Chapter 67: Changes in the Early Morning

“Miss, stop thinking about it.”

Mo Zheng extinguished one of the lamps, plunging the room into dimness, and spoke softly to Yang Luo, who sat at the desk lost in thought.

“Get some sleep.”

Yang Luo snapped out of her reverie and looked at her, unable to help but smile. “Can you even sleep?”

Mo Zheng smiled as well. “With you here, Miss, everything is being resolved effortlessly. Of course I can sleep.”

Ever since Duke Ding'an had left to seek forgiveness from the Emperor, the Duchess had urged everyone to retire for the night.

Liu Changqing had been settled in a courtyard with her daughter and disciples, while Mo Zheng and Yang Luo were settled in another.

This courtyard was not where Yang Luo had lived in her previous life.

The Duchess had not stayed by her side constantly; instead, she sat restlessly in the main hall waiting for the Duke.

Of course, things were different from the last life. Yang Luo looked at Mo Zheng.

“Don't call me Miss,” she whispered. “Now, you are Miss Yang.”

Mo Zheng nodded. “Alright, A-Sheng.” She paused, found paper and a brush on a nearby table, and lowered her voice with interest. “But since we are women, wouldn't it be more reasonable to change the 'Sheng' in A-Sheng to the character for 'Sheng' (笙, a musical instrument)? What do you think?”

Yang Luo laughed again. She was actually considering such details...

“I’ll follow your lead,” she nodded with a smile, then sighed softly. “It wasn't that things were resolved effortlessly because I was here. It was because you, Miss, handled everything so appropriately that things went so smoothly.”

Although she already knew this guard was unflappable, the sudden identity swap—having her impersonate her own self—had been done so hastily that she had barely given any instructions. Yet, the guard had handled everything with perfect composure.

Even though the jade medallion meant the Duke and Duchess wouldn't be suspicious, people would still observe their speech and mannerisms. Being too unusual would inevitably draw suspicion. This reunion involved many outsiders: Liu Changqing, and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, Wei Jiao...

Especially Wei Jiao, whom she had dealt with before.

Thinking of this, Yang Luo pressed her hand to her chest and exhaled; even now, she felt a lingering panic.

But A-Sheng had remained unhurried and unperturbed throughout, neither showing excitement nor coldness.

In short, she had displayed the perfect reaction Yang Luo had imagined!

Even if Yang Luo had done it herself, she wasn't sure she could have achieved such perfection.

Mo Zheng listened to Yang Luo's praise while tidying the bedding.

“It wasn't really 'handling' anything; I just remained myself,” she said. She turned to look at Yang Luo and spoke softly, “Because they don't know us, you don't need to worry about how you should react to them. Whatever reaction you have will be correct. So, remember: act as you usually do. Do not deliberately act like a maidservant.”

Yang Luo nodded seriously in agreement.

Mo Zheng smiled at her. “Then lie down and rest for a while.”

The lights in the room were extinguished.

As a maidservant, Yang Luo slept on the small couch by the bed, while the "Miss" on the bed breathed steadily, seemingly having fallen into a deep sleep.

Yang Luo, however, could not sleep.

It wasn't until now that she finally had time to reflect on what had happened.

Although she had long anticipated such a day, it had come far too quickly.

And it was different from what she had expected.

After all, when she had made her predictions, she hadn't known the guard was a woman.

Thus, the current outcome was much better than anticipated.

Even though she had entered the Duke's manor, she was not in her identity as Yang Luo, which was equivalent to still being hidden in the shadows.

This allowed her to more easily observe others' reactions and avoid certain dangers that might target the identity of "Yang Luo" directly.

As the thought flashed through her mind, Yang Luo's hands clenched tightly in front of her.

She hadn't done it on purpose, nor had she allowed A-Sheng to shield her from danger...

But her clenched hands loosened, and she gave a self-deprecating smile.

Why bother deceiving herself? She was indeed using A-Sheng.

She had been from the very beginning.

“...Did you also foresee that they would fabricate another identity for you?”

A soft female voice drifted over.

Yang Luo was startled; for a moment, she was unaccustomed to hearing A-Sheng's voice.

“Ah, that.” She regained her composure and nodded in the darkness. “Yes, I foresaw it.”

Back then, after she and A-Sheng had finished changing clothes and the Duke and Duchess had verified the jade medallion, just before they were about to leave, the Duchess had stopped A-Sheng to make a request.

It was the same request as in her previous life.

She asked her not to reveal that she was the daughter of her mother, but to pretend to be the daughter of a deceased aunt from the family.

“Your mother met the wrong person years ago and has been away from home for so long; everything has become a thing of the past. Now that you have returned, to prevent others from digging up old matters and causing your mother and our family to be mocked again, we want you to pose as the daughter of that aunt from your great-uncle's side.”

“That way, we will tell the public this, add you to the family registry, and you will officially be a daughter of our house. You will be returning home on your mother's behalf, and those past grievances will not be mentioned again.”

“Luo'er, what do you say?”

In that life, she had nodded without hesitation, saying yes. In fact, she hadn't cared at all what her aunt said; as long as she was recognized, added to the registry, and had a home, it was enough.

In this life, after A-Sheng heard this, she had looked at her, and Yang Luo had joyfully congratulated her, saying, “That’s wonderful, Miss.”

A-Sheng had then nodded in agreement.

It didn't matter to the public whose daughter she was claimed to be. Those who didn't know her indifference wouldn't be deceived by it.

“But I couldn't foresee what would happen next,” Yang Luo whispered. “Whether I would still be allowed to attend school.”

After all, in that life, the Duke's manor had kept her hidden away; she had never stepped outside, let alone attended school to study.

“You don't need to worry about that. They cannot change what has already happened,” Mo Zheng said softly in the dark. “To keep someone locked in their home, they would have to explain it to many more people, which is a very troublesome matter. Besides, we aren't the kind of people who can be easily confined.”

Indeed, she was not the Yang Luo of that previous life. And most importantly, she had A-Sheng. It would be impossible to keep her locked at home.

Yang Luo couldn't help but let out a small laugh.

“However, you certainly won't be able to go tomorrow, so...” Mo Zheng continued, her voice languid, “you can sleep in peacefully.”

Yang Luo laughed again. Yes, that was right; they weren't the ones who should be worrying right now.

Yang Luo stretched on the small couch, relaxing her tense body, shifted into a comfortable position, and closed her eyes.

The night gradually faded, and the morning light began to brighten.

The early winter mornings grew colder by the day. As Princess Pingcheng walked along the road, she couldn't help but rub her cheeks.

“Princess, please put on your hood.”

An attendant accompanying her hurriedly offered a hood trimmed with white fox fur.

Princess Pingcheng declined. “No need.” She looked ahead. “We are almost at Mother's palace.”

She quickened her pace, stepping lightly and cheerfully into Kunning Palace, but the Empress was not there.

“Her Majesty has gone to the Imperial Study to see His Majesty,” the palace maids said.

So early? Princess Pingcheng was stunned. Moreover, her mother rarely visited her father's palace; was something happening?

“Does the Princess wish to wait for the Empress?” the maids asked. “Or go to the Imperial Study?”

Princess Pingcheng looked at the sky.

“No, I have school today,” she said. “I will come to pay my respects to Mother after class.”

This was the first unusual thing Princess Pingcheng had encountered today, and she soon encountered a second.

As the Princess's carriage traveled through the streets cleared by the Imperial Guards, she did not see Yang Hui's carriage, which should have been waiting at the street corner.

In truth, Yang Hui didn't need to wait for her, but to demonstrate her close relationship with the Princess, Yang Hui would deliberately follow the Princess's carriage.

It was a trivial matter, and Princess Pingcheng didn't mind, so she had let her do as she pleased.

Why wasn't she waiting today?

Sitting in the carriage, Princess Pingcheng frowned slightly.

If she had insisted on waiting, the Princess would have been tolerant and not denied the Duke of Ding'an's face.

But if she waited today and not tomorrow, then the Princess's dignity would not be so easily disregarded.

Princess Pingcheng decided that during the school break, she would tell Yang Hui that from now on, she should be like the other study companions and stop following the carriage.

But when she arrived at the academy, Yang Hui did not appear, even after the instructors had entered to prepare for class.

Princess Pingcheng turned her head slightly, looking at the last two empty seats.

That Liu Chan hadn't come either.

Something must have happened.

So, was this also the reason why Mother had gone to see Father so early in the morning?