Chapter 51 - Meeting Yunhe Again
"I believe this little girl!" Wei Qing’s voice was steady, his expression solemn as he addressed the Emperor. "After all, this child came from my own household. Moreover, she is so young and this is her first time entering the palace; how could she have possibly made any enemies?"
Liu Che let out two short, dry laughs, his eyes narrowing with a cold, calculating light. "Master Chu says that this girl carries a treasure upon her person. Why else do you think I would keep her here in the palace?"
"Does Your Majesty mean to say..." Wei Qing paused, the weight of the implication settling in his mind. "That someone covets this treasure and has resorted to sorcery and witchcraft to harm the child? If that is the case, then anyone who is aware of this secret must be considered a suspect."
Liu Che reached out and patted Wei Qing’s shoulder, his fingers gripping the fabric of the general's robe with a tension that bordered on fury. He spoke through gritted teeth, "The problem is that just today, Chu Haiguang informed me that the treasure has vanished!"
"Vanished?" Wei Qing’s eyes widened in genuine shock.
"This matter should have been known only to me, Chu Haiguang, and Chen A... Chen Jiao-jiao," Liu Che said, nearly stumbling over the name again. "But who knows if others possess the means to discern such things? I have already dispatched Chu Haiguang to accompany Du Zhou to investigate that side of things. As for this side... you shall be the one to investigate."
"I obey your command!" Wei Qing replied with a heavy sense of duty.
"Remember to keep your movements concealed," Liu Che added, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Do not let anyone catch wind of this. Are you not currently preparing for your grand wedding? Use that as a cover... and one more thing: there is no need to let that Chen A... Chen Jiao-jiao know about this! Now, go!"
Wei Qing bowed low, preparing to withdraw from the Xuanshi Hall. However, before he could reach the threshold, the Emperor’s voice rang out once more.
"Also, regarding that Chen Jiao-jiao... starting tomorrow, her name shall be changed. From now on, she is to be called Chen Ajiao. I find myself constantly miscalling her by that name anyway."
Wei Qing hesitated, his foot hovering near the door. "But Your Majesty... would that not violate the naming taboo of the former Empress Chen?"
Liu Che waved a hand dismissively, his gaze drifting toward the ornate rafters of the hall. "The woman is gone; why bother with so many taboos? What matters most is that the name I use feels natural!" He paused, a flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "Besides, if I keep slipping up and calling her by the wrong name, it will only arouse more suspicion. It is better to simply make them the same. If anyone asks, I shall say the similarity in their names made the old one too uncomfortable to utter!"
"I obey," Wei Qing murmured, though internally he couldn't help but sigh. *His Majesty is truly too headstrong,* he thought as he stepped out into the cool night air of the palace.
***
The transition of the young girl’s identity was swift and silent, carried out under the cover of the Emperor’s absolute authority. While the palace whispered about the new Lady Huikang, the girl herself remained ensconced within the Qingliang Hall, drifting in a feverish sleep that bridged the gap between the mortal world and the realms beyond.
During the quiet hours of the night, the Imperial Physician Assistant, Song Zhen, had visited frequently. He found himself utterly perplexed by the child’s condition. Her pulse was a chaotic tapestry, woven with threads of vibrant mortal aura and a chilling, subterranean spiritual energy from the Underworld. It was as if two diametrically opposed forces were warring within her small frame, a consequence of the spiritual injury inflicted by the entity known as Hongsang.
In the deepest watch of the night, when the incense in the Boshan censer had burned low, the shadows in the room seemed to lengthen and coalesce. Three figures manifested silently by the bedside: Yunhe, Qi Wuyi, and Yuandeng. They looked down at the sleeping girl, their spectral forms shimmering with a faint, otherworldly light. They observed the "Punishment" mark on her forehead—a brand of the Underworld that glowed with a dull, rhythmic pulse. They spoke in hushed tones of her leaking essence and the strange fate that had bound her to the name of a deposed Empress once more, before vanishing as the first light of dawn touched the palace eaves.
***
Ajiao ended up sleeping heavily, her slumber lasting all the way until the mid-Shen hour.
When she finally blinked her eyes open, the sunlight was streaming through the lattice windows, illuminating the dust motes dancing in the air. Wei Yuan was sitting nearby, chatting and laughing softly with a few of the personal maids.
"Xia Zhu..." Ajiao called out, her voice small and thick with the remnants of sleep as she began to pester her maid.
Xia Zhu immediately set down the embroidery she was working on and hurried to the bedside. She gathered Ajiao into her arms with practiced tenderness. "The young mistress is awake. Let me help you wash and dress."
Ajiao reached out and rubbed her face against Xia Zhu’s sleeve, a gesture of pure, childish affection. "Xia Zhu, I missed you so much. I really thought I would never see you again."
Wei Yuan rose from her seat and leaned against the table, watching them with a gentle smile. "How could that be? You’re a child; don't let your mind wander to such dark thoughts."
"It would! Why wouldn't it?" Ajiao pouted, her eyes wide with lingering fear. "That Emperor is so scary." *He even wanted to cut my stomach open!* she added silently to herself.
Wei Yuan could only laugh as she took the girl from Xia Zhu’s arms. "Fine, fine. But there is no need to be afraid now. Your aunt is here, isn't she? Come now, be good. I’ll help you wash up."
At that moment, Yu Li entered the room leading a procession of palace maids. They carried basins and ewers, kneeling respectfully beside Ajiao. Xia Zhu took a silk cloth, dipped it in the warm water, and gently wiped Ajiao’s face to dampen her skin. Then, Yu Li stepped forward, holding a small, ornate box filled with fine green bean powder.
As Xia Zhu applied the powder to cleanse Ajiao’s face, she couldn't help but marvel at the texture. "This feels so much finer than the powder we use at home," she whispered. "It’s almost like what the Second Young Mistress uses."
Wei Yuan hid a smile behind her hand. "The powder I usually use isn't even this good. This is only available when the palace grants a special reward. This green bean powder is specially prepared for the imperial household, infused with rare fragrances. It is far more soothing than anything found outside."
Once Ajiao’s face was clean and refreshed, Yu Li signaled for another maid to bring forward a basin of tea water. After Ajiao had rinsed her mouth, the palace maids withdrew in a silent, orderly line.
Only after they had departed did Xia Zhu let out a long breath, patting her chest. "Sister Yu Li, you palace maids are so quiet! It makes me so nervous, as if I’m constantly on the verge of doing something wrong."
Yu Li gave her a soft, reassuring smile. "Don't be afraid, little sister. This is simply the way of the palace..."
