Чистая вода и прекрасные горы

Глава 60

I coughed lightly, "Lord Yang—"

Iceberg snapped out of his daze, lowered his head in embarrassment, and walked away.

I turned around and looked at the little palace maid who was staring intently behind us, and suddenly my mind cleared.

After seeing Yang Wei off, I asked the palace servants waiting in Chaoyang Palace who the little palace maid who had suddenly appeared was.

Yuan Xinnuo.

So I silently memorized the name in my heart.

This person will likely have an inextricable bond with me in the future...

Chapter Fourteen: The Calamity

Early in the morning, under the pretense that the Emperor had sent me to inquire about Consort Rong's health, I successfully arrived at Qianruo Palace.

Consort Rong is not favored in the palace and has no children. Her health has also been poor for many years. If I hadn't subtly reminded the Emperor of Consort Rong's illness yesterday, he probably wouldn't even remember her.

Seeing that she looked a little haggard, I relayed the Emperor's words to her and sat down to chat with her.

I looked around and figured this woman must have been selected to enter the palace. It would be difficult for her to even see the emperor, let alone be favored.

Seeing that life was getting tough, she asked with a smile, "Your Highness, it seems a bit lonely here. Why don't you even have a maid you can rely on?"

Consort Rong smiled and quickly called out, "Xiao Nuo, stop in your busy schedule and come out quickly."

The curtain to the inner room was lifted, and a petite and charming palace maid walked up with a medicine bottle in her hand, looking puzzled. "Master, I'm preparing your medicine."

Consort Rong pointed at me and said, "Hurry up and pay your respects to this young lady."

The young woman was about to squat down when I grabbed her arm. I looked her up and down with a smile, nodded, and then turned back to Consort Rong with a smile, "Your Majesty, are you going to make fun of me? We are all servants, there is no distinction between noble and lowly."

A hint of bitterness flashed in Consort Rong's eyes. "Even we mistresses have a clear distinction between noble and lowly, so it's naturally different for you maids. Besides, you are in the Emperor's presence, so you are naturally more favored than I have been without the Emperor's presence for a year and a half. How can you be neglectful?"

I understood what Consort Rong was saying, but I pretended not to understand. I then turned to look at the little palace maid and said, "She's so pretty. She must be a lucky girl from a good family."

The young palace maid lowered her head shyly. "This servant is Yuan Xinnuo."

I hid my smile in my eyes. Of course I know you're Yuan Xinnuo. I came here specifically for you.

Consort Rong smiled. "This is my uncle's child. It's a quiet place here. Most of the servants don't want to serve me. Xin Nuo has been close to me since childhood. She was originally engaged and waiting to be married. When she heard that my illness had relapsed, she said that she would have some free time before her marriage, so she decided to take care of me."

"So you're a well-educated and refined young lady. No wonder you look so extraordinary." I smiled and took off a white jade bracelet from my wrist. "I'm touched by your filial piety. Consider this a wedding gift for you when you get married. Thank you for taking care of your master these past few days."

"This servant dares not accept it." The young maid was quite knowledgeable about etiquette. She quickly knelt down and thanked her.

I smiled at Consort Rong. "Look at this child, she's quite pitiful. She's not really anything valuable. She was just a reward from the master she served. I'm truly grateful for Xin Nuo's filial piety. Consort Rong, please let her accept it."

Consort Rong looked at me gratefully, then nodded to Yuan Xinnuo, "You should accept it. I have no background, and you have never received anything since you entered the palace. Miss Yan and you get along well, so don't refuse. Please thank her properly in front of her and remember this kindness so that you can repay her in the future."

Consort Rong only said a few words to me, but it made me feel that the Yuan family was a scholarly family, and that they were well-behaved, honest and dutiful.

After sitting for a while, I specifically told Consort Rong to rest and not to see me off. However, Yuan Xinnuo gratefully escorted me to the door.

I took out a few silver notes from my sleeve and handed them over.

Yuan Xinnuo was startled and quickly asked, "Miss, what are you doing?"

I smiled slightly and said, “I see that the courtyard is dilapidated. I suppose you are poor and living a hard life. This money is enough to get by in the palace. You can bribe the maids and servants to serve you more attentively. The imperial physicians should also be given gifts from time to time. Alternatively, you can bring in some ingredients from outside the palace that are good for the Empress.”

It seems that this courtyard does indeed need money to maintain, and they have really suffered a lot of grievances. Yuan Xinnuo did not refuse, but held back her tears and said, "You are too kind-hearted, Miss."

I smiled and took her hand. "I feel a connection with you because of your kind face. You can decide how to manage this money yourself. It's my personal savings. It's not much, but it will help you out. As for the Empress, she will definitely not take it back if she finds out. Just don't tell her."

Yuan Xinnuo's hand trembled slightly as she clutched the silver note, her eyes reddening. "Miss Yan, you are a good person. If I have the chance in this life, I will repay you tenfold."

"We are all women in the palace, so we are sisters. There is no need for us to owe each other anything."

Even so, I truly want you to repay me, with your lifelong happiness, and your only dream as a woman...

Emerging from Consort Rong's quarters, a chill settled over me. Passing through numerous palaces, the quiet paths between the high red walls evoked a poignant sadness. Then, a voice behind me grew louder and louder, "Zhao'er, Zhao'er..."

I stopped in my tracks. Besides the red glazed tiles of the palace walls, I could see nothing. The voice lingered among the palace walls, so familiar yet so strange. Strange because I hadn't heard that light, cheerful voice constantly murmuring beside me in so long; familiar because I had woken up countless times in my dreams to hear that call. My throat tightened. "Mother, is that you? Do you want to stop me? You certainly don't want Xin Nuo to be used like us… Mother, do you blame me? But… I have to do it."

I backed away step by step, my head against the wall. The sound continued to echo in my ears. My heart grew emptier and emptier. Tears streamed down my face. I stared blankly at the blurry scenery before me, feeling lost, heartbroken, and helpless...

"Open your eyes, look at me, look at me, Xiao Zheng... Zheng'er..."

The sound changed; it was no longer so empty. It seemed as if some force was calling me back. I felt someone shaking me, shaking me harder and harder, but I couldn't open my eyes no matter what I did.

I felt myself being lifted up, the wind whistling past my ears. This person held me tightly against their chest, and a fresh bamboo scent wafted over me. It wasn't the sandalwood scent of Fourth Master, nor the faint ink fragrance of Lu Li, nor the elegant rouge scent of Lu Xiu.

When I woke up, I stared blankly at the half of my body visible outside the curtain.

After a long while, I slowly spoke, "Fifth Master, this servant has woken up."

"Oh," he replied. "The imperial physician said that you didn't get enough rest, and coupled with days of fatigue and worry, that's why you fainted."

"Thank you, Fifth Master."

He got up to leave, but stopped in his tracks. "I won't go in to see you. You'll probably hate my face even more if you see it. You were punished because of what happened last time. I... I'm definitely not a good person in your eyes. But don't worry, I've schemed against so many people, but I won't scheme against you. Take good care of yourself and don't think too much."

I smiled and said, "It's not that I don't want to see you, but rather that you have some reservations and are afraid to face me."

I rolled over, put on my long robe, got out of bed, walked over, lifted the curtain, looked at him with a smile, and said, "Look, I've proven to you, sir, that I don't dislike you."

He was stunned, and felt somewhat uneasy. "I—have I disappointed you?"

"I was a little bit skeptical after I learned about your methods, but not anymore." I smiled, but leaned in somewhat dazedly, inhaling the scent with fascination. "Fifth Master, you also like the fragrance of bamboo leaves."

I looked up at him and smiled. "Fifth Master, there's always something about you that I suddenly find captivating, like your smile, like the scent of bamboo. So every time I'm near you, I can't help but drift off into a daze, and I can't help but feel sad."

He smiled, a smile so similar to that person's, that it made me feel disoriented again.

Fifth Master tugged at my collar and tightened it, "Go back to bed quickly, don't catch a chill."

While the Emperor was taking a nap, I slipped away to the woodshed of the West Palace's laundry department. As soon as I pushed open the woodshed door, I saw Qiu Minghao dressed as a palace maid. I couldn't help but burst into laughter. Qiu Minghao gave me a resentful look and said, "Can't you close your mouth for a second?"

I tried to calm myself down and walked over to fiddle with "her" headdress. "Okay, not bad, not bad. Your skills are really good. You must have been laughing so hard at home."

Qiu Minghao snorted, "I saw the letter you sent and came here without stopping."

"Alright, alright, don't flatter yourself. Your home is just in Shibalipu, right under the capital. You can just walk back and forth. What do you mean by 'non-stop'?"

Qiu Minghao blushed, "Can't you just say what you want to say?"

I held out my hand, "I'm out of money..."

Qiu Minghao had a knowing look on his face as he pulled out a wad of cash from his pocket and shoved it into my hand. "I really don't know if you're living off banknotes here."

I counted the bills, secretly relieved that I had a few more than last time. "Make a note of the bills, and ask Nangong for them when we run into him."

Qiu Minghao gave a cold laugh, "Forget it, I don't want to waste my breath. Besides, he's gone missing again, who knows which brothel he's off to have some fun."

Nangong wasn't having a good time; he was recruiting soldiers and bribing high-ranking generals in the court.

"Is there any news regarding what the letter asked you to investigate?!"

"Yang Wei is indeed engaged to the daughter of the Yuan family. They are said to be childhood sweethearts."

As I expected, I nodded. "I could have guessed that too. I wanted to ask you if Pang Jian knew that his brother had a woman he admired."

Qiu Minghao glared at him. "I haven't finished yet. Pang Jian seems to have feelings for this Yuan Xinnuo as well. The two of them fought over this woman many years ago. After that, Pang Jian was betrothed to your sister, and the matter faded away. No one has mentioned it since. That's why Pang Jian and Yang Wei have been able to maintain a deep relationship for so many years."

“That saves me a lot of trouble—” I patted his shoulder, “Little girl, you’ve worked hard this time.”

Qiu Minghao gritted his teeth and looked at me, "I really don't know how much good karma that little girl who used to follow me around crying and wiping her snot did to be able to sit in the position of alliance leader and order me around like a slave."

"Sigh, that's what they call 'thirty years east of the river, thirty years west of the river'," I comforted him. "Back in the day, Master Qiuming also bullied me quite a bit. Just accept it."

"Is there anything else you need? It costs me quite a bit of money to come in here each time."

I handed him a letter and whispered, "When you arrive in Helin, give it to the abbot of Guoguang Temple. If anything goes wrong, destroy it beforehand."

"Mongolian script?!" Qiu Ming flipped through the letter. "This trip has taken you quite a distance."

Chapter Fifteen: Illness

The Mongol Empire occupied a region, directly threatening the capital. The Liao people, having long occupied the northeast, were also stirring up trouble. In this turbulent time, the country was in danger and the empire was unstable.

The emperor was probably exhausted, both physically and mentally, and could only offer sacrifices to Heaven to pray for peace and prosperity for the country.

Three days had passed since the emperor arrived at Xiling, but he was unable to offer sacrifices to Heaven due to illness.

Standing once again in front of the Fengxian Hall, where, it is said, my memorial tablet was also placed there by special permission of the emperor.

Facing us was the majestic Fengxian Hall, with its vermilion tiles, indigo lacquer paintings, and long white curtains... It was a magnificent hall, even more imposing than the Chaoyang Hall in the palace.

A voice called out to me from behind.

"Zhaozhi..."

I instinctively turned around, only to find that there was no one around, but the sound was still echoing...

“Zhaozhi, in the future, I want to be buried with your aunt… I’ve gotten used to her in this life, and I can’t change that habit even in several lifetimes.”

Scenes from that year flashed before my eyes again: countless people were kneeling in the square, their cries echoing under the scorching sun, "Your Majesty, please take care of your health, Your Majesty..."

On the altar standing far away, an old man dressed in gleaming light held incense in one hand and gazed up at the sky...

The figure in white gauze beside me... it's me. Yet it's not me...

She is Rong Zhaozhi.

I pushed open the heavy, vermilion doors of the Fengxian Hall. The somber, silent mausoleum suffocated me. Portraits hung on the walls of the main hall. Before each painting, their respective spirit tablets were placed respectfully. They were all once the most honored people.

They once ruled the world, holding the power of life and death over all people and land.

My gaze wandered over the portraits. The Emperor was alive. His seat was naturally empty to the side of Empress Xiaociyi, who had served Emperor Renzong. Across the empty space, my eyes settled on that familiar face. It was an air of dignified elegance, a captivating presence. The faint smile on her lips resonated deep within me. It seemed like a habit. Without thinking, I softly murmured, "Aunt..."

The aunt in the portrait wore a ring with an eerie glow on her left thumb. I took out the ring I always carried with me and gently placed it on my finger. The crystalline light in my palm stung my eyes.

As I walked step by step to the side hall, looking at those familiar yet unfamiliar portraits, tears streamed down my face when my gaze fell on that particular portrait.

She was the first wife of the current Prince Ningshuo, the former Princess Ning, renowned throughout the capital, the revered Princess Rong of Ningshuo, and a woman of the Rong clan who survived the massacre of her entire family. Her virtue was praised by the people, and her status and perfect marriage were the envy of women everywhere. Just like her death, it became an inescapable shadow, an unsolved mystery... She should be a woman lying in the underground palace, sleeping peacefully in the afterlife, not now... Having lost everything, I stare blankly at these familiar portraits like a fool, tears streaming down my face, utterly powerless.

"Soon, the memorial tablets and portraits of me and your aunt will be placed there. You and Lao Qi should come and talk to us often. After we are gone, you and Lao Qi will also come here to reunite with us."

The sound traveled through time and returned to my ears, yet it was so desolate.

Trembling, I closed my eyes, overwhelmed by hysterical pain... a pain that pierced my very soul...

My legs felt heavy, I couldn't take a single step, and my heart felt like it was weighed down by a thousand pounds.

A ray of sunlight pierced through, and the sound came from outside the hall.

"How dare you trespass into the main hall..."