Lan Yue changed her clothes and couldn’t help constantly reaching back to scratch. She had grown accustomed to the soft fabric of a clothing attendant’s garments. Now switching back to an ordinary palace servant’s attire felt very uncomfortable.

She ran out sourly: “Qun Qing, I really can’t bear to see you. When I see you and think that I can’t wear even a single hairpin anymore, my heart aches.”

Qun Qing, meanwhile, unpinned her single bun, letting her somewhat curled long hair fall over her shoulders. She smoothed it with a comb, then arranged it before the mirror into a lily bun, pinning it with a pair of plain gold hairpins depicting fish playing in water.

She fastened her bay-yellow embroidered upper jacket, tied on a red and white striped skirt, attached her wooden fish tally, and draped her shawl. Then she bent down to smooth her clothes until there wasn’t a single wrinkle.

The newly received clothing attendant’s attire.

“Sister Qing, where do you usually make wishes for career advancement on New Year’s Eve?” A’Meng came in to fetch water. Seeing Qun Qing dressed up, her face was full of envy. “I’ll go pray too, so next year I can also become a clothing attendant. People depend on clothes, horses on saddles—I never imagined Sister Qing would look so beautiful dressed up.”

“You fool, can’t you speak properly?” A’Jiang rolled her eyes. “What does this have to do with clothes? Sister Qing was already beautiful. You haven’t looked carefully—she’s so fair. Look at her eye corners—to be able to lift so beautifully like that is called ‘Auspicious Phoenix Spreading Its Tail,’ a fortunate physiognomy among fortunate…”

A’Jiang stopped abruptly because she saw Qun Qing’s faint smile disappear as she turned and left, thinking she’d said something wrong.

Qun Qing, her back to them, used her hand to cover her earlobes. From the praise, her ears had uncontrollably turned red. But her gaze in the mirror was extremely calm, carrying scrutiny.

No one in her family had ever praised her appearance. Her features didn’t resemble Mother’s. Zhu Ying was Miao, with amber-colored irises and curved eyes and brows. Her own eyes were very dark, her gaze cold—she was born looking as if she’d died with unresolved grievances.

When Physician Li had manipulated her bones to change her appearance, he couldn’t alter the shape of her eyes. So her eyes were most unlike “Qun Qing’s.” A’Jiang had noticed—that meant others might notice too.

She’d heard there were portraits of palace maids on their registries.

Therefore, Qun Qing was even more worried about that registry of hers, whose whereabouts remained unknown.

—

Walking to the Rear Court entrance, a guard stopped Qun Qing: “Fish tally.”

Qun Qing took out her fish tally and handed it to him.

As a palace’s clothing attendant now, she was qualified to wear a fish tally. Though wooden, it still allowed her to move freely through the palace.

“Young lady serves in the Eastern Palace’s Qingxuan Pavilion—why are you coming to the Rear Court?” the guard asked her.

“I’m here at the Cultivation Bureau to request some flower seeds and cuttings. You know about our Good Lady planting flowers in the palace, right?” Qun Qing showed them her empty basket.

Zheng Zhiyi planting flowers was quite novel and thus widely discussed. Upon hearing this, the guard returned the fish tally to Qun Qing: “So it’s the Good Lady’s instruction. I’ve offended you, young lady. Please enter.”

Qun Qing noticed many new Yulin Guards outside the Rear Court and asked him: “Why are there so many guards outside the Rear Court?”

“Oh, there are Nan Chu spies in the Rear Court. Two days ago we indeed caught someone pushing a vegetable cart out of the palace to transmit messages. Princess Yan ordered strict supervision—no outsiders are allowed in anymore.” The guard said amiably, “The Rear Court is dirty and chaotic. Next time, don’t come personally for such errands—avoid inviting trouble.”

While having people at the Cultivation Bureau help her pack flower seeds, Qun Qing was still thinking about the guard’s words.

She had some impression of that vegetable cart driver—he was someone else’s “terminal contact,” the lowest rank of spy, who definitely didn’t know her identity. So she wouldn’t be in immediate danger.

But Princess Yan had inexplicably strengthened inspections of the Rear Court, which greatly annoyed her. Combined with the previous incident, she wasn’t sure if Lu Huating was searching for spies behind the scenes.

She’d come to the Rear Court because Registrar Xu had said her palace registry hadn’t been sent to the Six Bureaus. She wanted to ask Instructor Zhang for help checking whether her registry was still here. But if the Rear Court was being watched this closely by Lu Huating, searching would be very troublesome.

Unfortunately, at the main hall where Instructor Zhang lived, the courtyard gate was padlocked, indicating she wasn’t home.

Qun Qing was about to leave when she distinctly heard noisy voices from inside. Finding it strange, she quickly climbed up the low wall using a pottery jar for support.

“Dong Zao!” She immediately recognized the young eunuch in blue standing in the courtyard.

“Sister Qun Qing, you’ve come back?” Dong Zao looked in surprise at Qun Qing perched on the wall. “Looking for Instructor Zhang? She’s not here—Consort Chen De summoned her.”

“Then what are you all doing in her courtyard?”

Several Rear Court palace maids in the courtyard immediately stood aside with hands lowered upon hearing this. The dust kicked up from their earlier beating hadn’t yet settled. A girl in red lay on the ground, hands bound behind her back, mouth gagged, her clothes so covered in dust and sweat the pattern was indiscernible.

“Instructor Zhang instructed us.” Dong Zao pointed at the red-clothed girl. “This woman has been in the Rear Court over ten days—eats but doesn’t work, and cries and curses every night, keeping everyone from sleeping. We’ve tried every method—nothing works! Had to teach her a lesson. We didn’t use force—just frightening her.”

As if responding to his words, the girl twisted and struggled like a carp.

“Sister Qun Qing, don’t be fooled by her pitiful appearance. Who here hasn’t taken pity on her? She… she’s sick in the head, curses everyone.” Dong Zao angrily gave the girl another light kick. “Still thinking that official will come rescue you? Your lowborn registry is already in the Rear Court—stop these pipe dreams and quickly change clothes and work!”

Qun Qing analyzed his words: “Whose concubine was confiscated?”

“An outer consort of a fifth-rank official,” Dong Zao said.

“Don’t touch her anymore.” Qun Qing’s elbow hurt. She shifted position while leaning on the wall. “One kick from each of you—you don’t know your own strength. If she dies, should Instructor Zhang be punished?”

Instructor Zhang had been so kind to her—she needed to help eliminate potential risks.

Qun Qing looked at the girl on the ground. Her skin was delicate, her tattered clothes couldn’t hide her graceful figure, and those clothes weren’t ordinary in style—they resembled a dancer’s costume.

“She disturbs people at night, so she can’t rest either. After more than ten days, anyone would break down. What’s the point?” Qun Qing thought for a moment. “Could it be she feels afraid, so she needs others’ attention constantly on her?”

The woman who had been struggling frantically like a carp finally stopped moving at these words. Her cheek pressed against the ground as she panted heavily. Dong Zao was baffled: “What could she fear? There are no man-eating tigers in the Rear Court.”

Who knew that at these words, the other Rear Court palace maids would all look sideways: “You rootless thing, what do you understand? She’s so beautiful—if she doesn’t make a commotion, there are plenty of things to fear.”

“Exactly. You haven’t seen those predatory palace officials, eunuchs who take liberties, and Director Pei—he doesn’t ‘favor’ you, but he certainly ‘favors’ us plenty!”

Dong Zao was pushed back and forth, repeatedly apologizing: “I was wrong, dear sisters! Then Sister Qun Qing, what do you suggest?”

This prostrate girl must be exceptionally beautiful. Fallen into the Rear Court, she was like a sheep entering a tiger’s den.

Qun Qing knew Instructor Zhang had ways to protect her under Director Pei’s nose, so she said: “First let her share a room with Instructor Zhang for three months.”

Director Pei was wary of Instructor Zhang and didn’t dare touch her people.

“Have them share a room? Instructor Zhang would beat me to death, right?” Dong Zao said. “She cursed at people this morning and infuriated Instructor Zhang half to death.”

“Say it was my idea.” Qun Qing then addressed the girl: “Hey, young lady, this is already the safest place in the Rear Court. If you keep disturbing people’s sleep and get thrown out, you’ll truly only be waiting to die.”

Without waiting for Dong Zao’s response, Qun Qing nimbly jumped down and brushed dust from her sleeves.

Even if Instructor Zhang wanted to hit her, she couldn’t reach her now.

On the way back, Lan Yue met up with Qun Qing.

Lan Yue said: “That Registrar Xu looks down on people—she’s very arrogant. She manages registries for the entire palace, busy serving the empresses and consorts. She doesn’t regard us palace maids at all. Trying to establish a relationship with her will probably take some time.”

According to Qun Qing’s plan, she and Lan Yue had split up. Lan Yue went to find Registrar Xu to confirm whether her palace registry was at the Bureau of Palace Attendants.

“It’s fine. I didn’t find Instructor Zhang today either.” Qun Qing consoled her. “Buddha’s Birthday is in the winter month—still several months away. As long as we find it within these months, it’ll be fine.”

“I was just going to tell you.” Lan Yue said. “Where exactly did you hear that on Buddha’s Birthday, the Sage and Empress will climb the mountain to worship Buddha’s birth from afar and also release palace maids in large numbers?”

Qun Qing stopped: “I heard someone say it. Why? Is it wrong?”

Lan Yue said hesitantly: “I haven’t heard about climbing any mountain.”

Wait—this doesn’t match the previous life.

Qun Qing felt somewhat panicked: “Then how are the Sage and Empress planning to celebrate Buddha’s Birthday this year?”

Lan Yue said: “The Liuli Kingdom envoy has also been here for some time now. Seems quite satisfied. Says they’ll send Buddha’s bone into Chang’an next month. The Sage has decreed it will be placed in the scripture pillar at Nan Zen Temple. There should be some kind of ceremony.”

Qun Qing couldn’t help being stunned.

She clearly remembered that in the previous life at this time, the matter of welcoming Buddha’s bone was advocated by the Crown Prince but didn’t proceed because Prince Yan opposed it.

The reason for opposition was simple—military shortage of funds. Prince Yan’s troops hadn’t been paid for three months. Like red-eyed starving wolves, how could they agree to the Crown Prince spending money on an extravagant ceremony? The two quarreled bitterly. Finally, Emperor Chenming and Empress Ma compromised—they would climb high in the traveling palace to worship facing south from afar and also release large numbers of palace maids before the matter was dropped.

For such a major event to change, unless Prince Yan was reborn in the wrong body or changed his nature!

“Will they still release palace people?” Qun Qing asked.

“That’s unknown.”

“Didn’t Prince Yan’s mansion firmly oppose welcoming Buddha’s bone?” Qun Qing couldn’t help asking.

“It’s strange—previously opposed, but today the entire Prince Yan’s mansion strongly supports it.” Lan Yue said. “But none of this matters anymore. I heard Prince Yan is about to go to his fief—he’ll be rolling out of Chang’an.”

Qun Qing froze again.

What? Prince Yan is leaving Chang’an?

…

The setting sun descended. Lin Yujia, in his dark green official robes, held his jade tablet as he emerged from that magnificent Zichen Hall and walked behind the trees.

Qun Qing asked him directly: “Was Prince Yan impeached because of the West Market incident?”

Lin Yujia was momentarily stunned: “Your news travels fast. Private troops injuring people in the marketplace, arousing public anger—yesterday the Censorate, today Minister Li, assistant ministers from two departments, and Chief Censor Chen all memorialized together, all demanding the Sage severely punish Prince Yan. This leaves the Sage wanting to shield his son with no way to do so.”

“Most critically, Minister Li brought up the matter of the Two Wards from years ago.” Lin Yujia tapped his palm with the jade tablet. “Back when the realm wasn’t yet settled, Prince Yan wasn’t held accountable. Now the time has come for reckoning after autumn.”

The Two Wards incident referred to when Prince Yan attacked all the way from the northlands to Chang’an with overwhelming force. Due to some misunderstanding about opening the city gates in surrender, when entering the city, his arrogant horsemen couldn’t stop, trampling people in two wards and leaving the populace frightened as startled birds.

That day when the bone whistle blew and diners and pedestrians raised brooms and cudgels in hostile confrontation—that was the lingering aftereffect of this incident.

Now that an imperial prince had friction with commoners again, another shadow was added over Chang’an’s sky.

As long as Prince Yan remained in Chang’an, this fear wouldn’t dissipate, and winning people’s hearts was out of the question.

Qun Qing believed Emperor Chenming understood the situation very well.

When seizing the realm, he needed brave warriors. But now he wanted peace and tranquility more. Whether Li Huan was innocent or not, as long as public anger didn’t subside for one day, he must severely punish Prince Yan to quell the resentment.

“Prince Yan’s mansion’s staff retreated step by step, agreeing to welcome Buddha’s bone, but it couldn’t salvage the Sage’s intent. This time they’ll probably really drive Prince Yan to his fief in Qinghai—that desolate, remote place. This third imperial prince has probably become a discarded piece.” Lin Yujia touched her shoulder from behind. “But in everything, one must guard against the one-in-ten-thousand chance. The master is prepared to have someone ambush him on the road and assassinate Li Huan once he departs. Qingqing, your elder brother’s revenge will be avenged!”

Through her clothes and skirt, Qun Qing pinched her leg to confirm this rebirth wasn’t a dream.

Too fast. Everything in this life was developing too fast.

Could matters proceed this smoothly?

Prince Yan eliminated when still weak by the Crown Prince, and then what? The Crown Prince ascends the throne, and Nan Chu’s restoration wouldn’t be a dream?

Crown Prince Zhao was definitely useless—couldn’t count on him. Qun Qing quickly calmed down, murmuring: “Lu Huating…”

“What did you say?”

“I said, Li Huan has a chief clerk by his side. The city populace’s credentials are in his control—he won’t easily hand them over.” Qun Qing said softly. “I think this matter isn’t simple. This person won’t let Prince Yan leave.”

“Just a chief clerk—nothing to worry about.” Lin Yujia said. “You mentioned last time that in Good Lady Zheng’s palace, it’s convenient to approach the Crown Prince—that was a fortunate accident.”

“Do what?” Qun Qing was alert.

Lin Yujia said: “Before the Sage issues the decree, he must consult and draft it with the Crown Prince in advance. As long as we know how many days the decree restricts him to leave for his fief—ten days or twenty days—we can deduce whether he’ll take the land route or water route…”

Lin Yujia wanted her to obtain from the Crown Prince the decree concerning Prince Yan going to his fief, so spies could ambush him on the road in advance.

Qun Qing’s eyes widened as she looked at him: “But I’m just a palace maid. Not to mention Good Lady Zheng has already fallen from favor—I just offended the Crown Prince and was nearly expelled from the palace. Does the master think this is something a palace maid can accomplish?”

Perhaps feeling the task was indeed difficult, Lin Yujia took from his sleeve a small cold porcelain vial and placed it in Qun Qing’s palm: “This is a colorless, odorless sedative. I hear Li Xuan has a habit of drinking at night and dislikes crowds—only keeps one young eunuch by his side. When Li Xuan spends the night in Good Lady Zheng’s palace, you need only serve wine in the inner hall, put the drug in the wine. Once he’s deeply asleep, send the young eunuch away and secretly examine the memorials by his side.”

Qun Qing wanted to pull her hand away, but Lin Yujia gripped it tightly along with the medicine vial: “Prince Yan and Chu have blood feuds as deep as the sea. Such a great opportunity—the Master has instructed there can be no failure. Think carefully whether you’ll take this vial of medicine or poisoned wine for suicide.”