Volume One, Chapter Two: The Crimson Mole Between the Brows

She suddenly spotted a small flower rack nearby that had been knocked over by the rain. The ropes on the rack were scattered on the ground, and a pile of thick branches, snapped by the gale, lay beside it. In an instant, a plan took shape in her mind.

She signaled for Xu Qing to stay still, then moved through the branches like an agile cat, closing in on her target.

First, she tightly bound several thick branches together with the rope to create a simple obstacle. Then, utilizing the flexibility of the wood and the length of the cord, she meticulously set a hidden tripwire trap while avoiding the gaze of their pursuers, all without making a sound.

The assassins converged, stepping precisely into the trap she had laid. The leaders were suddenly tripped, their bodies lunging forward and knocking into their comrades behind them.

In a flash, the assassins were in a heap, their curses and cries of alarm tangling together as the scene descended into chaos.

Seizing the moment, Lou Hongling grabbed Xu Qing and leaped from the tree. Darting and weaving through the chaotic group of assassins, she moved with the agility of a loach.

She effortlessly dodged the hands reaching out to grab her, yet she deliberately exposed her face fully to them.

The red mole between her brows was her most striking feature.

During their escape, Lou Hongling led Xu Qing into a thicket. Using the cover of the bushes and the concealment of the rockeries, they successfully shook off their pursuers. They vaulted over the garden wall and sprinted deep into the grounds until they saw palace laborers working ahead. Only when she looked back to confirm the assassins were gone did she stop.

Xu Qing, breathless and still shaken, looked at her with a mix of gratitude and suspicion regarding her identity and martial prowess.

"Why are you here?" Xu Qing asked softly.

Lou Hongling turned to look at him.

"This servant is merely a lowly maid in this palace, hiding from the storm. Your Majesty, please be careful."

Though this maid had saved him, Xu Qing dared not trust her words easily. He merely noted the cinnabar mark between her brows.

"Hmph, do you think I would trust you so easily?" Xu Qing scoffed, attempting to cloak his inner unease with imperial authority.

Lou Hongling felt a sense of helplessness. At that time, Xu Qing held no real power in the palace; he might have fooled others, but he could not fool her. Still, she lowered her head and said respectfully:

"This servant does not dare to expect Your Majesty's trust. I only happened to save Your Majesty today; I hope you will take care of yourself and never fall into such a dangerous position again."

Her words were so sincere that he did not know how to respond. Xu Qing watched her, saying nothing more.

But he knew that in this deep palace, everyone could be harboring ill intentions.

The rain had eased significantly, and the air was thick with dampness. Xu Qing straightened his robes, regaining some of his imperial bearing, and said:

"Do not speak of today's events to anyone, or else..."

He did not finish, but the threat was self-evident.

Lou Hongling bowed slightly and said, "This servant understands. Your Majesty may rest assured."

Xu Qing took one last deep look at her, then turned and left.

***

Lou Hongling watched his retreating back, thinking to herself that fate had been kind today. She would never let these things happen again. Xu Qing, in this life, I will ensure you sit firmly upon the throne.

Changle Palace.

Hearing that the plan had failed, Empress Dowager Deng sat upon the phoenix throne, her fingers tapping rhythmically against the armrest, her expression dark.

Beside her, Aunt Qingdai stood with her head bowed, and an oppressive atmosphere filled the hall.

Aunt Qingdai trembled slightly and said softly:

"Empress Dowager, please calm your anger. The Emperor is still young, after all; perhaps he was instigated by those ministers..."

"Young?" The Empress Dowager sneered.

"He has already begun to learn how to defy me. If he is not removed today, he will surely become a great threat later! Did those people not claim to be certain of success?" the Empress Dowager asked with a cold gaze.

Aunt Qingdai quickly replied:

"They were all carefully selected death-sworn, and they were familiar with the palace layout. We thought it was foolproof, but..."

"But what?" the Empress Dowager interrupted impatiently.

"But a nimble maid suddenly appeared from nowhere beside the Emperor, helping him find the chance to escape," Aunt Qingdai said cautiously.

The Empress Dowager frowned, a glimmer of confusion in her eyes. "A maid? What kind of maid?"

"Not yet identified, but they say that the woman had a cinnabar mole between her brows..."

The deep voice of Deng Chumo sounded:

"Aunt, do not worry. Let us leave Xu Qing alive for now. If he were to die right now, those old bones like Wei Shulin might not necessarily let us control the court."

Deng Chumo's response to the Empress Dowager was respectful and humble. At fifteen, only a year older than Xu Qing, he already showed signs of deep cunning.

"Empress Dowager, Young Master, rest assured, this servant will go and investigate clearly," Aunt Qingdai promised.

"Investigate! Investigate thoroughly!" The Empress Dowager's expression was icy. If she could not move an Emperor, could she not deal with a meddlesome maid?

Lou Hongling was lost in thought, sifting through the events of her past life, completely unaware that a young girl with bright, almond-shaped eyes was running toward her, the decorations in her hair swaying with every step.

***

"Hongling!"

Before she even reached her, Zhang Zhiqiu waved at her affectionately. Upon arriving, she quickly took a cloth to wipe the remaining rainwater from Lou Hongling's forehead.

"Zhi... qiu." Lou Hongling stammered, her mind flooded with the memory of Zhang Zhiqiu’s look of disappointment and pain before she had taken her own life.

Zhang Zhiqiu, entirely unaware of her daze, pouted and muttered:

"Don't worry about it so much. How could anyone sweep all the fallen leaves in the Imperial Garden in this weather? At worst, I'll just suffer the punishment with you."

Zhang Zhiqiu’s father had once been the Minister of Ceremonies, but he had been exiled due to political infighting, and she, like Lou Hongling, had entered the Yongxiang service quarters. She had arrived a year earlier, and in her past life, her care had been the only warmth Lou Hongling had known in the palace.

Zhang Zhiqiu held her hand and pulled her smilingly back toward the service quarters. Lou Hongling gripped her hand tightly, unable to tear her eyes away, desperate to etch the lively, spirited image of the girl before her into her heart.

"Lou Hongling, since you failed to complete the task of sweeping the Imperial Garden, both of you will move to the room at the very end," Nanny Zhang said with a triumphant smirk, shooing Lou Hongling and Zhang Zhiqiu toward the corner room.

"You knew it would rain today and that it would be impossible to sweep all the leaves! Why are you making things so difficult for us!" Zhang Zhiqiu cried out in defiance.

Nanny Zhang sneered:

"Hmph, when did it become your turn to speak, you little wretch? What I say is what goes!"

With a wave of her hand, several maids stepped forward to push and shove Lou Hongling and Zhang Zhiqiu.

The two stumbled toward the dilapidated room. Along the way, the surrounding maids cast gloating glances, and whispers reached their ears:

"Those two don't know their place. They offended Nanny Zhang before, and now they'll get what's coming to them."

"Indeed, in this palace, it's better to be honest and keep to oneself, or you won't even know how you died."

The door to the room was half-open and precarious, and the paper on the window frames was riddled with holes, whistling "whoosh" whenever the wind blew.

A damp, musty smell permeated the room, and tattered cobwebs hung in the corners.

Zhang Zhiqiu looked at the room, her eyes reddening as tears welled up. She choked out:

"Hongling, how are we supposed to live here?"

Having already endured great storms, Lou Hongling remained calm. She patted her shoulder gently and comforted her:

"Zhiqiu, don't be afraid. Let's tidy up first. No matter how hard it is, we must go on living in this palace."

Lou Hongling had made a firm resolution in her heart. From the power-abusing nannies to the Empress Dowager who dominated the world, she would not let a single one of those who bullied her go unpunished!