The soft whip in Murong Xue's hand clattered onto the carpet.
Su Yao's abacus beads rattled erratically.
Half of the scroll in Xie Wanqing's hand slid down.
Liu Ruyan raised her head, then quickly lowered it again.
Lin Qingdai grabbed the hilt of the knife behind her, her usually expressionless face burning with rage from her ears down to her neck.
Shen Ling'er finally remembered to put down the medicine bowl, which clattered against the edge of the table.
Gu Moran glanced around; six people, six different expressions, none of them daring to meet his gaze.
She gathered her hair that had fallen over her shoulders back and turned to walk towards the large soft couch in the inner room.
The collar of his white shirt was loose, and the hem of his shirt fluttered in the wind as he walked.
He sat down on the couch, the medicine bowl beside him, steam still rising from it.
He turned a page of a military treatise, without looking back.
"I will strike dozens of times."
"Before the medicine is even finished being counted and it's even in your mouth, the door to this heated room will be welded shut tomorrow."
Outside the courtyard wall, the sound of two maids running could be heard in the distance.
Yun Shuyue's breathless voice drifted across half the courtyard.
" Sister Meng, slow down! My hat fell off!"
I'll pick up the hat tomorrow!
Meng Jiuning's voice had already drifted to the entrance of the neighboring courtyard.
"Staying alive is the most important thing!"
Inside the warm pavilion, the six people heard the commotion, and their expressions became even more complicated.
The door was locked tight.
The windows were sealed tightly shut.
The charcoal fire was burning brightly.
The two who ran away were left unattended, but none of the six who remained could leave.
Gu Moran was already leaning against the soft cushions of the couch, the white steam from the medicine cup beside her gradually dissipating.
He turned a page of the military treatise without looking up.
"Our skills are limited."
"If you dawdle any longer, the medicine will get cold."
A draft swept through the covered walkway, seeping into the collar of my clothes, and made the old lanterns under the eaves sway wildly.
Meng Jiuning Ning ran all the way to the corner of the west wing's corridor, bracing herself against the peeling paint on the vermilion pillars, her chest heaving violently.
The bluestone slabs underfoot were dry, cold, and hard, without a trace of snow, only a few withered leaves swept down by the north wind swirling between the stones.
She raised her hand and patted her chest; the heat on her face, amplified by the dry, cold winter wind, slowly subsided.
Something's not right.
Meng Jiuning straightened up, leaning against a pillar, her delicate eyebrows slowly furrowing into a knot.
Who is that man?
That was Prince Yi Gu Moran, who could control the entire Jiannan Circuit trade route in just a few months and scare the Yong Prefecture military governor away by thirty miles with just a few cartloads of broken stones and overpriced herbs.
In the Battle of Bronze Gorge, his men swiftly and decisively killed the Tubo commander.
Upstairs in Listening to the Rain Tower, he held a few pages of old, tattered accounts and, with just a few words, forced me to press my bloody fingerprint on them and hand over the bottom accounts of the three money houses.
Would someone like that really shut himself in and fool around with six women in the warm chamber just because Shen Ling'er brewed a bowl of nourishing soup?
Meng Jiuning shook her head.
In the Dali royal palace, she had seen too many powerful ministers feigning madness.
Some deliberately kept dozens of courtesans in their backyards, indulging in pleasure all day long, while secretly manufacturing armor and currying favor with border generals.
Some people would cling to their wine jars all day long, drunkenly cursing heaven and earth, only to turn around and send their political enemies and their entire families to prison.
Gu Moran's current absurd behavior is exactly the same as the tactics those old foxes use to hide their true abilities.
Although the Tubo in Bronze Gorge have retreated, the stalemate continues in Dali and Liangguang to the south.
The two marquises in Dali who hold military power have colluded with the Yong Prefecture army and could launch an attack at any time.
The Tubo army, having suffered a setback in its southward advance, would certainly not give up easily.
The game in the Southern Territory of Great Yan has reached its most critical juncture. How could Gu Moran possibly be preoccupied with fooling around with the women in the backyard at this crucial moment?
The louder the commotion of closing the door to this warm chamber, the deeper the hidden schemes within.
"No, I have to go check it out."
Meng Jiuning murmured to herself.
She is now Dali's only hope.
Whether the bloodline of the Dali royal family can be preserved depends entirely on whether Yi Prefecture will truly send troops or if it's just a charade.
If she were fooled by Gu Moran's absurd deception, she wouldn't even know how she was sold.
Meng Jiuning turned around, raised her hand to straighten the collar of her dark blue cloak, and tucked the stray hairs that were falling across her forehead behind her ears.
Two young maids carrying copper basins of hot water walked towards her. Seeing her standing in the draft, they quickly bowed and greeted her.
" Miss Meng, it's windy outside. Why are you standing here? Would you like me to escort you back to your room to rest?"
"No need." Meng Jiuning's expression immediately returned to its usual composure, her tone even.
"I was in a hurry just now, and some pebbles got into my embroidered shoes, which are hurting my feet. You go to the main kitchen and heat up two pieces of Poria cocos cake for Yue'er. I'll go back to my room and change my shoes."
The maids, unsuspecting, bowed their heads in response and carried the copper basins along the alleyway to the kitchen.
Once the footsteps had faded into the distance, Meng Jiuning turned her heel and tiptoed back.
Instead of taking the main corridor, she followed the low wall of the flowerbed in the backyard, using the withered banana leaves for cover, and made her way to the back window of the warm pavilion.
This window is a shady corner of the heated pavilion, used for ventilation. Outside it are two large celadon jars filled with water for fire prevention, which completely block out any drafts.
All around was quiet, except for the rustling sound of the wind blowing through the bare branches.
Meng Jiuning huddled between two large porcelain jars, her hands gripping the hem of her cloak tightly, half-squatting down.
She dared not breathe heavily, and even suppressed her heartbeat to the lowest possible level.
He raised his right hand, his fingertips touching the thin layer of translucent window paper. He gently pried open a tiny slit along the seam and pressed his ear against it.
As long as she can figure out whether Gu Moran's next move is to attack Dali or Yong Prefecture, she will still have a chance to turn the tide against the remnants of Dali.
Just as Meng Jiuning was holding her breath and concentrating, a rustling sound came from behind the artificial rock not far behind her.
The hairs on Meng Jiuning's back immediately stood on end.
She thought it was Lin Qingdai or the Prince's guards who had come over, and she froze in place, not daring to even turn her neck.
" Sister Meng?"
A timid little noise came from behind.
Meng Jiuning turned around.
Yun Shuyue clutched the snowman-shaped fleece hat she had just picked up tightly in her arms, her two round eyes blinking in the darkness as she crouched down and moved toward the large porcelain jar.
With a few bits of maltose still clinging to her lips, she sniffed her red, frozen nose and curiously approached Meng Jiuning.
" Sister Meng, what are you doing squatting here with your butt sticking out?"
[Thanks to: Sisi's Character Summoning, Emperor's Inspiration Capsule, Poker, Just the Update Urging Charm, 1713's Love Letter, Oh Oh, Sunset, Love Letter, Myself, An'an's Flower, Nianwan, Factor, Divine Palace, Da Qiao's Likes, and everyone else for their love and support!]
[I've been busy with tutoring and certification exams lately =.= I can only update twice a day for now, sorry everyone! But I'm really too busy.]