Nineteen, Startled by a Dream

  I was leaning alone on the noble queen's bed in the warm pavilion, with my hand supporting my chin and tilting to one side. Although I was lazy, I didn't have a single thread of sleepiness. I only felt that the golden hairpin on my head had several strands of flowing silk hanging down, and at the end of the silk was a red gemstone. The cool ice was on my cheek, but after a while, it seemed to blend with the temperature of my face, and I no longer felt cool. Just as I was in a state of half-dreaming and half-waking dullness, I heard a small voice calling me: "Miss, miss."

  Slowly coming to, it was the sound of Yuanyuan's voice outside the curtain. I didn't get up, lazily saying: "What is it?" But she didn't respond, and I knew it wasn't a small matter, so I rubbed my face, gathered my spirits and said: "Come in and speak."

  She lifted the curtain and slipped in, walking to my side and whispering: "The Cold Palace's Yu Shi refuses to die, making a big fuss, insisting on seeing the Emperor before she'll give up."

  I shook my head, "What's the use of struggling like this? What did the Emperor say?"

  "The emperor extremely disliked her and merely said 'not seen'."

  "Has she returned to the empress?"

  "The queen has had a headache for several days and can't even get out of bed, so she naturally can't take care of this matter."

  "I pondered, 'So it's only left to Empress Hua to handle this matter. However, Empress Hua has always been extremely close to the Yu family, and at this moment, she can't even extricate herself in time to avoid suspicion, so she will inevitably have to make excuses.'"

  "The young lady said that Imperial Consort Hua said she was not feeling well and couldn't go."

  I raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is Li Chang so useless that a few inner guards can't even handle a weak woman like her?"

  Yu's wife scowled, looking disgusted: "Yu's wife is really reckless and vicious. She smashed the poisonous wine and became like a madwoman in the Cold Palace, loudly cursing the young master with such venomous words that they are unbearable to hear!"

  I slowly sat up straight and smoothed out my hair, saying: "Does she still have the face to scold? With her scolding like this, I'm afraid she'll die without a place to be buried."

  "Yu said with his own mouth that he was being framed by others and did not know why he should die."

  I stood up, reached out and let Bi Xi support my hand, and slowly said: "Then you'll accompany me to the Cold Palace, and make her understand that she's dead, so as not to die in vain!"

  Bingyi was shocked and hastily said, "The Cold Palace is an unlucky place, Miss, you absolutely cannot go! Moreover, when Madam Yu sees you, she will definitely lose control and harm you, you can't put yourself in danger!"

  I gazed out at the bright sunlight outside the window, smoothed out the flowing tassels on my embroidered lotus-patterned pouch with golden threads, and said: "Can't let her continue to be so reckless, call Xing Yu and have him come over with me."

  I have made up my mind and will no longer listen to advice, so I ordered someone to prepare a sedan chair and a palanquin to follow me there.

  The Cold Palace was a place where the concubines who had been deposed were imprisoned, with the implication of being stripped of their luxurious clothes and suffering for the rest of their lives. Many deposed concubines could not bear the miserable life in the Cold Palace after being deposed, and some went mad or took their own lives. As a result, people privately believed that the Cold Palace was a place with deep resentment and heavy yin energy, making it the most resentful place in the entire palace. Often, palace staff who lived nearby heard endless crying, wailing, and cursing sounds coming from the Cold Palace, and some even claimed to have seen white-clad ghosts wandering around the area at midnight, making people even more fearful of the Cold Palace.

  Sitting on the sedan chair for a long time, there was still no sign of approaching Jin Palace. After noon, the weather gradually warmed up, and Huan Bi and Gan Tai followed the sedan chair for a long time, with fine sweat beads on their foreheads, occasionally wiping them off with handkerchiefs. The eunuchs carrying the sedan chair, however, were walking in unison, as if they were one person, moving swiftly. I ordered: "It's hot, slow down." And asked Gan Tai sideways: "How much farther?"

  "Once you leave Shanglin Garden, walk to the end of Yongxiang Alley and then head north for a while," replied the servant.

  The house at the end of Yong Lane (1) was already very small and lowly, a place where palace servants lived. Further ahead, the more desolate it became, as if one had arrived at a place long uninhabited. Gradually, it became clear that this was a palace, extremely large but with scars all over, seemingly long uninhabited, with broken tiles, thick dust and dense spider webs covering the carved railings and painted beams, making it impossible to discern the gold patterns that once adorned them.

  Not yet entering the cold palace, I had already heard the shrill and sharp cries of women. I ordered the small eunuch carrying the sedan chair to wait outside and walked straight in. A group of eunuchs saw me coming and knelt down to pay their respects. Li Chang was Emperor Ling's personal attendant and did not need to kneel, he just bowed slightly and said: "Good fortune, Your Majesty."

  I politely said: "Please get up, sir." I also gestured to the eunuchs to stand up. I asked: "Isn't your errand finished yet, sir?"

  Li Chang's face wore a bitter smile as he pointed at Yu Shi, who was still cursing loudly: "Look, Master, this is indeed a good-for-nothing."

  Yu's eyes were full of terrifying light, and he pounced on me, grabbing my collar and saying: "How is it you? Where is the Emperor? Where is the Emperor?" As he asked, he looked around behind me.

  "Quickly release Young Master!" shouted Li Changqi and Wei Tong in unison, their voices filled with panic.

  I coldly pushed her hand away and said: "The emperor's body is worth a thousand pieces of gold, how can he casually set foot in the Cold Palace?"

  Yu's clothes were disheveled, her hair was a mess, and the light in her eyes seemed to have gone out like a candle flame that had been extinguished, gradually dimming. She pointed at me, crying and shouting: "It's all you, it's all because of you, this wicked woman! You've fooled the Emperor into wanting to kill me! You wicked woman!"

  The blue light flashed in front of me, afraid that she would hurt me. Perhaps the shout of Yu Shi was too loud, shaking off some of the thick dust accumulated on the beam above, which fell down with a rustling sound. I couldn't dodge it, and the dust landed directly on my shoulder, making me cough twice.

  Yu's family saw this and clapped his hands wildly, laughing: "Good! Good! You heartless snake! Even the heavens spare you!"

  Li Chang saw her scolding with such venom, and with a swift motion, he slapped her with the back of his hand, leaving her left cheek swollen and red, with five finger marks visible on her face. She covered her cheek with one hand, still gazing at me with a cold smile.

  I took out my handkerchief and wiped the dust off my shoulder, saying calmly: "You're the one who's brought this upon yourself, you can't live. It's just dust, if it annoys people, I'll wipe it away, it's not a big deal, is it worth making the emperor's former concubine so happy?"

  Yu heard my words and gradually stopped laughing, staring at me straight. The corners of my mouth slightly rose as I said: "You're so unwilling to die, isn't it because you want to die with a clear conscience? Then let me tell you." I lowered my face and said: "The poison in my medicine was tampered with by you, wasn't it? You can't push this off on someone else."

  She raised her head, her face twisted in a scowl, gritting her teeth and saying: "It was me who ordered it done. If it weren't for you, how would I have fallen out of favor and ended up like this? I hate you so much that I'd gnaw on your bones and drink your blood! You wretched woman will never be reborn!"

  Li Chang saw the situation and was about to strike again, I slightly raised my hand to stop him, he lowered his hand and retreated behind me. I said: "Since you already know your own crimes, why don't you surrender obediently?!"

  "It's all because I was careless for a moment and you discovered it, the Emperor demoted me to the Cold Palace and I couldn't blame anyone else. But just as I entered the Cold Palace, the Emperor suddenly wanted to kill me, do you dare say it wasn't your instigation?!"

  I smiled slightly: "Why do I need to speak provocatively? You, who have been favored, should understand the most!" I paused for a moment, and the smile on my lips deepened: "On New Year's Eve in the Mei Garden, 'Against the wind as if it were easy, effortless without being damaged', do you still remember?"

  Yu's face gradually showed a look of doubt, which was then replaced by terror, and she let out a loud shriek: "It's you! It's actually you!" She stretched out her arms and rushed forward, shouting hoarsely: "The person that day was you! I succeeded because of you, and I failed because of you!"

  I dodged to one side and shouted at Gan Cai: "How dare you be so rude! Slap yourself in the mouth!"

  Yu's family member made a futile attempt, using too much force and fell to the ground, causing dust to rise everywhere. Rong Yu didn't say a word, stepped forward, pulled her up and slapped her twice on the face with the back of his hand, slapping her until the corner of her mouth cracked and blood seeped out.

  I saw Yu Shi being beaten into a daze, and signaled to the servant girl to release her. I said: "Your way of gaining favor is not upright, you should be more careful and guard your own position. But instead, you repeatedly stir up trouble, and still don't understand the lesson, becoming even more ruthless in plotting against me. How can I let you off lightly?"

  She listened with a lost soul, hearing that I couldn't forgive her, and suddenly jumped up and rushed out. Li Chang's eyes were quick and his hands were fast, pushing her back inside. She shook her head like a madwoman, shouting: "I won't die! I won't die! The Emperor likes to hear me sing, the Emperor won't kill me!" While shouting, she struggled with all her might to get out. A group of eunuchs used their combined strength to hold her back, causing chaos and commotion.

  I beckoned Li Chang to come over, furrowing my brow and speaking in a low voice: "This can't go on like this, the Emperor is worried, and the Empress's headache has recurred, we can't let her continue making trouble."

  Li Chang also found it difficult: "The young master doesn't know, the emperor granted her to take her own life, but this madwoman smashed the poisonous wine and tore up the white silk, there's simply nothing that can be done."

  I asked: "Li Gonggong has served the emperor for many years, hasn't he?"

  "In response to Young Master's words, I have been serving His Majesty for twenty years now."

  I smiled and said, "Your Majesty's service to the Emperor is laborious and meritorious, and in the palace, you have seen much and are well-informed, able to grasp the Emperor's thoughts." I deliberately paused for a moment, "Since the Emperor has ordered her to take her own life, it is just one death. Once she is dead, your task will also be over, who would investigate whether it was self-inflicted or not?"

  Li Chang said in a low voice: "The young master means..."

  "The Yu family is completely isolated in the palace, with no one to speak for them. Now that the Emperor dislikes her even more." I changed my tone and asked: "What should be done with the concubines who were ordered to accompany the deceased emperor but refused to die themselves?"

  Li Chang and others immediately looked down, looking at the ground and said: "Yes."

  "The Duke understands better than I what it means for a night to be long and dreams to be many. By ending her, the Emperor has also put an end to one of his worries."

  Li Chang bowed respectfully and said: "I understand. I will see you off, young master."

  I smiled slightly and slowly walked out with Zhen Huan, accompanied by the gentle breeze. Behind me, I heard Yu Shi's sharp and vicious curses: "Zhen Huan! If you don't die at my hands, someone will surely help me take care of you! You will definitely not have a good death!" Her maniacal laughter was as mournful as an owl in the night, it pierced through my eardrums, but I pretended not to hear and continued walking out.

  "You're going to die and still don't know to repent."

  "I said calmly: 'When death is imminent, let her go.'"

  Outside the Forbidden City, the dusk was shrouded in a gloomy haze. A crow suddenly took flight, flapping its wings and flying towards a distant tree. The wind in front of the Cold Palace seemed to be particularly chilly. I leaned on Bi Xi's shoulder as we rode the sedan chair back to the palace. The sky grew darker, with the dark half of the sky resembling ink dripping into clear water, gradually spreading outwards, bigger and bigger, slowly devouring the other half of the sky where the sunset was still radiant.

  Both sides of the alley are equipped with street lamps, each lamp is as tall as a person, and there is a copper lantern on the stone base, with copper wire protecting the window. The lights shine all night, and the wind and rain do not extinguish them. At this time, an inner attendant is lighting the lamps, pouring fuel into the lamp tower, and lighting up the street lamps. Seeing my sedan chair approaching, he knelt down silently along the way to pay his respects.

  Returned to the palace and just finished dinner, Shi Wei came in to report that Li Chang had sent a small eunuch to pass on a message saying that Yu Shi had taken her own life. Although I had already known this outcome, now hearing it from someone else's mouth, my heart still sank with a thrill, and my little finger trembled slightly. After all, this was the first time I had personally destroyed a human life, and even though I had been prepared for it, I couldn't help but feel some fear afterwards.

  Seeing that I looked unwell, she dismissed the attendants around me and quietly stood guard beside the closed door.

  On the table, a small boshan furnace was burning incense, with thin smoke curling up straight and spreading out like mist. I stretched out my hand to gently sweep it away, and the smoke dispersed, losing its shape.

  I asked in a low voice: "Rong Yu, was I too ruthless about this?"

  "What is Xiao Zhu pointing at?"

  I let out a faint sigh, using the tip of my armor to gently sweep aside the intricate silk embroidery on the tablecloth, remaining silent.

  She poured a cup of tea and placed it in front of me, saying softly: "I don't know what's wrong, I only know that if others don't offend the young master, the young master won't offend others. If the young master takes action, it must be something unbearable."

  "Are you trying to comfort me?"

  "I don't know how to comfort you, I just want to tell you, young master, that there have been too many bloody incidents in the palace. If you don't show ruthlessness towards others, others may be even more ruthless towards you."

  I remained silent, and the maid glanced at me before softly saying, "It's getting late, let me help Young Master get some rest."

  I nodded and said, "At this hour, His Majesty should still be reading the memorials, shouldn't he?"

  "Yes. I heard that these days the ministers' memorials are especially numerous."

  "I'm also tired, I'll have Xiao Yuanshu send some ginseng soup to the Yi Yuan Palace, the Emperor has been overworking lately."

  "Yes." Yulan went out to instruct, and Duan Shui helped me take off my hairpins and makeup, supported me onto the bed, lowered the silk curtains, leaving only two small candles in front of the bed, and quietly retreated.

  I've been exhausted lately, and the medicine in my body hasn't worn off yet. As soon as I lay down, I fell into a deep sleep. I don't know how long I slept, but I felt the quilt on me getting cooler, as if it was raining outside. The sound of wind and rain was loud, and the leaves were rustling against each other with a "hua la hua la" sound. It seemed like someone was calling my name - Zhen Huan! Zhen Huan! No one has called me that in a long time, it felt strange and distant. I sat up dazedly, the window frame creaking "ba da ba da", letting in cold wind, and the swaying candle flame on the bed went out with a "pu" sound. I asked groggily: "Who is it?"

  There is a dark shadow swaying in front of the bed, vaguely a woman with scattered hair. I asked: "Who?"

  "It's a woman's voice, sobbing and shrill: "Zhen Huan. You took away my life, had me strangled to death, how could you forget so quickly?" She repeatedly asks "How could you forget so quickly?""

  Cold sweat broke out all over me, Yu Shi!

  "Zhen Yan, do you know the taste of being strangled? They used a bowstring to strangle me, it was so painful, my neck was almost broken in half. Do you want to take a look?" She laughed wildly, her laughter spreading rapidly throughout the room along with the unspeakable terror in my heart. "Do you dare to take a look?"

  She made a gesture to lift the curtain. I was so frightened that my hair stood on end, my scalp numb and tingling, I frantically searched for something beside me. Pillow! Gilt porcelain pillow! I grabbed it fiercely, lifted the curtain and threw it at the shadow with all my might, making a loud crashing sound, shards of ceramic scattered all over the floor with a sharp "zila" sound. Panting heavily, I shouted loudly: "It was I, Zhen Huan, who ordered your strangulation! What can you do to me? If I didn't kill you, you would have killed me too! If you dare to linger on as a ghost again, I will definitely crush your bones and scatter your ashes, leaving not even a stinky skin bag behind!"

  In an instant, there was the sound of a door being opened. Someone rushed in hastily, busily lighting candles and lifting the curtains, "Young master, young master, what's wrong with you!"

  The silver bangles on my wrist jingled, reminding me that I was still in the mortal world. My head and body were covered in cold sweat, and I slowly calmed down, saying, "It was just a nightmare." Everyone let out a sigh of relief, busily fetching water to wipe my face, closing the window, and picking up the scattered bedding. Xianyu helped me put on a new pillow, and I forced myself to lower my voice, leaning close to her ear and saying, "She's been here."

  Qingyu's expression changed, and she replaced the incense in the Bo Shan censer. She said to the people around her, "The young master is having a nightmare, I'll stay with him in the room to rest, you all go out first."

  Everyone withdrew, and Rong Yuai hugged the quilt and lay down under my bed, saying in a gentle voice: "The slave will accompany the young master, please go to sleep, young master."

  The sound of the wind and rain rustling in my ears, I was still startled and hadn't calmed down. The more I wanted to curl up into a ball, the more I stretched out my body, straightened my hands and feet, and my body felt a bit stiff. The breathing sound beside me was slightly rapid and uneven, not smooth and calm, and didn't seem like someone who had fallen asleep.

  I whispered: "Rong Yu."

  "Is the young master still afraid?"

  "Alright."

  "The rumors of ghosts and spirits are just false tales spread by people, don't take them to heart."

  I stretched out my hand, and in the dim candlelight, the silver cuff on my wrist reflected a faint, eerie glow, like a small, dark yellow snake slithering away. I said calmly: "Today's nightmare was actually because my hands were stained with blood for the first time, so I dreamed of Yu Shi's vengeful spirit seeking revenge." I paused for a moment and continued: "What I'm really afraid of is not these things; ghosts and spirits come from the human heart. As long as I don't have any more guilt in my heart, I won't be haunted by nightmares anymore. What I'm afraid of is that although Yu Shi has passed away, this matter hasn't been completely settled."

  "Does the young master suspect that there is someone behind Yu's back giving orders?" asked Gan Cai, turning over and sitting up.

  "Really? Do you still remember what Madame Yu cursed me with when we left the Cold Palace?"

  "I remember." Zhen Cui's tone was slightly heavy, "She said that there must be someone helping her kill the young master."

  "You've been in the palace for some years, think about it carefully. Ruyi doesn't seem like a person with deep thoughts and plans. She's just an ordinary palace maid from a humble background, how could she understand pharmacology and know exactly how much medicine to put in my soup each time? How could she arrange for people to come into my palace in such a way that everything is perfectly coordinated? And where did the medicine come from?"

  "Xun Ze's breathing gradually became heavy, and after a moment of silence, he said: 'The young master has already understood that she should be left alive for further interrogation.'"

  I shook my head, "Yu Shi hates me to the bone, how could she say that someone behind her back is plotting for her. She would rather die than say it, and even bite us back with false accusations. On the contrary, when she dies, the mastermind will relax, giving us a clue to follow." I sneered, "Let's use her death as a good show."

  "Has Young Master already made plans?"

  "Not bad." I beckoned her to come closer and whispered a few words in her ear.

  Xiang Yu listened and smiled: "Good plan, young master. Let's just wait for that person to reveal his true form."

  Note: (1) Yonglang: a long corridor in the imperial palace, where some unassigned palace maids and low-ranking concubines without favor lived on both sides.