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S T E L L A R C L O U D
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T H E S U N
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"Put this on." Xiao Liulang magically brought out a eunuch outfit.
After he got out of the room, Gu Jiao changed into the outfit, not forgetting to put on the hat as well. When the door opened, a cute young eunuch walked out.
Xiao Liulang was caught off guard and his eyes widened. He never expected a woman in eunuch clothing to look so cute and playful. Her big eyes blinked and sparkled, her small face was delicate and refined, and even her red birthmark that was usually criticized by people seemed to have a unique charm.
If all the eunuchs in the palace looked like her, why bother having imperial concubines and selecting beauties?
"Do I look good?" Gu Jiao asked.
"Not bad." Someone said with a cold face, "Get in the carriage."
The two got into the carriage.
Today, it was Nan Xiang who personally went to Qinghe Academy to pick up Gu Xiaoshun and Gu Yan. Liu Quan originally had some free time, but now he had to escort Gu Jiao and Xiao Liulang to the palace.
Gu Jiao sat obediently inside the carriage, straightening her legs and tapping her toes, showing that she was in a good mood.
The carriage arrived at the palace gate, and Xiao Liulang confidently presented his Renshou Palace token.
"May I trouble you to check if there are any other passengers in the carriage?" The palace guard politely asked.
Xiao Liulang opened the curtain and allowed the guard to look inside. However, Xiao Liulang blocked most of Gu Jiao's figure, so the guard could only see her eunuch outfit.
Xiao Liulang calmly said, "He is a junior eunuch from Renshou Palace."
"I see. Senior Compiler Xiao, you may pass." The palace guard stepped aside.
The carriage passed by the imperial audience hall and couldn’t go any further near the harem.
"Okay, stop here. Uncle Liu, you can go back. We'll return on our own later." Xiao Liulang said.
"I'll wait for you!" Liu Quan insisted.
"No need. Grandaunt will send someone to escort us back." Xiao Liulang replied.
"Alright." Liu Quan smiled, "Then I'll take my leave first!"
After Liu Quan left, Xiao Liulang and Gu Jiao went to the vicinity of Huaqing Palace.
In the summer, days were long and nights were short. Even though it was getting late, the twilight was still boundless.
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing had a habit of taking a walk to aid digestion after dinner, hence after the evening meal, she went to the imperial garden with Grannie Cai and other palace servants.
The events that happened at Huaqing Palace in the morning had some impact on her, and her complexion didn’t look good.
Grannie Cai supported her while a few palace maids followed behind, not daring to speak.
"Let's go sit in the pavilion." Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing said to Grannie Cai.
"Yes." Grannie Cai helped her up the steps and they sat on the stone bench in the pavilion. Then she instructed a palace maid, "Go and brew some flower tea."
"Yes!" The palace maid went to a nearby tea room to brew tea.
The evening breeze blew gently, and the willows swayed. The imperial garden was bathed in a peaceful and serene atmosphere.
The palace maid brought the tea, poured a cup, and offered it to Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing with both hands.
Grannie Cai reached out to take the cup and accidentally touched it, causing a cold hissing sound. She sternly said, "How dare you! Do you want to scald imperial concubine dowager?!"
"Ah! This servant dares not!" The palace maid was frightened and fell to her knees. Her movements were too big, causing the tea in the cup to spill all over her hands, the back of her hand turning red instantly.
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing said softly, "Forget it, she didn't mean to. She's young, just teach her more. You can get up now."
"Thank you, imperial concubine dowager! Thank you!" The palace maid was grateful and tearful, trembling as she stood up.
"Put it down." Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing looked at the tea cup in her hands.
"Yes!" The palace maid put the tea cup on the stone table.
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing said again, "Let me see your hand."
The palace maid quickly pulled her hand behind her back and said, "This servant dares not sully the noble eyes of imperial concubine dowager!"
"Just let me take a look." Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing's tone was gentle.
"...Yes." The palace maid lowered her head and tentatively extended her hands.
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing looked at the back of her hand and said, "It's all red, you don't need to serve me here. Go back and apply some ointment." She paused and added, "I almost forgot this is not the nunnery, you girls don't have ointment with you. Grannie Cai, take her to my room and get a bottle of scald ointment for her."
Grannie Cai smiled and said, "Your kindness knows no bounds, Your Highness."
"Thank you, imperial concubine dowager!" The young palace maid knelt down and bowed respectfully.
The palace maids and eunuchs who witnessed this scene couldn't help but feel that Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing was truly kind-hearted. She had been a devout Buddhist nun for many years and had a compassionate heart, unlike the one in Renshou Palace.
Those working there always had to keep their heads low and be extra cautious, otherwise if they somehow managed to offend that person, they would be killed without any chance to reason with them.
Grannie Cai led the young palace maid away.
Xiao Liulang, who wasn’t far away, withdrew his gaze and said to Gu Jiao, "I'm feeling unwell and suddenly want to go to the latrine. You wait here for me... No, never mind, don't wait. Just go to Renshou Palace first, I'll follow in a bit."
Gu Jiao looked at Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing not far away and then at Xiao Liulang, nodding vigorously.
Xiao Liulang's lips curled up slightly before pursing them, "Then I'll go now."
Gu Jiao: Just hurry and go!
Xiao Liulang, feeling criticized by his wife, walked towards the latrine. He was, of course, not really going to the latrine.
He walked as far away as possible and, behind a rockery where no one passed by, took out a bamboo flute from his wide sleeve.
He had just met with Old Chief and learned about the assassination attempt on Gu Jiao and what happened in Huaqing Palace, as well as the fact that Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing had death warriors left by the late Emperor.
Perhaps even Old Chief and the Emperor didn’t know that Princess Xinyang also had death warriors left by the late Emperor.
Xiao Liulang took a deep breath and played the flute in his hand.
On a dense tree, a black figure holding a long sword and leaning against the trunk to meditate suddenly pricked up his ears, opened his eyes, and tightly gripped his sword. He looked alert and agile and, with his qinggong, flew towards the direction of the flute sound.
Grannie Cai left with the young palace maid with scalded hands, leaving only Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing and a few other palace servants in the pavilion.
"Let's go pick some flowers for Your Highness." One palace maid suggested.
"Okay."
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing nodded. "You all go and pick the flowers quickly before it gets dark."
"Yes!"
Four palace maids and eunuchs walked down the steps and started picking flowers in the garden.
Several dark guards lurked around the area.
Swish!
One dark guard disappeared.
Swish!
Another dark guard disappeared.
Swish swish swish!
All of the dark guards disappeared!
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing faintly sensed something was wrong. She furrowed her brows and turned around, but before she could see clearly, someone had already put a sack over her head!
After all, she was skilled in martial arts, unlike the likes of the Crown Princess. She flicked her finger and shot a poison needle at Gu Jiao!
Yo, look at that!
Scorpion’s poison!
Luckily, Gu Jiao was prepared and dodged to the side, she then took out a syringe and stabbed it into Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing's thigh and arm!
Imperial Concubine Dowager Jing didn't even have time to scream before she was knocked out by the drug!
contemporary romance
Raz P.'s Thoughts
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