บท 51: Long Palace
Slowly but surely, like a shadow emerging from the depths of darkness, Suyin eased her head out from the concealed alcove of the Long Palace's outer walls.
The night draped the skies in an inky cloak, embellished only by the twinkling stars that seemed to dance just beyond Suyin's reach. Above, the moon hung like a mere silver, its crescent form casting a subtle glow that offered little illumination to the landscape below.
"You're not going to find anyone like that. You're making it too obvious," remarked Qin Fuhua, his tone tinged with disapproval as he observed Suyin's cautious maneuvers.
Despite Suyin's presumption that the palace grounds might be sparsely guarded at this late hour, it appeared that fate had other plans, as the number of sentries seemed unusually plentiful.
The duo stood at the periphery of the palace, shrouded in the darkness of their attire, each garment meticulously chosen to blend seamlessly with the night's embrace.
Suyin and Qin Fuhua were like phantoms, their features obscured by the depths of their garments. Suyin's ebony locks were pulled back tightly, a strategic measure to conceal her femininity and lend her the guise of a male presence.
With a graceful motion, Qin Fuhua encircled Suyin's waist, drawing her gently closer as he prepared to navigate the towering walls.
In one fluid motion, he propelled himself upward, defying gravity's hold as he ascended to the rooftop with the nimbleness of a wisp of smoke.
Suyin, her heart racing in her chest, stifled a gasp as she was lifted skyward, her fingers gripping tightly to Qin Fuhua for stability.
As they alighted upon the rooftop, Suyin's laughter bubbled forth, a nervous release of tension in the face of their daring escapade.
"Heh heh heh. I... don't do well with heights," Suyin confessed sheepishly, her voice betraying a hint of apprehension as she resisted the urge to glance downward.
Though the dizzying drop below threatened to unsettle her, she forced herself to maintain her composure, focusing instead on the panorama of the palace grounds that unfolded before her.
"There," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper as she indicated a distant pavilion nestled amidst the foliage below.
The familiarity of the scene brought a sense of reassurance, anchoring her amidst the vertiginous heights.
Unperturbed by Suyin's grip, Qin Fuhua proceeded with quiet determination, leaping effortlessly from rooftop to rooftop with the agility of a seasoned acrobat.
"For the sake of my friend," Suyin whispered to herself as a gust of wind tousled her hair, prompting her to close her eyes briefly against its gentle force.
As they reached the secluded pavilion, Suyin and Qin Fuhua moved with a cautious grace, their movements choreographed to avoid detection by any lurking guards or patrolling soldiers.
Concealed behind foliage and exploiting blind spots, they traversed the grounds, their senses attuned to the slightest hint of danger.
With a sense of urgency propelling her forward, Suyin hastened towards Princess Yanyu's chambers, her heart pounding in her chest with each step. Qin Fuhua remained close at her heels, silently present to shield her from any harm should danger arise.
Upon reaching the threshold of the princess's quarters, Suyin slid the door open with a quiet urgency, revealing Princess Yanyu immersed in the quiet pursuit of reading from a delicate scroll.
Startled by the sudden intrusion, the princess's eyes widened in alarm as she beheld Suyin's unexpected presence.
"Who are you?!" she exclaimed, her voice tinged with a mixture of surprise and apprehension.
Suyin moved swiftly to assuage her friend's fears, pressing a finger to her lips in a gesture of silence.
"Shh, wait," she urged softly, her eyes scanning the room for any sign of danger.
With Qin Fuhua standing guard at her side, Suyin's mind raced with the realization that the lack of guards was an unsettling feeling.
"It's me," Suyin announced, her voice suffused with relief as she discarded the concealing cloth that obscured her features, revealing her identity to her dear friend.
"You..."
Princess Yanyu's expression softened into a smile of recognition, her relief palpable as she reached out to clasp Suyin's hand in a gesture of camaraderie.
For a fleeting moment, they indulged in the simple joy of reunion, their laughter mingling harmoniously in the tranquil confines of the chamber until Qin Fuhua's stern reminder to maintain caution.
"What are you doing here?! I heard that you ran off—" Princess Yanyu's words tumbled forth in a rush of concern, but Suyin's gaze darted apprehensively towards Qin Fuhua, a silent plea for discretion.
Sensing her friend's unease, Suyin interjected hastily, her words tinged with a veneer of feigned nonchalance.
"I came back to warn you about your... er... future husband," she explained cryptically, her hands lifting in a gesture of deflection.
"About him..." Princess Yanyu's voice carried a weight of resignation, her brows furrowing as she directed her gaze downward, a sorrowful smile tugging at the corners of her lips as if etched by the force of obligation.
"My father betrothed me to him because of his family's good wealth and reputation," she murmured softly, her words tinged with bitterness that belied the facade of acceptance she wore.
Suyin's heart clenched with a potent mixture of sadness and indignation, her own features contorting into a frown as she grappled with the injustice of her dear friend's plight.
"Princess, you need to understand that this man, Liwei, is not to be trusted. He has a dark past—he kidnapped girls from a brothel and—"
"There's nothing I can do!" Princess Yanyu interjected, her voice quivering with a blend of frustration and despair, her eyes shimmering with unshed tears as she met Suyin's gaze with a mixture of defiance and vulnerability.
"This man's reputation isn't good, I know," she continued, her words laced with a bitter resignation. "As a woman, as a mere puppet in this palace..."
Suyin's frustration simmered beneath the surface, her thoughts swirling with a tempest of indignation at the societal constraints that bound her friend in chains of oppression.
"What's with this era?!" she lamented inwardly, her teeth sinking into her lower lip in a futile attempt to contain her mounting discontent.
With a glance towards Qin Fuhua, whose disinterest in the conversation seemed palpable, Suyin redirected her attention back to Princess Yanyu, her resolve firming with each passing moment.
"And that is precisely why I fled from home," Suyin declared, her voice tinged with defiance as she clasped Yanyu's hands in a gesture of solidarity.
"To escape the shackles of such absurdity."
Her gaze bore into the princess's, an unspoken plea for her to seize control of her own destiny, to defy the constraints imposed upon her by a patriarchal society that valued tradition over individual agency.
A sense of awe flickered across Princess Yanyu's features, her eyes widening in astonishment at the audacity of Suyin's words.
It was a revelation, a stirring testament to the possibility of forging one's own path amidst the suffocating strictures of convention.
Qin Fuhua, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected fervor of Suyin's impassioned plea, allowed a faint smirk to grace his lips, acknowledging the resolute spirit that burned within her.
As the distant sound drew Qin Fuhua's attention like a moth to flame, his gaze snapped back to Suyin, urgency flashing in his eyes as he seized her hands in a firm grip.
"Let's go," he urged, his voice low but brimming with urgency.
Turning to face Qin Fuhua, Suyin's heart sank as she realized the situation.
Before she could utter a word to Princess Yanyu, a phalanx of guards materialized at the doorway, encircling them with a menacing array of spears.
Despite the princess's impassioned protestations, the guards remained resolute, their weapons poised for action.
"I should've known it was too easy to get in," Qin Fuhua murmured, his voice tinged with regret as he contemplated their dire circumstances.
Caught in an ambush, he grappled with the potential repercussions of his actions—should he resort to force to escape from this situation, or risk exposing his true identity and be accused of spying on their Kingdom? With a resigned sigh, she raised her hands in a gesture of surrender, her gaze locking with Qin Fuhua's in a silent exchange of understanding.
With a swift motion, Suyin unfurled the tightly bound bun atop her head, allowing her silken hair to cascade down in a shimmering curtain that enveloped her like a cloak. The guards recoiled in astonishment at the revelation, their expressions a mix of disbelief and incredulity, while Princess Yanyu watched on in silent comprehension.
"Don't do it—"
Qin Fuhua's protest fell on deaf ears as Suyin pressed forward, her resolve unyielding as she revealed her true identity to the astonished onlookers.
"I'm Han Suyin," she declared, her voice ringing with a note of defiance as she invoked her lineage, her words imbued with a steely resolve that brooked no dissent.
The guards exchanged uncertain glances, torn between duty and disbelief, while Princess Yanyu nodded solemnly in affirmation of Suyin's words.
With a decisive gesture, Suyin issued her ultimatum, her tone unwavering in its resolve. "If you don't believe me, bring my father, Han Shu Feng."
"Go bring Han Shu Fang here right now," the main guard barked, his authoritative tone brooking no argument as his subordinates hastened to carry out his command, their boots echoing against the cold stone floor as they departed for the Han manor with a sense of urgency.
"Suyin," Qin Fuhua whispered, his voice a plea tinged with concern as he regarded her with apprehension. But before he could utter another word, Suyin's gaze hardened with resolve, her mind already racing with a plan to ensure his safety.
"Qin Fuhua, please. Run," she implored, her words a fervent plea borne of desperation as she fumbled for the small clay sphere concealed within the folds of her garment.
With practiced precision, she activated the makeshift smoke bomb, its contents igniting upon impact with the ground, engulfing the chamber in a dense cloud of billowing smoke.
In one fluid motion, Suyin pushed Qin Fuhua away from the swirling haze, her hands guiding him toward safety with a bittersweet smile that masked her tumultuous emotions. As the veil of smoke enveloped her like a shroud, obscuring her features from view, she knew that this sacrifice was necessary to ensure his escape.
Through the swirling mists, Qin Fuhua's form faded into the shadows, his departure a silent testament to the gravity of their situation. Alone amidst the chaos, Suyin braced herself for the inevitable confrontation that awaited her, her heart heavy with the weight of uncertainty, yet fortified by the unwavering resolve to protect those she held dear at any cost.
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