable age and would soon be forced into a marriage. Whether it was the Emperor or the Empress Dowager who arranged the marriage, she would not be able to escape it, even if it wasn’t with Qin Wang.
Moreover, it had only been a year and a half since the winter when Zhao Qingrou died in the book. Oh, and there was also Ci Ke.
Fate, this great ship destined for storms, but this time, with her in it, she would strive to change its course.
Having finished the last bit of wine, Ye Youqing tossed a few copper coins onto the table and then got up to leave.
The mansion was quiet. She spent some time in Zhao Qingrou’s room, chatting with her. As she watched Zhao Qingrou’s complexion return to normal and her once frail body fill out again, Ye Youqing felt a sense of contentment.
Returning to her room at night, she bathed in warm water to wash away the day’s heat, then drifted off to sleep.
However, her dreams were far from peaceful. They were filled with fragmented scenes – unfamiliar mountains and forests, a woman crying and struggling against wild beasts, and a palace nestled by mountains and water where music and dance flourished.
The crowd raised their glasses in joy.
The woman in red fell from the cliff, amidst clashing swords. Her soft body plunged into the mist, disappearing without a trace…
Ye Youqing woke up suddenly, her body jolting as she threw off the thin blanket. Her clean body from the pre-sleep bath was covered in sweat. She took deep breaths of the night breeze blowing in through the window, waiting for her heartbeat to calm.
Though just a dream, each scene felt too real, as if they were fragments from the book she had read before.
But wasn’t that supposed to happen next summer? Why was she feeling so panicked now?
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Ye Youqing muttered to herself, wiping the sweat from her forehead. She lay back down but found herself unable to fall asleep no matter how many times she turned over. Her heart felt like a heavy stone, sensing imminent danger.
Finally, she cursed under her breath, threw on a robe, got up, and saw the moonlight shining outside. She dressed quickly and left, wandering outside as usual until she arrived at the entrance of Jinlingzhai.
The gate was unlocked, so she pushed it open and entered. The rich scent of alcohol greeted her as she walked in, knowing that Shi Li must have gone to the wine cellar again. She made her way to the backyard.
As expected, the wine cellar door was wide open, emitting a captivating aroma. Ye Youqing tiptoed in and spotted a figure in black clothes among the wine barrels.
Sensing movement, Shi Li quickly sat up, reaching for the blade at her waist. However, in the moonlight outside the door, she recognized Ye Youqing’s figure and relaxed.
“Xiaoqing?” she asked in surprise. “Why aren’t you sleeping at the mansion in the middle of the night? What brings you here?”
“I couldn’t fall asleep,” Ye Youqing replied as she walked over to her. She took the wine jug, already secretly filled, from her hand and took a few sips. The ancient rice wine wasn’t too strong, with a sour and fragrant taste.
“Is something on your mind?” Shi Li asked, sitting down on the steps outside with certainty.
Ye Youqing remembered her dream and couldn’t help but rub her temples before hesitating and speaking up.
“In a few days, it will be the beginning of summer. The Emperor will go to the palace to escape the heat, and Ci Ke and the Noble Consort may be in danger.”
