Hugged the Wrong Person
Ci Ke blinked a few times, seemingly half-understanding, tears dripping into her palm along her cheeks.
Her cheeks visibly showed some blush.
Suddenly, there was a commotion from inside the palace gates, as if someone was speaking in a panic. Ci Ke took a final glance at Ye Youqing, lifted her skirt, and turned to run inside.
Ye Youqing looked back and exchanged glances with Shi Li, pulled her by the arm, and strode to catch up.
A few palace servants were gathered at the entrance of the sleeping quarters. Seeing Ci Ke arrive, they all stepped aside to make way, watching as Ci Ke ran into the hall.
The spacious hall was filled with a strong scent of wine. The entrance hall was originally tightly closed, so the smell couldn’t escape, mingling with the sandalwood incense burning somewhere, making people dizzy.
“Miss Ci Ke.” The palace maid Chunhong, who was guarding Zhou Ziqiu, saw Ci Ke return and finally breathed a sigh of relief. She stepped back and watched as Ci Ke ran to Zhou Ziqiu, taking away the jade wine pot that was spilling wine all over the floor from her hands.
“Aunt, drinking is harmful to your health.” Ci Ke gently advised, skillfully taking out a handkerchief to wipe the wine stains off Zhou Ziqiu, and cradled her limp upper body into her arms.
Zhou Ziqiu’s face was covered with makeup, but it couldn’t hide the dark circles under her eyes. Although she was beautiful, she looked tired and haggard. Her luxurious clothes were worn messily, and half of her hair, which should have been neatly pinned up, was loose.
She seemed very unwilling to let others touch her. Even though it was Ci Ke by her side, she struggled and pushed her away several times.
Ye Youqing felt the stiffness of Shi Li behind her and comfortingly reached back to hold her palm.
“Chunhong, the Noble Consort’s body is precious, quickly close the door.” Ci Ke commanded. Chunhong immediately got up and ran to the door, scolding, “No one is allowed to look anymore. Have you all finished the work in the courtyard?”
Under her reprimand, several palace maids quickly bowed and left, and then glanced back to the two in the room before leaving.
Ye Youqing noticed the odd behavior of the two out of the corner of her eye but stood to the side looking bewildered, until the door closed with a bang, blocking the cold wind outside.
“Quick, help me!” Ci Ke finally spoke, struggling to support the continuously sliding body of Zhou Ziqiu.
Ye Youqing gave Shi Li a push, and Shi Li stumbled forward, half-kneeling in front of Zhou Ziqiu. After hesitating for a moment, she used both hands to cradle her body, taking her from Ci Ke’s arms.
“Sister Shi Li, can you help me carry my aunt inside?” Ci Ke said softly.
Miraculously, Zhou Ziqiu, who had been struggling just moments ago, suddenly became much more obedient upon touching Shi Li’s body. Her jade-white fingertips dangled toward the ground as she mumbled a few words.
Shi Li nodded, her light-colored eyes looking at Zhou Ziqiu’s drunken and unconscious face, then she looked away and lifted her up horizontally.
The tall Shi Li seemed to carry Zhou Ziqiu effortlessly, even though the woman’s bejeweled ornaments jingled, and her brocade robes and fine clothes looked quite heavy.
The inner room was a complete mess, looking like it had been smashed and vandalized. The floor was covered with broken porcelain pieces, and the brocade quilt had been cut into strips. The wooden bed was also in disarray. Chunhong lowered her gaze and quickly stepped forward to tidy up the bed.
Only then did Shi Li kneel on one knee by the bedside and lay the woman’s body down.
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Unexpectedly, as soon as her back touched the bed, Zhou Ziqiu suddenly turned to the side and clung to the edge of the bed, vomiting painfully. Ye Youqing quickly turned to grab a cup of water, and when she turned back, she saw Shi Li standing still, letting Zhou Ziqiu vomit. Only when Zhou Ziqiu finally stopped moving did Shi Li gently turn her back, took a cloth, and wiped her clean of the filth.
Ye Youqing’s steps paused.
The actions were too normal and natural, without a trace of disgust or distance.
“Water.” Shi Li suddenly spoke. Ye Youqing then stepped forward and handed the teacup to her, watching as Shi Li fed Zhou Ziqiu the water.
“What’s wrong with her?” Shi Li asked without looking up.
Chunhong glanced at Ci Ke, then bowed her head to answer: “The Emperor came last night. This morning, the Noble Consort smashed all the utensils and forbade us from approaching.”
“Every time the Emperor comes, the Noble Consort becomes like this.” Chunhong’s eyes were filled with pain, “Especially recently.”
From a distance, Ye Youqing could hear the cracking sound of Shi Li’s fists.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door outside. Chunhong quickly went to open it. After a while, she came running back hurriedly and said, “Miss Ci Ke, Eunuch Zhu said that the Emperor is coming to Qiushui Palace!”
Ci Ke quickly looked at Ye Youqing. Without a word, Ye Youqing lifted her foot and walked out of the inner room. Behind her, Shi Li took one last look at Zhou Ziqiu, followed Ye Youqing while taking off the dirty outer garment and holding it in her hand.
Before opening the door, Ye Youqing suddenly turned around. Ci Ke, who had been following her, quickly stepped back and made eye contact with her.
“I can’t stay long. See you tonight at the Zhou residence.” Ye Youqing quickly said, then pulled the door open and walked into the chilly wind.
After leaving the palace, Ye Youqing returned to the residence arranged by the Emperor. The residence was not large and was similar to the courtyard house in Weizhou, but fortunately, it had everything necessary. Ye Youqing soon settled herself in.
She also took advantage of the dusk to stroll around the streets, pretending to be someone entering the capital for the first time, curious about everything. It wasn’t until nightfall that she returned to her residence with a basket of things she had bought.
She could sense someone following her a few yards behind, indicating that the old Emperor was still very wary of her.
After returning to her room, she waited for a long time, until the moon rose over the willow branches and the cold frost descended. Only then did she extinguish the lights and pretended to be asleep.
Since returning from the palace, Shi Li had been in a bad mood, so Ye Youqing didn’t bring her along, leaving her to guard the house instead, in case something needed attending to.
“You must return before dawn,” Shi Li said, lying on her bed with her clothes on, one leg resting on the knee of the other, shaking it.
“Got it,” Ye Youqing replied, but she felt a faint sense of nervousness.
Because of Ci Ke.
She nimbly climbed out of the back window, unnoticed by anyone. She weaved through the alleys for a while and soon found the location of the Zhou residence. She tapped the wall with her toes and easily leaped over it.
The moonlight was bright; tonight’s moon seemed larger than usual, like a translucent, glowing silver plate hanging in a sky as deep as the ocean. The milky-white light covered the ground, exuding a hint of vitality despite it being winter.
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With the moon as a backdrop, there was a towering rockery in the garden, higher than the courtyard wall. A small pavilion was built on the rockery, its flying eaves curving outwards, casting a black silhouette against the moon.
On top stood a figure, with the unseen side bathed in moonlight, making her whole body glow with silver light. Her robe was lifted by the wind, fluttering behind her, appearing dreamy and surreal.
The figure stood far away, looking fragile, as if a gust of wind could blow her away. Ye Youqing’s heart tightened into a knot. She climbed the rockery in a few steps and called out anxiously, “Ci Ke!”
Unexpectedly, as soon as she spoke, the figure was startled and suddenly slipped. Ye Youqing hurriedly rushed forward, stepping onto the pavilion roof in a few strides. With quick reflexes, she caught the person’s waist and pulled her back into her arms with force.
Once she had safely held the person, she finally exhaled, feeling the thumping fear in her chest.
The person in her arms remained motionless, standing stiffly as if her acupoints had been struck.
“Ye Youqing?” Suddenly, an incredulous voice came from below the rockery. Ye Youqing hurriedly looked down, only to see Ci Ke wearing the red dress from the daytime. The wind blew her skirt into fluttering petals as she looked up in shock at Ye Youqing.
Ye Youqing quickly averted her gaze and looked at the woman in her arms. Her eyes were clear and bright, and her features were more heroic than those of an average woman, making it hard to distinguish her gender. However, because her hair was loose, it was difficult to say she was beautiful.
“Sis, sister…” The woman spoke with both joy and fear.
Ye Youqing’s mind jolted, and she quickly released her grip. However, the woman who had been held by her had not yet regained her balance. This time, she truly stepped into thin air. Accompanied by a short scream, she disappeared from sight.
“Sixth Prince!” Ci Ke immediately covered her mouth and hurried over.
Ye Youqing heard a few rustling sounds from below, followed by a dull thud that startled a few angry sparrows, which flapped their wings and flew away. She then closed her eyes tightly and pressed her lips together, before turning and leaping down from the high pavilion.
Ci Ke was pulling the person out from the withered grass. The Sixth Prince had a few blades of grass hanging in her hair and wobbled as she stood up, covering her chest to calm herself down.
Ye Youqing awkwardly stopped and asked, “Are you seriously hurt?”
“No.” The Sixth Prince waved her hand, not knowing where to place them, so she reached up and removed the leaves from her hair, “It’s nothing.”
Ye Youqing turned her head to look at Ci Ke, but couldn’t discern her expression.
“Why are you at the Zhou residence? I thought…”
“I came to seek Ci Ke’s help with something. It was too late to return to the palace, so I stayed here for the night. I never expected…” The Sixth Prince explained softly, growing more delighted, “I never expected to see you, sister. Ci Ke said that there has been no news of you for the past two years. When did you return to the capital?”
Ye Youqing had removed her disguise after nightfall, revealing her true face. Her phoenix eyes flickered as she smiled and said, “Two days ago, but with a different identity.”
The Sixth Prince’s eyes shone brightly, “I knew it. How could there be another woman in the world with talents like yours, sister?”
Ye Youqing was about to speak, but a few clear coughs interrupted her, swallowing her unsaid words.
“There is still herbal medicine being brewed in the room, I will go first.” Ci Ke said sullenly, turned around, and walked toward the dark room around the rockery.
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“Ci Ke!” Ye Youqing quickly turned around and hurriedly patted the Sixth Prince’s shoulder, “We’ll talk tomorrow.”
Having said that, she left the somewhat confused Sixth Prince behind and strode after Ci Ke.
Ci Ke also quickened her pace, her cherry lips tightly closed, hands clenched in front of her, the hem of her skirt swaying around her feet. When she reached the bedroom door, she opened it and went inside.
Ye Youqing swiftly slipped through the door crack before she could close it.
The candlelight lit up, revealing the clean and elegant room. Zhou Hong had put in some thought: calligraphy and paintings hung on the walls, dried flowers were placed in a blue porcelain vase in the corner, and there were several packets of herbs scattered and classified on the square table in the middle.
Ci Ke walked to the table and quickly continued weighing the herbs, but her hands were trembling slightly, making several mistakes.
“Ci Ke, I just thought that was you, so…” Ye Youqing hurriedly explained in a gentle voice, but heard Ci Ke sniff and wipe something away with her sleeve.
Ye Youqing could no longer hold back, stepped forward with open arms, and embraced the now much more mature and alluring figure from behind, burying her face into her shoulder, feeling a surge of sourness in her eyes.
Ci Ke stopped her actions, and a few cool drops fell from Ye Youqing’s palms.
