At the break of dawn, A’Meng and A’Jiang arrived at Luanyi Pavilion.

Both were noble ladies’ sleeping palaces, yet Luanyi Pavilion and Qingxuan Pavilion were worlds apart: green-tiled flying eaves, glazed palace lanterns, and the courtyard’s luxuriant grass and trees all displayed this palace’s noble bearing.

The hall doors opened and Bao Shu emerged from inside the pavilion. Her soft, brightly colored skirts trailed across the jade steps, and the pierced flower-carved incense ball at her waist jingled.

Bao Shu looked down at the two bowing palace maids before her, a trace of contempt showing in her eyes: “I know you’re curious—curious how someone who offended the Princess could still come serve her.” She took out a letter of recommendation and waved it before A’Jiang and A’Meng’s eyes. “See it clearly?”

A’Jiang immediately recognized the bright red seal as the Consort of Prince Yan’s seal and quickly lowered her head further: “So it was the Consort of Prince Yan’s recommendation. Everyone knows the Consort of Prince Yan is temporarily managing inner palace affairs now. With the Consort’s favor, you’ll surely rise higher in the future. That we can associate with you is our good fortune.”

“I truly disdain being a palace maid.” Bao Shu smiled. She had a small beauty mark below her eye, and though her smile was gentle, she had an air of regarding no one: “The positions you fight and scramble desperately for mean nothing to me. Unfortunately, someone used petty inner court tricks to scheme against me. Being new to the palace, I fell for her ploy.”

That day, the etiquette and words for meeting Princess Bao’an had been taught by her family—there couldn’t have been mistakes. Thinking it over repeatedly, Bao Shu concluded the problem could only lie with the embroidered patch given by that palace maid who broke out in a rash.

“Have you done what I asked?” Bao Shu inquired.

A’Jiang: “We did! We poured water on Qun Qing’s bedding, hid needles in her bed, put pebbles in her shoes, and grass leaves in her bowl.”

A’Meng: “We gave her all the chores from both inner and outer palace gardens. She can’t finish even working until midnight.”

A’Jiang: “We don’t talk to her at all, and she can’t see the Lady either. We’re making her unable to live or die in that courtyard.”

A’Meng: “Right, right! If she resists, we’ll pin her down and beat her good, beating the flesh under her clothes until it’s torn and bloody, her whole body black and blue with blood flowing.”

“Enough, enough.” Bao Shu had no interest in the miserable state of lowly palace maids and never deigned to dirty her own hands. In her view, just a bit of money could make these people fight among themselves.

That day, Qun Qing had caused her to be publicly punished by the Princess to kneel, losing all face. Bao Shu had never suffered such hidden losses in her entire life. She pulled out a handful of gold pearls: “Since she used palace methods against me, you use the same palace methods to properly punish her, making her have ‘good days’ in the place she chose. I have plenty of money—when you’ve used it up, come ask me for more.”

The gold pearls landed in their hands. A’Jiang and A’Meng left with profuse thanks.

But once they turned the corner, the two huddled together counting the gold pearls: “Eight, nine… Good heavens, she gave nine gold pearls! Is she a wealth-scattering deity?”

A’Jiang tucked the gold pearls into her sachet: “I always feel this money burns hot in our hands.”

A’Meng said disdainfully: “That Bao Shu is just stupid with too much money. Didn’t Sister Qing say to consider the money we get as our reward…”

“You really believe that! She offends Bao Shu, we get money—what’s she gaining? In this palace, everyone takes tribute.” A’Jiang said, “I think this is Sister Qing testing us. Be careful when we return tonight—she might reward us with another beating.”

The two exchanged glances and raced back to Qingxuan Pavilion, blocking Qun Qing’s path. Qun Qing stepped back, nearly spilling the water from her bucket.

“Sister Qing, we did as you said. That Bao Shu really gave nine gold pearls and told us to continue tormenting you.” The two held the gold pearls overhead with both hands. “We younger sisters dare not hide anything. Please, elder sister, enjoy them.”

Getting no response from Qun Qing for a long while, A’Jiang stole a glance and saw Qun Qing looking down at the gold pearls, her smiling eyes carrying both spirit and contempt as she said lightly:

“This is money to buy my dignity. I don’t want it.”

With that, she picked up her bucket and left.

Dignity… what did that mean?

“Sister Qing!” The two looked at each other, having never seen such a person. They chased after Qun Qing all the way. A’Meng snatched the bucket from her hands while A’Jiang grabbed the cloth, ingratiatingly wiping the railings. “What elder sister asked us to find out, we’ve investigated very clearly—that Bao Shu was recommended to the Princess’s side by the Consort of Prince Yan.”

The Consort of Prince Yan? Qun Qing found it strange.

First, Xiao Yunru was not a Nan Chu spy. If she were, Crown Prince Zhao wouldn’t need to pressure the Princess daily to submit to Prince Yan—wouldn’t the ready-made Consort of Prince Yan be useful?

Since Xiao Yunru was an ordinary person, and one who handled matters properly, that day when Princess Bao’an and Bao Shu had their conflict, Xiao Yunru observed the whole process. According to her character, she should have separated Bao Shu and Yang Fu to prevent resentment between them, not send Bao Shu back to Princess Bao’an’s side.

Unless Bao Shu’s family background was so noble that even Xiao Yunru couldn’t make decisions about it; or this wasn’t Xiao Yunru’s idea at all. The person recommending Bao Shu seemed completely unconcerned with Yang Fu’s feelings, which meant it couldn’t have been Prince Yan either.

Instantly, a figure flashed through Qun Qing’s mind.

You see, Luanyi Pavilion was a base for Nan Chu spies, with Princess Bao’an’s help providing cover for convenient operations. Could it be that Lu Huating thought of this and planted Bao Shu there to watch the Princess’s every move?

It seemed she needed to remind Lin Yujia to be careful, telling the spies not to talk to Princess Bao’an unnecessarily, lest they all be caught in one string and implicate her.

While she was deep in thought, A’Jiang continued: “Sister Qing, there’s another piece of news we just secretly overheard: That Bao Shu is vigorously encouraging Princess Bao’an to fight for status so she can establish herself in the harem in the future. Princess Bao’an said she wants to marry the Crown Prince, but our Lady is in the way. As a dignified Princess, how could she become a concubine?”

“Then Bao Shu said the Crown Princess position will definitely be the Princess’s, our Lady isn’t worth worrying about. If she’s obedient, fine, but if she doesn’t know her place and competes with the Princess, Bao Shu is confident she can win. Princess Bao’an said nothing then. Sister Qing, do you think they’re plotting to harm our Lady?”

Hearing this, Qun Qing showed no surprise, only asking: “The sleeping hall has high walls—how did you hear this?”

“I stood on A’Meng’s shoulders to climb over, then quietly crept to the base of the wall.” A’Jiang made a stealthy gesture.

“You’re so heavy. Can you eat a little less?” A’Meng patted her shoulder. “You even dirtied my new clothes.”

Seeing the two about to bicker again, Qun Qing quickly stopped them: “And then?”

“Then they said… something about how our Lady already has a loose tongue, the more she talks the more mistakes she makes, can’t seize opportunities even when they fall on her head, offends the Emperor every time she has an audience. That old affection will eventually wear away. If Bao Shu finds ways to curry favor with the Emperor, by comparison, who won’t say the Princess has higher birth and knows propriety better?”

Hearing this, Qun Qing turned and left. A’Meng and A’Jiang treated the gold pearls as payment for their work and diligently cleaned for her.

This scene was witnessed by Lan Yue inside the pavilion, who was both shocked and angry.

Just a few days here and already so good at buying people’s hearts! The rough work she’d assigned to Qun Qing had, in the blink of an eye, all been eagerly taken over by others.

Fortunately, Ruo Chan ran out from the servants’ quarters. After speaking a few words with A’Meng and A’Jiang, she actually also picked up a broom and seriously swept the fallen leaves.

Lan Yue angrily slammed the window shut.

In the southern courtyard, Qun Qing rolled up her sleeves and pulled rue grass.

While pulling grass, she pondered the conversation between the Princess and Bao Shu.

Not surprising. In her previous life, the Princess had also told her she wanted to be Crown Princess.

Before the Li family went to Huaiyuan, they lived in Chang’an. Li Xuan’s birth mother had family ties to the imperial house. When Li Xuan was young, he occasionally accompanied his mother into the palace for visits and had met Yang Fu several times. Compared to Prince Yan, Yang Fu was indeed more familiar with the Crown Prince, with childhood affection added. After growing up, she still called him “Brother Xuan” as in childhood.

Therefore, Qun Qing had no doubt about Yang Fu liking the Crown Prince and never thought the Princess might develop any attachment to Prince Yan.

Qun Qing had always thought that after losing her virtue at the temple, Yang Fu refused the Crown Prince’s marriage proposal because he was already married in Huaiyuan. His wife Zheng Zhiyi was unwilling to let Yang Fu become Crown Princess and rank above her, while Yang Fu, prideful of her status, refused to be a concubine. Unable to reach agreement, they had to shelve the matter.

Now it seemed that while these reasons existed, there was another important matter she’d overlooked.

Between Yang Fu refusing the Crown Prince and begging her to compete for the Crown Princess position, one major event occurred in the middle: Xiao Yunru brought the Xiao family army to request marriage to Prince Yan, and the Emperor enfeoffed her as Consort of Prince Yan.

So Yang Fu’s insistence on becoming Crown Princess might be out of secret resentment toward Prince Yan.

Understanding this point, her thoughts cleared. Qun Qing closed her eyes and let out a long sigh.

Princess Bao’an’s insincerity would equally harm everyone around her.

Qun Qing didn’t hate Bao Shu now—she actually felt somewhat sympathetic toward her.

However, one point Bao Shu made caught her attention: compared to the Princess, Zheng Zhiyi was of humble birth and truly lacked the ability to survive in the imperial palace. Her words and actions easily brought disaster.

She remembered that the rare time there was a banquet, Zheng Zhiyi had truly spoken improperly, angering the Emperor and Empress Ma, resulting in Qingxuan Pavilion’s provisions being reduced and even the talented Chef Liu being transferred away…

Early morning, Qun Qing carried a water bucket into the hall. Lan Yue glared at her: “Don’t you see the Lady sitting here? Go sweep the courtyard outside.”

“First inside the hall, then outside, to avoid bringing dust into the hall.” But Qun Qing didn’t yield an inch. After bowing, she wiped the screen while quietly observing Zheng Zhiyi.

Zheng Zhiyi sat before the mirror in her undergarments, playing with crickets. Almost every day, before even dressing and grooming, she began playing and continued until evening. In this vast palace city, Lan Yue used every novelty she could gather to fill her idle time.

Zheng Zhiyi’s Father had once said she was as beautiful as a flower. When surrounded by everyone in the mountain stronghold, Zheng Zhiyi had once believed it.

Not until the Li family conquered the realm and brought her to the palace, enfeoffing her as Lady, did she realize this was false. She was nothing. She had neither talent nor beauty. Everyone in the palace whispered that she was completely unworthy of the Crown Prince.

A faint fragrance flowed through the air, smoothing Zheng Zhiyi’s groundless irritation.

In the mirror, Zheng Zhiyi saw Qun Qing’s reflection kneeling on the ground, hands pushing cotton cloth to clean each gold brick.

Qun Qing’s figure was slender, so even her kneeling posture was pleasing to the eye. Moreover, when she worked, she had a kind of devotional attitude that unconsciously made people watch her.

It had been a long time since anyone scrubbed the floor with such concentration—so concentrated that Zheng Zhiyi stared intently, wondering if being a palace maid meant having fewer worries.

“What is this scent?” Zheng Zhiyi asked.

Qun Qing raised her head: “This servant added rue grass to the water, so…”

“Did anyone ask you to speak?” Lan Yue knocked her comb on the table. Qun Qing was good at buying people’s hearts, and now the scene that frightened her—”entering the hall and appearing before the master”—was finally happening. “Who gave you permission to show yourself in here? Get out!”

“Come closer.” But Zheng Zhiyi beckoned, issuing a completely opposite command. “Rue grass? Where did it come from?”

Lan Yue was speechless, watching helplessly as Qun Qing pushed the bucket before Zheng Zhiyi and spoke sweetly: “Replying to the Lady, picked from the southern courtyard. Actually, our southern courtyard is quite large. Its current desolation is rather wasteful…”

“Wipe it again, let me see.” Zheng Zhiyi suddenly interrupted.

Qun Qing indeed intended to get close to Zheng Zhiyi, but at this moment couldn’t gauge her intentions. She could only brace herself and wipe again.

Zheng Zhiyi suddenly jumped down from her stool, snatched the cloth from Qun Qing’s hands, and knelt to scrub the floor, looking exactly like she was performing three bows and nine kowtows to the threshold.

She wanted to know if scrubbing floors was really this enjoyable.

“Lady, what are you doing!” Lan Yue was horrified. “If someone sees…”

Qun Qing was also startled and hurriedly joined Lan Yue in wrestling the cloth from Zheng Zhiyi’s hands.

A burst of laughter came as Shou Xi stepped into the hall: “Does the Lady know the Emperor has issued an edict and is receiving it in advance?” After speaking, he sniffed in all directions and praised, “How fragrant.”

Shou Xi was an inner attendant at the Crown Prince’s side. Zheng Zhiyi looked up, not reacting. Lan Yue pulled her up abruptly. Only after a long moment did she remember to bow: “Eunuch Shou Xi.”

Kneeling by the screen, Qun Qing thought this was bad—could it be that the banquet where she offended the Emperor was coming this quickly…

She hadn’t yet had time to coach Zheng Zhiyi.

Indeed, Shou Xi read the edict: Emperor Chenming and the Empress summoned Lady Zheng and the Crown Prince to share the noon meal.

Receiving a formal family banquet in the midst of busy times, Qingxuan Pavilion immediately erupted into activity:

For the Crown Prince’s Lady to have an audience with the Emperor required multiple procedures: washing the face, rinsing the mouth, changing clothes, dressing hair, and applying makeup. All four senior palace maids came to help. But in this past year, Zheng Zhiyi had only had two audiences. Lan Yue and the others weren’t very practiced at these procedures and inevitably fumbled about.

Zheng Zhiyi broke into a sweat. Seeing Qun Qing kneeling on the ground, she said: “What are you still scrubbing? Hurry over and help.”

Qun Qing washed her hands and quickly came to Zheng Zhiyi’s side, smoothing out her hair.

A’Jiang said: “There’s war in the west. The Emperor is worked to death. Suddenly summoning our Lady to meet—could it be that our Lady has angered Princess Bao’an into illness and he’s calling her to account?”

Lan Yue: “Are you stupid? This is a family banquet. The Emperor only summoned the Crown Prince and the Lady, not others. Only our Lady has the qualification to accompany the Crown Prince. Why would the Emperor favor someone with no name or status?”

Praised by Lan Yue, Zheng Zhiyi regained confidence. Light returned to her eyes as she kept pressing lip rouge to her lips: “The Emperor and Her Majesty have always treated me best. This surely isn’t to lecture me but to lecture Li Xuan! I’m their Li family’s properly married daughter-in-law. He doesn’t come see me but has leisure to go to Yang Fu’s place, brewing tea, warming wine, cutting flower branches for her—does that make sense?”

But Lan Yue paused: “Lady, the past is the past. Now the Emperor is the sovereign, His Highness is the Eastern Palace. Before the Emperor, you should try not to blame His Highness. I fear this matter will cause distance between the Lady and His Highness…”

“Finally getting to see the Emperor and Her Majesty, and I can’t even complain about him?” Zheng Zhiyi didn’t understand. “If not for my Father taking care of their Li family back then, there’d be no Li Xuan today!”

Looking up, Zheng Zhiyi froze, the anger gathered between her brows dispersing. In the mirror, her hair bun rose high, revealing her full forehead.

Zheng Zhiyi had always loved this kind of elaborate, noble flowered bun hairstyle, but the palace maids couldn’t style it, so she’d given up. Just now while they were talking, Qun Qing hadn’t said a word, but her hands moved extremely deftly.

From Zheng Zhiyi’s eyes, Qun Qing glimpsed her satisfaction. She picked up the silk flowers from the box and coaxed: “The Lady’s silk flowers are somewhat old. Fresh flowers would look even better.”

Zheng Zhiyi’s eyes turned over: “They’re all old, yet you still use them on me. I see Princess Bao’an wears gold ornaments on her head. Do you think Yang Fu deserves gold while I only deserve these cloth flowers?”

Playing by her own rules, Zheng Zhiyi left Qun Qing momentarily choked.

Having been a strategist for several years, she placed extreme importance on priorities and urgency. She could hardly believe Zheng Zhiyi would interrogate her at this critical moment when they were about to be late, making her break out in a cold sweat.

Qun Qing couldn’t help recalling her previous life when, to help the Princess become Crown Princess, she engaged in palace intrigue against this Zheng Zhiyi behind the scenes. She hadn’t even tried very hard before Zheng Zhiyi fell on her own. What killed her was precisely this carefree personality and her disagreeable mouth.

But since she’d chosen to hide in Qingxuan Pavilion, there was no room for retreat.

“Gold and jade are vulgar things; fresh flowers are spiritual things.” Before Zheng Zhiyi could say another word, Qun Qing used her finger to lift her chin, preventing her from opening her mouth, and pinned a gold hairpin beside the silk flower. “If you don’t believe me, Lady, compare them.”

“The flower does seem prettier… but it really has faded.” Zheng Zhiyi indeed shifted her attention and said sourly, “Fresh flowers—but even if there were fresh flowers, they wouldn’t be delivered to me. Don’t all the good things go to Yang Fu?”

The flower branch Li Xuan had cut at Luanyi Pavilion made her expression darken whenever she thought of it.

Qun Qing said: “This season, both camellia and tuberose are blooming all along the moat. Common people like to go there to enjoy themselves, picking a bunch to place in jade vases. They last a long time.”

Zheng Zhiyi was silent for a long while, her expression becoming even more subtle: “How long has it been since I left the palace? How would I know what you’re talking about?”

Back then, she’d traveled laboriously to get here, hadn’t even seen Chang’an city completely before being locked in this cage. She did want to go out, but Li Xuan wouldn’t let her, saying it was full of spies outside.

“Lan Yue, go out of the palace today and pick some tuberose for me.” Zheng Zhiyi turned to instruct Lan Yue.

For this task suddenly dropped on her head, Lan Yue glared at Qun Qing and said through suppressed anger: “Very well. There’s also Lingxin Shop’s lotus flower cakes—His Highness’s favorite. Every year when he comes to Chang’an, he must buy them. This servant will go buy some while I’m at it.”

A group of people hurried out the hall doors in a fluster. Qun Qing helped Zheng Zhiyi onto the carriage, suddenly gripping Zheng Zhiyi’s hand: “If the Lady wishes the Crown Prince’s favor, remember—during the banquet, you absolutely must not mention these four words: ‘your Li family.’ If you want to speak, bite your lips. If you still can’t hold back, say you miss your Father!”

Qun Qing had only enjoyed a few days of ease and really didn’t hope for Chef Liu to be transferred away.

Zheng Zhiyi was stunned by this servant’s inexplicable presumption. Moreover, she gripped so painfully that she almost grimaced. Forcefully pulling her hand away, Zheng Zhiyi scolded: “Impudent! Who asked you to speak!”

She looked at Lan Yue. Lan Yue’s face was grim, but for once, she didn’t chime in: “Lady, what she said isn’t wrong. Lady, be careful…”

The colored carriage carried Zheng Zhiyi away.

Qun Qing turned to Lan Yue: “The matter of leaving the palace to pick flowers and buy pastries—if elder sister is busy, I’m willing to share the burden.”

Lan Yue also turned to her with a forced smile: “Very well. Since you’re so good at currying favor, make an extra trip.”

With that, she heavily stuffed the sachet containing broken silver into Qun Qing’s hands: “Remember well—buy three boxes of pastries and deliver them to me. Not a single box can be missing, or you’ll be sorry.”

The long-unseen Chang’an city appeared before her eyes. Shop signs hung full on both sides of the roads, buildings stood in staggered rows, the lively hawking calls continued. A vendor shook a pellet drum in his hand, while at another stall, several children selected melons.

Wrapped in a veil, Qun Qing followed the crowd through the West Market.

Previously, the West Market had fire-ring jumpers and magicians, but during the kingdom’s fall when Chang’an descended into night chaos, these street performers vanished without a trace. Instead, one or two ragged refugees appeared, eating food begged for at the stalls.

Qun Qing walked forward two steps when she suddenly saw the path ahead completely blocked. Layer upon layer of heads—diners queued in a winding line from the second floor down to the first.

Qun Qing’s heart sank. Looking up, she saw the food shop’s plaque prominently reading “Lingxin Shop.”

The queuing people numbered at least a hundred, packed tightly together.

Qun Qing’s skirt swayed slightly as she walked to the end of the line, only to realize what she thought was the end wasn’t the end at all—who knew how many more people were folded around the corner behind the wall.

Her steps halted. She turned and returned to the line, unable to help asking a young man: “Sir, are these pastries really this delicious?”

“What nonsense are you asking, young lady? If they weren’t delicious, would I be standing here?”

Qun Qing glanced at the upper floor: “But with so many people, can the shop manage?”

“That’s why there’s a limit of one purchase per person, with only two hundred portions supplied daily.” People in the line heard and began complaining about how slow the Lingxin Shop workers were—they’d really roast people to death in the street.

Hearing this, what didn’t Qun Qing understand?

Even if she queued now, at most she’d only manage to buy one portion. How could she buy three? Moreover, standing in line like this, she might not make it back before the palace gates locked.

Lan Yue knew full well this was an impossible task and deliberately dug a pit to make things difficult for her.

Qun Qing thought for a moment, then drew a small gold pearl from her sleeve and offered it to the young man: “Would you be willing to let me take your place, sir?”

“What… what do you mean? You want to buy my pastries?” The young man pointed at himself. “No way! I got up at the crack of dawn and finally queued to this spot.”

But the gold pearl was precious. He couldn’t help looking at it twice. “If you want me to buy for you, that’s not impossible—add another ten taels of silver!”

But Qun Qing turned and left: “Too expensive.”

She had other uses for her money.

“Hey, you young lady! You look respectable, yet how can you be so rude? If you don’t want to queue yourself, fine, but then you complain about the price…”

Qun Qing had already moved forward, asking each person in turn. All shook their heads in refusal. An elderly man with a staff even rolled his eyes at her. Qun Qing thought, isn’t this just being shameless? In any case, her face was currently hidden behind a veil. If she asked a hundred people, she’d surely find one willing person.

Sure enough, a woman called from afar: “Young lady, pay for my spot—I’m willing!”

This woman’s son was seriously ill and insisted on eating these pastries, which is why she came. Pastries could be bought daily, but gold pearls weren’t often obtained. The two quickly completed the transaction.

There was also a seven-year-old child running errands for his parents who clamored to exchange for a gold pearl. Qun Qing bought him a sugar figurine and instructed him that after buying the lotus flower cakes, he absolutely must wait for her at the roadside.

Qun Qing used the shortest time to find three people, then carried her basket toward the West Market. A young man in black brushed past her shoulder.

This person wore a deerskin sword at his waist. Though dressed in ordinary clothes, he couldn’t conceal the taut sharpness about him. He looked at the endlessly long queue, then at Qun Qing’s retreating figure. After pondering a moment, he drew a large gold ingot from his bosom and walked straight toward that woman.

The woman looked troubled and waved her hands: “This old woman just promised that young lady. She even said she’d give me another ten taels of silver when collecting…”

The young man drew out another gold ingot.

The two quickly exchanged positions. The woman covered her face with her sleeve and left in shame. The tall, robust young man stood brazenly in the queue, shading himself from the scorching sun with his hand.