Seeing Li Yuanzhi not in the room, Song Qingshu’s heart sank. *Had more eunuchs come with white silk and poison wine after I left?* The more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. Unable to sit still any longer, he began searching everywhere.
After scouring the entire vicinity without finding any trace of Li Yuanzhi, his heart dropped to the pit of his stomach. Just then, a palace maid passed by. He grabbed her and demanded, “Where has Li Yuanzhi from this room gone?”
In his urgency, he directly employed the Soul-Shifting Art. The maid’s will was weak, and her eyes instantly went vacant. “She seems to have gone to Consort Wu’s palace to express her gratitude.”
“Express gratitude?” Song Qingshu pressed her sleep acupoint, his expression utterly peculiar. Knowing Li Yuanzhi as he did, he could guess her game in an instant. It was surely another prank like the one two days ago—she wanted to go see the reaction to her handiwork. Yesterday she’d either been too tired or too nervous to go, but today she’d finally given in to her curiosity.
Song Qingshu hesitated for a moment. The harem was guarded by the big boss Huang Shang—it would be risky going there. But worried that Li Yuanzhi might let something slip in her excitement and bring disaster upon herself, he ultimately headed toward the palace where Ah Ke resided.
“Am I more worried about Li Yuanzhi, or am I more curious to see how Chen Yuanyuan and Ah Ke are reacting after that night?” Song Qingshu muttered to himself along the way, still without an answer by the time he reached Consort Wu’s palace.
He arrived just in time to see a maid leading Li Yuanzhi into the hall. It was too late to call out to her; he could only conceal himself and slip in quietly.
His lightness skill had now reached its peak—avoiding a few palace maids’ gazes was not too difficult. He moved like a wisp of smoke, soundlessly drifting into the hall and hiding atop a beam several zhang high, peering down.
Below sat Ah Ke in a chair, still strikingly beautiful, but not as radiant as usual—visibly haggard and worn.
Chen Yuanyuan was also in the hall, a faint melancholy furrowing her brow. Clearly, what had happened that day had unsettled her; she could no longer retreat to her meditation chamber to study sutras.
Compared to them, Li Yuanzhi was much rosier-cheeked—whether from Song Qingshu’s “nourishment” the other day or from the sheer delight of seeing her enemies so on edge.
“You kept sending maids to announce that you had urgent business with me. What is it?” Ah Ke was irritated by Li Yuanzhi’s radiant demeanor. *She doesn’t look like someone languishing in the Cold Palace at all—she looks like a favored imperial consort.* The thought that she had such a close relationship with Song Qingshu only made her more annoyed.
Ah Ke had been troubled these past two days and hadn’t wanted to see her. But Li Yuanzhi kept insisting she had urgent matters, and curiosity had finally won out.
Song Qingshu on the beam suddenly understood. *No wonder she came early but only got in now—she’d been kept waiting outside.*
“I came specifically to thank Consort Wu and her mother for saving my life the other day.” Li Yuanzhi bowed respectfully, but her sidelong glances kept sweeping over mother and daughter, lingering particularly on Chen Yuanyuan’s rosy lips. Seeing them both so preoccupied, she was utterly gleeful inside.
“This is what you call urgent business?” Ah Ke shot her a glare. Even Li Yuanzhi, herself a beauty, had to admit that a true beauty was a true beauty—every frown and smile was breathtaking.
“Is saving a life not urgent business?” Li Yuanzhi replied with an innocent look.
“You—” Ah Ke found herself momentarily speechless.
“Consort Wu, you don’t look well. Haven’t slept well these past two days? Something on your mind?” Li Yuanzhi hinted meaningfully.
“No…” Ah Ke denied it, somewhat guiltily. “What could I have on my mind?”
“If there is something, you can confide in me. Though I’m in a bit of a predicament myself right now, I can still be a good listener.” Li Yuanzhi continued, her expression full of concern, though the slight curl at the corner of her mouth betrayed her true feelings.
“I’ve told you, there’s nothing. You may withdraw.” Ah Ke grew annoyed and waved for the maids to escort her out.
Li Yuanzhi looked disappointed. *How I’d love to torment her a little more…*
Just as she turned to leave, Chen Yuanyuan’s voice came from behind: “Miss Li, please wait.”
Song Qingshu on the beam sighed inwardly. *Chen Yuanyuan was famed as the unrivaled beauty and talent of her age, and the name fits. I’ve witnessed the beauty; though I haven’t seen the talent, just from that soft, melting voice, I can imagine how heavenly her songs must have been.*
“Is there something, Esteemed Lady?” Li Yuanzhi’s expression was complicated as she looked at this breathtakingly beautiful woman. Initially, she’d felt quite favorably toward Chen Yuanyuan for helping her that night. But later, learning that she was one of the very people who’d harmed her—*you can know a face but not a heart; beneath such gentle beauty lies a viper’s soul.*
Chen Yuanyuan gestured for the maids to withdraw, then asked softly, “I heard that Miss Li was once part of the martial world?”
Li Yuanzhi was puzzled but nodded instinctively: “That’s right.”
“Then you’re quite familiar with martial world affairs?” Chen Yuanyuan’s eyes lit up at her nod.
“I know a thing or two.” Li Yuanzhi was confused. *Why is she asking about this?*
Chen Yuanyuan opened her mouth, then hesitated. For some reason, before she could speak, a blush crept across her peerless face: “Do you know of any famous masters of movement skill in the martial world?”
Though Chen Yuanyuan had earlier dismissed her daughter’s speculation about martial arts masters, the two had racked their brains over the past two days with no clue at all. Her earlier certainty was beginning to waver.
Li Yuanzhi, sharp as she was, instantly understood her purpose. Struggling to contain her triumph, she slowly explained: “There are countless masters of movement skill, but the most famous are ‘Vicious and Malicious Yun Zhonghe’ and ‘Lone Wanderer Tian Boguang.'”
“What kind of people are they?” Chen Yuanyuan’s voice trembled slightly—phrases like “vicious and malicious” clearly didn’t describe good men.
“Them? They’re notorious lechers in the martial world,” Li Yuanzhi said, piling on the details as she watched Chen Yuanyuan and Ah Ke’s faces grow paler. “They love to use their peerless movement skills to slip into w0men’s chambers at night, defi1ing ladies of noble birth and proper upbringing.”
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