Falling Dreams of Fang Hua ✔

Chapter 057

After being jolted on the road for a few days, I had finally arrived outside the palace walls. The late night was illuminated by a chilly moon, and the high walls seemed to stifle me with an oppressive weight. My heart felt as if it was on tenterhooks. By my estimation, the walls were about three to four zhang[1] high. Taking a deep breath, I peered upwards. It was a good thing I'd recovered most of my skills, or else I might've had trouble scaling this thing. After collecting my nerves, I tied the ends of my robes around my waist and flew into the air, leaping atop the palace walls with a single jump.

It was a bit humid, and occasionally the cry of birds rang through the air. There were no trees in this section of the court, so it was hard to walk along the walls beneath the moonlight. I laid low to wait for my chance until a young eunuch passed by, and struck him with a rock. He crumpled instantly, allowing me to steal his clothes. Assuming a timid posture, I kept walking along the palace walls, noting the gloomy silence. My memory of the grounds led me to the emperor's quarters.

The north side was dark, illuminated at times by spots of lamplight from the people walking by. It sounded like there were quite a few guards on patrol, as if they were taking extra precautions. I immediately turned back to walk the other way, but their footsteps only grew closer. Not anyone could stroll around the emperor's courtyard at night. Not to mention, my eunuch's robes were rather ill-fitting, so a close examination would definitely ruin my disguise. I quickly leapt up into the eaves to lie low, hiding in the darkness.

"Who's there?!" a voice demanded.

My expression darkened as I crept low over the roof tiles to take a peek. An eunuch was walking past with his hands behind his back, meeting the approaching patrol. Even though he didn't speak, there was an impressive air about him.

The patrol raised his lantern to shine on the eunuch and quickly changed his expression into a smile. He bowed down and said, "So it was Head Eunuch Li."

Head Eunuch Li....??

My thoughts flew into a trance. Although the lighting was dim, there was no way I'd mistake that voice and those features. This was Little Li. The same Little Li that used to serve me was now head of the eunuchs. The only difference now was that he didn't shake in fear, and his clever smile had faded somewhat. What replaced it was a calm and steady mien as if he always used to be this way.

"The emperor has commanded more guards to be added for these recent days," He seemed to tilt his mouth in my direction, almost as if he was smiling. "There are plenty of assassins that come by in autumn."

This person was hiding words within his words.

I'd held my breath and lightened my steps, so it should be impossible to detect me. I used to think that after I'd been snatched away, he'd be the one punished since he was my personal servant. But now...

Head Eunuch?

I couldn't figure it out. But I did see a few more guards appear around the corner, including some archers... Sweat dripped down my brow. Looks like whisking the emperor out of the palace was going to be harder than I thought.

Che! I'll think of another way.

—

With the impending wedding, security was tight in the still and gloomy palace, while celebrations were in order at the general's house. The noises from outside and inside blended together with busy preparations everywhere. The end result was that I managed to sneak inside, and I couldn't help but feel self-satisfied.

No wonder all the people outside were discussing what the general's daughter looked like. Now that I'd seen her with my own eyes, she really was bright and beautiful. Her figure was soft and supple as well, like water...