When Dongfang Yi was packing up her things, the Black Tortoise jade pendant fell out. She picked it up, glanced at it, and then casually tossed it aside.
Anyway, she was about to leave. What did anything in this palace matter to her? Suddenly, she recalled the conversation between Concubine Chu and the mysterious man that day. Unconsciously, she bit her lips tightly. She still felt a twinge of pity for Helian Qi after all.
Thinking of this, Dongfang Yi shook her head, trying to shake off these unpleasant memories. She hid the packed luggage under the bed, then put on the maid's clothes and lay down fully dressed.
Looking out of the window from her bed, she saw a vast expanse of white. There was also a rustling sound as if something was falling. It must be snowing outside again.
Snow was good. It seemed to hide all the sorrows. Lost in thought, Dongfang Yi gradually fell asleep.
After an unknown amount of time, she heard some rustling noises in the room. Opening her eyes, she saw Situ Qing who had just climbed in through the window. But looking at the sky outside, there was clearly no sign of dawn yet.
"Why are you here?" Dongfang Yi sat up and asked.
"I couldn't sleep, so I came to see you. I didn't mean to wake you up," Situ Qing said somewhat awkwardly, scratching his head. He looked at the woman opposite with a beaming smile.
Dongfang Yi didn't know why, but since she came here, her sleep quality had become extremely poor. Even the slightest noise could wake her up.
"Your Majesty the Queen, what's wrong?" the little maid keeping watch outside the palace called out. It must be because the night was so quiet that she heard the noise.
"I'm just feeling a bit unwell. No one is to disturb me, not even tomorrow!" Dongfang Yi replied.
She only heard the little maid outside reply in a daze a few times, and then there was no more sound.
"This is the luggage I want to take with me," Dongfang Yi said as she pulled out the packed parcel from under the bed and placed it on the bed.
Suddenly, there was a "clang" sound, the sound of metal and jade colliding.
Situ Qing said somewhat speechlessly, "Why are you taking so many heavy things?"
"Come on, do you know how to live? These things can be sold for a fortune when taken out," Dongfang Yi said proudly. She patted her chest and said, "I'll support you!"
Situ Qing couldn't help but find the woman in front of him a bit amusing.
He still couldn't resist hitting her with the truth, saying, "I think you're just asking to be caught by Helian Qi again. These things all bear the official seal. Once you sell them, he'll be able to locate you."
Dongfang Yi was a bit dazed by his words. Then she slapped her head and said she was being stupid. Weren't things always like this on TV? Those who stole things from the palace always ended up in a terrible state.
After thinking about it, she looked at the pile of gold and silver treasures reluctantly, then threw them back under the bed.
"Don't worry, I'll support you," Situ Qing said slowly.
His eyes seemed to be shining even in the darkness, and his expression was extremely determined.
"I'm not easy to support. I cost a lot of silver," Dongfang Yi said in a sly tone.
"I'm a man of great wealth," Situ Qing said.
Dongfang Yi was stunned by his sudden wave of narcissism. Who boasted about being rich like this?
Wasn't this a bit too narcissistic!
As soon as dawn broke the next day, Dongfang Yi followed Situ Qing and climbed out of the window, heading straight for Concubine Luo's palace.
Situ Qing had also changed into a eunuch's clothes. Dongfang Yi couldn't help but tease him, saying, "Qingqing, I didn't expect you to look so much like a eunuch in this eunuch's uniform... Hahaha."
At this time, Concubine Luo was already dressed up. She was wearing a warm red - and - white robe today, which made her look even more delicate and charming. Soon, surrounded by a group of maids, she got into the sedan chair. Dongfang Yi and the others quickly followed behind the sedan chair.
There weren't many palace people walking around in the inner palace in the early morning. The group walked slowly towards the palace gate in the snow. The squeaking sound of their feet stepping on the snow was extremely clear.
"Lower your head as much as possible when we pass by the palace gate later," Situ Qing said to Dongfang Yi.
Unexpectedly, she replied, "It's okay. Even if I walk out with my head held high, no one will recognize me. I've been such a useless queen."
Situ Qing clearly heard a hint of desolation in her words. So he joked with her, saying, "Haha, isn't that even better? Have you gotten addicted to being the queen?"
Dongfang Yi rolled her eyes at him and then lowered her head and walked forward.
Unexpectedly, their group ran into Helian Qi and his entourage who had just finished court. Situ Qing quickly pulled her to the very back of the group, afraid that Helian Qi would notice something amiss.
Concubine Luo got out of the sedan chair and bowed slightly to the man in the bright yellow dragon robe, saying, "Your servant pays respects to Your Majesty."
Helian Qi just nodded and then continued walking forward without paying any more attention.
Although Dongfang Yi had her head down, she was staring intently at the man not far away from the corner of her eye. She clearly felt that the man just paused for a moment and then left. She couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief.
The group leaving the palace continued to march towards the palace gate.
On the way back to Chengqian Palace, Helian Qi suddenly stopped in his tracks. He seemed to have smelled a familiar scent just now. A hint of panic welled up in his heart, and he changed his direction.
Ru Yi behind him was full of doubts. He thought to himself, wasn't this the way to the Queen's palace?
On this side, Concubine Luo's group had already left the palace gate. After their group turned a street corner, Situ Qing took Dongfang Yi and left the group, walking into an inn. They went straight up to a private room on the second floor.
"Let's quickly change out of these palace uniforms. These clothes are too eye - catching, and your disappearance can't be hidden for long," Situ Qing said as soon as he entered the private room.
"Situ Qing, who exactly are you? Why do you know so many things about the palace? And how on earth do you manage to move around in the palace without being noticed by anyone!" Dongfang Yi suddenly asked sternly.
She had suspected Situ Qing for a long time. The palace was so heavily guarded, yet he could come and go as he pleased, which was already very suspicious. And how did he know that Concubine Luo was going to leave the palace today when even she herself had no idea?
Situ Qing clearly didn't expect her to suddenly say this. A hint of resentment welled up in his heart, but he still forced a smile and said to Dongfang Yi, "My real name is Dugu Qing."
As he said this, there was an undeniable sadness in his entire expression.
Dugu? Why did this surname sound so familiar? Dongfang Yi tried hard to search for the origin of this surname in her mind. Finally, she dug it out from the original memories of this body. Wasn't Dugu the exclusive surname of the former royal family!