Chapter 1, Crossing the Message.
Miss
The girl no longer dared to speak, and the surroundings fell into silence once again, with only the gentle breeze whispering, leaving no trace of sound.
If it is not a dream, then she must have encountered a ghost
She couldn't help but gaze for a moment, pondering whether there are still such places in this era where everything relies on chemical technology. Even the gardens of Suzhou and the royal garden scenery left in Beijing cannot compare to this place.
Although the girl's attire is also made of fine garments, upon closer inspection, the fabric is of a significantly lower quality compared to the silk she is wearing. The jewelry she adorns herself with is even more incomparable to what she has on. Her gaze slightly sharpens, yet she remains silent
Li Yun calmly withdrew her hand. She needed to understand what was going on first
Hmm! After listening, Li Yun's gaze became deep, and her voice betrayed no emotion. Yet inside, her heart was like a surging tide. Such a small body, such delicate and fair hands, such attire and adornment—how could this be her? Suddenly, a strange feeling arose in her heart, and the picturesque scenery around her abruptly changed in hue. Was she perhaps in a dream?
... ... is! The girl immediately lowered her head. She did not dare to think deeply about why the young lady wanted her to repeat what had just happened. She hurriedly said: "Today, the poetry appreciation meeting, the young lady was not feeling well and originally did not want to come, but thinking that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince would also attend the poetry appreciation meeting today, the young lady still came. But that detestable Second Miss of the Rong Wangfu and the Princess of the Xiaoqin Wangfu actually joined forces with Princess Qingwan to bully you, trying to push you into the water when you were not paying attention. If it weren't for Miss Yuning from the Prime Minister's residence saying that the reclusive Young Master Jing and the returning Young Prince Ran had also attended the poetry appreciation meeting today, they would have hurriedly left. I had already seen that they were not here with good intentions and wanted the young lady to go to the Empress earlier, but the young lady refused to listen. When have you ever suffered a loss? Now you almost fell into the lake, and the young lady cannot swim; otherwise, she would have suffered a great loss. When have you ever suffered a loss? Now you almost fell into the lake, and the young lady cannot swim; otherwise, she would have suffered a great loss. Fortunately ... ...
If I may speak, Miss, you are becoming increasingly indulgent towards those women. If this continues, the Crown Prince's spirit will sooner or later be lured away by those lowly creatures!
After many years of navigating through trials and tribulations, she has long since cultivated the ability to remain calm regardless of the time or place she finds herself in. No matter how overwhelming the psychological waves may rise, or how drastically the reality before her may differ from her previous understanding, she can swiftly compose herself, responding to change with constancy and observing the unfolding changes.
Li Yun's gaze was fixed on the bright red droplets of blood on the obsidian, her colleagues shrinking inch by inch. Suddenly, she abruptly raised her head and looked up at the sky, following the sunlight that fell to the ground. The midday sun was intensely radiant, casting golden rays upon the earth. She glanced at it for just a moment before turning her attention back to the girl in front of her, who was continuously bowing her head.
Miss? The girl was taken aback, as she敏感地 sensed that something was off with the Miss today, and suddenly raised her head
"Miss, have you forgiven this servant?" The girl suddenly raised her head, looking at Li Yun with a face full of surprise. However, upon not seeing her gaze meet her own, the expression of joy immediately froze. She lowered her head and timidly said in a soft voice, "If the miss does not forgive this servant's offense, this servant does not dare to rise."
Li Yun stared intently at the girl. She wanted to know what this place was, why she had appeared here, and why she was no longer herself
The servant believes that His Highness the Crown Prince should be made aware of who is truly the person he is meant to marry. If this continues, even the most insignificant of weeds will dare to bully you
Miss, why have you not spoken for such a long time? Did you hear what this servant said?
The girl was momentarily taken aback, her expression of anger fading away, replaced by a hint of tension and uncertainty. "Miss, are you... are you feeling unwell?"
"Then what else do you not remember besides this matter?" The girl raised her small face, her cheeks stained a bloody red. She seemed oblivious, urgently asking.
Li Yun instinctively tightened her grip and raised her head again to look at the girl kneeling in front of her
... ...
Upon hearing this, Li Yun suddenly turned her head in the direction of the sound
Miss, you should take action to teach those arrogant women a lesson! Who do you think you are? How dare anyone lay a hand on you nowadays, especially with Her Majesty the Empress present at today's poetry gathering. They are simply audacious!
She stared blankly for a moment, her mind, which had just cleared a little, fell back into a state of emptiness
The girl seemed oblivious to the pain, repeatedly banging her head while continuously pleading for mercy.
Just now, His Highness the Crown Prince clearly saw you suffer a loss, yet he actually turned a blind eye and left. It is truly infuriating
Li Yun slowly opened her eyes, only to be taken aback by the scene before her.
It took several minutes to finish speaking. After finishing, she lay motionless on the ground, her cold sweat soaking through her already thin clothing. Now she clearly realized how outrageous it was to have plotted against His Highness the Crown Prince. If the Crown Prince were to hear of this, how could she still kneel here properly, begging for mercy from the young lady? Even several heads would not be enough to pay for it.
"It is... it is... I shall speak on behalf of the servant." The girl, in a state of panic, lowered her head and did not dare to move, not even for a moment, as she repeated the words of dissatisfaction she had expressed when Li Yun first awoke.
Li Yun looked at her with a somewhat dazed expression, momentarily appearing even more absent-minded.
What she could not remember was... Li Yun pondered how to extract more information without alarming the snake.
The young girl trembled under Li Yun's gaze, her hand holding the fan immediately stopped, and she took a step back, kneeling on the ground. Her knees met the ground with a thud. The originally straightforward words turned into a quivering tone, "Miss, please forgive me. I spoke out of anger, and I should not have spoken ill of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince."
The girl trembled slightly upon hearing this, seemingly filled with boundless regret and fear. "Miss, I was wrong. I will never dare to speak ill of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince again. I voluntarily accept punishment and will go to the washing room. Please, Miss, considering that I have an elderly grandmother who relies on me for care, spare me this time!"
Her complexion suddenly changed several times. A chill surged in her heart. It was not a dream!
"I said to repeat what you just said!" Li Yun's voice suddenly deepened a few notches.
She was also dressed in an ancient-style robe. The soft silk fabric was a light purple, adorned with large blossoms of begonia. The flowers and leaves were not overly intricate, yet they appeared lifelike, with meticulous stitching and threads that shimmered with a subtle luster, clearly the work of a skilled embroiderer. The gown reached down to her feet, and the hem was distinctly embroidered with a golden border, made from genuine gold thread.
If it is not acting, then where is this place
The irritating sound shattered the momentary beauty brought by the scenery. Li Yun turned her head in a daze towards the sound and saw a smaller girl dressed in ancient attire, resembling a maid, standing beside her
But is there a ghost in the clear blue sky? She looked up at the scorching sun.
The lakeside pavilion, with its gentle breeze and warm air, features red railings and green boards, winding corridors, and lush trees adorned with exquisite flowers, presenting a scene of opulent beauty. Particularly noteworthy are the rare and precious flower varieties planted along the railings, as well as the pairs of jade-colored mandarin ducks and red-crowned cranes in the lake, which are exceedingly rare and nearly extinct in modern times. Not to mention the various treasures of rockery sculptures and pavilions.
Li Yun remained silent, her hazy eyes gradually gaining a hint of focus, and in an instant, a glimmer of brilliance shot from her gaze, fixating directly on the girl
But if this is a performance, why are there no lights or staff nearby? If this is a performance, the girl in front of me who is bleeding incessantly is putting in too much effort; her forehead is a bloody mess. If the bleeding is not stopped and bandaged soon, she will surely be left with a wound. Are there still people who are forced to self-harm like this for the sake of making money and living?
"Miss, did you say you can't remember?" The girl was taken aback, her expression changing dramatically
The girl did not hear the lady confirm the words of forgiveness, seemingly afraid to speak further, with her head bowed in silence. Fresh red droplets of blood dripped down from her forehead, yet she appeared to feel no pain, kneeling motionless.
Li Yun did not give a clear answer
"Please recount what you just mentioned about the events that transpired. Your Highness... did you truly witness me being bullied and choose to ignore it?" After a moment of silence, Li Yun carefully considered her words, her low voice tinged with a slight tremor
"Why do I have a bit of a headache?" Li Yun felt a chill in her heart and, after some consideration, asked with a furrowed brow. Although she had not fallen into the water and soaked, why did she feel dizzy, as if she had just woken up after a long sleep
At this thought, she suddenly curled her hand into a fist, her fingers digging forcefully into her palm, sending sharp pain coursing through her hand. It seemed she felt no pain, as she pinched it hard two more times, then released her hand and quietly twisted towards her waist. Through the soft fabric, a similar sharp pain emanated from her waist.
"Please, miss, spare me this once! I will never dare again." The girl, seeing that Li Yun did not respond, knelt down and began to knock her head on the ground. Her forehead struck the obsidian, producing a crisp sound. In just a few moments, fresh red blood stained the obsidian, the black contrasting with the red, making the brilliance seem even more pronounced.
"You... get up first." Li Yun spoke. Her voice was hoarse yet carried a hint of youthfulness, and within that youthfulness was a trace of confusion. Although it was just a few short words, the tone was melodious; if it weren't for the slight hoarseness, it would be akin to the song of a warbler, quite pleasant to hear. After speaking, she suddenly withdrew her gaze from the girl and looked at herself. Such a strange voice was nothing like the one she had been familiar with for over twenty years. This glance caused her to be momentarily taken aback. Such a strange voice was nothing like the one she had been familiar with for over twenty years. This glance caused her to be momentarily taken aback.
Retracting her gaze, she saw that one hand was propped up on her head, leaning against a stone table made of polished white jade, while she sat on a chair also crafted from white jade. Her palm was small and delicate, her wrist fair, adorned with a jade bracelet that shimmered with a vibrant green luster, translucent and smooth. It was immediately apparent that its value was beyond estimation. On either side, there were jade beads with vermilion hairpins and gold tassels hanging down, equally finely crafted and of considerable worth
Your Highness? Li Yun's gaze darkened slightly. Is this a performance? Who has the audacity to act in such a manner towards her? Do they not wish to live? She pursed her lips and looked at the girl. The obsidian on the ground emitted a dark, eerie glow, dazzling under the sunlight. Her gaze fell upon the fresh blood continuously flowing from the girl's forehead, her thoughts shifting rapidly.
The little girl seemed to plead for mercy, and upon hearing this, her body shrank back suddenly. The sound came to an abrupt halt
No wonder I can't quite remember what happened! It turns out I bumped my head. Li Yun rubbed her forehead, her face somewhat pale, her hands curled tightly in her sleeves, her body trembling slightly, and her voice appeared indifferent. But only she knew how much effort it took to barely keep herself from collapsing under the chair.
In the midst of my daze, a murmuring and discontented female voice reached my ears
"The young lady bumped her head against the railing by the lake, so it is only natural that she would feel dizzy," the girl immediately replied
Just as I opened my mouth, a light laugh came from not far away, followed by a male voice filled with mockery. The voice was clear and pleasant, "Sister Yue, everyone else has gone to the garden, why are you hiding here in leisure? I just saw His Highness the Crown Prince also went to the garden! If you don't go soon, be careful that he gets dazzled by the various flowers and forgets who you are."
"What did you just say, please repeat it," Li Yun asked calmly. This time, her voice lost its hoarseness, taking on a deeper tone, accompanied by an invisible pressure directed at the girl.
The girl was about twelve or thirteen years old. Holding a fan in her hand, she gently waved it, her eyes clearly filled with anger, and her youthful face was marked by a look of indignation. When she glanced over, her expression was dazed, clearly not in the moment, and she paused slightly.