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Yin Luo's body felt a bit stiff as she raised her eyes to look at Li An De, who was already walking straight out and had closed the palace door behind him.
Mu Fengyan applied medicine to her and examined her closely. Only then did he feel relieved and said, "You should rest for a few more days. Come back when you're healed. In the future, if you encounter such situations again, don't rush in recklessly. Your royal brother is in danger; you know that!"
Yin Luo turned her head away and stepped back a little before saying, "Don't worry, I'm fine. I know my limits."
Mu Fengyan looked at her for a while before finally feeling reassured. He took Yin Luo's hand and said, "Come on, I'll walk you back to rest."
Yin Luo pulled her hand away and hit him lightly, saying, "How could you forget so quickly after what just happened with Jin Wang? I'm just a Palace Maid; this isn't a serious injury. It's not at the point where I need to rest. Besides, I'm serving in front of your palace; there are so many eyes watching. Taking breaks every few days doesn't look good!"
"I hear people's discussions wherever I go these days. Don't add to my troubles; otherwise, I'll be the one suffering from it!"
Hearing her say this, Mu Fengyan couldn't argue further and could only shove the medicine bottle into her hand, saying, "Fine, if you feel unwell, just go back by yourself. This medicine works well; I guarantee that by tomorrow morning, you won't be in pain anymore!"
Yin Luo took the medicine bottle and nodded. Mu Fengyan then said no more and let her leave.
He instructed Li An De to attend to his grooming while leaving Yin Luo in the sleeping quarters before stepping out himself.
Yin Luo waited in the hall until the Palace Maid finished tidying up the sleeping quarters; only then did she consider her task complete.
She arranged for someone to inquire about Mu Fengyan's whereabouts and learned that he had gone to see the Empress Dowager. She immediately turned back to her own residence and informed someone to notify her as soon as he returned.
A letter was placed on her desk in the inner chamber, held down by a bamboo stick.
Yin Luo paused for a moment before quickly stepping forward to pick up the letter. At that moment, she clearly heard some noise outside the door. She glanced up and saw someone outside the window giving her a signal before disappearing. Yin Luo looked at the letter in her hand and tore it open.
It was written in Qin Liu Yan's handwriting.
Yin Luo read through it quickly and then lit a Fire Starter to burn the letter immediately.
Her worries were unnecessary; Mu Changqing did not discover her identity.
Yin Luo felt relieved, the heavy weight that had been pressing on her heart for the past few days finally lifted.
Mu Fengyan did not return immediately; she heard that he had gone to the Imperial Garden to chat and laugh with several consorts.
Upon hearing the report, Yin Luo sighed silently.
Mu Fengyan was still a child, playful by nature, or perhaps he never held much hope of bringing down Mu Changqing. After persisting for two or three months, he had now relaxed, spending his days among women, truly enjoying the title of the Emperor!
She once thought she could turn the tide, but it seemed it was not that easy. A person's nature is not easily changed; if she kept ordering Mu Fengyan around, it would only annoy him!
It seemed it was time to think of other methods!
A Palace Maid came to inform her that it had drizzled outside. Li Gonggong arranged for her to receive the Emperor and also arranged for the consorts to be sent back.
Yin Luo did not dare delay and quickly got up, instructing the Palace Maid to hold an umbrella for her along the way.
"Is that Jinghao Jing Gongnu ahead?"
Someone in the Pavilion called out to her. With the light rain falling, Yin Luo looked up and saw the Empress Dowager sitting in the Pavilion, and it was her Palace Maid who had called out to her.
She paused her steps and bowed, replying, "This servant is here."
The person glanced at the Empress Dowager and said something she could not hear, then she heard: "The Empress Dowager wants Quiet Palace Maid to come forward and respond!"
Yin Luo did not dare be negligent; she answered affirmatively and turned to those behind her, saying, "You all go ahead; Li Gonggong will arrange for you later."
The Palace Maids responded and hurried away. Yin Luo steadied herself and walked slowly toward the Pavilion.
The rain began to fall heavier, with raindrops pattering loudly against the umbrella.
Yin Luo walked into the Pavilion, closed her umbrella and set it aside before stepping forward to pay her respects.
The Empress Dowager was calmly preparing the tea that the Palace Maid had brewed for her. When Yin Luo offered her greetings, she did not raise her head, and it took a while before she spoke, allowing Yin Luo to forgo the formalities.
She lifted her gaze and looked Yin Luo up and down, commenting frankly, "Your looks are quite ordinary. There are countless Palace girls with better talents than you. I just can't understand why the Emperor has become so infatuated."
Upon hearing this, Yin Luo hurriedly changed her greeting to kneeling. She lowered her head and said, "The Emperor treats this servant with great kindness. This servant is overwhelmed and fearful day and night, only holding a heart of gratitude, willing to work like a cow or horse to repay the Emperor!"
"Repay?" The Empress Dowager laughed coldly, "There are many who have repaid the Emperor; your small repayment as a mere servant is not worth his attention."
Yin Luo lowered her body even further, not daring to respond casually.
The Empress Dowager looked at her for a moment before suddenly saying, "How about this? My health is not good, and those around me never know how to be considerate or meet my expectations. I see that you are quite good; you are perceptive and understand propriety. Why don't you follow me from now on? Rest assured, I will not treat you poorly. What the Emperor can give you, I can give you as well."
"Empress Dowager..." Yin Luo appeared frightened.
"What? You are unwilling?" The Empress Dowager looked at her with eyes filled with murderous intent, as if she could resolve Yin Luo's fate immediately if she disagreed.
Yin Luo knew in her heart that there was no escaping this; she could only respond, "This servant thanks the Empress Dowager for your appreciation. This servant is willing to follow the Empress Dowager and serve you."
Only then did the Empress Dowager seem satisfied and said, "Good. Now, go fetch me a cup of tea. As for the Emperor, I will send someone to inform him shortly."
Yin Luo replied with a "Yes," stood up, walked to the side of the Empress Dowager, took the tea set from the maid's hands, and began to wash and brew the tea.
The tea she brewed was always fragrant but unfortunately lacked flavor.
After placing a cup of finished tea into the Empress Dowager's hands, she inhaled its aroma with an expression of enjoyment. However, as soon as she took a sip, her brows furrowed in displeasure. She glanced at Yin Luo with some anger in her eyes.
"This servant is terrified!" Yin Luo quickly knelt down to explain, "This servant has only been in the palace for half a year and is still unfamiliar with the art of tea brewing. I have been trying my best to learn; it’s just that my skills are lacking, which is why I brewed poor tea. I hope the Empress Dowager will forgive me."
"I see." The Empress Dowager's anger dissipated somewhat as she allowed Yin Luo to rise. "I have always loved tea; it is essential every day. Here’s what we’ll do: from now on, you will learn from Mingxiang. The tea she brews is unmatched; no one in the Palace dares claim second place. After a month, I hope to taste tea that isn't like this."
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"Yes." Yin Luo agreed and respectfully stepped aside. The Empress Dowager inquired about her family background, and soon after, someone came to report that her belongings had all been moved to De Ning Palace and arranged properly.
The Empress Dowager lazily responded and extended her hand to Yin Luo, saying, "Come, Jinghao, help me back to the palace."
Yin Luo acknowledged her and took the Empress Dowager's hand. Although the Empress Dowager was actually over thirty years old, her good maintenance made her appear like a woman in her twenties.
Yin Luo glanced at her. Despite her young age, she was quite cunning and shrewd, wanting to keep Yin Luo close. This plan was indeed well thought out, but it might not necessarily succeed!
The group arrived at De Ning Palace, where the Empress Dowager instructed someone to take her to her room.
The room in De Ning Palace was not comparable to Mu Fengyan's Qinghua Palace; it was a double room, shared with another maid. Such treatment was normal, but given her previous status, it made the Empress Dowager's actions seem deliberate!
Yin Luo remained composed as she unpacked her belongings. However, before she could finish organizing, a commotion arose from the front hall.
Mu Fengyan showed no respect for the Empress Dowager and directly pressured her to hand over someone. Not only that, he even stormed into the quarters of the maids and ordered people to kick down doors to search.
Across from Yin Luo, another Palace Maid was so frightened that she rushed to open the door. When Mu Fengyan found them, he grabbed Yin Luo's hand and said, "Come with me!"
Without giving her a chance to respond, he dragged Yin Luo back to Qinghua Palace with a serious expression.
Yin Luo stood in the hall while Li An De stood beside her. Li An De clearly did not dare to speak for fear of angering him; he kept signaling Yin Luo with his eyes to step forward.
After standing for a while, Yin Luo finally took a slow step forward and stood in front of Mu Fengyan, saying, "Your Majesty need not be so angry; this is not a big deal. Why must you go to such lengths against the Empress Dowager?"
"You don't understand!" Mu Fengyan replied directly and then stood up and walked out.
Yin Luo exchanged glances with Li An De. Li An De signaled for her to stay in the hall while he quickly followed after Mu Fengyan.
Yin Luo waited in the hall for a long time without seeing Mu Fengyan return. She decided to look for him. On her way halfway there, Li An De informed her that Mu Fengyan was at Duxiu Palace.
Yin Luo immediately turned and headed towards the Duxiu Palace.
Outside the Duxiu Palace, she saw someone coming out from inside, dressed in black with a black mask—it was Mu Changqing!
Yin Luo was taken aback, her steps froze.
Mu Changqing clearly saw her and did not stop his pace. After hesitating for a moment, Yin Luo stepped aside in a gesture of respect, allowing him to pass.
However, to her surprise, Mu Changqing did not walk past but stopped right in front of her, scrutinizing her closely.
Such a gaze made her feel uneasy, and Yin Luo quickly showed a look of panic as she asked, "Does His Highness have any orders for this servant?"
"A mere palace maid has not only offended me but also dared to provoke the Empress Dowager, causing a rift between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager. I am very curious about how many lives you have, Jinghao."
Yin Luo's eyes widened in shock as she looked up, her face turning pale. "Does Your Highness want to kill me?"
Mu Changqing scoffed. "I wouldn't go that far. Although I do not value human life highly, I must consider my relationship with the Emperor. I simply want to know what your purpose in entering the palace is. Are you trying to sow discord between me and the Emperor? Or between the Empress Dowager and the Emperor? Or perhaps your target has always been just me?"
Yin Luo's gaze subtly shifted as she slowly lowered her eyes, transitioning from standing to kneeling. "As a mere palace maid, everything I do is merely to establish myself in the palace. The Emperor treats me well, so naturally, I am loyal to him. This incident was purely accidental; I never expected the Empress Dowager would summon me to serve in her palace. It happened suddenly, and I dared not disobey or harbor any resentment. When the Emperor called for me again, it was only natural for me to want to be with him since I have served him the longest and he treats me well. Everything indeed stemmed from me, but I never had any malicious intent; it was all just coincidence!"
"Then it better be coincidence!" Mu Changqing said coldly as he looked at her. "If I find out you have other motives, I will make sure your life is worse than death!"
His gaze was like that of someone looking at a dead person. Yin Luo lowered her eyes and quietly knelt there while Mu Changqing glanced at her before sweeping away with his sleeves.
Yin Luo took a deep breath, stood up, and composed herself as she planned to go find Mu Fengyan. However, when she turned around, she found Mu Fengyan standing there with an unusual expression on his face and his eyes reflecting strange colors. But it was only for a moment; it seemed like just her imagination because in an instant he returned to normal and quickly walked over to her, asking, "Did my brother make things difficult for you?"
Yin Luo looked at him; she had clearly seen that fleeting moment, but in an instant he seemed like nothing had happened. She suppressed her confusion and shook her head. "I'm fine. What about you? Has your anger subsided?"
Mu Fengyan sighed lightly. "I was just angry at Mother for acting on her own; it was just a moment of frustration!"
"That's good," Yin Luo said upon hearing this, feeling relieved. "It's cold; let's go back!"
Mu Fengyan nodded and returned to Qinghua Palace with her.
Li An De, seeing Mu Fengyan back, finally relaxed the breath he had been holding. He arranged for someone to make ginger soup and carefully attended to Mu Fengyan as she prepared for bed. Only after that did he let out a sigh of relief and said to Yin Luo beside him, "Alright, you can go rest now. There's no need for you to wait here any longer. I just hope this little ancestor can sleep soundly tonight; she has really worn me out!"
Yin Luo acknowledged the order. Her belongings had already been sent over from De Ning Palace. She lay down, having been exhausted from a day of activity, and should have fallen asleep early. However, she found herself unable to sleep that night. A vague sense of foreboding lingered in her heart, though she couldn't pinpoint why. After tossing and turning for a long time, she finally began to feel a bit drowsy. Just as she was about to fall asleep, she suddenly heard a "crack"—the unmistakable sound of a window being pried open.
"Someone's here!"
Startled, she quickly regained her composure and squinted toward the window.
A figure in black stealthily pried open the window and entered. Unlike the last time, this person clearly intended to take her life, as they were holding a dagger!
Yin Luo narrowed her eyes. As the intruder quietly approached her bed and raised the knife to strike, she swiftly rolled over, seized their wrist, and at the same time kicked out, flipping the intruder onto the bed. Without hesitation, she pressed the hand holding the dagger against their throat and demanded, "Who sent you?"
As soon as she finished speaking, the intruder's eyes rolled back, their body convulsed, and they were dead. She hurriedly pulled away the cloth covering their face and discovered black blood at the corner of their mouth—clearly they had poisoned themselves!
Someone wanted her dead! But it definitely wasn't Mu Changqing; she understood his way of doing things too well. He was too arrogant to act in secret or do anything sneaky. If he truly wanted her dead, he could have killed her outside Duxiu Palace long ago; after all, he had said he wouldn't kill her!
Who could it be? The Empress Dowager? Because her actions had caused a rift between them? Did she want to kill her because of that?
Or was it someone else who wished for her death taking advantage of this sensitive period?
She sat beside the corpse all night without sleeping and ultimately decided to hold off on any action for now.
She went to find Li An De. Upon learning about the incident, he was shocked but agreed to help Yin Luo by arranging for someone to quietly dispose of the body that very night.
With no disturbances on this side, there were no movements elsewhere either!
Yin Luo decided it was time to draw out the snake from its hole!
As the New Year approached, Li An De arranged for her to represent the Palace in visiting major businesses in the capital to gather supplies for the Palace. She only brought one Palace Maid along with her, and this task kept them busy until late into the night!
The two had no choice but to find an inn to rest for the night, planning to finish visiting the remaining places early the next morning before returning to the palace.
Without the protection of the palace, in this shabby inn, if she were to die elsewhere, those who knew would be unable to uncover the truth, while those who didn't would only assume it was a case of robbery gone wrong. It was indeed an excellent opportunity!
Yin Luo changed her clothes and peacefully fell asleep in her room. As midnight approached and everything seemed quiet, fierce sounds of fighting suddenly erupted from the adjacent room. Taking advantage of the chaos, she quickly changed her appearance and stepped out of her room. In the opposite room, the impersonator of Yin Luo had tied everyone up with ropes, binding them together. To prevent them from using their tricks again, she deliberately sealed their acupoints and removed the poison from their mouths.
Yin Luo knocked on the door outside. The person inside hurriedly opened it and, upon seeing her, bowed deeply and asked, "Master, how should we handle this?"
"Have you gotten any information?"
Yin Luo's voice was cold and devoid of warmth.
The woman leaned closer and whispered a few words in her ear. Although Yin Luo's veiled face was hard to see clearly, her eyes were particularly cold like water: "Since you've obtained the information, they have betrayed their master. Returning would mean death for them as well. So take them in and disable their martial arts!"
"Understood, Master!"
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