Chapter 3: A Chance Encounter with Xia Ye

The next day.

Liu Qian'er was half-squatting, patiently pruning the branches of the trees in the garden, occasionally flashing a slight smile. Time flew by; in the blink of an eye, she had already been staying in the Imperial Palace for a month.

Hanyu stood by her side to accompany her. She couldn't understand what was wrong with Liu Qian'er. After spending time together during this period, she felt that Liu Qian'er's temperament had improved, and she radiated an indescribable air of nobility.

"Your Highness, you can just let the servants handle these matters. Why must you always do them yourself?" Hanyu also squatted down beside her. "Aren't you tired?"

"How could I be tired? You don't understand, this is called enjoying myself!" Liu Qian'er put down her shears and sat on the ground, looking at Hanyu as she spoke. "Finding something to do every day makes life feel more fulfilling. If you let me just stay in my room every day waiting to eat and drink, wouldn't I die of boredom? Besides, pruning the trees makes them look a bit more pleasing to the eye, doesn't it?"

"Your Highness, you've changed!" Hanyu gave a silly smile. "Your Highness, you've become more beautiful, more sensible, your temper has improved, and you look more spirited. You're no longer the person you used to be!"

Liu Qian'er let out a soft sigh. "Yes! Everything has changed. I have become someone who is no longer myself."

"Your Highness, what is it that turned you into another person?" Hanyu's face was full of confusion as she whispered, "Hanyu cannot believe that everything she sees before her is reality."

Liu Qian'er lowered her head in silence. After a moment of contemplation, she spoke: "Hanyu, forced by the circumstances, I had no choice but to change. I can no longer allow others to look down on me. I must reclaim myself and pull myself together."

"Your Highness, you are right, but ever since you entered the palace, the Emperor hasn't visited even once. Don't you feel wronged?!" Hanyu's eyes reddened slightly.

Liu Qian'er took Hanyu's hand and said softly, "Hanyu, I don't even know that Emperor. I haven't seen him, and I have no feelings for him, so how can there be any sense of being wronged? Besides, having someone as good as you by my side is enough!" Looking at Hanyu, who was so sincere and exceptionally kind to her, she couldn't help but think of Lin Si from the 21st century. Lin Si had the same appearance as Hanyu and had always been her rival, always trying to defeat her and finding every way to scheme against her.

"Hanyu, thank you! Thank you for treating me with such heart, and thank you for taking care of me." Liu Qian'er squeezed Hanyu's hand tightly.

Hanyu squeezed back, moved to tears. "Your Highness, everything Hanyu does for you is only what should be done. Hanyu will take care of you for a lifetime." Having said that, she pulled a token from her sleeve and handed it to Liu Qian'er. "Your Highness, this token was given to me by Eunuch Xiao Dezi to pass on to you. He said it is from the Empress Dowager, telling you to visit the Prime Minister's residence when you have time. Perhaps she felt a bit guilty about letting you enter the palace just like this!"

Liu Qian'er took the token, her worries vanishing as her face lit up with joy. "This... with this, can I leave the palace?"

"Yes! This is a token for leaving the palace," Hanyu replied.

Liu Qian'er was delighted in her heart. She was bored to death in the palace; now that she had the token, she could go out for a stroll. She couldn't help but giggle, "Hehe..."

"Your Highness, what is making you so happy?" Hanyu scratched her head, not knowing what was so joyful.

Liu Qian'er grabbed Hanyu's hand and began walking toward the edge of the garden. As they walked, she said, "Hanyu, let's go out of the palace."

"Is Your Highness going back to the Prime Minister's residence?" Hanyu stopped and asked.

"No, they certainly wouldn't want to see me. I've been married into the palace for some time now, and no one has come to visit me." Liu Qian'er thought of the former Liu Qian'er and felt it was unfair to her.

"Then where does Your Highness want to go?" Hanyu didn't know where else Liu Qian'er could go besides the Imperial Palace and the Prime Minister's residence.

"Let's go out for some fresh air. Hurry!" Liu Qian'er was eager to see what the world outside the palace actually looked like.

"But, Your Highness, if you're going out for fresh air, you must change your clothes! Your clothes are too magnificent; I'm afraid... I'm afraid they might cause a sensation..." Hanyu stared at Liu Qian'er with a grave expression.

"Oh, right! How could I forget such an important matter?" Liu Qian'er looked at her clothes; they were indeed quite opulent. Suddenly, a thought struck her. "Hanyu, go find two sets of men's clothing. How about we dress as men?"

Upon hearing Liu Qian'er's suggestion, Hanyu was startled at first, but then quickly laughed. "Alright, I'll go find them right now. Wait for me!"

Hanyu secretly found two sets of men's clothing. After helping Liu Qian'er change, she changed as well.

"You... you're so cute!" Liu Qian'er pointed at Hanyu, who had just finished changing, and laughed.

"Your Highness, please stop teasing Hanyu!" Hanyu pouted in protest. "Your Highness, you look like a handsome young man, but why does Hanyu feel so strange in these clothes?"

"Let's go!" Liu Qian'er covered her mouth and laughed.

"Mm!" Hanyu nodded.

Liu Qian'er followed Hanyu through many turns and bends. The Imperial Palace was terrifyingly large, much larger than the filming locations she was used to; if she wandered around alone, she would surely get lost.

Soon, they reached the palace gates, where more than ten guards stood on either side.

"Halt!" Several guards blocked Hanyu, who was walking in front.

Hanyu immediately gave Liu Qian'er a meaningful look.

Liu Qian'er pulled the token from her sleeve, held it high, and said with a long face, "The Empress Dowager ordered us to leave the palace on official business. You won't be able to bear the consequences if you delay us!"

Sure enough, as soon as the guards saw the token in Liu Qian'er's hand, they respectfully stepped aside. One of them shouted, "Let them pass."

Standing outside the palace gates, Liu Qian'er spread her arms and closed her eyes slightly, feeling the cool autumn breeze slowly sweep over her. Her mood suddenly brightened...

"Hanyu, where do we go now?" Liu Qian'er lowered her arms and opened her eyes to ask.

Hanyu tapped her forehead, thought for a moment, and said, "Let's go to Lingyun City. It's very lively there."

"Alright, I'll listen to you."

In Lingyun City, it was indeed exceptionally lively.

Not far away, a large crowd had gathered, making a great commotion...

Driven by curiosity, Liu Qian'er couldn't help but pull Hanyu toward the crowd.

A group of heavily made-up women stood in a neat line, each wearing a flirtatious smile.

"Hanyu, what are they doing?" Liu Qian'er asked with curiosity.

"Miss—" Hanyu's words were cut short as she realized her mistake. She hurriedly retracted her words and said awkwardly, "Young Master, this is a brothel. It would be better if we didn't stay here."

"A brothel?" Liu Qian'er was startled. Those women were too brazen! "Are they... are they soliciting customers?"

"Hanyu doesn't know either!" Hanyu shook her head.

Liu Qian'er glanced at the women and said, "Oh, then let's go!"

"Gentlemen, masters! Today, the new beauty of our Zuixiang Pavilion is about to make her debut!"

Just as Liu Qian'er was about to squeeze through the crowd, she heard the shout and her body turned back out of curiosity.

A middle-aged woman led a girl of about sixteen or seventeen, walking slowly out of the Zuixiang Pavilion. The woman's eyes crinkled into slits from smiling. "This is the courtesan of our Zuixiang Pavilion, Miss Xia Ye. Everyone is welcome to invite Miss Xia Ye to drink, sing, dance—anything goes."

"Good, good... I'll be the first!"

"Me too!"

Shouts and cheers erupted from the crowd.

Looking at the girl, Liu Qian'er sighed inwardly. The girl was quite beautiful and delicate. How could such a good girl fall into such a life? She couldn't help but feel it was a pity.

"Young Master, why is that girl's hand trembling? She looks very frightened," Hanyu whispered, tugging at Liu Qian'er's sleeve.

Prompted by Hanyu, Liu Qian'er immediately realized. Her gaze shifted to the girl; no wonder she didn't show a single smile. Indeed, her hands were trembling slightly, and her face was pale, looking exactly like someone being forced.

"Could she be being coerced by someone? Or perhaps, sold by a gambling-addicted father?" Liu Qian'er's expression turned solemn.

"How do you know?" Hanyu was full of questions.

Of course she knew; there were many such plots on television. "Don't worry about that. I'm going to save her. Do you have any money on you?"

Hanyu nodded, wanting to advise Liu Qian'er not to meddle in others' business since she was the Emperor's concubine. "Miss... Young Master, it's better if we don't cause trouble."

"I've decided to meddle."

Liu Qian'er pushed through the people blocking her way, stepped up to the woman, opened her folding fan, and smiled. "This Miss Xia Ye, I'll take her."

The woman glanced at Liu Qian'er and sneered, "I presume you are captivated by Miss Xia Ye's beauty and wish to buy her home to be your wife? I wonder how much silver this young master is willing to pay to buy Miss Xia Ye?"

"Who said I wanted to buy her home to be my wife? I am here to redeem her," Liu Qian'er said coldly.

"Miss Xia Ye will become a star of our Zuixiang Pavilion. I wonder how much value she will create for me. And you think you can redeem her? Haha, what a joke!" The woman glared at Liu Qian'er with disdain.

Liu Qian'er glanced at her own plain clothes and smiled faintly. In this appearance, she would naturally be looked down upon.

"Then tell me, how much does it cost to redeem her?" Liu Qian'er pulled the trembling Xia Ye to her side and whispered, "Don't be afraid, I will save you!"

"Five thousand taels!" The woman held out a hand without hesitation.

Liu Qian'er really wanted to rush forward and give her a good beating; that was pure highway robbery. "Five thousand taels? You have quite an appetite, don't you?"

"It can't be helped; Miss Xia Ye is worth that price. If you don't have the money, go home quickly and stop making a fool of yourself here!" The woman gave a triumphant laugh.

"Go home!"

"Yeah, go home!"

"Don't make a fool of yourself here."

Several men in the crowd joined in the heckling.

"Shut up!" Liu Qian'er roared at the crowd, pointing at the woman. "You just wait. I don't have that much silver today, but I will definitely come back tomorrow to redeem Miss Xia Ye."

"Be arrogant when you actually show up! If you don't have money, stop meddling," the woman said, her face full of impatience.

"I will definitely come tomorrow." Liu Qian'er walked to Xia Ye's side, took her hand, and said, "Miss Xia Ye, I will come to save you. I know you have no choice!"

Xia Ye nodded gratefully. "Xia Ye thanks the Young Master!"

Liu Qian'er turned and left in a huff...

"Hanyu, take me back to the Prime Minister's residence." Liu Qian'er walked up to Hanyu, fuming with rage.