After Rebirth, I Married my Archenemy - Chapter 12
At dawn, Ah Meng and Ah Jiang arrived at Luanyi Pavilion.
Though both Luanyi and Qing Xuan Pavilions housed noble residents, they were worlds apart. Luanyi Pavilion boasted jade-tiled roofs, intricate palace lanterns, and lush gardens, exuding an air of grandeur that the more modest Qing Xuan Pavilion couldn’t match.
As the palace doors creaked open, Bao Shu stepped out. Her vibrant, flowing dress trailed elegantly behind her as she descended the jade steps, the flower-engraved perfume ball at her waist jingling softly with each movement.
She cast a glance at the two palace maids bowing before her, a trace of disdain in her eyes.
“I know you’re curious—curious how, after offending the princess, I still serve her,” she said, pulling out a letter of recommendation and waving it in front of them.
“Do you see this?”
Ah Jiang immediately recognized the bright red stamp as the seal of the Princess Consort Yan and quickly lowered her head further.
“So, it’s Princess Yan who recommended you. Everyone knows she’s temporarily in charge of the inner palace. You are favored by her, and your future is bright. To be in your presence is our great fortune.”
“I don’t care to be a mere maid,” Bao Shu said with a smile, a small mole beneath her eye enhancing her otherwise gentle but proud expression.
“The tasks you all fight over mean nothing to me. But some people in the palace dared to use underhanded tricks against me, and as someone new to the palace, I fell for them.”
That day, everything Bao Shu did before the princess had been carefully arranged by her family, ensuring there was no room for error. After reflecting on what went wrong, she concluded that the embroidered handkerchief, given to her by a maid suffering from a rash, must have been the cause.
“Did you complete the task I gave you?” Bao Shu asked.
Ah Jiang answered,
“We did! We soaked Qun Qing’s bedding, hid needles in her mattress, placed stones in her shoes, and mixed leaves into her food.”
Ah Meng added, “We’ve also assigned her all the chores, inside and out, so she works late into the night without finishing.”
Ah Jiang continued, “No one speaks to her, and she hasn’t seen Liang Di. She’s trapped in the courtyard, silently enduring.”
Ah Meng chimed in again,
“Yes, yes, and if she tries to resist, we hold her down and beat her—where the clothes cover, so her skin will bruise and bleed.”
“Enough,” Bao Shu said, waving them off, clearly uninterested in the sufferings of the lowly maids. Such matters were beneath her; with a bit of money, she could easily make the palace maids turn on each other.
Ever since Qun Qing’s actions had led to her punishment and humiliation by the princess, Bao Shu had not forgotten the insult. Pulling out a handful of gold beads, she said,
“Since she dared use palace tricks against me, you should repay her with the same. Let her live the ‘good life’ she chose. There’s plenty more where this came from. When you need more, come to me.”
She tossed the gold beads into her hand, and Ah Jiang and Ah Meng bowed in gratitude before leaving.
Around the corner, the two maids huddled together, counting the beads.
“Eight, nine… Oh my! She gave us nine gold beads! She must be a generous fool!” Ah Meng whispered.
Ah Jiang tucked the beads into a scented pouch but hesitated.
“I don’t know… Something about this money feels dangerous.”
Ah Meng sneered.
“Bao Shu’s just rich and arrogant. Didn’t Qing Jie tell us we could keep any reward we earned?”
“Do you really believe that? Qun Qing may have offended Bao Shu, but we’re the ones benefiting. There’s no way Qing Jie will let us off so easily. I think she’s testing us. If we’re not careful, she’ll beat us senseless tonight,” Ah Jiang replied nervously.
The two shared a concerned look before rushing back to Qing Xuan Pavilion, stopping in front of Qun Qing. She stepped back, nearly spilling the bucket of water she was holding.
“Sister Qing, we did as you said, and Bao Shu actually gave us nine gold beads! She also told us to keep tormenting you,” they said, holding the gold beads above their heads with both hands.
“We don’t dare keep them for ourselves. Please, sister, take them.”
There was a long silence as Qun Qing gazed at the gold beads with a faint smile. Disdain and a hint of pride flickered in her eyes. Then, she spoke lightly:
“This is the price of my dignity. I don’t want it.”
With that, she picked up her bucket and walked away.
Dignity… What does that mean?
“Ah Qing!” Ah Meng and Ah Jiang exchanged bewildered glances. They had never encountered someone like her before. Hurriedly, they rushed after Qun Qing, with Ah Meng snatching the bucket from her hands, while Ah Jiang grabbed the cloth and started wiping the railing to please her.
“Sister, we’ve discovered everything you asked about. That Bao Shu was recommended by Princess Consort Yan.”
Princess Consort Yan? Qun Qing’s thoughts whirled.
It didn’t make sense. Xiao Yunru wasn’t aligned with Southern Chu as a spy. If she were, there would be no need for the Crown Prince Zhao to pressure the princess into marrying Prince Yan. If the current Princess Consort of Yan were truly valuable, why force this issue?
Xiao Yunru, while a competent and ordinary figure, had been present during the clash between Bao An Princess and Bao Shu. Given her personality, she would likely have intervened to prevent lasting grudges. So why place Bao Shu in Bao An’s service afterward? The only plausible explanation was that Bao Shu had a significant enough background to override Xiao Yunru’s authority. Alternatively, the decision might not have come from Xiao Yunru at all. The person behind Bao Shu’s placement didn’t seem to care about Yang Fu’s emotions, so it probably wasn’t Prince Yan either.
Suddenly, an idea flashed in Qun Qing’s mind.
Luanyi Pavilion, after all, was a known center for Southern Chu spies. Bao An Princess had been subtly aiding them, making their operations easier. Could Lu Huating have realized this and strategically placed Bao Shu there to monitor the princess?
She’d have to warn Lin Yu Jia to be cautious and tell the spies to avoid interaction with Bao An Princess, lest they get exposed and implicate others.
While Qun Qing mulled over these possibilities, Ah Jiang continued,
“Sister, we also overheard something else: Bao Shu is constantly encouraging Bao An Princess to elevate her position, so she can secure a foothold in the imperial palace. The princess even mentioned wanting to marry the crown prince, but our Lady Liangdi stands in her way. After all, how could a princess become just a concubine?”
“Then Bao Shu said the crown princess title is assured for the princess. She even claimed Lady Liangdi posed no real threat. If she behaves, so be it, but if she dares to oppose the princess, Bao Shu is confident she’ll win. After that, the princess didn’t say anything. Sister, do you think they’re plotting against our Lady Liangdi?”
Qun Qing listened calmly, showing no surprise. She simply asked,
“The sleeping quarters have high walls. How did you overhear this?”
“I stood on Ah Meng’s shoulders and climbed over the wall,” Ah Jiang mimicked her stealthy actions with pride.
“You’re so heavy. Can you eat less?” Ah Meng grumbled, patting her shoulders. “You dirtied my new clothes.”
As the two started bickering, Qun Qing interrupted,
“And then?”
“Then they talked about how Lady Liangdi always speaks without thinking, saying the wrong things. Even if opportunities land in her lap, she can’t hold on to them. Every time she meets the emperor, she manages to offend him. Eventually, that old affection will fade. Bao Shu plans to charm the emperor, and when compared to her, who wouldn’t see the princess as nobler and more capable?”
After hearing this, Qun Qing turned and walked away. Ah Meng and Ah Jiang thought the gold beads they had handed over were their reward and eagerly continued to clean for her.
This scene didn’t go unnoticed.
Lan Yue, observing from inside the pavilion, was both stunned and furious.
She’s only been here a few days, and she’s already won over people! The chores that Lan Yue had deliberately assigned to burden Qun Qing were now being eagerly fought over by others.
Just then, Ruochan emerged from her quarters. After exchanging a few words with Ah Meng and Ah Jiang, she picked up a broom and started sweeping the fallen leaves earnestly.
Seething with rage, Lan Yue slammed the window shut.
In the southern courtyard, Qun Qing rolled up her sleeves and began pulling out the rue plants. As she worked, her mind mulled over the conversation between the princess and Bao Shu.
It wasn’t entirely surprising. In her past life, the princess had also confided in her about her desire to become the crown princess.
Before the Li family moved to Huaiyuan, they had lived in Chang’an. Li Xuan’s birth mother had been related to the royal family. When Li Xuan was younger, he occasionally accompanied his mother to the palace, where he met Yang Fu several times. Compared to Prince Yan, Yang Fu had indeed been closer to the crown prince, sharing a childhood bond with him. Even after they grew older, she still affectionately called him “Brother Xian,” just as she had when they were children.
Thus, Qun Qing didn’t doubt Yang Fu’s affection for the crown prince. She had never imagined that the princess would form any ties with Prince Yan.
Qun Qing had always believed that after losing her chastity in the temple, Yang Fu refused the Crown Prince’s proposal because he had already married in Huaiyuan, and his wife, Zheng Zhiyi, didn’t want Yang Fu to become the Crown Princess and overshadow her. Yang Fu, proud of her status, was unwilling to become a concubine. The two couldn’t reach a compromise, so the matter was left unresolved.
But now, Qun Qing realized that while this reason existed, another crucial event had occurred in the background.
Between Yang Fu’s rejection of the Crown Prince and her appeal to Qun Qing to compete for the position of Crown Princess, an important moment had taken place: Xiao Yunru, with the support of the Xiao family army, sought to marry Prince Yan, and the Emperor had granted her the title of Princess Consort Yan.
Thus, Yang Fu’s desire to become Crown Princess might have stemmed from a quiet resentment towards Prince Yan.
Understanding this brought clarity, and Qun Qing closed her eyes with a long sigh.
Princess Bao An’s insincere words could harm everyone around her.
Qun Qing didn’t feel hatred for Bao Shu anymore. In fact, she felt a little sorry for her.
Yet, one point Bao Shu raised caught her attention: compared to the princess, Zheng Zhiyi came from a humble background and lacked the skills necessary to survive in the palace, making her words and actions ripe for missteps.
Qun Qing recalled how, during a banquet, Zheng Zhiyi had spoken out of turn, offending both the Emperor and Empress Ma. As a result, the budget for Qing Xuan Pavilion had been reduced, and even their talented cook, Liu Si Shan, had been reassigned…
The next morning, Qun Qing entered the hall with a bucket of water. Lan Yue glared at her,
“Did you not see the Lady sitting here? Go outside and sweep the courtyard.”
“First inside, then outside, to avoid bringing dust into the hall,” Qun Qing replied firmly. After bowing, she began to wipe the screens, while subtly observing Zheng Zhiyi.
Seated at the mirror, dressed casually, Zheng Zhiyi was playing with crickets. Nearly every day, she would start playing before even finishing her makeup, continuing until nightfall. In this vast palace, Lan Yue gathered everything fresh to keep her entertained.
Zheng Zhiyi’s grandfather had once compared her to a blossoming flower, and when she had been surrounded by admirers in the mountains, she believed him.
But after the Li family took over, bringing her into the palace and granting her the title of Lady, she realized it had all been a lie. She had neither talent nor beauty. In the palace, people quietly whispered that she was unworthy of the Crown Prince.
A faint fragrance filled the air, momentarily soothing Zheng Zhiyi’s growing restlessness.
From the mirror, she saw Qun Qing kneeling on the ground, her hands methodically pushing a cloth to clean each gold brick to perfection.
Qun Qing’s slender frame was pleasing to the eye, and the earnestness in her work made her stand out, drawing attention.
It had been a long time since anyone had wiped the floor with such dedication, and Zheng Zhiyi couldn’t help but wonder if being a palace maid might come with fewer worries.
“What is that scent?” Zheng Zhiyi asked.
Qun Qing looked up, “This servant added fragrant herbs to the water, so…”
“Did I ask you to speak?” Lan Yue slammed her comb down on the table. Qun Qing’s ability to win people over was becoming apparent, and now, the very scene Lan Yue had feared was unfolding before her eyes.
“Who allowed you to make a show of yourself here? Get out!”
“Come here,” Zheng Zhiyi waved her hand, issuing a command in direct contrast to Lan Yue’s. “Fragrant herbs? Where are they from?”
Lan Yue was left speechless as Qun Qing carefully pushed the bucket towards Zheng Zhiyi, humbly explaining,
“For Liangdi, they’re from the southern garden. The southern garden is quite large, but it’s lying barren now—it’s truly a waste…”
“Wipe the floor again, let me see,” Zheng Zhiyi interrupted suddenly.
Qun Qing, though intending to get closer to Zheng Zhiyi, wasn’t sure of her motive. Nevertheless, she braced herself and began wiping the floor again.
Suddenly, Zheng Zhiyi jumped down from her seat, grabbed the cloth from Qun Qing, and knelt on the ground, scrubbing as if paying respects before a sacred threshold.
She seemed to want to know if cleaning the floor could really bring joy.
“Liangdi, what are you doing!” Lan Yue cried out in shock. “If someone sees you…”
Qun Qing, equally startled, rushed to join Lan Yue in trying to take the cloth from Zheng Zhiyi’s hands.
Just then, laughter rang through the hall as Chief Eunuch entered, his presence cutting through the tension.
“Liangdi must be aware of the emperor’s decree and is accepting it in advance?” He sniffed the air and smiled approvingly.
“What a wonderful fragrance.”
This Chief Eunuch was an attendant serving the Crown Prince. Zheng Zhiyi looked up, confused, while Lan Yue hurriedly helped her up and then remembered to offer the appropriate respect,
“Chief Eunuch.”
Kneeling by the screen, Qun Qing felt a sinking sensation. Could the banquet where she had offended the emperor have come so soon? She hadn’t had time to properly guide Zheng Zhiyi.
As if confirming her worries, Chief Eunuch began to read the decree: Emperor Chenming and the Empress had summoned Zheng Liangdi and the Crown Prince for lunch together.
This unexpected invitation for a formal family meal threw the entire Qingxuan Pavilion into disarray:
Seeing the Crown Prince required Zheng Zhiyi to undergo a complete transformation—face cleansing, mouth rinsing, changing clothes, styling her hair, and applying makeup. Four senior maids rushed to assist, but since this was only Zheng Zhiyi’s third time meeting the emperor within the past year, Lan Yue and the others were unaccustomed to the proper procedures, resulting in inevitable chaos.
Sweating nervously, Zheng Zhiyi spotted Qun Qing still kneeling on the ground. “Why are you still scrubbing? Come help me!”
Qun Qing quickly washed her hands and approached to assist Zheng Zhiyi, smoothing her hair.
Ah Jiang, nearby, muttered,
“There’s been unrest in the west; His Majesty is incredibly busy. Could it be that our Liangdi angered Princess Bao’an, and now they’re calling her to account?”
Lan Yue scoffed, “Are you an idiot? This is a family banquet. His Majesty only summoned the Crown Prince and Liangdi, no one else. Only our Liangdi has the status to accompany the Crown Prince. Why would His Majesty bother with someone without title or rank?”
With Lan Yue’s flattering words, Zheng Zhiyi’s confidence was restored, and her eyes brightened as she applied more rouge to her lips.
“His Majesty and the Empress have always been kind to me. This can’t be a reprimand. It must be to lecture Li Xuan! I’m the legitimate wife they chose for their son, yet instead of visiting me, he spends his time with Yang Fu, brewing tea, making wine, and cutting flower branches—how can that be proper?”
Lan Yue hesitated, then cautiously advised,
“Liangdi, that was the past. Now, His Majesty is the emperor, and His Highness is the Crown Prince. In front of His Majesty, you shouldn’t criticize His Highness too harshly. It might create a rift between you and His Highness…”
“I finally get the chance to see His Majesty and the Empress, and I’m not allowed to speak my mind?” Zheng Zhiyi didn’t understand.
“If it weren’t for my grandfather’s help to the Li family, there wouldn’t even be a Li Xuan today!”
She stared at her reflection in the mirror, her earlier anger softening as she admired her appearance. Her hair was now arranged in a towering, intricate style, revealing her full forehead.
Zheng Zhiyi had always favored such elaborate floral buns, but since the maids hadn’t known how to do them, she had stopped requesting them. While the others had been talking, Qun Qing had remained silent, yet her hands had worked skillfully.
Seeing Zheng Zhiyi’s satisfaction, Qun Qing gently picked up a silk flower from the box and suggested,
“Liangdi, these silk flowers are slightly worn. Fresh flowers would look much better.”
Zheng Zhiyi’s eyes flickered towards her, a trace of displeasure emerging.
“If they’re worn, why are you still using them for me? I saw Princess Bao’an adorned in gold jewelry. Do you think Yang Fu deserves gold while I’m left with fabric flowers?”
Her erratic logic left Qun Qing momentarily speechless.
As someone who had spent years as a strategist, Qun Qing always prioritized pressing matters, so she found it hard to believe that Zheng Zhiyi would nitpick about something like flowers when they were already pressed for time. Qun Qing felt a chill, a cold sweat breaking out as she hurriedly tried to respond.
Memories from her past life surfaced. Back then, she had helped the princess vie for the position of Crown Princess, competing against Zheng Zhiyi within the palace. She hadn’t even needed to try hard—Zheng Zhiyi had ruined herself through her own reckless behavior and careless words.
But now that she had chosen to hide within the confines of Qingxuan Pavilion, there was no room left for retreat.
“Gold and jade may be grand, but flowers are pure,” Qun Qing gently interrupted Zheng Zhiyi before she could speak further. Lifting her chin slightly with her finger to stop her from speaking, Qun Qing placed a golden hairpin beside the silk flower in her hair.
“Liangdi, compare for yourself.”
Zheng Zhiyi stared at her reflection.
“It seems… the flowers do look better,” she murmured, but then sighed,
“They’ve faded. Even if there were fresh flowers, they wouldn’t be sent to me. All the best things go to Yang Fu first.”
The shadow of the flower cut by Li Xuan at the Luanyi Pavilion still weighed heavily on her heart.
Qun Qing, trying to divert her thoughts, said,
“At this time of year, the tea flowers and hosta flowers by the moat are in full bloom. The common people love to pick them, place them in a jade vase, and they last for a long time.”
Zheng Zhiyi’s face grew more complex as silence hung between them.
“I haven’t left the palace in so long. How would I know such things?”
Back then, when she first arrived, she hadn’t even had the chance to properly glimpse Chang’an before being confined within palace walls. She wanted to leave, but Li Xuan wouldn’t allow it, claiming spies were everywhere outside.
“Lan Yue, when you leave the palace today, bring me some hosta flowers,” Zheng Zhiyi instructed.
Lan Yue shot Qun Qing a frustrated glare but managed to keep her temper in check as she responded,
“Fine, and I’ll also get some lotus cakes from Lingxin Ji. They’re His Highness’ favorite, and he buys them every year when he comes to Chang’an.”
As they hurriedly prepared to leave the hall, Qun Qing helped Zheng Zhiyi into the carriage. Suddenly, she tightened her grip on Zheng Zhiyi’s hand, speaking with urgency,
“Liangdi, if you want to win the Crown Prince’s favor, do not mention ‘your Li family’ during the meal. If you feel the urge to speak, bite your lip. If you absolutely must say something, mention how much you miss your grandfather!”
Qun Qing had only had a few days of peace and truly didn’t want to see the household’s chef reassigned over any misstep.
Zheng Zhiyi, taken aback by Qun Qing’s boldness, felt the pain from her firm grasp. She pulled her hand away sharply and scolded,
“How audacious of you to speak like that!”
Lan Yue, standing nearby, wore a dark expression but surprisingly didn’t argue. Instead, she cautiously added,
“Liangdi, she does have a point. Please be careful…”
With that, the colorful carriage carried Zheng Zhiyi away.
Qun Qing turned toward Lan Yue. “
Sister, if you’re busy picking flowers and buying snacks, I can help ease the burden.”
Lan Yue’s lips curled into a mocking smile.
“Fine, since you’re so eager, you can take the extra trip.”
She thrust a sachet of broken silver into Qun Qing’s hands with force.
“Remember, I need three boxes of snacks—no less, or you’ll regret it.”
The long-unseen Chang’an city lay before her. Signboards lined the streets, pavilions scattered around, and the usual bustle filled the air. A vendor clapped his wares, while children excitedly picked musk melons from a nearby stall.
Qun Qing, wearing a veiled hat, blended with the crowd as she passed through the Western Market.
In the past, this place had been filled with fire-jumping acts and street performers showcasing magic tricks. However, since the country’s downfall and the chaos that ensued in Chang’an, those entertainers had disappeared, replaced by one or two beggars, their ragged clothes contrasting sharply with the market’s lively atmosphere.
As Qun Qing moved through the crowd, she spotted a dense throng of people ahead. Layer upon layer of heads formed a long line stretching from the second floor of a restaurant down to the street.
Sensing something was off, Qun Qing looked up. The signboard above the establishment read “Lingxin Ji.”
There were at least a hundred people standing shoulder to shoulder in line.
Her skirt fluttered slightly as she approached the end of the queue, but soon realized what she thought was the end wasn’t even close. The line wrapped around, hidden behind the walls of nearby shops.
Feeling slightly exasperated, she stepped into the line and couldn’t help but ask the young man standing nearby,
“Sir, are the pastries here truly that good?”
The young man scoffed.
“What kind of question is that, miss? If they weren’t, would I be standing here?”
Qun Qing glanced upward.
“But with so many people, can the shop even keep up?”
As the young man in black took his place in line, the crowd murmured, noticing the sudden shift. Qun Qing, unaware of what had transpired behind her, felt pleased with her quick negotiation. She clutched her basket and continued toward the West Market, her thoughts drifting between her errands and the complexities back at the palace.
It didn’t take long for her to feel the weight of the day’s heat, but her mood remained focused. She had secured what Lan Yue had demanded, though not without trouble. She hoped this would be enough to avoid further complications upon her return.
As Qun Qing wandered through the West Market, she briefly reflected on the man she had passed earlier—the one with the deerskin-handled knife. His presence had felt out of place among the market-goers, sharp and alert, but she dismissed the thought. Chang’an was full of such figures, and it was common to see palace guards or officials mingling among the common people.
She made her way to a nearby stall selling medicinal herbs, picking up some ointments she needed for Zheng Zhiyi. The stall keeper, a wrinkled old woman, gave her a friendly nod as she wrapped the items carefully.
As Qun Qing prepared to leave the market, she found a quiet corner to rest for a moment. She couldn’t help but think about the impending lunch. The Crown Prince’s summons, though framed as a family meal, could easily turn into a political test. She feared that Zheng Zhiyi’s impulsive personality might lead to another conflict.
The thought lingered, but she knew her role—to provide counsel where she could and mitigate whatever damage Zheng Zhiyi might cause. Yet in this vast and unpredictable palace, it was difficult to always stay ahead.
With a sigh, she adjusted her veil and rose to her feet, her gaze sweeping over the market once more before heading back toward the palace. The sun was dipping lower in the sky, and she knew she had to return before the gates were locked for the evening.
Unbeknownst to her, the man in black had already secured his own place in line. He watched her departing figure closely, waiting for the right moment to step out of the shadows.
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