Chapter 2: Yan Ji

Yan Ji was so furious that she laughed, "There are so many capable servants in the palace, yet I am given such a useless one."

The wind blows from the far north, the branches in the courtyard twist robustly, snow accumulates upon them, resembling jade columns and fine strips of jade, the ground is covered with snow up to the knees, and the icicles beneath the purple glazed tiles also shimmer with a myriad of colors

The golden mandarin tea leaves stains on her brocade robe, creating patches of color that, when mixed, resemble a kaleidoscope of hues, almost comical in their absurdity

Yan Ji cast a glance at her and impatiently said: "Even if it is thoroughly abandoned, what hope is there for salvation?"

Yan Ji glared coldly with her eyes, watching her take away her personal weapon, but soon regained her composure, "It's just a mundane object, not worth much. If my sister likes it, I can give it to you without hesitation..."

Madam Yuan's gaze sharpened, and her heart was filled with great anger. She bit her lip slightly, yet chose to conceal her feelings, her smile remaining undiminished. She even affectionately linked arms with Yan Ji and strolled forward together.

Yan Ji looked at the other person's meaningful gaze, and in her heart, she suddenly understood. She tugged at the corner of her lips and whispered, "So you and I are on the same path, only our masters are different..."

Yan Ji's gaze flickered slightly, a trace of barely perceptible cold light flashing in her clever eyes, yet she smiled innocently and innocently said: "Sister, you are speaking nonsense again, deliberately making fun of me—who in the entire Night Palace does not know that you, Lady Yuan, have been favored by Lord Jun for two years, having been established as a secondary wife, and are his first beloved person!"

The slightly older woman beside her seemed unable to contain her joy, covering her sleeve and laughing, "Once you return to the palace, you will immediately be captivated and enchanted by your younger sister."

Yan Ji, clutching her elbow in pain, focused her gaze and was filled with anger—she discovered that it was the little maidservant who had been following her to serve the tea, who had accidentally bumped into her!

She was still seething with anger and said resentfully, "Isn't it enough to be embarrassed and humiliated already!"

A delicate hand reached out, languid yet precise, plucking a small pink plum blossom from the branch. As the branch swayed lightly, snowflakes fell in abundance. The attendants hurriedly stepped forward to shield her, while others busily used silk handkerchiefs to wipe away the remnants of snow from Yan Ji's hair.

Drag this blind thing back to me

Yan Ji returned to her palace, yet she did not even glance at the trembling maid kneeling beside her. Changing her clothes, she irritably remarked, "This cloud-patterned brocade was personally bestowed by the Duke, crafted by the noble families of the Central Plains. There is only one piece in the entire palace, and it has been so wasted!"

My younger sister truly possesses the qualities of a refined character and a wise mind

She gently adjusted the silver marten cloak on her fragrant shoulders with one hand, while with the other, she deftly removed the golden hairpin from Yan Ji's temple. "Sister, this hairpin is quite sharp; if it were to prick someone, it would be quite troublesome. You must take good care of it!"

I have always been of a delicate disposition, and as the years go by, standing alongside my younger sister only makes me appear even more laughable and lamentable

Sister goes to that study every day, and she must have memorized the locations of those documents and confidential letters by heart

How utterly detestable she is ... ? ... Could it be that she is mocking me as a faded flower of yesteryear ? !

Yan Ji, with a smile, was surrounded by her flustered maidservants. In one hand, she held a small plum blossom, and as her green sleeves fluttered lightly, she tucked it into her side bun. She was in the prime of her youth, blessed with a beauty that rivaled flowers and the moon. Against the backdrop of snow and the charm of plum blossoms, she inevitably captivated the attention of those around her, leaving them somewhat entranced.

Madam Yuan smiled gracefully and with dignity, then slightly nodded her head before leading her attendants away, leaving Yan Ji standing in place, her cheeks flushed with a burning red due to her unwillingness and agitation

In the next moment, her left elbow collided with a hard object, and immediately, a mist of water enveloped the area, creating a scene of chaos in the center of the courtyard

The lady-in-waiting beside her noticed her lack of interest and thus stepped forward to speak softly: "My lady, there is no need to worry just yet; timely washing may still offer a solution..."

Since someone skilled has arrived, why didn't you tell me earlier

Madam Yuan's smile became increasingly enchanting, and as she exerted force with her palm, the phoenix hairpin gradually bent within her delicate fingers, ultimately transforming into a piece of gold.

The fragrant breeze mingled with the soft whispers and light laughter of the concubines, illuminating the sky with the brilliance of the snow, which further accentuated their dewy skin, rendering them breathtakingly beautiful

Madam Yuan smiled gently, returning the gold ingot to Yan Ji's palm, and calmly said: "I am personally appointed by His Majesty, carefully selected from the palace, specifically bestowed upon you, a gentleman of good family."

The lady-in-waiting pondered for a moment, and then her eyes lit up as she exclaimed, "I've got it!"

Facing Yan Ji's puzzled gaze, she said: "Previously, the Junhou brought back a group of苦奴 from outside. I heard that among them was a woman with excellent embroidery skills. Perhaps she can remedy the situation with her embroidery."

Return to the Night Palace in two months

Amidst the sighs, Lady Yuan seemed to lament the fleeting beauty of youth and the relentless passage of time. Soon after, she lowered her voice and casually remarked to Tu Shu, "Not only is my sister beautiful, but she is also exceptionally virtuous and considerate. Observing Lord Jun's busy official duties, she personally prepares soup every day to serve him in his study. Just this act of tenderness puts us to shame."

What my sister said... it was merely a playful jest between sisters. Am I really going to report to the lord? It is just that our bond as sisters is as strong as gold. If my sister has found something interesting in the study, she should let me have a look as well. As for my origins, hasn't my sister known about it for a long time?

She lifted her skirt, shook off the support of her maid, and turned around with an air of indignation

Am I to become a strong person who cuts corners, as my sister said?

Yan Ji's gaze flickered, and in the next moment, she heard Madam Yuan's voice, which was unexpectedly low and smiling, almost eerie

The embroidery work is exceptionally good

Yan Ji stood frozen in place, and after a long while, she finally came to her senses. She suddenly flicked her sleeves and turned around, sharply admonishing, "What are you still dawdling for? Return to the palace!"

Yan Ji felt a tremendous roar in her mind, and her complexion instantly turned pale. She clenched her silver teeth and coldly laughed, saying: "What do you mean by that, sister?! I can hardly understand!"

The female official, faced with reproach, hesitated and said: "She... she has tattoos on her face, which look quite ugly and might frighten the master"

Lady Yuan's smile grew even more radiant as she moved closer to her, exhaling softly like an orchid and saying: "Sister, you are so clever; how could you not understand my meaning? You have just arrived, yet you are so eager to enter the inner circle; isn't that a bit too ostentatious?"

The gold is relatively soft, yet to bend it with just two fingers requires quite extraordinary skill. Yan Ji watched this scene, her expression filled with uncertainty. She lowered her voice and asked, "Who exactly are you, and what do you want?"

The sound of women's laughter came from the high terrace not far away. The palace servants, who were shoveling snow, stole glances and saw that it was a group of beautifully dressed maidens in flowing silk garments, elegantly surrounding several beautiful concubines as they approached.

It seemed unintentional, yet she deliberately emphasized the phrase "two years ago". In the fleeting glances, one could only see her pure and innocent smile, with nothing else to be found.

Upon hearing this, Yan Ji's face showed some joy—Xie Kingdom is located in the northwest, rich in jewels, yet the skilled embroiderers disdain this cold and harsh place, unwilling to settle here. Therefore, although there are many splendid garments in the palace, they lack intricate embroidery, appearing somewhat monotonous.

The younger sister certainly knows how to choose; with just a stretch of her hand, she has claimed the most beautiful flower on that fragrant branch

The two of them walked lightly, and Lady Yuan was particularly deliberate. After just a few steps, she had already pulled ahead of the others by several yards, far in front.

... ...