Chapter 35 Part 2

【Wanwan Wants to See the Moon: Didn’t expect to see such a view. Thank you, Streamer.】

【Impossible: I really want to compose a poem, but all I can say is ‘holy sht, beautiful.’】

【Chang’an Flower: I believe this is what is meant by ‘Vibrant colors divide the distant land, a multitude of lights adorn the far-off sky.’】

【The Cloud Emptiness is Not Necessarily Empty: You wrote that?】

【Chang’an Flower: …Lu Zhaolin wrote it.】

The placement of the palace lanterns, which palaces to open—all of this had been approved by Fu Ping’an. But now, seeing this scene, she realized that looking at an ink-drawn map and actually witnessing the panorama were entirely different feelings.

“It’s beautiful,” she murmured to herself.

“A Nanny told me about this when I entered the palace as a child,” Luo Qionghua said from beside her.

Fu Ping’an said, “The palace hasn’t held a Lantern Festival Banquet for a long time. When are you talking about?”

Luo Qionghua thought for a moment. “I was only five then.”

“And you still remember the route?”

“I’m best at remembering this kind of thing.”

With that, the girl found a large rock and sat down, patting the space beside her, motioning for Fu Ping’an to sit too.

“Aren’t you tired? Sit and rest for a bit.”

Fu Ping’an tilted her head to observe the other girl. She hadn’t really looked closely before, but now she saw that despite her young age, she had a high nose bridge and deep, striking features, seemingly of partial Hu ancestry.

How many officials in the capital had Hu ancestry? If she went back and investigated, she would probably find out.

She let go of her uncertainty about the girl’s identity, took out a silk handkerchief to dust the dirt off the stone, and sat down as well.

Luo Qionghua propped her chin on her hands, tilting her head to look at Fu Ping’an. “You’re so fastidious. Are all young ladies from the south this particular?”

Fu Ping’an didn’t answer, unsure of how to respond.

But the girl didn’t seem to mind, soon asking another question, “Did your family come to the palace? Will they look for you?”

“No, they won’t. And you?”

“I came to the palace alone. My mother is sick.”

“Winter is harsh; it’s easy to fall ill.”

“That’s not it. She craved it and ate raw fish a few days ago, and got a stomach upset.”

“…”

“Are you cold?”

“No.”

“I thought so. The fur on your coat is really good. Your family must be very wealthy, right?”

“…”

【Long Road: This little sister is a chatterbox.】

【Oh Wow: She talks even more than Bo Jiao’er did as a kid.】

【Because: Bo Jiao’er has been talking less lately.】

【Amber: Because she’s growing up. In the palace, I rarely see people who talk much.】

This was true. Palace rules were strict. One wrong word could cost a life; the more you said, the more mistakes you made. Naturally, it was best to speak less.

Fu Ping’an was unaccustomed to this, but she didn’t dislike it. She simply couldn’t respond to some of the things the girl said.

【Baby Ping’an is So Cute: It feels like seeing a real child. Quite lively.】

The girl just kept talking to herself, one moment complaining about the cold winter, the next saying at least there were fewer mosquitoes. Then, out of the blue, she suddenly remarked, “I wonder when Her Majesty will assume personal rule.”

Fu Ping’an instinctively became alert. Without showing any change in expression, she said, “What does that have to do with us?”

Luo Qionghua plucked a piece of dried grass and put it between her teeth. Hearing this, she opened her mouth wide, and the grass fell out. “Of course it has nothing to do with us, but… I somewhat care. The court ordered relief for disaster victims, providing work instead of just handouts. That was clearly Her Majesty’s idea, yet now everyone is thanking the Prince Regent. If Her Majesty were ruling personally, this wouldn’t have happened.”

Fu Ping’an truly hadn’t known this, and let out a puzzled hum.

“At the beginning of the year, during the porridge distribution, the Prince Regent specifically went to the disaster relief sites to inspect. Actually, she didn’t do anything, but everyone felt that a figure of her stature simply coming to see was worthy of profound gratitude… It really has nothing to do with me. I just feel it’s unfair, you know? This was clearly Her Majesty’s idea.”

“But how do you know that?”

“Many people know. We all admire Her Majesty greatly.”

Fu Ping’an stared blankly at her. The young girl’s eyes were bright, making one believe her words were sincere. To think there were strangers who admired her, Fu Ping’an even felt somewhat nervous. “You… you and others?”

Luo Qionghua smiled with narrowed eyes. “Do you want to join us?”

Worshipping herself seemed a bit strange.

But she was the emperor; she should be worshipped. Fu Ping’an nodded hesitantly. Luo Qionghua then said, “If you have time, go to the West Market, Horse Bridge Head Carpenter Shop. That’s our main base.”

“…A carpenter’s shop.” The main base being in a carpenter’s shop felt a bit odd. How to put it… shouldn’t it be in some sort of Residence?

“That’s right, Horse Bridge Head,” Luo Qionghua confirmed with a nod.

“What does Horse Bridge Head mean?” Fu Ping’an asked.

Luo Qionghua thought for a moment. “Probably Old Ma moved here from the Horse Bridge Head.”

And who was Old Ma?

Fu Ping’an really wanted to ask, but she felt that if she continued like this, the questions would never end, and she’d seem a bit foolish. So she stopped the conversation.

But having stopped the questions, Fu Ping’an didn’t know what to say.

Logically, she knew she should return to the palace, but her mind was blank, and somehow her legs just wouldn’t move.

Instead, after a while, the girl said, “It’s getting a bit cold. Let’s go.”

Fu Ping’an felt a pang of reluctance. The imperial palace was like a cage; it had imprisoned her for far too long.

Luo Qionghua also noticed. She thought for a moment and then said, “I know a place in the palace perfect for watching the river lanterns, even more beautiful than here.”

Fu Ping’an stood up, saying, “Alright, let’s go.”

She rose and brushed off invisible dirt. Just as she was about to descend the mountain, she suddenly heard the neighing of a horse—short, like a whistle.

Fu Ping’an’s expression shifted slightly, and she heard Luo Qionghua ask, “What was that sound?”

Fu Ping’an was a bit nervous. “Probably… just insects chirping.”

She guessed it must have been an Imperial Guard warhorse inadvertently making a sound.

After the words left her mouth, Fu Ping’an immediately realized it wasn’t a very clever lie. In this dead of winter, with everything absolutely still, how could there be insects chirping? Her eyes met the girl’s across from her, her mind racing for what to say next. But unexpectedly, the other simply smiled and said, “Yes, probably.”

She turned around and hopped and skipped her way down the mountain.

【If This Wood Had Feelings: There are still bugs in the winter?】

【Sleepless Days: That should be a sound made by the Imperial Guard.】

【Dove: Children are indeed easy to fool.】

【Wanwan Wants to See the Moon: Heh, that’s not so certain…】

Back in the palace, it was already the Hour of the Rooster. The attendants had begun directing people to leave. Fu Ping’an secretly slipped away while Luo Qionghua wasn’t paying attention and quickly ran into Chen Yan, who was looking for her.

Upon seeing her, Chen Yan let out a sigh of relief, but her face was full of anger. She said stiffly, “Greetings, Your Majesty. This subject wonders what deed Your Majesty did that was unsuitable for your servants’ eyes.”

In all those years, Fu Ping’an had never been so willful. For a moment, she even felt a little guilty, mumbling, “I was just… strolling around, admiring the lanterns.”

Chen Yan, hearing this, still looked displeased, but her eyes softened somewhat. “From now on, you must never do this again.”

Fu Ping’an nodded. Truth be told, if it weren’t for that girl called Ah Hua tonight, she wouldn’t have run so far. She would surely have just walked for a bit and then gone to find Chen Yan.

The danmaku said that was a little brat, and indeed, it was right.

But… she also couldn’t deny the long-lost ease she had felt tonight.

But she quickly rallied her spirits and asked, “Has everything been arranged?”

Chen Yan’s gaze hardened slightly, and she nodded.

Fu Ping’an returned to Jingui Palace. Just as she reached the palace path, she saw it crammed with Palace Servants holding torches, a scene of utter chaos.

Fu Ping’an knew what this was about—they were looking for her.

She approached the crowd. Soon, someone spotted her and rushed over, weeping and wailing, “Her Majesty is here! Her Majesty is here!”

Fu Ping’an’s expression remained normal. She saw the Dowager Empress emerge from the crowd, her eyes blazing with anger. “Where has the Emperor been?”

Fu Ping’an said, “I simply went out of the inner palace to take a stroll outside.”

The Dowager Empress was so furious she laughed. “Outside the inner palace? Does the Emperor not value their life?”

Fu Ping’an looked at her calmly.

The sun was rising from amidst the palace complex, gradually illuminating the sky as well as the varied expressions on the faces before her.

“Empress Mother, I believe there’s a misunderstanding. By rights, I should never have been living in the inner palace. I should have been residing in Chaoyang Palace.”

The Dowager Empress’s face turned ashen. She pointed at Fu Ping’an and said, “I knew it! I knew you were pretending all along! Fine! Fine! Don’t think your wings are fully fledged! Guards! This person before us is not Her Majesty, but an impostor! Arrest her immediately!”

Her voice was shrill and desperate. Yet when her words fell, no one moved.

The surrounding attendants drew their weapons—and pointed them in her direction instead.